Absorption represents a character who grows stronger as they absorb kinetic energy of attacks and physical impacts. Certain types of demons, elementals, giant monsters, and artefacts most frequently have this quality. The character can absorb up to 5 damage received from physical attacks (such as guns, swords, punches, energy blasts, falling, etc.) for each Level of this Attribute and change them into the same number of Health or Energy Points before damage is inflicted (Health Points or Energy Points must be selected when this Attribute is first assigned). The absorbed Points are added to the character’s current total immediately, which may temporarily raise the total above its normal maximum (no more than twice the normal level) until the end of the combat encounter or dramatic scene. Damage stopped by the character’s Armour (page 80) or Force Field (page 94) Attributes cannot be absorbed, nor can damage can both be absorbed and converted (by the Conversion Attribute; page 86) at the same time. Absorption does not apply to damage from non-physical or complex attacks, including Weapons with the following Custom Enhancements: Continuing, Drain (Any), Flare, Incapacitating, Irritant, Psychic, Stun, and Tangle.

A character with Alternate Form can instantaneously transform into one other specific form that is determined during character creation and approved by the Game Master. Once selected, the choice of form cannot usually be altered. Alternate Form allows the character to possess a radically different body shape and size than their normal human form, and exhibit exotic physical features as well. See the Metamorphosis Attribute (page 106) for a variation on Alternate Form. If a character only has a single, permanent, non-human form, this Attribute should not be applied. Instead, the character should acquire the relevant Attributes and Defects that best represent the form’s capabilities. A character with several different Alternate Forms should assign this Attribute multiple times. The Attributes gained in the character’s Alternate Form obviously cannot be Dependent (page 149) upon the Alternate Form Attribute. Different Alternate Forms can be built with different Attribute Levels as well. To create a character with unlimited additional forms, see the Dynamic Powers (page 89) or Power Flux (page 113) Attributes with a Shapeshifting speciality. The extra form is built from 5 Character Points for each Alternate Form Level, which can be used to acquire Attributes and Defects for the form. The character retains all the Stat Values, Attribute Levels, Enhancements, Limiters, and Defects associated with their regular body while in the new form; the newly acquired Attributes and Defects add to the character’s normal form. If the character’s Stats are modified by the Augmented Attribute (page 80) or Shortcoming Defect (page 164), the Derived Values (page 168) should be recalculated as necessary. Unless the GM indicates otherwise, normal clothing becomes part of the Alternate Form as well. An Alternate Form may only be assigned if some disadvantage (social or otherwise) exists that make staying in form all the time a significant disadvantage.

**REDUCING ATTRIBUTES**
Although the Attributes of an Alternate Form usually add on top of the character’s base Attributes, sometimes the character will need to “sell off” a few Attribute Levels to best match the player’s concept. In this case, elimination of Levels returns Points to the character, which can be allocated to other Attributes.

For example, a character with Level 4 Alternate Form can add +20 Points to create the new form. If the character wants to reduce their Superstrength Attribute from their normal Level 2 to a new Level 0 (because the Alternate Form does not possess Superstrength) the character gains back the 8 Points spent on Superstrength. Consequently, the Level 4 Alternate Form now gives the character +28 Points (20 + 8 = 28) to spend on new Attributes. The converse is true for “buying off” a character’s normal Defects when using the Alternate Form, as the Points available for the character’s Alternate Form are lowered appropriately by the Point reduction associated with the Defect. If a character needs to reduce more than two Attributes in their Alternate Form, or the secondary form is intended to be weaker than the character’s primary form (such as a powerful vampire changing into a bat), it is probably better to assign the Metamorphosis Attribute (page 106) instead of Alternate Form. Furthermore, if two or more players wish to create a combined and merged form for their characters, it is better to assign the Merge Attribute (page 103).

**SAMPLE ALTERNATE FORMS**
The examples below suggest some Attributes that may be appropriate for specific Alternate Forms, but the GM can modify them if desired; it’s a non-exhaustive list. For forms that simply represent different states of matter (such as liquid, gaseous, or incorporeal), the Change State Attribute (page 82) may be a better option.

**ANIMAL FORMS**
Many nature-based shapeshifters have one or more animal-hybrid forms.

**Suggested Attributes**
: any that are relevant to the specific animal form, such as Armour, Attack Mastery, Features, Flight, Heightened Senses, Jumping, Special Movement, Tough, Tunnelling.

**ELEMENTAL/CHEMICAL FORMS**
This option covers a wide range of possible forms, including: acid, base, gold, granite, ice, mercury, water, sulphur, synthetic drugs, etc.

**Suggested Attributes**
: Armour, Augmented, Change State, Elasticity, Extra Arms, Ground Speed, Massive Damage, Regeneration, Resilient, Special Movement, Superstrength, Swarm, Tough, Water Speed, Weapon.

**FLAME FORM**
The character is composed of fire and can ignite flammable objects on contact. Any person near the character may suffer burn damage as well.

**Suggested Attributes**
(which may be optimised for heat and fire): Armour, Control Environment, Conversion, Flight, Force Field, Weapon (with Aura).

**MELDING FORM**
The character can meld into any inanimate object and perceive nearby events as though they are still human. Once merged, the character cannot be harmed unless the object is damaged.

**Suggested Attributes**
: Change State, Resilient, Teleport (within the melded object), Tunnelling.

**MASS DECREASE**
The character can decrease their density.

**Suggested Attributes**
: Change State, Special Movement.

**Suggested Defects**
: Fragile.

**MASS INCREASE**
The character can increase their density.

**Suggested Attributes**
: Armour, Massive Damage, Tough.

**SUPERHUMAN OR MAGICAL FORM**
Some characters like magical girls and heroes maintain dual human/super identities and do not have access to all of their Attributes until transformed.

**Suggested Attributes**
: any that are relevant to character’s other form, often including Armour, Augmented, Extra Actions, and Weapon. TWO-DIMENSIONAL FORM A 2D character has height and width, but not depth. They can squeeze through the spaces between atoms and are completely invisible when viewed from the side. An entire new two-dimensional universe may be waiting to be explored by such a character.

**Suggested Attributes**
: Pocket Dimension, Resilient, Special Movement, Superspeed.

This is a much less powerful version of the Alternate Form Attribute. The character has one Alternate Identity per Level, which may vary in race, gender, looks, age, or even status. Each Alternate Identity will have a different physical description, but the character’s Attributes do not change. The only exceptions to this are any Attributes that are tied to their looks and any relationships that differ from one identity to the other, such as Features (Appearance) and possibly Connected, as well as the Defects Hounded, Marked, Nemesis, Significant Other, Unappealing, and Wanted. Alternate Identity can also be assigned to Items that perform similar cosmetic changes, such as a car that (while keeping most of its Attributes) can change its apparent model, paint job, and license, or magical cosplay clothes that can change into a series of different alternate outfits. To have a character who can change into any identity at will, without changing their Attributes, assign Dynamic Powers (page 89) with a minor “identity changing” specialty at Level 1 for 10 Points and this will cover someone who can assume any form they wish. Still another way to change apparent identity is with the Illusion (page 97) or Projection (page 114) Attributes.

The Armour Attribute can represent actual armoured plates or simply skin or clothing that is highly resistant to damage. It is most often found on combat vehicles, cyborgs and androids, giant monsters, and powerful beings. Each Level of the Attribute provides an Armour Rating of 5. The damage inflicted by a successful attack on the character is reduced by their Armour Rating.

For example, if an attack inflicted 30 damage and the character had Armour Level 2 (Armour Rating 10) they would only lose 20 Health Points. For a high-tech or magical alternative to Armour, see the Force Field Attribute (page 94).

**LIMITER EMPHASISED**
The Armour is focussed against a particular uncommon attack form such as fire, cold, acid, electricity, etc. It provides double Armour Rating protection against the particular attack form but only half protection against other sources of damage. A character can acquire both Emphasised Armour and ordinary Armour, even at different Levels, by assigning the Armour Attribute twice. OPTIMISED Counts as 2 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 2 Levels). Similar to the Emphasised Limiter with double Armour Rating protection but the Armour provides no protection against sources of damage other than the uncommon attack form.

Attack Mastery denotes either an innate killer instinct or the character’s intimate knowledge of a wide range of offensive combat techniques covering all aspects of armed and unarmed encounters. The Melee Attack (page 189) and Ranged Attack (page 116) Attributes lets a character specialise with particular weapons or specific styles, but Attack Mastery allows a character to pick up any weapon (or use none at all) and be dangerously proficient. See page 169 for more information on the Attack Combat Value.

This Attribute is useful when a character should have one or more high Stat Values, but the player wants to indicate that the elevated Stats are derived from one particular source (such as magic or technology ATTRIBUTES or supernatural ability) instead of being part of the character’s innate nature. When this Attribute is assigned, the player must specify which of the three Stats is being Augmented (you can assign Augmented up to three times if desired to cover all three Stats). In most instances, assigning Character Points to the Augmented Attribute or to the Stat directly results in the same benefit: a character with a Body of 9 and a character with a Body of 4 with the Augmented (Body Stat) Attribute at Level 5 both have an effective Body Stat of 9.

The Capacity Attribute is a very common technological feature for vehicle and location Items, but it can also be applied to a character large enough to carry people or cargo inside itself, such as a giant mecha, living starship, or a god with a city in its body. This capacity is in addition to the one person that is assumed to fit normally inside a robot, vehicle, or location. The Capacity Attribute can be assigned any number of times for Items, but unless the Item is supernaturally bigger inside than it is outside, you should also assign an appropriate level of the Awkward Size Defect (page 156).

**Note**
that the Capacity Attribute assumes operation of the Item in a normal gravity environment. For ships and other Items in space away from the stress of a significant gravity source, the cargo mass carrying capacity should be multiplied by 1,000.Level 1 Can carry an extra 1 person (200 kg)

The character can change into a different state of matter – liquid, gaseous, incorporeal, or energy – for either a short duration (one dramatic scene) or long duration (several hours), depending on the Attribute Level. A character normally requires a full combat round (several seconds) to change between states. When this Attribute is activated, the character’s body lacks full solidarity of a regular form and they don’t have the same physical requirements (such as breathing, sleeping, eating, etc.) as a normal solid form.

**Examples**
of anime characters that may change into such forms include spirits, elementals, monsters, undead, and wizards.

This Attribute can be assigned multiple times to represent a character with more than one non-solid state.

**LIQUID STATE A**
character in liquid state is amorphous and may resemble a mobile puddle of water. The character is material (but not solid) and can flow through cracks in walls, under doors, through pipes, etc. They cannot pick up solid objects and can only exert the pushing force of a gentle wave. Most physical attacks inflict one-half normal damage to the character (round down), but attacks that cover a wide area may inflict full damage. The character moves at normal speed over ground and can also move through other liquids at a similar speed (if the character has the Water Speed Attribute, then those higher speeds are possible).

**GASEOUS STATE**
This state is less substantial than a liquid state. The character cannot pick up solid objects and can only exert the pushing force of a gentle wind. Most physical attacks inflict only one-fifth normal damage (rounded down) but attacks that cover a wide area may inflict full damage. The character can move through air at their normal ground speed (if the character has the Flight Attribute, then those higher speeds are possible).

**INCORPOREAL STATE**
An Incorporeal state is without physical substance (for example, a ghost or living shadow). The character can pass through walls, walk on air or water, and perform similar ghost-like feats, though the character is still visible as normal. All physical attacks harmlessly pass through the character while incorporeal, while non-physical attacks (such as mental attacks) retain their full effects.

**ENERGY STATE**
An Energy state is similar to an incorporeal state, except the character does not have a normal visible form and only extraordinary non-physical attacks can affect them (at the GM’s discretion). The energy can be represented by a force such as electricity, radiation, light, or sound, or can represent a more abstract state of energy such as emotion, data, dream, or one of many other possibilities.

**ENHANCEMENT**

**QUICK CHANGE**
Rather than requiring several seconds, the character can change states nearly instantaneously and may attempt to do so as part of a defence roll against an incoming attack.

This Enhancement grants the character minor edge (page 182) on the defence roll and success indicates the character changed states instead of evading the attack (which may avoid or reduce damage, depending on the state and nature of the attack).

The Character has either Precognition (the ability to access potential visions of the future) or Postcognition (the ability to see true events of the past). The player must decide which of these two abilities their character has during character creation or assign this Attribute twice to represent both abilities.

**Note**
that Cognition is a GM-defined Attribute, which allows them to limit its application and scope within the game.

The Combat Technique Attribute allows a character to perform astounding feats with a variety of weapons or while unarmed. Each Level gives the character one combat technique; the Game Master will determine if a specific manoeuvre can be assigned multiple times. The GM and players are encouraged to develop their own combat techniques as well.

**BLIND FIGHTING**
The character can fight hand-to-hand in poor light or absolute darkness, or against an invisible opponent, just as effectively as under normal conditions.

**BLIND SHOOTING**
The character can attack with ranged weapons in poor light or absolute darkness, or against an invisible opponent just as effectively as under normal conditions. BRUTAL Normally, unarmed attacks are a free Weapon Attribute at Level 0 (see page 134) for all characters. One assignment of this Technique increases unarmed attacks to a Weapon Level 1. CONCEALMENT The character has an uncanny ability to conceal hand-held objects about their person. As long as the character has something to hide the equipment (even if it’s only long hair or a light robe) the character’s weapons will not be noticed by anything short of an actual physical search. DEFLECTION With a successful defence roll (page 192), the character can stand their ground and deflect a ranged attack away harmlessly instead of dodging or blocking the incoming attack. This Technique is often used to impress or intimidate the opponent, or when the character does not want to give ground. The GM may decide that some types of attacks cannot be deflected.

**EXTENDED RANGE**
Characters with this Technique can double the distances when using ranged weapons (see Range Enhancement, page 147).

**JUDGE OPPONENT**
The character can judge their opponent’s approximate Combat Value and weapon ability from the foe’s attitude and posture even without actually seeing them fight.

Additionally, the character can accurately estimate the opponent’s remaining Health Points. For both of these advantages, the GM should provide descriptive indications such as “your enemy is much better than you are with a sword, but if you connect a few times with your fireball blast, it will drop him,” rather than saying “the enemy’s Attack Combat Value is 7, with a Melee Attack (Sword) Attribute Level 2, and he has 60 Health Points remaining.”

**LETHAL BLOW**
Normally, unarmed attacks inflict Stun damage (see the Weapon Enhancement Stun, page 141). A character with this Technique inflicts normal damage with unarmed attacks instead.

**LIGHTNING REFLEXES**
The character reacts quickly in combat and frequently outmanoeuvres opponents. One assignment of this technique gives the character a minor edge on Initiative rolls while two assignments gives the character a major edge (see page 182).

**PORTABLE ARMOURY**
The character will always have easy access to any weapon required for a particular task, including illegal weapons and accessories not available to the general public. The actual weapons and accessories must still be acquired via the Gear (page 95) or Item (page 101) Attributes, but remarkably, the character can access them whenever needed, instead of being forced to return to where they are normally stored. Characters with Portable Armoury may also make field modifications on their weapons, switching Features such as laser sights or scopes in a single round. REFLECTION If the character has the Deflection Combat Technique (see above) and makes both a successful Deflection defence and a successful attack roll (which uses up their next attack action), they can reflect a ranged attack towards any target within range (including the attacker) without damaging the blocking object. This Reflection is treated as a normal attack against the target. The GM may decide that some types of attacks cannot be reflected or can only be reflected under certain circumstances (such as requiring a mirrored surface to reflect a laser attack).

**05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES**

**TOURNAMENT ENCYCLOPAEDIA**
The character has the ability to recall the vital statistics and important quirks of practically all opponents that have participated in one type of tournament (player’s choice; possibilities include martial arts, magical, giant robot, pet monster duels, jousting, grand melee, etc.). This includes, but is not limited to: age, physical fitness, famous victories or defeats, approximate skill, any special abilities, etc. Characters without this ability will only have general information on such opponents unless they are particularly famous or well-known.

**WEAPONS ENCYCLOPAEDIA**
The character has the ability to recall the vital statistics and important quirks of practically all known commercially available weapons. This includes its general level of reliability as well as all vital statistics, such as material composition, manufacturer, ammunition capacity, calibre, model year, possible outfitted accessories, etc. Characters without this ability will only have such information on weapons they actually own or use regularly.

The character has a sidekick or assistant that perhaps serves as a familiar, pet, associate, close friend, general ally, or bodyguard.

**Examples**
of Companions could include: a talking animal familiar, a robot, a high school flunky, a sorcerer’s apprentice, a direwolf, a bound demon or ghost, a sentient starship, a dedicated henchman, a vampire’s enslaved thrall, a magical stuffed toy or doll, etc. Review Chapter 11 (page 226) for Companion examples. Companions are NPCs controlled by the GM, but they will normally be loyal to their masters, and work toward that character’s best interests (as they perceive them). Nevertheless, they should have their own personalities and may occasionally get into trouble of their own. Fellow player characters are not Companions, nor are NPC friends, patrons, or allies who have their own agendas or interests but occasionally help the player characters. A Companion is created in the same way as a character and is built on 10 Character Points for every Level of the Companion Attribute (Companions with negative Character Point totals fall under Level 1 of this Attribute). GM permission is required to create a Companion who has a Character Point total greater than the character they serve. Some relationship-based Defects (such as Hounded, Obligated, Red Tape, etc.) should not be assigned due to the Companion’s innate role as a character’s subordinate. To have multiple Companions, a character must either assign the Companion Attribute several times (at the same or different Levels) or instead assign the Minions Attribute (page 109) for a large number of relatively weak allies.

The Connected Attribute represents a character’s close relationship with a hierarchy of some sort that grants them access to resources, respect, and privileges.

**Examples**
of such organisations include governments, powerful corporations, military units, feudal systems, organised crime rings, secret guilds and societies, and some religions. The organisation selected should have moderate power within the game setting and the GM and player should discuss the proposed organisation before gameplay begins to ensure they are both on the same page regarding the organisation’s scope and importance. Connected should not be assigned if the selected organisation will not have a meaningful impact on the game and only makes appearances infrequently. Connected is a relatively inexpensive Attribute because the benefits the connection provides always comes with strings attached. The character must follow the goals of the organisation in order to gain the use of its resources. The other members are assumed to be loyal to the organisation itself, not the Connected character. Followers with personal loyalty to the character are better represented by Companion (page 84) and Minions (page 109) Attributes, while resources that belong directly to the character are represented by Item (page 101) and Wealth (page 132) Attributes. These Attributes can blend with one another, of course.

For example, the Prime Minister of Japan could have both a high Connected Attribute (representing their status and access to resources) as well as a number of Companions (those individuals personally devoted to the character, for whatever reason). ATTRIBUTES For campaigns in which all players belong to the same organisation that is central to the game (such as a secret society or crew of a galactic freighter company), the GM may decide that the Connected Attribute is not required. Consequently, this Attribute is optional; the GM may prefer to treat organisation membership as a background detail instead. Since Connected measures absolute power that a particular position grants, many smaller organisations will only have a few Levels. A club or small business, for example, will usually have no more than three Levels.

**SIGNIFICANT POWER**
The organisation to which the character is connected has significantly more influence within the game setting rather than just one with moderate power. In a high school comedy game, for example, the school’s autocratic student council might wield significant power (while in most settings it would be a completely trivial organisation and wouldn’t need the Connected Attribute).

**GREAT POWER**
Counts as 2 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 2 Levels). The organisation to which the character is connected has an important and diverse role within the game setting and provides the character with much larger advantages than one with only moderate power.

For example, a criminal organisation like the Yakuza could be considered to have great power in a modern-day urban Japan setting but merely moderate power in a game about mystical demonologists.Level 1 Associated.

**Examples**
include a private or corporal in the army, an ordinary police officer, a Mafia connected guy, the class rep on a student council, or a junior employee in a corporation.

The character can initiate minor influence in a surrounding 10-metre area over environmental conditions such as light, darkness, heat, cold, humidity, sound, smell, specific weather conditions, etc. Creating a particular zone of environmental control requires a general action (page 189). The effect normally lasts for up to one minute or dramatic scene. The control is not sufficient to inflict significant damage on individuals or objects within the area of influence unless the target is particularly susceptible to damage from that environment (such as delicate plants dying from cold air, or a vampire with a sensitivity to bright light). For damaging environmental effects, the character should acquire the Weapon Attribute (page 132) with a Dependent Limiter (page 149) for the Control Environment Attribute. For a much more versatile influence over the environment (such as full weather control) see the Dynamic Powers (page 89) or Power Flux (page 113) Attributes.

A character with this Attribute temporarily gains new abilities after suffering damage. Martial artists who can only deploy their most powerful “finishing moves” after they are on the ropes sometimes possess this ability. It is also often applicable to super robots, or powerful alien or demonic monsters that simply feed on the energies of beams, bullets, magic, or other attacks; unless the right attack form is used, they will simply keep getting stronger. A character with this Attribute still loses Health Points from damaging attacks (such as guns, swords, punches, energy blasts, or falls), but taking damage also grants additional Character Points that they can temporarily assign to Attributes. Character Points can be accumulated between attacks or combat rounds. The gained Character Points can only be assigned to Attributes the character already possesses and not new Attributes.Damage cannot both be converted and absorbed (by the Absorption Attribute, page 78) at the same time. Conversion has no effect on attacks which inflict no actual damage (such as unarmed attacks with Weapon

With a successful Mind Stat check, characters with this Attribute can access, read, and understand data from all computers or Silicon Age technology in the surrounding area. The Attribute Level determines the maximum area in which the computers can be scanned. To read multiple computers over a network, the area Level must be high enough to encompass the target computers. Since this Attribute can be a very powerful tool in a campaign, the GM and players should ensure it is used appropriately. In a specific setting, Data Access can be modified to access organic information from the natural environment instead (such as in a high fantasy eco-magic campaign). Characters who can control (rather than just read) complex networks or robots should take the Mind Control Attribute (page 108). Characters who can control mechanical technology such as automobiles and construction equipment might instead possess the Telekinesis Attribute (page 125) with a specific Limiter. This will let them manipulate levers, steering wheels, and other components remotely.

Defence Mastery denotes either an innate danger instinct or the character’s intimate knowledge of a wide range of defensive combat techniques covering all aspects of armed and unarmed encounters. The Melee Defence (page 103) and Ranged Defence (page 116) Attributes lets a character specialise with particular weapons or specific styles, but Defence Mastery allows a character to pick up any weapon (or use none at all) and still proficiently defend. See page 169 for more information on the Defence Combat Value.

This Attribute is an adventurous way to visit other dimensions (see Portal, page 112, for an alternate method). The character can shift from one dimension to an “adjacent” dimension within a few minutes by walking (or riding, driving, flying, etc.) and reality gradually changes to match the new dimension’s reality. Allies within the immediate area of the character can accompany them on the Dimension Walk as well. The character’s Level determines the degree that the details of the adjacent dimension can differ from their current dimension within those few minutes.

For example, a character with Level 1 (insignificant changes) can quickly walk to a dimension with a green sky or one without shrimp. At Level 3 (minor changes), the dimension could have flying cars or neighbourhoods of talking animal citizens in downtown Tokyo. At Level 6 (major changes), the character could walk from an urban fantasy cyberpunk setting to a related high fantasy setting where technology is replaced by magical devices. At all Levels, characters can continue their Dimension Walk for extended periods (hours, days, or longer) to compound the changes to arrive at a dimension destination that is completely different from the origin dimension, with higher-Level characters completing their travels in less time than lower-Level characters. The GM also determines what dimensions are “adjacent” in their setting. This could limit travel to a reality that is subtly different, or one that is connected metaphysically (as Earth is with the other Prime Worlds in the Anime Multiverse setting described briefly in this book and expanded upon in the BESM Multiverse sourcebook). Travel between specific identified dimensions with Dimension Walk is also possible, rather than simply shifting between generic destinations.

This Attribute represents a powerful ability and players should ensure that it is compatible with the GM’s concept of the campaign’s metaphysics and cosmology before selecting it for their characters.

Dynamic Powers represents extensive control over a minor element, ideology, natural phenomenon, or sphere of influence. At low Levels, the character is an initiate, and can only effect small changes in the Attribute’s influence. At high Levels, the character holds mastery over a particular realm, and has an intimate understanding of all things relating to the Attribute sphere.

**Examples**
of minor categories over which the character has control include: a classical element (water, fire, wind, earth), a limited concept or idea (lust, protection, charm, pride), a minor aspect of nature (temperature, friction, insects, sunlight, clouds, orbits, sea creatures), or a limited sphere of influence (keys, silence, cats, writing, guns, a small locality, nutrition).

Alternatively, rather than influencing a simple sphere of influence, the character might have minor control over a more descriptive realm such as “never being late”, “always having the right amount of money”, “people laugh with me, never at me”, “always having the right outfit for the right situation”, etc. While these event spheres are limited in scope, they also cross all Attribute boundaries when appropriate. If the character makes a successful Stat roll (as determined by the GM; see Chapter 9: Action), they can manipulate aspects of the chosen area of influence. Since this is a story-driven Attribute, there are few definitive rules regarding what a character can and cannot do with a particular Attribute Level, with the Level progression being primarily descriptive in nature. This is a very open-ended Attribute and should be discussed with the GM at length to determine the effects and limitations in their game. It is for advanced players and Game Masters only. Proper use of Dynamic Powers will not unbalance the game, but rather can provide many opportunities for character innovation. In general, the effect can vary depending on the need of the story and emotional intensity of the situation. Dynamic Powers should only be taken in campaigns where the GM is comfortable with a story-driven approach to the handling of powers. Game Masters who do not wish to adjudicate Dynamic Powers are free to prohibit it, or restrict it to a very low Level. Players and GMs who desire a more rigid (in terms of cost and effect) but still highly flexible Attribute should take the Power Flux Attribute (page 113). This will allow a character to produce similar dynamic effects within a specific game mechanical constraints.

**05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES**

**MAJOR CATEGORY**
The character’s influence extends to a major or large category that has a significant impact on the game instead of just a minor one.

**Examples**
include: a broad concept or idea (love, communication, travel, strength), a major aspect of nature (weather, magnetism, gravity, electricity, animals), or a broad sphere of influence (cities, computer data, health, necromancy, truth, manufacturing, fertility, weapons, drugs, shapeshifting).

**PRIMAL CATEGORY**
Counts as 2 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 2 Levels). The character’s influence extends to a primal or universal category that has an extreme impact on the game instead of just a minor one.

**Examples**
include core concepts and primary spheres of influence such as Time, War, Death, Life, Earth, Stars, Thought, Magic, Force, Math, Self, Law, Chaos, Heaven, Hell, Dimensions, Dreams, and others.

The character can stretch or contort their limbs and/or body to a superhuman degree. This is most appropriate for giant robots with telescoping arms, sinuous demons or aliens, and rubbery creatures. Increased Levels not only provide greater flexibility, but also the control over fine manipulation (such as using a stretched finger to move specific tumbling mechanisms on a key lock). At high Levels, characters can squeeze under doors and through small holes, as well as mimic crude shapes. While stretched, the character receives a minor edge (page 182) on unarmed attack rolls. Extremely malleable characters who can contort their bodies into a virtually unlimited number of shapes to gain the benefits of other Attributes should acquire the Dynamic Powers (page 89) or Power Flux (page 113) Attributes instead.Level 1 Can stretch their body up to 10 cm

For each Level, the character gains a +2 bonus to their Attack Combat Value whenever they are battling specific types of opponents.

**Examples**
include: undead or extra-dimensional creatures, animals, a specific fantasy race (orcs, goblins, trolls, etc.), members of a specific organisation or gang, blood relatives, a specific nemesis, etc. Players are encouraged to develop a compelling backstory that explains why their character receives attack bonuses against these specific opponents. This bonus actually increases the Attack Combat Value when attacking the specific opponents, and thus relevant damage inflicted (page 193) is increased as well. The benefits of Enemy Attack are cumulative with those provided by the Attack Mastery (page 80), Melee Attack (page 102) and Ranged Attack (page 116) Attributes in appropriate situations.

For each Level, the character gains a +2 bonus to their Defence Combat Value whenever they are defending against specific types of opponents in combat.

**Examples**
include: undead or extra-dimensional creatures, animals, a specific fantasy race (orcs, goblins, trolls, etc.), members of a specific organisation or gang, blood relatives, a specific nemesis, etc. Players are encouraged to develop a compelling backstory that explains why their character receives defence bonuses against these specific opponents. ATTRIBUTES The benefits of Enemy Defence are cumulative with those provided by the Defence Mastery (page 88), Melee Defence (page 103) and Ranged Defence (page 116) Attributes in appropriate situations.

Possessing this Attribute increases the Energy Points of the character, allowing them to draw on a greater pool of internal reserves in times of need. This can often represent someone who has strong control over their ki or psychic energy, or simply extra stamina. See the Energy Points Derived Value (page 170) for information on Energy Points and their uses. Energised normally adds directly to the character’s Energy Points, but it can also be acquired with a Limiter that restricts its use – most often Activation (page 148), Assisted (page 148), Emotional (page 150), Equipment (page 150), or Environmental (page 150); others are only applicable with GM permission. If so, it forms a separate pool of Energy Points that are only usable in certain circumstances, and the player will have to keep track of these Energy Points separately. An example of an Energised Attribute with a Limiter would be a magical girl or martial artist who had Energised (Emotional) – in times of crisis, an extra pool of Energy Points is available. Another example would be a priest who had Energised (Environmental: Temple) and consequently could only access the extra Energy Points while inside the house of their god.

A character with this Attribute knows how to perform or create rituals, charms, or spells, or has a psychic power, that is capable of releasing (through touch) the victims of supernatural entities, possession, or mind control. The Exorcism Attribute is often contained within Items such as holy relics as well. An exorcist may make only one attempt per combat or dramatic scene to release the victim from the undesired control. Exorcism may be used to reverse the results of the Mind Control Attribute (page 108). The attempt is made against the subject of the control, but it is the controller (who may or may not be present) who resists. A successful exorcism releases a character who is subject to Mind Control. This requires an opposed roll between the exorcist’s Soul Stat + twice the Exorcism Attribute Level and the controller’s Soul Stat + Mind Control Attribute Level. If the exorcist wins, the target is freed. If they fail, the target remains under control and the mind controller is alerted that someone is attempting to interfere with that control. Exorcism may also reverse the effects of the Metamorphosis Attribute (page 106) if the alteration is Soul-based (GM’s discretion). If it is physical in nature, the Healing Attribute (page 96) is used instead. Use the same procedure as outlined for Mind Control: make an opposed roll between the exorcist’s Soul Stat + twice the Exorcism Attribute Level and the source of the Metamorphosis’s Soul Stat + Metamorphosis Level. Some exorcists also have the power to actively dispel demons, undead, and other entities who are present in the flesh by draining energy from them, sending them home, or destroying them. This effect should instead be taken as the Weapon Attribute (page 132) with the Targetted (and often Psychic) Enhancements.

This Attribute reflects the character’s ability to act extremely rapidly. Each round, the character may make one or more additional attack or general actions – all of which occur on the character’s Initiative.

In addition, unless two or more opponents are very close together, attacks with no significant range must target the same person. Assigned to Items, Extra Actions can represent computer or other automatic assistance (or perhaps magical enhancements).

Unless indicated otherwise, all characters normally possess two arms and hands. By assigning this Attribute, the character can acquire more – usually because they are of non-human origin. An “arm” is defined loosely as an appendage that can reach out and manipulate objects. A trunk, tentacle, or prehensile tail can be an arm; an appendage that simply ends in a gun-barrel, melee weapon, stump, or tool mount is not. Legs with paws or feet are not usually considered to be arms unless the character has good manipulation ability when using them (such as the way chimpanzees can use their feet to grasp objects). Additional arms are useful for holding onto several things at once, but do not give extra attacks (for that ability, see Extra Actions Attribute on page 92). Possessing only one arm or no arms is reflected by the Impaired Manipulation Defect (page 158).

The character possesses various secondary abilities that grant useful, but minor, advantages. The GM may decide that some specific features are too trivial (in the context of the campaign) to require characters to purchase this Attribute to represent it. In particular, a character or Item need not acquire accessories that are purely descriptive, implied by other Attributes (such ATTRIBUTES as fins if you have Water Speed), or are ubiquitous given its size and other functions (like headlights or safety belts in a modern vehicle, or fur/feathers on an animal). GMs should take care not to make individual Features too important. If a Feature is so useful that every character needs it to thrive and survive, than it shouldn’t be just a Feature. See Table-08: Example Features for a partial list of Features that the GM may make available in your game. You are encouraged to create custom Features as well.

**PERSONAL FEATURES**
Features can also be used to grant various minor talents, such as eidetic memory, perfect pitch, the knowledge of foreign languages, or weather sense. Personal features of this sort may grant a minor edge (page 182) on Stat or Skill rolls in certain circumstances.

**RACIAL FEATURES**
Features possessed by non-humans can reflect various small biological advantages provided they are not covered by other Attributes.

**Examples**
of racial features include low-light vision (like a cat possesses, not the ability to see in total darkness), a pouch, light armour (with Armour Rating 1-4), etc. A wide range of other Attributes covers other more useful racial abilities and features such as wings (see Flight, page 94), fangs (see Weapon, page 132), and super hearing (see Heightened Senses, page 97). Highly useful abilities are best represented by Attributes and not Features.

**TECHNOLOGICAL FEATURES**
These are usually assigned to robots, androids, or cyborgs, or embodied in Items such as vehicles or hand-held gadgets.

**Examples**
include modern phone, personal computer, radar detector, tool kit, etc. Most technological Gear (page 95) can be represented as a single Feature with no other Attributes, though trivial or common Features need not be assigned. FEATURES (APPEARANCE) Characters may be reasonably attractive (or average, or mildly unattractive) at no Character Point cost. Features (Appearance) represents outstanding looks that will turn heads and influence reactions. This Feature may be further defined as beauty (engendering romantic attraction if so inclined) or cuteness (encouraging feelings of protectiveness). Appearance may be assigned multiple times indicates to represent heightened levels of extreme beauty or cuteness, with Appearance x3 usually representing world-class appeal.

**EXAMPLE FEATURES**
Personal Features Racial Features Technological Features Ambidexterity 360˚ Vision Alarm System Animal Empathy Camouflage Basic AI (0 Stats) Appearance Fluid Squirting Camera Auditory Discrimination Gills Communication Suite (Comms) Breath/Heartbeat Control Heat Regulation Data Backup Auto System Depth Awareness Homing Instinct Ejection Seat Direction Sense Light Armour (Armour Rating 1-4) Emergency Lights/Siren Eidetic Memory Light Weaponry (5 Damage) Fast Acceleration (for mecha) Famous (Beneficial) Long Tongue Global Positioning System (GPS) Foreign Language Longevity Gyrocompass Hypermobility (Double-Jointed) Low-Light Vision Highly Manoeuvrable (for mecha) Light Sleeper Multiple Hearts Identity Verifier Lightning Calculator Nictitating Membrane Life Monitory Systems Mimic Sound Pouch Luxurious Decor Perfect Pitch Retractable Claws Modern Vehicle Tech Suite Range Sense Scent Glands Naked Enhancement (see page 197) Spacial Sense Scentless Radar Detector Speed Reading Sexual Duality Revolving License Plate Time Sense Ultrasonic Communication Smartphone Weather Sense Webbed Feet/Hands/Paws Tool or Medical Kit08

**05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES**
FEATURES (SMALLER ITEM) Two extra Levels of this Feature should be assigned to small mecha and Items that are used in combat situations – small vehicles, tiny robots, spy hover-cams, small drone assistants, etc. For every Size Rank (page 157) the Item is below the default (Medium; Size 0), the Item must have +2 Levels of Features assigned (costing 2 Character Point), regardless how many other Features are assigned. Smaller Items have the advantage of being light and hard to notice and also make smaller targets in ranged combat. For every Size Rank the target is smaller than the attacker, the attacker receives a -2 penalty to hit with a ranged weapon.

Conversely, for every Size Rank the target is larger than the attacker, the attacker receives a +2 bonus with a ranged weapon.

For example, if a Small Item (Size -1) and a Diminutive Item (Size -3) are in ranged combat, the Small Item gains a -4 penalty to hit while the Diminutive Item gains a +4 bonus to hit.

A character with Flight can fly through an atmosphere (see Spaceflight, page 121, for non-atmospheric flying). The method used to achieve flight can vary greatly: wings, paranormal power, rotors, rockets, anti-gravity, psionic levitation, magic, or some other technique. The base version of Flight lets the character hover and fly at variable speeds, take off and land vertically, or stop in mid-air. This is the most common type of flight possessed by characters.

**LIMITERSIMITERS**
GLIDE The flyer can only become airborne if they launch from a high place (like a tree or rooftop) or from a fast-moving vehicle.

Additionally, they can only gain speed by diving and only gain altitude by riding thermals. MAINTAIN The character needs a smooth surface or running start for landing and take off and must maintain a minimum speed (often about 10% of top speed) once airborne to avoid crashing. SKIM The character is limited to skimming no more than a metre or two off the ground or water. They may be riding on a cushion of air, magnetic lines of force, or even travelling along a magical weave. SPREAD The character needs plenty of free space surrounding them to fly.

This Limiter is most often associated with winged flight, with ample space required to execute wing flaps properly.

A Force Field is an energy field surrounding the character (usually spherical in shape) that protects against incoming attacks. Force Fields can represent magical barriers, telekinetic shields, divine protections, or technological screens. A Force Field can be “up” or “down.” When down, it does not stop any damage. Unless the Detectable Limiter (page 150) is assigned, an up Force Field is invisible. Force Field status must be determined at the start of the character’s actions for the round and cannot be changed until their turn to act in the next round. Damage is first reduced by the Force Field’s Armour Rating, with any additional damage that got past it applied against Armour (if any). Thus, if a weapon hit successfully penetrates a Force Field, the Armour Attribute can still protect against it. A typical Force Field is different from Armour, since it can be battered down by a sufficiently powerful attack. If an attack inflicts more damage than the Force Field prevents (even if the rest of the damage is stopped by Armour), the Force Field temporarily loses one Level of effectiveness. The character can only regain Levels if the field is “down” and regenerating, unless the Regenerating Enhancement is assigned. A Force Field recovers one Level for every full round it is down (turned off and not in operation). A Force Field that is knocked to zero Levels automatically shuts off to regenerate and will reactivate once it has recovered at least a couple of protective Levels.

**BLOCKS INCORPOREAL**
The field prevents the passage of both incorporeal and energy state characters (see Change State Attribute, page 82) through it, even if they can normally pass through energy barriers.

**BLOCKS TELEPORT A**
character cannot teleport into or out of the field. FIELD-PENETRATING The Force Field can be used to penetrate other Force Fields while making attacks (or moving through them). If the character’s Force Field is in direct contact with an enemy Force Field, and has a higher Armour Rating than the opponent’s, the enemy’s field offers no protection against the character’s attack, but it is still considered up. In this case, the character may actually move through the neutralised field. OFFENSIVE The field delivers a powerful electric or energy shock to anyone who touches it, as if it possessed a Weapon Level (page 132) equal to the Force Field’s current Level. Thus, the damage inflicted may decrease as the Force Field is hit and loses levels of effectiveness. REGENERATING If the character uses one general action to regenerate the Force Field while it is up or down, it regains one lost Level of effectiveness. A character with the Extra Actions Attribute (page 92) can regenerate multiple Levels each round.

**LIMITERSIMITERS**

**BOTH DIRECTIONS**
The Force Field blocks attacks moving in any direction, both inwards and outwards, thereby virtually preventing the user from attacking when the Force Field is up. This means that when the Force Field is active and the user makes an attack, the Force Field will affect their attack as it would an outside attacker’s (reducing the damage inflicted and going down in Level if its protection value is exceeded). INTERNAL The field is only usable inside a specific building or other structure. This can be used to represent a Force Field that protects a vital part of a building’s interior such as the power plant or dungeon cells, or a character who draws personal Force Field energy from some sort of power source inside their headquarters.Level 1 Armour Rating = 10

The Gear Attribute represents a character’s access to useful, but not overly powerful, equipment. Characters do not need to spend Character Points for objects that are utterly mundane in the campaign setting (such as clothing, a backpack, a knife, or normal consumer goods). GMs may require players to assign points to this Attribute, however, if their characters will begin the game with numerous pieces of specialised equipment to which the average person might not have easy access, such as weapons, body armour, or professional equipment. Gear cannot include technology more advanced than what is standard in the setting, magic items, or secret prototypes (see Item Attribute, page 101). Gear can include common civilian vehicles appropriate to the setting (for example, a car, truck, or motorcycle in the present day). For less common or more expensive vehicles and objects, once again use the Item Attribute. The GM always has the final say on whether or not specific Gear is available to the characters. Modern examples of Gear includes: guns, night vision goggles, burglary tools and other expensive tool kits, tactical armour, etc. Fantasy or medieval examples includes: melee and ranged weaponry, armour, poisons, and work animals. GEAR VS. ITEM When determining whether an object should best be classified as a piece of Gear or instead as an Item, consider whether a reasonably connected individual could legally purchase the object with a modest amount of money. If the answer is yes, then the object can be considered Gear. If no – because the item is illegal, beyond normally available technology, or too expensive for a casual purchase – then the object should instead be acquired through the Item Attribute instead.

This Attribute is most frequently assigned to vehicles and mecha built as Items, since they have no base running speed (unlike characters). Moderately fast characters and animals should instead acquire the Special Movement (Fast) Attribute (page 122) while extraordinarily speedster characters should acquire the Superspeed Attribute (page 123). The Ground Speed Attribute allows Item to move quickly when travelling on the ground. The method used can vary greatly: paranormal or super ability, bionic legs, wheels, tracks, or some other specialised technique. An Item with Ground Speed cannot accelerate to, or decelerate from, their top speed immediately (this further distinguishes Ground Speed from the Superspeed Attribute). Maximum acceleration or deceleration is one Level of Ground Speed per round. Furthermore, Ground Speed is not cumulative with the Superspeed Attribute; use whichever gives the highest speed (which may change from round to round, if accelerating). Flying or sailing vehicles (such as airplanes) that can move or taxi along the ground as a minor supporting movement form do not usually require the assignment of Ground Speed to reflect this.

**LIMITERIMITER**
ROAD-BOUND Many types of vehicles – notably those with wheels, such as most automobiles – requires a reasonably smooth surface on which to travel, such as a road or other graded surface. With the Road-Bound Limiter, such vehicles can only travel at very slow speeds on rough terrain (approximately one-tenth to one quarter of their normal maximum speed, depending on the roughness of the surface).

This Attribute allows a character to instantly heal a target’s injuries through touch (including themselves; for continuous healing, see the Regeneration Attribute, page 117). At higher Healing Levels, the character can also revive someone who is “clinically” dead but not actually brain-dead (Level 3+), repair massive trauma such as lost limbs or organs (Level 5+), or restore a character who was cut in two (Level 6+). No healer can repair someone who was blown to bits, disintegrated, or dead for more than a few minutes, however. The Attribute Level dictates the maximum number of Health Points the character can restore to a particular target in one hour or dramatic scene (though other healers may return additional Health Points to the injured subject). ATTRIBUTES Healing may also be used to reverse the effects of the Metamorphosis Attribute (page 106) if the alteration is physical in nature (Body-based). If it is psychic or spiritual in nature, the Exorcism Attribute (page 91) is used instead. This requires an opposed roll between the healer’s Soul Stat + Healing Attribute Level and the source of the Metamorphosis’s Body Stat + Metamorphosis Attribute Level. A healer may make only one attempt per day to reverse a particular individual’s Metamorphosis.

The character possesses a high degree of situational awareness. They are usually very alert and receives a bonus on Stat rolls to notice nearby hidden things, such as concealed objects, ambushes, or anything else related to sensory awareness. The bonuses of Heightened Awareness are cumulative with those of the Heightened Senses Attribute (page 97).

A character with Heightened Senses has one or more senses that have been sharpened to a superhuman level of acuity. It can represent either the preternatural sharpening of a specific sense honed by special training (such as a blind person’s trained sense of touch) or the enhanced senses of a paranormal, magical, or technologically augmented character. For each Level of the Heightened Senses Attribute, one of the character’s five physical senses – hearing, sight, smell, taste, or touch – is enhanced, and can operate over an area of several city blocks. The character may assign the same sense twice, which doubles the effect and extends the area of detection.

Alternatively, a Heightened Sense can indicate enhancement in scope and precision instead of distance (such as the greater frequency range and pinpoint accuracy of a cat’s hearing). A character using a Heightened Sense gains a minor edge (page 182) on Stat rolls that relate to using that sense to perceive things that someone with human-level senses might conceivably notice. The Heightened Awareness Attribute (page 97) allows for a lower Level of enhancement for all of a character’s senses while the Sixth Sense (page 119) and Supersense (page 123) Attributes allow characters to gain completely new senses.

The character can create mental hallucinations that fools the target’s sight, or possibly more senses if Enhancements are assigned. An Illusion appears to be real to the targetted observers but is not really there; it has no physical substance, and characters who are not the target of the Illusion are unaffected. Characters that can create Illusions are often sorcerers, demons, or people with psionic abilities. See the Projection Attribute (page 114) for the ability to create seemingly real images that anyone can detect, rather than mental illusions that target the minds of specific people. An Illusion takes a general action to create. It may be of a particular object or entity or of a complete scene (such as a furnished room or crowd). It may also be created over an existing person, scene, or object to make it appear different than it really is. An Illusion that is untended is normally static, either remaining in one place or (if created over something) moving as the underlying object or entity moves. An Illusion lasts for as long as the character concentrates on maintaining it or for one minute (or dramatic scene) if created and then left untended. To give an Illusion the semblance of independent activity (such as an illusionary person or crowd that moves and speaks) the character must actively concentrate on manipulating the Illusion and perform no other actions. The Level dictates the size of the Illusionary image but it can be created anywhere within a 100-metre range of the character. Thus, a Level 3 (10 metres) Illusion means that any image up to 10 metres in radius (such as a school bus) can be created and moved around within a range of 100 metres (such as a city block) from the character. 05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES In order for the character to create a convincing Illusion of something complex, the GM may require a Mind Stat check. The GM can assign a Target Number depending on how familiar or unfamiliar the character is with the scene that is being simulated. The GM may also give the character a minor or major edge (page 182) to the roll if they have in excess of the minimum Level needed to create an Illusion. If the roll fails, the character’s Illusion is somehow flawed but the character creating it may not be aware. Whether or not an observer recognises an Illusion for what it actually is depends on the circumstances and should be adjudicated by the GM.

For example, if a character creates an Illusion of a tiger, it may easily fool someone if it is a few hundred metres away; if it comes close to the target, though, the fact that it is not making any sounds will be obvious. The tiger’s lack of scent will probably only be a clue to someone who has the Heightened Senses (Smell) Attribute. If appropriate, the GM can require Body or Mind rolls to “see through” an Illusion – typically average (Target Number 12) for the base sight-sense Illusion, increasing to difficult (Target Number 15) for illusions covering two senses or challenging (Target Number 18) for three or more senses. If successfully discovered, the Illusion disappears. To create Illusions capable of injuring targets, the character should possess a Weapon Attribute (page 132) tied to the Illusion Attribute through the Dependent Limiter (page 149).

**EXTRA SENSE**
Each time Extra Sense is taken, the Illusions gain one additional sensory component – sound, smell, touch, or taste – that must be specified when the Enhancement is assigned during character creation. Continuing the earlier example, adding illusionary touch and sound as well as smell doesn’t change the 5 Point cost of the Level 5 Attribute (that normally has a maximum illusion size of 1 km), but the Illusion now functions at three Levels lower (Level 2, which allows illusions with size up to 1 metre). The character sacrifices size for complexity and believability.

**MULTIPLE ILLUSIONS A**
character can normally maintain only a single Illusion at a time. The ability to maintain multiple Illusions at once is an Enhancement assigned during character creation that reduces the effective Illusion Attribute Level by 1 for every distinct Illusion the character can sustain simultaneously after the first.

For example, Level 6 Illusion (10 km size) with an Enhancement that allows up to four simultaneous Illusions still costs 6 Points but functions three Levels lower at Level 3 (10 m size). A group of related objects or entities within the 100-metre range of the character, such as a furnished room, a swarm of insects, or a horde of charging warriors, counts as a single Illusion rather than several. If a character is already sustaining their maximum number of Illusions and wishes to create another one, an existing Illusion must first be dispelled.

With this Attribute, the character is completely immune to attack damage and adverse environmental effects that stem from a particular weapon, element, application, or event.

For example, a character with

A character with Immutable is protected against effects that can transform, alter, or displace their body or powers. This includes the Metamorphosis, Mimic, Nullify, Portal, and Teleport Attributes. The resistance may be a reflection of natural hardiness, a protective spell, racial ability, or defensive aura. Whatever the cause, the character gets a +2 bonus to Body or Soul Stat checks made to resist any of the above Attributes’ effects. This bonus also applies to any Body Stat rolls made to resist the effects of the Blight, Flare, Incapacitating, or Irritant Weapon Attributes while also providing a 10 Points of Armour per Level against attacks with the Insidious Weapon Attribute. For other defensive options that work differently than Immutable, see Mind Shield (page 109), Nullify (page 110), Resilient (page 118), and Unaffected (page 129) Attributes.

This ability can represent oratorical talents, innate charisma, supernatural awe, or even a beautiful or resonant voice. The character’s very presence inspires their friends, followers, or fans, filling them with energy and determination to transcend their own normal limitations in pursuit of a goal. Its nature depends on the character: a general inspires through leadership and strategic prowess, an evil dictator might whip minions into a frenzy through hatred, a pop idol inspires through song, or a magical girl or mystical unicorn through the sheer power of love. It is also common for certain Items such as religious relics, holy shrines, or revered army standards to possess this ability. Inspire takes a general action to initiate, during which the character must act appropriately – give an impassioned speech, start singing, threaten minions with destruction, or however their inspiration usually functions. Successful use of the Attribute requires succeeding with an average Soul Stat roll (Target Number 12). If it fails, the character can take another action and try again, but they are limited in the number of attempts per game session equal to the Attribute Level. Each successful use gives an effect that lasts for an entire dramatic scene. During that scene, every friend or ally who shares the character’s goals will be inspired.

Alternatively, the character may define their Inspire as working through a Skill Group (page 120), most often Business, Social, Street, Military, or Detective. The character makes a Skill roll instead (which is usually easier, since the Skill Level is added to the roll), but the inspiration will only work in appropriate situations – for example, when leading people into battle for Military or when making an important corporate move with Business. Inspired characters (both player characters and story characters under the GM’s control, as well as the inspiring character themselves) receive a bonus equal to the Inspire Level to any appropriate Stat or Skill Group rolls at the GM’s discretion. Story characters will, in general, be highly motivated which the GM will reflect through role-playing. Any character with Inspire also exerts a natural uplifting influence even without making a special effort. This helps their friends and allies recover any lost Energy Points more rapidly as well. As long as they are in the character’s immediate presence, they will regain extra Energy Points equal to the character’s Inspire Level each hour. The Inspire Attribute do not have a cumulative effect with the concurrent use of other characters’ Inspire Attribute.

Items are devices that enhance a character in some way or that serve as a useful tool, vehicle, base, or weapon. Items can represent powerful weapons, magical artefacts, or experimental or future technology, while the Gear Attribute (page 95) represents a character’s access to useful, but not overly powerful, equipment. A player can assign this Attribute to their character multiple times to acquire different Items. Items can be created for the character (subject to GM approval) or selected from the extensive list of ready-to-use Items in Chapter 10 (page 196). A device or object that cannot be lost or stolen (such as something implanted in or fused to the character’s body) is not an Item. Any such device is considered part of the character and thus the player should use Character Points to acquire the relevant Attributes directly. If a character requires a specific object, or group of objects, to act as a focus when using one or more of their innate Attributes (such as requiring an amulet to focus a character’s magical Weapon attack) Item does not apply either – that would be represented by a Limiter (page 148) on the particular Attribute, rather than any quality of the object itself. Assign the Item any Attributes appropriate to its normal function that will benefit the character while using it.

For example, a magic wand or a gun would have Weapon, a ring of invisibility would have Undetectable, and a hoverboard would have Ground Speed. A complex vehicle, such as a 50-metre-tall flying transformable battle mecha, could have a multitude of Attributes, such as Alternate Form, Armour, Features, Flight, Ground Speed, Resilient, Supersense, Superstrength, Tough, Weapon, etc. Attributes contained in Items can also be assigned Enhancements or Limiters which increase or decrease their effectiveness. Attributes that an Item has do not usually stack with those of a character. If a vehicle has Flight Level 1 and so does its operator, this does not give the vehicle Flight

With a running start, a character can normally jump a distance in metres approximately equal to their Body Stat (a quarter their Body Stat from a static position). With this Attribute, the character can jump great distances (and land without injury) but cannot actually fly. Jumping does not enable a character to exceed the character’s normal maximum running speed (or swimming speed for aquatic characters capable of leaping). Consequently, unless the character also possesses the appropriate Level of the Superspeed Attribute (page 123), long-distance jumps may require several round or minutes. 05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES For example, a character with a Body Stat of 6 can normally sprint 30 metres/round (Body Stat x 5; see Character Movement, page 191) and jump approximately 6 metres with a running start. If the character with Level 2 Jumping (10 times the normal distance, or 60 metres) jumps their maximum distance of 60 metres, they will be airborne for approximately two rounds rather than finishing the jump in just one (since 60 ÷ 30 is approximately 2 rounds). The advantage to jumping rather than running, however, is that the character can ignore terrain and is not fatigued as the character would be if they had to run the same distance. See Jumping Distance (page 191) for additional jumping rules.

A character with the Massive Damage Attribute knows precisely how and where to hit any opponent in order to inflict incredible amounts of damage. All characters start with a Damage Multiplier of 5 (see page 171 for more information). Each Level of Massive Damage increases this by +1. Naturally, the character’s attack must be successful to inflict any damage. Physical strength is not the key to delivering massive damage in an attack; the ability to sense a weakness is far more important. The capacity of Massive Damage to augment any kind of attack makes it a very useful Attribute for a combat-oriented character. For more information on physical combat and damage, see page 193.

**LIMITERSIMITERS**

**FOCUSSED DAMAGE**
Additional damage is only inflicted when the character uses one specific class of attacks.

For example, it might represent a special talent with a type of weapon (such as guns, swords, bows, etc.), knowledge of a particular unarmed martial arts form, or ability with a particular offensive magical technique (such as fire spells).

**TARGETTED DAMAGE**
Additional damage is only inflicted when the character attacks a specific type of foe.

For example, it might represent a holy avenger who delivers extra damage against undead creatures, a galactic hunter who greatly understand the physiology of an alien species, an orphaned barbarian who likes to beat on members of the invading clan that killed their family and destroyed their village, or an android programmed to destroy competing AIs with great efficiency.

Melee Attack is a group of Attributes that represents expertise in offensive close combat weapons and fighting techniques. These Attributes can be taken multiple times to represent different ways of fighting. For each Level, the character gains a +2 bonus to their Attack Combat Value whenever they are using the specified fighting technique. The class of weapons may be Unarmed (all normal punches, kicks, bites, etc.), a particular Weapon Attribute (e.g., “death touch” or “super dragon punch”), or a class of related Items (such as Axe, Baton/Club, Knife, Polearm, Shield, Spear, Sword, Whips/Chains, etc.). The GM may allow other classes of weapons, although they should not be overly broad. This bonus actually increases the Attack Combat Value when using the specific weapon and thus relevant damage inflicted (page 193) is increased as well.

Melee Defence is a group of Attributes that represents expertise in defensive close combat weapons and fighting techniques. These Attributes can be taken multiple times to represent different ways of defending. For each Level, the character gains a +2 bonus to their Defence Combat Value whenever they are using the specified fighting technique. The class of weapons may be Unarmed (all normal punches, kicks, bites, etc.) or a class of related Items (such as Axe, Baton/Club, Knife, Polearm, Shield, Spear, Sword, Whips/Chains, etc.). The GM may allow other classes of weapons, although they should not be overly broad.

This Attribute is most often assigned to vehicle and mecha Items, but can also apply to weapons, armour, and other equipment. Two or more Items must have the Merge Attribute at the same Level to represent how these individual Items can temporarily join together to create a new powerful Item. Players and the GM should design the new Merged Item with a number of Character Points equal to 10 Points/Level multiplied by the number of Items merging.

For example, if five cat-themed vehicle Items each with Level 3 Merge can combine into a giant Lion Battle Mecha, the combined giant mecha is created as a distinct Item from 150 Character Points of Attributes and Defects (since Level 3 x 10 Points/Level x 5 vehicles = 150). There are no rules that must be explicitly followed when creating Merged Items, though common sense should apply.

For example, if several vehicles combine together the Merged vehicle should have sufficient Levels of the Capacity Attribute (page 81) to carry all the individual vehicle drivers.

Similarly, the Armour Rating of the Merged Item should probably be at least equal to (or likely more than) that of the pre-merged Items with the greatest Armour Rating. It would also be strange (but not unheard of in anime!) for a Merged Item to be smaller than the largest of the pre-merged Items, and consequently you should look at the Awkward Size Defect (page 156) to determine an appropriate size for the Merged Item.

Additionally, the Health Points of a merged Item – which is typically equal to the Item’s Armour Rating; see page 223 – is not usually impacted by any damage received prior to merging. Under normal circumstances, the maximum duration that Items can remain in their Merged state is equal to one minute or dramatic scene (as appropriate).

**MERGING CHARACTERS**
With GM permission, the Merge Attribute can also be assigned to two more characters. Similar to Items, the individual characters must each have the Merge Attribute at the same Level. The players and GM then together design a unique Race Template (page 36) for the Merged form that is built from a number of Character Points equal to 10 Points/Level multiplied by the number of characters merging.

For example, if two magical girl characters each with Level 2 Merge can combine into a powerful magical woman, the players create a new merged Magical Woman Template from 40 Character Points (since Level 2 x 10 Points/Level x 2 characters = 40). The Attributes and Defects of the individual character are added together in the combined form and then the Merged Race Template is added on top. The Body, Mind, and Soul Stats of the Merged form are each equal to the highest Stats of the individual pre-combined characters and then the Derived Values (page 168) are calculated appropriately.

Similarly, if two or more of the individual characters possess the same Attribute before combining, the Attribute Level of the Merged form is equal to the Level of the highest ranked individual character; any Level bonuses from the Merged Race Template are then added on top.

This offensive Attribute is used to alter a touched person’s species for short durations, typically up to one minute or for one dramatic scene. Different species are defined by a Race Template, which are packages of Attributes and Defects that provide the abilities and disadvantages of that race (a basic human Template has no Attributes or Defects and is worth 0 Points). While a person is transformed, any Stat modifier, Attribute, or Defect they possess that is normally the result of their current Race Template goes away; abilities unrelated to the character’s Race Template are unaffected. The character then gains the appropriate Race Template for their new transformed race. The GM may decide that a metamorphosis automatically fails if it would prevent the character surviving in their present environment. Metamorphosis can also transform the user themselves if desired and works the same way. The player must create a custom Race Template or choose one from those detailed in Chapter 3: Templates (page 30) when the Attribute is assigned during character creation. This Race Template may be worth a maximum of 5 Character Points or a minimum of -5 Character Points per Level of the Metamorphosis Attribute. The character is limited to transforming subjects into that specific Race Template only, though they can also reverse the process (ending the duration early).

**Example**
1: Kaori the Mage has Metamorphosis

The character can temporarily mimic one Attribute or Stat of any single touched character for a duration of one minute or dramatic scene, though it only works on Attributes that derive their powers from one particular source (such as magic or technology or supernatural ability; page 258). The Mimic Attribute Level determines the maximum Attribute Level that can be mimicked. Stats Values (at any rank) can be imitated when Mimic reaches Level 5 or higher. The Level of a mimicked Attribute/Stat only replaces the character’s corresponding Level (if applicable) if it is higher; the character’s Attribute/Stat Level cannot normally decrease through Mimic. Mimic requires an attack action to use. If used on an unwilling target, it requires a successful attack roll, opposed by the target’s defence roll. If the attack succeeds, the target’s ability is mimicked unless they choose to resist. Resisting requires a successful average Soul Stat roll (Target Number 12). This resistance roll is made at a penalty of -1 per Level of the Mimic Attribute. If the target has the Immutable Attribute (page 99) they may add that Attribute bonus to the roll to resist. To create a character that steals a target’s Attributes for their use, assign both the Mimic (page 107) and Nullify (page 110) Attributes, linked through the Dependent Limiter (page 149).

**ENHANCEMENT**

**ALL POWERS**
Counts as 2 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 2 Levels). This powerful Enhancement lets the character mimic all Attributes/Stats simultaneously at the appropriate Levels (as indicated above). Abilities from more than one character can be mimicked, though each targetted character must be touched (and potentially resisted) individually.

This Attribute allows the character to mentally dominate other individuals, creatures, or entities (with a Mind Stat of 1 or higher) through touch, typically for a duration of one minute or one dramatic scene (or earlier if the target breaks free from control). Sorcerers, psionic adepts, and creatures with hypnotic powers such as demons or vampires are among those likely to have Mind Control. Mind Control requires an attack action to use. If used on an unwilling target, it requires a successful opposed Mind Stat check. If the subject has the Mind Shield Attribute (page 109), they gain a bonus of +2/Level to their roll. If the attack succeeds, the target is under the attacker’s control until they have an opportunity to break the connection. If a target successfully breaks Mind Control from the same character three or more times, they are immune to further attempts for the rest of the day. When a player character is under the effects of Mind Control, the GM can take over the character from the player when necessary, although it is more fun if the player (with GM guidance) continues to role-play the character. Characters who have been Mind Controlled will not usually remember events that occurred during the time period they are controlled and will have a gap in their memories. A target may attempt to break control under two circumstances: whenever they are given a command that conflicts with the nature of the character, and whenever the GM deems it appropriate for dramatic effect. To break control, the target must win an opposed roll using their Mind or Soul Stat roll (whichever is higher), against the controller’s roll of Mind Stat + Mind Control Attribute. If the subject has the Mind Shield Attribute, they gain a bonus of +2/Level to their roll.

**AGAINST TARGET’S NATURE**
If a Mind Controlled target is commanded to perform an action that they would not willingly do under normal circumstances, the target can attempt to break control. For mildly distasteful actions (such as licking an enemy’s boots or acting against the character’s code of honour), the target receives a minor edge (page 182) on the Stat check. For highly distasteful or undesirable actions (such as stealing from or attacking an ally), the target receives a major edge on the Stat check.

**WHEN THE GM DEEMS APPROPRIATE**
If the character commands their target to perform a number of mundane activities (clean the house, fetching a drink of water, etc.), the GM may decide the target does not receive an opportunity to break established control. Even a seemingly inoffensive command such as “sit in the closet” or “go to sleep”, however, may have a drastic impact on the lives of others if a bomb is about to explode in the train station or the target is piloting an airplane at the time. In these instances, the GM may give the target a chance to break free of the Mind Control even if the target does not regard a command as dangerous or distasteful (which would present an opportunity to end the control). This option puts the GM in direct control of the situation, which will benefit the campaign story.

**LIMITERSIMITERS**

**BROAD CATEGORY**
The character’s Mind Control is restricted to a broad category of targets, such as “all humans and similar sapient beings” or “all non-sentient animals” or “all machine intelligences”.

**NARROW CATEGORY**
Counts as 2 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 2 Levels). The character’s Mind Control is restricted to a narrow category of targets, such as “any reptile” or “any male” “or “any faeries”.

**SPECIFIC CATEGORY**
Counts as 3 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 3 Levels). The character’s Mind Control is restricted to a specific category of targets, such as “dogs” or “people obsessed with beauty” or “any being, but only on Sundays”.

**SINGLE CATEGORY**
Counts as 4 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 4 Levels). The character’s Mind Control is restricted to a single targetted group, such as members of the character’s family, or mutants with a specific gene, or poodles.

A character with Mind Shield is protected against psychic intrusion. This may be a reflection of their own psychic abilities, a protective spell, special training, or some innate knack. A character with Mind Shield can detect attempts to read their mind via Telepathy (page 126) or control their mind using Mind Control (page 108), and receive a bonus to resisting Mind Stat rolls as appropriate. Each Mind Shield Level also provides 5 Points of “Mental Armour” that provides an Armour Rating against damage inflicted via Weapon Attribute with the Psychic Enhancement (page 140). For other defensive Attributes that work differently than Mind Shield, see the Immutable (page 99), Nullify (page 110), Resilient (page 118), and Unaffected (page 129) Attributes.

The Minions Attribute represents the extent of the character’s loyal and dedicated human or creature resources. Minions – sometimes known as flunkies, groupies, stooges, henchmen, toadies, etc. – are eager to carry out the character’s commands and ask for very little in return. They always aim to please, even at their own expense. For specific talented helpers or battle-ready followers, see the Companion Attribute (page 84). Mercenaries who the character hires for specific tasks are not Minions since they have an agenda and expect compensation. During character creation, the player assigns the Minions a number of Character Points up to a maximum of one-fifth the Point total of their character.

For example, a character built from 60 Points could have Minions built from a maximum of 12 Points each (60 ÷ 5 = 12). All Minions created by this Attribute assignment normally have identical Stats, Attributes, and Defects (with very minor and insignificant variations at the GM’s discretion). Minions with different Character Point distribution can be created by assigning this Attribute more than once to create a new team of Minions.

For example, a character in a high school setting might have Minions at Level 3 to represent a group of athletic students that work as school enforcers for the character and Minions at Level 5 to represent a different group of street-level spies that keep tabs on city events and act as the character’s eyes and ears.

A character possessing the Mulligan Attribute may have powerful forces acting as their guardian, which can beneficially influence the outcome of important events.

Alternatively, the character may be really lucky, have great karma, or perhaps can subtly influence their surroundings with thought alone. This relationship with fortune is represented through the re-rolling of undesirable dice rolls (this includes undesirable re-rolls as well). All dice are rolled when using a Mulligan, whether that’s two dice for normal rolls or three/four 05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES dice for situations involving edges or obstacles (page 182). The player may choose to use the original roll, or any of the re-rolls, when determining the success of the action. The Level dictates the number of times dice can be re-rolled in a single role-playing session, though the GM can alter this time frame as desired.

The character can temporarily render the Attributes of other touched characters unusable for approximately one minute or dramatic scene, though it only works on Attributes that derive their powers from one particular source (such as magic or technology or supernatural ability; see page 258). The Nullify Attribute Level determines the maximum Attribute Level that can be nullified, which can either Nullify the target Attribute completely (if that Attribute Level is lower than the character’s Nullify Attribute Level ) or reduce the effectiveness of the target Attribute by the number of Levels of the Nullify Attribute (if that Attribute Level is greater than the character’s Nullify Attribute Level).

For example, if a character with Level 2 Nullify (of magical sources) targets a fellow mage who has Level 1 Armour, Level 2 Flight, and Level 5 Teleport, the character could reduce the target’s Armour to Level 0 (1-2=0), or Flight to

Characters with this Attribute can control the fast growth and movement of all plants in the surrounding area for up to one minute or dramatic scene. The Attribute Level determines the maximum area in which the plants can be controlled, with the character at the centre of that area. After one minute or dramatic scene, the plants will return to their normal state and size before the control. To cause significant damage with controlled plants, the character should acquire the Weapon Attribute (page 132) with the Dependent Limiter (page 149).

This Attribute allows the character to have control over a small dimension or plane of existence of their own. A Pocket Dimension is a self-contained universe; it could be a dream world, a created reality, an astral construct, or even an object that is bigger inside than it is outside. A dimension could even be partially unexplored or dangerous territory, providing adventuring opportunities to characters who visit. Such a dimension provides a secure storage area and (if large enough) could be a private sanctum or prison. Pocket Dimensions are often used to store all manner of objects, from swords and battle costumes to mecha to legions of Companions. They also represent a method of making objects seem to suddenly appear. The Attribute Level determines the maximum size of the extra-planar space. The environment and furnishings of the dimension are up to the player within the GM’s limitations; extensive furnishings should be acquired with the Gear (page 95) or Item (page 101) Attributes. Under normal circumstances, this Attribute can only be taken by a character who already has either the Dimension Walk (page 89) or Portal (page 112) Attributes – otherwise, the Pocket Dimension may be inaccessible.

Assigning this Attribute to an Item instead may remove this restriction if is normally accessible to anyone (such as a extra-dimensional “bag of holding” that anyone can access by opening the bag).

This Attribute allows the character to create a portal, hole, doorway, or rift no larger than a one-metre radius that leads into an alternative reality or plane of existence – that is, a different dimension. The Attribute will normally transport the user and everyone else within the surrounding radius to another dimension. Sometimes this is the character’s Pocket Dimension (page 112). A Portal can usually be held open as long as a character desires. The Attribute Level determines the number of one-way dimensional transitions the user has mastered.

For example, “Earth to Bazaroth” is a single dimension link – the user can travel from Earth to the hell-dimension of Bazaroth, but not back. If the character wished to return, a second transition, “Bazaroth to Earth” or some other form of travel (such a natural gateway) is needed.

Assigning both “Earth to Bazaroth” and “Bazaroth to Earth” is two transitions and requires two Levels of Portal… but sometimes this power is one-way journey only. A character with only a few Levels of this Attribute can also select links in a way that ensures they need to travel through a chain of dimensions to get home.

For example, someone with Level 3 might have: Earth to Bazaroth, Bazaroth to Ikaris, Ikaris to Earth. This means the character would have to pass through the Bazaroth hell-dimension each time they wished to reach Ikaris from Earth, which could be a perilous journey indeed. A dimension can also be defined as the past or future, provided the GM is willing to deal with any issues of time travel that occur. One way to limit portals to other times while still permitting characters to visit anime staples such as ancient Japan and future Neo-Tokyo is to say they are really alternate realities (so history cannot change) and that time flows in a rate that remains constant with the present (so characters cannot repeatedly visit the same point over and over). This means a character living on Earth in 2020 might know how to open a portal to “Japan of four centuries ago” rather than “Japan in 1620” – this minor but significant detail ensures the flow of events is constant, so when it turns 2021 on modern day Earth, the character can now only visit “Japan in 1621.” Ambitious GMs can have other dimensions where time flows at different rates or where altering events can change the past or future, but this can easily create various game balance problems. Portal is not another version of the Teleport Attribute (page 127). A character will usually travel to a point in the other dimension that most closely maps with the point in their own reality (GM’s option). The GM may also rule that visitors are likely to appear at certain nexus points (such as Tokyo Tower on Earth) regardless of where they come from, or that their arrival is completely random.

**USING PORTAL ON OTHERS**
Portal may be used offensively to send others to another dimension with or without going oneself. To do this, simply add the Duration Enhancement (see page 146). This sort of Portal is often possessed by Items such as an ancient shrine or machine that contains a gate to another world, sucking anyone nearby into it. The target will be in the dimension for a maximum amount of time indicated by the Duration Enhancement. The ATTRIBUTES character is released from the dimension once the Attribute’s Duration ceases, reappearing at the point from which they vanished, or optionally, a different point congruent with their present location, depending on how that dimension maps with their origin. Using Portal this way on others requires an attack action and a successful attack roll against the target. To avoid being transported, a victim must succeed with a Body or Soul Stat roll (Target Number 12) – whichever is easier – with a penalty equal to the Level of Portal. If the target has the Immutable Attribute (page 99) they may add that Attribute bonus to the roll to resist. If a particular subject resists three successive attempts at transporting them to another dimension, they are immune to further Portal attacks from that person for the rest of the dramatic scene.

Power Flux represents extensive control over a minor element, ideology, natural phenomenon, or sphere of influence. It is often used to represent divine, elemental, or improvised magical powers, or a powerful high-tech Item. At high Levels, the character holds mastery over a particular realm, and has an intimate understanding of all things relating to the Attribute sphere.

**Examples**
of minor categories over which the character has control include: a classical element (water, fire, wind, earth), a limited concept or idea (lust, protection, charm, pride), a minor aspect of nature (temperature, insects, sunlight, clouds, orbits, sea creatures), or a limited sphere of influence (keys, silence, cats, writing, guns, a small locality, nutrition). This is a very open-ended Attribute and should be discussed with the GM at length to determine the effects and limitations in the game. Proper use of Power Flux will not unbalance the game, but rather can provide many opportunities for character innovation. As an alternative option to Power Flux, see the Dynamic Powers (page 89), Power Variation (page 114), and Transmute (page 128) Attributes.A character with this Attribute has a group of reserve Character Points (called Flux Points) that can be allocated to different Attributes as often as once a minute (or once each dramatic scene, as determined by the GM) within the thematic category chosen by the player. This often represents a broad-based magical or psionic ability, but it can also reflect a character who has several different powered forms or a character who has little control over their range of Attributes (in conjunction with the Unpredictable Limiter, page 153). Stats and Defects cannot be raised or lowered with Power Flux (though the Augmented Attribute may be altered). Fluxing some Attributes may require GM permission. Each Level of this Attribute provides the character with 5 Flux Points. If the character makes a successful Stat roll (the relevant Stat is determined by the GM), they can assign Flux Points to one or more Attributes that grant powers that fit within the thematic category. A Flux Point is equal to one Character Point, which can be assigned to the cost of the Attribute directly, or to the cost of raising an Attribute’s Enhancement Rank (if used and permitted by the GM). Under normal circumstances, Power Flux cannot be allocated to Companion, Dynamic Powers, Item, Power Variation, Skill Group, or Transfer Attributes.

For example, a character who is the reincarnation of an Egyptian cat goddess might take Power Flux (Cats) at Level 2 for 20 Character Points, which grants 10 Flux Points. Up to once every minute, the character can allocate the 10 Flux Points to any combination of Attributes that fit the cat theme. Perhaps in the evening the character plans to prowl around the city for several hours to hunt evil demons, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, and assigns the following Attributes: Heightened Senses (Hearing, Sight) Level 2 (2 Flux Points); Jumping Level 2 (2 Flux Points); Weapon Level 2 (“Claws”) (4 Flux Points), and Special Movement

This very flexible Attribute is similar to Power Flux, but more focussed. It also represents control over an element, ideology, natural phenomenon, or sphere of influence.

However, Power Variation limits the character to a small assortment of previously assigned Attributes, amongst which their associated Character Points can be exchanged once a minute or dramatic scene.

This Attribute is ideal for assigning to high-tech Items such as starships and vehicles that allocate power to different systems as need (such as powering shields, weapons, navigation, and life support systems). At each Level of this Attribute, Character Points can be exchanged in any way between the Level costs of a wide range of Attributes (usually excluding Companions, Dynamic Powers, Item, Power Variation, Skill Groups, and Transfer) that are specified when this Attribute is assigned. The number of specified Attributes is equal to one more than the character’s Power Variation Level.

**Note**
that for the purposes of Power Variation, each Weapon Attribute (page 132) is considered to be a separate Attribute. Furthermore, Levels can be dropped to 0 for one or more of these Attributes as desired in order to have more Character Points available for assigning to the other Attributes.

For example, if a character with Level 3 Power Variation has allocated 15 Character Points to four variable Attributes (Armour, Flight, a single Weapon, and Teleport) during character creation, they can redistribute these 15 Points in any way over the four Attributes and their Enhancement and Limiter Ranks once every minute. The original values of these Attributes are still important, though, because if an ability such as Nullify (page 110) is used to negate the Power Variation Attribute, the character will revert to their original values in each Attribute.

The character can create projected images that may have audible or visual components, or both.

This Attribute may reflect holographic technology, magical ability, control over environmental conditions, or a completely different method of creation. The difference between a Projection and an Illusion (page 97) is that everyone can see and/or hear a Projection because it does not target specific minds. The Projection cannot be touched because it is not substantial, nor does it have a taste or smell. A character can normally maintain only a single Projection at a time but assigning Enhancements (see below) can increase this. Depending on the situation, and the nature of other individuals or animals viewing the Projection, the image may appear to be a real object. Closer inspection will usually reveal the Projection for what it is, but this will not cause the Projection to disappear as it would for an Illusion. If appropriate, the GM can require Body or Mind rolls to “see through” a Projection. See the Illusion Attribute (page 97) for the ability to create mental illusions that target specific people, rather than real images that anyone (including technological devices, such as cameras) can detect. A Projection may be of a particular object or entity or complete scene (such as a furnished room or crowd). It may also be created over an existing person, scene, or object to make it appear different than it really is. A Projection that is untended is normally static, either remaining in one place or (if created over something) moving as the underlying object or entity moves. To give a Projection the semblance of independent activity (such as a projected image of a person who moves and ATTRIBUTES speaks) the character must actively concentrate on manipulating the Projection and perform no other actions. The Level-related area dictates the size of the Projection image, but it can be created anywhere within a 100-metre radius surrounding the character. Thus, a

A character with the Ranged Attack Attribute knows how to perform precise ranged attacks with a particular class of distance weapons. This is actually a group of different Attributes, each representing expertise with a particular class of weapons. For each Level, the character gains a +2 bonus to their Attack Combat Value whenever they are using the specified group of ranged weapon. This bonus actually increases the Attack Combat Value when using the specific weapon, and thus relevant damage inflicted (page 193) is increased as well. The character selects the group of ranged weaponry when this Attribute is assigned.

**Examples**
include: Archery (bows); Artillery (large calibre indirect-fire guns such as howitzers and mortars); Blow Guns; Cannon (large calibre direct-fire guns such as tank guns and naval guns); Handgun (pistols, machine pistols, revolvers); Crossbow; Launchers (guided and unguided rockets); Long Gun (carbines, rifles, submachine guns, and shotguns); Machine Gun (bipod, tripod, or vehicle mounted machine guns and automatic cannon); Mechanical Artillery (catapults and bolt throwers); Sling; Special Attack (all attacks associated with a particular psychic ability or super power); Spells (magical missile attacks such as fireballs and lightning); Throwing (for thrown axes, knives, stars, grenades, etc.); or a group of ranged weapons built into an Item type such as “tank weaponry” or “starship weaponry” or “giant robot weaponry”.

**SIZE-RELATED LEVELS**
When Ranged Attack is added to a character due to a Size Rank smaller than Medium, the character receives the Attack Combat Value bonus on all ranged attacks (ie. all types of weapons).

This is actually a group of different Attributes, each representing the character’s talent at avoiding ranged attacks in specific circumstances. The character selects the condition for this Attribute when it is assigned, with each Level giving the character a +2 to Defence Combat Value when defending against ranged attacks under the specific condition. RANGED DEFENCE (PERSONAL) The Attribute applies against attacks made while the character is able to move freely, whether they be on foot, flying, swimming, etc. The character may not actually be dodging bullets, but rather this Attribute is a combination of situational awareness and tactical movement as well as knowing when to keep moving (to present a more difficult target) and when to drop for cover. RANGED DEFENCE (MOVEMENT) The Attribute applies against attacks made while the character is manoeuvring a specific vehicle or Item/ Companion type, such as automobiles, motorcycles, boats, giant robots, starships, hoverboards, horses, dolphins, and more.

**SIZE-RELATED LEVELS**
When Ranged Defence is added to a character due to a Size Rank smaller than Medium, the character receives the Defence Combat Value bonus defending against all ranged attacks (ie. both personal and movement).

This Attribute can either Regenerate a character’s own Health Points or Energy Points, but not both (though it can be assigned twice to Regenerate both Health and Energy). Select the focus of the Regeneration when this Attribute is assigned during character creation. Characters with this Attribute automatically heal or energise their own injuries at the rate of 5 Health or Energy Points each Level each round, whether they are awake, asleep, or unconscious. The character’s Health or Energy Points cannot exceed their original total, though. At higher Regeneration Levels of Health Points specifically, the character’s body will revive itself if “clinically” dead but not actually brain-dead (Level 3+) and can repair massive trauma such as lost limbs or organs (Level 5+). Regeneration cannot repair a dead body, however (see the Reincarnation Attribute, page 117, for this ability).

**LIMITERIMITER**
CONDITIONAL Some characters need exposure to a particular substance or energy source in order to regenerate their Health or Energy Points. The speed of this Regeneration depends on the strength of exposure. The substance can be common, such as sunlight or positive emotions, but should not be something that is omnipresent under most practical circumstances (such as breathable air). The GM should rate the strength of exposure to a particular condition or substance using five degrees of intensity, each of which provides a different rate of regeneration: Extremely Weak (1 Point/Level per round), Weak (2 Points/Level per round), Average (3 Points/Level per round), Strong (4 Points/Level per round), or Extremely Strong (5 Points/Level per round). Characters should usually be able to find Average magnitude intensity substances easily.

For example, if a character regenerates from sunlight, a sunny day would be sufficient. To continue that particular example, a Strong intensity might be the midday sun at the equator or unfiltered sunlight in space, while an Extremely strong intensity might be sunlight very close to a star (or during daytime on a planet near a star, such as Mercury).

Similarly, Weak intensities should be common (indoor light through a window) and extremely weak should be very common (such as any exposure at all to solar radiation). Characters may also find themselves unable to regenerate when the substance is absent (such as at night or when underground).The default assumption is that the substance that triggers the Conditional Regeneration is easy to find (sunlight, noise, heat, an emotion, plants, etc.). If the substance is rare, also take the Environmental Limiter (page 150).

If the character is killed or destroyed, some of their essence may still survive. This may be in spiritual or digital form, or it may be something that must be retrieved from the corpse. A robot whose memory can be copied or uploaded, a creature that leaves an egg in its body upon death, or an undead monster that will reform a few minutes, hours, or days after its apparent death are all examples of this. If this remnant can be salvaged or otherwise recovered, in a matter of days or weeks and with proper care, it will develop a new body similar to the original. Reincarnation is moderately easy to stop. This may be as simple as burning, blowing up, or dismembering a body, or perhaps burying the body on consecrated ground. The GM and player must work together to determine the parameters involved in preventing the rebirth.

**ENHANCEMENT**

**DIFFICULT TO STOP**
With this Enhancement, the Reincarnation can only be stopped with tremendous difficulty as best determined by the campaign scope with input from the Game Master.

The character is adapted to survive for short periods in a number of environments equal to their Resilient Attribute Level that are hostile to ordinary humans.

**Examples**
of hostile environments include: acidic/basic liquids, airborne toxins (including gasses and microbes), extra dimensional, high pressure, low pressure, intense cold, intense heat, radiation, lack of air, poisons, and underwater (the ability to seemingly “breathe” water for short periods), etc.

Alternatively, the Resilient Attribute can indicate that the character has partial resistance from conditions that can otherwise afflict normal humans such as ageing (cannot be artificially aged), disease (major edge on Stat rolls to resist), sleep (can operate for long periods without sleep), sustenance (can survive long periods without food or water), sight/ hearing effects from intense light/sound, etc.

Finally, Resilient can be assigned to mechanical vehicles, mecha, and other non-living Items to represent an enhanced “mechanical endurance” that reduces the need for frequent refuelling or re-energising (similar to how Resilient can reduce the frequency that humans require food and water). When a Stat roll would be appropriate to determine if the Resilient Attribute provides the intended protection (such as when rolling to see if protection from blinding bright vision attacks is effective against a flash grenade), the character receives a major edge (page 182) on the Body Stat roll. The Resilient Attribute does not apply to non-human characters whose natural living environment is not the Earth’s atmosphere (such as a mermaid living in the ocean or an alien from a world with a breathable methane atmosphere). In these cases, the character would instead assign Resilient (Earth Atmosphere) to survive for extended periods in normal human environments (adding the Complete Enhancement if the character is fully adapted for survival).

This Attribute also provides the character with a 5 Armour Rating (page 80) against environmental conditions and attacks similar to the adapted environment.

For example, Resilient (Heat) provides Armour while in the desert sun and against fiery blasts from dragons, while Resilient (Pressure) provides Armour while deep-sea diving and against a sorcerer’s crushing gravity attack. In most natural Earth environments and climatic conditions, this built-in 5 Armour Rating is sufficient to provide the character with adequate protection. For complete resistance to specific types of Weapon attacks, see the Immunity Attribute (page 98).

**ENHANCEMENT**
COMPLETE This character’s resilience is complete and fully adapted to one selected hostile environment or condition.

For example, the character could be totally Resilient to all diseases or poisons, not age at all, not require any food or water, survive in total vacuum, etc. The Complete Enhancement can be assigned multiple times if the character is fully Resilient to more than one identified environment.

A character with Sensory Block is partially hidden from specific senses or detection techniques, hindering such detection within a three-metre area surrounding the character. This can represent a magical ability, technological enhancement, or paranormal effect. For each Level of the Sensory Block Attribute, the character can either block one Supersense (page 123) or one normal or enhanced sense, as determined during character creation. To fully block (rather than hinder) a detection technique, see the Undetectable Attribute (page 131). Each Level allows one of the five senses – hearing, sight, smell, taste, or touch – or a particular specified Sixth Sense (page 119) or Supersense (page 123) to be partially blocked. Blocking a normal sense means that individuals within the three-metre area cannot see well (sight), cannot hear well (hearing), etc., while blocking a detection technique could mean that radar is scrambled, infrared is blurry, vibration is dampened, danger is considered relatively safe, the presence of magic is muted, etc., Stat and Skill rolls are assigned a major obstacle (page 182) when an individual inside the area (or individual outside the area that is attempting to detect inside the area) is using the identified sense or detection technique.

Some characters have the ability to detect things that may be hidden to normal senses or technological sensors, while others have affinities for specific objects or people. Sixth Sense typically represents psychic or magical ability, but can also reflect trained and acute senses or divine intervention. The character may sense one particular category of phenomenon per Attribute Level. The player should define the category with the GM’s approval.

**Examples**
of phenomena to which the character may be sensitive include: astral or ethereal beings, danger, pocket dimensions, electricity, elements, emotions, evil, illusions, interpersonal dynamics, magic, magnetic fields, paranormal nexus points, particular objects, places of power, psionic powers, radio, radar, spirits, telepathy, truth, virtue, or the use of specific Attributes or Defects. As a guideline, the character is automatically alerted when something their Sixth Sense detects is in close proximity (within 10 metres). The GM may require a Soul Stat roll to do this, with a Target Number depending on the strength of the origin of whatever emanations the character can sense. The character receives a minor edge (page 182) if they are touching the source of the phenomena. A character who specifically concentrates on using their Sixth Sense may gain more precise information on a successful Soul Stat roll. The exact content of this information is up to the GM. If the roll succeeds, the GM may provide the character with a few extra clues about the origin such as “the magic is coming from those buildings over there” or “you sense the evil presence feels otherworldly … and hungry.” If the roll fails, the character will not gain any additional information unless something happens, such as the phenomena becoming stronger or coming much closer. The GM should always try to use Sixth Sense to plant clues that make a story more exciting, but not allow it to circumvent the process of discovery in a mystery plot.

The character can temporarily either increase or decrease their size up to one Size Rank away from their normal size for each Attribute Level. Select increase or decrease when the Attribute is assigned, though the character can always return to their normal size, of course. The character can typically maintain the change for up to one minute or for one dramatic scene. The benefits and drawbacks associated with the new Size Ranks apply (page 35).

**ENHANCEMENT**

**BOTH WAYS**
The character can change sizes in both directions, instead of being limited to either growing or shrinking.

Skill Groups represents training or natural talent in a particular broad field. There are several different Skill Groups and each of them is considered its own Attribute.

Assigning multiple Skill Group Attributes at different Levels, therefore, is an ideal method for creating a versatile character. For combat-related capabilities, see the following Attributes instead: Attack Mastery, Defence Mastery, Melee Attack, Melee Defence, Ranged Attack, and Ranged Defence. In appropriate circumstances, the Level of a character’s suitable Skills Group is added to their related Stat when making a Skill roll to determine the success or failure of a task. See Roll Types (page 179) for more information on Skill rolls. Skill Groups are divided into three categories with differing Character Point costs (from 1 to 3 Points per Level) to reflect their typical utility in most BESM games. The GM may reallocate some of these Skill Groups to different categories – thus changing their Point cost – to more accurately reflect frequency and value in their specific game setting.

For example, in a high school game of romance and student council political drama, the Domestic Skill Group might be better categorised under a Field Skill or Action Skill instead of a Background Skill. Including Skill Groups in BESM Fourth Edition is a shift from previous editions that used detailed, specific skill lists instead of groups. There are numerous advantages to these collections of related skills, though several problems may arise as well that require GM and player consideration, including skill overlap and interpretation.

**OVERLAP AND BROAD APPLICATIONS**
The open-ended nature of the Skill Groups could encourage justifying that a specific activity falls under the realm of nearly any group.

For example, extracting information from a street thug could be rationalised under: Occupation – “I’m a bounty hunter, and deal with such things regularly.” Business – “I’ll make a deal with him, selling him on the virtues of working with us.” Social – “I’m good at talking with people and will convince him through rhetoric.” Street – “I’ll speak his gang language and ensure he understands the consequences of silence.” Detective – “After all my years on the beat, I’m highly adept at extracting information.” This diverse application of Skill Groups is an intentional feature, though it may cause some consternation with some players and GMs who desire a more rigid structure.

**PRIMARY USAGE**
It’s equally important not to make one or two Skill Groups essential for survival and enjoyment in a game, which discourages from players creating diverse characters.

For example, if the characters with the Adventuring and Street Skill Groups are always having the opportunity to use their talents in the game, while other characters are merely sitting back and observing, there may be too much emphasis placed on those groups.

**GAMING WITH**

**SKILL GROUPS**

**BACKGROUND SKILL ACKGROUND SKILL**

**GROUPS (1 POINT/LEVEL)GROUPS (1 POINT/LEVEL)**
ACADEMIC Skills that are rooted in language, research, communications, and critical thinking. ARTISTIC Skills that are tied to formal and informal expression, and related to imagination, creativity, and aesthetics. DOMESTIC Skills that are often obtained without formal education and that have applications in daily life. OCCUPATION (SELECT ONE) Skills that are tied to the activities of one specific career that are often learned “on the job”.

**FIELD SKILL GROUPS IELD SKILL GROUPS**

**(2 POINT/LEVEL)(2 POINT/LEVEL)**
BUSINESS Skills that cover a wide variety of administration applications, such as management, sales, policy, and savvy. SOCIAL Skills related to community interactions, interpersonal dynamics, and political manoeuvring. STREET Skills that reflect familiarity with underworld elements as well as urban culture and survival. TECHNICAL Skills related to gadgets and their functions, including aspects of mechanics, electronics, and programming.

**ACTION SKILL GROUPS CTION SKILL GROUPS**

**(3 POINT/LEVEL)(3 POINT/LEVEL)**
ADVENTURING Skills that apply to a broad spectrum of exploration in wilderness environments. DETECTIVE Skills relating to police sciences, investigations, urban immersion, and subterfuge. MILITARY Skills connected to organised troop efforts, formalised hierarchies, espionage, and combat support. SCIENTIFIC Skills appropriate to quantitative fields – biological, physical, medical, mathematical, and natural sciences.Level 1 Developing – The character is gaining proficiency with the Skill Group through regular application

This Attribute is primarily intended for use in interplanetary or galactic games. A character (or more often, a vehicle or mecha Item) with Spaceflight can fly in the vacuum of space (but not in an atmosphere) between planets, stars, asteroids, solar systems, and (at extremely high Levels) even galaxies. The Flight Attribute (page 94) is required to escape from the atmosphere and gravity of a planet or other large body. Without Flight, the traveller or Item can only achieve Spaceflight speeds if already in space.

The character may select one Special Movement type for every Level of this Attribute. The movement abilities may be the result of genetics, mystical forces, supernatural talents, or intense training. Several examples are given below but the GM and players are encouraged to develop additional abilities as well. Many other Attributes provide alternate methods of movement, including Flight, Ground Speed, Jumping, Spaceflight, Superspeed, Teleport, Tunnelling, or Water Speed. BALANCE The character never loses their balance, even when running on a narrow rope or beam. CAT-LIKE The character will take half damage (round down) from most falls and always lands on their feet. FAST The character’s Body Stat is doubled for each assignment of this Attribute when calculating running speed (see page 191). LIGHT-FOOTED The character can skim over sand, snow, or ice at full speed. SLITHERING The character can slither along the ground at normal walking/running speeds. This allows a character to move quickly while maintaining a very low profile. SWINGING The character can swing through forests and cities (areas with natural or artificial structures above swinging height) using vines, ropes, webbing, or simply their arms. UNTRACKABLE The character never leaves footprints or tracks when they walk or run. Eliminating the character’s scent as well is a Feature (page 92). WALL-BOUNCING For the duration of a dramatic scene, the character can move at regular walking speed without touching the ground by bounding back and forth between nearby vertical surfaces (walls).

For example, they can proceed down hallways or climb an alleyway between two buildings (bouncing from wall to wall).WALL-CRAWLING The character can cling to walls or ceilings as though they were on the ground or floor. Due to the enhanced utility of this type of movement, this counts as two Special Movement abilities. WATER-WALKING The character can walk or run over water as if they were on land. Due to the enhanced utility of this type of movement, this counts as two Special Movement abilities.

**ZEN DIRECTION**
When the character opens their mind to the natural world, they will always move in the right direction. The right direction is not always the direction the character wants, but it is the direction the character needs.

The character can summon a wide variety of natural animals from the surrounding area (up to 1 km radius) and command them to perform a variety of simple activities such as attack, confuse, hunt, defend, etc. for a duration of approximately one minute or one dramatic scene. Dominion over humans and other sentient species is best handled by the Mind Control Attribute (page 108) instead. The Attribute Level determines the maximum number of animals that can be summoned, and multiple different types of animals can be summoned at the same time. If fewer animals are in the surrounding area, only those nearby will obey the summons.

Additionally, the animals do not appear magically and instantaneously; they must find a way to travel to the summoning character and consequently summoning turtles or snails may not produce the fastest results. SUPERNATURAL The animals are summoned through supernatural means. The character can always summon the maximum number of allowable animals (as determined by the Attribute Level) and the animals arrive at the summoner’s side within a single round. When the duration expires, the animals instantly return to their original locations. DIMENSIONAL Counts as 2 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 2 Levels). The character is not limited to summoning only natural animals but can also summon the maximum number of a variety of weak creatures from other dimensions or planes of existence. When the duration expires, the creatures instantly return to their original locations.

**LIMITERSIMITERS**

**NARROW CATEGORY**
The summoning is restricted to a narrow category of animals or creatures, such as mammals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, avians, micro-demons, fae, etc.

**SPECIFIC CATEGORY**
Counts as 2 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 2 Levels). The summoning is restricted to a specific category of animals or creatures, such as dogs, cats, rodents, ants, bees, large reptiles, frogs, sharks, birds of prey, imps, pixies, etc.

**SINGLE CATEGORY**
Counts as 3 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 3 Levels). The summoning is restricted to a single category of animals or creatures, such as poodles, tigers, rats, fire ants, crocodiles, tree frogs, hammerhead sharks, eagles, blood imps, water pixies, etc.

Supersense gives the character one sense (assigned during character creation) that functions beyond the scope of normal human capability that can detect objects at a distance, in the dark, and invisible to normal sight. The detectable objects (or at least the radiation they send out, in the case of some Supersenses) must be in direct line of sight, though, and not blocked by a solid barrier or the curve of the planet’s horizon. Supersenses can include: echolocation, infrared vision, radar, sonar, magnetic field detection, microscopic vision, ultravision, vibration detection, x-ray vision, and more exotic or magical detection forms. Active Supersenses that send out pulses of energy (such as radar and sonar) should also be assigned the Detectable Limiter (page 150).Multiple different Supersenses with varying ranges can be represented by assigning this Attribute multiple times.

A character can sprint up to 4-5 metres/round (or 4-5 kph) multiplied by their Body Stat over short distances. A character with Superspeed can move much faster than this, as well as perceive the world at an increased pace.

This Attribute is usually supernatural in nature (since it progresses well beyond realistic speed physics) and consequently is usually only appropriate for augmented or magical characters and not regular vehicle or mecha Items. For a more realistic form of movement for Items, see the Ground Speed Attribute (page 96). In most genres, a fast-moving character can still interact with the world. This means that the character will not run into buildings along city streets because they can perceive them early enough and make appropriate turns to avoid them. The character can also read books quickly, write at incredible speeds, and perform normal chores and activities at enhanced rates. Superspeed is a modular Attribute that does not provide the character with many other Attribute benefits typically associated with speedy characters, however. This allows for maximum player flexibility when designing their character concept. Many characters with Superspeed will also possess one or more Levels in the following Attributes: Change State (incorporeal to vibrate through solid objects), Combat Technique (Lightning Reflexes), Extra Actions, Heightened Awareness, Massive Damage (Superspeed attacks), Regeneration, Special Movement, and Weapon (tied to Superspeed through the Dependent Limiter).

A character can lift approximately 20-30 kg times their Body Stat (and freely manoeuvre about one half that amount), but some characters are far stronger than their Body Stats indicate.

This Attribute can represent the muscular strength of a large or powerful non-human, a supernatural ability, the hydraulic systems of robotic muscles, etc. Each Level of Superstrength determines the maximum mass the character can lift and carry for short distances. A character’s Superstrength is independent of their Body Stat. When someone or something has Superstrength, strength moves beyond the Stat scale; the Body Stat now represents fitness, durability, and agility rather than actual muscle. Thus, a player could create someone with a Body Stat of 2, but Levels of Superstrength (clumsy, fragile, and out of shape, but super strong!).

**UNARMED COMBAT**
Each Superstrength Level adds +5 damage to unarmed attacks such as punches, kicks, grappling, or body slams. The +5 damage bonus also usually applies to the natural weapons of super-strong animals, including claws, bites, hooves, and gores.

**MUSCLE WEAPONS**
Each Superstrength Level adds +1 to a character’s Damage Multiplier when using normal melee and thrown Weapons, as well as when using Weapon attacks with the Muscle Enhancement (page 138). If such a Weapon Attribute is defined as a form of unarmed combat as well, the +5 damage bonus described above does not also apply – the character only receives the +1 Damage Multiplier bonus.

A character with this Attribute can transform into a swarm of small creatures, such as rats, bats, wasps, crows, or other creatures or things (such as tiny attack robots). Vampires and demons most often possess this dramatic ability. The type of Swarm creature must be determined during character creation. The character can create one critter from their body for every current Health Point, multiplied by the Level in this Attribute.

For example, a character with 130 current Health Points who has Swarm at Level 4 could transform into a horde of 520 creatures (130 x 4 = 520). When transformed into a Swarm, the character cannot use any of their existing Attributes. The actions of the Swarm are limited to three options: move, observe, and attack.

Additionally, all the critters of the Swarm must remain within close proximity of each other (within a radius of five metres per Attribute Level). A swarm’s Attack Combat Value is equal to the Swarm Attribute Level + 4. The attack damage is not calculated in the usual way, however. Instead, it inflicts a flat 1 damage for every 10 critters (round down; minimum 1 damage) in the Swarm. A Swarm can be attacked normally, and each creature in it dies if it is hit (no defence roll is allowed). Unless an opponent is using a Weapon Attribute with the Area or Spreading Enhancements (pages 145 and 141), only a single member of the Swarm can be killed per attack (GM’s discretion). Consequently, a Swarm of 200 creatures requires 200 attacks to completely destroy. Attacks with the Spreading Enhancement can affect multiple critters at a time, while attacks with the Area Enhancement can be devastating to the Swarm. A character who dissolved into a Swarm may choose to revert into normal form during their Initiative in a combat round. To accomplish this, all available critters in the Swarm (those not killed or trapped) must join together. Transforming back to normal form replaces all the character’s actions for that round. The character will return to normal with Health Points equal to the number of critters that recombined, divided by the Swarm Attribute Level (round down).

For example, if a character with 130 current Health Points and Swarm at Level 4 divided into 520 creatures, and after a battle recombined with only 100 available critters, the character would then have a current total of 25 Health Points (100 ÷ Level 4 = 25).

The character can concentrate on a physical object (but not forms of energy) within 10 metres and move it without physically touching it. Telekinesis may represent psionic ability, magic, or some form of tractor beam. Characters with the ability to magically control the movement of a particular element may also use Telekinesis to represent this ability by assigning a Limiter (see below). A character using Telekinesis can lift themselves, a character, an object, or a group of adjacent objects or people and move them at a brisk walking speed (5 metres/round or 5 kph) or manipulate it with the dexterity of a human hand. If a character wishes to fly at speeds exceeding 5 kph, they need the Flight Attribute (page 94) rather than Telekinesis. A character can use Telekinesis as a weapon by lifting someone up into the air and dropping them, or by moving a heavy object over their foe and releasing it. The normal rules for non-combat damage (page 193) are used based on the severity of the impact incident. Telekinesis can also be used more directly to hurl objects and inflict damage. The amount of mass that can be lifted and violently hurled is much less in this instance, equal the normal mass ÷ 100 (for example, 1 kg at Level 3, 10 kg at Level 4, etc.).

Otherwise, the ordinary rules for combat are used, as if the telekinetic was striking or wielding objects with an invisible pair of hands (or multiple hands, if they have the Extra Actions Attribute, page 92). If striking with a weapon (including thrown weapons), use the normal combat rules (page 183) for attacking and determining damage. If striking with bare telekinetic force, use the normal guidelines for unarmed damage (page 193).

**LIMITERIMITER**
FOCUSSED This Limiter restricts the character to telekinetically moving or sculpting one specific type of matter – such as air, earth, fire, metal, water, wood, etc. – that is selected during character creation. Context is provided below for each of these examples:AIR The character can only move air (or other gases). A cubic metre of air masses about 1.3 kg. Enough air to fill a 3 metre by 3 metre by 3 metre (roughly 1,000 cubic feet) room masses 35 kg. EARTH The character can only move dirt, rock, stone, sand, etc. and cannot affect treated metals such as iron or lead. A cubic metre of packed dirt masses about 2 tonnes; the same mass of concrete masses about 2.5 tonnes, while a cubic metre of solid granite masses about 2.8 tonnes. FIRE The character can only affect flames of an existing fire, or can possibly start small ones (and manipulate them into larger ones, as appropriate) with their mind as well. Since fire does not have mass, the Level indicates the size of the flames that can be controlled and manipulated: small fires at Level 1 (like a candle or match flame), up to a large conflagrations that could encompass an apartment building at Level 6. METAL The character’s Telekinesis only works on metal. This may be a mystical limitation, or it may be the character’s Attribute is actually magnetic (or pseudo-magnetic if it works on most metals). A cubic metre of steel masses about 8 tonnes. WATER The character can lift and move water. A cubic metre of water (1,000 litres) masses one tonne while a gallon of water (about 4 litres) masses about 4 kilograms. WOOD The character’s Attribute only works on wood (living or dead). This ability is usually mystical in origin and common to druids and woodland spirits. A cubic metre of wood masses just under a tonne.

By concentrating and through touch, the character can read another person’s mind and can also transmit their thoughts to the target. At higher Levels, the character can invade a target’s mind to probe and even alter their memories. Telepathy is the classic psionic ability, though versions of this Attribute may also represent other magical capabilities, such as demons that can tempt their victims through mental invasion. Telepathy normally works only if the subject is in sight or can be otherwise perceived (touched, heard, use of a special detection technique, etc.). If the subject is beyond normal perceptions, mental invasion is usually not possible. The subject cannot detect a telepath reading thoughts or sensory impressions unless they have the Telepathy (page 126) or Mind Shield (page 109) Attributes. If so, they can attempt to block the telepath, in which case the only way to get through is with a mental invasion. A target will always be aware of a mental invasion, although a non-telepath might not understand what exactly is happening.

**LIMITERSIMITERS**

**BROAD CATEGORY**
The character’s Telepathy is restricted to a broad category of targets, such as “all humans and similar sapient beings” or “all non-sentient animals” or “all machine intelligences”.

**NARROW CATEGORY**
Counts as 2 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 2 Levels). The character’s Telepathy is restricted to a narrow category of targets, such as “any reptile” or “any male” “or “any faeries”.

**SPECIFIC CATEGORY**
Counts as 3 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 3 Levels). The character’s Telepathy is restricted to a specific category of targets, such as “dogs” or “people obsessed with beauty” or “any being, but only on Sundays”.

**SINGLE CATEGORY**
Counts as 4 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 4 Levels). The character’s Telepathy is restricted to a single targetted group, such as family members, or mutants with a specific gene, or poodles.

Teleport enables the character to transport themselves instantly from place to place without crossing the intervening space. It is a common ability for psionic characters, sorcerers, and superhumans. Assigned to a vehicle, it can perhaps represent a high-tech space folding drive or a magical location-transposing dweomer. A character can carry anything reasonable while teleporting that they could normally carry or wear (such as clothing, handheld weapons and equipment, or a small pet or ally). Teleporting is only possible if the character has visited the intended destination or can see or otherwise sense the destination (possibly through the Heightened Senses, Supersense, or Sixth Sense Attributes).

Possessing this Attribute increases the Health Points of the character, allowing them to withstand more damage from injuries. The Tough Attribute, along with the Body Stat, also reflects a character’s resistance to sickness, disease, and other physical ailments. See page 170 for more information on Health Points.

**Note**
that characters with high Body or Soul Stats may be very healthy even without this Attribute, since Health Points are derived from these Stats. Tough should also be assigned to any character or Item that is unusually large or dense.

This Attribute represents the ability to transfer a character’s talents to another willing person for a duration of one minute or dramatic scene. This often represents a magical gift of some sort; with appropriate Limiters, it can also represent someone who makes magical potions, talismans, or scrolls to give to others. By taking a general action and making a successful average Soul Stat roll (Target Number 12) the character can temporarily grant the use of any one of their Attributes to any single willing touched target. When an Attribute is Transferred, the receiving character is in complete control of its abilities. Should the character later grant the target a different ability, the target ceases benefiting from the previously transferred Attribute. The Transfer Attribute Level determines the maximum other Attribute Level that can be granted, provided the transferring character has at least that Level to transfer.

For example, a character with Level 4 Transfer can allow a target to use one of their Attributes at Levels 1-4 but cannot grant a Level 4 ability if the character only possesses it at Level 2 themselves. The GM may decide that Stats can also be given to a target when Transfer reaches Level 5 or higher. To grant Attributes to multiple targets simultaneously, the Transfer Attribute can be assigned multiple times.

**ENHANCEMENT**

**ALL ATTRIBUTES**
Counts as 2 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 2 Levels). The character can transfer any and all of their selected Attributes of the appropriate Level simultaneously.

**LIMITERIMITER**

**SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTE**
Counts as 2 Limiters (Attribute effectiveness increased by 2 Levels). The character can only transfer one of their Attributes, the identity of which must be specified when this ability is assigned during character creation.

This Attribute allows a character to use an action to transmute one medium-sized (or smaller Rank) solid non-living object – or set of connected objects – into another object of similar size and mass for one minute or dramatic scene. This might be due to alchemy, advanced nanotechnology, or magic. The character can transmute an object that is worth up to 5 Character Points for each Level of the Transmute Attribute and the object’s new form is also limited to 5 Character Points/Level. Consequently, a medium-sized mundane object of appropriate mass can be transformed at only

The Tunnelling Attribute allows a character to move through earth and burrow underground. Tunnelling assumes that the character is going through sand or packed earth. Burrowing through extremely dense or rocky ground is one Level slower and boring through solid rock is two Level slower. The tunnel the character leaves behind will either be permanent or will collapse immediately (specified during the creation of each tunnel).

Unaffected represents the ability to ward off an enemy’s use of an offensive Attribute when the character is targetted for assault. A magician’s counterspell or a protective amulet or scroll could be represented by Unaffected. This ability only works on Attributes that derive their powers from one particular source (such as magic or technology or supernatural ability; see page 258) and that are ongoing or instantaneous (ie. not permanent).

This Attribute can be assigned multiple times to affect more than one source. The character can block the offensive use of one specific named Attribute that must be identified during character creation. In the case of the Weapon Attribute (page 132), only Weapons with a specific identified Enhancement are blocked (such as Weapons with the Drain, Psychic, or Stun Enhancements). When an opponent targets the character with an Attribute considered Unaffected, the attacker must succeed with an opposed Stat roll with a penalty to their roll equal to twice the target character’s Unaffected Attribute Level. If the roll fails, the Attribute does not affect the character.

**ENHANCEMENT**

**ALL WEAPONS**
The character is Unaffected when targetted by all source-related Weapon Attributes, regardless of the assigned Enhancements.

**05: ATTRIBUTES**

**SEVERAL ATTRIBUTES**
The character is Unaffected by 2-5 source-related Attributes instead of just one.

**MANY ATTRIBUTES**
Counts as 2 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 2 Levels). The character is Unaffected by 6-10 source-related Attributes instead of just one.

**ALL ATTRIBUTES**
Counts as 3 Enhancements (Attribute effectiveness reduced by 3 Levels). The character is Unaffected by all source-related Attributes instead of just one.

This Attribute will completely hide the character from one or more senses or detection methods. The character may possess a supernatural concealment ability or a technological cloaking device, or may have a psychic or magical talent that causes observers to overlook them. To obscure an area instead, see the Sensory Block Attribute (page 119). For each Undetectable Level, the player selects one sense or technique to which the character is “invisible.” Senses include the human range for sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell. Detection techniques include: astral, ethereal, infrared, magic, mental, radar, radiation, sonar, spiritual, ultraviolet, vibration, etc. Invisibility to sight or hearing cost 2 Attribute slots each rather than only 1, since they are usually more valuable in game adventures (GM’s discretion). While the character may not be detected using specific methods, indirect evidence can still reveal the character’s presence.

For example, a character who is Undetectable to sight will still leave footprints in muddy ground.

Similarly, a vase that is knocked from a table by a character who is Undetectable to sound will still make noise as it smashes on the floor.In normal combat situations involving human or nearly human opponents, a character who is Undetectable to sight has a great advantage. Only after the invisible character gives away their general position (for example, by firing a gun, attacking with a sword, or shouting) can they be attacked. Attacking opponents in melee range suffers a minor obstacle (page 182) on the attack roll and opponents at a greater distance suffer a major obstacle. Heightened Awareness (page 97) and Heightened Senses (page 97) Attributes can eliminate minor obstacles and reduce a major obstacle to a minor. Defending against a foe who is Undetectable to sight is also more difficult, with a minor obstacle applied on the defence roll.

**LIMITERIMITER**
NONADJACENT The character is only Undetectable at distances exceeding a few metres. At close range, the character can be perceived as normal or with a minor or major obstacle (page 182) to the Stat rolls of those nearby.

This Attribute covers any and all powers and special abilities not detailed in the rules. Often one single Character Point in a Unique Attribute is sufficient to give the character “flavour”, but more Points can be allocated to enhance the effects on game play and must be added if the Attribute would be of considerable benefit. Discuss the Attribute with the GM to determine what specific game effects the Unique Attribute possesses. The GM should assign a Point cost per Level based on how the Attribute compares to other Attributes and how useful it is. An Attribute that is somewhat useful in the game should cost 1 Point/Level; one that is very useful should cost 2-3 Points/Level; one that is extremely useful should cost 4-5 Points/Level; and one that is exceptionally powerful and useful should cost 6-10 Points/Level.

**Note**
that many Unique Attributes can be better described simply as a Feature (page 92) or a new Combat Technique (page 83), or by adding Enhancements and Limiters to existing Attributes (see page 145). 05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES Level 1 Basic aptitude with Unique Attribute

In some BESM games, the characters may be unaware of their paranormal or superhuman Attributes until they manifest at crucial moments. To represent this, the player can allocate some Character Points to the Unknown Power Attribute when creating the character. The player does not purchase a Level in this Attribute as normal, but rather simply allocates a selected amount of Character Points to the Unknown Power. The GM takes those allocated Points, adds a bonus of 50% (rounding up), and then uses them to assign other Attributes to the character. The GM does not tell the player which Attributes have been assigned; they are revealed to the player (and character) as the game unfolds and the Attributes manifest. GMs are encouraged to reveal the character’s Attributes slowly and when it is appropriate for the campaign’s story. The GM should never feel pressured to tell the player what their character’s unknown Attributes are before the time is right.

Most characters and animals can swim at speeds equal to 0.5 kph times their Body Stat over short distances. A character with Water Speed, though, can float and travel both on and under water at even faster speeds for longer periods. Aquatic creatures and amphibious non-humans such as mermaids usually possess this Attribute. The character can swim on the surface at high speeds and dive underwater for brief periods by holding their breath or for longer periods if they have Features (Gills) (page 92) or the Resilient (Underwater) (page 118) Attributes. To survive the pressure associated with deep diving, the Resilient (Extreme Pressure) Attribute must also be assigned.

The character is more financially stable and “liquid” than an average person and usually has non-liquid assets (such as real estate) commensurate with their wealth as well. The character can easily acquire commercially available goods as well as bribe or hire people.

**Note**
that hirelings that are intensely loyal to the character should still be acquired through the Companion Attribute (page 84). In order to have access to things that are illegal or difficult to acquire without special licenses, the GM can request that the character assign the Item (page 101) or Connected (page 84) Attributes.

Many anime characters wield powerful offensive energies, such as electric zaps, magical fireballs, ki-powered martial arts strikes, or energy swords.

Additionally, some characters, such as cyborgs or robots, may have guns, missiles, or beam weapons built into their bodies.

This Attribute can also be contained within the Item Attribute (page 101) in order to create hand-held weaponry like swords, magic wands, guns, or even armed vehicles and suits. Weapons can be used on a single target each round with melee range (i.e. the target must be in very close proximity to the character) unless further modified by the Range Enhancement (page 147). A character can only make one Weapon attack per action. A battery or barrage of several weapons that can be discharged simultaneously is normally created as a single powerful weapon (often paired with several Enhancements such as Area, Autofire, or Spreading; see page 135-141). The Weapon Attribute may be assigned more than once to give a character (or Item) a variety of different attacks. ATTRIBUTES When designing a Weapon, the player (with GM input) should determine exactly how the Weapon works. Is it an eyebeam? Retractable claws? A fireball? A psychic attack? A special rapid-strike martial arts finishing manoeuvre? The nature of the Weapons will give the attack role-playing flavour, will provide insight into how the character uses it, and will help determine what Enhancements and Limiters are appropriate. Unlike most Attributes, the Weapon Attribute is often assigned at Ranks exceeding Level 6 to represent the wide range of powerful Items and special attacks common to anime. Discuss your Weapon Attribute limits with the GM.

**WEAPON**
DAMAGE A successful attack with the Weapon Attribute inflicts an amount of damage equal to the Weapon Level multiplied by the character’s Damage Multiplier (called the “Base Damage”). Most characters have a Damage Multiplier of 5. Then add the attacker’s Attack Combat Value to the Base Damage, as well as the effects of any other Attributes that may apply, to determine the final attack damage. See page 193 for additional combat damage details.

**Example**
: Samurai Kenjiro slashes a monstrous ogre using his katana sword. He has an Attack Combat Value of 7 and a Damage Multiplier of 5. The katana is an Item (Weapon Level 3). Upon a successful attack, the sword inflicts 22 damage (Weapon Level 3 x Damage Multiplier 5 = 15 Base Damage + 7 Attack Combat Value = 22 damage).

**CUSTOMISING WEAPONS**
More than any other Attribute, Weapon benefits greatly from game customisations beyond the basic description and parameters. The many Weapon Enhancements and Limiters provided herein – plus the Area, Range, Duration, and Potent Enhancements described in Chapter 6: Customisation (page 144) – help make each Weapon Attribute unique to your character. Many of these customisations can be assigned more than once as noted, with each assignment decreasing (for Enhancements) or increasing (for Limiters) the effective Level of the Weapon.

**05: ATTRIBUTES05: ATTRIBUTES**
UNARMED:

**THE FREE WEAPON**
An unarmed person can strike an opponent using fists, feet, head, etc. This is a free Weapon Attribute that all characters automatically have and it does not need to be recorded on character sheets. Such attacks are considered a Level 0 Weapon with the Stun Enhancement and Non-Penetrating Limiter. Consequently, the damage inflicted upon a successful unarmed attack is simply equal to the character’s Attack Combat Value (page 169). An exception to this guideline applies to characters with the Superstrength Attribute (page 124), since such powerful characters also gain +5 damage to their unarmed attacks for each Level of Superstrength.

**LEVEL 0 AND -1**
Weapon is unique among Attributes in that its effective Level can drop to 0 or -1 through the assignment of one or more Enhancements, though the minimum Level that you can assign to your character remains at Level 1 (costing 2 Character Points). The damage delivered by effectively Level 0 Weapons only considers the character’s Attack Combat Value, since the Weapon’s Base Damage is 0. For Weapons with an effective Level of -1, no actual damage at all is delivered and consequently such Weapons only have utility if they have been assigned one or more of the following Enhancements: Drain, Flare, Incapacitating, Irritant, Quake, or Tangle.

Assigning multiple Enhancements that drop the effective Level of the Weapon Attribute below -1 is forbidden; in these instances, simply assign additional Levels to the Weapon (costing 2 Character Points/Level) until its effective Level increases to at least -1. Level -1 The attack doesn’t inflict regular damage