Aberrant 2.0 Quantum and Mega-Attributes

Mega-Attributes

Mega-Stamina

Mega-Stamina now provides, per dot:

• Doubles the Nova's lifespan per level (x2 for M-Sta 1, x4 for M-Sta 2, x8 for M-Sta 3, so on and so forth.)
• Increases the Nova's healing rates per level as noted in the core book.
• One -0, one -1, one -2, and one -4 Health Level per purchase.
• +1B/1L Stackable natural soak per purchase.

Mega-Appearance

Mega-Appearance comes in two forms, which color the Nova's appearance in general. One makes people want to get close to you, another makes people want to keep their safe distance. Both are limited by appearance.

• Mega-Appearance (Enticing) is the default, which grants Style bonuses and is generally attractiveness of a more conventional sort. It might be sexy attractiveness, or object d'art attractiveness, or so on,
• Mega-Appearance (Dangerous) is the predatory beauty of the tiger or another apex predator. It may still be beautiful, but it is regal and intimidating, rather than friendly and enticing. This replaces Mega-Ugliness, and grants +1 to Intimidation rolls per dot.

Mega-Attribute Clarification

Each Mega-Attribute counts as 2 dots of the relevant Attribute when calculating static values, but grant 1 success to all rolls based on that Attribute. No Attribute-increasing ability (save Node Spark) can grant a character Mega-Attributes anymore. Mega-Attributes are after all, powers rather than physical abilities, and you can't get Mega-Strength via bulging biceps or high-end artificial musculature.

Quantum Pool

A Nova's base Quantum Pool is now calculated by: 10 + [(Quantum + Node) * 5]. A chargen Nova has minimum Quantum Pool 15, maximum 60, without buying expansions.

• As a clarification, 1 Aggravated HL sacrificed provides 2 temporary Quantum points. These Quantum points can be spent above and beyond normal Quantum expenditure for the turn-they do not count towards the Quantum/turn limit.

Quantum and Soak

In Aberrant as written, Novas can spend 1 Quantum (up to their permanent Quantum score) to roll 1 die and add successes to soak for 1 turn. This is an incredibly inefficient and unpredictable defensive method, which is essentially pointless for most characters.

Instead, in this system, a Nova may always pay 1 or more Quantum (up to their permanent Quantum score) to subtract 1 health level of damage from a single attack after soak. This is generally significantly more efficient.

Taint

Benefits

Each Dot of Permanent Taint provides the following advantages:

• Aberrations: The Nova gains beneficial body modifications (large size, acute senses, hardened skin, etc.) per dot of Permanent Taint at higher levels. This body modification must generally relate to the power/etc. the Taint was used to purchase, and generally have an interplay with the Nova's negative aberrations. At Taint 3-5, each point of Taint grants 2 XP worth of modifications, at Taint 6-8, each point grants 4 XP worth, and at Taint 9+ each point grants 8 XP worth.

• Reduced Cost: Taking a power or level of Quantum Tainted reduces its cost by 3 NP (at chargen) or half (after chargen) at the cost of 1 permanent Taint. This can give a power negative cost at chargen.

• Transhuman Ascendancy: The quantum energies coursing through the Nova mutate her body far past human limits, both for good and for ill. At Taint 4, a Nova chooses one attribute. This attribute no longer has a rating cap, and any body modifications or merits which adjust or eliminate this rating cap (such as Exceptional [Attribute] or Inhuman [Attribute]) are converted back into XP. Every two points of Taint after that removes the rating cap from an additional attribute, so a Nova at Taint 8 has 5 attributes which have no limit to their development.

Penalties

However, each Dot also has the following disadvantages:

• Social Issues: A Nova suffers +1 difficulty on all social rolls for every 3 points of permanent taint he or she gains. This applies for all social rolls, including intimidation-the Nova is just so fearsome the opponent is driven catatonic or desperately tries to make a stand rather than telling the Nova what he or she wants. There is something fundamentally wrong with high-Taint Novas that makes social interaction difficult. This penalty is waived against high Taint (6+) Novas or Novas with Chrysalis and can be reduced by Soothe or other similar Enhancements, and caps at the Nova's permanent Quantum score.

• Taint Radiation: At high Taint levels (8+) the Nova radiates Taint radiation, which can poison baselines and give Taint to nearby Novas. With one scene of constant exposure, a Nova or baseline with permanent Taint less than half that of another Nova must roll (Stamina + Resistance) at the end of the scene, the difficulty being half the difference between the Taint levels of the two Novas (round up). Failure means a Nova takes 1 point of temporary Taint + 1 more point for every 2 points of permanent Taint a Nova has above 10, while a baseline gains 1 level of permanent Taint and the advantages and disadvantages of said.

• Aberrations: The Aberration system is used as normal for disadvantageous or inconvenient changes. These changes are merely paired with beneficial ones. Aberrations tend to be actual flaws

Novas gain negative Aberrations with increasing Taint as shown below:

Taint 0-2: 0 pts

Taint 3-5: 1 pt/level

Taint 6-8: 2 pts/level

Taint 9+: 4 pts/level.

Note that this is identical to the body modification gain, but not all Aberrations are physical. Some are entirely mental in nature, or Quantum-based. Novas should generally have at least 25% (round up) of their aberrations in mental or quantum aberrations. Aberrations are treated as flaws, save the Nova gains no bonus points from choosing them. With GM approval, flaws from any Storyteller-based sourcebook may be used for Aberrations, if they make sense. The GM has final say on how much each flaw is worth as an Aberration. In general the value of a flaw as an Aberration is equal to the value of the flaw.

The merely cosmetic Aberrations in general are considered trivial, being worth 0.33 points each (so you need 3 to use one Aberration point). They may be upgraded to Minor if they are so obvious and easily visible that they make it easier to spot the Nova (+1d to all rolls to spot, remember, or track the Nova) or otherwise have minor penalty effects. A Nova may not have more than 6 trivial Aberrations-so past Taint 4, a Nova's aberrations start becoming actual flaws. Similarly, a Nova may not have more Minor Aberrations than their (Permanent Taint - 1) so eventually more damaging Aberrations will be accumulated.

Temporary Taint

This section lists new and altered ways to gain or lose temporary Taint.

Temporary Aberrations

Temporary Taint may inflict temporary mental, quantum, or occasionally physical aberrations on a character. At high levels of temporary Taint (5+), a character gains another Aberration point until she lowers her temporary Taint to a value below 5 by any means (this includes gaining 10 temporary Taint and converting it into a point of permanent Taint).

Quantum Recharging

Novas can unsafely channel ambient quantum energies, recharging 3 Quantum Points instantly at the cost of 1 temporary Taint. This supplements Dying for Power: A very desperate Nova can do truly insane things by taking temporary taint.

Losing Temporary Taint

There are several methods of bleeding off temporary Taint.

• Novas may bleed off temporary Taint by -that is to say, going 1 session or 1 month of downtime without using powers at more than half strength (including Mega-Attributes) and without botching power rolls allows a character to roll (Willpower) at +1 difficulty (with an additional +1 for every point of temporary Taint after the first). Each net success bleeds off a point of temporary Taint.

• A Nova may attempt to "reformat" their informational template and burn out temporary Taint. This empties the Nova's quantum pool and fills all but his last Incapacitated level with aggravated damage, but removes all temporary Taint from the Nova's temporary Taint track.

• Taint Resistant Novas lose 1 temporary Taint every 24 hours, while 2nd Gen Novas lose all temporary Taint every 24 hours.

Power Maxing

A Power Max requires the character to pay double the cost of the power, although more Quantum can be spent (an additional amount up to the character's permanent Quantum score). The character rolls his permanent Quantum. The character gains 1 temporary taint for a failed max, and 2 if the roll botches. Successes on this roll (if any were rolled) are added to the number of additional Quantum spent and used to buy new features for the power. This is a reflexive action.

• 1 success buys +1d to the power's dice pool or damage, up to [Quantum].
• 2 successes converts 1 dice in the power's pool into a success. For powers which have a roll to hit and another damage roll, it converts both part of the to-hit and damage roll.
• 2 successes buys any desired Extra for the power.
• 3 successes increases the power's level by 1 for all purposes, including accuracy, damage, and range.
• 5 successes allows the Nova to alter the chosen power for (Quantum) actions, turning it into a similar but related power. For example, a Nova could pay 5 successes to turn Healing into Biomanipulation, or Bioluminescence into Quantum Bolt.

Power Maxing and Taint

A character may choose to take 1 temporary taint to add an additional point to their power max pool, or 2 temporary taint to convert all dice into successes.

Extras and Enhancements

Instead of how Extras work currently, an Extra can be purchased for a power for the flat cost of 10 XP per Extra, with a maximum amount of Extras equal to half the power rating, rounded up (so a power at Rating 3 can support up to 3 Extras). A power may use as many or as few Extras as desired, each one adding +1 to the Quantum cost of the power. Buying an Extra at chargen is worth 3 NP. This change makes L3 powers somewhat better because they can support just as many Extras as L1 powers, and gives an incentive to buy power ratings up. Furthermore, a power may also have Strengths (as per the Player's Guide) equal to its rating. Each Strength costs 4 XP or 1 NP at chargen. Extras and Strengths do not increase the level of the power.

For Mega-Attributes, a character may support up to (Mega-Attribute + 2) Enhancements per attribute instead of an infinite amount.

New Enhancements

General

[Attribute] Paragon (Any) : This Enhancement decreases the cost of purchasing superhuman attributes for the chosen Mega-Attribute. The cost of purchasing dots of the chosen attribute above 5 is reduced to (current value - 5) * 4, minimum 4 XP. This only affects the cost of purchasing an attribute above human levels (i.e. above 5), and does nothing to cheapen the cost of purchasing an attribute up to 5. At Quantum 5, this Enhancement may be purchased again, reducing the cost of purchasing dots of the chosen attribute above 10 to (current value - 10) * 4, minimum 4 XP. This enhancement costs nothing and is always on.

[Attribute] Specialist (Any) : This Enhancement allows a Nova to reroll 10s in the mundane attribute (Strength for Mega-Strength, Dexterity for Mega-Dexterity, so on) without an applicable quality. This enhancement costs nothing and is always on.

Physical

Demolition (M-Str): You are an unstoppable wrecking machine. Novas with this enhancement ignore five dots of soak for every dot of Mega-Strength. This only applies against inanimate objects. This enhancement costs 1 Quantum per attack.

Weapons Master (M-Dex): A Nova with this enhancement is an unparalleled master of the way the the sword, the way of the gun, and the way of the thermobaric rocket launcher. This enhancement replaces a weapon's RoF with (Mega-Dexterity * 2) if slower, doubles its Range, and allows a Nova to reload a weapon reflexively with no need for a roll. More importantly, the Nova rerolls all 10s on rolls related to weapons handling, or weapons damage. As a final benefit, all ranged weapons in the Nova's hands gain +1 accuracy and +1 damage due to better shot placement. This enhancement costs nothing and is always on.

I'll Be Back (M-Sta): You've been pulverised, vaporised, pulped and dissolved, but you just won't stay dead. The nova has (mega-stamina)x5 additional Incapacitated levels. These levels may only be filled with damage capable of incapacitating the nova. The health levels of your corpse are also multiplied by (mega-stamina +1), although mundane resuscitation techniques will not work beyond the standard track, as the body is beyond the reach of medical science. This enhancement costs nothing and is always on.

Blood and Tears (M-Sta): This Enhancement allows a Nova to pour his life into a goal-literally. The Nova may pay 1 aggravated health level instead of any willpower costs, up to (Mega-Stamina) times a scene. This enhancement costs nothing and is always on.

Mental

Zoom and Enhance (M-Per): Like Poirot, you notice everything. Novas with this enhancement notice the faintest fear in someone's voice or the one grass blade out of place, and they can analyse a crime scene days after the fact. They may add (Mega-Perception) dice to any roll to notice clues or gather evidence, and ignore up to (Mega-Perception) difficulty penalties from disruption of a location they are investigating. This enhancement costs 1 Quantum and lasts for a single roll.

Altered Enhancements

Some of these Enhancements are from the three Mega-Attribute books: Brainwaves, Forceful Personalities, or The New Flesh.

Physical

• Accuracy: Accuracy adds +1 to the accuracy of all Nova powers, and increases the Nova's maximum aiming bonus by 3, to (Perception + 3), as well as adding 3 extra dice on the first turn of aiming. Accuracy may be purchased more than once to stack the improved power accuracy, but not further increase aiming ability.

• Adaptability: Adaptability renders the Nova biologically immortal and adds (Mega-Stamina) dice to any roll to resist toxins or diseases which the Nova is not immune to.

• Catfooted: replace system with: Catfooted adds 1 success to any contested Stealth roll, and all attempts to track the Nova's footprints without superhuman senses automatically fail as long as the Nova does not botch her stealth roll. This costs 1 Quantum and lasts for a scene.

• Crush: Crush damage is lethal by default, and if used to charge an attack for extra damage levels, the attack may take the form of a Smackdown (Str + 6 damage) or be aimed for 1 turn, instead of being a normal strike.

• Fast Tasks: On extended rolls which require effort and knowledge, divide the timeframe of a roll by (Mega-Dexterity). Simple tasks such as painting or gardening can be completed in one combat round (3 seconds). When Fast Tasks is active, a Nova may take advantage of their increased speeds, reloading, drawing, or changing ammunition for weapons as a reflexive action.

• Hardbody: Hardbody only affects Mega-Stamina soak, giving the Nova an aggravated soak score equal to his Mega-Stamina score normally, or twice that if the Nova also has Resiliency.

• Physical Prodigy: replace system with: +1 success to any Athletics, Performance, or other rolls based on physical prowess. This does not affect combat or dodge rolls. However, Physical Prodigy adds a bonus die to all Athletics rolls, including dodge.

• Rapid Strike: Rapid Strike adds [Mega-Dexterity] dice to any melee damage roll.

• Regeneration: A Nova with Regeneration heals (Mega-Stamina + 1) levels of bashing or lethal damage per hour and heals half that many levels of aggravated damage each day. Regeneration allows a Nova to regrow missing limbs or organs in (30/Mega-Stamina) days.

• Shockwave: Shockwave deals (Strength + [Mega-Strength * 2])B damage to an area [Mega-Strength x 10]m in radius, and forces a Strength + Athletics roll at Difficulty 3 to stay upright or fall prone.

• Thunderclap: Thunderclap deals (Strength + [Mega-Strength * 2])B damage to soft targets in an area [Mega-Strength x 10]m in radius, and those in that radius must roll Stamina + Resistance, difficulty equal to the number of levels of bashing damage they have taken, or be deafened. Surgery is required to repair this damage in baselines, but Novas regain their hearing immediately after healing the bashing damage.

Social

• Awe-Inspiring/Face of Terror: replace system with: Awe-Inspiring gives +(Mega-Appearance) dice on Sway rolls where physical impressiveness is especially useful (commanding/etc), while Face of Terror does the same on rolls where raw horror may provide an advantage (for example, on torture). In especially fitting situations, a character may be able to add 1 success to the roll along with the bonus dice.

• Commanding Presence: replace system with: +(Mega-Charisma) bonus dice to rolls made to create Sway which use superior rank or social class as an element of persuasion. In especially fitting situations, a character may be able to add 1 success to the roll along with the bonus dice.

• Fade: replace system with: The Nova adds +(Mega-Appearance) bonus dice to stealth rolls made against non-autonomous electronic surveillance. The Nova's ability to effectively "photoshop" herself out of things like reflections, computer images, or whatnot have no effect on autonomous systems such as living beings or AI surveillance. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• Immaculate: replace system with: The Nova gains an additional +(Mega-Appearance) dice for Style rolls to look good, and never gets dirty. Notably because they never get dirty, they gain +(Mega-Appearance) bonus dice to resist disease, in the rare event that a disease capable of overwhelming a Nova's immune system exists in the environment. This Enhancement costs nothing and is always on.

• Incognito: replace system with: The Nova subtracts -(Mega-Appearance) dice from any attempt to identify him or her by memory or descriptions created by these memories. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• Inquisitor: replace system with: The Nova adds +(Mega-Manipulation) dice to any Sway roll based on Interrogation or finding the truth. This explicitly does not work for creating false confessions, despite the name of the Enhancement. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• Inspiration: replace system with: Pay 1 Quantum point to give a person or group +1d to accomplish an action that you have led them towards. This dice bonus lasts until the task is completed or for (Mega-Charisma) days, whichever comes first and can apply to any roll directly related to the goal. Multiple sources of Inspiration do not stack. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• Natural Agitator: replace system with: Pay 1 Quantum point to make a Sway roll via Charisma + Relevant Social Ability, creating Casual Sway, which as a difficulty of (Crowd Size + Average Wits). Size is calculated in the same way an army's force size is, in the Warfare section. The group may roll their average Willpower to resist beyond that. Success creates points of Casual Sway applicable to the entire group. Note that as Casual Sway, Natural Agitator cannot be used to get a group to do something which it isn't already inclined to do.

• Pedagogue: replace system with: +(Mega-Charisma) bonus dice to all Instruction rolls. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a roll.

• Persona: replace system with: The nova may overlay a completely false personality over his or her own at the cost of 3 Quantum points per scene. This personality temporarily overwrites the nova's Virtue and Vice with its own and can only be detected with a successful Rapport roll with a difficulty of +(Mega-Charisma + 3), or Telepathy roll with a difficulty of +(Mega-Charisma + 1). As a side benefit, the Nova may use this to become a better actor, gaining +(Mega-Charisma) additional dice to any acting rolls.

• Persuader: replace system with: Reduce the target's willpower by (Mega-Manipulation) when calculating the amount of Casual Sway needed to start creating Intimate Sway, minimum 1 effective Willpower. Costs no Quantum points and is always on.

• Seductive: replace system with: +(Mega-Charisma) bonus dice to rolls made to create Sway via sexual attractiveness. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• Seductive Looks: replace system with: +(Mega-Appearance) dice to any Sway roll where seuxality could be an additional advantage. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• Trickster: replace system with: +(Mega-Manipulation) to any roll made to create Sway that would convince a character of a fundamental untruth or otherwise deceive them. In especially fitting situations, a character may be able to add 1 success to the roll along with the bonus dice. This Enhancement requires 1 Quantum to activate for a scene.

• The Voice: replace system with: Spend 1 Quantum to make a Sway roll via Manipulation + Relevant Social Ability, creating Intimate Sway, which has a difficulty of (Opponent's Wits). The victim may roll Willpower to resist. The timeframe of this action is 1 combat turn, but this can only be applied to one target and only may apply once per scene. Sway generated by The Voice cannot have its duration extended at all-it only lasts for the instant in question.

Mental

• Body Awareness: In addition to the minor benefits gained, Body Awareness also gives anyone operating on or attempting to treat the Nova in question +(Mega-Perception) additional dice to their medicine rolls as long as the Nova has had time to advise the doctor in question (or the Nova is treating/diagnosing himself). More critically, when diagnosing or treating a Nova with Body Awareness who is capable of giving real-time advice, a doctor can reroll all failed dice in his dice pool once. Rerolled dice which come up as failures may not be rerolled.

• Discerning Mind: replace system with: +(Mega-Intelligence) dice to any roll to resist Sway. Furthermore add +(Mega-Intelligence) to the character's Willpower when determining the points of casual way necessary to create intimate sway.

• Eidetic Memory: The Nova may in effect have up to [Mega-Intelligence + 3] "phantom" dots of knowledge abilities stored in his memory, with no single "phantom" ability having a rating higher than (Mega-Intelligence/2 or 3, whichever is lower, round up) dots. These dots act as the ability in all respects, but are not actually purchased.

• Electromagnetic Vision: The Enhancement stays in effect for a scene. Adds (+Mega-Perception + 1) dice for sight rolls instead of +3d.

• Hyperenhanced Hearing: The Enhancement stays in effect for a scene. Adds (+Mega-Perception + 1) dice for hearing rolls instead of +3d.

• Inventive Genius: replace system with: +(Mega-Intelligence) dice to any roll made related to inventing or developing a new technology. Inventive Genius is always applicable for gadget construction.

• Mental Prodigy (Any): replace system with: +(Mega-Intelligence) dice to any roll made related to the field in question. Mental Prodigy: Tactics no longer adds +3 Initiative.

• Multitasking: replace system with: Multitasking reduces multiple action penalties by (Mega-Wits). Multitasking is a permanent Enhancement which is always on and costs no Quantum points.

• Quickness: Quickness actions may explicitly not be split into multiple actions, and moreover allow all actions, including the use of Quantum powers. A Nova may not take any more Quickness actions than he or she has Mega-Wits.

• Razor Wit: replace system with: A use of Razor Wit can add +(Mega-Wits) to the difficulty of any action related to the insult in question until the opponent succeeds. Alternatively, Razor Wit can be used as a directionless taunt, forcing an opponent to roll Willpower at a difficulty of (+Mega-Wits - 1) or else attack the Mega-Witty comedian in a fit of rage. Enemies with Hormonal Imbalance (Rage) or any similar flaws suffer from both effects automatically, and add any difficulty penalties to keep their temper in check to the difficulty of the Willpower roll. Razor Wit costs 1 Quantum point per cheap shot.

• Unfazeable: replace system with: +(Mega-Wits) dice to any roll to resist Sway. Furthermore add +(Mega-Wits) to the character's Willpower when determining the points of casual way necessary to create intimate sway.