Base Characteristics
Every character or creature possesses three Characteristic pools:
Soak – withstand punishment
Dash – perform feats of physical excellence
Focus – channel mind and magic
Characteristics are expendable ressources. Spent characteristic poins are fully replenished whenever the GM calls for a Recovery. This should happen after every major scene.
Some abilities or conditions (as well as crafting) require characters to Drain characteristic points. Drained points do not replenish on a Recovery until a full night's sleep.
Skills
Skill checks use percentile dice. Skill check difficulties are set (Easy 70%, Moderate 50%, Hard 20%, Heroic 0%). A character may spend points from the appropriate characteristic pool to improve their chances of success. For every 5 points spent, improve success chances by 10%. The only exception - improving chances from 90% to 100% costs 15 points.
Specializations reduce improvement costs to 3 and 10 points respectively.
Dash skills:
Acrobatics
Hide
Melee
Ride/Pilot
Shoot
Steal
Focus skills:
Influence
Perceive
Science
Survive
Tend
Tinker
Skill Descriptions
Acrobatics (Anzeigen)The Acrobatics Skill is used to make high and long jumps, overcome physical obstacles, gain advantage in a chase or to keep balance under difficult circumstances. Feats of extraordinaly agility and nimbleness also call for an Acrobatics check. Whenever a character wishes to moves their own person in a way that surpasses the scope of basic Trivials and Actions, an Acrobatics check might be appropriate.
Example difficulties:
Easy – avoid falling when slowly walking on ice, running jump over waist-high fence
Moderate – leap 1 range increment
Hard – safely jump out of a fast-moving vehicle, perform a standing somersault
Heroic – jump 1 range increment high
Hide (Anzeigen)The Hide skill represents any attempts a character makes to conceal themselves or objects, but also to remain hidden while moving. Avoiding making noise or spreading scents also falls under Hide. The difficulty of a Hide check usually depends on the attention and alertness level of possible spotters. Alternatively, a character may opt to choose a difficulty to gain the Hidden condition with a certain spot difficulty.
Easy – remain unseen while silently standing in a shadowy corner, gain the Hidden condition (Spot difficulty: Easy) for up to 3 turns
Moderate – sneak past a slightly bored guard, gain the Hidden condition (Spot difficulty: Moderate) for up to 3 turns
Hard – disappear in a crowd while watched by a dozen attentive observers, gain the Hidden condition (Spot difficulty: Hard) for up to 3 turns
Heroic – disappear in a puff of smoke in bright dayligt, gain the Hidden condition (Spot difficulty: Heroic) for up to 3 turns
Melee (Anzeigen)Attacks with all kinds of close combat weapons including bare fists and feet utilize this skill. Melee can also be used to defend oneself from enemy attacks with such weapons. Many class-specific combat Actions require a Melee check to hit.
Example difficulties:
Easy – attack with a non-special weapon
Moderate – attack with an improvised weapon
Hard – unarmed attack against heavily armored target
Heroic – parry a bullet with a dagger
Ride/Pilot (Anzeigen)From riding horses or more exotic beasts to steering a boat to piloting a roomy air-barge, controlling any kind of movement other than by feet falls under this skill's domain. While simple, straightforward movement does not require a skill check, riding or driving in dangerous situations or performing stunts certainly does.
Easy – calm a young riding beast once bulltets start flying
Moderate – make a mount leap over a broad chasm
Hard – safely navigate an air-barge among clouds and stalactites
Heroic – escape a roaring malestrom in a small craft
Shoot (Anzeigen)This skill covers the usage of all manners of ranged weapons, from thrown knives to slings and bows to modern firearms. In most cases, distance and the weapon used determine the difficulty of a Shoot check. Sometimes, surroundings play a role as well – shooting arrows from higher ground might be advantageous, while thick fog may spoil the most careful aiming attempts.
Easy – shoot a target within 2 range increments with a gun
Moderate – hit a target within 1 range increment with shuriken
Hard – shoot a target within 2 range increments with a gun in thick fog
Heroic – snipe a distant target in total darkness
Steal (Anzeigen)This skill encompasses any attempts to manipulate objects without others noticing it. Stealing things is just one application, but not the only one. Placing items in unwitting people's pockets or meddling with guarded objects also calls for a Steal check. Even less dihonest but fine and subtle manpulations are covered by the Steal skill.
Easy – steal someone's wallet in a crowd
Moderate – steal a holstered sidearm from a distracted person
Hard – put an armed grenade in an attentive guard's pocket
Heroic – steal a tavern patron's pants
Influence (Anzeigen)The Influence skill helps sway people's opinions, convince them to believe something or make them act in a certain way. An eloquent diplomat or a menacing brute may be able to negotiate grand favors, however, this skill should not be regarded as an all-powerful tool. In most cases, people conviced to help a character will ask for something in return, and if a cover story is all too absurd, even a drunkard will have hard times believing it.
Easy – bargain 10% better prices when buying or selling goods, make sure a not-offended person keeps a character in good memory
Moderate – settle down a dispute between two arguing (but not ruthless or violent) parties, conviced an outnumbered and outgunned enemy to cease fighting
Hard – make a suspicious and well-informed person believe a character's false identity, negotiate a favor from a rather disadvantageous bargaining position
Heroic – convince a person to act against their mission or personal beliefs when there's nothing for them to gain by doing so
Perceive (Anzeigen)When a character makes use of their senses to discover something not completely obvious, a Perceive check might be appropriate. This skill covers both active searching and passive perception and intuition. Discerning lies or catching subtle drifts also falls under Perceive. When countering the Hidden condition, the check's difficulty is determined by the latter.
Easy – spot a specific item among several similar objects
Moderate – memorize a person's appearance, see through superficial but passable disguise after a minute of observation
Hard – spot a sneaking Mort in a dark cave
Heroic – spot a coin in 100 yards distance and obscured by foliage or undergrowth
Science (Anzeigen)The Science skill encompasses classic academical fields of knowledge like history, chemistry, biology or archaeology as well as mythical lore orally passed down from generation to generation. Even recalling local facts or events can be accomplished with a successful Science check.
Easy – accurately recall a local legend from one's hometown
Moderate – recall the latest theories on the nature of luminescent clouds
Hard – know that mammals and birds have four-chambered hearts
Heroic – identify an ancient artifact with only a tiny shard and no tools available
Survive (Anzeigen)Survive checks are made to deal with perils that lie beyond civilized areas or to follow tracks and trails like a hunter would. This skill is useful to orientate oneself, to find food and shelter in the wilderness and to navigate hazardous terrain. It can also be utilized to obscure one's own tracks.
Easy – find edible mushrooms and berries in a peaceful glade
Moderate – follow a rather fresh trail of a wounded or agitated beast
Hard – find a safe path among rivulets of roiling lava
Heroic – follow a cold trail of a person who made efforts to conceal their tracks
Tinker (Anzeigen)The Tinker skill has many applications – repairing objects, assembling or dissassembling contraptions, jury-rigging malfuctioning devices or bypassing locks or traps. However, building things from scratch does not normally require a Tinker check – it is accomplished by draining Focus (see Crafting). Undestanding how a device works to tamper with its functions or be able to create a replica will probably need a check, though.
Easy – fix a battle-damaged weapon or piece of armor
Moderate – picking a common mechanical lock using proper tools
Hard – quickly disassemble an armored wagon
Heroic – make an air-barge with exploded drives fly again within 24 hours
Tend (Anzeigen)This skill's domain focuses on restoring physical or mental health and reinvigorating the healthy. It is used to provide first aid to a severely wounded companion or long-term care to a sick one. Mental traumas can also be mitigated by means of a successful Tend check. Even those not suffering from any ailments may find revitalizing concoctions brewed via Tend checks useful.
Easy – restore 3 Soak (once per character per scene), make a non-lethally ill person recover faster, cure an Ugly but Bearable Grave Injury
Moderate – restore 5 Soak (once per character per scene), calm down a person experiencing a traumatic flashback, cure Bleeding
Hard - restore 7 Soak (once per character per scene), cure a Grave Injury (except Ugly but Bearable), cure Poisoning
Heroic - restore 10 Soak (once per character per scene), saving a disembowelled creature's life
Taking turns
In structured encounters, narrative is broken up into rounds. Each round, every participant may take a turn. To determine the order in which individual turns are taken, each participant rolls a D10. A character may spend up to 10 Dash to add the number of points spent to their roll before the roll is made. The participant who rolled highest acts first, followed by the second-highest result and so on. If two or more participants share the same initiative score, they may choose who acts first, however, player characters act before GM-controlled characters.
On each turn, a character may perform 1 Trivial and 1 Action. Maintaining an effect does not require a Trivial or an Action, however, a character may only maintain up to 3 effects in a single turn.
Trivials:
Move/Disengage (move 1 range bracket, if disengaging from melee, spend 5 Dash or be targeted by a free Melee attack from every opponent in the engagement)
Handle Object (draw/stow items, pull levers, open/close doors etc.)
Basic Actions:
Attack (use appropriate skill+weapon)
Aid (spend 4 points from an appropriate Characteristic pool to improve one ally's chances of success by 10%. If you are aiding a Skill check with a Skill you have a Specialization in, spend only 2 points.)
Dive for Cover (spend 5 Dash to decrease enemies' success chances by 20% when attacking character until cover is destroyed/circumvent. Does not break engagements or line of sight)
Stand Up (standing up from prone, a character may spend 5 Dash to make this Action count as a Trivial)
Trivialise (perform a Trivial instead of an Action)
Cure (cure Bleeding or Poisoned condition or restore Soak via Tend skill)
Damage and Death
Any character whose Soak drops to 0 is Incapacitated (cannot perform Actions or maintain effects, must spend 5 Dash or Focus to perform a Trivial, all attacks targeting them have their difficulties decreased by 1 step) and suffers a Grave Injury. When a character amasses 5 Grave Injuries he/she dies.
Grave Injuries:
01-10: Ugly but Bearable – Bleed and become Dazed for 10 turns. This Grave Injury requires an Easy Tend check instead of a Hard one and may be applied more than once.
11-20: Winded – whenever you take damage, become dazed and slowed for 1 turn (can be triggered once per turn only).
21-30: Flesh Wound – when spending points from a Characteristic pool, spend 20% more.
31-40: Maimed Limb – choose or randomly determine a limb. When spending points from a Characteristic pool to perform Actions of Trivials involving that limb, spend 50% more. Even if a given task does not require spending points, spend 5 points. This Grave Injury may be applied more than once (to different limbs).
41-50: Wracked with Pain – increase all Skill check difficulties by 1 step (unless already Heroic).
51-60: Blow to the Head – Focus pool is halved.
61-70: Ruptured Muscle – Dash pool is halved.
71-80: Internal Bleeding – Soak pool is halved.
81-90: Crippled – character counts as Incapacitated even if their Soak is above 0.
91-100: Worse than it Seems – counts as 2 Grave Injuries (each to be healed separately). No additional effects. This Grave Injury may be applied more than once.
Grave Injuries can be recovered through resting (1 Grave Injury per week of active adventuring or 3 days of bed rest) or via Tend Skill (Difficulty – Hard (except for Ugly but Bearable). Each Grave Injury may be subject to 1 Tend check only).
Conditions
Condition damage is applied at the beginning of the causing character's turn. Multiple instances of the same condition are cumulative and have their own separate durations.
Burning – suffer 5 damage each turn.
Poisoned – suffer 2 damage each turn.
Slowed – Moving, Disengaging and Standing Up cost +5 Dash.
Hidden – cannot be targeted by actions unless spotted via Perceive Skill or special Actions. Attacking while Hidden decreases an attack's difficulty by 2 steps and cancels this condition.
Dazed – check success chance reduced by 10%.
Stunned – cannot take Actions or Trivials, cannot maintain effects.
Blinded – has no line of sight to any creature or object. All checks requiring sight have their difficulty increased by 2 steps. A blinded character may perform attacks against targets it is able to feel or hear (or smell, if they have the Scent Species Trait) with increased difficulty; attacks that hit automatically (even magical attacks) require a Moderate Skill check.
Bleeding – suffer 2 damage or lose 2 Dash each turn.
Restrained – cannot move, disengage or stand up. Restrainment can be broken by spending an amount of Dash (which does not have to happen at once).
Suffocating – suffer 4 damage or suffer 2 damage and lose 2 Dash or Focus each turn.
Invigorated – regain 2 Soak, 2 Dash OR 2 Focus each turn.
Deafened – unable to use Perceive to detect sounds. Checks for social interaction have their difficulties increased by 1 step. Checks made to influence a Deafened target have their difficulty increased by 2 steps.
Character Creation
1. Distribute 90 points freely among all three Characteristic pools. No Characteristic pool may have a value lower than 15.
2. Pick a Species.
3. Pick a Class. Gain its Signature Action.
4. Pick up to two Quirks.
5. Choose two languages.
6. Spend 100 XP on any eligible Class- or non-Class advances.
7. Gain 500 Pelargon Aurum you may spend to buy gear. You may assume your character possesses several items of everyday life or minor knick-knacks like grooming utensils, diaries, pocket lighters or similar objects without having to pay extra Aurum.
Species
Humans as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
+3 Soak, +3 Dash, +3 Focus
Species Traits:
Anybody: Select one skill. Gain Specialization in that Skill.
Choose one:
Tough: +10 Soak
Quick: +10 Dash
Smart: +10 Focus
Cath as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
+7 Dash
Species Traits:
Magnetic Awareness: A Cath can always pinpoint magnetic north and sense periodic fluctuations in the world's magnetic field, effectively knowing what time of day (magnetic cycle) it is at any given moment.
Home Sweet Home: Every Cath has a special place they are emotionally connected to. No matter where they might be, a Cath can always unfailingly pinpoint the direction to their homeplace, but not the distance.
Scent: Cath possess a well-developed sense of smell. Any Perceive checks made by a Cath where scents are involved have their difficulty reduced by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes).
Skaly as playable charachters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
+7 Focus
Species Traits:
Build Things: When crafting an item, a Skaly must drain only 4/5 of the required Focus cost.
Fix Things: A Skaly reduces the difficulty of any Tinker check made to repair a complex device by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes).
Scent: Skaly possess a well-developed sense of smell. Any Perceive checks made by a Skaly where scents are involved have their difficulty reduced by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes).
Mykoi as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
Soak: +5, Focus: +5
Species Traits:
Magnetic Awareness: A Mykos can always pinpoint magnetic north and sense periodic fluctuations in the world's magnetic field, effectively knowing what time of day (magnetic cycle) it is at any given moment.
Fungi Physiology: Mykoi are able to regenerate most of their thallus-like body tissue. A Mykos heals 1 Grave Injury per day, regardless of their activity level. As they do not inhale oxygen, Mykoi are immune to the Suffocating condition.
Collective Unconscious: A Mykos may spend 5 Focus to project an idea into another creatures mind via telepathic means. This is a semi-verbal, emotionally colored way of communication which is rather vague.
Mort as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
none
Species Traits:
Night Hunter: In dimly lit or dark areas, Mort reduce the difficulty of any Hide or Perceive check by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes). In areas of bright light, Mort are effectively blind unless they are wearing protective goggles.
Owl's Wings: Mort are natural flyers and can move in all three dimensions unless their wings are restrained.
Koira as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
Dash: +5, Soak: +5
Species Traits:
Fangs Like Daggers: A Koira's fangs, a relict of more feral times, are still capable of inflicting grave wounds. Koira increase their unarmed melee damage by one.
Acute Hearing: Koira possess a well-developed sense of hearing. Any Perceive checks made by a Koira where sounds are involved have their difficulty reduced by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes).
Loyalty: Koira increase the difficulty of any attempt to persuade them into something that clashes with their orders or would bring harm to their pack by one.
Androids as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
+3 Soak, +3 Dash, +3 Focus
Species Traits:
Anybody: Select one skill. Gain Specialization in that Skill.
Mechanic Body: Androids do not heal naturally and cannot be restored via Tend Skill. Instead, a Repair check is required to remove an Android's Grave Injury. When an Android dies, it can be "recrafted" (Drains 500 Focus, minimum of 3 crafting sessions). Androids are immune to Poisoning, Bleeding, Suffocating and Invigoration.
Social Stigma: As they are viewed as "non-people" by many, Androids have difficult times communicating with sentient beings. Increase the Difficulty of any Influence check attempted by an Android by one step.
Tellians as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
+7 Soak, +3 Focus
Species Traits:
Elemental body: Tellians sustain themselves on metal, stones and minerals and are able to dig their way through obstacles made from those materials. Provided they have access to sufficient rations, Tellians heal one Grave Injury every two days, regardles of their activity level. Tellians are immune to Suffocation.
Sluggish: Whenever a Tellian is called to spend Dash on any kind of movement, they must spend 2 addidtional Dash.
Amorphous: In stony areas, Tellians reduce the difficulty of any Hide check they attempt by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes).
Ophidians as playable characters (Anzeigen)
Characteristics:
Soldier: +5 Soak, +5 Dash
Worker: +5 Soak, +5 Fokus
Officer: +5 Dash, +5 Fokus
Queen: not playable
Species Traits:
Muliple Arms: An Ophidian may perform a bonus Handle Object Trivial every round.
Amphibious snake-body: Ophidians can as easily breath water as they can breath air. To survive on land, an Ophidian requires triple the amount of water a human would need. All checks made by Ophidians to move in or underwater have their difficulties reduced by one step. In dimly lit or dark areas, Ophidians reduce the difficulty of any Perceive check by one step (Easy checks become automatic successes). In areas of bright light, Ophidians are effectively blind unless they are wearing protective goggles. Ophidians are vulnerable to heat or fire; whenever they take damage from exposure to high temperatures, they suffer 2 more points of damage (applied to every instance of damage, even conditions).
Venom: Ophidians' unique venom robs land-dwellers of their ability to breath air. Once every 24 hours, an Ophidian may inject their venom into a victims body (this requires a successful unarmed attack). Until the end of the current scene, the victim must immerse their head in water or Suffocate.
Classes
In Skyless:Geondia, a Class can represent a character's job (like Bodyguard or Navigator), their modus operandi in critical situations (like Diplomat or Blademaster) or an well-honed area of expertise (like Pyromancer or Jockey). A Class is by no means a life-time sentence – once a character has achieved perfection in one area, they can move on and broaden their horizon.
Each Class has a Primary, a Secondary and a Tertiary characteristic.
Primary – starts at +10, advance cost 3 XP per point.
Secondary – starts at +5, advance cost 6 XP per point.
Tertiary – starts at +0, advance cost 9 XP per point.
Bodyguard (Anzeigen)
Primary: Soak, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Focus
Signature Action:
Interpose: Spend 3 Soak to redirect non-condition damage recieved by an engaged ally to themselves.
Specializations: Melee (Cost: 30 XP), Perceive (Cost 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Meat Shield: Spend Dash to reduce damage before applying it to Soak (3 Dash per point of damage). No Action required. Cost: 30 XP
Resolve: Spend Focus to regain Soak (2 Focus per point of Soak). Cost: 60 XP
Brace for Impact: Spend 10 Dash to halve every instance of non-condition damage received until next turn. Cost: 90 XP.
Healer (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Soak, Tertiary: Dash
Signature Action:
Mend: Spend Focus to restore an engaged ally's Soak (2 Focus per point of Soak)
Specializations: Tend (Cost: 30 XP), Science (Cost 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Imbue: Spend 5 Focus to imbue an engaged ally with restorative energy, bestowing Invigoration upon them for 3 turns. Cost: 30 XP
Healing Circle: Spend Focus to restore all engaged allies' Soak (3 Focus per point of Soak). Cost: 60 XP
Profund Healing: Drain 20 Focus to cure 1 Grave Injury on an engaged ally. Cost: 90 XP
Blademaster (Anzeigen)
Primary: Dash, Secondary: Soak, Tertiary: Focus
Signature Action:
Parry: [Prerequisite: bladed weapon] Spend an amount of Dash equal to incoming non-condition damage to avoid the attack completely.
Specializations: Melee (Cost: 30 XP), Acrobatics (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Blade Flurry: [Prerequisite: bladed weapon] Spend 10 Dash to automatically hit up to two engaged opponents for weapon damage x1,5. Cost: 30 XP
Charge: Spend 10 Dash to move 1 range increment and automatically hit an enemy at your destination for weapon damage x1,5. Spend additional 5 Dash to move 2 range increments instead of 1. Spend additional 10 Dash to deal weapon damage x2. Cost: 60 XP
Deep Cut: [Prerequisite: bladed weapon] Spend 15 Dash to automatically hit an engaged enemy, inflicting weapon damage x2 and a Grave Injury. Cost: 90 XP
Pyromancer (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Conjure Flame: Spend 1 Focus to create a candle-sized flame. Spend 3 Focus to create a palm-sized flame usable as as weapon if actually wielded by the pyromancer.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Influence (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Spontaneous Combustion: Spend 5 Focus to set an opponent within 1 range increment aflame. Targeted opponent Burns for 3 turns. Spend additional Focus to increase duration (3 Focus per turn). Cost: 30 XP
Hurl Flame: Spend 10 Focus to hurl a blazing sphere. Targets any creature within 2 range increments. Target creature and all creatures it is engaged with suffer 5 damage and Burn for 3 turns. Spend additional Focus to increase increase initial damage (3 Focus per point of damage) or Burning duration (3 Focus per turn). Cost: 60 XP
Wall of Fire: Spend 10 Focus to conjure an X m long wall of fire within 1 range increment. Any creature passing through Burn for 5 turns. The wall exists for 5 turns. Afterwards, you may spend 3 Focus each turn to maintain it. Cost: 90 XP
Geomancer (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Soak, Tertiary: Dash
Signature Action:
Pebble Armor: Spend 5 Focus to wrap yourself in a fluid pebble layer. Pebble Armor mitigates every instance of damage before it is applied to Soak by ¼. Lasts for 3 turns. Afterwards, you may spend 2 Focus each turn to maintain it.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Survive (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Immovable Object: Spend 5 Focus to make yourself immune to any instances of involuntary movement (such as being pushed, pulled, knocked down, hurled etc.) for 1 turn. Afterwards, you may spend 3 Focus each turn to maintain this effect. Cost: 30 XP
Pebble Shower: Target a creature within 1 range increment and spend 7 Focus. Target creature and every creature it is engaged with suffer 5 damage. Spend additional Focus to increase damage dealt (2 Focus for every point of damage). Cost: 60 XP
Earthquake: Spend 15 Focus to make the ground around you tremble. Every creature within 0 range increments of you suffers 8 damage and is knocked prone unless it is able to fly or spends 10 Dash. Spend additional 10 Focus to increase the radius of this ability by 1 range increment. Spend additional Focus to make avoiding knockdown cost more Dash (2 Focus for every point of Dash cost). Cost: 90 XP
Maleficus (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Curse: Spend 5 Focus to target a creature within 1 range increment. Targeted creature must spend 3 more characteristic points whenever it spends points from its characteristic pools to perform Trivials, Actions and Skill checks. This effect lasts for 5 turns. Afterwards, you may spend 2 Focus each turn to maintain it.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Hide (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Venom: Spend 5 Focus to target a creature within 1 range increment. Targeted creature is Poisoned for 10 turns. Afterwards, you may spend 1 Focus each turn to maintain this effect. Cost: 30 XP
Phantom Pain: Spend 8 Focus to target a creature within 1 range increment. Whenever targeted creature suffers damage, it suffers 1 additional point of damage. Whenever it performs a Trivial, it suffers 3 damage. Whenever it regains Soak, it regains ¼ less Soak. This effect lasts for 5 turns. Afterwards, you may spend 3 Focus each turn to maintain it. Cost: 60 XP
Adders' Nest: Spend 15 Focus to target a creature within 1 range increment. Targeted creature and all creatures it is engaged with suffer 3 damage and become Poisoned for 15 turns and Slowed for 1 turn. Spend additional Focus to increase initial damage (3 Focus per point of damage). Spend additional 8 Focus to increase range to 2 range increments. Cost: 90 XP
Marksman (Anzeigen)
Primary: Dash, Secondary: Focus, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Take Aim: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 5 Dash to increase next Ranged attack Action's success chance by 15% and damage dealt by 2 points. If the attack hits automatically, increase damage dealt by 1,5 instead.
Specializations: Ranged (Cost: 30 XP), Perceive (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Sharpshooter: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 5 Dash and make a regular Shoot check using your weapon. Its range values are doubled. Cost: 30 XP
Sure Shot: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 7 Dash to perform an attack using your weapon. This attack hits automatically. Cost: 60 XP
Last Man Standing: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 15 Dash to perform two Basic Attack Actions with your weapon, ignoring its usual reload rules. Cost 90 XP
Gunslinger (Anzeigen)
Primary: Dash, Secondary: Focus, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Hip Shooting: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 2 Dash to draw a ranged weapon as a part of any Action used to attack with that weapon.
Specializations: Ranged (Cost: 30 XP), Influence (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Staredown: Spend 5 Focus to target an enemy within 1 range increment. For 2 turns, all their attacks directed against you have their difficulties increased by 1 step. For 1 turn, all your attacks against them have their difficulties decreased by 1 step. Cost: 30 XP
Hit and Run: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 10 Dash to move 1 range increment, perform a regular Shoot check with your weapon and move 1 range increment again. This movement ignores Disengage rules. Cost: 60 XP
Point Blank: [Prerequisite: ranged weapon] Spend 7 Dash to automatically hit an enemy within 1 range increment with your weapon. Spend additional Dash to increase damage dealt (3 Dash per point of damage). Cost: 90 XP
Scoundrel (Anzeigen)
Primary: Dash, Secondary: Focus, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Not Me!: Spend 3 Focus to Disengage and break line of sight. Counts as a Trivial.
Specializations: Hide (Cost: 30 XP), Steal (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Get Away: Spend 10 Dash to move 3 range increments. Cost: 30 XP
It's Gone: Spend 10 Dash to conceal a small object on your body. For the rest of the scene, it becomes impossible to find unless you are Helpless or Incapacitated. Cost: 60 XP
Vanish: Spend 15 Dash to break line of sight to every creature present, move 1 range increment and become Hidden (Spot Difficulty Heroic) for 1 turn. Cost: 90 XP
Brute (Anzeigen)
Primary: Soak, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Focus
Signature Action:
Pummel: [Prerequisite: blunt weapon] Spend 3 Dash and make a regular Melee attack with your weapon. On a successful hit, target suffers damage as normal and is shoved back 1 range increment.
Specializations: Melee (Cost: 30 XP), Survive (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Punish: [Prerequisite: blunt weapon] Spend 10 Dash to automatically hit an engaged enemy for regular weapon damage. Target is Dazed for 1 turn and either knocked prone or shoved back 1 range increment (your choice). Cost: 30 XP
Headcrack: [Prerequisite: blunt weapon] Spend 10 Dash to automatically hit an engaged enemy for regular damage. Target also loses Focus equal to the amount of damage dealt. Cost: 60 XP
Crush: [Prerequisite: blunt weapon] Spend 15 Dash to automatically hit an engaged enemy, inflicting weapon damage x1,5 and a Grave Injury and also Stunning them for 2 turns. Cost: 90 XP
Jockey (Anzeigen)
Primary: Dash, Secondary: Focus, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Ride Ho!: Spend 7 Dash to seize controll over a vehicle (or its helm in case of large vehicles) within 1 range increment and move 1 range increment on vehicle scale.
Specializations: Ride/Pilot (Cost: 30 XP), Tinker (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Push the Limits: Spend 10 Dash to make piloted vehicle move 3 range increments on vehicle scale. Cost: 30 XP
Catch Me if You Can!: Spend 15 Dash to make your piloted vehicle impossible to target for 1 turn. Cost: 60 XP
Stunt: Spend 20 Dash to perform a nearly suicidal stunt with your piloted vehicle. Every passenger (including you) loses 7 Soak or Focus (their choice). Cost: 90 XP
Navigator (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Chart Course: Spend 10 Focus to chart the quickest, most effecient route for travelling between two known destinations. Regular travel time is reduced by one quarter.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Survive (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Shortcut: Spend 10 Focus to double a vehicle's movement for 1 turn. Cost: 30 XP
Maps Memorized: Spend 10 Focus to automatically pinpoint direction and distance to a known landmark. Cost: 60 XP
Hidden Passage: Spend 20 Focus to conceal a vehicle's movement from observers for a scene. Cost: 90 XP.
Diplomat (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Well Met: Spend 3 Focus to automatically make a good and favorable impression on a person you just met.
Specializations: Influence (Cost: 30 XP), Perceive (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Silver Tongue: Spend 10 Focus to convince a person or party that your cause is worth supporting (if they are not openly hostile to you and your cause) or worth ignoring (if they are). The actual nature of their support is for them to decide, though (although it may be influenced by appropriate skill checks). Cost: 30 XP
Parley: Spend 7 Focus to make foes able to hear and undestand you refrain from attacking you for 1 turn. Spend additional Focus to extend this protection to your allies (1 additional Focus per ally included). Parley's effect ends immediately when you or an affected ally attacks or openly provokes hostilities. Cost: 60 XP
Dirty Laundry: Spend 5 Focus to make an opponent who is able to hear and understand you lose 4 Focus. Spend additional Focus to increase Focus loss (2 Focus per point of Focus loss). This may also harm target's reputation. Cost: 90 XP
Field Researcher (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Know the Theory: Spend 7 Focus to determine the most efficient way to deal with a given dangerous situation. You might not have the most efficient means available, though.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Survival (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Smatterings: Spend 5 Focus to communicate a simple concept to a person or group of people you do not share any fluently spoken languages with. Alternatively, spend 5 Focus to grasp the rough meaning of a message you would be unable to understand otherwise. Cost: 30 XP
That Belongs in a Museum: Spend 15 Focus to unfailingly pinpoint a magnificient, museum-worthy item or specimen within 1 range increment of you. If there is absolutely nothing to find, you spend 5 Focus only. Cost: 60 XP
Improvise: Spend 5 Dash to make your next Attack cause Bleeding (5 turns), Burning (3 turns), Blinding (1 turn), Restrain (5 Dash) or Deafening (3 turns). Cost: 90 XP
Operative (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Alter Ego: Spend 15 Focus to credibly impersonate another person for the scene's duration. If you spend at least 15 minutes disguising your appearance, you only spend 7 Focus. Of course, you cannot impersonate an individual you bear no resemblance to without a proper disguise.
Specializations: Perceive (30 XP), Influence (30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Eye for the Detail: When investigating a scene, spend 10 Focus to automatically notice a single inconspicous detail in some way related to the matter you're investigating. Cost: 30 XP
Mad Chase: When pursuing a fleeing character, spend 10 Dash to cancel Restrained condition and move 2 range increments. Cost: 60 XP
Close Call: When you become Incapacitated, spend 15 Focus to ignore this condition for 2 turns. Cost: 90 XP
Weird scientist (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Enhance: Spend 5 Focus to add or remove one Weapon Property from a weapon you can touch until the end of the current encounter.
Specializations: Tinker (Cost: 30 XP), Science (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Maniacal Cackle: Spend 3 Focus to unnerve one enemy that can hear you and threaten them with your greatest invention yet to come. The difficulty of their next check is increased by one step. Cost: 30 XP.
For Science!: With time science can solve every problem. If you have enough time (several minutes at least), you can fashion a device to help you with the application of any single Skill. Treat all appropriate Skill checks as if you used the Science or Tinker skill until the end of the current encounter. Cost: 60 XP.
Tinkerer: Spend 20 Focus to fashion an item or device that can help you solve one of your current problems. It breaks after one use and can bet vetoed by the Game Master. Cost: 90 XP.
Aeromancer (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Dash, Tertiary: Soak
Signature Action:
Freedom of Movement: Spend 1 Focus to not be hampered in movement by any means for 1 turn. Spend 3 Focus to break free from any kind of holding.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Ride/Pilot (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Hurl Anything: Spend 5 Focus to sent an object up to the size of a football flying. This movement can resemble a shot or telekinesis. You may attack with a Shoot check (difficulty brackets 2-3-4-5) doing so, dealing 2-4 damage on hit (depending on the object's actual size and weight). You may spend Focus each turn to maintain control over the object (3 Focus per turn). Cost: 30 XP
Fly: Spend 10 Focus to give yourself or somebody the ability to fly for 1 turn. A flying creature's speed is the same as its ground speed. You can maintain this effect after the first turn (3 Focus per turn). Complicated maneuvers require Ride/Pilot checks to succeed. Cost: 60 XP
Storm: Spend 15 Focus to create a storm with yourself at the center. Every creature within 1 range increment of you is slowed and loses its ability to fly unless it spends 10 Soak. Spend additional 10 Focus to increase the radius of this ability by 1 range increment. Since objects are also influenced, everybody standing in the effects area might be damaged by falling debris. Cost: 90 XP
Aquamancer (Anzeigen)
Primary: Focus, Secondary: Soak, Tertiary: Dash
Signature Action:
Spawn water: You need a drop of water to start from, but by spending 1 Focus you can create 1,5 liters of drinkable, invigorating water.
Specializations: Science (Cost: 30 XP), Acrobatics (Cost: 30 XP).
Advanced Actions:
Create Icy Object: By spending 5 Focus you can create one object (up to the size of an armor). An object created in this way is as hard as stell in the first turn, then, depending on heat an humidity, it melts slowly (not as fast as real ice). To avoid this, you can maintain it by spending 3 Focus per turn. Cost: 30 XP
Blizzard/Fog: Spend 10 Focus to create a blizzard at any point within 2 range increments. The effect has a radius of 2 range increments and lasts for 1 turn. Everybody caught within its area is blinded for 1 turn and takes 5 damage. In the following 2 turns the blizzards dissolves into thick fog; in areas of stagnant air it persists for 5 turns instead of two. Cost: 60 XP
Clones: By using an amount of water equal to a creature's weight, you may spend 15 Focus to create a clone of the target. This clone can perform simple task by itself, complex maneuvers require your full telepathic concentration, effectively using up your Action. If it takes damage, you must spend Focus equal to the amount of damage dealt, otherwise, it dissolves instantanely. Cost: 90 XP
Quirks
Quirks reflect minor or major aptitudes or personality traits that have an impact on their abilities. Quirks grant minor bonusses, or greater advantages combined with drawbacks.
Animal Whisperer (Anzeigen)Your best friend is a cat, a horse, or maybe a fat and fuzzy spider. You may make Influence checks to pacify or manipulate animals. A starving wolf would still eat you – unless you provide it a tasty alternative.
Child of the Modern Age (Anzeigen)All these marvellous vehicles and devices! You keep wondering how people have coped with riding horses and draft animals for countless centuries. Decrease the difficulty of any Ride/Pilot check you make to steer a motorized vehicle by one step. Increase the difficulty of any Ride/Pilot check you make to handle a riding or draft beast by one step.
Geek (Anzeigen)You are a genius when it comes to theoretical knowledge, but you have hard times communicating your intentions. Decrease the difficulty of any Science check you make by one step. Increase the difficulty of any Influence check you attempt by one step.
Herold of Entropy (Anzeigen)When you're around, things often turn messy for no obvious reason. Whenever you or any creature within 1 range increments of you roll a double, the check's target suffers Bleeding (if it is a living being) or becomes impaired in its function (if it is an object) for 1 turn.
Kleptomaniac (Anzeigen)You don't even know what you need all those knick-knacks for, but they keep finding their way into your pockets. Decrease the difficulty of any Steal check you make by one step. Whenever you come across a small unattached object, you must spend 4 Focus or attempt to steal it (and face any possible consequences).
Linguist (Anzeigen)You have a natural talent for grasping foreign languages. You start with three additional languages known.
Optimist (Anzeigen)Your boundless optimism can be quite annoying, but why should you quit being cheerful? Whenever you succeed on a Heroic check, regain 2 Focus. If you don't, you'll fare better next time, for sure!
Pacifist (Anzeigen)You strongly believe violence is the wrong way to settle conflicts. Whenever you attempt to harm a living being (whether successfully or not), you lose 5 Focus. Whenever you peacefully resolve a conflict (you don't have to do it alone, but you have to play a significant role in its resolution), you regain 5 Focus.
Paranoid (Anzeigen)They're after you, you just know it! Decrease the difficulty of any Perceive check you make to notice hidden things by one step. Increase the difficulty of any Perceive check you make to discern a person's true intentions by one step.
Skinny (Anzeigen)All skin and bones, poor you. Decrease the difficulty of any Hide check you make by one step. Whenever you Drain characteristic points due to fatigue, Drain one additional point.
Social Butterfly (Anzeigen)You have a knack for making people act or think the way you want them to. You don't manage well being on your own, though. Decrease the difficulty of any Influence check you make by one step. Increase the difficulty of any Survive check you attempt by one step.
Whacky Repairs (Anzeigen)Most people think than repairing delicate machines requires precise work, knowledge and skill, but you do not think like most people. If something isn't working and you are in doubt, just whack it really good and it will work. You may spend Dash instead of Focus on Tinker tests. However, if you do so and roll doubles, you break the device you've been trying to fix.
Up Close and Dirty (Anzeigen)You love the feeling of close combat, to fight your enemy directly, to look them in the eyes while you overpower them. The first time you spend Dash on an melee attack in an encounter, you spend only half the usual cost. Increase the difficulty of any Shoot check by one step.
The Sniper's Eye (Anzeigen)You prefer staying a little bit farther away while you keep your target in your crosshairs. Close combat confuses you. The first time you spend Dash on an ranged attack in an encounter, you spend only half the usual cost. Increase the difficulty of any Melee check by one step.
Character Progression
A character must master their current Class before they can pick a new one. Mastering a Class requires purchasing all eligible class Specializations and all three Advanced Actions. XP spent to raise characteristics or purchase non-Class advances do not count toward mastering a Class.
Once a character has mastered a Class, they may opt to choose a new one. When doing so, they keep all abilities gained from previously mastered Classes and gain their new Class's Signature Action. From this moment on, the newly selected Class becomes the character's current Class and determines their current advancement options (characteristic improvement costs, Specializations and Advanced Actions).
Non-Class Advances:
Non-Class Specialization (Cost: 60 XP)
Language (Cost: 30 XP)
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