Spell Trappings

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Trappings & Effects

Trappings are the heart and soul of the powers system. With just a few simple twists, a bolt power can represent rays of ice, streaks of light, or swarms of stinging bees. The powers themselves are designed to be as simple to use and remember as possible. This helps the Game Master remember what all the powers do, and helps players remember the rules for common powers even between different settings. But just because these powers work the same from setting to setting doesn’t mean they have to look the same, have the same names (to the characters in that world), or even have the exact same effects—that’s where Trappings come in. For the most part, Trappings should be merely cosmetic as described on page 108. But sometimes it makes sense for there to be additional effects. A heat ray should have a chance of catching combustible objects on fire, for example, and an electric blast should do slightly more damage to targets in full metal armor.

Below are examples of effects players and Game Masters can use for common Trappings.

Acid

Acid is most commonly an attack Trapping, but could be used defensively against those who touch it (such as armor that corrodes anyone who touches it).

• Corrosion: If the subject with an acidic Trapping is touched the victim must make a Vigor roll or suffer Fatigue (the equivalent of Bumps and Bruises). If the ability is a damaging attack that results in a Shaken or higher result, roll a d6. On a 6, any material the acid hit is ruined (armor loses a point of protection instead).

• Burn: A power that does fixed damage reduces its die type by one, but does one less die of damage on the caster’s next action unless counteracted in some way (taking an action to wash it off or stripping off the acid-covered item). For instance, a 2 PP acid bolt causes 3d4 when it hits and 2d4 on the caster’s action as well (unless the target neutralizes it with liquid).

Cold/Ice

Cold and ice cause freezing effects, and can be both positive and negative.

• Armor: Beneficial powers provide +2 Armor versus cold, ice, fire, and heat, but fire and heat attacks count as a dispel against them.

• Fatigue: Harmful powers require a Vigor roll (at –2 on a raise) to avoid cold-based Fatigue, but the power’s range is reduced to half (non-ranged powers have their Power Point cost doubled).

• Skate: A success on a beneficial power (like armor) results in ice not counting as Difficult Ground as ice spikes or skates form on the target’s feet.

• Slow: A raise with a detrimental power (like stun) results in the target’s movement counting as Difficult Ground while the power is active (or his next movement for Instant powers) due to the slick ice frozen on him.

Darkness

Darkness is frequently tied to another trapping such as cold or necromantic, so those options can apply as well.

• Darkening: Targets suffer a penalty to oppose the power equal to the current darkness penalty. The caster suffers a –2 penalty in normal light, and the light power works as dispel against the power.

• Shroud: The target is momentarily shrouded in tendrils of darkness. Targets of negative powers suffer a –1 penalty to all vision-based trait rolls while the power is active or on their next action for Instant powers. Positive effects slightly obscure the character, making him –1 to be hit by ranged attacks.

• Stealth: For beneficial powers, adding +1 Power Point to the cost causes the darkness to cling to the target and increases Stealth by one die type, or two on a raise.

Electricity

Electricity has a strong impact on the body’s nervous and muscular systems.

• Armor Piercing: The electricity arcs to a foe’s exposed areas, ignoring some armor (AP 2) at a cost of +1 Power Point.

• Conduction: Damaging powers reduce damage by one die type, but add an additional die of damage to targets in the following situations: carrying more than 10 pounds of conductive metal, contacting a source of water, or otherwise touching an electrical conductor of some kind. For instance, an electrical blast at maximum effect does 3d4 damage in a Large Burst Template, but if the targets are standing in water, they take 4d4 damage.

• Jazz: Beneficial powers “jazz” the target. They cost +1 Power Point to cast, but on a success add +2 to Pace and on a raise increase Agility one die type for the duration of the power.

• Jolt: Helpful powers shock a target out of their distraction on a raise, providing an immediate free roll to recover from being Shaken.

• Spasms: Harmful powers cause temporary muscle contraction if cast with a raise; the target has to make a Vigor roll or be at –2 Parry until his next action.

Fire/Heat

Fire is a very common trapping for attack powers with heat having similar but less combustible effects.

• Armor Piercing: Fire and heat bypass cracks in armor. A damaging power gains AP 2 by increasing the base cost by +1 Power Point.

• Aura: Beneficial powers surround a subject with a hot or fiery aura, and as a replacement for their normal benefit on a raise, the target gains the effect of the damage field power that causes 2d4 damage.

• Fatigue: A heat trapping on an attack forces the victim to make a Vigor roll or suffer Fatigue.

• Flammable: With a hit by a fire power, roll for any potentially flammable objects to catch fire (see page 83). For a heat trapping, liquids on the target (water, potions, etc.) evaporate on a 6 on a d6 with a success or a 4–6 on a raise.

Light

Light typically represents goodness, sunshine, or holiness.

• Beam: Light-based damaging attacks are like a focused laser, providing armor piercing capability. Reduce the damage by one die type, but add AP 4 to the effect.

• Enhance: This trapping applies directly to the light power. Reduce it to a Medium Burst Template and extend the duration to 1 hour (1/hour) or give it a range of Smarts x 2 affecting animate targets as well (an unwilling target gets an opposed Agility roll to avoid). Reduce light to a Small Burst Template and give it both abilities.

• Glow: Subjects affected with a raise glow for the duration, creating light in a Small Burst Template centered on them. This can give them light, but also make them targets. An Instant power with that effect allows a character on Hold or with the Joker to make an attack for the split second the subject is illuminated (avoiding any darkness penalties to hit them). The character must take their action immediately after the caster’s turn to gain the benefit.

• Sunlight: In a setting with vampires and other such creatures, light is equivalent to natural sunlight.

Necromantic

Necromantic trappings may involve a “negative energy” opposed to life or symbols of death like bones and skulls.

• Fear: All Undead (depending on their prevalence) are considered to have a level of Arcane Resistance versus the power, and the living must make Fear checks when hit with it.

• Feign Undeath: A raise on the roll provides a –1 to be hit by Undead as they see the subject as one of their own.

• Shards: Ranged attacks splinter on impact, creating shrapnel that does +1 damage versus unarmored targets but –1 damage versus foes with Armor.

Sound

Sound is a common trapping for sonic or music-based spellcasters. Sound-based powers should never work in a vacuum!

• Absorbtion: Beneficial powers absorb the subject’s sound, so Stealth is increased a die type, but they have to yell to be heard normally and speaking becomes a normal action instead of a free one.

• Aquatic Boom: Sound travels better in water than in air. Underwater, an attack power causes +2 damage. In air, however, it causes –2 damage.

• Deafen: A raise with the power (or a Shaken or better from damage) results in a –2 penalty to hearing-based Notice rolls for the target until the power ends or they recover from being Shaken.

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