Mr. Modachev, Lock This Thread Down! [/Reagan]

[AstralFire]

All done, nothing to see here, main thread's good as new.

This is an off-shoot of the main thread.

Explanation text cropped for space. Ask q's if you got any.

Acrobatics:

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Rank I:
Reactionary: As a secondary action, you may improve your reaction by 1.

Sprinter: Your sprint increases by 1.

Tumbler: You can convert half of your damage from a fall into spirit damage. This ability does not work if you have a spirit of 0.

Rank II:
Artful Dodger: As a secondary action, you can increase your evasion for a full round by 1.

Leapfrog: You may vertically jump half of your sprint distance.

Quick-Witted: You can act in a hostile surprise round.

Rank III:
Charging Thunder: You can charge and melee attack in the same deft movement. As a full action, you may move up to your sprint distance and then make a melee attack in the same phase. Unlike most full actions, this ability triggers in the phase that you use it, not in the next phase. Using Charging Thunder reduces your reaction to 0.

Fleet of Foot: Your sprint increases by 3. Requires Sprinter.

Stuntman: You can convert all of your damage from a fall into spirit damage. This ability does not work if you have a spirit of 0. Requires Tumbler.

Rank IV:
Double Time: As a primary action, you can sprint 5 spaces.

Evasive: Your evasion increases by 1.

Expect the Unexpected: You cannot be surprise attacked.

In a Single Bound: You may vertically jump your full sprint distance. Requires Leapfrog.

Roll With It: When you use Artful Dodger, your reaction increases by 1. Requires Reactionary and Artful Dodger.

Running Bull: When you use Charging Thunder, you gain a +1 bonus to accuracy. Requires Charging Thunder.

Rank V:
Daredevil: You only take half the normal damage from a fall. Requires Tumbler.

Speed Demon: Your sprint increases by 7. Requires Fleet of Foot.

Speed of Thought: As a primary action, you can increase your evasion by 3 for a full round. Speed of Thought requires 1 spirit to use.

Turnabout Trump: When you act in a hostile surprise round, your attacks are surprise attacks. Requires Expect the Unexpected.

Rank VI:
Aerial Leap: When you leap upwards, you may use a point of spirit to remain suspended in air instead of falling this round. Additionally, you may jump in mid-air.

Wildfire: When you use Running Bull, you may use 2 points of spirit to declare the attack a Wildfire attack and increase the bonus to accuracy to +3. Additionally, you may sprint both before and after your attack, provided that your total distance moved does not exceed your normal sprint. After using Wildfire, your reaction does not drop to 0. Requires Running Bull.

Endurance:



Kinetics:

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Rank I:
Barrier: You can add the Barrier ability to your arsenal. As a primary action, you can make a Barrier of energy or loose matter to defend yourself for one round. This barrier deals 1 energy damage to anyone who comes adjacent to you this round. Using Barrier requires 1 point of spirit.

Kinetic Attacks: You gain access to Kinetic versions of any melee (including unarmed) or ranged attacks you possess; these attacks deal an additional 1 energy damage. Kinetic Attacks are considered and selected as separate abilities in your arsenal from their mundane counterparts (even unarmed attacks), and require 1 point of spirit to use.

Energy Healing: When placed near a plentiful but non-lethal source of your chosen energy or matter (such as pure water in a calm lake, or near a bonfire) you regain 1 additional point of life a day and one additional point of spirit every minute.

Rank II:
Absorb: As a secondary action, you can ready yourself to negate 1 point of energy damage per attack for the next full round. If you do absorb such an attack, you gain spirit equal to the damage negated. Absorb requires 1 point of spirit to use. Using this ability lowers your reaction by 1.

Kinetic Barrier: Your Barrier ability grants cover, giving a +1 bonus to evasion but a -1 penalty to accuracy. This ability requires Barrier.

Projected Barrier: You can target your Barrier on a square within 10 spaces. The barrier is 2 squares high and 1 square wide, and does not harm a creature inside that fits, but does hurt anyone that passes through the square. This ability requires Barrier.

Retaliatory Barrier: At your option, your Barrier ability deals damage to anyone who makes a melee or ranged attack at or through its occupants. A Retaliatory Barrier does not deal damage to merely adjacent targets, or to someone on the inside attacking the outside. This ability requires Barrier.

Shove: When you successfully damage someone with energy, you may use a point of spirit to shove them up to two spaces in one direction of your choice.

Rank III:
Energy Blast: You gain access to Pure Energy versions of any Melee or Ranged attacks you posses; these attacks deal an additional 2 damage, and all damage done is energy. Pure Energy Attacks are considered and selected as separate abilities in your arsenal from their mundane counterparts (even unarmed attacks), and require 2 points of spirit to use.

Energy Wave: You can add the Energy Wave attack to your arsenal. Energy Wave requires 2 points of spirit to use.

Kinetic Shove: When you successfully damage someone with energy, you may use a point of spirit to shove them up to ten spaces in one direction of your choice. If shoved upwards, they do not fall this round, but on the next round. This ability requires Shove.

Kinetic Stop: When you successfully damage someone with energy, you may use a point of spirit to hold them in place; they cannot sprint, fall or be shoved for the next full round. Other abilities that can be performed as a sprint action can still be used. This ability requires Energy Shove.

Multi Barrier: As a secondary action, you may create one additional barrier this round. You may use points of spirit on a 1 for 1 basis to control more. This ability requires Barrier and Projected Barrier.

Solid Barrier: As a secondary action that costs 2 points of spirit, you may make your barrier of solid energy or packed matter. It is an impregnable wall for one full round and does not deal damage. A solid barrier cannot be placed in an area already being occupied unless at least one of the occupants is you. This ability requires Barrier.

Wide Barrier: As a secondary action, you may increase the size of your barrier this round to Cube 2. You may use points of spirit on a 1 for 1 basis to enlarge the cube. This ability requires Barrier.

Rank IV:
Consume: Your Absorb ability can negate 3 points of damage per attack. Requires Absorb.

Fast Healing: When placed near a plentiful but non-lethal source of your chosen energy or matter (such as pure water in a calm lake, or near a bonfire) you regain 1 additional point of life an hour. Requires Energy Healing.

Kinetic Suspension: Your Kinetic Shove and Kinetic Stop abilities do not need to damage their subject to work, just successfully hit; you may suppress the damage freely. You may target yourself with these abilities as a sprint action that requires 1 point of spirit. Kinetic Suspension requires Kinetic Shove or Kinetic Stop.

Lingering Barrier: You may use a point of spirit to make your Barriers last longer; lingering barriers last every round after the first that you use a secondary action to maintain the barrier, up to one minute. This ability requires Barrier.

Lingering Strike: You deal an additional 1 energy damage to a target the round after you successfully damage them with an energy attack.

Rank V:
Deadly Barrier: Your Barrier deals an additional 1 damage to anyone who comes in contact with it. This ability requires Barrier.

Deflect: As a primary action, you can prepare to ricochet the first ranged attack fired at you for the next full round. If the attack would ordinarily hit, you can instead redirect it at another target within range as though you were the attack's originator. Deflect requires 2 spirit to use.

Energy Flash: You can add the Energy Flash attack to your arsenal. Energy Flash requires 2 points of spirit to use.

Mixed Barrier: You may use any two of the following abilities at once, provided that you already know them: Multi Barrier, Solid Barrier, Wide Barrier.

Rank VI:
Conservation: Your Kinetics abilities take 1 less spirit to use.

Overdrive: You can drastically overpower a Kinetics attack in your arsenal by focusing on it for the next minute. When the attack is fired, a targeted attack completely destroys 1 cube of matter in its targeted square, plus another adjacent cube per point of damage. An area attack completely destroys all cubes of matter in its area. Anyone in the destroyed cubes is killed, utterly, unless they are somehow immune to damage. Using Overdrive requires 5 points of spirit in addition to the attack's normal cost.

Geomancy:

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Rank I:
Glyph: You can add the Glyph to your arsenal. A Glyph is a mark of arcane power that can be placed as a full action on something within 10 spaces. When placed on a creature or object, the subject is marked as magical, and can thus be located more easily. At your option, the Glyph may be visible to those who cannot detect magic. A Glyph lasts for a week ordinarily. Using Glyph requires 1 point of spirit.

Additionally, you gain the ability to remove adjacent Glyphs placed by someone with equal or lower ranks in Geomancy. Erasing a Glyph takes a full action.

You may not have any of your Glyphs within 5 spaces of each other. Should this happen for any reason, all of the Glyphs within range simultaneously disappear.

Gust: As a secondary action, you can create a gust of wind that shoves the target 1 space in any direction. Your subject must be within 10 spaces.

Light and Sound: As a primary action, you can amplify or muffle ambient light and sound by a factor of 1000. This is enough to create bright light from starlight, daylight from lamp light, or shift a sound about 100 decibels. You cannot actually create or destroy either, however.

See Magic: As a secondary action, you are immediately aware of all sources of magic - including fey - within 10 spaces. If you spend a point of spirit, you can identify each magic source uniquely. Exceptionally powerful magic may be detected well beyond that range.

Tricks of the Trade: You can spontaneously produce small animals and handkerchiefs from your person.

Rank II:
Gloom: Living creatures become extremely uncomfortable and anxious within the presence of your glyphs (at your option.) As long as they are adjacent to a Gloom Glyph, they take a -1 penalty to resolve. Requires Glyph. A Glyph can only have one word attached to it at a time.

Locate: By concentrating for a minute, you may immediately become aware of the precise location of one of the active Glyphs you have laid. Using Locate Glyph requires a point of spirit. Requires Glyph. A Glyph can only have one word attached to it at a time.

Seal: When your Glyph is placed upon a door, window, or other portal you may opt to bar fey from entry; no fey can enter a Sealed door. Requires Glyph. A Glyph can only have one word attached to it at a time.

Tremor: As a primary action, you can greatly amplify local seismic activity, creating a minor localized earthquake. All creatures within 5 spaces of you (except yourself) are shoved 1 space in a random direction and lose 1 reaction. You can only use Tremor if you are standing on the ground. Using Tremor requires 1 point of spirit.

Walk on Water: By using a secondary action, this round you can walk on water as easily as you do land.

Rank III:
Defend: Your Glyph reactively burns those with hostile intent against either you or the subject of the Glyph, dealing 1 damage to the first adjacent hostile creature it senses before fading away. Requires Glyph. A Glyph can only have one word attached to it at a time.

Entangle: As a primary action, you can summon local plant matter or loose debris to cover up to 8 squares within 10 spaces. The squares become difficult to cross, requiring two spaces of movement, and make excellent handholds for climbing.

Fast Glyph: You can place a Glyph as a primary action. Requires Glyph.

Gravity: As a primary action, you can greatly amplify local gravity on a subject within 10 spaces for the next minute. If you target a creature or object, all creatures within 10 spaces of the object are shoved 1 space towards the object every round. If you target the earth itself, no one is able to leap, fly or hover within the given area.

Open Mind: You may have a 4th slot in your arsenal, solely for a magical origin ability. If you have already have a 4th slot from another source, it does not stack.

Summon Object: You can summon a handheld personal effect to your hand as a primary action. If the distance summoned is greater than 10 squares, the item can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to arrive - but it will come as long as you are not barricaded by an impenetrable or unavoidable barrier, or more than 50,000 kilometers away.

Weather: By concentrating for an hour, you can change the weather within a 10 km radius. The weather cannot be a violent change - rain to shine is possible, but tropical storm to heat wave is not.

Rank IV:
Resonance: When you attack someone, you may opt to delay the damage from the attack up to 3 rounds. The attack increases in damage by 1 point for every round that you delay the damage. This ability only applies to attack damage, not damage from any other source.

Subtle Magic: If you expend an additional point of spirit whenever you use a magic ability, the magic becomes undetectable to anyone with fewer ranks in Geomancy than you.

Wind Force: As a secondary action, you can create a gust of wind that shoves the target 5 spaces in any direction. Your subject must be within 10 spaces. Requires Gust.

Rank V:
Divination: As an hour-long ritual, once per week you can peer into the murky mists of the ley and see what they predict. You get a vague and unclear vision of the future. You can try to specify what the vision should be of, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to direct the vision, and trying too hard may result in your divination failing.

Focus Magic: As a primary action, you can hone the magic in your body. The next magical ability you use within a minute requires 2 less spirit. This has no effect on abilities with a mundane or technological origin.

Rapid Glyph: You can place a Glyph as a secondary action. Requires Fast Glyph.

Reflect Magic: As a primary action, you can ready yourself to cancel the next magical ability used within a full round within 10 spaces of you. This has no effect on abilities with a mundane or technological origin.

Rank VI:
Violence of Nature: As a full action, you call upon the fury of nature to strike a specific square (not person, but square) within 10 spaces of you. Targeting is done at the beginning of your full action, but the ability is not fired until the end. It becomes extremely obvious that you are doing something dangerous upon initiating the action; you glow, winds start to blow, etc.

The exact nature of this ability depends on the local area; in Southern California it may be a sudden stalagmite, on a Pacific Isle a magma flow or tidal wave, in Britain a lightning strike. The ability always deals 10 physical or energy damage, stuns the target, and is unavoidable. If you are damaged before your full action completes, you are stunned. Using Violence of Nature requires 7 points of spirit.

Interpersonal Skills:



Life and Spirit:

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Rank I:
Dead Tired: As a secondary action, you may use up a number of your life points to gain an equal number of spirit points.

Life Touch: As a primary action, you can stop bleeding and cure hamstring on yourself or an adjacent living creature.

Parasitic Touch: You can add the Parasitic Touch attack to your arsenal. Parasitic Touch requires 1 point of spirit to use.

Rank II:
Shield: You can add the Shield ability to your arsenal. As a secondary action, you can negate the first point of damage a living creature within 10 spaces (including yourself) takes this round. Shield requires 1 point of spirit to use.

Soul Mark: You can add the Soul Mark ability to your arsenal. As a primary action, target a living creature within 10 spaces. That creature takes a -1 penalty to its resolve for the next minute. If the creature dies before the Soul Mark ends, you regain all spirit. You can only have one target Soul Marked at a time. Soul Mark requires 1 point of spirit to use.

Spirit Channel: As a secondary action, you can transfer 3 points of your spirit to a living creature within 10 spaces.

Rank III:
Blood of Sloth: As a secondary action, the subject of your Soul Mark becomes infested with a vile poison that eats away at its life force. It loses 1 reaction a round while infected with the Soul Mark. Your Soul Mark can only be infused with one type of Blood at a time. Requires Soul Mark.

Blood of The Many: As a secondary action, the subject of your Soul Mark becomes infected with a rapid contagion. If it is bleeding, all creatures adjacent to the original subject are effectively under the effect of the Soul Mark. Your Soul Mark can only be infused with one type of Blood at a time. Requires Soul Mark.

Life Funnel: You can designate a living creature within 10 spaces of you to gain the benefit of your regeneration and you the brunt of his pain. Any time you would regain a point of life, the target instead regains that life. Similarly, any time he would take life damage, you take that life damage instead. If trying to let a recipient benefit from your normal life regeneration, they must be linked directly to you for at least a third of the regeneration period.

Life Funnel can be activated or deactivated as a primary action.

Reach of the Parasite: Your Parasitic Touch attack can be used as a light ranged attack with a range of 5 instead of a light melee attack. Requires Parasitic Touch.

Second Wind: As a secondary action, you may use up a number of your life points to gain twice that number of spirit points. Requires Dead Tired.

Status Shield: The subject of your Shield cannot be hamstrung or blinded this round. If he is already hamstrung or blinded, this ability does not remove those conditions.

Rank IV:
Acid Blood: As a secondary action, the subject of your Soul Mark has their blood turn to a painful corrosive. They take 1 energy damage every round until they bleed. Your Soul Mark can only be infused with one type of Blood at a time.

Big Shield: As a primary action, you alter your already active Shield to guard against 3 points of damage this round, as well as the Stun effect. Big Shield requires 2 points of spirit. Requires Shield and Status Shield.

Blood Shield: The target of your Soul Mark takes 1 damage for each point of damage absorbed by your shields each round. You can turn this ability on or off as a secondary action. Your Soul Mark can only be infused with one type of Blood at a time. Requires Shield and Soul Mark.

Bubble Shield: As a primary action, you alter your already active Shield to affect up to 5 allied living creatures (including yourself) within 10 spaces. Bubble Shield requires 2 points of spirit. Requires Shield.

Lifeforce Sense: As a secondary action, you are aware of all living creatures within 5 spaces of you. If you spend a point of spirit, you can identify each living creature uniquely.

Life Link: Your Life Funnel has improved. Whenever you or the target of your Life Funnel gains a point of life, you both do; however, whenever you or the target takes damage, you both do. Requires Life Funnel.

Rank V:
Aura of Life: All living creatures within 10 spaces of you immediately cease bleeding. You can suppress or unsuppress this aura as a primary action.

Distant Parasite: Your Parasitic Touch ranged attack increases range to 15. Requires Reach of the Parasite.

Greater Parasite: Your Parasitic Touch attack deals +1 life and spirit damage and restores an additional point of life. Requires Parasitic Touch.

Life Channel: As a secondary action, you can channel 3 points of your life to a living creature within 10 spaces of you. Requires Life Funnel.

Rank VI:
Rebirth: You can resurrect a living creature that has died within the last day. Resurrection requires an hour of concentration next to the deceased's mostly intact corpse. Internal foreign objects that caused the creature to die, such as traces of cyanide or cancer, are not cured. If the target of your Rebirth is already alive, then you can restore any missing limbs or faculties to the creature.

Spirit Fountain: As a primary action, you can fill yourself with spirit; your spirit immediately becomes infinite for the next minute. At the end of this minute (12 rounds), your spirit drops to 0. Spirit Fountain requires 2 life to use.

Marksmanship:

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Rank I:
Steady Grip: You take no penalty when using your ranged attack from partial cover. You still cannot use your ranged attack through complete cover.

Snapshot: Your ranged attacks gain +1 accuracy if you an attack an opponent on the same round they enter your line of sight.

Rank II:
Pinion Shot: You may declare your next standard ranged attack to be a Pinion Shot. Pinion Shots deal 2 less damage but always Hamstring the target until they get care.

Rain of Fire: You can use your heavy ranged attack to shoot a Cube 2 area within range. Rain of Fire attacks have 2 more accuracy and deal half damage. Using Rain of Fire requires a point of spirit.

Trick Shot: You may declare your next light ranged attack to be a Trick Shot. Trick Shots deal 1 less damage and cannot have a secondary effect, but ignore anything but complete cover.

[b]Rank III:[/n]
Double Shot: You can use your standard ranged attack twice as a full action. However, the Double Shot does not gain benefit from Take Aim, deals 2 less damage per attack, and cannot have a secondary effect besides bleed. Double Shot requires a point of spirit.

Faster Aim: You can Take Aim as a primary action, rather than a full action. You still lose your aim if you are damaged before you can take the attack.

Shot-Fu: After making a successful melee attack, you may use a point of spirit to make a light ranged attack as a secondary action.

Rank IV:
Fan of Death: You can use your light ranged attack on four people within Range 5. Fan of Death attacks have 1 less accuracy and require a point of spirit.

Persistent Aim: Your Take Aim action does not fail when an opponent moves, or you move. Taking damage still ends the effect, however. Requires Faster Aim.

Suppression Fire: You may use a secondary action to make your next standard or heavy ranged attack very effective against anyone without cover. Suppression Fire gains +2 bonus accuracy against targets without cover, but automatically misses any target who does have cover.

Rank V:
Far Reach: Your standard and heavy ranged attacks (and special attacks, like Rain of Fire) have double their usual range.

Point Blank: Your light ranged attacks deal an extra 2 damage to targets within 3 squares of you.

Hammer Tactics: You may use your heavy ranged attack to target an enemy's cover directly. The attack does no physical damage, but deals 3 composure damage to the enemies taking cover, pushing them towards the scared and horrified conditions. Requires Suppression Fire.

Rank VI:
Sniper Shot: When you Take Aim with a ranged weapon, you may forego the accuracy increase; instead, if the attack hits, it deals triple damage. Using this ability lowers your reaction by 1.

Running Shot: You can charge and make ranged attack in the same deft movement. As a full action, you may move up to your sprint distance and then make a standard or light ranged attack in the same phase. Unlike most full actions, this ability triggers in the phase that you use it, not in the next phase. Using Running Shot decreases your accuracy by 1, but increases your evasion for a full round by 2.

Martial Skill:

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Rank I:
Distracting Presence: Your melee attacks (including unarmed) gain +1 accuracy against someone who has attacked someone other than you within the last full round.

Threatening Presence: Your melee attacks (including unarmed) gain +1 accuracy against someone who has used a ranged attack within the last full round.

Unarmed Combatant: Your unarmed attacks stun on results of 6.

Rank II:
Impale: You can use your heavy melee attack (including unarmed) to attack everyone in a Line 3 extending from you. Impale attacks have 1 less accuracy and shove all targets one square away from you. Using Impale requires a point of spirit.

Whirl: You can use your light or standard melee attack (including unarmed) to attack everyone in a square either horizontally or vertically (pick one) adjacent to you. Whirl attacks have 1 less accuracy and shove all targets one square away from you. Using Whirl requires a point of spirit.

Rank III:
Balanced Warrior: When wielding a standard melee weapon and someone misses you with an attack, that weapon gains +1 damage against that target for a full round. You also gain +1 accuracy with your standard melee weapons.

Close-Quarters Warrior: Someone you've injured in Close-Quarters Combat is considered to be wrestling with you, and cannot sprint for the next full round. Other abilities that can be performed as a sprint action can still be used.

Nimble Warrior: When you damage someone with a light melee weapon, as a secondary action you can reduce damage by 1 and cause them to bleed profusely. Profuse bleeding happens once a round rather than once a minute. You also gain +1 accuracy with your light melee weapons.

Reach Warrior: When wielding a heavy melee weapon, you may immediately make an attack with that weapon against someone about to enter a space adjacent to you. This uses both a primary and secondary action and cannot be done if you have used those actions this round. You may use this ability even if you have already acted this phase to make a sprint, or if it is not your turn. Using this ability lowers your reaction by 1. You also gain +1 accuracy with your heavy melee weapons.

Unarmed Warrior: Your unarmed attacks stun on results of 5. You also gain +1 accuracy with your unarmed melee attacks. This ability requires Unarmed Combatant.

Rank IV:
Death Strike: Before you make your heavy melee attack (including unarmed), you may give up 1 accuracy. If you do, then you deal an extra 2 points of damage. Using Death Strike requires a point of spirit.

Disarming Strike: Before you make your light or standard melee attack (including unarmed), you may give up damage from a successful hit. If you do, you disarm or disable the target of one mundane or tool ability of your choice from their arsenal (even unarmed weapons). Using Disarming Strike requires a point of spirit.

Revenge Strike: If you have been struck by an opponent in the last full round, your melee attacks (including unarmed) gain +1 accuracy against that target.

Rank V:
Lethality: You may use a secondary action to increase your melee attack accuracy and damage by +2.

Versatility: You may use a secondary action to consider your melee attack (including unarmed) as one category heavier or lighter than it usually is this round. Abilities that apply to either its normal size or its versatile size will both function this round.

Rank VI:
Deadly Blow: You may declare your next melee attack to be a Deadly Blow. The attack will deal double damage if it hits. Using Deadly Blow requires 3 points of spirit.

Stunning Blow: You may declare your next melee attack to be a Stunning Blow. The attack will always stun if it hits. Using Stunning Blow requires 3 points of spirit.

Mind and Soul:

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Rank I:
Fey Sight: You can see and hear fey, spirit, and reduced reality individuals.

Lore: You can reactively detect the presence of strong psychic signatures left in the immediate area - signatures are left by strong emotions. If you use a point of spirit, especially strong impressions might allow you to relive events of recent history.

Purify: You can add the Purify attack to your arsenal. Purify can immediately end any active Telepathy effects on the target, dealing 2 damage for each effect removed in this way. Effects created by someone with more ranks in Mind and Soul than you cannot be removed; neither can you remove Possession effects. Purify requires 1 spirit to use.

Telepath: You can add the Telepathy attack to your arsenal. Telepathy requires a primary action to use and can be targeted at any living creature.

Rank II:
Gentle Strength: For every 2 additional points of spirit you use, you can increase the penetration of your Purify ability by 1. Requires Purify.

Hypnotic Homeostasis: As a primary action, you can use your Telepathy attack on yourself or an ally, granting a +2 bonus to resolve for a full round. Hypnotic Homeostasis requires a point of spirit to use. Requires Telepath.

Mental Bond: By concentrating on your Telepathy ability for a full minute, performing minimal actions otherwise, you can create a mental bond between yourself and the target (provided your attack is successful). Until the effect is cancelled (a minute of concentration on your part) the bond allows you to constantly hear each other's surface thoughts and emotions, no matter the distance. Requires Telepath.

Mind Sense: As a full action, you are aware of all living creatures, fey, and spirits within 3 spaces of you. Mind Sense requires 1 point of spirit to use; spending additional points of spirit increases the range by 3 for each point of spirit used.

Suggestion: By concentrating on your Telepathy ability for a full minute, performing minimal actions otherwise, you can cause implant a suggestion in the target (provided your attack is successful).

For the next day, the creature will act in small ways not counter to its most essential goals that further the end of the suggestion. If you send a suggestion to be more hungry to an average person, they will eat more for the next day; to most anorexics, however, the command will likely fail, though attempts to persuade them to eat may be somewhat more effective.

A creature that has very strong reason to suspect it is under the effects of a suggestion ends the suggestion immediately. Long-term suggestions can eventually become ingrained in a person to become second nature, allowing for brainwashing over an extended period of time. Requires Telepath.

Rank III:
Distance: You can make a Telepathy attack a Distance attack. A Distance attack can target any individual that you know to exist on Earth. Distance requires at least 1 point of spirit to use; exceptional circumstances such as a dimensional rift may require a higher point expenditure as ruled by the GM. You may only have one modifier on a Telepathy attack at a time. Requires Telepath.

Feedback: You do not have to damage a subject of your Purify ability; instead, you can damage the casters of the effects (2 damage per effect they each created). If the casters have more ranks in Mind and Soul than you, then you take damage instead. Requires Purify.

Mind Hound: As a secondary action, for a full round you can see psychic 'scents' left by individuals. Scents are left on matter - travel through air or water leaves a very rapidly disappearing trail, and precipitation or harsh sunlight can age the trail artificially. Requires Lore.

Mind Stop: You can make a Telepathy attack a Mind Stop attack. The subject of your Mind Stop attack is stunned for one round and loses 1 reaction. Mind Stop requires 1 point of spirit to use. You may only have one modifier on a Telepathy attack at a time. Requires Telepath.

Paralysis: You can make a Telepathy attack a Paralysis attack - you can only target helpless, very tired, or perturbed creatures with Paralysis. The subject of your Paralysis attack falls helpless for the next hour, either conscious or unconscious at your option. Paralysis requires 2 points of spirit to use. You may only have one modifier on a Telepathy attack at a time. Requires Telepath.

Rank IV:
Fey Channel: You may add Channel to your arsenal. As a full action, you fill yourself with a nearby spirit willing (or at least pretending) to aid you. The spirit's personality becomes your own - the GM should determine what that personality is. Until you expel the spirit (a primary action) it grants you its boon, typically an additional power in one tree of Ranks 1-3 (one power at each level) as appropriate to the spirit's personality and domains. You also are able to use one magical, technological, or mundane ability in the spirit's arsenal as appropriate.

While the spirit is possessing you, you are immune to Telepathy attacks, cannot perform any Mind and Soul attacks, and lose 1 life every minute. A spirit may have goals contrary to your own, and refuse to relinquish control - you may commit a forced expulsion, but doing so stuns you and requires 1 life. Using Fey Channel requires 1 life and 1 spirit the first time you use it in a day; additional uses of it (or advanced versions of it) increase the life and spirit cost by 1 each time.

Penetration: Your Mind and Soul attacks gain a +1 bonus to Penetration.

Rapid Homeostasis: You may use Hypnotic Homeostasis as a secondary action. Requires Hypnotic Homeostasis.

Rapid Suggestion: You may make a Suggestion as a primary action. Requires Suggestion.

Sanctified Weapons: After you have made a successful melee or ranged attack, you may (as a secondary action which requires 1 spirit in addition to the normal cost) immediately attempt a Purify attack on the target. Requires Purify.

Touch the Soul: You can physically interact with fey, spirits, and reduced reality individuals.

Rank V:
Crucible: You can remove Possession and damage fey with a Purify attack, dealing 6 damage to the spirit. Your Purify attacks can also break Life and Spirit effects active upon the target at your option, dealing 2 damage per each effect removed in this way. Using Crucible requires 3 points of spirit in addition to the normal Purify cost. Requires Touch the Soul and Purify.

Mind Burn: You can make a Telepathy attack a Mind Burn attack. The subject of your Mind Burn attack takes 4 damage. Mind Burn requires 1 point of spirit to use. You may only have one modifier on a Telepathy attack at a time. Requires Telepath.

Possession: You can make a Telepathy attack a Possession attack - you can only target helpless, very tired, or perturbed creatures with Possession. The subject of your Possession attack becomes your body for the next hour (or until you dismiss the possession) - you trade any mundane, tool, or technological abilities, but retain your magic abilities. Your original body falls limp and helpless for the duration of the possession. If either body is killed while you are possessing a target, both you and your victim die.

Repeated Possession over an extended period of time may allow for a permanent body switch, in which case you are not subject to the previous limitation.

Possession requires 3 points of spirit to use in addition to the normal cost. You may only have one modifier on a Telepathy attack at a time. Requires Telepath.

Power Channel: As Fey Channel, but you also gain a Rank 4 ability in the same tree. If you use Fey Channel instead, the drain is slowed to 1 life a minute. Requires Fey Channel.

Rank VI:
Channel the River of Souls: As Power Channel, but you also gain two Rank 5 abilities from the same tree. If you use Fey Channel instead, the drain is slowed to 1 life a day. Power Channel's drain is slowed to 1 life an hour.

You may also use an active Rank VI ability from the same tree by expending 2 life in addition to the normal cost. Requires Power Channel.

Soul Eater: You can make a Telepathy or Purify attack a Soul Eater attack - you can only target helpless, very tired, or perturbed creatures with Soul Eater (Telepathy) or fey with Soul Eater (Purify). You gain all of the subject's collected knowledge and their composure drops to 0; until they regain full composure, the creature suffers from amnesia - they remember how to do everything as before, but specific events, people and places are forgotten. Upon recovery of their composure, you lose all specifics of their knowledge, unless you wrote something down or made special note of it. You do retain a general familiarity of what they knew, though.

Soul Eater requires 1 point of spirit to use in addition to the normal cost. You may only have one modifier on a Telepathy attack at a time.

Wake the Dead: By concentrating for an hour, you can control a recently dead creature for one day, animating it and reading its thoughts. Unlike a normal possession, your mind is not removed from your body; you may have as many living dead creatures controlled at once as you want (with a practical limit of 24). The creatures must still have a mostly intact brain. Deceased creatures can only use mundane or tool abilities, and do not regenerate life, or have resolve, spirit or composure. Portions of attacks that target these abilities fail.

The only thoughts that can be gleaned from their minds are ones from within an hour of their death. If brought to 0 Life, attacked by a Purify ability, or their brain rots beyond usage, they die permanently.

The creatures can be given simple, basic commands with a telepathy attack. Requires Telepath.

Reality Alteration:

Spoiler

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Rank I:
Displace: You can add the Displace attack to your arsenal. You can teleport small handheld objects and creatures within 6 spaces to any other location within 6 spaces as a full action. If you are damaged before your full action is completed, the ability fails. Using Displace requires 2 points of spirit. Teleported subjects placed in mid-air do not begin falling until the next round. You may only Displace objects that you know to exist and approximately where; if you know someone has a gun in their pocket, the gun is a suitable object for teleportation, but if you only think that someone has a gun on their person, you cannot.

The inside of a living creature's body is protected by the creature's soul field, and objects cannot be teleported in or out of their body without their consent.

Decrease Reality: You can add the Decrease Reality ability to your arsenal. As a full action, you can reduce your density or the density of another object or creature within 6 spaces. If you are damaged before your full action is completed, the ability ceases to function. For the next full round, the subject takes 1 less damage from all sources and deals 1 less damage with all attacks that originate from her. You may maintain a decreased reality with subsequent full actions that require no spirit. Using Decrease Reality requires 2 points of spirit.

Increase Reality: You can add the Increase Reality ability to your arsenal. As a full action, you can create a convincing illusion of a person or person-sized object (up to 2 cubic meters) that you are very familiar with for a full round. This illusion must be placed in an unoccupied square within 6 spaces, and immediately fades if it is physically interacted with. You may maintain an illusion's existence with subsequent full actions that require no spirit. Using Increase Reality requires 2 points of spirit.

Rank II:
Compress Reality: You can slightly condense time. You and everyone within 100 spaces of you moves at 90% of local time. This means that for every 12 rounds you take, 13 rounds pass outside; for every 10 minutes, 11. Every minute that you have Compress Reality active drains 1 spirit from you. You may activate or deactivate this ability as a full action.

Each additional user of Compress Reality in an area increases the radius by 50 spaces and slows time by 5%, to a minimum of 50%. Each use of Stretch Reality in an area counters one user of Compress Reality.

Rapid Alteration: Your Displace, Decrease and Increase Reality abilities can be performed and maintained as a primary action.

Reality Reach: Your Reality Alteration abilities increase range by half; either from 6 spaces to 9 spaces or from 80 spaces to 120.

Stretch Reality: You can slightly stretch time. You and everyone within 100 spaces of you moves at 110% of local time. This means that for every 13 rounds you take, only 12 rounds pass outside; for every 11 minutes, only 10. Every minute that you have Stretch Reality active drains 1 spirit from you. You may activate or deactivate this ability as a full action.

Each additional user of Stretch Reality in an area increases the radius by 50 spaces and speeds time by 10%, to a maximum of 200%. Each use of Compress Reality in an area counters one user of Stretch Reality.

Rank III:
Large Displace: Your Displace ability can affect objects up to a person (2 cubic meters) in size. Requires Displace.

Sharp Decrease: When you Decrease Reality, the subject takes and deals 3 less damage from all sources. They may have to use a point of spirit and extra time to interact normally with objects, and sometimes may pass through spaces too small for them (such as a window half their size, or jail bars, though not a solid steel wall). Requires Decrease Reality.

Sharp Increase: When you Increase Reality, the illusion can be physically interacted with, though if it takes more than 3 points of damage it disappears. If you use a point of spirit, the illusion can act on its own and use any attack in your arsenal, drawing on your spirit pool. If the illusion ever moves out of range, however, it immediately fades. This does not count as a separate ability for the purposes of Conservation. Requires Increase Reality.

Rank IV:
Concentration: Your Reality Alteration effects are no longer canceled if you take damage.

Long Displace: You may focus upon your Displace ability for a minute, performing minimal actions otherwise. If you are not damaged in this time period, you may consider the range of the ability to be a hundred times normal. Requires Displace.

Long Decrease: You may focus upon your Decrease Reality ability for a minute, performing minimal actions otherwise. If you are not damaged in this time period, the subject is erased from reality, turned into a spirit or spirit-object that can only exist as long as people remember them. Someone with Long Increase can undo the erasure only if they can identify the location that it took place in. Requires Decrease Reality.

Long Increase: You may focus upon your Increase Reality ability for a minute, performing minimal actions otherwise. If you are not damaged in this time period, you may create an object that you mechanically understand. A gunsmith could make a gun, a professional counterfeiter could make money. You are also able to undo erasures in reality or force fey to manifest. Requires Increase Reality.

Rapid Displace: You may use Large Displace on yourself as a sprint action. Rapid Displace requires 1 point of spirit to use. Requires Large Displace.

Rapid Decrease: You may use Sharp Decrease on yourself as a sprint action. Rapid Decrease requires 1 point of spirit to use. Requires Sharp Decrease.

Rapid Increase: You may use the basic Increase Reality as a sprint action. Rapid Increase requires 1 point of spirit to use. Requires Sharp Increase.

Rippling Reach: Your Reality Alteration abilities double their original range - from 6 spaces to 12, or 80 to 160. Requires and overlaps Reality Reach.

Rank V:
Complete Decrease: When you Decrease Reality, the subject can neither deal damage nor take damage, becoming completely intangible. Using Complete Decrease requires an extra point of spirit and it does not count as a separate ability for the purposes of Conservation. Requires Sharp Decrease.

Complete Increase: When you Increase Reality, the illusion can take as much damage as its original counterpart before it is destroyed. Using Complete Increase requires an extra point of spirit and it does not count as a separate ability for the purposes of Conservation. Requires Sharp Increase.

Huge Displace: Your Displace ability can affect a subject or multiple subjects up to 16 cubic meters in size, like a car. Requires Large Displace.

Rank VI:
Conservation: Your Reality Alteration abilities take 1 less spirit to use.

Time Warp: As a secondary action, you may move forwards or backwards an hour in time; if you already exist in the time you are moving to, your body and soul merges with the 'you' of that time period. Using Time Warp requires 3 points of life, drains all of your remaining spirit, and makes you bleed.

Resources:



Scouting:



Technology:



Beta Attack List:

Spoiler

Show

Attack List
Universal Access:

Unarmed (Light, Melee)
Accuracy: +3
Damage: 2 Physical
Effects: None
Special: This ability does not count against your limit of attacks in the arsenal.

Unarmed (Heavy, Melee)
Accuracy: +1
Damage: 4 Physical
Effects: None
Special: This ability does not count against your limit of attacks in the arsenal.

Melee Weapon (Light, Melee)
Accuracy: +4
Damage: 2 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 6 Stun.

Melee Weapon (Standard, Melee)
Accuracy: +2
Damage: 3 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 6 Stun.

Melee Weapon (Heavy, Melee)
Accuracy: +1
Damage: 5 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 5 Hamstring (1 round), 6 Stun.

Ranged Weapon (Light, Ranged)
Accuracy: +2
Damage: 3 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 6 Hamstring (1 round).
Range: 15

Ranged Weapon (Standard, Ranged)
Accuracy: +1
Damage: 6 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 6 Stun.
Range: 30

Ranged Weapon (Heavy, Ranged)
Accuracy: +0
Damage: 7 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 5-6 Stun.
Range: 50

Explosive (Light, Ranged, Area)
Accuracy: +1
Damage: 6 Physical
Effects: Bleed. 5-6 Stun.
Range: 10
Area: Cube 3

Advanced Access:

Energy Flash (Standard, Ranged, Area)
Penetration: +2
Damage: None
Effects: Blind (2 rounds).
Range: 10
Area: Cube 3

Energy Wave (Standard, Ranged, Area)
Penetration: +3
Damage: 2 Energy
Effects: None
Range: 5
Area: Line 5

Displace (Mental, Ranged)
Penetration: +2
Damage: None
Effects: Teleports subject. Ignores Line of Sight.
Range: 6

Parasitic Touch (Light, Melee)
Penetration: +2
Damage: 1 Physical, 1 Spirit
Effects: Heals 1 life for each target damaged.

Purify (Mental, Melee)
Penetration: +2
Damage: 2 per Effect removed.
Effects: Purify can immediately end any active Telepathy effects on the target, dealing 2 damage for each effect removed in this way. Effects created by someone with more ranks in Mind and Soul than you cannot be removed, nor can Possession.

Telepathy (Mental, Ranged)
Penetration: +2
Damage: None
Effects: Read the target's surface thoughts and emotions and transmit your own.
Range: 10

[Zuki]

With great reluctance and at long last, I see that 'vampires' have eventually made their way into Anteheroes. Next stop, dragons!

Other general thoughts:

I highly approve of the more streamlined one-word names for the defenses and attacks, they're easier and less awkward to remember.


On Life and Spirit:

Vampiric Touch might be a fairly popular cherry-pick, if only because it's a way to regain that ever-valuable resource of Life. There are probably a few more ways to spin in than the name suggests, as well.

Likewise, I do like the Soul Mark line of powers, they're a good line of "I'm going to curse you/use my life magic to make yours terrible and full of pain." S's good to see that sort of thing.

Shield is also nice, but seems a bit...weak? Then again, 'No damage can be completely reduced' seems to be a reoccurring mechanical principle, and there are likely to be other defensive powers elsewhere. Being able to remove secondary effects of attacks is nice.

In general, I like the new names all the various powers have, it adds subtle flavor.

Shoving people frickkin' 10 squares with Kinetic Shove is cool.

Marksmanship looks solid.

Martial Skill looks to have its overall numerical power nerfed, but in exchange there is mechanical support and differentiation for different styles of melee combat. This is slightly disappointing compared to the way Shelley Clarkson used to rip things up in melee combat, but I suspect I'll actually like this system more for the larger number of options it offers. In keeping with things like Energy attacks and Guns, the really shiny high-numbers tricks take a little spirit. I like the inclusion of Impale as a compliment to Whirl.

I note that attack damage is static now, and that guns seem to be doing about +1 point more damage on average. Is that correct, or am I misremembering? And if so, why the damage up?

Swiftness looks a lot better, very much so. The wider range of effects clustered under it are all very attractive.

[AstralFire]

I suppose "Parasitic" is a more flavor neutral term, I'll probably change it over. Vampires aren't actually supposed to exist in the Anteverse.

Dragons aren't coming. =p No way, no how.

Shield I'm not sure about balancing. It'll definitely need playtesting.

Kinetic Shove is the answer to Warp+Matter Control from the last generation, and I think it works a bit better.

You can actually deal more damage with Martial Skill than you could Fighting, it's just that it's a little less obvious and requires some work. Sniper Shot+Rapid Aim in Marks and Deadly Blow+Death Strike in Martial are both capable of one shot kills against even someone with maximum Life.

Standard Ranged damage is up slightly because guns were a bit underpowered prior and part of their strength was also in the crazy volatility which no longer exists. Heavy Ranged is down 0.5 average damage IIRC and it lost its extensive array of secondary effects.

The new Swiftness feels like it's coming together a bit better, which I'm relieved about it. The earlier versions felt a little... jumbled and disparate. I'll probably polish this set up a little more and then tackle something new.

Planned trees:
- Spirited + Invulnerability + Constitution as Toughness. Called it Endurance, whoops. Done.
- Illusion+Tangibility+Teleportation as Reality Alteration. <-- This tree will tie with the Tantric tradition of learned magic most closely. Done.
- Greatly expanded Techcraft Done.
- Geomancy <--- Replacing Magecraft, ties with the Wizard/Druid tradition most closely. Done.
- Mind and Soul <--- Related to Mind Control + the Shamanic tradition Done.
- Contacts and Resources It's Resources, people. Also not a very exciting tree, if a useful one.
- Perception & Stealth: IT'S COMING! TODAY! WHOOP
- Acrobatics (Leaping and Flying and Tumbling and maybe Bull Rushing) Merged with Swiftness as Acrobatics.
- Psychology Mixed with Composed and called it Interpersonal.

[AstralFire]

Solved the Flying issue - there's a way to fly in both E&M and Swiftness; Swiftness was renamed Acrobatics and lets you fly. E&M Flight can be gotten earlier and is eventually cheaper, but you won't be flying as fast.

Added Reality Alteration.

[phoenixcire]

It may just be me but Aerial Leap(which is what I'm guessing is the Acrobatic Flight) reads like a one round hover.

Also, for Energy and Matter, does the Absorb ability only absorb ones chosen energy or any energy?

[AstralFire]

It may just be me but Aerial Leap(which is what I'm guessing is the Acrobatic Flight) reads like a one round hover.

A one-round hover that allows for another leap... so basically, flying. Correct. Hovering in general is more the province of Energy and Matter, since you can do it earlier there, and eventually for free.

Also, for Energy and Matter, does the Absorb ability only absorb ones chosen energy or any energy?

Any energy. If you have a flavor issue with that - say a fire guy absorbing acid - you could maybe be igniting the acid and then absorbing that.

[phoenixcire]

A one-round hover that allows for another leap... so basically, flying. Correct. Hovering in general is more the province of Energy and Matter, since you can do it earlier there, and eventually for free.

I see, I originally missed the word "Additionally" so I thought it was an either/or situation. Are there still accuracy penalties for attacking while in mid-air?

Any energy. If you have a flavor issue with that - say a fire guy absorbing acid - you could maybe be igniting the acid and then absorbing that.

No flavor issues, was just making sure I was understanding everything. I'm starting to like the new system much more than the old. Very diverse in what you can do. It also seems like you can do anything you can imagine, as long as you figure out which abilities to combine in your arsenal.

[AstralFire]

I see, I originally missed the word "Additionally" so I thought it was an either/or situation. Are there still accuracy penalties for attacking while in mid-air?

All penalties for attacking and moving in the same round are gone now.

I'm starting to like the new system much more than the old. Very diverse in what you can do. It also seems like you can do anything you can imagine, as long as you figure out which abilities to combine in your arsenal.

Glad to hear it! And yeah, that's the point. This system is supposed to be extremely flexible.

Geomancy is up! It (along with Techcraft's replacement) should be the only path that is tied directly to one origin.

New origin for powers: Tool.

Mundane/Tool: Something anyone can use, not a lot of circuitry in it if any. Can be disarmed/disabled by Disarming Strike in Martial Skill.

Magic (Learned or Innate): Self-explanatory. Can be reflected by Reflect Magic in Geomancy.

Technology: Implants, cyborg tech or ludicrous circuity. Techcraft's new version will definitely be able to handle this.

[AstralFire]

Mind and Soul is up! Marksmanship greatly improved (thank you Khane), Energy renamed Kinesis, Geomancy tweaked a bit. Some stuff added to Reality Alteration.

[AstralFire]

Added four abilities to M&S Rank 4-6, dropped Soul Quake.

[Username]

Looking good so far. Mind and Soul is definitely my favorite path so far, telepathy is all sorts of fun.

The channel powers look good, though I'm worried they may need some sort of further drawback lest they basically make Mind and Soul "pretty much every tree as long as you're fast enough". Perhaps the spirit/fae will require favors in return? That attaches a cost that prevent overuse while not being as risky as rapid life loss.

[AstralFire]

I don't know about giving favors since that's one of the harder hooks to use as a RP balancing mechanical. The fey you channel this time being craaaaazy and trying to murder your friends is a little less complex.

How about a time limit of once a day? Additional uses per day increase the cost by 1 life, 2 life, etc?

[AstralFire]

Damn, bumped into the character limit!

Here's Technology.

Technology:

Spoiler

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Rank I:
Computer Kid: You gain the ability to use brute force coding to bypass basic computer security, install basic encryption as well as similar techniques.

Repair Guy: You can pick open most simple locks, repair cars and work unusual but basic mechanisms that you have only just encountered.

Rank II:
Crumple Zone: By working for an hour, you can attach, program, rewire protective equipment to a creature or object. The equipment absorbs the first point of damage taken by the creature and is then destroyed.

Jump Start: As a primary action, you can increase an adjacent robotic creature's spirit by 3. A creature can only be Jump Started once an hour.

Juryrig: As a primary action, you can stop bleeding and cure hamstring on yourself or an adjacent robotic creature.

Override: You can add the Override attack to your arsenal. Override requires a primary action to use, and can only be targeted on a robotic creature or machinery.

Rank III:
Firewall: As a primary action, you can use your Override attack on yourself (if a robot) or a robotic ally, granting a +2 bonus to resolve for a full round. Firewall requires a point of spirit to use. Requires Override.

Mechanical Genius: You can create new mechanisms and improvisations on the fly, repair items that you've never seen before, and patent a lot of things. Requires Repair Guy.

Tech Sense: You are automatically aware of the presence of all circuitry and robotic creatures within 10 spaces of you. This may manifest itself as flaming code vision if you wear a trenchcoat.

Technical Wizard: You can design viral worms, large-scale computer attacks and security measures at a national government and corporate level. Requires Computer Kid.

Utility Belt: You may have a 4th slot in your arsenal, solely for a tool or technological origin ability. If you have already have a 4th slot from another source, it does not stack.

Rank IV:
Combat Shields: By working for an hour, you can attach, program, rewire protective equipment to a creature or object. The equipment absorbs the first 2 points of damage taken by the creature and is then destroyed. Requires Crumple Zone.

Pulse: By using 2 points of spirit, your Override attack affects all valid targets in a Cube 3 area. Using this ability lowers your reaction by 1. Requires Override.

Repair: By working for eight hours, you can restore 1 life to a robotic creature. Requires Juryrig.

Syntax Error: By using 2 points of spirit, your successful Override attack stuns one robotic target this round, or disables one technological ability in a living creature's arsenal for the next minute.

Viral: You may target a robotic creature's composure rather than their life with Override. If you bring their composure down to 0, you take control of the creature for the next hour. You can order the creature around with simple commands via the Override ability. Requires Override.

Rank V:
Flash Fire: You can use a Firewall as a secondary action. Requires Firewall.

Geek God: Any lock? You can break it. Any system? You can infiltrate it. Dead robot? You can make it function. It's all just a question of time - usually a few days. Requires Mechanical Genius and Tech Wizard.

Overwire: You can restore 2 life to an adjacent robotic creature (including yourself) as a primary action; however, an hour later the creature takes 4 damage. Requires Juryrig.

Worm: As a primary action, you may declare your next Override attack to be a Worm attack. If the attack succeeds, any robotic creatures who come adjacent to the victim for the next hour are attacked as though by the original Override attack. A given creature can only be attacked once by the worm. Using Worm requires 2 points of spirit. Requires Viral.

Rank VI:
Quick Study: If you spend at least ten minutes studying a robotic creature, your Override attack deals an additional 2 damage to it and has an additional +1 penetration. Requires Geek God.

Tech Ascendant: You can grant an adjacent robotic creature (including yourself) an overwhelming amount of power; for the next minute, the creature takes 2 less damage from all sources, has +1 accuracy and resolve with all technological abilities, and has unending spirit. However, at the end of the minute, the creature takes 5 damage and is rendered helpless until it recovers at least 1 point of life. Requires Overdrive.

Override (Mental, Ranged)
Penetration: +2
Damage: 4
Effects: Scramble the target's signals.
Range: 20

[Zuki]

Well, I think I already told you earlier that I'm a big fan of the Mind and Soul tree--channeling the spirits around you is a pretty unique method to achieve the "I can temporarily emulate and mimic other powers" schtick. It's also one with a fair chunk of roleplaying potential and complications, ideally forcing some PC-NPC interaction. For such a potentially flexible and potent power, I think this is appropriate. Some people will avoid it because of the Life costs--they're doable, considering how long fights are meant to last, but steep. Not to be done lightly.

Tech Sense: You are automatically aware of the presence of all circuitry and robotic creatures within 10 spaces of you. This may manifest itself as flaming code vision if you wear a trenchcoat.

So I laughed out loud for about two minutes straight and nearly fell out of my chair.

I'm liking Tech Craft too--rather than try to implement any particular system or mechanic for hacking, you've just stated what levels of proficiency are available where and about how much time things would take. It's been made super-explicit that you can use your l33t hacker skillz to mess with evil government robots and take them over. Tech Sensewould actually be really handy for security and infiltrations, depending on how much information it can actually give you. I like the fact that robots and cyborgs would just run on the same mechanical systems as everyone else, it's just sort-of assumed that bleeding is probably something more like live wires that've been severed or a damaged power source, etc, etc.

I noticed you put in some changes to Marksmanship, too. Between Shot-Fu, Fan of Death, and the new Rushing Charge and Point-Blank, I think there's some room for an unpleasantly deadly gun-fu sort of character. Yes indeedy.

[phoenixcire]

With the ever increasing ability list, I'm liking the new direction more and more. The character options are now much more diverse than the original way. No longer will the characters be bland and unoriginal because everyone is forced to pick up many of the same abilities, just to be functional.

[AstralFire]

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE INTERPERSONAL TREE, BUT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY READ THE NOTES FIRST.

Yeah, unfortunately I think a certain amount of the simplicity had to be sacrificed to effectively cover the large amount of genres always present in urban fantasy.

Glad it's all shaping up well, though.

Khane helped me fix up Marks some more, you can see the changes. It's much cleaner with actually decent Rank I abilities. Tech and Geomancy picked up an ability at Rank 3 to add one more slot to your arsenal.

And now, without further ado...

How social combat's going to work now:
- Social Combat is restricted to really trying to break the other person's will. Intimidate + Angry Shouting Matches for the most part, to some extent temptation. Not normal diplomacy or truthfulness.
- Interpersonal Skills will be increasing your effectiveness at speaking under pressure, etc.
- Discussion is generally broken down into Sincerity (How honest you seem) and Pressure (Strength of your personality.)

Composure base regenerates at 1/10 minutes, like Spirit. Life, Spirit and Composure do not have separate stats just to refer to their regeneration. Spirit isn't tied to Life anymore.

With the more strict definition of what comprises social combat, 0 Composure is now capable of having more specific results.

At 5 Composure or less, you become perturbed, which has one of the following effects:
- Angered: If your target has no good reason to be one of the other categories, he's getting angry. He takes a -1 penalty to penetration and evasion.
- Faltering: The target is starting to lose hope, taking a -1 penalty to penetration and resolve. They're hesitant to do much.
- Scared: If you were trying to scare or frighten the character, they take a -1 penalty to accuracy and evasion, and are hesitant to near you or fight you unless pressed.
- Wavering: If you were trying to convince a character who did have an inner urge to do something, they begin to consider it.

At 0 Composure, you become very perturbed, which has one of the following effects
- Enraged: If your target has no good reason to be one of the other categories, he's getting angry. He takes a -2 penalty to penetration and evasion.
- Hopeless: The target has lost all faith, taking a -2 penalty to penetration and resolve. They won't act unless absolutely forced.
- Horrified: If you were trying to scare or frighten the character, they take a -2 penalty to accuracy and evasion, and attempt to flee from you as best they can - they won't fight unless pressed.
- Seduced: If you were trying to convince a character who did have an inner urge to do something, they now go along with it gleefully (or perhaps guiltily). Be aware that their low composure immediately after conversion makes them flighty allies.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS
Pressure (Psychological)
Penetration: +1
Damage: 2 Composure
Effects: None
Range: Variable
Special: Targets only living creatures. This ability does not count against your limit of attacks in the arsenal.

SINCERITY:
Note that there is little difference between truth or lie in this system by default, as what matters is how convincingly you can say something. A lie will be one step harder to pass off in most cases, however. Also note that outrageous statements are completely impossible to pass in most situations - maintaining composure while talking only helps your credibility, it does not certify it.

If you are unable to make the Composure cost to pass a statement, it becomes extremely likely that you are disbelieved - but again, it's not an absolute.

T0: MINOR LIE (No Composure): Faking it. ...Yeah, 'it'. Family-friendly system resource document.

T1: MINOR TRUTH (No Composure)/MEDIUM LIE (1 Composure): "I don't know where your cookies went." "You look good in that dress."

T2: MEDIUM TRUTH (1 Composure)/MAJOR LIE (2 Composure): "Read my lips: No new taxes," "I did not have relations with that woman," "Don't bet on Horse 8, it's a sure wi- loser," "You have to believe me, I may have a criminal record but I don't want to go back! I didn't do it!"

T3: MAJOR TRUTH (2 Composure)/SUPREME LIE (4 Composure): Admitting before a jury at a televised court case that you did beat your wife regularly and approximately 3 minutes before her estimated time of death, but you would never kill her.

T4: SUPREME TRUTH (4 Composure)/OUTRAGEOUS LIE (8 Composure): "The President just kicked a guy out of the cargo door of his jumbo jet!"

T5: OUTRAGEOUS TRUTH (8 Composure): "The people really did hop out of the comic book and come to life!"

POPULARITY:
Attitude Steps:
Fanatically Hateful -> Hostile -> Disapproving -> Neutral -> Accepting -> Cordial -> Delighted -> Obsessed

Interpersonal Skills:

Spoiler

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Rank I:
Cool Cat: You automatically are considered 1 step higher on the popularity chart with strangers and casual acquaintances. This has no effect on people who know and are familiar with you, though a long time of separation may reduce them to the level of 'casual acquaintance.' You have charm and poise, and the good looking waiter in the corner wants your number.

Cool Customer: You spend 1 less composure to make a sincere statement.

Demoralized & Determined: As a secondary action, you may spend 1 spirit to regain 1 composure.

Flame Warrior: You may wager 1 composure when you use your Pressure attack. If the attack hits, it deals an extra 2 damage; if it misses, you lose 1 composure.

Rank II:
Composed: Your maximum composure increases to 11.

Rapier Wit: Your Pressure attack increases penetration by 1.

Rock Steady: You do not get perturbed until your composure drops to 3 or below.

Sweating 'Em Out: At your option, you increase the difficulty of speaking sincerely to you by 1 step. This can be due to noticing and pointing out nervous twitches, or being generally intimidating, among other reasons.

Rank III:
Cooler Customer: You spend 2 less composure to make a sincere statement. Requires and overlaps Cool Customer.

Just Politics: If making a statement of sincerity would cause you to drop to 0 Composure, you may ask the GM or the player if the character would believe you. If not, you can modify your behavior appropriately and take half the damage as spirit damage instead. If you have a spirit of 0, this ability does not function.

Life of the Party: As Cool Cat, but 2 steps. Requires Cool Cat.

Tongue-Lasher: Your Pressure attack deals 1 more damage.

Rank IV:
Imperturbable: You do not get perturbed, though you can still be seduced, scared, or enraged.

Resolute: You gain a +1 bonus to Resolve.

Serene: Your maximum composure increases to 14. Requires Composed.

The Last Word: Your Pressure attack gains an additional +1 penetration if you have dealt the target composure damage within the last minute.

Rank V:
Critical Words: On a result of 6, a successful hit with Pressure deals double damage. Requires Flame Warrior.

Ice Man: You spend 3 less composure to make a sincere statement. Additionally, you can say lies with the same ease as you do truths.

Verbal Veteran: Once per round, when attacked by an effect that would reduce your composure, you may instead use 1 point of spirit to ignore the effect. Requires Demoralized & Determined.

Rank VI:
Tranquility: Your maximum composure increases to 17, and you regain 1 composure a minute (rather than 1 every ten). Requires Serene.

[AstralFire]

Endurance:

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Rank I:
Catch My Breath: As a full action, you can recover 1 spirit. You may only perform this ability once an hour.

Surprising Fortitude: You shrug off diseases and most poisons with ease. You have a chance of surviving the most deadly and lethal toxins in reasonable amounts.

Tough Guy: You can use a secondary action to ready yourself for a blow. For the next full round, 1 damage you take is delivered to spirit instead of life. This ability doesn't function if you have a spirit of 0.

Vigorous: Your maximum spirit increases to 11.

Rank II:
Healthy: Your maximum life increases to 11.

Hemophobia: You stop bleeding after you've taken damage from it three times.

Just Getting Started: You do not become tired until your spirit reaches 3 or below.

Resilient: You ignore the first 1 physical damage from each attack.

Weight Watcher: As far as anyone can tell, you don't need to eat food. You may occasionally need to drink water.

Rank III:
Energetic: Your maximum spirit increases to 14. Requires Vigorous.

Feed Your Rage: After you've defeated someone who has damaged you within the last minute, you gain a point of spirit. This effect can only occur once a minute.

Punching Bag: You can use a secondary action to ready yourself for a blow. For the next full round, 2 damage you take is delivered to spirit instead of life. This ability doesn't function if you have a spirit of 0. Requires Tough Guy.

Rank IV:
Constant Commotion: You do not become tired. You can still become very tired, however. Requires Just Getting Started.

Fast Regeneration: You heal 1 point of life every day instead of every week. (Robotic creatures that previously did not regenerate still gain this benefit.) You regain 1 point of spirit every minute instead of every ten.

Tough Skin: You ignore the first 3 physical damage from each attack. Requires Resilient.

Toughness: Your maximum life increases to 14. Requires Healthy.

Rank V:
Inch of Life: You can use a secondary action to ready yourself for a blow. For the next full round, 3 damage you take is delivered to spirit instead of life. This ability doesn't function if you have a spirit of 0. Requires Punching Bag.

No Time to Bleed: You can use a point of spirit to instantly cease bleeding and become immune to bleed effects for the next minute. Requires Hemophobia.

Spirited: Your maximum spirit increases to 17. Requires Energetic.

Rank VI:
Sanguine: Your maximum life increases to 17. Requires Toughness.

Second Chance: If you are at 2 life or above, an attack that would bring you down to 0 life brings you to 1 life instead.

[phoenixcire]

What happened to Energy and Matter?

[AstralFire]

What happened to Energy and Matter?

It's called Kinetics now.

[Username]

The Spirits are one of my favorite parts of the system. Definite Small Gods vibe.

[AstralFire]

The Spirits are one of my favorite parts of the system. Definite Small Gods vibe.

Pratchett has had a strong influence on me, yes. My characters aren't quite as snarky though, and I've never been quite as amused by playing with genre convention.

I suppose one way to look at my writing is "What if Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (only suckier) decided to sit down and write a book after reading the concept for a shonen?"

[AstralFire]

This ended up not being significantly different from the alpha version of Contacts, simply because it is a hard 'skill' to quantify. However, you can now take the path several times to represent your ties to multiple broad 'genres' of organizations a bit better.

Resources are meant to indicate what you can get from people that you do not know well at a personal level. Even Friends & Family really refers to things like "Friend of a Friend" and "Father in Law". The money listed in services refers to disposable income beyond things like bills and taxes and food.

EXAMPLE CATEGORIES AND RANKS (1-6)
Business: Gofer, Bureaucrat, Aide, Manager, Supervisor, CEO
Crime: Thug, Gang Enforcer, Gang Leader, Lieutenant, Boss, Crime Lord
Family: Acquaintance, Family Friend, Nepotist, Inner Circle, Aristocrat, True Aristocrat

Other possibilities: Faerie-Human Relations, Information Broker, Unions, and more.

Be aware that the titles are meant to be evocative more than actually descriptive. You can be a CEO of a small business and be considered no more than Middle Management or Your Own Person, or you can be 'merely' the White House Chief of Staff and be considered King of the Hill. Similarly, if someone has a large inheritance but they don't use their funds except to live a comfortable, no job life, they may not have any ranks in this path.

You may take any rank in this tree multiple times. Each additional source you gain at this rank adds half as much value as the previous did - the more you are tied to, the less committed you can be (and the less value you can get in return) to any one.

Like someone without any ranks in resources, you can gain help beyond the listed value, but it'll generally cost you or require knowing a single powerful individual. However, you'll be required to work less for it than someone without your resource ties.

Resources:

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Rank I:
Little Fish: Pick a general category of organization from above. You gain monthly access to free goods and services worth about a hundred dollars or six hours of easy work from them at little or no expense to you.

Rank II:
Helping Hand: Pick a general category of organization you chose in Little Fish. The basic value increases to three hundred dollars or eighteen manhours (one day) of skilled labor.

Rank III:
Middle Management: Pick a general category of organization you chose in Helping Hand. The basic value increases to a thousand dollars or three manhour-days of skilled labor. You will have increasing responsibilities that may take a notable amount of time, though never anything personally dangerous.

Rank IV:
Your Own Person: Pick a general category of organization you chose in Your Own Person. The basic value increases to five thousand dollars, two manhour-weeks of skilled labor, or a few days of very dangerous work. You may be occasionally compelled to place your own assets or health on the line, though not to a fatal level.

Rank V:
Rising Star: Pick a general category of organization you chose in Your Own Person. The basic value increases to sixteen thousand dollars, more than a month of skilled labor, insider and classified information, or deadly jobs. You are often compelled to place your own assets or health on the line, though not to a fatal level.

Rank VI:
King of the Hill: Pick a general category of organization you chose in Rising Star. You can gain access to almost anything you need that your organization has ties to, within reason. You may occasionally be required to undergo potentially fatal trials and tribulations for your organization to maintain its successful standing.

[AstralFire]

Some small changes to Endurance. Resilience and Tough Skin now operate like D&D DR 1/- and 3/-, while Tough Guy and its advanced forms work on all damage, but only the first X amount each round.

Small changes to durations and abilities granted by Fey Channel and its advanced forms.

[AstralFire]

Blind: You are deprived of your primary sense. You take a -3 penalty to your accuracy rolls and your detection, and must rely on other cues to determine a target's position, targeting grid squares rather than creatures. All attacks against you are surprise attacks.

Tired: Target is tired and worn. -1 penalty to accuracy, evasion and reaction.

Very Tired: Target is exhausted. -2 penalty to accuracy, evasion and reaction.

Immediate detection range: The 2 square distance in which someone is automatically caught while hiding.

Hiding: You're only caught if you end a turn in someone else's immediate detection range (or they end their turn placing you in it.)

Pickpocket: Opposed by detection. If your pickpocket is equal to or higher than someone's detection, you can take one handheld item off of their person without them noticing immediately. Requires a primary action.

Scouting:

Spoiler

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Rank I:
Long Range: Your detection range increases by 1.

Move Silently: You can move up to a third of your sprint distance in a turn and remain in hiding.

The Second Sense: Your penalties for being blind reduce by 1.

Sleight of Hand: Your pickpocket increases by 1.

Rank II:
Fast Eyes: If someone is in your detection range when making a surprise attack against you, you gain a +2 bonus to your evasion against them this round.

Quiet Shoes: Your stealth increases by 1.

Sharp Sight: Your detection increases by 1.

Rank III:
Damn Tourists: Your pickpocket increases by 1. Requires Sleight of Hand.

Echolocation: Your penalties for being blind reduce by 1. Requires The Second Sense.

Patient Watcher: Your detection range increases by 2 squares in all directions. If you only move half or less of your sprint distance in a turn, you do not lose any detection bonuses gained for staying in one place (though you do not gain any, either.) Requires Long Range.

Scouter: By studying a creature in your detection range for a minute, you can determine if their threat level is over a value you specify. You may only use Scouter on a target once a day.

Silent Stalker: You can move up to half of your sprint distance in a turn and remain in hiding. If you only move half or less of your sprint distance in a turn, you do not lose any hide bonuses gained for staying in one place (though you do not gain any, either.) Requires Move Silently.

Rank IV:
Catburglar: Your stealth increases by 1. Requires Quiet Shoes.

Exacting Eye: Your detection increases by 1. Requires Sharp Sight.

Refuge in Audacity: You can pickpocket someone as a secondary action during a sprint. Even if you succeed, they know you took something from them.

Sniper Scope: When you take aim, your ranged weapon's next attack gains a 50% bonus to its range.

Rank V:
Assassin: You can move up to your sprint distance in a turn and remain in hiding. You can attack with a light or mental weapon and remain in hiding as well. You still do not gain a bonus to hide when moving or attacking this round, however. You are still caught if you come within 2 spaces of someone. Requires Silent Stalker.

Coin in Your Ear: Your pickpocket improves by 2. Requires Damn Tourists.

Hawkeye: You can 'project' your detection range, centering it on another square up to 20 spaces away.

Master of Detection: Your detection increases by 2. Requires Exacting Eye.

Master of Hiding: Your stealth increases by 2. Requires Catburglar.

Sudden Scout: You may use Scouter on a target as a primary action. Requires Scouter.

Rank VI:
Blind as a Bat: A secondary sense improves as part of your training. When blinded, you can use your secondary sense to 'see' within your detection range, allowing you to continue fighting safely.

As long as you have your secondary sense available, you are not subject to surprise attacks simply for being blinded, and the accuracy penalty for fighting while you are blinded is removed. Creatures within your detection range can be targeted by you with pinpoint accuracy, though those outside require guesswork on your part. The penalty to your detection magnitude remains, however. Requires Echolocation.

Silent Death: Targets that you hit with a surprise attack from hiding are stunned. This ability does not work with area attacks. You can remain undetected while in someone's immediate detection range, though attacking or taking damage ruins the effect. Requires Assassin.

Ha! BETA ROUGH DRAFTS COMPLETE! Next step, rewriting the SRD!