Aberrant 2.0 Mental Systems

Science (or is it SCIENCE!)

To fully clarify, there are three "types" of technical advancement in Aberrant. Conventional science, super-science, and Devices.

Conventional science is stuff that fully meshes with the laws of physics and requires no exotic ingredients, nor does it play with the nigh-magical forces that the Inspired possess. Conventional science creates things like suborbitals, advanced body armor, railguns, powersuits, the occasional robot, fusion reactors, pollution-eating microbes, genetic enhancements, the list goes on and on. Anyone, baseline or Inspired, can advance conventional science.

Super-science isn't the same thing as cutting edge science. It's research and development which requires exotic, Nova-created ingredients or perhaps uses Noetic or Quantum forces (as opposed to small-q quantum). Super-science can be duplicated by baselines with the right materials, but cannot be advanced by baselines. Super-science developments include FTL drives, Soma, Eufiber based infrastructure, hypercore rounds, and several varieties of free-floating active nanotech.

Devices are handcrafted systems which are unique to the creator and their harnessing of Quantum or Noetic forces. Devices can be created by the Inspired but cannot be duplicated (although there are Devices that are similar enough to have identical game effects) because they are personal expressions of power, rather than technical advancements per se.

Advancement

To create an advancement (either mundane or super-science) a character must have sufficient dots in the ability to make an advancement, typically 4+ in the primary ability and 3+ in at least two related abilities (so a character attempting to develop a fusion reactor needs Science[Physics] 4 and Engineering (Nuclear) and Computers 3, for example), while his lab assistants need either 3+ in a related ability or 2+ in the primary ability (so said character could be assisted by an engineer with Engineering (Nuclear) 3, or a physicist with Science[Physics] 2). Advancements typically are rolled for over the course of weeks or months, and best done during downtime. Each lab assistant adds +1d to this roll, up to the lower of (Charisma or [Primary Ability]) assistants, or +2d if they have a related ability at 4+ or the primary ability at 3+. Inspired assistants add a further +1d to this roll. Teamwork enhancing Mega-Attribute enhancements like Inspiration or Synergy add (related Mega-Attribute) dice to the roll.

Minor advancements (inventing the iPod, assembling already-existing technology into a new product) use 1 week as an interval for the roll, while major ones (developing sentient AI, creating a new species, curing aging, etc) require 1 month per roll interval. Note that all examples of advancements below are major advancements.

Super-science advancements require the character to be Inspired and use a roll interval of 2 months. Baseline lab assistants for super-science must have 4+ in the primary ability and 3+ in at least two related abilities, while Inspired (Nova/Psion/Paramorph) lab assistants may use the standard rules instead.

Advancement Examples

Weapons

A weapons advancement takes over the interval of 1 month per roll, and requires a base number of successes per project equal to (Weapon Cost + 1) * 5 for most weapons, or (Weapon Cost + 2) * 5 successes for heavy weapons. Weapons advancement projects can be attempted "back to back" for additional improvement on a firearm, but each additional advancement becomes ever harder as the tech envelope is pushed farther than the technology base of society can sustain. Double the final cost in successes of R&D for every additional project iteration.

+1 Accuracy (limit 3 levels per project): 3 successes/level

+1 Damage (limit 3 levels per project): 7 successes/level

+[1] Damage level (limit 3 levels per project, heavy weapons only): 7 successes/level

+50% ammunition capacity (limit 3 levels per project): 3 successes/level

+50% RoF (limit 3 levels per project): 5 successes/level

+50% Range (limit 4 levels per project): 5 successes/level

-1 Conceal Rating (from O to J, J to P, min P): 10 successes/level

Concealable (from N to O): 20 successes, 50 successes for a heavy weapon.

+1 Disguise (adds +1 difficulty to discern item's true nature, limit 4 levels): 7 successes/level

Change Damage Type (from lethal to bashing or back): 15 successes

Change Damage Type (to aggravated): 1500 successes.

Armor

An armor advancement takes place over the interval of 1 month per roll, requiring a base number of successes equal to (Armor Cost + 1) * 5 for unpowered armors, or (Armor Cost) * 10 for powered armors such as the VAS/BioVAS and the two Mini VARGs. Note that armor hardening cannot be greater than the armor's actual soak scores.

Modern Materials (lethal soak is no longer halved against firearms for archaic armor): 1 success

Note that if this is the sole improvement being made to the armor, the roll interval is per-day rather than per-month.

+1 Destruction (limit 5 levels per project): 1 success/level

+1B soak (limit 3 levels per project): 3 successes/level

+1L soak (limit 3 levels per project): 7 successes/level

Ultralight Materials (halved mass, limit 1 level per project): 15 successes

Disguised (+1 difficulty per level to detect as armor, limit 2 levels per project): 10 successes/level

Concealability (Unconcealable -> Hidden under heavy clothing -> hidden under normal clothing -> hidden under scanty/tight clothing): 20 successes/level

-1 to Mobility Penalty (limit 3 levels per project): 10 successes/level

Autoinjectors (injects one drug chosen by user, limit 4 levels per project): 5 successes/level

Power Armor Conversion (converts unpowered armor to powered armor): 20 successes

Powered Armor starts off with a failsafe of 4d and +1 Strength.

+1B Hardening (limit 3 levels per project, powered suits only): 2 successes/level

+1L Hardening (limit 3 levels per project, powered suits only): 3 successes/level

+1 Strength (limit 2 levels per project, powered suits only): 15 successes/level

+1 Dexterity (limit 1 level per project, powered suits only): 30 successes/level

+1 Stamina (limit 1 level per project, powered suits only): 20 successes/level

+1 Perception (limit 2 levels per project, powered suits only): 20 successes/level

+1d Automatic Medical Systems (limit 4 levels per project, powered suits only): 10 successes/level

+1d Failsafe (limit 4 levels per project, powered suits only): 5 successes/level

Vehicles

Vehicle advancement uses the interval of 1 month per roll, and requires a base number of successes per project equal to (Vehicle Cost) * 10 for most vehicles. Advanced aerospace vehicles and warships may require as many as (Vehicle Cost) * 20 successes base above and beyond a vehicle's advancements.

+25% Passengers (limit 4 levels per project): 2 successes/level

+25% Cargo (limit 4 levels per project): 2 successes/level

+25% Speed (limit 4 levels per project, affects safe/max speeds): 10 successes/level

+1 Maneuver (limit 3 levels per project): 10 successes/level

+1 Armor (limit 10 levels per project): 5 successes/level

+1 Stealth (limit 2 levels per project): 20 successes/level

Conceal Existing Armor: 1 success/point of armor

Personal-Scale Weapons Mount (i.e. machine gun, PD laser, limit 4 per project): 5 successes/mount

Vehicle-Scale Weapons Mount (i.e. tank cannon, limit 2 per project): 10 successes/mount

Capital-Scale Weapons Mount (i.e. heavy laser bank, limit 1 per project, capships only): 20 successes/mount

Conceal Weapon: 3 successes/personal-scale, 5 successes/vehicle-scale (only on larger vehicles).

Luxury Living Quarters for 1 (large vessels only): 3 successes/quarter

Living Quarters for 4 (large vessels only): 2 successes/quarters

Mobile Laboratory (large vessels only): 20 successes/lab

Support Facilities for Small Craft (large vessels only, limit 2/project): 20 successes/hangar

+100% Fuel Efficiency (limit 5 levels/project): 10 successes

Alternate Movement Method (battleship with treads, subfighter, aerospace fighter, amphibious tank): 50 successes

Drugs

Drug advancement uses the interval of 1 month per roll, and only requires the total successes necessary for R&D to advance. Unlike weapons or vehicles, drugs are not built on existing items but rather constructed from scratch. When not otherwise stated, a drug's effects last for a scene. This is for independent development of any of these drugs. Most of them do exist in some (somewhat more limited) form.

Increased Potency (+1 difficulty to resist, max 5 levels): 2 successes/level

Attribute Enhancement (+1 to an attribute, max 3 levels): 5 successes/level

Reflex Enhancement (+2 to Initiative, -1 to multiple action penalty, max 3 levels): 10 successes/level

Advanced Poisons (3d lethal damage/turn for 5 turns, max 3 levels): 20 successes/level

Interrogation Drugs (-3 to target temp and perm willpower, max 2 levels): 30 successes/level

Healing Enhancement Drug (heal bashing and lethal damage at 2/4/8 times normal for levels 1/2/3, max 3 levels): 60 successes/level

Regeneration Drug (heal aggravated damage or double aggravated damage healing rate for novas): 100 successes

Anti-Agathics (divide aging rate by 5/10/20 for levels 1/2/3, max 3 levels): 270 successes/level

Transhuman

Human augmentation advancement uses the interval of 1 year per roll, and requires an additional number of successes equal to (10 - process cost) * 5 successes. Cheap, universally applicable genetic modifications require decades of lab work, while personalized modifications are much more expensive but easier to develop. Note that there are methods to reduce the roll interval, but most of them require thousands of skilled scientists and bioengineers working in collusion with each other, and extensive resource expenditures along the lines of Cost 10 per month.

Muscle Augmentation (+1 Strength, max 3 levels): 20 successes/level

CNS Reconstruction (+1 Dexterity, max 2 levels): 40 successes/level

Endurance Improvement (+1 Stamina, max 3 levels): 20 successes/level

Sensory Enhancement (+1 Perception, max 3 levels): 20 successes/level

Cognition Boost (+1 Intelligence, max 2 levels): 90 successes/level

Reaction Boost (+1 Wits, max 2 levels): 90 successes/level

Cosmetic Modification (+1 Appearance, max 3 levels): 10 successes/level

Socialization Alteration (Subterfuge) (+1 Manipulation, max 2 levels): 40 successes/level

Socialization Alteration (Leadership) (+1 Charisma, max 2 levels): 40 successes/level

Improved Trauma Tolerance (+1 -0 HL, max 3 levels): 20 successes/level

Dermal Thickening (+2B/1L armor soak): 20 successes

Vital Organ Shielding (+1B/3L armor soak): 60 successes

Minor Transgenic Features (i.e. animal ears, whiskers, cat eyes): 20 successes/alteration

Significant Transgenic Features (i.e. tails, altered hand/foot structure, etc): 60 successes/alteration

Extreme Transgenic Features (i.e. multiple arms, multiple legs): 120 successes/alteration

Anticipation

Oftentimes in Aberrant people will play characters smarter than they are. Far smarter, in fact. Due to this, a player may not consider an element in the story or predict a turn of events which the character, by all rights, should have been able to predict and prepare for. Modifying the Anticipation system from nWoD: Mirrors, this section covers how a Mega-Intelligent (or in certain cases, Mega-Witty or Mega-Perceptive) Nova may be able to alter a situation to their advantage.

Requirements

To be capable of using Anticipation, the character must have a relevant Mega-Mental attribute, or an Ability Mastery. A character may do this a number of times per scene equal to (1 + Highest Mega-Mental Attribute). Being able to predict a situation isn't just about raw intellect, after all. Someone superhumanly perceptive can twig onto extremely minor changes in tone or disposition which might betray future plans, while someone with superhuman thinking speed and poise can run through a half-dozen scenarios with their merely human intellect. At the ST's discretion, low average mental abilities may prevent the use of Anticipation without spending WP, or forbid it entirely. Planning is not all about perception, or thinking quickly, or thinking well. It requires all three elements.

Alternatively, characters without a relevant Mental Attribute may attempt this if their total (relevant Attribute + Ability) dice pool is above 7 and they spend 1 Willpower. They may only do this once per scene. Only the extremely skilled are going to have sufficient actual genius in the field for them to be capable of doing such feats.

Systems

During a situation where the player thinks their character could have anticipated, the character may roll a Mental Attribute and Ability combination which makes sense. Examples would be "Wits + Empathy" to plan for a social encounter or predict the actions of a hated nemesis, "Intelligence + Tactics" or "Intelligence + Security" to have a safehouse already set up when you're on the run, "Wits + Computers" to have infiltrated a virus into the security system ten minutes ago when you were at that unattended terminal, so on and so forth.

Successes on that roll translate to points which can be used to access effects. These effects must make some degree of sense. Effects include bonus dice, inflicting penalties, having equipment accessible, so on and so forth. The opponent may attempt to counter as per the rules, either canceling out anticipation successes, or using his own anticipation successes to alter your desired outcome.

Example Effects

• 1 success: Having a small item on hand ("I thought we might run into guys with guns, so I happened to be wearing a bulletproof vest")
• 1 success: +/- 1d on any one dice roll (yours or the opponents), cannot add more than +/-3 to any one roll ("I could see that he favored his right eye. If I made a run for it when he was only looking at me with his left, I'd have a better chance.")
• 1 success: Define a minor element of the scene ("There happens to be an abandoned building a block away which is pretty empty, we could hide there.")
• 2 successes: Having a larger item on hand ("I thought we might face that guy. Fortunately I have a RPG over here somewhere.")
• 2 successes: 1 temporary background dot (Allies, Followers, Resources/etc) for the scene
• 2 successes: reroll any one failed or botched roll for the scene.
• 3 successes: Define a major scene element ("You just happened to have stepped into a minefield." "I shut down the security five minutes ago.")
• 3 successes: Change an already taken action ("Okay, I read about the minefield and so I don't step into it, but hose the ground down with high-explosive 30mm shells instead.")

Complications

• +1-4: Desired effects are extremely unlikely ("You want me to believe that you, a law-abiding citizen, happen to have stashed a RPG and a half-dozen reloads in your car's trunk?")
• +2: Repeating the same effect again and again. Don't be boring!
• +2: Desired effect does not mesh with setting ("You're in an affluent neighborhood. An abandoned building nearby? Really?")

Mental Combat

A mental combat scenario is a decompressed contested roll of mental attributes. Representing anything from a spy-versus-spy cat and mouse fight, to a detective chasing a serial killer, to a chess game between two shadowy manipulators deciding the fate of nations-or of worlds, mental combat takes one contested roll and breaks it down, into turns and initiative order and attacks and defenses.

Goal

Obviously, all conflict is for a goal. Like social combat, the goal of mental combat should be explicitly stated at the start of combat.

Initiative

In mental combat, Initiative is Intelligence + Perception + 1d10. Higher Intelligence allows a character to predict the enemy's actions, while a higher Perception allows a character to find subtle clues in data which might give him or her an advantage over the enemy. Initiative breaks ties, determines the order of action, and the order of resolution (as in standard combat).

Timeframe

A turn of mental combat is often longer than a turn of physical combat, though it does not have to be (a infowarfare duel between a pair of cyberkinetic Novas may take place on the scale of seconds, after all). Turns may be minutes, hours, days, or even weeks long, depending on the field which combatants are attempting to jockey for dominance in. A political campaign or war may have turns over the span of days or weeks, while a heated argument in the halls of academia may have turns merely minutes or hours long.

Attacks and Defense

In general, like social combat, only mental attributes apply, although sometimes social and physical abilities may also apply to the rolls. Like standard combat, rolls are (attribute + ability) to attack or defend, although more varieties of attacking or defensive rolls are available.