Talents

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Engagement

Taking and avoiding Attacks of Opportunity. Blockading enemy movement and moving past enemies. "Controlling the Center."

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Pinpoint Accuracy 

Accuracy 1+ or Fighting 1+

and 

Dexterity 1+ 

I: Once per round, you can add 1d6 to the damage of a successful attack if your Dexterity is greater than your target’s.

II: When you take the Aim action, the attack bonus you gain is +2 instead of +1. 

III: You can perform the Called Shot action stunt for 3 SP. You can use it with any weapon, not just guns. 

Protector

Perception 1+

and

Willpower 1+

I: When you perform the Blockade action stunt, you can move up to 6m instead of 3m. 

II: When you perform the Guardian Angel action stunt, the amount of damage you take instead of your ally is equal to the number of SP spent +2. 

III: If you are standing next to an opponent and that opponent moves within 2m of one of your allies, you can move adjacent to the opponent before they finish their turn, even if it would surpass your Speed. Your Speed is 0 on your next turn. 

Tactical Awareness

Dexterity 1+

and

Perception 1+

I: You can take the melee Attack or Ranged Attack action at any point during your movement. Normally you have to finish your movement before attacking. 

II: When you perform the Take One for the Team exploration stunt, you only take half the damage from a trap or hazard and your ally remains unscathed. 

III: Opponents do not gain an attack bonus for outnumbering you in melee.

If you also have the Intermediate degree in the Single Weapon Style, your Defense bonus increases to +3 when fighting in that style. 

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Agility

Dexterity 2+

and

Dexterity (Acrobatics)

I: Using the Move action to stand up, climb, dismount, etc. does not reduce your Speed.

II: When you move, terrain-based hazards do not reduce your Speed.

When you fall, if you succeed at a Dexterity (Acrobatics) test with a TN determined by the GM based on height and nearby surfaces, you suffer only half damage.

III: You can re-roll any 1s rolled for Dexterity (Acrobatics), Stamina (Running), and Strength (Climbing, Jumping) tests, but must keep the results of the second roll.

Piloting 

Dexterity (Driving or Piloting)

I: Starting up a vehicle is a free action for you, and you can perform Dexterity (Driving or Piloting) as a minor action. 

II: When you control a vehicle, it gains a +2 bonus to tests involving its speed. 

III: If you fail a test to control a vehicle, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

Any vehicle you pilot gains +2 Defense as long as it is moving. 

Quick Reflexes

Dexterity 2+

I: Once per round on your turn you can use Ready as a free action. 

II: You can go prone or stand up as a free action rather than as part of a Move action. 

III: You may re-roll your initiative roll at the start of a combat encounter, but must keep the results of the second roll. 

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Favored Stunt*

Selected stunt costs 1 less SP to activate.

Affluent

None

I: +2 Income

II: +1 Income

You may add 2 to your Income score when comparing your score with an item’s cost to purchase it automatically, without a test, or to determine whether the purchase will deplete your Income. You enjoy this benefit only once per game session, and you must choose whether it applies to an automatic purchase or to avoid depleting your Income.

III: Income +1

You can re-roll a failed Income test, but must keep the result of the second roll.

Burglary

Dexterity 2+

I: When you succeed at Intelligence (Security) to study a lock, alarm, guards, or any part of a security system or protocol, the GM provides you with one more piece of information.

II: If you fail at Intelligence (Technology) involving a security measure, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

III: If you fail at Perception (Searching), you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

Devotion

I: 

II: 

III: 

Doctor

Intelligence (Medicine)

I: You can re-roll any 1s or 2s when making an Intelligence (Medicine) test.

II: With access to medical supplies and tools, you can treat some conditions. With an hour and a basic TN 11 Intelligence (Medicine) test you can remove a wounded condition, leaving the patient only injured.

You can also remove other medical-related conditions with proper time and treatment, at the GM’s discretion, using the Interlude guidelines in Chapter 5.

III: You can perform complex medical procedures to restore a patient to a normal, healthy condition, and you can re-roll any failed Intelligence (Medicine) test, but must keep the result of the second roll.

When using Intelligence (Medicine) as a primary investigation focus, you generate +1 SP on any roll that generates stunt points.

Expertise (Focus)

None

I: Select a focus you have and choose a narrower task or field within it. For example, You can choose “hacking” for Intelligence (Technology) or “drones” for Dexterity (Piloting).

You gain a +1 bonus for ability tests covered by the narrower task. You can select this talent multiple times, each time applicable to a different focus. You can only choose Expertise once for a particular focus.

II: If you fail an ability test covered by your chosen expertise, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

III: Select one type of stunt (action, exploration, social, or command) relevant to your chosen expertise. When generating stunt points with ability tests involving your chosen expertise, you gain +1 SP for the chosen type of stunt.

Hacking

Intelligence (Security)

and

Intelligence (Technology)

I: When you succeed at Intelligence (Cryptography) or Intelligence (Security), the GM can provide you with an extra item of information about the subject.

You can use Intelligence (Technology) instead of Communication (Investigation) and Intelligence (Research) if the information you seek can be found in an accessible computer system.

II: If you fail an Intelligence Technology) test, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

III: When you make an advanced test using Intelligence (Cryptography) or Intelligence (Technology), add +2 to the result of the Drama Die for the purpose of reaching the test’s threshold.

You can perform the Cover Your Tracks stunt on tests involving Cryptography and Technology for 2 SP.

Home Economics

Reduce Lifestyle costs, enjoy higher-tier benefits

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Improvisation

Intelligence 1+ or Willpower 1+

I: You can make an ability test that requires a specific focus, even if you don’t have that focus. You don’t gain the focus bonus to your roll and don’t generate SP on such rolls, but in investigations you are always considered to have a Tangential Focus.

II: When you perform the Whatever’s Handy combat stunt, the penalty of your makeshift weapon is reduced by 1 and it lasts 2d6 rounds before breaking.

If improvising a tool instead of a weapon, you can perform tests that require the tool, but you don’t generate SP while doing so.

III: If you roll doubles on a failed test, you generate SP equal to the result of the Drama Die –2 (minimum 1). The test still fails, but you can try to salvage the situation with a stunt you perform with the SP you gain. Unfortunately, your stunt cannot achieve your original intended action. The GM determines if the desired stunt is permitted, based on the situation.

Know-it-all

Intelligence 2+

I: You can attempt a test using an Intelligence focus somehow related to the test at hand rather than the called for ability, but with a –1 penalty.

For example, using Intelligence (Business) instead of Communication (Persuasion) to convince a corporate middle-manager to agree with you. If this would be a tangential Investigation focus, you do not suffer the +2 increase in TN.

II: You can perform the Breakthrough exploration stunt for 2 SP. 

III: When you succeed at an ability test with a knowledge focus, you gain a +1 bonus to the result of each Drama Die on tests using related focuses for the duration of the encounter.

For example, an Intelligence (Law) test can benefit Communication (Oratory) tests in a courtroom, or an Intelligence (Medicine) test can benefit a Perception (Intuition) test in a diagnosis. 

Knowledge

Intelligence 2+

I: When you make a successful Intelligence test with a knowledge focus, the GM should give you an extra piece of information on the topic. The GM determines the nature of the additional information and it may or may not be pertinent to the main question at hand. 

II: When using Intelligence (Research) as part of an advanced test, you gain a +1 bonus to the result of each Drama Die. 

III: Pick any two of your knowledge focuses. When making tests using those focuses, you can re-roll a failed test but must keep the result of the second roll. 

Maker 

Any manufacturing focus (see below)

I: You can use a manufacturing focus to make any item with the appropriate tools and access to a workshop. 

II: If you fail a test with a manufacturing focus, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

III: When you perform an advanced test with a manufacturing focus, you gain a +1 bonus to the result of each Drama Die for the purpose of reaching the success threshold.

Medic

Intelligence 1+

I: Your treatment allows a patient to add your Intelligence (and Medicine focus, if any) to a test to avoid or overcome a medical hazard, or grants the patient a new test to overcome that hazard, if there is one. This includes saving a patient from dying and reviving an unconscious character. 

II: If you treat a patient, you can alleviate the effects of the exhausted, fatigued, injured, or wounded conditions. This takes an advanced TN 11 Intelligence (Medicine) test (threshold 5) with each roll taking one minute. If you succeed, the patient ignores the effects of those conditions for 1d6 hours. The conditions are still present, however, and the effects return when the duration ends or if any of the conditions worsen, such as an injured character becoming wounded, for example. 

III: If you treat a wounded condition within an hour of it occurring, you can make a basic TN 13 Intelligence (Medicine) test. Success downgrades the wounded condition to injured. 

Observation

Perception 2+

I: Choose a Perception focus. If you fail a Perception test with your chosen focus, you can re-roll it but must keep the result of the second roll. 

II: On a successful Perception test, you can spend 2 SP to make a second, immediate Perception test with the same TN but with a different focus than the first, and gain additional information (if any) from a successful test with the second focus. This includes additional information when you uncover the clue within a lead. 

III: On a successful Perception test, you can spend 2 SP and gain a +2 bonus to all Perception tests involving the same object or subject as the first test for the duration of the encounter. 

Scouting

Dexterity 2+

I: If you fail at Dexterity (Stealth), you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll. 

II: You can perform the Seize the Initiative stunt for 2 SP. 

III: If you fail at Perception (Sight), you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll. 

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Animal Training

None

I: With a week of training, you can teach an animal to follow a simple one-word command like “heel,” “follow,” or “attack.”

You can teach a single animal a number of commands equal to your Communication.

II: You can train animals to follow more complex commands, like “guard this place” or “return to me when strangers approach.”

Teaching a complex command takes 2 weeks of training and the total number of commands a single animal can learn is equal to your Communication +2.

III: With a month of training, you can increase an animal’s Dexterity or Strength by 1. It also gains the Willpower (Morale) focus. An animal can only receive such training once.

Artistry

Communication 1+

and

Dexterity (Crafting) or Communication (Expression) 

I: You can use Dexterity (Crafting) or Communication (Expression) to create works of art. 

Choose a field of visual or literary arts.

The GM determines the time and TN of the test, depending on your intentions, and the Drama Die determines your work’s quality if you succeed.

You can sell your work if you know a buyer, giving you a temporary bonus to Income tests equal to half the result of the Drama Die (minimum 1); this bonus disappears upon your first successful Income test to purchase something, or at the end of the current story if you have not used it.

As an option you can waive the bonus to Income and gain a temporary reputation instead. This reputation fades over time if you don’t produce other works of similar quality. Any reputation derived from your art disappears after a number of months equal to the result of the Drama Die.

II: You learn the tools and tricks of a new artistic field or gain a +1 bonus to create works of art in any field you are trained in.

This bonus also applies to the Drama Die result to determine the quality of your work.

III: You learn the tools and tricks of a number of artistic fields equal to your Communication, or select one of the fields you are trained in and add your Willpower to the Drama Die to determine the quality of your work.

Upon successfully creating a work of art, you can re-roll the Drama Die to determine its quality, but must keep the result of the second roll.

Attractive

None

I: You can use the Making an Entrance social stunt a second time at any point of an encounter.

If an NPC could be attracted to you, their initial attitude is one step more favorable towards you. 

II: You can perform the Flirt social stunt for 3 SP instead of its normal cost, and the target of your efforts can have a Neutral attitude instead of Open.

III: When interacting with characters who would be attracted to you, you can re-roll a failed Communication (Deception, Performing, Persuasion, or Seduction) test, but must keep the result of the second roll.

Carousing

Communication 1+

and

Constitution 1+

I: When testing Constitution (Tolerance) as part of an advanced test, you gain a +1 bonus to the result of each Drama Die.

II: Choose Communication (Seduction) or Perception (Empathy). If you fail a test with your chosen focus, you can re-roll it but must keep the result of the second roll.

III: Choose the Benefit of the Doubt or Flirt stunt. You can perform that stunt for 1 SP less than its normal cost.

Command

Communication 2+

I: If you take a major action to offer guidance, your allies get +1 to Willpower (Courage) and Willpower (Morale) for the rest of the encounter. You can do this once per encounter.

II: Any NPCs you lead gain a +1 bonus when rolling for initiative. 

III: When you lead NPCs in an encounter, they do not have to make a Willpower (Morale) test until more than two-thirds of your side’s combatants are out of the fight (dead or incapacitated). If you leave the fight or are taken out, this benefit is lost.

Contacts

Communication 1+

I: You can attempt to make a contact out of an NPC with a Neutral or better attitude toward you with a successful Communication (Persuasion) test.

The GM sets the target number based on the likelihood of you knowing the character or having mutual friends.

If you succeed, the new contact’s attitude shifts one step in your favor and they readily provide information without a test, as long as it wouldn’t harm them. They will not perform other favors without further persuasion.

II: Once you’ve established a contact, you can try to get a favor from them with a single successful Communication (Persuasion) test, regardless of their attitude toward you and without engaging in a complex social interaction.

III: If you do a significant favor for an established contact, they become Very Friendly towards you, and any potential risk in the favors you ask of them does not affect the target number of the Communication (Persuasion) test from the Intermediate degree. If they’re already Very Friendly, they become zealously loyal; you do not need to make an ability test to ask favors of them, regardless of the danger involved, and the GM can use your ally to provide prompts if you become stuck in the course of a story in the form of unsolicited advice or favors.

Allies’ attitudes can degrade if they’re not treated well, but do not do so simply with the passage of time.

Fringer

Communication 1+

I: Other characters suffer a –2 penalty to any tests to find information about you or your activities. This stacks with the Cover Your Tracks stunt.

II: Once per session, you can gain a +2 bonus on an Income test by using black market channels, but your Income is depleted by 1 regardless of the test result and the cost of the item.

III: The penalty for tests to find information about you increases to –3, and when you buy on the black market, your Income score is depleted following the normal rules given in Chapter 2.

Insinuate

Making an otherwise dangerous suggestion with plausible deniability. Includes the creation of Subliminal Messaging.

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Inspire

Communication 2+

I: If you are conscious and they are within sight of you, your allies gain a +1 bonus to all Willpower-related tests.

II: If you are conscious and they are within sight of you, any ally generating stunt points gains +1 SP.

III: Once per encounter, you can spend two minor actions to offer words of inspiration to your allies. All who hear these words regain 1d6 + your Communication in Fortune, and receive a +2 bonus on their next test.

Instigate

Pushing large crowds into a specific action by kindling their passions. Includes the creation of Propaganda.

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Intrigue

Communication 2+

I: Choose one of the following Communication focuses: Deception, Etiquette, or Seduction.

If you fail a Communication test with your chosen focus, you can re-roll it but must keep the result of the second roll.

II: If the focus you chose in the Novice degree is considered a Tangential Focus during an investigation, you ignore the +2 increase to the TN of the test.

In addition, if you use the focus you chose in the Novice degree to successfully complete a task in a complex social interaction, you clear two shifts instead f only one. 

III: You can perform the Cast Out and oozing Confidence social stunts for 1 SP lower than their normal cost.

In addition, you can use Oozing Confidence to benefit another character. 

Linguistics

Intelligence 1+

I: When you learn a new language, you learn to both speak and read it.

You learn an additional language.

II: You learn two additional languages for a total of three plus your native language(s).

You can imitate a specific dialect with a successful Communication (Performance) test. 

III: You learn three additional languages for a total of six plus your native language(s).

Pick any one language you know, and graduate to native-level fluency. 

Misdirection

Communication (Deception)

I: As a major action, you can make a Communication (Deception) test opposed by an opponent’s Willpower (Self-Discipline); if you succeed, your opponent cannot perform stunts until the end of your next turn. 

II: When you use the Over Here! exploration stunt, the bonus your allies gain is +2 instead of +1, and you gain a +1 bonus yourself.

III: When you use a Communication focus in combat and roll doubles, you gain +1 SP. 

Oratory

Communication (Persuasion)

I: If you fail at Communication (Persuasion) when trying to convince a group, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll. 

II: Each time you perform the Sway the Crowd social stunt, you affect three additional people instead of one. 

III: If you succeed at Communication (Persuasion) when addressing a group and the result of your Drama Die is 5 or 6, you rouse them to immediate action. You can’t necessarily control what they do, though you can try to do so with Communication (Leadership), but they take your words to heart and act on them regardless. 

Performance

Communication (Performing)

I: Choose a form of performance art - you are an accomplished performer in the chosen art.

You may perform the From the Heart and Sway the Crowd stunts for 1 SP less than their normal cost. 

II: You can add an additional form of performance. 

If you have at least 15 minutes to observe a crowd before performing or speaking in front of them, you gain a +1 bonus to any Communication-based tests to persuade or entertain hem.

You can also choose a number of individuals in the crowd equal to your Perception (minimum 1); at the end of the 15 minutes of observation you know their initial attitudes toward you, and you know if they changed by the end of your performance and, if so, by how much. 

III: You can add an additional form of performance to your repertoire. 

You may perform the With a Flourish stunt while performing in front of an audience for 3 SP, and its effects last until the end of the day. 

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Tool Use

Replace Focus here

Should represent a class of tools, not just a single type. E.g., Physical penetration rather than just lockpicks - to include grappling hooks, glass cutters, etc.

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Armor Training

I: You can wear Light and Medium armors without suffering a penalty to Dexterity.

II: You can wear Heavy armors without suffering a penalty to Dexterity.

III: You gain the benefit of half the Armor Rating (rounded down) of your armor when you take penetrating damage. (Normally, armor provides no defense against penetrating damage.)

Shield Training

I:

II:

III:

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Dual Weapon Style

Dexterity 2+

I: While wielding two close combat weapons, if you take the Activate action, you gain either a +1 bonus on your melee attack rolls or a +1 Defense bonus vs. melee attacks until the end of the encounter. You can switch the bonus with another Activate action.

II: You can perform the Lightning Attack stunt for 2 SP instead of the usual 3, but the extra attack must come from your secondary weapon.

III: If you make a Melee Attack with your primary weapon and you are not Charging, you can make another attack with your secondary weapon as a minor action. The second attack cannot generate stunt points, and you only add half of your Strength (rounded down) to damage. 

Two-Handed Style

Strength 3+

and

Fighting 1+

I: When you hit with a melee attack with a heavy weapon, you can move the target 2m in any direction like the Skirmish stunt. 

II: You can perform the Vicious Blow stunt for 1 SP when wielding a heavy weapon. 

III: When you are wielding a heavy weapon and gain SP, you gain +2 SP to use exclusively for the following stunts: Expose, Knock Prone, Shock and Awe, Skirmish, and Wound.

Polearm Style

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III: 

Single Weapon Style

Perception 2+

I: If you take the Activate action, you gain a +1 Defense bonus until the end of the encounter while fighting in this style. 

II: Your bonus to Defense increases to +2 while fighting in this style. 

III: Opponents making melee attacks against you never gain a bonus on their attack rolls for outnumbering you. 

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Rambo Style

I:

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III:

Archery Style

I: You know how to punish enemies who get too close. When shooting a bow or crossbow at an enemy within 6 yards of you, you inflict +1 damage.

II: Due to long hours of practice, you can reload faster than common bowmen. You can Reload a bow as a free action and a crossbow as a minor action.

III: When shooting a bow or crossbow, you can perform the Lightning Attack stunt for 2 stunt points instead of the usual 3. (If you are using a crossbow you’ll also need to perform a Rapid Reload stunt to take advantage of this benefit, since you must have a loaded weapon to use Lightning Attack.)

Ballistics

Calculating trajectories for direct and indirect fire. Also required for extreme long range with rifles.

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Pistol Style

Accuracy (Pistols)

I: You gain a +1 bonus to damage with pistols against targets within 6 meters. 

II: If you have a pistol in your hand, or draw or grab one as your first available action, you can roll initiative with Accuracy (Pistols) instead of Dexterity (Initiative).

You can generate SP with this test, unlike a normal initiative roll, and spend them on general combat or gun stunts. 

III: When hitting a target with a shot from a pistol, you can add your Dexterity to the damage total. 

Throwing Style

None

I: You gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons. 

II: You can Ready a throwing weapon or grenade as a free action instead of a minor action. 

III: Add your Accuracy score in meters to the range of throwing weapons and grenades. 

Rifle Style

Accuracy (Rifles)

I: As long as you are not moving more than half your normal speed, you can make an attack with a loaded rifle you're holding as a reaction before rolling initiative, even if surprised. This attack uses up your major action for the round, which means that you only have a minor action available during your turn.

II: The attack roll modifier for a target behind light cover does not apply to your attacks with a rifle. This includes the penalty from the Human Shield action stunt. 

III: Penalties to the attack roll due to range do not apply to your attacks with a rifle. 

Talent

Requirements

Effects

Grappling Style

Fighting (Grappling)

I: If you fail an opposed Fighting (Grappling) test to avoid being grappled, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll.

II: If you successfully hit an opponent with an unarmed attack and choose a stunt from the Grappling category, you gain 1 additional SP to apply.

III: You can perform the Pin stunt for 3 SP instead of the usual 4.

In addition, your penalty to Defense when using the Grapple and Pin stunts is halved.

Overwhelm Style

Fighting 2+

I: When you make a close combat attack, you can take up to a –3 penalty on your attack roll to receive a corresponding bonus to your damage roll. 

II: When you succeed with a close combat attack, you can add your focus bonus for that attack to your damage total. 

III: If you spend 3 SP after a successful attack, your target must make an opposed Strength (Might) test against your attack roll; if they fail, they suffer a –2 penalty to Defense until the end of your next turn. 

Striking Style

Fighting (Brawling)

I: When you attack unarmed, you inflict 1d6 damage instead of 1d3.

II: You can perform the Knock Prone stunt for 1 SP when attacking unarmed. 

III: You can perform the Injure or Vicious Blow action stunts for 1 SP when attacking unarmed. 

Throwing Style

E.g. Judo & shit, not grenades & shit

I:

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Self-Defense Style

Fighting (Brawling)

I: When a melee attack misses you, you can use the Grapple action stunt as a reaction without spending any SP.

You can perform the Knock Prone action stunt for 1 SP instead of the usual 2 against an opponent you have grappled. 

II: If you fail a Fighting (Grappling) test, you can re-roll it, but must keep the results of the second roll. 

III: When you perform the Disarm stunt, you can retain hold of the weapon.

When you spend SP on Knock Prone after making a Fighting (Grappling) attack, you may automatically move your opponent 2m for no additional SP cost. You may increase this distance with the Skirmish stunt. The enemy falls prone after being moved.