MTH:Powers I-P
Contents
ILLUSION[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Intelligence + (Expression) + Illusion
Action: Instant
Range: (Power Level + Illusion) x 5 yards
Area: N/A
Duration: One scene
Effect: The character is able to subvert the senses of others. The activation roll can create one static illusionary object per success, or one non-static illusion per two successes. Non-static illusions are those which move or interact on their own in a complicated fashion. Simple, or repetitive motions are still considered static. For instance, a statue would be a static illusion, as would a waterfall, but an animal that responds to complicated interactions would be non-static. As a guideline, if the interaction is more complicated than what a typical video-game could manage, it is non-static. A jogger who just runs is a static illusion. If you can stop and have a realistic conversation with the jogger, that's not a static illusion. Illusions can't respond with knowledge the illusionist doesn't have.
If someone interacts with a static illusion and gets a weird response, this doesn't end the effect, but it does tip them off that something is off.
If an illusion is non-static the illusionist must direct one reflexive mental action each turn toward controlling it. This means that you cannot take other mental actions while controlling the illusion.
The size of the illusion cannot exceed (2 + Power Level + Illusion x 2). No application of this power may have any tangible effect beyond misdirection, concealment, or emotionally effecting people in a natural way. Illusions effect all five senses.
Opponents with more effective dots in Wits than the character's successes will know something is off. Opponents with superhuman senses might be harder to fool. Recognizing the effect as illusory does not show the truth.
Extras:
Milieu - The illusion can be described in terms of a setting, such as a dance hall full of dancers or a field with lots of plants and animals. Treat the listed range as a radius. Successes indicate how many details you can specify, one for one. All illusions are static, though the character can use additional roles to add non-static features.
Weakness:
Partial Senses - The illusion cannot effect all senses. Choose two senses that cannot be duplicated. Taste and smell are treated as one sense for these purposes.
IMMOBILIZE[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Dexterity + (Athletics) + Immobilize - target's Defense + Power Level
Action: Instant
Range: (Power Level + Immobilize) x 5 yards
Area: N/A
Duration: See below
Effect: The character is able to hinder his opponents' movement with layers of ice, quick-drying glue, zero-point energy fields or some other means. This power has two main uses: restricting another character's body movements and reducing her ability to perform physical tasks, or anchoring another character to a solid object and stopping her from moving around.
If used to impede physical performance, the target takes a penalty to all rolls involving physical action (including attack rolls and most superpower activation rolls) equal to the number of successes gained on the character's Immobilize activation roll; if used to anchor the target, a successful activation roll reduces the target's Speed to 0, effectively pinning her in place (note that there must be a solid object present to anchor the target to, or else this technique cannot be used).
In either case, the target's Defense is reduced by one for every success gained on the activation roll. If the activation roll is an exceptional success, the target suffers both effects: her Speed is reduced to 0, and she takes the penalty to physical actions (as well as to Defense). In order for the target character to escape from an Immobilize power, she must succeed on a Strength + Stamina roll, with a negative modifier equal to the number of successes gained on the activation roll; if Immobilize was used to impede the character's physical actions, that penalty does not stack with the penalty to escape the Immobilize power.
Another character may attempt to aid the Immobilized character's escape, using the rules for Teamwork as described in the World of Darkness core rulebook (with the Immobilized character as the primary actor). The immobilizing agent may also be damaged to reduce its effectiveness, either by the immobilized character (if possible) or by an ally. The immobilizing agent has an effective Durability equal to the activating character's dots in Immobilize, and each level of damage dealt to it reduces the penalty to physical actions, the penalty to Defense, and the penalty to the escape roll by one; if the penalty is reduced below zero, the target is able to escape without making a roll.
Extras:
Ephemeral - The immobilizing agent cannot be attacked to reduce its effectiveness.
Radius - The effect has a blast radius, effecting all viable targets in a sphere with a radius of 2 yards + 1 yard per additional point of Verve spent in the activation. Each target requires a separate activation roll. The character may not spend more Verve to increase the radius than his dots in Immobilize.
Constriction - By spending 1 Verve, the character can deal one point of bashing damage (this cannot be negated by armor, but can be negated by Invulnerability if the source of the immobilization matches the immunity) to a target that he has immobilized. By spending 2 Verve, he can deal one point of lethal damage to a target he has immobilized. This is a reflexive action, but can only be done on the character's turn and once per turn per target.
Weaknesses:
Limited Means - Only effects biologic creatures, robots/machines, sinners (Morality 5-), the undead, etc.
IMMOLATION[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: Instant
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: One scene
Effect: The character is capable of causing damage to anything that touches her. The source of damage dealt (fire, electricity, angry ghosts etc.) must be chosen when this power is first purchased. When the character activates this power, anything that contacts the character's body (her own gear and clothing excepted) takes an amount of lethal damage equal to the character's dots in Immolation or an amount of bashing damage equal to the character's Immolation dots + 2, as appropriate; if this contact is maintained for more than one turn, this damage is dealt each turn.
Note that this damage is dealt to everything the character touches or that touches the character, including unarmed attacks or weapons that strike the character (in this case, the damage is dealt after the attack in question lands), other characters struck by the character's unarmed attacks, and even the ground under the character's feet. Once the character has paid the Verve cost for this power, she may switch it on and off at will for the duration of the scene; deactivating this power is a reflexive action, while reactivating it is an instant action, and the character may not do both in the same turn.
The player must decide when this power is purchased whether the damage type inflicted is physical, mental, energy, or magical. Armor applies to the damage if it protects against the damage type.
Extras:
Hazard - While this power is active, at the start of the character's turn, everything within 1 yard of her takes this power's damage minus armor or durability.
Variable - The character's immolation may be either of two damage sources; the character may alternate between these sources up to once per turn as a reflexive action.
INVISIBILITY[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Wits + (Stealth) + Invisibility
Action: Instant
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: One turn per dot in Invisibility
Effect: The character is able to turn himself, his clothing, and his personal possessions invisible. The power typically does not need an activation roll, unless contested by another power. Characters who are not actively searching for him become unable to see him at all, and characters who are actively searching for the invisible character must roll Wits + Composure and score more successes than the Invisible character's Power Level. To even attempt this roll the character must have some rational for detecting the invisible character. If this Wits + Composure roll is successful, the opposing characters are able to discern the invisible character's location in some manner and may attack him, with a -2 penalty due to his concealment; otherwise, the opposing characters are unable to locate the invisible character and must use the rules for Fighting Blind if they wish to attack him.
This power's duration ends at the end of the character's turn, allowing her to keep spending Verve on it.
Note that Invisibility only renders the character imperceptible to standard vision; other methods of detection (hearing, smell, infrared vision, telepathic scanning) will detect the character as normal.
Extras:
Enhanced Effect - The character may render himself undetectable to senses other than standard vision at a cost of one additional Verve per sense, up to a maximum number of senses equal to the character's dots in Invisibility.
Weaknesses:
Brief - The power always requires an activation roll, and its duration is one turn per success.
Shimmer In The Air - Opponents actively searching for the character need only one success and don't need to justify their search.
INVULNERABILITY[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: N/A
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: N/A
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: Permanent
Effect: The character is highly resistant to one source of damage or form of attack, chosen when this power is purchased. A character's Invulnerability must be fairly specific: "hard radiation," "fire," and "mind control" are all viable Invulnerabilities, but "energy attacks," "physical attacks, "mental attacks," and "superpowers" are not. Each dot in Invulnerability negates one damage from any appropriate attack or effect that affect the character. The effects of Invulnerability stack with (and are applied after) any penalties for armor, Defense, and powers such as Force Field.
A character cannot have more dots in an Invulnerability than their Power Level.
A character may buy multiple forms of Invulnerability, but no more types then their Power Level. Example: Kryptonians living under a yellow sun develop Broad Category (see below) Invulnerability, Physical Attacks and Energy Attacks. These would be a pair of gamma powers.
Extras: Broad Category - (The character may elect to be invulnerable to "physical attacks," "mental attacks," "magic," or "energy attacks," "superpowers" or "damage").
JUDGEMENT BRAND[edit]
Class: Alpha
Cost: 0+ Verve
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: Instant
Range: (Judgement Brand + Power Level) x 4 yards
Area: (Judgement Brand + Power Level) yards
Duration: Instant
Effect: The target feels the weight of their actions come to bear as they experience a psychic montage of their crimes. This causes no harm to those who's karmic burden is light, but it becomes crushing to those who have led a life of immorality. Subtract the target's Morality from 8. The remaining number is the amount of lethal damage the target takes. This damage bypasses general damage reduction such as the Armor power, but not Invulnerability to its damage category. This power cannot be used on the same target more then once per session, unless the target's Morality drops later that session. A target with higher Power Level than the character's dots in Judgement Brand is immune.
This power normally has one target. For each point of Verve spent, the character can choose one additional target in the area.
Extras:
Castigation - The damage is aggravated.
Weaknesses:
Judgement Stare - The character and target must make eye contact for this power to take effect.
Note: If using the God Machine Chronicle rules update, ignore this power, as it does not function in the absence of a Morality Trait.
JUDGEMENT GAZE[edit]
Class: Alpha
Cost: None
Dice Pool: Composure + Empathy + Judgement Gaze
Action: Simple
Range: (Judgement Gaze + Power Level) x 5 yards
Area: N/A
Duration: Instant
Effect: The character learns the current level of Morality the target possesses, their Virtue, or their Vice. Each success on the activation roll tells you the morality, vice, or virtue of a single person within range. Multiple successes may be spread among multiple targets.
Extra:
Seek The Sin - The character need not make an activation roll to use this power, and should they need to make a roll to notice any being with a Morality trait, they add dice to their pool equal to (7 - Target's Morality).
Note: If using the God Machine Chronicle rules update, ignore this power, as it does not function in the absence of a Morality Trait.
LUCK[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Luck + Power Level
Action: Reflexive
Range: Sensory*
Area: N/A
Duration: Instant
Effect: The character carries an unstable probability field around their person which they are able to manipulate. The player may activate this power to bless a given roll with a higher chance of success. For each success on the activation roll the number required to roll a success drops by one, to a minimum of three. For example, if the activation roll grants two successes, the blessed roll would garner one success for every 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10.
The character can bless multiple rolls in the same turn, but cannot effect the same roll twice. This is declared in response to the action being declared, outside of the usual turn order.
Players and STs should keep in mind that it is the player, and not the character, who chooses which pools receive the luck. It may benefit ends the player wants but which the character doesn't, and the character does not need to be conscious (*Sensory range, in this case, would mean the range of the character's senses were they conscious). As the character isn't aware of the power activating, they cannot spend willpower on it.
Extras:
Black Cat - With the Black Cat extra the character may use this power to curse a roll. Each success produces the result on the chart below, cumulative. If the targeted roll doesn't have a given step, skip it. Thus if the activation roll has two successes, and the targeted roll has no 9-again or 8-again quality, it would loose the 10-again quality and not count 8s as successes.
Successes Effect 1 8-again does not effect the roll. 2 9-again does not effect the roll. 3 10-again does not effect the roll. 4 8s do not count as successes. 5 9s do not count as successes. 6 The roll becomes a chance die.
The character may have Black Cat as a Beta power by itself.
MATTER CONTROL[edit]
Class: Gamma
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Dexterity + (Crafts) + Matter Control
Action: Instant
Range: Touch
Area: N/A
Duration: One scene
Effect: The character is able to transform, refine, reinforce, repair or disintegrate inanimate objects. This power is identical in effect to the Shaping technique of the Elemental Anima power, except it can target any matter that isn't part of a character, its cost is 1 Verve and its range is Touch. In addition, the character can spend successes to increase or decrease an object's durability or equipment bonus on a 1:1 basis, to deal aggravated damage to an object on a 1:1 basis, or to remove damage from an object on a 1:1 basis.
Extras: None
MEGA-ATTRIBUTE[edit]
Class: Alpha
Cost: --
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: N/A
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: Permanent
Effect: There are nine Mega-Attributes, one for each standard Attribute. The player selects which attribute the power applies to with each purchase, and can certainly have more than one Mega-Attribute.
Each dot in a Mega-Attribute increases its base Attribute by 1 dots for the purposes of rolling dice or using the attribute as a form of resistance. It also increases the cap on that specific attribute by 1. Mega-Attributes may be rolled as part of extended actions as usual, but do not add to the number of rolls the character can make in an extended action.
Mega-Attributes cannot be used to add dice in direct attacks on beings with the Superhuman Template (using the dice that would normally be applied to the roll to instead remove penalties is still acceptable). Players are encouraged to use their Mega-Attribute to generate indirect damage in combat or other cinematic effects. (So, for Mega-Strength, rather than punching a person's head into jelly, try throwing the car that they are in, or bringing down the building on their head. For Mega-Dex, called shots are your friend.) As to why Mega-Attributes cannot cause direct damage, please see the discussion page.
Mega-Attributes do not stack with Mega-Skills.
Mega-Attributes do not apply to secondary traits.
Often the system refers to 'effective [attribute]'. This means the character's normal attribute + mega attribute.
Extras: None.
MEGA-SKILL[edit]
Class: Alpha
Cost: --
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: N/A
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: Permanent
Effect: There are twenty-four Mega-Skills, one for each standard Skill. The player selects which at the time of purchase and can purchase multiple Mega-Skills. Each dot in a Mega-Skill increases its base Skill by 1 dots for the purposes of rolling dice or reaching Availability minimums.
Mega-Skills do not stack with Mega-Attributes.
Often the system refers to 'effective [skill]'. This means the character's normal skill + mega skill. Specialties are applied, when appropriate, to 'effective [skill]', but Mega Specialties are not.
Mega-Skills do increase the number of rolls a character can make in extended actions.
Mega-Skills cannot be used to add dice in direct attacks on beings with the Superhuman Template (using the dice that would normally be applied to the roll to instead remove penalties is still acceptable). Players are encouraged to use their Mega-Skills to generate indirect damage in combat or other cinematic effects. (So, for Mega-Brawl, rather than punching a person's head into jelly, try throwing the car that they are in, or bringing down the building on their head. For Mega-Firearms, called shots are your friend.) As to why Mega-Skills cannot cause direct damage, please see the discussion page.
Extras:
MIMIC[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Mimic
Action: Reflexive
Range: Touch
Area: N/A
Duration: Two turns per success
Effect: The character is able to copy the abilities and powers of another character.
In order to use this power, the character must touch her intended target; touching an unwilling target requires a Dexterity + Brawl roll, and the target’s Defense applies.
Once she has successfully touched the target, They must succeed in an activation roll. The character may spend one Verve to copy one of the target’s Attributes, Skills, Merits, or superpowers for each dot in Mimic she has. In the case of Attributes, Skills, or superpowers, the character’s rating in the ability increases to either the target’s rating in the ability or the character’s own Power Level, whichever is lower. Copying the same trait from multiple sources does not stack, but increases the highest by 1 dot, up to normal limits.
In the case of Merits, the character may only copy Merits worth a number of dots equal to or less than her own Mimic rating; the character need not necessarily meet the prerequisites a copied Merit, but the Storyteller is the final arbiter of which Merits can be copied (as a general rule, “internal” Merits like Gunslinger or Eidetic Memory can be copied, while “external” merits like Resources or Allies cannot).
A character may only copy a total number of stats up to her dots in Mimic at a time. Abilities gained using Mimic disappear at the end of the duration unless the character spends another point of Verve to extend the duration to a scene.
Extras:
I Spy - The character need only see her target use an ability to copy it and need not touch the target.
Mystic Replication - The character's mimicry manipulates fate and memory, and it can copy 'external' merits, reweaving society and chance to achieve the effect.
Power Vampire - When mimicking a trait, you can choose to 'take' what you mimic from the target. You remove one dot from the target's pool per your own dots in mimic (i.e. with five dots in mimic you can totally eliminate a five dot power, attribute, or skill). The target regains their trait once the duration of the mimic effect has ended. When stealing a trait, the duration of the effect becomes only one turn per success, with no option to extend.
NEGATION FIELD[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Resolve + Power Level + Negation Field
Action: Instant
Range: 0 yards
Area: (Power Level + Negation Field) yards
Duration: One scene
Effect: The character is able to suppress all superhuman powers. When this power is activated, the character creates an area centered on herself, that moves with her, inside which all other superhumans are treated as having one less dot in all powers per success rolled. Once the activation cost has been paid, the character may switch the field on or off at the start of her turn.
The character may activate this power multiple times, taking the highest result.
Extras:
Fixed - Instead of rolling to activate this power, the character is considered to have rolled one success per dot in Negation Field.
Impenetrable - Attacks made using powers passing through the field take a -1 penalty per success rolled.
Verve Sink - All other superhumans who end their turn in the field lose 1 Verve per success rolled.
Weaknesses:
Single Origin - The field only affects a specific category of superhuman, such as "mages" or "mutants".
PHASING[edit]
Class: Beta
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: Reflexive
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: One turn
Effect: The character is able to "phase" through matter like a ghost, passing through solids and liquids as easily as through air. Essentially a highly specialized form of Density Control (decrease), it allows the character to pass through any solid objects with Durability up to her dots in Phasing + Power Level, and to move through liquids and difficult terrain at full speed. The character can also levitate (but not truly fly) while this power is active, so she won't fall through the ground. As with Density Control (decrease), a character using the Phasing power is normally unable to breathe while her head and chest are inside a solid object or a liquid, and the character may risk suffocation if she is forced to spend multiple turns inside such an object.
In addition, while this power is active, the character ignores one success per dot in Phasing from any physical attacks made against her. This power can be activated in reaction to such an attack.
Characters who run out of Verve or simply refuse to spend it while inside an object will be forcefully ejected if the power is allowed to lapse while inside a solid substance. Assume a character will be thrown through a material in the shortest direction possible when ejected, and will take damage as if they had fallen a similar distance. Also, there is no guarantee that conditions where the character is ejected will be favorable or even safe.
Extras: None.
PLASTICITY[edit]
Class: Alpha
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: N/A
Action: Reflexive
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: One scene
Effect: The character is able to stretch and contort as though she were made of rubber. When this power is active, the character is able to stretch her arms, legs, torso, and neck a maximum of three yards for every dot in Power Level she possesses, and may add her Plasticity rating to all rolls made to grapple another character or to escape from a grapple. She is also able to squeeze her entire body through any opening that would allow a being to pass through which was size [her size - Plasticity rating]. Thus a normal size person (size 5) with Plasticity 3 could fit through a size 2 opening.
Note: In this game, there are many ways to increase your chance of escaping a grapple or bypass a grapple entirely, while the grappler relies on Strength alone to prevent escape. Storytellers should consider giving characters with this power higher effective Strength for the purpose of holding a grapple.
Extras:
Shock Absorbing - The character also absorbs physical bashing damage equal to her dots in Plasticity.
PREMONITION[edit]
Class: Alpha
Cost: 1 Verve
Dice Pool: Wits + Composure + Premonition
Action: Reflexive
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: One scene
Effect: The character is able to sense impending danger or threats to her person. To use this power, the character simply pays the appropriate Verve cost; no activation roll is required. For the rest of the scene, any time something threatens the character—someone points a gun at her, or she is about to trip a trap—the Storyteller must secretly roll her Wits + Composure + Premonition as she attempts to detect the danger. On a success, the character learns that she is in danger and has a general idea of from what location or direction the threat originates (IE “There is a threat to you on the other side of this door”); on an exceptional success, the character also learns the exact nature of the threat (IE “There is a man with a crowbar on the other side of the door, waiting to ambush you”). If the character has the Danger Sense merit, the bonus given by that merit applies to Premonition rolls as well.
The character can activate this power as part of an Initiative roll to gain a +1 bonus per dot.
Extras:
My Brother's Keeper - The character’s Premonition can detect dangers to anyone within [Power Level + Premonition] yards of the character.
One Second Ahead - Once per turn while this power is active, the character may spend 1 Verve and make an activation roll to impose a -1 penalty per success on one attack made against her.
