Advantages

## Gifts

Gifts are extremely potent, game-changing Advantages that cost 3 Advantage points to obtain. In many cases, Gifts will decide the entire course of a campaign and dramatically impact the plot. The Game Master may or may not allow players to take Gifts depending on the content of the campaign.

### **Noble Born**

*Description*

You are from a very rich, powerful or noble family. You’ve probably been trained in etiquette and politics. You probably have a mansion, penthouse, or perhaps an entire complex somewhere. If you pick this gift, you may begin with a large number of starting items and weapons, no limit to clothing and finery, and much more money than others. You may or may not start off with other expensive luxuries such as butlers, vehicles, businesses, buildings or additional assets, depending on what the Game Master allows. People of noble birth are often snobbish and look down on those not as well off as them, or have a superiority complex. Or you could just go for the prince charming stereotype.

*Effects*

A heavily narrative Gift that can have a tremendous impact on the way the game is played. Noble Born characters may begin the game with up to 150,000,000c worth of weapons, items, armor, vehicles, buildings and other assets. They also receive a +1 bonus to their Persuasion and Subterfuge skills and many narrative benefits, such as contacts in high society and the government, should the Game Master choose to grant them.

### **Spaceborn**

*Description*

Whether it be through sheer luck, nepotism or hard work on your part, you've inherited your very own space ship! You begin play with a relatively cheap ship, but you have no debt, and may choose to go wherever you wish, doing whatever you wish. Though your old rustbucket might not seem like much to the average person, every spacefaring outlaw, mercenary, trader, explorer and entrepreneur knows that having your own ship brings freedom and limitless possibility.

*Effects*

You may use the Ship Building page to construct a space ship with which to begin play for no cost. Keep in mind that extraneous items and supplies, including, but not limited to: weapons, ammunition, food, tools, medicine, etc. are not included and will have to be purchased and stocked separately.

**Noble Born**

*Description*

You are from a very rich, powerful or noble family. You’ve probably been trained in etiquette and politics. You probably have a mansion, penthouse, or perhaps an entire complex somewhere. If you pick this gift, you may begin with a large number of starting items and weapons, no limit to clothing and finery, and much more money than others. You may or may not start off with other expensive luxuries such as butlers, vehicles, businesses, buildings or additional assets, depending on what the Game Master allows. People of noble birth are often snobbish and look down on those not as well off as them, or have a superiority complex. Or you could just go for the prince charming stereotype.

*Effects*

A heavily narrative Gift that can have a tremendous impact on the way the game is played. Noble Born characters may begin the game with up to 150,000,000c worth of weapons, items, armor, vehicles, buildings and other assets. They also receive a +1 bonus to their Persuasion and Subterfuge skills and many narrative benefits, such as contacts in high society and the government, should the Game Master choose to grant them.

### **Followers**

*Description*

Perhaps you’re a person of great renown, or maybe you’re just good at manipulating people, but a group of people follows you about, waiting to serve you in what way they can. This will vary drastically from RPG to RPG, and from character to character. Perhaps the zealous fanatics and apprentice of a cult leader, or the loyal crew of a notorious pirate captain, maybe the students of a powerful martial artist, even the slaves and soldiers of a wicked drug lord. Generally it will be either a multitude of average or poorly trained and questionably motivated people, or a very small group of highly trained hardcore people devoted to the PC. Often, it’ll be more a of mixture. This Gift can turn an RPG into something a strategy game, allowing for a multitude of new possibilities associated with commanding troops. This gift can make campaigns much easier if used properly, or nearly impossible if used poorly.

*Effects*

When you take the Followers Gift, you gain a number of NPC companions. You can have anywhere between 1 and 10 followers. The more followers you choose to have, the less dedicated, skilled, and well equipped they will be. You also gain the Charismatic Advantage for free, and you double the results of any rolls you make when you attempt to convince a character that already likes you to join you.

## Advantages

Other than a character's Type, nothing defines them more than their Advantages. They represent the culmination of a character's life experiences and the circumstances of their birth. Many advantages will unlock new **Abilities**, add bonuses to Skills, or alter existing rolls and rules. If you plan on playing a combat-centric character, it is *highly* recommended to start with Weapon Training, Weapon Mastery, or Unarmed Combat.

### **Weapon Training**

*Description*

You have adequate capability with a variety of weapons from self-learning or basic training.

*Effects*

You pick three categories of weapon to be versed in from among the Weapon Specialty Skills. A proper example of this would be: Weapon Skills (Knives, Handguns, Archery). You gain 1 rank in the associated Specialties and unlock all the Trained Abilities associated with them. Throwing and Archery gain a rank in their respective combat skills instead.

### **Weapon Mastery**

*Description*

You have reached the absolute peak of skill with a single weapon from extensive training under a knowledgeable teacher.

*Effects*

You pick one category of weapon to be versed in from among the Weapon Specialty Skills. A proper example of this would be: Weapon Mastery (Heavy Weapons). You gain 2 ranks in the associated Specialties and unlock all the Trained and Master Abilities associated with them. Throwing and Archery gain ranks in their respective combat skills instead.

### **Vibroblade Proficiency**

*Description*

You've mastered the ability to safely wield Vibroblades, edged weapons with subsonic generators in the hilts that abuse the laws of physics to cut through nearly anything. Normally restricted to hyper-cautious use as tools due to their propensity for shattering when misused, you are one of the few with the skill to use one in combat.

*Effects*

When your character performs Attacks with any weapon that has a Vibroblade, they no longer have a chance of shattering it and injuring or killing themselves. This includes, but is not limited to: Vibroaxes, Vibroknives, Vibroswords and Vibroglaives.

### **Unarmed Combat**

*Description*

You have been trained at fighting without a weapon and can use your body to inflict serious damage. You know how to take a punch and how to throw one.

*Effects*

Your unarmed attacks now deal additional damage equal to your Specialty (Unarmed) Skill and have Penetration equal to your PHY score. You also unlock 3 Unarmed Combat Abilities.

### **Acrobatics**

*Description*

You’re a semi-professional acrobat. If you want to do a backflip off a motorcycle, flip over a rampaging mutant’s head, handspring backwards to dodge a vibrosword, and perform other aerial, acrobatic or gymnastic feats, this is definitely for you. Just make sure you don’t overdo it, and you’ll be fine. A character with this Advantage will be more likely to recover in mid-air from falls, or perform other mid-air feats.

*Effects*

You no longer have to make a dice roll when you attempt to perform acrobatic or aerial feats. You now succeed automatically unless you attempt to do something that is blatantly impossible.

### **Parkour**

*Description*

You are well versed in the art of getting from one place to another while circumventing obstacles. You can slide under and jump over barriers, run up or along walls, and perform a roll-out to mitigate harm from a steep fall. Extremely effective when paired with Acrobatics.

*Effects*

You are now able to traverse difficult terrain at full speed and can automatically avoid obstacles while sprinting. You also unlock the **Wall Jump**, **Wall Run** and **Safety Roll** Abilities.

### **Iron Will**

*Description*

You have a will of steel. You do not suffer from the effects of fear or anxiety like a normal person. You can face down an army with no chance of victory and not panic, or stay calm and rational after being caught in an ambush. Mind-affecting abilities have no sway over you, and you can resist the allure of charismatic peoples.

*Effects*

You gain +10 Willpower and are now immune to the effects of all mental Conditions, such as Shaken and Panicked. You no longer suffer any ill effects if your Willpower drops to 0.

### **Improved Stamina**

*Description*

You have more physical and mental energy than most other people. You can be active for longer without tiring. You can fight, run, swim, study, strategize and climb for longer. Very useful in big battles, or for someone who doesn’t get a lot of rest. Highly recommended for combat-focused characters with low Vigor.

*Effects*

You gain +20 Stamina.

### **Improved Attribute**

*Description*

Whether through study, training, or hands-on experience, you've worked hard enough to improve one of your Attributes permanently. Characters may take this Advantage multiple times to improve several Attributes up to 3 times per Attribute. A proper example of this would be: Improved Physique 1, Improved Vigor 3

*Effects*

You increase the chosen Attribute by 1 point. This Advantage is still affected by the natural limit for Attributes and cannot increase an Attribute above 6.

### **Improved Toughness**

*Description*

You're surprisingly resilient, blows of all sorts have less of an effect on you. If you want to take a haymaker to the jaw and laugh, fall twenty feet and get right back up, get a chair smashed over your back Western style, or take a bullet to the torso and brush it off, this is for you.

*Effects*

You gain a +6 bonus to the HP of all of your body parts.

### **Improved Reflexes**

*Description*

You naturally tend to react quicker than other people. Your body doesn't move any faster and it's not like you have superhuman agility, but when something happens, you're usually the first to respond.

*Effects*

Whenever you roll for Initiative before the start of combat, you automatically take the highest possible result of your CUN roll.

### **Rural Stealth**

*Description*

You are well versed in the art of sneaking and hiding in a Rural environment. If you want to disappear into the mud, stalk enemies in the jungle, or drag someone into a bush and slit his throat, this advantage is for you.

*Effects*

You can now use the Sneaking skill in natural environments even without Cover, but at a 1 die penalty. When you do use cover in such an environment, you gain a 1 die bonus instead.

### **Urban Stealth**

*Description* You know how to sneak around and hide in an Urban environment. If you want to creep around buildings, disappear into a crowd, blend into the shadow of an alley, come up behind an unsuspecting policeman, or hang upside down from a rafter to snap someone’s neck, this is your thing.

*Effects*

You can now use the Sneaking skill in urban and metropolitan environments even without Cover, but at a 1 die penalty. When you do use cover in such an environment, you gain a 1 die bonus instead.

### **Advanced Academics**

*Description*

You went to a good college. You've got a lot of general knowledge about current events, locations, items and equipment, other planets and systems, among dozens of other things. You also pick a specific subject to be versed in, I.E., a major. (Very, very good for someone in the party to get this skill.)

*Effects*

You can now make Academics rolls even without the requisite Skill and you gain a +3 bonus to any one Academics Skill.

### **Technologically Apt**

*Description*

You're what people may refer to as a 'techie' or a 'computer nerd'. You've always been around technology and computers and had a desire to learn more about their inner workings. You could probably get a job as a programmer if you desired. You'll be knowledgeable about most things technologically speaking, able to more easily locate hard-to-find information on the web, and have some knowledge of 'hacking'. A broad and versatile advantage that can benefit most characters.

*Effects*

You gain a +1 bonus to the Hacking, Engineering, Investigation, Trade (Programming), and Academics (Information Technology) Skills. You also unlock the **Techno-Wizardry** Ability.

### **Mechanic**

*Description*

Nothing in the world is as fascinating or as likable to you as the hard, clanking innards of a machine. You love working with your hands and you think about mechanisms while doing other things. People probably consider you an obsessive gearhead, and you likely have a job as a maintenance or repair technician.

*Effects*

You gain a +3 bonus to Engineering and unlock the **Emergency Repairs** and **Petrol-blooded** Abilities.

### **First Aid**

*Description*

You’re an experienced healer. You know how to stitch up a wound, perform CPR, set a bone, treat many diseases and illnesses, properly clean a wound, treat shock, frostbite, sun sickness, and more.

*Effects*

You gain a +3 bonus to both the Medicine and Surgery skills and unlock the **Healer's Touch** and **Desperate Savior** Abilities.

### **Jack of All Trades**

*Description*

You have an extremely wide and varied pool of both academically learned knowledge and life experiences to draw from. Although you are not an expert in any one category, you know at least a little about almost everything.

*Effects*

You gain a whopping 5 additional Skill points to distribute as you see fit, but you may only spend 1 point in each Skill Category: Combat, General, Athletic, Social and Knowledge.

### **Scouting**

*Description*

You can find food in a rural environment, you have a general knowledge of what’s good to eat and what’s not. You’re a decent hunter, fisherman, and trapper and an excellent tracker.

*Effects*

You gain a +3 bonus to the Survival skill and can now use the Survival skill in place of Investigation when tracking a target. You can also now cover up tracks, including your own.

### **Charismatic**

*Description*

You’re naturally charming, beautiful, or captivating. People will be more apt to like and get along with you. You can often convince people of things others cannot. If you want to haggle with shopkeepers, seduce a detective, get information out of someone, or get someone to join your gang, this Advantage is for you.

*Effects*

You gain a +3 bonus to you Persuasion skill and NPCs will generally react more favorably to you, even before any rolls are made.

### **Linguist**

*Description*

You’ve studied languages for some time, and find them fascinating. You can speak and comprehend up to three additional languages fluently and without accent, and you’re more apt to understanding people of languages you don’t understand. If you like, you can trade one of your extra three languages for Ventriloquism or Lip Reading. If you want to communicate with Aliens, this advantage is required. If you want to watch people from a distance, or pick up on distant conversations, Lip Reading is a good choice. If you want to distract people, freak out strangers, or get your buddies in trouble with the ladies, Ventriloquism also comes in handy. This skill is often overlooked. But knowing additional languages can sometimes be critical to survival. And the Ventriloquism skill has more uses than you can shake a stick at. Don’t forget that Sign Language is a language. If you know it, you can communicate with a Mute or Deaf person very easily. Lip Reading is a also fantastic skill to have if you’re deaf.

*Effects*

You now know 3 additional Languages, and can pick from the following additional Language choices:

* Ventriloquism
* Lip Reading
* Sign Language
* Thrakk'ese (Thrakk'i language)
* Keejee (Kri'el language)
* Mbogum (Bumatu language)
* Eychth (Krut language)
* Q'sirian Telepathy (Q'sir language; can only be understood, not spoken)

### **Ambidextrous**

*Description*

You’re neither right nor left handed, but can use both equally. Your arms are probably also equally muscled. A must for those who make a habit of fighting with two weapons.

*Effects*

You no longer suffer an Attack penalty for using a small weapon in your off-hand, and the penalty for using medium weapons off-handed is reduced by 1 die.

### **Nimble Fingers**

*Description*

You have slim, dexterous fingers. Perfect for playing the piano, or picking pockets and locks. If you want to throw knives, pick locks, pickpocket people, or work will small/delicate devices, you may want to consider picking this advantage. Very greatly aids lockpicking and first aid, and is practically a necessity for pickpockets.

*Effects*

Any time you roll to perform a fine, delicate task, such as picking a lock, sewing up a wound, starting a surgical incision, or tinkering with an old-fashioned watch, you may roll twice and take the higher of the two results.

### **Highly Alert**

*Description*

You’re naturally alert and aware of your surroundings. You notice things your friends tend to skim over, like the bulge under the pale guy’s trenchcoat (Assault rifle?), the fact that those ghetto guys are all wearing a blue bandanna on their left arm (Gang members?), the guy hiding behind the crates, or the data chip on the ground. You get an edgy feeling whenever someone's eyeing you. A must for avoiding ambushes.

*Effects*

Your Perception is doubled and enemies no longer gain bonuses to their Attacks when they Flank you. The Game Master will tell you whenever you're being watched.

## Disadvantages

Disadvantages are optional, but grant additional advantages when taken, up to a maximum of 2. Disadvantages can only be taken at character generation, although the Game Master may sometimes confer them to a character. Like GIfts, Disadvantages often have a heavy influence on the plot of a game and are generally narrative in nature. It is up to the Game Master whether to let a player take a given Disadvantage or not. Some Disadvantages do not have any immediate negative effect, but will subject the character to **Vice Violation** if they act, or do not act, in a certain way. Vice Violations are a stacking, permanent debuff that can only be removed by the Game Master, usually after time has passed or the character has made up for their misdeed. When a character suffers a Vice Violation, their Willpower immediately drops to 0 and they suffer a -1d6 penalty on every roll they make. If they suffer a another, the penalty stacks.

### **Blind**

*Description*

You cannot see. You may want to use a walking stick. (No, you can’t be like Daredevil.)

*Effects*

Your character is permanently Blind.

### **Deaf**

*Description*

You are deaf, but at least you can communicate with Sign Language!

*Effects*

Your character is permanently Deaf.

### **Mute**

*Description*

Your cannot speak. This may be physical (such as from a crushed trachea) or psychological (such as from trauma).

*Effects*

Your character cannot speak. You are unable to communicate with most characters, and cannot make sounds with your mouth, like cries for help! Mute characters will automatically know sign language.

### **Missing Body Part**

*Description*

You’re missing an important limb.

*Effects*

You start the game with an arm or leg at 0 HP, but not with any critical wounds.

### **Unlucky**

*Description*

You’re just not lucky and never have been. For whatever cosmic reason, things just don’t seem to go your way. You’re the guy who gets drunk at the bar, finds out he forgot his card, and gets beaten up and thrown out by the bouncer. On the way home, you get mugged, but don’t have any credits. The mugger beats you up because he’s pissed off. You pass out in the street from blood loss, and wake up the next morning in jail for public drunkenness. (This disadvantage has some serious humor value, but can be very annoying when you have something important to do.)

*Effects*

Every other time you make a roll, you roll twice and use the lower of the two results. Taking this disadvantage is an extreme difficulty modifier, and only recommended for experienced players or those seeking to suffer.

### **Arthritis**

*Description*

Age, abuse, or some disease has made your joints stiff, painful, and uncooperative. This will make it harder to run, climb, swim, leap, shoot, pick a lock, or any such things.

*Effects*

You take a -2 penalty to all Athletics Skills.

### **Technologically Inept**

*Description*

You are dumbfounded by technology. Perhaps you grew up in a cave, or were raised on some isolated backwater, or maybe you just never bothered to learn, but technology is impenetrable to you. You will have trouble figuring out how to start modern vehicles, opening electronic doors and hatches or successfully using any type of computer.

*Effects*

Any time you attempt to interact with a technological object, you must first roll 1d6. If you roll 1-3, you proceed as normal. If you roll 4-6, you automatically fail.

### **Marked Man**

*Description*

Someone or something is after you. Maybe you owe a lot of money to an interstellar crime boss, stole from a Bumatu, or pissed off a street gang on the lower levels of Earth. You probably won’t know until you’re attacked. (This disadvantage can be dangerous, but very interesting for RP.)

*Effects*

Someone's out to get you. You may or may not know who, but you never know when or where they'll come for you. This is decided by the Game Master.

### **Chronic Illness**

*Description*

You’re sickly. Much of the time you’re perfectly fine, but your illness kicks in from time to time, and you can get very sick, or even die if you don’t take care of yourself. (You might get ill randomly and begin throwing up, sweating profusely, and become very weak. Which means you need to rest and take your medicine until it goes away.)

*Effects*

You suffer from a permanent, incurable disease. It can be treated with medication, and you start with a 1 month supply. The Game Master will decide when your symptoms manifest, and you must take your medication to make them stop.

### **Poor Attributes**

*Description*

Whether due to genetics, lifestyle or some physical injury, one of your Attributes is lower than it should be.

*Effects*

Permanently lowers a chosen Attribute by 1. You may only take this disadvantage once per Attribute, and you cannot use it to lower an Attribute below 0.

### **Drug Addict**

*Description*

Either through peer pressure, or your own experimentations, you’ve discovered the wild world of narcotics. You’ve been a user for some time, and you are way past quitting. You will have to take at least one dose a day, or there will be some serious side effects. If it’s not taken for long enough, you may die, depending on your drug of choice.

*Effects*

You begin the game with the Addiction Condition, and may pick from the following drugs to be addicted to:

* Alcohol
* Tobacco
* Cocaine
* Amphetamines
* Opiates
* Tranquilizers
* Frost
* Brainflood
* Instinct
* NCX7109

### **Insomnia**

*Description*

You have a tremendously hard time sleeping and getting rest. You can only sleep well when perfect conditions exist. This translates to having less energy, being less alert, having unsteady hands, and occasionally impaired judgment.

*Effects*

You will only be able to Sleep on a bed and in comfortable conditions. Otherwise, you will only Sleep when tranquilized or when your Stamina reaches 0.

### **Wanted Criminal**

*Description*

You’re wanted for some serious crime you may, or may not have committed. You may have a bounty,and are wanted dead or alive. If you’re spotted and recognized by anyone who’s in law enforcement, or anyone looking to pick up a bounty, expect trouble.

*Effects*

Many NPCs will become hostile upon discovering the character's identity.

### **Sluggish**

*Description*

Maybe you’re just used to taking your time, or have some sort of obscure disease, but whatever it is, you’re just not as fast as other people.

*Effects*

Your Speed is halved.

### **Squeamish**

*Description*

You can’t stand the sight of blood and gore, or other disgusting things. If you see something that’s too over the top, you’ll lose your lunch. You could probably bear to kill or see things killed, if it wasn’t too gross. For instance, if you watched someone getting stabbed in the back with only a little blood, you wouldn’t be so grossed that you’d barf, but if you watched someone getting cleaved in half you would definitely hurl. Not recommended for the battlefield surgeon.

*Effects*

Any time your character sees gore, including during Surgery or when they witness a limb being dismembered, you roll 1d6. If you roll a 4 or higher, your character immediately vomits, becoming Stunned and Dazed.

### **Phobia**

*Description*

You’re deathly afraid of something. Terrified of it. For this to be counted it must be a rather major phobia.

*Effects*

When your character confronts the object of their phobia, their Willpower immediately drops to 0 and they become Panicked. Characters who have Iron Will can still have Phobias, but their Iron Will Advantage will not prevent them from Panicking; the object of their phobia becomes the one exception to the rule.

### **Vow**

*Description*

You have sworn an oath to do (or not to do) something. Whatever the oath, you take it seriously; if you didn’t, it wouldn’t be a disadvantage. This trait is especially appropriate for zealots, vigilantes, holy men, and other fanatics. It has to be a rather crippling vow. For example, you might vow to never used edged weapons, remain silent at all times, to never refuse a request for aid, to always fight with the wrong hand, hunt a given foe until you destroy him, never take life, or to challenge every mercenary you meet to combat.

*Effects*

Your character must follow their Vow. If they break their Vow, as determined by the Game Master, they suffer a Vice Violation.

### **Sense of Duty**

*Description*

You feel a strong sense of commitment toward a particular group of people. You will never betray them, abandon them when they’re in trouble, or let them suffer or go hungry if you can help. Like the ones above, it must be a rather major duty. You might feel a sense of duty to a nation or religion, or everyone you know personally, or even to an entire race.

*Effects*

Your character must follow their Sense of Duty. If they break their Sense of Duty, as determined by the Game Master, they suffer a Vice Violation.

### **Code of Honor**

*Description*

You follow a rigid and inviolable code of honor. You have lived your whole life valuing adherence to the code above all else, whether it be a personal sense of morality or a strict religious doctrine. Codes of Honor are especially appropriate for players who want their characters to play the heroic knight in shining armor role.

*Effects*

Your character must follow their Code of Honor. If they break their Sense of Duty, as determined by the Game Master, they suffer a Vice Violation.

### **Intolerant**

*Description* There is a certain group of people that, for whatever reason, you just don't like. Whenever you lay your eyes on them, you feel your blood boil, and it shows in the way you treat them.

*Effects* Your character must behave in a biased, hostile manner toward the specified group of people. If they do not, they suffer a Vice Violation.