ZeroSpace 3e EN:Occult Orders
Living creatures may tap into and utilize an esoteric form of energy which permeates the physical universe, including hyperspace. This energy is known by different names (Psi, the Empyrean, the Lifeweb, the Source, etc.), and is used in different ways, depending on the philosophy and metaphor used by those seeking to harness it. The ease with which this energy may be sensed and controlled varies depending on the physiology and training of the would-be user; most sentient creatures are aware of this energy, if only unconsciously, but very few are capable of manipulating it.
Each power costs one character point.
Expertise
A character who has expertise with a power possesses extraordinary competence, above and beyond the skill a character with that power may reasonably be assumed to possess. Expertise in a power costs one character point in addition to the cost of the power itself, and it grants the character a +3 bonus to the task roll to use the power.
Villainous Expertise
Only very unusual villains have expertise with an esoteric power. Expertise can have a powerful effect in combat, and it tends to be more powerful in the hands of the GM than in the hands of the players because the GM rolls more dice over the course of the game than any of the players do. For this reason, it is best to restrict villainous expertise to only those villains that truly do have an exceptional amount of control over their powers and abilities. If the Game Moderator is concerned about a villain's ability to pose a challenge to the heroes, remember that the GM can give villains any attribute or power at any rank. If the villain isn't putting up enough of a fight and the game feels like the characters are going through the motions, then the GM should boost the villain's abilities or give them some henchmen to help out. Be creative.
Typical Powers
This is a list of typical esoteric powers found in a ZeroSpace game. This list is not exhaustive. A character may well have a power not listed here, using the guidelines under New Powers and subject to GM approval. However, any new powers should be approximately as useful as these powers, in order to maintain a sense of fairness with other characters.
Action
The Action column indicates when or if the power must be turned on, and what task rolls are required to use it. Powers listed as "Always On" are assumed to be active at all times. Powers listed as "Free Action" must be turned on by the character using a free action, but will remain on as long as the character is conscious. "Movement Action" powers may be turned on automatically as part of a character's movement action. "Task Action" powers require a task action to use, while "Reaction" powers can be used at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable. See Actions for more information.
Target
The Target column indicates the useful range of the power and who or what is affected by the it. Many powers affect only the character with the power, such as Premonition. These are indicated as "Personal". Other powers affect either a single target ("Touch, Single Target", "Ranged, Single Target"), an area defined by the character ("Ranged, Radius"), or an area centered on the character with the power ("Radius").
The maximum effective distance of "Ranged" powers is based on the Willpower of the character with the power. In some cases, the power may be used at greater range, but with severely diminished accuracy. See Range Modifiers for more information.
Villain Powers
Powers can sometimes work quite differently for villains than it does for heroes. For example, a character with Mind Control XXX will rarely be able to maintain their control over a target for more than a few minutes, but a villain might have an NPC under their control for weeks or even years. Story-based powers can accomplish things that are simply beyond the capabilities of player characters. However, do not overuse this technique, or the players will grow tired of it.
Willpower | Action | Target |
---|---|---|
Acceleration | Movement Action | Personal |
Ambient Awareness | Free Action, Perception | Personal |
Animal Control | Task Action, Willpower vs. 12 | Radius |
Barrier | Task Action, Willpower vs. 12+ | Ranged, Radius |
Blast | Task Action, Accuracy vs. Agility | Ranged, Single Target |
Blindness | Task Action, Willpower vs. Perception (Perception vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Clairvoyance | Task Action, Perception vs. 12 | Personal |
Cloak | Free Action (Perception vs. Willpower to resist) | Personal (Touch) |
Crush | Task Action, Prowess vs. Prowess | Touch, Single Target |
Deflection | Reaction, Willpower vs. Accuracy | Personal |
Environmental Harmony | Free Action | Personal |
Healing | Task Action, Prowess vs. Prowess (Willpower vs. 12 to cure disease or poisons) | Touch, Single Target |
Illusion | Task Action, Willpower vs. 12+ (Perception vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Radius |
Instill Emotion | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Leaping | Movement Action | Personal |
Meditation | Free Action | Personal |
Mind Crush | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower | Ranged, Single Target |
Mind Shield | Always On | Personal |
Object Animation | Task Action, Willpower vs. 12 | Ranged, Single Target |
Override | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Plant Control | Task Action, Willpower vs. 12 | Ranged, Single Target |
Possession | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Premonition | Reaction, Perception vs. 12 | Personal |
Probability Control | Free Action | Ranged, Single Target |
Rapport | Free Action, Perception vs. 12 | Personal |
Reflection | Reaction, Agility vs. Accuracy | Personal |
Selective Gravity | Free Action, Agility vs. 12 if surface is slippery or unstable | Personal |
Shadow Walk | Movement Action | Personal |
Stasis | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Suggestion | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Telekinesis | Task Action, Willpower vs. Agility (Brawn vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Telepathy | Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist) | Ranged, Single Target |
Ward | Always On | Personal |
Power Descriptions
Acceleration
- Action: Movement Action
- Target: Personal
The character can run and swim impossibly fast. The character's Willpower rank is added to their Agility rank for the purpose of determining their walking and swimming speed. If the combined rank of the character's Agility and Willpower is greater than 10, the character's base move, double move, and all-out movement speed can be found in the GM Resources chapter.
Ambient Awareness
- Action: Free Action, Perception
- Target: Personal
Through their connection with the esoteric energy suffusing the universe, the character can perceive equally well in every direction simultaneously. The character can sense shapes and textures as clearly as with ordinary vision, but without the ability to perceive color.
Animal Control
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. 12
- Target: Radius
Animal Control allows a character to communicate with and mentally control non-sentient animals. To successfully communicate with and control all animals within range of the power, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Willpower task roll.
Controlled animals have the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operate independently of the character that animated them. Giving a new mental command to the controlled animals requires a free action.
The attributes of the controlled animals are equal to the normal attributes those kinds of animals would have. However, controlled animals are highly resistant to further mental manipulation, having Willpower equal to the character controlling them. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the animated animals are significantly smarter (+1 Reason and +1 Perception). Controlled animals have the normal movement and attack types that those kinds of animals would have.
The character can control animals in an area around themselves based on the rank of the character's Willpower.
Barrier
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. 12+
- Target: Ranged, Radius
Barrier permits the character to create walls and simple geometric shapes made of esoteric energy.
Creating a simple shape with Barrier (a wall, dome, cube, and so on) requires a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12). Creating more complex shapes requires a more difficult task roll, with the task difficulty set by the GM based on the complexity of the desired shape. For example, a "T" or "W" or other angular shape would require a demanding Willpower task roll (task difficulty 15), while an intricate labyrinth would require a frustrating Willpower task roll (task difficulty 18).
The Brawn of the Barrier is equal to the rank of the Willpower of the character creating it. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the Barrier created is significantly tougher (+1 Brawn). The Brawn of the Barrier is used both for Endurance rolls and to support weight as a bridge, support column, or other such structure. If the load on the Barrier exceeds the maximum mass it can support, or if the Barrier is XXXdefeated by an attack, it fades away.
The maximum length or circumference of the barrier is also based on the rank of the character's Willpower.
If a Barrier is not attacked or damaged, it will normally remain in place until the end of the scene, after which it fades away.
Blast
- Action: Task Action, Accuracy vs. Agility
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Blast is a ranged attack of pure esoteric energy which inflicts Endurance damage. The Blast has a damage rating equal to the character's Willpower.
Using Blast requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Blast.
A target successfully hit with a Blast must make an Endurance roll to see how much the attack took out of them, as usual.
Blindness
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Perception (Perception vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
The Blindness power renders the target unable to see. Attacking a character under the effects of Blindness provides a +6 attack bonus (the standard task roll bonus for attacking a blind target).
Using Blindness requires a Willpower task roll against the Perception of the intended target. To recover from Blindness, the target must make a successful Perception task roll against the rank of the attacker's Willpower. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the Willpower of the attacker is increased by 1 for the purpose of the target recovering from the Blindness. For example, if a character is successfully attacked with Blindness by an attacker with Willpower rank 4, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Perception task roll against task difficulty 13 (4 + 1 + 8) to recover from the Blindness.
If the blinded character gets an extreme success on their Perception task roll, then they recover as a free action. For example, if a character is successfully attacked with Blindness by an attacker with Willpower rank 6, they would need to make a Perception task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 (6 + 8 + 3) or more, they achieve an extreme success, and recovering is a free action rather than a task action.
If the character has not recovered from the Blindness by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.
Clairvoyance
- Action: Task Action, Perception vs. 12
- Target: Personal
With Clairvoyance, the character can attempt to perceive things at a distance. This is typically a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception task roll, but it may be higher or lower depending on the ambient "noise" and how obvious the thing being perceived is. If the thing being perceived is relatively obvious (to someone with the appropriate senses), no task roll should be necessary.
Clairvoyance is never completely reliable: it is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.
Cloak
- Action: Free Action (Perception vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Personal (Touch)
Cloak allows the character to become difficult to perceive, by both living beings and machines. The character is hidden from normal senses unless someone is actively looking for them or there is some environmental circumstance that might reveal the character's location.
If someone is actively looking for the character, the person trying to locate the cloaked character must make a successful Perception task roll against the Willpower rank of the cloaked character. If an environmental circumstance might reveal the character's location, anyone in the area may attempt a Perception task roll against the Willpower rank of the cloaked character in order to notice the character. For example, fog might reveal an cloaked character's outline, or fresh snow might reveal their footprints.
The character may cloak another person or person-sized object, but only as long as the character with the Cloak power is touching the second character or object.
Cloak requires some concentration to maintain: if the character is or becomes winded (or worse), the power turns off.
Crush
- Action: Task Action, Prowess vs. Prowess + Willpower
- Target: Touch, Single Target
Crush is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts Endurance damage. Crush has a damage rating equal to the Willpower rank of the character with the power.
Using Crush requires a Prowess task roll against the combined Prowess and Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Sunder.
Crush ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and energy shields.
Deflection
- Action: Reaction, Willpower vs. Accuracy
- Target: Personal
Deflection makes it easier for a character to divert or avoid a successful ranged single-target attack. Using this power requires a Willpower task roll against the Accuracy of the attacker. If the Willower task roll fails, the character is struck by the attack and must make an Endurance roll to see how much the attack cost them, as usual. A character with Deflection may attempt to deflect as many ranged attacks as they like in a round without a task roll penalty.
Environmental Harmony
- Action: Free Action
- Target: Personal
Environmental Harmony permits the character to survive in environments and conditions that would impair or even kill normal people. This includes unusual or even poisonous atmospheres, such as underwater or in methane. It also includes environments of extreme cold, such as the ice plains of Ribos, and environments of extreme heat, such as noon on the fiery plateaus of Sarn.
The protection provided by Environmental Harmony is ambient and highly plot dependent: it does not normally protect the character from attacks or from direct forms of damage. Being able to withstand extreme heat and exposure to the blazing desert sun does not mean that a character is immune to a fire blast or can relax in a pool of molten lead.
For more details on the effects of the environment on a character, see Environment.
Healing
- Action: Task Action, Prowess vs. Prowess (Willpower vs. 12 to cure disease or poisons)
- Target: Touch, Single Target
Healing is a hand-to-hand "attack" which restores two levels of Endurance damage. Against an unwilling target, using Healing requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. Healing ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and energy shields.
The Healing power can remove diseases, pathogens, and poisons from the target. They character with Healing may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to cure a single disease or purge a single toxin from the victim's system. If the character with the Healing power rolls an extreme success, then all damage caused by the disease is healed as well as the disease itself being cured.
Illusion
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. 12+ (Perception vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Radius
The Illusion power permits the character to create realistic three-dimensional phantasms, complete with all associated sensory accompaniment. An illusory lion will roar, illusory snow will feel cold and wet, and so on.
Creating a simple, immobile illusion (a wall, a bridge, and so on) requires a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12). Creating more complex shapes requires a more difficult task roll, with the task difficulty set by the GM based on the complexity of the desired illusion. For example, a windmill, a lion, or other moving shape would require a demanding Willpower task roll (task difficulty 15), while a city square with moving cars, bicycles, and dozens of people would require a frustrating Willpower task roll (task difficulty 18).
While the illusions created by this power are completely convincing, they don't actually exist. The bite of an illusory dog will not break the skin, the touch of illusory liquid nitrogen will not cause frostbite, and an illusory bridge will not support the weight of anyone. The tactile aspect of an illusion will only be convincing if the contact is fleeting or feather-light: any significant physical interaction with an illusion provides an observer with a good reason to suspect that the apparition is not the genuine article.
Anyone who observes an Illusion and who has a good reason to suspect its true nature may attempt a Perception task roll against the rank of the creator's Willpower. If the Perception task roll succeeds, the observer sees the Illusion for what it is, and may respond appropriately. If the character with Illusion rolls an extreme success, then the Illusion created is significantly more realistic, and the Perception task roll to see through the Illusion incurs a +1 task difficulty penalty.
The maximum size of an illusion is based on the rank of the creator's Willpower.
Instill Emotion
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
The Instill Emotion power allows a character to influence a target's behaviour by controlling the target's emotional state. The character can only instill one emotion at a time in the target, but may instill in the target any emotion the character desires.
Using Instill Emotion requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by Instill Emotion from a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Instill Emotion.
To break free of the Instill Emotion, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Instill Emotion gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by Instill Emotion from a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Instill Emotion is a free action rather than a task action.
If the target has not broken free of the Instill Emotion by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.
Leaping
- Action: Movement Action
- Target: Personal
The character can leap impossibly far -- more than a mere jump, but not quite flying. The maximum distance the character may move with a Leap is based on the character's Willpower.
Willpower Rank |
Leap |
---|---|
1 | 2 m |
2 | 3 m |
3 | 5 m |
4 | 6 m |
5 | 8 m |
6 | 9 m |
7 | 11 m |
8 | 12 m |
9 | 14 m |
10 | 15 m |
Meditation
- Action: Free Action
- Target: Personal
Meditation accelerates the healing process and allows the character to recover from injury more quickly. Normally, an injured character recovers one Endurance level they have recently lost after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate for half an hour or so. After that, the character recovers additional Endurance levels only with extended rest and medical care. With this rest and medical care, the character will regain one Endurance level per day; without it, they will regain one Endurance level per week.
Meditation drastically reduces this recovery time: the character recovers one Endurance level they have recently lost after they have had Meditated for one full minute. After that, the character will regain one Endurance level per hour of Meditation. A character may take no other actions while Meditating, even free actions and roleplaying actions.
Mind Crush
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Mind Crush is a ranged attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Mind Crush has a damage rating equal to the Willpower rank of the attacker.
Using Mind Crush requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Mind Blast.
Mind Crush ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and energy shields. However, any power or equipment that provides protection from mental attacks, such as Mind Shield, provides its usual benefit.
Mind Shield
- Action: Always On
- Target: Personal
The character is naturally resistant to mental attacks and coercive mental powers. Mind Shield doubles the character's Willpower for the purpose of resisting or shrugging off the effects of mental powers.
Object Animation
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. 12
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Object Animation allows a character to animate and mentally control inanimate objects. To successfully animate and mentally control an object, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Willpower task roll.
An animated object has the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operates independently of the character that animated it. However, it will continue to perform the last instruction it was given even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as it has no will of its own. Giving a new mental command to an animated object requires a free action.
The Brawn of the object is based on its physical structure and durability: as a rule of thumb, the Brawn can be based on the Brawn it would take to lift the object. The Agility, Prowess, and Accuracy of the object is equal to the Willpower rank of the character animating it. If the animating character rolls an extreme success, then the animated object is significantly tougher (+1 Brawn). Animated objects are not actually alive or aware, so they have no Reason, Perception, or Willpower. The specific details of the how the object moves and attacks vary depending on the object itself: an animated chair can walk, a carpet can slither, and so on.
The most massive object the character can animate is based on the rank of the character's Willpower.
Override
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Override allows a character to communicate with and mentally control androids and other sentient machines.
Machines under the influence of Override are not as effective as those whose wills are their own. Any task roll attempted by a machine under the influence of Override incurs a +1 difficulty modifier (in addition to any other modifiers), and a machine under the influence of Override is not able to spend plot points.
Using Override requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a machine is affected by Override from a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected machine would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Override.
To break free of the Override, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the affected machine succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Override gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a machine is affected by Override from a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Override is a free action rather than a task action.
If a machine under the influence of Override is voluntarily released by the character who controlled them, the Override ends, and the machine affected by the Override will go on their way none the wiser. Similarly, if the machine has not broken free of the Override by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.
Plant Control
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. 12
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Plant Control allows a character to animate and mentally control non-sentient plants. To successfully animate and mentally control a plant, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Willpower task roll.
An animated plant has the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operates independently of the character that animated it. However, it will continue to perform the last instruction it was given even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as it has no will of its own. Giving a new mental command to an animated plant requires a free action.
The Brawn of the plant is based on its size and physical structure: as a rule of thumb, the Brawn can be based on the Brawn it would take to lift the plant. The Agility, Perception, Prowess, and Accuracy of the plant is equal to the Willpower rank of the character animating it. If the animating character rolls an extreme success, then the animated plant is significantly tougher (+1 Brawn). Animated plants are not actually sentient, so they have no Reason or Willpower. The specific details of the how the plant moves and attacks vary depending on the plant itself: an animated tree can walk, a mass of vines can slither, and so on.
The most massive plant the character can animate is based on the rank of the character's Willpower.
Possession
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
The Possession power allows a character to seize control of a target, suppressing the target's volition and effectively making the target a passenger in their own body. While the character is using Possession on another person, their own body collapses into a trance-like state.
A possessed character is not able to spend plot points, but the possessing character can spend their own plot points while controlling a target.
Using Possession requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by Possession from a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the possessed character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Possession.
To break free of the Possession, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the possessed character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Possession gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by Possession from a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Possession is a free action rather than a task action.
Premonition
- Action: Reaction, Perception vs. 12
- Target: Personal
Premonition permits the character to attempt a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception roll to avoid being surprised even if there is no way for the character to see the attack coming. If the character rolls an extreme success, then they know the exact source and nature of the attack.
If the character's Perception has a higher rank than their Prowess, their rank in Perception may be used in place of Prowess to avoid being hit in hand-to-hand combat. If the character's Perception has a higher rank than their Agility, the rank in Perception may be used in place of Agility to avoid being hit in ranged combat.
The character may also be able to see into the future, or "read" the destiny of items and people by touching them. Seeing into the future is never completely reliable: this aspect of Premonition is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.
Probability Control
- Action: Free Action
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
A character with Probability Control can influence the odds, playing fast and loose with the laws of chance. Probability Control does not allow the character to break the laws of physics or make impossible things happen, but a character with Probability Control can make unlikely events likely and likely events unlikely.
Using Probability Control requires the player to describe a favorable or unfavorable circumstance and how that circumstance might have come about. If the GM agrees that the circumstance is possible (however unlikely it might be), then the GM will decide how this unlikely event impacts the characters. The simplest way to translate this favorable or unfavorable circumstance into game terms is to grant a +3 bonus on a task roll if the circumstance is favorable for the character attempting the task or imposing a +3 difficulty modifier on a task roll if the circumstance is unfavorable for the character attempting the task. The use of Probability Control could also influence events in a less straightforward manner, and the GM should encourage players to be creative with the power. Each use of Probability Control should be roughly as useful as a +3 modifier: significant, but not game-breaking.
During each game session, the number of times the character can influence probability is equal to the Willpower rank of the character with the Probability Control power. Probability Control may be used to influence a task roll either before or immediately after the roll has been made.
Rapport
- Action: Free Action, Perception vs. 12
- Target: Personal
Rapport permits the character to attempt a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception roll to communicate with inanimate objects in ways that people normally can't. For example, a character with Rapport may communicate with buildings and other artificial structures, non-sentient machines, non-sentient plants, paths and roads, and rocks and stones.
Inanimate objects, not truly being sentient, do not generally lie or withhold information. However, being able to speak to something does not grant it any additional powers, such as movement. A building might be able to tell you where the vault is, but it can't unlock the vault for you.
The character can see into the past, viewing or "reading" the history of items and objects by touching them. Seeing into the past is never completely reliable: this use of Rapport is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.
Reflection
- Action: Reaction, Agility vs. Accuracy
- Target: Personal
Reflection permits a character with a psiblade or psistaff to reflect a successful ranged single-target attack back at the attacker. Using this power requires an Agility task roll against the Accuracy of the attacker. If the Agility task roll fails, the character is struck by the attack and must make an Endurance roll to see how much the attack took out of them, as usual. If the Agility task roll succeeds, the attack is reflected back and strikes the attacker, who must then make an Endurance roll against their own attack. If the reflecting character rolls an extreme success, then they may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the attacker. A character with Reflection may attempt to reflect as many attacks as they like in a round without a task roll penalty.
Selective Gravity
- Action: Free Action, Agility vs. 12 if surface is slippery or unstable
- Target: Personal
Selective Gravity allows the character to move at their normal ground speed along walls, ceilings, and other surfaces as if they were level. The strength holding the character to the surface is equal to their Brawn. If the surface is slippery or unstable, the GM might require the character to attempt a challenging (task difficulty 12) Agility task roll to keep from sliding or falling.
Shadow Walk
- Action: Movement Action
- Target: Personal
Shadow Walk permits a character to travel from one point to another without traversing the intervening space. The distance the character may travel before re-appearing is based on the rank of their Willpower. The character may double-move (base move ×2) and all-out move (base move ×6) using Shadow Walk, and incurs the normal penalties when doing so. A Shadow Walker may carry with them whatever they can carry, based on their Brawn. This may include equipment or even other characters.
Willpower Rank |
Base Move |
Double Move |
All-Out Move |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 m | 3 m | 9 m |
2 | 3 m | 6 m | 18 m |
3 | 5 m | 9 m | 27 m |
4 | 6 m | 12 m | 36 m |
5 | 8 m | 15 m | 45 m |
6 | 9 m | 18 m | 54 m |
7 | 11 m | 21 m | 63 m |
8 | 12 m | 24 m | 72 m |
9 | 14 m | 27 m | 81 m |
10 | 15 m | 30 m | 90 m |
A Shadow Walker cannot use Shadow Walk to re-appear inside of a solid object, nor into any area that completely enclosed in a force field or other energy shield; other than this, objects in the physical world generally have no effect on a Shadow Walker in transit. If a Shadow Walker unknowingly attempts to re-appear inside of a solid object, they are staggered and shunted to the nearest unoccupied space, or the Shadow Walk attempt fails entirely, at the GM's discretion.
Stasis
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Affecting a target with Stasis prevents that character from moving, thinking, or taking any actions other than trying to break out of it. While affected by Stasis, only a moment seems to pass for the target, but after they break out of it, they are aware that something unusual has happened, and that they have "lost time". Attacking a character under the effects of Stasis provides a +6 attack bonus (the standard task roll bonus for attacking a helpless target).
Using Stasis requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by Stasis from a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Stasis.
To break free of the Stasis, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Stasis gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by Stasis from a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Stasis is a free action rather than a task action.
If the character has not broken out of the Stasis by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.
Suggestion
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
The Suggestion power allows a character to influence a living creature's behaviour, forcing the target to follow the character's command.
Characters under the influence of a Suggestion are not as effective as those whose wills are their own. Any task roll attempted by a character under the influence of Suggestion incurs a +1 difficulty modifier (in addition to any other modifiers), and a character under the influence of Suggestion is not able to spend plot points.
Using Suggestion requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by Suggestion from a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Suggestion.
To break free of the Suggestion, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Suggestion gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by Suggestion from a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Suggestion is a free action rather than a task action.
If a character under the influence of Suggestion completes the task that was Suggested to them, the Suggestion ends, and the character affected by the Suggestion will go on their way none the wiser. Similarly, if the character has not broken free of the Suggestion by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.
Telekinesis
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Agility (Brawn vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Telekinesis permits a character to move objects at range. The maximum mass the character can lift with their Telekinesis is based on the rank of the character's Willpower. Telekinesis is not normally able to inflict damage directly (like a punch), but it may be used to squeeze a target or hurl a target against unyielding surfaces.
Using Telekinesis requires a Willpower task roll against the Agility of the intended target. Grabbing inanimate objects with Telekinesis is generally automatic, unless the GM wants to make it difficult for some reason.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is held by Telekinesis by a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Telekinesis.
To break free of the Telekinesis, the target must make a successful Brawn task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Telekinesis gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is held by Telekinesis by a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Telekinesis is a free action rather than a task action.
Characters being held by Telekinesis are considered "restrained". A restrained character is not helpless, but they can't use normal movement until they break free of the Telekinesis. Attacking the held character is easier (attackers gain a +4 attack bonus when attacking a restrained character), and their attacks are easier to avoid (defenders gain a +4 defense bonus when a restrained character attacks them).
A character with Telekinesis may either squeeze or move what they are holding with the power.
If the character with Telekinesis wishes to exert strength in an attempt to hurt the held character, the compression causes Endurance damage, and the damage rating (DR) of this attack is equal to the attacker's rank in Willpower. The protection value (PV) of any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as armor and energy shields, is effective against the attack, as usual.
If the character with Telekinesis wishes to move the held character, the distance an attacker may move the defender is based on the Willpower of the attacker and the mass of the defender. First, look up the mass of the defender or object to be moved in the "Maximum Mass" column of the Willpower table (rounding to the nearest mass value), and find the corresponding rank for that mass. Subtract that rank from the Willpower of the attacker, and look up that resulting rank in the "Range or Radius" column of the Willpower table. This is how far the attacker could move an object of that mass in one round. This rank is also the damage rating (DR) of the impact if the attacker makes the defender hit a solid object such as a wall or the ground. Particularly soft or yielding surfaces can reduce the impact damage by as much as half.
Telepathy
- Action: Task Action, Willpower vs. Willpower (Willpower vs. Willpower to resist)
- Target: Ranged, Single Target
Telepathy permits a character to communicate directly with the mind of another person. If the target of Telepathy is willing, then no roll is needed. With a willing target or a successful Willpower vs. Willpower roll, the telepath may mentally communicate with the target and may read their thoughts and memories.
Using Telepathy against an unwilling subject requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker's Willpower is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by Telepathy from a character with Willpower of rank 6, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (6 + 1 + 8) to break free of the Telepathy.
To break free of the Telepathy, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the attacker. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Telepathy gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by Telepathy from a character with Willpower of rank 6, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more (6 + 8 + 3), they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free of the Telepathy is a free action rather than a task action.
If the target of Telepathy also has Telepathy, the maximum distance between the telepath and the target is based on the Willpower rank of the telepath. If the target of the Telepathy is not themselves a telepath, the range is less than one meter.
Ward
- Action: Always On
- Target: Personal
Ward permits a character with the Elusive advantage to add the damage rating of their psiblade or psistaff to their Agility for the purpose of making an Endurance roll. Ward does not need to be activated: it is always on, as long as the character is alert and has a psiblade in their possession. As always, this protection does not stack with armor, energy shields, or other forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.
New Powers
You might not have found the power you want in this chapter. After all, the page count of this book is limited, while your imagination is not. If the power you want is very similar to one already listed, the easiest thing to do is just change the name and description slightly, and get on with the game. Talk to the GM and the other players about it, and see if they agree. If they do, your problem is solved.
On the other hand, not everything that works in a story works in a game. It's entirely possible to create an invisible power that can attack anyone, anywhere, at no risk to the character -- but where's the fun in that? If the power you have imagined is significantly more powerful than anything in this chapter, then maybe you should go back to the drawing board.