Characters
Character Attributes
0 is average. Range is -2 to +2 during character creation. Since player characters are above average, the sum of their attributes should be no higher than 2 at character creation.
- Strength
- Raw endurance and muscle power
- informs Wounds and Stress
- Agility
- quickness of movement
- informs Wounds insofar as the character can avoid the worst hits
- Mental
- intellect and willpower
- informs Stress
- Social
- looks and ability to interact with others
- informs stress
- Monetary
- the ability to solve problems with money
- Acts as a bonus to other checks
Derived Attributes
- Wounds
- Capacity for taking physical damage
- Calculate
Strength + Agility + 8
- Stress
- capacity for taking mental and physical strain
- Calculate
Strength + Mental + Social + 7
- Toughness
- Capacity to resist Stress or Wounds
- Calculate
Strength + Agility + Mental + Social
- Encumbrance
- Capacity to carry gear and heavy loads
- Calculate
Strength + 8
Approaches
Rather than specific skills, broad categories that represent the ability to apply skills to situations should suffice.
Approaches range from -2 to +2. Since player characters are above average, the sum of their Approaches should be no more than 3 at character creation.
- Cautiously - the character takes their time and pays attention to details
- Flamboyantly - the character attracts attention and leaves an impression on the witnesses
- Aggressively - the character acts in a forceful manner
- Covertly - the character works to be unnoticed
- Unnaturally - the character uses abilities unavailable to most of their species
That’s Unnatural!
Supernatural abilities encompass Magic, Psionics, and Superpowers. As a guideline, these abilities break down into roughly three categories:
- Magic - the source of the character’s power is from outside themselves, and they possess the ability to break the laws of physics as a conduit of this power source at the cost of Stress and sometimes Wounds.
- Psionic - the source of the character’s power is from within themselves, and they possess the break the laws of physics using their own inherent power channeled through their mental abilities at the cost of Stress and sometimes Wounds.
- Superpowers - the source of the character’s power is from within themselves, as an adaptation of their physical form that permits them to break the laws of physics in a myriad of ways.
superpowers need a lot more work. Maybe that's the kinda thing that needs to be cut for now.
While supernatural abilities are not mutually exclusive, the demands they place on a character are severe and choosing more than one would be a great hinderance to a character’s ability to function, yet offers some superb roleplaying opportunities.
Making Checks with Unnatural Abilities
Making checks with unnatural abilities proceeds identically to other checks, but the Delta informs the cost for using these unnatural powers to defy established laws of physics. The GM should establish the task’s Target Number appropriately, and apply modifiers as the circumstances indicate. However, the Delta serves two purposes now - it not only indicates the degree of success or failure, but also indicates the Stress accrued on a successful check or the Wounds taken on a failed check. Pushing the limits in defiance of the established order of the universe carries a price.
Character Advancement
Characters advance when story milestones are accomplished. While failure is a great teacher, so is success. Milestones represent a significant turning point in the story; e.g. the end of an arc or a major victory or defeat.
At a story milestone, the GM grants each PC one of the following:
- +1 to an Attribute
- +1 to an Approach