Physical Weaponry Powers
The sixteen physical weaponry powers are inherent additions to the anatomy of their possessor. Some are better hidden than others, but almost all of these powers allow their wielder a considerable edge in hand-to-hand combat. Furthermore, one cannot use power control powers to neutralize physical weaponry - unless such powers can physically alter their target such that these special modifications fade away somehow.
| A | B | C | E | F | H | P | Q | R | T | W |
A
Additional Limbs
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points per bonus action or speed increase
Related Powers: additional organs, super speed, various physical weaponry powers that provide bonus limbs.
This 'power' is representative of characters that possess more limbs than normal, as is determined by standard human anatomy - or any other abilities they may happen to possess. It is most often used to describe beings that do not fit the bipedal norm, that being two limbs for manipulation and two limbs for locomotion, but can also provide extras of other limbs granted by the various physical weaponry powers.
Extra manipulators grant additional actions with them each turn. This requires a doubling of the limbs in question, whether they are one's standard manipulators or are provided by other powers. A four-armed wrestler gains one extra attack with them via this power, for example, while a mutant with a prehensile tail receives two extra tail attacks if given four such extremities (since that power already offers one).
Similarly, each doubling of locomotive limbs grants characters a +1 CS to their ability scores for the purposes of movement. An extradimensional entity with an extra set of wings would fly +1 CS faster than one with only one pair, for a like value of Strength, while an arachnoid creature with eight legs would gain a +2 CS bonus when determining their movement, whether zipping along the ground or skittering up the walls.
If limbs can double as both manipulators and a source of locomotion, the benefits provided by their supernumerary nature may apply apply to both the number of one's actions and their motions - though not simultaneously. With enough limbs, however, the net bonus provided for each use can be divided up between both purposes if desired, giving a character vastly superior versatility.
An alien featuring eight tentacles, which can handle objects as well as pull one about, would fit this criteria. Having these limbs instead of ordinary arms and legs, and double the normal number at that, would let them use half for motion and half for action, gaining a +1 CS for movement purposes and an extra attack when half are used for each, or double one or the other if all eight were dedicated to a singular purpose.
B
Barbs
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the barbs
Related Powers (for the barbs only): corrosion, disease, poison, rotting, tentacles.
Barbs are sharp, pointy areas on a character which are not at the end of their manipulators. In essence, they describe physical weapons that are not claws, fangs, or horns. These will often occur along the side or bottom of one's arms or legs, but may also run the length of one's spine - or perhaps along one's tail for a short distance. Barbs are primarily defensive, but can be used offensively.
In such instances, a character can inflict their Strength (might) rank in Edged Attack damage. On the other hand, a foe attacking the character with barbs will inflict their own Strength (might) in Edged Attack damage on themselves when striking barbs directly (limited to the barbs' MS). This may or may not cause the barbs to break, however, depending on just how resilient they happen to be.
The base MS of a character's barbs is their Strength (might) +2 CS, the idea being that the character cannot easily break them with their own muscle. However, if one wishes to have barbs of a higher MS, they can either gamble on the power (using random character generation) or spend an additional point on barbs above the base cost for each further increase in MS (using point-based character generation).
Ideally, one's barbs are retractable, but a character may take them in an 'always out' form as a strong limitation, which adds +2 CS to their material strength (or just lowers their cost by 2 points).
Battle Tail
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 2 points (flat cost)
Related Powers (for the tail only): barbs, corrosion, elongation, kinetic focus, quills, poison.
A battle tail is a large, obvious extremity that extends forth from the character's posterior. It is typically as long as the character is tall, if not a bit longer, and usually ends in a club shape. While it is somewhat flexible (it moves at its possessor's discretion), a battle tail is not prehensile. Characters with a battle tail may use it to inflict their Strength (might) rank +1 CS in Blunt Attack damage.
While a battle tail is itself a respectable melee weapon, it can be combined with any number of other powers to increase its versatility.
C
Claws
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the claws
Related Powers: (in general) super digging, super climbing; (for the claws only) corrosion, disease, poison, rotting.
Claws are sharp, pointy implements that a character may have on the end of their extremities. These are most often present on the hands, but can just as easily be on one's feet (or perhaps on both). Claws usually come in the form of elongated fingernails (or toenails), though they can also protrude from the space between one's digits. Of course, there are many other forms that claws, or claw-like protrusions, can take.
A character wielding claws may inflict his or her Strength (might) rank in Edged Attack damage against living targets.
On the other hand, claws get interesting versus non-living targets. In such circumstances, the material strength of one's claws comes into play. When attempting to slice and/or dice an inanimate object, the bearer of claws may wield them as they may any other sharp, pointy implement, and can cut through items with a successful claws MS ACTION against an intensity equal to the MS of the item to be cut.
The base MS of a character's claws is their Strength (might) score +2 CS. This ensures that the force of one's own blows should not break their claws. This MS can be increased, however, either by spending one point per additional MS (in the point-based character generation system) or by subjecting the base MS to the gambling table of one's choice (in the random character generation system).
Claws are generally retractable, but a character may take them in an 'always out' form as a strong limitation, adding a +2 CS to their material strength (or just lowering their cost by 2).
E
Edges
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the edge(s)
Related Powers (for the edges only): disease, hard points, missile generation, poison.
Edges are areas of a character's body that are sharper than the rest. They're something of a catch-all for any means of inflicting Edged Attack damage with one's body that aren't covered by other physical weaponry powers. Edges can come in many forms, ranging from the sharpened surfaces of a pair of pincers to sword-like growths (or grafts) coming out of one's arms - or anything else that trips a player's fancy.
In melee, a character may use their edges to inflict, well, Edged Attack damage. Their location will determine how they can be used. For example, a character with sharp pincers instead of hands must 'grasp' a foe to inflict this kind of damage, while another with lethal surfaces on their wings must perform a 'flapping' attack with those appendages to gain the benefit of their deadlier damage.
The base MS of an edge is most often the character's Strength (might) +2 CS. The idea is that this generally prevents a character from dulling them with his or her own Strength. Generally. But one may add to the MS of their edges by gambling on the table of one's choice (random character generation) or by spending one point per increase in MS (point-based character generation).
On the other hand, if one's edge(s) are tied together with hard point(s), simply use their MS instead.
Edges are ideally retractable, to keep a character from inadvertently harming themselves. However, they may be taken in an 'always out' form as a strong limitation, which adds +2 CS to their material strength (or lowers their cost by 2 points, instead).
F
Fangs
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the fangs
Related Powers: biological vampirism, disease, poison.
Fangs are sharp, pointy implements that a character will usually have in their mouth. They can on occasion be extant on the outside of one's mouth, however, particularly in species with an exoskeleton. Alternately, a variant form of fang is the tusk, which is normally an elongated tooth structure as seen on a walrus or an elephant.
When using fangs against others, a character can inflict their Strength (might) rank in Edged Attack damage.
Versus non-living targets, fangs get interesting. In such circumstances, the material strength of one's fangs comes into play. When attempting to gnaw through an inanimate object, the bearer of fangs may wield them like any other sharp, pointy implement, and can chew through items of up to the material strength of their fangs (make a fangs MS ACTION against an intensity equal to the MS of the item to be chewed).
The base MS of a character's fangs is their Strength (might) score +2 CS. This ensures that, no matter what the character bites, he or she is less likely to break their fangs. This MS can be increased, however, either by spending one point per additional MS (in the point-based character generation system) or by subjecting the base MS to the gambling table of one's choice (in the random character generation system).
Generally, fangs are retractable, but a character may take them in an 'always out' form as a strong limitation (increases MS by +2 CS, or reduces cost by 2).
On the other hand, a noteworthy enhancement to fangs is the ability to make use of a lockjaw. This (strong) enhancement to fangs allows a character, once he or she has bitten down on something, to lock their jaw into place. This does not increase the specific damage of a given bite, so much as it allows the fanged character to keep inflicting the same damage from turn to turn, until they willingly (or are forced to) let go.
A lockjaw enhancement either increases the cost of fangs by two points, or reduces the MS of one's fangs by -2 CS.
H
Hard Points
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the hard point
Related Powers: damage reduction, deflection, edges, super climbing.
Hard points are areas on a character's body that are stronger than the rest. A common example of a hard point in nature is the hoof, a continually growing mass of keratin on certain animals that is used to support their weight. They may also consist of partial exoskeletal plates such as the shell of a tortoise or the armor of an armadillo, or any number of other stiffened anatomical features.
A character can use hard points to increase melee damage, adding a +1 CS to whatever blunt attack makes use of them. This will usually be a standard hand-to-hand assault when hard points are on one's extremities (using Strength (might) as a base), while hard points that are on one's torso - either partially or fully - need to make use of a charging maneuver to benefit in this fashion (using Endurance as a base).
However, characters may also use their hard points for defensive purposes. When these features are a relatively minor portion of one's anatomy, they will add a +1 CS to blocking or bracing maneuvers, being usable only as makeshift shields. On the other hand, a hard point that covers a larger percentage of one's surface area provides its MS in body armor - unless someone specifically targets an uncovered area.
The base MS of a hard point is generally the character's base ability score (above) +3 CS. The idea is that this mostly prevents a character from wrecking them with his or her own Strength or Endurance. Mostly. But one may add to the MS of their hard points by gambling on the table of one's choice (random character generation) or by spending one point per increase in MS (point-based character generation).
Horns
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the horns
Related Powers: (in general) Propulsion; (for the horns only) corrosion, disease, poison, rotting.
Horns are physical weapons inherent to a character's head.
Strictly speaking, true horns consist of living bone encased within keratin and other proteins. A variety of horn-like protrusions occur throughout nature, however, such as the antlers of an adult deer (which are dead bone and lack a keratin coating), or the 'horn' of a rhinoceros (which consists solely of keratin, lacking living bone within). Anything resembling a horn (or horns) is covered by this power, though.
Horns generally have an MS equal to their possessor's Strength (might) or Endurance +3 CS - whichever is higher. During character generation, a player may increase the inherent MS of their horns if desired. This may be done with a gamble based on the character's Strength (might) (random character generation) or by spending one point for each additional rank of MS (point-based character generation).
The form of damage one can inflict with horns depends on their shape. Pointed horns generally allow their possessor to inflict their Strength (might) rank in Edged Attack damage with a head butt, while curved horns instead allow one to inflict their Strength (might) rank +1 CS in Blunt Attack damage.
The advantages of a horn (or horns), however, is that they can also be used in a charge maneuver. In the event of such an attack, the wielder of horns will inflict damage as indicated above, except that the base of such is their Endurance instead of Strength. And naturally, the character may add whatever additional damage would be incurred due to the amount of movement executed before connecting with their target(s).
P
Pouches
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 2 points (flat cost)
Related Powers: device generation, internal universe.
In nature, a pouch is a natural area of the body that can hold things - most often, one's young. It generally consists of a fold of skin covering another area of the body, with but one opening to the world outside. Marsupials are famous for this biological feature, in particular the kangaroo. Of course, a character with this power just might have a more effective use for such an anatomical oddity.
When a character acquires pouches, either during character generation or later on, he or she may indicate where they are situated. Common locations for pouches include on the belly, as is the case with most animals, or perhaps where one's pants pockets would be. These can be as obvious or as inconspicuous as is desired, and when closed a pouch might be very hard to spot, indeed.
For the most part, a pouch will not hold all that much material. It is inherently limited to its interior volume, which means one can usually only carry tiny objects within. Such things include grenades, small firearms, school supplies, compact tools, a smartphone, or whatever else tickles one's fancy. However, pouches can be greatly expanded by, or are often linked to other abilities, such as internal universe or device generation.
Prehensile Hair
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 1 point per rank
Related Powers: clairtouchence, disguise, elongation, plasticity, prehensile skin, telekinesis.
Prehensile hair is a mass of luxurious locks that can be consciously controlled by its possessor.
When prehensile hair is not actively in use, it usually remains at its standard length - whatever that happens to be. When this power is activated, however, the character's hair will seemingly come to life, able to be manipulated in as fine or as course a manner as is desired. One may even extend its length considerably, doing so within Very Near distance of their person.
Prehensile hair allows its wielder a curious extension of their sense of touch, one which lets him or her feel whatever is in contact with their hair as if touching it with their fingertips. Similarly, a character with prehensile hair may even use it to inflict considerable damage if desired, since the hair produced by this power behaves as if it possesses a Strength (might) score equal to its power rank.
Generally, prehensile hair is assumed to be that which is atop a character's head. However, the power just might apply to all of a character's body hair, which can be particularly useful in characters that are covered in fur - or are just exceptionally hairy.
Prehensile Skin
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 1 point per rank
Related Powers: body armor, disguise, elongation, gliding, plasticity, prehensile hair.
Prehensile skin is an epidermis which can be consciously controlled by its possessor.
This power works by making the outer flesh of its possessor highly ductile, and capable of being manipulated in as fine or as course a fashion as is desired. The elasticity of prehensile skin allows the character with this power to stretch his or her skin anywhere within Very Near distance of their person. Prehensile skin can manipulate objects (or people) as could a similarly potent Strength score.
One's skin, while extended out, gains the benefit of power rank resistance against non-Edged physical attacks, as if the character possessed similarly ranked plasticity. Attacks of this sort will be 'absorbed' by bouncing them back at their source, albeit at a -2 CS to their original intensity. Damage done directly to prehensile skin is rarely permanent, the power contracting damaged areas when returning to normal.
Generally, one's prehensile skin looks normal when they are not making use of its special properties. However, a player may make its presence on a character more obvious as a strong limitation, giving him or her the appearance of possessing many feet of extra skin. This form of the power will see its possessor's skin sag and droop at all times, causing an appearance that puts one in mind of slightly molten wax.
Prehensile Tail
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (flat cost)
Related Powers (for the tail only): elongation, kinetic focus, super climbing.
While most creatures that have a tail can control its movements in a limited fashion, a prehensile tail allows its possessor a fine manipulation of objects in his or her environment. These extremities are generally from three to six foot long, depending on the character who possesses one, and can appear like an 'ordinary' tail or may have some special appearance, as the player who chooses this power desires.
The advantage of a prehensile tail, as compared to a battle tail, is that the character who has one can use it like an additional manipulator - it can make full use of its wielder's Agility score. On the other hand, a prehensile tail inflicts less damage in melee than a battle tail - it only operates at its possessor's Strength score, not gaining an additional bonus to its damage.
The other perk, of course, is that a character with a prehensile tail can use it to make an additional attack each turn, when applicable.
Q
Quills
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the quills
Related Powers (for the quills only): battle tail, corrosion, disease, poison, rotting.
Quills are needle or thorn-like growths that may cover all or part of a character.
These growths grant their possessor a defensive advantage, in that anyone coming in contact with the character's quills inflict Edged Attack damage upon themselves equal to the intensity with which they connected with them. Similarly, a character with quills may use them to inflict their Strength (might) rank in Edged Attack damage when attacking others in hand-to-hand combat.
One significant benefit of quills, however, is that they can be used as projectile weapons! Whether pulled out and thrown at a foe or actually fired right out of one's skin, quills inflict their possessor's Strength (might) in Edged Throwing damage. Either way they are used, quills operate within the normal range for thrown objects and/or weapons, giving them a considerable advantage over other inherent attacks.
Quills have a base MS equal to their possessor's Strength (might) +2 CS. This allows one to wield quills without breaking them in combat - for the most part. However, if a greater MS is desired, the player behind a character with quills may gamble on their base value on the table of their choice (random character generation), or spend and additional point for each +1 CS of improved MS (point-based character generation).
R
Razor Skin
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (base cost), plus 1 point per additional MS of the razor skin
Related Powers: corrosion, disease, poison, rotting.
A character with razor skin possesses a lethal touch.
The character with this ability possesses blades or barbs on the skin that automatically inflict Edged Attack damage on anything he or she touches, whether they are large enough to be seen or so small that they are imperceptible. Such characters are inherently immune to the damage caused by their own skin (perhaps the sharp bits cancel each other out), but not to other Edged Attack damage.
The edges inherent to one's flesh are assumed to have an MS equal to their Strength (might) score +2 CS, which prevents their being broken or dulled by any attack the character with razor skin can make. However, this does tend to limit their use against inanimate objects; should the character encounter something with an MS higher than that value, they cannot shred their way through it.
Thus, players may add to the MS of their skin's razors by either gambling on the value of their Strength (might) +2 CS (in the random character generation system), or by simply spending one point per additional MS (in the point-based character generation system). A higher razor skin MS will only affect the ability of a character with it to damage inanimate objects; living beings suffer no additional harm.
Ideally, a character with razor skin can deactivate the effect at will. Perhaps the barbs which produce it are retractable, or fold down to prevent the character from slashing everything they touch - including their clothing! However, one can make the effect permanent as a strong limitation to razor skin, which reduces its cost by two points (or alternately raises its MS by +2 CS).
T
Tentacles
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (flat cost)
Related Powers (for the tentacles only): barbs, clinging, elongation, razor skin, super climbing, super swimming.
Tentacles are muscular hydrostats with an exceptionally wide range of motion.
This sort of manipulator is somewhat common in organic life forms. The most familiar examples are the limbs of an octopus or squid, while others might include the trunk of an elephant or even the human tongue. When applied to a humanoid character, tentacles may either supplement or replace one's standard limbs, or the power might alternately serve as a 'super-human' version of an ordinary tongue.
Limbs such as these have a longer reach than conventional arms thanks to their slight plasticity (they can usually extend about twice their resting length) - not to mention the fact that they can move in any direction desired. These manipulators can generally handle objects competently, and may serve the same purpose as a hand (though operating multiple buttons simultaneously may be something of a trick).
Tentacles are ideally suited for grappling, and a character attempting to do so with their tentacles may do so at a +2 CS to their normal ability - a bonus that applies on top of any others provided by biology or combat training. Furthermore, tentacles are naturally complemented by a wide array of additional powers, ranging from clinging to elongation to razor skin.
A character that possesses tentacles in addition to their standard manipulators may perform an additional action with them each turn, when applicable. On the other hand, a character who has replaced their arms (or legs!) with tentacles may use them in the normal fashion of the swapped out extremities. Tentacles that replace a standard set of limbs (or just one limb, perhaps) are considered strongly limited.
W
Wings
Type: Physical Weaponry Power
Cost: 4 points (flat cost)
Related Powers (for the wings only): flight, gliding, hard points, missile generation.
Wings are appendages evolved to provide a highly favorable lift to drag ratio.
A character with these additional limbs will typically have them growing out of their back, though this may vary based on their form and application. Whether feathered, membranous, or scaly, wings generally provide their possessor the ability to fly, after a fashion. However, flight provided solely by wings (instead of the actual flight power) will generally be somewhat limited.
Using their wings alone, a character can fly at a speed that is dependent on the ratio of their Strength versus their weight. As one does when determining jump distances, subtract a character's weight from how much they can lift, and use the resulting difference to determine one's flight rank. An equivalent to 'walking' involves a winged character flying at velocities determined by the land/sea speed table.
The winged individual can keep up this level of flight generally as long as they could walk. However, when a burst of speed is preferable, they may ascend onto the air speed table. Doing so is treated as if the character is running, meaning that one cannot maintain such velocities indefinitely through the use of this power alone - unless, of course, they possess an Endurance score that is of Unearthly or greater value.
But what of winged characters who can fly (much) faster for (much) longer, you ask? They simply make use of the actual flight power along with their wings. Winged characters with flight generally use the wings themselves for steering and/or gliding, while something else (or perhaps some other ascendant property of the wings) provides the ability to achieve such high speeds for so long.
While wings offer a less versatile form of flight than flight itself does, they do have advantages all their own. The wings power may be combined with a variety of other abilities depending on the character's physiology, ranging from missile generation (the wings can fire or fling sharpened feathers or scales or something somehow) to hard points (the wings are rigid, and thus can be used as shields).
If a player would like their character to have the more potent, standard flight, they can either add the difference in points between the base cost of wings and their final flight rank minus one (as the wings then count as a weak limitation) with the point-based character generation system, or simply gamble on the flight rank determined above when making a character randomly.