Character Abilities

TL;DR

Abilities define what your character can actually do - what they’ve trained in, what their bodies and mind are capable of. Abilities can be trained up to 5 levels - from Novice, to Apprentice, to Journeyman, to Artisan, and then to Master.

Each level of training improves the dice that the Player rolls when their Character attempts to use their Ability, and each level of training costs 4xp to attain.

OVERVIEW

Abilities define the actions that Characters can take when interacting with the game world. Those abilities are clumped loosely into five separate categories:

• ANIMA: Abilities which engage the character to act heroically and plumb the depths of their resolve.
• GIFTS: Abilities which are granted naturally, like wings or claws.
• MAGIC SCHOOLS: Abilities which allow magic power, tapped by source, to be shaped into spells.
• MAGIC SOURCE: Abilities which allow a character to tap into magical power.
• MARTIALS: Abilities which are used specifically for physical conflict resolution.
• SKILLS: Abilities which are trained and learned.

Training and Ability Mastery

Skilled and Martial abilities can be attempted without training, but the results are heavily dependent on the species attempting the action. Following is a table describing how ability mastery affects the dice rolled to determine success or failure during a Challenge involving an ability:

Additionally, with greater mastery comes the ability to invoke two special powers for an ability, once each per scene, at a cost in Aspect points shown on the chart.

• Spending Aspect points for Advantage means you get to roll your Challenge Roll (including your Talent Roll) twice and take the best overall result.
• Spending Aspect points for a Special power means you can invoke whatever special ability exists for your Ability after spending the noted Aspect pool points.