MTH:Power Trees

Power Trees

Several of the powers listed for this system previously had techniques or a lot of Extras. Since some ideas for techniques or extras were a little too potent in themselves, and because powers with all the options a proficient user might have may seem overwhelming, we created Power Trees, folding both into the Trees.

Power Trees are Merits, each of which have 1 or more powers as prerequisites, and often have one or more merits in the same tree as prerequisites.

Cyberkinesis

MASSIVE ALTERATION (* to *****)

Prerequisites: Cyberkinesis, Computers 1

Effect: After taking control of a computer system with Cyberkinesis the character is able to manipulate a computer at inhuman levels of speed and precision. Assume that the time for the task for any computer-related action is divided by the rating in this merit +1. Any penalties to the roll for accuracy of transcribed data the character has access to or derived from information the character has access to are reduced by the rating in this merit. Any rolls to conceal forgery in data also have their penalties reduced by the rating in this merit. This allows for the creation of false data in numerical and language form only, not images, sounds and other input-dependent information. Assume this merit can create/remove/alter only as can be done with a keyboard, just much much faster and at range.

SHADOW USER (*)

Prerequisites: Massive Alteration **+

Effect: When using Cyberkinesis on a computerized system, the system no longer needs to be on. This give the added bonus of not letting on that the system is being manipulated to any watching parties, and this partially includes security software. Any attempt to evade or disable security software has a +3 bonus. Any security software not disabled or evaded will not raise any kind of alarm until the system is powered on.

DISTANT SIGNAL (*)

Prerequisites: Cyberkinesis

Effect: This merit extends the range of Cyberkinesis, changing the 5 yard increment to 100 yards.

FOOL (* or **)

Prerequisite: Shadow User

Effect: While manipulating a device, the character can plant complex false images and readings in surveillance equipment or communications devices. In order to use this technique, the character must succeed on an activation roll, with a negative modifier based on the complexity and reliability of the device in question: a typical security camera would probably not impose any modifier, while a multi-spectrum surveillance system and motion tracker powered by its own AI might impose a penalty of –4 or –5. Success on this roll allows the character to control the information recorded or transmitted by the device. For example, a security camera might be made to transmit a false image, a tape recorder could record a conversation that never happened, or either of these machines could be made to record nothing but static. Another character examining such altered information may attempt to see through this illusion; to do so, the opposing character must roll Wits + Resolve and score more successes on the roll than the cyberkinetic scored on the activation roll.

Interactive real-time deceptions, such as having a telephone conversation using someone else's voice, or using someone else's face while using Skype, require the second dot in this merit. The ST may want to impose penalties for complex deceptions. Skype with someone else's face and voice might impose a -1 penalty for instance. Adding a crowd in the background might lead to a total -2 penalty. Additional penalties are levied the longer the charade goes on; assume these penalties are cumulative each minute. Assume failure means the dupe get's wise. A dramatic failure will let the mark know who they are really talking to, at least.

OVERLOAD (*)

Prerequisites: Cyberkinesis

Effect: The character is able to shut down mechanical and electronic devices. On a successful activation roll of Cyberkinesis or if already controlling the device, the target is rendered inoperable for the duration of the scene; on an exceptional success, the device breaks permanently and will not work until it is repaired. Well-made or highly reliable devices may impose a penalty on the activation roll, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

INTUITIVE PROGRAMMER (*)

Prerequisites: Cyberkinesis

Effect: The character may (re)program software in a device they currently are manipulating using Cyberkinesis without actually knowing the programming language required (or any programming language). The Cyberkineticist won't even know what programming language was used unless they care to check. This ability carries with it a strange side benefit; The character may communicate with artificial intelligences as if they had Telepathy. For purposes of mechanics treat the character's rating in Cyberkinesis as a rating in Telepathy.

WEBRIDER (*)

Prerequisites: Distant Signal, Intuitive Programer

Effect: The character essentially has a Wifi brain. Anywhere there is an internet signal, she can connect to it as if she was using an entirely lag-free device. This connection can be turned on and off at will, and online users may notice her as wireless network connection while it is on. She may choose to project a network name or allow her brain to be represented by a meaningless strand of letters and numbers. She may choose to allow access to her mind as a hotspot for anyone with a capable device.

The character's mind cannot be hacked, except under abnormal means, such as by someone with the Intuitive Programmer merit. Use the rules for forcing telepathic contact under Telepathy.

Elemental Mastery

QUAKE (*** to *****)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery (Earth or Magma), Power Level 3+

Effect: The character creates a small, localized earthquake. The quake lasts a turn, and has a radius of 7 to (merit dots + Power Level + Elemental Mastery) yards. Everything in the radius is subject to the Earthquake Tilt, with a severity equal to the successes rolled. The damage inflicted is 1-3 levels as per the Tilt, but determined by the character spending 1 to 3 verve on the effect.

The radius always centers on the character, and they have no immunity to the effects.

CHILL/BAKE (* or ***)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery with an element associated with either heat or cold.

Effect: The character creates an area of heat or cold (choose one when the power is purchased, as per the element in question). The effect is the same mechanically. The Extreme Heat or Extreme Cold Tilt is applied to those in the radius. The radius is equal to up to Power Level X Elemental Mastery in yards. This effect lasts up to 1 minute (20 turns) per success. Spending a point of verve at any point in that time multiplies the remaining time by 10. The character must be in the radius to do this. The radius is always centered at the point the character was when they activated the merit.

FLOOD (**)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery with an element that is naturally liquid, Elemental Instanciation

Effect: The character floods the area with their element, causing the Flood Tilt. Each success allows the character to create a 1 foot, speed 1 flood that does not abate until the character ceases to concentrate on it. Even then, the flood waters recede at no faster than 2 feet per turn. Naturally, if the area would normally hold the liquid, it still does. The radius for the effect is 2 x (Power Level + Elemental Mastery) yards. It costs one verve to activate.

Note: In temperatures in the scene are such that the liquid element would no longer be liquid, the effect lasts only a turn.

DOWNPOOR (**)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery with an element that is naturally liquid, Elemental Instanciation

Effect: The character rains down upon the area with their element, causing the Heavy Rains Tilt. This lasts for as long as the character concentrates. For a point of Verve they can remove the need to concentration for 30 minutes. The radius for the effect is 2(Power Level + Elemental Mastery + successes rolled) yards.

GALE (** or ***)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery with an element that is naturally gaseous

Effect: The character creates Heavy Winds, as per the Environmental Tilt. Each success on the activation roll results in 1 grade higher winds (as per the Tilt's grades). With the two dot version of this technique the winds build up at a rate of one grade per turn, and subside at the same rate. With the three-dot version the gale erupts and dies away immediately. In either case the winds continue as long as the character concentrates on them. Activating this merit costs 1 verve and it has a radius of 2 x (Power Level + Elemental Mastery) yards.

The radius always centers on the character, and they have no immunity to the effects.

ICE-SLICK (**)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery (Ice) or other appropriate element.

Effect: The character covers an area in slick ice, inflicting the Ice Tilt on an area no larger than 2 X (Power Level + Elemental Mastery) yards. This can be the whole area or a selected portion of it. The ice persists until it would melt naturally.

GOLEM (***)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery 2+

Effect: The character creates an approximation of life out of their chosen element.

Golem creation is either an Instant or Extended action, with the target number being the minimum number of successes needed to create any number of golems the character can attempt to create with the materials on hand. Those materials must all be within (Power Level + Elemental Mastery) x 5 yards.

If the elemental material is not in a mobile shape, any golems made from it must take an action to mold themselves into one. They may take on whatever cosmetic touches their creator wishes in doing so.

Automata created by the Animation technique are effectively mindless; they require orders from the character before they will do anything, and once they have begun a task, they will not stop until either the task is completed or they have been destroyed. They last as long an other creations of Elemental Mastery.

Use the profiles from the World of Darkness Animal Stats as the basis for a golem's stats. To animate a golem approximating a given creature the player must roll one success per point of size. If they have enough successes, and enough material on hand, the character may animate more then one golem.

MASSIVE ANIMATION (***)

Prerequisites: Golem, Power Level 2+

Effect: This merit builds upon Golem. Now when the character rolls to animate golems, she multiplies her successes by her Power Level to determine their maximum size.

ELEMENT SENSE (*)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery

Effect: The character can automatically sense their element and it's quantity, purity and similar details automatically.

VITAL FORCE (*)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery

Effect: The techniques of this power may be used on living creatures if the elemental type is appropriate (bone for earth, water for blood). Any resistance granted adds Stamina and Power Level to the resistance pool.

DESTRUCTION/REINFORCEMENT (*)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery

Effect: The character is able to undo the molecular bonds holding structured objects together of their chosen element, causing them to disintegrate. Spending 1 Verve and rolling Dex + Athletics + Elemental Mastery, each success on the activation roll deals one level of aggravated damage to an object. The normal rules for targeting an object apply, and this technique may not be used on sentient living creatures, even with the Vital Force merit. Sentient undead (such as vampires and revenants) are also immune to this technique; the magic empowering them is too strong to be overcome by this power.

Alternatively, if the element is in the form of an object with Durability, the character can negate one level of durability or add to it per success.

(DIS)ENHAZARD (**)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery, Elemental Immunity

Effect: The character spends a point of verve and rolls Intelligence + (Science or Medicine) + Elemental Mastery. Successes can be put towards the following alterations on a mass of the given element up to (Elemental Mastery x Power Level) cubic yards:

• Irradiate/Cleanse: The character may spend two successes to render a substance radioactive or corrosive, such that proximity with the substance deals a level of lethal or bashing damage each turn. The character may also increase or decrease the lethality of an already hazardous substance at the rate of one level of lethal or bashing damage per success.

• Toxicity: The character may increase or decrease the Toxicity of a substance at a rate of one point of Toxicity per success.

ELEMENTAL IMMUNITY (*, ** or ***)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery, Power Level equal to twice the merit level.

Effect: This merit protects the bearer from harm done by her chosen element. The first dot negates all bashing damage, the second negates all lethal and the third negates all aggravated.

ELEMENTAL INSTANCIATION (*)

Prerequisites: Elemental Mastery 3+

Effect: The character is not only able to command her chosen element; she can also conjure it from thin air. A character with this technique no longer requires a significant amount of her chosen element nearby in order to use her Elemental Mastery power.

EMBODY (***)

Prerequisites: Elemental Immunity 2+

Effect: For 2 Verve the character transmutes her body into a humanoid-shaped instance of her element. While in this shape the character automatically passes any roll involving Composure which does not relate to the activation of a power.

In addition, each success on the activation roll grants a +1 bonus to Armor for solid elements or to Defense for nonsolid elements, as well as one temporary dot in Durability for solid elements or in Plasticity for nonsolid elements, up to the character's dots in Elemental Mastery - 1. At the Storyteller's discretion, this temporary power may be replaced by another non-rolled Alpha power appropriate for the character's element.

While in this shape, the character fights like a force of nature. She may use her dots in Elemental Mastery in place of either Strength or Brawl when making unarmed attacks, and these attacks deal damage of the same type as her elemental attacks.

SNAP INSTANCIATION (**)

Prerequisites: Elemental Instanciation, Golem

Effect: The character may shape their manifestation of the element as a projection of thought rather than craft, creating a shaped object or faux being almost instantly. Rather than crafting the element as an extended action like a normal craft roll, the player makes a normal power activation roll, with a single success being enough to craft a target that would normally need 3 successes. The player may try for more challenging snap creations, with a -1 penalty for every additional 1-3 additional successes that would normally be needed. In other words, if the normal target number for the extended roll would have been 13, the player may attempt to create their item or golem at a -4 penalty.

Oneiromancy

SHARE DREAM (* to **)

Prerequisites: Oneiromancy

Effect: The character walks in the dream of their target, provided they make a successful activation roll.

While within the dream they are aware of everything the dreamer is aware of, including information that does not have a clear sensory source. This can be highly disorienting, especially if the dream is an emotional one. If the character is attempting to communicate with or glean information from the target the ST may require appropriate rolls and levi penalties dependent on the nature of the dream.

If the character has a reason to suspect that their target is asleep while outside the usual range of Oneiromancy, they may attempt to enter their dreams at a -5 to the activation roll. A dramatic failure on that roll may result in the Souless persistent condition, a breaking point, or whatever spiritual weirdness the ST feels is appropriate. Beyond that there is no limit to the range of this power. It may sometimes even contact individuals outside of the dimension the user is in. The ST may decide that being in even more exotic localities then a parallel dimension block the use of this power or not.

While in the dream, the character using this power appears as themselves, though cosmetic effects alter to match the context of the dream. The character cannot hide themselves in the dream.

ASTRAL PROJECTION (**)

Prerequisites: Share Dream

Effect: At a cost of 1 Verve per scene the character may send their spirit through the Astral Plane. While this power is active, the character enters a defenseless, dreamlike state, and her mind is projected to any location within range. She may observe events in the Astral, or peek in on our plane to spy on events there. She is limited to passive observation in the latter case, and cannot act on anything except through the use of other Oneiromancy techniques. She may return to her body at any time. Only characters with the Oneiromancy or Telepathy powers can see or hear her projection, using a normal activation roll.

What, if anything, or import is happening on the Astral plane is up to the ST.

This technique has a range of (Power Level + Oneiromancy) x 10 miles.

FABRICATE DREAM (*)

Prerequisites: Share Dream

Effect: At the cost of 1 Verve, while walking within a dream, the character may alter or create an entirely new dream, either 'clicking' into it or sliding it seamlessly into an existing one. The character rolls Manipulation + Empathy + Oneiromancy – a 1 to 5 penalty related to the emotional potency of the dream, as determined by the storyteller. If the dream is a replay of an actual memory, this penalty may be further added to, from 1 to 5. Failure allows the dream to be crafted as usual, but alerts the target to the fact that it is artificial. Dramatic failure can cause psychological harm to one or both parties, resulting in the Shaken or Broken Conditions, a breaking point, or some other related problem, at the STs discretion.

The Oneiromancer cannot totally hide their presence in the dream, but may cast themselves as any object or creature that could conceivably symbolize their real self. If the target knows the character, either from the waking world or the dreaming one, they may roll Wits + Empathy + Oneiromancy to recognize the character altering their dream.

FARTHING (* to *****)

Prerequisites: Oneiromancy, Power Level equal to merit

Effect: For each dot in this merit the range of this power is multiplied by 10.

SLEEPWALK (***)

Prerequisites: Share Dream, Fabricate Dream

Effect: This technique is identical in effect to the Domination power, except it only affects a dreaming target while the character is within their dream, and substitutes Oneiromancy for Domination in activation rolls.

NOCTURNAL MIGRATION (***)

Prerequisites: Sleep Walk, Farthing 3+

Effect. Rolls to use Sleepwalk may target all sleeping individuals in the range of the power. Use the individual with the best stats for resistance as the primary target.

Force Strike

Tilting (* or **)

Prerequisites: Force Strike

Effect: The Strike carries with it the chance to apply the Blinded, Deafened, or Drugged Tilt, if an Exceptional success is rolled on the attack. One of these is chosen at the time the merit is purchased. Like all Power Tree Merits, this must match with the rational for the power itself. At two dots the Tilt is applied on three or more successes.

Force Shot (* to *****)

Prerequisites: Force Strike

Effect: The power can now be used as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 20/40/80 per dot in this merit. Thus at 3 dots the range is 60/120/240. It is a projectile when used this way, and does not remain part of the character. Each shot costs 1 Verve. Melee ranged use of the power remains free.

The pool is Dexterity + (Athletics or Firearms).

The player should consider how the attack manifests for purposes of description or circumvention (laser beams from the eyes, a force wave thrown from a punch, a sonic blast from the mouth, a mystic life-bolt from the heart chakra, etc).

Force Blast (* to *****)

Prerequisites: Force Strike

Effect: The power can now be used as an indiscriminate blast radius effect. At a cost of 1 Verve the attack effects everything in a range of (Force Blast + Power Level) x 2 yards. The attack has armor applied but ignores Defense. It cannot be aimed.

Armor Piercing (* to *****)

Prerequisites: Force Strike

Effect: The Armor Piercing quality is applied to the character's attacks when using Force Strike. The rating in the Merit is equal to the Armor Piercing rating.

Rapid Fire (* to ***)

Prerequisites: Force Shot

Effect: The character can use the rules for autofire when attacking with this power. One dot allows for Short Bursts, two dots allows Medium Bursts, and three dots allows for Long Bursts. Short Bursts take an additional point of verve, and Medium Bursts take an additional two, and Long Bursts take three.

These options can only be used with the ranged effect of the Power.

Homing Bolt (*)

Prerequisites: Force Shot

Effect: The projectile ignores cover and shields.

Gravity Control

GRAVITIC GRASP (*)

Prerequisites: Gravity Control

Effect: The effect is as per the basic use of the power, except that is may be applied selectively to a single target within (Power Level + Gravity Control) x 5 yards, and the roll is penalized by the target's Defense (but not armor).

GRAVITIC TETHERS (**)

Prerequisites: Gravitic Grasp, Power Level 3+

Effect: This merit modifies the original power. The character can opt to apply the field selectively to anything in the radius.

REVERSE GRAVITY (*)

Prerequisites: Gravity Control

Effect: The character manipulates an object or other character's gravitational field to make it fall upward. Each success on the activation roll moves the target 3 yards straight up, at which point the character may either let the target fall back down and take damage normally, or spend 1 additional Verve to keep it weightless at the apex for one turn. Use of this technique on a willing target as a means of locomotion is not recommended.

This effect on a living target is an attack, and the target may apply their defense, though not armor. It is an instant action costing one Verve to use on any one target within (Power Level + Gravity Control) x 5 yards.

SKY FALL (**)

Prerequisites: Reverse Gravity, Power Level 3+

Effect: The character may now apply Reverse Gravity as an area effect, with a radius equal to the base power. Each individal in the field applies they defense separately to see if they are caught in the effect.

RETURN TO SENDER (*)

Prerequisites: Gravity Control

Effect: The character sends a projectile back to it's point of origin. The character must be eligible to dodge at the time they use this effect, and it takes their action for the turn, just like a dodge. They do not have to be physically capable of a dodge at the time, but must be aware of the projectile.

The player rolls a normal activation roll, with each success negating one of the successes of the attacker. If there are any successes remaining, the object has been flung back at the attacker, who must defend against it as if it where an attack with that many successes.

The character may use this effect to defend themselves or someone else.

REPULSER FIELD (** or ***)

Prerequisites: Gravity Control, Return To Sender

Effect: This merit builds upon Return to sender. The character places a field around themselves or a target of their choice as a dodge (they need not be physically capable of a dodge). The field lasts the rest of the round and costs a verve to activate.

Roll an activation roll. The successes from this roll are treated as a dodge roll for all incoming projectile attacks, and any attack which is reduced to 0 successes may rebound just like in Return To Sender. Each attack after the first negates one success from the activation roll.

The three dot version does not loose a success per attack.

GRAVITY WELL (***)

Prerequisite: Gravity Control, Power Level 3

Effect: The basic use of the power may now be made as an extended action with a target number of up to four times the character's Power Level.

Super Speed

ADROIT COMBATANT (**)

Prerequisites: Super Speed, Wined-Up

Effect: While Super Speed is active the character gains +1 Defense and Initiative per dot.

Note: Characters can activate Super Speed at any point in a turn, including during someone else’s turn (which can be useful for defense) and before rolling initiative (unless they are surprised).

ALACRITY (**)

Prerequisites: Super Speed, Celerity

Effect: On the turn they activate Super Speed, the character is able to take a number of additional rolled actions equal to their dots in Super Speed. Each action added this way costs one Verve. All of these actions resolve on one die roll, using the lowest applicable pool with the highest applicable penalty other than, and then subtracting one die for each rolled action.

Actions involving multiple dice rolls such as Gunslinger attacks cannot be added this way.

Note: Rolled and unrolled actions can be mixed, so a character with three dots of Super Speed could move across a warehouse floor, punch out two goons, pick up a hostage and run out the door in one turn (2 rolled, one unrolled). If the character had a Strength + Brawl pool of 7, with one goon having a defense of 2 and the other of 3, the speedster would roll 2 dice for the attacks (7 – 2 rolled actions, minus the highest defense 3).

Please read the relevant part of the discussion section before editing this merit.

CELERITY (*)

Prerequisites: Super Speed

Effect: The character may take additional unrolled actions each turn, up to as much as twice their dots in Super Speed. Each two unrolled actions added this way cost one Verve. However, the character cannot move further than twice their multiplied Speed in one turn this way (otherwise their potential movement would increase quadratically).

This merit specifically allows only actions that would normally be unrolled when preformed at normal speed.

WINED-UP (*)

Prerequisites: Super Speed

Effect: The character can make a special dash attack provided they can get up to full speed before doing so, slamming their target with their body, or striking them with a limb or weapon. To get up to this speed, the character must move at least 5 yards, even if they do so in a circle, then make a single melee attack as an instant action. The player takes a penalty to their initiative of up to the character's Super Speed dots. Each point of penalty translates to a +1 to the damage modifier for the attack. This effect can be used only with an activation of Super Speed and the penalty to Initiative is applied after the bonus to initiative Super Speed grants.

The player declares this action on their Super Speed initiative, but resolves it on their penalized initiative. This does mean that some characters may see the wined-up attack coming and choose to alter their actions based on this information.

If the character can fly, they can apply this merit to a mid-air attack with the same mechanics.

Telepathy

FARTHING (*)

Prerequisites: Telepathy

Effect: The range on telepathic effects is doubled.

MEMORY ALTERATION (***)

Prerequisite: Telepathy, Mind Probe

Effect: This power allows the character to alter the memories of another. In order to use this technique, the character must first find and learn the information she wishes to change using the Mind Probe technique; once this is done, the character may make an activation roll to alter the memory. If the character wins the activation roll with an ordinary success, she is able to alter any single memory or piece of information in the target's mind; however, any related thoughts or memories (such as mnemonic devices for remembering passwords) will be left intact, which may end up confusing the target or alerting him to the memory alteration.

If the character wins with an exceptional success, not only is the chosen memory or piece of information altered, but any related memories will also shift and alter to accommodate the changed information, rendering the target unable to detect the memory alteration without outside help. The memory changes caused by use of this technique are permanent, although the target may eventually realize that his memories are incorrect through interaction with other characters.

The target takes on the Altered Memories Condition.

Activating this technique costs 1 verve, and has a range of (Power Level) yards. An alternative use for this power is to remove the altered memories, restoring the originals and resolving the Condition.

MIND HAZE (*)

Prerequisite: Telepathy

Effect: The character is able to flood the target's mind with psychic noise, preventing action. On a successful activation of this power the character applies the Confused or Distracted Condition to their target. On an exceptional success both may be applied. On a dramatic failure, the target's player applies one of these conditions to the telepath.

MIND PROBE (****)

Prerequisites: Telepathy

Effect: The character is able to read the long-term memories of her target. In order to use this merit, the character must make an extended activation roll and score a number of successes based on the chart below.

Target	Successes Needed
Typical Thoughts	Target's Resolve +2
Private	Resolve + Composure
Vitally Private	Resolve + Composure + 2
Repressed/Amnesic	2 X (Resolve + Composure)
Condition	Modifier
Traumatic	+1 to +5
Guarded	+Target's Subterfuge
Psychically Secured	+2, +4, or +8

'Guarded', above, refers to an individual intentionally hiding their thoughts on a subject, typically because they suspect someone wants to know the truth and the subject doesn't wish them too. 'Private' refers to anything of a personal nature the subject wouldn't speak aloud in most company. 'Vitally Private' refers to potentially damaging information. 'Where the bomb is hidden' is typically Guarded information. A secret identity is typically Vitally Private. If the character knows someone is going through their mind looking for their secret identity, it becomes Guarded & Vitally Private. The attribute values above reflect current values, so players may try to produce circumstances that will lower the effective values before attempting to enter a subject's mind. The character using the Mind Probe technique may make a maximum number of rolls equal to the character's Resolve, and each roll takes one turn. A character targeted by Mind Probe may make a reflexive (Wits + Composure - activating character's Telepathy rating) roll to become aware of the psychic intrusion, and if successful, may contest each roll with a reflexive Resolve + Telepathy + Power Level. Each roll costs one verve, though an Exceptional Success allows the next roll to be for free. The technique has a range of (Power Level) yards.

THOUGHT DETECTION (*)

Prerequisite: Telepathy

Effect: The character is able to expand her awareness and detect nearby mental activity. A single success on the activation roll makes the character aware of every entity with at least the intelligence of an insect within (Power Level + Telepathy) x 5 yards of her. The character may extend the range on the effect by adding another 10 yards for each -2 penalty they apply to the roll.

A dramatic failure on the roll applies the Distracted Condition.

The character is aware of both the location and the nature of each detected intelligence; for example, she would be able to recognize that the primitive minds in the floorboards belong to cockroaches and that the more advanced, familiar intelligences on the other side of the wall are humans. When faced with an unfamiliar intelligence, such as an A.I. or an extra-dimensional being, the character will learn the qualities of the intelligence ("highly advanced and extremely logical," or "similar in strength to a human but completely unfamiliar") but will not recognize the manner of entity to which they belong.

Once the character is familiar with a subject's mental signature, the character is able to track a target from a great distance by focusing on his mental activity. A single success on the activation roll allows the character to detect her target if he is anywhere within (Power Level + Telepathy) miles; each additional success on the activation roll doubles this range. If the target character is in range and his brain is functional, the activating character is immediately aware of his exact location in relation to her. If the target is not in range, or if his brain is no longer functioning, this power fails to detect them.

This effect would allow an individual to recognize an imposter, provided they had met the individual previously. Time and familiarity may modify the activation roll.

Temporal Manipulation

AGE ALTERATION (****)

Perquisites: Temporal Manipulation, Power Level 3+

Effect: Each success on the activation roll increases or decreases the target’s physical age by one year; the Storyteller is the final arbiter of what effects, if any, this has on the target. Note that only the target’s physical body is changed, while his mental maturity, his knowledge level, and his superpowers remain intact; however, the immature brain of a child or the aged brain of a geriatric may not function as effectively as that of an adult, meaning the target may not be able to use that knowledge or those skills to full effect. Using Age Alteration is an extended action, and the character may roll and gain successes a number of times per scene up to her Stamina (including any bonus for Mega-Stamina). Each roll takes one turn and 2 verve.

Extensive use of this technique on the same target may cause the character or the target to take degeneration rolls, at the STs option. The pool is Intelligence + (Medicine) + Temporal Manipulation – target’s Stamina.

HOP (***)

Prerequisites: Temporal Manipulation, Power Level 2+

Effect: The character jumps through time, forward or backward, a few moments, or occasionally as much as an hour. For each success on the activation roll, the character can choose to move up to one turn into the future or past. On an exceptional success the character may jump up to an hour or scene in either direction.

Time travel, even small-scale time travel, comes with certain rules. One is that the character must attempt not to alter the already established events (so sometimes it's easier not to know). Another is that they must avoid paradoxes in general.

If a character violates one of these rules they begin to diverge from the 'trajectory' of time, and gain a 'Divergence' point. Mark this point by putting an X through the character's top-most Integrity circle. Each additional point marks another circle below that one. If the circle that would be marked is a filled in dot, the character checks for degeneration. That character cannot regain this point of Integrity while that level is still marked with Divergence. A time traveler particularly prone to paradox will simply vanish if their entire morality track is filled with Divergence.

The character may remove a point of Divergence by fixing any violation of the above rules. For instance, if the character gained the point by removing an object that they later picked up, they can fix the situation by replacing the object without being seen by their earlier self.

Situations may arise that a character cannot fix, so a time traveler must be careful, lest time travel break their mind and eventually eject them from reality all together.

Each hop costs 1 verve. The die pool is Resolve + (Drive) + Temporal Manipulation.

SLIPSHANK (**)

Prerequisites: Hop

Effect: The character can hop in a 'playing it forward' manor, by choosing to take a point of Divergence to assign a future use of time travel they plan on, and benefit from it at the moment. When they actually take the action, the point of Divergence is removed. For example, the player may declare that their character finds a tool they need in a drawer they have never looked in, because they will use time travel to put it there later. They will find the tool there when they look, and they will have the point of Divergence until they go back in time and put that same tool in that same drawer. When the activation roll fails, this simply indicates that the character's attempt to set up events failed for some reason. The verve is still spent and the Divergence is still gained though, as the character must still make the attempt later (The attempt will then remove the Divergence, once the character has failed).

If the Storyteller uses the "Matter of Resolve" optional rules for downtime actions, they may allow a 'played forward' action to take up a downtime action.

STOP TIME (**)

Prerequisites: Temporal Manipulation, Power Level 2

Effect: Stop Time does just that—stops the passage of time around a target. The character rolls their Intelligence + (Science) + Temporal Manipulation. After rolling, subtract the target's Power Level from the successes rolled. Each remaining success freezes the target for one turn. While frozen the target cannot act or be acted upon, except when moved by an outside force.

Each successive use of this power on the same target during the same scene has a cumulative -1 penalty applied. Each roll requires 1 willpower.