ZeroSpace 4e EN:Gifts

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Gifts are exceptional abilities that a normal person can have, but that most people do not have. The details of each gift are highly dependent on a character's background, so the player should work with the GM to flesh out these details. Gifts which impact the setting directly, such as Headquarters and Wealthy, should receive more than the usual amount of GM consultation.

The character's first gift costs 1 character point. Buying an additional gift costs a number of character points equal to the current number of gifts, plus one. For example, buying a fourth gift costs 4 points.


Table: Gift cost
Quantity Cost
1 1
2 3
3 6
4 10
5 15
6 21
7 28
8 36
9 45
10 55


Typical Gifts

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


Table: Typical gifts
Gift Type Benefit
Animal Empathy Skills The character can use Diplomacy and Manipulation skills on animals.
Attentive Combat The character is unaffected by distractions.
Bag Of Tricks Skills The character carries a bag, belt, or backpack with a number of small, ordinary items.
Blindfighting Combat The character can engage in combat normally while blinded or otherwise unable to perceive their opponent.
Blood Rage Combat Once per scene, the character can enter a trance-like state of bestial fury.
Bowler Combat The character may base their Ranged Combat attack rolls on Brawn rather than on Agility.
Connected Skills The character can make a Diplomacy roll to get a favour from an old friend -- or an old enemy.
Disarming Expert Combat A character can make a disarming attack without granting the defender a bonus.
Elusive Combat The character may base their Hand-to-hand Combat defense rolls on Agility rather than on Brawn.
Escape Artist Combat Once per scene, the character gains a +3 bonus against a grapple or a lasting power.
Famous Skills The character may get attention, and perhaps favors, from strangers.
Fascinating Skills The character may get attention, and perhaps favors, from admirers.
Hard Target Combat The character may base their Ranged Combat defense rolls on Brawn rather than on Agility.
Headquarters Skills The character has one or more bases of operation.
Leadership Combat Once per scene, the character can grant a +3 bonus to an ally.
Lightning Strike Combat The character may base their Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls on Agility rather than on Brawn.
Linguist Skills The character can learn new languages with minimal effort.
Master Plan Combat If there is time to prepare for an encounter, the character may receive or grant a +3 bonus.
Mental Calculator Skills The character can solve complex mathematical operations by thinking about them.
Minions Skills Minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness.
Perfect Recall Skills Once per scene, the character may perfectly remember any event, document, recording, etc.
Pro From Dover Skills The character is the absolute best in their field, whatever that is.
Quick Change Skills The character can clothes (or change into an Alternate Form) with a quick action.
Ranged Disarm Combat The character can make a disarm attack at range.
Scrounger Skills The character can survive on what they find.
Second Identity Skills The character has a second, completely legitimate identity.
Sharpshooter Combat The character can ignore a defender's bonus from being prone or having cover.
Sidekick Combat If the character is within short range of their mentor, their Agility, Brawn, and Power Level are no less than their mentor's.
Team Player Combat Once per scene, the character can gain a +3 bonus when working as part of a team.
Underwater Combat Combat The character may fight or use skills while underwater without an increase in the DV.
Unsettling Skills The character may make people nervous for no real reason.
Vehicles Skills The character has sundry modes of fast and stylish transportation.
Wealthy Skills If a problem can be solved by throwing money at it, the character can probably solve that problem.
Whirlwind Attack Combat The character can make a sweep attack without granting an increase in Defense Value.
Zero-G Combat Combat The character may fight or use skills while weightless without an increase in the DV.


Animal Empathy

The character has a bond with animals, and can use Diplomacy and Manipulation skills on them. Normal animals are more likely to be calm around the character, although a dangerous, hostile animal might require a successful Diplomacy or Manipulation roll to keep the animal from attacking. A character's Animal Empathy might be limited to a specific type of animal, such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on Diplomacy and Manipulation rolls when interacting with that animal type.

Once per scene, A character with Animal Empathy can befriend a normal animal which is not hostile to the character. The animal will always remember the character and treat them as a friend.

Attentive

A character with Attentive is unaffected by attempts to distract them.

Bag Of Tricks

The character carries a bag, belt, or backpack with a number of small, ordinary items. The character can use a quick action to pull any needed item from their bag, as long as the item is small enough to fit in the palm of their hand and can be purchased from an ordinary retail shop.

Blindfighting

The Blindfighting gift permits the character to sense their opponents' position and movements as clearly as with ordinary vision. This could be a form of sonar, radar, a preternaturally sensitive sense of touch, or some other form of alternate perception.

Normally, a character who can't perceive their opponent has great difficulty in combat. A character with Blindfighting can engage in combat normally while blinded or otherwise unable to perceive their opponent, without any negative effects.

Blood Rage

Once per scene, the character can enter a trance-like state of bestial fury. While using Blood Rage, the character gains a +3 bonus on all Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls, but they fail all other rolls. A character using Blood Rage also gains a +3 bonus to their Mental Combat defense. However, any attacks against the character using Blood Rage receive a +3 bonus.

Bowler

A character with the Bowler gift can heave projectiles with deadly accuracy. The character may base their Ranged Combat attack rolls on Brawn rather than on Agility. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Connected

"I know some people." The character has a wide ranging network of friends, rivals, and former associates. From time to time, the character can contact one of these people, and have a reasonable chance of getting a favour from them. When the character wants to get a favour from someone, the player names the NPC and briefly describes how their character knows this contact. When the character meets their contact, they must attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Presence + Diplomacy roll to see how their contact receives them.

Disarming Expert

Normally, when making a disarming attack, the defender gains a +3 bonus to their Defense Value against this attack. A character with Disarming Expert can make a disarming attack without granting the defender a bonus.

Elusive

A character with the Elusive gift is fast on their feet and good at rolling with the punches. The character may base their Hand-to-hand Combat defense rolls on Agility rather than on Brawn. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Escape Artist

A character with the Escape Artist gift is a slippery target. Once per scene, the character gains a +3 bonus against a grapple or a lasting power. The player may decide to gain the bonus before or after the dice are rolled.

Famous

The character's name and likeness are widely known, perhaps due to their exploits, or possibly because they are from a notorious family. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because paparazzi are often nearby. People who are impressed by celebrity may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favours from strangers.

Fascinating

A character is naturally, effortlessly compelling. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because they will be the focus of attention in nearly any circumstances. People who are swayed by their instinctive responses may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favours from admirers.

Hard Target

A character with the Hard Target gift can take the hit and keep coming. The character may base their Ranged Combat defense rolls on Brawn rather than on Agility. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Headquarters

The character has one or more bases of operation, equipped with supplies, workshops, and equipment reasonable for the character's background and skills. If the character is a member of a team, the base(s) might be shared with the other team members, at the player's discretion. A headquarters is primarily a convenience for the GM and a fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat, and is mainly used for flavor and a setting for roleplaying.

Additionally, the character can make a moderately difficult (DV 12) Reason + Survival roll to remember a "safe house" or a cache of supplies nearby, wherever they happen to be.

Leadership

A character with the Leadership gift excels at bringing out the best in others, and other people are more effective with the character than they are alone. Once per scene, the character can grant a +3 bonus to one of their allies. The player may decide to grant the bonus before or after the dice are rolled.

Lightning Strike

A character with the Lightning Strike gift can deal devastating blows using speed and finesse. The character may base their Hand-to-hand Combat attack rolls on Agility rather than on Brawn. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Linguist

A character with the Linguist gift is fluent in dozens of languages, and is capable of quickly deciphering new languages when they encounter them.

Master Plan

Once per scene, a character with Master Plan is able to gain a tactical benefit at a time and place they choose. The form this takes can vary, and should be negotiated between the player and the GM, but a relatively typical use of a Master Plan is to grant the character or one of their allies a +3 bonus to be used at a time of their choice during the conflict.

Mental Calculator

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

Minions

The character has one or more minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness. Such minions might be mooks, agents, armed guards, administrative staff, or technicians to keep the character's equipment in proper working order. There is no set limit to the number of minions a character might have, subject to the GM's approval, but the more minions there are, the less competent they are. For example, if a character has just three minions -- an administrative assistant, a chauffeur/auto mechanic, and a skilled professional -- they might be reasonably competent at their respective assignments (3 in their most relevant attributes, with 1 in relevant skills). If the character has dozens of minions, however, the best among them has 2 in their relevant attributes, and none of them have any skills requiring advanced education or technical aptitude.

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

Perfect Recall

Once per scene, the character may perfectly remember any event, document, recording, etc., which the character has clearly seen or heard, even if they were not paying particular attention to it at the time.

Pro From Dover

A character with the Pro From Dover gift can choose a specific, narrowly-defined professional, scholarly, or technical field in which they are an undisputed expert. When answering a question or performing research related to their specialty, they gain a +3 bonus.

A character may only be the Pro From Dover in a single narrowly defined noncombat specialty, and each player character with the Pro From Dover gift should choose a different specialty.

Quick Change

The Quick Change gift is usually possessed only by superheroes and stage magicians. Quick Change enables a character to change their entire outfit with a quick action. This could be made possible by super-speed, a costume stored in a ring, or just wearing a different outfit underneath street clothes. Additionally, a character with Quick Change and the Alternate Form power can change forms once per round with a quick action.

Ranged Disarm

A character with Ranged Disarm can make a disarm attack at range. A ranged disarm attack requires a successful Agility + Ranged Combat roll against 8 + Agility + Ranged Combat of the target. As with hand-to-hand disarming attacks, the defender gains a +3 bonus to their Defense Value against this attack.

Scrounger

You can survive off the grid, whether you are in the wilderness or in an urban environment. You can find shelter, food, and personal essentials enough to provide for yourself and a small number of friends. In a populated area, you can always find useful items by asking around and keeping your eyes open.

Second Identity

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

Additionally, the character can make a moderately difficult (DV 12) Reason + Finesse roll to produce proof of a new but ordinary identity, appropriate to wherever they happen to be.

Sharpshooter

A character with the Sharpshooter gift adept at bypassing cover in ranged combat. When a defender is prone or has cover, they normally gain a bonus to their defense. A character with the Sharpshooter gift ignores a defender's bonus from being prone or having cover.

Sidekick

The character fights more effectively when they fight alongside their mentor. If the sidekick is within short range (10 m) of their mentor, their Agility, Brawn, and Power Level are equal to their normal values, or their mentor's values, whichever is greater. The character's mentor must be chosen when this gift is purchased, and should change very rarely, if ever.

Team Player

A character with the Team Player gift excels at working with others, and is more effective with others than they are alone. Once per scene, a character with the Team Player gift can gain a +3 bonus when working as part of a team. The player may decide to gain the bonus before or after the dice are rolled.

Underwater Combat

Normally, engaging in combat or other activities while underwater increases the target's Defense Value or the Difficulty Value of the task by +3. A character with the Zero-G Combat gift may fight or use skills while underwater without granting an increase in the target's Defense Value or the Difficulty Value.

Unsettling

The character is able to put off a disturbing vibe that makes people nervous for no discernible reason. Strangers will find themselves disliking the character without knowing why, and normal animals will avoid the character unless forced to approach by a trainer or some other circumstance.

Vehicles

The character has one or more vehicles which provide fast and stylish transportation. If the character is a member of a team, the vehicle(s) might be shared with the other team members, at the player's discretion. A vehicle is primarily a convenience for the GM and a fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat, and is mainly used for flavour and to make it easier for the character to get around.

Additionally, the character can make a moderately difficult (DV 12) Reason + Survival roll to remember a vehicle they have stored nearby, wherever they happen to be.

Wealthy

If a problem can be solved by throwing money at it, a character with the Wealth gift can probably solve that problem. Food, clothing, and shelter cease to be concerns for a character with Wealth, but they are still plagued by the same interpersonal issues that are behind the serious problems most people face.

Whirlwind Attack

Normally, when making a sweep attack (attacking everyone within reach of the character simultaneously), each target receives a Defense Value bonus equal to the number of targets. A character with Whirlwind Attack can make a sweep attack without granting an increase in Defense Value.

Zero-G Combat

Normally, engaging in combat or other activities while weightless increases the target's Defense Value or the Difficulty Value of the task by +3. A character with the Zero-G Combat gift may fight or use skills while weightless without granting an increase in the target's Defense Value or the Difficulty Value.