Aberrant: Mutant High - [UA] House Rules

[Dave ST]

Ultimate Aberrant: House Rules

Below is a list of the changes made to the aberrant core rules to better accommodate a more outlandish and wacky comic style environment. Some of these changes benefit the characters, others don't. None of these are etched in stone and we can change them at anytime but I'd prefer there be a good reason for it; 'I don't like it like that' is not a good reason by the way.

Formatting
I tried to format this by where the rule is located in the core book via it's chapter. This way if you wanted to look up the actual rule and compare you're more than welcome to.

That's a lot. Do I gotta remember everything?
Nope. I don't expect people to memorize everything here (I know I won't and I wrote it) but take some time to compare what powers your PC has and review any possible changes to those rules.

What about stuff we add?
Eventually, once we add new things to the world, they will show up in the section appropriate for that item.

What about new changes?
Any new rules changes made will be added in a different color font and remain like that until I remember to remove the color. Usually about a month or so so people can get caught up.

[Dave ST]

Chapter 1: Systems

Time

Scene -Unless otherwise stated a scene lasts until it ends, however maintenance costs must be paid every 15 minutes. Even if the players remain in the same location, the timer for a maintenance powers resets every 15 minutes.

This does apply even to non-plot/ST Driven threads. The characters are only capable of so much and will eventually need to rest and recover their energy.

Try to keep this in mind as you write your fictions.

Complications

Botches -Any roll augmented by your energy pool (i.e. most enhancements and powers) that botches gives the character a point of temporary taint. Obviously certain powers that require no activation (like Armor), or enhancements that are permanent (like Hardbody) are not subject to this rule, but exceptions exist.

This is generally ignored in non-plot/ST Driven stories. Unless scripted, Temporary Taint should not accrue during power practice or Tom Foolery.

[Dave ST]

Chapter 2: Character

Experience
Experience Costs - All experience costs are ‘Desired Rating x X’ not ‘Current Rating x X’. This prevents characters from paying less for their second dot in a skill then they did for their first. Learning gets harder as you go, the better you are the harder it is to top your own skills.

Thank nWoD for this. It's a change that I've loved since the system was released. Sorry.

Increasing/Developing New Powers - All newly acquired powers are used at +2 difficulty until they have been practiced by the character. Newly acquired powers must remain within the characters theme.

Losing Traits - Any aggravated attack that incapacitates a character results in the loss of a randomly determined trait. This is usually an Attribute, Mega-Attribute, or Mutant Power.

Yes, severe trauma can cause you to have to recover. Thankfully Aggravated damage is not something I use because it’s cheap. It’s something the characters should be afraid of, not something that comes standard on every Joe Mutant.

Increasing Energy Pool- Providing the character has used a power or enhancement that requires an activation roll and/or cost they may increase their quantum pool.

This is so easy… I put it here in case someone just had to ask.

[Dave ST]

Chapter 3: Traits

Attributes
Qualities – You may select a quality once your attribute rating reaches 4. Since attributes rise to 10 in this game you may select an additional quality for every two points beyond 4 you achieve (6, 8, 10 in this case).

You may only apply one quality to any given roll for that attribute, but more qualities gives you a wider opportunity to ‘pop’ 10s.

Willpower
Compulsion – If your character falls victim to their compulsion, they may not regain willpower until its been acted out appropriately. This means a fiction involving the PC acting out their compultion.

This fiction must be with another author using their own character or acting in an ST capacity. You can not solo this fiction. I will not accept two lines of your PC kicking someone in the nuts and suddenly you can regain WP again.

Not happening.

Energy Pool
Recharging Energy Pool – A character may opt to recover an energy point instead of recovering a Willpower point. Very handy if the character is already at full Willpower but still achieves some great success.

Dying for Power - The health levels may not be healed through any means save rest. Neither healing, nor Regeneration has any effect on these lost health levels.

Taint
Losing Temporary Taint - If a character can make it through an entire ST driven plot without the acquisition of any new temporary taint he may buy off a box of Temporary Taint at the cost of 3 experience points.

If they can do it without spending any energy points to call on power or enhancements to over come the challenges they may remove 2 boxes at no XP cost.

[Dave ST]

Chapter 4: Mega Attributes and Enhancements

Buying Mega Attributes-
A character must posses a standard attribute rating at 3 or higher in order to qualify for the purchase of a Mega Attribute. This rule is non-negotiable.

Mega-Attribute Advantages
Mega-Attributes generate 2 successes per success rolled. No more, even if a 10 is rolled. Mega-Attribute Dice may still pop 10s when a quality is involved.

Applying a Mega-Attrbute
Mega-Attributes augment your characters own natural ability, they can not provide you with knowledge or prowess your character did not already possess prior to a dice roll. It’s for this reason that Mega-Attributes only apply to an ability roll when the character has dots in the governing ability. This applies to activating enhancements that might govern particular skill rolls or require some knowledge of a topic to be effective (like computer prodigy when you have no dots in computers).

Your PC may be mega intelligent, but his intelligence is not worth a spit if he has no idea what he’s doing, it applies to piloting a plane or trying to fast talk someone when they have no clue what to say. It's at these times the character must rely on their own god-given attributes.

If a Mega-Attribute provides you with bonus dice (like bonus style dice via Mega-Appearance) you may still apply those dice to your unskilled roll, but they are not mega-dice. This represents the Mega-Attributes presence even if the owner is unskilled.

Additionally, most Mega-Attribute enhancements provide a bonus to skill rolls. Activating an enhancement that augments a skill roll does not affect a target unless an actual skill roll is made. You can have all the seductive looks you want, but if you’re not trying to seduce anyone with them the enhancement fails (although you still look quite seductive).

Exceptions exist, like using seductive looks as a lure to run a distraction instead of a seduction, but these are handled case by case.

Physical Mega Attributes
Mega-Strength
Crush - The mutant may make his attack on the same turn as the activation the enhancement.

Shockwave - The difficulty to keep your footing is the mutant’s Mega-Strength +2. So if a character with a Mega-Strength of 3 who uses Shockwave on a group of baselines, each if them must achieve 6 successes to keep their footing. (not likely)

Quantum Leap - A mutant may use this enhancement to break a fall. Since the enhancement assures no injury during a landing, it may be used to secure a safe fall from a high place. The user must have some means of landing on their feet, this does not protect against falls on ones back or head.

Mega-Dexterity
Accuracy - The mutant may make his attack on the same turn as the activation the enhancement.

Quickenss - This enhancement may be purchased as a Mega-Dexterity Enhancement.

Rapid Strike - The mutant may make his attack on the same turn as the activation the enhancement.

Mega-Stamina-
Regenerate - Mutants may not spend more quantum points on this enhancement than they have dots in mega-stamina. Only one box of aggravated damage may be healed per day by regenerate. Limbs may take days to regrow.

True Regeneration – (The Morrigan only) The Morrigan may spend any amount of energy she desires, up to what her Genome background permits per turn, to heal her injuries, she is no longer limited by her Mega-Stamina score. She may heal a number of boxes of aggravated damage per day equal to her Mega-Stamina score (and must pay the energy point too, of course). Limbs take hours to regrow.

Healing Factor - (Locked) You automatically regenerate wounds equal to your Mega-Stamina score without the need to spend energy points. Lethal, bashing, aggravated… it’s all the same. This healing is reflexive and always occurs on your turn. Limbs come back in a matter of minutes.

Mental Mega-Attributes
Mega-Perception
Electromagnetic Vision - Each of the abilities on the list is purchased separately. Ultra Violet Vision, Infrared Vision, and Visible Light Attuner are each separate enhancements. Once purchased any of the enhancements may be activated reflexively.

Hyperenhanced Hearing - Each of the abilities on the list is purchased separately. Infra/Ultrasonic Hearing, Sonar, and Radar Scan are each separate enhancements. Once purchased any of the enhancements may be activated reflexively.

Mega-Wits
Enhanced Initiative- 1QP activates all instances of this enhancement. Once purchased its effects stack. Additional purchases of this enhancement increase in cost at the same rate as a mega attribute (‘Desired Rating x X’). So if a mutant has Enhanced Initiative x2 and wants to purchase Enhanced Initiative x3, the cost would be 15xp (Desired rating (3) x 5 = 15). The mutant may not have a rating in this enhancement greater than their Mega-Wits score.

Purchasing the first rank in this enhancement only costs 5XP.

Quickness- Additional purchases of this enhancement increase in cost at the same rate as a mega attribute (‘Desired Rating x X’). So if a mutant has Quickness x2 and wants to purchase Quickness x3, the cost would be 15xp (Desired rating (3) x 5 = 15). The nova may not have a rating in this enhancement greater than their Mega-Wits (or Mega-Dexterity, depending how the enhancement was purchased) score.

Purchasing the first rank in this enhancement only costs 5XP

Social Mega-Attributes
Mega-Appearance
Appearance Alteration - This enhancement can not duplicate retinal patterns or finger prints. That requires the Shaepshift power.

Awe-Inspiring - Doesn’t really work so well on mutants. Although the character is still quite captivating and awesome, only the activated version really gets a response out of mutants.

Copycat - This enhancement can not duplicate retinal patterns or finger prints. That requires the Shaepshift power.

Mega-Manipulation
The Voice- This enhancement may duplicate any voice pattern the character has heard at least once.