Alien Empathy
This is an unusual ability that allows a character to offset penalties
when performing interpersonal tasks with alien species.
Ambidexterity
You can use either hand equally well. Great for
those times when you're wounded in an arm ...
Attractive
You're good looking - either handsome, beautiful, pretty, or
whatever level you wish. (Warning the more attractive you are, the more
power you have over susceptible people, true, but the more likely you are
to be abducted, etc.) Authority
This ability indicates that the character wields some sort of
authority due to their position within an official organization. Examples
could include a branch of the military, a corporation, or some sort of
police force.
Having a low rank in such an organization is actually considered a flaw,
since such a character will be considered a resource more than command
them. The following table shows the basic level of ability and the
corresponding military and corporate rank.
| Level |
Military Rank |
Noble Rank |
Clerical Rank |
Corporate Rank |
| -2 |
Private |
Knight/Equestrian |
Novitiate/Supplicant |
Worker |
| -1 |
Private 1st Class |
Baronet/Senator |
Canon/Oblate |
Team Leader |
| 0 |
Corporal |
Baron/Censor |
Deacon/Acolyte |
Manager |
| +1 |
Sergeant |
Earl/Consul |
Priest/Adept |
Junior Executive |
| +2 |
Lieutenant |
Duke/Provincial Governor |
Bishop/Master |
Executive |
| +3 |
Major/Commander |
Prince |
Archbishop |
Senior Executive |
| +4 |
General/Captain |
King/First Citizen |
Hierophant |
Junior VP |
| +5 |
Field Marshall/Admiral |
Emperor |
Pope |
Senior VP, CEO |
To this basic level, modifiers must be applied. The GM may apply modifiers
of -1, 0, +1, or +2 for each of the following categories: Resources: -1
(local police force) to +2 (interplanetary military); Autonomy: -1 (base
security) to +2 (covert agent); Authority: -1 (none) to +2 (interstellar
police powers).
This may have a profound impact on the campaign. This ability
should fall under the GM’s scrutiny, and should not be taken without the
GM’s permission. The GM may require the character to take specific
bacgrounds to take this ability.
Beautiful speaking voice
+1 to NPC reactions when speaking. Also works for a singing
voice if you take a Musical skill.
Bioware
The character begins the game with one of more items of bio-engineered
symbiotic implants. The character may not have more implants than their
endurance score.
Common Sense
When you are about to do something incredibly stupid that
will harm yourself or the party, the GM will warn you.
Contacts
The character begins the game knowing - and having a degree
of influence over - a person that may be in a position to help the
character.
Contacts are described in three terms - level, ability and reliability.
- Level is
typically in the range from 1 to 5. Level of the contact represents how
useful the contact is. This may be in terms of political influence or
authority, or in terms of skills the contact can offer.
When expressed in terms of influence, the contact may have rank or
authority up to double the level of the contact (see Authority).
For example, a brigadier general would probably be a level 4 contact. The
GM may adjust the level of the contact upwards if the contact’s level does
not reflect the level of the influence. Often an wily aide or clerk may
wield as much power - and be more free to act - as a higher ranked
official would.
- Ability is ranked from 1 upwards and represents the skill levels of
the contact. Ability is directly related to character points used
in the Five Point Fudge character design system. For the contact
to be the same level as a beginning player character, it must have 5
points.
- Reliability describes the ease with which the contact may be
inclined to do you a favour. It's ranked from 1 to 5 and relates
to the difficulty level when attempting a social skill to convince the
contact. 1 being a Superb task, and 5 being Terrible or better
result required.
Normally a character decides what specific contacts the character has when
this perk is purchased. However, at the GM’s option, a player may choose a
contact as “open.” This means that the player does not choose what exactly
the contact is when generating the character, but during the game when it
is more apparent what would come in handy.
If the GM allows this option, the character must pay the total of the
contacts level, ability and reliability in abilities (described below) at the time the player
wishes to utilize the contact. After that point, the contact is no longer
“open.”
Cost of a contact is equal to (Level+Ability+Reliability)/4 rounded up.
E.g. an 4/3/3 contact would be 3 abilities. Cyberware
The character begins the game with one of more items of cybernetic
implants. The character may not have more implants than their endurance
score.
Danger Sense
The GM will make a Situational roll - on a Good or better
result, you'll be warned of some imminent danger.
Direction Sense
A character with this ability has a sort of “internal compass.” The
instinctively know what direction they are going and can navigate without
complex equipment.
Empathy with Animals
Animals trust you and domesticated ones tend to obey
you. Cruelty to animals nullifies this ability.
Empathy with Sentient Beings
+1 with all social skills.
Fast Healing
Characters with this ability have the ability to rapidly recover from
wounds and more easily survive severe wounds compared to other members of
their race.
Favors due
Some people owe you favors, which you may collect. Each favor
you collect must be approved by the GM.
Fearlessness
Characters with fearlessness have unbreakable morale and are
very difficult to intimidate. The character reduces the effects of any
intimidation rolls by 2 levels, and is never required to make a willpower
check when performing nerve-wracking tasks. The does not mean that the
character is suicidal or overconfident, just very calm in the face of
danger.
Focused
You are at +1 to any lengthy task, but don't notice things outside
this task, such as that brigand about to skewer you ...
Good Memory
You have an unusually good memory. The player may take notes
during the game and act as if the character remembered them.
Good Reputation
You're well known as a hero, healer, leader, fighter for
justice, etc.
Henchman
The character begins the game with one follower that
has some degree of loyalty to the character. This is similar to Authority, but does not come with the attendant obligation to a
higher authority.
A character is normally assumed to only be able to have a henchman that is
equal to or below the character’s own rank.
Light Sleeper
A character with this ability is very sensitive and even alert while
sleeping. A character with this ability may make perception checks to
notice intruders or other unusual occurrences while sleeping.
Lucky
Once per hour (real time), you may reroll a bad dice roll, and
choose the better of the two rolls.
Mental Calculator
Characters with this ability may make rapid, accurate
mathematical calculations without the assistance of a calculator or
computer. The character can offset time penalties for doing such
calculations. The GM may allow the player to keep a
calculator at the table and use it as a resource if needed, even if their
character has no such access to such resources. The GM may, alternatively,
simply tell the player the answer to any questions that would normally
depend upon such calclations.
Never forgets a ____
Fill in the blank with name, face, or whatever the GM
will allow.
Pain Tolerance
Ignore wound penalties at Hurt, and you are only at -1 at
Very Hurt.
Patron
A patron is an ally, friend, employer, mentor, and/or
benefactor to the character. A patron has abilities and/or resources that
can prove very useful to the player.A patron is rated in terms of resources they control. Most patrons should
be considered to start the campaign equivalent to an executive (see
Authority); some
may be much more powerful.
The patron may occasionally require the character to perform assignment to
pay for benefits that the patron provides, but generally, the patron and
the character should be considered to have similar or coinciding goals,
which is why they enter the mutually beneficial relationship to begin
with.
For each level spent on Patron, raise their rank by 1
Perfect Timing
If someone says to open the gate in five minutes, you'll do
it within two seconds of that time. Also valuable in performing.
Peripheral Vision
You can see further to the sides than most people - less
easily attacked from the side-rear.
Prodigy
The character is exceptionally young for a character of his or her
abilities.
Quick Reflexes
Not easily surprised by any physical attack, and you adjust
quickly to shifting footing.
Size Advantage
A character with this ability is larger than their racial average. Each
character is assumed to have a mass rating.
Speed Reading
A character with this ability can assimilate written
information much more rapidly than a normal person.
Vehicles
The character begins the game with a starship or other
vehicle appropriate to their race. Starships typically cost in the tens or
even hundred of millions of credits. This ability has the advantage that the cost may be split between
several characters.
The GM may wish to allow this option to allow the characters to purchase
other forms of equipment. In no case should this equipment be immediately
liquidatable. If you want your character to start out rich, use the wealth
advantage.
Unlike other abilities, this cost may be split between party members. The
split may be negotiated any way available, but the amount each character
pays should be representative of the character’s stake in the ship.
A planet bound vehicle for one person is 1 ability. A space to
planet capable vehicle for one person is 2 abilities. An
interstellar vehicle for one person is 3 abilities. The number of
people a vehicle can hold is multiplied by two for each additional
abilities spent. Crichton's Farscape Module costs 2, Aeryns Prowlers
costs 3, Leviathans cost 13 and a PeaceKeeper Command Carrier (30k crew)
would cost 18 abilities. |
