Character Advantages

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These are character traits that are innate abilities. With a few exceptions, a character may only be given these advantages when he is first created. After that, there is no way to gain or "earn" them. Some magic spells, potions, and items may give a character the artificial equivalent of an advantage like Acute Hearing. Each advantage has a cost in character points. A character may have as many advantages as he can afford.
For some advantages, the cost is fixed. Others (e.g., Acute Vision) can be bought at any level, at a certain point cost for each level. For instance, Acute Vision costs 2 points for each +1 bonus. If you want a +6 Acute Vision bonus, it will cost 12 points.

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ABSOLUTE DIRECTION                                                      

5 POINTS

You always know which way is north, and you can always retrace a path you have followed within the past month, no matter how faint or confusing it may be. This ability does not work in environments such as interstellar space, the limbo of the astral
plane, etc., but it does work underground, underwater, and on other planets. Also gives a +3 bonus on your Navigator skill.

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ABSOLUTE TIMING

5 POINTS

You have an accurate mental clock. Unless you have been knocked unconscious, hypnotized, or otherwise interfered with, you always know what time it is, down to the second. You can also measure any elapsed time with equal accuracy. Sleep does not interfere with this (and you can wake up at a predetermined time if you choose). Changes of time zone also have no effect. Time travel will confuse you until you find out what the “new” time is.

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ACUTE HEARING

2 POINTS / LEVEL

You get a bonus on your Hearing roll whenever you must roll to hear something, or when the GM rolls against IQ to see if you noticed a sound. Cost: 2 points for every +1 bonus to your roll.

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ACUTE TASTE AND SMELL

2 POINTS / LEVEL

You get a bonus on any Taste or Smell roll. For instance, the GM might roll to see if you noticed the taste or smell of poison in your drink. Cost: 2 points for every +1 bonus to your roll.

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ACUTE VISION

2 POINTS / LEVEL

You get a bonus on any Vision roll – that is, when you roll to look for something, or whenever the GM rolls against IQ to see if you noticed something. Cost: 2 points for every +1 bonus to your roll.

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ALERTNESS

5 POINTS / LEVEL

A general bonus you get on any Sense roll, or when the GM rolls against your IQ to see if you notice something. This advantage can be combined with any or all of the acute senses. Cost: 5 points for each +1 bonus to your roll.

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AMBIDEXTERITY

10 POINTS

You can use both hands with equal skill. You do not suffer the -4 DX penalty for using an “off hand”, and can fight (or act) with either hand, or (in an All-Out Attack) with both hands at once. Should some accident befall one of your arms or hands, assume it is the left one.

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ANIMAL EMPATHY

5 POINTS

You understand animals and like them, and they like you. You get a +2 on any reaction roll by a wild animal, and a +4 on any reaction from a tame animal. You also get a +4 bonus on any “animal” skill roll (Animal Handling, Riding, Vet, etc.). However, you may never kill an animal without a very good reason, and you should try to prevent others from doing so. Note that killing for food is perfectly acceptable, and in a hunting situation you will get a +3 bonus to find game.

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CHARISMA

5 POINTS / LEVEL

This is the natural ability to impress and lead others. Anyone can acquire a semblance of charisma by good looks, good manners and intelligence – but real charisma works independently of these things, and you either have it or you don’t. It affects any reaction roll made by any intelligent creature. Cost: 5 points for each +1 bonus.

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CLERICAL INVESTMENT

5 OR MORE POINTS, GM'S DIRECTION

You have been ordained as a minister of some religion. A cleric has a number of powers and privileges that a layman lacks, including a +1 reaction bonus from co-religionists and those who respect his faith. He or she will be addressed by a title – Father, Sister, Reverend, Shaman – and can perform such ceremonies as Confirmation, Marriage and Exorcism.

The GM should determine whether clerics, in his campaign, can call upon active aid from Beyond. If so, and if clerics are known to be able to get such aid, Clerical Investment will be worth 10 points or more. If Investment is merely (as far as the players know) a “social” advantage, it costs 5 points.

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COMMON SENSE

10 POINTS

Any time you start to do something that the GM feels is STUPID, he rolls against your IQ. A successful roll means he must warn you, “Hadn’t you better think about that?” This advantage allows an impulsive player to take the part of a thoughtful character.

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DANGER SENSE

15 POINTS

You can’t depend on it, but sometimes you get this prickly feeling right at the back of your neck, and you know something’s wrong . . . If you have Danger Sense, the GM rolls once against your IQ, secretly, in any situation involving an ambush, impending disaster, or similar hazard. A successful roll means you get a warning that something’s wrong. A roll of 3 or 4 means you get a little detail as to the nature of the danger.

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DOUBLE-JOINTED

5 POINTS

Your body is unusually flexible. You have a +3 on any Climbing roll, and on any roll to escape from ropes, handcuffs or other restraints.

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EIDETIC MEMORY

30 / 60 POINTS

You remember everything you see or hear. This talent comes in two levels. At the first level, you remember the general sense of everything you concentrate on. Thus, all points you put into “regular” mental skills count double (there is no bonus for psi skills). You get a +1 on magic spells. Also: whenever you need to remember a detail of something you have been told, the GM rolls against your IQ. A successful roll means he must give you the information! Cost: 30 points.

The second level is true “photographic memory.” You remember everything that has ever happened to you! All points you put into “regular” mental skills count quadruple. You get a +2 bonus on magic spells. Furthermore, any time you (as the player) forget a
detail your character has seen or heard, the GM or other players must remind you – truthfully! Cost: 60 points.

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EMPATHY

15 POINTS

You have a “feeling” for people. When you first meet someone, or when you are reunited after an absence, you may request the GM to roll against your IQ. He will then tell you what you “feel” about that person. (Note that a failed roll means the GM may lie to you.) This talent, when it works, is excellent for spotting imposters, ghostly possession, etc., and determining the true loyalties of NPCs. You can also use it to determine whether someone is lying . . . not what the truth really is, but just whether they are being honest with you.

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HIGH PAIN THRESHOLD

10 POINTS

You are as susceptible to injury as anyone else, but you don’t feel it as much. If you are hurt in combat, you are not stunned and do not have the normal DX penalty on your next turn (exception: a head blow or critical hit will still stun you). If you are tortured physically, you are at a +3 to resist. The GM may let you roll at Will +3 to ignore pain in other situations.

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IMMUNITY TO DISEASE

10 POINTS

Your body naturally resists all disease organisms. You will never catch any infection or disease “naturally.” If you are forcibly injected with a disease organism, your body will throw it off immediately. Virus and fungus invasions are also considered “disease,” though larger parasites (e.g., a tapeworm) are not. You may not take this advantage unless you also start with a HT of 12 or better. However, the immunity will remain, even if HT is reduced below 12.

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INTUITION

15 POINTS

You usually guess right. When you are faced with a number of alternatives, and no logical way to choose between them, you can use your intuition as follows: The GM adds your IQ to the number of “right” choices, subtracts the number of possible “wrong” choices, and rolls against the resulting number. A successful roll means he steers you to a good choice; a roll of 3 or 4 means he tells you the best choice. A failed roll means you are given no information. A critical failure means he steers you toward a bad choice . . . your intuition failed you. The GM can modify this system as he sees fit for other situations in which intuition might logically help.
Only one roll per question is allowed. Note also: The GM cannot let this advantage be used to short-circuit adventures – by letting the intuitive detective walk into a room, slap the cuffs on the guilty party, and close the case. At the most, intuition would point the detective in the direction of a good clue. GMs who don’t think they can control this advantage should not allow it at all.

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LANGUAGE TALENT

2 POINTS / LEVEL

You pick up languages quickly. This talent is cumulative with others; if you have Eidetic Memory and Language Talent, you will probably be speaking 20 languages before long. Whenever you learn any language, add your level of Language Talent to your IQ.
Example: Your IQ is 10; your Language Talent is 2. You learn languages as though your IQ were 12! You get the same bonus on
Linguistics skill. Cost: 2 points for each +1 bonus.

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LEGAL ENFORCEMENT POWERS

5, 10 OR 15 POINTS

You are an officer of the law, with all the accompanying rights, powers and restrictions.
The point cost is determined by the rights and privileges of the character’s branch of law enforcement. Generally, a policeman with
local jurisdiction, the ability to arrest suspected criminals, the right
to perform searches with an appropriate warrant, and possibly the
right to carry a concealed weapon, has 5 points’ worth of Legal
Enforcement Powers. Examples would be a Victorian bobby or a
modern policeman.
Someone with national or international jurisdiction, or not obligated
to respect the civil rights of others, or free to engage in covert
investigations, or able to kill with relative impunity, must pay 10
points for his powers. Examples would be a modern FBI agent or a
medieval Royal Guardsman.
An officer with three or more of the above abilities has 15 points
of Legal Enforcement Powers. An example might be a top agent of
the CIA, KGB, or MI-5.
Legal Enforcement Powers usually go hand-in-hand with an
appropriate Duty disadvantage, and with a Reputation which may
be an advantage, a disadvantage, or both.

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LITERACY

0 OR 10 POINTS

Although in real life this is a skill, it is treated as an advantage
for reasons which are explained on p. 17. In general, you are
assumed to be literate if your world is mostly literate, and illiterate
if your world is mostly illiterate (TL4 and below). Being literate in
a world where most people cannot read is an advantage worth 10
points. Being illiterate in a world where most people can read is a
disadvantage, worth -10 points.

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LONGEVITY

5 POINTS

Your lifespan is naturally very long. You will fail aging rolls
(see p. 83) only on a natural 17 or 18. A character with this advantage
gets no points by taking Age as a disadvantage!

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LUCK

15 OR 30 POINTS

Some people are just born lucky. Once per every hour of play,
you may make up to three rolls for some one thing, and then take
the best one! If the GM is rolling (e.g., to see whether a certain
NPC arrives, or to see if you notice something), you tell him you
are using your luck, and he must roll three times and give you the
best result. You can use this advantage after the dice are rolled the
first time to get two more attempts. Cost: 15 points.
Extraordinary Luck works the same way, but it is usable every
30 minutes, instead of every hour. Cost: 30 points.
Your luck only applies on rolls for your character to try to do
something, OR on outside events that affect you or your whole
party, OR when you are being attacked (in which case you may
make the attacker roll three times and take the worst roll!).
Luck cannot be shared. If Strong Sam is trying to kick open a door, Lucky Lou can’t stand behind him and transfer his luck. He’ll
have to kick that door himself.
Once you use your Luck, you must wait an hour (or 30 minutes
for Extraordinary Luck) before using it again. You cannot use Luck
at 11:58, and then again at 12:01. Note also that Luck cannot be
saved up. You cannot play for hours without using Luck and then
use it several times in a row!

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Magical Aptitude (Magery) 15 points for
first level
10 points/level afterward
You have a bonus to learn any magic spell. Of course, if you are
from a non-magical culture you will not start with any spells, but
you can still learn them more easily if you ever find an opportunity.
And when you enter a magical world, those who can detect your
aura (p. 162) will recognize you as a potentially powerful, though
untrained, magic-user. They may want to teach you – or kill you.
When you learn any spell, you learn it as though your IQ were
equal to (IQ + aptitude). Example: You have an IQ of 14 and a
Magical Aptitude of 3. You learn spells as though your IQ was 17!
In addition, the GM will roll vs. your (IQ + aptitude) when you
first see any magic object, and again when you first touch it. If the
roll succeeds, you will know intuitively that it is magical. A roll of
3 or 4 will also tell you whether the magic is helpful or dangerous,
and about how strong it is. Example: If you have IQ 13 and 3 levels
of aptitude, you will recognize a magic item on a 16 or less. If the
GM misses the roll, he will simply tell you nothing. Note that use
of this advantage becomes tricky for a character from a non-magical
background – like 20th-century Earth. Such a character will still
have the ability to sense magic, though until he gains experience
with magic the GM should not say, “That idol is magical,” but
“That idol looks very strange to you, very sinister. You sense there
is something special about it.” Characters without Magical Aptitude
don’t get any roll to sense magical objects.
Cost: 15 points for the first level of Magery; 10 points for each
subsequent level up to a maximum of 3 levels.

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