Chapter Four - Full Text (Patreon)

Chapter Four: Scars

“What a collection of scars you have. Never forget who gave you the best of them, and be grateful, our scars have the power to remind us that the past was real.”

— Hannibal Lecter, Red Dragon

Scars are the fundamental quality that sets Deviants apart — not only from Baselines, their fellow Remade, and other occult creatures in the Chronicles of Darkness, but from the protagonists of most other tabletop roleplaying games that focus on ordinary people who gain unique supernatural gifts. Scars are not just flaws or weaknesses. They define who the Broken is and what they have lost — what the conspiracies have taken from them.

In game terms, each Scar is linked to the Deviant’s Mental, Physical, or Social Attributes. The higher the Remade’s ratings in the corresponding Attributes, the more power and control she exercises over the Variations linked to those Scars. However, nearly all Scars actively sabotage the Broken’s mundane capabilities with the Attributes from which her Variations draw their power.

A character with high Physical Attributes might be incapable of prolonged exercise. One with strong Social Attributes may find it impossible to convince anyone that she’s not lying to them. One of great intelligence or sharp perceptions might find herself regularly assailed by hallucinations that prevent her from being able to trust her own senses.

True, it’s possible to create a Deviant character whose Scars draw upon Attributes in which the Remade’s rating is middling or low. However, the mechanics incentivize the opposite.

This is not an accident of game design or a whim of its designers. It reflects a key component of what makes Deviants tragic figures, rather than four-colored heroic ones. Were it not for the Divergence, the natural athlete would still be able to participate in and enjoy sports; instead, her body cannot endure the rigors of physical activity. Were it not for her Progenitor, the socialite would still be socially adept; instead, he cannot go out in public without risking ridicule, looks of pity, or worse. Were it not for the conspiracy, the brilliant professor would be teaching advanced classes at an Ivy League school and publishing critically acclaimed papers on her pet topics; instead, her mind is permanently dulled by her exposure to occult powers beyond mortal understanding.

The Divergence doesn’t simply take away some part of himself that the Remade wasn’t really using and didn’t mind losing. Most of the time, it rips away that which was most fundamental to his identity and self-perception. Even if he wasn’t a pro athlete or rising Hollywood star or brilliant scholar, he regarded himself as athletic, smart, or good with people, and the Divergence took that from him forever.

Is it any wonder that many Broken feel such animosity towards the ones they blame for their condition?

Deviant: The Renegades has more than 50 Scars and Standard Deviations, most of which have five tiers of severity (Magnitude), resulting in hundreds of options for defining a character’s vulnerabilities and story of what they have lost. Even taken together with the dozens more Scars and Standard Deviations introduced later in this chapter, they don’t represent every possible option that could or should exist. Troupes who enjoy the exercise of designing new Scars and Standard Deviations can do so. As with Variations, existing ones often make good starting points or serve as examples of what a Scar of a given Magnitude should be like.

Scar Principles

Most Scars start with a high concept — the weakness, vulnerability, or flaw they represent. For the most part, they are built from Magnitude 1 and then loaded up with additional, worsening mechanics to reflect the increasingly heavy burden they entail. The rule of thumb for Scars is:

Magnitude 1: With a couple exceptions, these are entirely a roleplaying note. If the player takes the time at the table to portray them, they should earn a Beat.

Magnitude 2: These have mechanics that keep them from being ignored entirely, but they don’t come into play very often or their consequences seldom carry beyond the scope of a scene when they do.

Magnitude 3: These force some decisions or clearly impact play. If Controlled, most players won’t hesitate to pay the price of the entangled Variation when it’s useful, but it is a price.

Magnitude 4: These reshape the way the Broken’s player interacts with the game. Some derail the Deviant’s plans for the scene whenever they come up or render him useless in entire categories of scenes, while others are less disruptive but either longer lasting or more frequently consequential.

Magnitude 5: These are doozies, and even a player with her heart set on a Magnitude 5 Variation will be hard-pressed to choose one that she can live with. They define the character and are laughably easy for her enemies to exploit.

Even within these guidelines, some Scars are naturally more disruptive to some character concepts than to others. A combat-focused character will struggle with the burdens imposed by Hemophilia, for example, while Lying Eyes and Conspicuous Appearance are often devastating for any character intended to excel in social situations.

Structure

While some Scars have a structure reminiscent of some of the more complex Variations, they are more likely to be linear or to have Deviations. Parallel structure (p. XX) is unheard of. No matter how many Deviations are applied, a Scar’s Magnitude never counts as higher than Magnitude 5 or lower than Magnitude 1. This doesn’t mean that a Deviation that would raise a Scar to Magnitude 6 or lower it to Magnitude 0 is forbidden, only that it doesn’t affect the number or Magnitude of Variations the Scar can entangle, much less eliminate the minimal “roleplay the Scar for a Beat” effect of a Magnitude 1 Scar.

Most Scars should allow a full range of Magnitude from 1 to 5. Deviant: The Renegades has just a few exceptions (such as Fluctuating Variation and Tribulation), but a full spread gives Scars somewhere obvious to go as Instability rises.

Common Themes

Certain phrases come up again and again in the mechanics of Scars.

“Whenever they create a complication for the Deviant or her cohort, you take a Beat”: Most Magnitude 1 Scars use this language. This includes narrative complications, such as when Conspicuous Appearance attracts unwanted attention or when Phobia causes the Remade to avoid a situation that it would be easier if he was willing to confront. It also includes narratively significant mechanical complications, such as spending Willpower that might be needed later (rather than spending it right before you’re going to sleep anyway and will get it right back). The Storyteller is the final arbiter of what qualifies as a significant complication, but it is generally better to err in favor of awarding Beats.

“The Storyteller may offer a Beat”: Many Scars (particularly Magnitude 1 Scars) include language like this. Although it implies that it is up to the Storyteller to decide whether and when a Scar should come into play, it should be taken more broadly. Yes, the Storyteller may suggest that the player accept a disadvantage based on the Scar in exchange for a Beat. However, the player should always feel free to roleplay the Scar in a way that disadvantages the Deviant or the cohort. He should also bring this to the Storyteller’s attention when he does so, and she may choose to award the Beat as though it had been her suggestion. An act of self-sabotage isn’t an obligation, but if the Remade’s doing so makes the story more interesting, the Storyteller should err on the side of awarding the Beat.

“Once per chapter”: Scars are expected to come into play regularly but not constantly. This language is a suggested maximum, not an obligation. If no narratively interesting opportunity for a Scar’s effect to manifest presents itself, a per-chapter complication might not come into play at all during a chapter. Likewise, in rare cases where a Scar is the focus of the current chapter, it could come into play multiple times in a chapter, but this should be the exception not the rule.

“Once per chapter, the Storyteller may offer a Beat”: A common way to add some teeth to a Scar as it reaches Magnitude 2 is to allow the Storyteller to compel the player to roleplay the Scar at a disadvantageous moment. In many cases, the Broken can resist this compulsion with a successful Scar Resistance roll. However, doing so allows the Storyteller to offer the Beat in a later scene of the same chapter, permitting another Scar Resistance roll but at a penalty equal to the number of times she has already successfully resisted the Scar since the last time she failed this roll during the chapter. The Deviant’s player may always simply accept the proffered Beat rather than rolling — whether because she thinks the current opportunity is more narratively satisfying or because she suspects the Scar’s introduction in a later scene (when the character is less likely to succeed on the Scar Resistance roll) will be a bigger problem than taking it now.

Semi-Parallel Structure: While no Scar offers five different Magnitude 1 effects which, if taken together, add up to a Magnitude 5 Scar, many branch and converge at Magnitude 2, 3, or 4. Such a Scar usually has two, three, or even four different effects that, taken by themselves, aren’t too terrible, but when you put them together, they are almost exponentially bad. Maintenance (Deviant, p. 165), for example, has three different options for Magnitude 3 effects; none is demonstrably worse than the others, but all three of them together is a severe drawback — as befits a Magnitude 5 Scar.

Willpower, Lethal Damage, or Minor Instability: When a Scar needs to impose further incentive to adhere to its strictures, these are common additional costs. Willpower is usually the easiest to replenish and lethal damage is the one that takes the longest. Minor Instability can range from a negligible cost to being worse than lethal damage, as it depends on whether the character is able to regularly further her Touchstones.

Tilts and Conditions: Many Scars of Magnitude 2, 3, and 4 impose one or more Conditions or Personal Tilts. This is generally a moderate Tilt at Magnitude 2 or 3, and a severe Tilt at Magnitude 3 or 4. Bear in mind that Conditions grant Beats when they are resolved, so a heavy Condition is actually worth two Beats, not one, so it’s generally fine to impose them liberally at Magnitude 2 or 3. Persistent and long-lasting Conditions should be reserved for Magnitude 4 and higher.

Non-Permanent: Scars are permanent, but any price they exact from the Broken should not be. This is why the injuries caused by Deterioration (Deviant, p. 153) heal naturally, rather than leaving the Broken permanently maimed. The assumption in Deviant is that players will want to use their characters’ cool powers. They might need to do so sparingly — whether due to per-chapter or per-story limits or because the Scars entangled with them pack a wallop — but no Variation should be made to seem like it can only be used once or a handful of times ever due to the severity of its Scar. A single major Instability or one point of aggravated damage should be near the limits of what a Scar does to the Deviant.

Choosing Keywords

Overt vs. Subtle: Most Scars are Subtle. The exceptions are usually Physical Scars that reflect a visible change to the Remade’s body.

Scar type: A Scar’s type should reflect the area of the Broken’s life it interferes with. Those that complicate physical action should be Physical, those that interfere with social functioning should be Social, and those that limit mental advantages should be Mental. In cases where this is less than obvious, a mixture of two types or an Any designation is acceptable, but don’t use these just to take advantage of higher ratings in those Attributes.

Directed-Only: These Scars and Standard Deviations assume the entangled Variation is one that must be targeted.

Perpetual-Only: Scars and Standard Deviations with this keyword only make sense for effects that are constantly active.

Repeatable: Controlled and Involuntary Scars are usually Repeatable. Persistent Scars are generally only repeatable if they connect to different things — different things to be afraid of (Phobia), different Attributes that are limited (Suppression), or different Variations that require maintenance (Maintenance).

Secondary: Scars and Standard Deviations with this keyword are a way to combine two Scars into one in some limited fashion.

Toggled-Only: Scars and Standard Deviations with this keyword only make real sense if they hinge upon the Remade turning on their entangled Variations.

Deviations

Deviations allow fine-tuning of a Scar so that it fits the specific character concept, and Scar-specific Deviations are common. Particularly versatile Scars can have many Deviations, and unlike Variations, it’s okay to take Deviations that cause the Scar’s Magnitude to add up to more than 5 or less than 1.

No matter how many Deviations a Scar has, however, its Magnitude is never considered greater than 5 or less than 1. Moreover, if an effect such as Instability or a Variation would increase or decrease such a Scar’s Magnitude, it always counts up starting at Magnitude 1 and counts down starting at Magnitude 5.

For example, the Remade has the Magnitude 3 base effect of Alternate Persona and adds in Aware Persona, Blackouts, Superior Persona, and Cross Purposes (each one a +1 Magnitude Deviation) — for a total of 3 + 4 = 7. This is allowable under the rules, but it still only counts as a Magnitude 5 Scar in every way that matters to the mechanics, such as how many Variations it can entangle and of what Magnitude. Further, if a Variation temporarily reduces the Magnitude of the Scar by 1, it removes 3 Magnitude of the Scar so that it nets out to a Magnitude 4 Scar.

In the same vein, the Broken takes the Magnitude 1 base effect of Alternate Persona and loads up on Invoked, Forgetful Persona, Perfect Recall, Inferior Persona, and Partner (each one a –1 Magnitude Deviation) — for a total of 1 – 5 = –4. It would still be a Magnitude 1 Scar for mechanical purposes, generating a Beat whenever it creates a complication for the Deviant or her cohort. Moreover, if Instability would temporarily increase the Magnitude of the Scar by 1, the Remade must discard enough –1 Magnitude Deviations, add +1 Magnitude Deviations, and/or increase the base effect of the Scar by enough to raise the Magnitude of the Scar to 2.

Standard Deviations

Most Standard Deviations are standalone mechanics that can be added to many different Scars (or any of them). A handful, such as Disfiguring Scar and Nightmares, are effects that don’t offer anything close to five Magnitude worth of effects. Oftentimes, when something that seems like a Scar proves impossible to render as one — and too simple for a proper Form — it’s because it’s actually a Standard Deviation.

Deviation Ranges

No Deviation should increase or decrease the Magnitude of a Scar by more than 2.

–2 Magnitude: This renders the Scar almost a beneficial effect. These are the rarest of Deviations.

–1 Magnitude: These reflect mitigating factors that make the Scar much less burdensome. Usually, this either means it comes into play less often or it is less of a problem when it does.

+0 Magnitude: These reflect a change to the base Scar that doesn’t make it better or worse — just different.

+1 Magnitude: Most Deviations that worsen the impact of a Scar fall into this category. They’re a notably heavier burden — usually in how often they come into play, but occasionally in how much of a problem they create for the Remade when they do.

+2 Magnitude: These are a significant step worse than +1 Magnitude Deviations, and most of them build on a more workaday Deviation but make it more disruptive.

It’s usually poor form to add a +1 or +2 Deviation to a Magnitude 1 Scar unless it gives that Magnitude 1 Scar mechanical teeth of some kind. A Magnitude 1 Scar with Nightmares attached to it is fine, for example, because Nightmares carries a mechanical cost. Phobia (Common) 2, however, can be borderline unless you are willing to play up that fear regularly. Magnitude 1 Scars are carrots to encourage roleplaying in exchange for Beats, not a means for clever players to entangle a Magnitude 2 or 3 Variation with a Scar that never comes into play.

New Scars

Below are new Scars to include in your Deviant: The Renegades chronicles.

Controlled Scars

Aftermath (• to •••••)

Keywords: Secondary; Subtle; Repeatable

The Variation’s power fills the Remade, masking its price until its energy disperses.

Each instance of this Scar must apply a different Persistent Scar or one with the Repeatable keyword.

At Magnitude •, choose a Persistent Scar with a Magnitude equal to this Scar’s Magnitude (the secondary Scar). This must not be a Scar that’s Toggled-Only. All Variations entangled with Aftermath also suffer that Persistent Scar, but only after the Variation’s duration expires (after the current scene ends, for Variations whose durations can be extended beyond the current scene). The Persistent Scar’s effects last until the end of the chapter (or the end of the next chapter if the entangled Variation was activated during the last scene of the current chapter).

In cases where the secondary Scar imposes a Condition or other “token” (such as Conspicuous Appearance or Misfortune), these Conditions/tokens linger until they are resolved or used up normally.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and the secondary Scar becomes Overt.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Burn: Choose a Controlled Scar with a Magnitude equal to this Scar’s Magnitude (the tertiary Scar). The Broken suffers the tertiary Scar each time she activates the entangled Variation again when already suffering from the secondary Scar.

•            Crash: If the Deviant activates the entangled Variation again when already suffering from the secondary Scar, the Magnitude of the secondary Scar increases by 1, to a maximum of Magnitude •••••. This increased Magnitude can include Deviations, but it is the same each time the Remade causes it to escalate.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but both effects apply.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••, but the Remade cannot activate the entangled Variation again until she is no longer suffering from the secondary Scar.

Scapegoat (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Subtle

The Deviant’s presence has a deleterious effect on those around him.

At Magnitude •, choose a Persistent Scar with a Magnitude equal to the Magnitude of Scapegoat (the secondary Scar). Each time the Remade activates the entangled Variation when an innocent bystander (a Baseline who is not a Conviction Touchstone, Loyalty Touchstones, cohort member, or enemy) within 40 yards can perceive him, a bystander witness of the Storyteller’s choosing (or one selected at random) suffers the effects of the secondary Scar until the end of the chapter unless the Broken succeeds on a Scar Resistance roll. If no viable bystanders are present, the Variation works normally but no one suffers the secondary Scar.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, but the Scar becomes Overt. In addition, choose one:

•            Cohort: The secondary Scar may also affect the Deviant’s Loyalty Touchstones and members of his cohort.

•            Enduring: The secondary Scar plagues the victim longer, lasting until the end of the story. If affecting a Baseline bystander, it is usually permanent.

•            Persistent: In addition to taking effect when the entangled Variation is active, up to once per chapter, at a time of the Storyteller’s choosing, it imposes its secondary Scar even when the Variation isn’t active.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but choose two Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude ••, but the Deviant suffers all three Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••••. In addition, if there are no bystander witnesses, Loyalty Touchstones, or cohort members present, the secondary Scar instead falls upon a Loyalty Touchstone or cohort member who isn’t present in the current scene.

Deviations

Random (+0 Magnitude): Choose a number of potential secondary Scars equal to 1 + Scar Magnitude. Whenever you impose a secondary Scar due to Scapegoat, randomly select which one affects the victim at random.

Cruel (+1 Magnitude): As Random and exclusive with it and with Merciful, but the Storyteller chooses which secondary Scar to impose, and it seems calculated to maximize the Deviant’s anguish.

Merciful (–1 Magnitude): As Random and exclusive with it and with Cruel, but the Broken’s player decides which secondary Scar to impose.

Shame (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Social; Subtle; Repeatable

The entangled Variation is a source of shame for the Deviant, representing as it does the loss of who they once were. They don’t want it and they go out of their way not to use it. When, in a moment of weakness or desperation, they resort to it, feelings of guilt are never far behind.

At Magnitude •, they try not to rely on the Variation and rarely use it except when asked to by one of their Loyalty Touchstones. The Broken takes a Beat when their refusal to activate the Variation creates a complication for the Remade or their cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, but the guilt lingers. When the Deviant activates the Variation without first receiving permission to do so from a Loyalty Touchstone, they gain the Guilty Condition. Until the Remade resolves this Condition, Scar Finesse rolls to activate the Variation without permission suffer a penalty equal to (6 – Scar Resistance), and the Broken may only attempt to do so once every several minutes (once per turn in action scenes).

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Contrition: The Broken cannot attempt to activate the Variation if they are already suffering the Guilty Condition, and suffer a penalty to activate the Variation equal to (6 – Scar Resistance) even if not currently suffering the Condition.

•            Humiliation: Calling upon the hated Variation is the ultimate act of self-humiliation, and the Deviant can only overcome the feelings of worthlessness through an act of self-sacrifice. The Guilty Condition lasts until the Remade takes an action that would refill all their Willpower (suffering hardship to serve a Loyalty Touchstone for a Renegade or doing so to oppose a Conviction Touchstone if a Devoted), which resolves the Condition but does not restore any Willpower.

•            Purity: Activating the Variation is a grave moral crime, and even a loved one’s orders or desperate pleas cannot excuse such a sin. The Guilty Condition manifests even if a Loyalty Touchstone gives her permission to use the Variation, and such authorization does not make it any easier for the Broken who already has the Condition to compound their crime by activating it again.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but choose two Magnitude ••• effects, instead.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude •••, but the Deviant suffers all three Magnitude ••• effects.

Involuntary Scars

Asset (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Overt

The Broken has a rare gift that she bestows on strangers and entirely against her will.

At Magnitude •, up to once per chapter, a random Baseline nearby gains and reflexively activates the entangled Variation until the end of the scene unless the Remade succeeds on a Scar Resistance roll. He uses (6 – the Deviant’s Scar Resistance) to calculate its Scar Power and Scar Finesse and the Broken’s traits to determine Magnitude and other qualities, but it is otherwise Scar-free. If the Scar is entangled with multiple Variations, the Baseline gains them all. This can trigger breaking points. If this creates a complication for the Remade or her cohort, she takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Conviction: Conviction Touchstones granted the entangled Variation by this Scar do not count against its per-chapter limit. Additionally, non-Baselines can gain the entangled Variation.

•            Victim: Any Baseline who inflicts at least one point of lethal or aggravated damage to the Remade (after any armor is applied) gains the entangled Variation until the end of the scene unless the Broken succeeds on a Scar Resistance roll. Such tormentors do not count against the Scar’s per-chapter limit.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Balanced: The Deviant suffers from both Magnitude •• effects.

•            Nemesis: The Remade must have chosen Conviction as her Magnitude •• effect. Choose an additional Variation of the same Magnitude as the entangled Variation when the Broken develops this Scar. Conviction Touchstones who gain the entangled Variation also gain the secondary Variation until the end of the scene.

•            Sacrifice: The Deviant must have chosen Victim as her Magnitude •• effect. Choose an additional Variation of the same Magnitude as the entangled Variation when the Broken develops this Scar. Baselines who have injured the Deviant in the current scene (inflicted at least one lethal or aggravated damage) who gain the entangled Variation also gain the secondary Variation until the end of the scene.

At Magnitude ••••, the Remade suffers from all three Magnitude ••• effects, potentially allowing Conviction Touchstones to gain two secondary Variations in addition to the one entangled with this Scar.

Deviations

•            Enduring (+1 Magnitude): The Variations granted by this Scar instead persist until the end of the chapter.

Obligation (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Subtle; Repeatable

The Deviant’s Variation has fused with the channels of his emotions. It hates everyone he hates and seeks to help destroy them at the smallest provocation. It serves everyone he loves and will leap to obey their commands.

The entangled Variation activates whenever the Remade is in the presence of one of his Conviction Touchstones he can currently perceive — even when doing so is not to his advantage. It likewise activates at a request from any Loyalty Touchstone. In both these cases, activating it does not require an action or Scar Finesse roll, while in other circumstances it does. However, he may only activate one non-reflexive Variation per turn, even if this is involuntary, and if multiple Variations are entangled with Involuntary Scars, the order in which they activate is random.

At Magnitude •, such involuntary activations are by no means the rule, but whenever the Variation activates involuntarily in a situation that creates a complication for the Broken or his cohort he takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and the entangled Variation becomes Overt. Further, involuntary activation is much more common and requires an act of will to resist. Refusal to activate the Variation in the presence of a Conviction Touchstone or at the behest of a Loyalty Touchstone counts as Faltering against that Touchstone. If the Variation is Directed, failure to use it when and how a Loyalty Touchstone commands likewise counts as Faltering. Deactivating the Variation before the Conviction Touchstone is no longer present or a Loyalty Touchstone directs him to do so (and before the end of the scene) requires a successful Scar Resistance roll. If he has Faltered against a Touchstone in the current scene, he may ignore that Touchstone for the purpose of this Scar until the end of the scene.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Fighter: The Broken suffers a minor Instability at the end of any chapter in which the entangled Variation did not activate due to the proximity of a Conviction Touchstone.

•            Lover: The Deviant suffers a minor Instability at the end of any chapter in which he did not activate or Direct the entangled Variation as commanded to by a Loyalty Touchstone.

At Magnitude ••••, the Remade suffers both Magnitude ••• effects.

Deviations

•            Uncontrollable (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant can’t activate the Variation except in the presence of a Conviction Touchstone or at the command of a Loyalty Touchstone.

Persistent Scars

Animal Enmity (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Overt

The Broken’s presence makes animals uncomfortable, and the feeling is mutual.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant suffers a penalty to Animal Ken rolls equal to the Scar’s Magnitude. Additionally, choose a category of animals, such as birds, canines, felines, or insects. The Remade does not get along with those kinds of animals. Whenever he is near, they act out their agitation in noticeable ways. Dogs bark, rats flee, bees swarm, etc. Whenever this creates a complication for the Broken or his cohort, he takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Attraction: Although the animals don’t like the Deviant, they come from far and wide to get close to him. Once per chapter, the Storyteller may introduce one or more animals with whom the Remade has enmity if there is any chance that they could reach (or already be at) his location.

•            Hostility: The animals don’t just posture and respond to the Broken. They actively attempt to hurt and kill him. Their impression of him is automatically hostile, and any failure on an Animal Ken roll involving animals of the chosen type is automatically a dramatic failure.

At Magnitude •••, the Deviant suffers both Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but once per chapter, at a time of the Storyteller’s choosing, animals that hate the Remade arrive en masse and attempt to kill him in any way they can.

Deviations

•            Exotic (–1 Magnitude): The category of animals is narrow (only house cats or bees) or is one the Deviant is unlikely to encounter (such as marsupials in Europe).

•            Universal (+1 Magnitude): Exclusive with Exotic, all species of animals react negatively to the Deviant’s presence.

Cyclical Scar (•••)

Keywords: Secondary; Subtle; Repeatable

One of the Deviant’s Scars waxes and wanes in a predictable way, while its entangled Variation remains static.

Choose a Magnitude ••• secondary Scar when the Remade develops this Scar that has at least a Magnitude •• and Magnitude •••• effect (including Standard Deviations). Define the secondary Scar’s effect at Magnitude •• to •••• or • to •••••. Define the pace and way in which its Magnitude increases and decreases such that the average Magnitude is equal to 3 (or very close to it). For example, a wave (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2… or 2, 3, 4, 3…), a flattened wave (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… or 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2…), or a circle (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1… or 2, 3, 4, 2… or 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5…). The whole cycle should have between three and 10 phases, each of which shouldn’t last more than three days nor less than one hour. It’s usually better to define this by an existing cycle — a lunar cycle, a day, a week, etc.

Take, for example, a Deviant with Bestial Mind as his secondary Scar, tied to the phases of the moon, like a folklore werewolf. When the moon is full, he suffers Bestial Mind •••••. When it is a waxing or waning gibbous, he suffers Bestial Mind ••••. When it is a first or last quarter, he suffers Bestial Mind •••. When the moon is a crescent, he suffers Bestial Mind ••. And when the moon is new, he suffers Bestial Mind •.

If the secondary Scar has multiple possible configurations (including if it is modified by Standard Deviations), the Remade’s player must decide what burden the Scar imposes at each available Magnitude in the •• to •••• or • to ••••• range.

If the secondary Scar is Controlled or Involuntary, the entangled Variation requires activation as though this were a Controlled or Involuntary Variation.

Deviations

•            Mild (–1 Magnitude): The secondary Scar instead only has defined effects with a Magnitude of •, ••, and •••.

•            Severe (+1 Magnitude): The secondary Scar instead only has defined effects with a Magnitude of •••, ••••, and •••••.

•            Unpredictable (+0 Magnitude): The Scar follows patterns that are difficult or impossible to predict (the movement of the futures market, for example, or the imperceptible activities of an invisible occult species). Each chapter, the Storyteller randomly determines the current Magnitude of the secondary Scar, giving roughly equal probability to each (either Magnitude •• to Magnitude •••• or Magnitude • to Magnitude •••••).

Evil Twin (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Subtle

A doppelganger, evil twin, or other person easily mistaken for the Deviant makes his life a living hell. In many ways, this is similar to Alternate Persona with the Cross Purposes Deviation (Deviant, p. 158), except it represents someone or something physically separate from the Remade who engages in behaviors that cause trouble when they are attributed to him. Circumstances conspire to prevent the two from ever meeting.

At Magnitude •, people occasionally mistake the Broken for someone else, usually someone who did not leave a lasting positive impression upon them. He frequently encounters his twin’s jilted ex-lovers, parole officers, and mobster creditors, leading to situations that range from distracting to dangerous. These enemies are almost always Baselines. Whenever this creates a complication for the Deviant or his cohort, he takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and once per chapter the Storyteller may make the Remade the victim of mistaken identity. Convincing people that he isn’t who they think he is requires a successful Presence or Manipulation + Persuasion roll. Showing identification or other credentials (if he has any) can grant an equipment bonus to this roll, but this takes time that he might not have (or that they might not allow him).

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Connected: The Broken’s twin has made many enemies, and they are united in their hatred of him and their desire to take revenge. Collectively, they behave like a Standing 1 conspiracy with 8 dots of Attributes who devote all their resources to frustrating and hurting him and those he cares for. Unlike other conspiracies, they may take conspiracy actions each chapter even when not the focus of the current chapter, but they may not invest Effort in Projects unless they are currently the active conspiracy. As long as he has this Scar, destroying this conspiracy only causes another like it to form at the beginning of the next story. If he can convince its agents that he is not his twin, they will relent during the current chapter, but that doesn’t prevent them from mistaking him for his twin in future chapters.

•            Dangerous: The Deviant’s twin tends to make dangerous enemies — mostly mundane ones, but occasionally ones with supernatural abilities. They behave toward him as though he were a Conviction Touchstone and as though their Conviction rating were (6 – Scar Resistance) for the purpose of convincing them not to harm, mistreat, or aggravate him — unless he successfully convinces them that he is not his twin.

•            Stubborn: Nothing can convince the Remade’s enemies that he isn’t his twin. They will find ways to rationalize any evidence he or others present them with.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but choose two Magnitude ••• effects.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude •••, but the Broken suffers from all three Magnitude ••• effects.

Hubris (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Social; Subtle

The Broken is certain he’s the smartest one in the room and that there is no problem that his intelligence and Variations can’t overcome if he puts his mind to it. Moreover, he wants everyone else to know it.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant is prone to gloat over his successes (and any enemies in his power), to brag about his intelligence and Variations, and to talk about his plans even to enemies. Whenever this causes a complication for the Remade or his cohort, he takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Brag: Whenever someone asks the Broken about himself, he must make a successful Scar Resistance roll to resist the urge to openly hint either at his Variations, his shocking plans for the future, or his past crimes. At this Magnitude, he need not be blunt or specific — particularly if doing so in present company is a bad idea, such as when he is being interrogated by the police — but anyone reading between the lines should be able to glean enough information from his not-quite-confession to pursue further lines of inquiry.

•            Toy: Whenever the Deviant has an enemy in his power — whether because they surrendered or were incapacitated — he must make a successful Scar Resistance roll in order to kill them or let them die. If he lets them live, he cannot simply keep them prisoner or hand them over to someone else. He must either give them an opportunity to win their freedom (which need not be fair but must not assure their failure) or contrive a satisfying and elaborate method of execution that incidentally gives them a chance to escape. This does not affect the Broken’s ability or willingness to kill a Conviction Touchstone out of hand.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Balanced: The Deviant suffers both Magnitude •• effects.

•            Boast: The Remade must have chosen Brag as his Magnitude •• effect. As Brag, but the Broken can’t roll to resist at least hinting about his secrets. Moreover, if asked direct questions about any of the secret topics, he must make a successful Scar Resistance roll or lay out the truth in excruciating detail even when doing so is a terrible idea.

•            Gloat: The Deviant must have chosen Toy as his Magnitude •• effect. The Remade’s enemies are so far beneath his notice that they don’t even warrant him killing them anymore. The Toy effect now applies to his Conviction Touchstones. Additionally, the Broken doesn’t even toy with lesser enemies, instead freeing them a short while later, usually after regaling them with lengthy monologues meant to impress upon them how intelligent and powerful he is.

At Magnitude ••••, the Deviant suffers from all three Magnitude ••• effects.

Deviations

•            Calling Card (+1 Magnitude): The Remade feels compelled to take trophies or leave a calling card whenever he makes a significant accomplishment. Choose an appropriate type of calling card or trophy; failing to leave/take this when the opportunity arises inflicts a minor Instability on the Broken. A calling card makes it easier for the conspiracy (or the authorities) to identify his handiwork; leaving a calling card makes this Scar count as Overt for the conspiracy’s next surveillance roll. A trophy makes it easier for the Broken’s crimes to be traced to him; if investigators gain access to his trophy collection, he suffers the Hunted Condition.

Lumbering (• to •••••)

Keywords: Physical; Subtle

The Deviant is slow and heavy, making it easy for enemies to run circles around him.

At Magnitude •, the Remade suffers a penalty to Initiative and Speed equal to the Magnitude of this Scar. In addition, the Broken’s player may accept a Beat whenever being slow and heavy creates a complication for him or his cohort. This can include choosing to fail rolls related to stealth, jumping, or running, as well as those related to climbing or balancing on objects that are not strong enough to bear his weight.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Heavy: The Deviant is significantly heavier and denser than a human being. He sinks like a stone in water, and ordinary ropes, ladders, scaffolding, and other supports will not bear his weight unless their Durability exceeds half the Scar’s Magnitude (rounded up). Others’ attempts to lift, carry, drag, or give a hand up to the Remade suffer a penalty equal to the Magnitude of this Scar unless using engineering principles to do so (systems of pulleys, block and tackle, counterweights, etc.); even so, relevant Build Equipment actions still suffer a reduced penalty equal to half the Scar’s Magnitude (rounded up).

•            Ponderous: Opponents may dodge the transformed’s attacks even if they have already taken an action during the current turn, and doing so does not take up their action for the turn. They also enjoy half their Defense (rounded up) against those of the Deviant’s attacks that would normally ignore Defense unless some other circumstance would deprive them of Defense (such as a successful ambush).

•            Slow: The Remade halves his Speed (rounded up) after applying the penalty levied by the Magnitude • effect and suffers a penalty to his Defense equal to half the Scar’s Magnitude (rounded up).

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but choose two of the options.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but all three effects apply.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••••, but the Broken is incapable of movement except by means of an apparatus or vehicle designed to lift, pull, or carry large, heavy objects — such as a heavy pickup, semi-trailer, or cargo plane. Most consumer vehicles like cars and light trucks will suffer serious damage if they haul the Deviant more than a short distance. Build Equipment extended actions meant to move the Remade suffer a penalty equal to the Scar’s Magnitude (rather than half Magnitude).

Masochism (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Physical; Subtle

The Deviant’s Divergence has given him a twisted addiction to his own pain.

At Magnitude •, the Remade’s fondness for physical discomfort leads him to seek out injury. Take a Beat whenever the Broken places himself in harm’s way unnecessarily and it creates a complication for himself or his cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and the Deviant cannot easily resist an opportunity to endure physical pain nor readily accept intervention (be it mundane or supernatural) that will alleviate his suffering. Unless this action or inaction carries significant risk of permanent injury or death, he must succeed on a Scar Resistance roll, with a bonus equal to his current wound penalty (if any), to deny his masochistic urge.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Agony Addiction: The Broken does not feel alive except when his body is covered in bruises and scabbed-over wounds. The Deviant suffers a –3 penalty to all actions when he currently has no damage. This is –2 if his Health track has one damage marked or –1 if his Health track has two damage marked. This penalty does not apply to rolls that are not affected by wound penalties. This doesn’t affect Resistance rolls, including Scar Resistance rolls.

•            Punch Drunk: To the Deviant, pain is intoxicating. Whenever the Remade takes damage, he suffers the Drugged Tilt until the end of the scene.

•            Unstable: When his body is whole, the Broken finds it impossible to center himself in the world and slides inexorably deeper into the Divergence. The Deviant suffers a minor Instability at the end of the chapter if he doesn’t currently have lethal and/or aggravated damage on his Health track.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but choose two effects instead.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude •••, but all three effects apply.

Nameless (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Subtle

The Deviant’s name no longer resonates with the world, making it difficult to sustain a formal identity.

At Magnitude •, people constantly mispronounce and misspell her name. It gets misfiled, misremembered, and forgotten with irritating regularity, but never when it works to her advantage. The fingerprint reader on her laptop is flaky on the best of days, for example, but police have no trouble identifying her based on her fingerprints at a crime scene. Whenever this would create a complication for the Remade or her cohort, she takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Anonymity: Actions the Broken takes in her own name do not leave an impact. Making a doctor’s appointment is an ordeal, and she certainly isn’t destined to be a best-selling author — at least not without writing under a pen name. Unless she introduces herself under a pseudonym or refuses to identify herself at all, she suffers a penalty to Social actions in the scene equal to (6 – Scar Resistance). This does not affect Touchstones, members of her cohort, or anyone who already knew her name before her Divergence.

•            Undocumentable: The Deviant is unable to establish her identity. People might recognize her name, but she cannot convince them that it belongs to her. Even if she has an I.D., if she shows it to anyone, they assume that it is a forgery. This usually does not affect Touchstones or members of her cohort, but even a close associate might forget they know her for the duration of a chapter, potentially denying her access to Merits such as Allies, Resources, and Status. This does not prevent machines from identifying her, so fingerprint readers, PIN pads, and facial recognition cameras suffer no impediment.

At Magnitude •••, the Remade suffers both Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, and choose one:

•            Ghost: Anonymity and pseudonyms no longer allow her to make a social impact. Further, once per chapter, she cannot initiate physical contact with another person in the current scene — either directly or through tools under her control (including weapons). If she attempts to do so, her hand slips to one side, collides with an invisible barrier, or passes through the target as though she were a ghost. This does not prevent others from making physical contact with her, however.

•            Shadow: Machines can no longer identify her biometrically, and even PINs, passwords, and captcha features will not recognize her. Up to once per chapter, the Broken finds herself incapable of initiating contact with one or more inanimate objects in the scene. She can’t turn the doorknob, flip the light switch, or pick up the briefcase, and in some cases she cannot interact with her environment at all.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••••, but both effects apply.

Noblesse Oblige (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Social; Subtle

The Broken suffers a supernatural compulsion to fulfill the desires of strangers.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant’s player may accept a Beat whenever she performs a random act of kindness for a stranger that results in a complication for her or her cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and up to once per chapter the Storyteller may choose a character the Remade is compelled to help, which will not be a Conviction Touchstone. The Deviant must ensure that the target fulfills a Vice, Virtue, Aspiration, or esoteric drive (such as furthering a Touchstone). The Remade knows which person is her target but doesn’t automatically receive knowledge of his desires; she needs to learn that information on her own. Unless the target accomplishes his goal before the end of the next chapter, the Deviant suffers one of the consequences below at the beginning of the following chapter, chosen at the time she develops this Scar:

•            Health: The Remade suffers a point of lethal damage that cannot be healed by supernatural effects.

•            Power: The Deviant cannot activate the entangled Variations until she fulfills the obligation. If it is Persistent and Perpetual, it ceases to function until then.

•            Stability: The Broken suffers a minor Instability.

•            Will: The Deviant loses a point of Willpower.

If the Storyteller chooses a new target, it frees the Remade from any existing obligation (and potential consequences for failing to uphold it).

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but the Broken has fewer avenues by which to satisfy her compulsion. Choose two of the following when the Deviant develops this Scar, and helping the target fulfill these no longer satisfies the conditions of this Scar: Esoteric, Short-Term Aspiration, Long-Term Aspiration, Vice, or Virtue.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but only one type of desire satisfies the conditions of this Scar.

Deviations

Except for Compelled, Kind, and Cruel, all the below Deviations are only allowed if the base effect is Magnitude •• or greater.

•            Guided (–1 Magnitude): The Deviant automatically learns one of the target’s relevant desires that can be used to satisfy this Scar.

•            Aware (–2 Magnitude): Exclusive with Guided, the Remade automatically learns all the target’s relevant desires that can be used to satisfy this Scar.

•            Compelled (+0 Magnitude): Rather than the choice of target being wholly at the Storyteller’s whim, it must be someone matching certain criteria, one who takes a certain action, or a combination of the two. For example, the Broken might be compelled to bring joy to children, perform a service for the first person to pay her fee, or grant the last wishes of the dying. The Deviant’s player decides when choosing this effect whether targets can never include Conviction Touchstones (or other enemies), Loyalty Touchstones, cohort members, or other close allies (even if they meet the criteria) OR whether it can include any of these as long as they meet the criteria. The Deviant’s obligation to a target persists until the Remade satisfies the target’s desire or a new viable target presents himself. No more than one such favor can be compelled of the Broken per chapter, nor does changing targets delay the consequences of failing to uphold the obligation.

•            Kind (-1 Magnitude): As Compelled and exclusive with it and Cruel, except targets never include Conviction Touchstones or other enemies, but they can include Loyalty Touchstones, cohort members, or close allies — as long as they meet the criteria.

•            Cruel (+1 Magnitude): As Compelled and exclusive with it and Kind, except targets never include Loyalty Touchstones, cohort members, or close allies, but they can include Conviction Touchstones or other enemies — as long as they meet the criteria.

•            Costly (+1 Magnitude): The price of failure to satisfy this Scar is higher — aggravated damage for Health, medium Instability for Stability, and three Willpower for Will. If the Remade’s price is Power, it shuts down additional Variations equal to (6 – Scar Resistance), but this Deviation is only available if the Broken has at least one other Variation not entangled with Noblesse Oblige.

•            Multitudinous (+1 Magnitude): Choose a second price of failing to satisfy this Scar (Health, Power, Stability, or Will). The Deviant suffers both.

•            Crushing (+2 Magnitude): As Multitudinous and exclusive with it, but the transformed suffers three prices of failing to satisfy the Scar.

•            Unyielding (+1 Magnitude): Continued failure to satisfy this Scar causes the Remade to wither away. Any damage, Instability, or Willpower lost to this Scar cannot be healed/replenished until the Broken successfully satisfies the Scar. If the price is Power, fulfilling her obligation does not allow the Deviant to activate the entangled Variation until the beginning of the next chapter.

Omega (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Subtle

The Deviant is disabled or a child, or she exudes an occult aura that prevents anyone from taking her seriously.

At Magnitude •, people generally don’t give serious consideration to the Remade’s observations or opinions and rarely include her in their deliberations. Oftentimes, they will intentionally exclude her from decisions that affect her “for her own good,” or they will talk about her as if she isn’t in the room, simply assuming she can’t possibly understand what they are talking about. The Broken suffers a penalty to Intimidation and Persuasion rolls equal this Scar’s Magnitude. Whenever any of this creates a complication for the Deviant or her cohort, she takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Damsel: Strangers perceive the Remade as someone in need of their assistance, but only when she absolutely does not need or want their help. Once per chapter, the Storyteller may offer the Broken a Beat, which she may only refuse by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll. If this roll fails, a well-meaning stranger in the scene attempts to help her in a way that creates a complication for the Deviant or her cohort.

•            Unheard: Once per chapter, when the Deviant makes a good point or takes useful control of a situation, the Storyteller may offer her a Beat to have her voice fall on deaf ears. She may only refuse this by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll. If using Cohort Static (p. XX), she cannot call the question, bid Static in a decision point (although she may invest it in the Operational Pool), or gain the Operation Leader Condition.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Balanced: The Remade suffers both Magnitude •• effects. The Storyteller may only invoke one of the two effects per chapter.

•            Innocent: The Broken must have chosen Damsel as her Magnitude •• effect. The Storyteller’s invocation of Damsel does not count against the once-per-chapter limit if the Deviant was engaging in behavior the bystander perceived as inappropriate or dangerous (shoplifting, smoking, riding a bike without a helmet, swearing, etc.) at the time. Moreover, providing help often takes the form of trying to have caretakers, guardians, civil servants, religious leaders, charity workers, or the like take her into custody for her own good.

•            Supporter: The Remade must have chosen Unheard as her Magnitude •• effect. The Broken is invariably the quietest voice in any interaction between two or more groups of people. If one or more of the Deviant’s allies are in a social-focused scene with her involving other parties, she cannot participate in the conversation. It’s possible that she might manage to get a word in edgewise, but no one will listen to her anyway, so it’s not like it matters. This does not affect conversations that only involve members of her cohort or other allies (but see Unheard above).

At Magnitude ••••, the Remade suffers all Magnitude ••• effects.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••••, but Innocent comes into effect whenever the Broken is unchaperoned by a responsible-seeming adult, whether it is a parent, middle-aged child, older sibling, or spouse.

Overconfident (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Social; Subtle

The Deviant has a high opinion of his aptitude in social situations that may or may not have any basis in reality.

At Magnitude •, the Remade tends to insert himself into social situations he doesn’t understand and where he may not be welcome, to interrupt or take over the role of social leader even if he is not as qualified as others in the room. Whenever this creates a complication for him or his cohort, he takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Foot-in-Mouth: The Broken tends not to stop when he’s ahead. Once per chapter, when the Deviant succeeds on a Social roll, the Storyteller may offer a Beat to force the Remade to reroll the Social roll with the same dice pool and take the second result. He can only refuse by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll.

•            Loudmouth: Once per chapter, when another character would speak first in a delicate social situation, the Storyteller may offer a Beat for the Broken to speak first, particularly if he is not the best mouthpiece in the current situation. He can only refuse by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll. If using Cohort Static (p. XX), he must bid at least one point of Static in a decision point and may do so even if it puts him in Static debt.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Balanced: The Deviant suffers both Magnitude •• effects. The Storyteller may only invoke one of the effects per chapter.

•            Keep Digging: The Remade must have chosen Foot-in-Mouth as his Magnitude •• effect. If the reroll imposed by Foot-in-Mouth is a failure, it is instead a dramatic failure for which the Broken does not take an additional Beat.

•            Blowhard: The Deviant must have chosen Loudmouth as his Magnitude •• effect. Once per chapter, when an ally succeeds on a Social roll when the Remade is involved in the scene, the Storyteller may offer a Beat for the Broken to interrupt, taking control of the interaction. The Deviant makes the Social roll instead. The Remade may only refuse this compulsion by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll. If using Cohort Static, he must continue bidding in a decision point until the proposal he is supporting wins out or until he runs out of Static.

At Magnitude ••••, the Broken suffers all Magnitude ••• effects. The Storyteller may only invoke one effect of this Scar per chapter.

Deviations

•            Misread (+1 Magnitude): The Remade regularly misreads social situations, often believing he is in a position of greater influence than turns out to be the case. The Storyteller may roll the Broken’s Social rolls in secret, applying any bonuses and penalties without revealing what they are or announcing the result.

Reckless (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental; Subtle

The Deviant is drawn to physical danger.

At Magnitude •, the Remade is prone to leap before she looks and to treat danger as an invitation. The Deviant takes a Beat whenever this creates a complication for her or her cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Bold: Once per chapter, when someone presents the Broken with a physical challenge or dare, the Storyteller may offer a Beat to accept it. Unless the results of failure are potentially lethal, the Deviant cannot refuse this Beat except by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll.

•            Fool: The Remade springs into action without careful planning. Once per chapter, when the Broken is planning or discussing a course of action, the Storyteller may offer a Beat for her to get bored and cut to the chase — taking an obvious action in pursuit of her stated goal. If using Cohort Static (p. XX) and this takes you out of a scene that serves as the backdrop for a decision point, you cannot gain the Dissenting or Invested Condition for the resulting operation. As a player, you may still participate in any discussion of options, but your character doesn’t. The Deviant cannot refuse this Beat except by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Balanced: The Remade suffers the effects of both Magnitude •• effects. The Storyteller may only invoke one of the effects per chapter.

•            Daredevil: The Broken must have taken Bold as her Magnitude •• effect. As Bold, but the Deviant also interprets any prohibition or strong discouragement from a course of action as a dare to take that exact course of action, and the Storyteller may invoke these as that Magnitude •• effect.

•            Death Wish: The Remade must have taken Fool as her Magnitude •• effect. As Fool, but the Broken cannot refuse the Beat by succeeding on a Scar Resistance roll.

At Magnitude ••••, the Broken suffers all Magnitude ••• effects. The Storyteller may only invoke one of the Scar’s effects per chapter.

Deviations

•            Never Learn (+1 Magnitude): If the Deviant accepts a Beat to take an action suggested by the Storyteller and neither she nor her cohort suffer any significant complication as a result, it does not count against the Storyteller’s once-per-chapter offer of a Beat.

Sleepy (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Physical; Subtle

The Deviant struggles to get restful sleep.

At Magnitude •, the Remade has an unnaturally hard time falling asleep and sleeps only fitfully, which causes him to wake up groggy and makes him prone to fall asleep when he doesn’t intend to. The Broken takes a Beat whenever this creates a complication for him or his cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude • and choose one:

•            Drowsy: Weary as he is, the Deviant loses consciousness at random moments. Once per chapter, the Storyteller may offer a Beat to have the Remade nod off at an inconvenient moment that creates a complication for him or his cohort unless he makes a successful Scar Resistance roll. The Broken can be awakened normally by shaking, loud noises, or physical pain; otherwise, he awakens naturally after several minutes (6 – Scar Resistance turns, in action scenes).

•            Groggy: The Deviant is disoriented for some time after waking up. He suffers a penalty equal to (6 – Scar Resistance) on all actions immediately after waking up, including after a short nap imposed by Drowsy. This penalty fades at the rate of one per minute (one per turn, in actions scenes).

•            Insomnia: Despite his exhaustion, the Remade finds sleep elusive. Whenever he attempts to sleep, the Broken tosses and turns unless he makes a successful Scar Resistance roll. If this roll fails, he doesn’t sleep deeply enough to regain Willpower and any restless sleep accumulates towards gaining or worsening the Fatigued Condition (Deviant, p. 322). Even if he falls asleep due to the Fatigued Condition, the Deviant must still succeed on a Scar Resistance roll to sleep deeply enough to resolve the Condition. However, the penalty imposed by the Fatigued Condition instead grants a bonus to this Scar Resistance roll. The Deviant can’t have the Nightmares Standard Deviation (Deviant, p. 171).

•            Somnambulism: The Remade sleepwalks. Once per chapter, the Storyteller may offer a Beat for the Broken to rise from his slumber and perform some physical activity that creates a complication for him or his cohort. This can put him in dangerous or alarming situations but shouldn’t result in injury or imminent risk of death.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but choose two Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude ••, but choose three Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••, but the Remade suffers all four Magnitude •• effects.

Traumatic Memories (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental; Subtle

The Divergence is traumatic for all Remade, but it left an especially deep mark on this Deviant.

At Magnitude •, the Broken suffers occasional flashbacks to past torments that wrack her with survivor’s guilt, remembered terrors, and a sense of unease at the occult transformation she experienced. This might paralyze her with fear, reduce her to helpless sobs, or otherwise prevent her from taking productive action for several minutes (turns, in action scenes). Whenever this creates a complication for the Deviant or her cohort, she takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and the Storyteller may trigger a traumatic episode up to once per chapter unless the Remade makes a successful Scar Resistance roll. If the roll fails, the Broken suffers the Guilty, Shaken, or Spooked Condition (Storyteller decides).

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Harrowing: The Storyteller may instead impose the Broken, Fugue, or Madness Condition.

•            Lingering: The Deviant cannot regain Willpower from sources other than sleep until she resolves the Condition imposed by this Scar.

At Magnitude ••••, the Remade suffers both Magnitude ••• effects.

Deviations

•            Contagious (+1 Magnitude): The Broken’s trauma leaks out along telepathic channels, drawing one or more people within 10 yards/meters into a shared vision of the Deviant’s awful past, usually taking the roles of other people within her memories. This Scar imposes one of its Conditions on these secondary targets, although these may be different from the one the Remade suffers.

Undesirable (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Overt

The Deviant gives off an occult vibe that people find so offensive that they want nothing to do with him. If circumstances don’t allow them to simply ignore him, he brings out their territorialism and tribalism, instead. Even otherwise friendly people unthinkingly snub and insult the Remade in ways small and large. The Broken’s Touchstones and members of his cohort can learn to recognize and resist these impulses, but others usually cannot.

Inclusion of this Scar warrants additional discussion of safety tools, as it can take a chronicle in directions that may be triggering for some people. This goes double for the Associates Deviation, since it draws abusive behavior from Storyteller characters towards player characters who didn’t choose this Scar.

At Magnitude •, most people ignore the Remade unless he violates some social norm, in which case they tend to respond with uncharacteristic vehemence. No one acknowledges the Broken’s arrival, much less goes out of their way to make him feel welcome. The Deviant suffers a penalty to Socialize rolls equal to half the Scar’s Magnitude (rounded up). Take a Beat whenever this ostracism creates a complication for the Remade or his cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Alienation: Strangers will never proactively offer the Deviant aid, no matter how lost or desperate he may look. If he asks for assistance, they provide it only grudgingly even if it costs them nothing, and will usually refuse if it demands more than a couple minutes of their time. The Remade cannot purchase most Social Merits that rely on forging and maintaining relationships — including Allies, Contacts, and Mentor. If he already has such a Merit, whenever the Broken calls upon it, he must take extra measures to ingratiate himself to the ones doing him a favor; otherwise, the Merit rating drops by one at the end of the story (although the Sanctity of Merits applies).

•            Vulnerability: The Deviant attracts the attention of bullies and other abusers — including ones in positions of authority — and brings out cruel streaks in otherwise mild-mannered folks. Service staff go out of their way to inconvenience him, and security personnel and law enforcement single him out for additional scrutiny. Attempting to avoid notice only magnifies this effect. Larceny, Stealth, and similar rolls that rely on blending in or avoiding notice suffer a penalty equal to (6 – Scar Resistance). This typically creates a complication once per chapter.

At Magnitude •••, the Remade suffers both Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but the effects are even worse, as people automatically assume that the Deviant does not belong and is probably up to no good. Neighbors lock their doors and watch him through the blinds, store managers accuse him of shoplifting, security guards search his bag for contraband, and police detain him for questioning. He suffers the Notoriety Condition among all Baselines except his Loyalty Touchstones and members of his cohort. If he resorts to using force to circumvent a social confrontation, the Deviant gains the Hunted Condition, and if the conspiracy’s next surveillance roll is a success, it is instead an exceptional success. The hunters aren’t connected to the Web of Pain; rather, they are concerned local Baselines who are alert to his presence and eager to drive out, apprehend, or kill him.

Deviations

•            Associates (+1 Magnitude): The Broken’s Loyalty Touchstones and members of his cohort also suffer the effects of this Scar until the end of the chapter if they attempt to vouch for the Remade or otherwise acknowledge their connection to him.

Weak Point (• to •••••)

Keywords: Physical; Subtle

One part of the Deviant’s body is especially susceptible to harm.

By default, this is an area the size of a human head or heart. Attempting to strike it with a specified target attack imposes a –3 penalty (Deviant, p. 197). In rare cases, an attack might hit it by happenstance. This occurs if the attack generates at least two rerolled dice due to 10-again, 9-again, and/or 8-again (but not rote quality). This can be the result of two of the initial dice coming up as 10s or a single die coming up 10 and then rolling another 10 on the reroll (or a similar situation involving 9s and 8s for 9-again and 8-again).

At Magnitude •, the affected area is especially sensitive. The Broken takes extra measures to protect it from harm and betrays a stronger pain response when injured there. This generates a Beat whenever it creates a complication for the Deviant or their cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and any injury to the area has a noticeable effect on the Remade, chosen when they develop this Scar. It might be (4 – half Scar Resistance, rounded up) additional damage, an automatic relevant Tilt (such as Arm Wrack if the weak point is an arm), or another moderate Tilt. Most of the base effects of Lash (Poisoned, Knocked Down, Deafened, on fire, etc.) make good examples. Where an effect calls for Scar Power, use (6 – Scar Resistance), instead.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but the effect is stronger. Instead choose two minor effects/Tilts or one major one (on par with the effects of a +1 Magnitude Deviation of Lash, or an increase to damage equal to 6 – Scar Resistance). It might impose the Stunned, Insensate, or severe Poisoned Tilt, for example, or it could inflict aggravated damage or coat the Broken in powerful acid.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but any harm or successful attack on the weak point incapacitates the Deviant for (6 – Scar Resistance) minutes (turns in action scenes), instead of dealing additional damage or inflicting Tilts.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••••, but any harm or successful attack there incapacitates the Remade and fills their Health track with lethal damage, leaving them bleeding out.

Deviations

•            Heel (–2 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Limb and Extremity. The area is instead as small as an eye or heel — a –5 penalty on the targeted strike, and an attack strikes it by chance only if it generates at least four rerolled dice.

•            Extremity (–1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Limb and Heel. The area is instead the size of a hand or foot — a –4 penalty and struck by chance if the attack generates at least three rerolled dice.

•            Limb (+1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Extremity and Heel. The area is instead as large as an arm or leg — a –2 penalty on the targeted strike, and an attack strikes it by chance if it generates at least one rerolled die.

Standard Deviations

Blight

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Secondary

–2 Magnitude: The Scar only manifests when the Broken ventures too close to a certain narrow category of people, places, or things. Select a blight when the Deviant develops this Scar. This can be a rare substance or a form of radiation or supernatural energy not typically found outside of controlled settings, but it can also be a person or place with rare qualities (such as all Deviants created by the same conspiracy, or the tallest building in any city of over a million people). The blight must be a place the Broken reasonably will want to go, or a class of people or things she is likely to encounter, at least once per story. Whenever the Remade is within 100 yards/meters of the blight, she suffers the Scar. Power Failure (Deviant, p. 154) is the most common Scar, but any Scar can work. Only one Scar can have this Deviation.

•            Common (+1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Rare. The blight is comparatively common, such as material like silver or mirrors, entities like children or ghosts, or places like hospitals or churches. She can reasonably expect to encounter them once per chapter.

•            Rare (−1 Magnitude): Exclusive with Common, the blight is limited to a handful of potential sources, such as the 12 Deviants who Diverged at the same time as her.

•            Bright (+1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Faint. The blight’s radius is instead 1,000 yards/meters.

•            Faint (–1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Bright. The blight’s radius is instead 10 yards/meters.

•            Fading (+1 Magnitude): This is only permitted if the Scar’s Magnitude is •• or higher. The Scar also manifests when the Remade is more than 100 yards/meters from the blight but within 400 yards/meters of it, but does so at one Magnitude lower. The Broken must determine the details of this lower Magnitude version of the Scar when she develops Blight. This is instead 1,000-4,000 yards/meters when coupled with Bright, or 10-40 yards/meters when paired with Faint.

•            Universal (+1 Magnitude): The Scar must be Controlled or Involuntary. It instead applies to all the Deviant’s Variations. This is in addition to any other Scars those Variations have. This doesn’t make those Scars behave as though they were Controlled/Involuntary except during those times when the character is near the blight.

Capacitor

Scar Type: Controlled

Some Scars are not appropriate for this Deviation, such as Fluctuating Variation.

–1 Magnitude: The Deviant can pay the price for activating the entangled Variation without activating it, saving the stored charge until later. For example, if her Scar was Tribulation ••• she could spend a point of Willpower. Once charged, the Remade can activate the Variation at any time with a successful Scar Finesse roll. The Broken can only store one such charge at a time. The charge is lost if not used by the end of the chapter, although she may spend a point of Willpower to hold the charge until the end of the next chapter.

•            Battery (–1 Magnitude): The Deviant can store a number of charges equal to her Acclimation + Scar Power.

Caveat

Scar Type: Any

+1 Magnitude: The entangled Variation carries a significant limitation in how it works, beyond the scope of its Scar or another Deviation. The armor provided by Carapace might afford no protection against silver-plated weapons, for example, or Telepathy might be impossible against a target wearing a hat or helmet. This restriction can often resemble those imposed by Power Failure, but this Deviation allows the Remade to add a further, automatic restriction to a Variation over and above its normal Scar. The restriction is likely to come into play approximately once per chapter, and each time it does so in a way that inconveniences her or her cohort, the Deviant takes a Beat.

•            Minor (−1 Magnitude): As the base effect, but the restriction is largely cosmetic or only comes into play rarely (approximately once per story). Rapid Healing might be ineffective against wounds delivered by an enchanted sword, for example, or vermin spirits might be invisible to a spirit-detecting Specialized Sense. This is exclusive with Major.

•            Major (+1 Magnitude): As the base effect, but the restriction prevents the Broken from benefiting from the Variation except under unusual circumstances (approximately once per story). A Carapace might only protect from silver-plated weapons, for example, or Bioluminescence might only function in the presence of the undead. This is exclusive with Minor.

Cyclical Variation

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Tiered-Only

+0 Magnitude: One of the Deviant’s Variations waxes and wanes in a predictable way. The Scar can only entangle one Variation, which must have possible effects equal to and at least one Magnitude higher and lower than the Magnitude of the Scar. Possible combinations are:

Magnitude •• Scar: Magnitude •, ••, and ••• Variation options.

Magnitude ••• Scar: Magnitude ••, •••, and •••• Variation options or Magnitude •, ••, •••, ••••, and ••••• options.

Magnitude •••• Scar: Magnitude •••, ••••, and ••••• options.

Define the entangled Variation’s function at each of the Magnitudes above.

Define the pace and way in which its Magnitude increases and decreases such that the average Magnitude is equal to 3 (or very close to it). For example, a wave (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2… or 2, 3, 4, 3…), a flattened wave (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… or 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2…), or a circle (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1… or 2, 3, 4, 2… or 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5…). It can also skip Magnitudes, going 1, 3, 5, 3, 1… or 2, 4, 2… The whole cycle should have between three and 10 phases, each of which shouldn’t last more than three days nor less than one hour. It’s usually better to define this by an existing cycle — a lunar cycle, a day, a week, etc.

For example, if the Scar is Magnitude •••, it might grant Electrokinesis (Power) 1 on Mondays and Tuesdays, Electrokinesis (Power, Research) 2 on Wednesdays, Electrokinesis (Conductivity, Power, Research) 3 on Thursdays, Electrokinesis (Conductivity, Input, Power, Research) 4 on Fridays, and Electrokinesis (Conductivity, Input, Output, Power, Research) 5 on Saturdays and Sundays.

If the Scar is Magnitude ••, however, it would be limited to Magnitude •, ••, and ••• versions of the entangled Variation.

•            Roulette (−1 Magnitude): The entangled Variation’s Magnitude does not change, but the entangled Variation itself does. Define the entangled Variation for every phase of the cycle. It might grant Carapace in the morning, Lash in the afternoon, Pheromones after sunset, and Camouflage in the wee hours of the morning, for example. The use of any per-scene, per-chapter, or per-story effect of one of these Variations counts as having used all the per-scene/chapter/story effects of all the Variations.

•            Unpredictable (+0 Magnitude): The Variation follows patterns that are difficult or impossible to predict (the movement of the futures market, for example, or the imperceptible activities of an invisible occult species). Each scene or chapter (chosen when selecting this Deviation), the Storyteller randomly determines the current Magnitude of the entangled Variation (or the choice of Variation, if paired with Roulette), giving roughly equal probability to each phase.

Dependent Variation

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Toggled-Only

+1 Magnitude: The entangled Variation (the primary Variation) is dependent on another of the Remade’s Variations (the secondary Variation) already being active. The Broken might only be able to conjure multiple images with Shadow Selves while Holographic Projection is active, for example, or her Lash may not be available until she has transformed into her hideous battle form via Monstrous Transformation.

The secondary Variation must not be both Persistent and Perpetual. If the primary or secondary Variation can be activated reflexively, they cannot be activated on the same turn. Before activating the primary Variation (or Variations), the secondary Variation must already be active.

Multiple uses of this Deviation can further nest Variations by using it to modify additional Scars. Lash might require that Telekinesis be active, which may likewise depend on the prior activation of Monstrous Transformation, for example.

Exclusive

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Toggled-Only

+1 Magnitude: Choose another of your Scars, which must be entangled with one or more Toggled Variations (the secondary Scar). You cannot activate any Variations entangled with this Scar when any of the Variations entangled with the secondary Scar is active — or vice versa.

For example, the Remade might be limited to activating Cryokinesis or Pyrokinesis but can’t have both active at the same time.

Intimate

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Directed-Only

+1 Magnitude: The entangled Variation cannot be targeted at range. The Deviant must touch the target skin-to-skin. The entangled Variation cannot be Inhuman Digestion nor the secondary Variation of a Lash with the Channel effect. This Standard Deviation is not appropriate with many Directed-Only Standard Deviations and effects, such as Rebellious Variation (Deviant, p. 171) and the Destructive effect of Power Build-Up (Deviant, p. 157).

Naked Variation

Scar Type: Any

+1 Magnitude: The entangled Variation either does not affect the Remade’s clothes or immediate possessions, or else they are not protected from it. Camouflage only works when he is naked, for example, or his clothes do not shrink (or grow) when he does. Or perhaps his Carapace is bulky and makes it impossible to wear most clothes. This Deviation should only be permitted if it will create significant narrative complications for the Broken; whenever it does so, the Deviant takes a Beat.

Tethered

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Secondary

–2 Magnitude: The Deviant is in some way bound to a person or thing, and straying too far from it is fraught. Select a tether point when developing this Scar. The tether is a mobile but not easily portable object (such as a car or a refrigerator-sized obelisk) or a person or other creature capable of movement independent of the Remade. The Broken only suffers the effects of the Scar when she strays more than 100 yards/meters from the tether point. Power Failure (Deviant, p. 154) is the most common, but most Scars are viable candidates for this Deviation. Only one Scar can have this Deviation.

If a unique tether point is destroyed, the Broken suffers a medium Instability (major Instability, if she caused its destruction) but can designate a new tether point at the beginning of the next story.

•            Broad (–1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Close. The tether’s radius is instead 1,000 yards/meters.

•            Close (+1 Magnitude): This is exclusive with Broad. The tether’s radius is instead 10 yards/meters.

•            Fading (+1 Magnitude): This is only permitted if the Scar’s Magnitude is •• or higher. The Scar also manifests when the Remade ranges at least 40 yards/meters from the tether point but within 100 yards/meters of it, but it does so at one Magnitude lower. The Broken must determine the details of this lower Magnitude version of the Scar when she develops Tethered. This is instead 400-1,000 yards/meters when coupled with Broad, or 4-10 yards/meters when paired with Close.

•            Interchangeable (–1 Magnitude): The tether point is not unique but is still limited to a handful of potential people, places, or things, such as a dozen mobile clinics run by the conspiracy, any of the seven menhirs that once stood in a circle in a specific place, or the tallest building in any city of at least a million inhabitants. Proximity to any of these tether points wards off the Scar’s effects.

•            Location (+1 Magnitude): Exclusive with Portable, the tether point is instead a place or similarly immovable object.

•            Portable (–1 Magnitude): The tether point is instead a small, portable object, such as an amulet, dagger, or belt.

•            Universal (+1 Magnitude): The Scar must be Controlled or Involuntary. The Scar instead applies to all the Deviant’s Variations. This is in addition to any other Scars those Variations have. This doesn’t make those Scars behave as though they were Controlled/Involuntary except during those times when the character is out of range of the tether.

Twined Scars

Scar Type: Any

Keywords: Secondary

+1 Magnitude: The Variation entangled with this Scar carries two prices for the Broken instead of one. This affects a Scar with a Magnitude of at least ••, not including Standard Deviations (but including any Deviations specific to the Scar). Choose a secondary Scar of equal or greater Magnitude. The Deviant suffers the effects of both Scars as though they were entangled with the same Variation. If either Scar is Controlled or Involuntary, the entangled Variation becomes Toggled even if it is normally Perpetual.

For example, if a Deviant applied this Deviation to Hemophilia 3, they could twine it with Glitch 3. Collectively, this Twined Scar would count as a Magnitude 4 Scar.

Unreliable

Scar Type: Controlled or Involuntary

+1 Magnitude: All Controlled and Involuntary Variations carry some risk that their power will not be there when the Deviant needs it, but the Variation entangled with this Scar is particularly prone to failure. Each time after the first that the Deviant activates an entangled Variation during the same chapter, the Scar Finesse roll to do so suffers a –1 cumulative penalty.

•            Fickle (+1 Magnitude): The Scar must entangle at least one Directed Variation. Each time after the first that the Deviant directs an entangled Variation during the same scene, the Scar Finesse roll to do so suffers a –1 penalty.

•            Unstable (+1 Magnitude): Any Scar Resistance roll penalties the Broken suffers due to Instability also apply to Scar Finesse rolls when they involve this Scar and its entangled Variations.

Vampiric

Scar Type: Controlled

The Deviant inflicts a Scar on others instead of paying the price herself.

Some Scars are not appropriate for this Deviation, including Cooldown, Fluctuating Variation, and Scapegoat.

–1 Magnitude: The Deviant may afflict a willing victim (the prey) within 40 yards/meters with the Scar, instead of suffering it herself, although resisting its effects uses the Remade’s Scar Resistance, not the prey’s. Opening a channel to the prey requires a separate action from activating the Variation (and so usually the activation of the Variation occurs on the next turn, in action scenes). The prey can be (and usually is) different from the target of any Directed Variation that might be fueled by this Deviation. This must levy a price the prey could conceivably pay; a Baseline cannot suffer Instability, for example. Scars like Concentration and Power Failure rely upon the prey’s concentration and exposure to distractions or the defined failure conditions. Once the channel between Remade and prey is open, the Broken may activate the entangled Variation.

•            Radius (–1 Magnitude): Exclusive with both Touch and Unwilling, all potential prey (whether willing or unwilling) within 10 yards/meters (other than the Broken) suffer the Scar unless they successfully contest the Deviant’s Scar Finesse roll with their Resistance + Supernatural Tolerance. This never imposes a Scar of a Magnitude greater than ••• on unknowing or unwilling prey; any excess Magnitude does not affect such prey. The Variation does not activate unless a number of victims no less than the Variation’s Magnitude suffer the Scar.

•            Unwilling (–1 Magnitude): An unwilling or unknowing victim suffers the Scar, instead, unless they successfully contest the Remade’s Scar Finesse roll with their Resistance + Supernatural Tolerance. If the Remade loses, the Variation does not activate. This never imposes a Scar of a Magnitude greater than ••• on unknowing or unwilling prey; any excess Magnitude does not affect such prey.

•            Alternative (+0 Magnitude): The Scar inflicted can be a different Controlled Scar than the one that this Deviation is applied to, as long as it would be otherwise legal. This is exclusive with Mandatory.

•            Occult (+0 Magnitude): The Deviant does not and cannot impose the Controlled Scar on the prey. Instead, she drains occult “fuel” from a type of supernatural victim chosen at the time the Broken develops this Deviation (such as sorcerers or ghosts). This is points of fuel equal to Scar Magnitude for creatures who can readily source a supply of their fuel, half Scar Magnitude (rounded up) for those who must take great pains to replenish their occult energies.

•            Group (+1 Magnitude): The entangled Variation’s activation relies upon a group of willing victims. Exclusive with both Radius and Unwilling, but the number of willing victims must exceed the Variation’s Magnitude or else it will not activate.

•            Mandatory (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant cannot activate the entangled Variation except by exacting the price from the prey. If paired with Unwilling, the Magnitude of the Scar it inflicts on the prey (before Standard Deviations) cannot exceed •••.

•            Touch (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant must make skin-to-skin contact with the prey in order to impose the Scar on him with this Deviation.