Field Reference 03
Six steps, the traps to avoid, and the lists to pick from. Page numbers refer to the SWADE core rulebook.
Modern day. The supernatural is real and almost nobody knows. A quasi-governmental agency that officially doesn't exist monitors it — enough reach to supply covers, equipment and some backup, but once you're in the field you're on your own, and if you tell anyone who you work for, nobody will believe you.
You are either one of their people or an outside expert read in for this operation.
A disease is striking isolated towns in Uganda and then burning out instead of spreading. It hasn't made the news because it doesn't behave like an outbreak. The agency doesn't think it is one.
It opens as an investigation and won't stay one — there will be fighting eventually, and nobody knows when. Worth having in mind, but build the character you actually want to play.
Full summary in the book on p55.
Who are you, and why has an agency nobody's heard of put you on a plane?
Ten are in the core book. Human is the usual choice in a modern setting and gives you Adaptable — one free Novice Edge of your choice, provided you meet its requirements. Check with your GM before picking anything else.
Flaws. Major is worth 2 points, Minor 1. Spend the points on:
Take the full 4. They're how you afford anything interesting, and how you earn Bennies at the table. You can take more than 4 points for flavour, but 4 is the cap on benefit.p9
Pick ones that will fire in this game. Curious, Loyal, Obligation, Vow, Stubborn, Secret and Suspicious all live constantly in an investigation. A vow to a knightly order will not. Summaries on p56–57, full text from p22.
| Hindrance | Effect | Available as | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Thumbs | −2 with mechanical and electrical devices; a Critical Failure breaks them. | Minor | 1 |
| Anemic | −2 Vigor when resisting Fatigue. | Minor | 1 |
| Arrogant | Must dominate a foe, and challenge the most powerful enemy present. | Major | 2 |
| Bad Eyes | −1 (Minor) or −2 (Major) to vision-dependent Trait rolls. Eyewear negates it but can break. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Bad Luck | One fewer Benny per session. | Major | 2 |
| Big Mouth | Can't keep a secret; reveals plans at the worst moment. | Minor | 1 |
| Blind | −6 to anything needing sight, but comes with a free Edge to compensate. | Major | 2 |
| Bloodthirsty | Won't take prisoners, and is known for it. | Major | 2 |
| Can't Swim | −2 to swim, and each inch of water costs 3" of Pace. | Minor | 1 |
| Cautious | Overplans and hesitates rather than acting. | Minor | 1 |
| Clueless | −1 Common Knowledge and Notice. | Major | 2 |
| Clumsy | −2 Athletics and Stealth. | Major | 2 |
| Code of Honor | Keeps his word and behaves honourably, whatever it costs. | Major | 2 |
| Curious | Must investigate everything, whatever the risk. | Major | 2 |
| Death Wish | Seeks a cause worth dying for. | Minor | 1 |
| Delusional | Holds a belief that isn't true and acts on it. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Doubting Thomas | Doesn't believe in the supernatural, and rationalises it away. | Minor | 1 |
| Driven | Pursues a personal goal above all else. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Elderly | −1 to Pace, running, Agility, Strength and Vigor — but 5 extra skill points. | Major | 2 |
| Enemy | Someone powerful actively wants you harmed. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Greedy | Argues over money and shares, and takes risks for wealth. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Habit | An addiction or compulsion. Minor is merely annoying; Major means Fatigue when deprived. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Hard of Hearing | −4 to Notice sounds (Minor), or deaf and automatic failure (Major). | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Heroic | Always helps those in need, no matter the odds. | Major | 2 |
| Hesitant | Draw two Action Cards and take the worse, keeping any Joker. | Minor | 1 |
| Illiterate | Cannot read or write. | Minor | 1 |
| Impulsive | Acts first and thinks later. | Major | 2 |
| Jealous | Envies what others have and resents them for it. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Loyal | Will not abandon friends, whatever the danger. | Minor | 1 |
| Mean | −1 Persuasion. | Minor | 1 |
| Mild Mannered | −2 Intimidation. | Minor | 1 |
| Mute | Cannot speak. | Major | 2 |
| Obese | Size +1 (so +1 Toughness), Pace −1, a d4 running die, and Strength counts one lower for Minimum Strength. | Minor | 1 |
| Obligation | A weekly commitment of 20 hours (Minor) or 40 (Major). | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| One Arm | −4 to tasks needing two hands. | Major | 2 |
| One Eye | −2 to actions at 5" (10 yards) or more. | Major | 2 |
| Outsider | −2 Persuasion with the dominant culture; the Major version means no legal rights. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Overconfident | Believes he can do anything, and acts like it. | Major | 2 |
| Pacifist | Fights only in self-defence (Minor); won't fight at all (Major). | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Phobia | −1 (Minor) or −2 (Major) to all Trait rolls in the presence of the fear. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Poverty | Half starting funds, and money slips away. | Minor | 1 |
| Quirk | A minor habit or belief that occasionally causes trouble. | Minor | 1 |
| Ruthless | Will do whatever it takes; Major means no limits at all. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Secret | Something that would ruin you if it came out. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Shamed | Carries guilt over a past act and reacts badly when reminded. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Slow | Pace −1 and a lower running die. Major is Pace −2 plus −2 Athletics. Neither may take Fleet-Footed. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Small | Size and Toughness reduced by 1. | Minor | 1 |
| Stubborn | Insists on his own way and won't admit error. | Minor | 1 |
| Suspicious | Paranoid. As a Major, allies subtract 2 when rolling to Support you. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Thin Skinned | −2 (Minor) or −4 (Major) to resist Taunt. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Timid | −2 to Fear checks and to resist Intimidation. | Major | 2 |
| Tongue-Tied | −1 to Intimidation, Persuasion and Taunt. | Major | 2 |
| Ugly | −1 (Minor) or −2 (Major) to Persuasion. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Vengeful | Holds grudges and settles them; Major means at any cost. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Vow | Sworn to a cause, faith or organisation. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Wanted | Pursued by the law; severity depends on the crime. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
| Young | Fewer attribute and skill points, but one (Minor) or two (Major) extra Bennies per session. | Minor or Major | 1 or 2 |
Effects are brief summaries; full entries carry the detail. Searchable version on Sheet 04.
The Hindrance Summary tablep56 and the full entriesp22–28 don't always agree. Habit is the confirmed case — the table says Fatigue if deprived, the full entry puts that on the Major version only. If a Hindrance matters mechanically to you, read the full entry rather than the table.
Agility, Smarts, Spirit, Strength, Vigor. All start at d4. Each step costs 1 point. Maximum d12.p10
Remember that attributes never add to skill rolls. They make skills cheap, unlock Edges, and set Pace, Parry and Toughness.
This campaign uses the More Skill Points Setting Rule, giving 15 instead of the standard 12 — modern characters need room for Driving, Electronics and similar everyday competencies.p140
Five core skills start free at d4: Athletics, Common Knowledge, Notice, Persuasion, Stealth. Write them down, they're yours. The 15 points are on top.p10
Each skill is linked to an attribute, listed beside it on p58. It costs 1 point per step while at or below that attribute, and 2 points per step above it.
Hacking is linked to Smarts. With Smarts d8, Hacking to d8 costs 3 points and to d10 costs 5. With Smarts d6, that same d10 costs 7.
Buy the attribute before the signature skill, not after.
| Skill | Linked | Covers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academics | Smarts | Liberal arts, social sciences, literature, history and similar. | p29 |
| Athletics | Agility | Climbing, jumping, balancing, wrestling, skiing, swimming, throwing and catching. | p29 |
| Battle | Smarts | Strategy, tactics and military operations. Key skill in Mass Battles. | p30 |
| Boating | Agility | Sailing or piloting boats, ships and other watercraft. | p30 |
| Common Knowledge | Smarts | General knowledge of the character's world. | p30 |
| Driving | Agility | Controlling, steering and operating ground vehicles. | p30 |
| Electronics | Smarts | Use of electronic devices and systems. | p30 |
| Faith | Spirit | Arcane skill for Arcane Background (Miracles). | p31 |
| Fighting | Agility | Armed and unarmed combat. Also sets Parry: 2 + half the die. | p31 |
| Focus | Spirit | Arcane skill for Arcane Background (Gifted). | p31 |
| Gambling | Smarts | Games of chance, and familiarity with them. | p31 |
| Hacking | Smarts | Coding, programming and breaking into computer systems. | p31 |
| Healing | Smarts | Treating Wounds and diseases, and deciphering forensic evidence. | p31 |
| Intimidation | Spirit | Threatening others into doing what you want. | p31 |
| Language | Smarts | Fluency in a particular language. Caps social skills used in that tongue. | p31 |
| Notice | Smarts | General awareness and perception. | p32 |
| Occult | Smarts | Supernatural events, creatures, history and ways. | p32 |
| Performance | Spirit | Singing, dancing, acting and other public expression. | p32 |
| Persuasion | Spirit | Convincing others to do what you want. | p33 |
| Piloting | Agility | Vehicles that move in three dimensions — aircraft, spacecraft. | p33 |
| Psionics | Smarts | Arcane skill for Arcane Background (Psionics). | p33 |
| Repair | Smarts | Fixing mechanical and electrical gadgets. Limited by Electronics on electronic ones. | p34 |
| Research | Smarts | Finding written information from various sources. | p34 |
| Riding | Agility | Mounting, controlling and riding a tamed beast. | p34 |
| Science | Smarts | Biology, chemistry, geology, engineering and similar fields. | p34 |
| Shooting | Agility | Precision with any ranged weapon. | p34 |
| Spellcasting | Smarts | Arcane skill for Arcane Background (Magic). | p35 |
| Stealth | Agility | Sneaking and hiding. | p35 |
| Survival | Smarts | Finding food, water or shelter, and tracking. | p35 |
| Taunt | Smarts | Insulting or belittling another. Almost always done as a Test. | p36 |
| Thievery | Agility | Sleight of hand, pickpocketing, lockpicking and similar. Limited by Electronics on electronic devices. | p36 |
| Weird Science | Smarts | Arcane skill for Arcane Background (Weird Science). | p36 |
Note that Thievery is not a core skill — it's Agility-linked and bought from scratch. Some online builders handle this correctly; don't assume it's free.
| Pace | 6 — how far you move per round. Each inch is 2 yards. |
| Parry | 2 + half your Fighting die. No Fighting means Parry 2. |
| Toughness | 2 + half your Vigor + armour. |
Build from your concept first. This is just a list of things that come up in modern investigation games and are easy to forget when you're building someone specific — not a shopping list, and not a set of roles that need filling.
Two derived numbers worth knowing while you spend attribute points: Toughness is 2 + half your Vigor + armour, and Soak — the Benny-powered Vigor roll that cancels Wounds — uses Vigor too. A low Vigor character is noticeably more fragile than the sheet makes obvious.
Once everyone has a rough concept, compare sheets. Not to optimise a party — just to spot anything nobody can do at all, and to make sure you haven't accidentally all built the same person. If a gap turns up later, skills below their linked attribute go up two per Advance, so it's cheap to fix in play.p54
The book's own advice is that investigators want broad and varied skills, because each character gets results a different way — the detective leans on Intimidation, the socialite on Persuasion, the academic on Research, the technician on Hacking.p32
All 32 skills with their linked attributes and what each covers are on Sheet 04: Tables.
Edges are the main way characters differ from one another. Most cost 2 Hindrance points at creation, and Humans get one free.
Every Edge has requirements — a Rank, and usually an attribute or skill minimum. Check them carefully; character builders don't always enforce them, and it's the most common way a sheet ends up illegal.
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alertness | +2 to Notice. | Novice | — | p37 |
| Ambidextrous | Ignore the off-hand penalty. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p37 |
| Arcane Background | Grants an arcane skill, starting powers and Power Points. | Novice | — | p37 |
| Arcane Resistance | +2 Toughness and Trait rolls against magic; powers cost 2 more against you. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p37 |
| Improved Arcane Resistance | As above, but +4 and 4. | Novice | Arcane Resistance | p37 |
| Aristocrat | +2 Common Knowledge on etiquette, and to networking with the wealthy or powerful. | Novice | — | p38 |
| Attractive | +1 Performance and Persuasion against those attracted to your type. | Novice | Vigor d6+ | p38 |
| Very Attractive | As Attractive, but +2. | Novice | Attractive | p38 |
| Berserk | After a Wound or Shaken result from physical damage, may go berserk — see the entry for the full package of bonuses and penalties. | Novice | — | p38 |
| Brave | +2 to Fear checks and −2 on the Fear Table. | Novice | Spirit d6+ | p38 |
| Brawny | +1 Size and Toughness; Strength counts one die higher for Encumbrance and Minimum Strength. | Novice | Strength d6+, Vigor d6+ | p38 |
| Brute | Athletics and Strength-linked rolls use Strength; throwing ranges increase. | Novice | Strength d6+, Vigor d6+ | p38 |
| Charismatic | One free reroll on Persuasion. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p39 |
| Elan | +2 when spending a Benny to reroll a Trait. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p39 |
| Fame | +1 Persuasion where recognised, and earns more for performances. | Novice | — | p39 |
| Famous | +2 Persuasion where recognised, and considerably better fees. | Seasoned | Fame | p39 |
| Fast Healer | +2 Vigor for natural healing, and checks every three days instead of five. | Novice | Vigor d8+ | p39 |
| Fleet-Footed | +2 Pace and a running die one step higher. | Novice | Agility d6+ | p39 |
| Linguist | Knows a number of languages equal to half Smarts, each at d6. | Novice | Smarts d6+ | p40 |
| Luck | One extra Benny per session. | Novice | — | p40 |
| Great Luck | Two extra Bennies per session. | Novice | Luck | p40 |
| Quick | Discard and redraw Action Cards of five or lower. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p40 |
| Rich | Three times starting funds and a healthy annual income. | Novice | — | p40 |
| Filthy Rich | Five times starting funds and a very large annual income. | Novice | Rich | p40 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block | +1 Parry, and Gang Up bonuses against you are reduced by 1. | Seasoned | Fighting d8+ | p40 |
| Improved Block | +2 Parry, and Gang Up bonuses reduced by 2. | Veteran | Block | p40 |
| Brawler | +1 Toughness, and unarmed strikes do Strength +d4. | Novice | Strength d8+, Vigor d8+ | p41 |
| Bruiser | Unarmed damage die a step higher, and +1 Toughness again. | Seasoned | Brawler | p41 |
| Calculating | Ignore up to 2 points of penalties on one action when your Action Card is a 5 or lower. | Novice | Smarts d8+ | p41 |
| Combat Reflexes | +2 to recover from Shaken or Stunned. | Seasoned | — | p41 |
| Counterattack | One free attack per round against a foe who misses you in melee. | Seasoned | Fighting d8+ | p41 |
| Improved Counterattack | As above, but against up to three missed attacks per round. | Veteran | Counterattack | p41 |
| Dead Shot | Double damage on your first successful ranged attack of a turn when your Action Card is a Joker. | Novice | Wild Card; Athletics or Shooting d8+ | p41 |
| Dodge | −2 to ranged attacks against you. | Seasoned | Agility d8+ | p41 |
| Improved Dodge | +2 to Evasion rolls as well. | Seasoned | Dodge | p41 |
| Double Tap | +1 to hit and damage when firing twice into one action. | Seasoned | Shooting d6+ | p41 |
| Extraction | One adjacent foe doesn't get a free attack when you withdraw from melee. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p41 |
| Improved Extraction | Up to three foes don't get free attacks when you withdraw. | Seasoned | Extraction | p42 |
| Feint | Force the foe to oppose your Fighting with Smarts rather than Agility. | Novice | Fighting d8+ | p42 |
| First Strike | One free attack per round against a foe who moves adjacent to you. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p42 |
| Improved First Strike | As above, against up to three foes. | Heroic | First Strike | p42 |
| Free Runner | Ignore difficult ground when running; +2 Athletics for climbing and on chase-related Agility rolls in urban terrain. | Novice | Agility d8+, Athletics d6+ | p42 |
| Frenzy | Roll a second Fighting die on one melee attack per turn. | Seasoned | Fighting d8+ | p42 |
| Improved Frenzy | Adds a third Fighting die to your Frenzy attack. | Veteran | Frenzy | p42 |
| Giant Killer | +1d6 damage against creatures three Sizes larger or more. | Veteran | — | p42 |
| Hard to Kill | Ignore Wound penalties on Vigor rolls to avoid Bleeding Out. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p42 |
| Harder to Kill | On death, roll a die — evens means you survive after all. | Veteran | Hard to Kill | p42 |
| Improvisational Fighter | Ignores the penalty for using improvised weapons. | Seasoned | Smarts d6+ | p42 |
| Iron Jaw | +2 to Soak rolls and to Vigor rolls against Knockout Blows. | Novice | Vigor d8+ | p42 |
| Killer Instinct | A free reroll on any opposed Test you initiate. | Seasoned | — | p43 |
| Level Headed | Draw an extra Action Card and use the better. | Seasoned | Smarts d8+ | p43 |
| Improved Level Headed | Draw two extra Action Cards and use the best. | Seasoned | Level Headed | p43 |
| Marksman | Ignore up to 2 points of range penalty, or add +1 to hit, if you don't move. | Seasoned | Athletics d8+ or Shooting d8+ | p43 |
| Martial Artist | +1 unarmed Fighting; fists count as armed and add a d4 damage die. | Novice | Fighting d6+ | p43 |
| Martial Warrior | +2 unarmed Fighting and a damage die one step higher. | Seasoned | Martial Artist | p43 |
| Mighty Blow | Double damage on a Fighting attack when your Action Card is a Joker. | Novice | Fighting d8+, Wild Card | p43 |
| Nerves of Steel | Ignore one level of Wound penalty. | Novice | Vigor d8+ | p43 |
| Improved Nerves of Steel | Ignore two levels of Wound penalty. | Novice | Nerves of Steel | p43 |
| No Mercy | +2 damage when spending a Benny to reroll damage. | Seasoned | — | p43 |
| Rapid Fire | Increase Rate of Fire by 1 for one attack per turn. | Seasoned | Shooting d6+ | p43 |
| Improved Rapid Fire | Increase Rate of Fire by 1 twice in a turn, via a Multi-Action. | Veteran | Rapid Fire | p43 |
| Rock and Roll! | Ignore the Recoil penalty if you don't move. | Seasoned | Shooting d8+ | p44 |
| Steady Hands | Ignore Unstable Platform, and the running penalty drops to −1. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p44 |
| Sweep | One Fighting attack at −2 against every adjacent target, friend or foe. | Novice | Strength d8+, Fighting d8+ | p44 |
| Improved Sweep | As Sweep, but you can avoid hitting allies. | Veteran | Sweep | p44 |
| Trademark Weapon | +1 to the skill with one specific weapon, and +1 Parry while it's readied. | Novice | d8+ in the chosen weapon's skill | p44 |
| Improved Trademark Weapon | As above, but +2. | Seasoned | Trademark Weapon | p44 |
| Two-Fisted | A Fighting attack from your other hand on a later action doesn't incur the Multi-Action penalty. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p44 |
| Two-Gun Kid | As Two-Fisted, but for ranged weapons. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p44 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Command | Allies within range add +1 to rolls to recover from Shaken. | Novice | Smarts d6+ | p45 |
| Command Presence | Command Range increases to 10″ (20 yards). | Seasoned | Command | p45 |
| Fervor | Allies within range add +1 to Fighting damage. | Veteran | Spirit d8+, Command | p45 |
| Hold the Line! | Allies within range gain +1 Toughness. | Seasoned | Smarts d8+, Command | p45 |
| Inspire | Roll Battle to Support one type of Trait roll for all allies in Command Range. | Seasoned | Command | p45 |
| Natural Leader | Share your Bennies with allies in command range. | Seasoned | Spirit d8+, Command | p45 |
| Tactician | Draw an extra Action Card each round and assign it to an ally. | Seasoned | Smarts d8+, Command, Battle d6+ | p45 |
| Master Tactician | Draw two extra Action Cards to assign. | Veteran | Tactician | p45 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificer | Grant your powers to a device others can use. | Seasoned | Arcane Background | p45 |
| Channeling | On a raise, the power costs 1 less Power Point. | Seasoned | Arcane Background | p46 |
| Concentration | Double the Duration of non-Instant powers. | Seasoned | Arcane Background | p46 |
| Extra Effort | Spend extra Power Points to add to your Focus roll. | Seasoned | Arcane Background, Focus d6+, Gifted | p46 |
| Gadgeteer | Improvise a device with a power you don't know. | Seasoned | Arcane Background, Weird Science d6+ | p46 |
| Holy/Unholy Warrior | Add +1 to a final Soak roll per Power Point spent, to a maximum of +4. | Seasoned | Arcane Background, Faith d6+ | p46 |
| Mentalist | +2 on opposed arcane skill rolls. | Seasoned | Arcane Background, Psionics d6+ | p46 |
| New Powers | Learn two more powers. May be taken more than once. | Novice | Arcane Background | p47 |
| Power Points | +5 to your Power Point total. May be taken more than once. | Novice | Arcane Background | p47 |
| Power Surge | Recover 10 Power Points when your Action Card is a Joker. | Novice | Arcane Background, Wild Card; arcane skill d8+ | p47 |
| Rapid Recharge | Recover 10 Power Points per hour instead of 5. | Seasoned | Spirit d6+, Arcane Background | p47 |
| Improved Rapid Recharge | Recover 20 Power Points per hour. | Veteran | Rapid Recharge | p47 |
| Soul Drain | Recover 5 Power Points by taking a level of Fatigue. | Seasoned | Arcane Background, arcane skill d10+ | p47 |
| Wizard | On a raise, the power costs 1 less Power Point. | Seasoned | Arcane Background, Spellcasting d6+ | p47 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace | Ignore 2 points of penalty on Boating, Driving and Piloting, and may spend Bennies to Soak damage to your vehicle using that skill. | Novice | Agility d8+ | p47 |
| Acrobat | One free reroll on Athletics for balance, tumbling and grappling — not climbing, swimming, throwing or interrupting. | Novice | Agility d8+, Athletics d8+ | p48 |
| Combat Acrobat | −1 to attacks against you when you're aware of the attack and able to move. | Seasoned | Acrobat | p48 |
| Assassin | +2 damage against Vulnerable foes or with The Drop. | Novice | Agility d8+, Fighting d6+, Stealth d8+ | p48 |
| Investigator | +2 Research, and +2 Notice when searching documents or scenes. | Novice | Smarts d8+, Research d8+ | p48 |
| Jack-of-all-Trades | Smarts roll as an action to gain d4 in an unowned skill, or d6 with a raise. | Novice | Smarts d10+ | p48 |
| McGyver | Improvise a temporary device from junk to hand. | Novice | Smarts d6+, Notice d8+, Repair d6+ | p49 |
| Mr. Fix It | +2 Repair, and a raise halves the time. | Novice | Repair d8+ | p49 |
| Scholar | +2 to one chosen knowledge skill — Academics, Battle, Occult, Science or similar. | Novice | Research d8+ | p49 |
| Soldier | Strength counts one die higher for Encumbrance and Minimum Strength. | Novice | Strength d6+, Vigor d6+ | p49 |
| Thief | +1 Athletics to climb, +1 Stealth in urban settings, and +1 Thievery. | Novice | Agility d8+, Stealth d6+, Thievery d6+ | p49 |
| Woodsman | +2 Survival, and +2 Stealth in the wilds. | Novice | Spirit d6+, Survival d8+ | p50 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolster | On a successful Test, remove Distracted or Vulnerable from an ally instead. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p50 |
| Common Bond | Freely give your Bennies to other Wild Cards. | Novice | Spirit d8+, Wild Card | p50 |
| Connections | Call on contacts for aid or a favour once per session. May be taken more than once. | Novice | — | p50 |
| Humiliate | A free reroll on Taunt. | Novice | Taunt d8+ | p50 |
| Menacing | +2 Intimidation. | Novice | any one of Bloodthirsty, Mean, Ruthless or Ugly | p50 |
| Provoke | On a raise with a Taunt Test, the foe is drawn to focus on you and takes a penalty attacking others. | Novice | Taunt d6+ | p50 |
| Rabble-Rouser | A social Test with Intimidation or Taunt against all enemies in a Medium Blast Template. | Seasoned | Spirit d8+ | p50 |
| Reliable | A free reroll on Support rolls. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p51 |
| Retort | A raise on resisting a Test makes the initiator Distracted instead. | Novice | Taunt d6+ | p51 |
| Streetwise | +2 Common Knowledge on criminal matters, and to criminal networking. | Novice | Smarts d6+ | p51 |
| Strong Willed | +2 to resist Smarts- or Spirit-based Tests. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p51 |
| Iron Will | Adds your Strong Willed bonus to resisting powers. Doesn't stack with Brave. | Seasoned | Brave, Strong Willed | p51 |
| Work the Room | Roll a second skill die when Supporting, as a limited action. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p51 |
| Work the Crowd | Adds a third skill die when Supporting, and Supports one more ally. | Seasoned | Work the Room | p51 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beast Bond | Spend your Bennies on animals you control. | Novice | — | p51 |
| Beast Master | You have an animal companion, and animals won't attack you unless provoked. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p51 |
| Champion | +2 damage and Toughness against supernaturally evil (or good) creatures. | Novice | Spirit d8+, Fighting d6+ | p52 |
| Chi | One Chi Point per fight: reroll a failed attack, force an enemy to reroll one, or add +d6 damage. | Veteran | Martial Warrior | p52 |
| Danger Sense | Notice at +2 to sense ambushes and surprises. | Novice | — | p52 |
| Healer | +2 to Healing rolls. | Novice | Spirit d8+ | p52 |
| Liquid Courage | While drunk, +1 Vigor die and ignore one Wound level, but −1 Agility and Smarts. | Novice | Vigor d8+ | p52 |
| Scavenger | Once per encounter, produce a needed piece of equipment or ammunition. | Novice | Luck | p52 |
| Edge | Effect | Rank | Requires | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | Gain five loyal Extras who follow you. | Legendary | Wild Card | p53 |
| Professional | Raise one Trait a step beyond its normal maximum. | Legendary | maximum die type in the affected Trait | p53 |
| Expert | As Professional, raising the Trait and its maximum one further step. | Legendary | Professional in the affected Trait | p53 |
| Master | Your Wild Die for the affected Trait becomes a d10. | Legendary | Wild Card; Expert in the affected Trait | p53 |
| Sidekick | Gain a Wild Card companion who advances with you. | Legendary | Wild Card | p53 |
| Tough as Nails | Take four Wounds before Incapacitation. Maximum penalty is still −3. | Legendary | Vigor d8+ | p53 |
| Tougher than Nails | Take five Wounds before Incapacitation. Maximum penalty is still −3. | Legendary | Tough as Nails, Vigor d12+ | p53 |
| Weapon Master | +1 Parry, and your Fighting bonus damage die becomes a d8 instead of a d6. | Legendary | Fighting d12+ | p53 |
| Master of Arms | +1 Parry again, and the Fighting bonus damage die becomes a d10. | Legendary | Weapon Master | p53 |
Effects are one-line summaries, not the book's text — read the full entry at the page shown. To filter by Rank or by what you qualify for, use Sheet 04.
Streetwise is an Edge in this edition, not a skill. If you're working from an older character or an out-of-date guide, check anything that looks familiar.
Only characters with an Arcane Background Edge have powers. The Edge sets your arcane skill, how many powers you start with, and your Power Point pool.p148
| Background | Arcane skill | Starting powers | Power Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gifted | Focus | 1 powers | 15 PP |
| Magic | Spellcasting | 3 powers | 10 PP |
| Miracles | Faith | 3 powers | 10 PP |
| Psionics | Psionics | 3 powers | 10 PP |
| Weird Science | Weird Science | 2 powers | 15 PP |
| Power | Effect | PP | Range | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcane Protection | Enemy casters subtract 2 (4 with a raise) when targeting you, and damage is reduced by the same. | 1 | Smarts | 5 | p154 |
| Beast Friend | Control animals within range for the duration. | Special | Smarts | 10 minutes | p155 |
| Blind | Victims suffer −2, or −4 with a raise, until they recover. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p156 |
| Bolt | A 2d6 ranged attack. | 1 | Smarts ×2 | Instant | p156 |
| Boost/Lower Trait | Raise an ally's Trait a die type, or lower an enemy's — opposed for the latter. | 3 | Smarts | 5 (boost); Instant (lower) | p156 |
| Burrow | Move through earth and erupt elsewhere, often taking foes by surprise. | 2 | Smarts | 5 | p157 |
| Burst | 2d6 damage in a Cone Template. | 2 | Cone Template | Instant | p157 |
| Confusion | Everyone in a Medium Blast Template becomes Distracted or Vulnerable — both with a raise. | 1 | Smarts | Until the end of the victim’s next | p157 |
| Darksight | Ignore up to 4 points of illumination penalty, or 6 with a raise. | 1 | Smarts | One hour | p157 |
| Deflection | −2 to incoming melee or ranged attacks — both types with a raise. | 2 | Smarts | 5 | p158 |
| Detect/Conceal Arcana | See supernatural persons, objects and effects — or hide them from detection. | 2 | Smarts | 5 (detect); one hour (conceal) | p158 |
| Dispel | End an ongoing power or magical effect. | 1 | Smarts | Instant | p158 |
| Elemental Manipulation | Minor control over an element — dousing flames, stirring wind, shifting earth. | 1 | Smarts | 5 | p160 |
| Empathy | Opposed vs Spirit; +1 to your social skills against that target, +2 with a raise. | 1 | Smarts | 5 | p160 |
| Entangle | Target is Entangled, or Bound with a raise; can be broken free of. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p161 |
| Environmental Protection | Protects against heat, cold, pressure, vacuum and similar hazards. | 2 | Smarts | One hour | p161 |
| Fear | Forces a Fear check; failure means Shaken or worse, and Extras may panic. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p162 |
| Havoc | Targets in a Medium Blast Template or Cone are Distracted and may be hurled 2d6″. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p162 |
| Healing | Removes a Wound, or two with a raise. Only Wounds less than an hour old. | 3 | Touch | Instant | p162 |
| Illusion | Creates a convincing image; observers may disbelieve with a Smarts roll. | 3 | Smarts | 5 | p163 |
| Light/Darkness | Creates illumination, or a zone of darkness. | 2 | Smarts | 10 minutes | p164 |
| Mind Link | Telepathic link out to one mile, or five with a raise. | 1 | Smarts | 30 minutes | p164 |
| Mind Reading | Opposed vs Smarts; get one truthful answer. The target knows unless you get a raise. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p164 |
| Protection | Armor +2, or +2 Toughness instead with a raise. | 1 | Smarts | 5 | p165 |
| Relief | Removes Shaken, Stunned, Distracted, Vulnerable or a level of Fatigue. | 1 | Smarts | Instant | p166 |
| Shape Change | Transform into an animal, gaining its physical Traits. | Special | Self | 5 | p167 |
| Smite | Adds +2 damage to a weapon, or +4 with a raise. | 2 | Smarts | 5 | p168 |
| Sound/Silence | Create sound where there is none, or silence an area — heavy Notice penalties to hear within it. | 1 | Smarts ×5 (sound); Smarts (silence) | Instant (sound); 5 (silence) | p168 |
| Speak Language | Speak, read and write another language; slang and dialect with a raise. | 1 | Smarts | 10 minutes | p168 |
| Stun | Targets in the area must make a Vigor roll or be Stunned. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p168 |
| Summon Ally | Conjures a servant that acts on your turn. | 2+ | Smarts | 5 | p169 |
| Wall Walker | Move on walls and ceilings at half Pace, or full Pace with a raise. | 2 | Smarts | 5 | p170 |
| Power | Effect | PP | Range | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrier | Creates a 5″ long, 1″ tall barrier of Hardness 10, or 12 with a raise. | 2 | Smarts | 5 | p155 |
| Blast | 2d6 damage in a Medium Blast Template. | 3 | Smarts ×2 | Instant | p156 |
| Damage Field | An aura causing 2d4 damage to anyone adjacent. | 4 | Smarts | 5 | p157 |
| Disguise | Alter appearance; viewers with reason to doubt roll Notice at a penalty. | 2 | Smarts | 10 minutes | p158 |
| Divination | Ask a question of a higher power and get a cryptic but useful answer. | 5 | Self | A brief conversation of about five | p159 |
| Farsight | See detail at great distance; halves Range penalties with a raise. | 2 | Smarts | 5 | p161 |
| Growth/Shrink | Change the target's Size, altering Toughness and Strength. | 2 per point of Size change | Smarts | 5 | p162 |
| Invisibility | The target can't be seen — −4 to affect them, or −6 with a raise. | 5 | Smarts | 5 | p164 |
| Object Reading | Reveals vague information about an object's history; more detail with a raise. | 2 | Touch | Special | p165 |
| Sloth/Speed | Halve a foe's Pace, or double an ally's and reduce running penalties. | 2 | Smarts | Instant (sloth); 5 (speed) | p167 |
| Slumber | Opposed by Spirit; failure puts the victim into a deep sleep. | 2 | Smarts | One hour | p167 |
| Telekinesis | Move objects at range with Strength d10, or d12 with a raise. | 5 | Smarts ×2 | 5 | p169 |
| Teleport | Instantly move up to 12″; further and carrying others for more Power Points. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p170 |
| Warrior’s Gift | Grants the target the temporary use of a Combat Edge. | 4 | Smarts | 5 | p170 |
| Power | Effect | PP | Range | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banish | Send a summoned or extraplanar creature back where it came from. | 3 | Smarts | Instant | p154 |
| Drain Power Points | Opposed arcane roll to drain d6 Power Points from another caster. | 2 | Smarts | Instant | p160 |
| Fly | The target flies at Pace 12, or double that with a raise. | 3 | Smarts | 5 | p162 |
| Intangibility | The target passes through solid matter and can't be harmed by physical attacks. | 5 | Smarts | 5 | p163 |
| Mind Wipe | Remove or alter a specific memory. | 3 | Smarts | Instant | p165 |
| Puppet | Opposed vs Spirit; the victim obeys your commands. | 3 | Smarts | 5 | p165 |
| Zombie | Animates a corpse to serve you for the duration. | 3 (See sidebar for large | Smarts | One hour | p171 |
| Power | Effect | PP | Range | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resurrection | Returns the recently dead to life, at significant cost. | 30 | Touch | Instant | p166 |
Each power has a Rank — you can only take ones at or below yours. Effects are one-line summaries; the full entries from p154 carry the modifiers and detail. Searchable version on Sheet 04.
$500 starting funds — but read that page properly, because it changes things.p65
Characters are assumed to already have clothes, personal items, and in modern settings, a place to live, tools, maybe a vehicle, and basic necessities. The $500 is for adventuring gear in addition to all that. So the tools of your stated profession are arguably free, and the kit you'd only own because you're doing something dangerous comes out of the $500.
Worth raising at session zero rather than assuming: a laptop is listed at $1,200, more than double the entire budget.
Encumbrance is Strength-based. Strength d4 caps you at 20 lbs before you're Encumbered, which is −2 to Pace, running, Agility and all Agility-linked skills, and Vigor rolls against Fatigue. A laptop is 5 lbs. A tool kit is another 5. Build someone slight and you'll genuinely be choosing what goes in the bag.p67
Weapons, armour, shields and vehicles — with damage, range, AP, Min Str, weight and cost — are on Sheet 04: Tables. The book's gear chapter starts at p65.