Aberrant RPG - Post your Quantum Powers and Enh. here

[Dormammu]

Well said. I´d rather do this, too. If someone invents a power he should have used it against his own favorit character at least twice. This makes it pretty sure that the power isn´t overpowered. ::devil

[Reighnhell]

Next up for de-bugging...

Beguiling (Mega-Charisma)

Everyone knows about someone like this- the hunks and babes who are so attractive that their admirers are effectively turned into blithering idiots upon catching sight of them. A nova with this enhancement has a quantum-enhanced version of that ability, making them all the more devastating in the social arena.

System: People who are romantically/sexually attracted to the nova function with either reduced Intelligence or Wits (chosen when this enhancement is taken) when interacting socially with the nova. Subtract [the nova's Mega-Charisma] from both the subjects' Mega-Intelligence or Mega-Wits AND the base attribute- the Mega-Attributes can be reduced to nil, while the base attributes can only be reduced to a score of 2. The subjects also lose the benefit of the Common Sense Merit, if any of them even have it to begin with. Once the subjects leave the nova's immediate presence (where she can't be easily perceived), they will return to normal mental function after [the nova's Mega-Charisma /2] turns have passed.

It's possible for the nova to buy a second level of this enhancement, so that she affects both the effective Intelligence and Wits scores of her subjects.

This enhancement is permanent (but can be switched on and off at will) and has no quantum point cost.

I like this one, but wouldn't it more at home in Mega-Appearance? Also, perhaps it should affect only the Base attribute, which would limit the level of Mega-Int/Mega-Wits?

Dolor (Mega-Charisma)

Novas can make for truly intimidating foes, as many members of the Directive could attest. A nova with this enhancement has raised intimidation to an art form, as he can make crowds of baselines cower with his glare.

System: The nova can cow entire raging mobs into fleeing the area in fear, shame, and submission. Roll Charisma- 1 success indicates that the nova's subjects retreat from the area and will refuse to return for [the nova's Mega-Charisma] hours. 2 or more successes indicate that the subjects won't return until they have concrete evidence that the nova has left the area. This enhancement costs 1 quantum point to activate.

A save is in order for the targets, perhaps making the roll a contested between the nova's Intimidate and the targets Willpower. It would also be good to establish a scale of how many targets can be effected.

More later.

[Sprocket]

My, my, looks like I've stirred up a veritable hornet's nest... That's fine by me, since that's what I'd intended to do anyway! ::devil

Just so you folks know, the enhancements I've posted here were written up by my former gaming group. We basically worked with our Storyteller to create a "shared-world" setting using the canon Aberrant setting as a framework. As a result, Dormammu, most of these enhancements _DID_ turn up in the hands of Storyteller characters long before we players got a crack at them. But the Storyteller let us players know that she was going to do that beforehand, so it all worked out.

Now that the group has split up and gone our separate ways, I ended up with all our campaign materials. Rather than toss the good bits into the trash, I decided to salvage them and post them here.

I neither came up with nor did I retrofit all of these enhancements by myself- and that's how I "found the time", Defcon1. ::hehe Only about a quarter of them were written up by yours truly, so there's much here that needs debugging, I admit. And that is why I've posted them here and asked for feedback. Much thanks for the quick responses.

Re: Anodyne- Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this enhancement would draw that much flak. ::blink If you guys get this frothed up over Anodyne, then what about Spark of Life (Mega-Stamina)? It's much the same thing, only oriented towards physical health. Seeing as how so much mental Taint starts out as ordinary psychological stress and the like (see _Aberrant: Brainwaves_ for details), the sanity-reinforcing and Willpower-augmenting effects I posted seemed logical at the time. Likewise, since simply being around a nova with Anodyne is supposed to be extremely pleasant, I found the extra successes (AKA the infamous "automatic successes") for positive social interaction quite easy to justify.

Rereading the description, it looks like that there are three likely options to straighten this enhancement out, short of chopping it into pieces like an overlarge beefsteak:

1- The nova manages to cure himself of his mental aberration, but not the Taint that caused it. The "cured" nova develops a new aberration (physical or quantum) in place of the one that had been cured.

2- The nova can cure his own mental aberration, but at great cost due to doing psychic self-repair work- 10 quantum points for low-level mental aberrations, 20 for mid-levels, and 30 for high-levels. Several game-days of enforced downtime might be appropriate as well.

3- Insert a "problem aspect" into the description, like the one for "Spark of Life". It seems to me that this "Mental vitality/anti-stress field" would encourage others to become psychologically dependent on having the nova nearby, if not causing others to become outright addicted to the nova's presence! (This happens to be my personal favorite of the three.) ::biggrin

As for the Willpower replenishment, AKA "the laying on of hands"- yes, it is fairly powerful. That's why I put in the increased quantum point cost, limited uses, and target restrictions. Also, it only affects temporary Willpower.

(As to the "this is insane" comment- yes, Alex Green, it most certainly is. ALL nova abilities are insane, and therefore all novas are too- just ask the Directive. ::tongue )

Re: Beguiling- Believe it or not, the inspiration for this came from the book that inspired the HBO series "Sex and the City". After reading one passage about how the author met a guy who was supposed to be a "sex symbol", only to find out that the guy's personality reminded her of a worm, my Storyteller couldn't resist coming up with this. ::rolleyes

The point is that Appearance is only _part_ of a person's overall attractiveness- and that's why Beguiling was placed under Mega-Charisma. Even the prettiest women and hunkiest guys won't get much in the way of serious dates if they don't have the charisma to equal their good looks- in that case, the good looks often end up seeming like a store-window holiday gift to other people. The wrapping on the box looks awful nice, but it's empty and not worth the trouble...

The reason Beguiling affects both the base attribute and the Mega-Attribute is that my Storyteller had had unpleasant prior experiences with rules lawyers. She also wanted to limit it so that it wouldn't reduce the nova's victims to drooling idiots, but would still be able to reduce nova subjects to the mental levels of a baseline. Under your suggestion, Reignhell, a nova with Intelligence 2 and Mega-Intelligence 1 would retain his or her hyper-intelligence when affected by a Beguiling nova. And as the fans of any decent romantic comedy could tell you, having a character that's smart enough to avoid plot complications can really put a crimp in a story. And so, the Beguiling enhancement. ::cool

Re: Dolor- A save would be in order for important characters- but seeing as "extras" are little more than background color, I can't really see them as deserving a save.

As for the important characters (not necessarily novas, BTW), I'd figure that a contested roll between the nova's Charisma+ Intimidation against the subject's Willpower would work out best. As to scale... Dolor was designed so that a Mega-Charismatic nova _could_ intimidate bloodthirsty mobs of baselines into leaving the nova the heck alone. How about a limit on the number of Inspired the nova could affect- say, one inspired for each dot of the nova's Mega-Charisma?

Let me know what you think of that, and I'll see about editing the previous posts... Thanks again for the feedback! ::devilangel

[phoenix]

She also wanted to limit it so that it wouldn't reduce the nova's victims to drooling idiots, but would still be able to reduce nova subjects to the mental levels of a baseline. Under your suggestion, Reignhell, a nova with Intelligence 2 and Mega-Intelligence 1 would retain his or her hyper-intelligence when affected by a Beguiling nova. And as the fans of any decent romantic comedy could tell you, having a character that's smart enough to avoid plot complications can really put a crimp in a story. And so, the Beguiling enhancement.

What a cool idea: a Mega-Intelligent character with a Beguiling girlfriend who distracts him sounds like a great idea for some supporting cast members..

[Alex Green]

You're right, the "insane" remark was out of line and I apologize for it.

Although not for the rest. Another way to fix that one would be to increase the Q min to 7 or so, and make the "cures" to sanity last only for the scene (aberrations are not supposed to be easily removed, even 30 q is only a couple of hours of downtime). Actually, it looks more like a level 4 power than an enhancement.

There is so much being posted here that I'm only going over some of it (drowning in riches, not that this is a bad thing). ::hehe

And the Lady of the Lake in WWII (England) did something very similar to this to the Mega-Int/Mega-Per "Leader". I don't know that you need a separate enhancement (over the existing "sexy" ones) to make men/women drool and not think straight... although I do like it (but I think the standard rules for reducing stats are, first reduce mega-stats then reduce base ones.

[Reighnhell]

The reason Beguiling affects both the base attribute and the Mega-Attribute is that my Storyteller had had unpleasant prior experiences with rules lawyers.

Would this be the same kind of rules lawyer with Science 1, Engineering 1, and Mega-Int 4, who wants to invent every nifty thing he wants?

Got one in my group, he is irritating, but not enough to get booted out (yet..).

[Reighnhell]

Dragon Gaze (Mega-Charisma)

Ever see a bird freeze in dreadful fascination as it stares at a snake? A nova with this enhancement has developed much the same ability, as she can petrify a chosen victim with fear by locking gazes with him.

System: The nova makes a contested Mega-Charisma roll against the target's Willpower. Even if the nova only gets 1 success, the target can't even move! The target will remain effectively paralyzed until he is physically disturbed by someone or something. In the right circumstances, that could take days...

This enhancement costs 1 quantum point to activate, and can only affect one victim per use.

As it stands, this is way more powerful than the Immobilize power, perhaps it wears off after a number of turns equal to the Nova net Charisma Successes. And let it function like Sooth so that hostil action twords the Victims breaks the spell.

[Sprocket]

No apologies necessary, Alex! ::smile Heck, I'm just glad that someone else is taking the time to look through all the stuff my old gaming group came up with. ::laugh

Re: Anodyne- Seriously though, I can see where you're coming from, and I'd have no problem in restricting Anodyne to novas with Mega-Charisma (and therefore Quantum) at 6+. The gal from my group who came up with it originally was trying to develop a psychological equivalent to "Spark of Life" (Mega-Stamina), which she had obviously (in hindsight) adapted from the Merit of the same name from the MAGE storyteller game.

As for the "curing insanity"- If the mental dysfunction wasn't caused by Taint in the first place, I see no real reason why Anodyne shouldn't help to cure it. Seeing as it already has a "temporary anti-insanity/stress field" function and that curing madness would likely require the nova to buy more than a few dots of Telepathy, it doesn't sound quite as twinkish as it apparently does upon the first reading. Does this sound okay, or is it still too powerful? ::confused

Re: cutting up Anodyne into different enhancements- I'd be inclined to both remove the temporary Willpower replenishment and add the "probelm aspect" from my previous post in addition to the Mega-Charisma 6+ prerequisite. How does that sound?

Re: Dragon Gaze- I'm not so sure about how powerful this is, Reignhell- it only works on one person, and the effect is immediately negated if the target is physically disturbed by _anything_- even a butterfly landing on the poor schmuck's nose! Looking at the Immobilize power, it seems to me that it would work regardless of whether the target is physically disturbed or not. Either way, sounds like a rewrite is in order...

Re: Rules Lawyers- ::crazy That git wants to play a super-inventor with THOSE ability scores?!? Boot him, and quick! ::laugh Yeah, that _does_ sound suspiciously like the variety my Storyteller encountered way back when. Guess I was just lucky not to have anyone who was quite that barmy in my old group.

[Reighnhell]

Re: Dragon Gaze.

But that means the victim must be acted upon by outside forces in order to be free. This is still plenty of time for the victim to get clocked by Mr. Dragon Gaze and a few Mega-Strong buddies. The victim should have some sort of chance to break free before he gets smeared.

[Sprocket]

All right, folks. You've given me some of that feedback I'd asked for on how to debug certain enhancements I've posted on this thread. Now to fulfill my part of the bargain, I've gone ahead and cooked up some revised versions that will hopefully make them more palatable. ::halo (And yes, I know that "Spark of Life" hasn't attracted comment- yet- but I decided to revise it while the fuss over Anodyne was still fresh in my mind.)

Note: The revised versions below have also replaced the original versions from my previous posts.

Anodyne (Mega-Charisma)

Prerequisite: Mega-Charisma 6+ and the Soothe enhancement.

Novas who develop the upper ranges of Mega-Charisma are unquestionably some of the most likeable people on the planet. Novas with this enhancement take this to an extreme- they seem to light up any room they enter, and can make your day cheerier and more hopeful just by showing up. The reason for this is that these novas have become living fonts of psychological vitality. This effect makes the stress and mental damage of the people around them seem to instantly melt away in their presence (if only for a little while). Needless to say, others (nova and baseline alike) find these novas to be extremely pleasant company. Novas who manifest this ability sometimes also develop superhuman skills in psychology and mental therapy, reflecting their aptitude for ensuring the mental health of those around them.

System: The nova gains +3 automatic successes on rolls involving positive social interaction (read: friendly, non-hostile, and non-violent), and can function at his top psychological capacity indefinitely. He can also recover from permanent mental disorders (but not mental aberrations, unfortunately) as if they were temporary and is immune to both despair and depression. (This is mental fortitude, not polyannaism- novas with this enhancement are no more and no less perceptive of their circumstances than any other nova.) If the nova has the Telepathy power, he can repair permanent mental traumas (read: mental disorders, certain flaws such as addictions, and Willpower loss- again, this can't affect mental aberrations) as if they were temporary AND gets a difficulty bonus of -2 on power rolls involving beneficial telepathic effects. The nova's presence is enough to temporarily dampen the mental traumas and stress of all beings within 10 meters of the nova- this is assumed to be always "on", but can be switched off as an automatic action.

There is a downside to all of this, however: people with either Willpower scores of 4 or less or who suffer from mental disorders (including mental aberrations!) are at risk of becoming psychologically dependent on the mental trauma/stress dampening field emitted by a nova with Anodyne. Such characters must make a Willpower roll for every three consecutive hours spent in the nova's presence. While gaining even one success means the character has maintained control of him- or herself, failing the roll means that the character must spend a temporary Willpower point and flee the nova's presence or become addicted (as the 2-point Flaw from the _Aberrant Player's Guide_ to the nova's presence. Those who botch the Willpower roll are automatically addicted. Note: while the mental trauma/stress dampening field of a nova with Anodyne does not lessen the effects of mental aberrations in any way, Tainted novas still find this effect to be very pleasant. It doesn't help them as much as it provides a psychological "high" that they can become addicted to quite easily. For this reason, novas with Anodyne risk acquiring many unwanted friends...

This enhancement is permanent and usually has no quantum point cost.

Dolor (Mega-Charisma)

Novas can make for truly intimidating foes, as many members of the Directive could attest. A nova with this enhancement has raised intimidation to an art form, as he can make crowds of baselines cower with his glare.

System: The nova can cow up to [Mega-Charisma] Inspired beings and entire raging mobs of the non-Inspired into fleeing his vicinity in fear, shame, and submission. For Inspired beings, roll the nova's Mega-Charisma against the Willpower of his targets. Scaring off the non-Inspired only requires a simple Mega-Charisma roll. 1 success indicates that the nova's subjects retreat from the area and will refuse to return for [the nova's Mega-Charisma] hours. 2 or more successes indicate that the subjects won't return until they have concrete evidence that the nova has left the area. This enhancement costs 1 quantum point to activate.

Dragon Gaze (Mega-Charisma)

Ever see a bird freeze in dreadful fascination as it stares at a snake? A nova with this enhancement has developed much the same ability, as she can petrify a chosen victim with fear by locking gazes with him.

System: The nova makes a contested Mega-Charisma roll against the target's Willpower. If the nova gains at least two successes on the roll the target will remain effectively paralyzed with fear until the scene ends; unless the target is even slightly physically disturbed by someone or something (an insect landing on the target's face would be sufficient), or hostile action is taken against him.

This enhancement costs 1 quantum point to activate, and can only affect one victim per use.

Spark of Life (Mega-Stamina)

Prerequisite: Mega-Stamina 6+ and the Health enhancement.

While all novas who attain the upper range of Mega-Stamina enjoy an obscenely high quality of physical health, those who develop this enhancement become literal fonts of vitality. Living things seem to thrive in their presence (save for harmful germs and parasites), and injuries heal with uncanny speed under their ministrations. Novas who manifest this ability sometimes develop superhuman medical skills as well, reflecting an aptitude for the healer's arts.

System: The nova heals all non-aggravated damage taken as if it were 1 wound level less, and may share his superhuman vitality by means of his touch if he is in perfect health. (This requires more-or-less constant care of the patient on the nova's part, though.) If the nova has the Biomanipulation or Healing powers, he can heal aggravated damage taken by others as if it were non-aggravated AND gets a difficulty bonus of -2 on power rolls involving healing, growth, creation, and positive change. (This bonus doesn't apply for rolls to positively affect bacteria and viruses- what's positive for a germ can be lethal for humans!)

The downside of this is that novas (and other beings) capable of draining the life-energy of others will get twice the energy from the nova than they would from other novas- which could make a nova with this enhancement a valued commodity in the eyes of some rather unpleasant novas...

This enhancement is permanent and usually has no quantum point cost.

So, are these workable now or not? Looking forward to what you lot have to say about the rest of what I've posted here... ::smiley5

[Defcon1]

Would this be the same kind of rules lawyer with Science 1, Engineering 1, and Mega-Int 4, who wants to invent every nifty thing he wants?

Got one in my group, he is irritating, but not enough to get booted out (yet..).

I've had this problem myself.

This is how i handle it, tell me what you think.

Under the chapter covering abilities, the level of knowledge is broken down on a dot per dot basis: 1 dot means your a novice, 3 dots means your an expert, and 5 dots means you've mastered all facets of the ability.

The way i play it, if say, your character had only rudimentary highschool level of science and wanted to use it to figure out a problem which reguired at least expert knowledge is this: The difference between novice (1 dot) and expert (3 dots) is two, so the character would start out with a +2 difficulty to figure it out.

That still doesn't count the complexity of the science problem itself. People with a Masters in the sciences don't just make standard rolls to figure anything out. They still face challenges that are even difficult for them.

That professor in Quantum Physics may have to make a superior success to figure out that problem, while that novice with mega-intellegence 3 will have to make a superior success as well with a +2 or more difficulty because he doesn't have the appropriate level of schooling.

With high levels of mega-intelligence, the character would probably still do it more often than not, but if the character has a 5 mega-intelligence, he's pretty much smarter than the combined intellect of every genius who ever walked the planet anyway so he should. If the character has a mega-intellegence of 1 to 3, he could still pull it off, but it won't be easy, especially if he's trying to figure out or build super-scientific things, which would reguire at least 4 or 5 dots in the science/engineering skill and a superior or higher success.

[Alex Green]

RE: Re-writes, I like them all much better. On a side note, upping the Q min deals with *so* much.

I mis-spoke before, it was only aberration created mental problems that I really had problems with.

I suspect that "possitive social interactions" needs to be ironed out a little more clearly, at least so that it doesn't step too much on the existing ones (bribery & sudduction are both possitive, aren't they?)

I like "Dragon Gaze" (except the name, it should be "basilike (sp) gaze"), it has potential. Shades of "Demise" from wildcards. The problem with the idea that "my mega-str buddies will flatten him" is that they would also break his gaze. Ditto most attacks. I think needing only one succ, PLUS CONCENTRATION, would be appropriate. That would deal with everything I think.

[Sprocket]

Heya, Alex- ::smiley5

Re: Anodyne- What was meant by "positive social interaction" was basically polite conversation and socializing minus any violence or outright hostile behavior. A nova with Anodyne would get the bonus to Social rolls simply because the enhancement makes him or her tangibly better company than your average Mega-Charismatic nova. But once the catty remarks and insults start flying, this bonus is lost- not to mention when actual fighting breaks out! ::devil This isn't an enhancement for combat-monster novas.

Re: Dragon Gaze- Considering that the guy who came up with it had created a character that could've come straight out of a Jackie Chan/Hong Kong wuxia flick, the name he chose definitely fit.

As to making this a constant effect... Nah, it doesn't work well that way. As it stands now, it lets the nova literally scare a target badly enough to freeze him in his tracks for a short while- sort of like a petit mal epilectic seizure. (WOD fans- check out the Nagah splatbook- namely the Level 4 "Gaze of the Sepent" gift. Ironically enough, that version of the effect is stronger than the revised version I've posted! ::smiley1 ) The nova shouldn't have to keep her gaze locked with her victim's just to keep him immobile, especially given the ways the effect can be dispelled.

Comments? Other debugging suggestions? Bring 'em on! ::devilangel

[Reighnhell]

Noxious Bile

Level : 2

Dice Pool: Dex+Noxious Bile

Range: (Sta X 5 )m

Area: N/A

Duration: Special

Effect: The Nova projects a acid, corrosive, otherwise harmful substance from their body. Inflicts Quantum + ( 2X rating) L Damage. plus and additional 1/2 damge each turn for ( Rating) turns.

Multiple Actions: Yes.

Description: A rather gruesome ability demonstrated by certain heavily tainted Nova's, this power always the nova to project a hazardous chemical agent from their bodies ( often from the mouth or other more "exotic" orifices. This power inflicts Quantum+ (2Xrating)L. in addition, the substance continues to burn the target at 1/2 damage for ( Rating) subsequent turns.

[phoenix]

Defcon: That's my problem with the Trin ability system - a person with Intelligence 5 but no Medicine would be able to practice medicine just as effectively as someone with Intelligence 2 and Medicine 3. Did I make an error in the rules, or is it really like that?

[Sprocket]

Fair warning: Debugging advice needed here, folks- ::blush

Ever since buying the Nagah splatbook (for WoD/Werewolf) at a used bookstore a few days ago, I've had trouble figuring out what form of the "Dragon Gaze" enhancement /"Eyes of the Serpent" gift to use as a Mega-Charisma enhancement. So I decided to let you guys toss in your ideas on the subject.

Question: Should the effect listed in the Nagah splatbook (a level 4 Gift, page 75) be considered an enhancement in Aberrant terms, or just as a mental version of the Immobilize power?

Dragon Gaze (Mega-Charisma)- [fairly straight adaptation of the Nagah Gift mentioned above]

Ever see a bird freeze in dreadful fascination as it stares at a snake? A nova with this enhancement has developed much the same ability, as she can petrify a chosen victim with fear by locking gazes with him.

System: The nova makes a contested Mega-Charisma roll against the target's Willpower. Even one success freezes the target with fear, making him unable to take any actions (aside from using the Regeneration enhancement). The target could spend hours or days this way, experiencing the equivalent of a petit mal epileptic seizure. However, the effects of this enhancement last only until the target is distracted (like by being attacked). Once the target is disturbed physically, he's free from this effect. Once a target is affected by this enhancement, it can't be used on him again until the next scene.

This enhancement costs 1 quantum point to activate, and can only affect one victim per use.

Dragon Gaze (Mega-Charisma)- [Revised version posted previously]

Ever see a bird freeze in dreadful fascination as it stares at a snake? A nova with this enhancement has developed much the same ability, as she can petrify a chosen victim with fear by locking gazes with him.

System: The nova makes a contested Mega-Charisma roll against the target's Willpower. If the nova gains at least two successes on the roll the target will remain effectively paralyzed with fear until the scene ends; unless the target is even slightly physically disturbed by someone or something (an insect landing on the target's face would be sufficient), or hostile action is taken against him. If the target has a Willpower of 4 or less, he could remain immobilized for days if something doesn't distract or physically disturb him.

This enhancement costs 1 quantum point to activate, and can only affect one victim per use.

So, which version works best as a Mega-Attribute enhancement? I leave it up to you. ::cool

Aside from that problem, I've also dredged up/adapted some Body Modifications for you to enjoy.

Advanced Chromatophores: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points, prerequisite: Chromatophores) The nova has developed superior control over the chromatophores in his skin, hair, and visible tissues. The nova can alter his tissue colorations to any hues he desires, and can produce two-dimensional patterns that are equivalent in clarity and precision to modern computer graphics. If the nova also has Bioluminescence, he can effectively become a living video display screen.

Brachiator: (1 nova point/ 3 experience points) The nova's musculoskeletal structure has been subtly augmented, allowing her to swing on vines and move among the branches of trees with the greatest of ease using only her arms (and/or her other grasping limbs). The nova gets a +3 dice bonus for all rols for acrobatics, climbing, and primate-style athletics. The nova's brachiation speed is equal to her ground speed (Walk, Run, and Sprint), and is handled similarly. (Note: Tainted novas with this body modification sometimes develop physiques like those of monkeys or gibbons. Aside from the obvious difficulties, such novas can expect constant ridicule from many Teragen sympathizers for being 'devolutonary'.) ::hehe

Efficient Digestion: (1 nova point/ 3 experience points) The nova's digestive system is hyperefficient, making the most of anything he consumes and effectively reducing his appetite to baseline levels. (FYI, normal humans can only metabolize 25% of the caloric energy derived from the food they consume. A nova with this Body Modification has a metabolization rate of about 95%, by way of comparison.) Aside from reducing the nova's food expenses, it also makes it easier to pass oneself off as a baseline if one happens to be one of the "stealth novas".

Enhanced Vocal Organs: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points) The nova's larynx, tongue, and palate have all been subtly augmented, granting her a +3 dice bonus on all rolls involving signing or mimicry. The nova can also make two vocalizations at once, and her vocal range encompasses both the ultrasonic and infrasonic frequency bands. It's possible to buy a second level of this body modification- in that case, the nova gets a +6 dice bonus on all rolls involving signing or mimicry and can make four vocalizations at once.

Hyperstrong Skeleton: (3 nova points/ 6 experience points) The nova's bone tissue has been augmented to make them stronger and more resistant to damage in some way. (The details are best left to the player.) This grants him a +3 dice bonus on close combat damage, and gives him six extra soak _only_ against any damage that would otherwise result in bone fractures. (If someone tries to crush the nova like a walnut, this would apply. If someone tries to simply slice the meat from his bones like a psychotic butcher instead, he's out of luck.) It's possible to buy a second level of this body modification, in which case the dice bonus and extra soak bonus are doubled.

Micromanipulators: (3 nova points/ 6 experience points) In some manner (often by using microscopic tendrils), the nova can physically manipulate microscopic objects. The Electromagnetic Vision (Mega-Perception) enhancement is required for the nova to make effective use of this body modification, unless the nova buys two levels of this body modification. The bonuses and effects of this body modification are fully cumulative with the Fine Manipulation (Mega-Dexterity) enhancement.

With one level, the nova gains a +3 dice bonus on rolls for microtasks; and could perform microsurgery, assemble microbots, or paint a portarait on a pinhead. With two levels, the nova gains a +6 dice bonus on rolls for microtasks; and manipulate objects on the nanoscale level. Also, the nova's micromanipulators can function as atomic force microscopes, negating the need for the Electromagnetic Vision enhancement.

Nictitating Membranes: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points) The nova has inner "third eyelids" that provide a bonus of + (the nova's Stamina) dice on rolls to resist eye irritants such as dust or tear gas and visual intereference from things like flash greanades and optical forms of the Strobe power. The third eyelids don't impede the nova's vision in any way, but they can look a bit weird to others. Their appearance is completely up to the player- different versions of this modification can be beautiful, artificial-looking, or disgusting. The nova may open or close his nictitating membranes as an automatic action and without a roll.

Prehensile Hair: (3 nova points/ 6 experience points) The nova can alter the length of her hair at will and animate its strands. The nova's hair is at least as strong as steel wires and can slash, pierce, grapple and garrote her opponents with ease (Strength + 4 bashing or Strength +2 lethal damage, use Dexterity + Brawl or Martial Arts to attack). The nova can also use her hair to pick up and manipulate things, using her hair as an extra arm. If the nova also has Mega-Dexterity, she can "split" her hair into multiple limbs- for each dot of Mega-Dexterity past the first, she gains an effective extra limb. Each "hair-tendril" has a maximum length of 2 meters, although this length can be increased by 2 meters for every additional nova point or three experence points spent. As a side bonus, the nova can automatically style her hair at will.

[Reighnhell]

Re: Dragon Gaze.

Use the Second version, but with a provision that those with low Willpower may be frozen for days on end.

Here is one of my Bod mods.

Maw 1 Nova Point/ 3 XP) The Nova’s teeth and jaw structure are modified to the point that the Nova can inflict a bite attack while grappling or holding a opponent: This bite inflicts Str L damage. This feature is retractable. If purchased twice, the damage becomes Strength +1, but is no longer retractable, which may impose social penalties ( not to mention something of a speech impediment.)

More laters.

[Sprocket]

Much thanks for the quick reply, Reignhell! ::biggrin I'll go ahead and replace the earlier versions.

BTW, that Maw bodymod of yours sounds like something that only really Tainted novas or shapeshifters would bother with. Fun, nonetheless! ::hehe

[Reighnhell]

Here's another one.

Oubliette

Level: 3

Quantum Minimum : 4

Dice Pool: Wits + Oubliette

Range : (Quantum + Power Rating) X 2 meters.

Area: N/A

Duration: Concentration

Effects: Banishes target to a “ Null Space”.

Multiple Actions: No

Description: A highly specialized Warp, Oubliette sends a target to a Spatial Micro-Pocket. The Target is perfectly safe ( if not comfortable ) in this Null Space , but the exact physical look of this place is determined by the Novas personal tastes( From a dark void, to a brimstone drenched hellscape). The Nova rolls Wits + Oubliette ( contested by Opponents Willpower ).On a success, the Target is banished for as long as the Nova concentrates on keeping the victim imprisoned. Each turn the victim may roll Willpower to escape, breaking free when they have earned successes equal to the number of Net successes earned by the Nova on the initial roll. The Nova may resist the victims escape attempts by spending Willpower to cancel the opponents successes. The Nova may only keep one target at a time imprisoned. Oubliette may also be taken as a technique for Spatial Manipulation.

Extra – Hazardous Environment – The imprisoned Target suffers ( Quantum + Oubliette) dice bashing damage every turn they are held. This may be soaked as normal.

Extra - Void- The Environment inside the Oubliette is a Vacuum. The victim suffers the effects of Asphyxiation while held.

Extra – Cell – The Nova may imprison a number of targets equal to their rating in Oubliette.

[Alex Green]

RE: Oubliette

Level 3; Q Min 4 or 5 (maybe even 6).

You are removing someone from the universe, and *no* q-powers that are less than L4 can help them. This is either an improvement on entangle (making it L3) or an alteration on Warp (which is already L3).

Think of it this way, with a mega-wits of 5 (and you should consider making it Int based) you could in theory hose anyone with a willpower of 10, including Mal & the rest of the Q6+ bunch. You could definately banish Pax.

Potential abuses: Someone with M-Stam(Adapt) could maintain concentration basically forever. Since "range" doesn't mean anything after a target has been banished, you can zap Pax & go to the other side of the Earth.

This is similar to Time Stop but you don't have the -2 diff, and they can be made to starve to death.

Having said all of that, I like it.

[Defcon1]

Defcon: That's my problem with the Trin ability system - a person with Intelligence 5 but no Medicine would be able to practice medicine just as effectively as someone with Intelligence 2 and Medicine 3. Did I make an error in the rules, or is it really like that?

If there are rules for such things as players using skiils without actually having them, aside from using their base attribute, i haven't found them. That, and doing things like performing heart surgery while only having a medicine of 2 is kind of out there.

I take it that it's left to the Storyteller on how to deal with it.

The system i described is how i deal with it. At least one of my players thought i was penalizing Mega intelligent players with this rule, but i didn't see it that way and told him to stow it.

I mean, my system works across the board, whether one has mega intelligence or not. Not to mention the point of having mega attributes is that you can actually cancel diificulty modifiers with them.

Funny,

This weekend i almost killed my players with this rule. Six Modified WW1 bi-planes were doing a suicide run towards Times Square with nova enhanced chemical bombs....long story. Anyway, the first Bi-plane the Electricity Mastery player shot down crashed into an apartment building, so the players decided maybe it wasn't wise to shoot them down; they had to take control of the planes manually. The problem was non of the players had the pilot skill and a couple of them couldn't even fly to get to the planes.

So after a combination of extreme acrobatics and stunt flying (by this point in the story the players were starving for Quantum and burning health levels to get it), they had to not only beat down the suicidal pilots, but get into the cockpits and fly the planes themsleves. Comedy insued as the players, with no piloting skill and trying to pull the planes out of dizzying nosedives, had to make superior successes with a +5 difficulty modifier.

Luckily, one player had the Luck power with probability control, and another had 3 dots of mega dexterity. It was still hard as hell, and they succeeded in pulling the planes up with but a turn left before they crashed.

I think i sufficiently hammered in the point that while having a lot of powers and mega attributes is good, having dots in skills other than Martial arts and athletics can be crucial. ::devilangel

[Alex Green]

Defcon: That's my problem with the Trin ability system - a person with Intelligence 5 but no Medicine would be able to practice medicine just as effectively as someone with Intelligence 2 and Medicine 3. Did I make an error in the rules, or is it really like that?

For some skills it is, for others (including Medicine) it isn't. There are many instances in the examples where the rules say you can't do "X" unless you have at least a dot in the skill.

Examples: Swimming, Hacking.

Thus someone with M-Dex 5 can drown if they don't have athletics (although Prodigy: Athletics should also work).

After that we have ST judgement calls. Some skills are "everyman" enough to figure out with a good stat, some are not. I'd call first-aid doable (maybe with a diff), but surgury not (unless you have Prodigy: Medicine).

[Ayre el KaBeer]

WoD rules are (were, i haven't checked newer books just too lazy) if you don't have the skill you can make the attempt at increased difficulty and reduced dice pool, i don't remember seeing that anywhere in trinity or aberrant though.

[Reighnhell]

Re: Oubliette

Hmm...Int probably would be a better cross match with Oubliette. I wanted the power to be accesible, hence Q min 3 and level 2, but on further consideration, Q min 4 and Lev. 3 are just as Good. As far as holding someone indefinately, the concentration aspect takes a toll on other dice pool, while only the successes on the first roll count. Considering the victim rolls Willpower each turn , the target will escape. Considering the most success a Regular(non-Q6 )Nova can Muster is 26( Maxed out power, attribute, and Mega-attribute + a Willpower point), a Target averaging 2 Willpower succeses a turn will break out in 13 Turns( maybe longer if countering their Willpower with Willpower). This power was based on Cloak from " Cloak and Daggers" ability to trap someone within his cape. He could only hold strong willed targets for a short time.

[Alex Green]

Sorry, I missed the "net successes" part. It is much more balanced than what I thought. ::blush

[Sprocket]

All right, folks. As I promised earlier, here are the polished and categorized versions of certain aberrations I proposed on the "Mega-Attribute Books" thread. I've also included another pair of new aberrations for you to enjoy, as well as a new Mega-Stamina enhancement that has a bit more of an adult tone than others I've posted here on this thread. Feedback is always appreciated, but you knew that already. ::laugh

NEW ABERRATIONS-

Heartthrob (medium-level, can be derived from either Mega-Charisma or Mega-Appearance): The nova is absolute dynamite when it comes to infatuating those people attracted to members of the nova's gender. The problem is that the nova is like this all the time, and can't turn off his or her sex appeal... (This aberration should be restricted to novas with one or both of the Seductive and Seductive Looks enhancements.)

In game terms, any and all extra successes the nova may gain via the Seductive and/or Seductive Looks enhancements are effectively doubled for seduction rolls (not persuasion- the nova's victims will tend to hear only what they want to from the nova). The downside of this is that the bonus is applied to ANY action of the nova's that could be seen as seductive by his/her victims (Storyteller's decision). Also, the Storyteller will kindly make all Seduction rolls for the nova's player, and doesn't have to inform the player about it beforehand. Novas with this aberration will often have no idea that they've won a victim's affections- until the victim makes some moves of her/his own...

Object of Desire (medium-level, derived from Mega-Appearance): Something about the nova makes people want to possess him or her. Upon first meeting the nova, people attracted to him or her must make a resisted Willpower roll vs. the nova's Mega-Appearance. The victim also suffers a penalty on the Willpower roll equal to the nova's Taint-derived penalty on rolls for social interactions with baselines. Failing the roll means that the victim will see the nova as a commodity or treasure to be owned instead of as a person with his or her own desires and needs. (Just think of how certain rich folk manage to acquire their "trophy spouses", and how those spouses are treated after they've been landed.) The form that the ownership takes will vary with individual victims- some might settle for signing the nova to a contract or hauling off the nova to a wedding chapel, while others may take the idea of owning the nova all too literally... The nova's victims will be very possessive of him or her, and they will go to great lengths in order to either establish or retain their control over the nova.

Romantic Irresistibility (medium-level, derived from Mega-Charisma): A nova with this aberration has a dangerous knack for making people attracted to members of the nova's gender fall in love with him or her without any warning. If such a person makes eye contact with the nova, she/he must make a resisted Willpower roll against the nova's total dice pool for Seduction. The victim also suffers a penalty on the Willpower roll equal to the nova's Taint-derived penalty on rolls for social interactions with baselines. The number of net successes gained by the nova determines the degree of love-sickness the victim develops. One success indicates a mild crush, while 5 or more indicates a haunting obsession. The victim will have no reason (at first) to believe that his or her feelings for the nova aren't genuine- depending on how things develop with the nova, they may soon actually become genuine! This effect is impossible for the nova to predict or guard against, and occurs without any warning (read: the Storyteller has total control over when, where, and with whom this happens. This is best used for purposes of subplot or pure mischief on the Storyteller's part!). Novas who develop this aberration soon find that their social lives will rival the most convoluted soap-opera plots ever to grace the schedules of daytime television.

Sex Object (low-level, derived from Mega-Appearance): The nova is simply too attractive for his/her own good. Upon first meeting the nova, people attracted to members of the nova's gender must roll Willpower to avoid becoming lust-stricken by the nova and treating him/her as a sex object. The victim also suffers a penalty on the Willpower roll equal to the nova's Taint-derived penalty on rolls for social interactions with baselines. (If the victim is alone with the nova in a private setting, the roll is made with an additional +1 difficulties.) Those who succeed on the Willpower roll may act as they please. The actions of those who fail the roll will vary with their individual personalities- unabashed staring, deciding to stalk the nova, or simply acting like a blabbering idiot are all good possibilities. Those who botch the roll will seek to become intimate with the nova ASAP, although their tactics will vary with individual personalities, as noted above. Novas who develop this aberration often encounter jealousy from potential romantic rivals, for obvious reasons. When added to the difficulties of social interaction with someone who's determined to either become your significant other or get into your pants, it's not hard to understand why many such novas become recluses.

Surreality (low-level, derived from Mega-Appearance): Other people (including other novas!) will tend find a nova who develops this aberration to be irresistibly fascinating. (Victims must make a resisted Willpower roll vs. the nova's Mega-Appearance to resist, with a difficulty penalty equal to the nova's Taint-derived penalty on rolls for social interactions with baselines.) If a victim succeeds on the Willpower roll, he or she may act as he or she pleases. If they fail, people will stare at the nova and attempt to strike up conversations at inappropriate times in hope of getting to know the nova better. Worse still, criminals and other people of a less savory nature will always choose the nova over other potential targets for their illicit acts.

Shifting Features (medium-level, derived from Mega-Appearance): A nova with this aberration has partially lost control over the appearance of his body. The nova suffers from a shifting in his body weight, mass, and tissue colorations that is virtually unnoticeable from minute to minute, but can radically alter his features over the course of a few hours. While the changes are gradual, they are constant- the nova will look different enough within 24 hours to make him unrecognizeable as the same person on the basis of visual recognition. This unsettles baselines (and many novas), resulting in the nova suffering an additional +2 difficulty penalty on all Social rolls beyond making a first impression.

NEW ENHANCEMENT-

Fertility (Mega-Stamina)

The bodies of novas with Mega-Stamina are optimized to function marvelously well, resulting in a degree of physical health that baselines and novas lacking Mega-Stamina simply cannot achieve. There is a glaring exception to this, though: many novas are sterile for some reason. Despite this, some independent paraphysicians theorize that certain novas could possess or develop superhuman reproductive capacity, although these claims are inevitably ridiculed and dismissed by Utopia-backed paraphysicians and researchers into nova biology. If a nova did have such an ability, he or she would do well to keep it a secret for as long as possible, or risk being hunted down and murdered by Utopian (and Proteus) deathsquads...

System: The basic form (one level) of this enhancement provides several advantages. First off, it subtracts the nova's Mega-Stamina from the Virulence Rating of any contraceptive or sterility-causing chemical, disease or effect; including those caused by quantum powers. (This is wholly cumulative with the effects of the Adaptibility and Health enhancements.) Second, it makes the nova more likely to either become pregnant (if female) or cause a pregnancy (if male) after a single unprotected sexual encounter. If rules for conception are desired for some reason, consider the percentage chance for a nova with this enhancement to successfully conceive to be multiplied by [the nova's Mega-Stamina +1]. Third, the nova's reproductive span is increased, allowing the nova to sire or bear children without difficulty until he or she has lived through 90% of his or her total lifespan. (Note: This limitation can be sidestepped if the nova is restored to physical youth with the Age Alteration technique of Temporal Manipulation.) Fortunately, the fourth benefit gained by the nova is complete and total control over his or her own fertility, regardless of any other fertility-inducing effects- including this enhancement, if the nova's partner happens to have it as well!

If a female nova buys two levels of this enhancement, she gains the following benefits:

1- The nova no longer has to menstruate, nor does she suffer from PMS or the later problems of menopause.

2- After conception, the nova does not have to endure many of the problems of both pregnancy and delivery. She doesn't suffer from morning sickness. Her nervous system automatically adjusts for the changes in her center of balance and her musculoskeletal system, making her much less awkward than a pregnant baseline woman. The nova's metabolism kicks into high gear, allowing her to remain physically active during pregnancy when a baseline mother-to-be would find herself exhausted. The nova's pelvis becomes inhumanly flexible and certain arrays of pain receptors are temporarily shut down during labor, allowing for deliveries that are nearly painless when compared to those of baseline mothers.

3- The nova may use her quantum powers to the fullest while pregnant without the slightest risk of harming the unborn child- a definite plus when defending oneself against Utopian mother hunters. Even the use of powers such as Shapeshift, Sizemorph, Bodymorph, or Matter Chameleon will not harm the child. If the mother accumulates temporary or permanent Taint, her child will remain unaffected.

4- If desired, the nova can spend a quantum point to release 2 or 3 eggs prior to conception, resulting in the birth of healthy fraternal twins or triplets, respectively. The children will also be latter-generation novas.

5- If the nova still wants to become a mother but cannot find a suitable nova male to father her child, she can spend 2 quantum points and roll Stamina. Even 1 success on the roll means that the nova becomes pregnant through parthenogenesis. The pregnancy will be normal (for a nova pregnancy, anyway), but the resulting healthy female infant will effectively be a genetic clone of her mother as well as a latter-generation nova. If the nova mother also has the Yin-Yang Mega-Appearance enhancement, she can spend an extra quantum point to conceive a cross-gender clone of herself- the resulting male infant will be a genetic clone of his mother, except for having a "Y" chomosome instead of a second "X" chromosome.

This form of reproduction does have its advantages, but can seriously deplete a population's genetic diversity over the long term, making this an emergency measure at best.

If a male nova buys two levels of this enhancement, he gains the following benefits:

1- By selecting which gametes to release, the nova can choose the gender of any children he sires.

2- If he wants to, the nova can spend 2 quantum points and roll Stamina when causing a pregnancy. Even 1 success on the roll means that the nova's partner will give birth to healthy identical twins- 4 or more successes indicates healthy identical triplets! The children will also be latter-generation novas IF their mother is a nova herself- otherwise, they will be first-generation novas. For best results, the nova's partner should be a nova herself with two levels of the Fertility enhancement. The nova should also tell his partner about this beforehand- otherwise, he risks being skinned alive, horsewhipped, or strangled by his justifiably irate sweetheart!

(Note: Depending on how your Storyteller decides this enhancement should function, female novas with both Fertility and the Adaptability enhancement may need to resume a regular diet of healthy food and drink for the duration of the pregnancy. The details of a "healthy diet" may vary for nova mothers-to-be with the True Omnivore enhancement or the Altered Diet body modification. Just imagine the weird food cravings they could get! To heck with pickles and ice cream- what if such a pregnant nova started craving uranium?)

This enhancement is permanent, and ordinarily has no quantum point cost. The exceptions to this have already been noted above.

Feel free to let me know if these tidbits aren't restrained enough for EON, folks. I _think_ it's a fairly tasteful and dignified take of the subjects involved- but I could be wrong. (BTW, Reignhell, Oubliette looks great! just the thing for your up-and-coming spacetime manipulator... ::devilangel )

[Reighnhell]

Hmmm.....fresh biscuits from the Sprocket bakery..

[Sprocket]

Yeah, and I've got to dole 'em out only a few at a time, to keep some folks from choking to death... ::devil

On a completely different track, consider this proposal- While looking over the Yin-Yang Mega-Appearance enhancement posted on N!Prime, I had a thought. What Yin-Yang essentially does is let the nova switch between genders- both versions of the nova are essentially identical save for that special Y or second X chromosome. And with two levels of the Fertility enhancement I've just posted a few days ago, a female nova can bear and give birth to a healthy genetic clone of herself- parthenogenesis.

Bottom line: If that female nova with Fertility x2 also had Yin-Yang, shouldn't she be able to spend an extra quantum point (for a total of 3 qp, unless she decides to bear twins or triplets on top of this) to parthenogenically bear and give birth to a cross-sex clone of herself? Aside from having that Y chomosome instead of a second X, the kid would otherwise be a perfect genetic clone of the mother... This is beginning to sound a lot like certain ancient creation stories from mythology, isn't it?! ::devilangel

[phoenix]

I've got to dole 'em out only a few at a time, to keep some folks from choking to death...

Yeah, and to blackmail them into giving you feedback.. ::wink

Good way to die, though.

How about a power with Fertility as a prerequisite, which lets the nova give birth to many (five per megastamina dot in 3-4 days) sub-novas in very little time with a kind of psychic link to the original? Like a hive mother. You'd have to choose a certain set of stats for the children (made with 5 nova points each to be spent only on body mod.s and level 1 powers, no extras, can't have any traits that the mother doesn't have, all attributes equal to nova's - 3 at a minimum of 1, taint equal to mother's). These might have a lifespan equal to a month and a half for each megastamina dot. Sorry if the stats kind of blur together, I'm a little tired..

What's the verdict? I like the idea of a nova being able to create minions that would call it mother... especially one with the Immovable aberration submitted by TheFan.

[Reighnhell]

Here are some General low level Aberrations.

Appetite – It is accepted that Nova Eat several times as much as normal, but this is ridiculous. The Nova must consume twice as much as would be normal for their Metabolism in order to stay healthy. In more severe cases the Nova will suffer damage if they do not eat their required amount on a daily basis.

Ichor – The Nova’s Blood becomes a obviously inhuman substance. Documented cases involve blood that turned black, blue, yellow, and even glowing green. More severe cases effect other body fluids and may have caustic properties.

Obvious Threat – Something about the Nova gives them a Aura of Palpable menace. Any Danger Sensing Powers Gain 3 dice when detecting the Nova. More severe cases impose a +1 penalty on all social interactions.

Temperature Change – The Nova’s body temperature runs either significantly higher or lower than the human norm( 98.6 ºF ( 37 º C) . High’s of 120 º F ( 49 º C) and Low’s of 50 º F ( 10 º C). The Nova may also be cold-blooded like a Reptile.

[BillionSix]

Y'know, someone ought to package write these up and put them on the main site.

Brian

::minrules

[Bahamut810]

I want to see what people think of this power before

i actually put it on soneone (this is planned for Dr. Strange)...

Jack-of-all-powers (or magic)

power level: 3

quantum minimum: 5

A PC can use any level 2 or level 1 power as if it were an ability (per Elemental Anima) that *hasent* been taken (i.e. double cost, twice as difficult...ect ect). For each dot taken in this power, you may pick one power to have as a taken ability. The first 3 powers can *only* be lvl 1 powers, the last 2 accessable dots can be a lvl 1 or a lvl 2 power.

Comments, suggestions?

[harlequin]

once you guys have them to where you're happy with them, send the finished copy to chill and he can put it up on the site for you no problem. we were actually hope to do that anyways once you guys are done with them. ::biggrin

[ProfPotts]

Jack-of-all-powers (or magic)

power level: 3

quantum minimum: 5

A PC can use any level 2 or level 1 power as if it were an ability (per Elemental Anima) that *hasent* been taken (i.e. double cost, twice as difficult...ect ect). For each dot taken in this power, you may pick one power to have as a taken ability. The first 3 powers can *only* be lvl 1 powers, the last 2 accessable dots can be a lvl 1 or a lvl 2 power.

Comments, suggestions?

It looks like a less-restricted & more powerful version of the existing level 3 power "Node Spark" from the Teragen book. Node Spark has a really short duration, Taint penalties for bad rolls, & is limited to 'natural extensions' of a character's existing powers. Jack-of-all-Powers basically appears to be an uber-version of a normal Elemental Mastery or other suite power that has no linking theme / special effect or similar limits. Even normal suite techniques tend to be less effective than their level 2 equivalents, whereas with this puppy they are equally effective but just cost an additional QP to activate (if taken as a 'learnt' technique). As such I'm afraid I feel it's far too powerful, unrestricted, & over-the-top.

For an existing 'do anything' power take a look at either Node Spark or Quantum Construct - both of which have very limiting aspects built into them to help preserve game-balance.

For a Dr Strange-type character I'd design him with the powers he most often uses (maybe an Elemental Mastery - Magic power that gives him techniques to enable him to fly, fire bolts of mystical energy, make magical shields, encase foes in magical bands, etc. - all of which are covered by the normal Elemental Mastery techniques; plus something to simulate his Astral Projection, etc., etc.) then add a Node Spark or Q-Construct on the top to simulate all those thing he only ever does once in a blue moon (& that he couldn't achieve by just maxing one of his normal powers).

[Sprocket]

Ahh, yes... ::biggrin It's always nice to see activity on this thread...

Re: finished versions of powers/enhancements etc.- that's definitely forthcoming, harlequin- just give me a few more days. ::halo

Re: power that produces massive amounts of offspring- if anything, this sounds like a souped-up version of Homunculous, if not a specialized form of Ecological Supremacy, phoenix. And it definitely sounds like what the Colony's been using in the Trinity setting to create most of those faux-nova squids described in the Trinity Core Book! ::devilangel BTW, I _am_ going to add that "cross-sex clone" option to the Fertility enhancement. It's just the thing for the successful nova career woman, don't you think? ::laugh

All right, folks, on to the new stuff. Seeing as most of what I've previously posted here on this thread have been either Mega-Attribute enhancements or aberrations, I might as well go whole hog and put up a quantum power for you to evaluate. Fair warning: This power/Information Manipulation technique is a direct adaptation of the background of the same name from Mage: The Ascension.

Arcane

Level: 2

Quantum Minimum: 4

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Arcane

Range: Self

Area: N/A

Duration: Permanent

Effect: Information about the nova becomes increasingly difficult to remember and record.

Multiple Actions: Yes

Description: This specialized form of Information Manipulation makes any and all information about the nova nearly impossible to retain in either the long-term memory of living beings or the various forms of data storage technologies. This isn't invisibility- the nova merely becomes unable to be remembered in any detail as long as she is absent or not actively attempting to draw attention to herself. The nova's features will slip away from the memory of those who see her, and she never seems be caught on video. Her records will simply disappear, and people will not recognize her name or simply assume that discussions are about someone different. Witnesses won't be able to give accounts more detailed than "That guy... or was it a girl? Whatever!" If the nova gets directly involved in combat or draws attention to herself (usually by using her other quantum powers), she will lose all benefits of this power for the duration of the conflict or scene. Fortunately, the benefits resume just as soon as she exits the locale- when combined with the Cipher and/or Alternate Identity backgrounds, it allows a nova to become a real "woman (or man) of mystery"!

In game terms the nova adds (Quantum + power rating) extra successes to any Stealth rolls she makes, and her foes automatically lose the same number of successes from any Perception and Investigation rolls they make concerning the nova. At power ratings of 6+, the nova cannot be detected or recorded by mundane technology and/or methods (outside of combat) unless she wants to be. (Storyteller note: Quantum devices, Trinity-era biotech and Inspired superscientific gadgets are never considered to be mundane!) At 7+, all records of the nova are destroyed by accident almost immediately after being made and non-Inspired beings who aren't close friends or family of the nova must make a Willpower roll (at standard difficulty) to remember her at all!

This power is permanent and costs no quantum points to maintain. It is normally considered to be functioning at all times, but the nova can turn this power off at will to let others see her as she truly is. One problem with this power is that other novas with Information Manipulation can use that dice pool (Quantum + power rating) to block the successes of this power on a 1:1 basis for the nova's Stealth rolls and their own Perception rolls. Investigation rolls are still penalized, since those rolls depend on having the available evidence... which has likely been hopelessly lost or long since tossed out with the trash.

[Note 1: This power is also available as a technique for the Level 3 power of Information Manipulation.]

Extras: Affects Novas (novas with Information Manipulation cannot negate the effects of this power), Variable Effect (the nova can set up "barriers" between her identities, penalizing all attempts to discover and/or expose the link between the nova's public and private personas. This is jokingly known as the "Sailor Scout" effect among those novas who were [or still are] anime fans- and is fully cumulative with the effects of the Identity Shield Mega-Appearance enhancement. Alternatively, she can "fine tune" this power with regards to whom this power affects. This Extra can be bought more than once- see the Aberrant Player's Guide, pg. 120).

[phoenix]

Re: Arcane

Sounds awesome.. but does it affect memories of the nova before his (or was it her? ::wink ) eruption? If so, cipher seems a given..

[Sprocket]

Unless you want a nova with this power to experience "Instant Anomie" immediately upon eruption( ::devil ), I'd have to say that Arcane wouldn't affect information concerning the nova's pre-eruption life. (For a good example of "Instant Anomie", check out the last "in character" story at the very end of the Mage 3rd edition core rulebook.) Therefore, the Cipher background both retains its value and complements the effects of Arcane. ::cool

Although I didn't make this adaptation of Arcane with Sophia Rousseau specifically in mind, it was pretty obvious that she did have that power after looking at her writeup in _Expose:Aberrants_! ::laugh

[Alex Green]

In game terms the nova adds (Quantum + power rating) extra successes to any Stealth rolls she makes, and her foes automatically lose the same number of successes from any Perception and Investigation rolls they make concerning the nova.

Two points (the second one a quibble).

1) You should probably lose the enhancements to Stealth (that sounds much more like invisibility). From the description, people don't have a problem seeing/hearing her, just remembering her. Change "Perception and Investigation" to "Investigation and/or Mental rolls involving researching/remembering her."

If it covers normal Perception, then you have a very suped up version of Invis.

2) By giving extra succ to her Stealth rolls AND adding difficulties to her foes, you are dubble dipping.

Example: The Invisible Girl has one level of this and a Q=4. She gets 5 auto succ on stealth and Perception Lad gets a -5 to his Perception. That means he needs 10 succ, just to overcome this power, or 11 to see her (if she didn't roll any succ of her own).

If he has M-Perc=5 and 10 awareness dice, on average he still fails to see her by 2 or so succ. If she has Cat-Footed (or a decent Stealth roll) then he (on average) fails by 5 or so. The average nova/baseline has NO chance to overcome this.

This issue would be ignored if you remove the stealth bonus, but is still worth mentioning.

[Finbar]

Just to add to the chaos...Got to thinking about the "mage" thing, and realized that there is a way to use some stuff, cut other things back, and throw some other stuff in, and welll, try this for would-be mages:

Mystic Mastery

Level: 3

Quantum Minimum: 5

Dice Pool: Variable

Range: Variable

Area: Variable

Duration: Variable

Effect: The nova can simulate a number of effects that appear to be magical or supernatural in nature.

Multiple Actions: Yes

Description: Some novas are highly religious, and this belief comes out in their eruption. Some have demonstrated a range of abilities that allude to abilities of ancient sorcerers. This suite simulates those eruptions.

Like other suite powers, Mystic Mastery provides a number of techniques, and characters may master one technique per dot in the power. Characters may attempt to use techniques that they haven’t mastered, but cost is doubled and the difficulty is one higher.

Also, novas must choose one of the following elements: air, earth, electricity, shadow, fire, water, or wood (additional elements may be purchased as 3 point merits or 1 nova point). When dealing with the appropriate element, the character gains one dot in this power to determine numerical effects, and loses one dot when using opposing elements. The pairs are: Earth/Air, Water/Fire, Shadow/All Others, and Electricity/Wood.

Characters may choose from the techniques listed here or make up their own, with the Storyteller’s permission and approval.

Note: This power is a nova power, and subject to all other rules regarding them. This is more of a paradigm shift than a supernatural power.

Elemental Anima Techniques: Blast, Enhace/Diminish, Lethal Blast, Movement, Shaping, Wall

Elemental Mastery Techniques: Imprison, Shield, Storm

Construct

Dice Pool: Manipulation+Mystic Mastery

Range: (Quantum+power rating) meters

Area: N/A

Duration: Maintenance

Except as noted, this technique is the same as Quantum Construct. The constructs are created from the given element, and any granted powers may only come from that element and must be an acknowledged technique of Mystic Mastery.

Projection

Dice Pool: Dexterity+Mystic Mastery

Range: Self

Area: N/A

Duration: Maintenance

The nova falls into a coma, then projects his consciousness up to (Quantum+power rating) kilometers away (not instantaneous, just a limit). He may use either Propel or Flight (either at double effect) and gains all abilities as if he had Density Control (Decrease) (5 dots)+Adaptation and Invisibility (1 dot) but may not affect the physical world in any way without “mental” powers (i.e., may not even use quantum bolt or other Mystic Mastery powers) and may be seen by characters with Telepathy or other mental sensing abilities, as well as Quantum Attunement and Electromagnetic Vision.

The body is, of course, helpless, and may not use any power that requires will; also, it counts as both physical and another target altogether.

Transmit

Dice Pool: Perception+Mystic Mastery

Range: Self+1 per power rating

Area: N/A

Duration: Instant

The character (and subjects) is (are) transformed into the given element and may enter one “pool” of the element and re-appear in another such “pool” within (Quantum+Mystic Mastery)x10 meters. Except as noted, this power behaves as the Transmit power.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How's that?

FR

[ProfPotts]

Let's see... apart from the Projection & Transmit Techniques, & the mini-bonus / penalty 'colour' based on element, there's nothing there that normal Elemental Mastery doesn't already cover (since EM can use any Elemental Anima Technique as well, & gets the 'Animation' Technique that is effectively a version of Q-Construst anyway - although within normal suite power ranges, which the Mystic Mastery 'Construct' technique isn't - suite techniques usually simulate level 2 powers, not level 3 powers that also have pre-requistites!).

Why not just use the normal Elemental Mastery & buy 'Projection' & 'Transmit' style powers seperately (ESP & Warp spring to mind), instead of making one uber-power that does it all?