Abilities
All abilities have a basic action/asset associated with them, which is represented in a contest by a die value. Additionally, each ability comes with a set of special effects (SFX) that can be activated using character points(CP), or allow you to gain CP.
Magical Exhaustion
Magical exhaustion is a complication unique to this world. Magic, whether runewarding or truecasting, taps into a character’s energy. Overworking yourself will cause a d6 complication or step it up. You gain a CP, but if your magical exhaustion ever reaches a d12, you pass out and are out of the scene. Step down the complication using the Healing ability or by stopping to rest and eat. All complications reset at the beginning of the next session.
Ways to gain magical exhaustion:
Use one magical ability’s SFX more than 2 times in a scene
Certain SFX trigger magical exhaustion
Step up your effect die on a magical SFX
How to read this list:
ABILITY NAME
A short description and a suggestion of when to include the ability’s die in your dice pool.
Basic Action: what happens when you use this ability, not including any SFX
Descriptors: Ultimately, the players create the descriptors, but we provide some examples.
Limits: Again, these are just examples, and which limits apply depends on the circumstances and the descriptors. Feel free to create your own limits. If an ability is shut down by a limit, a player will likely earn a CP.
SFX: Players may choose from the list or create their own (with GM approval).
ANIMAL SUMMONING
Whether it’s an avian hunting companion or a semi-tamed wolf, you have an animal companion that you can call to your aid. They assist you, defend you, fight for you, and perform tasks for you. Include this ability when your creatures assist or defend you or when you use their powers as your own.
Basic Action: summon your animal companion, which serves as an 8 8 extra. This creature disappears once it reaches zero dice.
Descriptors: Animal
Limits: Connection, Emotional Openness
SFX:
Spend a CP to step up you animal companion’s die rating for the rest of the scene.
Spend a CP to have a summoned creature perform a d8 stunt appropriate to its nature.
BLAST
The Blast ability covers a wide spectrum of elemental attacks: fire, ice, water, wind, stone, or lightning. When weaponized, these can be quite scary. Include the ability die when you’re using your Blast to threaten, scare, or injure an opponent.
Basic Action: A (8) blast using an element that makes sense for you character.
Descriptors: Fire, Water, Lava, metal, stone, lightning, truecasting
Limits: Heat, Ice, Rubber, Shielding, Cold, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Earn a CP to step down your animal companion’s die rating
Spend a CP to create an area effect based on metal, stone, water, fire, or a combination thereof. This creates an (8 8) environment challenge.
Spend a CP to destroy an inanimate object depending on your die rating. This SFX begins as (d6)
d6 – as big as a melon
d8 – as big as a barrel
d10 – as big as a wagon
d12 – as big as a tavern
Spend a CP to make an (8) geyser of an element shoot up from the ground.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
BLAZECASTING
Your control over fire and heat lets you manipulate temperature as well as flame. You might create your own flame or require something else to make the flame for you, but the end result is the same. Add this ability’s die when handling fire, impressing others with your grilling techniques, or sensing heat sources in your area.
Basic Action: (8) your hands are wreathed in fire that does not burn you or your equipment.
Descriptors: Fire, Heat, Temperature, truecasting
Limits: Water, Cold, Vacuum, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to melt an inanimate object with a scope defined by your die rating. This SFX begins at (d6)
d6: frozen pond
d8: gold brick
d10: steel bars
d12: vault door
Spend a CP to create a ring of fire, trapping another character. This creates an (8 8) environment challenge.
Spend a CP to step up your effect die when making a burn attack.
Spend a CP to create a wall of flame to step down a damage-causing effect die from physical attacks.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
COMBUSTION
You create elemental rune traps that can either explode upon impact or timed to go off later. When the trap goes off, the material you carved the rune into will explode outward. The damage dealt is commensurate to the size of the rune trap. The larger the trap, the bigger the blast. Given enough time and energy, you could blow up a building or possibly much, much more. Include the ability die when you use your rune traps to destroy, threaten, or distract.
Basic Action: Set a (8) trap that has some kind of elemental effect.
Descriptors: Explosion, Heat, runewarding
Limits: Time, Water, Vacuum, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to step up a complication caused by your traps.
Spend a CP to create specialized rune traps that can take down obstacles without damaging the surrounding structure.
Spend a CP to create a timed trap set to go off after a certain amount of time has passed.
Spend a CP to draw everyone’s attention to an explosion so you can escape a scene.
Earn a CP to step down this ability for the rest of the scene.
COMPREHENSION
You’re a savant, able to understand unusual languages and decipher impenetrable codes. Even if you’ve never seen or heard the language before in your life, or the ciphers are seemingly impossible to understand, you have a handle on it. If it’s encoded in symbols, you can puzzle it out. Include the ability die when reading or deciphering strange languages or codes, or when using what you’ve learned.
Basic Action: (8) get in the puzzle-solving mindset, giving you a boost to deciphering all sorts of languages and codes.
Descriptors: Psychic, Networking, Intuition, runewarding
Limits: Auditory, Visual, Time
SFX:
Spend a CP to figure out a strange rune, spell, or potion well enough to use it… once.
Spend a CP to deduce the language or code’s origin in general terms.
Spend a CP to write or speak in response to what you’ve deciphered.
ELEMENTAL ARMORY
You carve runes into weapons and shields that imbue them with elemental powers of fire, ice, stone, or lightning. This effect does not destroy your weapon or shield in the process. Include this ability die when you use an elemental weapon or shield. Step up the die if you have two elemental items.
Basic Action: Create an elemental effect on your weapon or shield. Add a (8) when using this asset.
Descriptors: Fire, Ice, Stone, Lightning
Limits: weapon, collateral damage, Magical Exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to add an (8) effect onto another player’s weapon or shield
Spend a CP to discharge the element from your weapon or shield as an (8) stunt
Spend a CP to overload the elemental effect as an (8 8) stunt that destroys the object
Earn a CP to combine 2 elemental effects on one weapon and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication
Earn a CP to add an (8) effect to another object you are holding and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
FORCE CONSTRUCTS
You have the ability to create bursts of air that act like objects. This falls within the elemental truecasting family of stormcasting. The ability can also be used through runes. Your constructs last just long enough to be of use and then disappear into nothing. Include this ability die when using your force constructs as tools, obstacles, or any other clever thing you think up.
Basic Action: (8) manipulate the air around an object to create small effects such as the turning of a doorknob or lifting small, light objects.
Descriptors: Air manipulation, truecasting, runewarding
Limits: Specific Substance, Concentration, Line of Sight, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to create a wall of swirling gales that prevents another character from escaping a scene.
Spend a CP to create an updraft that catches a falling object or lifts a large object.
Spend a CP to create a wall of air that softens an attack against you, stepping down any complication you receive.
Spend a CP to create a path through the air that you can run along.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
FROSTCASTING
You control cold, ice, and all things related. You can draw moisture from the air to create structures of ice, or mess with the temperature of a room. Include the ability die when you drop the temperature, ice things over, or manipulate chunks of ice.
Basic Action: (8) your hands are wreathed in ice that does not freeze you or your equipment.
Descriptors: Ice, Cold, Frost, truecasting
Limits: Heat, Sunlight, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to encase another character’s legs in ice, preventing their movement and limiting their attack options.
Spend a CP to create walls of ice up to 2ft thick, 30ft long, and 5ft tall. This creates a (8 8) environment challenge.
Spend a CP to jam mechanical devices with frost and ice.
Spend a CP to “skate” across ice.
Spend a CP to freeze an amount of liquid with a scope defined by your die rating. This SFX begins at (d6)
d6 – a small pond
d8 – a lake or boiling vat
d10 – a waterfall or boiling pond
d12 – a bay of water or portion of magma
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
HEALING
You can heal physical or mental trauma inflicted on others because of your medical and therapy training. Roll this ability’s die in any situation that calls upon your restorative talents.
Basic Action: (8) Use your knowledge to help with diagnosing mental or physical problems
Descriptors: Physical Healing, Mental Healing
Limits: Emotional Trigger, medical supplies, Touch
SFX:
Spend a CP to recover your own or another character’s mental or physical complication, stepping it down.
Spend 2 CP to step it down twice.
Spend a CP to stave off a disease or similar affliction for a short period of time.
Spend a CP during a moment of calm and rest to step down .
Earn a CP when you encounter a wound you wish to heal, but is so grievous you can’t do anything to help.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
IMMENSE STRENGTH
You’re capable of staggering feats of great strength thanks to a lifetime of training. Include this ability die when your amazing strength would directly help you succeed. When facing another character who also has immense strength, you may spend a CP to counter an SFX they use against you; this makes it into a contest.
Basic Action: (8) perform a fantastic feat of strength.
Descriptors: Muscles, Tactile, Size
Limits: Uncontrollable, Needs Focus
SFX:
Spend a CP to throw or knock another character out of a scene.
Spend a CP to pound on the ground, creating a shockwave that knocks over everyone within the scene.
Spend a CP to break through a wooden or brick wall to grab a target or object on the other side.
Spend a CP to wield a large inanimate object, like a branch or boulder, as a weapon (and as an 8 stunt).
Earn an extra CP when you roll one or more hitches if you used the Immense Strength basic action die during that roll.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
INVISIBILITY
You can disappear from view at will. This is a lightcasting spell that refracts light around you, so others see what’s behind you instead of you. If vanishing from sight would help you in a test or contest, include the ability’s die.
Basic Action: (8) activate your invisibility spell. This effect persists until you are touched or you touch something / someone.
Descriptors: Perception, Blending, truecasting
Limits: Mental, Scent, Audible, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to disappear, escaping from the scene.
Spend a CP to hide for an entire scene to listen in without being noticed.
Spend a CP to shadow someone for an hour without them noticing you.
Spend a CP to turn another person or object invisible for a scene.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
INVULNERABILITY
You are able to avoid pain and trauma. This might be because you’re simply tough and hardened, or because you have cast powerful runes on your armor. Include this ability whenever you’re engaged in a struggle to resist or oppose physical attacks or ignoring hostile conditions to achieve some goal.
Basic Action: (8) call upon your inner strength or activate your orecasting runes when defending against attacks.
Descriptors: Mental, Physical, runewarding
Limits: Energy, Armor, Time, Willpower
SFX:
Spend a CP to step down an opponent’s effect die.
Spend a CP to step down a complication relating to injury or Magical Exhaustion.
Spend a CP to ignore the effects of exposure to extreme temperatures.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication. (only if using this ability as runewarding)
Earn a CP to step down this ability for the rest of the scene.
IRON CLAWS
You magically surround your hands with metal for the remainder of the scene. Based on your style and magic, they can be useful for intimidation, utility, or a vicious slashing attack. You can include the ability die in your pool when trying to cause fear or bodily harm, as well as for other uses of your claws, such as climbing, digging, or wedging open doors.
Basic Action: (8) wreath your hands in metal, looking similar in shape to mole claws. Used for attack or digging.
Descriptors: Metal claws, armor
Limits: Terrifying, Coordination, Upkeep, Misdirection, Water, Earthquake, Magical Exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to step up your effect die when inflicting stress or complications with your claws.
Spend a CP to rip apart solid, inert obstacles.
Spend a CP to use your claws as pitons to stop a fall or climb solid stone.
Spend a CP to cling to a surface with your claws despite adverse conditions.
Spend a CP to make 30ft of tunnels that last for the rest of the session as (8) stunts.
Spend a CP to make tunnels collapse behind you so that you can’t be followed.
Earn a CP when your claws become dull. If you have spent 3+ CP on this ability in one scene, you may choose to remove your claws from the scene until they can be sharpened.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
LIGHTCASTING
You can control light, using it to blind or daze or light up a dark room without a flashlight. Include this ability’s die when making attacks with light, revealing things with light, or making the ambient light improve the way you look to others, or when you’re trying to perform well in an overly bright or dark environment.
Basic Action: create an (8) magical lamp that floats above your head
Descriptors: Light, Flash, truecasting
Limits: Shadow, Diffusion, Mirror, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to create a dazzling blast, temporarily blinding everyone who sees them.
Spend a CP to create a dizzying light show, hypnotizing anyone that can see the lights.
Spend a CP to use a focused light beam to burn through an inanimate object or burn a message onto a surface.
Spend a CP to create (8) shadow illusions that can remain for an entire scene.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
LUCK
Things have a tendency to go your way. Include this ability die in any roll that hinges almost entirely on luck or chance, rather than skill or effort.
Basic Action: (8) rely on luck whenever you are in a contest that uses your lowest attribute
Descriptors: Luck
Limits: Mental, Emotional Trigger
SFX:
Spend a CP to reroll a die in a test or contest that includes a hitch (you can reroll the hitch).
Spend a CP to force your opponent to reroll the highest die in a test or contest.
Spend a CP to allow another PC or major GMC to reroll a die in a test or contest that includes a hitch (they can’t reroll the hitch).
Spend a CP to chance upon a clue when you aren’t looking for it.
Spend a CP to step down an effect die that would obviously cause you harm.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
MASTERY OF THE BODY
Through training and mastery, you’ve taught your body to respond to your conscious control. You can manipulate your own metabolic rate, sense other characters and animals around you, and direct your life force into your every movement. Include this ability die when your body and your expert control of it come into play—when you fight, run, or leap, and when you perceive the life force of others.
Basic Action: (8) still your mind and expand your senses to aid in sensing those around you.
Descriptors: Discipline
Limits: Distraction, tiredness, injury
SFX:
Spend a CP to channel your energy into an (8) powerful blow, stepping up your effect die for this attack.
Spend a CP to step down your own complications from injury or Magical Exhaustion.
Spend a CP to gain an (8) burst of speed for attack or defense.
Spend a CP to step up or double a martial arts or combat-based trait die for a test or contest.
Earn a CP when someone sneaks up on you.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
ORECASTING
You can control the very ground beneath your feet, bending it to your will. Include the ability to create earthquakes, volcanic vents, or other tectonic disturbances, or mold stone or sand to trap your foes or shield your friends.
Basic Action: (8) wreath your hands in stone for attack or defense
Descriptors: Seismic Manipulation, Lava Control, Stone Manipulation, truecasting
Limits: Must be Grounded, Cold, Water, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to encase another character’s legs in stone, stopping their movement and limiting their attack options.
Spend a CP to create a sweeping effect of quakes that inflict (6) stress or complications on all those in the affected area.
Spend a CP to raise a barrier of stone, stepping down your opponent’s effect die.
Spend a CP to seal a corridor with a wall of stone.
Spend a CP to mold the earth to create a pit or engulf an object based on your die rating. This SFX begins at (d6)
d6 – a 4ft cube
d8 – a 6ft cube
d10 – a 10ft cube
d12 – a 15ft cube
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
PARALYSIS
You can lock someone in place, incapable of moving or doing anything physical. This is due to a poison that causes paralysis on contact. Roll this ability’s die when immobilizing someone would be to your advantage.
Basic Action: (8) coat your weapon with a paralytic agent
Descriptors: Mental, Poison, Stun
Limits: Touch, Duration
SFX:
Spend a CP to make another character unable to move, speak, or act.
Spend a CP to release a paralyzing agent that slows everyone in a scene except you. You may use this as an 8 stunt.
Spend a CP to stun a target from a distance so that they can no longer run away.
Spend a CP to make a target fall asleep.
Spend a CP to step up your effect die when causing fear, anger, or injury-based stress or complications.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene.
POISON
Your poisons can destroy the inner workings of the human body. Include this ability’s die when trying to overcome someone with your toxic or chemical talents.
Basic Action: (8) coat your weapon in poison. State what this poison does.
Descriptors: Gaseous, Injection, poison blade
Limits: Touch, Wind, Water
SFX:
Spend a CP to make a poisonous gas as an area effect, inducing a (6) temporary blindness or (6) coughing complication.
Spend a CP to infect a target with a poison that activates one or more scenes later.
Spend a CP to conceal the toxin from normal medical science.
Spend a CP to recover yourself or somebody in the same scene from any complications caused by a toxin.
Spend a CP to step up your effect die and cause greater harm with your poison.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene.
SHIELD OF THE MOON
A magical shield of swirling winds dotted with ice and stone. It protects you and repels your opponents. Include this ability die when your shield protects you or when you extend it out into the world around you.
Basic Action: cast the shield around you, granting (8) when defending
Descriptors: Ice, stone, wind, shield, truecasting
Limits: Water, stone, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to step down future physical complications as you receive them during the scene.
Spend a CP to use your shield to envelop another PC or GMC who shares a scene with you, granting them (8) when defending.
Spend a CP to step down an opponent’s effect die from an attack.
Spend a CP to freeze a small object by touching the shield to it.
Spend a CP to step up your own effect die when making a close-combat attack.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
STORMCASTING
Electricity, whether magical or naturally occurring, is your plaything. Include the ability die when you create a spark of electricity or want to zap something.
Basic Action: (8) wreath your hands in sparks that cause no damage to you or your equipment.
Descriptors: Electricity, Lightning, truecasting
Limits: Grounding, Rubber, Conductive Materials, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to create a thunderstorm, causing a (8 8) environment challenge.
Spend a CP to channel (8) lightning from a storm cloud to a point on the ground.
Spend a CP to create a whirlwind, causing a (8 8) environment challenge.
Spend a CP to direct your whirlwind onto an object or character, causing damage
Earn a CP to repeat the last spell you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene.
TRANSMUTE
You can create stuff out of metal, stone, or ice. You can also change a stone, metal, or ice object’s overall shape or structure. Include this ability when you turn stone or metal into useful tools, convert the ground under an opponent into a slippery morass, or bend your surroundings to assist in a chase. This can be a truecasting or runewarding ability.
Basic Action: create an (8) asset from stone, metal, or ice. It disintegrates at the end of the scene if it is not destroyed sooner.
Descriptors: truecasting, runewarding
Limits: Distraction, an “Unworkable” Substance, Scarcity, Magical Exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to create a hole or doorway in a wall or other obstruction.
Spend a CP to sense if an object has been transmuted.
Spend a CP to repair an object of stone or metal.
Spend a CP to change an object from one element (stone, metal, water, ice, fire) to another. The scope of the effect is based on your die rating. This SFX begins at (d6)
d6 – up to 1ft cube in size
d8 – up to 3ft cube in size
d10 – up to 5ft cube in size
d12 – up to 8ft cube in size
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene.
WATER CONTROL
You have complete control over water, ice, and steam, allowing you to move water with your magic and to create structures like walls or orbs of water. Roll this ability’s die in conflicts involving water, ice, or aqueous liquids.
Basic Action: (8) Five small ice shards appear in front of your hand and fly in the direction of your choice.
Descriptors: Water, Ice, Steam, truecasting
Limits: Cold, Heat, Sand, magical exhaustion
SFX:
Spend a CP to create a small storm or thick fog within a scene; you may use this as an (8) stunt.
Spend a CP to create bubbles of air to allow others to survive underwater.
Spend a CP to create huge tidal waves.
Spend a CP to turn a body of water into steam or ice or vice-versa, based on your die rating. This SFX begins at (d6).
d6 – the size of a keg or barrel
d8 – the size of a pond
d10 – the size of a lake
d12 – the size of a large lake, bay, or river
Spend a CP to create a wall of water that moves to act as a shield for you or an ally, and step down the effect die of the appropriate opponent.
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene
Earn a CP to repeat the last SFX you spent CP on and take or step up the Magical Exhaustion complication.
Earn a CP to step this ability down for the rest of the scene