Flavor #

Flavors are groups of special abilities the GM and players can use to alter a character type to make it more to their liking or more appropriate to the genre or setting. For example, if a player wants to create a magic-using thief character, she could play an Adept with stealth flavoring. In a science fiction setting, a Warrior might also have knowledge of machinery, so the character could be flavored with technology.

At a given tier, abilities from a flavor are traded one for one with standard abilities from a type. So to add the Danger Sense stealth flavor ability to a Warrior, something else—perhaps Bash—must be sacrificed. Now that character can choose Danger Sense as they would any other first-tier warrior ability, but they can never choose Bash.

The GM should always be involved in flavoring a type. For example, they might know that for their science fiction game, they want a type called a “Glam,” which is a Speaker flavored with certain technology abilities—specifically those that make the character a flamboyant starship pilot. Thus, they exchange the first-tier abilities Spin Identity and Inspire Aggression for the technology flavor abilities Datajack and Tech Skills so the character can plug into the ship directly and can take piloting and computers as skills.

In the end, flavor is mostly a tool for the GM to easily create campaign-specific types by making a few slight alterations to the four base types. Although players may wish to use flavors to get the characters they want, remember that they can also shape their PCs with descriptors and foci very nicely.

The flavors available are stealth, technology, magic, combat, and skills and knowledge.

The full description for each listed ability can be found in the Abilities chapter, which also contains descriptions for type and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.

Stealth Flavor #

Characters with the stealth flavor are good at sneaking around, infiltrating places they don’t belong, and deceiving others. They use these abilities in a variety of ways, including combat. An Explorer with stealth flavor might be a thief, while a Warrior with stealth flavor might be an assassin. An Explorer with stealth flavor in a superhero setting might be a crimefighter who stalks the streets at night.

First-Tier Stealth Abilities #

  • Danger Sense
  • Goad
  • Legerdemain
  • Opportunist
  • Stealth Skills

Second-Tier Stealth Abilities #

  • Contortionist
  • Find an Opening
  • Get Away
  • Sense Ambush
  • Surprise Attack

Third-Tier Stealth Abilities #

  • Evanesce
  • From the Shadows
  • Gambler
  • Inner Defense
  • Misdirect
  • Run and Fight
  • Seize the Moment

Fourth-Tier Stealth Abilities #

  • Ambusher
  • Debilitating Strike
  • Outwit
  • Preternatural Senses
  • Tumbling Moves

Fifth-Tier Stealth Abilities #

  • Assassin Strike
  • Mask
  • Return to Sender
  • Uncanny Luck

Sixth-Tier Stealth Abilities #

  • Exploit Advantage
  • Spring Away
  • Thief’s Luck
  • Twist of Fate

Technology Flavor #

Characters with a flavor of technology typically are from science fiction or at least modern-day
settings (although anything is possible). They excel at using, dealing with, and building machines. An Explorer with technology flavor might be a starship pilot, and a Speaker flavored with technology could be a techno-priest.

Some of the less computer-oriented abilities might be appropriate for a steampunk character, while a modern-day character could use some of the abilities that don’t involve starships or ultratech.

First-Tier Technology Abilities #

  • Datajack
  • Hacker
  • Machine Interface
  • Scramble Machine
  • Tech Skills
  • Tinker

Second-Tier Technology Abilities #

  • Distant Interface
  • Machine Efficiency
  • Overload Machine
  • Serv-0
  • Serv-0 Defender
  • Serv-0 Repair
  • Tool Mastery

Third-Tier Technology Abilities #

  • Mechanical Telepathy
  • Serv-0 Scanner
  • Ship Footing
  • Shipspeak
  • Spray

Fourth-Tier Technology Abilities #

  • Machine Bond
  • Robot Fighter
  • Serv-0 Aim
  • Serv-0 Brawler
  • Serv-0 Spy

Fifth-Tier Technology Abilities #

  • Control Machine
  • Jury-Rig
  • Machine Companion

Sixth-Tier Technology Abilities #

  • Information Gathering
  • Master Machine

Magic Flavor #

You know a little about magic. You might not be a wizard, but you know the basics—how it works, and how to accomplish a few wondrous things. Of course, in your setting, “magic” might actually mean psychic powers, mutant abilities, weird alien tech, or anything else that produces interesting and useful effects.

An Explorer flavored with magic might be a wizard-hunter, and a Speaker with magical flavor might be a sorcerer-bard. Although an Adept flavored with magic is still an Adept, you might find that swapping some of the type’s basic abilities with those given here tailors the character in desirable ways.

First-Tier Magic Abilities #

  • Blessing of the Gods
  • Closed Mind
  • Entangling Force
  • Hedge Magic
  • Magic Training
  • Mental Link
  • Premonition

Second-Tier Magic Abilities #

  • Concussive Blast
  • Fetch
  • Force Field
  • Lock
  • Repair Flesh

Third-Tier Magic Abilities #

  • Distance Viewing
  • Fire Bloom
  • Fling
  • Force at Distance
  • Summon Giant Spider

Fourth-Tier Magic Abilities #

  • Elemental Protection
  • Ignition
  • Pry Open

Fifth-Tier Magic Abilities #

  • Create
  • Divine Intervention
  • Dragon’s Maw
  • Fast Travel
  • True Senses

Sixth-Tier Magic Abilities #

  • Relocate
  • Summon Demon
  • Traverse the Worlds
  • Word of Death

Combat Flavor #

Combat flavor makes a character more martial. A Speaker with combat flavor in a fantasy setting would be a battle bard. An Explorer with combat flavor in a historical game might be a pirate. An Adept flavored with combat in a science fiction setting could be a veteran of a thousand psychic wars.

First-Tier Combat Abilities #

  • Danger Sense
  • Practiced in Armor
  • Practiced With Medium Weapons

Second-Tier Combat Abilities #

  • Bloodlust
  • Combat Prowess
  • Trained Without Armor

Third-Tier Combat Abilities #

  • Practiced With All Weapons
  • Skill With Attacks
  • Skill With Defense
  • Successive Attack

Fourth-Tier Combat Abilities #

  • Capable Warrior
  • Deadly Aim
  • Fury
  • Misdirect
  • Spray

Fifth-Tier Combat Abilities #

  • Experienced Defender
  • Hard Target
  • Parry

Sixth-Tier Combat Abilities #

  • Greater Skill With Attacks
  • Mastery in Armor
  • Mastery With Defense

Skills And Knowledge Flavor #

This flavor is for characters in roles that call for more knowledge and more real-world application of talent. It’s less flashy and dramatic than supernatural powers or the ability to hack apart multiple foes, but sometimes expertise or
know-how is the real solution to a problem.

A Warrior flavored with skills and knowledge might be a military engineer. An Explorer flavored with skills and knowledge could be a field scientist. A Speaker with this flavor might be a teacher.

First-Tier Skills And Knowledge Abilities #

  • Interaction Skills
  • Investigative Skills
  • Knowledge Skills
  • Physical Skills
  • Travel Skills

Second-Tier Skills And Knowledge Abilities #

  • Extra Skill
  • Tool Mastery
  • Understanding

Third-Tier Skills Andknowledge Abilities #

  • Flex Skill
  • Improvise

Fourth-Tier Skills And Knowledge Abilities #

  • Multiple Skills
  • Quick Wits
  • Task Specialization

Fifth-Tier Skills And Knowledge Abilities #

  • Practiced With Medium Weapons
  • Read the Signs

Sixth-Tier Skills And Knowledge Abilities #

  • Skill With Attacks
  • Skill With Defense