I’m getting ready to run a space fantasy game with some friends, somewhere between Masters of the Universe an A New Hope in tone. I came up with these 11 types. Let me know what you think!
Alien
A strange being of peculiar origin.
Starting Abilities
- Xeno-Bio - choose a condition to which you are immune: poison, unconsciousness, suffocation, etc.
- Promethean - choose one sorcery power; this power is always EASY.
- Magical Being - choose 3 spells; inherent to your being, they require no inventory and cannot be lost.
Starting Loot
- Universal solvent - once per session apply a powerful acid to do ULTIMATE effort to an object each round for TIMER. If used as an attack, roll damage once, and destroy a piece of gear for every 5 damage.
- Half a hole - gives you an entrance, but no exit, as long as the barrier is not more than NEAR thick.
- Mutagenic sting - melee attack; target rolls CON vs mutation - coin flip: odd - target loses BASIC from highest stat, and MAGIC damage; even - replace one ability with a new randomly assigned ability. Roll D6 to determine new STAT for highest bonus.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever stronger - add 1 to any stat.
- Supernatural Senses - you can detect one thing on a planetary distance.
- Adaptable - once observed, gain immunity to one enemy ability for TIMER.
- Lair - designate a FAR sized area as your lair. While there, all your attempts are EASY, and all enemies’ attempts are HARD.
- Unnatural Mobility - move up to FAR without regard to the obstacles.
- Consume - convert a person sized target to their component parts; all actions HARD until rested
- Egg - create an egg with something wondrous inside.
Mastery
- Xeno-Bio - choose a substance which you can consume to regain 1D6 HP.
- Promethean - without any tools, you can inflict TOOL effort with a melee attack, or a medicine check.
- Magical Being - any attack from a non-magical source is reduced by BASIC.
Brute
The embodiment of brutal strength in the cosm.
Starting Abilities
- Beast - natural weapons; can swim, glide, or ignore difficult terrain; animal empathy/training is EASY.
- Berserker - spend action to activate; take stat bonuses in INT, WIS, and CHA, and apply to STR, CON, and EFFORT; lasts TIMER rounds; after, STR and CON reduced to +0 for TIMER rounds.
- Giant - STR rolls that are not attack rolls are always EASY. PC can move boulders, throw stones like a catapult, and charge through light structures.
Starting Loot
- Hammer of Ages - 2 handed stone hammer, ULTIMATE; cannot be moved by person-sized being other than the PC.
- Beast companion - can be sacrificed to intercept any single hit whether PC is conscious or not; killed if takes more than half PC’s HP total in one hit; gets 3 of the following abilities: track, fly, swim, carry, guard, scout, attack, defend, search, and climb
- Dragon teeth necklace - a source of additional power. Activate once per session to split MAGIC between STR, CON, and BASIC for TIMER.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - increase stat by 1.
- Track by Blood - you can track an entity by scent with WIS check.
- Mitts - use 2 handed items in one hand.
- Clean Sweap - hit all CLOSE enemies with a successful melee attack
- Crushing Might - destroy one piece of enemy gear during a grapple.
- Scrap Armor - Very heavy armor made out of tank armor and safe doors. +4 DEF and ignores hits doing 4 damage or less.
- Hobnail Boots - these very heavy boots grips the ground, and never slip; saves against tripping use STR, and are EASY.
Mastery
- Beast - charge FAR and attack on EASY
- Berserker - rage lasts for MAGIC rounds.
- Giant - push opponents NEAR with every attack.
Construct
You are a being of artifice, constructed through genius.
Starting Abilities
- Robot - gain an extra heart. All loot stored internally; auto access any item.
- Android - store up to 10 POWER which can be added to any attempt or effort roll. Choose POWER source: electrical, chemical, themal, radiant, mechanical.
- Holo-Ghost - attacks against your projection do no damage; project realistic moving images and sounds NEAR range.
Starting Loot
- Buster cannon - a hidden chargeable weapon; hit 1d3 FAR targets with BASIC, or charge one round for ULTIMATE.
- Override Matrix - a crystalline neural network which if touched to a machine allows the PCs mind to occupy and control that machine; if the machine is intelligent, roll INT as a “charm” spell.
- Advanced Sensors - Spend action to roll INT or WIS to learn either the layout, enemies, or target of the next room. Can only ever get one. Regular perception checks are always EASY.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - add 1 to any stat.
- Everywhere All At Once - upgrade your override matrix to take over TOOL machines.
- X-Ray Vision - see through solid objects at NEAR range. Images lack detail and color.
- Redirect Power - redistribute 1 point of stats however you prefer; can be taken multiple times.
- Cannon Modulation - modify internal weapons’ energy type; choose 1: fire, freeze, bomb, electric, wind, or sundering.
- Transformer - you have another form, be it furniture, vehicle, or animal; you can still talk, swap 2 stats, move to transform.
- Claw Tentacle - a flexible pincher claw with NEAR reach.
Mastery
- Robot - ignore attacks doing 3 or fewer damage.
- Android - Once per encounter, absorb effort of a type connected to your power source, rolling effort for how much.
- Holo-Ghost - once per location become a hard holo for TIMER.
Scoundrel
A master of subterfuge and skullduggery.
Starting Abilities
- Silver-tongued - lies to those who don’t know you are always EASY.
- Light-fingered - attempts to pocket small items without notice only fail on a NAT 1.
- Case the Joint - spend D4 turns (not rounds) in a space to learn all it’s secrets.
Starting Loot
- Cloak of anonymity - +1 DEF, subtle magics obscures the wearer’s identity until revealed.
- Magic pouch - hold any single item smaller than a tree; password to open.
- Parakricket - a small trainable flying insect which can be taught to mimic 3 sound as loud as an engine, with a corresponding signal.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - add 1 to any stat, or gain one contact in an important organization.
- Midnight Stiletto - chemically treated dagger puts enemies to sleep with just a scratch. CON v. TIMER rounds unconscious.
- Laser Garrot - this energized wire is easily overlooked, and does ENERGY to the unsuspecting and structures.
- Zip-line grapple - a special grapple canister with an attached zip-line handle with a strong motor.
- Gas Pellets - create a NEAR area of obscuring smoke, or knockout gas.
- Personal Alarm - set this sensor to alert you when anyone or anything passes by.
- Sucker Punch - with a successful CHA roll to feint, knock out an opponent in one blow for TIMER rounds.
Mastery
- Silver-tongued - even against those familiar with your reputation, your lies are EASY.
- Light-fingered - remove any item from an NPC which is not currently in use without them noticing for TIMER rounds.
- Sharp-eyed - with a ranged attack, achieve a disarm, push, trip, or entangle action.
Soldier
Sworn to duty, bound by valor and blood.
Starting Abilities
- Commander - Give another PC in FAR range your action, and add either you INT or CHA bonus to their roll.
- Veteran - When making a recovery roll, regain BASIC HP.
- Specialist - when making an attack associated to your specialty, every attack of 15+ grants another attack.
Starting Loot
- Cover stone - activate to create a NEAR sized crescent shaped waist high wall. If attacking, +3 DEF; cannot be attacked if taking cover. Wall has 5 hearts.
- Solar standard - activate to ignite a blinding flare for BASIC rounds; ranged attacks need a NAT 20 to hit those NEAR the standard; cannot move FAR toward the light.
- Shield Disruptor - a javelin that shorts out all shields in a NEAR area for TIMER rounds.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - add 1 to any stat.
- Part of Procedure - observe your enemy for a turn, then make an EASY WIS check to determine their next action.
- On My Signal - spend a turn explaining your plan; every ally who spends there next turn only moving get’s add your TOOL effort to their next check.
- Plasma Cannon - FAR range; battery holds 10 ENERGY dice. Spend up to 5 dice on a single attack; generator recovers ENERGY dice between encounters; D6 usage die, degrads on 1 or 2.
- Line Discipline - as long as you are CLOSE to an ally, you cannot be moved or frightened into running
- Medipede - this robotic centipede wraps around the injured person, adding +3 DEF, and healing them TOOL effort every round for a TIMER.
- Web-thrower - cover NEAR area in immobilizing and highly flammable webs.
Mastery
- Commander - once per location, when you act instead of ordering someone else, add ULTIMATE to either the attempt or the effort.
- Veteran - you can use the save bonus or share the save bonus of anyone you are CLOSE to.
- Specialist - for the first attack any round that hits, the specialist may take away any amount from the damage rolled, and add it to their DEF.
Magic-User
Wielder of the invisible forces driving the Cosm.
Starting Abilities
- Void Acolyte - any damage you inflict may be added to your next attempt or effort roll. Choose one sorcery power and two INT spells.
- Mystic - choose two sorcery powers and one either INT or WIS spell which cannot be lost. Can sense magic of any kind by vague direction, like you might notice a faint sound, an aroma, or a source of warmth.
- Wizard - keep a spellbook containing words of power, and 3 INT spells of your choosing. Each word of the title of each spell becomes a word of power with which you can make new spells between sessions.
Starting Loot
- Havoc Staff - randomly select one spell in inventory; for the encounter this spell affects a NEAR area at CLOSE range.
- Orb of manipulation - INT roll to alter the memory of a NEAR targets; roll MAGIC, and split that many rounds between the targets.
- Drum of the planets - coalesce BASIC orbs of earth and debris MAGIC meters in diameter which have their own gravity and may be arranged any FAR distance from the caster; CON to summon immediately, otherwise TIMER to complete.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - add 1 to any stat, or one additional spell.
- Rune Cutter - cast any spell as a touch activated magic rune; add a key or password.
- Spell-Bender - roll INT to replace one of the words in the title of a spell being cast upon or NEAR you to one in your known spells or spellbook. Change the spell accordingly.
- Mage Blade - forge a sword which uses INT to hit.
- A Dream to Some - enter the dream of anyone asleep NEAR you. Learn secrets, fears, or just inflict MAGIC damage; target rolls WIS to wake up.
- Spell Form - turn your body into one of the words of the spells you know, or from your spellbook
- Counting Coup - after defeating an enemy, roll INT to gain one of its special abilities for TIMER locations; choose to roll HARD to make it permanent.
Mastery
- Void Acolyte - spend a TIMER to drain the essence of a living creature in your clutches into a potion which can heal or add ULTIMATE to any die roll.
- Mystic - sense those you have a strong bond with; know when they are in danger, but only clues as to where or how
- Wizard - create your own word of power.
Outsider
Not just a different world, but a different Cosm.
Starting Abilities
- Time Bandit - can defer any effect or damage for TIMER once per location.
- Dimensional Nomad - always makes 2 rolls to save vs environmental effects and takes the best.
- Utopian Refugee - can never be immobilized; rolls to avoid being slowed, trapped, or cornered are always EASY.
Starting Loot
- Map of time - roll WIS to discover a doorway connecting two FAR points; once passed through temporal disruptions reset TIMERS.
- Sandman’s hand - a light beam weapon FAR range, ENERGY damage, and a stun setting.
- Glow water canteen - any water put into the canteen becomes a luminous elixir after 24 hours, generating as much light as a torch, and 3 doses which may remove 1 negative condition, or restore TOOL HP.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - increase any stat by 1.
- Got Milk? - a taste of home. One HEART of effort to make on serving which restores ULTIMATE HP, and removes negative mental effects.
- Outsider’s Insight - when rolling INT or WIS to assess a situation, roll twice and take the best.
- Stasis Bomb - activate and throw to freeze a NEAR sized area in time for TIMER rounds.
- Q-Battery - a nearly limitless power source. Attach to any loot to keep it powered indefinitely.
- Doesn’t Work on Me - choose one condition causing device when encountered; on you it has no effect.
- Rocket Belt - fly for TIMER rounds once per session; move FAR and act, or DOUBLE FAR.
Mastery
- Time Bandit - when you defer an effect, inflict it upon someone else.
- Dimensional Nomad - gain a dimensional tent, a sub-dimensional NEAR sized space in which you can take refuge for a TIMER.
- Utopian Refugee - gain an Ankh Charm, a technological device which makes you invisible to remote observation.
Daredevil
A daring-doer…as long as the luck holds out.
Starting Abilities
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Acrobat - add your BASIC effort to your attempt roll for any full body DEX action.
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Pilot - only crash on a NAT 1; adds BASIC effort to all piloting attempts.
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Rider - can take any action MOUNTED which they could make on foot, including aiming, hiding, and resting.
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Gravity belt - no falling; giant leaps!
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Ultrasuit - 1 DEF. Max damage from falling or crashing is 1d4.
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Balance pole - with this extendable pole, only slip and fall on a NAT 1. Pole extends up to FAR range.
Milestone Rewards
- Override gremlin - a creature of wire and switches; override any locks or security barriers preventing operation of a device in TIMER rounds.
- Armor gem - activate on any light vehicle or mount to apply+3 DEF.
- Disruptor lance - NEAR range, ENERGY damage, ULTIMATE if a mounted charge.
- Gecko grips - climb on any surface, even upside down.
- Death from above - any attack made as a leap or fall is EASY, and does MAX damage.
- Hoverboard - an antigravity disk or oblong board; takes no inventory; sacrifice to take no damage in a crash.
- Chicken - if you make a FAR move toward a foe, roll CHA to force them away from you.
Mastery
- Acrobat - move past enemies as if open space, and cross NEAR sized obstacles without rolling.
- Pilot - use piloting to attack others by forcing them into objects and crashing into each other.
- Rider - all attacks and saves are EASY while mounted.
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Genius
Formidable in ways the strong will never fathom.
Starting Abilities
- Scholar - INT check once per location to lower the TN by BASIC for you and your allies.
- Technician - spend your action studying any machine or device; with successful INT check understand how it works, how to build it, and how to break it; next hit does DOUBLE effort.
- Strategist - Spend an action to roll INT and force GM to declare what enemies’ next actions will be; actions become HARD if altered.
Starting Loot
- Maker’s block - a suitcase sized object that can become any device it is programmed to be up to the size of a small room; one heart for the first time it is programmed; two checks after; ten stored devices; TIMER to transform.
- Looking glass - a crystal through which shadows of the past can be seen. INT roll to observe events in the past from recently to antiquity, but details are obscure.
- Neural flash - all near roll INT to save against forgetting the last 3 minutes. CON vs being stunned for 1 round.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever stronger - increase stat by 1.
- Oo-Ray - NEAR range, ENERGY damage; destroys loot for every 6 damage; hits 1d3 targets.
- Information overload - roll INT instead of CHA to persuade or deceive.
- Portable lab - just one inventory slot; get TOOL effort to create chemicals or make discoveries.
- Freeze Ray - FAR range; make slick terrain and ice walls; immobilize person-sized objects for TIMER.
- Deep Wisdom - an inspirational text gives you special insight; once per session, one attempt only fails on a 1.
- Biomimicry - create loot item which mimics the ability of a foe you have faced.
Mastery
- Scholar - INT check to exploit an enemy weakness which will disable one enemy ability for BASIC rounds.
- Technician - with a single check, sabotage a device or loot item so that next time it is used, it reflects back against the use.
- Strategist - describe an action you take to manipulate your opponent; they save INT 10+your INT, or behave as you described.
Saint
A true foe against the forces of darkness.
Starting Abilities
- Healer - lay on hands; spend HP for MAGIC healing dice, or remove one condition; can resurrect the dead by permanently sacrificing one HEART.
- Peacemaker - once per scene, with a successful WIS check, no being in a location may attack another until the PC raises a hand or weapon to attack. If the check beats HARD, no one can MOVE either.
- Prophet - Any time you serve the spirit of the divine, roll a D6; store up to 6. You may spent these dice to add to or subtract from any GM dice roll.
Starting Loot
- Mace of dismissal - 1 WIS spell, and dimensional travelers must save CON vs being banished to the night roads.
- Shepherd’s crook - three WIS spells; can create a path through difficult terrain for TIMER once per location.
- Mask of the avatar - Gain 2 WIS spells; while wearing, gain a circumstance in which all checks are EASY, but also a terrible weakness.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - increase a stat by 1, or gain a new WIS spell
- Succor - excess magical healing may be applied to the caster, or as temporary stat bonuses lasting for one location.
- Divine Whirlwind - whenever you roll MAX effort, cast a WIS spell with no roll.
- Fear no evil - gain immunity to fear effects and magic tricks; WIS to share to BASIC allies.
- Cleansing touch - the objects and materials you touch are sanctified; touching an evil foe inflicts MAGIC damage upon them.
- Rebuke - roll CHA to force one target to throw down their weapons, and kneel face down for TIMER rounds. No one can attack the target during this time.
- Girdle of Teeth - once per encounter, CLOSE foes suffer damage equal to damage done; effect lasts for TIMER rounds.
Mastery
- Healer - excess healing can be applied as temporary STAT bonuses lasting one scene.
- Peacemaker - anyone attacking you must make a save against your CHA+10.
- Prophet - One per session, command the very natural world to obey a single word command; effects of the command may not be immediate.
Royal
A member of the ruling elite, by blood, iron, or gold.
Starting Abilities
- Orator - any time you speak in public, roll CHA to inspire BASIC people in attendance to become loyal followers.
- Warlord - for every enemy you defeat, inspire CHA number defectors; defectors flee after their first casualty, but can be recovered as hirelings with a CHA check and a prisoner execution.
- Midas - once per scene use CHA to lower the cost of any one item or service to 0.
Starting Loot
- Pure eternium - a weapon or tool of indestructible pure eternium, and an ancient symbol of the authority of your station; also takes on the properties of the magic cast on it for a TIMER.
- The Chronicle - a diamond scroll of the family’s lineage and deeds; invoke to add ULTIMATE to any single attempt of you or an ally per scene.
- Psychic Crown - the bejeweled crown provides unprecedented insight into the thoughts and emotions of those around you. All attempts made to manipulate or trick an opponent are EASY.
Milestone Rewards
- Ever Stronger - increase stat by 1, or gain 1000 coins
- Writ of Authority - exercise legal immunity for any activity once per session.
- Great Mentors - once per scene recall a useful trick from one of your teachers to make a check EASY.
- Digital Weapon - fit any weapon into a ring; take up no inventory
- Personal Shield Generator - blocks first effort die of damage each round; has a bank of 3 more dice; spend to block extra damage; does not work if grappled.
- Fear My Wrath - roll CHA to force an NPC to follow your orders once per session.
- Spider’s Web - once per session place a loyalist amongst the low level NPCs.
Mastery
- Orator - Once per session, make one of the servants of the most powerful foe you can see a temping offer; succeed on CHA to get them to take it.
- Warlord - cause any CLOSE defector or hireling to take a hit for you.
- Midas - something being yours increases its value by association; once per session trade an item you used in the last session for an item of much greater value.
