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The rules of the Cypher System are quite straightforward at their heart, as all of gameplay is based around a few core concepts.
This chapter provides a brief explanation of how to play the game, and it’s useful for learning the game. Once you understand the basic concepts, you’ll likely want to reference Rules of the Game for a more in-depth treatment.
The Cypher System uses a twenty-sided die (1d20) to determine the results of most actions. Whenever a roll of any kind is called for and no die is specified, roll a d20.
The game master sets a difficulty for any given task. There are ten degrees of difficulty. Thus, the difficulty of a task can be rated on a scale of 1 to 10.
Each difficulty has a target number associated with it. The target number is always three times the task’s difficulty, so a difficulty 1 task has a target number of 3, but a difficulty 4 task has a target number of 12. To succeed at the task, you must roll the target number or higher. See the Task Difficulty table for guidance in how this works.
Character skills, favorable circumstances, or excellent equipment can decrease the difficulty of a task. For example, if a character is trained in climbing, they turn a difficulty 6 climb into a difficulty 5 climb. This is called easing the difficulty by one step (or just easing the difficulty, which assumes it’s eased by one step). If they are specialized in climbing, they turn a difficulty 6 climb into a difficulty 4 climb. This is called easing the difficulty by two steps. Decreasing the difficulty of a task can also be called easing a task. Some situations increase, or hinder, the difficulty of a task. If a task is hindered, it increases the difficulty by one step.
A skill is a category of knowledge, ability, or activity relating to a task, such as climbing, geography, or persuasiveness. A character who has a skill is better at completing related tasks than a character who lacks the skill. A character’s level of skill is either trained (reasonably skilled) or specialized (very skilled).
If you are trained in a skill relating to a task, you ease the difficulty of that task by one step. If you are specialized, you ease the difficulty by two steps. A skill can never decrease a task’s difficulty by more than two steps.
Anything else that reduces difficulty (help from an ally, a particular piece of equipment, or some other advantage) is referred to as an asset. Assets can never decrease a task’s difficulty by more than two steps.
You can also decrease the difficulty of a given task by applying Effort. (Effort is described in more detail in the Rules of the Game chapter.)
To sum up, three things can decrease a task’s difficulty: skills, assets, and Effort.
If you can ease a task so its difficulty is reduced to 0, you automatically succeed and don’t need to make a roll.
Any time your character attempts a task, the GM assigns a difficulty to that task, and you roll a d20 against the associated target number.
When you jump from a burning vehicle, swing an axe at a mutant beast, swim across a raging river, identify a strange device, convince a merchant to give you a lower price, craft an object, use a power to control a foe’s mind, or use a blaster rifle to carve a hole in a wall, you make a d20 roll.
However, if you attempt something that has a difficulty of 0, no roll is needed—you automatically succeed. Many actions have a difficulty of 0. Examples include walking across the room and opening a door, using a special ability to negate gravity so you can fly, using an ability to protect your friend from radiation, or activating a device (that you already understand) to erect a force field. These are all routine actions and don’t require rolls.
Using skill, assets, and Effort, you can ease the difficulty of potentially any task to 0 and thus negate the need for a roll. Walking across a narrow wooden beam is tricky for most people, but for an experienced gymnast, it’s routine. You can even ease the difficulty of an attack on a foe to 0 and succeed without rolling.
If there’s no roll, there’s no chance for failure. However, there’s also no chance for remarkable success (in the Cypher System, that usually means rolling a 19 or 20, which are called special rolls; the Rules of the Game chapter also discusses special rolls).
| Task Difficulty | Description | Target No. | Guidance |
| 0 | Routine | 0 | Anyone can do this basically every time. |
| 1 | Simple | 3 | Most people can do this most of the time. |
| 2 | Standard | 6 | Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this. |
| 3 | Demanding | 9 | Requires full attention; most people have a 50/50 chance to succeed. |
| 4 | Difficult | 12 | Trained people have a 50/50 chance to succeed. |
| 5 | Challenging | 15 | Even trained people often fail. |
| 6 | Intimidating | 18 | Normal people almost never succeed. |
| 7 | Formidable | 21 | Impossible without skills or great effort. |
| 8 | Heroic | 24 | A task worthy of tales told for years afterward. |
| 9 | Immortal | 27 | A task worthy of legends that last lifetimes. |
| 10 | Impossible | 30 | A task that normal humans couldn’t consider (but one that doesn’t break the laws of physics). |
Making an attack in combat works the same way as any other roll: the GM assigns a difficulty to the task, and you roll a d20 against the associated target number.
The difficulty of your attack roll depends on how powerful your opponent is. Just as tasks have a difficulty from 1 to 10, creatures have a level from 1 to 10. Most of the time, the difficulty of your attack roll is the same as the creature’s level. For example, if you attack a level 2 bandit, it’s a level 2 task, so your target number is 6.
It’s worth noting that players make all die rolls. If a character attacks a creature, the player makes an attack roll. If a creature attacks a character, the player makes a defense roll.
The damage dealt by an attack is not determined by a roll—it’s a flat number based on the weapon or attack used. For example, a spear always does 4 points of damage.
Your Armor characteristic reduces the damage you take from attacks directed at you. You get Armor from wearing physical armor (such as a leather jacket in a modern game or chainmail in a fantasy setting) or from special abilities. Like weapon damage, Armor is a flat number, not a roll. If you’re attacked, subtract your Armor from the damage you take. For example, a leather jacket gives you +1 to Armor, meaning that you take 1 less point of damage from attacks. If a mugger hits you with a knife for 2 points of damage while you’re wearing a leather jacket, you take only 1 point of damage. If your Armor reduces the damage from an attack to 0, you take no damage from that attack.
When you see the word “Armor” capitalized in the game rules (other than in the name of a special ability), it refers to your Armor characteristic—the number you subtract from incoming damage. When you see the word “armor” with a lowercase “a,” it refers to any physical armor you might wear.
Typical physical weapons come in three categories: light, medium and heavy.
Light weapons inflict only 2 points of damage, but they ease attack rolls because they are fast and easy to use. Light weapons are punches, kicks, clubs, knives, handaxes, rapiers, small pistols, and so on. Weapons that are particularly small are light weapons.
Medium weapons inflict 4 points of damage. Medium weapons include swords, battleaxes, maces, crossbows, spears, pistols, blasters, and so on. Most weapons are medium. Anything that could be used in one hand (even if it’s often used in two hands, such as a quarterstaff or spear) is a medium weapon.
Heavy weapons inflict 6 points of damage, and you must use two hands to attack with them. Heavy weapons are huge swords, great hammers, massive axes, halberds, heavy crossbows, blaster rifles, and so on. Anything that must be used in two hands is a heavy weapon.
When you roll a natural 19 (the d20 shows “19”) and the roll is a success, you also have a minor effect. In combat, a minor effect inflicts 3 additional points of damage with your attack, or, if you’d prefer a special result, you could decide instead that you knock the foe back, distract them, or something similar. When not in combat, a minor effect could mean that you perform the action with particular grace. For example, when jumping down from a ledge, you land smoothly on your feet, or when trying to persuade someone, you convince them that you’re smarter than you really are. In other words, you not only succeed but also go a bit further.
When you roll a natural 20 (the d20 shows “20”) and the roll is a success, you also have a major effect. This is similar to a minor effect, but the results are more remarkable. In combat, a major effect inflicts 4 additional points of damage with your attack, but again, you can choose instead to introduce a dramatic event such as knocking down your foe, stunning them, or taking an extra action. Outside of combat, a major effect means that something beneficial happens based on the circumstance. For example, when climbing up a cliff wall, you make the ascent twice as fast. When a roll grants you a major effect, you can choose to use a minor effect instead if you prefer.
In combat (and only in combat), if you roll a natural 17 or 18 on your attack roll, you add 1 or 2 additional points of damage, respectively. Neither roll has any special effect options—just the extra damage.
For more information on special rolls and how they affect combat and other interactions, see Rules of the Game.
Rolling a natural 1 is always bad. It means that the GM introduces a new complication into the encounter.
Distance is simplified into four categories: immediate, short, long, and very long.
Immediate distance from a character is within reach or within a few steps. If a character stands in a small room, everything in the room is within immediate distance. At most, immediate distance is 10 feet (3 m).
Short distance is anything greater than immediate distance but less than 50 feet (15 m) or so.
Long distance is anything greater than short distance but less than 100 feet (30 m) or so.
Very long distance is anything greater than long distance but less than 500 feet (150 m) or so. Beyond that range, distances are always specified—1,000 feet (300 m), a mile (1.5 km), and so on.
The idea is that it’s not necessary to measure precise distances. Immediate distance is right there, practically next to the character. Short distance is nearby. Long distance is farther off. Very long distance is really far off.
All weapons and special abilities use these terms for ranges. For example, all melee weapons have immediate range—they are close-combat weapons, and you can use them to attack anyone within immediate distance. A thrown knife (and most other thrown weapons) has short range. A bow has long range. An Adept’s Onslaught ability also has short range.
A character can move an immediate distance as part of another action. In other words, they can take a few steps over to the control panel and activate a switch. They can lunge across a small room to attack a foe. They can open a door and step through.
A character can move a short distance as their entire action for a turn. They can also try to move a long distance as their entire action, but the player might have to roll to see if the character slips, trips, or stumbles as the result of moving so far so quickly.
For example, if the PCs are fighting a group of cultists, any character can likely attack any cultist in the general melee—they’re all within immediate range. Exact positions aren’t important. Creatures in a fight are always moving, shifting, and jostling, anyway. However, if one cultist stayed back to fire a pistol, a character might have to use their entire action to move the short distance required to attack that foe. It doesn’t matter if the cultist is 20 feet (6 m) or 40 feet (12 m) away—it’s simply considered short distance. It does matter if the cultist is more than 50 feet (15 m) away because that distance would require a long or very long move.
Many rules in this system avoid the cumbersome need for precision. Does it really matter if the ghost is 13 feet away from you or 18? Probably not. That kind of needless specificity only slows things down and draws away from, rather than contributes to, the story.
Experience points (XP) are rewards given to players when the GM intrudes on the story (this is called GM intrusion) with a new and unexpected challenge. For example, in the middle of combat, the GM might inform the player that they drop their weapon. However, to intrude in this manner, the GM must award the player 2 XP. The rewarded player, in turn, must immediately give one of those XP to another player and justify the gift (perhaps the other player had a good idea, told a funny joke, performed an action that saved a life, and so on).
Alternatively, the player can refuse the GM intrusion. If they do so, they don’t get the 2 XP from the GM, and they must also spend 1 XP that they already have. If the player has no XP to spend, they can’t refuse the intrusion.
The GM can also give players XP between sessions as a reward for making discoveries during an adventure. Discoveries are interesting facts, wondrous secrets, powerful artifacts, answers to mysteries, or solutions to problems (such as where the kidnappers are keeping their victim or how the PCs repair the starship). You don’t earn XP for killing foes or overcoming standard challenges in the course of play. Discovery is the soul of the Cypher System.
Experience points are used primarily for character advancement (for details, see the Creating Your Character chapter), but a player can also spend 1 XP to reroll any die roll and take the better of the two rolls.
Cyphers are abilities that have a single use. In many campaigns, cyphers aren’t physical objects—they might be a spell cast upon a character, a blessing from a god, or just a quirk of fate that gives them a momentary advantage. In some campaigns, cyphers are physical objects that characters can carry. Whether or not cyphers are physical objects, they are part of the character (like equipment or a special ability) and are things characters can use during the game. The form that physical cyphers take depends on the setting. In a fantasy world they might be wands or potions, but in a science fiction game they could be alien crystals or prototype devices.
Characters will find new cyphers frequently in the course of play, so players shouldn’t hesitate to use their cypher abilities. Because cyphers are always different, the characters will always have new special powers to try.
In addition to a d20, you’ll need a d6 (a six-sided die). Rarely, you’ll need to roll a number between 1 and 100 (often called a d100 or d% roll), which you can do by rolling a d20 twice, using the last digit of the first roll as the “tens” place and the last digit of the second roll as the “ones” place. For example, rolling a 17 and a 9 gives you 79, rolling a 3 and an 18 gives you 38, and rolling a 20 and a 10 gives you 00 (also known as 100). If you have a d10 (a ten-sided die), you can use it instead of the d20 to roll numbers between 1 and 100.
A d6 is used most often for recovery rolls and to determine the level of cyphers.
Game master (GM): The player who doesn’t run a character, but instead guides the flow of the story and runs all the NPCs.
Nonplayer character (NPC): Characters run by the GM. Think of them as the minor characters in the story, or the villains or opponents. This includes any kind of creature as well as people.
Party: A group of player characters (and perhaps some NPC allies).
Player character (PC): A character run by a player rather than the GM. Think of the PCs as the main characters in the story.
Player: The players who run characters in the game.
Session: A single play experience. Usually lasts a few hours. Sometimes one adventure can be accomplished in a session. More often, one adventure is multiple sessions.
Adventure: A single portion of the campaign with a beginning and an end. Usually defined at the beginning by a goal put forth by the PCs and at the end by whether or not they achieve that goal.
Campaign: A series of sessions strung together with an overarching story (or linked stories) with the same player characters. Often, but not always, a campaign involves a number of adventures.
Character: Anything that can act in the game. Although this includes PCs and human NPCs, it also technically includes creatures, aliens, mutants, automatons, animate plants, and so on. The word “creature” is usually synonymous.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{"core":{"sheetClass":"core.JournalTextPageSheet"}}},{"sort":525000,"name":"Rules of the Game","type":"text","_id":"tCf5xQ6RpQ3PF3Et","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Cypher System games are played in the joint imagination of all the players, including the GM. The GM sets the scene, the players state what their characters attempt to do, and the GM determines what happens next. The rules and the dice help make the game run smoothly, but it’s the people, not the rules or the dice, that direct the action and determine the story—and the fun. If a rule gets in the way or detracts from the game, the players and the GM should work together to change it.
This is how you play the Cypher System:
The player tells the GM what they want to do. This is a character action.
The GM determines if that action is routine (and therefore works without needing a roll) or if there’s a chance of failure.
If there is a chance of failure, the GM determines which stat the task uses (Might, Speed, or Intellect) and the task’s difficulty—how hard it will be on a scale from 1 (really easy) to 10 (basically impossible).
The player and the GM determine if anything about the character—such as training, equipment, special abilities, or various actions—can modify the difficulty up or down by one or more steps. If these modifications reduce the difficulty to less than 1, the action is routine (and therefore works with no roll needed).
If the action still isn’t routine, the GM uses its difficulty to determine the target number—how high the player must roll to succeed at the action (see the Task Difficulty table). The GM doesn’t have to tell the player what the target number is, but they can give the player a hint, especially if the character would reasonably know if the action was easy, average, difficult, or impossible.
The player rolls a d20. If they roll equal to or higher than the target number, the character succeeds.
That’s it. That’s how to do anything, whether it’s identifying an unknown device, calming a raging drunk, climbing a treacherous cliff, or battling a demigod. Even if you ignored all the other rules, you could still play the Cypher System with just this information. The key features here are: character actions, determining task difficulty, and determining modifications.
Action: Anything a character does that is significant—punch a foe, leap a chasm, activate a device, use a special power, and so on. Each character can take one action in a round.
Character: Any creature in the game capable of acting, whether it is a player character (PC) run by a player or a nonplayer character (NPC) run by the game master (GM). In the Cypher System, even bizarre creatures, sentient machines, and living energy beings can be “characters.”
Difficulty: A measure of how easy it is to accomplish a task. Difficulty is rated on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). Altering the difficulty to make a task harder is called “hindering.” Altering it to make a task easier is called “easing.” All changes in difficulty are measured in steps. Difficulty often equates directly with level, so opening a level 3 locked door probably has a difficulty of 3.
Ease: A decrease in a task’s difficulty, usually by one step. If something doesn’t say how many steps it eases a task, then it reduces the difficulty by one step.
Effort: Spending points from a stat Pool to reduce the difficulty of a task. A PC decides whether or not to apply Effort on their turn before the roll is made. NPCs never apply Effort.
Hinder: An increase in a task’s difficulty, usually by one step. If something doesn’t say how many steps it hinders a task, then it increases the difficulty by one step.
Inability: The opposite of trained—you’re hindered whenever you attempt a task that you have an inability in. If you also become trained in the task, the training and the inability cancel each other out and you become practiced.
Level: A way to measure the strength, difficulty, power, or challenge of something in the game. Everything in the game has a level. NPCs and objects have levels that determine the difficulty of any task related to them. For example, an opponent’s level determines how hard they are to hit or avoid in combat. A door’s level indicates how hard it is to break down. A lock’s level determines how hard it is to pick. Levels are rated on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). PC tiers are a little like levels, but they go only from 1 to 6 and mechanically work very differently than levels—for example, a PC’s tier does not determine a task’s difficulty.
Practiced: The normal, unmodified ability to use a skill—not trained, specialized, or an inability. Your type determines what weapon skills you’re practiced in; if you aren’t practiced with a type of weapon, you have an inability in it.
Roll: A d20 roll made by a PC to determine whether an action is successful. Although the game occasionally uses other dice, when the text simply refers to “a roll,” it always means a d20 roll.
Round: A length of time about five to ten seconds long. There are about ten rounds in a minute. When it’s really important to track precise time, use rounds. Basically, it’s the length of time to take an action in the game, but since everyone more or less acts simultaneously, all characters get to take an action each round.
Specialized: Having an exceptional amount of skill in a task. Being specialized eases the task by two steps. So, if you are specialized in climbing, all your climbing tasks are eased by two steps.
Stat: One of the three defining characteristics for PCs: Might, Speed, or Intellect. Each stat has two values: Pool and Edge. Your Pool represents your raw, innate ability, and your Edge represents knowing how to use what you have. Each stat Pool can increase or decrease over the course of play—for example, you can lose points from your Might Pool when struck by an opponent, spend points from your Intellect Pool to activate a special ability, or rest to recover points in your Speed Pool after a long day of marching. Anything that damages a stat, restores a stat, or boosts or penalizes a stat affects the stat’s Pool.
Task: Any action that a PC attempts. The GM determines the difficulty of the task. In general, a task is something that you do and an action is you performing that task, but in most cases they mean the same thing.
Trained: Having a reasonable amount of skill in a task. Being trained eases the task. For example, if you are trained in climbing, all climbing tasks for you are eased. If you become very skilled at that task, you become specialized instead of trained. You do not need to be trained to attempt a task.
Turn: The part of the round when a character or creature takes its actions. For example, if a Warrior and an Adept are fighting an orc, each round the Warrior takes an action on their turn, the Adept takes an action on their turn, and the orc takes an action on its turn. Some abilities or effects last only one turn, or end when the next turn is started.
Each character gets one turn each round. On a character’s turn, they can do one thing—an action. All actions fall into one of three categories: Might, Speed, or Intellect (just like the three stats). Many actions require die rolls—rolling a d20.
Every action performs a task, and every task has a difficulty that determines what number a character must reach or surpass with a die roll to succeed.
Most tasks have a difficulty of 0, which means the character succeeds automatically. For example, walking across a room, opening a door, and throwing a stone into a nearby bucket are all actions, but none of them requires a roll. Actions that are usually difficult or that become difficult due to the situation (such as shooting at a target in a blizzard) have a higher difficulty. These actions usually require a roll.
Some actions require a minimum expenditure of Might, Speed, or Intellect points. If a character cannot spend the minimum number of points needed to complete the action, they automatically fail at the task.
Every task relates to one of a character’s three stats: Might, Speed, or Intellect. Physical activities that require strength, power, or endurance relate to Might. Physical activities that require agility, flexibility, or fast reflexes relate to Speed. Mental activities that require force of will, memory, or mental power relate to Intellect. This means you can generalize tasks into three categories: Might tasks, Speed tasks, and Intellect tasks. You can also generalize rolls into three categories: Might rolls, Speed rolls, and Intellect rolls.
The category of the task or roll determines what kind of Effort you can apply to the roll and may determine how a character’s other abilities affect the roll. For example, an Adept may have an ability that makes them better at Intellect rolls, and a Warrior may have an ability that makes them better at Speed rolls.
The most frequent thing a GM does during the game—and probably the most important thing—is set a task’s difficulty. To make the job easier, use the Task Difficulty table, which associates a difficulty rating with a descriptive name, a target number, and general guidance about the difficulty.
Every difficulty from 1 to 10 has a target number associated with it. The target number is easy to remember: it’s always three times the difficulty. The target number is the minimum number a player needs to roll on a d20 to succeed at the task. Moving up or down on the table is called hindering or easing, which is measured in steps.
For example, reducing a difficulty 5 task to a difficulty 4 task is “easing the difficulty by one step” or just “easing the difficulty” or “easing the task.” Most modifiers affect the difficulty rather than the player’s roll. This has two consequences:
Low target numbers such as 3 or 6, which would be boring in most games that use a d20, are not boring in the Cypher System. For example, if you need to roll a 6 or higher, you still have a 25% chance to fail.
The upper levels of difficulty (7, 8, 9, and 10) are all but impossible because the target numbers are 21 or higher, which you can’t roll on a d20. However, it’s common for PCs to have abilities or equipment that ease a task and thus lower the target number to something they can roll on a d20.
A character’s tier does not determine a task’s level. Things don’t get more difficult just because a character’s tier increases—the world doesn’t instantly become a more difficult place. Fourth-tier characters don’t deal only with level 4 creatures or difficulty 4 tasks (although a fourth-tier character probably has a better shot at success than a first-tier character does). Just because something is level 4 doesn’t necessarily mean it’s meant only for fourth-tier characters. Similarly, depending on the situation, a fifth-tier character could find a difficulty 2 task just as challenging as a second-tier character does.
Therefore, when setting the difficulty of a task, the GM should rate the task on its own merits, not on the power of the characters.
After the GM sets the difficulty for a task, the player can try to modify it for their character. Any such modification applies only to this particular attempt at the task. In other words, rewiring an electronic door lock normally might be difficulty 6, but since the character doing the work is skilled in such tasks, has the right tools, and has another character assisting them, the difficulty in this instance might be much lower. That’s why it’s important for the GM to set a task’s difficulty without taking the character into account. The character comes in at this step.
By using skills and assets, working together, and—perhaps most important—applying Effort, a character can ease a task by multiple steps to make it easier. Rather than adding bonuses to the player’s roll, reducing the difficulty lowers the target number. If they can reduce the difficulty of a task to 0, no roll is needed; success is automatic. (An exception is if the GM decides to use a GM intrusion on the task, in which case the player would have to make a roll at the original difficulty.)
There are three basic ways in which a character can ease a task: skills, assets, and Effort. Each method eases the task by at least one step—never in smaller increments.
By using skills, assets, and Effort, a character can ease a task by a maximum of ten steps: one or two steps from skills, one or two steps from assets, and one to six steps from Effort.
Characters may be skilled at performing a specific task. A skill can vary from character to character. For example, one character might be skilled at lying, another might be skilled at trickery, and a third might be skilled in all interpersonal interactions. The first level of being skilled is called being trained, and it eases that task by one step. More rarely, a character can be incredibly skilled at performing a task. This is called being specialized, and it eases the task by two steps instead of one. Skills can never decrease a task by more than two steps—any more than two steps from being trained and specialized don’t count.
An asset is anything that helps a character with a task, such as having a really good crowbar when trying to force open a door or being in a rainstorm when trying to put out a fire. Appropriate assets vary from task to task. The perfect awl might help when woodworking, but it won’t make a dance performance much better. An asset usually eases a task by one step. Assets can never ease a task by more than two steps—any more than two steps from assets don’t count.
The important thing to remember is that a skill can reduce the difficulty by no more than two steps, and assets can reduce the difficulty by no more than two steps, regardless of the situation. Thus, no task’s difficulty will ever be reduced by more than four steps without using Effort.
A player can apply Effort to ease a task. To do this, the player spends points from the stat Pool that’s most appropriate to the task. For example, applying Effort to push a heavy rock off a cliff requires a player to spend points from the character’s Might Pool; applying Effort to activate an unusual machine interface requires them to spend points from the character’s Intellect Pool. For every level of Effort spent on a task, the task is eased. It costs 3 points from a stat Pool to apply one level of Effort, and it costs 2 additional points for every level thereafter (so it costs 5 points for two levels of Effort, 7 points for three levels of Effort, and so on). A character must spend points from the same stat Pool as the type of task or roll—Might points for a Might roll, Speed points for a Speed roll, or Intellect points for an Intellect roll.
Every character has a maximum level of Effort they can apply to a single task. Effort can never ease a task by more than six steps—any more than six steps from applying Effort doesn’t count.
Free Level of Effort: A few abilities give you a free level of Effort (these usually require you to apply at least one level of Effort to a task). In effect, you’re getting one more level of Effort than what you paid for. This free level of Effort can exceed the Effort limit for your character, but not the six-step limit for easing a task.
To determine success or failure, a player rolls a die (always a d20). If they roll the target number or higher, they succeed. Most of the time, that’s the end of it—nothing else needs to be done. Rarely, a character might apply a small modifier to the roll. If they have a +2 bonus when attempting specific actions, they add 2 to the number rolled. However, the original roll matters if it’s a special roll.
If a character applies a modifier to the die roll, it’s possible to get a result of 21 or higher, in which case they can attempt a task with a target number above 20. But if there is no possibility for success—if not even rolling a natural 20 (meaning the d20 shows that number) is sufficient to accomplish the task—then no roll is made. Otherwise, characters would have a chance to succeed at everything, even impossible or ridiculous tasks such as climbing moonbeams, throwing elephants, or hitting a target on the opposite side of a mountain with an arrow.
If a character’s modifiers add up to +3, treat them as an asset instead. In other words, instead of adding a +3 bonus to the roll, reduce the difficulty by one step. For example, if a Warrior has a +1 bonus to attack rolls from a minor effect, a +1 bonus to attack rolls from a special weapon quality, and a +1 bonus to attack rolls from a special ability, they do not add 3 to their attack roll—instead, they reduce the difficulty of the attack by one step. So if they attack a level 3 foe, they would normally roll against difficulty 3 and try to reach a target number of 9, but thanks to their asset, they roll against difficulty 2 and try to reach a target number of 6.
This distinction is important when stacking skills and assets to decrease the difficulty of an action, especially since reducing the difficulty to 0 or lower means no roll is needed.
In the Cypher System, players always drive the action. That means they make all the die rolls. If a PC leaps out of a moving vehicle, the player rolls to see if they succeed. If a PC searches for a hidden panel, the player rolls to determine whether they find it. If a rockslide falls on a PC, the player rolls to try to get out of the way. If a PC and an NPC arm wrestle, the player rolls, and the NPC’s level determines the target number. If a PC attacks a foe, the player rolls to see if they hit. If a foe attacks the PC, the player rolls to see if they dodge the blow.
As shown by the last two examples, the PC rolls whether they are attacking or defending. Thus, something that improves defenses might ease or hinder their rolls. For example, if a PC uses a low wall to gain cover from attacks, the wall eases the player’s defense rolls. If a foe uses the wall to gain cover from the PC’s attacks, it hinders the player’s attack rolls.
If a character rolls a natural 1, 17, 18, 19, or 20 (meaning the d20 shows that number), special rules come into play. These are explained in more detail in the following sections.
1: GM Intrusion. The GM makes a free intrusion (see below) and doesn’t award experience points (XP) for it.
17: Damage Bonus. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 1 additional point of damage.
18: Damage Bonus. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 2 additional points of damage.
19: Minor Effect. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 3 additional points of damage or the PC gets a minor effect in addition to the normal results of the task. If the roll was something other than an attack, the PC gets a minor effect in addition to the normal results of the task.
20: Major Effect. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 4 additional points of damage or the PC gets a major or minor effect in addition to the normal results of the task. If the roll was something other than an attack, the PC gets a major effect in addition to the normal results of the task. If the PC spent points from a stat Pool on the action, the point cost for the action decreases to 0, meaning the character regains those points as if they had not spent them at all.
GM intrusion is explained in more detail in the Running the Cypher System chapter, but essentially it means that something occurs to complicate the character’s life. The character hasn’t necessarily fumbled or done anything wrong (although perhaps they did). It could just be that the task presents an unexpected difficulty or something unrelated affects the current situation.
For GM intrusion on a defense roll, a roll of 1 might mean that the PC takes 2 additional points of damage from the attack, indicating that the opponent got in a lucky blow.
For complete details about GM intrusion and how to use it to best effect in the game, see the Running the Cypher System chapter.
A minor effect happens when a player rolls a natural 19. Most of the time, a minor effect is slightly beneficial to the PC, but not overwhelming.
A climber gets up the steep slope a bit faster. A repaired machine works a bit better. A character jumping down into a pit lands on their feet. Either the GM or the player can come up with a possible minor effect that fits the situation, but both must agree on what it should be.
Don’t waste a lot of time thinking of a minor effect if nothing appropriate suggests itself. Sometimes, in cases where only success or failure matters, it’s okay to have no minor effect. Keep the game moving at an exciting pace.
In combat, the easiest and most straightforward minor effect is dealing 3 additional points of damage with an attack. The following are other common minor effects for combat:
Damage object: Instead of striking the foe, the attack strikes what the foe is holding. If the attack hits, the character makes a Might roll with a difficulty equal to the object’s level. On a success, the object moves one or more steps down the object damage track.
Distract: For one round, all of the foe’s tasks are hindered.
Knock back: The foe is knocked or forced back a few feet. Most of the time, this doesn’t matter much, but if the fight takes place on a ledge or next to a pit of lava, the effect can be significant.
Move past: The character can move a short distance at the end of the attack. This effect is useful to get past a foe guarding a door, for example.
Strike a specific body part: The attacker strikes a specific spot on the defender’s body. The GM rules what special effect, if any, results. For example, hitting a creature’s tentacle that is wrapped around an ally might make it easier for the ally to escape. Hitting a foe in the eye might blind it for one round. Hitting a creature in its one vulnerable spot might ignore Armor.
Usually, the GM just has the desired minor effect occur. For example, rolling a 19 against a relatively weak foe means it is knocked off the cliff. The effect makes the round more exciting, but the defeat of a minor creature has no significant impact on the story. Other times, the GM might rule that an additional roll is needed to achieve the effect—the special roll only gives the PC the opportunity for a minor effect. This mostly happens when the desired effect is very unlikely, such as pushing a 50-ton battle automaton off a cliff. If the player just wants to deal 3 additional points of damage as the minor effect, no extra roll is needed.
A major effect happens when a player rolls a natural 20. Most of the time, a major effect is quite beneficial to the character. A climber gets up the steep slope in half the time. A jumper lands with such panache that those nearby are impressed and possibly intimidated. A defender makes a free attack on a foe.
Either the GM or the player can come up with a possible major effect that fits the situation, but both must agree on what it should be. As with minor effects, don’t spend a lot of time agonizing over the details of a major effect. In cases where only success or failure matters, a major effect might offer the character a one-time asset (a modification of one step) to use the next time they attempt a similar action. When nothing else seems appropriate, the GM can simply grant the PC an additional action on their turn that same round.
In combat, the easiest and most straightforward major effect is dealing 4 additional points of damage with an attack. The following are other common major effects for combat.
Disarm: The foe drops one object that it is holding.
Impair: For the rest of the combat, all tasks the foe attempts are hindered.
Knock down: The foe is knocked prone. It can get up on its turn.
Stun: The foe loses its next action.
As with minor effects, usually the GM just has the desired major effect occur, but sometimes the GM might require an extra roll if the major effect is unusual or unlikely.
If a character fails a task (whether it’s climbing a wall, picking a lock, trying to figure out a mysterious device, or something else) they can attempt it again, but they must apply at least one level of Effort when retrying that task. A retry is a new action, not part of the same action that failed, and it takes the same amount of time as the first attempt did.
Sometimes the GM might rule that retries are impossible. Perhaps a character has one chance to convince the leader of a group of thugs not to attack, and after that, no amount of talking will stop them.
This rule doesn’t apply to something like attacking a foe in combat because combat is always changing and fluid. Each round’s situation is new, not a repeat of a previous situation, so a missed attack can’t be retried.
The GM can assign a point cost to a task just for trying it. Called an initial cost, it’s simply an indication that the task is particularly taxing. For example, let’s say a character wants to try a Might action to open a heavy cellar door that is partially rusted shut. The GM says that forcing the door open is a difficulty 5 task, and there’s an initial cost of 3 Might points simply to try. This initial cost is in addition to any points the character chooses to spend on the roll (such as when applying Effort), and the initial cost points do not affect the difficulty of the task. In other words, the character must spend 3 Might points to attempt the task at all, but that doesn’t help them open the door. If they want to apply Effort to ease the task, they have to spend more points from their Might Pool.
Edge helps with the initial cost of a task, just as it does with any expenditure from a character’s Pool. In the previous example, if the character had a Might Edge of 2, they would have to spend only 1 point (3 points minus 2 from their Might Edge) for the initial cost to attempt the task. If they also applied a level of Effort to open the door, they couldn’t use their Edge again—Edge applies only once per action—so using the Effort would cost the full 3 points. Thus, they’d spend a total of 4 points (1 for the initial cost plus 3 for the Effort) from their Might Pool.
The rationale of the initial cost rule is that even in the Cypher System, where things like Effort can help a character succeed on an action, logic still suggests that some actions are very difficult and taxing, particularly for some PCs more than others.
Distance is simplified into four basic categories: immediate, short, long, and very long.
Immediate distance from a character is within reach or within a few steps; if a character stands in a small room, everything in the room is within immediate distance. At most, immediate distance is 10 feet (3 m). Immediate distance is sometimes referred to as close, or even point-blank, particularly when referring to ranges.
The words “immediate” and “close” can be used interchangeably to talk about distance. If a creature or object is within arm’s reach of the character, it can be considered both immediate and close.
Short distance is anything greater than immediate distance but less than 50 feet (15 m) or so.
Long distance is anything greater than short distance but less than 100 feet (30 m) or so.
Very long distance is anything greater than long distance but less than 500 feet (150 m) or so.
Beyond that range, distances are always specified—1,000 feet (300 m), 1 mile (1.5 km), and so on.
All weapons and special abilities use these terms for ranges. For example, all melee weapons have immediate range—they are close-combat weapons, and you can use them to attack anyone within immediate distance. A thrown knife (and most other thrown weapons) has short range. A small handgun also has short range. A rifle has long range.
A character can move an immediate distance as a part of another action. In other words, they can take a few steps to the light switch and flip it on. They can lunge across a small room to attack a foe. They can open a door and step through.
A character can move a short distance as their entire action for a turn. They can also try to move a long distance as their entire action, but the player might have to roll to see if the character slips, trips, or stumbles for moving so far so quickly.
GMs and players don’t need to determine exact distances. For example, if the PCs are fighting a group of guards, any character can likely attack any foe in the general melee—they’re all within immediate range. However, if one trooper stays back to fire a blaster, a character might have to use their entire action to move the short distance required to attack that foe. It doesn’t matter if the trooper is 20 feet (6 m) or 40 feet (12 m) away—it’s simply considered short distance. It does matter if the trooper is more than 50 feet (15 m) away because that distance would require a long move.
In rare cases where distances beyond very long are needed, real-world distances are best (1 mile, 100 kilometers, and so on). However, the following shorthand distances can be useful in some settings:
Planetary: On the same planet.
Interplanetary: Within the same solar system.
Interstellar: Within the same galaxy.
Intergalactic: Anywhere in the same universe.
Interdimensional: Anywhere.
Generally, keep time the same way that you normally would, using minutes, hours, days, and weeks. Thus, if the characters walk overland for 15 miles (24 km), about eight hours pass, even though the journey can be described in only a few seconds at the game table. Precision timekeeping is rarely important. Most of the time, saying things like “That takes about an hour” works fine.
This is true even when a special ability has a specific duration. In an encounter, a duration of “one minute” is mostly the same as saying “the rest of the encounter.” You don’t have to track each round that ticks by if you don’t want to. Likewise, an ability that lasts for ten minutes can safely be considered the length of an in-depth conversation, the time it takes to quickly explore a small area, or the time it takes to rest after a strenuous activity.
| Action | Time Usually Required |
| Walking a mile over easy terrain | About fifteen minutes |
| Walking a mile over rough terrain (forest, snow, hills) | About half an hour |
| Walking a mile over difficult terrain (mountains, thick jungle) | About forty-five minutes |
| Moving from one significant location in a city to another | About fifteen minutes |
| Sneaking into a guarded location | About fifteen minutes |
| Observing a new location to get salient details | About fifteen minutes |
| Having an in-depth discussion | About ten minutes |
| Resting after a fight or other strenuous activity | About ten minutes |
| Resting and having a quick meal | About half an hour |
| Making or breaking camp | About half an hour |
| Shopping for supplies in a market or store | About an hour |
| Meeting with an important contact | About half an hour |
| Referencing a book or website | About half an hour |
| Searching a room for hidden things | At least half an hour, perhaps one hour |
| Searching for cyphers or other valuables amid a lot of stuff | About an hour |
| Identifying and understanding a cypher | Fifteen minutes to half an hour |
| Identifying and understanding an artifact | At least fifteen minutes, perhaps three hours |
| Repairing a device (assuming parts and tools available) | At least an hour, perhaps a day |
| Building a device (assuming parts and tools available) | At least a day, perhaps a week |
Sometimes in the course of the game, the GM or players will refer to an “encounter.” Encounters are not so much measurements of time as they are events or instances in which something happens, like a scene of a movie or a chapter in a book. An encounter might be a fight with a foe, a dramatic crossing of a raging river, or a stressful negotiation with an important official. It’s useful to use the word when referring to a specific scene, as in “My Might Pool is low after that encounter with the soul sorcerer yesterday.”
A round is about five to ten seconds. The length of time is variable because sometimes one round might be a bit longer than another. You don’t need to measure time more precisely than that. You can estimate that on average there are about ten rounds in a minute. In a round, everyone—each character and NPC—gets to take one action.
To determine who goes first, second, and so on in a round, each player makes a Speed roll called an initiative roll. Most of the time, it’s only important to know which characters act before the NPCs and which act after the NPCs. On an initiative roll, a character who rolls higher than an NPC’s target number takes their action before the NPC does. As with all target numbers, an NPC’s target number for an initiative roll is three times the NPC’s level. Many times, the GM will have all NPCs take their actions at the same time, using the highest target number from among all the NPCs. Using this method, any characters who rolled higher than the target number act first, then all the NPCs act, and finally any characters who rolled lower than the target number act.
An initiative roll is a d20 roll. Since your initiative depends on how fast you are, if you spend Effort on the roll, the points come from your Speed Pool.
The order in which the characters act usually isn’t important. If the players want to go in a precise order, they can act in initiative order (highest to lowest), by going around the table, by going oldest to youngest, and so on.
For example, Charles, Tammie, and Shanna’s characters are in combat with two level 2 security guards. The GM has the players make Speed rolls to determine initiative. Charles rolls an 8, Shanna rolls a 15, and Tammie rolls a 4. The target number for a level 2 creature is 6, so each round Charles and Shanna act before the guards, then the guards act, and finally Tammie acts. It doesn’t matter whether Charles acts before or after Shanna, as long as they think it’s fair.
After everyone—all PCs and NPCs—in the combat has had a turn, the round ends and a new round begins. In all rounds after the first, everyone acts in the same order as they did in the first round. The characters cycle through this order until the logical end of the encounter (the end of the fight or the completion of the event) or until the GM asks them to make new initiative rolls. The GM can call for new initiative rolls at the beginning of any new round when conditions drastically change. For example, if the NPCs gain reinforcements, the environment changes (perhaps the lights go out), the terrain changes (maybe part of the balcony collapses under the PCs), or something similar occurs, the GM can call for new initiative rolls.
Since the action moves as a cycle, anything that lasts for a round ends where it started in the cycle. If Umberto uses an ability on an opponent that hinders its defenses for one round, the effect lasts until Umberto acts on his next turn.
Ultimately, the GM is the arbiter of conflicts that do not involve the PCs. They should be adjudicated in the most interesting, logical, and story-based way possible. When in doubt, match the level of the NPCs (characters or creatures) or their respective effects to determine the results. Thus, if a level 4 NPC fights a level 3 NPC, the level 4 NPC will win, but if they face a level 7 NPC, they’ll lose. Likewise, a level 4 creature resists poisons or devices of level 3 or lower but not those of level 5 and above.
The essence is this: in the Cypher System, it doesn’t matter if something is a creature, a poison, or a gravity-dispelling ray. If it’s a higher level, it wins; if it’s a lower level, it loses. If two things of equal level oppose each other, there might be a long, drawn-out battle that could go either way.
Anything that your character does in a round is an action. It’s easiest to think of an action as a single thing that you can do in five to ten seconds. For example, if you use your dart thrower to shoot a strange floating orb, that’s one action. So is running for cover behind a stack of barrels, prying open a stuck door, using a rope to pull your friend up from a pit, or activating a cypher (even if it’s stored in your pack).
Opening a door and attacking a security guard on the other side are two actions. It’s more a matter of focus than time. Drawing your sword and attacking a foe is all one action. Putting away your bow and pushing a heavy bookcase to block a door are two actions because each requires a different train of thought.
If the action you want to accomplish is not within reach, you can move a little bit. Essentially, you can move up to an immediate distance to perform your action. For example, you can move an immediate distance and attack a foe, open a door and move an immediate distance into the hallway beyond, or grab your hurt friend lying on the ground and pull them back a few steps. This movement can occur before or after your action, so you can move to a door and open it, or you can open a door and move through it.
The most common actions are:
Attack
Activate a special ability (one that isn’t an attack)
Move
Wait
Defend
Do something else
An attack is anything that you do to someone that they don’t want you to do. Slashing a foe with a curved dagger is an attack, blasting a foe with a lightning artifact is an attack, wrapping a foe in magnetically controlled metal cables is an attack, and controlling someone’s mind is an attack. An attack almost always requires a roll to see if you hit or otherwise affect your target.
In the simplest kind of attack, such as a PC trying to stab a thug with a knife, the player rolls and compares their result to the opponent’s target number. If their roll is equal to or greater than the target number, the attack hits. Just as with any kind of task, the GM might modify the difficulty based on the situation, and the player might have a bonus to the roll or might try to ease the task using skills, assets, or Effort.
A less straightforward attack might be a special ability that stuns a foe with a mental blast. However, it’s handled the same way: the player makes a roll against the opponent’s target number. Similarly, an attempt to tackle a foe and wrestle it to the ground is still just a roll against the foe’s target number.
Attacks are sometimes categorized as “melee” attacks, meaning that you hurt or affect something within immediate reach, or “ranged” attacks, meaning that you hurt or affect something at a distance.
Melee attacks can be Might or Speed actions—player choice. Physical ranged attacks (such as bows, thrown weapons, and blasts of fire from a mutation) are almost always Speed actions, but those that come from special abilities tend to be Intellect actions.
Special abilities that require touching the target require a melee attack. If the attack misses, the power is not wasted, and you can try again each round as your action until you hit the target, use another ability, or take a different action that requires you to use your hands. These attempts in later rounds count as different actions, so you don’t have to keep track of how much Effort you used when you activated the ability or how you used Edge. For example, let’s say that in the first round of combat, you activate a special ability that requires you to touch your foe and you use Effort to ease the attack, but you roll poorly and miss your foe. In the second round of combat, you can try attacking again and use Effort to ease the attack roll.
The GM and players are encouraged to describe every attack with flavor and flair. One attack roll might be a stab to the foe’s arm. A miss might be the PC’s sword slamming into the wall. Combatants lunge, block, duck, spin, leap, and make all kinds of movements that should keep combat visually interesting and compelling. The Running the Cypher System chapter has much more guidance in this regard.
Common elements that affect the difficulty of a combat task are cover, range, and darkness. The rules for these and other modifiers are explained in the Attack Modifiers and Special Situations section of this chapter.
When an attack strikes a character, it usually means the character takes damage.
An attack against a PC subtracts points from one of the character’s stat Pools—usually the Might Pool. Whenever an attack simply says it deals “damage” without specifying the type, it means Might damage, which is by far the most common type. Intellect damage, which is usually the result of a mental attack, is always labeled as Intellect damage. Speed damage is often a physical attack, but attacks that deal Speed damage are fairly rare.
NPCs don’t have stat Pools. Instead, they have a characteristic called health. When an NPC takes damage of any kind, the amount is subtracted from its health. Unless described otherwise, an NPC’s health is always equal to its target number. Some NPCs might have special reactions to or defenses against attacks that would normally deal Speed damage or Intellect damage, but unless the NPC’s description specifically explains this, assume that all damage is subtracted from the NPC’s health.
Objects don’t have stat Pools or health. They have an object damage track, just like how PCs have a damage track. Attacking objects might move them down their damage track.
Damage is always a specific amount determined by the attack. For example, a slash with a broadsword or a blast with a spike thrower deals 4 points of damage. An Adept’s Onslaught deals 4 points of damage. Often, there are ways for the attacker to increase the damage. For example, a PC can apply Effort to deal 3 additional points of damage, and rolling a natural 17 on the attack roll deals 1 additional point of damage.
Pieces of equipment and special abilities protect a character from damage by giving them Armor. Each time a character takes damage, subtract their Armor value from the damage before reducing their stat Pool or health. For example, if a Warrior with 2 Armor is hit by a gunshot that deals 4 points of damage, they take only 2 points of damage (4 minus 2 from their Armor). If Armor reduces the incoming damage to 0 or lower, the character takes no damage from the attack. For example, the Warrior’s 2 Armor protects them from all physical attacks that deal 1 or 2 points of damage.
The most common way to get Armor is to wear physical armor, such as a leather jacket, a bulletproof vest, a chainmail hauberk, bioengineered carapace grafts, or something else, depending on the setting. All physical armor comes in one of three categories: light, medium, or heavy. Light armor gives the wearer 1 point of Armor, medium gives 2 points of Armor, and heavy gives 3 points of Armor.
When you see the word “Armor” capitalized in the game rules (other than in the name of a special ability), it refers to your Armor characteristic—the number you subtract from incoming damage. When you see the word “armor” in lowercase, it refers to any physical armor you might wear.
Other effects can add to a character’s Armor. If a character is wearing chainmail (+2 to Armor) and has an ability that covers them in a protective force field that grants +1 to Armor, their total is 3 Armor. If they also use a cypher that hardens their flesh temporarily for +1 to Armor, their total is 4 Armor.
Some types of damage ignore physical armor. Attacks that specifically deal Speed damage or Intellect damage ignore Armor; the creature takes the listed amount of damage without any reduction from Armor. Ambient damage (see below) usually ignores Armor as well.
A creature may have a special bonus to Armor against certain kinds of attacks. For example, a protective suit made of a sturdy, fire-resistant material might normally give its wearer +1 to Armor but count as +3 to Armor against fire attacks. An artifact worn as a helmet might grant +2 to Armor only against mental attacks.
Some kinds of damage aren’t direct attacks against a creature, but they indirectly affect everything in the area. Most of these are environmental effects such as winter cold, high temperatures, or background radiation. Damage from these kinds of sources is called ambient damage. Physical armor usually doesn’t protect against ambient damage, though a well-insulated suit of armor can protect against cold weather.
Attacks aren’t the only way to inflict damage on a character. Experiences such as falling from a great height, being burned in a fire, and spending time in severe weather also deal damage. Although no list of potential hazards could be comprehensive, the Damage From Hazards table includes common examples.
| Source | Damage | Notes |
| Falling | 1 point per 10 feet (3 m) fallen (ambient damage) | — |
| Minor fire | 3 points per round (ambient damage) | Torch |
| Major fire | 6 points per round (ambient damage) | Engulfed in flames; lava |
| Acid splash | 2 points per round (ambient damage) | — |
| Acid bath | 6 points per round (ambient damage) | Immersed in acid |
| Cold | 1 point per round (ambient damage) | Below freezing temperatures |
| Severe cold | 3 points per round (ambient damage) | Liquid nitrogen |
| Shock | 1 point per round (ambient damage) | Often involves losing next action |
| Electrocution | 6 points per round (ambient damage) | Often involves losing next action |
| Crush | 3 points | Object or creature falls on character |
| Huge crush | 6 points | Roof collapse; cave-in |
| Collision | 6 points | Large, fast object strikes character |
When an NPC reaches 0 health, it is either dead or (if the attacker wishes) incapacitated, meaning unconscious or beaten into submission.
As previously mentioned, damage from most sources is applied to a character’s Might Pool. Otherwise, stat damage always reduces the Pool of the stat it affects.
If damage reduces a character’s stat Pool to 0, any further damage to that stat (including excess damage from the attack that reduced the stat to 0) is applied to another stat Pool. Damage is applied to Pools in this order:
Might (unless the Pool is 0)
Speed (unless the Pool is 0)
Intellect
Even if the damage is applied to another stat Pool, it still counts as its original type for the purpose of Armor and special abilities that affect damage. For example, if a character with 2 Armor is reduced to 0 Might and then is hit by a creature’s claw for 3 points of damage, it still counts as Might damage, so their Armor reduces the damage to 1 point, which then is applied to their Speed Pool. In other words, even though they take the damage from their Speed Pool, it doesn’t ignore Armor like Speed damage normally would.
In addition to taking damage from their Might Pool, Speed Pool, or Intellect Pool, PCs also have a damage track. The damage track has four states (from best to worst): hale, impaired, debilitated, and dead. When one of a PC’s stat Pools reaches 0, they move one step down the damage track. Thus, if they are hale, they become impaired. If they are already impaired, they become debilitated. If they are already debilitated, they become dead.
Some effects can immediately shift a PC one or more steps on the damage track. These include rare poisons, cellular disruption attacks, and massive traumas (such as falls from very great heights, being run over by a speeding vehicle, and so on, as determined by the GM).
Some attacks, like a serpent’s poisonous bite or a Speaker’s Enthrall, have effects other than damage to a stat Pool or shifting the PC on the damage track. These attacks can cause unconsciousness, paralysis, and so on.
When NPCs (who have only health) suffer Speed or Intellect damage, normally this is treated the same as Might damage. However, the GM or the player has the option to suggest an appropriate alternate effect—the NPC suffers a penalty, moves more slowly, is stunned, and so on.
As noted above, the damage track has four states: hale, impaired, debilitated, and dead.
Hale is the normal state for a character: all three stat Pools are at 1 or higher, and the PC has no penalties from harmful conditions. When a hale PC takes enough damage to reduce one of their stat Pools to 0, they become impaired. Note that a character whose stat Pools are much lower than normal can still be hale.
Impaired is a wounded or injured state. When an impaired character applies Effort, it costs 1 extra point per level applied. For example, applying one level of Effort costs 4 points instead of 3, and applying two levels of Effort costs 7 points instead of 5.
An impaired character ignores minor and major effect results on their rolls, and they don’t deal as much extra damage in combat with a special roll. In combat, a roll of 17 or higher deals only 1 additional point of damage. When an impaired PC takes enough damage to reduce one of their stat Pools to 0, they become debilitated.
Debilitated is a critically injured state. A debilitated character may not take any actions other than to move (probably crawl) no more than an immediate distance. If a debilitated character’s Speed Pool is 0, they can’t move at all. When a debilitated PC takes enough damage to reduce a stat Pool to 0, they are dead.
Dead is dead.
The damage track allows you to know how far from death you are. If you’re hale, you’re three steps from death. If you’re impaired, you’re two steps from death. If you’re debilitated, you are only one small step from death’s door.
After losing or spending points in a Pool, you recover those points by resting. You can’t increase a Pool past its maximum by resting—just back to its normal level. Any extra points gained go away with no effect. The amount of points you recover from a rest, and how long each rest takes, depends on how many times you have rested so far that day.
When you rest, make a recovery roll. To do this, roll a d6 and add your tier. You recover that many points, and you can divide them among your stat Pools however you wish. For example, if your recovery roll is 4 and you’ve lost 4 points of Might and 2 points of Speed, you can recover 4 points of Might, or 2 points of Might and 2 points of Speed, or any other combination adding up to 4 points.
The first time you rest each day, it takes only a few seconds to catch your breath. If you rest this way in the middle of an encounter, it takes one action on your turn.
The second time you rest each day, you must rest for ten minutes to make a recovery roll. The third time you rest each day, you must rest for one hour to make a recovery roll. The fourth time you rest each day, you must rest for ten hours to make a recovery roll (usually, this occurs when you stop for the day to eat and sleep).
After that much rest, it’s assumed to be a new day, so the next time you rest, it takes only a few seconds. The next rest takes ten minutes, then one hour, and so on, in a cycle.
If you haven’t rested yet that day and you take a lot of damage in a fight, you could rest a few seconds (regaining 1d6 points + 1 point per tier) and then immediately rest for ten minutes (regaining another 1d6 points + 1 point per tier). Thus, in one full day of doing nothing but resting, you could recover 4d6 points + 4 points per tier.
Each character chooses when to make recovery rolls. If a party of five PCs rests for ten minutes because two of them want to make recovery rolls, the others don’t have to make rolls at that time. Later in the day, those three can decide to rest for ten minutes and make recovery rolls.
| Recovery Roll | Rest Time Needed |
| First recovery roll | One action |
| Second recovery roll | Ten minutes |
| Third recovery roll | One hour |
| Fourth recovery roll | Ten hours |
Using points from a recovery roll to raise a stat Pool from 0 to 1 or higher also automatically moves the character up one step on the damage track.
If all of a PC’s stat Pools are above 0 and the character has taken special damage that moved them down the damage track, they can use a recovery roll to move up one step on the damage track instead of recovering points. For example, a character who is debilitated from a hit with a cell-disrupting biotech device can rest and move up to impaired rather than recover points in a Pool.
In the course of playing the game, characters face all manner of threats and dangers that can harm them in a variety of ways, only some of which are easily represented by points of damage.
Dazed and Stunned: Characters can be dazed when struck hard on the head, exposed to extremely loud sounds, or affected by a mental attack. When this happens, for the duration of the daze effect (usually one round), all of the character’s tasks are hindered. Similar but more severe attacks can stun characters. Stunned characters lose their turn (but can still defend against attacks normally).
Poison and Disease: When characters encounter poison—whether the venom of a serpent, rat poison slipped into a burrito, cyanide dissolved in wine, or an overdose of acetaminophen—they make a Might defense roll to resist it. Failure to resist can result in points of damage, moving down the damage track, or a specific effect such as paralysis, unconsciousness, disability, or something stranger. For example, some poisons affect the brain, making it impossible to say certain words, take certain actions, resist certain effects, or recover points to a stat Pool.
Diseases work like poisons, but their effect occurs every day, so the victim must make a Might defense roll each day or suffer the effects. Disease effects are as varied as poisons: points of damage, moving down the damage track, disability, and so on. Many diseases inflict damage that cannot be restored through conventional means.
Paralysis: Paralytic effects cause a character to drop to the ground, unable to move. Unless otherwise specified, the character can still take actions that require no physical movement.
Other Effects: Other special effects can render a character blind or deaf, unable to stand without falling over, or unable to breathe. Stranger effects might negate gravity for the character (or increase it a hundredfold), transport them to another place, render them out of phase, mutate their physical form, implant false memories or senses, alter the way their brain processes information, or inflame their nerves so they are in constant, excruciating pain. Each special effect must be handled on a case-by-case basis. The GM adjudicates how the character is affected and how the condition can be alleviated (if possible).
The GM always has final say over what special damage will affect an NPC. Human NPCs usually react like characters, but nonhuman creatures might react very differently. For example, a tiny bit of venom is unlikely to hurt a gigantic dragon, and it won’t affect an android or a demon at all.
If an NPC is susceptible to an attack that would shift a character down the damage track, using that attack on the NPC usually renders it unconscious or dead. Alternatively, the GM could apply the debilitated condition to the NPC, with the same effect as it would have on a PC.
In combat situations, many modifiers might come into play. Although the GM is at liberty to assess whatever modifiers they think are appropriate to the situation (that’s their role in the game), the following suggestions and guidelines might make that easier. Often the modifier is applied as a step in difficulty. So if a situation hinders attacks, that means if a PC attacks an NPC, the difficulty of the attack roll is increased by one step, and if an NPC attacks a PC, the difficulty of the defense roll is decreased by one step. This is because players make all rolls, whether they are attacking or defending—NPCs never make attack or defense rolls.
When in doubt, if it seems like it should be harder to attack in a situation, hinder the attack rolls. If it seems like attacks should gain an advantage or be easier in some way, hinder the defense rolls.
Precise ranges are not important in the Cypher System. The broadly defined “immediate,” “short,” “long,” and “very long” ranges let the GM quickly make a judgment call and keep things moving. Basically, the idea is: your target is right there, your target is close, your target is pretty far away, or your target is extremely far away.
If a character is behind cover so that a significant portion of their body is behind something sturdy, attacks against the character are hindered.
If a character is entirely behind cover (their entire body is behind something sturdy), they can’t be attacked unless the attack can go through the cover. For example, if a character hides behind a thin wooden screen and their opponent shoots the screen with a rifle that can penetrate the wood, the character can be attacked. However, because the attacker can’t see the character clearly, this still counts as cover (attacks against the character are hindered).
Sometimes where a character stands gives them an advantage or a disadvantage.
Prone Target: In melee, a prone target is easier to hit (attacks against them are eased). In ranged combat, a prone target is harder to hit (attacks against them are hindered).
Higher Ground: In either ranged or melee combat, attacks by an opponent on higher ground are eased.
When a target isn’t aware of an incoming attack, the attacker has an advantage. A ranged sniper in a hidden position, an invisible assailant, or the first salvo in a successful ambush are all eased by two steps. For the attacker to gain this advantage, however, the defender truly must have no idea that the attack is coming.
If the defender isn’t sure of the attacker’s location but is still on guard, the attacks are eased by only one step.
In melee, you can attack a foe who is adjacent to you (next to you) or within reach (immediate range). If you enter into melee with one or more foes, usually you can attack most or all of the combatants, meaning they are next to you, within reach, or within reach if you move slightly or have a long weapon that extends your reach.
The majority of ranged attacks have only two ranges: short range and long range (a few have very long range). Short range is generally less than 50 feet (15 m) or so. Long range is generally from 50 feet (15 m) to about 100 feet (30 m). Very long range is generally 100 feet (30 m) to 500 feet (150 m). Greater precision than that isn’t important in the Cypher System. If anything is longer than very long range, the exact range is usually spelled out, such as with an item that can fire a beam 1,000 feet (300 m) or teleport you up to 1 mile (1.5 km) away.
Thus, the game has four measurements of distance: immediate, short, long, and very long. These apply to movement as well. A few special cases—point-blank range and extreme range— modify an attack’s chance to successfully hit.
Point-Blank Range: If a character uses a ranged weapon against a target within immediate range, the attack is eased.
Extreme Range: Targets just at the limit of a weapon’s range are at extreme range. Attacks against such targets are hindered.
The GM might allow a character with a ranged weapon to attack beyond extreme range, but the attack would be hindered by two steps for each range category beyond the normal limit. Attacks with hard limits, such as the blast radius of a bomb, can’t be modified.
In certain situations, such as a PC on top of a building looking across an open field, the GM should allow ranged attacks to exceed their maximum range. For example, in perfect conditions, a good archer can hit a large target with a bow and arrow at 500 feet (150 m), much farther than a bow’s typical long range.
What characters can see (and how well they can see) plays a huge factor in combat.
Dim Light: Dim light is approximately the amount of light on a night with a bright full moon or the illumination provided by a torch, flashlight, or desk lamp. Dim light allows you to see out to short range. Targets in dim light are harder to hit. Attacks against such targets are hindered. Attackers trained in low-light spotting negate this modifier.
Very Dim Light: Very dim light is approximately the amount of light on a starry night with no visible moon, or the glow provided by a candle or an illuminated control panel. Very dim light allows you to see clearly only within immediate range and perceive vague shapes to short range. Targets in very dim light are harder to hit. Attacks against targets within immediate range are hindered, and attacks against those in short range are hindered by two steps. Attackers trained in low-light spotting modify these difficulties by one step in their favor. Attackers specialized in low-light spotting modify these difficulties by two steps in their favor.
Darkness: Darkness is an area with no illumination at all, such as a moonless night with cloud cover or a room with no lights. Targets in complete darkness are nearly impossible to hit. If an attacker can use other senses (such as hearing) to get an idea of where the opponent might be, attacks against such targets are hindered by four steps. Otherwise, attacks in complete darkness fail without the need for a roll unless the player spends 1 XP to “make a lucky shot” or the GM uses GM intrusion. Attackers trained in low-light spotting ease the task. Attackers specialized in low-light spotting ease the task by two steps.
Similar to illumination, factors that obscure vision affect combat.
Mist: A target in mist is similar to one in dim light. Ranged attacks against such targets are hindered. Particularly dense mist makes ranged attacks nearly impossible (treat as darkness), and even melee attacks are hindered.
Hiding Target: A target in dense foliage, behind a screen, or crawling amid the rubble in a ruin is hard to hit because they’re hard to see. Ranged attacks against such targets are hindered.
Invisible Target: If an attacker can use other senses (such as hearing) to get an idea of where the opponent might be, attacks against such targets are hindered by four steps. Otherwise, attacks against an invisible creature fail without the need for a roll unless the player spends 1 XP to “make a lucky shot” or the GM uses GM intrusion.
Being in shallow water can make it hard to move, but it doesn’t affect combat. Being in deep water can make things difficult, and being underwater entirely can seem as different as being on another world.
Deep Water: Being in water up to your chest (or the equivalent thereof) hinders your attacks. Aquatic creatures ignore this modifier.
Underwater Melee Combat: For nonaquatic creatures, being completely underwater makes attacking very difficult. Attacks with stabbing weapons are hindered, and melee attacks with slashing or bashing weapons are hindered by two steps. Aquatic creatures ignore these penalties.
Underwater Ranged Combat: As with melee combat, nonaquatic creatures have problems fighting underwater. Some ranged attacks are impossible underwater—you can’t throw things, fire a bow or crossbow, or use a blowgun. Many firearms also do not work underwater. Attacks with weapons that do work underwater are hindered. Ranges underwater are reduced by one category; very-long-range weapons work only to long range, long-range weapons work only to short range, and short-range weapons work only to immediate range.
Moving targets are harder to hit, and moving attackers have a difficult time as well.
Target Is Moving: Attackers trying to hit a foe who is moving very fast are hindered. (A foe moving very fast is one who is doing nothing but running, mounted on a moving creature, riding on a vehicle or moving conveyance, and so on.)
Attacker Is Moving: An attacker trying to make an attack while moving under their own power (walking, running, swimming, and so on) takes no penalties. Attacks from a moving mount or moving vehicle are hindered; an attacker trained in riding or driving ignores this penalty.
Attacker Is Jostled: Being jostled, such as while standing on a listing ship or a vibrating platform, makes attacking difficult. Such attacks are hindered. Characters trained in balancing or sailing would ignore penalties for being on a ship.
In a spacefaring campaign, characters may travel to worlds with stronger or weaker gravity than Earth’s. Likewise, strange technology or magic can cause gravity to fluctuate even in an Earth-based campaign. Characters who have a large amount of metal (wearing metal armor, using metal weapons, and so on) can be affected by fluctuating magnetism just as a character is affected by gravity.
Low Gravity: Weapons that rely on weight, such as all heavy weapons, deal 2 fewer points of damage (dealing a minimum of 1 point of damage). Weapons with short range can reach to long range, and long-range weapons can reach to very long range. Characters trained in low-gravity maneuvering ignore the damage penalty.
High Gravity: It’s hard to make effective attacks when the pull of gravity is very strong. Attacks (and all physical actions) made in high gravity are hindered. Ranges in high gravity are reduced by one category (very-long-range weapons reach only to long range, long-range weapons reach only to short range, and short-range weapons reach only to immediate range). Characters trained in high-gravity maneuvering ignore the change in difficulty but not the range decreases.
Zero Gravity: It’s hard to maneuver in an environment without gravity. All physical actions (including attacks) made in zero gravity are hindered. Weapons with short range can reach to long range, long-range weapons can reach to very long range, and very-long-range weapons can reach to about 1,000 feet (300 m) instead of 500 feet (150 m). Characters trained in zero-gravity maneuvering ignore the change in difficulty.
When an NPC ally of the PCs attacks another NPC, the GM can designate a player to roll and handle it like a PC attacking. Often, the choice is obvious. For example, a character who has a trained attack animal should roll when their pet attacks enemies. If an NPC ally accompanying the party leaps into the fray, that ally’s favorite PC rolls for them. NPCs cannot apply Effort. Of course, it’s perfectly fitting (and easier) to have the NPC ally use the cooperative action rules to aid a PC instead of making direct attacks, or to compare the levels of the two NPCs (higher wins).
When one PC attacks another PC, the attacking character makes an attack roll, and the other character makes a defense roll, adding any appropriate modifiers. If the attacking PC has a skill, ability, asset, or other effect that would ease the attack if it were made against an NPC, the character adds 3 to the roll for each step reduction (+3 for one step, +6 for two steps, and so on). If the attacker’s final result is higher, the attack hits. If the defender’s result is higher,
the attack misses. Damage is resolved normally. The GM mediates all special effects.
Sometimes, an attack or effect affects an area rather than a single target. For example, a grenade or a landslide can potentially harm or affect everyone in the area.
In an area attack, all PCs in the area make appropriate defense rolls against the attack to determine its effect on them. If there are any NPCs in the area, the attacker makes a single attack roll against all of them (one roll, not one roll per NPC) and compares it to the target number of each NPC. If the roll is equal to or greater than the target number of a particular NPC, the attack hits that NPC.
Some area attacks always deal at least a minimum amount of damage, even if the attacks miss or if a PC makes a successful defense roll.
For example, consider a character who uses Shatter to attack six cultists (level 2; target number 6) and their leader (level 4; target number 12). The PC applies Effort to increase the damage and rolls an 11 for the attack roll. This hits the six cultists, but not the leader, so the ability deals 3 points of damage to each of the cultists. The description of Shatter says that applying Effort to increase the damage also means that targets take 1 point of damage if the PC fails the attack roll, so the leader takes 1 point of damage. In terms of what happens in the story, the cultists are caught flat-footed by the sudden detonation of one of their knives, but the leader ducks and is shielded from the blast. Despite the leader’s quick moves, the blast is so intense that a few bits of metal slice them.
Attacking an object is rarely a matter of hitting it. Sure, you can hit the broad side of a barn, but can you damage it? Attacking inanimate objects with a melee weapon is a Might action. Objects have levels and thus target numbers. Objects have a damage track that works like the damage track for PCs.
Intact is the default state for an object.
Minor damage is a slightly damaged state. An object with minor damage reduces its level by 1.
Major damage is a critically damaged state. An object with major damage is broken and no longer functions.
Destroyed is destroyed. The object is ruined, no longer functions, and cannot be repaired.
If the Might action to damage an object is a success, the object moves one step down the object damage track. If the Might roll exceeded the difficulty by 2 levels, the object instead moves two steps down the object damage track. If the Might roll exceeded the difficulty by 4 levels, the object instead moves three steps down the object damage track. Objects with minor or major damage can be repaired, moving them one or more steps up the object damage track.
Brittle or fragile objects, like paper or glass, decrease the effective level of the object for the purposes of determining if it is damaged. Hard objects, like those made of wood or stone, add 1 to the effective level. Very hard objects, like those made of metal, add 2. (The GM may rule that some exotic materials add 3.)
The tool or weapon used to attack the object must be at least as hard as the object itself. Further, if the amount of damage the attack could inflict—not modified by a special die roll—does not equal or exceed the effective level of the object, the attack cannot damage the object no matter what the roll.
Special abilities are granted by foci, types, and flavors, or provided by cyphers or other devices. If a special ability affects another character in any kind of unwanted manner, it’s handled as an attack. This is true even if the ability is normally not considered an attack. For example, if a character has a healing touch, and their friend doesn’t want to be healed for some reason, an attempt to heal their unwilling friend is handled as an attack.
Plenty of special abilities do not affect another character in an unwanted manner. For example, a PC might use Hover on themselves to float into the air. A character with a matter-reorganizing device might change a stone wall into glass. A character who activates a phase changer cypher might walk through a wall. None of these requires an attack roll (although when turning a stone wall to glass, the character must still make a roll to successfully affect the wall).
If the character spends points to apply Effort on the attempt, they might want to roll anyway to see if they get a major effect, which would reduce the cost for their action.
As a part of another action, a character can adjust their position—stepping back a few feet while using an ability, sliding over in combat to take on a different opponent to help a friend, pushing through a door they just opened, and so on. This is considered an immediate distance, and a character can move this far as part of another action.
In a combat situation, if a character is in a large melee, they’re usually considered to be next to most other combatants, unless the GM rules that they’re farther away because the melee is especially large or the situation dictates it.
If they’re not in melee but still nearby, they are considered to be a short distance away—usually less than 50 feet (15 m). If they’re farther away than that but still involved in the combat, they are considered to be a long distance away, usually 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 m), or possibly even a very long distance away, usually more than 100 feet to 500 feet (30 to 150 m).
In a round, as an action, a character can make a short move. In this case, they are doing nothing but moving up to about 50 feet (15 m). Some terrain or situations will change the distance a character can move, but generally, making a short move is considered to be a difficulty 0 action. No roll is needed; they just get where they’re going as their action.
A character can try to make a long move—up to 100 feet (30 m) or so—in one round. This is a Speed task with a difficulty of 4. As with any action, they can use skills, assets, or Effort to ease the task. Terrain, obstacles, or other circumstances can hinder the task. A successful roll means the character moved the distance safely. Failure means that at some point during the move, they stop or stumble (the GM determines where this happens).
A character can also try to make a short move and take another (relatively simple) physical action, like make an attack. As with the attempt to make a long move, this is a Speed task with a difficulty of 4, and failure means that the character stops at some point, slipping or stumbling or otherwise getting held up.
When talking about movement in terms of traveling rather than round-by-round action, typical characters can travel on a road about 20 miles (32 km) per day, averaging about 3 miles (5 km) per hour, including a few stops. When traveling overland, they can move about 12 miles (19 km) per day, averaging 2 miles (3 km) per hour, again with some stops. Mounted characters, such as those on horseback, can go twice as far. Other modes of travel (cars, airplanes, hovercraft, sailing ships, and so on) have their own rates of movement.
Different environments affect movement in different ways.
Rough Terrain: A surface that’s considered rough terrain is covered in loose stones or other material, uneven or with unsure footing, unsteady, or a surface that requires movement across a narrow space, such as a cramped corridor or a slender ledge. Stairs are also considered rough terrain. Rough terrain does not slow normal movement on a round-by-round basis, but hinders move rolls. Rough terrain cuts long-term movement rates in half.
Difficult Terrain: Difficult terrain is an area filled with challenging obstacles—water up to waist height, a very steep slope, an especially narrow ledge, slippery ice, a foot or more of snow, a space so small that one must crawl through it, and so on. Difficult terrain hinders move rolls and halves movement on a round-by-round basis. This means that a short move is about 25 feet (8 m), and a long move is about 50 feet (15 m). Difficult terrain reduces
long-term movement to a third of its normal rate.
Water: Deep water, in which a character is mostly or entirely submerged, hinders move rolls
and reduces round-by-round and long-term movement to one quarter its normal rate. This means that a short move is about 12 feet(4 m), and a long move is about 25 feet (7.5 m). Characters trained in swimming halve their movement only while in deep water.
Low Gravity: Movement in low gravity is easier but not much faster. All move rolls are eased.
High Gravity: In an environment of high gravity, treat all moving characters as if they were in difficult terrain. Characters trained in high-gravity maneuvering negate this penalty. High gravity reduces long-term movement to a third of its normal rate.
Zero Gravity: In an environment without gravity, characters cannot move normally. Instead, they must push off from a surface and succeed at a Might roll to move (the difficulty is equal to one-quarter the distance traveled in feet). Without a surface to push off from, a character cannot move. Unless the character’s movement takes them to a stable object that they can grab or land against, they continue to drift in that direction each round, traveling half the distance of the initial push.
When a PC is chasing an NPC or vice versa, the player should attempt a Speed action, with the difficulty based on the NPC’s level. If the PC succeeds at the roll, they catch the NPC (if chasing), or they get away (if chased). In terms of the story, this one-roll mechanic can be the result of a long chase over many rounds.
Alternatively, if the GM wants to play out a long chase, the character can make many rolls (perhaps one per level of the NPC) to finish the pursuit successfully. For every failure, the PC must make another success, and if they ever have more failures than successes, the PC fails to catch the NPC (if chasing) or is caught (if chased). As with combat, the GM is encouraged to describe the results of these rolls with flavor. A success might mean the PC has rounded a corner and gained some distance. A failure might mean that a basket of fruit topples over in front of them, slowing them down. Vehicle chases are handled similarly.
You can wait to react to another character’s action.
You decide what action will trigger your action, and if the triggering action happens, you get to take your action first (unless going first wouldn’t make sense, like attacking a foe before they come into view). For example, if an orc threatens you with a halberd, on your turn you can decide to wait, stating “If it stabs at me, I’m going to slash it with my sword.” On the orc’s turn, it stabs, so you make your sword attack before that happens.
Waiting is also a good way to deal with a ranged attacker who rises from behind cover, fires an attack, and ducks back down. You could say “I wait to see them pop up from behind cover and then I shoot them.”
Waiting is also a useful tool for cooperative actions (see below).
Defending is a special action that only PCs can do, and only in response to being attacked. In other words, an NPC uses its action to attack, which forces a PC to make a defense roll. This is handled like any other kind of action, with circumstances, skill, assets, and Effort all potentially coming into play. Defending is a special kind of action in that it does not happen on the PC’s turn. It’s never an action that a player decides to take; it’s always a reaction to an attack. A PC can take a defense action when attacked (on the attacking NPC’s turn) and still take another action on their own turn.
The type of defense roll depends on the type of attack. If a foe attacks a character with an axe, they can use Speed to duck or block it with what they’re holding. If they’re struck by a poisoned dart, they can use a Might action to resist its effects. If a psi-worm attempts to control their mind, they can use Intellect to fend off the intrusion.
Sometimes an attack provokes two defense actions. For example, a poisonous reptile tries to bite a PC. They try to dodge the bite with a Speed action. If they fail, they take damage from the bite, and they must also attempt a Might action to resist the poison’s effects.
If a character does not know an attack is coming, usually they can still make a defense roll, but they can’t add modifiers (including the modifier from a shield), and they can’t use any skill or Effort to ease the task. If circumstances warrant—such as if the attacker is right next to the character—the GM might rule that the surprise attack simply hits.
A character can always choose to forgo a defense action, in which case the attack automatically hits.
Some abilities (such as the Countermeasures special ability) may allow you to do something special as a defense action.
Players can try anything they can think of, although that doesn’t mean anything is possible. The GM sets the difficulty—that’s their primary role in the game. Still, guided by the bounds of logic, players and GMs will find all manner of actions and options that aren’t covered by a rule. That’s a good thing.
Players should not feel constrained by the game mechanics when taking actions. Skills are not required to attempt an action. Someone who’s never picked a lock can still try. The GM might hinder the task, but the character can still attempt the action.
Thus, players and GMs can return to the beginning of this chapter and look at the most basic expression of the rules. A player wants to take an action. The GM decides, on a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult that task is and what stat it uses. The player determines whether they have anything that might modify the difficulty and considers whether to apply Effort. Once the final determination is made, they roll to see if their character succeeds. It’s as easy as that.
As further guidance, the following are some of the more common actions a player might take.
Players are encouraged to come up with their own ideas for what their characters do rather than looking at a list of possible actions. That’s why there is a “do something else” action. PCs are not pieces on a game board—they are people in a story. And like real people, they can try anything they can think of. (Succeeding is another matter entirely.) The task difficulty system provides GMs with the tools they need to adjudicate anything the players come up with.
When a character climbs, the GM sets a difficulty based on the surface being climbed. Climbing is like moving through difficult terrain: the move roll is hindered and the movement is half speed. Unusual circumstances, such as climbing while under fire, pose additional step penalties.
| Difficulty | Surface |
| 2 | Surface with lots of handholds |
| 3 | Stone wall or similar surface (a few handholds) |
| 4 | Crumbling or slippery surface |
| 5 | Smooth stone wall or similar surface |
| 6 | Metal wall or similar surface |
| 8 | Smooth, horizontal surface (climber is upside down) |
| 10 | Glass wall or similar surface |
There are many ways multiple characters can work together. None of these options, however, can be used at the same time by the same characters.
Helping: If you use your action to help someone with a task, you ease the task. If you have an inability in a task, your help has no effect. If you use your action to help someone with a task that you are trained or specialized in, the task is eased by two steps. Help is considered an asset, and someone receiving help usually can’t gain more than two assets on a single task if that help is provided by another character.
For example, if Scott is trying to climb a steep incline and Sarah (who is trained in climbing) spends her turn helping him, Scott’s task is eased by two steps.
Sometimes you can help by performing a task that complements what another person is attempting. If your complementary action succeeds, you ease the other person’s task. For example, if Scott tries to persuade a ship captain to let him on board, Sarah could try to supplement Scott’s words with a flattering lie about the captain (a deception action), a display of knowledge about the region where the ship is headed (a geography action), or a direct threat to the captain (an intimidation action). If Sarah’s roll is a success, Scott’s persuasion task is eased.
Distraction: When a character uses their turn to distract a foe, that foe’s attacks are hindered for one round. Multiple characters distracting a foe have no greater effect than a single character doing so—a foe is either distracted or not. A distraction might be yelling a challenge, firing a warning shot, or a similar activity that doesn’t harm the foe.
Draw the Attack: When an NPC attacks a character, another PC can prominently present themselves, shout taunts, and move to try to get the foe to attack them instead. In most cases, this action succeeds without a roll—the opponent attacks the prominent PC instead of their companions. In other cases, such as with intelligent or determined foes, the prominent character must succeed at an Intellect action to draw the attack. If that Intellect action is successful, the foe attacks the prominent character, whose defenses are hindered by two steps. Two characters attempting to draw an attack at the same time cancel each other out.
Two characters attempting to draw an attack at the same time cancel each other out.
Take the Attack: A character can use their action to throw themselves in front of a foe’s successful attack to save a nearby comrade. The attack automatically succeeds against the sacrificial character, and it deals 1 additional point of damage. A character cannot willingly take more than one attack each round in this way.
Crafting is a tricky topic in the Cypher System because the same rules that govern building a spear also cover repairing a machine that can take you into hyperspace. Normally, the level of the item determines the difficulty of creating or repairing it as well as the time required. For cyphers, artifacts, other items that require specialized knowledge, or items unique to a world or species other than your own (such as a Martian tripod walker), add 5 to the item’s level to determine the difficulty of building or repairing it.
Sometimes, if the item is artistic in nature, the GM will add to the difficulty and time required. For example, a crude wooden stool might be hammered together in an hour. A beautiful finished piece might take a week or longer and would require more skill on the part of the crafter.
The GM is free to overrule some attempts at creation, building, or repair, requiring that the character have a certain level of skill, proper tools and materials, and so forth.
A level 0 object requires no skill to make and is easily found in most locations. Sling stones and firewood are level 0 items—producing them is routine. Making a torch from spare wood and oil-soaked cloth is simple, so it’s a level 1 object. Making an arrow or a spear is fairly standard but not simple, so it’s a level 2 object.
Generally speaking, a device to be crafted requires materials equal to its level and all the levels below it. So a level 5 device requires level 5 material, level 4 material, level 3 material, level 2 material, and level 1 material (and, technically, level 0 material).
The GM and players can gloss over much of the crafting details, if desired. Gathering all the materials to make a mundane item might not be worth playing out—but then again, it might be. For example, making a wooden spear in a forest isn’t very interesting, but what if the characters have to make a spear in a treeless desert? Finding the wreckage of something made of wood or forcing a PC to fashion a spear out of the bones of a large beast could be interesting situations.
The time required to create an item is up to the GM, but the guidelines in the crafting table are a good starting point. Generally, repairing an item takes somewhere between half the creation time and the full creation time, depending on the item, the aspect that needs repairing, and the circumstances. For example, if creating an item takes one hour, repairing it takes thirty minutes to one hour.
Sometimes a GM will allow a rush job if the circumstances warrant it. This is different than using skill to reduce the time required. In this case, the quality of the item is affected. Let’s say that a character needs to create a tool that will cut through solid steel with a laser (a level 7 item), but they have to do it in one day. The GM might allow it, but the device might be extremely volatile, inflicting damage on the user, or it might work only once. The device is still considered a level 7 item to create in all other respects. Sometimes the GM will rule that reducing the time is not possible. For example, a single human can’t make a chainmail vest in one hour without some kind of machine to help.
Possible crafting skills include:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.7BUvkxuA2jCU8eqK]{Armoring} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.vFZ9YGa70efAWVpN]{Bowyering/fletching} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.Mh8fZ6svg8OSnsX3]{Chemistry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.uGEL7zHPjaKA5kbN]{Computer science} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.g4qZmxAyRzrKZDzh]{Electronics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.cFbEQnj0w4Q4AEFs]{Engines} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.LsykgiEBrwXM8x8x]{Genetic engineering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.sedcB5ntUixkxEFn]{Glassblowing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.kZSFCvecSYYsbDzX]{Gunsmithing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.gH4b6MOodAZeCAod]{Leatherworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.HiAKUg3uYFmauoeJ]{Metalworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.Qs5gGKyC1qzg5DDf]{Neural engineering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.dBhnKvctH1RIlolI]{Weaponsmithing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.1N0N3X1Hr4uIet4P]{Woodcrafting}
Characters might try to make a cypher, an artifact, or an alien psionic starship do something other than its intended function. Sometimes, the GM will simply declare the task impossible. You can’t turn a vial of healing elixir into a two-way communicator. But most of the time, there is a chance of success.
That said, tinkering with weird stuff is not easy. Obviously, the difficulty varies from situation to situation, but difficulties starting at 7 are not unreasonable. The time, tools, and training required would be similar to the time, tools, and training needed to repair a device. If the tinkering results in a long-term benefit for the character—such as creating an artifact that they can use—the GM should require them to spend XP to make it.
Circumstances really matter. For example, sewing a dress by hand might take five times as long (or more) as using a sewing machine.
The GM is free to overrule some attempts at creation, building, or repair, requiring that the character have a certain level of skill, proper tools and materials, and so forth.
Obviously, what is considered “weird stuff ” will vary from setting to setting, and sometimes the concept might not apply at all. But many times, there will be something in the setting that is too strange, too alien, too powerful, or too dangerous for PCs to mess around with (or at least mess around with easily). Einstein may have been extraordinary, but that doesn’t mean he could reverse-engineer a teleporter made in another dimension.
| Difficulty | Craft | General Time to Build |
| 0 | Something extremely simple like tying a rope or finding an appropriately sized rock | A few minutes at most |
| 1 | Torch | Five minutes |
| 2 | Spear, simple shelter, piece of furniture | One hour |
| 3 | Bow, door, basic article of clothing | One day |
| 4 | Sword, chainmail vest | One to two days |
| 5 | Common technological item (electric light), nice piece of jewelry or art object | One week |
| 6 | Technological item (watch, transmitter), really nice piece of jewelry or art object, elegant craftwork | One month |
| 7 | Technological item (computer), major work of art | One year |
| 8 | Technological item (something from beyond Earth) | Many years |
| 9 | Technological item (something from beyond Earth) | Many years |
| 10 | Technological item (something from beyond Earth) | Many years |
In a combat situation, a character can stand guard as their action. They do not make attacks, but all their defense tasks are eased. Further, if an NPC tries to get by them or take an action that they are guarding against, the character can attempt an eased Speed action based on the level of the NPC. Success means the NPC is prevented from taking the action; the NPC’s action that turn is wasted. This is useful for blocking a doorway, guarding a friend, and so forth.
If an NPC is standing guard, use the same procedure, but to get past the guard, the PC attempts a hindered Speed action against the NPC. For example, Diana is an NPC human with a level 3 bodyguard. The bodyguard uses their action to guard Diana. If a PC wants to attack Diana, the PC first must succeed at a difficulty 4 Speed task to get past the guard. If the PC succeeds, they can make their attack normally.
You can administer aid through bandaging and other succor, attempting to heal each patient once per day. This healing restores points to a stat Pool of your choice. Decide how many points you want to heal, and then make an Intellect action with a difficulty equal to that number. For example, if you want to heal someone for 3 points, that’s a difficulty 3 task with a target number of 9.
The level of the creature determines the target number, just as with combat. Thus, bribing a guard works much like punching them or affecting them with an ability. This is true of persuading someone, intimidating someone, calming a wild beast, or anything of the kind. Interaction is an Intellect task. Interacting usually requires a common language or some other way to communicate. Learning new languages is the same as learning a new skill.
Decide how far you want to jump, and that sets the difficulty of your Might roll. For a standing jump, subtract 4 from the distance in feet to determine the difficulty of the jump. For example, jumping 10 feet (3 m) has a difficulty of 6.
If you run an immediate distance before jumping, it counts as an asset, easing the jump.
If you run a short distance before jumping, divide the jump distance (in feet) by 2 and then subtract 4 to determine the difficulty of the jump. Because you’re running an immediate distance (and then some), you also count your running as an asset. For example, jumping a distance of 20 feet (6 m) with a short running start has a difficulty of 5 (20 feet divided by 2 is 10, minus 4 is 6, minus 1 for running an immediate distance).
For a vertical jump, the distance you clear (in feet) is equal to the difficulty of the jumping task. If you run an immediate distance, it counts as an asset, easing the jump.
There’s nothing wrong with the GM simply assigning a difficulty level to a jump without worrying about the precise distance. The rules here are just so everyone has some guidelines.
Refer to this table for jumping distances.
Difficulty Standing Running* Vertical 1 5 ft (1.5 m) 12 ft (3.6 m) 1 ft (0.3 m) 2 6 ft (1.8 m) 14 ft (4.2 m) 2 ft (0.6 m) 3 7 ft (2.1 m) 16 ft (4.8 m) 3 ft (0.9 m) 4 8 ft (2.4 m) 18 ft (5.4 m) 4 ft (1.2 m) 5 9 ft (2.7 m) 20 ft (6 m) 5 ft (1.5 m) 6 10 ft (3 m) 22 ft (6.6 m) 6 ft (1.8 m) 7 11 ft (3.3 m) 24 ft (7.2 m) 7 ft (2.1 m) 8 12 ft (3.6 m) 26 ft (7.8 m) 8 ft (2.4 m) 9 13 ft (3.9 m) 28 ft (8.4 m) 9 ft (2.7 m) 10 14 ft (4.2 m) 30 ft (9 m) 10 ft (3 m) 11 15 ft (4.5 m) 32 ft (9.6 m) 11 ft (3.3 m) 12 16 ft (4.8 m) 34 ft (10.2 m) 12 ft (3.6 m) 13 17 ft (5.1 m) 36 ft (10.8 m) 13 ft (3.9 m) 14 18 ft (5.4 m) 38 ft (11.4 m) 14 ft (4.2 m) 15 19 ft (5.7 m) 40 ft (12 m) 15 ft (4.5 m) * Short distance. Already includes the asset for running an immediate distance.
Generally, the GM will describe any sight or sound that’s not purposefully difficult to detect. But if you want to look for a hidden enemy, search for a secret panel, or listen for someone sneaking up on you, make an Intellect roll. If it’s a creature, its level determines the difficulty of your roll. If it’s something else, the GM determines the difficulty of your roll.
You can push or pull something very heavy and move it an immediate distance as your action.
The weight of the object determines the difficulty of the Might roll to move it; every 50 pounds (23 kg) hinders the task by one step. So moving something that weighs 150 pounds (68 kg) is difficulty 3, and moving something that weighs 400 pounds (180 kg) is difficulty 8. If you can ease the task to 0, you can move a heavy object up to a short distance as your action.
As with figuring out a device, the level of the device usually determines the difficulty of the Intellect roll. Unless a device is very complex, the GM will often rule that once you figure it out, no roll is needed to operate it except under special circumstances. So if the PCs figure out how to use a hovercraft, they can operate it. If they are attacked, they might need to roll to ensure that they don’t crash the vehicle into a wall while trying to avoid being hit.
Unlike operating a device, disabling a device or picking a lock usually require rolls. These actions often involve special tools and assume that the character is not trying to destroy the device or lock. (A PC who is attempting to destroy it probably should make a Might roll to smash it rather than a Speed or Intellect roll requiring patience and know-how.)
If you’re riding an animal that’s trained to be a mount, or driving or piloting a vehicle, you don’t need to make a roll to do something routine such as going from point A to point B (just as you wouldn’t need to make a roll to walk there). However, staying mounted during a fight or doing something tricky with a vehicle requires a Speed roll to succeed. A saddle or other appropriate gear is an asset and eases the task.
| Difficulty | Maneuver |
| 0 | Riding |
| 1 | Staying on the mount (including a motorcycle or similar vehicle) in a battle or other difficult situation |
| 3 | Staying on a mount (including a motorcycle or similar vehicle) when you take damage |
| 4 | Mounting a moving steed |
| 4 | Making an abrupt turn with a vehicle while moving fast |
| 4 | Getting a vehicle to move twice as fast as normal for one round |
| 5 | Coaxing a mount to move or jump twice as fast or far as normal for one round |
| 5 | Making a long jump with a vehicle not intended to go airborne (like a car) and remaining in control |
The difficulty of sneaking by a creature is determined by its level. Sneaking is a Speed roll. Moving at half speed eases the sneaking task. Appropriate camouflage or other gear may count as an asset and ease the task, as will dim lighting conditions and having plenty of things to hide behind.
If you’re simply swimming from one place to another, such as across a calm river or lake, use the standard movement rules, noting the fact that your character is in deep water. However, sometimes, special circumstances require a Might roll to make progress while swimming, such as when trying to avoid a current or being dragged into a whirlpool.
When characters try to identify or figure out how to use a device, the level of the device determines the difficulty. For a bit of knowledge, the GM determines the difficulty.
| Difficulty | Knowledge |
| 0 | Common knowledge |
| 1 | Simple knowledge |
| 3 | Something a scholar probably knows |
| 5 | Something even a scholar might not know |
| 7 | Knowledge very few people possess |
| 10 | Completely lost knowledge |
Vehicles move just like creatures. Each has a movement rate, which indicates how far it can move in a round. Most vehicles require a driver, and when moving, they usually require that the driver spends every action controlling the movement. This is a routine task that rarely requires a roll. Any round not spent driving the vehicle hinders the task in the next round and precludes any change in speed or direction. In other words, driving down the road normally is difficulty 0. Spending an action to retrieve a backpack from the back seat means that in the following round, the driver must attempt a difficulty 1 task. If they instead use their action to pull a handgun from the backpack, in the next round the difficulty to drive will be 2, and so on. Failure results are based on the situation but might involve a collision or something similar.
In a vehicular chase, drivers attempt Speed actions just like in a regular chase, but the task may be based either on the level of the driver (modified by the level and movement rate of the vehicle) or on the level of the vehicle (modified by the level of the driver). So if a PC driving a typical car is chasing a level 3 NPC driving a level 5 sports car, the PC would make three chase rolls with a difficulty of 5. If the PC’s car is a souped-up custom vehicle, it might grant the PC an asset in the chase. If the PC is not in a car at all, but riding a bicycle, it might hinder the chase rolls by two or three steps, or the GM might simply rule that it’s impossible.
Much of the time, a fight between foes in cars, boats, or other vehicles is just like any other combat situation. The combatants probably have cover and are moving fast. Attacks to disable a vehicle or a portion of it are based on the level of the vehicle. If the vehicle is an armored car or a tank, all attacks are likely aimed at the vehicle, which has a level and probably an appropriate Armor rating, not unlike a creature.
The only time this isn’t true is with battles where only vehicles and not characters are involved. Thus, if the PCs are in a shootout with bank robbers and both groups are in cars, use the standard rules. However, battles between starships of various kinds—from gigantic capital ships to single-pilot fighters—are a frequent occurrence in far-future science fiction settings. A submarine battle between two deep sea craft could be quite exciting. Characters in a modern-day game might find themselves in a tank fight. If PCs are involved in combat in which they are entirely enclosed in vehicles (so that it’s not really the characters fighting, but the vehicles), use the following quick and easy guidelines.
On this scale, combat between vehicles isn’t like traditional combat. Don’t worry about health, Armor, or anything like that. Instead, just compare the levels of the vehicles involved. If the PCs’ vehicle has the higher level, the difference in levels is how many steps the PCs’ attack and defense rolls are eased. If the PCs’ vehicle has the lower level, their rolls are hindered. If the levels are the same, there is no modification.
These attack and defense rolls are modified by skill and Effort, as usual. Some vehicles also have superior weapons, which ease the attack (since there is no “damage” amount to worry about), but this circumstance is probably uncommon in this abstract system and should not affect the difficulty by more than one or maybe two steps. Further, if two vehicles coordinate their attack against one vehicle, the attack is eased. If three or more vehicles coordinate, the attack is eased by two steps.
The attacker must try to target a specific system on or portion of an enemy vehicle. This hinders the attack based on the system or portion targeted.
That’s a lot of modifications. But it’s not really that hard. Let’s look at an example of a space battle. A PC in a small level 2 fighter attacks a level 4 frigate. Since the frigate is level 4, the difficulty of the attack starts at 4. But the attacking craft is weaker than the defender, so the attack is hindered equal to the difference in their levels (2). The fighter pilot must make a difficulty 6 attack on the frigate. However, the fighter is trying to swoop in and damage the frigate’s drive, which hinders the attack by another three steps, for a total difficulty of 9. If the fighter pilot is trained in space combat, they reduce the difficulty to 8, but it’s still impossible without help. So let’s say that two other PCs—also in level 2 fighters—join in and coordinate their attack. Three ships coordinating an attack on one target eases the task by two steps, resulting in a final difficulty of 6. Still, the attacking PC would be wise to use Effort.
Then the frigate retaliates, and the PC needs to make a defense roll. The level difference between the ships (2) means the PC’s defense is hindered by two steps, so the difficulty of the PC’s defense roll starts out at 6. But the frigate tries to take out the fighter’s weapons, hindering their attack (easing the PC’s defense) by two steps. Thus, the PC needs to succeed at a difficulty 4 task or lose their main weapons systems.
It’s important to remember that a failed attack doesn’t always mean a miss. The target ship might rock and reel from the hit, but the bulk of the damage was absorbed by the shields, so there’s no significant damage.
This bare-bones system should allow the GM and players to flesh out exciting encounters involving the whole group. For example, perhaps while one PC pilots a ship, another mans the guns, and another frantically attempts to repair damage to the maneuvering thrusters before they crash into the space station they’re trying to defend.
During a vehicular battle, particularly a space battle, there’s a lot of chatter about shields failing, hull integrity, being outmaneuvered, coming in too fast, and whatnot. These sorts of details are great, but they’re all flavor, so they’re represented in the rules generally, rather than specifically.
For more details about vehicles, refer to the Genre chapter.
Training in driving makes the character practiced in using a vehicle as a weapon. If the vehicle is used to run over a victim or ram an enemy vehicle, treat a motorcycle as a medium weapon and treat a car or truck as a heavy weapon.
| Targeting Task | Attack Hindered | Effect |
| Disable weapons | Two steps | One or more of the vehicle’s weapons no longer function |
Disable defenses | Two steps | Attacks against the vehicle are eased |
| Disable engine/drive | Three steps | Vehicle cannot move, or movement is hampered |
| Disable maneuverability | Two steps | Vehicle cannot alter its present course |
| Strike power core or vital spot | Five steps | Vehicle is completely destroyed |
Player characters have the option to gain followers as they advance in tier, as provided by type or focus special abilities. Followers do not need to be paid, fed, or housed, though a character who gains followers can certainly make such arrangements if they wish. A follower is someone whom a character has inspired (or asked) to come work with the character for a time, aiding them in a variety of endeavors. A follower puts the PC’s interests ahead of, or at least on par with, their own.
The PC generally makes rolls for their follower when the follower takes actions, though usually a follower’s modifications provide an asset to a specific action taken by the PC they follow.
If a follower dies, the character gains a new one after at least two weeks and proper recruitment.
Modifications: A follower can help a PC in one or more tasks, granting the PC an asset to that task. The level of the follower indicates the number of different tasks they can help with. The tasks that the follower is able to help with are predetermined, usually chosen by the PC when they gain the follower. A level 2 follower who the player determines is a spy could grant a PC an asset on two different tasks, such as stealth and deception. Followers cannot help with tasks that they don’t have modifications for; for the purpose of helping, treat the follower as if they had inabilities in all nonmodified tasks.
When the follower acts autonomously rather than helping the PC, they act like a normal NPC that has modifications. Thus, the modification increases their effective level for the associated task by one step. For example, the level 2 spy follower with modifications for stealth and deception attempts stealth and deception tasks as if they were level 3 and all other tasks as level 2.
Follower Assets to Combat and Defense: A follower cannot grant an asset to a character’s attacks or defense until the follower is level 3 or higher. Even then, the follower can help with attacks and defense only if they have a modification for that kind of task.
Some abilities may grant a special exception to this rule. For instance, the Serv-0 Defender ability gives your level 1 Serv-0 follower (a machine companion) a modification for Speed defense.
Follower Level Progression: A follower increases in level by 1 each time a PC advances two tiers after gaining that follower. When the follower gains a level, the PC also chooses the task that the follower gains a modification for.
Exceptional Follower: When a character gains a follower, there’s a small chance that the follower will be exceptional in some way, a cut above other followers of their kind. The GM determines when an exceptional follower is found, possibly as an additional reward for smart or engaging roleplaying where the PCs impress or otherwise positively interact with one or more NPCs, some of whom may later go on to become one of their followers. An exceptional follower has the same qualities as a regular follower but is 1 level higher.
Pet: Any PC can potentially gain a pet, though a pet typically doesn’t provide modifications. If a character wants a pet that can do this, they must gain the pet through an an ability or focus that grants followers. On the other hand, a well-cared-for pet grants an asset to a PC’s tasks related to achieving peace of mind, finding comfort, and resisting loneliness.
The modifications provided by followers could come across as fairly dry and mechanical. To avoid that, you could present each follower in a way that makes them more compelling and interesting. Here are a few examples of how to describe a follower, depending on their mix of modifications.
A firebrand diplomat able to convince an enemy horde to back down.
A veteran commander whose presence bolsters the entire community’s military might.
A genius medic who invigorates everyone with their healing techniques.
An imaginative architect whose works both beautify and defend the city.
A tricky spy whose intelligence on enemy movements is invaluable.
This section explains how to create characters to play in a Cypher System game. This involves a series of decisions that will shape your character, so the more you understand what kind of character you want to play, the easier character creation will be. The process involves understanding the values of three game statistics and choosing three aspects that determine your character’s capabilities.
Every player character has three defining characteristics, which are typically called “statistics” or “stats.” These stats are Might, Speed, and Intellect. They are broad categories that cover many different but related aspects of a character.
Might defines how strong and durable your character is. The concepts of strength, endurance, constitution, hardiness, and physical prowess are all folded into this one stat. Might isn’t relative to size; instead, it’s an absolute measurement. An elephant has more Might than the mightiest tiger, which has more Might than the mightiest rat, which has more Might than the mightiest spider.
Might governs actions from forcing doors open to walking for days without food to resisting disease. It’s also the primary means of determining how much damage your character can sustain in a dangerous situation. Physical characters, tough characters, and characters interested in fighting should focus on Might.
Might could be thought of as Might/Health because it governs how strong you are and how much physical punishment you can take.
Speed describes how fast and physically coordinated your character is. The stat embodies quickness, movement, dexterity, and reflexes. Speed governs such divergent actions as dodging attacks, sneaking around quietly, and throwing a ball accurately. It helps determine whether you can move farther on your turn. Nimble, fast, or sneaky characters will want good Speed stats, as will those interested in ranged combat.
Speed could be thought of as Speed/Agility because it governs your overall swiftness and reflexes.
This stat determines how smart, knowledgeable, and likable your character is. It includes intelligence, wisdom, charisma, education, reasoning, wit, willpower, and charm. Intellect governs solving puzzles, remembering facts, telling convincing lies, and using mental powers. Characters interested in communicating effectively, being learned scholars, or wielding supernatural powers should stress their Intellect stat.
Intellect could be thought of as Intellect/Personality because it governs both intelligence and charisma.
Each of the three stats has two components: Pool and Edge. Your Pool represents your raw, innate ability, and your Edge represents knowing how to use what you have. A third element ties into this concept: Effort. When your character really needs to accomplish a task, you apply Effort.
Your stat Pools, as well as your Effort and Edge, are determined by the character type, descriptor, and focus that you choose. Within those guidelines, however, you have a lot of flexibility in how you develop your character.
Your Pool is the most basic measurement of a stat. Comparing the Pools of two creatures will give you a general sense of which creature is superior in that stat. For example, a character who has a Might Pool of 16 is stronger (in a basic sense) than a character who has a Might Pool of 12. Most characters start with a Pool of 9 to 12 in most stats—that’s the average range.
When your character is injured, sickened, or attacked, you temporarily lose points from one of your stat Pools. The nature of the attack determines which Pool loses points. For example, physical damage from a sword reduces your Might Pool, a poison that makes you clumsy reduces your Speed Pool, and a psionic blast reduces your Intellect Pool. You can also spend points from one of your stat Pools to decrease a task’s difficulty (see Effort, below). You can rest to recover lost points from a stat Pool, and some special abilities or cyphers might allow you to recover lost points quickly.
Although your Pool is the basic measurement of a stat, your Edge is also important. When something requires you to spend points from a stat Pool, your Edge for that stat reduces the cost. It also reduces the cost of applying Effort to a roll.
For example, let’s say you have a mental blast ability, and activating it costs 1 point from your Intellect Pool. Subtract your Intellect Edge from the activation cost, and the result is how many points you must spend to use the mental blast. If using your Edge reduces the cost to 0, you can use the ability for free.
Your Edge can be different for each stat. For example, you could have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge of 1, and an Intellect Edge of 0. You’ll always have an Edge of at least 1 in one stat. Your Edge for a stat reduces the cost of spending points from that stat Pool, but not from other Pools. Your Might Edge reduces the cost of spending points from your Might Pool, but it doesn’t affect your Speed Pool or Intellect Pool. Once a stat’s Edge reaches 3, you can apply one level of Effort for free.
A character who has a low Might Pool but a high Might Edge has the potential to perform Might actions consistently better than a character who has a Might Edge of 0. The high Edge will let them reduce the cost of spending points from the Pool, which means they’ll have more points available to spend on applying Effort.
When your character really needs to accomplish a task, you can apply Effort. For a beginning character, applying Effort requires spending 3 points from the stat Pool appropriate to the action. Thus, if your character tries to dodge an attack (a Speed roll) and wants to increase the chance for success, you can apply Effort by spending 3 points from your Speed Pool. Effort eases the task by one step. This is called applying one level of Effort.
You don’t have to apply Effort if you don’t want to. If you choose to apply Effort to a task, you must do it before you attempt the roll—you can’t roll first and then decide to apply Effort if you rolled poorly.
Applying more Effort can lower a task’s difficulty further: each additional level of Effort eases the task by another step. Applying one level of Effort eases the task by one step, applying two levels eases the task by two steps, and so on. However, each level of Effort after the first costs only 2 points from the stat Pool instead of 3. So applying two levels of Effort costs 5 points (3 for the first level plus 2 for the second level), applying three levels costs 7 points (3 plus 2 plus 2), and so on.
Every character has an Effort score, which indicates the maximum number of levels of Effort that can be applied to a roll. A beginning (first-tier) character has an Effort of 1, meaning you can apply only one level of Effort to a roll. A more experienced character has a higher Effort score and can apply more levels of Effort to a roll. For example, a character who has an Effort of 3 can apply up to three levels of Effort to reduce a task’s difficulty.
When you apply Effort, subtract your relevant Edge from the total cost of applying Effort. For example, let’s say you need to make a Speed roll. To increase your chance for success, you decide to apply one level of Effort, which will ease the task. Normally, that would cost 3 points from your Speed Pool. However, you have a Speed Edge of 2, so you subtract that from the cost. Thus, applying Effort to the roll costs only 1 point from your Speed Pool.
What if you applied two levels of Effort to the Speed roll instead of just one? That would ease the task by two steps. Normally, it would cost 5 points from your Speed Pool, but after subtracting your Speed Edge of 2, it costs only 3 points.
Once a stat’s Edge reaches 3, you can apply one level of Effort for free. For example, if you have a Speed Edge of 3 and you apply one level of Effort to a Speed roll, it costs you 0 points from your Speed Pool. (Normally, applying one level of Effort would cost 3 points, but you subtract your Speed Edge from that cost, reducing it to 0.)
Skills and other advantages also ease a task, and you can use them in conjunction with Effort. In addition, your character might have special abilities or equipment that allow you to apply Effort to accomplish a special effect, such as knocking down a foe with an attack or affecting multiple targets with a power that normally affects only one.
When applying Effort to melee attacks, you have the option of spending points from either your Might Pool or your Speed Pool. When making ranged attacks, you may spend points only from your Speed Pool. This reflects that with melee you sometimes use brute force and sometimes use finesse, but with ranged attacks, it’s always about careful targeting.
Instead of applying Effort to ease your attack, you can apply Effort to increase the amount of damage you inflict with an attack. For each level of Effort you apply in this way, you inflict 3 additional points of damage. This works for any kind of attack that inflicts damage, whether a sword, a crossbow, a mind blast, or something else.
When using Effort to increase the damage of an area attack, such as the explosion created by an Adept’s Concussion ability, you inflict 2 additional points of damage instead of 3 points. However, the additional points are dealt to all targets in the area. Further, even if one or more of the targets resist the attack, they still take 1 point of damage.
If your Effort is 2 or higher, you can apply Effort to multiple aspects of a single action. For example, if you make an attack, you can apply Effort to your attack roll and apply Effort to increase the damage.
The total amount of Effort you apply can’t be higher than your Effort score. For example, if your Effort is 2, you can apply up to two levels of Effort. You could apply one level to an attack roll and one level to its damage, two levels to the attack and no levels to the damage, or no levels to the attack and two levels to the damage.
You can use Edge for a particular stat only once per action. For example, if you apply Effort to a Might attack roll and to your damage, you can use your Might Edge to reduce the cost of one of those uses of Effort, not both. If you spend 1 Intellect point to activate your mind blast and one level of Effort to ease the attack roll, you can use your Intellect Edge to reduce the cost of one of those things, not both.
A beginning character is fighting a giant rat. The PC stabs their spear at the rat, which is a level 2 creature and thus has a target number of 6. The character stands atop a boulder and strikes downward at the beast, and the GM rules that this helpful tactic is an asset that eases the attack by one step (to difficulty 1). That lowers the target number to 3. Attacking with a spear is a Might action; the character has a Might Pool of 11 and a Might Edge of 0. Before making the roll, they decide to apply a level of Effort to ease the attack. That costs 3 points from their Might Pool, reducing the Pool to 8. But the points are well spent. Applying the Effort lowers the difficulty from 1 to 0, so no roll is needed—the attack automatically succeeds.
Another character is attempting to convince a guard to let them into a private office to speak to an influential noble. The GM rules that this is an Intellect action. The character is third tier and has an Effort of 3, an Intellect Pool of 13, and an Intellect Edge of 1. Before making the roll, they must decide whether to apply Effort. They can choose to apply one, two, or three levels of Effort, or apply none at all. This action is important to them, so they decide to apply two levels of Effort, easing the task by two steps. Thanks to their Intellect Edge, applying the Effort costs only 4 points from their Intellect Pool (3 points for the first level of Effort plus 2 points for the second level minus 1 point for their Edge). Spending those points reduces their Intellect Pool to 9. The GM decides that convincing the guard is a difficulty 3 (demanding) task with a target number of 9; applying two levels of Effort reduces the difficulty to 1 (simple) and the target number to 3. The player rolls a d20 and gets an 8. Because this result is at least equal to the target number of the task, they succeed. However, if they had not applied some Effort, they would have failed because their roll (8) would have been less than the task’s original target number (9).
Every character starts the game at the first tier. Tier is a measurement of power, toughness, and ability. Characters can advance up to the sixth tier. As your character advances to higher tiers, you gain more abilities, increase your Effort, and can improve a stat’s Edge or increase a stat. Generally speaking, even first-tier characters are already quite capable. It’s safe to assume that they’ve already got some experience under their belt. This is not a “zero to hero” progression, but rather an instance of competent people refining and honing their capabilities and knowledge. Advancing to higher tiers is not really the goal of Cypher System characters, but rather a representation of how characters progress in a story.
To progress to the next tier, characters earn experience points (XP) by pursuing character arcs, going on adventures, and discovering new things—the system is about both discovery and exploration, as well as achieving personal goals. Experience points have many uses, and one use is to purchase character benefits. After your character purchases four character benefits, they advance to the next tier. Each benefit costs 4 XP, and you can purchase them in any order, but you must purchase one of each kind of benefit (and then advance to the next tier) before you can purchase the same benefit again. The four character benefits are as follows.
Increasing Capabilities: You gain 4 points to add to your stat Pools. You can allocate the points among the Pools however you wish.
Moving Toward Perfection: You add 1 to your Might Edge, your Speed Edge, or your Intellect Edge (your choice).
Extra Effort: Your Effort score increases by 1.
Skills: You become trained in one skill of your choice, other than attacks or defense. As described in Rules of the Game, a character trained in a skill treats the difficulty of a related task as one step lower than normal. The skill you choose for this benefit can be anything you wish, such as climbing, jumping, persuading, or sneaking. You can also choose to be knowledgeable in a certain area of lore, such as history or geology. You can even choose a skill based on your character’s special abilities. For example, if your character can make an Intellect roll to blast an enemy with mental force, you can become trained in using that ability, easing the task of using it. If you choose a skill that you are already trained in, you become specialized in that skill, easing related tasks by two steps instead of one.
Skills are a broad category of things your character can learn and accomplish. For a list of sample skills, see below.
Other Options: Players can also spend 4 XP to purchase other special options in lieu of gaining a new skill. Selecting any of these options counts as the skill benefit necessary to advance to the next tier. The special options are as follows:
Reduce the cost for wearing armor. This option lowers the Speed cost for wearing armor by 1.
Add 2 to your recovery rolls.
Select a new type-based ability from your tier or a lower tier.
To create your character, you build a simple statement that describes them. The statement takes this form: “I am a [fill in an adjective here] [fill in a noun here] who [fill in a verb here].”
Thus: “I am an adjective noun who verbs.” For example, you might say, “I am a Rugged Warrior who Controls Beasts” or “I am a Charming Explorer who Focuses Mind Over Matter.”
In this sentence, the adjective is called your descriptor.
The noun is your character type.
The verb is called your focus.
Even though character type is in the middle of the sentence, that’s where we’ll start this discussion. (Just as in a sentence, the noun provides the foundation.)
Your character type is the core of your character. In some roleplaying games, it might be called your character class. Your type helps determine your character’s place in the world and relationship with other people in the setting. It’s the noun of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
You can choose from four character types: Warriors, Adepts, Explorers, and Speakers.
Your descriptor defines your character—it colors everything you do. Your descriptor places your character in the situation (the first adventure, which starts the campaign) and helps provide motivation. It’s the adjective of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
Unless your GM says otherwise, you can choose from any of the character descriptors.
Focus is what your character does best. Focus gives your character specificity and provides interesting new abilities that might come in handy. Your focus also helps you understand how you relate with the other player characters in your group. It’s the verb of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
There are many character foci. The ones you choose from will probably depend on the setting and genre of your game.
You can use the Flavors chapter to slightly modify character types to customize them for different genres.
Character types and foci grant PCs special abilities at each new tier. Using these abilities usually costs points from your stat Pools; the cost is listed in parentheses after the ability name. Your Edge in the appropriate stat can reduce the cost of the ability, but remember that you can apply Edge only once per action. For example, let’s say an Adept with an Intellect Edge of 2 wants to use their Onslaught ability to create a bolt of force, which costs 1 Intellect point. They also want to increase the damage from the attack by using a level of Effort, which costs 3 Intellect points. The total cost for their action is 2 points from their Intellect Pool (1 point for the bolt of force, plus 3 points for using Effort, minus 2 points from their Edge).
Sometimes the point cost for an ability has a + sign after the number. For example, the cost might be given as “2+ Intellect points.” That means you can spend more points or more levels of Effort to improve the ability further, as explained in the ability description.
Many special abilities grant a character the option to perform an action that they couldn’t normally do, such as projecting rays of cold or attacking multiple foes at once. Using one of these abilities is an action unto itself, and the end of the ability’s description says “Action” to remind you. It also might provide more information about when or how you perform the action.
Some special abilities allow you to perform a familiar action—one that you can already do—in a different way. For example, an ability might let you wear heavy armor, reduce the difficulty of Speed defense rolls, or add 2 points of fire damage to your weapon damage. These abilities are called enablers. Using one of these abilities is not considered an action. Enablers either function constantly (such as being able to wear heavy armor, which isn’t an action) or happen as part of another action (such as adding fire damage to your weapon damage, which happens as part of your attack action). If a special ability is an enabler, the end of the ability’s description says “Enabler” to remind you.
Some abilities specify a duration, but you can always end one of your own abilities anytime you wish.
Because the Cypher System covers so many genres, not all of the descriptors, types, and foci might be available for players. The GM will decide what’s available in their particular game and whether anything is modified, and they’ll let the players know.
Sometimes your character gains training in a specific skill or task. For example, your focus might mean that you’re trained in sneaking, in climbing and jumping, or in social interactions. Other times, your character can choose a skill to become trained in, and you can pick a skill that relates to any task you think you might face.
The Cypher System has no definitive list of skills. However, the following list offers ideas:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.kEz6uQxk1unTXSNm]{Astronomy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.fwktascgpe8DprA9]{Balancing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.qIkIjledDIy71P6m]{Biology} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.YVOjYbyRzCYVxd4I]{Botany} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.ybR56wJ9gjEiBBeS]{Carrying} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.jMju5yGMFFfxmpK4]{Climbing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.NaKiOXzse6HzKjoU]{Computers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.eeHdJpr4k8hYtGr5]{Deceiving} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.DraIKUQRw8KrnC4o]{Disguise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Pjj8dKkUIGbXbAtj]{Escaping} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.6e83HnGZvltsanfE]{Geography} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.z1y5D9aLUU6RJSaU]{Geology} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.vxW0N1vEdwK4MVjD]{Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.RnsLhB3rhJUC0Euk]{History} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.QonPVHzXrzIN29lf]{Identifying} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Initiative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.tZ7PdXuWQyRMo0Rh]{Intimidation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.MrGl25gzZk4uu7BR]{Jumping} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.bBrJqSuoQ6PmRqH5]{Leatherworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.BATb9zx3L6oB2J0H]{Lockpicking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.E3swDJUDkKbo5K6S]{Machinery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.N45sgegH563KWZPR]{Metalworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Perception} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.CYciueF3uoV3azbx]{Persuasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.zhQK4a79V1U6iuq8]{Philosophy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.OzVTO7QBg6okJ7Wf]{Physics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.L5fWzlqtfmdwZ2bC]{Pickpocketing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FDS0OTDYEmGsv2Xe]{Piloting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.T9qrqrrHhuA3ad6S]{Repairing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.JZF2fos5oJ3sEVhC]{Riding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.y0gHR7IwScnB2Ebi]{Smashing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q9tfUkhYGRJ5Df42]{Sneaking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Stealth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.bDIjaLnoMQAS99GH]{Swimming} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.iaW1Bm0sA2cE3iLa]{Vehicle driving} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Yn7G03hmz9uLOnhp]{Woodworking}
You could choose a skill that incorporates more than one of these areas (interacting might include deceiving, intimidation, and persuasion) or that is a more specific version of one (hiding might be sneaking when you’re not moving). You could also make up more general professional skills, such as baker, sailor, or lumberjack. If you want to choose a skill that’s not on this list, it’s probably best to run it past the GM first, but in general, the most important thing is to choose skills that are appropriate to your character.
Remember that if you gain a skill that you’re already trained in, you become specialized in that skill. Because skill descriptions can be nebulous, determining whether you’re trained or specialized might take some thinking. For example, if you’re trained in lying and later gain an ability that grants you skill with all social interactions, you become specialized in lying and trained in all other types of interactions. Being trained three times in a skill is no better than being trained twice (in other words, specialized is as good as it gets).
Only skills gained through character type abilities or other rare instances allow you to become skilled with attack or defense tasks.
If you gain a special ability through your type, your focus, or some other aspect of your character, you can choose it in place of a skill and become trained or specialized in that ability. For example, if you have a mind blast, when it’s time to choose a skill to be trained in, you can select your mind blast as your skill. That would ease the attack every time you used it. Each ability you have counts as a separate skill for this purpose. You can’t select “all mind powers” or “all spells” as one skill and become trained or specialized in such a broad category.
In most campaigns, fluency in a language is considered a skill. So if you want to speak French, that’s the same as being trained in biology or swimming.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":375000,"name":"Type","type":"text","_id":"NgiK7sSsF9czBCRy","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Character type is the core of your character. Your type helps determine your character’s place in the world and relationship with other people in the setting. It’s the noun of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
In some roleplaying games, your character type might be called your character class.
You can choose from four character types: Warrior, Adept, Explorer, and Speaker. However, you may not want to use these generic names for them. This chapter offers a few more specific names for each type that might be more appropriate to various genres. You’ll find that names like “Warrior” or “Explorer” don’t always feel right, particularly in games set in modern times. As always, you’re free to do as you wish. (Your type is who your character is. You should use whatever name you want for your type, as long as it fits both your character and the setting.)
Since the type is the basis upon which your whole character is built, it’s important to consider how the type relates to the chosen setting. To help with this, types are actually general archetypes. A Warrior, for example, might be anyone from a knight in shining armor to a cop on the streets to a grizzled cybernetic veteran of a thousand futuristic wars.
To further massage the four types for better use in various settings, different methods called flavors are presented in Flavors to help slightly tailor the types toward fantasy, science fiction, or other genres (or to address different character concepts).
Finally, more fundamental options for further customization are provided at the end of this chapter.
A player intrusion is the player choosing to alter something in the campaign, making things easier for a player character. Conceptually, it is the reverse of a GM intrusion: instead of the GM giving the player XP and introducing an unexpected complication for a character, the player spends 1 XP and presents a solution to a problem or complication. What a player intrusion can do usually introduces a change to the world or current circumstances rather than directly changing the character. For instance, an intrusion indicating that the cypher just used still has an additional use would be appropriate, but an intrusion that heals the character would not. If a player has no XP to spend, they can’t use a player intrusion.
A few player intrusion examples are provided under each type. That said, not every player intrusion listed there is appropriate for all situations. The GM may allow players to come up with other player intrusion suggestions, but the GM is the final arbiter of whether the suggested intrusion is appropriate for the character’s type and suitable for the situation. If the GM refuses the intrusion, the player doesn’t spend the 1 XP, and the intrusion doesn’t occur.
Using an intrusion does not require a character to use an action to trigger it. A player intrusion just happens.
Player intrusions should be limited to no more than one per player per session.
Defense tasks are when a player makes a roll to keep something undesirable from happening to their PC. The type of defense task matters when using Effort.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Might defense}: Used for resisting poison, disease, and anything else that can be overcome with strength and health.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Speed defense}: Used for dodging attacks and escaping danger. This is by far the most commonly used defense task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Intellect defense}: Used for fending off mental attacks or anything that might affect or influence one’s mind.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: Warrior, fighter, swordsman, knight, barbarian, soldier, myrmidon, valkyrie
Modern/Horror/Romance: police officer, soldier, watchman, detective, guard, brawler, tough, athlete
Science fiction: security officer, warrior, trooper, soldier, merc
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: hero, brick, bruiser
You’re a good ally to have in a fight. You know how to use weapons and defend yourself. Depending on the genre and setting in question, this might mean wielding a sword and shield in the gladiatorial arena, an AK-47 and a bandolier of grenades in a savage firefight, or a blaster rifle and powered armor when exploring an alien planet.
Individual Role: Warriors are physical, action-oriented people. They’re more likely to overcome a challenge using force than by other means, and they often take the most straightforward path toward their goals.
Group Role: Warriors usually take and deal the most punishment in a dangerous situation. Often it falls on them to protect the other group members from threats. This sometimes means that warriors take on leadership roles as well, at least in combat and other times of danger.
Societal Role: Warriors aren’t always soldiers or mercenaries. Anyone who is ready for violence, or even potential violence, might be a Warrior in the general sense. This includes guards, watchmen, police officers, sailors, or people in other roles or professions who know how to defend themselves with skill.
Advanced Warriors: As warriors advance, their skill in battle—whether defending themselves or dishing out damage—increases to impressive levels. At higher tiers, they can often take on groups of foes by themselves or stand toe to toe with anyone.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.sEDd1gQiT9UHF023]{Warrior Background Connection}
You can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Perfect Setup: You’re fighting at least three foes and each one is standing in exactly the right spot for you to use a move you trained in long ago, allowing you to attack all three as a single action. Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action.
Old Friend: A comrade in arms from your past shows up unexpectedly and provides aid in whatever you’re doing. They are on a mission of their own and can’t stay longer than it takes to help out, chat for a while after, and perhaps share a quick meal.
Weapon Break: Your foe’s weapon has a weak spot. In the course of the combat, it quickly becomes damaged and moves two steps down the object damage track.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 10 |
| Speed | 10 |
| Intellect | 8 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier warriors have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Physical Nature: You have a Might Edge of 1 and a Speed Edge of 0, or you have a Might Edge of 0 and a Speed Edge of 1. Either way, you have an Intellect Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Weapons: You become practiced with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.wHxvX2zJOKo27GBe]{medium}, and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.d554SLnkyNqPDDOc]{heavy weapons} and suffer no penalty when using any kind of weapon. Enabler.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and two weapons of your choice, plus one expensive item, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BS6IEcYlEp5v3OC]{Bash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6cMg5QXB71YNgoaM]{Control the Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7X2zbrkFSNbyhA5G]{Improved Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2iiTUXdkMPREkvK]{Overwatch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yszDDDpH6m16dEoV]{Quick Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8hiUfUNY3u2IpVDa]{Swipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EERMWn1af0S8wAWN]{Crushing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S3L1oym8fpx0NsAc]{Hemorrhage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.szw7tHW0OjI2fjpJ]{Reload} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Rr4oB1lUzuzFHNHQ]{Deadly Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M49EI6qapNJC2aLR]{Energy Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.73miZT5kYFyxnPOT]{Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bPr34XiLw2Dqb4VJ]{Lunge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XqGE5QLHnpIKB5rB]{Reaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bkQnnjRFJS9VpaY5]{Slice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4s3SAqu0lb5qzfzL]{Trick Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhbLcVuqEZmS6Z2y]{Vigilance}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M5QroBlhUCULt6MD]{Amazing Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTVAJGFiXDueX8az]{Momentum} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.blm1Z8JxvWOiFf0b]{Pry Open} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yJDNsRAG3Elm6PWp]{Snipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wxAZnuQkvWosLzkN]{Tough As Nails}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t6VEEwEsQUIImebW]{Improved Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry}
Remember that at higher tiers, you can choose special abilities from lower tiers. This is sometimes the best way to ensure that you have exactly the character you want. This is particularly true with abilities that grant skills, which can usually be taken multiple times.
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syJ3mkT2hHR2MY3o]{Finishing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cz0KkzZPnlX1oTYz]{Magnificent Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s8NShtaUrW0Oxolo]{Weapon and Body}
Ray wants to create a Warrior character for a modern campaign. He decides that the character is an ex-military fellow who is fast and strong. He puts 3 of his additional points into his Might Pool and 3 into his Speed Pool; his stat Pools are now Might 13, Speed 13, and Intellect 8. As a first-tier character, his Effort is 1, his Might Edge is 1, and his Speed Edge and Intellect Edge are both 0. His character is not particularly smart or charismatic.
He wants to use a large combat knife (a medium weapon that inflicts 4 points of damage) and a .357 Magnum (a heavy pistol that inflicts 6 points of damage but requires the use of both hands). Ray decides not to wear armor, as it’s not really appropriate to the setting, so for his first ability, he chooses Trained Without Armor so he eases Speed defense actions. For his second ability, he chooses Combat Prowess so he can inflict extra damage with his big knife.
Ray wants to be fast as well as tough, so he selects Improved Edge. This gives him a Speed Edge of 1. He rounds out his character with Physical Skills and chooses swimming and running.
The Warrior can bear two cyphers. The GM decides that Ray’s first cypher is a pill that restores 6 points of Might when swallowed, and his second is a small, easily concealed grenade that explodes like a firebomb when thrown, inflicting 3 points of damage to all within immediate range.
Ray still needs to choose a descriptor and a focus. Looking ahead to the descriptor rules, Ray chooses Strong, which increases his Might Pool to 17. He also becomes trained in jumping and breaking inanimate objects. (If he had chosen jumping as one of his physical skills, the Strong descriptor would have made him specialized in jumping instead of trained.) Being Strong also gives Ray an extra medium or heavy weapon. He chooses a baseball bat that he’ll use in a pinch. He keeps it in the trunk of his car.
For his focus, Ray chooses Masters Weaponry. This gives him yet another weapon of high quality. He chooses another combat knife and asks the GM if he could use it in his left hand—not to make attacks, but as a shield. This will ease his Speed defense rolls if he has both knives out (the “shield” counts as an asset). The GM agrees. During the game, Ray’s Warrior will be hard to hit—he is trained in Speed defense rolls, and his extra knife eases his defense rolls by another step.
Thanks to his focus, he also inflicts 1 additional point of damage with his chosen weapon. Now he inflicts 6 points of damage with his blade. Ray’s character is a deadly combatant, likely starting the game with a reputation as a knife fighter.
For his character arc, Ray chooses Defeat a Foe. That foe, he decides, is none other than someone in his company who was once a friend but went rogue.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: wizard, mage, sorcerer, cleric, druid, seer, diabolist, fey-touched
Modern/Horror/Romance: psychic, occultist, witch, practitioner, medium, fringe scientist
Science fiction: psion, psionicist, telepath, seeker, master, scanner, ESPer, abomination
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: mage, sorcerer, power-wielder, master, psion, telepath
You master powers or abilities outside the experience, understanding, and sometimes belief of others. They might be magic, psychic powers, mutant abilities, or just a wide variety of intricate devices, depending on the setting. (“Magic” here is a term used very loosely. It’s a catch-all for the kinds of wondrous, possibly supernatural things that your character can do that others cannot. It might actually be an expression of technological devices, channeling spirits, mutations, psionics, nanotechnology, or any number of other sources.)
Individual Role: Adepts are usually thoughtful, intelligent types. They often think carefully before acting and rely heavily on their supernatural abilities.
Group Role: Adepts are not powerful in straightforward combat, although they often wield abilities that provide excellent combat support, both offensively and defensively. They sometimes possess abilities that facilitate overcoming challenges. For example, if the group must get through a locked door, an Adept might be able to destroy it or teleport everyone to the other side.
Societal Role: In settings where the supernatural is rare, strange, or feared, Adepts are likely rare and feared as well. They remain hidden, shadowy figures. When this is not the case, Adepts are more likely to be common and forthright. They might even take leadership roles.
Advanced Adepts: Even at low tiers, Adept powers are impressive. Higher-tier Adepts can accomplish amazing deeds that can reshape matter and the environment around them.
Adepts are almost always emblematic of the paranormal or superhuman in some way—wizards, psychics, or something similar. If the game you’re playing has none of that, an Adept could be a charlatan mimicking such abilities with tricks and hidden devices, or a gadgeteer character with a “utility belt” full of oddments. Or a game like that might not have Adepts. That’s okay too.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.ldbXbEteJgHbIdZe]{Adept Background Connection}
When playing an Adept, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Advantageous Malfunction: A device being used against you malfunctions. It might harm the user or one of their allies for a round, or activate a dramatic and distracting side effect for a few rounds.
Convenient Idea: A flash of insight provides you with a clear answer or suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Inexplicably Unbroken: An inactive, ruined, or presumed-destroyed device temporarily activates and performs a useful function relevant to the situation. This is enough to buy you some time for a better solution, alleviate a complication that was interfering with your abilities, or just get you one more use out of a depleted cypher or artifact.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 7 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 12 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Adepts have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at a time.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items of your choice.
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.Zjign4M9GqTvD348]{medium weapons} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Adept abilities require at least one free hand unless the GM says otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6qCR3kBqCVYDlEOl]{Distortion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmWjWp4iWk4GMLN0]{Erase Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gP8HCn8FPeg49V7M]{Far Step} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQxN55rl0f5HFxEM]{Magic Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FE1Ge8CbJxQcCo0b]{Onslaught} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Myt0JUt24B8hjYAg]{Push} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q8xKsSOvoFWL1ePP]{Resonance Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPvXaxuRIVXLmkWl]{Scan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nptFEdFaUvjDeqAz]{Shatter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.59mslpID7ogppzMA]{Ward}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o7kTUAFonv5HPi07]{Cutting Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fzx429jdEdbd0tHy]{Retrieve Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uti1XQwY4VFZwwwc]{Reveal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pdNI9QMKmDwu8gza]{Stasis}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mj6yJZwRmdXaVwh8]{Countermeasures} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yz1w8JR23mtlDX49]{Energy Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AUGM3xEluWJi4Y8h]{Fire and Ice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q80xvRDX6XwFXgma]{Targeting Eye}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iTxEWRCR8G5Rych2]{Death Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VEJQ74o175OnlIAm]{Exile} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.whVEpvOjmGs3fpcD]{Matter Cloud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8QwoYVraOedgr9kB]{Projection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGz0rK4b2dAt0DaX]{Wormhole}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NCXCkCYeZw8qlazG]{Absorb Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PZBKCtRj5S6ULnjo]{Concussion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8SDpRRzZRF73zLsF]{Conjuration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HuhNjMfMxPkTlERH]{Create} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.D4JFKjeVDkx9Xfnf]{Dust to Dust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K4XRiZlFRakz6j98]{Master Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN3VI2LxDyYGbqnN]{Teleportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tvlNZboSbKCHttjs]{Control Weather} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8OmtJRuoKRzuGfh8]{Move Mountains} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gETtOLyLYRVk53dP]{Usurp Cypher}
Jen wants to create an Adept—a sorcerer for a fantasy campaign. She decides to be somewhat well rounded, so she puts 2 of her additional points into each stat Pool, giving her a Might Pool of 9, a Speed Pool of 11, and an Intellect Pool of 14. Her Adept is smart and quick. She has an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0. As a first-tier character, her Effort is 1. As her initial abilities, she chooses Onslaught and Ward, giving her a strong offense and defense. She also chooses Magic Training and rounds out her character with Scan, which she hopes will be useful in gaining insight and information. For this character, Onslaught, Ward, and Scan are all spells she has mastered through years of training and study.
She can bear three cyphers. The GM gives her a potion that acts as a short-range teleporter, a small charm that restores 5 points to her Intellect Pool, and a fluid-filled flask that explodes like a fiery bomb. Jen’s sorcerer is skilled with light weapons, so she chooses a dagger.
For her descriptor, Jen chooses Graceful, which adds 2 points to her Speed Pool, bringing it to 13. That descriptor means she is trained in balancing and anything requiring careful movements, physical performing arts, and Speed defense tasks. Perhaps she is a dancer. In fact, she begins to develop a backstory that involves graceful, lithe movements that she incorporates into her spells.
For her focus, she chooses Leads. This gives her training in social interactions, which again helps round her out—she’s good in all kinds of situations. Moreover, she has the Good Advice ability, which enables her to be a focal point of her group.
Her spells and focus abilities cost Intellect points to activate, so she’s glad to have a lot of points in her Intellect Pool. In addition, her Intellect Edge will help reduce those costs. If she uses her Onslaught force blast without applying Effort, it costs 0 Intellect points and deals 4 points of damage. Her Intellect Edge will allow her to save points to devote toward applying Effort for other purposes, perhaps to boost the accuracy of Onslaught.
For her character arc, Jen chooses Aid a Friend. She decides that when her sorcerer character was young, she had a magical mentor. That mentor was later taken prisoner by a demon, so her character is always looking for clues on how to find the demon and release her friend from bondage.
GMs are always free to pre-select a type’s special abilities at a given tier to reinforce the setting. In the fantasy setting of Jen’s sorcerer, the GM might have said that all sorcerers (Adepts) start with Magic Training as one of their tier 1 abilities. This doesn’t make the character any less powerful or special, but it says something about her role in the world and expectations in the game.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: Explorer, adventurer, delver, mystery seeker
Modern/Horror/Romance: athlete, explorer, adventurer, drifter, detective, scholar, spelunker, trailblazer, investigative reporter
Science fiction: Explorer, adventurer, wanderer, planetary specialist, xenobiologist
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: adventurer, crimefighter
You are a person of action and physical ability, fearlessly facing the unknown. You travel to strange, exotic, and dangerous places, and discover new things. This means you’re physical but also probably knowledgeable.
Individual Role: Although Explorers can be academics or well studied, they are first and foremost interested in action. They face grave dangers and terrible obstacles as a routine part of life.
Group Role: Explorers sometimes work alone, but far more often they operate in teams with other characters. The Explorer frequently leads the way, blazing the trail. However, they’re also likely to stop and investigate anything intriguing they stumble upon.
Societal Role: Not all Explorers are out traipsing through the wilderness or poking about an old ruin. Sometimes, an Explorer is a teacher, a scientist, a detective, or an investigative reporter. In any event, an Explorer bravely faces new challenges and gathers knowledge to share with others.
Advanced Explorers: Higher-tier Explorers gain more skills, some combat abilities, and a number of abilities that allow them to deal with danger. In short, they become more and more well-rounded, able to deal with any challenge.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.EPY1EXnGWOBK9kO1]{Explorer Background Connection}
When playing an Explorer, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Fortuitous Malfunction: A trap or a dangerous device malfunctions before it can affect you.
Serendipitous Landmark: Just when it seems like the path is lost (or you are), a trail marker, a landmark, or simply the way the terrain or corridor bends, rises, or falls away suggests to you the best path forward, at least from this point.
Weak Strain: The poison or disease turns out not to be as debilitating or deadly as it first seemed, and inflicts only half the damage that it would have otherwise.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 10 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 9 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Explorers have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Physical Nature: You have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge of 0, and an Intellect Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.wHxvX2zJOKo27GBe]{medium weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with heavy weapons are hindered.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7OpsD4muO5HGJt29]{Block} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P95xVHVxALSMjanR]{Decipher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PqL4qr9D8QAwQhrL]{Endurance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.axI0iGYo7DjdR8Ya]{Find the Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7X2zbrkFSNbyhA5G]{Improved Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBGeAZSBuymzrxDz]{Muscles of Iron} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s2PLo9FsWBi2C1VY]{Surging Confidence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
Choose four of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkmTskE3eqcfu7dY]{Curious} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3x3gRDJejTXQPmdY]{Danger Instinct} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4yyKQYnrbL3r9gcU]{Enable Others} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uB3sVzeG2N5rkdUZ]{Escape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RM8Fmu1IJwzBkjcM]{Eye for Detail} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U7chr7wLj7r5y0LT]{Foil Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pp9NFNHKgOhRYbsY]{Hand to Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.romswZIOmAmtzfCL]{Investigative Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.euEVkth9YGYSpoJf]{Quick Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJVu7MQ2pOhNfpUB]{Range Increase} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gbU7mA0flUR4W8Dl]{Stand Watch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEjdodvc6SLf8yso]{Travel Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yS1sMAZEzJbozxOZ]{Wreck}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wG4zveGhplNKNzuP]{Controlled Fall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qZOOWfFLJ1JziJpY]{Obstacle Running} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GvYXLPdpaFEMGuQR]{Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmYIPbMwsq3GY3eO]{Stone Breaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wpA3GB5yJq9NI8QN]{Think Your Way Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V1ROUnWXLmLRMxXi]{Trapfinder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6McxfJoPmf1SnbDR]{Wrest From Chance}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MdRdAc0qAWghMmlV]{Expert Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dW0rgYsx6hDA8pIB]{Runner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3pqCkOZjnAXWIikt]{Subtle Steps} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wxAZnuQkvWosLzkN]{Tough As Nails}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0Tt5R1m2DsVLtPH]{Free to Move} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hhBF8re7Azmce3Y9]{Group Friendship} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGzAHs3qln0fNDjt]{Hard to Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5uWcMvgh1OWvieJs]{Physically Gifted} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scceoEmEnN5MW8XT]{Take Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.icJAWRB8Uha8CSKr]{Vigilant}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tTrekc4AZbIqem5L]{Inspire Coordinated Actions} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dMEqa6kAjXrHlxui]{Negate Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PXvS7AatBcxH9cvZ]{Share Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vQtVTnCecWFXkfkI]{Wild Vitality}
Sam decides to create an Explorer character for a science fiction campaign. This character will be a hardy soul who explores alien worlds. They put 3 additional points into their Might Pool, 2 into their Speed Pool, and 1 into their Intellect Pool; their stat Pools are now Might 13, Speed 11, and Intellect 10. As a first-tier character, their Effort is 1, their Might Edge is 1, and their Speed Edge and Intellect Edge are 0. Their character is fairly well-rounded so far.
Sam immediately leaps in and starts choosing abilities. They pick Danger Sense and Surging Confidence, thinking those abilities will be generally useful. They also choose Practiced in Armor, reasoning that the character wears high-tech medium armor when exploring. Last, they choose Knowledge Skills and select geology and biology to help during interplanetary explorations.
Sam’s Explorer can bear two cyphers, which in this setting involve nanotechnology. The GM decides that one is a nanite injector that grants a +1 bonus to Might Edge when used, and the other is a device that can create one simple handheld object the user wishes.
Sam’s Explorer is not really geared toward fighting, but sometimes the universe is a dangerous place, so they note that they’re carrying a medium blaster as well.
Sam still needs a descriptor and a focus. Looking to the Descriptor chapter, they choose Hardy, which increases their Might Pool to 17. They also heal more quickly and can operate better when injured. They’re trained in Might defense but have an inability with initiative; however, it’s effectively canceled out by their Danger Sense (and vice versa). Sam could go back and select something else instead of Danger Sense, but they like it and decide to keep it. Overall, the descriptor ends up making the character tough but a little slow.
For their focus, Sam chooses Explores Dark Places (in this case, weird ruins of alien civilizations). This gives the character a bunch of additional skills: searching, listening, climbing, balancing, and jumping. They’re quite the capable Explorer.
For their character arc, Sam chooses Enterprise. Exploring alien places sometimes turns up strange relics, and Sam figures they might be able to set up a service to reliably transport these items to responsible third parties, rather than allow them to fall into the hands of pirates and rich private collectors. For a small fee, of course.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: bard, speaker, skald, emissary, priest, advocate
Modern/Horror/Romance: diplomat, charmer, face, spinner, manipulator, minister, mediator, lawyer
Science fiction: diplomat, empath, glam, consul, legate
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: charmer, mesmerist, puppet master
You’re good with words and good with people. You talk your way past challenges and out of jams, and you get people to do what you want.
Individual Role: Speakers are smart and charismatic. They like people and, more important, they understand them. This helps speakers get others to do what needs to be done.
Group Role: The Speaker is often the face of the group, serving as the person who speaks for all and negotiates with others. Combat and action are not a Speaker’s strong suits, so other characters sometimes have to defend the Speaker in times of danger.
Societal Role: Speakers are frequently political or religious leaders. Just as often, however, they are con artists or criminals.
Advanced Speakers: Higher-tier Speakers use their abilities to control and manipulate people as well as aid and nurture their friends. They can talk their way out of danger and even use their words as weapons.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.zDo6fnblxkAjzvc3]{Speaker Background Connection}
When playing a Speaker, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Friendly NPC: An NPC you don’t know, someone you don’t know that well, or someone you know but who hasn’t been particularly friendly in the past chooses to help you, though doesn’t necessarily explain why. Maybe they’ll ask you for a favor in return afterward, depending on how much trouble they go to.
Perfect Suggestion: A follower or other already-friendly NPC suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Unexpected Gift: An NPC hands you a physical gift you were not expecting, one that helps put the situation at ease if things seem strained, or provides you with a new insight for understanding the context of the situation if there’s something you’re failing to understand or grasp.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 8 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 11 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Speakers have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.Zjign4M9GqTvD348]{medium} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a light weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Some Speaker abilities, like Mind Reading or True Senses, imply a supernatural element. If this is inappropriate to the character or the setting, these abilities can be replaced with something from the stealth flavor, or the GM can slightly modify them so they are based in extraordinary talents and insight rather than the supernatural.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BlBi7qk0darLthxS]{Anecdote} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.r7uNiD9CGy4G3Hoq]{Babel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JSlr2Q6Ll1xNd8fX]{Demeanor of Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hYa7I52x2iwffh8C]{Encouragement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lQ4MNmGXXNBMGsmk]{Enthrall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmWjWp4iWk4GMLN0]{Erase Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ulHj0pzmwc515fve]{Fast Talk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWCehMidmvLypdxj]{Inspire Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5aUrbdjSSLCRggHU]{Spin Identity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qVlbJjB7X8R78rz0]{Terrifying Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BggeJtN5IcutwLJg]{Calm Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.di7QfASecjKU8BPN]{Disincentivize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IvKd5vkPypJbB1Ip]{Gather Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GT0AiiarWPbGzxKs]{Impart Ideal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DLxDL49VjUEMAjxZ]{Inspiring Ease} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XntbE6mXQ4CZ6yIi]{Speedy Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UHvD5299HFbwBvpR]{Unexpected Betrayal}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hB1CISYVEZXEO0IV]{Accelerate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rZsohzuwTFfghWVO]{Blend In} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NnlGdSiR9GbiTJyZ]{Discerning Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sqiDNk5qXh9j3zwh]{Grand Deception} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1N6P5ZRogThCS0KH]{Lead by Inquiry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5BlJLgj1ayBw0uY]{Oratory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oah8DOODfphl858B]{Telling}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZH0JbusjycG6zQf1]{Anticipate Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2SiHiotGcSufnCne]{Confounding Banter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7tiGTYVXj9eHdja7]{Heightened Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Je1MitN21L3lqWVF]{Psychosis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QFZyfDWOSEpZeQmM]{Spur Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS2p7CRfquFvR65U]{Strategize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wZZC07ADxO3mImS]{Suggestion}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3uyBYJqMApfEBWX]{Discipline of Watchfulness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyW320RhzarMNoss]{Flee} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xCUKzmoBKzN9gIut]{Foul Aura} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9sgMUKkIkDIdRtK]{Stimulate}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.By276DS858KmWNZq]{Assume Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G8waoPdWGzMl0S1n]{Battle Management} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.crFxkKwBNdnD6tX4]{Crowd Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fPCTpU0viXXWrNs0]{Inspiring Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3EcnBLVtGwxpWXBW]{Recruit Deputy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EH8OmAJaimF4MTgg]{Shatter Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZTp4SZ673tDJpmuS]{Word of Command}
Mary wants to create a Speaker for a Lovecraftian horror campaign. She puts 3 of her additional stat points into her Intellect Pool and 3 into her Speed Pool; her stat Pools are now Might 8, Speed 12, and Intellect 14. As a first-tier character, her Effort is 1, her Might Edge and Speed Edge are 0, and her Intellect Edge is 1. She’s smart and charismatic but not particularly tough.
Mary chooses Fast Talk and Spin Identity to help get into places and learn things she wants to know. She’s a bit of a con artist. She’s good to her friends, however, and chooses Encouragement as well. Mary rounds out her first-tier abilities with Interaction Skills (deceiving and persuasion).
A Speaker normally starts with two cyphers, but the GM rules that characters in this campaign start with only one—something creepy relating to their background. Mary’s cypher is an odd pocket watch given to her by her grandfather. She doesn’t know how or why, but when activated, the watch allows her to take twice as many actions for three rounds.
Mary’s character carries a small knife hidden in her bag in case of trouble. As a light weapon, it inflicts 2 points of damage, but attacks with it are eased.
Mary chooses Resilient for her descriptor and decides that she can probably learn the truth behind some of the strange things that she’s heard about without feeling too much trauma if it’s horrible. Resilient increases her Might Pool to 10 and her Intellect Pool to 16. She’s trained in Might and Intellect defense actions and gains an extra recovery roll each day. At first, Mary is sad that her descriptor gives her an inability in knowledge and puzzle tasks, but then she realizes that the flaw fits her character well—she’s better at getting people to tell her what she needs to know than at figuring out the information herself.
For her focus, Mary chooses Moves Like a Cat, granting her a final Speed Pool of 18 and training in balance. In the end, she’s graceful and quick, charismatic, and hardier than she initially thought thanks to her drive. She’s ready to investigate the weird.
For her character arc, Mary chooses Fall From Grace. She decides she’s had an obsession with a strange tome that’s been in her family for generations, and her character is drawn to its strange languages and rituals.
The rules in this section are more advanced and always involve the GM. They can be used by the GM to tailor a type to better fit the genre or setting, or by a player and a GM to tweak a character to fit a concept.
The following aspects of the four character types can be modified at character creation. Other abilities should not be changed.
Stat Pools: Each character type has a starting stat Pool value. A player can exchange points between their Pools on a one-for-one basis. For example, they can trade 2 points of Might for 2 points of Speed. However, no starting stat Pool should be higher than 20.
Edge: A player can start with an Edge of 1 in whichever stat they wish.
Cypher Use: If a character gives up the ability to bear one cypher, they gain an additional skill of their choice.
Weapons: Some types have static first-tier abilities that let them use light, medium, and/or heavy weapons without a penalty. Warriors can use all weapons, Explorers can use light and medium weapons, and Adepts and Speakers can use light weapons. Any one of these weapon abilities can be sacrificed to gain training in a different skill of the player’s choice.
In addition to other customization options, a player can choose to take drawbacks or penalties to gain further advantages.
Weakness: A weakness is, essentially, the opposite of Edge. If you have a weakness of 1 in Speed, all Speed actions that require you to spend points cost 1 additional point from your Pool. At any time, a player can give their character a weakness in one stat and, in exchange, gain +1 to their Edge in one of the other two stats. So a PC can take a weakness of 1 in Speed to gain +1 to their Might Edge.
Normally, you can have a weakness only in a stat in which you have an Edge of 0. Further, you can’t have more than one weakness, and you can’t have a weakness greater than 1 unless the additional weakness comes from another source (such as a disease or disability arising from actions or conditions in the game).
Inabilities: Inabilities are like negative skills. They make one type of task harder by hindering it. If a character chooses to take an inability, they gain a skill of their choice. Normally, a character can have only one inability unless the additional inability comes from another source (such as a descriptor or a disease or disability arising from actions or conditions in the game).
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":600000,"name":"License","type":"text","_id":"9ZDlIEtwXjxzyyrZ","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This product is an independent production and is not affiliated with Monte Cook Games, LLC. It is published under the Cypher System Open License, found at http://csol.montecookgames.com.
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This product is an independent production and is not affiliated with Monte Cook Games, LLC. It is published under the Cypher System Open License, found at http://csol.montecookgames.com.
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","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":387500,"name":"Flavor","type":"text","_id":"gUBd9dvLJ8qY0iZx","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Flavors are groups of special abilities the GM and players can use to alter a character type to make it more to their liking or more appropriate to the genre or setting. For example, if a player wants to create a magic-using thief character, she could play an Adept with stealth flavoring. In a science fiction setting, a Warrior might also have knowledge of machinery, so the character could be flavored with technology.
At a given tier, abilities from a flavor are traded one for one with standard abilities from a type. So to add the Danger Sense stealth flavor ability to a Warrior, something else—perhaps Bash—must be sacrificed. Now that character can choose Danger Sense as they would any other first-tier warrior ability, but they can never choose Bash.
The GM should always be involved in flavoring a type. For example, they might know that for their science fiction game, they want a type called a “Glam,” which is a Speaker flavored with certain technology abilities—specifically those that make the character a flamboyant starship pilot. Thus, they exchange the first-tier abilities Spin Identity and Inspire Aggression for the technology flavor abilities Datajack and Tech Skills so the character can plug into the ship directly and can take piloting and computers as skills.
In the end, flavor is mostly a tool for the GM to easily create campaign-specific types by making a few slight alterations to the four base types. Although players may wish to use flavors to get the characters they want, remember that they can also shape their PCs with descriptors and foci very nicely.
The flavors available are stealth, technology, magic, combat, and skills and knowledge.
The full description for each listed ability can be found in the Abilities chapter, which also contains descriptions for type and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Characters with the stealth flavor are good at sneaking around, infiltrating places they don’t belong, and deceiving others. They use these abilities in a variety of ways, including combat. An Explorer with stealth flavor might be a thief, while a Warrior with stealth flavor might be an assassin. An Explorer with stealth flavor in a superhero setting might be a crimefighter who stalks the streets at night.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M2oXV5cRSdMlUZDm]{Goad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Frxs35QkokRdure4]{Legerdemain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.90wkMwuVBaiyL9yt]{Opportunist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dQHSDDZxJNHrHH1l]{Contortionist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8ydN3DBdXXP24hQL]{Find an Opening} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5abCQnz5ZWvvfMro]{Get Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvFsSsVjyF8iXvCe]{Sense Ambush} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uq6p6fOg9KyFcUws]{Evanesce} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR3B0gfJtrYUAU5M]{From the Shadows} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lUkqQu1vvJe3FxfQ]{Gambler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sM2zEDx4gRr9CuiR]{Inner Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS1RW48sdVY6ZJZd]{Ambusher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JVvSTtYbksWJDADY]{Debilitating Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cqzyNCPYVEWtucLe]{Outwit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w2aO1ZIpmBDQJXq1]{Tumbling Moves}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YbYeZ0A0m96IWxwl]{Assassin Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S5JTyQCNcgrXgNqf]{Mask} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bVt0TIfwtEUXvi6O]{Uncanny Luck}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VVYx3J42Sj9qCQV9]{Exploit Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jrTEtAhE6GfLW7R4]{Spring Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cWHqKGpI5z0aiSYC]{Thief’s Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWws42dVSQjRz8Hr]{Twist of Fate}
Characters with a flavor of technology typically are from science fiction or at least modern-day settings (although anything is possible). They excel at using, dealing with, and building machines. An Explorer with technology flavor might be a starship pilot, and a Speaker flavored with technology could be a techno-priest.
Some of the less computer-oriented abilities might be appropriate for a steampunk character, while a modern-day character could use some of the abilities that don’t involve starships or ultratech.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q3DGDFwNIOjz866X]{Datajack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.z23towmNKeKJasHV]{Hacker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rhaZSmU6dJpzMO64]{Machine Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kkCW4KkWA751AeBl]{Scramble Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AFfburUYwZlBFq7N]{Tinker}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JK2hN1poqMLqfa1N]{Machine Efficiency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDG7hgrRNt4aHpP1]{Overload Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.v1lZkKjSCS1pjnET]{Serv-0} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XzomXctsS8NL9M7Q]{Serv-0 Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x8cGd4MC9YEW9isa]{Serv-0 Repair} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.k4LeTZ1lqN9L3hPS]{Tool Mastery}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7VYzHQvF1cz4cfUp]{Mechanical Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9r6iNU2GH4oEH6vz]{Serv-0 Scanner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIy0GMeL8WALvhEb]{Ship Footing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Nyt7Z1xWqmnuu265]{Shipspeak} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2l9FIUVKimPzIXzU]{Machine Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NcItnMHjeG9fgE1K]{Serv-0 Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lPqCQOQJF0JfoFRn]{Serv-0 Brawler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9YuQrJXAQO0qIFPj]{Serv-0 Spy}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KQDFvUEnIWed1ebo]{Jury-Rig} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7QTTrXnxDHskYYhj]{Master Machine}
You know a little about magic. You might not be a wizard, but you know the basics—how it works, and how to accomplish a few wondrous things. Of course, in your setting, “magic” might actually mean psychic powers, mutant abilities, weird alien tech, or anything else that produces interesting and useful effects.
An Explorer flavored with magic might be a wizard-hunter, and a Speaker with magical flavor might be a sorcerer-bard. Although an Adept flavored with magic is still an Adept, you might find that swapping some of the type’s basic abilities with those given here tailors the character in desirable ways.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I9m3nOdBZ2HoEmbj]{Blessing of the Gods} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SQ4RTDwdA0yiZ81b]{Closed Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bM2Y62eaUKYKdcwq]{Entangling Force} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQxN55rl0f5HFxEM]{Magic Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TPEcyzCeC3z5FyyQ]{Mental Link} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZsI6553CPbGi0wtx]{Premonition}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mfebb42AE5xt7k85]{Concussive Blast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.21Bi8yur01DCYz5f]{Fetch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4fcns7ANpZF7pHaz]{Force Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wNQ3q7VXtPHlPzqb]{Lock} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rRDSzPJtUCwRVXFR]{Repair Flesh}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MvyXo0ZUsxu8QQ22]{Distance Viewing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CAh0KStmP03kgv62]{Fling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dDhnZrzAxDvK7QYa]{Force at Distance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEWyNKnVgVOjsyms]{Summon Giant Spider}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR8WeRW3OlbCIjlJ]{Elemental Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LLvJZvzbGQOrlqoE]{Ignition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.blm1Z8JxvWOiFf0b]{Pry Open}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HuhNjMfMxPkTlERH]{Create} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OkKNmMvLFwHxUv2r]{Divine Intervention} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M1FHIlVPVv8O02LV]{Dragon’s Maw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IKicLElFbkRx5IaM]{Fast Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RBOc2zxAI9xMoWqW]{Relocate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
Combat flavor makes a character more martial. A Speaker with combat flavor in a fantasy setting would be a battle bard. An Explorer with combat flavor in a historical game might be a pirate. An Adept flavored with combat in a science fiction setting could be a veteran of a thousand psychic wars.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wyUQ3Atl3V1ItCFH]{Bloodlust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Rr4oB1lUzuzFHNHQ]{Deadly Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.73miZT5kYFyxnPOT]{Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S9QxUr8u2gtwY7ya]{Hard Target} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense}
This flavor is for characters in roles that call for more knowledge and more real-world application of talent. It’s less flashy and dramatic than supernatural powers or the ability to hack apart multiple foes, but sometimes expertise or know-how is the real solution to a problem.
A Warrior flavored with skills and knowledge might be a military engineer. An Explorer flavored with skills and knowledge could be a field scientist. A Speaker with this flavor might be a teacher.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.romswZIOmAmtzfCL]{Investigative Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEjdodvc6SLf8yso]{Travel Skills}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jx6DFmlbQrmltHgc]{Extra Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.k4LeTZ1lqN9L3hPS]{Tool Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4USzF8qKs8oZJH13]{Multiple Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":393750,"name":"Descriptor","type":"text","_id":"gK5t9ActY73rBLe5","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Your descriptor defines your character—it flavors everything you do. The differences between a Charming Explorer and a Vicious Explorer are considerable. The descriptor changes the way those characters go about every action. Your descriptor places your character in the situation (the first adventure, which starts the campaign) and helps provide motivation. It is the adjective of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
Descriptors offer a one-time package of extra abilities, skills, or modifications to your stat Pools. Not all of a descriptor’s offerings are positive character modifications. For example, some descriptors have inabilities—tasks that a character isn’t good at. You can think of inabilities as negative skills—instead of being one step better at that kind of task, you’re one step worse. If you become skilled at a task that you have an inability with, they cancel out. Remember that characters are defined as much by what they’re not good at as by what they are good at.
Descriptors also offer a few brief suggestions for how your character got involved with the rest of the group on their first adventure. You can use these, or not, as you wish.
This section details fifty descriptors. Choose one of them for your character. You can pick any descriptor you wish regardless of your type. At the end of this chapter, a few options are provided for Customizing Descriptors, including making a character’s species their descriptor.
(Your descriptor matters most when you are a beginning character. The benefits (and perhaps drawbacks) that come from your descriptor will eventually be overshadowed by the growing importance of your type and focus. However, the influence of your descriptor will remain at least somewhat important throughout your character’s life.)
Under the normal rules, each descriptor is based on some modification of the following guidelines:
Some descriptors offer +4 to one stat Pool and either two narrow skills or one broad skill.
Other descriptors offer +2 to one stat Pool and either three narrow skills or one narrow skill and one broad skill.
A broad skill covers many areas (such as all interactions). A narrow skill covers fewer areas (such as deceptive interactions). Combat-related skills, such as defense or initiative, are considered broad skills in this sense.
Regardless, you can add an additional skill if it is balanced by an inability.
You can add other non-skill abilities by eyeballing them and trying to equate them to the value of a skill, if possible. If the descriptor seems lacking, add a moderately priced item as additional equipment to balance things out.
With this general information, you can customize a descriptor, but keep in mind that a heavily customized descriptor isn’t a descriptor if it no longer says one thing about a character. It’s better to use this information to create a new descriptor that fits exactly how the player wants to portray the character.
Sometimes, in settings that have alien or fantasy species, players want to play a member of that species rather than the default (which is usually “human”). Most of the time, this choice is one of flavor rather than game mechanics. If you’re a 7-foot-tall furry Rigellian with three eyes, that’s great, but it doesn’t change your stats or skills (though it may have roleplaying challenges).
However, sometimes being a nonhuman results in more substantive changes. A PC ogre in a fantasy setting might have the Strong or Tough descriptor, or perhaps it has a descriptor simply called Ogre, which is similar to Strong or Tough but more pronounced (with greater Might but even greater drawbacks). This would mean that instead of being a Tough Warrior who Controls Beasts, the character is an Ogre Warrior who Controls Beasts.
The Genre chapter offers a few species descriptors, but many GMs will want to create their own as suits their setting. It can’t be stressed enough, however, that nine times out of ten, in most genres, species differences aren’t significant enough to warrant this treatment. The differences between a Mysterious character and a Virtuous one are probably greater than those between an Alpha Centauran and an Earthling.
You’re attractive to others, but perhaps more important, you are likeable and charismatic. You’ve got that “special something” that draws others to you. You often know just the right thing to say to make someone laugh, put them at ease, or spur them to action. People like you, want to help you, and want to be your friend.
You gain the following characteristics:
Charismatic: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You are trained in pleasant social interactions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.6yXynECByG8UO0IC]{Resistant to Charms}: You’re aware of how others can manipulate and charm people, and you notice when those tactics are used on you. Because of this awareness, you are trained in resisting any kind of persuasion or seduction if you wish it.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You met a total stranger (one of the other PCs) and charmed them so much that they invited you along.
The PCs were looking for someone else, but you convinced them that you were perfect instead.
Pure happenstance—because you just go along with the flow of things and everything usually works out.
Your charismatic ways helped get one of the PCs out of a difficult spot a long time ago, and they always ask you to join them on new adventures.
Helping others is your calling. It’s why you’re here. Others delight in your outgoing and charitable nature, and you delight in their happiness. You’re at your best when you’re aiding people, either by explaining how they can best overcome a challenge or by demonstrating how to do so yourself.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.VRlwCOQq4321KUkM]{Generous}: Allies who have spent the last day with you add +1 to their recovery rolls.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.GVocWeYToxrIsT5M]{Altruistic}: If you’re standing next to a creature that takes damage, you can intercede and take 1 point of that damage yourself (reducing the damage inflicted on the creature by 1 point). If you have Armor, it does not provide a benefit when you use this ability.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.RSdNXeHg25zlTzza]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction, putting other people at ease, and gaining trust.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.8AmUhRVSxOZepa3T]{Helpful}: Whenever you help another character, that character gains the benefit as if you were trained even if you are not trained or specialized in the attempted task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.TmkpqIeOFknKujcO]{Inability}: While you are alone, all Intellect and Speed tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Even though you didn’t know most of the other PCs beforehand, you invited yourself along on their quest.
You saw the PCs struggling to overcome a problem and selflessly joined them to help.
You’re nearly certain the PCs will fail without you.
The choice was between your tattered life and helping others. You haven’t looked back since.
You’re a self-assertive sort, confident in your abilities, energetic, and perhaps a bit irreverent toward ideas that you don’t agree with. Some people call you bold and brave, but those you’ve put in their place might call you puffed up and arrogant. Whatever. It’s not in your nature to care what other people think about you, unless those people are your friends or family. Even someone as brash as you knows that friends sometimes have to come first.
You gain the following characteristics:
Energetic: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You are trained in initiative.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.J9qtYUcvomIXvpEh]{Bold}: You are trained in all actions that involve overcoming or ignoring the effects of fear or intimidation.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You noticed something weird going on, and without much thought, you jumped in with both feet.
You showed up when and where you did on a dare because, hey, you don’t back down from dares.
Someone called you out, but instead of walking into a fight, you walked into your current situation.
You told your friend that nothing could scare you, and nothing you saw would change your mind. They brought you to your current point.
You’ve spent most of your life in sedentary pursuits—books, movies, hobbies, and so on—rather than active ones. You’re well versed in all manner of academia or other intellectual pursuits, but nothing physical. You’re not weak or feeble, necessarily (although this is a good descriptor for characters who are elderly), but you have no experience in more physical activities.
Calm is a great descriptor for characters who never intended to have adventures but were thrust into them, a trope that occurs often in modern games and particularly in horror games.
You gain the following characteristics:
Bookish: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skills: You are trained in four nonphysical skills of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.9BT9upa6c8kqf6kB]{Trivia}: You can come up with a random fact pertinent to the current situation when you wish it. This is always a matter of fact, not conjecture or supposition, and must be something you could have logically read or seen in the past. You can do this one time, although the ability is renewed each time you make a recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.WmhgwviF6ci24PJL]{Inability}: You’re just not a fighter. All physical attacks are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kR3req7hyQazHomU]{Inability}: You’re not the outdoorsy type. All climbing, running, jumping, and swimming tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You read about the current situation somewhere and decided to check it out for yourself.
You were in the right (wrong?) place at the right (wrong?) time.
While avoiding an entirely different situation, you walked into your current situation.
One of the other PCs dragged you into it.
Danger doesn’t mean much to you, mainly because you don’t think much about repercussions. In fact, you enjoy sowing surprises, just to see what will happen. The more unexpected the result, the happier you are. Sometimes you are particularly manic, and for the sake of your companions, you restrain yourself from taking actions that you know will lead to disaster.
You gain the following characteristics:
Tumultuous: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: You are trained in {Intellect defense actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.JrGRhq4ndoh12HDe]{Chaotic}: Once after each ten-hour recovery roll, if you don’t like the first result, you can reroll a die roll of your choice. If you do, and regardless of the outcome, the GM presents you with a GM intrusion.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.qRXj5XtPAxa0kTR1]{Inability}: Your body is a bit worn from occasional excesses. Might defense tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Another PC recruited you while you were on your best behavior, before realizing how chaotic you were.
You have reason to believe that being with the other PCs will help you gain control over your erratic behavior.
Another PC released you from captivity, and to thank them, you volunteered to help.
You have no idea how you joined the PCs. You’re just going along with it for now until answers present themselves.
You’re a smooth talker and a charmer. Whether through seemingly supernatural means or just a way with words, you can convince others to do as you wish. Most likely, you’re physically attractive or at least highly charismatic, and others enjoy listening to your voice. You probably pay attention to your appearance, keeping yourself well groomed. You make friends easily. You play up the personality facet of your Intellect stat; intelligence is not your strong suit. You’re personable, but not necessarily studious or strong-willed.
You gain the following characteristics:
Personable: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving positive or pleasant social interaction.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.GB6PefdjeMm43AmT]{Skill}: You’re trained when using special abilities that influence the minds of others.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.mslNlViBupFclz9t]{Contact}: You have an important contact who is in an influential position, such as a minor noble, the captain of the town guard/police, or the head of a large gang of thieves. You and the GM should work out the details together.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kWemIBj5S33u3Vsy]{Inability}: You were never good at studying or retaining facts. Any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.zHgQDe14mPF3G95Q]{Inability}: Your willpower is not one of your strong points. Defense actions to resist mental attacks are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You’ve managed to talk your way into some decent discounts and bonuses in recent weeks. As a result, you have enough cash jangling in your pocket to purchase a moderately priced item.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you what they were doing.
You instigated the whole thing and convinced the others to join you.
One of the other PCs did a favor for you, and now you’re repaying that obligation by helping them with the task at hand.
There is a reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re quick-witted, thinking well on your feet. You understand people, so you can fool them but are rarely fooled. Because you easily see things for what they are, you get the lay of the land swiftly, size up threats and allies, and assess situations with accuracy. Perhaps you’re physically attractive, or maybe you use your wit to overcome any physical or mental imperfections.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.wOLQBlCsA3jDifa9]{Skill}: You’re trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DlnCXfB1v1U859YY]{Skill}: You’re trained in defense rolls to resist mental effects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.8acHBoOvIk3UseOl]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving identifying or assessing danger, lies, quality, importance, function, or power.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kWemIBj5S33u3Vsy]{Inability}: You were never good at studying or retaining trivial knowledge. Any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You see through the schemes of others and occasionally convince them to believe you—even when, perhaps, they should not. Thanks to your clever behavior, you have an additional expensive item.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you what they were doing.
From afar, you observed that something interesting was going on.
You talked your way into the situation because you thought it might earn some money.
You suspect that the other PCs won’t succeed without you.
Graceless and awkward, you were told that you’d grow out of it, but you never did. You often drop things, trip over your own feet, or knock things (or people) over. Some people get frustrated by this quality, but most find it funny and even a little charming.
Some players may not want to be defined by a “negative” quality like Clumsy, but in truth, even this kind of descriptor has enough advantages that it makes for capable and talented characters. What negative descriptors really do is make more interesting and complex characters that are often great fun to play.
You gain the following characteristics:
Butterfingers: −2 to your Speed Pool.
Thick-Muscled: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.bvTJ0HZOfXlpr0pc]{Inelegant}: You have a certain lovable charm. You are trained in all pleasant social interactions when you express a lighthearted, self-deprecating manner.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.wJyw4ypyuGZ5Jde1]{Dumb Luck}: The GM can introduce a GM intrusion on you, based on your clumsiness, without awarding you any XP (as if you had rolled a 1 on a d20 roll). However, if this happens, 50% of the time, your clumsiness works to your advantage. Rather than hurting you (much), it helps you, or it hurts your enemies. You slip, but it’s just in time to duck an attack. You fall down, but you trip your enemies as you crash into their legs. You turn around too quickly, but you end up knocking the weapon from your foe’s hand. You and the GM should work together to determine the details. If the GM wishes, they can use GM intrusions based on your clumsiness normally (awarding XP).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.0yrwPAkrOBERFQOq]{Skill}: You’ve got a certain bull-like quality. You are trained in tasks involving breaking things.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.veArOrXeYD25sHog]{Inability}: Any task that involves balance, grace, or hand-to-eye coordination is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You were in the right place at the right time.
You had a piece of information that the other PCs needed to make their plans.
A sibling recommended you to the other PCs.
You stumbled into the PCs as they were discussing their mission, and they took a liking to you.
Courage fails you at every turn. You lack the willpower and resolve to stand fast in the face of danger. Fear gnaws at your heart, chewing away at your mind, driving you to distraction until you cannot bear it. Most times, you back down from confrontations. You flee from threats and vacillate when faced with difficult decisions.
Yet for all that fear dogs you and possibly shames you, your cowardly nature proves to be a useful ally from time to time. Listening to your fears has helped you escape danger and avoid taking unnecessary risks. Others may have suffered in your place, and you might be the first to admit this fact, but secretly you feel intense relief from having avoided an unthinkable and terrible fate.
Descriptors like Craven, Cruel, and Dishonorable might not be appropriate for every group. These are villainous traits and some people want their PCs to be entirely heroic. But others don’t mind a little moral greyness thrown into the mix. Still others see things like Craven and Cruel as traits to overcome as their characters develop (probably earning them different descriptors).
You gain the following characteristics:
Furtive: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You’re trained in stealth-based tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You’re trained in running actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.48EDNk0hOv8KvoVs]{Skill}: You’re trained in any action taken to escape danger, flee from a dangerous situation, or wheedle your way out of trouble.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gpHPkjq631isDAjT]{Inability}: You do not willingly enter dangerous situations. Any initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat) are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.4raydis9fTWFq8Rc]{Inability}: You fall to pieces when you have to undertake a potentially dangerous task alone. Any such task (such as attacking a creature by yourself) is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a good luck charm or protective device to keep you out of harm’s way.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You believe that you’re being hunted, and you have hired one of the other PCs as your protector.
You seek to escape your shame and take up with capable individuals in the hopes of repairing your reputation.
One of the other PCs bullied you into coming along.
The group answered your cries for help when you were in trouble.
Maybe you have a notebook where you write down ideas so you can develop them later. Perhaps you email yourself ideas that strike you out of the blue so you can sort them in an electronic document. Or maybe you just sit down, stare at your screen and, by indomitable force of will, produce something from nothing. However your gift works, you’re creative—you code, write, compose, sculpt, design, direct, or otherwise create narratives that enthrall other people with your vision.
You gain the following characteristics:
Inventive: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.SKNSOPcNsoSDk6Xm]{Original}: You’re always coming up with something new. You’re trained in any task related to creating a narrative (such as a story, play, or scenario). This includes deception, if the deception involves a narrative you’re able to tell.
Skill: You are naturally inventive. You are trained in one specific creative skill of your choice: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.eKQYG8hDn7akNxns]{writing}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.fHmBT2eRXI6WQnyZ]{computer coding}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.Lq20krfxQeY7B2qo]{composing music}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.LVVmRzkp5GwB3NE0]{painting}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.wCrjggZ7oUZYZAMD]{drawing}, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zz0QUtOoUro9OErB]{Skill}: You love solving riddles and the like. You are trained in puzzle-solving tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.pHUz4ZRnWfsBbtQ7]{Skill}: To be creative requires that you always be learning. You are trained in any task that involves finding out something new, such as when you’re digging through a library, data bank, news archive, or similar collection of knowledge.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: You’re inventive but not charming. All tasks related to pleasant social interaction are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You were doing research for a project and convinced the PCs to bring you along.
You’re looking for new markets for the results of your creative output.
You fell in with the wrong crowd, but they grew on you.
A creative life is often one beset with financial hurdles. You joined the PCs because you hoped it would be profitable.
Misfortune and suffering do not move you. When another endures hardship, you find it hard to care, and you may even enjoy the pain and difficulty the person experiences if they’ve done you wrong in the past. Your cruel streak may derive from bitterness brought about by your own struggles and disappointments. You might be a hard pragmatist, doing what you feel you must even if others are worse for it. Or you could be a sadist, delighting in the pain you inflict.
Being cruel does not necessarily make you a villain. Your cruelty may be reserved for those who cross you or other people useful to you. You might have become cruel as the result of an intensely awful experience. Abuse and torture, for example, can strip away compassion for other living beings.
As well, you need not be cruel in every situation. In fact, others might see you as personable, friendly, and even helpful. But when angered or frustrated, your dual nature reveals itself, and those who have earned your scorn are likely to suffer for it.
You gain the following characteristics:
Cunning: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.Pp6FiVf17qqHapKd]{Cruelty}: When you use force, you can choose to maim or deliver painful injuries to draw out your foe’s suffering. Whenever you inflict damage, you can choose to inflict 2 fewer points of damage to ease your next attack against that foe.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.ks2lNbYe7169G57r]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks related to deception, intimidation, and persuasion when you interact with characters experiencing physical or emotional pain.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.1Jo8JX85AfL1Kx5P]{Inability}: You have a hard time connecting with others, understanding their motives, or sharing their feelings. Any task to ascertain another character’s motives, feelings, or disposition is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a valuable memento from the last person you destroyed. The memento is moderately priced, and you can sell it or trade it for an item of equal or lesser value.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You suspect that you might gain a long-term advantage from helping the other PCs and may be able to use that advantage against your enemies.
By joining the PCs, you see an opportunity to grow your personal power and status at the expense of others.
You hope to make another PC’s life more difficult by joining the group.
Joining the PCs gives you an opportunity to escape justice for a crime you committed.
There is no honor among thieves—or betrayers, backstabbers, liars, or cheats. You are all of these things, and either you don’t lose any sleep over it, or you deny the truth to others or to yourself. Regardless, you are willing to do whatever it takes to get your own way. Honor, ethics, and principles are merely words. In your estimation, they have no place in the real world.
You gain the following characteristics:
Sneaky: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.KmXEb22OUjlCwjVY]{Just Desserts}: When the GM gives another player an experience point to award to someone for a GM intrusion, that player cannot give it to you.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.eeHdJpr4k8hYtGr5]{Skill}: You are trained in deception.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You are trained in stealth.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.tZ7PdXuWQyRMo0Rh]{Skill}: You are trained in intimidation.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: People don’t like or trust you. Pleasant social interactions are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You are interested in what the PCs are doing, so you lied to them to get into their group.
While skulking about, you overheard the PCs’ plans and realized that you wanted in.
One of the other PCs invited you, having no idea of what you’re truly like.
You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster.
You are quite certain that your fate is leading you, inextricably, toward a terrible end. This fate might be yours alone, or you might be dragging along the people closest to you.
You gain the following characteristics:
Jumpy: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: Always on the lookout for danger, you are trained in perception-related tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You are defense minded, so you are trained in Speed defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.cqT873UxELpJ3Mq2]{Skill}: You are cynical and expect the worst. Thus, you are resistant to mental shocks. You are trained in Intellect defense tasks having to do with losing your sanity or equanimity.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.ljIhLeM7ZcZuAJTk]{Doom}: Every other time the GM uses GM intrusion on your character, you cannot refuse it and do not get an XP for it (you still get an XP to award to another player). This is because you are doomed. The universe is a cold, uncaring place, and your efforts are futile at best.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You attempted to avoid it, but events seemed to conspire to draw you to where you are.
Why not? It doesn’t matter. You’re doomed no matter what you do.
One of the other PCs saved your life, and now you’re repaying that obligation by helping them with the task at hand.
You suspect that the only hope you have of avoiding your fate might lie on this path.
Other people are open books to you. You may have a knack for reading a person’s tells, those subtle movements that convey an individual’s mood and disposition. Or you may receive information in a more direct way, feeling a person’s emotions as if they were tangible things, sensations that lightly brush against your mind. Your gift for empathy helps you navigate social situations and control them to avoid misunderstandings and prevent useless conflicts from erupting.
The constant bombardment of emotions from those around you likely takes a toll. You might move with the prevailing mood, swinging from giddy happiness to bitter sorrow with little warning. Or you might close yourself off and remain inscrutable to others out of a sense of self-preservation or an unconscious fear that everyone else might learn how you truly feel.
You gain the following characteristics:
Open Mind: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.H4LHMcUqFB4rMLW1]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks involving sensing other emotions, discerning dispositions, and getting a hunch about people around you.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.J08uzxkHA7sn70LX]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving social interaction, pleasant or otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.OHgyIguDuF48QMDD]{Inability}: Being so receptive to others’ thoughts and moods makes you vulnerable to anything that attacks your mind. Intellect defense rolls are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You sensed the commitment to the task the other PCs have and felt moved to help them.
You established a close bond with another PC and can’t bear to be parted from them.
You sensed something strange in one of the PCs and decided to join the group to see if you can sense it again and uncover the truth.
You joined the PCs to escape an unpleasant relationship or negative environment.
You have walked a long and lonely road, leaving your home and your life behind. You might have committed a heinous crime, something so awful that your people forced you out, and if you dare return, you face death. You might have been accused of a crime you didn’t commit and now must pay the price for someone else’s wicked deed. Your exile might be the result of a social gaffe—perhaps you shamed your family or a friend, or you embarrassed yourself in front of your peers, an authority, or someone you respect. Whatever the reason, you have left your old life behind and now strive to make a new one.
You gain the following characteristics:
Self-Reliant: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.PT7NoHCCjePtX6OW]{Loner}: You gain no benefit when you get help with a task from another character who is trained or specialized in that task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q9tfUkhYGRJ5Df42]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving sneaking.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KU2IUPjDKKIbfxkH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving foraging, hunting, and finding safe places to rest or hide.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.tlL5bTqgc9lt5GNz]{Inability}: Living on your own for as long as you have makes you slow to trust others and awkward in social situations. Any task involving social interaction is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a memento from your past—an old picture, a locket with a few strands of hair inside, or a lighter given to you by someone important. You keep the object close at hand and pull it out to help you remember better times.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The other PCs earned your trust by helping you when you needed it. You accompany them to repay them.
While exploring on your own, you discovered something strange. When you traveled to a settlement, the PCs were the only ones who believed you, and they have accompanied you to help you deal with the problem.
One of the other PCs reminds you of someone you used to know.
You have grown weary of your isolation. Joining the other PCs gives you a chance to belong.
You’re fleet of foot. Because you’re quick, you can accomplish tasks more rapidly than others can. You’re not just quick on your feet, however—you’re quick with your hands, and you think and react quickly. You even talk quickly.
You gain the following characteristics:
Energetic: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You are trained in running.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.YHNmhduMB7gVvUtJ]{Fast}: You can move a short distance and still take another action in the same round, or you can move a long distance as your action without needing to make any kind of roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.qRXj5XtPAxa0kTR1]{Inability}: You’re a sprinter, not a long-distance runner. You don’t have a lot of stamina. Might defense rolls are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You jumped in to save one of the other PCs who was in dire need.
One of the other PCs recruited you for your unique talents.
You’re impulsive, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
This mission ties in with a personal goal of your own.
Not everyone can be brilliant. Oh, you don’t think of yourself as stupid, and you’re not. It’s just that others might have a bit more . . . wisdom. Insight. You prefer to barrel along headfirst through life and let other people worry about things. Worrying’s never helped you, so why bother? You take things at face value and don’t fret about what tomorrow might bring.
People call you “idiot” or “numbskull,” but it doesn’t faze you much.
It can be liberating and really fun to play a foolish character. In some ways, the pressure to always do the right, smart thing is off. On the other hand, if you play such a character as a bumbling moron in every situation, that can become annoying to everyone else at the table. As with everything, moderation is the key.
You gain the following characteristics:
Unwise: –4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.4FMLdzuRxQsVnh1P]{Carefree}: You succeed more on luck than anything. Every time you roll for a task, roll twice and take the higher result.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.6ydImEoLRFErPjFe]{Intellect Weakness}: Any time you spend points from your Intellect Pool, it costs you 1 more point than usual.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.OHgyIguDuF48QMDD]{Inability}: Any Intellect defense task is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.I7pKktxfFilMCCi1]{Inability}: Any task that involves seeing through a deception, an illusion, or a trap is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Who knows? Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Someone asked you to join up with the other PCs. They told you not to ask too many questions, and that seemed fine to you.
Your parent (or a parental/mentor figure) got you involved to give you something to do and maybe “teach you some sense.”
The other PCs needed some muscle who wouldn’t overthink things.
You have a perfect sense of balance, moving and speaking with grace and beauty. You’re quick, lithe, flexible, and dexterous. Your body is perfectly suited to dance, and you use that advantage in combat to dodge blows. You might wear garments that enhance your agile movement and sense of style.
You gain the following characteristics:
Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KjmXC7wwXc8DqM82]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving balance and careful movement.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.K2S2yAu0BJc7TMEh]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving physical performing arts.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You’re trained in all Speed defense tasks.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You conceal your true nature behind a mask and are loath to let anyone see who you really are. Protecting yourself, physically and emotionally, is what you care about most, and you prefer to keep everyone else at a safe distance. You may be suspicious of everyone you meet, expecting the worst from people so you won’t be surprised when they prove you right. Or you might just be a bit reserved, careful about letting people through your gruff exterior to the person you really are.
No one can be as reserved as you are and make many friends. Most likely, you have an abrasive personality and tend to be pessimistic in your outlook. You probably nurse an old hurt and find that the only way you can cope is to keep it and your personality locked down.
You gain the following characteristics:
Suspicious: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: You are trained in all Intellect defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.hJHg9c1wuIJsPdtn]{Skill}: You are trained in all tasks involving discerning the truth, piercing disguises, and recognizing falsehoods and other deceptions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.a0eju2Y9hvObXxHC]{Inability}: Your suspicious nature makes you unlikeable. Any task involving deception or persuasion is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the PCs managed to overcome your defenses and befriend you.
You want to see what the PCs are up to, so you accompany them to catch them in the act of some wrongdoing.
You have made a few enemies and take up with the PCs for protection.
The PCs are the only people who will put up with you.
Your body was built to take abuse. Whether you’re pounding down stiff drinks while holding up a bar in your favorite watering hole or trading blows with a thug in a back alley, you keep going, shrugging off hurts and injuries that might slow or incapacitate a lesser person. Neither hunger nor thirst, cut flesh nor broken bone can stop you. You just press on through the pain and continue.
As fit and healthy as you are, the signs of wear show in the myriad scars crisscrossing your body, your thrice-broken nose, your cauliflower ears, and any number of other disfigurements you wear with pride.
You gain the following characteristics:
Mighty: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.92q8rFEj1dQKNCD9]{Fast Healer}: You halve the time it takes to make a recovery roll (minimum one action).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.qgJiQgqukmcFFNor]{Almost Unstoppable}: While you are impaired on the damage track, you function as if you were hale. While you are debilitated, you function as if you were impaired. In other words, you don’t suffer the effects of being impaired until you become debilitated, and you never suffer the effects of being debilitated. You still die if all your stat Pools are 0.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You are trained in Might defense actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Inability}: Your big, strong body is slow to react. Any task involving initiative is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.62e9ZYD1UeGlalWu]{Ponderous}: When you apply Effort when making a Speed roll, you must spend 1 extra point from your Speed Pool.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs recruited you after learning about your reputation as a survivor.
You joined the PCs because you want or need the money.
The PCs offered you a challenge equal to your physical power.
You believe the only way the PCs will succeed is if you are along to protect them.
You are physically repugnant by almost any human standard. You might have had a serious accident, a harmful mutation, or just poor genetic luck, but you are incontrovertibly ugly.
You’ve more than made up for your appearance in other ways, however. Because you have to hide your appearance, you excel at sneaking about unnoticed or disguising yourself. But perhaps most important, being ostracized while others socialized, you took the time growing up to develop yourself as you saw fit—you grew strong or quick, or you honed your mind.
You gain the following characteristics:
Versatile: You get 4 additional points to divide among your stat Pools.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.bjX9wcG3SzUn5q46]{Skill}: You are trained in intimidation and any other fear-based interactions, if you show your true face.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.lW5xh0jPpRTp1iB6]{Skill}: You are trained in disguise and stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: All tasks relating to pleasant social interaction are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs approached you while you were in disguise, recruiting you while believing you were someone else.
While skulking about, you overheard the other PCs’ plans and realized you wanted in.
One of the other PCs invited you, but you wonder if it was out of pity.
You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster.
You are trustworthy, fair, and forthright. You try to do what is right, to help others, and to treat them well. Lying and cheating are no way to get ahead—these things are for the weak, the lazy, or the despicable. You probably spend a lot of time thinking about your personal honor, how best to maintain it, and how to defend it if challenged. In combat, you are straightforward and offer quarter to any foe.
You were likely instilled with this sense of honor by a parent or a mentor. Sometimes the distinction between what is and isn’t honorable varies with different schools of thought, but in broad strokes, honorable people can agree on most aspects of what honor means.
You gain the following characteristics:
Stalwart: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You are trained in pleasant social interactions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iUJdgnZi90GZjY9s]{Skill}: You are trained in discerning people’s true motives or seeing through lies.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs’ goals appear to be honorable and commendable.
You see that what the other PCs are about to do is dangerous, and you’d like to help protect them.
One of the other PCs invited you, hearing of your trustworthiness.
You asked politely if you could join the other PCs in their mission.
You have a hard time tamping down your enthusiasm. Why wait when you can just do it (whatever it is) and get it done? You deal with problems when they arise rather than plan ahead. Putting out the small fires now prevents them from becoming one big fire later. You are the first to take risks, to jump in and lend a hand, to step into dark passages, and to find danger.
Your impulsiveness likely gets you into trouble. While others might take time to study the items they discover, you use such items without hesitation. After all, the best way to learn what something can do is to use it. When a cautious explorer might look around and check for danger nearby, you have to physically stop yourself from bulling on ahead. Why fuss around when the exciting thing is just ahead?
Impulsive characters get into trouble. That’s their thing, and that’s fine. But if you’re constantly dragging your fellow PCs into trouble (or worse, getting them seriously hurt or killed), that will be annoying, to say the least. A good rule of thumb is that impulsiveness doesn’t always mean a predilection for doing the wrong thing. Sometimes it’s the urge to do the right thing.
You gain the following characteristics:
Reckless: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You’re trained in Speed defense actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gBUQ2i4VroKkBVQ7]{Inability}: You’ll try anything once, but quickly grow bored after that. Any task that involves patience, willpower, or discipline is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You heard what the other PCs were up to and suddenly decided to join them.
You pulled everyone together after you heard rumors about something interesting you want to see or do.
You blew all of your money and now find yourself strapped for cash.
You’re in trouble for acting recklessly. You join the other PCs because they offer a way out of your problem.
The world is vast and mysterious, with wonders and secrets to keep you amazed for several lifetimes. You feel the tugging on your heart, the call to explore the wreckage of past civilizations, to discover new peoples, new places, and whatever bizarre wonders you might find along the way. However, as strongly as you feel the pull to roam the world, you know there is danger aplenty, and you take precautions to ensure that you are prepared for any eventuality. Research, preparation, and readiness will help you live long enough to see everything you want to see and do everything you want to do.
You probably have a dozen books and travelogues about the world on you at any time. When not hitting the road and looking around, you spend your time with your nose in a book, learning everything you can about the place you’re going so you know what to expect when you get there.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.pHUz4ZRnWfsBbtQ7]{Skill}: You are eager to learn. You are trained in any task that involves learning something new, whether you’re talking to a local to get information or digging through old books to find lore.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.RZkMJad4OfSOU1Pq]{Skill}: You have made a study of the world. You are trained in any task involving geography or history.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.ntN6wx9GAjKwEWfV]{Inability}: You tend to fixate on the details, making you somewhat oblivious to what’s going on around you. Any task to hear or notice dangers around you is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gpHPkjq631isDAjT]{Inability}: When you see something interesting, you hesitate as you take in all the details. Initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat) are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have three books on whatever subjects you choose.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the PCs approached you to learn information related to the mission, having heard you were an expert.
You have always wanted to see the place where the other PCs are going.
You were interested in what the other PCs were up to and decided to go along with them.
One of the PCs fascinates you, perhaps due to a special or weird ability they have.
You’re quite smart. Your memory is sharp, and you easily grasp concepts that others might struggle with. This aptitude doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve had years of formal education, but you have learned a great deal in your life, primarily because you pick things up quickly and retain so much.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in an area of knowledge of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.m65HBfM8zSVl4uwk]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions that involve remembering or memorizing things you experience directly. For example, instead of being good at recalling details of geography that you read about in a book, you can remember a path through a set of tunnels that you’ve explored before.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs asked your opinion of the mission, knowing that if you thought it was a good idea, it probably was.
You saw value in what the other PCs were doing.
You believed that the task might lead to important and interesting discoveries.
A colleague requested that you take part in the mission as a favor.
You are often tickled by a sense of knowing what someone will say, how they will react, or how events might unfold. Maybe you have a mutant sense, maybe you can see just a few moments ahead through time, or maybe you’re just good at reading people and extrapolating a situation. Whatever the case, many who look into your eyes immediately glance away, as if afraid of what you might see in their expression.
You gain the following characteristics:
Innate: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are trained in perception tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.1GEOtsfQWmfgcp3e]{Know What to Do}: You can act immediately, even if it’s not your turn. Afterward, on your next regular turn, any action you take is hindered. You can do this one time, although the ability is renewed each time you make a recovery roll.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just knew you had to come along.
You convinced one of the other PCs that your intuition is invaluable.
You felt that something terrible would happen if you didn’t go.
You’re confident the reason you arrived at this point will soon become clear.
You’re cheerful, friendly, and outgoing. You put others at ease with a big smile and a joke, possibly one at your own expense, though lightly ribbing your companions who can take it is also one of your favorite pastimes. Sometimes people say you never take anything seriously. That’s not true, of course, but you have learned that to dwell on the bad too long quickly robs the world of joy. You’ve always got a new joke in your back pocket because you collect them like some people collect bottles of wine.
You gain the following characteristics:
Witty: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You’re convivial and set most people at ease with your attitude. You are trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zz0QUtOoUro9OErB]{Skill}: You have an advantage in figuring out the punch lines of jokes you’ve never heard before. You are trained in all tasks related to solving puzzles and riddles.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You solved a riddle before realizing that answering it would launch you into the adventure.
The other PCs thought you’d bring some much-needed levity to the team.
You decided that all fun and no work was not the best way to get through life, so you joined up with the PCs.
It was either go with the PCs or face up to a circumstance that was anything but jovial.
It’s always been easy for you to see things from the point of view of other people. That ability has made you sympathetic to what they really want or need. From your perspective, you’re just applying the old proverb that “it’s easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar,” but others simply see your behavior as kindness. Of course, being kind takes time, and yours is limited. You’ve learned that a small fraction of people don’t deserve your time or kindness—true sadists, narcissists, and similar folk will only waste your energy. So you deal with them swiftly, saving your kindness for those who deserve it and can benefit from your attention.
You gain the following characteristics:
Emotionally Intuitive: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.6Z7VC4ctwcS0dVoW]{Skill}: You know what it’s like to go a mile in someone else’s shoes. You’re trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction and discerning the dispositions of others.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.5kX6OM98txwPPO6a]{Karma}: Sometimes, strangers just help you out. To gain the aid of a stranger, you must use a one action, ten-minute, or one-hour recovery roll (without gaining its healing benefit), and the GM determines the nature of the aid you gain. Usually, the act of kindness isn’t enough to turn a bad situation completely around, but it may moderate a bad situation and lead to new opportunities. For example, if you are captured, a guard loosens your bonds slightly, brings you water, or delivers a message.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.AY8Br5qquBWoGQc0]{Inability}: Being kind comes with a few risks. All tasks related to detecting falsehoods are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
A PC needed your help, and you agreed to come along as a kindness.
You gave the wrong person access to your money, and now you need to make some back.
You’re ready to take your benevolence on the road and help more people than you could if you didn’t join the PCs.
Your job, which seemed like it would be personally rewarding, is the opposite. You join the PCs to escape the drudgery.
You have studied, either on your own or with an instructor. You know many things and are an expert on a few topics, such as history, biology, geography, mythology, nature, or any other area of study. Learned characters typically carry a few books around with them and spend their spare time reading.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in three areas of knowledge of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.UrdbwsMhJOQk44vz]{Inability}: You have few social graces. Any task involving charm, persuasion, or etiquette is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have two additional books on topics of your choice.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs asked you to come along because of your knowledge.
You need money to fund your studies.
You believed that the task might lead to important and interesting discoveries.
A colleague requested that you take part in the mission as a favor.
You rely on chance and timely good luck to get you through many situations. When people say that someone was born under a lucky star, they mean you. When you try your hand at something new, no matter how unfamiliar the task is, as often as not you find a measure of success. Even when disaster strikes, it’s rarely as bad as it could be. More often, small things seem to go your way, you win contests, and you’re often in the right place at the right time.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.pccv1fQ4WW7KnLsi]{Luck Pool}: You have one additional Pool called Luck that begins with 3 points, and it has a maximum value of 3 points. When spending points from any other Pool, you can take one, some, or all of the points from your Luck Pool first. When you make a recovery roll to recover points to any other Pool, your Luck Pool is also refreshed by the same number of points. When your Luck Pool is at 0 points, it does not count against your damage track.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.MKYIm6Rgf4VRIKrK]{Advantage}: When you use 1 XP to reroll a d20 for any roll that affects only you, add 3 to the reroll.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Knowing that lucky people notice and take active advantage of opportunities, you became involved in your first adventure by choice.
You literally bumped into someone else on this adventure through sheer luck.
You found a briefcase lying alongside the road. It was battered, but inside you found a lot of strange documents that led you here.
Your luck saved you when you avoided a speeding vehicle by a fortuitous fall through an opening in the ground (a manhole, if in a modern setting). Beneath the ground, you found something you couldn’t ignore.
You have delved too deeply into subjects people were not meant to know. You are knowledgeable in things beyond the scope of most, but this knowledge has come at a terrible price. You are likely in questionable physical shape and occasionally shake with nervous tics. You sometimes mutter to yourself without realizing it.
You gain the following characteristics:
Knowledgeable: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.AFFZAuL0OsaopL8E]{Fits of Insight}: Whenever such knowledge is appropriate, the GM feeds you information although there is no clear explanation as to how you could know such a thing. This is up to the GM’s discretion, but it should happen as often as once each session.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.SFXAD4DjhyEtJ1Ny]{Erratic Behavior}: You are prone to acting erratically or irrationally. When you are in the presence of a major discovery or subjected to great stress (such as a serious physical threat), the GM can introduce a GM intrusion that directs your next action without awarding XP. You can still pay 1 XP to refuse the intrusion. The GM’s influence is the manifestation of your madness and thus is always something you would not likely do otherwise, but it is not directly, obviously harmful to you unless there are extenuating circumstances. (For example, if a foe suddenly leaps out of the darkness, you might spend the first round babbling incoherently or screaming the name of your first true love.)
Skill: You are trained in one area of knowledge (probably something weird or esoteric).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.zHgQDe14mPF3G95Q]{Inability}: Your mind is quite fragile. Tasks to resist mental attacks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Voices in your head told you to go.
You instigated the whole thing and convinced the others to join you.
One of the other PCs obtained a book of knowledge for you, and now you’re repaying that favor by helping them with the task at hand.
You feel compelled by inexplicable intuition.
You have a special talent with machines of all kinds, and you’re adept at understanding and, if need be, repairing them. Perhaps you’re a bit of an inventor, creating new machines from time to time. You get called “techie,” “tech,” “mech,” “gear-head,” “motor-head,” or any of a number of other nicknames. Mechanics usually wear practical work clothes and carry around a lot of tools.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.PSeFw2XUjqgOG2xS]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding machines.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DhGWJERxvN9zVYGh]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving using, repairing, or crafting machines.
Additional Equipment: You start with a variety of machine tools.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
While repairing a nearby machine, you overheard the other PCs talking.
You need money to buy tools and parts.
It was clear that the mission couldn’t succeed without your skills and knowledge.
Another PC asked you to join them.
The dark figure lurking silently in the corner? That’s you. No one really knows where you came from or what your motives are—you play things close to the vest. Your manner perplexes and confounds others, but that doesn’t make you a poor friend or ally. You’re just good at keeping things to yourself, moving about unseen, and concealing your presence and identity.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You are trained in all stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.fmGCPHRwFnbmvB19]{Skill}: You are trained in resisting interrogation or tricks to get you to talk.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.uROuz6gmfq7X3uu3]{Confounding}: You pull talents and abilities seemingly out of nowhere. You can attempt one task in which you have no training as if you were trained, attempt a task that you are trained in as if specialized, or gain a free level of Effort with a task that you are specialized in. This ability refreshes every time you make a recovery roll, but the uses never accumulate.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.sRzjg0b8j3XPVrPR]{Inability}: People never know where they stand with you. Any task involving getting people to believe or trust you is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just showed up one day.
You convinced one of the other PCs that you had invaluable skills.
Some equally mysterious figure told you where to be and when (but not why) to join the group.
Something—a feeling, a dream—told you where to be and when to join the group.
You think of yourself as mystical, attuned with the mysterious and the paranormal. Your true talents lie with the supernatural. You likely have experience with ancient lore, and you can sense and wield the supernatural—though whether that means “magic,” “psychic phenomena,” or something else is up to you (and probably up to those around you as well). Mystical characters often wear jewelry, such as a ring or an amulet, or have tattoos or other marks that show their interests.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.u2aCexSScRX0FEqH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding the supernatural.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.x6GmHzLKB0JpVg5E]{Sense Magic}: You can sense whether the supernatural is active in situations where its presence is not obvious. You must study an object or location closely for a minute to get a feel for whether a mystical touch is at work.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Spell}: You can perform Hedge Magic as a spell when you have a free hand and can pay the Intellect point cost.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.FKeDN7rJdKpgt4bj]{Inability}: You have a manner or an aura that others find a bit unnerving. Any task involving charm, persuasion, or deception is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
A dream guided you to this point.
You need money to fund your studies.
You believed the mission would be a great way to learn more about the supernatural.
Various signs and portents led you here.
You’ve lived a sheltered life. Your childhood was safe and secure, so you didn’t get a chance to learn much about the world—and even less chance to experience it. Whether you were training for something, had your nose in a book, or just were sequestered in a secluded place, you haven’t done much, met many people, or seen many interesting things so far. That’s probably going to change soon, but as you go forward into a larger world, you do so without some of the understanding that others possess about how it all works.
You gain the following characteristics:
Fresh: You add +1 to your recovery rolls.
Incorruptible: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Intellect defense} tasks and all tasks that involve @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.OauBSvtfh6HeNzDe]{resisting temptation}.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You’re wide-eyed. You are trained in perception tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.VyGXdv9xEzKsm2YX]{Inability}: Any task that involves seeing through deceptions or determining someone’s secret motive is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Someone told you that you should get involved.
You needed money, and this seemed like a good way to earn some.
You believed that you could learn a lot by joining the other PCs.
Sounded like fun.
You miss little. You pick out the small details in the world around you and are skilled at making deductions from the information you find. Your talents make you an exceptional sleuth, a formidable scientist, or a talented scout.
As adept as you are at finding clues, you have no skill at picking up on social cues. You overlook an offense that your deductions give or how uncomfortable your scrutiny can make the people around you. You tend to dismiss others as being intellectual dwarfs compared to you, which avails you little when you need a favor.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.G2JaXxUq6dfIXVDl]{Skill}: You have an eye for detail. You are trained in any task that involves finding or noticing small details.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EaHHaJvulkIVAxhi]{Skill}: You know a little about everything. You are trained in any task that involves identifying objects or calling to mind a minor detail or bit of trivia.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.tZ7PdXuWQyRMo0Rh]{Skill}: Your skill at making deductions can be imposing. You are trained in any task that involves intimidating another creature.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: Your confidence comes off as arrogance to people who don’t know you. Any task involving positive social interactions is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a bag of light tools.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You overheard the other PCs discussing their mission and volunteered your services.
One of the PCs asked you to come along, believing that your talents would be invaluable to the mission.
You believe that the PCs’ mission is somehow related to one of your investigations.
A third party recruited you to follow the PCs and see what they were up to.
You can take a lot of punishment, both physically and mentally, and still come back for more. It takes a lot to put you down. Neither physical nor mental shocks or damage have a lasting effect. You’re tough to faze. Unflappable. Unstoppable.
You gain the following characteristics:
Resistant: +2 to your Might Pool, and +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.F74sHYUANEPVaFd4]{Recover}: You can make an extra recovery roll each day. This roll is just one action. So you can make two recovery rolls that each take one action, one roll that takes ten minutes, a fourth roll that takes one hour, and a fifth roll that requires ten hours of rest.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You are trained in Might defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: You are trained in Intellect defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.U7X7WY5Qk3QIXxAD]{Inability}: You’re hardy but not necessarily strong. Any task involving moving, bending, or breaking things is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.iic3khiZZCsbjkIg]{Inability}: You have a lot of willpower and mental fortitude, but you’re not necessarily smart. Any task involving knowledge or figuring out problems or puzzles is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You saw that the PCs clearly need someone like you to help them out.
Someone asked you to watch over one of the PCs in particular, and you agreed.
You are bored and desperately in need of a challenge.
You lost a bet—unfairly, you think—and had to take someone’s place on this mission.
It’s part of your nature to question what others think can’t or shouldn’t be done. You’re not insane, of course—you wouldn’t attempt to leap across a mile-wide chasm just because you were dared. There’s impossible and then there’s the just barely possible. You like to push the latter further than others, because it gives you a rush of satisfaction and pleasure when you succeed. The more you succeed, the more you find yourself looking for that next risky challenge to try yourself against.
You gain the following characteristics:
Nimble: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.l3HBMnyOMVF6rIk8]{Skill}: You’re adept at leveraging risk, and you are trained in tasks that involve some element of chance, such as playing games or choosing between two or three apparently equal options.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.wWSSBexYE1QI054l]{Pressing Your Luck}: You can choose to automatically succeed on one task without rolling, as long as the task’s difficulty is no higher than 6. When you do so, however, you also trigger a GM intrusion as if you had rolled a 1. The intrusion doesn’t invalidate the success, but it probably qualifies it in some fashion. You can do this one time, although the ability renews each time you make a ten-hour recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.MoKSCrQBoxl4PZ0f]{Inability}: You may be nimble, but you’re not sneaky. Tasks related to sneaking and staying quiet are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
It seemed like there were equal odds that the other PCs wouldn’t succeed, which sounded good to you.
You think the tasks ahead will present you with unique and fulfilling challenges.
One of your biggest risks failed to go your way, and you need money to help pay that debt.
You bragged that you never saw a risk you didn’t like, which is how you reached your current point.
You’re a nature lover accustomed to living rough, pitting your wits against the elements. Most likely, you’re a skilled hunter, gatherer, or naturalist. Years of living in the wild have left their mark with a worn countenance, wild hair, or scars. Your clothing is probably much less refined than the garments worn by city dwellers.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zOjoCu1WyXeVzqs6]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving climbing, jumping, running, and swimming.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.lpBwC7PY35rIfBUG]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving training, riding, or placating natural animals.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.2Ipdh8f3MeuAMM3R]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving identifying or using natural plants.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.iP9m2p6htGgd896X]{Inability}: You have no social graces and prefer animals to people. Any task involving charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You carry an explorer’s pack with rope, two days’ rations, a bedroll, and other tools needed for outdoor survival.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re perceptive and well aware of your surroundings. You notice the little details and remember them. You can be difficult to surprise.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You’re trained in perception actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LboNMbw0CmRDZX0l]{Find the Flaw}: If an opponent has a straightforward weakness (takes extra damage from fire, can’t see out of their left eye, and so on), the GM will tell you what it is.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You heard about what was going on, saw a flaw in the other PCs’ plan, and joined up to help them out.
You noticed that the PCs have a foe (or at least a tail) they weren’t aware of.
You saw that the other PCs were up to something interesting and got involved.
You’ve been noticing some strange things going on, and this all appears related.
You possess a questioning attitude regarding claims that are often taken for granted by others. You’re not necessarily a “doubting Thomas” (a skeptic who refuses to believe anything without direct personal experience), but you’ve often benefited from questioning the statements, opinions, and received knowledge presented to you by others.
You gain the following characteristics:
Insightful: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.QonPVHzXrzIN29lf]{Skill}: You’re trained in identifying.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.E2q7bbS0LqBwRDFi]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions that involve seeing through a trick, an illusion, a rhetorical ruse designed to evade the issue, or a lie. For example, you’re better at keeping your eye on the cup containing the hidden ball, sensing an illusion, or realizing if someone is lying to you (but only if you specifically concentrate and use this skill).
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You overheard other PCs holding forth on a topic with an opinion you were quite skeptical about, so you decided to approach the group and ask for proof.
You were following one of the other PCs because you were suspicious of him, which brought you into the action.
Your theory about the nonexistence of the supernatural can be invalidated only by your own senses, so you came along.
You need money to fund your research.
You’re sneaky, slippery, and fast. These talents help you hide, move quietly, and pull off tricks that require sleight of hand. Most likely, you’re wiry and small. However, you’re not much of a sprinter—you’re more dexterous than fleet of foot.
You gain the following characteristics:
Quick: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You’re trained in all stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.YlYSOH8OdFUTBwey]{Skill}: You’re trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.5iv3kUKcLQwrTSDH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all special abilities involving illusions or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.lhu2y0HMmw0xQ3hv]{Inability}: You’re sneaky but not fast. All movement-related tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You attempted to steal from one of the other PCs. That character caught you and forced you to come along with them.
You were tailing one of the other PCs for reasons of your own, which brought you into the action.
An NPC employer secretly paid you to get involved.
You overheard the other PCs talking about a topic that interested you, so you decided to approach the group.
You’re extremely strong and physically powerful, and you use these qualities well, whether through violence or feats of prowess. You likely have a brawny build and impressive muscles.
You gain the following characteristics:
Very Powerful: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.0yrwPAkrOBERFQOq]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving breaking inanimate objects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.MrGl25gzZk4uu7BR]{Skill}: You’re trained in all jumping actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra medium weapon or heavy weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re tough-minded, willful, and independent. No one can talk you into anything or change your mind when you don’t want it changed. This quality doesn’t necessarily make you smart, but it does make you a bastion of willpower and resolve. You likely dress and act with unique style and flair, not caring what others think.
You gain the following characteristics:
Willful: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DlnCXfB1v1U859YY]{Skill}: You’re trained in resisting mental effects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.3IfJDAc8qCJ11NNX]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks requiring incredible focus or concentration.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.CmubEJ8BMUsW1oei]{Inability}: Willful doesn’t mean brilliant. Any task that involves figuring out puzzles or problems, memorizing things, or using lore is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You move quickly, able to sprint in short bursts and work with your hands with dexterity. You’re great at crossing distances quickly but not always smoothly. You are likely slim and muscular.
You gain the following characteristics:
Fast: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You’re trained in running actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.t7exG3KfxnoPKxO2]{Inability}: You’re fast but not necessarily graceful. Any task involving balance is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’ve never been much of a talker. When forced to interact with others, you never think of the right thing to say—words fail you entirely, or they come out all wrong. You often end up saying precisely the wrong thing and insult someone unintentionally. Most of the time, you just keep mum. This makes you a listener instead—a careful observer. It also means that you’re better at doing things than talking about them. You’re quick to take action.
You gain the following characteristics:
Actions, Not Words: +2 to your Might Pool, and +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are trained in perception.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You are trained in initiative (unless it’s a social situation).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.tlL5bTqgc9lt5GNz]{Inability}: All tasks relating to social interaction are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.rfQPiUR4GHBdjFtE]{Inability}: All tasks involving verbal communication or relaying information are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just tagged along and no one told you to leave.
You saw something important the other PCs did not and (with some effort) managed to relate it to them.
You intervened to save one of the other PCs when they were in danger.
One of the other PCs recruited you for your talents.
You’re strong and can take a lot of physical punishment. You might have a large frame and a square jaw. Tough characters frequently have visible scars.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.SkxEXPpCgIGXixu9]{Resilient}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.gr1uaERqywhUGjCK]{Healthy}: Add 1 to the points you regain when you make a recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You’re trained in Might defense actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra light weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You’re acting as a bodyguard for one of the other PCs.
One of the PCs is your sibling, and you came along to watch out for them.
You need money because your family is in debt.
You stepped in to defend one of the PCs when that character was threatened. While talking to them afterward, you heard about the group’s task.
You try to hide what’s inside, fold it into yourself when everything inside you screams to let go, make them pay, make them hurt, and make them bleed. Sometimes you succeed for your friends—smiling like they smile, laughing when they laugh, and sometimes even having other emotions of your own. But it’s always there, that feeling of frantic glee mixed with hate that sometimes leaps out of you when you confront a foe. Violence your friends can tolerate, but you sometimes worry they will also learn that you are cruel.
You gain the following characteristics:
Skill: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.53j3Qwt5Im4wqddo]{tracking creatures}. If @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.ZPyRyzPue2DuKSw9]{a creature has wronged you}, the tracking task is eased.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LldixgespLl6ajEf]{Bloodthirsty}: Once you begin fighting, you see only red. You inflict 2 additional points of damage with any attack.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.1FP6DV2OqgaaT4ZN]{Berserk}: Once you begin fighting, it’s hard for you to stop. In fact, it’s a difficulty 2 Intellect task to do so, even if your foe surrenders or you’ve run out of foes. If the latter occurs and you fail to stop, you attack the nearest ally within short range.
Additional Equipment: You have a record that you use to list those who’ve wronged you.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Another PC saw you take down a mean drunk in a tavern, not realizing you were the one who started the fight.
You wanted to get away from a bad situation, so you went with the other PCs.
You want to change, and you hope that being with the other PCs will help you calm yourself.
One of the other PCs asked you to come along, believing that your viciousness could be harnessed for the benefit of the mission.
Doing the right thing is a way of life. You live by a code, and that code is something you attend to every day. Whenever you slip, you reproach yourself for your weakness and then get right back on track. Your code probably includes moderation, respect for others, cleanliness, and other characteristics that most people would agree are virtues, while you eschew their opposites: sloth, greed, gluttony, and so on.
You gain the following characteristics:
Dauntless: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iUJdgnZi90GZjY9s]{Skill}: You are trained in discerning people’s true motives or seeing through lies.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: Your adherence to a strict moral code has hardened your mind against fear, doubt, and outside influence. You are trained in Intellect defense tasks.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs are doing something virtuous, and you’re all about that.
The PCs are on the road to perdition, and you see it as your task to set them on the proper moral route.
One of the other PCs invited you, hearing of your virtuous ways.
You put virtue before sense and defended someone’s honor in the face of an organization or power far greater than you. You joined the PCs because they offered aid and friendship when, out of fear of reprisals, no one else would.
You aren’t like anyone else, and that’s fine with you. People don’t seem to understand you—they even seem put off by you—but who cares? You understand the world better than they do because you’re weird, and so is the world you live in. The concept of “the weird” is well known to you. Strange devices, ancient locales, bizarre creatures, storms that can transform you, living energy fields, conspiracies, aliens, and things most people can’t even name populate the world, and you thrive on them. You have a special attachment to it all, and the more you discover about the weirdness in the world, the more you might discover about yourself.
Weird characters might be mutants or people born with strange qualities, but sometimes they started out “normal” and adopted the weird by choice.
You gain the following characteristics:
Inner Light: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.HV2tw9N81PJawwwx]{Distinctive Physical Quirk}: You have a unique physical aspect that is, well, bizarre. Depending on the setting, this can vary greatly. You might have purple hair or metal spikes on your head. Perhaps your hands don’t connect to your arms, although they move as if they do. Maybe a third eye stares out from the side of your head, or superfluous tendrils grow from your back. Whatever it is, your quirk might be a mutation, a supernatural trait (a blessing or curse), a feature with no explanation, or just a really wild tattoo that draws a lot of attention.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.zKHJrLeBOfy0p9du]{A Sense for the Weird}: Sometimes—at the GM’s discretion—weird things relating to the supernatural or its effects on the world seem to call out to you. You can sense them from afar, and if you get within long range of such a thing, you can sense whether it is overtly dangerous or not.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.uBvX2CVPg5MNgjwW]{Skill}: You are trained in supernatural knowledge.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: People find you unnerving. All tasks relating to pleasant social interaction are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
It seemed weird, so why not?
Whether the other PCs realize it or not, their mission has to do with something weird that you know about, so you got involved.
As an expert in the weird, you were specifically recruited by the other PCs.
You felt drawn to join the other PCs, but you don’t know why.
Focus is what makes a character unique. No two PCs in a group should have the same focus. A focus gives a character benefits when they create their character and each time they ascend to the next tier. It’s the verb of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
This chapter contains nearly a hundred sample foci, such as Bears a Halo of Fire, Would Rather Be Reading, and Pilots Starcraft. These foci can be chosen and used as presented by a player, or by the GM who adds them to a list of available foci for their players in their next campaign.
In addition, the latter half of this chapter provides tools for the GM or an enterprising player to create their own custom foci that perfectly match the needs of a given game or campaign, as presented in Creating New Foci.
Not all foci are appropriate for every genre. The Genre chapter provides guidance, but this section offers some broad generalizations. Obviously, the GM can include whatever foci are available in their setting. Foci end up being an important distinction in this case, because Commands Mental Powers, for example, makes it clear that psychic abilities exist in the setting, just as Howls at the Moon implies the existence of lycanthropes like werewolves, and Pilots Starcraft, of course, requires starships available to pilot.
When a focus is chosen for a character, they get a special connection to one or more of their fellow PCs, a first-tier ability, and perhaps additional starting equipment: one or two pieces of equipment that might be required for the character to use their ability, or that might pair well with the focus. For instance, a character that can build things needs a set of tools. A character that’s constantly on fire needs a set of clothes that are immune to flame. A character that draws runes to cast spells needs writing implements. A character that slays monsters with a sword needs a sword. And so on. That said, many foci don’t require additional equipment.
Each focus also offers one or more suggestions—GM intrusions—for possible effects or consequences of really good or really bad die rolls.
A couple of foci presented in this chapter provide a “type swap option” that allows a player to swap an ability that would otherwise be gained from their type for the indicated ability instead. A player doesn’t have to make the swap; they merely have the option. For instance, the focus Loves the Void provides the option to gain the ability Have Spacesuit, Will Travel instead of a type ability.
As a character progresses to a new tier, a focus grants more abilities. Each tier’s benefit is usually labeled Action or Enabler. If an ability is labeled Action, a character must take an action to use it. If an ability is labeled Enabler, it makes other actions better or gives some other benefit, but it’s not an action. An ability that allows a character to blast foes with lasers is an action. An ability that grants additional damage when an attack is made is an enabler. An enabler is used in the same turn as another action, and often as part of another action.
Each tier’s benefits are independent of and cumulative with benefits from other tiers (unless indicated otherwise). So if a first-tier ability grants +1 to Armor and a fourth-tier ability also grants +1 to Armor, when the character reaches fourth tier, a total of +2 to Armor is granted.
At tier 3 and tier 6, the character is asked to choose one ability from the two options provided.
Finally, you can choose whether you want to expand the story behind the focus (though that’s not mandatory).
Choose a connection that goes well with the focus. If you’re a GM choosing (or creating) one or more foci for your players, choose up to four of the following connections.
Pick one other PC. For reasons unknown to you, that character is completely immune to your focus abilities, whether you use them for help or for harm.
Pick one other PC. You knew of that character years ago, but you don’t think they knew you.
Pick one other PC. You’re always trying to impress them, but you’re not sure why.
Pick one other PC. That character has a habit that annoys you, but you’re otherwise quite impressed with their abilities.
Pick one other PC. That character shows potential in appreciating your particular paradigm, fighting style, or other
focus-provided attribute. You would like to train them, but you’re not necessarily qualified to teach (that’s up to you), and they might not be interested (that’s up to them).
Pick one other PC. If they are within immediate range when you’re in a fight, sometimes they provide an asset, and sometimes they accidentally hinder your attack rolls (50% chance either way, determined per fight).
Pick one other PC. You once saved their life, and they clearly feel indebted to you. You wish they didn’t; it’s just part of the job.
Pick one other PC. That character recently mocked you in some fashion that really hurt your feelings. How you deal with this (if at all) is up to you.
Pick one other PC. That character knows you have suffered at the hands of robotic entities in the past. Whether you hate robots now is up to you, which may affect your relationship with the character if they are friendly with robots or have robotic parts.
Pick one other PC. That character comes from the same place you do, and you knew each other as children.
Pick one other PC. In the past, they taught you a few tricks to use in a fight.
Pick one other PC. That character doesn’t seem to approve of your methods.
Pick one other PC. Long ago, the two of you were on opposite sides of a fight. You won, though you “cheated” in their eyes (but from your perspective, all’s fair in a fight). They may be ready for a rematch, though that’s up to them.
Pick one other PC. You are always trying
to impress that character with your skill, wit, appearance, or bravado. Perhaps they are a rival, perhaps you need their respect, or perhaps you’re romantically interested
in them.
Pick one other PC. You fear that character is jealous of your abilities and worry that it might lead to problems.
Pick one other PC. You accidentally caught them in a trap you set, and they had to get free on their own.
Pick one other PC. You were once hired to track down someone who was close to that character.
Pick two PCs (preferably ones who are likely to get in the way of your attacks). When you miss with an attack and the GM rules that you struck someone other than your target, you hit one of these two characters.
Pick one other PC. You’re not sure how or from where, but that character has a line on bottles of rare alcohol and can get them for you for half price.
Pick one other PC. You recently had a possession go missing, and you’re becoming convinced that they took it. Whether or not they did is up to them.
Pick one other PC. They always seem to know where you are, or at least in what direction you are in relation to them.
Pick one other PC. Seeing you use your focus abilities seems to trigger an unpleasant memory in that character. That memory is up to the other PC, although they may not be able to consciously recall it.
Pick one other PC. Something about them interferes with your abilities. When they stand next to you, your focus abilities cost 1 additional point.
Pick one other PC. Something about them complements your abilities. When they stand next to you, the first focus ability you use in any 24-hour period costs 2 fewer points.
Pick one other PC. You have known that character for a while, and they helped you gain control of your focus-related abilities.
Pick one other PC. Sometime in that character’s past, they had a devastating experience while attempting something that you do as a matter of course thanks to your focus. Whether they choose to tell you about it is up to them.
Pick one other PC. Their occasional clumsiness and loud behavior irritate you.
Pick one other PC. In the recent past, while practicing, you accidentally hit them with an attack, wounding them badly. It is up to them to decide whether they resent or forgive you.
Pick one other PC. They owe you a significant amount of money.
Pick one other PC. In the recent past, while escaping a threat, you accidentally left that character to fend for themselves. They survived, but just barely. It is up to the player of that character to decide whether they resent you or have decided to forgive you.
Pick one other PC. Recently, they accidentally (or perhaps intentionally) put you in a position of danger. You’re fine now, but you’re wary around them.
Pick one other PC. From your perspective, they seem nervous around a specific idea, person, or situation. You would like to teach them how to be more comfortable with their fears (if they will let you).
Pick one other PC. They called you a coward once.
Pick one other PC. That character always recognizes you or your handiwork, whether you’re in disguise or are long gone when they arrive on the scene.
Pick one other PC. You inadvertently caused an accident that put them into a sleep so deep they didn’t wake for three days. Whether they forgive you or not is up to them.
Pick one other PC. You are pretty sure you are related in some fashion.
Pick one other PC. You accidentally learned something they were trying to keep a secret.
Pick one other PC. They are especially sensitive to the use of your flashier focus abilities, and occasionally they become dazzled for a few rounds, which hinders their actions.
Pick one other PC. They appear to have a treasured item that was once yours, but that you lost in a game of chance years ago.
Pick one other PC. If it wasn’t for you, that character would have failed a past test of mental achievement.
Pick one other PC. Based on a couple of comments you’ve overheard, you suspect that they don’t hold your area of training or favorite hobby in the highest regard.
Pick one other PC whose focus intertwines with yours. This odd connection affects them in some way. For example, if the character uses a weapon, your focus ability sometimes improves their attack in some fashion.
Pick one other PC. They are deathly afraid of heights. You would like to teach them how to be more comfortable with their feet off the ground. They must decide whether or not to take you up on your offer.
Pick one other PC. They are skeptical of your claims about something momentous that happened in your past. They might even attempt to discredit you or discover the “secret” behind your story, though that’s up to them.
Pick one other PC. They have a knack for being able to recognize where your plans or schemes have a weak spot.
Pick one other PC. That character’s face is so intriguing to you in a way you don’t understand that you sometimes find yourself sketching their likeness in the dirt or using some other medium you have access to.
Pick one other PC. That character has an extra item of regular equipment you gave them, either something you made or an item you just wanted to give them. (They choose the item.)
Pick one other PC. They commissioned you to do a job for them. You’ve already been paid but haven’t yet completed the job.
Pick one other PC. You worked together in the past, and the job ended badly.
Pick one other PC. While they stand next to you and use their action to concentrate on helping you, one of your focus ability’s ranges is doubled.
The foci in this book have been purposely stripped down to basics so they have the widest possible application across multiple genres. A single descriptive sentence or two summarizes each one. After you choose a focus, you have the option to expand its presentation by adding more story and description relevant to the world or to the character.
For instance, if you choose Operates Undercover, the summarizing description is “Under the guise of someone else, you seek to find answers the powerful do not want divulged.” If you choose Conducts Weird Science, the summary is “Your preternatural insight and ability make you a scientist capable of amazing feats.” These descriptions provide what you need to know to use the focus.
However, if you wish (and only if you wish; there is no requirement to do so), you can add more to those descriptions in a fashion that’s relevant for your game. For example, if you choose both Operates Undercover and Conducts Weird Science for use in a modern genre such as horror, urban fantasy, espionage, or something similar, you might expand the descriptions as shown in the following examples.
Operates Undercover: Espionage is not something you know anything about. At least, that’s what you want everyone to believe, because in truth, you’ve been trained as a spy or covert agent. You might work for a government or for yourself. You might be a police detective or a criminal. You could even be an investigative reporter.
Regardless, you learn information that others attempt to keep secret. You collect rumors and whispers, stories and hard-won evidence, and you use that knowledge to aid your own endeavors and, if appropriate, provide your employers with the information they desire. Alternatively, you might sell what you have learned to those willing to pay a premium.
You probably wear dark colors—black, charcoal grey, or midnight blue—to help blend into the shadows, unless the cover you’ve chosen requires you to look like someone else.
Conducts Weird Science: You could be a respected scientist, having been published in several peer-reviewed journals. Or you might be considered a crank by your contemporaries, pursuing fringe theories on what others consider to be scant evidence. Truth is, you have a particular gift for sifting the edges of what’s possible. You can find new insights and unlock odd phenomena with your experiments. Where others see a crackpot cornucopia, you sift the conspiracy theories for revelation. Whether you conduct your enquiries as a government contractor, a university researcher, a corporate scientist, or an indulger of curiosity in your own garage lab following your muse, you push the boundaries of what’s possible.
You probably care more about your work than trivialities such as your appearance, polite or proper behavior, or social norms, but then again, an eccentric like you might turn the tables on that stereotype too.
If you want to go even further, you could determine where a character’s focus abilities come from. Depending on the genre, they could derive those abilities from advanced and persistent training, via magical runes, through cybernetic parts, from their genetic heritage, or because of their access to advanced technology. For instance, a character might be able to blast targets with lightning because they got zapped by strange radiation or because they picked up a lightning gun. On the other hand, it might be because their intense training allowed them to learn lightning magic. The possibilities are nearly endless, and up to you to include or forgo. Because however a focus’s abilities were gained, it’s also enough that they just work.
Sometimes not everything about a focus is right for a character’s concept, or perhaps the GM needs additional guidelines for creating a new focus. Either way, the solution lies in looking at foci abilities at their most basic default levels.
At any tier, a player can select one of the following abilities in place of the ability granted by the tier. Many of these replacement abilities, particularly at the higher tiers, might involve body modification, integration with high-tech devices, learning powerful magic spells, uncovering forbidden secrets, or something similar appropriate to the genre.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1 or 2 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1, 2, or 3 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsKeNcF252yKnh2O]{Poison Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2BSB9or5UJdTiYF]{Built-in Weaponry}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1, 2, 3, or 4 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
The full description for each focus ability listed in this section is found in the Abilities chapter, which has descriptions for type, flavor, and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Your flesh is made of hard mineral, making you a hulking, difficult-to-harm humanoid.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pXrC4lkMOY7CvFLk]{Golem Body}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9ZBl9NeipxSLavS]{Golem Healing}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aFEBxDGnuFi20cLo]{Golem Grip}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zuEylYrgOVAAjs71]{Trained Basher}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E0k0LUw0epjJGrv9]{Golem Stomp} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.F6mAzjhG2T4irVjy]{Specialized Basher}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4BQHOR98z3TYJPQu]{Still As a Statue}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge}
GM Intrusions: Creatures of stone sometimes forget their own strength or weight. A walking statue can terrify common folk.
You can harness kinetic energy and transform it into other kinds of energy.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.62zBqhQoPk6IV8lF]{Absorb Kinetic Energy}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMjccuRLDDnfZtZe]{Release Energy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJst9mtUKNTe3Pd2]{Energize Object}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yvPcOjjqyU3618Ob]{Absorb Pure Energy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wrPVUnJauasIH886]{Improved Absorb Kinetic Energy}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Y7HUEp7IxdPuur8V]{Overcharge Energy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m21TAvxSQn1rGx3d]{Overcharge Device}
GM Intrusions: Energy goes to ground in a destructive way. Some predators feed directly on energy. An unintended item is drained of energy.
You can pull images from dreams and bring them to life in the waking world.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y08bfWS5eyeUJB3J]{Dreamcraft}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bcEupdsF6FduFPwe]{Oneirochemy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bH57y3PYsMceluGy]{Dream Thief}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FBCpBF9PXlEtIX4m]{Dream Becomes Reality} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FIU24o7T66ViVgyg]{Daydream}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUbqCBV3dBOWFgmv]{Nightmare}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2iAHsn5ie8sYRiyb]{Chamber of Dreams} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
GM Intrusions: An unexpected sleepwalking episode puts the character into a dangerous situation. A nightmare breaks free of a dream.
You excel in battling robots, automatons, and machine entities.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.atQ5yNq1ZEyy0z5j]{Machine Vulnerabilities}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aNNLomN5nZc52ZT4]{Defense Against Robots}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QHSH8fE6l3bKz2xl]{Machine Hunting}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ka5VA9XBi4OTnKVa]{Disable Mechanisms} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJakiz9yvoflzzBD]{Drain Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jHrQLzIfjKtXBoJL]{Deactivate Mechanisms} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: The robot explodes upon defeat. Other robots come after the character for revenge.
You can sheath your body in flames, which protects you and harms your foes.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AzMtxh562JfrPdKZ]{Shroud of Flame}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJjAmyf9zhjRTNme]{Hurl Flame}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TWqyBv9PEjwJKd1y]{Wings of Fire} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.srn53BB1da8Elh1t]{Fiery Hand of Doom}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJQmvEiYq2xBv4ZJ]{Flameblade}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6fpCYtBDCfW6m1b0]{Fire Tendrils}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NVdx8QjmTP5eOjDh]{Fire Servant} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLsz8IqWScZt0Ott]{Inferno Trail}
GM Intrusions: Fire burns flammable material. Fire spreads out of control. Primitive creatures fear fire and often attack what they fear.
You can create light, sculpt it, bend it away from you, or gather it to use as a weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ea7BzQy6fZqHQNET]{Enlightened}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xZQXXjAWGBo7mTHU]{Illuminating Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teFcKcbo5ZBFbfRl]{Dazzling Sunburst}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IUlsD8Zxp8AYbO4h]{Burning Light} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIlgHiF1EN0fEpYx]{Sunlight}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PyVeE7CtDVDksWG6]{Disappear}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cE7JPRHLqIdM3b9V]{Living Light} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field}
GM Intrusions: Allies are accidentally dazzled or blinded. Bright flashes draw guards.
You deploy an amazing shield of pure force that provides protection and some offensive options.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yb5PaVIPimrcJxFg]{Force Field Shield}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aidcxXW6MokDMqY7]{Force Bash}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPflrS1giYnMoqL2]{Enveloping Shield}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6nm35znCQzjAk6Gb]{Healing Pulse} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SPL1URVkuo4PJP8I]{Throw Force Shield}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B5zrSVUs54TUALFB]{Energized Shield}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TXNhhyj63MMp2dVF]{Force Wall}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zflNCqrmTL7vrYg1]{Bouncing Shield} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Np67YSIzrP6w1PPb]{Shield Burst}
GM Intrusions: The shield is temporarily lost. A foe temporarily ends up with the shield.
Your robotic creations do as they are commanded.
The word “robot” is used in this focus, though the robot you create might look very different from one created by someone else, depending on the genre. Steampunk robots, organic robots, or even magical golems are all feasible “robots.”
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.paIv2etaqLqY76y0]{Robot Assistant}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUliR2uWpIcE6jQX]{Robot Builder}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kgCuCmU8kn0UMy8v]{Robot Control}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BSx4qB29VwRUISm6]{Robot Upgrade}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yqhUXLWMSNn5IYOn]{Robot Fleet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HAVNfVKAdwtJF6Jj]{Robot Evolution} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BSx4qB29VwRUISm6]{Robot Upgrade}
GM Intrusions: The robot is hacked, gains a mind of its own, or unexpectedly detonates.
Awesome mathematical ability allows you to model the world in real time, giving you an edge over everyone.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vcbIe2sSMKJmawl4]{Predictive Equation}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A853pOqz5BmPfh4w]{Higher Mathematics}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V5oEOJ4i32t97yOG]{Predictive Model}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CNw7shehsdySzhAK]{Subconscious Defense} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7JkIlrv7gxim4Fn]{Cognizant Offense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GnQRIvynqXx1R2a0]{Further Mathematics}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
GM Intrusions: Too many predicted results threaten to overwhelm and stun the character. A result points to imminent disaster.
A devout follower of a divine being, you channel some of your deity’s power to achieve wonders.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I9m3nOdBZ2HoEmbj]{Blessing of the Gods}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dJTgtIs80gOoI6ac]{Divine Radiance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gDwPpgIAocEfQjPx]{Overawe}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OkKNmMvLFwHxUv2r]{Divine Intervention}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgaSXp1VQiec8Jst]{Divine Symbol} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon}
GM Intrusions: A demon investigates divine magic use. A rival cult has issues with the character’s teachings.
You can pull images from dreams and bring them to life in the waking world.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L2NOLfflU6HNleuT]{Telepathic}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mc8L07dpf605FDo9]{Psychic Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iRqXVpngq6vfgtEn]{Psychic Suggestion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FktE2hQhSKXbWcQU]{Use Senses of Others}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K0C60k7wHBSpMQX4]{Telepathic Network}
GM Intrusions: Something glimpsed in the target’s mind is horrifying. A feedback loop allows the target to read the character’s mind.
Your preternatural insight and ability make you a scientist capable of amazing feats.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4PVFXmi2cxI8MdpR]{Lab Analysis}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mFPUUmBIcGGsuwNd]{Modify Device}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G0hoaZFQpdG7FfxO]{Better Living Through Chemistry} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gjBFpV2OvDmBqeE3]{Just a Bit Mad}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RHLBHQuskBAVGnU8]{Weird Science Breakthrough}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CyuPiJdYZIfNcTSy]{Incredible Feat of Science}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JeqLEAcHOYVd78TH]{Inventor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field}
GM Intrusions: Creations get out of control. Side effects cannot always be predicted. Weird science terrifies people and can draw the media. When a device created or modified by weird science is depleted, it detonates.
The dead answer your questions, and their reanimated corpses serve you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nvA3LwoSP7jf4h8G]{Speaker for the Dead}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yaLHxRtVBhveqHJA]{Necromancy}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uPvNopNWTgHGIPyR]{Reading the Room} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rRDSzPJtUCwRVXFR]{Repair Flesh}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vEVmBgz2TxOH3aSk]{Greater Necromancy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kKYyGbrQxDRSOh37]{Terrifying Gaze}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GDphyYXSfjKE5BST]{True Necromancy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
GM Intrusions: The character’s necromantic reputation precedes them. A corpse seeks revenge for being reanimated.
Your ability to communicate and lead beasts is uncanny.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bOohoEcDegDBinFc]{Beast Companion}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h1rn92kIqG5VVYd6]{Stronger Together}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pFWDdnTXCiPfwsWv]{Beast Call}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qm31Nw2SkBpVcv9M]{As If One Creature} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LvoH43SKKtr3urKo]{Control the Savage}
GM Intrusions: The community is reluctant to welcome dangerous animals. Out-of-control beasts become a real hazard.
You can sway the attraction of gravity itself.
Type Swap Option: Weighty
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SHMGbt30RfePtyNE]{Define Down} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jbhcWHMiQQaR9ukO]{Gravity Cleave}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eJpNT3QObtYiDfXY]{Field of Gravity}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abdAcwYE8L00VakL]{Flight}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cnvf8fv0EEKU3iSn]{Improved Gravity Cleave} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tMOeiKWrhp5P5CCQ]{Weight of the World}
GM Intrusions: Onlookers react with unreasoning fear. A weird interaction sends an ally or object careening into the sky.
You fashion images from light that are so perfect they seem real.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l60mmJrF1GupXLJB]{Minor Illusion}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asQqC0DepYcsPxRV]{Illusory Disguise}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JwG4lCSZIG3qUQAi]{Cast Illusion} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hNsph7BRwllVSUre]{Major Illusion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hJV3hrSYcq3Zbzl5]{Illusory Selves}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9cJ6gJZc7datpQwJ]{Terrifying Image}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lCWWUQ0vYH2odiDv]{Grandiose Illusion} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RNJbp1eAcMqSnYvb]{Permanent Illusion}
GM Intrusions: The illusion isn’t believable. The illusion is pierced at just the wrong moment.
You’re an inventor of strange and useful objects.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkyJ02LbeOAfDxcF]{Crafter}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YF8CYsYKcXpdfqH5]{Master Identifier}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yIdq1lu1eUAkNyDC]{Artifact Tinkerer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m6X5wyPUPdhqLTIp]{Quick Work}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4JDFgEhyhqReRngE]{Master Crafter} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2BSB9or5UJdTiYF]{Built-in Weaponry}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M3TM1cORNnlEN0ZO]{Cyphersmith}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y3qXWOUu7mAhg6Rb]{Innovator}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JeqLEAcHOYVd78TH]{Inventor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor}
GM Intrusions: The object malfunctions, breaks, or suffers catastrophic or unexpected failure.
Cyphersmith works only in a setting where the cyphers are physical objects. If this isn’t the case, this ability should probably be replaced with something akin to Weird Science Breakthrough from the Conducts Weird Science focus.
You can manipulate shadow and “dark” matter.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7aCeBDGZqu8A9hMQ]{Ribbons of Dark Matter}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VWehoqF0N6s0WMLK]{Void Wings}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XYbtbbVKFYmDfmjO]{Dark Matter Shroud} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MqGMnSIkHK4rOFSm]{Dark Matter Strike}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b44vvK2YjdSeYPJc]{Windwracked Traveler}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JUn27j5YI3dRh2jJ]{Dark Matter Structure} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.apQwshUTjCQPym8A]{Embrace the Night}
GM Intrusions: Dark matter skulks away as if possessed by a mind of its own.
Everyone wants you on their side when it comes to a fight because nothing gets by you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.C9x7b1qN4qmm568P]{Fortified Position}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.POaewj2PWMMfCY1i]{Rally to Me}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VgomhLKFHDDAzW9T]{Mind for Might}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZvKFftq7doCxI7T5]{Fortification Builder} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hCAzOVpH0jrYc9qk]{Reinforcing Field}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBykf0P4WQ9Lb6TN]{Generate Force Field} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack}
GM Intrusions: A strategically important structure collapses. The enemy attacks from an unexpected direction.
You stand up for the helpless, the weak, and the unprotected.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6zU8AURXjXgG63j6]{Warding Shield}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9p2RJYFo6s55F5Ha]{Devoted Defender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fh7tK1BVjgSfZ8ml]{Insight}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Su3LkSzdGHg9w1RO]{Dual Wards} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GAeUBbQWE3ryv50V]{True Guardian}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lb5Bo8BpNXdVMkmt]{Combat Challenge}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aDnA7oA9ZYCEfprI]{Resuscitate} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mjEFQ3ndDRvLB5Dj]{True Defender}
GM Intrusions: A character focused on protecting others may periodically leave themselves vulnerable to attacks.
A descendent of wealth and power, you carry a noble title and the abilities granted by a privileged upbringing.
Type Swap Option: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S2OZtm12S2YvxD7H]{Retinue}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A8CGMbLGsJ3AHKMP]{Trained Interlocutor}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AAUqaiWxC5V4e1VH]{Noble’s Courage}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.T5tn7zItPyaRcYNC]{Asserting Your Privilege}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader}
GM Intrusions: Debts incurred by a family are owed by the character. A long-lost sibling seeks to disinherit rivals. An assassin finds the character.
You’re a slacker, but you know a little about a lot of things.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aOzkoVf0mNSkZBtn]{Life Lessons}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2fU3nI68oi5ScziC]{Totally Chill}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aOzkoVf0mNSkZBtn]{Life Lessons}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wztu6KcpILxwlFTU]{Drawing on Life’s Experiences} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits}
GM Intrusions: New situations are confounding and stressful. Past actions (or inactions) come back to haunt the character.
Whether balancing on two wheels, jumping another vehicle, or driving head-on toward an oncoming enemy car, you don’t think about the risks when you’re behind the wheel.
Someone who Drives Like a Maniac needs access to a vehicle.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DCuOpij3sNomBe1a]{Driver}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fu5C9JHmORmWTR8]{Driving on the Edge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lY7NaxsFxt1XZVk5]{Car Surfer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHcC89OKZACgLB8Y]{Stare Them Down}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hQx9SoUhY6jzUeTW]{Expert Driver} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EQXA8Gcwdc7dU8lw]{Sharp-Eyed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vVax9KyZ3U4Wpok8]{Something in the Road}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: The engine develops a knock. The bridge on the road ahead is out. The windshield shatters. Someone unexpectedly runs in front of the vehicle.
Your body, hard as crystal, gives you a suite of unique abilities, gained after an interaction with a floating crystalline obelisk.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QsXOz48JgyXYEEqS]{Inhabit Crystal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIWg9VFNnYnrknAu]{Crystal Lens}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ucsscEpO5L2gIYZg]{Resonant Frequency}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bY52t6eGONKu8Kr4]{Resonant Quake} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tR2v2vMu3TgN21OJ]{Return to the Obelisk}
GM Intrusions: Cyphers and artifacts react unexpectedly in the character’s hands.
You command metal and the power of magnetism.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p2JmtbtuzscW1ogs]{Move Metal}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MK2dp11krszjDsyc]{Repel Metal}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XSuUGS0UyrhiW44]{Destroy Metal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4v5pXMwFeB7xQzME]{Guide Bolt}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n985WYLPzj2XqBry]{Magnetic Field}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uN2YVmNxkFj3SFof]{Command Metal}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fruWNFBBNLpcGLaC]{Diamagnetism} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SZtOjKk7ScShJT6G]{Iron Punch}
GM Intrusions: The metal twists, bends, or produces shrapnel. A lapse in concentration might cause something to slip or drop at just the wrong time.
You perform, mostly for the benefit of others.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rfsCCpxcsjc8hr60]{Levity}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CLObcsu2DKKKhzyK]{Calm}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kZ3LhhYZKrcnBplY]{Master Entertainer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRIDlrBzTXVYC5rh]{Vindictive Performance}
GM Intrusions: The audience is annoyed or offended. Musical instruments break. Paints dry in their pots. The words to a poem or song are forgotten.
You exist in two places at once.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P1jQZdPIrxo4wNlr]{Duplicate}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRh7n2VLXyRa4il9]{Share Senses}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FwEUY43Q8EMVCCsL]{Superior Duplicate} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oEubmS7pZ3zFK8uJ]{Resilient Duplicate}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nVFRDMhuWDrdve4F]{Damage Transference}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmjxGRJTwztzBtLc]{Coordinated Effort}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rsYzxCchklPSFAp7]{Multiplicity} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oEubmS7pZ3zFK8uJ]{Resilient Duplicate}
GM Intrusions: Perceiving the world from two different places disorients the character, causing momentary vertigo, nausea, or confusion.
A bit translucent, you’re slightly out of phase and can move through solid objects.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2j6Hqr2Y8Xbz97c4]{Defensive Phasing}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cJB7wj5okdPZuRNb]{Phased Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MFBq4Fc432FS6nkX]{Phase Door}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QLRztjFH4YetYM6l]{Untouchable}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xHLPf1FETmn06aA8]{Enhanced Phased Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ptH3O4GES71CClGO]{Phase Foe}
GM Intrusions: The character is sent phasing into an unexpected dimension. The character becomes lost in a large solid.
You’re the archetypal treasure hunter, scavenger, and finder of lost things.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwDYD8V1CJv8w9rR]{Superb Explorer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aJ1T8XqGF38vyzV2]{Superb Infiltrator}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xskKzxBoGvSrje4e]{Eyes Adjusted}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LdHCwZcifnRRuPrp]{Nightstrike} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JhBTTC5ZUTT8NvUA]{Slippery Customer}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XRXQwJplJrm7onbN]{Blinding Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2asT0zvk1kw5hC1v]{Embraced by Darkness}
GM Intrusions: Possessions fall out of pockets or bags in the dark; maps get lost; information gained fails to include an important detail.
You’ll do anything to win a fight: bite, scratch, kick, trick, and worse.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gwMRhz3h9zxbVQXt]{Stalker}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7Gxuqkwo4i47yHe3]{Betrayal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9WffstnihzBuuvW]{Mind Games}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z4QcjOxgltEJPm96]{Twisting the Knife} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer}
GM Intrusions: People look poorly upon those who cheat or fight without honor. Sometimes a dirty trick backfires.
You’re a swashbuckling daredevil who fights with flamboyant style that’s entertaining to watch.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GQeO9RXVzeriLsfy]{Quick Block}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ra0A8MtQjZEYhJPr]{Acrobatic Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tmrSKjGmjbxfIqPI]{Flamboyant Boast}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3JWMtJBjf3oUWaxP]{Block for Another}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cuK7oPGFdlOPoc44]{Agile Wit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender}
GM Intrusions: The display comes off looking silly, clumsy, or unattractive.
You can fly, and you’re superstrong, hard to hurt, and fast too. Is there anything you can’t do?
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYyymKUc0QKWdNsy]{See Through Matter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zps9ZUc9RD1mRDEK]{Blink of an Eye}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s68x7VxwueUkCkOg]{Up to Speed}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IUlsD8Zxp8AYbO4h]{Burning Light} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction}
GM Intrusions: A nemesis finds the character. A strange material is found to nullify the character’s abilities.
You can telekinetically move objects with your mind without physically touching them.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xDn74LRD6xlMUqj2]{Telekinesis}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gyZd83dgvZnQrmbb]{Cloak of Opportunity} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bvqDafTBMB7Uo9Qj]{Enhance Strength}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.loOJI9ZakIwGrmW1]{Apportation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8wSx2qtKXq0dWxId]{Psychokinetic Attack}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iEOf9IkbHU8oBOMm]{Improved Apportation} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape}
GM Intrusions: One mental slip, and moving objects drop or fragile objects break. Sometimes the wrong item moves, falls, or breaks.
Your body is part machine.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4dTGeclZRVjzn5tT]{Interface}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.42sPqHxJEybiZ6Vh]{Fusion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement}
GM Intrusions: People in most societies are afraid of someone who is revealed to have mechanical parts.
Electronic aids implanted in your brain make you a mental powerhouse.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GicRKJcPO3hmlwD]{Network Tap}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GK0o4fjCtxgAP269]{Action Processor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dLJ0B35UlB5wxCf4]{Machine Telepathy}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teF5kZpAuRfZKfxn]{Machine Enhancement} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge}
GM Intrusions: Machines malfunction and shut down. Powerful machine intelligences can take control of lesser thinking machines. Some people don’t trust a person who isn’t fully organic.
For brief periods, you can grow larger and, with enough experience, to towering heights.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HDYOv1V10xpFbFI7]{Enlarge}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HoUOwIPfKTlxyQH0]{Freakishly Large}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GmMePJHTRl6PshR6]{Bigger}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wifCvRG9OhsTDT30]{Advantages of Being Big}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WuNUt6ltWGDdjNLS]{Throw}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.48i5ybVtZaTlFLJf]{Grab}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XYaYNoQzrYYKR4p]{Gargantuan}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbbPZIjq81Qqdp6i]{Colossal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Rapid growth knocks over furnishings or smashes through ceilings or hanging lights. An enlarged character breaks through the floor.
You love your friends and help them out of any difficulty, no matter what.
Type Swap Option: Advice From a Friend
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lZCAKgP966BuU4uF]{Friendly Help}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QGSHCRW46vn5Xdwu]{Weather the Vicissitudes}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.knh2MWMhCgqOjWYD]{Buddy System} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RgosWDt0hkosbVQr]{In Harm’s Way}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwVDTy2Rx1V7Tyly]{Enhanced Physique}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1tkQKo32UKxTUUPn]{Deep Consideration} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Others sometimes have ulterior motives. The law takes an undue interest. Even when everything goes right, repercussions follow.
For brief periods, you become a fearsome and powerful creature with control issues.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8DXGUr433iXaVCSv]{Beast Form}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wIOwT1tjGLMYzZAb]{Controlled Change}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NIePQkLH2DTVjZR2]{Bigger Beast Form} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ee8QC6fkRvD1yw6h]{Greater Beast Form}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqzexDdZolWgxAza]{Greater Controlled Change}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A9uQnidn6SKTNHJA]{Enhanced Beast Form}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control}
GM Intrusions: The change happens in an uncontrolled fashion. People are terrified of monsters.
You are a stalking hunter who excels at bringing down your selected quarry.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aBfj6w1y6noOzB7d]{Horde Fighting} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.57txEIyzuPUQOqVP]{Sprint and Grab}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LE8NtDKG9TzXBv5B]{Hunter’s Drive}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ENO71nxs3MSKzvq6]{Multiple Quarry}
GM Intrusions: The quarry notices the character. The quarry isn’t as vulnerable as it seemed.
Subtlety, guile, and stealth allow you to get in where others can’t.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WUY75HFAqAu1i9ku]{Sense Attitudes}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFc52xBtBp69WglW]{Impersonate}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LFiTEQpWhXBgIZWb]{Flight Not Fight}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3SiJ5Drao8XtmgzV]{Brainwashing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jrTEtAhE6GfLW7R4]{Spring Away}
GM Intrusions: Spies are treated harshly when caught. Allies disavow infiltrators who get caught. Some secrets are better left unknown.
You excel at winning others over to your views.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EbnGDC61relhYaib]{Opening Statement}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xBQM1AmjmcjmPDDD]{Knowledge of the Law}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GwH3ugd7aHrWZRz]{Debate}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FQPA8oY3xiZIL6aG]{Enhanced Intellect Edge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hw16NpdbdJOqVF4z]{Castigate}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kcXnkEBuyNil4Nd4]{No One Knows Better}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pGJIwlCJDib2Splm]{Legal Intern}
GM Intrusions: Onlookers react badly to a know-it-all. A distraction or interruption throws the character’s argument off the rails.
You’re a celebrity and most people adore you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK4CUb9HH4J5A8IN]{Entourage}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zGoUoC6i0f1SbUqE]{Celebrity Talent}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6QXGJBsJPDFgcdq5]{Perks of Stardom}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUhnX0UmEw2BROkI]{Captivate With Starshine}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1W0sBVHxG7LESCPl]{Do You Know Who I Am?}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zZYSSAFXtJcuezxM]{Transcend the Script} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion}
GM Intrusions: Fans are endangered or hurt on your behalf. Someone in your entourage betrays you. Your show, tour, contract, or other event is canceled. The media posts photos of you in an embarrassing situation.
You carry a gun and you know how to use it in a fight.
Although Is Licensed to Carry is designed with modern firearms in mind, it could apply to flintlock weapons, futuristic laser blasters, or other ranged weapons.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1SBd1jm66eSo4eHn]{Gunner}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wAbsUj5mHZatr3JG]{Practiced With Guns}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mbq7D0u4Vee0NKYz]{Careful Shot}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I8N5PUMy5Eq7cqZl]{Trained Gunner} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oNk0Nhle1XwBhOvp]{Snap Shot}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BM6YnBez7sVnrGUh]{Special Shot} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Misfire or jam! The attack fails and the action is lost, plus an additional action is needed to fix the problem.
“WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE” posters (or their equivalent) have appeared featuring your face. It’s up to you whether it’s a mistake that snowballed out of control or you actually would kill someone just for looking at you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DMBJEypEWuAS2lai]{Outlaw Reputation} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fD8yD0pGCMdOJkGb]{Band of Desperados}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Most people do not take well to discovering a wanted outlaw in their midst.
An allied magic creature bound to an object (such as a minor djinn in a lamp, or a ghost in a pipe) is your friend, protector, and weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9Kag2UMn6Wdxq4Zo]{Bound Magic Creature}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PCTUkuALVb0GdTCe]{Object Bond}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1KjY8D1dvLc3NuUv]{Hidden Closet}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QxOsAHpd8ZkEXI5u]{Improved Object Bond}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Aprz5cRtdgiAIYUM]{Object Bond Mastery} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V7npSeuqG3JI4Dvv]{Trust to Luck}
GM Intrusions: The creature unexpectedly disappears into its bound object. The bound object cracks. The creature disagrees and doesn’t do as asked. The creature says it’s leaving unless a task is performed for it.
Your natural leadership capability allows you to command others, including a loyal band of followers.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDUGlu7DZhdfxH2P]{Natural Charisma}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EMTH3JCrC5Vjt63]{Captivate or Inspire}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KpbEHKNSEycVB1GU]{Band of Followers} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader}
GM Intrusions: Followers fail, betray, lie, become corrupted, get kidnapped, or die.
You deal with bad situations as they arise, learning new lessons each time.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0xVoKhKKvzxIbtJD]{There’s Your Problem}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YCwy44WnpusEYN7g]{Quick Study}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qgholblGXKQri99M]{Hard to Distract}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FQPA8oY3xiZIL6aG]{Enhanced Intellect Edge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIK67k9aoBbFBnkf]{Pay It Forward}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2LaX22wvw35lDger]{Learned a Few Things}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EE1xCQ3OvCrdrG6z]{Two Things at Once} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Accidents and mistakes are great teachers.
You can survive in badlands where others perish.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KqV5RSzOU3S3NK51]{Wilderness Life}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFQaDsHzJpTSV8Tw]{Living Off the Land}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Db7aRY4t1mwRpcoL]{Wilderness Explorer}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ja8ebgq2RDQryN62]{Wilderness Encouragement}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBdIPMJ2oOOesmod]{Wilderness Awareness}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pfZzabIIEuU4kSH3]{The Wild Is on Your Side}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TRdK7RJBkq8WW4np]{Wild Camouflage}
GM Intrusions: People in cities and towns sometimes disparage those who look (and smell) like they live in the wilds, as if they were ignorant or barbaric.
You’re a scrapper and love a good fight.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XseI77zSp7iHkEWq]{Wound Tender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qp1jDaFiRR5xPPMn]{Protector}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tFhd4dEGikOd1g1K]{Straightforward}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2K3b6cTuLEGZfYqa]{Knock Out}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Weapons break or fly from even the strongest grip. Brawlers trip and fall. Even the battlefield can work against you with things falling or collapsing.
When it’s just you, your spacesuit, and the panorama of stars wheeling out forever and always, you are at peace.
Type Swap Option: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.geCiPXMF2sIRJ68U]{Have Spacesuit, Will Travel}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zgcoMEc4j2MjpDhC]{Vacuum Skilled}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GfDLA0qSvqhqzIbL]{Microgravity Adept}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwVDTy2Rx1V7Tyly]{Enhanced Physique}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q73VWJY2cmWxRcYx]{Space Fighting} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U2QV8t7Pq9irgHqF]{Silent As Space}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJ9nWmcBIlfyNDfe]{Push Off and Throw}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIy1HDd9yUl07AYo]{Microgravity Avoidance}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w3HN2nZBTo5mLJcM]{Weightless Shot} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
GM Intrusions: Spacesuits develop glitches. Air refill cartridges sometimes misreport capacity. Micrometeorites are common in space.
You use protective equipment and practiced techniques to avoid becoming hurt in a fight.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EheuStXUDPojVmT5]{Shield Master}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gS1X6POaKLjNlHsI]{Sturdy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zLJYM2OiFVIsuz3P]{Dodge and Resist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lGbieMmnuoqsl4Jz]{Nothing but Defend}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B6SEeGr5kxLAgvvq]{Wear It Well}
GM Intrusions: Shields break when hit, as do weapons used to parry. Armor straps break.
By specializing in spellcasting and keeping a spellbook, you can quickly cast spells of arcing lightning, rolling fire, creeping shadow, and summoning.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EyAIsiqJGCspQFcu]{Arcane Flare}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yg6jEM07HAccDcNC]{Ray of Confusion}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEWyNKnVgVOjsyms]{Summon Giant Spider}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2t9oGZRuFhLCKjsa]{Soul Interrogation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK9Ruc53rKBqU93i]{Granite Wall}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
GM Intrusions: The spell goes wrong. The summoned creature turns on the caster. A rival spellcaster is drawn to the magic use.
Insects. Rats. Bats. Even birds. You master one type of small creature that obeys you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZEcFnsNXgcozJElT]{Influence Swarm}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIxPlDRbNqallNiu]{Control Swarm}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CEscdPwUrBpzUeS0]{Living Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gLxVxCSix441TyKq]{Call Swarm}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rUzrjRuT2nfEdCaJ]{Gain Unusual Companion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iQhBPww1s4wRZcDz]{Deadly Swarm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: A command is misunderstood. Control is erratic or is lost. Bites and stings are not uncommon for masters of the swarm.
You are a master user of a particular type of weapon, be it a sword, whip, dagger, gun, or something else.
Someone who Masters Weaponry might have additional equipment, including a high- quality weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.J0fj73TfCu4aSdVL]{Weapon Master}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qBTIXXJt2Ahn8UYh]{Weapon Crafter}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6Xs3fyaANQDWXRoc]{Weapon Defense}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YA5P5CBNr5NSmY6z]{Rapid Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.imWLlYQs4LTaCTdS]{Never Fumble}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mhgFWIDr0QuCHRIF]{Extreme Mastery}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike}
GM Intrusions: Weapons break. Weapons can be stolen. Weapons can be dropped or forced out of your hand.
You right wrongs, protect the innocent, and punish the guilty.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zu06akqnHdCvoR0W]{Make Judgment}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjxKTFdA8gqZDP90]{Designation}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5jGN9GicKYIAneKQ]{Defend the Innocent}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3fMzqFFQ1rLtbVrd]{Improved Designation}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bz04IOSkdP3zcRMD]{Defend All the Innocent} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iGRECL13bqrSSF7P]{Punish the Guilty}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RESKINMA0INj60Rc]{Find the Guilty}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgnoEdKZ50u4JZoL]{Greater Designation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KVOFCKWKmUrqAe7v]{Punish All the Guilty}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JH40M99RAN6IZWze]{Damn the Guilty} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kf09KYdZqG6dNTFC]{Inspire the Innocent}
GM Intrusions: Guilt or innocence can be complicated. Some people resent the presumption of a self-appointed judge. Passing judgment makes enemies.
Lithe, flexible, and graceful, you move quickly and smoothly, and never seem to be where danger is.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJiXzKX4gf0GNV6V]{Balance}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0Ewv5wBooSFYOlH]{Safe Fall}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JlYk5UNZEUzzO8Js]{Quick Strike}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CrV3a9S1yzOXBOJ]{Slippery}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
GM Intrusions: Even a cat can be clumsy. A jump isn’t quite as easy as it looks. An escape move is so overzealous that it sends the character right into harm’s way.
You can move so fast that you become a blur.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8LHIZs9gEAd02tId]{Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zps9ZUc9RD1mRDEK]{Blink of an Eye}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhNvpbUWNRIFEm8b]{Hard to See}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0wVk3CszKCJQfp0Q]{Incredible Running Speed}
GM Intrusions: Surfaces can be slick or offer hidden obstacles. The movement of other creatures can be unpredictable, and the character might run into them.
You’re an assassin, whether by trade, by inclination, or because it was that or be killed yourself. (Someone who Murders might have additional equipment, including three doses of a level 2 blade poison that inflicts 5 points of damage.)
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYaAyFLmCAAwZi0s]{Assassin Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y2eUnbkzxOeoe9w6]{Quick Death}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tbeFzIPGuAjRBpKM]{Better Surprise Attack}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzJe2XEwhtUajTWI]{Escape Plan} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer}
GM Intrusions: Most people do not react well to a professional killer.
Powerful punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and full body movements are all the weapons you need.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K33ayv0NcktuV53N]{Flesh of Stone}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p61Ycyc7lVZQXupO]{Advantage to Disadvantage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJKRrcU5L1yM9y90]{Unarmed Fighting Style}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mGv7zlZu1wtNCQXQ]{Moving Like Water} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S4PaEqmYjg4TGoG3]{Master of Unarmed Fighting Style} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Striking certain foes hurts you as much as it hurts them. Opponents with weapons have greater reach. Complicated martial arts moves can knock you off balance.
You never quit, can shrug off a beating, and always come back for more.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UtFc3e4grYyCQneH]{Improved Recovery}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wXV7JxEmZDlBvRKO]{Push on Through}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5HNZcrij9mgEmvAR]{Final Defiance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction}
GM Intrusions: Sometimes, it’s equipment or weapons that give out.
Under the guise of someone else, you seek to find answers the powerful do not want divulged.
Someone who Operates Undercover might have additional equipment that includes a disguise kit.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PK6oiYXgdP7KaGgi]{Investigate}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eYHlYyVDj3odrAFJ]{Disguise}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ILcTvACqDdLVpc8]{Agent Provocateur} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bgaCXtvlT0zWmAIA]{Using What’s Available}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V7npSeuqG3JI4Dvv]{Trust to Luck} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike}
GM Intrusions: Bad luck can ruin the best plans. Disguises fail. Allies are revealed to be agents, too.
A muscled prodigy, you can haul incredible weight, hurl your body through the air, and punch through doors.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpXOBSLY03j89yOy]{Athlete}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g1t5TxZXsNovIVTn]{Enhanced Might Edge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YQEECpNwDSFCFnCN]{Feat of Strength}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PYD24TjoDAqbKAj8]{Iron Fist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WuNUt6ltWGDdjNLS]{Throw}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ARiNuZrnfFCvZAFd]{Brute Strike}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack}
GM Intrusions: It’s easy to break delicate things or hurt someone accidentally.
You’re a crack starship pilot.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk5nnC1EcYtqc3Fu]{Pilot}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgCWZia7gFicmEJr]{Flex Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h3G0Ven2SoaPCbk4]{Salvage and Comfort}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hGbNYgkuIiZHomcJ]{Mentally Tough}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.12xO8QaEsTvEFUvY]{Expert Pilot}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIy0GMeL8WALvhEb]{Ship Footing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x7YnN02GiwDQ09km]{Sensor Array}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YWMUeaNzao8n8pAc]{Like the Back of Your Hand}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0q9alvmsQKKViN0r]{Incomparable Pilot}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yo2Z3EdYjx88jYnp]{Remote Control} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
GM Intrusions: Starcraft get lost, break down, and are attacked in space. An alien stowaway is found.
Lessons, reflexes, and strategies you’ve learned by playing too many games have applications in the real world, where people who don’t play enough toil and live their dreary lives.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qpBv7OxAcMAAtY2M]{Game Lessons}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p3kh3XKzetkJTG1J]{Gamer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qEzcqbNhuJQuBagn]{Zero Dark Eyes}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pMQT2QIL38XlhkxB]{Resist Tricks}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QDSSTe5EGrBHjtnL]{Sniper’s Aim} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9WffstnihzBuuvW]{Mind Games}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W0Jw19mWIycjIgmo]{Gamer’s Fortitude}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIUTe5O1jeA47zps]{Gaming God}
GM Intrusions: Missed attacks strike the wrong target. Equipment breaks. Sometimes people react negatively to someone who has lived most of their life in imaginary game worlds.
When you go berserk, everyone fears you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YGsGHp1rbu3Z7Kdd]{Frenzy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoC3yuqxU8yhPf47]{Power Strike} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zEkA8MhrnJ5p9Io6]{Unarmored Fighter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hAVC1FOl7hwnuBpC]{Greater Frenzy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ltAq7qr8aaalOtJp]{Attack and Attack Again}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: It’s easy for a berserker to lose control and attack friend as well as foe.
You create and discharge electrical power.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3btRIiWxY8oMcVMo]{Shock}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.essJhO2eqoHmIQaa]{Charge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uh1t4rnkZ2jOCjHJ]{Bolt Rider}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.76HF09q7MdGek863]{Electric Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YDKULtvV0pMJDxi2]{Bolts of Power}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.etGUYa9dQSvjLvXX]{Electrical Flight}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2TaqNf6bhxijKELX]{Flash Across the Miles} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Bny0sFdqf40pJeOp]{Wall of Lightning}
GM Intrusions: Targets other than those intended are shocked. Objects explode.
Your first instinct is to run from danger, and you’ve gotten very good at it.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.10EqPrn9aONinEfm]{Go Defensive}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QVPmLa6CKwmH6vJZ]{Quick to Flee}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0wVk3CszKCJQfp0Q]{Incredible Running Speed} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U33DbRwloywFlYfi]{Go to Ground}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hKhwP85QeRGPW03G]{Burst of Escape} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Quick movements sometimes lead to dropped items, slipping on uneven ground, or going the wrong way by accident.
You sailed with a crew of dread pirates, but you’ve decided to end your days as a pirate and join some other cause. The question is, will your past let you go so easily?
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IYt42xzsjesQyEfT]{Sailor}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1POQ4sFW5DLrmXhn]{Fearsome Reputation}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oCcnXLYQy9DjwPJC]{Sea Legs}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5rgcPJXpCcB5VJ1m]{Lost in the Chaos}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AsmIgvoIRPEtuzkh]{Duel to the Death} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
GM Intrusions: The dangers of the high seas are many, including severe storms and disease. Other pirates sometimes get ahead through betrayal. A pirate tracks down former sailing mates to find hidden treasure.
When not running and hiding, you sift the ruins of civilization for useful remnants to ensure your survival.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OjGaIl0JEepjDrla]{Post-Apocalyptic Survivor}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZOfmWQFbwSJQB4wm]{Ruin Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IswvUEdCBBZDRme6]{Junkmonger}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YID6zEB7KkHGYAlD]{Know Where to Look}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EjBzy1Ue1AA8i6ry]{Recycled Cyphers}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MJE1k2RmCM6HRwFV]{Artifact Scavenger} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
GM Intrusions: An item made with recycled junk breaks. Someone shows up claiming that the useful item or piece of junk scavenged belongs to them. A recycled cypher explodes.
You have a psychic sense that allows you to see what others cannot.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jq6Wm9xYxJA0bRaR]{See the Unseen}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYyymKUc0QKWdNsy]{See Through Matter}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mu5knvNfGyaeaiTB]{Find the Hidden} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBjSpuK7XJc1abJv]{Remote Viewing}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PazO9rJ2YoE8VEUw]{See Through Time}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lL7QywDGOszTIJCE]{Mental Projection} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RE24qvMuPhasaCP3]{Total Awareness}
GM Intrusions: Some secrets are too terrible to know.
You can project your mind out of your body to see faraway places and learn secrets that would otherwise remain hidden.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WgjatSOUT6pT02A7]{Third Eye}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oTDJtTDkwxr5uSfU]{Open Mind}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9sfX1SGtcQ17Uiny]{Sharp Senses}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6X3BDWzVKsWltrtY]{Roaming Third Eye} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mu5knvNfGyaeaiTB]{Find the Hidden}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.miR0d91lKIfmBGdO]{Psychic Passenger}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lL7QywDGOszTIJCE]{Mental Projection} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eblwQ80CBlBdeUp5]{Improved Sensor}
GM Intrusions: Reuniting mind and body can sometimes be disorienting and require a character to spend a few moments to get their bearings.
You keep the place where you live safe from all danger.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.op9VSx3NJT28UwTH]{Community Knowledge}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ag3OU8JZuc769034]{Community Activist}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ZVINuyZm4jowRGt]{Shepherd’s Fury} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xxavxLEaiVFug1D6]{Protective Wall}
GM Intrusions: People in the community misunderstand the character’s motives. Rivals try to oust the character.
Wandering souls, nature spirits, and elemental beings aid and support you.
In some settings, the Shepherds Spirits focus applies to only one kind of spirit, such as spirits of the deceased, nature spirits, and so on.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pHFFr4DkCythNc5n]{Question the Spirits}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RkOvawhfH5MHQFOH]{Spirit Accomplice}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCQdSi11hJDyOSdD]{Command Spirit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWVz2CkwLnCSJMdS]{Wraith Cloak}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jVY1PTxvZvpjZILB]{Call Dead Spirit}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ElsQU746B70tsPmZ]{Call Otherworldly Spirit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PvISXo6EQ2PmCGes]{Infuse Spirit}
GM Intrusions: Some people don’t trust those who deal with spirits. The dead sometimes don’t want shepherding.
Speed plus phasing gives you a unique ability to evade danger and simultaneously inflict damage.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7f6ulMjWFw2BOK76]{Disrupting Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n81xGnZHydeXmIRc]{Scratch Existence}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nEN2HYzlJWhonfmE]{Invisible Phasing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rXUUDUJFKis8TpnL]{Phase Detonation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8yGwY0PvtF2ivdSn]{Very Long Sprinting}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P9HlASUtyiOXghBZ]{Shred Existence} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.INdq5iQf5ECzRiNp]{Untouchable While Moving}
GM Intrusions: Moving so quickly while sprinting sometimes leads to stumbles on unexpected, exotic obstacles.
You suck power out of machines and creatures alike in order to empower yourself.
Robots and other living machines should be treated as creatures, not machines, for the purposes of siphoning power from them.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JyAovhallyh9m6oW]{Drain Machine}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gWvMJQPBSmeaP8yN]{Drain Creature}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEj2uvWI3w0W9HWH]{Drain at a Distance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P73TBXcNDbZCVsdE]{Unraveling Consumption}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gn1jtMLhp6qPNXUL]{Store Energy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Xvgo62UVSOI9Acx]{Share the Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Be1ehHb90jtLc8l0]{Explosive Release} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xbYD729j3km6ZDCA]{Sun Siphon}
GM Intrusions: Drained power also transmits something unwanted—compulsions, afflictions, or alien thoughts. Siphoned power can overload the character, causing feedback.
You kill monsters.
Although wielding a sword in a setting where people usually do not carry such weapons is fine, you can change the Slays Monsters sword-related abilities to use a different weapon, such as a gun with silver bullets.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WFK0xBSAIpD59va8]{Practiced With Swords}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nW46hfygkxB7FW5m]{Monster Bane}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRW5MxW12oakmeHE]{Monster Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lw0otGU2Iaorppdc]{Will of Legend}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gPqiQflb6Z3DXGVk]{Trained Slayer}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HPIlAWDGOQFw6yGm]{Improved Monster Bane} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5otvtHrbVXIh0N27]{Fight On}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} (swords)
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VupBbHOJAX45Yazb]{Heroic Monster Bane}
GM Intrusions: The monster laid a trap or set an ambush. The monster has previously undisclosed abilities. The monster’s mother vows revenge.
You’re a master of deduction, using evidence to find the answer.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzpkQwb1jA53bs1y]{Investigator}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HWZ8mwAfZEu6r778]{Sleuth}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BkWiUHcUrcRIKqO]{Out of Harm’s Way}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlVEpuVxp9pGJSoa]{You Studied} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mL6Yae2CxgefOMHn]{Draw Conclusion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0f2qoQlYGRqgu0Nj]{Defuse Situation}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqUItgrYzBeMiAoB]{Seize the Initiative} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Evidence disappears, red herrings confuse, and witnesses lie. Initial research can be faulty.
Your spiritual connection to nature and the environment grants you mystical abilities.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0Wq39mJ9oXA415qx]{Seeds of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8KYjSKp6ieQ8YXUy]{Wilderness Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zW0cZJQTR0tHUmn3]{Grasping Foliage}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RfGCXsX7JXEr8fMw]{Moon Shape}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJpMPRD25O7HvhbV]{Insect Eruption}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2lhnVWUMX1Nu6KVj]{Call the Storm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake}
GM Intrusions: An injured natural (but dangerous) creature is discovered. Someone’s poaching wildlife for their skins, leaving the carcasses to rot. A tree falls in the forest, one of the last elder trees.
Your armor, along with your size, strength, incredible training, or machine enhancement, makes you difficult to move or hurt.
Some characters who Stand Like a Bastion might already be experts in armor. They can choose a different tier 1 ability instead of Practiced in Armor.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mmg9XLzvfbP4ESGO]{Resist the Elements}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.27EOrq94WxqgBbWQ]{Unmovable}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YeOtzG5ksxonD5RS]{Living Wall}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsAP4JEe7W5gaGaG]{Hardiness}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NKvNEjx64CcS3l13]{Shield Training}
GM Intrusions: Armor is damaged. Small foes conspire in ingenious ways.
You use your organic brain like a computer, interfacing “wirelessly” with any electronic device. You can control and influence them in ways that others can’t.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lzy1YbdIJxzNIHZq]{Machine Affinity}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L3UjcLAFvS9MLWCu]{Coaxing Power}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SeAlSU8Rim5CWsgV]{Charm Machine}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2odkyEO8azxIZWYj]{Intelligent Interface} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OE5yXpzWC8lSUmGX]{Command Machine}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion}
GM Intrusions: The machine malfunctions or acts unpredictably.
Everything that leaves your hand goes exactly where you’d like it to go and at the range and speed to make the perfect impact.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XAXJ3mFGdDv0fXLP]{Precision}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlTtlXeugIljHFVg]{Careful Aim}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yszDDDpH6m16dEoV]{Quick Throw} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1L1uoad8vwgWxiyN]{Everything Is a Weapon}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbWaCBEfSMujqvDf]{Specialized Throwing}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WW3QjCP5UJUsKBW3]{Whirlwind of Throws}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Missed attacks strike the wrong target. Ricochets can be dangerous. Improvised weapons break.
You emit destructive sound and manipulate soundscapes.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uMaMKhemHmtlXDjT]{Thunder Beam}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.87SQGqcRavRZslAp]{Sound Conversion Barrier}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KLFHpPR0MKLOWr8l]{Nullify Sound} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EcOIgMC9c1IfSHsr]{Echolocation}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.znJCKr6PeEq4a0j5]{Shattering Shout}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QZa9b5G80qxtoYqg]{Subsonic Rumble}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlFT2ITvytQVWywQ]{Lethal Vibration}
GM Intrusions: Loud noises attract attention.
You can see through time, try to reach through it, and eventually even travel through it.
Although all character choices are subject to GM approval, Travels Through Time is a focus that the GM and player should probably have a long conversation about ahead of time, so the player knows the rules of time travel (if any) that exist in the GM’s setting. A character with this focus can drastically alter a setting, if the rules of time travel allow it.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YD5gm0w3lqTSyO3V]{Anticipation}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.83y32UMQWshRvbDG]{See History}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wxiRMTCBZ4iNCHp]{Temporal Acceleration} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l5vgtPP0LcsqGrzn]{Time Loop}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0EhZzYdEhtCRnV4c]{Temporal Dislocation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U58ZQ1X3byfANn4W]{Call Through Time} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lkO9VJhfOrgLY4g1]{Time Travel}
GM Intrusions: Paradoxes are created. Others remember past events differently.
You are the “chosen one,” and prophecy, prediction, prognostication, or some other method of determination expects great things of you one day.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4p95GsynORh0Xd7X]{Knowing}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7CKGOQWnfdNO885]{Destined for Greatness}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zIYdniz9sjvAHsnX]{Overcome All Obstacles} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WeMTxJElozl7OWdJ]{Center of Attention}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cfR2uFYjteKAqsYw]{Show Them the Way}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2uSx4ErQ9f2QLX5M]{As Foretold in Prophecy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
GM Intrusions: An enemy described in prophecy appears. Unbelievers threaten to ruin the moment. The character gains a reputation in outside circles as a fraud.
You command the wintery power of cold and ice.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.czVqoPjH98xaNY1d]{Ice Armor}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nHqTzLHJrUWSAATM]{Frost Touch}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BGMXK6VKNmp8M4A3]{Freezing Touch} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7G8B9lfoVXkuxvKB]{Ice Creation}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yEfkqXxmuQqlA6Fi]{Cold Burst}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvC2vboULutesBDu]{Ice Storm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets}
GM Intrusions: Ice makes surfaces slippery. Extreme cold causes objects to crack and break.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ClJUFnz8xBmP4a2l]{Powered Armor}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCoCGVzWxIL9fIvH]{Force Blast}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cTU70NgcebRlD7jI]{Field-Reinforced Armor}
Tier 6: Masterful Armor Modification (Jet Assisted Flight) or Masterful Armor Modification (Cypher Pod)
GM Intrusions: The armor won’t come off. The armor acts under its own power. The armor suffers a momentary power loss. NPCs are scared by the power armor.
You bear steel with both hands, ready to take on any foe.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NHns9zqufRvB3Tnl]{Dual Light Wield}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Pu5XGGLI6cCp1EQd]{Double Strike}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q9nALxXrBv5ubXaT]{Dual Medium Wield} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rOxKh1Z7J686a0nv]{Precise Cut}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gVOzzvxS6PPu8Ofy]{Dual Defense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3uGYyiXUUSz952zQ]{Dual Distraction}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack}
GM Intrusions: A blade snaps in two or a weapon flies loose from its bearer’s grip.
You take great satisfaction in a job well done, whether it’s coding, building houses, or mining asteroids.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.f7wLki6qjCNs2Ici]{Handy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBGeAZSBuymzrxDz]{Muscles of Iron}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RM8Fmu1IJwzBkjcM]{Eye for Detail} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t8wL47jk1KS4zapb]{Tough It Out}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MdRdAc0qAWghMmlV]{Expert Skill}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
GM Intrusions: Repairs sometimes fail. Wiring can be tricky to decipher and still carry an electrical charge. Some people are rude to those who work for a living.
You can heal others with a touch, alter time to help others, and are generally beloved by everyone.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.igGttY1Y2XbAx3qY]{Healing Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8mP69InEXQ4TB5BL]{Alleviate}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rAmIxY5G1BK4ZMm7]{Font of Healing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7amEMbwK27v31Lt9]{Miraculous Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O2XHxUa2QNrliDMG]{Greater Healing Touch} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ydmPM9m8nmmgvlXc]{Restore Life}
GM Intrusions: Attempts to heal might cause harm instead. A community or individual needs a healer so desperately that they hold one against their will.
You make your way unseen, stealing from the wealthy to achieve your ends.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OFWQd2W52VAODeas]{Underworld Contacts}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OtbS1NoVXK7mQLEe]{Guild Training}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KM9qqjzJBJusQNkT]{Master Thief}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xR2DkSqvAoR8Vtfn]{Dirty Fighter}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QtpmHxblBqoQozbg]{Alley Rat} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eepc8U2e178RDqBs]{All-Out Con}
GM Intrusions: Thieves are thrown in jail. Powerful enemies are made.
You can exploit flaws in artificial systems, including but not limited to computer code.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0V2NE0905wwYPRVo]{Hack the Impossible}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkiG6hpsfj1h6XRR]{Computer Programming}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CekF2lqwNrMyio0]{Connected}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmDavAL4vDxKjLBK]{Confidence Artist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fYBYD1EfA5z1NFl]{Confuse Enemy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jTiOQKW2QtXK8dmF]{Work the Friendship}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HUVY2MA2CBegFhLY]{Call in Favor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
GM Intrusions: Contacts sometimes have ulterior motives. Devices sometimes have failsafes or even traps.
Books are your friends. What’s more important than knowledge? Nothing.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wJSxVM8fWADJtTSd]{Applying Your Knowledge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sq2JJtnRtSthJSYL]{Tower of Intellect} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs}
GM Intrusions: Books burn, get wet, or get lost. Computers break or lose power. Glasses break.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":398438,"name":"Creating New Foci","type":"text","_id":"0VwlyyylqvFgJjZw","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This section provides everything you need to create your own foci.
Every focus has an overarching style, whether that’s exploration, energy manipulation, or simply dealing a lot of damage in combat. These broad classifications are called focus categories.
Each focus category has an overarching theme, followed by selection guidelines that describe how to choose abilities for each tier from the Abilities chapter, from tier 1 to tier 6.
The newly created focus should be named in the form of a verb, like Controls Beasts or Abides in Stone. For instance, a fire-using focus created by following the guidelines in the energy manipulation focus category might be called Bears a Halo of Fire (one of the sample foci in this chapter). Alternatively, a new fire-using focus should get an all-new name like Stokes the Flames of the Apocalypse or Lights Fires With a Thought.
The ability selection guidelines invite you to choose an ability from one of three ranges: low tier, mid tier, and high tier. These ranges correspond with the power “grades” given for every ability. These abilities are further sorted into ability categories based on the kinds of things they do—abilities that improve physical attacks are in the attack skill category, abilities that assist allies are in the support category, and so on. Look for the grades and categories in the Ability Categories and Relative Power section of the Abilities chapter.
Low-tier abilities are best suited for focus options at tiers 1 and 2. Mid-tier abilities are best suited for focus options at tiers 3 and 4. High-tier abilities are best suited for focus options at tiers 5 and 6.
That said, sometimes you’ll find it appropriate to assign a low-tier ability at tier 3 or 4, or maybe a mid-tier ability at tier 1 or 2. Do so sparingly, but don’t rule it out. It might be the only way to get all the abilities you want for the focus you’re building. Higher-tier abilities usually cost more Pool points to use. So if a mid-tier ability is made available at tier 1 or 2, or a high-tier ability is made available at tier 3 or 4, the higher cost will be a balancing factor.
The guidelines within each category go a long way toward ensuring that the focus you build will be balanced. Sometimes it might be appropriate to grant a low-power ability along with a regular ability at a given tier, depending on the needs of the focus. A “low-power ability” is deliberately open for GM interpretation, but generally speaking, should be no more potent than a low-tier ability (that is, an ability that is normally available at tier 1 or 2).
For instance, someone who uses cold might be able to create small snow sculptures in addition to emitting a cold ray. Someone who uses electricity might be able to charge a depleted artifact or have an asset for dealing with electrical systems. And so on.
Often, the focus guidelines note this as a possibility. However, you have great leeway in deciding if a focus needs an additional ability, even if the guidelines for that tier don’t indicate one. If you do add an ability, or there is a
higher-power ability at a tier that normally shouldn’t have it, it might mean that the choice given at the next tier, or the previous tier, isn’t quite as good. Balancing a focus is a bit of an art. Resist the urge to overpower the focus, but don’t underpower it, either.
Each focus category provides a guideline for what kind of ability you should select at every tier. But don’t regard the guidelines as something that you can’t vary. They’re not prescriptive; they’re just a place to start. You might want to vary the kind of ability at a particular tier that isn’t indicated in the guidelines. As long as the chosen ability falls within the expected power curve for that tier, it’s fine. The guideline isn’t meant to be a straitjacket.
For example, if you’re building a cold-using focus for a game set in a fantasy genre, you may decide that an ability that calls up a demon is a better choice at a particular tier than an ability that does damage in an area, which is what the tier 5 guideline for energy manipulation calls for. Making the change is probably especially valid if you call your new focus something like Channels the Ninth Circle.
If you’re creating a focus and you think it should provide a suite of abilities at first tier that would mechanically overload it, you have the option to add one as a “swap” ability. Doing so is as easy as allowing a character to swap out one of their type abilities for an indicated low-tier focus ability. The ability is gained instead of one of the abilities normally granted by the character’s type.
Choosing to create a focus that uses a particular concept—say, creating illusions—doesn’t lock you into creating a focus within a particular category—in this case, environment manipulation. A focus can be constructed in a variety of ways using a particular energy, tool, or concept, each ultimately leading to a focus that provides different results. It all depends on your ends. In this case, creating illusions might be used to sway others, which argues for a focus built using the influence category guidelines.
In the same way, if a focus grants a character the ability to call some kind of force or energy, that doesn’t mean the focus should automatically be built using the energy manipulation category guidelines (though of course it could, if attacking and protecting yourself with that energy is the point). But a focus could be built that grants abilities to call energy or force that is primarily focused on durability, suggesting a tank combat focus (someone who can take a lot of punishment in a fight); or blasting away with a main concern for maximizing damage, thus suggesting a striker combat focus; or creating a follower composed of that energy or force, suggesting an ally use focus (that is, someone who uses helping creatures, NPCs, or even duplicate versions of themselves to give them a leg up).
Here’s another example: the focus Controls Gravity could conceivably be an environment manipulation focus or an energy manipulation focus. It depends on whether the focus is more concerned with crushing and holding things in place (environment manipulation) or on blasting things and protecting yourself with gravity (energy manipulation).
The same malleability of concept holds true in other realms. For instance, if someone is able to call up and mold raw earth, they might use it to transform themselves into a being of stone (tank combat), to batter foes (striker combat), or to create walls, barricades, and shields to protect their allies (support).
If you’re looking for an ability and can’t seem to find the right one in the vast catalog in the Abilities chapter, consider reskinning one to make it seem new (and to accomplish what you need). Reskinning means that you use the underlying mechanics of an ability as written but change the flavor in some fashion. For instance, maybe you’re creating a new earth-moving focus but can’t find enough earth-related abilities to meet your need. It’s easy enough to change up other abilities so they use earth instead of fire, cold, or magnetism. For instance, Wings of Fire might become Wings of Earth, Ice Armor could become Earth Armor, and so on. These alterations change nothing except the type of damage and any knock-on effects (for instance, Wings of Earth might generate clouds of dust in their wake).
Some abilities in the Abilities chapter reference other abilities. If you select an ability for your focus or type that refers to or modifies a lower-tier ability, also include that lower-tier ability in your type or focus as a selection a PC can make at a lower tier.
You can go further than reskinning and create one or more brand-new abilities. When doing this, try to find something as close as possible to the effect you want, then use it as a template. In any case, deciding how much an ability should cost when it comes to a character’s Pool is one of the most important aspects of getting an ability right.
You may notice that higher-tier abilities are more expensive. This is partly because they do more, but it’s also because higher-tier characters have more Edge than lower-tier characters, which means they pay fewer points from their relevant Pools. A third-tier character with 3 Edge in a relevant Pool pays no cost for abilities that cost 3 or fewer points. That’s great for lower-tier abilities, but you’ll usually want a character to think a little bit about how often to use their most powerful abilities. That means they should cost at least 1 point more than the Edge the character is likely to have at that tier. (Often, a character will have an Edge in their relevant Pool equal to their tier.)
As a good rule of thumb, a typical ability should cost points equal to its tier.
Think about the kinds of things that might surprise, alarm, or go catastrophically wrong for someone with the new focus being created, and assign it as a GM intrusion for that focus. Of course, this often is done on the fly during the game. But giving the topic some thought while the focus is being constructed and the ideas are fresh in your head is likely to yield some particularly devilish options.
Foci that prioritize providing NPC followers to the character are ally use foci. The followers give aid to the PC in a variety of ways, but at base they usually provide an asset to the character’s actions.
Multiple potential themes exist within the ally use category, from abilities that allow a character to summon or craft allies to those that allow them to attract allies through fame, magic, or essential authority or charisma.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary for the character to keep an ally. For instance, someone with a focus that uses super-science to create robot allies would require tools to build and repair those allies. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The NPC ally’s tasks are eased on its next turn.
Major Effect Suggestions: The NPC ally gains an immediate extra action.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#builds-robots]{Builds Robots} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#consorts-with-the-dead]{Consorts With the Dead} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#controls-beasts]{Controls Beasts} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#exists-in-two-places-at-once]{Exists in Two Places at Once} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#leads]{Leads} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-the-swarm]{Masters the Swarm} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#shepherds-spirits]{Shepherds Spirits}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants a level 2 NPC follower to the character, or gives a similar benefit provided by an NPC. Alternatively, lay the groundwork for gaining such NPC allies at higher tiers by choosing an ability that gives the character influence over others.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill. For instance, training in a skill related to the kind of NPC follower the character gains would be appropriate.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that grants influence over similar kinds of NPCs as the follower gained at the previous tier. If no follower was gained at the previous tier, this ability should provide that benefit now.
Sometimes a secondary ability might be appropriate in addition to the ability provided above, perhaps a low-power ability that grants 2 or 3 points to a Pool.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be a mid-tier ability that improves the NPC follower previously provided (usually from level 2 to level 3) or grants an additional follower.
The other option should be something that benefits the character—perhaps an offensive or defensive ability, or something that broadens their influence over their followers (or potential followers).
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that gives the character an offensive or defensive capability if they haven’t previously gained one, preferably within the theme of the focus. For instance, if the character gains followers because of their charisma, this ability might let them command foes for brief periods. If the character gains followers by building or calling them, this ability might let them affect entities of the same type that are not already their followers.
Alternatively, this ability might further improve a previously gained follower from level 3 to level 4, or grant an additional follower.
Tier 5: Choose an ability that improves the character by providing a defense, an improved stat Pool, or another kind of protection.
Alternatively, this ability could open a new front in influencing and calling NPC allies related to the focus’s theme. For instance, someone who keeps beast allies might gain an ability to call a horde of lesser beasts. Someone who builds robots might gain an ability to build several lesser robot helpers. And so on.
Finally, this ability might improve a previously gained follower to level 5.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the abilities should improve a previously gained follower to level 5, if that wasn’t already provided at tier 5. If that’s the case, this ability might be provided in addition to two other related abilities.
Another high-tier option could provide a handful of level 3 followers to the character.
The last high-tier ability could open a new front in influencing and calling NPC allies related to the focus’s theme. For instance, someone who gains followers through high charisma and training might gain an ability to learn otherwise impossible-to-glean information.
Foci that rely mostly on providing skill training, assets to tasks, and bumps to stat Pools and Edge in order to improve a character fall within the basic category. An overarching theme is also included, as with most of the other categories, that makes sense of the various basic abilities provided.
In addition, because the benefits provided by such foci are mostly straightforward (usually with a few exceptions), most basic foci would also be appropriate for non-fantastic campaigns where magic, super-science, or psychic abilities normally don’t come into play. That said, just because the abilities granted by basic foci are straightforward doesn’t mean they are not potent when combined with the abilities granted by type, descriptor, cyphers, and other character aspects.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to fulfill the overarching theme of the focus. For instance, a focus called Would Rather Be Reading should grant a handful of books to the character. A focus called Works for a Living should provide a set of tools.
Minor Effect Suggestions: Next action is eased.
Major Effect Suggestions: Make a free, no-action recovery roll that doesn’t count against daily recovery rolls.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#doesnt-do-much]{Doesn’t Do Much} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#interprets-the-law]{Interprets the Law} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#learns-quickly]{Learns Quickly} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-for-a-living]{Works for a Living} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#would-rather-be-reading]{Would Rather Be Reading}
Tier 1: Choose an ability that grants training or an asset to skills associated with the focus’s theme, or that grants 5 or 6 points to a particular Pool.
Alternatively, choose an ability that grants only 2 or 3 points to a particular Pool and an ability that provides training or an asset to just one task.
Tier 2: Choose whichever kind of ability wasn’t chosen at tier 1.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be a non-fantastic ability that improves the character’s abilities within the focus’s theme. For instance, if the theme involves paying attention in some fashion, an information-gathering ability might be appropriate.
The other option should be something that either improves the character’s Edge in an appropriate stat or provides the character with some kind of defense.
Tier 4: Choose another ability that grants additional training or an asset to skills associated with the focus’s theme, or that grants 5 or 6 points to a particular Pool best suited to the focus. Or choose two abilities that provide only 2 or 3 points plus another tier 4 ability that improves a single task or skill.
Alternatively, provide a branch-out ability suggested at tier 5.
Finally, if the focus has yet to grant some kind of defense, a defensive ability could be provided here.
Tier 5: Choose an ability that allows the character to branch out slightly—perhaps one like Expert Skill that allows them to automatically succeed on a task they’re trained in.
Alternatively, if a nonstandard benefit was provided at tier 4, provide the benefits suggested at tier 4 here.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be an ability that provides another 5 or 6 points to a particular Pool best suited to the focus, or that the character can divide up as they wish. Alternatively, training in offense or defense would also be appropriate.
The other tier 6 option should give the character a brand-new ability within their theme, but not one that strays into the realm of the fantastic. For instance, an ability that allows a character to take two actions instead of one would be reasonable. Granting additional training, assets, or Edge would also be fine.
Energy manipulation foci offer abilities that can call fire, electricity, force, magnetism, or nonstandard forms of energy such as cold, stone, or something stranger like “void” or “shadow.” These abilities usually give a character a way to achieve something of a balance between attacking enemies and granting themselves or allies additional protection. The focus usually also offers abilities that provide other ways to use specific energy for things like transportation, creating large concentrations of energy that can affect multiple targets, or creating a temporary object or barrier of energy.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: One or more pieces of equipment immune to the energy manipulated, which might be a set of clothes. Alternatively, something related to the energy being generated. Some foci in this category don’t require additional equipment.
Energy Abilities: If a character type grants special abilities that normally use some other kind of energy, they now produce the kind used by this focus. For example, if a character uses this focus to manipulate electricity, their force blasts become blasts of electricity. These alterations change nothing except the type of damage and any knock-on effects (for instance, electricity might temporarily short out electronic systems).
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target or something near the target is hindered because of residual energy.
Major Effect Suggestions: An important item on the target’s person is destroyed.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#absorbs-energy]{Absorbs Energy} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#bears-a-halo-of-fire]{Bears a Halo of Fire} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#dances-with-dark-matter]{Dances With Dark Matter} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#rides-the-lightning]{Rides the Lightning} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#thunders]{Thunders} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#wears-a-sheen-of-ice]{Wears a Sheen of Ice}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that either inflicts damage or provides protection using the appropriate energy type in some fashion.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the energy type. For instance, a focus that manipulates cold might grant an ability to create snow sculptures. A focus that manipulates electricity might grant an ability to charge a depleted artifact or have an asset for dealing with electrical systems. A focus that absorbs energy might grant an ability to release it as a basic attack. And so on.
Tier 2: Choose whichever kind of ability wasn’t chosen at tier 1.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be an ability that inflicts damage using the appropriate energy type (and possibly a related effect).
The other should grant enhanced movement by use of the appropriate energy type, give additional protection provided by the preferred energy, or use the energy in a completely new way, such as by draining the energy from a machine (if using electricity), entombing a victim in a layer of ice (if using cold), creating perfect silence (if using sound), creating a dazzling blast of illumination (if using light), and so on.
Tier 4: Choose whichever kind of ability wasn’t chosen at tier 3.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that inflicts damage (and possibly a related effect) that can affect more than one target using the appropriate energy type, or an ability that uses the energy in some fashion not previously used, as described in tiers 3 and 6.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the high-tier abilities should use the preferred energy to inflict a lot of damage to a single target or to several.
The other option should use the appropriate energy type to accomplish a task not previously provided by lower-tier abilities, such as fashioning a fiery follower (if using fire), teleporting a great distance as a blast of lightning (if using electricity), creating solid objects out of the energy, and so on.
Foci that allow a character to move objects, affect gravity, create objects (or illusions of objects), and so on are environment manipulation foci. Given that, in many cases, energy is used as part of this process, this category and energy manipulation overlap to some extent. Environment manipulation foci prioritize abilities that indirectly affect enemies and allies via objects, forces, and alterations of the surroundings; energy manipulation foci prioritize directly damaging targets with the chosen energy or force.
For example, rather than blasting a foe with a gravity pulse that does damage, a character using an environment manipulation focus based on gravity is more likely to have abilities that hold a target in place, use gravity to throw heavy objects as an attack, or lower gravity in a particular area or even on a particular object.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to manipulate the surrounding environment. For instance, someone with a focus that grants the ability to craft objects would require basic tools. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Environment Manipulation Abilities: Foci themes that involve imagery or visible energies can affect the look of your type abilities. Such alterations, if any, do nothing but change the appearance of effects. If gravity is manipulated, perhaps a telltale bluish glow permeates all ability uses, including type abilities. If illusion is generated, perhaps flamboyant visual and auditory qualities accompany type abilities, such as the appearance of a tentacled beast holding a target in place when Stasis is used. And so on.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target gets turned around, and its next attack is hindered.
Major Effect Suggestions: The character is refreshed and recovers 4 points to one Pool.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#awakens-dreams]{Awakens Dreams} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#blazes-with-radiance]{Blazes With Radiance} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#calculates-the-incalculable]{Calculates the Incalculable} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#controls-gravity]{Controls Gravity} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#crafts-illusions]{Crafts Illusions} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#crafts-unique-objects]{Crafts Unique Objects} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#employs-magnetism]{Employs Magnetism} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#focuses-mind-over-matter]{Focuses Mind Over Matter}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants a basic use of an ability that alters the environment (or predicts it) using the focus’s theme. For instance, a gravity-affecting focus might provide an ability that makes a target lighter or heavier. An
illusion-crafting focus might grant an ability that allows the creation of an image. An object-making focus might grant a basic proficiency in creating a particular kind of object. A predictive focus might calculate outcomes and provide the character with the benefits of that foreknowledge. And so on.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that provides a new defensive or offensive capability related to the focus’s theme.
Alternatively, this ability might provide an additional or brand-new capability to manipulate the environment related to the focus’s theme.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be a mid-tier ability related to the focus’s theme that provides an additional environment manipulation capacity or further improves the basic environment manipulation ability previously granted. This ability isn’t directly offensive or defensive, but provides either an all-new ability related to the basic ability, or one that increases the strength, range, or some other extension of the previously unlocked basic ability.
The other mid-tier option should provide an offensive or defensive ability related to the specific form of movement the focus provides, if possible.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that is either an offensive or a defensive use of the ability, whichever one wasn’t chosen as an option in the previous tier.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier penultimate use of the environment-manipulation ability. For instance, if the focus-granted manipulation is illusory, this ability might haunt a target with terrifying images. If the focus is gravity based, it might unlock flight. If magnetic, it might allow the user to reshape metal. If the focus grants telekinetic powers, this ability could allow a character to hurl massive objects at foes. And so on.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the abilities should provide either an offensive or a defensive ability, opposite the ability provided at tier 4 (though high tier rather than mid tier).
The other option should be something that further explores the use of the basic environment manipulation capability. If the tier 5 choice was the penultimate ability, this might be an even better ultimate ability related to the kind of manipulation offered, or a different way of using that ability to unlock an as-yet-unexplored facet of the ability.
Foci that allow a character to gather information, survive in unfamiliar environments, and find their way to new locations or track down particular creatures and foes are exploration foci. Surviving in unfamiliar environments requires a reasonable selection of defensive options; however, abilities that allow a character to find and learn are prioritized.
Exploration foci rely on a variety of methods, though training and expertise are the mainstays. Some methods require specific tools (such as a vehicle) to grant the benefits provided, while others might rely on the supernatural or
super-science to learn new things and explore strange places from afar.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to explore. For instance, starting maps and/or
a compass would be basic equipment, while someone who uses psychic abilities might require a mirror or crystal sphere to gaze into. Equipment might also include access to a vehicle required for exploration, as previously noted.
Minor Effect Suggestions: You have an asset on any action that involves using your senses, such as perceiving or attacking, until the end of the next round.
Major Effect Suggestions: Your Intellect Edge increases by 1 until the end of the next round.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#explores-dark-places]{Explores Dark Places} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#infiltrates]{Infiltrates} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#operates-undercover]{Operates Undercover} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#pilots-starcraft]{Pilots Starcraft} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#sees-beyond]{Sees Beyond} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#separates-mind-from-body]{Separates Mind From Body}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants the character basic exploratory, survival, or information-gathering capabilities within the focus’s theme.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill (though this may already be covered in the main ability). Alternatively, it might offer a simple bonus of 2 or 3 points to the Might Pool.
Tier 2: Choose another low-tier ability that grants an additional capability related to exploration, survival, or information gathering.
For instance, a focus dedicated to surviving savage conditions might offer an ability (or two) that makes it easier to avoid natural hazards, poisons, difficult terrain, and so on. A focus dedicated to exploration of a particular area might grant abilities to gain access to that area, or a capability that others normally lack (like the ability to see in the dark).
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should further improve the basic exploration ability granted, or give a new exploratory, survival, or information-gathering ability.
The other option should be something that benefits the character, either an offensive or defensive ability (especially if this focus hasn’t already granted that) or something that further broadens the character’s ability to explore in the focus’s chosen realm.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier offensive or defensive ability (whichever wasn’t offered at tier 3) that benefits the character. Alternatively, if offensive and defensive abilities are already well represented, choose a different mid-tier ability that broadens the character’s ability to explore, survive, or gather information.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that alleviates some of the penalties for exploring, surviving, or gathering information in a normally inhospitable place.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should further improve the basic exploration-themed ability previously granted, or give a brand-new exploratory, survival, or information-gathering ability.
The other option should be something that benefits the character, either an offensive or defensive ability, or yet another ability that further broadens their capacity to explore in the focus’s chosen realm.
Foci that prioritize authority and influence—whether that’s to make people or machines do as commanded, to help others, or to rise to some other prestigious and significant position—fall within the influence category.
These foci grant influence through training and persuasion, by direct mental manipulation, by using fame to get people’s attention and influence their actions, or simply by knowing and learning things that affect later decisions. In this sense, the concept of influence is broad.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to achieve the influence suggested should be granted as additional equipment. Some influence foci don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The range or duration of the influencing ability is doubled.
Major Effect Suggestions: An ally or indicated target can take an additional action.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#commands-mental-powers]{Commands Mental Powers} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#conducts-weird-science]{Conducts Weird Science} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fuses-mind-and-machine]{Fuses Mind and Machine} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#is-idolized-by-millions]{Is Idolized by Millions} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#solves-mysteries]{Solves Mysteries} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#talks-to-machines]{Talks to Machines} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-the-system]{Works the System}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that allows the character to learn something significant enough that they can choose a smart course of action (or use that knowledge to persuade or intimidate). How the character learns the information varies by the specifics of the focus. One character might do experiments to learn answers, another might open a telepathic link with others to trade information secretly and quickly, and still another might simply be trained in interaction tasks.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that improves the character’s ability to apply influence. This might open an additional front on the focus’s basic theme or simply further enhance the basic ability already provided. For instance, this tier 2 ability could ease influence-related tasks by a few steps, allow a telepath to read the minds of others who have secrets they’d otherwise not reveal, or grant influence over physical objects (either to improve them or to learn more about them). And so on.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide an offensive or defensive capability related to the focus’s specific kind of influence, if possible. For instance, an inventor might create a serum that gives them increased abilities (which could be used for offense or defense), a telepath might have some method of blasting foes with mental energy, and someone with only the basic skills of debate and influence through fame might have to rely on weapon training or their entourage.
The other mid-tier option should provide an additional ability to influence in the theme of the focus, or further improve the basic influence ability previously granted. This option isn’t directly offensive or defensive, but provides either an all-new ability related to the basic ability, or increases the strength, range, or some other extension of the previously unlocked basic ability. For instance, a telepath might have a psychic suggestion ability.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that is either an offensive or a defensive use of the influence ability, whichever one wasn’t chosen as an option in the previous tier.
Alternatively, this ability could grant an additional capability related to the kind of influence the focus provides.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier penultimate use of the specific influence ability granted at lower tiers.
Alternatively, choose an ability not previously gained at a lower tier, one that opens a new front on the particular influence capability. For instance, if the focus-granted influence is telepathic, the tier 5 ability might allow a character to see into the future to gain assets for dealing with enemies (and allies).
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should provide either an offensive or a defensive ability, opposite the ability provided at tier 4 (though high tier rather than mid tier).
The other option should be something that further explores the use of the basic influence ability provided by the focus. If the tier 5 choice was the penultimate ability, this might be an even better ultimate ability related to the kind of influence used, or a different way of using that ability to unlock an as-yet-unexplored facet of the ability.
Most foci have a basic theme, a “character story” that logically leads to a series of related abilities. However, certain foci themes are so wide that they don’t fit into any other category except an irregular one of their own.
Irregular foci provide a basket of disparate abilities. Usually that’s because the overarching theme is one that demands variability and access to several different kinds of abilities. Often, these foci are found in genres that suggest additional rule tweaks to leverage their use even further, such as power shifts in the superhero genre and spellcasting in the fantasy genre. However, other irregular foci are possible.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to the focus’s theme. For instance, a
superhero-themed focus might grant a superhero costume.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target is also dazed for one round, during which time all of its tasks are hindered.
Major Effect Suggestions: The target is stunned and loses its next turn.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#channels-divine-blessings]{Channels Divine Blessings} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#descends-from-nobility]{Descends From Nobility} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#emerged-from-the-obelisk]{Emerged From the Obelisk} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#flies-faster-than-a-bullet]{Flies Faster Than a Bullet} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-spells]{Masters Spells} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#speaks-for-the-land]{Speaks for the Land}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that a first-tier character should have.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill. Alternatively, it might offer a simple bonus of 2 or 3 points to a Pool.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that’s presumably not immediately related to the one provided at tier 1. That said, if a defense wasn’t provided at tier 1, tier 2 is a good place to add it.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers.
The other option should include a method of attack if none has previously been granted. Alternatively, if the lower-tier abilities don’t quite get the character where they need to be, this option might further increase a capability unlocked at a lower tier.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should grant one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers. However, this ability might also provide an ultimate version of a lower-tier ability if a mid-tier or low-tier option wasn’t quite sufficient.
The other option should provide an alternate method to round out the character in a way that doesn’t replicate the first tier 6 option. For instance, if the first option provided some kind of attack, this one might be an interaction, information-gathering, or healing ability, depending on the focus’s overarching theme.
Foci that prioritize novel forms of movement—in order to excel in combat, escape situations most others can’t, move with stealth for purposes of theft or escape, or move into locations normally inaccessible—fall within the movement expertise category. These foci usually have methods of granting either offense or defense through movement, though they may provide some means of doing both.
The classic movement expertise focus is one that relies on speed to make more attacks and avoid being hit, though general agility might also provide the same benefit. Other foci in this category might fall within the theme by granting a character the ability to become immaterial, to change their form into something like water or air, or to instantly move via teleportation.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to achieve great speeds, change state, or otherwise gain the benefit of the focus should be granted as additional equipment. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target is dazed, and their next action is hindered.
Major Effect Suggestions: The target is stunned and loses their next action.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#exists-partially-out-of-phase]{Exists Partially Out of Phase} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#moves-like-a-cat]{Moves Like a Cat} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#moves-like-the-wind]{Moves Like the Wind} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#runs-away]{Runs Away} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#shreds-the-walls-of-the-world]{Shreds the Walls of the World} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#travels-through-time]{Travels Through Time} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-the-back-alleys]{Works the Back Alleys}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants the basic benefit of the specific movement style, whether that’s enhanced speed, agility, immateriality, and so on.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. If the basic benefit of the movement demands some kind of additional understanding or training, this ability could be that. Alternatively, if the movement provided seems like it should also unlock a basic offensive or defensive benefit (relying on the use of the initial basic ability), append it as well.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that provides a new offensive or defensive capability related to the focus’s theme.
Alternatively, this ability might provide some additional capability related to the form of movement that grants useful information to the character that would normally be inaccessible to someone without the focus.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide an additional movement capacity or further improve the basic movement capacity, related to the focus’s theme. This isn’t directly offensive or defensive, but provides the character with a new level of ability or an all-new ability related to their basic movement ability.
The other option should provide either an offensive or a defensive capability related to the specific form of movement the focus provides.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that further enhances the advantages provided by focus’s movement-enhancing paradigm. This could provide a new or better form of defense (directly, or indirectly if moving to a location or time where danger doesn’t threaten), or a new or better form of offense.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier penultimate use of the movement-related ability. For instance, if the focus-provided movement is temporal, this ability might allow actual (if brief) jaunts of time travel. If the focus enhances speed, this ability might allow the character to move up to a very long distance with one action. And so on.
Alternatively, unlock an as-yet-unexplored related ability that could derive from the basic movement power provided by the focus.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should provide either an offensive or a defensive ability, opposite the ability provided at tier 4 (though high tier rather than mid tier).
The other option should be something that further explores the use of the basic
movement ability. If the tier 5 choice was the penultimate ability, this might be an even better ultimate ability related to the movement.
Striker combat foci prioritize dealing damage in battle over other concerns. Foci in this category offer defensive abilities as well, but they emphasize abilities that provide ways to spike damage to heights that other foci normally don’t reach.
To achieve this end, a striker combat focus might offer mastery of a particular style of martial combat, which could be training with a particular weapon or martial art, or the use of a unique tool (or even a kind of energy). A style might be something as singular as being the best at fighting a particular kind of enemy, or something much broader, such as adopting a particularly vicious or unsporting style. A striker combatant might use fire, force, or magnetism as their preferred method of spiking damage.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: The weapon, tool, or other special item or substance (if any) required to engage in the particular style of combat. For instance, a dose of level 5 poison for Fights Dirty or Murders, a trophy from a previously defeated foe for Battles Robots, or stylish clothes for Fights With Panache.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target is so dazzled by your expertise that it is dazed for one round, hindering all of its tasks.
Major Effect Suggestions: Make an immediate additional attack using an attack provided by the focus as part of your turn.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#battles-robots]{Battles Robots} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fights-dirty]{Fights Dirty} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fights-with-panache]{Fights With Panache} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#hunts]{Hunts} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#is-licensed-to-carry]{Is Licensed to Carry} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#looks-for-trouble]{Looks for Trouble} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-weaponry]{Masters Weaponry} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#murders]{Murders} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#needs-no-weapon]{Needs No Weapon} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#performs-feats-of-strength]{Performs Feats of Strength} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#rages]{Rages} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#slays-monsters]{Slays Monsters} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#throws-with-deadly-accuracy]{Throws With Deadly Accuracy} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#wields-two-weapons-at-once]{Wields Two Weapons at Once}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that inflicts additional damage when a character attacks using the focus’s particular fighting style, energy, or attitude, or when used against a chosen enemy.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. For instance, a focus that grants proficiency in a special weapon might offer training in crafting tasks associated with that weapon. A focus that grants increased damage against a particular kind of foe might offer training in skills to recognize, locate, or just have general knowledge about that foe. A fighting style that involves fighting in a vicious or dirty manner might provide training in intimidation. And so on.
If the focus is about fighting a particular enemy, additional secondary powers (more than might otherwise be offered) may be appropriate. Those either further enhance effectiveness against the chosen enemy, or offer broader but related abilities that give the character who takes the focus some functionality even when not fighting that enemy.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that provides some form of defense using the weapon, weapon style, or chosen energy. If the weapon style is being especially good at fighting a certain kind of foe, the ability should be a defense against that kind of foe. Alternatively, the focus might offer another method for increasing damage within the chosen paradigm.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate at tier 2. If so, choose whichever
low-power ability wasn’t gained at tier 1.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should inflict additional damage when using the focus’s fighting style, energy, or attitude, or when used against a chosen enemy. That could be as simple as an ability that offers an additional attack of that kind.
The other option should provide a method to temporarily neutralize a foe by disarming them, dazing or stunning them, slowing or holding them, or otherwise discombobulating them by using the focus’s fighting style, energy, or attitude, or when used against a chosen enemy.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that further enhances the advantages provided by the focus’s paradigm. Often, this includes training in a particular kind of attack. Alternatively, the ability might increase the advantages provided by achieving a certain combat status, such as gaining surprise.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that inflicts damage. Alternatively, if focused on fighting a particular kind of foe, this ability might give the character a chance to completely neutralize, destroy, blind, or kill a singular target of up to level 3 (or higher, if the focus is on a singular foe).
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should use the focus paradigm to inflict an exceptional amount of damage.
The other option could be a different way of inflicting damage, either using the focus paradigm or just dealing lots of damage in general (and relying on previous focus tier abilities to improve targeting). This could be against multiple targets if the first option was for a single target, to outright kill or neutralize a target (starting with level 4, but with guidance for using Effort to increase the level of the target), or to select yet another foe, make another attack, or get away in order to fight another day.
Foci that allow a character to help others succeed, defend others, heal others who are hurt, and so on are support foci. Of course, most foci abilities are often used in aid of others, but support foci (such as Siphons Power) prioritize aiding, healing, and improving the character who takes the focus.
Support foci rely on a variety of methods to provide their help, including martial training used in defense, supernatural or sci-fi means of providing healing, or simply easing the cares of others through entertainment.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to provide support. For instance, someone with a focus that uses entertainment to help others would require an instrument or similar object in aid of their craft. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: You can draw an attack without having to use an action at any point before the end of the next round.
Major Effect Suggestions: You can take an extra action in aid of an ally.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#defends-the-weak]{Defends the Weak} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#entertains]{Entertains} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#helps-their-friends]{Helps Their Friends} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#metes-out-justice]{Metes Out Justice} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#shepherds-the-community]{Shepherds the Community} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#siphons-power]{Siphons Power} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-miracles]{Works Miracles}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that provides some form of defense, aid or entertainment, benefit to recovery or healing, or protection. That defense or protection could be to the PC and not to an ally, as one cannot protect another without first being able to protect themselves (and sometimes protecting themselves is the entire point).
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill, but it might be something that works with the initial ability that, by itself, wouldn’t do much.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that follows up on the support style opened in the previous tier. If the previous tier’s ability provided a means of protection only for the focus taker, this tier 2 ability should specifically provide aid to another. If the previous tier specifically provided aid to another, this tier 2 ability could defend the focus taker or provide an offensive capability grounded, if possible, in the focus’s theme.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should work within the focus’s theme to aid, heal, protect, or otherwise help another.
The other option should be something that benefits the character, either an offensive or defensive ability, or something that broadens their expertise in some fashion. Alternatively, it could be another, different method of helping someone else.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that gives an ally a direct boon or provides the character with a way to help another. It could also be an ability that harms or nullifies a foe, as removing foes certainly helps allies.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that provides an offensive or defensive option for the character, if none have been provided yet. If this need has been previously addressed or is deemed unnecessary, choose a high-tier ability that provides some form of defense, aid or entertainment, benefit to recovery or healing, or protection to another. For example, a tier 5 ability might grant an ally an additional free action or allow them to repeat a failed action.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should provide an ultimate method of helping another in the theme of the focus.
The other option could provide an alternative ultimate method of helping another; many foci in this category do. However, an option that provides high-tier offense or defense is also completely reasonable.
Foci that prioritize being able to take a lot of punishment and soak up excess damage from foes fall within the tank combat category. These foci provide offensive abilities too, as well as additional abilities related to the particular method by which improved protection is achieved, but defensive abilities are most pronounced.
Some tank combat foci involve a physical transformation that grants additional protection, and others rely on specialized training, use tools like shields or heavy armor, or provide the ability to heal incredibly fast. The kinds of physical transformation that a tank focus provides, if any, vary widely. A focus might turn a character’s skin to stone, reinforce their body with metal, turn them into a monstrous being, make them so big it becomes harder to hurt them, and so on.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to maintain a physical transformation (such as a tool for repair if partly robotic, a shield or other defensive tool used if skilled, or possibly some kind of amulet or serum). Some tank combat foci don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: +2 to Armor for a few rounds.
Major Effect Suggestions: Regain 2 points to Might Pool.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#abides-in-stone]{Abides in Stone} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#brandishes-an-exotic-shield]{Brandishes an Exotic Shield} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#defends-the-gate]{Defends the Gate} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fuses-flesh-and-steel]{Fuses Flesh and Steel} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#grows-to-towering-heights]{Grows to Towering Heights} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#howls-at-the-moon]{Howls at the Moon} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#lives-in-the-wilderness]{Lives in the Wilderness} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-defense]{Masters Defense} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#never-says-die]{Never Says Die} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#stands-like-a-bastion]{Stands Like a Bastion}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that provides defense within the focus’s theme. If the theme is simply intense training or the use of a defensive tool, the ability might be as simple as a bonus to Armor. If protection comes from physical transformation, this ability provides the base form effects, benefits, and in some cases drawbacks for making the transformation. A low-tier enhanced healing ability would also be appropriate at first tier.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. If the character transforms, this ability may provide a knock-on effect, though in the case of some transformations, it might be a description of how someone with an abnormal physiognomy can fully heal. Other times, the secondary power may simply be training in a related skill, or it may unlock the ability to use a particular armor or shield without penalty.
Tier 2: If the theme of the focus isn’t physical transformation, choose a low-tier ability that provides an additional method of defending, healing damage, or avoiding attacks.
If the theme of the focus is physical transformation, choose a low-tier ability that unlocks a new capability related to the form the character takes. That might mean gaining better control of the transformation, unlocking a robotic interface, or otherwise more fully unlocking that form. This ability is not necessarily defensive, though it could be.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide an additional form of protection in keeping with the focus’s theme, such as more defensive capabilities unlocked from a transformation (which might also come with additional offensive capabilities) or a simple physical enhancement if defense is gained by skills or enhanced healing.
The other option should provide an offensive capability, especially if creating a non-transformation focus that doesn’t already have offensive benefits. That capability could be an enhanced attack or provide some other benefit useful in combat, such as quickly evading or (on the other end of the continuum) becoming immovable.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that further enhances the advantages provided by the focus’s damage-soaking paradigm. Often, this includes training in a particular kind of defense. Alternatively, it might increase the advantages provided by previously unlocked defensive abilities, whether that means gaining greater control over a transformation, gaining additional chances to avoid damage or retry tasks related to enhanced determination, and so on. If the focus is lacking in offensive options, this is a good place to include one.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that provides protection, possibly in the form of shrugging off a debilitating condition (including death). If the focus offers a physical transformation, this ability might further unlock an additional related ability, whether offensive, defensive, or something related to exploration or interaction (such as flight if the form is winged, intimidation if the form is fearsome, and so on).
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should use the focus paradigm to increase the defense, protection, or ability to shrug off damage.
The other option could be a different way of being defensive. In some cases, the best defense is a good offense, so this option could provide a high-tier offensive ability in keeping with the focus’s theme, whether that’s a straight-up damage boost on attacks or better control of an unstable physical transformation.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":399219,"name":"Abilities","type":"text","_id":"YRhX8KikaF361373","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"A character’s type, flavor, and focus assign an appropriate tier to each ability. However, if you’re creating a brand-new focus or type, we provide a couple of additional tools.
The first is a power grade for each ability, which tells you about how potent it is in relation to other abilities. Abilities appropriate for tiers 1 and 2 characters are called “low-tier” abilities. Abilities appropriate for tiers 3 and 4 are called “mid-tier” abilities. Abilities appropriate for tiers 5 and 6 are called “high-tier” abilities.
These abilities are further sorted into ability categories based on the kinds of things they do—abilities that improve physical attacks are in the attack skill category, abilities that assist allies are in the support category, and so on.
Unless otherwise noted, you cannot choose the same ability twice, even if you get it from both your type and a flavor.
Abilities can be divided into several categories based on the kinds of things they do—improve your physical attacks, assist allies, provide defense, give you a special attack form, and so on. Under each of the following category descriptions is a list of abilities that fit that category, sorted into low-, medium-, and high-tier abilities.
The categories are mainly used by GMs when designing new foci for a campaign, allowing them to search a short list of abilities instead of trying to find something appropriate among the thousand or so abilities in this chapter. For example, the GM might have a custom focus in their campaign called “Is Born of the Swamp” and want a defensive ability for tier 5, so they can look at the high-tier abilities in the protection category and quickly narrow down what options are available.
It may be possible that a character gains the same ability from more than one source (such as from their type and their descriptor). Unless the two abilities are obviously additive (such as two abilities that each add 3 points to your Might Pool, which together would give the character +6 Might points), the duplicated ability might be improved in some way, such as having a longer duration or greater effect, or automatically providing an asset. Some abilities give suggestions on how to do this; otherwise, the player and the GM should work out whether and how the ability is improved.
The ability categories are not intended to be rigid or comprehensive. Some abilities fall into more than one category, and it could be argued that some abilities could be included in more categories than are listed here.
These categories have some overlap with the categories in the Creating New Foci chapter. For example, there is a support category here and a support category in the Creating New Foci chapter. They aren’t intended to be exact parallels and they don’t mean exactly the same thing. That said, if you’re creating a support-centric focus, many of the abilities in the support ability category would be appropriate choices.
Gives you training or specialization in a specific physical attack (like swords or unarmed combat), a category of physical attacks (light bladed, heavy bashing, and so on), or another physical skill primarily used to inflict harm (such as breaking objects).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wAbsUj5mHZatr3JG]{Practiced With Guns} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WFK0xBSAIpD59va8]{Practiced With Swords} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJKRrcU5L1yM9y90]{Unarmed Fighting Style}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7JkIlrv7gxim4Fn]{Cognizant Offense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NcItnMHjeG9fgE1K]{Serv-0 Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lPqCQOQJF0JfoFRn]{Serv-0 Brawler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QDSSTe5EGrBHjtnL]{Sniper’s Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbWaCBEfSMujqvDf]{Specialized Throwing}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2uSx4ErQ9f2QLX5M]{As Foretold in Prophecy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AsmIgvoIRPEtuzkh]{Duel to the Death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LE8NtDKG9TzXBv5B]{Hunter’s Drive} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S4PaEqmYjg4TGoG3]{Master of Unarmed Fighting Style} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.F6mAzjhG2T4irVjy]{Specialized Basher}
Gives you a follower, modifies a follower, or gives you an additional benefit when interacting with or near your follower. This category includes humanoid followers, beast companions, and temporary companions like summoned swarms, conjured spirits, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bOohoEcDegDBinFc]{Beast Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9Kag2UMn6Wdxq4Zo]{Bound Magic Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIxPlDRbNqallNiu]{Control Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgS72E10jiPF3Dm3]{Critter Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P1jQZdPIrxo4wNlr]{Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK4CUb9HH4J5A8IN]{Entourage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZEcFnsNXgcozJElT]{Influence Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yaLHxRtVBhveqHJA]{Necromancy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oEubmS7pZ3zFK8uJ]{Resilient Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.paIv2etaqLqY76y0]{Robot Assistant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.v1lZkKjSCS1pjnET]{Serv-0} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RkOvawhfH5MHQFOH]{Spirit Accomplice}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gLxVxCSix441TyKq]{Call Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BQnrZXeivue9Q2qp]{Fellow Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.srn53BB1da8Elh1t]{Fiery Hand of Doom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rUzrjRuT2nfEdCaJ]{Gain Unusual Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vEVmBgz2TxOH3aSk]{Greater Necromancy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QxOsAHpd8ZkEXI5u]{Improved Object Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CEscdPwUrBpzUeS0]{Living Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S2OZtm12S2YvxD7H]{Retinue} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Nyt7Z1xWqmnuu265]{Shipspeak} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h1rn92kIqG5VVYd6]{Stronger Together} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEWyNKnVgVOjsyms]{Summon Giant Spider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FwEUY43Q8EMVCCsL]{Superior Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l5vgtPP0LcsqGrzn]{Time Loop}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qm31Nw2SkBpVcv9M]{As If One Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fD8yD0pGCMdOJkGb]{Band of Desperados} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KpbEHKNSEycVB1GU]{Band of Followers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pFWDdnTXCiPfwsWv]{Beast Call} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jVY1PTxvZvpjZILB]{Call Dead Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HUVY2MA2CBegFhLY]{Call in Favor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ElsQU746B70tsPmZ]{Call Otherworldly Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U58ZQ1X3byfANn4W]{Call Through Time} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8SDpRRzZRF73zLsF]{Conjuration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iQhBPww1s4wRZcDz]{Deadly Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M1FHIlVPVv8O02LV]{Dragon’s Maw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NVdx8QjmTP5eOjDh]{Fire Servant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iEOf9IkbHU8oBOMm]{Improved Apportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJpMPRD25O7HvhbV]{Insect Eruption} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pGJIwlCJDib2Splm]{Legal Intern} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rsYzxCchklPSFAp7]{Multiplicity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Aprz5cRtdgiAIYUM]{Object Bond Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3EcnBLVtGwxpWXBW]{Recruit Deputy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yqhUXLWMSNn5IYOn]{Robot Fleet} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GDphyYXSfjKE5BST]{True Necromancy}
Controls or influences minds in ways outside of what could be done with conventional intimidation and persuasion, such as using psychic mind control, fear gas, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BggeJtN5IcutwLJg]{Calm Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SeAlSU8Rim5CWsgV]{Charm Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fg8V2R3kpLX2sHRn]{Cloud Personal Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ag3OU8JZuc769034]{Community Activist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ulHj0pzmwc515fve]{Fast Talk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M2oXV5cRSdMlUZDm]{Goad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0V2NE0905wwYPRVo]{Hack the Impossible} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kgCuCmU8kn0UMy8v]{Robot Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qVlbJjB7X8R78rz0]{Terrifying Presence}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CLObcsu2DKKKhzyK]{Calm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EMTH3JCrC5Vjt63]{Captivate or Inspire} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUhnX0UmEw2BROkI]{Captivate With Starshine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t83oYxQRuO2u2zx4]{Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OE5yXpzWC8lSUmGX]{Command Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCQdSi11hJDyOSdD]{Command Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.crFxkKwBNdnD6tX4]{Crowd Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FIU24o7T66ViVgyg]{Daydream} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sqiDNk5qXh9j3zwh]{Grand Deception} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ljhjSIxYOCbPXEFR]{Interruption} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iRqXVpngq6vfgtEn]{Psychic Suggestion}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.By276DS858KmWNZq]{Assume Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3SiJ5Drao8XtmgzV]{Brainwashing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWbDzueOAxSW1d3C]{Change the Paradigm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LvoH43SKKtr3urKo]{Control the Savage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0f2qoQlYGRqgu0Nj]{Defuse Situation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyW320RhzarMNoss]{Flee} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.miR0d91lKIfmBGdO]{Psychic Passenger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cfR2uFYjteKAqsYw]{Show Them the Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wZZC07ADxO3mImS]{Suggestion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZTp4SZ673tDJpmuS]{Word of Command}
Creates useful physical things, such as mundane tools (hammers, crowbars), limited-use devices (manifest cyphers, artifacts), or independent beings (robots, elementals, zombies). Includes blueprints, plans, and effects that aid or speed crafting.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JoPcORtuhjnAJ5mT]{Create Deadly Poison} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZvKFftq7doCxI7T5]{Fortification Builder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IswvUEdCBBZDRme6]{Junkmonger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JK2hN1poqMLqfa1N]{Machine Efficiency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mFPUUmBIcGGsuwNd]{Modify Device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ktxj62234LhUr51B]{Natural Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m6X5wyPUPdhqLTIp]{Quick Work} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUliR2uWpIcE6jQX]{Robot Builder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XUutaClCW4UXzK7e]{Trapster} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qBTIXXJt2Ahn8UYh]{Weapon Crafter}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FBCpBF9PXlEtIX4m]{Dream Becomes Reality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dhXVqnunlbSbrDPB]{Expert Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7G8B9lfoVXkuxvKB]{Ice Creation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BSx4qB29VwRUISm6]{Robot Upgrade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3DJXuR680OxwP5NT]{Sculpt Light}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HuhNjMfMxPkTlERH]{Create} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JUn27j5YI3dRh2jJ]{Dark Matter Structure} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6e4KunpYFObSRszo]{Improved Sculpt Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y3qXWOUu7mAhg6Rb]{Innovator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KQDFvUEnIWed1ebo]{Jury-Rig} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t0B6AIqWanSnx696]{Modify Artifact Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape}
Cures damage, adds or improves recovery rolls, or negates, cures, suspends, or otherwise gives immunity to a harmful effect or condition, such as poison, disease, mental attacks, moving down on the damage track, or dying.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8mP69InEXQ4TB5BL]{Alleviate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7CKGOQWnfdNO885]{Destined for Greatness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qHzwHm5LmYDasHnF]{Diver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gWvMJQPBSmeaP8yN]{Drain Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JyAovhallyh9m6oW]{Drain Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PqL4qr9D8QAwQhrL]{Endurance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uB3sVzeG2N5rkdUZ]{Escape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CAYeFSNYprjeRtWw]{Extra Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U7chr7wLj7r5y0LT]{Foil Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.igGttY1Y2XbAx3qY]{Healing Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UtFc3e4grYyCQneH]{Improved Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFQaDsHzJpTSV8Tw]{Living Off the Land} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wXV7JxEmZDlBvRKO]{Push on Through} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.euEVkth9YGYSpoJf]{Quick Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rRDSzPJtUCwRVXFR]{Repair Flesh} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OvvuCBCQ71rZkCqQ]{Restful Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XntbE6mXQ4CZ6yIi]{Speedy Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s2PLo9FsWBi2C1VY]{Surging Confidence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2fU3nI68oi5ScziC]{Totally Chill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yRSe9vjTxdOkvgBE]{Water Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lw0otGU2Iaorppdc]{Will of Legend}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m7j43Ww96dKCDtJO]{Aquatic Combatant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zdkVn6jIaanDoikV]{Biomorphic Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nVFRDMhuWDrdve4F]{Damage Transference} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5otvtHrbVXIh0N27]{Fight On} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rAmIxY5G1BK4ZMm7]{Font of Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6nm35znCQzjAk6Gb]{Healing Pulse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7amEMbwK27v31Lt9]{Miraculous Health} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AAUqaiWxC5V4e1VH]{Noble’s Courage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsKeNcF252yKnh2O]{Poison Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gn1jtMLhp6qPNXUL]{Store Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nJBrBxxs0ezweHKZ]{Thinking Ahead} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wxAZnuQkvWosLzkN]{Tough As Nails} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.27EOrq94WxqgBbWQ]{Unmovable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P73TBXcNDbZCVsdE]{Unraveling Consumption} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ja8ebgq2RDQryN62]{Wilderness Encouragement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5HNZcrij9mgEmvAR]{Final Defiance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0Tt5R1m2DsVLtPH]{Free to Move} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W0Jw19mWIycjIgmo]{Gamer’s Fortitude} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIUTe5O1jeA47zps]{Gaming God} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O2XHxUa2QNrliDMG]{Greater Healing Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.upynNTXrIGGH82Ll]{Incredible Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PvISXo6EQ2PmCGes]{Infuse Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kf09KYdZqG6dNTFC]{Inspire the Innocent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dMEqa6kAjXrHlxui]{Negate Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hp9Sdc7eTTUuWTiu]{Rapid Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aS13LBRfyrWXAMMp]{Regenerate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ydmPM9m8nmmgvlXc]{Restore Life} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aDnA7oA9ZYCEfprI]{Resuscitate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Xvgo62UVSOI9Acx]{Share the Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iXBkjCf0y9vXVXI6]{Stay the Course} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.icJAWRB8Uha8CSKr]{Vigilant}
Manipulates the environment or things in the environment, such as with telekinesis, weather control, gravity control, illusions, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zqarns940d4FXwYf]{Create Water} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y08bfWS5eyeUJB3J]{Dreamcraft} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.21Bi8yur01DCYz5f]{Fetch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zW0cZJQTR0tHUmn3]{Grasping Foliage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1KjY8D1dvLc3NuUv]{Hidden Closet} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xZQXXjAWGBo7mTHU]{Illuminating Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BjWI1UVg9kpY7FKO]{Illusory Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jCmnAY8EjuGo5uDg]{Impetus} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Frxs35QkokRdure4]{Legerdemain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wNQ3q7VXtPHlPzqb]{Lock} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l60mmJrF1GupXLJB]{Minor Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p2JmtbtuzscW1ogs]{Move Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3s6gDCIY1zfetGEg]{Slip Into Shadow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xDn74LRD6xlMUqj2]{Telekinesis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Db7aRY4t1mwRpcoL]{Wilderness Explorer}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FIU24o7T66ViVgyg]{Daydream} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SHMGbt30RfePtyNE]{Define Down} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eJpNT3QObtYiDfXY]{Field of Gravity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.itnqtCRfxC2EDKqu]{Force to Reckon With} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hJV3hrSYcq3Zbzl5]{Illusory Selves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YeOtzG5ksxonD5RS]{Living Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hNsph7BRwllVSUre]{Major Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KLFHpPR0MKLOWr8l]{Nullify Sound} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8QwoYVraOedgr9kB]{Projection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wAQ7a5JSjp01x1Eg]{Storm Seed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIlgHiF1EN0fEpYx]{Sunlight}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tvlNZboSbKCHttjs]{Control Weather} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fruWNFBBNLpcGLaC]{Diamagnetism} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TXNhhyj63MMp2dVF]{Force Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBykf0P4WQ9Lb6TN]{Generate Force Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lCWWUQ0vYH2odiDv]{Grandiose Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK9Ruc53rKBqU93i]{Granite Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLsz8IqWScZt0Ott]{Inferno Trail} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8OmtJRuoKRzuGfh8]{Move Mountains} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RNJbp1eAcMqSnYvb]{Permanent Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RBOc2zxAI9xMoWqW]{Relocate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9cJ6gJZc7datpQwJ]{Terrifying Image} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Bny0sFdqf40pJeOp]{Wall of Lightning} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pfZzabIIEuU4kSH3]{The Wild Is on Your Side}
Gives the ability to learn information about something, whether chosen by the GM like Scan, by asking a question and the GM giving the answer, or by learning a language.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.r7uNiD9CGy4G3Hoq]{Babel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.op9VSx3NJT28UwTH]{Community Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P95xVHVxALSMjanR]{Decipher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bH57y3PYsMceluGy]{Dream Thief} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RM8Fmu1IJwzBkjcM]{Eye for Detail} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IvKd5vkPypJbB1Ip]{Gather Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4PVFXmi2cxI8MdpR]{Lab Analysis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRW5MxW12oakmeHE]{Monster Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GicRKJcPO3hmlwD]{Network Tap} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V5oEOJ4i32t97yOG]{Predictive Model} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZsI6553CPbGi0wtx]{Premonition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pHFFr4DkCythNc5n]{Question the Spirits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fzx429jdEdbd0tHy]{Retrieve Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h3G0Ven2SoaPCbk4]{Salvage and Comfort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPvXaxuRIVXLmkWl]{Scan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.83y32UMQWshRvbDG]{See History} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nvA3LwoSP7jf4h8G]{Speaker for the Dead} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L2NOLfflU6HNleuT]{Telepathic}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YlzkyK6WEkk0cfhh]{Creature Insight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ssfubNrUQC38zCkJ]{Device Insight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mL6Yae2CxgefOMHn]{Draw Conclusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mu5knvNfGyaeaiTB]{Find the Hidden} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W7wHOJdozxk7Y2CQ]{Got a Feeling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBt3AmXa8vzUCiHd]{Know Their Faults} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dLJ0B35UlB5wxCf4]{Machine Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7VYzHQvF1cz4cfUp]{Mechanical Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uPvNopNWTgHGIPyR]{Reading the Room} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x7YnN02GiwDQ09km]{Sensor Array} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9r6iNU2GH4oEH6vz]{Serv-0 Scanner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2t9oGZRuFhLCKjsa]{Soul Interrogation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abMJwHQIsm9Wcdlg]{Spot Weakness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBdIPMJ2oOOesmod]{Wilderness Awareness}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1tkQKo32UKxTUUPn]{Deep Consideration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wztu6KcpILxwlFTU]{Drawing on Life’s Experiences} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K0C60k7wHBSpMQX4]{Telepathic Network}
Modifies an existing ability or character trait’s effects or parameters, such as increasing range or, damage, easing the difficulty, giving you additional noncombat actions each turn, rerolling a failed attempt, or treating a number on the die as something different than normal.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m5U42d2SkK31mp8d]{A Smile and a Word} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EyAIsiqJGCspQFcu]{Arcane Flare} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yIdq1lu1eUAkNyDC]{Artifact Tinkerer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ywBEe31zan6qpVxr]{Augment Cypher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mbq7D0u4Vee0NKYz]{Careful Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.essJhO2eqoHmIQaa]{Charge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L3UjcLAFvS9MLWCu]{Coaxing Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EERMWn1af0S8wAWN]{Crushing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkmTskE3eqcfu7dY]{Curious} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Pu5XGGLI6cCp1EQd]{Double Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gWvMJQPBSmeaP8yN]{Drain Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fu5C9JHmORmWTR8]{Driving on the Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YjJvvUhIqtxf6eYS]{Elusive} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJst9mtUKNTe3Pd2]{Energize Object} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SmuTPFfZGnCUmnEj]{Extra Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.axI0iGYo7DjdR8Ya]{Find the Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YGsGHp1rbu3Z7Kdd]{Frenzy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pXrC4lkMOY7CvFLk]{Golem Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1SBd1jm66eSo4eHn]{Gunner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.z23towmNKeKJasHV]{Hacker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tBWUjjkgyXHTrkCp]{Hold Breath} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3fMzqFFQ1rLtbVrd]{Improved Designation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzpkQwb1jA53bs1y]{Investigator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N4DTNNCEESorc0N4]{Lead From the Front} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JK2hN1poqMLqfa1N]{Machine Efficiency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VgomhLKFHDDAzW9T]{Mind for Might} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mFPUUmBIcGGsuwNd]{Modify Device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nW46hfygkxB7FW5m]{Monster Bane} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ktxj62234LhUr51B]{Natural Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PCTUkuALVb0GdTCe]{Object Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDG7hgrRNt4aHpP1]{Overload Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XAXJ3mFGdDv0fXLP]{Precision} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y2eUnbkzxOeoe9w6]{Quick Death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m6X5wyPUPdhqLTIp]{Quick Work} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJVu7MQ2pOhNfpUB]{Range Increase} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.szw7tHW0OjI2fjpJ]{Reload} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vVax9KyZ3U4Wpok8]{Something in the Road} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AFfburUYwZlBFq7N]{Tinker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.J0fj73TfCu4aSdVL]{Weapon Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yS1sMAZEzJbozxOZ]{Wreck}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M5QroBlhUCULt6MD]{Amazing Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7Gxuqkwo4i47yHe3]{Betrayal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G0hoaZFQpdG7FfxO]{Better Living Through Chemistry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JwG4lCSZIG3qUQAi]{Cast Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M3TM1cORNnlEN0ZO]{Cyphersmith} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Rr4oB1lUzuzFHNHQ]{Deadly Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zYGhcm896Xbi7Ia2]{Deep Resources} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zLJYM2OiFVIsuz3P]{Dodge and Resist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEj2uvWI3w0W9HWH]{Drain at a Distance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B5zrSVUs54TUALFB]{Energized Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FQPA8oY3xiZIL6aG]{Enhanced Intellect Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g1t5TxZXsNovIVTn]{Enhanced Might Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwVDTy2Rx1V7Tyly]{Enhanced Physique} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MdRdAc0qAWghMmlV]{Expert Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJQmvEiYq2xBv4ZJ]{Flameblade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR3B0gfJtrYUAU5M]{From the Shadows} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.73miZT5kYFyxnPOT]{Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.42sPqHxJEybiZ6Vh]{Fusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ee8QC6fkRvD1yw6h]{Greater Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgnoEdKZ50u4JZoL]{Greater Designation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vVc3NxkYdj68mAoV]{Greater Enhanced Physique} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hAVC1FOl7hwnuBpC]{Greater Frenzy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4v5pXMwFeB7xQzME]{Guide Bolt} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OtbS1NoVXK7mQLEe]{Guild Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VupBbHOJAX45Yazb]{Heroic Monster Bane} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wrPVUnJauasIH886]{Improved Absorb Kinetic Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7X2zbrkFSNbyhA5G]{Improved Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HPIlAWDGOQFw6yGm]{Improved Monster Bane} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eblwQ80CBlBdeUp5]{Improved Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0q9alvmsQKKViN0r]{Incomparable Pilot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PYD24TjoDAqbKAj8]{Iron Fist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YID6zEB7KkHGYAlD]{Know Where to Look} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bPr34XiLw2Dqb4VJ]{Lunge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2l9FIUVKimPzIXzU]{Machine Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.atQ5yNq1ZEyy0z5j]{Machine Vulnerabilities} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.imWLlYQs4LTaCTdS]{Never Fumble} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cqzyNCPYVEWtucLe]{Outwit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Y7HUEp7IxdPuur8V]{Overcharge Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rOxKh1Z7J686a0nv]{Precise Cut} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iGRECL13bqrSSF7P]{Punish the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJ9nWmcBIlfyNDfe]{Push Off and Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6X3BDWzVKsWltrtY]{Roaming Third Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qSH4OhrBBgNnAdAo]{Robot Improvement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ZVINuyZm4jowRGt]{Shepherd’s Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JhBTTC5ZUTT8NvUA]{Slippery Customer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q73VWJY2cmWxRcYx]{Space Fighting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8LHIZs9gEAd02tId]{Speed Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmYIPbMwsq3GY3eO]{Stone Breaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gn1jtMLhp6qPNXUL]{Store Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS2p7CRfquFvR65U]{Strategize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wpA3GB5yJq9NI8QN]{Think Your Way Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V7npSeuqG3JI4Dvv]{Trust to Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bVt0TIfwtEUXvi6O]{Uncanny Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scMKCptCmp0IwO2g]{Wall With Teeth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6McxfJoPmf1SnbDR]{Wrest From Chance}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cuK7oPGFdlOPoc44]{Agile Wit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eepc8U2e178RDqBs]{All-Out Con} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MJE1k2RmCM6HRwFV]{Artifact Scavenger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iX07Ltb1JYr1nMYM]{Blurring Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hKhwP85QeRGPW03G]{Burst of Escape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPfY6tVurfAxNUPh]{Charging Horde} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmjxGRJTwztzBtLc]{Coordinated Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JH40M99RAN6IZWze]{Damn the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3uyBYJqMApfEBWX]{Discipline of Watchfulness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P3Ha3GoJlM8EHf5j]{Divide Your Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3uGYyiXUUSz952zQ]{Dual Distraction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AsmIgvoIRPEtuzkh]{Duel to the Death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AvaA8a3ylU9q4gL1]{Effective Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A9uQnidn6SKTNHJA]{Enhanced Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xHLPf1FETmn06aA8]{Enhanced Phased Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzJe2XEwhtUajTWI]{Escape Plan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mhgFWIDr0QuCHRIF]{Extreme Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yIt7vEBNLpyggkSQ]{Force and Accuracy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lUkqQu1vvJe3FxfQ]{Gambler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U33DbRwloywFlYfi]{Go to Ground} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGzAHs3qln0fNDjt]{Hard to Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lrz5wU8PLzd7gATA]{Horde Tactics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lJWTlBH1koX2Fjgi]{Impart Understanding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q22uje0KevLfL2qb]{Improved Command Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cnvf8fv0EEKU3iSn]{Improved Gravity Cleave} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t6VEEwEsQUIImebW]{Improved Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JeqLEAcHOYVd78TH]{Inventor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teF5kZpAuRfZKfxn]{Machine Enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IfvVmyawWrz3vKXX]{Maneuvering Adept} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K4XRiZlFRakz6j98]{Master Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7QTTrXnxDHskYYhj]{Master Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t0B6AIqWanSnx696]{Modify Artifact Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ENO71nxs3MSKzvq6]{Multiple Quarry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rsYzxCchklPSFAp7]{Multiplicity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m21TAvxSQn1rGx3d]{Overcharge Device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5uWcMvgh1OWvieJs]{Physically Gifted} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EjBzy1Ue1AA8i6ry]{Recycled Cyphers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hCAzOVpH0jrYc9qk]{Reinforcing Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ucsscEpO5L2gIYZg]{Resonant Frequency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HAVNfVKAdwtJF6Jj]{Robot Evolution} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqUItgrYzBeMiAoB]{Seize the Initiative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Np67YSIzrP6w1PPb]{Shield Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P9HlASUtyiOXghBZ]{Shred Existence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HYDsZRWMlWTvSQU8]{Subtle Tricks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cWHqKGpI5z0aiSYC]{Thief’s Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWws42dVSQjRz8Hr]{Twist of Fate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EE1xCQ3OvCrdrG6z]{Two Things at Once} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bgaCXtvlT0zWmAIA]{Using What’s Available} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gETtOLyLYRVk53dP]{Usurp Cypher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w3HN2nZBTo5mLJcM]{Weightless Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RHLBHQuskBAVGnU8]{Weird Science Breakthrough} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vQtVTnCecWFXkfkI]{Wild Vitality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets}
Increases your movement (such as increasing your basic movement speed from short to long) or adds a new type of movement (such as flight, wallcrawling, phasing, or teleporting).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uh1t4rnkZ2jOCjHJ]{Bolt Rider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dQHSDDZxJNHrHH1l]{Contortionist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3x3gRDJejTXQPmdY]{Danger Instinct} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gP8HCn8FPeg49V7M]{Far Step} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5abCQnz5ZWvvfMro]{Get Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VWehoqF0N6s0WMLK]{Void Wings} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.loOJI9ZakIwGrmW1]{Apportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zps9ZUc9RD1mRDEK]{Blink of an Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asABBkIqO5MSTxQ0]{Bypass Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wG4zveGhplNKNzuP]{Controlled Fall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZYudnanHgtiLHtgH]{Mobile Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qZOOWfFLJ1JziJpY]{Obstacle Running} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MFBq4Fc432FS6nkX]{Phase Door} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dW0rgYsx6hDA8pIB]{Runner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LlaltL5rG2c5Cadt]{Swim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0EhZzYdEhtCRnV4c]{Temporal Dislocation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s68x7VxwueUkCkOg]{Up to Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KX6gQ8frz4IDtBx6]{Windrider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TWqyBv9PEjwJKd1y]{Wings of Fire} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGz0rK4b2dAt0DaX]{Wormhole}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QtpmHxblBqoQozbg]{Alley Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iX07Ltb1JYr1nMYM]{Blurring Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2iAHsn5ie8sYRiyb]{Chamber of Dreams} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.etGUYa9dQSvjLvXX]{Electrical Flight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2asT0zvk1kw5hC1v]{Embraced by Darkness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IKicLElFbkRx5IaM]{Fast Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2TaqNf6bhxijKELX]{Flash Across the Miles} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abdAcwYE8L00VakL]{Flight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2DSp12G6NP3X6Jt]{Impossible Walk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0wVk3CszKCJQfp0Q]{Incredible Running Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jM6JQUQFUpk9VVut]{Jaunt} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U8OsW0m17N86hNWW]{Juggernaut} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cE7JPRHLqIdM3b9V]{Living Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lL7QywDGOszTIJCE]{Mental Projection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tR2v2vMu3TgN21OJ]{Return to the Obelisk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN3VI2LxDyYGbqnN]{Teleportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lkO9VJhfOrgLY4g1]{Time Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8yGwY0PvtF2ivdSn]{Very Long Sprinting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8PB7yHNGa7iBpYeI]{Wind Chariot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b44vvK2YjdSeYPJc]{Windwracked Traveler}
Gives training or specialization in one or more types of combat defenses (Might, Speed, or Intellect), provides or increases Armor, or otherwise helps prevent damage.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.62zBqhQoPk6IV8lF]{Absorb Kinetic Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7OpsD4muO5HGJt29]{Block} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SQ4RTDwdA0yiZ81b]{Closed Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aNNLomN5nZc52ZT4]{Defense Against Robots} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2j6Hqr2Y8Xbz97c4]{Defensive Phasing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YcDF62pED8waUtry]{Deflect Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6qCR3kBqCVYDlEOl]{Distortion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPflrS1giYnMoqL2]{Enveloping Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1POQ4sFW5DLrmXhn]{Fearsome Reputation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XuNgbxrY284sWgZg]{Field of Destruction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K33ayv0NcktuV53N]{Flesh of Stone} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LFiTEQpWhXBgIZWb]{Flight Not Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yb5PaVIPimrcJxFg]{Force Field Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.C9x7b1qN4qmm568P]{Fortified Position} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.10EqPrn9aONinEfm]{Go Defensive} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pXrC4lkMOY7CvFLk]{Golem Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qgholblGXKQri99M]{Hard to Distract} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsAP4JEe7W5gaGaG]{Hardiness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.geCiPXMF2sIRJ68U]{Have Spacesuit, Will Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.czVqoPjH98xaNY1d]{Ice Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gjBFpV2OvDmBqeE3]{Just a Bit Mad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hKsZzzdWTelNlz3q]{Magic Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hGbNYgkuIiZHomcJ]{Mentally Tough} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BkWiUHcUrcRIKqO]{Out of Harm’s Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ClJUFnz8xBmP4a2l]{Powered Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GQeO9RXVzeriLsfy]{Quick Block} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MK2dp11krszjDsyc]{Repel Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mmg9XLzvfbP4ESGO]{Resist the Elements} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ssWKJs1l9cQbNZha]{Resist Underwater Hazards} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q8xKsSOvoFWL1ePP]{Resonance Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0Ewv5wBooSFYOlH]{Safe Fall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XzomXctsS8NL9M7Q]{Serv-0 Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EheuStXUDPojVmT5]{Shield Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AzMtxh562JfrPdKZ]{Shroud of Flame} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.87SQGqcRavRZslAp]{Sound Conversion Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHcC89OKZACgLB8Y]{Stare Them Down} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gS1X6POaKLjNlHsI]{Sturdy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zEkA8MhrnJ5p9Io6]{Unarmored Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.59mslpID7ogppzMA]{Ward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6zU8AURXjXgG63j6]{Warding Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6Xs3fyaANQDWXRoc]{Weapon Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QGSHCRW46vn5Xdwu]{Weather the Vicissitudes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3Xoq7NLpshgG3VPY]{Wind Armor}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yvPcOjjqyU3618Ob]{Absorb Pure Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZH0JbusjycG6zQf1]{Anticipate Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gyZd83dgvZnQrmbb]{Cloak of Opportunity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2SiHiotGcSufnCne]{Confounding Banter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fYBYD1EfA5z1NFl]{Confuse Enemy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BjlHRj3hANsoqhKq]{Counter Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mj6yJZwRmdXaVwh8]{Countermeasures} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XYbtbbVKFYmDfmjO]{Dark Matter Shroud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NnlGdSiR9GbiTJyZ]{Discerning Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gVOzzvxS6PPu8Ofy]{Dual Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.76HF09q7MdGek863]{Electric Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR8WeRW3OlbCIjlJ]{Elemental Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yz1w8JR23mtlDX49]{Energy Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M49EI6qapNJC2aLR]{Energy Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aBfj6w1y6noOzB7d]{Horde Fighting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zcxMbV4Fe4JqJAe8]{Illusory Evasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n985WYLPzj2XqBry]{Magnetic Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.whVEpvOjmGs3fpcD]{Matter Cloud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mGv7zlZu1wtNCQXQ]{Moving Like Water} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mz9g9gv2UvARcLid]{Nimble Swimmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DMBJEypEWuAS2lai]{Outlaw Reputation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GvYXLPdpaFEMGuQR]{Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NKvNEjx64CcS3l13]{Shield Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CNw7shehsdySzhAK]{Subconscious Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wxiRMTCBZ4iNCHp]{Temporal Acceleration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t8wL47jk1KS4zapb]{Tough It Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sq2JJtnRtSthJSYL]{Tower of Intellect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w2aO1ZIpmBDQJXq1]{Tumbling Moves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OovsYh1BefBJrU8m]{Versatile Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhbLcVuqEZmS6Z2y]{Vigilance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWVz2CkwLnCSJMdS]{Wraith Cloak}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xBZTbhZKRB9AJmMa]{Defensive Augmentation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cTU70NgcebRlD7jI]{Field-Reinforced Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S9QxUr8u2gtwY7ya]{Hard Target} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGzAHs3qln0fNDjt]{Hard to Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5rgcPJXpCcB5VJ1m]{Lost in the Chaos} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIy1HDd9yUl07AYo]{Microgravity Avoidance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lGbieMmnuoqsl4Jz]{Nothing but Defend} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4BQHOR98z3TYJPQu]{Still As a Statue} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QLRztjFH4YetYM6l]{Untouchable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.INdq5iQf5ECzRiNp]{Untouchable While Moving} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B6SEeGr5kxLAgvvq]{Wear It Well}
Enhances your senses (seeing in the dark, seeing underwater or through mist, sensing danger, finding optimal places to stand in combat, and so on), but doesn’t provide direct answers to questions like an information ability does.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xskKzxBoGvSrje4e]{Eyes Adjusted} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wVgcztnnNFPqK9Mo]{Familiarize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8ydN3DBdXXP24hQL]{Find an Opening} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.boxrBJsyP0yjJHjt]{Link Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TPEcyzCeC3z5FyyQ]{Mental Link} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uti1XQwY4VFZwwwc]{Reveal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jq6Wm9xYxJA0bRaR]{See the Unseen} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYyymKUc0QKWdNsy]{See Through Matter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvFsSsVjyF8iXvCe]{Sense Ambush} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRh7n2VLXyRa4il9]{Share Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WgjatSOUT6pT02A7]{Third Eye}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nJlhmzrhmXvM3QvU]{Break the Line} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.j1AZSJpCetRgsQ6A]{Detect Life} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MvyXo0ZUsxu8QQ22]{Distance Viewing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EcOIgMC9c1IfSHsr]{Echolocation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.khxZngfluNmVSAIT]{Experienced Finder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QsXOz48JgyXYEEqS]{Inhabit Crystal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBjSpuK7XJc1abJv]{Remote Viewing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9YuQrJXAQO0qIFPj]{Serv-0 Spy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V1ROUnWXLmLRMxXi]{Trapfinder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FktE2hQhSKXbWcQU]{Use Senses of Others}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.djqbPin4qsUauJmD]{Battlefield Tactician} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpJY8qkTAmSvXoFM]{Infer Thoughts} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7QTTrXnxDHskYYhj]{Master Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PazO9rJ2YoE8VEUw]{See Through Time} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
Gives you an indirect social benefit, such as providing a useful contact in a city or letting you take advantage of your social status.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CekF2lqwNrMyio0]{Connected} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GwH3ugd7aHrWZRz]{Debate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JSlr2Q6Ll1xNd8fX]{Demeanor of Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GT0AiiarWPbGzxKs]{Impart Ideal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OmfjqEmmIbrWST5U]{Misdirect Blame} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5VqOTQlAYTtWTwmS]{Negotiate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6QXGJBsJPDFgcdq5]{Perks of Stardom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBlyd9LvSH8D0Z5I]{Powerful Rhetoric} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OFWQd2W52VAODeas]{Underworld Contacts} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UHvD5299HFbwBvpR]{Unexpected Betrayal}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7Gxuqkwo4i47yHe3]{Betrayal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tmrSKjGmjbxfIqPI]{Flamboyant Boast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zg8dYuOdCXGwXOFd]{Informer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5BlJLgj1ayBw0uY]{Oratory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hhBF8re7Azmce3Y9]{Group Friendship}
Gives the ability to make a special melee or ranged attack (weapon, energy blast, psychic, and so on). The attack might do damage, have a special effect (disarm, hinder, move the target, and so on), or both. This also includes abilities like Spray that let you attack multiple targets as your action.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p61Ycyc7lVZQXupO]{Advantage to Disadvantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.X7Rrn9Q54ceSA4Lr]{Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EyAIsiqJGCspQFcu]{Arcane Flare} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BS6IEcYlEp5v3OC]{Bash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wyUQ3Atl3V1ItCFH]{Bloodlust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mfebb42AE5xt7k85]{Concussive Blast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6cMg5QXB71YNgoaM]{Control the Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o7kTUAFonv5HPi07]{Cutting Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teFcKcbo5ZBFbfRl]{Dazzling Sunburst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.di7QfASecjKU8BPN]{Disincentivize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7f6ulMjWFw2BOK76]{Disrupting Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JyAovhallyh9m6oW]{Drain Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bH57y3PYsMceluGy]{Dream Thief} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NHns9zqufRvB3Tnl]{Dual Light Wield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bM2Y62eaUKYKdcwq]{Entangling Force} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lQ4MNmGXXNBMGsmk]{Enthrall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmWjWp4iWk4GMLN0]{Erase Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eFgzJXQlg6l7NBqM]{Eye Gouge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.78uF9siViGIHKYGx]{Flash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aidcxXW6MokDMqY7]{Force Bash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nHqTzLHJrUWSAATM]{Frost Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aFEBxDGnuFi20cLo]{Golem Grip} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zW0cZJQTR0tHUmn3]{Grasping Foliage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S3L1oym8fpx0NsAc]{Hemorrhage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJjAmyf9zhjRTNme]{Hurl Flame} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FE1Ge8CbJxQcCo0b]{Onslaught} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.90wkMwuVBaiyL9yt]{Opportunist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2iiTUXdkMPREkvK]{Overwatch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IPwnXtVrXauJXgFo]{Pierce} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Myt0JUt24B8hjYAg]{Push} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yszDDDpH6m16dEoV]{Quick Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yg6jEM07HAccDcNC]{Ray of Confusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMjccuRLDDnfZtZe]{Release Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q8xKsSOvoFWL1ePP]{Resonance Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7aCeBDGZqu8A9hMQ]{Ribbons of Dark Matter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kkCW4KkWA751AeBl]{Scramble Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n81xGnZHydeXmIRc]{Scratch Existence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0Wq39mJ9oXA415qx]{Seeds of Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nptFEdFaUvjDeqAz]{Shatter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3btRIiWxY8oMcVMo]{Shock} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pdNI9QMKmDwu8gza]{Stasis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8hiUfUNY3u2IpVDa]{Swipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WO2Wg9PvscHMcQlH]{Thrust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uMaMKhemHmtlXDjT]{Thunder Beam} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cwZIpP2FTLIVGhbm]{Weighty}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ra0A8MtQjZEYhJPr]{Acrobatic Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS1RW48sdVY6ZJZd]{Ambusher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SG8ms3jfHw8hXGnX]{Answering Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tbeFzIPGuAjRBpKM]{Better Surprise Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YDKULtvV0pMJDxi2]{Bolts of Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2BSB9or5UJdTiYF]{Built-in Weaponry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IUlsD8Zxp8AYbO4h]{Burning Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hw16NpdbdJOqVF4z]{Castigate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WeMTxJElozl7OWdJ]{Center of Attention} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIWg9VFNnYnrknAu]{Crystal Lens} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MqGMnSIkHK4rOFSm]{Dark Matter Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vZELZYMsLJfBfUnt]{Dazing Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JVvSTtYbksWJDADY]{Debilitating Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XSuUGS0UyrhiW44]{Destroy Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ka5VA9XBi4OTnKVa]{Disable Mechanisms} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dJTgtIs80gOoI6ac]{Divine Radiance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q9nALxXrBv5ubXaT]{Dual Medium Wield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1L1uoad8vwgWxiyN]{Everything Is a Weapon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VEJQ74o175OnlIAm]{Exile} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AUGM3xEluWJi4Y8h]{Fire and Ice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CAh0KStmP03kgv62]{Fling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dDhnZrzAxDvK7QYa]{Force at Distance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCoCGVzWxIL9fIvH]{Force Blast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BGMXK6VKNmp8M4A3]{Freezing Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E0k0LUw0epjJGrv9]{Golem Stomp} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.48i5ybVtZaTlFLJf]{Grab} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jbhcWHMiQQaR9ukO]{Gravity Cleave} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LLvJZvzbGQOrlqoE]{Ignition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QxOsAHpd8ZkEXI5u]{Improved Object Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2K3b6cTuLEGZfYqa]{Knock Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.whVEpvOjmGs3fpcD]{Matter Cloud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9WffstnihzBuuvW]{Mind Games} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTVAJGFiXDueX8az]{Momentum} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gDwPpgIAocEfQjPx]{Overawe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zIYdniz9sjvAHsnX]{Overcome All Obstacles} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rXUUDUJFKis8TpnL]{Phase Detonation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cJB7wj5okdPZuRNb]{Phased Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoC3yuqxU8yhPf47]{Power Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.blm1Z8JxvWOiFf0b]{Pry Open} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mc8L07dpf605FDo9]{Psychic Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Je1MitN21L3lqWVF]{Psychosis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJ9nWmcBIlfyNDfe]{Push Off and Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JlYk5UNZEUzzO8Js]{Quick Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YA5P5CBNr5NSmY6z]{Rapid Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XqGE5QLHnpIKB5rB]{Reaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yo2Z3EdYjx88jYnp]{Remote Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.znJCKr6PeEq4a0j5]{Shattering Shout} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bkQnnjRFJS9VpaY5]{Slice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oNk0Nhle1XwBhOvp]{Snap Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yJDNsRAG3Elm6PWp]{Snipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.57txEIyzuPUQOqVP]{Sprint and Grab} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hy3hI86e9BCmkcQO]{Tall Tale} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WuNUt6ltWGDdjNLS]{Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SPL1URVkuo4PJP8I]{Throw Force Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4s3SAqu0lb5qzfzL]{Trick Shot}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NCXCkCYeZw8qlazG]{Absorb Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YbYeZ0A0m96IWxwl]{Assassin Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.T5tn7zItPyaRcYNC]{Asserting Your Privilege} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ltAq7qr8aaalOtJp]{Attack and Attack Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6kTwO0uYuP8qKqkM]{Biomorphic Detonation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jISh0vWOJdK9hUm1]{Blind Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XRXQwJplJrm7onbN]{Blinding Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zflNCqrmTL7vrYg1]{Bouncing Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9O17NBrKA4AA4Ckw]{Break the Ranks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lID9ke0vHX2r2CC8]{Break Their Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2lhnVWUMX1Nu6KVj]{Call the Storm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yEfkqXxmuQqlA6Fi]{Cold Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PZBKCtRj5S6ULnjo]{Concussion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jHrQLzIfjKtXBoJL]{Deactivate Mechanisms} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iTxEWRCR8G5Rych2]{Death Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0WPUu04FbqxGckhU]{Destroyer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xR2DkSqvAoR8Vtfn]{Dirty Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OkKNmMvLFwHxUv2r]{Divine Intervention} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgaSXp1VQiec8Jst]{Divine Symbol} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1W0sBVHxG7LESCPl]{Do You Know Who I Am?} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJakiz9yvoflzzBD]{Drain Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.D4JFKjeVDkx9Xfnf]{Dust to Dust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.apQwshUTjCQPym8A]{Embrace the Night} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Be1ehHb90jtLc8l0]{Explosive Release} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syJ3mkT2hHR2MY3o]{Finishing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6fpCYtBDCfW6m1b0]{Fire Tendrils} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xCUKzmoBKzN9gIut]{Foul Aura} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvC2vboULutesBDu]{Ice Storm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SZtOjKk7ScShJT6G]{Iron Punch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjzqyyAZoibXl4DT]{Lethal Ploy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlFT2ITvytQVWywQ]{Lethal Vibration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUbqCBV3dBOWFgmv]{Nightmare} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ptH3O4GES71CClGO]{Phase Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xxavxLEaiVFug1D6]{Protective Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8wSx2qtKXq0dWxId]{Psychokinetic Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KVOFCKWKmUrqAe7v]{Punish All the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bY52t6eGONKu8Kr4]{Resonant Quake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EH8OmAJaimF4MTgg]{Shatter Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BM6YnBez7sVnrGUh]{Special Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jrTEtAhE6GfLW7R4]{Spring Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xbYD729j3km6ZDCA]{Sun Siphon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.447ojnjZFMCma8eu]{Taunt Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kKYyGbrQxDRSOh37]{Terrifying Gaze} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z4QcjOxgltEJPm96]{Twisting the Knife} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRIDlrBzTXVYC5rh]{Vindictive Performance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s8NShtaUrW0Oxolo]{Weapon and Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tMOeiKWrhp5P5CCQ]{Weight of the World} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w3HN2nZBTo5mLJcM]{Weightless Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WW3QjCP5UJUsKBW3]{Whirlwind of Throws} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
Gives some sort of benefit to an ally rather than yourself, such as an extra action or an asset on their roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrgqojoyWuTWpyQq]{Advice From a Friend} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BlBi7qk0darLthxS]{Anecdote} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5jGN9GicKYIAneKQ]{Defend the Innocent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4yyKQYnrbL3r9gcU]{Enable Others} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hYa7I52x2iwffh8C]{Encouragement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.grCiWRuV8lvflQHM]{Encouraging Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4fcns7ANpZF7pHaz]{Force Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lZCAKgP966BuU4uF]{Friendly Help} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWCehMidmvLypdxj]{Inspire Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DLxDL49VjUEMAjxZ]{Inspiring Ease} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qp1jDaFiRR5xPPMn]{Protector} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.POaewj2PWMMfCY1i]{Rally to Me} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uti1XQwY4VFZwwwc]{Reveal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FgyHV0QR3YwlLIVb]{Sculpt Flesh} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.701ts4xCDjURZSb5]{Teamwork}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hB1CISYVEZXEO0IV]{Accelerate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wJSxVM8fWADJtTSd]{Applying Your Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.knh2MWMhCgqOjWYD]{Buddy System} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lb5Bo8BpNXdVMkmt]{Combat Challenge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bz04IOSkdP3zcRMD]{Defend All the Innocent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Su3LkSzdGHg9w1RO]{Dual Wards} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR8WeRW3OlbCIjlJ]{Elemental Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RgosWDt0hkosbVQr]{In Harm’s Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1N6P5ZRogThCS0KH]{Lead by Inquiry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIK67k9aoBbFBnkf]{Pay It Forward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oS3AeTouF6HPcaH5]{Play to the Crowd} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QFZyfDWOSEpZeQmM]{Spur Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scceoEmEnN5MW8XT]{Take Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GAeUBbQWE3ryv50V]{True Guardian}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G8waoPdWGzMl0S1n]{Battle Management} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3JWMtJBjf3oUWaxP]{Block for Another} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lJWTlBH1koX2Fjgi]{Impart Understanding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tTrekc4AZbIqem5L]{Inspire Coordinated Actions} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fPCTpU0viXXWrNs0]{Inspiring Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Tes6ntXPZR8IHgY4]{Regenerate Other} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PXvS7AatBcxH9cvZ]{Share Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9sgMUKkIkDIdRtK]{Stimulate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iE83ABQRko5NemVU]{Teach Trick} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zZYSSAFXtJcuezxM]{Transcend the Script} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mjEFQ3ndDRvLB5Dj]{True Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTM0HWGFfo5CHMif]{Will of a Leader} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jTiOQKW2QtXK8dmF]{Work the Friendship}
Gives training, specialization, or an asset in one or more noncombat skills (climbing, healing, computers, initiative, and so on).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wifCvRG9OhsTDT30]{Advantages of Being Big} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YD5gm0w3lqTSyO3V]{Anticipation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYaAyFLmCAAwZi0s]{Assassin Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpXOBSLY03j89yOy]{Athlete} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AWretAEaeQfXTXMy]{Autodoctor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJiXzKX4gf0GNV6V]{Balance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XToLeZ4ksSj3MA5I]{Bestiary Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A83Lw7NnAqwg4BZR]{Blameless} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.awhzMw4RHwOwgEIR]{Breaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lY7NaxsFxt1XZVk5]{Car Surfer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlTtlXeugIljHFVg]{Careful Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zGoUoC6i0f1SbUqE]{Celebrity Talent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkiG6hpsfj1h6XRR]{Computer Programming} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dQHSDDZxJNHrHH1l]{Contortionist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkyJ02LbeOAfDxcF]{Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q3DGDFwNIOjz866X]{Datajack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GwH3ugd7aHrWZRz]{Debate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kkTWFQBeHMS8d6IL]{Deep Water Guide} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjxKTFdA8gqZDP90]{Designation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9p2RJYFo6s55F5Ha]{Devoted Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eYHlYyVDj3odrAFJ]{Disguise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6dPEKpK0HWuD7Bxu]{Divine Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DCuOpij3sNomBe1a]{Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ea7BzQy6fZqHQNET]{Enlightened} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6FI9lLeQx0tJX1W6]{Exploratory Experience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jx6DFmlbQrmltHgc]{Extra Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YQEECpNwDSFCFnCN]{Feat of Strength} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgCWZia7gFicmEJr]{Flex Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HoUOwIPfKTlxyQH0]{Freakishly Large} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qpBv7OxAcMAAtY2M]{Game Lessons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p3kh3XKzetkJTG1J]{Gamer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pp9NFNHKgOhRYbsY]{Hand to Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.f7wLki6qjCNs2Ici]{Handy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YOHGDC5hx24SqbQz]{Hard Choices} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A853pOqz5BmPfh4w]{Higher Mathematics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZgLefUbAcrmYdFur]{How Others Think} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFc52xBtBp69WglW]{Impersonate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HBHjx10W5BQW101w]{Impressive Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sM2zEDx4gRr9CuiR]{Inner Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fh7tK1BVjgSfZ8ml]{Insight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWCehMidmvLypdxj]{Inspire Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4dTGeclZRVjzn5tT]{Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PK6oiYXgdP7KaGgi]{Investigate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.romswZIOmAmtzfCL]{Investigative Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4p95GsynORh0Xd7X]{Knowing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xBQM1AmjmcjmPDDD]{Knowledge of the Law} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oAsK49Zgey5QaC82]{Late Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eM1fLppEnXHBlRNX]{Learning the Path} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rfsCCpxcsjc8hr60]{Levity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aOzkoVf0mNSkZBtn]{Life Lessons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lzy1YbdIJxzNIHZq]{Machine Affinity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QHSH8fE6l3bKz2xl]{Machine Hunting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rhaZSmU6dJpzMO64]{Machine Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQxN55rl0f5HFxEM]{Magic Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zu06akqnHdCvoR0W]{Make Judgment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YF8CYsYKcXpdfqH5]{Master Identifier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KM9qqjzJBJusQNkT]{Master Thief} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GfDLA0qSvqhqzIbL]{Microgravity Adept} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRW5MxW12oakmeHE]{Monster Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBGeAZSBuymzrxDz]{Muscles of Iron} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDUGlu7DZhdfxH2P]{Natural Charisma} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bcEupdsF6FduFPwe]{Oneirochemy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oTDJtTDkwxr5uSfU]{Open Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EbnGDC61relhYaib]{Opening Statement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk5nnC1EcYtqc3Fu]{Pilot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TTKx93iEvtnptsep]{Poetic License} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OjGaIl0JEepjDrla]{Post-Apocalyptic Survivor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBlyd9LvSH8D0Z5I]{Powerful Rhetoric} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vcbIe2sSMKJmawl4]{Predictive Equation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YCwy44WnpusEYN7g]{Quick Study} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QVPmLa6CKwmH6vJZ]{Quick to Flee} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EJ59LwWPkaqErUd]{Quicker Than Most} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pMQT2QIL38XlhkxB]{Resist Tricks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZOfmWQFbwSJQB4wm]{Ruin Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IYt42xzsjesQyEfT]{Sailor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h3G0Ven2SoaPCbk4]{Salvage and Comfort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WUY75HFAqAu1i9ku]{Sense Attitudes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x8cGd4MC9YEW9isa]{Serv-0 Repair} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9sfX1SGtcQ17Uiny]{Sharp Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HWZ8mwAfZEu6r778]{Sleuth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CrV3a9S1yzOXBOJ]{Slippery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gwMRhz3h9zxbVQXt]{Stalker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gbU7mA0flUR4W8Dl]{Stand Watch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tFhd4dEGikOd1g1K]{Straightforward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwDYD8V1CJv8w9rR]{Superb Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aJ1T8XqGF38vyzV2]{Superb Infiltrator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1ZV6jp2IuXFgXEjn]{Task Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0xVoKhKKvzxIbtJD]{There’s Your Problem} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.k4LeTZ1lqN9L3hPS]{Tool Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O0d2Xjp5HTUdFzmp]{Trained Excavator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A8CGMbLGsJ3AHKMP]{Trained Interlocutor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eVZMy7s6px5jLTfj]{Trained Swimmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEjdodvc6SLf8yso]{Travel Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zgcoMEc4j2MjpDhC]{Vacuum Skilled} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KqV5RSzOU3S3NK51]{Wilderness Life} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8KYjSKp6ieQ8YXUy]{Wilderness Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XseI77zSp7iHkEWq]{Wound Tender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qEzcqbNhuJQuBagn]{Zero Dark Eyes}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GK0o4fjCtxgAP269]{Action Processor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ILcTvACqDdLVpc8]{Agent Provocateur} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmDavAL4vDxKjLBK]{Confidence Artist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bvqDafTBMB7Uo9Qj]{Enhance Strength} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hQx9SoUhY6jzUeTW]{Expert Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.12xO8QaEsTvEFUvY]{Expert Pilot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RESKINMA0INj60Rc]{Find the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhNvpbUWNRIFEm8b]{Hard to See} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7tiGTYVXj9eHdja7]{Heightened Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2odkyEO8azxIZWYj]{Intelligent Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t5vs3xMko8GLCB64]{Intense Interaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4JDFgEhyhqReRngE]{Master Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.e3jpx5KsYc8F13Pu]{Meticulous Planner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LdHCwZcifnRRuPrp]{Nightstrike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQkQrvp4o395uIOJ]{Passing Mechanic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhSH0rnaqLogC3DC]{Rider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oCcnXLYQy9DjwPJC]{Sea Legs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NcItnMHjeG9fgE1K]{Serv-0 Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lPqCQOQJF0JfoFRn]{Serv-0 Brawler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EQXA8Gcwdc7dU8lw]{Sharp-Eyed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIy0GMeL8WALvhEb]{Ship Footing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U2QV8t7Pq9irgHqF]{Silent As Space} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.c4CG5F8lfaYelzFf]{Soothe Mind and Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3pqCkOZjnAXWIikt]{Subtle Steps} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q80xvRDX6XwFXgma]{Targeting Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oah8DOODfphl858B]{Telling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wxiRMTCBZ4iNCHp]{Temporal Acceleration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zuEylYrgOVAAjs71]{Trained Basher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I8N5PUMy5Eq7cqZl]{Trained Gunner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gPqiQflb6Z3DXGVk]{Trained Slayer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SjO76u6MlpVx3PwO]{Verbal Misdirection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlVEpuVxp9pGJSoa]{You Studied}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2uSx4ErQ9f2QLX5M]{As Foretold in Prophecy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmjxGRJTwztzBtLc]{Coordinated Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYOt0poxNGA8b3FP]{Explains the Ineffable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VVYx3J42Sj9qCQV9]{Exploit Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GnQRIvynqXx1R2a0]{Further Mathematics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2LaX22wvw35lDger]{Learned a Few Things} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YWMUeaNzao8n8pAc]{Like the Back of Your Hand} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cz0KkzZPnlX1oTYz]{Magnificent Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kZ3LhhYZKrcnBplY]{Master Entertainer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4USzF8qKs8oZJH13]{Multiple Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kcXnkEBuyNil4Nd4]{No One Knows Better} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QZa9b5G80qxtoYqg]{Subsonic Rumble} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RE24qvMuPhasaCP3]{Total Awareness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
A significant change that temporarily enhances you, such as growing bigger, turning into a werewolf, and so on. Also includes apparent transformations like disguises and invisibility.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8DXGUr433iXaVCSv]{Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GmMePJHTRl6PshR6]{Bigger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wIOwT1tjGLMYzZAb]{Controlled Change} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HDYOv1V10xpFbFI7]{Enlarge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Tgmrh8dyGqqCfnU5]{Face Morph} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9ZBl9NeipxSLavS]{Golem Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asQqC0DepYcsPxRV]{Illusory Disguise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zOCvNsxHOcmkQrBn]{Phased Pocket} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5aUrbdjSSLCRggHU]{Spin Identity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1CjsEMTtfnvL1CeJ]{Vanish}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NIePQkLH2DTVjZR2]{Bigger Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rZsohzuwTFfghWVO]{Blend In} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uq6p6fOg9KyFcUws]{Evanesce} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqzexDdZolWgxAza]{Greater Controlled Change} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhNvpbUWNRIFEm8b]{Hard to See} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nEN2HYzlJWhonfmE]{Invisible Phasing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RfGCXsX7JXEr8fMw]{Moon Shape}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbbPZIjq81Qqdp6i]{Colossal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uN2YVmNxkFj3SFof]{Command Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PyVeE7CtDVDksWG6]{Disappear} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XYaYNoQzrYYKR4p]{Gargantuan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S5JTyQCNcgrXgNqf]{Mask} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5Rre17QhaTln9jgA]{Outside Reality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TRdK7RJBkq8WW4np]{Wild Camouflage}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":399610,"name":"Equipment","type":"text","_id":"CSHlAboV1tzyC1Kz","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Equipment in the Cypher System plays only a small role. It’s far more important to focus on what you can do than on what you have. Still, sometimes it’s important to know if you’ve got enough rope, or what kind of gun your space pilot has at their hip.
Dollars, pounds, euros, credits, gold pieces, Martian solval beads, Corso moons and stars, bottle caps—a lot of different currencies might be used in your game, depending on the setting and the genre. You should use whatever you like. In the Cypher System rules, we talk in generalities rather than specifics. Not unlike saying immediate or short distance rather than giving precise numbers, we talk about goods and services in terms of inexpensive, moderately priced, expensive, very expensive, or exorbitant.
The GM can figure out what those things mean in their setting. In a fantasy setting, an inexpensive item might be 1 or 2 copper pennies, while an expensive item might require gold on the table. The exact amount can vary, and in many campaigns, the exact amount will matter. The GM will develop a detailed price list for their setting, and players will track their money on their character sheets to determine what they can afford, often ignoring the terms inexpensive, moderately priced, and so on.
But some GMs might want to keep things simple and use only the general terms, indicating currency just as flavor now and then. In a space opera game, where the PCs are the crew of a starship blazing about the galaxy in search of adventure and profit, fuel and upkeep for the ship might be expensive. Hauling a few passengers from Epsilon Eridani back to Earth might earn enough to purchase six expensive items but cost the equivalent of two expensive items, leaving the crew with the means to refuel and maintain the ship for two further voyages. In such a game, where money only means keeping the ship flying, no one has to talk in specific amounts. Characters might refer to “galactic credits” or something similar, but amounts might not be tracked on the character sheets.
There are five price categories for goods and services.
An inexpensive item is something that common people buy. A simple meal or a drink in the bar. A pen and some paper. A book or magazine.
A moderately priced item is something that common people buy, but not too often and not in great quantities. A small piece of furniture. A major entertainment. An expensive meal. A new outfit.
An expensive item is something that would strain a common person’s finances. Rent on a simple apartment. A major piece of furniture. A very nice outfit. The cost to travel a long distance (if appropriate to the setting).
A very expensive item is probably out of the reach of most people except in very special circumstances. Jewelry. Luxury furnishings.
An exorbitant item is something only the very rich can afford. A very nice house. A ship. Extremely expensive jewelry or art.
Think of the categories as powers of 10. That is to say, a moderately priced item is ten times more costly than an inexpensive item. An expensive item is ten times more costly than a moderately priced item, and thus 100 times the cost of something inexpensive. A very expensive item is ten times the cost of an expensive one, 100 times the cost of a moderate one, and 1,000 times the cost of an inexpensive one. An exorbitant item is priced ten times beyond that.
In some settings, even the generalization offered by the pricing categories might be too specific or cumbersome. In many superhero games, for example, prices are relatively moot. After saving the city, typical superheroes don’t worry about paying rent or how much dinner will cost. On the other hand, in a grittier superhero game, maybe that’s exactly what they worry about.
Regardless of how precise you want to be with prices and currency, you can use the price categories in a variety of ways.
It’s easy for a GM to say to a player “You can afford two extra moderately priced things at the start of the game.” The player can look on the list and pick two moderately priced items without worrying about their cost. Plus, this approach makes it clear that they get two items, not twenty inexpensive items or one more expensive item that perhaps would not be appropriate for a starting character. The categories make it easy to lump similar items together.
The GM can also say “You can have whatever inexpensive items you want, and don’t worry about the cost.” At higher tiers, when the PCs have more wealth, followers, and so on, the GM can do this with moderate or even expensive items. This allows the group to skip over playing through a shopping trip to get supplies, and players don’t have to track prices down to the last coin.
Finally, the categories can be shorthand when evaluating loot, dividing up the spoils among the PCs, and resolving other story-based occurrences that crop up in the game without dealing in the minutiae of exact prices. This is of particular use in high-powered games where the PCs are rich and powerful.
Level of Equipment
Mundane equipment is about level 4—less if of inferior quality or materials, more if of superior quality or materials. This means that in a setting based on the distant past, the default level might be 3, while in the future it might be 5 or 6. So an average serf ’s tool in the Dark Ages is level 3, easily broken, while an average tool on a space station is level 6, made of advanced polymers.
Characters expecting danger frequently wear armor. Even the simplest protective covering helps against stabs and cuts, and more sophisticated or heavier armor protects against graver threats.
You can wear only one type of armor at a time—you cannot wear chainmail hauberk and scale armor together, for example. However, Armor bonuses from multiple sources combine to provide a total Armor rating. For example, if you have subdermal implants that give you +1 to Armor, a force field that offers another +1 to Armor, and beastskin that grants +2 to Armor, you have a total of +4 to Armor.
In general, light armor is a moderately priced item, medium armor is expensive, and heavy armor is very expensive. The Genre chapter offers more specific details on the kinds of armor available in a given setting. Keep in mind that in many genres, it’s quite odd, at best, to run around in armor tougher than a leather jacket.
Anyone can wear any armor, but it can be taxing. Wearing armor increases the cost of using a level of Effort when attempting a Speed-based action. So if you’re wearing light armor and want to use two levels of Effort on a Speed-based roll to run across difficult terrain, it costs 7 points from your Speed Pool rather than 5 (3 for the first level of Effort, plus 2 for the second level of Effort, plus 1 per level for wearing light armor). Edge reduces the overall cost as normal. If you are not experienced with a certain type of armor but wear it anyway, this cost is further increased by 1. Having experience with a type of armor is called being practiced with the armor.
| Armor | Speed Effort Additional Cost Per Level |
| Light | +1 |
| Medium | +2 |
| Heavy | +3 |
Shields provide an asset to Speed defense rolls. You must have one free hand to use a shield.
Not all characters are familiar with all weapons. Warriors know their way around most types, but Explorers prefer light or medium weapons, and Adepts and Speakers usually stick to light weapons. If you wield a weapon that you have no experience with, an attack with that weapon is hindered. Having experience with a weapon is called being practiced with the weapon.
Light weapons inflict only 2 points of damage, but attacks with them are eased because they are fast and easy to use. Light weapons are punches, kicks, knives, handaxes, darts, very small pistols, and so on. Weapons that are particularly small are light weapons.
Medium weapons inflict 4 points of damage. Medium weapons include broadswords, battleaxes, maces, crossbows, spears, typical handguns, light rifles, sawed-off shotguns, and so on. Most weapons are medium. Anything that could be used in one hand (even if it’s often used in two hands, such as a quarterstaff or spear) is a medium weapon.
Heavy weapons inflict 6 points of damage, and you must use two hands to attack with them. Heavy weapons are huge swords, great hammers, massive axes, halberds, heavy crossbows, rifles, regular shotguns, assault rifles, and so on. Anything that must be used in two hands is a heavy weapon.
| Weapon | Damage |
| Light | 2 points (attack eased) |
| Medium | 4 points |
| Heavy | 6 points |
In general, light weapons are moderately priced items, medium weapons are expensive, and heavy weapons are very expensive. Ammunition for a ranged weapon is inexpensive. The Genre chapter offers more specific details on weapons available in a given setting. Keep in mind that in many genres, it’s not acceptable to run around carrying dangerous weapons.
Bombs, grenades, missiles, and other explosives operate differently than other weapons. They affect all targets within an area (usually an immediate area) and inflict damage to all of them. A separate attack roll is required for each (or a Speed defense roll if the PCs are the targets of such an attack), although to simplify, the player can make one attack roll and compare it to the difficulty to attack each target. Usually, even if the attack roll fails (or the Speed defense roll succeeds), the targets still suffer a smaller amount of damage, often 1 point.
Explosives like grenades can be thrown a short distance. Otherwise, another launcher weapon is needed to project them a long distance (or farther).
Although the types of items for sale vary greatly based on the setting, a few things are always present, like food, lodging, and clothing. However, these goods and services can span the price categories. For example, you can get an inexpensive meal, a moderately priced meal, an expensive meal, and so on. An inexpensive meal is light and probably not very nutritious. An expensive meal is available only in nice restaurants in certain locations. An exorbitant meal is probably a feast for a crowd, with the finest foods and drink available.
Nightly lodging is similar, although the bottom end starts out worse. An inexpensive night’s lodging is probably a flea-ridden mat on the floor of a room filled with other lodgers. Typical lodging (a private room with a decent bed) is probably in the moderately priced range. Very expensive lodging might be a suite of rooms with delicious meals and personal services (such as massages and grooming) included.
Inexpensive clothing is just a step up from rags, but moderately priced clothing is decent enough. For a formal party, you’d want expensive clothing. The very rich likely wear very expensive clothing most of the time, and exorbitant clothing (and jewelry) when they go to their elite galas.
Other sorts of miscellaneous items can be found in the Genre chapter.
Cyphers can sometimes be physical items like equipment, but they work very differently. To be entirely accurate, cyphers might have the veneer of equipment, but don’t fall into the trap of confusing the two. Cyphers are far more akin to PC special abilities than to gear. In a fantasy game, they might be potions, scrolls, or charms. In a science fiction game, cyphers might be interesting throwaway devices or alien crystals of unknown providence. In other games, they might just represent good fortune or sudden inspiration. See the Cyphers chapter for more details.
Artifacts are more powerful than equipment and can’t simply be purchased. The Genre chapter offers a few sample artifacts appropriate for various settings.
Each artifact has a level and a rate of power depletion. When an artifact is used or activated, the player rolls the designated die (1d6, 1d10, 1d20, or 1d100). If the die shows the depletion number(s), the item works, but that is its last use. A depletion entry of “—” means that the artifact never depletes, and an entry of “automatic” means that it can be used only once.
Depowered artifacts can sometimes be recharged using the repair rules, depending on the item’s nature. Other special abilities can also repower an expended item, but probably for only one use.
For GM information on artifacts, see the Running the Cypher System chapter.
Characters can sometimes find artifacts while on adventures. They might be in ancient ruins, either intact or in need of manipulation to get them working. They could have been stolen from well-guarded military installations. They might be granted as rewards or taken from fallen foes. Sometimes they can even be purchased from a specialized source, but this occurs more rarely than most PCs would probably like.
After the characters find an artifact, identifying it is a separate Intellect task. The GM sets the difficulty of the task, but it is usually equal to the artifact’s level. Identifying it takes fifteen minutes to three hours. If the PCs can’t identify an artifact, they can bring it to an expert to be identified or, if desired, traded or sold.
Characters can attempt to use an artifact that has not been identified, which is usually an Intellect task equal to the artifact’s level + 2. Failure might mean that the PCs can’t figure out how to use the artifact or they use it incorrectly (GM’s discretion). Of course, even if characters use an unidentified artifact correctly the first time, they have no idea what the effect might be.
Once characters identify an artifact, using it for the first time requires an additional Intellect action; this process is far more complex than pushing a button. It can involve manipulating touchscreens, reciting the proper arcane words, or anything else that fits the setting. The GM sets the difficulty, but it is usually equal to the artifact’s level.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":537500,"name":"Experience Points","type":"text","_id":"kL1WYB17GtLujcMp","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Experience points (XP) are the currency by which players gain benefits for their characters. The most common ways to earn XP are through GM intrusions and by accomplishing things the PCs set out to do. Sometimes experience points are earned during a game session, and sometimes they’re earned between sessions. In a typical session, a player might earn 2 to 4 XP, and between sessions, perhaps another 2 XP (on average). The exact amounts depend on the events of the session.
At any time, the GM can introduce an unexpected complication for a character. When they intrude in this way, they must give that character 2 XP. That player, in turn, must immediately give one of those XP to another player and justify the gift (perhaps the other player had a good idea, told a joke, or performed an action that saved a life).
Often, the GM intrudes when a player attempts an action that should be an automatic success. However, the GM is free to intrude at other times. As a general rule, the GM should intrude at least once each session, but no more than once or twice each session per character.
Anytime the GM intrudes, the player can spend 1 XP to refuse the intrusion, though that also means they don’t get the 2 XP. If the player has no XP to spend, they can’t refuse.
If a player rolls a 1 on a die, the GM can intrude without giving the player any XP.
Example 1: Through skill and the aid of another character, a fourth-tier PC eases a wall-climbing task from difficulty 2 to difficulty 0. Normally, they would succeed at the task automatically, but the GM intrudes and says “No, a bit of the crumbling wall gives way, so you still have to make a roll.” As with any difficulty 2 task, the target number is 6. The PC attempts the roll as normal and gains 2 XP because the GM intruded. They immediately give one of those XP to another player.
Example 2: During a fight, a PC swings their axe and damages a foe with a slice across the shoulder. The GM intrudes by saying that the foe turned just as the axe struck, wrenching the weapon from the character’s grip and sending it clattering across the floor. The axe comes to a stop 10 feet (3 m) away. Because the GM intruded, the PC gains 2 XP, and the player immediately gives one of those XP to another player. Now the character must deal with the dropped weapon, perhaps drawing a different weapon or using their next turn to scramble after the axe.
For much more on GM intrusions, see the Running the Cypher System chapter.
Character arcs are the means by which players can invest themselves more in great stories and character depth and development.
Just like in a book or a television show, characters progress through their own personal story and change over time. A PC with a character arc decides for themselves what they do and why. Character arcs are like stated goals for a character, and by progressing toward that goal, the character advances. The key word there is progressing. A PC doesn’t have to succeed at achieving the goal to earn advancement—it’s not an all-or-nothing prospect. Each arc is keyed to a single character, but just like in a book or show, characters can take part in the larger story arc that the whole group participates in, while also progressing in their own personal arc.
Character arcs have different steps that mark the character’s progress through the arc. Each arc eventually reaches a climax, and then finishes with a step that is a final resolution. Each step reached earns the character 2 XP. Character arcs are the most straightforward way that a character earns XP. (Typically, PCs will earn about half their total experience points from arcs or other GM awards.)
At character creation, a player can choose one character arc for their PC at no cost. Players have the option to not choose one, but it’s probably a good idea to do so. First and foremost, it is a character-defining factor. If they begin the campaign with a desire to find the woman who killed their brother, that says a lot about the character: they had a brother, he was likely close to them, he had been in at least one dangerous situation, and the character is probably motivated by anger and hate, at least somewhat. Even after the character finishes this first arc, they’ll undoubtedly have (at least one) more because they can gain new arcs as the campaign progresses.
Once play begins, players can take on a new arc whenever they wish, as fits the character’s ongoing story. Taking a new arc has a cost of 1 XP. While there’s no hard limit on how many arcs a character can have at one time, realistically most PCs couldn’t reasonably have more than three or four.
However, as mentioned above, arcs have a beginning cost that must be paid, reflecting the character’s devotion to the goal. The character will earn this investment back (probably many times over) if the arc is completed.
Character arcs are always player-driven. A GM cannot force one on a character. That said, the events in the narrative often present story arc opportunities and inspire character arcs for the PCs. It’s certainly in the GM’s purview to suggest possible arcs related to the events going on. For example, if the GM presents an encounter in which an NPC wishes to learn from the PC, it might make sense to suggest taking the Instruction arc. Whether or not the PC takes on the student, the player doesn’t have to adopt the Instruction arc unless they want to.
At the end of a session, review the actions you took and describe how they might equate to the completion of a step (or possibly more than one step) in their character arc. If the GM agrees, the character gets their reward.
When in doubt, if one character accomplishes a step in their arc but another character does not, the first character should get the 2 XP reward, but the other character should probably still get, at minimum, 1 XP for the session.
This chapter presents many sample character arcs (see below).
Sometimes, a group will have an adventure that doesn’t deal primarily with a PC’s character arc. In this case, it’s a good idea for the GM to award XP to that character for accomplishing other tasks. First and foremost, awards should be based on discovery. Discovery can include finding a significant new location, such as a hidden chamber, a secret fortress, a lost land, a new planet, or an unexplored dimension. In this fashion, PCs are explorers. Discovery can also include a new significant aspect of a setting, such as a secret organization, a new religion, and so on.
It can also mean finding a new procedure or device (something too big to be considered a piece of equipment) or even previously unknown information. This could include a source of magical power, a unique teleportation device, or the cure for a plague. These are all discoveries. The common thread is that the PCs discover something that they can understand and put to use.
Last, depending on the GM’s outlook and the kind of campaign the group wants to play, a discovery could be a secret, an ethical idea, an adage, or even a truth.
It’s a fine line, but ultimately the GM decides what constitutes a discovery as opposed to just something weird in the course of an adventure. Usually, the difference is, did the PCs successfully interact with it and learn something about it? If so, it’s probably a discovery.
Artifacts: When the group gains an artifact, award XP equal to the artifact’s level and divide it among the PCs (minimum 1 XP for each character). Round down if necessary. For example, if four PCs discover a level 5 artifact, they each get 1 XP. Money, standard equipment, and cyphers are not worth XP. (Experience point awards for artifacts should usually apply even if the artifact was given to the PCs rather than found, because often such gifts are the rewards for success.)
Miscellaneous Discoveries: Various other discoveries might grant 1 XP to each PC involved.
Other Awards: If a character is focused on activities that don’t relate to a character arc or a discovery, as a general rule, a mission should be worth at least 1 XP per game session involved in accomplishing it. For example, saving a family on an isolated farm beset by raiding cultists might be worth 1 XP for each character. Of course, saving the family doesn’t always mean killing the bad guys; it might mean relocating them, parlaying with the cultists, or chasing off the raiders.
Experience points are meant to be used. Hoarding them is not a good idea; if a player accumulates more than 10 XP, the GM can require them to spend some.
Generally, experience points can be spent in four ways: immediate benefits, short- and medium-term benefits, long-term benefits, and character advancement.
Experience points should not be a goal unto themselves. Instead, they are a game mechanic to simulate how—through experience, time, toil, travail, and so on— characters become more skilled, more able, and more powerful. Spending XP to explain a change in a character’s capabilities that occurred in the course of the story, such as if the PC made a new device or learned a new skill, isn’t a waste of XP—it’s what XP are for.
The most straightforward way for a player to use XP is to reroll any roll in the game—even one that they didn’t make. This costs 1 XP per reroll, and the player chooses the best result. They can continue to spend XP on rerolls, but this can quickly become an expensive proposition. It’s a fine way to try to prevent disaster, but it’s not a good idea to use a lot of XP to reroll a single action over and over.
A player can also spend 1 XP to refuse a GM intrusion.
By spending 2 XP, a character can gain a skill—or, more rarely, an ability—that provides a short-term benefit. Let’s say a character notices that the computer terminals in the facility they’re infiltrating are similar to those used by the company they once worked for. They spend 2 XP and say that they have a great deal of experience in using these. As a result, they are trained in operating (and breaking into) these computers. This is just like being trained in computer use or hacking, but it applies only to computers found in that particular location. The skill is extremely useful in the facility, but nowhere else.
Medium-term benefits are usually story based. For example, a character can spend 2 XP while climbing through mountains and say that they have experience with climbing in regions like these, or perhaps they spend the XP after they’ve been in the mountains for a while and say that they’ve picked up the feel for climbing there. Either way, from now on, they’re trained in climbing in those mountains. This helps them now and any time they return to the area, but they’re not trained in climbing everywhere.
This method allows a character to get immediate training in a skill for half the normal cost. (Normally, it costs 4 XP to become trained in a skill.) It’s also a way to gain a new skill even if the PC has already gained a new skill as a step toward attaining the next tier.
In rare cases, a GM might allow a character to spend 2 XP to gain an entirely new ability—such as a device, a special ability, or a special mental power—for a short time, usually no longer than the course of one scenario. The player and the GM should agree on a story-based explanation for the benefit. Perhaps the ability has a specific rare requirement, such as a tool, a battery, a drug, or some kind of treatment. For example, a character who wants to explore a submerged location has several biotech enhancements, and they spend 2 XP to cobble together a device that lets them breathe underwater. This gives them the ability for a considerable length of time, but not permanently—the device might work for only eight hours. Again, the story and the logic of the situation dictate the parameters.
In many ways, the long-term benefits a PC can gain by spending XP are a means of integrating the mechanics of the game with the story. Players can codify things that happen to their characters by talking to the GM and spending 3 XP.
Things that a PC can acquire as a long-term benefit can be thought of as being story based, and they allow the player to have some narrative control over the story. In the course of play, a player might decide that their character gains a friend (a contact) or builds a log cabin (a home). Because a player spent XP, however, they should have some agency over what they’ve gained, and it shouldn’t be easily taken away. The player should help come up with the details of the contact or the design of their home.
It’s also possible to gain these benefits through events in the story, without spending XP. The new contact comes to the PC and starts the relationship. The new home is granted to them as a reward for service to a powerful or wealthy patron, or maybe the character inherits the home from a relative. However, because these came from the GM and not the player (and no XP were spent), the player has no narrative control over them and the GM makes up the details.
Long-term benefits can include the following.
Contact: The character gains a long-term NPC contact of importance—someone who will help them with information, equipment, or physical tasks. The player and GM should work out the details of the relationship.
Home: The PC acquires a full-time residence. This can be an apartment in a city, a cabin in the wilderness, a base in an ancient complex, or whatever fits the situation. It should be a secure place where the PC can leave their belongings and sleep soundly. Several characters could combine their XP and buy a home together.
Title or job: The PC is granted a position of importance or authority. It might come with responsibilities, prestige, and rewards, or it might be an honorary title.
Wealth: The PC comes into a considerable amount of wealth, whether it’s a windfall, an inheritance, or a gift. It might be enough to buy a home or a title, but that’s not really the point. The main benefit is that the PC no longer needs to worry about the cost of simple equipment, lodging, food, and so on. This wealth could mean a set amount—perhaps 50,000 dollars (or whatever is appropriate in the setting)—or it could bestow the ability to ignore minor costs, as decided by the player and GM.
GMs and players should work together to make XP awards and expenditures fit the ongoing story. If a PC stays in a location for two months to learn the inhabitants’ unique language, the GM might award the character a few XP, which are then immediately spent to grant them the ability to understand and speak that language.
Progressing to the next tier involves four steps. When a PC has spent 4 XP on each of the steps, they advance to the next tier and gain all the type and focus benefits of that tier. The four steps can be purchased in any order, but each can be purchased only once per tier. In other words, a PC must buy all four steps and advance to the next tier before they can buy the same steps again.
Increasing Capabilities: You gain 4 new points to add to your stat Pools. You can allocate the points among your Pools however you wish.
Moving Toward Perfection: You add 1 to your Might Edge, your Speed Edge, or your Intellect Edge (your choice).
Extra Effort: Your Effort score increases by 1.
Skills: Choose one skill other than attacks or defense, such as climbing, jumping, persuading, sneaking, or history. You become trained in that skill. You can also choose to be knowledgeable in a certain area of study, such as history or geology. You can even choose a skill based on your character’s special abilities. For example, if your character can make an Intellect roll to blast an enemy with mental force, you can become trained in that ability, easing the task of using it.
If you choose a skill that you are already trained in, you become specialized in that skill, easing the task by two steps instead of one. If you choose a skill that you have an inability in, the training and the inability cancel each other out (you aren’t eased or hindered in that task). For example, if you have an inability in perception, becoming trained in that cancels out the inability.
Once you’re specialized in a skill, you can’t improve your training in that skill further (you can ease a task by up to two steps with training). You can still make that task easier with assets and a few rare abilities that don’t count as an asset or training.
Other Options: Players can also spend 4 XP to purchase other special options. Selecting one of these options counts as purchasing one of the four stages necessary to advance to the next tier. The other three need to be from the other categories. The special options are as follows:
Reduce the cost for wearing armor. This option lowers the Speed penalty for wearing armor by 1.
Add 2 to your recovery rolls.
Select another focus ability available to you at tier 3. (You must be tier 3 or higher to do this. Characters advancing beyond tier 6 can use this option to select their other tier 6 focus ability.)
Select another character ability from your type, such as a tier 2 Warrior selecting Reload or Crushing Blow.
It’s worthwhile if all characters advance through the six tiers at about the same rate—an important issue for some players. A good GM can achieve this result by carefully handing out XP rewards, some during play (which will tend to get used immediately) and some after play concludes, especially after completing a major story arc or quest so the GM can hand out 4 XP in one go (which will tend to get used for advancement). Many groups will discover while playing that equal advancement isn’t an important issue in the Cypher System, but people should get to play the game the way they want to play it.
Tiers in the Cypher System aren’t entirely like levels in other roleplaying games. In the Cypher System, gaining tiers is not the players’ only goal or the only measure of achievement. Starting (first-tier) characters are already competent, and there are only six tiers. Character advancement has a power curve, but it’s only steep enough to keep things interesting. In other words, gaining a new tier is cool and fun, but it’s not the only path to success or power. If you spend all your XP on immediate, short-term, and medium-term benefits, you will be different from someone who spends their points on long-term benefits, but you will not be “behind” that character.
The general idea is that most characters will spend half their XP on tier advancement and long-term benefits, and the rest on immediate benefits and short- and medium-term benefits (which are used during gameplay). Some groups might decide that XP earned during a game is to be spent on immediate and short- and medium-term benefits (gameplay uses), and XP awarded between sessions for discoveries is to be spent on character advancement (long-term uses).
Ultimately, the idea is to make experience points into tools that the players and the GM can use to shape the story and the characters, not just a bookkeeping hassle.
The rest of this chapter presents sample character arcs for PCs. The writeup of each arc describes the parts involved in progressing through the arc:
Opening: This sets the stage for the rest of the arc. It involves some action, although that might just be the PC agreeing to do the task or undertake the mission. It usually has no reward.
Step(s): This is the action required to move toward the climax. In story terms, this is the movement through the bulk of the arc. It’s the journey. The rising tension. Although there might be just one step, there might also be many, depending on the story told. Each results in a reward of 2 XP.
Climax: This is the finale—the point at which the PC likely succeeds or fails at what they’ve set out to do. Not every arc ends with victory. If the character is successful, they earn a reward of 4 XP. If they fail, they still earn a reward of 2 XP. If a character fails the climax, they very likely ignore the resolution.
Resolution: This is the wrap-up or denouement. It’s a time for the character to reflect on what happened, tie up any loose ends, and figure out what happens next. When things are more or less resolved, the character earns a
1 XP reward.
Within the arc, most of the time a part is probably optional, depending on the situation—although it’s hard to envision most arcs without some kind of opening, climax, or resolution. Steps other than the opening, the climax, and the resolution can be done in any order.
Character arcs should always take at least weeks in game time, and no more than two parts in an arc should be accomplished in a game session (and most of the time, it should be one part, if any). If neither of these two things is true, then it’s not really a character arc. You can’t, for example, use the Creation arc to guide you through something you can make in an hour or two.
The following are common character arcs that you can choose for your character. If you and the GM want to make a new one, it should be fairly easy after looking through these models.
This chapter has a selection of sample character arcs, but you can create your own too. The arcs are intentionally broad to encompass many different characters and stories. For example, Revenge is a very simple and straightforward character arc. The player who chooses this arc for their character decides who they want revenge on, and why. It’s up to the players and the GM to make the details fit.
Some players might not want to use character arcs. The GM, however, can still use them as a benchmark for awarding XP. If the PCs are going off to explore a strange planet, the GM can essentially give them the Explore arc.
Someone needs your help.
When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do.
It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of) your help.
The cost and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc.
Opening: Answering the Call. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help).
Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Rewards are the same for you as for the friend.
Resolution: You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.
You set out to accomplish something that will further an organization. You’re probably allied with them or they are rewarding you for your help in some fashion.
Opening: Responding to the Call. You work out all the details of what’s expected of you, and what rewards (if any) you might get. You also get the specifics of what’s required to join and advance.
Step: Sizing up the Task. This requires some action. A reconnaissance mission. An investigation.
Step(s): Undertaking the Task. Because this arc can vary so widely based on the task involved, there might be multiple steps like this one.
Climax: Completing the Task.
Resolution: Collecting your reward (if any) and conferring with the people in the organization that you spoke to. Perhaps getting access to higher-ranking people in the organization. You can choose to have your connection to the organization increase rather than take the standard reward.
Someone close to you or important to you in some way has been wronged. The most overt version of this arc would be to avenge someone’s death. Avenging is different than revenge, as revenge is personal—you are the wronged party. But in the Avenge character arc, you are avenging a wrong done to someone else.
Opening: Declaration. You publicly declare that you are going to avenge the victim(s). This is optional.
Step(s): Tracking the Guilty. You track down the guilty party. This might not be physically finding them if you already know where they are. Instead, it might be discovering a way to get at them if they are distant, difficult to reach, or well protected. This step might be repeated multiple times, if applicable.
Step: Finding the Guilty. You finally find the guilty party, or find a path or make a plan to reach them. Now all that’s left is to confront them.
Climax: Confrontation. You confront the guilty party. This might be a public accusation and demonstration of guilt, a trial, or an attack to kill, wound, or apprehend them—whatever you choose to be appropriate.
Resolution: You resolve the outcome and the ramifications of the confrontation and decide what to do next.
You are becoming a parent.
The Birth character arc assumes you already have a partner or a surrogate. If you want your character to find a romantic partner or spouse, you can use the Romance arc. And of course, nonhuman characters might reproduce in other ways.
This arc is usually followed by the Raise a Child arc.
Opening: Impregnation.
Step: Finding a Caretaker. This might be a physician, midwife, doula, or similar person. This is optional.
Step: Complication. A complication arises that threatens the pregnancy, the birth parent, or both.
Step: Preparation. You prepare a place for the delivery as well as a safe place for the infant to live once born.
Climax: Delivery. The baby is born. Success means the child survives.
Resolution: You get the baby to the place you have prepared and settle in, deciding what to do next.
You are going to build a physical structure—a house, a fortress, a workshop, a defensive wall, and so on. This arc would also cover renovating an existing structure or substantially adding to one. Of course, this doesn’t have to be physical construction. You might build something with spells or other supernatural abilities.
Opening: Make a Plan. This almost certainly involves literally drawing up blueprints or plans.
Step(s): Find a Site. This might be extremely straightforward—a simple examination of the site—or it might be an entire exploratory adventure. (If the latter, it might involve multiple such steps.)
Step(s): Gather Materials. Depending on what you are building and what it is made out of, this could involve multiple steps. There probably are substantial costs involved as well.
Step(s): Construction. Depending on what you are building, this could involve multiple steps. It might also take a considerable amount of time and work.
Climax: Completion. The structure is finished.
Resolution: You put the structure to its desired use and see if it holds up.
Someone or something has been contaminated, probably by evil spirits, radiation, a deadly virus, foul magic, or the like, and you want to rid them of such influences or contaminants. This could also be a curse, a possession, an infestation, or something else.
Opening: Analyzing the Threat. You determine the nature of the contamination.
Step: Find the Solution. Almost every contamination has its own particular solution, and this likely involves research and consultation.
Step: Getting Ready. The solution probably involves materials, spells, or other things that you must gather and prepare.
Climax: The Cleansing. You confront the contamination.
Resolution: You reflect on the events that have transpired and what effects they might have on the future. How can you keep this from happening again?
You want to make something. This might be a magic item, a painting, a novel, or a machine.
Opening: Make a Plan. You figure out what you need, what you’re going to do, and how you’re going to do it.
Step(s): Gather Materials. Depending on what you are creating and what it is made out of, this could involve multiple steps. There probably are substantial costs involved as well.
Step(s): Progress. Depending on what you are creating, this could involve multiple steps. It might also take a considerable amount of time and work.
Climax: Completion. It’s finished! Is it what you wanted? Does it work?
Resolution: You think about what you have learned from the process and use or enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Someone stands in your way or is threatening you. You must overcome the challenge they represent. Defeat doesn’t always mean kill or even fight. Defeating a foe could mean beating them in a chess match or in competition for a desired mentor.
Opening: Sizing up the Competition. This requires some action. A reconnaissance mission. An investigation.
Step: Investigation. This requires some action. A reconnaissance mission. An investigation.
Step(s): Diving In. You travel toward your opponent, overcome their lackeys, or take steps to reach them so you can confront them. This step can take many forms, and there might be more than one such step. This step is always active.
Climax: Confrontation. The contest, challenge, fight, or confrontation occurs.
Resolution: You reflect on what you’ve learned and what the consequences of your actions might be.
A person, place, or thing is threatened, and you want to protect it.
Opening: Analyze the Situation. What are you defending, and what threats are involved?
Step: Account for Your Resources. How are you going to defend?
Step(s): Fend Off Danger. The forces threatening what you are protecting probably make an initial threat that you’ll have to defeat. It’s not the main threat, though. There might be multiple such initial threats.
Climax: Protect. The true threat reveals itself and you confront it.
Resolution: A time for reflection on everything that occurred, and an assessment of the person, place, or thing’s safety going forward.
You want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC.
Opening: Getting to Know You. You learn what you can about the other character.
Step: Initial Attempt. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation.
Step(s): Building a Relationship. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship.
Climax: Bond. You succeed or fail at forging the bond.
Resolution: You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship.
You want to create and run a business or start an organization. Maybe you’re a craftsperson who wants to sell your creations. Maybe you like baking and you want to start a catering service. Or maybe you want to start a secret society or found a school to teach young mutants how to use their powers. You’ll almost certainly have to make new connections, find (and somehow pay for) a location, and deal with all manner of administrative duties.
Opening: Drawing up a Plan. What’s your goal, and how are you going to achieve it?
Step: Account for Your Resources. How much financing does the enterprise need compared to what you’ve got? If you need more, how will you get it? How many people other than yourself are needed to begin, and how many will you need to sustain things once they are up and running?
Step: Finding a Location. You probably need a place to run your enterprise—a store, a workshop, a base of operations, and so on. You find a location and look into what it will take to buy or rent it.
Step(s): Building the Enterprise. You procure the needed equipment or personnel. You make the connections and deals to get things started. You obtain important permits or other legal documents. You test new products. You actually start the business. Each of these developments (and likely others) can be counted as a separate step, so there will be many steps.
Climax: Profit and Loss. You determine whether your enterprise will take off and carry on into the future, or fall apart before it gets a chance to blossom. This occurs in a single dramatic moment—your first major client, your organization’s first big meeting or mission, or whatever else is appropriate.
Resolution: A time for reflection on everything that occurred, and how you’re going to move forward.
You want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically.
Opening: Assessment. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to.
Step(s): Appearances Matter. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps.
Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps.
Climax: Grabbing Attention. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash or a big crash.
Resolution: You reflect on what you did and where you go from here.
Something out there is unknown and you want to explore its secrets. This is most likely an area of wilderness, a new planet, an otherworldly dimension, or something similar.
Opening: Make a Plan. Not only do you draw up a plan for your exploration, but if appropriate, you also make a formal declaration to relevant parties of what you’re going to do.
Step(s): Gather Resources. You get the supplies, vehicles, and help you need. Depending on where you are going and what is required, this could involve multiple steps. There probably are substantial costs involved as well.
Step(s): Travel. You go where you wish to explore. There might be many such steps, depending on how long it takes to get there.
Step(s): Exploration. This is the meat of the arc, but it’s probably a series of small moves and minor victories. There might be many such steps.
Climax: Conquest. You make the big discovery or truly master the area. You might not have explored every inch of the place, but if you are successful, you can claim to be done.
Resolution: You return home and possibly share your findings.
This is an odd character arc in that it’s (presumably) not something that a character would want. It is something that a player selects on a meta level for the character because it makes for an interesting story. It also sets up the potential for future arcs, such as Redemption. It’s important that this involve actions you take. For example, you fall into substance abuse. You treat people badly. You make mistakes that endanger others. In other words, the fall isn’t orchestrated by someone else—it’s all your own doing.
Opening: The Descent. Things go bad.
Step(s): Further Descent. Things get worse. Depending on the situation, this might involve many steps.
Step: Lashing Out. You treat others poorly as you descend.
Climax: Rock Bottom. There is no chance for success here. Only failure.
Resolution: You wallow in your own misery.
Something that was begun in the past must now be completed. This might involve destroying an evil artifact, finishing the construction of a monument, developing the final steps of a cure for a disease, or uncovering a lost temple forgotten to the ages.
Opening: Assessing the Past. You look at what has come before and where it still needs to go. This almost certainly involves some real research.
Step: Conceive a Plan. You make a plan on how to move forward.
Step(s): Progress. You make significant progress or overcome a barrier to completion. This may involve multiple such steps.
Climax: Completion. This involves the big finish to the past work.
Resolution: You reflect on what you did and where you go from here.
Willingly or unwillingly, you are going to change. This is another meta arc. It’s less about a goal and more about character development. While it’s possible that the growth involved is intentional, in most people’s lives and stories, it is emergent. A character might become less selfish, braver, a better leader, or experience some other form of growth.
Opening: The Beginning. Change usually begins slowly, in a small, almost imperceptible way.
Step(s): Change. Growth involves many small steps.
Step: Overcoming an Obstacle. The temptation to resort to your old ways is always present.
Climax: Self-Evident Change. This is a dramatic about-face. This is the moment where you do something the “old you” would never have done, and it has a profound effect on you and those around you. With either success or failure, growth is possible.
Resolution: You recognize the change in yourself and move forward.
You teach a pupil. You have knowledge on a topic and are willing to share. This can be a skill, an area of lore, a combat style, or the use of a special ability. This is usually a fairly long-term arc. Sometimes teaching a pupil is a side matter, and sometimes the pupil takes on more of an apprentice role and spends a great deal of time with you, traveling with you and perhaps even living in your house (or you living in theirs).
Opening: Taking on the Student.
Step: Getting to Know Them. You assess your pupil’s strengths and weaknesses and try to get an idea of what they need to learn and how you can teach it to them.
Step(s): The Lessons. Teaching is often a slow, gradual process.
Step: Breakdown. Many times, a student needs to have a moment of crisis to really learn something. Maybe they get dejected, or maybe they rebel against your teaching techniques.
Climax: Graduation. This is when you recognize that the pupil has learned what they need. It usually comes at a dramatic moment.
Resolution: You and the pupil say your goodbyes, and you look toward the future.
You want to join an organization. This might be a military organization, a corporation, a secret society, a religion, or something else.
Opening: Getting the Details. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member.
Step(s): Making a Contact. Friends on the inside are always important.
Step(s): Performing a Deed. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things.
Climax: Proving Your Worth. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member.
Resolution: You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you.
You try to right a wrong or bring a wrongdoer to justice.
Opening: Declaration. You publicly declare that you are going to bring justice in this situation. This is optional.
Step(s): Tracking the Guilty. You track down the guilty party, assuming there is one. This might not be physically finding them if you already know where they are. Instead, it might be discovering a way to get at them if they are distant, difficult to reach, or well protected. This step might be repeated multiple times, if applicable.
Step: Helping the Victim. Righting a wrong does not always involve confronting a wrongdoer. Part of it might be about helping those who were wronged.
Climax: Confrontation. You confront the guilty party. This might be a public accusation and demonstration of guilt, a trial, or an attack to kill, wound, or apprehend them—whatever you choose to be appropriate.
Resolution: You resolve the outcome and ramifications of the confrontation and decide what to do next.
You want to learn something. This isn’t the same as the Uncover a Secret arc, in which you’re looking for a bit of information. This is a skill or whole area of knowledge you want to gain proficiency with. This is learning a new language, how to play an instrument, or how to be a good cook. Thus, it’s not about gaining a level or rank in climbing, but learning to be an experienced mountaineer.
Opening: Focusing on the Problem.
Step: Finding a Teacher or a Way to Teach Yourself. Now you can truly begin.
Step(s): Learn. Depending on what you’re learning, this could involve one step or quite a few.
Climax: The Test. You put your new knowledge to the test in a real situation.
Resolution: You relax a bit and decide what to do next.
You’re skilled, but you want to become the best. This arc might logically follow the Learn arc. As with the Learn arc, this can involve any kind of training at all, not just a skill.
Opening: Finding the Path. You’ve learned the basics. Now it’s time for the advanced material.
Step: Discovering a Master. You find a master to help you become a master.
Step(s): Learn. Depending on what you’re mastering, this could involve one step or quite a few.
Step: The Last Step. Eventually, you realize that even a master cannot teach you the last step. You must learn it on your own.
Climax: The Test. You put your mastery to the test in a real situation—and considering your goal, it’s probably a very important situation.
Resolution: You relax a bit and decide what to do next.
You don’t know who your parents were, but you want to find out. The mystery might be something other than your parentage, but that’s a common theme in this kind of arc. You want to know where you come from—there’s some kind of mystery in your past.
Opening: Beginning the Search.
Step: Research. You look into your own family background, if possible.
Step(s): Investigation. You talk to people who might know. You follow clues.
Climax: Discovery. You discover the secret of your own background. You determine if what you learn is good or bad, but either way discovery means success.
Resolution: You contemplate how this new knowledge sits with you.
You want to invent a new device, process, spell, or something similar. A cure for a heretofore unknown disease? An invocation with a result you’ve never heard of before? A method for getting into an impregnable vault? Any of these and more could be your discovery. While similar to the Creation arc and the Learn arc, the New Discovery arc involves blazing a new trail. No one can teach you what you want to know. You’ve got to do it on your own.
Opening: The Idea. You draw up plans for the thing you want to invent or discover.
Step: Research. You learn what people have done before and recognize where they fell short.
Step(s): Trial and Error. You test your hypothesis. This often ends in many failures before you get a success.
Climax: Eureka! It’s time to put the discovery to the true test.
Resolution: You reflect on your discovery and probably compile your notes and write it all down, for posterity’s sake if nothing else.
You raise a child to adulthood. It can be your biological child or one you adopt. It can even be a child taken under your wing, more a young protégé than a son or daughter. This is obviously a very long-term arc.
Opening: Sharing Your Home. The child now lives with you.
Step: Care and Feeding. You learn to meet the child’s basic needs.
Step(s): Basic Instruction. You teach them to walk, talk, and read. You teach them to care for themselves.
Step(s): The Rewards Are Many. The child loves you. Relies on you. Trusts you. Eventually, helps you.
Step(s): Ethical Instruction. You instill your basic ethics in the child, hoping that they will mature into an adult you can be proud of.
Climax: Adulthood. At some point the child leaves the proverbial nest. You determine, at this point, your own success or failure.
Resolution: You reflect on the memories you have made.
You need to heal. This isn’t just for healing simple damage. This involves recovering from a major debilitating injury, illness, or shock. Severe damage, the loss of a body part, and emotional trauma all fall into this category.
Opening: Rest. The first thing you need to do is rest.
Step: Self Care. You take care of your own needs.
Step: Getting Aid. Someone helps.
Step: Medicine. Some kind of drug, cure, poultice, potion, or remedy aids your recovery.
Step: Therapy. With the help of someone else, you exercise your injury or cope with your trauma.
Climax: Acceptance or Recovery. You try to move on and use what has been damaged (or learn how to function without it).
Resolution: You get on with your life.
You’ve done something very wrong, but you want to atone and make it right again. This is like the Justice arc or the Undo a Wrong arc, except you are the wrongdoer. This could be a follow-up to the Fall From Grace arc.
Opening: Regret. You are determined to rebuild, recover, and restore.
Step: Forgiveness. You apologize and ask for forgiveness.
Step: Identifying the Needs. You determine what needs to be done to atone for your transgression.
Climax: Making Good. You perform an act that you hope will redeem your past misdeed.
Resolution: You reflect on what has happened but now look to the future.
You owe someone something, and it’s time to make good.
Opening: Debts Come Due. You determine to do what is needed to make good on the debt. It might involve repaying money, but more appropriately it’s performing a deed or a series of deeds.
Step: Talking It Over. You discuss the matter with the person you owe, if possible. You ensure that what you’re doing is what they want.
Climax: Repayment. Either you do something to earn the money or goods you owe, or you undertake a major task that will compensate the other person.
Resolution: You relax knowing that your debt is repaid, and you look to the future.
Someone or something of great importance has been taken, and you want to get them or it back.
Opening: Heeding the Call. You determine what has happened, and who or what is missing.
Step: Tracking. You discover who has taken them, and where.
Step: Travel. You go to where they are being held and get information on the location and who is involved. Maybe make a plan.
Climax: Rescue Operation. You go in and get them.
Resolution: You return them home.
You’re down but not out. You want to restore your good name. Recover what you’ve lost. Rebuild what has been destroyed. You’ve fallen down or have been knocked down, but either way you want to pick yourself up. This is a possible follow-up to the Fall From Grace arc.
Opening: Vow to Yourself. You are determined to rebuild, recover, and restore.
Step(s): Work. You rebuild, recover, and restore. If all your money was stolen, you make more. If your house was destroyed, you rebuild it. If your reputation was tarnished, you perform deeds that restore your good name.
Climax: The Final Act. You undertake one last major task that will bring things back to where they were (or close to it). A lot is riding on this moment.
Resolution: You enjoy a return to things the way they were before.
Someone did something that harmed you. Unlike the Avenge arc, this arc probably isn’t about tracking down a murderer, but it might involve pursuing someone who stole from you, hurt you, or otherwise brought you grief. The key is that it’s personal. Otherwise, use the Justice arc.
Opening: Vow. You swear revenge.
Step(s): Finding a Clue. You find a clue to tracking down the culprit.
Climax: Confrontation. You confront the culprit.
Resolution: You deal with the aftermath of the confrontation and move on. You think about whether you are satisfied by gaining your revenge.
You want to strike up a relationship with a romantic partner. Perhaps you have a specific person in mind, or maybe you’re just interested in a relationship in general.
Opening(s): Caught Someone’s Eye. You meet someone you are interested in. (Since this can be short-lived, it’s possible to have this opening occur more than once.)
Step(s): Courtship. You begin seeing the person regularly. Although not every “date” is a step in the arc, significant moments are, and there may be a few of them.
Climax: Commitment. You may or may not be interested in a monogamous relationship. Regardless, you and your love have made some kind of commitment to each other.
Resolution: You think about the future. Marriage? Children? These are only some of the possibilities.
Different from the Learn arc and the Uncover a Secret arc, this arc is about solving a crime or a similar action committed in the fairly recent past. It’s not about practice or study, but about questions and answers. In theory, the mystery doesn’t have to be a crime. It might be “Why is this strange caustic substance leaking into my basement?”
Opening: Pledging to Solve the Mystery.
Step: Research. You get some background.
Step(s): Investigation. You ask questions. You look for clues. You cast divinations. This likely encompasses many such steps.
Climax: Discovery. You come upon what you believe to be the solution to the mystery.
Resolution: In this step, which is far more active than most resolutions, you confront the people involved in the mystery with what you’ve discovered, or you use the information in some way (such as taking it to the proper authorities).
Someone else has something you want.
Opening: Setting Your Sights. You make a plan.
Step: Casing the Joint. You scout out the location of the thing (or learn its location).
Step(s): Getting to the Object. Sometimes, many steps are involved before you reach the object you wish to take. For example, if, in order to steal something from a vault, you need to approach one of the guards while they are off duty and bribe them to look the other way when you break in, that is covered in this step.
Climax: The Attempt. You make your heist.
Resolution: You decide what to do with the thing you’ve stolen and contemplate the repercussions you might face for stealing it.
You want to domesticate and train an animal or other creature. While the beast doesn’t need to be wild, it must not already be domesticated and trained.
Opening: Getting Acquainted. You get to know the creature a bit, and it gets to know you.
Step: Research. You get information on the type of creature or advice from others who have trained one.
Step: Domestication. After some work, the creature is no longer a threat to you or anyone else, and it can live peacefully in your home or wherever you wish.
Step(s): Training. Each time you use this step, you teach the creature a new, significant command that it will obey regularly and immediately.
Climax: Completion. Believing the creature’s training to be complete, you put it in a situation where that is put to the test.
Resolution: You reflect on the experience.
You want to be different in a specific way. Because the Growth arc covers internal change, this one focuses primarily on external change. This could take many forms, and probably varies greatly by genre. In some settings, it could even be death, which might turn you into a ghost. For the change to be an arc, it should be difficult and perhaps risky.
Opening: Deciding on the Transformation.
Step: Research. You look into how the change can be made and what it entails.
Step(s): Investigation. This is an active step toward making the change. It might involve getting more information, materials or ingredients, or something else.
Climax: Change. You make the change, with some risk of failure or disaster.
Resolution: You contemplate how this change affects you going forward.
There is knowledge out there that you want. It could be an attempt to find and learn a specific special ability. This could also be a hunt for a lost password or a key that will open a sealed door, the true name of a devil, the secret background of an important person, or how the ancients constructed that strange monolith.
Opening: Naming the Secret. You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel with their bare hands.”
Step(s): Research. You scour libraries and old tomes for clues and information.
Step(s): Investigation. You talk to people to gain clues and information.
Step(s): Tracking. You track down the source of the secret information and travel to it.
Climax: Revelation. You find and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails.
Resolution: You contemplate how this secret affects you and the world.
Someone did something horrible, and its ramifications are still felt, even if it happened long ago. You seek to undo the damage, or at least stop it from continuing.
This is different from the Justice arc because this isn’t about justice (or even revenge)—it’s about literally undoing something bad that happened in the past, such as a great library being burned to the ground, a sovereign people being driven from their land, and so on.
Opening: Vowing to Put Right What Once Went Wrong.
Step: Make a Plan. You learn all you can about the situation and then make a plan to put things right.
Step(s): Progress. This is an active step toward undoing the wrong. It might involve finding something, defeating someone, destroying something, building something, or almost anything else, depending on the circumstances.
Climax: Change. You face the challenge of the former wrong, and either overcome it or fail.
Resolution: You reflect on what you’ve accomplished and think about the future.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":550000,"name":"Genre: Fantasy","type":"text","_id":"5tBpQHxLFK0uSx7O","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"For our purposes, fantasy is any genre that has magic, or something so inexplicable it might as well be magic. The sort of core default of this type is Tolkienesque fantasy, also known as second-world fantasy because it includes a completely new world not our own. Big fantasy epics like those penned by J. R. R. Tolkien (hence the name), C. S. Lewis, George R. R. Martin, Stephen R. Donaldson, David Eddings, Ursula K. Le Guin, and others are indicative of this genre. It usually involves swords, sorcery, nonhuman species (such as elves, dwarves, helborn, and half-giants), and epic struggles.
Of course, fantasy might also involve the modern world, with creatures of myth and sorcerers dwelling among us. It might involve mythic traditions of any number of cultures (elves, dwarves, and the like, usually being decidedly European) or bear little resemblance to anything on Earth, past or present. It might even involve some of the trappings of science fiction, with spaceships and laser guns amid the wizardry and swords (this is often called science fantasy).
Fantasy can also be defined by the amount of fantasy elements within it. A second-world fantasy filled with wizards, ghosts, dragons, curses, and gods is referred to as high fantasy. Fantasy with a firmer grounding in reality as we know it in our world is low fantasy. (In fact, low fantasy often takes place in our world, or in our world’s distant past, like the stories of Conan.) No single element indicates concretely that a given fantasy is high or low. It’s the prevalence of those elements.
The point is, there are many, many types of fantasy.
| Role | Character Type |
| Warrior | Warrior |
| Knight | Warrior |
| Ranger | Explorer |
| Barbarian | Explorer flavored with combat |
| Thief | Explorer flavored with stealth |
| Wizard | Adept |
| Cleric | Speaker flavored with magic |
| Druid | Explorer flavored with magic |
| Warrior mage | Warrior flavored with magic |
| Bard | Speaker |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.aRHd1kwkUTogvMyG]{Bat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.POcXUZp1mwvumsvK]{Blacksmith} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.4xi11kpGx3rGZEYm]{Farmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.pNEII8Wup8xjZfuA]{Hawk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.4xi11kpGx3rGZEYm]{Farmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.8AhrSmfhARlAahxp]{Merchant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.XwsPRwBGqnPnCJKG]{Villager} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZIE2MSMDhhgqBRgl]{Viper} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vhGua32GarGCzLGv]{Warhorse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.4gJ7LYEkIlt16Epj]{Wolf}
In the default Medieval Europe-style fantasy setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to that time period) are usually available.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.JwvZz1lxVR3H6P8D]{Arrows (12)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.mY1JGNvk9RPW7y2D]{Crossbow bolts (12)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.IBJ8eUTFLMb2IKaZ]{Knife (rusty and worn)} | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.zuI2zJqYv2bPN415]{Wooden club} | Light weapon |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.m5lUbtwYYZDzo0Jx]{Burlap sack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.ua0XElr4rvEe4C7J]{Candle} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.UJ5qtx1Dt3ENW2Uh]{Iron rations (1 day)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.G2HjI5SUADNv0yJ2]{Torch (3)} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.La6ogBpdY1cjYIug]{Blowgun} | Light weapon, immediate range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.cFkYLORc1EiwPpLf]{Dagger} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.Chp5Kt00vrxxYBAT]{Handaxe} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.DxvLEdJsjNLghy5m]{Sword (substandard)} | Medium weapon (won’t last long) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.xMUGgLlOKoZqooWy]{Throwing knife} | Light weapon, short range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.dwYLXpRkrg8AaoMP]{Hides and furs} | Light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.E3UpdWDvaLUQ2Xfz]{Leather jerkin} | Light armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.2uM56Yu3g5OCjLkm]{Backpack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.3TAk68d2T0nMXlIG]{Bedroll} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.ObGbm8EmEBDCotRD]{Crowbar} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.BmQOOToImOypwy7g]{Hourglass} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.XjU4o9vgaZ4wiBSD]{Lantern} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.U20W8jrBZGlWsQu2]{Rope} | Hemp, 50 feet |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.BQ87g3YjkViIKc7l]{Signal horn} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.VNW4jviGcTTfC2Mu]{Spikes and hammer} | 10 spikes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.MEp5TNjz6v9dnuLP]{Tent} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.oGdbXxumsdjbdVzJ]{Battleaxe} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.xeXPxadNyGu35H4k]{Bow} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.H8tg6l3LpBLNRz32]{Cutlass} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.ZHeioW4Ywrgs6Si8]{Light crossbow} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.J3BdB6S45bmc8cvl]{Quarterstaff} | Medium weapon (requires 2 hands) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.W8mx4ak9u2JKvX6Q]{Sword} | Medium weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.ljoqzdX7tpPpCTCc]{Breastplate} | Medium armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.9toshrf5gjzwIsDm]{Brigandine} | Medium armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.2mgyMiNIOQ4iUVnl]{Chainmail} | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.mVwBYBHxYinj4lLx]{Bag of heavy tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.XuYDx9q73UxyPN22]{Bag of light tools} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.7Yc0010ac7PbCkPl]{Greatsword} | Heavy weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.gVNfXCYe0qsDXQNO]{Heavy crossbow} | Heavy weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.rUR8Ile0ZRC2qMfM]{Sword (jeweled)} | Medium weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.f8OhNQR1rGtWy2Ot]{Dwarven breastplate} | Medium armor, encumbers as light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.2SMPhQU8pP4vsJ6R]{Full plate armor} | Heavy armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.cIWeisTbSX9izeaW]{Disguise kit} | Asset for disguise tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.ICgjGDSqGXInN1PP]{Healing kit} | Asset for healing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.7BQwwk2qh7zxU6ih]{Spyglass} | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.kcF98fSVWNjAEQWI]{Elven chainmail} | Medium armor, encumbers as no armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.3svOlCDP6Sm4v2Ql]{Sailing ship (small)} |
In many ways, fantasy is the genre for artifacts. All magic items—wands that shoot lightning, magic carpets, singing swords, rings that make the wearer invisible, and so on—are artifacts. Below are a few sample artifacts to give a template for GMs to follow. Those running a fantasy campaign will likely want to create many magic artifacts.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.Hanw3m7cRoN6XrsV]{Angelic ward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.I8TAffkn2YfPdIlf]{Ring of dragon’s flight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.lZy9XOFTIPBKjr5z]{Soulflaying weapon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.2q4omUFxtUBr4WFP]{Spellbook of the amber mage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.BNT94UfgkXdmcErV]{Wand of firebolts}
In a high fantasy setting, some GMs may want dwarves and elves to be mechanically different from humans. Below are some possibilities for how this might work.
You’re a stocky, broad-shouldered, bearded native of the mountains and hills. You’re also as stubborn as the stone in which the dwarves carve their homes under the mountains. Tradition, honor, pride in smithcraft and warcraft, and a keen appreciation of the wealth buried under the roots of the world are all part of your heritage. Those who wish you ill should be wary of your temper. When dwarves are wronged, they never forget.
You gain the following characteristics:
Stalwart: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You are trained in Might defense rolls.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.kOe6eKWNKZ0rlIbt]{Skill}: You are trained in tasks related to stone, including sensing stonework traps, knowing the history of a particular piece of stonecraft, and knowing your distance beneath the surface.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.XBza3foP98Apv3u6]{Skill}: You are practiced in using axes.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.O0bj3SSEEaArxBet]{Skill}: You are trained in using the tools required to shape and mine stone.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.wfUuLfNI6KyKsZ6R]{Vulnerability}: When you fail an Intellect defense roll to avoid damage, you take 1 extra point of damage.
Additional Equipment: You have an axe.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You found the PCs wandering a maze of tunnels and led them to safety.
The PCs hired you to dig out the entrance to a buried ruin.
You tracked down the thieves of your ancestor’s tomb and found they were the PCs. Instead of killing them, you joined them.
Before dwarves settle down, they need to see the world.
You haunt the woodlands and deep, natural realms, as your people have for millennia. You are the arrow in the night, the shadow in the glade, and the laughter on the wind. As an elf, you are slender, quick, graceful, and long lived. You manage the sorrows of living well past many mortal lifetimes with song, wine, and an appreciation for the deep beauties of growing things, especially trees, which can live even longer than you do.
You gain the following characteristics:
Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.y8GNItkWz0Ll5eDE]{Long-Lived}: Your natural lifespan (unless tragically cut short) is thousands of years.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are specialized in tasks related to perception.
Skill: You are practiced in using one bow variety of your choice.
Skill: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{stealth} tasks. In areas of natural woodland, you are @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.FXuy9hOuuAVeiGIc]{specialized in stealth tasks}.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.JTgcA5dhKHQM6lvw]{Fragile}: When you fail a Might defense roll to avoid damage, you take 1 extra point of damage.
Additional Equipment: You have a bow and a quiver of arrows to go with it.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Before putting an arrow in the forest intruders, you confronted them and met the PCs, who were on an important quest.
Your heart yearned for farther shores, and the PCs offered to take you along to new places.
Your home was burned by strangers from another place, and you gathered the PCs along the way as you tracked down the villains.
An adventure was in the offing, and you didn’t want to be left behind.
You stand at least 12 feet (4 m) tall and tower over everyone around you. Whether you are a full-blooded giant or merely have giant heritage from large ancestors, you’re massive. Always large for your age, it became an issue only once you reached puberty and topped 7 feet (2 m) in height, and kept growing from there.
You gain the following characteristics:
Tough: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.cP5tB0NoQnIydKZJ]{Mass and Strength}: You inflict +1 point of damage with your melee attacks and attacks with thrown weapons.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.0efUBEaMaoe3XB4q]{Breaker}: Tasks related to breaking things by smashing them are eased.
Inability: You’re too large to accomplish normal things. Tasks related to @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gpHPkjq631isDAjT]{initiative}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.oGzczZIk8XKBDpZo]{stealth}, and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.veqN70GNrIvluVMq]{fine manipulation of any sort} (such as lockpicking or repair tasks) are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a heavy weapon of your choice.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You fished the PCs out of a deep hole they’d fallen into while exploring.
You were the PCs’ guide in the land of giants and stayed with them afterward.
The PCs helped you escape a nether realm where other giants were imprisoned by the gods.
You kept the PCs from being discovered by hiding them behind your bulk when they were on the run.
Demons of the underworld sometimes escape. When they do, they can taint human bloodlines. Things like you are the result of such unnatural unions. Part human and part something else, you are an orphan of a supernatural dalliance. Thanks to your unsettling appearance, you’ve probably been forced to make your own way in a world that often fears and resents you. Some of your kin have large horns, tails, and pointed teeth. Others are more subtle or more obvious in their differences—a shadow of a knife-edge in their face and a touch that withers normal plants, a little too much fire in their eyes and a scent of ash in the air, a forked tongue, goatlike legs, or the inability to cast a shadow. Work with the GM on your particular helborn appearance.
You gain the following characteristics.
Devious: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.JW3zwz6IgZcqN0XX]{Skill}: You are trained in tasks related to magic lore and lore of the underworld.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.w2loaRgoNlhuYGwg]{Fire Adapted}: +2 to Armor against damage from fire only.
Helborn Magic: You are inherently magical. Choose one low-tier ability from the Abilities chapter. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, you gain that ability as part of your helborn heritage, and can use it like any other type or focus ability.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.yW5LvpudYQcN1n5b]{Inner Evil}: You sometimes lose control and risk hurting your allies. When you roll a 1, the GM has the option to intrude by indicating that you lose control. Once you’ve lost control, you attack any and every living creature within short range. You can’t spend Intellect points for any reason other than to try to regain control (a difficulty 2 task). After you regain control, you suffer a –1 penalty to all rolls for one hour.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.lfVIjOnbi86nUjng]{Inability}: People distrust you. Tasks to persuade or deceive are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You were nearly beaten to death by people who didn’t like your look, but the PCs found and revived you.
The PCs hired you for your knowledge of magic.
Every so often you get visions of people trapped in the underworld. You tracked those people down and found the PCs, who’d never visited the underworld. Yet.
Your situation at home became untenable because of how people reacted to your looks. You joined the PCs to get away.
Fantasy settings prioritize magic as an essential ingredient. But why restrict that magic to just wizards and similar characters? It’s not uncommon in fantasy literature for a thief or warrior to learn a few spells as they steal or brawl through their adventures. Leiber’s Gray Mouser knew some spells, Moorcock’s Elric knew a lot, pretty much everyone in Anthony’s Xanth books knew at least one, and so on. Of course, wizards and sorcerers specialize in spellcasting, which gives them clear superiority in magic use. But whether a character is a fireball-flinging wizard or a belligerent barbarian, anyone can learn some spellcasting under this optional rule.
Under the spellcasting rule, any character, no matter their role or type, can choose to learn a spell as a long-term benefit. After they learn one spell, they may learn more later if they wish, or just stick with the one.
Any character can gain a spell by spending 3 XP and working with the GM to come up with an in-game story of how the PC learned it. Maybe they learned it as a child from their parent and practiced it enough to actually do it; perhaps they spent a month hiding in a wizard’s library reading; it could be that they found a weird magical amulet that imbues them with the spell; and so on.
Next, choose one low-tier ability from the Abilities chapter. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, the character gains that ability as their spell, with a few caveats. The spell can’t be used like a normal ability gained through a PC’s type or focus. Instead, a character must either use a recovery roll or spend many minutes or longer evoking their spell, in addition to paying its Pool cost (if any).
Using a Recovery Roll to Cast a Spell: If the character uses a one-action, ten-minute, or one-hour recovery roll as part of the same action to cast the spell (including paying any Pool costs), they can use the ability as an action. This represents a significant mental and physical drain on the character, because the normal benefit of recovering points in a Pool is not gained.
Spending Time to Cast a Spell: If the character takes at least ten minutes chanting, mumbling occult phonemes, concentrating deeply, or otherwise using all their actions, they can cast a low-tier spell (if they also pay any Pool costs). An hour is required to cast mid-tier spells. Ten hours are required to cast a high-tier spell.
Once a character has learned at least one spell, they can opt to learn additional spells later. Each time, they must spend an additional 3 XP and work with the GM to come up with an in-game story of how the character’s magical learning has progressed.
Two additional rules for learning additional spells apply:
First, a character must be at least tier 3 and have previously gained one low-tier spell before they can learn a mid-tier spell.
Second, a character must be at least tier 5 and have previously gained one mid-tier spell before they can learn a high-tier spell.
Otherwise, gaining and casting additional spells are as described for the character’s first spell.
Wizards (usually Adepts) and characters with explicit spellcasting foci like Masters Spells, Channels Divine Blessings, Speaks for the Land, and possibly others are also considered to be spellcasters, and moreover, specialized ones. Their spells—abilities provided by their type or focus—are used simply by paying their Pool costs. Extra time or physical effort isn’t required to cast them. That’s because, in the parlance of the fantasy genre, these spells are considered to be “prepared.”
But specialized casters can also use the optional spellcasting rule to expand their magic further. They can learn additional spells via the optional spellcasting rule just like other characters, with the same limitations.
Optionally, specialized casters who record their arcane knowledge in a spellbook (or something similar) gain one additional benefit. The spellbook is a compilation of spells, formulas, and notes that grants the specialized caster more flexibility than those who’ve simply learned a spell or two. With a spellbook, a PC can replace up to three prepared spells with three other spells they’ve learned of the same tier. To do so, they must spend at least one uninterrupted hour studying their spellbook. Usually, this is something that requires a fresh mind, and must be done soon after a ten-hour recovery.
For instance, if a wizard exchanges Ward (an ability gained from their type) with Telekinesis (an ability gained from the optional spellcasting rule), from now on the character can cast Ward only by spending time or using a recovery roll (as well as spending Pool points). On the other hand, they can use Telekinesis normally, because now it’s prepared. Later, the wizard could spend the time studying to change out their prepared spells with others they’ve learned using the optional spellcasting rule.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":575000,"name":"Genre: Modern","type":"text","_id":"o0jvZmIaxk8vSE4i","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"A PC might choose the 4 XP character advancement option to select a new type-based ability from their tier or alower tier. If so, the ability gained doesn’t count as a spell, and the spellcasting rule limitations do not apply to the ability so gained. If the PC is a wizard and uses the 4 XP character advancement option, treat the ability as one more prepared spell.
The modern setting is easy because it’s just the real world, right? Well, yes and no. It’s easy for players to understand the context of a modern setting. They know the default assumptions—cities, cars, cell phones, the internet, and so on. It’s also easier for some players to get into character, because their character could be someone they might very well pass on the street. It can be easier to wrap your mind around a history professor than a thousand-year-old elf wizard. These things make it easier on the GM as well.
But for the same reason, it’s not easy. The setting is the real world we all know, so it’s easy to get facts wrong or let them bog you down. What happens when you pull the fire alarm on the thirty-fifth floor of a major hotel in a large city? How fast do the authorities arrive? In truth, the facts aren’t as important as the story you’re creating, but some verisimilitude is nice.
If you’re trying to portray a psychic with a few basic powers, you might not want to use the Adept character type. Instead, choose a different type (perhaps a Speaker) and encourage foci such as Commands Mental Powers or Focuses Mind Over Matter. Some of the Adept’s powers might be too over the top for the genre.
Similarly, the technology flavor is probably too high-tech for a modern game. For someone with technical skills, use the skills and knowledge flavor instead.
Sometimes, the types might be more physical than is always desirable for a modern game, but that’s because the least physical type, the Adept, is often inappropriate for other reasons. The Calm descriptor is very good for such characters, not only granting them a great deal of skill and knowledge, but also reducing their physical capabilities.
Last, don’t forget foci such as Doesn’t Do Much or Would Rather Be Reading for “normal” characters who have useful skills but not much in the way of flashy abilities.
| Role | Type |
| Police officer | Explorer with combat flavor |
| Detective | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Soldier | Warrior |
| Criminal | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Teacher | Speaker |
| Professional (accountant, writer, etc.) | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Technical profession | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Dilettante | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Doctor/Nurse | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Politician | Speaker |
| Lawyer | Speaker |
| Scholar | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Spy | Speaker with stealth flavor |
| Occultist | Adept |
| Mystic/Psychic | Adept |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.WJgPGUcSUrR4Ssuu]{Businessperson} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZT13lzcl6dsvg8HX]{Cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.GNrvq56bsnlHgKeW]{Clerk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.SpaQv9sL1VWlrkLS]{Worker}
In a modern setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to the real world) are usually available.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.lYJndyNwkfb2sQz2]{Ammo (box of 50 rounds)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.ZuWPhhwirVzEtpcS]{Knife (simple)} | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.ss1cft2vMEWx4kJ4]{Duct tape roll} | Useful and ubiquitous |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.p6V32aB5gkEFqitX]{Flashlight} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.3jJNQk40gldOiD2z]{Padlock with keys} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.XFf4M5XhGJb6snrS]{Trail rations (1 day)} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.EOke4Vi9vZv4U16N]{Hand grenade} | Explosive weapon, inflicts 4 points of damage in immediate radius |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.DliC4uPK4vnuiN3w]{Hunting knife} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.7EItM0gT073fcCyx]{Machete} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.B5CSduGis9vKucKp]{Nightstick} | Light weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.gwPnvp7McesS3NUR]{Leather jacket} | Light armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.mbTBZG8Z968IxHq2]{Backpack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.ccm57mnk8bNmPWfQ]{Bag of heavy tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.VYIqlo7RM9scywV5]{Bag of light tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.VjpaBgV1XxHEl7U7]{Binoculars} | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.QQCRR8D4rroB36YC]{Bolt cutters} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.UQalAy7SSl1QGgIk]{Cell phone} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.PByrX3tmLVa85NeK]{Climbing gear} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.UV1anGyX2QaGd8qX]{Crowbar} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.LuGHnohquvbNoT9d]{Electric lantern} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.fHdiS7JT9hjtjeb9]{First aid kit} | Asset for healing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.98dhCNOFZ8TYBS1Y]{Handcuffs} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.W40tEHGIcevTGDkt]{Rope} | Nylon, 50 feet |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.iBpZVq4fM9mPDIDK]{Sleeping bag} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.WOJ75BLfqqViZ57w]{Tent} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.lbpcftYKyWKpoqoT]{Light handgun} | Light weapon, short range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.i8RP2vxMaoUgCNL1]{Medium handgun} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.WRluKrzzdF5wad4V]{Bow} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.dvZ57WEEzP575D6m]{Rifle} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.w4K2udLKOMjY53z1]{Shotgun} | Heavy weapon, immediate range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.Tvvpp1L5F3sw3999]{Kevlar vest} | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.Am5vYHXpCPsF3lrq]{Camera designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.aGOQvKGxdPRVWq2F]{Microphone designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.f0EYtw06E63173J1]{Cold weather camping gear} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.1LbD5gLbLwY8QvPL]{Nightvision goggles} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.13woD4sUoJbNy1au]{Scuba gear} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.wpJd3cLska66OpcQ]{Smartphone} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.CCHqv8dyuq7EGVHL]{Straightjacket} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.TiBhD7UEqWItJVOc]{Heavy handgun} | Heavy weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.6r112wF81Zs3yeNe]{Assault rifle} | Heavy weapon, rapid-fire weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.wDV0Rbou4poxCdm1]{Heavy rifle} | Heavy weapon, 300-foot (90 m) range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.RCmDHR6H1lg9bRoV]{Submachine gun} | Medium weapon, rapid-fire weapon, short range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.AqT96NV9XXl8iNye]{Lightweight body armor} | Medium armor, encumbers as light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.tLUMEDBAJJH6sFAg]{Military body armor} | Heavy armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.Kh6bhcajxt4cZDWH]{Disguise kit} | Asset for disguise tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.eqsiUjrg2EIrtiQj]{Used car} | Level 3 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.ZYdj5EXY920kdcgr]{Small boat} | Level 3 |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.hN3G2oNbOiKRfKMZ]{Large boat} | Level 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.w4awO0Fz56obreUb]{Luxury car} | Level 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.d5xp1l8px98GQIbQ]{Sports car} | Level 6 |
The regular character creation process makes fully competent, adult characters. To account for playing children, the GM could adopt this optional rule. First, the players make their characters normally, and then they apply the following adjustments to their PCs, as appropriate to their age category. You might also consider applying a tier cap of 3 to childhood adventure games with kids of up to thirteen years old, and a tier cap of 4 for childhood adventure games featuring PCs who are aged fourteen to seventeen.
Slight: –4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KY4e1Wo5NKh7TEiy]{Vulnerable}: Adults look out for you. You are trained in all pleasant social interactions with adults.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.GhWikcOP1CAwpzZQ]{Inability}: Might-based tasks are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.yl3vXIZfzudiVVqs]{Inability}: Tasks involving knowledge are hindered.
Youthful: –2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.yl3vXIZfzudiVVqs]{Inability}: Tasks involving knowledge are hindered.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":587500,"name":"Genre: Science Fiction","type":"text","_id":"VFJ6kCCgRGTzpWp0","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Science fiction is an incredibly broad category. It covers UFOs, space opera, near-future dystopias, otherworldly epics, hard science fiction, and everything in between. Even when compared to fantasy, science fiction is so wide that it almost isn’t a single genre at all. Truthfully, there’s not all that much to tie, say, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells with a dark cyberpunk story except for the technology involved, which is at a higher level than we possess or understand today. But even that part of science fiction is contentious. Should the science be purely that which obeys the laws of physics as we understand them today (often called hard science fiction), or is it more of an “anything goes” proposition? Is science we can’t explain really just magic?
For our purposes, we’ll treat fantastic science fiction as the default: aliens, spaceships that allow travel to other stars, energy weapons and shields, and so on. It’s a familiar setting to almost everyone interested in science fiction. That said, we’ve also got some additional guidance for hard science fiction, where what’s possible is more grounded in what we currently scientifically extrapolate. But your science fiction setting can be anything you can imagine.
| Role | Type |
| Soldier | Warrior |
| Technician | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Pilot | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Diplomat | Speaker |
| Doctor | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Spy | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Scientist | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Psion | Adept |
| Psychic knight | Warrior with magic flavor |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ckjeyJICRGhNlGgS]{Corporate drone} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.6TcU3jVH85UcUFIz]{Guard beast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.urAFJXaUkWY2R1zj]{Innocuous rodent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vSvrg6g5VkP5MkeZ]{Physical laborer}
In a science fiction setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to the setting) are usually available.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.1UGRE1k4ReUFAr34]{Energy pack (50 shots)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.O3WVhoZQ8U8401yo]{Knife (simple)} | Light weapon |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.kh1dzF6oaKZqzss6]{Flashlight} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.LyUOH2V2zQqlIcgG]{Survival rations (1 day)} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.2Fcz72cuTLrwjLy7]{Hunting knife} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.H8InhgjpPnnVzmiV]{Machete} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.mVef0tRkNWbfz2VS]{Grenade (sonic)} | Explosive weapon, inflicts 2 points of damage in immediate radius, plus Might defense roll or lose next turn |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.PnvNFQbxuCHb874j]{Grenade (thermite)} | Explosive weapon, inflicts 5 points of damage in immediate radius |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.kzLQCncQ1cXzM456]{Leather jacket} | Light armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.FALc1UkW90o9M0rr]{Backpack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.y8M3rmSzHUyKLdom]{Bag of heavy tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.UuHnuXeI6iwIvgtf]{Bag of light tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.kAzP990hVR1pQSYR]{Binoculars} | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.0SBO3NnYx33dwomQ]{Breather} | 8 hours of breathable air |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.G50Jj9pfCytxzMJe]{Climbing gear} | Asset for climbing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.4p14iIDm5SitvYiK]{Communicator} | Planetary range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.zE8nBEE8jVYswUT4]{Crowbar} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.3kbeLDAUmwyYsPDj]{Environment tent} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.a4crA7W9OQa3LCIn]{First aid kit} | Asset for healing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.KpSlhPXtD1ysoREW]{Handcuffs} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.2FgbXJjI9iBI7fk6]{Nightvision goggles} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.CzM5OkaV23fUxHUi]{Portable lamp} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.06uEHDipEwShEcun]{Rope} | Nylon, 50 feet |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.hofNkVrnwjRHaopi]{Sleeping bag} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.cAh0sGKTyb8Vptej]{Light blaster} | Light weapon, short range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.2Iusz99wevz9KSEV]{Medium blaster} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.LDklLSixesdwgwj3]{Needler} | Light weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.PNDivijkZvlsUjbm]{Shotgun} | Heavy weapon, immediate range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.qErMuZdwnHVPLCm7]{Stunstick} | Medium weapon, inflicts no damage but human-sized or smaller target loses next action |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.BqiPzuCqRfn9yFrR]{Armored bodysuit} | Medium armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.JrN6tyFoTYLtZc6s]{Lightweight body armor} | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.qa9okeQfd3NTtmzD]{Camera designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.r36W1oDLBXrXsu6G]{Microphone designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.MtCq6owCDm7GG8Pw]{Environment suit} | Provides 24 hours of atmosphere and +10 to Armor against extreme temperatures |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.LirhTzCUj7UFCfgB]{Wrist computer} | Asset for most knowledge-based tasks |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.7NCzo49o54a1vSy1]{Heavy blaster} | Heavy weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.7Cy8yASphzXHYlsJ]{Heavy blaster rifle} | Heavy weapon, 300-foot (90 m) range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.xjviCkv7gCoy1ZcV]{Pulse laser gun} | Medium weapon, rapid-fire weapon, long range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.Bujb0Cz7cVN6K9H3]{Battlesuit} | Heavy armor, also works as environment suit |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.mGvzhwfcLOR8Aami]{Disguise kit} | Asset for disguise tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.fxntln2fSRKpMFyx]{Gravity regulator} | Belt-mounted device that regulates gravity to 1G for wearer if within 0 G to 3 G conditions |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.MbgM9wBMTWCIXCqh]{Handheld scanner} | Asset for identifying tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.pTEJ1VrxrSVGteKY]{Hovercraft} | Level 4 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.ZOz0Fit7uAvEjIPA]{Infiltrator} | Asset for lockpicking tasks when used with electronic locks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.vGpae1ESOw3hK4qY]{Jetpack} | Level 4 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.RpA2kZiwJAa7fRQM]{Stealthsuit} | Asset for stealth tasks |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.B0x6U0RnIp2EyEbV]{Blast cannon} | 10 points of damage, 500-foot (150 m) range, requires a tripod and two people to operate |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.LOwyfbM0bAlLrBc0]{Force field} | Not armor, offers +1 to Armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.8CtlFUIKlZpteVG3]{Luxury hovercar} | Level 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.0WiWAbNWXRypYxjh]{Robot servant} | Level 3 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.rPjVFxfdapjErMwt]{Small spaceship} | Level 4 |
Artifacts in a science fiction game can be strange relics from an unknown alien source or tech items that aren’t yet widely available. In a galactic setting, for example, it’s easy to imagine that innovations or specialized items might not have spread everywhere.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.aV9zEHENEDgFu5r9]{Amber casement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.BrWNyEr0tRbOkOW9]{Metabolism bud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.dMU5JjdzGh2xYJHe]{Mind imager} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.HbWQ65yTcCT5kRZ9]{Psychic crystal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.4sk825DOsE6oE9d3]{Repair sphere}
Here are a few sample starship types:
| Starship | Level | Crew | Weapon Systems |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.f14c7pV1Cc89BEgg]{Fighter} | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.1QmIZUO93276WVip]{Interceptor} | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.RsHhdbOFUEkKCJUW]{Freighter} | 3 (4 for defense) | 4 | 1 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.rrkSDY696W28w7T6]{Frigate} | 4 | 20 | 4 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.2Cuo9MpDalEzoM6i]{Cruiser} | 4 | 25 | 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.SbCnPYjsEaR4YeMr]{Battleship} | 10 | 1,000 | 36 |
“Crew” indicates the minimum number of people needed to operate the ship. Many ships can carry more passengers. “Weapon Systems” indicates the maximum number of different enemies the ship can target at once—but only one attack per target in any circumstance.
Since it’s frighteningly easy to die in a space battle if your ship is destroyed, most ships have escape pods. Even fighter craft have ejection systems that put the pilot out into space in an environment suit. In other words, GMs should try to give PCs a way out of immediately dying if they get on the wrong end of a space battle.
In a hard science fiction game, variable effects of gravity can’t be waved away by tech that simulates normal gravity on spacecraft, space stations, and other worlds. Instead, it’s an issue people must overcome.
Short-Term Microgravity Exposure: People new to low gravity might get space sickness. Newcomers must succeed on a difficulty 3 Might task or suffer mild nausea for about two to four days, during which time all their tasks are hindered. A few unlucky travelers (usually those who roll a 1 or otherwise face a GM intrusion) are almost completely incapacitated, and find all tasks hindered by three steps.
Long-Term Microgravity Exposure: Long-term exposure to microgravity environments without medical interventions degrades health. How long one spends in such conditions is directly relevant. The GM may assign long-term penalties to PCs if the situation warrants it, though the use of advanced space medicine, proper exercise, and recommended steroids and other hormones can avoid these complications.
Low Gravity: Weapons that rely on weight, such as all heavy weapons, inflict 2 fewer points of damage (dealing a minimum of 1 point). Short-range weapons can reach to long range, and long-range weapons can reach to very long range. Characters trained in low-gravity maneuvering ignore the damage penalty.
High Gravity: It’s hard to make effective attacks when the pull of gravity is very strong. Attacks (and all physical actions) made in high gravity are hindered. Ranges in high gravity are reduced by one category (very-long-range weapons reach only to long range, long-range weapons reach only to short range, and
short-range weapons reach only to immediate range). Characters trained in high-gravity maneuvering ignore the change in difficulty but not the range decreases.
Zero Gravity: It’s hard to maneuver in an environment without gravity. Attacks (and all physical actions) made in zero gravity are hindered. Short-range weapons can reach to long range, and long-range weapons can reach to very-long range.
Vacuum is lethal. There’s no air to breathe, and the lack of pressure causes havoc on an organic body. An unprotected character moves one step down the damage track each round. However, at the point where they should die, they instead fall unconscious and remain so for about a minute. If they are rescued during that time, they can be revived. If not, they die.
In a hard science fiction setting, you might be interested in evoking the reality of travel times between colonies on planets and moons in the solar system. Even so, plotting a course between locations in the solar system isn’t simple, because everything is always moving with respect to everything else. You could determine exactly how long a trip would take with some internet research. Or you could just evoke the effect of orbital mechanics and varying accelerations on interplanetary travel. Use the Interplanetary Travel Table to do so. For a trip between locations not directly compared, add up the destinations in between. The travel times assume a nuclear plasma engine of a kind already being tested today (but better), a steady thrust toward the destination, and an equally long and steady braking thrust over the last half of the trip before orbit insertion. Such propulsion systems can change velocity and sustain thrust for days at a time, which reduces bone loss, muscle atrophy, and other long-term effects of low gravity.
Regardless, the travel times between distant locations bring home one thing: space is big and lonely.
| Origin | Destination | Travel Time Using Nuclear Plasma Engine |
| Earth/Moon | Mars | 20 + 1d20 days |
| Mars | Asteroid belt | 30 + 1d20 days |
| Asteroid belt | Jupiter and its moons | 30 + 1d20 days |
| Jupiter | Saturn and its moons | 60 + 1d20 days |
| Saturn | Uranus | 90 + 1d20 days |
In a science fiction setting, some GMs may want to offer alien species or androids, who are mechanically different from humans, as options for player characters. This can be accomplished by using descriptors. Two examples are below.
You are a machine—not just a sentient machine, but a sapient one. Your awareness might make you an exception, or there may be many like you, depending on the setting.
Artificially intelligent characters have machine minds of one type or another. This can involve an advanced computer brain, but it could also be a liquid computer, a quantum computer, or a network of smart dust particles creating an ambient intelligence. You might even have been an organic creature whose mind was uploaded into a machine.
Your body, of course, is also a machine. Most people refer to you as a robot or an android, although you know neither term describes you very well, as you are as free-willed and free-thinking as they are.
You gain the following characteristics:
Superintelligent: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
Artificial Body: +3 to your Might Pool and your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.dj8fjpgMOatRRWFZ]{Shell}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.j6odWezQciXppynQ]{Limited Recovery}: Resting restores points only to your Intellect Pool, not to your Might Pool or your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.63ZJmNraEqS6lzdp]{Mechanics, Not Medicines}: Conventional healing methods, including the vast majority of restorative devices and medicines, do not restore points to any of your Pools. You can recover points to your Intellect Pool only by resting, and you can recover points to your Speed and Might Pools only through repair. The difficulty of the repair task is equal to the number of points of damage sustained, to a maximum of 10. Repairing your Might and Speed Pools are always two different tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.71sJhRICcDy0WjiA]{Machine Vulnerabilities and Invulnerabilities}: Damaging effects and other threats that rely on an organic system—poison, disease, cell disruption, and so on—have no effect on you. Neither do beneficial drugs or other effects. Conversely, things that normally affect only inorganic or inanimate objects can affect you, as can effects that disrupt machines.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.nXs4KTo14JKXZN8f]{Uncanny Valley}: You have a hard time relating to organic beings, and they don’t react well to you. All positive interaction tasks with such beings are hindered by two steps.
You are a quintar from the planet Quint. You are basically humanoid but taller, thinner, and blue skinned. Your hands end in three very long fingers. Quintar have five genders, but all quintar prefer to be addressed as female when communicating with more binary species. Human emotions and sexuality fascinate them, but not because they don’t have such concepts—quintar emotions and sexuality are just very different from those of humans. In general, quintar are more cerebral than other species, valuing knowledge over all else.
Quint is relatively Earthlike, with slightly less gravity but a slightly denser atmosphere.
You gain the following characteristics:
Cerebral: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You are trained in one type of knowledge task of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.gmnozVrQsZBTxj9A]{Skill}: Quintar fascination with human behavior eases all interaction rolls (pleasant or not) with humans.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.4gFg0DiIdWm3w9ol]{Difficult Rest}: Quintar subtract 2 from all recovery rolls (minimum 1).
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":593750,"name":"Genre: Horror","type":"text","_id":"L90rsf6J1WHnk7rN","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Although it’s very likely a subset of the modern genre, horror as a genre gets special treatment. Unlike the other genres, horror doesn’t necessarily suggest a setting. Any setting can be horrific. Horror is more of a style. An approach. A mood.
You could easily have horror in other times and settings, but for our purposes, we’ll deal with a default setting in the modern day. The PCs are probably normal people, not secret agents or special investigators (although being a part of a secret agency that deals with monsters in the shadows could make for a fine horror game).
Suggested types and additional equipment for a horror setting are the same as in a modern setting.
Horror games allow us to explore some pretty dark topics from the safety of our own game tables. But before you do that, make sure everyone around your table is okay with that. Find out what your players will find “good uncomfortable,” which is something that makes us squirm in our seats in a great horror movie, and “bad uncomfortable,” which is something that actually makes a player feel nauseated, unsafe, or offended. Being scared can be fun, but being sickened isn’t.
Consider the age and maturity of everyone in the game, perhaps in terms of the movie rating system. Tell the players what you think the game you’re running would be rated. If everyone’s okay with an R rating, then fine. You can have a spooky game that’s on the level of a kids’ movie rated G—more like Scooby-Doo than Saw, in other words. A PG rating might be right for a game that’s more creepy than horrific, with ghosts and spooky noises but not axe-wielding maniacs.
The different ratings suggest different kinds of content for your game. Finding a dead body is horrible, but watching someone get decapitated is something else entirely. Getting chased around by an alien that wants to eat you is one thing, but having it gestate and burst out of your own intestines is another. You need to know where the line is for everyone participating, and you need to know it right from the beginning.
For more information and advice on safe ways to address consent issues in your game, read the free Consent in Gaming PDF at myMCG.info/consent
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.WJgPGUcSUrR4Ssuu]{Businessperson} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZT13lzcl6dsvg8HX]{Cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.GNrvq56bsnlHgKeW]{Clerk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.5XdCwL3VyqhHBNqN]{Dog, vicious} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.N0XlAnno5dMItCmN]{Groundskeeper/caretaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.rvju0MPnEwNsg9Pr]{Man in Black} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.T39Cl27TWeR8jVsZ]{Tarantula}
Most of the time, a horror artifact will be something really weird—an ancient tome of forbidden necromancy, an alien device that humans can barely understand, and so forth. They are often unique items rather than one of a type. Horror artifacts should probably come with a risk, such as a built-in cost, a drawback, or something else that makes using them another way to heighten the tension of the game. Several examples are below.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-horror.irCnETBwvUwp12PH]{Book of inversion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-horror.WcrjZgKzg5VzkFVJ]{Shadow box} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-horror.sCTeJvOcviKd5GjN]{Sphere 23}
When the PCs encounter something shocking, many times the most realistic response is to scream, stand in abject horror, or run. That might not be the smartest thing to do in the situation, but it’s genuine. What would your accountant do if they saw an axe-wielding maniac coming at them? Let’s face it, unless they truly steeled themselves with all their will, they’d probably scream and run.
When a PC encounters something horrific, utterly disgusting, dreadful, impossible, or otherwise shocking, call for an Intellect defense roll based on the level of the creature involved, or simply an appropriate level as decided by the GM (see the Shock Levels table). Failure might mean that for one round, the player loses control of the character, and the GM decides what the PC does next. This usually means that the character runs, screams, gibbers, stares slack-jawed, or just does nothing. However, GMs should welcome player input into this situation. The point is to portray that when we’re shocked, we don’t always react in the best way, the smartest way, or even the way we want to. Fear is a powerful thing.
Alternatively, failure on the Intellect defense roll might mean that the character suffers Intellect damage equal to the level of the defense task. This indicates an overall toll that numerous shocks and horrors can have on a person. You might have a situation where a character literally dies of fright.
| Event | Level |
| Something unexpected darts or jumps out | 1 |
| Something suddenly moves just out of the corner of the eye | 2 |
| A sudden loud noise (like a scream) | 2 |
| Unexpectedly seeing a corpse | 2 |
| Watching someone die | 3 |
| Seeing something impossible (like an inanimate object sliding across the floor) | 4 |
| Watching a friend die | 5 |
| Seeing a monstrous creature | Creature level |
| Witnessing something supernatural (like a spell) | 5 |
| Seeing something mind-bending (like an impossible, multidimensional demigod coalescing out of thin air) | 8 |
For horror games, GMs can implement a rule called Horror Mode. The idea is to create a feeling of escalating dread and menace by changing one die roll mechanic. In the game, things begin as normal. The PCs interact with each other and the NPCs, investigate, research, travel, and so on. But when they enter the haunted house, the serial killer gets close, the elder things beneath the earth awaken, or whatever horrific situation planned by the GM begins, things change. At this time, the GM announces that the game has gone into Horror Mode.
This is a key for the players (not the characters) to recognize that things are getting bad. It’s the RPG equivalent of spooky music beginning to play in a horror film. While in Horror Mode, the rules for GM intrusions governed by die rolls change. Normally this happens only on a roll of 1, but when Horror Mode starts, it becomes a roll of 1 or 2. And then it escalates. As time passes, GM intrusions happen on a roll of 1 to 3, then a roll of 1 to 4, and so on. This potentially means that a die roll in Horror Mode can indicate success in a task and still trigger a GM intrusion.
As the intrusion range changes with each escalation, the GM should announce this to the players. The feeling of rising tension should be dramatic and overt.
| Activity | Intrusion Range Increases by 1 |
| Exploring a large area | Every time a new intrusion is indicated by a die roll |
| Exploring | Every ten minutes or every time a new intrusion is indicated by a die roll |
| Combat | Each round |
For example, while the PCs are exploring a dark swamp (a large area), the game goes into Horror Mode and intrusions are indicated on a 1 or 2. During this exploration, one of the players rolls a 2. Not only is there an intrusion, but now the range escalates to 1, 2, or 3. The character is almost dragged into a spot of quicksand-like muck. Then the PCs find an old abandoned house in the middle of the swamp. They enter, and now the escalation rate goes up if they roll a 1, 2, or 3, or every ten minutes that passes in the game. They explore the house for twenty minutes (escalating intrusions to 1 to 5), and during the investigation of the kitchen, someone rolls a 3, triggering an intrusion. A cabinet opens mysteriously and a strangely carved clay pot falls, striking the character. This also escalates the intrusion rate, so they now occur on a roll of 1 to 6. When the PCs reach the attic, they encounter the dreaded swamp slayer, a half man, half beast that thrives on blood. It attacks, and now the range goes up during each round of combat. After four rounds of fighting, intrusions happen on a roll of 1 to 10—half the time. Things are getting dicey, and they’re only going to get worse.
When the GM announces that Horror Mode has ended, the GM intrusion rate goes back to normal, happening only on a roll of 1 or when the GM awards XP.
Horror Mode is a very “meta” rule. It gives players knowledge that their characters don’t have. This is similar to how the viewers of a horror movie or readers of a horror story often know more than the characters on the screen or page. It heightens the tension. Players can express the start of Horror Mode by having their characters talk about goosebumps or a feeling of being watched, but this is not necessary.
With the GM intrusions coming fast and furious toward the end of Horror Mode, it’s easy to run out of ideas. In combat, intrusions might just mean that the monster or villain gets a surprise extra attack or inflicts more damage. Perhaps a PC is thrown to the ground or nearer to the edge of a cliff. If the characters are running away, one might trip and fall. If the PCs are exploring, a bookcase topples, potentially hitting someone. Think of all the similar moments you’ve seen in horror films.
Sometimes, if the GM prefers, the GM intrusion can simply be something frightening, like a moan or a whisper. These aren’t dangerous to the PCs, but they escalate the tension and indicate that something bad is getting closer.
In fact, while in Horror Mode, GMs should mostly refrain from doing anything bad, ominous, or dangerous unless it’s an intrusion (either from a die roll or through the awarding of XP). In a horror game, GM intrusions are an indication that things are bad and getting worse, and whenever possible, the GM should allow the Horror Mode escalation to drive the action. This makes the GM more of a slave to the dice than in other Cypher System situations, but that’s okay.
Consider this example. The PCs have tracked something that is probably committing a series of horrific murders to an old factory. They enter the building to explore. The GM knows where the creature is hiding in the factory, but decides that it doesn’t become aware of the characters until an intrusion is indicated. The only clue the PCs have is a mysterious noise off in the darkness. The creature doesn’t move toward them until another GM intrusion occurs. Now they hear something dragging across the factory floor, coming closer. But it’s not until a third intrusion occurs that the creature lunges out from behind an old machine at the PC who rolled the die.
In some ways, the status quo doesn’t change until an intrusion happens. This could be seen as limiting the GM and the need for pacing, but remember that the GM can still have an intrusion occur anytime they desire, in addition to waiting for the low die rolls.
GMs may want to limit the number of intrusions to no more than one per round, no matter what the dice indicate, but that should be based on the situation.
Having characters descend into madness is an interesting facet of some kinds of horror and can make long-term horror campaigns more interesting. The easiest way to portray blows to a character’s sanity is through Intellect damage. When PCs encounter something shocking, as described above, they always take Intellect damage. If they would normally move one step down the damage track due to the damage, they instead immediately regain points (equal to 1d6 + their tier) in their Intellect Pools but lose 1 point from their maximums in that Pool. Characters whose maximum Intellect Pools reach 0 go insane. They lose their current descriptor and adopt the Mad descriptor, regain 1d6 + tier points to their Intellect Pools, and gain +1 to their Intellect Edge. If they ever reach a permanent Intellect Pool maximum of 0 again, they go stark raving mad and are no longer playable.
Intellect Edge offers an interesting means to portray a character who is knowledgeable (and perhaps even powerful in terms of mental abilities) yet mentally fragile. A character with a low Intellect Pool but a high Intellect Edge can perform Intellect actions well (since Edge is very helpful) but is still vulnerable to Intellect damage (where Edge is of no help).
Since Cypher System games are meant to be story based, players should recognize that the degrading sanity of their character is part of the story. A player who feels that their character is going mad can talk to the GM, and the two of them can work out the means to portray that—perhaps by using the Mad descriptor, permanently trading up to 4 points from their Intellect Pool to gain +1 to their Intellect Edge, or anything else that seems appropriate. Mental disorders, manias, psychopathy, schizophrenia, or simple phobias can be added to a character’s traits, but they don’t need to be quantified in game statistics or die rolls. They’re simply part of the character.
Inabilities in personal interaction or any area requiring focus might be appropriate, perhaps allowing the PC to gain training in weird lore or forbidden knowledge. Or maybe the opposite is true—as the character’s mind slowly slips away, they become oddly compelled or can obsessively focus on a single task for indefinite periods, and thus they gain training in that topic or skill. These kinds of changes could be balanced with inabilities, such as being unable to remember important details.
As another way to represent madness, the GM could hinder Intellect-based tasks that would be considered routine, such as “remembering your friends and family” or “caring what happens to your best friend” or “stopping yourself from injecting a mysterious substance into your veins.” These routine tasks normally have a difficulty of 0, but for a PC who has lost their mind, they might have a difficulty of 1, 2, or even higher. Now the character must make rolls to do even those simple things.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":596875,"name":"Genre: Romance","type":"text","_id":"pd2PrHViZ1edOZ7f","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Like horror, romance doesn’t automatically suggest a setting. It is more of a mood, or more specifically an approach, to how the game is played. It suggests an emphasis, at least somewhat, on relationships, interactions, and connections.
Suggested types and additional equipment for a romance setting are the same as in a modern setting.
You must get consent to cover these topics in a game ahead of time—you don’t want to make people uncomfortable. Everyone involved also needs to learn everyone else’s boundaries. Someone might not want any part of a romance scene, while others are okay talking about emotional connections but not anything sexual.
Obviously, all of this is doubly important if age is a consideration. If there are younger players involved, romance probably shouldn’t go beyond a fairly chaste kiss. (You’ll find that kids are sometimes more open to romance in their games than adults, but only because their understanding of the topic is understandably pretty shallow. A kid player might declare that a character is their boyfriend, but it doesn’t mean much. And for some adults, that may be the way they want to approach the subject as well.)
Lastly, recognize that there needs to be a clear boundary between the story and real life. Two characters having a relationship has no impact on real-life feelings of the players. Two characters in a game might be in a relationship while each player is in a relationship in the real world with someone else. And maybe they’re gaming at the same table! If a player can’t distinguish between in-game flirtation or words of endearment and real-world feelings, they shouldn’t be in a romance-focused game.
For more information and advice on safe ways to address consent issues in your game, read the free Consent in Gaming PDF at myMCG.info/consent
It’s vital that the GM and the players all check in with each other to make sure everyone’s still comfortable with what’s going on in the game. This is particularly important to maintain the boundary between emotions expressed in the story and how people feel in real life.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.wIO0w2fxcBU0vHae]{Distrustful relative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.rmzRpUzfdXpAnzUu]{Jealous ex} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.E7xImJCLVWwiIDre]{Nosy neighbor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ktWhiHHoothgvjOv]{The unattainable}
When a PC is near someone they are infatuated with, particularly in the early stages of that infatuation, they must make an Intellect defense roll with a difficulty determined by the GM based on the situation (not on the level of the subject of the infatuation). Failure might mean that the character does or says something awkward or embarrassing either in an attempt to impress or when trying to hide the infatuation. Or it could mean that for one round, the player loses control of the character, and the GM decides what the PC does next, such as risk their own safety to help an endangered character. However, GMs should welcome player input into this situation. The point is to portray that when we’re distracted by the powerful feelings (and hormones) related to infatuation, we don’t always react in the best way, the smartest way, or even the way we want to.
Infatuation can happen whether the PC is attracted to an NPC or a PC.
When a PC first establishes a relationship with a character (PC or NPC), the GM should assign the relationship a level. If there’s no connection at all, there is no relationship (level 0). Otherwise, the starting relationship is probably level 1. In certain circumstances, a relationship might start at level 2, indicating a far stronger initial connection than usual.
As play progresses, the PC can attempt to improve the level of the relationship, indicating a strengthening of the bond between the two characters. The requirements to improve the relationship are twofold. First, some story-based action needs to be taken. This can be dates, gifts, a meaningful speech, a pledge of commitment, some amount of self-sacrifice, or whatever the GM and the player feel is appropriate to the story and the level of the relationship. This action might require the PC to succeed at specific tasks (with appropriate rolls). For example, writing a love poem will require an Intellect-based task, while helping to retrieve a loved one’s cat from a tree might require a Speed-based task.
Second, the player must make an Intellect-based roll with the desired level of relationship as the difficulty (modified as the GM sees fit).
A relationship can be improved only one level at a time, and the GM and the player should work out an appropriate time interval. For relationships of levels 5 and above, multiple story-based actions and multiple rolls are almost certainly required.
It’s possible for relationship levels to be lopsided, such that the relationship from the point of view of one person is a different level than from the point of view of the other. This should be used sparingly, because it makes things far more complicated. In the case of polyamory, it is possible to have more than two people in a relationship, but even in these situations the connection between any two individuals should have its own level.
Relationship levels can go down as well as up. Neglect, carelessness, inappropriate emotional displays, lies, infidelity, and bungled wooing attempts can all potentially lower a relationship level. This is entirely in the judgment of the GM, although a lowered relationship level is very likely an appropriate use of a GM intrusion.
Relationship levels indicate the strength of the bond and thus help dictate an NPC’s actions in regard to a PC. An NPC in a level 5 relationship probably will be more generous and forgiving toward the PC than if the relationship was level 3 or 4. An NPC in a level 6 relationship or higher would likely give their partner most anything, even maybe sacrificing their own well-being or their life for them. (And people in a higher-level relationship certainly would.) Likewise, a relationship level can influence a PC’s actions. An Intellect defense roll with a difficulty equal to the relationship level might be appropriate if the PC wants to act against the best interests of their loved one, or if they must keep their cool and act normally when their loved one is in danger.
You can use this optional system in any genre, for any type of relationship, even platonic ones. If desired, the relationship level a PC has with an authority figure, a contact, a relative, or anyone else can be measured, improved, and decreased just as it can with a romantic relationship.
| Level | Relationship |
| 1 | First meeting. Interest or curiosity. |
| 2 | A sense of connection above the norm. Strong physical attraction. |
| 3 | Affection and a bond that will last longer than a single encounter. |
| 4 | Serious affection. Almost certainly physical affection. |
| 5 | A profession of love. |
| 6 | A serious long-term commitment. |
| 7 | A lifelong commitment. |
| 8 | Soul mates. |
| 9 | A love affair for the ages. |
| 10 | A bond that transcends time and space. |
| Level | Relationship |
| 1 | First meeting. Interest or curiosity. |
| 2 | A sense of connection above the norm. |
| 3 | A memorable connection. Indications of a mutually beneficial relationship possible. |
| 4 | Real friendship. |
| 5 | Deep friendship. |
| 6 | Relationship akin to that of a close sibling. |
| 7 | A pledge of complete partnership. |
| 8 | Platonic soul mates. Something akin to a life-debt. |
| 9 | A friendship for the ages. |
| 10 | A bond that transcends time and space. |
Like horror, the superhero genre is really a subset of the modern genre with extensive special considerations. In many ways, it might appear that the Cypher System is a strange fit for superheroes. But if you think about it, with foci like Bears a Halo of Fire and Wears a Sheen of Ice, the Cypher System makes all genres a little bit “superhero-ish.” Character sentences might look like the following:
Firebrand is a Brash energy projector (Adept) who Bears a Halo of Fire.
King Brick is a Tough Warrior who Performs Feats of Strength.
Dimensionar is a Mystical warlock (Adept) who Exists Partially Out of Phase.
Dark Ronin is a Mysterious crimefighter (Explorer) who Solves Mysteries.
Speedburst is a Fast crimefighter (Explorer) who Moves Like the Wind.
And so on.
| Role | Type |
| Strong hero | Warrior |
| Brawler hero | Warrior with stealth flavor |
| Gadget hero | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Pilot | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Charmer | Speaker |
| Leader | Speaker with combat flavor |
| Shadowy vigilante | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Scientist hero | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Energy-wielding hero | Adept with combat flavor |
| Wizard | Adept |
| Mentalist | Adept |
| Psychic ninja | Warrior with magic flavor |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.IpjzD88QqIABcv7A]{Bystander} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.krnLLagONJBbj1tE]{Genetically enhanced bruiser} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.sWc8DryN22cKTJyj]{Ninja} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.YHRSNEgzJeBCrWnC]{Robot minion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.VSQt1EzpNhIwvCyA]{Scientist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.SpaQv9sL1VWlrkLS]{Worker}
Suggested additional equipment is the same as in a modern setting. Keep in mind, however, that for many heroes, “equipment” can be superfluous. Where do you stash the flashlight and rope when all you’re wearing is spandex tights?
Superheroes can do things that other people cannot. They throw cars, blast through brick walls, leap onto speeding trains, and cobble together interdimensional gateways in a few hours. It’s tempting to say that such characters are stronger, faster, or smarter, so they should have higher Might, Speed, or Intellect Pools. However, simply bumping up stat Pools or Edge doesn’t fully represent this dramatic increase in power. Instead, consider using an optional rule called power shifts.
Under this rule, all superhero characters get five power shifts. Power shifts are like permanent levels of Effort that are always active. They don’t count toward a character’s maximum Effort use (nor do they count as skills or assets). They simply ease tasks that fall into specific categories, which include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.QDAvfL2Xor2gc3DB]{Accuracy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.gxmRI0Oi1qlp8tgv]{Dexterity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.ge5eQ2UKcF71jfL5]{Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.RvPjtLHq2svYfhK8]{Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.ZcogTb12JEcKd8WK]{Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.ClwsF2GBoWlGR9To]{Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.qbOvGJVLVkDUC49X]{Single Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.uQLh67ISIUJ4O3bC]{Strength}
Each shift eases the task (except for shifts that affect damage or Armor, as specified in the list above). Applying 2 shifts eases the task by two steps, and applying 3 shifts eases the task by three steps.
A character assigns their five power shifts as desired, but most characters should not be allowed to assign more than three to any one category. Once the shifts are assigned, they should not change.
For example, a superstrong character might put three of their shifts into strength and the other two into resilience. Whenever they lift something heavy, smash through a wall, or throw an object, they ease the task by three steps before applying Effort, skill, or assets. Thus, all difficulties from 0 to 3 are routine for them. They smash through level 3 doors as if they don’t exist. As another example, a masked vigilante character with a utility belt full of gadgets and great acrobatic skills might put two shifts in dexterity, one in accuracy, one in intelligence, and one in healing. They’re not actually superpowered, just tough and well trained.
Some GMs will want to allow PCs to increase their power shifts. Having a character spend 10 XP to do so would probably be appropriate. Other GMs will want to run superhero games with PCs of greater or lesser power (cosmic-level heroes or street-level heroes, perhaps). In such cases, more or fewer power shifts should be granted to the PCs at the game’s start.
NPC superheroes and villains get power shifts, too. Most of the time, this adds to their level. For example, Blast Star is a level 5 fiery villain who has three power shifts. When she blasts through a level 7 iron security door, she does so easily because in this circumstance, she’s actually level 8.
Sometimes, NPC power shifts make things harder for the PCs. For example, Fleetfoot the level 4 speedster puts all three of her shifts in dexterity. When she runs past a character who tries to grab her, the difficulty to do so is increased by three steps to 7.
Typical NPC supers get three power shifts. Exceptional ones usually have five.
In superhero games, due to conventions of the genre, difficulty caps at 15 instead of 10. Difficulty 10 is labeled “impossible,” but that label is for regular folks. For superpowered characters, “impossible” means something different, thanks to power shifts.
Think of each difficulty above 10 as being one more step beyond impossible. Although a GM in another genre would say there’s no chance that a character could leap 100 feet (30 m) from one rooftop to another, in a superhero game, that might just be difficulty 11. Picking up a city bus isn’t something normal characters could do, but for a strong superhero, it might be difficulty 12.
In theory, NPCs in such a game can go up to level 15 as well. Levels above 10 represent opponents that only a superhero would consider taking on: a robot that’s 1,000 feet (300 m) tall (level 11); Galashal, Empress of Twelve Dimensions (level 14); or a space monster the size of the moon (level 15).
Supervillains build doomsday devices. Ancient artifacts present a threat to all humanity if in the wrong hands. Weird machines from alien dimensions offer solutions to unsolvable problems. Artifacts are an important part of superhero stories. A few examples are below.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-superhero.2ENNMqilV1qoB35e]{Doctor Dread’s time portal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-superhero.AvddNOp9tUWCqGOp]{Serum X} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-superhero.JYcfxA5RcffTX3Wl]{Stellarex crystal}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599219,"name":"Genre: Post-Apocalyptic","type":"text","_id":"ARG20fxwzr0OBZjH","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Post-apocalyptic literature, movies, and games are a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the dystopia that follows the fall of civilization. Strictly speaking, post-apocalyptic stories take place after the end of the world. At least, the end of the world for most people. Players take the role of the survivors (or their descendants) trying to persevere in the face of immense hardship. Popular post-apocalyptic scenarios include those set after nuclear war, in the aftermath of a zombie plague, in the months and years following an alien invasion, or after the environment collapses in the face of human overpopulation. Other ways the world could end include a massive meteorite strike, the long-awaited robot uprising, a powerful solar flare that burns out the world’s power grids and communications, or even something as prosaic as a global disease pandemic.
| Role | Type |
| Survivor | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Heavy | Warrior |
| Dealer | Speaker |
| Trader | Speaker with skills flavor |
| Sage | Explorer with knowledge flavor |
| Evolved | Adept |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.31W9R0HQhQT0ic3A]{Crazy loner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.6L693DIk5jmQu2Py]{Gamma snake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.urAFJXaUkWY2R1zj]{Innocuous rodent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.uCMNBacwXfuThw65]{Mongrel dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.WGftLKpoTVDfIKw2]{Survivor, sickened} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.GgfdjyikafYtuyTK]{Survivor, typical}
In a post-apocalyptic setting, the items on the Additional Modern Equipment table as well as the following items might be available in trade from other survivors, or in the rare trade town.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.7M8uEI7cKT0UztUy]{Knife} | Light weapon, rusty and worn |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.VJicMhUlVImuwl4N]{Light weapon} | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.erpmmOJulN96Afgr]{Wooden club} | Light weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-post-apocalyptic.WnIcqsOLyuyQKSpZ]{Animal hide} | Light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-post-apocalyptic.Hv5mU9dKhfQJA76Q]{Light armor} | Light armor, smell hinders stealth tasks |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.dmnJTSnJv4ZqQmVg]{Candle} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.cY37Ff6ca1bxDXtp]{Plastic bag} | Useful and ubiquitous (won’t last long) |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.PasipD1tIBSjGd9h]{Handaxe} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.Z2P8uHd0D7sdFFNx]{Knife, multipurpose} | Light weapon, asset to small repair tasks |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.g7ZsP8QRo5xMCDTc]{Gas mask} | Breathable air for four hours |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.GAclXwNftLTjeFAf]{Padlock with keys} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.0vFrABenylbBi3yw]{Portable lamp, solar} |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.1j2c4v8TaLTVzmcZ]{Radiation detector} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.cGUAvAFO5b83snP2]{Nightvision goggles} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.862NWqhznbgLC5AG]{Radiation tent} | Prevents radiation damage for three days |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.s23m8lRUYCXNthKZ]{Radiation pill (pack of 5)} | Asset for defense tasks against radiation effects for twelve hours |
Characters in a post-apocalyptic setting must usually spend part of each day scavenging for supplies or a place of safety.
Food and Shelter: Generally speaking, characters must spend two to four hours searching through the rubble and ruins before succeeding. Finding enough food for a group of characters to eat for one day is a difficulty 5 Intellect task. Finding a place of relative safety to regroup and rest is also difficulty 5. Characters who succeed on either one of these also get to roll up to once each day on the Useful Stuff table and three times on the Junk table.
Found food often takes the form of canned, processed, dried, or otherwise preserved goods from before the apocalypse, but sometimes it includes fresh fruits and vegetables found growing wild or cultivated by other survivors. Safe places to hole up include homes, RVs, offices, apartments, or any location that can be secured and defended and isn’t radioactive, poisoned, or overrun with hostile creatures.
The difficulty of succeeding at finding food, water, and a safe place varies by location and by how many days the characters have already spent in one location. Each week the PCs spend at the same location hinders subsequent scavenging tasks and requires that they succeed on a new task to determine if the place they’re staying is still safe. The result of failing to find food and water is obvious. If the PCs fail at the task of finding (or keeping) a safe place, their presence is noticed by hostile forces, or they face a result from the Wasteland Threats table.
Useful Stuff: Food, water, and a safe place to rest are the most important finds, and are the basis of each scavenging task. But other obviously useful stuff is often found along with these basic requirements. When a group of characters successfully finds either food and water or a safe place, consult the Useful Stuff table up to once per day. If it’s the first day the PCs have searched in a particular area, each character might find something useful, but in succeeding days, a group normally gets only a single roll to find useful stuff.
Useful stuff also includes a “loot” entry. Loot includes collectible coins from before the apocalypse, such as silver dollars and gold eagles. It also includes jewelry and artwork that survived the disaster and related material that can be used as currency or barter when the characters find other survivors or arrive at a trade town.
Items found on the Useful Stuff table are generally expensive or exorbitant items (except for firearms, which start in the expensive category).
Junk: Characters who find food and water also find lots of junk. They are free to ignore that junk, but some PCs might have a use for what they find, especially those with the Scavenges focus. All characters gain up to three results on the Junk table each time they successfully scavenge for food or a safe place to stay. Sometimes junk can be fixed, but more often it can be disassembled and used as parts to create something else.
| d100 | Item Found |
| 01–10 | Tools (provide an asset to tasks related to repair and crafting) |
| 11–20 | Medicine (provides an asset to one healing-related task) |
| 21–25 | Binoculars |
| 26–35 | Chocolate bar or similarly sought-after candy or snack |
| 36–45 | Textbook (provides an asset to a knowledge-related task) |
| 46–50 | Coffee or tea |
| 51–55 | Gun or rifle with ten shells or bullets |
| 56–60 | Flashlight |
| 61–65 | Loot |
| 66–70 | Gasoline (2d6 × 10 gallons) |
| 71–75 | Batteries |
| 76–80 | Functioning vehicle (sedan, pickup, motorcycle, etc.) |
| 81–85 | Generator |
| 86–90 | MRE cache (food and water for six people for 1d6 weeks) |
| 91–95 | Ammunition cache (100 shells or bullets for 1d6 different weapons) |
| 96–97 | Helpful stranger (level 1d6 + 2, stays with the PCs for a week or two) |
| 98–99 | Cypher (in addition to any other cyphers the GM awards) |
| 00 | Artifact (in addition to any other artifacts the GM awards) |
| d6 | Item Found |
| 1 | Electronic junk (stereo, DVD/Blu-ray player, smartphone, electric fan, printer, router, etc.) |
| 2 | Plastic junk (lawn furniture, baby seat, simple toys, inflatable pool, etc.) |
| 3 | Dangerous junk (paint, rat poison, solvents, industrial chemicals, etc.) |
| 4 | Metallic junk (car bodies, old playsets, grills, empty barrels, frying pan, etc.) |
| 5 | Glass junk (vases, windows, bowls, decorative pieces, etc.) |
| 6 | Textile junk (coats, pants, shirts, bathing suits, blankets, rugs, etc.) |
Artifacts in a post-apocalyptic game include still-working technology from before the disaster that is not widely available, as well as cobbled-together pieces of tech that can weaponize previously prosaic items. If the apocalypse was related to some kind of alien invasion, artifacts would include even stranger items.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.RCr7oVmh9Lhk9jHG]{Autodoc} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.54P9fzXQjgpQT1gZ]{Enviroscanner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.xGGPXV5UufPD4m5F]{Military exoskeleton} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.T82EmpHsb9cNyyPX]{Rocket fist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.rQg6ztpLMylwK5RB]{Rocket-propelled grenade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.lQDbPJOz1VYXe54s]{Terahertz scanner}
In a post-apocalyptic setting, some GMs may want to offer species affected by the disaster.
You have lived your life deep underground in artificial bunkers, hidden from the world’s destruction and the brutal scavengers that live above. As a morlock, you have a keen mind for the technology salvaged from the before-time. In fact, every morlock comes of age by fitting a piece of morlock technology to its body to provide enhancement and extend its life. This means that you are part flesh and part machine. Your skin is as pale as milk, except where it’s been replaced with strips of metal and glowing circuits.
You gain the following characteristics:
Enhanced Intelligence: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Cyborg Body: +2 to your Might Pool and your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.Td605GMSP4TqfliK]{Partially Metallic}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.2X7nKuAiBRfFgUiS]{Repair and Maintenance}: As an entity of living flesh and humming machinery, you must first succeed on a difficulty 2 repair task before making a recovery roll. On a failure, the recovery roll is not used; however, the normal rules for retrying apply, and you must use Effort on a new roll if you wish to try again. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to heal additional points to your Pools (each level of Effort healing an additional 2 points to your Pools if you succeed).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.64yLvSVOIqtV8IvT]{Morlock Prejudice}: While among non-morlocks, all positive interaction tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs found you in a collapsed subterranean tunnel.
The other PCs encountered you exploring underground, and you convinced them to allow you to accompany them.
You were exiled from the morlock communities and needed help on the surface.
The only way to save the morlock community you hail from is to venture to the surface and find a mechanical part needed to repair a failing ancient system.
You are born of a species of evolved insects once called “cockroach,” but that is far in the past. Radiation and forced evolution have radically increased your size, shape, and ability to think. Your exoskeleton mimics the shape of a human being, though not perfectly. When you move about human society, shadows and cloaks are your ally if you wish to pass unnoticed. When those of your kind are discovered, it usually goes poorly for someone. You, however, have a wandering spirit and seek to explore the fallen world and find a new way forward.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.vNOlLQDmc53SXZ0B]{Scuttler}: Your Speed Edge increases by 1.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.GsDnTWDfehGuhsQS]{Sense by Scent}: You can sense your environment even in total darkness.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.8OYU2L2128I1PE9m]{Cling}: You can move an immediate distance each round on walls or clinging to the ceiling.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LD2sREknTpeCQErE]{Carapace}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.gEBLiYb25Mpx65Eo]{Glide}: You can extend small wings from your carapace that grant an asset in jumping tasks and allow you to fall up to a short distance without taking damage.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.DraIKUQRw8KrnC4o]{Skill}: You are trained in disguise tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.PeQrx8tfHEDrOlW6]{Inability}: You are susceptible to disease and poison. Defense rolls against disease or poison are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.P42u9vKoBQjOtUbE]{Inability}: You mimic a human, but you are not as fierce. Tasks involving combat— including attack and defense rolls—are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.soRZpGrbrjyyBHpW]{Insect Prejudice}: While among non-roaches, all positive interaction tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs didn’t realize what you were when they asked for your help.
You’ve managed to hide your roach ancestry so well that everyone thinks you are like them.
You are the last of your kind.
You have a secret agenda, and the PCs were gullible enough to let you come along.
The genre of fairy tales is a wide one, crossing into almost every culture and encompassing everything from early oral stories passed down from generation to generation to the more modern literary fairy tale. What makes something a fairy tale? While there’s a great deal of discussion around that question, most have a number of things in common: a series of far-fetched events; fantastical beings such as talking animals, elves, goblins, mermaids, witches, and dragons; and objects that have magical elements.
One of the powers of a fairy tale—or a game set in a fairy tale-inspired setting—is its ability to create a sense of wonder and to evoke players’ imaginations while still allowing them to keep one foot in the known. The very settings themselves are both enchanted and somehow familiar, whether the characters are entering a magical woods, falling down a rabbit hole, or embarking on a voyage to Neverland. Those beasts and beings who stalk such places are equally wondrous, and offer fantastic starting points for any number of adventures.
To heighten the sense of wonder in a fairy tale adventure or campaign, a GM might consider presenting the game in a modern setting. In a modern setting, characters have regular jobs that don’t normally involve hunting goblins or helping talking fish solve puzzles. This means that when the moths take shape and become the cloak of a princess of summer come to beg a favor or steal a child, or the house grows legs and runs away one morning, the player characters will be rightfully amazed (and perhaps somewhat terrified).
Faerie (also called by many other names) is a dimension of magic separate from but closely parallel to the mundane world. It doesn’t matter whether Faerie is just a collective term for thousands of separate curled-up dimensions hidden in corners, in closets, or at the center of forests, or it’s one continuous realm that overlaps the real world where it’s thinnest. It’s a place those with open hearts can find by following a way between tall trees (or looming library shelves) to a realm where everything is different. Where elves walk, nymphs dance, unicorns gallop, and both natural growths and built structures become vast and enchanting.
Humans don’t tend to do well in such a world if they stay too long, as the sensory input is hard on the nervous system. But fey creatures depend on it, like plants to the light. A fey creature too long cut off from its land of origin (or its stream, hill, or burrow) slowly becomes mortal and then dies.
When a fey creature is cut by silvered or cold iron weapons, they temporarily lose the sustaining benefit of their connection to Faerie. This severed connection usually disrupts a fey creature’s ability to heal. A silvered weapon is one that contains silver as part of an alloying process, has silver inlay, or has been coated in a dusting of silver powder (which usually lasts only through a single fight). In truth, many items in the modern era are cold-forged, while many others are not. We suggest that any hand-forged item containing iron could be considered a cold-forged weapon for harming fey creatures. Thus, most bullets and other modern items wouldn’t be treated as cold iron by this definition, but some would fit the bill.
Most fey creatures of level 2 or higher regain 1 point of health per round, unless wounded by silvered or cold iron weapons.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JULnmDMPODWwSgyT]{Angry ants} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.VK2Iv9hH0ITqmvV9]{Erlking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.PS7RVxRlUxllwCky]{Faerie} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ijRly8phWTeUIy8r]{Feral tree} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.UXvVjQMo4BRwi2Ef]{Nymph} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.BJOh1w5ZImYrdKuM]{Pixie} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.2v0CeAw0V9Hql9iL]{Razorblade butterflies} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.NVjNYB0ApximA7Kn]{Talking cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.LZB001qKeGrqUyMZ]{Troll}
Artifacts in a fantasy setting and magic items in other games focused on fantasy would also be suitable for a fairy tale setting. However, every fairy tale artifact should come with a quirk that sets it apart from a simple “wand of fire” or similar item. Come up with your own or roll a quirk on the table below.
| d10 | Quirk |
| 1 | Is sometimes invisible. |
| 2 | Cries like a baby if jostled. |
| 3 | Becomes cold as ice to the touch and emits cold vapor when danger threatens. |
| 4 | Contains a secret compartment that invariably holds a chunk of rock broken from what might be a strange jade sculpture. |
| 5 | Also serves as a key to some magically locked doors and chests. |
| 6 | Bites owner with tiny teeth if jostled, dealing 1 point of damage. |
| 7 | Always muttering and complaining, though useful warnings and other information can sometimes be gained. |
| 8 | Jealous of any other manifest cyphers, artifacts, or beautiful objects in the wielder’s life. |
| 9 | The “painting” of a princess of summer on the object sometimes leaves it, robbing the artifact of power. |
| 10 | Causes flowers to grow wherever it is stored or set down. |
Setting your campaign in World War 2, the Renaissance, or the 1930s can be fun and interesting. However, setting it in ancient Greece or feudal Japan, for example, probably makes it more like fantasy without all the orcs and magic (although a game set in feudal Japan with orcs and magic could be fascinating).
One of the draws of playing in a historical adventure is the thrill of “being there” when something important happens. Thus, in many cases, historical adventures in RPGs shouldn’t be designed as campaigns, but instead serve as short-term experiences where players try something new, or at least something they don’t normally do: play as figures involved in a momentous historical event.
Historical games should take cues from the closely related areas of historical fiction and historical re-enactment. The lessons of great historical fiction include the following.
The GM should anchor the characters with problems or conflicts that connect them to the chosen time period; make sure that PC backgrounds contain one relevant detail to the chosen historical setting.
The GM shouldn’t fall into the trap of assuming that history was drab just because it is often presented along with old paintings, drawings, or blurred black-and-white photographs. Dramatic events, surprising twists, and unexpected situations are just as likely in a historical adventure as in any other kind.
What’s the point of a historical adventure if there is no suspense? Sure, everyone knows what happens at the end of any given historical battle, but the stories of individuals within those fights are not known. Will they live? Will they succeed in their mission? And what are the consequences? Think of all the war movies that rely on that exact latitude to tell great stories.
Make sure you know when the campaign ends. Maybe it’s when the PCs successfully accomplish a specific task, but it might be externally timed to when a historical event takes place, whether they are attempting to offer aid, thwart it, or merely be aware of it as they attempt to do something that history hasn’t recorded.
Don’t create more than you need to. Be ready to tell the PCs what they see and who they encounter when they are introduced to a historical location or person, but don’t worry about things that they likely will never see. Yes, figure out what kind of currency is used, but making a super-accurate list of prices just isn’t necessary; the players will take your word for the cost of items and many other details. You’re evoking a historical setting with your game, not writing a book report.
Be wary about stereotypes and cultural misappropriation. History, as they say, is written by the victors. The ancient Greeks wrote that other cultures were all barbaric, and the European settlers called the natives in North America savages, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. If all you know about a time period is a movie set in that period, you’ll have a skewed version of events and culture. Be willing to go deeper than Braveheart or The Last Samurai, or maybe choose a different genre.
Preparation is important in a historical game, and most of that entails choosing a historical period—or a specific historical event—as the setting. Given that all of history can serve, you won’t lack for resources. Below are a few possibilities. Of course, the farther back you set your game, the less information on specific events is available. On the other hand, that frees you up to get creative.
Once you choose the historical period and any special events you want to include in your adventure or campaign, direct your players to an appropriate set of foci. Alternately, you can have your players play as historically significant figures, but if you do this, you may want to create their characters ahead of time. Most GMs will probably want to save historically significant individuals for use as NPCs.
The players will need some kind of grounding in what to expect in the time period you’ve chosen. Just like they need an idea of what magic can do in a fantasy game, they will need a general idea of what kind of technology is available, the broad strokes of what their characters might know and not know, and so on. Maybe have them read a Wikipedia entry, at the very least.
If you’re looking for inspiration for time periods in which to set your historical game, here are some possible ideas: prehistory, classical antiquity, ancient Egypt, the American revolution, ancient China, World War II, Edo Period Japan, Medieval Europe, and the American Old West.
| Role | Type |
| Constable (or night watchman) | Explorer with combat flavor |
| Detective | Explorer with stealth flavor and skills and knowledge flavor |
| Knight | Warrior |
| Pirate | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Tutor | Speaker |
| Merchant | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Smith | Speaker with some warrior abilities and skills and knowledge flavor |
| Playwright | Speaker |
| Noble | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Explorer | Explorer |
| Priest | Speaker |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZT13lzcl6dsvg8HX]{Cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.MwSOqh6IDnwKis8b]{Dodo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.8AhrSmfhARlAahxp]{Merchant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.HKcVbxx1xGOpyVk4]{Noble} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.Ax77ZEkAA3XJBPaA]{Serf} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.PXVS2kwvslh30lBB]{Snake, poisonous} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vhGua32GarGCzLGv]{Warhorse}
The concept of artifacts is probably inappropriate for a historical setting without some kind of supernatural, fantastical, or science fiction element. That said, objects of mystery such as the Antikythera mechanism (an ancient analog computer and orrery used to predict eclipses and other astronomical positions) reveal that the ancient world—and by extension more recent historical periods—contained fascinating and useful objects that were anachronistic for their period. Most such artifacts were likely the creations of philosophers, lone geniuses, and similar figures.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599903,"name":"Creatures and NPCs","type":"text","_id":"ljjovWdF2f0UgQ4l","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This chapter describes many common and uncommon creatures that the characters might meet—and fight—in a Cypher System game and gives their stats. The variety of creatures that populate the possible settings and genres is so great that this chapter only scratches the surface. It does, however, provide examples of kinds of inhabitants—bestial and civilized, living and undead, organic and inorganic—so that you can easily extrapolate and create your own.
Every creature is presented by name, followed by a standard template that includes the following categories.
Level: Like the difficulty of a task, each creature and NPC has a level attached to it. You use the level to determine the target number a PC must reach to attack or defend against the opponent. In each entry, the difficulty number for the creature or NPC is listed in parentheses after its level. As shown on the following table, the target number is three times the level.
| Level | Target Number |
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 |
| 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 6 | 18 |
| 7 | 21 |
| 8 | 24 |
| 9 | 27 |
| 10 | 30 |
Description: Following the name of the creature or NPC is a general description of its appearance, nature, intelligence, or background.
Motive: This entry is a way to help the GM understand what a creature or NPC wants. Every creature or person wants something, even if it’s just to be left alone.
Environment: This entry describes whether the creature tends to be solitary or travel in groups and what kind of terrain it inhabits (such as “They travel in packs through dry wastes and temperate lowlands”).
Health: A creature’s target number is usually also its health, which is the amount of damage it can sustain before it is dead or incapacitated. For easy reference, the entries always list a creature’s health, even when it’s the normal amount for a creature of its level.
Damage Inflicted: Generally, when creatures hit in combat, they inflict their level in damage regardless of the form of attack. Some inflict more or less or have a special modifier to damage. Intelligent NPCs often use weapons, but this is more a flavor issue than a mechanical one. In other words, it doesn’t matter if a level 3 foe uses a sword or claws—it deals the same damage if it hits. The entries always specify the amount of damage inflicted, even if it’s the normal amount for a creature of its level.
Armor: This is the creature’s Armor value. Sometimes the number represents physical armor, and other times it represents natural protection. This entry doesn’t appear in the game stats if a creature has no Armor.
Movement: Movement determines how far the creature can move in a single turn. Creatures have movements of immediate, short, long, or very long, which equate to the ranges of the same name. Most PCs have an effective movement of short, so if they are chasing (or being chased by) a creature with immediate movement, their Speed tasks are eased; if the creature’s movement is long or greater, the PCs’ Speed tasks are hindered.
Modifications: Use these default numbers when a creature’s information says to use a different target number. For example, a level 4 creature might say “defends as level 5,” which means PCs attacking it must roll a target number of 15 (for difficulty 5) instead of 12 (for difficulty 4). In special circumstances, some creatures have other modifications, but these are almost always specific to their level.
Combat: This entry gives advice on using the creature in combat, such as “This creature uses ambushes and hit-and-run tactics.” At the end of the combat listing, you’ll also find any special abilities, such as immunities, poisons, and healing skills. GMs should be logical about a creature’s reaction to a particular action or attack by a PC. For example, a mechanical creation is immune to normal diseases, a character can’t poison a being of energy (at least, not with a conventional poison), and so on.
Interaction: This entry gives advice on using the creature in interactions, such as “These creatures are willing to talk but respond poorly to threats,” or “This creature is an animal and acts like an animal.”
Use: This entry gives the GM suggestions for how to use the creature in a game session. It might provide general notes or specific adventure ideas.
Loot: This entry indicates what the PCs might gain if they take items from their fallen foes (or trade with or trick them). It doesn’t appear in the game stats if the creature has no loot.
GM Intrusion: This optional entry in the stats suggests a way to use GM intrusion in an encounter with the creature. It’s just one possible idea of many, and the GM is encouraged to come up with their own uses of the game mechanic.
Unlike many creatures in this chapter, normal animals are simple and understandable enough to be encapsulated by just their level and maybe one or two other stats.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.p7RwEbxxv74Xy0NP]{Bear, black} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.3NRZdgMZXVcEsqWl]{Bear, grizzly} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.pNEII8Wup8xjZfuA]{Hawk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.RxtZyeRliCY3v9In]{Rattlesnake}
The NPCs in this chapter are generic examples of nonplayer characters that can be used in many genres.
Reskinning NPCs: GMs will find that with a few tweaks, a guard can be a modern-day cop, a fantasy caravan guard, or a science fiction drone soldier. This is known as reskinning—making slight changes to existing stats to customize the NPC for your own game.
Health, Not Pools: Remember that NPCs don’t have stat Pools. Instead, they have a characteristic called health. When an NPC takes damage of any kind, the amount is subtracted from its health. Unless described otherwise, an NPC’s health is always equal to its target number. Some NPCs might have special reactions to or defenses against attacks that would normally deal Speed damage or Intellect damage, but unless the NPC’s description specifically explains this, assume that all damage is subtracted from the NPC’s health.
Appropriate Weapons: NPCs use weapons appropriate to their situation, which might be swords and crossbows, knives and shotguns, malefic psychic weapons, blasters and grenades, and so on.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599952,"name":"Cyphers","type":"text","_id":"xLSayIO5g61IGlUa","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Cyphers are one-use abilities that characters gain over the course of play. They have cool powers that can heal, make attacks, ease or hinder task rolls, or (in a more supernatural and extreme example) produce effects such as nullifying gravity or turning something invisible.
Most cyphers aren’t physical objects—just something useful that happens right when you need it. They might be a burst of insight that allows a character to make a perfectly executed attack, a lucky guess when using a computer terminal, a coincidental distraction that gives you an advantage against an NPC, or a supernatural entity that makes things work out in your favor. In some games, cyphers come in the form of items, like magic potions or bits of alien technology.
Cyphers that don’t have a physical form are called subtle cyphers.
Cyphers that have a physical form are called manifest cyphers.
Regardless of their form, cyphers are single-use effects and are always consumed when used. Unless a cypher’s description says otherwise, it works only for the character who activates it. For example, a PC can’t use an enduring shield cypher on a friend.
Cyphers are a game mechanic designed for frequent discovery and use. PCs can have only a small number of cyphers at any given time, and since they’re always finding more, they’re encouraged to use them at a steady pace.
In theory, the cyphers gained by the PCs are determined randomly. However, the GM can allow PCs to acquire or find them intentionally as well. Cyphers are gained with such regularity that the PCs should feel that they can use them freely. There will always be more, and they’ll have different benefits. This means that in gameplay, cyphers are less like gear or treasure and more like character abilities that the players don’t choose. This leads to fun game moments where a player can say “Well, I’ve got an X that might help in this situation,” and X is always different. X might be an intuitive understanding of the local computer network, a favor from the Faerie Court, an explosive device, a short-range teleporter, or a force field. It might be a powerful magnet or a prayer that will cure disease. It could be anything. Cyphers keep the game fresh and interesting. Over time, characters can learn how to safely carry more and more cyphers at the same time, so cyphers really do seem more like abilities and less like gear.
“Carry” in this sense refers to both subtle cyphers and manifest cyphers, though a PC may not actually carry anything that physically represents the cypher. A character thrown into prison without their equipment might still have subtle cyphers.
Cyphers don’t have to be used to make room for new ones. For subtle cyphers, a character can just use an action to “lose” the cypher, freeing up space to “find” one later (once a subtle cypher is discarded this way, it is gone and can’t be recovered). For manifest cyphers, it’s perfectly acceptable for the PCs to stash one elsewhere for later use; of course, that doesn’t mean it will still be there when they return.
Cyphers are (not surprisingly, based on the name) the heart of the Cypher System. This is because characters in this game have some abilities that rarely or never change and can always be counted on—pretty much like in all games—and they have some abilities that are ever-changing and inject a great deal of variability in play. They are the major reason why no Cypher System game session should ever be dull or feel just like the last session. This week your character can solve the problem by walking through walls, but last time it was because you could create an explosion that could level a city block.
The Cypher System, then, is one where PC abilities are fluid, with the GM and the players both having a role in their choice, their assignment, and their use. Although many things separate the game system from others, this aspect makes it unique, because cyphers recognize the importance and value of two things:
“Treasure,” because character abilities make the game fun and exciting. In fact, in the early days of roleplaying, treasure (usually in the form of magic items found in dungeons) was really the only customization of characters that existed. One of the drives to go out and have adventures is so you can discover cool new things that help you when you go on even more adventures. This is true in many RPGs, but in the Cypher System, it’s built right into the game’s core.
Letting the GM have a hand in determining PC abilities makes the game move more smoothly. Some GMs prefer to roll cyphers randomly, but some do not. For example, giving the PCs a cypher that will allow them to teleport far away might be a secret adventure seed placed by a forward-thinking GM. Because the GM has an idea of where the story is going, they can use cyphers to help guide the path. Alternatively, if the GM is open to it, they can give out cyphers that enable the characters to take a more proactive role (such as teleporting anywhere they want). Perhaps most important, they can do these things without worrying about the long-term ramifications of the ability. A device that lets you teleport multiple times might really mess up the game over the long term. But once? That’s just fun.
All characters have a maximum number of cyphers they can have at any one time, determined by their type. If a character ever attempts to carry more, random cyphers instantly disappear until the PC has a number of cyphers equal to their maximum (depending on the genre of the campaign, subtle cyphers may be more or less likely to vanish this way). These vanished cyphers are not recoverable.
Subtle (nonphysical) cyphers are a way to introduce cyphers into a game without overt “powered stuff”—no potions, alien crystals, or anything of that nature. They’re most useful, perhaps, in a modern or horror setting without obvious fantasy elements. Subtle cyphers are more like the inherent abilities PCs have, adding boosts to Edge, recovering points from Pools, coming up with ideas, and so on. In general, these are commonplace, non-supernatural effects—a subtle cypher wouldn’t create a laser beam or allow a character to walk through a wall. They don’t break the fragile bubble of believability in genres where flashy powers and abilities don’t make a lot of sense.
Subtle cyphers are particularly nice in a genre where the PCs are supposed to be normal people. The cyphers can simply be an expression of innate capabilities in characters that aren’t always dependable. And in many ways, that’s probably more realistic than an ability you can count on with certainty, because in real life, some days you can jump over a fence, and some days you just can’t.
Concepts for subtle cyphers include the following:
Good fortune: Once in a while, things just go your way. You’re in the right place at the right time.
Inspirations: Sometimes you get inspired to do something you’ve never done before and might not be able to do again. Call it adrenaline mixed with the right motivation, or just doing the right thing at the right place at the right time. Who can really define it? Life’s funny that way.
Alien concepts: Complex and utterly inhuman memes enter our world and worm their way into and out of human consciousness. When this happens, it can cause mental distress and disorientation. It can also grant impossible abilities and advantages.
Blessings: In a fantasy world, there are nine gods. Each morning, all intelligent residents of the world pray to one of the gods, and some of the faithful gain a divine blessing. Some people believe that praying to different gods gives you different blessings.
Earworms: You know how some songs pop into your head and just won’t leave? There’s a power to those songs, and the right people know how to harness it. Make the songs disturbing or reminiscent of evil chants, and you’ve got a perfect cypher concept for a horror campaign.
Mysterious transmissions: What’s that buzzing? That mechanical chittering? Those numbers repeating over and over? And why can only some people hear it? A few who are aware of the sounds have learned how to make use of them.
Supernatural powers: Mental or mystical energies constantly shift and change, ebb and flow. But you’ve figured out how to attune your mind to them. There are no physical actions or paraphernalia required—just an inner conduit to the numinous.
Since subtle cyphers aren’t physical objects, GMs will need to figure out when to give PCs new ones to replace the ones they have used. The cyphers probably shouldn’t be tied to actions entirely under the characters’ control—in other words, they shouldn’t come as a result of meditation or anything of that nature. Instead, the GM should choose significant points in the story when new cyphers might simply come unbidden to the PCs. In the broader view, this is no different than manifest cyphers placed as treasure in a creature’s lair, a secret cache, or somewhere else for the characters to find. Either way, the GM is picking good spots to “refill” potentially used cypher-based abilities.
Subtle cyphers are often found in groups of one to six (the GM can roll 1d6 to determine the number). The GM might randomly assign the cyphers to each PC who has space for more, or present a selection of cyphers to the group and allow the players to choose which ones they want for their characters. Characters should immediately know what their subtle cyphers do. If a PC activates a healing subtle cypher when they think it’s something to help pick a lock, that’s a waste of a useful character ability.
PCs might be able to obtain subtle cyphers from NPCs or in unusual circumstances as gifts, boons, or blessings, even asking for a particular kind of subtle cypher, such as healing, protection, or skill. For example, PCs who make a donation at a temple of a healing goddess could ask to receive a blessing (subtle cypher) that allows them to speak a healing prayer that restores points to one of their Pools. An NPC wizard who owes the PCs a favor might cast a spell on them that deflects one weapon if they say a magic word. An alien pylon might grant knowledge of a strange mental code that lets a person see in the dark for a few hours.
A PC can also acquire a new subtle cypher by spending 1 XP on one of the following player intrusions:
General cypher: You ask the GM for a general subtle cypher, such as “healing,” “movement,” “defense,” or perhaps something as specific as “flight.” The GM gives you a cypher that meets that description and randomly determines its level. If you don’t have space for this cypher, you immediately lose one of your current cyphers (your choice) and the new cypher takes its place.
Specific cypher: You ask the GM for a specific subtle cypher (such as a curative or stim) of a specific level. Make an Intellect roll with a difficulty equal to the cypher’s level plus 1. If you have had this cypher before, the task is eased. If you fail the roll, you do not gain a cypher. If you succeed, the GM gives you that subtle cypher at that level. If you don’t have space for this new cypher, you immediately lose one of your current cyphers (your choice) and the new cypher takes its place. Whether or not you succeed at the roll, the 1 XP is spent.
Because manifest cyphers are physical objects, and people are familiar with the idea of finding “treasure” as part of playing an RPG, these kinds of cyphers are easy to get into the hands of the PCs. They are often found in groups of one to six (the GM can roll 1d6 to determine the number), usually because the characters are searching for them. They might be among the possessions of a fallen foe, hidden in a secret room, or scattered amid the wreckage of a crashed starship. The GM can prepare a list ahead of time of what successful searchers find. Sometimes this list is random, and sometimes there is logic behind it. For example, a warlock’s laboratory might contain four different magic potions that the PCs can find.
If the characters search for cyphers, the GM sets the difficulty of the task. It is usually 3 or 4, and scavenging can take fifteen minutes to an hour.
Scavenging is not the only way to obtain manifest cyphers. They can also be given as gifts, traded with merchants, or sometimes purchased in a shop.
Unlike subtle cyphers, characters don’t automatically know what manifest cyphers do. Once the PCs find a manifest cypher, identifying it is a separate task, based on Intellect and modified by knowledge of the topic at hand. In a fantasy setting, that knowledge would probably be magic, but in a science fiction setting, it might be technology. The GM sets the difficulty of the task, but it is usually 1 or 2. Thus, even the smallest amount of knowledge means that cypher identification is automatic. The process takes one to ten minutes. If the PCs can’t identify a cypher, they can bring it to an expert for identification and perhaps trade, if desired.
Lots of overlap exists between what subtle cyphers and manifest cyphers can do. Nearly anything that can be explained as a subtle cypher can just as easily be a magic item, scientific device, or other manifest object. A bit of luck that helps you sneak (a subtle cypher) and a potion that helps you sneak (a manifest cypher) do the exact same thing for a character. One advantage of manifest cyphers is that characters can easily trade them to each other or sell them to NPCs. On the other hand, manifest cyphers can be dropped or stolen, and subtle cyphers can’t.
It’s fine if the GM decides to include both kinds of cyphers in the same game. A horror game could begin with the PCs as normal people with subtle cyphers, but as time goes on, they find one-use spells in occult tomes, weird potions, and bone dust that has strange powers.
The action to use a cypher is Intellect based unless described otherwise or logic suggests otherwise. For example, throwing an explosive might be Speed based because the device is physical and not really technical, but using a ray emitter is Intellect based.
Because cyphers are single-use items, cyphers used to make attacks can never be used with the Spray or Arc Spray abilities that some characters might have. They are never treated as rapid-fire weapons.
Identified manifest cyphers can be used automatically. Once a manifest cypher is activated, if it has an ongoing effect, that effect applies only to the character who activated the cypher. A PC can’t activate a cypher and then hand it to another character to reap the benefits.
A character can attempt to use a manifest cypher that has not been identified; this is usually an Intellect task using the cypher’s level. Failure might mean that the PC can’t figure out how to use the cypher or that they use it incorrectly (GM’s discretion). Of course, even if the PC activates the unidentified cypher, they have no idea what its effect will be.
Cyphers are meant to be used regularly and often. If PCs are hoarding or saving their cyphers, feel free to give them a reason to put the cyphers into play.
All cyphers have a level and an effect. The level sometimes determines an aspect of the cypher’s power (how much damage it inflicts, for example) but otherwise it only determines the general efficacy, the way level works with any object. The Level entry for a cypher is usually a die roll, sometimes with a modifier, such as 1d6 or 1d6 + 4. The GM can roll to determine the cypher’s level, or can allow the player to roll when they receive the cypher.
Cypher effects fall into two categories: normal and fantastic. Normal effects are things that could reasonably happen or be explained in the normal physical world we’re familiar with. Fantastic effects are things that can’t. A normal person could hit a target 240 feet (73 m) away with a football, quickly get over a cold, run across a tightrope, or multiply two two-digit numbers in their head. These tasks are difficult, but possible. A normal person can’t throw an armored car, regrow a severed arm, create a robot out of thin air, or control gravity with their mind. These tasks are impossible according to the world as we know it. Cypher effects are either normal (possible) or fantastic (impossible according to the world as we know it).
Normal cypher effects should be available to PCs regardless of the genre of your game. It’s perfectly reasonable for a modern, fantasy, horror, science fiction, or superhero PC to have a cypher that gives them a one-use bonus on an attack or skill task, lets them take a quick breather to recover a few points in a Pool, or helps them focus their will to avoid distractions or fatigue.
Fantastic cypher effects should be limited to games where magic, technology, or other factors stretch the definition of “impossible.” A cypher that turns a corpse into a zombie is out of place in a non-fantastic modern game, but is perfectly reasonable for a fantasy, science fiction, or superhero game, or even a horror game where zombies exist, as long as the GM decides there is an appropriate story explanation for it. The zombie cypher might be a necromantic spell in a fantasy or superhero game, a code that activates a swarm of nanobots in a science fiction game, or a virus in a horror game. The rules categorize some cypher effects as fantastic to help the GM decide whether to exclude cyphers that don’t fit the game they’re running. For example, it is appropriate for a GM running a zombie horror survival game set in 1990s Georgia to allow the zombie-creating cypher but not a teleportation cypher, because creating a zombie is a fantastic effect that fits the setting and teleportation isn’t.
Fantastic cyphers can be subtle or manifest.
If the GM and players are willing to stretch their imaginations a bit, it’s possible to include some fantastic cypher effects in a game where only normal cypher effects should exist, even if the PCs are only using subtle cyphers. The player using the cypher just needs to come up with a practical, realistic explanation for how the fantastic result occurred (perhaps with a much shorter or reduced effect than what’s described in the cypher text).
For example, a PC with a phase changer who is trapped in a prison cell could say that instead of physically phasing through the wall, using the cypher means they find a long-forgotten secret door connected to a narrow hallway leading to safety. A PC with a fire detonation could say they notice a can of paint thinner in the room, kick it over, and throw a table lamp into the spill, creating a spark and a momentary burst of harmful flames. A PC with a monoblade could say they spot structural flaws in an opponent’s armor, allowing them to attack for the rest of that combat in such a way that the foe’s Armor doesn’t count.
These interpretations of fantastic cyphers in a non-fantastic setting require player ingenuity and GM willingness to embrace creative solutions (similar to players using player intrusions to make a change in the game world). The GM always has the right to veto the explanation for the fantastic effect, allowing the player to choose a different action instead of using the fantastic cypher.
None of the manifest cyphers in this chapter have a stated physical form. The entries don’t tell you if something is a potion, a pill, or a device you hold in your hands because that sort of detail varies greatly from genre to genre. Are they magic? Are they tech? Are they symbiotic creatures with programmed DNA? That’s up to the GM. It’s flavor, not mechanics. It’s as important or unimportant as the style of an NPC’s hair or the color of the car the bad guys are driving. In other words, it’s the kind of thing that is important in a roleplaying game, but at the same time doesn’t actually change anything (and RPGs have a lot of things like that, if you think about it).
A manifest cypher’s physical form can be anything at all, but there are some obvious choices based on genre. The GM can design a setting that uses just one type—for example, a magical world where all cyphers are potions made by faeries. Or they can use many types, perhaps mixing them from different genres. Some suggestions include the following.
Fantasy/Fairy Tale: Potions, scrolls, runeplates, tattoos, charms, powders, crystals, books with words of power.
Modern/Romance: Drugs (injections, pills, inhalants), viruses, smartphone apps.
Science Fiction/Post-Apocalyptic: Drugs (injections, pills, inhalants), computer programs, crystals, gadgets, viruses, biological implants, mechanical implants, nanotechnological injections.
Horror: Burrowing worms or insects, pages from forbidden books, horrific images.
Superhero: Forms from all the other genres.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.Bn74yPIGZJTwA9yO]{Manifest Cypher Table} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.yXkmPLGNM6UH5nkx]{Subtle Cypher Table} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.tAjYZpL0GKkROZpR]{Fantastic Cypher Table}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599976,"name":"Running the Cypher System","type":"text","_id":"UvvvJnsSL3Ck1U6K","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"The GM’s most important overall tasks are setting the stage and guiding the story created by the group (not the one created by the GM ahead of time). But setting difficulty is the most important mechanical task the GM has in the game. Although there are suggestions throughout this chapter for various difficulty ratings for certain actions, there is no master list of the difficulty for every action a PC can take. Instead, the Cypher System is designed with the “teach a person to fish” style of good game mastering in mind. (If you don’t know what that means, it comes from the old adage “Give a person a fish and they’ll eat for a day. Teach a person to fish and they’ll eat for a lifetime.” The idea is not to give GMs a ton of rules to memorize or reference, but to teach them how to make their own logical judgment calls.) Of course, most of the time, it’s not a matter of exact precision. If you say the difficulty is 3 and it “should” have been 4, the world’s not over.
For the most part, it really is as simple as rating something on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being incredibly easy and 10 being basically impossible. The guidelines in the Task Difficulty table should help put you in the right frame of mind for assigning difficulty to a task.
For example, we make the distinction between something that most people can do and something that trained people can do. In this case, “normal” means someone with absolutely no training, talent, or experience—imagine your ne’er-do-well, slightly overweight uncle trying a task he’s never tried before. “Trained” means the person has some level of instruction or experience but is not necessarily a professional.
With that in mind, think about the act of balance. With enough focus, most people can walk across a narrow bridge (like a fallen tree trunk). That suggests it is difficulty 2. However, walking across a narrow plank that’s only 3 inches (8 cm) wide? That’s probably more like difficulty 3. Now consider walking across a tightrope. That’s probably difficulty 5—a normal person can manage that only with a great deal of luck. Someone with some training can give it a go, but it’s still hard. Of course, a professional acrobat can do it easily. Consider, however, that the professional acrobat is specialized in the task, making it difficulty 3 for them. They probably are using Effort as well during their performance.
Let’s try another task. This time, consider how hard it might be to remember the name of the previous leader of the village where the character lives. The difficulty might be 0 or 1, depending on how long ago they were the leader and how well known they were. Let’s say it was thirty years ago and they were only mildly memorable, so it’s difficulty 1. Most people remember them, and with a little bit of effort, anyone can come up with their name. Now let’s consider the name of the leader’s daughter. That’s much harder. Assuming the daughter wasn’t famous in her own right, it’s probably difficulty 4. Even people who know a little about local history (that is to say, people who are trained in the subject) might not be able to remember it. But what about the name of the pet dog owned by the daughter’s spouse? That’s probably impossible. Who’s going to remember the name of an obscure person’s pet from thirty years ago? Basically no one. However, it’s not forbidden knowledge or a well-guarded secret, so it sounds like difficulty 7. Difficulty 7 is the rating that means “No one can do this, yet some people still do.” It’s not the stuff of legend, but it’s something you would assume people can’t do. When you think there’s no way you can get tickets for a sold-out concert, but somehow your friend manages to score a couple anyway, that’s difficulty 7. (See the next section for more on difficulties 7, 8, 9, and 10.)
If you’re talking about a task, ideally the difficulty shouldn’t be based on the character performing the task. Things don’t get inherently easier or harder depending on who is doing them. However, the truth is, the character does play into it as a judgment call. If the task is breaking down a wooden door, an 8-foot-tall (2 m) automaton made of metal with nuclear-driven motors should be better at breaking it down than an average human would be, but the task rating should be the same for both. Let’s say that the automaton’s nature effectively gives it two levels of training in such tasks. Thus, if the door has a difficulty rating of 4, but the automaton is specialized and reduces the difficulty to 2, it has a target number of 6. The human has no such specialization, so the difficulty remains 4, and the person has a target number of 12. However, when you set the difficulty of breaking down the door, don’t try to take all those differences into account. The GM should consider only the human because the Task Difficulty table is based on the ideal of a “normal” person, a “trained” person, and so on. It’s humanocentric.
Most characters probably are willing to use one or two levels of Effort on a task, and they might have an appropriate skill or asset to decrease the difficulty by a step. That means that a difficulty 4 task will often be treated as difficulty 2 or even 1, and those are easy rolls to make. Don’t hesitate, then, to pull out higher-level difficulties. The PCs can rise to the challenge, especially if they are experienced.
Difficulties 7, 8, 9, and 10 are all technically impossible. Their target numbers are 21, 24, 27, and 30, and you can’t roll those numbers on a d20 no matter how many times you try. Consider, however, all the ways that a character can reduce difficulty. If someone spends a little Effort or has some skill or help, it brings difficulty 7 (target number 21) into the range of possibility—difficulty 6 (target number 18). Now consider that they have specialization, use a lot of Effort, and have help. That might bring the difficulty down to 1 or even 0 (reducing it by two steps from training and specialization, three or four steps from Effort, and one step from the asset of assistance). That practically impossible task just became routine. A fourth-tier character can and will do this—not every time, due to the cost, but perhaps once per game session. You have to be ready for that. A well-prepared, motivated sixth-tier character can do that even with a difficulty 10 task. Again, they won’t do it often (they’d have to apply six levels of Effort, and even with an Edge of 6 that would cost 7 points from their Pool, and that’s assuming they’re specialized and have two levels of assets), but it can happen if they’re really prepared for the task (being specialized and maxed out in asset opportunities reduces the difficulty by four more steps). That’s why sixth-tier characters are at the top of their field, so to speak.
One way to look at difficulty is that each step of difficulty is worth 3 on the die. That is to say, hinder the task by one step, and the target number rises by 3. Ease the task by one step, and the target number is lowered by 3. Those kinds of changes are big, meaty chunks. Difficulty, as a game mechanic, is not terribly precise. It’s measured in large portions. You never have a target number of 13 or 14, for example—it’s always 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and so on. (Technically, this is not true. If a character adds 1 to a d20 roll for some reason, it changes a target number of 15 to 14. But this is not worth much discussion.)
Imprecision is good in this case. It would be false precision to say that one lock has a target number of 14 and another has a target number of 15. What false precision means in this context is that it would be a delusion to think we can be that exact. Can you really say that one lock is 5% easier to pick than another? And more important, even if you could, is the difference worth noting? It’s better to interact with the world in larger, more meaningful chunks than to try to parse things so carefully. If we tried to rate everything on a scale of 1 to 30 (using target numbers and not difficulty), we’d start to get lost in the proverbial weeds coming up with a meaningful distinction between something rated as an 8 and something rated as a 9 on that scale.
Don’t hesitate to make actions routine. Don’t call for die rolls when they’re not really needed. Sometimes GMs fall into the trap illustrated by this dialogue:
GM: What do you do?
Player: I _________.
GM: Okay, give me a roll.
That’s not a good instinct—at least, not for the Cypher System. Players should roll when it’s interesting or exciting. Otherwise, they should just do what they do. If the PCs tie a rope around something and use it to climb down into a pit, you could ask for tying rolls, climbing rolls, and so on, but why? Just to see if they roll terribly? So the rope can come undone at the wrong time, or a character’s hand can slip? Most of the time, that makes players feel inadequate and isn’t a lot of fun. A rope coming undone in the middle of an exciting chase scene or a battle can be a great complication (and that’s what GM intrusions are for). A rope coming undone in the middle of a simple “getting from point A to point B” scene only slows down gameplay. The real fun—the real story—is down in the pit. So get the PCs down there.
There are a million exceptions to this guideline, of course. If creatures are throwing poisoned darts at the PCs while they climb, that might make things more interesting and require a roll. If the pit is filled with acid and the PCs must climb halfway down, pull a lever, and come back up, that’s a situation where you should set difficulty and perhaps have a roll. If a PC is near death, carrying a fragile item of great importance, or something similar, climbing down the rope is tense, and a roll might add to the excitement. The important difference is that these kinds of complications have real consequences.
On the flip side, don’t be afraid to use GM intrusion on routine actions if it makes things more interesting. Walking up to the king in his audience chamber in the middle of a ceremony only to trip on a rug? That could have huge ramifications for the character and the story.
Rating things on a scale of 1 to 10 is something that most people are very familiar with. You can also look at it as rating an object or creature on a similar scale, if that’s easier. In other words, if you don’t know how hard it would be to climb a particular cliff face, think of it as a creature the PCs have to fight. What level would the creature be? You could look in the Creatures chapter and say “I think this wall should be about as difficult to deal with as a demon. A demon is level 5, so the task of climbing the wall will be difficulty 5.” That’s a weird way to do it, perhaps, but it’s fairly straightforward. And if you’re the kind of GM who thinks in terms of “How tough will this fight be?” then maybe rating tasks as creatures or NPCs to fight isn’t so strange after all. It’s just another way to relate to them. The important thing is that they’re on the same scale. Similarly, if the PCs have to tackle a knowledge task—say, trying to determine if they know where a caravan is headed based on its tracks—you could rate the task in terms of an object. If you’re used to rating doors or other objects that the PCs have broken through recently, the knowledge task is just a different kind of barrier to bust through.
Everything in the Cypher System—characters, creatures, objects, tasks, and so on—has a level. It might be called a tier or a difficulty instead of a level, but ultimately it’s a numerical rating system used to compare things. Although you have to be careful about drawing too many correlations—a first-tier character isn’t easily compared to a difficulty 1 wall or a level 1 animal—the principle is the same. Everything can be rated and roughly compared to everything else in the world. (It works best to take PCs out of this equation. For example, you shouldn’t try to compare a PC’s tier to a wall’s level. Character tiers are mentioned here only for completeness.)
Last, if your mind leans toward statistics, you can look at difficulty as a percentage chance. Every number on the d20 is a 5% increment. For example, you have a 5% chance of rolling a 1. You have a 10% chance of rolling a 1 or a 2. Thus, if you need to roll a 12 or higher, you have a 45% chance of success. (A d20 has nine numbers that are 12 or higher: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. And 9 × 5 equals 45.)
For some people, it’s easier to think in terms of a percentage chance. A GM might think “She has about a 30% chance to know that fact about geography.” Each number on a d20 is a 5% increment, and it takes six increments to equal 30%, so there are six numbers that mean the PC succeeds: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Thus, since the player has to roll 15 or higher, that means the target number is 15. (And that means the task is level 5, but if you’ve already determined the target number, you likely don’t care about the level.)
The GM makes measured adjustments in large, uniform steps. That makes things faster than if players had to do arithmetic using a range of all numbers from 1 to 20.
You calculate a target number only once no matter how many times the PCs attempt the action. If you establish that the target number is 12, it’s 12 every time a PC tries that action. (On the other hand, if you had to add numbers to your die roll, you’d have to do it for every attempt.) Consider this fact in light of combat. Once a player knows that they need to roll a 12 or higher to hit a foe, combat moves very quickly.
If a PC can reduce the difficulty of an action to 0, no roll is needed. This means that an Olympic gymnast doesn’t roll a die to walk across a balance beam, but the average person does. The task is initially rated the same for both, but the difficulty is reduced for the gymnast. There’s no chance of failure.
This is how everything in the game works, whether it’s climbing a wall,
sweet-talking a guard, or fighting a bioengineered horror.
Perhaps most important, the system gives GMs the freedom to focus entirely on the flow of the game. The GM doesn’t use dice to determine what happens (unless you want to)—the players do. There aren’t a lot of different rules for different actions, so there is little to remember and very little to reference. The difficulty can be used as a narrative tool, with the challenges always meeting the expected logic of the game. All the GM’s mental space can be devoted to guiding the story.
GM intrusion is the main mechanic that the GM uses to inject drama and additional excitement into the game. It’s also a handy tool for resolving issues that affect the PCs but do not involve them. GM intrusion is a way to facilitate what goes on in the world outside the characters. Can the minotaur track the PCs’ movements through the maze? Will the fraying rope hold?
Since the players roll all the dice, GM intrusion is used to determine if and when something happens. For example, if the PCs are fighting a noble’s guards, and you (the GM) know that there are more guards nearby, you don’t need to roll dice to determine if the other guards hear the scuffle and intervene (unless you want to). You just decide when it would be best for the story—which is probably when it would be worst for the characters. In a way, GM intrusion replaces the GM’s die rolling.
The mechanic is also one of the main ways that GMs award experience points to the PCs. This means that you use experience points as a narrative tool. Whenever it seems appropriate, you can introduce complications into the game that affect a specific player, but when you do so, you give that player 1 XP. The player can refuse the intrusion, but doing so costs them 1 XP. So by refusing an intrusion, the player does not get the experience point that the GM is offering, and they lose one that they already have. (This kind of refusal is likely to happen very rarely in your game, if ever. And, obviously, a player can’t refuse an intrusion if they have no XP to spend.)
Here’s how a GM intrusion might work in play. Say the PCs find a hidden console with some buttons. They learn the right order in which to press the buttons, and a section of the floor disappears. As the GM, you don’t ask the players specifically where their characters are standing. Instead, you give a player 1 XP and say “Unfortunately, you’re standing directly over this new hole in the floor.” If the player wanted, they could refuse the XP, spend one of their own, and say “I leap aside to safety.” Most likely, though, they’ll make the defense roll that you call for and let it play out.
There are two ways for the GM to handle this kind of intrusion. You could say “You’re standing in the wrong place, so make a roll.” (It’s a Speed defense roll, of course.) Alternatively, you could say “You’re standing in the wrong place. The floor opens under your feet, and you fall down into the darkness.” In the first example, the PC has a chance to save themselves. In the second example, they don’t. Both are viable options. The distinction is based on any number of factors, including the situation, the characters involved, and the needs of the story. This might seem arbitrary or even capricious, but you’re the master of what the intrusion can and can’t do. RPG mechanics need consistency so players can make intelligent decisions based on how they understand the world to work. But they’ll never base their decisions on GM intrusions. They don’t know when intrusions will happen or what form they will take. GM intrusions are the unpredictable and strange twists of fate that affect a person’s life every day.
When player modifications (such as skill, Effort, and so on) determine that success is automatic, the GM can use GM intrusion to negate the automatic success. The player must roll for the action at its original difficulty level or target number 20, whichever is lower.
Remember, any time you give a player 1 XP for a GM intrusion, you’re actually giving them 2— one to keep and one to give to another player.
A GM can use this narrative tool to steer things. That doesn’t mean railroad the players or direct the action of the game with a heavy hand. GM intrusion doesn’t enable you to say “You’re all captured, so here’s your 1 XP.” Instead, the GM can direct things more subtly—gently, almost imperceptibly influencing events rather than forcing them. GM intrusion represents things going wrong. The bad guys planning well. Fortune not favoring the characters.
Consider this scenario: the GM plants an interesting adventure seed in a small village, but the PCs don’t stay there long enough to find it. So just outside the village, the PCs run afoul of a vicious viper that bites one of them. The GM uses intrusion to say that the poison from the snake will make the character debilitated unless they get a large dose of a specific antitoxin, which the group doesn’t have. Of course, they aren’t required to go back to the village where the GM’s interesting adventure can start, but it’s likely that they will, looking for the antitoxin.
Some players might find intrusion heavy-handed, but the XP softens the blow. And remember, they can refuse these narrative nudges. Intrusion is not meant to be a railroading tool—just a bit of a rudder. Not an inescapable track, but a nudge here and there.
What’s more, the GM doesn’t need to have a deliberate goal in mind. The complication you introduce could simply make things more interesting. You might not know where it will take the story, just that it will make the story better.
This is wonderfully empowering to the GM—not in a “Ha ha, now I’ll trounce the PCs” way, but in an “I can control the narrative a little bit, steering it more toward the story I want to create rather than relying on the dice” sort of way. Consider that old classic plot development in which the PCs get captured and must escape from the bad guys. In heroic fiction, this is such a staple that it would almost seem strange if it didn’t happen. But in many roleplaying games, it’s a nearly impossible turn of events—the PCs usually have too many ways to get out of the bad guy’s clutches before they’re captured. The dice have to be wildly against them. It virtually never happens. With GM intrusion, it could happen (again, in the context of the larger encounter, not as a single intrusion that results in the entire group of PCs being captured with little explanation or chance to react).
For example, let’s say the PCs are surrounded by orcs. One character is badly injured—debilitated—and the rest are hurt. Some of the orcs produce a large weighted net. Rather than asking for a lot of rolls and figuring the mechanics for escape, you use intrusion and say that the net goes over the PCs who are still on their feet. The rest of the orcs point spears menacingly. This is a pretty strong cue to the players that surrender is a good (and possibly the only) option. Some players won’t take the hint, however, so another use of intrusion might allow the orcs to hit one of the trapped PCs on the head and render them unconscious while their friends struggle in the net. If the players still don’t surrender, it’s probably best to play out the rest of the encounter without more GM intrusions—using more would be heavy-handed by anyone’s measure—although it’s perfectly reasonable to rule that a character rendered debilitated is knocked unconscious, since the orcs are trying to take the PCs alive.
Remember that GM intrusions can occur at any time, not just during combat. Disrupting or changing a tense interaction with NPCs can have big repercussions.
This mechanic offers a way for the GM to determine how things happen in the game without leaving it all to random chance. Bad guys trying to smash down the door to the room where the PCs are holed up? You could roll a bunch of dice, compare the NPCs’ stats to the door’s stats, and so on, or you could wait until the most interesting time, have the bad guys break in, and award an experience point to the PC who tried their best to bar the door. The latter way is the Cypher System way. Intrusion is a task resolution tool for the GM. In other words, you don’t base things on stats but on narrative choice. (Frankly, a lot of great GMs over the years—even in the very early days of the hobby—have run their games this way. Sometimes they rolled dice or pretended to roll dice, but they were really manipulating things.) This method frees the GM from worrying about mechanics and looking up stats and allows them to focus on the story.
This isn’t cheating—it’s the rules of the game. This rule simply replaces traditional dice rolling with good game mastering, logic, and intelligent storytelling. When a PC is climbing a burning rope, and everyone knows that it will break at some point, the game has a mechanism to ensure that it breaks at just the right time.
Variant: If you want more randomness in your game, or if you want your game to seem like more of a simulation, assign a flat percentage chance for whatever you’re trying to resolve. For example, each round, the star troopers have a 20% chance to blast through the door—or, if you want the risk to escalate, a cumulative 20% chance to blast through the door. By not using GM intrusion, this method robs the PCs of a few XP, but when they see you rolling dice, it might help with their immersion. Alternatively, you can pretend to roll dice but really use GM intrusion, though this method seriously robs the characters of XP.
There’s a better way. Announce your intrusion, but say that there’s only a chance it will happen (state the percentage chance), and then roll the dice in plain view of everyone. If the intrusion occurs, award the XP as normal. This is likely the best of both worlds. However, it takes the narrative power out of your hands and gives it to the dice. Perhaps this method is best used only occasionally. If nothing else, it injects some variety and certainly some drama.
Too much of a good thing will make the game seem utterly unpredictable—even capricious. The ideal is to use about four GM intrusions per game session, depending on the length of the session, or about one intrusion per hour of game play. This is in addition to any intrusions that are triggered by players rolling a 1.
When a PC rolls a 1, handle the GM intrusion the same way that you’d handle an intrusion you initiated. The intrusion could mean the PC fumbles or botches whatever they were trying to do, but it could mean something else. Consider these alternatives:
In combat, the PC’s foe is not as hurt as they thought. Give the foe 5 extra points of health.
In combat, the PC drops their guard, and the foe gets a free attack.
In combat, reinforcements for the PC’s foes show up.
In combat (or any stressful situation), an ally decides to flee.
In combat (or any stressful situation), an ally doesn’t like the PCs as much as they thought. The ally steals from them or betrays them.
Out of combat, the PC’s pack falls open, or the sole of their shoe tears open.
Out of combat, it begins to rain heavily.
Out of combat, a surprise foe appears, and the scene turns into a combat.
In an interaction, the GM introduces a surprising motive for the NPC. For example, the PCs are trying to bribe an official for information, and the official reveals that what they really want isn’t money but for someone to rescue their kidnapped son.
This might not be true of your players, but many players rarely, if ever, spend XP to refuse an intrusion from the GM, though they regularly use XP to avoid an intrusion that comes from a bad roll. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Some GMs might want to forbid using an XP to reroll a 1, but there’s really no point—if you’ve got an idea for a good intrusion, you don’t need to wait until a player rolls a 1 to use it.
The core of the idea behind GM intrusion is that the player being adversely affected gains an experience point. But what if the intrusion affects the whole group equally? What if the GM uses it to have an unstable device overload and explode, harming all the characters? In this case, if no PC is involved more than the others (for example, no single PC was frantically attempting to repair the device), you should give 1 XP to each character but not give any of them an extra XP to hand out to someone else.
However, this kind of group intrusion should be an exception, not the rule. GM intrusions are much more effective if they are more personal.
It’s not a good idea to use the same events as GM intrusions over and over (“Dolmar dropped his sword again?”). Below are a number of different intrusions you can use.
Through no fault of the characters, something happens that is bad or at least complicating. For example:
The floorboard beneath the PC gives way.
The boat lists to starboard at just the wrong moment.
A gust of wind blows the papers out of the character’s hand.
The buckle of the PC’s pack snaps at an inopportune time.
The NPC that the characters need to speak with is home sick today.
A device (cypher or artifact) malfunctions or gives the user a jolt.
The situation was more complex (and therefore more interesting) than the PCs knew—perhaps even more than the GM knew, at least at the start. For example:
A poisonous snake darts out from the tall grass and attacks.
The box that holds the plans is trapped with a poison needle.
The NPC that the PCs need to befriend doesn’t speak their language.
The NPC that the PCs try to bribe is allergic to the bottle of alcohol they offer.
The PCs find the book they need, but the pages are so brittle that if they open it, it might crumble.
GMs can use this type of intrusion as a resolution mechanic to determine NPC success or failure. Rather than rolling dice to see how long it takes an NPC to rewire a damaged force field generator, it happens at a time of the GM’s choosing—ideally when it would be most interesting. For example:
The goblin reinforcements finally get through the locked door.
The ropes of the old rope bridge finally snap.
The city guards show up.
The unstable ceiling collapses.
The NPC who holds a dagger to a character’s throat and says “Don’t move” cuts the PC when they do, in fact, move, putting them immediately at debilitated on the damage track.
The PCs aren’t the only ones with surprising tricks up their sleeves. For example:
The PC’s opponent uses a lightning-fast maneuver to dodge all attacks.
The PC’s opponent sees an opening and makes an additional, immediate attack.
The NPC commander rallies their troops, who all deal 2 additional points of damage for one round.
The PC’s opponent uses a cypher or similar device that produces just the right effect for the situation.
A bit of the wall collapses in the middle of the fight, preventing the characters from chasing the fleeing NPC.
Although you might not want every player roll of 1 to be a fumble, sometimes it could be just that. Alternatively, the GM could simply declare that a fumble has occurred. In either case, consider the following examples:
In combat, the PC drops their weapon.
In combat, the PC misses and strikes the wall, breaking or damaging their weapon.
In combat, the NPC hits the PC harder than usual, inflicting 2 additional points of damage.
In combat, the PC hits an ally by accident and inflicts regular damage.
Out of combat, the PC drops or mishandles an important object or piece of equipment.
In an interaction, the PC inadvertently or unknowingly says something offensive.
GM intrusion doesn’t have to mean that a PC has failed. For example:
The PC disables the explosive device before it goes off, but if someone doesn’t remain and hold the detonator, it will still explode.
The PC creates the antidote, but it will turn the imbiber’s flesh blue for the next few weeks.
The PC jumps across the pit but accidentally knocks loose some stones from the edge, making the jump harder for their friend right behind them.
Player intrusions give the players a small bit of narrative control over the world. However, the world still remains in the GM’s purview. You can always overrule a player intrusion, or suggest a way to massage it so that it fits better into the setting. Still, because it is indeed narrative control, a player intrusion should always involve a small aspect of the world beyond the character. “I punch my foe really hard” is an expression of Effort or perhaps character ability. “My foe slips and falls backward off the ledge” is a player intrusion.
Player intrusions should never be as big as GM intrusions. They should not end an encounter, only (perhaps) provide the PC with the means to more easily end an encounter. They should not have a wide-reaching or even necessarily a long-term effect on the setting. A way to consider this might be that player intrusions can affect a single object (a floorboard snaps), feature (there’s a hidden shallow spot in the stream to ford), or NPC (the vendor is an old friend). But not more than that. A player intrusion can’t affect a whole village or even a whole tavern in that village. A rock can come loose, but a player intrusion can’t create a landslide.
Although the decision is open to your discretion, when a PC takes an action, it should be fairly obvious which stat is tied to that action. Physical actions that involve brute force or endurance use Might. Physical actions that involve quickness, coordination, or agility use Speed. Actions that involve intelligence, education, insight, willpower, or charm use Intellect.
In rare instances, you could allow a PC to use a different stat for a task. For example, a character might try to break down a door by examining it closely for flaws and thus use Intellect rather than Might. This kind of change is a good thing because it encourages player creativity. Just don’t let it be abused by an exuberant or too-clever player. It’s well within your purview to decide that the door has no flaws, or to rule that the character’s attempt will take half an hour rather than one round. In other words, using a stat that is not the obvious choice should be the exception, not the rule.
You should think of cyphers as character abilities, whether they’re subtle cyphers or manifest cyphers. This means that it is incumbent upon you to make sure that players always have plenty of cyphers to use. In the course of their travels, the PCs should find that cyphers are extremely common. And since the PCs are limited in the number of cyphers they can carry, they will use them liberally.
Manifest cyphers can be found by scavenging through old ruins. They can be found in the corpses of magical or technological foes. They can be found among the possessions of intelligent fallen opponents or the lairs of unintelligent creatures, either amid the bones of former meals or as shiny decorations in a nest. They can be found in villages, in the back of a merchant’s cart that sells junk and scavenged parts. They are offered as rewards by people who are grateful for the PCs’ help.
Some adventures will offer more cyphers than others. Still, as a rule of thumb, in any given adventure, a character should use at least as many cyphers as they can carry. This means they should find that number of cyphers in that same amount of time (give or take). Thus, you can simply add up the number of cyphers the PCs can carry, and on average, they should find at least that many cyphers in a given adventure.
If your players are typical, they will use combat-related cyphers liberally but hold onto their utility cyphers. A ray emitter or defensive shield will be used, but a suspensor belt or phasing module will linger longer on their character sheets.
As with everything else in the game, it’s intentionally very easy for the GM to create new cyphers. Just think of the effect and how to express it as a game advantage. Two kinds of cyphers exist when it comes to effect: those that allow the user to do something better, and those that allow the user to do something they couldn’t do otherwise.
The first group includes everything that reduces the difficulty of a task (including defense tasks). The second group includes things that grant new abilities, such as flight, a new means of attack, the ability to see into the past, or any number of other powers.
A few more important notes about devising new cyphers:
Cyphers should be single-use items. The PCs use them up and find new ones.
Cyphers should be potent. A minor ability isn’t worth the trouble. If an attack cypher isn’t as good as a regular weapon, why bother with it?
Cyphers shouldn’t have drawbacks.
Cyphers should be temporary. Typically, a power is used once. Abilities or advantages that have a duration last from ten minutes to twenty-four hours (at most).
Manifest cyphers can take any form. Just make them appropriate to the genre.
Cyphers teach GMs to design different kinds of scenarios—ones in which the whole adventure isn’t wrecked if a player has something that can solve a single problem (defeat a foe, read a mind, bypass a barrier, or whatever). There should always be more to the adventure than one linchpin encounter, obstacle, foe, or secret.
It’s all right if players think of cyphers (especially manifest cyphers) as equipment or treasure. You should choose points in the course of the story that are appropriate for awarding subtle cyphers, especially if the PCs aren’t at their full capacity.
In terms of the narrative, artifacts are a lot like cyphers, except that most are not one-use items. Mechanically, they serve a very different purpose. It’s assumed that characters are exploring with some cyphers at their disposal. Artifacts, however, are added abilities that make characters broader, deeper, and often more powerful. They aren’t assumed—they’re extra.
The powers granted by artifacts are more like the abilities gained from a character’s type or focus in that they change the way the PC is played overall. The difference between an artifact and a type or focus ability is that almost all artifacts are temporary. They last longer than cyphers do, but because they have a depletion roll, any use could be their last.
Like cyphers, then, artifacts are a way for the GM to play a role in the development of the characters. Although armor, weapons, and the like are fine, special capabilities—such as long-range communication or travel—can really change the way the PCs interact with the world and how they deal with challenges. Some of these abilities enable the actions you want the PCs to take. For example, if you want them to have an underwater adventure, provide them with artifacts (or cyphers) that allow them to breathe underwater.
Also like cyphers, artifacts are simple for the GM to create. The only difference with artifacts is that you give them a depletion roll, using any numbers on 1d6, 1d10, 1d20, or 1d100. If you want the artifact to be used only a few times, give it a depletion roll of 1 in 1d6, 1 or 2 in 1d10, or even 1 or 2 in 1d6. If you want the PCs to use it over and over, a depletion roll of 1 in 1d100 more or less means that they can use it freely without worrying too much.
For examples of artifacts, see the Genres chapter.
You may wish to forbid the use of XP to reroll artifact depletion rolls. That’s pretty reasonable.
Sometimes, the rules speak directly to character creativity. For example, players can make up their own skills. It’s possible to have a skill called “tightrope walking” that grants a character a better chance to walk across a tightrope, and another skill called “balance” that gives a character a better chance to walk across a tightrope and perform other balance actions as well. This might seem unequal at first, but the point is to let players create precisely the characters they want. Should you let a character create a skill called “doing things” that makes them better at everything? Of course not. The GM is the final arbiter not only of logic but also of the spirit of the rules, and having one or two single skills that cover every contingency is clearly not in the spirit.
It’s important that players play the character they want. This concept is supported not only with the open-ended skill system but also with the ability to get an experience point advance to tailor a character further. Likewise, the GM should be open to allowing a player to make small modifications to refine their character. In many cases, particularly ones that don’t involve stat Pools, Armor, damage inflicted, or the costs of Effort or special abilities, the answer from the GM should probably be “Sure, why not?” If a PC ends up being really good at a particular skill—better than they “should” be—what’s the harm? If Dave can swim incredibly well, how does that hurt the game in terms of the play experience or the story that develops? It doesn’t. If Helen can pick practically any mundane lock she finds, why is that a bad thing? In fact, it’s probably good for the game—there’s likely something interesting on the other sides of those doors.
In a way, this is no different than adjudicating a not-so-straightforward solution to a challenge. Sometimes you have to say “No, that’s not possible.” But sometimes, if it makes sense, open yourself up to the possibility.
As explained in the Rules of the Game chapter, NPCs have a health score rather than three stat Pools. When an NPC reaches 0 health, they are down. Whether that means dead, unconscious, or incapacitated depends on the circumstances as dictated by you and the players. Much of this can be based on logic. If the NPC is cut in half with a giant axe, they’re probably dead. If they’re mentally assaulted with a telepathic attack, they might be insane instead. If they’re hit over the head with a club, well, that’s your call.
It depends on the intentions of those who are fighting the NPC, too. PCs who want to knock out a foe rather than kill them can simply state that as their intention and describe their actions differently—using the flat of the blade, so to speak.
Whenever possible, creatures should be handled like other NPCs. They don’t follow the same rules as the player characters. If anything, they should have greater latitude in doing things that don’t fit the normal mold. A many-armed beast should be able to attack multiple foes. A charging rhino-like animal ought to be able to move a considerable distance and attack as part of a single action.
Consider creature size very carefully. For those that are quick and hard to hit, hinder attacks against them. Large, strong creatures should be easier to hit, so ease attacks against them. However, you should freely give the stagger ability to anything twice as large as a human. This means that if the creature strikes a foe, the target must make an immediate Might defense roll or lose its next turn.
A creature’s level is a general indicator of its toughness, combining aspects of power, defense, intelligence, speed, and more into one rating. In theory, a small creature with amazing powers or extremely deadly venom could be high level, and a huge beast that isn’t very bright and isn’t much of a fighter could be low level. But these examples go against type. Generally, smaller creatures have less health and are less terrifying in combat than larger ones.
The Cypher System has no system for building creatures. There is no rule that says a creature with a certain ability should be a given level, and there is no rule dictating how many abilities a creature of a given level should have. But keep the spirit of the system in mind. Lower-level creatures are less dangerous. A level 1 creature could be poisonous, but its venom should inflict a few points of damage at most. The venom of a level 6 creature, however, might knock a PC down a step on the damage track or put them into a coma if they fail a Might defense roll. A low-level creature might be able to fly, phase through objects, or teleport because these abilities make it more interesting but not necessarily more dangerous. The value of such abilities depends on the creature that uses them. In other words, a phasing rodent is not overly dangerous, but a phasing battle juggernaut is terrifying. Basic elements such as health, damage, and offensive or defensive powers (such as poison, paralysis, disintegration, immunity to attacks, and so on) need to be tied directly to level—higher-level creatures get better abilities and more of them.
In the Cypher System, there is no concept of a “balanced encounter.” There is no system for matching creatures of a particular level or tasks of a particular difficulty to characters of a particular tier. To some people, that might seem like a bad thing. But matching character builds to exacting challenges is not part of this game. It’s about story. So whatever you want to happen next in the story is a fine encounter as long as it’s fun. You’re not denying the characters XP if you make things too easy or too difficult, because that’s not how XP are earned. If things are too difficult for the PCs, they’ll have to flee, come up with a new strategy, or try something else entirely. The only thing you have to do to maintain “balance” is set difficulty within that encounter accurately and consistently.
In a game like the Cypher System, if everyone’s having fun, the game is balanced. Two things will unbalance the game in this context.
One or more PCs are far more interesting than the others. Note that it says “more interesting,” not “more powerful.” If my character can do all kinds of cool things but can’t destroy robots as efficiently as yours does, I still might have a whole lot of fun.
The challenges the PCs face are routinely too easy or too difficult.
The first issue should be handled by the character creation rules. If there’s a problem, it might be that poor choices were made or a player isn’t taking full advantage of their options. If someone really doesn’t enjoy playing their character, allow them to alter the PC or—perhaps better—create a new one.
The second issue is trickier. As previously stated, there is no formula that states that N number of level X NPCs are a good match for tier Y characters. However, when the game has four or five beginning characters, the following guidelines are generally true.
Level 1 opponents will be nothing but a nuisance, even in sizable numbers (twelve to sixteen).
Level 2 opponents will not be a challenge unless in numbers of twelve or more.
Level 3 opponents will be an interesting challenge in numbers of four to eight.
Level 4 opponents will be an interesting challenge in numbers of two or three.
A single level 5 opponent might be an interesting challenge.
A single level 6 opponent will be a serious challenge.
A single level 7 or 8 opponent will likely win in a fight.
A single level 9 or 10 opponent will win in a fight without breaking a sweat.
But it depends on the situation at hand. If the PCs are already worn down from prior encounters, or if they have the right cyphers, any of the expectations listed above can change. That’s why there is no system for balancing encounters. Just keep in mind that beginning characters are pretty hardy and probably have some interesting resources, so you aren’t likely to wipe out the group by accident. Character death is unlikely unless the PCs have already been through a number of other encounters and are worn down.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":150000,"name":"Introduction","type":"text","_id":"HAds65oTzC4A9wlo","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Noch mehr test.
The rules of the Cypher System are quite straightforward at their heart, as all of gameplay is based around a few core concepts.
This chapter provides a brief explanation of how to play the game, and it’s useful for learning the game. Once you understand the basic concepts, you’ll likely want to reference Rules of the Game for a more in-depth treatment.
The Cypher System uses a twenty-sided die (1d20) to determine the results of most actions. Whenever a roll of any kind is called for and no die is specified, roll a d20.
The game master sets a difficulty for any given task. There are ten degrees of difficulty. Thus, the difficulty of a task can be rated on a scale of 1 to 10.
Each difficulty has a target number associated with it. The target number is always three times the task’s difficulty, so a difficulty 1 task has a target number of 3, but a difficulty 4 task has a target number of 12. To succeed at the task, you must roll the target number or higher. See the Task Difficulty table for guidance in how this works.
Character skills, favorable circumstances, or excellent equipment can decrease the difficulty of a task. For example, if a character is trained in climbing, they turn a difficulty 6 climb into a difficulty 5 climb. This is called easing the difficulty by one step (or just easing the difficulty, which assumes it’s eased by one step). If they are specialized in climbing, they turn a difficulty 6 climb into a difficulty 4 climb. This is called easing the difficulty by two steps. Decreasing the difficulty of a task can also be called easing a task. Some situations increase, or hinder, the difficulty of a task. If a task is hindered, it increases the difficulty by one step.
A skill is a category of knowledge, ability, or activity relating to a task, such as climbing, geography, or persuasiveness. A character who has a skill is better at completing related tasks than a character who lacks the skill. A character’s level of skill is either trained (reasonably skilled) or specialized (very skilled).
If you are trained in a skill relating to a task, you ease the difficulty of that task by one step. If you are specialized, you ease the difficulty by two steps. A skill can never decrease a task’s difficulty by more than two steps.
Anything else that reduces difficulty (help from an ally, a particular piece of equipment, or some other advantage) is referred to as an asset. Assets can never decrease a task’s difficulty by more than two steps.
You can also decrease the difficulty of a given task by applying Effort. (Effort is described in more detail in the Rules of the Game chapter.)
To sum up, three things can decrease a task’s difficulty: skills, assets, and Effort.
If you can ease a task so its difficulty is reduced to 0, you automatically succeed and don’t need to make a roll.
Any time your character attempts a task, the GM assigns a difficulty to that task, and you roll a d20 against the associated target number.
When you jump from a burning vehicle, swing an axe at a mutant beast, swim across a raging river, identify a strange device, convince a merchant to give you a lower price, craft an object, use a power to control a foe’s mind, or use a blaster rifle to carve a hole in a wall, you make a d20 roll.
However, if you attempt something that has a difficulty of 0, no roll is needed—you automatically succeed. Many actions have a difficulty of 0. Examples include walking across the room and opening a door, using a special ability to negate gravity so you can fly, using an ability to protect your friend from radiation, or activating a device (that you already understand) to erect a force field. These are all routine actions and don’t require rolls.
Using skill, assets, and Effort, you can ease the difficulty of potentially any task to 0 and thus negate the need for a roll. Walking across a narrow wooden beam is tricky for most people, but for an experienced gymnast, it’s routine. You can even ease the difficulty of an attack on a foe to 0 and succeed without rolling.
If there’s no roll, there’s no chance for failure. However, there’s also no chance for remarkable success (in the Cypher System, that usually means rolling a 19 or 20, which are called special rolls; the Rules of the Game chapter also discusses special rolls).
| Task Difficulty | Description | Target No. | Guidance |
| 0 | Routine | 0 | Anyone can do this basically every time. |
| 1 | Simple | 3 | Most people can do this most of the time. |
| 2 | Standard | 6 | Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this. |
| 3 | Demanding | 9 | Requires full attention; most people have a 50/50 chance to succeed. |
| 4 | Difficult | 12 | Trained people have a 50/50 chance to succeed. |
| 5 | Challenging | 15 | Even trained people often fail. |
| 6 | Intimidating | 18 | Normal people almost never succeed. |
| 7 | Formidable | 21 | Impossible without skills or great effort. |
| 8 | Heroic | 24 | A task worthy of tales told for years afterward. |
| 9 | Immortal | 27 | A task worthy of legends that last lifetimes. |
| 10 | Impossible | 30 | A task that normal humans couldn’t consider (but one that doesn’t break the laws of physics). |
Making an attack in combat works the same way as any other roll: the GM assigns a difficulty to the task, and you roll a d20 against the associated target number.
The difficulty of your attack roll depends on how powerful your opponent is. Just as tasks have a difficulty from 1 to 10, creatures have a level from 1 to 10. Most of the time, the difficulty of your attack roll is the same as the creature’s level. For example, if you attack a level 2 bandit, it’s a level 2 task, so your target number is 6.
It’s worth noting that players make all die rolls. If a character attacks a creature, the player makes an attack roll. If a creature attacks a character, the player makes a defense roll.
The damage dealt by an attack is not determined by a roll—it’s a flat number based on the weapon or attack used. For example, a spear always does 4 points of damage.
Your Armor characteristic reduces the damage you take from attacks directed at you. You get Armor from wearing physical armor (such as a leather jacket in a modern game or chainmail in a fantasy setting) or from special abilities. Like weapon damage, Armor is a flat number, not a roll. If you’re attacked, subtract your Armor from the damage you take. For example, a leather jacket gives you +1 to Armor, meaning that you take 1 less point of damage from attacks. If a mugger hits you with a knife for 2 points of damage while you’re wearing a leather jacket, you take only 1 point of damage. If your Armor reduces the damage from an attack to 0, you take no damage from that attack.
When you see the word “Armor” capitalized in the game rules (other than in the name of a special ability), it refers to your Armor characteristic—the number you subtract from incoming damage. When you see the word “armor” with a lowercase “a,” it refers to any physical armor you might wear.
Typical physical weapons come in three categories: light, medium and heavy.
Light weapons inflict only 2 points of damage, but they ease attack rolls because they are fast and easy to use. Light weapons are punches, kicks, clubs, knives, handaxes, rapiers, small pistols, and so on. Weapons that are particularly small are light weapons.
Medium weapons inflict 4 points of damage. Medium weapons include swords, battleaxes, maces, crossbows, spears, pistols, blasters, and so on. Most weapons are medium. Anything that could be used in one hand (even if it’s often used in two hands, such as a quarterstaff or spear) is a medium weapon.
Heavy weapons inflict 6 points of damage, and you must use two hands to attack with them. Heavy weapons are huge swords, great hammers, massive axes, halberds, heavy crossbows, blaster rifles, and so on. Anything that must be used in two hands is a heavy weapon.
When you roll a natural 19 (the d20 shows “19”) and the roll is a success, you also have a minor effect. In combat, a minor effect inflicts 3 additional points of damage with your attack, or, if you’d prefer a special result, you could decide instead that you knock the foe back, distract them, or something similar. When not in combat, a minor effect could mean that you perform the action with particular grace. For example, when jumping down from a ledge, you land smoothly on your feet, or when trying to persuade someone, you convince them that you’re smarter than you really are. In other words, you not only succeed but also go a bit further.
When you roll a natural 20 (the d20 shows “20”) and the roll is a success, you also have a major effect. This is similar to a minor effect, but the results are more remarkable. In combat, a major effect inflicts 4 additional points of damage with your attack, but again, you can choose instead to introduce a dramatic event such as knocking down your foe, stunning them, or taking an extra action. Outside of combat, a major effect means that something beneficial happens based on the circumstance. For example, when climbing up a cliff wall, you make the ascent twice as fast. When a roll grants you a major effect, you can choose to use a minor effect instead if you prefer.
In combat (and only in combat), if you roll a natural 17 or 18 on your attack roll, you add 1 or 2 additional points of damage, respectively. Neither roll has any special effect options—just the extra damage.
For more information on special rolls and how they affect combat and other interactions, see Rules of the Game.
Rolling a natural 1 is always bad. It means that the GM introduces a new complication into the encounter.
Distance is simplified into four categories: immediate, short, long, and very long.
Immediate distance from a character is within reach or within a few steps. If a character stands in a small room, everything in the room is within immediate distance. At most, immediate distance is 10 feet (3 m).
Short distance is anything greater than immediate distance but less than 50 feet (15 m) or so.
Long distance is anything greater than short distance but less than 100 feet (30 m) or so.
Very long distance is anything greater than long distance but less than 500 feet (150 m) or so. Beyond that range, distances are always specified—1,000 feet (300 m), a mile (1.5 km), and so on.
The idea is that it’s not necessary to measure precise distances. Immediate distance is right there, practically next to the character. Short distance is nearby. Long distance is farther off. Very long distance is really far off.
All weapons and special abilities use these terms for ranges. For example, all melee weapons have immediate range—they are close-combat weapons, and you can use them to attack anyone within immediate distance. A thrown knife (and most other thrown weapons) has short range. A bow has long range. An Adept’s Onslaught ability also has short range.
A character can move an immediate distance as part of another action. In other words, they can take a few steps over to the control panel and activate a switch. They can lunge across a small room to attack a foe. They can open a door and step through.
A character can move a short distance as their entire action for a turn. They can also try to move a long distance as their entire action, but the player might have to roll to see if the character slips, trips, or stumbles as the result of moving so far so quickly.
For example, if the PCs are fighting a group of cultists, any character can likely attack any cultist in the general melee—they’re all within immediate range. Exact positions aren’t important. Creatures in a fight are always moving, shifting, and jostling, anyway. However, if one cultist stayed back to fire a pistol, a character might have to use their entire action to move the short distance required to attack that foe. It doesn’t matter if the cultist is 20 feet (6 m) or 40 feet (12 m) away—it’s simply considered short distance. It does matter if the cultist is more than 50 feet (15 m) away because that distance would require a long or very long move.
Many rules in this system avoid the cumbersome need for precision. Does it really matter if the ghost is 13 feet away from you or 18? Probably not. That kind of needless specificity only slows things down and draws away from, rather than contributes to, the story.
Experience points (XP) are rewards given to players when the GM intrudes on the story (this is called GM intrusion) with a new and unexpected challenge. For example, in the middle of combat, the GM might inform the player that they drop their weapon. However, to intrude in this manner, the GM must award the player 2 XP. The rewarded player, in turn, must immediately give one of those XP to another player and justify the gift (perhaps the other player had a good idea, told a funny joke, performed an action that saved a life, and so on).
Alternatively, the player can refuse the GM intrusion. If they do so, they don’t get the 2 XP from the GM, and they must also spend 1 XP that they already have. If the player has no XP to spend, they can’t refuse the intrusion.
The GM can also give players XP between sessions as a reward for making discoveries during an adventure. Discoveries are interesting facts, wondrous secrets, powerful artifacts, answers to mysteries, or solutions to problems (such as where the kidnappers are keeping their victim or how the PCs repair the starship). You don’t earn XP for killing foes or overcoming standard challenges in the course of play. Discovery is the soul of the Cypher System.
Experience points are used primarily for character advancement (for details, see the Creating Your Character chapter), but a player can also spend 1 XP to reroll any die roll and take the better of the two rolls.
Cyphers are abilities that have a single use. In many campaigns, cyphers aren’t physical objects—they might be a spell cast upon a character, a blessing from a god, or just a quirk of fate that gives them a momentary advantage. In some campaigns, cyphers are physical objects that characters can carry. Whether or not cyphers are physical objects, they are part of the character (like equipment or a special ability) and are things characters can use during the game. The form that physical cyphers take depends on the setting. In a fantasy world they might be wands or potions, but in a science fiction game they could be alien crystals or prototype devices.
Characters will find new cyphers frequently in the course of play, so players shouldn’t hesitate to use their cypher abilities. Because cyphers are always different, the characters will always have new special powers to try.
In addition to a d20, you’ll need a d6 (a six-sided die). Rarely, you’ll need to roll a number between 1 and 100 (often called a d100 or d% roll), which you can do by rolling a d20 twice, using the last digit of the first roll as the “tens” place and the last digit of the second roll as the “ones” place. For example, rolling a 17 and a 9 gives you 79, rolling a 3 and an 18 gives you 38, and rolling a 20 and a 10 gives you 00 (also known as 100). If you have a d10 (a ten-sided die), you can use it instead of the d20 to roll numbers between 1 and 100.
A d6 is used most often for recovery rolls and to determine the level of cyphers.
Game master (GM): The player who doesn’t run a character, but instead guides the flow of the story and runs all the NPCs.
Nonplayer character (NPC): Characters run by the GM. Think of them as the minor characters in the story, or the villains or opponents. This includes any kind of creature as well as people.
Party: A group of player characters (and perhaps some NPC allies).
Player character (PC): A character run by a player rather than the GM. Think of the PCs as the main characters in the story.
Player: The players who run characters in the game.
Session: A single play experience. Usually lasts a few hours. Sometimes one adventure can be accomplished in a session. More often, one adventure is multiple sessions.
Adventure: A single portion of the campaign with a beginning and an end. Usually defined at the beginning by a goal put forth by the PCs and at the end by whether or not they achieve that goal.
Campaign: A series of sessions strung together with an overarching story (or linked stories) with the same player characters. Often, but not always, a campaign involves a number of adventures.
Character: Anything that can act in the game. Although this includes PCs and human NPCs, it also technically includes creatures, aliens, mutants, automatons, animate plants, and so on. The word “creature” is usually synonymous.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{"core":{"sheetClass":"core.JournalTextPageSheet"}}},{"sort":525000,"name":"Rules of the Game","type":"text","_id":"tCf5xQ6RpQ3PF3Et","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Cypher System games are played in the joint imagination of all the players, including the GM. The GM sets the scene, the players state what their characters attempt to do, and the GM determines what happens next. The rules and the dice help make the game run smoothly, but it’s the people, not the rules or the dice, that direct the action and determine the story—and the fun. If a rule gets in the way or detracts from the game, the players and the GM should work together to change it.
This is how you play the Cypher System:
The player tells the GM what they want to do. This is a character action.
The GM determines if that action is routine (and therefore works without needing a roll) or if there’s a chance of failure.
If there is a chance of failure, the GM determines which stat the task uses (Might, Speed, or Intellect) and the task’s difficulty—how hard it will be on a scale from 1 (really easy) to 10 (basically impossible).
The player and the GM determine if anything about the character—such as training, equipment, special abilities, or various actions—can modify the difficulty up or down by one or more steps. If these modifications reduce the difficulty to less than 1, the action is routine (and therefore works with no roll needed).
If the action still isn’t routine, the GM uses its difficulty to determine the target number—how high the player must roll to succeed at the action (see the Task Difficulty table). The GM doesn’t have to tell the player what the target number is, but they can give the player a hint, especially if the character would reasonably know if the action was easy, average, difficult, or impossible.
The player rolls a d20. If they roll equal to or higher than the target number, the character succeeds.
That’s it. That’s how to do anything, whether it’s identifying an unknown device, calming a raging drunk, climbing a treacherous cliff, or battling a demigod. Even if you ignored all the other rules, you could still play the Cypher System with just this information. The key features here are: character actions, determining task difficulty, and determining modifications.
Action: Anything a character does that is significant—punch a foe, leap a chasm, activate a device, use a special power, and so on. Each character can take one action in a round.
Character: Any creature in the game capable of acting, whether it is a player character (PC) run by a player or a nonplayer character (NPC) run by the game master (GM). In the Cypher System, even bizarre creatures, sentient machines, and living energy beings can be “characters.”
Difficulty: A measure of how easy it is to accomplish a task. Difficulty is rated on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). Altering the difficulty to make a task harder is called “hindering.” Altering it to make a task easier is called “easing.” All changes in difficulty are measured in steps. Difficulty often equates directly with level, so opening a level 3 locked door probably has a difficulty of 3.
Ease: A decrease in a task’s difficulty, usually by one step. If something doesn’t say how many steps it eases a task, then it reduces the difficulty by one step.
Effort: Spending points from a stat Pool to reduce the difficulty of a task. A PC decides whether or not to apply Effort on their turn before the roll is made. NPCs never apply Effort.
Hinder: An increase in a task’s difficulty, usually by one step. If something doesn’t say how many steps it hinders a task, then it increases the difficulty by one step.
Inability: The opposite of trained—you’re hindered whenever you attempt a task that you have an inability in. If you also become trained in the task, the training and the inability cancel each other out and you become practiced.
Level: A way to measure the strength, difficulty, power, or challenge of something in the game. Everything in the game has a level. NPCs and objects have levels that determine the difficulty of any task related to them. For example, an opponent’s level determines how hard they are to hit or avoid in combat. A door’s level indicates how hard it is to break down. A lock’s level determines how hard it is to pick. Levels are rated on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). PC tiers are a little like levels, but they go only from 1 to 6 and mechanically work very differently than levels—for example, a PC’s tier does not determine a task’s difficulty.
Practiced: The normal, unmodified ability to use a skill—not trained, specialized, or an inability. Your type determines what weapon skills you’re practiced in; if you aren’t practiced with a type of weapon, you have an inability in it.
Roll: A d20 roll made by a PC to determine whether an action is successful. Although the game occasionally uses other dice, when the text simply refers to “a roll,” it always means a d20 roll.
Round: A length of time about five to ten seconds long. There are about ten rounds in a minute. When it’s really important to track precise time, use rounds. Basically, it’s the length of time to take an action in the game, but since everyone more or less acts simultaneously, all characters get to take an action each round.
Specialized: Having an exceptional amount of skill in a task. Being specialized eases the task by two steps. So, if you are specialized in climbing, all your climbing tasks are eased by two steps.
Stat: One of the three defining characteristics for PCs: Might, Speed, or Intellect. Each stat has two values: Pool and Edge. Your Pool represents your raw, innate ability, and your Edge represents knowing how to use what you have. Each stat Pool can increase or decrease over the course of play—for example, you can lose points from your Might Pool when struck by an opponent, spend points from your Intellect Pool to activate a special ability, or rest to recover points in your Speed Pool after a long day of marching. Anything that damages a stat, restores a stat, or boosts or penalizes a stat affects the stat’s Pool.
Task: Any action that a PC attempts. The GM determines the difficulty of the task. In general, a task is something that you do and an action is you performing that task, but in most cases they mean the same thing.
Trained: Having a reasonable amount of skill in a task. Being trained eases the task. For example, if you are trained in climbing, all climbing tasks for you are eased. If you become very skilled at that task, you become specialized instead of trained. You do not need to be trained to attempt a task.
Turn: The part of the round when a character or creature takes its actions. For example, if a Warrior and an Adept are fighting an orc, each round the Warrior takes an action on their turn, the Adept takes an action on their turn, and the orc takes an action on its turn. Some abilities or effects last only one turn, or end when the next turn is started.
Each character gets one turn each round. On a character’s turn, they can do one thing—an action. All actions fall into one of three categories: Might, Speed, or Intellect (just like the three stats). Many actions require die rolls—rolling a d20.
Every action performs a task, and every task has a difficulty that determines what number a character must reach or surpass with a die roll to succeed.
Most tasks have a difficulty of 0, which means the character succeeds automatically. For example, walking across a room, opening a door, and throwing a stone into a nearby bucket are all actions, but none of them requires a roll. Actions that are usually difficult or that become difficult due to the situation (such as shooting at a target in a blizzard) have a higher difficulty. These actions usually require a roll.
Some actions require a minimum expenditure of Might, Speed, or Intellect points. If a character cannot spend the minimum number of points needed to complete the action, they automatically fail at the task.
Every task relates to one of a character’s three stats: Might, Speed, or Intellect. Physical activities that require strength, power, or endurance relate to Might. Physical activities that require agility, flexibility, or fast reflexes relate to Speed. Mental activities that require force of will, memory, or mental power relate to Intellect. This means you can generalize tasks into three categories: Might tasks, Speed tasks, and Intellect tasks. You can also generalize rolls into three categories: Might rolls, Speed rolls, and Intellect rolls.
The category of the task or roll determines what kind of Effort you can apply to the roll and may determine how a character’s other abilities affect the roll. For example, an Adept may have an ability that makes them better at Intellect rolls, and a Warrior may have an ability that makes them better at Speed rolls.
The most frequent thing a GM does during the game—and probably the most important thing—is set a task’s difficulty. To make the job easier, use the Task Difficulty table, which associates a difficulty rating with a descriptive name, a target number, and general guidance about the difficulty.
Every difficulty from 1 to 10 has a target number associated with it. The target number is easy to remember: it’s always three times the difficulty. The target number is the minimum number a player needs to roll on a d20 to succeed at the task. Moving up or down on the table is called hindering or easing, which is measured in steps.
For example, reducing a difficulty 5 task to a difficulty 4 task is “easing the difficulty by one step” or just “easing the difficulty” or “easing the task.” Most modifiers affect the difficulty rather than the player’s roll. This has two consequences:
Low target numbers such as 3 or 6, which would be boring in most games that use a d20, are not boring in the Cypher System. For example, if you need to roll a 6 or higher, you still have a 25% chance to fail.
The upper levels of difficulty (7, 8, 9, and 10) are all but impossible because the target numbers are 21 or higher, which you can’t roll on a d20. However, it’s common for PCs to have abilities or equipment that ease a task and thus lower the target number to something they can roll on a d20.
A character’s tier does not determine a task’s level. Things don’t get more difficult just because a character’s tier increases—the world doesn’t instantly become a more difficult place. Fourth-tier characters don’t deal only with level 4 creatures or difficulty 4 tasks (although a fourth-tier character probably has a better shot at success than a first-tier character does). Just because something is level 4 doesn’t necessarily mean it’s meant only for fourth-tier characters. Similarly, depending on the situation, a fifth-tier character could find a difficulty 2 task just as challenging as a second-tier character does.
Therefore, when setting the difficulty of a task, the GM should rate the task on its own merits, not on the power of the characters.
After the GM sets the difficulty for a task, the player can try to modify it for their character. Any such modification applies only to this particular attempt at the task. In other words, rewiring an electronic door lock normally might be difficulty 6, but since the character doing the work is skilled in such tasks, has the right tools, and has another character assisting them, the difficulty in this instance might be much lower. That’s why it’s important for the GM to set a task’s difficulty without taking the character into account. The character comes in at this step.
By using skills and assets, working together, and—perhaps most important—applying Effort, a character can ease a task by multiple steps to make it easier. Rather than adding bonuses to the player’s roll, reducing the difficulty lowers the target number. If they can reduce the difficulty of a task to 0, no roll is needed; success is automatic. (An exception is if the GM decides to use a GM intrusion on the task, in which case the player would have to make a roll at the original difficulty.)
There are three basic ways in which a character can ease a task: skills, assets, and Effort. Each method eases the task by at least one step—never in smaller increments.
By using skills, assets, and Effort, a character can ease a task by a maximum of ten steps: one or two steps from skills, one or two steps from assets, and one to six steps from Effort.
Characters may be skilled at performing a specific task. A skill can vary from character to character. For example, one character might be skilled at lying, another might be skilled at trickery, and a third might be skilled in all interpersonal interactions. The first level of being skilled is called being trained, and it eases that task by one step. More rarely, a character can be incredibly skilled at performing a task. This is called being specialized, and it eases the task by two steps instead of one. Skills can never decrease a task by more than two steps—any more than two steps from being trained and specialized don’t count.
An asset is anything that helps a character with a task, such as having a really good crowbar when trying to force open a door or being in a rainstorm when trying to put out a fire. Appropriate assets vary from task to task. The perfect awl might help when woodworking, but it won’t make a dance performance much better. An asset usually eases a task by one step. Assets can never ease a task by more than two steps—any more than two steps from assets don’t count.
The important thing to remember is that a skill can reduce the difficulty by no more than two steps, and assets can reduce the difficulty by no more than two steps, regardless of the situation. Thus, no task’s difficulty will ever be reduced by more than four steps without using Effort.
A player can apply Effort to ease a task. To do this, the player spends points from the stat Pool that’s most appropriate to the task. For example, applying Effort to push a heavy rock off a cliff requires a player to spend points from the character’s Might Pool; applying Effort to activate an unusual machine interface requires them to spend points from the character’s Intellect Pool. For every level of Effort spent on a task, the task is eased. It costs 3 points from a stat Pool to apply one level of Effort, and it costs 2 additional points for every level thereafter (so it costs 5 points for two levels of Effort, 7 points for three levels of Effort, and so on). A character must spend points from the same stat Pool as the type of task or roll—Might points for a Might roll, Speed points for a Speed roll, or Intellect points for an Intellect roll.
Every character has a maximum level of Effort they can apply to a single task. Effort can never ease a task by more than six steps—any more than six steps from applying Effort doesn’t count.
Free Level of Effort: A few abilities give you a free level of Effort (these usually require you to apply at least one level of Effort to a task). In effect, you’re getting one more level of Effort than what you paid for. This free level of Effort can exceed the Effort limit for your character, but not the six-step limit for easing a task.
To determine success or failure, a player rolls a die (always a d20). If they roll the target number or higher, they succeed. Most of the time, that’s the end of it—nothing else needs to be done. Rarely, a character might apply a small modifier to the roll. If they have a +2 bonus when attempting specific actions, they add 2 to the number rolled. However, the original roll matters if it’s a special roll.
If a character applies a modifier to the die roll, it’s possible to get a result of 21 or higher, in which case they can attempt a task with a target number above 20. But if there is no possibility for success—if not even rolling a natural 20 (meaning the d20 shows that number) is sufficient to accomplish the task—then no roll is made. Otherwise, characters would have a chance to succeed at everything, even impossible or ridiculous tasks such as climbing moonbeams, throwing elephants, or hitting a target on the opposite side of a mountain with an arrow.
If a character’s modifiers add up to +3, treat them as an asset instead. In other words, instead of adding a +3 bonus to the roll, reduce the difficulty by one step. For example, if a Warrior has a +1 bonus to attack rolls from a minor effect, a +1 bonus to attack rolls from a special weapon quality, and a +1 bonus to attack rolls from a special ability, they do not add 3 to their attack roll—instead, they reduce the difficulty of the attack by one step. So if they attack a level 3 foe, they would normally roll against difficulty 3 and try to reach a target number of 9, but thanks to their asset, they roll against difficulty 2 and try to reach a target number of 6.
This distinction is important when stacking skills and assets to decrease the difficulty of an action, especially since reducing the difficulty to 0 or lower means no roll is needed.
In the Cypher System, players always drive the action. That means they make all the die rolls. If a PC leaps out of a moving vehicle, the player rolls to see if they succeed. If a PC searches for a hidden panel, the player rolls to determine whether they find it. If a rockslide falls on a PC, the player rolls to try to get out of the way. If a PC and an NPC arm wrestle, the player rolls, and the NPC’s level determines the target number. If a PC attacks a foe, the player rolls to see if they hit. If a foe attacks the PC, the player rolls to see if they dodge the blow.
As shown by the last two examples, the PC rolls whether they are attacking or defending. Thus, something that improves defenses might ease or hinder their rolls. For example, if a PC uses a low wall to gain cover from attacks, the wall eases the player’s defense rolls. If a foe uses the wall to gain cover from the PC’s attacks, it hinders the player’s attack rolls.
If a character rolls a natural 1, 17, 18, 19, or 20 (meaning the d20 shows that number), special rules come into play. These are explained in more detail in the following sections.
1: GM Intrusion. The GM makes a free intrusion (see below) and doesn’t award experience points (XP) for it.
17: Damage Bonus. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 1 additional point of damage.
18: Damage Bonus. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 2 additional points of damage.
19: Minor Effect. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 3 additional points of damage or the PC gets a minor effect in addition to the normal results of the task. If the roll was something other than an attack, the PC gets a minor effect in addition to the normal results of the task.
20: Major Effect. If the roll was a damage-dealing attack, it deals 4 additional points of damage or the PC gets a major or minor effect in addition to the normal results of the task. If the roll was something other than an attack, the PC gets a major effect in addition to the normal results of the task. If the PC spent points from a stat Pool on the action, the point cost for the action decreases to 0, meaning the character regains those points as if they had not spent them at all.
GM intrusion is explained in more detail in the Running the Cypher System chapter, but essentially it means that something occurs to complicate the character’s life. The character hasn’t necessarily fumbled or done anything wrong (although perhaps they did). It could just be that the task presents an unexpected difficulty or something unrelated affects the current situation.
For GM intrusion on a defense roll, a roll of 1 might mean that the PC takes 2 additional points of damage from the attack, indicating that the opponent got in a lucky blow.
For complete details about GM intrusion and how to use it to best effect in the game, see the Running the Cypher System chapter.
A minor effect happens when a player rolls a natural 19. Most of the time, a minor effect is slightly beneficial to the PC, but not overwhelming.
A climber gets up the steep slope a bit faster. A repaired machine works a bit better. A character jumping down into a pit lands on their feet. Either the GM or the player can come up with a possible minor effect that fits the situation, but both must agree on what it should be.
Don’t waste a lot of time thinking of a minor effect if nothing appropriate suggests itself. Sometimes, in cases where only success or failure matters, it’s okay to have no minor effect. Keep the game moving at an exciting pace.
In combat, the easiest and most straightforward minor effect is dealing 3 additional points of damage with an attack. The following are other common minor effects for combat:
Damage object: Instead of striking the foe, the attack strikes what the foe is holding. If the attack hits, the character makes a Might roll with a difficulty equal to the object’s level. On a success, the object moves one or more steps down the object damage track.
Distract: For one round, all of the foe’s tasks are hindered.
Knock back: The foe is knocked or forced back a few feet. Most of the time, this doesn’t matter much, but if the fight takes place on a ledge or next to a pit of lava, the effect can be significant.
Move past: The character can move a short distance at the end of the attack. This effect is useful to get past a foe guarding a door, for example.
Strike a specific body part: The attacker strikes a specific spot on the defender’s body. The GM rules what special effect, if any, results. For example, hitting a creature’s tentacle that is wrapped around an ally might make it easier for the ally to escape. Hitting a foe in the eye might blind it for one round. Hitting a creature in its one vulnerable spot might ignore Armor.
Usually, the GM just has the desired minor effect occur. For example, rolling a 19 against a relatively weak foe means it is knocked off the cliff. The effect makes the round more exciting, but the defeat of a minor creature has no significant impact on the story. Other times, the GM might rule that an additional roll is needed to achieve the effect—the special roll only gives the PC the opportunity for a minor effect. This mostly happens when the desired effect is very unlikely, such as pushing a 50-ton battle automaton off a cliff. If the player just wants to deal 3 additional points of damage as the minor effect, no extra roll is needed.
A major effect happens when a player rolls a natural 20. Most of the time, a major effect is quite beneficial to the character. A climber gets up the steep slope in half the time. A jumper lands with such panache that those nearby are impressed and possibly intimidated. A defender makes a free attack on a foe.
Either the GM or the player can come up with a possible major effect that fits the situation, but both must agree on what it should be. As with minor effects, don’t spend a lot of time agonizing over the details of a major effect. In cases where only success or failure matters, a major effect might offer the character a one-time asset (a modification of one step) to use the next time they attempt a similar action. When nothing else seems appropriate, the GM can simply grant the PC an additional action on their turn that same round.
In combat, the easiest and most straightforward major effect is dealing 4 additional points of damage with an attack. The following are other common major effects for combat.
Disarm: The foe drops one object that it is holding.
Impair: For the rest of the combat, all tasks the foe attempts are hindered.
Knock down: The foe is knocked prone. It can get up on its turn.
Stun: The foe loses its next action.
As with minor effects, usually the GM just has the desired major effect occur, but sometimes the GM might require an extra roll if the major effect is unusual or unlikely.
If a character fails a task (whether it’s climbing a wall, picking a lock, trying to figure out a mysterious device, or something else) they can attempt it again, but they must apply at least one level of Effort when retrying that task. A retry is a new action, not part of the same action that failed, and it takes the same amount of time as the first attempt did.
Sometimes the GM might rule that retries are impossible. Perhaps a character has one chance to convince the leader of a group of thugs not to attack, and after that, no amount of talking will stop them.
This rule doesn’t apply to something like attacking a foe in combat because combat is always changing and fluid. Each round’s situation is new, not a repeat of a previous situation, so a missed attack can’t be retried.
The GM can assign a point cost to a task just for trying it. Called an initial cost, it’s simply an indication that the task is particularly taxing. For example, let’s say a character wants to try a Might action to open a heavy cellar door that is partially rusted shut. The GM says that forcing the door open is a difficulty 5 task, and there’s an initial cost of 3 Might points simply to try. This initial cost is in addition to any points the character chooses to spend on the roll (such as when applying Effort), and the initial cost points do not affect the difficulty of the task. In other words, the character must spend 3 Might points to attempt the task at all, but that doesn’t help them open the door. If they want to apply Effort to ease the task, they have to spend more points from their Might Pool.
Edge helps with the initial cost of a task, just as it does with any expenditure from a character’s Pool. In the previous example, if the character had a Might Edge of 2, they would have to spend only 1 point (3 points minus 2 from their Might Edge) for the initial cost to attempt the task. If they also applied a level of Effort to open the door, they couldn’t use their Edge again—Edge applies only once per action—so using the Effort would cost the full 3 points. Thus, they’d spend a total of 4 points (1 for the initial cost plus 3 for the Effort) from their Might Pool.
The rationale of the initial cost rule is that even in the Cypher System, where things like Effort can help a character succeed on an action, logic still suggests that some actions are very difficult and taxing, particularly for some PCs more than others.
Distance is simplified into four basic categories: immediate, short, long, and very long.
Immediate distance from a character is within reach or within a few steps; if a character stands in a small room, everything in the room is within immediate distance. At most, immediate distance is 10 feet (3 m). Immediate distance is sometimes referred to as close, or even point-blank, particularly when referring to ranges.
The words “immediate” and “close” can be used interchangeably to talk about distance. If a creature or object is within arm’s reach of the character, it can be considered both immediate and close.
Short distance is anything greater than immediate distance but less than 50 feet (15 m) or so.
Long distance is anything greater than short distance but less than 100 feet (30 m) or so.
Very long distance is anything greater than long distance but less than 500 feet (150 m) or so.
Beyond that range, distances are always specified—1,000 feet (300 m), 1 mile (1.5 km), and so on.
All weapons and special abilities use these terms for ranges. For example, all melee weapons have immediate range—they are close-combat weapons, and you can use them to attack anyone within immediate distance. A thrown knife (and most other thrown weapons) has short range. A small handgun also has short range. A rifle has long range.
A character can move an immediate distance as a part of another action. In other words, they can take a few steps to the light switch and flip it on. They can lunge across a small room to attack a foe. They can open a door and step through.
A character can move a short distance as their entire action for a turn. They can also try to move a long distance as their entire action, but the player might have to roll to see if the character slips, trips, or stumbles for moving so far so quickly.
GMs and players don’t need to determine exact distances. For example, if the PCs are fighting a group of guards, any character can likely attack any foe in the general melee—they’re all within immediate range. However, if one trooper stays back to fire a blaster, a character might have to use their entire action to move the short distance required to attack that foe. It doesn’t matter if the trooper is 20 feet (6 m) or 40 feet (12 m) away—it’s simply considered short distance. It does matter if the trooper is more than 50 feet (15 m) away because that distance would require a long move.
In rare cases where distances beyond very long are needed, real-world distances are best (1 mile, 100 kilometers, and so on). However, the following shorthand distances can be useful in some settings:
Planetary: On the same planet.
Interplanetary: Within the same solar system.
Interstellar: Within the same galaxy.
Intergalactic: Anywhere in the same universe.
Interdimensional: Anywhere.
Generally, keep time the same way that you normally would, using minutes, hours, days, and weeks. Thus, if the characters walk overland for 15 miles (24 km), about eight hours pass, even though the journey can be described in only a few seconds at the game table. Precision timekeeping is rarely important. Most of the time, saying things like “That takes about an hour” works fine.
This is true even when a special ability has a specific duration. In an encounter, a duration of “one minute” is mostly the same as saying “the rest of the encounter.” You don’t have to track each round that ticks by if you don’t want to. Likewise, an ability that lasts for ten minutes can safely be considered the length of an in-depth conversation, the time it takes to quickly explore a small area, or the time it takes to rest after a strenuous activity.
| Action | Time Usually Required |
| Walking a mile over easy terrain | About fifteen minutes |
| Walking a mile over rough terrain (forest, snow, hills) | About half an hour |
| Walking a mile over difficult terrain (mountains, thick jungle) | About forty-five minutes |
| Moving from one significant location in a city to another | About fifteen minutes |
| Sneaking into a guarded location | About fifteen minutes |
| Observing a new location to get salient details | About fifteen minutes |
| Having an in-depth discussion | About ten minutes |
| Resting after a fight or other strenuous activity | About ten minutes |
| Resting and having a quick meal | About half an hour |
| Making or breaking camp | About half an hour |
| Shopping for supplies in a market or store | About an hour |
| Meeting with an important contact | About half an hour |
| Referencing a book or website | About half an hour |
| Searching a room for hidden things | At least half an hour, perhaps one hour |
| Searching for cyphers or other valuables amid a lot of stuff | About an hour |
| Identifying and understanding a cypher | Fifteen minutes to half an hour |
| Identifying and understanding an artifact | At least fifteen minutes, perhaps three hours |
| Repairing a device (assuming parts and tools available) | At least an hour, perhaps a day |
| Building a device (assuming parts and tools available) | At least a day, perhaps a week |
Sometimes in the course of the game, the GM or players will refer to an “encounter.” Encounters are not so much measurements of time as they are events or instances in which something happens, like a scene of a movie or a chapter in a book. An encounter might be a fight with a foe, a dramatic crossing of a raging river, or a stressful negotiation with an important official. It’s useful to use the word when referring to a specific scene, as in “My Might Pool is low after that encounter with the soul sorcerer yesterday.”
A round is about five to ten seconds. The length of time is variable because sometimes one round might be a bit longer than another. You don’t need to measure time more precisely than that. You can estimate that on average there are about ten rounds in a minute. In a round, everyone—each character and NPC—gets to take one action.
To determine who goes first, second, and so on in a round, each player makes a Speed roll called an initiative roll. Most of the time, it’s only important to know which characters act before the NPCs and which act after the NPCs. On an initiative roll, a character who rolls higher than an NPC’s target number takes their action before the NPC does. As with all target numbers, an NPC’s target number for an initiative roll is three times the NPC’s level. Many times, the GM will have all NPCs take their actions at the same time, using the highest target number from among all the NPCs. Using this method, any characters who rolled higher than the target number act first, then all the NPCs act, and finally any characters who rolled lower than the target number act.
An initiative roll is a d20 roll. Since your initiative depends on how fast you are, if you spend Effort on the roll, the points come from your Speed Pool.
The order in which the characters act usually isn’t important. If the players want to go in a precise order, they can act in initiative order (highest to lowest), by going around the table, by going oldest to youngest, and so on.
For example, Charles, Tammie, and Shanna’s characters are in combat with two level 2 security guards. The GM has the players make Speed rolls to determine initiative. Charles rolls an 8, Shanna rolls a 15, and Tammie rolls a 4. The target number for a level 2 creature is 6, so each round Charles and Shanna act before the guards, then the guards act, and finally Tammie acts. It doesn’t matter whether Charles acts before or after Shanna, as long as they think it’s fair.
After everyone—all PCs and NPCs—in the combat has had a turn, the round ends and a new round begins. In all rounds after the first, everyone acts in the same order as they did in the first round. The characters cycle through this order until the logical end of the encounter (the end of the fight or the completion of the event) or until the GM asks them to make new initiative rolls. The GM can call for new initiative rolls at the beginning of any new round when conditions drastically change. For example, if the NPCs gain reinforcements, the environment changes (perhaps the lights go out), the terrain changes (maybe part of the balcony collapses under the PCs), or something similar occurs, the GM can call for new initiative rolls.
Since the action moves as a cycle, anything that lasts for a round ends where it started in the cycle. If Umberto uses an ability on an opponent that hinders its defenses for one round, the effect lasts until Umberto acts on his next turn.
Ultimately, the GM is the arbiter of conflicts that do not involve the PCs. They should be adjudicated in the most interesting, logical, and story-based way possible. When in doubt, match the level of the NPCs (characters or creatures) or their respective effects to determine the results. Thus, if a level 4 NPC fights a level 3 NPC, the level 4 NPC will win, but if they face a level 7 NPC, they’ll lose. Likewise, a level 4 creature resists poisons or devices of level 3 or lower but not those of level 5 and above.
The essence is this: in the Cypher System, it doesn’t matter if something is a creature, a poison, or a gravity-dispelling ray. If it’s a higher level, it wins; if it’s a lower level, it loses. If two things of equal level oppose each other, there might be a long, drawn-out battle that could go either way.
Anything that your character does in a round is an action. It’s easiest to think of an action as a single thing that you can do in five to ten seconds. For example, if you use your dart thrower to shoot a strange floating orb, that’s one action. So is running for cover behind a stack of barrels, prying open a stuck door, using a rope to pull your friend up from a pit, or activating a cypher (even if it’s stored in your pack).
Opening a door and attacking a security guard on the other side are two actions. It’s more a matter of focus than time. Drawing your sword and attacking a foe is all one action. Putting away your bow and pushing a heavy bookcase to block a door are two actions because each requires a different train of thought.
If the action you want to accomplish is not within reach, you can move a little bit. Essentially, you can move up to an immediate distance to perform your action. For example, you can move an immediate distance and attack a foe, open a door and move an immediate distance into the hallway beyond, or grab your hurt friend lying on the ground and pull them back a few steps. This movement can occur before or after your action, so you can move to a door and open it, or you can open a door and move through it.
The most common actions are:
Attack
Activate a special ability (one that isn’t an attack)
Move
Wait
Defend
Do something else
An attack is anything that you do to someone that they don’t want you to do. Slashing a foe with a curved dagger is an attack, blasting a foe with a lightning artifact is an attack, wrapping a foe in magnetically controlled metal cables is an attack, and controlling someone’s mind is an attack. An attack almost always requires a roll to see if you hit or otherwise affect your target.
In the simplest kind of attack, such as a PC trying to stab a thug with a knife, the player rolls and compares their result to the opponent’s target number. If their roll is equal to or greater than the target number, the attack hits. Just as with any kind of task, the GM might modify the difficulty based on the situation, and the player might have a bonus to the roll or might try to ease the task using skills, assets, or Effort.
A less straightforward attack might be a special ability that stuns a foe with a mental blast. However, it’s handled the same way: the player makes a roll against the opponent’s target number. Similarly, an attempt to tackle a foe and wrestle it to the ground is still just a roll against the foe’s target number.
Attacks are sometimes categorized as “melee” attacks, meaning that you hurt or affect something within immediate reach, or “ranged” attacks, meaning that you hurt or affect something at a distance.
Melee attacks can be Might or Speed actions—player choice. Physical ranged attacks (such as bows, thrown weapons, and blasts of fire from a mutation) are almost always Speed actions, but those that come from special abilities tend to be Intellect actions.
Special abilities that require touching the target require a melee attack. If the attack misses, the power is not wasted, and you can try again each round as your action until you hit the target, use another ability, or take a different action that requires you to use your hands. These attempts in later rounds count as different actions, so you don’t have to keep track of how much Effort you used when you activated the ability or how you used Edge. For example, let’s say that in the first round of combat, you activate a special ability that requires you to touch your foe and you use Effort to ease the attack, but you roll poorly and miss your foe. In the second round of combat, you can try attacking again and use Effort to ease the attack roll.
The GM and players are encouraged to describe every attack with flavor and flair. One attack roll might be a stab to the foe’s arm. A miss might be the PC’s sword slamming into the wall. Combatants lunge, block, duck, spin, leap, and make all kinds of movements that should keep combat visually interesting and compelling. The Running the Cypher System chapter has much more guidance in this regard.
Common elements that affect the difficulty of a combat task are cover, range, and darkness. The rules for these and other modifiers are explained in the Attack Modifiers and Special Situations section of this chapter.
When an attack strikes a character, it usually means the character takes damage.
An attack against a PC subtracts points from one of the character’s stat Pools—usually the Might Pool. Whenever an attack simply says it deals “damage” without specifying the type, it means Might damage, which is by far the most common type. Intellect damage, which is usually the result of a mental attack, is always labeled as Intellect damage. Speed damage is often a physical attack, but attacks that deal Speed damage are fairly rare.
NPCs don’t have stat Pools. Instead, they have a characteristic called health. When an NPC takes damage of any kind, the amount is subtracted from its health. Unless described otherwise, an NPC’s health is always equal to its target number. Some NPCs might have special reactions to or defenses against attacks that would normally deal Speed damage or Intellect damage, but unless the NPC’s description specifically explains this, assume that all damage is subtracted from the NPC’s health.
Objects don’t have stat Pools or health. They have an object damage track, just like how PCs have a damage track. Attacking objects might move them down their damage track.
Damage is always a specific amount determined by the attack. For example, a slash with a broadsword or a blast with a spike thrower deals 4 points of damage. An Adept’s Onslaught deals 4 points of damage. Often, there are ways for the attacker to increase the damage. For example, a PC can apply Effort to deal 3 additional points of damage, and rolling a natural 17 on the attack roll deals 1 additional point of damage.
Pieces of equipment and special abilities protect a character from damage by giving them Armor. Each time a character takes damage, subtract their Armor value from the damage before reducing their stat Pool or health. For example, if a Warrior with 2 Armor is hit by a gunshot that deals 4 points of damage, they take only 2 points of damage (4 minus 2 from their Armor). If Armor reduces the incoming damage to 0 or lower, the character takes no damage from the attack. For example, the Warrior’s 2 Armor protects them from all physical attacks that deal 1 or 2 points of damage.
The most common way to get Armor is to wear physical armor, such as a leather jacket, a bulletproof vest, a chainmail hauberk, bioengineered carapace grafts, or something else, depending on the setting. All physical armor comes in one of three categories: light, medium, or heavy. Light armor gives the wearer 1 point of Armor, medium gives 2 points of Armor, and heavy gives 3 points of Armor.
When you see the word “Armor” capitalized in the game rules (other than in the name of a special ability), it refers to your Armor characteristic—the number you subtract from incoming damage. When you see the word “armor” in lowercase, it refers to any physical armor you might wear.
Other effects can add to a character’s Armor. If a character is wearing chainmail (+2 to Armor) and has an ability that covers them in a protective force field that grants +1 to Armor, their total is 3 Armor. If they also use a cypher that hardens their flesh temporarily for +1 to Armor, their total is 4 Armor.
Some types of damage ignore physical armor. Attacks that specifically deal Speed damage or Intellect damage ignore Armor; the creature takes the listed amount of damage without any reduction from Armor. Ambient damage (see below) usually ignores Armor as well.
A creature may have a special bonus to Armor against certain kinds of attacks. For example, a protective suit made of a sturdy, fire-resistant material might normally give its wearer +1 to Armor but count as +3 to Armor against fire attacks. An artifact worn as a helmet might grant +2 to Armor only against mental attacks.
Some kinds of damage aren’t direct attacks against a creature, but they indirectly affect everything in the area. Most of these are environmental effects such as winter cold, high temperatures, or background radiation. Damage from these kinds of sources is called ambient damage. Physical armor usually doesn’t protect against ambient damage, though a well-insulated suit of armor can protect against cold weather.
Attacks aren’t the only way to inflict damage on a character. Experiences such as falling from a great height, being burned in a fire, and spending time in severe weather also deal damage. Although no list of potential hazards could be comprehensive, the Damage From Hazards table includes common examples.
| Source | Damage | Notes |
| Falling | 1 point per 10 feet (3 m) fallen (ambient damage) | — |
| Minor fire | 3 points per round (ambient damage) | Torch |
| Major fire | 6 points per round (ambient damage) | Engulfed in flames; lava |
| Acid splash | 2 points per round (ambient damage) | — |
| Acid bath | 6 points per round (ambient damage) | Immersed in acid |
| Cold | 1 point per round (ambient damage) | Below freezing temperatures |
| Severe cold | 3 points per round (ambient damage) | Liquid nitrogen |
| Shock | 1 point per round (ambient damage) | Often involves losing next action |
| Electrocution | 6 points per round (ambient damage) | Often involves losing next action |
| Crush | 3 points | Object or creature falls on character |
| Huge crush | 6 points | Roof collapse; cave-in |
| Collision | 6 points | Large, fast object strikes character |
When an NPC reaches 0 health, it is either dead or (if the attacker wishes) incapacitated, meaning unconscious or beaten into submission.
As previously mentioned, damage from most sources is applied to a character’s Might Pool. Otherwise, stat damage always reduces the Pool of the stat it affects.
If damage reduces a character’s stat Pool to 0, any further damage to that stat (including excess damage from the attack that reduced the stat to 0) is applied to another stat Pool. Damage is applied to Pools in this order:
Might (unless the Pool is 0)
Speed (unless the Pool is 0)
Intellect
Even if the damage is applied to another stat Pool, it still counts as its original type for the purpose of Armor and special abilities that affect damage. For example, if a character with 2 Armor is reduced to 0 Might and then is hit by a creature’s claw for 3 points of damage, it still counts as Might damage, so their Armor reduces the damage to 1 point, which then is applied to their Speed Pool. In other words, even though they take the damage from their Speed Pool, it doesn’t ignore Armor like Speed damage normally would.
In addition to taking damage from their Might Pool, Speed Pool, or Intellect Pool, PCs also have a damage track. The damage track has four states (from best to worst): hale, impaired, debilitated, and dead. When one of a PC’s stat Pools reaches 0, they move one step down the damage track. Thus, if they are hale, they become impaired. If they are already impaired, they become debilitated. If they are already debilitated, they become dead.
Some effects can immediately shift a PC one or more steps on the damage track. These include rare poisons, cellular disruption attacks, and massive traumas (such as falls from very great heights, being run over by a speeding vehicle, and so on, as determined by the GM).
Some attacks, like a serpent’s poisonous bite or a Speaker’s Enthrall, have effects other than damage to a stat Pool or shifting the PC on the damage track. These attacks can cause unconsciousness, paralysis, and so on.
When NPCs (who have only health) suffer Speed or Intellect damage, normally this is treated the same as Might damage. However, the GM or the player has the option to suggest an appropriate alternate effect—the NPC suffers a penalty, moves more slowly, is stunned, and so on.
As noted above, the damage track has four states: hale, impaired, debilitated, and dead.
Hale is the normal state for a character: all three stat Pools are at 1 or higher, and the PC has no penalties from harmful conditions. When a hale PC takes enough damage to reduce one of their stat Pools to 0, they become impaired. Note that a character whose stat Pools are much lower than normal can still be hale.
Impaired is a wounded or injured state. When an impaired character applies Effort, it costs 1 extra point per level applied. For example, applying one level of Effort costs 4 points instead of 3, and applying two levels of Effort costs 7 points instead of 5.
An impaired character ignores minor and major effect results on their rolls, and they don’t deal as much extra damage in combat with a special roll. In combat, a roll of 17 or higher deals only 1 additional point of damage. When an impaired PC takes enough damage to reduce one of their stat Pools to 0, they become debilitated.
Debilitated is a critically injured state. A debilitated character may not take any actions other than to move (probably crawl) no more than an immediate distance. If a debilitated character’s Speed Pool is 0, they can’t move at all. When a debilitated PC takes enough damage to reduce a stat Pool to 0, they are dead.
Dead is dead.
The damage track allows you to know how far from death you are. If you’re hale, you’re three steps from death. If you’re impaired, you’re two steps from death. If you’re debilitated, you are only one small step from death’s door.
After losing or spending points in a Pool, you recover those points by resting. You can’t increase a Pool past its maximum by resting—just back to its normal level. Any extra points gained go away with no effect. The amount of points you recover from a rest, and how long each rest takes, depends on how many times you have rested so far that day.
When you rest, make a recovery roll. To do this, roll a d6 and add your tier. You recover that many points, and you can divide them among your stat Pools however you wish. For example, if your recovery roll is 4 and you’ve lost 4 points of Might and 2 points of Speed, you can recover 4 points of Might, or 2 points of Might and 2 points of Speed, or any other combination adding up to 4 points.
The first time you rest each day, it takes only a few seconds to catch your breath. If you rest this way in the middle of an encounter, it takes one action on your turn.
The second time you rest each day, you must rest for ten minutes to make a recovery roll. The third time you rest each day, you must rest for one hour to make a recovery roll. The fourth time you rest each day, you must rest for ten hours to make a recovery roll (usually, this occurs when you stop for the day to eat and sleep).
After that much rest, it’s assumed to be a new day, so the next time you rest, it takes only a few seconds. The next rest takes ten minutes, then one hour, and so on, in a cycle.
If you haven’t rested yet that day and you take a lot of damage in a fight, you could rest a few seconds (regaining 1d6 points + 1 point per tier) and then immediately rest for ten minutes (regaining another 1d6 points + 1 point per tier). Thus, in one full day of doing nothing but resting, you could recover 4d6 points + 4 points per tier.
Each character chooses when to make recovery rolls. If a party of five PCs rests for ten minutes because two of them want to make recovery rolls, the others don’t have to make rolls at that time. Later in the day, those three can decide to rest for ten minutes and make recovery rolls.
| Recovery Roll | Rest Time Needed |
| First recovery roll | One action |
| Second recovery roll | Ten minutes |
| Third recovery roll | One hour |
| Fourth recovery roll | Ten hours |
Using points from a recovery roll to raise a stat Pool from 0 to 1 or higher also automatically moves the character up one step on the damage track.
If all of a PC’s stat Pools are above 0 and the character has taken special damage that moved them down the damage track, they can use a recovery roll to move up one step on the damage track instead of recovering points. For example, a character who is debilitated from a hit with a cell-disrupting biotech device can rest and move up to impaired rather than recover points in a Pool.
In the course of playing the game, characters face all manner of threats and dangers that can harm them in a variety of ways, only some of which are easily represented by points of damage.
Dazed and Stunned: Characters can be dazed when struck hard on the head, exposed to extremely loud sounds, or affected by a mental attack. When this happens, for the duration of the daze effect (usually one round), all of the character’s tasks are hindered. Similar but more severe attacks can stun characters. Stunned characters lose their turn (but can still defend against attacks normally).
Poison and Disease: When characters encounter poison—whether the venom of a serpent, rat poison slipped into a burrito, cyanide dissolved in wine, or an overdose of acetaminophen—they make a Might defense roll to resist it. Failure to resist can result in points of damage, moving down the damage track, or a specific effect such as paralysis, unconsciousness, disability, or something stranger. For example, some poisons affect the brain, making it impossible to say certain words, take certain actions, resist certain effects, or recover points to a stat Pool.
Diseases work like poisons, but their effect occurs every day, so the victim must make a Might defense roll each day or suffer the effects. Disease effects are as varied as poisons: points of damage, moving down the damage track, disability, and so on. Many diseases inflict damage that cannot be restored through conventional means.
Paralysis: Paralytic effects cause a character to drop to the ground, unable to move. Unless otherwise specified, the character can still take actions that require no physical movement.
Other Effects: Other special effects can render a character blind or deaf, unable to stand without falling over, or unable to breathe. Stranger effects might negate gravity for the character (or increase it a hundredfold), transport them to another place, render them out of phase, mutate their physical form, implant false memories or senses, alter the way their brain processes information, or inflame their nerves so they are in constant, excruciating pain. Each special effect must be handled on a case-by-case basis. The GM adjudicates how the character is affected and how the condition can be alleviated (if possible).
The GM always has final say over what special damage will affect an NPC. Human NPCs usually react like characters, but nonhuman creatures might react very differently. For example, a tiny bit of venom is unlikely to hurt a gigantic dragon, and it won’t affect an android or a demon at all.
If an NPC is susceptible to an attack that would shift a character down the damage track, using that attack on the NPC usually renders it unconscious or dead. Alternatively, the GM could apply the debilitated condition to the NPC, with the same effect as it would have on a PC.
In combat situations, many modifiers might come into play. Although the GM is at liberty to assess whatever modifiers they think are appropriate to the situation (that’s their role in the game), the following suggestions and guidelines might make that easier. Often the modifier is applied as a step in difficulty. So if a situation hinders attacks, that means if a PC attacks an NPC, the difficulty of the attack roll is increased by one step, and if an NPC attacks a PC, the difficulty of the defense roll is decreased by one step. This is because players make all rolls, whether they are attacking or defending—NPCs never make attack or defense rolls.
When in doubt, if it seems like it should be harder to attack in a situation, hinder the attack rolls. If it seems like attacks should gain an advantage or be easier in some way, hinder the defense rolls.
Precise ranges are not important in the Cypher System. The broadly defined “immediate,” “short,” “long,” and “very long” ranges let the GM quickly make a judgment call and keep things moving. Basically, the idea is: your target is right there, your target is close, your target is pretty far away, or your target is extremely far away.
If a character is behind cover so that a significant portion of their body is behind something sturdy, attacks against the character are hindered.
If a character is entirely behind cover (their entire body is behind something sturdy), they can’t be attacked unless the attack can go through the cover. For example, if a character hides behind a thin wooden screen and their opponent shoots the screen with a rifle that can penetrate the wood, the character can be attacked. However, because the attacker can’t see the character clearly, this still counts as cover (attacks against the character are hindered).
Sometimes where a character stands gives them an advantage or a disadvantage.
Prone Target: In melee, a prone target is easier to hit (attacks against them are eased). In ranged combat, a prone target is harder to hit (attacks against them are hindered).
Higher Ground: In either ranged or melee combat, attacks by an opponent on higher ground are eased.
When a target isn’t aware of an incoming attack, the attacker has an advantage. A ranged sniper in a hidden position, an invisible assailant, or the first salvo in a successful ambush are all eased by two steps. For the attacker to gain this advantage, however, the defender truly must have no idea that the attack is coming.
If the defender isn’t sure of the attacker’s location but is still on guard, the attacks are eased by only one step.
In melee, you can attack a foe who is adjacent to you (next to you) or within reach (immediate range). If you enter into melee with one or more foes, usually you can attack most or all of the combatants, meaning they are next to you, within reach, or within reach if you move slightly or have a long weapon that extends your reach.
The majority of ranged attacks have only two ranges: short range and long range (a few have very long range). Short range is generally less than 50 feet (15 m) or so. Long range is generally from 50 feet (15 m) to about 100 feet (30 m). Very long range is generally 100 feet (30 m) to 500 feet (150 m). Greater precision than that isn’t important in the Cypher System. If anything is longer than very long range, the exact range is usually spelled out, such as with an item that can fire a beam 1,000 feet (300 m) or teleport you up to 1 mile (1.5 km) away.
Thus, the game has four measurements of distance: immediate, short, long, and very long. These apply to movement as well. A few special cases—point-blank range and extreme range— modify an attack’s chance to successfully hit.
Point-Blank Range: If a character uses a ranged weapon against a target within immediate range, the attack is eased.
Extreme Range: Targets just at the limit of a weapon’s range are at extreme range. Attacks against such targets are hindered.
The GM might allow a character with a ranged weapon to attack beyond extreme range, but the attack would be hindered by two steps for each range category beyond the normal limit. Attacks with hard limits, such as the blast radius of a bomb, can’t be modified.
In certain situations, such as a PC on top of a building looking across an open field, the GM should allow ranged attacks to exceed their maximum range. For example, in perfect conditions, a good archer can hit a large target with a bow and arrow at 500 feet (150 m), much farther than a bow’s typical long range.
What characters can see (and how well they can see) plays a huge factor in combat.
Dim Light: Dim light is approximately the amount of light on a night with a bright full moon or the illumination provided by a torch, flashlight, or desk lamp. Dim light allows you to see out to short range. Targets in dim light are harder to hit. Attacks against such targets are hindered. Attackers trained in low-light spotting negate this modifier.
Very Dim Light: Very dim light is approximately the amount of light on a starry night with no visible moon, or the glow provided by a candle or an illuminated control panel. Very dim light allows you to see clearly only within immediate range and perceive vague shapes to short range. Targets in very dim light are harder to hit. Attacks against targets within immediate range are hindered, and attacks against those in short range are hindered by two steps. Attackers trained in low-light spotting modify these difficulties by one step in their favor. Attackers specialized in low-light spotting modify these difficulties by two steps in their favor.
Darkness: Darkness is an area with no illumination at all, such as a moonless night with cloud cover or a room with no lights. Targets in complete darkness are nearly impossible to hit. If an attacker can use other senses (such as hearing) to get an idea of where the opponent might be, attacks against such targets are hindered by four steps. Otherwise, attacks in complete darkness fail without the need for a roll unless the player spends 1 XP to “make a lucky shot” or the GM uses GM intrusion. Attackers trained in low-light spotting ease the task. Attackers specialized in low-light spotting ease the task by two steps.
Similar to illumination, factors that obscure vision affect combat.
Mist: A target in mist is similar to one in dim light. Ranged attacks against such targets are hindered. Particularly dense mist makes ranged attacks nearly impossible (treat as darkness), and even melee attacks are hindered.
Hiding Target: A target in dense foliage, behind a screen, or crawling amid the rubble in a ruin is hard to hit because they’re hard to see. Ranged attacks against such targets are hindered.
Invisible Target: If an attacker can use other senses (such as hearing) to get an idea of where the opponent might be, attacks against such targets are hindered by four steps. Otherwise, attacks against an invisible creature fail without the need for a roll unless the player spends 1 XP to “make a lucky shot” or the GM uses GM intrusion.
Being in shallow water can make it hard to move, but it doesn’t affect combat. Being in deep water can make things difficult, and being underwater entirely can seem as different as being on another world.
Deep Water: Being in water up to your chest (or the equivalent thereof) hinders your attacks. Aquatic creatures ignore this modifier.
Underwater Melee Combat: For nonaquatic creatures, being completely underwater makes attacking very difficult. Attacks with stabbing weapons are hindered, and melee attacks with slashing or bashing weapons are hindered by two steps. Aquatic creatures ignore these penalties.
Underwater Ranged Combat: As with melee combat, nonaquatic creatures have problems fighting underwater. Some ranged attacks are impossible underwater—you can’t throw things, fire a bow or crossbow, or use a blowgun. Many firearms also do not work underwater. Attacks with weapons that do work underwater are hindered. Ranges underwater are reduced by one category; very-long-range weapons work only to long range, long-range weapons work only to short range, and short-range weapons work only to immediate range.
Moving targets are harder to hit, and moving attackers have a difficult time as well.
Target Is Moving: Attackers trying to hit a foe who is moving very fast are hindered. (A foe moving very fast is one who is doing nothing but running, mounted on a moving creature, riding on a vehicle or moving conveyance, and so on.)
Attacker Is Moving: An attacker trying to make an attack while moving under their own power (walking, running, swimming, and so on) takes no penalties. Attacks from a moving mount or moving vehicle are hindered; an attacker trained in riding or driving ignores this penalty.
Attacker Is Jostled: Being jostled, such as while standing on a listing ship or a vibrating platform, makes attacking difficult. Such attacks are hindered. Characters trained in balancing or sailing would ignore penalties for being on a ship.
In a spacefaring campaign, characters may travel to worlds with stronger or weaker gravity than Earth’s. Likewise, strange technology or magic can cause gravity to fluctuate even in an Earth-based campaign. Characters who have a large amount of metal (wearing metal armor, using metal weapons, and so on) can be affected by fluctuating magnetism just as a character is affected by gravity.
Low Gravity: Weapons that rely on weight, such as all heavy weapons, deal 2 fewer points of damage (dealing a minimum of 1 point of damage). Weapons with short range can reach to long range, and long-range weapons can reach to very long range. Characters trained in low-gravity maneuvering ignore the damage penalty.
High Gravity: It’s hard to make effective attacks when the pull of gravity is very strong. Attacks (and all physical actions) made in high gravity are hindered. Ranges in high gravity are reduced by one category (very-long-range weapons reach only to long range, long-range weapons reach only to short range, and short-range weapons reach only to immediate range). Characters trained in high-gravity maneuvering ignore the change in difficulty but not the range decreases.
Zero Gravity: It’s hard to maneuver in an environment without gravity. All physical actions (including attacks) made in zero gravity are hindered. Weapons with short range can reach to long range, long-range weapons can reach to very long range, and very-long-range weapons can reach to about 1,000 feet (300 m) instead of 500 feet (150 m). Characters trained in zero-gravity maneuvering ignore the change in difficulty.
When an NPC ally of the PCs attacks another NPC, the GM can designate a player to roll and handle it like a PC attacking. Often, the choice is obvious. For example, a character who has a trained attack animal should roll when their pet attacks enemies. If an NPC ally accompanying the party leaps into the fray, that ally’s favorite PC rolls for them. NPCs cannot apply Effort. Of course, it’s perfectly fitting (and easier) to have the NPC ally use the cooperative action rules to aid a PC instead of making direct attacks, or to compare the levels of the two NPCs (higher wins).
When one PC attacks another PC, the attacking character makes an attack roll, and the other character makes a defense roll, adding any appropriate modifiers. If the attacking PC has a skill, ability, asset, or other effect that would ease the attack if it were made against an NPC, the character adds 3 to the roll for each step reduction (+3 for one step, +6 for two steps, and so on). If the attacker’s final result is higher, the attack hits. If the defender’s result is higher,
the attack misses. Damage is resolved normally. The GM mediates all special effects.
Sometimes, an attack or effect affects an area rather than a single target. For example, a grenade or a landslide can potentially harm or affect everyone in the area.
In an area attack, all PCs in the area make appropriate defense rolls against the attack to determine its effect on them. If there are any NPCs in the area, the attacker makes a single attack roll against all of them (one roll, not one roll per NPC) and compares it to the target number of each NPC. If the roll is equal to or greater than the target number of a particular NPC, the attack hits that NPC.
Some area attacks always deal at least a minimum amount of damage, even if the attacks miss or if a PC makes a successful defense roll.
For example, consider a character who uses Shatter to attack six cultists (level 2; target number 6) and their leader (level 4; target number 12). The PC applies Effort to increase the damage and rolls an 11 for the attack roll. This hits the six cultists, but not the leader, so the ability deals 3 points of damage to each of the cultists. The description of Shatter says that applying Effort to increase the damage also means that targets take 1 point of damage if the PC fails the attack roll, so the leader takes 1 point of damage. In terms of what happens in the story, the cultists are caught flat-footed by the sudden detonation of one of their knives, but the leader ducks and is shielded from the blast. Despite the leader’s quick moves, the blast is so intense that a few bits of metal slice them.
Attacking an object is rarely a matter of hitting it. Sure, you can hit the broad side of a barn, but can you damage it? Attacking inanimate objects with a melee weapon is a Might action. Objects have levels and thus target numbers. Objects have a damage track that works like the damage track for PCs.
Intact is the default state for an object.
Minor damage is a slightly damaged state. An object with minor damage reduces its level by 1.
Major damage is a critically damaged state. An object with major damage is broken and no longer functions.
Destroyed is destroyed. The object is ruined, no longer functions, and cannot be repaired.
If the Might action to damage an object is a success, the object moves one step down the object damage track. If the Might roll exceeded the difficulty by 2 levels, the object instead moves two steps down the object damage track. If the Might roll exceeded the difficulty by 4 levels, the object instead moves three steps down the object damage track. Objects with minor or major damage can be repaired, moving them one or more steps up the object damage track.
Brittle or fragile objects, like paper or glass, decrease the effective level of the object for the purposes of determining if it is damaged. Hard objects, like those made of wood or stone, add 1 to the effective level. Very hard objects, like those made of metal, add 2. (The GM may rule that some exotic materials add 3.)
The tool or weapon used to attack the object must be at least as hard as the object itself. Further, if the amount of damage the attack could inflict—not modified by a special die roll—does not equal or exceed the effective level of the object, the attack cannot damage the object no matter what the roll.
Special abilities are granted by foci, types, and flavors, or provided by cyphers or other devices. If a special ability affects another character in any kind of unwanted manner, it’s handled as an attack. This is true even if the ability is normally not considered an attack. For example, if a character has a healing touch, and their friend doesn’t want to be healed for some reason, an attempt to heal their unwilling friend is handled as an attack.
Plenty of special abilities do not affect another character in an unwanted manner. For example, a PC might use Hover on themselves to float into the air. A character with a matter-reorganizing device might change a stone wall into glass. A character who activates a phase changer cypher might walk through a wall. None of these requires an attack roll (although when turning a stone wall to glass, the character must still make a roll to successfully affect the wall).
If the character spends points to apply Effort on the attempt, they might want to roll anyway to see if they get a major effect, which would reduce the cost for their action.
As a part of another action, a character can adjust their position—stepping back a few feet while using an ability, sliding over in combat to take on a different opponent to help a friend, pushing through a door they just opened, and so on. This is considered an immediate distance, and a character can move this far as part of another action.
In a combat situation, if a character is in a large melee, they’re usually considered to be next to most other combatants, unless the GM rules that they’re farther away because the melee is especially large or the situation dictates it.
If they’re not in melee but still nearby, they are considered to be a short distance away—usually less than 50 feet (15 m). If they’re farther away than that but still involved in the combat, they are considered to be a long distance away, usually 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 m), or possibly even a very long distance away, usually more than 100 feet to 500 feet (30 to 150 m).
In a round, as an action, a character can make a short move. In this case, they are doing nothing but moving up to about 50 feet (15 m). Some terrain or situations will change the distance a character can move, but generally, making a short move is considered to be a difficulty 0 action. No roll is needed; they just get where they’re going as their action.
A character can try to make a long move—up to 100 feet (30 m) or so—in one round. This is a Speed task with a difficulty of 4. As with any action, they can use skills, assets, or Effort to ease the task. Terrain, obstacles, or other circumstances can hinder the task. A successful roll means the character moved the distance safely. Failure means that at some point during the move, they stop or stumble (the GM determines where this happens).
A character can also try to make a short move and take another (relatively simple) physical action, like make an attack. As with the attempt to make a long move, this is a Speed task with a difficulty of 4, and failure means that the character stops at some point, slipping or stumbling or otherwise getting held up.
When talking about movement in terms of traveling rather than round-by-round action, typical characters can travel on a road about 20 miles (32 km) per day, averaging about 3 miles (5 km) per hour, including a few stops. When traveling overland, they can move about 12 miles (19 km) per day, averaging 2 miles (3 km) per hour, again with some stops. Mounted characters, such as those on horseback, can go twice as far. Other modes of travel (cars, airplanes, hovercraft, sailing ships, and so on) have their own rates of movement.
Different environments affect movement in different ways.
Rough Terrain: A surface that’s considered rough terrain is covered in loose stones or other material, uneven or with unsure footing, unsteady, or a surface that requires movement across a narrow space, such as a cramped corridor or a slender ledge. Stairs are also considered rough terrain. Rough terrain does not slow normal movement on a round-by-round basis, but hinders move rolls. Rough terrain cuts long-term movement rates in half.
Difficult Terrain: Difficult terrain is an area filled with challenging obstacles—water up to waist height, a very steep slope, an especially narrow ledge, slippery ice, a foot or more of snow, a space so small that one must crawl through it, and so on. Difficult terrain hinders move rolls and halves movement on a round-by-round basis. This means that a short move is about 25 feet (8 m), and a long move is about 50 feet (15 m). Difficult terrain reduces
long-term movement to a third of its normal rate.
Water: Deep water, in which a character is mostly or entirely submerged, hinders move rolls
and reduces round-by-round and long-term movement to one quarter its normal rate. This means that a short move is about 12 feet(4 m), and a long move is about 25 feet (7.5 m). Characters trained in swimming halve their movement only while in deep water.
Low Gravity: Movement in low gravity is easier but not much faster. All move rolls are eased.
High Gravity: In an environment of high gravity, treat all moving characters as if they were in difficult terrain. Characters trained in high-gravity maneuvering negate this penalty. High gravity reduces long-term movement to a third of its normal rate.
Zero Gravity: In an environment without gravity, characters cannot move normally. Instead, they must push off from a surface and succeed at a Might roll to move (the difficulty is equal to one-quarter the distance traveled in feet). Without a surface to push off from, a character cannot move. Unless the character’s movement takes them to a stable object that they can grab or land against, they continue to drift in that direction each round, traveling half the distance of the initial push.
When a PC is chasing an NPC or vice versa, the player should attempt a Speed action, with the difficulty based on the NPC’s level. If the PC succeeds at the roll, they catch the NPC (if chasing), or they get away (if chased). In terms of the story, this one-roll mechanic can be the result of a long chase over many rounds.
Alternatively, if the GM wants to play out a long chase, the character can make many rolls (perhaps one per level of the NPC) to finish the pursuit successfully. For every failure, the PC must make another success, and if they ever have more failures than successes, the PC fails to catch the NPC (if chasing) or is caught (if chased). As with combat, the GM is encouraged to describe the results of these rolls with flavor. A success might mean the PC has rounded a corner and gained some distance. A failure might mean that a basket of fruit topples over in front of them, slowing them down. Vehicle chases are handled similarly.
You can wait to react to another character’s action.
You decide what action will trigger your action, and if the triggering action happens, you get to take your action first (unless going first wouldn’t make sense, like attacking a foe before they come into view). For example, if an orc threatens you with a halberd, on your turn you can decide to wait, stating “If it stabs at me, I’m going to slash it with my sword.” On the orc’s turn, it stabs, so you make your sword attack before that happens.
Waiting is also a good way to deal with a ranged attacker who rises from behind cover, fires an attack, and ducks back down. You could say “I wait to see them pop up from behind cover and then I shoot them.”
Waiting is also a useful tool for cooperative actions (see below).
Defending is a special action that only PCs can do, and only in response to being attacked. In other words, an NPC uses its action to attack, which forces a PC to make a defense roll. This is handled like any other kind of action, with circumstances, skill, assets, and Effort all potentially coming into play. Defending is a special kind of action in that it does not happen on the PC’s turn. It’s never an action that a player decides to take; it’s always a reaction to an attack. A PC can take a defense action when attacked (on the attacking NPC’s turn) and still take another action on their own turn.
The type of defense roll depends on the type of attack. If a foe attacks a character with an axe, they can use Speed to duck or block it with what they’re holding. If they’re struck by a poisoned dart, they can use a Might action to resist its effects. If a psi-worm attempts to control their mind, they can use Intellect to fend off the intrusion.
Sometimes an attack provokes two defense actions. For example, a poisonous reptile tries to bite a PC. They try to dodge the bite with a Speed action. If they fail, they take damage from the bite, and they must also attempt a Might action to resist the poison’s effects.
If a character does not know an attack is coming, usually they can still make a defense roll, but they can’t add modifiers (including the modifier from a shield), and they can’t use any skill or Effort to ease the task. If circumstances warrant—such as if the attacker is right next to the character—the GM might rule that the surprise attack simply hits.
A character can always choose to forgo a defense action, in which case the attack automatically hits.
Some abilities (such as the Countermeasures special ability) may allow you to do something special as a defense action.
Players can try anything they can think of, although that doesn’t mean anything is possible. The GM sets the difficulty—that’s their primary role in the game. Still, guided by the bounds of logic, players and GMs will find all manner of actions and options that aren’t covered by a rule. That’s a good thing.
Players should not feel constrained by the game mechanics when taking actions. Skills are not required to attempt an action. Someone who’s never picked a lock can still try. The GM might hinder the task, but the character can still attempt the action.
Thus, players and GMs can return to the beginning of this chapter and look at the most basic expression of the rules. A player wants to take an action. The GM decides, on a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult that task is and what stat it uses. The player determines whether they have anything that might modify the difficulty and considers whether to apply Effort. Once the final determination is made, they roll to see if their character succeeds. It’s as easy as that.
As further guidance, the following are some of the more common actions a player might take.
Players are encouraged to come up with their own ideas for what their characters do rather than looking at a list of possible actions. That’s why there is a “do something else” action. PCs are not pieces on a game board—they are people in a story. And like real people, they can try anything they can think of. (Succeeding is another matter entirely.) The task difficulty system provides GMs with the tools they need to adjudicate anything the players come up with.
When a character climbs, the GM sets a difficulty based on the surface being climbed. Climbing is like moving through difficult terrain: the move roll is hindered and the movement is half speed. Unusual circumstances, such as climbing while under fire, pose additional step penalties.
| Difficulty | Surface |
| 2 | Surface with lots of handholds |
| 3 | Stone wall or similar surface (a few handholds) |
| 4 | Crumbling or slippery surface |
| 5 | Smooth stone wall or similar surface |
| 6 | Metal wall or similar surface |
| 8 | Smooth, horizontal surface (climber is upside down) |
| 10 | Glass wall or similar surface |
There are many ways multiple characters can work together. None of these options, however, can be used at the same time by the same characters.
Helping: If you use your action to help someone with a task, you ease the task. If you have an inability in a task, your help has no effect. If you use your action to help someone with a task that you are trained or specialized in, the task is eased by two steps. Help is considered an asset, and someone receiving help usually can’t gain more than two assets on a single task if that help is provided by another character.
For example, if Scott is trying to climb a steep incline and Sarah (who is trained in climbing) spends her turn helping him, Scott’s task is eased by two steps.
Sometimes you can help by performing a task that complements what another person is attempting. If your complementary action succeeds, you ease the other person’s task. For example, if Scott tries to persuade a ship captain to let him on board, Sarah could try to supplement Scott’s words with a flattering lie about the captain (a deception action), a display of knowledge about the region where the ship is headed (a geography action), or a direct threat to the captain (an intimidation action). If Sarah’s roll is a success, Scott’s persuasion task is eased.
Distraction: When a character uses their turn to distract a foe, that foe’s attacks are hindered for one round. Multiple characters distracting a foe have no greater effect than a single character doing so—a foe is either distracted or not. A distraction might be yelling a challenge, firing a warning shot, or a similar activity that doesn’t harm the foe.
Draw the Attack: When an NPC attacks a character, another PC can prominently present themselves, shout taunts, and move to try to get the foe to attack them instead. In most cases, this action succeeds without a roll—the opponent attacks the prominent PC instead of their companions. In other cases, such as with intelligent or determined foes, the prominent character must succeed at an Intellect action to draw the attack. If that Intellect action is successful, the foe attacks the prominent character, whose defenses are hindered by two steps. Two characters attempting to draw an attack at the same time cancel each other out.
Two characters attempting to draw an attack at the same time cancel each other out.
Take the Attack: A character can use their action to throw themselves in front of a foe’s successful attack to save a nearby comrade. The attack automatically succeeds against the sacrificial character, and it deals 1 additional point of damage. A character cannot willingly take more than one attack each round in this way.
Crafting is a tricky topic in the Cypher System because the same rules that govern building a spear also cover repairing a machine that can take you into hyperspace. Normally, the level of the item determines the difficulty of creating or repairing it as well as the time required. For cyphers, artifacts, other items that require specialized knowledge, or items unique to a world or species other than your own (such as a Martian tripod walker), add 5 to the item’s level to determine the difficulty of building or repairing it.
Sometimes, if the item is artistic in nature, the GM will add to the difficulty and time required. For example, a crude wooden stool might be hammered together in an hour. A beautiful finished piece might take a week or longer and would require more skill on the part of the crafter.
The GM is free to overrule some attempts at creation, building, or repair, requiring that the character have a certain level of skill, proper tools and materials, and so forth.
A level 0 object requires no skill to make and is easily found in most locations. Sling stones and firewood are level 0 items—producing them is routine. Making a torch from spare wood and oil-soaked cloth is simple, so it’s a level 1 object. Making an arrow or a spear is fairly standard but not simple, so it’s a level 2 object.
Generally speaking, a device to be crafted requires materials equal to its level and all the levels below it. So a level 5 device requires level 5 material, level 4 material, level 3 material, level 2 material, and level 1 material (and, technically, level 0 material).
The GM and players can gloss over much of the crafting details, if desired. Gathering all the materials to make a mundane item might not be worth playing out—but then again, it might be. For example, making a wooden spear in a forest isn’t very interesting, but what if the characters have to make a spear in a treeless desert? Finding the wreckage of something made of wood or forcing a PC to fashion a spear out of the bones of a large beast could be interesting situations.
Circumstances really matter. For example, sewing a dress by hand might take five times as long (or more) as using a sewing machine.
The time required to create an item is up to the GM, but the guidelines in the crafting table are a good starting point. Generally, repairing an item takes somewhere between half the creation time and the full creation time, depending on the item, the aspect that needs repairing, and the circumstances. For example, if creating an item takes one hour, repairing it takes thirty minutes to one hour.
The GM is free to overrule some attempts at creation, building, or repair, requiring that the character have a certain level of skill, proper tools and materials, and so forth.
Sometimes a GM will allow a rush job if the circumstances warrant it. This is different than using skill to reduce the time required. In this case, the quality of the item is affected. Let’s say that a character needs to create a tool that will cut through solid steel with a laser (a level 7 item), but they have to do it in one day. The GM might allow it, but the device might be extremely volatile, inflicting damage on the user, or it might work only once. The device is still considered a level 7 item to create in all other respects. Sometimes the GM will rule that reducing the time is not possible. For example, a single human can’t make a chainmail vest in one hour without some kind of machine to help.
The rules mention “using skill to reduce the time required” to craft an object. This was cut from the first edition rulebook:
“A character can reduce the time or materials needed instead of the difficulty (again, with GM approval, and if it makes sense to do so). A trained fletcher making arrows (level 2 items) could attempt a difficulty 2 task rather than a difficulty 1 task to create an arrow in fifteen minutes instead of an hour, or to create it in an hour but with substandard (level 1) materials. However, sometimes the GM will rule that reducing the time is not possible. For example, a single human can’t make a chainmail vest in one hour without some kind of machine to help.”
Possible crafting skills include:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.7BUvkxuA2jCU8eqK]{Armoring} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.vFZ9YGa70efAWVpN]{Bowyering/fletching} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.Mh8fZ6svg8OSnsX3]{Chemistry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.uGEL7zHPjaKA5kbN]{Computer science} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.g4qZmxAyRzrKZDzh]{Electronics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.cFbEQnj0w4Q4AEFs]{Engines} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.LsykgiEBrwXM8x8x]{Genetic engineering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.sedcB5ntUixkxEFn]{Glassblowing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.kZSFCvecSYYsbDzX]{Gunsmithing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.gH4b6MOodAZeCAod]{Leatherworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.HiAKUg3uYFmauoeJ]{Metalworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.Qs5gGKyC1qzg5DDf]{Neural engineering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.dBhnKvctH1RIlolI]{Weaponsmithing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.crafting-skills.1N0N3X1Hr4uIet4P]{Woodcrafting}
Characters might try to make a cypher, an artifact, or an alien psionic starship do something other than its intended function. Sometimes, the GM will simply declare the task impossible. You can’t turn a vial of healing elixir into a two-way communicator. But most of the time, there is a chance of success.
That said, tinkering with weird stuff is not easy. Obviously, the difficulty varies from situation to situation, but difficulties starting at 7 are not unreasonable. The time, tools, and training required would be similar to the time, tools, and training needed to repair a device. If the tinkering results in a long-term benefit for the character—such as creating an artifact that they can use—the GM should require them to spend XP to make it.
Obviously, what is considered “weird stuff ” will vary from setting to setting, and sometimes the concept might not apply at all. But many times, there will be something in the setting that is too strange, too alien, too powerful, or too dangerous for PCs to mess around with (or at least mess around with easily). Einstein may have been extraordinary, but that doesn’t mean he could reverse-engineer a teleporter made in another dimension.
| Difficulty | Craft | General Time to Build |
| 0 | Something extremely simple like tying a rope or finding an appropriately sized rock | A few minutes at most |
| 1 | Torch | Five minutes |
| 2 | Spear, simple shelter, piece of furniture | One hour |
| 3 | Bow, door, basic article of clothing | One day |
| 4 | Sword, chainmail vest | One to two days |
| 5 | Common technological item (electric light), nice piece of jewelry or art object | One week |
| 6 | Technological item (watch, transmitter), really nice piece of jewelry or art object, elegant craftwork | One month |
| 7 | Technological item (computer), major work of art | One year |
| 8 | Technological item (something from beyond Earth) | Many years |
| 9 | Technological item (something from beyond Earth) | Many years |
| 10 | Technological item (something from beyond Earth) | Many years |
In a combat situation, a character can stand guard as their action. They do not make attacks, but all their defense tasks are eased. Further, if an NPC tries to get by them or take an action that they are guarding against, the character can attempt an eased Speed action based on the level of the NPC. Success means the NPC is prevented from taking the action; the NPC’s action that turn is wasted. This is useful for blocking a doorway, guarding a friend, and so forth.
If an NPC is standing guard, use the same procedure, but to get past the guard, the PC attempts a hindered Speed action against the NPC. For example, Diana is an NPC human with a level 3 bodyguard. The bodyguard uses their action to guard Diana. If a PC wants to attack Diana, the PC first must succeed at a difficulty 4 Speed task to get past the guard. If the PC succeeds, they can make their attack normally.
You can administer aid through bandaging and other succor, attempting to heal each patient once per day. This healing restores points to a stat Pool of your choice. Decide how many points you want to heal, and then make an Intellect action with a difficulty equal to that number. For example, if you want to heal someone for 3 points, that’s a difficulty 3 task with a target number of 9.
The level of the creature determines the target number, just as with combat. Thus, bribing a guard works much like punching them or affecting them with an ability. This is true of persuading someone, intimidating someone, calming a wild beast, or anything of the kind. Interaction is an Intellect task. Interacting usually requires a common language or some other way to communicate. Learning new languages is the same as learning a new skill.
Decide how far you want to jump, and that sets the difficulty of your Might roll. For a standing jump, subtract 4 from the distance in feet to determine the difficulty of the jump. For example, jumping 10 feet (3 m) has a difficulty of 6.
If you run an immediate distance before jumping, it counts as an asset, easing the jump.
If you run a short distance before jumping, divide the jump distance (in feet) by 2 and then subtract 4 to determine the difficulty of the jump. Because you’re running an immediate distance (and then some), you also count your running as an asset. For example, jumping a distance of 20 feet (6 m) with a short running start has a difficulty of 5 (20 feet divided by 2 is 10, minus 4 is 6, minus 1 for running an immediate distance).
For a vertical jump, the distance you clear (in feet) is equal to the difficulty of the jumping task. If you run an immediate distance, it counts as an asset, easing the jump.
There’s nothing wrong with the GM simply assigning a difficulty level to a jump without worrying about the precise distance. The rules here are just so everyone has some guidelines.
Jumping Distance Table
| Difficulty | Standing | Running* | Vertical | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 ft (1.5 m) | 12 ft (3.6 m) | 1 ft (0.3 m) | |
| 2 | 6 ft (1.8 m) | 14 ft (4.2 m) | 2 ft (0.6 m) | |
| 3 | 7 ft (2.1 m) | 16 ft (4.8 m) | 3 ft (0.9 m) | |
| 4 | 8 ft (2.4 m) | 18 ft (5.4 m) | 4 ft (1.2 m) | |
| 5 | 9 ft (2.7 m) | 20 ft (6 m) | 5 ft (1.5 m) | |
| 6 | 10 ft (3 m) | 22 ft (6.6 m) | 6 ft (1.8 m) | |
| 7 | 11 ft (3.3 m) | 24 ft (7.2 m) | 7 ft (2.1 m) | |
| 8 | 12 ft (3.6 m) | 26 ft (7.8 m) | 8 ft (2.4 m) | |
| 9 | 13 ft (3.9 m) | 28 ft (8.4 m) | 9 ft (2.7 m) | |
| 10 | 14 ft (4.2 m) | 30 ft (9 m) | 10 ft (3 m) | |
| 11 | 15 ft (4.5 m) | 32 ft (9.6 m) | 11 ft (3.3 m) | |
| 12 | 16 ft (4.8 m) | 34 ft (10.2 m) | 12 ft (3.6 m) | |
| 13 | 17 ft (5.1 m) | 36 ft (10.8 m) | 13 ft (3.9 m) | |
| 14 | 18 ft (5.4 m) | 38 ft (11.4 m) | 14 ft (4.2 m) | |
| 15 | 19 ft (5.7 m) | 40 ft (12 m) | 15 ft (4.5 m) |
* Short distance. Already includes the asset for running an immediate distance.
Generally, the GM will describe any sight or sound that’s not purposefully difficult to detect. But if you want to look for a hidden enemy, search for a secret panel, or listen for someone sneaking up on you, make an Intellect roll. If it’s a creature, its level determines the difficulty of your roll. If it’s something else, the GM determines the difficulty of your roll.
You can push or pull something very heavy and move it an immediate distance as your action.
The weight of the object determines the difficulty of the Might roll to move it; every 50 pounds (23 kg) hinders the task by one step. So moving something that weighs 150 pounds (68 kg) is difficulty 3, and moving something that weighs 400 pounds (180 kg) is difficulty 8. If you can ease the task to 0, you can move a heavy object up to a short distance as your action.
As with figuring out a device, the level of the device usually determines the difficulty of the Intellect roll. Unless a device is very complex, the GM will often rule that once you figure it out, no roll is needed to operate it except under special circumstances. So if the PCs figure out how to use a hovercraft, they can operate it. If they are attacked, they might need to roll to ensure that they don’t crash the vehicle into a wall while trying to avoid being hit.
Unlike operating a device, disabling a device or picking a lock usually require rolls. These actions often involve special tools and assume that the character is not trying to destroy the device or lock. (A PC who is attempting to destroy it probably should make a Might roll to smash it rather than a Speed or Intellect roll requiring patience and know-how.)
If you’re riding an animal that’s trained to be a mount, or driving or piloting a vehicle, you don’t need to make a roll to do something routine such as going from point A to point B (just as you wouldn’t need to make a roll to walk there). However, staying mounted during a fight or doing something tricky with a vehicle requires a Speed roll to succeed. A saddle or other appropriate gear is an asset and eases the task.
| Difficulty | Maneuver |
| 0 | Riding |
| 1 | Staying on the mount (including a motorcycle or similar vehicle) in a battle or other difficult situation |
| 3 | Staying on a mount (including a motorcycle or similar vehicle) when you take damage |
| 4 | Mounting a moving steed |
| 4 | Making an abrupt turn with a vehicle while moving fast |
| 4 | Getting a vehicle to move twice as fast as normal for one round |
| 5 | Coaxing a mount to move or jump twice as fast or far as normal for one round |
| 5 | Making a long jump with a vehicle not intended to go airborne (like a car) and remaining in control |
The difficulty of sneaking by a creature is determined by its level. Sneaking is a Speed roll. Moving at half speed eases the sneaking task. Appropriate camouflage or other gear may count as an asset and ease the task, as will dim lighting conditions and having plenty of things to hide behind.
If you’re simply swimming from one place to another, such as across a calm river or lake, use the standard movement rules, noting the fact that your character is in deep water. However, sometimes, special circumstances require a Might roll to make progress while swimming, such as when trying to avoid a current or being dragged into a whirlpool.
When characters try to identify or figure out how to use a device, the level of the device determines the difficulty. For a bit of knowledge, the GM determines the difficulty.
| Difficulty | Knowledge |
| 0 | Common knowledge |
| 1 | Simple knowledge |
| 3 | Something a scholar probably knows |
| 5 | Something even a scholar might not know |
| 7 | Knowledge very few people possess |
| 10 | Completely lost knowledge |
Vehicles move just like creatures. Each has a movement rate, which indicates how far it can move in a round. Most vehicles require a driver, and when moving, they usually require that the driver spends every action controlling the movement. This is a routine task that rarely requires a roll. Any round not spent driving the vehicle hinders the task in the next round and precludes any change in speed or direction. In other words, driving down the road normally is difficulty 0. Spending an action to retrieve a backpack from the back seat means that in the following round, the driver must attempt a difficulty 1 task. If they instead use their action to pull a handgun from the backpack, in the next round the difficulty to drive will be 2, and so on. Failure results are based on the situation but might involve a collision or something similar.
In a vehicular chase, drivers attempt Speed actions just like in a regular chase, but the task may be based either on the level of the driver (modified by the level and movement rate of the vehicle) or on the level of the vehicle (modified by the level of the driver). So if a PC driving a typical car is chasing a level 3 NPC driving a level 5 sports car, the PC would make three chase rolls with a difficulty of 5. If the PC’s car is a souped-up custom vehicle, it might grant the PC an asset in the chase. If the PC is not in a car at all, but riding a bicycle, it might hinder the chase rolls by two or three steps, or the GM might simply rule that it’s impossible.
Much of the time, a fight between foes in cars, boats, or other vehicles is just like any other combat situation. The combatants probably have cover and are moving fast. Attacks to disable a vehicle or a portion of it are based on the level of the vehicle. If the vehicle is an armored car or a tank, all attacks are likely aimed at the vehicle, which has a level and probably an appropriate Armor rating, not unlike a creature.
The only time this isn’t true is with battles where only vehicles and not characters are involved. Thus, if the PCs are in a shootout with bank robbers and both groups are in cars, use the standard rules. However, battles between starships of various kinds—from gigantic capital ships to single-pilot fighters—are a frequent occurrence in far-future science fiction settings. A submarine battle between two deep sea craft could be quite exciting. Characters in a modern-day game might find themselves in a tank fight. If PCs are involved in combat in which they are entirely enclosed in vehicles (so that it’s not really the characters fighting, but the vehicles), use the following quick and easy guidelines.
On this scale, combat between vehicles isn’t like traditional combat. Don’t worry about health, Armor, or anything like that. Instead, just compare the levels of the vehicles involved. If the PCs’ vehicle has the higher level, the difference in levels is how many steps the PCs’ attack and defense rolls are eased. If the PCs’ vehicle has the lower level, their rolls are hindered. If the levels are the same, there is no modification.
These attack and defense rolls are modified by skill and Effort, as usual. Some vehicles also have superior weapons, which ease the attack (since there is no “damage” amount to worry about), but this circumstance is probably uncommon in this abstract system and should not affect the difficulty by more than one or maybe two steps. Further, if two vehicles coordinate their attack against one vehicle, the attack is eased. If three or more vehicles coordinate, the attack is eased by two steps.
The attacker must try to target a specific system on or portion of an enemy vehicle. This hinders the attack based on the system or portion targeted.
That’s a lot of modifications. But it’s not really that hard. Let’s look at an example of a space battle. A PC in a small level 2 fighter attacks a level 4 frigate. Since the frigate is level 4, the difficulty of the attack starts at 4. But the attacking craft is weaker than the defender, so the attack is hindered equal to the difference in their levels (2). The fighter pilot must make a difficulty 6 attack on the frigate. However, the fighter is trying to swoop in and damage the frigate’s drive, which hinders the attack by another three steps, for a total difficulty of 9. If the fighter pilot is trained in space combat, they reduce the difficulty to 8, but it’s still impossible without help. So let’s say that two other PCs—also in level 2 fighters—join in and coordinate their attack. Three ships coordinating an attack on one target eases the task by two steps, resulting in a final difficulty of 6. Still, the attacking PC would be wise to use Effort.
Then the frigate retaliates, and the PC needs to make a defense roll. The level difference between the ships (2) means the PC’s defense is hindered by two steps, so the difficulty of the PC’s defense roll starts out at 6. But the frigate tries to take out the fighter’s weapons, hindering their attack (easing the PC’s defense) by two steps. Thus, the PC needs to succeed at a difficulty 4 task or lose their main weapons systems.
It’s important to remember that a failed attack doesn’t always mean a miss. The target ship might rock and reel from the hit, but the bulk of the damage was absorbed by the shields, so there’s no significant damage.
This bare-bones system should allow the GM and players to flesh out exciting encounters involving the whole group. For example, perhaps while one PC pilots a ship, another mans the guns, and another frantically attempts to repair damage to the maneuvering thrusters before they crash into the space station they’re trying to defend.
During a vehicular battle, particularly a space battle, there’s a lot of chatter about shields failing, hull integrity, being outmaneuvered, coming in too fast, and whatnot. These sorts of details are great, but they’re all flavor, so they’re represented in the rules generally, rather than specifically.
For more details about vehicles, refer to the appropriate Genre chapter.
Training in driving makes the character practiced in using a vehicle as a weapon. If the vehicle is used to run over a victim or ram an enemy vehicle, treat a motorcycle as a medium weapon and treat a car or truck as a heavy weapon.
| Targeting Task | Attack Hindered | Effect |
| Disable weapons | Two steps | One or more of the vehicle’s weapons no longer function |
Disable defenses | Two steps | Attacks against the vehicle are eased |
| Disable engine/drive | Three steps | Vehicle cannot move, or movement is hampered |
| Disable maneuverability | Two steps | Vehicle cannot alter its present course |
| Strike power core or vital spot | Five steps | Vehicle is completely destroyed |
Player characters have the option to gain followers as they advance in tier, as provided by type or focus special abilities. Followers do not need to be paid, fed, or housed, though a character who gains followers can certainly make such arrangements if they wish. A follower is someone whom a character has inspired (or asked) to come work with the character for a time, aiding them in a variety of endeavors. A follower puts the PC’s interests ahead of, or at least on par with, their own.
The PC generally makes rolls for their follower when the follower takes actions, though usually a follower’s modifications provide an asset to a specific action taken by the PC they follow.
If a follower dies, the character gains a new one after at least two weeks and proper recruitment.
Modifications: A follower can help a PC in one or more tasks, granting the PC an asset to that task. The level of the follower indicates the number of different tasks they can help with. The tasks that the follower is able to help with are predetermined, usually chosen by the PC when they gain the follower. A level 2 follower who the player determines is a spy could grant a PC an asset on two different tasks, such as stealth and deception. Followers cannot help with tasks that they don’t have modifications for; for the purpose of helping, treat the follower as if they had inabilities in all nonmodified tasks.
When the follower acts autonomously rather than helping the PC, they act like a normal NPC that has modifications. Thus, the modification increases their effective level for the associated task by one step. For example, the level 2 spy follower with modifications for stealth and deception attempts stealth and deception tasks as if they were level 3 and all other tasks as level 2.
Follower Assets to Combat and Defense: A follower cannot grant an asset to a character’s attacks or defense until the follower is level 3 or higher. Even then, the follower can help with attacks and defense only if they have a modification for that kind of task.
Some abilities may grant a special exception to this rule. For instance, the Serv-0 Defender ability gives your level 1 Serv-0 follower (a machine companion) a modification for Speed defense.
Follower Level Progression: A follower increases in level by 1 each time a PC advances two tiers after gaining that follower. When the follower gains a level, the PC also chooses the task that the follower gains a modification for.
Exceptional Follower: When a character gains a follower, there’s a small chance that the follower will be exceptional in some way, a cut above other followers of their kind. The GM determines when an exceptional follower is found, possibly as an additional reward for smart or engaging roleplaying where the PCs impress or otherwise positively interact with one or more NPCs, some of whom may later go on to become one of their followers. An exceptional follower has the same qualities as a regular follower but is 1 level higher.
Pet: Any PC can potentially gain a pet, though a pet typically doesn’t provide modifications. If a character wants a pet that can do this, they must gain the pet through an an ability or focus that grants followers. On the other hand, a well-cared-for pet grants an asset to a PC’s tasks related to achieving peace of mind, finding comfort, and resisting loneliness.
The modifications provided by followers could come across as fairly dry and mechanical. To avoid that, you could present each follower in a way that makes them more compelling and interesting. Here are a few examples of how to describe a follower, depending on their mix of modifications.
A firebrand diplomat able to convince an enemy horde to back down.
A veteran commander whose presence bolsters the entire community’s military might.
A genius medic who invigorates everyone with their healing techniques.
An imaginative architect whose works both beautify and defend the city.
A tricky spy whose intelligence on enemy movements is invaluable.
This section explains how to create characters to play in a Cypher System game. This involves a series of decisions that will shape your character, so the more you understand what kind of character you want to play, the easier character creation will be. The process involves understanding the values of three game statistics and choosing three aspects that determine your character’s capabilities.
Every player character has three defining characteristics, which are typically called “statistics” or “stats.” These stats are Might, Speed, and Intellect. They are broad categories that cover many different but related aspects of a character.
Might defines how strong and durable your character is. The concepts of strength, endurance, constitution, hardiness, and physical prowess are all folded into this one stat. Might isn’t relative to size; instead, it’s an absolute measurement. An elephant has more Might than the mightiest tiger, which has more Might than the mightiest rat, which has more Might than the mightiest spider.
Might governs actions from forcing doors open to walking for days without food to resisting disease. It’s also the primary means of determining how much damage your character can sustain in a dangerous situation. Physical characters, tough characters, and characters interested in fighting should focus on Might.
Might could be thought of as Might/Health because it governs how strong you are and how much physical punishment you can take.
Speed describes how fast and physically coordinated your character is. The stat embodies quickness, movement, dexterity, and reflexes. Speed governs such divergent actions as dodging attacks, sneaking around quietly, and throwing a ball accurately. It helps determine whether you can move farther on your turn. Nimble, fast, or sneaky characters will want good Speed stats, as will those interested in ranged combat.
Speed could be thought of as Speed/Agility because it governs your overall swiftness and reflexes.
This stat determines how smart, knowledgeable, and likable your character is. It includes intelligence, wisdom, charisma, education, reasoning, wit, willpower, and charm. Intellect governs solving puzzles, remembering facts, telling convincing lies, and using mental powers. Characters interested in communicating effectively, being learned scholars, or wielding supernatural powers should stress their Intellect stat.
Intellect could be thought of as Intellect/Personality because it governs both intelligence and charisma.
Each of the three stats has two components: Pool and Edge. Your Pool represents your raw, innate ability, and your Edge represents knowing how to use what you have. A third element ties into this concept: Effort. When your character really needs to accomplish a task, you apply Effort.
Your stat Pools, as well as your Effort and Edge, are determined by the character type, descriptor, and focus that you choose. Within those guidelines, however, you have a lot of flexibility in how you develop your character.
Your Pool is the most basic measurement of a stat. Comparing the Pools of two creatures will give you a general sense of which creature is superior in that stat. For example, a character who has a Might Pool of 16 is stronger (in a basic sense) than a character who has a Might Pool of 12. Most characters start with a Pool of 9 to 12 in most stats—that’s the average range.
When your character is injured, sickened, or attacked, you temporarily lose points from one of your stat Pools. The nature of the attack determines which Pool loses points. For example, physical damage from a sword reduces your Might Pool, a poison that makes you clumsy reduces your Speed Pool, and a psionic blast reduces your Intellect Pool. You can also spend points from one of your stat Pools to decrease a task’s difficulty (see Effort, below). You can rest to recover lost points from a stat Pool, and some special abilities or cyphers might allow you to recover lost points quickly.
Although your Pool is the basic measurement of a stat, your Edge is also important. When something requires you to spend points from a stat Pool, your Edge for that stat reduces the cost. It also reduces the cost of applying Effort to a roll.
For example, let’s say you have a mental blast ability, and activating it costs 1 point from your Intellect Pool. Subtract your Intellect Edge from the activation cost, and the result is how many points you must spend to use the mental blast. If using your Edge reduces the cost to 0, you can use the ability for free.
Your Edge can be different for each stat. For example, you could have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge of 1, and an Intellect Edge of 0. You’ll always have an Edge of at least 1 in one stat. Your Edge for a stat reduces the cost of spending points from that stat Pool, but not from other Pools. Your Might Edge reduces the cost of spending points from your Might Pool, but it doesn’t affect your Speed Pool or Intellect Pool. Once a stat’s Edge reaches 3, you can apply one level of Effort for free.
A character who has a low Might Pool but a high Might Edge has the potential to perform Might actions consistently better than a character who has a Might Edge of 0. The high Edge will let them reduce the cost of spending points from the Pool, which means they’ll have more points available to spend on applying Effort.
When your character really needs to accomplish a task, you can apply Effort. For a beginning character, applying Effort requires spending 3 points from the stat Pool appropriate to the action. Thus, if your character tries to dodge an attack (a Speed roll) and wants to increase the chance for success, you can apply Effort by spending 3 points from your Speed Pool. Effort eases the task by one step. This is called applying one level of Effort.
You don’t have to apply Effort if you don’t want to. If you choose to apply Effort to a task, you must do it before you attempt the roll—you can’t roll first and then decide to apply Effort if you rolled poorly.
Applying more Effort can lower a task’s difficulty further: each additional level of Effort eases the task by another step. Applying one level of Effort eases the task by one step, applying two levels eases the task by two steps, and so on. However, each level of Effort after the first costs only 2 points from the stat Pool instead of 3. So applying two levels of Effort costs 5 points (3 for the first level plus 2 for the second level), applying three levels costs 7 points (3 plus 2 plus 2), and so on.
Every character has an Effort score, which indicates the maximum number of levels of Effort that can be applied to a roll. A beginning (first-tier) character has an Effort of 1, meaning you can apply only one level of Effort to a roll. A more experienced character has a higher Effort score and can apply more levels of Effort to a roll. For example, a character who has an Effort of 3 can apply up to three levels of Effort to reduce a task’s difficulty.
When you apply Effort, subtract your relevant Edge from the total cost of applying Effort. For example, let’s say you need to make a Speed roll. To increase your chance for success, you decide to apply one level of Effort, which will ease the task. Normally, that would cost 3 points from your Speed Pool. However, you have a Speed Edge of 2, so you subtract that from the cost. Thus, applying Effort to the roll costs only 1 point from your Speed Pool.
What if you applied two levels of Effort to the Speed roll instead of just one? That would ease the task by two steps. Normally, it would cost 5 points from your Speed Pool, but after subtracting your Speed Edge of 2, it costs only 3 points.
Once a stat’s Edge reaches 3, you can apply one level of Effort for free. For example, if you have a Speed Edge of 3 and you apply one level of Effort to a Speed roll, it costs you 0 points from your Speed Pool. (Normally, applying one level of Effort would cost 3 points, but you subtract your Speed Edge from that cost, reducing it to 0.)
Skills and other advantages also ease a task, and you can use them in conjunction with Effort. In addition, your character might have special abilities or equipment that allow you to apply Effort to accomplish a special effect, such as knocking down a foe with an attack or affecting multiple targets with a power that normally affects only one.
When applying Effort to melee attacks, you have the option of spending points from either your Might Pool or your Speed Pool. When making ranged attacks, you may spend points only from your Speed Pool. This reflects that with melee you sometimes use brute force and sometimes use finesse, but with ranged attacks, it’s always about careful targeting.
Instead of applying Effort to ease your attack, you can apply Effort to increase the amount of damage you inflict with an attack. For each level of Effort you apply in this way, you inflict 3 additional points of damage. This works for any kind of attack that inflicts damage, whether a sword, a crossbow, a mind blast, or something else.
When using Effort to increase the damage of an area attack, such as the explosion created by an Adept’s Concussion ability, you inflict 2 additional points of damage instead of 3 points. However, the additional points are dealt to all targets in the area. Further, even if one or more of the targets resist the attack, they still take 1 point of damage.
If your Effort is 2 or higher, you can apply Effort to multiple aspects of a single action. For example, if you make an attack, you can apply Effort to your attack roll and apply Effort to increase the damage.
The total amount of Effort you apply can’t be higher than your Effort score. For example, if your Effort is 2, you can apply up to two levels of Effort. You could apply one level to an attack roll and one level to its damage, two levels to the attack and no levels to the damage, or no levels to the attack and two levels to the damage.
You can use Edge for a particular stat only once per action. For example, if you apply Effort to a Might attack roll and to your damage, you can use your Might Edge to reduce the cost of one of those uses of Effort, not both. If you spend 1 Intellect point to activate your mind blast and one level of Effort to ease the attack roll, you can use your Intellect Edge to reduce the cost of one of those things, not both.
A beginning character is fighting a giant rat. The PC stabs their spear at the rat, which is a level 2 creature and thus has a target number of 6. The character stands atop a boulder and strikes downward at the beast, and the GM rules that this helpful tactic is an asset that eases the attack by one step (to difficulty 1). That lowers the target number to 3. Attacking with a spear is a Might action; the character has a Might Pool of 11 and a Might Edge of 0. Before making the roll, they decide to apply a level of Effort to ease the attack. That costs 3 points from their Might Pool, reducing the Pool to 8. But the points are well spent. Applying the Effort lowers the difficulty from 1 to 0, so no roll is needed—the attack automatically succeeds.
Another character is attempting to convince a guard to let them into a private office to speak to an influential noble. The GM rules that this is an Intellect action. The character is third tier and has an Effort of 3, an Intellect Pool of 13, and an Intellect Edge of 1. Before making the roll, they must decide whether to apply Effort. They can choose to apply one, two, or three levels of Effort, or apply none at all. This action is important to them, so they decide to apply two levels of Effort, easing the task by two steps. Thanks to their Intellect Edge, applying the Effort costs only 4 points from their Intellect Pool (3 points for the first level of Effort plus 2 points for the second level minus 1 point for their Edge). Spending those points reduces their Intellect Pool to 9. The GM decides that convincing the guard is a difficulty 3 (demanding) task with a target number of 9; applying two levels of Effort reduces the difficulty to 1 (simple) and the target number to 3. The player rolls a d20 and gets an 8. Because this result is at least equal to the target number of the task, they succeed. However, if they had not applied some Effort, they would have failed because their roll (8) would have been less than the task’s original target number (9).
Every character starts the game at the first tier. Tier is a measurement of power, toughness, and ability. Characters can advance up to the sixth tier. As your character advances to higher tiers, you gain more abilities, increase your Effort, and can improve a stat’s Edge or increase a stat. Generally speaking, even first-tier characters are already quite capable. It’s safe to assume that they’ve already got some experience under their belt. This is not a “zero to hero” progression, but rather an instance of competent people refining and honing their capabilities and knowledge. Advancing to higher tiers is not really the goal of Cypher System characters, but rather a representation of how characters progress in a story.
To progress to the next tier, characters earn experience points (XP) by pursuing character arcs, going on adventures, and discovering new things—the system is about both discovery and exploration, as well as achieving personal goals. Experience points have many uses, and one use is to purchase character benefits. After your character purchases four character benefits, they advance to the next tier. Each benefit costs 4 XP, and you can purchase them in any order, but you must purchase one of each kind of benefit (and then advance to the next tier) before you can purchase the same benefit again. The four character benefits are as follows.
Increasing Capabilities: You gain 4 points to add to your stat Pools. You can allocate the points among the Pools however you wish.
Moving Toward Perfection: You add 1 to your Might Edge, your Speed Edge, or your Intellect Edge (your choice).
Extra Effort: Your Effort score increases by 1.
Skills: You become trained in one skill of your choice, other than attacks or defense. As described in Rules of the Game, a character trained in a skill treats the difficulty of a related task as one step lower than normal. The skill you choose for this benefit can be anything you wish, such as climbing, jumping, persuading, or sneaking. You can also choose to be knowledgeable in a certain area of lore, such as history or geology. You can even choose a skill based on your character’s special abilities. For example, if your character can make an Intellect roll to blast an enemy with mental force, you can become trained in using that ability, easing the task of using it. If you choose a skill that you are already trained in, you become specialized in that skill, easing related tasks by two steps instead of one.
Skills are a broad category of things your character can learn and accomplish. For a list of sample skills, see below.
Other Options: Players can also spend 4 XP to purchase other special options in lieu of gaining a new skill. Selecting any of these options counts as the skill benefit necessary to advance to the next tier. The special options are as follows:
Reduce the cost for wearing armor. This option lowers the Speed cost for wearing armor by 1.
Add 2 to your recovery rolls.
Select a new type-based ability from your tier or a lower tier.
The other options are described a bit differently in the Experience Points chapter. There you can buy other options in lieu of any of the above options, not only in lieu of gaining a new skill. There’s also the possibility to buy focus abilities of tiers 3 and 6. The description in the Experience Points chapter seems to be the correct one.
To create your character, you build a simple statement that describes them. The statement takes this form: “I am a [fill in an adjective here] [fill in a noun here] who [fill in a verb here].”
Thus: “I am an adjective noun who verbs.” For example, you might say, “I am a Rugged Warrior who Controls Beasts” or “I am a Charming Explorer who Focuses Mind Over Matter.”
In this sentence, the adjective is called your descriptor.
The noun is your character type.
The verb is called your focus.
Even though character type is in the middle of the sentence, that’s where we’ll start this discussion. (Just as in a sentence, the noun provides the foundation.)
Your character type is the core of your character. In some roleplaying games, it might be called your character class. Your type helps determine your character’s place in the world and relationship with other people in the setting. It’s the noun of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
You can choose from four character types: Warriors, Adepts, Explorers, and Speakers.
Your descriptor defines your character—it colors everything you do. Your descriptor places your character in the situation (the first adventure, which starts the campaign) and helps provide motivation. It’s the adjective of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
Unless your GM says otherwise, you can choose from any of the character descriptors.
Focus is what your character does best. Focus gives your character specificity and provides interesting new abilities that might come in handy. Your focus also helps you understand how you relate with the other player characters in your group. It’s the verb of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
There are many character foci. The ones you choose from will probably depend on the setting and genre of your game.
You can use the Flavors chapter to slightly modify character types to customize them for different genres.
Character types and foci grant PCs special abilities at each new tier. Using these abilities usually costs points from your stat Pools; the cost is listed in parentheses after the ability name. Your Edge in the appropriate stat can reduce the cost of the ability, but remember that you can apply Edge only once per action. For example, let’s say an Adept with an Intellect Edge of 2 wants to use their Onslaught ability to create a bolt of force, which costs 1 Intellect point. They also want to increase the damage from the attack by using a level of Effort, which costs 3 Intellect points. The total cost for their action is 2 points from their Intellect Pool (1 point for the bolt of force, plus 3 points for using Effort, minus 2 points from their Edge).
Sometimes the point cost for an ability has a + sign after the number. For example, the cost might be given as “2+ Intellect points.” That means you can spend more points or more levels of Effort to improve the ability further, as explained in the ability description.
Many special abilities grant a character the option to perform an action that they couldn’t normally do, such as projecting rays of cold or attacking multiple foes at once. Using one of these abilities is an action unto itself, and the end of the ability’s description says “Action” to remind you. It also might provide more information about when or how you perform the action.
Some special abilities allow you to perform a familiar action—one that you can already do—in a different way. For example, an ability might let you wear heavy armor, reduce the difficulty of Speed defense rolls, or add 2 points of fire damage to your weapon damage. These abilities are called enablers. Using one of these abilities is not considered an action. Enablers either function constantly (such as being able to wear heavy armor, which isn’t an action) or happen as part of another action (such as adding fire damage to your weapon damage, which happens as part of your attack action). If a special ability is an enabler, the end of the ability’s description says “Enabler” to remind you.
Some abilities specify a duration, but you can always end one of your own abilities anytime you wish.
Because the Cypher System covers so many genres, not all of the descriptors, types, and foci might be available for players. The GM will decide what’s available in their particular game and whether anything is modified, and they’ll let the players know.
Sometimes your character gains training in a specific skill or task. For example, your focus might mean that you’re trained in sneaking, in climbing and jumping, or in social interactions. Other times, your character can choose a skill to become trained in, and you can pick a skill that relates to any task you think you might face.
The Cypher System has no definitive list of skills. However, the following list offers ideas:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.kEz6uQxk1unTXSNm]{Astronomy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.fwktascgpe8DprA9]{Balancing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.qIkIjledDIy71P6m]{Biology} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.YVOjYbyRzCYVxd4I]{Botany} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.ybR56wJ9gjEiBBeS]{Carrying} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.jMju5yGMFFfxmpK4]{Climbing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.NaKiOXzse6HzKjoU]{Computers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.eeHdJpr4k8hYtGr5]{Deceiving} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.DraIKUQRw8KrnC4o]{Disguise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Pjj8dKkUIGbXbAtj]{Escaping} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.6e83HnGZvltsanfE]{Geography} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.z1y5D9aLUU6RJSaU]{Geology} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.vxW0N1vEdwK4MVjD]{Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.RnsLhB3rhJUC0Euk]{History} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.QonPVHzXrzIN29lf]{Identifying} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Initiative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.tZ7PdXuWQyRMo0Rh]{Intimidation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.MrGl25gzZk4uu7BR]{Jumping} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.bBrJqSuoQ6PmRqH5]{Leatherworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.BATb9zx3L6oB2J0H]{Lockpicking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.E3swDJUDkKbo5K6S]{Machinery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.N45sgegH563KWZPR]{Metalworking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Perception} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.CYciueF3uoV3azbx]{Persuasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.zhQK4a79V1U6iuq8]{Philosophy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.OzVTO7QBg6okJ7Wf]{Physics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.L5fWzlqtfmdwZ2bC]{Pickpocketing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FDS0OTDYEmGsv2Xe]{Piloting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.T9qrqrrHhuA3ad6S]{Repairing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.JZF2fos5oJ3sEVhC]{Riding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.y0gHR7IwScnB2Ebi]{Smashing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q9tfUkhYGRJ5Df42]{Sneaking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Stealth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.bDIjaLnoMQAS99GH]{Swimming} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.iaW1Bm0sA2cE3iLa]{Vehicle driving} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Yn7G03hmz9uLOnhp]{Woodworking}
You could choose a skill that incorporates more than one of these areas (interacting might include deceiving, intimidation, and persuasion) or that is a more specific version of one (hiding might be sneaking when you’re not moving). You could also make up more general professional skills, such as baker, sailor, or lumberjack. If you want to choose a skill that’s not on this list, it’s probably best to run it past the GM first, but in general, the most important thing is to choose skills that are appropriate to your character.
Remember that if you gain a skill that you’re already trained in, you become specialized in that skill. Because skill descriptions can be nebulous, determining whether you’re trained or specialized might take some thinking. For example, if you’re trained in lying and later gain an ability that grants you skill with all social interactions, you become specialized in lying and trained in all other types of interactions. Being trained three times in a skill is no better than being trained twice (in other words, specialized is as good as it gets).
Only skills gained through character type abilities or other rare instances allow you to become skilled with attack or defense tasks.
If you gain a special ability through your type, your focus, or some other aspect of your character, you can choose it in place of a skill and become trained or specialized in that ability. For example, if you have a mind blast, when it’s time to choose a skill to be trained in, you can select your mind blast as your skill. That would ease the attack every time you used it. Each ability you have counts as a separate skill for this purpose. You can’t select “all mind powers” or “all spells” as one skill and become trained or specialized in such a broad category.
In most campaigns, fluency in a language is considered a skill. So if you want to speak French, that’s the same as being trained in biology or swimming.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":375000,"name":"Type","type":"text","_id":"NgiK7sSsF9czBCRy","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Character type is the core of your character. Your type helps determine your character’s place in the world and relationship with other people in the setting. It’s the noun of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
In some roleplaying games, your character type might be called your character class.
You can choose from four character types: Warrior, Adept, Explorer, and Speaker. However, you may not want to use these generic names for them. This chapter offers a few more specific names for each type that might be more appropriate to various genres. You’ll find that names like “Warrior” or “Explorer” don’t always feel right, particularly in games set in modern times. As always, you’re free to do as you wish. (Your type is who your character is. You should use whatever name you want for your type, as long as it fits both your character and the setting.)
Since the type is the basis upon which your whole character is built, it’s important to consider how the type relates to the chosen setting. To help with this, types are actually general archetypes. A Warrior, for example, might be anyone from a knight in shining armor to a cop on the streets to a grizzled cybernetic veteran of a thousand futuristic wars.
To further massage the four types for better use in various settings, different methods called flavors are presented in Flavors to help slightly tailor the types toward fantasy, science fiction, or other genres (or to address different character concepts).
Finally, more fundamental options for further customization are provided at the end of this chapter.
A player intrusion is the player choosing to alter something in the campaign, making things easier for a player character. Conceptually, it is the reverse of a GM intrusion: instead of the GM giving the player XP and introducing an unexpected complication for a character, the player spends 1 XP and presents a solution to a problem or complication. What a player intrusion can do usually introduces a change to the world or current circumstances rather than directly changing the character. For instance, an intrusion indicating that the cypher just used still has an additional use would be appropriate, but an intrusion that heals the character would not. If a player has no XP to spend, they can’t use a player intrusion.
A few player intrusion examples are provided under each type. That said, not every player intrusion listed there is appropriate for all situations. The GM may allow players to come up with other player intrusion suggestions, but the GM is the final arbiter of whether the suggested intrusion is appropriate for the character’s type and suitable for the situation. If the GM refuses the intrusion, the player doesn’t spend the 1 XP, and the intrusion doesn’t occur.
Using an intrusion does not require a character to use an action to trigger it. A player intrusion just happens.
Player intrusions should be limited to no more than one per player per session.
Defense tasks are when a player makes a roll to keep something undesirable from happening to their PC. The type of defense task matters when using Effort.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Might defense}: Used for resisting poison, disease, and anything else that can be overcome with strength and health.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Speed defense}: Used for dodging attacks and escaping danger. This is by far the most commonly used defense task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Intellect defense}: Used for fending off mental attacks or anything that might affect or influence one’s mind.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: Warrior, fighter, swordsman, knight, barbarian, soldier, myrmidon, valkyrie
Modern/Horror/Romance: police officer, soldier, watchman, detective, guard, brawler, tough, athlete
Science fiction: security officer, warrior, trooper, soldier, merc
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: hero, brick, bruiser
You’re a good ally to have in a fight. You know how to use weapons and defend yourself. Depending on the genre and setting in question, this might mean wielding a sword and shield in the gladiatorial arena, an AK-47 and a bandolier of grenades in a savage firefight, or a blaster rifle and powered armor when exploring an alien planet.
Individual Role: Warriors are physical, action-oriented people. They’re more likely to overcome a challenge using force than by other means, and they often take the most straightforward path toward their goals.
Group Role: Warriors usually take and deal the most punishment in a dangerous situation. Often it falls on them to protect the other group members from threats. This sometimes means that warriors take on leadership roles as well, at least in combat and other times of danger.
Societal Role: Warriors aren’t always soldiers or mercenaries. Anyone who is ready for violence, or even potential violence, might be a Warrior in the general sense. This includes guards, watchmen, police officers, sailors, or people in other roles or professions who know how to defend themselves with skill.
Advanced Warriors: As warriors advance, their skill in battle—whether defending themselves or dishing out damage—increases to impressive levels. At higher tiers, they can often take on groups of foes by themselves or stand toe to toe with anyone.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.sEDd1gQiT9UHF023]{Warrior Background Connection}
You can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Perfect Setup: You’re fighting at least three foes and each one is standing in exactly the right spot for you to use a move you trained in long ago, allowing you to attack all three as a single action. Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action.
Old Friend: A comrade in arms from your past shows up unexpectedly and provides aid in whatever you’re doing. They are on a mission of their own and can’t stay longer than it takes to help out, chat for a while after, and perhaps share a quick meal.
Weapon Break: Your foe’s weapon has a weak spot. In the course of the combat, it quickly becomes damaged and moves two steps down the object damage track.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 10 |
| Speed | 10 |
| Intellect | 8 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier warriors have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Physical Nature: You have a Might Edge of 1 and a Speed Edge of 0, or you have a Might Edge of 0 and a Speed Edge of 1. Either way, you have an Intellect Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Weapons: You become practiced with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.wHxvX2zJOKo27GBe]{medium}, and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.d554SLnkyNqPDDOc]{heavy weapons} and suffer no penalty when using any kind of weapon. Enabler.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and two weapons of your choice, plus one expensive item, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BS6IEcYlEp5v3OC]{Bash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6cMg5QXB71YNgoaM]{Control the Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7X2zbrkFSNbyhA5G]{Improved Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2iiTUXdkMPREkvK]{Overwatch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yszDDDpH6m16dEoV]{Quick Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8hiUfUNY3u2IpVDa]{Swipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EERMWn1af0S8wAWN]{Crushing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S3L1oym8fpx0NsAc]{Hemorrhage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.szw7tHW0OjI2fjpJ]{Reload} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Rr4oB1lUzuzFHNHQ]{Deadly Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M49EI6qapNJC2aLR]{Energy Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.73miZT5kYFyxnPOT]{Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bPr34XiLw2Dqb4VJ]{Lunge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XqGE5QLHnpIKB5rB]{Reaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bkQnnjRFJS9VpaY5]{Slice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4s3SAqu0lb5qzfzL]{Trick Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhbLcVuqEZmS6Z2y]{Vigilance}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M5QroBlhUCULt6MD]{Amazing Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTVAJGFiXDueX8az]{Momentum} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.blm1Z8JxvWOiFf0b]{Pry Open} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yJDNsRAG3Elm6PWp]{Snipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wxAZnuQkvWosLzkN]{Tough As Nails}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t6VEEwEsQUIImebW]{Improved Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry}
Remember that at higher tiers, you can choose special abilities from lower tiers. This is sometimes the best way to ensure that you have exactly the character you want. This is particularly true with abilities that grant skills, which can usually be taken multiple times.
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syJ3mkT2hHR2MY3o]{Finishing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cz0KkzZPnlX1oTYz]{Magnificent Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s8NShtaUrW0Oxolo]{Weapon and Body}
Ray wants to create a Warrior character for a modern campaign. He decides that the character is an ex-military fellow who is fast and strong. He puts 3 of his additional points into his Might Pool and 3 into his Speed Pool; his stat Pools are now Might 13, Speed 13, and Intellect 8. As a first-tier character, his Effort is 1, his Might Edge is 1, and his Speed Edge and Intellect Edge are both 0. His character is not particularly smart or charismatic.
He wants to use a large combat knife (a medium weapon that inflicts 4 points of damage) and a .357 Magnum (a heavy pistol that inflicts 6 points of damage but requires the use of both hands). Ray decides not to wear armor, as it’s not really appropriate to the setting, so for his first ability, he chooses Trained Without Armor so he eases Speed defense actions. For his second ability, he chooses Combat Prowess so he can inflict extra damage with his big knife.
Ray wants to be fast as well as tough, so he selects Improved Edge. This gives him a Speed Edge of 1. He rounds out his character with Physical Skills and chooses swimming and running.
The Warrior can bear two cyphers. The GM decides that Ray’s first cypher is a pill that restores 6 points of Might when swallowed, and his second is a small, easily concealed grenade that explodes like a firebomb when thrown, inflicting 3 points of damage to all within immediate range.
Ray still needs to choose a descriptor and a focus. Looking ahead to the descriptor rules, Ray chooses Strong, which increases his Might Pool to 17. He also becomes trained in jumping and breaking inanimate objects. (If he had chosen jumping as one of his physical skills, the Strong descriptor would have made him specialized in jumping instead of trained.) Being Strong also gives Ray an extra medium or heavy weapon. He chooses a baseball bat that he’ll use in a pinch. He keeps it in the trunk of his car.
For his focus, Ray chooses Masters Weaponry. This gives him yet another weapon of high quality. He chooses another combat knife and asks the GM if he could use it in his left hand—not to make attacks, but as a shield. This will ease his Speed defense rolls if he has both knives out (the “shield” counts as an asset). The GM agrees. During the game, Ray’s Warrior will be hard to hit—he is trained in Speed defense rolls, and his extra knife eases his defense rolls by another step.
Thanks to his focus, he also inflicts 1 additional point of damage with his chosen weapon. Now he inflicts 6 points of damage with his blade. Ray’s character is a deadly combatant, likely starting the game with a reputation as a knife fighter.
For his character arc, Ray chooses Defeat a Foe. That foe, he decides, is none other than someone in his company who was once a friend but went rogue.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: wizard, mage, sorcerer, cleric, druid, seer, diabolist, fey-touched
Modern/Horror/Romance: psychic, occultist, witch, practitioner, medium, fringe scientist
Science fiction: psion, psionicist, telepath, seeker, master, scanner, ESPer, abomination
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: mage, sorcerer, power-wielder, master, psion, telepath
You master powers or abilities outside the experience, understanding, and sometimes belief of others. They might be magic, psychic powers, mutant abilities, or just a wide variety of intricate devices, depending on the setting. (“Magic” here is a term used very loosely. It’s a catch-all for the kinds of wondrous, possibly supernatural things that your character can do that others cannot. It might actually be an expression of technological devices, channeling spirits, mutations, psionics, nanotechnology, or any number of other sources.)
Individual Role: Adepts are usually thoughtful, intelligent types. They often think carefully before acting and rely heavily on their supernatural abilities.
Group Role: Adepts are not powerful in straightforward combat, although they often wield abilities that provide excellent combat support, both offensively and defensively. They sometimes possess abilities that facilitate overcoming challenges. For example, if the group must get through a locked door, an Adept might be able to destroy it or teleport everyone to the other side.
Societal Role: In settings where the supernatural is rare, strange, or feared, Adepts are likely rare and feared as well. They remain hidden, shadowy figures. When this is not the case, Adepts are more likely to be common and forthright. They might even take leadership roles.
Advanced Adepts: Even at low tiers, Adept powers are impressive. Higher-tier Adepts can accomplish amazing deeds that can reshape matter and the environment around them.
Adepts are almost always emblematic of the paranormal or superhuman in some way—wizards, psychics, or something similar. If the game you’re playing has none of that, an Adept could be a charlatan mimicking such abilities with tricks and hidden devices, or a gadgeteer character with a “utility belt” full of oddments. Or a game like that might not have Adepts. That’s okay too.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.ldbXbEteJgHbIdZe]{Adept Background Connection}
When playing an Adept, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Advantageous Malfunction: A device being used against you malfunctions. It might harm the user or one of their allies for a round, or activate a dramatic and distracting side effect for a few rounds.
Convenient Idea: A flash of insight provides you with a clear answer or suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Inexplicably Unbroken: An inactive, ruined, or presumed-destroyed device temporarily activates and performs a useful function relevant to the situation. This is enough to buy you some time for a better solution, alleviate a complication that was interfering with your abilities, or just get you one more use out of a depleted cypher or artifact.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 7 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 12 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Adepts have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at a time.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items of your choice.
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.Zjign4M9GqTvD348]{medium weapons} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Adept abilities require at least one free hand unless the GM says otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6qCR3kBqCVYDlEOl]{Distortion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmWjWp4iWk4GMLN0]{Erase Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gP8HCn8FPeg49V7M]{Far Step} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQxN55rl0f5HFxEM]{Magic Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FE1Ge8CbJxQcCo0b]{Onslaught} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Myt0JUt24B8hjYAg]{Push} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q8xKsSOvoFWL1ePP]{Resonance Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPvXaxuRIVXLmkWl]{Scan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nptFEdFaUvjDeqAz]{Shatter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.59mslpID7ogppzMA]{Ward}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o7kTUAFonv5HPi07]{Cutting Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fzx429jdEdbd0tHy]{Retrieve Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uti1XQwY4VFZwwwc]{Reveal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pdNI9QMKmDwu8gza]{Stasis}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mj6yJZwRmdXaVwh8]{Countermeasures} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yz1w8JR23mtlDX49]{Energy Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AUGM3xEluWJi4Y8h]{Fire and Ice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q80xvRDX6XwFXgma]{Targeting Eye}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iTxEWRCR8G5Rych2]{Death Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VEJQ74o175OnlIAm]{Exile} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.whVEpvOjmGs3fpcD]{Matter Cloud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8QwoYVraOedgr9kB]{Projection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGz0rK4b2dAt0DaX]{Wormhole}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NCXCkCYeZw8qlazG]{Absorb Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PZBKCtRj5S6ULnjo]{Concussion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8SDpRRzZRF73zLsF]{Conjuration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HuhNjMfMxPkTlERH]{Create} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.D4JFKjeVDkx9Xfnf]{Dust to Dust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K4XRiZlFRakz6j98]{Master Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN3VI2LxDyYGbqnN]{Teleportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tvlNZboSbKCHttjs]{Control Weather} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8OmtJRuoKRzuGfh8]{Move Mountains} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gETtOLyLYRVk53dP]{Usurp Cypher}
Jen wants to create an Adept—a sorcerer for a fantasy campaign. She decides to be somewhat well rounded, so she puts 2 of her additional points into each stat Pool, giving her a Might Pool of 9, a Speed Pool of 11, and an Intellect Pool of 14. Her Adept is smart and quick. She has an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0. As a first-tier character, her Effort is 1. As her initial abilities, she chooses Onslaught and Ward, giving her a strong offense and defense. She also chooses Magic Training and rounds out her character with Scan, which she hopes will be useful in gaining insight and information. For this character, Onslaught, Ward, and Scan are all spells she has mastered through years of training and study.
She can bear three cyphers. The GM gives her a potion that acts as a short-range teleporter, a small charm that restores 5 points to her Intellect Pool, and a fluid-filled flask that explodes like a fiery bomb. Jen’s sorcerer is skilled with light weapons, so she chooses a dagger.
For her descriptor, Jen chooses Graceful, which adds 2 points to her Speed Pool, bringing it to 13. That descriptor means she is trained in balancing and anything requiring careful movements, physical performing arts, and Speed defense tasks. Perhaps she is a dancer. In fact, she begins to develop a backstory that involves graceful, lithe movements that she incorporates into her spells.
For her focus, she chooses Leads. This gives her training in social interactions, which again helps round her out—she’s good in all kinds of situations. Moreover, she has the Good Advice ability, which enables her to be a focal point of her group.
Her spells and focus abilities cost Intellect points to activate, so she’s glad to have a lot of points in her Intellect Pool. In addition, her Intellect Edge will help reduce those costs. If she uses her Onslaught force blast without applying Effort, it costs 0 Intellect points and deals 4 points of damage. Her Intellect Edge will allow her to save points to devote toward applying Effort for other purposes, perhaps to boost the accuracy of Onslaught.
For her character arc, Jen chooses Aid a Friend. She decides that when her sorcerer character was young, she had a magical mentor. That mentor was later taken prisoner by a demon, so her character is always looking for clues on how to find the demon and release her friend from bondage.
GMs are always free to pre-select a type’s special abilities at a given tier to reinforce the setting. In the fantasy setting of Jen’s sorcerer, the GM might have said that all sorcerers (Adepts) start with Magic Training as one of their tier 1 abilities. This doesn’t make the character any less powerful or special, but it says something about her role in the world and expectations in the game.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: Explorer, adventurer, delver, mystery seeker
Modern/Horror/Romance: athlete, explorer, adventurer, drifter, detective, scholar, spelunker, trailblazer, investigative reporter
Science fiction: Explorer, adventurer, wanderer, planetary specialist, xenobiologist
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: adventurer, crimefighter
You are a person of action and physical ability, fearlessly facing the unknown. You travel to strange, exotic, and dangerous places, and discover new things. This means you’re physical but also probably knowledgeable.
Individual Role: Although Explorers can be academics or well studied, they are first and foremost interested in action. They face grave dangers and terrible obstacles as a routine part of life.
Group Role: Explorers sometimes work alone, but far more often they operate in teams with other characters. The Explorer frequently leads the way, blazing the trail. However, they’re also likely to stop and investigate anything intriguing they stumble upon.
Societal Role: Not all Explorers are out traipsing through the wilderness or poking about an old ruin. Sometimes, an Explorer is a teacher, a scientist, a detective, or an investigative reporter. In any event, an Explorer bravely faces new challenges and gathers knowledge to share with others.
Advanced Explorers: Higher-tier Explorers gain more skills, some combat abilities, and a number of abilities that allow them to deal with danger. In short, they become more and more well-rounded, able to deal with any challenge.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.EPY1EXnGWOBK9kO1]{Explorer Background Connection}
When playing an Explorer, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Fortuitous Malfunction: A trap or a dangerous device malfunctions before it can affect you.
Serendipitous Landmark: Just when it seems like the path is lost (or you are), a trail marker, a landmark, or simply the way the terrain or corridor bends, rises, or falls away suggests to you the best path forward, at least from this point.
Weak Strain: The poison or disease turns out not to be as debilitating or deadly as it first seemed, and inflicts only half the damage that it would have otherwise.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 10 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 9 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Explorers have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Physical Nature: You have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge of 0, and an Intellect Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.wHxvX2zJOKo27GBe]{medium weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with heavy weapons are hindered.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7OpsD4muO5HGJt29]{Block} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P95xVHVxALSMjanR]{Decipher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PqL4qr9D8QAwQhrL]{Endurance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.axI0iGYo7DjdR8Ya]{Find the Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7X2zbrkFSNbyhA5G]{Improved Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBGeAZSBuymzrxDz]{Muscles of Iron} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s2PLo9FsWBi2C1VY]{Surging Confidence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
Choose four of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkmTskE3eqcfu7dY]{Curious} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3x3gRDJejTXQPmdY]{Danger Instinct} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4yyKQYnrbL3r9gcU]{Enable Others} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uB3sVzeG2N5rkdUZ]{Escape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RM8Fmu1IJwzBkjcM]{Eye for Detail} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U7chr7wLj7r5y0LT]{Foil Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pp9NFNHKgOhRYbsY]{Hand to Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.romswZIOmAmtzfCL]{Investigative Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.euEVkth9YGYSpoJf]{Quick Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJVu7MQ2pOhNfpUB]{Range Increase} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gbU7mA0flUR4W8Dl]{Stand Watch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEjdodvc6SLf8yso]{Travel Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yS1sMAZEzJbozxOZ]{Wreck}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wG4zveGhplNKNzuP]{Controlled Fall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qZOOWfFLJ1JziJpY]{Obstacle Running} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GvYXLPdpaFEMGuQR]{Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmYIPbMwsq3GY3eO]{Stone Breaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wpA3GB5yJq9NI8QN]{Think Your Way Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V1ROUnWXLmLRMxXi]{Trapfinder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6McxfJoPmf1SnbDR]{Wrest From Chance}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MdRdAc0qAWghMmlV]{Expert Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dW0rgYsx6hDA8pIB]{Runner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3pqCkOZjnAXWIikt]{Subtle Steps} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wxAZnuQkvWosLzkN]{Tough As Nails}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0Tt5R1m2DsVLtPH]{Free to Move} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hhBF8re7Azmce3Y9]{Group Friendship} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGzAHs3qln0fNDjt]{Hard to Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5uWcMvgh1OWvieJs]{Physically Gifted} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scceoEmEnN5MW8XT]{Take Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.icJAWRB8Uha8CSKr]{Vigilant}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tTrekc4AZbIqem5L]{Inspire Coordinated Actions} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dMEqa6kAjXrHlxui]{Negate Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PXvS7AatBcxH9cvZ]{Share Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vQtVTnCecWFXkfkI]{Wild Vitality}
Sam decides to create an Explorer character for a science fiction campaign. This character will be a hardy soul who explores alien worlds. They put 3 additional points into their Might Pool, 2 into their Speed Pool, and 1 into their Intellect Pool; their stat Pools are now Might 13, Speed 11, and Intellect 10. As a first-tier character, their Effort is 1, their Might Edge is 1, and their Speed Edge and Intellect Edge are 0. Their character is fairly well-rounded so far.
Sam immediately leaps in and starts choosing abilities. They pick Danger Sense and Surging Confidence, thinking those abilities will be generally useful. They also choose Practiced in Armor, reasoning that the character wears high-tech medium armor when exploring. Last, they choose Knowledge Skills and select geology and biology to help during interplanetary explorations.
Sam’s Explorer can bear two cyphers, which in this setting involve nanotechnology. The GM decides that one is a nanite injector that grants a +1 bonus to Might Edge when used, and the other is a device that can create one simple handheld object the user wishes.
Sam’s Explorer is not really geared toward fighting, but sometimes the universe is a dangerous place, so they note that they’re carrying a medium blaster as well.
Sam still needs a descriptor and a focus. Looking to the Descriptor chapter, they choose Hardy, which increases their Might Pool to 17. They also heal more quickly and can operate better when injured. They’re trained in Might defense but have an inability with initiative; however, it’s effectively canceled out by their Danger Sense (and vice versa). Sam could go back and select something else instead of Danger Sense, but they like it and decide to keep it. Overall, the descriptor ends up making the character tough but a little slow.
For their focus, Sam chooses Explores Dark Places (in this case, weird ruins of alien civilizations). This gives the character a bunch of additional skills: searching, listening, climbing, balancing, and jumping. They’re quite the capable Explorer.
For their character arc, Sam chooses Enterprise. Exploring alien places sometimes turns up strange relics, and Sam figures they might be able to set up a service to reliably transport these items to responsible third parties, rather than allow them to fall into the hands of pirates and rich private collectors. For a small fee, of course.
Fantasy/Fairy tale: bard, speaker, skald, emissary, priest, advocate
Modern/Horror/Romance: diplomat, charmer, face, spinner, manipulator, minister, mediator, lawyer
Science fiction: diplomat, empath, glam, consul, legate
Superhero/Post-Apocalyptic: charmer, mesmerist, puppet master
You’re good with words and good with people. You talk your way past challenges and out of jams, and you get people to do what you want.
Individual Role: Speakers are smart and charismatic. They like people and, more important, they understand them. This helps speakers get others to do what needs to be done.
Group Role: The Speaker is often the face of the group, serving as the person who speaks for all and negotiates with others. Combat and action are not a Speaker’s strong suits, so other characters sometimes have to defend the Speaker in times of danger.
Societal Role: Speakers are frequently political or religious leaders. Just as often, however, they are con artists or criminals.
Advanced Speakers: Higher-tier Speakers use their abilities to control and manipulate people as well as aid and nurture their friends. They can talk their way out of danger and even use their words as weapons.
Your type helps determine the connection you have to the setting. Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.zDo6fnblxkAjzvc3]{Speaker Background Connection}
When playing a Speaker, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Friendly NPC: An NPC you don’t know, someone you don’t know that well, or someone you know but who hasn’t been particularly friendly in the past chooses to help you, though doesn’t necessarily explain why. Maybe they’ll ask you for a favor in return afterward, depending on how much trouble they go to.
Perfect Suggestion: A follower or other already-friendly NPC suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Unexpected Gift: An NPC hands you a physical gift you were not expecting, one that helps put the situation at ease if things seem strained, or provides you with a new insight for understanding the context of the situation if there’s something you’re failing to understand or grasp.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 8 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 11 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Speakers have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.Zjign4M9GqTvD348]{medium} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a light weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Some Speaker abilities, like Mind Reading or True Senses, imply a supernatural element. If this is inappropriate to the character or the setting, these abilities can be replaced with something from the stealth flavor, or the GM can slightly modify them so they are based in extraordinary talents and insight rather than the supernatural.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BlBi7qk0darLthxS]{Anecdote} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.r7uNiD9CGy4G3Hoq]{Babel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JSlr2Q6Ll1xNd8fX]{Demeanor of Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hYa7I52x2iwffh8C]{Encouragement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lQ4MNmGXXNBMGsmk]{Enthrall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmWjWp4iWk4GMLN0]{Erase Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ulHj0pzmwc515fve]{Fast Talk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWCehMidmvLypdxj]{Inspire Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5aUrbdjSSLCRggHU]{Spin Identity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qVlbJjB7X8R78rz0]{Terrifying Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BggeJtN5IcutwLJg]{Calm Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.di7QfASecjKU8BPN]{Disincentivize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IvKd5vkPypJbB1Ip]{Gather Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GT0AiiarWPbGzxKs]{Impart Ideal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DLxDL49VjUEMAjxZ]{Inspiring Ease} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XntbE6mXQ4CZ6yIi]{Speedy Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UHvD5299HFbwBvpR]{Unexpected Betrayal}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hB1CISYVEZXEO0IV]{Accelerate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rZsohzuwTFfghWVO]{Blend In} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NnlGdSiR9GbiTJyZ]{Discerning Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sqiDNk5qXh9j3zwh]{Grand Deception} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1N6P5ZRogThCS0KH]{Lead by Inquiry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5BlJLgj1ayBw0uY]{Oratory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oah8DOODfphl858B]{Telling}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZH0JbusjycG6zQf1]{Anticipate Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2SiHiotGcSufnCne]{Confounding Banter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7tiGTYVXj9eHdja7]{Heightened Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Je1MitN21L3lqWVF]{Psychosis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QFZyfDWOSEpZeQmM]{Spur Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS2p7CRfquFvR65U]{Strategize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wZZC07ADxO3mImS]{Suggestion}
Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3uyBYJqMApfEBWX]{Discipline of Watchfulness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyW320RhzarMNoss]{Flee} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xCUKzmoBKzN9gIut]{Foul Aura} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9sgMUKkIkDIdRtK]{Stimulate}
Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.By276DS858KmWNZq]{Assume Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G8waoPdWGzMl0S1n]{Battle Management} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.crFxkKwBNdnD6tX4]{Crowd Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fPCTpU0viXXWrNs0]{Inspiring Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3EcnBLVtGwxpWXBW]{Recruit Deputy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EH8OmAJaimF4MTgg]{Shatter Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZTp4SZ673tDJpmuS]{Word of Command}
Mary wants to create a Speaker for a Lovecraftian horror campaign. She puts 3 of her additional stat points into her Intellect Pool and 3 into her Speed Pool; her stat Pools are now Might 8, Speed 12, and Intellect 14. As a first-tier character, her Effort is 1, her Might Edge and Speed Edge are 0, and her Intellect Edge is 1. She’s smart and charismatic but not particularly tough.
Mary chooses Fast Talk and Spin Identity to help get into places and learn things she wants to know. She’s a bit of a con artist. She’s good to her friends, however, and chooses Encouragement as well. Mary rounds out her first-tier abilities with Interaction Skills (deceiving and persuasion).
A Speaker normally starts with two cyphers, but the GM rules that characters in this campaign start with only one—something creepy relating to their background. Mary’s cypher is an odd pocket watch given to her by her grandfather. She doesn’t know how or why, but when activated, the watch allows her to take twice as many actions for three rounds.
Mary’s character carries a small knife hidden in her bag in case of trouble. As a light weapon, it inflicts 2 points of damage, but attacks with it are eased.
Mary chooses Resilient for her descriptor and decides that she can probably learn the truth behind some of the strange things that she’s heard about without feeling too much trauma if it’s horrible. Resilient increases her Might Pool to 10 and her Intellect Pool to 16. She’s trained in Might and Intellect defense actions and gains an extra recovery roll each day. At first, Mary is sad that her descriptor gives her an inability in knowledge and puzzle tasks, but then she realizes that the flaw fits her character well—she’s better at getting people to tell her what she needs to know than at figuring out the information herself.
For her focus, Mary chooses Moves Like a Cat, granting her a final Speed Pool of 18 and training in balance. In the end, she’s graceful and quick, charismatic, and hardier than she initially thought thanks to her drive. She’s ready to investigate the weird.
For her character arc, Mary chooses Fall From Grace. She decides she’s had an obsession with a strange tome that’s been in her family for generations, and her character is drawn to its strange languages and rituals.
The rules in this section are more advanced and always involve the GM. They can be used by the GM to tailor a type to better fit the genre or setting, or by a player and a GM to tweak a character to fit a concept.
The following aspects of the four character types can be modified at character creation. Other abilities should not be changed.
Stat Pools: Each character type has a starting stat Pool value. A player can exchange points between their Pools on a one-for-one basis. For example, they can trade 2 points of Might for 2 points of Speed. However, no starting stat Pool should be higher than 20.
Edge: A player can start with an Edge of 1 in whichever stat they wish.
Cypher Use: If a character gives up the ability to bear one cypher, they gain an additional skill of their choice.
Weapons: Some types have static first-tier abilities that let them use light, medium, and/or heavy weapons without a penalty. Warriors can use all weapons, Explorers can use light and medium weapons, and Adepts and Speakers can use light weapons. Any one of these weapon abilities can be sacrificed to gain training in a different skill of the player’s choice.
In addition to other customization options, a player can choose to take drawbacks or penalties to gain further advantages.
Weakness: A weakness is, essentially, the opposite of Edge. If you have a weakness of 1 in Speed, all Speed actions that require you to spend points cost 1 additional point from your Pool. At any time, a player can give their character a weakness in one stat and, in exchange, gain +1 to their Edge in one of the other two stats. So a PC can take a weakness of 1 in Speed to gain +1 to their Might Edge.
Normally, you can have a weakness only in a stat in which you have an Edge of 0. Further, you can’t have more than one weakness, and you can’t have a weakness greater than 1 unless the additional weakness comes from another source (such as a disease or disability arising from actions or conditions in the game).
Inabilities: Inabilities are like negative skills. They make one type of task harder by hindering it. If a character chooses to take an inability, they gain a skill of their choice. Normally, a character can have only one inability unless the additional inability comes from another source (such as a descriptor or a disease or disability arising from actions or conditions in the game).
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":600000,"name":"License","type":"text","_id":"9ZDlIEtwXjxzyyrZ","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This product is an independent production and is not affiliated with Monte Cook Games, LLC. It is published under the Cypher System Open License, found at http://csol.montecookgames.com.
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","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":387500,"name":"Flavor","type":"text","_id":"gUBd9dvLJ8qY0iZx","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Flavors are groups of special abilities the GM and players can use to alter a character type to make it more to their liking or more appropriate to the genre or setting. For example, if a player wants to create a magic-using thief character, she could play an Adept with stealth flavoring. In a science fiction setting, a Warrior might also have knowledge of machinery, so the character could be flavored with technology.
At a given tier, abilities from a flavor are traded one for one with standard abilities from a type. So to add the Danger Sense stealth flavor ability to a Warrior, something else—perhaps Bash—must be sacrificed. Now that character can choose Danger Sense as they would any other first-tier warrior ability, but they can never choose Bash.
The GM should always be involved in flavoring a type. For example, they might know that for their science fiction game, they want a type called a “Glam,” which is a Speaker flavored with certain technology abilities—specifically those that make the character a flamboyant starship pilot. Thus, they exchange the first-tier abilities Spin Identity and Inspire Aggression for the technology flavor abilities Datajack and Tech Skills so the character can plug into the ship directly and can take piloting and computers as skills.
In the end, flavor is mostly a tool for the GM to easily create campaign-specific types by making a few slight alterations to the four base types. Although players may wish to use flavors to get the characters they want, remember that they can also shape their PCs with descriptors and foci very nicely.
The flavors available are stealth, technology, magic, combat, and skills and knowledge.
The full description for each listed ability can be found in the Abilities chapter, which also contains descriptions for type and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Characters with the stealth flavor are good at sneaking around, infiltrating places they don’t belong, and deceiving others. They use these abilities in a variety of ways, including combat. An Explorer with stealth flavor might be a thief, while a Warrior with stealth flavor might be an assassin. An Explorer with stealth flavor in a superhero setting might be a crimefighter who stalks the streets at night.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M2oXV5cRSdMlUZDm]{Goad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Frxs35QkokRdure4]{Legerdemain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.90wkMwuVBaiyL9yt]{Opportunist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dQHSDDZxJNHrHH1l]{Contortionist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8ydN3DBdXXP24hQL]{Find an Opening} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5abCQnz5ZWvvfMro]{Get Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvFsSsVjyF8iXvCe]{Sense Ambush} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uq6p6fOg9KyFcUws]{Evanesce} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR3B0gfJtrYUAU5M]{From the Shadows} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lUkqQu1vvJe3FxfQ]{Gambler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sM2zEDx4gRr9CuiR]{Inner Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS1RW48sdVY6ZJZd]{Ambusher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JVvSTtYbksWJDADY]{Debilitating Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cqzyNCPYVEWtucLe]{Outwit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w2aO1ZIpmBDQJXq1]{Tumbling Moves}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YbYeZ0A0m96IWxwl]{Assassin Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S5JTyQCNcgrXgNqf]{Mask} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bVt0TIfwtEUXvi6O]{Uncanny Luck}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VVYx3J42Sj9qCQV9]{Exploit Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jrTEtAhE6GfLW7R4]{Spring Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cWHqKGpI5z0aiSYC]{Thief’s Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWws42dVSQjRz8Hr]{Twist of Fate}
Characters with a flavor of technology typically are from science fiction or at least modern-day settings (although anything is possible). They excel at using, dealing with, and building machines. An Explorer with technology flavor might be a starship pilot, and a Speaker flavored with technology could be a techno-priest.
Some of the less computer-oriented abilities might be appropriate for a steampunk character, while a modern-day character could use some of the abilities that don’t involve starships or ultratech.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q3DGDFwNIOjz866X]{Datajack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.z23towmNKeKJasHV]{Hacker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rhaZSmU6dJpzMO64]{Machine Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kkCW4KkWA751AeBl]{Scramble Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AFfburUYwZlBFq7N]{Tinker}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JK2hN1poqMLqfa1N]{Machine Efficiency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDG7hgrRNt4aHpP1]{Overload Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.v1lZkKjSCS1pjnET]{Serv-0} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XzomXctsS8NL9M7Q]{Serv-0 Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x8cGd4MC9YEW9isa]{Serv-0 Repair} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.k4LeTZ1lqN9L3hPS]{Tool Mastery}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7VYzHQvF1cz4cfUp]{Mechanical Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9r6iNU2GH4oEH6vz]{Serv-0 Scanner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIy0GMeL8WALvhEb]{Ship Footing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Nyt7Z1xWqmnuu265]{Shipspeak} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2l9FIUVKimPzIXzU]{Machine Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NcItnMHjeG9fgE1K]{Serv-0 Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lPqCQOQJF0JfoFRn]{Serv-0 Brawler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9YuQrJXAQO0qIFPj]{Serv-0 Spy}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KQDFvUEnIWed1ebo]{Jury-Rig} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7QTTrXnxDHskYYhj]{Master Machine}
You know a little about magic. You might not be a wizard, but you know the basics—how it works, and how to accomplish a few wondrous things. Of course, in your setting, “magic” might actually mean psychic powers, mutant abilities, weird alien tech, or anything else that produces interesting and useful effects.
An Explorer flavored with magic might be a wizard-hunter, and a Speaker with magical flavor might be a sorcerer-bard. Although an Adept flavored with magic is still an Adept, you might find that swapping some of the type’s basic abilities with those given here tailors the character in desirable ways.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I9m3nOdBZ2HoEmbj]{Blessing of the Gods} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SQ4RTDwdA0yiZ81b]{Closed Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bM2Y62eaUKYKdcwq]{Entangling Force} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQxN55rl0f5HFxEM]{Magic Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TPEcyzCeC3z5FyyQ]{Mental Link} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZsI6553CPbGi0wtx]{Premonition}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mfebb42AE5xt7k85]{Concussive Blast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.21Bi8yur01DCYz5f]{Fetch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4fcns7ANpZF7pHaz]{Force Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wNQ3q7VXtPHlPzqb]{Lock} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rRDSzPJtUCwRVXFR]{Repair Flesh}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MvyXo0ZUsxu8QQ22]{Distance Viewing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CAh0KStmP03kgv62]{Fling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dDhnZrzAxDvK7QYa]{Force at Distance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEWyNKnVgVOjsyms]{Summon Giant Spider}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR8WeRW3OlbCIjlJ]{Elemental Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LLvJZvzbGQOrlqoE]{Ignition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.blm1Z8JxvWOiFf0b]{Pry Open}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HuhNjMfMxPkTlERH]{Create} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OkKNmMvLFwHxUv2r]{Divine Intervention} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M1FHIlVPVv8O02LV]{Dragon’s Maw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IKicLElFbkRx5IaM]{Fast Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RBOc2zxAI9xMoWqW]{Relocate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
Combat flavor makes a character more martial. A Speaker with combat flavor in a fantasy setting would be a battle bard. An Explorer with combat flavor in a historical game might be a pirate. An Adept flavored with combat in a science fiction setting could be a veteran of a thousand psychic wars.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wyUQ3Atl3V1ItCFH]{Bloodlust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Rr4oB1lUzuzFHNHQ]{Deadly Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.73miZT5kYFyxnPOT]{Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S9QxUr8u2gtwY7ya]{Hard Target} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense}
This flavor is for characters in roles that call for more knowledge and more real-world application of talent. It’s less flashy and dramatic than supernatural powers or the ability to hack apart multiple foes, but sometimes expertise or know-how is the real solution to a problem.
A Warrior flavored with skills and knowledge might be a military engineer. An Explorer flavored with skills and knowledge could be a field scientist. A Speaker with this flavor might be a teacher.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.romswZIOmAmtzfCL]{Investigative Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEjdodvc6SLf8yso]{Travel Skills}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jx6DFmlbQrmltHgc]{Extra Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.k4LeTZ1lqN9L3hPS]{Tool Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4USzF8qKs8oZJH13]{Multiple Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":393750,"name":"Descriptor","type":"text","_id":"gK5t9ActY73rBLe5","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Your descriptor defines your character—it flavors everything you do. The differences between a Charming Explorer and a Vicious Explorer are considerable. The descriptor changes the way those characters go about every action. Your descriptor places your character in the situation (the first adventure, which starts the campaign) and helps provide motivation. It is the adjective of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
Descriptors offer a one-time package of extra abilities, skills, or modifications to your stat Pools. Not all of a descriptor’s offerings are positive character modifications. For example, some descriptors have inabilities—tasks that a character isn’t good at. You can think of inabilities as negative skills—instead of being one step better at that kind of task, you’re one step worse. If you become skilled at a task that you have an inability with, they cancel out. Remember that characters are defined as much by what they’re not good at as by what they are good at.
Descriptors also offer a few brief suggestions for how your character got involved with the rest of the group on their first adventure. You can use these, or not, as you wish.
This section details fifty descriptors. Choose one of them for your character. You can pick any descriptor you wish regardless of your type. At the end of this chapter, a few options are provided for Customizing Descriptors, including making a character’s species their descriptor.
(Your descriptor matters most when you are a beginning character. The benefits (and perhaps drawbacks) that come from your descriptor will eventually be overshadowed by the growing importance of your type and focus. However, the influence of your descriptor will remain at least somewhat important throughout your character’s life.)
Under the normal rules, each descriptor is based on some modification of the following guidelines:
Some descriptors offer +4 to one stat Pool and either two narrow skills or one broad skill.
Other descriptors offer +2 to one stat Pool and either three narrow skills or one narrow skill and one broad skill.
A broad skill covers many areas (such as all interactions). A narrow skill covers fewer areas (such as deceptive interactions). Combat-related skills, such as defense or initiative, are considered broad skills in this sense.
Regardless, you can add an additional skill if it is balanced by an inability.
You can add other non-skill abilities by eyeballing them and trying to equate them to the value of a skill, if possible. If the descriptor seems lacking, add a moderately priced item as additional equipment to balance things out.
With this general information, you can customize a descriptor, but keep in mind that a heavily customized descriptor isn’t a descriptor if it no longer says one thing about a character. It’s better to use this information to create a new descriptor that fits exactly how the player wants to portray the character.
Sometimes, in settings that have alien or fantasy species, players want to play a member of that species rather than the default (which is usually “human”). Most of the time, this choice is one of flavor rather than game mechanics. If you’re a 7-foot-tall furry Rigellian with three eyes, that’s great, but it doesn’t change your stats or skills (though it may have roleplaying challenges).
However, sometimes being a nonhuman results in more substantive changes. A PC ogre in a fantasy setting might have the Strong or Tough descriptor, or perhaps it has a descriptor simply called Ogre, which is similar to Strong or Tough but more pronounced (with greater Might but even greater drawbacks). This would mean that instead of being a Tough Warrior who Controls Beasts, the character is an Ogre Warrior who Controls Beasts.
The Genre chapter offers a few species descriptors, but many GMs will want to create their own as suits their setting. It can’t be stressed enough, however, that nine times out of ten, in most genres, species differences aren’t significant enough to warrant this treatment. The differences between a Mysterious character and a Virtuous one are probably greater than those between an Alpha Centauran and an Earthling.
You’re attractive to others, but perhaps more important, you are likeable and charismatic. You’ve got that “special something” that draws others to you. You often know just the right thing to say to make someone laugh, put them at ease, or spur them to action. People like you, want to help you, and want to be your friend.
You gain the following characteristics:
Charismatic: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You are trained in pleasant social interactions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.6yXynECByG8UO0IC]{Resistant to Charms}: You’re aware of how others can manipulate and charm people, and you notice when those tactics are used on you. Because of this awareness, you are trained in resisting any kind of persuasion or seduction if you wish it.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You met a total stranger (one of the other PCs) and charmed them so much that they invited you along.
The PCs were looking for someone else, but you convinced them that you were perfect instead.
Pure happenstance—because you just go along with the flow of things and everything usually works out.
Your charismatic ways helped get one of the PCs out of a difficult spot a long time ago, and they always ask you to join them on new adventures.
Helping others is your calling. It’s why you’re here. Others delight in your outgoing and charitable nature, and you delight in their happiness. You’re at your best when you’re aiding people, either by explaining how they can best overcome a challenge or by demonstrating how to do so yourself.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.VRlwCOQq4321KUkM]{Generous}: Allies who have spent the last day with you add +1 to their recovery rolls.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.GVocWeYToxrIsT5M]{Altruistic}: If you’re standing next to a creature that takes damage, you can intercede and take 1 point of that damage yourself (reducing the damage inflicted on the creature by 1 point). If you have Armor, it does not provide a benefit when you use this ability.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.RSdNXeHg25zlTzza]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction, putting other people at ease, and gaining trust.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.8AmUhRVSxOZepa3T]{Helpful}: Whenever you help another character, that character gains the benefit as if you were trained even if you are not trained or specialized in the attempted task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.TmkpqIeOFknKujcO]{Inability}: While you are alone, all Intellect and Speed tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Even though you didn’t know most of the other PCs beforehand, you invited yourself along on their quest.
You saw the PCs struggling to overcome a problem and selflessly joined them to help.
You’re nearly certain the PCs will fail without you.
The choice was between your tattered life and helping others. You haven’t looked back since.
You’re a self-assertive sort, confident in your abilities, energetic, and perhaps a bit irreverent toward ideas that you don’t agree with. Some people call you bold and brave, but those you’ve put in their place might call you puffed up and arrogant. Whatever. It’s not in your nature to care what other people think about you, unless those people are your friends or family. Even someone as brash as you knows that friends sometimes have to come first.
You gain the following characteristics:
Energetic: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You are trained in initiative.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.J9qtYUcvomIXvpEh]{Bold}: You are trained in all actions that involve overcoming or ignoring the effects of fear or intimidation.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You noticed something weird going on, and without much thought, you jumped in with both feet.
You showed up when and where you did on a dare because, hey, you don’t back down from dares.
Someone called you out, but instead of walking into a fight, you walked into your current situation.
You told your friend that nothing could scare you, and nothing you saw would change your mind. They brought you to your current point.
You’ve spent most of your life in sedentary pursuits—books, movies, hobbies, and so on—rather than active ones. You’re well versed in all manner of academia or other intellectual pursuits, but nothing physical. You’re not weak or feeble, necessarily (although this is a good descriptor for characters who are elderly), but you have no experience in more physical activities.
Calm is a great descriptor for characters who never intended to have adventures but were thrust into them, a trope that occurs often in modern games and particularly in horror games.
You gain the following characteristics:
Bookish: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skills: You are trained in four nonphysical skills of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.9BT9upa6c8kqf6kB]{Trivia}: You can come up with a random fact pertinent to the current situation when you wish it. This is always a matter of fact, not conjecture or supposition, and must be something you could have logically read or seen in the past. You can do this one time, although the ability is renewed each time you make a recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.WmhgwviF6ci24PJL]{Inability}: You’re just not a fighter. All physical attacks are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kR3req7hyQazHomU]{Inability}: You’re not the outdoorsy type. All climbing, running, jumping, and swimming tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You read about the current situation somewhere and decided to check it out for yourself.
You were in the right (wrong?) place at the right (wrong?) time.
While avoiding an entirely different situation, you walked into your current situation.
One of the other PCs dragged you into it.
Danger doesn’t mean much to you, mainly because you don’t think much about repercussions. In fact, you enjoy sowing surprises, just to see what will happen. The more unexpected the result, the happier you are. Sometimes you are particularly manic, and for the sake of your companions, you restrain yourself from taking actions that you know will lead to disaster.
You gain the following characteristics:
Tumultuous: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: You are trained in {Intellect defense actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.JrGRhq4ndoh12HDe]{Chaotic}: Once after each ten-hour recovery roll, if you don’t like the first result, you can reroll a die roll of your choice. If you do, and regardless of the outcome, the GM presents you with a GM intrusion.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.qRXj5XtPAxa0kTR1]{Inability}: Your body is a bit worn from occasional excesses. Might defense tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Another PC recruited you while you were on your best behavior, before realizing how chaotic you were.
You have reason to believe that being with the other PCs will help you gain control over your erratic behavior.
Another PC released you from captivity, and to thank them, you volunteered to help.
You have no idea how you joined the PCs. You’re just going along with it for now until answers present themselves.
You’re a smooth talker and a charmer. Whether through seemingly supernatural means or just a way with words, you can convince others to do as you wish. Most likely, you’re physically attractive or at least highly charismatic, and others enjoy listening to your voice. You probably pay attention to your appearance, keeping yourself well groomed. You make friends easily. You play up the personality facet of your Intellect stat; intelligence is not your strong suit. You’re personable, but not necessarily studious or strong-willed.
You gain the following characteristics:
Personable: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving positive or pleasant social interaction.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.GB6PefdjeMm43AmT]{Skill}: You’re trained when using special abilities that influence the minds of others.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.mslNlViBupFclz9t]{Contact}: You have an important contact who is in an influential position, such as a minor noble, the captain of the town guard/police, or the head of a large gang of thieves. You and the GM should work out the details together.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kWemIBj5S33u3Vsy]{Inability}: You were never good at studying or retaining facts. Any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.zHgQDe14mPF3G95Q]{Inability}: Your willpower is not one of your strong points. Defense actions to resist mental attacks are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You’ve managed to talk your way into some decent discounts and bonuses in recent weeks. As a result, you have enough cash jangling in your pocket to purchase a moderately priced item.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you what they were doing.
You instigated the whole thing and convinced the others to join you.
One of the other PCs did a favor for you, and now you’re repaying that obligation by helping them with the task at hand.
There is a reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re quick-witted, thinking well on your feet. You understand people, so you can fool them but are rarely fooled. Because you easily see things for what they are, you get the lay of the land swiftly, size up threats and allies, and assess situations with accuracy. Perhaps you’re physically attractive, or maybe you use your wit to overcome any physical or mental imperfections.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.wOLQBlCsA3jDifa9]{Skill}: You’re trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DlnCXfB1v1U859YY]{Skill}: You’re trained in defense rolls to resist mental effects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.8acHBoOvIk3UseOl]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving identifying or assessing danger, lies, quality, importance, function, or power.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kWemIBj5S33u3Vsy]{Inability}: You were never good at studying or retaining trivial knowledge. Any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You see through the schemes of others and occasionally convince them to believe you—even when, perhaps, they should not. Thanks to your clever behavior, you have an additional expensive item.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you what they were doing.
From afar, you observed that something interesting was going on.
You talked your way into the situation because you thought it might earn some money.
You suspect that the other PCs won’t succeed without you.
Graceless and awkward, you were told that you’d grow out of it, but you never did. You often drop things, trip over your own feet, or knock things (or people) over. Some people get frustrated by this quality, but most find it funny and even a little charming.
Some players may not want to be defined by a “negative” quality like Clumsy, but in truth, even this kind of descriptor has enough advantages that it makes for capable and talented characters. What negative descriptors really do is make more interesting and complex characters that are often great fun to play.
You gain the following characteristics:
Butterfingers: −2 to your Speed Pool.
Thick-Muscled: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.bvTJ0HZOfXlpr0pc]{Inelegant}: You have a certain lovable charm. You are trained in all pleasant social interactions when you express a lighthearted, self-deprecating manner.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.wJyw4ypyuGZ5Jde1]{Dumb Luck}: The GM can introduce a GM intrusion on you, based on your clumsiness, without awarding you any XP (as if you had rolled a 1 on a d20 roll). However, if this happens, 50% of the time, your clumsiness works to your advantage. Rather than hurting you (much), it helps you, or it hurts your enemies. You slip, but it’s just in time to duck an attack. You fall down, but you trip your enemies as you crash into their legs. You turn around too quickly, but you end up knocking the weapon from your foe’s hand. You and the GM should work together to determine the details. If the GM wishes, they can use GM intrusions based on your clumsiness normally (awarding XP).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.0yrwPAkrOBERFQOq]{Skill}: You’ve got a certain bull-like quality. You are trained in tasks involving breaking things.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.veArOrXeYD25sHog]{Inability}: Any task that involves balance, grace, or hand-to-eye coordination is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You were in the right place at the right time.
You had a piece of information that the other PCs needed to make their plans.
A sibling recommended you to the other PCs.
You stumbled into the PCs as they were discussing their mission, and they took a liking to you.
Courage fails you at every turn. You lack the willpower and resolve to stand fast in the face of danger. Fear gnaws at your heart, chewing away at your mind, driving you to distraction until you cannot bear it. Most times, you back down from confrontations. You flee from threats and vacillate when faced with difficult decisions.
Yet for all that fear dogs you and possibly shames you, your cowardly nature proves to be a useful ally from time to time. Listening to your fears has helped you escape danger and avoid taking unnecessary risks. Others may have suffered in your place, and you might be the first to admit this fact, but secretly you feel intense relief from having avoided an unthinkable and terrible fate.
Descriptors like Craven, Cruel, and Dishonorable might not be appropriate for every group. These are villainous traits and some people want their PCs to be entirely heroic. But others don’t mind a little moral greyness thrown into the mix. Still others see things like Craven and Cruel as traits to overcome as their characters develop (probably earning them different descriptors).
You gain the following characteristics:
Furtive: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You’re trained in stealth-based tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You’re trained in running actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.48EDNk0hOv8KvoVs]{Skill}: You’re trained in any action taken to escape danger, flee from a dangerous situation, or wheedle your way out of trouble.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gpHPkjq631isDAjT]{Inability}: You do not willingly enter dangerous situations. Any initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat) are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.4raydis9fTWFq8Rc]{Inability}: You fall to pieces when you have to undertake a potentially dangerous task alone. Any such task (such as attacking a creature by yourself) is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a good luck charm or protective device to keep you out of harm’s way.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You believe that you’re being hunted, and you have hired one of the other PCs as your protector.
You seek to escape your shame and take up with capable individuals in the hopes of repairing your reputation.
One of the other PCs bullied you into coming along.
The group answered your cries for help when you were in trouble.
Maybe you have a notebook where you write down ideas so you can develop them later. Perhaps you email yourself ideas that strike you out of the blue so you can sort them in an electronic document. Or maybe you just sit down, stare at your screen and, by indomitable force of will, produce something from nothing. However your gift works, you’re creative—you code, write, compose, sculpt, design, direct, or otherwise create narratives that enthrall other people with your vision.
You gain the following characteristics:
Inventive: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.SKNSOPcNsoSDk6Xm]{Original}: You’re always coming up with something new. You’re trained in any task related to creating a narrative (such as a story, play, or scenario). This includes deception, if the deception involves a narrative you’re able to tell.
Skill: You are naturally inventive. You are trained in one specific creative skill of your choice: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.eKQYG8hDn7akNxns]{writing}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.fHmBT2eRXI6WQnyZ]{computer coding}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.Lq20krfxQeY7B2qo]{composing music}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.LVVmRzkp5GwB3NE0]{painting}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.wCrjggZ7oUZYZAMD]{drawing}, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zz0QUtOoUro9OErB]{Skill}: You love solving riddles and the like. You are trained in puzzle-solving tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.pHUz4ZRnWfsBbtQ7]{Skill}: To be creative requires that you always be learning. You are trained in any task that involves finding out something new, such as when you’re digging through a library, data bank, news archive, or similar collection of knowledge.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: You’re inventive but not charming. All tasks related to pleasant social interaction are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You were doing research for a project and convinced the PCs to bring you along.
You’re looking for new markets for the results of your creative output.
You fell in with the wrong crowd, but they grew on you.
A creative life is often one beset with financial hurdles. You joined the PCs because you hoped it would be profitable.
Misfortune and suffering do not move you. When another endures hardship, you find it hard to care, and you may even enjoy the pain and difficulty the person experiences if they’ve done you wrong in the past. Your cruel streak may derive from bitterness brought about by your own struggles and disappointments. You might be a hard pragmatist, doing what you feel you must even if others are worse for it. Or you could be a sadist, delighting in the pain you inflict.
Being cruel does not necessarily make you a villain. Your cruelty may be reserved for those who cross you or other people useful to you. You might have become cruel as the result of an intensely awful experience. Abuse and torture, for example, can strip away compassion for other living beings.
As well, you need not be cruel in every situation. In fact, others might see you as personable, friendly, and even helpful. But when angered or frustrated, your dual nature reveals itself, and those who have earned your scorn are likely to suffer for it.
You gain the following characteristics:
Cunning: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.Pp6FiVf17qqHapKd]{Cruelty}: When you use force, you can choose to maim or deliver painful injuries to draw out your foe’s suffering. Whenever you inflict damage, you can choose to inflict 2 fewer points of damage to ease your next attack against that foe.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.ks2lNbYe7169G57r]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks related to deception, intimidation, and persuasion when you interact with characters experiencing physical or emotional pain.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.1Jo8JX85AfL1Kx5P]{Inability}: You have a hard time connecting with others, understanding their motives, or sharing their feelings. Any task to ascertain another character’s motives, feelings, or disposition is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a valuable memento from the last person you destroyed. The memento is moderately priced, and you can sell it or trade it for an item of equal or lesser value.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You suspect that you might gain a long-term advantage from helping the other PCs and may be able to use that advantage against your enemies.
By joining the PCs, you see an opportunity to grow your personal power and status at the expense of others.
You hope to make another PC’s life more difficult by joining the group.
Joining the PCs gives you an opportunity to escape justice for a crime you committed.
There is no honor among thieves—or betrayers, backstabbers, liars, or cheats. You are all of these things, and either you don’t lose any sleep over it, or you deny the truth to others or to yourself. Regardless, you are willing to do whatever it takes to get your own way. Honor, ethics, and principles are merely words. In your estimation, they have no place in the real world.
You gain the following characteristics:
Sneaky: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.KmXEb22OUjlCwjVY]{Just Desserts}: When the GM gives another player an experience point to award to someone for a GM intrusion, that player cannot give it to you.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.eeHdJpr4k8hYtGr5]{Skill}: You are trained in deception.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You are trained in stealth.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.tZ7PdXuWQyRMo0Rh]{Skill}: You are trained in intimidation.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: People don’t like or trust you. Pleasant social interactions are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You are interested in what the PCs are doing, so you lied to them to get into their group.
While skulking about, you overheard the PCs’ plans and realized that you wanted in.
One of the other PCs invited you, having no idea of what you’re truly like.
You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster.
You are quite certain that your fate is leading you, inextricably, toward a terrible end. This fate might be yours alone, or you might be dragging along the people closest to you.
You gain the following characteristics:
Jumpy: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: Always on the lookout for danger, you are trained in perception-related tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You are defense minded, so you are trained in Speed defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.cqT873UxELpJ3Mq2]{Skill}: You are cynical and expect the worst. Thus, you are resistant to mental shocks. You are trained in Intellect defense tasks having to do with losing your sanity or equanimity.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.ljIhLeM7ZcZuAJTk]{Doom}: Every other time the GM uses GM intrusion on your character, you cannot refuse it and do not get an XP for it (you still get an XP to award to another player). This is because you are doomed. The universe is a cold, uncaring place, and your efforts are futile at best.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You attempted to avoid it, but events seemed to conspire to draw you to where you are.
Why not? It doesn’t matter. You’re doomed no matter what you do.
One of the other PCs saved your life, and now you’re repaying that obligation by helping them with the task at hand.
You suspect that the only hope you have of avoiding your fate might lie on this path.
Other people are open books to you. You may have a knack for reading a person’s tells, those subtle movements that convey an individual’s mood and disposition. Or you may receive information in a more direct way, feeling a person’s emotions as if they were tangible things, sensations that lightly brush against your mind. Your gift for empathy helps you navigate social situations and control them to avoid misunderstandings and prevent useless conflicts from erupting.
The constant bombardment of emotions from those around you likely takes a toll. You might move with the prevailing mood, swinging from giddy happiness to bitter sorrow with little warning. Or you might close yourself off and remain inscrutable to others out of a sense of self-preservation or an unconscious fear that everyone else might learn how you truly feel.
You gain the following characteristics:
Open Mind: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.H4LHMcUqFB4rMLW1]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks involving sensing other emotions, discerning dispositions, and getting a hunch about people around you.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.J08uzxkHA7sn70LX]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving social interaction, pleasant or otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.OHgyIguDuF48QMDD]{Inability}: Being so receptive to others’ thoughts and moods makes you vulnerable to anything that attacks your mind. Intellect defense rolls are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You sensed the commitment to the task the other PCs have and felt moved to help them.
You established a close bond with another PC and can’t bear to be parted from them.
You sensed something strange in one of the PCs and decided to join the group to see if you can sense it again and uncover the truth.
You joined the PCs to escape an unpleasant relationship or negative environment.
You have walked a long and lonely road, leaving your home and your life behind. You might have committed a heinous crime, something so awful that your people forced you out, and if you dare return, you face death. You might have been accused of a crime you didn’t commit and now must pay the price for someone else’s wicked deed. Your exile might be the result of a social gaffe—perhaps you shamed your family or a friend, or you embarrassed yourself in front of your peers, an authority, or someone you respect. Whatever the reason, you have left your old life behind and now strive to make a new one.
You gain the following characteristics:
Self-Reliant: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.PT7NoHCCjePtX6OW]{Loner}: You gain no benefit when you get help with a task from another character who is trained or specialized in that task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q9tfUkhYGRJ5Df42]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving sneaking.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KU2IUPjDKKIbfxkH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving foraging, hunting, and finding safe places to rest or hide.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.tlL5bTqgc9lt5GNz]{Inability}: Living on your own for as long as you have makes you slow to trust others and awkward in social situations. Any task involving social interaction is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a memento from your past—an old picture, a locket with a few strands of hair inside, or a lighter given to you by someone important. You keep the object close at hand and pull it out to help you remember better times.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The other PCs earned your trust by helping you when you needed it. You accompany them to repay them.
While exploring on your own, you discovered something strange. When you traveled to a settlement, the PCs were the only ones who believed you, and they have accompanied you to help you deal with the problem.
One of the other PCs reminds you of someone you used to know.
You have grown weary of your isolation. Joining the other PCs gives you a chance to belong.
You’re fleet of foot. Because you’re quick, you can accomplish tasks more rapidly than others can. You’re not just quick on your feet, however—you’re quick with your hands, and you think and react quickly. You even talk quickly.
You gain the following characteristics:
Energetic: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You are trained in running.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.YHNmhduMB7gVvUtJ]{Fast}: You can move a short distance and still take another action in the same round, or you can move a long distance as your action without needing to make any kind of roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.qRXj5XtPAxa0kTR1]{Inability}: You’re a sprinter, not a long-distance runner. You don’t have a lot of stamina. Might defense rolls are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You jumped in to save one of the other PCs who was in dire need.
One of the other PCs recruited you for your unique talents.
You’re impulsive, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
This mission ties in with a personal goal of your own.
Not everyone can be brilliant. Oh, you don’t think of yourself as stupid, and you’re not. It’s just that others might have a bit more . . . wisdom. Insight. You prefer to barrel along headfirst through life and let other people worry about things. Worrying’s never helped you, so why bother? You take things at face value and don’t fret about what tomorrow might bring.
People call you “idiot” or “numbskull,” but it doesn’t faze you much.
It can be liberating and really fun to play a foolish character. In some ways, the pressure to always do the right, smart thing is off. On the other hand, if you play such a character as a bumbling moron in every situation, that can become annoying to everyone else at the table. As with everything, moderation is the key.
You gain the following characteristics:
Unwise: –4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.4FMLdzuRxQsVnh1P]{Carefree}: You succeed more on luck than anything. Every time you roll for a task, roll twice and take the higher result.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.6ydImEoLRFErPjFe]{Intellect Weakness}: Any time you spend points from your Intellect Pool, it costs you 1 more point than usual.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.OHgyIguDuF48QMDD]{Inability}: Any Intellect defense task is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.I7pKktxfFilMCCi1]{Inability}: Any task that involves seeing through a deception, an illusion, or a trap is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Who knows? Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Someone asked you to join up with the other PCs. They told you not to ask too many questions, and that seemed fine to you.
Your parent (or a parental/mentor figure) got you involved to give you something to do and maybe “teach you some sense.”
The other PCs needed some muscle who wouldn’t overthink things.
You have a perfect sense of balance, moving and speaking with grace and beauty. You’re quick, lithe, flexible, and dexterous. Your body is perfectly suited to dance, and you use that advantage in combat to dodge blows. You might wear garments that enhance your agile movement and sense of style.
You gain the following characteristics:
Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KjmXC7wwXc8DqM82]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving balance and careful movement.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.K2S2yAu0BJc7TMEh]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving physical performing arts.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You’re trained in all Speed defense tasks.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You conceal your true nature behind a mask and are loath to let anyone see who you really are. Protecting yourself, physically and emotionally, is what you care about most, and you prefer to keep everyone else at a safe distance. You may be suspicious of everyone you meet, expecting the worst from people so you won’t be surprised when they prove you right. Or you might just be a bit reserved, careful about letting people through your gruff exterior to the person you really are.
No one can be as reserved as you are and make many friends. Most likely, you have an abrasive personality and tend to be pessimistic in your outlook. You probably nurse an old hurt and find that the only way you can cope is to keep it and your personality locked down.
You gain the following characteristics:
Suspicious: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: You are trained in all Intellect defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.hJHg9c1wuIJsPdtn]{Skill}: You are trained in all tasks involving discerning the truth, piercing disguises, and recognizing falsehoods and other deceptions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.a0eju2Y9hvObXxHC]{Inability}: Your suspicious nature makes you unlikeable. Any task involving deception or persuasion is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the PCs managed to overcome your defenses and befriend you.
You want to see what the PCs are up to, so you accompany them to catch them in the act of some wrongdoing.
You have made a few enemies and take up with the PCs for protection.
The PCs are the only people who will put up with you.
Your body was built to take abuse. Whether you’re pounding down stiff drinks while holding up a bar in your favorite watering hole or trading blows with a thug in a back alley, you keep going, shrugging off hurts and injuries that might slow or incapacitate a lesser person. Neither hunger nor thirst, cut flesh nor broken bone can stop you. You just press on through the pain and continue.
As fit and healthy as you are, the signs of wear show in the myriad scars crisscrossing your body, your thrice-broken nose, your cauliflower ears, and any number of other disfigurements you wear with pride.
You gain the following characteristics:
Mighty: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.92q8rFEj1dQKNCD9]{Fast Healer}: You halve the time it takes to make a recovery roll (minimum one action).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.qgJiQgqukmcFFNor]{Almost Unstoppable}: While you are impaired on the damage track, you function as if you were hale. While you are debilitated, you function as if you were impaired. In other words, you don’t suffer the effects of being impaired until you become debilitated, and you never suffer the effects of being debilitated. You still die if all your stat Pools are 0.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You are trained in Might defense actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Inability}: Your big, strong body is slow to react. Any task involving initiative is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.62e9ZYD1UeGlalWu]{Ponderous}: When you apply Effort when making a Speed roll, you must spend 1 extra point from your Speed Pool.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs recruited you after learning about your reputation as a survivor.
You joined the PCs because you want or need the money.
The PCs offered you a challenge equal to your physical power.
You believe the only way the PCs will succeed is if you are along to protect them.
You are physically repugnant by almost any human standard. You might have had a serious accident, a harmful mutation, or just poor genetic luck, but you are incontrovertibly ugly.
You’ve more than made up for your appearance in other ways, however. Because you have to hide your appearance, you excel at sneaking about unnoticed or disguising yourself. But perhaps most important, being ostracized while others socialized, you took the time growing up to develop yourself as you saw fit—you grew strong or quick, or you honed your mind.
You gain the following characteristics:
Versatile: You get 4 additional points to divide among your stat Pools.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.bjX9wcG3SzUn5q46]{Skill}: You are trained in intimidation and any other fear-based interactions, if you show your true face.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.lW5xh0jPpRTp1iB6]{Skill}: You are trained in disguise and stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: All tasks relating to pleasant social interaction are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs approached you while you were in disguise, recruiting you while believing you were someone else.
While skulking about, you overheard the other PCs’ plans and realized you wanted in.
One of the other PCs invited you, but you wonder if it was out of pity.
You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster.
You are trustworthy, fair, and forthright. You try to do what is right, to help others, and to treat them well. Lying and cheating are no way to get ahead—these things are for the weak, the lazy, or the despicable. You probably spend a lot of time thinking about your personal honor, how best to maintain it, and how to defend it if challenged. In combat, you are straightforward and offer quarter to any foe.
You were likely instilled with this sense of honor by a parent or a mentor. Sometimes the distinction between what is and isn’t honorable varies with different schools of thought, but in broad strokes, honorable people can agree on most aspects of what honor means.
You gain the following characteristics:
Stalwart: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You are trained in pleasant social interactions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iUJdgnZi90GZjY9s]{Skill}: You are trained in discerning people’s true motives or seeing through lies.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs’ goals appear to be honorable and commendable.
You see that what the other PCs are about to do is dangerous, and you’d like to help protect them.
One of the other PCs invited you, hearing of your trustworthiness.
You asked politely if you could join the other PCs in their mission.
You have a hard time tamping down your enthusiasm. Why wait when you can just do it (whatever it is) and get it done? You deal with problems when they arise rather than plan ahead. Putting out the small fires now prevents them from becoming one big fire later. You are the first to take risks, to jump in and lend a hand, to step into dark passages, and to find danger.
Your impulsiveness likely gets you into trouble. While others might take time to study the items they discover, you use such items without hesitation. After all, the best way to learn what something can do is to use it. When a cautious explorer might look around and check for danger nearby, you have to physically stop yourself from bulling on ahead. Why fuss around when the exciting thing is just ahead?
Impulsive characters get into trouble. That’s their thing, and that’s fine. But if you’re constantly dragging your fellow PCs into trouble (or worse, getting them seriously hurt or killed), that will be annoying, to say the least. A good rule of thumb is that impulsiveness doesn’t always mean a predilection for doing the wrong thing. Sometimes it’s the urge to do the right thing.
You gain the following characteristics:
Reckless: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You’re trained in Speed defense actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gBUQ2i4VroKkBVQ7]{Inability}: You’ll try anything once, but quickly grow bored after that. Any task that involves patience, willpower, or discipline is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You heard what the other PCs were up to and suddenly decided to join them.
You pulled everyone together after you heard rumors about something interesting you want to see or do.
You blew all of your money and now find yourself strapped for cash.
You’re in trouble for acting recklessly. You join the other PCs because they offer a way out of your problem.
The world is vast and mysterious, with wonders and secrets to keep you amazed for several lifetimes. You feel the tugging on your heart, the call to explore the wreckage of past civilizations, to discover new peoples, new places, and whatever bizarre wonders you might find along the way. However, as strongly as you feel the pull to roam the world, you know there is danger aplenty, and you take precautions to ensure that you are prepared for any eventuality. Research, preparation, and readiness will help you live long enough to see everything you want to see and do everything you want to do.
You probably have a dozen books and travelogues about the world on you at any time. When not hitting the road and looking around, you spend your time with your nose in a book, learning everything you can about the place you’re going so you know what to expect when you get there.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.pHUz4ZRnWfsBbtQ7]{Skill}: You are eager to learn. You are trained in any task that involves learning something new, whether you’re talking to a local to get information or digging through old books to find lore.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.RZkMJad4OfSOU1Pq]{Skill}: You have made a study of the world. You are trained in any task involving geography or history.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.ntN6wx9GAjKwEWfV]{Inability}: You tend to fixate on the details, making you somewhat oblivious to what’s going on around you. Any task to hear or notice dangers around you is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gpHPkjq631isDAjT]{Inability}: When you see something interesting, you hesitate as you take in all the details. Initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat) are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have three books on whatever subjects you choose.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the PCs approached you to learn information related to the mission, having heard you were an expert.
You have always wanted to see the place where the other PCs are going.
You were interested in what the other PCs were up to and decided to go along with them.
One of the PCs fascinates you, perhaps due to a special or weird ability they have.
You’re quite smart. Your memory is sharp, and you easily grasp concepts that others might struggle with. This aptitude doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve had years of formal education, but you have learned a great deal in your life, primarily because you pick things up quickly and retain so much.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in an area of knowledge of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.m65HBfM8zSVl4uwk]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions that involve remembering or memorizing things you experience directly. For example, instead of being good at recalling details of geography that you read about in a book, you can remember a path through a set of tunnels that you’ve explored before.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs asked your opinion of the mission, knowing that if you thought it was a good idea, it probably was.
You saw value in what the other PCs were doing.
You believed that the task might lead to important and interesting discoveries.
A colleague requested that you take part in the mission as a favor.
You are often tickled by a sense of knowing what someone will say, how they will react, or how events might unfold. Maybe you have a mutant sense, maybe you can see just a few moments ahead through time, or maybe you’re just good at reading people and extrapolating a situation. Whatever the case, many who look into your eyes immediately glance away, as if afraid of what you might see in their expression.
You gain the following characteristics:
Innate: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are trained in perception tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.1GEOtsfQWmfgcp3e]{Know What to Do}: You can act immediately, even if it’s not your turn. Afterward, on your next regular turn, any action you take is hindered. You can do this one time, although the ability is renewed each time you make a recovery roll.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just knew you had to come along.
You convinced one of the other PCs that your intuition is invaluable.
You felt that something terrible would happen if you didn’t go.
You’re confident the reason you arrived at this point will soon become clear.
You’re cheerful, friendly, and outgoing. You put others at ease with a big smile and a joke, possibly one at your own expense, though lightly ribbing your companions who can take it is also one of your favorite pastimes. Sometimes people say you never take anything seriously. That’s not true, of course, but you have learned that to dwell on the bad too long quickly robs the world of joy. You’ve always got a new joke in your back pocket because you collect them like some people collect bottles of wine.
You gain the following characteristics:
Witty: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You’re convivial and set most people at ease with your attitude. You are trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zz0QUtOoUro9OErB]{Skill}: You have an advantage in figuring out the punch lines of jokes you’ve never heard before. You are trained in all tasks related to solving puzzles and riddles.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You solved a riddle before realizing that answering it would launch you into the adventure.
The other PCs thought you’d bring some much-needed levity to the team.
You decided that all fun and no work was not the best way to get through life, so you joined up with the PCs.
It was either go with the PCs or face up to a circumstance that was anything but jovial.
It’s always been easy for you to see things from the point of view of other people. That ability has made you sympathetic to what they really want or need. From your perspective, you’re just applying the old proverb that “it’s easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar,” but others simply see your behavior as kindness. Of course, being kind takes time, and yours is limited. You’ve learned that a small fraction of people don’t deserve your time or kindness—true sadists, narcissists, and similar folk will only waste your energy. So you deal with them swiftly, saving your kindness for those who deserve it and can benefit from your attention.
You gain the following characteristics:
Emotionally Intuitive: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.6Z7VC4ctwcS0dVoW]{Skill}: You know what it’s like to go a mile in someone else’s shoes. You’re trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction and discerning the dispositions of others.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.5kX6OM98txwPPO6a]{Karma}: Sometimes, strangers just help you out. To gain the aid of a stranger, you must use a one action, ten-minute, or one-hour recovery roll (without gaining its healing benefit), and the GM determines the nature of the aid you gain. Usually, the act of kindness isn’t enough to turn a bad situation completely around, but it may moderate a bad situation and lead to new opportunities. For example, if you are captured, a guard loosens your bonds slightly, brings you water, or delivers a message.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.AY8Br5qquBWoGQc0]{Inability}: Being kind comes with a few risks. All tasks related to detecting falsehoods are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
A PC needed your help, and you agreed to come along as a kindness.
You gave the wrong person access to your money, and now you need to make some back.
You’re ready to take your benevolence on the road and help more people than you could if you didn’t join the PCs.
Your job, which seemed like it would be personally rewarding, is the opposite. You join the PCs to escape the drudgery.
You have studied, either on your own or with an instructor. You know many things and are an expert on a few topics, such as history, biology, geography, mythology, nature, or any other area of study. Learned characters typically carry a few books around with them and spend their spare time reading.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in three areas of knowledge of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.UrdbwsMhJOQk44vz]{Inability}: You have few social graces. Any task involving charm, persuasion, or etiquette is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have two additional books on topics of your choice.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs asked you to come along because of your knowledge.
You need money to fund your studies.
You believed that the task might lead to important and interesting discoveries.
A colleague requested that you take part in the mission as a favor.
You rely on chance and timely good luck to get you through many situations. When people say that someone was born under a lucky star, they mean you. When you try your hand at something new, no matter how unfamiliar the task is, as often as not you find a measure of success. Even when disaster strikes, it’s rarely as bad as it could be. More often, small things seem to go your way, you win contests, and you’re often in the right place at the right time.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.pccv1fQ4WW7KnLsi]{Luck Pool}: You have one additional Pool called Luck that begins with 3 points, and it has a maximum value of 3 points. When spending points from any other Pool, you can take one, some, or all of the points from your Luck Pool first. When you make a recovery roll to recover points to any other Pool, your Luck Pool is also refreshed by the same number of points. When your Luck Pool is at 0 points, it does not count against your damage track.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.MKYIm6Rgf4VRIKrK]{Advantage}: When you use 1 XP to reroll a d20 for any roll that affects only you, add 3 to the reroll.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Knowing that lucky people notice and take active advantage of opportunities, you became involved in your first adventure by choice.
You literally bumped into someone else on this adventure through sheer luck.
You found a briefcase lying alongside the road. It was battered, but inside you found a lot of strange documents that led you here.
Your luck saved you when you avoided a speeding vehicle by a fortuitous fall through an opening in the ground (a manhole, if in a modern setting). Beneath the ground, you found something you couldn’t ignore.
You have delved too deeply into subjects people were not meant to know. You are knowledgeable in things beyond the scope of most, but this knowledge has come at a terrible price. You are likely in questionable physical shape and occasionally shake with nervous tics. You sometimes mutter to yourself without realizing it.
You gain the following characteristics:
Knowledgeable: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.AFFZAuL0OsaopL8E]{Fits of Insight}: Whenever such knowledge is appropriate, the GM feeds you information although there is no clear explanation as to how you could know such a thing. This is up to the GM’s discretion, but it should happen as often as once each session.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.SFXAD4DjhyEtJ1Ny]{Erratic Behavior}: You are prone to acting erratically or irrationally. When you are in the presence of a major discovery or subjected to great stress (such as a serious physical threat), the GM can introduce a GM intrusion that directs your next action without awarding XP. You can still pay 1 XP to refuse the intrusion. The GM’s influence is the manifestation of your madness and thus is always something you would not likely do otherwise, but it is not directly, obviously harmful to you unless there are extenuating circumstances. (For example, if a foe suddenly leaps out of the darkness, you might spend the first round babbling incoherently or screaming the name of your first true love.)
Skill: You are trained in one area of knowledge (probably something weird or esoteric).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.zHgQDe14mPF3G95Q]{Inability}: Your mind is quite fragile. Tasks to resist mental attacks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Voices in your head told you to go.
You instigated the whole thing and convinced the others to join you.
One of the other PCs obtained a book of knowledge for you, and now you’re repaying that favor by helping them with the task at hand.
You feel compelled by inexplicable intuition.
You have a special talent with machines of all kinds, and you’re adept at understanding and, if need be, repairing them. Perhaps you’re a bit of an inventor, creating new machines from time to time. You get called “techie,” “tech,” “mech,” “gear-head,” “motor-head,” or any of a number of other nicknames. Mechanics usually wear practical work clothes and carry around a lot of tools.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.PSeFw2XUjqgOG2xS]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding machines.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DhGWJERxvN9zVYGh]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving using, repairing, or crafting machines.
Additional Equipment: You start with a variety of machine tools.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
While repairing a nearby machine, you overheard the other PCs talking.
You need money to buy tools and parts.
It was clear that the mission couldn’t succeed without your skills and knowledge.
Another PC asked you to join them.
The dark figure lurking silently in the corner? That’s you. No one really knows where you came from or what your motives are—you play things close to the vest. Your manner perplexes and confounds others, but that doesn’t make you a poor friend or ally. You’re just good at keeping things to yourself, moving about unseen, and concealing your presence and identity.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You are trained in all stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.fmGCPHRwFnbmvB19]{Skill}: You are trained in resisting interrogation or tricks to get you to talk.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.uROuz6gmfq7X3uu3]{Confounding}: You pull talents and abilities seemingly out of nowhere. You can attempt one task in which you have no training as if you were trained, attempt a task that you are trained in as if specialized, or gain a free level of Effort with a task that you are specialized in. This ability refreshes every time you make a recovery roll, but the uses never accumulate.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.sRzjg0b8j3XPVrPR]{Inability}: People never know where they stand with you. Any task involving getting people to believe or trust you is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just showed up one day.
You convinced one of the other PCs that you had invaluable skills.
Some equally mysterious figure told you where to be and when (but not why) to join the group.
Something—a feeling, a dream—told you where to be and when to join the group.
You think of yourself as mystical, attuned with the mysterious and the paranormal. Your true talents lie with the supernatural. You likely have experience with ancient lore, and you can sense and wield the supernatural—though whether that means “magic,” “psychic phenomena,” or something else is up to you (and probably up to those around you as well). Mystical characters often wear jewelry, such as a ring or an amulet, or have tattoos or other marks that show their interests.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.u2aCexSScRX0FEqH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding the supernatural.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.x6GmHzLKB0JpVg5E]{Sense Magic}: You can sense whether the supernatural is active in situations where its presence is not obvious. You must study an object or location closely for a minute to get a feel for whether a mystical touch is at work.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Spell}: You can perform Hedge Magic as a spell when you have a free hand and can pay the Intellect point cost.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.FKeDN7rJdKpgt4bj]{Inability}: You have a manner or an aura that others find a bit unnerving. Any task involving charm, persuasion, or deception is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
A dream guided you to this point.
You need money to fund your studies.
You believed the mission would be a great way to learn more about the supernatural.
Various signs and portents led you here.
You’ve lived a sheltered life. Your childhood was safe and secure, so you didn’t get a chance to learn much about the world—and even less chance to experience it. Whether you were training for something, had your nose in a book, or just were sequestered in a secluded place, you haven’t done much, met many people, or seen many interesting things so far. That’s probably going to change soon, but as you go forward into a larger world, you do so without some of the understanding that others possess about how it all works.
You gain the following characteristics:
Fresh: You add +1 to your recovery rolls.
Incorruptible: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Intellect defense} tasks and all tasks that involve @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.OauBSvtfh6HeNzDe]{resisting temptation}.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You’re wide-eyed. You are trained in perception tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.VyGXdv9xEzKsm2YX]{Inability}: Any task that involves seeing through deceptions or determining someone’s secret motive is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Someone told you that you should get involved.
You needed money, and this seemed like a good way to earn some.
You believed that you could learn a lot by joining the other PCs.
Sounded like fun.
You miss little. You pick out the small details in the world around you and are skilled at making deductions from the information you find. Your talents make you an exceptional sleuth, a formidable scientist, or a talented scout.
As adept as you are at finding clues, you have no skill at picking up on social cues. You overlook an offense that your deductions give or how uncomfortable your scrutiny can make the people around you. You tend to dismiss others as being intellectual dwarfs compared to you, which avails you little when you need a favor.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.G2JaXxUq6dfIXVDl]{Skill}: You have an eye for detail. You are trained in any task that involves finding or noticing small details.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EaHHaJvulkIVAxhi]{Skill}: You know a little about everything. You are trained in any task that involves identifying objects or calling to mind a minor detail or bit of trivia.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.tZ7PdXuWQyRMo0Rh]{Skill}: Your skill at making deductions can be imposing. You are trained in any task that involves intimidating another creature.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: Your confidence comes off as arrogance to people who don’t know you. Any task involving positive social interactions is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a bag of light tools.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You overheard the other PCs discussing their mission and volunteered your services.
One of the PCs asked you to come along, believing that your talents would be invaluable to the mission.
You believe that the PCs’ mission is somehow related to one of your investigations.
A third party recruited you to follow the PCs and see what they were up to.
You can take a lot of punishment, both physically and mentally, and still come back for more. It takes a lot to put you down. Neither physical nor mental shocks or damage have a lasting effect. You’re tough to faze. Unflappable. Unstoppable.
You gain the following characteristics:
Resistant: +2 to your Might Pool, and +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.F74sHYUANEPVaFd4]{Recover}: You can make an extra recovery roll each day. This roll is just one action. So you can make two recovery rolls that each take one action, one roll that takes ten minutes, a fourth roll that takes one hour, and a fifth roll that requires ten hours of rest.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You are trained in Might defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: You are trained in Intellect defense tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.U7X7WY5Qk3QIXxAD]{Inability}: You’re hardy but not necessarily strong. Any task involving moving, bending, or breaking things is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.iic3khiZZCsbjkIg]{Inability}: You have a lot of willpower and mental fortitude, but you’re not necessarily smart. Any task involving knowledge or figuring out problems or puzzles is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You saw that the PCs clearly need someone like you to help them out.
Someone asked you to watch over one of the PCs in particular, and you agreed.
You are bored and desperately in need of a challenge.
You lost a bet—unfairly, you think—and had to take someone’s place on this mission.
It’s part of your nature to question what others think can’t or shouldn’t be done. You’re not insane, of course—you wouldn’t attempt to leap across a mile-wide chasm just because you were dared. There’s impossible and then there’s the just barely possible. You like to push the latter further than others, because it gives you a rush of satisfaction and pleasure when you succeed. The more you succeed, the more you find yourself looking for that next risky challenge to try yourself against.
You gain the following characteristics:
Nimble: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.l3HBMnyOMVF6rIk8]{Skill}: You’re adept at leveraging risk, and you are trained in tasks that involve some element of chance, such as playing games or choosing between two or three apparently equal options.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.wWSSBexYE1QI054l]{Pressing Your Luck}: You can choose to automatically succeed on one task without rolling, as long as the task’s difficulty is no higher than 6. When you do so, however, you also trigger a GM intrusion as if you had rolled a 1. The intrusion doesn’t invalidate the success, but it probably qualifies it in some fashion. You can do this one time, although the ability renews each time you make a ten-hour recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.MoKSCrQBoxl4PZ0f]{Inability}: You may be nimble, but you’re not sneaky. Tasks related to sneaking and staying quiet are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
It seemed like there were equal odds that the other PCs wouldn’t succeed, which sounded good to you.
You think the tasks ahead will present you with unique and fulfilling challenges.
One of your biggest risks failed to go your way, and you need money to help pay that debt.
You bragged that you never saw a risk you didn’t like, which is how you reached your current point.
You’re a nature lover accustomed to living rough, pitting your wits against the elements. Most likely, you’re a skilled hunter, gatherer, or naturalist. Years of living in the wild have left their mark with a worn countenance, wild hair, or scars. Your clothing is probably much less refined than the garments worn by city dwellers.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zOjoCu1WyXeVzqs6]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving climbing, jumping, running, and swimming.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.lpBwC7PY35rIfBUG]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving training, riding, or placating natural animals.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.2Ipdh8f3MeuAMM3R]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving identifying or using natural plants.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.iP9m2p6htGgd896X]{Inability}: You have no social graces and prefer animals to people. Any task involving charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You carry an explorer’s pack with rope, two days’ rations, a bedroll, and other tools needed for outdoor survival.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re perceptive and well aware of your surroundings. You notice the little details and remember them. You can be difficult to surprise.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You’re trained in perception actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LboNMbw0CmRDZX0l]{Find the Flaw}: If an opponent has a straightforward weakness (takes extra damage from fire, can’t see out of their left eye, and so on), the GM will tell you what it is.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You heard about what was going on, saw a flaw in the other PCs’ plan, and joined up to help them out.
You noticed that the PCs have a foe (or at least a tail) they weren’t aware of.
You saw that the other PCs were up to something interesting and got involved.
You’ve been noticing some strange things going on, and this all appears related.
You possess a questioning attitude regarding claims that are often taken for granted by others. You’re not necessarily a “doubting Thomas” (a skeptic who refuses to believe anything without direct personal experience), but you’ve often benefited from questioning the statements, opinions, and received knowledge presented to you by others.
You gain the following characteristics:
Insightful: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.QonPVHzXrzIN29lf]{Skill}: You’re trained in identifying.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.E2q7bbS0LqBwRDFi]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions that involve seeing through a trick, an illusion, a rhetorical ruse designed to evade the issue, or a lie. For example, you’re better at keeping your eye on the cup containing the hidden ball, sensing an illusion, or realizing if someone is lying to you (but only if you specifically concentrate and use this skill).
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You overheard other PCs holding forth on a topic with an opinion you were quite skeptical about, so you decided to approach the group and ask for proof.
You were following one of the other PCs because you were suspicious of him, which brought you into the action.
Your theory about the nonexistence of the supernatural can be invalidated only by your own senses, so you came along.
You need money to fund your research.
You’re sneaky, slippery, and fast. These talents help you hide, move quietly, and pull off tricks that require sleight of hand. Most likely, you’re wiry and small. However, you’re not much of a sprinter—you’re more dexterous than fleet of foot.
You gain the following characteristics:
Quick: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You’re trained in all stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.YlYSOH8OdFUTBwey]{Skill}: You’re trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.5iv3kUKcLQwrTSDH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all special abilities involving illusions or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.lhu2y0HMmw0xQ3hv]{Inability}: You’re sneaky but not fast. All movement-related tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You attempted to steal from one of the other PCs. That character caught you and forced you to come along with them.
You were tailing one of the other PCs for reasons of your own, which brought you into the action.
An NPC employer secretly paid you to get involved.
You overheard the other PCs talking about a topic that interested you, so you decided to approach the group.
You’re extremely strong and physically powerful, and you use these qualities well, whether through violence or feats of prowess. You likely have a brawny build and impressive muscles.
You gain the following characteristics:
Very Powerful: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.0yrwPAkrOBERFQOq]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving breaking inanimate objects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.MrGl25gzZk4uu7BR]{Skill}: You’re trained in all jumping actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra medium weapon or heavy weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re tough-minded, willful, and independent. No one can talk you into anything or change your mind when you don’t want it changed. This quality doesn’t necessarily make you smart, but it does make you a bastion of willpower and resolve. You likely dress and act with unique style and flair, not caring what others think.
You gain the following characteristics:
Willful: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DlnCXfB1v1U859YY]{Skill}: You’re trained in resisting mental effects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.3IfJDAc8qCJ11NNX]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks requiring incredible focus or concentration.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.CmubEJ8BMUsW1oei]{Inability}: Willful doesn’t mean brilliant. Any task that involves figuring out puzzles or problems, memorizing things, or using lore is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You move quickly, able to sprint in short bursts and work with your hands with dexterity. You’re great at crossing distances quickly but not always smoothly. You are likely slim and muscular.
You gain the following characteristics:
Fast: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You’re trained in running actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.t7exG3KfxnoPKxO2]{Inability}: You’re fast but not necessarily graceful. Any task involving balance is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’ve never been much of a talker. When forced to interact with others, you never think of the right thing to say—words fail you entirely, or they come out all wrong. You often end up saying precisely the wrong thing and insult someone unintentionally. Most of the time, you just keep mum. This makes you a listener instead—a careful observer. It also means that you’re better at doing things than talking about them. You’re quick to take action.
You gain the following characteristics:
Actions, Not Words: +2 to your Might Pool, and +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are trained in perception.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You are trained in initiative (unless it’s a social situation).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.tlL5bTqgc9lt5GNz]{Inability}: All tasks relating to social interaction are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.rfQPiUR4GHBdjFtE]{Inability}: All tasks involving verbal communication or relaying information are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just tagged along and no one told you to leave.
You saw something important the other PCs did not and (with some effort) managed to relate it to them.
You intervened to save one of the other PCs when they were in danger.
One of the other PCs recruited you for your talents.
You’re strong and can take a lot of physical punishment. You might have a large frame and a square jaw. Tough characters frequently have visible scars.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.SkxEXPpCgIGXixu9]{Resilient}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.gr1uaERqywhUGjCK]{Healthy}: Add 1 to the points you regain when you make a recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You’re trained in Might defense actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra light weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You’re acting as a bodyguard for one of the other PCs.
One of the PCs is your sibling, and you came along to watch out for them.
You need money because your family is in debt.
You stepped in to defend one of the PCs when that character was threatened. While talking to them afterward, you heard about the group’s task.
You try to hide what’s inside, fold it into yourself when everything inside you screams to let go, make them pay, make them hurt, and make them bleed. Sometimes you succeed for your friends—smiling like they smile, laughing when they laugh, and sometimes even having other emotions of your own. But it’s always there, that feeling of frantic glee mixed with hate that sometimes leaps out of you when you confront a foe. Violence your friends can tolerate, but you sometimes worry they will also learn that you are cruel.
You gain the following characteristics:
Skill: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.53j3Qwt5Im4wqddo]{tracking creatures}. If @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.ZPyRyzPue2DuKSw9]{a creature has wronged you}, the tracking task is eased.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LldixgespLl6ajEf]{Bloodthirsty}: Once you begin fighting, you see only red. You inflict 2 additional points of damage with any attack.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.1FP6DV2OqgaaT4ZN]{Berserk}: Once you begin fighting, it’s hard for you to stop. In fact, it’s a difficulty 2 Intellect task to do so, even if your foe surrenders or you’ve run out of foes. If the latter occurs and you fail to stop, you attack the nearest ally within short range.
Additional Equipment: You have a record that you use to list those who’ve wronged you.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Another PC saw you take down a mean drunk in a tavern, not realizing you were the one who started the fight.
You wanted to get away from a bad situation, so you went with the other PCs.
You want to change, and you hope that being with the other PCs will help you calm yourself.
One of the other PCs asked you to come along, believing that your viciousness could be harnessed for the benefit of the mission.
Doing the right thing is a way of life. You live by a code, and that code is something you attend to every day. Whenever you slip, you reproach yourself for your weakness and then get right back on track. Your code probably includes moderation, respect for others, cleanliness, and other characteristics that most people would agree are virtues, while you eschew their opposites: sloth, greed, gluttony, and so on.
You gain the following characteristics:
Dauntless: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iUJdgnZi90GZjY9s]{Skill}: You are trained in discerning people’s true motives or seeing through lies.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.5X8qgmSuvRVNTiaP]{Skill}: Your adherence to a strict moral code has hardened your mind against fear, doubt, and outside influence. You are trained in Intellect defense tasks.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs are doing something virtuous, and you’re all about that.
The PCs are on the road to perdition, and you see it as your task to set them on the proper moral route.
One of the other PCs invited you, hearing of your virtuous ways.
You put virtue before sense and defended someone’s honor in the face of an organization or power far greater than you. You joined the PCs because they offered aid and friendship when, out of fear of reprisals, no one else would.
You aren’t like anyone else, and that’s fine with you. People don’t seem to understand you—they even seem put off by you—but who cares? You understand the world better than they do because you’re weird, and so is the world you live in. The concept of “the weird” is well known to you. Strange devices, ancient locales, bizarre creatures, storms that can transform you, living energy fields, conspiracies, aliens, and things most people can’t even name populate the world, and you thrive on them. You have a special attachment to it all, and the more you discover about the weirdness in the world, the more you might discover about yourself.
Weird characters might be mutants or people born with strange qualities, but sometimes they started out “normal” and adopted the weird by choice.
You gain the following characteristics:
Inner Light: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.HV2tw9N81PJawwwx]{Distinctive Physical Quirk}: You have a unique physical aspect that is, well, bizarre. Depending on the setting, this can vary greatly. You might have purple hair or metal spikes on your head. Perhaps your hands don’t connect to your arms, although they move as if they do. Maybe a third eye stares out from the side of your head, or superfluous tendrils grow from your back. Whatever it is, your quirk might be a mutation, a supernatural trait (a blessing or curse), a feature with no explanation, or just a really wild tattoo that draws a lot of attention.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.zKHJrLeBOfy0p9du]{A Sense for the Weird}: Sometimes—at the GM’s discretion—weird things relating to the supernatural or its effects on the world seem to call out to you. You can sense them from afar, and if you get within long range of such a thing, you can sense whether it is overtly dangerous or not.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.uBvX2CVPg5MNgjwW]{Skill}: You are trained in supernatural knowledge.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.JDEjrsDDDqVcqSZp]{Inability}: People find you unnerving. All tasks relating to pleasant social interaction are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
It seemed weird, so why not?
Whether the other PCs realize it or not, their mission has to do with something weird that you know about, so you got involved.
As an expert in the weird, you were specifically recruited by the other PCs.
You felt drawn to join the other PCs, but you don’t know why.
Focus is what makes a character unique. No two PCs in a group should have the same focus. A focus gives a character benefits when they create their character and each time they ascend to the next tier. It’s the verb of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
This chapter contains nearly a hundred sample foci, such as Bears a Halo of Fire, Would Rather Be Reading, and Pilots Starcraft. These foci can be chosen and used as presented by a player, or by the GM who adds them to a list of available foci for their players in their next campaign.
In addition, the latter half of this chapter provides tools for the GM or an enterprising player to create their own custom foci that perfectly match the needs of a given game or campaign, as presented in Creating New Foci.
Not all foci are appropriate for every genre. The Genre chapter provides guidance, but this section offers some broad generalizations. Obviously, the GM can include whatever foci are available in their setting. Foci end up being an important distinction in this case, because Commands Mental Powers, for example, makes it clear that psychic abilities exist in the setting, just as Howls at the Moon implies the existence of lycanthropes like werewolves, and Pilots Starcraft, of course, requires starships available to pilot.
When a focus is chosen for a character, they get a special connection to one or more of their fellow PCs, a first-tier ability, and perhaps additional starting equipment: one or two pieces of equipment that might be required for the character to use their ability, or that might pair well with the focus. For instance, a character that can build things needs a set of tools. A character that’s constantly on fire needs a set of clothes that are immune to flame. A character that draws runes to cast spells needs writing implements. A character that slays monsters with a sword needs a sword. And so on. That said, many foci don’t require additional equipment.
Each focus also offers one or more suggestions—GM intrusions—for possible effects or consequences of really good or really bad die rolls.
A couple of foci presented in this chapter provide a “type swap option” that allows a player to swap an ability that would otherwise be gained from their type for the indicated ability instead. A player doesn’t have to make the swap; they merely have the option. For instance, the focus Loves the Void provides the option to gain the ability Have Spacesuit, Will Travel instead of a type ability.
As a character progresses to a new tier, a focus grants more abilities. Each tier’s benefit is usually labeled Action or Enabler. If an ability is labeled Action, a character must take an action to use it. If an ability is labeled Enabler, it makes other actions better or gives some other benefit, but it’s not an action. An ability that allows a character to blast foes with lasers is an action. An ability that grants additional damage when an attack is made is an enabler. An enabler is used in the same turn as another action, and often as part of another action.
Each tier’s benefits are independent of and cumulative with benefits from other tiers (unless indicated otherwise). So if a first-tier ability grants +1 to Armor and a fourth-tier ability also grants +1 to Armor, when the character reaches fourth tier, a total of +2 to Armor is granted.
At tier 3 and tier 6, the character is asked to choose one ability from the two options provided.
Finally, you can choose whether you want to expand the story behind the focus (though that’s not mandatory).
Choose a connection that goes well with the focus. If you’re a GM choosing (or creating) one or more foci for your players, choose up to four of the following connections.
Pick one other PC. For reasons unknown to you, that character is completely immune to your focus abilities, whether you use them for help or for harm.
Pick one other PC. You knew of that character years ago, but you don’t think they knew you.
Pick one other PC. You’re always trying to impress them, but you’re not sure why.
Pick one other PC. That character has a habit that annoys you, but you’re otherwise quite impressed with their abilities.
Pick one other PC. That character shows potential in appreciating your particular paradigm, fighting style, or other
focus-provided attribute. You would like to train them, but you’re not necessarily qualified to teach (that’s up to you), and they might not be interested (that’s up to them).
Pick one other PC. If they are within immediate range when you’re in a fight, sometimes they provide an asset, and sometimes they accidentally hinder your attack rolls (50% chance either way, determined per fight).
Pick one other PC. You once saved their life, and they clearly feel indebted to you. You wish they didn’t; it’s just part of the job.
Pick one other PC. That character recently mocked you in some fashion that really hurt your feelings. How you deal with this (if at all) is up to you.
Pick one other PC. That character knows you have suffered at the hands of robotic entities in the past. Whether you hate robots now is up to you, which may affect your relationship with the character if they are friendly with robots or have robotic parts.
Pick one other PC. That character comes from the same place you do, and you knew each other as children.
Pick one other PC. In the past, they taught you a few tricks to use in a fight.
Pick one other PC. That character doesn’t seem to approve of your methods.
Pick one other PC. Long ago, the two of you were on opposite sides of a fight. You won, though you “cheated” in their eyes (but from your perspective, all’s fair in a fight). They may be ready for a rematch, though that’s up to them.
Pick one other PC. You are always trying
to impress that character with your skill, wit, appearance, or bravado. Perhaps they are a rival, perhaps you need their respect, or perhaps you’re romantically interested
in them.
Pick one other PC. You fear that character is jealous of your abilities and worry that it might lead to problems.
Pick one other PC. You accidentally caught them in a trap you set, and they had to get free on their own.
Pick one other PC. You were once hired to track down someone who was close to that character.
Pick two PCs (preferably ones who are likely to get in the way of your attacks). When you miss with an attack and the GM rules that you struck someone other than your target, you hit one of these two characters.
Pick one other PC. You’re not sure how or from where, but that character has a line on bottles of rare alcohol and can get them for you for half price.
Pick one other PC. You recently had a possession go missing, and you’re becoming convinced that they took it. Whether or not they did is up to them.
Pick one other PC. They always seem to know where you are, or at least in what direction you are in relation to them.
Pick one other PC. Seeing you use your focus abilities seems to trigger an unpleasant memory in that character. That memory is up to the other PC, although they may not be able to consciously recall it.
Pick one other PC. Something about them interferes with your abilities. When they stand next to you, your focus abilities cost 1 additional point.
Pick one other PC. Something about them complements your abilities. When they stand next to you, the first focus ability you use in any 24-hour period costs 2 fewer points.
Pick one other PC. You have known that character for a while, and they helped you gain control of your focus-related abilities.
Pick one other PC. Sometime in that character’s past, they had a devastating experience while attempting something that you do as a matter of course thanks to your focus. Whether they choose to tell you about it is up to them.
Pick one other PC. Their occasional clumsiness and loud behavior irritate you.
Pick one other PC. In the recent past, while practicing, you accidentally hit them with an attack, wounding them badly. It is up to them to decide whether they resent or forgive you.
Pick one other PC. They owe you a significant amount of money.
Pick one other PC. In the recent past, while escaping a threat, you accidentally left that character to fend for themselves. They survived, but just barely. It is up to the player of that character to decide whether they resent you or have decided to forgive you.
Pick one other PC. Recently, they accidentally (or perhaps intentionally) put you in a position of danger. You’re fine now, but you’re wary around them.
Pick one other PC. From your perspective, they seem nervous around a specific idea, person, or situation. You would like to teach them how to be more comfortable with their fears (if they will let you).
Pick one other PC. They called you a coward once.
Pick one other PC. That character always recognizes you or your handiwork, whether you’re in disguise or are long gone when they arrive on the scene.
Pick one other PC. You inadvertently caused an accident that put them into a sleep so deep they didn’t wake for three days. Whether they forgive you or not is up to them.
Pick one other PC. You are pretty sure you are related in some fashion.
Pick one other PC. You accidentally learned something they were trying to keep a secret.
Pick one other PC. They are especially sensitive to the use of your flashier focus abilities, and occasionally they become dazzled for a few rounds, which hinders their actions.
Pick one other PC. They appear to have a treasured item that was once yours, but that you lost in a game of chance years ago.
Pick one other PC. If it wasn’t for you, that character would have failed a past test of mental achievement.
Pick one other PC. Based on a couple of comments you’ve overheard, you suspect that they don’t hold your area of training or favorite hobby in the highest regard.
Pick one other PC whose focus intertwines with yours. This odd connection affects them in some way. For example, if the character uses a weapon, your focus ability sometimes improves their attack in some fashion.
Pick one other PC. They are deathly afraid of heights. You would like to teach them how to be more comfortable with their feet off the ground. They must decide whether or not to take you up on your offer.
Pick one other PC. They are skeptical of your claims about something momentous that happened in your past. They might even attempt to discredit you or discover the “secret” behind your story, though that’s up to them.
Pick one other PC. They have a knack for being able to recognize where your plans or schemes have a weak spot.
Pick one other PC. That character’s face is so intriguing to you in a way you don’t understand that you sometimes find yourself sketching their likeness in the dirt or using some other medium you have access to.
Pick one other PC. That character has an extra item of regular equipment you gave them, either something you made or an item you just wanted to give them. (They choose the item.)
Pick one other PC. They commissioned you to do a job for them. You’ve already been paid but haven’t yet completed the job.
Pick one other PC. You worked together in the past, and the job ended badly.
Pick one other PC. While they stand next to you and use their action to concentrate on helping you, one of your focus ability’s ranges is doubled.
The foci in this book have been purposely stripped down to basics so they have the widest possible application across multiple genres. A single descriptive sentence or two summarizes each one. After you choose a focus, you have the option to expand its presentation by adding more story and description relevant to the world or to the character.
For instance, if you choose Operates Undercover, the summarizing description is “Under the guise of someone else, you seek to find answers the powerful do not want divulged.” If you choose Conducts Weird Science, the summary is “Your preternatural insight and ability make you a scientist capable of amazing feats.” These descriptions provide what you need to know to use the focus.
However, if you wish (and only if you wish; there is no requirement to do so), you can add more to those descriptions in a fashion that’s relevant for your game. For example, if you choose both Operates Undercover and Conducts Weird Science for use in a modern genre such as horror, urban fantasy, espionage, or something similar, you might expand the descriptions as shown in the following examples.
Operates Undercover: Espionage is not something you know anything about. At least, that’s what you want everyone to believe, because in truth, you’ve been trained as a spy or covert agent. You might work for a government or for yourself. You might be a police detective or a criminal. You could even be an investigative reporter.
Regardless, you learn information that others attempt to keep secret. You collect rumors and whispers, stories and hard-won evidence, and you use that knowledge to aid your own endeavors and, if appropriate, provide your employers with the information they desire. Alternatively, you might sell what you have learned to those willing to pay a premium.
You probably wear dark colors—black, charcoal grey, or midnight blue—to help blend into the shadows, unless the cover you’ve chosen requires you to look like someone else.
Conducts Weird Science: You could be a respected scientist, having been published in several peer-reviewed journals. Or you might be considered a crank by your contemporaries, pursuing fringe theories on what others consider to be scant evidence. Truth is, you have a particular gift for sifting the edges of what’s possible. You can find new insights and unlock odd phenomena with your experiments. Where others see a crackpot cornucopia, you sift the conspiracy theories for revelation. Whether you conduct your enquiries as a government contractor, a university researcher, a corporate scientist, or an indulger of curiosity in your own garage lab following your muse, you push the boundaries of what’s possible.
You probably care more about your work than trivialities such as your appearance, polite or proper behavior, or social norms, but then again, an eccentric like you might turn the tables on that stereotype too.
If you want to go even further, you could determine where a character’s focus abilities come from. Depending on the genre, they could derive those abilities from advanced and persistent training, via magical runes, through cybernetic parts, from their genetic heritage, or because of their access to advanced technology. For instance, a character might be able to blast targets with lightning because they got zapped by strange radiation or because they picked up a lightning gun. On the other hand, it might be because their intense training allowed them to learn lightning magic. The possibilities are nearly endless, and up to you to include or forgo. Because however a focus’s abilities were gained, it’s also enough that they just work.
Sometimes not everything about a focus is right for a character’s concept, or perhaps the GM needs additional guidelines for creating a new focus. Either way, the solution lies in looking at foci abilities at their most basic default levels.
At any tier, a player can select one of the following abilities in place of the ability granted by the tier. Many of these replacement abilities, particularly at the higher tiers, might involve body modification, integration with high-tech devices, learning powerful magic spells, uncovering forbidden secrets, or something similar appropriate to the genre.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1 or 2 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1, 2, or 3 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsKeNcF252yKnh2O]{Poison Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2BSB9or5UJdTiYF]{Built-in Weaponry}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1, 2, 3, or 4 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field}
Lower-tier ability: choose any tier 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 replacement ability, above.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
The full description for each focus ability listed in this section is found in the Abilities chapter, which has descriptions for type, flavor, and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.
Your flesh is made of hard mineral, making you a hulking, difficult-to-harm humanoid.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pXrC4lkMOY7CvFLk]{Golem Body}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9ZBl9NeipxSLavS]{Golem Healing}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aFEBxDGnuFi20cLo]{Golem Grip}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zuEylYrgOVAAjs71]{Trained Basher}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E0k0LUw0epjJGrv9]{Golem Stomp} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.F6mAzjhG2T4irVjy]{Specialized Basher}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4BQHOR98z3TYJPQu]{Still As a Statue}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge}
GM Intrusions: Creatures of stone sometimes forget their own strength or weight. A walking statue can terrify common folk.
You can harness kinetic energy and transform it into other kinds of energy.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.62zBqhQoPk6IV8lF]{Absorb Kinetic Energy}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMjccuRLDDnfZtZe]{Release Energy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJst9mtUKNTe3Pd2]{Energize Object}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yvPcOjjqyU3618Ob]{Absorb Pure Energy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wrPVUnJauasIH886]{Improved Absorb Kinetic Energy}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Y7HUEp7IxdPuur8V]{Overcharge Energy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m21TAvxSQn1rGx3d]{Overcharge Device}
GM Intrusions: Energy goes to ground in a destructive way. Some predators feed directly on energy. An unintended item is drained of energy.
You can pull images from dreams and bring them to life in the waking world.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y08bfWS5eyeUJB3J]{Dreamcraft}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bcEupdsF6FduFPwe]{Oneirochemy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bH57y3PYsMceluGy]{Dream Thief}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FBCpBF9PXlEtIX4m]{Dream Becomes Reality} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FIU24o7T66ViVgyg]{Daydream}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUbqCBV3dBOWFgmv]{Nightmare}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2iAHsn5ie8sYRiyb]{Chamber of Dreams} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
GM Intrusions: An unexpected sleepwalking episode puts the character into a dangerous situation. A nightmare breaks free of a dream.
You excel in battling robots, automatons, and machine entities.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.atQ5yNq1ZEyy0z5j]{Machine Vulnerabilities}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aNNLomN5nZc52ZT4]{Defense Against Robots}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QHSH8fE6l3bKz2xl]{Machine Hunting}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ka5VA9XBi4OTnKVa]{Disable Mechanisms} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJakiz9yvoflzzBD]{Drain Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jHrQLzIfjKtXBoJL]{Deactivate Mechanisms} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: The robot explodes upon defeat. Other robots come after the character for revenge.
You can sheath your body in flames, which protects you and harms your foes.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AzMtxh562JfrPdKZ]{Shroud of Flame}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJjAmyf9zhjRTNme]{Hurl Flame}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TWqyBv9PEjwJKd1y]{Wings of Fire} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.srn53BB1da8Elh1t]{Fiery Hand of Doom}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJQmvEiYq2xBv4ZJ]{Flameblade}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6fpCYtBDCfW6m1b0]{Fire Tendrils}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NVdx8QjmTP5eOjDh]{Fire Servant} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLsz8IqWScZt0Ott]{Inferno Trail}
GM Intrusions: Fire burns flammable material. Fire spreads out of control. Primitive creatures fear fire and often attack what they fear.
You can create light, sculpt it, bend it away from you, or gather it to use as a weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ea7BzQy6fZqHQNET]{Enlightened}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xZQXXjAWGBo7mTHU]{Illuminating Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teFcKcbo5ZBFbfRl]{Dazzling Sunburst}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IUlsD8Zxp8AYbO4h]{Burning Light} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIlgHiF1EN0fEpYx]{Sunlight}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PyVeE7CtDVDksWG6]{Disappear}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cE7JPRHLqIdM3b9V]{Living Light} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field}
GM Intrusions: Allies are accidentally dazzled or blinded. Bright flashes draw guards.
You deploy an amazing shield of pure force that provides protection and some offensive options.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yb5PaVIPimrcJxFg]{Force Field Shield}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aidcxXW6MokDMqY7]{Force Bash}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPflrS1giYnMoqL2]{Enveloping Shield}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6nm35znCQzjAk6Gb]{Healing Pulse} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SPL1URVkuo4PJP8I]{Throw Force Shield}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B5zrSVUs54TUALFB]{Energized Shield}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TXNhhyj63MMp2dVF]{Force Wall}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zflNCqrmTL7vrYg1]{Bouncing Shield} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Np67YSIzrP6w1PPb]{Shield Burst}
GM Intrusions: The shield is temporarily lost. A foe temporarily ends up with the shield.
Your robotic creations do as they are commanded.
The word “robot” is used in this focus, though the robot you create might look very different from one created by someone else, depending on the genre. Steampunk robots, organic robots, or even magical golems are all feasible “robots.”
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.paIv2etaqLqY76y0]{Robot Assistant}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUliR2uWpIcE6jQX]{Robot Builder}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kgCuCmU8kn0UMy8v]{Robot Control}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BSx4qB29VwRUISm6]{Robot Upgrade}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yqhUXLWMSNn5IYOn]{Robot Fleet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HAVNfVKAdwtJF6Jj]{Robot Evolution} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BSx4qB29VwRUISm6]{Robot Upgrade}
GM Intrusions: The robot is hacked, gains a mind of its own, or unexpectedly detonates.
Awesome mathematical ability allows you to model the world in real time, giving you an edge over everyone.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vcbIe2sSMKJmawl4]{Predictive Equation}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A853pOqz5BmPfh4w]{Higher Mathematics}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V5oEOJ4i32t97yOG]{Predictive Model}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CNw7shehsdySzhAK]{Subconscious Defense} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7JkIlrv7gxim4Fn]{Cognizant Offense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GnQRIvynqXx1R2a0]{Further Mathematics}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
GM Intrusions: Too many predicted results threaten to overwhelm and stun the character. A result points to imminent disaster.
A devout follower of a divine being, you channel some of your deity’s power to achieve wonders.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I9m3nOdBZ2HoEmbj]{Blessing of the Gods}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dJTgtIs80gOoI6ac]{Divine Radiance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gDwPpgIAocEfQjPx]{Overawe}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OkKNmMvLFwHxUv2r]{Divine Intervention}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgaSXp1VQiec8Jst]{Divine Symbol} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon}
GM Intrusions: A demon investigates divine magic use. A rival cult has issues with the character’s teachings.
You can pull images from dreams and bring them to life in the waking world.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L2NOLfflU6HNleuT]{Telepathic}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mc8L07dpf605FDo9]{Psychic Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iRqXVpngq6vfgtEn]{Psychic Suggestion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FktE2hQhSKXbWcQU]{Use Senses of Others}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K0C60k7wHBSpMQX4]{Telepathic Network}
GM Intrusions: Something glimpsed in the target’s mind is horrifying. A feedback loop allows the target to read the character’s mind.
Your preternatural insight and ability make you a scientist capable of amazing feats.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4PVFXmi2cxI8MdpR]{Lab Analysis}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mFPUUmBIcGGsuwNd]{Modify Device}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G0hoaZFQpdG7FfxO]{Better Living Through Chemistry} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gjBFpV2OvDmBqeE3]{Just a Bit Mad}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RHLBHQuskBAVGnU8]{Weird Science Breakthrough}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CyuPiJdYZIfNcTSy]{Incredible Feat of Science}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JeqLEAcHOYVd78TH]{Inventor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field}
GM Intrusions: Creations get out of control. Side effects cannot always be predicted. Weird science terrifies people and can draw the media. When a device created or modified by weird science is depleted, it detonates.
The dead answer your questions, and their reanimated corpses serve you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nvA3LwoSP7jf4h8G]{Speaker for the Dead}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yaLHxRtVBhveqHJA]{Necromancy}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uPvNopNWTgHGIPyR]{Reading the Room} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rRDSzPJtUCwRVXFR]{Repair Flesh}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vEVmBgz2TxOH3aSk]{Greater Necromancy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kKYyGbrQxDRSOh37]{Terrifying Gaze}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GDphyYXSfjKE5BST]{True Necromancy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
GM Intrusions: The character’s necromantic reputation precedes them. A corpse seeks revenge for being reanimated.
Your ability to communicate and lead beasts is uncanny.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bOohoEcDegDBinFc]{Beast Companion}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h1rn92kIqG5VVYd6]{Stronger Together}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pFWDdnTXCiPfwsWv]{Beast Call}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qm31Nw2SkBpVcv9M]{As If One Creature} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LvoH43SKKtr3urKo]{Control the Savage}
GM Intrusions: The community is reluctant to welcome dangerous animals. Out-of-control beasts become a real hazard.
You can sway the attraction of gravity itself.
Type Swap Option: Weighty
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SHMGbt30RfePtyNE]{Define Down} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jbhcWHMiQQaR9ukO]{Gravity Cleave}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eJpNT3QObtYiDfXY]{Field of Gravity}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abdAcwYE8L00VakL]{Flight}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cnvf8fv0EEKU3iSn]{Improved Gravity Cleave} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tMOeiKWrhp5P5CCQ]{Weight of the World}
GM Intrusions: Onlookers react with unreasoning fear. A weird interaction sends an ally or object careening into the sky.
You fashion images from light that are so perfect they seem real.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l60mmJrF1GupXLJB]{Minor Illusion}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asQqC0DepYcsPxRV]{Illusory Disguise}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JwG4lCSZIG3qUQAi]{Cast Illusion} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hNsph7BRwllVSUre]{Major Illusion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hJV3hrSYcq3Zbzl5]{Illusory Selves}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9cJ6gJZc7datpQwJ]{Terrifying Image}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lCWWUQ0vYH2odiDv]{Grandiose Illusion} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RNJbp1eAcMqSnYvb]{Permanent Illusion}
GM Intrusions: The illusion isn’t believable. The illusion is pierced at just the wrong moment.
You’re an inventor of strange and useful objects.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkyJ02LbeOAfDxcF]{Crafter}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YF8CYsYKcXpdfqH5]{Master Identifier}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yIdq1lu1eUAkNyDC]{Artifact Tinkerer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m6X5wyPUPdhqLTIp]{Quick Work}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4JDFgEhyhqReRngE]{Master Crafter} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2BSB9or5UJdTiYF]{Built-in Weaponry}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M3TM1cORNnlEN0ZO]{Cyphersmith}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y3qXWOUu7mAhg6Rb]{Innovator}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JeqLEAcHOYVd78TH]{Inventor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor}
GM Intrusions: The object malfunctions, breaks, or suffers catastrophic or unexpected failure.
Cyphersmith works only in a setting where the cyphers are physical objects. If this isn’t the case, this ability should probably be replaced with something akin to Weird Science Breakthrough from the Conducts Weird Science focus.
You can manipulate shadow and “dark” matter.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7aCeBDGZqu8A9hMQ]{Ribbons of Dark Matter}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VWehoqF0N6s0WMLK]{Void Wings}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XYbtbbVKFYmDfmjO]{Dark Matter Shroud} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MqGMnSIkHK4rOFSm]{Dark Matter Strike}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b44vvK2YjdSeYPJc]{Windwracked Traveler}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JUn27j5YI3dRh2jJ]{Dark Matter Structure} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.apQwshUTjCQPym8A]{Embrace the Night}
GM Intrusions: Dark matter skulks away as if possessed by a mind of its own.
Everyone wants you on their side when it comes to a fight because nothing gets by you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.C9x7b1qN4qmm568P]{Fortified Position}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.POaewj2PWMMfCY1i]{Rally to Me}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VgomhLKFHDDAzW9T]{Mind for Might}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZvKFftq7doCxI7T5]{Fortification Builder} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hCAzOVpH0jrYc9qk]{Reinforcing Field}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBykf0P4WQ9Lb6TN]{Generate Force Field} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack}
GM Intrusions: A strategically important structure collapses. The enemy attacks from an unexpected direction.
You stand up for the helpless, the weak, and the unprotected.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6zU8AURXjXgG63j6]{Warding Shield}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9p2RJYFo6s55F5Ha]{Devoted Defender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fh7tK1BVjgSfZ8ml]{Insight}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Su3LkSzdGHg9w1RO]{Dual Wards} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GAeUBbQWE3ryv50V]{True Guardian}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lb5Bo8BpNXdVMkmt]{Combat Challenge}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aDnA7oA9ZYCEfprI]{Resuscitate} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mjEFQ3ndDRvLB5Dj]{True Defender}
GM Intrusions: A character focused on protecting others may periodically leave themselves vulnerable to attacks.
A descendent of wealth and power, you carry a noble title and the abilities granted by a privileged upbringing.
Type Swap Option: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S2OZtm12S2YvxD7H]{Retinue}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A8CGMbLGsJ3AHKMP]{Trained Interlocutor}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AAUqaiWxC5V4e1VH]{Noble’s Courage}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.T5tn7zItPyaRcYNC]{Asserting Your Privilege}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader}
GM Intrusions: Debts incurred by a family are owed by the character. A long-lost sibling seeks to disinherit rivals. An assassin finds the character.
You’re a slacker, but you know a little about a lot of things.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aOzkoVf0mNSkZBtn]{Life Lessons}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2fU3nI68oi5ScziC]{Totally Chill}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aOzkoVf0mNSkZBtn]{Life Lessons}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wztu6KcpILxwlFTU]{Drawing on Life’s Experiences} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits}
GM Intrusions: New situations are confounding and stressful. Past actions (or inactions) come back to haunt the character.
Whether balancing on two wheels, jumping another vehicle, or driving head-on toward an oncoming enemy car, you don’t think about the risks when you’re behind the wheel.
Someone who Drives Like a Maniac needs access to a vehicle.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DCuOpij3sNomBe1a]{Driver}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fu5C9JHmORmWTR8]{Driving on the Edge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lY7NaxsFxt1XZVk5]{Car Surfer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHcC89OKZACgLB8Y]{Stare Them Down}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hQx9SoUhY6jzUeTW]{Expert Driver} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EQXA8Gcwdc7dU8lw]{Sharp-Eyed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vVax9KyZ3U4Wpok8]{Something in the Road}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: The engine develops a knock. The bridge on the road ahead is out. The windshield shatters. Someone unexpectedly runs in front of the vehicle.
Your body, hard as crystal, gives you a suite of unique abilities, gained after an interaction with a floating crystalline obelisk.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QsXOz48JgyXYEEqS]{Inhabit Crystal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIWg9VFNnYnrknAu]{Crystal Lens}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ucsscEpO5L2gIYZg]{Resonant Frequency}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bY52t6eGONKu8Kr4]{Resonant Quake} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tR2v2vMu3TgN21OJ]{Return to the Obelisk}
GM Intrusions: Cyphers and artifacts react unexpectedly in the character’s hands.
You command metal and the power of magnetism.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p2JmtbtuzscW1ogs]{Move Metal}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MK2dp11krszjDsyc]{Repel Metal}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XSuUGS0UyrhiW44]{Destroy Metal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4v5pXMwFeB7xQzME]{Guide Bolt}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n985WYLPzj2XqBry]{Magnetic Field}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uN2YVmNxkFj3SFof]{Command Metal}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fruWNFBBNLpcGLaC]{Diamagnetism} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SZtOjKk7ScShJT6G]{Iron Punch}
GM Intrusions: The metal twists, bends, or produces shrapnel. A lapse in concentration might cause something to slip or drop at just the wrong time.
You perform, mostly for the benefit of others.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rfsCCpxcsjc8hr60]{Levity}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CLObcsu2DKKKhzyK]{Calm}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kZ3LhhYZKrcnBplY]{Master Entertainer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRIDlrBzTXVYC5rh]{Vindictive Performance}
GM Intrusions: The audience is annoyed or offended. Musical instruments break. Paints dry in their pots. The words to a poem or song are forgotten.
It seems that the tier 2 ability is supposed to be @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DLxDL49VjUEMAjxZ]{Inspiring Ease} instead of Inspiration.
You exist in two places at once.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P1jQZdPIrxo4wNlr]{Duplicate}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRh7n2VLXyRa4il9]{Share Senses}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FwEUY43Q8EMVCCsL]{Superior Duplicate} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oEubmS7pZ3zFK8uJ]{Resilient Duplicate}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nVFRDMhuWDrdve4F]{Damage Transference}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmjxGRJTwztzBtLc]{Coordinated Effort}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rsYzxCchklPSFAp7]{Multiplicity} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oEubmS7pZ3zFK8uJ]{Resilient Duplicate}
GM Intrusions: Perceiving the world from two different places disorients the character, causing momentary vertigo, nausea, or confusion.
A bit translucent, you’re slightly out of phase and can move through solid objects.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2j6Hqr2Y8Xbz97c4]{Defensive Phasing}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cJB7wj5okdPZuRNb]{Phased Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MFBq4Fc432FS6nkX]{Phase Door}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QLRztjFH4YetYM6l]{Untouchable}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xHLPf1FETmn06aA8]{Enhanced Phased Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ptH3O4GES71CClGO]{Phase Foe}
GM Intrusions: The character is sent phasing into an unexpected dimension. The character becomes lost in a large solid.
You’re the archetypal treasure hunter, scavenger, and finder of lost things.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwDYD8V1CJv8w9rR]{Superb Explorer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aJ1T8XqGF38vyzV2]{Superb Infiltrator}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xskKzxBoGvSrje4e]{Eyes Adjusted}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LdHCwZcifnRRuPrp]{Nightstrike} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JhBTTC5ZUTT8NvUA]{Slippery Customer}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XRXQwJplJrm7onbN]{Blinding Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2asT0zvk1kw5hC1v]{Embraced by Darkness}
GM Intrusions: Possessions fall out of pockets or bags in the dark; maps get lost; information gained fails to include an important detail.
You’ll do anything to win a fight: bite, scratch, kick, trick, and worse.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gwMRhz3h9zxbVQXt]{Stalker}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7Gxuqkwo4i47yHe3]{Betrayal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9WffstnihzBuuvW]{Mind Games}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z4QcjOxgltEJPm96]{Twisting the Knife} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer}
GM Intrusions: People look poorly upon those who cheat or fight without honor. Sometimes a dirty trick backfires.
You’re a swashbuckling daredevil who fights with flamboyant style that’s entertaining to watch.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GQeO9RXVzeriLsfy]{Quick Block}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ra0A8MtQjZEYhJPr]{Acrobatic Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tmrSKjGmjbxfIqPI]{Flamboyant Boast}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3JWMtJBjf3oUWaxP]{Block for Another}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cuK7oPGFdlOPoc44]{Agile Wit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender}
GM Intrusions: The display comes off looking silly, clumsy, or unattractive.
You can fly, and you’re superstrong, hard to hurt, and fast too. Is there anything you can’t do?
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYyymKUc0QKWdNsy]{See Through Matter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zps9ZUc9RD1mRDEK]{Blink of an Eye}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s68x7VxwueUkCkOg]{Up to Speed}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IUlsD8Zxp8AYbO4h]{Burning Light} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction}
GM Intrusions: A nemesis finds the character. A strange material is found to nullify the character’s abilities.
You can telekinetically move objects with your mind without physically touching them.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xDn74LRD6xlMUqj2]{Telekinesis}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gyZd83dgvZnQrmbb]{Cloak of Opportunity} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bvqDafTBMB7Uo9Qj]{Enhance Strength}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.loOJI9ZakIwGrmW1]{Apportation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8wSx2qtKXq0dWxId]{Psychokinetic Attack}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iEOf9IkbHU8oBOMm]{Improved Apportation} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape}
GM Intrusions: One mental slip, and moving objects drop or fragile objects break. Sometimes the wrong item moves, falls, or breaks.
It seems that the tier 1 ability is supposed to be @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YcDF62pED8waUtry]{Deflect Attacks} instead of Divert Attacks.
Your body is part machine.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4dTGeclZRVjzn5tT]{Interface}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.42sPqHxJEybiZ6Vh]{Fusion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement}
GM Intrusions: People in most societies are afraid of someone who is revealed to have mechanical parts.
Electronic aids implanted in your brain make you a mental powerhouse.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GicRKJcPO3hmlwD]{Network Tap}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GK0o4fjCtxgAP269]{Action Processor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dLJ0B35UlB5wxCf4]{Machine Telepathy}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teF5kZpAuRfZKfxn]{Machine Enhancement} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge}
GM Intrusions: Machines malfunction and shut down. Powerful machine intelligences can take control of lesser thinking machines. Some people don’t trust a person who isn’t fully organic.
For brief periods, you can grow larger and, with enough experience, to towering heights.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HDYOv1V10xpFbFI7]{Enlarge}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HoUOwIPfKTlxyQH0]{Freakishly Large}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GmMePJHTRl6PshR6]{Bigger}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wifCvRG9OhsTDT30]{Advantages of Being Big}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WuNUt6ltWGDdjNLS]{Throw}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.48i5ybVtZaTlFLJf]{Grab}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XYaYNoQzrYYKR4p]{Gargantuan}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbbPZIjq81Qqdp6i]{Colossal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Rapid growth knocks over furnishings or smashes through ceilings or hanging lights. An enlarged character breaks through the floor.
You love your friends and help them out of any difficulty, no matter what.
Type Swap Option: Advice From a Friend
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lZCAKgP966BuU4uF]{Friendly Help}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QGSHCRW46vn5Xdwu]{Weather the Vicissitudes}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.knh2MWMhCgqOjWYD]{Buddy System} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RgosWDt0hkosbVQr]{In Harm’s Way}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwVDTy2Rx1V7Tyly]{Enhanced Physique}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1tkQKo32UKxTUUPn]{Deep Consideration} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Others sometimes have ulterior motives. The law takes an undue interest. Even when everything goes right, repercussions follow.
For brief periods, you become a fearsome and powerful creature with control issues.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8DXGUr433iXaVCSv]{Beast Form}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wIOwT1tjGLMYzZAb]{Controlled Change}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NIePQkLH2DTVjZR2]{Bigger Beast Form} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ee8QC6fkRvD1yw6h]{Greater Beast Form}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqzexDdZolWgxAza]{Greater Controlled Change}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A9uQnidn6SKTNHJA]{Enhanced Beast Form}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control}
GM Intrusions: The change happens in an uncontrolled fashion. People are terrified of monsters.
You are a stalking hunter who excels at bringing down your selected quarry.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aBfj6w1y6noOzB7d]{Horde Fighting} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.57txEIyzuPUQOqVP]{Sprint and Grab}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LE8NtDKG9TzXBv5B]{Hunter’s Drive}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ENO71nxs3MSKzvq6]{Multiple Quarry}
GM Intrusions: The quarry notices the character. The quarry isn’t as vulnerable as it seemed.
Subtlety, guile, and stealth allow you to get in where others can’t.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WUY75HFAqAu1i9ku]{Sense Attitudes}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFc52xBtBp69WglW]{Impersonate}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LFiTEQpWhXBgIZWb]{Flight Not Fight}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3SiJ5Drao8XtmgzV]{Brainwashing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jrTEtAhE6GfLW7R4]{Spring Away}
GM Intrusions: Spies are treated harshly when caught. Allies disavow infiltrators who get caught. Some secrets are better left unknown.
You excel at winning others over to your views.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EbnGDC61relhYaib]{Opening Statement}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xBQM1AmjmcjmPDDD]{Knowledge of the Law}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GwH3ugd7aHrWZRz]{Debate}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FQPA8oY3xiZIL6aG]{Enhanced Intellect Edge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hw16NpdbdJOqVF4z]{Castigate}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kcXnkEBuyNil4Nd4]{No One Knows Better}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pGJIwlCJDib2Splm]{Legal Intern}
GM Intrusions: Onlookers react badly to a know-it-all. A distraction or interruption throws the character’s argument off the rails.
You’re a celebrity and most people adore you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK4CUb9HH4J5A8IN]{Entourage}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zGoUoC6i0f1SbUqE]{Celebrity Talent}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6QXGJBsJPDFgcdq5]{Perks of Stardom}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUhnX0UmEw2BROkI]{Captivate With Starshine}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1W0sBVHxG7LESCPl]{Do You Know Who I Am?}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zZYSSAFXtJcuezxM]{Transcend the Script} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion}
GM Intrusions: Fans are endangered or hurt on your behalf. Someone in your entourage betrays you. Your show, tour, contract, or other event is canceled. The media posts photos of you in an embarrassing situation.
You carry a gun and you know how to use it in a fight.
Although Is Licensed to Carry is designed with modern firearms in mind, it could apply to flintlock weapons, futuristic laser blasters, or other ranged weapons.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1SBd1jm66eSo4eHn]{Gunner}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wAbsUj5mHZatr3JG]{Practiced With Guns}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mbq7D0u4Vee0NKYz]{Careful Shot}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I8N5PUMy5Eq7cqZl]{Trained Gunner} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oNk0Nhle1XwBhOvp]{Snap Shot}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BM6YnBez7sVnrGUh]{Special Shot} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Misfire or jam! The attack fails and the action is lost, plus an additional action is needed to fix the problem.
“WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE” posters (or their equivalent) have appeared featuring your face. It’s up to you whether it’s a mistake that snowballed out of control or you actually would kill someone just for looking at you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DMBJEypEWuAS2lai]{Outlaw Reputation} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fD8yD0pGCMdOJkGb]{Band of Desperados}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Most people do not take well to discovering a wanted outlaw in their midst.
An allied magic creature bound to an object (such as a minor djinn in a lamp, or a ghost in a pipe) is your friend, protector, and weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9Kag2UMn6Wdxq4Zo]{Bound Magic Creature}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PCTUkuALVb0GdTCe]{Object Bond}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1KjY8D1dvLc3NuUv]{Hidden Closet}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QxOsAHpd8ZkEXI5u]{Improved Object Bond}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Aprz5cRtdgiAIYUM]{Object Bond Mastery} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V7npSeuqG3JI4Dvv]{Trust to Luck}
GM Intrusions: The creature unexpectedly disappears into its bound object. The bound object cracks. The creature disagrees and doesn’t do as asked. The creature says it’s leaving unless a task is performed for it.
Your natural leadership capability allows you to command others, including a loyal band of followers.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDUGlu7DZhdfxH2P]{Natural Charisma}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EMTH3JCrC5Vjt63]{Captivate or Inspire}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KpbEHKNSEycVB1GU]{Band of Followers} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader}
GM Intrusions: Followers fail, betray, lie, become corrupted, get kidnapped, or die.
You deal with bad situations as they arise, learning new lessons each time.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0xVoKhKKvzxIbtJD]{There’s Your Problem}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YCwy44WnpusEYN7g]{Quick Study}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qgholblGXKQri99M]{Hard to Distract}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FQPA8oY3xiZIL6aG]{Enhanced Intellect Edge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIK67k9aoBbFBnkf]{Pay It Forward}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2LaX22wvw35lDger]{Learned a Few Things}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EE1xCQ3OvCrdrG6z]{Two Things at Once} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Accidents and mistakes are great teachers.
You can survive in badlands where others perish.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KqV5RSzOU3S3NK51]{Wilderness Life}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFQaDsHzJpTSV8Tw]{Living Off the Land}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Db7aRY4t1mwRpcoL]{Wilderness Explorer}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ja8ebgq2RDQryN62]{Wilderness Encouragement}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBdIPMJ2oOOesmod]{Wilderness Awareness}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pfZzabIIEuU4kSH3]{The Wild Is on Your Side}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TRdK7RJBkq8WW4np]{Wild Camouflage}
GM Intrusions: People in cities and towns sometimes disparage those who look (and smell) like they live in the wilds, as if they were ignorant or barbaric.
You’re a scrapper and love a good fight.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XseI77zSp7iHkEWq]{Wound Tender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qp1jDaFiRR5xPPMn]{Protector}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tFhd4dEGikOd1g1K]{Straightforward}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2K3b6cTuLEGZfYqa]{Knock Out}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Weapons break or fly from even the strongest grip. Brawlers trip and fall. Even the battlefield can work against you with things falling or collapsing.
When it’s just you, your spacesuit, and the panorama of stars wheeling out forever and always, you are at peace.
Type Swap Option: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.geCiPXMF2sIRJ68U]{Have Spacesuit, Will Travel}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zgcoMEc4j2MjpDhC]{Vacuum Skilled}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GfDLA0qSvqhqzIbL]{Microgravity Adept}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwVDTy2Rx1V7Tyly]{Enhanced Physique}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q73VWJY2cmWxRcYx]{Space Fighting} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U2QV8t7Pq9irgHqF]{Silent As Space}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJ9nWmcBIlfyNDfe]{Push Off and Throw}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIy1HDd9yUl07AYo]{Microgravity Avoidance}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w3HN2nZBTo5mLJcM]{Weightless Shot} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
GM Intrusions: Spacesuits develop glitches. Air refill cartridges sometimes misreport capacity. Micrometeorites are common in space.
You use protective equipment and practiced techniques to avoid becoming hurt in a fight.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EheuStXUDPojVmT5]{Shield Master}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gS1X6POaKLjNlHsI]{Sturdy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zLJYM2OiFVIsuz3P]{Dodge and Resist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lGbieMmnuoqsl4Jz]{Nothing but Defend}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B6SEeGr5kxLAgvvq]{Wear It Well}
GM Intrusions: Shields break when hit, as do weapons used to parry. Armor straps break.
By specializing in spellcasting and keeping a spellbook, you can quickly cast spells of arcing lightning, rolling fire, creeping shadow, and summoning.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EyAIsiqJGCspQFcu]{Arcane Flare}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yg6jEM07HAccDcNC]{Ray of Confusion}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEWyNKnVgVOjsyms]{Summon Giant Spider}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2t9oGZRuFhLCKjsa]{Soul Interrogation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK9Ruc53rKBqU93i]{Granite Wall}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
GM Intrusions: The spell goes wrong. The summoned creature turns on the caster. A rival spellcaster is drawn to the magic use.
Insects. Rats. Bats. Even birds. You master one type of small creature that obeys you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZEcFnsNXgcozJElT]{Influence Swarm}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIxPlDRbNqallNiu]{Control Swarm}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CEscdPwUrBpzUeS0]{Living Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gLxVxCSix441TyKq]{Call Swarm}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rUzrjRuT2nfEdCaJ]{Gain Unusual Companion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iQhBPww1s4wRZcDz]{Deadly Swarm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: A command is misunderstood. Control is erratic or is lost. Bites and stings are not uncommon for masters of the swarm.
You are a master user of a particular type of weapon, be it a sword, whip, dagger, gun, or something else.
Someone who Masters Weaponry might have additional equipment, including a high- quality weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.J0fj73TfCu4aSdVL]{Weapon Master}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qBTIXXJt2Ahn8UYh]{Weapon Crafter}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6Xs3fyaANQDWXRoc]{Weapon Defense}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YA5P5CBNr5NSmY6z]{Rapid Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.imWLlYQs4LTaCTdS]{Never Fumble}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mhgFWIDr0QuCHRIF]{Extreme Mastery}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike}
GM Intrusions: Weapons break. Weapons can be stolen. Weapons can be dropped or forced out of your hand.
You right wrongs, protect the innocent, and punish the guilty.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zu06akqnHdCvoR0W]{Make Judgment}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjxKTFdA8gqZDP90]{Designation}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5jGN9GicKYIAneKQ]{Defend the Innocent}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3fMzqFFQ1rLtbVrd]{Improved Designation}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bz04IOSkdP3zcRMD]{Defend All the Innocent} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iGRECL13bqrSSF7P]{Punish the Guilty}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RESKINMA0INj60Rc]{Find the Guilty}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgnoEdKZ50u4JZoL]{Greater Designation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KVOFCKWKmUrqAe7v]{Punish All the Guilty}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JH40M99RAN6IZWze]{Damn the Guilty} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kf09KYdZqG6dNTFC]{Inspire the Innocent}
GM Intrusions: Guilt or innocence can be complicated. Some people resent the presumption of a self-appointed judge. Passing judgment makes enemies.
Lithe, flexible, and graceful, you move quickly and smoothly, and never seem to be where danger is.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJiXzKX4gf0GNV6V]{Balance}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0Ewv5wBooSFYOlH]{Safe Fall}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JlYk5UNZEUzzO8Js]{Quick Strike}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CrV3a9S1yzOXBOJ]{Slippery}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
GM Intrusions: Even a cat can be clumsy. A jump isn’t quite as easy as it looks. An escape move is so overzealous that it sends the character right into harm’s way.
You can move so fast that you become a blur.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8LHIZs9gEAd02tId]{Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zps9ZUc9RD1mRDEK]{Blink of an Eye}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhNvpbUWNRIFEm8b]{Hard to See}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0wVk3CszKCJQfp0Q]{Incredible Running Speed}
GM Intrusions: Surfaces can be slick or offer hidden obstacles. The movement of other creatures can be unpredictable, and the character might run into them.
You’re an assassin, whether by trade, by inclination, or because it was that or be killed yourself. (Someone who Murders might have additional equipment, including three doses of a level 2 blade poison that inflicts 5 points of damage.)
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYaAyFLmCAAwZi0s]{Assassin Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y2eUnbkzxOeoe9w6]{Quick Death}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tbeFzIPGuAjRBpKM]{Better Surprise Attack}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzJe2XEwhtUajTWI]{Escape Plan} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer}
GM Intrusions: Most people do not react well to a professional killer.
Powerful punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and full body movements are all the weapons you need.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K33ayv0NcktuV53N]{Flesh of Stone}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p61Ycyc7lVZQXupO]{Advantage to Disadvantage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJKRrcU5L1yM9y90]{Unarmed Fighting Style}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mGv7zlZu1wtNCQXQ]{Moving Like Water} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S4PaEqmYjg4TGoG3]{Master of Unarmed Fighting Style} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Striking certain foes hurts you as much as it hurts them. Opponents with weapons have greater reach. Complicated martial arts moves can knock you off balance.
You never quit, can shrug off a beating, and always come back for more.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UtFc3e4grYyCQneH]{Improved Recovery}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wXV7JxEmZDlBvRKO]{Push on Through}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5HNZcrij9mgEmvAR]{Final Defiance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction}
GM Intrusions: Sometimes, it’s equipment or weapons that give out.
Under the guise of someone else, you seek to find answers the powerful do not want divulged.
Someone who Operates Undercover might have additional equipment that includes a disguise kit.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PK6oiYXgdP7KaGgi]{Investigate}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eYHlYyVDj3odrAFJ]{Disguise}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ILcTvACqDdLVpc8]{Agent Provocateur} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bgaCXtvlT0zWmAIA]{Using What’s Available}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V7npSeuqG3JI4Dvv]{Trust to Luck} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike}
GM Intrusions: Bad luck can ruin the best plans. Disguises fail. Allies are revealed to be agents, too.
A muscled prodigy, you can haul incredible weight, hurl your body through the air, and punch through doors.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpXOBSLY03j89yOy]{Athlete}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g1t5TxZXsNovIVTn]{Enhanced Might Edge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YQEECpNwDSFCFnCN]{Feat of Strength}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PYD24TjoDAqbKAj8]{Iron Fist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WuNUt6ltWGDdjNLS]{Throw}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ARiNuZrnfFCvZAFd]{Brute Strike}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack}
GM Intrusions: It’s easy to break delicate things or hurt someone accidentally.
You’re a crack starship pilot.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk5nnC1EcYtqc3Fu]{Pilot}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgCWZia7gFicmEJr]{Flex Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h3G0Ven2SoaPCbk4]{Salvage and Comfort}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hGbNYgkuIiZHomcJ]{Mentally Tough}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.12xO8QaEsTvEFUvY]{Expert Pilot}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIy0GMeL8WALvhEb]{Ship Footing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x7YnN02GiwDQ09km]{Sensor Array}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YWMUeaNzao8n8pAc]{Like the Back of Your Hand}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0q9alvmsQKKViN0r]{Incomparable Pilot}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yo2Z3EdYjx88jYnp]{Remote Control} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
GM Intrusions: Starcraft get lost, break down, and are attacked in space. An alien stowaway is found.
Lessons, reflexes, and strategies you’ve learned by playing too many games have applications in the real world, where people who don’t play enough toil and live their dreary lives.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qpBv7OxAcMAAtY2M]{Game Lessons}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p3kh3XKzetkJTG1J]{Gamer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qEzcqbNhuJQuBagn]{Zero Dark Eyes}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pMQT2QIL38XlhkxB]{Resist Tricks}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QDSSTe5EGrBHjtnL]{Sniper’s Aim} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9WffstnihzBuuvW]{Mind Games}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W0Jw19mWIycjIgmo]{Gamer’s Fortitude}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIUTe5O1jeA47zps]{Gaming God}
GM Intrusions: Missed attacks strike the wrong target. Equipment breaks. Sometimes people react negatively to someone who has lived most of their life in imaginary game worlds.
When you go berserk, everyone fears you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YGsGHp1rbu3Z7Kdd]{Frenzy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoC3yuqxU8yhPf47]{Power Strike} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zEkA8MhrnJ5p9Io6]{Unarmored Fighter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hAVC1FOl7hwnuBpC]{Greater Frenzy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ltAq7qr8aaalOtJp]{Attack and Attack Again}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: It’s easy for a berserker to lose control and attack friend as well as foe.
You create and discharge electrical power.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3btRIiWxY8oMcVMo]{Shock}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.essJhO2eqoHmIQaa]{Charge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uh1t4rnkZ2jOCjHJ]{Bolt Rider}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.76HF09q7MdGek863]{Electric Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YDKULtvV0pMJDxi2]{Bolts of Power}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.etGUYa9dQSvjLvXX]{Electrical Flight}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2TaqNf6bhxijKELX]{Flash Across the Miles} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Bny0sFdqf40pJeOp]{Wall of Lightning}
GM Intrusions: Targets other than those intended are shocked. Objects explode.
Your first instinct is to run from danger, and you’ve gotten very good at it.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.10EqPrn9aONinEfm]{Go Defensive}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QVPmLa6CKwmH6vJZ]{Quick to Flee}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0wVk3CszKCJQfp0Q]{Incredible Running Speed} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U33DbRwloywFlYfi]{Go to Ground}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hKhwP85QeRGPW03G]{Burst of Escape} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Quick movements sometimes lead to dropped items, slipping on uneven ground, or going the wrong way by accident.
You sailed with a crew of dread pirates, but you’ve decided to end your days as a pirate and join some other cause. The question is, will your past let you go so easily?
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IYt42xzsjesQyEfT]{Sailor}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1POQ4sFW5DLrmXhn]{Fearsome Reputation}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oCcnXLYQy9DjwPJC]{Sea Legs}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5rgcPJXpCcB5VJ1m]{Lost in the Chaos}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AsmIgvoIRPEtuzkh]{Duel to the Death} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
GM Intrusions: The dangers of the high seas are many, including severe storms and disease. Other pirates sometimes get ahead through betrayal. A pirate tracks down former sailing mates to find hidden treasure.
When not running and hiding, you sift the ruins of civilization for useful remnants to ensure your survival.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OjGaIl0JEepjDrla]{Post-Apocalyptic Survivor}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZOfmWQFbwSJQB4wm]{Ruin Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IswvUEdCBBZDRme6]{Junkmonger}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YID6zEB7KkHGYAlD]{Know Where to Look}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EjBzy1Ue1AA8i6ry]{Recycled Cyphers}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MJE1k2RmCM6HRwFV]{Artifact Scavenger} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field}
GM Intrusions: An item made with recycled junk breaks. Someone shows up claiming that the useful item or piece of junk scavenged belongs to them. A recycled cypher explodes.
You have a psychic sense that allows you to see what others cannot.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jq6Wm9xYxJA0bRaR]{See the Unseen}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYyymKUc0QKWdNsy]{See Through Matter}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mu5knvNfGyaeaiTB]{Find the Hidden} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBjSpuK7XJc1abJv]{Remote Viewing}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PazO9rJ2YoE8VEUw]{See Through Time}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lL7QywDGOszTIJCE]{Mental Projection} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RE24qvMuPhasaCP3]{Total Awareness}
GM Intrusions: Some secrets are too terrible to know.
You can project your mind out of your body to see faraway places and learn secrets that would otherwise remain hidden.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WgjatSOUT6pT02A7]{Third Eye}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oTDJtTDkwxr5uSfU]{Open Mind}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9sfX1SGtcQ17Uiny]{Sharp Senses}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6X3BDWzVKsWltrtY]{Roaming Third Eye} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mu5knvNfGyaeaiTB]{Find the Hidden}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.miR0d91lKIfmBGdO]{Psychic Passenger}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lL7QywDGOszTIJCE]{Mental Projection} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eblwQ80CBlBdeUp5]{Improved Sensor}
GM Intrusions: Reuniting mind and body can sometimes be disorienting and require a character to spend a few moments to get their bearings.
You keep the place where you live safe from all danger.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.op9VSx3NJT28UwTH]{Community Knowledge}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ag3OU8JZuc769034]{Community Activist}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ZVINuyZm4jowRGt]{Shepherd’s Fury} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xxavxLEaiVFug1D6]{Protective Wall}
GM Intrusions: People in the community misunderstand the character’s motives. Rivals try to oust the character.
Wandering souls, nature spirits, and elemental beings aid and support you.
In some settings, the Shepherds Spirits focus applies to only one kind of spirit, such as spirits of the deceased, nature spirits, and so on.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pHFFr4DkCythNc5n]{Question the Spirits}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RkOvawhfH5MHQFOH]{Spirit Accomplice}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCQdSi11hJDyOSdD]{Command Spirit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWVz2CkwLnCSJMdS]{Wraith Cloak}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jVY1PTxvZvpjZILB]{Call Dead Spirit}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ElsQU746B70tsPmZ]{Call Otherworldly Spirit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PvISXo6EQ2PmCGes]{Infuse Spirit}
GM Intrusions: Some people don’t trust those who deal with spirits. The dead sometimes don’t want shepherding.
Speed plus phasing gives you a unique ability to evade danger and simultaneously inflict damage.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7f6ulMjWFw2BOK76]{Disrupting Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n81xGnZHydeXmIRc]{Scratch Existence}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nEN2HYzlJWhonfmE]{Invisible Phasing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rXUUDUJFKis8TpnL]{Phase Detonation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8yGwY0PvtF2ivdSn]{Very Long Sprinting}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P9HlASUtyiOXghBZ]{Shred Existence} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.INdq5iQf5ECzRiNp]{Untouchable While Moving}
GM Intrusions: Moving so quickly while sprinting sometimes leads to stumbles on unexpected, exotic obstacles.
You suck power out of machines and creatures alike in order to empower yourself.
Robots and other living machines should be treated as creatures, not machines, for the purposes of siphoning power from them.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JyAovhallyh9m6oW]{Drain Machine}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gWvMJQPBSmeaP8yN]{Drain Creature}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEj2uvWI3w0W9HWH]{Drain at a Distance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P73TBXcNDbZCVsdE]{Unraveling Consumption}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gn1jtMLhp6qPNXUL]{Store Energy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Xvgo62UVSOI9Acx]{Share the Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Be1ehHb90jtLc8l0]{Explosive Release} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xbYD729j3km6ZDCA]{Sun Siphon}
GM Intrusions: Drained power also transmits something unwanted—compulsions, afflictions, or alien thoughts. Siphoned power can overload the character, causing feedback.
You kill monsters.
Although wielding a sword in a setting where people usually do not carry such weapons is fine, you can change the Slays Monsters sword-related abilities to use a different weapon, such as a gun with silver bullets.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WFK0xBSAIpD59va8]{Practiced With Swords}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nW46hfygkxB7FW5m]{Monster Bane}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRW5MxW12oakmeHE]{Monster Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lw0otGU2Iaorppdc]{Will of Legend}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gPqiQflb6Z3DXGVk]{Trained Slayer}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HPIlAWDGOQFw6yGm]{Improved Monster Bane} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5otvtHrbVXIh0N27]{Fight On}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} (swords)
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VupBbHOJAX45Yazb]{Heroic Monster Bane}
GM Intrusions: The monster laid a trap or set an ambush. The monster has previously undisclosed abilities. The monster’s mother vows revenge.
You’re a master of deduction, using evidence to find the answer.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzpkQwb1jA53bs1y]{Investigator}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HWZ8mwAfZEu6r778]{Sleuth}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BkWiUHcUrcRIKqO]{Out of Harm’s Way}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlVEpuVxp9pGJSoa]{You Studied} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mL6Yae2CxgefOMHn]{Draw Conclusion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0f2qoQlYGRqgu0Nj]{Defuse Situation}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqUItgrYzBeMiAoB]{Seize the Initiative} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Evidence disappears, red herrings confuse, and witnesses lie. Initial research can be faulty.
Your spiritual connection to nature and the environment grants you mystical abilities.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0Wq39mJ9oXA415qx]{Seeds of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8KYjSKp6ieQ8YXUy]{Wilderness Lore}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zW0cZJQTR0tHUmn3]{Grasping Foliage}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RfGCXsX7JXEr8fMw]{Moon Shape}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJpMPRD25O7HvhbV]{Insect Eruption}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2lhnVWUMX1Nu6KVj]{Call the Storm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake}
GM Intrusions: An injured natural (but dangerous) creature is discovered. Someone’s poaching wildlife for their skins, leaving the carcasses to rot. A tree falls in the forest, one of the last elder trees.
Your armor, along with your size, strength, incredible training, or machine enhancement, makes you difficult to move or hurt.
Some characters who Stand Like a Bastion might already be experts in armor. They can choose a different tier 1 ability instead of Practiced in Armor.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mmg9XLzvfbP4ESGO]{Resist the Elements}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.27EOrq94WxqgBbWQ]{Unmovable}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YeOtzG5ksxonD5RS]{Living Wall}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsAP4JEe7W5gaGaG]{Hardiness}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NKvNEjx64CcS3l13]{Shield Training}
GM Intrusions: Armor is damaged. Small foes conspire in ingenious ways.
You use your organic brain like a computer, interfacing “wirelessly” with any electronic device. You can control and influence them in ways that others can’t.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lzy1YbdIJxzNIHZq]{Machine Affinity}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L3UjcLAFvS9MLWCu]{Coaxing Power}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SeAlSU8Rim5CWsgV]{Charm Machine}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2odkyEO8azxIZWYj]{Intelligent Interface} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OE5yXpzWC8lSUmGX]{Command Machine}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion}
GM Intrusions: The machine malfunctions or acts unpredictably.
Everything that leaves your hand goes exactly where you’d like it to go and at the range and speed to make the perfect impact.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XAXJ3mFGdDv0fXLP]{Precision}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlTtlXeugIljHFVg]{Careful Aim}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yszDDDpH6m16dEoV]{Quick Throw} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1L1uoad8vwgWxiyN]{Everything Is a Weapon}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbWaCBEfSMujqvDf]{Specialized Throwing}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WW3QjCP5UJUsKBW3]{Whirlwind of Throws}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense}
GM Intrusions: Missed attacks strike the wrong target. Ricochets can be dangerous. Improvised weapons break.
You emit destructive sound and manipulate soundscapes.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uMaMKhemHmtlXDjT]{Thunder Beam}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.87SQGqcRavRZslAp]{Sound Conversion Barrier}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KLFHpPR0MKLOWr8l]{Nullify Sound} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EcOIgMC9c1IfSHsr]{Echolocation}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.znJCKr6PeEq4a0j5]{Shattering Shout}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QZa9b5G80qxtoYqg]{Subsonic Rumble}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlFT2ITvytQVWywQ]{Lethal Vibration}
GM Intrusions: Loud noises attract attention.
You can see through time, try to reach through it, and eventually even travel through it.
Although all character choices are subject to GM approval, Travels Through Time is a focus that the GM and player should probably have a long conversation about ahead of time, so the player knows the rules of time travel (if any) that exist in the GM’s setting. A character with this focus can drastically alter a setting, if the rules of time travel allow it.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YD5gm0w3lqTSyO3V]{Anticipation}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.83y32UMQWshRvbDG]{See History}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wxiRMTCBZ4iNCHp]{Temporal Acceleration} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l5vgtPP0LcsqGrzn]{Time Loop}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0EhZzYdEhtCRnV4c]{Temporal Dislocation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U58ZQ1X3byfANn4W]{Call Through Time} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lkO9VJhfOrgLY4g1]{Time Travel}
GM Intrusions: Paradoxes are created. Others remember past events differently.
You are the “chosen one,” and prophecy, prediction, prognostication, or some other method of determination expects great things of you one day.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4p95GsynORh0Xd7X]{Knowing}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7CKGOQWnfdNO885]{Destined for Greatness}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zIYdniz9sjvAHsnX]{Overcome All Obstacles} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WeMTxJElozl7OWdJ]{Center of Attention}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cfR2uFYjteKAqsYw]{Show Them the Way}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2uSx4ErQ9f2QLX5M]{As Foretold in Prophecy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
GM Intrusions: An enemy described in prophecy appears. Unbelievers threaten to ruin the moment. The character gains a reputation in outside circles as a fraud.
You command the wintery power of cold and ice.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.czVqoPjH98xaNY1d]{Ice Armor}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nHqTzLHJrUWSAATM]{Frost Touch}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BGMXK6VKNmp8M4A3]{Freezing Touch} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7G8B9lfoVXkuxvKB]{Ice Creation}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yEfkqXxmuQqlA6Fi]{Cold Burst}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvC2vboULutesBDu]{Ice Storm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets}
GM Intrusions: Ice makes surfaces slippery. Extreme cold causes objects to crack and break.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ClJUFnz8xBmP4a2l]{Powered Armor}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCoCGVzWxIL9fIvH]{Force Blast}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cTU70NgcebRlD7jI]{Field-Reinforced Armor}
Tier 6: Masterful Armor Modification (Jet Assisted Flight) or Masterful Armor Modification (Cypher Pod)
GM Intrusions: The armor won’t come off. The armor acts under its own power. The armor suffers a momentary power loss. NPCs are scared by the power armor.
You bear steel with both hands, ready to take on any foe.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NHns9zqufRvB3Tnl]{Dual Light Wield}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Pu5XGGLI6cCp1EQd]{Double Strike}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q9nALxXrBv5ubXaT]{Dual Medium Wield} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rOxKh1Z7J686a0nv]{Precise Cut}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gVOzzvxS6PPu8Ofy]{Dual Defense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3uGYyiXUUSz952zQ]{Dual Distraction}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack}
GM Intrusions: A blade snaps in two or a weapon flies loose from its bearer’s grip.
You take great satisfaction in a job well done, whether it’s coding, building houses, or mining asteroids.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.f7wLki6qjCNs2Ici]{Handy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBGeAZSBuymzrxDz]{Muscles of Iron}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RM8Fmu1IJwzBkjcM]{Eye for Detail} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t8wL47jk1KS4zapb]{Tough It Out}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MdRdAc0qAWghMmlV]{Expert Skill}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
GM Intrusions: Repairs sometimes fail. Wiring can be tricky to decipher and still carry an electrical charge. Some people are rude to those who work for a living.
You can heal others with a touch, alter time to help others, and are generally beloved by everyone.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.igGttY1Y2XbAx3qY]{Healing Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8mP69InEXQ4TB5BL]{Alleviate}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rAmIxY5G1BK4ZMm7]{Font of Healing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7amEMbwK27v31Lt9]{Miraculous Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O2XHxUa2QNrliDMG]{Greater Healing Touch} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ydmPM9m8nmmgvlXc]{Restore Life}
GM Intrusions: Attempts to heal might cause harm instead. A community or individual needs a healer so desperately that they hold one against their will.
You make your way unseen, stealing from the wealthy to achieve your ends.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OFWQd2W52VAODeas]{Underworld Contacts}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OtbS1NoVXK7mQLEe]{Guild Training}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KM9qqjzJBJusQNkT]{Master Thief}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xR2DkSqvAoR8Vtfn]{Dirty Fighter}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QtpmHxblBqoQozbg]{Alley Rat} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eepc8U2e178RDqBs]{All-Out Con}
GM Intrusions: Thieves are thrown in jail. Powerful enemies are made.
You can exploit flaws in artificial systems, including but not limited to computer code.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0V2NE0905wwYPRVo]{Hack the Impossible}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkiG6hpsfj1h6XRR]{Computer Programming}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CekF2lqwNrMyio0]{Connected}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmDavAL4vDxKjLBK]{Confidence Artist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fYBYD1EfA5z1NFl]{Confuse Enemy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jTiOQKW2QtXK8dmF]{Work the Friendship}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HUVY2MA2CBegFhLY]{Call in Favor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
GM Intrusions: Contacts sometimes have ulterior motives. Devices sometimes have failsafes or even traps.
Books are your friends. What’s more important than knowledge? Nothing.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wJSxVM8fWADJtTSd]{Applying Your Knowledge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sq2JJtnRtSthJSYL]{Tower of Intellect} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs}
GM Intrusions: Books burn, get wet, or get lost. Computers break or lose power. Glasses break.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":398438,"name":"Creating New Foci","type":"text","_id":"0VwlyyylqvFgJjZw","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This section provides everything you need to create your own foci.
Every focus has an overarching style, whether that’s exploration, energy manipulation, or simply dealing a lot of damage in combat. These broad classifications are called focus categories.
Each focus category has an overarching theme, followed by selection guidelines that describe how to choose abilities for each tier from the Abilities chapter, from tier 1 to tier 6.
The newly created focus should be named in the form of a verb, like Controls Beasts or Abides in Stone. For instance, a fire-using focus created by following the guidelines in the energy manipulation focus category might be called Bears a Halo of Fire (one of the sample foci in this chapter). Alternatively, a new fire-using focus should get an all-new name like Stokes the Flames of the Apocalypse or Lights Fires With a Thought.
The ability selection guidelines invite you to choose an ability from one of three ranges: low tier, mid tier, and high tier. These ranges correspond with the power “grades” given for every ability. These abilities are further sorted into ability categories based on the kinds of things they do—abilities that improve physical attacks are in the attack skill category, abilities that assist allies are in the support category, and so on. Look for the grades and categories in the Ability Categories and Relative Power section of the Abilities chapter.
Low-tier abilities are best suited for focus options at tiers 1 and 2. Mid-tier abilities are best suited for focus options at tiers 3 and 4. High-tier abilities are best suited for focus options at tiers 5 and 6.
That said, sometimes you’ll find it appropriate to assign a low-tier ability at tier 3 or 4, or maybe a mid-tier ability at tier 1 or 2. Do so sparingly, but don’t rule it out. It might be the only way to get all the abilities you want for the focus you’re building. Higher-tier abilities usually cost more Pool points to use. So if a mid-tier ability is made available at tier 1 or 2, or a high-tier ability is made available at tier 3 or 4, the higher cost will be a balancing factor.
The guidelines within each category go a long way toward ensuring that the focus you build will be balanced. Sometimes it might be appropriate to grant a low-power ability along with a regular ability at a given tier, depending on the needs of the focus. A “low-power ability” is deliberately open for GM interpretation, but generally speaking, should be no more potent than a low-tier ability (that is, an ability that is normally available at tier 1 or 2).
For instance, someone who uses cold might be able to create small snow sculptures in addition to emitting a cold ray. Someone who uses electricity might be able to charge a depleted artifact or have an asset for dealing with electrical systems. And so on.
Often, the focus guidelines note this as a possibility. However, you have great leeway in deciding if a focus needs an additional ability, even if the guidelines for that tier don’t indicate one. If you do add an ability, or there is a
higher-power ability at a tier that normally shouldn’t have it, it might mean that the choice given at the next tier, or the previous tier, isn’t quite as good. Balancing a focus is a bit of an art. Resist the urge to overpower the focus, but don’t underpower it, either.
Each focus category provides a guideline for what kind of ability you should select at every tier. But don’t regard the guidelines as something that you can’t vary. They’re not prescriptive; they’re just a place to start. You might want to vary the kind of ability at a particular tier that isn’t indicated in the guidelines. As long as the chosen ability falls within the expected power curve for that tier, it’s fine. The guideline isn’t meant to be a straitjacket.
For example, if you’re building a cold-using focus for a game set in a fantasy genre, you may decide that an ability that calls up a demon is a better choice at a particular tier than an ability that does damage in an area, which is what the tier 5 guideline for energy manipulation calls for. Making the change is probably especially valid if you call your new focus something like Channels the Ninth Circle.
If you’re creating a focus and you think it should provide a suite of abilities at first tier that would mechanically overload it, you have the option to add one as a “swap” ability. Doing so is as easy as allowing a character to swap out one of their type abilities for an indicated low-tier focus ability. The ability is gained instead of one of the abilities normally granted by the character’s type.
Choosing to create a focus that uses a particular concept—say, creating illusions—doesn’t lock you into creating a focus within a particular category—in this case, environment manipulation. A focus can be constructed in a variety of ways using a particular energy, tool, or concept, each ultimately leading to a focus that provides different results. It all depends on your ends. In this case, creating illusions might be used to sway others, which argues for a focus built using the influence category guidelines.
In the same way, if a focus grants a character the ability to call some kind of force or energy, that doesn’t mean the focus should automatically be built using the energy manipulation category guidelines (though of course it could, if attacking and protecting yourself with that energy is the point). But a focus could be built that grants abilities to call energy or force that is primarily focused on durability, suggesting a tank combat focus (someone who can take a lot of punishment in a fight); or blasting away with a main concern for maximizing damage, thus suggesting a striker combat focus; or creating a follower composed of that energy or force, suggesting an ally use focus (that is, someone who uses helping creatures, NPCs, or even duplicate versions of themselves to give them a leg up).
Here’s another example: the focus Controls Gravity could conceivably be an environment manipulation focus or an energy manipulation focus. It depends on whether the focus is more concerned with crushing and holding things in place (environment manipulation) or on blasting things and protecting yourself with gravity (energy manipulation).
The same malleability of concept holds true in other realms. For instance, if someone is able to call up and mold raw earth, they might use it to transform themselves into a being of stone (tank combat), to batter foes (striker combat), or to create walls, barricades, and shields to protect their allies (support).
If you’re looking for an ability and can’t seem to find the right one in the vast catalog in the Abilities chapter, consider reskinning one to make it seem new (and to accomplish what you need). Reskinning means that you use the underlying mechanics of an ability as written but change the flavor in some fashion. For instance, maybe you’re creating a new earth-moving focus but can’t find enough earth-related abilities to meet your need. It’s easy enough to change up other abilities so they use earth instead of fire, cold, or magnetism. For instance, Wings of Fire might become Wings of Earth, Ice Armor could become Earth Armor, and so on. These alterations change nothing except the type of damage and any knock-on effects (for instance, Wings of Earth might generate clouds of dust in their wake).
Some abilities in the Abilities chapter reference other abilities. If you select an ability for your focus or type that refers to or modifies a lower-tier ability, also include that lower-tier ability in your type or focus as a selection a PC can make at a lower tier.
You can go further than reskinning and create one or more brand-new abilities. When doing this, try to find something as close as possible to the effect you want, then use it as a template. In any case, deciding how much an ability should cost when it comes to a character’s Pool is one of the most important aspects of getting an ability right.
You may notice that higher-tier abilities are more expensive. This is partly because they do more, but it’s also because higher-tier characters have more Edge than lower-tier characters, which means they pay fewer points from their relevant Pools. A third-tier character with 3 Edge in a relevant Pool pays no cost for abilities that cost 3 or fewer points. That’s great for lower-tier abilities, but you’ll usually want a character to think a little bit about how often to use their most powerful abilities. That means they should cost at least 1 point more than the Edge the character is likely to have at that tier. (Often, a character will have an Edge in their relevant Pool equal to their tier.)
As a good rule of thumb, a typical ability should cost points equal to its tier.
Think about the kinds of things that might surprise, alarm, or go catastrophically wrong for someone with the new focus being created, and assign it as a GM intrusion for that focus. Of course, this often is done on the fly during the game. But giving the topic some thought while the focus is being constructed and the ideas are fresh in your head is likely to yield some particularly devilish options.
Foci that prioritize providing NPC followers to the character are ally use foci. The followers give aid to the PC in a variety of ways, but at base they usually provide an asset to the character’s actions.
Multiple potential themes exist within the ally use category, from abilities that allow a character to summon or craft allies to those that allow them to attract allies through fame, magic, or essential authority or charisma.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary for the character to keep an ally. For instance, someone with a focus that uses super-science to create robot allies would require tools to build and repair those allies. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The NPC ally’s tasks are eased on its next turn.
Major Effect Suggestions: The NPC ally gains an immediate extra action.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#builds-robots]{Builds Robots} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#consorts-with-the-dead]{Consorts With the Dead} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#controls-beasts]{Controls Beasts} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#exists-in-two-places-at-once]{Exists in Two Places at Once} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#leads]{Leads} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-the-swarm]{Masters the Swarm} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#shepherds-spirits]{Shepherds Spirits}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants a level 2 NPC follower to the character, or gives a similar benefit provided by an NPC. Alternatively, lay the groundwork for gaining such NPC allies at higher tiers by choosing an ability that gives the character influence over others.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill. For instance, training in a skill related to the kind of NPC follower the character gains would be appropriate.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that grants influence over similar kinds of NPCs as the follower gained at the previous tier. If no follower was gained at the previous tier, this ability should provide that benefit now.
Sometimes a secondary ability might be appropriate in addition to the ability provided above, perhaps a low-power ability that grants 2 or 3 points to a Pool.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be a mid-tier ability that improves the NPC follower previously provided (usually from level 2 to level 3) or grants an additional follower.
The other option should be something that benefits the character—perhaps an offensive or defensive ability, or something that broadens their influence over their followers (or potential followers).
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that gives the character an offensive or defensive capability if they haven’t previously gained one, preferably within the theme of the focus. For instance, if the character gains followers because of their charisma, this ability might let them command foes for brief periods. If the character gains followers by building or calling them, this ability might let them affect entities of the same type that are not already their followers.
Alternatively, this ability might further improve a previously gained follower from level 3 to level 4, or grant an additional follower.
Tier 5: Choose an ability that improves the character by providing a defense, an improved stat Pool, or another kind of protection.
Alternatively, this ability could open a new front in influencing and calling NPC allies related to the focus’s theme. For instance, someone who keeps beast allies might gain an ability to call a horde of lesser beasts. Someone who builds robots might gain an ability to build several lesser robot helpers. And so on.
Finally, this ability might improve a previously gained follower to level 5.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the abilities should improve a previously gained follower to level 5, if that wasn’t already provided at tier 5. If that’s the case, this ability might be provided in addition to two other related abilities.
Another high-tier option could provide a handful of level 3 followers to the character.
The last high-tier ability could open a new front in influencing and calling NPC allies related to the focus’s theme. For instance, someone who gains followers through high charisma and training might gain an ability to learn otherwise impossible-to-glean information.
Foci that rely mostly on providing skill training, assets to tasks, and bumps to stat Pools and Edge in order to improve a character fall within the basic category. An overarching theme is also included, as with most of the other categories, that makes sense of the various basic abilities provided.
In addition, because the benefits provided by such foci are mostly straightforward (usually with a few exceptions), most basic foci would also be appropriate for non-fantastic campaigns where magic, super-science, or psychic abilities normally don’t come into play. That said, just because the abilities granted by basic foci are straightforward doesn’t mean they are not potent when combined with the abilities granted by type, descriptor, cyphers, and other character aspects.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to fulfill the overarching theme of the focus. For instance, a focus called Would Rather Be Reading should grant a handful of books to the character. A focus called Works for a Living should provide a set of tools.
Minor Effect Suggestions: Next action is eased.
Major Effect Suggestions: Make a free, no-action recovery roll that doesn’t count against daily recovery rolls.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#doesnt-do-much]{Doesn’t Do Much} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#interprets-the-law]{Interprets the Law} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#learns-quickly]{Learns Quickly} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-for-a-living]{Works for a Living} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#would-rather-be-reading]{Would Rather Be Reading}
Tier 1: Choose an ability that grants training or an asset to skills associated with the focus’s theme, or that grants 5 or 6 points to a particular Pool.
Alternatively, choose an ability that grants only 2 or 3 points to a particular Pool and an ability that provides training or an asset to just one task.
Tier 2: Choose whichever kind of ability wasn’t chosen at tier 1.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be a non-fantastic ability that improves the character’s abilities within the focus’s theme. For instance, if the theme involves paying attention in some fashion, an information-gathering ability might be appropriate.
The other option should be something that either improves the character’s Edge in an appropriate stat or provides the character with some kind of defense.
Tier 4: Choose another ability that grants additional training or an asset to skills associated with the focus’s theme, or that grants 5 or 6 points to a particular Pool best suited to the focus. Or choose two abilities that provide only 2 or 3 points plus another tier 4 ability that improves a single task or skill.
Alternatively, provide a branch-out ability suggested at tier 5.
Finally, if the focus has yet to grant some kind of defense, a defensive ability could be provided here.
Tier 5: Choose an ability that allows the character to branch out slightly—perhaps one like Expert Skill that allows them to automatically succeed on a task they’re trained in.
Alternatively, if a nonstandard benefit was provided at tier 4, provide the benefits suggested at tier 4 here.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be an ability that provides another 5 or 6 points to a particular Pool best suited to the focus, or that the character can divide up as they wish. Alternatively, training in offense or defense would also be appropriate.
The other tier 6 option should give the character a brand-new ability within their theme, but not one that strays into the realm of the fantastic. For instance, an ability that allows a character to take two actions instead of one would be reasonable. Granting additional training, assets, or Edge would also be fine.
Energy manipulation foci offer abilities that can call fire, electricity, force, magnetism, or nonstandard forms of energy such as cold, stone, or something stranger like “void” or “shadow.” These abilities usually give a character a way to achieve something of a balance between attacking enemies and granting themselves or allies additional protection. The focus usually also offers abilities that provide other ways to use specific energy for things like transportation, creating large concentrations of energy that can affect multiple targets, or creating a temporary object or barrier of energy.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: One or more pieces of equipment immune to the energy manipulated, which might be a set of clothes. Alternatively, something related to the energy being generated. Some foci in this category don’t require additional equipment.
Energy Abilities: If a character type grants special abilities that normally use some other kind of energy, they now produce the kind used by this focus. For example, if a character uses this focus to manipulate electricity, their force blasts become blasts of electricity. These alterations change nothing except the type of damage and any knock-on effects (for instance, electricity might temporarily short out electronic systems).
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target or something near the target is hindered because of residual energy.
Major Effect Suggestions: An important item on the target’s person is destroyed.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#absorbs-energy]{Absorbs Energy} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#bears-a-halo-of-fire]{Bears a Halo of Fire} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#dances-with-dark-matter]{Dances With Dark Matter} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#rides-the-lightning]{Rides the Lightning} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#thunders]{Thunders} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#wears-a-sheen-of-ice]{Wears a Sheen of Ice}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that either inflicts damage or provides protection using the appropriate energy type in some fashion.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the energy type. For instance, a focus that manipulates cold might grant an ability to create snow sculptures. A focus that manipulates electricity might grant an ability to charge a depleted artifact or have an asset for dealing with electrical systems. A focus that absorbs energy might grant an ability to release it as a basic attack. And so on.
Tier 2: Choose whichever kind of ability wasn’t chosen at tier 1.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be an ability that inflicts damage using the appropriate energy type (and possibly a related effect).
The other should grant enhanced movement by use of the appropriate energy type, give additional protection provided by the preferred energy, or use the energy in a completely new way, such as by draining the energy from a machine (if using electricity), entombing a victim in a layer of ice (if using cold), creating perfect silence (if using sound), creating a dazzling blast of illumination (if using light), and so on.
Tier 4: Choose whichever kind of ability wasn’t chosen at tier 3.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that inflicts damage (and possibly a related effect) that can affect more than one target using the appropriate energy type, or an ability that uses the energy in some fashion not previously used, as described in tiers 3 and 6.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the high-tier abilities should use the preferred energy to inflict a lot of damage to a single target or to several.
The other option should use the appropriate energy type to accomplish a task not previously provided by lower-tier abilities, such as fashioning a fiery follower (if using fire), teleporting a great distance as a blast of lightning (if using electricity), creating solid objects out of the energy, and so on.
Foci that allow a character to move objects, affect gravity, create objects (or illusions of objects), and so on are environment manipulation foci. Given that, in many cases, energy is used as part of this process, this category and energy manipulation overlap to some extent. Environment manipulation foci prioritize abilities that indirectly affect enemies and allies via objects, forces, and alterations of the surroundings; energy manipulation foci prioritize directly damaging targets with the chosen energy or force.
For example, rather than blasting a foe with a gravity pulse that does damage, a character using an environment manipulation focus based on gravity is more likely to have abilities that hold a target in place, use gravity to throw heavy objects as an attack, or lower gravity in a particular area or even on a particular object.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to manipulate the surrounding environment. For instance, someone with a focus that grants the ability to craft objects would require basic tools. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Environment Manipulation Abilities: Foci themes that involve imagery or visible energies can affect the look of your type abilities. Such alterations, if any, do nothing but change the appearance of effects. If gravity is manipulated, perhaps a telltale bluish glow permeates all ability uses, including type abilities. If illusion is generated, perhaps flamboyant visual and auditory qualities accompany type abilities, such as the appearance of a tentacled beast holding a target in place when Stasis is used. And so on.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target gets turned around, and its next attack is hindered.
Major Effect Suggestions: The character is refreshed and recovers 4 points to one Pool.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#awakens-dreams]{Awakens Dreams} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#blazes-with-radiance]{Blazes With Radiance} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#calculates-the-incalculable]{Calculates the Incalculable} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#controls-gravity]{Controls Gravity} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#crafts-illusions]{Crafts Illusions} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#crafts-unique-objects]{Crafts Unique Objects} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#employs-magnetism]{Employs Magnetism} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#focuses-mind-over-matter]{Focuses Mind Over Matter}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants a basic use of an ability that alters the environment (or predicts it) using the focus’s theme. For instance, a gravity-affecting focus might provide an ability that makes a target lighter or heavier. An
illusion-crafting focus might grant an ability that allows the creation of an image. An object-making focus might grant a basic proficiency in creating a particular kind of object. A predictive focus might calculate outcomes and provide the character with the benefits of that foreknowledge. And so on.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that provides a new defensive or offensive capability related to the focus’s theme.
Alternatively, this ability might provide an additional or brand-new capability to manipulate the environment related to the focus’s theme.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should be a mid-tier ability related to the focus’s theme that provides an additional environment manipulation capacity or further improves the basic environment manipulation ability previously granted. This ability isn’t directly offensive or defensive, but provides either an all-new ability related to the basic ability, or one that increases the strength, range, or some other extension of the previously unlocked basic ability.
The other mid-tier option should provide an offensive or defensive ability related to the specific form of movement the focus provides, if possible.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that is either an offensive or a defensive use of the ability, whichever one wasn’t chosen as an option in the previous tier.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier penultimate use of the environment-manipulation ability. For instance, if the focus-granted manipulation is illusory, this ability might haunt a target with terrifying images. If the focus is gravity based, it might unlock flight. If magnetic, it might allow the user to reshape metal. If the focus grants telekinetic powers, this ability could allow a character to hurl massive objects at foes. And so on.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the abilities should provide either an offensive or a defensive ability, opposite the ability provided at tier 4 (though high tier rather than mid tier).
The other option should be something that further explores the use of the basic environment manipulation capability. If the tier 5 choice was the penultimate ability, this might be an even better ultimate ability related to the kind of manipulation offered, or a different way of using that ability to unlock an as-yet-unexplored facet of the ability.
Foci that allow a character to gather information, survive in unfamiliar environments, and find their way to new locations or track down particular creatures and foes are exploration foci. Surviving in unfamiliar environments requires a reasonable selection of defensive options; however, abilities that allow a character to find and learn are prioritized.
Exploration foci rely on a variety of methods, though training and expertise are the mainstays. Some methods require specific tools (such as a vehicle) to grant the benefits provided, while others might rely on the supernatural or
super-science to learn new things and explore strange places from afar.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to explore. For instance, starting maps and/or
a compass would be basic equipment, while someone who uses psychic abilities might require a mirror or crystal sphere to gaze into. Equipment might also include access to a vehicle required for exploration, as previously noted.
Minor Effect Suggestions: You have an asset on any action that involves using your senses, such as perceiving or attacking, until the end of the next round.
Major Effect Suggestions: Your Intellect Edge increases by 1 until the end of the next round.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#explores-dark-places]{Explores Dark Places} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#infiltrates]{Infiltrates} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#operates-undercover]{Operates Undercover} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#pilots-starcraft]{Pilots Starcraft} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#sees-beyond]{Sees Beyond} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#separates-mind-from-body]{Separates Mind From Body}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants the character basic exploratory, survival, or information-gathering capabilities within the focus’s theme.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill (though this may already be covered in the main ability). Alternatively, it might offer a simple bonus of 2 or 3 points to the Might Pool.
Tier 2: Choose another low-tier ability that grants an additional capability related to exploration, survival, or information gathering.
For instance, a focus dedicated to surviving savage conditions might offer an ability (or two) that makes it easier to avoid natural hazards, poisons, difficult terrain, and so on. A focus dedicated to exploration of a particular area might grant abilities to gain access to that area, or a capability that others normally lack (like the ability to see in the dark).
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should further improve the basic exploration ability granted, or give a new exploratory, survival, or information-gathering ability.
The other option should be something that benefits the character, either an offensive or defensive ability (especially if this focus hasn’t already granted that) or something that further broadens the character’s ability to explore in the focus’s chosen realm.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier offensive or defensive ability (whichever wasn’t offered at tier 3) that benefits the character. Alternatively, if offensive and defensive abilities are already well represented, choose a different mid-tier ability that broadens the character’s ability to explore, survive, or gather information.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that alleviates some of the penalties for exploring, surviving, or gathering information in a normally inhospitable place.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should further improve the basic exploration-themed ability previously granted, or give a brand-new exploratory, survival, or information-gathering ability.
The other option should be something that benefits the character, either an offensive or defensive ability, or yet another ability that further broadens their capacity to explore in the focus’s chosen realm.
Foci that prioritize authority and influence—whether that’s to make people or machines do as commanded, to help others, or to rise to some other prestigious and significant position—fall within the influence category.
These foci grant influence through training and persuasion, by direct mental manipulation, by using fame to get people’s attention and influence their actions, or simply by knowing and learning things that affect later decisions. In this sense, the concept of influence is broad.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to achieve the influence suggested should be granted as additional equipment. Some influence foci don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The range or duration of the influencing ability is doubled.
Major Effect Suggestions: An ally or indicated target can take an additional action.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#commands-mental-powers]{Commands Mental Powers} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#conducts-weird-science]{Conducts Weird Science} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fuses-mind-and-machine]{Fuses Mind and Machine} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#is-idolized-by-millions]{Is Idolized by Millions} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#solves-mysteries]{Solves Mysteries} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#talks-to-machines]{Talks to Machines} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-the-system]{Works the System}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that allows the character to learn something significant enough that they can choose a smart course of action (or use that knowledge to persuade or intimidate). How the character learns the information varies by the specifics of the focus. One character might do experiments to learn answers, another might open a telepathic link with others to trade information secretly and quickly, and still another might simply be trained in interaction tasks.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that improves the character’s ability to apply influence. This might open an additional front on the focus’s basic theme or simply further enhance the basic ability already provided. For instance, this tier 2 ability could ease influence-related tasks by a few steps, allow a telepath to read the minds of others who have secrets they’d otherwise not reveal, or grant influence over physical objects (either to improve them or to learn more about them). And so on.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide an offensive or defensive capability related to the focus’s specific kind of influence, if possible. For instance, an inventor might create a serum that gives them increased abilities (which could be used for offense or defense), a telepath might have some method of blasting foes with mental energy, and someone with only the basic skills of debate and influence through fame might have to rely on weapon training or their entourage.
The other mid-tier option should provide an additional ability to influence in the theme of the focus, or further improve the basic influence ability previously granted. This option isn’t directly offensive or defensive, but provides either an all-new ability related to the basic ability, or increases the strength, range, or some other extension of the previously unlocked basic ability. For instance, a telepath might have a psychic suggestion ability.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that is either an offensive or a defensive use of the influence ability, whichever one wasn’t chosen as an option in the previous tier.
Alternatively, this ability could grant an additional capability related to the kind of influence the focus provides.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier penultimate use of the specific influence ability granted at lower tiers.
Alternatively, choose an ability not previously gained at a lower tier, one that opens a new front on the particular influence capability. For instance, if the focus-granted influence is telepathic, the tier 5 ability might allow a character to see into the future to gain assets for dealing with enemies (and allies).
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should provide either an offensive or a defensive ability, opposite the ability provided at tier 4 (though high tier rather than mid tier).
The other option should be something that further explores the use of the basic influence ability provided by the focus. If the tier 5 choice was the penultimate ability, this might be an even better ultimate ability related to the kind of influence used, or a different way of using that ability to unlock an as-yet-unexplored facet of the ability.
Most foci have a basic theme, a “character story” that logically leads to a series of related abilities. However, certain foci themes are so wide that they don’t fit into any other category except an irregular one of their own.
Irregular foci provide a basket of disparate abilities. Usually that’s because the overarching theme is one that demands variability and access to several different kinds of abilities. Often, these foci are found in genres that suggest additional rule tweaks to leverage their use even further, such as power shifts in the superhero genre and spellcasting in the fantasy genre. However, other irregular foci are possible.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to the focus’s theme. For instance, a
superhero-themed focus might grant a superhero costume.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target is also dazed for one round, during which time all of its tasks are hindered.
Major Effect Suggestions: The target is stunned and loses its next turn.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#channels-divine-blessings]{Channels Divine Blessings} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#descends-from-nobility]{Descends From Nobility} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#emerged-from-the-obelisk]{Emerged From the Obelisk} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#flies-faster-than-a-bullet]{Flies Faster Than a Bullet} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-spells]{Masters Spells} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#speaks-for-the-land]{Speaks for the Land}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that a first-tier character should have.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill. Alternatively, it might offer a simple bonus of 2 or 3 points to a Pool.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that’s presumably not immediately related to the one provided at tier 1. That said, if a defense wasn’t provided at tier 1, tier 2 is a good place to add it.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers.
The other option should include a method of attack if none has previously been granted. Alternatively, if the lower-tier abilities don’t quite get the character where they need to be, this option might further increase a capability unlocked at a lower tier.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that grants one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should grant one of the benefits the focus theme promises, one that may not be immediately related to those provided at earlier tiers. However, this ability might also provide an ultimate version of a lower-tier ability if a mid-tier or low-tier option wasn’t quite sufficient.
The other option should provide an alternate method to round out the character in a way that doesn’t replicate the first tier 6 option. For instance, if the first option provided some kind of attack, this one might be an interaction, information-gathering, or healing ability, depending on the focus’s overarching theme.
Foci that prioritize novel forms of movement—in order to excel in combat, escape situations most others can’t, move with stealth for purposes of theft or escape, or move into locations normally inaccessible—fall within the movement expertise category. These foci usually have methods of granting either offense or defense through movement, though they may provide some means of doing both.
The classic movement expertise focus is one that relies on speed to make more attacks and avoid being hit, though general agility might also provide the same benefit. Other foci in this category might fall within the theme by granting a character the ability to become immaterial, to change their form into something like water or air, or to instantly move via teleportation.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to achieve great speeds, change state, or otherwise gain the benefit of the focus should be granted as additional equipment. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target is dazed, and their next action is hindered.
Major Effect Suggestions: The target is stunned and loses their next action.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#exists-partially-out-of-phase]{Exists Partially Out of Phase} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#moves-like-a-cat]{Moves Like a Cat} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#moves-like-the-wind]{Moves Like the Wind} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#runs-away]{Runs Away} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#shreds-the-walls-of-the-world]{Shreds the Walls of the World} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#travels-through-time]{Travels Through Time} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-the-back-alleys]{Works the Back Alleys}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that grants the basic benefit of the specific movement style, whether that’s enhanced speed, agility, immateriality, and so on.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. If the basic benefit of the movement demands some kind of additional understanding or training, this ability could be that. Alternatively, if the movement provided seems like it should also unlock a basic offensive or defensive benefit (relying on the use of the initial basic ability), append it as well.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that provides a new offensive or defensive capability related to the focus’s theme.
Alternatively, this ability might provide some additional capability related to the form of movement that grants useful information to the character that would normally be inaccessible to someone without the focus.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide an additional movement capacity or further improve the basic movement capacity, related to the focus’s theme. This isn’t directly offensive or defensive, but provides the character with a new level of ability or an all-new ability related to their basic movement ability.
The other option should provide either an offensive or a defensive capability related to the specific form of movement the focus provides.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that further enhances the advantages provided by focus’s movement-enhancing paradigm. This could provide a new or better form of defense (directly, or indirectly if moving to a location or time where danger doesn’t threaten), or a new or better form of offense.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier penultimate use of the movement-related ability. For instance, if the focus-provided movement is temporal, this ability might allow actual (if brief) jaunts of time travel. If the focus enhances speed, this ability might allow the character to move up to a very long distance with one action. And so on.
Alternatively, unlock an as-yet-unexplored related ability that could derive from the basic movement power provided by the focus.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should provide either an offensive or a defensive ability, opposite the ability provided at tier 4 (though high tier rather than mid tier).
The other option should be something that further explores the use of the basic
movement ability. If the tier 5 choice was the penultimate ability, this might be an even better ultimate ability related to the movement.
Striker combat foci prioritize dealing damage in battle over other concerns. Foci in this category offer defensive abilities as well, but they emphasize abilities that provide ways to spike damage to heights that other foci normally don’t reach.
To achieve this end, a striker combat focus might offer mastery of a particular style of martial combat, which could be training with a particular weapon or martial art, or the use of a unique tool (or even a kind of energy). A style might be something as singular as being the best at fighting a particular kind of enemy, or something much broader, such as adopting a particularly vicious or unsporting style. A striker combatant might use fire, force, or magnetism as their preferred method of spiking damage.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: The weapon, tool, or other special item or substance (if any) required to engage in the particular style of combat. For instance, a dose of level 5 poison for Fights Dirty or Murders, a trophy from a previously defeated foe for Battles Robots, or stylish clothes for Fights With Panache.
Minor Effect Suggestions: The target is so dazzled by your expertise that it is dazed for one round, hindering all of its tasks.
Major Effect Suggestions: Make an immediate additional attack using an attack provided by the focus as part of your turn.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#battles-robots]{Battles Robots} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fights-dirty]{Fights Dirty} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fights-with-panache]{Fights With Panache} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#hunts]{Hunts} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#is-licensed-to-carry]{Is Licensed to Carry} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#looks-for-trouble]{Looks for Trouble} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-weaponry]{Masters Weaponry} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#murders]{Murders} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#needs-no-weapon]{Needs No Weapon} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#performs-feats-of-strength]{Performs Feats of Strength} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#rages]{Rages} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#slays-monsters]{Slays Monsters} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#throws-with-deadly-accuracy]{Throws With Deadly Accuracy} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#wields-two-weapons-at-once]{Wields Two Weapons at Once}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that inflicts additional damage when a character attacks using the focus’s particular fighting style, energy, or attitude, or when used against a chosen enemy.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. For instance, a focus that grants proficiency in a special weapon might offer training in crafting tasks associated with that weapon. A focus that grants increased damage against a particular kind of foe might offer training in skills to recognize, locate, or just have general knowledge about that foe. A fighting style that involves fighting in a vicious or dirty manner might provide training in intimidation. And so on.
If the focus is about fighting a particular enemy, additional secondary powers (more than might otherwise be offered) may be appropriate. Those either further enhance effectiveness against the chosen enemy, or offer broader but related abilities that give the character who takes the focus some functionality even when not fighting that enemy.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that provides some form of defense using the weapon, weapon style, or chosen energy. If the weapon style is being especially good at fighting a certain kind of foe, the ability should be a defense against that kind of foe. Alternatively, the focus might offer another method for increasing damage within the chosen paradigm.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate at tier 2. If so, choose whichever
low-power ability wasn’t gained at tier 1.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should inflict additional damage when using the focus’s fighting style, energy, or attitude, or when used against a chosen enemy. That could be as simple as an ability that offers an additional attack of that kind.
The other option should provide a method to temporarily neutralize a foe by disarming them, dazing or stunning them, slowing or holding them, or otherwise discombobulating them by using the focus’s fighting style, energy, or attitude, or when used against a chosen enemy.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that further enhances the advantages provided by the focus’s paradigm. Often, this includes training in a particular kind of attack. Alternatively, the ability might increase the advantages provided by achieving a certain combat status, such as gaining surprise.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that inflicts damage. Alternatively, if focused on fighting a particular kind of foe, this ability might give the character a chance to completely neutralize, destroy, blind, or kill a singular target of up to level 3 (or higher, if the focus is on a singular foe).
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should use the focus paradigm to inflict an exceptional amount of damage.
The other option could be a different way of inflicting damage, either using the focus paradigm or just dealing lots of damage in general (and relying on previous focus tier abilities to improve targeting). This could be against multiple targets if the first option was for a single target, to outright kill or neutralize a target (starting with level 4, but with guidance for using Effort to increase the level of the target), or to select yet another foe, make another attack, or get away in order to fight another day.
Foci that allow a character to help others succeed, defend others, heal others who are hurt, and so on are support foci. Of course, most foci abilities are often used in aid of others, but support foci (such as Siphons Power) prioritize aiding, healing, and improving the character who takes the focus.
Support foci rely on a variety of methods to provide their help, including martial training used in defense, supernatural or sci-fi means of providing healing, or simply easing the cares of others through entertainment.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to provide support. For instance, someone with a focus that uses entertainment to help others would require an instrument or similar object in aid of their craft. Some foci in this category don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: You can draw an attack without having to use an action at any point before the end of the next round.
Major Effect Suggestions: You can take an extra action in aid of an ally.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#defends-the-weak]{Defends the Weak} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#entertains]{Entertains} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#helps-their-friends]{Helps Their Friends} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#metes-out-justice]{Metes Out Justice} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#shepherds-the-community]{Shepherds the Community} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#siphons-power]{Siphons Power} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#works-miracles]{Works Miracles}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that provides some form of defense, aid or entertainment, benefit to recovery or healing, or protection. That defense or protection could be to the PC and not to an ally, as one cannot protect another without first being able to protect themselves (and sometimes protecting themselves is the entire point).
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. Often, this is an ability that grants skill training in a related area of knowledge or a related skill, but it might be something that works with the initial ability that, by itself, wouldn’t do much.
Tier 2: Choose a low-tier ability that follows up on the support style opened in the previous tier. If the previous tier’s ability provided a means of protection only for the focus taker, this tier 2 ability should specifically provide aid to another. If the previous tier specifically provided aid to another, this tier 2 ability could defend the focus taker or provide an offensive capability grounded, if possible, in the focus’s theme.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should work within the focus’s theme to aid, heal, protect, or otherwise help another.
The other option should be something that benefits the character, either an offensive or defensive ability, or something that broadens their expertise in some fashion. Alternatively, it could be another, different method of helping someone else.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that gives an ally a direct boon or provides the character with a way to help another. It could also be an ability that harms or nullifies a foe, as removing foes certainly helps allies.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that provides an offensive or defensive option for the character, if none have been provided yet. If this need has been previously addressed or is deemed unnecessary, choose a high-tier ability that provides some form of defense, aid or entertainment, benefit to recovery or healing, or protection to another. For example, a tier 5 ability might grant an ally an additional free action or allow them to repeat a failed action.
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One of the options should provide an ultimate method of helping another in the theme of the focus.
The other option could provide an alternative ultimate method of helping another; many foci in this category do. However, an option that provides high-tier offense or defense is also completely reasonable.
Foci that prioritize being able to take a lot of punishment and soak up excess damage from foes fall within the tank combat category. These foci provide offensive abilities too, as well as additional abilities related to the particular method by which improved protection is achieved, but defensive abilities are most pronounced.
Some tank combat foci involve a physical transformation that grants additional protection, and others rely on specialized training, use tools like shields or heavy armor, or provide the ability to heal incredibly fast. The kinds of physical transformation that a tank focus provides, if any, vary widely. A focus might turn a character’s skin to stone, reinforce their body with metal, turn them into a monstrous being, make them so big it becomes harder to hurt them, and so on.
Connection: Choose four relevant connections from the Focus Connections list.
Additional Equipment: Any object necessary to maintain a physical transformation (such as a tool for repair if partly robotic, a shield or other defensive tool used if skilled, or possibly some kind of amulet or serum). Some tank combat foci don’t require anything to gain or retain their benefits.
Minor Effect Suggestions: +2 to Armor for a few rounds.
Major Effect Suggestions: Regain 2 points to Might Pool.
The following are examples and not meant to provide a complete list of all possible foci in this category.
@UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#abides-in-stone]{Abides in Stone} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#brandishes-an-exotic-shield]{Brandishes an Exotic Shield} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#defends-the-gate]{Defends the Gate} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#fuses-flesh-and-steel]{Fuses Flesh and Steel} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#grows-to-towering-heights]{Grows to Towering Heights} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#howls-at-the-moon]{Howls at the Moon} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#lives-in-the-wilderness]{Lives in the Wilderness} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#masters-defense]{Masters Defense} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#never-says-die]{Never Says Die} @UUID[.9x56c0G5TMOl1Arn#stands-like-a-bastion]{Stands Like a Bastion}
Tier 1: Choose a low-tier ability that provides defense within the focus’s theme. If the theme is simply intense training or the use of a defensive tool, the ability might be as simple as a bonus to Armor. If protection comes from physical transformation, this ability provides the base form effects, benefits, and in some cases drawbacks for making the transformation. A low-tier enhanced healing ability would also be appropriate at first tier.
Sometimes an additional low-power ability is appropriate, depending on the focus. If the character transforms, this ability may provide a knock-on effect, though in the case of some transformations, it might be a description of how someone with an abnormal physiognomy can fully heal. Other times, the secondary power may simply be training in a related skill, or it may unlock the ability to use a particular armor or shield without penalty.
Tier 2: If the theme of the focus isn’t physical transformation, choose a low-tier ability that provides an additional method of defending, healing damage, or avoiding attacks.
If the theme of the focus is physical transformation, choose a low-tier ability that unlocks a new capability related to the form the character takes. That might mean gaining better control of the transformation, unlocking a robotic interface, or otherwise more fully unlocking that form. This ability is not necessarily defensive, though it could be.
Tier 3: Choose two mid-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should provide an additional form of protection in keeping with the focus’s theme, such as more defensive capabilities unlocked from a transformation (which might also come with additional offensive capabilities) or a simple physical enhancement if defense is gained by skills or enhanced healing.
The other option should provide an offensive capability, especially if creating a non-transformation focus that doesn’t already have offensive benefits. That capability could be an enhanced attack or provide some other benefit useful in combat, such as quickly evading or (on the other end of the continuum) becoming immovable.
Tier 4: Choose a mid-tier ability that further enhances the advantages provided by the focus’s damage-soaking paradigm. Often, this includes training in a particular kind of defense. Alternatively, it might increase the advantages provided by previously unlocked defensive abilities, whether that means gaining greater control over a transformation, gaining additional chances to avoid damage or retry tasks related to enhanced determination, and so on. If the focus is lacking in offensive options, this is a good place to include one.
Tier 5: Choose a high-tier ability that provides protection, possibly in the form of shrugging off a debilitating condition (including death). If the focus offers a physical transformation, this ability might further unlock an additional related ability, whether offensive, defensive, or something related to exploration or interaction (such as flight if the form is winged, intimidation if the form is fearsome, and so on).
Tier 6: Choose two high-tier abilities. Give both of them as options for the focus; a PC will choose one or the other.
One option should use the focus paradigm to increase the defense, protection, or ability to shrug off damage.
The other option could be a different way of being defensive. In some cases, the best defense is a good offense, so this option could provide a high-tier offensive ability in keeping with the focus’s theme, whether that’s a straight-up damage boost on attacks or better control of an unstable physical transformation.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":399219,"name":"Abilities","type":"text","_id":"YRhX8KikaF361373","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"A character’s type, flavor, and focus assign an appropriate tier to each ability. However, if you’re creating a brand-new focus or type, we provide a couple of additional tools.
The first is a power grade for each ability, which tells you about how potent it is in relation to other abilities. Abilities appropriate for tiers 1 and 2 characters are called “low-tier” abilities. Abilities appropriate for tiers 3 and 4 are called “mid-tier” abilities. Abilities appropriate for tiers 5 and 6 are called “high-tier” abilities.
These abilities are further sorted into ability categories based on the kinds of things they do—abilities that improve physical attacks are in the attack skill category, abilities that assist allies are in the support category, and so on.
Unless otherwise noted, you cannot choose the same ability twice, even if you get it from both your type and a flavor.
Abilities can be divided into several categories based on the kinds of things they do—improve your physical attacks, assist allies, provide defense, give you a special attack form, and so on. Under each of the following category descriptions is a list of abilities that fit that category, sorted into low-, medium-, and high-tier abilities.
The categories are mainly used by GMs when designing new foci for a campaign, allowing them to search a short list of abilities instead of trying to find something appropriate among the thousand or so abilities in this chapter. For example, the GM might have a custom focus in their campaign called “Is Born of the Swamp” and want a defensive ability for tier 5, so they can look at the high-tier abilities in the protection category and quickly narrow down what options are available.
It may be possible that a character gains the same ability from more than one source (such as from their type and their descriptor). Unless the two abilities are obviously additive (such as two abilities that each add 3 points to your Might Pool, which together would give the character +6 Might points), the duplicated ability might be improved in some way, such as having a longer duration or greater effect, or automatically providing an asset. Some abilities give suggestions on how to do this; otherwise, the player and the GM should work out whether and how the ability is improved.
The ability categories are not intended to be rigid or comprehensive. Some abilities fall into more than one category, and it could be argued that some abilities could be included in more categories than are listed here.
These categories have some overlap with the categories in the Creating New Foci chapter. For example, there is a support category here and a support category in the Creating New Foci chapter. They aren’t intended to be exact parallels and they don’t mean exactly the same thing. That said, if you’re creating a support-centric focus, many of the abilities in the support ability category would be appropriate choices.
Gives you training or specialization in a specific physical attack (like swords or unarmed combat), a category of physical attacks (light bladed, heavy bashing, and so on), or another physical skill primarily used to inflict harm (such as breaking objects).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wAbsUj5mHZatr3JG]{Practiced With Guns} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhijFGxYepJtaa0r]{Practiced With Medium Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WFK0xBSAIpD59va8]{Practiced With Swords} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJKRrcU5L1yM9y90]{Unarmed Fighting Style}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7JkIlrv7gxim4Fn]{Cognizant Offense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nOuOE3EkrNr81pSq]{Greater Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yl2zo179wXZW5Xxc]{Practiced With All Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NcItnMHjeG9fgE1K]{Serv-0 Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lPqCQOQJF0JfoFRn]{Serv-0 Brawler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QDSSTe5EGrBHjtnL]{Sniper’s Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbWaCBEfSMujqvDf]{Specialized Throwing}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2uSx4ErQ9f2QLX5M]{As Foretold in Prophecy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AsmIgvoIRPEtuzkh]{Duel to the Death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LE8NtDKG9TzXBv5B]{Hunter’s Drive} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S4PaEqmYjg4TGoG3]{Master of Unarmed Fighting Style} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.F6mAzjhG2T4irVjy]{Specialized Basher}
Gives you a follower, modifies a follower, or gives you an additional benefit when interacting with or near your follower. This category includes humanoid followers, beast companions, and temporary companions like summoned swarms, conjured spirits, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bOohoEcDegDBinFc]{Beast Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9Kag2UMn6Wdxq4Zo]{Bound Magic Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIxPlDRbNqallNiu]{Control Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgS72E10jiPF3Dm3]{Critter Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P1jQZdPIrxo4wNlr]{Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK4CUb9HH4J5A8IN]{Entourage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZEcFnsNXgcozJElT]{Influence Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yaLHxRtVBhveqHJA]{Necromancy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oEubmS7pZ3zFK8uJ]{Resilient Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.paIv2etaqLqY76y0]{Robot Assistant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.v1lZkKjSCS1pjnET]{Serv-0} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RkOvawhfH5MHQFOH]{Spirit Accomplice}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gLxVxCSix441TyKq]{Call Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BQnrZXeivue9Q2qp]{Fellow Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.srn53BB1da8Elh1t]{Fiery Hand of Doom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rUzrjRuT2nfEdCaJ]{Gain Unusual Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vEVmBgz2TxOH3aSk]{Greater Necromancy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QxOsAHpd8ZkEXI5u]{Improved Object Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CEscdPwUrBpzUeS0]{Living Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S2OZtm12S2YvxD7H]{Retinue} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Nyt7Z1xWqmnuu265]{Shipspeak} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h1rn92kIqG5VVYd6]{Stronger Together} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEWyNKnVgVOjsyms]{Summon Giant Spider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FwEUY43Q8EMVCCsL]{Superior Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l5vgtPP0LcsqGrzn]{Time Loop}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qm31Nw2SkBpVcv9M]{As If One Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fD8yD0pGCMdOJkGb]{Band of Desperados} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KpbEHKNSEycVB1GU]{Band of Followers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pFWDdnTXCiPfwsWv]{Beast Call} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jVY1PTxvZvpjZILB]{Call Dead Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HUVY2MA2CBegFhLY]{Call in Favor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ElsQU746B70tsPmZ]{Call Otherworldly Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U58ZQ1X3byfANn4W]{Call Through Time} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8SDpRRzZRF73zLsF]{Conjuration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iQhBPww1s4wRZcDz]{Deadly Swarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M1FHIlVPVv8O02LV]{Dragon’s Maw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NVdx8QjmTP5eOjDh]{Fire Servant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iEOf9IkbHU8oBOMm]{Improved Apportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJpMPRD25O7HvhbV]{Insect Eruption} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pGJIwlCJDib2Splm]{Legal Intern} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rsYzxCchklPSFAp7]{Multiplicity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Aprz5cRtdgiAIYUM]{Object Bond Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3EcnBLVtGwxpWXBW]{Recruit Deputy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yqhUXLWMSNn5IYOn]{Robot Fleet} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LnZkUlKUuuD7iW3P]{Summon Demon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GDphyYXSfjKE5BST]{True Necromancy}
Controls or influences minds in ways outside of what could be done with conventional intimidation and persuasion, such as using psychic mind control, fear gas, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BggeJtN5IcutwLJg]{Calm Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SeAlSU8Rim5CWsgV]{Charm Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fg8V2R3kpLX2sHRn]{Cloud Personal Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ag3OU8JZuc769034]{Community Activist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ulHj0pzmwc515fve]{Fast Talk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M2oXV5cRSdMlUZDm]{Goad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0V2NE0905wwYPRVo]{Hack the Impossible} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kgCuCmU8kn0UMy8v]{Robot Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qVlbJjB7X8R78rz0]{Terrifying Presence}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CLObcsu2DKKKhzyK]{Calm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EMTH3JCrC5Vjt63]{Captivate or Inspire} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUhnX0UmEw2BROkI]{Captivate With Starshine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t83oYxQRuO2u2zx4]{Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OE5yXpzWC8lSUmGX]{Command Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCQdSi11hJDyOSdD]{Command Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.crFxkKwBNdnD6tX4]{Crowd Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FIU24o7T66ViVgyg]{Daydream} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sqiDNk5qXh9j3zwh]{Grand Deception} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ljhjSIxYOCbPXEFR]{Interruption} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iRqXVpngq6vfgtEn]{Psychic Suggestion}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.By276DS858KmWNZq]{Assume Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3SiJ5Drao8XtmgzV]{Brainwashing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWbDzueOAxSW1d3C]{Change the Paradigm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LvoH43SKKtr3urKo]{Control the Savage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0f2qoQlYGRqgu0Nj]{Defuse Situation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyW320RhzarMNoss]{Flee} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.miR0d91lKIfmBGdO]{Psychic Passenger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cfR2uFYjteKAqsYw]{Show Them the Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wZZC07ADxO3mImS]{Suggestion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZTp4SZ673tDJpmuS]{Word of Command}
Creates useful physical things, such as mundane tools (hammers, crowbars), limited-use devices (manifest cyphers, artifacts), or independent beings (robots, elementals, zombies). Includes blueprints, plans, and effects that aid or speed crafting.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JoPcORtuhjnAJ5mT]{Create Deadly Poison} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZvKFftq7doCxI7T5]{Fortification Builder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IswvUEdCBBZDRme6]{Junkmonger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JK2hN1poqMLqfa1N]{Machine Efficiency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mFPUUmBIcGGsuwNd]{Modify Device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ktxj62234LhUr51B]{Natural Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m6X5wyPUPdhqLTIp]{Quick Work} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUliR2uWpIcE6jQX]{Robot Builder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XUutaClCW4UXzK7e]{Trapster} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qBTIXXJt2Ahn8UYh]{Weapon Crafter}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FBCpBF9PXlEtIX4m]{Dream Becomes Reality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dhXVqnunlbSbrDPB]{Expert Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7G8B9lfoVXkuxvKB]{Ice Creation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BSx4qB29VwRUISm6]{Robot Upgrade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3DJXuR680OxwP5NT]{Sculpt Light}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HuhNjMfMxPkTlERH]{Create} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JUn27j5YI3dRh2jJ]{Dark Matter Structure} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6e4KunpYFObSRszo]{Improved Sculpt Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y3qXWOUu7mAhg6Rb]{Innovator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KQDFvUEnIWed1ebo]{Jury-Rig} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t0B6AIqWanSnx696]{Modify Artifact Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape}
Cures damage, adds or improves recovery rolls, or negates, cures, suspends, or otherwise gives immunity to a harmful effect or condition, such as poison, disease, mental attacks, moving down on the damage track, or dying.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8mP69InEXQ4TB5BL]{Alleviate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z7CKGOQWnfdNO885]{Destined for Greatness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qHzwHm5LmYDasHnF]{Diver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gWvMJQPBSmeaP8yN]{Drain Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JyAovhallyh9m6oW]{Drain Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PqL4qr9D8QAwQhrL]{Endurance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uB3sVzeG2N5rkdUZ]{Escape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CAYeFSNYprjeRtWw]{Extra Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U7chr7wLj7r5y0LT]{Foil Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.igGttY1Y2XbAx3qY]{Healing Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UtFc3e4grYyCQneH]{Improved Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFQaDsHzJpTSV8Tw]{Living Off the Land} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wXV7JxEmZDlBvRKO]{Push on Through} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.euEVkth9YGYSpoJf]{Quick Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rRDSzPJtUCwRVXFR]{Repair Flesh} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OvvuCBCQ71rZkCqQ]{Restful Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XntbE6mXQ4CZ6yIi]{Speedy Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s2PLo9FsWBi2C1VY]{Surging Confidence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2fU3nI68oi5ScziC]{Totally Chill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yRSe9vjTxdOkvgBE]{Water Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lw0otGU2Iaorppdc]{Will of Legend}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m7j43Ww96dKCDtJO]{Aquatic Combatant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zdkVn6jIaanDoikV]{Biomorphic Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nVFRDMhuWDrdve4F]{Damage Transference} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5otvtHrbVXIh0N27]{Fight On} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rAmIxY5G1BK4ZMm7]{Font of Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6nm35znCQzjAk6Gb]{Healing Pulse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b776WTF2u1roh3n0]{Incredible Health} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7amEMbwK27v31Lt9]{Miraculous Health} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AAUqaiWxC5V4e1VH]{Noble’s Courage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsKeNcF252yKnh2O]{Poison Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gn1jtMLhp6qPNXUL]{Store Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nJBrBxxs0ezweHKZ]{Thinking Ahead} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wxAZnuQkvWosLzkN]{Tough As Nails} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.27EOrq94WxqgBbWQ]{Unmovable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P73TBXcNDbZCVsdE]{Unraveling Consumption} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ja8ebgq2RDQryN62]{Wilderness Encouragement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5HNZcrij9mgEmvAR]{Final Defiance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0Tt5R1m2DsVLtPH]{Free to Move} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W0Jw19mWIycjIgmo]{Gamer’s Fortitude} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIUTe5O1jeA47zps]{Gaming God} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O2XHxUa2QNrliDMG]{Greater Healing Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.upynNTXrIGGH82Ll]{Incredible Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PvISXo6EQ2PmCGes]{Infuse Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kf09KYdZqG6dNTFC]{Inspire the Innocent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dMEqa6kAjXrHlxui]{Negate Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hp9Sdc7eTTUuWTiu]{Rapid Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aS13LBRfyrWXAMMp]{Regenerate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ydmPM9m8nmmgvlXc]{Restore Life} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aDnA7oA9ZYCEfprI]{Resuscitate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Xvgo62UVSOI9Acx]{Share the Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iXBkjCf0y9vXVXI6]{Stay the Course} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.icJAWRB8Uha8CSKr]{Vigilant}
Manipulates the environment or things in the environment, such as with telekinesis, weather control, gravity control, illusions, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zqarns940d4FXwYf]{Create Water} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y08bfWS5eyeUJB3J]{Dreamcraft} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.21Bi8yur01DCYz5f]{Fetch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zW0cZJQTR0tHUmn3]{Grasping Foliage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1KjY8D1dvLc3NuUv]{Hidden Closet} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xZQXXjAWGBo7mTHU]{Illuminating Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BjWI1UVg9kpY7FKO]{Illusory Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jCmnAY8EjuGo5uDg]{Impetus} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Frxs35QkokRdure4]{Legerdemain} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wNQ3q7VXtPHlPzqb]{Lock} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l60mmJrF1GupXLJB]{Minor Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p2JmtbtuzscW1ogs]{Move Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3s6gDCIY1zfetGEg]{Slip Into Shadow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xDn74LRD6xlMUqj2]{Telekinesis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Db7aRY4t1mwRpcoL]{Wilderness Explorer}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FIU24o7T66ViVgyg]{Daydream} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SHMGbt30RfePtyNE]{Define Down} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eJpNT3QObtYiDfXY]{Field of Gravity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.itnqtCRfxC2EDKqu]{Force to Reckon With} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hJV3hrSYcq3Zbzl5]{Illusory Selves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YeOtzG5ksxonD5RS]{Living Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hNsph7BRwllVSUre]{Major Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KLFHpPR0MKLOWr8l]{Nullify Sound} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8QwoYVraOedgr9kB]{Projection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wAQ7a5JSjp01x1Eg]{Storm Seed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIlgHiF1EN0fEpYx]{Sunlight}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tvlNZboSbKCHttjs]{Control Weather} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fruWNFBBNLpcGLaC]{Diamagnetism} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TXNhhyj63MMp2dVF]{Force Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBykf0P4WQ9Lb6TN]{Generate Force Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lCWWUQ0vYH2odiDv]{Grandiose Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZK9Ruc53rKBqU93i]{Granite Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLsz8IqWScZt0Ott]{Inferno Trail} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8OmtJRuoKRzuGfh8]{Move Mountains} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RNJbp1eAcMqSnYvb]{Permanent Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RBOc2zxAI9xMoWqW]{Relocate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9cJ6gJZc7datpQwJ]{Terrifying Image} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Bny0sFdqf40pJeOp]{Wall of Lightning} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pfZzabIIEuU4kSH3]{The Wild Is on Your Side}
Gives the ability to learn information about something, whether chosen by the GM like Scan, by asking a question and the GM giving the answer, or by learning a language.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.r7uNiD9CGy4G3Hoq]{Babel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.op9VSx3NJT28UwTH]{Community Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P95xVHVxALSMjanR]{Decipher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bH57y3PYsMceluGy]{Dream Thief} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RM8Fmu1IJwzBkjcM]{Eye for Detail} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IvKd5vkPypJbB1Ip]{Gather Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4PVFXmi2cxI8MdpR]{Lab Analysis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRW5MxW12oakmeHE]{Monster Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GicRKJcPO3hmlwD]{Network Tap} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V5oEOJ4i32t97yOG]{Predictive Model} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZsI6553CPbGi0wtx]{Premonition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pHFFr4DkCythNc5n]{Question the Spirits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fzx429jdEdbd0tHy]{Retrieve Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h3G0Ven2SoaPCbk4]{Salvage and Comfort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPvXaxuRIVXLmkWl]{Scan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.83y32UMQWshRvbDG]{See History} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nvA3LwoSP7jf4h8G]{Speaker for the Dead} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L2NOLfflU6HNleuT]{Telepathic}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YlzkyK6WEkk0cfhh]{Creature Insight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ssfubNrUQC38zCkJ]{Device Insight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mL6Yae2CxgefOMHn]{Draw Conclusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mu5knvNfGyaeaiTB]{Find the Hidden} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W7wHOJdozxk7Y2CQ]{Got a Feeling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBt3AmXa8vzUCiHd]{Know Their Faults} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dLJ0B35UlB5wxCf4]{Machine Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7VYzHQvF1cz4cfUp]{Mechanical Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uPvNopNWTgHGIPyR]{Reading the Room} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x7YnN02GiwDQ09km]{Sensor Array} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9r6iNU2GH4oEH6vz]{Serv-0 Scanner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2t9oGZRuFhLCKjsa]{Soul Interrogation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abMJwHQIsm9Wcdlg]{Spot Weakness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBdIPMJ2oOOesmod]{Wilderness Awareness}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1tkQKo32UKxTUUPn]{Deep Consideration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wztu6KcpILxwlFTU]{Drawing on Life’s Experiences} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lbXg8UlSCG23yxO4]{Read the Signs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K0C60k7wHBSpMQX4]{Telepathic Network}
Modifies an existing ability or character trait’s effects or parameters, such as increasing range or, damage, easing the difficulty, giving you additional noncombat actions each turn, rerolling a failed attempt, or treating a number on the die as something different than normal.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m5U42d2SkK31mp8d]{A Smile and a Word} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EyAIsiqJGCspQFcu]{Arcane Flare} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yIdq1lu1eUAkNyDC]{Artifact Tinkerer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ywBEe31zan6qpVxr]{Augment Cypher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mbq7D0u4Vee0NKYz]{Careful Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.essJhO2eqoHmIQaa]{Charge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L3UjcLAFvS9MLWCu]{Coaxing Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EERMWn1af0S8wAWN]{Crushing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkmTskE3eqcfu7dY]{Curious} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Pu5XGGLI6cCp1EQd]{Double Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gWvMJQPBSmeaP8yN]{Drain Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fu5C9JHmORmWTR8]{Driving on the Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YjJvvUhIqtxf6eYS]{Elusive} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJst9mtUKNTe3Pd2]{Energize Object} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SmuTPFfZGnCUmnEj]{Extra Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.axI0iGYo7DjdR8Ya]{Find the Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YGsGHp1rbu3Z7Kdd]{Frenzy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pXrC4lkMOY7CvFLk]{Golem Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1SBd1jm66eSo4eHn]{Gunner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.z23towmNKeKJasHV]{Hacker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tBWUjjkgyXHTrkCp]{Hold Breath} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3fMzqFFQ1rLtbVrd]{Improved Designation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzpkQwb1jA53bs1y]{Investigator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N4DTNNCEESorc0N4]{Lead From the Front} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JK2hN1poqMLqfa1N]{Machine Efficiency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VgomhLKFHDDAzW9T]{Mind for Might} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mFPUUmBIcGGsuwNd]{Modify Device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nW46hfygkxB7FW5m]{Monster Bane} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ktxj62234LhUr51B]{Natural Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PCTUkuALVb0GdTCe]{Object Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDG7hgrRNt4aHpP1]{Overload Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XAXJ3mFGdDv0fXLP]{Precision} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y2eUnbkzxOeoe9w6]{Quick Death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m6X5wyPUPdhqLTIp]{Quick Work} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJVu7MQ2pOhNfpUB]{Range Increase} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.szw7tHW0OjI2fjpJ]{Reload} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vVax9KyZ3U4Wpok8]{Something in the Road} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AFfburUYwZlBFq7N]{Tinker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.J0fj73TfCu4aSdVL]{Weapon Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yS1sMAZEzJbozxOZ]{Wreck}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M5QroBlhUCULt6MD]{Amazing Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7Gxuqkwo4i47yHe3]{Betrayal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G0hoaZFQpdG7FfxO]{Better Living Through Chemistry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JwG4lCSZIG3qUQAi]{Cast Illusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M3TM1cORNnlEN0ZO]{Cyphersmith} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Rr4oB1lUzuzFHNHQ]{Deadly Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zYGhcm896Xbi7Ia2]{Deep Resources} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zLJYM2OiFVIsuz3P]{Dodge and Resist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEj2uvWI3w0W9HWH]{Drain at a Distance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B5zrSVUs54TUALFB]{Energized Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FQPA8oY3xiZIL6aG]{Enhanced Intellect Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g1t5TxZXsNovIVTn]{Enhanced Might Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwVDTy2Rx1V7Tyly]{Enhanced Physique} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tuofJSTVjOEwRUem]{Enhanced Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MdRdAc0qAWghMmlV]{Expert Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJQmvEiYq2xBv4ZJ]{Flameblade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR3B0gfJtrYUAU5M]{From the Shadows} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.73miZT5kYFyxnPOT]{Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.42sPqHxJEybiZ6Vh]{Fusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ee8QC6fkRvD1yw6h]{Greater Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgnoEdKZ50u4JZoL]{Greater Designation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vVc3NxkYdj68mAoV]{Greater Enhanced Physique} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hAVC1FOl7hwnuBpC]{Greater Frenzy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4v5pXMwFeB7xQzME]{Guide Bolt} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OtbS1NoVXK7mQLEe]{Guild Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VupBbHOJAX45Yazb]{Heroic Monster Bane} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wrPVUnJauasIH886]{Improved Absorb Kinetic Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7X2zbrkFSNbyhA5G]{Improved Edge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HPIlAWDGOQFw6yGm]{Improved Monster Bane} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eblwQ80CBlBdeUp5]{Improved Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0q9alvmsQKKViN0r]{Incomparable Pilot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PYD24TjoDAqbKAj8]{Iron Fist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YID6zEB7KkHGYAlD]{Know Where to Look} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bPr34XiLw2Dqb4VJ]{Lunge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2l9FIUVKimPzIXzU]{Machine Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.atQ5yNq1ZEyy0z5j]{Machine Vulnerabilities} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.imWLlYQs4LTaCTdS]{Never Fumble} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cqzyNCPYVEWtucLe]{Outwit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Y7HUEp7IxdPuur8V]{Overcharge Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rOxKh1Z7J686a0nv]{Precise Cut} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iGRECL13bqrSSF7P]{Punish the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJ9nWmcBIlfyNDfe]{Push Off and Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6X3BDWzVKsWltrtY]{Roaming Third Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qSH4OhrBBgNnAdAo]{Robot Improvement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3zUlk8c5WEBXXO8]{Seize the Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ZVINuyZm4jowRGt]{Shepherd’s Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JhBTTC5ZUTT8NvUA]{Slippery Customer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q73VWJY2cmWxRcYx]{Space Fighting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8LHIZs9gEAd02tId]{Speed Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmYIPbMwsq3GY3eO]{Stone Breaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gn1jtMLhp6qPNXUL]{Store Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS2p7CRfquFvR65U]{Strategize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wpA3GB5yJq9NI8QN]{Think Your Way Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V7npSeuqG3JI4Dvv]{Trust to Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bVt0TIfwtEUXvi6O]{Uncanny Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scMKCptCmp0IwO2g]{Wall With Teeth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6McxfJoPmf1SnbDR]{Wrest From Chance}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cuK7oPGFdlOPoc44]{Agile Wit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eepc8U2e178RDqBs]{All-Out Con} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MJE1k2RmCM6HRwFV]{Artifact Scavenger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iX07Ltb1JYr1nMYM]{Blurring Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hKhwP85QeRGPW03G]{Burst of Escape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPfY6tVurfAxNUPh]{Charging Horde} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmjxGRJTwztzBtLc]{Coordinated Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JH40M99RAN6IZWze]{Damn the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3uyBYJqMApfEBWX]{Discipline of Watchfulness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P3Ha3GoJlM8EHf5j]{Divide Your Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3uGYyiXUUSz952zQ]{Dual Distraction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AsmIgvoIRPEtuzkh]{Duel to the Death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AvaA8a3ylU9q4gL1]{Effective Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A9uQnidn6SKTNHJA]{Enhanced Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xHLPf1FETmn06aA8]{Enhanced Phased Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzJe2XEwhtUajTWI]{Escape Plan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mhgFWIDr0QuCHRIF]{Extreme Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yIt7vEBNLpyggkSQ]{Force and Accuracy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lUkqQu1vvJe3FxfQ]{Gambler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U33DbRwloywFlYfi]{Go to Ground} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGzAHs3qln0fNDjt]{Hard to Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lrz5wU8PLzd7gATA]{Horde Tactics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lJWTlBH1koX2Fjgi]{Impart Understanding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q22uje0KevLfL2qb]{Improved Command Spirit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cnvf8fv0EEKU3iSn]{Improved Gravity Cleave} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t6VEEwEsQUIImebW]{Improved Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JeqLEAcHOYVd78TH]{Inventor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teF5kZpAuRfZKfxn]{Machine Enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IfvVmyawWrz3vKXX]{Maneuvering Adept} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K4XRiZlFRakz6j98]{Master Cypher Use} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7QTTrXnxDHskYYhj]{Master Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t0B6AIqWanSnx696]{Modify Artifact Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ENO71nxs3MSKzvq6]{Multiple Quarry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rsYzxCchklPSFAp7]{Multiplicity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m21TAvxSQn1rGx3d]{Overcharge Device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5uWcMvgh1OWvieJs]{Physically Gifted} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EjBzy1Ue1AA8i6ry]{Recycled Cyphers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hCAzOVpH0jrYc9qk]{Reinforcing Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ucsscEpO5L2gIYZg]{Resonant Frequency} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HAVNfVKAdwtJF6Jj]{Robot Evolution} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqUItgrYzBeMiAoB]{Seize the Initiative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Np67YSIzrP6w1PPb]{Shield Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P9HlASUtyiOXghBZ]{Shred Existence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HYDsZRWMlWTvSQU8]{Subtle Tricks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cWHqKGpI5z0aiSYC]{Thief’s Luck} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWws42dVSQjRz8Hr]{Twist of Fate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EE1xCQ3OvCrdrG6z]{Two Things at Once} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bgaCXtvlT0zWmAIA]{Using What’s Available} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gETtOLyLYRVk53dP]{Usurp Cypher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w3HN2nZBTo5mLJcM]{Weightless Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RHLBHQuskBAVGnU8]{Weird Science Breakthrough} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vQtVTnCecWFXkfkI]{Wild Vitality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets}
Increases your movement (such as increasing your basic movement speed from short to long) or adds a new type of movement (such as flight, wallcrawling, phasing, or teleporting).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uh1t4rnkZ2jOCjHJ]{Bolt Rider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dQHSDDZxJNHrHH1l]{Contortionist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3x3gRDJejTXQPmdY]{Danger Instinct} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gP8HCn8FPeg49V7M]{Far Step} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5abCQnz5ZWvvfMro]{Get Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VWehoqF0N6s0WMLK]{Void Wings} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.loOJI9ZakIwGrmW1]{Apportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zps9ZUc9RD1mRDEK]{Blink of an Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asABBkIqO5MSTxQ0]{Bypass Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wG4zveGhplNKNzuP]{Controlled Fall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZYudnanHgtiLHtgH]{Mobile Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qZOOWfFLJ1JziJpY]{Obstacle Running} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MFBq4Fc432FS6nkX]{Phase Door} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dW0rgYsx6hDA8pIB]{Runner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LlaltL5rG2c5Cadt]{Swim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0EhZzYdEhtCRnV4c]{Temporal Dislocation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s68x7VxwueUkCkOg]{Up to Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KX6gQ8frz4IDtBx6]{Windrider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TWqyBv9PEjwJKd1y]{Wings of Fire} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGz0rK4b2dAt0DaX]{Wormhole}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QtpmHxblBqoQozbg]{Alley Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iX07Ltb1JYr1nMYM]{Blurring Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2iAHsn5ie8sYRiyb]{Chamber of Dreams} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.etGUYa9dQSvjLvXX]{Electrical Flight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2asT0zvk1kw5hC1v]{Embraced by Darkness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IKicLElFbkRx5IaM]{Fast Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2TaqNf6bhxijKELX]{Flash Across the Miles} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abdAcwYE8L00VakL]{Flight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2DSp12G6NP3X6Jt]{Impossible Walk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0wVk3CszKCJQfp0Q]{Incredible Running Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jM6JQUQFUpk9VVut]{Jaunt} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U8OsW0m17N86hNWW]{Juggernaut} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cE7JPRHLqIdM3b9V]{Living Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lL7QywDGOszTIJCE]{Mental Projection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tR2v2vMu3TgN21OJ]{Return to the Obelisk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN3VI2LxDyYGbqnN]{Teleportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lkO9VJhfOrgLY4g1]{Time Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8yGwY0PvtF2ivdSn]{Very Long Sprinting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8PB7yHNGa7iBpYeI]{Wind Chariot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b44vvK2YjdSeYPJc]{Windwracked Traveler}
Gives training or specialization in one or more types of combat defenses (Might, Speed, or Intellect), provides or increases Armor, or otherwise helps prevent damage.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.62zBqhQoPk6IV8lF]{Absorb Kinetic Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7OpsD4muO5HGJt29]{Block} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SQ4RTDwdA0yiZ81b]{Closed Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aNNLomN5nZc52ZT4]{Defense Against Robots} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2j6Hqr2Y8Xbz97c4]{Defensive Phasing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YcDF62pED8waUtry]{Deflect Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6qCR3kBqCVYDlEOl]{Distortion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPflrS1giYnMoqL2]{Enveloping Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1POQ4sFW5DLrmXhn]{Fearsome Reputation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XuNgbxrY284sWgZg]{Field of Destruction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K33ayv0NcktuV53N]{Flesh of Stone} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LFiTEQpWhXBgIZWb]{Flight Not Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yb5PaVIPimrcJxFg]{Force Field Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.C9x7b1qN4qmm568P]{Fortified Position} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.10EqPrn9aONinEfm]{Go Defensive} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pXrC4lkMOY7CvFLk]{Golem Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qgholblGXKQri99M]{Hard to Distract} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VsAP4JEe7W5gaGaG]{Hardiness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.geCiPXMF2sIRJ68U]{Have Spacesuit, Will Travel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.czVqoPjH98xaNY1d]{Ice Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gjBFpV2OvDmBqeE3]{Just a Bit Mad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hKsZzzdWTelNlz3q]{Magic Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hGbNYgkuIiZHomcJ]{Mentally Tough} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BkWiUHcUrcRIKqO]{Out of Harm’s Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ClJUFnz8xBmP4a2l]{Powered Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GQeO9RXVzeriLsfy]{Quick Block} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MK2dp11krszjDsyc]{Repel Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mmg9XLzvfbP4ESGO]{Resist the Elements} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ssWKJs1l9cQbNZha]{Resist Underwater Hazards} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q8xKsSOvoFWL1ePP]{Resonance Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0Ewv5wBooSFYOlH]{Safe Fall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XzomXctsS8NL9M7Q]{Serv-0 Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EheuStXUDPojVmT5]{Shield Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AzMtxh562JfrPdKZ]{Shroud of Flame} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.87SQGqcRavRZslAp]{Sound Conversion Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHcC89OKZACgLB8Y]{Stare Them Down} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gS1X6POaKLjNlHsI]{Sturdy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zEkA8MhrnJ5p9Io6]{Unarmored Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.59mslpID7ogppzMA]{Ward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6zU8AURXjXgG63j6]{Warding Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6Xs3fyaANQDWXRoc]{Weapon Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QGSHCRW46vn5Xdwu]{Weather the Vicissitudes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3Xoq7NLpshgG3VPY]{Wind Armor}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yvPcOjjqyU3618Ob]{Absorb Pure Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZH0JbusjycG6zQf1]{Anticipate Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gyZd83dgvZnQrmbb]{Cloak of Opportunity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2SiHiotGcSufnCne]{Confounding Banter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1fYBYD1EfA5z1NFl]{Confuse Enemy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BjlHRj3hANsoqhKq]{Counter Danger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mj6yJZwRmdXaVwh8]{Countermeasures} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XYbtbbVKFYmDfmjO]{Dark Matter Shroud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NnlGdSiR9GbiTJyZ]{Discerning Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gVOzzvxS6PPu8Ofy]{Dual Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.76HF09q7MdGek863]{Electric Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR8WeRW3OlbCIjlJ]{Elemental Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yz1w8JR23mtlDX49]{Energy Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M49EI6qapNJC2aLR]{Energy Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rqC9cEmRkvm29N56]{Fusion Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aBfj6w1y6noOzB7d]{Horde Fighting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zcxMbV4Fe4JqJAe8]{Illusory Evasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n985WYLPzj2XqBry]{Magnetic Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.whVEpvOjmGs3fpcD]{Matter Cloud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mGv7zlZu1wtNCQXQ]{Moving Like Water} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mz9g9gv2UvARcLid]{Nimble Swimmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DMBJEypEWuAS2lai]{Outlaw Reputation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GvYXLPdpaFEMGuQR]{Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NKvNEjx64CcS3l13]{Shield Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CNw7shehsdySzhAK]{Subconscious Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wxiRMTCBZ4iNCHp]{Temporal Acceleration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t8wL47jk1KS4zapb]{Tough It Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sq2JJtnRtSthJSYL]{Tower of Intellect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w2aO1ZIpmBDQJXq1]{Tumbling Moves} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OovsYh1BefBJrU8m]{Versatile Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhbLcVuqEZmS6Z2y]{Vigilance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWVz2CkwLnCSJMdS]{Wraith Cloak}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xBZTbhZKRB9AJmMa]{Defensive Augmentation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FjXL6iSD1CJKbuGT]{Defensive Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cTU70NgcebRlD7jI]{Field-Reinforced Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S9QxUr8u2gtwY7ya]{Hard Target} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGzAHs3qln0fNDjt]{Hard to Kill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5rgcPJXpCcB5VJ1m]{Lost in the Chaos} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rHApGqEQj8TCGa3f]{Masterful Armor Modification} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iIy1HDd9yUl07AYo]{Microgravity Avoidance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lGbieMmnuoqsl4Jz]{Nothing but Defend} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cbXNxvPdWEbKF6nA]{Reactive Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4BQHOR98z3TYJPQu]{Still As a Statue} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QLRztjFH4YetYM6l]{Untouchable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.INdq5iQf5ECzRiNp]{Untouchable While Moving} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B6SEeGr5kxLAgvvq]{Wear It Well}
Enhances your senses (seeing in the dark, seeing underwater or through mist, sensing danger, finding optimal places to stand in combat, and so on), but doesn’t provide direct answers to questions like an information ability does.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xskKzxBoGvSrje4e]{Eyes Adjusted} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wVgcztnnNFPqK9Mo]{Familiarize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8ydN3DBdXXP24hQL]{Find an Opening} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.boxrBJsyP0yjJHjt]{Link Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TPEcyzCeC3z5FyyQ]{Mental Link} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uti1XQwY4VFZwwwc]{Reveal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jq6Wm9xYxJA0bRaR]{See the Unseen} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYyymKUc0QKWdNsy]{See Through Matter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvFsSsVjyF8iXvCe]{Sense Ambush} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRh7n2VLXyRa4il9]{Share Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WgjatSOUT6pT02A7]{Third Eye}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nJlhmzrhmXvM3QvU]{Break the Line} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.j1AZSJpCetRgsQ6A]{Detect Life} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MvyXo0ZUsxu8QQ22]{Distance Viewing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EcOIgMC9c1IfSHsr]{Echolocation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.khxZngfluNmVSAIT]{Experienced Finder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QsXOz48JgyXYEEqS]{Inhabit Crystal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBjSpuK7XJc1abJv]{Remote Viewing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9YuQrJXAQO0qIFPj]{Serv-0 Spy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V1ROUnWXLmLRMxXi]{Trapfinder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FktE2hQhSKXbWcQU]{Use Senses of Others}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.djqbPin4qsUauJmD]{Battlefield Tactician} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpJY8qkTAmSvXoFM]{Infer Thoughts} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7QTTrXnxDHskYYhj]{Master Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PazO9rJ2YoE8VEUw]{See Through Time} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
Gives you an indirect social benefit, such as providing a useful contact in a city or letting you take advantage of your social status.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CekF2lqwNrMyio0]{Connected} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GwH3ugd7aHrWZRz]{Debate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JSlr2Q6Ll1xNd8fX]{Demeanor of Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GT0AiiarWPbGzxKs]{Impart Ideal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OmfjqEmmIbrWST5U]{Misdirect Blame} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5VqOTQlAYTtWTwmS]{Negotiate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6QXGJBsJPDFgcdq5]{Perks of Stardom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBlyd9LvSH8D0Z5I]{Powerful Rhetoric} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OFWQd2W52VAODeas]{Underworld Contacts} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UHvD5299HFbwBvpR]{Unexpected Betrayal}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7Gxuqkwo4i47yHe3]{Betrayal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tmrSKjGmjbxfIqPI]{Flamboyant Boast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zg8dYuOdCXGwXOFd]{Informer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5BlJLgj1ayBw0uY]{Oratory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hhBF8re7Azmce3Y9]{Group Friendship}
Gives the ability to make a special melee or ranged attack (weapon, energy blast, psychic, and so on). The attack might do damage, have a special effect (disarm, hinder, move the target, and so on), or both. This also includes abilities like Spray that let you attack multiple targets as your action.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p61Ycyc7lVZQXupO]{Advantage to Disadvantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.X7Rrn9Q54ceSA4Lr]{Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EyAIsiqJGCspQFcu]{Arcane Flare} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7BS6IEcYlEp5v3OC]{Bash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wyUQ3Atl3V1ItCFH]{Bloodlust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mfebb42AE5xt7k85]{Concussive Blast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6cMg5QXB71YNgoaM]{Control the Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o7kTUAFonv5HPi07]{Cutting Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teFcKcbo5ZBFbfRl]{Dazzling Sunburst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.di7QfASecjKU8BPN]{Disincentivize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7f6ulMjWFw2BOK76]{Disrupting Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JyAovhallyh9m6oW]{Drain Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bH57y3PYsMceluGy]{Dream Thief} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NHns9zqufRvB3Tnl]{Dual Light Wield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bM2Y62eaUKYKdcwq]{Entangling Force} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lQ4MNmGXXNBMGsmk]{Enthrall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmWjWp4iWk4GMLN0]{Erase Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eFgzJXQlg6l7NBqM]{Eye Gouge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.78uF9siViGIHKYGx]{Flash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aidcxXW6MokDMqY7]{Force Bash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nHqTzLHJrUWSAATM]{Frost Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aFEBxDGnuFi20cLo]{Golem Grip} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zW0cZJQTR0tHUmn3]{Grasping Foliage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S3L1oym8fpx0NsAc]{Hemorrhage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJjAmyf9zhjRTNme]{Hurl Flame} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FE1Ge8CbJxQcCo0b]{Onslaught} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.90wkMwuVBaiyL9yt]{Opportunist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2iiTUXdkMPREkvK]{Overwatch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IPwnXtVrXauJXgFo]{Pierce} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Myt0JUt24B8hjYAg]{Push} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yszDDDpH6m16dEoV]{Quick Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yg6jEM07HAccDcNC]{Ray of Confusion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMjccuRLDDnfZtZe]{Release Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q8xKsSOvoFWL1ePP]{Resonance Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7aCeBDGZqu8A9hMQ]{Ribbons of Dark Matter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kkCW4KkWA751AeBl]{Scramble Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n81xGnZHydeXmIRc]{Scratch Existence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0Wq39mJ9oXA415qx]{Seeds of Fury} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nptFEdFaUvjDeqAz]{Shatter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3btRIiWxY8oMcVMo]{Shock} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pdNI9QMKmDwu8gza]{Stasis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8hiUfUNY3u2IpVDa]{Swipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WO2Wg9PvscHMcQlH]{Thrust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uMaMKhemHmtlXDjT]{Thunder Beam} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cwZIpP2FTLIVGhbm]{Weighty}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ra0A8MtQjZEYhJPr]{Acrobatic Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS1RW48sdVY6ZJZd]{Ambusher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SG8ms3jfHw8hXGnX]{Answering Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tbeFzIPGuAjRBpKM]{Better Surprise Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YDKULtvV0pMJDxi2]{Bolts of Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2BSB9or5UJdTiYF]{Built-in Weaponry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IUlsD8Zxp8AYbO4h]{Burning Light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hw16NpdbdJOqVF4z]{Castigate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WeMTxJElozl7OWdJ]{Center of Attention} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIWg9VFNnYnrknAu]{Crystal Lens} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MqGMnSIkHK4rOFSm]{Dark Matter Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vZELZYMsLJfBfUnt]{Dazing Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JVvSTtYbksWJDADY]{Debilitating Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XSuUGS0UyrhiW44]{Destroy Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ka5VA9XBi4OTnKVa]{Disable Mechanisms} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dJTgtIs80gOoI6ac]{Divine Radiance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q9nALxXrBv5ubXaT]{Dual Medium Wield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1L1uoad8vwgWxiyN]{Everything Is a Weapon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VEJQ74o175OnlIAm]{Exile} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AUGM3xEluWJi4Y8h]{Fire and Ice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NgHLZq3tZ3CFJvYv]{Fire Bloom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CAh0KStmP03kgv62]{Fling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dDhnZrzAxDvK7QYa]{Force at Distance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dCoCGVzWxIL9fIvH]{Force Blast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BGMXK6VKNmp8M4A3]{Freezing Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E0k0LUw0epjJGrv9]{Golem Stomp} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.48i5ybVtZaTlFLJf]{Grab} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jbhcWHMiQQaR9ukO]{Gravity Cleave} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LLvJZvzbGQOrlqoE]{Ignition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QxOsAHpd8ZkEXI5u]{Improved Object Bond} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2K3b6cTuLEGZfYqa]{Knock Out} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.whVEpvOjmGs3fpcD]{Matter Cloud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9WffstnihzBuuvW]{Mind Games} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTVAJGFiXDueX8az]{Momentum} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gDwPpgIAocEfQjPx]{Overawe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zIYdniz9sjvAHsnX]{Overcome All Obstacles} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rXUUDUJFKis8TpnL]{Phase Detonation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cJB7wj5okdPZuRNb]{Phased Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoC3yuqxU8yhPf47]{Power Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.blm1Z8JxvWOiFf0b]{Pry Open} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mc8L07dpf605FDo9]{Psychic Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Je1MitN21L3lqWVF]{Psychosis} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJ9nWmcBIlfyNDfe]{Push Off and Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JlYk5UNZEUzzO8Js]{Quick Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YA5P5CBNr5NSmY6z]{Rapid Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XqGE5QLHnpIKB5rB]{Reaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Yo2Z3EdYjx88jYnp]{Remote Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZuX6gykVtKxiBAxR]{Run and Fight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.znJCKr6PeEq4a0j5]{Shattering Shout} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bkQnnjRFJS9VpaY5]{Slice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oNk0Nhle1XwBhOvp]{Snap Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yJDNsRAG3Elm6PWp]{Snipe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.57txEIyzuPUQOqVP]{Sprint and Grab} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hy3hI86e9BCmkcQO]{Tall Tale} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WuNUt6ltWGDdjNLS]{Throw} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SPL1URVkuo4PJP8I]{Throw Force Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4s3SAqu0lb5qzfzL]{Trick Shot}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NCXCkCYeZw8qlazG]{Absorb Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YbYeZ0A0m96IWxwl]{Assassin Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.T5tn7zItPyaRcYNC]{Asserting Your Privilege} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ltAq7qr8aaalOtJp]{Attack and Attack Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6kTwO0uYuP8qKqkM]{Biomorphic Detonation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jISh0vWOJdK9hUm1]{Blind Machine} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XRXQwJplJrm7onbN]{Blinding Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zflNCqrmTL7vrYg1]{Bouncing Shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9O17NBrKA4AA4Ckw]{Break the Ranks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lID9ke0vHX2r2CC8]{Break Their Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2lhnVWUMX1Nu6KVj]{Call the Storm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yEfkqXxmuQqlA6Fi]{Cold Burst} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PZBKCtRj5S6ULnjo]{Concussion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jHrQLzIfjKtXBoJL]{Deactivate Mechanisms} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iTxEWRCR8G5Rych2]{Death Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0WPUu04FbqxGckhU]{Destroyer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xR2DkSqvAoR8Vtfn]{Dirty Fighter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OkKNmMvLFwHxUv2r]{Divine Intervention} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgaSXp1VQiec8Jst]{Divine Symbol} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1W0sBVHxG7LESCPl]{Do You Know Who I Am?} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJakiz9yvoflzzBD]{Drain Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.D4JFKjeVDkx9Xfnf]{Dust to Dust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.apQwshUTjCQPym8A]{Embrace the Night} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Be1ehHb90jtLc8l0]{Explosive Release} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syJ3mkT2hHR2MY3o]{Finishing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6fpCYtBDCfW6m1b0]{Fire Tendrils} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xCUKzmoBKzN9gIut]{Foul Aura} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvC2vboULutesBDu]{Ice Storm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SZtOjKk7ScShJT6G]{Iron Punch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjzqyyAZoibXl4DT]{Lethal Ploy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlFT2ITvytQVWywQ]{Lethal Vibration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pUbqCBV3dBOWFgmv]{Nightmare} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ptH3O4GES71CClGO]{Phase Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xxavxLEaiVFug1D6]{Protective Wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8wSx2qtKXq0dWxId]{Psychokinetic Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KVOFCKWKmUrqAe7v]{Punish All the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bY52t6eGONKu8Kr4]{Resonant Quake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EH8OmAJaimF4MTgg]{Shatter Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BM6YnBez7sVnrGUh]{Special Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jrTEtAhE6GfLW7R4]{Spring Away} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xbYD729j3km6ZDCA]{Sun Siphon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.447ojnjZFMCma8eu]{Taunt Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kKYyGbrQxDRSOh37]{Terrifying Gaze} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Z4QcjOxgltEJPm96]{Twisting the Knife} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRIDlrBzTXVYC5rh]{Vindictive Performance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.s8NShtaUrW0Oxolo]{Weapon and Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tMOeiKWrhp5P5CCQ]{Weight of the World} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.w3HN2nZBTo5mLJcM]{Weightless Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WW3QjCP5UJUsKBW3]{Whirlwind of Throws} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Gsre3acJaxhGBa0S]{Word of Death}
Gives some sort of benefit to an ally rather than yourself, such as an extra action or an asset on their roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrgqojoyWuTWpyQq]{Advice From a Friend} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BlBi7qk0darLthxS]{Anecdote} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5jGN9GicKYIAneKQ]{Defend the Innocent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4yyKQYnrbL3r9gcU]{Enable Others} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hYa7I52x2iwffh8C]{Encouragement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.grCiWRuV8lvflQHM]{Encouraging Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4fcns7ANpZF7pHaz]{Force Field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lZCAKgP966BuU4uF]{Friendly Help} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWCehMidmvLypdxj]{Inspire Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DLxDL49VjUEMAjxZ]{Inspiring Ease} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qp1jDaFiRR5xPPMn]{Protector} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.POaewj2PWMMfCY1i]{Rally to Me} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uti1XQwY4VFZwwwc]{Reveal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FgyHV0QR3YwlLIVb]{Sculpt Flesh} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.701ts4xCDjURZSb5]{Teamwork}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hB1CISYVEZXEO0IV]{Accelerate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wJSxVM8fWADJtTSd]{Applying Your Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.knh2MWMhCgqOjWYD]{Buddy System} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lb5Bo8BpNXdVMkmt]{Combat Challenge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bz04IOSkdP3zcRMD]{Defend All the Innocent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Su3LkSzdGHg9w1RO]{Dual Wards} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XR8WeRW3OlbCIjlJ]{Elemental Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RgosWDt0hkosbVQr]{In Harm’s Way} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1N6P5ZRogThCS0KH]{Lead by Inquiry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dIK67k9aoBbFBnkf]{Pay It Forward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oS3AeTouF6HPcaH5]{Play to the Crowd} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QFZyfDWOSEpZeQmM]{Spur Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scceoEmEnN5MW8XT]{Take Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GAeUBbQWE3ryv50V]{True Guardian}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G8waoPdWGzMl0S1n]{Battle Management} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3JWMtJBjf3oUWaxP]{Block for Another} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lJWTlBH1koX2Fjgi]{Impart Understanding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tTrekc4AZbIqem5L]{Inspire Coordinated Actions} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fPCTpU0viXXWrNs0]{Inspiring Success} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Tes6ntXPZR8IHgY4]{Regenerate Other} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PXvS7AatBcxH9cvZ]{Share Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9sgMUKkIkDIdRtK]{Stimulate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iE83ABQRko5NemVU]{Teach Trick} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zZYSSAFXtJcuezxM]{Transcend the Script} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mjEFQ3ndDRvLB5Dj]{True Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTM0HWGFfo5CHMif]{Will of a Leader} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jTiOQKW2QtXK8dmF]{Work the Friendship}
Gives training, specialization, or an asset in one or more noncombat skills (climbing, healing, computers, initiative, and so on).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wifCvRG9OhsTDT30]{Advantages of Being Big} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YD5gm0w3lqTSyO3V]{Anticipation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYaAyFLmCAAwZi0s]{Assassin Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpXOBSLY03j89yOy]{Athlete} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AWretAEaeQfXTXMy]{Autodoctor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJiXzKX4gf0GNV6V]{Balance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XToLeZ4ksSj3MA5I]{Bestiary Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A83Lw7NnAqwg4BZR]{Blameless} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.awhzMw4RHwOwgEIR]{Breaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lY7NaxsFxt1XZVk5]{Car Surfer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlTtlXeugIljHFVg]{Careful Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zGoUoC6i0f1SbUqE]{Celebrity Talent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JkiG6hpsfj1h6XRR]{Computer Programming} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dQHSDDZxJNHrHH1l]{Contortionist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkyJ02LbeOAfDxcF]{Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UyQTRi5ZwWU5tMO0]{Danger Sense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Q3DGDFwNIOjz866X]{Datajack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GwH3ugd7aHrWZRz]{Debate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kkTWFQBeHMS8d6IL]{Deep Water Guide} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjxKTFdA8gqZDP90]{Designation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9p2RJYFo6s55F5Ha]{Devoted Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eYHlYyVDj3odrAFJ]{Disguise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6dPEKpK0HWuD7Bxu]{Divine Knowledge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DCuOpij3sNomBe1a]{Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ea7BzQy6fZqHQNET]{Enlightened} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6FI9lLeQx0tJX1W6]{Exploratory Experience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jx6DFmlbQrmltHgc]{Extra Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YQEECpNwDSFCFnCN]{Feat of Strength} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgCWZia7gFicmEJr]{Flex Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HoUOwIPfKTlxyQH0]{Freakishly Large} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qpBv7OxAcMAAtY2M]{Game Lessons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p3kh3XKzetkJTG1J]{Gamer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pp9NFNHKgOhRYbsY]{Hand to Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.f7wLki6qjCNs2Ici]{Handy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YOHGDC5hx24SqbQz]{Hard Choices} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YBMLX3Jm5oN79J6G]{Heads-Up Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A853pOqz5BmPfh4w]{Higher Mathematics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZgLefUbAcrmYdFur]{How Others Think} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFc52xBtBp69WglW]{Impersonate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HBHjx10W5BQW101w]{Impressive Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sM2zEDx4gRr9CuiR]{Inner Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fh7tK1BVjgSfZ8ml]{Insight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWCehMidmvLypdxj]{Inspire Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4dTGeclZRVjzn5tT]{Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PK6oiYXgdP7KaGgi]{Investigate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.romswZIOmAmtzfCL]{Investigative Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4p95GsynORh0Xd7X]{Knowing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xBQM1AmjmcjmPDDD]{Knowledge of the Law} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oAsK49Zgey5QaC82]{Late Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eM1fLppEnXHBlRNX]{Learning the Path} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rfsCCpxcsjc8hr60]{Levity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aOzkoVf0mNSkZBtn]{Life Lessons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lzy1YbdIJxzNIHZq]{Machine Affinity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QHSH8fE6l3bKz2xl]{Machine Hunting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rhaZSmU6dJpzMO64]{Machine Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQxN55rl0f5HFxEM]{Magic Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zu06akqnHdCvoR0W]{Make Judgment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YF8CYsYKcXpdfqH5]{Master Identifier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KM9qqjzJBJusQNkT]{Master Thief} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GfDLA0qSvqhqzIbL]{Microgravity Adept} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PRW5MxW12oakmeHE]{Monster Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBGeAZSBuymzrxDz]{Muscles of Iron} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDUGlu7DZhdfxH2P]{Natural Charisma} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bcEupdsF6FduFPwe]{Oneirochemy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oTDJtTDkwxr5uSfU]{Open Mind} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EbnGDC61relhYaib]{Opening Statement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk5nnC1EcYtqc3Fu]{Pilot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TTKx93iEvtnptsep]{Poetic License} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OjGaIl0JEepjDrla]{Post-Apocalyptic Survivor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBlyd9LvSH8D0Z5I]{Powerful Rhetoric} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vcbIe2sSMKJmawl4]{Predictive Equation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YCwy44WnpusEYN7g]{Quick Study} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QVPmLa6CKwmH6vJZ]{Quick to Flee} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EJ59LwWPkaqErUd]{Quicker Than Most} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pMQT2QIL38XlhkxB]{Resist Tricks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZOfmWQFbwSJQB4wm]{Ruin Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IYt42xzsjesQyEfT]{Sailor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h3G0Ven2SoaPCbk4]{Salvage and Comfort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WUY75HFAqAu1i9ku]{Sense Attitudes} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.x8cGd4MC9YEW9isa]{Serv-0 Repair} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9sfX1SGtcQ17Uiny]{Sharp Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HWZ8mwAfZEu6r778]{Sleuth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CrV3a9S1yzOXBOJ]{Slippery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gwMRhz3h9zxbVQXt]{Stalker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gbU7mA0flUR4W8Dl]{Stand Watch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tFhd4dEGikOd1g1K]{Straightforward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwDYD8V1CJv8w9rR]{Superb Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aJ1T8XqGF38vyzV2]{Superb Infiltrator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B4U7RiMrZElfOQyj]{Taking Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1ZV6jp2IuXFgXEjn]{Task Training} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0xVoKhKKvzxIbtJD]{There’s Your Problem} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.k4LeTZ1lqN9L3hPS]{Tool Mastery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O0d2Xjp5HTUdFzmp]{Trained Excavator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A8CGMbLGsJ3AHKMP]{Trained Interlocutor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eVZMy7s6px5jLTfj]{Trained Swimmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wEjdodvc6SLf8yso]{Travel Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zgcoMEc4j2MjpDhC]{Vacuum Skilled} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KqV5RSzOU3S3NK51]{Wilderness Life} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8KYjSKp6ieQ8YXUy]{Wilderness Lore} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XseI77zSp7iHkEWq]{Wound Tender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qEzcqbNhuJQuBagn]{Zero Dark Eyes}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GK0o4fjCtxgAP269]{Action Processor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ILcTvACqDdLVpc8]{Agent Provocateur} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TmDavAL4vDxKjLBK]{Confidence Artist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bvqDafTBMB7Uo9Qj]{Enhance Strength} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hQx9SoUhY6jzUeTW]{Expert Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.12xO8QaEsTvEFUvY]{Expert Pilot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RESKINMA0INj60Rc]{Find the Guilty} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhNvpbUWNRIFEm8b]{Hard to See} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7tiGTYVXj9eHdja7]{Heightened Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uhC4ubTGfhkNvIMX]{Improvise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2odkyEO8azxIZWYj]{Intelligent Interface} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t5vs3xMko8GLCB64]{Intense Interaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPraXsdXkCmaoBbI]{Knowledge Is Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4JDFgEhyhqReRngE]{Master Crafter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.e3jpx5KsYc8F13Pu]{Meticulous Planner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l0OFjk5XVGV5LzP1]{Minor Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LdHCwZcifnRRuPrp]{Nightstrike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XQkQrvp4o395uIOJ]{Passing Mechanic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LojkwDtb1gHLSB6A]{Preternatural Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y1bQFSBlwMbUico5]{Rapid Processing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhSH0rnaqLogC3DC]{Rider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oCcnXLYQy9DjwPJC]{Sea Legs} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NcItnMHjeG9fgE1K]{Serv-0 Aim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lPqCQOQJF0JfoFRn]{Serv-0 Brawler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EQXA8Gcwdc7dU8lw]{Sharp-Eyed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIy0GMeL8WALvhEb]{Ship Footing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U2QV8t7Pq9irgHqF]{Silent As Space} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.c4CG5F8lfaYelzFf]{Soothe Mind and Body} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3pqCkOZjnAXWIikt]{Subtle Steps} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q80xvRDX6XwFXgma]{Targeting Eye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oah8DOODfphl858B]{Telling} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wxiRMTCBZ4iNCHp]{Temporal Acceleration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zuEylYrgOVAAjs71]{Trained Basher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.I8N5PUMy5Eq7cqZl]{Trained Gunner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gPqiQflb6Z3DXGVk]{Trained Slayer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SjO76u6MlpVx3PwO]{Verbal Misdirection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlVEpuVxp9pGJSoa]{You Studied}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2uSx4ErQ9f2QLX5M]{As Foretold in Prophecy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jmjxGRJTwztzBtLc]{Coordinated Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYOt0poxNGA8b3FP]{Explains the Ineffable} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VVYx3J42Sj9qCQV9]{Exploit Advantage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GnQRIvynqXx1R2a0]{Further Mathematics} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2LaX22wvw35lDger]{Learned a Few Things} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YWMUeaNzao8n8pAc]{Like the Back of Your Hand} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cz0KkzZPnlX1oTYz]{Magnificent Moment} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kZ3LhhYZKrcnBplY]{Master Entertainer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4USzF8qKs8oZJH13]{Multiple Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kcXnkEBuyNil4Nd4]{No One Knows Better} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QZa9b5G80qxtoYqg]{Subsonic Rumble} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RE24qvMuPhasaCP3]{Total Awareness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qKDngpAWNEzhdRj5]{Trick Driver} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
A significant change that temporarily enhances you, such as growing bigger, turning into a werewolf, and so on. Also includes apparent transformations like disguises and invisibility.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8DXGUr433iXaVCSv]{Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GmMePJHTRl6PshR6]{Bigger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wIOwT1tjGLMYzZAb]{Controlled Change} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HDYOv1V10xpFbFI7]{Enlarge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Tgmrh8dyGqqCfnU5]{Face Morph} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.U9ZBl9NeipxSLavS]{Golem Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asQqC0DepYcsPxRV]{Illusory Disguise} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zOCvNsxHOcmkQrBn]{Phased Pocket} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5aUrbdjSSLCRggHU]{Spin Identity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1CjsEMTtfnvL1CeJ]{Vanish}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NIePQkLH2DTVjZR2]{Bigger Beast Form} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rZsohzuwTFfghWVO]{Blend In} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uq6p6fOg9KyFcUws]{Evanesce} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqzexDdZolWgxAza]{Greater Controlled Change} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NhNvpbUWNRIFEm8b]{Hard to See} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uNzF1oQKJ6T1yqL4]{Huge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nEN2HYzlJWhonfmE]{Invisible Phasing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RfGCXsX7JXEr8fMw]{Moon Shape}
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hbbPZIjq81Qqdp6i]{Colossal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uN2YVmNxkFj3SFof]{Command Metal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PyVeE7CtDVDksWG6]{Disappear} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XYaYNoQzrYYKR4p]{Gargantuan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S5JTyQCNcgrXgNqf]{Mask} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m2j3n3xiExLcXAAn]{Moderate Wish} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5Rre17QhaTln9jgA]{Outside Reality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TRdK7RJBkq8WW4np]{Wild Camouflage}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":399610,"name":"Equipment","type":"text","_id":"CSHlAboV1tzyC1Kz","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Equipment in the Cypher System plays only a small role. It’s far more important to focus on what you can do than on what you have. Still, sometimes it’s important to know if you’ve got enough rope, or what kind of gun your space pilot has at their hip.
Dollars, pounds, euros, credits, gold pieces, Martian solval beads, Corso moons and stars, bottle caps—a lot of different currencies might be used in your game, depending on the setting and the genre. You should use whatever you like. In the Cypher System rules, we talk in generalities rather than specifics. Not unlike saying immediate or short distance rather than giving precise numbers, we talk about goods and services in terms of inexpensive, moderately priced, expensive, very expensive, or exorbitant.
The GM can figure out what those things mean in their setting. In a fantasy setting, an inexpensive item might be 1 or 2 copper pennies, while an expensive item might require gold on the table. The exact amount can vary, and in many campaigns, the exact amount will matter. The GM will develop a detailed price list for their setting, and players will track their money on their character sheets to determine what they can afford, often ignoring the terms inexpensive, moderately priced, and so on.
But some GMs might want to keep things simple and use only the general terms, indicating currency just as flavor now and then. In a space opera game, where the PCs are the crew of a starship blazing about the galaxy in search of adventure and profit, fuel and upkeep for the ship might be expensive. Hauling a few passengers from Epsilon Eridani back to Earth might earn enough to purchase six expensive items but cost the equivalent of two expensive items, leaving the crew with the means to refuel and maintain the ship for two further voyages. In such a game, where money only means keeping the ship flying, no one has to talk in specific amounts. Characters might refer to “galactic credits” or something similar, but amounts might not be tracked on the character sheets.
There are five price categories for goods and services.
An inexpensive item is something that common people buy. A simple meal or a drink in the bar. A pen and some paper. A book or magazine.
A moderately priced item is something that common people buy, but not too often and not in great quantities. A small piece of furniture. A major entertainment. An expensive meal. A new outfit.
An expensive item is something that would strain a common person’s finances. Rent on a simple apartment. A major piece of furniture. A very nice outfit. The cost to travel a long distance (if appropriate to the setting).
A very expensive item is probably out of the reach of most people except in very special circumstances. Jewelry. Luxury furnishings.
An exorbitant item is something only the very rich can afford. A very nice house. A ship. Extremely expensive jewelry or art.
Think of the categories as powers of 10. That is to say, a moderately priced item is ten times more costly than an inexpensive item. An expensive item is ten times more costly than a moderately priced item, and thus 100 times the cost of something inexpensive. A very expensive item is ten times the cost of an expensive one, 100 times the cost of a moderate one, and 1,000 times the cost of an inexpensive one. An exorbitant item is priced ten times beyond that.
In some settings, even the generalization offered by the pricing categories might be too specific or cumbersome. In many superhero games, for example, prices are relatively moot. After saving the city, typical superheroes don’t worry about paying rent or how much dinner will cost. On the other hand, in a grittier superhero game, maybe that’s exactly what they worry about.
Regardless of how precise you want to be with prices and currency, you can use the price categories in a variety of ways.
It’s easy for a GM to say to a player “You can afford two extra moderately priced things at the start of the game.” The player can look on the list and pick two moderately priced items without worrying about their cost. Plus, this approach makes it clear that they get two items, not twenty inexpensive items or one more expensive item that perhaps would not be appropriate for a starting character. The categories make it easy to lump similar items together.
The GM can also say “You can have whatever inexpensive items you want, and don’t worry about the cost.” At higher tiers, when the PCs have more wealth, followers, and so on, the GM can do this with moderate or even expensive items. This allows the group to skip over playing through a shopping trip to get supplies, and players don’t have to track prices down to the last coin.
Finally, the categories can be shorthand when evaluating loot, dividing up the spoils among the PCs, and resolving other story-based occurrences that crop up in the game without dealing in the minutiae of exact prices. This is of particular use in high-powered games where the PCs are rich and powerful.
Level of Equipment
Mundane equipment is about level 4—less if of inferior quality or materials, more if of superior quality or materials. This means that in a setting based on the distant past, the default level might be 3, while in the future it might be 5 or 6. So an average serf ’s tool in the Dark Ages is level 3, easily broken, while an average tool on a space station is level 6, made of advanced polymers.
Characters expecting danger frequently wear armor. Even the simplest protective covering helps against stabs and cuts, and more sophisticated or heavier armor protects against graver threats.
You can wear only one type of armor at a time—you cannot wear chainmail hauberk and scale armor together, for example. However, Armor bonuses from multiple sources combine to provide a total Armor rating. For example, if you have subdermal implants that give you +1 to Armor, a force field that offers another +1 to Armor, and beastskin that grants +2 to Armor, you have a total of +4 to Armor.
In general, light armor is a moderately priced item, medium armor is expensive, and heavy armor is very expensive. The Genre chapter offers more specific details on the kinds of armor available in a given setting. Keep in mind that in many genres, it’s quite odd, at best, to run around in armor tougher than a leather jacket.
Anyone can wear any armor, but it can be taxing. Wearing armor increases the cost of using a level of Effort when attempting a Speed-based action. So if you’re wearing light armor and want to use two levels of Effort on a Speed-based roll to run across difficult terrain, it costs 7 points from your Speed Pool rather than 5 (3 for the first level of Effort, plus 2 for the second level of Effort, plus 1 per level for wearing light armor). Edge reduces the overall cost as normal. If you are not experienced with a certain type of armor but wear it anyway, this cost is further increased by 1. Having experience with a type of armor is called being practiced with the armor.
| Armor | Speed Effort Additional Cost Per Level |
| Light | +1 |
| Medium | +2 |
| Heavy | +3 |
The table above is written from the perspective of someone having the ability Practiced in Armor. For consistency, armor items also assume that the PC is practiced in armor, so PCs without any ability or who are experienced in armor or have mastery in armor need to adjust the cost accordingly. Here’s a complete overview:
| Speed Effort Additional Cost Per Level | ||||
| Armor | No Ability | Practiced | Experienced | Mastery |
| Light | +2 | +1 | +0 | +0 |
| Medium | +3 | +2 | +1 | +0 |
| Heavy | +4 | +3 | +2 | +0 |
Shields provide an asset to Speed defense rolls. You must have one free hand to use a shield.
Not all characters are familiar with all weapons. Warriors know their way around most types, but Explorers prefer light or medium weapons, and Adepts and Speakers usually stick to light weapons. If you wield a weapon that you have no experience with, an attack with that weapon is hindered. Having experience with a weapon is called being practiced with the weapon.
Light weapons inflict only 2 points of damage, but attacks with them are eased because they are fast and easy to use. Light weapons are punches, kicks, knives, handaxes, darts, very small pistols, and so on. Weapons that are particularly small are light weapons.
Medium weapons inflict 4 points of damage. Medium weapons include broadswords, battleaxes, maces, crossbows, spears, typical handguns, light rifles, sawed-off shotguns, and so on. Most weapons are medium. Anything that could be used in one hand (even if it’s often used in two hands, such as a quarterstaff or spear) is a medium weapon.
Heavy weapons inflict 6 points of damage, and you must use two hands to attack with them. Heavy weapons are huge swords, great hammers, massive axes, halberds, heavy crossbows, rifles, regular shotguns, assault rifles, and so on. Anything that must be used in two hands is a heavy weapon.
| Weapon | Damage |
| Light | 2 points (attack eased) |
| Medium | 4 points |
| Heavy | 6 points |
In general, light weapons are moderately priced items, medium weapons are expensive, and heavy weapons are very expensive. Ammunition for a ranged weapon is inexpensive. The Genre chapter offers more specific details on weapons available in a given setting. Keep in mind that in many genres, it’s not acceptable to run around carrying dangerous weapons.
Bombs, grenades, missiles, and other explosives operate differently than other weapons. They affect all targets within an area (usually an immediate area) and inflict damage to all of them. A separate attack roll is required for each (or a Speed defense roll if the PCs are the targets of such an attack), although to simplify, the player can make one attack roll and compare it to the difficulty to attack each target. Usually, even if the attack roll fails (or the Speed defense roll succeeds), the targets still suffer a smaller amount of damage, often 1 point.
Explosives like grenades can be thrown a short distance. Otherwise, another launcher weapon is needed to project them a long distance (or farther).
Although the types of items for sale vary greatly based on the setting, a few things are always present, like food, lodging, and clothing. However, these goods and services can span the price categories. For example, you can get an inexpensive meal, a moderately priced meal, an expensive meal, and so on. An inexpensive meal is light and probably not very nutritious. An expensive meal is available only in nice restaurants in certain locations. An exorbitant meal is probably a feast for a crowd, with the finest foods and drink available.
Nightly lodging is similar, although the bottom end starts out worse. An inexpensive night’s lodging is probably a flea-ridden mat on the floor of a room filled with other lodgers. Typical lodging (a private room with a decent bed) is probably in the moderately priced range. Very expensive lodging might be a suite of rooms with delicious meals and personal services (such as massages and grooming) included.
Inexpensive clothing is just a step up from rags, but moderately priced clothing is decent enough. For a formal party, you’d want expensive clothing. The very rich likely wear very expensive clothing most of the time, and exorbitant clothing (and jewelry) when they go to their elite galas.
Other sorts of miscellaneous items can be found in the Genre chapter.
Cyphers can sometimes be physical items like equipment, but they work very differently. To be entirely accurate, cyphers might have the veneer of equipment, but don’t fall into the trap of confusing the two. Cyphers are far more akin to PC special abilities than to gear. In a fantasy game, they might be potions, scrolls, or charms. In a science fiction game, cyphers might be interesting throwaway devices or alien crystals of unknown providence. In other games, they might just represent good fortune or sudden inspiration. See the Cyphers chapter for more details.
Artifacts are more powerful than equipment and can’t simply be purchased. The Genre chapter offers a few sample artifacts appropriate for various settings.
Each artifact has a level and a rate of power depletion. When an artifact is used or activated, the player rolls the designated die (1d6, 1d10, 1d20, or 1d100). If the die shows the depletion number(s), the item works, but that is its last use. A depletion entry of “—” means that the artifact never depletes, and an entry of “automatic” means that it can be used only once.
Depowered artifacts can sometimes be recharged using the repair rules, depending on the item’s nature. Other special abilities can also repower an expended item, but probably for only one use.
For GM information on artifacts, see the Running the Cypher System chapter.
Characters can sometimes find artifacts while on adventures. They might be in ancient ruins, either intact or in need of manipulation to get them working. They could have been stolen from well-guarded military installations. They might be granted as rewards or taken from fallen foes. Sometimes they can even be purchased from a specialized source, but this occurs more rarely than most PCs would probably like.
After the characters find an artifact, identifying it is a separate Intellect task. The GM sets the difficulty of the task, but it is usually equal to the artifact’s level. Identifying it takes fifteen minutes to three hours. If the PCs can’t identify an artifact, they can bring it to an expert to be identified or, if desired, traded or sold.
Characters can attempt to use an artifact that has not been identified, which is usually an Intellect task equal to the artifact’s level + 2. Failure might mean that the PCs can’t figure out how to use the artifact or they use it incorrectly (GM’s discretion). Of course, even if characters use an unidentified artifact correctly the first time, they have no idea what the effect might be.
Once characters identify an artifact, using it for the first time requires an additional Intellect action; this process is far more complex than pushing a button. It can involve manipulating touchscreens, reciting the proper arcane words, or anything else that fits the setting. The GM sets the difficulty, but it is usually equal to the artifact’s level.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":537500,"name":"Experience Points","type":"text","_id":"kL1WYB17GtLujcMp","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Experience points (XP) are the currency by which players gain benefits for their characters. The most common ways to earn XP are through GM intrusions and by accomplishing things the PCs set out to do. Sometimes experience points are earned during a game session, and sometimes they’re earned between sessions. In a typical session, a player might earn 2 to 4 XP, and between sessions, perhaps another 2 XP (on average). The exact amounts depend on the events of the session.
At any time, the GM can introduce an unexpected complication for a character. When they intrude in this way, they must give that character 2 XP. That player, in turn, must immediately give one of those XP to another player and justify the gift (perhaps the other player had a good idea, told a joke, or performed an action that saved a life).
Often, the GM intrudes when a player attempts an action that should be an automatic success. However, the GM is free to intrude at other times. As a general rule, the GM should intrude at least once each session, but no more than once or twice each session per character.
Anytime the GM intrudes, the player can spend 1 XP to refuse the intrusion, though that also means they don’t get the 2 XP. If the player has no XP to spend, they can’t refuse.
If a player rolls a 1 on a die, the GM can intrude without giving the player any XP.
Example 1: Through skill and the aid of another character, a fourth-tier PC eases a wall-climbing task from difficulty 2 to difficulty 0. Normally, they would succeed at the task automatically, but the GM intrudes and says “No, a bit of the crumbling wall gives way, so you still have to make a roll.” As with any difficulty 2 task, the target number is 6. The PC attempts the roll as normal and gains 2 XP because the GM intruded. They immediately give one of those XP to another player.
Example 2: During a fight, a PC swings their axe and damages a foe with a slice across the shoulder. The GM intrudes by saying that the foe turned just as the axe struck, wrenching the weapon from the character’s grip and sending it clattering across the floor. The axe comes to a stop 10 feet (3 m) away. Because the GM intruded, the PC gains 2 XP, and the player immediately gives one of those XP to another player. Now the character must deal with the dropped weapon, perhaps drawing a different weapon or using their next turn to scramble after the axe.
For much more on GM intrusions, see the Running the Cypher System chapter.
Character arcs are the means by which players can invest themselves more in great stories and character depth and development.
Just like in a book or a television show, characters progress through their own personal story and change over time. A PC with a character arc decides for themselves what they do and why. Character arcs are like stated goals for a character, and by progressing toward that goal, the character advances. The key word there is progressing. A PC doesn’t have to succeed at achieving the goal to earn advancement—it’s not an all-or-nothing prospect. Each arc is keyed to a single character, but just like in a book or show, characters can take part in the larger story arc that the whole group participates in, while also progressing in their own personal arc.
Character arcs have different steps that mark the character’s progress through the arc. Each arc eventually reaches a climax, and then finishes with a step that is a final resolution. Each step reached earns the character 2 XP. Character arcs are the most straightforward way that a character earns XP. (Typically, PCs will earn about half their total experience points from arcs or other GM awards.)
At character creation, a player can choose one character arc for their PC at no cost. Players have the option to not choose one, but it’s probably a good idea to do so. First and foremost, it is a character-defining factor. If they begin the campaign with a desire to find the woman who killed their brother, that says a lot about the character: they had a brother, he was likely close to them, he had been in at least one dangerous situation, and the character is probably motivated by anger and hate, at least somewhat. Even after the character finishes this first arc, they’ll undoubtedly have (at least one) more because they can gain new arcs as the campaign progresses.
Once play begins, players can take on a new arc whenever they wish, as fits the character’s ongoing story. Taking a new arc has a cost of 1 XP. While there’s no hard limit on how many arcs a character can have at one time, realistically most PCs couldn’t reasonably have more than three or four.
However, as mentioned above, arcs have a beginning cost that must be paid, reflecting the character’s devotion to the goal. The character will earn this investment back (probably many times over) if the arc is completed.
Character arcs are always player-driven. A GM cannot force one on a character. That said, the events in the narrative often present story arc opportunities and inspire character arcs for the PCs. It’s certainly in the GM’s purview to suggest possible arcs related to the events going on. For example, if the GM presents an encounter in which an NPC wishes to learn from the PC, it might make sense to suggest taking the Instruction arc. Whether or not the PC takes on the student, the player doesn’t have to adopt the Instruction arc unless they want to.
At the end of a session, review the actions you took and describe how they might equate to the completion of a step (or possibly more than one step) in their character arc. If the GM agrees, the character gets their reward.
When in doubt, if one character accomplishes a step in their arc but another character does not, the first character should get the 2 XP reward, but the other character should probably still get, at minimum, 1 XP for the session.
This chapter presents many sample character arcs (see below).
Sometimes, a group will have an adventure that doesn’t deal primarily with a PC’s character arc. In this case, it’s a good idea for the GM to award XP to that character for accomplishing other tasks. First and foremost, awards should be based on discovery. Discovery can include finding a significant new location, such as a hidden chamber, a secret fortress, a lost land, a new planet, or an unexplored dimension. In this fashion, PCs are explorers. Discovery can also include a new significant aspect of a setting, such as a secret organization, a new religion, and so on.
It can also mean finding a new procedure or device (something too big to be considered a piece of equipment) or even previously unknown information. This could include a source of magical power, a unique teleportation device, or the cure for a plague. These are all discoveries. The common thread is that the PCs discover something that they can understand and put to use.
Last, depending on the GM’s outlook and the kind of campaign the group wants to play, a discovery could be a secret, an ethical idea, an adage, or even a truth.
It’s a fine line, but ultimately the GM decides what constitutes a discovery as opposed to just something weird in the course of an adventure. Usually, the difference is, did the PCs successfully interact with it and learn something about it? If so, it’s probably a discovery.
Artifacts: When the group gains an artifact, award XP equal to the artifact’s level and divide it among the PCs (minimum 1 XP for each character). Round down if necessary. For example, if four PCs discover a level 5 artifact, they each get 1 XP. Money, standard equipment, and cyphers are not worth XP. (Experience point awards for artifacts should usually apply even if the artifact was given to the PCs rather than found, because often such gifts are the rewards for success.)
Miscellaneous Discoveries: Various other discoveries might grant 1 XP to each PC involved.
Other Awards: If a character is focused on activities that don’t relate to a character arc or a discovery, as a general rule, a mission should be worth at least 1 XP per game session involved in accomplishing it. For example, saving a family on an isolated farm beset by raiding cultists might be worth 1 XP for each character. Of course, saving the family doesn’t always mean killing the bad guys; it might mean relocating them, parlaying with the cultists, or chasing off the raiders.
Experience points are meant to be used. Hoarding them is not a good idea; if a player accumulates more than 10 XP, the GM can require them to spend some.
Generally, experience points can be spent in four ways: immediate benefits, short- and medium-term benefits, long-term benefits, and character advancement.
Experience points should not be a goal unto themselves. Instead, they are a game mechanic to simulate how—through experience, time, toil, travail, and so on— characters become more skilled, more able, and more powerful. Spending XP to explain a change in a character’s capabilities that occurred in the course of the story, such as if the PC made a new device or learned a new skill, isn’t a waste of XP—it’s what XP are for.
The most straightforward way for a player to use XP is to reroll any roll in the game—even one that they didn’t make. This costs 1 XP per reroll, and the player chooses the best result. They can continue to spend XP on rerolls, but this can quickly become an expensive proposition. It’s a fine way to try to prevent disaster, but it’s not a good idea to use a lot of XP to reroll a single action over and over.
A player can also spend 1 XP to refuse a GM intrusion.
By spending 2 XP, a character can gain a skill—or, more rarely, an ability—that provides a short-term benefit. Let’s say a character notices that the computer terminals in the facility they’re infiltrating are similar to those used by the company they once worked for. They spend 2 XP and say that they have a great deal of experience in using these. As a result, they are trained in operating (and breaking into) these computers. This is just like being trained in computer use or hacking, but it applies only to computers found in that particular location. The skill is extremely useful in the facility, but nowhere else.
Medium-term benefits are usually story based. For example, a character can spend 2 XP while climbing through mountains and say that they have experience with climbing in regions like these, or perhaps they spend the XP after they’ve been in the mountains for a while and say that they’ve picked up the feel for climbing there. Either way, from now on, they’re trained in climbing in those mountains. This helps them now and any time they return to the area, but they’re not trained in climbing everywhere.
This method allows a character to get immediate training in a skill for half the normal cost. (Normally, it costs 4 XP to become trained in a skill.) It’s also a way to gain a new skill even if the PC has already gained a new skill as a step toward attaining the next tier.
In rare cases, a GM might allow a character to spend 2 XP to gain an entirely new ability—such as a device, a special ability, or a special mental power—for a short time, usually no longer than the course of one scenario. The player and the GM should agree on a story-based explanation for the benefit. Perhaps the ability has a specific rare requirement, such as a tool, a battery, a drug, or some kind of treatment. For example, a character who wants to explore a submerged location has several biotech enhancements, and they spend 2 XP to cobble together a device that lets them breathe underwater. This gives them the ability for a considerable length of time, but not permanently—the device might work for only eight hours. Again, the story and the logic of the situation dictate the parameters.
In many ways, the long-term benefits a PC can gain by spending XP are a means of integrating the mechanics of the game with the story. Players can codify things that happen to their characters by talking to the GM and spending 3 XP.
Things that a PC can acquire as a long-term benefit can be thought of as being story based, and they allow the player to have some narrative control over the story. In the course of play, a player might decide that their character gains a friend (a contact) or builds a log cabin (a home). Because a player spent XP, however, they should have some agency over what they’ve gained, and it shouldn’t be easily taken away. The player should help come up with the details of the contact or the design of their home.
It’s also possible to gain these benefits through events in the story, without spending XP. The new contact comes to the PC and starts the relationship. The new home is granted to them as a reward for service to a powerful or wealthy patron, or maybe the character inherits the home from a relative. However, because these came from the GM and not the player (and no XP were spent), the player has no narrative control over them and the GM makes up the details.
Long-term benefits can include the following.
Contact: The character gains a long-term NPC contact of importance—someone who will help them with information, equipment, or physical tasks. The player and GM should work out the details of the relationship.
Home: The PC acquires a full-time residence. This can be an apartment in a city, a cabin in the wilderness, a base in an ancient complex, or whatever fits the situation. It should be a secure place where the PC can leave their belongings and sleep soundly. Several characters could combine their XP and buy a home together.
Title or job: The PC is granted a position of importance or authority. It might come with responsibilities, prestige, and rewards, or it might be an honorary title.
Wealth: The PC comes into a considerable amount of wealth, whether it’s a windfall, an inheritance, or a gift. It might be enough to buy a home or a title, but that’s not really the point. The main benefit is that the PC no longer needs to worry about the cost of simple equipment, lodging, food, and so on. This wealth could mean a set amount—perhaps 50,000 dollars (or whatever is appropriate in the setting)—or it could bestow the ability to ignore minor costs, as decided by the player and GM.
GMs and players should work together to make XP awards and expenditures fit the ongoing story. If a PC stays in a location for two months to learn the inhabitants’ unique language, the GM might award the character a few XP, which are then immediately spent to grant them the ability to understand and speak that language.
Progressing to the next tier involves four steps. When a PC has spent 4 XP on each of the steps, they advance to the next tier and gain all the type and focus benefits of that tier. The four steps can be purchased in any order, but each can be purchased only once per tier. In other words, a PC must buy all four steps and advance to the next tier before they can buy the same steps again.
Increasing Capabilities: You gain 4 new points to add to your stat Pools. You can allocate the points among your Pools however you wish.
Moving Toward Perfection: You add 1 to your Might Edge, your Speed Edge, or your Intellect Edge (your choice).
Extra Effort: Your Effort score increases by 1.
Skills: Choose one skill other than attacks or defense, such as climbing, jumping, persuading, sneaking, or history. You become trained in that skill. You can also choose to be knowledgeable in a certain area of study, such as history or geology. You can even choose a skill based on your character’s special abilities. For example, if your character can make an Intellect roll to blast an enemy with mental force, you can become trained in that ability, easing the task of using it.
If you choose a skill that you are already trained in, you become specialized in that skill, easing the task by two steps instead of one. If you choose a skill that you have an inability in, the training and the inability cancel each other out (you aren’t eased or hindered in that task). For example, if you have an inability in perception, becoming trained in that cancels out the inability.
Once you’re specialized in a skill, you can’t improve your training in that skill further (you can ease a task by up to two steps with training). You can still make that task easier with assets and a few rare abilities that don’t count as an asset or training.
Other Options: Players can also spend 4 XP to purchase other special options. Selecting one of these options counts as purchasing one of the four stages necessary to advance to the next tier. The other three need to be from the other categories. The special options are as follows:
Reduce the cost for wearing armor. This option lowers the Speed penalty for wearing armor by 1.
Add 2 to your recovery rolls.
Select another focus ability available to you at tier 3. (You must be tier 3 or higher to do this. Characters advancing beyond tier 6 can use this option to select their other tier 6 focus ability.)
Select another character ability from your type, such as a tier 2 Warrior selecting Reload or Crushing Blow.
It’s worthwhile if all characters advance through the six tiers at about the same rate—an important issue for some players. A good GM can achieve this result by carefully handing out XP rewards, some during play (which will tend to get used immediately) and some after play concludes, especially after completing a major story arc or quest so the GM can hand out 4 XP in one go (which will tend to get used for advancement). Many groups will discover while playing that equal advancement isn’t an important issue in the Cypher System, but people should get to play the game the way they want to play it.
Tiers in the Cypher System aren’t entirely like levels in other roleplaying games. In the Cypher System, gaining tiers is not the players’ only goal or the only measure of achievement. Starting (first-tier) characters are already competent, and there are only six tiers. Character advancement has a power curve, but it’s only steep enough to keep things interesting. In other words, gaining a new tier is cool and fun, but it’s not the only path to success or power. If you spend all your XP on immediate, short-term, and medium-term benefits, you will be different from someone who spends their points on long-term benefits, but you will not be “behind” that character.
The general idea is that most characters will spend half their XP on tier advancement and long-term benefits, and the rest on immediate benefits and short- and medium-term benefits (which are used during gameplay). Some groups might decide that XP earned during a game is to be spent on immediate and short- and medium-term benefits (gameplay uses), and XP awarded between sessions for discoveries is to be spent on character advancement (long-term uses).
Ultimately, the idea is to make experience points into tools that the players and the GM can use to shape the story and the characters, not just a bookkeeping hassle.
The rest of this chapter presents sample character arcs for PCs. The writeup of each arc describes the parts involved in progressing through the arc:
Opening: This sets the stage for the rest of the arc. It involves some action, although that might just be the PC agreeing to do the task or undertake the mission. It usually has no reward.
Step(s): This is the action required to move toward the climax. In story terms, this is the movement through the bulk of the arc. It’s the journey. The rising tension. Although there might be just one step, there might also be many, depending on the story told. Each results in a reward of 2 XP.
Climax: This is the finale—the point at which the PC likely succeeds or fails at what they’ve set out to do. Not every arc ends with victory. If the character is successful, they earn a reward of 4 XP. If they fail, they still earn a reward of 2 XP. If a character fails the climax, they very likely ignore the resolution.
Resolution: This is the wrap-up or denouement. It’s a time for the character to reflect on what happened, tie up any loose ends, and figure out what happens next. When things are more or less resolved, the character earns a
1 XP reward.
Within the arc, most of the time a part is probably optional, depending on the situation—although it’s hard to envision most arcs without some kind of opening, climax, or resolution. Steps other than the opening, the climax, and the resolution can be done in any order.
Character arcs should always take at least weeks in game time, and no more than two parts in an arc should be accomplished in a game session (and most of the time, it should be one part, if any). If neither of these two things is true, then it’s not really a character arc. You can’t, for example, use the Creation arc to guide you through something you can make in an hour or two.
The following are common character arcs that you can choose for your character. If you and the GM want to make a new one, it should be fairly easy after looking through these models.
This chapter has a selection of sample character arcs, but you can create your own too. The arcs are intentionally broad to encompass many different characters and stories. For example, Revenge is a very simple and straightforward character arc. The player who chooses this arc for their character decides who they want revenge on, and why. It’s up to the players and the GM to make the details fit.
Some players might not want to use character arcs. The GM, however, can still use them as a benchmark for awarding XP. If the PCs are going off to explore a strange planet, the GM can essentially give them the Explore arc.
Someone needs your help.
When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do.
It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of) your help.
The cost and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc.
Opening: Answering the Call. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help).
Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Rewards are the same for you as for the friend.
Resolution: You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.
You set out to accomplish something that will further an organization. You’re probably allied with them or they are rewarding you for your help in some fashion.
Opening: Responding to the Call. You work out all the details of what’s expected of you, and what rewards (if any) you might get. You also get the specifics of what’s required to join and advance.
Step: Sizing up the Task. This requires some action. A reconnaissance mission. An investigation.
Step(s): Undertaking the Task. Because this arc can vary so widely based on the task involved, there might be multiple steps like this one.
Climax: Completing the Task.
Resolution: Collecting your reward (if any) and conferring with the people in the organization that you spoke to. Perhaps getting access to higher-ranking people in the organization. You can choose to have your connection to the organization increase rather than take the standard reward.
Someone close to you or important to you in some way has been wronged. The most overt version of this arc would be to avenge someone’s death. Avenging is different than revenge, as revenge is personal—you are the wronged party. But in the Avenge character arc, you are avenging a wrong done to someone else.
Opening: Declaration. You publicly declare that you are going to avenge the victim(s). This is optional.
Step(s): Tracking the Guilty. You track down the guilty party. This might not be physically finding them if you already know where they are. Instead, it might be discovering a way to get at them if they are distant, difficult to reach, or well protected. This step might be repeated multiple times, if applicable.
Step: Finding the Guilty. You finally find the guilty party, or find a path or make a plan to reach them. Now all that’s left is to confront them.
Climax: Confrontation. You confront the guilty party. This might be a public accusation and demonstration of guilt, a trial, or an attack to kill, wound, or apprehend them—whatever you choose to be appropriate.
Resolution: You resolve the outcome and the ramifications of the confrontation and decide what to do next.
You are becoming a parent.
The Birth character arc assumes you already have a partner or a surrogate. If you want your character to find a romantic partner or spouse, you can use the Romance arc. And of course, nonhuman characters might reproduce in other ways.
This arc is usually followed by the Raise a Child arc.
Opening: Impregnation.
Step: Finding a Caretaker. This might be a physician, midwife, doula, or similar person. This is optional.
Step: Complication. A complication arises that threatens the pregnancy, the birth parent, or both.
Step: Preparation. You prepare a place for the delivery as well as a safe place for the infant to live once born.
Climax: Delivery. The baby is born. Success means the child survives.
Resolution: You get the baby to the place you have prepared and settle in, deciding what to do next.
You are going to build a physical structure—a house, a fortress, a workshop, a defensive wall, and so on. This arc would also cover renovating an existing structure or substantially adding to one. Of course, this doesn’t have to be physical construction. You might build something with spells or other supernatural abilities.
Opening: Make a Plan. This almost certainly involves literally drawing up blueprints or plans.
Step(s): Find a Site. This might be extremely straightforward—a simple examination of the site—or it might be an entire exploratory adventure. (If the latter, it might involve multiple such steps.)
Step(s): Gather Materials. Depending on what you are building and what it is made out of, this could involve multiple steps. There probably are substantial costs involved as well.
Step(s): Construction. Depending on what you are building, this could involve multiple steps. It might also take a considerable amount of time and work.
Climax: Completion. The structure is finished.
Resolution: You put the structure to its desired use and see if it holds up.
Someone or something has been contaminated, probably by evil spirits, radiation, a deadly virus, foul magic, or the like, and you want to rid them of such influences or contaminants. This could also be a curse, a possession, an infestation, or something else.
Opening: Analyzing the Threat. You determine the nature of the contamination.
Step: Find the Solution. Almost every contamination has its own particular solution, and this likely involves research and consultation.
Step: Getting Ready. The solution probably involves materials, spells, or other things that you must gather and prepare.
Climax: The Cleansing. You confront the contamination.
Resolution: You reflect on the events that have transpired and what effects they might have on the future. How can you keep this from happening again?
You want to make something. This might be a magic item, a painting, a novel, or a machine.
Opening: Make a Plan. You figure out what you need, what you’re going to do, and how you’re going to do it.
Step(s): Gather Materials. Depending on what you are creating and what it is made out of, this could involve multiple steps. There probably are substantial costs involved as well.
Step(s): Progress. Depending on what you are creating, this could involve multiple steps. It might also take a considerable amount of time and work.
Climax: Completion. It’s finished! Is it what you wanted? Does it work?
Resolution: You think about what you have learned from the process and use or enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Someone stands in your way or is threatening you. You must overcome the challenge they represent. Defeat doesn’t always mean kill or even fight. Defeating a foe could mean beating them in a chess match or in competition for a desired mentor.
Opening: Sizing up the Competition. This requires some action. A reconnaissance mission. An investigation.
Step: Investigation. This requires some action. A reconnaissance mission. An investigation.
Step(s): Diving In. You travel toward your opponent, overcome their lackeys, or take steps to reach them so you can confront them. This step can take many forms, and there might be more than one such step. This step is always active.
Climax: Confrontation. The contest, challenge, fight, or confrontation occurs.
Resolution: You reflect on what you’ve learned and what the consequences of your actions might be.
A person, place, or thing is threatened, and you want to protect it.
Opening: Analyze the Situation. What are you defending, and what threats are involved?
Step: Account for Your Resources. How are you going to defend?
Step(s): Fend Off Danger. The forces threatening what you are protecting probably make an initial threat that you’ll have to defeat. It’s not the main threat, though. There might be multiple such initial threats.
Climax: Protect. The true threat reveals itself and you confront it.
Resolution: A time for reflection on everything that occurred, and an assessment of the person, place, or thing’s safety going forward.
You want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC.
Opening: Getting to Know You. You learn what you can about the other character.
Step: Initial Attempt. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation.
Step(s): Building a Relationship. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship.
Climax: Bond. You succeed or fail at forging the bond.
Resolution: You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship.
You want to create and run a business or start an organization. Maybe you’re a craftsperson who wants to sell your creations. Maybe you like baking and you want to start a catering service. Or maybe you want to start a secret society or found a school to teach young mutants how to use their powers. You’ll almost certainly have to make new connections, find (and somehow pay for) a location, and deal with all manner of administrative duties.
Opening: Drawing up a Plan. What’s your goal, and how are you going to achieve it?
Step: Account for Your Resources. How much financing does the enterprise need compared to what you’ve got? If you need more, how will you get it? How many people other than yourself are needed to begin, and how many will you need to sustain things once they are up and running?
Step: Finding a Location. You probably need a place to run your enterprise—a store, a workshop, a base of operations, and so on. You find a location and look into what it will take to buy or rent it.
Step(s): Building the Enterprise. You procure the needed equipment or personnel. You make the connections and deals to get things started. You obtain important permits or other legal documents. You test new products. You actually start the business. Each of these developments (and likely others) can be counted as a separate step, so there will be many steps.
Climax: Profit and Loss. You determine whether your enterprise will take off and carry on into the future, or fall apart before it gets a chance to blossom. This occurs in a single dramatic moment—your first major client, your organization’s first big meeting or mission, or whatever else is appropriate.
Resolution: A time for reflection on everything that occurred, and how you’re going to move forward.
You want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically.
Opening: Assessment. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to.
Step(s): Appearances Matter. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps.
Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps.
Climax: Grabbing Attention. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash or a big crash.
Resolution: You reflect on what you did and where you go from here.
Something out there is unknown and you want to explore its secrets. This is most likely an area of wilderness, a new planet, an otherworldly dimension, or something similar.
Opening: Make a Plan. Not only do you draw up a plan for your exploration, but if appropriate, you also make a formal declaration to relevant parties of what you’re going to do.
Step(s): Gather Resources. You get the supplies, vehicles, and help you need. Depending on where you are going and what is required, this could involve multiple steps. There probably are substantial costs involved as well.
Step(s): Travel. You go where you wish to explore. There might be many such steps, depending on how long it takes to get there.
Step(s): Exploration. This is the meat of the arc, but it’s probably a series of small moves and minor victories. There might be many such steps.
Climax: Conquest. You make the big discovery or truly master the area. You might not have explored every inch of the place, but if you are successful, you can claim to be done.
Resolution: You return home and possibly share your findings.
This is an odd character arc in that it’s (presumably) not something that a character would want. It is something that a player selects on a meta level for the character because it makes for an interesting story. It also sets up the potential for future arcs, such as Redemption. It’s important that this involve actions you take. For example, you fall into substance abuse. You treat people badly. You make mistakes that endanger others. In other words, the fall isn’t orchestrated by someone else—it’s all your own doing.
Opening: The Descent. Things go bad.
Step(s): Further Descent. Things get worse. Depending on the situation, this might involve many steps.
Step: Lashing Out. You treat others poorly as you descend.
Climax: Rock Bottom. There is no chance for success here. Only failure.
Resolution: You wallow in your own misery.
Something that was begun in the past must now be completed. This might involve destroying an evil artifact, finishing the construction of a monument, developing the final steps of a cure for a disease, or uncovering a lost temple forgotten to the ages.
Opening: Assessing the Past. You look at what has come before and where it still needs to go. This almost certainly involves some real research.
Step: Conceive a Plan. You make a plan on how to move forward.
Step(s): Progress. You make significant progress or overcome a barrier to completion. This may involve multiple such steps.
Climax: Completion. This involves the big finish to the past work.
Resolution: You reflect on what you did and where you go from here.
Willingly or unwillingly, you are going to change. This is another meta arc. It’s less about a goal and more about character development. While it’s possible that the growth involved is intentional, in most people’s lives and stories, it is emergent. A character might become less selfish, braver, a better leader, or experience some other form of growth.
Opening: The Beginning. Change usually begins slowly, in a small, almost imperceptible way.
Step(s): Change. Growth involves many small steps.
Step: Overcoming an Obstacle. The temptation to resort to your old ways is always present.
Climax: Self-Evident Change. This is a dramatic about-face. This is the moment where you do something the “old you” would never have done, and it has a profound effect on you and those around you. With either success or failure, growth is possible.
Resolution: You recognize the change in yourself and move forward.
You teach a pupil. You have knowledge on a topic and are willing to share. This can be a skill, an area of lore, a combat style, or the use of a special ability. This is usually a fairly long-term arc. Sometimes teaching a pupil is a side matter, and sometimes the pupil takes on more of an apprentice role and spends a great deal of time with you, traveling with you and perhaps even living in your house (or you living in theirs).
Opening: Taking on the Student.
Step: Getting to Know Them. You assess your pupil’s strengths and weaknesses and try to get an idea of what they need to learn and how you can teach it to them.
Step(s): The Lessons. Teaching is often a slow, gradual process.
Step: Breakdown. Many times, a student needs to have a moment of crisis to really learn something. Maybe they get dejected, or maybe they rebel against your teaching techniques.
Climax: Graduation. This is when you recognize that the pupil has learned what they need. It usually comes at a dramatic moment.
Resolution: You and the pupil say your goodbyes, and you look toward the future.
You want to join an organization. This might be a military organization, a corporation, a secret society, a religion, or something else.
Opening: Getting the Details. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member.
Step(s): Making a Contact. Friends on the inside are always important.
Step(s): Performing a Deed. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things.
Climax: Proving Your Worth. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member.
Resolution: You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you.
You try to right a wrong or bring a wrongdoer to justice.
Opening: Declaration. You publicly declare that you are going to bring justice in this situation. This is optional.
Step(s): Tracking the Guilty. You track down the guilty party, assuming there is one. This might not be physically finding them if you already know where they are. Instead, it might be discovering a way to get at them if they are distant, difficult to reach, or well protected. This step might be repeated multiple times, if applicable.
Step: Helping the Victim. Righting a wrong does not always involve confronting a wrongdoer. Part of it might be about helping those who were wronged.
Climax: Confrontation. You confront the guilty party. This might be a public accusation and demonstration of guilt, a trial, or an attack to kill, wound, or apprehend them—whatever you choose to be appropriate.
Resolution: You resolve the outcome and ramifications of the confrontation and decide what to do next.
You want to learn something. This isn’t the same as the Uncover a Secret arc, in which you’re looking for a bit of information. This is a skill or whole area of knowledge you want to gain proficiency with. This is learning a new language, how to play an instrument, or how to be a good cook. Thus, it’s not about gaining a level or rank in climbing, but learning to be an experienced mountaineer.
Opening: Focusing on the Problem.
Step: Finding a Teacher or a Way to Teach Yourself. Now you can truly begin.
Step(s): Learn. Depending on what you’re learning, this could involve one step or quite a few.
Climax: The Test. You put your new knowledge to the test in a real situation.
Resolution: You relax a bit and decide what to do next.
You’re skilled, but you want to become the best. This arc might logically follow the Learn arc. As with the Learn arc, this can involve any kind of training at all, not just a skill.
Opening: Finding the Path. You’ve learned the basics. Now it’s time for the advanced material.
Step: Discovering a Master. You find a master to help you become a master.
Step(s): Learn. Depending on what you’re mastering, this could involve one step or quite a few.
Step: The Last Step. Eventually, you realize that even a master cannot teach you the last step. You must learn it on your own.
Climax: The Test. You put your mastery to the test in a real situation—and considering your goal, it’s probably a very important situation.
Resolution: You relax a bit and decide what to do next.
You don’t know who your parents were, but you want to find out. The mystery might be something other than your parentage, but that’s a common theme in this kind of arc. You want to know where you come from—there’s some kind of mystery in your past.
Opening: Beginning the Search.
Step: Research. You look into your own family background, if possible.
Step(s): Investigation. You talk to people who might know. You follow clues.
Climax: Discovery. You discover the secret of your own background. You determine if what you learn is good or bad, but either way discovery means success.
Resolution: You contemplate how this new knowledge sits with you.
You want to invent a new device, process, spell, or something similar. A cure for a heretofore unknown disease? An invocation with a result you’ve never heard of before? A method for getting into an impregnable vault? Any of these and more could be your discovery. While similar to the Creation arc and the Learn arc, the New Discovery arc involves blazing a new trail. No one can teach you what you want to know. You’ve got to do it on your own.
Opening: The Idea. You draw up plans for the thing you want to invent or discover.
Step: Research. You learn what people have done before and recognize where they fell short.
Step(s): Trial and Error. You test your hypothesis. This often ends in many failures before you get a success.
Climax: Eureka! It’s time to put the discovery to the true test.
Resolution: You reflect on your discovery and probably compile your notes and write it all down, for posterity’s sake if nothing else.
You raise a child to adulthood. It can be your biological child or one you adopt. It can even be a child taken under your wing, more a young protégé than a son or daughter. This is obviously a very long-term arc.
Opening: Sharing Your Home. The child now lives with you.
Step: Care and Feeding. You learn to meet the child’s basic needs.
Step(s): Basic Instruction. You teach them to walk, talk, and read. You teach them to care for themselves.
Step(s): The Rewards Are Many. The child loves you. Relies on you. Trusts you. Eventually, helps you.
Step(s): Ethical Instruction. You instill your basic ethics in the child, hoping that they will mature into an adult you can be proud of.
Climax: Adulthood. At some point the child leaves the proverbial nest. You determine, at this point, your own success or failure.
Resolution: You reflect on the memories you have made.
You need to heal. This isn’t just for healing simple damage. This involves recovering from a major debilitating injury, illness, or shock. Severe damage, the loss of a body part, and emotional trauma all fall into this category.
Opening: Rest. The first thing you need to do is rest.
Step: Self Care. You take care of your own needs.
Step: Getting Aid. Someone helps.
Step: Medicine. Some kind of drug, cure, poultice, potion, or remedy aids your recovery.
Step: Therapy. With the help of someone else, you exercise your injury or cope with your trauma.
Climax: Acceptance or Recovery. You try to move on and use what has been damaged (or learn how to function without it).
Resolution: You get on with your life.
You’ve done something very wrong, but you want to atone and make it right again. This is like the Justice arc or the Undo a Wrong arc, except you are the wrongdoer. This could be a follow-up to the Fall From Grace arc.
Opening: Regret. You are determined to rebuild, recover, and restore.
Step: Forgiveness. You apologize and ask for forgiveness.
Step: Identifying the Needs. You determine what needs to be done to atone for your transgression.
Climax: Making Good. You perform an act that you hope will redeem your past misdeed.
Resolution: You reflect on what has happened but now look to the future.
You owe someone something, and it’s time to make good.
Opening: Debts Come Due. You determine to do what is needed to make good on the debt. It might involve repaying money, but more appropriately it’s performing a deed or a series of deeds.
Step: Talking It Over. You discuss the matter with the person you owe, if possible. You ensure that what you’re doing is what they want.
Climax: Repayment. Either you do something to earn the money or goods you owe, or you undertake a major task that will compensate the other person.
Resolution: You relax knowing that your debt is repaid, and you look to the future.
Someone or something of great importance has been taken, and you want to get them or it back.
Opening: Heeding the Call. You determine what has happened, and who or what is missing.
Step: Tracking. You discover who has taken them, and where.
Step: Travel. You go to where they are being held and get information on the location and who is involved. Maybe make a plan.
Climax: Rescue Operation. You go in and get them.
Resolution: You return them home.
You’re down but not out. You want to restore your good name. Recover what you’ve lost. Rebuild what has been destroyed. You’ve fallen down or have been knocked down, but either way you want to pick yourself up. This is a possible follow-up to the Fall From Grace arc.
Opening: Vow to Yourself. You are determined to rebuild, recover, and restore.
Step(s): Work. You rebuild, recover, and restore. If all your money was stolen, you make more. If your house was destroyed, you rebuild it. If your reputation was tarnished, you perform deeds that restore your good name.
Climax: The Final Act. You undertake one last major task that will bring things back to where they were (or close to it). A lot is riding on this moment.
Resolution: You enjoy a return to things the way they were before.
Someone did something that harmed you. Unlike the Avenge arc, this arc probably isn’t about tracking down a murderer, but it might involve pursuing someone who stole from you, hurt you, or otherwise brought you grief. The key is that it’s personal. Otherwise, use the Justice arc.
Opening: Vow. You swear revenge.
Step(s): Finding a Clue. You find a clue to tracking down the culprit.
Climax: Confrontation. You confront the culprit.
Resolution: You deal with the aftermath of the confrontation and move on. You think about whether you are satisfied by gaining your revenge.
You want to strike up a relationship with a romantic partner. Perhaps you have a specific person in mind, or maybe you’re just interested in a relationship in general.
Opening(s): Caught Someone’s Eye. You meet someone you are interested in. (Since this can be short-lived, it’s possible to have this opening occur more than once.)
Step(s): Courtship. You begin seeing the person regularly. Although not every “date” is a step in the arc, significant moments are, and there may be a few of them.
Climax: Commitment. You may or may not be interested in a monogamous relationship. Regardless, you and your love have made some kind of commitment to each other.
Resolution: You think about the future. Marriage? Children? These are only some of the possibilities.
Different from the Learn arc and the Uncover a Secret arc, this arc is about solving a crime or a similar action committed in the fairly recent past. It’s not about practice or study, but about questions and answers. In theory, the mystery doesn’t have to be a crime. It might be “Why is this strange caustic substance leaking into my basement?”
Opening: Pledging to Solve the Mystery.
Step: Research. You get some background.
Step(s): Investigation. You ask questions. You look for clues. You cast divinations. This likely encompasses many such steps.
Climax: Discovery. You come upon what you believe to be the solution to the mystery.
Resolution: In this step, which is far more active than most resolutions, you confront the people involved in the mystery with what you’ve discovered, or you use the information in some way (such as taking it to the proper authorities).
Someone else has something you want.
Opening: Setting Your Sights. You make a plan.
Step: Casing the Joint. You scout out the location of the thing (or learn its location).
Step(s): Getting to the Object. Sometimes, many steps are involved before you reach the object you wish to take. For example, if, in order to steal something from a vault, you need to approach one of the guards while they are off duty and bribe them to look the other way when you break in, that is covered in this step.
Climax: The Attempt. You make your heist.
Resolution: You decide what to do with the thing you’ve stolen and contemplate the repercussions you might face for stealing it.
You want to domesticate and train an animal or other creature. While the beast doesn’t need to be wild, it must not already be domesticated and trained.
Opening: Getting Acquainted. You get to know the creature a bit, and it gets to know you.
Step: Research. You get information on the type of creature or advice from others who have trained one.
Step: Domestication. After some work, the creature is no longer a threat to you or anyone else, and it can live peacefully in your home or wherever you wish.
Step(s): Training. Each time you use this step, you teach the creature a new, significant command that it will obey regularly and immediately.
Climax: Completion. Believing the creature’s training to be complete, you put it in a situation where that is put to the test.
Resolution: You reflect on the experience.
You want to be different in a specific way. Because the Growth arc covers internal change, this one focuses primarily on external change. This could take many forms, and probably varies greatly by genre. In some settings, it could even be death, which might turn you into a ghost. For the change to be an arc, it should be difficult and perhaps risky.
Opening: Deciding on the Transformation.
Step: Research. You look into how the change can be made and what it entails.
Step(s): Investigation. This is an active step toward making the change. It might involve getting more information, materials or ingredients, or something else.
Climax: Change. You make the change, with some risk of failure or disaster.
Resolution: You contemplate how this change affects you going forward.
There is knowledge out there that you want. It could be an attempt to find and learn a specific special ability. This could also be a hunt for a lost password or a key that will open a sealed door, the true name of a devil, the secret background of an important person, or how the ancients constructed that strange monolith.
Opening: Naming the Secret. You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel with their bare hands.”
Step(s): Research. You scour libraries and old tomes for clues and information.
Step(s): Investigation. You talk to people to gain clues and information.
Step(s): Tracking. You track down the source of the secret information and travel to it.
Climax: Revelation. You find and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails.
Resolution: You contemplate how this secret affects you and the world.
Someone did something horrible, and its ramifications are still felt, even if it happened long ago. You seek to undo the damage, or at least stop it from continuing.
This is different from the Justice arc because this isn’t about justice (or even revenge)—it’s about literally undoing something bad that happened in the past, such as a great library being burned to the ground, a sovereign people being driven from their land, and so on.
Opening: Vowing to Put Right What Once Went Wrong.
Step: Make a Plan. You learn all you can about the situation and then make a plan to put things right.
Step(s): Progress. This is an active step toward undoing the wrong. It might involve finding something, defeating someone, destroying something, building something, or almost anything else, depending on the circumstances.
Climax: Change. You face the challenge of the former wrong, and either overcome it or fail.
Resolution: You reflect on what you’ve accomplished and think about the future.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":550000,"name":"Genre: Fantasy","type":"text","_id":"5tBpQHxLFK0uSx7O","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"For our purposes, fantasy is any genre that has magic, or something so inexplicable it might as well be magic. The sort of core default of this type is Tolkienesque fantasy, also known as second-world fantasy because it includes a completely new world not our own. Big fantasy epics like those penned by J. R. R. Tolkien (hence the name), C. S. Lewis, George R. R. Martin, Stephen R. Donaldson, David Eddings, Ursula K. Le Guin, and others are indicative of this genre. It usually involves swords, sorcery, nonhuman species (such as elves, dwarves, helborn, and half-giants), and epic struggles.
Of course, fantasy might also involve the modern world, with creatures of myth and sorcerers dwelling among us. It might involve mythic traditions of any number of cultures (elves, dwarves, and the like, usually being decidedly European) or bear little resemblance to anything on Earth, past or present. It might even involve some of the trappings of science fiction, with spaceships and laser guns amid the wizardry and swords (this is often called science fantasy).
Fantasy can also be defined by the amount of fantasy elements within it. A second-world fantasy filled with wizards, ghosts, dragons, curses, and gods is referred to as high fantasy. Fantasy with a firmer grounding in reality as we know it in our world is low fantasy. (In fact, low fantasy often takes place in our world, or in our world’s distant past, like the stories of Conan.) No single element indicates concretely that a given fantasy is high or low. It’s the prevalence of those elements.
The point is, there are many, many types of fantasy.
| Role | Character Type |
| Warrior | Warrior |
| Knight | Warrior |
| Ranger | Explorer |
| Barbarian | Explorer flavored with combat |
| Thief | Explorer flavored with stealth |
| Wizard | Adept |
| Cleric | Speaker flavored with magic |
| Druid | Explorer flavored with magic |
| Warrior mage | Warrior flavored with magic |
| Bard | Speaker |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.aRHd1kwkUTogvMyG]{Bat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.POcXUZp1mwvumsvK]{Blacksmith} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.4xi11kpGx3rGZEYm]{Farmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.pNEII8Wup8xjZfuA]{Hawk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.4xi11kpGx3rGZEYm]{Farmer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.8AhrSmfhARlAahxp]{Merchant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.XwsPRwBGqnPnCJKG]{Villager} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZIE2MSMDhhgqBRgl]{Viper} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vhGua32GarGCzLGv]{Warhorse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.4gJ7LYEkIlt16Epj]{Wolf}
In the default Medieval Europe-style fantasy setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to that time period) are usually available.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.JwvZz1lxVR3H6P8D]{Arrows (12)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.mY1JGNvk9RPW7y2D]{Crossbow bolts (12)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.IBJ8eUTFLMb2IKaZ]{Knife (rusty and worn)} | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.zuI2zJqYv2bPN415]{Wooden club} | Light weapon |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.m5lUbtwYYZDzo0Jx]{Burlap sack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.ua0XElr4rvEe4C7J]{Candle} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.UJ5qtx1Dt3ENW2Uh]{Iron rations (1 day)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.G2HjI5SUADNv0yJ2]{Torch (3)} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.La6ogBpdY1cjYIug]{Blowgun} | Light weapon, immediate range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.cFkYLORc1EiwPpLf]{Dagger} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.Chp5Kt00vrxxYBAT]{Handaxe} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.DxvLEdJsjNLghy5m]{Sword (substandard)} | Medium weapon (won’t last long) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.xMUGgLlOKoZqooWy]{Throwing knife} | Light weapon, short range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.dwYLXpRkrg8AaoMP]{Hides and furs} | Light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.E3UpdWDvaLUQ2Xfz]{Leather jerkin} | Light armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.2uM56Yu3g5OCjLkm]{Backpack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.3TAk68d2T0nMXlIG]{Bedroll} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.ObGbm8EmEBDCotRD]{Crowbar} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.BmQOOToImOypwy7g]{Hourglass} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.XjU4o9vgaZ4wiBSD]{Lantern} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.U20W8jrBZGlWsQu2]{Rope} | Hemp, 50 feet |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.BQ87g3YjkViIKc7l]{Signal horn} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.VNW4jviGcTTfC2Mu]{Spikes and hammer} | 10 spikes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.MEp5TNjz6v9dnuLP]{Tent} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.oGdbXxumsdjbdVzJ]{Battleaxe} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.xeXPxadNyGu35H4k]{Bow} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.H8tg6l3LpBLNRz32]{Cutlass} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.ZHeioW4Ywrgs6Si8]{Light crossbow} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.J3BdB6S45bmc8cvl]{Quarterstaff} | Medium weapon (requires 2 hands) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.W8mx4ak9u2JKvX6Q]{Sword} | Medium weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.ljoqzdX7tpPpCTCc]{Breastplate} | Medium armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.9toshrf5gjzwIsDm]{Brigandine} | Medium armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.2mgyMiNIOQ4iUVnl]{Chainmail} | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.mVwBYBHxYinj4lLx]{Bag of heavy tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.XuYDx9q73UxyPN22]{Bag of light tools} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.7Yc0010ac7PbCkPl]{Greatsword} | Heavy weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.gVNfXCYe0qsDXQNO]{Heavy crossbow} | Heavy weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-fantasy.rUR8Ile0ZRC2qMfM]{Sword (jeweled)} | Medium weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.f8OhNQR1rGtWy2Ot]{Dwarven breastplate} | Medium armor, encumbers as light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.2SMPhQU8pP4vsJ6R]{Full plate armor} | Heavy armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.cIWeisTbSX9izeaW]{Disguise kit} | Asset for disguise tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.ICgjGDSqGXInN1PP]{Healing kit} | Asset for healing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-fantasy.7BQwwk2qh7zxU6ih]{Spyglass} | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-fantasy.kcF98fSVWNjAEQWI]{Elven chainmail} | Medium armor, encumbers as no armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.3svOlCDP6Sm4v2Ql]{Sailing ship (small)} |
In many ways, fantasy is the genre for artifacts. All magic items—wands that shoot lightning, magic carpets, singing swords, rings that make the wearer invisible, and so on—are artifacts. Below are a few sample artifacts to give a template for GMs to follow. Those running a fantasy campaign will likely want to create many magic artifacts.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.Hanw3m7cRoN6XrsV]{Angelic ward} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.I8TAffkn2YfPdIlf]{Ring of dragon’s flight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.lZy9XOFTIPBKjr5z]{Soulflaying weapon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.2q4omUFxtUBr4WFP]{Spellbook of the amber mage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-fantasy.BNT94UfgkXdmcErV]{Wand of firebolts}
In a high fantasy setting, some GMs may want dwarves and elves to be mechanically different from humans. Below are some possibilities for how this might work.
You’re a stocky, broad-shouldered, bearded native of the mountains and hills. You’re also as stubborn as the stone in which the dwarves carve their homes under the mountains. Tradition, honor, pride in smithcraft and warcraft, and a keen appreciation of the wealth buried under the roots of the world are all part of your heritage. Those who wish you ill should be wary of your temper. When dwarves are wronged, they never forget.
You gain the following characteristics:
Stalwart: +2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You are trained in Might defense rolls.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.kOe6eKWNKZ0rlIbt]{Skill}: You are trained in tasks related to stone, including sensing stonework traps, knowing the history of a particular piece of stonecraft, and knowing your distance beneath the surface.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.XBza3foP98Apv3u6]{Skill}: You are practiced in using axes.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.O0bj3SSEEaArxBet]{Skill}: You are trained in using the tools required to shape and mine stone.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.wfUuLfNI6KyKsZ6R]{Vulnerability}: When you fail an Intellect defense roll to avoid damage, you take 1 extra point of damage.
Additional Equipment: You have an axe.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You found the PCs wandering a maze of tunnels and led them to safety.
The PCs hired you to dig out the entrance to a buried ruin.
You tracked down the thieves of your ancestor’s tomb and found they were the PCs. Instead of killing them, you joined them.
Before dwarves settle down, they need to see the world.
You haunt the woodlands and deep, natural realms, as your people have for millennia. You are the arrow in the night, the shadow in the glade, and the laughter on the wind. As an elf, you are slender, quick, graceful, and long lived. You manage the sorrows of living well past many mortal lifetimes with song, wine, and an appreciation for the deep beauties of growing things, especially trees, which can live even longer than you do.
You gain the following characteristics:
Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.y8GNItkWz0Ll5eDE]{Long-Lived}: Your natural lifespan (unless tragically cut short) is thousands of years.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are specialized in tasks related to perception.
Skill: You are practiced in using one bow variety of your choice.
Skill: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{stealth} tasks. In areas of natural woodland, you are @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.FXuy9hOuuAVeiGIc]{specialized in stealth tasks}.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.JTgcA5dhKHQM6lvw]{Fragile}: When you fail a Might defense roll to avoid damage, you take 1 extra point of damage.
Additional Equipment: You have a bow and a quiver of arrows to go with it.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Before putting an arrow in the forest intruders, you confronted them and met the PCs, who were on an important quest.
Your heart yearned for farther shores, and the PCs offered to take you along to new places.
Your home was burned by strangers from another place, and you gathered the PCs along the way as you tracked down the villains.
An adventure was in the offing, and you didn’t want to be left behind.
You stand at least 12 feet (4 m) tall and tower over everyone around you. Whether you are a full-blooded giant or merely have giant heritage from large ancestors, you’re massive. Always large for your age, it became an issue only once you reached puberty and topped 7 feet (2 m) in height, and kept growing from there.
You gain the following characteristics:
Tough: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.cP5tB0NoQnIydKZJ]{Mass and Strength}: You inflict +1 point of damage with your melee attacks and attacks with thrown weapons.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.0efUBEaMaoe3XB4q]{Breaker}: Tasks related to breaking things by smashing them are eased.
Inability: You’re too large to accomplish normal things. Tasks related to @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.gpHPkjq631isDAjT]{initiative}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.oGzczZIk8XKBDpZo]{stealth}, and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.veqN70GNrIvluVMq]{fine manipulation of any sort} (such as lockpicking or repair tasks) are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have a heavy weapon of your choice.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You fished the PCs out of a deep hole they’d fallen into while exploring.
You were the PCs’ guide in the land of giants and stayed with them afterward.
The PCs helped you escape a nether realm where other giants were imprisoned by the gods.
You kept the PCs from being discovered by hiding them behind your bulk when they were on the run.
Demons of the underworld sometimes escape. When they do, they can taint human bloodlines. Things like you are the result of such unnatural unions. Part human and part something else, you are an orphan of a supernatural dalliance. Thanks to your unsettling appearance, you’ve probably been forced to make your own way in a world that often fears and resents you. Some of your kin have large horns, tails, and pointed teeth. Others are more subtle or more obvious in their differences—a shadow of a knife-edge in their face and a touch that withers normal plants, a little too much fire in their eyes and a scent of ash in the air, a forked tongue, goatlike legs, or the inability to cast a shadow. Work with the GM on your particular helborn appearance.
You gain the following characteristics.
Devious: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.JW3zwz6IgZcqN0XX]{Skill}: You are trained in tasks related to magic lore and lore of the underworld.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.w2loaRgoNlhuYGwg]{Fire Adapted}: +2 to Armor against damage from fire only.
Helborn Magic: You are inherently magical. Choose one low-tier ability from the Abilities chapter. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, you gain that ability as part of your helborn heritage, and can use it like any other type or focus ability.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.yW5LvpudYQcN1n5b]{Inner Evil}: You sometimes lose control and risk hurting your allies. When you roll a 1, the GM has the option to intrude by indicating that you lose control. Once you’ve lost control, you attack any and every living creature within short range. You can’t spend Intellect points for any reason other than to try to regain control (a difficulty 2 task). After you regain control, you suffer a –1 penalty to all rolls for one hour.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.lfVIjOnbi86nUjng]{Inability}: People distrust you. Tasks to persuade or deceive are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You were nearly beaten to death by people who didn’t like your look, but the PCs found and revived you.
The PCs hired you for your knowledge of magic.
Every so often you get visions of people trapped in the underworld. You tracked those people down and found the PCs, who’d never visited the underworld. Yet.
Your situation at home became untenable because of how people reacted to your looks. You joined the PCs to get away.
Fantasy settings prioritize magic as an essential ingredient. But why restrict that magic to just wizards and similar characters? It’s not uncommon in fantasy literature for a thief or warrior to learn a few spells as they steal or brawl through their adventures. Leiber’s Gray Mouser knew some spells, Moorcock’s Elric knew a lot, pretty much everyone in Anthony’s Xanth books knew at least one, and so on. Of course, wizards and sorcerers specialize in spellcasting, which gives them clear superiority in magic use. But whether a character is a fireball-flinging wizard or a belligerent barbarian, anyone can learn some spellcasting under this optional rule.
Under the spellcasting rule, any character, no matter their role or type, can choose to learn a spell as a long-term benefit. After they learn one spell, they may learn more later if they wish, or just stick with the one.
Any character can gain a spell by spending 3 XP and working with the GM to come up with an in-game story of how the PC learned it. Maybe they learned it as a child from their parent and practiced it enough to actually do it; perhaps they spent a month hiding in a wizard’s library reading; it could be that they found a weird magical amulet that imbues them with the spell; and so on.
Next, choose one low-tier ability from the Abilities chapter. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, the character gains that ability as their spell, with a few caveats. The spell can’t be used like a normal ability gained through a PC’s type or focus. Instead, a character must either use a recovery roll or spend many minutes or longer evoking their spell, in addition to paying its Pool cost (if any).
Using a Recovery Roll to Cast a Spell: If the character uses a one-action, ten-minute, or one-hour recovery roll as part of the same action to cast the spell (including paying any Pool costs), they can use the ability as an action. This represents a significant mental and physical drain on the character, because the normal benefit of recovering points in a Pool is not gained.
Spending Time to Cast a Spell: If the character takes at least ten minutes chanting, mumbling occult phonemes, concentrating deeply, or otherwise using all their actions, they can cast a low-tier spell (if they also pay any Pool costs). An hour is required to cast mid-tier spells. Ten hours are required to cast a high-tier spell.
Once a character has learned at least one spell, they can opt to learn additional spells later. Each time, they must spend an additional 3 XP and work with the GM to come up with an in-game story of how the character’s magical learning has progressed.
Two additional rules for learning additional spells apply:
First, a character must be at least tier 3 and have previously gained one low-tier spell before they can learn a mid-tier spell.
Second, a character must be at least tier 5 and have previously gained one mid-tier spell before they can learn a high-tier spell.
Otherwise, gaining and casting additional spells are as described for the character’s first spell.
Wizards (usually Adepts) and characters with explicit spellcasting foci like Masters Spells, Channels Divine Blessings, Speaks for the Land, and possibly others are also considered to be spellcasters, and moreover, specialized ones. Their spells—abilities provided by their type or focus—are used simply by paying their Pool costs. Extra time or physical effort isn’t required to cast them. That’s because, in the parlance of the fantasy genre, these spells are considered to be “prepared.”
But specialized casters can also use the optional spellcasting rule to expand their magic further. They can learn additional spells via the optional spellcasting rule just like other characters, with the same limitations.
Optionally, specialized casters who record their arcane knowledge in a spellbook (or something similar) gain one additional benefit. The spellbook is a compilation of spells, formulas, and notes that grants the specialized caster more flexibility than those who’ve simply learned a spell or two. With a spellbook, a PC can replace up to three prepared spells with three other spells they’ve learned of the same tier. To do so, they must spend at least one uninterrupted hour studying their spellbook. Usually, this is something that requires a fresh mind, and must be done soon after a ten-hour recovery.
For instance, if a wizard exchanges Ward (an ability gained from their type) with Telekinesis (an ability gained from the optional spellcasting rule), from now on the character can cast Ward only by spending time or using a recovery roll (as well as spending Pool points). On the other hand, they can use Telekinesis normally, because now it’s prepared. Later, the wizard could spend the time studying to change out their prepared spells with others they’ve learned using the optional spellcasting rule.
A PC might choose the 4 XP character advancement option to select a new type-based ability from their tier or alower tier. If so, the ability gained doesn’t count as a spell, and the spellcasting rule limitations do not apply to the ability so gained. If the PC is a wizard and uses the 4 XP character advancement option, treat the ability as one more prepared spell.
To use spells in Foundry VTT, sort abilities as spells in the settings of the item sheet. Note how many abilities are prepared spells (i.e., how many are learned as type or focus abilities). Archive all unprepared spells, so that the number of active items equals the number of prepared spells. When the PC change out their prepared spells, unarchive the one that is now prepared and archive another one of the same tier.
The modern setting is easy because it’s just the real world, right? Well, yes and no. It’s easy for players to understand the context of a modern setting. They know the default assumptions—cities, cars, cell phones, the internet, and so on. It’s also easier for some players to get into character, because their character could be someone they might very well pass on the street. It can be easier to wrap your mind around a history professor than a thousand-year-old elf wizard. These things make it easier on the GM as well.
But for the same reason, it’s not easy. The setting is the real world we all know, so it’s easy to get facts wrong or let them bog you down. What happens when you pull the fire alarm on the thirty-fifth floor of a major hotel in a large city? How fast do the authorities arrive? In truth, the facts aren’t as important as the story you’re creating, but some verisimilitude is nice.
If you’re trying to portray a psychic with a few basic powers, you might not want to use the Adept character type. Instead, choose a different type (perhaps a Speaker) and encourage foci such as Commands Mental Powers or Focuses Mind Over Matter. Some of the Adept’s powers might be too over the top for the genre.
Similarly, the technology flavor is probably too high-tech for a modern game. For someone with technical skills, use the skills and knowledge flavor instead.
Sometimes, the types might be more physical than is always desirable for a modern game, but that’s because the least physical type, the Adept, is often inappropriate for other reasons. The Calm descriptor is very good for such characters, not only granting them a great deal of skill and knowledge, but also reducing their physical capabilities.
Last, don’t forget foci such as Doesn’t Do Much or Would Rather Be Reading for “normal” characters who have useful skills but not much in the way of flashy abilities.
| Role | Type |
| Police officer | Explorer with combat flavor |
| Detective | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Soldier | Warrior |
| Criminal | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Teacher | Speaker |
| Professional (accountant, writer, etc.) | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Technical profession | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Dilettante | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Doctor/Nurse | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Politician | Speaker |
| Lawyer | Speaker |
| Scholar | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Spy | Speaker with stealth flavor |
| Occultist | Adept |
| Mystic/Psychic | Adept |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.WJgPGUcSUrR4Ssuu]{Businessperson} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZT13lzcl6dsvg8HX]{Cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.GNrvq56bsnlHgKeW]{Clerk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.SpaQv9sL1VWlrkLS]{Worker}
In a modern setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to the real world) are usually available.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.lYJndyNwkfb2sQz2]{Ammo (box of 50 rounds)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.ZuWPhhwirVzEtpcS]{Knife (simple)} | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.ss1cft2vMEWx4kJ4]{Duct tape roll} | Useful and ubiquitous |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.p6V32aB5gkEFqitX]{Flashlight} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.3jJNQk40gldOiD2z]{Padlock with keys} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.XFf4M5XhGJb6snrS]{Trail rations (1 day)} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.EOke4Vi9vZv4U16N]{Hand grenade} | Explosive weapon, inflicts 4 points of damage in immediate radius |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.DliC4uPK4vnuiN3w]{Hunting knife} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.7EItM0gT073fcCyx]{Machete} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.B5CSduGis9vKucKp]{Nightstick} | Light weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.gwPnvp7McesS3NUR]{Leather jacket} | Light armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.mbTBZG8Z968IxHq2]{Backpack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.ccm57mnk8bNmPWfQ]{Bag of heavy tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.VYIqlo7RM9scywV5]{Bag of light tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.VjpaBgV1XxHEl7U7]{Binoculars} | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.QQCRR8D4rroB36YC]{Bolt cutters} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.UQalAy7SSl1QGgIk]{Cell phone} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.PByrX3tmLVa85NeK]{Climbing gear} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.UV1anGyX2QaGd8qX]{Crowbar} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.LuGHnohquvbNoT9d]{Electric lantern} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.fHdiS7JT9hjtjeb9]{First aid kit} | Asset for healing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.98dhCNOFZ8TYBS1Y]{Handcuffs} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.W40tEHGIcevTGDkt]{Rope} | Nylon, 50 feet |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.iBpZVq4fM9mPDIDK]{Sleeping bag} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.WOJ75BLfqqViZ57w]{Tent} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.lbpcftYKyWKpoqoT]{Light handgun} | Light weapon, short range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.i8RP2vxMaoUgCNL1]{Medium handgun} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.WRluKrzzdF5wad4V]{Bow} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.dvZ57WEEzP575D6m]{Rifle} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.w4K2udLKOMjY53z1]{Shotgun} | Heavy weapon, immediate range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.Tvvpp1L5F3sw3999]{Kevlar vest} | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.Am5vYHXpCPsF3lrq]{Camera designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.aGOQvKGxdPRVWq2F]{Microphone designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.f0EYtw06E63173J1]{Cold weather camping gear} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.1LbD5gLbLwY8QvPL]{Nightvision goggles} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.13woD4sUoJbNy1au]{Scuba gear} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.wpJd3cLska66OpcQ]{Smartphone} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.CCHqv8dyuq7EGVHL]{Straightjacket} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.TiBhD7UEqWItJVOc]{Heavy handgun} | Heavy weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.6r112wF81Zs3yeNe]{Assault rifle} | Heavy weapon, rapid-fire weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.wDV0Rbou4poxCdm1]{Heavy rifle} | Heavy weapon, 300-foot (90 m) range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-modern.RCmDHR6H1lg9bRoV]{Submachine gun} | Medium weapon, rapid-fire weapon, short range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.AqT96NV9XXl8iNye]{Lightweight body armor} | Medium armor, encumbers as light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-modern.tLUMEDBAJJH6sFAg]{Military body armor} | Heavy armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-modern.Kh6bhcajxt4cZDWH]{Disguise kit} | Asset for disguise tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.eqsiUjrg2EIrtiQj]{Used car} | Level 3 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.ZYdj5EXY920kdcgr]{Small boat} | Level 3 |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.hN3G2oNbOiKRfKMZ]{Large boat} | Level 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.w4awO0Fz56obreUb]{Luxury car} | Level 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.d5xp1l8px98GQIbQ]{Sports car} | Level 6 |
The regular character creation process makes fully competent, adult characters. To account for playing children, the GM could adopt this optional rule. First, the players make their characters normally, and then they apply the following adjustments to their PCs, as appropriate to their age category. You might also consider applying a tier cap of 3 to childhood adventure games with kids of up to thirteen years old, and a tier cap of 4 for childhood adventure games featuring PCs who are aged fourteen to seventeen.
Slight: –4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KY4e1Wo5NKh7TEiy]{Vulnerable}: Adults look out for you. You are trained in all pleasant social interactions with adults.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.GhWikcOP1CAwpzZQ]{Inability}: Might-based tasks are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.yl3vXIZfzudiVVqs]{Inability}: Tasks involving knowledge are hindered.
Youthful: –2 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.yl3vXIZfzudiVVqs]{Inability}: Tasks involving knowledge are hindered.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":587500,"name":"Genre: Science Fiction","type":"text","_id":"VFJ6kCCgRGTzpWp0","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Science fiction is an incredibly broad category. It covers UFOs, space opera, near-future dystopias, otherworldly epics, hard science fiction, and everything in between. Even when compared to fantasy, science fiction is so wide that it almost isn’t a single genre at all. Truthfully, there’s not all that much to tie, say, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells with a dark cyberpunk story except for the technology involved, which is at a higher level than we possess or understand today. But even that part of science fiction is contentious. Should the science be purely that which obeys the laws of physics as we understand them today (often called hard science fiction), or is it more of an “anything goes” proposition? Is science we can’t explain really just magic?
For our purposes, we’ll treat fantastic science fiction as the default: aliens, spaceships that allow travel to other stars, energy weapons and shields, and so on. It’s a familiar setting to almost everyone interested in science fiction. That said, we’ve also got some additional guidance for hard science fiction, where what’s possible is more grounded in what we currently scientifically extrapolate. But your science fiction setting can be anything you can imagine.
| Role | Type |
| Soldier | Warrior |
| Technician | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Pilot | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Diplomat | Speaker |
| Doctor | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Spy | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Scientist | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Psion | Adept |
| Psychic knight | Warrior with magic flavor |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ckjeyJICRGhNlGgS]{Corporate drone} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.6TcU3jVH85UcUFIz]{Guard beast} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.urAFJXaUkWY2R1zj]{Innocuous rodent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vSvrg6g5VkP5MkeZ]{Physical laborer}
In a science fiction setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to the setting) are usually available.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.ammo.1UGRE1k4ReUFAr34]{Energy pack (50 shots)} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.O3WVhoZQ8U8401yo]{Knife (simple)} | Light weapon |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.kh1dzF6oaKZqzss6]{Flashlight} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.LyUOH2V2zQqlIcgG]{Survival rations (1 day)} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.2Fcz72cuTLrwjLy7]{Hunting knife} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.H8InhgjpPnnVzmiV]{Machete} | Medium weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.mVef0tRkNWbfz2VS]{Grenade (sonic)} | Explosive weapon, inflicts 2 points of damage in immediate radius, plus Might defense roll or lose next turn |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.PnvNFQbxuCHb874j]{Grenade (thermite)} | Explosive weapon, inflicts 5 points of damage in immediate radius |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.kzLQCncQ1cXzM456]{Leather jacket} | Light armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.FALc1UkW90o9M0rr]{Backpack} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.y8M3rmSzHUyKLdom]{Bag of heavy tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.UuHnuXeI6iwIvgtf]{Bag of light tools} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.kAzP990hVR1pQSYR]{Binoculars} | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.0SBO3NnYx33dwomQ]{Breather} | 8 hours of breathable air |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.G50Jj9pfCytxzMJe]{Climbing gear} | Asset for climbing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.4p14iIDm5SitvYiK]{Communicator} | Planetary range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.zE8nBEE8jVYswUT4]{Crowbar} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.3kbeLDAUmwyYsPDj]{Environment tent} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.a4crA7W9OQa3LCIn]{First aid kit} | Asset for healing tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.KpSlhPXtD1ysoREW]{Handcuffs} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.2FgbXJjI9iBI7fk6]{Nightvision goggles} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.CzM5OkaV23fUxHUi]{Portable lamp} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.06uEHDipEwShEcun]{Rope} | Nylon, 50 feet |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.hofNkVrnwjRHaopi]{Sleeping bag} |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.cAh0sGKTyb8Vptej]{Light blaster} | Light weapon, short range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.2Iusz99wevz9KSEV]{Medium blaster} | Medium weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.LDklLSixesdwgwj3]{Needler} | Light weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.PNDivijkZvlsUjbm]{Shotgun} | Heavy weapon, immediate range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.qErMuZdwnHVPLCm7]{Stunstick} | Medium weapon, inflicts no damage but human-sized or smaller target loses next action |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.BqiPzuCqRfn9yFrR]{Armored bodysuit} | Medium armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.JrN6tyFoTYLtZc6s]{Lightweight body armor} | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.qa9okeQfd3NTtmzD]{Camera designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.r36W1oDLBXrXsu6G]{Microphone designed to be concealed} | Transmits at long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.MtCq6owCDm7GG8Pw]{Environment suit} | Provides 24 hours of atmosphere and +10 to Armor against extreme temperatures |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.LirhTzCUj7UFCfgB]{Wrist computer} | Asset for most knowledge-based tasks |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.7NCzo49o54a1vSy1]{Heavy blaster} | Heavy weapon, long range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.7Cy8yASphzXHYlsJ]{Heavy blaster rifle} | Heavy weapon, 300-foot (90 m) range |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.xjviCkv7gCoy1ZcV]{Pulse laser gun} | Medium weapon, rapid-fire weapon, long range |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.Bujb0Cz7cVN6K9H3]{Battlesuit} | Heavy armor, also works as environment suit |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.mGvzhwfcLOR8Aami]{Disguise kit} | Asset for disguise tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.fxntln2fSRKpMFyx]{Gravity regulator} | Belt-mounted device that regulates gravity to 1G for wearer if within 0 G to 3 G conditions |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.MbgM9wBMTWCIXCqh]{Handheld scanner} | Asset for identifying tasks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.pTEJ1VrxrSVGteKY]{Hovercraft} | Level 4 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.ZOz0Fit7uAvEjIPA]{Infiltrator} | Asset for lockpicking tasks when used with electronic locks |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.vGpae1ESOw3hK4qY]{Jetpack} | Level 4 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-sci-fi.RpA2kZiwJAa7fRQM]{Stealthsuit} | Asset for stealth tasks |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-sci-fi.B0x6U0RnIp2EyEbV]{Blast cannon} | 10 points of damage, 500-foot (150 m) range, requires a tripod and two people to operate |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-sci-fi.LOwyfbM0bAlLrBc0]{Force field} | Not armor, offers +1 to Armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.8CtlFUIKlZpteVG3]{Luxury hovercar} | Level 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.0WiWAbNWXRypYxjh]{Robot servant} | Level 3 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.vehicles.rPjVFxfdapjErMwt]{Small spaceship} | Level 4 |
Artifacts in a science fiction game can be strange relics from an unknown alien source or tech items that aren’t yet widely available. In a galactic setting, for example, it’s easy to imagine that innovations or specialized items might not have spread everywhere.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.aV9zEHENEDgFu5r9]{Amber casement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.BrWNyEr0tRbOkOW9]{Metabolism bud} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.dMU5JjdzGh2xYJHe]{Mind imager} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.HbWQ65yTcCT5kRZ9]{Psychic crystal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-sci-fi.4sk825DOsE6oE9d3]{Repair sphere}
Here are a few sample starship types:
| Starship | Level | Crew | Weapon Systems |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.f14c7pV1Cc89BEgg]{Fighter} | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.1QmIZUO93276WVip]{Interceptor} | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.RsHhdbOFUEkKCJUW]{Freighter} | 3 (4 for defense) | 4 | 1 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.rrkSDY696W28w7T6]{Frigate} | 4 | 20 | 4 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.2Cuo9MpDalEzoM6i]{Cruiser} | 4 | 25 | 5 |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.starships.SbCnPYjsEaR4YeMr]{Battleship} | 10 | 1,000 | 36 |
“Crew” indicates the minimum number of people needed to operate the ship. Many ships can carry more passengers. “Weapon Systems” indicates the maximum number of different enemies the ship can target at once—but only one attack per target in any circumstance.
Since it’s frighteningly easy to die in a space battle if your ship is destroyed, most ships have escape pods. Even fighter craft have ejection systems that put the pilot out into space in an environment suit. In other words, GMs should try to give PCs a way out of immediately dying if they get on the wrong end of a space battle.
In a hard science fiction game, variable effects of gravity can’t be waved away by tech that simulates normal gravity on spacecraft, space stations, and other worlds. Instead, it’s an issue people must overcome.
Short-Term Microgravity Exposure: People new to low gravity might get space sickness. Newcomers must succeed on a difficulty 3 Might task or suffer mild nausea for about two to four days, during which time all their tasks are hindered. A few unlucky travelers (usually those who roll a 1 or otherwise face a GM intrusion) are almost completely incapacitated, and find all tasks hindered by three steps.
Long-Term Microgravity Exposure: Long-term exposure to microgravity environments without medical interventions degrades health. How long one spends in such conditions is directly relevant. The GM may assign long-term penalties to PCs if the situation warrants it, though the use of advanced space medicine, proper exercise, and recommended steroids and other hormones can avoid these complications.
Low Gravity: Weapons that rely on weight, such as all heavy weapons, inflict 2 fewer points of damage (dealing a minimum of 1 point). Short-range weapons can reach to long range, and long-range weapons can reach to very long range. Characters trained in low-gravity maneuvering ignore the damage penalty.
High Gravity: It’s hard to make effective attacks when the pull of gravity is very strong. Attacks (and all physical actions) made in high gravity are hindered. Ranges in high gravity are reduced by one category (very-long-range weapons reach only to long range, long-range weapons reach only to short range, and
short-range weapons reach only to immediate range). Characters trained in high-gravity maneuvering ignore the change in difficulty but not the range decreases.
Zero Gravity: It’s hard to maneuver in an environment without gravity. Attacks (and all physical actions) made in zero gravity are hindered. Short-range weapons can reach to long range, and long-range weapons can reach to very-long range.
Vacuum is lethal. There’s no air to breathe, and the lack of pressure causes havoc on an organic body. An unprotected character moves one step down the damage track each round. However, at the point where they should die, they instead fall unconscious and remain so for about a minute. If they are rescued during that time, they can be revived. If not, they die.
In a hard science fiction setting, you might be interested in evoking the reality of travel times between colonies on planets and moons in the solar system. Even so, plotting a course between locations in the solar system isn’t simple, because everything is always moving with respect to everything else. You could determine exactly how long a trip would take with some internet research. Or you could just evoke the effect of orbital mechanics and varying accelerations on interplanetary travel. Use the Interplanetary Travel Table to do so. For a trip between locations not directly compared, add up the destinations in between. The travel times assume a nuclear plasma engine of a kind already being tested today (but better), a steady thrust toward the destination, and an equally long and steady braking thrust over the last half of the trip before orbit insertion. Such propulsion systems can change velocity and sustain thrust for days at a time, which reduces bone loss, muscle atrophy, and other long-term effects of low gravity.
Regardless, the travel times between distant locations bring home one thing: space is big and lonely.
| Origin | Destination | Travel Time Using Nuclear Plasma Engine |
| Earth/Moon | Mars | 20 + 1d20 days |
| Mars | Asteroid belt | 30 + 1d20 days |
| Asteroid belt | Jupiter and its moons | 30 + 1d20 days |
| Jupiter | Saturn and its moons | 60 + 1d20 days |
| Saturn | Uranus | 90 + 1d20 days |
In a science fiction setting, some GMs may want to offer alien species or androids, who are mechanically different from humans, as options for player characters. This can be accomplished by using descriptors. Two examples are below.
You are a machine—not just a sentient machine, but a sapient one. Your awareness might make you an exception, or there may be many like you, depending on the setting.
Artificially intelligent characters have machine minds of one type or another. This can involve an advanced computer brain, but it could also be a liquid computer, a quantum computer, or a network of smart dust particles creating an ambient intelligence. You might even have been an organic creature whose mind was uploaded into a machine.
Your body, of course, is also a machine. Most people refer to you as a robot or an android, although you know neither term describes you very well, as you are as free-willed and free-thinking as they are.
You gain the following characteristics:
Superintelligent: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
Artificial Body: +3 to your Might Pool and your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.dj8fjpgMOatRRWFZ]{Shell}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.j6odWezQciXppynQ]{Limited Recovery}: Resting restores points only to your Intellect Pool, not to your Might Pool or your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.63ZJmNraEqS6lzdp]{Mechanics, Not Medicines}: Conventional healing methods, including the vast majority of restorative devices and medicines, do not restore points to any of your Pools. You can recover points to your Intellect Pool only by resting, and you can recover points to your Speed and Might Pools only through repair. The difficulty of the repair task is equal to the number of points of damage sustained, to a maximum of 10. Repairing your Might and Speed Pools are always two different tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.71sJhRICcDy0WjiA]{Machine Vulnerabilities and Invulnerabilities}: Damaging effects and other threats that rely on an organic system—poison, disease, cell disruption, and so on—have no effect on you. Neither do beneficial drugs or other effects. Conversely, things that normally affect only inorganic or inanimate objects can affect you, as can effects that disrupt machines.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.nXs4KTo14JKXZN8f]{Uncanny Valley}: You have a hard time relating to organic beings, and they don’t react well to you. All positive interaction tasks with such beings are hindered by two steps.
You are a quintar from the planet Quint. You are basically humanoid but taller, thinner, and blue skinned. Your hands end in three very long fingers. Quintar have five genders, but all quintar prefer to be addressed as female when communicating with more binary species. Human emotions and sexuality fascinate them, but not because they don’t have such concepts—quintar emotions and sexuality are just very different from those of humans. In general, quintar are more cerebral than other species, valuing knowledge over all else.
Quint is relatively Earthlike, with slightly less gravity but a slightly denser atmosphere.
You gain the following characteristics:
Cerebral: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You are trained in one type of knowledge task of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.gmnozVrQsZBTxj9A]{Skill}: Quintar fascination with human behavior eases all interaction rolls (pleasant or not) with humans.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.4gFg0DiIdWm3w9ol]{Difficult Rest}: Quintar subtract 2 from all recovery rolls (minimum 1).
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":593750,"name":"Genre: Horror","type":"text","_id":"L90rsf6J1WHnk7rN","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Although it’s very likely a subset of the modern genre, horror as a genre gets special treatment. Unlike the other genres, horror doesn’t necessarily suggest a setting. Any setting can be horrific. Horror is more of a style. An approach. A mood.
You could easily have horror in other times and settings, but for our purposes, we’ll deal with a default setting in the modern day. The PCs are probably normal people, not secret agents or special investigators (although being a part of a secret agency that deals with monsters in the shadows could make for a fine horror game).
Suggested types and additional equipment for a horror setting are the same as in a modern setting.
Horror games allow us to explore some pretty dark topics from the safety of our own game tables. But before you do that, make sure everyone around your table is okay with that. Find out what your players will find “good uncomfortable,” which is something that makes us squirm in our seats in a great horror movie, and “bad uncomfortable,” which is something that actually makes a player feel nauseated, unsafe, or offended. Being scared can be fun, but being sickened isn’t.
Consider the age and maturity of everyone in the game, perhaps in terms of the movie rating system. Tell the players what you think the game you’re running would be rated. If everyone’s okay with an R rating, then fine. You can have a spooky game that’s on the level of a kids’ movie rated G—more like Scooby-Doo than Saw, in other words. A PG rating might be right for a game that’s more creepy than horrific, with ghosts and spooky noises but not axe-wielding maniacs.
The different ratings suggest different kinds of content for your game. Finding a dead body is horrible, but watching someone get decapitated is something else entirely. Getting chased around by an alien that wants to eat you is one thing, but having it gestate and burst out of your own intestines is another. You need to know where the line is for everyone participating, and you need to know it right from the beginning.
For more information and advice on safe ways to address consent issues in your game, read the free Consent in Gaming PDF at myMCG.info/consent
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.WJgPGUcSUrR4Ssuu]{Businessperson} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZT13lzcl6dsvg8HX]{Cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.GNrvq56bsnlHgKeW]{Clerk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.5XdCwL3VyqhHBNqN]{Dog, vicious} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.N0XlAnno5dMItCmN]{Groundskeeper/caretaker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.rvju0MPnEwNsg9Pr]{Man in Black} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.T39Cl27TWeR8jVsZ]{Tarantula}
Most of the time, a horror artifact will be something really weird—an ancient tome of forbidden necromancy, an alien device that humans can barely understand, and so forth. They are often unique items rather than one of a type. Horror artifacts should probably come with a risk, such as a built-in cost, a drawback, or something else that makes using them another way to heighten the tension of the game. Several examples are below.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-horror.irCnETBwvUwp12PH]{Book of inversion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-horror.WcrjZgKzg5VzkFVJ]{Shadow box} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-horror.sCTeJvOcviKd5GjN]{Sphere 23}
When the PCs encounter something shocking, many times the most realistic response is to scream, stand in abject horror, or run. That might not be the smartest thing to do in the situation, but it’s genuine. What would your accountant do if they saw an axe-wielding maniac coming at them? Let’s face it, unless they truly steeled themselves with all their will, they’d probably scream and run.
When a PC encounters something horrific, utterly disgusting, dreadful, impossible, or otherwise shocking, call for an Intellect defense roll based on the level of the creature involved, or simply an appropriate level as decided by the GM (see the Shock Levels table). Failure might mean that for one round, the player loses control of the character, and the GM decides what the PC does next. This usually means that the character runs, screams, gibbers, stares slack-jawed, or just does nothing. However, GMs should welcome player input into this situation. The point is to portray that when we’re shocked, we don’t always react in the best way, the smartest way, or even the way we want to. Fear is a powerful thing.
Alternatively, failure on the Intellect defense roll might mean that the character suffers Intellect damage equal to the level of the defense task. This indicates an overall toll that numerous shocks and horrors can have on a person. You might have a situation where a character literally dies of fright.
| Event | Level |
| Something unexpected darts or jumps out | 1 |
| Something suddenly moves just out of the corner of the eye | 2 |
| A sudden loud noise (like a scream) | 2 |
| Unexpectedly seeing a corpse | 2 |
| Watching someone die | 3 |
| Seeing something impossible (like an inanimate object sliding across the floor) | 4 |
| Watching a friend die | 5 |
| Seeing a monstrous creature | Creature level |
| Witnessing something supernatural (like a spell) | 5 |
| Seeing something mind-bending (like an impossible, multidimensional demigod coalescing out of thin air) | 8 |
For horror games, GMs can implement a rule called Horror Mode. The idea is to create a feeling of escalating dread and menace by changing one die roll mechanic. In the game, things begin as normal. The PCs interact with each other and the NPCs, investigate, research, travel, and so on. But when they enter the haunted house, the serial killer gets close, the elder things beneath the earth awaken, or whatever horrific situation planned by the GM begins, things change. At this time, the GM announces that the game has gone into Horror Mode.
This is a key for the players (not the characters) to recognize that things are getting bad. It’s the RPG equivalent of spooky music beginning to play in a horror film. While in Horror Mode, the rules for GM intrusions governed by die rolls change. Normally this happens only on a roll of 1, but when Horror Mode starts, it becomes a roll of 1 or 2. And then it escalates. As time passes, GM intrusions happen on a roll of 1 to 3, then a roll of 1 to 4, and so on. This potentially means that a die roll in Horror Mode can indicate success in a task and still trigger a GM intrusion.
As the intrusion range changes with each escalation, the GM should announce this to the players. The feeling of rising tension should be dramatic and overt.
| Activity | Intrusion Range Increases by 1 |
| Exploring a large area | Every time a new intrusion is indicated by a die roll |
| Exploring | Every ten minutes or every time a new intrusion is indicated by a die roll |
| Combat | Each round |
For example, while the PCs are exploring a dark swamp (a large area), the game goes into Horror Mode and intrusions are indicated on a 1 or 2. During this exploration, one of the players rolls a 2. Not only is there an intrusion, but now the range escalates to 1, 2, or 3. The character is almost dragged into a spot of quicksand-like muck. Then the PCs find an old abandoned house in the middle of the swamp. They enter, and now the escalation rate goes up if they roll a 1, 2, or 3, or every ten minutes that passes in the game. They explore the house for twenty minutes (escalating intrusions to 1 to 5), and during the investigation of the kitchen, someone rolls a 3, triggering an intrusion. A cabinet opens mysteriously and a strangely carved clay pot falls, striking the character. This also escalates the intrusion rate, so they now occur on a roll of 1 to 6. When the PCs reach the attic, they encounter the dreaded swamp slayer, a half man, half beast that thrives on blood. It attacks, and now the range goes up during each round of combat. After four rounds of fighting, intrusions happen on a roll of 1 to 10—half the time. Things are getting dicey, and they’re only going to get worse.
When the GM announces that Horror Mode has ended, the GM intrusion rate goes back to normal, happening only on a roll of 1 or when the GM awards XP.
Horror Mode is a very “meta” rule. It gives players knowledge that their characters don’t have. This is similar to how the viewers of a horror movie or readers of a horror story often know more than the characters on the screen or page. It heightens the tension. Players can express the start of Horror Mode by having their characters talk about goosebumps or a feeling of being watched, but this is not necessary.
With the GM intrusions coming fast and furious toward the end of Horror Mode, it’s easy to run out of ideas. In combat, intrusions might just mean that the monster or villain gets a surprise extra attack or inflicts more damage. Perhaps a PC is thrown to the ground or nearer to the edge of a cliff. If the characters are running away, one might trip and fall. If the PCs are exploring, a bookcase topples, potentially hitting someone. Think of all the similar moments you’ve seen in horror films.
Sometimes, if the GM prefers, the GM intrusion can simply be something frightening, like a moan or a whisper. These aren’t dangerous to the PCs, but they escalate the tension and indicate that something bad is getting closer.
In fact, while in Horror Mode, GMs should mostly refrain from doing anything bad, ominous, or dangerous unless it’s an intrusion (either from a die roll or through the awarding of XP). In a horror game, GM intrusions are an indication that things are bad and getting worse, and whenever possible, the GM should allow the Horror Mode escalation to drive the action. This makes the GM more of a slave to the dice than in other Cypher System situations, but that’s okay.
Consider this example. The PCs have tracked something that is probably committing a series of horrific murders to an old factory. They enter the building to explore. The GM knows where the creature is hiding in the factory, but decides that it doesn’t become aware of the characters until an intrusion is indicated. The only clue the PCs have is a mysterious noise off in the darkness. The creature doesn’t move toward them until another GM intrusion occurs. Now they hear something dragging across the factory floor, coming closer. But it’s not until a third intrusion occurs that the creature lunges out from behind an old machine at the PC who rolled the die.
In some ways, the status quo doesn’t change until an intrusion happens. This could be seen as limiting the GM and the need for pacing, but remember that the GM can still have an intrusion occur anytime they desire, in addition to waiting for the low die rolls.
GMs may want to limit the number of intrusions to no more than one per round, no matter what the dice indicate, but that should be based on the situation.
Having characters descend into madness is an interesting facet of some kinds of horror and can make long-term horror campaigns more interesting. The easiest way to portray blows to a character’s sanity is through Intellect damage. When PCs encounter something shocking, as described above, they always take Intellect damage. If they would normally move one step down the damage track due to the damage, they instead immediately regain points (equal to 1d6 + their tier) in their Intellect Pools but lose 1 point from their maximums in that Pool. Characters whose maximum Intellect Pools reach 0 go insane. They lose their current descriptor and adopt the Mad descriptor, regain 1d6 + tier points to their Intellect Pools, and gain +1 to their Intellect Edge. If they ever reach a permanent Intellect Pool maximum of 0 again, they go stark raving mad and are no longer playable.
Intellect Edge offers an interesting means to portray a character who is knowledgeable (and perhaps even powerful in terms of mental abilities) yet mentally fragile. A character with a low Intellect Pool but a high Intellect Edge can perform Intellect actions well (since Edge is very helpful) but is still vulnerable to Intellect damage (where Edge is of no help).
Since Cypher System games are meant to be story based, players should recognize that the degrading sanity of their character is part of the story. A player who feels that their character is going mad can talk to the GM, and the two of them can work out the means to portray that—perhaps by using the Mad descriptor, permanently trading up to 4 points from their Intellect Pool to gain +1 to their Intellect Edge, or anything else that seems appropriate. Mental disorders, manias, psychopathy, schizophrenia, or simple phobias can be added to a character’s traits, but they don’t need to be quantified in game statistics or die rolls. They’re simply part of the character.
Inabilities in personal interaction or any area requiring focus might be appropriate, perhaps allowing the PC to gain training in weird lore or forbidden knowledge. Or maybe the opposite is true—as the character’s mind slowly slips away, they become oddly compelled or can obsessively focus on a single task for indefinite periods, and thus they gain training in that topic or skill. These kinds of changes could be balanced with inabilities, such as being unable to remember important details.
As another way to represent madness, the GM could hinder Intellect-based tasks that would be considered routine, such as “remembering your friends and family” or “caring what happens to your best friend” or “stopping yourself from injecting a mysterious substance into your veins.” These routine tasks normally have a difficulty of 0, but for a PC who has lost their mind, they might have a difficulty of 1, 2, or even higher. Now the character must make rolls to do even those simple things.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":596875,"name":"Genre: Romance","type":"text","_id":"pd2PrHViZ1edOZ7f","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Like horror, romance doesn’t automatically suggest a setting. It is more of a mood, or more specifically an approach, to how the game is played. It suggests an emphasis, at least somewhat, on relationships, interactions, and connections.
Suggested types and additional equipment for a romance setting are the same as in a modern setting.
You must get consent to cover these topics in a game ahead of time—you don’t want to make people uncomfortable. Everyone involved also needs to learn everyone else’s boundaries. Someone might not want any part of a romance scene, while others are okay talking about emotional connections but not anything sexual.
Obviously, all of this is doubly important if age is a consideration. If there are younger players involved, romance probably shouldn’t go beyond a fairly chaste kiss. (You’ll find that kids are sometimes more open to romance in their games than adults, but only because their understanding of the topic is understandably pretty shallow. A kid player might declare that a character is their boyfriend, but it doesn’t mean much. And for some adults, that may be the way they want to approach the subject as well.)
Lastly, recognize that there needs to be a clear boundary between the story and real life. Two characters having a relationship has no impact on real-life feelings of the players. Two characters in a game might be in a relationship while each player is in a relationship in the real world with someone else. And maybe they’re gaming at the same table! If a player can’t distinguish between in-game flirtation or words of endearment and real-world feelings, they shouldn’t be in a romance-focused game.
For more information and advice on safe ways to address consent issues in your game, read the free Consent in Gaming PDF at myMCG.info/consent
It’s vital that the GM and the players all check in with each other to make sure everyone’s still comfortable with what’s going on in the game. This is particularly important to maintain the boundary between emotions expressed in the story and how people feel in real life.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.wIO0w2fxcBU0vHae]{Distrustful relative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.rmzRpUzfdXpAnzUu]{Jealous ex} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.E7xImJCLVWwiIDre]{Nosy neighbor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ktWhiHHoothgvjOv]{The unattainable}
When a PC is near someone they are infatuated with, particularly in the early stages of that infatuation, they must make an Intellect defense roll with a difficulty determined by the GM based on the situation (not on the level of the subject of the infatuation). Failure might mean that the character does or says something awkward or embarrassing either in an attempt to impress or when trying to hide the infatuation. Or it could mean that for one round, the player loses control of the character, and the GM decides what the PC does next, such as risk their own safety to help an endangered character. However, GMs should welcome player input into this situation. The point is to portray that when we’re distracted by the powerful feelings (and hormones) related to infatuation, we don’t always react in the best way, the smartest way, or even the way we want to.
Infatuation can happen whether the PC is attracted to an NPC or a PC.
When a PC first establishes a relationship with a character (PC or NPC), the GM should assign the relationship a level. If there’s no connection at all, there is no relationship (level 0). Otherwise, the starting relationship is probably level 1. In certain circumstances, a relationship might start at level 2, indicating a far stronger initial connection than usual.
As play progresses, the PC can attempt to improve the level of the relationship, indicating a strengthening of the bond between the two characters. The requirements to improve the relationship are twofold. First, some story-based action needs to be taken. This can be dates, gifts, a meaningful speech, a pledge of commitment, some amount of self-sacrifice, or whatever the GM and the player feel is appropriate to the story and the level of the relationship. This action might require the PC to succeed at specific tasks (with appropriate rolls). For example, writing a love poem will require an Intellect-based task, while helping to retrieve a loved one’s cat from a tree might require a Speed-based task.
Second, the player must make an Intellect-based roll with the desired level of relationship as the difficulty (modified as the GM sees fit).
A relationship can be improved only one level at a time, and the GM and the player should work out an appropriate time interval. For relationships of levels 5 and above, multiple story-based actions and multiple rolls are almost certainly required.
It’s possible for relationship levels to be lopsided, such that the relationship from the point of view of one person is a different level than from the point of view of the other. This should be used sparingly, because it makes things far more complicated. In the case of polyamory, it is possible to have more than two people in a relationship, but even in these situations the connection between any two individuals should have its own level.
Relationship levels can go down as well as up. Neglect, carelessness, inappropriate emotional displays, lies, infidelity, and bungled wooing attempts can all potentially lower a relationship level. This is entirely in the judgment of the GM, although a lowered relationship level is very likely an appropriate use of a GM intrusion.
Relationship levels indicate the strength of the bond and thus help dictate an NPC’s actions in regard to a PC. An NPC in a level 5 relationship probably will be more generous and forgiving toward the PC than if the relationship was level 3 or 4. An NPC in a level 6 relationship or higher would likely give their partner most anything, even maybe sacrificing their own well-being or their life for them. (And people in a higher-level relationship certainly would.) Likewise, a relationship level can influence a PC’s actions. An Intellect defense roll with a difficulty equal to the relationship level might be appropriate if the PC wants to act against the best interests of their loved one, or if they must keep their cool and act normally when their loved one is in danger.
You can use this optional system in any genre, for any type of relationship, even platonic ones. If desired, the relationship level a PC has with an authority figure, a contact, a relative, or anyone else can be measured, improved, and decreased just as it can with a romantic relationship.
| Level | Relationship |
| 1 | First meeting. Interest or curiosity. |
| 2 | A sense of connection above the norm. Strong physical attraction. |
| 3 | Affection and a bond that will last longer than a single encounter. |
| 4 | Serious affection. Almost certainly physical affection. |
| 5 | A profession of love. |
| 6 | A serious long-term commitment. |
| 7 | A lifelong commitment. |
| 8 | Soul mates. |
| 9 | A love affair for the ages. |
| 10 | A bond that transcends time and space. |
| Level | Relationship |
| 1 | First meeting. Interest or curiosity. |
| 2 | A sense of connection above the norm. |
| 3 | A memorable connection. Indications of a mutually beneficial relationship possible. |
| 4 | Real friendship. |
| 5 | Deep friendship. |
| 6 | Relationship akin to that of a close sibling. |
| 7 | A pledge of complete partnership. |
| 8 | Platonic soul mates. Something akin to a life-debt. |
| 9 | A friendship for the ages. |
| 10 | A bond that transcends time and space. |
Like horror, the superhero genre is really a subset of the modern genre with extensive special considerations. In many ways, it might appear that the Cypher System is a strange fit for superheroes. But if you think about it, with foci like Bears a Halo of Fire and Wears a Sheen of Ice, the Cypher System makes all genres a little bit “superhero-ish.” Character sentences might look like the following:
Firebrand is a Brash energy projector (Adept) who Bears a Halo of Fire.
King Brick is a Tough Warrior who Performs Feats of Strength.
Dimensionar is a Mystical warlock (Adept) who Exists Partially Out of Phase.
Dark Ronin is a Mysterious crimefighter (Explorer) who Solves Mysteries.
Speedburst is a Fast crimefighter (Explorer) who Moves Like the Wind.
And so on.
| Role | Type |
| Strong hero | Warrior |
| Brawler hero | Warrior with stealth flavor |
| Gadget hero | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Pilot | Explorer with technology flavor |
| Charmer | Speaker |
| Leader | Speaker with combat flavor |
| Shadowy vigilante | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Scientist hero | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Energy-wielding hero | Adept with combat flavor |
| Wizard | Adept |
| Mentalist | Adept |
| Psychic ninja | Warrior with magic flavor |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.IpjzD88QqIABcv7A]{Bystander} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.krnLLagONJBbj1tE]{Genetically enhanced bruiser} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.sWc8DryN22cKTJyj]{Ninja} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.YHRSNEgzJeBCrWnC]{Robot minion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.VSQt1EzpNhIwvCyA]{Scientist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.SpaQv9sL1VWlrkLS]{Worker}
Suggested additional equipment is the same as in a modern setting. Keep in mind, however, that for many heroes, “equipment” can be superfluous. Where do you stash the flashlight and rope when all you’re wearing is spandex tights?
Superheroes can do things that other people cannot. They throw cars, blast through brick walls, leap onto speeding trains, and cobble together interdimensional gateways in a few hours. It’s tempting to say that such characters are stronger, faster, or smarter, so they should have higher Might, Speed, or Intellect Pools. However, simply bumping up stat Pools or Edge doesn’t fully represent this dramatic increase in power. Instead, consider using an optional rule called power shifts.
Under this rule, all superhero characters get five power shifts. Power shifts are like permanent levels of Effort that are always active. They don’t count toward a character’s maximum Effort use (nor do they count as skills or assets). They simply ease tasks that fall into specific categories, which include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.QDAvfL2Xor2gc3DB]{Accuracy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.gxmRI0Oi1qlp8tgv]{Dexterity} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.ge5eQ2UKcF71jfL5]{Healing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.RvPjtLHq2svYfhK8]{Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.ZcogTb12JEcKd8WK]{Power} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.ClwsF2GBoWlGR9To]{Resilience} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.qbOvGJVLVkDUC49X]{Single Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.power-shifts.uQLh67ISIUJ4O3bC]{Strength}
Each shift eases the task (except for shifts that affect damage or Armor, as specified in the list above). Applying 2 shifts eases the task by two steps, and applying 3 shifts eases the task by three steps.
A character assigns their five power shifts as desired, but most characters should not be allowed to assign more than three to any one category. Once the shifts are assigned, they should not change.
For example, a superstrong character might put three of their shifts into strength and the other two into resilience. Whenever they lift something heavy, smash through a wall, or throw an object, they ease the task by three steps before applying Effort, skill, or assets. Thus, all difficulties from 0 to 3 are routine for them. They smash through level 3 doors as if they don’t exist. As another example, a masked vigilante character with a utility belt full of gadgets and great acrobatic skills might put two shifts in dexterity, one in accuracy, one in intelligence, and one in healing. They’re not actually superpowered, just tough and well trained.
Some GMs will want to allow PCs to increase their power shifts. Having a character spend 10 XP to do so would probably be appropriate. Other GMs will want to run superhero games with PCs of greater or lesser power (cosmic-level heroes or street-level heroes, perhaps). In such cases, more or fewer power shifts should be granted to the PCs at the game’s start.
NPC superheroes and villains get power shifts, too. Most of the time, this adds to their level. For example, Blast Star is a level 5 fiery villain who has three power shifts. When she blasts through a level 7 iron security door, she does so easily because in this circumstance, she’s actually level 8.
Sometimes, NPC power shifts make things harder for the PCs. For example, Fleetfoot the level 4 speedster puts all three of her shifts in dexterity. When she runs past a character who tries to grab her, the difficulty to do so is increased by three steps to 7.
Typical NPC supers get three power shifts. Exceptional ones usually have five.
In superhero games, due to conventions of the genre, difficulty caps at 15 instead of 10. Difficulty 10 is labeled “impossible,” but that label is for regular folks. For superpowered characters, “impossible” means something different, thanks to power shifts.
Think of each difficulty above 10 as being one more step beyond impossible. Although a GM in another genre would say there’s no chance that a character could leap 100 feet (30 m) from one rooftop to another, in a superhero game, that might just be difficulty 11. Picking up a city bus isn’t something normal characters could do, but for a strong superhero, it might be difficulty 12.
In theory, NPCs in such a game can go up to level 15 as well. Levels above 10 represent opponents that only a superhero would consider taking on: a robot that’s 1,000 feet (300 m) tall (level 11); Galashal, Empress of Twelve Dimensions (level 14); or a space monster the size of the moon (level 15).
Supervillains build doomsday devices. Ancient artifacts present a threat to all humanity if in the wrong hands. Weird machines from alien dimensions offer solutions to unsolvable problems. Artifacts are an important part of superhero stories. A few examples are below.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-superhero.2ENNMqilV1qoB35e]{Doctor Dread’s time portal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-superhero.AvddNOp9tUWCqGOp]{Serum X} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-superhero.JYcfxA5RcffTX3Wl]{Stellarex crystal}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599219,"name":"Genre: Post-Apocalyptic","type":"text","_id":"ARG20fxwzr0OBZjH","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Post-apocalyptic literature, movies, and games are a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the dystopia that follows the fall of civilization. Strictly speaking, post-apocalyptic stories take place after the end of the world. At least, the end of the world for most people. Players take the role of the survivors (or their descendants) trying to persevere in the face of immense hardship. Popular post-apocalyptic scenarios include those set after nuclear war, in the aftermath of a zombie plague, in the months and years following an alien invasion, or after the environment collapses in the face of human overpopulation. Other ways the world could end include a massive meteorite strike, the long-awaited robot uprising, a powerful solar flare that burns out the world’s power grids and communications, or even something as prosaic as a global disease pandemic.
| Role | Type |
| Survivor | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Heavy | Warrior |
| Dealer | Speaker |
| Trader | Speaker with skills flavor |
| Sage | Explorer with knowledge flavor |
| Evolved | Adept |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.31W9R0HQhQT0ic3A]{Crazy loner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.6L693DIk5jmQu2Py]{Gamma snake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.urAFJXaUkWY2R1zj]{Innocuous rodent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.uCMNBacwXfuThw65]{Mongrel dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.WGftLKpoTVDfIKw2]{Survivor, sickened} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.GgfdjyikafYtuyTK]{Survivor, typical}
In a post-apocalyptic setting, the items on the Additional Modern Equipment table as well as the following items might be available in trade from other survivors, or in the rare trade town.
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.7M8uEI7cKT0UztUy]{Knife} | Light weapon, rusty and worn |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.VJicMhUlVImuwl4N]{Light weapon} | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.erpmmOJulN96Afgr]{Wooden club} | Light weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-post-apocalyptic.WnIcqsOLyuyQKSpZ]{Animal hide} | Light armor |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.armor-post-apocalyptic.Hv5mU9dKhfQJA76Q]{Light armor} | Light armor, smell hinders stealth tasks |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.dmnJTSnJv4ZqQmVg]{Candle} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.cY37Ff6ca1bxDXtp]{Plastic bag} | Useful and ubiquitous (won’t last long) |
| Weapons | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.PasipD1tIBSjGd9h]{Handaxe} | Light weapon |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.weapons-post-apocalyptic.Z2P8uHd0D7sdFFNx]{Knife, multipurpose} | Light weapon, asset to small repair tasks |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.g7ZsP8QRo5xMCDTc]{Gas mask} | Breathable air for four hours |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.GAclXwNftLTjeFAf]{Padlock with keys} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.0vFrABenylbBi3yw]{Portable lamp, solar} |
| Other Items | Notes |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.1j2c4v8TaLTVzmcZ]{Radiation detector} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.cGUAvAFO5b83snP2]{Nightvision goggles} | |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.862NWqhznbgLC5AG]{Radiation tent} | Prevents radiation damage for three days |
| @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.equipment-post-apocalyptic.s23m8lRUYCXNthKZ]{Radiation pill (pack of 5)} | Asset for defense tasks against radiation effects for twelve hours |
Characters in a post-apocalyptic setting must usually spend part of each day scavenging for supplies or a place of safety.
Food and Shelter: Generally speaking, characters must spend two to four hours searching through the rubble and ruins before succeeding. Finding enough food for a group of characters to eat for one day is a difficulty 5 Intellect task. Finding a place of relative safety to regroup and rest is also difficulty 5. Characters who succeed on either one of these also get to roll up to once each day on the Useful Stuff table and three times on the Junk table.
Found food often takes the form of canned, processed, dried, or otherwise preserved goods from before the apocalypse, but sometimes it includes fresh fruits and vegetables found growing wild or cultivated by other survivors. Safe places to hole up include homes, RVs, offices, apartments, or any location that can be secured and defended and isn’t radioactive, poisoned, or overrun with hostile creatures.
The difficulty of succeeding at finding food, water, and a safe place varies by location and by how many days the characters have already spent in one location. Each week the PCs spend at the same location hinders subsequent scavenging tasks and requires that they succeed on a new task to determine if the place they’re staying is still safe. The result of failing to find food and water is obvious. If the PCs fail at the task of finding (or keeping) a safe place, their presence is noticed by hostile forces, or they face a result from the Wasteland Threats table.
Useful Stuff: Food, water, and a safe place to rest are the most important finds, and are the basis of each scavenging task. But other obviously useful stuff is often found along with these basic requirements. When a group of characters successfully finds either food and water or a safe place, consult the Useful Stuff table up to once per day. If it’s the first day the PCs have searched in a particular area, each character might find something useful, but in succeeding days, a group normally gets only a single roll to find useful stuff.
Useful stuff also includes a “loot” entry. Loot includes collectible coins from before the apocalypse, such as silver dollars and gold eagles. It also includes jewelry and artwork that survived the disaster and related material that can be used as currency or barter when the characters find other survivors or arrive at a trade town.
Items found on the Useful Stuff table are generally expensive or exorbitant items (except for firearms, which start in the expensive category).
Junk: Characters who find food and water also find lots of junk. They are free to ignore that junk, but some PCs might have a use for what they find, especially those with the Scavenges focus. All characters gain up to three results on the Junk table each time they successfully scavenge for food or a safe place to stay. Sometimes junk can be fixed, but more often it can be disassembled and used as parts to create something else.
| d100 | Item Found |
| 01–10 | Tools (provide an asset to tasks related to repair and crafting) |
| 11–20 | Medicine (provides an asset to one healing-related task) |
| 21–25 | Binoculars |
| 26–35 | Chocolate bar or similarly sought-after candy or snack |
| 36–45 | Textbook (provides an asset to a knowledge-related task) |
| 46–50 | Coffee or tea |
| 51–55 | Gun or rifle with ten shells or bullets |
| 56–60 | Flashlight |
| 61–65 | Loot |
| 66–70 | Gasoline (2d6 × 10 gallons) |
| 71–75 | Batteries |
| 76–80 | Functioning vehicle (sedan, pickup, motorcycle, etc.) |
| 81–85 | Generator |
| 86–90 | MRE cache (food and water for six people for 1d6 weeks) |
| 91–95 | Ammunition cache (100 shells or bullets for 1d6 different weapons) |
| 96–97 | Helpful stranger (level 1d6 + 2, stays with the PCs for a week or two) |
| 98–99 | Cypher (in addition to any other cyphers the GM awards) |
| 00 | Artifact (in addition to any other artifacts the GM awards) |
| d6 | Item Found |
| 1 | Electronic junk (stereo, DVD/Blu-ray player, smartphone, electric fan, printer, router, etc.) |
| 2 | Plastic junk (lawn furniture, baby seat, simple toys, inflatable pool, etc.) |
| 3 | Dangerous junk (paint, rat poison, solvents, industrial chemicals, etc.) |
| 4 | Metallic junk (car bodies, old playsets, grills, empty barrels, frying pan, etc.) |
| 5 | Glass junk (vases, windows, bowls, decorative pieces, etc.) |
| 6 | Textile junk (coats, pants, shirts, bathing suits, blankets, rugs, etc.) |
Artifacts in a post-apocalyptic game include still-working technology from before the disaster that is not widely available, as well as cobbled-together pieces of tech that can weaponize previously prosaic items. If the apocalypse was related to some kind of alien invasion, artifacts would include even stranger items.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.RCr7oVmh9Lhk9jHG]{Autodoc} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.54P9fzXQjgpQT1gZ]{Enviroscanner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.xGGPXV5UufPD4m5F]{Military exoskeleton} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.T82EmpHsb9cNyyPX]{Rocket fist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.rQg6ztpLMylwK5RB]{Rocket-propelled grenade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.artifacts-post-apocalyptic.lQDbPJOz1VYXe54s]{Terahertz scanner}
In a post-apocalyptic setting, some GMs may want to offer species affected by the disaster.
You have lived your life deep underground in artificial bunkers, hidden from the world’s destruction and the brutal scavengers that live above. As a morlock, you have a keen mind for the technology salvaged from the before-time. In fact, every morlock comes of age by fitting a piece of morlock technology to its body to provide enhancement and extend its life. This means that you are part flesh and part machine. Your skin is as pale as milk, except where it’s been replaced with strips of metal and glowing circuits.
You gain the following characteristics:
Enhanced Intelligence: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Cyborg Body: +2 to your Might Pool and your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.Td605GMSP4TqfliK]{Partially Metallic}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.2X7nKuAiBRfFgUiS]{Repair and Maintenance}: As an entity of living flesh and humming machinery, you must first succeed on a difficulty 2 repair task before making a recovery roll. On a failure, the recovery roll is not used; however, the normal rules for retrying apply, and you must use Effort on a new roll if you wish to try again. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to heal additional points to your Pools (each level of Effort healing an additional 2 points to your Pools if you succeed).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.64yLvSVOIqtV8IvT]{Morlock Prejudice}: While among non-morlocks, all positive interaction tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs found you in a collapsed subterranean tunnel.
The other PCs encountered you exploring underground, and you convinced them to allow you to accompany them.
You were exiled from the morlock communities and needed help on the surface.
The only way to save the morlock community you hail from is to venture to the surface and find a mechanical part needed to repair a failing ancient system.
You are born of a species of evolved insects once called “cockroach,” but that is far in the past. Radiation and forced evolution have radically increased your size, shape, and ability to think. Your exoskeleton mimics the shape of a human being, though not perfectly. When you move about human society, shadows and cloaks are your ally if you wish to pass unnoticed. When those of your kind are discovered, it usually goes poorly for someone. You, however, have a wandering spirit and seek to explore the fallen world and find a new way forward.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.vNOlLQDmc53SXZ0B]{Scuttler}: Your Speed Edge increases by 1.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.GsDnTWDfehGuhsQS]{Sense by Scent}: You can sense your environment even in total darkness.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.8OYU2L2128I1PE9m]{Cling}: You can move an immediate distance each round on walls or clinging to the ceiling.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LD2sREknTpeCQErE]{Carapace}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.gEBLiYb25Mpx65Eo]{Glide}: You can extend small wings from your carapace that grant an asset in jumping tasks and allow you to fall up to a short distance without taking damage.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.DraIKUQRw8KrnC4o]{Skill}: You are trained in disguise tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.PeQrx8tfHEDrOlW6]{Inability}: You are susceptible to disease and poison. Defense rolls against disease or poison are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.P42u9vKoBQjOtUbE]{Inability}: You mimic a human, but you are not as fierce. Tasks involving combat— including attack and defense rolls—are hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.soRZpGrbrjyyBHpW]{Insect Prejudice}: While among non-roaches, all positive interaction tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
The PCs didn’t realize what you were when they asked for your help.
You’ve managed to hide your roach ancestry so well that everyone thinks you are like them.
You are the last of your kind.
You have a secret agenda, and the PCs were gullible enough to let you come along.
The genre of fairy tales is a wide one, crossing into almost every culture and encompassing everything from early oral stories passed down from generation to generation to the more modern literary fairy tale. What makes something a fairy tale? While there’s a great deal of discussion around that question, most have a number of things in common: a series of far-fetched events; fantastical beings such as talking animals, elves, goblins, mermaids, witches, and dragons; and objects that have magical elements.
One of the powers of a fairy tale—or a game set in a fairy tale-inspired setting—is its ability to create a sense of wonder and to evoke players’ imaginations while still allowing them to keep one foot in the known. The very settings themselves are both enchanted and somehow familiar, whether the characters are entering a magical woods, falling down a rabbit hole, or embarking on a voyage to Neverland. Those beasts and beings who stalk such places are equally wondrous, and offer fantastic starting points for any number of adventures.
To heighten the sense of wonder in a fairy tale adventure or campaign, a GM might consider presenting the game in a modern setting. In a modern setting, characters have regular jobs that don’t normally involve hunting goblins or helping talking fish solve puzzles. This means that when the moths take shape and become the cloak of a princess of summer come to beg a favor or steal a child, or the house grows legs and runs away one morning, the player characters will be rightfully amazed (and perhaps somewhat terrified).
Faerie (also called by many other names) is a dimension of magic separate from but closely parallel to the mundane world. It doesn’t matter whether Faerie is just a collective term for thousands of separate curled-up dimensions hidden in corners, in closets, or at the center of forests, or it’s one continuous realm that overlaps the real world where it’s thinnest. It’s a place those with open hearts can find by following a way between tall trees (or looming library shelves) to a realm where everything is different. Where elves walk, nymphs dance, unicorns gallop, and both natural growths and built structures become vast and enchanting.
Humans don’t tend to do well in such a world if they stay too long, as the sensory input is hard on the nervous system. But fey creatures depend on it, like plants to the light. A fey creature too long cut off from its land of origin (or its stream, hill, or burrow) slowly becomes mortal and then dies.
When a fey creature is cut by silvered or cold iron weapons, they temporarily lose the sustaining benefit of their connection to Faerie. This severed connection usually disrupts a fey creature’s ability to heal. A silvered weapon is one that contains silver as part of an alloying process, has silver inlay, or has been coated in a dusting of silver powder (which usually lasts only through a single fight). In truth, many items in the modern era are cold-forged, while many others are not. We suggest that any hand-forged item containing iron could be considered a cold-forged weapon for harming fey creatures. Thus, most bullets and other modern items wouldn’t be treated as cold iron by this definition, but some would fit the bill.
Most fey creatures of level 2 or higher regain 1 point of health per round, unless wounded by silvered or cold iron weapons.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JULnmDMPODWwSgyT]{Angry ants} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.VK2Iv9hH0ITqmvV9]{Erlking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.PS7RVxRlUxllwCky]{Faerie} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ijRly8phWTeUIy8r]{Feral tree} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.UXvVjQMo4BRwi2Ef]{Nymph} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.BJOh1w5ZImYrdKuM]{Pixie} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.2v0CeAw0V9Hql9iL]{Razorblade butterflies} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.NVjNYB0ApximA7Kn]{Talking cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.LZB001qKeGrqUyMZ]{Troll}
Artifacts in a fantasy setting and magic items in other games focused on fantasy would also be suitable for a fairy tale setting. However, every fairy tale artifact should come with a quirk that sets it apart from a simple “wand of fire” or similar item. Come up with your own or roll a quirk on the table below.
| d10 | Quirk |
| 1 | Is sometimes invisible. |
| 2 | Cries like a baby if jostled. |
| 3 | Becomes cold as ice to the touch and emits cold vapor when danger threatens. |
| 4 | Contains a secret compartment that invariably holds a chunk of rock broken from what might be a strange jade sculpture. |
| 5 | Also serves as a key to some magically locked doors and chests. |
| 6 | Bites owner with tiny teeth if jostled, dealing 1 point of damage. |
| 7 | Always muttering and complaining, though useful warnings and other information can sometimes be gained. |
| 8 | Jealous of any other manifest cyphers, artifacts, or beautiful objects in the wielder’s life. |
| 9 | The “painting” of a princess of summer on the object sometimes leaves it, robbing the artifact of power. |
| 10 | Causes flowers to grow wherever it is stored or set down. |
Setting your campaign in World War 2, the Renaissance, or the 1930s can be fun and interesting. However, setting it in ancient Greece or feudal Japan, for example, probably makes it more like fantasy without all the orcs and magic (although a game set in feudal Japan with orcs and magic could be fascinating).
One of the draws of playing in a historical adventure is the thrill of “being there” when something important happens. Thus, in many cases, historical adventures in RPGs shouldn’t be designed as campaigns, but instead serve as short-term experiences where players try something new, or at least something they don’t normally do: play as figures involved in a momentous historical event.
Historical games should take cues from the closely related areas of historical fiction and historical re-enactment. The lessons of great historical fiction include the following.
The GM should anchor the characters with problems or conflicts that connect them to the chosen time period; make sure that PC backgrounds contain one relevant detail to the chosen historical setting.
The GM shouldn’t fall into the trap of assuming that history was drab just because it is often presented along with old paintings, drawings, or blurred black-and-white photographs. Dramatic events, surprising twists, and unexpected situations are just as likely in a historical adventure as in any other kind.
What’s the point of a historical adventure if there is no suspense? Sure, everyone knows what happens at the end of any given historical battle, but the stories of individuals within those fights are not known. Will they live? Will they succeed in their mission? And what are the consequences? Think of all the war movies that rely on that exact latitude to tell great stories.
Make sure you know when the campaign ends. Maybe it’s when the PCs successfully accomplish a specific task, but it might be externally timed to when a historical event takes place, whether they are attempting to offer aid, thwart it, or merely be aware of it as they attempt to do something that history hasn’t recorded.
Don’t create more than you need to. Be ready to tell the PCs what they see and who they encounter when they are introduced to a historical location or person, but don’t worry about things that they likely will never see. Yes, figure out what kind of currency is used, but making a super-accurate list of prices just isn’t necessary; the players will take your word for the cost of items and many other details. You’re evoking a historical setting with your game, not writing a book report.
Be wary about stereotypes and cultural misappropriation. History, as they say, is written by the victors. The ancient Greeks wrote that other cultures were all barbaric, and the European settlers called the natives in North America savages, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. If all you know about a time period is a movie set in that period, you’ll have a skewed version of events and culture. Be willing to go deeper than Braveheart or The Last Samurai, or maybe choose a different genre.
Preparation is important in a historical game, and most of that entails choosing a historical period—or a specific historical event—as the setting. Given that all of history can serve, you won’t lack for resources. Below are a few possibilities. Of course, the farther back you set your game, the less information on specific events is available. On the other hand, that frees you up to get creative.
Once you choose the historical period and any special events you want to include in your adventure or campaign, direct your players to an appropriate set of foci. Alternately, you can have your players play as historically significant figures, but if you do this, you may want to create their characters ahead of time. Most GMs will probably want to save historically significant individuals for use as NPCs.
The players will need some kind of grounding in what to expect in the time period you’ve chosen. Just like they need an idea of what magic can do in a fantasy game, they will need a general idea of what kind of technology is available, the broad strokes of what their characters might know and not know, and so on. Maybe have them read a Wikipedia entry, at the very least.
If you’re looking for inspiration for time periods in which to set your historical game, here are some possible ideas: prehistory, classical antiquity, ancient Egypt, the American revolution, ancient China, World War II, Edo Period Japan, Medieval Europe, and the American Old West.
| Role | Type |
| Constable (or night watchman) | Explorer with combat flavor |
| Detective | Explorer with stealth flavor and skills and knowledge flavor |
| Knight | Warrior |
| Pirate | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Tutor | Speaker |
| Merchant | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Smith | Speaker with some warrior abilities and skills and knowledge flavor |
| Playwright | Speaker |
| Noble | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Explorer | Explorer |
| Priest | Speaker |
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.ZT13lzcl6dsvg8HX]{Cat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.MwSOqh6IDnwKis8b]{Dodo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.8AhrSmfhARlAahxp]{Merchant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.HKcVbxx1xGOpyVk4]{Noble} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.Ax77ZEkAA3XJBPaA]{Serf} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.PXVS2kwvslh30lBB]{Snake, poisonous} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vhGua32GarGCzLGv]{Warhorse}
The concept of artifacts is probably inappropriate for a historical setting without some kind of supernatural, fantastical, or science fiction element. That said, objects of mystery such as the Antikythera mechanism (an ancient analog computer and orrery used to predict eclipses and other astronomical positions) reveal that the ancient world—and by extension more recent historical periods—contained fascinating and useful objects that were anachronistic for their period. Most such artifacts were likely the creations of philosophers, lone geniuses, and similar figures.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599903,"name":"Creatures and NPCs","type":"text","_id":"ljjovWdF2f0UgQ4l","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This chapter describes many common and uncommon creatures that the characters might meet—and fight—in a Cypher System game and gives their stats. The variety of creatures that populate the possible settings and genres is so great that this chapter only scratches the surface. It does, however, provide examples of kinds of inhabitants—bestial and civilized, living and undead, organic and inorganic—so that you can easily extrapolate and create your own.
Every creature is presented by name, followed by a standard template that includes the following categories.
Level: Like the difficulty of a task, each creature and NPC has a level attached to it. You use the level to determine the target number a PC must reach to attack or defend against the opponent. In each entry, the difficulty number for the creature or NPC is listed in parentheses after its level. As shown on the following table, the target number is three times the level.
| Level | Target Number |
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 |
| 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 6 | 18 |
| 7 | 21 |
| 8 | 24 |
| 9 | 27 |
| 10 | 30 |
Description: Following the name of the creature or NPC is a general description of its appearance, nature, intelligence, or background.
Motive: This entry is a way to help the GM understand what a creature or NPC wants. Every creature or person wants something, even if it’s just to be left alone.
Environment: This entry describes whether the creature tends to be solitary or travel in groups and what kind of terrain it inhabits (such as “They travel in packs through dry wastes and temperate lowlands”).
Health: A creature’s target number is usually also its health, which is the amount of damage it can sustain before it is dead or incapacitated. For easy reference, the entries always list a creature’s health, even when it’s the normal amount for a creature of its level.
Damage Inflicted: Generally, when creatures hit in combat, they inflict their level in damage regardless of the form of attack. Some inflict more or less or have a special modifier to damage. Intelligent NPCs often use weapons, but this is more a flavor issue than a mechanical one. In other words, it doesn’t matter if a level 3 foe uses a sword or claws—it deals the same damage if it hits. The entries always specify the amount of damage inflicted, even if it’s the normal amount for a creature of its level.
Armor: This is the creature’s Armor value. Sometimes the number represents physical armor, and other times it represents natural protection. This entry doesn’t appear in the game stats if a creature has no Armor.
Movement: Movement determines how far the creature can move in a single turn. Creatures have movements of immediate, short, long, or very long, which equate to the ranges of the same name. Most PCs have an effective movement of short, so if they are chasing (or being chased by) a creature with immediate movement, their Speed tasks are eased; if the creature’s movement is long or greater, the PCs’ Speed tasks are hindered.
Modifications: Use these default numbers when a creature’s information says to use a different target number. For example, a level 4 creature might say “defends as level 5,” which means PCs attacking it must roll a target number of 15 (for difficulty 5) instead of 12 (for difficulty 4). In special circumstances, some creatures have other modifications, but these are almost always specific to their level.
Combat: This entry gives advice on using the creature in combat, such as “This creature uses ambushes and hit-and-run tactics.” At the end of the combat listing, you’ll also find any special abilities, such as immunities, poisons, and healing skills. GMs should be logical about a creature’s reaction to a particular action or attack by a PC. For example, a mechanical creation is immune to normal diseases, a character can’t poison a being of energy (at least, not with a conventional poison), and so on.
Interaction: This entry gives advice on using the creature in interactions, such as “These creatures are willing to talk but respond poorly to threats,” or “This creature is an animal and acts like an animal.”
Use: This entry gives the GM suggestions for how to use the creature in a game session. It might provide general notes or specific adventure ideas.
Loot: This entry indicates what the PCs might gain if they take items from their fallen foes (or trade with or trick them). It doesn’t appear in the game stats if the creature has no loot.
GM Intrusion: This optional entry in the stats suggests a way to use GM intrusion in an encounter with the creature. It’s just one possible idea of many, and the GM is encouraged to come up with their own uses of the game mechanic.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.GcRpFtcOQDpGvU4H]{Abomination} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.17NSMk419kHRvwoP]{Chimera} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.Ds2TiPhzGcBio6uy]{Chronophage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.6XzVLD44cRlhPIfO]{Deep one} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.dEUcFhzvuB3ufhv5]{Deinonychus} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.0NEyK7k8eNvN9oRt]{Demigod} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.C2tRCVUtCl1OEb7M]{Demon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.Z4Y7VaCkpXbCZ2yy]{Devil} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.D25NNlnriTPYwXvl]{Djinni} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.huhkLDlDaru359Bf]{Dragon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.li1H57vGnKM9EY61]{Earth elemental} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.WcxUomm2dqg2s2mU]{Enthraller} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.p5ugVxzZFUe8r2To]{Fallen angel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.W7lOvxxSkcShe4Y9]{Fire elemental} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.CbyPd1QoYjZGISN9]{Fusion hound} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.02LotzBPq6hZTu2N]{Ghost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.92AH6pnL8Mknw6ok]{Ghoul} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.gc0tYELtVAJRfFL6]{Giant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.U508Iiym5DOrLbCP]{Giant rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.G1R1ESjuGxTJ7VwN]{Giant snake} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.PlHlqDlwByGRX8T3]{Giant spider} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.StSE44DNprZ4X4t8]{Goblin} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.nBJ1PaZw7VugehNT]{Golem} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.v5KdQP0xAVsoznyE]{Grey} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.gDdZYUFdqZhmK3Oc]{Kaiju} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.Iyx0QTRTuHLwr2g4]{Killer clown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.m9Hqr0shnpvRfgiF]{Killing white light} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.EX0RBWZzdGetaDK9]{Mechanical soldier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.LkiVCVe5HhMi8Hc8]{Mi-go} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.ZLDxtrbI1te50O1k]{Mokuren} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.2BTNWIpNjjd696xa]{Nuppeppo} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.Jo0ULIISkFpZDV85]{Ogre} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.obJAuUihAMdRF9j2]{Orc} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.KrHZmg9AKHxbGRnk]{Prince(ss) of summer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.axcyoROutmXNdzNk]{Puppet tree} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.qT2StUmJ4FDfS2Ji]{Ravage bear} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.n54pC87T2nULqbCJ]{Replicant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.qB1fv8beRDJG465z]{Shadow elf} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.MQI4Poo9zZKrgKhc]{Skeleton} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.nkAvknrgByU2kBSn]{Statue, animate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.E7LZFxUVnPeXLIgX]{Tyrannosaurus rex} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.37pnRQFiOHt47hFP]{Vampire} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.PIJ3eSbmYUGztjb1]{Vampire, transitional} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.QFTQJ4Z4kmHVr23P]{Vat reject} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.WsWJRqBjUW1WO1Wp]{Wardroid} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.3jAoNYaS0CHUjkqS]{Werewolf} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.2nv7KEvkNXsUOykU]{Witch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.Ziw2e08pt2Fc8vHz]{Xenoparasite} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.creatures.dWvlzVDxmAUQxT7s]{Zombie}
Unlike many creatures in this chapter, normal animals are simple and understandable enough to be encapsulated by just their level and maybe one or two other stats.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.p7RwEbxxv74Xy0NP]{Bear, black} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.3NRZdgMZXVcEsqWl]{Bear, grizzly} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.JZbErZ6hAgtHrgim]{Dog} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.vmvgLdR7JKdsukCW]{Dog, guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.pNEII8Wup8xjZfuA]{Hawk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.61EndqAjZ2ZZZuS9]{Horse} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.qLFrfE0E9w6BcG48]{Rat} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-creatures-and-npcs.RxtZyeRliCY3v9In]{Rattlesnake}
The NPCs in this chapter are generic examples of nonplayer characters that can be used in many genres.
Reskinning NPCs: GMs will find that with a few tweaks, a guard can be a modern-day cop, a fantasy caravan guard, or a science fiction drone soldier. This is known as reskinning—making slight changes to existing stats to customize the NPC for your own game.
Health, Not Pools: Remember that NPCs don’t have stat Pools. Instead, they have a characteristic called health. When an NPC takes damage of any kind, the amount is subtracted from its health. Unless described otherwise, an NPC’s health is always equal to its target number. Some NPCs might have special reactions to or defenses against attacks that would normally deal Speed damage or Intellect damage, but unless the NPC’s description specifically explains this, assume that all damage is subtracted from the NPC’s health.
Appropriate Weapons: NPCs use weapons appropriate to their situation, which might be swords and crossbows, knives and shotguns, malefic psychic weapons, blasters and grenades, and so on.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.rnq3fP5XVmqEmZWG]{Assassin} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.IXoOu0XGctC51WFn]{Cannibal} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.jZT0TZAHaKkZ8kGv]{Crime boss} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.17FhJIqwNpdkCE3Q]{Detective} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.vamqtdZeooEZTvVA]{Guard} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.mIkMohVYFvaiNwZB]{Occultist} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.SMQHtX6tTqzNShpA]{Secret agent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.dxKy262U5XR9IQdV]{Thug} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.npcs.T49YQrtaJRk1stLD]{Wizard, mighty}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599952,"name":"Cyphers","type":"text","_id":"xLSayIO5g61IGlUa","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Cyphers are one-use abilities that characters gain over the course of play. They have cool powers that can heal, make attacks, ease or hinder task rolls, or (in a more supernatural and extreme example) produce effects such as nullifying gravity or turning something invisible.
Most cyphers aren’t physical objects—just something useful that happens right when you need it. They might be a burst of insight that allows a character to make a perfectly executed attack, a lucky guess when using a computer terminal, a coincidental distraction that gives you an advantage against an NPC, or a supernatural entity that makes things work out in your favor. In some games, cyphers come in the form of items, like magic potions or bits of alien technology.
Cyphers that don’t have a physical form are called subtle cyphers.
Cyphers that have a physical form are called manifest cyphers.
Regardless of their form, cyphers are single-use effects and are always consumed when used. Unless a cypher’s description says otherwise, it works only for the character who activates it. For example, a PC can’t use an enduring shield cypher on a friend.
Cyphers are a game mechanic designed for frequent discovery and use. PCs can have only a small number of cyphers at any given time, and since they’re always finding more, they’re encouraged to use them at a steady pace.
In theory, the cyphers gained by the PCs are determined randomly. However, the GM can allow PCs to acquire or find them intentionally as well. Cyphers are gained with such regularity that the PCs should feel that they can use them freely. There will always be more, and they’ll have different benefits. This means that in gameplay, cyphers are less like gear or treasure and more like character abilities that the players don’t choose. This leads to fun game moments where a player can say “Well, I’ve got an X that might help in this situation,” and X is always different. X might be an intuitive understanding of the local computer network, a favor from the Faerie Court, an explosive device, a short-range teleporter, or a force field. It might be a powerful magnet or a prayer that will cure disease. It could be anything. Cyphers keep the game fresh and interesting. Over time, characters can learn how to safely carry more and more cyphers at the same time, so cyphers really do seem more like abilities and less like gear.
“Carry” in this sense refers to both subtle cyphers and manifest cyphers, though a PC may not actually carry anything that physically represents the cypher. A character thrown into prison without their equipment might still have subtle cyphers.
Cyphers don’t have to be used to make room for new ones. For subtle cyphers, a character can just use an action to “lose” the cypher, freeing up space to “find” one later (once a subtle cypher is discarded this way, it is gone and can’t be recovered). For manifest cyphers, it’s perfectly acceptable for the PCs to stash one elsewhere for later use; of course, that doesn’t mean it will still be there when they return.
Cyphers are (not surprisingly, based on the name) the heart of the Cypher System. This is because characters in this game have some abilities that rarely or never change and can always be counted on—pretty much like in all games—and they have some abilities that are ever-changing and inject a great deal of variability in play. They are the major reason why no Cypher System game session should ever be dull or feel just like the last session. This week your character can solve the problem by walking through walls, but last time it was because you could create an explosion that could level a city block.
The Cypher System, then, is one where PC abilities are fluid, with the GM and the players both having a role in their choice, their assignment, and their use. Although many things separate the game system from others, this aspect makes it unique, because cyphers recognize the importance and value of two things:
“Treasure,” because character abilities make the game fun and exciting. In fact, in the early days of roleplaying, treasure (usually in the form of magic items found in dungeons) was really the only customization of characters that existed. One of the drives to go out and have adventures is so you can discover cool new things that help you when you go on even more adventures. This is true in many RPGs, but in the Cypher System, it’s built right into the game’s core.
Letting the GM have a hand in determining PC abilities makes the game move more smoothly. Some GMs prefer to roll cyphers randomly, but some do not. For example, giving the PCs a cypher that will allow them to teleport far away might be a secret adventure seed placed by a forward-thinking GM. Because the GM has an idea of where the story is going, they can use cyphers to help guide the path. Alternatively, if the GM is open to it, they can give out cyphers that enable the characters to take a more proactive role (such as teleporting anywhere they want). Perhaps most important, they can do these things without worrying about the long-term ramifications of the ability. A device that lets you teleport multiple times might really mess up the game over the long term. But once? That’s just fun.
All characters have a maximum number of cyphers they can have at any one time, determined by their type. If a character ever attempts to carry more, random cyphers instantly disappear until the PC has a number of cyphers equal to their maximum (depending on the genre of the campaign, subtle cyphers may be more or less likely to vanish this way). These vanished cyphers are not recoverable.
Subtle (nonphysical) cyphers are a way to introduce cyphers into a game without overt “powered stuff”—no potions, alien crystals, or anything of that nature. They’re most useful, perhaps, in a modern or horror setting without obvious fantasy elements. Subtle cyphers are more like the inherent abilities PCs have, adding boosts to Edge, recovering points from Pools, coming up with ideas, and so on. In general, these are commonplace, non-supernatural effects—a subtle cypher wouldn’t create a laser beam or allow a character to walk through a wall. They don’t break the fragile bubble of believability in genres where flashy powers and abilities don’t make a lot of sense.
Subtle cyphers are particularly nice in a genre where the PCs are supposed to be normal people. The cyphers can simply be an expression of innate capabilities in characters that aren’t always dependable. And in many ways, that’s probably more realistic than an ability you can count on with certainty, because in real life, some days you can jump over a fence, and some days you just can’t.
Concepts for subtle cyphers include the following:
Good fortune: Once in a while, things just go your way. You’re in the right place at the right time.
Inspirations: Sometimes you get inspired to do something you’ve never done before and might not be able to do again. Call it adrenaline mixed with the right motivation, or just doing the right thing at the right place at the right time. Who can really define it? Life’s funny that way.
Alien concepts: Complex and utterly inhuman memes enter our world and worm their way into and out of human consciousness. When this happens, it can cause mental distress and disorientation. It can also grant impossible abilities and advantages.
Blessings: In a fantasy world, there are nine gods. Each morning, all intelligent residents of the world pray to one of the gods, and some of the faithful gain a divine blessing. Some people believe that praying to different gods gives you different blessings.
Earworms: You know how some songs pop into your head and just won’t leave? There’s a power to those songs, and the right people know how to harness it. Make the songs disturbing or reminiscent of evil chants, and you’ve got a perfect cypher concept for a horror campaign.
Mysterious transmissions: What’s that buzzing? That mechanical chittering? Those numbers repeating over and over? And why can only some people hear it? A few who are aware of the sounds have learned how to make use of them.
Supernatural powers: Mental or mystical energies constantly shift and change, ebb and flow. But you’ve figured out how to attune your mind to them. There are no physical actions or paraphernalia required—just an inner conduit to the numinous.
Since subtle cyphers aren’t physical objects, GMs will need to figure out when to give PCs new ones to replace the ones they have used. The cyphers probably shouldn’t be tied to actions entirely under the characters’ control—in other words, they shouldn’t come as a result of meditation or anything of that nature. Instead, the GM should choose significant points in the story when new cyphers might simply come unbidden to the PCs. In the broader view, this is no different than manifest cyphers placed as treasure in a creature’s lair, a secret cache, or somewhere else for the characters to find. Either way, the GM is picking good spots to “refill” potentially used cypher-based abilities.
Subtle cyphers are often found in groups of one to six (the GM can roll 1d6 to determine the number). The GM might randomly assign the cyphers to each PC who has space for more, or present a selection of cyphers to the group and allow the players to choose which ones they want for their characters. Characters should immediately know what their subtle cyphers do. If a PC activates a healing subtle cypher when they think it’s something to help pick a lock, that’s a waste of a useful character ability.
PCs might be able to obtain subtle cyphers from NPCs or in unusual circumstances as gifts, boons, or blessings, even asking for a particular kind of subtle cypher, such as healing, protection, or skill. For example, PCs who make a donation at a temple of a healing goddess could ask to receive a blessing (subtle cypher) that allows them to speak a healing prayer that restores points to one of their Pools. An NPC wizard who owes the PCs a favor might cast a spell on them that deflects one weapon if they say a magic word. An alien pylon might grant knowledge of a strange mental code that lets a person see in the dark for a few hours.
A PC can also acquire a new subtle cypher by spending 1 XP on one of the following player intrusions:
General cypher: You ask the GM for a general subtle cypher, such as “healing,” “movement,” “defense,” or perhaps something as specific as “flight.” The GM gives you a cypher that meets that description and randomly determines its level. If you don’t have space for this cypher, you immediately lose one of your current cyphers (your choice) and the new cypher takes its place.
Specific cypher: You ask the GM for a specific subtle cypher (such as a curative or stim) of a specific level. Make an Intellect roll with a difficulty equal to the cypher’s level plus 1. If you have had this cypher before, the task is eased. If you fail the roll, you do not gain a cypher. If you succeed, the GM gives you that subtle cypher at that level. If you don’t have space for this new cypher, you immediately lose one of your current cyphers (your choice) and the new cypher takes its place. Whether or not you succeed at the roll, the 1 XP is spent.
Because manifest cyphers are physical objects, and people are familiar with the idea of finding “treasure” as part of playing an RPG, these kinds of cyphers are easy to get into the hands of the PCs. They are often found in groups of one to six (the GM can roll 1d6 to determine the number), usually because the characters are searching for them. They might be among the possessions of a fallen foe, hidden in a secret room, or scattered amid the wreckage of a crashed starship. The GM can prepare a list ahead of time of what successful searchers find. Sometimes this list is random, and sometimes there is logic behind it. For example, a warlock’s laboratory might contain four different magic potions that the PCs can find.
If the characters search for cyphers, the GM sets the difficulty of the task. It is usually 3 or 4, and scavenging can take fifteen minutes to an hour.
Scavenging is not the only way to obtain manifest cyphers. They can also be given as gifts, traded with merchants, or sometimes purchased in a shop.
Unlike subtle cyphers, characters don’t automatically know what manifest cyphers do. Once the PCs find a manifest cypher, identifying it is a separate task, based on Intellect and modified by knowledge of the topic at hand. In a fantasy setting, that knowledge would probably be magic, but in a science fiction setting, it might be technology. The GM sets the difficulty of the task, but it is usually 1 or 2. Thus, even the smallest amount of knowledge means that cypher identification is automatic. The process takes one to ten minutes. If the PCs can’t identify a cypher, they can bring it to an expert for identification and perhaps trade, if desired.
Lots of overlap exists between what subtle cyphers and manifest cyphers can do. Nearly anything that can be explained as a subtle cypher can just as easily be a magic item, scientific device, or other manifest object. A bit of luck that helps you sneak (a subtle cypher) and a potion that helps you sneak (a manifest cypher) do the exact same thing for a character. One advantage of manifest cyphers is that characters can easily trade them to each other or sell them to NPCs. On the other hand, manifest cyphers can be dropped or stolen, and subtle cyphers can’t.
It’s fine if the GM decides to include both kinds of cyphers in the same game. A horror game could begin with the PCs as normal people with subtle cyphers, but as time goes on, they find one-use spells in occult tomes, weird potions, and bone dust that has strange powers.
The action to use a cypher is Intellect based unless described otherwise or logic suggests otherwise. For example, throwing an explosive might be Speed based because the device is physical and not really technical, but using a ray emitter is Intellect based.
Because cyphers are single-use items, cyphers used to make attacks can never be used with the Spray or Arc Spray abilities that some characters might have. They are never treated as rapid-fire weapons.
Identified manifest cyphers can be used automatically. Once a manifest cypher is activated, if it has an ongoing effect, that effect applies only to the character who activated the cypher. A PC can’t activate a cypher and then hand it to another character to reap the benefits.
A character can attempt to use a manifest cypher that has not been identified; this is usually an Intellect task using the cypher’s level. Failure might mean that the PC can’t figure out how to use the cypher or that they use it incorrectly (GM’s discretion). Of course, even if the PC activates the unidentified cypher, they have no idea what its effect will be.
Cyphers are meant to be used regularly and often. If PCs are hoarding or saving their cyphers, feel free to give them a reason to put the cyphers into play.
All cyphers have a level and an effect. The level sometimes determines an aspect of the cypher’s power (how much damage it inflicts, for example) but otherwise it only determines the general efficacy, the way level works with any object. The Level entry for a cypher is usually a die roll, sometimes with a modifier, such as 1d6 or 1d6 + 4. The GM can roll to determine the cypher’s level, or can allow the player to roll when they receive the cypher.
Cypher effects fall into two categories: normal and fantastic. Normal effects are things that could reasonably happen or be explained in the normal physical world we’re familiar with. Fantastic effects are things that can’t. A normal person could hit a target 240 feet (73 m) away with a football, quickly get over a cold, run across a tightrope, or multiply two two-digit numbers in their head. These tasks are difficult, but possible. A normal person can’t throw an armored car, regrow a severed arm, create a robot out of thin air, or control gravity with their mind. These tasks are impossible according to the world as we know it. Cypher effects are either normal (possible) or fantastic (impossible according to the world as we know it).
Normal cypher effects should be available to PCs regardless of the genre of your game. It’s perfectly reasonable for a modern, fantasy, horror, science fiction, or superhero PC to have a cypher that gives them a one-use bonus on an attack or skill task, lets them take a quick breather to recover a few points in a Pool, or helps them focus their will to avoid distractions or fatigue.
Fantastic cypher effects should be limited to games where magic, technology, or other factors stretch the definition of “impossible.” A cypher that turns a corpse into a zombie is out of place in a non-fantastic modern game, but is perfectly reasonable for a fantasy, science fiction, or superhero game, or even a horror game where zombies exist, as long as the GM decides there is an appropriate story explanation for it. The zombie cypher might be a necromantic spell in a fantasy or superhero game, a code that activates a swarm of nanobots in a science fiction game, or a virus in a horror game. The rules categorize some cypher effects as fantastic to help the GM decide whether to exclude cyphers that don’t fit the game they’re running. For example, it is appropriate for a GM running a zombie horror survival game set in 1990s Georgia to allow the zombie-creating cypher but not a teleportation cypher, because creating a zombie is a fantastic effect that fits the setting and teleportation isn’t.
Fantastic cyphers can be subtle or manifest.
If the GM and players are willing to stretch their imaginations a bit, it’s possible to include some fantastic cypher effects in a game where only normal cypher effects should exist, even if the PCs are only using subtle cyphers. The player using the cypher just needs to come up with a practical, realistic explanation for how the fantastic result occurred (perhaps with a much shorter or reduced effect than what’s described in the cypher text).
For example, a PC with a phase changer who is trapped in a prison cell could say that instead of physically phasing through the wall, using the cypher means they find a long-forgotten secret door connected to a narrow hallway leading to safety. A PC with a fire detonation could say they notice a can of paint thinner in the room, kick it over, and throw a table lamp into the spill, creating a spark and a momentary burst of harmful flames. A PC with a monoblade could say they spot structural flaws in an opponent’s armor, allowing them to attack for the rest of that combat in such a way that the foe’s Armor doesn’t count.
These interpretations of fantastic cyphers in a non-fantastic setting require player ingenuity and GM willingness to embrace creative solutions (similar to players using player intrusions to make a change in the game world). The GM always has the right to veto the explanation for the fantastic effect, allowing the player to choose a different action instead of using the fantastic cypher.
None of the manifest cyphers in this chapter have a stated physical form. The entries don’t tell you if something is a potion, a pill, or a device you hold in your hands because that sort of detail varies greatly from genre to genre. Are they magic? Are they tech? Are they symbiotic creatures with programmed DNA? That’s up to the GM. It’s flavor, not mechanics. It’s as important or unimportant as the style of an NPC’s hair or the color of the car the bad guys are driving. In other words, it’s the kind of thing that is important in a roleplaying game, but at the same time doesn’t actually change anything (and RPGs have a lot of things like that, if you think about it).
A manifest cypher’s physical form can be anything at all, but there are some obvious choices based on genre. The GM can design a setting that uses just one type—for example, a magical world where all cyphers are potions made by faeries. Or they can use many types, perhaps mixing them from different genres. Some suggestions include the following.
Fantasy/Fairy Tale: Potions, scrolls, runeplates, tattoos, charms, powders, crystals, books with words of power.
Modern/Romance: Drugs (injections, pills, inhalants), viruses, smartphone apps.
Science Fiction/Post-Apocalyptic: Drugs (injections, pills, inhalants), computer programs, crystals, gadgets, viruses, biological implants, mechanical implants, nanotechnological injections.
Horror: Burrowing worms or insects, pages from forbidden books, horrific images.
Superhero: Forms from all the other genres.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.Bn74yPIGZJTwA9yO]{Manifest Cypher Table} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.yXkmPLGNM6UH5nkx]{Subtle Cypher Table} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-roll-tables.tAjYZpL0GKkROZpR]{Fantastic Cypher Table}
All cyphers in this section may be manifest cyphers. It is the GM’s discretion whether a particular cypher can be a subtle cypher, and that decision usually depends on the setting. (The tables indicating subtle, manifest, and fantastic cyphers are just suggestions for a typical campaign setting.)
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.nB8zfVWuIB1VvHGl]{Adhesion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.gXzG3cEX6b15T7fh]{Age taker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ss48CDstie5AjXsb]{Analeptic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.kgft4WfHxO9r06wb]{Antivenom} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.KZ2X27pebWbEvQXQ]{Armor reinforcer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.uqL6JmysWKztajSP]{Attractor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.FfAhElBEyjyd4E17]{Banishing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.bxWMBr5i7Lfxid9Q]{Best tool} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.dymzqQ69RJGT8TEs]{Blackout} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.z7B2LxlcLfLMkTFw]{Blinking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.vji8MXWxGxr3A9jp]{Burst of speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.WIDPRS1tIpL3pa5F]{Catholicon} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.k8SHSyIu2KzAZja7]{Chemical factory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.o4AITObjEyBSsjR1]{Comprehension} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.88PKQNeHojZRVZLd]{Condition remover} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.cjFun20hsxOrU4UF]{Contingent activator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.8NupmDC7tXJhHdy3]{Controlled blinking} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ewaouF5H001ecJI2]{Curative} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.J2uXPzk3Q3o9Fwpe]{Curse bringer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.IxserEHDalfrzdvG]{Darksight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.7ZAyXJ8gyV4ao0wO]{Death bringer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.DRkKlxg4WKwUgl7T]{Density} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.GxcYZVXI0R3cMeMp]{Detonation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.bzGwdlL0ZLPsxK9v]{Detonation (creature)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.Z5An8np1ZHSTSWet]{Detonation (dessicating)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.RkOFWVFfuWHSGBVf]{Detonation (flash)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.GPk5tYAHThxyIj6p]{Detonation (gravity inversion)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.0WWb6gMnrICVA77C]{Detonation (gravity)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.VhbqMkTUgBS24ZV8]{Detonation (massive)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.FaQAOTHsz8kAwYva]{Detonation (matter disruption)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.54PPya95rv4yA3O5]{Detonation (pressure)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.DuYwDKUWCozANHfi]{Detonation (singularity)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.hIxIA4943U1u3a9M]{Detonation (sonic)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.PIuFZaZUI84aZvSj]{Detonation (spawn)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.bIcebdBZfthtc7gn]{Detonation (web)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.q5zVuR0m6OyMBS3o]{Disarm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.wRrdISsr5cmCYZX1]{Disguise module} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.FItOrZq5fp17b99h]{Disrupting} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.dYPtdYIVh8Fw2j0I]{Eagleseye} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.wlbjzEJE7xJQejRu]{Effect resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.NeLV59uT8r0aOBYv]{Effort enhancer (combat)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.Sq85TkiuqKKZEcZa]{Effort enhancer (noncombat)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.29q4icxpIjmPru2K]{Enduring shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.40DQrFLuDX017odb]{Equipment cache} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.h5TSiPn7BeeIobmN]{Farsight} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.oNuUwELrZDJY1mIf]{Fireproofing} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.fl9zbMTjxj8vy6kJ]{Flame-retardant wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.SJDuyxdMrDv6FaGy]{Force cube} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.dQligdNAYAr6wWdE]{Force field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.uBDH4lBnOxOXh5CF]{Force screen projector} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.m3NxCCUGiLIKIJNw]{Force shield projector} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.w96EvfwEri9x5Mct]{Friction reducer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.R88ueN5kMGSameYW]{Frigid wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.4L0etvDYulpV4ksR]{Gas bomb} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.pNqglMkBswKP2ICu]{Gravity nullifier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.vk0FLEfC4YB7dbQs]{Gravity-nullifying application} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.aeBDWdPvxdfj3pfs]{Heat attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.7zM8O87dW3jbTnU6]{Hunter/seeker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.CtZSjgL4ckxcKYUP]{Image projector} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ReuRZASIsUHgdhEg]{Inferno wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.XX53GbhoCBiHS6ks]{Infiltrator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.AitEjkvspLX688ye]{Information sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.x7qSUmMgvNqV0Ugn]{Instant servant} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.sJVUfXvSJucHYari]{Instant shelter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.Y6EVgmva4C9tPihv]{Intellect booster} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.udWLm1XDgVieMEDu]{Intelligence enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.5tLchT3lzBveqkxp]{Knowledge enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.WXP9irBlSYL49O46]{Lightning wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.MTgWJDJa0xrNOUMa]{Machine control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.Kn3VvkesD5GVq0iI]{Magnetic attack drill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.yYUMQ6PEMdyJsi6u]{Magnetic master} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.6ccQDO1fUZfF3qdo]{Magnetic shield} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.3ww0ueljUh3Fu4WN]{Manipulation beam} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.E3QMkfRIuJeWQh76]{Matter transference ray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.zqv51NhAhlMBm2lG]{Meditation aid} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.rAka1a1rfa6U9ejN]{Memory switch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.GS3GUtjmhIYxF8vb]{Mental scrambler} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.y710ojHG9JfbAHXq]{Metal death} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.9MBc2aywmCotLHZs]{Mind meld} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.f9o3v4yUbE2rOvkA]{Mind stabilizer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.sgjAHLqFtHWLzSeV]{Mind-restricting wall} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.qyafaJwEsqCVU5ht]{Monoblade} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.adjHowuCfAqznUtV]{Monohorn} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.nH3BFfduw18UhsrN]{Motion sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ExszgFle5nmrHPSR]{Null field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.yjjqWOig22fCfvyg]{Nullification ray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.olA86ZssOHAVcyP5]{Nutrition and hydration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.NCqhAMpNrf26KCkC]{Perfect memory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.pMUiPSVOb2VPa79t]{Perfection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.erJlxWAzYxAbBQ3n]{Personal environment field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.q94YaFRPnpA4Vbt0]{Phase changer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.orMNNP5kLwGszIWW]{Phase disruptor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.I1UIJPrkDAtfdvkn]{Poison (emotion)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ab9oUkAc67kwQMu2]{Poison (explosive)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.TqA7pzI1VOquoZrC]{Poison (mind controlling)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.LT8pmimmThAbwOL7]{Poison (mind disrupting)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.WKHeAOo07TN0Waqi]{Psychic communique} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.NGMhAxHPKXqxyarE]{Radiation spike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.yxlZQszosCzyRvSM]{Ray emitter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.kl7d13qf7si94eU0]{Ray emitter (command)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.TvIMvUr69aOV5DnE]{Ray emitter (fear)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.7lZj0lmBqmrz41mZ]{Ray emitter (friend slaying)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.LHL022Qn3YRfXYU4]{Ray emitter (mind disrupting)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.NbYGmZjDHMEmmfDL]{Ray emitter (numbing)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.sodipYPbrbjALaH2]{Ray emitter (paralysis)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.RSQzv6fY9P8vLQSh]{Reality spike} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.kgflNP6FVsspfutd]{Reflex enhancer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.sdd3hhCzs5N0ZqP0]{Rejuvenator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.8RpaNEaONagWqTTE]{Remembering} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.waaI5OVVCpZC7NLT]{Remote viewer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.agDsGHiI4x9A0X0J]{Repair unit} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.qOLNoDFQpXZhsbCE]{Repeater} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.MycMQnAtFVkx7xjm]{Repel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.lN1Qw9izMoo3NSbj]{Retaliation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.zb8P9KDZaQ0j1exJ]{Secret} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.BmQhgfCQMQpMkwzg]{Sheen} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.hh2zZUmsmHCEUi8t]{Shock attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.EMaQ9DgLEL4DkPKD]{Shocker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ucJ3400aQrIR73I5]{Skill boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.4Bhy1bp5s8LqJR6r]{Slave maker} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.yqc7dFfKI5CTH81u]{Sleep inducer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.k2hOy8OzSxgmhlIc]{Sniper module} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.9iFJZJ2Plks6CY7g]{Solvent} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.RhpzlF2Olodtf9J5]{Sonic hole} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.kBuARKz133ENxC8s]{Sound dampener} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.9SAuP9To5rJFzGR5]{Spatial warp} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.vs0hACATS83S9qUV]{Speed boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.O3yE0thccVVxTIiR]{Spy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.FhWwzSoVBPzRfGch]{Stasis keeper}@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.yazxGwqNVgyQGOPy]{Stim} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.exM6Flwc1g5UuC0q]{Strength boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.tSjCuPBJ8j8pIKqx]{Strength enhancer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.E1GNoFsIMME2xcx8]{Subdual field} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.yeSsoCybAMSvVkSs]{Telepathy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.VljAPSeYkXKcIkEd]{Teleporter (bounder)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.4OErRBLP8HYZAnFc]{Teleporter (interstellar)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.NWJ7mAY1VcxRBTaL]{Teleporter (planetary)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.SKZrMCk2llIoKiU9]{Teleporter (traveler)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.4bRwVWF2KHdSZOgh]{Temporal viewer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.Q0Lj9McM3BanRLQ6]{Time dilation (defensive)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.66kpaEIObWuovj11]{Time dilation (offensive)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ad7NVyxLv9YECCem]{Tissue regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.t2QXZKVmfQViAo4T]{Tracer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.TFKQbAknncq4lMEV]{Trick embedder} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.sgBfROg7iUCCezZ8]{Uninterruptible power source} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.IVYgnh80vNTZ9gBf]{Vanisher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.RcrVpX6UxbD3zTmR]{Visage changer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.gSXLLLHYFumCsOAo]{Visual displacement device} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.0VkKJcPSO7Scn7Ef]{Vocal translator} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.SXrPkUbwR5IO6305]{Warmth} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.dHgtyDuK0uFBorWI]{Water adapter} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.vLodMbLfeliPpaol]{Weapon enhancement} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.uxXNL4ApwvCgvFAw]{Wings} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.ULHBUzdVa1eFiON2]{X-ray viewer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers.spdFY0JgxGdNMV7N]{Zero point field}
These cyphers increase, modify, or improve a character’s existing powers. A burst boost cypher, for example, allows someone with the Bears a Halo of Fire focus to create a blast of fire in all directions, one time. Imagine this as being a fire-using superhero’s ability to “go nova.”
Power boost cyphers affect one use of a character’s abilities but do not require an action. Their use is part of the action that they affect.
Power boost cyphers are a special type of cypher. In some Cypher System games, they may be inappropriate, and in others, they may be the main (or only) type of cypher available, as determined by the GM. They can be either subtle or manifest.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.nlHGkmRztJaDi3Dj]{Area boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.POLUtosUa7awAfW4]{Burst boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.GEL5LkJCiQqEH1Nf]{Damage boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.bEZrdVBmpzu4m3b8]{Efficacy boost (major)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.MLE2eQwkzrz9tVSC]{Efficacy boost (minor)} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.xc7bsHHbEM84KLa9]{Energy boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.AOWfJoOCbvwr9puF]{Range boost} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cyphers-power-boost.21qrMjA9SQFvWfkp]{Target boost}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":599976,"name":"Running the Cypher System","type":"text","_id":"UvvvJnsSL3Ck1U6K","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"The GM’s most important overall tasks are setting the stage and guiding the story created by the group (not the one created by the GM ahead of time). But setting difficulty is the most important mechanical task the GM has in the game. Although there are suggestions throughout this chapter for various difficulty ratings for certain actions, there is no master list of the difficulty for every action a PC can take. Instead, the Cypher System is designed with the “teach a person to fish” style of good game mastering in mind. (If you don’t know what that means, it comes from the old adage “Give a person a fish and they’ll eat for a day. Teach a person to fish and they’ll eat for a lifetime.” The idea is not to give GMs a ton of rules to memorize or reference, but to teach them how to make their own logical judgment calls.) Of course, most of the time, it’s not a matter of exact precision. If you say the difficulty is 3 and it “should” have been 4, the world’s not over.
For the most part, it really is as simple as rating something on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being incredibly easy and 10 being basically impossible. The guidelines in the Task Difficulty table should help put you in the right frame of mind for assigning difficulty to a task.
For example, we make the distinction between something that most people can do and something that trained people can do. In this case, “normal” means someone with absolutely no training, talent, or experience—imagine your ne’er-do-well, slightly overweight uncle trying a task he’s never tried before. “Trained” means the person has some level of instruction or experience but is not necessarily a professional.
With that in mind, think about the act of balance. With enough focus, most people can walk across a narrow bridge (like a fallen tree trunk). That suggests it is difficulty 2. However, walking across a narrow plank that’s only 3 inches (8 cm) wide? That’s probably more like difficulty 3. Now consider walking across a tightrope. That’s probably difficulty 5—a normal person can manage that only with a great deal of luck. Someone with some training can give it a go, but it’s still hard. Of course, a professional acrobat can do it easily. Consider, however, that the professional acrobat is specialized in the task, making it difficulty 3 for them. They probably are using Effort as well during their performance.
Let’s try another task. This time, consider how hard it might be to remember the name of the previous leader of the village where the character lives. The difficulty might be 0 or 1, depending on how long ago they were the leader and how well known they were. Let’s say it was thirty years ago and they were only mildly memorable, so it’s difficulty 1. Most people remember them, and with a little bit of effort, anyone can come up with their name. Now let’s consider the name of the leader’s daughter. That’s much harder. Assuming the daughter wasn’t famous in her own right, it’s probably difficulty 4. Even people who know a little about local history (that is to say, people who are trained in the subject) might not be able to remember it. But what about the name of the pet dog owned by the daughter’s spouse? That’s probably impossible. Who’s going to remember the name of an obscure person’s pet from thirty years ago? Basically no one. However, it’s not forbidden knowledge or a well-guarded secret, so it sounds like difficulty 7. Difficulty 7 is the rating that means “No one can do this, yet some people still do.” It’s not the stuff of legend, but it’s something you would assume people can’t do. When you think there’s no way you can get tickets for a sold-out concert, but somehow your friend manages to score a couple anyway, that’s difficulty 7. (See the next section for more on difficulties 7, 8, 9, and 10.)
If you’re talking about a task, ideally the difficulty shouldn’t be based on the character performing the task. Things don’t get inherently easier or harder depending on who is doing them. However, the truth is, the character does play into it as a judgment call. If the task is breaking down a wooden door, an 8-foot-tall (2 m) automaton made of metal with nuclear-driven motors should be better at breaking it down than an average human would be, but the task rating should be the same for both. Let’s say that the automaton’s nature effectively gives it two levels of training in such tasks. Thus, if the door has a difficulty rating of 4, but the automaton is specialized and reduces the difficulty to 2, it has a target number of 6. The human has no such specialization, so the difficulty remains 4, and the person has a target number of 12. However, when you set the difficulty of breaking down the door, don’t try to take all those differences into account. The GM should consider only the human because the Task Difficulty table is based on the ideal of a “normal” person, a “trained” person, and so on. It’s humanocentric.
Most characters probably are willing to use one or two levels of Effort on a task, and they might have an appropriate skill or asset to decrease the difficulty by a step. That means that a difficulty 4 task will often be treated as difficulty 2 or even 1, and those are easy rolls to make. Don’t hesitate, then, to pull out higher-level difficulties. The PCs can rise to the challenge, especially if they are experienced.
Difficulties 7, 8, 9, and 10 are all technically impossible. Their target numbers are 21, 24, 27, and 30, and you can’t roll those numbers on a d20 no matter how many times you try. Consider, however, all the ways that a character can reduce difficulty. If someone spends a little Effort or has some skill or help, it brings difficulty 7 (target number 21) into the range of possibility—difficulty 6 (target number 18). Now consider that they have specialization, use a lot of Effort, and have help. That might bring the difficulty down to 1 or even 0 (reducing it by two steps from training and specialization, three or four steps from Effort, and one step from the asset of assistance). That practically impossible task just became routine. A fourth-tier character can and will do this—not every time, due to the cost, but perhaps once per game session. You have to be ready for that. A well-prepared, motivated sixth-tier character can do that even with a difficulty 10 task. Again, they won’t do it often (they’d have to apply six levels of Effort, and even with an Edge of 6 that would cost 7 points from their Pool, and that’s assuming they’re specialized and have two levels of assets), but it can happen if they’re really prepared for the task (being specialized and maxed out in asset opportunities reduces the difficulty by four more steps). That’s why sixth-tier characters are at the top of their field, so to speak.
One way to look at difficulty is that each step of difficulty is worth 3 on the die. That is to say, hinder the task by one step, and the target number rises by 3. Ease the task by one step, and the target number is lowered by 3. Those kinds of changes are big, meaty chunks. Difficulty, as a game mechanic, is not terribly precise. It’s measured in large portions. You never have a target number of 13 or 14, for example—it’s always 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and so on. (Technically, this is not true. If a character adds 1 to a d20 roll for some reason, it changes a target number of 15 to 14. But this is not worth much discussion.)
Imprecision is good in this case. It would be false precision to say that one lock has a target number of 14 and another has a target number of 15. What false precision means in this context is that it would be a delusion to think we can be that exact. Can you really say that one lock is 5% easier to pick than another? And more important, even if you could, is the difference worth noting? It’s better to interact with the world in larger, more meaningful chunks than to try to parse things so carefully. If we tried to rate everything on a scale of 1 to 30 (using target numbers and not difficulty), we’d start to get lost in the proverbial weeds coming up with a meaningful distinction between something rated as an 8 and something rated as a 9 on that scale.
Don’t hesitate to make actions routine. Don’t call for die rolls when they’re not really needed. Sometimes GMs fall into the trap illustrated by this dialogue:
GM: What do you do?
Player: I _________.
GM: Okay, give me a roll.
That’s not a good instinct—at least, not for the Cypher System. Players should roll when it’s interesting or exciting. Otherwise, they should just do what they do. If the PCs tie a rope around something and use it to climb down into a pit, you could ask for tying rolls, climbing rolls, and so on, but why? Just to see if they roll terribly? So the rope can come undone at the wrong time, or a character’s hand can slip? Most of the time, that makes players feel inadequate and isn’t a lot of fun. A rope coming undone in the middle of an exciting chase scene or a battle can be a great complication (and that’s what GM intrusions are for). A rope coming undone in the middle of a simple “getting from point A to point B” scene only slows down gameplay. The real fun—the real story—is down in the pit. So get the PCs down there.
There are a million exceptions to this guideline, of course. If creatures are throwing poisoned darts at the PCs while they climb, that might make things more interesting and require a roll. If the pit is filled with acid and the PCs must climb halfway down, pull a lever, and come back up, that’s a situation where you should set difficulty and perhaps have a roll. If a PC is near death, carrying a fragile item of great importance, or something similar, climbing down the rope is tense, and a roll might add to the excitement. The important difference is that these kinds of complications have real consequences.
On the flip side, don’t be afraid to use GM intrusion on routine actions if it makes things more interesting. Walking up to the king in his audience chamber in the middle of a ceremony only to trip on a rug? That could have huge ramifications for the character and the story.
Rating things on a scale of 1 to 10 is something that most people are very familiar with. You can also look at it as rating an object or creature on a similar scale, if that’s easier. In other words, if you don’t know how hard it would be to climb a particular cliff face, think of it as a creature the PCs have to fight. What level would the creature be? You could look in the Creatures chapter and say “I think this wall should be about as difficult to deal with as a demon. A demon is level 5, so the task of climbing the wall will be difficulty 5.” That’s a weird way to do it, perhaps, but it’s fairly straightforward. And if you’re the kind of GM who thinks in terms of “How tough will this fight be?” then maybe rating tasks as creatures or NPCs to fight isn’t so strange after all. It’s just another way to relate to them. The important thing is that they’re on the same scale. Similarly, if the PCs have to tackle a knowledge task—say, trying to determine if they know where a caravan is headed based on its tracks—you could rate the task in terms of an object. If you’re used to rating doors or other objects that the PCs have broken through recently, the knowledge task is just a different kind of barrier to bust through.
Everything in the Cypher System—characters, creatures, objects, tasks, and so on—has a level. It might be called a tier or a difficulty instead of a level, but ultimately it’s a numerical rating system used to compare things. Although you have to be careful about drawing too many correlations—a first-tier character isn’t easily compared to a difficulty 1 wall or a level 1 animal—the principle is the same. Everything can be rated and roughly compared to everything else in the world. (It works best to take PCs out of this equation. For example, you shouldn’t try to compare a PC’s tier to a wall’s level. Character tiers are mentioned here only for completeness.)
Last, if your mind leans toward statistics, you can look at difficulty as a percentage chance. Every number on the d20 is a 5% increment. For example, you have a 5% chance of rolling a 1. You have a 10% chance of rolling a 1 or a 2. Thus, if you need to roll a 12 or higher, you have a 45% chance of success. (A d20 has nine numbers that are 12 or higher: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. And 9 × 5 equals 45.)
For some people, it’s easier to think in terms of a percentage chance. A GM might think “She has about a 30% chance to know that fact about geography.” Each number on a d20 is a 5% increment, and it takes six increments to equal 30%, so there are six numbers that mean the PC succeeds: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Thus, since the player has to roll 15 or higher, that means the target number is 15. (And that means the task is level 5, but if you’ve already determined the target number, you likely don’t care about the level.)
The GM makes measured adjustments in large, uniform steps. That makes things faster than if players had to do arithmetic using a range of all numbers from 1 to 20.
You calculate a target number only once no matter how many times the PCs attempt the action. If you establish that the target number is 12, it’s 12 every time a PC tries that action. (On the other hand, if you had to add numbers to your die roll, you’d have to do it for every attempt.) Consider this fact in light of combat. Once a player knows that they need to roll a 12 or higher to hit a foe, combat moves very quickly.
If a PC can reduce the difficulty of an action to 0, no roll is needed. This means that an Olympic gymnast doesn’t roll a die to walk across a balance beam, but the average person does. The task is initially rated the same for both, but the difficulty is reduced for the gymnast. There’s no chance of failure.
This is how everything in the game works, whether it’s climbing a wall,
sweet-talking a guard, or fighting a bioengineered horror.
Perhaps most important, the system gives GMs the freedom to focus entirely on the flow of the game. The GM doesn’t use dice to determine what happens (unless you want to)—the players do. There aren’t a lot of different rules for different actions, so there is little to remember and very little to reference. The difficulty can be used as a narrative tool, with the challenges always meeting the expected logic of the game. All the GM’s mental space can be devoted to guiding the story.
GM intrusion is the main mechanic that the GM uses to inject drama and additional excitement into the game. It’s also a handy tool for resolving issues that affect the PCs but do not involve them. GM intrusion is a way to facilitate what goes on in the world outside the characters. Can the minotaur track the PCs’ movements through the maze? Will the fraying rope hold?
Since the players roll all the dice, GM intrusion is used to determine if and when something happens. For example, if the PCs are fighting a noble’s guards, and you (the GM) know that there are more guards nearby, you don’t need to roll dice to determine if the other guards hear the scuffle and intervene (unless you want to). You just decide when it would be best for the story—which is probably when it would be worst for the characters. In a way, GM intrusion replaces the GM’s die rolling.
The mechanic is also one of the main ways that GMs award experience points to the PCs. This means that you use experience points as a narrative tool. Whenever it seems appropriate, you can introduce complications into the game that affect a specific player, but when you do so, you give that player 1 XP. The player can refuse the intrusion, but doing so costs them 1 XP. So by refusing an intrusion, the player does not get the experience point that the GM is offering, and they lose one that they already have. (This kind of refusal is likely to happen very rarely in your game, if ever. And, obviously, a player can’t refuse an intrusion if they have no XP to spend.)
Here’s how a GM intrusion might work in play. Say the PCs find a hidden console with some buttons. They learn the right order in which to press the buttons, and a section of the floor disappears. As the GM, you don’t ask the players specifically where their characters are standing. Instead, you give a player 1 XP and say “Unfortunately, you’re standing directly over this new hole in the floor.” If the player wanted, they could refuse the XP, spend one of their own, and say “I leap aside to safety.” Most likely, though, they’ll make the defense roll that you call for and let it play out.
There are two ways for the GM to handle this kind of intrusion. You could say “You’re standing in the wrong place, so make a roll.” (It’s a Speed defense roll, of course.) Alternatively, you could say “You’re standing in the wrong place. The floor opens under your feet, and you fall down into the darkness.” In the first example, the PC has a chance to save themselves. In the second example, they don’t. Both are viable options. The distinction is based on any number of factors, including the situation, the characters involved, and the needs of the story. This might seem arbitrary or even capricious, but you’re the master of what the intrusion can and can’t do. RPG mechanics need consistency so players can make intelligent decisions based on how they understand the world to work. But they’ll never base their decisions on GM intrusions. They don’t know when intrusions will happen or what form they will take. GM intrusions are the unpredictable and strange twists of fate that affect a person’s life every day.
When player modifications (such as skill, Effort, and so on) determine that success is automatic, the GM can use GM intrusion to negate the automatic success. The player must roll for the action at its original difficulty level or target number 20, whichever is lower.
Remember, any time you give a player 1 XP for a GM intrusion, you’re actually giving them 2— one to keep and one to give to another player.
A GM can use this narrative tool to steer things. That doesn’t mean railroad the players or direct the action of the game with a heavy hand. GM intrusion doesn’t enable you to say “You’re all captured, so here’s your 1 XP.” Instead, the GM can direct things more subtly—gently, almost imperceptibly influencing events rather than forcing them. GM intrusion represents things going wrong. The bad guys planning well. Fortune not favoring the characters.
Consider this scenario: the GM plants an interesting adventure seed in a small village, but the PCs don’t stay there long enough to find it. So just outside the village, the PCs run afoul of a vicious viper that bites one of them. The GM uses intrusion to say that the poison from the snake will make the character debilitated unless they get a large dose of a specific antitoxin, which the group doesn’t have. Of course, they aren’t required to go back to the village where the GM’s interesting adventure can start, but it’s likely that they will, looking for the antitoxin.
Some players might find intrusion heavy-handed, but the XP softens the blow. And remember, they can refuse these narrative nudges. Intrusion is not meant to be a railroading tool—just a bit of a rudder. Not an inescapable track, but a nudge here and there.
What’s more, the GM doesn’t need to have a deliberate goal in mind. The complication you introduce could simply make things more interesting. You might not know where it will take the story, just that it will make the story better.
This is wonderfully empowering to the GM—not in a “Ha ha, now I’ll trounce the PCs” way, but in an “I can control the narrative a little bit, steering it more toward the story I want to create rather than relying on the dice” sort of way. Consider that old classic plot development in which the PCs get captured and must escape from the bad guys. In heroic fiction, this is such a staple that it would almost seem strange if it didn’t happen. But in many roleplaying games, it’s a nearly impossible turn of events—the PCs usually have too many ways to get out of the bad guy’s clutches before they’re captured. The dice have to be wildly against them. It virtually never happens. With GM intrusion, it could happen (again, in the context of the larger encounter, not as a single intrusion that results in the entire group of PCs being captured with little explanation or chance to react).
For example, let’s say the PCs are surrounded by orcs. One character is badly injured—debilitated—and the rest are hurt. Some of the orcs produce a large weighted net. Rather than asking for a lot of rolls and figuring the mechanics for escape, you use intrusion and say that the net goes over the PCs who are still on their feet. The rest of the orcs point spears menacingly. This is a pretty strong cue to the players that surrender is a good (and possibly the only) option. Some players won’t take the hint, however, so another use of intrusion might allow the orcs to hit one of the trapped PCs on the head and render them unconscious while their friends struggle in the net. If the players still don’t surrender, it’s probably best to play out the rest of the encounter without more GM intrusions—using more would be heavy-handed by anyone’s measure—although it’s perfectly reasonable to rule that a character rendered debilitated is knocked unconscious, since the orcs are trying to take the PCs alive.
Remember that GM intrusions can occur at any time, not just during combat. Disrupting or changing a tense interaction with NPCs can have big repercussions.
This mechanic offers a way for the GM to determine how things happen in the game without leaving it all to random chance. Bad guys trying to smash down the door to the room where the PCs are holed up? You could roll a bunch of dice, compare the NPCs’ stats to the door’s stats, and so on, or you could wait until the most interesting time, have the bad guys break in, and award an experience point to the PC who tried their best to bar the door. The latter way is the Cypher System way. Intrusion is a task resolution tool for the GM. In other words, you don’t base things on stats but on narrative choice. (Frankly, a lot of great GMs over the years—even in the very early days of the hobby—have run their games this way. Sometimes they rolled dice or pretended to roll dice, but they were really manipulating things.) This method frees the GM from worrying about mechanics and looking up stats and allows them to focus on the story.
This isn’t cheating—it’s the rules of the game. This rule simply replaces traditional dice rolling with good game mastering, logic, and intelligent storytelling. When a PC is climbing a burning rope, and everyone knows that it will break at some point, the game has a mechanism to ensure that it breaks at just the right time.
Variant: If you want more randomness in your game, or if you want your game to seem like more of a simulation, assign a flat percentage chance for whatever you’re trying to resolve. For example, each round, the star troopers have a 20% chance to blast through the door—or, if you want the risk to escalate, a cumulative 20% chance to blast through the door. By not using GM intrusion, this method robs the PCs of a few XP, but when they see you rolling dice, it might help with their immersion. Alternatively, you can pretend to roll dice but really use GM intrusion, though this method seriously robs the characters of XP.
There’s a better way. Announce your intrusion, but say that there’s only a chance it will happen (state the percentage chance), and then roll the dice in plain view of everyone. If the intrusion occurs, award the XP as normal. This is likely the best of both worlds. However, it takes the narrative power out of your hands and gives it to the dice. Perhaps this method is best used only occasionally. If nothing else, it injects some variety and certainly some drama.
Too much of a good thing will make the game seem utterly unpredictable—even capricious. The ideal is to use about four GM intrusions per game session, depending on the length of the session, or about one intrusion per hour of game play. This is in addition to any intrusions that are triggered by players rolling a 1.
When a PC rolls a 1, handle the GM intrusion the same way that you’d handle an intrusion you initiated. The intrusion could mean the PC fumbles or botches whatever they were trying to do, but it could mean something else. Consider these alternatives:
In combat, the PC’s foe is not as hurt as they thought. Give the foe 5 extra points of health.
In combat, the PC drops their guard, and the foe gets a free attack.
In combat, reinforcements for the PC’s foes show up.
In combat (or any stressful situation), an ally decides to flee.
In combat (or any stressful situation), an ally doesn’t like the PCs as much as they thought. The ally steals from them or betrays them.
Out of combat, the PC’s pack falls open, or the sole of their shoe tears open.
Out of combat, it begins to rain heavily.
Out of combat, a surprise foe appears, and the scene turns into a combat.
In an interaction, the GM introduces a surprising motive for the NPC. For example, the PCs are trying to bribe an official for information, and the official reveals that what they really want isn’t money but for someone to rescue their kidnapped son.
This might not be true of your players, but many players rarely, if ever, spend XP to refuse an intrusion from the GM, though they regularly use XP to avoid an intrusion that comes from a bad roll. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Some GMs might want to forbid using an XP to reroll a 1, but there’s really no point—if you’ve got an idea for a good intrusion, you don’t need to wait until a player rolls a 1 to use it.
The core of the idea behind GM intrusion is that the player being adversely affected gains an experience point. But what if the intrusion affects the whole group equally? What if the GM uses it to have an unstable device overload and explode, harming all the characters? In this case, if no PC is involved more than the others (for example, no single PC was frantically attempting to repair the device), you should give 1 XP to each character but not give any of them an extra XP to hand out to someone else.
However, this kind of group intrusion should be an exception, not the rule. GM intrusions are much more effective if they are more personal.
It’s not a good idea to use the same events as GM intrusions over and over (“Dolmar dropped his sword again?”). Below are a number of different intrusions you can use.
Through no fault of the characters, something happens that is bad or at least complicating. For example:
The floorboard beneath the PC gives way.
The boat lists to starboard at just the wrong moment.
A gust of wind blows the papers out of the character’s hand.
The buckle of the PC’s pack snaps at an inopportune time.
The NPC that the characters need to speak with is home sick today.
A device (cypher or artifact) malfunctions or gives the user a jolt.
The situation was more complex (and therefore more interesting) than the PCs knew—perhaps even more than the GM knew, at least at the start. For example:
A poisonous snake darts out from the tall grass and attacks.
The box that holds the plans is trapped with a poison needle.
The NPC that the PCs need to befriend doesn’t speak their language.
The NPC that the PCs try to bribe is allergic to the bottle of alcohol they offer.
The PCs find the book they need, but the pages are so brittle that if they open it, it might crumble.
GMs can use this type of intrusion as a resolution mechanic to determine NPC success or failure. Rather than rolling dice to see how long it takes an NPC to rewire a damaged force field generator, it happens at a time of the GM’s choosing—ideally when it would be most interesting. For example:
The goblin reinforcements finally get through the locked door.
The ropes of the old rope bridge finally snap.
The city guards show up.
The unstable ceiling collapses.
The NPC who holds a dagger to a character’s throat and says “Don’t move” cuts the PC when they do, in fact, move, putting them immediately at debilitated on the damage track.
The PCs aren’t the only ones with surprising tricks up their sleeves. For example:
The PC’s opponent uses a lightning-fast maneuver to dodge all attacks.
The PC’s opponent sees an opening and makes an additional, immediate attack.
The NPC commander rallies their troops, who all deal 2 additional points of damage for one round.
The PC’s opponent uses a cypher or similar device that produces just the right effect for the situation.
A bit of the wall collapses in the middle of the fight, preventing the characters from chasing the fleeing NPC.
Although you might not want every player roll of 1 to be a fumble, sometimes it could be just that. Alternatively, the GM could simply declare that a fumble has occurred. In either case, consider the following examples:
In combat, the PC drops their weapon.
In combat, the PC misses and strikes the wall, breaking or damaging their weapon.
In combat, the NPC hits the PC harder than usual, inflicting 2 additional points of damage.
In combat, the PC hits an ally by accident and inflicts regular damage.
Out of combat, the PC drops or mishandles an important object or piece of equipment.
In an interaction, the PC inadvertently or unknowingly says something offensive.
GM intrusion doesn’t have to mean that a PC has failed. For example:
The PC disables the explosive device before it goes off, but if someone doesn’t remain and hold the detonator, it will still explode.
The PC creates the antidote, but it will turn the imbiber’s flesh blue for the next few weeks.
The PC jumps across the pit but accidentally knocks loose some stones from the edge, making the jump harder for their friend right behind them.
Player intrusions give the players a small bit of narrative control over the world. However, the world still remains in the GM’s purview. You can always overrule a player intrusion, or suggest a way to massage it so that it fits better into the setting. Still, because it is indeed narrative control, a player intrusion should always involve a small aspect of the world beyond the character. “I punch my foe really hard” is an expression of Effort or perhaps character ability. “My foe slips and falls backward off the ledge” is a player intrusion.
Player intrusions should never be as big as GM intrusions. They should not end an encounter, only (perhaps) provide the PC with the means to more easily end an encounter. They should not have a wide-reaching or even necessarily a long-term effect on the setting. A way to consider this might be that player intrusions can affect a single object (a floorboard snaps), feature (there’s a hidden shallow spot in the stream to ford), or NPC (the vendor is an old friend). But not more than that. A player intrusion can’t affect a whole village or even a whole tavern in that village. A rock can come loose, but a player intrusion can’t create a landslide.
Although the decision is open to your discretion, when a PC takes an action, it should be fairly obvious which stat is tied to that action. Physical actions that involve brute force or endurance use Might. Physical actions that involve quickness, coordination, or agility use Speed. Actions that involve intelligence, education, insight, willpower, or charm use Intellect.
In rare instances, you could allow a PC to use a different stat for a task. For example, a character might try to break down a door by examining it closely for flaws and thus use Intellect rather than Might. This kind of change is a good thing because it encourages player creativity. Just don’t let it be abused by an exuberant or too-clever player. It’s well within your purview to decide that the door has no flaws, or to rule that the character’s attempt will take half an hour rather than one round. In other words, using a stat that is not the obvious choice should be the exception, not the rule.
You should think of cyphers as character abilities, whether they’re subtle cyphers or manifest cyphers. This means that it is incumbent upon you to make sure that players always have plenty of cyphers to use. In the course of their travels, the PCs should find that cyphers are extremely common. And since the PCs are limited in the number of cyphers they can carry, they will use them liberally.
Manifest cyphers can be found by scavenging through old ruins. They can be found in the corpses of magical or technological foes. They can be found among the possessions of intelligent fallen opponents or the lairs of unintelligent creatures, either amid the bones of former meals or as shiny decorations in a nest. They can be found in villages, in the back of a merchant’s cart that sells junk and scavenged parts. They are offered as rewards by people who are grateful for the PCs’ help.
Some adventures will offer more cyphers than others. Still, as a rule of thumb, in any given adventure, a character should use at least as many cyphers as they can carry. This means they should find that number of cyphers in that same amount of time (give or take). Thus, you can simply add up the number of cyphers the PCs can carry, and on average, they should find at least that many cyphers in a given adventure.
If your players are typical, they will use combat-related cyphers liberally but hold onto their utility cyphers. A ray emitter or defensive shield will be used, but a suspensor belt or phasing module will linger longer on their character sheets.
As with everything else in the game, it’s intentionally very easy for the GM to create new cyphers. Just think of the effect and how to express it as a game advantage. Two kinds of cyphers exist when it comes to effect: those that allow the user to do something better, and those that allow the user to do something they couldn’t do otherwise.
The first group includes everything that reduces the difficulty of a task (including defense tasks). The second group includes things that grant new abilities, such as flight, a new means of attack, the ability to see into the past, or any number of other powers.
A few more important notes about devising new cyphers:
Cyphers should be single-use items. The PCs use them up and find new ones.
Cyphers should be potent. A minor ability isn’t worth the trouble. If an attack cypher isn’t as good as a regular weapon, why bother with it?
Cyphers shouldn’t have drawbacks.
Cyphers should be temporary. Typically, a power is used once. Abilities or advantages that have a duration last from ten minutes to twenty-four hours (at most).
Manifest cyphers can take any form. Just make them appropriate to the genre.
Cyphers teach GMs to design different kinds of scenarios—ones in which the whole adventure isn’t wrecked if a player has something that can solve a single problem (defeat a foe, read a mind, bypass a barrier, or whatever). There should always be more to the adventure than one linchpin encounter, obstacle, foe, or secret.
It’s all right if players think of cyphers (especially manifest cyphers) as equipment or treasure. You should choose points in the course of the story that are appropriate for awarding subtle cyphers, especially if the PCs aren’t at their full capacity.
In terms of the narrative, artifacts are a lot like cyphers, except that most are not one-use items. Mechanically, they serve a very different purpose. It’s assumed that characters are exploring with some cyphers at their disposal. Artifacts, however, are added abilities that make characters broader, deeper, and often more powerful. They aren’t assumed—they’re extra.
The powers granted by artifacts are more like the abilities gained from a character’s type or focus in that they change the way the PC is played overall. The difference between an artifact and a type or focus ability is that almost all artifacts are temporary. They last longer than cyphers do, but because they have a depletion roll, any use could be their last.
Like cyphers, then, artifacts are a way for the GM to play a role in the development of the characters. Although armor, weapons, and the like are fine, special capabilities—such as long-range communication or travel—can really change the way the PCs interact with the world and how they deal with challenges. Some of these abilities enable the actions you want the PCs to take. For example, if you want them to have an underwater adventure, provide them with artifacts (or cyphers) that allow them to breathe underwater.
Also like cyphers, artifacts are simple for the GM to create. The only difference with artifacts is that you give them a depletion roll, using any numbers on 1d6, 1d10, 1d20, or 1d100. If you want the artifact to be used only a few times, give it a depletion roll of 1 in 1d6, 1 or 2 in 1d10, or even 1 or 2 in 1d6. If you want the PCs to use it over and over, a depletion roll of 1 in 1d100 more or less means that they can use it freely without worrying too much.
For examples of artifacts, see the Genres chapter.
You may wish to forbid the use of XP to reroll artifact depletion rolls. That’s pretty reasonable.
Sometimes, the rules speak directly to character creativity. For example, players can make up their own skills. It’s possible to have a skill called “tightrope walking” that grants a character a better chance to walk across a tightrope, and another skill called “balance” that gives a character a better chance to walk across a tightrope and perform other balance actions as well. This might seem unequal at first, but the point is to let players create precisely the characters they want. Should you let a character create a skill called “doing things” that makes them better at everything? Of course not. The GM is the final arbiter not only of logic but also of the spirit of the rules, and having one or two single skills that cover every contingency is clearly not in the spirit.
It’s important that players play the character they want. This concept is supported not only with the open-ended skill system but also with the ability to get an experience point advance to tailor a character further. Likewise, the GM should be open to allowing a player to make small modifications to refine their character. In many cases, particularly ones that don’t involve stat Pools, Armor, damage inflicted, or the costs of Effort or special abilities, the answer from the GM should probably be “Sure, why not?” If a PC ends up being really good at a particular skill—better than they “should” be—what’s the harm? If Dave can swim incredibly well, how does that hurt the game in terms of the play experience or the story that develops? It doesn’t. If Helen can pick practically any mundane lock she finds, why is that a bad thing? In fact, it’s probably good for the game—there’s likely something interesting on the other sides of those doors.
In a way, this is no different than adjudicating a not-so-straightforward solution to a challenge. Sometimes you have to say “No, that’s not possible.” But sometimes, if it makes sense, open yourself up to the possibility.
As explained in the Rules of the Game chapter, NPCs have a health score rather than three stat Pools. When an NPC reaches 0 health, they are down. Whether that means dead, unconscious, or incapacitated depends on the circumstances as dictated by you and the players. Much of this can be based on logic. If the NPC is cut in half with a giant axe, they’re probably dead. If they’re mentally assaulted with a telepathic attack, they might be insane instead. If they’re hit over the head with a club, well, that’s your call.
It depends on the intentions of those who are fighting the NPC, too. PCs who want to knock out a foe rather than kill them can simply state that as their intention and describe their actions differently—using the flat of the blade, so to speak.
Whenever possible, creatures should be handled like other NPCs. They don’t follow the same rules as the player characters. If anything, they should have greater latitude in doing things that don’t fit the normal mold. A many-armed beast should be able to attack multiple foes. A charging rhino-like animal ought to be able to move a considerable distance and attack as part of a single action.
Consider creature size very carefully. For those that are quick and hard to hit, hinder attacks against them. Large, strong creatures should be easier to hit, so ease attacks against them. However, you should freely give the stagger ability to anything twice as large as a human. This means that if the creature strikes a foe, the target must make an immediate Might defense roll or lose its next turn.
A creature’s level is a general indicator of its toughness, combining aspects of power, defense, intelligence, speed, and more into one rating. In theory, a small creature with amazing powers or extremely deadly venom could be high level, and a huge beast that isn’t very bright and isn’t much of a fighter could be low level. But these examples go against type. Generally, smaller creatures have less health and are less terrifying in combat than larger ones.
The Cypher System has no system for building creatures. There is no rule that says a creature with a certain ability should be a given level, and there is no rule dictating how many abilities a creature of a given level should have. But keep the spirit of the system in mind. Lower-level creatures are less dangerous. A level 1 creature could be poisonous, but its venom should inflict a few points of damage at most. The venom of a level 6 creature, however, might knock a PC down a step on the damage track or put them into a coma if they fail a Might defense roll. A low-level creature might be able to fly, phase through objects, or teleport because these abilities make it more interesting but not necessarily more dangerous. The value of such abilities depends on the creature that uses them. In other words, a phasing rodent is not overly dangerous, but a phasing battle juggernaut is terrifying. Basic elements such as health, damage, and offensive or defensive powers (such as poison, paralysis, disintegration, immunity to attacks, and so on) need to be tied directly to level—higher-level creatures get better abilities and more of them.
In the Cypher System, there is no concept of a “balanced encounter.” There is no system for matching creatures of a particular level or tasks of a particular difficulty to characters of a particular tier. To some people, that might seem like a bad thing. But matching character builds to exacting challenges is not part of this game. It’s about story. So whatever you want to happen next in the story is a fine encounter as long as it’s fun. You’re not denying the characters XP if you make things too easy or too difficult, because that’s not how XP are earned. If things are too difficult for the PCs, they’ll have to flee, come up with a new strategy, or try something else entirely. The only thing you have to do to maintain “balance” is set difficulty within that encounter accurately and consistently.
In a game like the Cypher System, if everyone’s having fun, the game is balanced. Two things will unbalance the game in this context.
One or more PCs are far more interesting than the others. Note that it says “more interesting,” not “more powerful.” If my character can do all kinds of cool things but can’t destroy robots as efficiently as yours does, I still might have a whole lot of fun.
The challenges the PCs face are routinely too easy or too difficult.
The first issue should be handled by the character creation rules. If there’s a problem, it might be that poor choices were made or a player isn’t taking full advantage of their options. If someone really doesn’t enjoy playing their character, allow them to alter the PC or—perhaps better—create a new one.
The second issue is trickier. As previously stated, there is no formula that states that N number of level X NPCs are a good match for tier Y characters. However, when the game has four or five beginning characters, the following guidelines are generally true.
Level 1 opponents will be nothing but a nuisance, even in sizable numbers (twelve to sixteen).
Level 2 opponents will not be a challenge unless in numbers of twelve or more.
Level 3 opponents will be an interesting challenge in numbers of four to eight.
Level 4 opponents will be an interesting challenge in numbers of two or three.
A single level 5 opponent might be an interesting challenge.
A single level 6 opponent will be a serious challenge.
A single level 7 or 8 opponent will likely win in a fight.
A single level 9 or 10 opponent will win in a fight without breaking a sweat.
But it depends on the situation at hand. If the PCs are already worn down from prior encounters, or if they have the right cyphers, any of the expectations listed above can change. That’s why there is no system for balancing encounters. Just keep in mind that beginning characters are pretty hardy and probably have some interesting resources, so you aren’t likely to wipe out the group by accident. Character death is unlikely unless the PCs have already been through a number of other encounters and are worn down.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}}],"flags":{"core":{"sourceId":"JournalEntry.DPqNQ0vd7NYr3uQ2"}},"_stats":{"systemId":"cyphersystem","systemVersion":"2.2.0","coreVersion":"10.291","createdTime":1664960719139,"modifiedTime":1673549748100,"lastModifiedBy":"yThCrv1jSfPXOC2U"},"folder":null,"sort":0,"ownership":{"default":0,"rLeavHPrdkq6xjNt":3},"_id":"k9exUQdtIwtKwqCc"} {"name":"Technofantasy Ruleset","pages":[{"sort":250000,"name":"Introduction","type":"text","_id":"P9XAXn2jU0Odewiy","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"There once was a great civilization, but now it’s gone. We don’t know much about them, much less what happened to them. There might even have been multiple great civilizations before that. We only know that they existed. They left us remnants of their technology that we barely understand, but we use them to explore our world.
The Technofantasy Ruleset is a subset of the Cypher System Reference Document (SRD) which includes custom types and a selection of descriptors, and foci appropriate for your favorite technofantasy setting.
The @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.cypher-journals.k9exUQdtIwtKwqCc]{Cypher System Rulebook} is needed for the material within this ruleset.
“Remnants” are devices that have been left behind by the great civilization (or civilizations). In game terms, these are cyphers and artifacts. Characters in the world have trouble understanding them, which is why all PC’s start with inabilities in understanding, salvaging, and crafting remnants, unless their type notes that they are trained in either of these fields.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{"core":{"sheetClass":"core.JournalTextPageSheet"}}},{"sort":375000,"name":"Custom Types","type":"text","_id":"NgiK7sSsF9czBCRy","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"There are three custom types included, which are appropriate for any technofantasy setting: the Blade (based on the Warrior), the Techno-Wizard (based on the Adept), the All-Rounder (based on the Explorer), and the Leader (based on the Speaker). They all come with pre-selected abilities and a reduced selection of abilities to choose from compared to the type they are based on.
You’re a good ally to have in a fight. You know how to use weapons and defend yourself.
Individual Role: Blades are physical, action-oriented people. They’re more likely to overcome a challenge using force than by other means, and they often take the most straightforward path toward their goals.
Group Role: Blades usually take and deal the most punishment in a dangerous situation. Often it falls on them to protect the other group members from threats. This sometimes means that blades take on leadership roles as well, at least in combat and other times of danger.
Societal Role: Blades aren’t always soldiers or mercenaries. Anyone who is ready for violence, or even potential violence, might be a Blade in the general sense. This includes guards, watchmen, police officers, sailors, or people in other roles or professions who know how to defend themselves with skill.
Advanced Blades: As Blades advance, their skill in battle—whether defending themselves or dishing out damage—increases to impressive levels. At higher tiers, they can often take on groups of foes by themselves or stand toe to toe with anyone.
You can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Perfect Setup: You’re fighting at least three foes and each one is standing in exactly the right spot for you to use a move you trained in long ago, allowing you to attack all three as a single action. Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action.
Old Friend: A comrade in arms from your past shows up unexpectedly and provides aid in whatever you’re doing. They are on a mission of their own and can’t stay longer than it takes to help out, chat for a while after, and perhaps share a quick meal.
Weapon Break: Your foe’s weapon has a weak spot. In the course of the combat, it quickly becomes damaged and moves two steps down the object damage track.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 11 |
| Speed | 10 |
| Intellect | 7 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Blades have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Physical Nature: You have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge of 1, and an Intellect Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Remnant Use: You have an inability in understanding, salvaging, and crafting remnants. (Optional rule.)
Weapons: You become practiced with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.wHxvX2zJOKo27GBe]{medium}, and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.d554SLnkyNqPDDOc]{heavy weapons} and suffer no penalty when using any kind of weapon. Enabler.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and two weapons of your choice, plus one expensive item, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2x7nMe9ZGp3VjI8B]{Combat Prowess}, @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor}, and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.noCgrKbB370cfzQg]{Physical Skills}.
Choose two of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.X7Rrn9Q54ceSA4Lr]{Aggression} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HBHjx10W5BQW101w]{Impressive Display} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lwJAowJa4eKlcDjb]{Misdirect} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YZB37b80VQGMUscp]{No Need for Weapons} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor}
Second-tier Blades have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EERMWn1af0S8wAWN]{Crushing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S3L1oym8fpx0NsAc]{Hemorrhage} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.szw7tHW0OjI2fjpJ]{Reload} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.36nlDXhOP5e5dfns]{Successive Attack}
Third-tier Blades have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M49EI6qapNJC2aLR]{Energy Resistance} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bPr34XiLw2Dqb4VJ]{Lunge} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qZOOWfFLJ1JziJpY]{Obstacle Running} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bkQnnjRFJS9VpaY5]{Slice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YIzrA5i8eBSPMFzj]{Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4s3SAqu0lb5qzfzL]{Trick Shot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DhbLcVuqEZmS6Z2y]{Vigilance}
Fourth-tier Blades have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M5QroBlhUCULt6MD]{Amazing Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gNRMG3mJTzWaCGph]{Capable Warrior} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlXd4oFI9Fqq3rAX]{Experienced Defender} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RO8dmB90aRPOmCuJ]{Feint} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mUizWF7k2XD7ykRJ]{Increased Effects} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yJDNsRAG3Elm6PWp]{Snipe}
Fifth-tier Blades have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.WrJDw2X8JHcljjP4]{Arc Spray} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.djqbPin4qsUauJmD]{Battlefield Tactician} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IFb8NX06xgWM7H98]{Jump Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4k5JFV78A5SiPjFo]{Mastery in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AmZDmnmP7CxSSN4h]{Parry}
Sixth-tier Blades have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MQewTo9NscKVUUNz]{Again and Again} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syJ3mkT2hHR2MY3o]{Finishing Blow} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack}
You master powers or abilities outside the experience, understanding, and sometimes belief of others.
Individual Role: Techno-Wizards are usually thoughtful, intelligent types. They often think carefully before acting and rely heavily on their supernatural abilities.
Group Role: Techno-Wizards are not powerful in straightforward combat, although they often wield abilities that provide excellent combat support, both offensively and defensively. They sometimes possess abilities that facilitate overcoming challenges. For example, if the group must get through a locked door, a Techno-Wizard might be able to destroy it or teleport everyone to the other side.
Societal Role: Techno-Wizards are likely to be common and forthright. They might even take leadership roles.
Advanced Techno-Wizards: Even at low tiers, Techno-Wizards powers are impressive. Higher-tier Techno-Wizards can accomplish amazing deeds that can reshape matter and the environment around them.
When playing a Techno-Wizard, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Advantageous Malfunction: A device being used against you malfunctions. It might harm the user or one of their allies for a round, or activate a dramatic and distracting side effect for a few rounds.
Convenient Idea: A flash of insight provides you with a clear answer or suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Inexplicably Unbroken: An inactive, ruined, or presumed-destroyed device temporarily activates and performs a useful function relevant to the situation. This is enough to buy you some time for a better solution, alleviate a complication that was interfering with your abilities, or just get you one more use out of a depleted cypher or artifact.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 7 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 12 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Techno-Wizards have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at a time.
Remnant Use: You have an inability in salvaging and crafting remnants. You are trained in understanding remnants. (Optional rule.)
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.Zjign4M9GqTvD348]{medium weapons} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items of your choice.
Special Abilities: Choose two of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise.
Techno-Wizard abilities require at least one free hand unless the GM says otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Hedge Magic} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FE1Ge8CbJxQcCo0b]{Onslaught} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Myt0JUt24B8hjYAg]{Push} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OPvXaxuRIVXLmkWl]{Scan} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.59mslpID7ogppzMA]{Ward}
Second-tier Techno-Wizards have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wWN4y4rATxbtMCMo]{Adaptation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.78uF9siViGIHKYGx]{Flash} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pdNI9QMKmDwu8gza]{Stasis}
Third-tier Techno-Wizards have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mj6yJZwRmdXaVwh8]{Countermeasures} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yz1w8JR23mtlDX49]{Energy Protection} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AUGM3xEluWJi4Y8h]{Fire and Ice} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yPVZmXWhUxustVdq]{Force Field Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzy1KzO0oPmZGu2b]{Sensor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q80xvRDX6XwFXgma]{Targeting Eye}
Fourth-tier Techno-Wizards have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wvlSlYCJyrJuFqtn]{Invisibility} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iTxEWRCR8G5Rych2]{Death Touch} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KGz0rK4b2dAt0DaX]{Wormhole}
Fifth-tier Techno-Wizards have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K4XRiZlFRakz6j98]{Master Cypher Use}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NCXCkCYeZw8qlazG]{Absorb Energy} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.D4JFKjeVDkx9Xfnf]{Dust to Dust} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN3VI2LxDyYGbqnN]{Teleportation} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MGzAkRaGd4LgfQti]{True Senses}
Fifth-tier Techno-Wizards have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tvlNZboSbKCHttjs]{Control Weather} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8OmtJRuoKRzuGfh8]{Move Mountains} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PlKwEwo6ilGqwxwI]{Traverse the Worlds} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gETtOLyLYRVk53dP]{Usurp Cypher}
You are a person of action and physical ability, fearlessly facing the unknown. You travel to strange, exotic, and dangerous places, and discover new things. This means you’re physical but also probably knowledgeable.
Individual Role: Although All-Rounders can be academics or well studied, they are first and foremost interested in action. They face grave dangers and terrible obstacles as a routine part of life.
Group Role: All-Rounders sometimes work alone, but far more often they operate in teams with other characters. The All-Rounder frequently leads the way, blazing the trail. However, they’re also likely to stop and investigate anything intriguing they stumble upon.
Societal Role: Not all All-Rounders are out traipsing through the wilderness or poking about an old ruin. Sometimes, an All-Rounder is a teacher, a scientist, a detective, or an investigative reporter. In any event, an All-Rounder bravely faces new challenges and gathers knowledge to share with others.
Advanced All-Rounders: Higher-tier All-Rounders gain more skills, some combat abilities, and a number of abilities that allow them to deal with danger. In short, they become more and more well-rounded, able to deal with any challenge.
When playing an All-Rounder, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Fortuitous Malfunction: A trap or a dangerous device malfunctions before it can affect you.
Serendipitous Landmark: Just when it seems like the path is lost (or you are), a trail marker, a landmark, or simply the way the terrain or corridor bends, rises, or falls away suggests to you the best path forward, at least from this point.
Weak Strain: The poison or disease turns out not to be as debilitating or deadly as it first seemed, and inflicts only half the damage that it would have otherwise.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 10 |
| Speed | 10 |
| Intellect | 10 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Proficiency: You have an Edge of 1 for one stat of your choice: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You have an Edge of 0 for the other two stats.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Remnant Use: You have an inability in understanding, salvaging and crafting remnants. (Optional rule.)
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.wHxvX2zJOKo27GBe]{medium weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with heavy weapons are hindered.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dVh39nh5ARUxreUc]{Flex Skill} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1ZV6jp2IuXFgXEjn]{Task Training}.
Choose two of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JoPcORtuhjnAJ5mT]{Create Deadly Poison} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tgS72E10jiPF3Dm3]{Critter Companion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Tgmrh8dyGqqCfnU5]{Face Morph} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Sg5WeSF04CYNEecl]{Fleet of Foot} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oAsK49Zgey5QaC82]{Late Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.boxrBJsyP0yjJHjt]{Link Senses} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zOCvNsxHOcmkQrBn]{Phased Pocket} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1CjsEMTtfnvL1CeJ]{Vanish}
Second-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ywBEe31zan6qpVxr]{Augment Cypher} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.grCiWRuV8lvflQHM]{Encouraging Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BjWI1UVg9kpY7FKO]{Illusory Duplicate} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t5vs3xMko8GLCB64]{Intense Interaction} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OvvuCBCQ71rZkCqQ]{Restful Presence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Third-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.e3jpx5KsYc8F13Pu]{Meticulous Planner} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qZOOWfFLJ1JziJpY]{Obstacle Running} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJVu7MQ2pOhNfpUB]{Range Increase} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EjBzy1Ue1AA8i6ry]{Recycled Cyphers} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Fourth-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asABBkIqO5MSTxQ0]{Bypass Barrier} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.crFxkKwBNdnD6tX4]{Crowd Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zcxMbV4Fe4JqJAe8]{Illusory Evasion} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Updbtx8HV4rn4h6N]{Memory Becomes Action}
Fifth-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AvaA8a3ylU9q4gL1]{Effective Skill} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jM6JQUQFUpk9VVut]{Jaunt} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LTqgcoprvBF2ZkdH]{Mastery With Defense} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HYDsZRWMlWTvSQU8]{Subtle Tricks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iE83ABQRko5NemVU]{Teach Trick}
Sixth-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NaqoExT72j3xkWp3]{Task Specialization}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iX07Ltb1JYr1nMYM]{Blurring Speed} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V2DSp12G6NP3X6Jt]{Impossible Walk} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kNSRytTtQX0rU3aE]{Mastery With Attacks} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5Rre17QhaTln9jgA]{Outside Reality} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hp9Sdc7eTTUuWTiu]{Rapid Recovery} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OWRsjlf3ahyH9eez]{Time Doppelganger}
You’re good with words and good with people. You talk your way past challenges and out of jams, and you get people to do what you want.
Individual Role: Leaders are smart and charismatic. They like people and, more important, they understand them. This helps speakers get others to do what needs to be done.
Group Role: The Leader is often the face of the group, serving as the person who speaks for all and negotiates with others. Combat and action are not a Leader’s strong suits, so other characters sometimes have to defend the Leader in times of danger.
Societal Role: Leaders are frequently political or religious leaders. Just as often, however, they are con artists or criminals.
Advanced Leaders: Higher-tier Leaders use their abilities to control and manipulate people as well as aid and nurture their friends. They can talk their way out of danger and even use their words as weapons.
When playing a Leader, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Friendly NPC: An NPC you don’t know, someone you don’t know that well, or someone you know but who hasn’t been particularly friendly in the past chooses to help you, though doesn’t necessarily explain why. Maybe they’ll ask you for a favor in return afterward, depending on how much trouble they go to.
Perfect Suggestion: A follower or other already-friendly NPC suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Unexpected Gift: An NPC hands you a physical gift you were not expecting, one that helps put the situation at ease if things seem strained, or provides you with a new insight for understanding the context of the situation if there’s something you’re failing to understand or grasp.
| Stat | Pool Starting Value |
| Might | 8 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Intellect | 11 |
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
First-tier Leaders have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Remnant Use: You have an inability in understanding, salvaging and crafting remnants. (Optional rule.)
Weapons: You can use @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.GA74AkWhC7i4Z8sZ]{light weapons} without penalty. You have an inability with @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.Zjign4M9GqTvD348]{medium} and @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.aMGYdfzCgfYqtHuJ]{heavy weapons}; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a light weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.V765JZKDKQ00Buyn]{Interaction Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JSlr2Q6Ll1xNd8fX]{Demeanor of Command}.
Choose two of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BlBi7qk0darLthxS]{Anecdote} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.r7uNiD9CGy4G3Hoq]{Babel} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CekF2lqwNrMyio0]{Connected} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M2oXV5cRSdMlUZDm]{Goad} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MBlyd9LvSH8D0Z5I]{Powerful Rhetoric} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uatcX3o1oB2Stc4u]{Trained Without Armor} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kv03xEihe4VZNkK5]{Understanding}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BggeJtN5IcutwLJg]{Calm Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fg8V2R3kpLX2sHRn]{Cloud Personal Memories} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.di7QfASecjKU8BPN]{Disincentivize} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IvKd5vkPypJbB1Ip]{Gather Intelligence} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Third-tier Speakers have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.u1GhDcfpVXITVtOc]{Expert Cypher Use}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nJlhmzrhmXvM3QvU]{Break the Line} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zg8dYuOdCXGwXOFd]{Informer} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.1N6P5ZRogThCS0KH]{Lead by Inquiry} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5BlJLgj1ayBw0uY]{Oratory} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZqBpOAiH70SGHX8N]{Perfect Stranger} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mac5S0sQe9Muf4Mv]{Quick Wits}
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZH0JbusjycG6zQf1]{Anticipate Attack} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.knh2MWMhCgqOjWYD]{Buddy System} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7tiGTYVXj9eHdja7]{Heightened Skills} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S2OZtm12S2YvxD7H]{Retinue} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QFZyfDWOSEpZeQmM]{Spur Effort} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cS2p7CRfquFvR65U]{Strategize}
Fifth-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.M0pjZXQ9996hfUPs]{Adroit Cypher Use}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8SDpRRzZRF73zLsF]{Conjuration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.crFxkKwBNdnD6tX4]{Crowd Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.t3uyBYJqMApfEBWX]{Discipline of Watchfulness} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cpJY8qkTAmSvXoFM]{Infer Thoughts} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tTrekc4AZbIqem5L]{Inspire Coordinated Actions} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wlkPdME0r3hx9VbE]{Knowing the Unknown} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iroL3TcKD9dpulhW]{Regeneration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3wZZC07ADxO3mImS]{Suggestion}
Fifth-tier All-Rounders have the following abilities:
Special Abilities: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3EcnBLVtGwxpWXBW]{Recruit Deputy}.
Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.By276DS858KmWNZq]{Assume Control} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G8waoPdWGzMl0S1n]{Battle Management} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aWbDzueOAxSW1d3C]{Change the Paradigm} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.scceoEmEnN5MW8XT]{Take Command} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PTM0HWGFfo5CHMif]{Will of a Leader} @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZTp4SZ673tDJpmuS]{Word of Command}
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":600000,"name":"License","type":"text","_id":"9ZDlIEtwXjxzyyrZ","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"This product is an independent production and is not affiliated with Monte Cook Games, LLC. It is published under the Cypher System Open License, found at http://csol.montecookgames.com.
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","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}},{"sort":393750,"name":"Descriptors","type":"text","_id":"gK5t9ActY73rBLe5","title":{"show":true,"level":1},"image":{},"text":{"format":1,"content":"Helping others is your calling. It’s why you’re here. Others delight in your outgoing and charitable nature, and you delight in their happiness. You’re at your best when you’re aiding people, either by explaining how they can best overcome a challenge or by demonstrating how to do so yourself.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.VRlwCOQq4321KUkM]{Generous}: Allies who have spent the last day with you add +1 to their recovery rolls.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.GVocWeYToxrIsT5M]{Altruistic}: If you’re standing next to a creature that takes damage, you can intercede and take 1 point of that damage yourself (reducing the damage inflicted on the creature by 1 point). If you have Armor, it does not provide a benefit when you use this ability.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.RSdNXeHg25zlTzza]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction, putting other people at ease, and gaining trust.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.8AmUhRVSxOZepa3T]{Helpful}: Whenever you help another character, that character gains the benefit as if you were trained even if you are not trained or specialized in the attempted task.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.TmkpqIeOFknKujcO]{Inability}: While you are alone, all Intellect and Speed tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Even though you didn’t know most of the other PCs beforehand, you invited yourself along on their quest.
You saw the PCs struggling to overcome a problem and selflessly joined them to help.
You’re nearly certain the PCs will fail without you.
The choice was between your tattered life and helping others. You haven’t looked back since.
You’re a smooth talker and a charmer. Whether through seemingly supernatural means or just a way with words, you can convince others to do as you wish. Most likely, you’re physically attractive or at least highly charismatic, and others enjoy listening to your voice. You probably pay attention to your appearance, keeping yourself well groomed. You make friends easily. You play up the personality facet of your Intellect stat; intelligence is not your strong suit. You’re personable, but not necessarily studious or strong-willed.
You gain the following characteristics:
Personable: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.iLViKiz8EUbAbChF]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving positive or pleasant social interaction.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.GB6PefdjeMm43AmT]{Skill}: You’re trained when using special abilities that influence the minds of others.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.mslNlViBupFclz9t]{Contact}: You have an important contact who is in an influential position, such as a minor noble, the captain of the town guard/police, or the head of a large gang of thieves. You and the GM should work out the details together.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kWemIBj5S33u3Vsy]{Inability}: You were never good at studying or retaining facts. Any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.zHgQDe14mPF3G95Q]{Inability}: Your willpower is not one of your strong points. Defense actions to resist mental attacks are hindered.
Additional Equipment: You’ve managed to talk your way into some decent discounts and bonuses in recent weeks. As a result, you have enough cash jangling in your pocket to purchase a moderately priced item.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you what they were doing.
You instigated the whole thing and convinced the others to join you.
One of the other PCs did a favor for you, and now you’re repaying that obligation by helping them with the task at hand.
There is a reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re quick-witted, thinking well on your feet. You understand people, so you can fool them but are rarely fooled. Because you easily see things for what they are, you get the lay of the land swiftly, size up threats and allies, and assess situations with accuracy. Perhaps you’re physically attractive, or maybe you use your wit to overcome any physical or mental imperfections.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.wOLQBlCsA3jDifa9]{Skill}: You’re trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DlnCXfB1v1U859YY]{Skill}: You’re trained in defense rolls to resist mental effects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.8acHBoOvIk3UseOl]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving identifying or assessing danger, lies, quality, importance, function, or power.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.kWemIBj5S33u3Vsy]{Inability}: You were never good at studying or retaining trivial knowledge. Any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You see through the schemes of others and occasionally convince them to believe you—even when, perhaps, they should not. Thanks to your clever behavior, you have an additional expensive item.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you what they were doing.
From afar, you observed that something interesting was going on.
You talked your way into the situation because you thought it might earn some money.
You suspect that the other PCs won’t succeed without you.
You have a perfect sense of balance, moving and speaking with grace and beauty. You’re quick, lithe, flexible, and dexterous. Your body is perfectly suited to dance, and you use that advantage in combat to dodge blows. You might wear garments that enhance your agile movement and sense of style.
You gain the following characteristics:
Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.KjmXC7wwXc8DqM82]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving balance and careful movement.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.K2S2yAu0BJc7TMEh]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving physical performing arts.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.FXYWkXG7Iq6Wm1pS]{Skill}: You’re trained in all Speed defense tasks.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re quite smart. Your memory is sharp, and you easily grasp concepts that others might struggle with. This aptitude doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve had years of formal education, but you have learned a great deal in your life, primarily because you pick things up quickly and retain so much.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in an area of knowledge of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.m65HBfM8zSVl4uwk]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions that involve remembering or memorizing things you experience directly. For example, instead of being good at recalling details of geography that you read about in a book, you can remember a path through a set of tunnels that you’ve explored before.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs asked your opinion of the mission, knowing that if you thought it was a good idea, it probably was.
You saw value in what the other PCs were doing.
You believed that the task might lead to important and interesting discoveries.
A colleague requested that you take part in the mission as a favor.
You are often tickled by a sense of knowing what someone will say, how they will react, or how events might unfold. Maybe you have a mutant sense, maybe you can see just a few moments ahead through time, or maybe you’re just good at reading people and extrapolating a situation. Whatever the case, many who look into your eyes immediately glance away, as if afraid of what you might see in their expression.
You gain the following characteristics:
Innate: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.rH5FwMXGaNn21DZD]{Skill}: You are trained in perception tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.1GEOtsfQWmfgcp3e]{Know What to Do}: You can act immediately, even if it’s not your turn. Afterward, on your next regular turn, any action you take is hindered. You can do this one time, although the ability is renewed each time you make a recovery roll.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You just knew you had to come along.
You convinced one of the other PCs that your intuition is invaluable.
You felt that something terrible would happen if you didn’t go.
You’re confident the reason you arrived at this point will soon become clear.
You have studied, either on your own or with an instructor. You know many things and are an expert on a few topics, such as history, biology, geography, mythology, nature, or any other area of study. Learned characters typically carry a few books around with them and spend their spare time reading.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in three areas of knowledge of your choice.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.UrdbwsMhJOQk44vz]{Inability}: You have few social graces. Any task involving charm, persuasion, or etiquette is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You have two additional books on topics of your choice.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
One of the other PCs asked you to come along because of your knowledge.
You need money to fund your studies.
You believed that the task might lead to important and interesting discoveries.
A colleague requested that you take part in the mission as a favor.
You think of yourself as mystical, attuned with the mysterious and the paranormal. Your true talents lie with the supernatural. You likely have experience with ancient lore, and you can sense and wield the supernatural—though whether that means “magic,” “psychic phenomena,” or something else is up to you (and probably up to those around you as well). Mystical characters often wear jewelry, such as a ring or an amulet, or have tattoos or other marks that show their interests.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.u2aCexSScRX0FEqH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding the supernatural.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.x6GmHzLKB0JpVg5E]{Sense Magic}: You can sense whether the supernatural is active in situations where its presence is not obvious. You must study an object or location closely for a minute to get a feel for whether a mystical touch is at work.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zArjjFcf9tHQvJTx]{Spell}: You can perform Hedge Magic as a spell when you have a free hand and can pay the Intellect point cost.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.FKeDN7rJdKpgt4bj]{Inability}: You have a manner or an aura that others find a bit unnerving. Any task involving charm, persuasion, or deception is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
A dream guided you to this point.
You need money to fund your studies.
You believed the mission would be a great way to learn more about the supernatural.
Various signs and portents led you here.
You’re a nature lover accustomed to living rough, pitting your wits against the elements. Most likely, you’re a skilled hunter, gatherer, or naturalist. Years of living in the wild have left their mark with a worn countenance, wild hair, or scars. Your clothing is probably much less refined than the garments worn by city dwellers.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.zOjoCu1WyXeVzqs6]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving climbing, jumping, running, and swimming.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.lpBwC7PY35rIfBUG]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving training, riding, or placating natural animals.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.2Ipdh8f3MeuAMM3R]{Skill}: You’re trained in all tasks involving identifying or using natural plants.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.iP9m2p6htGgd896X]{Inability}: You have no social graces and prefer animals to people. Any task involving charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception is hindered.
Additional Equipment: You carry an explorer’s pack with rope, two days’ rations, a bedroll, and other tools needed for outdoor survival.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re sneaky, slippery, and fast. These talents help you hide, move quietly, and pull off tricks that require sleight of hand. Most likely, you’re wiry and small. However, you’re not much of a sprinter—you’re more dexterous than fleet of foot.
You gain the following characteristics:
Quick: +2 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.duTx0BwgmC1Gw3Ze]{Skill}: You’re trained in all stealth tasks.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.YlYSOH8OdFUTBwey]{Skill}: You’re trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.5iv3kUKcLQwrTSDH]{Skill}: You’re trained in all special abilities involving illusions or trickery.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.lhu2y0HMmw0xQ3hv]{Inability}: You’re sneaky but not fast. All movement-related tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You attempted to steal from one of the other PCs. That character caught you and forced you to come along with them.
You were tailing one of the other PCs for reasons of your own, which brought you into the action.
An NPC employer secretly paid you to get involved.
You overheard the other PCs talking about a topic that interested you, so you decided to approach the group.
You’re extremely strong and physically powerful, and you use these qualities well, whether through violence or feats of prowess. You likely have a brawny build and impressive muscles.
You gain the following characteristics:
Very Powerful: +4 to your Might Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.0yrwPAkrOBERFQOq]{Skill}: You’re trained in all actions involving breaking inanimate objects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.MrGl25gzZk4uu7BR]{Skill}: You’re trained in all jumping actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra medium weapon or heavy weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re tough-minded, willful, and independent. No one can talk you into anything or change your mind when you don’t want it changed. This quality doesn’t necessarily make you smart, but it does make you a bastion of willpower and resolve. You likely dress and act with unique style and flair, not caring what others think.
You gain the following characteristics:
Willful: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.DlnCXfB1v1U859YY]{Skill}: You’re trained in resisting mental effects.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.3IfJDAc8qCJ11NNX]{Skill}: You’re trained in tasks requiring incredible focus or concentration.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.CmubEJ8BMUsW1oei]{Inability}: Willful doesn’t mean brilliant. Any task that involves figuring out puzzles or problems, memorizing things, or using lore is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You move quickly, able to sprint in short bursts and work with your hands with dexterity. You’re great at crossing distances quickly but not always smoothly. You are likely slim and muscular.
You gain the following characteristics:
Fast: +4 to your Speed Pool.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.gbWPNb1uKsRtZWSL]{Skill}: You’re trained in initiative actions (to determine who goes first in combat).
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.EyD5RQ654NoPJ7MN]{Skill}: You’re trained in running actions.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.inabilities.t7exG3KfxnoPKxO2]{Inability}: You’re fast but not necessarily graceful. Any task involving balance is hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
There is reward involved, and you need the money.
You’re strong and can take a lot of physical punishment. You might have a large frame and a square jaw. Tough characters frequently have visible scars.
You gain the following characteristics:
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.SkxEXPpCgIGXixu9]{Resilient}: +1 to Armor.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.gr1uaERqywhUGjCK]{Healthy}: Add 1 to the points you regain when you make a recovery roll.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.basic-skills.Q0vfmbqehJw0jYBa]{Skill}: You’re trained in Might defense actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra light weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
You’re acting as a bodyguard for one of the other PCs.
One of the PCs is your sibling, and you came along to watch out for them.
You need money because your family is in debt.
You stepped in to defend one of the PCs when that character was threatened. While talking to them afterward, you heard about the group’s task.
You try to hide what’s inside, fold it into yourself when everything inside you screams to let go, make them pay, make them hurt, and make them bleed. Sometimes you succeed for your friends—smiling like they smile, laughing when they laugh, and sometimes even having other emotions of your own. But it’s always there, that feeling of frantic glee mixed with hate that sometimes leaps out of you when you confront a foe. Violence your friends can tolerate, but you sometimes worry they will also learn that you are cruel.
You gain the following characteristics:
Skill: You are trained in @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.53j3Qwt5Im4wqddo]{tracking creatures}. If @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.expanded-skills.ZPyRyzPue2DuKSw9]{a creature has wronged you}, the tracking task is eased.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.LldixgespLl6ajEf]{Bloodthirsty}: Once you begin fighting, you see only red. You inflict 2 additional points of damage with any attack.
@UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.descriptor-characteristics.1FP6DV2OqgaaT4ZN]{Berserk}: Once you begin fighting, it’s hard for you to stop. In fact, it’s a difficulty 2 Intellect task to do so, even if your foe surrenders or you’ve run out of foes. If the latter occurs and you fail to stop, you attack the nearest ally within short range.
Additional Equipment: You have a record that you use to list those who’ve wronged you.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
Another PC saw you take down a mean drunk in a tavern, not realizing you were the one who started the fight.
You wanted to get away from a bad situation, so you went with the other PCs.
You want to change, and you hope that being with the other PCs will help you calm yourself.
One of the other PCs asked you to come along, believing that your viciousness could be harnessed for the benefit of the mission.
You can harness kinetic energy and transform it into other kinds of energy.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.62zBqhQoPk6IV8lF]{Absorb Kinetic Energy}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMjccuRLDDnfZtZe]{Release Energy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UJst9mtUKNTe3Pd2]{Energize Object}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yvPcOjjqyU3618Ob]{Absorb Pure Energy} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wrPVUnJauasIH886]{Improved Absorb Kinetic Energy}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Y7HUEp7IxdPuur8V]{Overcharge Energy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LwmoGOpgHy1K2dU4]{Energize Creature}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5i6TqVJQQ4sTvqTm]{Energize Crowd} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.m21TAvxSQn1rGx3d]{Overcharge Device}
GM Intrusions: Energy goes to ground in a destructive way. Some predators feed directly on energy. An unintended item is drained of energy.
You excel in battling robots, automatons, and machine entities.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.atQ5yNq1ZEyy0z5j]{Machine Vulnerabilities}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pYsmdnNte7o5Flca]{Tech Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aNNLomN5nZc52ZT4]{Defense Against Robots}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QHSH8fE6l3bKz2xl]{Machine Hunting}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ka5VA9XBi4OTnKVa]{Disable Mechanisms} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJakiz9yvoflzzBD]{Drain Power}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jHrQLzIfjKtXBoJL]{Deactivate Mechanisms} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: The robot explodes upon defeat. Other robots come after the character for revenge.
You can sheath your body in flames, which protects you and harms your foes.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AzMtxh562JfrPdKZ]{Shroud of Flame}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NJjAmyf9zhjRTNme]{Hurl Flame}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TWqyBv9PEjwJKd1y]{Wings of Fire} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.srn53BB1da8Elh1t]{Fiery Hand of Doom}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJQmvEiYq2xBv4ZJ]{Flameblade}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6fpCYtBDCfW6m1b0]{Fire Tendrils}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NVdx8QjmTP5eOjDh]{Fire Servant} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLsz8IqWScZt0Ott]{Inferno Trail}
GM Intrusions: Fire burns flammable material. Fire spreads out of control. Primitive creatures fear fire and often attack what they fear.
You deploy an amazing shield of pure force that provides protection and some offensive options.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yb5PaVIPimrcJxFg]{Force Field Shield}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aidcxXW6MokDMqY7]{Force Bash}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vPflrS1giYnMoqL2]{Enveloping Shield}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6nm35znCQzjAk6Gb]{Healing Pulse} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SPL1URVkuo4PJP8I]{Throw Force Shield}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B5zrSVUs54TUALFB]{Energized Shield}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TXNhhyj63MMp2dVF]{Force Wall}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zflNCqrmTL7vrYg1]{Bouncing Shield} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Np67YSIzrP6w1PPb]{Shield Burst}
GM Intrusions: The shield is temporarily lost. A foe temporarily ends up with the shield.
You can pull images from dreams and bring them to life in the waking world.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L2NOLfflU6HNleuT]{Telepathic}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.W5Zt9qDKCtNr49BC]{Mind Reading}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Mc8L07dpf605FDo9]{Psychic Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iRqXVpngq6vfgtEn]{Psychic Suggestion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FktE2hQhSKXbWcQU]{Use Senses of Others}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0wzhZ676UrCR8M4]{Precognition}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Vcfc6yjbqX6WSzCf]{Mind Control} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K0C60k7wHBSpMQX4]{Telepathic Network}
GM Intrusions: Something glimpsed in the target’s mind is horrifying. A feedback loop allows the target to read the character’s mind.
Your ability to communicate and lead beasts is uncanny.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bOohoEcDegDBinFc]{Beast Companion}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gT21nqWZ9Es576oC]{Soothe the Savage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OIk4usP2NFT0tDu7]{Communication}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cGcblQ2qvyHM02kY]{Mount} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.h1rn92kIqG5VVYd6]{Stronger Together}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zstBkLwRduC7vgGT]{Beast Eyes}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0IlHHY1ktkN2L5Sp]{Improved Companion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pFWDdnTXCiPfwsWv]{Beast Call}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qm31Nw2SkBpVcv9M]{As If One Creature} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LvoH43SKKtr3urKo]{Control the Savage}
GM Intrusions: The community is reluctant to welcome dangerous animals. Out-of-control beasts become a real hazard.
You can sway the attraction of gravity itself.
Type Swap Option: Weighty
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SHMGbt30RfePtyNE]{Define Down} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jbhcWHMiQQaR9ukO]{Gravity Cleave}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eJpNT3QObtYiDfXY]{Field of Gravity}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.abdAcwYE8L00VakL]{Flight}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Cnvf8fv0EEKU3iSn]{Improved Gravity Cleave} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tMOeiKWrhp5P5CCQ]{Weight of the World}
GM Intrusions: Onlookers react with unreasoning fear. A weird interaction sends an ally or object careening into the sky.
You fashion images from light that are so perfect they seem real.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.l60mmJrF1GupXLJB]{Minor Illusion}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.asQqC0DepYcsPxRV]{Illusory Disguise}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JwG4lCSZIG3qUQAi]{Cast Illusion} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hNsph7BRwllVSUre]{Major Illusion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hJV3hrSYcq3Zbzl5]{Illusory Selves}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9cJ6gJZc7datpQwJ]{Terrifying Image}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lCWWUQ0vYH2odiDv]{Grandiose Illusion} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RNJbp1eAcMqSnYvb]{Permanent Illusion}
GM Intrusions: The illusion isn’t believable. The illusion is pierced at just the wrong moment.
You can manipulate shadow and “dark” matter.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7aCeBDGZqu8A9hMQ]{Ribbons of Dark Matter}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VWehoqF0N6s0WMLK]{Void Wings}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XYbtbbVKFYmDfmjO]{Dark Matter Shroud} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MqGMnSIkHK4rOFSm]{Dark Matter Strike}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yB4tnpDNVSOxgruq]{Dark Matter Shell}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b44vvK2YjdSeYPJc]{Windwracked Traveler}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JUn27j5YI3dRh2jJ]{Dark Matter Structure} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.apQwshUTjCQPym8A]{Embrace the Night}
GM Intrusions: Dark matter skulks away as if possessed by a mind of its own.
Everyone wants you on their side when it comes to a fight because nothing gets by you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.C9x7b1qN4qmm568P]{Fortified Position}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.POaewj2PWMMfCY1i]{Rally to Me}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VgomhLKFHDDAzW9T]{Mind for Might}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZvKFftq7doCxI7T5]{Fortification Builder} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hCAzOVpH0jrYc9qk]{Reinforcing Field}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KBykf0P4WQ9Lb6TN]{Generate Force Field} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack}
GM Intrusions: A strategically important structure collapses. The enemy attacks from an unexpected direction.
You stand up for the helpless, the weak, and the unprotected.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YvPBxDxLz16Usm7m]{Courageous}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6zU8AURXjXgG63j6]{Warding Shield}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.9p2RJYFo6s55F5Ha]{Devoted Defender}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fh7tK1BVjgSfZ8ml]{Insight}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Su3LkSzdGHg9w1RO]{Dual Wards} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GAeUBbQWE3ryv50V]{True Guardian}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lb5Bo8BpNXdVMkmt]{Combat Challenge}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JrSM5XYgXpxNnLl2]{Willing Sacrifice}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aDnA7oA9ZYCEfprI]{Resuscitate} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mjEFQ3ndDRvLB5Dj]{True Defender}
GM Intrusions: A character focused on protecting others may periodically leave themselves vulnerable to attacks.
A descendent of wealth and power, you carry a noble title and the abilities granted by a privileged upbringing.
Type Swap Option: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S2OZtm12S2YvxD7H]{Retinue}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xMRRfjFF0POkxyea]{Privileged Nobility}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A8CGMbLGsJ3AHKMP]{Trained Interlocutor}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AAUqaiWxC5V4e1VH]{Noble’s Courage}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.T5tn7zItPyaRcYNC]{Asserting Your Privilege}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader}
GM Intrusions: Debts incurred by a family are owed by the character. A long-lost sibling seeks to disinherit rivals. An assassin finds the character.
Your body, hard as crystal, gives you a suite of unique abilities, gained after an interaction with a floating crystalline obelisk.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bzeuikGxbM7noj2z]{Crystalline Body}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UCR0rx32kEsTcgnF]{Hover}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QsXOz48JgyXYEEqS]{Inhabit Crystal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4Fe5z4FD71eHlbbd]{Immovable}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hIWg9VFNnYnrknAu]{Crystal Lens}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ucsscEpO5L2gIYZg]{Resonant Frequency}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bY52t6eGONKu8Kr4]{Resonant Quake} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tR2v2vMu3TgN21OJ]{Return to the Obelisk}
GM Intrusions: Cyphers and artifacts react unexpectedly in the character’s hands.
You command metal and the power of magnetism.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p2JmtbtuzscW1ogs]{Move Metal}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MK2dp11krszjDsyc]{Repel Metal}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.0XSuUGS0UyrhiW44]{Destroy Metal} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4v5pXMwFeB7xQzME]{Guide Bolt}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n985WYLPzj2XqBry]{Magnetic Field}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uN2YVmNxkFj3SFof]{Command Metal}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fruWNFBBNLpcGLaC]{Diamagnetism} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SZtOjKk7ScShJT6G]{Iron Punch}
GM Intrusions: The metal twists, bends, or produces shrapnel. A lapse in concentration might cause something to slip or drop at just the wrong time.
You perform, mostly for the benefit of others.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rfsCCpxcsjc8hr60]{Levity}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oilgQ4oM02Pa0eNp]{Inspiration}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CLObcsu2DKKKhzyK]{Calm}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Eez3uExkDA20XJg3]{Able Assistance}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.kZ3LhhYZKrcnBplY]{Master Entertainer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRIDlrBzTXVYC5rh]{Vindictive Performance}
GM Intrusions: The audience is annoyed or offended. Musical instruments break. Paints dry in their pots. The words to a poem or song are forgotten.
A bit translucent, you’re slightly out of phase and can move through solid objects.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2j6Hqr2Y8Xbz97c4]{Defensive Phasing}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cJB7wj5okdPZuRNb]{Phased Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MFBq4Fc432FS6nkX]{Phase Door}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kk9lHkiaqsr3pUmk]{Ghost}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QLRztjFH4YetYM6l]{Untouchable}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xHLPf1FETmn06aA8]{Enhanced Phased Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ptH3O4GES71CClGO]{Phase Foe}
GM Intrusions: The character is sent phasing into an unexpected dimension. The character becomes lost in a large solid.
You’re the archetypal treasure hunter, scavenger, and finder of lost things.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MwDYD8V1CJv8w9rR]{Superb Explorer}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aJ1T8XqGF38vyzV2]{Superb Infiltrator}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xskKzxBoGvSrje4e]{Eyes Adjusted}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LdHCwZcifnRRuPrp]{Nightstrike} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JhBTTC5ZUTT8NvUA]{Slippery Customer}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5t5EIoGSan3pQ08D]{Hard-Won Resilience}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xRvaY8SG4HVy5WO8]{Dark Explorer}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XRXQwJplJrm7onbN]{Blinding Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2asT0zvk1kw5hC1v]{Embraced by Darkness}
GM Intrusions: Possessions fall out of pockets or bags in the dark; maps get lost; information gained fails to include an important detail.
You’re a swashbuckling daredevil who fights with flamboyant style that’s entertaining to watch.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GQeO9RXVzeriLsfy]{Quick Block}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ra0A8MtQjZEYhJPr]{Acrobatic Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tmrSKjGmjbxfIqPI]{Flamboyant Boast}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3JWMtJBjf3oUWaxP]{Block for Another}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jaGs9nmLaywdRMUN]{Fast Kill}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vhGEeFVgyqX1gzRr]{Using the Environment}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.cuK7oPGFdlOPoc44]{Agile Wit} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.G5bTthwpEf5azVHA]{Return to Sender}
GM Intrusions: The display comes off looking silly, clumsy, or unattractive.
You can telekinetically move objects with your mind without physically touching them.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xDn74LRD6xlMUqj2]{Telekinesis}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gyZd83dgvZnQrmbb]{Cloak of Opportunity} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bvqDafTBMB7Uo9Qj]{Enhance Strength}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.loOJI9ZakIwGrmW1]{Apportation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8wSx2qtKXq0dWxId]{Psychokinetic Attack}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iEOf9IkbHU8oBOMm]{Improved Apportation} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YFbC1HRis4SpZgrS]{Reshape}
GM Intrusions: One mental slip, and moving objects drop or fragile objects break. Sometimes the wrong item moves, falls, or breaks.
Your body is part machine.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dPFQTFRzv7D7PYKq]{Enhanced Body}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4dTGeclZRVjzn5tT]{Interface}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.syiylO75dZlcUp3i]{Sensing Package} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NFsoXUQaq3I5h2UY]{Weaponization}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.42sPqHxJEybiZ6Vh]{Fusion}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Uk6ceaEWFjcoHNTI]{Deep Reserves}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.fkedtvx6UakJPOZN]{Ultra Enhancement}
GM Intrusions: People in most societies are afraid of someone who is revealed to have mechanical parts.
Electronic aids implanted in your brain make you a mental powerhouse.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7GsuhcRTpDX0d1em]{Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2GicRKJcPO3hmlwD]{Network Tap}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GK0o4fjCtxgAP269]{Action Processor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.dLJ0B35UlB5wxCf4]{Machine Telepathy}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.34Ycb9VK8JwHgSl4]{Greater Enhanced Intellect}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eEGFknWQZUBNXn99]{Knowledge Skills}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MA2Pwhbpbq2SSIQy]{See the Future}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.teF5kZpAuRfZKfxn]{Machine Enhancement} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.laxdkyrDuOhxfWKc]{Mind Surge}
GM Intrusions: Machines malfunction and shut down. Powerful machine intelligences can take control of lesser thinking machines. Some people don’t trust a person who isn’t fully organic.
For brief periods, you become a fearsome and powerful creature with control issues.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8DXGUr433iXaVCSv]{Beast Form}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wIOwT1tjGLMYzZAb]{Controlled Change}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NIePQkLH2DTVjZR2]{Bigger Beast Form} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ee8QC6fkRvD1yw6h]{Greater Beast Form}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wqzexDdZolWgxAza]{Greater Controlled Change}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A9uQnidn6SKTNHJA]{Enhanced Beast Form}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.85DCcEDqvz6A0LkD]{Perfect Control}
GM Intrusions: The change happens in an uncontrolled fashion. People are terrified of monsters.
You are a stalking hunter who excels at bringing down your selected quarry.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.b8rtgyatE8o9FaRS]{Attack Flourish}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.VAGafmOiBpvU2eq0]{Tracker}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FEkLEYwk7r9KE7oC]{Quarry}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sHdBJdVshvtAqz1K]{Sneak}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.aBfj6w1y6noOzB7d]{Horde Fighting} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.57txEIyzuPUQOqVP]{Sprint and Grab}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LE8NtDKG9TzXBv5B]{Hunter’s Drive}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ENO71nxs3MSKzvq6]{Multiple Quarry}
GM Intrusions: The quarry notices the character. The quarry isn’t as vulnerable as it seemed.
Your natural leadership capability allows you to command others, including a loyal band of followers.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FDUGlu7DZhdfxH2P]{Natural Charisma}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.DmnRMTfHYaeoYFVu]{Good Advice}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RnK2bmvUb7RIVPSA]{Enhanced Potential}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4XwwFeGO5haHxvQs]{Basic Follower}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zTsjsWVgzjQzl2MW]{Advanced Command} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ETGBAqAc1ApFH5cx]{Expert Follower}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8EMTH3JCrC5Vjt63]{Captivate or Inspire}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KpbEHKNSEycVB1GU]{Band of Followers} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qbXP6HlN56bPt7cq]{Mind of a Leader}
GM Intrusions: Followers fail, betray, lie, become corrupted, get kidnapped, or die.
You can survive in badlands where others perish.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KqV5RSzOU3S3NK51]{Wilderness Life}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wHcuP6T7Ti6j5Y8C]{Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.vFQaDsHzJpTSV8Tw]{Living Off the Land}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Db7aRY4t1mwRpcoL]{Wilderness Explorer}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KAAezRI2l8rdp1NS]{Animal Senses and Sensibilities} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Ja8ebgq2RDQryN62]{Wilderness Encouragement}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CBdIPMJ2oOOesmod]{Wilderness Awareness}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.pfZzabIIEuU4kSH3]{The Wild Is on Your Side}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Wj6oHOvnZkZjulwI]{One With the Wild} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.TRdK7RJBkq8WW4np]{Wild Camouflage}
GM Intrusions: People in cities and towns sometimes disparage those who look (and smell) like they live in the wilds, as if they were ignorant or barbaric.
You use protective equipment and practiced techniques to avoid becoming hurt in a fight.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EheuStXUDPojVmT5]{Shield Master}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gS1X6POaKLjNlHsI]{Sturdy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.o2ZDoteWQsFsqTJr]{Practiced in Armor}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zLJYM2OiFVIsuz3P]{Dodge and Resist} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.E1YiGcXAYOjHXoAd]{Dodge and Respond}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2AIQhz00HyZhY7wM]{Tower of Will}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4eCjeGPA0ovnwIfu]{Experienced in Armor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lGbieMmnuoqsl4Jz]{Nothing but Defend}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.i5n7BaFjTo6W35f9]{Defense Master} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B6SEeGr5kxLAgvvq]{Wear It Well}
GM Intrusions: Shields break when hit, as do weapons used to parry. Armor straps break.
You are a master user of a particular type of weapon, be it a sword, whip, dagger, gun, or something else.
Someone who Masters Weaponry might have additional equipment, including a high- quality weapon.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.J0fj73TfCu4aSdVL]{Weapon Master}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.qBTIXXJt2Ahn8UYh]{Weapon Crafter}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6Xs3fyaANQDWXRoc]{Weapon Defense}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YA5P5CBNr5NSmY6z]{Rapid Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7rjeYt5hNhkvqK9w]{Disarming Strike}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.imWLlYQs4LTaCTdS]{Never Fumble}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mhgFWIDr0QuCHRIF]{Extreme Mastery}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6P1CJvVMot3Y2xj0]{Deadly Strike}
GM Intrusions: Weapons break. Weapons can be stolen. Weapons can be dropped or forced out of your hand.
You right wrongs, protect the innocent, and punish the guilty.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Zu06akqnHdCvoR0W]{Make Judgment}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tjxKTFdA8gqZDP90]{Designation}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5jGN9GicKYIAneKQ]{Defend the Innocent}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3fMzqFFQ1rLtbVrd]{Improved Designation}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.bz04IOSkdP3zcRMD]{Defend All the Innocent} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iGRECL13bqrSSF7P]{Punish the Guilty}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.RESKINMA0INj60Rc]{Find the Guilty}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QgnoEdKZ50u4JZoL]{Greater Designation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KVOFCKWKmUrqAe7v]{Punish All the Guilty}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JH40M99RAN6IZWze]{Damn the Guilty} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Kf09KYdZqG6dNTFC]{Inspire the Innocent}
GM Intrusions: Guilt or innocence can be complicated. Some people resent the presumption of a self-appointed judge. Passing judgment makes enemies.
Lithe, flexible, and graceful, you move quickly and smoothly, and never seem to be where danger is.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tJiXzKX4gf0GNV6V]{Balance}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0Ewv5wBooSFYOlH]{Safe Fall}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.leUaFf4AxYJwwOHt]{Hard to Hit}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QH3l6ojVnasZm5U8]{Enhanced Speed Edge} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JlYk5UNZEUzzO8Js]{Quick Strike}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2CrV3a9S1yzOXBOJ]{Slippery}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mSNoWynky7DMz7ln]{Perfect Speed Burst} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Qsi6Iw5YCcY8jmNx]{Greater Enhanced Speed}
GM Intrusions: Even a cat can be clumsy. A jump isn’t quite as easy as it looks. An escape move is so overzealous that it sends the character right into harm’s way.
You’re an assassin, whether by trade, by inclination, or because it was that or be killed yourself. (Someone who Murders might have additional equipment, including three doses of a level 2 blade poison that inflicts 5 points of damage.)
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uG2ACHNAPoZirp0b]{Surprise Attack}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rYaAyFLmCAAwZi0s]{Assassin Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.y2eUnbkzxOeoe9w6]{Quick Death}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ZB80ZclRSzEcr4o1]{Awareness} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.AQQzctwqPJPUTRbb]{Poison Crafter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tbeFzIPGuAjRBpKM]{Better Surprise Attack}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UlQ7w5iD57Hfdzce]{Damage Dealer}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FzJe2XEwhtUajTWI]{Escape Plan} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KNElOxbWobS1ygLv]{Murderer}
GM Intrusions: Most people do not react well to a professional killer.
Powerful punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and full body movements are all the weapons you need.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Hgr8QZmzjXmYorfs]{Fists of Fury}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.K33ayv0NcktuV53N]{Flesh of Stone}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p61Ycyc7lVZQXupO]{Advantage to Disadvantage}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JJKRrcU5L1yM9y90]{Unarmed Fighting Style}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mGv7zlZu1wtNCQXQ]{Moving Like Water} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.LODZEYtmmBN5D9zZ]{Divert Attacks}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eQIPJk2xcFGfDr3H]{Stun Attack}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.S4PaEqmYjg4TGoG3]{Master of Unarmed Fighting Style} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: Striking certain foes hurts you as much as it hurts them. Opponents with weapons have greater reach. Complicated martial arts moves can knock you off balance.
You never quit, can shrug off a beating, and always come back for more.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.UtFc3e4grYyCQneH]{Improved Recovery}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.wXV7JxEmZDlBvRKO]{Push on Through}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.JuOmZXMt1T3tQUZ8]{Ignore the Pain}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R0UuZ32vmmeFbSMV]{Blood Fever} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sPheWt9emoY3PCA8]{Hidden Reserves}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.iyM2N9G0RLlj6BZ7]{Increasing Determination} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3VJyYtECl0wKQj2p]{Outlast the Foe}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.sbGo2i4oqy1aUeQ6]{Not Dead Yet}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.5HNZcrij9mgEmvAR]{Final Defiance} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NMgopYfoagESHtea]{Ignore Affliction}
GM Intrusions: Sometimes, it’s equipment or weapons that give out.
When you go berserk, everyone fears you.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YGsGHp1rbu3Z7Kdd]{Frenzy}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.R9KnCCvGoEHvV1p0]{Greater Enhanced Might}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.tC7wmZwlZcQy5Vd0]{Movement Skills}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoC3yuqxU8yhPf47]{Power Strike} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.zEkA8MhrnJ5p9Io6]{Unarmored Fighter}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.hAVC1FOl7hwnuBpC]{Greater Frenzy}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ltAq7qr8aaalOtJp]{Attack and Attack Again}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.58CLKxSLgaT6W6Cj]{Lethal Damage}
GM Intrusions: It’s easy for a berserker to lose control and attack friend as well as foe.
You create and discharge electrical power.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3btRIiWxY8oMcVMo]{Shock}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.essJhO2eqoHmIQaa]{Charge}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uh1t4rnkZ2jOCjHJ]{Bolt Rider}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.76HF09q7MdGek863]{Electric Armor} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.A6H8xi93t6Zrexz9]{Drain Charge}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.YDKULtvV0pMJDxi2]{Bolts of Power}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.etGUYa9dQSvjLvXX]{Electrical Flight}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2TaqNf6bhxijKELX]{Flash Across the Miles} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Bny0sFdqf40pJeOp]{Wall of Lightning}
GM Intrusions: Targets other than those intended are shocked. Objects explode.
You keep the place where you live safe from all danger.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.op9VSx3NJT28UwTH]{Community Knowledge}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ag3OU8JZuc769034]{Community Activist}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.HHQzosgWahaIYPwk]{Skill With Attacks}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.6ZVINuyZm4jowRGt]{Shepherd’s Fury} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.CtRvLxfUlCynJv1B]{Skill With Defense}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.4necR0YTsaij4ojD]{Greater Enhanced Potential}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.N0OZaNOIbHTiWDL1]{Evasion}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.oroWEBbp3cvrYwH9]{Greater Skill With Attacks} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xxavxLEaiVFug1D6]{Protective Wall}
GM Intrusions: People in the community misunderstand the character’s motives. Rivals try to oust the character.
Speed plus phasing gives you a unique ability to evade danger and simultaneously inflict damage.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3t1QshyGYnCSo12z]{Phase Sprint}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7f6ulMjWFw2BOK76]{Disrupting Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.n81xGnZHydeXmIRc]{Scratch Existence}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nEN2HYzlJWhonfmE]{Invisible Phasing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.g0SqMvb020tiTQ48]{Walk Through Walls}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rXUUDUJFKis8TpnL]{Phase Detonation}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8yGwY0PvtF2ivdSn]{Very Long Sprinting}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.P9HlASUtyiOXghBZ]{Shred Existence} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.INdq5iQf5ECzRiNp]{Untouchable While Moving}
GM Intrusions: Moving so quickly while sprinting sometimes leads to stumbles on unexpected, exotic obstacles.
You use your organic brain like a computer, interfacing “wirelessly” with any electronic device. You can control and influence them in ways that others can’t.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.lzy1YbdIJxzNIHZq]{Machine Affinity}
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7nUj7rxq4Qwg4FUM]{Distant Interface}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.L3UjcLAFvS9MLWCu]{Coaxing Power}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.SeAlSU8Rim5CWsgV]{Charm Machine}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.2odkyEO8azxIZWYj]{Intelligent Interface} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OE5yXpzWC8lSUmGX]{Command Machine}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.XkFsMa9e9IY2FRcN]{Machine Companion}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NoKdHv0FSytZR4iF]{Robot Fighter}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PLyxuOlieOGsJx4h]{Information Gathering}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FxohCBSksJIu1BSA]{Control Machine} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.PKFz6WVsaKm5kIir]{Improved Machine Companion}
GM Intrusions: The machine malfunctions or acts unpredictably.
You emit destructive sound and manipulate soundscapes.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.uMaMKhemHmtlXDjT]{Thunder Beam}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.87SQGqcRavRZslAp]{Sound Conversion Barrier}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KLFHpPR0MKLOWr8l]{Nullify Sound} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EcOIgMC9c1IfSHsr]{Echolocation}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.znJCKr6PeEq4a0j5]{Shattering Shout}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QZa9b5G80qxtoYqg]{Subsonic Rumble}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.B0dq2gW9gdA0PdzR]{Amplify Sounds}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.jhdgI9rV2mpH6JQU]{Earthquake} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.GlFT2ITvytQVWywQ]{Lethal Vibration}
GM Intrusions: Loud noises attract attention.
You command the wintery power of cold and ice.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.czVqoPjH98xaNY1d]{Ice Armor}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.nHqTzLHJrUWSAATM]{Frost Touch}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.BGMXK6VKNmp8M4A3]{Freezing Touch} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7G8B9lfoVXkuxvKB]{Ice Creation}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FuufiUyoLFbgBH5J]{Resilient Ice Armor}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.yEfkqXxmuQqlA6Fi]{Cold Burst}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.mvC2vboULutesBDu]{Ice Storm} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.EXrZLa3M8BK43qoi]{Winter Gauntlets}
GM Intrusions: Ice makes surfaces slippery. Extreme cold causes objects to crack and break.
You bear steel with both hands, ready to take on any foe.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.NHns9zqufRvB3Tnl]{Dual Light Wield}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.Pu5XGGLI6cCp1EQd]{Double Strike}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.369RISHwqzRXkwEG]{Infiltrator}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.q9nALxXrBv5ubXaT]{Dual Medium Wield} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rOxKh1Z7J686a0nv]{Precise Cut}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.gVOzzvxS6PPu8Ofy]{Dual Defense}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.3uGYyiXUUSz952zQ]{Dual Distraction}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.p1UMG2hrng7mLFDv]{Disarming Attack} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KDZeCZJxjCQzlTxA]{Spin Attack}
GM Intrusions: A blade snaps in two or a weapon flies loose from its bearer’s grip.
You can heal others with a touch, alter time to help others, and are generally beloved by everyone.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.igGttY1Y2XbAx3qY]{Healing Touch}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.8mP69InEXQ4TB5BL]{Alleviate}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.rAmIxY5G1BK4ZMm7]{Font of Healing} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.7amEMbwK27v31Lt9]{Miraculous Health}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.FiSwskgQGBjp4IhZ]{Inspire Action}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.IN9qNZDx4sBKNr8n]{Undo}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.O2XHxUa2QNrliDMG]{Greater Healing Touch} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.ydmPM9m8nmmgvlXc]{Restore Life}
GM Intrusions: Attempts to heal might cause harm instead. A community or individual needs a healer so desperately that they hold one against their will.
You make your way unseen, stealing from the wealthy to achieve your ends.
Tier 1: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QAdh0yZBjJsHdJjD]{Stealth Skills}
Tier 2: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OFWQd2W52VAODeas]{Underworld Contacts}
Tier 3: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.MzKqElUHuTtHkV7D]{Pull a Fast One} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.OtbS1NoVXK7mQLEe]{Guild Training}
Tier 4: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.KM9qqjzJBJusQNkT]{Master Thief}
Tier 5: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.xR2DkSqvAoR8Vtfn]{Dirty Fighter}
Tier 6: @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.QtpmHxblBqoQozbg]{Alley Rat} or @UUID[Compendium.cyphersystem-compendium.abilities.eepc8U2e178RDqBs]{All-Out Con}
GM Intrusions: Thieves are thrown in jail. Powerful enemies are made.
","markdown":""},"video":{"controls":true,"volume":0.5},"src":null,"system":{},"ownership":{"default":-1},"flags":{}}],"flags":{"core":{"sourceId":"JournalEntry.DPqNQ0vd7NYr3uQ2"}},"_stats":{"systemId":"cyphersystem","systemVersion":"2.1.1","coreVersion":"10.291","createdTime":1664960719139,"modifiedTime":1672918151912,"lastModifiedBy":"yThCrv1jSfPXOC2U"},"ownership":{"default":0,"yThCrv1jSfPXOC2U":3},"folder":null,"sort":0,"_id":"sRanjFPCqh7wKQ5r"} From 94839bc746acd51b958d256287facfbeeec662ec Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: mrkwnzl <40534855+mrkwnzl@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2023 20:02:22 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Update v3.5.1 --- CHANGELOG.md | 7 ++++++- module.json | 4 ++-- 2 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md index bf9ee4a..700aa4a 100644 --- a/CHANGELOG.md +++ b/CHANGELOG.md @@ -4,9 +4,14 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file. The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/), and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html). +## [3.5.1] - 2023-01-12 +### Fixed +- The CSRD Rulebook hasn’t been updated with the correct file in v3.5.0. This has been corrected: + - The CSRD Rulebook now *really* includes some notes with errata, clarifications, addenda, and Foundry VTT usage tips. Those are unintrusively put behind a details tag. This way, the comments are clearly separated from the original SRD content. + ## [3.5.0] - 2023-01-05 ### Added -- The CSRD Rulebook now includes some notes with errata, clarifications, addendums, and Foundry VTT usage tips. Those are unintrusively put behind a details tag. This way, the comments are clearly separated from the original SRD content. +- The CSRD Rulebook now includes some notes with errata, clarifications, addenda, and Foundry VTT usage tips. Those are unintrusively put behind a details tag. This way, the comments are clearly separated from the original SRD content. - The CSRD Rulebook now includes lists with linked items for all cyphers, creatures, and NPCs at the appropriate places. - The Technofantasy Ruleset has been expanded by some more appropriate foci and descriptors. There’s also a new custom type: the Leader (based on the Speaker). diff --git a/module.json b/module.json index 5b31d22..195c6f6 100644 --- a/module.json +++ b/module.json @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ "id": "cyphersystem-compendium", "title": "Cypher SRD Compendium", "description": "A compendium pack for the Cypher System game system.", - "version": "3.5.0", + "version": "3.5.1", "compatibility": { "minimum": "10", "verified": "10.291", @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ }, "url": "https://github.com/mrkwnzl/cyphersystem-compendium", "manifest": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mrkwnzl/cyphersystem-compendium/main/module.json", - "download": "https://github.com/mrkwnzl/cyphersystem-compendium/releases/download/v3.5.0/release.zip", + "download": "https://github.com/mrkwnzl/cyphersystem-compendium/releases/download/v3.5.1/release.zip", "authors": [ { "name": "Marko Wenzel",