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Powers

Unless otherwise specifically altered or contradicted in these house rule pages, the rules found in the 5th Edition Hero System apply at all times.

Genre Conventions: In general, Powers possessed by characters will either be in the form of spells, spell-like abilities, or magical items of some sort or another.  There are exceptions, naturally (especially when it comes to Enhanced Senses, Running, and so on).  The player should get pre-approval for any powers his character possesses.

Forbidden Powers: The following powers may not be taken: Density Increase, Faster-Than-Light Travel, Growth.

Restricted Powers: The following powers may only be taken with prior permission of the GM: Extra-Dimensional Movement, Hand-to-Hand Attack, Life Support, Teleportation

Half Dice: Powers must always be bought in whole dice.  The sole exceptions are martial arts maneuvers that, according to the rule, grant a half-die attack.

Minimum Endurance Cost: Unless a power has an Endurance Cost of 0, it requires an expenditure of at least 1 point of Endurance per character phase to maintain. For example, a flying character is required to expend 1 point of Endurance per phase to hover in place.

Pushing: Powers may not be pushed.

Adjustment Powers: Magical spells and spell-like abilities have multiple special effects.  First, they all have "Magic" as a special effect.  Second, they have the type of magic (i.e., Body Magic, Necromancy, Rune Magic, and so on) that is applicable as a special effect.  And lastly, they have appropriate special effects depending on what the spell does.  As such, any adjustment power affecting any of the spell's special effects target and affect the power as normal.  For example, a Fireball spell has the special effects Magic, Battle Magics, and Fire. An adjustment power that affects any one of those three special effects would affect the Fireball spell.

For the purpose of this rule, Dispel is considered an Adjustment spell.

Mental Powers:  For the purposes of what sort of creatures are affected by Mental Powers, all humanoid or demi-human creatures (dwarves, orcs, centaurs, etc.) count as "Human Minds".  All other minds either count as Animal minds (generally for unthinking animals and monsters) or Alien minds (demons and some of the weirder monsters).  "Machine Minds" is not a valid category in these campaigns.

Absorption:

  • A character cannot use his own powers and abilities on himself in order to absorb them.
  • Affects Non-Damaging Attacks (+½): With this Advantage, the character can absorb the  effects of attacks which normally cause no damage (such as Flash attacks) if the attacks match the character's special effect.

Aid:

  • Empathic (-½): Aid purchased with this Limitation represents Aid which drains an equivalent amount of points from the character as it gives to the target.  The points drained return at the usual rate.
  • Must Be Ingested (-¼): This limitation represents a drug or other chemical that must enter the bloodstream to be effective.
  • Temporary (-2): This limitation represents Aid that is fleeting.  After a single 12 phase turn, all benefits from temporary Aid vanish completely.
  • Succor: This option is being used, and may be purchased by the character.  However, it may not be purchased with the 0 Endurance Cost advantage.

Armor: Non-magical Armor is limited to +8 PD/+8 ED.

Change Environment:

  • This can be used to create positive and beneficial effects (such as warmer and more pleasant environment, bonuses to rolls, etc).
  • Multiple Combat Effects (+5 Points): With this adder, a character can buy more than one combat effect with a single Change Environment power.  The character can choose which of the combat effects to use whenever he activates the power; he can use one, some, or all of them as he chooses.
  • Varying Combat Effects (+10 Points): This adder allows the character to switch among different combat effects with a single Change Environment power.  The character buys the power with the most expensive combat effect, and whenever he activates the power can choose to use instead any combat effect of equal or lesser value than the one specifically created.

Desolidification: Technically a character with Desolidification can turn his power on and off to make people miss as a zero phase action relying on a good Fast Draw or Dexterity roll. This is abusive and is not allowed.

Dispel: Characteristics cannot be dispelled.  They may, however, be Suppressed.

Drain: The Body characteristic is immune to Drain.

Enhanced Senses:

  • Unless specifically constructed otherwise, all characters are assumed to have the five basic human senses.  Normal Sight and Normal Hearing are automatically considered to be Discriminatory.  Enhanced Senses are grouped according to their special effects, regardless of how they are purchased.  For example, if a character has the power to smell water, his Detect Water is considered part of his Smell/Taste senses.  All such senses are affected by sense-affecting powers that target the appropriate sense group.
  • The sense of smell is covered in the official Hero Games FAQ, which says:  "The Smell/Taste Sense Group provides the following Sense Modifiers: Discriminatory, Range (Smell only), Sense. The Discriminatory effect provided by the Smell/Taste Group is not the full Discriminatory obtained by buying that Sense Modifier, but rather an effect of somewhat cruder degree (for example, a character can tell a steak from a potato by smell or taste, but can't necessary identify every ingredient in either dish). Characters can make Normal Smell or Normal Taste (or the entire Smell/Taste Sense Group) fully Discriminatory by paying the usual cost."
  • Enhanced Senses belonging to a sense group normally considered Targeting automatically become Targeting for no extra cost.  The same applies to Discriminatory (but not Analyze), Sense, and Telescopic.
  • Enhanced Senses may not be linked.

Entangle:

  • Entangles are not automatically considered to have an area effect.  If you wish your Entangle to have an area effect, you have to purchase it with the Area Effect advantage.
  • Hardening (-1): This advantage represents an Entangle that is relatively soft when it first enwraps its target, but gets harder and stronger as time goes on.  In game mechanics terms, the Entangle begins with only one-half of the total Defense and Body rolled.  It then gains +1 point of Defense and Body per phase until it has reached its maximum potential value.
  • Deteriorates (-¼ or -½): This Limitation represents an Entangle that slowly gets weaker and weaker with time. At -¼, the Entangle loses 1 DEF per turn. At -½, it loses 1 DEF per phase.
  • Does Not Prevent The Use Of Accessible Foci (-1): An Entangle with this limitation does not prevent the Entangled character from using most Foci.  (The GM decides when and if the Entangled character can use his Foci.)

Shapeshift

  • Shapeshifting cannot be made Always On, though it can be made Persistent.  In addition, the Useable On Others Advantage may not be taken with this power.
  • Clothing Does Not Change With Shapeshifting (-¼):  This Limitation is self-explanatory.
  • Limited Effect (-¼): Shapeshift with this Limitation does not completely change the character.  For example the character might be able to transform himself from a 6'4", 220 pound male into a 5'1" 98 pound female, but when he speaks, he speaks with his normal male voice.  The player must define what does not change about him.

Suppress

  • The Body characteristic is immune to Suppress.

  • Normally, Suppress must be purchased to work against a single specific power or characteristic, such as Energy Blasts or Dexterity.  The following advantages take the place of the ones given in the book:

  • Suppress Any Power Of A Given Special Effect (+½): This allows the character to suppress all powers and characteristics applicable to a certain special effect, but only one at a time.  An example would be Suppress vs. All Fire Powers.

  • Suppress Any Power, Regardless Of Special Effect (+1): This allows the character to suppress all powers or characteristics he chooses, but only one at a time.

Telekinesis:

  • For the purposes of holding an object, Telekinesis is a continuous power.  For the purposes of applying damage (such as when Telekinesis is used to throw, punch, or squeeze a character), Telekinesis is an instant power.

  • Affects Porous (+10 Points): Telekinesis cannot normally affect liquids; this adder allows Telekinesis to do so.  The amount of liquid the character can affect depends on his or her Telekinetic Strength.  A character can use Telekinesis with this adder to form liquids into rough shapes; to sculpt the liquids into complex shapes requires Fine Manipulation and Artistic Skill: Sculptor.  Telekinesis with this adder can affect gases, smoke, and mists, but only if they also have the Area of Effect Advantage.

Telepathy: When used only for communication, using telepathy is a 0 phase action, just like any other soliloquy.

Teleportation: Can Only Teleport To Certain Locations is either a -½ or a -1 limitation. Characters who can only use Teleportation with this Limitation to travel only to a character's Fixed or Floating Locations.  If the character has only Fixed Locations, its worth -1.  If the character has both types of Locations, its worth -½.

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The Young Kingdoms PBEM Universe and the World of Taranche are copyrighted to Jack and Rebecca Butler, and is their solely owned property.  The Young Kingdoms PBEM Universe and the World of Taranche, and all of the campaigns therein, are works of collaborative fiction.  All the characters and events portrayed here are either products of the authors' imagination or are used fictitiously.  Except where otherwise specifically noted, the Young Kingdoms PBEM Universe and the World of Taranche, all Young Kingdoms characters, and all stories included therein are Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 by Jack and Rebecca Butler with all rights reserved under International Copyright Convention.  Submitting material (such as but not limited to character submissions, background information, and artwork) for inclusion in the Young Kingdoms PBEM Universe and the World of Taranche grants Jack and Rebecca Butler the right to use that material as they wish, in perpetuity, within the confines of the Young Kingdoms PBEM Universe and the World of Taranche. The submitter does not give up the right to use the material in ways unconnected to the Young Kingdoms PBEM Universe and the World of Taranche.  This website was designed by Jack Butler, and is maintained by Jack Butler. Unless otherwise and specifically noted and with the exception of player characters which are the creations of their respective players, all material on this site is the creation of Jack and Rebecca Butler.  No material on this site may be posted or published elsewhere without the express written permission of Jack and Rebecca Butler.  Fantasy Hero and the Hero System are registered trademarks of and are copyrighted by Hero Games, Inc.  No challenge to any trademark or copyright is made or implied by this site.