Flamepunk: Arcane Traits

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Overview of Arcane Traits

This page lists the Arcane Traits available for you to purchase at character generation or with experience points.

Trait descriptions work as follows

Trait Name

The trait name is the header. Traits are divided by broad category for ease of reference, then arranged alphabetically.

A short description then follows.

Untrained Level

The information here describes what can be achieved with this trait at the Untrained level. Note that all characters can achieve the Untrained level by default.

Proficient Level

The information here describes what can be achieved with this trait at the Proficient level.

Expert Level

The information here describes what can be achieved with this trait at the Expert level.

Master Level

The information here describes what can be achieved with this trait at the Master level.

It is worth noting that you can always use the effects of lower levels of skill than you possess. For example, an Expert in a trait can also use the listed effects from the Proficient and Untrained level.

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Arcane Conditioning Traits

These traits are general purpose arcane traits, and are worth considering for most types of character as they give you simple and functional ways to utilise your Pyros.

Burner's Fortune

Some people seem to be born lucky. While sceptics may scoff and claim that luck doesn't exist, many believe that good luck is a function of strong and expressive Pyros, and that luck can even be trained by taking repeated major risks. Of course, getting yourself into life-and-limb risking situations for the sake of extra luck is somewhat counterproductive, but there are many burners and soldiers out there who believe that repeated brushes with death have left them luckier than the average man.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.

Proficient Level

• If you are Proficient in this trait, you can "adjust" dice. Any time immediately you make any dice roll, you can choose to spend 1 Pyros to shift the face value of one rolled dice up or down by 1 pip. The roll is treated as if you rolled that number originally. You can only adjust one dice per roll in this way, and this can only be done before any other effects are applied (such as aiming, defence, etc.). The new face value cannot be higher than 6 or lower than 1.

Expert Level

• If you are Expert in this trait, you can "adjust" dice even more flexibly. Any time immediately you make any dice roll, you can choose to spend 1 Pyros to change the face value of one rolled dice to a new face value of your choice. The roll is treated as if you rolled that number originally. You can only adjust one dice per roll in this way, and this can only be done before any other effects are applied (such as aiming, defence, etc.). The new face value cannot be higher than 6 or lower than 1.

• As a special exception to the normal trait rules, the Expert level ability described above replaces the Proficient level effect. As soon as you reach Expert level, you lose the Proficient level abilities.

Master Level

• A Master in this trait can activate the Expert level ability multiple times on one roll, spending 1 Pyros per dice he changes (e.g. spending 4 Pyros to change the face value of 4 dice).

Burner's Instinct

There are moments when you seem to be hyper-aware and perfectly focused on what you are doing. Information from your environment settles into your mind perfectly, and you react without hesitation, working more on instinct than on any conscious cognitive level. Burners call this "riding the flame" - the moments when your own inner fire drives and empowers you.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.

Proficient Level

• If you are Proficient in this trait, you can reduce the action dice cost of any automatic action (or any automatic reflexive action) by X dice, at cost of X Pyros. This discount in action dice cost counts only for a single activation, and can reduce the action dice cost to 0-dice.

Expert Level

• If you are Expert in this trait, you can take a 0-dice cost automatic action, to add +X dice to your action dice pool, at cost of X Pyros. This can take your action dice pool over your Focus, but is a one-off boost, lasting only as long as the dice do.

Master Level

• If you are Master in this trait, you can take a 0-dice cost automatic action, to add +(2X) dice to your action dice pool, at cost of X Pyros. This can take your action dice pool over your Focus, but is a one-off boost, lasting only as long as the dice do.

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Arcane Training Traits

Arcane Training traits are gateway traits, giving access to the other categories of arcane trait. Each represents a different arcane specialisation, and requires a certain mindset, intense study and a certain personality type.

• Important: You can only ever have ONE Arcane Training Trait at Proficient level or higher. As soon as you acquire any Arcane Trait at Proficient level or higher (whether during character genetation or with XP) you are prevented from ever taking or learning any other Arcane Training trait.

Elemental Flamebinder

A Flamebinder is one who is adept at dealing with spirits in the physical world, be they demons, ghosts or elementals. As the realm of spirits is also the realm of fire, all the above creatures incorporate aspects of fire to them. A flamebinder tames this fire much as a craftsman tames the fire of a forge, or as a housewife tames the hearth.

Flamebinders have a vital role in society, and are mostly work for the various Guilds, either as freelancers or employees. The Church oversees a smaller number of "Exorcists" who specialise in ghost-binding, but for the most part flamebinding is seen as business and the work of industry, and therefore is the realm of more secular powers.

There are few flamebinders who work on street level - their skills are simply too valuable for them to remain poor for long. Also, the psychologically flamebinders tend towards valuing obedience and hierarchy, and so usually feel more comfortable within the system.

Note that many of the abilities below refer to an entity's True Name, which can normally be wrested from an entity with a successful social combat. The defeat condition "reveal your true name" will often have some Intrinsic Resistance if the target is aware why revealing this would be a bad idea - Resistance 0 for naiive ghosts, Resistance 2 for most demons, and Resistance 4 for those who realise they are talking to a Flamebinder and know what they can do.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.

Proficient Level

• A proficient flamebinder is called an Initiate.

• Command of the True Name: An Initiate who knows the true name of an elemental or ghost can command it. A ghost's true name is usually the full birth-name it had in life. An elemental's true name is always simply "Slave", as their bindings hold them in thrall. The given commands must be obeyed to the letter within the best of the spirit's capabilities, even if self destructive. Using Command of the True Name costs the Initiate 1 Pyros and is an automatic action, at 1-dice cost per second of spoken orders. This ability require verbal communication and common language, and the binder can speak the orders out loud. An Initiate can use Command of the True Name while in the physical world if within hearing range of the target, or within Flamespace if at the same node or in the same place as the target. He can command spirits that are caught within bindstones, but only if he touches the bindstone.

Expert Level

• An expert flamebinder is called an Enlightened.

• An Enlightened that uses Command of the True Name always over-rides the orders of Initiates, and can even tell a spirit not to obey Initiates (either generally, or specific Initiates).

• An Enlightened can now use Command of the True Name on demons, but only if he knows their true name.

• The Enlightened can select and use Binder Elementalism traits from the section below. Note that these traits must still be selected as separate traits during character generation, or bought with XP.

Master Level

• An expert flamebinder is called a Scion.

• A Scion that uses Command of the True Name always over-rides the orders of Initiates and Enlightened, and can even tell a spirit not to obey Initiates and Experts (either generally, or specific individuals).

• A Scion no longer requires verbal communication (or common language) to use Command of the True Name, but can now transmit his orders telepathically by touching or physically striking at the target. Direct physical contact with the Scion's skin is necessary, but this can be incorporated into unarmed attacks at no extra action-dice cost. The Pyros cost of Command of th True Name is only paid if physical contact is successful.

Orthodox Pyromancer

This trait grants the skill and ability to enter into and travel through Flamespace. Orthodox Pyromancers are trained through a Church-approved apprenticeship system, with recognised national qualifications and training ranks. Orthodox Pyromancers tend to view Flamespace through their religion's paradigm, and are adept at shaping Flamespace and the flameweb to their will. It's a rare Pyromancer who isn't devoutly religious - the training is only offered to those of suitable faith, and the techniques learnt reinforce the doctrine of the Church at every step.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.
• Flamerunning - Anybody in Flamespace can move between nodes via Pathways, via the rules in the Flamerunning chapter.

Proficient Level

• A proficient Orthodox Pyromancer is called an Apprentice, and is likely still learning the ropes. Apprentice Paladins are sometimes known as Squires.

• Orthodox Flameleaping - By touching a Pathstone Aura and meditating (a 4-dice automatic action) the Pyromancer can mentally project into the Flameweb, entering the Pathstone's corresponding Node.

• Anchoring - A Pyromancer can return to his body as a 1-dice automatic action, but only if he is at a Node linked to an active Pathstone which is touching his physical body. If this is not the case, he cannot carry out Anchoring.

• Manifest Avatar - A Pyromancer can manifest a single Avatar form at this level. This is formed from the Pyromancer's subconscious, and usually represntative of his self-perception and psychology.

• Channel Power - A proficient Pyromancer can channel power out of the Flameweb through the node he is at and into the physical world. This power manifests around the corresponding Pathstone as a halo of coloured flame, and can be used by other arcane specialists for various purposes.

Expert Level

• An Expert Orthodox Pyromancer is either called an Adept. Adept Paladins are usually known simply as Holy Brothers or Holy Sisters.

• Flamespace Combat - An expert Pyromancer can make Flamespace attacks against targets at the same node, with target Hit Numbers of (5, 6).

• Flamespace Evasion - An expert Pyromancer can make a Flamespace dodge when Flamespace attacks are declared against him. This is a 1-dice cost automatic reflexive action that has the effect of removing one dice from the rolled dice pool of an attacker.

• Armour of Discipline - An expert Pyromancer can choose to spend X Pyros as a 0-dice automatic action to gain +X Armour Rating for the rest of the round.

• Flamespace Manipulation - An expert Pyromancer can select and use Flamespace Manipulation traits from the section below. Note that these traits must still be selected as separate traits during character generation, or bought with XP.

Master Level

• A Master Orthodox Pyromancer is either called a Paragon'. Paragon Paladins are usually known as Blessed Fathers or Blessed Mothers.

• Superior Flamespace Combat - A master Pyromancer can make Flamespace attacks against targets at the same node, with target Hit Numbers of (4, 5, 6).

• Superior Flamespace Evasion - An expert Pyromancer can make a superior Flamespace dodge when Flamespace attacks are declared against him. This is a 2-dice cost automatic reflexive action that has the effect of removing 2 dice from the rolled dice pool of an attacker.

• Superior Flamespace Manipulation - Whenever using a Flamespace Manipulation trait from the section below the Master Pyromancer can choose to reroll any or all of the dice once, before any defence is applied.

Shaper

Shapers are an essential part of industry, with their training allowing them to channel Pyros to remould their environment. Though different specialisations of shapers exist, all share commonality of underlying principles and techniques.

Shapers tend to be creative and artistic in personality, often more interested in pleasing aesthetic than in pure functionality. Though they usually find work with Guild contracts, a Shaper will tend to view the fame, finesse and beauty of his work to be more important than the paycheque. A Shaper will happily work at street level for lower prices if it means his art will be seen where it would not otherwise. Likewise, even a Shaper with a strong punk ethos would find it hard to refuse a contract to beautifully decorate a government Cathedral.

For a Shaper, the act of creation is its own reward, rather than the means to an end.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.

Proficient Level

• Proficient Shapers are usually called the Attuned

• Utilisation: Inner Fire: The Attuned can only use their inner fire to perform Shaping, with all Pyros costs for Shaping they perform needing to be carried out by spending their own Pyros.

• Transient Shaping: At cost of 1 Pyros, the Attuned can shape smoke or flame that is within his line of sight, causing it to take certain forms for a few seconds. Though the material does not change (a man made of smoke is still obviously made of smoke), and though only one body of material can be affected at once (i.e. one flame, or one smoke cloud) the effects can be quite impressive and carried out on as large a scale as the body of material allows.

• Eye of Flame. The Attuned can "sense" Pyros. This is not so much a mystical sense, but rather looking for subtle clues through their usual five senses, but developed to an almost subconscious level. For an example, an Attuned can see that the outline of ab object seems oddly "hot", and so it must be full of pyros, or they might smell that the air seems "charged" so is suffused with energy. Ordinary vocabulary doesn't perfectly describe these perceptions, so an Attuned will sometimes use slang, such as "that guy's got a lot of spark" or "that sword is fizzing". In practical terms the character can assess any object or person that he can sense normally, ascertaining if it contains Pyros in any way. Fuel substances, magical objects, bindstones and pathstones can all be identified, as can living beings, ghosts, demons or other pyros containing creatures.

Expert Level

• An expert Shaper is often called a Craftsman.

• A Craftsman can select and use Shaper Craft traits from the section below. Note that these traits must still be selected as separate traits during character generation, or bought with XP.

• A Craftsman using the Eye of Flame can now precisely quantify the amount of Pyros he is looking at.

• Utilisation: Elemental Fire: The Craftsman can now use Pyros that is channelled out of Flamespace by a Pyromancer or Wyld Talent. So long as the Flamerunner is continuing to use their Channel Power ability, and the Craftsman is within the aura of the Pathstone, the Craftsman can use the elemental power provided instead of his own Pyros. Pyros provided per round is anything from 1 to 10 points, depending on the power of the Pathstone. This Pyros cannot be drawn into the Shaper himself, and can only be used for Shaping and Shaping Crafts.

Master Level

• An master Shaper is often called an Artisan.

• An Artisan using the Eye of Flame now has a sixth sense beyond his usual five, and can perceive Pyros without having to filter it through his other senses. This sense is as accurate as sight, but shares a lot of the detail qualities of smell and touch as well. For example, an Artisan in a pitch black and silent room will still be able to see the Pyros of living people around him, and will be able to "see them" for all intents and purposes, recognising them by their pyros signatures or targeting them with attacks should he choose to do so. As this sense detects only Pyros, it can "see through" many inert substances - for example, a supply of fuel concealed behind six-feet of solid stone would be fully visible with an Artisan's Eye of Flame.

• Eye of Shaping: An Artisan can identify any object or person that has been affected by Shaping, and instantly spot what its form was before it was shaped, as well as how long ago it was shaped and what the shaping was.

• Utilisation: Ambient Fire: The Artisan can now use the Pyros released by the burning of Pyros-rich fuel substances. The amount of Pyros yielded depends on the quality of the fuel and the amount burnt, with the best quality bloodfuel yielding 10 Pyros per jar, and cheap Wastefuel yielding just 1 Pyros per jar. This Pyros cannot be drawn into the Shaper himself, and can only be used for Shaping and Shaping Crafts.

Wyld Talent Blazer

This trait grants the skill and ability to enter into and travel through Flamespace. Wyld Talent Blazers either discover how to Flameleap through experimentation, or are taught ina haphazard way through word of mouth and informal tutoring. The Church frowns on Wyld Talents, believing that without the faith and discipline of formal training, they are too prone to demonic temptation and misuse of power.

Indeed, Wyld Talent Blazers do tend towards the anarchic, with a strong anti-authoritarian streak common to many of them. To master Blazing takes a flexible mind, a willingness to think outside the rules, and to gain awareness of the chaos in your own soul.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.
• Flamerunning - Anybody in Flamespace can move between nodes via Pathways, via the rules in the Flamerunning chapter.

Proficient Level

• Proficient Blazers are often called "sparks", "newbies", "noobs" or "rookies" in street parlance, normally in a derogatory manner.

• Wyld Flameleaping - By entering a Pathstone's Aura and spending 1 Pyros (a 1-dice automatic action) the Blazer can mentally project into the Flameweb, entering the Pathstone's corresponding Node.

• Bailing - A Blazer can return to his body as a 1-dice automatic action. This works identically to being Banished due to Flamespace combat, except that the Wyld talent does not need to have taken damage to his Will.

• Manifest Avatar - A Blazer can manifest a single Avatar form at this level. This is formed from the Wyld Talent's subconscious, and usually represntative of his self-perception and psychology.

• Channel Power - A proficient Blazer can channel power out of the Flameweb through the node he is at and into the physical world. This power manifests around the corresponding Pathstone as a halo of coloured flame, and can be used by other arcane specialists for various purposes.

Expert Level

• Expert Blazers are usually called "blazers", "wyldlings", "talents" or "runners" in street parlance, and this is usually a term of some respect.

• Flamespace Combat - An expert Blazer can make Flamespace attacks against targets at the same node, with target Hit Numbers of (5, 6).

• Flamespace Evasion - An expert Blazer can make a Flamespace dodge when Flamespace attacks are declared against him. This is a 1-dice cost automatic reflexive action that has the effect of removing one dice from the rolled dice pool of an attacker.

• Flamespace Mobility - An expert Blazer can spend 1 Pyros as a 1-dice automatic action to move to a Coterminous Node via a Pathway. This ability cannot be used if the Wyld Talent is not on the Flameweb, or if the Pathway has a Dodge Defence of 1 or greater.

• Reinvent Avatar - An expert Blazer can spend 1 Pyros as a 4-dice automatic action to change the appearance of his Avatar. This can allow him an entirely different mass and appearance to previously, but does not change his capabilities in any way - its purely a cosmetic shift on how he is represented.

• Flamespace Manipulation - An expert Blazer can select and use Flamespace Manipulation traits from the section below. Note that these traits must still be selected as separate traits during character generation, or bought with XP.

Master Level

• Master Blazers usually have a unique nickname on the street, and are greatly feared and respected. Occasionally they might collectively be referred to as the Archons, or the Angels of Fire, but this is not common slang.

• Superior Flamespace Combat - A master Blazer can make Flamespace attacks against targets at the same node, with target Hit Numbers of (4, 5, 6).

• Superior Flamespace Evasion - An expert Wyld Talent can make a superior Flamespace dodge when Flamespace attacks are declared against him. This is a 2-dice cost automatic reflexive action that has the effect of removing 2 dice from the rolled dice pool of an attacker.

• Angel of Fire - As a 6-dice automatic action Master Blazer can spend 6 Pyros to increase his level of any Flamespace Manipulation trait by one for the next six seconds (or 24 combat rounds). This cannot raise the trait above Master level, but can raise an Untrained trait to Proficient, a Proficient trait to Expert, or an Expert trait to Master. This effect never stacks with itself, though can be applied multiple times to different traits (assuming you have the Pyros to burn!).

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Binder Elementalism Traits

You can only take Binder Elementalism traits if you have the appropriate Arcane Training trait (normally Elemental Flamebinder)

Ghostbinder

Ghosts inhabit flamespace, and occasionally can be summoned (or can escape into) the physical world. There seems to be little pattern as to whether someone becomes a ghost or not - most people pass away unechoed in flamespace, while some find that their souls live on in that realm.

Untrained Level

• Being Untrained in this trait confers no special advantages.

Proficient Level

Expert Level

Master Level

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Shaper Craft Traits

To learn Shaper Craft Traits, a character must be at least Expert in the appropriate Arcane Training Trait (usually Shaper).

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Pages Related to this Topic:

• Flamerunning
• Technology and Weaponry
• Magic and Elementalism

• Physical Traits
• Social Traits
• Mental Traits
• Miscellaneous Traits

• Wound Points
• Will Points
• Pyros
• Burnout

• Staying Alive