Abilities

Abilities are advantages - either in social or military situations - where your experience, history or cunning may prove advantageous over people who haven't had the same experience as you.
The term is intentionally vague, as these skills could be almost anything you could think of.
If you have thought of a concept or entire set of abilities not present, please contact a Games Master or post on the forum with your suggestion.

You may also wish to check out the Lesser abilities page for additional abilities you can learn.

Abilities are not listed on the sign-up sheet that you send to the Games Master. This is because we want to eliminate 'power gaming' or people trying to get the most benefit as possible. This would not make an interesting character or game. Instead, once you've sent your character sheet off, the Games Master will contact you to briefly discuss which abilities would be best suited to your chosen role.

Abilities are seperated into three types:
Natural. These are abilities you may use in everyday life, on or off ship, away from a Mobile Suit.
Piloting. These are abilities that come into play exclusively when using a Mobile Suit.
Other. These are additional abilities not ordinarily awarded at the start of character creation.

Natural Abilities

You are well-known within a certain area - Perhaps you attend a particular club on your nights off, are part of a band, or have a low-ranking political job, but you're a poster child within that scene.

The data to this ability was lost recently attempting to repair damage done by someone gaining unauthorised access to the website. I will try to repair this soon.

Many NewTypes have a keen sense of Spatial Awareness, but not everyone with Spatial Awareness happens to be a NewType. Spatial Awareness seems to be a new stage of Human development, more commonly seen in people who spend a lot of time in space.

You are able to feel if another person with Spatial Awareness is close by.

You are able to tell exactly where another person nearby with Spatial Awareness is.

Once per Mobile Suit sortie, you may increase your evasion by 2 for one turn at any time.

You are able to use remote weapons systems on any compatible unit.

You are able to feel the location of any person closeby who you know well.

You have a pseudonym which may allow for you to hide yourself in situations where you don't want to be noticed.

You may adopt a second identity - including name and clothing.

You may adopt differing mannerisms to convince people you're the second identity.

You may alter the appearance of your second identity, making people not immediately realise you're the same person.

You may alter the tone and pitch of your voice, making it almost impossible for people to know who you are.

You have papers confirming your second identity has been alive and has some history. Only someone very close to you can see through your disguise.

You're well-known for the wrong kind of reasons. Your history is dark due to one or more acts, and people either have a dislike or hatred towards you. Disreputable reputations like this tend to spread easily, and you may find that your area of influence expands over time.

While within your area of influence, people are more likely to act with distrust towards you.

While within your area of influence, people are less likely to give you any advice whatsoever.

While within your area of influence, people are more likely to restrict your access to locations or items.

While within your area of influence, people are more likely to revolt against your presence or flee entirely.

While within your area of influence, criteria to earn disrepute are easier to filfil and disrepute gain is greater.

So caring and concerned for your fellow pilots are you that you command respect and admiration far beyond that of any rank.

For terms of talking, debate and manipulation, your prestige counts as being 50% higher than it is.

In your presence, all tests of Courage made by your allies are not effected by negative modifiers.

Your reputation for care and concern has reached your enemies. Cornered enemies and those who have lost their capital ship may choose to surrender to you.

Once per sortie, you may encourage an allied pilot, allowing you to expend your own willpower to improve an allied pilot's dice rolol. You may expend multiple points of willpower.

Once per sortie, you may let out a battlecry, speech or other encouragement to all allied pilots. For the duration of that turn and the following opponent's turn, all allied pilots are not effected by negative modifiers of any kind.

Your appearance may be very young, or perhaps you simply don't look strong or rough enough to be in the military - For whatever reason, people often overlook your true self based on how you look until they get to know you.

You hardly seem like a soldier, your appearance often surprising people. Targets will not flee from you unless your disrepute is five times greater than their prestige.

Once per scenario (Determined by GM) you may temporarily reduce the amount of expendable willpower of one target who does not know your character by 50% for the duration of the scenario, as they take your appearance as a sign you are not a serious threat.

Once per scenario (Determined by GM) you may increase your Manipulation by 1 against one target who does not know your character, as you use your appearance to your advantage.

Once per scenario (Determined by GM) you may increase your Subterfuge by 1 against one target who does not know your character, as you use your appearance to conseal your true intention.

Once per scenario (Determined by GM) you may react within the first turn of a combat situation against a target who does not know your character as if you have the highest priority within the combat order as you catch them entirely by surprise. This ability may not work in Mobile Suit combat, depending on situation.

Piloting Abilities

'Saber-lock' as a term is defined as a weapons deadlock involving beam sabers, but this ability applies to any melee combat. This ability may only be used when attacked by a Melee weapon.

A hand-held Melee weapon may be used in a block attempt as if it was a hand-held Shield. Beam Weapons do not take damage when used in this fashion, however they use one attack's worth of power.

A hand-held Melee weapon may be used in a block attempt as if it was an arm-mounted Shield. Beam Weapons do not take damage when used in this fashion, however they use one attack's worth of power.

A hand-held Melee weapon may be used to Parry an enemy attack. Both players roll dice as if they are attacking with a hand-held meloee weapon. If you roll equal to or higher than the attacker, you successfully parry the attack. Beam Weapons use two attack's worth of power but increase your result by 1.

A hand-held Melee weapon may be used to Parry an enemy attack. Both players roll dice as if they are attacking with a hand-held melee weapon. You increase your result by 1. If you roll equal to or higher than the attacker, you successfully parry the attack. Beam Weapons use two attack's worth of power but increase your result by 1.

After successfully Parrying an enemy attack, you may immediately make an attack against them with a hand-held Melee weapon. This does not count towards your weapon useage limit.

Survivor is a collection of different abilities that pilots that have seen a lot of combat have generally been able to perform. The abilities allow for on-the-fly rigging to continue going - either to fight or retreat.

Able to use a Mobile Suit's Lower Arm as a shield following all normal rules for an arm-mounted shield.

Able to use a Mobile Suit's Shield as a Thrown weapon. Deals damage equal to half it's health value.

Able to use any sturdy, long object as a crutch to move a semi-immobile Mobile Suit.

Able to rig energy-based weapons to explode on a time delay.

Able to rig any weapon camera to display a feed to the cockpit.

Pilots that have been in battle for a long period of time are able to focus. Rather than firing just at an enemy Mobile Suit, they will aim for a specific point - an arm, a weapon and so on depending on how they are attempting to destroy or disable a target.

Increases Ranged Weapon Accuracy by +1. This may not be combined with higher ranks of this ability.

Enables sub-section targeting (arm, leg, head, weapon, etc) at =2 to ranged weapon accuracy.

Enables sub-section targetting as above with artillery and melee weapons at -2. Sub-section attacks made with ranged weapons can now be made at =1 accuracy.

Enables sub-system targetting (sensor, cockpit, joints, etc) with ranged weapons at -2.

At this rank, a practiced shot must select one of the two options. This choice is permanant and will be used for the duration of the game or until the pilot is killed.

Enables sub-system targetting as above with artillery and melee weapons at -2. Sub-system attacks made with ranged weapons can now be made at -1 accuracy.
Sub-section attacks made with artillery and melee weapons can now be made at -1 accuracy. Sub-section attacks made with ranged weapons no longer carry a penalty.

Wherever you go, a sense of fear and doom follows.

Triggers when you attack. If your disrepute is three times higher than an opponent's prestige (Rather than the default four times higher), they will be forced to take a courage test (Courage, D10)
If passed, the target may react normally.
If failed, the target's evasion drops by 50% for the duration of your attacks made against them this turn, as they hesitate, flinch or otherwise become too scared to pilot properly.

Triggers when attacked. If your disrepute is three times higher than an opponent's prestige (Rather than the default four times higher), they will be forced to take a courage test (Courage, D10)
If Passed, the target may react normally.
If failed, the target's accuracies drop by 50% for the duration of their attacks made against you this turn, as they hesitate, flinch or otherwise become too scared to pilot properly.

Triggers at the start of battle. If your disrepute is three times higher than any opponent's prestige (Rather than the default four times higher), any effected opponent will be forced to take a courage test (Courage, D10)
If passed, the target(s) may react normally.
If failed, they may choose either to not launch for this sortie (or until they come to their senses) or may launch with all accuracies and evasion reduced by 25%. All effected pilots take a courage test on the start of their subsequent turns. When passed, they may react as normal. This continues until all effected pilots have recovered from their fear of your presence.

Your name has become so terrifying to behold and your presence so intimidating that in your presence, all courage tests are taken at -1.

You have become a living terror and very few people would dare to face you without hesitation. Your Rank 1 to 3 Ubiquitous Dread abilities trigger when your Disrepute is twice as high as a valid target's Prestige, rather than three times higher.

Other Abilities

This skill effects a single series of Mobile Suits only (for example, Zaku and Variants) - It is possible to have multiple Mobile Suit Mastery skills.

You may have your Mobile Suit modified to follow a custom colour scheme.

While using Mobile Suits of this series, you may re-roll a single Artillery roll per turn.

While using Mobile Suits of this series, you may re-roll a single Ranged roll per turn.

While using Mobile Suits of this series, you may increase the results of all Piloting-based dice rolls by 1.

This skill is used to reflect those who have become reknown for their efforts, either downing a large number of enemies, surviving an intense battle, or through driving back enemies repeatedly.

You may have any personal Mobile Suit modified to follow a custom colour scheme.

You may pay prestige to have any accuracy, evasion, mobility or stability of your personal Mobile Suits upgraded once.

You may be referred to by a custom title.

You gain more prestige/ disrepute than usual.

Your attacks deal 25% more damage than usual.

This skill represents scavenger pilots who loot their enemies, or search battlefields for scraps they can use or sell on.

You may personally keep any salvage found by your carrier ship during the course of the series.

You may pay prestige to have your personal Mobile Suit upgraded with your personal salvage.

You may sell your personal salvage for 15% more than it's usual cost.

You may pay prestige to upgrade any Mobile Suit with your personal salvage.

You may purchase Mobile Suits for 10% less than their usual cost. Prestige cost is not effected.

Note: Only available in Cosmic Era games.
A character with this skill has the potential to use the Superior Evolutionary Element Destined-Factor. Character Race has nothing to do with this ability.

Activated when all of your wingmen have been killed in a single battle. Does not activate if you had no wingmen at the start of battle. All Character stats are increased by 1.

Activated when your Mobile Suit or Character can be defeated in a single hit. All Character stats are increased by 1.

Activated when your Mobile Suit force is outnumbered 3:1. All Character stats are increased by 2.

Activated when your Mobile Suit force is outnumbered 2:1. All Character stats are increased by 2.

Activated at will. All Character stats are increased by 3