NWod Mass Effect/Archetype Merits
Archetype Merits
Rough ideas for the different Archetype Merits:
Tactics: Split into Command, Assault, Firepower and Resilience.
Tactics is basically new capabilities or boosts to skills. It doesn't rely on skill rolls to use. Each dot of a particular Tactics Merit basically unlocks another option from that Merit's list, ie someone with Command 2 generates two bonus dice per scene that can be spent in two different ways that he's picked off a list.
Command basically offers bonus dice that can be used by the entire squad in increasingly varied ways as the character gets more dots in the Merit - mostly combat-focused, obviously. Assault is the Adrenaline Rush / charging / short range mayhem / reflexes / fitness collection of powers. Firepower is self-explanatory - suppressive fire, picking out weak-spots, laying down crossfires and generally offering gun-based battlefield control. Resilience is again self-explanatory, the Merit tree that lets a fighter be a triple-hard bastard - get more out of armour, extra health levels, fighting on despite grievous wounds etc.
Tech: Split into Engineering, Interface, Science & Medicine.
Tech builds off skills. Using Tech Merits generally either requires a skill roll (ie Science rolls for the Science Merits) or affects an existing skill roll (ie a Merit that gives you 9-again on Medicine rolls). Again, each dot lets you pick a particular power out of that Merit, so a three-dot Engineering Merit might grant Overload, Shield Boost and Vehicle Expert powers.
These are mostly self-explanatory; they also include more non-combat options than the Tactics skills. Engineering includes various shield-boosting and -breaking, gear-based enhancements, etc. Interface gives you hacking-on-the-fly to bork peoples' comms or subvert robots, research-boosters, etc. Science gives you unstable materials use - ie the Incinerate & Cryo type powers - alongside enhanced scientific analysis capabilities. Medicine obviously boosts healing for yourself & others, as well as toxin stuff.
Biotics: Split into Distortion, Integration and Manipulation.
Biotics runs off Resolve + Merit Dots in the relevant merit. Having dots in a particular discipline gives you access to all that discipline's capabilities but you may not be all that great at them if you only have a dot or two, and some will be harder than others. Biotics use generally requires an activation roll, and can come with significant costs, but also tend to be quite potent.
Distortion is Warp, Reave et al - the powers that fuck you up, as well as a few possibilities for stuff that wouldn't work in the computer game. Integration is personal barriers of different kinds, AoE shields, Stasis and the Vanguard-style charge. Manipulation is Push/Throw/Slam, the general telekinesis power, and personal TK - slowfalls or even limited flight.
