Now what's an Arcane Background without some cool powers? Just a waste of points, and since I don't want you to waste any for your hard earned bounty, here are the afformentioned cool powers.
Automate
TN: Special
Strain: Special
Speed: 1 Minute
Duration: 1/hour
Range: 5 yards/ Occult Programming level
Given the appearance of the average technomancer, it can be difficult
for them to make friends. However, a techie with a toaster and
this power is never truly alone...
Automate allows a techie to empower the tech spirit within
a device, giving the gizmo a "life" of it's own. While
a device is animated in this way, it has the ability to resist
any attempt to operate it. The user must make an opposed Spirit
roll against the device (draw a card to determine the device's
Spirit) to force it to operate. Of course, the spirit in
the device doesn't always resist; a gun spirit likes to shoot
after all, and a toaster spirit likes to toast. However, an automated
device be reasoned with; it sees, hears, and can even talk back
if it chooses (at least as well as a toaster can...). Oh, and
just in case you're wondering, this power can't be used against
cyborgs, automatons, or bionic parts. Those items are firmly under
the control of their owner.
The size and complexity of a device determines the TN and the
Strain cost.
TN | Strain | Item |
3 | 1 | Gun, small appliance |
5 | 2 | major appliance, motorcycle, PC |
7 | 3 | car, mainframe computer, artillery piece |
9 | 4 | semi, small building, heavy industrial machinery |
11 | 5 | tank, large building |
Antenna
TN: 5
Strain: 2
Speed: 1
Duration: 1/hour
Range: 1 mile/ Occult Programming level
What's a techie to do when his TV's rabbit ears break, and he
can't watch the spice channel anymore? Why pick it up himself!
Antenna transforms the techie into a living TV/Radio reciever,
allowing him to send and transmit video and audio. While the power
is active, the techie picks up any transmission that comes into
the radius of the program, on all wavelengths, and can send out
anything he sees or hears on whatever channel/frequency he chooses.
Not all is wine and roses with this power however. The technomancer
can't filter out anything he picks up, and if there are a lot
of transmissions, or a particularly loud broadcast, he could be
stunned by it. The TN for this stun check is usually 5, but could
be higher or lower depending on conditions. Also, the techie is
always recieving some kind information, even if it's just snow,
and this impairs his senses. All Cognition rolls are made
at a -2 while this power is in effect. The technomancer can end
the power at any time.
Bang It!
TN: Special
Speed: 1
Strain: 1
Duration: 1/15 minutes
Range: Touch
When it absolutely, positively has to work right now, Bang It is
the way to go. This program temporarily restores a device to perfect working
order. The techie simply waves his hands over the device, and presto! The target number
is based on the size of the device. Note that this power
doesn't provide the device with any fuel, ammo, etc, nor does it restore lost durability
- It merely allows the device to function. Also, Bang it cannot be used
on junker gizmos.
TN | Item |
3 | Gun, small appliance |
5 | major appliance, motorcycle, PC |
7 | car, mainframe computer, artillery piece |
9 | semi, small building, heavy industrial machinery |
11 | tank, large building |
Beacon
TN:5
Strain: Special
Speed: 2
Duration: 1/day
Range: 10 yds/ Occult Programming level
Beacon is one of the most useful programs technomancers
have developed, and many a techie makes his living as a bounty
hunter by using. As the name implies, his program allows a technomancer
to create a magical beacon on someone, and then track them no
matter where they go. To "mark" a target, a techie makes
some sort of visible gesture towards them, then on their next
action makes the Occult Engineering roll. If he's successful,
the techie spends 1 point of strain and the target is marked.
This point of strain doesn't recover like normal; it only comes
back when the technomancer stops sustaining the program. A techie
can have as many people or things marked as he chooses.
As long as a target is marked, the technomancer can track the
target's position no matter how far away they are. The techie
always knows where the target is relative to his position, and
can even track the target's movement back from the moment he was
marked, creating a sort of mental guide of the target's travels.
The beacon on a target is undetectable to normal senses, but anyone
with an Arcane Background, Academia: Occult at 3+, or some
way of seeing magical energy can detect it with a Fair (5) Cognition
roll. It appears as a small green dot of swirling energy on
the person's aura.
Breakdown
TN: Special
Strain: Special
Speed: 1 minute
Duration: 1 hour/ Occult Programming level
Range: 5 yds/ Occult Programming level
A rather blunt variation on the Automate program, Breakdown
releases a massive surge of energy to knock a tech spirit out,
rendering the device it controls useless. The Strain cost and
TN for this is based on the size of the device. In general though,
it's easier to zap a Junker's gizmo than a normal device, because
of the slippery grip a tech spirit holds on a gizmo.
TN | Strain | Item |
3 | 1 | Gun, small appliance |
5 | 2 | major appliance, motorcycle, PC, gizmo size 6 or less |
7 | 3 | car, mainframe computer, artillery, gizmo size 12 or less |
9 | 4 | semi, small building, heavy industrial machinery, gizmo 18 or less |
11 | 5 | tank, large building |
Concealed Weapon
TN:5
Strain: Special
Speed: 1
Duration: Concentration
Range: Self
Given the dangers of the Wasted West, going around unarmed is
asking for trouble. Unfortunately, given the cost of guns and
bullets nowadays, most people have to resort to hand weapons for
protection. Technomancers with this program have no such problems.
With Concealed Weapon, a techie can summon up whatever
firearm he requires, from a derringer to a rocket launcher.
The Strain cost is based on the size of the weapon the techie
whistles up. The weapon size also determines the cost of shooting
it; every round fired costs the techie wind.
Strain | Weapon | Wind Cost |
1 | Pistol, Shotgun* | 1/shot |
2 | SMG, Rifle* | 1/shot or 2/burst |
3 | Assault Rifle, MG | 2/shot or 4/burst |
4 | Sniper Rifle, Flamethrower | 3/shot or 5/spray |
5 | Rocket Launcher, Mortar, Exotic weapons | 5/shot |
Database
TN: 5
Strain: 2
Speed: 1+1d6/2 (round up, do not reroll aces)
Duration: 1 hour/ Occult Programming level
Range: Self
The Net is a vast repository of knowledge, a complete record of
mankind's technical and scientific know-how. With the Database
program, a techie can gain access to some of this knowledge.
Database allows a technomancer to gain temporary access
to almost any skill. When the program is run, the techie calls
up a Server and tells it what information he needs. The Server
then flies off into the Net to dig it up. Once it returns, the
techie gains 1 level in the skill, plus one more for each raise
he got on his Occult Engineering roll.
There are some limitations on the information a techie can recieve.
1) No magical skills (Occult Programming, Blastin', Hexslingin')
2) No Spirit-based skills (Faith, Guts)
3) Corporeal skills can only be boosted 3 levels
4) Mental skills can only be boosted 4 levels
Fatal Error
TN: 7
Strain: 5
Speed: 2
Duration: Instant
Range: 20 yds/ Occult Programming level
There are times in life when dancing toasters and magic guns just
aren't enough. That when techies bring out the big gun Servers.
Fatal Error is the technomancer's ultimate attack. When
run, this program creates a huge magical explosion, devastating
everyone and everything in it's path. When running this program,
the techie uses his Occult Programming roll to run the
program and to hit his target. It has a range increment of 10.
If the techie makes the TN for the program but misses his target,
it deviates 2d12 yards. Roll a 12 to determine the direction.
If it deviates backward, it still ends up at least half the distance
from the techie to his target.
Wherever the blast lands, Fatal Error causes an explosion
with a Blast Radius of 10 yards. The damage at ground zero is
3d20, plus 1d20 for every two raises over the program's TN. This
counts as massive damage. Also, any mechanical or electronic device
in the blast has to make a Stability check. This check is at a
-6 at ground zero, with the penalty reducing by two every blast
radius. Assume non-junker devices have a base Stability of 20.
Note that this program has a speed of 2. During the first action,
the technomancer is surround by a brilliant electric glow (think
Dragonball Z). This is an obvious sign to get the hell out o'
Dodge.
Flash-Bang
TN: 5
Strain: 2
Speed: 2
Duration: Instant
Range: 5 yards/Occult Programming level
This program creates a huge blast of light and noise that blinds anyone
around. It can be seen and heard for miles around, but it's really only effective
within 100 yards of where it detonates.
In game terms everybody within 100 yards of ground zero must make a Cognition check at TN 15. Every 20 yards from
the flash 3 is subtracted from the TN. Anyone failing this roll has stared into the light and is temporarily blinded-
subtracing -8 from all rolls associated with sight(ie shooting and fighting!)
for the next five rounds (but may be left with a smaller modifier afterwards of perhaps -1 or -2 for up to 30 minutes).
If the Cognition roll is passed then penalty is reduced to -4. A raise on the roll totally negates
the penalty. Botching this roll causes a longer period of blindness - 3d6 hours in total!
Note that this program has a speed of 2. During the first action, a ball of brilliant light appears
in the techies' hand. Anyone who recognises the program may try to "vamoose" normally to cover her eyes -
thus a Cognition roll is not needed.
Ghost in the Machine
TN: Opposed (Occult Programming vs. device's Spirit)
Strain: Special
Speed: 1 or more
Duration: 1 hour/Occult Programming level, then 1/hour
Range: Touch
This program is the mechanical version of demonic possession. It allows a techie
to suppress the spirit inside a device, and replace with a Server, giving him complete
control.
In order to achieve this affect, the technomancer must touch the device he wishes
to dominate. He then engages the device's spirit in a test of wills; the techie
rolls his Occult Engineering, while the device rolls it's Spirit (pull
a card from a full deck to determine the device's Spirit if it's not known.)
If the techie wins the roll with a raise, he successfully supresses the device's spirit,
and replaces it with a Server spirit. On the other hand, if the spirit wins with a raise
, the techie fails, and cannot try again for 1d6 hours. If either side wins without a raise,
the struggle continues for another action.
Once a technomancer successfully implants his Server, he gains total mental control
of the device for the duration of the program. He can drive it, shoot it, lock the doors,
anything. Anyone trying to operate the device against the techie's wishes must beat
him in an opposed Spirit test. This control does not hinder the techie in any
way- he recieves no penalties to his actions while Ghosting.
There are a few other points about this program that bear mentioning. First of all,
if a device is interconnected other devices (such as a camera system in a building)
, the techie may choose to dominate all the devices in one swoop. If this occurs,
make one roll using the highest Spirit amongst all the devices and add 2 to the roll
for every device beyond the first. Also, ghosting a junker gizmo is a little different
from a normal device. Since the spirit in the gizmo has such a loose grip on the thing,
the techie recieves +4 to his Occult Programming roll; however, if he succeeds,
the gizmo must make a Stability check at a -4.
Should the techie go bust while trying to run Ghost in the Machine, in addition
to backlash, the techie's strain pool is emptied, and he is put into a coma for 1 hour per strain lost.
Integrate
TN: Special
Strain: Special
Speed: 1d4 minutes (do not reroll aces)
Duration: Permanent
Range: Self
Technomancers are by nature a curious sort. Unfortunately, like the line says, curiosity can kill. It can also maim, pulverize, and smash. While there's nothing a techie can do about that nasty death thing, he can use Integrate to deal with the rest of it.
Integrate allows a techie to use spare parts to repair his body. The parts he needs depends on where, and how badly he's wounded. Damage to the arms or legs requires a structural part for each wound taken, while wounds to the guts need mechanical parts, and head wounds need electronic parts.
The TN and Strain requirements for this program depends on how bad the damage is. See the chart below for details. Also, the warping from this program takes much longer to fade than normal, 1d6 hours for every wound level healed.
Wound Level | TN | Strain |
Light | 3 | 1 |
Heavy | 5 | 2 |
Serious | 7 | 3 |
Critical | 9 | 4 |
Maimed | 11 | 5 |