Charlatans

This Effect activates whenever attacked by something supernatural or completely alien to laurence. It does not require an Action or Exertion. Select a Sapient or Creature target within 20 feet. Your target should be intuitively based on the triggering event. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma. Roll Brawn + Alertness ( dice) Difficulty 6. Affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7. If they are incapacitated or unconscious, they fail automatically.

If the Contested Outcome is positive, the target loses that much Source. Once their Source is depleted, excess Outcome is applied as Mind Damage. If you deal at least 3 Mind damage, the target gains a new Trauma of your choice. The Trauma should be general and not specifically mention you. You should not have to be involved to trigger the Trauma.

This Trauma may be removed by Effects or mundane therapy, as normal. Affected targets are aware that they are being attacked and can generally tell who did it.

You gain the following benefits as long as engaged in combat with firearms.

+2 dice to all firearms rolls.

You also gain the following effects:

• Bullet Parry: You may use a Reaction to Defend against any Melee, thrown, or projectile Attack in range of your Attacks.
• Point Control: Called Shots that you attempt only require a Contested Outcome of 2 for small targets and 4 for tiny targets.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action or Reaction. You must actively and obviously use a musical instrument that can be heard to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Performance ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a Barrier extending out 15 feet from yourself, which absorbs 2 times the next (Outcome +2) Damage. Only applies to attacks which originated outside the 15 foot radius, and protects anyone who is within that radius. Any Damage absorbed by the barrier is reflected back to the attacker, up to a maximum of 2. Their Armor applies in full. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. You may only have 1 active barrier at a time.

You must maintain Concentration while using this Effect. The barrier will fall if you are interrupted, or if it absorbs the full amount of Damage. When a barrier falls, you cannot use this Effect again for a minimum of 2 Rounds.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action or Reaction. Select a Animate target within 20 feet. You cannot target yourself. You must actively and obviously use cane or staff to activate this Effect. Roll Intellect + Science ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around your target, which absorbs the next Outcome + 4 Damage. Half any Damage absorbed by the barrier is reflected back to the attacker. They may attempt to Dodge or Defend using a Desperate Defense, and their Armor applies in full. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. You may only have 1 active barrier at a time.

You must maintain Concentration while using this Effect. The barrier will fall if you are interrupted, or if it absorbs the full amount of Damage. When a barrier falls, you cannot use this Effect again for a minimum of 2 Rounds.

Exert your Mind and spend one minute. Select a Sapient target within arm's reach. You must actively converse with the individual in question for one minute in order to gather any information. At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Alertness ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

You learn all the following information about your target:

• Determine if this target is Alien in origin or whether it has any Alien energy or outside influences. You receive information about the type of energy, including the name of the relevant Source pool or equivalent.
• You determine how many living beings the target has killed, what sorts of creatures they were, and how long it has been since they last killed.
• You learn the target's name, nicknames, screen names, and aliases.

The quality and specificity of information gained depends on your Outcome.

You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.

You gain the following benefits as long as Must be driving a rugged vehicle such as an SUV truck or armored car. and you are piloting any vehicle.

You receive +2 dice to any rolls to pilot a vehicle.

You also gain the following effects:

• Drive-By: You may drive or pilot your vehicle as a Free Action, without taking any penalty on other Actions.
• Steady As She Goes: The motion of your vehicle never causes your passengers dice penalties, and you do not suffer dice penalties from the unsteadiness of any vehicle you are riding in.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Living target within arm's reach. Roll Dexterity + Brawl ( dice) Difficulty 6. The target may contest by rolling Body ( dice), Difficulty 6.

If the Contested Outcome is positive, the target takes that much Damage plus 2. The target's Armor is completely ignored.

When you activate this Effect, instead of occurring immediately, you may choose to delay its effects until the target takes a particular Action. For example: "when they fire a gun" or "when they swim in deep water."

Instead of dealing Damage all at once, the Injury caused by this Power starts at Severity 1 and worsens at the rate of one level per Round until it reaches the Severity it would have otherwise been.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action.

You transform into a flowing pool of water for the next minute. You may end the effect early and return to your normal form at will. Your structure must remain relatively contiguous. Observers will view you as an unusual entity moving with a singular purpose.

While in this form, you can squeeze through any gap that is not water-tight.

Injuries from standard attacks are reduced to Severity 1, but Damage from AOE effects is increased by 1.

You cannot communicate or use equipment while transformed. Your equipment does not transform with you beyond basic body coverings. You cannot carry any items while transformed.

You have access to your Powers while transformed.

After this Effect ends, you cannot move quicker than a walk (15 feet per Round) for one minute and suffer a -1 dice penalty for an hour.

Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Culture ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

You learn all the following information about your target:

• You learn the object's highest material value and why it is worth so much.

You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.

Spend 30 minutes. You may only target yourself. The target can easily Resist.

You may add one augmentation to your target. Each augmentation counts as a Battle Scar and can have exactly one of the following Effects:

• Specialized: You receive +2 dice to a particular non-combat, non-Effect Action.
• Environmental Adaptation: You do not suffer harm from heat, cold, pressure, or lack of oxygen in a particular environment, provided that challenge normally exists in that environment.
• Implanted Tool: You have access to the functionality of some common Device at all times. The selected Device can be no larger than a motorcycle helmet.
• Armor: You have 2 Armor at all times. As always, Armor from multiple sources does not stack.
• Pouch: Part of your body functions as a hidden pocket. It can hold no more than a briefcase (15 liters).
• Zippy: Your Free Movement is increased by 10 feet.
• Maws and Claws: Your unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage instead of -1.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.

Your alteration "heals" over the course of the next month, after which it is fully cured.