Power Focuses
some. Note that even if a character has both types of extraor-
Each power talent also has its own associated power focus,
which is an ability focus for tests involving that talent. For
example, the Fire Arcana talent also has an Intelligence (Fire
Arcana) focus associated with it, which applies its bonus
to Intelligence tests using Fire Arcana. Characters usually
acquire a power talent’s associated focus at the Expert degree
of the talent. This focus is free as part of the power and does
not affect the character’s acquisition of other focuses by level.
Power focuses are otherwise just like other ability focuses, as
described in Chapter 3. The abilities associated with extraor-
dinary powers can vary between campaigns or even indi-
vidual power talents. The GM decides, but by default, the
arcane talents listed here use Intelligence power focuses, and
psychic talents use Willpower power focuses.
Gaining Powers
Since extraordinary powers are based on talents, they can be
acquired in the same way as other Modern AGE talents. The
GM should choose one of the following options for power
acquisition to suit the needs of the game:
• Unlimited: Any time players are free to choose a new
talent (or degree in a talent) for their characters, they
may choose an available power talent.
• Substitution: Like unlimited, with the addition that
players can choose to exchange one or more of their
characters’ starting talents from Background, Profession,
or Drive for power talents, allowing 1st-level characters
to start out with extraordinary powers.
• Limited: There are limited circumstances when players
may choose a power talent or degree in a power talent
for their characters. This might be only every even- or
odd-numbered level, or certain number of levels (such
as every four or five), or the circumstances may require
an in-game means of “unlocking” access to a new power
talent degree, such as finding and studying specific
sources of knowledge, learning from a suitable teacher,
a measure of practice or study (like solitary meditation),
or even access to specific materials like arcane potions,
designer pharmaceuticals, or strange energy sources.
Fulfilling the requirements for extraordinary power
advancement could be an adventure in and of itself!
• Specialization: One version of limited acquisition of
powers is to treat power talents like specializations
(see Specializations in Chapter 3), available to the
characters only at certain levels. This greatly limits the
availability of powers in the game and delays characters
getting them until higher levels.
Power Points
Wielding extraordinary powers requires effort, measured in
the form of power points (PP). A character with one or more
power talents has a power points score, similar to the charac-
ter’s Health, and each power has an associated power point
cost, which is subtracted from the user’s current PP score
when the power is used. If you run out of power points, you
Chapter 6 - Extraordinary Powers
cannot use extraordinary powers until you have recovered
dinary powers, those powers both draw from the same power
point “pool;” a character can still only manage so much effort!
Acquiring
When a character first gains a power talent, they also gain a
PP score of 10 + Willpower + 1d6. Every level the character
gains thereafter adds Willpower + 1d6 to their PP total, up to
level 10. From levels 11 to 20, characters gain power points
only equal to their Willpower (minimum of 1) with each
increase in level.
Spending
Characters pay the PP cost of a power immediately when
that power is used, before any test or determination of the
power’s effect. If the character has insufficient power points
to use the power, nothing happens. If the power usage fails,
the power points remain spent.
Regaining
Characters regain expended power points by resting. For each
full hour of rest, meditation, or similar restorative activity, a
character regains 1d6 + Willpower power points. A character
who gets a full 8 hours of rest, such as a full night’s sleep,
regains all expended power points.
Using Powers
You can use any power by spending the necessary PP and
making the power test associated with it. If you have the power
talent’s associated power focus, add its bonus to the test.
Power test = 3d6 + ability + power
focus (if applicable)
If your power test equals or exceeds the power’s target number,
you use the power successfully. If not, the power fails, although
you still spend the necessary PP on the attempt.
Note that extraordinary powers often bypass the usual
systems for investigation or social interaction. A power that
compels obedience, for example, does so regardless of the
target’s attitude, while a power that provides information
does so without regard for the usual limits of investigation.
See the individual power descriptions for examples.
Force
For many powers, a successful power test is all that’s needed.
For others, the subject’s natural resistance must be consid-
ered. Force is a measure of a character’s powers’ strength
and effectiveness, and determines the target number to resist
them. Certain powers allow the subject to test against Force to
overcome or offset some of your power’s effects.
Force = 10 + Willpower + power focus
(if applicable)
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