Powers
The Source
When you acquire a Power, you must define it’s Source. This determines how you narrate the action, through the mechanical effect remains the same. Whether a player is a Cyber-Hacker, a High Elf Wizard, or a Psionic Detective, they use these exact same rules.
The suggested sources Arcana, Techne, and Psyche are just that - suggestions. Every gamemaster may have new ideas for their world, every player may have new sources for their character based on their backstory.
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Arcana (The Weave): You use gestures, incantations, or artifacts.
Counter: Can be stopped by anti-magic fields or by silencing/binding the caster.
Techne (The Machine): You use gadgets, implants, explosives, or hacking decks.
Counter: Can be stopped by EMPs, jamming signals, or removing the gear.
Psyche (The Will): You use raw mental strain and telekinesis.
Counter: Can be stopped by psychic dampers or breaking the user's concentration with pain.
Example: The "Burst" power deals 1d10 damage.
The Mage casts Fireball.
The Soldier fires a Wrist-Rocket.
The Psion uses Brain Hemorrhage.
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The Cost: Stress
2
Powers do not use "Mana" or "Slots." They use Stress.
Using a Power fatigues the mind and spirit.
If you have enough Stress points available, you simply pay the cost and the Power activates.
Recovery: Stress is recovered during "Breathers" (short rests) or "Downtime" (long rests).
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The Overdrive
3
If you are at maximum Stress (or simply don't want to lose Stress), you may attempt an Overdrive. You are pushing your body to break point to make the power happen.
Pay Vitality: You take damage equal to the Power's Cost directly to your Vitality. This damage cannot be reduced by Armor or Warding.
Roll a Check: Roll d20 + Discipline.
DC 10: The Power works normally.
Failure: The Power works, but you suffer Burnout. You cannot use any Powers (active abilities) until you complete a full Downtime rest.
Targeting & Resolution
4
Concentration & Duration
Rule of Scale
Powers as "Exotic Proficiencies"
In this system, Magic, Psionics, and Super-Science are not separate mechanics. They are treated as Exotic Skills.
To use a Power, you must be Proficient in it. You acquire these Proficiencies through specific Backgrounds (like The Believer or The Academic) or by spending "Talent Points" as you level up. You can create Powers to be what suits you.
Most Powers are not "auto-hit." You must direct them.
A. Attack Powers (Targeting an Enemy): When you use a Power to harm or debilitate a foe, make an Attribute Roll vs. the Target's Defense (10 + Agility or Warding).
Physical Projectiles (Fireball/Grenade): Roll Focus or Force.
Mental/Biological (Mind Control/Hacking): Roll Intellect or Presence.
B. Utility Powers (Buffs/Movement): These automatically succeed, provided you pay the Cost.
Example: You do not need to roll to Teleport or heal an ally. You just pay the Stress.
C. Area of Effect (AoE): If a Power hits an area (like a blast radius), you do not roll to hit. Instead, all victims in the area roll a Saving Throw (usually Agility or Frame) to halve the damage.
The DC: The Difficulty Class for the save is 10 + Your Attribute (Intellect/Method).
Instant: Most powers happen instantly (Damage, Teleport).
Sustained (Concentration): Some powers (Forcefields, Invisibility, Mind Control) last for a duration.
While Sustaining a power, you cannot recover Stress.
If you take damage while Sustaining, you must make a Discipline Check (DC 10 or half damage taken, whichever is higher). On a failure, the Power ends immediately.
Since Powers are flexible, the GM adjudicates the Scale based on the Tier of the power used.
Minor Powers (Tier 1): Personal scale. Can light a candle, fix a watch, hurt one person.
Moderate Powers (Tier 2): Room scale. Can blow open a door, hack a local server, hurt a squad.
Major Powers (Tier 3): City block scale. Can level a building, control a crowd, rewrite local weather.