Character Abilities and Traits

A character’s mind profile refers to the types of actions that she finds easy to perform. The mind profile does not necessarily determine a character’s personality, beliefs, or politics – only the ease of actions. It’s also important to note that just because a character has one mind profile, it doesn’t mean that they are incapable of performing actions that are outside their area of expertise.

For example, the engineer-minded character might also be good at dancing in addition to inventing new spells. It’s just that the engineer-minded character has an easier time inventing spells than some other profiles.

 

The Artist

The artist-minded individual excels at actions that require freeform thinking. The artist is great at supplying new ideas that may even be considered outside-the-box.

 

The Engineer

Characters that are engineer-minded are versatile at actions that require freeform thinking and calculating. Because of this, the engineer is great at coming up with practical design solutions – either on the fly or over long term.

 

The Factotum

Characters that are factotum-minded tend to perform well on most actions. The factotum isn’t particularly specialized for action types but they aren’t particularly vulnerable at any, either.

 

 

The Instructor

The instructor-minded individual excels at actions that require both taking in information while simultaneously acting upon that information. The instructor tends to be able to pick up on context and cues that might be lost on other individuals.

 

The Investigator

Investigator-minded characters are versatile at actions that require concentration and picking up on context. The investigator has an easier time processing theories from real world evidence than most.

 

The Lawyer

The lawyer-minded individual is versatile at both actions that require concentration and routine processes. Specific documentation, logic, algorithms are all specialties of the lawyer.

 

The Leader

Characters that are leader-minded are versatile in actions that require freeform thinking and context from the world. The leader can develop a clear vision for big picture problems.

 

The Maverick

Maverick-minded characters are versatile at actions that require freeform thinking and routine processes. A visionary, the maverick is good at inventing ideas and treating them as fact.

 

The Performer

The performer-minded character is versatile in actions that require routine processing and context from the world. The performer is typically good at physical movements such as dancing and sports.

 

 

 

 

 

The Researcher

Characters that are researcher-minded excel at actions that require concentration. The researcher is great at running calculations, learning new topics, and storing information.

 

The Worker

The worker-minded character excels at actions that require routine processes. The worker tends to have excellent motor skills and dexterity.

 

Sample Mind Profile: Captain Calna

Lynn decides that the reason that Calna became a captain not because of the leadership, but because of the spectacle of it. She has the heart of an explorer but the mind of a Performer.

Lobe Point Assignment

All actions performed by your character will be processed through the brain, specifically one of the four lobes within the brain: Correl, Focal, Marvel, and Natural. Each of these lobes has a score, from 0 – 3 (see Chapter 4: Protagonists to learn about the definition and usage for each Lobe).

 

You assign 5 points among your character’s lobes based on their Mind Profile. Consult the following list for point assignment rules for each lobe. A filled circle ⦿ means that this circle must be filled on your sheet. An X ⦻ means that that circle must be left blank on your sheet. And a open circle ⦾ means that you get the option to spend an additional point in one of the open circles for each of the Remainder points.

 

 

 

 


Mind Profiles Correl Lobe Focal Lobe Marvel Lobe Natural Lobe Remainder
The Artist ⦾⦻⦻ ⦾⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦾⦻⦻ 2
The Engineer ⦻⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦾ ⦿⦿⦾ ⦻⦻⦻ 1
The Factotum ⦿⦾⦻ ⦿⦾⦻ ⦿⦾⦻ ⦿⦾⦻ 1
The Instructor ⦿⦿⦿ ⦾⦻⦻ ⦾⦻⦻ ⦾⦻⦻ 2
The Investigator ⦿⦿⦾ ⦿⦿⦾ ⦻⦻⦻ ⦻⦻⦻ 1
The Leader ⦿⦿⦾ ⦻⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦾ ⦻⦻⦻ 1
The Lawyer ⦻⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦾ ⦻⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦾ 1
The Maverick ⦻⦻⦻ ⦻⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦾ ⦿⦿⦾ 1
The Performer ⦿⦿⦾ ⦻⦻⦻ ⦻⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦾ 1
The Researcher ⦾⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦾⦻⦻ ⦾⦻⦻ 2
The Worker ⦾⦻⦻ ⦾⦻⦻ ⦾⦻⦻ ⦿⦿⦿ 2

 

Alternately, you can create customized mind profile by distributing the five points throughout the lobes as you wish. The only rule is that your character can’t have more than three points in any one lobe.

 

Sample Lobe Point Assignment: Captain Calna

Since Lynn chose The Performer as Captain Calna’s mind profile, she will assign two points to the Correl Lobe and three dots in Natural Lobe.

Assigning Ability Points

All actions are governed by one of eight abilities: Communicate, Labor, Move, Operate, Sense, Surge, Think, and Will. These abilities are scored from 2 – 5 on your character sheet (see Chapter 4: Protagonists to learn about the definition and usage for each Ability). You get 6 points to distribute however you see fit among the abilities. Keep in mind that 2 represents the average, generic human. You may want to refer to the table of concepts earlier in the chapter for suggested ability priorities.

 

Optional: Schema System

Some players may find it helpful to prioritize the character’s abilities and then use the following schemas to determine what’s best for their play style. Simply number each ability from 1 to 8 (with 1 being the most important) then choose one of the following schemas.

 

Ability Priorities
Scheme 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
B ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
C ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
D ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
E ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
F ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
G ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿

 

Sample Ability Point Assignment: Captain Calna

Lynn decides to prioritize Captain Calna’s abilities in the following way:

 

1 Labor 2 Will 3 Communi. 4 Operate 5 Sense 6 Move 7 Think 8 Surge

 

She then considers which abilities she doesn’t really care about for this character. She supposes that Calna is better-than-average with a firearm but isn’t more perceptive than anyone else. That would indicate that the Operate ability, which we previously ranked as 4th place would need to have 3 points or higher while Sense can remain at 2. Schemas D and E fit this bill.

 

 

 

Ability Priorities
Scheme Labor Will Communi. Operate Sense Move Think Surge
A ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
B ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
C ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
D ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
E ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
F ⦿⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿
G ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿⦿ ⦿⦿ ⦿⦿

 

Lynn decides that Captain Calna would be just as brave as she is strong so the she decides on Schema E.

Total Vim, Total Surge, and Resistances

Now that you have assigned points to your abilities and lobes, you can calculate some of the other traits. Total Vim is the amount of energy one has to spend on spells and actions. Total Surge is the amount of energy one can use in order to cast permanent changes in reality. There are four types of resistances which help protect against different types of trauma.

 

Total Vim is equal to the sum of 6 and the points in Labor, Move, Think, and Will.

 

Total Vim =

(6 + Labor + Move + Think + Will)

 

Total Surge  = (5 + Surge)

 

Resistances   Draw       Difficulty Modifier

Chemical         Move                  Marvel

Mental              Think                  Natural

Molecular      Will                     Focal

Physical           Labor                  Correl

 

Sample Ability Point Assignment: Captain Calna

Lynn’s character, Captain Calna has been assigned the following ability points:

 

Communicate                   3

Labor                                    4

Move                                    2

Operate                               3

Sense                                    2

Surge                                    2

Think                                    2

Will                                       4

 

This means that the Captain Calna will have  a total vim of 18 (6 + (4 Labor) + (2 Move) + (2 Think) + (4 Will)) and a total surge of 7 (5 + (2 Surge)).

 

The captain’s resistances look like the following:

 

Resistances       Draw       Difficulty Modifier

Chemical               2 (Move)          2 (Marvel)

Mental                    2 (Think)          0 (Natural)

Molecular             4 (Will)             0 (Focal)

Physical                4 (Labor)          3 (Correl)