Gifts & Nega-Gifts

INSTRUCTIONS

There are two types of gifts: Gifts and Nega-Gifts. Initially characters start with a pool of four gifts.

This pool may be increased in size by taking a Nega-Gift (a disadvantage). A Nega-Gift is an obstacle that the character must overcome. A Gift is an advantage the character has through fate/design or demeanor. Each Gift taken reduces the beginning Gift pool by its cost.

A maximum of 4 points worth of Nega-Gifts may be taken. Taking any more than this may unbalance a game.

A maximum of 8 points worth of Gifts may be taken. Once again, any more than this may unbalance the game.

Gift: Wealth

• Cost: -1 (Fair) to -4 (Superb)
• Description:
  • Fair Wealth: financial security, modest income
  • Good Wealth: purchasing power within reason
  • Great Wealth: Bruce Wayne
  • Superb Wealth: massive cash flow

Nega-Gift: Wealth

• Cost: +2 (Terrible), +1 (Poor)
• Description:
  • All characters start with Mediocre Wealth unless they take a Gift or Nega-Gift
  • Poor: subsistence level, less starting equipment/cash. Spam and ramen are regular items in diet.
  • Terrible: below subsistence level; character owns only clothing

Followers

• Cost: -1 (Terrible) to -7 (Superb)
• Description:
  • Terrible: A lackey or employee
  • Poor: A group of about 3 people
  • Mediocre: A gang of loosely organized underlings
  • Fair: Large gangs (NPC only)
  • Good: Small organization or team of professionals (NPC only)
  • Great: A simple organization or small disciplined organizations (NPC only)
  • Superb: A large complex organization (NPC only; large cities, police force, military)

Allies

• Cost: -1 (Terrible) to -7 (Superb)
• Description:
  • Terrible: Single friend or trusted companion--low capability (Fair stats)
  • Poor: 2 low capability or 1 medium capability (Good stats)
  • Mediocre: 3 low capability or 1 high capability (Great stats) or 2 medium
  • Fair: 4 low or 3 medium or 2 Great or 1 Superb (elite law officer)
  • Good: 5 low or 4 medium or 3 Great or 2 Superb (politician)
  • Great: 6 low or 5 medium or 4 Great or 3 Superb
  • Superb: 7 low or 6 medium or 5 Great or 4 Superb

Nega-Gift: Vanity, Pride, etc.

• Cost: +1
• Description: Appeals to this weakness are at a -1 to be resisted by willpower.

Acute Sense

• Cost: -1
• Description:
  • One normal sense is unusually sharp. This gives a +1 situational bonus to Awareness; e.g. if vision is chosen then add +1 to awareness rolls to detect an ambush using sight. Subject to GM approval.
  • May be purchased multiple times for different senses

Ambidextrous

• Cost: -1
• Description:
  • No penalty for two weapons or use of one hand.
  • Multi-action penalty still applies
  • However rolls are at +1
  • Must have minimum Good ability

Catlike Balance

• Cost: -1
• Description:
  • +1 to balance-related agility skills/rolls.
  • Minimum Agility to purchase: Good

Genetic Potential

• Cost: -2
• Description: May raise statistic beyond superior limit to Legendary. This can be due to breeding, alien adaptation, high-g homeworld, or genetic manipulation. Must be raised with experience.

Big

• Cost: -1
• Description:
  • Character is substantially larger than the norm (average human)
  • Scale: +1 + associated Gifts/Nega-Gifts.
    • + Strength level / + Mass level / - Dexterity level / - Agility level

Small

• Cost: -1
• Description:
  • Character is substantially smaller than the norm (average human)
  • Scale: -1 + associated Gifts/Nega-Gifts
    • - Strength level / - Mass level / + Dexterity level / + Agility level / - Damage Capacity

Poor Senses

• Cost: +1 or +2
• Description: -1 or -2 awareness roll for 1 sense

One Eye

• Cost: +1
• Description:
  • Character is missing one eye or is blind in one eye.
  • Has no depth perception
  • Ranged combat at -2 to roll
  • Awareness rolls at -1
  • Can be used in conjunction with Acute Sense (Vision)

Addiction

• Cost: +1 / +2 for illegal drugs.
• Description: -1 to rolls for every 24 hours after the first 24 hours without a fix. This penalty is cumulative. Going without for 4 days is equal to a -3 modifier.

Genetic Abnormality

• Cost: Variable
• Description:
  • A deformity or disfigurement. It provides a negative modifier for specific situations; e.g. Hunchback: -1 social skills not including intimidation, -2 Agility skills related to speed = +3
  • -1 modifier = +1, -3 modifier = +3

Genetic Deficit

• Cost: +2
• Description: May not raise statistic above Good. This can be due to weak bone structure/alien adaptation/aberrant genetic mutation.

Equipment

• Cost: Variable (see below)
• Description:
  • This gift is used to describe unique and rare equipment carried by the character. Its cost varies with the variety/uniqueness of the equipment.
  • -1: Rare/midsized but not overly expensive (e.g., a customized vehicle or a customized firearm). This level of equipment is attainable through special order.
  • -2: Very rare/large (e.g., starship: small fighter or freighter; the hand of Vecna: a cybernetic arm with unique abilities)
  • -3: Extremely rare/huge (e.g., starship: yacht, small frigate; items such as the "Key to Time", etc.)
  • Note: GMs should exercise caution--equipment at this level can easily unbalance a campaign.

Mimicry

• Cost: -1
• Description:
  • This gift is the equivalent of having a built-in sound sampling and 3-D sound generation studio.
  • Note: The GM may impose some practical limits; e.g., special equipment for large or alien sounds.
  • This gift supersedes the skill in that sounds may be replicated instantly without practice.