Editing Mass: the Effecting/Hard-Won Experience (section)

===Esoterics===

Esoterics is a new and rare discipline of biotics.  The powers that are classified under Esoterics come from a variety of scientific and research sources, pushing at the boundaries of what is understood about the biotic condition and exploring new (and often unsafe) concepts.  These powers are not in general use and some are essentially secret, or only available through extremely dubious channels.  Unlike the other three biotic disciplines, users of Esoterics must undergo special training and implants to gain an Esoteric power, as standard biotic amps and implants do not have the advanced or experimental systems needed.


'''Annihilation Field'''

Annihilation Field shrouds the biotic in a highly dangerous cloak of agitated space-time that seethes with contained energies; this technique has been pioneered by human researchers.

Annihilation Field allows the biotic to make an additional attack against ''all'' other characters within 10 yards at the beginning of the biotic's turn.  This attack uses only the biotic's Resolve as its dice pool but ignores Defence, and has a Damage rating of 3 with the AP1 and Inferno traits.  Annihilation Field will also tend to corrode, ignite or otherwise wreck the nearby environment, and makes stealth impossible.  Annihilation Field lasts a scene, or until the biotic chooses to end it.<br>
''Cost'': 1 Willpower point<br>
''Boost'': For 1B, Annihilation Field also gains the Cryo trait on its attacks.  Yes, this does give it both the Cryo and Inferno traits at the same time!<br>


'''Gateway'''

The incredibly rare Gateway technique turns the biotic themselves into a miniature mass relay, allowing them to reduce the mass of others and shunt them at incredible speeds along tunnels of warped space-time.  As far as anyone can tell, the technique was developed in secretive Salarian labs based on best-guess analyses of the inner workings of the relays.

Gateway affects the biotic using the power, rendering them immobile and unable to physically act while the technique is active – they also pulse with emissions of blue-white light and sound as the barely-controlled mass effect fields roil around them.  Roll Resolve – this is the number of rounds that the Gateway is maintained for.  Anyone touching the biotic may be immediately moved to any point that the biotic can perceive, up to a distance of Resolve x 100 yards away; they may not pass through solid barriers of any kind through this power.<br>
''Cost'': 3B and 2 Willpower points.<br>
''Boost'':  For an additional 4B and 2 Willpower points, the range may be increased to Resolve x 10 miles.  The biotic may attempt to target a rough location beyond their perception, but need to succeed at a Resolve roll to place the target character within a 1-mile radius of the desired destination; failure results in being placed within a 10-mile radius instead.<br>


'''Mindscram'''

Mindscram finely hones the same methods used by Reave to assault the cerebral nervous system of the target; it is rumoured to have been developed from studying a rare Asari mutation.

Mindscram affects a single target up to 5 yards away.  Roll Resolve against an opposed roll of the target's Stamina.  Success results in the target being stunned for a number of rounds equal to successes.<br>
''Cost'': 1 Willpower point<br>
''Boost'': For 1B, the biotic may choose not to stun the target, instead inflicting a -3 dice penalty on all mental and social dice pools made to oppose the biotic for a number of rounds equal to successes.<br>


'''Overdrive'''

Overdrive amplifies biotic energies to far greater heights than normal, at the cost of a terrible toll on the user.  The Batarian government denies claims that Overdrive was developed in their laboratories at a terrible cost in lives of biotic test subjects, but the bulky, ugly implants that the technique requires are most commonly seen sprouting down the spines of Batarian security operatives.

Overdrive may be used as a reflexive action, usually immediately before using another biotic technique.  Roll Resolve and note down the number of successes rolled.  The next biotic power used by the character will benefit from a number of automatic successes on any activation roll equal to the Overdrive successes rolled, in addition to the activation roll's usual results.  Additionally, the character's Resolve is increased by the number of Overdrive successes for the purpose of calculating any Resolve-based parameters of the power such as area of effect, duration and the like.  If a character knocks themselves unconscious or kills themselves with Overdrive's cost, or they fail to use another biotic power within 2 rounds, the Overdrive benefit is lost.<br>
''Cost'': 1 level of Aggravated damage, plus 1B per success rolled on Overdrive.<br>
''Boost'':  For twice the cost of both Aggravated and Bashing damage, the biotic may also make the  biotic power affected by Overdrive benefit from the 8-again rule on its activation roll.<br>


'''Rift'''

Rift saturates an area with minute levels of constant mass effect manipulation, interfering with mass effect fields created by other biotics.  This esoteric technique was first reported as being deployed by certain Turian cabals on the field of battle.

Rift affects an area centred on the biotic with a radius of Resolve x 5 yards.  Roll Resolve; the Rift lasts for a number of rounds equal to successes.  Any attempts by a biotic to use a biotic power in this area, or to affect a target within the area from outside it with a biotic power, suffer a -3 penalty to any dice pool involved.  This includes the biotic using Rift.<br>
''Cost'': 1B<br>
''Boost'': For 1B, the biotic may extend the radius of Rift to Resolve x 25 yards and add 2 to the number of rounds that it lasts.<br>