Horror Atavisms

Atavisms represent monstrous characteristics drawn from humanity's collective unconsciousness. You manifest these atavisms naturally when you assume your monstrous form. 

When you create a horror, you start with two Basic Atavisms. Additional atavisms can be purchased later on for 3 experience.

Atavisms marked with a an asterisk can be selected multiple times.

Basic Atavisms

Amphibious

It Came from the Sea!

Effect: You gain the Amphibious trait, allowing you to breathe underwater. You ignore the normal -2 penalty for making bludgeoning and slashing unarmed attacks underwater. You gain a Swim Speed equal to half your normal Speed. If you already had a Swim Speed, it increases to your full normal Speed.

Basic Magic*

That's Not All I Can Do...

Effect: You gain Apprentice Proficency in one of the following Spheres of Magic: Animal, Artifice, Curses, Darkness, Entropy, Scrying, and can cast 1 Rank 1 spell from that chosen Sphere as a Rote Spell. You cast magic exactly like a Mage, except you spend Terror instead of Mana to cast spells.

Special: Each time you select this feat, pick another sphere of magic.

Bind

You Cannot Escape My Grasp

Effect:  You lash out with chains, vines, or shadowy tendrils. You can attempt Grapple checks against targets within Close Range, in addition to those in Melee. If you successfully Grapple a target at range, you instantly pull them into Melee with you.

Climb*

Climbing on the Walls

Effect: You gain a Climb Speed equal to half your normal Speed. If you already had a Climb Speed, it increases to your full normal Speed)

Darkvision

I See You

Effect: You gain Darkvision, giving you Precise Vision in pitch darkness.

Extra Limbs

On the Third Hand...

Effect: You grow a third set of limbs (or fourth if your base form is Draconic). You can carry additional items, wield extra weapons, or use them for fine manipulation.

Flight

Keep One Eye to the Sky

Effect: You grow wings, gaining a Fly Speed of 1.

Gore

Grab Lives by the Horns

Effect: You grow horns or antlers. You gain a Gore natural attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage. When you use the Charge action to attack with your horns, the attack deals 2d6 piercing damage.

Monstrous Hide*

Your Weapons Cannot Harm Me

Effect: Your hide is impossibly thick. You gain a +3 Origin Bonus to your Armour Defence.

Scent

I Can Smell Your Fear

Effect: You gain Precise Scent (1 Range) and gain a +2 Origin Bonus to Survival checks made to Track.

Shadow Blend ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ 

The Darkness and I are Kin

Effect: While in Dim Light or Darkness, you can spend 3 Actions and 1 Terror to alter your coloration, gaining the Concealed condition for 1 Minute, so long as you don't take another Movement action.

Toxic ◌

These Lips are Venomous

Effect: You secrete a toxic venom. When you successfully hit a target with a Bite attack, you can spend 1 Terror as a Free Action to deal an additional 1d4 persistent Poison damage.

Unnatural Aura

That Thing Ain't Normal

Benefit: You project an alien aura. Mundane animals will not willingly approach you unless cornered. If an animal is forced into combat with you, it automatically gains 1 application of the Frightened condition.

Vicious Bite*

What Big Teeth you Have

Prerequisite: Bite natural attack

Benefit: The damage dice of your claw attack increases by +1 Step.

Wicked Claws*

What Sharp Claws you Have

Prerequisite: Claw natural attack 

Benefit: The damage dice of your claw attack increases by +1 Step.

Wing Buffet

Death from Above

Prerequisite: Wings (either through your base form or the Flight atavism)

Benefit: You can use your wings as an additional natural weapon that deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage and has the Agile trait.

Advanced Atavisms

Advanced Magic*

Behold my Arcane Might!

Prerequisite: Basic Magic, Intermediate Magic, Master (+8) in Shroud.

Effect: You gain Advanced Proficiency in a Sphere of Magic you are Trained in, and can cast 1 Rank 3 spell from that chosen Sphere as a Rote Spell. 

Special: Each time you select this feat, pick another sphere of magic.

Alacritous Action

Blink and you'll Miss

Prerequisite: Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Benefit: Increase your base terrestrial Speed by 1.

Bloody Claws ⬤ ◌ 

Blood Everywhere...

Prerequisite: Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Effect: You inflict vicious, bleeding gashes when you land a precise strike. On a Critical Hit with any of your slashing natural weapons, you deal an additional 1d6 persistent Bleed damage.

Elemental Wrath

By Fire Be Purged!

Prerequisite: Expert (+6) in Shroud, Energized Attacks

Effect: You can release your store of elemental energy in a massive burst. Perhaps you breathe a cone of fire, or you release a burst of acidic spores from your hide.

When you purchase this Atavism, choose a shape: Close Range Burst, Close Range Cone, or 1-Range Line. You cannot change this later.

Spend 2 Actions and 1 Terror to release a massive blast of the element selected in Energized Attacks. Make a basic Shroud check against the Dodge Defense of all targets in the area.

• Critical Success The target takes 10d6 damage
• Success The target takes 5d6 damage
• Failure The target takes 2d6 damage
• Critical Failure The target takes no damage

Energized Attacks

Burn With Me

Prerequisite: Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Effect: Pick one energy type: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, Radiant, or Void. At the start of your turn, you may spend 1 Terror as a Free Action to charge your natural weapons with that energy. Until the end of your turn, your attacks deal an additional 1d6 damage of that type.

Note: Horrors of the Obsidian Sands can only select fire as their energy type for this atavism. Horrors of the Hateful Sun can only select radiant as their energy type for this atavism.

Expel Corruption ⬤ ◌ ◌

You Thought That Would Slow Me Down?

Prerequisite: Expert (+6) in Shroud

Effect: Spend 1 Action and 1 Terror to violently expel a negative condition affecting you. You immediately remove one of the following: Blinded, Clumsy, Confused, Dazzled, Deafened, Drained, Enfeebled, Fatigued, Paralyzed, Sickened, Stupefied, or one persistent damage condition (Poison, Bleed, Burn).

Hulk Out

SMASH!

Prerequisite: Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Effect: Spend 1 Action and 1 Terror. For 1 Minute, your Size increases to 5 (Medium). All your natural weapon damage dice increase by one step, you gain Temporary Vitality Points equal to double your Shroud Tier, and you gain a +2 Circumstance Bonus to all Brawn checks. However, you take a -2 Penalty to your Armor Defense due to your increased bulk.

Intermediate Magic*

Double, double, toil and trouble

Prerequisite: Basic Magic, Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Effect: You gain Trained  Proficiency in a Sphere of Magic you are an Apprentice in, and can cast 1 Rank 2 spell from that chosen Sphere as a Rote Spell. 

Special: Each time you select this feat, pick another sphere of magic.

Lurk

I've Been Here the Whole Time

Prerequisite: Shadow Blend,  Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Effect: Spend 1 Action and 1 Terror. For the remainder of the Scene, you permanently have the Concealed condition as long as you are standing in Dim Light or Darkness.

No Breath

I've Transcended Your Mortal Frailties

Prerequisite: Master (+8) in Shroud

Effect: You no longer need to breathe. You are immune to suffocation, drowning, and being choked. You are still vulnerable to inhaled toxins or gases that are absorbed through the skin.

Phase Out ⬤ ⬤ ⬤

Can't Hit What Isn't There

Prerequisite: Expert (+6) in Shroud

Effect: Spend 3 Actions and 1 Terror while in Dim Light or Darkness to phase slightly out of reality. You gain Resistance to all physical damage equal to double your Shroud Tier, but your own physical attacks harmlessly bend around other creatures (dealing no damage).

If the area you are in is forcefully illuminated by Bright Light, you instantly become corporeal and gain 1 application of the Stunned condition. You can also drop this form willingly by spending 1 Action.

Pounce

Keep Running, You Won't Escape

Prerequisite: Master (+8) in Shroud, Speed 2

Effect: Your reflexes are impossibly fast. When you take the Charge action, you may make up to 3 Melee Strikes at the end of your movement instead of 1. Apply your Multiple Attack Penalty normally.

Resistance*

That Tickles...

Prerequisite: Advanced (+4) in Shroud

Effect: You gain Resistance 5 to one of the following energy types: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, Sonic, or Void.

Special: Each time you take this Atavism, it applies to a different energy type.

Spirit Touch

You Can't Hide There

Prerequisite: Expert (+6) in Shroud

Benefit: Your natural weapons deal full damage to Incorporeal creatures and spirits.

Twined Heart

Fire AND Ice

Prerequisite:  Expert (+6) in Shroud, Energized Attacks

Effect: You tap into a second source of elemental energy. Select a second element for your Energized Attacks Atavism. House restrictions do not apply to this second choice. When you activate the ability, you choose which energy type to manifest. 

If you have the Elemental Wrath Atavism, you can choose which element that Atavism uses as well.

Unnerving Gaze ⬤ ◌ ◌ 

Gaze Upon My True Form

Prerequisite: Expert (+6) in Shroud

Effect: You gain an unnerving gaze that warps the perceptions of those who meet your eyes. Spend 1 Action and 1 Terror to make a gaze attack against a target within Close Range. Make a Shroud check against their Resolve Defense.

Ward ⬤ ◌ ◌ 

They are under MY protection

Prerequisite: Expert (+6) in Shroud

Effect: Spend 1 Action and 1 Terror to extend your shadows over a single ally within Close Range. That ally gains a +2 Supernatural Bonus to all Defences for the remainder of the Scene.