Chapter Four Sample - Lumbering, Overconfident, & Caveat (Patreon)

Persistent Scar: 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).

Persistent Scar: 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.

•            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.

Standard Deviation: 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.