Rough Magic 4e EN:Powers

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The world of Rough Magic is home to a variety of supernatural entities, and you can be one of them if you can make it interesting. Keep in mind that if you are a supernatural creature, you will probably be the only one of your kind that you know. Perhaps your pack was taken from you, or left you behind.

Also keep in mind that the vast majority of the world is populated by normal human beings. If they find out that you aren't one of them, you may receive a visit from a crowd of peasants carrying torches.

Supernatural Creatures

According to the Société Impériale de Thaumaturgie, there are six categories of supernatural creatures: abominations, corrupt beasts, elementals, fairies, golems, and the undead. According to the SIT, abominations, corrupt beasts, golems, and the undead are the creations (intentionally or not) of unlicensed or incompetent magicians, while elementals and fairies are invaders from supernatural realms which border our own. According to the Gallican Church, supernatural creatures do not have souls, and destroying them is an act of God's mercy.

It is not technically illegal to be a supernatural creature in the Empire, but supernatural creatures are often the target of human prejudice, harassment, and worse.

Would you like to create a random supernatural creature? You can!


Table: Random supernatural
Roll 1d6 Type Examples
1 Abomination Doppelgänger, enenra, parasitic oil
2 Corrupt Beast Mermaid, werewolf, yeti
3 Elemental Salamander, sylph, undine
4 Fairy Dryad, kitsune, troll
5 Golem Clay, flesh, mechanical
6 Undead Ghoul, vampire, wight

Passing For Human

Most supernatural creatures are easily identified as being nonhuman, but any character you make should be able to pass for human at least some of the time. Supernatural characters who are in any way obviously nonhuman should purchase at least one of the following supernatural powers:

  • Alternate Forms
  • Invisibility
  • Shapeshifting

Fairies

Fairy domains overlap with our world, and are usually reachable through a stationary portal. Sometimes the portal is obvious, but most portals to a fairy domain can only be seen with Mage Sight (most fairies have Mage Sight, but even those without it can see the entrance to a fairy domain). Fairies are not bound to their domains, but they are significantly more powerful in their world than they are in ours. In a fairy domain, fairies receive a +3 bonus on their defense and on all rolls.

Fairies usually appear human, or nearly so, but they are always extraordinary in appearance: either beautiful, or bizarre, or terrifying (sometimes all three). Fairies mimic human attire and culture, but they are usually a century or two behind current human fashions. Fairies appear to have a form of caste or feudal system, where more powerful fairies rule as nobility over other fairies. Fairies vary in temperament, from those who perform small services in human households in exchange for gifts of cream and bread, to those who hunt humans in splendid pageants on certain nights of the year. Fairies are notoriously quick to take offense at any imagined insult, and they are equally famous for being painfully literal when it comes to bargains and promises.

Most fairies are the subject of a fairy ruler (kings, queens, princes, duchesses, and so on), and any disobedience will have consequences if it becomes known. That being said, fairy rulers are usually pretty laissez-faire about their vassals, except when they aren't.

Audacity, curiosity, freedom, and pride are common motivations among fairies.

All fairies have the following complications:

  • Oathbound. Fairies are unable to overtly lie, and they must keep their word. However, they can distort the truth through careful phrasing, or abide by the "letter" rather than the "spirit" of an agreement.
  • Vulnerable. The touch of iron is painful to fairies, and they suffer a penalty (-3) when they are attacked or confronted with iron (steel, "cast iron", and other iron alloys do not have the same effect).

Fairies often have one or more of the following gifts:

  • Arcane Caster
  • Fascinating
  • Linguist
  • Luck
  • Unsettling

All fairies have the following powers:

  • Immortality
  • Mage Sight

Fairies often have one or more of the following powers:

  • Invisibility
  • Shapeshifting
  • Shrinking
  • [Transformation] Ray (usually Shapeshifting or Shrinking)

Ghosts

People who die under traumatic or magical circumstances often leave echoes behind in our world, although most fade away within a week. Such ghosts are invisible and intangible, and only someone with Mage Sight can see them. Rarely, a ghost will persist in our world, and some gradually learn to interact with the world of the living. Such ghosts are usually bound to a place which was important to them during their life, or to a ghostland if that location no longer exists in our world.

Ghosts, when visible, usually appear as they did in life. Some ghosts are ghastly to behold, reflecting the manner of their death, but some appear entirely lifelike and normal. Some ghosts can change how they appear, depending on their mood. Ghosts are not typically social creatures, but sometimes a powerful spirit will impose its will on weaker ghosts in the area, forcing them to obey it.

Fear, idealism, passion, and vengeance are common motivations among ghosts.

Ghosts sometimes have the Gruesome complication. Even if they do not, ghosts can't pass for human in any but the dimmest light.

Ghosts usually have the Unsettling gift (it's the rare ghost that does not).

All ghosts have the following powers:

  • Environmental Immunity
  • Immortality
  • Intangibility. Some ghosts have the "loophole" modifier which allows them to affect the tangible world by spending a point of Willpower.
  • Invisibility. However, note that ghosts are visible and tangible to anyone using the Astral Travel power, and vice versa.

Ghosts sometimes have one or more of the following powers:

  • Brawn Drain, Presence Drain, or Willpower Drain
  • Darkness
  • Emotion Control, with the "Specific Emotion: Fear" modifier
  • Flight
  • Mage Sight
  • Mind Blast
  • Possession, with the "Inhabit" modifier

Vampires

Vampirism is a magical bloodborne disease, the origin of which is a subject of some controversy. Fortunately, the disease is not particularly infectious, so that most survivors of vampire attacks do not themselves become vampires. However, vampires sometimes force the victim to drink infected blood, thus ensuring that they become infected: this is how vampire nests grow. Vampires are often in thrall to the vampire who created them. The amount of free will this allows varies greatly.

Vampires retain their human memories and personality, but they lose any shred of compassion or morality they once had. Vampire nests are usually controlled by the oldest vampire or by the vampire who has recruited the most new vampires. Some vampires can pass for human, despite their deathly pale complexion, but there is no mistaking a vampire when one sees a mouth full of sharply pointed teeth.

Individualism, materialism, ruthlessness, and security are common motivations among vampires.

Vampires sometimes have the Gruesome complication. Even if they do not, vampires can't pass for human in any but the dimmest light.

All vampires have the following complications:

  • Vulnerable. The touch of hawthorn wood is painful to vampires, and they suffer a penalty (-3) when they are attacked or confronted with it.
  • Vulnerable. The touch of sunlight is painful to vampires, and they suffer a penalty (-3) when they or their opponent is in sunlight.

Vampires often have one or more of the following gifts:

  • Animal Empathy (primarily bats, vermin, and wolves)
  • Blood Rage
  • Elusive
  • Fascinating
  • Headquarters. A vampire headquarters is typically an abandoned building or a filthy nest in a cave.
  • Unsettling

All vampires have the following powers:

  • Environmental Immunity
  • Immortality
  • Night Vision
  • Regeneration (but not against hawthorn wood)

Vampires often have one or more of the following powers:

  • Clinging
  • Command Animals (primarily bats, vermin, and wolves)
  • Damage Resistance (but not against hawthorn wood)
  • Hyperacuity
  • Mind Control
  • Strike
  • Supernatural Jumping
  • Supernatural Lifting
  • Supernatural Presence
  • Supernatural Running

Werewolves

The supernatural transformation of a person into a wolf is the result of a magical ritual in which the aspiring werewolf makes a pact with primal forces. Werewolves are the most common type of such shapechangers, but less common types such as weregeese, wererats, and wereboars also exist. Werewolves operate in gangs or packs, and they recruit new members who join the gang and undergo an initiation into lycanthropy voluntarily. Werewolves usually place their loyalty to their gang above all other concerns. That being said, werewolves typically embrace the mutually-supportive social structure common among canines rather than the dominance-based social structure (i.e., "alpha male", etc.) common among primates.

Werewolf gangs vary in their behaviour, but most prefer rural settings, and they are often itinerant. Werewolf gangs are usually led by the strongest or smartest gang member. Werewolves are not intrinsically evil, but they can be quite violent when provoked or aroused, even in human form. In wolf form, a werewolf appears as a huge wolf: larger than a normal wolf, but not otherwise obviously unnatural. A werewolf in wolf form retains their human intellect, but they are unable to speak or use tools that would require the use of hands.

Adventure, community, passion, and wrath are common motivations among werewolves.

All werewolves have the Vulnerable complication. The touch of silver is painful to werewolves in both their human and wolf forms, and they suffer a penalty (-3) when they are attacked or confronted with silver.

Werewolves often have one or more of the following gifts:

  • Animal Empathy (canines only, +3 bonus)
  • Blood Rage
  • Hard Target
  • Headquarters. A werewolf headquarters is typically a clubhouse.
  • Indefatigable
  • Team Player
  • Unsettling. Even in human form, werewolves often make people nervous.

All werewolves have the following powers:

  • Bulletproof (but not against silver)
  • Night Vision
  • Regeneration (but not against silver)
  • Shapeshifting or Alternate Forms

Werewolves often have one or more of the following powers:

  • Alteration Resistance
  • Damage Resistance (but not against silver)
  • Hyperacuity
  • Night Vision
  • Strike
  • Supernatural Jumping
  • Supernatural Lifting

Supernatural Powers

This is a list of typical supernatural powers found in a Rough Magic game. Each supernatural power costs one character point. This list is not exhaustive. A character may well have a power not listed here, 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. We suggest spending no more than 5 character points total on gifts and supernatural powers.

Agility Drain

Standard action

Agility Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Agility. Attacking with Agility Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Agility is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Agility Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The effects of multiple Agility Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Agility Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Agility Drain will also return if the character with Agility Drain goes unconscious.

Draining a character's Agility does not reduce their Endurance.

Alteration Resistance

Constant

Alteration Resistance is a self-only power which makes the character resistant to alteration attacks: any attack which would damage or drain any of their attributes or powers, or any attack which would physically transform them against their will. A character with Alteration Resistance adds their Power Level to their defense when defending against such attacks.

Alternate Forms

Quick action, costs Willpower

Alternate Forms is a self-only power which grants the character multiple independent identities, each with its own powers and appearance, and potentially even a different personality (if the player wishes). The maximum number of forms the character may have is equal to their Power Level, and each form is created with 5 fewer character points than the previous form. For example, a 30 point character with three forms would have a 30 point form, a 25 point form, and a 20 point form. Each form must have the Alternate Forms power and the same Power Level.

A character with Alternate Forms can change forms by spending a point of Willpower and using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character remains in their current form. If the character dies, they revert to their "true" form, which is usually the form with the highest number of character points or the form with the lowest number of character points.

The specific mechanism of the Alternate Forms can vary greatly from character to character, which may offer minor benefits and drawbacks to the character.

Dial R For Random: Normally, a character with Alternate Forms has a set of predefined forms and identities. However, an unusual character might gain a new, randomly determined set of powers and appearance (and personality, if the player wishes) each time the power is activated. With the GM's approval, even the character's skills and gifts might be changed.

Uncontrollable: Normally, the Alternate Forms power is activated consciously by the character. However, some characters are unable to control when they change forms, or which form is taken (if they have more than one). The Alternate Forms may be triggered by the emotional state of the character (anger is a popular choice), or the character may change forms on an unknown or immutable schedule.

Ambient Awareness

Free action

Ambient Awareness is a self-only power which permits the character to perceive equally well in every direction simultaneously. They might have very large eyes, many very small eyes, or simply a preternatural awareness of their surroundings.

Astral Travel

Move action

Astral Travel is a self-only power which permits the character to detach their consciousness from their physical body and travel to anywhere on Earth, to alternate realities, and to divergent time streams, leaving their physical body behind. The character must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Piloting (Reason + Power Level) roll to navigate to a specific location in a desired reality or divergent time stream. While using Astral Travel, the consciousness of the traveler is typically invisible, but those who possess extraordinary spiritual awareness or the Mage Sight power may be able to see the traveler's "astral body". The "astral body" of the traveler does not require the Environmental Immunity power to survive in other realities or planes of existence, and is usually unable to interact with the strange vistas around them, although they may converse with anyone capable of perceiving them. While the "astral body" is separated from the character's physical body, their physical body appears to be in a comatose state, and the traveler is unaware of anything happening to or around their physical form. Astral Travel is a plot dependent power and may not always be available, at the GM's discretion.

Blast

Standard action
Follow through powers: Area Blast, Seeking Blast

BB3 Blast chart.png

Blast is a ranged normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

Blast, Area

Standard action
Prerequisite: Blast
Follow through powers: Seeking Area Blast, Selective Area Blast

Area Blast is a ranged, area normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Area Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Area Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Area Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Specific Targets: Some characters' attacks are specifically tuned to affect only particular targets. For example, the character's Area Blast might be an electromagnetic burst, or EMP, which only damages electronics (a single point of Endurance damage is sufficient to destroy consumer-grade electronics). Another example could be a character who uses poisonous gas grenades which are harmful to living beings, but which do not affect inanimate objects.

Blast, Seeking

Standard action
Prerequisite: Blast
Follow through powers: Seeking Area Blast

Seeking Blast is a ranged normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Seeking Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Seeking Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

Seeking Blast has limited independence from the attacker. If the attack misses the target, the attack will circle around and try again on the succeeding round. The attacker rolls the attack again as a quick action, but no interaction or attention is required from the attacker for this second attack.

Blast, Seeking Area

Standard action
Prerequisite: Area Blast or Seeking Blast

Seeking Area Blast is a ranged, area normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Seeking Area Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Seeking Area Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Seeking Area Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Seeking Area Blast has limited independence from the attacker. If the attack misses a target, the attack will try again on the succeeding round. The attacker rolls the attack again as a quick action, but no interaction or attention is required from the attacker for this second attack.

Blast, Selective Area

Standard action
Prerequisite: Area Blast

Selective Area Blast is a ranged, area normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Selective Area Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Selective Area Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Selective Area Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of each selected target in the affected area, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Blindsight

Free action

Blindsight is a self-only power which permits the character to sense shapes and textures as clearly as with ordinary vision, but without the ability to perceive color. This could be a form of sonar, radar, a sense of touch so acute that they can detect and locate vibrations, or some other form of alternate perception.

Normally, a character who can't perceive their opponent has great difficulty in combat. If a character has the Blindsight power, they do not incur any of these penalties.

Brawn Drain

Standard action

Brawn Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Brawn. Attacking with Brawn Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Brawn is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Brawn Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The effects of multiple Brawn Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Brawn Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Brawn Drain will also return if the character with Brawn Drain goes unconscious.

Draining a character's Brawn does not reduce their Endurance.

Bulletproof

Constant

Bulletproof is a self-only power which permits the character to ignore most attacks from ordinary bullets and knives. The character might have thick armor or impenetrable skin, or they might simply move out of the way of such mundane attacks. An attack roll against the character fails if the weapon being used:

  • causes normal damage, and
  • is an ordinary piece of equipment (a piece of equipment purchased with money rather than as a power), and
  • it has a PL rating lower than the bulletproof character's current Power Level.

However, the player should choose a normal but relatively uncommon substance or energy type which can be used to successfully attack the character (hawthorn wood, pure iron, silver, etc.).

Bulletproof Force Field: A character's Bulletproof power might be dependent on their Force Field power. If this is the case, the character's Bulletproof power is only active while the character's Force Field is active, and it may be extended to another person (or person-sized object) by touching them.

Clairvoyance

Standard action

Clairvoyance is a self-only power which permits the character to perceive things at a distance. Using Clairvoyance typically requires a moderately difficult (DV 12) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll, but the difficulty may be higher depending on the ambient "noise" and how subtle the thing being perceived is. If the thing being perceived is relatively obvious (to someone with the appropriate senses), no roll should be necessary. The range of Clairvoyance is essentially unlimited, but it is never completely reliable: it is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.

Clinging

Free action

Clinging is a self-only power which permits the character to move along walls, ceilings, and other surfaces as if they were level. For example, the character might have sticky hands and feet, they might wear magnetic shoes, or they may be able to selectively control the force of gravity. 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 moderately difficult (DV 12) Athletics (Brawn + Power Level) roll to keep from sliding or falling. If the character is attacked by an attempt to lift them off of the ground or push them backward, they may choose to defend with their Athletics (Brawn + Power Level) rather than the usual combat skill.

Combination

Standard action

Combination is a self-only power which permits several characters to merge into a single larger and more powerful character. Every character wishing to combine must have the Combination power, and the maximum number of characters who may combine is equal to the lowest Power Level among them. Activating Combination takes a standard action, and requires the characters to all be touching each other. In addition to being more massive, the combined character has all of the powers of the combined characters. The Agility, Brawn, Endurance, and Power Level of the combined character are equal to the highest of any of the combined characters, plus one for every combined character after the first, up to a maximum of 10. The Presence and Reason of the combined character are equal to the highest of any of the combined characters.

Example:

Agares, Bune, and Crocell each have Combination. Agares has Agility 2, Brawn 2, and Power Level 4; Bune has Agility 2, Brawn 2, and Power Level 3; and Crocell has Agility 3, Brawn 3, and Power Level 3. When Agares, Bune, and Crocell combine, they form the mighty Demogorgon, who has Agility 5 and Brawn 5 (Crocell's 3, plus 2 more for Agares and Bune), Power Level 6 (Agares' Power Level 4, plus 2 more for Bune and Crocell), and all of the powers possessed by Agares, Bune, and Crocell.

Command Animals

Standard action

Command Animals is a ranged mental power which allows a character to communicate with and mentally control one or more non-sentient animals. To communicate with and mentally control a single large animal or numerous small animals, the character must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll.

Controlled animals operate independently of the character controlling them, but all of the controlled animals act in unison. Giving them a new mental command requires a quick action.

Controlled animals have the normal attributes, movement, and attack types that those kinds of animals would have. However, if the GM doesn't want to deal with that, she can declare that the Agility, Brawn, Endurance, and Presence of the animal or animals is equal to the Power Level of the character controlling them.

The effects of Command Animals last until the end of the scene.

Limited Type Of Animal: A character's Command Animals might be limited to a specific type of animal, such as cats, insects, or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Command Animals roll.

Command Machines

Standard action

Command Machines is a ranged mental power which allows a character to mentally control one or more electronic and mechanical machines. To mentally control a single large machine or numerous small machines, the character must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll.

Controlled machines operate independently of the character controlling them, but all of the controlled machines act in unison. Giving them a new mental command requires a quick action.

Controlled machines have the normal attributes, movement, and attack types that those kinds of machines would have. However, if the GM doesn't want to deal with that, she can declare that the Agility, Brawn, Endurance, and Presence of the machine or combined machines is equal to the Power Level of the character controlling them. Controlled machines can be made to perform their ordinary purpose, such as making an automatic teller machine spit out money, or making a bulldozer roll around and demolish buildings. If there is no significant security in place, no roll is necessary for this. If the character is trying to circumvent security or break into a computer system, the character may attempt a Computing (Reason + Power Level) roll against 8 + the power level rating (PL) of the security.

The effects of Command Machines last until the end of the scene.

Command Objects

Standard action

Command Objects is a ranged mental power which allows a character to animate and mentally control one or more inanimate objects. To animate and mentally control a single large object or numerous small objects, the character must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll.

Animated objects operate independently of the character controlling them, but all of the controlled objects act in unison. Giving them a new mental command requires a quick action.

The Agility, Brawn, Endurance, and Presence of the object or mass of objects is equal to the Power Level of the character controlling them. The specific details of the how the objects move and attack vary depending on the objects themselves: an animated tree can walk, a mass of animated toys can roll or run, and so on.

The effects of Command Objects last until the end of the scene.

Limited Type Of Object: A character's Command Objects might be limited to a specific type of object, such as plants or toys. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Command Objects roll.

Damage Resistance

Constant

Damage Resistance is a self-only power which makes the character resistant to normal damage. The character may have chitin, thick armor, or just exceptionally tough skin. Alternately, the character may be adept at avoiding attacks, or they might be unnaturally lucky. A character with Damage Resistance adds their Power Level to their combat defense. Damage Resistance is not effective against mental attacks and alteration attacks. Damage Resistance does not stack with conventional armor or powers such as Force Field.

Damaging Aura

Free action
Follow through powers: Area Damaging Aura

BB3 Damaging Aura chart.png

Damaging Aura allows a character to use a free action to make a hand-to-hand normal attack against anyone who touches them or attacks them with a hand-to-hand attack. The Damaging Aura could be radiation, fire, cold, quills, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Damaging Aura power is purchased. Attacking with Damaging Aura requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

The character with Damaging Aura may also attempt to touch others and cause damage. Doing so requires using a standard action to make Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field.

Damaging Aura, Area

Free action
Prerequisite: Damaging Aura
Follow through powers: Selective Area Damaging Aura

Area Damaging Aura allows a character to use a free action to make a hand-to-hand, area normal attack against everyone within the affected area. The Area Damaging Aura could be radiation, fire, cold, quills, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Area Damaging Aura power is purchased. Attacking with Area Damaging Aura requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

If anyone enters the Area Damaging Aura after it has been activated, the character with Area Damaging Aura must use a free action to attack them. Once the power is active, the character with Area Damaging Aura must use a free action to make another attack roll against everyone within the affected area at the beginning of each of their turns.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Damaging Aura, Selective Area

Free action
Prerequisite: Area Damaging Aura

Selective Area Damaging Aura allows a character to use a free action to make a hand-to-hand, area normal attack against selected targets within the affected area. The Selective Area Damaging Aura could be radiation, fire, cold, quills, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Selective Area Damaging Aura power is purchased. Attacking with Selective Area Damaging Aura requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of each selected target in the affected area, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

If anyone enters the Selective Area Damaging Aura after it has been activated, the character with Selective Area Damaging Aura may use a free action to attack them. Once the power is active, the character with Selective Area Damaging Aura may use a free action to make another attack roll against selected targets within the affected area at the beginning of each of their turns.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Danger Sense

Free action

Danger Sense is a self-only power which permits the character to sense danger and avoid being surprised, even if there is no way for the character to see the attack coming. A character with Danger Sense never suffers a defense penalty for being distracted or surprised.

Additionally, if an attack is imminent, the GM will ask the player to attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll. If the Danger Sense roll is successful, the character knows that an attack is imminent, and may warn other characters.

Precognition: Some characters with Danger Sense can 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 Danger Sense is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.

Darkness

Standard action

Darkness is a ranged, area environmental power which makes an area opaque to all sight, including unusual forms of sight such as Night Vision and X-ray Vision.

The mechanism which causes the Darkness must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, vision might be obscured by smoke, or the area might be filled with a blinding light or black extradimensional energy. Alternately, Darkness could affect a sense other than vision. If so, this must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target area could be filled with electrical interference which is impenetrable to Radio Communication, or it could be filled with a powerful scent that masks all other smells. It is also possible to use Darkness against a specific unusual sense, such as Danger Sense or Clairvoyance.

Normally, a character who can't see incurs a -3 penalty on their Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls and defense, a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat defense, and they automatically fail any Ranged Combat attack rolls. However, if the blinded character is able to locate their target to within a meter or so (by using their Hyperacuity-granted super hearing, for example), then the blinded attacker incurs a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat attack rolls. A blinded character suffers no penalty on their Mental Combat defense, but they automatically fail any Mental Combat attack rolls.

If the character wishes to dismiss the Darkness, they may do so with a quick action. They may also use a standard action to move the center of the Darkness.

Dazzle

Standard action
Follow through powers: Mass Dazzle

BB3 Dazzle chart.png

Dazzle is a ranged alteration attack which renders the target unable to see clearly. Attacking with Dazzle requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. Dazzle ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

Normally, a character who can't see incurs a -3 penalty on their Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls and defense, a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat defense, and they automatically fail any Ranged Combat attack rolls. However, if the blinded character is able to locate their target to within a meter or so (by using their Hyperacuity-granted super hearing, for example), then the blinded attacker incurs a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat attack rolls. A blinded character suffers no penalty on their Mental Combat defense, but they automatically fail any Mental Combat attack rolls.

The mechanism which causes the Dazzle must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might not be able to see because they have a layer of glue across their eyes, they might be forced to close their eyes due to a painful chemical spray, or they could literally be blinded by a bright light. Alternately, Dazzle could affect a sense other than vision. For example, the target could be rendered deaf, or unable to smell. It is also possible to use Dazzle against a specific unusual sense, such as Danger Sense, Clairvoyance, or Radio Communication. If so, this must be specified when this power is purchased.

To recover from Dazzle, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the Dazzle. If the target has not recovered from the Dazzle by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Dazzle, Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Dazzle
Follow through powers: Selective Mass Dazzle

Mass Dazzle is a ranged, area alteration attack which renders everyone within the affected area unable to see clearly. Attacking with Mass Dazzle requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of a target if that target has Alteration Resistance. Mass Dazzle ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

Normally, a character who can't see incurs a -3 penalty on their Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls and defense, a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat defense, and they automatically fail any Ranged Combat attack rolls. However, if the blinded character is able to locate their target to within a meter or so (by using their Hyperacuity-granted super hearing, for example), then the blinded attacker incurs a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat attack rolls. A blinded character suffers no penalty on their Mental Combat defense, but they automatically fail any Mental Combat attack rolls.

The mechanism which causes the Mass Dazzle must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, a target might not be able to see because they have a layer of glue across their eyes, they might be forced to close their eyes due to a painful chemical spray, or they could be blinded by a bright light. Alternately, Mass Dazzle could affect a sense other than vision. For example, a target could be rendered deaf, or unable to smell. It is also possible to use Mass Dazzle against a specific unusual sense, such as Danger Sense, Clairvoyance, or Radio Communication. If so, this must be specified when this power is purchased.

To recover from Mass Dazzle, each target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If a target has Alteration Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If a target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the Mass Dazzle. If a target has not recovered from the Mass Dazzle by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Dazzle, Selective Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Mass Dazzle

Selective Mass Dazzle is a ranged, area alteration attack which renders selected targets within the affected area unable to see clearly. Attacking with Selective Mass Dazzle requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of each selected target in the affected area, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of a target if that target has Alteration Resistance. Selective Mass Dazzle ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

Normally, a character who can't see incurs a -3 penalty on their Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls and defense, a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat defense, and they automatically fail any Ranged Combat attack rolls. However, if the blinded character is able to locate their target to within a meter or so (by using their Hyperacuity-granted super hearing, for example), then the blinded attacker incurs a -3 penalty on their Ranged Combat attack rolls. A blinded character suffers no penalty on their Mental Combat defense, but they automatically fail any Mental Combat attack rolls.

The mechanism which causes the Selective Mass Dazzle must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, a target might not be able to see because they have a layer of glue across their eyes, they might be forced to close their eyes due to a painful chemical spray, or they could be blinded by a bright light. Alternately, Selective Mass Dazzle could affect a sense other than vision. For example, a target could be rendered deaf, or unable to smell. It is also possible to use Selective Mass Dazzle against a specific unusual sense, such as Danger Sense, Clairvoyance, or Radio Communication. If so, this must be specified when this power is purchased.

To recover from Selective Mass Dazzle, each target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If a target has Alteration Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If a target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the Selective Mass Dazzle. If a target has not recovered from the Selective Mass Dazzle by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Density Control

Quick action

Density Control is a self-only power which permits the character to become more massive, making them stronger and tougher than normal. The effects of Density Control are based on the Power Level of the character. At Power Level 10, the character is denser than any naturally occurring substance on Earth.

A character with Density Control can change their density once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character returns to their normal density.

A character with Density Control does not have to use it at full power. A character with Power Level 5, for example, could elect to be merely 380 kilograms rather than their full 980 kilograms.

A character with Density Control adds their Power Level to their combat defense, as with the Damage Resistance power, but only up the level of density the character is actually using. Density Control does not stack with conventional armor or powers such as Force Field.

Note that a character with their Density Control activated in the water will sink like a stone unless they have Supernatural Swimming.


Table: Density Control
Power Level Mass Brawn
1 170 kg +1
2 260 kg +1
3 380 kg +1
4 550 kg +1
5 980 kg +2
6 1,700 kg +2
7 3,100 kg +2
8 5,500 kg +2
9 9,800 kg +3
10 17 t +3


Detect [Element]

Standard action
Follow through powers: Sense [Element]

BB3 Detect Element chart.png

Detect [Element] is a self-only power which permits the character to perceive, locate, and analyze a substance, material, or energy. The specific type of force or substance to be detected must be chosen when this power is purchased: detect magic, detect metal, detect temporal anomalies, and so on. Using Detect [Element] typically requires a moderately difficult (DV 12) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll, but the difficulty may be higher 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 roll should be necessary.

Dimensional Travel

Move action

Dimensional Travel is a self-only power which permits the character to traverse dimensional boundaries, visiting alternate realities and divergent time streams. Depending on the method used, the character may be able to take others with them. Survival in other realities or planes of existence may require Environmental Immunity, depending on the local environment. Dimensional Travel is a plot dependent power and may not always be available, at the GM's discretion.

Duplication

Quick action

Duplication is a self-only power which permits the character to make identical copies of themselves. The total number of duplicates is based on the Power Level of the character. These duplicates are independent characters, who each move and act separately each round. However, all of the duplicates share a single pool of Willpower, and spend their Willpower as a single character. Duplicates do not have any special means of communication, but many characters with Duplication also buy the Telepathy power to communicate among themselves.

A character with Duplication can activate or deactivate duplicates once per turn, using a quick action. As long as there is more than one identical character, any duplicate which takes Endurance damage ceases to exist. When a duplicate is deactivated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, its memories and knowledge are absorbed into the remaining identical characters. If a duplicate is deactivated involuntarily (due to being damaged, for example), the character may not reactivate that duplicate for the rest of the scene.

By default, there is no "original" character -- the last duplicate remaining is the "original". Once the Duplication is activated, any of the identical characters may deactivate the power. When the power is deactivated, which duplicate remains behind as the "original" is generally up the player.

The specific mechanism of the Duplication can vary greatly from character to character, which may offer minor benefits and drawbacks to the character.

Anatomical Separation: Some characters with Duplication can divide their body into smaller independent parts rather than creating new copies of themselves. In this case, the character can detach hands, eyes, or other body parts. Detached body parts become independent characters, which each move and act separately each round, just as with ordinary duplicates.


Table: Duplication
Power Level Duplicates
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 6
6 8
7 12
8 16
9 24
10 32


[Element] Form

Quick action
Prerequisite: [Element] Immunity
Follow through powers: Element Mimicry

[Element] Form is a self-only power which permits the character to physically transform their body into a force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval. "Energy", for example, would be much too broad.

A character with Element Form can change forms once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal form.

When transformed into their [Element] Form, the character possesses the traits of the form or substance and gains Damage Resistance. If the force or substance is appropriate, [Element] Form may also grant the Strike power (punching with fists of stone, burning things with an electrical touch, and so on).

[Element] Immunity

Constant
Follow through powers: Element Form

BB3 Element Immunity chart.png

[Element] Immunity is a self-only power which provides complete immunity against the Endurance damage inflicted by a specific type of force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval. "Energy", "blades", and "bullets", for example, would all be much too broad.

Element Mimicry

Quick action
Prerequisite: [Element] Form

Element Mimicry is a self-only power which permits the character to physically transform their body into any force or substance they touch. For example, the character could touch concrete and turn into concrete, or touch water and turn into water. The character must be in physical contact with the material in order to mimic it. If the character mimics a force or substance which would injure them, such as fire, they transform into that force or substance and it does no damage to them as long as they are in that form.

A character with Element Mimicry can change forms once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal form.

While transformed, the character possesses the traits of the force or substance and gains Damage Resistance. If the force or substance is appropriate, Element Mimicry may also grant the Strike power (punching with fists of stone, burning things with an electrical touch, and so on).

[Element] Wall

Standard action

[Element] Wall is a ranged, area environmental power which permits the character to create walls and simple geometric shapes. The specific type of force or substance of the wall must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval.

Creating a simple shape with [Element] Wall (a dome, a cube, a bridge, and so on) requires a moderately difficult (DV 12) Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll. Creating more complex shapes is more difficult, with the difficulty set by the GM based on the complexity of the desired shape. For example, an intricate labyrinth would require a remarkably difficult (DV 15) Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll.

The Brawn and Endurance of the [Element] Wall are equal to the Power Level of the character creating it. The Brawn of the [Element] Wall is used both for its defense and to support weight as a bridge, support column, or other such structure. If the load on the [Element] Wall exceeds the maximum mass it can support, or if the [Element] Wall's Endurance is reduced to zero, it dissolves, crumbles, or fades away.

Permanent: If an [Element] Wall is not attacked or damaged, it will usually remain in place until the end of the scene, after which it dissolves, crumbles, or fades away. The character may also turn off their [Element] Wall voluntarily. However, some [Element] Walls are relatively permanent. They do not dissolve at the end of the scene, can't be turned off, and will remain in place until destroyed.

Emotion Control

Standard action
Follow through powers: Mass Emotion Control

BB3 Emotion Control chart.png

Emotion Control is a ranged mental attack which allows a character to influence a target's behaviour by controlling their emotional state. The character can only instill one emotion at a time in the target, but may instill in the target any emotion the attacker desires. To instill an emotion in the target, the attacker must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance.

To recover from Emotion Control, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the Emotion Control. If the target has not recovered from the Emotion Control by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Specific Emotion: A character's Emotion Control might be limited to a specific emotion, such as fear or loyalty. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Emotion Control rolls.

Emotion Control, Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Emotion Control
Follow through powers: Selective Mass Emotion Control

Mass Emotion Control is a ranged, area mental attack which allows a character to influence the behaviour of everyone within the affected area by controlling their emotional state. The character can only instill one emotion at a time in the targets, but may instill in the targets any emotion the attacker desires. To instill an emotion in the targets, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of a target if that target has Mental Resistance.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

To recover from Mass Emotion Control, each target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If a target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If a target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the Mass Emotion Control. If a target has not recovered from the Mass Emotion Control by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Specific Emotion: A character's Mass Emotion Control might be limited to a specific emotion, such as fear or loyalty. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Mass Emotion Control rolls.

Emotion Control, Selective Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Mass Emotion Control

Selective Mass Emotion Control is a ranged, area mental attack which allows a character to influence the behaviour of selected targets within the affected area by controlling their emotional state. The character can only instill one emotion at a time in the targets, but may instill in the targets any emotion the attacker desires. To instill an emotion in the selected targets, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of a target if that target has Mental Resistance.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

To recover from Selective Mass Emotion Control, each target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If a target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If a target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the Selective Mass Emotion Control. If a target has not recovered from the Selective Mass Emotion Control by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Specific Emotion: A character's Selective Mass Emotion Control might be limited to a specific emotion, such as fear or loyalty. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Selective Mass Emotion Control rolls.

Endurance Drain

Standard action

Endurance Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Endurance. Attacking with Endurance Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Endurance Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The effects of multiple Endurance Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Endurance Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Endurance Drain will also return if the character with Endurance Drain goes unconscious.

Environmental Control

Standard action

Environmental Control is a ranged, area environmental power which allows the character to alter the temperature, humidity, and illumination within the affected area. For example, the character could illuminate a dark area, warm a cold area, or make it cloudy on a sunny day. Using Environmental Control typically requires a moderately difficult (DV 12) Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll, but the difficulty may be higher if the change from current conditions is particularly drastic. For example, causing a blizzard on a hot summer day would require a remarkably difficult (DV 15) Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll. If the new environment is relatively normal for the time and place, no roll should be necessary.

Environmental Control may not be used to duplicate effects of other powers, such as Dazzle.

If the character has not returned the environment to normal by the end of the scene, then it reverts to its natural state shortly thereafter.

Limited Type Of Environment: A character's Environmental Control might be limited to a specific type of environment, such as making it cold or establishing an intense magnetic field. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Environmental Control rolls.

Environmental Immunity

Constant

Environmental Immunity is a self-only power which 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, extreme heat, and intense ionizing radiation. The character may sleep or eat if they want to, but they suffer no ill effect from lack of food or sleep. Furthermore, the character is unaffected by infectious viruses, bacteria, chemical and biological poisons, toxins, and so on.

The benefit provided by Environmental Immunity 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. A good rule of thumb is that if the character is being attacked with it, the character is not immune to it.

Specific Environments: Some characters have a more limited form of Environmental Immunity, granting them the ability to survive only in a set of specific environments. Some specific immunities a player may choose from are exhaustion, extreme cold, extreme heat, poisons, pressure, radiation, starvation, suffocation, and vacuum. If the player wishes, their character's immunity may be restricted even further. For example, a character with Environmental Immunity can normally survive without needing to breathe at all. However, if it makes more sense for the character to be able to breath in just one unusual environment, such as underwater or in methane, they may choose that option instead.

For more details on the effects of the environment on a character, see Hostile Environments in the GM Resources chapter.

Extra Actions

Quick action, costs Willpower

Extra Actions is a self-only power which permits the character to spend a point of Willpower to take one additional move action or standard action during their turn.

Flight

Move action
Follow through powers: Mass Flight, Supernatural Flight

BB3 Flight chart.png

Flight is a self-only power which permits the character to fly through the air or through a vacuum. For example, the character might have wings, they might wear a jetpack, or they may just be able to fly through sheer force of will. The character's base move, double move, and all-out move while flying are based on their Agility.

Defying Gravity: Rather than flying, some characters run so fast that they can run along any surface without falling, even bodies of water or the underside of bridges. If they stop running, of course, gravity takes over.

Swinging: Some characters "fly" by using a grappling line, a spider web, invisible beams of magnetic force, or some other method of suspension. If the character relies on a form of suspension like this, and there is nothing above the character to attach this "swing line" to, the character is grounded. If the swing line is attached to something which weighs less than the character, the character can pull the object toward them or swing it around. If the object on the other end of the swing line is another character, this requires an Athletics (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + the other character's Athletics (Brawn); if the target character has Supernatural Brawn, Supernatural Jumping, or Supernatural Lifting, they add their Power Level to this roll.


Table: Flight
Agility Fly Double Move All-out Move km/h
1 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
2 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
3 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
4 4 m 8 m 24 m 14 km/h
5 6 m 12 m 36 m 22 km/h
6 7 m 14 m 42 m 25 km/h
7 10 m 20 m 60 m 36 km/h
8 13 m 26 m 78 m 47 km/h
9 20 m 40 m 120 m 70 km/h
10 40 m 80 m 240 m 140 km/h

Flight, Mass

Move action
Prerequisite: Flight
Follow through powers: Selective Mass Flight

Mass Flight is a self-only, area power which permits the character to take everyone within the affected area with them when they fly.

A character with Mass Flight does not have to use it at full power. They may fly with everyone within 1 meter, 10 meters, or anywhere up to their maximum area.

Flight, Selective Mass

Move action
Prerequisite: Mass Flight

Selective Mass Flight is a self-only, area power which permits the character to take everyone within the affected area with them when they fly. Furthermore, it allows the character with the Selective Mass Flight to select who within that area is taken with them, and who is not.

A character with Selective Mass Flight does not have to use it at full power. They may fly with selected individuals within 1 meter, 10 meters, or anywhere up to their maximum area.

Force Field

Quick action

Force Field is a self-only power which provides protection against normal damage. A character with Force Field adds their Power Level to their combat defense. Force Field is not effective against mental attacks and alteration attacks. Force Field does not stack with conventional armor or powers such as Damage Resistance.

A character with a Force Field may extend their force field to another person (or person-sized object) by touching them. The Force Field then protects both characters, but only as long as the character with the Force Field is touching the second character.

Unlike Damage Resistance, a Force Field must be activated: if the character goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their Force Field voluntarily, of course.

Growth

Quick action

Growth is a self-only power which permits the character to become physically larger, making them stronger and more massive than normal. The effects of Growth are based on the Power Level of the character. At Power Level 8 and above, the character's hands are so large that they strike entire areas rather than individuals.

A character with Growth can change size once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal size.

A character with Growth does not have to use it at full power. A character who has Power Level 5, for example, could elect to be merely 3 meters tall rather than their full 9 meters.


Table: Growth
Power Level Height Reach Mass Brawn
1 4 m 2 m 980 kg +1
2 5 m 2 m 1,700 kg +1
3 6 m 3 m 3,100 kg +1
4 7 m 3 m 5,500 kg +1
5 9 m 4 m 9,800 kg +2
6 10 m 5 m 17 t +2
7 13 m 6 m 31 t +2
8 15 m 7 m 55 t +2
9 18 m 9 m 98 t +3
10 20 m 10 m 170 t +3

Haste

Standard action

Haste is a self-only power which permits the character to perform everyday tasks at a rate much faster than usual. The character's ability to perform mundane tasks extraordinarily quickly is based on their Power Level. For example, a typical book takes about 5 hours to read. A character with Power Level 4 could read it in 7 minutes (5 hours = 300 minutes, 300 minutes / 40 = 7 minutes).

Haste only applies to everyday tasks: tasks which are routine or which have no significant penalty for failure. Haste does not enhance the character's combat abilities, nor does it grant any other speed-related powers, such as Regeneration or Supernatural Running.


Table: Haste
Power Level Multiplier
1 10
2 20
3 30
4 40
5 60
6 80
7 120
8 160
9 240
10 320

Healing

Standard action

Healing is a hand-to-hand alteration power which restores lost Endurance. The character with Healing may use a standard action to attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Medicine (Reason + Power Level) roll to heal the victim's injuries. If the character succeeds at this roll, then 1 Endurance is restored to the victim for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

Healing can remove diseases, pathogens, and poisons from the target. The character with Healing may attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Medicine (Reason + Power Level) roll to cure a single disease or purge a single toxin from the victim's system.

Hold

Standard action

Hold is a ranged special attack which prevents the target from moving or taking any actions other than trying to break out of it. Attacking with Hold requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. Hold ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance. The mechanism which causes the Hold must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might be entangled in webs, encased in ice, or bound by rings of magical force.

A character under the effects of Hold is not helpless, but they can't use any move actions until they break free of the power. A restrained character incurs a -3 penalty on all rolls other than rolls to escape the Hold.

To break free of Hold, the restrained character must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the restrained character has Strike or Damaging Aura, they may add their Power Level to this roll. If the restrained character succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Hold.

Another character may also attempt to aid the restrained character. To break a restrained character free of Hold, another character must use a standard action to make a successful Hand-to-hand Combat or Ranged Combat roll (using Blast or Strike, for example) against 8 + Power Level of the original attacker. If the character aiding the restrained character succeeds at this roll, the restrained character is broken free of the Hold.

If the target has not broken free of the Hold by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

Hyperacuity

Free action

Hyperacuity is a self-only power which permits the character to make a moderately difficult (DV 12) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll to sense details too small, faint, or distant for ordinary human senses to detect. On a successful roll, the character can taste the number of salt grains on a pretzel, read text on a computer display by touching it, see a license plate clearly from kilometers away, identify a person by the sound of their heartbeat, track someone through a city by their scent, and so on.

Illusion

Standard action

Illusion is a ranged, area environmental power which 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 moderately difficult (DV 12) Deception (Presence + Power Level) roll. Creating more complex shapes requires a more difficult roll, with the 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 remarkably difficult (DV 15) Deception (Presence + Power Level) roll, while a city square with moving cars, bicycles, and dozens of people would require an extremely difficult (DV 18) Deception (Presence + Power Level) roll.

While the illusions created by this power are completely convincing, they don't actually exist. The bite of an illusory dog will hurt but will not break the skin, the touch of illusory liquid nitrogen will feel cold but 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 will reveal 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 (Reason) roll against 8 + the creator's Power Level; if the observer has any unusual senses, they add their Power Level to this roll. If the Perception (Reason) roll succeeds, the observer sees the Illusion for what it is, and may respond appropriately.

It's All In Your Mind: Normally, the sights and sounds created by the Illusion power can be recorded, seen on cameras, and so on. However, some characters' illusions only affect sentient creatures: cameras and nonsentient robots do not perceive the illusions at all. However, victims of these mental Illusions can be injured by them. Protection powers such as Damage Resistance and Force Field are as effective against these illusory attacks as they would be against the real thing. The damage inflicted can even "kill" the target (rendering them unconscious), but in fact any damage inflicted is stunning, and therefore temporary. Characters with Mental Resistance may add their Power Level to their Perception (Reason) rolls to see through such hallucinations.

Immortality

Constant

Immortality is a self-only power which grants the character immunity to the ravages of time. An immortal character will never grow old or die from "natural causes". Additionally, the character is never truly "dead". If the cause of the character's demise is reversed (the stake is pulled from their heart, the poison wears off and loses its toxicity, their dismembered body parts are re-assembled, and so on), the character will begin to recover from their mortal injuries. How long this recovery takes is up to the GM.

Additionally, the player must select a means of permanently killing the character. The means may be relatively obvious, such as burning the character or dissolving them in acid, or it may be obscure and specific to that character, such as destroying a specific portrait of the character that they keep in a vault or stabbing them with a weapon made from the bone of a blood relative.

Death Is Preferable: Normally, an immortal character stops aging when they reach physical maturity, or shortly thereafter. However, some immortal characters continue to age (albeit at a slower rate), becoming gnarled and withered as the years pass. Such a character looks and feels ancient, although they may still be physically powerful.

Offsite Backup: Normally, when an immortal character recovers from "death", they retain all of their memories from events up to and including their demise. If the character's resurrection is facilitated by an external backup, such as a stored clone or a periodic neural upload to an orbiting satellite, there will be a gap between the time of the last "backup" and the character's resurrection.

Serial Immortality: Normally, when an immortal character recovers from "death", they remain essentially unchanged. However, some immortal characters change their appearance and personality to that of a completely new person when they "die", although the knowledge and memories of the character are preserved. For example, the character might be a parasitic organism that possesses a new host when the previous one expires, or the character might have a form of cellular regeneration with unpredictable results. With the GM's approval, even the character's gifts and powers might be changed.

Intangibility

Quick action

Intangibility is a self-only power which permits the character to move through solid matter as though through water, leaving no trace of their passage. For example, Intangibility could represent a character who is able to control their molecular density, a character who vibrates at a different frequency, or even a character whose body can turn into radiant energy.

A character with Intangibility can change their state once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal state.

A character using Intangibility cannot pass through a force field, nor through any area affected by Power Suppression; other than this, physical objects generally have no effect on a character using Intangibility, or vice versa. An intangible character is immune to most attacks, regardless of the source. However, an intangible character is affected normally by mental powers, and they may use mental powers against others. They also might be affected normally by attacks with unusual special effects. For example, if the character can speak and hear while intangible, they should be affected by sonic attacks, or if they can see normally, they should be affected normally by attacks based on light or shadow. Ultimately, what does and does not affect an intangible character is up to the GM.

A character with Intangibility may make another person (or person-sized object) intangible by spending a point of Willpower, touching the other person, and then activating the Intangibility power. The Intangibility then affects both characters, but only as long as the character with the Intangibility is touching the second character.

Permanent: Intangibility usually must be activated: if the character goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their Intangibility voluntarily. However, some characters are unable to turn off their Intangibility; they remain intangible even if rendered unconscious.

Loophole: The character may spend a point of Willpower to affect the world normally while they are intangible (one round in combat, one hour out of combat). However, the character must also define a reasonably common attack type which affects them normally while they are intangible (fire, iron, etc.).

Invisibility

Quick action

Invisibility is a self-only power which permits the character to become difficult to perceive. For example, the character might become transparent, they might bend light around them, or they may blend into their surroundings by modulating chromatophores in their skin. However the effect is achieved, 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.

In hand-to-hand combat, a character who can't see their opponent incurs a -3 penalty on their attack rolls and defense. In ranged combat, a character who can't see their opponent incurs a -3 penalty on their defense, but they usually fail any ranged attack rolls or mental attack rolls against an invisible character. However, if the invisible character has used an attack during the current or previous rounds, then an attacker may make ranged attack rolls against the invisible character, but they incur a -3 penalty on their attack rolls.

If someone is actively looking for the character, the person trying to locate the invisible character must use a quick action to make a successful Perception (Reason) roll against 8 + the invisible character's Power Level; if the person trying to locate the invisible character has any unusual senses, they add their Power Level to this roll. If an environmental circumstance might reveal the character's location, the person trying to locate the invisible character gains a +3 bonus on their Perception (Reason) roll. For example, fog might reveal an invisible character's outline, or fresh snow might reveal their footprints. If the person trying to locate the invisible character succeeds at this roll, then they may make ranged attack rolls against the invisible character, but they incur a -3 penalty on their attack rolls.

A character with Invisibility can activate or deactivate the power once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character becomes visible.

The character may make another person (or person-sized object) invisible by touching the other person, but only as long as the character with the Invisibility is touching the second character.

Permanent: Invisibility usually must be activated: if the character goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their Invisibility voluntarily. However, some characters are unable to turn off their Invisibility; they remain invisible even if rendered unconscious.

Mage Sight

Standard action

Mage Sight allows a character to use a standard action to sense the presence of magic and those who can wield it. To perceive a source of magic, the character must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll. If the target of the character's attention is a magic object, they learn the general purpose of the object's magic, and they have a rough idea how to activate it.

A character with Mage Sight can determine the Power Level of a magician or magic-using creature. The character spends a point of Willpower and attempts a Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. If the character succeeds at this roll, they know the target's Power Level.

Mage Sight has other uses, as well. For example, if a character with Mage Sight is being spied upon using Divination, they may use a free action to attempt a remarkably difficult (DV 15) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll to notice the fact (a person without Mage Sight does not have the ability to notice when they are being magically spied upon). If they succeed at an extremely difficult (DV 18) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll, they also notice whether the person spying on them is in the past, present, or future.

Mental Resistance

Constant

Mental Resistance is a self-only power which makes the character resistant to mental attacks and unnatural coercion. A character with Mental Resistance adds their Power Level to their Mental Combat defense. Unlike most supernatural powers, Mental Resistance is sometimes found in otherwise ordinary human beings.

Mind Blast

Standard action
Follow through powers: Mass Mind Blast

BB3 Mind Blast chart.png

Mind Blast is a ranged mental attack which inflicts "stunning" damage. The Mind Blast is typically some form of psychic attack, but it could also be sound, electricity, cold, or even bacteria, and this must be chosen when the Mind Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Mind Blast requires a successful Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Mind Blast ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance. Mind Blast only affects sentient creatures: robots, machinery, and animated objects are unaffected by Mind Blast.

Damage from Mind Blast is temporary. Record it separately; it all comes back after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Mind Blast, Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Mind Blast
Follow through powers: Selective Mass Mind Blast

Mass Mind Blast is a ranged, area mental attack which inflicts "stunning" damage. The Mass Mind Blast is typically some form of psychic attack, but it could also be sound, electricity, cold, or even bacteria, and this must be chosen when the Mass Mind Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Mass Mind Blast requires a successful Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of a target if that target has Mental Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Mass Mind Blast ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance. Mass Mind Blast only affects sentient creatures: robots, machinery, and animated objects are unaffected by Mass Mind Blast.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Damage from Mass Mind Blast is temporary. Record it separately; it all comes back after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Mind Blast, Selective Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Mass Mind Blast

Selective Mass Mind Blast is a ranged, area mental attack which inflicts "stunning" damage. The Selective Mass Mind Blast is typically some form of psychic attack, but it could also be sound, electricity, cold, or even bacteria, and this must be chosen when the Selective Mass Mind Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Selective Mass Mind Blast requires a successful Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of each selected target in the affected area, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of a target if that target has Mental Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Selective Mass Mind Blast ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance. Selective Mass Mind Blast only affects sentient creatures: robots, machinery, and animated objects are unaffected by Selective Mass Mind Blast.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Damage from Selective Mass Mind Blast is temporary. Record it separately; it all comes back after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Mind Control

Standard action
Prerequisite: Telepathy
Follow through powers: Mass Mind Control

Mind Control is a ranged mental attack which allows a character to influence a living creature's behaviour, forcing the target to obey the character's mental commands. To influence a living creature's behaviour, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. Giving a new mental command to the target requires a quick action.

To break free of Mind Control, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Mind Control. If the target has not broken free of the Mind Control by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

Obvious: Some characters have a "tell" when they have affected someone with their Mind Control, such as the target having glowing eyes. This makes it visually apparent that something is wrong with the target.

Mind Control, Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Mind Control

Mass Mind Control is a ranged, area mental attack which allows a character to influence the behaviour of everyone within the affected area, forcing them to obey the character's commands. To influence the targets' behaviour, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of a target if that target has Mental Resistance. Giving a new mental command to the targets requires a quick action.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

To break free of Mass Mind Control, each target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If a target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If a target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Mass Mind Control. If a target has not broken free of the Mass Mind Control by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

Mind Hold

Standard action

Mind Hold is a ranged mental attack which makes it difficult for a target to move, think, or take any actions other than trying to break out of it. Attacking with Mind Hold requires a successful Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. The mechanism which causes the Mind Hold must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might be frozen in time, hypnotized, or they could be sedated by some form of toxic gas.

A character under the effects of Mind Hold is not helpless, but they can't use any move actions until they break free of the power. A restrained character incurs a -3 penalty on all rolls other than rolls to escape the Mind Hold.

To break free of Mind Hold, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Mind Hold.

Another character may also attempt to aid the restrained character. To break a restrained character free of Mind Hold, another character must use a standard action to make a successful Mental Combat roll (using Mind Blast, for example) against 8 + Power Level of the original attacker. If the character aiding the restrained character succeeds at this roll, the restrained character is broken free of the Mind Hold.

If the target has not broken free of the Mind Hold by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

Mind Hold only affects sentient creatures: robots, machinery, and animated objects are unaffected by Mind Hold.

Night Vision

Free action

Night Vision is a self-only power which permits the character to see in pitch darkness as clearly as in daylight. This capacity could be the result of infrared vision, ultraviolet vision, or simply exceptional low-light vision.

Possession

Standard action

Possession is a ranged mental attack which allows a character to seize control of a target, overriding the target's control and effectively making the target a passenger in their own body. Using Possession requires a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance.

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 Willpower on anything other than trying to break out of the Possession, but the possessing character can spend their own Willpower while controlling a target. The target of Possession will not remember any actions they took while under the influence of the power. These memories may be able to be retrieved through the use of hypnosis, Telepathy, and so on.

To break free of Possession, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Possession. If the target has not broken free of the Possession by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

Inhabit: The power is reduced to hand-to-hand range, but the body of the possessing character actually merges with that of the target for the duration of the Possession.

Obvious: The Possession has a "tell", such as glowing eyes, which makes it visually apparent that something is wrong with the target.

Power Drain

Standard action

Power Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Power Level attribute. Attacking with Power Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Power Level is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Power Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance. Reducing a character's Power Level to zero renders them unable to activate any of their powers (constant powers are unaffected).

The effects of multiple Power Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Power Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Power Drain will also return if the character with Power Drain goes unconscious.

Specific Powers: A character's Power Drain might be limited to targets with a specific type of powers, such as characters with fire powers or technological powers. If this is the case, the attacker gains a +3 bonus on their Power Drain rolls.

Power Mimicry

Standard action

Power Mimicry is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which allows a character to temporarily copy another character's power and use it themselves. Attributes of 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose. Attacking with Power Mimicry requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then they gain one of the target's powers for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Power Mimicry ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The maximum number of powers the character may mimic is equal to their own Power Level. If the character with the Power Mimicry knows what powers the target has, they may choose which powers they copy. Otherwise, the target of the Power Mimicry may choose the order in which their powers are copied. If used against Ultra-power, Power Mimicry copies all of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an Ultra-power defined as Powered Armor, and was using this Powered Armor to generate a Force Field, Flight, Blast, and other powers, then a Power Mimicry attack would copy all of these powers simultaneously, in addition to the Ultra-power itself.

If the character goes unconscious, the Power Mimicry turns off and any mimicked powers are lost. The character may also turn off their Power Mimicry voluntarily, of course. If the character has not turned off their Power Mimicry by the end of the scene, it turns off shortly thereafter.

Specific Powers: A character's Power Mimicry might be limited to targets with a specific type of powers, such as characters with fire powers or technological powers. If this is the case, the attacker gains a +3 bonus on their Power Mimicry rolls.

Presence Drain

Standard action

Presence Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Presence. Attacking with Presence Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Presence is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Presence Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The effects of multiple Presence Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Presence Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Presence Drain will also return if the character with Presence Drain goes unconscious.

Draining a character's Presence does not reduce their Willpower.

Probability Control

Free action, costs Willpower

Probability Control is a ranged power which 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 favourable or unfavourable 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 player spends a point of Willpower and the GM decides how this unlikely event impacts the character. The simplest way to translate this favourable or unfavourable circumstance into game terms is to grant a +3 bonus if the circumstance is favourable for the character attempting the task or to impose a -3 penalty if the circumstance is unfavourable 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 bonus or a -3 penalty: significant, but not game-breaking.

Probability Control can be used as a free action. The number of times the character can influence probability per scene is equal to the character's Power Level. Probability Control may be used to influence a roll either before or immediately after the roll has been made.

Conservation Of Probability: Normally, there is no karmic debt incurred by a character with Probability Control. However, some characters must maintain parity between events so that the ledgers of karma remain balanced. If such a character uses their power to grant a +3 bonus, for example, they must balance this out with a compensating -3 penalty before the end of the scene. If they don't, the balance will re-assert itself in the following scene in a way that is inconvenient for the character with Probability Control, and the character will be unable to use their power to prevent it.

Reason Drain

Standard action

Reason Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Reason. Attacking with Reason Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Reason is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Reason Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The effects of multiple Reason Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Reason Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Reason Drain will also return if the character with Reason Drain goes unconscious.

Draining a character's Reason does not reduce their Willpower.

Regeneration

Standard Action

Regeneration is a self-only power which accelerates the healing process and allows the character to recover from injury more quickly. Most characters with Regeneration can even regrow lost limbs or damaged organs. A character with Regeneration may use a standard action to attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Survival (Brawn + Power Level) roll. If the character succeeds at this roll, then they regain one point of lost Endurance for every 2 the roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

If the character with Regeneration is unconscious, then they regain one lost Endurance per minute. If the character with Regeneration is dead, but they also have the Immortality power, then they regain one lost Endurance per hour.

Additionally, the maximum Endurance of a character with Regeneration can't be reduced to zero by an environmental hazard such as dehydration, poison, or pressure. The character's maximum Endurance will always be at least one, regardless of the hostile environmental conditions.

Sense Auras

Standard action

The character can see the invisible emanations around people and things. Sensing the aura of a person requires a successful Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. Sensing the aura of an object is a moderately difficult (DV 12) task. If the character fails this roll, they may not attempt to read that person or object again during that scene.

If the character's roll succeeds by 4 or more, they may sense whether the aura is "warm" (positive, life affirming) or "cold" (negative, life negating). A typical person's aura is slightly "warm", but even a person with a "cold" aura is not necessarily wicked: they could just be having a bad day.

Sense Auras is never completely reliable: it is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.

Table: Typical aura colors
Color Temperament
Red In a positive light, red indicates a healthy ego: someone powerful, sensual, passionate, and energetic. In a negative light, red indicates anger, an unforgiving nature, or anxiety.
Orange In a positive light, orange indicates productivity and creativity: someone sociable, detail oriented, and courageous. In a negative light, it can indicate stress and addictions.
Yellow Indicates optimism, and easy-going nature, inspiration, and intelligence.
Green Indicates balance, growth, and a willingness to change. It is a strong indication of a love of people, animals, and nature.
Turquoise Indicates a sensitive, compassionate nature, that of a healer or a counselor.
Blue Indicates calm and focus. It is a strong indication of clarity, truthfulness, and an intuitive nature.
Indigo Indicates deep feeling: someone of profound intuition and sensitivity.
Violet Indicates a sensitive nature and greater than average psychic potential. May also indicate an artistic temperament.
Lavender Indicates great vision and imagination.

Sense [Element]

Free action
Prerequisite: Detect [Element]

Sense [Element] is a self-only power which permits the character to perceive, locate, and analyze a substance, material, or energy any time the element is in the character's vicinity. The specific type of force or substance that to be sensed must be chosen when this power is purchased: sense magic, sense metal, sense temporal anomalies, and so on. Obtaining detailed information about the element typically requires a moderately difficult (DV 12) Perception (Reason + Power Level) roll, but the difficulty may be higher 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 roll should be necessary.

Shapeshifting

Quick action

Shapeshifting is a self-only power which permits the character to change their shape, appearance, odor, etc., and they may increase or decrease their size by 50%. The character may re-assign their Brawn and Agility to suit their new shape, as long as the total of Brawn + Agility remains the same or lower, and neither attribute exceeds the character's Power Level. Shapeshifting does not give the character any new powers, such as Night Vision or Flight.

A character with Shapeshifting can change shape once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal form.

Assuming the shape of a specific person, creature, or object is more difficult than changing into a generic example of a particular shape. If someone is actively looking at the character, or has any reason to suspect that the character is not the genuine article, the person observing the shapeshifted character may attempt a Perception (Reason) roll against 8 + the shapeshifted character's Power Level; if the observer has any unusual senses, they add their Power Level to this roll. If the Perception (Reason) roll is successful, the observer can tell that the shapeshifted character is not who or what they appear to be.

Obvious: Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a character is using Shapeshifting. However, some shapeshifters have a "tell", such as glowing eyes, a distinctive color, or the character's normal face, which makes it visually apparent that the character is not in their natural form.

Shrinking

Quick action

Shrinking is a self-only power which permits the character to become smaller and lighter than normal. The effects of Shrinking are based on the Power Level of the character. At Power Level 10, the character can be as small as the diameter of a human hair.

A character with Shrinking can change their size once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal size.

A character with Shrinking does not have to use it at full power. A character who has Power Level 5, for example, could elect to be merely 50 centimeters tall rather than their full 6 millimeters.


Table: Shrinking
Power Level Height Agility
1 60 cm +1
2 20 cm +1
3 6 cm +1
4 2 cm +1
5 6 mm +2
6 2 mm +2
7 600 μm +2
8 200 μm +2
9 60 μm +3
10 20 μm +3

Speak With Objects

Standard action

Speak With Objects is a self-only power which permits the character to communicate with inanimate objects in ways that people normally can't. For example, a character with Speak With Objects may communicate with buildings and other artificial structures, non-sentient machines, non-sentient plants and animals, paths and roads, and rocks and stones. To communicate with an inanimate object, the character must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Diplomacy (Presence + Power Level) roll.

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 also 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 Speak With Objects is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.

Specific Objects: Some characters may only communicate with a specific type or types of object. For example, a character attuned to the spirit of cities might only be able to communicate with roads and buildings, while a cyborg might be able to connect to and communicate with computers, at speeds much faster than would otherwise be possible. A character whose Speak With Objects power is limited in this way gains a +3 bonus on their communication roll.

Stretching

Quick action

Stretching is a self-only power which permits the character to deform their body and attenuate their extremities. A character with Stretching might have telescoping robotic tentacles, or the character's body may be gelatinous or just fantastically malleable. This increases the character's effective reach, and it permits them to perform tasks and make hand-to-hand attacks at greater distances, based on the character's Power Level. Some characters with Stretching can squeeze under doors and through keyholes. Hand-to-hand Combat rolls made by a Stretching character are based on Brawn, as usual.


Table: Stretching
Power Level Reach
1 1 m
2 2 m
3 3 m
4 4 m
5 6 m
6 8 m
7 12 m
8 16 m
9 24 m
10 32 m

Strike

Standard action
Follow through powers: Area Strike

BB3 Strike chart.png

Strike is a hand-to-hand normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Strike could be claws, radiation, cold, a sword, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Strike power is purchased. Attacking with Strike requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

Specific Targets: Some characters' attacks are specifically tuned to affect only particular targets. For example, the character's Strike might be a toxin which is harmful to living beings, but which does not affect inanimate objects.

Stunning: Some characters' attacks are specifically designed to be non-lethal. Damage from a stunning attack is temporary. Record it separately; it all comes back after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Strike, Area

Standard action
Prerequisite: Strike
Follow through powers: Selective Area Strike

Area Strike is a hand-to-hand, area normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Area Strike could be claws, radiation, cold, a sword, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Area Strike power is purchased. Attacking with Area Strike requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Strike, Selective Area

Standard action
Prerequisite: Area Strike

Selective Area Strike is a hand-to-hand, area normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Area Strike could be claws, radiation, cold, a sword, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Area Strike power is purchased. Attacking with Area Strike requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of each selected target in the affected area, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Supernatural Agility

Quick action, costs Willpower

Supernatural agility is a self-only power which permits the character to attempt Agility tasks of extraordinary difficulty. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Agility for the purpose of making noncombat skill rolls.

Supernatural Brawn

Quick action, costs Willpower

Supernatural Brawn is a self-only power which permits the character to attempt Brawn tasks of extraordinary difficulty. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Brawn for the purpose of making noncombat skill rolls.

Supernatural Flight

Move action, costs Willpower
Prerequisite: Flight

Supernatural Flight is a self-only power which permits the character to fly impossibly fast. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Agility for the purpose of determining their base move, double move, and all-out move.


Table: Supernatural Flight
Agility +
Power Level
Fly Double Move All-out Move km/h
1 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
2 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
3 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
4 4 m 8 m 24 m 14 km/h
5 6 m 12 m 36 m 22 km/h
6 7 m 14 m 42 m 25 km/h
7 10 m 20 m 60 m 36 km/h
8 13 m 26 m 78 m 47 km/h
9 20 m 40 m 120 m 70 km/h
10 40 m 80 m 240 m 140 km/h
11 70 m 140 m 420 m 250 km/h
12 130 m 260 m 780 m 470 km/h
13 200 m 400 m 1,200 m 700 km/h
14 400 m 800 m 2,400 m 1,400 km/h
15 700 m 1,400 m 4,200 m 2,500 km/h
16 1,300 m 2,600 m 7,800 m 4,700 km/h
17 2 km 4 km 12 km 7,000 km/h
18 4 km 8 km 24 km 14,000 km/h
19 7 km 14 km 42 km 25,000 km/h
20 13 km 26 km 78 km 47,000 km/h

Supernatural Jumping

Move action, costs Willpower

Supernatural Jumping is a self-only power which permits the character to leap impossibly far and fast. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Brawn for the purpose of determining the height and distance of the character's long jump.


Table: Supernatural Lifting and Supernatural Jumping
Brawn +
Power Level
Supernatural Lifting Supernatural Jumping
Lift Example Throw (25 kg)
0 25 kg medium dog 1 m 0 m
1 35 kg wood bookcase 1 m 0 m
2 55 kg pony keg of beer 1 m 1 m
3 80 kg manhole cover 2 m 1 m
4 120 kg heavy adult 2 m 1 m
5 170 kg wood table 4 m 2 m
6 260 kg motorcycle 5 m 2 m
7 380 kg large desk 8 m 4 m
8 550 kg grand piano 11 m 5 m
9 980 kg small car 20 m 8 m
10 1,700 kg full size car 35 m 11 m
11 3,100 kg small military helicopter 62 m 20 m
12 5,500 kg empty dump truck 110 m 35 m
13 9,800 kg armored car 200 m 62 m
14 17 t tractor-trailer 350 m 110 m
15 31 t private jet 620 m 200 m
16 55 t loaded tanker truck 1,100 m 350 m
17 98 t railroad boxcar 2,000 m 620 m
18 170 t huge mining dump-truck 3,500 m 1,100 m
19 310 t hydro-electric generator 6,200 m 2,000 m
20 550 t 747 passenger plane 11 km 3,500 m
  1. Lift indicates the greatest weight that the character can "deadlift" (pick up off the ground to the level of the hips). A character carrying or supporting such a weight can take at most one or two steps per turn. A character can move normally while carrying a weight corresponding to one less than their Brawn. For example, a character with Brawn 8 could carry up to 380 kg and suffer no penalties to their movement while doing so.
  2. Throw (25 kg) indicates the farthest distance that a character could throw a compact object weighing 25 kg. To see how far a character can throw heavier objects, subtract the Brawn required to lift the object from the character's total Brawn. Look up the difference in the "Brawn" column: this indicates how far the character can throw the object. For example, a character with Brawn 8 could throw an object weighing 80 kg (such as a cooperative slender human) up to 4 meters.
  3. Jumps indicates the character's standing long jump. With a running long jump, the character's ground movement is added to their long jump distance.

Supernatural Lifting

Standard action, costs Willpower

Supernatural Lifting is a self-only power which permits the character to lift and throw impossibly heavy objects. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Brawn for the purpose of determining what the character can lift and throw.

Supernatural Presence

Quick action, costs Willpower

Supernatural Presence is a self-only power which permits the character to attempt Presence tasks of extraordinary difficulty. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Presence for the purpose of making noncombat skill rolls.

Supernatural Running

Move action, costs Willpower

Supernatural Running is a self-only power which permits the character to run impossibly fast. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Agility for the purpose of determining their base move, double move, and all-out move.


Table: Supernatural Running
Agility +
Power Level
Walk
(Base Move)
Run
(Double Move)
Sprint
(All-out Move)
Sprint
(km/h)
1 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
2 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
3 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
4 4 m 8 m 24 m 14 km/h
5 6 m 12 m 36 m 22 km/h
6 7 m 14 m 42 m 25 km/h
7 10 m 20 m 60 m 36 km/h
8 13 m 26 m 78 m 47 km/h
9 20 m 40 m 120 m 70 km/h
10 40 m 80 m 240 m 140 km/h
11 70 m 140 m 420 m 250 km/h
12 130 m 260 m 780 m 470 km/h
13 200 m 400 m 1,200 m 700 km/h
14 400 m 800 m 2,400 m 1,400 km/h
15 700 m 1,400 m 4,200 m 2,500 km/h
16 1,300 m 2,600 m 7,800 m 4,700 km/h
17 2 km 4 km 12 km 7,000 km/h
18 4 km 8 km 24 km 14,000 km/h
19 7 km 14 km 42 km 25,000 km/h
20 13 km 26 km 78 km 47,000 km/h

Supernatural Swimming

Move action, costs Willpower

Supernatural Swimming is a self-only power which permits the character to swim impossibly fast. The character may spend a point of Willpower to add their Power Level to their Agility for the purpose of determining their base move, double move, and all-out move.


Table: Supernatural Swimming
Agility +
Power Level
Swim
(Base Move)
Fast Swim
(Double Move)
Swim Sprint
(All-out Move)
Swim Sprint
(km/h)
1 1 m 2 m 6 m 4 km/h
2 1 m 2 m 6 m 4 km/h
3 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
4 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
5 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
6 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
7 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
8 4 m 8 m 24 m 14 km/h
9 5 m 10 m 30 m 18 km/h
10 7 m 14 m 42 m 25 km/h
11 10 m 20 m 60 m 36 km/h
12 13 m 26 m 78 m 47 km/h
13 17 m 34 m 102 m 61 km/h
14 22 m 44 m 132 m 79 km/h
15 30 m 60 m 180 m 110 km/h
16 40 m 80 m 240 m 140 km/h
17 50 m 100 m 300 m 180 km/h
18 70 m 140 m 420 m 260 km/h
19 100 m 200 m 600 m 360 km/h
20 130 m 260 m 780 m 470 km/h

Telekinesis

Standard action

Telekinesis is a ranged special attack which permits a character to grapple a character or object without touching it. Attacking with Telekinesis requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. Grabbing inanimate objects with Telekinesis is generally automatic, unless the GM wants to make it difficult for some reason.

If the attacker's roll is equal to or greater than the defender's roll, the target is restrained. A restrained character is not helpless, but they can't use move actions until they break free of the Telekinesis. A restrained character incurs a -3 penalty on all rolls other than rolls to escape the Telekinesis.

The maximum mass the character can lift with their Telekinesis is based on the character's Power Level.

Psychokinesis: The character's Telekinesis is a mental attack rather than a normal one. Attacking with Psychokinesis requires a successful Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. To break free of Psychokinesis, the restrained character must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker; if the restrained character has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to this roll. If the attacker with Psychokinesis wishes to squeeze the restrained character, they must use a standard action to make a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. Unlike other mental attacks, Psychokinesis causes normal Endurance damage.


Table: Telekinesis
Power Level Lift Example Throw (25 kg)
0 25 kg medium dog 1 m
1 35 kg wood bookcase 1 m
2 55 kg pony keg of beer 1 m
3 80 kg manhole cover 2 m
4 120 kg heavy adult 2 m
5 170 kg wood table 4 m
6 260 kg motorcycle 5 m
7 380 kg large desk 8 m
8 550 kg grand piano 11 m
9 980 kg small car 20 m
10 1,700 kg full size car 35 m
  1. Lift indicates the greatest weight that a character can "deadlift" with Telekinesis (pick up off the ground to the level of the hips). A character carrying or supporting such a weight with their Telekinesis can take at most one or two steps per turn. A character can move normally while carrying a weight corresponding to one less than their Power Level. For example, a character with Power Level 8 could carry up to 380 kg and suffer no penalties to their movement while doing so.
  2. Throw (25 kg) indicates the farthest distance that a character with Telekinesis could throw a compact object weighing 25 kg. To see how far a character can throw heavier objects, subtract the Power Level required to lift the object from the character's total Power Level. Look up the difference in the "Power Level" column: this indicates how far the character can throw the object. For example, a character with Power Level 8 could throw an object weighing 80 kg (such as a cooperative slender human) up to 4 meters.


Breaking Free Of Telekinesis

To break free of Telekinesis, the restrained character must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Telekinesis. If the target has not broken free of the Telekinesis by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter. Alternately, the attacker may release the restrained character at any time, without using an action.

Hurting A Held Target

If the attacker wishes to squeeze the restrained character, they must use a standard action to make a Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by 1 for every 2 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 2 = 2, exact roll + 4 = 3).

Moving A Held Target

If the attacker wishes to move the restrained character, they must use another standard action. The distance an attacker may move the defender is based on the Power Level of the attacker and the mass of the restrained character. First, look up the mass of the defender or object to be moved in the "Lift" column (rounded in the character's favour), and find the corresponding Power Level for that mass. Subtract that from the Power Level of the attacker, and look up that resulting value in the "Throw" column. This is how far the attacker can move or throw the held character.

Telepathy

Standard action
Follow through powers: Mind Control

BB3 Telepathy chart.png

Telepathy is a ranged mental attack which permits a character to communicate directly with the mind of another person. However, if the willing target of Telepathy also has Telepathy, the maximum distance between the two telepaths is effectively unlimited.

To communicate directly with the mind of an unwilling person, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of the target, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. With a successful attack roll, the attacker may mentally communicate with the target and may read their surface thoughts. The attacker may read the target's memories if the attacker incurs a -3 penalty on their roll (each memory viewed requires a separate roll).

To break free of Telepathy, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Telepathy. If the target has not broken free of the Telepathy by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

To communicate directly with the mind of a willing person, no attack roll is needed. With a willing target, the telepath may mentally communicate with the target and may read their surface thoughts and (if the target consents) their memories. A willing participant may end the telepathic contact at any time. The telepath may also set up a group communication among willing participants. The maximum number of simultaneous willing participants is equal to the telepath's Power Level.

Teleportation

Move action

Teleportation is a self-only power which permits the character to use a move action to travel from one point to another without traversing the intervening space. The distance the character may travel before re-appearing is based on their Agility. The character may double-move and all-out move using Teleportation. A character using Teleportation may carry with them whatever they can carry, based on their Brawn. This may include equipment or even other characters.

A character using Teleportation cannot re-appear inside of a solid object, nor into any area affected by Power Suppression; other than this, objects in the physical world generally have no effect on a character using Teleportation. If a character using Teleportation unknowingly attempts to re-appear inside of a solid object, they lose half of their Endurance (rounded in the character's favour) and are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space, or the teleportation attempt fails entirely, at the GM's discretion.

Requires A Medium: Some characters may only teleport through a specific medium. For example, a character with electrical powers might only be able to teleport through conductive material. Alternately, the character might only be able to teleport between specific locations. For example, a character attuned to the spirit of cities might only be able to teleport within and between cities, or a character with darkness powers might only be able to teleport within and between dark areas such as shadows. Such a character never needs to worry about appearing inside of a solid object: when they reach their destination, they simply step out of the medium.


Table: Teleportation
Agility Base Move Double Move All-out Move
1 2 m 4 m 7 km
2 2 m 4 m 7 km
3 3 m 6 m 11 km
4 4 m 8 m 14 km
5 6 m 12 m 22 km
6 7 m 14 m 25 km
7 10 m 20 m 36 km
8 13 m 26 m 47 km
9 20 m 40 m 70 km
10 40 m 80 m 140 km

[Transformation] Ray

Standard action

[Transformation] Ray is a is a ranged alteration attack which allows a character to use a personal power as an attack. Attacking with [Transformation] Ray requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. [Transformation] Ray ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The power being used as an attack is under the control of the character with the [Transformation] Ray power; the target of the ray has no control over the power. The specific personal power to be used as an attack must be chosen when this power is purchased. Available personal powers which may be used as attacks with [Transformation] Ray are:

  • Density Control
  • [Element] Form
  • Growth
  • Intangibility
  • Invisibility
  • Shapeshifting
  • Shrinking

To recover from the transformation, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the transformation. If the target has not recovered from the [Transformation] Ray by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Tunneling

Move action

Tunneling is a self-only power which permits the character to move through the earth as easily as other people move through water. However, the character is unable to pass through force fields and other energy barriers. The character's base move, double move, and all-out move while tunneling are based on their Agility.

The character may choose to leave a hole through which others may follow, or not, at any time.


Table: Tunneling
Agility Base Move Double Move All-out Move km/h
1 1 m 2 m 6 m 4 km/h
2 1 m 2 m 6 m 4 km/h
3 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
4 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
5 2 m 4 m 12 m 7 km/h
6 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
7 3 m 6 m 18 m 11 km/h
8 4 m 8 m 24 m 14 km/h
9 5 m 10 m 30 m 18 km/h
10 7 m 14 m 42 m 25 km/h


Willpower Drain

Standard action

Willpower Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Willpower. Attacking with Willpower Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) of the target, or 8 + Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Willpower is reduced by 1 for every 4 the attack roll succeeds by (exact roll = 1, exact roll + 4 = 2, exact roll + 8 = 3). Willpower Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The effects of multiple Willpower Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Willpower Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Willpower Drain will also return if the character with Willpower Drain goes unconscious.

Villain Powers

Powers can sometimes work quite differently for villains than it does for player characters. For example, a character with Mind Control 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. Villains 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.

Here are a few villain-only powers to get you started.

Blast, Continuous

Standard action
Prerequisite: Seeking Blast
Follow through powers: Continuous Area Blast

Continuous Blast is a ranged normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Continuous Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Continuous Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Damage Resistance or Force Field.

Continuous Blast has limited independence from the attacker. The Continuous Blast will continue to attack the target every round until it misses. The attacker rolls the attack again as a quick action, but no interaction or attention is required from the attacker for these additional attacks.

Blast, Continuous Area

Standard action
Prerequisite: Continuous Blast

Continuous Area Blast is a ranged, area normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Continuous Area Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Continuous Area Blast power is purchased. Attacking with Continuous Area Blast requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of each target in the affected area, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of a target if that target has Damage Resistance or Force Field.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Continuous Area Blast has limited independence from the attacker. The Continuous Area Blast will continue to attack each target in the affected area every round until it misses that target. Once the attack misses a target in the affected area, the attack no longer affects that target. The attacker rolls the attack again as a quick action, but no interaction or attention is required from the attacker for these additional attacks.

Mind Control, Selective Mass

Standard action
Prerequisite: Mass Mind Control

Selective Mass Mind Control is a ranged, area mental attack which allows a character to influence the behaviour of selected targets within the affected area, forcing them to obey the character's commands. To influence the targets' behaviour, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll against 8 + Mental Combat (Presence) of each selected target in the affected area, or 8 + Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) of a target if that target has Mental Resistance. Giving a new mental command to the targets requires a quick action.

The attacker rolls once for the attack.

To break free of Selective Mass Mind Control, each target must use a standard action to make a successful Survival (Presence) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If a target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If a target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Selective Mass Mind Control. If a target has not broken free of the Selective Mass Mind Control by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

Supernatural Endurance

Constant

Normally, a character's Endurance is equal to their Agility + Brawn. The Endurance of a character with Supernatural Endurance is equal to their Agility + Brawn + Power Level. A permanent change to any of these attributes will increase or decrease the character's Endurance by the same amount.

Supernatural Willpower

Constant

Normally, a character's Willpower is equal to their Reason + Presence. The Willpower of a character with Supernatural Willpower is equal to their Reason + Presence + Power Level. A permanent change to any of these attributes will increase or decrease the character's Willpower by the same amount.

[Transformation] Ray, Extended

Standard action
Prerequisite: [Transformation] Ray
Follow through powers: Permanent [Transformation] Ray

Extended [Transformation] Ray is a is a ranged alteration attack which allows a character to use a personal power as an attack. Attacking with Extended [Transformation] Ray requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. Extended [Transformation] Ray ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The power being used as an attack is under the control of the character with the Extended [Transformation] Ray power; the target of the ray has no control over the power. The specific personal power to be used as an attack must be chosen when this power is purchased. Available personal powers which may be used as attacks with Extended [Transformation] Ray are:

  • [Element] Form
  • Density Control
  • Growth
  • Intangibility
  • Invisibility
  • Shapeshifting
  • Shrinking

Once an hour, the target may use a standard action to attempt a Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the transformation.

[Transformation] Ray, Permanent

Standard action
Prerequisite: Extended [Transformation] Ray

Permanent [Transformation] Ray is a is a ranged alteration attack which allows a character to use a personal power as an attack. Attacking with Permanent [Transformation] Ray requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility) of the target, or 8 + Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. Permanent [Transformation] Ray ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and Damage Resistance.

The power being used as an attack is under the control of the character with the Permanent [Transformation] Ray power; the target of the ray has no control over the power. The specific personal power to be used as an attack must be chosen when this power is purchased. Available personal powers which may be used as attacks with Permanent [Transformation] Ray are:

  • [Element] Form
  • Density Control
  • Growth
  • Intangibility
  • Invisibility
  • Shapeshifting
  • Shrinking

Once a day, the target may use a standard action to attempt a Survival (Brawn) roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the transformation.