Limitations

Notes

See Also: Power Modifiers

You can apply limitations to almost any trait (although as with enhancements, skills are normally off-limits). When you apply a limitation to a disadvantage, you reduce its value as a disadvantage; e.g., a -10% limitation on a -25-point disadvantage would make it a -22.5-point trait, which rounds to -22 points. Limited disadvantages are worth fewer points because they affect you under more restricted circumstances.

Remember that no matter how many limitations you take, you cannot reduce the cost of a trait by more than 80%. That is, when totaling modifiers, treat net modifiers below -80% as -80%.

The GM should take at least a cursory look at every limitation-laden ability. See Cautions. ( symbols are not yet added onto this page.)

Optional Rule: Limited Enhancements

If the GM allows, you can add a limitation to an enhancement. This restricts the enhancement, reducing its value as an enhancement without directly affecting the underlying ability.

Apply the limitation to the percentage value of the enhancement exactly as if it were a point value. This cannot reduce the value of the enhancement below 1/5 normal. Then apply the cheaper enhancement to the cost of the ability.

Example: Your Selective Area (+20%) enhancement has the Vision-Based (-20%) limitation. You don't need eye contact to make the attack work, but you must make eye contact with someone in your area of effect in order to single him out. A -20% limitation on a +20% enhancement reduces the net enhancement to +16%.

A few limitations require a specific enhancement. For instance, Emanation always accompanies Area Effect. Such limitations affect the underlying ability. You cannot use this rule to apply them to just the enhancement.

The GM may choose not to use this option, as it requires extra bookkeeping.

Accessibility

Variable

Accessibility is a catchall limitation you can use to cover any restriction not specifically defined elsewhere. Accessibility limitations fall into two broad categories: those that limit the targets your ability can affect and those that limit the situations in which it works.

If your ability can only affect certain targets, the limitation depends on how common the target group is. "Only on women," "Only on men," or anything else that covers about half of the population is worth -20%. "Only on Electrical" or "Only on machines" is worth -20% in a technological setting. "Only on sea creatures" is worth -30% – unless the campaign is set on a world mostly covered with water, in which case it isn't worth more than -10%. "Only on aliens" is worth -30% or -40%, depending on the world. "Only on psis" is worth -50% in most settings. "Not on redheads" is identical to "On everyone but redheads," and is worth -10%.

The same yardstick applies to limitations based on the situation. "Only at day" or "Only at night" is worth -20%. "Only in direct sunlight" is worth -30%. "Only in water" is worth -30% on Earth – but more on a desert planet and less on an ocean world. "Only during full moon" or "Only during new moon" is worth -40%. And "Useless under stress" is a whopping -60%, since it makes the ability worthless in most adventuring situations!

You can also link situational Accessibility to your actions. The more unusual, difficult, or obnoxious the required action is, the greater the limitation value. Some examples: Only in altered body form (Invisible, Insubstantial, etc.): -10%. Only while playing trumpet: -20%. Only while flying, Only while swimming, Only in hypnotic trance: -30%. Only by one side of split personality: -40%.

In all cases, if the ability is only weakened (half power) instead of becoming useless, halve the value of the limitation.

The GM shouldn't allow meaningless Accessibility limitations. For instance, buying a helpful ability with the limitation "Only on friends" gives no cost break. Buying it with "Only on enemies" would be interesting, though! Likewise, the GM should reject any proposed limitation that is already implicit in the ability. For instance, "Only while flying" is not an acceptable limitation for Enhanced Move (Air).

If an ability only works in a situation that applies an easily calculated percentage of the time (e.g., "Only on a Sunday" is 14% of the time), find the limitation on this table:

"Only on supers" is worth -50% in settings where supers make up much less than 1% of the general population, as in most comics. In worlds where a significant percentage of people have powers, use the table. This limitation doesn't apply to Neutralize, Static, or any other advantage that only affects those who have powers in the first place.

A common limitation on mental-influence abilities is "Only on those who share a language with me." This is worth -10%, and valid only on abilities that already require the user to talk, such as those with Hearing-Based.

Abilities that let the user defy gravity – Clinging, Walk on Air, Walk on Liquid, etc. – often have "Only while moving." If the user stops moving, he falls. This is worth -10% if he must take at least a step per second, -20% if he must travel at half Move, or -30% if he must use his full Move. It's incompatible with All-Out.

Some supernatural abilities require ritual or worship by others to work. To evaluate "Only with assistants," halve the basic point value that Maintenance gives for that number of people and write it as a percentage; e.g., 11-20 people is -25%.

A limitation that prevents an attack from working on targets it couldn't affect anyhow is meaningless, and worth no discount. For instance, "Not on machines" isn't valid for a Fatigue Attack (machines lack FP), and "Only on psis" isn't allowed on Neutralize (Psi).

Finally, limitations such as "Only when using ability X" are forbidden if the limited ability has a Link to X.

Percentage of Time the Ability Works	Limitation Value
1-6%	-40%
7-18%	-35%
19-31%	-30%
32-43%	-25%
44-56%	-20%
57-68%	-15%
69-81%	-10%
82-93%	-5%
94-100%	-0%

All-Out

-25%

Your ability requires an All-Out Attack maneuver; you can't use it with any other maneuver (e.g., Move or Change Posture). You have no active defense while using it. If it would let you move more than a step, you're limited to half your Move in a forward direction. You may attack if the advantage is one that lets you do so, but All-Out isn't just for attack abilities – you can add it to any advantage that requires a maneuver to use (typically Concentrate or Ready), replacing the standard maneuver with All-Out Attack. Explain what you're doing that limits you: deep concentration, spinning in place, etc.

Always On

Variable

You cannot switch your advantage off. You may only add this to an ability that can normally be switched off and that is inconvenient if you can't turn it off. It is worth -10% if the effects are social or cosmetic, -20% if they are physically inconvenient, and -40% if they are dangerous (to you!).

Always On appears as a "special limitation" for most of the traits to which it would apply. The GM can add new costs as appropriate for other abilities.

For Insubstantiality and Obscure, Always On is worth -50%. The GM may permit this level of Always On for other abilities. To qualify, the ability must be at least as crippling as Insubstantiality (user can't interact with the physical world) or Obscure (user is deprived of a sense and can’t use stealth).

Usually On

A weaker version of Always On makes sense for many abilities:

Usually On: Any advantage that can be Always On can instead be Usually On. The ability is on almost all the time – but the user can switch it off briefly by expending 1 FP per second. If Always On is no worse than -20%, Usually On is worth half as much; if it's a larger limitation, add a +10% enhancement to find the value of Usually On.

Armor Divisor

Variable

Your attack can pierce less armor than its base damage would indicate. "Divisor" is the factor by which you divide. "DR Multiplier" is an equivalent calculation – multiply your opponent's DR by this number.

Divisor	DR	Multiplier Modifier
(0.5)	2	-30%
(0.2)	5	-50%
(0.1)	10	-70%

In addition, if you have any level of this limitation, targets that have DR 0 (e.g., bare flesh) get DR 1 against your attack.

Only Innate Attacks and Afflictions can have this limitation. Armor Divisor is a "penetration modifier"; you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers, such as Contact Agent and Follow-Up.

Aspected

-20%

Your ability works only when pursuing a specific class of related tasks or activities (e.g., athletics, combat, investigation, or social interaction), or in a specific area of daily life (e.g., job, personal health, or romance). The GM has the final say, and can make the categories as broad or as narrow as he wishes.

Aspected is meant for Intuition, Serendipity, and advantages that directly alter your odds of success at tasks (Luck, Super Luck, Visualization, etc.). The GM may allow it on other traits. Certain "aspects" aren't useful even on normally permitted abilities, though; for instance, Visualization is so slow that Aspected, Combat would make it worthless.

Backlash

See Nuisance Effect.

Blockable

(*Not marked as an attack mod in Powers book)
-5% or -10%

Ranged attack abilities (Affliction, Binding, Innate Attack, advantages with the Ranged enhancement, etc.) normally work like firearms when it comes to the target's legal active defenses: the victim can only dodge. Abilities that affect an area – including anything with Area Effect, Cone, or Explosion – only allow an attempt to dive for cover, whether or not they're ranged. If either kind of attack produces an effect that the target could try to block with a shield, it has a -5% limitation – or -10%, if he could also attempt to parry.

Use this limitation to simulate slow-moving projectiles (like nets or Missile spells), summoned swarms of biting creatures, and so on. To block an attack with Blockable and Overhead – like a rain of stones – the defender must hold his shield over his head.

Blood Agent

-40%

Your attack must reach a mucous membrane (eyes, open mouth, nose, etc.) or an open wound to have any effect at all. DR always stops it. This limitation is intended for Afflictions, and for Innate Attacks that inflict fatigue or toxic damage. It is especially appropriate for poisonous spit or spray. In conjunction with Aura, it can also represent an attack that is delivered via intimate physical contact.

Exception: If the attack also has Area Effect or Cone, Blood Agent works as described above and also when inhaled (like Respiratory Agent). This lets it ignore all DR. Only targets with the Sealed advantage – or with one of Doesn't Breathe or Filter Lungs and one of Nictitating Membrane or Protected Vision – are immune. This powerful ability converts Blood Agent into a +100% enhancement when combined with Area Effect or Cone!

This is a "penetration modifier"; you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers, such as Follow-Up.

When an attack that normally ignores DR (like Leech) depends on a natural weapon – such as Claws or Teeth – penetrating the victim's DR, apply the Blood Agent limitation. Don't use [[Follow-Up]; that's intended for attacks that can’t normally ignore DR.

Blood Agent is also a legitimate limitation for attacks that require the attacker to bleed on his victim. When Blood Agent works "in reverse" like this, the attacker must suffer at least 1 HP of injury from a cutting, impaling, or piercing attack, and then ensure that his blood reaches his target. This is automatic with Aura but otherwise requires the usual attack roll. The GM may rule that such attacks simply don't work underwater or in other environments where blood would be diluted or washed away. The target's DR works normally. This variant is worth -40%.

Bombardment

Variable

You may only take this limitation in conjunction with Area Effect or Cone. The attack does not automatically hit everyone in the area. Instead, it attacks each potential target in the area at an effective skill, which sets the value of the limitation.

Effective Skill	Modifier
14	-5%
12	-10%
10	-15%
8	-20%

Modify effective skill for target size only – not for range or for any other factor. Determine hit location randomly. If the target is under cover, the cover protects normally against the damage.

This limitation is intended for attacks like electrical or ice storms, which could affect some but not all individuals within a given area.

Bombardment is a legitimate limitation for Area Effect and Cone attacks that conjure something that attacks everyone in the area instead of truly "bombarding" it. The classic example is a swarm of biting pests. In this case, the "effective skill" of the attack is the skill of whatever the attack summons. Such attacks often have Blockable.

Contact Agent

-30%

Your attack must touch bare skin or porous clothing to have any effect at all. DR always stops it. This enhancement is intended for Afflictions, and for Innate Attacks that inflict fatigue or toxic damage. Taken with [Aura]] it can represent a "contagious" attack that spreads via skin contact.

Exception: If the attack also has Area Effect or Cone, Contact Agent lets it ignore all DR. Only targets with the Sealed advantage are immune. This powerful ability converts Contact Agent into a +150% enhancement when combined with Area Effect or Cone! This is a “penetration modifier”; you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers, such as Follow-Up.

Costs Fatigue

Variable

Your ability costs FP to use. This is worth -5% per FP per use. What constitutes a "use" depends on the underlying trait.

For abilities that produce instantaneous effects (e.g., Innate Attack), you must pay this FP cost every time you trigger the ability.

For advantages that produce continuing effects (e.g., Flight), you must pay this FP cost to activate the ability for one minute. However, once you have paid this initial cost, you need only pay half as many FP (round up) per minute to keep the ability active. If an advantage that produces continuing effects only lasts one second, and you must pay the cost to maintain it every second, this doubles the value of the limitation to -10% per FP.

Those adding Costs Fatigue to an Innate Attack that has the Variable enhancement may, if the GM permits, specify that the FP cost is proportional to the dice of damage used. To find the size of the limitation:

1. Set the FP cost to use the ability at full effect.
2. Divide this maximum FP cost by the attack's maximum dice of damage to find the FP cost per die.
3. Multiply cost per die by "average" damage dice – (1 + maximum dice)/2 – to find average FP cost.
4. Drop all fractions.

The result is the number of levels of Cost Fatigue to take.

Example: Laser Lad has Burning Attack 10d with Variable and Costs Fatigue. His FP cost at full effect is 20. His attack requires 20/10 = 2 FP per die. "Average" damage dice are (1 + 10)/2 = 5.5d, so average FP cost is 2 × 5.5 = 11 FP. He takes Costs Fatigue 11, for -55%. When he attacks, he pays 2 FP for 1d, 4 FP for 2d, and so on, to a maximum of 20 FP for 10d.

Use the same method to add a variable FP cost to non-attack abilities that come in levels; just substitute levels of effect for dice. Abilities other than attacks don't need the Variable enhancement to use this option.

In campaigns with powers, the GM may require Costs Fatigue on all but completely passive abilities, forcing the heroes to think strategically rather than hurl their powers at every problem. This is especially appropriate if powers are supposed to be mysterious. It can also help balance powers against spells and cinematic martial arts skills.

Costs Hit Points

Variable

This limitation works exactly like Costs Fatigue, except that it depletes HP instead of FP, and is worth twice as much: -10% per HP per use, doubled to -20% if the cost is per second. It can also convert FP costs built into advantages to HP costs, at -5% per FP converted – or -10% per FP, if the cost is per second.

Corrupting

-20%

A trait with this limitation causes Corruption (see Horror: Power Corrupts) each time it's used. The default effect is 1 point of Corruption per point by which Corrupting reduces the cost of the modified trait. The GM may vary this ratio in his campaign.

Even "indirect" uses of the affected trait cause Corruption. The GM should remain alert for these! For instance, if something like Magery, Power Investiture, or Trained by a Master is Corrupting, then using any spell, rite, or skill the advantage enables causes Corruption – a cruel but extremely appropriate way to model black magicians, priests of Nyarlathotep, or students of evil eunuch mandarins.

Corrupting can also be applied to a disadvantage that offers a self-control roll. In that case, it's a +20% enhance- ment, worsening the disadvantage. The default effect is 1 point of Corruption per 5 points of unmodified disadvantage value each time the sufferer fails the self-control roll. Use this to model, for example, the "reluctant vampire" who grows more bestial every time he submits to the urge to drink human blood.

Damage Limitations

Variable

You may add the following limitations to an Innate Attack:

No Blunt Trauma (nbt)

-20%

An attack that inflicts crushing, cutting, impaling, or piercing damage normally inflicts blunt trauma. Add this limitation if it does not.

No Knockback (nkb)

-10%

An attack that inflicts crushing or cutting damage normally inflicts knockback. Add this limitation if it does not.

No Wounding (nw)

-50%

The attack inflicts basic damage, and may cause knockback and blunt trauma, but its penetrating damage has no wounding effect (HP or FP loss). Apply this limitation to a crushing attack to represent effects such as a mighty gust of wind or jet of water. Use it with impaling, piercing, or cutting attacks that are carriers for Afflictions or Innate Attacks (usually those that inflict fatigue or toxic dam- age) with the Follow-Up modifier; this represents small poison darts, stings, etc. that can slip through armor without inflicting grievous wounds.

Dissipation

-50%

You may only take this limitation in conjunction with Area Effect or Cone. The further the victim is from the center of the area or the apex of the cone, the less effective your attack is. See Area and Spreading Attacks for details.

Emanation

-20%

You may only take this limitation in conjunction with Area Effect. It means the effect has no range or Accuracy, but radiates from your body (without affecting you, if the effect is a bad one). This is incompatible with Melee Attack and ranged attack modifiers.

The GM may allow Emanation in conjunction with Explosion instead of Area Effect. Use this combination to simulate antipersonnel grenades mounted on the hull of an armored vehicle...or the attack of an entity that flares like a phoenix without destroying itself.

Emergencies Only

-30%

Your ability is triggered by your fear or excitement; you cannot use it under "routine" conditions. The GM is the final arbiter. He may rule that multiple successive failures of your power make you angry enough that it begins to work, but this is entirely up to him.

Full Power in Emergencies Only: If your ability works at half power under normal conditions, but at full power under stress, this limitation is not worth as much. For traits that come in levels, "half power" means half as many levels. The GM must decide what this means for other traits (half range, duration, bonuses, etc.). -20%.

You might later gain more control over your ability and buy off this limitation, if GM allows.

An "emergency" is any event that causes severe mental, emotional, or physical stress. Most situations involving self-control rolls for disadvantages, Fright Checks, or HT rolls for major wounds qualify. The GM should also let a hero with a Code of Honor, Sense of Duty, or Vow that compels him to protect others use his ability to aid an innocent person who's in immediate danger (being mugged, falling to his death, suffering a heart attack, etc.).

Environmental

Variable

Only advantages that affect others can have this limitation. Your ability manipulates an existing item or condition, which must touch or surround the target. Unlike Accessibility, this doesn't affect activation – you can trigger your ability anywhere, barring a failed roll or another limitation. However, your ability is only effective if the subject is in a particular environment...and the GM can alter its effects if the environment you're attempting to manipulate is at all unusual.

Example: A Binding that commands plants to entangle the victim would do nothing in an area without vegetation. It would be little more than a nuisance if the only plant nearby were a small potted fern...and totally unpredictable in an alien jungle!

The GM should base the value on the environment's rarity:

Very Common: Environment is present all the time, outside of one or two unusual situations that would be difficult for an enemy to arrange; e.g., in a gravity field, in the presence of air, or on a planet. -5%.

Common: Environment is present most of the time, but a resourceful foe could arrange for it to be absent; e.g., in contact with dust or in the presence of microbes. -10%.

Occasional: Environment is often absent, or easily avoided by enemies (although a crafty user might be able to "rig" an important encounter to work around this); e.g., in a city, in the wilderness, outdoors, or touching the ground. -20%.

Rare: Environment is usually absent and difficult for the user to arrange; e.g., in a storm, in dense vegetation, in the desert, or underground. -40%.

Very Rare: Environment is so unlikely that the ability is useless most of the time; e.g., in lava, in quicksand, or in vacuum. -80%.

The GM should forbid proposed Environmental limitations that duplicate one of the ability's built-in restrictions; e.g., "in the water" isn't valid for Control (Water). In games with powers, an ability that gets -10% for a mundane countermeasure or insulator as part of its power modifier already has this limitation – don't apply it a second time.

Extra Recoil

-10% per +1 Recoil

By default, a ranged attack has Recoil 1, making it virtually recoilless. You may give an attack with Rapid Fire a higher Recoil (Rcl) as a limitation.

Recoil (Rcl)	Modifier
2	-10%
3	-20%
4	-30%
5+	-40%

This limitation is incompatible with Very Rapid Fire.

Fickle

-20%

Your ability is or seems sentient, and sometimes reacts poorly. Make an unmodified reaction roll whenever you wish to use it. For an attack, make this roll before each use. For other abilities, the advantage works until you need to make a success roll for it...then make a reaction roll. For instance, Flight requires a reaction roll when you try a DX roll to "push the envelope," or an Aerobatics or Flight skill roll, while Dark Vision calls for a reaction roll anytime you attempt a Vision roll in the dark. Even "passive" abilities sometimes require die rolls; see Extra Effort, Defending with Powers, and Stunts.

On a reaction of Neutral or better (10+), the ability works as expected and you can attempt your attack roll, DX roll, Sense roll, etc., as applicable. A Very Good reaction (16-18) gives +1 to the ensuing roll; an Excellent reaction (19+) gives +2.

On a reaction of Poor or worse (9 or less), the ability fails. If it wasn't already active, it refuses to activate. If it was active, it shuts down. This doesn't normally endanger you directly; for instance, Flight sets you down gently and Insubstantiality leaves you in open space. Of course, the sudden loss of DR in battle, Dark Vision in an unlit room full of traps, and so forth can endanger you indirectly.

On a reaction of Very Bad or worse (3 or less), the ability does endanger you, or turns on you in some unpleasant way. Flight drops you like a stone, Insubstantiality leaves you stranded inside a wall, your attack blasts you, and so forth. The GM should be creative!

You can try to invoke a failed ability every second if you wish, but the reaction roll is at a cumulative -1 per repeated attempt as your ability (or the forces behind it) become increasingly annoyed by your requests. To eliminate this penalty, you must go for a full hour without using your ability. Fickle is often part of a power modifier; see Fickle Forces. In this case, the outcome of the reaction roll and the hour needed to lift penalties for repeated attempts apply to the entire power. The abilities of such powers can't take this limitation – they already have it.

Requires Reaction Roll

The GM may permit a weaker limitation:

Requires Reaction Roll: Your ability works as described above, but normal reaction modifiers do apply to the reaction roll, and you can substitute an Influence roll. -5%.

Glamour

Variable

Only available for Chameleon, Elastic Skin, Invisibility, Shapeshifting (with the Cosmetic limitation), Silence, and similar traits that alter how others perceive you. Your ability controls others' perceptions through a persistent hypnotic suggestion, mental illusion, or psychic compulsion. It doesn't affect machines. Living victims get a Will roll to resist your influence and sense you normally – and individuals with Mind Shield may add their level to this roll. A resistance roll against Will-5 is worth -5%. Each +1 to the roll is a worth another -5% (e.g., Will+4 is -50%).

Inaccurate

-5%/level

Your attack benefits little from careful aiming. Most attacks start with [[Accuracy[[ (Acc) 3. Each -1 to Acc is a -5% limitation. You may not reduce Acc below 0.

Insubstantial Only

-30%

Your ability only affects intangible targets: beings with the Spirit meta-trait, individuals using Insubstantiality, and those using Clairsentience, Jumper, or Warp with the Projection special modifier. This modifier is especially useful for attacks intended to exorcise spirits.

Limited Use

Variable

You can use your ability only a limited number of times in a 24-hour period. For most advantages, each "use" is 1 minute of activation. For an attack, each "use" gives shots equal to your RoF, with a minimum one shot per use; for instance, three uses of an attack with RoF 2 would give six shots. The value depends on the number of uses you get.

Uses Per Day	Modifier
1	-40%
2	-30%
3-4	-20%
5-10	-10%

More than 10 uses per day is not a significant limitation.

Two special options are available for attacks (and optionally, other abilities) that have this enhancement:

Fast Reload: You can replace all your uses in 3 to 5 seconds simply by replenishing ammunition. The GM determines the weight and cost of the ammunition. This halves the value of the limitation; e.g., three or four uses would be worth only -10%.

Slow Reload: As above, except if you have two or more shots (not uses!) you must reload each shot individually (taking 3 or more seconds per shot). If you have only one shot, it must take at least 6 seconds to reload – possibly longer, if using this limitation to represent a very slow-firing weapon such as a flintlock. This makes the limitation worth 5% less than usual; e.g., three or four uses would be worth only -15%.

For the purpose of this limitation, treat any advantage that produces an instantaneous effect – e.g., Healing, Jumper, Rapier Wit, Snatcher, Terror, Visualization, or Warp – like an attack. Each "use" lets you roll once per 24 hours to use the advantage. For information-gathering abilities such as Blessed, Mind Probe, and Psychometry, each question answered counts as one "use."

Limited Use isn't allowed on social advantages, advantages that must always be "on" to make sense (like Destiny, Digital Mind, and Unaging), or advantages with built-in usage limits (notably Extra Life, Gizmos, Luck, Oracle, Serendipity, and Wild Talent).

Mana Sensitive

-10%

The advantage, power, perk, feature or talent draws upon magical energy, or mana. You need not be a wizard yourself; this category includes such lasting sorcerous effects as personal enchantments.

The gift does not function at all in areas without mana, and functions at -5 to die rolls in low mana (like spells).

Maximum Duration

Variable

Only available for switchable, beneficial abilities that you could normally leave "on" indefinitely (e.g., Insubstantiality). Your ability can only operate for a limited length of time. After that, it shuts down without warning and you can't reactivate it for five minutes. Limitation value depends on the time limit:

Less than 30 seconds	-75%
Up to 1 minute	-65%
Up to 10 minutes	-50%
Up to 30 minutes	-25%
Up to 1 hour	-10%
Up to 12 hours (or one night)	-5%
Greater than 12 hours	-0%

Melee Attack

Variable

Your attack functions as a melee weapon. It has no range, but allows you to parry, use Rapid Strike, Feint, etc. It lacks Malf., 1/2D, Max, Acc, RoF, Shots, and Recoil statistics, and may not have any enhancement or limitation that modifies these statistics. Instead, it has a Reach statistic.

Reach	Modifier
C	-30%
1 or 2	-25%
C, 1, or 1, 2, or 2, 3	-20%
1-4 (like a whip)	-15%

If your attack cannot parry, it is worth an extra -5%.

Enhancements

Melee Attack results in an effect like energy claws or a flaming sword. This extends from the wielder's body, letting him attack and parry. "Touch only" abilities that call for a light touch with the hand have Reach C and can't parry (-35%). Those that must touch bare skin also have Contact Agent (-30%), while attacks that circumvent DR should add Malediction 1 (+100%) if resistance is possible, Cosmic (+300%) if not.

Melee Attack turns an attack advantage into a powered melee weapon, not a ST-based one; damage isn't cumulative with thrust or swing damage. It lets the user wield his attack in one hand. The GM may permit modifiers that relax these restrictions, possibly turning Melee Attack into a net enhancement:

Melee Attack (Destructive Parry): Your attack damages weapons it parries or that parry it. Roll damage normally and apply it to your foe's weapon on a successful parry by either of you. Price Melee Attack as usual, and then add a +10% enhancement.

Melee Attack (Dual): Your ability generates two melee weapons – usually one in each hand – permitting a Dual-Weapon Attack. Price Melee Attack as usual, and then add a +10% enhancement.

Melee Attack (ST-Based): Only for Crushing, Cutting, and Impaling Attacks. You can add your dice of thrust or swing damage to the damage of your Innate Attack. Work out Melee Attack as usual, and then add a +100% enhancement. (This modifier is more cost-effective than Striking ST; the GM may wish to reserve it for cinematic genres.)

Minimum Duration

Variable

Only available for switchable abilities that would – in the GM's opinion – seriously inconvenience you if you couldn't deactivate them at will. Your ability must stay "on" for a certain period of time once activated; you can't shut it off before this time is up.

Minimum Duration can never exceed Maximum Duration (if any).

Limitation value is as follows:

Less than 1 hour	-0%
Up to 8 hours	-5%
Up to 12 hours (or one night)	-10%
Up to 24 hours	-15%
Up to 1 week	-20%
Up to 1 month	-25%
Greater than one month	-30%

On an advantage that allows Always On, this limitation is worth at most -5% less than Always On; e.g., if Always On is -20%, Minimum Duration can't go beyond -15%.

Minimum Range

-5% or -10%

You can't use your ranged ability on a target inside a certain range. Use this for weapons that have a minimum fusing distance or that fire in a high arc, and for sensors with a "blind spot" within which they can't resolve targets. The GM should restrict this modifier to ranged abilities that are normally useful at relatively close range. This is worth -10% for a minimum range of 5% maximum range, -5% for a minimum range of 1% maximum range (always at least a yard).

Mitigator

Variable

You may only apply this limitation to a disadvantage. A particular item or substance – the mitigator – temporarily negates your disadvantage. The more effective the mitigator, the fewer points you get for the disadvantage.

Use the following guidelines:

Mitigator is vulnerable, and easily stolen, broken, or misplaced (e.g., a pair of glasses). -60%.

Mitigator is a drug or other treatment that you must take daily. -60%.

Mitigator is a weekly treatment. -65%.

Mitigator is a monthly treatment. -70%.

This assumes your treatments are available at pharmacies. If you require a special (and possibly expensive) prescription, add +5% to the values above; e.g., -70% becomes -65%. If you can only get your treatments from one specific source, such as an experimental drug program, add +10%; e.g., -70% becomes -60%.

Example 1: Bad Sight is worth -25 points. Glasses cure Bad Sight while worn, but are breakable, for a -60% Mitigator limitation. This reduces Bad Sight to -10 points.

Example 2: Jan has AIDS, and would die in a month without treatment. This level of Terminally Ill is normally worth -100 points. Fortunately, Jan is on an experimental drug plan that is holding him in remission. The treatments are weekly (-65%) but impossible to find outside his program (+10%), for a -55% Mitigator limitation. This reduces Terminally Ill to -45 points. As long as Jan stays with the program, his countdown to death is halted. (NOTE: Author confuses HIV medication and AIDS.)

Nuisance Effect

Variable

Your ability has a "side effect" that causes you serious inconvenience. The GM must approve this limitation and determine its value in each case, and should ruthlessly forbid effects that are abusive or that do not genuinely limit the ability's value. A few guidelines (a given trait can have more than one of these drawbacks):

• Your ability earns a reaction penalty from those around you. Perhaps it makes you look disgusting, or requires you to perform some sort of distressing ritual. -5% per -1 to reactions (maximum -4).
• Your ability makes you obvious, limiting stealth and attracting enemies. -5%.
• Your ability physically inconveniences you – it attracts stinging insects, causes your armor to rust, makes you ravenously hungry, etc. -5%.

You cannot take a valuable power as a Nuisance Effect. For instance, "Kills everyone within a mile" is not an acceptable Nuisance Effect!

Neither can you claim a limitation for a harmless nuisance. If your Terror advantage attracts gerbils instead of frightening them, this is amusing but not a limitation.

Harsher-than-usual consequences under the optional rules in Chapter 4 (Powers Book) can be Nuisance Effects. Examples include being unable to affect a given subject for 24 hours after a failure when using Repeated Attempts, or having to check for crippling after any failure when using Crippled Abilities. Each such drawback is worth -5%.

An ability that prevents the use of certain skills while active can claim -5% if the GM feels the skills it disrupts would be especially useful with that ability. For instance, a rocket-powered robot that can't use Stealth while flying could claim -5% on Flight.

Those whose abilities severely inconvenience them may use this variant:

Nuisance Effect: Backlash

You suffer noxious effects when you use your ability. Choose these from among Attribute Penalty, Incapacitation, Irritant, and Stunning, as defined for Affliction. If you succumb for a minute (a second, for Stunning), and can roll against HT once per minute (second) after that to recover, apply a limitation equal in size to the equivalent enhancements. If you get a HT roll to resist, and the effects last for minutes (seconds) equal to your margin of failure, halve this. For instance, Nauseated is worth +30% on Affliction, so nausea is worth -30% if automatic or -15% if resistible.

Onset

Variable

You must “stack” this limitation with one of Blood Agent, Contact Agent]], Follow-Up, Malediction, or Respiratory Agent. It delays the damage or affliction caused by the attack until some time after exposure. The delay determines the value of the limitation.

Delay	Modifier
1 minute	-10%
1 hour	-20%
1 day	-30%
1 week (or more)	-40%

Delays that fall between two values use the smaller limitation; e.g., 30 minutes is -10%. If you can control the onset time, take Delay instead.

A variant limitation is Exposure Time, which is only available for attacks with Aura or Persistent. Use it to represent radioactivity, mildly toxic gases, etc. It works just like Onset, except that the victim must be exposed for the entire period to suffer the effect (or repeat it, if you continue exposure). This is worth an extra -20%; e.g., 1 minute is -30%.

The Exposure Time variant is legal – and appropriate – for advantages that work like Maledictions (e.g., Mind Control). It represents a compulsion that slowly creeps over the victim as he views or speaks with his influencer. This is worthless in combat but subtle enough to escape notice in social situations. Limitation value is unchanged.

Pact

Variable

A Higher Power – god, spirit, etc. – grants your ability under the condition that you follow a strict moral code. This code must take the form of one or more of the traits listed under Self-Imposed Mental Disadvantages. These disadvantages give you the usual number of points. Should you ever stray from the path, your ability immediately ceases to function until you repent. The limitation value is numerically equivalent to the point cost of the required disadvantages; e.g., a -10-point Vow gives a -10% Pact limitation.

A hero can have a Pact with the GM, if the GM agrees. The GM should only allow this if both the Pact and the modified ability support a genre convention, like "kung fu movie realism." For instance, the player of a superheroic karate master might make a deal with the GM: if he fights his foes hand-to-hand, bullets mostly won't hurt him. He takes a -10-point Vow ("Never use a gun.") and buys DR with Limited, Bullets, -60% and Pact, -10%. If he uses a gun, he gives up his DR for the rest of the fight.

The GM may also give limitations for disadvantages other than self-imposed mental disadvantages:

Required Disadvantage: You have a disadvantage such as Increased Consumption or Sleepy. If you fil to meet its requirements, you lose your ability in addition to the usual effects of missing meals, sleep, etc. Alternatively, you must indulge an Addiction to keep your ability. In either case, if you lose your ability, the only way to restore it is to satisfy the needs of your disadvantage and recover fully from any ill effects it caused you during the period where you didn't: FP or HP loss, attribute penalties, afflictions, etc. Price this limitation exactly as you would Pact.

Abilities with power modifiers that include Pact or Required Disadvantage can't take a separate limitation for these; see Required Disadvantages.

Preparation Required

Variable

Your ability requires special preparation before you can use it. Perhaps you have to meditate first, or perform some ritual to focus concentration. This limitation is particularly appropriate for supernatural traits such as Channeling and Medium.

You cannot use an unprepared ability. To prepare, take the Concentrate maneuver for the required amount of time. You need not specify how you plan to use your ability while you are preparing it, but you must specify which ability you are preparing if you have more than one trait with this limitation.

You can use a prepared ability normally – either immediately or at a later time. However, you can only have one advantage with this limitation prepared at a time, and it becomes unprepared immediately after use, regardless of success or failure (but if your ability has continuing effects, you can maintain them once activated).

The value of this limitation depends on the time required to prepare the ability.

Preparation Time	Modifier
1 minute	-20%
10 minutes	-30%
1 hour	-50%
8 hours	-60%

Weakened Without Preparation: Your ability works if you do not prepare it beforehand, but at half duration, range, effect, etc. This does not make sense for all advantages (GM's decision as to when it does). Weakened Without Preparation is worth exactly half as much as listed above.

Reduced Range

-10%/level

You may add this limitation to any advantage that has a range; e.g., Innate Attack or Scanning Sense. It comes in three levels, depending on the range divisor

Range Divisor	Modifier
2	-10%
5	-20%
10	-30%

If applied to a ranged attack that has a 1/2D range, each level reduces both 1/2D and Max. You may reduce 1/2D only at half value (that is, "Reduced 1/2D" is -5%/level). You may not reduce Max independently.

When adding this limitation to a trait that normally doesn't work at a distance, Ranged is a prerequisite.

Requires (Attribute) Roll

-5 or -10%

This limitation works like Unreliable, except that instead of rolling against a fixed activation number to trigger your advantage, you roll against DX, IQ, HT, Will, or Per (choose one when you buy the ability). Things that temporarily modify your score do affect this roll. For a defensive ability, roll each time the defense would mitigate an attack or a hazard – or once per minute, for constant exposure. -10% for a DX, IQ, or HT roll; -5% for a Will or Per roll.

Active Defense

A special version of this limitation exists for the defensive traits listed under Force Field:

Active Defense: Your ability only protects you against threats you're aware of – and only if you make a roll to interpose it in time. This roll is at DX/2 + 3, +1 for Combat Reflexes. If you try to use the same ability more than once in a turn, apply a cumulative -4 per attempt after the first. You roll at -4 if stunned, and can't roll at all in situations where you wouldn't get an active defense (attack from behind, unconscious, etc.). -40%.

Requires Concentrate or Ready

-15% or -10%

Your ability requires a series of Concentrate or Ready maneuvers to maintain. Taking any other maneuver (such as Attack or Move) causes it to switch off. Thus, you can only move one step per second while using it, and can't attack, aim, etc. Requires Ready is worth -10%. Requires Concentrate is worth -15%, and means your ability shuts down if you lose your concentration. You can't combine these with each other or All-Out.

Normally, only switchable advantages that would otherwise stay on without an active effort can have these limitations. A passive ability without definite activation conditions (e.g., Empathy) can also take them; if so, it requires the maneuver in question to use.

Resistible

Variable

This limitation is only available for Innate Attacks that inflict fatigue or toxic damage. You must combine it with one of Blood Agent, Contact Agent, Follow-Up, Respiratory Agent, or Sense-Based. It represents poison, disease, or a similar effect that a sufficiently healthy victim can resist or "shrug off".

The victim gets a HT roll to avoid the effect. A resistance roll against HT-5 is worth -5%. Each +1 to the roll is a worth another -5% (e.g., HT-4 is -10%, and HT+4 is -50%).

If the attack is also Cyclic, the victim rolls before each cycle (including the first). Success means the attack ends without further injury; failure means the target takes damage normally and the attack continues.

A supernatural disease or magical poison (like an alchemical elixir) might allow a Will-based resistance roll. An ultra-tech threat might be engineered to require a ST, DX, or IQ roll. Represent either by adding Resistible and specifying an attribute besides HT; e.g., "Resistible, Will-3, -15%." Don't use Based on (Different Attribute). The GM is the final judge of what combinations are allowed.

Sense-Based

Variable

On an attack with Malediction or an ability that normally ignores DR (e.g., Mind Control), this is a limitation. See the Sense-Based enhancement for details.

If you have to touch victim's bare skin with your bare skin, this is also a limitation. See Contact Agent.

You can combine Sense-Based with Malediction. In conjunction with Malediction, or when added to an ability that already ignores DR (e.g., Mind Control or Mind Reading), Sense-Based becomes a limitation (see Limitations: Sense-Based. It is worth -20% if it works through one sense, -15% if two senses, or -10% if three senses. If it works through more than three senses, it is not a significant limitation. Also see below.

It's permissible to "reverse" Sense-Based to create an ability that works through the user's senses. To affect his target, he must see it with his unaided eyes (Vision-Based), hear it with his own ears (Hearing-Based), touch it with his bare hand (Touch-Based), and so on. If he can't – or if he's deprived of his sense (e.g., by a blindfold for Vision-Based or heavy gloves for Touch-Based), or using a technological or paranormal intermediary – his ability doesn't work. This variation is only allowed as a limitation on an advantage that's normally unaffected by DR, and gives its usual discount.

Example: A robot that analyzes minerals by detecting minute quantities of airborne dust has Detect (Minerals; Smell-Based, -20%), and can't use its ability in a vacuum or from within a sealed suit.

Short-Range

-10%/level

Your ranged ability is subject to more severe range penalties than usual. Use the rules for Long-Range, except that each level makes the penalties a step less favorable. You can combine Short-Range with Reduced Range, but the total limitation value can't exceed -30%. Short-Range affects the cost of Follow-Up. It's incompatible with Guided, Homing, Long-Range, and Melee Attack.

Specific

Variable

Specific restricts an ability that lets you interact with a material to a subset of what it normally affects. Advantages that already require a particular choice of materials can't be Specific. This limitation is generally worth -40% for common materials, -60% for uncommon ones, and -80% for absurd ones – but the GM sets the precise value, which might be as little as -10% for very common materials.

See the examples under Clinging, Penetrating Vision, Super Climbing, Walk on Air, and Walk on Liquid for other suggestions.

Magnetic

Abilities that affect ferrous metals – iron (including steel), nickel, and cobalt – have a -50% limitation, called "Magnetic" and not "Specific, Ferrous Metals" to save space.

Takes Extra Time

-10%/level

You can only apply this limitation to abilities that require time to activate and that work fast enough to be useful in an emergency (e.g., combat). This is up to the GM, who is free to restrict this limitation to advantages that take only 1 or 2 seconds to activate.

For abilities that require a Ready or Concentrate maneuver, each level of Takes Extra Time doubles the time required. Activation occurs at the end of this time. For instance, Takes Extra Time 1 on an advantage that usually requires a one-second Ready maneuver would increase the Ready time to 2 seconds.

For attacks, the first level of Takes Extra Time results in a one-second Ready maneuver before you can make your Attack maneuver. Successive levels double the Ready time.

Takes Extra Time means the ability is constantly available but demands a long "ready time" immediately prior to use, making it unavailable in "quick response" situations. It isn't the same as Preparation Required, which allows the wielder to prepare in advance, giving him a single use with which to respond instantly. To keep the two balanced, the GM may restrict heroes to two levels of Takes Extra Time, which is equal in value to the lowest level of Preparation Required. When Takes Extra Time results in more than one second of Ready to use an ability, it is possible to interrupt the user, just as if he were concentrating.

Takes Recharge

Variable

Your ability requires "recharging" after each use. It is unavailable during the recharge period. Value depends on the time between uses: five seconds (or twice the time required to use the ability, if longer) is -10%, 15 seconds (or 5 times the time required to use the ability, if longer) is -20%, and one hour (or 10 times the time required to use the ability, if longer) is -30%. Longer recharge times are not valid as limitations (but see Limited Use).

This limitation is suitable for energy attacks that fire from an "accumulator" charged by a power plant or the user's body. If the attack has Rapid Fire, it gets shots equal to its RoF before it needs to recharge. Once all shots are fired, the attack is unavailable until one full recharge period passes; then shots equal to RoF are available again. Shots don't trickle back gradually during the recharge period.

Telepathic

-10%

The ability is a psi ability within the Telepathy power. Anything that blocks Telepathy will block it – in particular Mind Shield – but it can benefit from Telepathy Talent.

Temporary Disadvantage

Variable

You may add this limitation to any advantage that can be switched off and on at will, and that takes at least one second to switch. When you switch on the advantage, you suffer one or more disadvantages until you switch it off again. This limitation is worth -1% per point the temporary disadvantages are worth, to a maximum of -80%.

Example: You can use your feet as hands, but can't walk while doing so. This is Extra Arms 2 (20 points) with Temporary Disadvantage: Legless (-30%), for 14 points.

The point break due to Temporary Disadvantage cannot exceed 80% of the value of the original disadvantage.

Example: You have Altered Time Rate 1 (100 points) with Temporary Disadvantage: Hemophilia (-30%) – you bleed faster, too! Since Hemophilia is worth -30 points normally, the most it can be worth as a Nuisance Effect is -24 points; therefore, it reduces the cost of Altered Time Rate by 24 points (to 76 points) and not by 30 points (to 70 points).

You may only take Temporary Disadvantages that could logically inconvenience you for the period of time the advantage is normally on. In the case of mental disadvantages (Berserk, Lecherousness, etc.), if a failed self-control roll indicates that you give in to the disadvantage, you will suffer the disadvantage's effects until the GM rules you have regained your composure – which might be long after you deactivate the advantage with this limitation!

You can also use this limitation to remove an advantage temporarily. This is worth -1% per point the negated advantage is worth, and the point break cannot exceed 80% of the deactivated advantage's cost. Only one of the involved advantages can take this limitation – you cannot take two advantages, both with this limitation, each of which negates the other when used.

Those who wield evil powers, psi abilities that drive them mad, and so on often suffer a mental breakdown the instant they activate their gifts. To simulate this, select a mental disadvantage that requires a self-control roll (e.g., Berserk or Pyromania), specify a self-control number of "N/A," and price Temporary Disadvantage as if the disadvantage were worth 2.5 times its listed cost (drop fractions). Using the ability always causes the effects specified for a failed self-control roll.

Example: El Tigre immediately goes berserk when he uses Alternate Form (Tiger). Berserk is worth -10 points, so it's worth -25 points if irresistible. El Tigre has a -25% limitation, and must savagely attack anyone nearby when he uses his ability!

An "always on" advantage can have Temporary Disadvantage. Instead of affecting the entire character, the disadvantage has the potential to shut down the advantage. See Cybernetics and Cyberpunk Abilities for more information. In this case, "temporary" means the disadvantage is irrelevant after it causes the advantage to fail.

Terminal Condition

Variable

Only allowed on abilities that affect others for at least a minute. Your enemies can end your ability's ongoing effects with a simple act: kissing the subject, speaking three words, etc. If this condition isn’t met, the effects have their usual duration.

This is worth -5% if the condition is arcane enough to require research; -10% if a skill roll (against Religious Ritual, Ritual Magic, Thaumatology, etc.) can discover it; or -20% if common knowledge. These values become -0% (a special effect), -5%, and -10% if the condition is difficult to arrange even if known, like a kiss from a princess or words spoken by an elf.

Abilities that can't end until a certain condition is met just have Extended Duration, Permanent (+150%). This enhancement already requires such a condition – you can't take Terminal Condition separately.

Trigger

Variable

Your advantage requires exposure to a specific substance or condition (e.g., a dose of a drug) to function. One dose or exposure is required per one-minute "use." Cost depends on the rarity of the Trigger:

Very Common (available almost anywhere): -10%.

Common (expensive, somewhat hard to find): -20%.

Occasional (very expensive and hard to find): -30%. (Or inconvenient, such as radiation in Fallout world.)

Rare (cannot be bought; must be found or made): -40%.

See Resistant for a list.

Multiply the limitation value by 1.5 if the Trigger is illegal, addictive, or otherwise dangerous.

Injury is an entirely valid Trigger. Since a desperate hero can nearly always find a way to wound himself, this Trigger is Very Common...and since injury is by definition dangerous, the limitation is worth -15%. This isn't the same as Blood Agent "in reverse." The user needn't bleed on his victim or suffer a particular form of injury; even 1 HP of blunt trauma will do.

Unconscious Only

-20%

You may only take this limitation in conjunction with Uncontrollable (below). You cannot consciously activate your ability at all; it can only come into play under GM control, as a result of stress. Like Uncontrollable, you may buy this off later on, as you gain control over your ability.

Uncontrollable

-10% or -30%

Your ability tends to manifest itself at undesirable or inappropriate times. Whenever the GM rules that you are in a stressful situation – including any situation that requires a Fright Check or a self-control roll for a mental disadvantage – you must make a Will roll to keep your ability under control, even if you did not intend to use it! You need only roll once per stressful situation, but a roll of 14+ always fails, regardless of Will.

On a failure, the GM takes over your ability, playing it as though it were an entity of a prankish or hostile nature. The actions of your ability will often reflect your "suppressed desires," as reflected in your quirks and mental disadvantages.

An ability that cannot inflict damage – for instance, Flight or Jumper – will activate unexpectedly. This is inconvenient and embarrassing, but not overly dangerous. After each uncontrolled act, you get another Will roll to control your power. This goes on until you make a Will roll. In this case, Uncontrollable is worth -10%.

A harmful ability goes after obvious foes first, and will never turn on you...but nobody else is safe! After each uncontrolled act (or before an attack on a Dependent or other loved one), you get another Will roll to control your power. This continues until you make a Will roll or destroy everything around you! For destructive powers, Uncontrollable is worth -30%.

You may buy this limitation off later on, as you gain control over your ability.

Situations that involve self-control rolls for disadvantages, Fright Checks, or HT rolls for major wounds qualify as "stressful"; see Emergencies Only. Disadvantages that don't allow self-control rolls can also trigger this limitation. For instance, a hero with Pacifism might lose control if forced to commit violence.

Anyone who takes Uncontrollable must specify the "intelligence" that commandeers his ability: his subconscious or something else. His subconscious uses his scores for all rolls, and its first priority is always to deal with the cause of the stress. For example, if a super were to lose control of her Death Ray due to a major wound, her ability would go after whoever caused the injury first – even a foe she must capture unharmed, or a friend with bad aim – and use her Innate Attack skill to hit.

If the ability originates from a demon, implanted AI, or other intelligence the user can't fully control, it has its own scores and agenda (determined by the GM, exactly as for an Enemy). It acts purposefully and perhaps subtly; it could let the user remain "in control" but pervert his intent. For instance, Mind Control might work as desired but send victims additional suggestions, unknown to the user.

Uncontrollable Trigger

The GM may allow the following variant:

Uncontrollable Trigger: Your ability manifests uncontrollably in the presence of an item, not stress. Use the rarities given for Weakness. This isn't a meaningful limitation if the item is "Rare." It's worth -5% if "Occasional," -10% if "Common," or -15% if "Very Common." Triple this for destructive abilities. Unconscious Only is a frequent addition.

Unreliable

Variable

Sometimes your ability works and sometimes it doesn't! It just comes and goes, and you’ve never identified why. This is completely separate from any roll normally needed to activate the ability. You can have skill 20 and still have problems making it work!

Every time you want to use the power, you must roll the activation number (see below) or less on 3d. Once you succeed, the ability will work for that particular use. When you cease to use it, you must make another activation roll to start it again.

If you cannot activate your ability on your first attempt, you may try again once per second after that, at no penalty. Each successive attempt costs one FP. If you are reduced to three or fewer FP, you must rest until all FP are regained before you can attempt to use your ability again.

Activation Number	Modifier
5	-80%
8	-40%
11	-20%
14	-10%

Unreliable works differently when applied to attacks which are also gadgets or built-in firearms. Instead of requiring an activation roll, it gives a Malfunction number worse than 17.

Malf.	Modifier
12	-25%
13	-20%
14	-15%
15	-10%
16	-5%

The GM may allow natural attacks to have a "Malf." statistic similar to that used for gadgets and built-in firearms. This is especially suitable for abilities that originate from experimental drugs or surgery – or cinematic genetic engineering or mutation. On an attack roll equal or greater than Malf., roll 3d:

3-4 – The ability fails to go off and is crippled. See Duration of Crippling Injuries to determine recovery time. In some worlds, a Bioengineering, Physician, or Surgery roll can hasten recovery.

5-8 – The ability fails to go off and is temporarily unavailable. After three seconds, make a HT roll. Success means the ability comes ack online. Otherwise, wait three more seconds and roll again. Critical failure on any of these HT rolls means the ability is crippled as in 3.

9-11 – The attack fires a single shot and then fails as described for 5.

12-14 – As 5.

15-18 – As 3, but the attack also strains the user. He suffers 1d-3 (minimum 1) each of fatigue and injury. DR doesn’t protect.

Untrainable

-40%

You may only apply this limitation to abilities that normally require a skill to use. You can't learn to control your power well. You learn all skills associated with it as though the relevant attribute were only 8 (or at one less than its usual value, if already at 8 or worse), and your maximum skill level is 10.

Abilities with Untrainable gain no benefit from Talent. This is in addition to the limitation's other effects.

Hard to Use

Abilities that require a roll to use can take this special version:

Hard to Use: You have a penalty on all rolls to use your ability, and Talent doesn't help. Each level of Hard to Use gives -3. This is incompatible with Reliable and forbidden on ranged attacks (but see Inaccurate). -5% per -3, to a limit of -12.

Visible

-10% or -20%

Your ability has a manifestation that makes it plainly obvious to everyone nearby. The effects and value depend on the underlying advantage:

• A communication, influence, information, or sensory ability that would otherwise have no visible effect – such as Clairsentience or Mind Reading – generates an attention-grabbing effect (shimmering ray, floating eye, etc.) that gives away the fact that you're affecting or observing the subject. This makes subtlety impossible (if it doesn't, you don’t have a limitation). -10%.
• An ability that lets you physically attack might qualify if it's normally invisible and largely unavoidable; e.g., Telekinesis. In addition to the effects above, your target gets an unpenalized defense roll to avoid the attack. -20%.

Gadget Limitations

The GM may require you to pay points for any “gadget” that grants traits that usually cost points (attribute levels, advantages, etc.). However, he should charge points only for items that even the most advanced technology could not produce (e.g., a ring that bestows Luck) – and even then, only if those items are not for sale at any price in the game world.

In particular, the GM should never charge points for ordinary, manufactured equipment – or even for special equipment, if it is for sale – unless it happens to be Signature Gear. Body armor, a rifle, and night-vision goggles effectively bestow Damage Resistance, Innate Attack, and Infravision, respectively...but since anyone could buy these items, they have a cash cost, not a point cost.

Traits bestowed by items have their usual point cost. You can give them any logical combination of modifiers, plus one or more of the special limitations below.

Breakable

Variable Your foes can destroy the item. Once destroyed, it will cease to grant you its benefits until repaired. Add the following elements together to find the final limitation value.

Durability: The easier the object is to break, the greater the limitation. Decide on the gadget's weight and DR.

DR	Modifier
2 or less	-20%
3-5	-15%
6-15	-10%
16-25	-5%
26 or higher	0%

If the object is a machine that can break down (as opposed to a simple artifact, like a ring or a hat), add another -5%. See Damage to Objects to determine HP and the effects of damage.

Reparability: You can normally repair your gadget if it breaks; the GM chooses the skill(s) needed to make repairs. If you cannot repair it, and it requires inconvenient time, effort, or expense to replace (GM's decision), it is worth an additional -15%.

Size: The item's Size Modifier affects Vision rolls to identify it out of combat and rolls to hit it in combat.

SM	Modifier
-9 or less	0%
-7 or -8	-5%
-5 or -6	-10%
-3 or -4	-15%
-1 or -2	-20%
0 or more	-25%

Can Be Stolen

Variable

Your foes can take this item from you, depriving you of its benefits. This is only a limitation if the item is obvi- ously powerful and likely to be the tar- get of theft! The value of the limitation depends on how hard it is to steal:

Easily snatched with an unopposed DX roll (e.g., a hat): -40%.

Thief must win a Quick Contest of DX (e.g., a bracelet) or ST (e.g., a wand) with you: -30%.

Can only by taken by stealth or trickery (e.g., a coin in a pocket): -20%.

Must be forcefully removed (e.g., a suit of armor): -10%.

Halve the value of the limitation if the gadget will not immediately work for the thief.

Unique

-25%

You may only take this limitation in conjunction with Breakable or Can Be Stolen. Normally, you can replace a broken or stolen gadget – although this might require significant time and effort (GM's decision). If the item is Unique, you cannot replace it! Character points spent for the item are lost for good if it is broken or stolen.

Gadget Limitations and Powers

In fiction – especially comics – some heroes possess powers partly or wholly by virtue of special items: chi-invested weapons, holy artifacts, magic wands, etc. To create such gadgets, buy a set of abilities and apply both a power modifier and any suitable gadget limitations.

The power source of many gadgets is "superscience," not magic, psi, etc. The GM can either treat the abilities such items bestow as wild advantages or allow a special Superscience power modifier. Details depend on the setting, but a typical modifier is comparable to Super and worth -10%. If the GM wishes to let heroes take a modifier like this on innate powers (to represent techno-evolution, nanotech, etc.), a better model is Biological, also -10%.

Talent normally resides in the owner and represents his ability to use the item. For instance, a Helm of Telepathy is more effective for someone with Telepathy Talent. In some tales, though, the abilities are native to the user while the item improves his control – that is, it grants Talent. To do this, apply gadget limitations to Talent (an exception to the prohibition against modifying Talent). This Talent might even add to the user's own Talent, letting him exceed normal limits.

If a power has required disadvantages, the user of an item that grants that power's abilities or Talent must have these disadvantages. For example, a holy relic doesn't work for just anyone – only for those of suitable faith. Should the item be lost, the disadvantages don't go away. The GM may wish to award a suitable replacement item if the player roleplays his disadvantages well, though.