Men & Supermen, in some form or other, has been around since 1980. I couldn’t have done it without the many playtesters. Their heroes survived the early days of the world’s creation and the fundamental changes in the laws of physics which followed. Their names shall forever be etched in the Chronicle of Heroes, on the Life Stone in the Caverns at the End of Time.
Special thanks go to Rory Keating and Thor Brickman, who spent many hours arguing with me over various rules and the game as a whole. This book is dedicated to Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, creators of Supermanª and to E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, creators of the Dungeons and Dragonsª role playing game. If it weren’t for them I’d spend all my free time reading romance novels and playing bridge.
Jerry Stratton, http://www.hoboes.com/jerry/
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Agent Aura “Kincaid” Ange (Darryl DeLeeuw) Agent Bobo (Russ Nelson) Ape (Thor Brickman) Black Cat (Rory Keating) Blue Disc (Darryl DeLeeuw) Brat (Rory Keating) Brinn X’Halikso (Rick Turner) Bob (Rory Keating) Daklin (Chris Eitniear) Dark Horse (Thor Brickman) Elektra (Irish McWhorter) Eric Exploso (James Stratton) Ian McKellan (Vince Kimball) JC-9 (Vince Kimball) Lightwave (Rob Reed) The Lugnuts/New Wave Heroes the Lurking Grue (Rory Keating) Pale Destroyer (Ron Watkins) Pulsar (Kevin McMinn) Rayzon (Rex Bowers) Razz (Andee Kunza) Roach (Virginia Walker) Shaman (Thor Brickman) Tween (Rory Keating) |
Contents |
IntroductionWhat is Role-Playing? |
Role-playing is getting together with friends to write a story. It’s joining around a campfire or a dining room to spin tall tales. Role-playing is being creative and having fun.
Role-playing games have rules to help players play certain kinds of stories. Men & Supermen helps you play stories about superheroes.
In most role-playing games, one person is the referee, who can be thought of as the Editor of the story. The Editor will, with input from you describe a world--a setting. You and your friends, as Players, will take a character in this world, a protagonist, and you will guide your character through the story that you and your friends create.
Each player takes a different character, and each character interacts with the other characters. Role-playing is a lot like acting. You imagine what the Editor describes. You imagine your character’s response to the situation, and describe that response to the Editor and the other Players. They each do the same with their characters, and the story unfolds.
In most games--board games, card games, and gambling--there is a clear way to win and a clear way to lose, and winning is the goal of the game. In role-playing games--much like life itself--the very concepts of winning and losing do not have to exist. Your goal as a Player is to help create a story and to have fun. You may give your character other goals, but your character’s success at these goals has no bearing on your winning or losing the game. As the cliché goes, it’s not so much whether you win or lose, its how you play the game.
That’s all well and good, you say, but what actually goes on? What do these characters do?
Characters have adventures, like the main characters in novels, comics, television shows, and movies. What these adventures consist of--whether it be chasing a supervillain, saving a world, or baking a pie--is up to you.
Cecil Adams (author of The Straight Dope) said with regards to role-playing games: “a lifetime of Parcheesi does not adequately prepare you for this.” There are no ‘moves’ in role-playing games. You make choices for your character as creatively as if you were writing a book.
People used to board games can find this difficult, and fall into two ‘rules-lawyer’ traps. Games have rules that explain what happens when, for example, your character is attacked by a dragon, or what happens when two space vessels race to the same destination. These rules are almost always there as guidelines. They describe what normally should happen, not what always must happen. The first rules-lawyer trap is insisting on following the rules, even when there’s an obvious discrepancy between how the Players and Editor want the game to proceed, and how a game rule says an event should turn out. The overall game should be more important than any specific rules.
Many times, games will not have a rule to cover an odd situation. The second rules-lawyer trap is believing that every situation must have its own rule. In this case, you waste time and interrupt the flow of the story by searching through the rule-book for rules that aren’t there.
It is easy to develop an adversarial relationship with your Editor. Why? Because you are playing the ‘hero’ and the Editor will be portraying all of the ‘villains’ that the hero meets. Players must remember that this is not a competition between the Players and the Editor. The goal is to have fun, creatively, together.
A related trap is to consider the Editor an omnipotent being in relation to the game, and to consider the game world to be the Editor’s world alone. The game must be for all the Players. The Editor is, however, the final arbiter of game disputes and questions. There’s no need to waste time arguing when you could be playing!
GNU Free Documentation License |
Version 1.1, March 2000
Copyright (C) 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
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How to Play Men & Supermen |
* Don’t Panic!A cool head is the most important piece of equipment any superhero owns.
* Never allow an innocent bystander to come to harm, even at the expense of your own or a fellow hero’s well-being. Avoid attacks which, if inaccurate, could endanger the lives of those you are protecting. Move fights away from inhabited areas.
* Don’t forget that your character also has a non-superhero life that can be role-played. Life isn’t all busting supervillains.
* Never attack anyone who hasn’t either
a) committed a crime, or
b) attacked you.
The law is on your side, but assault is assault, whether the victim is a super villain or not and even if the accused merely ‘created a reasonable apprehension of assault’ in the mind of the victim.
* Never use more force than is necessary to subdue a villain. Never kill a villain unless it is necessary to protect the life of someone else. And, never attack an unconscious villain. Your status as a crime fighter is extremely precarious. Take care not to wind up a villain yourself. As a private citizen you are not subject to the restrictions of the police, but neither are you covered by the legal protections society gives it’s official protectors.
* Never attack any villain who is more powerful than you without a darn good plan. A dead hero cannot protect anybody.
* Don’t Panic! Do not allow the complexity of modern game mastering to overcome you. Follow the next rule and keep cool.
* Be Prepared. Know thyself and know thy non-player characters. Villains seldom act without a plan. Know it. Be prepared for heroes who will try both orthodox and unorthodox ways of interfering and halting this plan. Be prepared to use your imagination when players think of something you didn’t.
* Take full charge of your dramatic license. If the adventure absolutely requires that something happens (or if it would merely be fun for that to happen) ignore the results of the dice and allow it to flow. Vary the adventure style between combat, mystery, suspense, thriller, comic, and any other genre you can think of. Don’t modify rolls you make for characters, but only rolls you make as the world--weather, random events, etc.
* Don’t stifle humor. Humor is an integral part of comic-book adventuring.
* When in doubt, allow it. If you’re not sure whether to allow a player to use power X to do action Y, and can’t decide, then allow it. If you’re not sure whether to give the player a 50% or a 60% chance of success for an action give a 60% chance. And remember--this rule works for non-player characters also.
* When creating adventures, give everyone a part--from the most to the least powerful. And don’t forget about the other side of superheroing--the characters’ personal lives.
* When creating adventures, err on the side of toughness. Heroes are known for being able to take on even the impossible. However, you must at least attempt to accurately judge how tough an adventure should be.
* Do not hide reality from the players. There is hunger, disease, and bigotry in the real world, and combating these villains is a rewarding part of being a Hero.
Game Theory |
Men & Supermen was designed to allow variable power between heroes. In comics, it is perfectly possible for a god to fight alongside an average human. The game system of Men & Supermen allows for this, without losing the differences between powerful and less powerful heroes.
Running the Game: Besides the Eight Commandments on the previous page, some more general hints are in order. On the first game, an Editor who is not used to dealing with characters of differing power may want to limit the number of extra power rolls to one or even none, thus gaining experience running slightly different characters before & running highly different characters.
If a player evinces interest in playing a Wizard, this character should be created before the other players arrive. Have that player arrive a half hour before the others.
When in doubt about whether a character can do something, assign either a general percentage or an ability to determine the chance that the character can succeed. For example, if a character has fallen into a pit, and wants to grab the side of the pit so as to not fall in, you could instruct the player to save on a 2d10 vs. Agility. That is, the player must roll a 2d10 and get a number less than or equal to the character’s Agility. If there were a bar or flagpole sticking out, there might well be a bonus of 1, 2, 3, or 4 to the bonus pool. Saving throws can be made against any ability. General percentages are useful when the character has no control over the outcome. For example, if a character wants to hail a cab, you might assign a 25% chance that a cab is nearby. That is, you (or the player) must roll d100 and get 25 or less for there to be a cab in the area.
The game is modular in design. Parts can easily be added or deleted without losing that elusive element called ‘game balance.’ Almost all of the rules beyond the basic rules can be dropped or replaced at the Editor’s option.
Limited Glossary |
Abilities: Abilities are variable aspects of characters. Abilities are strength, agility, constitution, charisma, and learning.
Action Rolls: Action rolls determine whether or not an action, such as an attack, is successful. Action rolls are almost always made on 2d10.
Attacker: Attacker in these rules refers to the person(s) directing the attack in question.
Attributes: Attributes are generally invariable aspects of characters. Newoen, Sight, Hearing, Height, Build, and Beauty are attributes.
Character: The term character refers to people within the game, both Player Characters and Non-Player Characters.
Defender: Defender in these rules refers to the character(s) against whom an attack is directed.
Dice: Dice in this game are important--they determine outcomes when outcomes are random. This game requires six dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20. The d4 is the four-sided die, the d6 the six-sided, etc. The notation ndx means this: roll the x-sided die n times and add each roll to the previous. For example, 4d10 means roll the ten sided die four times and add these rolls together, for a result from 4 (minimum) to 40 (maximum).
Special Dice
d2) roll d6; 1, 2, & 3 are 1; 4, 5, & 6 are 2.
d3) roll d6; 1 & 2 are 1; 3 & 4 are 2; 5 & 6 are 3
d5) roll d10; divide the result by 2; round up.
d32) roll d4; subtract 1; multiply by 8; add d8.
d100) roll d10; but a “ten” means “zero”; multiply by ten, and roll d10 again. If two zeros are rolled, this is really 100.
d1000) roll d10 and multiply by 100; add d100; if greater than 1000, subtract 1000. “Tens” mean “0” unless all three come up zero, which is 1,000.
d%) roll d100; this roll is used to generate a percentage. If told to multiply by d%, divide the roll by 100 first, then multiply.
ndx X dx) roll the first set of dice; then roll the second die that many times.
The most common dice used are 2d10 and d100. Each uses two ten-sided dice. When rolling d100, roll one of the dice. That is the tens. Roll the next die. That is the ones. If a 0 and a 5 is rolled, the result is 5. If a 3 and a 9 is rolled, the result is 39. If two zeroes are rolled, the result is 100.
For 2d10, roll the two dice and add them together. Zeroes are considered to be 10. So, if a 0 and a 5 is rolled, the result is 15. If a 3 and a 9 is rolled, the result is 12. And if two zeroes are rolled, the result is 20. Usually, when a Special Character rolls 2d10 and a 1 is rolled, that die can be rolled again and its result subtracted from the previous total. So, if a 1 and a 9 is rolled, that is a 10. Re-roll the 1 and subtract that from 10. If both dice come up 1, both dice will be re-rolled, and their total subtracted from 2. Dice are only re-rolled once.
Distance: The basic unit of distance is the meter. The meter is divided up into ten decimeters, one hundred centimeters, and one thousand millimeters. One thousand meters equals one kilometer. For conversion to feet, multiply meters by .3048. For conversion to miles, divide kilometers by 1.6.
Knowledge: Knowledge is measured in Knowledge Scores, and is a measure of what characters know.
Miniatures: If miniature figures and hex (or 8 square) sheets are used, let one hex (or square) be one or two meters during combat, depending on the total area covered and personal preference.
Non-Player Character (NPC): Non-player characters are characters controlled by the Editor.
Normal Character: Normal characters are characters who are not the main characters of the story. Most innocent bystanders are Normal. No player characters are Normal.
Percent Chance of Success: When a Chance of Success or a Percent Chance is requested by the rules, roll d100. If the result is less than or equal to the chance of success, the roll is successful. Otherwise, the roll fails.
Percent Control (%Control): Percent Control measures the amount of control a character has over a given power, ability, skill, or knowledge. It is usually only applied to powers, however.
Player: The term Player in these rules generally refers to the people playing the game,that is, the people who roll the dice and control the player characters.
Player Character (PC): Player Characters are the characters that players create and play.
Power Roll: Power Rolls are measures of the strength a character has in a specific power. Power Rolls are usually treated the same as the Quality of an Action Roll.
Quality: When an Action Roll is made on 2d10, the dice total is subtracted from the Action Roll needed, and the result is the Quality of the Action Roll. The lower the dice, the higher the Quality.
Roll until missed: If the rules say to “roll this chance until missed,” roll once. If the roll is made, the character has whatever was rolled for, and the player can roll again, for another one. The player can keep rolling until the chance is not made--“the roll is missed”.
Saving Throws: A Saving Throw (or Save) requires that the player roll a d100 or 2d10 (depending on the instructions) and get a number less than or equal to the number, score, or ability given, in order to succeed at a task or survive a danger. Saving Throws vs. an ability or skill are usually made on a 2d10, and saves vs. Willpower and Perception are usually made on a d100.
Saving Throws vs. Mind Control, or Illusion type powers and spells are made as soon as the power or spell takes effect, and any time afterwards when the target has decent reason to believe that it is an illusion, or is controlled into doing something far against the character’s principles.
Certain Saving Throws (especially against illusions and mind control) allow for a bonus of up to the character’s Newoen or Willpower. For a character to get the full bonus of Newoen/Willpower, the character must truly know what is going on. In the case of an illusion, belief must be so much that the character would be willing to ignore the effect--for example, not run from or fight the monster, or walk right through the fire.
Skills: Skills are abilities that characters can learn. The amount of skill a character has in a skill is measured with Skill Levels. The higher the level, the more skilled the character is.
Special Characters: Special characters are characters who are important to the story. All player characters are Special, and most non-player character superheroes and supervillains are Special.
Editor: The Editor is the player who is creating the adventures and interpreting the rules.
Target: In these rules, targets refer to a person, place, or thing against which an effect/attack is aimed.
Abilities and AttributesBasic Abilities |
Abilities describe what the character can do, and how well the character can do it. Basic abilities are those abilities that all characters have because the abilities are inherent to being alive. The basic abilities are Charisma, Constitution, Agility, Hearing, Learning, Sight, and Strength.
Agility: Agility is a measure of bodily dexterity and natural skill. Agility measures the character’s fluidity and physical speed. Agile characters can run faster than non-agile characters, and they are better at “fine” movements suh as dancing, sewing, and spellcasting.
Charisma: This is a measure of the character’s force of personality: how well the character gets along with others, how the character is viewed by others, and the character’s self-esteem. Each character has two Charisma scores. The first charisma is Active Charisma. This is the character’s charisma in action/adventure oriented situations. Usually, this will apply in a character’s superhero identity. The second charisma is Normal Charisma. This applies to normal situations--the everyday, bland existence, usually in the character’s secret identity. It will also usually apply to the superhero identity when the character is involved with close friends who know of that identity. A character can be very charismatic as a hero and uncharismatic normally, or vice versa. The player is allowed to choose, before playing the character, which charisma goes with which identity.
When charisma is involved in a Figured Statistic, the choice of charisma to use is up to the Editor, and should be chosen according to the situation.
Characters with high charisma can charm or enthrall other characters. The character makes an Action Roll vs. Charisma, with a penalty equal to the target’s charisma. If the roll is successful, the target is allowed a save vs. Willpower. If the Willpower saving throw is failed, the target can attempt additional saving throws later: Subtract half the target’s Newoen from 0, and look this up on the Action Chart, from Result to Doubles, for the number of months (assume a month is 30 days if needed). Each time an additional save is attempted, add 1 to this number. An average person (14 Newoen, -7 on the Chart) will make a second save after 3 hours (.004 times 30 days). Their next save will be about 6 hours later (.008 times 30), and their next 12 hours after that (.18 times 30).
The standard Performance Time for Charm is 5 minutes. The Quality of the Action Roll can be applied to reducing the Performance Time (by halves, as normal), reducing the target’s saving throw (a penalty of 3 for each point of Q), or increasing the amount of time between saving throws (up 1 row).
Charmed targets will want to help the charmer. They may feel a close tie of friendship, or they may be in awe of the charmer, depending on the situation. Charmed targets are nearly unquestioning followers.
Characters with charismas less than 0 are not charming. These characters are usually evil. They can attempt to cause fear, rather than charm. The Action Roll is the same (as if the character’s charisma were positive), as is the target’s saving throw. The result is that the target is either scared into following the orders of the villain, or simply paralyzed with fear, depending on the situation.
Once a save vs. charm or fear succeeds, that target is immune to further charm/fear attacks by that attacker for the duration of the adventure. Also, the target of a Charm or Fear attempt may have a bonus of up to Willpower on the saving throw, depending on the situation.
If a charisma of less than zero is averaged with learning (for determining certain Learning Times, for example), make the charisma positive for purposes of averaging. Also, when losing charisma, there is no charisma between 1 and -1: If a character with a charisma of 1.2 loses .8 charisma points, that character now has a charisma of -1.6. The 1.2 dropped .2 points, and then the remaining .6 brought it ‘up’ from -1. If a character wishes to change charisma from negative to positive or vice versa, it costs Editing Points equal to the charisma score.
Constitution: Constitution is a measure of health, endurance, and the ability to stand up to punishment. Female characters have 1 added to their rolled constitution.
Learning: Learning measures how much memory the character has, how fast the character can think, and how fast the character learns. The learning modifier for learning is given below. Generally, multiply the time it takes to learn something by the modifier.
Learning Learning Modifier
3 3
4-6 2
7 1.5
8-9 1.25
10-11 1
12-13 1/1.25
14 1/1.5
15 1/2
16 1/3
17 1/4
18 1/5
For Learning greater than 18, divide learning time by Learning minus 13.
Characters with a high learning may have photographic memory (total recall). Total recall does not mean something is understood, just that it is remembered. Photographic memory must be applied. It is not automatic. At least one action must be used. The chance for a character to have photographic memory is learning minus 16, times 3. If the character later increases in learning, there is a 2% chance per point of increase of gaining photographic memory.
Characters with an extremely high learning will have picked up a lot of miscellaneous information, and as such the player has a chance of being able to ask the Editor questions. This chance is the character’s learning minus 20. Even if the character does know something about whatever is asked about, a roll must be made under willpower, to simulate making the connection between what the character is doing and the immense amounts of random information at the character’s disposal. This roll may be made once every 2 turns (2 rounds in combat if the information pertains to the present situation).
Animals generally have a learning of 1 or 2. Plants and inanimate objects will have a learning of 0.
Strength: Strength is the power of the character’s muscles. It and mass are the main determinants of how much damage can be done in hand-to-hand combat and how much the character can lift.
Strength also determines how loudly the character can talk. See Hearing. If the character really wants to yell, others in range can become deaf. Divide the strength of the yell by 10, round up, and roll d6 this many times for the number of segments of deafness. Subtract 10 times the distance in meters to each target, for how long that target is deaf. Targets are allowed a perception roll to avoid deafness, at a penalty equal to the number of dice done and a bonus equal to the number of meters from the yelling character. Hearing is applied as a modifier also, but as a penalty.
Attributes |
The attributes are Beauty, Build, Hearing, Height, Newoen, and Sight. Attributes cannot be changed with training, although Build and Beauty can be changed with Experience.
Beauty (4d6) measures how pleasing the character appears physically. Beauty modifies reaction rolls only the first couple of times the character meets someone. After that it’s all Charisma and actions.
Beauty can act as a bonus or penalty depending on the circumstances. The non-player character in love with FireBlade might resent a handsome hero, but will feel no jealousy towards an ugly one.
A character with high Beauty will often charm, similar to the Charisma charm. Charming generally only works on the opposite sex. The Charm Roll is half the character’s Beauty. Standard Performance Time for Charm is 12 minutes. The target is allowed a saving throw vs. Willpower, with a bonus of Beauty (Sphere). If the saving throw is failed, additional saving throws can be made later: Subtract half the target’s Newoen from 0, and look this up on the Action Chart, from Result to Sphere, for the number of months (30 days). Each time an additional save is attempted, add 1 to this number. An average person (14 Newoen, -7 on the Chart) will make a second save after 3 days (.10 times 30 days). Their next save will be about 4 days later (.13 times 30), and their next 5 and a half days after that (.18 times 30).
Q from the Action Roll can be applied in three ways. It can reduce Performance Time (as normal--3 points reduce time by half). The Charmer can apply a penalty to the target’s saving throw (a penalty of 3 per Q point applied), or the Charmer can move the save progression up 1 point on the Result side.
Characters with low Beauty may horrify others. The Horror Roll is the negative of the Horror’s Beauty. Targets are allowed a save vs. their willpower, with a penalty equal to Beauty (Sphere). The Weirdness Bonus modifies this save as well. A horrified character will be inactive (paralyzed by disgust, possibly even retching--Editor’s option, depending on the circumstances) at least 1d6 segments. Q points from the Horror roll can increase this: look up the Q points applied on the Sphere Chart, and the result is the additional d6 segments. Q can instead apply a penalty to the target’s saving: a penalty of 3 to all targets, per Q point applied.
Each time a save vs. horrification is successful, add 2 to the character’s Weirdness Bonus. Each time a save vs. horrification is unsuccessful, subtract 1 from the Weirdness Bonus.
Targets of a Charm or a Horrify attempt may have a bonus of up to Willpower on the saving throw, depending on the situation.
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An Example of Horrification Seraph and the Nightgaunt Cerest-Ranon, Seraph, and Gremlin come across a Nightgaunt with a Beauty of -4. The Editor rolls 1 for the Horror Roll. Cerest-Ranon’s Beauty is 16 and her Willpower is 72. Her save is vs. 62. Seraph has a Beauty of 31 and Willpower of 80. He saves vs. 68. Gremlin’s Beauty is 6 and her Willpower is 60, so she saves vs. 54. Half of the Q (round up) of 1 is applied as a penalty to his Willpower, so each has a penalty of 6. Half of the Q (round down) is applied to the time paralyzed, so that’s an extra 1d6 segments, for 2d6. Cerest-Ranon’s player rolls 45, so she’s not horrified. Seraph’s player rolls 78, so he is. Gremlin’s player rolls 9, so she isn’t. The Editor rolls 9 on 2d6 for Seraph, so Seraph is paralyzed with horror for 9 segments. |
If Beauty is less than 0, see Terror, using the negative of the Beauty for the number of Terror Points.
Once a character has successfully saved against a specific person’s or thing’s Beauty charm, horrify, or terrify power, that character is immune to further attempts by that person or thing, barring significant changes in Beauty. Both Horror and Charm may be used against multiple targets at added cost: There is a penalty to the Action Pool equal to the number of targets. (Terror occurs automatically, and is not under control of the player, barring a paper bag.)
If the character’s Beauty is greater than 20 or less than -20, it may be used to Charm or Horrify involuntarily. Roll less than or equal to Beauty minus 20 on d100. If successful, the character makes an involuntary Charm/Horror roll. The player may still control how excess Q is used.
Build (4d6) measures the character’s body size. Female characters have 10 added to their build, and males have 11 added to build.
Hearing (4d6) measures a character’s ability to hear. To determine if a character can hear something, add the strength at which it was said (a person can talk at a strength up to the character’s own strength, but normal speaking is at a strength of from 2 to 3) to the character’s hearing score, and subtract the distance, in meters (Sphere Chart), the source is from the listener. The character must roll less than or equal to this on 2d10. If a character gains the power, Hearing Power, divide the true distance something is from the character by the power for the distance it seems to the character. The Hearing Power can reduce the penalties for being unable to see. This table corresponds hearing powers to: a multiplier for the penalty for being unable to see.
Hearing Power Multiply Penalty By:
10-20 5/6
20-40 4/6
40-80 3/6
80-160 2/6
160 and up 1/6
Round the penalty to the most negative.
Characters can have different kinds of hearing, such as Microwave, Ultrasonic, and Radio Frequencies. Normally, the original Hearing Score is used for each type, but players have the option of re-rolling hearing for each type of hearing.
Height is the character’s height in meters.
Newoen measures the metaphysical side and the character of the character. It determines how well a character can evade magical and psychic attacks. High newoen characters can discern good from evil.
Newoen can never be changed, through training or otherwise. If newoen changes, the character is, literally, a new person.
Animals have a newoen of 1 to 3. Plants and most unliving objects have a newoen of 0.
Sight measures the character’s sight ability. If a character with below average sight wears glasses or contact lenses, average the character’s sight with for the character’s apparent sight while wearing the glasses/contacts. For example, a 5 sight character wearing glasses would have a 10 sight--5 +14, divided by 2, is 10. Round up.
The player must roll 2d10 less than or equal to Sight, in order to read/identify a target. This can be rolled once per round. Subtract the distance in meters the target is (Sphere Chart), add the height in millimeters (Sphere Chart), and subtract the character’s height in meters (Sphere Chart). There is a bonus if the character is shorter than a meter tall or the target is closer than a meter away from the character, and a penalty for things smaller than a millimeter.
For objects that are within a number of meters equal to the height of the character, add the Close sight adjustment to the roll. Otherwise, add the adjustment to Ranged combat for sight. In addition, Nearsighted characters have a penalty of 1 to the roll for things further away than their height. Farsighted characters have a penalty of 1 to the roll for things nearer than their height.
The following table gives the modifiers to the Attack Score in Close and Ranged Combat. The bonus or penalty for Ranged Combat will not be greater than the number of Range Sets to the target, plus the Close Combat bonus/penalty.
Sight Close/Ranged Combat Modifier
0 -5/-9 (-2 to Defense)
1 -4/-8 (-1 to Defense)
2 -3/-7 (-1 to Defense)
3 -2/-6
4 -1/-5
5 -1/-4
6 0/-3
7 0/-2
8 0/-1
9-16 0/0
17 0/+1
18 +1/+1
19 +1/+2
20 +1/+2
21 +1/+3
22 +2/+3
23 +2/+4
24 +3/+5
+1 +1 Every 10/+1 every 5
(at 29, 34, 39, etc.)
Farsighted characters can’t have microscopic sight. Nearsighted characters can’t have telescopic sight. Players whose characters have a Sight of less than 14 should choose either Farsighted or Nearsighted.
If a character has a Sight Power, divide the distance something is from the character by the sight power for the distance it seems to be. This reduced distance will apply to Short Ranges and Range Sets, but not to Maximum Range.
Fog, dust, and darkness can decrease vision. If such conditions exist, modify the sight die roll by a number from 0 (normal visibility) to infinity (zero visibility). Heavy fog will be about 10. Light fog will be about 5. A few feet underwater, the modifier will be 3.
Characters can have different kinds of sight (infrared, ultraviolet, normal). Usually the same sight score is used for each kind. However, the player has the option of re-rolling sight for each type of sight.
Figured Attributes |
These are all derived from the Basic Abilities, Attributes, Powers, and Skills. If there is a common abbreviation for the derived ability, this is given in parentheses after the full name.
Mass: Subtract 10 from Strength, and look this up on the Sphere Chart. Divide by 10. Add Build to this, and Constitution divided by 10. Multiply this total by the cube of the character’s height (height times square root of height if height is less than one) and divide by 2.2. This is the character’s mass in kilograms. If the character’s Mass is less than 50, the character has a penalty to Skin Temper, and the character’s opponents in combat have a bonus to Skin Temper, equal to Mass divided by 100, on the Doubles Chart. This number also applies as a penalty to Martial Throw and similar rolls.
Damage Points (DP): This is the amount of actual physical abuse a character can take. To compute Damage Points, divide Build by 5. Look up the character’s Mass, if greater than 50, on the Square Chart, and subtract 7. Add this in for the total DP. Round up.
This DP score is Body DP, the amount the body has. In the case of the certain attacks, the character must know how much DP specific parts of the body have. Multiply normal DP by 3/5 for Head DP, 1/2 for Neck DP, 2/3 for each arm, and 3/4 for legs. Round each of these scores up.
Resist Death: Add the character’s Maximum Body DP and Newoen together, and subtract 14. Look this up on the Doubles Chart. The character’s Resist Death is added to Injury rolls.
Virtual Damage Points (VP): This is the amount of cumulative physical damage the character can ignore before losing DP--the player subtracts the damage from VP instead of DP. This damage is dodged, rolled with, or otherwise bypassed. VP is figured by adding agility to strength, adding one third of learning, and one third of newoen, and dropping fractions.
If the character’s Active Charisma is greater than learning, it may be substituted for learning in the above calculation.
Endurance Points (EP): These measure how long a person can work without resting. Each character starts with twice constitution plus half strength and half body DP Endurance Points, ignoring fractions.
Skin Temper: This measures the toughness of the character’s skin. Damage done to the character is multiplied by the character’s Skin Temper. The base Skin Temper is 1 (Row 0). Divide Strength by 50, and Constitution by 25, and add these together. Look it up on the Doubles Action Chart. Move Skin Temper up this many Rows on the chart below.
In Mind Combat, Skin Temper is normally 1. For newoens greater than 20, subtract 20 from newoen for the number of rows to move up. For charismas higher than 20, subtract 20 and divide by 10 for the rows to move. Use the appropriate charisma.
Row Skin Temper
0 1
1 9/10
2 4/5
3 2/3
4 1/2
5 2/5
6 1/3
7 1/3
8 1/4
9 1/4
10 1/5
11 1/5
+1 1/+1 (repeated)
If Skin Temper is modified (either by low Mass or by weapons which gain a bonus vs. Skin Temper), each bonus of 1 vs. Skin Temper moves the Skin Temper down 1 line. So, 1/5 goes to 1/4, 1/3 goes to 2/5, 4/5 goes to 9/10, and 9/10 to 1. Normally, a weapon cannot reduce Skin Temper below 1. However, Skin Temper modifications for low DP or for certain powers (such as Vibratory Power) can. For these, once Skin Temper has been reduced to 1, start going back up the list, but reverse the numbers. So, 1 becomes 10/9, then 5/4, then 3/2, etc.
Skin Temper is applied after Ignore Damage.
Willpower: This is the ability of the character to withstand psychic, magical or other similar attacks. Willpower starts at newoen times 4.
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What can be done with Perception? Detect Danger: Any time a character is about to be ambushed or step into a trap, a roll against perception is allowed. Add 2 to perception for each person about to surprise. Subtract 40 from perception if the character is asleep. If those about to surprise are not trying to be quiet, add 50 to the chance. Detecting Danger is automatic, and requires no action on the part of the character using it. Supersensitive Touch and Hearing will usually modify Detect Danger. Usually, the amount the roll is successful by is the number of meters away the danger is. Detect Hidden Objects: Subtract 5 for each time the character has already used this power on the same area. It takes 1 action to Detect Hidden Objects, and the character can cover a 2 by 2 by 2 meter volume of space. Detect Lies: Subtract the target’s willpower from perception for this action. Hearing and sight can modify this score. Infrared vision adds 10, and smell adds PR times 5. Avoid Blindness, choking, or disorientation: Roll vs. Perception plus agility to avoid blindness from a light attack, to take a deep breath before air is cut off, or to avoid becoming disoriented by a surprising action. |
Perception: The base perception is newoen divided by 2 plus learning divided by 4, round up.
When using perception, use these modifications for senses, if the sense is applicable to the situation:
If applicable Then add:
hearing hearing, and four times the number of digits in the character’s hearing multiplier.
sight sight, and four times the number of digits in the character’s sight multiplier.
touch Supersensitive Touch PR
smell/taste Smell PR
A power such as magnetism or electricity can aid in searching for another such power/power source: Add the PR to the Perception roll.
There is a penalty of 1 for each other character attempting the same roll (Sphere Chart).
Weirdness Bonus: This is ten minus the character’s Beauty, if Beauty is less than 10. Otherwise, this is 0.
Special Abilities: If some basic abilities or attributes are very high or low, special abilities are gained. See the basic ability or attribute for a description of the special ability.
Learning: If Learning is greater than 16, there is a chance for photographic memory. If Learning is greater than 20, there is a special Chance to Ask.
Charisma: If charisma is greater than 19, there is a chance to charm. If charisma is less than 0, there is a chance to horrify.
Beauty: High Beauties can charm. Low Beauties can horrify and terrify.
Experience: This starts out at zero. The player adds all editing points ever used here. If 1 editing point is used to increase Evade Attacks from level 0 to level 1, 1 point is added to Experience. Training points gained from practicing (see Training Points) are not added to Experience.
Editing Points: The character starts the game with 4 Editing Points. These Editing Points cannot be used for training until the first game session is completed. They can be used to modify Action Rolls during the first game.
If the character is experienced, multiply the editing points gained from adventures by the Editing Point Multiplier, before recording them here. See Editing Points, under Metarules, as well as the Hero’s Guide.
Ignore Damage: This score is zero for most people. It is increased by certain powers--such as Ignore Damage.
Fate Points: Characters start the game with 2 Fate Points. Characters gain 1 Fate Point for every 10 issues (game sessions) they appear in. Non-player character Specials (and Pets) start the game with 0 Fate Points, but gain them at the normal rate.
Forgotten Knowledge: Your character knows more than you think. Add your character’s true age to your character’s learning. You can put this many points into Knowledge Scores when needed. Immortals tend to have quite a bit of forgotten knowledge.
This measures knowledge that you forgot your character knew. You have to come up with a reason for the knowledge at the same time you use the points. If you can’t remember how you got the knowledge, you don’t remember that you have the knowledge. You can only make the increase (or gain the ‘new’ knowledge) when the increase is necessary.
%Recognition: This is the percentage of the normal population that recognizes your character. For most characters, this starts at zero. However, consult your Editor if you know of any reason it should be different for your character.
Action Rolls |
Action Rolls use 2d10. If the 2d10 result is less than or equal to the Action Roll in question, the Action is successful. The Quality of the success is found by subtracting the die roll from the target number (the Action Roll). When a 1 shows up on one of the dice, that die can be re-rolled, and its second result subtracted from the first. Example: a player rolls 2d10, for 1 and 7, this totals to 8, but the 1 is rolled again; the next die comes up 6, which is subtracted from 8, for a total of 2.
Many rolls will have a Bonus Pool also. Look up the Bonus Pool on the Sphere Chart, for the bonus/penalty to the Action Roll.
Only one action can be initiated on any segment. No action (except passive actions) can be initiated while another action is in progress. Initiating a passive action moves all pending actions back one segment.
Q can usually be used to reduce the Performance Time. Three points are required to half the Performance Time. (One point can reduce by 10%, 2 points by 20%.) For example, a character with an Action Roll of 15 is deciphering a cipher, and taking 12 hours to do it. The character rolls 7, for 8 Q points. Three points of Q bring this time to 6 hours. If the character applies Six Q points, it will only take 3 hours to solve the cipher.
The player can transfer quality from one action to the next on a two-for-one basis. The next action must be started immediately after the first action is finished, and it must be the same kind of action. For every two quality points ‘saved’, one is added to the next action’s bonus pool.
Once an Action Roll is made, the player can continue to use that roll, as long as the action is continuous. The player can also choose to re-roll the Action Roll (with the same performance time) to rearrange the Q distribution. If the action is not continuous (such as a Combat Roll or a Throw Roll), an Action Roll must be made for each performance of the action.
If Q can be applied to more than one thing for continuous actions, Q can be redistributed each segment.
There is no problem dropping most sustained actions once the performance time has been completed. Dropping an action during it’s performance time is a little trickier. Dropping an action is itself a passive action that takes 10 segments. It requires a roll vs. Learning (Sphere) plus Agility (Sphere). There is a bonus equal to the Q of the action being dropped, and a penalty equal to the number of actions in progress (including the action to be dropped and the drop an action). The roll automatically reduces Defense by 1, although the player can apply Q to bring it back up (but not by more than 1).
If the roll is failed, the character’s Defense is reduced by the failed amount until the next non-Passive action, and the failure amount is applied to all Action Rolls that follow, as for surprise (see Combat). Dropping an Action starts at row 6 for EP use. On a failure, the character can either choose to try again, or pay extra EP equal to the amount missed by (the Defense and Action Roll penalties will still apply).
Many Action Rolls use EP. If the action is a sustained action (such as lifting an object), the EP cost is per round. If the action is a single action (such as throwing an object) the EP cost is per attempt. An action normally has an EP cost of 5 EP (Row 9 on the EP Use Chart). The Quality of the Action Roll can usually decrease EP cost, with each Quality Point reducing the EP Use Row by 1.
EP Use Row EP Cost
0 no EP cost
1 1/day
2 1/hour
3 1/ten minutes
4 1/minute
5 1/round
6 2/round
7 3/round
8 4/round
9 5/round
10 6/round
+1 +1/round
Often, a player will want to re-roll a sustained Action Roll in order to reduce EP cost (or, in the case of the Move Roll, to increase speed). The character doesn’t pay the EP cost for these re-rolls, unless the EP cost is greater than what the character has already paid since starting the action (or the last Payment Segment, whichever was closest). If the EP cost is greater, only the difference is paid. So, if a character starts an action at 3 EP/round on segment: 15, and makes another roll on segment: 35, which results in an EP cost of 4/round, only 1 EP is paid.
Passive actions (such as Running) can be started while the character is still within the Performance Time of another action. The character must wait at least one tenth the Performance Time of the previous Action, rounded up, before starting the passive action. For example, Maria begins firing her rifle on Segment 39. Her Performance Time is 15. She can’t start a Passive action until 2 segments later, or Segment 41.
Starting an Action during the Performance Time of another action (or actions) adds 1 to the Performance Time of the action or actions in progress (adds 1 to the Pushback--see Combat).
Magic Rolls (Casting Spells) are passive, and wizards can start casting new spell(s) before the old spell(s) is completed. For example, if Cerest-Ranon casts a spell that takes 50 segments, she can start casting another spell 5 segments later. If she starts casting fly on segment 23, she might start casting night vision on segment 28.
Making Rolls |
Action Rolls based on Abilities cannot usually be increased by spending more time doing them. This requires skill.
Ability Rolls only need to be rolled when in a stressful situation (such as combat, or extra effort). Otherwise, a die roll of 7 can be assumed.
The character can make an Extra Effort when making an Ability Roll. The character can increase any ability after the roll is made, in order to increase the Quality and to succeed at the roll. The ability that was increased is immediately decreased by the same amount it was increased. If a character with a 17 strength makes a Lift Roll, and increases strength to 24 (8 point increase), strength drops immediately to 9 (17-8). These lost ability points return per hour when resting.
Abilities cannot be increased so far that the ability will drop to less than 0.
Combat Roll: Look up twice Agility on the Sphere Chart for the character’s Combat Roll. Combat Q can be applied to Attack, Defense, Speed, or Damage. The Combat Roll costs 1 EP (it starts at Row 5).
Attack: One point of Q adds 1 point to Attack.
Defense: Two points of Q add 1 point to Defense.
Speed: Three points of Q divide Performance Time by 2. One point reduces Performance Time by 10%, 2 points by 20%.
Damage: Q applied adds that many points (Doubles Chart) to damage.
The character’s Attack must be greater than or equal to the opponent’s Defense. If the Combat Roll fails, apply the negative Q evenly to Attack, then Damage, then Defense. It’s possible, if unlikely, that the target has a negative Defense, so a negative Attack can still hit. Note that the miss goes directly to Damage, not to the Doubling Chart. Defense Q is still divided by 2 and rounded towards 0.
Sight bonuses/penalties to Combat, Size Difference modifiers, and learning divided by 10, round down, are all added together, along with any other modifiers, for the Bonus Pool to the Combat Roll.
Attack and Defense only apply to one opponent. If the character wants extra opponents, each extra opponent counts as a penalty of 1 to the Combat Roll’s Bonus Pool. The character’s Defense counts against all opponents. The player must apply Attack separately for each opponent. In order to attack multiple opponents, they must all be in front of the character, and the character must be able to attack them in a ‘sweeping’ manner, such as with a telephone pole, a beam power, or a semi-automatic weapon. Each attack takes place on successive segments (except for automatic firearms). Whether or not a multiple attack can be performed must be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Discernment Roll: The Discernment Roll is vs. half Newoen, rounded down. This is the ability to know what is the right, true, and good course of action. If successful, the character knows what the good or evil action is in that situation. The Discernment Roll doesn’t use EP, and has a Performance Time of 6.
Hand Damage: This is the damage done by a character when attacking unarmed, and the damage added to a weapon which depends on strength. Look up mass divided by 10 on the Doubles Chart, and add strength divided by 4 (round down). If Strength is greater than Mass, add Mass/4 instead of Strength/4.
Hand Damage is not normally rolled. A character with a Mass of 100 kg and a strength of 14 will do 7 points of hand damage on a successful fist attack.
Hand Damage starts at row 7 on the EP use chart. When characters use their maximum Hand Damage, it costs 3 EP (that heal per round). The EP cost can be reduced by doing less damage. Use the standard EP cost progression, but start at 3 EP (Row 7). A character who can do 9 points Hand Damage who decides to do 7 will use 1 EP. If the character does 6, it only costs 1 EP for every 5 attacks. Note that Hand Damage costs EP whether or not the attack is successful.
Healing Roll: The Healing Roll is an automatic roll. It costs no EP and cannot be increased via Extra Effort. The roll is vs. Constitution (Sphere Chart). The character’s current Body DP is added to the Bonus Pool.
If the roll is for mental healing, there is a bonus equal to newoen divided by 4, round down, to the Pool.
Physical Healing Roll Q is automatically applied to healing DP, strength, agility, constitution, and EP, in that order. The Healing Roll is made each hour (for Bludgeoning DP, for abilities that heal per hour, and EP that heals per hour of sleep). It is made each day (for Penetrating Damage), and each month, for Injury Damage.
Mental Healing Roll Q is automatically applied to healing EP (Astral Form), charisma, and learning, in that order. It is made each hour (for abilities that heal per hour, and for EP that heals per hour of sleep).
VP and EP (things that heal per round) are handled slightly differently. Take the Healing Roll and add the Bonus Pool (Sphere Chart, of course). Half this (round up) for the VP that is restored each round. The same amount of EP (round down) are restored each round. The character must be resting to regain lost VP and EP.
There is no penalty applied to Healing Rolls because of low EP or low DP.
Hold Breath Roll: This is vs. Constitution plus half Strength, with a bonus equal to current Body DP. There is a penalty to the Quality equal to the elapsed time, in rounds, on the Sphere Chart. The Quality reduces EP cost. The roll is only made once for any specific attempt, and the elapsed time penalty builds as time passes, thus increasing the EP cost. When Quality becomes less than 0, EP cost moves beyond Row 9. At Q of -1, the EP cost is 6 per round (Row 10).
For every 5 points of EP lost in one round, 1 point of DP (bludgeoning) is lost, to the head.
The Performance Time for Hold Breath is 10. If the character hasn’t completed Holding Breath before the necessary time, the character is affected by whatever gas was being avoided. If the character was simply trying to hold breath before air was lost (due to a vacuum), there is a penalty to the roll equal to the number of segments remaining for the Performance Time. If a character starts to Hold Breath at segment 34, and all air is sucked away at segment 36, the penalty is 8.
Jump Roll: The Jump Roll is vs. agility plus strength. There is a bonus equal to twice height (on the Square Chart). The Quality can be applied to reducing the EP cost and to the height of the jump. Look up the Q applied for the height on the Result column, and read to the Square Chart, for the height in centimeters.
The amount of time (in segments) the character is in the air is found by looking up four times the height jumped (in meters) on the Square Chart.
The distance a character jumps horizontally depends on speed at the time of jumping, and the amount of time the character was in the air. Take the character’s speed in meters/segment and multiply by the number of segments the character was in the air for the horizontal jump distance.
For purposes of grabbing something, characters can add up to their height to either the height jumped or the length jumped. A Combat Roll (close combat) is required to actually grab something in a jump.
Jumping, like movement, is a passive action, and has a Performance Time of 6. It can be started on the same segment as Move is started.
On a failure, the character still jumps, but not as high.
If the character’s density is extremely low, multiply the time in the air by the atmospheric density plus the character’s density, and divide by the character’s density. Movement should be multiplied by the same amount.
Lift Roll: The Lift roll is vs. Strength minus 9, plus the character’s Mass on the Sphere Chart. The Quality must be the object’s mass (Sphere Chart). Quality can also reduce the EP cost and Performance Time. A failure costs 1 EP. The Performance Time for a Lift is 10 segments.
For powers, the Performance Time is 20 segments. For powers that can lift at a distance, look up the distance to the object, in meters, on the Sphere Chart for the Q required for distance.
Inanimate objects (ropes, webs) do not normally need to roll the Lift Roll. Their Lift Q is the Roll plus the Pool (Sphere Chart, of course).
Pushing and Pulling: You can push or pull just about anything, depending on the amount of friction that must be overcome. Make the Lift Roll as normal, but if the roll is missed, double the Performance Time for every point the roll was missed by. Friction is applied as a penalty directly to the Roll. Very low friction (such as most wheeled vehicles or between a floating object and water) is 1. Pushing a box up a dirt road will have a friction of 5. A friction of 20 is impossible to overcome. If the roll is missed by more than 20 minus the friction number, the object cannot be pushed/pulled.
Overhead Lift: Weight lifted overhead counts as twice its weight.
Worn: Weight that is worn counts as half its weight.
Move Roll: The Move roll is vs. Agility plus half Strength (round up), plus the character’s Height on the Square Chart. The Quality can be applied to increasing or decreasing the character’s current speed, to turning, or to reducing the current EP cost for movement. EP cost for movement (at the end of each round) is always the cost of the last Move Roll.
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Example of Movement Seraph starts running. He has a strength of 11, an agility of 22, and a height of 1.791. His Move Roll is 22 (agility) plus 5 (half of strength), plus 1 (height on the square chart), or 28. He rolls a 5 and a 1, for 6. The 1 is re-rolled, getting a 4, bringing the result to 2. The Quality of the Move Roll is 28-2, or 26. Seraph puts 9 of the Q points towards reducing the EP cost to 0. This leaves 17 Q points. He applies all 17 points to Speed, for a speed of 10 dm/segment, or 1 meter/segment. Later (segment: 81) he decides to try and increase his speed. He rolls again, but since he’s got 17 Q in speed already, he has a penalty of 17 to his Bonus Pool, for a total penalty of 10. He rolls 18, plus 10, or 28, for a Q of 0. He cannot increase his speed, and his EP cost just went to 5 EP/round (so he pays 5 EP). He tries again on segment: 87, rolling a 14, for 24 and a Q of 4. He uses 1 point to bring his speed Q to 18 (or 11 dm/segment) and uses the other 3 to reduce the EP cost to 2 EP/round (using 2 EP). He’s not satisfied with that EP cost, however, so on segment: 93, he makes another roll. His Bonus Pool is now -18 (for a penalty of 11). This time, he gets 17, for a Q of 0. EP is back up to 5 EP/round, and he uses 5 EP. He tries again on segment: 99, getting 13, (+11 gives 24) for a Q of 4. He uses this to reduce the EP cost to 1 EP/round (paying 1 EP now, and again on segment: 100, a Payment Segment). He tries one more time on segment: 105. This time he’s more successful. He rolls 5 (+11 gives 16) for a Q of 12. He uses 9 points to bring the EP cost down to 0, and puts the other 3 on Speed Q. This brings the speed Q up to 21, but since 21 and 18 are the same on the Sphere chart, his actual speed doesn’t increase. |
The character’s current speed is the total Q so far applied to speed, on the Sphere Chart (a Q of 0 and 1 are practically the same--.9 vs. 1). There is a penalty to the Move Roll pool equal to the total Q so far applied to speed. If negative Q is allowed for movement (using the fractional results on the Sphere Chart), this does count as a bonus.
If the roll is missed by more than 5, subtract the amount the roll was missed by from the current movement Q total. Also, add 1 to the EP cost row for every 5 points the roll was missed by. This extra EP cost will last until the player makes a successful move roll or stops moving.
When attempting to decrease speed, the character can automatically decrease the movement Q total by the current movement Q, on the Sphere Chart. A Move Roll is required, however, and if the Move Roll is failed, reduce the decrease by half the failure.
In order to turn, the character must use 1 Q point per 45 degree turn.
Speed is in .1 meters per segment (decimeters/ segment). Each .1 meter/segment is equal to 5 meters per round, 25 meters per minute, and 1.5 kilometers per hour.
Always round Movement to 2 digits, unless you want to make a complex rule really tough. If a player wants to, Movement Q can also be applied to Defense, with 2 points of Q adding 1 point to Defense (against all enemies). In this case, the same amount that is added to Defense is subtracted from Attack, if the character is attacking. The Defense Q must be re-applied every time a new Move Roll is made.
Movement is passive with a Performance Time of 6.
You don’t need to handle movement on a segment by segment basis. Determine how far a character has moved only on the character’s action, or when the character is being attacked. Editors and players can always call for a movement update for everyone, in order to plan an upcoming action or area-effect attack.
Maneuverability for Vehicles:The 45¡ mentioned above is the Maneuverability of humans. Vehicles usually have a lower Maneuverability. A vehicle’s maneuverability is simply the number of degrees the vehicle will turn using one Q point.
Throw Roll: The Throw roll is for throwing things. It is vs. Strength minus 9. There is a bonus equal to the character’s Mass (Sphere Chart). The Q is used for the object’s mass (Sphere Chart). It can also be used to reduce the EP cost or to increase the distance the object is thrown. Look up the Q applied to distance on the Result column of the Action Chart, and read to the Sphere Column, for the distance in meters. A Combat Roll must still be made to hit a specific distance or location.
If the Throw Roll fails, the object is still thrown a small distance. The EP Cost is 5, and the negative Q is looked up from the Result column to the Sphere Column, just as before.
The speed of the object will be the same as the distance, in meters/segment.
Lobbing and Tall/Short Folks:For more precision, assume the object is at a height equal to half the character’s height. Look up this times 4 (character height times 2) on the Square Chart, for the number of segments in the air, and the Q is applied to speed. Multiply the number of segments by the speed for the distance. If you use this calculation, you can allow characters to lob the object. For each point of Q applied to lobbing, add the character’s height to the effective height the object starts at. Thus, 1 point of Q here means that height times 6 is looked up on the Square Chart for segments in the air. Two points means height times 8, three points height times 10, etc. That much height must be free for the length of the Throw.
Attacking with a Thrown Object:When throwing something as an attack, an Attack Roll must still be made. The Maximum Range is the speed. The Short Range is equal to the Q used for speed, and the Range Set is half this. Performance Time for a Throw is 15.
Throwback Roll: Characters who are punched, blasted, or otherwise attacked, may be thrown by the force of the blow. The Throwback Roll is the character’s Mass, on the Sphere Chart. The Throwback Roll has no bonus pool. There is a penalty to the roll of the damage done before skill, Skin Temper, or Ignore Damage modified it. If the character was only hit for VP, there is a bonus of the highest of agility or strength (Sphere Chart). If the character took DP from the attack, the bonus must be strength.
For a character to be thrown back when only VP was lost, the character must have been surprised. If the character lost DP in a surprise attack, the bonus due to strength is halved.
If the Throwback Roll is failed, make the negative Q positive, and look this up from the Result Column of the Action Chart to the Sphere Column, for the speed in meters/segment and the distance in meters that the character is thrown. Half this for attacks that do mainly penetrating damage. Half again for small projectile weapons, such as handguns and rifles.
(For more precision, assume that the character is at a height equal to half the character’s height. Multiply this by 4, that is, multiply character height by 2, and look this up on the Square Column for the number of segments in the air. For most characters, this is 1, making the speed equal the distance.)
The Throwback penalty Q is added to Pushback.
Under certain circumstances, you may want to apply throwback for positive Q (making it negative), thus resulting in fractional throwback, but this should be rare, as it is quite tedious.
Skill Rolls can be modified to increase the chance of success, or to decrease the performance time.
Increase Action Roll: To increase the chance of success, characters can spend more time attempting a skill. For each doubling of the time spent on the attempt to use the skill, add 2 to the character’s Action Roll. The character cannot increase the Action Roll by more than twice the character’s Skill Level.
Decrease Performance Time:To decrease the amount of time spent on an attempt at using a skill, a character can hurry. For each penalty of 2 to the Action Roll, divide Performance Time by 2, and round down (though an action can never take less than 1 segment).
Quality (or Q) can be used to increase Defense or to decrease Performance Time. Each skill will usually have other uses for the Quality of the roll as well.
Defense: Characters can use 2 Q points to add 1 to their Defense for the duration of the action. If this is a Passive Action, the character’s Attack will almost always be reduced by the same amount Defense is increased. A character who is zigzagging (Movement), and firing a gun at the same time might use 4 Movement Q to increase Defense by 2. This will reduce the character’s Attack with the gun by 2 as well.
Performance Time: It takes 3 points of Q to half Performance Time.
Setting Aside An Action:Some actions must be finished completely in one sitting. Others can be set aside and worked on periodically. Those that can be set aside must be completed within a number of days equal to the Performance Time in hours. In other words, if an action will take 5 hours to complete, the character must actually find time to spend 5 hours on the task before five days is up. Otherwise, the character has lost track of what they were doing.
Power Rolls are not random. The Quality of the Power Roll is the character’s Power Roll with the Power. Most powers have a Performance Time of 20. A combat roll is required to attack with the power, and the combat roll Q can be used to decrease the performance time. The Power Roll can also be used to reduce the Performance Time.
Power Roll PR can be used to reduce EP Cost and to increase any of the power’s Effects the same as Quality for skills. A character can use a power for as many passive actions as desired (as well as one active action). For each specific action, the total of the Q for the action’s effects cannot be greater than the character’s PR. Each action uses EP separately.
Most defensive aspects of a power, such as setting up a power shield, are passive actions. Most mind-based powers (such as telepathy) are also passive. Performance Time for passive power actions are usually halved (which will usually mean a Performance Time of 10).
Maintaining an Attack: Most blast/ray attack powers can be maintained. The Performance Time is divided by 4 (usually meaning 5 segments), and the same Attack is used. There is a penalty of 2 to the Attack for each successive action (that is, -2, -4, -6, etc.), and a penalty of 1 to the EP use row for the blast.
Power Example: Sun-Ruler has a PR of 12 in Fire Coat. He enters combat with Seraph. On segment 1 he starts firing up to increase his Skin Temper. That’s a passive action, so it only has a Performance Time of 10. He’ll be done on Segment 11. He uses 8 PR for that (increasing Skin Temper by 4 rows), using 1 EP per round. Now, on segment 6, he initiates a fire blast, using all 12 PR. He rolls 17, missing (he needed 13 or less: 12 plus his pool of 1). He uses 5 EP for this attack.
Extra Effort: It’s up to the Editor and Player whether a specific character can use Extra Effort (see Ability Rolls) with a specific power, and whether the power returns its PR with the physical healing roll or the mental healing roll.
Everything in the world is not a rock waiting to be lifted. Some rocks fight back. If you’re competing with someone, and your goal is as much to keep your opponent from succeeding as it is to succeed yourself, that’s an Opposed Action. Obvious examples are arm wrestling and tug of war--in those cases, only one person can win.
Here’s an example of arm wrestling. Arm wrestling is likely to be based on Lift, so two people arm wrestling each make a Lift Roll, as if lifting no weight. If one fails, then that person loses. If both fail, they use maximum EP (5) and try again. If both succeed, they can use the Q to reduce the EP used, as normal, and Q can also be used to reduce the opponent’s Q, at a 2 to 1 ratio. It takes 2 points to reduce the opponent’s Q by 1 point. If a person’s Q is reduced to less than 0, that person loses.
Knowledge can affect Skill Rolls. Knowledges with the same name as a Skill give a bonus equal to the Knowledge Score divided by 10 to the Bonus Pool.
Knowledge Rolls use d100. Ones do not reduce the die roll for Knowledge Rolls.
Knowledge scores range from 0 (no knowledge) to anything. There is no upper limit on knowledge scores. The knowledge score is useful in determining what a character knows in that field. If a player wants to know if the character knows something in a field, give that possibility a modifier, depending on how likely it is that the character knows it. This modifier is a multiplier. A character with Chemistry, for example, will have a multiplier of about 20 for knowing the symbol for an element, making this knowledge nearly automatic. Knowing the formula for an obscure substance found on the planet Regorius ½ might have a multiplier of 1/4, depending on the circumstances.
A Knowledge Score of 15-20 indicates competence in a field. A brilliant chemist with a Ph.D. might have a chemical knowledge of 50, while someone with only high school chemistry will have a 1 to 5. A score of 5 indicates good general knowledge.
If you need to compare two different Knowledge Rolls, compare the difference between the target number and the roll. If a character with American History (75) rolls 50, that’s 25. If another character with History (90, but halved for American History, to 45) rolls 40, that’s 5. The character with the 25 knows much more about the subject at hand than the character with the 5.
Skills can modify Knowledge Rolls. Usually, a Skill with the same name as a Knowledge will give the character a bonus to that Knowledge equal to the Skill Level. A character with Sailing 7 (Skill) and Sailing 52 (Knowledge) will have a bonus of 7 to Sailing Knowledge Rolls. This is even the case when the character has no knowledge score at all in the area. So, a person with a Skill of 7 in Magic Tricks Skill and no Knowledge Score of Magic Tricks will have, effectively, a Score of 7 in Magic Tricks Knowledge.
Creating a Character |
If you follow these character creation ‘rules’ you will get a good superhero character. These rules, however, are only for people who don’t already know what kind of hero they want to play. If you know what you want, you can create your character without rolling any dice at all, simply by writing down your abilities, powers, and background.
Your final character is subject to approval by the Editor and possibly the rest of the players, whether you created it with dice or not.
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Determining Abilities |
Copy the following box onto some scrap paper, or use the Character Creation Worksheet:
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Strength (3d6) Agility (3d6) Constitution (3d6) Active Charisma (3d6) Normal Charisma (3d6) Learning (3d6) Newoen (4d6) Hearing (4d6) Sight (4d6) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Now, roll three sets of these. Roll 3d6 for the first 6 (abilities), and 4d6 for the last 3 (attributes). You do not have to choose which of the three sets you will use until later. When you do so choose, you are allowed to switch active and normal charisma.
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Hero Types: 1) Bear 1)
Civilian 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 |
Decide what Hero Type you want. For information on creating heroes of each type, read the appropriate description under Hero Types.
There is a chance that you will be able to roll on another Hero Type table. The chance of doing so depends on what you chose as your first Hero Type and by what extra Hero Type you want. You must choose which of the following chances you wish to take before you roll the dice:
Chance for Extra: Special Power Class Powers
First Hero Type
Class Power 35% 15%
Intelligent Robot 30% 10%
Special Power* 35% 15%
Mad Scientists, Civilian 5% 1%
Everybody Else 10% 4%
*The first time that a player whose first Hero Type was a Special Power rolls for an extra Special Power, this chance is increased to to 45%. Any later rolls for an extra Special Power are at 35%.
Roll for extra powers until the chance is missed.
Now you must choose which set--I, II, or III--you wish to use for your character. Then, decide whether or not you want to switch your active and normal charismas in this set. If your character is going to be female, add 1 to her Constitution.
Roll Power Rolls for each power you have. Normally, Power Rolls are found by rolling 3d6.
Roll %Control for each applicable power. %Control is found by rolling 4d6 and adding the result to 76. %Control does not apply to skills, attributes, abilities, or certain totally automatic powers such as Luck and Magic Resistance. Intelligent Robots do not require %Control for any of their powers. Whenever a power with %Control is used, a roll must be made on d100 less than or equal to the %Control for that power. For power uses that last a period of time (such as flying) the roll must be made once per Panel (once per round in combat). If the roll is missed, the power in question failed to operate. EP is not used for the power the round or Panel it failed. %Control can be increased later, by training in it. One Training Point increases %Control by 10 points.
The remaining attributes are height, beauty, and build.
Height: Roll d100 and consult the following chart to determine your character’s base height. To this, add 2d100 millimeters (2d100 divided by 1000 meters).
d100 Roll Male Base Height Female Base Height
01 1.217 meters 1.166 meters
02-03 1.336 meters 1.290 meters
04-06 1.455 meters 1.414 meters
07-10 1.574 meters 1.539 meters
11-90 1.693 meters 1.663 meters
91-94 1.829 meters 1.794 meters
95-97 1.965 meters 1.925 meters
98-99 2.102 meters 2.057 meters
00 2.239 meters 2.188 meters
Build and Beauty: These are determined by rolling 4d6. Female humans add 10 to build. Males add 11.
Optional RulesUse the optional rules that you wish to use or that your Editor requires you to use. Filling Out the Character |
Roll 3d6 to determine your character’s age. If your character is a Special Agent add 2 to that roll. If it is a Mad Scientists/Eccentric Professor, add 4. Intelligent Robots have a 70% chance of having an age of 0. Otherwise, subtract 2 from their 3d6 roll. Look up the roll on the following chart for the character’s base age, and add d10.
3d6 Base Age 3d6 Base Age
1-3 -1 17 29
4 9 18 34
5-8 14 19 36
9-14 19 20 40
15-16 24 21 50
22 60
If you roll up an age less than 16 (and your character is not an Intelligent Robot or Wizard) that age is the age your character received any powers he, she or it has. Your character will start the game at 15 plus d4 years (plus 0 to 11 months, depending on your character’s birthday)--the age the character physically matures. If you roll up an age that is greater than your character’s age of deterioration (see Old Age) then go through the rolls for Old Age, starting from the age of deterioration and ending at your present age, ignoring any result which calls for your character’s death. Any character who starts playing at an age other than that rolled will have increased %Control. Subtract the age rolled from the age the character starts at. Add the result to any %Control scores your character has, remembering that %Control cannot increase above 100.
Birth Date: Roll d12 for the month and d32 for the date (until a date that exists is gained). To determine the year, check this date against the present date. If this date has already passed, subtract the character’s age from the current year. Otherwise, subtract it from the last year, for the year the character was born.
Most characters have a 1% chance of being mutated. Aliens have an 85% chance, Intelligent Robots have a 20% chance, and Normals have a one in one million chance. If a character is mutated, use the Mutated Appearance tables. Otherwise, use the Normal Appearance tables.
Skin Color (there is a 15% chance of rolling this more than once, thus getting mixed ancestry): (d10)
1) Red 2-3) Black
4-7) White 8) Yellow
9-10) Brown
Hair: The player rolls, first, for hair type--curly, wavy, or bald--and then for hair color. The intensity of the color must also be rolled for. See lower.
Hair Type (d10)
1-3) Curly 4-6) Straight
7-9) Wavy 10) Bald
Hair Color (d10)
1-2) Red 3) White
4-6) Brown 7-8) Black
9-10) Blond
Eye Color: (d10)
1-2) Green 3-5) Blue
6-9) Brown 10) Violet
Intensity of Skin, Hair, and Eye Color: (d6)
1) Light/Dull/Pale
2-5) Normal
6) Dark/Bright/Swarthy
Blood Type: Roll d1000 (Robots and Aliens must roll on the Mutated Appearance Table for this):
Roll Type Roll Type
001-384) O Positive 850-943) B Positive
385-461) O Negative 944-960) B Negative
462-784) A Positive 961-992) AB Positive
785-849) A Negative 993-999) AB Negative
000) Mutated Blood (see Mutations, below)
Any player whose character has mutated looks must roll up a mutation% first. If the character is an alien, roll a d4. If the roll is 1, the alien's mutation% is d100, otherwise it is 100. Robots have a mutation% of 40+d60. Normals who are mutated have a mutation% of d80. Other characters have a mutation% of d100. See Mutants, under Special Rules for more effects of being a mutant.
Use the mutation% to find out what visible parts of a character's body are mutated. For each aspect here, roll d100. If this roll is less than or equal to half the mutation%, roll on the table for that aspect. Otherwise, use the Normal table, above.
Eye/Hair/Skin Color (d20, roll each separately)
1-2) White 3-4) Red
5-7) Brown 8-9) Black
10-11) Blue 12-13) Yellow
14-15) Green 16-17) Purple
18-19) Orange
20) Roll 2-4 more times and use the pattern chart below.
Multiple Color Pattern Chart: If the character gained multiple colors on the above chart, use this to determine the color pattern. (d4)
1) Kaleidoscope 2) Banded
3) Dotted 4) Striped
Intensity of Skin, Hair, and Eye Color: (d3)
1) Light/Pale 2) Average
3) Dark/Bright
Sex: (d100)
01-90) male or female. Alien races have two sexes.
91-95) asexual. Alien races have d6 sexes.
96-00) hermaphroditic (players of aliens roll again, to determine the number of sexes in the race; the character is two of them; if this result is rolled twice, the character is three of them, if more than two sexes exist)
Skin Characteristics: (d12)
1) Hairy 2) Scaly
3) Leathery 4) Feathers
5) Slimy 7-12) Normal
6) Combination--roll d6 twice more
Fingers/Toes: Most races have the same number of fingers as toes, so only roll once for both: (d24)
1) no arms/legs-- 2+twice d3 tentacles
2-7) 4 fingers and toes
8-14) 5 fingers and toes
15-20) 6 fingers and toes
21) 3 fingers and toes
22) 2d4+3 fingers and toes
23) 2 fingers and toes
24) roll for number of fingers and toes separately-- once for each
Blood Type: Robots always have odd blood, even if without a Mutation Percentage. So do some humans. (d100)
Roll Color Roll Color
01-25) Red 56-60) White
26-35) Green 61-65) Black
36-45) Blue 66-70) Purple
46-50) Orange 71-75) Yellow
51-55) Brown 76-00) Special
The Special result means that the player must make up something that goes with the character’s powers or origin. A fire controlling hero, for example, might have veins of fire.
Unusual Feature: This must be rolled until missed, at half the character’s mutation%. For each unusual feature the character rolls up, a specific unusual feature must be chosen. Examples include horns, a tail, strange shaped head, strange shaped hair (flame hair, for instance), wings on feet, cosmic eyes.
Handedness: Intelligent Robots have a 40% chance of being ambidextrous. Otherwise, roll d100 to see which hand your character favors:
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d100 Roll Handedness |
Ambidextrous characters gain +1 to the Combat Pool if using hands, and suffer no penalty for using the incorrect hand.
Roll d20 to determine where your character was born. Aliens may use this to determine where they landed, or may ignore it (as can anyone, as stated earlier).
1-10 North America 11 South America
12-13 Europe 14-15 Great Britain
16 Asia 17 Africa
18 Australia 19 Greenland
20 Island
Population Density: Roll d20 to determine the population density where your character was born:
1 Isolated Area 2-3 Rural Area
4-6 Town 7-10 Suburban Area
11-15 City 16-20 Metropolis
Siblings Roll d100 and consult the following chart for the number of siblings your character has:
Roll Number Age Difference
01-22 no brothers/sisters
23-50 1 sibling d3 X d3
51-63 2 siblings d3 X d3
64-75 3 siblings d3 X d2
76-84 4 siblings d2 X d2
85-89 5 siblings d2 X d2
90-93 6 siblings d3
94-96 7 siblings d3
97-98 8 siblings d2
99 9 siblings d2
00 Roll twice and add for Number; for Age Difference, roll d4 (1-3 = 1 year, 4=2 years)
To determine order of birth, roll d100 for each sibling, including your character. The highest roll is the oldest sibling, the next highest is the next oldest, on down to the lowest roll, which denotes the youngest sibling. If any two siblings roll the same number, either they are twins (80%), or one is adopted (20%), give each sibling an even chance of being adopted, and age difference is plus or minus d6 months). There is an 80% chance that twins are true look-alike (zygotic) twins. Otherwise, twins are fraternal twins. Fraternal twins do not have the same genetic code, and do not usually look alike.
To determine the age of each sibling, roll the dice given on the table used to determine number of siblings, from the column Age Difference. Add the result to your character’s age. This is the age of your character’s nearest older sibling. If there is an even older sibling, roll again, and add to this age. Continue to do this until there are no more older siblings. For younger siblings, do the same thing, but subtract the result from each preceding age.
Parents’ Age: To determine the age of your character’s parents, use their oldest child’s age. For the father, add 14. Then roll d3, add 1, and roll d6 this many times. Add this in for your dad’s age. For the mother, add 12. Then, roll d3, add 1, and roll d6 that many times. Add this for your mom’s age.
Death or Disappearance in the Family: Each sibling has a 5% chance of having died or disappeared (Player’s option). The chance for each parent is 15%. If both parents are gone, there is a 60% chance this occurred at the same time. For each parent who is gone, there is a 20% chance that this occurred near when your character was born. Otherwise, roll d% and multiply by your character’s age to determine when loss occurred.
If only one parent was lost, there is a 30% chance, plus your character’s age minus the age your character was when the parent disappeared, that the remaining parent remarried. If you have any younger siblings born after the loss, the remaining parent has a 90% chance of having remarried.
If both parents died/disappeared, and this occurred before your character was 18, there is a chance your character was adopted immediately. This chance is 18, minus your character’s age when the parents disappeared, times 5. If not adopted immediately, divide that chance by 5 for the chance your character was eventually adopted. If your parents disappeared at your birth, and you have younger siblings, then you were adopted, either (1-4 at birth, 5-6 later).
For remarriages, subtract the remaining parent’s age at the time of the loss from the parent’s present age. For late adoptions, subtract your character’s age at the time of death/disappearance from 18. Multiply that number by d% for the number of years it took for remarriage or adoption.
Ask your Editor how detailed you character’s economic status should be. Some Editors will require that you only determine Economic Level. Others will also ask you to determine Net Worth, and possibly Disposable Income.
Hero Villain Economic Level
01 01-02 Destitute
02-09 03-25 Poor
10-94 26-90 Middle Class
95-99 91-98 Rich
00 99-00 Ultra-Rich
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Economic Level Net Worth ($) Disposable Monthly Income ($) Destitute: 0 0 Poor: 2d100x200 3d100-100 *Middle Class: 2d100x2,000 (2d10-6)x100 *Rich: 2d10+11 (doubles) Net Worth Roll minus d10 (Sphere) x 100 *Ultra-Rich: 2d10+20 (doubles) Net Worth Roll minus 2d10 (Sphere) x 100 *Villains have a 70% chance of reducing the Income Roll by 10. |
Net Worth is how much something will reasonably sell for. Net Worth includes the character’s car, home, wardrobe, etc. It can include debt as well. Remember that Economic Level takes precedence over Net Worth. A rich character with a negative net worth still lives a rich lifestyle.
Disposable Monthly Income is the amount of money left over after taxes, food, and upkeep on Net Worth. If negative, the character must acquire the overrun or reduce Net Worth by it, each month.
Modify Worth and Income by the character’s Learning and Age: If the dollar amount is positive, multiply by (half Learning on the Sphere Chart, plus Age on the Doubles Chart) and divide by 10.
If the dollar amount is negative, multiply by (Age on the Doubles Chart plus 10) and divide by (half Learning on the Sphere Chart plus 10).
If the character is a minor, the Net Worth and Disposable Monthly Income rolled is for the parents. You’ll need to roll their Learning. If there are two parents, average their Learning and Age. The character’s Weekly Allowance is the parents’ Disposable Monthly Income, divided by 10, divided by d4, and divided by the number of kids. Modify this as normal for your Age and Learning. Of course, you could get a job.
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Knowledge Study Time Area Knowledge Study Time Area 1 Acoustics 5 hours Mechanical 47 Hunting (hobby) 2 hours Empathic/Action 2 Acting 5 hours Acting 48 Journalism 5 hours Empathic/Writing 3 Aeronautics 16 hours Mechanical 49 Language 8 hours Classification/Empathic 4 Amateur Radio (hobby) 5 hours Technical 50 Law 18 hours Bureaucratic 5 Animal Training 8 hours Empathic 51 Linguistics 14 hours Classification 6 Anthropology 18 hours Classification 52 Literature 13 hours Classification 7 Archaeology 16 hours Classification 53 Magic Tricks (hobby) 4 hours Empathic 8 Architecture 16 hours Mechanical 54 Mathematics 18 hours Technical 9 Artwork (hobby) 4 hours Artwork 55 Mechanics 9 hours Mechanical 10 Astrology 12 hours Technical 56 Medical 18 hours Life 11 Astronomy 20 hours Technical 57 Memorized Words 2 hours Classification 12 Ballistics 6 hours Technical/Mechanical 58 Meteorology 12 hours Technical 13 Biology 20 hours Life 59 Metal Worker 8 hours Mechanical 14 Booby Traps 5 hours Mechanical 60 Navigation 7 hours Technical/Bureaucratic 15 Botany 18 hours Life 61 Occult 6 hours Classification 16 Brickworker 4 hours Mechanical 62 Operate Lie Detector 7 hours Empathic/Classification 17 Broadcasting 6 hours Empathic/Bureaucratic 63 Parachuting (hobby) 2 hours Action 18 Business 10 hours Bureaucratic 64 Parapsychology 8 hours Life/Classification 19 Carpentry 8 hours Mechanical 65 Partying (hobby) 1 hours Action 20 Chemistry 20 hours Technical 66 Philosophy 10 hours Classification 21 Citizen’s Band (hobby) 1 hour Action 67 Photography (hobby) 6 hours Empathic 22 Climbing (hobby) 3 hours Action 68 Physics 20 hours Technical 23 Computers 14 hours Technical 69 Play Instrument (hobby) 3 hrs Playing an Instrument 24 Construction 12 hours Mechanical 70 Psychiatry 16 hours Empathic/Classification 25 Culinary (hobby) 8 hours Empathic 71 Psychology 18 hours Life 26 Dance (hobby) 4 hours Dance 72 Public Speaking 6 hours Empathic/Writing 27 Deskwork 7 hours Bureaucratic 73 Religion 12 hours Classification 28 Diplomacy 10 hours Bureaucratic/Empathic 74 Robotics 18 hours Technical/Mechanical 29 Directing 5 hours Empathic 75 Science 18 hours Technical/Classification 30 Diving (hobby) 6 hours Action 76 Singing (hobby) 4 hours Singing 31 Economics 12 hours Bureaucratic 77 Sculpting (hobby) 5 hours Sculpting 32 Electronic Surveillance 3 hours Bureaucratic 78 Sociology 14 hours Life/Bureaucratic 33 Electronics 16 hours Technical 79 Space Aeronautics 18 hours Mechanical 34 Engineering 17 hours Technical 80 Speed Reading (hobby) 2 hrs Classification 35 Explosives 4 hours Mechanical 81 Sport, Physical (hobby) 2 hrs Action 36 Farming 12 hours Classification 82 Stereo (hobby) 2 hours Empathic/Action 37 Fingerprinting 2 hours Mechanical 83 Survival (hobby) 2 hours Empathic/Action 38 First Aid (hobby) 1 hour Life 84 Tactics 6 hours Bureaucratic/Action 39 Fishing (hobby) 1 hour Empathic 85 Tailor 8 hours Mechanical 40 Forestry 2 hours Empathic 86 Teaching 12 hours Empathic/Classification 41 Game, Mental/Luck (hobby) ? Most any area 87 Vehicles (hobby) 6 hours Mechanical 42 Geography 14 hours Classification 88 Veterinary 15 hours Life 43 Geology 16 hours Mechanical/Technical 89 Visual Surveillance 2 hours Bureaucratic 44 Glass Worker 8 hours Mechanical 90 Weapons 8 hours Mechanical 45 Governments 14 hours Bureaucratic 91 Wizardry 21 hours Magic/Empathic 46 History 15 hours Classification 92 Writing (hobby) 6 hours Writing |
Language:Your character will know one language with a Knowledge Score of five times learning.
General Knowledge: You have a number of points to be used in determining what knowledge your character has at the start of the game. The base number of points is your character’s learning. If your character’s learning has changed since you rolled it up, use the original learning, unless your character is an Intelligent Robot, you changed learning under the Civilian rules, or you roll d100 less than or equal to four times your character’s newoen.
The base number of points is modified as follows:
Intelligent Robots divide the number of points by 10, then multiply by (2d6 minus 2), round down.
For any character, subtract twenty from the character’s age (zero if the character is a robot) and look this up on the Doubles Chart. Multiply this number by 2. Add this to the character's knowledge score in (General) History, and add the same amount to the score in the History of the character's area of birth. Also, add this to the number of points the character has.
No character can have more points than age times newoen divided by 20, read to the sphere chart. A four year old with a ten newoen can’t have more than two points; a ten year old with a fourteen newoen can’t have more than seven points, and a 20 year old with a fourteen newoen can’t have more than 43 points.
Each point your character finally has can be used to increase any Knowledge Score by d20. Or, a point can be used to gain 2 Training Points. These Training Points do not apply to Experience, and cannot be saved beyond character creation.
You must use at least one point in each of the following areas: Mathematics, Science, and Language/Literature. If your character doesn’t have three points to use, the requirement does not apply.
Hobbies: You may also have a number of points which must be used entirely for hobbies. Divide your character’s Normal Charisma by 4, round up, and make this positive. Your character has this many hobby points. Hobbies are marked on the Knowledge List. Hobby points are like general knowledge points, except that the d20 roll cannot be greater than the character’s newoen.
List of All Possible Knowledge: Well, maybe not everything. Area lists possible areas which the knowledge could fall under. The player can choose which area applies. The Hours listed is for learning this area after the game starts.
Driving: Most characters will have a driving level of d3 plus 1. Characters who are not from Great Britain or North America, or who are under 16 years of age, have a 70% chance of having to divide that score by 6 and then multiply it by (d6-1). Intelligent Robots and Mad Scientists/Eccentric Professors divide their level by 2. Round each of these up.
Combat Skills: Most characters start at level two in each of these skills: fist fighting, clubs, and thrown clubs. Mad Scientists/Eccentric Professors and Intelligent Robots start at level 1. Most characters start at level 1 in Firearms.
Power Use:Characters start at level 2 in Power Use for each power. Mad Scientists/Eccentric Professors start at level 1, if they have a power.
Other Skills:You have a 20% chance of being able to choose an extra skill. This can be rolled until it is missed. The skill’s level is rolled for with the Starting Dice.
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Skills Skill Starting Dice Skill Starting Dice Skill Starting Dice 1 Acrobatics 3d6 2 Armor Use 3d6 3 Astral Combat d4 4 Awareness 3d6 5 Body Hold d4 6 Body Smash d4 7 Body Throw d4 8 Ciphers/Codes 3d6 9 Combat Skills d4 10 Confidence Art 3d6 11 Contacts 3d6 12 Counterfeiting 3d6 13 Create Optical Illusions 3d6 14 Detection 3d6 15 Discipline 3d6 16 Disguise 3d6 17 Double Action Special 18 Driving 2d6 19 Endurance 3d6 20 Escape Artistry 3d6 21 Evasion 2d4 22 Evading Pursuers 3d6 23 Falling 2d4 24 Forgery 3d6 25 Gesticulation 3d6 26 Hide Objects in Plain Sight 3d6 27 Hide Objects on Body 3d6 28 Hold Breath 3d6 29 Hypnosis 3d6 30 Ignore Damage d4+3 31 Intensive Spells 3d6 32 Interrogation 3d6 33 Inventing 3d6 34 Jumping 3d6 35 Loquacity 3d6 36 Magic Tricks 3d6 37 Maneuverability 3d6 38 Martial Kick d4 39 Martial Punch d4 40 Martial Throw d4 41 Mass Hypnosis 3d6 42 Memory Training 3d6 43 Mind Combat 2d4 44 Nerve Pinch 2d4 45 Opening Locks 3d6 46 Picking Pockets 3d6 47 Power Use d4 48 Quick Change 3d6 49 Quick Draw 3d6 50 Read People 3d6 51 Remote Attack d4 52 Rolling With Attacks 3d6 53 Running 3d6 54 Scaling 3d6 55 Searching 3d6 56 Sex Appeal 3d6 57 Sneak 3d6 58 Special Use Special 59 Teamwork 3d6 60 Tracking 3d6 61 Trailing 3d6 62 Using Incorrect Hand Special 63 Combat Skill d4 64 Weight 3d6 65 Weightlifting 3d6 66 Wizard Block 3d6 67 Wrestling d4 |
Your character has a base 1% chance of having a special headquarters. Add 1% to this for each 6 points of learning, 1% for every 4 points of the character’s highest charisma, and 1% for every 8 points of newoen. Different Hero Types have different modifications to the chance (if your character has more than one Type, choose the least modification).
Combat Skills: -6% Special Agent: -7%
Magician: -7% Wizard: -6%
Civilian: -8% Intelligent Robot: -3%
Cosmic Powers: -7% Animalistic Powers: -6%
Special Powers: -3%
Mad Scientist/Eccentric Professor: No Chance
Position of Base: If a character has a base, the player must decide where it will be. It must be in an accessible position, and in a spot which is consistent with the character's powers and origin.
Fittings: The player rolls 2d6 times on the table below for what is in the character's base. (d100)
01-16 Computer (type 3 + 4d12, see following table)
17-31 Radio Communications
32-34 Satellite Communications
35-37 Air Conditioned: Oxygen Field PR d6
38-42 All air is filtered for impurities
43-50 Backup Power Supply (lasts d1000/d6 days)
51-53 Internally Generated Power
54 Building can be Invisible, PR 2d6
55-65 Radar, scans up to 5d100 kilometers
66 Force Field capability around the base;
2d6 ST, 2d10 Ignore Damage
67-69 All air checked within base for impurities
70-72 Servants (d4 of them)
73-75 Radio Telescope
76-77 Gasoline Supply (2d20 thousand liters)
78-81 Secret Doors: 2d8 doors, penalty of d20 to
Perception rolls to detect one.
82-87 Secret Tunnels to the city and surrounding area d100x1000,xd10xd10 cubic meters of tunnel;
88-90 Place can be made airtight
91-00 Think up something positively brilliant.
If the base has a computer, roll for type divided by 3 special abilities. Where applicable, the computer has a Knowledge Score of 20+d100 in areas rolled here. (d20)
1 map of city
2 maps of world
3 connection to FBI files
4 connection to CIA files
5 fingerprint correlation ability
6 visual recognition
7 voice recognition
8 monitors police communications
9 History File
10 Geology File (of mapped area or nearby area)
11 Chemical Analysis capability
12 Biological Analysis capability
13 Monitors all frequencies for strange activity
14 Advanced Math programming
15 Astronomy Files
16 Advanced Programming Language (can program itself under command of the user)
17 Medical Analysis capability
18 Psychological Analysis capability
19 Runs Worker Robots (d20 of them)
20 Think up something brilliant.
Defenses: Roll on the following chart for defenses:
01-25 No Defenses
26-75 Sleep Gas, Type 2d4
76-90 Stun Guns, Type 2d4
91-98 Lasers, Type d8
99 Computer controlled. The computer attacks at level d6+2. Roll again for defense type.
00 Roll twice more.
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Rooms: If the character has a headquarters, the player should choose 3d8+6 of these special rooms for it. Laboratory: Electrical Chemical Physics Biological Psychological Photographic Medical Botanical Observatory Standard Rooms: Infirmary RecreationRoom Kitchen DiningRoom SleepingQuarters Gymnasium Library Garage(vehiclestorage) TrophyRoom ConferenceRoom ProjectionRoom Working Areas: Woodworking Metalworking VehicleWorkshop RecordingStudio LandingBay/Hanger Super-CriminalHolding Facilities |
Main Wall Material: The base’s outer walls will be able to ignore 2d10 points damage, have a maximum ST of 4+d4, and a maximum DP of 10 + d60. The player must keep this in mind when designing the base.
If your character has a base, consult your Editor for clarification.
Your character has a 2% chance of having a pet. If your character has a pet, consult your Editor. You can use the following rules to create your pet.
First, choose an animal that fits with the character’s origin and powers. All pets have a bonus of 1 to both Learning and Newoen.
Pets will generally have powers and abilities based on the powers and abilities of the player character. If they don’t, use the Generic Pet table. Pets have a 12% chance of having extra powers, and this can be rolled until it is missed. For extra rolls, roll d8 on the Generic Pet table, rather than d10.
Intelligent Robots’ Pets: There is a 90% chance that a robot’s pet is also a robot, in which case it will have to be created on the Intelligent Robot chart. Otherwise, use the Generic Pet chart below.
Special Agents’ and Combat Skilled Heroes’ Pets: There is an 80% chance that a Special Agent’s or Combat Skilled Hero’s pet is a trained fighting animal. Add 2d4 to its Weapons Ability in unarmed combat (fighting with its ‘fists’). Also, add 2d4 to either its agility or its strength. If the pet isn't a trained fighting animal, roll on the Generic Pet chart below.
Wizards’ and Magicians’ Pets: A wizard’s or magician’s pet has an 80% chance of having a magic spell (Roll on the power, Magic Spell). If so, it has a 50% chance of having another one, and this 50% chance can be rolled until it is missed. Half the chance for Minor Spells for the pet, however. If the wizard’s pet does not have spells, roll on the Generic Pet Table.
Special Powered Characters’ Pets: Pets of characters whose main power is a Special Power have a 40% chance of having the same power, but not the same Power Roll. Otherwise, use the Generic Pet Table.
Everybody Else’s Pets: For any other character's pet, there is a 60% chance that it will roll up powers or determine its skills, etc., in the same place that the player did. Otherwise, use the Generic Pet Table.
The Generic Pet Table (roll d10)
1 Animalistic Powers (roll d20 to see which one)
1-10) The pet’s own area
11) Bear 12) Bird 13) Cat 14) Dog 15) Huge 16) Snake 17) Spider 18) Sting 19) Water 20) Rodent
2 Cosmic Powers
3 Psychic Powers
4 Superhuman Powers
5 Special Power
6 Intelligent Robot
7 Trained Fighting Animal (see Special Agent/Combat Skilled pets, above)
8 Magic Spell (roll as the power, Magic Spell)
9-10 Add 2d6 to its learning. It has a 50% chance of being able to roll again on this Table, but the roll is made on a d8 instead of a d10. It has a 4d6 newoen.
Your character has a chance of having a Handicap or Weakness. Add half the number of Class Powers your character has to the number of Special Powers, add 2, and then subtract half the number of weaknesses already rolled up. Square this. This must be rolled until missed. Two or more weaknesses can be combined into a single, more debilitating weakness (which will still counts as 2 in the formula above). If you do roll up a weakness, consult your Editor. You and your Editor must take into account the character’s abilities and powers to determining the exact weakness or handicap.
For example, Pulsar’s player rolls up Power Related Physical Weakness, and then rolls up Affects Another Ability/Power. Pulsar has the power Gravity Control. Every time he initiates this power at a level which uses one or more EP per round, his strength becomes 13 minus the number of EP being used per round. These lost points return at Pulsar’s healing rate per hour when not using Gravity Control. Pulsar’s normal strength is 13, so this is an effective weakness. If Pulsar’s normal strength were 47, a small reduction of 1-5 wouldn’t much affect Pulsar at all. In that case, Pulsar might have to lose strength equal to two or three times the EP used, or simply interpret the weakness in another way.
For more examples of weaknesses, see the Rainbow Wizard, in the Starter Kit, and Prism and Shale, in the adventure A Taste of Jasmine (also in the Starter Kit).
To determine type of handicap/weakness, roll a d10 on the following chart. If the result is impossible (Power Weakness for a Civilian) use the next result up.
1-4 Power Weakness
5 Power Related Physical Weakness
6 Origin Related Physical Weakness
7 Physical Handicap
8 Origin Related Mental Weakness
9 Power Related Mental Weakness
10 Mental Handicap
Power Weakness: This affects one or more of the character’s powers.
Power Related Physical Weakness: This is related to/affected by one or more of the character’s powers.
Origin Related Physical Weakness: This was gained at the same time the character’s powers were gained, and relate to that origin.
Physical Handicap: Although this handicap is not related to anything, it should still fit the character.
Origin Related Mental Weakness: Something happened to the character’s mind in the formation of the character’s powers.
Power Related Mental Weakness: One or more of the character’s powers affect or are affected by a mental problem.
Mental Handicap: Like Physical Handicap, this is a problem unrelated to powers or origin, yet it should still fit the character.
To determine the exact weakness, roll d100, and cross-reference the result on the Weakness table.
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Weakness Type: Power Origin Origin Power Related Related Related Related Power Physical Physical Mental Mental Mental Weakness/Handicap Weakness Weakness Weakness Handicap Weakness Weakness Handicap Affects Another Ability/Power 01-04 01-10 01-05 -- -- -- -- Attracts Attacks -- 11-13 -- -- -- -- -- Bad Luck -- -- 06-07 -- -- -- -- Blind -- -- 08-13 01-11 -- -- 01-04 Conviction -- -- -- -- 01-05 01-06 05-11 Deaf -- -- 14-19 12-21 -- -- 12-15 Drug Required -- 14-16 20-26 22-32 06-09 07-11 16-22 Fainting Spells -- 17-21 -- 33-40 10-16 12-18 23-29 Focus 05-18 -- -- -- 17-21 19-24 -- Fugue States -- -- -- -- 22-25 25-30 30-36 Immunological Deficiency -- -- -- 41-42 -- -- -- Increased Cost 19-22 22-28 27-29 -- -- -- -- Induced Reaction -- -- -- -- 26-28 31-34 -- Limited Use 23-31 -- -- -- -- -- -- Loss of Use of Legs -- -- 30-31 43-51 -- -- 37-39 Lost Aspect 32-37 -- 32-41 -- 29-35 35-42 40-42 Low Self-Control -- -- -- -- 36-40 -- 43-47 Manic-Depressive -- -- -- -- -- 43-46 48-51 Monomania -- -- -- -- 41-47 -- 52-67 Mute -- 29-30 -- 52-65 -- -- 68-70 No Effect 38-50 -- 42-51 -- -- -- -- Non human Form 51-53 -- 52-53 -- -- -- -- Non-Linear Logic -- -- -- -- 48-51 -- 71-75 Permanent Change 54-55 31-37 -- -- 52-56 -- -- Phobia -- -- -- -- 57-64 47-54 76-82 Reaction Formation -- -- -- -- 65-66 55-60 -- Restricted Change 56-64 -- -- -- 67-71 -- -- Restricted Healing -- 38-50 54-60 -- -- -- -- Restricted Recharge 65-71 -- 61-66 -- -- -- -- Restricted Use 72-81 51-53 67-76 -- 72-74 61-66 -- Slow Death -- 54-58 -- 66-68 -- -- -- Slow Healing -- -- -- 69-80 -- -- -- Slow Reaction Time -- 59-60 -- -- 75-78 67-72 -- Split Personality -- 59-60 -- -- 79-83 73-78 83-84 Tires Easily -- -- -- 81-90 -- -- -- Uncontrolled Effect 82-84 -- -- -- 84-87 79-83 85-86 Uncontrolled Use 85-88 -- -- -- 88-90 84-90 87-88 Vulnerability 89-90 61-90 77-90 -- -- -- -- Wrong Choice -- -- -- -- -- -- 89-90 Be Original 91-00 91-00 91-00 91-00 91-00 91-00 91-00 |
Some weaknesses, mainly mental ones, may be violated by choice of the player under dire circumstances. Some (such as Phobia) will require a saving throw of some sort if the character wishes to violate it, depending on what the player and Editor have already worked out for the weakness. Others (such as Conviction) can be broken at the player’s option, but the character will gain no training points from the adventure in which the character broke the restriction, and characters in the same adventure with that character multiply training points gained by 8 and divide by 10.
Sample Weaknesses: See Carol Channing, Prism, Shale, John Koll, and the above description of Pulsar’s weakness. Here, also, are some other weaknesses pulled from some of the author’s adventures.
Armadillo: Mental Handicap, Low Self-Control. Armadillo must make a saving throw vs. his learning plus his willpower minus VP/DP lost, on d100, or go berserk--attack until his opponent is down or Armadillo himself is unconscious. He is allowed another saving throw under certain circumstances, if friends try to calm him down, or he actively tries to throw off the berserker state. For an example of a normal saving throw, if he took 10 points damage he would have to save vs. 48 on d100 or go berserk.
Black Violet: Power Weakness, Limited Use, two weaknesses combined. If deprived of ultraviolet light, Black Violet’s electric whip will not function, and his powers disappear at 10% of the maximum PR per minute, disappearing completely in 10 minutes.
Brinn X’Halikso: Power Weakness, Limited Use. If Brinn uses his Slide Molecules power for a period of time greater than twice his PR rounds, he begins to lose control of his molecules. He loses 1 DP, penetrating, per round that he continues to slide molecules.
Diamondback: Handicap, Mute. Diamondback is physically unable to speak. Diamondback also has the Handicap, Tires Easily. After 4 rounds using 1 EP or more per minute, he has -1 to his Combat Pool. Every 2 rounds after that, he gets another penalty of 1 to his Combat Pool, due to his fatigue. These penalties disappear at 1 point per minute when resting.
Jake Kotter, the Man with the Cosmic Guitar: Power Weakness, Focus. Jake cannot use his Transducer (cosmic energy to sound energy) without his Cosmic Guitar--the guitar which was with him when he gained his powers.
Leviathon: Power Related Physical Weakness, Be Original. While using his Get Tall power, Leviathon becomes completely deaf.
Prototron, Android: Origin Related Physical Weakness, Vulnerability. Prototron is based on positive electricity/electrical flow. Negative electrical attacks do 3 times normal damage to him. Negative electrical fields reduce his EP and all senses by a percentage equal to the square root of the potential difference from ground. 100 volts of negatively charged field reduces his EP and senses by 10%. 400 volts by 20%, and 10000 volts by 100%--shutting him down.
Spiro Poseidon: Power Weakness, Limited Use. Spiro’s magical trident (normally getting +3 to Combat Close, +1 to Combat Ranged, and returns to the thrower) must spend 8 hours out of every 24 in the ocean. After 16 hours, for every half hour it spends out of the ocean it loses 1 plus, and after two hours it loses its ability to return to the thrower.
Star Knights: Origin Related Physical Weakness, Restricted Healing. When not subject to starlight, the 5 Star Knights cannot heal EP or DP.
8-Ball: Handicap, Tires Easily. 8-Ball uses twice normal EP for any action requiring EP, and regains EP at half the normal rate.
Intelligent Robots have Psychic Immunity on a d10 roll from 2 to 10. Other characters have Psychic Immunity on a roll of 100 on d100. Normals have it on a roll of 10000 on d10000. Psychic Immunity makes characters nearly impervious to psychic and magical mind probing or mind attacks (such as psychic illusion). The player rolls 2d100 for the amount of Psychic Immunity. Normals only get d100. Also, there is a chance equal to newoen, rolled until missed, that another d100 can be added to the characters Psychic Immunity score. The Psychic Immunity score is added to any saving throw vs. mind probing or mind attacks. Half this is added to saves vs. mind control (such as possession). If there is no saving throw, the Psychic Immunity score is the chance of ignoring the attack.
Latent Powers are powers which haven’t yet shown up. Each character has a chance of having latent powers. Since the character will not know about these, the Editor should check for them, so that the player doesn’t know, either. The base chance is 4% for Civilians, Mad Scientists/Eccentric Professors, 1% for Special Agents, Combat Skill Heroes, and Wizards, and 10% for everybody else (If a character falls under more than one category, choose the one that gives the lowest base chance). Subtract one from this for each Class power and Special power the character has. If the character has a latent power, roll d8 for the kind of power, and then roll for the power on the appropriate table.
1) Special Power, Extra Power List
2) Special Power, First Power List
3) Animalistic Power
4) Cosmic Power
5) Superhuman Power
6) Psychic Power
7-8) A Power or Skill from some area where the character first gained powers or skills.
The Power Roll is made as normal. The power will require a triggering event before it shows up. At that time, the character will be level 1 in Power Use for the power, and %Control must be rolled normally, then halved, if %Control is applicable.
Now, calculate your character’s Figured Abilities. You will also need a name, identity, and costume for your character, as well as a personality and background.
Examples |
As an example, the following section details the creation of Seraph. For other examples, see the Rainbow Wizard, Viking, and everyone else in the Brand X Starter Kit.
First, Biff rolls three sets of abilities, getting:
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Strength (3d6) Agility (3d6) Constitution (3d6) Active Charisma (3d6) Normal Charisma (3d6) Learning (3d6) Newoen (4d6) Hearing (4d6) Sight (4d6) |
I 12 9 16 9 7 14 12 13 16 |
II 11 11 15 11 12 11 20 10 14 |
III 9 9 10 4 15 10 17 13 9 |
Hero Type: Second, he decides he wants to roll for a Special Power as his first Hero Type. Using the Special Powers table under Hero Types, he rolls d100 as instructed, getting a 36. On the Hero Type table, this is Electricity.
Extra Powers: Third, he determines his extra powers. He decides to roll for extra powers on the Superhuman table. This is a Class Power, so his chance of doing so is 15%. He rolls d100 and gets 15, just making it. Going to Hero Types, Class Powers, he rolls for the number of powers and finds he has 4. Using the Superhuman table, he rolls d100 four times.
His first roll is 87, Skin Temper + d5/5 or Ignore 2d5 points damage.
His second roll is 18, Agility + 3d8.
His third roll is 38, Constitution + 3d8.
His fourth and final roll is 45, Beauty + 3d6.
He rolls again for extra powers, this time deciding to use his increased chance of getting an extra Special Power. His chance is 45%. He rolls d100 and gets 17, succeeding. Returning to the Special Powers table, using the Extra Power column, he rolls 47 on d100. This is Healing.
For his next extra power, he decides to try for another Special Power. This time his chance is normal, 35%. He rolls 36, just missing it. He has no more extra powers.
Choosing Ability Set/Charismas: Fourth, he chooses which group of abilities he wants to use. He decides to use group II. In this group his active charisma is 11 and his normal charisma is 12. He could switch them, but he decides not to.
Power Rolls and Percent Control: Fifth, he rolls his Power Rolls (Power Rolls) for each power, and %Control for each applicable power.
Electricity: He rolls 4 times for this one, since it was his first Special Power and he rolled for his first power on the Special Powers table. He rolls 5, 10, 12, and 17 on 3d6. His PR is 17. Rolling %Control, he gets 93 %Control.
Skin Temper +d5/5 or Ignore 2d5 points damage: He chooses a Skin Temper increase, and rolls 4 on d5, for a bonus of .8 to his Skin Temper. It is only partial protection, and protects 42% of the time.
Agility + 3d8: He gets +11, for a agility of 22.
Constitution + 3d8: He gets +17, for a constitution of 32.
Beauty + 3d6: He gets a bonus of 13.
Healing: He gets PR 7 on 3d6, and 92 %Control.
Attributes: Sixth, Biff rolls for his attributes. He rolls 57 on d100 for his height, so his base height is 1.693. On 2d100 he gets 98, so his total height is 1.791 meters.
He rolls 20 for his build, plus 11 (he’s male) gives him a 31 build. He rolls 18 for his physical beauty, and adds 13 because that’s one of his powers, for a physical beauty of 31.
Age: For base age, he rolls 4, so his base age is 9. He rolls 5 on d10, so his age is 14. He determines that his age of maturity is 18. He gets to add 4 to his %Controls, for a %Control in Electricity of 97% and in Healing of 96%. Biff’s character was born on 11-16, November 16th. As I write this, it is May 13, 1986. November 16th hasn’t passed yet, so Biff’s character was born in 1985 minus 18, or 1967.
Appearance: Biff is not mutated. He rolls on the Normal Looks table, getting light white skin, wavy brown hair, bright blue eyes, and blood type A Positive.
Handedness: Biff rolls for handedness and is left handed.
Birthplace: For his Continent of Birth, Biff rolls 3 on d20. He was born in North America. For the relative population density he rolls 12. He was born in a city. He chooses Fort Vermilion, Alberta, Canada.
Family: Biff rolls a 55 on the Siblings chart. He has two siblings. Rolling d2 for sex (1 means female, 2 means male), he determines that he has 1 brother and 1 sister. He rolls d100 for each for order of birth and rolls 31 for himself, 25 for his brother, and 93 for his sister. He has one younger brother and one older sister. For age differences, he rolls d3 X d3. For his sister, he rolls 2 on the first d3, and then rolls 2d3 for 5. She is five years older than him. For his brother, he rolls 1, so rolls 1d3, getting 3. His brother is three years younger than him.
He determines his mother’s age. Her oldest child is 23. Adding 12 gives 35. He rolls 2 on d3, so adds 3d6, or 10, to that, for an age of 45. His mother is 45 years old. For his father, the base age is 14 plus 23, or 37. He rolls 2 on d3 again, so adds another 3d6, this time 8. His father is 44 years old.
He rolls for Death/Disappearance, and determines that his original father has disappeared. Rolling for when, he determines that this happened when his character was born. Since Biff’s character has a younger brother, his mother has a 90% chance of having remarried. He rolls 95, so she hasn’t.
Economic Status: Biff rolls 23, Middle Class. For his Net Worth, he rolls 11, for $22,000. For his Disposable Monthly Income, he rolls (2,6) 8, minus 6 is $200.
Biff’s Learning is 11. His Age is 18. He multiplies the above dollar amounts by 5 (half Learning on the Sphere Chart) plus 5 (Age on the Doubles Chart), or 10, and divides by 10. This is 1, so it won’t change the above numbers.
Knowledge: He chooses to know English as his native language. He has a Knowledge Score in English of five times his learning, or 55. For general knowledge, he has 11 points. He first rolls d20 once in each of the four mandatory areas. This gives him a mathematics score of 17, a Canadian history score of 8, a chemistry score of 1, and a French language score of 4. He has used up four points, so he has 7 points left. He uses half a point to gain the hobby Hunting, and gets a score of 15 for that. He uses another half point to get another hobby, this time Survival, getting a score of 19 there. This leaves him with six points. He uses another half point to raise his Hunting score, getting an additional 10 on the d20 roll, bringing his Hunting score to 25. He uses another half point to gain First Aid, and rolls a score of 4. He now has five points left. He decides to take up Forestry, using one point to roll a score of 7. Considering this too low, he uses another point, increasing it by 11 to 18. Wanting a still higher score, he uses another point and increases his score in Forestry to 36. He has 2 points left. He uses one for Fishing, rolling a 1 on d20, and decides to use his last point to increase this again. He rolls 18, and has a Fishing score of 19.
For hobbies, he has a normal charisma of 12. This gives him three hobby rolls. His newoen is 20, so he doesn’t have to worry about rolling ‘too high’. He decides to use his hobby points on Climbing (rolling 8), First Aid (rolling 4, increasing his First Aid to 16), and Climbing again (rolling 12, increasing his Climbing to 20).
Skills: Biff rolls level 3 in driving. He misses the chance for extra skills.
Base and Pet: Biff has a 1% plus 1% (learning) plus 3% (normal charisma) plus 2% (newoen) minus 4% (Special Powers), or 3% chance of having a base. He rolls 12, so he hasn’t got one. He also misses the pet roll.
Weakness: His chance of having a weakness is half of 4 (the number of Class Powers he has) plus 2 (the number of Special Powers he has) plus 2, or 6, squared, or 36. He rolls 38, so he hasn’t got a Handicap or Weakness. (See Carol Channing, the Rainbow Wizard, for an example of someone who does.)
Psychic Immunity: He also misses the roll for Psychic Immunity, with a roll of 56.
Latent Powers: His Editor rolls to see if Biff’s character has a latent power. His chance is a base 10 minus 6 (he has 6 powers) or 4%. The Editor rolls 3, so Biff’s character does have a latent power. The Editor rolls 6 on the table, so it is a latent Psychic power. Going to the Psychic Power Table, the Editor rolls 95, or Psychic Invisibility, and then rolls a PR of 9. When Carl discovers this power, Biff will have to roll %Control and half it.
Name: Biff’s character has now been created. He chooses to call his hero Seraph, secret identity Carl Friedman. Look at his Character Record Sheet at the end of this book.
The rules provided here (Creating a Character, Hero Types, and Lists and Tables) are guidelines. They are designed to create a hero or villain falling into relatively specific, common areas. They are not, however, rules.
If you have an idea for a hero, talk with your Editor. Be specific about your idea, and have it written up as well as possible. You can use the rules here to flesh out the areas you haven’t thought about. Once you and your Editor have worked out an acceptable (by the campaign’s standards) character, do not worry about forcing it to conform to these guidelines.
The only limit to what you play should be your own imagination and experience as a role-player. You may have to resort to Special Immunity, Power Enhancement, or the Magic Spell power to create the character’s powers, or create a power yourself, but these rules were designed to allow any conceivable hero from the most powerful to the least.
That said, do not completely ignore these guidelines. Creating random characters often produces results that you would never have come up with yourself. I have found that the characters I most enjoy playing are those that surprise me in some way, those that manage to diverge from any preconceived notions of what I thought the character would be like--characters who have lives that take over from me.
Unless you have definite ideas about your character, it is usually easier to mold the random creation into something you want, rather than start from scratch and build a character up on your own.
I also recommend that first time players create their characters completely at random, so that they can more fully appreciate the scope of superhero roleplaying. The superhero genre encompasses variety, and this variety can be hard to grasp at first, even for role-players experienced in other forms of role-playing.
Here are a few tips on how to have more fun playing this, or any, role-playing game.
1) Be Organized: It is too easy to believe that you can remember everything of importance. You should make a practice of writing down often used pieces of game information (weapon statistics, spell effects, etc.) and keeping this information handy during play. It will greatly speed up the flow of the game. Also, don’t expect the Editor to fill you in on everything that your character noticed last week. Your Editor can only tell you what he or she thinks you thought was important, not what you actually thought was important.
2) Show up on Time: If you cannot show up for a scheduled game, try to contact your Editor about this, so she or he can plan accordingly. When games are scheduled, make sure that you really can make it at the agreed upon time. It’s better to schedule a game for 7 PM and show up at 6:30 than to schedule for 6:30 and show up at 7.
Types of Heroes |
Those of you who are familiar with classes, professions, and occupations in other games might be inclined to interpret Men & Supermen classes and packages similarly. However, the Class Powers, Special Powers, and Package Heroes are simply guidelines to help you create a character who fits in a superhero world. Players are in no way confined to using any of these guidelines.
Some of these types of heroes carry some pretty strange pieces of equipment. The tables in this section will sometimes ask you to roll on the Normal Equipment table or the Advanced Equipment table. Here they are, along with the related equipment tables for special kinds of equipment.
01-05 Boomerang, roll on Special Weapon table
06-12 Shield, roll on Special Weapon table
13-23 Sword, roll on Special Weapon table
24 Roll item on Magic Equipment table (p. cite) and roll power on Special Power table
25-29 Choose from the Mad Scientist laboratory list, using 2d12 points.
30-32 Choose from real world, using (d1000 times d100 divided by d10)+100 dollars
33-40 Gun, roll on Special Weapon table
41-44 Lasso (of rope type d4+1) and roll on Special Weapon table
45-46 Glider Wings
47-48 Tracer
49-64 Knife, roll on Special Weapon table
65-70 Bow/Arrow, roll on Special Weapon table
71-75 Grappling Hook, shoots, retractable rope is of type d10, and (d3+1) times d20 meters long
76-80 Belt, Pouch, or other small equipment holder (roll on Belt table)
81-84 Whip (of rope type d4+2, roll on Special Weapon table)
85 Roll once on the Magic Equipment table (p. cite)
86-94 Choose a Hand to hand weapon and roll on the Special Weapon table
95-96 Roll on Transportation table
97-98 Wing Jet, type d10
99 Armor (roll on the Armor table for the Weaponmaster Combat Skill, p. cite)
00 Roll Once on Advanced Equipment table
01-20 Laser Gun, Type d4
21-30 Rocket Jets (Type d5, roll d8 for kind)
1 pack
2-4 Normpack
5-6 Large Pack
7 Beltjet
8 Bootjet
31-35 Anti-grav Belt
36-40 Sonic Gun (Type d4)
41-45 Space Vehicle (roll d12 for kind:)
1-4 Void Sled
5-6 SpaceJacket
7-10 Courier
11-12 Mosquito
46 Time Travel device
47-48 Roll on Normal Equipment Table
49-50 Universe Projector
51-60 Stun Ray Gun (type d4)
61-75 Analyzer (1-5 abilities, roll d20:)
1-6: 1 ability 7-11: 2 abilities
12-15: 3 abilities 16-18: 4 abilities
19-20: 5 abilities
There are five main abilities. The analyzer is Type d5+1 for each:
1) Air Analyzer
2) Substance Analyzer
3) Energy Analyzer
4) Life Analyzer
1-14) Material based life
15-18) Energy based life
19-20) Psychic Patterns
5) Medical Analyzer (d2 abilities)
1) Physical Analysis
2) Psychological Analysis
76 Disruptor Gun (type d3)
77-79 Electrogun (type d5)
80-90 Plastic Armor, type d3
91-96 Force Field, Portable (ST=2d4, ignores d10npoints damage)
97-99 Space Suit, type d4
00 Roll twice more
Roll 3d4 times on this table for the number of items in the character’s collection of tricks.
01-05 Flash Attack (2d4 uses, type d6)
06-10 Dark Cloud (2d4 uses, type d5+1)
11 Poison Gas (d4 uses, type d4)
12-19 Handcuffs (type d6+1)
20-21 Acid (type d4, 2d3 uses, choose kind)
22-28 Grappling Hook, rope type 2d4+3, 3d4 meters
29-33 Radio (Hearing: 4d6, Strength: 4d6)
34-35 Throwing Knife: see Special Weapon table.
36-40 Sleep Gas (Type 2d4, 2d4 uses)
41-45 Rope (type 2d6+2, 2d8 X d20 meters)
46-50 Gas Mask, type 2d4
51-53 Grenades (d3)
54-55 Belt Jet, type d6
56-57 Portable Radar (3d6 hours, sight: 4d6)
58 Force Field, 2d4 ST, Ignore Damage d8, lasts 2d10 rounds
59-60 Binocular (sight times 6d6)
61-62 Tape Recorder (Hearing: d12 + 12)
63-64 Micro Camera (sight: 10+d4)
65-66 Micro Movie Camera (sight: 10 + d4)
67 Bright Flashlight
68-69 Infrared Goggles
70-71 Light Amplification Goggles
72-74 Tracer
75-77 Ultraviolet Goggles
78-79 Guard Glasses
80 Computer, Portable (type d4+7)
81-83 Pocket Calculator, Programmable
84 Analyzer: see Advanced Equipment table)
85-86 Substance Analyzer, Metal, type d4
87-88 Tear Gas (d4+1 uses, type d4+1)
89 Vibrator, type d20
90 Jammer, range: d100 times d100 meters
91 Parabolic Mike: hearing times 3d6
92 Portable Helicopter (type d10)
93 Net, rope type 2d4+4, 2d8 square meters
94 Laser Pen, type d4
95-00 Distinctive Light: high intensity insignia light, equal to Bright Flash type d8, and a save bonus is gained every type/2 meters.
Roll to see if the weapon has special abilities. Add d4 to any previous level with the weapon, unless the character gained the weapon under a Combat Skill Package. Bonuses are only effective while using the weapon.
01-40 nothing special
41-45 The weapon does d3 extra d6 damage.
46-49 electric: d4 extra d6 damage. It either works 2d4 hits, and the target must lose DP, or it works 4d6 rounds before recharging.
50-53 Built in laser, type d3, 2d4 times type EP
54-57 gas dispenser, sleep (Type 2d4); 2d3 uses
58-60 Sonic Ray, type d3, 2d4 uses
61-65 Flaming: roll d4; it does this many d6 fire damage up to 3d4 rounds before recharging
66-69 Stuns: roll 2d4; it does this many d6 Stun Damage; either 2d6 times and the target must be hit for DP, or for 3d6 rounds before recharging.
70-73 The weapon returns at 4d6 meters/segment
74-78 +d6 Combat Bonus Pool
79-80 see Magic Equipment; the item has a spell
81-82 The weapon allows the character to use one Special Power; see Items
83-84 Generates Force Field, ST 2d4, Ignore d8, for 3d20+5 rounds before recharging.
85 a Cosmic Power; weapon has d20+20 EP
86 a Psychic Power; uses the character’s EP
87-88 +d4 Actions per Round
89 Rockets; acts as a Belt Jet of type d8
90 Heat Ray, type d3, 2d4 times type EP
91 Poisoned: player must choose EP or DP poison. EP poison is type d5+1; DP is type d4; weapon must do DP before poison works
92 does d3 extra d6 damage as a Death Shot to any besides the owner who tries to use it. 20% of weapons do this per round, others only when first touched.
93-94 +d4 to Evasion (this bonus doesn’t use EP)
95 The weapon gives the character an Ignore Damage bonus of 2d4.
96 Bonus of d6 to Penetration
97 Weapon is nearly unbreakable: +2d4 ST, +3d10 Ignore Damage.
98 Weapon allows control of one type of animal, PR 2d6.
99 Weapon can attack at character’s control, up to 2d10 meters away. It uses the character’s level, without the Hand damage bonus.
00 Roll twice more, using d60+40
After rolling the vehicle, roll on the Vehicle Abilities table.
1 Truck, type d6
2 Sports Car, type d4
3 Prop Plane, type d4
4 Helicopter, type d6
7 Jet, type d6
8 VTOL, type d6
9-10 Choose any common vehicle, type d6
Vehicle Abilities: For most vehicles, roll 2d4 abilities.
01-08 Armor Plated: Add d4 to Skin Temper and 2d4 to Ignore Damage.
09-14 Radar: Sight of 10+d12, sight power 3d6.
15-16 d3 lasers, type d4+1; Each has d8+1, times type, EP.
17 Force Field, ST 3d4, works for 3d10 minutes.
18 Disruption Field, works for 2d10 minutes, type 2d4.
19-20 d3 Heat Rays, type d4+1; Each has d8+1 times type EP.
21-22 Bazooka
23-24 Electro-Gun, 2d4 charges, type d3
25-33 Increased Speed: Add 3d100 kmph to the vehicle’s maximum speed.
34-36 d3 Machine Guns: Automatic normal handguns, type d4.
38-40 d3 Assault Rifles: Automatic normal rifles, type d4.
41-42 d2 Sonic Rays: type d4+1, Each has type times 2d4 EP.
43-44 Stun Ray: type d4+1, 3d4 times type EP.
45-53 Radio: Strength 2d4, Hearing 10+d20.
54-59 The vehicle is or can become airtight.
60-63 Infrared Camera
64-69 Computer: see Base. Reduce type by 1.
70-75 Robot Pilot: driving level 2+d8
76-77 The vehicle can operate underwater.
78-79 Telephone
80-81 Television
82 Short Burst Rocket: Can add 3d10 to movement for 1 round. 2d6 uses.
83-85 Map Generator: type d6.
86 Invisibility, usually to Radar, PR 2d6. See Items.
87 Airtight, and the engine can function in outer space and vacuums.
88-89 Long-term Rockets: shift speed up d4 zeroes for d4 hours (1.5 m/s becomes 15,000 m/s, for example.)
90-93 Parabolic Mike: Hearing times 3d10.
94 Ejection seat: lifts passengers out in 1 segment and throws them 1000 meters times Distance Thrown straight up.
95 d2 Gyrojets: type d4.
96 Refrigerator (why are we always sooner or later...)
97 Microwave
98 Running Water
99 Bed
00 Oxygen Field: PR d4+1, see Items
A player who takes a Class Power rolls up a group of powers which are related. The character gains 3, 4, or 5 powers. To determine how many, roll 3d4 and consult the following chart:
3d4 Roll Number of Powers
3-4 3
5-10 4
11-12 5
There are four basic types of ‘Class’ powers: Animalistic, Cosmic, Psychic, and Superhuman.
These are powers based on the abilities of animals.
Players rolling here can choose to take their last roll on either the main table or the table dedicated to their animal type. The last table reinforces the ‘feel’ of that animal type for the collection of powers.
There is an Animalistic class of powers for large two-legged animals (bears, apes, gorillas), large four-legged animals (elephants, rhinoceri, bulls), avians (birds), felines (cats, small and large), canines (dogs and wolves), water (fish), lizards (snakes), rodents (rats, squirrels), arachnids (spiders), and stinging flying insects (bees, hornets).
|
Power |
Bear |
Avian |
Feline |
Canine |
Rhino |
Snake |
Arachnid |
Sting |
Water |
Rodent |
|
Burrowing |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
01-03 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
01-10 |
|
Perception +d20+10 |
01 |
01-02 |
01-02 |
01 |
-- |
04 |
01 |
01 |
01 |
11-13 |
|
Wings |
-- |
03-21 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
02-17 |
02 |
-- |
|
Sting |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
05-25 |
02-16 |
18-32 |
03 |
-- |
|
Stun |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
26-31 |
17-18 |
33-36 |
-- |
14 |
|
Agility +2d8 |
02-09 |
22-33 |
03-18 |
02-12 |
01-03 |
32-42 |
19-30 |
37-47 |
04-13 |
15-20 |
|
Infectiousness |
-- |
-- |
-- |
13 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
21-23 |
|
Web |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
42-51 |
48-51 |
-- |
24-31 |
|
Vertical Crawl |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
42-51 |
48-51 |
-- |
24-31 |
|
Strength +2d10 |
10-30 |
34-38 |
19-32 |
14-29 |
04-29 |
43-46 |
52-63 |
52-55 |
14-31 |
32-39 |
|
Hear More Frequencies |
31-33 |
39-44 |
33-36 |
30-32 |
30 |
47-48 |
64-66 |
56-59 |
32 |
40-43 |
|
Smell |
34-42 |
45 |
37-38 |
33-44 |
31 |
-- |
67 |
-- |
33 |
44-49 |
|
Increased Speed |
43 |
46-50 |
39-47 |
45-49 |
32-34 |
49-56 |
68-70 |
60-61 |
34-40 |
50-51 |
|
Tracking Skill |
44-49 |
-- |
48-51 |
50-59 |
35 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Natural Weaponry |
50-61 |
51-59 |
52-64 |
60-68 |
36-46 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
41-42 |
52-59 |
|
Breath Water |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
43-62 |
-- |
|
Skin Temper +d4 (or Ignore Damage 2d5) |
62-66 |
60 |
-- |
69 |
47-60 |
57-62 |
71 |
62-71 |
63-71 |
60-61 |
|
Supersensitive Touch |
67 |
61-62 |
65-67 |
70 |
61 |
63-66 |
72-75 |
72=75 |
72 |
62-64 |
|
Control Similar Animals |
68-78 |
63-74 |
68-76 |
71-79 |
62-68 |
67-74 |
76-81 |
76-82 |
73-76 |
65-72 |
|
Lifting |
79 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
69 |
-- |
82 |
83 |
-- |
-- |
|
Gliding |
-- |
75-76 |
77 |
-- |
-- |
75 |
83-84 |
84-86 |
77 |
73-77 |
|
Chameleon Power |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
76-77 |
85-87 |
87 |
78-79 |
-- |
|
Radar |
80 |
77 |
78 |
80 |
70 |
78 |
88 |
88 |
80 |
78 |
|
Sonar |
81 |
78-79 |
79-80 |
81-82 |
71-72 |
79-80 |
89-90 |
89-90 |
81-82 |
79-83 |
|
Increased Healing Rate |
82-85 |
80-81 |
81-86 |
83-85 |
73-81 |
81-84 |
91 |
91 |
83-84 |
84-85 |
|
Build +4d12 |
86-90 |
-- |
87 |
86-88 |
82-92 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
85-87 |
-- |
|
Constitution +2d8+2 |
91 |
-- |
88 |
-- |
-- |
85-86 |
92 |
92 |
88 |
86-90 |
|
Sight power: d3 *10 |
92-93 |
82-89 |
89-91 |
89-91 |
93-94 |
87-92 |
93 |
93 |
89-91 |
91-92 |
|
Hearing power: d4 *10 |
94-96 |
90-95 |
92-96 |
92-96 |
95-96 |
93 |
94 |
94 |
92-95 |
93-94 |
|
Normal Equipment Table |
97 |
96 |
97 |
97 |
97 |
94-95 |
95 |
95-96 |
96 |
95-96 |
|
Psychic Power Table |
98 |
97-98 |
98 |
98 |
98 |
96-98 |
96-98 |
97-98 |
97-98 |
97-98 |
|
Special Power Table |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
|
Roll twice more |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
00 |
01-50 Strength +6+2d6
51-75 Build +3d20
76-00 Get Tall, PR 3d2+1
01-50 Wings
51-74 Glide
75-00 Flight, Slow
01-80 Agility +7+d10
81-00 Natural Weaponry
61-00 Vertical Crawl
01-40 Burrowing
41-60 Get Small, PR 3d2+10
01-40 Smell, roll twice, take best Power Roll
41-70 Tracking Skill, roll twice, take best PR
71-85 Strength +3+2d4
86-00 Constitution +3+3d6
01-40 ST +d6
41-70 Build + 5d20
71-83 Strength +8+d12
84-00 Get Tall, PR 3d2+3
01-50 Sting
51-00 Agility +6+d8
01-30 Web
31-60 Sting
61-85 Vertical Crawl
86-00 Strength +4+2d6
01-40 Get Small, PR 2d8+13
41-71 Wings
72-00 Sting
01-40 Increased Speed (in water)
41-80 Breathe Water
81-00 ST +d6
Cosmic powers are those derived from the unknown universe. These powers link with the energies of the space/time continuum, sub-atomic energies, and dimensional shifts.
01-07 Strength + 3d4
08-12 Agility + d10 + 2
13-17 Constitution + 2d12
18 Hearing Power of (d4+1) times 10
19 Explosive Touch
20 Perception + 2d20+2
21 Increased Speed
22-27 Sight Power of (2d3+1) times 10
28 Injury Resistance
29 Cosmic Awareness
30 Time-Line Travel
31-39 Skin Temper + d5 or Ignore 3d5 points damage
40 Lifting
41 Immortality
42 Anti-Matter Production
43 Radiation
44-45 Special Immunity
46-50 Dimension Travel
51 Map Sense
52 Time Travel
53-65 Cosmic Rays
66-73 Withstand Temperature Extremes
74-75 Life Support
76-84 Flight, Fast
85-88 Sixth Sense
89-90 Luck
91-96 Power Beam
97-98 Roll once on Psychic Powers Table
99 Roll once on Special Powers Table
00 Roll twice more
These are the powers of the mind. They are often called psionic powers, psi-powers, and ESPer ability.
01-05 Learning + 3d8+1
06-08 Agility + d10 + 1
09-10 Charisma + 3d6
11-18 Telekinesis
19-25 Telepathy
26-30 Clairvoyance
31-32 Sixth Sense
33 Psionic Blast
34 Empathy
35-38 Mind Control
39 Screw-Up Magic
40 Cosmic Awareness
41 Emotion Control
42 Roll on the Wizard Equipment Table
43 Time-Line Travel
44-48 Illusion, Psychic
49 Immortality
50-54 Sensitive
55 Magic Resistance
56-60 Teleportation
61 Mind Travel
62 Time Travel
63 Willpower
64 Reincarnation
65-67 Astral Planes Travel
68 Stun
69 Open Locks
70 Perception + 3d10 + 3
71-75 Telepathic Operator
76-81 Psychic Blast
82 Pyrokinesis
83-84 Luck
85-86 Control Chance
87-88 Hypnotic Power
89-91 Empathic Healing
92-93 Vertigo
94-95 Invisibility, Psychic
96-97 Healing
98 Magic Spell
99 Roll Once on Special Powers Table
00 Roll twice more
Superhuman powers usually enhance normal abilities. Often, they can be explained as the result of extended training, and other times as genetic or body alteration.
01-17 Strength + 3d8
18-31 Agility + 3d8
32-44 Constitution + 3d8
45 Beauty + 3d6
46-49 Increased Healing Rate
50 Light Illusions
51 Lifting
52-59 Normal Equipment Table
60-64 Sight Power of (d3) times 10
65-68 Build + 3d20
69 Sonar
70 Ultraviolet Vision
71-77 Hearing Power of (d4+1) times 10
78 Hold Breath
79-80 Radar
81 Infrared Vision
82-84 Learning + 2d6
85-87 Skin Temper + d4 or Ignore 2d6 points damage
88 Gliding
89 Supersensitive Touch
90 Perception + 3d10 + 3
91 Jump
92-94 Sixth Sense
95-97 Increased Speed
98 Willpower
99 Roll once on Special Powers Table
00 Roll twice more
Special Powers are single powers which can stand on their own, as powerful as one of the collection of Class powers. The player can also roll the PR four times, and choose the best roll.
Players who choose Special Power as their Type of Hero roll on the Type of Hero column to find their character’s power..
Characters who roll a Special Power in the Intelligent Robot rules use the Robot column here to find which Special Power is gained. Robots who simply gain a Special Power as an extra power, roll on the Extra Power column.
Any character who gets Special Power for an extra power or who rolls up Special Power on another Type of Hero table uses the Extra Power column to determine which power is gained.
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Type of Hero Power Extra Power Robots 01-06 Absorption 01 01 07-08 Acid Production 02-03 02-03 09-14 Air Control 04-06 04 15-16 Alchemy 07 05 17 Chameleon Power 08 06 18 Control Chance 09 07-08 19-21 Control Plants 10-11 09 22-25 Convert to Energy 12 10-11 26 Darkness 13-14 12-17 27 Death Touch 15 18 28 Duplication 16 19 29 Duplicate Person 17 30-31 Density Control 18 20-21 32-36 Electricity 19-20 22-23 37-39 Fire Coat 21-25 24-25 40 Flight, Slow 26-33 26-32 41 Force Field 34-35 33-37 42 Generate Self 36 43-45 Get Small 37-40 38 46-50 Get Tall 41-44 39 51-54 Gravity Control 45 40-42 55 Healing 46-47 56-58 Ice Coat 48-51 43-45 59 Illusions, Psychic 52-53 46 60 Invisibility, Light 54 47-53 61 Light Control 55-58 54-56 62 Light Illusions 59 57 63 Magic Spell 60 64-69 Magnetism 61 58-59 70-71 Molecule Control 62 60-61 72 Phobia 63 62 Power Enhancement 64-65 73-77 Sand Control 66-68 63-64 78-80 Shape Changer 69-71 65 81 Slide Molecules 72-74 66-67 82 Sound Control 75-77 68-74 Special Immunity 78-80 75-77 83-84 Speed 81-83 78-80 85 Stretch 84-86 81 86 Stun 87-88 82 87 Teleportation 89-90 83-88 88 Time Travel 89-90 Transducer 91 89-90 91 Vacuum 92 91-93 92 Vibratory Powers 93 94-95 93 Water Control 94-95 96 94-95 Weather Control 96 97 96 Willpower 97 98 97 Wings 98 99 98 Withering 99 99 Special Subtable below 00 00 00 Roll three times and choose two of them |
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Special Power Subtable (d10) 1 Animalistic (d10) 1) Bear/Ape 2) Birds 3) Feline 4) Canine 5) Huge 6) Snake 7) Spider 8) Sting 9) Water 10) Rodents 2-3 Cosmic 4-5 Psychic 6-7 Superhuman 8 Special Powers; Type of Hero column 9 A Skill (Roll twice, take best; for weapons, add 2d4 to present level; 10 Intelligent Robot (d4) 1) Audio Table 2) Visual Table 3) Power Table 4) Miscellaneous Equipment Table |
The themes behind these heroes are all far more concrete then the previous Types of Heroes. The player chooses either a Civilian, someone with special Combat Skills, an Eccentric Professor, an Intelligent Robot, a Magician, a Special Agent, or a Wizard. For all except Civilian and Robot, the character must meet certain ability requirements (See Creating a Character or the specific Package Hero).
The Civilian is just your everyday kinda joe. The Civilian can be a newscaster, a schoolteacher, a politician, or any of the other strange professions that crop up in comic books.
Abilities: The Civilian player can change the character’s starting abilities (strength, agility, constitution, charismas, learning, newoen, sight, hearing) by moving points from one ability to another. A player cannot, however, increase or decrease anything beyond the normal human maximum or minimum. For all the 3d6 abilities, this means nothing decreased to less than 6 or increased to greater than 15. For the 4d6 abilities this means nothing less than 8 or greater than 20. Abilities beyond those limits cannot be changed. Abilities can only be changed when the character is created.
Knowledge and Skills: The Civilian has learning plus d4 points to use for knowledge, skills, and abilities. One point equals 20 points of knowledge or 10 Training Points (see Training, under Worldly Matters).
So you like weapons, hm? Well, whether you’re a Bear or Glock fan, or get your jollies from fifteenth century swordsmanship or twentieth century cinematic footwork, we’ve got the fightin’ package for you. Batteries not included, some assembly required. Each Combat Skill Package has ability requirements which must be met.
Equipment: Characters from these packages (except Martial Artists) have a 20% chance of gaining something from the Normal Equipment Table. If a character gains a second weapon, level with it is 2d4.
Choices: There are five Combat Skill packages: archer, boxer, marksman, martial artist, and weaponmaster.
The archer uses bows and arrows. Traditional archers like to use all sorts of neat gadgets with their arrows. Some modern retro-punks prefer the simple broadhead. It’s a bit bloodier, and can be harder to explain down at the precinct.
There is an 80% chance, rolled until missed, of being able to roll on the Special Weapons table, under the Fringe Benefits Normal Equipment Table. The character will have d4 of each special arrow rolled up. The character’s quiver will hold 15 + d20 arrows total.
Required: Strength: 12
Agility: 15
Constitution: 9
Learning: 9
Newoen: 11
Hearing: 12
Sight: 18
Bonuses: Strength: +d3-1
Agility: +d6
Sight: +d4
Level: Base of 11, plus d4, with Bows.
There was a time when boxing was the ‘way out’ of the slums, a ticket to both stardom and simple respectability. Likewise, boxing was a good way to become a superhero. Same job: punching people and looking good.
Required: Strength: 14
Agility: 14
Constitution: 10
Learning: 8
Newoen: 12
Hearing: 15
Sight: 15
Bonuses: Strength: +d4
Agility: +d4
Constitution: +d3
Level: Base 11, plus d4, Fistfighting.
Base -1, plus 2d2, Evading Attacks
2d3 in Rolling With Attacks
Big trouble requires a big gun, and the first rule of a gunfight is to bring one. The marksman in a superhero world has a tricky job. Remember, you ain’t supposed to hurt anyone, at least not permanently. So, be careful where you aim that thing, and see if you can get some rubber bullets.
There is a 40% chance, rolled until missed, of being able to roll on the Special Weapons table, under the Normal Equipment Table.
Required: Strength: 8
Agility: 13
Constitution: 7
Learning: 12
Newoen: 10
Hearing: 11
Sight: 17
Bonuses: Strength: +d4
Sight: +d4
Level: Base 8, plus d4, with Firearms.
When most people think of martial arts, they think of the Japanese and Chinese versions. This package is for any fighting skill that uses as much acrobatics (at least, in the movies) as it does hitting. Kick-boxers may also apply.
Required: Strength: 14
Agility: 16
Constitution: 12
Learning: 10
Newoen: 15
Hearing: 14
Sight: 14
The player must choose 3-5 skills:
3d4 Roll Number of Skills
3-4 3
5-10 4
11-12 5
The character cannot ‘double up’ on these skills. The major skill will have a level of 8+d4, the second skill will have a level of 6+d4, and the third a level of 4+d4. If there are any further skills, the fourth will have a level of 2+d4, and the fifth a level of d4. These are the skill choices:
Martial Punch Martial Kick
Martial Throw Acrobatics
Nerve Pinch Sneak
Falling Jump
In addition to the previous skills, the Martial Artist gains a level of 2d2 in Evading Attacks, and a level of 2d2-1 in Rolling With Attacks.
Martial Artists also have a chance of having a weapon. This chance is 20%, and is rolled until missed. One of these rolls can be taken on the Normal Equipment Table if the player so desires. If the character gains a weapon, level with that weapon is 4+d4, and there is a 40% chance that the player can roll on the Special Weapons subtable of the Normal Equipment Table for each of the following weapons rolled up:
d20 Roll Weapon
01-03 Throwing Stars
04-08 Nunchuku
09-13 Katana (treat as a long sword, +2 vs. ST)
14-16 O Dachi (treat it as a two-handed sword)
17 Staff
18 Hankyu (treat as a bow)
19-20 Wakizashi (treat as a short sword)
If the weapon requires more agility than strength, those two requirements may be switched.
Required: Strength: 15
Agility: 10
Constitution: 12
Learning: 8
Newoen: 8
Hearing: 14
Sight: 14
Bonuses: +d6 to either strength or agility: whichever had 15 as the minimum score.
Level: Base of 11, plus d4 in a Close Combat weapon (or 8+d4 in a Combat Skill Umbrella).
There is a 40% chance, rolled until missed, of being able to roll on the Special Weapon subtable of the Normal Equipment Table.
Armor: Roll to see if the character has armor.
d100 Roll Armor (see subtable for type)
01-35 no armor
36-65 normal armor
66-72 Lighter
73-80 Harder
81-94 Lighter and Harder
95-99 Lighter, Harder, and More Durable
00 Roll twice more with 60+d40
If so, roll d10 on the Types of Armor subtable to see what type of armor it is.
Types of Armor subtable:
1-2 Shield
3-4 Chain Mail
5-6 Leather
7 Plate Mail
8 Plate Armor
9* The weapon gives the bonus
10* Something worn gives the bonus
*If armor is normal, the weapon or something worn is equivalent to a shield.
If the character does have armor, the character also has a level of 2d4 in Armor Use for that type of armor (Shield Use for Shields).
If the armor is ‘harder’, ‘lighter’, or ‘more durable’, use the following table:
Harder: Increase ST by d4 or Ignore Damage by 2d4
More Durable: ST +d4 and Ignore Damage of d6 applied to the damage that the armor takes.
Lighter: Reduce weight by d6*10%; multiply Agility penalty by current weight and divide by original weight. Further Lighter rolls reduce current weight, not original.
To be a Mad Scientist or Eccentric Professor, there are certain maximum scores. A character cannot have any ability score greater than these:
Strength: 9 Agility: 13
Constitution: 10 Newoen: 12
Hearing: 16 Sight: 11
In addition, the character must have a learning of at least 16. A Mad Scientist automatically has a Reverse Talent in Action (see Optional Rules), if that Optional Rule is used.
The character will have a laboratory and equipment. The player must roll for ‘points’ to ‘trade in’ on equipment for the character. Roll 4d6+10. If the dice come up a combination of only ‘sixes’ and ‘fives’, there is a 50% chance, rolled until missed, of being able to add d20 points to the total.
If the player wants some equipment not on the list, use listed point costs to find points for unlisted equipment.
Analyzer 9
Astronomy Equipment 4
Atom Smasher 40
Biological Equipment
Simple 2
Average 4
Complex 10
Biological Samples
Single/Few Celled
Simple 2
Average 2
Complex 5
Animals/Plant
Simple 4
Average 4
Complex 6
Building/House (greater than average size; fit it with defensive or passive things: trap doors, secret hallways, etc.)
Large 5
Immense (Castle, Estate) 8
Chemicals
Simple 1
Average 6
Complex 12
Chemistry Equipment
Simple 3
Average 6
Complex 12
Computer type/4 + # abilities/5
Dimension Travel Device 50
Electron Microscope 10
Electronic Workshop & Tools
Average 4
Complex 10
Freezer
Very Cold 8
Near Absolute Zero 28
Geology Equipment
Simple 1
Average 3
Complex 7
Human Helper 4
Library (one subject) 4
Life Box 35
Mathematical Equipment
Average 1
Complex 2
Mechanical Workshop & Tools
Average 3
Complex 6
Medical Equipment
Simple 3
Average 5
Complex 8
Meteorological Equipment
Simple 2
Average 3
Complex 7
Microscope power/400
Nuclear Reactor 35
Physics Equipment
Simple 2
Average 5
Complex 9
Planetarium 15
Psychology Equipment
Average 2
Complex 6
Radio, Communications
Basic 1
Extensive 3
Radio Telescope 7
Robot Helper 8
Rock Samples
Simple 1
Average 3
Complex 6
Satellite Antenna 3
Spaceship
Interplanetary 30
Interstellar 40
Teleport Device 55
Telescope power/100
Time Travel Device 60
Van de Graaf Machine 3
World Maps, Specialized 1
Mad Scientists and Eccentric Professors only have half the chance given under the Learning description for photographic memory.
Mad Scientists and Eccentric Professors gain an Inventing Level of 2d4. This is completely general and works in any area.
The Mad Scientist or Eccentric Professor gains a bonus to learning of 2d10.
The player has a number of points equal to 6 times learning. These points can be added to any one knowledge score, or divided up between many knowledge areas.
Intelligent Robot players must roll for senses, powers, miscellaneous equipment, and must determine a power source. Once the player chooses the group of Abilities to use for the character, any one except newoen may be rerolled twice, take the best; any other may be rerolled once, and this roll taken if it is better than the original ability/attribute. When determining the Maximum and Minimum Temperatures for the character (see Situations), double the total of constitution and damage points for that purpose.
Build: Roll d6 and subtract 1. Roll d20 this many times and add this to the robot’s build.
Thinking: Intelligent Robots automatically get Think Fast, Power Roll d20. They also automatically have Memory Training of d20.
Touch: 90% of robots have touch sense equivalent to a normal human. Those who don’t, have a Touch Sense of d100 minus 1. This is the robot’s base chance of noticing if damage has been taken. Multiply it by the amount of Damage Points the Robot took from the attack for the true chance that the damage will be noticed, at least by ‘feeling’ it.
Smell: 70% of Intelligent Robots have a smell sense equivalent to that of a normal human. Otherwise, the robot has no sense of smell at all.
Sight: Roll d2 times on the Visual table:
01-55 Light
56-70 Infrared
71-80 Ultraviolet
81-90 Sonar
91-93 X-Rays
94-97 Radar
98-99 Map Sense
00 Roll twice more on this table
Robots have a 60% chance of being able to transmit in Light, Infrared, and Ultraviolet if they have those senses. They have a 90% chance of having to transmit on any of the other visions in order to use them.
Hearing: Roll d2 times on the Audio table:
01-20 Radio Frequencies (normal)
21-75 Sound Frequencies
85% for Normal
45% for Ultrasonic
50% for Subsonic
76-78 Brain Waves
79-94 Microwave
95-99 Laser
00 Roll twice more on this table
Robots can talk as well as hear with these senses.
Roll 2d4 to discover how many powers the Robot character has.
Roll Number of Powers
3-4 2
5-10 3
11-12 4
Roll for that many powers:
01-12 Laser Ray (type d5)
13-15 Magnetic Powers
16-18 Electric Powers
19-27 Heat Ray
28-33 Freeze Ray
34-36 Hearing Power of (d4) times 10
37-39 Sight Power of (d4+1) times 10
40-42 Force Field
43-44 Increased Speed
45-52 Skin Temper + d6 or ignore 3d6 points damage
53-60 Strength + d12
61-67 Roll once on Advanced Equipment Table
68-75 Missile Fire
76-77 Radiation
78-84 Agility + d8
85-93 Constitution + 2d6
94-96 Stun
97-99 Sound Control
00 Roll twice more on this table
‘Equipment’ is sort of like powers, but it has that mech-E feel.
01-02 Think Fast
03-05 Anti-Grav (as Anti-grav belt, d100%)
06-21 Rocket Flight (as Rocket Pack, usually Ape)
22-30 Roll once on Normal Equipment Table
31-40 EP+2d50
41-42 Grappling Hook (rope is Type d10)
43 Roll on skill list; weapon use: +d4, base 1
44-48 Extra or Odd Body Part
49-60 Minor Equipment: Player chooses 2d6:
1) internal clock
2) compass (directional)
3) calculator (learning squared digits)
4) an internal box, dimensions totaling: 7+d100 cubic decimeters
5) One of the following electrical outlets:
a) 120 V, 60 Hz (normal home socket)
b) 220 V, 60 Hz (heavy house socket)
c) variable DC: 0 to 12.5 Volts this uses up 1 EP per heavy appliance per hour; heavy scientific equipment will use 3 EP per hour.
6) Can openers, corkscrew
7) tool kit: flathead screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, adjustable wrench
8) crowbar
9) hammer (for nails) with nail remover)
10) pliers, wire stripper, soldering iron
11) drawing compass, straight edge
12) random number generator
13) mechanical pencil, pen, eraser for both
14) internal garbage disposal unit
61-75 Modem
76-77 Supersensitive Touch
78-83 Repair ability: heal DP using Healing Rate
84 Lifting
85-96 Learning + d10
97-98 Roll on Special Powers Table, Robot
99 Increased Healing Rate
00 Roll twice more on this table
Each robot is assumed to be able to store a certain amount of energy (equal to their maximum EP) in their body. However, unlike humans, robots don’t get energy by eating food. Each player playing a robot must roll d20 on the following chart to determine their character’s power source:
1-10 External: The character gets energy from some source of radiation (solar energy, cosmic energy, a transmitter somewhere). The player must decide on one type of energy. When the character is cut off from the source of the radiation, EP will not heal back, and when the source is partially cut off, the healing rate for EP will be reduced accordingly.
11-20 Internal: The character regains power by ingesting some material (uranium, dilithium, plastic, light bulbs). The player must decide on one type of material. The character must ingest this every d10,000 +39, divided by d40 hours. If a feeding time is missed, EP will not be regained after that time.
DP: Any DP taken by a robot cannot be healed: it must be repaired (unless the robot has Repair circuits or Increased Healing Rate). Various knowledge areas allow a person to repair a robot. Metalworking will allow repair of bludgeoning damage. For a robot who is basically electronic, Electronics (characters with Amateur Radio may try, using one-quarter their knowledge score) will allow repair of penetrating and injury damage. For a robot who is basically mechanical, Mechanics (characters with Vehicles knowledge may try, using one-quarter their knowledge score) will allow repair of penetrating and injury damage. Robotics will allow a person to repair any kind of damage on a robot. A person can try to repair 1 point DP every (500 divided by knowledge score) minutes, with a chance of success equal to knowledge score minus the number of DP the robot is from maximum. Any one repairer can try only once to repair each penetrating DP lost, although the repairer can try again to repair bludgeoning damage. If the repairer misses the chance of success, a save must be made, rolling d100 less than or equal to half the repairer’s knowledge score minus the amount of DP the robot is missing, or the repairer accidentally does 1 point more damage, of the type being repaired.
VP: Robots will heal VP by their healing rate like any other character.
EP: All EP that a robot uses is considered EP that heals per hour. This EP heals back at the robot’s healing rate per hour whether resting or not. Note that robots do not lose EP like normal humans do for staying awake. The robot character must roll d24, and this is the amount of EP the robot loses, every 24 hours of activity. Robots shut down at 0 EP.
If a robot gains Increased Healing Rate as a power, assume the calculated Healing Rate is 0, unless repair circuits are also had (see Miscellaneous Equipment). For example, a robot with Increased Healing Rate PR 4, but no normal repair circuits would assume the robot’s normal healing rate to be zero for purposes of that power. In all other respects, Increased Healing Rate gives the same advantages to the robot as it does to any other character.
Bleeding: Robots do not bleed.
Pushing Abilities: Robots cannot push abilities (unless the robot has the power Willpower).
Wounds: Robots do not gain permanent damage.
When an injury roll is made, robots do not gain permanent damage or lose consciousness. If loss of consciousness is indicated, the robot has a temporary malfunction. If permanent damage is indicated, the robot has a longer-lasting malfunction, of severity as if it were a permanent wound. Malfunctions will be caught if the repairer makes a perception roll with a bonus of the repairer’s knowledge score divided by 10. Roll d20 to see where the malfunction occurs. It is up to the Editor to determine exactly what malfunctions with respect to the following table:
1-8 A Power
9-12 The CPU circuitry
13-20 Part of the body: roll on the chart under Massive Body Attacks
If, for any reason, all power is shut off, but the ‘brain’ or CPU remains intact, there is a 75% chance that learning will be retained upon power up. There is only a 25% chance that memory will be kept. If memory is lost, %Control will be divided by 2 on every power that a human would roll %Control on.
Aging: Robots do not age.
Astral Forms: Robots do not have astral forms, unless the power Astral Projection is rolled. Note that souls and astral forms are not the same thing. It is up to you whether or not Intelligent Robots have souls, if that is even important.
The Magician does not control magic, but controls the observations of those watching so that the actions look like magic.
The Magician must have these ability scores:
Agility: 14 Learning: 13
Hearing: 12 Sight: 13
Magician Tricks: Any Magician can do the normal magic tricks seen on stage: card tricks, pulling a rabbit out of a hat (well, almost any magician... “Hey, Rocky!”), and various specialties they develop. These work automatically and require that both the stage and the audience be prepared. This is reflected by the Magician’s Knowledge Score in Magic, which is the magician’s Learning plus 2d20. In addition to this, however, the Package Hero Magician will have 4-5 (d2+3) skills/powers. Use the following table to determine what each skill/power is:
01-74 Magic-simulating Skill table
75-95 Normal Skill table
96 Super Power table
97 Weapon Skill (+2d3 levels)
98-99 Special Equipment table
00 Roll twice more
Magic-simulating skills are skills that look like magic if they’re done correctly. They look a lot like egg on your face if they’re not done correctly...
Magic Simulating Skills
01-20 Create Optical Illusion
21-35 Hide Objects in Plain Sight
36-40 Hide Objects on Oneself
41-50 Mass Hypnosis
51-60 Hypnosis
61-80 Read People
81-92 Quick Change
93-00 Do Magic Tricks Without Stage
See skill descriptions.
‘Normal’ skills that ‘heroic’ magicians know tend to be things that allow them to break laws. Some heroes...
Normal Skills
01-13 Escape Artistry
14-17 Roll on Skill List
18-30 Disguise
31-36 Opening Locks
37-39 Acrobatics
40-47 Picking Pockets
48-56 Forgery
57-60 Ignore Damage + d4 points
61-67 Counterfeiting
68-69 Nerve Pinch
70-84 Confidence Art
85-95 Sneak
96-00 Detection
Some magicians are magicians to hide their psychic powers. Others happened upon superpowers in the course of their adventurous magician’s life.
Super Power
01-07 Illusion, Psychic
08-13 Light Illusion
14-16 Teleportation
17-25 Agility + 2d4
26-33 Learning + 2d8
34-38 Telekinesis
39-44 ESP
45-56 Magic Spell
57-60 Clairvoyance
61-64 Astral Planes Travel
65-70 Mind Control
71-76 Sensitive
77-80 Control Chance
81-88 Hypnotic Power
89-92 Open Locks
93-94 Special Power
95-96 Psychic Power
97-00 Mind Travel
Modern science (and modern magic...) can make the magician’s job much easier.
Special Equipment
01 Bag of Tricks: 30+d40% likely to produce something useful but never combat oriented
02 Deep Pocket: holds d20 cubic meters
03-07 Hypno-Ray (Hypnosis PR 2d4)
08 Robe/Jacket of 2d4 Deep Pockets (see 02)
09 Vibrator
10 Beautiful/Handsome Assistant
11-17 Illusion Device (Psychic Illusion PR 2d8+1 or Light Illusion PR 2d4+1; player’s choice)
18-22 Acid (type d4)
23-28 Bright Flash (type d4)
29-34 Dark Cloud
35-40 Laser Pen
41-50 Trick Cards (see trick card table)
51-57 Mirror Smoke
58-63 Ventriloquism Device
64-68 Cloak of Teleportation (Teleport PR 2d10+2)
69-75 Sleep Gas (type 2d2)
76-82 Magic Item from the Magic Equipment Table
83-88 Choose a weapon; roll on Special Abilities
for Weapons under Lists and Tables.
89-95 Roll on the Normal Equipment Table
96-00 Roll on the Advanced Equipment Table
If the character has some form of trick cards, the player should roll for d6 of them. The character starts with d4 of each type rolled, but has the ability to acquire more. These do not have to be cards. They can be dominoes, pens, computer disks, or twinkiesª.
Trick Cards
01-15 Cards act as Throwing Stars (see below)
16-20 Card acts as Bright Flash
21-30 Grenade, Sleep (type d4)
31-35 Grenade, Explosive
36-45 Stun Bomb, type 2d4
46-58 Dark Cloud
59-65 Heat Bomb, type 2-4
66-67 Card acts as a lightning bolt that does 2d3 d6 of damage, and gets +2d3 to hit.
68-76 Tangler, type d4
77 Stasis Bomb
78 Roll on Advanced Equipment Table
79-80 Roll on Normal Equipment Table
81-82 Parachute
83-87 Grenade, Tear Gas
88-90 Tracer
91-92 Flare
93 Fire Extinguisher
94-95 Acid (type d4)
96 Roll up a Psychic Power
97-98 Roll for a Spell under the power Magic Spell
99 Roll up on Special Powers table
00 Roll twice more
The character is Weapons Skill level 1+d6 with these Throwing Star-like cards.
Special Agents are usually members of an organization such as the FBI (SIT) or the CIA (AIM), but may also be a member of a secret organization such as Future Study or another organization) or even loners (Private Detectives). Here are the minimum abilities:
Strength: 9 Agility: 9
Constitution: 10 Learning: 10
Newoen: 11 Hearing: 11
Sight: 11
Knowledge/Skills: All Special Agents have the following skills, without having to trade in points for them (if the player chooses one of these skills again under the rules below, it costs as if chosen a second time):
Will Resistance
Evading Attacks
Rolling With an Attack
Memory Training
Evading Pursuers
Awareness
Special Agents will have extra skills and/or knowledge: Divide the Agent’s learning by 4, round up, and add 2d6. This is the number of points the character has for gaining knowledge or skills pertaining to their job.
The player can trade in one point and gain a score of 20+2d20 in any Knowledge area. To choose an area a second time requires 2 points, and only 2d20 can be added to the previous score. No knowledge area can be taken more than twice.
The player can trade in two points and gain a skill. See the skill description for the level. The player can choose a skill twice, but the second time it uses up 4 points. No skill may be taken more than twice.
The player must choose at least one knowledge area and at least one skill.
There are certain requirements which must be met to become a Wizard Package Hero. The character must have a newoen of at least 14, an agility of at least 10, and a learning of at least 13. These requirements do not restrict people learning magic after the game starts. It only restricts those who choose Wizard as their original Package Hero.
Beginning of Training: The character learns magic by training for a certain number of years. The character starts training at the age rolled up in the section on Creating a Character, unless this age is less than 13. If so, the training starts at the age of 13. Subtract the age rolled from 13 for the number of extra Minor Spells the character will receive (see General or Special Wizard).
Duration of Training: The apprentice will train for 4+d3 years. Multiply this by 100 times Learning/10 (add the character’s Talent in Magic to Learning, if the character has that Talent) for the number of ‘Creation Points’ which will determine how much magic the character knows.
Knowledge: At the end of training, the wizard will have knowledge in Wizardry increased by 2 per year of study. Modify the total by adding or subtracting the character’s talent or reverse talent in Magic, if such exists.
Types of Wizards: The player can choose to play any of five different types of wizard. The types are classified by the manner in which spells are learned (General or Special Wizard) and the manner in which they are cast (Classical or Mnemonic Wizard). The fifth type, Weaver is completely different from the other four. The five types are:
General Classical Wizard
General Mnemonic Wizard
Special Classical Wizard
Special Mnemonic Wizard
Weavers
Magic Items: A wizard has a 15% chance, rolled until missed, of being able to roll for a magic item. To find which spell is on the magic item, see the power Magic Spell. If the spell Pervert Effect is rolled up, there is a 30% chance that the player must roll again for another spell, and this spell was perverted when it was placed in the item.
To determine the level of effect of the spell(s) in the item and the chance of success, some of the original caster’s abilities must be known. Use the following table if they are unknown. The Editor may want to specify a creator beforehand, however.
Newoen: 12 + 2d6
Agility: 6 + 4d3
Learning: 14 + 2d4
Level: Add d12-1 to the spell’s level. If 12 is rolled, add another d12-1, until 12 isn’t rolled.
EP in the Object: There is spell level + 2d20 EP in the object, if necessary.
You’ll also need to know how the spell was placed in the item:
01-70 As the spell, Imbue Spell into Object
71-90 As above, with the spell Permanency
91-99 Imbue Spell, but with made permanent with a requirement.
00 Imbue Spell, but made permanent with the caster’s self.
The Performance Time for using Magic Items is 10. The character can take training in that item (as Combat Skill) to decrease the Performance Time.
The chance of success for using a magic item is equal to the chance of success the original caster would have had, as is Casting Time, Range, and all other parts of the spell. The user may reduce the level the spell is cast at, however, in order to reduce EPused, or Casting Time, just as if it were a normal spell.
You may want to roll on the Magic Item table to see what the item actually is.
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Magic Item Table 01-02 ring 03-04 sword 05-06 cloak 07-08 wand 09-10 staff 11-12 scroll 13-14 amulet 15 stone 16 carpet 17-18 beads 19-20 boots 21-22 bowl 23-24 brazier 25-26 candle 27-28 censer 29-30 dust 31-32 potion 33-34 gem 35-36 helm 37-38 robe 39-40 belt 41-42 gloves 43-44 dagger 45-46 foil 47 mace 48 lasso 49-50 shield 51-52 leather armor 53-54 stick 55-56 globe 57-58 bone 59-60 prism 61-62 lens 63-64 cube 65 oil 66 broom 67-68 mirror 69-70 rod 71-72 monocle 73-74 cord 75-76 dice 77-78 horn of plenty 79-80 lantern 81-82 anklet 83-84 necklace 85-86 bracelets 87-88 statue 89-90 extra spell in item 91-92 saber 93 headband 94 chain mail armor 95 crown 96-99 something different 00 no item: spell built into character |
Fifty creation points are required to play a General wizard. This gives the character a 3 Wizardry, a Level of 0, and Newoen plus 4 Minor Spells.
Multiply the final level the character is going to be by 50, for the additional creation points required.
Each spell the character knows costs Spell Level plus Study Time creation points. The sample wizard, Cerest-Ranon, is a general classical wizard, created with 850 creation points (5 years).
Twenty-five creation points are required to play a Special wizard. This gives the character a 1 Wizardry and half Newoen Minor Spells.
Each spell the character knows costs Spell Level plus Study Time creation points. Additional levels in a spell cost Study Time times the number of additional levels.
It costs no points to be a Classical Wizard.
It costs 30 points to be a Mnemonic Wizard. Levels in Impressing cost 5 creation points per level per level. That is, level 1 costs 5 points, level 2 15 points (5+2*10), and level 3 costs 30 points (15+3*5), etc. Level 10 costs 255 points.
Mnemonic General wizards cost 80 points per level instead of 50, and half the number of points to learn spells.
Mnemonic Special wizards cost half the number of points to learn spells and increase in spell levels.
It costs 200 points to be a zero level Weaving Wizard (or a six pack of Grant’s Imperial Stout, but that’s something else entirely). Each level in Weaving Wizardry costs another 100 points. The player can also pay for levels in Gesticulation and Loquacity at 40 points per level.
Optional Rules |
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“All Rules are optional. But some rules are more optional than others.” |
These rules add variety to characters. Some simply add options for character origins. Others also add a little complexity to the game. The use of these are up to the players and Editor. Percentages and rolls are given to aid in character creation.
There is a 1% chance that all the character's powers derive from a device. If not, there is a 1% chance, rolled for each power, that it is derived from a device. To determine the device, use the Magic Item Table under Lists and Tables or choose a likely device that is consistent with the character's powers. In the unlikely event that no instructions have been found for this item, Percent Control is divided by 3. Only 8% of items allow the user to Push their abilities. Each point will take d100 minutes to return. Note that strength, constitution, and agility increases derived from an item do not increase mass.
The player rolls d100 to determine how the item is powered.
01-65 4d6+8 EP. The item must be recharged from a power source when it runs out of EP, and requires d100 minutes to recharge from the power source. The player and Editor must decide what the item ‘plugs into.’
66-00 3d6+9 EP. The item recharges automatically at d8+2 EP per hour. The player and Editor must decide what energy source the item uses.
An item uses Endurance Points just as if it were a person. If the power in the item does not use Endurance Points, there is a 60% chance that the item will work forever. Otherwise, it has 2d20 uses (or hours, if it is a power whose effects last over a duration) before it must be refilled (or recharged).
For example, suppose the player decides that the character’s Sixth Sense power is in a ring. Sixth Sense doesn't use Endurance Points. So, d100 must be rolled, and if the roll is 60 or less, the ring will last forever. Otherwise, the ring will work for 2d20 hours before it must be recharged. If there is more than one power in an item, roll for Endurance Points or uses as many times as there are powers in the item (whether the power uses Endurance Points or not). For example, suppose a character has Electricity, Magnetism, and Power Beam in a staff. Rolling on the power table above gives a 42. Then 4d6+8 is rolled three times, for a total of 12d6+32 Endurance Points stored in the staff. Do the same for the amount of time it takes to recharge. For the amount of Endurance Points recharged per hour, roll that many times, but do not add the results together. Simply take the best of the rolls. The example staff will take d100 minutes to recharge. The player and Editor decide that the staff must be placed within a powerful magnetic field for 24 minutes to be recharged.
There is a 1% chance that the character has two forms: a superhero form (in which all powers may be used), and a normal form (in which no powers can be used). It costs no EP to change back and forth. Upon going unconscious, the character automatically reverts to the normal form. The change can take place on any of the character's Actions (and can be done simultaneously with any other action). Many characters with animalistic powers have a form similar to that animal. Characters with Optional Transformation have a 50% chance of having a new Physical Beauty in the new form.
Each character has a 1% chance of being an alien. If a character is an alien, an Age Multiplier must be rolled up, because most aliens age differently than normal Earth humans. Roll 2d4, add 5, then divide this by 10. The player has a 50% chance, rolled until missed, of rolling the 2d4 again, adding 5, dividing by 10, and multiplying the previous number by that. Now, whenever the Editor must roll something that has to do with age (for example, Old Age Deterioration effects, or Youth--see Old Age and Young Age), multiply the character's earth age (the age on the character sheet) by the Age Multiplier for the character’s biological age. Aliens are also affected differently by temperature extremes. Add 2d8 minus 9 to maximum and minimum temperature rolls. There is a 50% chance that this is a penalty to one, and a bonus to the other. Otherwise, determine a separate modifier for each.
Characters may be better at some areas of knowledge than they are in others, and even highly intelligent characters can find some areas of knowledge hard to study. Each character has a 26% plus newoen chance of having a talent. Roll this chance until missed. Once that is rolled, the character has a 35 plus half learning minus 5 times the number of reverse talents already gained, percent chance of having a reverse talent. This is also rolled until missed.
For each talent and reverse talent, the player rolls below to see the area the talent or reverse talent is in. In areas in which the character is talented, d4 is added to the denominator (the lower number) in the fraction which determines how long the character must study for knowledge scores in that area. In areas in which the character is reverse talented, d6 is added to the numerator (the upper number) in that fraction.
Roll Knowledge Area Roll Knowledge Area
01-06 Singing 07-16 Playing Music
17-24 Writing 25-32 Acting
33-38 Dancing 39-44 Sculpting
45-54 Artwork 55-60 Action
61-70 Technical 71-80 Mechanical
81-88 Empathic 89-92 Life
93-96 Classification 97-99 Bureaucratic
00 Magic (true wizardry)
Bonuses and penalties are cumulative, if rolled more than once on the same area. Also, add five times the character's addition to the denominator to any inventing chance, and subtract four times an addition to the numerator from any inventing chance, in the area to which the addition applies. When determining the character’s original knowledge (see Creating a Character), add the addition to the denominator and subtract the addition to the numerator to and from each die roll in the applicable area(s).
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Example for Talents/Reverse Talents: John's character, Panhandler, has an 8 learning, 11 charisma, and 15 newoen. Panhandler has a 41% chance for Talents. John rolls 26, which succeeds. He then rolls 22, which succeeds again, and finally 53, which fails. Panhandler has 2 talents. He has a 38% chance for Reverse Talents. John rolls 27, succeeding the first time. His next chance is 38 minus 5, or 33. His next roll is 39, so Panhandler only has one Reverse Talent. |
A character with psychic powers (probably not magic spells, unless the wizard is a robot) whose powers manipulate the mind may choose to instead have these powers be effective against electronics, and intelligent robots who are normally Psychically Immune. Such powers will not work on robots who aren't Psychically Immune (see Psychic Immunity, under Creating a Character). For example, a player who decided to say that his characters Illusion powers, instead of being able to affect organic life, affect electronics, could cause electronics (a camera, a radio, a computer, intelligent robots, etc.) to perceive the illusion. Non-sentient electronics have a newoen of zero.
Another option is choosing to affect animals, rather than sentients. For a creature to be an animal, it must have a learning of less than 3 and a newoen of less than 4. Otherwise the decision is up to the Editor.
Characters with the ability to travel in the astral planes may have powers that work in the astral planes, towards astral beings, rather than in the physical planes, towards physical beings. See Astral Plane Travel. Likewise, most skills apply only physically-- Evasion applies in physical combat, but not in mental combat. Players can decide that such skills are Mentally oriented rather than Physically.
Mature characters with the power Immortality have a 20% chance of being older than their rolled age. For actual age, subtract the character's age of maturity from the rolled age, multiply by the immortality multiplier (from the power, Immortality), and multiply by d%. Add this to the character's rolled age. If you do not know the age the character matured, roll d4, add to 15, and add d12-1 months.
A character wishing to be a wizard can, instead of studying all magical spells with equal aptitude, choose to study magical styles, specializing in specific areas of magic. These styles can extend up to four levels--class, area, type, and kind.
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Levels of Styles: Class: Intensive or Extensive Area: General, Special, Ceremonial Physical, Mental, Temporal, Spiritual Type: Attack, Defense, Confine, Servants, Binding Create, Contact, Summon, Bind Create/Destroy, Control, Information Kind: Matter, Energy, Life, Magic Matter/Energy, Psychic/Mind, Magic, Space/Time/Dimensions, Life/Soul/Planes |
To create a style, choose one entry each from these levels. You do not need to extend all the way to kind. A style could be as simple as Intensive, or as restrictive as Extensive Ceremonial, Create Matter.
A wizard who is trained in a magical style will gain bonuses when casting and learning spells of that style. The Style Number is the number of levels specified in the style. The first style example above has a style number of 1. The second example has a style number of 4.
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Style Bonuses: Casting Chance: add Style Number Study Time: subtract Style Number times 10% Screw-Up Save: add Style Number Magic Perception: add Style Number |
There are also penalties when casting or learning spells outside of the style. The Style Difference for a spell is the number of levels that do not correspond. The spell Earthquake, for example, is classified as Extensive Special, Attack. If a caster specialized in Extensive Ceremonial Create Matter uses this spell, its style difference will be 2, because 2 of the levels specified in the style do not correspond with the spell’s classification. The same spell used by a wizard with the simple style of Intensive magic would have a style difference of 1--only 1 of the levels specified in the style does not correspond with the spell’s classification. The style difference can thus never exceed the style number.
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Style Penalties: Casting Chance: subtract Style Difference Study Time: add Style Difference times 10% Screw-Up Save: subtract Style Difference Magic Perception: subtract Style Difference |
If a spell does not require a magical symbol, then such a symbol can (depending on the magic's tradition) increase the chance of successfully casting a spell. Spells must be cast to a point within the symbol. The symbol must be drawn perfectly, or the bonus is not gained-- instead, an equal penalty is gained. If the target/effect is moved from the symbol, the spell is immediately canceled. If the symbol is broken or ruined while the spell is in effect, roll on the magic screw-up table. If the caster is still concentrating, it is a standard screw-up roll. If the spell was a duration spell, the roll is made with d100-20. EP losses go to the target or whoever is nearest. For results 41-60, EP loss is quadrupled and nothing happens. For results 21-40, EP loss is quintupled and nothing happens. These symbols are drawn from the European/Judaic tradition. Other traditions will have different symbols.
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Magical Symbols: Pentacle: +1 Pentagram: +2 Thaumaturgic Triangle: +2 Magic Circle: +3 Thaumaturgic Circle: +3 |
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and still have time to grab some munchies...
If you need to create a character quickly, you can’t determine its entire family history. Here’s how to create a character in less than thirty minutes.
1. Roll the six 3d6 abilities (strength, agility, constitution, active and normal charisma, and learning). Re-roll the lowest. Move them around however you want. Don’t forget to add one to female characters’ constitutions.
2. Roll the five 4d6 attributes (newoen, sight, hearing, build, beauty). Re-roll one. Move them around however you want. Remember that build has 10 (females) or 11 (males) added to it.
3. Roll height by adding 2d100 millimeters to 1.693 meters (male) or 1.663 meters (female).
4. Choose your character’s age. If you can’t decide, use your age.
5. Your character knows English at five times learning, and has learning ‘General Knowledge’ points. Look up age minus 20 on the doubles chart. Double this for the character’s score in History and Local History, and add it to the number of points. Use one point each for the knowledge areas science, math, and a foreign language (usually either French or Spanish, sometimes German or Latin). Choose a profession, and, during the game, use your remaining General Knowledge points as necessary to fill out your professional knowledge. Occasionally add to your character’s verisimilitude by using a point for knowledge unrelated to your profession.
6. Your character has the skills driving at d3+1, and fists, clubs, and thrown clubs at 2 each. If your character has any powers that require skill, he or she is level 2 in those powers as well.
7. Roll four powers from a class powers table or one power from the special powers table. There are no extra powers. Roll PR as normal. Ask your Editor whether you’ll be rolling %Control or simply getting %Control at 100.
8. Determine mass, damage points, virtual damage points, endurance points, skin temper, willpower, and perception as normal. Your character has four editing points, 2 fate points, and age plus learning, divided by 10 points of forgotten knowledge. Determine Action Rolls as needed during the game.
9. Go get those munchies. You’ve got five minutes to hit the store and come back.
If you wish to use a less descriptive system of time, you can use the following Combat Turn rules instead of the Combat rules given later in this book.
There are 5 Combat Turns in a round. While Combat Turns are thus 10 segments long, this is unimportant: you’ll never divide a Combat Turn up that way. In a Combat Turn, combatants simply take turns making their action.
You can use this Combat System all the time, or you can use it when it’s not quite as important to play out everything segment by segment. You can switch back and forth between the simpler system and the standard system. It’s easiest to switch on segments that are a multiple of 10. If any actions are currently in progress when you switch to the abbreviated system, divide their remaining Performance Time by 10 and round down for the number of Combat Turns remaining, as below (Combat Turn). If any actions are currently in progress switching from the abbreviated system to the standard system, multiply their remaining Combat Turns by 10 for the number of segments. If no Combat Turns remain, use the character’s Initiative (subtracted from 10) for the number of segments that remain.
Combat Turn: Divide an action’s base Performance Time by 10 and round down, for the number of Combat Turns the action takes. If the action takes less than 10 segments, it takes one Combat Turn. Add 10 minus the action’s base time to the character’s Bonus Pool. An action with a Performance Time of 6 will take 1 Combat Turn and add 4 to the Bonus Pool. An action with a Performance Time of 24 will take 2 Combat Turns to complete.
Announcing (Order of Declaring Actions): Players announce their actions in order of learning (from lowest to highest). Players whose characters have the same learning announce at the same time.
Players can delay their character’s announcement. Each point of delay subtracts that much from their bonus pool for their action that Turn. A character with a Learning of 11 announcing on 15 will have a penalty of 4 to their bonus pool.
Initiative (Order of Actions): Each player rolls d10 at the start of each combat. This is the character’s base Initiative. The character with the highest initiative goes first. A player can, at the start of any Combat Turn, expend one Editing Point to re-roll their Initiative (and take the better of their previous Initiative or the new roll). These Editing Points are halved, then go to training in the action being performed.
Combat Roll: The same rules for the Combat Roll (and other Action Rolls) apply, except that Performance Time cannot be reduced below 1 Combat Turn. Quality Points can be used to increase Initiative for that Action on a 1 for 1 basis. Quality Points can be used to increase Damage on a 1 for 1 basis as well (instead of using the Doubling Chart).
A character can make a Combat Roll against anyone who is within range when it comes their turn to go.
Multiple Opponents: The Multiple Opponents system works the same. But rather than each attack working on subsequent Segments, the character’s Initiative is dropped by 1 for each attack.
Pushback: Pushback does not apply. If you want to, you can apply Pushback as a penalty to the character’s Action Pools next Combat Turn.
Passive Actions: A single passive Action Roll (such as Movement) can be made on the character’s Turn. This is in addition to the character’s normal Action Roll. Making a passive action adds a penalty of 1 to the character’s Action Pool for any other actions that Turn.
Ongoing Actions: Ongoing actions (such as movement or defensive shields) are paid for when they’re started, and at the end of every fifth Turn.
Movement Roll: Move at the end of the Combat Turn. At the end of the first Combat Turn of movement, the character can elect to continue moving (using normal movement rolls) or stop moving.
Multiply the character’s movement (in decimeters/segment) by 10 for the number of meters moved that Combat Turn. For example, Bear (with an Initiative of 9, and a Movement Roll of 21) makes a Movement Roll. He rolls (9,3) 12. His Quality is 9. He uses 4 Q to reduce the EP use to 1 EP/round, leaving 5 Q for movement. 5 movement Q is .5 meters/segment, so at the end of the Combat Turn he’ll move 5 meters.
To change direction (only in the initial Combat Turn--afterwards, direction can only be changed as normal), 45 degrees of change requires 1 point of Q: Bear, above, could have reserved 2 points of Q for changing direction (thus only moving .3 meters/segment), and thus could have changed direction by up to 45 degrees twice.
Two grunts duke it out with their fists. Fists require 1 Combat Turn (15 segments divided by 10 is 1). The Grunts each have a Combat Roll of 10, a Combat Pool of 2, and a Movement Roll of 18. They do 6 points of damage in hand to hand combat. They have 32 EP.
Grunt #1 is Sinister. Grunt #2 is Dexter.
Sinister rolls 7 on his Initiative Roll. Dexter rolls 8. Dexter will usually go first.
Dexter and Sinister are 10 meters apart. They each roll their Movement Roll. Sinister rolls (2,6) 8 and Dexter rolls (3,5) 8. This gives each of them a Quality of 10. They use 2 points to reduce EP use to 3 EP/round, and the other 8 to move at .7 meters/segment. They each move 5 meters and stop (they could have moved up to 7 meters, but would then have run right past each other). That’s the end of this Combat Turn. They’ve each used 1 EP (for movement).
Sinister rolls (10,8) 18 for his Combat Roll, failing by 6. Dexter rolls (4,4) 8, succeeding by 4. He uses 2 points to increase Attack and 2 points to increase damage by 2. On his Initiative (8), he does 8 points of damage to Sinister.
Sinister failed by 6. On his Initiative (7), his Defense decreases by 1 (to -1).
They’ve used 4 EP each (1 for the Combat Roll, 3 for the Damage).
Sinister rolls (3,1-4) 0, succeeding by 12. Dexter rolls (10,8) 18, failing by 6. Sinister uses 3 points to increase his Initiative by 3 (to 10), 5 points to increase Damage by 5 (to 11) 2 points to increase Defense to 1, and 2 points to increase Attack to 2. On his Initiative (10), he does 11 points damage to Dexter.
Dexter failed by 6. On his Initiative (8), his Defense decreases by 1 (to -1).
They’ve used 4 EP each (1 for the Combat Roll, 3 for the Damage), for a total of 9 EP each.
Sinister rolls (6,7) 13, failing by 1. Dexter rolls (4,4) succeeding by 4. He uses 3 points to increase his Initiative to 11, and the remaining 1 point to increase his Attack to 1. On his Initiative (11) he does 6 points damage to Sinister (who has now taken 14 points damage).
Sinister failed by 1, and doesn’t do anything.
They’ve used another 4 EP each (13 EP each total).
Sinister decides it’s time to leave. He makes a Movement Roll. He rolls (9,4) 13, succeeding by 5. This is .5 m/segment, or 5 meters total.
Sinister rolls (4,1-10) -5 on his Combat Roll, with a penalty of 1 (for using a Passive Action), and plus his normal bonus of 2, brings this to -6, or a Quality of 16. He uses 5 points to bring his Initiative to 12. He uses 6 points to increase his Defense to 3. He uses the remaining 5 points to reduce the EP cost to zero. Sinister has no plans to do damage this Action. Dexter rolls (10,4) 14, failing his Combat Roll by 2.
On 12, Sinister’s new Defense takes effect.
On 8, Dexter misses.
At the end of the Combat Turn, Sinister runs 5 meters, and elects to continue running.
Sinister used 5 EP for movement. Dexter used 4 EP (Combat Roll+Damage). Sinister has used 17 EP, Dexter 16 EP.
Sinister rolls (7,6) 13 for his Movement Roll. He has a penalty of 5 to his Pool (since he’s already moving). He succeeds by 0, and will continue his normal speed, moving at the end of the Combat Turn. Dexter decides to chase, and rolls (3,10) 13. for a total Q of 5. He uses all for movement, for .5 meters/segment.
At the end of the Turn, each moves 5 meters. They’re still 5 meters apart, and each is now using 5 EP/round. Sinister has used up 22 EP (since this is the start of a new round), Dexter 21 EP.
Sinister rolls (6,9) 15, +5 is 20. He has failed by 2. Dexter rolls (4,4) 8, +5 is 13. He succeeds by 5.
Sinister failed by only 2, so this doesn’t reduce his speed or increase his EP usage.
Dexter adds his 5 Q to his Movement Q of 5, bringing it to 10. This is .9 meters/segment.
At the end of the Turn, they each move. Dexter moves 9 meters, Sinister 5 meters. Dexter moved 4 meters more than Sinister, so they are now 1 meter apart.
Sinister has used up 27 EP. Dexter is at 26 EP.
Sinister rolls (4,5) 9, with a penalty of 5, for 4 Q. Dexter rolls (6,6) 12, with a penalty of 9, for 21, failing by 3. He continues to move at .9 meters/segment (10 Q). Sinister adds all of his Q (4) to his movement, for a total of 9 Q, and .8 meters/segment. Dexter also makes an attack. He rolls (9,4) 13. He misses by 1, but uses 4 EP for the attack.
At the end of the Turn, they move. Dexter and Sinister move 9 meters. Dexter moved 1 meter more than Sinister this time. They are on top of each other again. Sinister is at 32 EP. Dexter is at 35 EP, or 3 below zero. He decides to give up.
Sinister rolls (10,1-2) 9, with a penalty of 8 (9 Q on movement already) for 17. He succeeds by 1, for 1 Q (which he uses to decrease EP use to 4 EP). Dexter, trying to stop, rolls (5,6) 11. He has a penalty of 10 to his Pool for movement, and 3 for his low EP. This is 13, or a penalty of 9 to the roll. This brings his 11 to a 20, which fails by 2. Since he’s trying to stop, though (see Move Roll) he can automatically decrease movement Q by the total movement Q (Sphere), minus half the 2 failure. He decreases speed by 9 (Move Q, Sphere) minus 1 (half the Move Roll failure) or 8. He has 2 Q in movement, and is moving at .2 meters/segment.
Sinister has moved 9 meters. Dexter has moved 2 meters. Sinister is at 36 EP, and Dexter is at 40 EP. They’re 7 meters apart and widening, and Dexter will stop on the next Turn.
KnowledgeKnowledge Scores are general topics of learning. On the Knowledge List (see Creating a Character), the Learning Time and Area are listed after each Knowledge. Learning Time is the number of hours that characters must study the topic in order to increase their Knowledge Score with the topic by 1 point. Talents |
Characters who are talented or untalented in certain Areas will find it easier to learn Knowledge in some Areas than in others. See the Optional Rules. Some Knowledge is associated with more than one Area. In this case, the character can choose to specialize in only one aspect of the Knowledge. A character who is talented in Writing may decide to specialize in the Writing aspect of Journalism, ignoring the Empathic aspect. Characters may even choose to specialize in aspects that aren’t associated with the Knowledge, with approval from the Editor. A character could choose to specialize in the Empathic aspect of Law, rather than the Bureaucratic aspect. This will tend to limit the character’s use of the Knowledge.
Specialization |
Characters can specialize in specific subjects of knowledge topics. Rather than knowing History, the character can know American History, History of the American Indian, or even The American Indian in Florida in the Late 1800s. This will grant the character much greater knowledge in that specific area of expertise, limiting the character’s knowledge in the more general topic.
Knowledge Descriptions |
See the knowledge list under Lists and Tables for a more comprehensive list. This section describes out of the ordinary knowledge, and knowledge that requires some explanation.
Acting: The character knows how to act. Acting is based on charisma, as well as learning. Average charisma and learning, and use as learning for purposes of determining the Learning Modifier.
Amateur Radio: In order to decipher Morse Code, the character must have a Knowledge Score in Amateur Radio equal to the speed in words per minute.
Artwork: Specifically, Artwork covers drawing and/or painting. Charisma figures into art as much as Learning does. Average charisma and learning to determine the Learning Modifier.
Climbing: This knowledge covers climbing natural objects, such as mountains and cliffs. Agility figures into this as much as learning, so average agility and learning in order to find the Learning Modifier.
First Aid: This is simply the ability to apply quick treatment to wounds or other bodily disasters. A character with First Aid knowledge can stop bleeding. The character must roll less than 5 times their Knowledge Score, at a penalty equal to the number of penetrating DP lost, plus a penalty of 10 for each previous attempt. It takes 1 round to try and slow bleeding. Characters without First Aid knowledge can attempt to stop bleeding, but must roll less than or equal to learning on d100, with the same penalties. A successful roll halves the time between Bleeding Rolls.
Game, Mental/Luck: The character knows some sort of game. The Learning Time varies with the game. Dice Gambling tends to be about 1 hour, whereas Chess or Card Gaming is 2 hours. Fantasy Role-Playing Games have about a 20 hour Learning Time. Or at least, sometimes it seems that way.
Magic Tricks: This is show trickery. The magician must have time to set up the magic tricks. Magic Tricks involves agility and charisma as well as learning. Average agility and charisma together, and then average that with learning, to find the Learning Modifier.
Medical: A character with Medical can cure an amount of penetrating damage in the field equal to Knowledge Score divided by 25, rounding up. This can be done once for any wound. This takes 2d10 minutes, plus the number of points in the wound squared, minus half the character’s Medical score. Neither injury nor permanent damage can be healed in the field.
In the hospital, a patient’s Healing Roll and Bleeding Roll pools have a bonus of the doctor’s score divided by 10. This may be modified downward (and may even become negative) if hospital conditions are particularly bad.
In a properly equipped hospital, a doctor can use surgery to heal up to knowledge score divided by 25, round up, injury points, and knowledge score divided by 10 penetrating points. Again, hospital conditions can reduce the doctor’s knowledge score.
Permanent damage might be able to be cured under surgery. Subtract ten times the original point score of the wound (permanent damage only) from the physician’s knowledge score. Subtract d100. This is the percentage of the original wound that can be healed. If this is negative, it does increase the points of the wound, unless the doctor makes a save vs. knowledge score minus 5 times the Wound’s points. Normally, healed permanent damage simply becomes injury damage, which then heals at the normal rate.
A doctor can bring an unconscious person conscious, as long as the patient does not have more permanent body/head injuries than the patient has damage points. The doctor must roll d100 less than or equal to twice knowledge score, minus the ten times the number of points the patient is below zero. The doctor must also make another roll against the same number, or the patient loses 1 DP, penetrating, to the body. There is a bonus of up to the doctor’s knowledge score on both of those rolls if the attempt is made in a properly equipped hospital. The patient can then stay conscious according to the rules for remaining conscious when at less than 1 DP.
If a wound is worked on by more than one doctor, it will take a better doctor to do any good. The new doctor must heal more than what the previous doctors did, and the wound is reduced by this extra amount (the amount over what the previous doctor(s) did).
Double the doctor’s knowledge score if the doctor is specialized in the area in question (and half the score if the doctor is specialized somewhere else). Medical includes all the knowledge of First Aid, at double the score (a Doctor with 45 Medical effectively has First Aid at 90).
Memorized Words: A character can attempt to memorize words. The number of pages memorized is Knowledge Score, squared. Thus, a character could Memorize the Constitution. The Constitution is about 6 pages, so a Memorized Constitution Knowledge Score of 3 is required.
Partying: This is a social skill, involving knowledge of how, where, and when to party. This involves charisma as well as learning, so average learning and charisma when determining the Learning Modifier.
Playing an Instrument: The character knows how to play a musical instrument. This involves both charisma and agility. Average charisma and agility, and then average this with learning, to determine the Learning Modifier.
Psychiatry: A psychiatrist is a doctor of the mind and brain. A psychiatrist can reduce the amount of time a patient is insane. Roll d100. If this is less than or equal to the doctor’s knowledge score, divide the time insane by the square root of the difference between the roll and the psychiatrist’s knowledge score. If this is greater than twice the doctor’s knowledge score, increase the amount of time by a number of days equal to the difference between the roll and the doctor’s straight knowledge score.
Sculpting: The character knows how to sculpt statues or sculptures. Charisma figures into this, so average charisma and learning to determine Learning Modifier.
Singing: The character knows various singing techniques. As in most performing arts, charisma is important. Average charisma and learning to determine Learning Modifier.
Speed Reading: The character increases the rate of reading by a percentage equal to the knowledge score. Cramming speed can be increased by this percentage.
Sport, Physical: The character knows a physical competition sport. Each sport will have a different combination of abilities for finding the Learning Modifier. Average those abilities together, and then average the result with learning, to determine Learning Modifier.
Tennis: agility.
Football: strength, constitution, and agility.
Baseball: agility and strength.
Bowling: agility.
Hockey: strength and agility.
Crew: strength and constitution.
Stereo: This is the art of working a stereo system, for maximum volume, penetration, and (to a lesser extent), clarity. Average charisma with learning to find the Learning Modifier.
Teaching/Training: A teacher increases the ability of a person to learn skills or knowledge.
For knowledge, multiply the teacher’s Teaching knowledge score by the teacher’s knowledge score in the knowledge being taught. Divide by the student’s knowledge score.
For skills, multiply the trainer’s Training knowledge score by the trainer’s level in the skill. Divide by the student’s level.
Look up the result on the Doubling Chart. divide by 10, and add to 1. Multiply the time spent studying (or the Training Points Used for skills) by this, for time/points for the knowledge score/skill level increase. For example, Carol Channing wants to learn how to play chess better. Her current chess score is 27. She finds a chess teacher who has a chess score of 40, and a standard teaching score of 20. Twenty times 40 is 800, divided by 27 is 29.6. This corresponds to 2 on the doubling chart, for a 1.2 multiplier. If she studies 5 hours while under the tutelage of the chess teacher, she has learned as much as if she had studied 6 hours alone.
The teacher does not need to be present at all times, but must be available to guide the student. If the teacher has a knowledge score/level of 0, use 1/2 as the knowledge score/level. If the teacher has a teaching score of 0, use 1/2 for that, also.
Students who did not choose to be taught (public school students, for example) must make a saving throw vs. Willpower to take advantage of a teacher.
Writing: The character knows some form of writing techniques. Charisma plays a part here. Average the character’s charisma with learning to determine the Learning Modifier.
SkillsSkills are abilities that the character can learn. The character’s proficiency in the skill is measured by the skill’s level. Examples for random starting levels are given in parentheses after the skill title. Unless otherwise specified, skills do not use EP. Skill Descriptions |
Acrobatics (3d6): This is the ability to execute tricky acrobatic maneuvers. The Bonus Pool for Acrobatics consists of Agility and half Strength. Acrobatics uses row 2 of the EP Use Chart (3 EP/round).
Armor Use (3d6): The player adds Level times 5 to the armor’s Cover Chance. Armor Use applies only to one type of armor--Cloth Armor, Link Armor (such as chain mail), Plate Armor, Shield, or Personal Armor (Skin Temper and Ignore Damage powers). Armor Use uses row 3 of the EP Use Chart (2 EP/round).
Astral Combat(d4): This makes possible special attacks while in Astral Combat. See Astral Combat, under Worldly Matter, for more information.
Awareness (3d6): The character has twice level added to perception at all times.
Body Hold (d4): This gives the character greater skill in grabbing onto and holding opponents. The character’s damage bonus applies both to grabbing damage and to keeping the opponent from escaping. Add the character’s skill level to the roll to keep the opponent from escaping, also. The character can decide to do a Full Body Hold which replaces up to skill level points of bludgeoning damage with penetrating damage.
Body Smash (d4): The character uses various parts of the body to smash into the target. There is a penalty of 3 to the Action Roll when using Body Smash, and a bonus of d6 damage. A Body Smash can do up to half level, round down, points of penetrating damage (replacing an equivalent amount of bludgeoning damage points).
Body Throw(d4): This is an attempt to lift and throw the target. The character must use 5 Quality Points from the Combat Roll.
The attacker’s damage is compared to the defender’s damage. If the attacker’s damage is greater, the defender is thrown half the difference, in meters. The defender also takes damage equal to the difference in the two rolls, in addition to any damage taken from flying into walls, etc.
If the defender’s damage is higher, the attacker loses a number of segments equal to half the difference between the rolls, as surprise.
Ciphers/Codes (3d6): This is the ability to create and solve ciphers and codes.
Penalties: There is a penalty to the Action roll equal to the Type of the cipher/code.
Bonuses: A computer program can help. There is a bonus to the Action roll equal to the computer’s Type.
Default Time: It takes 12 hours to solve a cipher, and 240 hours to solve a code. It takes 1 hour to create a cipher, and 24 hours to create a code.
Quality Effects: When solving a cipher/code, add the Quality of the Action to 1, and multiply by 10, for the percentage of the meaning that is extracted. When creating a code, the Quality determines how unobtrusive the code is. Subtract the Quality from Perception rolls to determine that writings are in a code.
Combat Skill (d4): This is the ability to use a specific weapon (or fighting style: see the skills Martial Punch, Martial Kick, and Martial Throw).
Skill Level Combat Pool Bonus
0 -6
1 -2
2 0
3 1
4 2
+1 +1
Combat Pool Bonus: Add this to the character’s Combat Pool with that weapon.
Special Options:
Aiming at Armor: A skilled attacker can give a penalty up to the attacker’s skill level, to the defender’s Armor Cover roll. Each Quality point reduces the armor’s Cover by 5.
Starting Level:
Characters will be level 0 for all weapons and fighting styles with which they are completely unfamiliar (guns in a pre-industrial civilization, or karate in a western culture). Characters will be level 1 for weapons and fighting styles which are common in their culture but which they haven’t received any training in. Characters will be level 2 for weapons/fighting styles which are taught or culturally imparted to all members of the culture. Thus, most characters in modern cultures are level 1 with Firearms, level 0 with Swords and Martial fighting styles, and level 2 with Fistfighting.
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Certain Combat Skills are part of a larger Umbrella. Characters can train in the Umbrella skill, rather than the specific weapons, at twice normal Edit Point cost. The following Umbrella skills are recognized:
Firearms: Handgun, Rifle, and Shotgun
Swords: Short Sword, Long Sword, Great Sword, Foil, Rapier, Laser sword
Spears: Spear, Trident, Javelin
Bows: Short Bow, Longbow
Axes: Hand Ax, Battle Ax, Chopping Ax, Mace
If a character with moves from one skill to another beneath the same Umbrella, skill level is halved. A character with skill level 7 in Handgun is effectively skill level 4 in Rifle and Shotgun. If the character were to actually train in Rifle, however, the player must pay a certain number of Editing Points in order to have a real level of 4 in Rifle. Subtract the current real level from the current effective level, for the number of Editing Points required. In the above example, if the character has a real level of 0 in Rifle, it will take 4 Editing Points to get a real level of 4.
The same is true for moving from a single skill to the Umbrella skill. The character above has an effective level of 4 in Firearms, so it takes 4 Editing Points if the character wants a real level of 4 in Firearms.
The same is true when training in an Umbrella skill. If the character has Firearms, skill level 5, the character is effectively skill level 5 in Shotgun. If the character decides to train solely in Shotgun, however, the character will have to pay the difference between real and effective Shotgun level, in Editing Points.
There are also two Combination Skills currently recognized: Martial Arts, and Wrestling. Martial Arts consists of the single skills Martial Punch, Martial Kick, Martial Throw, and Rolling With Attacks. Wrestling consists of Body Hold, Body Smash, Body Throw, and Rolling With Attacks. Combination Skills require 3 times the normal Editing Points.
The character’s effective skill level in the single skills of a combination skill is the character’s level in the combination skill. However, if the character wants a real level of that size, see the above paragraph on Umbrella Skills for the Editing Point cost. If a character who has trained in all of the skills within a combination skill wishes to start training in the combination skill, take the lowest of the single skill levels for the combination skill level. The character must pay that many Editing Points.
If a player decides to take an umbrella skill or a combination skill when creating a character randomly, instead of a normal combat skill, the roll is d3 instead of d4.
Confidence Art (3d6): Confience Art has a performance time of 2 minutes. The Bonus Pool consists of Charisma. The target is allowed a saving throw vs. Willpower. The Con Person can reduce this save by 3 for every Q point applied to it. This is the ability to convince a target to take an otherwise unreasonable course of action, such as buy a set of encyclopedias.
Contacts (3d6): Choosing the Contacts skill is a way of saying that the character knows a lot of people in a certain area. The player can choose New York Street Contacts, University Physics Contacts, Federal Government Contacts, or any type of contacts desired, within reason. Characters can have a General Contacts skill at three times the normal Edit Point cost.
To find a contact at any given time, the player must roll 2d10 less than or equal to the character’s Contacts skill level. The Editor may modify this roll as desired. The Performance Time is random: d100 hours. An unsuccessful attempt takes twice that time.
The Quality of the roll determines the Expertise, Amount, and Indebtedness of the contacts. A successful roll indicates one contact of Expertise 1 and Indebtedness 1. The player can use the quality points to gain more contacts of Expertise 1 and Indebtedness 1, or can raise any contact’s Expertise or Indebtedness by 1. A Quality of 9 could be used for one Expertise 10 contact, 10 Expertise 1 contacts, 3 contacts of Expertise 3, 2, and 5, or any combination. In each of those, Indebtedness is 1, but that can be changed in the same way.
Expertise rates how good the contact is in a desired skill. Each point of Expertise indicates a Skill Level of 1 in the desired skill, or a Knowledge Score of 10 in the desired field. Indebtedness indicates how attached the contact is to the character. An indebtedness of 1 means that the contact is likely to do anything of reason within the contact’s area of expertise. A contact with an indebtedness of 2 will likely help even outside its expertise. An indebtedness of 4 or higher indicates fanatical loyalty to the character.
The player can try to raise the base indebtedness, amount, or expertise of the base contact by taking a penalty to the roll. An unsuccessful roll still has the same Performance Time, however. If the player takes a penalty of 2 to the roll, and puts this onto Expertise, the base contacts will all have an Expertise rating of 3.
The character must have a reason for having a contact or set of contacts. If the character doesn’t have a reason (childhood friend, professional acquaintance, etc.), indebtedness is halved (round down). An indebtedness of zero means no contact.
Counterfeiting (3d6): The character knows how to counterfeit documents. The chance of someone else noticing is the other person’s perception minus twice the counterfeiter’s skill level, assuming that the other person even examines the document.
Create Optical Illusion (3d6): This is the ability to make things seem different than they really are--larger, smaller, farther away, etc. Those viewing the optical illusion are allowed a Perception roll, at a penalty equal to twice the illusionist’s skill level.
Detection (3d6): When looking for some obscure clue that will help solve a mystery, the character’s perception is increased by three times the Detection skill level.
Discipline (3d6): This adds twice level to the character’s Willpower.
Disguise (3d6): This is the ability to maintain a change in appearance. The power roll is the number of points by which abilities can be changed to duplicate a person. In order to look like another person, physical beauty, height, and weight must be made the same. Changing physical beauty requires 1 point per physical beauty point changed. For height, 5 centimeters requires 1 point. For weight, 10 kilograms requires 1 point. Going down always uses half the number of points. Changing sex requires 5 points. If all these statistics are exactly the same as the person being duplicated, then the character looks exactly like the person being duplicated.
There is a chance that close scrutiny by someone who knows the target may reveal the discrepancy. This person is allowed a perception roll, at a bonus of the number of points which are needed to fully duplicate the target, minus the disguised character’s skill level.
Double Action: This skill allows the character to combine two other skills (or the same skill twice). The character can train in firing two weapons, using a sword and a dagger, or even two swords, or riding a bike and playing a guitar. The ‘skill level’ in Double Action is treated as %Control (starting at zero), and a %Control roll must be made each time the character attempts the double action.
If the roll is successful, the player makes an Action Roll for each action, with a penalty of 10 to the Bonus Pools for each. If unsuccessful, the character loses a number of segments equal to half the amount the roll was missed by, as surprise.
The Bonus Pool penalty can be reduced by 1 for every 10 points the %Control roll was made by. %Control cannot be greater than 100. Double Action uses row 3 of the EP Use Chart (2 EP/round).
Driving (3d6): This is the skill of driving a specific type of vehicle (cars, planes, boats). Use the character’s skill level as a weapon skill for purposes of attacking with the vehicle, and as acrobatics skill for purposes of acrobatic maneuvers with the vehicle. The bonus pool is half agility.
Endurance (3d6): This adds twice level to the character’s Endurance Points.
Escape Artistry (3d6): The character has studied means of escaping from traps and bindings. If the Escape Artist was conscious when trapped, a roll vs. Escape Artist level can be made to escape, modified as the Editor sees fit. If the Escape Artist was not conscious when trapped, the skill level is halved. If the Escape Artist does not have the small, easily hidden tools available, there is a penalty of 5 to the roll.
Evasion (2d4): The character has Level points that can be used for Defense. Increasing Defense by 1 requires 2 points Adding another opponent costs 1 point (this applies only to Evasion). Evasion uses EP, starting at row 7.
Evading Pursuers (3d6): The character is skilled in getting rid of tails and chasers. The tail/pursuer’s Perception roll is at a penalty of twice the evader’s skill level. There will be bonuses to this roll depending on circumstances, from up to 100 on a plain, to 0 on a crowded street. If the evader does not know where the tail is, the tail has a bonus of Learning to the roll. If the tail is openly following the character (including chasing!), there is a bonus of 25 to the roll.
Falling (3d6): When the character falls, damage can be reduced by skill level. The character must have 10 segments to prepare. (Performance Time: 10 segments)
Focussing (d4): This acts as a bonus to the bonus pool for focussing Intensive Spells.
Forgery (3d6): Characters that have studied Forgery can, with practice, recreate another person’s handwriting. Those who scrutinize the forgery are allowed a perception roll, at a penalty of twice the forgers skill level. If the forger had an exact example while making the forgery, (copying a signature, for example), this penalty is three times skill level.
If the examiner has reason to believe it is a forgery, that person has a bonus to the perception roll equal to Learning, and a bonus equal to the examiner’s skill level with Forgery.
Gesticulation (3d6): This skill is useful only for Weaving Wizards. Points of Gesticulation can either add to the character’s Agility for purposes of Arcane Gestures, or decrease the amount of time that such gestures add to a spell’s Performance Time. Each point of gesticulation reduces the Performance Time penalty by 1.
Hide Objects in Plain Sight (3d6): The character can reduce the chance of someone seeing something by twice the character’s skill level, minus the smallest of height, length, or width, in decimeters, of the object.
The Editor may apply bonuses to see, due to circumstances.
Hide Objects On Body (3d6): The character can hide things on the character’s body. Those searching have a penalty to their perception roll equal to twice the character’s skill level, and a bonus equal to the largest of height, width, or length, in decimeters, of the object.
Hold Breath (3d6): Add this to the character’s Hold Breath Roll.
Hypnosis (3d6): This is the skill of hypnotizing subjects. The chance of successfully hypnotizing a willing subject is the subject’s willpower plus twice the character’s skill level. Unwitting targets are allowed a save vs. willpower, at a penalty of the character’s skill level. Unwilling target’s who know that hypnosis is being attempted are allowed a bonus of willpower and Learning on the save.
Hypnosis takes d6 minutes to complete. If there are many distractions in the area, a penalty to the success chance, of willing targets, or bonus to the save for unwitting targets, of from 1 to 50 is given, at the Editor’s discretion.
If the hypnotist wishes to implant a post-hypnotic suggestion, a roll vs. skill level must be made. Every time the suggestion should be carried out, the target is allowed a saving throw vs. willpower, at a penalty of the hypnotist’s skill level. Once the target successfully makes this roll, the suggestion is lost.
Ignore Damage (d4+3): This increases the character’s Ignore Damage by Skill Level divided by 4, rounded down. The Cover Chance is 73%. An attack that hits the head, neck, arms, or legs is not affected by this.
Intensive Spells (3d6): Add twice skill level to the chance that the character is focused correctly to attempt casting an Intensive Spell. See Using Spells Without Knowing Magic.
Interrogation (3d6): This is the skill of extracting information from unwilling subjects. Targets are allowed a saving throw vs. willpower, at a penalty of the interrogator’s skill level. If violent interrogation methods are used, the penalty is twice the interrogator’s skill level, if the interrogator has the ability to do damage to the target. However, the interrogator must save vs. skill level on 2d10, or the target will take the failure as damage, directly to body DP. Skin Temper and Ignore Damage will not modify it.
Each attempt at Interrogation takes a number of hours equal to the target’s Newoen minus 2d10 (+ Damage if violent interrogation is used). Under special circumstances, the target may gain a bonus of up to willpower on the saving throw.
Inventing (3d6): This is the skill of tinkering. The player must roll an Action roll less than or equal to the skill level to create an invention.
Penalties: If the invention is greater than Type 1, there is a penalty of Type to the Inventing Roll. There is also a penalty to the Pool for complexities of very complex or greater. See the chart below.
Bonuses: If the character has some Knowledge in areas that should help with the inventing, add all the Knowledge Scores together (with modifications as set by the Editor) and divide by 10 for the bonus to the Bonus Pool.
If the inventor has already invented such a device, and is using their invention as a guide, add the guide’s Reliability to the bonus pool. If the inventor is using someone else’s invention as a guide, add half its Reliability to the bonus Pool. Half those bonuses if the inventor is simply using a description of the guide, rather than the guide itself. Those two bonuses are not cumulative.
Double the bonus if the inventor is reproducing the invention exactly, and add 1 per previous successful reproduction. In this case, the invention’s reliability cannot exceed the guide’s reliability.
There is a bonus to the pool for complexities of complex or less. See the chart below.
Size: The Editor should set an average size for the invention. Doubling the size adds 1 to the bonus pool. Halving the size subtracts 1 from the bonus pool.
Default Time: It normally takes 6 hours to invent something.
Quality Effects: Quality can be applied to Reliability. Items with a Reliability of less than 20 have a chance of breaking every time they are used. See the section on Equipment.
Monetary Cost: Inventing takes money. For each hour spent on making an invention, money is needed, as given on the Complexity table below. If the character spends more money than this, it doesn’t increase the chance of success, but it does increase the quality of the invention if it is a success--add 2 to the Quality for each doubling of the money spent. If the inventor skimps, there is a penalty to the Action roll of 1 for each halving of the money spent.
Complexity Modifier Hourly Cost
Very Simple 8 bonus $1
Simple 4 bonus $3
Average Complexity 2 bonus $10
Complex no bonus $30
Very Complex 1 penalty $100
Unreasonable 2 penalty $250
Very Unreasonable 4 penalty $750
Improbable 8 penalty $2,500
Impossible 16 penalty $10,000
Inventing Examples: For the first example, Professor Star tries to invent a Type 1 time machine. The Professor’s Inventing skill is 3. He has been studying time travel physics (a very theoretical discipline, until now...), and has a Knowledge Score of 50. His Electrical Engineering score is 60, but the Editor rules that this has a modifier of 1/2. So, the total Knowledge Score is 50+30, or 80. This gives a bonus of 8. Time Travel is Improbable. This gives a penalty of 8. His total bonus pool is 0. He decides to double the amount of time spent on the Action of Inventing, 5 times, to 192 hours. It will cost him $2500*192, or $480,000 before he’s done. This gives him a bonus to the Inventing Roll of 10, for 13. At the end of this time, he rolls 8 on his Action roll; the Quality of the Roll is 5. This is applied to the Machine’s Reliability, for a Reliability of 5. See Equipment for an explanation of Reliability.
For another example, Professor Star takes up Photography, and decides to build his own camera. A camera is very simple, so he has a bonus of 8. Cameras are not Typed. His applicable Knowledge Scores are Optics (30), Photography (15), and Mechanics (20). Mechanics will be halved, so the total is 30+15+10, or 55. This gives a bonus of 6. He is using a description of a camera with a Quality of 30. Since this isn’t his and he is only using a description, this is halved twice to 8. His total bonus poolis 8+6+8, or 22, or 11 on the Sphere Chart. He decides to double the amount of time once, to 12 hours. This increases his Inventing skill to 5. His camera will cost $1*12, or $12. He doubles this three times, bringing it to $96, to increase the Quality of the camera by 6. He rolls 10, minus the bonus of 11, gives -1. This is 6 less than the needed 5, so he has created a Reliability 6 camera--but he spent extra money to increase the Reliability 6 times, bringing it to Reliability 12. Not bad for a first try.
Repairing Inventions: Items can be repaired. The roll is the same as for Inventing, but the cost is at 10%, and the base time is 1 hour instead of 12. There is a penalty to the roll equal to the number of Reliability points missing. The Quality of the Roll is used to increase the Reliability of the item. The item’s Reliability cannot be increased beyond the item’s original maximum Reliability.
Jumping (3d6): Add this to the character’s Jump Pool.
Locquacity (3d6): This skill is useful only for Weaving Wizards. Points of Locquacity can either add to the character’s Learning for purposes of Magical Words and Phrases, or decrease the amount of time that such utterances add to a spell’s Performance Time. Each point of locquacity reduces the Performance Time penalty by 1.
Magic Tricks (3d6): This is the ability to do magic tricks without a stage or preparation. There may be penalties to the Magic Trick roll, depending on circumstances and the trick. Pulling flowers out of a hat, for example, has a bonus of 15. Putting someone in a closet and making them disappear has a bonus of 2.
Maneuverability (3d6): The character has a bonus of level to the amount of Q that movement can be reduced by, and can move up to half level Q in order to change direction (reducing movement Q in one direction and adding it to another). Both of these can only be done at the same time as a Move Roll, although the Move Roll doesn’t need to be successful.
Martial Kick(d4): This is a special kicking attack. See the Combat Skill for level bonuses.
Half of hand damage may be added to the damage of the Martial Kick. If the character focuses (using 1 EP per bonus), the character can gain a Penetration of up to half level, rounded down.
If the character has a strength of less than 10, reduce the damage rolled by 10-Strength, on the Doubling Chart.
Martial Punch(d4): This is a special hand attack. See the Combat Skill for level bonuses. There is a penalty of 5 to the Attack Score, since this must be a Death Shot. There is no save against it, however.
One quarter of hand to hand damage may be added to the damage of the Martial Punch. If the character focuses (uses 1 EP per bonus), the character can gain a Penetration of up to half level, round down. The character can also do penetrating damage instead of bludgeoning, as desired.
If the character has a strength of less than 10, reduce the damage rolled by 10-Strength, on the Doubling Chart.
Martial Throw(d4): This is a special attack. See the Combat Skill for level bonuses. The character attempts to throw the target.
Compare the attacker’s damage to the opponent’s Mass (Square Chart). If the attacker’s damage is greater, the defender is thrown the difference, in meters. The defender also takes damage equal to the difference, in addition to any damage taken from flying into objects.
The attacker can use Martial Throw Quality to reduce the opponent’s effective Mass: each Quality point moves the Mass down 1.
If the defender’s mass is too high, the attacker loses a number of segments equal to the difference between the numbers (Sphere Chart), as surprise.
Mass Hypnosis (3d6): This is the skill of causing large numbers of people to see and hear things that aren’t there. Each target is allowed a saving throw vs. willpower, with a penalty equal to twice the character’s skill level. If the target knows that Hypnosis is being attempted, a bonus of willpower is gained.
The hypnosis can cause people to see illusions, but not to suffer from them.
Memory Training (3d6): Add twice the character’s skill level to perception, for purposes of remembering details seen earlier.
Mind Combat (2d4): This skill increases the chance of successful Mind Travel, and makes possible special attacks while in Mind Combat. See Mind Combat under Worldly Situations for more information.
Nerve Pinch (2d4): This skill is the knowledge of the correct nerves to pinch which will cause the target to fall unconscious. The attacker must hit with a Called Shot to the neck. The target is allowed a saving throw vs. perception, plus agility. The attacker can penalize this by 3 for each Quality Point applied to that. If the save is failed, the target will be unconscious for a number of rounds equal to the Q applied to that, modified for Ignore Damage and Skin Temper.
Nerve Pinch has a Performance Time of 20. See Combat Skill for more information on level bonuses for Nerve Pinch..
Opening Locks (3d6): The character must make a 2d10 roll vs. Level minus the Type of the lock. The bonus pool consists of half learning and half agility.
A skill level 7 person with a 10 learning and 10 agility, trying to open a skeleton key lock (type 1) will roll vs. 7-1, or 6, with a bonus of 9 (10 on the Sphere Chart). This is vs. 15.
Performance Time to Open Locks is the lock Type times 10 segments.
The character may leave a trace of tampering with the lock (which may set off an alarm) whether successful or not. Each try, the chance for not leaving a trace is level times 5 percent, plus the difference between the above Skill Roll and the die roll. Roll less than or equal to the chance on d100.
Picking Pockets (3d6): This skill applies to any action designed to take something from someone else surreptitiously. The character must roll 2d10 vs. Level. The target is allowed a Perception roll, at a penalty of three times the picker’s skill level. There is a bonus to the Bonus Pool of Agility minus 10, halved.
Picking Pockets has a Performance Time of 20.
Power Use (d4): Characters can train in their powers as for Combat Skill. This gives the same bonuses as Combat Skill, to the character’s Combat Roll with that Power.
Quick Change (3d6): The Performance Time to change one piece of clothing with another is 4 segments. The character can attempt to change multiple pieces of clothing at the same time, with a penalty to the bonus pool of the number of items being changed. The character’s Agility minus 10, halved, is a bonus to the Bonus Pool.
Quick Draw (3d6): This reduces the Performance Time for drawing a weapon by level segments, and reduces the time needed to sheath/holster a weapon by twice level segments. Quick Draw applies to only one weapon type, though the character can study it multiple times for additional weapon types.
Read People (3d6): When attempting to read a target’s mindset, the character gets a bonus of five times level on the perception roll. If the target attempts to foil the reading, reduce the chance by the target’s willpower.
Remote Attack (d4): If the character wishes to be able to attack with a remote-controlled weapon, the character must take that weapon as a Remote Attack skill. The character does not necessarily need to know how to use the weapon personally.
Rolling With Attacks (3d6): Add twice level to the character’s Virtual Damage Points.
Running (3d6): Add this to the character’s Move Pool.
Scaling (3d6): The character is able to climb walls and other structures. There is a penalty to the bonus pool equal to the number of degrees from straight up, divided by 10. A straight wall will subtract 0, and a flat ceiling will subtract 9. A flat floor will add 9. Also, subtract or add depending on the material being scaled:
Wood: +5 Rock: +4 Brick: +3 Metal: -2 Glass: -3
The roll must be made every round that the character is moving. Movement is reduced to one tenth normal while using this skill. Add half Agility to the bonus pool.
Searching (3d6): This is the ability to find hidden things in an area. The character gets a bonus of three times level on the Perception roll to find the object/person. Searching for a small object in a small area takes ten minutes per 3 by 3 meter area. Searching for a large or moving object (that leaves traces, such as a human) in a large area can be done at the one tenth normal Movement rate, searching an area of one tenth Movement (in kmph) kilometers on a side, every hour.
Sex Appeal (3d6): Add this to the character’s Charm Pool (Beauty).
Sneak (3d6): Reduce Perception rolls involving seeing this character by three times the character’s level. When using this skill, the character cannot move faster than .1 m/segment. Doing so gives a bonus of 5 for every .1 m/segment to Perception rolls to see the character.
Special Use: Many times, players will come up with special uses for their powers. A character with power over Magnetism might decide to create electricity by rapidly varying a magnetic field around metal. This is a logical thing to be able to do. There are two ways to deal with these Special Uses. It is up to the Editor and Player to decide which is best applicable for each case.
Option 1: Create a new Basic Effect. The character starts out at 0 %Control in this new Basic Effect. In the above example, the character has the new Basic Effect of Create Current, up to one third PR (Sphere Chart) d6 worth. It requires at least PR squared pounds of ferrous metal, however.
Option 2: Learn a new Power. The character starts out at 0 %Control in the new power, and PR 1. There will be a multiplier of at least 2 to the Editing Points required to train upwards (in both PR and %Control). The Player and Editor must determine the exact multiplier. In the above example, since the effect is so logical, and the power has the inherent weakness of requiring ferrous metal, the multiplier will be 2. The character will start out at PR 1, %Control 0 in Electric Power. The character must have at least Half PR, squared, pounds of ferrous metal on hand to use the power, however.
Speed, Specific Action (3d6): The player can reduce the Performance Time of the Specific Action by the character’s Skill Level. For example, a character with Speed, Teleportation, level 10, subtracts 10 segments from the Performance Time of Teleportation.
Teamwork (3d6): Characters must study Teamwork together. If characters with different levels of Teamwork attempt to work together, the lowest level applies to the group. Teamwork skill levels only apply with the group the character trained with. It takes less training to learn Teamwork multiple times, however. When a character who already has Teamwork with one group attempts to learn it with another, it only takes 1 Editing Point times the character’s skill level, to gain the same Teamwork level with the new team.
Advantages of Teamwork: When attempting to Combine Attacks, the group’s Teamwork level is added to each member’s agility. The group’s Teamwork skill level is also used as a combat pool that each member can draw from. The amount that the character draws from the pool is added to the character’s Bonus Pool. That amount is also unavailable to the rest of the group.
Tracking (3d6): This is the ability to follow trails left by animals, people, or any moving object. The character’s perception is increased by level times 5 for purposes of following the trail. Generally, trails fade with age. Look up the number of minutes since the trail was made on Column 1 of the Doubling Chart, and multiply by 4, for the penalty to the Perception roll. In areas where the trail is less likely to fade, reduce the multiplier. Certain conditions can give penalties or bonuses to the Perception roll also.
Trailing (3d6): There are two facets to trailing--following someone without being seen, and keeping them in sight. Trailing can be combined with Sneak. Trailing gives a penalty to the target’s Perception roll of level. In order to keep the target in sight, the character must make a Perception roll, with a bonus of level times five. There will be other bonuses depending on circumstances.
Use Incorrect Hand: This allows the character to do any one thing with the character’s off hand (left hand for right-handed characters, right hand for left-handed characters). The character starts at 0% Control, and may train upwards as normal for %Control. This skill has no level.
Weight (3d6): Add this to the character’s build for purposes of determining the character’s mass.
Weightlifting (3d6): Add this to the character’s Lift Pool. This applies only to specially designed weights (such as barbells). Use half the character’s skill level (rounded up) as the bonus to the character’s Lift Pool for normal items. Use one quarter the character’s skill level for the bonus to the character’s Throw Pool.
Wizard Block (3d6): This skill uses EP, starting at Row 7. The character can reduce a specific caster’s chance of successfully casting a spell by skill level (minus 1 for each Newoen divided by 10 meters away the caster is). This skill is rare, and players who choose it must know where their character learned it. A character cannot have a level in Wizard Block greater than half Newoen.
PowersPowers are listed in alphabetical order by name. Most powers have certain Basic Effects that define what the character can do with the power, and a Performance Time, which defines how long it takes. Some powers have Automatic Effects which do not use Endurance Points. For most powers, the PR is determined with 3d6. A few powers have a dice roll listed after the name, specifying the dice to use for the character’s PR. Basic Effects: Basic Effects are effects that require EP to use, and can be used at different power levels in order to use less EP. Normally, the total PR for the Basic Effects of a single action cannot be greater than the character’s PR. Automatic Effects: Automatic Effects are those that do not require EP to use, and are automatically given to the character with the power. Performance Time: Most powers have a Performance Time of 20. Power Descriptions |
Absorption: This is the ability to absorb other powers by touching the person who has them. Three types of Absorption can be chosen from: powers, material, and psyche.
Material Absorption is the absorption of Skin Temper, Ignore Damage, and DP of substances.
Psyche Absorption allows the absorption of knowledge, psychic powers, and intelligence. The character will absorb the memories, learning, and any psychic powers the target has.
Power Absorption allows the absorption of any power except robotic, item, or psychic. Power Absorption does not steal the basic abilities (increased Strength, Cosmic Rays). It steals the effects (Hand to Hand Damage, Cosmic Blast). Things that can be stolen include Hand to Hand Damage, Blasts, EP, DP, Carrying Capacity, Movement, Skin Temper, and Action Modifier. The abilities are only taken if there is a corresponding power. Hand to Hand damage will only be absorbed if the target has increased strength, for example.
Powers/Abilities that are automatic, such as Special Immunity, have a chance of working equal to the percentage taken. If the character steals 50% of the victim’s Immunity to Sausage, and is then attacked by a Vienna sausage, the Immunity has a 50% chance of working.
The character using this power must hit for DP, or use 3 Q points from the Combat Roll, to absorb powers from the target. Also, note that all the relevant powers or abilities are absorbed, including weaknesses if relevant or oriented towards the type of absorption (i.e. susceptibility to X-Rays for power absorption, phobia of zucchini for intelligence absorption, solubility in water for substance absorption, etc.)
Basic Effects: (Percentage Taken)
Percentage Taken: The percentage of power/material/ psyche taken per hit (per segment) is PR times 5. A character with Material Absorption PR 7 can steal 100% of a steel girder’s properties, after 3 segments of touching it. Upon absorption, the target must save on d100 greater than or equal to the percentage of power taken times Skin Temper (normal ST for physical powers, Mind ST for psychic powers), or fall unconscious for d100 rounds. Targets for Material Absorption will not fall unconscious or lose Skin Temper, Damage Points, or Ignore Damage.
Automatic Effects: (Duration)
Duration: Power/material/psyche is lost by the character with this power, and regained by the target, PR rounds after it was taken.
Acid Production: This is the ability to create acid and use it as a weapon. The acid type is equivalent to the character’s PR. See Acid, under Equipment.
Basic Effects: Acid Type, Range
Acid Type: The Acid Type is half the character’s PR, on the Sphere Chart.
Range: Maximum Range is PR minus 3, meters. Short Range and Range Set are PR (Square Chart).
Agility Bonus: Roll the dice given where the bonus was rolled up and add this to the character’s current agility. This power does not use EP.
Air Control: This is the power to control air motion.
Basic Effects: (Wind Speed, Wind Blast, Range)
Wind Speed: The maximum Wind Speed the character can bring wind to is PR times 10 kmph. The wind speed loses speed at the rate of 1 kmph for each meter beyond Maximum Range.
Wind Blast: The damage done by a Wind Blast PR/4, round down.
Range: The character can control air at up to PR (from Result to Square Chart) meters. This is also the Maximum Range of the Wind Blast. Short Range and Range Set are PR.
Alchemy: This is the ability to transmute matter from one form to another. Most (80%) of characters with this power must choose a specific matter that targets are transformed to. The rest can transform targets to any element.
Living things attacked with this power must save vs. constitution (Sphere Chart), on 2d10. Unliving things generally have a Constitution of 0. If this save is not successful, the target is transmuted for a duration equal to the amount it was missed by (Result to Sphere), minutes.
The character using this power in combat must either hit for DP or use 4 Quality Points from the Combat Roll in order to touch the target.
Basic Effects: Mass, Saving Throw Penalty
Mass: If the character cannot transmute all of something, none of it can be transmuted. The PR required for mass is the mass in kilograms (divided by 10), on the Sphere Chart.
Saving Throw Penalty: The character can give a penalty to the target’s saving throw of 1 per PR point.
Anti-Matter Production: The person with this ability can create tiny amounts of anti-matter.
Basic Effects: (Explosion, Range of Center)
Explosion: This does one fifth PR, rounded up, d6 damage as an Explosion (see Combat). It has a Short Range of PR divided by 5, Range Set of PR divided by 10, Maximum Range of PR divided by 4, and gets a bonus of twice PR to the Explosion Combat Roll.
Range of Center: The center of the explosion may be sent up to PR times 3 meters away from the person with the power. See Thrown Objects, under Combat, for what the character must do to attack the correct area. The character gets a bonus of 3 to Attack, since it isn’t really being thrown, but created at the target spot.
Half of these characters can create an even smaller amount of anti-matter and control it so as to keep it from blowing up immediately. The anti-matter appears as a glowing black sphere, PR/3 centimeters in diameter.
Astral Planes Travel: The character is able to travel in astral form anywhere, nearly instantly, if the character has already been there.
Basic Effects: Movement, Passengers, Saving Throw Change)
Movement: If the character doesn’t or can’t travel instantly, astral flight is possible at normal movement times PR on the Doubles Chart.
If the character can travel instantly (usually because the character has already been to the destination before), look the distance (in km) on the Doubles Chart for the number of rounds the trip takes. The character can reduce this by up to PR rows.
Passengers: The character can only bring PR/3 passengers (round up) along on any astral trip, and each must make a save vs. Willpower minus the saving character’s Learning or be unable to become astral. Passengers can easily become lost in the astral planes. The EP used for taking passengers along is only used once--to bring them. It is not necessary to use EP to keep them there.
Passengers who are forced to come along are allowed a save vs. Willpower plus Learning.
Saving Throw Change: The penalty/bonus to targets’ saves is the character’s PR.
The character may also have access to another astral plane. Roll a d100 to see what plane(s) are accessible:
Planes Accessible: (d100)
01-50 None (well, this one)
51-70 All Dream Planes
71-90 Roll Once for a Medium Plane
91-99 Roll Once for a Major Plane
00 Roll twice more
Medium Planes: (d10)
1-4) Plane of Universes
5-7) Plane of Time Lines
8-9) Plane of Multiverses
10) Plane of Time
Major Planes: (d10)
1-4) Plane of Light
5-8) Plane of Darkness
9-10) Plane of Neutrality
See the descriptions of these planes for what the character can do there.
Being in a dream plane allows contact with other people by dreams.
See Astral Planes Travel, under Playing the Game, for combat and rules for the Astral Planes.
Beauty Bonus: Roll up the bonus with the dice given where this power was gained, then add it to the character’s Beauty. There is a 1% chance that a hero should actually subtract the roll from beauty, a 5% chance that Intelligent Robots should do so, and a 20% chance that villains should do so. This power does not use EP.
Brain Wave Hearing: The character with brain wave hearing has a hearing multiplier of 1/2. This is not ESP. The character can only hear what someone else is saying or directing mentally at the character, and the character can talk normally, but what is said is heard in the mind(s) of the target(s). In this case, learning is substituted for strength for loudness. This power does not use EP.
Breathe Water: This is the ability to breathe oxygen from water. Due to the fact that at greater depths there is less oxygen, the character will only be able to breathe at depths up to Power Roll divided by 4, kilometers. Fifty percent of characters with this power also have the ability to survive greater pressures. The character can reduce the Bonus Pool penalty due to high pressure by the character’s PR. This power does not use EP.
Burrow: This is the ability to burrow and tunnel through soil and ground. The character can move through non-cohesive materials (like soil and dirt) easily.
Basic Effects: (Movement)
Movement: Burrowing speed is normal movement, using PR as Move Q. When burrowing, divide this speed by the density of the material being burrowed through. If the character attempts to burrow through cohesive material (like wood, iron, cement), also multiply by the Skin Temper of the material.
Chameleon: This is the power to become almost invisible by changing color and hue to that of the surroundings.
Basic Effects: (Hiding)
Hiding: Subtract twice PR from the perception roll of those rolling to see the character. Defense is increased by half PR, round up. EP is only required to change color with chameleon, not to remain that way, unless the character moves around, in which case EP is used normally.
If the character is attacking, reduce the Defense Bonus by 4 and divide by 2.
If the character is moving, those rolling to see have a bonus of 1 per movement PR.
Charisma Bonus: Roll the dice given where the bonus was rolled up and add this to one of the character’s charisma scores. The character can divide the bonus up among both charisma scores if so desired. There is a 25% chance that villains who roll up Charisma Bonus are fear-inspiring villains. This power does not use EP.
Clairvoyance: Clairvoyance is the ability to see places other than where the person is. There is a 50% chance that the character can also hear things in the area being watched.
Basic Effects: Distance, Senses
Distance: Look up the distance to the desired target (in kilometers) on the Doubles Chart for the PR required. The character must either be looking at a specific distance and direction, or be looking at a place familiar to the character.
Senses: Sight (and Hearing, if the character can hear) for the power are equal to the character’s PR.
Constitution Bonus: Roll the dice given where the bonus was rolled up and add to the character’s constitution. This power does not use EP.
Control Chance: This is the ability to affect probabilities.
Basic Effects: (Chance Change, Hex Blast, Range)
Chance Change: The character can modify other people’s 2d10 rolls by up to PR (three times PR for d100 rolls). The modification is directly to the roll, not to the bonus pool.
Hex Blast: A hex is a random blast which warps probabilities at the target area. For example, causing a wall in New York City to choose that moment to topple, or causing a vehicle’s electrical system to stop working. The Editor should adjust the chance of a hex working, depending on how probable the hex is. The base chance will be the PR, on 2d10.
Range: Look up the distance to the target on the Sphere Chart, for the PR required for range.
Control Similar Animals: The character is able to control one or more species of animal (wolf, lion, house cat, etc).
To determine what type(s) of animals the character controls, roll 3d6. A result of 3 or 18 indicates control of all animals. A result of 4 or 17 indicates control of all of the type which the character represents (that is, all cat-like creatures, all bird-like creatures, water creatures, etc). 5 or 16 means control of d4+1 species, and anything else indicates one species.
Basic Effects: (Quantity, Distance)
Quantity: The character may control twice PR in Damage Points of animals at one time. Those numbers are those that can be explicitly controlled with exact commands. Five times as many can be controlled through emotions.
Animals are allowed a save vs. their willpower plus learning plus DP, minus this character’s PR, on d100.
Distance: The maximum distance at which animals can be controlled is PR (from the result column to the Sphere column) meters, times 2.
Convert To Energy: This is the ability to convert one’s own matter to energy and travel in the same manner as that energy does. The player must choose an energy form. As energy, the character automatically travels at the speed of light or below, with no EP cost. Some examples of energy forms: Radio waves, heat, light, electricity.
Basic Effects: (Extra Mass, Energy Blast)
Extra Mass: Besides the character’s body, up to half PR kilograms of continuous matter can also be converted.
Energy Blast: The character can use an energy blast doing up to half PR damage.
Automatic Effects: (Ignore Damage, Extra DA)
Ignore Damage: Energy forms will be immune to most physical attacks, but not to most energy attacks. They can ignore damage (energy) equal to their PR divided by 3, round up, when in energy form.
Defense: The character’s Defense can be increased by up to PR when in the energy form, but Attack is reduced by the same amount.
Cosmic Awareness: The character with this ability may attempt to know things.
Basic Effects: (Question)
Question: The player asks the Editor a question. The chance of finding the answer is a 2d10 roll vs. PR. It takes a number of minutes to find the answer equal to d100 minus the Q (plus the Q if the PR roll was failed). Roll 2d100 for the percentage of that time that the character perceives. (If 50 is rolled on 2d100, the character thinks that only half the actual time has gone by.) This power does require EP for the actual time.
Cosmic Rays: This is the power to create cosmic rays in a high intensity beam.
Basic Effects: (Damage)
Damage: The character’s cosmic ray does PR damage. Short Range, Range Set, and Maximum Range depend on the PR applied to damage: Look up the PR, from the Result column to the Sphere column, for Short Range. Move down 4 rows for Range Set, and up 5 rows for Maximum Range. Ranges are in meters.
Darkness: This power allows the character to negate light in a certain area. From the outside, this appears to be a perfectly black sphere, dome or whatever shape the character makes it. In this area nothing can be seen by normal methods. The character can even make the dome or sphere hollow, thus allowing light sources inside the shape to work, but not allowing light to flow into or out of the shape.
Basic Effects: (Size Points)
Size Points: The character has up to twice PR points for Range and Radius. Range is the maximum distance away that the center of effect may be placed. Each point used for Range counts 1 row on the Sphere Chart, for meters. Radius is the radius of the darkness sphere. Each point used for Radius counts 1 row on the Sphere Chart, for meters.
Half of those with Darkness can stop Ultraviolet light. Half of those with Darkness can stop Infrared light. Two percent stop all electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves.
Death Touch: This is the ability to kill with only a touch.
Basic Effects: (Death Touch)
Death Touch: Characters using this power must hit for DP for it to take effect, or spend 4 Quality Points from the Combat Roll. Targets are allowed a save vs. maximum DP plus constitution (Sphere Chart) minus half the Death Touch PR (Sphere Chart), on 2d10. If the save is not successful, the target dies (gains d% of half PR as Death Points). If the save is successful, the target merely loses PR EP (as EP that heals back sleeping), and half PR DP (as penetrating damage), saving throw not allowed and unmodified by Skin Temper or Ignore Damage.
Density Control: This is the ability to change density. The player must roll a d100 to see in which direction the density change occurs: 01-50 means both directions (but roll a separate PR for both), 51-75 means Lower Density, and 76-00 means Increase Density.
Basic Effects: (Low Density, High Density, Extra Mass)
Low Density: Half the character’s mass for each PR. See Atmosphere, under Special Rules, for changes due to very low density. The character can ignore PR in bludgeoning damage at the low density, and can multiply Jump Score by the PR.
High Density: Double the character’s mass for each PR. The character can ignore half PR in damage, and gains a bonus to Skin Temper equal to PR (Doubles).
Extra Mass: The character can bring along up to PR kilograms.
Duplication: This is the ability to duplicate physical powers, mind/psychic powers, or skills. The player must choose which to take. In order to be able to duplicate a power or skill, the power must be known. To know a power, the character must study someone with it for the amount of time needed to gain 2 training points. Learning a new power requires that these 2 training points be diverted to it also.
Basic Effects: (Number of Powers)
Number of Powers: The number of powers a character can hold at one time is the PR divided by 3, round up.
Automatic Effects: (Known Powers)
Known Powers: The character can know a number of powers equal to PR.
Remember also that EP is required to use the power as if the power were the character’s.
Only 20% of Human (Organic) characters can duplicate powers by studying a robotic/mechanical user, and only 60% of Robotic/mechanical characters can duplicate powers by studying a human/organic user.
Duplicate Person: This is the ability to duplicate the face and shape of another human.
Basic Effects: (Changing)
Changing: Multiply the PR by 2 for the number of points by which abilities can be changed to duplicate a person. In order to look like another person, beauty, height, and weight must be made the same. Changing physical beauty requires 1 point per beauty point changed. For height, 5 centimeters requires 1 point. For weight, 10 kilograms requires 1 point. Going down always uses half the number of points. Changing sex requires 5 points. If all these statistics are exactly the same as the person being duplicated, then the character looks exactly like the person being duplicated.
Close scrutiny by someone who knows the target may reveal the discrepancy. That person is allowed a perception roll, at a bonus equal to the PR needed to fully duplicate the target, and a penalty equal to the PR used to duplicate the target. Skills (such as Ventriloquism or Disguise) can also directly affect the perception roll, at the Editor’s option.
EP is only required to change with this power, not to remain changed.
Electric Power: This is the ability to control and create electricity.
Basic Effects: (Damage, Skin Temper, Lift/Throw, Control)
Damage: Electrical blast damage is PR/3 (round up). Add 50% if the target is grounded, and double if the target is well grounded.
ST: The character can increase Skin Temper by half PR (Sphere Chart).
Lift/Throw: The character can use static electricity to lift and move objects. The Strength for the Lift/Throw roll is the PR applied..
Control: The character can control a number of points of electricity equal to PR. Reduce PR by the distance to the electricity in meters, on the Sphere Chart.
Emotion Control: This is the ability to affect people’s emotions mentally.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty, Range, Reactions)
Save Penalty: Targets are allowed a save vs. willpower minus twice the character’s PR, minus any modifications due to predisposition (already angry, already attracted, etc), on a d100. If the character concentrates on only one target, use 4 times PR instead of twice PR for the reduction. If the target realizes that emotion control is being attempted, willpower can be added to the saving throw.
Range: The emotion control will work on anyone within PR meters.
Empathic Healing: With this ability, the healer can take wounds from another person. 80% of Empathic Healers may take on penetrating damage. 75% of these can take on injury damage. 50% of these can take on permanent damage.
Basic Effects: (Wound Size, Restoration Rate)
Wound Size: The character can take wounds at the rate of half PR points per round.
Restoration Rate: The PR indicates the number of bludgeoning damage points the healer may heal from that which was taken, every round. Penetrating damage points are regained at half this rate. Injury and permanent DP are regained at this rate every minute.
Example: The Chessman loses 5 DP from a gunshot wound--4 Penetrating and 1 Bludgeoning. Healer (who has 6 DP) heals Chessman. Healer has a PR of 2, so it takes 3 rounds (2 and a half) to take the wound away, using 15 EP. Chessman now no longer has the wound, but Healer does, and is down to 1 DP. Healer heals the Penetrating Damage first (his choice), at his maximum rate of 1 per round. It takes 4 rounds to do so (using 20 more EP). Healer decides to let the Bludgeoning Damage heal on its own, since he’s already used 35 EP.
Remember that the empathic healer actually has the wound, and any bleeding or other effects of the wound take place on the healer.
Characters with this power cannot heal their own wounds with this power--those are healed at the character’s normal healing rate. However, 25% of villains who have this power are only able to heal themselves--by transferring their wounds to another person, in the same way as normal Empathic Healers transfer wounds to themselves. However, in this case the wounds transferred do not heal on the other person, except as normal.
Empathy: Empaths have the ability to feel other people’s emotions.
Basic Effects: (Bonus to Chance of Success)
Bonus to Chance of Success: To determine a target’s emotions, a roll must be made under perception plus the target’s newoen, plus five times PR, minus the distance in meters to the target (Sphere Chart), on d100. Touching the target adds the Empath’s newoen to the chance. If the target realizes what is happening and resists, subtract the target’s willpower from the chance. The empath will know what the target is feeling, towards whom, and what kind of a feeling it is.
80% of Empaths can show targets the empath’s feelings. The chance is the same as above, except that the empath’s willpower is used in place of perception + target’s newoen. Half of empaths who can Show Feelings can show fake feelings. That is, they can make others think the empath is happy, when actually angry, etc.
Empaths can scan the area around them. The chance of picking up emotions for any individual is the same as above. Roll only once. This scan is vaguer than a direct attempt (the empath only detects the kind of feeling), but it has a chance of picking up any individual in the area. The scan can be directed towards a particular direction, if desired, to weed out undesirable targets.
Explosive Touch: The character with this power can cause explosions upon touching solid matter.
Basic Effects: (Explosion)
Explosion: The character with this power can do PR/4 round up, d6 damage just by touching something, and can add this damage to Hand Damage attacks. The carrier attack must do DP, or the attacker must use 4 Quality Points from the Combat Roll.
Short Range for the explosion is the damage PR, millimeters. Range Set is the damage PR centimeters. Maximum Range is the damage PR decimeters. The explosion gets a bonus to Attack others of twice the damage PR. The explosion gets a bonus of half the damage PR (Sphere Chart) vs. Skin Temper against who/what ever was touched. This cannot bring a skin temper below one.
Half of these characters may cause explosions which do PR/5 round up, d6 damage when touching liquid matter.
The explosion does not go towards the character causing the explosion. Thus, people behind this character will not be affected by the explosion either.
Extra Appendage: This will usually be an arm, tentacle, etc., depending on the situation and planned origin of the robot. Some ideas are: telescoping arm, vise hand, normal appendage, eye in back of head. This will not add to any ability, basic or derived, although it should give advantages. The person with eyes in the back of the head would be allowed a full sight perception roll for attacks on all sides. A person with four arms won’t gain extra attacks/round, but will be able to hold 2 things while still fighting normally, etc.
This does not use EP.
Fire Coat: This is the ability to light up like a Roman candle, control fires, and create fire blasts.
Basic Effects: (Damage, Distance, Weight, Blinding, Skin Temper)
Damage: Damage is the PR/2. The character can spread the beam to get a better chance of hitting. For each point taken from damage, 1 can be added to the Combat Roll. Fire blasts may be forked, also, dividing the damage between more than one target. Attack Q must be supplied for each target. The Maximum Range for the Fire Blast is determined separately from the damage. See Distance, below. PR applied to Maximum Range cannot be applied to Damage.
Distance: The character can control fires at a distance of up to PR, read from the Result Column to the Sphere Chart, meters. This is also the Maximum Range with the Fire Blast. Short Range and Range Set are standard.
Weight: Weight is the mass that the character can cause to go into the air (caused by heat rising). This includes the character. Remember that the character is on fire when flying. If the character wishes to cause something else to fly on its own, it must be given a fire coat, which is likely to burn it up. Look up the weight being lifted on the Square Chart, for the PR required. Remaining PR can be used for speed in decimeters/segment.
Blinding: There is a chance that others will be blinded if the character lights up completely. Those in the area must make a Perception roll vs. blindness. If the save is not made, roll damage for the number of segments the target is blinded. All people in the area are targets. There is a penalty to that roll of the PR used for blinding, times 4.
Skin Temper: The character with this power can increase ST by PR divided by 2 rows when flaming.
Automatic Effects: (Safe Temperature)
Safe Temperature: The temperature of the fire is the PR applied to damage, times 100, degrees Celsius. Add this (using maximum PR) to the character’s Maximum Safe Temperature (see Temperatures under Situations).
Flight, Slow: This is the ability to fly.
Basic Effects: (Movement, Combat Bonus)
Movement: The Movement Roll Q is the PR plus height (Square Chart). Movement is in meters/segment.
Combat Bonus: The Combat Bonus Pool can be increased by up to half PR. This will only work when the character is flying in an open area.
Flight, Fast:This is the ability to fly at speeds which are a significant fraction of, or exceed, the speed of light.
Basic Effects: (Speed, Combat Bonus)
Speed: The Move Roll Q is the PR, and speed of flight is 10 to the power of half the Q, meters/segment. 7.2 times 10 to the 7th meters per segment is the speed of light, so characters moving at Q 16 and above will exceed the speed of light. See Space Travel, under Worldly Matters. The penalty to the Move Roll Bonus Pool is half the Q applied to movement, rounded up.
Combat Bonus: In flight, the character’s Combat Bonus Pool can be increased by PR.
Force Field: The Force Field is a sphere of force that helps keep out physical and energy attacks. Force fields also keep attacks from leaving the force field. Half of characters with this power can create walls as well as spheres. Ninety percent of characters with this power can create oblong spheres.
Basic Effects: (Diameter, Range, Skin Temper, Ignore Damage)
Size: The maximum diameter of the force field is the PR, meters. If a wall is created, the total of length and width cannot be greater than twice that. If an oblong sphere is created, the total of the vertical diameter and the horizontal diameter cannot be greater than twice the diameter listed.
Range: No part of the force field can be further than PR meters (Result to Sphere chart) from the character.
Skin Temper: The field has a Skin Temper of PR.
Ignore Damage: The field can ignore twice PR points damage.
Freeze Ray: This is the ability to project a freezing ray.
Basic Effects: (Ray)
Ray: Ray damage is one third the PR. The ray’s temperature is the PR applied to damage times 10, below zero Celsius. A bonus vs. ST of PR/3 (round up) is gained. This cannot bring ST below row 0.
Generate Self: The character with this power can fission into two or more bodies, each looking exactly the same. These bodies are controlled by one mind. The character can control all at the same time, see through all eyes, and react normally for each body.
Basic Effects: (Number of Bodies, Generate Mass)
Number of Bodies: The character can create up to PR bodies.
Generate Mass: Only half of characters with this power can generate extra mass when generating other selves. This means that if the character is wearing a suit, all characters end up wearing the same suit. Up to PR kilograms of possessions can be ‘copied’ to the generated selves, if the character can Generate Mass.
Characters who cannot generate outside mass can choose what possessions go where. A character with normal clothes over a costume could change into a person with normal clothes and a person with a costume, or a person with normal clothes over a costume and a nude person. It’s the character’s choice.
When recombining, average the scores for DP, VP, and EP of all selves to determine the DP, VP, and EP of the unbroken self. This power requires EP maintain the division. If the bodies cannot rejoin--they’re too far apart--then EP continues to be lost. However, any body that’s asleep only counts as ‘half’ a body for EP use (this cannot increase the number of bodies the character can become).
If one of the bodies falls unconscious, the player must save vs. willpower on d100, or all other bodies fall unconscious for 2d10 minutes. If one of the bodies dies, the player must make a save vs. willpower or the character is unable to re-absorb that body, and the abilities strength, agility, constitution, sight, and hearing, and the attribute build will be multiplied by the number of selves the character had become, divided by this number +1, ignoring fractions. If the character cannot join up with that body, a save vs. (new) constitution (Sphere Chart) on 2d10 must be made, or the character’s PR is reduced by the amount the roll was missed by.
Possession powers will only control the body possessed. Hypnosis and mind control powers, however, control the mind, thus controlling all bodies.
If one body is transported to another plane or universe, control of this body may be lost. The player should roll below to see where the bodies may be transported without losing control (roll d100):
01-40 this plane, this universe only
41-60 other astral planes, this universe
61-80 other astral planes, other universes
81-90 other astral planes, other multiverses
91-99 other astral planes, multiverses, time-lines
00 other planes, multiverses, time-lines, times
When a body is transported across planes, universes, or times without the knowledge of the character, the player is allowed a perception roll, with a bonus of newoen and agility, in order to choose where the controlling mind goes. This save is not allowed if the character is unconscious, and is not necessary if the character knows the travel is about to occur. Bodies lost due to travel become vegetables, and are treated as having died as far as re-absorbing.
Get Small: This is the ability to decrease size.
Basic Effects: (Size Change)
Size Change: Each PR halves the character’s height (for the number to divide height by, look up the PR used, +1 on the Result column, and read to the Doubles chart). This power requires EP only to change size (up and down). See Size Modifiers, under Combat Situations for special combat changes. In the new size, ranges and sight/hearing distances, may be modified. Many other figured statistics will change as well, most notably mass.
Get Tall: This allows a character to increase height. Increased height will affect combat. See Size Modifiers, under Combat Situations. Mass changes with height as well.
Basic Effects: (Height Increase)
Height Increase: Look up the PR used from the Result column to the Sphere Chart, and multiply by 10. This is the percentage increase in height. If the character uses 4 PR to increase height, this is a height increase of 40%. If the character’s height were 1.873, increase it by .1873 times 4, or .75, for 2.623. Get Tall only uses EP to change height, up or down.
Gliding: This is the ability to glide. Usually, though not always, the character will have vestigial wings.
Basic Effects: (Speed)
Speed: The character’s Move Roll is PR, in .1 meters per segment (as normal). The movement increase for each roll is halved, but the penalty to the rolls is normal. There is a bonus to the roll equal to the wind speed in kilometers per hour, if the character is going with the wind. Against the wind, this is a penalty. Crosswind, the penalty is half this. If it is raining, there is a penalty to the roll equal to the Weather Number (see Weather, under Worldly Matters).
Gravity Control: This power is the ability to cancel and reinforce gravity.
Basic Effects: (Gravity Change, Range, Radius, Flight, Gravity Barrier, Gravity Beam)
Gravity Change: Look up the PR used from the Result column to the Sphere Chart, and divide by 10, for the number of Gravities the character can create/cancel. A gravity of 1 is exactly equal to Earth’s gravity, allowing the character to cancel gravity or make it double. On the moon, a gravity of .2 can cancel gravity--the moon’s is 1/6th of Earth’s.
Reinforcing gravity multiplies weights in the area by that amount plus 1: a .1 increase brings 100 kilograms to 110 kilograms, or 60 kilograms to 66 kilograms. A 1.4 increase brings 100 kilograms to 240 kilograms. An increase of 13 brings 100 kilograms to 1400 kilograms.
Range: The character can place the Gravity Change up to PR (result to Sphere Chart) meters away.
Radius: The Gravity Change can be as wide as PR (result to Sphere Chart) meters in diameter.
Flight: The character can fly by creating gravity greater than the planetary gravity ahead of the character. Subtract the planetary gravity (1 on Earth) from the gravity the character is using to fly. Multiply that number by 10 for the character’s Move Roll, in .1 meters/segment A character will need, on Earth, to create a gravity greater than 1 (PR of 10) to fly. Maneuverability is penalized by 1.
Gravity Barrier: The character can create a gravity barrier, increasing Skin Temper by up to half PR rows.
Gravity Beam: The character can create a gravity beam, doing PR/3 (round down) points of damage.
Healing: This is the ability to heal wounds, restoring Damage Points that other characters have lost.
Basic Effects: (DP)
DP: The PR is the number of DP which can be healed, with a Performance Time of 2 minutes. Thirty percent of characters with this power can also heal Injury Points, with a Performance Time of 6 minutes. Thirty percent of those can heal Permanent Injuries. This has the added basic effect of Permanent Points (up to PR), which transforms Permanent Injuries of up to Permanent Points to normal injuries. Wounds of greater than the healer’s Permanent Points cannot be healed at all. The Performance Time for Permanent Points is 10 minutes.
Five percent of healers can also heal Death Points. They have the added basic effect of Resurrection Points (up to half PR). The healer can bring dead characters whose Death Points do not exceed the healer’s Resurrection Points, back to life. The Death Points are transformed to Permanent Injury Points (which can then be transformed from Permanent Points to Injury Points, if the healer can do that). The Performance Time for Resurrection Points is 1 hour.
Ten percent of healers can heal at a distance instead of just on touch. They have the basic effect of Range, up to PR meters.
Ten percent of healers can heal themselves.
Hear More Frequencies: This is the ability to hear other than normal sound. Roll d4 to see what is heard, and the power roll is simply the character’s Hearing. For a description of the hearing, see that entry under powers. Eighty percent of characters who can hear more frequencies can talk on these frequencies also. This power uses no EP.
1) Ultrasonic
2) Subsonic
3) Ultrasonic and Subsonic
4) Roll again, hearing in this manner is times (d6+1)
Hearing Power: Roll this with the dice given where the power was rolled up. Hearing power allows the character to hear things as if they were closer. Divide the real distance by the hearing power PR for the distance which a noise seems to be. This power uses no EP.
Heat Ray: This is the ability to create rays of heat.
Basic Effects: (Heat Ray)
Heat Ray: The Heat Ray does PR/2 points damage. It has a bonus vs. Skin Temper of the PR used for damage, divided by 6. It’s temperature is 30 times the square of the PR used for damage.
Hold Breath: Multiply the character’s hold breath score by the PR (Result column to Sphere Chart). This power uses no EP.
Hypnotic Power: To hypnotize, the character must catch the eye (or other visual organ) of the target. Hypnosis only works against sentient creatures of similar mind-set to the character with the power.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty, Time Between Saves)
Save Penalty: Once caught, the target is allowed a save vs. Willpower minus twice the PR used, on d100. If the target knows hypnosis is being attempted, there is a bonus of willpower on the roll. This save is allowed again every time the hypnotizer tries to have the hypnotized person do something, at a penalty of four times the PR used, and a bonus of from 1 to willpower, depending on the magnitude of the action. Having someone attack to kill close friends will usually add full willpower.
A post-hypnotic suggestion is also possible once a target is hypnotized. Every time the post-hypnotic suggestion is carried out, the target is allowed a saving throw vs. willpower minus the PR used to implant it, plus a number depending on the magnitude of the suggestion (see above).
Time Between Saves: The target is also allowed a save after a specific time, both to become unhypnotized and to throw off any post-hypnotic suggestions. Look up the PR used for Time Between Saves on the Result Column, read to the Doubles Chart, for the number of rounds between saves (divide by 5 for the number of minutes, 300 for the number of hours, or 7200 for the number of days).
This power requires EP to hypnotize only, not to keep someone hypnotized, although the subject will not have the Save Penalty if it’s not being applied. EP is also required each time a post-hypnotic suggestion is implanted. Post-hypnotic suggestions use the same Time Between Saves as the hypnosis itself.
Ice Coat: This is the ability to attract and freeze moisture in the atmosphere.
Basic Effects: (Blast Damage, Amount, Ice Coat)
Blast: An ice blast does PR/2 points of damage. Due to the relative slowness of the blast, there is a penalty of 1 to Attack. The Short Range of the blast is the PR used for damage, divided by 5. The Range Set is the PR divided by 4. The Maximum Range is the PR used.
Amount: The character can create PR cubed, cubic meters of ice per action. Use twice PR in heavy rain, and 10 times PR if the character is under water.
Ice Coat: The character can become covered with ice, increasing ST by up to one third PR, Ignore Damage by half PR points, round up, and decreasing Defense by PR/6, round up.
Automatic Effects: (Minimum Temperature)
Temperature: The temperature of the ice is 9 minus 3 times the PR used for Damage/Creation, in degrees Celsius. The character’s Minimum Temperature is at least this (see Temperatures, under Situations).
Ignore Damage: Roll the PR with the dice given where the power was rolled up. This allows the character to ignore that many points damage. Apply this before Skin Temper adjusts the damage. As an example, a person with the ability to ignore 4 points damage, with a Skin Temper of 2 (Row 4), would take 1 point damage from 6 points (6 minus 4 is 2, and 2 divided by 2 is 1) and would take 5 points from 14 points (14 minus 4 is 10, and divided by 2 is 5).
When Ignore Damage is used, it’s treated as if the character took DP for purposes of Throwback and Pushback. The player chooses whether or not to use Ignore Damage if only VP are lost. If DP would be lost, Ignore Damage is automatic.
There is a 50% chance that this is only partial protection. If so, it will only protect a character 50 + d20 percent of the time. Every time the character is hit for damage, a save must be made vs. that number, on a d100. The character can train in blocking damage with Ignore Damage as Armor Use. Opponents can attempt to get past the ignore damage as if trying to get past armor.
This power does not use EP.
Illusion, Psychic: This is the ability to manipulate the brain’s sensory centers.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty, Number of Targets, Range, Sense Points)
Save Penalty: Those affected are allowed a Perception roll minus the PR used, plus the amount of damage the illusion can do. If they know that it is an illusion, they gain a bonus of their willpower. There is also a penalty equal to the number of sense points used in the illusion.
Number of Targets: Look up the number of targets on the Doubles chart for the PR required for number of targets. Only subjects who are in range and known to the psychic can be affected.
Range: The maximum distance a target can be from the psychic is the PR for range, read from the Result column to the Sphere Chart.
Sense Points: The character can use up to PR Sense Points. Each sense has a number of sense points corresponding to it. Illusions can have these components: olfactory (1 point), heat/cold (1 point), optical (2 points), auditory (2 points), and touch (4 points). There is also the option of movement. This doubles the cost of any illusion, but if a target under sway of the illusion attempts to move, the target will feel the illusion of movement, but will, in actuality, be staying right in the same spot, unmoving.
These illusions can damage, even kill, if a subject believes them (see Illusionary Damage, under Combat). Only illusions with a Touch component or a heat/cold component can cause damage, and damage will be what the target believes the illusion can do.
Immortality: This power causes the character to live longer than most people.
Automatic Effects: (Longevity, Fate, Injury Resistance)
Longevity: Multiply the age at which deterioration starts and all other ages given in the aging section (except for age of maturity, normally) by the number corresponding to the PR below.
PR Aging PR Aging PR Aging PR Aging
3 2 4 5 5 10 6 15
7 25 8 40 9 60 10 100
11 150 12 220 13 320 14 480
15 750 16 1000 17 1500 18 2000
+1 X 3/2
Some immortals have Fate or Injury Resistance. Roll d100:
01-50 Neither Fate nor Injury Resistance
51-78 Fate
79-98 Injury Resistance
99-00 Fate and Injury Resistance
Fate: Immortality increases the number of Fate Points the character starts with by half the PR. The character gains .15 Fate Points per issue rather than the standard .1 Fate Point.
Injury Resistance: Add half PR, round down, to the character’s Resist Death score.
Increased Healing: Add the PR to the character’s Healing Roll Bonus Pool.
90% of characters with this power have the ability to heal DP while not resting, per minute. 70% of these characters heal Penetrating Damage at the healing rate per hour. If so, 70% of these characters also heal Injury Damage per day, and 50% of the characters who do that also heal Permanent Damage, but as if it were Injury Damage (healed at the normal rate, not per day).
25% of all characters with Increased Healing heal EP (that heals per round) while not resting at the healing rate per minute. 10% of these characters also heal EP (that heals per hour) as if sleeping--they don’t normally need to sleep.
This power does not use EP.
Increased Speed: This increases the character’s movement rate.
Basic Effects: (Increased Reaction)
Increased Reaction: When performing actions that take time, up to PR (Sphere Chart) can be used to reduce the Performance Time of the Action. In the case of Combat, up to PR can be added to the Bonus Pool.
Automatic Effects: (Move Increase)
Move Increase: Add PR to your Move Roll. For characters with this power, movement is increased/decreased in 1 meter/segment increments. If used to increase the speed of Flight, Slow, the increment becomes 10 meters/segment.
Infectiousness: The character is able to cause diseases. The player should choose whether infection occurs when the character does damage with the body, or when touching the target for prolonged periods in a way that traditionally spreads germs (kissing, for example).
Basic Effects: (Chance of Infection, Disease Type, Onset Time)
Chance of Infection: The target is allowed a save vs. Constitution minus PR, on 2d10.
Disease Type: If the person is infected, it is with a viral disease of type equal to half PR.
Onset Time: Once a target is infected, the disease will start at 0 and increase by 1 point every 60/PR minutes, until it is at the specified type. See Diseases, Viral for an explanation of what happens then.
There is a 10% chance that a character with this power infects with a chronic disease. The Onset Time for a chronic disease is 24 hours divided by the Onset Time PR. Once it hits the maximum, see Diseases, Chronic, for an explanation of what happens.
Infrared Vision: Infra-red is heat, just below the color red in the light spectrum. Infrared vision allows the character to see the outlines of living things in the dark--their heat signature. Different kinds of things will have a different heat signature. This power does not use EP.
Injury Resistance: Add the PR to the character’s Resist Death score. This power does not use EP.
Invisibility, Light: This invisibility is the power to control or change normal light in such a way as to become invisible.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty)
Save Penalty: Persons attempting to see the invisible character are allowed a perception roll at a penalty of three times PR. Sight will not modify the roll, except for microscopic vision.
20% of characters who have light invisibility can be seen in infra-red. 10% can be seen in ultraviolet, 30% can be seen with X-Ray vision, and 60% can be seen with Radar. All can be seen with Sonar.
Half of characters with Light Invisibility only need to use EP to change back and forth. Other characters must use EP to stay invisible also.
Half of characters who use EP to stay invisible can turn other things invisible also. They have the added basic effect of Range and of Volume.
Range: The target must be PR (Result to Sphere Chart) meters away or closer.
Volume: The target must be less than or equal to PR (Result to Sphere)/2 cubic meters in volume.
Invisibility, Psychic: This is the ability to make people believe that something or someone is not there. The character can attempt to make anything within sight not there.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty, Effect Range)
Save Penalty: Those viewing the character (or what the character is making invisible) are allowed a Perception roll at a penalty of twice PR. If the viewer knows there is something invisible in the area, there is a bonus equal to willpower on this save.
Effect Range: This power works on all sentients within PR (Result column to Sphere Chart), times 10 meters.
Jump: This is the ability to jump great distances.
Basic Effects: (Extra Dodge, Damage Increase)
Extra Dodge: The character can add PR (Sphere Chart) to Defense. However, the same amount must be subtracted from the character’s Quality with whatever Roll is being attempted.
Damage Increase: Hand Damage can be increased by PR (Square Chart) points.
Automatic Effects: (Jumping)
Jumping: Add the character’s PR to the character’s Jump Roll. Also, the character uses meters, instead of decimeters, for distance.
Laser Hearing: The character has a hearing multiplier of 10 with laser hearing. However, the laser must be aimed perfectly to be heard, and smoke, walls, trees, and other obstructions can kill signals. This power doesn’t require EP. Laser Hearing uses the character’s normal Hearing score.
Learning Bonus: Roll the bonus with the dice given where this power was rolled up. Then add the bonus to the character’s Learning. This power does not use EP.
Life Support: The character can create a life support field that surrounds the character’s body.
Basic Effects: (Vacuum, Pressure, Temperature)
Vacuum Protection: The power can provide enough atmosphere to make up for PR atmospheres.
Pressure Protection: For high pressures, the field can withstand up to PR squared atmospheres before it caves in.
Temperature Protection: For cold temperatures, the field can withstand down to PR times 200 degrees below zero. For high temperatures, it can withstand up to PR cubed, times 10 degrees before it breaks down.
Half of characters with this power also have the Basic Effect of Range, which is twice PR meters. They can provide a life support field for other characters in range. Each field uses EP separately.
Lifting: Add the character’s PR to the character’s Lift Roll and half the character’s PR to the Throw Roll.
Light Control: This is control over light--the ability to change its movement and create light.
Basic Effects: (Laser Blast, Light Area, Save Penalty)
Laser Blast: The character can create a laser that does PR/2 points damage. This damage can be done when there is an endless supply of light to turn into laser light. In darkness, the character can only create half this.
Light Area: The character can illuminate an area PR (Result to Sphere Chart) meters in diameter.
Save Penalty: The character can try to blind an opponent (+1 to Attack) or everyone in the vicinity (automatically hits). The flash blinds for PR times 5 segments (twice PR, d6 segments for an explosive flash). Reduce this time by the number of meters away each target is (Sphere Chart). The blinding flash does not cause any physical damage. Targets are allowed a Perception roll (see Perception) to see if they can avert their eyes.
The character cannot create darkness, because there will always be more light coming in. However, in special cases, if all incoming light can be controlled, darkness can be effected.
Light Illusion: This is the ability to create light and shape this created light into pictures. The light can be made into any shape with any colors.
Basic Effects: (Range, Size)
Range: Look up half the Range (in meters) on the Sphere Chart, for the PR required for range. No part of the illusion can be beyond this range.
Size: Add the height, width, and depth of the illusion (Sphere Chart), for the PR required for the size of the illusion.
Light Vision: A robot with this sight mode sees just like any normal human. If light can be transmitted, treat it as a flashlight: the robot can thus turn it on in the dark for normal sight range. The light can be in different colors. This power does not require EP.
Luck: Any die roll made against the character, and any saving throw made by the character with this power can be modified to the benefit of the lucky person. Whenever the Lucky character enters a situation where luck is important, the player should make a 2d10 roll vs. Luck (Sphere Chart). If successful, the Q modifies rolls in that situation to the benefit of the lucky character. If it’s a 2d10 roll, the Q modifies it directly. If it’s a d100 roll, modify it by Q times 2. This power does not use EP.
The character is also allowed a Lucky Escape Roll. In cases when die rolls are not normally made, but the character needs some luck (for example, when about to be captured by some attackers, being knocked unconscious, etc), the character is allowed a Lucky Escape Roll, which if made indicates that something happened to save the character from whatever was about to happen. The Editor is allowed much leeway as to exactly what saved the character, and as often as not the luck will land the character into another strange situation. There is a penalty of 3 to the Lucky Escape Roll for each previous Lucky Escape Roll that issue.
Magic Resistance: Any magic used around this character has a chance of simply not working or being reduced. Reduce the Level of Effect of any relevant spell effects by the character’s PR. Reduce the character’s PR by one for each meter beyond the character. Non-relevant spell-effects will include Range and Radius. If the Magic Resistance is still in effect at the caster’s location, it affects all the effect levels, including range and radius. If the Magic Resistance is still in effect at the center of effect, it’ll reduce all the effect levels except range.
Suppose a wizard casts the third level spell Radiation. The wizard is 10 meters from the character with Magic Resistance, PR 11. The wizard casts the Radiation with 5 levels in Range (50 meters, centered 40 meters from the Magic Resistant character), 8 levels in Radius (16 meter radius), 6 levels in amount, and 4 levels in Type. First, the Magic Resistance is still in effect at the caster: the caster is 10 meters away, and the PR is 11. So, all effects are reduced by 1 level (11 minus 10). This reduces the range to 40 meters (level 4), the radius to 14 meters (level 7), the amount to 5, and the Type to 3 (changing it from heat to light, probably infra-red).
If the wizard were 55 meters from the character, and cast it with a range of 50 meters, 5 meters from the character, all effects except range would be reduced by 6 (11 minus 5), effectively nullifying the spell. It’ll still have a radius of 4 meters, but the amount will be 0 and the type will be 0.
If the wizard were 65 meters from the character, and cast it 15 meters from the character, neither the caster nor the center of effect are within range of the character’s Magic Resistance, so only the last 2 effects (amount and type) are affected, and those only within 11 meters of the character. Directly at the character, both effects are reduced to nothing. Ten meters from the character, they’re each reduced by 1 level (11 minus 10).
This power does not use EP.
Magic Spell: Either the character has somewhere gained knowledge of a spell, or the character has the ability to use a magic spell as an innate power.
Roll d100 to see what level the spell is, and then roll to see which spell is gained, giving each spell an even chance. There is a 60% chance of having a minor spell also. Roll this until the roll is missed. All spells are cast at the level of the normal (high level) spell gained, even if this level is greater than the character’s intelligence (but if the level is greater, the character must choose option 1, below). The character has a 2 in 6 chance of adding 1 to the level, rolled until missed.
At this point the character must choose how to treat the spell(s). There are two choices:
1) treat it as a power. The character doesn’t have to worry about Concentration. The spell’s Effects are Basic Effects. The character’s PR is the character’s level plus 1d6. Performance Time is the Base Casting Time. The base EP Use row is 0 (4 for Minor Spells).
It really isn’t a magic spell, it just looks like one. There is a 35% chance that a spell which changes the universal or astral continuum does not do so as a power, and a 90% chance that a Ceremony does not require any objects/materials. Even if the Ceremony does require objects/materials, the player and Editor should work together to determine the requirements in a way that fits with the character. The training points required for training in the spell are halved for minor spells.
2) treat it as a spell. Treat the spell as if the character had learned it under the rules for Wizardry. The casting chance is not halved, even though the character probably has not yet learned magic. Any spells learned later also do not half the casting chance, and the roll to know is vs. willpower, not intelligence (see Learning Magic After Starting Play) for other spells the character attempts to learn. The character is sort of a ‘half’ wizard.
Roll Spell Level
01-13 1
14-25 2
26-35 3
36-45 4
46-55 5
56-63 6
64-70 7
71-77 8
78-83 9
84-88 10
89-92 11
93-95 12
96-98 13
99 14
00 Roll again, adding 14 to the level
Magnetic Powers: This is the ability to create powerful magnetic fields.
Basic Effects: (Lift/Throw, Skin Temper, Metal Blast)
Lift/Throw: The character’s Strength for Lifting/Throwing metal is twice PR.
Skin Temper: A person with this power can increase ST by PR divided by 2 rows vs. metal weapons.
Metal Damage: The character can do damage to metal equal to PR. There’s a bonus of 3 to the combat pool for this.
Automatic Effects: (Non-Magnetic Weight)
Non-Magnetic Weight: For each kg of magnetic material controlled, PR/10 kg of non-magnetic material can be carried. The character still cannot magnetically lift more than the weight given by the applied PR. Thus, a character with PR 15, lifting 20 kilograms of metal can also lift 20 * 1.5, or 30, kilograms of non-metal. This requires 7 PR points to lift (20+30=50, which is 14 on the Sphere Chart).
Map Sense: The character’s sight multiplier with Map Sense is 1/4. With Map Sense, a character sees a mental map of the area nearby. The sense will even map around objects a person can, for example, map a person hiding behind a tree, or a room the character has yet to enter. This power does not use EP.
Microwave Hearing: The character’s hearing multiplier with Microwave is 10,000. This power does not use EP.
Mind Control: This is the ability to control minds from distances.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty, Range)
Save Penalty: The target is allowed a save vs. Perception plus willpower minus PR times 3, on a d100. If the target knows that mind control is being attempted, there is a bonus equal to willpower on this save. There is another save allowed every time the controller has them do something they would not normally do. This save is as above, at a bonus of 1 to willpower, depending on the magnitude of the action.
Range: PR required for Range is the distance in meters, on the Doubles Chart. If the distance between the controlled and the controller ever goes beyond this, control is lost.
Mind Travel: This is the ability to travel into someone else’s Personal Mind-Reality.
Basic Effects: (Save Penalty)
Save Penalty: The target is allowed a save vs. willpower, minus twice the enterer’s PR.
See Astral Travel/Mind Combat under Worldly Situations for more information on Personal Mind-Realities. This power requires EP only to enter.
Missile Fire: This power does not have a PR. The character has a built in weapon. The character can store only a certain number of missiles, and must replenish these when they run out. This power does not use EP.
Roll Missile Capacity
1 Handgun, Type d4 2d20
2-3 Needler, Type d4 2d12
1-2) poisoned, type d4+1
3-8) sleep poison, type d4+1
9-10) no poison supplied
4 Grenade Launcher 2d4
type d4, and type d3 explosive grenades
5 Dart Gun, Type d4 3d10
1-2) poisoned, type d4+1
3-9) sleep poison, type d4+1
10) no poison supplied
6 Pod Gun, Type d4 2d12
1-2) poisoned, type d4+1
3-8) sleep poison, type d4+1
9) explosive pods, type d3+1
10) initial pods not special
Modem: This device allows the robot to talk with computers and interface with electronic devices.
Basic Effects: (Connect, Range, Control)
Connect: The target is allowed a save vs. willpower (if it has any) minus three times the PR, plus any Protection Knowledge the target has (anti-connect software, anti-viral programs, etc.). If the target is non-sentient, this only requires EP to connect. If the target is sentient, the character must maintain control, and uses EP to do so.
Range: Only 60% of Robots have the basic effect of Range. They do not require a wired interface with the computer. The PR required for Range is the distance in meters, on the Sphere Chart.
Molecule Control: This is the ability to control non-living molecules, and reshape what they make up. This means reshaping molecules (separating hydrogen and oxygen in water, for example, or combining sodium and chloride into salt) as well as reshaping what the molecules make up (changing a chair to a table).
Basic Effects: (Mass, Molecular Blast)
Mass: Characters can control as much mass as could be Thrown to that range with half PR as the Throw Roll Q.
Molecular Blast: A molecular blast can be used which does PR points damage. To organic matter, this blast does half that, rounded up.
Ten percent of these characters have the ability to control living matter molecules also. The character must be able to control the entire mass of the creature or plant, and sentient creatures are allowed a saving throw vs. Willpower. The character has the added Basic Effect of Save Penalty, which reduces saves by PR. Characters who can control living matter do PR points of damage to living matter with their Molecular Blast.
Natural Weaponry: The player adds PR to the character’s strength for purposes of damage with a natural weapon. This must be a claw, tusk, hand, etc. The damage done with the character’s Natural Weapon counts as Penetrating Damage if it is a claw, tusk, or other edged/pointed body part. 10% of characters with this power have a Penetration of PR (Doubles). This power does not use EP, and cannot be trained in.
Open Locks: This is the ability to cause locks to open. A PR 7 person trying to open a skeleton key lock (type 1) at 0 range will roll 2d10 vs. 13 (7 times 2, minus 1). This will use 5 EP.
Basic Effects: (Chance of Success, Range)
Chance of Success: The player must roll vs. twice PR on 2d10, at a penalty of the lock type.
Range: The character’s range with this power is half the PR in meters.
Perception Bonus: Roll the bonus given where this power was rolled up, and add this to the character’s Perception. This power does not use EP.
Phobia: This is the ability to cause fear in people.
Basic Effects: (Targets, Range, Save Penalty, Worst Fear)
Targets: The character can cause fear in up to PR targets (Result column to Sphere Chart). The character must know about each target, and each target must be within Range.
Range: Targets must be within PR times 3 meters.
Save Penalty: Each target is allowed a save vs. willpower minus twice this character’s PR.
Worst Fear: The character can also attempt to cause the targets to feel their worst fear. This costs 5 PR. If a Worst Fear save is missed, the target’s worst fear manifests itself for the target, almost as an illusion.
If the target knows that phobia is being attempted, there is a bonus of willpower to the save.
Plant Control: This is the ability to control the movement of plants.
Basic Effects: (Plant Points, Range, Agility)
Plant Points: The character has a number of plant points equal to PR (Result column to Sphere Chart). This measures the amount of plants which can be controlled. Grass is worth 1 point per square meter. Flowers are worth 2 points per square meter, bushes are worth 1 point, and trees are worth 4 points each. Divide Plant Points by 8, ignoring fractions, for the 4 sided dice of damage that can be done with large grass. Divide the Plant Points by 4 for the number of d4 which can be done with large flowers and bushes. Divide Plant Points by 2 for the d6 which can be done with trees. Using grass gives a +5 to Combat, a flower patch or a bush gets +3, and a tree +1.
Range: The maximum range is PR, read from the Result column to the Sphere Chart, meters.
Agility: The plants have an agility of PR.
Power Beam: The power beam is a beam of force.
Basic Effects: (Mass, Force Blast)
Mass: Mass is the amount of matter which can be pushed or held with the beam. The PR required to push/hold something is half the mass of the target, on the Sphere Chart. Add 1 to the mass for each meter the target is from the character.
Force Blast: A Power Beam does half PR points damage. Power Beams cause bludgeoning damage.
Power Enhancement: These powers enhance another power’s effectiveness. The player can roll d100 to see what type of enhancement is gained:
01-75 Minor Enhancement
76-99 Major Enhancement
00 Limited Godlike Ability
If the player rolls 01 or 99, the enhancement gained works on d4+1 applicable powers.
Minor Enhancement: Choose one of these:
Area Effect: The power affects all possible targets (controlled by user) within a diameter of PR meters. The range of the effect remains normal, and becomes the range to the center of effect. Diameter uses EP as another Basic Effect.
Increased Range: Multiply the ranges (short range, range set, maximum range, range of center of effect, diameter of effect, etc) of one power by PR. This doesn’t use EP. If multiplying doesn’t do much, the character can add PR meters instead. This will use EP, as another Basic Effect.
Multiple Increased Ranges multiply the PR, rather than add (unless that’s what the player wants).
Increased Duration (3d6): Multiply the duration of one power by PR. This enhancement does not use EP. If multiplying doesn’t do much, add PR rounds to the duration. In this case, Duration does use EP, as an added Basic Effect.
Multiple Increased Durations multiply the PR, rather than add (unless that’s what the player wants).
Increased Effect (3d6): The number of things (or mass of objects) that can be affected is multiplied by PR. This does not use EP. Multiple Increased Effect multiply the PR, rather than add.
Minor Addition/Modification: Add something minor to one or more of the powers the character has. For example, a character with the Telepathic Operator power might also gain the ability to detect mutants and their powers along with psychics. A person with Molecule Control or Magnetism might gain the ability to build things with their power (for example, buildings and electric guitars). The possibilities are endless. This uses EP only as far as it is based on the other power.
Separate Power Source: The affected power(s) use EP from a source separate from the character’s normal EP. This power source will consist of 2d6 EP, plus 1d6 EP for each power affected. If it affects 1 power, the power source will have 3d6 EP; if 4 powers, 6d6 EP. This EP supply is inaccessible except to the affected powers, and the affected powers can generally not use normal EP. This supply ‘heals’ as normal EP.
Major Enhancement: Choose one of these:
Major Addition/Modification: Very similar to the Minor Enhancement of Minor Addition. Basically, assume this to be a major enhancement to the power. A character with Psychic Blast, for example, might gain the ability to ignore both Skin Temper and Ignore Damage with the attack. A character with Plant Control might gain the ability to cause the plants controlled to lift up their roots and move, at PR meters/round (increasing their bonus to hit by 2, among other things). Again, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and your Editor’s judgment.
Permanent Effect: The player can choose one power to have a permanent effect. This power will always be on, and will not use EP. Effects with duration will last until the character says it stops (Alchemy, for example, or Charm). If used on a personal power (such as invisibility), the power is always in effect (always invisible, or at least when the character wants it). This enhancement does not use EP (nor does it have a PR).
Power Increase: Power Rolls of affected powers increase for a specific reason. This enhancement can also apply to an ability.
The reason and affected power/ability are set by the player and Editor. The reason is usually a trigger. The trigger could be damage--for every 10 points of damage taken to VP and DP, the more powerful the character’s Power Beam becomes. Or, the trigger can be an emotion--the angrier the character gets, the bigger the character gets. The trigger can be tied to the power itself--for each consecutive use of the power at full, the increase occurs. Or the trigger can be tied to another power, in the same way. Or the trigger can be completely different. A character with Generate Self might get stronger every 30 minutes apart. To keep something like this reasonable, there should be a danger to staying apart too long.
The player must make a 2d10 roll vs. the PR. The Quality of the roll can be used to reduce the EP cost for the increase or to increase any affected Power/Ability by one.
The Power Increase will be lost by 1 point every PR rounds, unless a specific trigger is also set for losing the Power Increase (such as a character with Generate Self rejoining, the character calming down, etc.).
Power Increase has a Performance Time of 1. Power Increase is often involuntary: although it will still use EP (and usually at maximum), it will only use EP when successful.
Special Transformation: The character can cause another target to momentarily be able to use a power that the character can use. The character can control the use. For example, a character with Astral Travel can force other persons to travel into the astral plane.
Basic Effects: (Range, Save Penalty)
Range: The Range of the Transformation is PR meters, and once the target leaves this range, the transformation ends.
Save Penalty: The target is must roll a saving throw (whether willing or not) vs. the target’s DP (Sphere) minus the transformer’s DP (Sphere), on 2d10.
EP use is as follows: The transformer must use EP just as if using the power being forced.
Never Misses/Never Fails: One of the character’s powers or attacks will either rarely miss, or rarely fail to work. Attack Scores with that power/attack have a bonus equal to half the character’s PR with Never Misses/Never Fails. Any saving throws of the target will be reduced by a certain amount: saving throws made on d100 are penalized by twice the PR. Saving throws made on 2d10 are penalized by half PR, round down. This power does not use EP.
Limited Godlike Ability: This is the ability to use powers to gain much more varied effects. A character with the Speed power might attempt to follow a villain across a lake by moving so fast surface tension doesn’t break, and then might appear in more than one place at a time by moving at extremely high speeds, and then might try to blow the villain away by creating high winds.
Basic Effects: (Basic Chance)
Basic Chance: The Basic Chance that the attempt will succeed is the character’s PR with Limited Godlike Ability (rolled on 2d10).
The further afield an attempt is, the more penalties to the Bonus Pool. Trying to affect non-ferrous materials with the power Magnetism will have a penalty of 20. Attempting to move between universes by ‘vibrating’ through them with the Vibratory Power will have a penalty of 4. The attempts given above for Speed all have no modifier.
Reduction Description
-4 totally unrelated, but go together--high speed travel (flight, running) to travel between universes;
-10 totally unrelated, but not completely different--using healing to control someone’s muscles;
-20 totally unrelated use of power, completely different effect--using Shape Change to cause a block to spontaneously lift itself off the ground (ala telepathy), or using the power of Electricity to change a character’s form to that of a frog;
Examples: Moving across the lake is movement: the character uses EP as movement, and has no penalty to the Bonus Pool. Appearing in more than one place at a time requires 5 PR from the Speed PR, so will use EP for that. Creating a high wind will use EP as if the character had Air Control at the character’s PR with Speed.
This enhancement affects d100 divided by d8 percent of the character’s powers, round up. EP used is normal EP for the power, and the added Basic Effect of Basic Chance.
Psionic Blast: This is a mind attack. Damage taken from this attack is modified by the target’s Astral/Mind Combat Skin Temper, not the normal Skin Temper and Ignore Damage. Psionic Blast can only affect living things with learning and newoen greater than 0.
Basic Effects: (Damage)
Damage: Damage is equal to half the Power Roll, and counts as penetrating to the head. The attacker must attempt to hit the head in a Called Shot (see Special Combat Adjustments). There is a +2 to the Combat Roll Bonus Pool.
Psychic Blast: The psychic blast is a beam of pure destructive psychic force. It does bludgeoning damage. It has the Basic Effect of Damage, equal to half PR.
Pyrokinesis: This is the ability to start fires and increase temperatures.
Basic Effects: (Temperature Increase, Explosion, Center, Radius)
Temperature Increase: The PR required for a temperature increase is the increase desired, on the Sphere Chart.
Explosion: The character can also elect to create an explosion of heat. This does PR/5 (round up) d6 points of damage as an Explosion, and the player must make a Combat Roll as a Thrown Weapon and then as an Explosion (see Combat).
The explosion gets a bonus of PR to its Attack Score. Maximum Range is half PR. Short Range is PR divided by 10, and Range Set is half Short Range.
Center: The explosion or temperature increase can be sent up to twice PR meters away.
Radius: The temperature increase can have a radius of up to PR/4 meters.
Radar: This is the ability to see the outlines of objects. Radar (whether or not true radar waves are involved) is emitted by the character, and the returning waves (those that bounce off of objects) are seen by the character. Thus, the character can see in the dark just as well as in the light, with radar. The character’s sight multiplier with Radar is 10. This power does not use EP.
Radiation: The character can increase radiation in an area.
Basic Effects: (Intensity, Area of Effect, Beam)
Intensity: The character can create up to PR intensity radiation.
Area of Effect: The intensity affects an area PR meters in diameter.
Beam: The character can also shoot a radiation beam doing PR/3, round down, points damage. Anyone hit for DP by a radiation beam must save as if just coming into contact with radiation of intensity equal to the damage (see Radiation, under Systems).
Radio Frequencies: This is the ability to hear radio waves. The character’s hearing multiplier with Radio hearing is 100,000. This power does not use EP.
Reincarnation: This is the ability to reform or replace the character’s body when it dies. The new body is exactly the same as the old, at full hit points. This power is used before Fate Points are used and after the Impossible Escape chance is tried. For the time it takes to reform/replace the dead body, make a 2d10 roll vs. the PR. Look the negative of this up, from the Result chart to the Doubles chart, for the number of days it takes to reform/reincarnate.
This power does not affect the astral form unless that Optional Rule is used on this power (in which case, it doesn’t affect the physical body).
A character with Reincarnation doesn’t have to roll Immortal Spirit rolls--they are automatically successful (the character’s spirit will automatically wait around for the reincarnation to take effect).
Sand Control: Sand Control is the ability to control sand and earth.
Basic Effects: (Lift/Throw, Sand Damage, Earthquake, Earthquake Radius, Earthquake Range)
Lift/Throw: Use the PR as the Strength for the Lift/Throw Roll for the amount of sand the character can lift.
Sand Damage: Against rock, earth and sand, the character can do damage equal to PR. There is a bonus of 3 to the Combat Pool for this.
Earthquake: Earthquakes measure PR minus 14, (Square Chart), on the Richter scale at the center.
Earthquake Radius: The radius of the earthquake will be PR meters. The intensity decreases by 1 every PR meters beyond the center.
Earthquake Range: The maximum range to the center of effect for an earthquake is PR squared, meters.
Automatic Effects: (Non-Sand Weight)
Non-Sand Weight: For every kilogram of sand which is moved, PR divided by 10 kilograms of non-sand can be carried with it. The total mass still cannot be greater than the mass given on the table.
Screw Up Magic: This person has the ability to jinx magic and casters in the area.
Basic Effects: (Area of Effect, Spell Penalty)
Area of Effect: The radius of effect can be up to twice the PR, in meters.
Spell Penalty: Reduce the chance of spell success by 5 times the character’s PR, and subtract half this from the Magic Screw Up roll.
Sensitive: This is the ability to know what is occurring/will occur/has occurred, in relationship to a person, place, or object. These have an Ectoplasmic Modifier, depending on the strength of the events ‘stored’ in the person/place/object. The average modifier is minus 10. The lowest is minus 50, and the biggest is plus 30. The average death leaves a modifier of zero.
Basic Effects: (Sensitivity, Concentration, Control)
Sensitivity: The chance that the character can pick up the events from an object or person is the PR plus Perception plus the Ectoplasmic Modifier, each round. The character may know certain parts of the vision, like time, place, or people involved. The character will know a percentage of the facts equal to PR plus the Ectoplasmic Modifier.
Characters will sometimes see visions without trying: the chance of this occurring is the Ectoplasmic Modifier plus PR. This will still use up EP--subtract the Ectoplasmic Modifier from the die roll. This is the PR used in Sensitivity. If the character is not surprised, the character can attempt to Concentrate and Control.
Concentration: The chance of keeping the vision is PR times 5%, rolled each round until the vision is lost.
Control: In order to control part of the vision, the player must roll underneath willpower plus PR minus the Ectoplasmic Modifier.
Shape Change: This is the ability to change shape and alter color. The character must choose which Type of Shape Change to use: Animal Life, Inanimate Object, or Plant Life.
Basic Effects: (Change Points)
Change Points: The character has a total number of points which decide how different these new shapes are. The number of points is equal to PR. It only costs EP to change shape, not to retain the shape.
Height in the following charts indicates the dimension which has most changed, whether height, width, or depth. The character can change into any shape within the confines of Type and Points.
Animal Life: The character changes shape into any form of animal life. Here is a list of what the character can change, how many points it takes, and what this modifies:
Height: 1 point halves height & mass
2 points per increase equal to
normal height.
Mass: 1 point per halving of mass.
3 points per doubling of mass.
Wings: 2 points for normal Move,
additional points add to Move Roll
Natural Weapon: 1 point per point of damage.
Skin Temper: 3 points per row bonus
Ignore Damage: 3 points per 1 increase
Attack Bonus: 2 points per +1
Defense Bonus: 3 points per +1
Inanimate Object: The character changes into simple objects. The inanimate objects do not have Move Rolls, Jump Rolls, or Combat Rolls. To determine height points, assume the character starts as a box, each side as long as one third the character’s height. Point costs:
Height: 1 point per halving of height:
half mass.
1 point doubling of height.
Mass: 1 point per halving of mass.
1 point per doubling of mass.
Movement: 1 point per point of Move Roll/
Combat Roll
Jump Roll: 1 point per point.
Skin Temper: 1 point per row bonus.
Ignore Damage: 1 point per 1 increase.
Lift Roll: +1 point per bonus.
Plant Life: This is the ability to become a plant. The character can do Hand damage to ground/rock, per minute. Plants do not have Move Rolls, Jump Rolls, or Combat Rolls. Changes/Point costs:
Height: 1 point per halving of height:
halves mass.
1 point per doubling of height.
Mass: 1 point per halving of mass.
1 point per doubling of mass.
Combat Roll: 2 points (standard Combat Roll)
Movement: 3 points per point of Move Roll
Jump Score: 1 point per point
Skin Temper: 2 points per Row bonus.
Ignore Damage: 2 points per 1 increase
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Examples for Shape Change Michael Doolittle has the power Shape Change. Here are his relevant abilities/attributes while normal: PR=13, Height=2 meters, Mass=80 kilograms, Skin Temper=1 (Row 0) Suppose Michael has Animal Life Shape Change, and wants to become a Pegasus. Here’s how he envisions it: Length +1 meter: 1 point Mass times 2: 3 points Wings: 4 points +2 to Move Roll +1 to Defense: 3 points +1 to Attack: 2 points Final Abilities/Attributes: PR=13, Length=3 meters, Weight=160 kg, ST=1 Now he wants to become an ant: Length to .0078 meter: 8 points Mass halved 8 times ST + 1 row: 3 points Ignore Damage + 1 3 points Final Abilities/Attributes: PR=13, Length=.078 meters, Weight=.313 kg, ST=4/5 Now suppose Michael has Inanimate Shape Change, and wants to become a rope, 30 by .02 meters diameter: Height halved 6 times: 6 points mass halved six times Mass doubled twice: 2 points Lift Roll +3: 3 points Skin Temper +2 rows: 2 points He has become a 30 meter long, 5 kg, 3 cm thick rope with a Skin Temper of 4/5. His Strength is 14, so his Lift Roll is 10. Finally, suppose Michael has Plant Life Shape change, and wants to become a small elm: Height doubled twice: 2 points Mass doubled four times: 4 points Skin Temper + 2 rows: 4 points Combat Roll: 1 point He is an 8 meter tall elm with a Skin Temper of 4, and can attack nearby targets. |
Sight Multiplier: Roll the dice given where this power was rolled up. The character can see far away things as if they were closer. Divide the true distance something is from the character by the sight multiplier for the distance it seems to be, for identification purposes, reading, or missile attacks. This power does not use EP.
Sixth Sense: This is the ability to sense attacks and danger without having to see the attack or attacker. When in battle, it will automatically work.
Basic Effects: (Combat Bonus)
Combat Bonus: Add half PR to the character’s Combat Bonus Pool.
Automatic Effects: (Perception, VP Bonus, Radius)
Perception: Add PR to the character’s Perception.
VP Bonus: Add PR to VP.
Radius: There is a penalty of 10 to the Perception roll for potential danger, every PR meters.
Characters with Sixth Sense are allowed a Perception roll when something potentially dangerous is happening nearby. If someone is in danger, there is a bonus of PR to the roll. If friends of the character are in danger, the bonus is twice PR, and if the character is in danger, the bonus is three times PR.
Skin Temper Bonus: Roll the dice given where this power was rolled up, and add this to the character’s Skin Temper Row.
There is a 25% chance that this only gives partial protection. If so, it has a Cover (see Armor) of 30 + 2d20. Every time the character is hit for damage, a save must be made vs. that number, on a d100. The character can train in blocking damage with Skin Temper as Armor Use. Opponents can attempt to get past the Skin Temper as if trying to get past armor.
This power does not use EP.
Slide Molecules: This is the ability to shift one’s own molecules in order to travel through solid matter.
Basic Effects: (Density, Skin Temper, Penetration, Extra Mass)
Density: The character may slide through any object of density equal to or less than PR (Result chart to Sphere chart) grams per cubic centimeters (g/cc).
Skin Temper: The character can increase Skin Temper by PR/3 rows (round up).
Penetration: The character can get a Penetration of PR divided by 2 (round up).
Extra Mass: The character may wear or carry up to PR times 5 extra kilograms of continuous matter when sliding.
The character cannot slide through energy, although the Skin Temper bonus will still count towards those attacks. The character can selectively slide body parts, and choose which parts of the target to slide through, thus attacking a person through armor, or attacking someone while sliding through the target’s own weapon. A character with Slide Molecules can also go right through Ignore Damage. Doing any of those (attacking through armor, sliding through a weapon while attacking, etc.) requires the use of 2 Combat Q points.
Smell (4d6): The character has an acute sense of smell, and is able to remember past smells. Add the strength of the smell to the character’s PR. Multiply by 5, and subtract the number of meters the smell is away from the character. The player must roll 2d10 less than or equal to this. Smell strengths are generally the DP of the animal being smelled, but they can be stronger or weaker. This power does not use EP.
Sonar: This is the ability to use sound as a sight, by listening for the reflections of the sound from objects. The character’s sight with Sonar is the character’s hearing score, with a ‘sight’ multiplier of 1/2. This power does not use EP.
Sound: This is the ability to create large quantities of sound. Half of these characters can create sound in the subsonic frequencies, and half can create sound in the ultrasonic frequencies. The character can use this power to imitate sounds if the character learns ventriloquism.
Basic Effects: (Damage, Range, Strength)
Damage: The Sonic Blast can either do normal (bludgeoning) damage or stun damage, character’s choice. The character can even do partially normal damage and partially stun damage. The damage done is half the PR.
Range: Range is the maximum distance that a sound source can be created at. It’s not the maximum range of the sound blast. The Range is the PR, read from the Result to the Sphere Chart.
Strength: The sound can have a strength (see hearing) of up to PR times 5.
Sound Hearing: This is normal human hearing. Hearing with sound is the character’s Hearing Score. This power does not use EP.
Special Immunity: The character can take one special immunity such as not needing food, not needing to breath air, being immune to any light (Laser) weapons, being immune to small iron, immunity to all plant-made weapons, etc. This power does not use EP.
Speed: This is the ability to move (run, think) at extremely fast speeds.
Basic Effects:
Speed: The character’s Move Roll is replaced by the Speed PR. The speed is 10 to the power of one third the Move Q (round up), meters/segment. Since 7.2 times 10 to the 7th meters/segment is the speed of light, characters moving at Q 24 and above will exceed the speed of light.
If the Move Roll is failed, assume a base (Q=0) movement of 1 meter/segment and modify for the failure as for normal movement, rather than using the above formula.
Automatic Effects: (Increased Reaction)
Increased Reaction: When performing actions that take time, up to twice PR can be used to reduce the Performance Time of the Action. In the case of Combat, up to PR can be added to the character’s Combat Q.
Sting: Stings are dart-like projectiles created from the body or a weapon. Damage is the damage done from the sting hitting a person. 25% of characters with the power Sting are able to use poison. If the character wants poison to take effect, the target must take DP, or the player must use 5 Quality Points. Roll d100 to see what kind of poison can be used:
01-48 sleep poison
49-96 true poison
97-00 choose when shooting
Basic Effects: (Damage, Poison Type)
Damage: The sting does a half PR points damage. Short Range is PR/2 meters, Range Set is PR/5 meters, and Maximum Range is PR times 3.
Poison Type: Poison Type is one third PR, on the Sphere Chart.
Strength Bonus: Roll the increase with the dice given where this power was rolled up, and add this number to the character’s present strength. This power does not use EP.
Stretch: This is the power to stretch the body long distances.
Basic Effects: (Length & Thinness, Attack Modifier)
Length & Thinness: Characters can increase to PR squared times their normal height, and at that point are decreased to normal width divided by PR squared.
Attack Modifier: The character can increase Attack or Defense by up to PR.
Automatic Effects: (Skin Temper, Injury Resistance)
Skin Temper: The character’s Skin Temper is increased by one fourth PR rows (round up).
Injury Resistance: Increase the character’s Resist Death score by PR/3, round up.
Stun: This is the ability to do stun damage. There is a 20% chance that the character must touch the target when attempting to stun. If this is the case, the stun attack can be used for all Unarmed hand attacks. Otherwise, the character stuns with a ray, with the standard Performance Time of 20 segments, as any other power.
30% of characters with this power actually have paralysis. Treat it exactly the same as stun, but when a target is paralyzed, the muscles lock up in the position they were in when paralyzed.
Basic Effects: (Damage)
Damage: The character can do two-thirds PR points of stun damage.
Subsonic Hearing: This is a frequency just lower than normal hearing. The character’s Hearing in the subsonic range is normal Hearing, although the character has the option of rolling for another Hearing score, which applies only to subsonic hearing. This power does not use EP.
Supersensitive Touch (4d6): With this power the character’s sense of touch has been amplified to an amazing degree. With supersensitive touch a character can feel shapes, size and position of objects in the range indicated. Even at a PR of 4, the character can read a book just by feeling it, assuming the character has learned how to recognize the feel of letters.
Automatic Effects: (Range, Defense and Attack)
Range: Double the character’s PR, and subtract the distance in decimeters from the character. The player must roll 2d10 less than or equal to this, to feel the target.
Defense and Attack: At medium to high Power Rolls of this ability, the character can use the power to see in the dark. Combat Pool penalties, Attack penalties, or Defense penalties will be reduced by PR/3 points. The player must choose which penalties to negate. This cannot give a Combat, Attack, or Defense bonus.
Telekinesis: This is the ability to move objects through the power of the mind.
Basic Effects: (Lift/Throw Roll, Telekinetic Punch, Telekinetic Shield)
Lift/Throw Roll: The character can lift as much as if Strength were PR.
Telekinetic Punch: The character can do half PR points bludgeoning damage in a punch. Short Range and Range Set are half the PR applied to the punch. Maximum Range is a separate effect, and requires PR equal to the distance to the target, on the Sphere Chart.
Telekinetic Shield: The Telekinetic Shield has 3 basic effects: Skin Temper, Ignore Damage, and Cover. Skin Temper is the PR. Ignore Damage is two thirds PR. Cover is PR times 20. The telekinetic shield is treated as a shield (see Armor).
Telepathic Operator: This is the ability to detect minds. The character can scan an area within range and determine how many sentient minds are within the area. The character can also see and remember brain patterns, and can use this ability to track minds within range, and recognize people from their brain patterns. The character can recognize minds with psychic power, and will be able to tell how powerful that mind is compared to other minds the character has scanned. The character will recognize those with magic aptitude, although until the character figures it out, this brain pattern may seem odd. The character will be able to recognize if the pattern is human or not, and with experience can learn to recognize specific animal patterns (treat it as a Knowledge Score).
Basic Effects: (Radius)
Radius: Look up the radius the character wants to scan (in meters) on the Sphere Chart for the PR required.
Eighty percent of Telepathic Operators can protect people from mind control, illusion, and similar psychic attacks. They have the added Basic Effects of Protection and Number of Targets.
Protection: They can give a bonus of PR times 5 to saves made on d100, and PR to saves made on d20.
Number of Targets: Protection can be given to PR people within range.
Fifty percent of Telepathic Operators can act as a focus for other minds with psychic powers. They have the added Basic Effects of Transfer Percentage and Number of Targets. See above for Number of Targets.
Transfer Percentage: The Transfer Percentage is the percentage of the PR that is focused. It is PR times 10. For example, if the Telepathic Operator is focusing the Teleportation power of a hero with Teleportation PR 12, at a transfer percentage of 60%, the Operator manifests Teleportation at a PR of 7. Transfer percentage cannot be greater than 100.
Note that use of Teleportation will also use EP--if the full PR 7 teleportation ability were used that round, 5 EP would be added to the EP the Operator is using to focus the Teleportation.
Telepathy: This is the ability to read minds. Sixty percent of telepaths have the ability to talk with the mind also.
Basic Effects: (Range, Talk, Save Penalty)
Range: At PR 1, the character must touch the target to use Telepathy. Otherwise, look up two-thirds the PR (round down) from the result to the Sphere chart, for the distance (in meters).
Talk: It takes 1 PR to talk via telepathy.
Save Penalty: If the target knows its mind is being read, and tries to stop it, it may save vs. willpower, minus twice the telepath’s PR on d100.
There are different thresholds of mind-reading. The top threshold is simply reading topmost thoughts. Each time the telepath tries to go to a deeper level, the target is allowed another saving throw. Each attempt to go deeper requires 1 action also. Here are the levels:
Topmost Thoughts
Reasons behind the thoughts
Memories less than 1 month old
Memories less than 1 year old
Memories less than 10 years old
Memories less than 100 years old
etc.
Teleportation: This is the ability to warp space somewhat and travel immense distances in very short periods of time. Roll d100 to see how the character teleports:
01-80 personal teleportation
81-96 portal teleportation
97-00 the character can use both methods.
Basic Effects: (Mass, Portal Diameter, Portal Range, Teleport Distance)
Mass: Characters with Personal teleportation can bring up to PR times 5 kilograms of continuous matter.
Portal Diameter: Characters with Portal teleportation can create a door one fifth PR meters in diameter.
Portal Range: Characters with Portal teleportation can create a door one half PR meters away.
Teleport Distance: The PR required for teleportation distance is the distance in meters (Doubles Chart), minus 3.
Think Fast: This is the ability to think at speeds far faster than the normal rate. Except for minor sense-based functions (such as reading, listening), the body does not respond at the higher rate. For 80% of characters with Think Fast, the Effects are Automatic. For the rest, they are Basic Effects.
Effects: (Fast Thinking, Fast Working)
Fast Thinking: The character has twice PR points to use to reduce the Performance Time of mostly thought-based actions, such as Inventing, Reading, etc. The Editor and Player must decide whether Think Fast can be applied to any particular action.
Fast Working: Because of the high rate of thinking, the character can perform most other actions at a higher Quality. The character has a bonus of PR (Doubling Chart) to most of the character’s Bonus Pools (including Combat).
Time-Line Travel: This is the ability to travel to parallel time lines. The method of travel will be (roll d100)
01-40 Personal Travel
41-80 Portal Travel
81-00 Both
Basic Effects: (Mass, Portal Diameter, Portal Range)
Mass: Characters with Personal travel can bring up to PR times 5 kilograms of continuous matter.
Portal Diameter: Characters with Portal travel can create a door one fifth PR meters in diameter.
Portal Range: Characters with Portal travel can create a door one half PR meters away.
Automatic Effects: (Leave Chance)
Leave Chance: A character has a PR times 4 chance of being able to materialize (become non-ethereal) out of the time stream. Once a character misses a roll for a specific timeline, that timeline can’t be tried for again until PR is increased. Once the roll is made, the character can always materialize on that time-line.
The character cannot move around unless fully in the time line. Characters cannot move while ethereal.
Time Travel: Time Travel is done ethereally, like Time-Line Travel. The Editor should note that changing history adds at least 1 to the Universal Continuum. For the method of travel, roll d100:
01-40 Personal Travel
41-80 Portal Travel
81-00 Both
Basic Effects: (Time, Mass, Portal Diameter, Portal Range)
Time: In one round of the character’s time, the character can travel PR (Result to Doubles Chart) rounds. Divide by 5 for the number of minutes. Move down 8 rows for the number of hours, 12 rows for the number of days, 15 rows for the number of weeks, and 21 rows for the number of years.
Mass: Characters with Personal travel can bring up to PR times 4 kilograms of continuous matter.
Portal Diameter: Characters with Portal travel can create a door one fifth PR meters in diameter.
Portal Range: Characters with Portal travel can create a door one half PR meters away.
Automatic Effects: (Time Chance)
Time Chance: A character has a PR times 3 chance of being able to materialize (become non-ethereal) out of the time stream. Barring strange situations, the character can always materialize out of the time stream in a spot where he or she has already existed, either because of already traveling there or because it is the character’s home time. See Time Travel, under Worldly Matters, if the character fails the roll for a certain time.
A character cannot move around unless not ethereal--fully out of the time stream. A character with Time Travel may, through the use of 5 EP per PR minutes, stay motionless in time--freeze the action of time from the character’s perspective. Otherwise, the character in the time stream who is not actively traveling through time will travel at the normal rate into the future.
Transducer: This is the ability to convert one form of energy to one other form. The energies can be just about anything. The character can never be damaged by the energy which can be converted, unless this is gained as a weakness.
Basic Effects: Efficiency
Efficiency: The percentage of efficiency is PR times 5. If a combat roll is required to use the energy, divide the points being used by 4, rounding down, for the number of d6 done by the attack. For example, Ectol has the power of transducing cosmic energies to electrical energy. She gets hit by a 40 point Cosmic Ray, taking 40 points. Her PR is 10, so she has a 50% conversion rate. She converts it to a 20 point blast. Now, if she is touching something (a wall, for example) no combat roll is required, so she does 20 points damage. If she tries to send it back at the attacker, she will do 20/4, or 5d6 damage, if she hits. Sometimes, the actual damage of energy is unknown. In that case, the Editor should set a power level equivalent to what the energy being converted should do at 100% conversion, and then multiply it by the percentage of efficiency.
Automatic Effects: Dissipation Rate
Dissipation Rate: The character may store the energy instead of using it immediately. Stored energy dissipates at the rate of 1 point damage every PR rounds.
Ultrasonic Hearing: This is a frequency just higher than normal hearing. The character’s Ultrasonic Hearing Score is the character’s Hearing. This power does not use EP.
Ultraviolet Vision: The sun gives out almost enough ultraviolet to make this sight mode similar to normal light. However, since ultraviolet light is present at night, from stars, the character will be able to see nearly as well at night as in the daytime. Subtract a maximum of 2 from the rolls to see at night (at least on the surface of the earth), and give no penalties to Combat for being unable to see, since the character is able to. This power does not use EP.
Universe Travel: This is the ability to create entrances to other universes. There is a 50% chance that the character will be able to create a portal (door way) to the other universe. There is also a 50% chance that the character can pop in and out. (simply think about it and travel to the other universe) If neither or both of these rolls are made, the character has the ability to do both.
Basic Effects: (Mass, Portal Size, Range to Portal)
Mass: A character with Personal travel can bring 10 times PR kilograms of continuous matter.
Portal Size: The portal size is PR/4 meters.
Range to Portal: Look up the distance to the portal (in decimeters) on the Square Chart for the PR required for range.
Roll 4d8 for the number of universes:
4 or 32 all universes are accessible
5-6 or 30-31 5 universes are accessible
7-8 or 28-29 4 universes
9-11 or 25-27 3 universes
12-14 or 22-24 2 universes
15 to 21 1 universe
Use your imagination, and see the descriptions of universes already catalogued, when making up your universes.
There are two types of universes that the character may be able to travel to. Roll a d100 once to see where the universes that the character can travel to are.
01-95 Universes in this multiverse
96-00 Universes in another multiverse
If the character travels to a universe in this multiverse, moves around, and travels back to this universe, the character will arrive in a different place. For example, if the space differential is 2 meters there to 1 meter here, and the character moved 12 meters in that universe, the character will come back 24 meters away from the starting position. If the character travels to a universe in another multiverse, then travel can only be to a spot the character has already traveled from or appeared at. That includes coming back to this universe. The first time the character travels to the universe, determine a random spot for the destination point (it will be near some mass with low energy, i.e., a planet, if it is that kind of universe). From that point on the character can only appear at a spot already appeared at or traveled from.
Universes have time and space differentials (see the Hero’s Guide). Our universe’s Time Differential is 45. Our universe’s Space Differential is 60. For the character’s universes (roll for each universe), roll d100 each for the space and time differentials.
If a 100 is rolled, there is a 10% chance of rolling d100 again and adding. If a 1 is rolled, there is a 10% chance of rolling d100 and subtracting. If the universe is in another multiverse, the chance of further rolling after rolling a 1 or 100 is 50%. If the resulting Differential is less than 1, make it positive, add 1, and divide into 1 for the true differential number.
Example: A player rolls 30 for the time differential, and 90 for the space differential. So, if the character goes to that universe, stays 6 minutes and moves 15 feet, then comes back to this universe, the character has been gone 9 minutes here, and has moved 10 feet.
Vacuum: The character can create a vacuum in a specific area.
Basic Effects: (Atmospheres, Range, Radius)
Atmospheres: The character can reduce atmospheric pressure by a number of earth atmospheres equal to PR (read from the Result chart to the Sphere Chart). Atmospheric pressure can never be less than zero. See Situations, Pressure and the Hold Breath Action Roll for the damage done by lack of atmosphere and oxygen.
Range: The center of the vacuum can be sent up to PR (Result to Sphere Chart) meters away.
Radius: The radius of the vacuum sphere can be up to half PR (Result to Sphere Chart) meters in diameter.
Automatic Effects: (Short Range, Range Set)
Short Range: The short range for the vacuum sphere is the character’s maximum PR divided by 4.
Range Set: The range set for the vacuum sphere is the character’s maximum PR divided by 5.
Vertical Crawl: The character is able to walk on walls and ceilings. The Move Roll is vs. PR plus Height (Square Chart). There is a penalty to the Bonus Pool for every 15 degrees away from straight up the angle is. A straight wall will subtract 0, a flat ceiling will subtract 6 (90 degrees off), and a flat floor will add 6. Also, subtract or add to the Bonus Pool depending on the surface material:
Wood: +5 Rock: +4 Brick: +3 Metal: -2 Glass: -3
Vertigo: This is the ability to warp the target’s sense of direction and control. Each target gets a save vs. willpower, on d100. If the target knows what is happening and actively fights it, a bonus of willpower can be gained.
Targets affected by this power are almost helpless. They are unable to tell direction, cannot attack, and cannot defend. Treat them as stunned/unconscious. Targets may make another save at the beginning of each round, but with only half willpower, and no willpower bonus.
Basic Effects: (Range, Radius, Save Penalty)
Range: The character has a range equivalent to twice the PR in meters. Short Range and Range Set are PR/5 meters each.
Radius: The radius of effect is PR meters.
Save Penalty: The character can give the targets a save penalty of PR.
Vibratory Power: This is the ability to create vibrations at high rates and high amplitude. The main ability of this character is to induce rapidly increasing vibrations in objects.
Basic Effects (Vibrational Attack)
Vibrational Attack: Damage is the one third the character’s PR. For every consecutive attack (it must be maintained) the character hits something or someone with this attack, a bonus of 1 vs. Skin Temper is gained. This bonus can reduce the Skin Temper of something (or someone!) below zero. If the character ever misses the target, the Skin Temper bonus is completely negated, and the character must start over reducing the Skin Temper of the target.
Automatic Effects: (Maximum ST Bonus)
Maximum ST Bonus: The Maximum Bonus is the character’s PR (halved if the attack is being used at range instead of touch).
Water Control: This is the ability to control water molecules and the cohesive properties of water.
Basic Effects (Mass, Water Damage)
Mass: Replace Strength in the Lift/Throw Roll with PR.
Water Damage: The character can cause half PR damage to a target by controlling the water in the target. This requires 4 Quality points.
Automatic Effects (Non-water Mass)
Non-Water Mass: The character can lift up to PR/50 kilograms of non-water mass for every kilogram of water, although the total mass lifted can still not be greater than that given by the Lift/Throw Roll.
Weather Control: This is the ability to control the weather, or subsets of it.
Basic Effects: (Range, Radius)
Range: PR required for Range is the distance, in kilometers, on the Sphere chart.
Radius: PR required for the radius of effect is the radius, in hundred meters, on the Sphere chart.
Automatic Effects: (Detect Weather)
Detect Weather: The character with Weather Control can tell what kind of weather is going on elsewhere if a Perception roll is made, adding the character’s Weather Control PR, and subtracting the distance in kilometers to the area in question (Sphere Chart). The roll can be made as often as desired. It has a Performance Time of 50, but may be combined with most other physical actions.
The player must also see what aspects of weather control can be controlled. Roll d100 on each of the following chances, and if the player rolls less than or equal to the chance, that aspect can be controlled. If no powers are gained on the first try, choose d3+2 of them. The player can choose to roll a separate PR for each aspect.
75% Change Temperature
60% Create Precipitation
65% Create Wind
55% Call Weather
50% Call Lightning
Descriptions:
Change Temperature:
Basic Effects: (Maximum Degrees, Degrees per Round)
Maximum Degrees: The maximum degrees Celsius which the temperature can be shifted by is PR times 5.
Degrees per Round: The character can increase temperature by PR degrees per round.
Create Precipitation:
Basic Effects: (Weather Levels Moved, Levels Per Round)
Weather Levels Moved: See Weather for details. The character can move the weather from its present state up or down by PR, maximum.
Levels Per Round: The character can move up or down the chart by PR levels per minute.
Create Wind:
Basic Effects: (Wind Speed Shift, Per Round Increase)
Wind Speed Shift: The maximum kilometers per hour which the wind can be shifted by is equal to the character’s PR times 10.
Per Round Increase: The character can increase speed by half PR kmph per round.
Call Weather:
Basic Effects: (Speed)
Speed: Weather formations in the control area can be brought to wherever the character wants them at a rate of one tenth PR kilometers per round.
Call Lightning: This is the power to call a lightning bolt from the sky.
Basic Effects: (Damage)
Damage: It does PR points of damage. During a thunderstorm, add 3. To non-grounded targets, half the damage. The Performance Time is 40.
Web: This is the ability to create a web.
Basic Effects: (Size)
Size: Add the length of the web to its width (which is 0 for a single line), add look this up on the Square Chart for the PR required.
Automatic Effects: (Chance to Stick, Ranges, Weight)
Chance To Stick: The chance for the webbing to stick is PR times 10. Slick materials will reduce this chance--Glass reduces it by 20, metal by 10.
Ranges: Short Range is PR/5 meters, and Range Set is PR/4 meters.
Weight: The webbing has a ‘strength’ of PR. Assume its mass is the character’s mass, to determine the Lift Roll. Add the smallest of width or length to the bonus pool.
Willpower: The player can add twice the PR to the character’s EP. In addition to this, the character can make an Extra Effort using the Willpower PR as well as abilities. The Willpower PR heals per minute when resting, and per hour when normally active. This power does not use EP.
Wings: Wings allow the character to fly. The character cannot train in the Wings PR. The character can train in ‘running,’ but apply it to Wings instead.
Basic Effects: (Height, Movement, Combat Pool Bonus)
Height: The character can fly at a height of up to PR kilometers
Movement: The character has a Move Roll Q of twice the PR points, plus height (on the Square Chart).
Combat Pool Bonus: The character’s Combat Pool can be increased by 1 per 3 PR used for this, if the character is in an open area and flying while attacking.
Automatic Effects: (Wingspan)
Wingspan: The wings will have a span of one tenth the PR times the character’s height, meters.
Withering: This is the ability to age a target creature. The target is allowed a save vs. DP on 2d10.
There is a 9% chance that a character rolling up this power actually gets the opposite, which decreases the age by the power roll.
Fifty percent of all characters with Withering can affect objects.
When living things are aged beyond their age of deterioration, or younger than birth, they lose DP: Each attack, make a 2d10 roll vs. Constitution, minus the number of years beyond deterioration (months, if aged below birth), on the Sphere Chart. If unsuccessful, the negative Quality is taken as Penetrating Damage. This damage is affected by Skin Temper and Ignore Damage, and heals normally. It does not come back automatically as the aging wears off.
This power cannot affect the character using it.
Basic Effects: (Aging, Save Penalty)
Aging: The character causes the target to age half PR years on a successful attack. Forty percent of characters with this power can use it at range, doing half damage. For any withering to take effect, the target must take DP from the attack, or the attacker must use 4 Quality points. Skin Temper and Ignore Damage do not affect this attack.
Save Penalty: The Witherer can apply a penalty of up to PR on the saving throw.
Automatic Effects: (Duration)
Duration: The years come back at the rate of one every PR minutes, if the target is still alive.
Withstand Temperature Extremes:If the character can withstand both low and high temperature extremes, roll a separate PR for both. Multiply the character’s constitution by the PR for determining temperature damage for low temperatures, and by PR squared for temperature damage from high temperatures.
Divide the amount low or high temperatures are beyond the character’s minimum and maximum by PR, before looking it up on the Square chart. (See Temperatures under Situations)
Roll d100 for the type of extremes:
01-25 withstand low temperature extremes
26-50 withstand high temperature extremes
51-75 both low and high extremes
76-00 both, with a separate PR for each.
This power does not use EP.
X-Ray Vision: This is the ability to see through objects. This power does not use EP.
WeaknessesWeaknesses are special vulnerabilities, or drawbacks to being a superhero. Life as a superhero isn’t all fun and games! You need a steady job to pay for your analyst. Superheroes get to have some really great problems. Who do you know in the real world who’s allergic to fire? |
Affects Another Ability/Power: The use of one or more powers reduces or otherwise adversely affects another of the character’s abilities or powers.
Attracts Attacks: When using one or more powers, certain attacks get bonuses to hit the character. Using a psychic attack form, for example, may allow other psychic attacks a better chance of hitting the character.
Bad Luck: Things happen around the character, in ways which are detrimental to the character. The character might have a 13% chance each Turn of something bad happening.
Blind: The character cannot see.
Conviction: The character has a conviction which cannot be broken. Sometimes this takes the form of an oath. The conviction can be against killing, fighting, using sharp weapons, using guns, using any weapon except a specific one, using electronics, or any thing/action/set of actions.
Deaf: The character cannot hear.
Drug Required: The character must take a pill, liquid, or injection regularly. The character might be diabetic, and have to have a shot of insulin regularly.
Fainting Spells: The character has problems staying conscious. The player might have to make a saving throw every Turn or the character faints. If power related, use of a power may cause the character to faint.
Focus: A focus--a wand, musical instrument, another person, another specific person, or just about anything--is required to use the power(s).
Fugue States: See Insanity. Perhaps the character enters a fugue state if the powers are used too often.
Immunological Deficiency: The character has a greater chance of getting sick, and sicknesses affect the character more.
Increased Cost: One or more of the character’s powers use EP that heals per hour (while awake) rather than per round. It/they may also or instead use more EP than normal-- twice EP, three times, or more.
Induced Reaction: The character’s presence causes other people to react in a certain way. Maybe other sentients must save vs. half willpower or dislike the character intensely, or perhaps all reptiles attack the character if possible.
Limited Use: A duration power can only be used for a certain amount of time-- the character can at maximum remain invisible for, say, three minutes. After that time the character might either lose use of the power for a period, fall unconscious, lose a certain number of DP or EP per round, or anything else. Single shot powers (like Cosmic Ray) might only be able to be used a certain number of times in a certain period of time--3 times per hour, for instance.
Loss of Use of Legs: The character has lost use of both legs.
Lost Aspect: One or more normal uses of a power are unusable by the character. A character with Fire Coat might not be able to fly, for example.
Low Self-Control: The character cannot control impulses very well, or cannot control some possible action.
Manic-Depressive: See Insanity. If power related, the power might set off the switch between manic and depressive.
Monomania: The character has one goal in life, and lets nothing get in the way of that goal.
Mute: The character cannot speak.
No Effect: One or more power(s) are useless against a common thing. The character’s Cosmic Rays might be blocked by normal glass, for instance.
Non human Form: The character’s only form(s) are completely non human.
Non-Linear Logic: The character simply cannot think in a way that any sane individual would consider logical.
Permanent Change: A power (such as Fire Coat or Ice Coat) is always partially in effect. This may be at a level too low to use more than 1 EP/hour, but it will be enough to cause problems.
Phobia: See Insanity. A character with Ice Coat, for example, could have a phobia about fire or heat.
Reaction Formation: The character dislikes powers so much that there is a reduced chance of success, or a chance of failure, every time the power is used. In some way the character has reacted against the power(s).
Restricted Change: The character cannot change to the form that has powers (see Optional Transformation, under Optional Rules) except under certain conditions--speaking a word, pressing a button, etc.
Restricted Healing: EP and/or DP and/or VP only heal under certain conditions, or when certain conditions aren’t present. For example, a character might never heal EP or DP in sunlight. Another character might never heal EP, DP, or VP unless in direct contact with ultraviolet light.
Restricted Recharge: EP used for the power(s) only returns under certain conditions. The character may require sunlight in order to regain EP used for the power Plant Control.
Restricted Use: The power(s) can only be used under certain conditions. Perhaps the powers were given to the character in order to fight a specific evil, and unless that evil or minions of that evil are around, the character cannot use the power(s).
Slow Death: Use of one or more powers causes the character to die slowly, possibly through aggravation of a disease or aging.
Slow Healing: The character heals EP and/or DP at a much slower rate than normal.
Slow Reaction Time: It takes a while for the character to act, or the character hesitates often. Because of this, the character might have a penalty on surprise rolls, and an increased Q cost to reduce Performance Times.
Split Personality: See Insanity. The character might have personalities that don’t know about the powers, or personalities that refuse to use them, or personalities that are meek, overbearing, etc.
Tires Easily: The character uses up EP at a greater rate than usual, and/or may use up EP that heals back sleeping when using powers.
Uncontrolled Effect: A power or some powers do not always work the way the character intends them to. Maybe the blast doesn’t always go off, or the character can’t choose accurately which power is going to be used.
Uncontrolled Use: The character has little or no control over when the power(s) are used. The character’s Fire Coat may be activated once every round in combat on a 1 in 6 chance, for example, or whenever the character is startled.
Vulnerability: The character is more vulnerable to certain things than normal. Fire might do double damage, or a certain common substance that hurts no one else hurts this character. An electrical hero might take damage merely from touching water.
Wrong Choice: The character often ignores correct data and logic and deliberately does what is obviously not the correct thing to do under the circumstances.
Be Original: The player should, in conjunction with the Editor, create a weakness or handicap. Once created, the Editor should write a general description here for future reference.
SorceryThe Classification of Magic |
Magical spells are classified as either Intensive or Extensive. Intensive magic is power that comes from within--telekinesis, clairvoyance, empathy, et. al. Extensive magic is the flashy stuff, the powers that exist outside.
|
I. Intensive A. Physical B. Mental C. Temporal D. Spiritual II. Extensive A. Special Magic 1. Attack 2. Defense 3. Confining 4. Servants 5. Binding B. Ceremonial Magic 1. Create 2. Contact 3. Summoning 4. Binding C. General Magic 1. Create/Destroy 2. Control 3. Information Extensive magic has the further subdivisions of: a) Matter/Energy b) Psychic/Mind c) Magic d) Space/Time/Universal e) Life/Soul/Planar |
Spell List |
The spell list contains the spells described in the next section, by level. It also contains the suggested classification for that spell, the Study Time for the spell, and the Newoen Penalty for non-Wizards casting the spell, if it is Intensive.
Skill Level One Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Astral Projection Intensive (Spiritual) 1 19
2 Binding Extensive Special (Confining Soul) 6
3 Dream Divining Intensive (Spiritual) 8 21
4 Empathy Intensive (Mental) 4 22
5 Hypnosis Extensive General (Mind Control) 5
6 Levitation Intensive (Physical) 2 23
7 Mind Cloak Intensive (Mental) 4 22
8 Seance Intensive (Spiritual) 3 12
9 Special Duration Extensive General (Control Magic) 6
10 Special Protection Intensive (Physical) 4 22
11 Special Range Extensive General (Control Magic) 8
12 Stick Extensive General (Control Matter) 6
13 Trance Intensive (Physical) 2 10
Skill Level Two Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Change Object Extensive General (Control Matter) 8
2 Detect Lie Intensive (Physical) 4 20
3 Divination Extensive General (Information) 6
4 Dream Message Intensive (Spiritual) 8 16
5 Night Vision Extensive General (Create Energy) 2
6 Protection from Extremes Intensive (Physical) 4 22
7 Release Magic Extensive General (Control Magic) 8
8 See Astrally Extensive General (Information Planar) 1
9 Shield Extensive Special (Defense Matter/Energy) 6
10 Ventriloquism Extensive General (Control/Create Matter) 3
Skill Level Three Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Conditional Extensive Ceremonial (Binding Magic) 10
2 Contact Extensive Ceremonial (Contact) 5
3 Dispel Magic Extensive General (Destroy Magic) 4
4 Minor Magic Item Extensive General (Control Magic) 6
5 Noise Creation Extensive General (Control Matter) 3
6 Radiation Extensive General (Create Energy) 5
7 Telekinesis Intensive (Physical) 4 20
8 Understand Languages Extensive General (Information Mind) 4
Skill Level Four Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Detect Foreign Matter Extensive General (Information Matter) 6
2 Detect Life Extensive General (Information Life) 5
3 Detect Magic Extensive General (Information Magic) 4
4 Fiery Arrow of Lodan Extensive Special (Attack Energy) 5
5 Gestalt Extensive Ceremonial (Contact) 8
6 Illusion Extensive General (Control Mind) 6
7 Increase Senses Extensive General (Control Matter/Energy) 4
8 Invisibility Extensive General (Control Energy) 6
9 Naming Awareness Intensive (Mental) 12 19
10 Nullify Sound Extensive General (Control Matter) 6
11 See Energy Extensive General (Information Energy) 2
12 Sleep Extensive Special (Attack Life) 8
13 Sleepwalking/talking Extensive General (Control Mind) 5
14 Web of the Elax Extensive Special (Defense Matter) 6
Skill Level Five Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Beam of Energy Extensive Special (Attack Energy) 6
2 Bluston’s Magic Lightning Extensive Special (Attack Energy) 6
3 Convincing Extensive General (Control Mind) 4
4 Detect Evil or Good Intensive (Spiritual) 2 22
5 ESP Intensive (Mental) 6 20
6 Fake Magic Extensive General (Create Magic) 4
7 Friendship Extensive General (Control Mind) 8
8 Hide Magic Extensive General (Control Magic) 4
9 Increase Ability Extensive General (Create Matter/Control Mind) 5
10 Invisible To Magic Extensive General (Control Magic) 5
11 Light Creation Extensive General (Control Energy) 4
12 Luck Intensive (Temporal) 5 23
13 Mist of the Lochland Extensive Special (Defense Matter) 7
14 Nullify Energy Extensive General (Destroy Energy) 6
15 Psychic Fortress Extensive Special (Defense Soul) 6
16 Stun Extensive Special (Attack Life) 6
17 Truth Extensive Special (Binding Soul) 7
Skill Level Six Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Check Health Extensive General (Information Life) 6
2 Clairaudience Intensive (Mental) 4 18
3 Control Chance Extensive General (Control Matter/Energy) 8
4 Detect Lie Extensive General (Information Life) 8
5 Enfeeble Extensive General (Life Control/Destruction) 8
6 Increase Skill Level Extensive General (Control Mind) 9
7 Knives of Kalasnam Extensive Special (Defense Matter/Energy) 4
8 Mind Beacon Extensive General (Control Mind) 3
9 Natural Armor Extensive General (Create Matter) 4
10 Nature Call Extensive General (Control Life) 3
11 Omen Extensive Ceremonial (Contact) 6
12 Return Spell Spell Extensive General (Control Magic) 6
13 Talk to Animals Extensive General (Information Life) 4
14 Talk to Plants Extensive General (Information Life) 7
Skill Level Seven Spells Classification Study Time Newoen Penalty
1 Body Control Intensive (Physical) 5 18
2 Check Psychic Health Extensive General (Information Mind) 6
3 Clairvoyance Intensive (Mental) 4 18
4 Enhance Psychic Ability Extensive General (Control Life/Soul/Matter) 10
5 Exploding Sphere of Phearax Extensive Special (Confining Energy) 6
6 Lock Extensive General (Control Matter/Energy) 2
7 Magical Connection Extensive Ceremonial (Binding Matter) 4
8 Mind Travel Extensive General (Control Psychic) 4
9 Purify Extensive General (Control Matter) 8
10 The Senses of the Dead Extensive General (Informational Time/Planar) 8
11 Shield of Eternal Light/Infinite Darkness Extensive Special (Defense Soul/Matter/Energy) 5
12 Speak in Tongues Extensive General (Informational Psychic) 4
13 Stop Animation Extensive General (Control Matter/Energy) 8
14 Wind Blast Extensive Special (Attack Matter) 6
Skill Level Eight Spells Classification Study Time
1 Ball of Energy