Metal Powers (FiD)

Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page

Metals are common in all but the most primitive culture, and metalworkers have often been associated with mystical powers.

Metal is considered an element in some systems of thought, a mix of elements in others. It combines the resilience of earth with the flexibility and destructive potential of fire. It carries the mark of civilization, yet is used in wars of destruction. Metal, especially iron, is essential to technology and thus opposed to the fey and magic in general.

Metal attacks are blades and bullets.

Metal elementals are made up of chunks of scrap metal, other metal creatures includes metallic robots, clockwork creatures, and animated armor and weapons.

Metal Power Effects

Action	Basic	Advanced	Master	Apex
Dice	—	Minimum 2d	Minimum 4d	Minimum 6d
Stress	Avoid fumble (2+).	Succeed (4+).	Full success (6).	Critical (2 sixes).
Attune	Alloy Awareness Detect Metal creatures and powers.	Allay Metal Dismiss Metal creatures and powers.	Manifest Metal Summon Metal creatures.	Brass Bridge Portal to a plane of Metal.
Command	Chromium Command Intimidate with Metal.	Chrome Connection Talk to faraway Metal creatures.	Master of Metal Command Metal creatures as a superior.	Brass Bondage Enslave Metal creatures.
Consort	Metal Masquerade Imbue clothes and accessories with metal.	Metalize Assume the form of a metal creature.	Iron Infusion Metalize a willing or helpless creature.	Steel Stampede Turn minions into Metal.
Finesse	Metal Mount Ride a metal mount or vehicle.	Brass Blade Metal melee attack.	Manipulate Metal Small and exact manipulations at range.	Metal March Create metal steeds.
Hunt	Steel Steps Track Metal and across Metal.	Metal Marksman Attack like a fine and potent rifle.	Rain of Rust Minor changes to metal over an area.	Steel Storm Attack like a fine and potent grenade.
Prowl	Steel Stealth Hide in environments of metal.	Metal Maneuver Move on and through metal.	Titanium Travel Crew Steel Stealth and Metal Maneuver.	Chromium Conduit Crew teleport between Metal rooms.
Skirmish	Metal Mitigation Attack similar to a melee weapon or pistol.	Honed Hammer Attack like a fine, potent melee weapon or pistol.	Brass Blockade Honed Hammer, plus obstructions that prevent scale.	Metal Mayhem Metal attacks against all enemies in a wide area.
Study	Steel Scrutiny Identify metal objects and creatures.	Analyze Alloy Learn of powers and abilities.	Metal Memory You can read the past events of something you analyze.	All-Knowing Alloy Analyze Alloy everything you can see, then Metal Memory three times.
Survey	Iron Insight You can sense metal.	Metal Monitor Perceive from a Metal object.	Iron Inquisition Metal Monitor to see target.	Copper Clarity Perceive from all Metal in area.
Sway	Iron Insight Understand metal creatures.	Iron Interpreter Crew talk to metal creatures.	Iron Intrigue Suggestions to Metal creatures.	Metal Molding Inculcate Metal creatures.
Tinker	Iron Instrumentation Emulate metalworking tools.	Mold Metal Emulate metalworking workshop.	Titanium Transmutation Emulate metalworking lab.	Steel Structure Emulate metalworking factory.
Wreck	Iron Impact Emulate Metal sledgehammer.	Shatter Steel Shatter metal as if it was wood.	Annihilate Alloys Transmute Metal.	Alloy Apocalypse Shatter Steel over a large area.

Expanded Metal Powers

Attune

Harness the power of Attune to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies, allowing you to detect and interact with beings and phenomena from other planes of existence.

The consequences usually depends on what happens around you when you do it. Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences, and sometimes a creature wants to be dismissed and the consequence might be that it loses control of itself, or that other creatures appear to intervene.

Alloy Awareness Detect Metal creatures and powers.

You can see Metal Spirits and detect Metal creatures and powers. This is usually done to spot a spirit or a disguised creature. It can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature. If you know several different powers, you can scan for all of them at the same time. Limited outcome suffices against a nearby creature you can clearly see. You need greater outcome against against a creature that is hidden or far away (standard outcome) or behind a wall (great outcome). This does not locate creatures and power effects, it merely shows they are present. The position usually starts controlled, with the usual consequence that you missed the opportunity and cannot try again until the situation changes.

Allay Metal Dismiss Metal creatures and powers.

Force a Metal creature that is native to another plane to return to that plane, force a Metal spirit to materialize, or to end the operation of a Metal power or a power affecting a Metal item or creature.

Dispelling can be used as a defense against others' use of powers, or it can be used to break continuing effects. Dispelling is often used as a setup action to help another character in a situation when the opposition is using powers. This usually improves the position of the supported action and can work in addition to other setup actions. When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety. Against an opponent that uses Animal wings to fly or turned into a fish to breathe underwater you have a better base effect. When dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this will not negate the power but instead give you a clue to what you need to do to resolve the situation.

Forcing a spirit to materialize is easy, but limited in range; if the creature can get away from you it can de-materialize again, only to materialize again if it gets close enough. Limited effect only works on spirits within reach. Standard effect covers an area based on your tier (p 220). Great effect reaches out to a range covered by tier (p 220).

Dismissing a creature is hard and usually requires great effect. A creature that has been wounded or otherwise weakened only needs standard effect. A creature that wants to be dismissed requires only limited effect.

Manifest Metal Summon Metal creatures.

Metal creatures generally come in two types, elementals and creatures with powers.

A Metal elemental is a simple creature totally dominated by metal. Most elementals have animal intelligence, and often take the shape of animals, tough animated chunks of matter and humanoid forms are also common. Many metal elementals like to take the forms of metal tools or machinery.

Creatures with powers resemble normal creatures, most having a biological body, metabolism, and functioning as ordinary living creatures but also some exceptional abilities related to their power. A metal dragon is impossibly large, flies, and creates metal effects. A metal turtle has a shell of steel and can grow to massive size, to the point where a city can be built on top of them. Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible, many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune power effects.

Summons are Chohorts: Creatures you summon function as temporary cohorts — either an Expert or a Gang — with added Powers from their Form. An Expert is a skilled individual who can offer advice, Assist, or act independently. A Gang is a group (numbers based on your Tier, p. 221) that primarily provides Scale in combat and labor.

You can always summon a Gang of creatures one Tier below yours. Summoning a specific Gang or Expert requires knowing its unique identity — called a true name in mystical traditions. For a technomancer, this might be a type ID, blueprint, or genetic code. Learning a creature’s true name may require a flashback, or in complex cases, the research downtime activity or a reward from a score.

Summoning a Creature: The summoning itself is quick but dangerous. When you have time and resources, it is wise to use wards and Barriers, but in action this is usually impossible and you must face the risks. Having allies present for safety is advisable. Offering a creature gifts or services appropriate to its nature and power can be a literal Devil’s Bargain — accepting an additional consequence to gain an advantage.

Depending on your degree of outcome, a creature is willing to do different things:

• Limited Outcome allows you to ask questions of an Expert or demand a short period of physical labor from a Gang. They will not fight for you.
• Standard Outcome allows any service appropriate to the creature’s type, having it act in its typical role. Most creatures don’t mind fighting, but may have preferences about how they do it and what they do outside a fight.
• Great Outcome allows service outside the creature’s comfort zone, though not against its nature. Lengthy service — even within its comfort zone — also requires a Great Outcome, such as guarding treasure until it is stolen.

The position usually starts at Risky — the creature is compelled and may resist. Typical consequences, in ascending order of severity:

• General sulkiness
• Half-hearted efforts
• Demanding not to be summoned again
• Breaking things or demanding concessions
• Overly literal interpretations of your commands
• A test attack to assert dominance
• Deliberate sabotage of tasks
• A constant struggle to maintain control

Brass Bridge Portal to a plane of Metal.

You can create a portal that allows travel to and from the plane of metal. This is an iron-frame world covered in sheets of tin and copper, with fittings of precious metals.

There are things that are possible to do here that are not allowed in the regular world. Appropriate effects are reduced one step in difficulty, from advanced to basic, master to advanced, and apex to master. This opens the possibility of new super-apex powers that have to be negotiated with the game master. Such effects rarely reach outside the plane of origin, but if they affect creatures there the effect may remain when you return to the mundane world.

This can also be used to contact creatures too powerful to summon. This allows you to ignore tier when creating the gate, but gives you no power over the target. The creature may then use the gate to come to you, call you into its presence, send minions, or communicate with you at a distance.

Command

Command and intimidate metal creatures, projecting authority. Position and effect depend on the situation and your relationship with the listeners.

Chromium Command Intimidate with Metal.

You can create Metal effects such as making nearby metal gleam or hover to heighten your authority, gaining leverage similar to what could be a achieved with threat such as displaying a weapon. This can provide the leverage needed to use Command to intimidate without actual threat of violence. Metal creatures might recognize you as a figure of authority.

Chrome Connection Talk to faraway Metal creatures.

You can communicate with metal creatures over any distance as long as you know the target, and a line-of-sight even if you do not. You can communicate with the most powerful metal creature in a vehicle or installation as long as you can see the exterior. You can use a metal item to communicate with its wearer. The communication is simple and direct, suitable for the Command skill.

Master of Metal Command Metal creatures as a superior.

Metal creatures will understand your orders and likely obey. Targets will see you as an officer, professional superior, alpha, or other leader type outranking them. This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts. Understanding the social order of your target helps avoid conflicting with their established loyalties.

Limited effect might result in a creature not doing what it might not have done anyway, like forgetting to report you or give you a ticket. Standard effect makes the creature do what it should, but in a way you decide, like a police officer escorting you to safety or doing you a quick favor. Great effect means targets will ignore their normal routine and go out of their way to please you, like neutral faction warriors fighting for you, or enemies ignoring or fleeing from you. Ordering city guard drones to ignore a disturbance is harder (needs more effect) than telling them to deal with it and move on, because their task is to protect the city.

The position depends on the creatures' actual relationship to you—ordering a creature that sees itself as your superior is a desperate position. A controlled position comes from a creature that agrees you are superior, usually just making retrying harder. A risky position is typical against a creature that sees itself as your equal and not your enemy, possibly leading to heat, misunderstood orders, or small rebellions.

Brass Bondage Enslave Metal creatures.

They will stay in one location and act according to your instructions, like very loyal and literal-minded goons, until something breaks the effect.

This won’t work unless you are already in a position of power. The effect is similar to Master of Metal but potentially permanent. A creature under your enemies' care may break free over time. Strong emotions can also break your control, but otherwise, it lasts until dispelled.

Consort

Consort powers changes your form and later that of other creatures. These powers might also be used as a set-up action for a later Consort roll. This will often give a bonus to effect or improved position or even allow an action that a human could not do.

Consequences might reveal your disguise, but only if the position is risky or desperate. More common consequences is that you are mistaken for someone, or that your form is somehow odd or exceptional.

Metal Masquerade Imbue clothes and accessories with metal.

You do not physically change yourself, you change your accessorize and outfit. This can mask your identity or create fabulous outfits. The effect is usually limited and the position controlled, but some changes might require more effort.

Metalize Assume the form of a metal creature.

This is a true physical transmutation, turning you into a metal creature. You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the table agrees your new form matches the power you use.

Metalize can work as a set-up action for a number of other actions but may penalize other things, as appropriate to your new form.

• Limited effect you can transform into yourself like you would have been, had you grown up as the creature whose form you assume. Those familiar with you will recognize you.
• Standard effect can make you a generic creature, very hard to recognize as yourself.
• Great effect allows you to assume the shape and some of the personality of a specific creature you have studied.

Iron Infusion Metalize a willing or helpless creature.

You can shapechange a willing or helpless creature into a metal creature. This is Metalize applied to another creature. The duration depends of the effect, limited effect is very temporary. Standard effect lasts for the duration of a score. Great effect lasts a long time and potentially become permanent, depending on the the story. If you also want to make the target unrecognizable, that requires additional effect, see Metalize.

This is sometimes used as a kind of poetic justice, a curse that is very hard to break.

Steel Stampede Turn minions into Metal.

This is where Consort becomes similar to an Attune Summon power effect. You transform a number of existing creatures and give them a task that they will perform with gusto, turning them into single-minded minions. Targets must be willing, Non-Sentient like animals, or just very minor figures in the plot, many tiers below you.

This is usually used to create a host of goons that they can be given bit parts as servants or laborers or fight and chase for you. Such goons are more useful for chasing and cornering targets than in actual combat.

Finesse

Metal Mount Ride a metal mount or vehicle.

If there is a mount or vehicle of metal, you can ride it as if it was domesticated and you have the keys. This allows you to use Finesse with mounts and vehicles you are not familiar with. You overcome simple locks but not ones that require Tinker.

You can give this ability to your crew as an advanced ability.

Brass Blade Metal melee attack.

Attack like a fine and potent dueling sword or pistol. This only substitutes for equipment, fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective. In a fight, using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.

Manipulate Metal Small and exact manipulations at range.

This allows you to open doors, trigger or hinder mechanisms, or perform other minor manipulations, as long as the target is metal. Allows you to manipulate small amounts of metal, similar to what you could do by hand, and you can do so at short range, allowing you to push buttons, trigger devices, and perform legerdemain. This can substitute for simple Tinker actions, but nothing complicated. This takes almost no time and can be used as a set-up for yourself or quickly between other actions.

Metal March Create metal steeds.

Create metal mounts or vehicles for your crew. These are untiring and tough, but otherwise similar to mundane transportation.

Hunt

Steel Steps Track Metal and across Metal.

You can track and pursue metal creatures and vehicles, or track anything across a metal surface. This works even if the quarry does not leave any mundane trail or clues. Consequences here are mainly to lose the trail, but depending on the environment and targets, it might lead you to get lost, into traps, or even into an ambush.

Metal Marksman Attack like a fine and potent rifle.

You can use your power to attack, similar to a fine and potent rifle. This serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a fine and potent ranged weapon does the same.

Rain of Rust Minor changes to metal over an area.

Alter the environment by doing minor changes to metal over a large area. You can corrode or polish metal to make it dull and pitted or smooth and shiny. You can change slag and metallic pollution, gathering it up or changing its color and consistency. This does not inflict any direct damage but can change the battleground and might be useful as a set up action.

Steel Storm Attack like a fine and potent grenade.

Attack like a fine and potent grenade. Hurt many creatures but risk collateral damage. An escalation of Metal Marksman. Less precise, this affects all creatures at a location. Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in direct damage, but tend to keep their heads down, which gives your side the initiative.

Prowl

Sneak and move with stealth and agility.

Steel Stealth Hide in environments of metal.

This allows you to hide in impossible places as long as the environment is metal. Tin roofs and metal construction like ships and airframes comes to mind. It otherwise works just like any other attempt to use Prowl to avoid notice. Note that only you can use this ability, your friends and allies cannot unless you use Titanium Travel, below.

Metal Maneuver Move on and through metal.

This allows you to climb on sheer metal walls, walk through walls of metal, and so on.

• Limited effect can pass a metal grille or net.
• Standard effect can walk through metal foil.
• Great effect through metal walls or a metal hull but not structural metal or armor plate.

Your friends and allies cannot use this unless you employ Titanium Travel, below.

Titanium Travel Crew Steel Stealth and Metal Maneuver.

You can bring allies along when you use Steel Stealth and Metal Maneuver. Now you and your allies can Prowl in places where your power is at home. If they have to roll, they use their own Prowl action.

Chromium Conduit Crew teleport between Metal rooms.

You and allies teleport from one location dominated by Metal to another. This takes you to places you are familiar with. Both effect and position is worse unless you know where you are going, which means it is great for escapes but less good for intrusion into an enemy's territory that you are unfamiliar with. This is regional travel, you stay within the same city or region, but it is generally sufficient to escape just about any situation or location.

Skirmish

Metal Mitigation Resist Harm from metal.

Absorb harm from Metal, including Metal powers, weapons, and bullets. You increase the effect of Skirmish rolls for endurance in such environments. Roll Skirmish to resist such Harm. 1-3: No reduction. 4-6: Reduce Harm by 1 level. Critical: Reduce Harm by 2 levels. As a Master power, you can protect an ally for a score; as an Apex Power, you can protect your crew. Targets roll their own Skirmish dice.

Honed Hammer Attack like a fine, potent melee weapon or pistol.

This only substitutes for equipment, a fine and potent mundane weapon is just as effective.

Brass Blockade Honed Hammer, plus obstructions that prevent scale.

Creates a maze of walls and spikes that isolate pairs of opponents, negating the advantage of numbers.

Metal Mayhem Metal attacks against all enemies in a wide area.

Turns you into a one-man army. Not only do you negate the advantage your enemy may get from numbers, you also spread your effect to hurt all enemies in the skirmish.

Study

Study and analyze objects and creatures imbued with your power to gain insight and knowledge. The effect required depends on range

• Limited effect for touch.
• Standard effect for line-of-sight.
• Great effect to reach a target you know of or have some link to, but which is out of line-of-sight.

Position depends on the situation. Safely in your base the position is controlled. In the middle of a fight or when pinned down the position is desperate.

Steel Scrutiny Identify metal objects and creatures.

This gives precise mundane information, but not supernatural or exceptional abilities like those of powers.

Analyze Alloy Learn of powers and abilities.

You know the powers and abilities of something. You are not restricted to mundane information, you also learn of any powers or special abilities and relevant rules.

Metal Memory You can read the past events of something you analyze.

This includes previous owners and how the object has been moved around as well as significant scenes from its history. The power zooms in on events of interest to you.

All-Knowing Alloy Analyze Alloy everything you can see, then Metal Memory three times.

Provides a detailed view of events involving metal as far as you can see, pinpointing locations of interest like bases and power nodes. You can then use Metal Memory to learn the history of up to three such locations.

Survey

Perceive and locate metal objects and creatures and Metal powers in use. The outcome you need depends on the target's concealment.

• Limited outcome finds those hiding behind cover and in far places you can only barely see.
• Standard outcome can look behind walls and into hard cover.
• Great outcome can look into far-away places and spots you had no idea existed.

Iron Insight You can sense metal.

This is a basic spotting power, selectively sensing things of metal. You can look for specific metals or types of metal objects if you want. The more detailed your information is, the more precise the result.

Metal Monitor Perceive from a Metal object.

Choose a metal object; perceive as if you were at that spot. Shift your perception to a Metal object you know about and sense as if you were physically there, while still maintaining awareness of your actual location, though dimly.

Iron Inquisition Metal Monitor to see target.

Choose a location or creature. Gain sensory perception from the nearest metal object. Similar to Metal Monitor but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position. This is typically close enough to observe the target. Automatically directs towards the best vantage point provided by a glowing object. Fails if no suitable viewpoint is available.

Copper Clarity Perceive from all Metal in area.

You perceive from all metal objects at once over a wide area. Enhances your senses impossibly, akin to being multiple individuals spread across the scene. Creates a comprehensive mental image of the area, revealing numerous details simultaneously. It's challenging for targets to hide unless they are aware of the need to conceal themselves.

Sway

Iron Insight Understand Metal creatures.

You can gauge the mood and motivations of metal creatures and understand what they are saying. This does not allow you to be understood. You can also sense if a creature of any kind of is confident, precise, or decisive.

Iron Interpreter Talk to Metal creatures.

You and allies can communicate with metal creatures. You can make folk more precise, decisive, and confident. This allows you to use the Sway action with full effect, overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers as long as you are speaking to Metal creatures. You are persuading, not speaking with authority. You can instead influence creatures of any kind to be precise, decisive, or confident.

Iron Intrigue Suggestions to Metal creatures.

Implant suggestions in the minds of Metal creatures. This is an enhanced Sway attempt, allowing you to implant suggestions in metal creatures that will trigger under conditions you set. The power remains subtle until the suggestion is activated. The target will not remember being swayed, and if you succeed, you can give them instructions that will activate later in a specified situation.

Metal Molding Inculcate Metal creatures.

You permanently change the personality and motivations of metal creatures. This power is permanent, but blatant. The target remembers their past, but regards it as unimportant compared to their new motivations. This changes the target on a deep level, altering their priorities and loyalties. There are limits to this power, you cannot make a metal creature indecisive or deliberately clumsy. Exceptional creatures and circumstances can break this change.

Tinker

Manipulate, shape, and create metal objects. The effectiveness and durability of your constructions depend on the effect. More powerful devices are harder to sustain and will not last as long.

• Limited Outcome solves an immediate problem, then ends. A tool to repair something, a weapon for one fight, a bridge to quickly cross.
• Standard Outcome lasts for the duration of a score. Lasting construction, repair, or item.
• Great Outcome is semi-permanent. This does not make permanent kit, but it can make permanent effects to the setting, repairs, construction.
• Something larger than a human, very complex, or of higher Quality Level than your Tier or Lifestyle increases the needed Outcome.

Position depends on the tranquility of your workspace and if you are working on something dangerous in itself.

For long-term projects, Tinker powers can substitute for missing tools, but that is all they do until you can Fabricate.

Iron Instrumentation Emulate metalworking tools.

You can handle metal as if you had the appropriate tools. This ability substitutes for tools and protection devices typical of a small workshop.

Mold Metal Emulate metalworking workshop.

You can shape metal objects as if they were of clay. This surpasses normal crafting, letting you manipulate elements that are not stable, like quicksilver and molten metals, making them stay in the new shape. This can substitute for pipes and containers and facilitate the construction of traps or devices, avoiding the need for extensive equipment. You can also form parts of a larger object as if it were clay, creating openings in walls, doors, and other massive objects.

Titanium Transmutation Emulate metalworking lab.

You can shape metal objects as if they were of clay. This surpasses normal crafting, letting you manipulate elements that are not stable, like quicksilver and molten metals, making them stay in the new shape. This can substitute for pipes and containers and facilitate the construction of traps or devices, avoiding the need for extensive equipment.

Steel Structure Emulate metalworking factory.

This is similar to Mold Metal, above, but on a larger scale. You mass produce objects, even a set of different objects, or create large structures like ships or buildings that normally require a work force and facilities. In long-term projects involving construction or crafting, Steel Structure makes many dozens of items with the same effort as one item, but remember the stress cost.

Wreck

Destroy, dismantle, and obliterate metal or using metal as an implement of destruction.

The effect required depends on the size and structural strength of your target.

• Limited outcome is a car-sized hole in a flimsy metal barrier, like foil or netting.
• Standard outcome is a car-sized hole in a thin metal wall. A smaller hole still need the same effect.
• Great outcome can affect something larger and/or stronger.

The position depends on the situation. A quiet workspace is controlled, the general hustle of adventure risky, dealing with a fight, massive crowds, or dangerous construction is desperate.

Iron Impact Emulate a Metal sledgehammer.

Just as crude as it sounds. You destroy metal and strike with the force of a sledgehammer in combat. As usual, Wreck may be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to Hunt, Finesse and Skirmish, depending on the situation.

Shatter Steel Shatter metal as if it was wood.

This bypasses the strength of metal, allowing you to break even the strongest barrier. You can also use this to smash other things or as a fine, potent sledgehammer.

Annihilate Alloys Transmute Metal.

The real difference here is that wrecking metal is now silent. You also leave less traces, as what you wreck disappears. Get rid of evidence, as long as that evidence is of metal.

Alloy Apocalypse Shatter Steel over a large area.

This can level a city block, raze a metal wall, destroy a mass of vehicles, and similar large-scale destruction. Metal is an ubiquitous support material in modern construction, wrecking the metal makes that construction unstable and causes it to slowly crumble.