Ability Boost

[Power]

**Cost**: by mode

**Activate**: varies; move action

**Sustain**: per round/minute; free action

**Range**: self

This power allows you to temporarily increase one or more of your ability scores. One rank in Ability Boost, regardless of mode (see below), grants a +1 bonus to the relevant ability or abilities. There are four modes of this power: Single, Mental, Physical, and Total.

The PP cost for *Ability Boost* varies by mode and is by Character Level (CL). **You can activate Ability Boost for a number points equal to or less than ½ your CL for free, across all modes (so no Total, Physical, and Mental boosts all at 2 for free at level 4, instead it would cost 4PP).** All Boost points over and above that amount cost PPs, as described in the three modes: Single, Mental/Physical, and Total (see below). **For example**, at level 10, you can *Boost* a score by +5 for free (i.e., half your character level). **You can only boost an ability score by 5+CL using this power.** **You do not need to *Boost* your designated score(s) by your full amount.** If you had four ranks in *Ability Boost: Charisma*, for example, you could increase your score by +1, +2, +3, or +4, at your discretion. When you are *Boosted*, you can choose to expend a move action to Activate the power again in order to raise or lower your score(s). When you increase an ability score, that increase affects all related stats.

**All Scores** : relevant Skill checks

> **Strength** : mêlée attack/damage bonus, lifting capacity
>
>

> **Dexterity** : ranged attacks,  AC bonus, Reflex saves
>
>

> **Constitution** : HPs, Fortitude saves
>
>

> **Wisdom** : Will saves, Spell DC's
>
>

> **Charisma** : Turning checks, Psi-Power DCs
>
>

**Boosting your Intelligence does not increase your skill points** because you do not go back in time and "have learned" things that you previously didn't know.

When you end a *Boost*, you simply reduce all your stats to their un-*Boosted* levels, but **HPs work differently**. In this case, you take the number of extra points your *Boost* granted you, and subtract that number from *both* your total HPs *and* your current HPs. If doing so were to reduce your current HPs to below zero, then you would suffer all the consequences thereof. If it were to reduce them to below your Constition Score, then you would be dead (unless you had feats or powers that prevent that from happening).

**Example**: You are 5th level, have 20 HPs, and a Constitution of 10 (+0). You then activate *Ability Boost* and raise your Constitution score to 20 (+5), which increases your total HPs by 20 (four levels at +5 per level). You then take 25 HPs worth of damage, which puts you at 15 HPs total. If you end your *Boost* at that point, your total HPs and your current HPs are both reduced by 20, which brings you to -5 HPs. Please do not bog down a game by calculating your *Boosted* stats at the table. It is only polite to do that math before the game starts.

## Ability Boost Mode Costs

### **Single**

**Cost**: 1CP per +1 to one ability score

**Activate**: 1PP per +4 (By CL); move action

**Sustain**: per round/minute; free action

For every rank in this mode, you can increase one of your ability scores by +1. The activation cost is 1PP for every +4 to your ability score, or portion thereof.

### **Mental**

**Cost**: 2CP per +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma

**Activate**: 2PPs per +4 (By CL); move action

**Sustain**: per round/minute; free action

For every rank in this mode , you can increase all three of your mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) by +1. The activation cost is 2PP for every +4 to your ability score or portion thereof.

### **Physical**

**Cost**: 2CP per +1 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution

**Activate**: 2PPs per +4 (By CL); move action

**Sustain**: per round/minute; free action

For every rank in this mode , you can increase all three of your physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution) by +1. The activation cost is 2PP for every +4 to your ability score or portion thereof.

### **Total**

**Cost**: 4CP per +1 to all your ability scores

**Activate**: 3PPs per +4 (By CL); move action

**Sustain**: per round/minute; free action

For every rank in this mode , you can increase all six of your ability scores by +1. The activation cost is 3PP for every +4 to your ability score or portion thereof.

## Enhancements

**Enhancement**: Reduced Drain

> **Cost**: 1CP per rank in *Ability Boost*
>
>

> Activating your *Boosted* scores now costs half:
>
>

> Single: 1PP per +8
>
>

> Mental/Physical: 2PPs per +8
>
>

> Total: 3PPs per +8
>
>

**Enhancement**: Swift Boost

> **Cost**: 2CP
>
>

> You can *Boost* your scores as a swift action.
>
>

**Enhancement**: Reflexive Boost

> **Cost**: 3CP
>
>

> **Prerequisite** : Swift Boost
>
>

> **Activate**: Single: 1PP; swift action -- Mental/Physical: 2PP; swift action -- Total: 3PP; swift action
>
>

> If you retain your Dexterity bonus and are hit for physical damage (either by an attack or something that triggers a saving throw), you can make a Reflex save to instantly *Boost* your score(s) a split second before the damage occurs. The DC of the Reflex save equals either half the attack roll *or* the save DC of the in-coming effect -5. You must declare your intention to invoke this enhancement after the hit is announced but before full damage is calculated.
>
>

## Limitations

**Limitation**: Boost Swap

> **Value**: Single: 1CP per +4, Mental/Physical: 2CP per +4
>
>

> Whenever you *Boost* one of your ability scores, another score (player's choice, permanent choice) decreases by half that (rounding down). For example, if you were to *Boost* your Dexterity by 10, then you would have to apply a -5 to another ability score. Which score takes the penalty is a permanent choice. If you take Mental/Physical Swap, then you trade one group of *Boosted* stats for penalties in the other. If you were to *Boost* all of your Mental stats by +12, you'd take a -6 penalty in all your physical stats, for example.
>
>

**Limitation**: Extra Drain

> **Value**: 1CP per rank in *Ability Boost*
>
>

> Activating and sustaining your *Boosted* scores now costs double.
>
>

> Single: 2PP per +4 -- Physical/Mental: 4PPs per +4 -- Total: 6PPs per +4
>
>

**Limitation**: Fatigue

> **Value**: 1CP per rank in *Ability Boost*
>
>

> When you end a *Boost* you crash. Any score you *Boost* now has a temporary penalty of -1 per rank in the base power (i.e., half the total *Boost* bonus), and this penalty lasts half as long as you sustained your *Ability Boost*. If you were to increase your Intelligence by +4 for 10 rounds, you would receive a -2 penalty to Intelligence for 5 rounds. You cannot *Boost* a given ability score while you're crashing, so in the above example, you couldn't increase your Intelligence to overcome the crash, but you could increase a different score.
>
>

**Limitation**: Maximum Power

> **Value**: 2CP
>
>

> **Prerequisite**: 4 ranks in *Ability Boost*
>
>

> You must always use your maximum Boost bonus when you activate the power.
>
>