Rough Magic 3e EN:Gifts

Contents

Advantages are exceptional abilities that a normal person can have, but that most people do not have. The details of each advantage are highly dependent on a character's background, so the player should work with the GM to flesh out these details. Each advantage costs one character point.

Typical Advantages

This is a list of typical advantages found in a Rough Magic game. This list is not exhaustive. A character may well have an advantage not listed here, subject to GM approval. However, any new advantages should be approximately as useful as these advantages, in order to maintain a sense of fairness with other characters.

Would you like to randomly generate a character's advantages? You can!

Table: Random archetype, Table 1

Roll 1d6	Number of advantages
1	Roll once on Typical advantages
2-5	Roll twice on Typical advantages
6	Roll three times on Typical advantages

Count the number of advantages, and subtract that number from your pool of character points.

Table: Typical advantages

Roll 3d6	Roll 1d6	Advantage	Benefit
3-8	1	Blindfighting	The character incurs fewer penalties when unable to see or hear
	2	Cantrips	Small but useful bits of magic
	3	Connected	Get a favor from people with influence or authority
	4	Elusive	May base defense value on Agility rather than Brawn in close combat
	5	Empowering Objects	The character can imbue nonliving objects with magic
	6	Famous	Get attention, and perhaps favors, from strangers
9-10	1	Fascinating	Get attention, and perhaps favors, from admirers
	2	Hard Target	May base defense value on Brawn rather than Agility in ranged combat
	3	Headquarters	The character has one or more bases of operation
	4	Indefatigable	The character does not incur a penalty when exhausted
	5	Leadership	Spend plot points for others on the same team
	6	Lightning Strike	Use Agility for damage value in close combat
11-12	1	Linguist	Learn new languages with minimal effort
	2	Master Plan	Gain an advantage if there is time to prepare for an encounter
	3	Mental Calculator	Solve complex mathematical operations by thinking about them
	4	Minions	Minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness
	5	Perfect Recall	Remember something perfectly with a Reason roll
	6	Secret Identity	The character has a second, completely legitimate identity
13-18	1	Sharpshooter	Use weapons at longer than usual range
	2	Team Player	Gain a bonus when working with others
	3	Tenacious	May base defense value on Will rather than on Brawn or Agility
	4	Underwater Combat	Fight underwater with ease
	5	Unsettling	Make people nervous for no real reason
	6	Wealthy	Solve problems with money

Blindfighting

Normally, attacks against a character who can't perceive the attacker gain an attack bonus (+3), and attacks made by a character who can't see or hear automatically miss. If a defender has the Blindfighting advantage, attacks made against them do not receive an attack bonus. This does not grant the defender a bonus: it merely eliminates the attacker's attack bonus for that circumstance. Attacks made by a character who can't see or hear, but who has the Blindfighting advantage, do not automatically miss. Instead, the attacker incurs an attack penalty (-3).

Cantrips

The character can occasionally produce small but useful bits of magic. The character begins each game with one extra plot point. Cantrips are a particularly good justification for an automatic success, a power boost, a power stunt, or even a retcon.

Connected

The character is on a first-name basis with people who have influence or authority. For example, perhaps the character is a college buddy of a regional Commissary's and is a childhood friend of a major player in an organized crime syndicate. From time to time, the character can ask these people for favors and have a reasonable chance of having the favor granted. The likelihood of having the favor granted will be much greater if the character does favors in return from time to time. On the other hand, having friends in high places may mean that the character attracts the attention of the friends' enemies.

Elusive

The character is fast on their feet and good at rolling with the punches. In close combat (also known as "hand-to-hand"), the character may base their defense value (DV) on their Agility rather than on their Brawn. Equipment and traits which would add to the character's Brawn to determine their defense value may add to the character's Agility, instead. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Empowering Objects

The character can temporarily imbue non-living materials with magic. In practice, this allows a character to create pieces of magical "equipment" which operate similarly to ordinary equipment one can buy at a shop. This allows a character to create a charm that grants a character expertise with the Deception skill, a potion that grants an additional two character points of Brawn, a bracelet that grants the protection of rank 3 armor, and so on.

The rank of each piece of such equipment is limited to the character's Power rank, and the number of objects a character can have temporarily empowered at one time is also equal to their Power. If the character creates a new empowered object which would place them over this limit, one of their previously empowered objects ceases to function (the player may choose which one). Empowering a new item takes a number of days equal to the rank of the object, during which the character may engage in no other significant activity.

Empowered objects last about a week before the magic fades, unless the character spends a number of character points equal to the rank of the empowerment. This makes the empowerment permanent, and that item no longer counts against the character's maximum number of empowered items.

The creation of empowered items is covered in detail in the Magic chapter.

Famous

The character's name and likeness are widely known, perhaps due to their exploits or achievements, or possibly because they are from a noble or notorious family. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because paparazzi are often nearby. People who are impressed by celebrity may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from strangers. If this is the case, the character gains a roll bonus (+3) on relevant Manipulation and Social rolls. As always, only a single bonus (+3) applies to any given roll.

Fascinating

A character with the Fascinating advantage is naturally, effortlessly compelling. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because they will be the focus of attention in nearly any circumstances. People who are swayed by their instinctive responses may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from admirers. If this is the case, the character gains a roll bonus (+3) on relevant Manipulation and Social rolls.

If the character already has this as a supernatural trait, or expertise with the Manipulation or Social task currently being attempted, this advantage offers no additional benefit. As always, only a single bonus (+3) applies to any given roll.

Hard Target

In ranged combat, the character may base their defense value (DV) on their Brawn rather than on their Agility. This can reflect the character's genetically superior physiology, their superhuman healing ability, the harnessing of the character's chi, or some other effect, depending on the specifics of the character's archetype and abilities. Equipment and traits which would add to the character's Agility to determine their defense value may add to the character's Brawn, instead. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Headquarters

The character has one or more bases of operation, equipped with supplies and equipment reasonable for the character's background and skills. If the character is a member of a team, the base(s) might be shared with the other team members, at the player's discretion. A headquarters is primarily a convenience for the GM and a fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat, and is mainly used for flavor and a setting for roleplaying. For example, a high-tech base might have an air-tight security system, complete with laser turrets and knockout gas, but this won't keep the base from being broken into by pirates or taken over by a sentient computer virus.

Indefatigable

Normally, a character whose endurance level has been reduced to "exhausted" can speak and take roleplaying actions, but any other action, including combat, incurs a roll penalty (-3). A character with Indefatigable is just as close to defeat, but they do not incur a roll penalty for this condition. This does not grant the character an attack bonus: it simply eliminates the attack penalty. It is therefore possible for an exhausted character with the Indefatigable advantage to have an attack bonus (+3) if they have an appropriate situational advantage or expertise.

Leadership

A character with the Leadership advantage excels at bringing out the best in others, and other people are more effective with the character than they are alone. A character with Leadership can spend their own plot points on behalf of their teammates and allies. For example, this could be to help an ally do something the character with Leadership is not in a position to do, or to provide support for a teammate who is in trouble.

Lightning Strike

A character with Lightning Strike can deal devastating blows using speed and finesse rather than brute force. When in close combat, the character may substitute their rank in Agility for their rank in Brawn when determining their attack value (AV). The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis. This can reflect the character's advanced advanced martial arts training, their superhuman speed, the harnessing of the character's chi, or some other effect, depending on the specifics of the character's archetype and abilities.

Linguist

Universe, an artifical language created thousands of years ago, is the official language of the Imperium. Every civilized being understands Universe, although not every species is physically capable of speaking it. Additionally, every alien species has one or more languages which they speak among themselves: some civilizations have hundreds of indigenous languages. No one but a robot will even attempt to learn more than a dozen of the most common languages.

Barring unusual circumstances, characters are assumed to be fluent in Universe, as well as any other languages they could reasonably be expected to know. A character with the Linguist advantage is fluent in over six million forms of communication, and is capable of quickly deciphering new forms of communication when they encounter them.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this advantage: the benefits do not stack.

Master Plan

With sufficient time and preparation beforehand, a character with the Master Plan advantage is able to gain a tactical benefit during an encounter at a time chosen by the player. The form this takes can vary, and should be negotiated between the player and the GM, but a relatively typical use of a Master Plan would be similar to the use of a plot point. The amount of time needed to formulate a Master Plan should be long enough to be believable, but not so long that it renders the advantage useless. Generally speaking, a character should only be permitted to concoct one Master Plan per game session, unless the GM makes an exception.

Mental Calculator

The character can perform complex mathematical calculations in their head in the same amount of time that a skilled mathematician could perform the same calculations on a powerful computer. Also, the character has an intuitive understanding of higher mathematics, and is able to comprehend and remember intricate formulae and equations after examining them briefly.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this advantage: the benefits do not stack.

Minions

The character has one or more minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness. Such minions might be mooks, agents, armed guards, administrative staff, or technicians to keep the character's equipment in proper working order. There is no set limit to the number of minions a character might have, subject to the GM's approval, but the more minions there are, the less competent they are. For example, if a character has just three minions -- an administrative assistant, a chauffeur/auto mechanic, and a computer expert, for example -- they might be reasonably competent at their respective assignments (rank 3 in their pertinent attributes, with expertise in their relevant skills). If the character has dozens of minions, however, the best among them would be rank 2, and none of them would have any general skills requiring advanced education or technical expertise.

Minions are primarily a fun asset for the character. They are not generally useful in combat, and are mainly used for flavor and as a foil for roleplaying. Minions never have expertise, and they should never steal the limelight from a player character.

Perfect Recall

The character may perfectly remember any event, document, recording, or picture which the character has taken the effort to study and memorize. The character does not need to understand the items to be memorized, because the information memorized is not stored as text; it is in the character's memory as a picture. As such, the information is not subject to instantaneous retrieval, but the character may mentally "scroll down" or "fast forward" looking for a specific bit of data.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this advantage: the benefits do not stack.

Secret Identity

The character has a second, completely legitimate identity. The character's second identity is completely documented and will withstand even the most focused scrutiny. Alternately, at the player's choice, the character has no documented identity at all: any and all records of their existence have been erased from every database, everywhere.

Sharpshooter

Weapons and traits that are useful at a distance have an effective range given in their description. Attacking more distant targets is normally more difficult or impossible (at the GM's discretion). If the GM declares that the attack is possible, the attacker normally incurs an attack penalty (-3). With the Sharpshooter advantage, the effective range of weapons and traits is doubled. Short range (10 m) weapons and traits have an effective range of 20 meters, medium range (50 m) weapons and traits have an effective range of 100 meters, and long range (500 m) weapons and traits have an effective range of 1000 meters.

Team Player

A character with the Team Player advantage excels at working with others, and is more effective with others than they are alone. A Team Player gains a roll bonus (+3) when combining their effort with others as part of a task or in combat.

Tenacious

The character refuses to admit defeat when others would fall by the wayside. In close combat (also known as "hand-to-hand"), the character may base their defense value (DV) on their Will rather than on their Brawn; in ranged combat, the character may base their defense value (DV) on their Will rather than on their Agility. Equipment and traits which would add to the character's Brawn or Agility to determine their defense value may add to the character's Will, instead. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Underwater Combat

Unless the character has the Underwater Combat advantage, engaging in combat underwater imposes an attack penalty. With this advantage, the character does not incur a penalty for that circumstance. This does not grant the character an attack bonus: it simply eliminates the attack penalty. It is therefore possible for a submerged character with the Underwater Combat advantage to have an attack bonus (+3) if they have an appropriate situational advantage or expertise.

Unsettling

The character puts off a disturbing vibe that makes people nervous for no discernible reason. Strangers will find themselves disliking the character without knowing why, and normal animals will avoid the character unless forced to approach by a trainer or some other circumstance. On the other hand, the character may find it easier to intimidate others, providing a roll bonus (+3) to relevant Manipulation rolls.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this advantage: the benefits do not stack. As always, only a single bonus (+3) applies to any given roll.

Wealthy

If a problem can be solved by throwing money at it, a character with the Wealth advantage can probably solve that problem. Food, clothing, and shelter cease to be concerns for a character with Wealth, but they are still plagued by the same interpersonal issues that are behind the serious problems most people face. In addition, sometimes wealth itself can be a source of problems. The character may have responsibilities related to their source of income, or they might need to fend off attempts to deprive them of their inheritance.