Ulysses slashes, pierces, and rips apart his enemies with his cockatrice (think, scaly bird of prey looking) talons. He is swift and agile, but there is brutal muscle behind each ripping, tearing strike.
The Cockatrice, as legends say, was well known for its ferocious abilities in close quarters. Ulysses has inherited the instinct of this ancient beast in how to utilize his talons, as a hybrid with some of its DNA.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in unarmed combat.
+2 dice to rolls for Attacking, Defending, and Clashing without a weapon. Unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage (instead of -1).
You may Defend against melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks from any range and Clash with those in range of your Attacks. Attacking materials like steel or spikes will not Damage you unless it has an Effect that does so.
You also gain the following effects:
"...I have been wounded before. I am not infallible... But remain unscathed! Proof of the love of the cosmos and importance of my cause! Stand by me, my brethren, solid in the knowledge that I am in the right! Solid as my flesh will bubble and knit! Solid as the fluidity of the universe!..."
The nebulous flow of cosmic energy and the empowerment bestowed by the parasites combine into a roiling, bubbling mass under the skin. It externally appears a mild bump that shrinks over time as the injury mends.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Any Injury you receive heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every 6 hours. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active do not deteriorate over time. However, any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will remain unless it is Properly Stabilized as normal.
The skates now allow the wielder to grip onto surfaces and glide around obstacles. Water freezes beneath you as you skate before unfreezing.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You may move easily and without a roll in any of the following situations.
Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their mind and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Trauma: Nightmares. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next day.
It appears almost effortless, as Ego bends the fundamental laws of the universe. There's no need for any physical motion or verbal components-- in fact, he doesn't even need look where he's casting to manipulate reality all the same. The space around him simply warps to his will, as if affected by an uncanny gravitational pull, or a glitch in the physics engine of the world.
Upon closer examination, it's clear that the raw source of this power comes from somewhere within Emile. The intense concentration needed to just conjure any of this ability would be enough to break any normal individual, crushing them under the weight of what they attempt to lift. But for Ego? There's no toll too high, no barrier too much for him to overcome.
"If I could just bend my environment to my whims, through the power of my mind alone..." Perhaps if Emile believed this was remotely possible for himself, then none of this would have ever happened.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The same degree of force necessary for Distortion to take effect is applied to Emile's character in full, heightening his personality quirks to their natural extreme and afflicting his body with e̶l̴d̷r̸i̴t̸c̵h̶ consequences. To achieve this power fantasy in the way Emile deludes of, he must be shaped into something almost unrecognizable.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
As long as you maintain Concentration, you can take Actions and interact with things that are within 75 feet without needing to physically touch them or be near them. Any rolls made for Actions taken in this way use a Mental Strength of 4 in place of your Brawn rating, a Mental Agility of 4 in place of your Dexterity, and otherwise use your own Attributes and Abilities.
Telekinetic actions have the following restrictions and behaviors:
Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: Incipient Corruption: The fingers of your left hand appear withered, as if undergoing the first stages of necrosis. A small price to pay for power, isn't it? You are at a -1 die penalty for any roll utilizing the affected hand, Mental Overload: Your brain is flooded with a sea of e̶l̴d̷r̸i̴t̸c̵h̶ knowledge, leaving it susceptible to being rattled by a well aimed attack. Called Shots to your head do +2 Damage [Requires Outcome 6]. Whenever you Exert your Mind, your eyes briefly flash a shimmering silver as if your Samson activated., and Smug Bastard: Your face has a chronic, detrimentally smug expression that makes any social interaction much more difficult. All social rolls are made at +1 Difficulty. The Beautiful Asset is suppressed as long as you have this Battle Scar.
Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: L'appel Du Vide: Its call beckons at every moment, and you must bring yourself closer to that edge to fill its v̷o̸i̵d̸. When faced with the opportunity to perform an action in a more dangerous or exciting way, you must roll Self-Control to resist the impulse., Savior Complex: Your inner desire to aid people and improve the world has been warped with your sense of worth as a person, and your need to seek approval from others. Whenever you have the opportunity to help someone in need, you must succeed a Self-Control roll to resist the impulse, and Vindicative Vindication: You tire of dealing with the senseless opinions of the masses, and refuse to take any shit from them lying down. Each time someone wrongs you or disrespects you in a major way, you must succeed a Self-Control roll to resist taking revenge.
Remus had certainly fucked it up this time: Creedence flew forwards and further into the horizon, whilst the sniper's round ripped backwards through his shoulder. He himself simply plummeted downwards, having let go of the enormous cross when his arm went limp.
He'd have to use Plan B.
The clown in cowboy getup spun rapidly through the air, righting himself so that he may land face-first towards the ground. Moments before impact, the prayer beads rapidly inflate like airbags - absorbing the impact and bouncing Remus back onto his feet before shrinking back down to their original size in the blink of an eye.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
As long as you are conscious, you are immune to falling Damage and may hover in place mid-air. Additionally, you may glide as you fall, traveling 35 feet horizontally for every 10 feet you fall. While gliding, you fall at a minimum speed of 10 feet per Round.
You are subject to the following effects while gliding:
Ringer
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Any Injury you receive heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every 10 minutes. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active do not deteriorate over time. However, any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will remain unless it is Properly Stabilized as normal.
As long as at least half your body remains intact, you cannot die and remain at Incapacitated, regardless of how many Injuries you take. It is clear to observers that you are still alive.
You may Exert your Mind and spend a Quick Action to reduce the Severity of one of your Injuries by 4. Does not affect Injuries suffered as an activation cost for Effects.
All Injuries you receive are considered Properly Stabilized. You may also choose to heal any Battle Scar on yourself that may not have been caused by an Injury. Doing so takes one day, and the Battle Scar affects you fully until that time.
The mad scientist can craft steel helmets that protect their wearers from mental influence and attack.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You get +0 dice to any Mind resistance rolls you make. You also gain the following effects:
Unimportant characters just can't seem to hit our hero with their attacks. Injuries that are sustained from underlings are conveniently non-severe.
You gain the following benefits as long as the attacker isn't important enough to have a name.
You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. This Armor cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.
Standard issue in the Future Soldier's home time, the Personal Shield Generator (PSG) projects a protective energy barrier around the body. It absorbs damage far better than traditional armor, but its battery is quickly drained. When depleted, the PSG must spend a few seconds recharging.
When struck, the normally-invisible field of the PSG flashes, revealing a bright yellow honey-comb pattern encasing the body.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You have 6 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack.
Your Armor cannot be destroyed, and it always provides a minimum of 2 Armor regardless of any Armor shredding or penetration. It cannot be circumvented with Called Shots. When shredded, it returns to full potency in one hour.
Any time your Armor prevents Damage, your Armor rating is temporarily decreased by 2. Whenever it goes five Rounds without preventing any Damage, it is restored back to its full value.
The Ninja is so attuned to the sounds of their surroundings, they may focus their mind to "see" using the subtle acoustic vibrations.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Your senses are enhanced in the following way.
There's a certain strength that comes from displaying the flag of one's country. As long as the Soldier holding their country's flag or wearing something emblazoned with it, they are less likely to be injured in battle.
You gain the following benefits at all times. You must actively and obviously be using clothes or a uniform that displays the flag of your country to gain the benefits of this Effect.
You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. This Armor cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.