Utility Powers

Utility Powers are abilities that focus on improving a character’s capabilities with magical effects, either by increasing proficiency with a Magical Attack or Supportive Power or by adding an additional effect to an attack. These abilities also allow for minor magical effects such as communication over distances or movement of objects. These abilities rarely affect others, but in the cases that they do, they are opposed by a Resistance roll versus the user’s Magic roll unless otherwise specified. In order to gain Utility Powers, a character needs two points per ability in Magic.

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ADVANCED PAWN
   Description: Your pawns are stronger--better--than the average pawn.
   Requires: Animate Pawn (Any)
   Mechanic: Your pawns have an additional three character points. Additionally, you may now reassign all allotted character points between the different Attributes of your pawns provided that the pawns may still take their racial package. Pawns require three character points in an Attribute in order to purchase an ability slot. You may gain this ability multiple times. Each time you gain an additional three character points. Using this ability is automatic.

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ARMORY TECHNICIAN
   Description: You have a knack for inventing things.
   Requires: Tinker; Tinker’s Study (Any); Tinker’s Intuition; 5th level
   Mechanic: You may now make items that replicate abilities from the ability category Defense Equipment. Defense Equipment created by this ability count towards the inherent possession limit on creation items unless of the user of the item has spent an ability slot on the Defensive Equipment replicated, in which case the first one does not count. Defense Equipment must be created by this ability in order to be modified by creation item abilities. Any item that replicates a Defense Equipment are not considered to be abilities of the Technology subcategory unless they are normally a part of that subcategory.

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BANEFUL SPELL
   Description: You have trained yourself to attack a very specific kind of creature.
   Requires: Any Magical Attack
   Mechanic: You gain +2 with the chosen Magical Attack and must chose one of the following racial types: Dragon-Kind, Elemental, Fey, Outsider, Shapeshifter, or Undead. You gain an additional +10 with the chosen Magical Attack against creatures of the racial type. This ability may be gained multiple times. Each time you chose a different Magical Attack or a different racial type. Using this ability is automatic.

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BITING WOUND
   Description: Your attack hurts the one who heals the damage as well.
   Requires: Any ability of the Damage-Dealing subcategory
   Mechanic: Anyone attempting to heal damage caused by your usage of the selected ability must succeed at a Resistance roll versus your Magic roll or take hit point damage equal to half the damage that would be healed. This effect is only on the first attempt to heal the damage of that wounded person. Subsequent healings without additional damage being dealt do not inflict any damage on the healer. If you deal additional damage to a target between healings, the effect is renewed, requiring additional Resistance rolls to avoid taking damage. This ability can be gained multiple times. Each time it applies to a different selected ability. You cannot take Biting Wound for Biting Wound. Using this ability requires the selected ability to do damage, but is otherwise automatic.

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BLIND RAGE
   Description: You can make people forget their civilized natures and strike you. They are intent on doing physical harm to you, even if they aren’t very good at it.
   Requires: Suggestion; Provoke; 3rd level
   Mechanic: Whenever you use Provoke, the target must use an Attack ability to attack you. If the target does not have any abilities belonging to an Attack category, he still makes an Attack roll to harm you. All others attack target during the cycle that the target is attacking you are considered to be surprise attacks and the target and the target cannot activate defensive abilities while under the effects of Provoke. Using this ability is automatic.

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BURST ATTACK
   Description: Your energy bursts forth from you towards your opponents.
   Requires: Any Magical Attack; 5th Level
   Mechanic: You may use the selected Magical Attack on a number of targets equal to a quarter you Magic score. All targets must be within a number of feet equal to your modifier with the selected ability and within five feet of each other. You cannot move more than five feet in the same cycle that you use the selected ability in this fashion. All targets must resist the same Magic roll which suffers a penalty of -2. Using this ability takes an action, for a total of two actions to attack in this manner.

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CARELESS CASTER
   Description: Caution is for other people.
   Mechanic: You can subtract a number from your Resistance up to your current Resistance score and place it on your Magic rolls for a single cycle. Each cycle you do this, your Resistance remains lowered for the remainder of your cycle. This ability can be combined with any magical attack in a cycle.

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CHARGED ATTACK
    Description: You have learned that patience really is a virtue.
    Requires: Any Magical Attack
    Mechanic: For each cycle you hold your attack, you gain a cumulative +1 bonus on all Magic rolls with this attack. The bonus is lost the moment you attack and must be regained anew for each attack. You must gain this ability separately for each Magical Attack you have. If you take this ability more than once for the same attack, your cumulative bonus is increased by +1 per time you have taken it. For example, taking this ability three times for the same Magical Attack allows you to gain +3 per cycle. Using this ability takes all your actions in a turn.

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COBRA STRIKE
   Description: You strike from the shadows with a poisoned blade.
   Requires: Must have completed the Ninja ability path
   Mechanic: You gain a +4 bonus on all abilities of the Poison subcategory while under the effects of both Silence and Stealth. Using this ability is otherwise automatic.

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COGENT SPELL
   Description: You know how to make your spells more potent than normal.
   Requires: Any Magical Attack of the Damage-Dealing subcategory; 3rd level
   Mechanic: You deal additional damage with the chosen Magical Attack equal to a quarter your Magic score. This ability may be gained multiple times. Each time it applies to a different Magical Attack. Using this ability is automatic.

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CONCENTRATION
    Description: You can focus your thoughts into your magic. As you grow in experience, you learn how to better harness this energy.
    Requires: Telepathy
    Mechanic: You may add a bonus equal to a quarter your level, rounded down, to your Magic score (minimum 1). This ability may be used twice per combat. This ability requires an action to activate, and only lasts for the cycle on which it is used. Although it increases the Magic score, this ability does not grant access to additional abilities while being used.

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CONJURER’S CHARM
   Description: You can summon more powerful help.
   Requires: Conjuration; Conjurer’s Will; 3rd Level
   Mechanic: You may summon an additional number of creatures with Conjuration equal to a quarter your level, rounded down, plus one. This ability may be gained multiple times. Each time grants an additional number of pawns equal to a quarter your level. Using this ability is automatic.

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CONJURER’S POWER
   Description: You can summon more powerful help.
   Requires: Conjuration; Conjurer’s Will; 3rd level
   Mechanic: You may summon creatures of 2nd level. This ability may be gained multiple times. Each time raises by one the maximum level of the creatures that you can summon. Using this ability is automatic.

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CONJURER’S WILL
   Description: You can summon more powerful help.
   Requires: Conjuration
   Mechanic: You gain +4 on all Magic rolls made to subject a summoned creature to your will. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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CONTINGENCY
    Description: You can alter an existing ability so it is executed whenever a specific trigger occurs.
    Mechanic: When you take this ability, you must select an ability to combine with a situational trigger. You must also choose a specific event that will cause the ability to function automatically. The event is to be worked out between you and your Storyteller, but should not circumvent any weakness that you have. Once chosen, the combined ability and trigger event cannot be changed. Whenever the trigger event occurs, the selected ability is used, even if it is not the player's turn. Without spending an action, you may suppress this automatic function. Abilities cannot be combined with themselves or in any method that creates an infinite loop. This ability may not be replicated by creation items created by the Creation ability series.

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COVENANT
   Description: You focus your summoning ability on the magic of Light.
   Requires: Animate Pawn (Lightling)
   Mechanic: You may choose either of the following minion races: brownie, cherub, or starling. You may now summon pawns of that race with Animate Pawn. They are subject to all rules outlined in Animate Pawn and its related abilities. You may take this ability multiple times. Each time you chose a different minion race. Using this ability is automatic.

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DARK PACT
   Description: You focus your summoning ability on the magic of Darkness.
   Requires: Animate Pawn (Shade)
   Mechanic: You may choose either of the following minion races: imps or shadows. You may now summon pawns of that race with Animate Pawn. They are subject to all rules outlined in Animate Pawn and its related abilities. You may take this ability multiple times. Each time you chose a different minion race. Using this ability is automatic.

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DRUIDIC KNOWLEDGE
   Description: The elements are powerful. You have learned how to control them in ways that refrain from harm.
   Requires: Any Damage-Dealing ability; Elemental Alignment (Any)
   Mechanic: You gain +2 with abilities of any of the Elementally-Aligned subcategories. Additionally, you may now take Elemental Alignment for abilities that are not in the Damage-Dealing subcategory. Taking this ability multiple times has no effect. Using this ability is automatic.

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ELEMENTAL AFFINITY
   Description: You bask in the strength and power of a specific type of energy. Through learning how to harness that power, you are stronger.
   Requires: Any Damage-Dealing attack; Elemental Alignment (Any); Energy Resistance (Any Same); 5th level
   Mechanic: You gain an additional +4 on all rolls concerning abilities of the Elementally-Aligned subcategory chosen for Elemental Alignment and Energy Resistance. This ability may be taken multiple times. Each time it applies to a different energy type for which you met the criteria. Using this ability is automatic.

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ELEMENTAL ALIGNMENT
   Description: You have chosen to specialize your attack with energy from one of the fundamental elements of the universe. It empowers you as you pass on the raw damage.
   Requires: Any Damage-Dealing ability
   Mechanic: Choose one of the following energy types: Earth, Fire, Ice, Lightning, Water, or Wind. The selected ability is now part of the chosen Elementally-Aligned subcategory and affects targets as such. Additionally you gain +2 on all offensive rolls with the selected ability. You may, at any time, suppress the effect of the Elementally-Aligned subcategory, returning the ability to its previous subcategory or to a different Elementally-Aligned subcategory that you have an Elemental Alignment which you have for that ability. Doing so negates the bonus granted by this ability. This ability may be gained multiple times, even for the same Damage-Dealing attack. Each time, either a different energy type must be chosen or a different ability must be used. Any ability may only belong to one Elementally-Aligned subcategory at a time. Switching Elementally-Aligned subcategories takes an action. Using this ability is automatic.

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EMPOWERED PAWN
    Description: Now that you've been awakened, you can enhance yourself the way your summoner used to enhance you.
    Requires: Must be a creature previously awakened by Awaken Pawn
    Mechanic: You may now take abilities that require Animate Pawn as if you yourself had the ability. However, these abilities will only work on you. They will not affect another pawn unless you take the Animate Pawn ability separately and create the pawn yourself. Using this ability is automatic.

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ENERGY DUALITY
   Description: You have learned the balance of two elements.
   Requires: Any ability of the Damage-Dealing subcategory; Elemental Alignment (Any Two)
   Mechanic: You can now apply any two energy types that you have Elemental Alignment for to the selected ability. You gain the bonus to the ability for each Elemental Alignment. If you have Elemental Alignment more than twice, you need to take this ability separately for each pairing. This ability may be gained multiple times. Each time you must chose two different energy types to be combined. Using this ability is automatic.

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ENHANCE MAGIC
    Description: You can make your Magical Attacks more powerful than normal for a short time.
    Mechanic: Whenever you activate this ability, you gain a +4 on all bonuses related to Magical Attack abilities. This ability may only be combined with one such ability per cycle. Activating this ability cancels the bonuses from Enhance Healing, Enhance Armor, Enhance Weapon, and Enhance Resistance and cannot be used in the same turn as them. Activating this ability does not take an action. Once activated this ability stays that way until the end of combat or until canceled.

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ENLIGHTENED DEFENSIVE
   Description: You have a knack for finding those who have been affected by Mind-Affecting abilities.
    Requires: Sixth Sense; 3rd level
    Mechanic: If you spend time observing the area around you, taking no other actions and not moving more than five feet per cycle, you glean information about the people in that area as follows:
      1st Cycle: You become aware of the absence or presence of Mind-Affecting effects in a number of feet surrounding you equal to twice the total of your Magic and Resistance scores.
      2nd Cycle: You become aware of the exact nature of the Mind-Affecting abilities that you sensed in the first cycle. (Example: You’d be able to say someone is under the effects of Mind Control, Veil of Madness, or Enchanting Presence.)
      3rd Cycle: You pinpoint who has the Mind-Affecting ability placed on them.
      4th Cycle: You can tell how long the person identified in the third cycle has been under the Mind-Affecting ability and how deep-seated it is. (Example: You get a length of time as well as what bonus the person is getting when they resist the Mind Control they are under.)
      5th Cycle: You gain the knowledge of how difficult it would be to remove the Mind-Affecting effect from the victim. (You gain the knowledge of the controlling person’s Resistance score plus any relevant bonuses (but without the roll).

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ENLIGHTENED OFFENSIVE
    Description: You have attained enlightenment. With your mystical insight, you are capable of seeing opponents for who they really are.
    Requires: Sixth Sense; 3rd level
    Mechanic: If you spend time observing your opponent, taking no other actions and not moving more than five feet per cycle, you glean information about them as follows:
      1st Cycle: You become aware of the presence or absence of living creatures in the a number of feet surrounding you equal to twice the total of your Magic and Resistance scores. Creatures of the racial types Undead and Minion cannot be sensed with this ability.
      2nd Cycle: You become aware of whether those living creatures have any abilities of the Light or Dark subcategories or any Elementally-Aligned subcategory. You do not become aware of what ability it is if present.
      3rd Cycle: You become aware of the level of all living creatures in the surrounding area.
      4th Cycle: You become aware of the highest Attribute of all living creatures in the surrounding area.
      5th Cycle: You become aware of the total modifier of the highest offensive roll of the living creature of the highest level in the affected area.

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EXPERT TINKER
   Description: You have a knack for inventing things.
   Requires: Tinker
   Mechanic: Magical items that you create may be used an additional number of times equal to a quarter your Magic score. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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EXTRA PAWNS
   Description: Slowly, but surely, you are building an army.
   Requires: Animate Pawn (Any) or Mind Control
   Mechanic: You may have an additional number of pawns at any given time equal to a quarter your Magic score, rounded down. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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FAST ZOMBIE
    Description: Your minions are faster than normal, taking enemies by surprise.
    Requires: Animate Pawn (Zombie)
    Mechanic: Undead that you create with the Animate Pawn ability can move and attack in the same cycle. This ability must be combined with the Animate Pawn ability to be used, but is otherwise automatic.

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FAVORED MIMIC
   Description: You fake it well. Well, better than that guy over there.
   Requires: World of Illusion; Mimic; Improved Mimic; 3rd level
   Mechanic: You have focused on mimicking one ability over others. For the purposes of abilities, Mimic is considered to be this ability, allowing you to gain abilities that require it. Using this ability is automatic.

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GOLEM SUIT
    Description: Your golem acts as a moving armor that obeys your commands.
    Requires: Animate Pawn (Golem); Advanced Pawn; 5th level
    Mechanic: By spending an extra cycle and sacrificing a number of pawns equal to your level, you may summon a golem large enough for you to wear like armor. Sacrificed pawns do not need to be summoned. Entering this golem takes sacrificing two actions. Once inside, you are invulnerable to Damage-Dealing abilities so long as your golem still has hit points. Abilities that have you as a target cannot rely on being able to see or touch you. If so, they automatically fail. If your golem is reduced to zero hit points, it is destroyed and any further attack against it in the same turn is deemed to be against you.

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GREATER SILENCE
   Description: You have enhanced your ability to make it to where people cannot hear things.
   Required Abilities: Silence; Improved Silence
   Mechanic: Whenever you successfully use the ability Silence, you gain an additional +2 on all offensive rolls. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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GREATER STEALTH
   Description: You’ve gotten better at sneaking around.
   Required Abilities: Stealth; Improved Stealth
   Mechanic: Whenever you successfully use the ability Stealth, you gain an additional +2 on all defensive rolls. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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HARMFUL WALL
   Description: Your wall, stout and strong, hurts those that seek to harm you.
   Requires: Elemental Wall; Improved Elemental Wall; 5th level
   Mechanic: Whenever someone attacks your Elemental Wall, they take damage equal to a quarter the damage that would be dealt. If the attacker destroys the Wall, it deals damage equal to half the damage that was dealt to it in total to the attacker. Because it is now harming enemies, Elemental Wall is now considered to be an ability of the Damage-Dealing subcategory. Using this ability requires Elemental Wall but is otherwise automatic.

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IMPROVED ADVANCED PAWN
   Description: Your knowledge of how to improve your pawns has just gotten better.
   Requires: Animate pawn (Any); Advanced Pawn; 5th Level
   Mechanic: Advanced Pawn now gives you an additional two character points for your pawns. This ability affects all takings of Advanced Pawn. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED BURST ATTACK
   Description: You've grown even deadlier with your chosen energy attack.
   Requires: Any Magical Attack; Burst Attack; 10th Level
   Mechanic: Whenever you use the selected Magical Attack in the manner prescribed by Burst Attack, you do not have sacrifice an additional action. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED CARELESS CASTER
   Description: Caution is for other people.
   Requires: Careless Caster in two ability slots; 5th level
   Mechanic: Anytime you lower your Resistance, you now gain an amount equal to that amount and a half. (-2 Resistance gains you +3 Magic). This ability must be combined with Careless Caster, but is otherwise automatic.

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IMPROVED FORCED SHAPESHIFT
   Description: Enemies fear you, not for what you can turn into, but what you can turn them into.
   Requires: Shapeshift; Forced Shapeshift; 5th level
   Mechanic: When you successfully execute Forced Shapeshift on an opponent, you may choose instead to transform them into a noncombatant form of your choice, such as a small animal or a child. (A child is a basic creature of whatever race that is chosen.) Though still able to move in this form, the opponent can no longer use any ability belonging to the categories Physical Attack or Magical Attack, even if they have said ability. This effect lasts until the target is subject to the ability Revert or Shapeshift, drops below 0 hit points, or a number of cycles have passed equal to the difference between your Magic roll and the target’s Resistance roll. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED HARMFUL WALL
   Description: Your will makes your wall even stronger.
   Requires: Elemental Wall; Improved Elemental Wall; Harmful Wall; 5th level
   Mechanic: Your Elemental Wall deals an additional amount of damage equal to a quarter your Magic score to its attackers. This ability may be taken multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability requires Elemental Wall but is otherwise automatic.

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IMPROVED INVISIBILITY
   Description: Your ability to stay out of sight just got better.
   Requires: Invisibility; 5th level
   Mechanic: Invisibility does not cancel if you attack. Additionally, the effects of Invisibility now lasts a number of cycles equal to your Magic score. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED KNOWLEDGABLE PAWN
    Description: Your golem can use ability slots more effectively.
    Requires: Animate Pawn (Any); Advanced Pawn; 7th Level
    Mechanic: Your pawns need only two character points to purchase ability slots. You may fill newly opened made slots next time you summon pawns. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED LEVELED PAWN
   Description: Their sacrifice means more--that must count for something!
   Requires: Animate pawn (Any); Advanced Pawn; Leveled Pawn; 3rd Level
   Mechanic: Each time you sacrifice a pawn in order to give one a level, one of your remaining pawns gains two levels. This ability may be gained multiple times but only every third level. Each time you take this ability every pawn you sacrifice is worth an additional level when sacrificed. Using this ability requires pawns to be sacrificed but is otherwise automatic.

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IMPROVED MIMIC
   Description: You fake it well. Well, better than that guy over there.
   Requires: World of Illusion; Mimic; 3rd level
   Mechanic: You now gain the offensive bonus of the ability you are mimicking. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED POISON SPECIALITY
   Description: This lethal poison attacks the heart, killing the victim slowly.
   Requires: Poison Attack; Poison Specialty (Any); 3rd Level
   Mechanic: You may apply damage to one Attribute without the necessity of Poison Attack utilizing an additional action. Taking this ability multiple times has no further effect. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED POWER OF THE UNDERDOG
   Description: You can control the unpredictable.
   Requires: Power of the Underdog; 4th level
   Mechanic: You may set the result of one of the dice granted by Power of the Underdog. Taking this ability multiple times does not change the effect of this ability. To use this ability you must declare the dice result before rolling dice, but otherwise the ability is considered automatic.

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IMPROVED PRECOGNITION
    Description: You have flashes of insight.
    Requires: Precognition; 5th Level
    Mechanic: You gain +1 on all Attack and Magic rolls. You may gain this ability multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED SACRIFICIAL PAWN
   Description: Your pawns don’t matter. They are but lambs.
   Requires: Animate pawn (Any) or Mind Control; Any Magical Attack; 5th Level
   Mechanic: Any time you sacrifice a pawn for something, you gain an additional bonus as if you had sacrificed an additional pawn. (Sacrificing three pawns grants you a +6 on your next Magic roll or grants six levels to one pawn, for example.) Gaining this ability multiple times has no further effect. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED SHAPESHIFT
   Description: You become a jack of all trades--it just depends on what face you are wearing at the time.
   Requires: Shapeshift; 5th level
   Mechanic: Whenever you use the ability Shapeshift, you now have the option redistributing your character points and ability slots even if the build would be completely different. You retain all weaknesses at the same severity except for those belonging to racial packages. The separate builds need to be approved by your Storyteller prior to combat. You may only have a number of additional builds equal to half your character level, rounded down. This effect lasts until you have been subject to the ability Revert or Shapeshift, drops below 0 hit points, or a number of cycles have passed equal to your Endurance score plus half your Magic score. Using this ability is automatic.

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IMPROVED SILENCE
   Description: You have enhanced your ability to make it to where people cannot hear things.
   Required Abilities: Silence
   Mechanic: You gain +2 on all Magic rolls with Silence. This ability may be gained multiple times. Its effect stacks. Using this ability is automatic.

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