Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - Rules and Setting - House Rules

Quantum Fire · August 24, 2011

I have decided to add these to clarify things and answer various questions

First Mega-Attribute Enhancements

• One, any enhancement that can be taken multiple times can only be taken up to as many times as you have dots in the mega-attribute

• Two, custom mega-attribute enhancements that fit and are in theme may be considered on a case by case basis

• Three, at Q6+ a nova can take some enhancements that cost quantum a second time, this has the same effect as Reduced Quantum Cost on powers, but doesn't apply to enhancements like Regeneration or Lifter, but with a bit of work, something like a regeneration factor can be applied.

• Four, every odd (1,3,5,7,9) dot of a Mega-Attribute comes with a free enhancement.

Second, Powers

• First, every power is personalized, even if 10 nova's have the same power, it works slightly differently for each of them.. (Armor might be scales, or a shell, or hardened skin, or carbonnano tubes under the skin, or almost anything).

• Second, powers that give one powers, like Node Spark, or Quantum Authority, or even things like Quantum Supremacy and Planck Scaling must take the above rule into account, you can't give yourself or others powers that don't fit your theme (Q.S can bypass that temporarily by fusing your Q. Signature with another nova's, but even then, your still bound by your combined themes)

• Third, powers that can give yourself powers, or replicate other powers like, like Q.Imprint, or Node Spark, can never give you powers above their level, or copy powers that you don't have the Quantum to possess. For example, you can't copy someone's Q.Supremacy Power with Q.Imprint.. even if it has enough mastery on it to be the same level, Q.Imprint remains limited to level 3 powers..

• Fourth, powers can be customized a bit, a power that might be used with manipulation for example, like Molecular Manipulation for example, could be used with Wits or Intelligence instead, though that thematically alteration needs to be explained somewhat.

• Five, if a power you desire is not quite right, we can work alterations to it, or even create new powers with my input, it may be that a specific power needs some alterations to make it work, or a new power entirely might be necessary to work the way you desire.

Now, Individual Powers

• Absorbtion can be changed to increase something other then strength, including powers, though physical absorption should always affect you physically, but energy absorption can have other interesting results (such as boosting Q.Bolt)

• Bodymorph: Adding Mastery to this power affects the powers assigned to this power, but does not give you more dots to assign (that effect isn't doubled). However, I'm adding the following extra to Bodymorph, available at Q6+ only.

• • Phase Shift: This extra costs 2 extras and is only available at Quantum 6 or higher, it allows the nova to alter the material of their form and purchase a different set of powers based on that form, the phase shift must shift from a solid to a liquid or a gas, this extra will not allow turning from water to acid, but water to ice (solid) or mist (gas) or even plasma (energy) is allowed. It costs the nova 1 quantum point to go from one phase to another, or standard cost to activate Bodymorph into any phase

• Boost: The maximum level that an attribute can be boosted is equal to quantum, not five, meaning that boost strength can be used to raise a Q7 nova's strength and Mega-strength to 7. Additionally, boost may be attached to more then just attributes, if a player wishes to be able to boost energy blasts, for example, they could assign it to boost Q.Bolt.

• Holo: Should one have Holo with enough extra's to cover all senses, it looks, feels, sounds, tastes and smells real, but a holo bridge will not hold you up, a holo dress will not keep someone warm, and holo food will not fill you up. (Likely this doesn't need to be said, but I figured as long as I am covering things).. of course, this can be good, holo chocolate would taste like chocolate, but be 0 calories.

• Hypnosis: Once you've added Mastery Two to hypnosis, the duration of a hypnotic effect is going to last long enough for it to become a habit, unless the target somehow manages to push it off early, the suggestion is likely to become permanent

• Invulnerability: This only protects against damage and environmental factors, you can take it verse mental attacks but all it shields you from in that case is mental blast, things like all social effects or visual effects or even telepathic probes, for that you need psychic shield, empathic shield or sensory shield. And only Quantum Shield protects against Quantum manipulation effects

• Pretercognition: The future is extremely changeable, in my game, I prefer this power to belong to NPC's only, should a PC take it, I require that it be uncontrollable or at least erratic, and it will give possible futures, not certain ones.. the future is undefined.

• Warp: Having discussed this with a certain player, Warp with Selective Permeability can not be used to affect an entire world, unless you have taken enough mastery to make it so. Mastery One could allow one to kill a city by opening a portal to a black hole or to the sun, Mastery Two will allow one to destroy entire continents that way, but it takes Mastery Three to annihilate an entire world.

•Time Travel: The past can be observed, but not actually changed, change something and you create an new timeline, an alternate reality that can be traveled to with Crosstime travel, but returning to your own timeline produces no changes at all.. though mixing crosstime travel with time travel can make it seem as though the change is total... this also solves the issues of paradox's or changing things back.

• Supremacy Powers: Other Supremacy powers can be developed at this level, they would have to be designed, using the supremacy powers as a basis.. crystal supremacy for example, could be developed to create conscious supercomputer intelligences within crystals. Or a terat could develop something like Chrysalis Supremacy to allow one to take on multiple archetypes (be both Marvel and Portent for example), to remain partially active during chrysalis (a sort of nova sleepwalker state) to react to dangers that one normally couldn't, create a new Chrysalis Archetype, or shift points of temporary taint to chrysalis, though this sort of power is certain to require Quantum 9 by me. (which means there is only one nova out there with enough power to have developed such a capability.. )

•• Living Chrysalis - Evolve does not affect the experience cost of Mastery, that never changes. Additionally, it should be noted, this power can only be developed while in Chrysalis or during Apotheosis, never at any other point.

Living Chrysalis changes things to in theme costs for anything that fits Archetype or matches aberrations, powers and mega's that are purchased as connected to aberrations make that aberration fixed so that even Aberration Transfer and Chimerical Aberration can not change/remove them. So someone who has Unearthly Beauty who purchases Mega-Appearance or M.Appearance enhancements will always have Unearthly Beauty at that point, they have fixed it to their Quantum Signature. Stuff that is out of theme, remains at out of theme costs but this often gives a terat incentive to gain further aberrations to extend their capabilities.

•• Quantum Supremacy - At this level, Quantum Transformation is horribly overpowered, giving someone new nova points, and permanent changes.. so a few rules, I am nerfing this power hard.
- First, effects on later (2nd and beyond) generation nova's last only a few days (theme and birth reasserts itself within supremacy dot days)
- Second, the permanent method can only be used once on any particular target, if it has already be used on it, it becomes the temporary version above.
- Second, there is a limit to the number of nova points it can grant.. 10 x (Quantum + Quantum Supremacy) without taint, maximum quantum that can be granted is 5, with this method. || OR 15 x (Quantum + Quantum Supremacy) with permanent taint of 5 regardless of how much quantum is added to the character, Maximum Quantum that can be granted is six; no powers can be purchased at tainted or in theme prices. || If used on a later generation, or someone who has already had this power applied, only the first method can be used, and as below, it's temporary
- There is a third method of erupting a baseline into a nova, in this case, it is not draining, but only adds 5 x (Quantum + Quantum Supremacy) nova points.. it also is a slow method, building power slowly and carefully, so it takes about three hours (and using the area extra can allow it to affect a group).
- Using the tainted method causes the bearer of this power to gain temporary taint equal to quantum gifted as well, this taint can not be turned into chrysalis (on the off chance someone with that capability had such an ability)
- It is extremely painful and draining, the nova with this power who uses it is at a 3^rdof their quantum pool, and using powers or mega-attributes at more then 1/2 strength takes a point of willpower to activate. This exhaustion and pain, and reduced quantum pool lasts (30 days - (Quantum + Stamina + Supremacy dots) minimum of one day). The nova can not use Q.Supremacy's intensification effect again until this period is over.
- It interacts strangely with potential nova's and can do much more unpredictable things with regards to them (wild card ST interjection can change things here and there)
- Self: The power can be used at a much reduced level on one's self only without ill effects, giving no more nova points then (Quantum + Q. Supremacy) for a temporary boost, these points are interchangeable, but the total can never be greater then (Q.Supremacy + Quantum) and lasts for (Q.Supremacy) days... there is no down time or ill effects when using it this way, but Quantum can't be changed (Either Permanent or Pool), and while other extras can be added to powers momentary, mastery remains unavailable. This effect must be dropped to boost someone else, or activate the other effects of Q.Supremacy, Synchronization (remaining inactive as long as Synchronization is active) or Enhancement. In essence, using the power this way gives the nova a group of variable interchangeable nova points unless they want to use this power in other ways (though changing it does cost 5 quantum from the nova's quantum pool), and should be considered a different technique for the most part.
•• Now, the other two Q. Supremacy Techniques, no changes to Synchronization, it's fine.. super powerful, but still ok for a level 5 power
•• Enhancement however, needs a little bit of a nerf, it is not a permanent change in quantum, but a temporary boost to all things that quantum enhances, but does not allow purchasing powers that your normal quantum couldn't allow, though it does allow one to raise mega-attributes higher then normal, and still affects baselines by allowing them to purchase Mega-attributes subconsciously as indicated. The extra quantum fades when you leave the area affected, but mega-attribute's purchased remain. It is limited to raising quantum only to the level of the Nova with this power - 1 (Seven at quantum 8).

•• Planck Scaling: though no one has this power yet, it's not impossible that it could be gained down the road, so in order to keep it under control, without seriously nerfing the power, and still keeping it a level 6 power, worth it's weight in tons of gold per dot, here are the rules.

Quantum Fire · September 7, 2011

Nova Census in 2027

1st Generation Novas - Around 12,000 with the number increasing by a few hundred a year, even with deaths, depending on various factors, the average is about 200, but this doesn't include the 2nd generation nova's. (about 0.5% are fertile.. But 600 fertile nova’s is a lot)

Quantum 10 Nova's - Non
Quantum 9 Nova's - One (And I'll give you one guess who)
Quantum 8 Nova's (Counting you folks) - About 32 or so (Sophia, Pax and Anteaus are all here)
Quantum 7 Nova's - Around 114 (Wizard and Reaper were both here)
Quantum 6 Nova's - 257 (about a quarter of these are Terat's), but Shen and Serenity are at this level.
Note: this means out of the total Nova Population, around 400, about 3.2% are above Q5, with fat crackling power of the gods, which is a significant number, in 2010, it was less then a dozen..
Quantum 5 Nova's - About 8 - 9 hundred (not counting 2nd generation nova's)
Note: Nova's with Quantum 5 or more, including the above numbers, come to about 10%
Quantum 4 Nova's - About 1300 or so.
Quantum 3 and less - all of the rest (under 10,000)
Other Inspired - (Psiads and Paramorph's) Unknown, but at least a few hundred.

2nd Generation Novas - 300 to 400 (somewhere in between 10% Trogs, 60% Trues, 30% terats (trogs would be higher, but they are often killed off, do to interactions of probability that should be laid at Sophia's door.)) only about 100 or so are over 13 years old though.. The numbers would be at least a thousand that if not for the ones killed off, though a few hundred of those would be of the Trog clade. Aproximately 98% are fertile as well, though most of them are still too young to have children, but as this shifts, the population of 3rd generation nova's is likely to explode (And should certain folks with species supremacy take action, they could change the fertility of 1st generation nova's, eliminating sterility in them, which will cause a major nova population explosion)
- They account for about 1/2 of the quantum 8 nova's, and that includes you folks (all 8 of you)
- Over 120 of the present 2nd generation are old enough to reach apotheosis in the next 2 years, if all of them survive, the number of high quantum nova's is going to double.
3rd Generation and after - less then 20, non over 8 years of age.

Quantum Fire · September 15, 2011

The following is an update to the style in 2027 and a bit of background... the stuff in red is added by me, the stuff in black is standard rules.

Qǐ Mēng/Enlightenment

Although none have admitted to it publicly as of 2015 (not quite true 12 years later), many novas have been seeking ways to stave off and/or remedy the problem of Taint accumulation. For every nova who learns how to bleed off her own temporary Taint there are four more who seek quick fixes, whether it be the services of Sin Eater’s Purity Clinic or the latest (and typically ineffective) “anti-taint drug” to hit the black market. Others pin their hopes on the rumors about the Teragen having a cure for Taint, only to find that the Chrysalis is much more - and somewhat less - than advertised. A very few novas - often those with a natural talent for the martial arts - hear a little-known rumor and find a means of actually curing their own Taint: Qǐ Mēng, or “Enlightenment”.

A style of Chinese internal martial arts with heavy Taoist influences, Qǐ Mēng emphasizes harmony of the user’s chi and quantum energies as well as that of his mind and body. The principles of Qǐ Mēng are summarized as seeing the nova as being like a fish. If the fish is healthy and in unpolluted waters it will swim effortlessly through them, a creature distinct from its environment yet perfectly adapted to it. From this viewpoint Taint is seen a noisy splashing, the sign of a diseased and distressed creature that is not just damaged but can pollute its environment as well.

Trained Qǐ Mēng stylists can not only reduce their Taint and the other negative side effects of quantum use but also learn to better channel their quantum energies in the process, sometimes in nasty ways. Techniques of notable use in combat with other novas are also taught.

Currently this combat style can be learned from only one person: a mysterious nova from Tibet known only as the Sifu. Whoever this person is, locating him or her—as with nearly all else, the Sifu’s gender is unknown—is almost impossible. The only way to find the Sifu is if the Sifu wants

to be found. So far, the only people who’ve done so are novas that both needed to and were worthy of finding the Sifu. Those novas went on to become the Sifu’s first students in Qǐ Mēng. Only time will tell what will become of the Qǐ Mēng stylists and their Sifu.

Associated Skills: Martial Arts and Meditation; as mastering Qǐ Mēng requires precise control over both mind and body. Qi Meng stylists will also have the opportunity to learn the new quantum-related Abilities—Channeling, Modulate and Unify— all found in The New Flesh 245) of this book. Some Qǐ Mēng stylists will have dots in the other combat Abilities —if not a full-fledged Combat Style—as per their personal fighting preferences. Academics with a specialty in Philosophy is mandatory due to the style’s extensive roots in Taoist teachings. Having at least

three dots of Instruction is also mandatory for stylists seeking to attain the second Qǐ Mēng combat specialty, as they will be expected to

eventually train their own students in Qǐ Mēng. Attaining the third Qǐ Mēng combat specialty requires Instruction 5.

As Qǐ Mēng also emphasizes taking advantage of a nova’s individual capabilities, Qǐ Mēng stylists are taught to adapt any maneuvers and techniques from other styles that may suit them. As such, many will either have the World Warrior Merit or buy the equivalent technique.

Prerequisites: Martial Arts 2, Meditation 5, Athletics 2; Dexterity, Stamina and Wits at 3 or better (or at least 1 dot in the equivalent Mega-Attributes). Note that these are just the minimums for beginning students, trained Qǐ Mēng stylists will have considerably higher ratings.

Time to learn: 2 years per specialty (Special: Nova's with the right Mega-Attributes (dexterity, stamina, wits) can learn a lost faster, lowering the learning time significantly, a but at least three month of instruction is necessary to internalize all of the lessons of this style with each specialty, meaning true mastery of each stage, ultimate mastery of all three levels could not be learned faster then 9 months. || Further Note: Non-Inspired styles can be learned even faster, being reduced by 1/2 for each mega-dot in a ability (usually dexterity, but wits also counts), but even they can't be mastered in less then a week of instruction.)

Starting Style Maneuvers: Block, Kick, Riposte, Shove, Strike.

Bonus Style Maneuvers: Catch Limb, Clinch, Dodge, Feint, Flying Kick, Joint Lock, Kip Up, Pressure Strike, Sweep, Throw.

Advanced Techniques: Chi Respire, Climbing the Mountain of Heaven*†, Dào Qǐ Mēng* (all Qǐ Mēng stylists get this Advanced Technique for free), Expanded Technique, Falling Technique, Finesse, Focusing Trance*, Footwork, Internal Balance*, Kata, Kiaijutsu, Kihon, Meditative Form, Multiple Assailant Method, Node Reconfiguration*†, Pressure Point Divination*, Pressure Secret, Purge Permanent Taint*, Purge Psychic Trauma*, Purge Temporary Taint*, Restorative Trance*, Running Water Camouflage*, Rooting Stance, Stop Hit.

* : This maneuver can only be learned by Qǐ Mēng stylists

† : This maneuver is useless for 2ndGen Qǐ Mēng stylists.

1st Specialty: +1 accuracy bonus to style maneuvers.

2nd Specialty: +1 damage bonus to a style maneuver of the Qǐ Mēng stylist’s choice, learn 1 style maneuver from the Qǐ Mēng bonus style maneuver list.

3rd Specialty: +1 accuracy bonus to style maneuvers, learn 1 style maneuver from the Qǐ Mēng bonus style maneuver list.

Special Techniques (and any changes I've worked out), listed by level

1st Degree Techniques

Dào Qǐ Mēng* ( this isn't a change, but IT should be noted: Any quantum capabilities involving Willpower, personal health, self-awareness & self-control—be it physical, mental, social or Telluric in nature—are now considered to be “in theme” with the character’s range of quantum powers. This means you pay the reduced experance costs indicated in the experance thread, and that is a change)
Focusing Trance
Purge Psychic Trauma
Purge Temporary Taint (No Experance Cost to reduce temporary taint, instead, for each point of temporary taint the nova wishes to purge an extra 24 hours is spent at the reduced strength.. the meditation + wits roll is still nessary)
Restoritive Trance
Running Water Camoflauge

2nd Degree Techniques
- Node Reconfiguration (Note: indicated as above, this ability doesn't need to be learned by the 2nd generation. That also extends to someone who has developed N-Stage node to the point they don't gain taint from node anymore)
- Quantum Balance (See Power Maxing Rules)
3rd Degree Techniques

Quantum Fire · September 15, 2011

Certain questions have been asked of me and events have happened that that make me feel a update to backgrounds will be useful, a note.. gaining and for that matter losing backgrounds in play can happen without xp.. building a sanctum or device, saving life sparing someone's life, making friends and allies, reputations build, spending time working the stock market can gain one background points.. just as people being killed, a sanctuary being destroyed or reputations spoiled can lose one background points..

Backgrounds

Allie: Each dot in allies represent an ally of certain power and capability, covered below, allies are more then folks who will listen to you, these are people who will drop what they are doing to help you, but lower levels can be used to represent a powerful ally who will listen and may help with advice or a place to stay, but will not drop their own stuff just to run off and help you. For example, 2 points of ally could be used to represent level 6 allies who may not help if they are busy elsewhere Special Note: Psiad or Daredevil allies require special ST permission, in the nova age, they are rarer then hen's teeth.

1 Dots: A weak nova (15-20 NP's) or other Inspired, A powerful baseline (CEO, Prime Minister, Director of the CIA, etc)
2 Dots: A regular nova (25 - 30 NP's), A powerful Psiad or Daredevil
3 Dots: A powerful nova (35 - 45 NP's), A very powerful Psiad
4 Dots: Extremely Powerful nova (50 - 70 NP's), extremely powerful Psiad
5 Dots: A Nova Godling (75 - 100 NP's)
More Dots: Allies Extraordinaire, people who are for some reason or another, beyond the norm.. Divis Mal is your father, Max Mercer is your lover, the Sifu was your teacher and is now a dear friend.. most of you are at this level, but it is not nessary to take this to represent PC allies

Attunement: Boosted Attunement in the New Flesh is available, and Modulate can be learned, though the nova's who possess either are rare, but you folks are among the nova elite.

Backing: Backing at level 6+ is the 'In Charge' expanded background, and should come with explanations why your in charge, such as taking over the Congo. Backing also means that other backgrounds are available on a temporary bases as needed, such as a king drawing on his country's wealth instead of his own.

Cyberware: This device variant is available, as is the bioware aspect of it, though most useful to nova's with Incorporate, Cyberware at level 6+ is the 'Ultrablack Cyberware' expanded background, and as usual, an explanation for it is necessary.

Cipher: This works as normal, except that cipher at 6+ is 'Enigma' and no only are you hard to find, but data about you is often erased or removed from databanks, and maybe even minds.

Contacts: Each major contact should be defined, unlike allies the level doesn't matter, and groups are acceptable as defined contacts, contacts at 6+ is the 'Man of the World' background, at which point you have a contact anywhere and everywhere, besides having powerful people and groups.

Device: Each level of device is something more and more unique, though it commonly is, a device does not have to be technology, it can be a strange crystal that absorbs a small amount of temporary taint if gained (granting the taint resistant merit). Devices at level 6 are artifacts 'Artifact' and strange and usual things like a Crystal Idol that allows one to actually reduce permanent taint (and has a few other powers) [NOTE: See the Device write up in this thread for details]

Dormancy: No Change, as is.. but Unify can be learned with it, like other abilities, it's a rare one

Eufiber: No change, eufiber above 5 is only possible with the 'Eufiber Attuned' merit, vampiric eufiber colonies and such are permitted

Followers: Has been altered to the Adventure! version. For those that don't have the book in question, the number of followers is as follows:
- 1 dot - 2 average individuals or 1 exceptionally skilled.
- 2 dots - 5 average or 2-3 more capable minions.
- 3 dots - 10 ordinary followers, or a fewer number of exceptional ones.
- 4 dots - 18 average followers, or again a smaller number of improved ones.
- 5 dots - 30 average minions, or a smaller number of elite ones.
- More then this is represented by the 'Legion' background expansion, and more or less means you have elite armys at your command if you want them
Influence: Influence must be indicated as to what, media influence is different then political influence which is different from religious influence which is different from criminal influence, but it can be concentrated into a where instead, such as the California, or the Congo, influence outside your focused area of influence is considered one to three levels lower then standard, depending on how you are using it (Example: King Enherjar would have an easier time convincing the pope to make a religious declaration about the Congo then about Poland). Influence at 6 is represented by the 'Kingpin' background expansion, and means you have enormous influence across the board.. and your influence can ruin country's, let alone individuals.

Mentor: At your level of power, your more likely to be a mentor then have one, but mentor can be used to represent a guide, a teacher or even an AI instructor your built yourself. At this level usually a mentor powerful to be a mentor to you is also powerful enough to be a very powerful ally, but it can also represent a teacher in things you don't know, such as a precognitive guide or a teacher in obscure martial arts. Mentor 6 is an 'Extraordinary Teacher' and means you are the favored student of the Sifu, or Divis Mal, for example, lower levels of mentor can mean you have a higher level mentor who doesn't have as much time for you as you might wish. [Technically, the PC's on the Primus have Shen/Traveller as mentor for free]

Neofiber: Rarer then Eufiber by far, it does exist and can be taken as a background, though getting your hands on it is very hard. Additionally neofiber is so different from eufiber that eufiber attuned gives no advantages for it, and it's not affected by eufiber rejection as either a flaw or a aberration(NOTE: To a degree.. those with eufiber rejection have somewhat uncontrolled neofiber, it can be taught cunning, but they can't learn weave to control it better, and it can and might act on subconscious fears or impulses of the folks with that flaw, such as leaving them naked because they were afraid something like that might happen, or shifting to jewelry because that's what someone else is wearing that looks lovely to them, or mirroring someone else's outfit at random.). It is also akin to vampiric eufiber, which is part of why it's not as popular with folks as the generally better known eufiber. It can be affected with the weave ability however, and can be taught the cunning ability as well

Node: No change, except that N-Stage Node from New Flesh is available, though it is rare (and never gained by folks below quantum 5), as is the Channeling ability, which is even rarer. Should a nova develop it after he has gained permanent taint from node, it actually lowers taint, and shifts gained aberrations into flaws

Reputation: Also from Adventure!, this Background can be taken multiple times, as well as earned and lost by a character's actions. Unlike Influence, it doesn't reflect personal pull, but it can add dice in certain Social situations depending on what the Reputation is for. Note that Reputation can be a detriment as well - Having a rep as a hotshot elite means that people buy you drinks in merc bars and that N! raves about you, but it also marks you as a target in battle. Every elite out there wants to be the one to take down Totentanz, even if they rationally might not actually want to fight him. The number of dots in a Reputation stat indicate how widespread that particular reputation is. 1 is very localized or in a narrow subculture, whereas 5 is global.

Resources: Resources at level 6 is actually 'Wealth Beyond Avarice' and generally means you have more money then you could spend, usually this kind of wealth comes with power and influence as well (and means you should by the influence background also). Resources can be gained with the use of Biz rolls. Note: In game, 5 or more on a resources roll can perminantly increase this background by one dot without spending experance.

Sanctum: A lair. A Batcave. A Fortress of Solitude. The more dots of this Background, the more exotic and useful the place and the harder it is to find, as each level of Sanctum acts as a level of Cipher for anyone trying to find it. Naturally, Pulp-style Sanctum types that don't fit in the Nova Age setting are not allowed. Undersea bases, orbital bases, and high-tech mansions tucked away in the mountains are fine.

Quantum Fire · September 27, 2011

House Rules: Power Maxing

Taking a round to focus, during which they can do nothing else save speak, the nova pays a flat rate of 3 quantum pool, and takes 1 point of Temporary Taint. In exchange they get a number of 'boost points' for the power, equal to Quantum. These work similarly to how successes on the Quantum roll work in the core rules. This can be repeated multiple times for higher gain, for a maximum number of times equal to the number of dots they have in the power. Spending 9 quantum pool and taking 3 Temporary Taint for Quantum x 3 boost points. Regardless of how high a boost is called on, it still only takes 1 round of concentration.

NOTE: Nova's with the taint resistant merit do not gain taint only if they use this effect only once, the first 3 quantum spent don't gain any taint, but they do gain taint for multiple uses, sense all True's have this merit, it applies to every latter generation of the True clade. Before apotheosis, True's actually can't do this more then once, their pre-apothesis quantum development prevents it.

[Example: Johnny Flamestrike has quantum bolt 4 and Quantum 3, he needs to increase the force and damage of his quantum bolt, so he concentrates for a round, then spends 12 quantum and gains 4 temporary taint for 12 boost points (Quantum x 4), adding Explosive, Homing and 8 points of damage to his bolt, then spends 2 quantum as normal to fire his quantum bolt, unleashing a blast of incredible flame upon his foes. Johnny's son, James Flamestrike also wants to link his power with his dad, and he has quantum bolt 2, quantum 5, but being pre-apotheosis true he can only spend the 3 quantum one time, gaining 5 boost points and no taint, sense he has the taint resistant merit. Later, James goes though apothesis, his quantum increasing to 7, and can now go above his previous limits, he uses his power to unleash an enhanced flame blast spending 6 quantum for 14 (Quantum x 2) boost points and gaining 1 point of taint, he wanted to do more, but having only quantum bolt 2 (still) he is limited to doing it a max of 2 times.]

The Boost Points can be used in the following Ways

Effect: Each point spent increases the Effective Rating of the Power being used by 1 dot to calculate the chosen effect. This can increase a rating beyond the normal Quantum imposed limits. This is purchased separately for each effect: Dice Pool, Damage, Range, Soak, or Area.

Example: A nova with Quantum Bolt 3 and Quantum 4 spends 3qp, takes 1 Temp Taint, and increases her Quantum Bolt to 7 for one shot for damage purposes only, meaning it does [Quantum x2]L + (7x4)d10L damage.

Area: Adding the Area or Explosive extras to a offensive power costs only 2 boost point, it's much easier to do this then add other sorts of extras

Add an Extra: 3 points can be used to buy a temporary Extra, though the reduced quantum cost and mastery extras can not be purchased, some power specific extras, such as longevity on Quantum Imprint are also unavailable normally.

Increase Duration: 2 points will increase the duration 1 step from Instant to Concentration to Maintenance. Effects at Maintenance level or with a set duration are doubled in duration per 2 points spent, certain powers can not normally be increased this way, always check with your ST(me) if your unsure if it's allowed.

Terat Only: If a terat maxes a power in a manner that fits their archetype, first they must increase the power with the effects they desire, then they can attempt to turn the taint gained into chrysalis. Additionally, Terat's may not purchase signature moves, sense these are ways other nova's use to control taint, a concept that the philosophy of teras rejects, so all beings with a chrysalis rating can't purchase signature moves (but really, sense they can get chrysalis from this, there is no real desire too, and lets them save xp for other things).

Qi Meng Practitioners Only: Doing this counts as Node Abuse to Qi Meng practitioners (even those with Taint Resistant), but there becomes times when it may be necessary to reach beyond normal limits, there is a way this can be done safely, but it costs them a bit more. The method is such, developed by the Sifu himself, this is a 2nd degree Qi Meng technique called Quantum Balance and it costs 3 xp to learn, it allows them to purchase a signature move with experience, they can do it differently, spending a careful week of study during which they can't do much else and then they can very carefully restructure of quantum balance so it doesn't produce taint.

Signature Move: Costing 1 xp for every 3 points of boost, a nova can purchase a special signature move for their power, using the power max rules here, and it doesn't produce taint, though they cost double the quantum and there is no way to reduce that cost even if the power normally has no quantum cost at all. Unless they possess the above Qi Meng technique, they must do it the normal way at least 3 times to have fully developed it, having learned how to channel it safely in experience, and will have gained taint for it. Signature moves should always have a name and be very personalized, they can be purchased with Standard or Nova Xp.

N-Stage Node: Because of the change in rules regaring power maxing, I'm making this change regarding N-Stage node, to match some of what it already offered, 8th Instar (N-Stage Node 2) reduces taint gained from Power Maxing by 1, 9th Istar (N-Stage Node 3) reduces taint gaind by power maxing by another 2, meaning that one can max a power up to 3 times without gaining taint, this stacks with the Taint Resistance Merit.

Finally, 10th Istar makes it impossible to botch when maxing a power, sense this rule is for the old rules, instead, the nova with N-Stage node this high gets to roll Node (just Node, so 5 dice (+ Channeling if they have it) and for each success reduces taint gained by 1 point, this is only possible when one has maxed out N-Stage node, and it stacks with the above reductions. Work in Progress..

Quantum Fire · October 21, 2011

Nova Fertility & Sterility

Sense this has become an issue for discussion, allow me to discuss the methods of madness here.

The simplest method of dealing with the problem, which is a sort of band aid, is to somehow give or develop the health and fertility enhancements, this requires either that the nova has them, or has a way to gain them, body shift with affect others one way of working here, but it still requires a bit more, as a maintenance power, this must be kept up while intercourse occurs, so the natural methods are still required here... fertility II has another option, but is in essence, creating a genetic clone... the genetic sampler body mod allows some different options here, and can allow someone to get pregnant with a kiss so to speak, non of the above, however, actually fixes the problem, it simply finds ways around it. (Unless the nova in question develops fertility enhancement themselves, then they have fixes the issue within their own bodies).

Next easiest is Quantum Conception with the Affects Sterile Nova's extra, and this power doesn't even require that one engage in intercourse, this power has a lot of different possibilities, but it can certainly deal with the issue of sterility, in fact, the nova with this power doesn't even need to be fertile themselves, they have found a different way. (some variations on this could be thematic too, such as a method of reproduction based on the Cocoon movie.. light and energy exchange). This is also the only method of reproduction available to someone with permanent power aberration attached to Body Morph for example, so there are a lot of other possibilities here.. [NOTE: Technically, the affects Sterile Nova's only affects the sterility Cocktail by the book, I think it's silly to have a power extra that only affects one particular condition, so as fair as I'm concerned, if you have this extra you can even impregnate a nova made of diamond, or someone sterile due to other situations - if it affects Sterile Nova's, it affects all Sterile nova's.]

After that, we move to the area of Biomanipulation, the Body Manipulation technique is is a longer term fix then the the Body Shift power, it can fix fertility for several days, about as many days as dots in the power, but not permanently without other powers becoming involved. Together with Disease Authority, however, one can purge the sterility cocktail from someone's body within a few hours of being dosed.. additionally, though it requires medical prodigy and a high degree of medicine, someone with both of those powers can develop a form of RNA that allows them to repair the damage done by the sterility cocktail.. this doesn't make someone immune to it being reapplied, but it does fix the fertility issue until something else comes along to sterilize them again.

Next, we come to Ecological Supremacy.. affecting sentient species requires a difficulty roll of 1 + average intelligence (2 for baseline humans) + 1 success per 10% of the population (meaning to affect baseline humanity, you need 13 successes, before you start adding successes for an affect). The method of fixing things here, however, is aiming at nova's and using mutation to give novakind health and fertility collectively.. however, it's not quite that simple.

First off, while this knowledge is more properly only known to Anteaus (as until recently he was the only one with Eco. Supremacy), Nova's are more properly a genus rather then a species, with a great deal of variation. Just within first generation novas, to the nova with Ecological Supremacy, a nova terat is a distinct species from a standard nova, which is a distinct species from a nova who has altered their quantum signature with Qi Meng, and a nova with high (7+) taint is a distinct species from the standard nova, and 2nd generation nova's are a distinct species in and of themselves, the clades being the most common way of seperating them, but high taint, or Qi Meng can further distinguish them.. and 3rd generations are yet another species very close to 2nd generation but not quite the same (Except in the case of a trog, 2nd generation is the end for them, and 3rd as far as it goes, there a few special rules that apply there, that continue to apply for all following generations). And nova animals come under an entirely different distinction here as well. And this doesn't include nova's who are permanently changed, a nova who has permanent body morph diamond is a different species altogether as far as Eco. Supremacy is concerned.

Furthermore, the average nova's intelligence is much more varied, but comes out to about 7+ sense not everyone has Mega-Intelligence, but enough do that the average becomes about 7... additionally, the nova with Eco Sup. must decide the level of quantum they wish to affect, each dot of quantum involved adds +1 to the difficulty. So, to affect 10% of the general nova population of quantum 4 or less, the nova with Eco. Supremacy must roll (8 + 4 + 1 or 13 successes, the same amount needed to affect the entire baseline human populace).. before they can start counting successes needed to change things.

Quantum Fire · October 29, 2011

Aberration Clarifications

Due to it being such an issue and because of people running scared from the matter, I am going to cover the problem aberrations here, they might be somewhat different from the way you understand them, but this is the way they work here.

Object of Desire: This does not require you to react sexually in any way, only possessive, there are dozens of ways this can be expressed, and seuxal is only one of them them.. for example, Gimli's desire for a lock of hair, in Lord of the Rings, is the equvalent of aberration expressed from the lady Galadriel,. It doesn't mean you have to be their lover, or best friend, or even nice to them. It is also completely up to the player character how they react, not the pc with the abberation or the ST.. just the player themselves!

NOTE: Object of Desire never quite vanishes, except in one particular case, which I'm not absolutely not ever going to explain to anyone (I feel the grabbing of empathic shield by all is metagaming enough, so, you can only discover that special case should you end up with it naturally) though it does fade some when out of someone's presence, and degree you fail by also matters some. There are a few others ways to deal with it, but the simplest is to consider some form of possession that you like, from respect and admiration to adoration, to sexual attraction, to anything else.

Hearthrob: This just makes the pc exceptionally seductive, it does not apply when they are trying activate seductive or seductive looks, only when they are not, there is nothing that requires a player to respond to it.. unless they have a really low willpower, at which point I will require a roll (but by really low, i mean under five). It does mean that when someone uses it on you, you feel attraction, but again, you don't have to respond to it.

Quantum Fire · October 30, 2011

Social Rules

In order to keep the game fun for everyone, I'm adding the following option to social aberrations and abilities, I do sometimes feel peoples reactions to some of it seems like meta-gaming to me.. However, I find it in my heart to understand the players who absolutely don't or can't stand the idea of their character being affected this way...

So, if you absolutely can't or don't want you character to be affected by a social ability or aberration, you can just dock yourself 4 exp to completely avoid the affects of a social aberration, mark it on your sheet and I will have considered you to have succeeded at any particular roll, I will even allow this to be applied retroactively (for stuff previous to this). On a side note, because this is a little unfair to players who embrace the affects of a social ability and aberration and roll with it, I'm granting people 1-2 experience when they fully role-play the effects of being under a social aberration or ability (2 xp if it's an outcome that is really bad for them)

In the future, if you want to avoid an affect you can roll against it, or take the experience roll, but if you roll and fail, then decide that you didn't want to take the consequences of the roll, I do consider that very much metagaming of a sort, and will double the xp cost, or even triple it if it's really bad in my opinion.

The XP must be taken from Standard/Nova XP, baseline XP does not apply.

Weaknesses

I'm going to add another bonus as a gift, if players have exploitable weaknesses, should they be taken advantage of, pc's will gain experience when they are. This is stuff like superman's weakness toward magic or more specifically, how some of Kami's powers have weakness to fire and sound, if that weakness is exploited in the game, folks will gain xp.

Sailor OOC · November 1, 2011

(Quoted post edited to avoid wall of text syndrome)
Social Rules
...So, if you absolutely can't or don't want you character to be affected by a social ability or aberration, you can just dock yourself 4 exp to completely avoid the affects of a social aberration, mark it on your sheet and I will have considered you to have succeeded at any particular roll... In the future, if you want to avoid an affect you can roll against it, or take the experience roll, but if you roll and fail, then decide that you didn't want to take the consequences of the roll, I do consider that very much metagaming of a sort, and will double the xp cost, or even triple it if it's really bad in my opinion.

I note an ambiguity; at the start of this house rule, taking a XP penalty for a guaranteed resist is a sure thing (something I'd never do anyways unless I saw a player was actually being a dick about things) but later it says that taking the experience hit to avoid a social/social aberration isn't a sure thing.

Can I get a clarification? Clarified.

Quantum Fire · November 3, 2011

In an effort to be fair to everyone involved with the recent discussions over the matter, here's the changes to Qi Meng and Chrysalis.

Here's a few other points.

You need Instruction 5 and Qi Meng (3rd) to teach it, and you must know a technique to teach it
Only about 10% of the nova populace can even manage the self-awareness, discipline, sub-conscious awareness of the noetic medium and low taint needed to develop Qi Meng, no one over 6 taint can ever learn Qi Meng (which means at least 40% to 60% of the nova populace is ineligible on that basis alone)
You need Instruction 1+ and 2nd+ Stage Terat to guide someone on the path of Chrysalis, until they have a dot of permanent Chrysalis, and someone to guide you though entering Chrysalis the first time.
Any nova can learn Chrysalis, unless they have been lost to taint, at taint 10.

Purge Permanent Taint:

Failure = loss of saved xp, +1 Perm Taint.

Botch = loss of saved xp, +1 Perm Taint, -1 Quantum Rating.

Chrysalis:

Failure = loss of all Chrysalis points, +1 Perm Taint.

Botch = loss of all Chrysalis points, +1 Perm Taint, unable to convert taint for the next number of successful taint=>chrysalis conversion rolls equal to the permanent Chrysalis rating rolled on the botch.

Reasoning's for Botch penalties:

Qi Meng - Hits them hard in the xp but is thematically appropriate because they are attempting to use noetic energy to affect their quantum signature, something very difficult, impossible even for those who don't have Qi Meng, though the Psi Awareness enhancement allows one to be aware of it. For a Q1 nova that's somehow managed to get far enough to have PPT and botch, they lose as much XP as necessary to buy Q1 (extrapolated from the Qi Meng multiplier for buy up Q. Rating, so 14 xp).

Chrysalis - Hits them in the ability to channel taint, the hallmark of what Chrysalis does. Essentially, characters will have to add to their taint (risking even more permanent taint) before they can regain enough control of their quantum signature from the twisting of the failed Chrysalis before they can begin channeling taint to chrysalis again. This slows down their march to power through Chrysalis and provides a higher risk of hitting the Taint 10-loss-of-character point.

Quantum Fire · March 2, 2012

The Limits of Shielding, been some discussion about this, so I decided it's time to include the following.

Blank - Makes the nova hard to detect with metasensory capabilities, including both powers and enhancements, but not enhancements to regular senses so a nova with really high mega-perception and enhanced hearing for example, would be able to detect the nova normally, but they would be invisable to someone using ESP (actually it requires a roll between the two nova's)

Empathic Shield -Defends against emotional based powers and enhancements, it has no effect on capabilities that aren't based on emotions, it also only protects against seduction or intimidation effects in terms of non-quantum enhanced powers, meaning it has no effect on things like 'the Voice' or 'Hypnotic Gaze'

Psychic Shield - Protects against mental attacks or invasions, reducing or making impossible someone's ability to control the nova psychically.. it protects against powers, but not against any enhancements, unless they are specifically psychic in nature

Sensory Shield - Protects against sensory overload, such as flash or strobe, or any power based on sensory control, including such body mod's such a pheromones, but has no effect on any other powers or abilities.

Quantum Shield - Quantum Shield is a potent defense against powers that manipulate or drain a nova’s ability to use quantum powers (Disimmunize, Disrupt, Disrupt Node, Quantum Imprint, Quantum Leech, or Quantum Vampire, this includes negative effects from Q.Supremacy or Q.Authority), it has no effect on positive effects, such as Quantum Intensification, Quantum Qychronization, or Quantum Transfer, though most of those abilities require the nova's allowing it anyway. It can be dropped if a nova wishes for another nova to diplicate their powers with Quantum Imprint.

Quantum Fire · March 15, 2012

Device Update

Background: Gadgetry

● Mediocre Gadget with up to 5 options, or innovations that duplicate a level 1 power. Quantum 1, Quantum Pool 10.

●● Minor Gadget with up to 10 options, or innovations that duplicate two Level 1 powers or one Level 2 power. Quantum 2, Quantum Pool 20.

●●● Moderate Gadget with up to 15 options, or innovations that duplicate three levels of powers of Level 1 or 2 powers. Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 30.

●●●● Major Gadget with up to 20 options, or innovations that duplicate four levels of powers up to Level 3 powers. Quantum 4, Quantum Pool 40.

●●●●● Powerful Gadget with up to 30 options, or innovations that duplicate six levels of powers up to Level 3 powers. Quantum 5, Pool 50.

Artifact - This sort of gadget is beyond one of a kind, intrinsically tied to the character that bears it. A gadget with with 60 Option Points or twelve levels of power up to Level 3 powers. Even an Artifact cannot grant Level 4+ powers, despite the equivalent Quantum Rating granted by the enhancement. Quantum 8, Pool 80.

PLOT DEVICE ARTIFACT: MINE (Example: Marvel's Cosmic Cube): Some devices break the above rules, such devices are mine and have special purposes in the game.. they are not protected as below, and they can change over time, becoming something very different, they are very strange and can do incredible things.

Weapons, Armor, and Vehicles can all be fitted with options. For each option you may spend `option points' (OP) to increase that objects statistics.

Weapons-

Accuracy (+1/2OP), Damage (+1/2OP or +[1]/3OP), Strength-Min (-1/1OP), Strength-Max (+1/2OP), Range (+50%/1OP, max x2), Maneuver (+1Mnv/1OP) - It has to make sense for the user or the gadget, Rate of Fire (+1/1OP), Clip (+50%/1OP, max x2), Concealability (-1 step/2OP)

Armor-

Bashing (+1/2OP), Lethal (+1/2OP), Penalty (-1/2OP), Destruction (+1/1OP)

Vehicles-

Safe Speed (+50%/1OP), Max Speed (+50%/1OP), Maneuver (+1/1OP), Passangers (+50%/1OP, only once), Armor (+1/1OP or +[1]/2OP)

Want a laptop that transforms into a sentry gun? Or a motorcycle/jet-ski? These are called `Exotic Options' and most objects only possess one EO. Any modification not on the list generally costs 3OP. This cost may be more or less depending on the STs approval. Adding a small dart launcher on a pistol might only cost 1OP since it's a relatively small and not a difficult upgrade.

An `Innovation' duplicates the effect the effects of a Quantum Power. This could include a harmonizer that generates a `Disorient' effect while it's activated, or a cannon the hits like a Quantum-Bolt. An innovation always functions with a number of dots in a power equal to the gadgets ranking. So a gadget at rank 2 with a Level 2 Armor innovation will function as the Armor power with 2 dots (or +6L/+6B soak in this case). All Innovative Gadgets have their own Quantum Pool and Quantum rating and these are used to determine the effectiveness of the gadget's range, duration, maintenance, etc. when it's activated.

If the gadget is an item that requires a skill to use (like a gun, sword, etc.) then the player uses their skill for the dice pool in place of the power's rating.

Suite Powers - Suite techniques are considered one level lower than the suite power rating, thus a character may purchase a power from a Level 3 suite as if it were Level 2. In the case of a Suite Power being purchased for +4 dot gadgets, the owner may select [Gadget Rating -2] powers from the suite that the device may activate as `learned' powers. The rest of the suite powers are activated at double the cost and +1 difficulty. The Artifact enhancement counts as Gadget Rating 8.

Can I mix an Option and an Innovation together?

Yes. If you'd like to upgrade an object with powers and options you may do so, but the benefit of one or the other (Option or Innovation) is dropped by two complete ranks. This means that you can mix until at least Rank 3. The Quantum Pool and Quantum of the object are also calculated at the new lower rank. Also all power Levels available options drop by one, so two Level 2 powers available becomes 1 Level 2 power available (making it impossible to make a mixed device with a Level 3 Power).

Example: Dave wants to make an artillery cannon that blasts out pure energy for it's attack (Quantum-Bolt), but his dice pool stinks so he wants to increase it's accuracy by adding advanced targeting systems. He creates a Device 3 (1 Level 2 Power (Q-Bolt)) and chooses 5 OP worth of options. Once all is said and done he has a cannon that punches like a quantum bolt and has +1 accuracy and +[1] damage.

Losing/Regaining Gadgets

It is possible that a gadget can be lost/broken/destroyed through any number of events. As such, generally a character with Gadget would have the means to repair such a thing (a bit of an explanation of the character point protection). If the character can do it themselves they need the Abilities and resources (and repair tools) to do such a thing; if they can't they would need access to someone who has such things. Also generally the higher the number of dots in Gadget someone has, the harder it would be to repair a gadget. A "Plot device" 6 dot gadget would need a whole story possibly just to get the parts needed to repair it while a 1 dot would probably only mean heading to the local hardware store (maybe).

A rule of thumb is this: You need 2x the number of dots of the damaged gadget in successes in order to repair your gadget. This would be an extended test, with a check made every day. Destroyed gadgets can either take 3x the number of dots of it's value in successes in order to be repaired wholly, or 2x value in successes and permanently lose a dot in value.

Quantum Fire · April 2, 2012

Related to the Above, was recently asked what level of technology is available in 2027, and I figured this would be useful for everyone.

Weapons - Higher tech weapons are available.. lasers yes, though powerful portable lasers guns are generally only available to elite forces, the rank and file still has to deal with slug throwers, though rail guns are a bit rare here (usually vehicle mounted, etc.). Out of the ordinary are energy/plasma weapons that are armor piercing, homing, or possess disintegration effects, or a gravity Bomb or weaponized weather control, even a lightning or TK gun is generally the provice of folks like Alex, who has the exceptional mega-intelligence and creative ability to create such things.

Defenses - Spider Silk armor is available, granting some real nice soak without the weight armor used to have, but stealth fields and force fields are rare, the power to sustain them normally can't be miniaturized enough, but a advanced military complex, starship or tank could have a force field, but is usually too big for stealth related tech, without the involvement of Mega-Intelligent Nova's.

Energy Generation: Fusion is available, if rare, most such power sources are too large for the smaller ships though.. cold fusion isn't developed yet (unless Alex has developed) other types of engines, such as a quantum powered, or a gravitic engine are not really avalible unless though the kind of genius Alex has developed.

Transportation: Earth nations have a few spaceships capable of making to mars (carrying a small crew), and some lunar colonies, but no real venturing beyond near earth orbit yet, outside of nova's like Starseed or the rare nova with a level 5+ sanctum starship. Non-fuel burning (electric or other) cars are becoming more common though.

Electronics: High capabilities, it's huge the are it covers.. it's reasonable to assume that all computers can project holographic screens and keyboards, or mostly holographic ones - cell phones should be able to touch upon supercomputer capabilities, but most the really ususual stuff is again, the province of nova invention.

Biotech: Crazy stuff is out there, shoot, some of it has only come out in order to combat some of the damaging stuff out there.. a drug to change someone's sex completely, within 24 hours would be almost unheard of, but doable by the super Mega-Intelligence,, it's reason to assume that a Mega-Intelligence +7 with Medical Prodigy could create a retrovirus that gave ordinary baseline's the equvalent of some body mods.

Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - Rules and Setting - House Rules

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