Metal Powers (FiD)

Fox in the Dark logo

Starfox's Blades in the Dark Powers

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. In science, iron is the most stable material and changing it takes vast amounts of energy, making it hard to play around with.

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 Abilities

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	Mercurial Meridian Detect Metal.	Mercurial Medium Dismiss Metal.	Mercurial Merge Summon Metal.	Mercurial Messenger Gate to Metal.
Command	Chrome Command Intimidate with Metal.	Chrome Communication Metal signaling.	Chrome Control Command Metal.	Chrome Crush Enslave Metal.
Consort	Golden Gloss Metal accessories.	Golden Grace Transform self.	Golden Glamour Transform Crew.	Golden Garland Transform crowd.
Finesse	Steel Steering Ride Metal.	Steel Sting Metal melee attack.	Steel Spiral Small manipulations.	Steel Streak Create metal steeds.
Hunt	Lead Leash Track Metal.	Lead Longshot Metal snipe.	Lead Landscape Metal environment.	Lead Lethality Area metal attack.
Prowl	Tin Tread Hide in Metal.	Tin Traverse Move on/through metal.	Tin Tangle Crew Prowling.	Tin Tunnel Metal teleport.
Skirmish	Bronze Bulwark Resist Metal.	Bronze Beatdown Metal Melee Attack.	Bronze Blitz Gain Scale.	Bronze Bond Group Action.
Study	Brass Brief Identify Metal.	Brass Blueprint Analyze Metal.	Brass Backstory Metal history.	Brass Bibliography Analyze a wide area.
Survey	Electrum Enquiry Sense metal.	Electrum Eye Perceive from Metal.	Electrum Eavesdropper Spy from Metal.	Electrum Enlightenment Area perception.
Sway	Silver Sympathy Understand Metal.	Silver Speech Talk to Metal.	Silver Suggestion Suggest Metal.	Silver Subtlety Inculcate Metal.
Tinker	Patch Pewter Craft Metal.	Pour Pewter Work Metal.	Provision Pewter Transumte Metal.	Produce Pewter Fabricate Metal.
Wreck	Iron Impulse Metal sledgehammer.	Iron Impact Shatter Metal.	Iron Implosion Pulverize Metal.	Iron Invasion Area Iron Implosion.

Expanded Metal Abilities

Attune

Harness the power of Attune to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies relating to metal, allowing you to detect and interact with metal-aligned beings and phenomena, whether native to this world or to other planes.

Consequences usually depend on what happens around you when you do this. In a safe and controlled environment, the Position is Controlled. When you lack control of the situation or face active opposition, the Position becomes Desperate.

Mercurial Meridian

Detect Metal.

You can see Metal Spirits and detect Metal creatures and Metal-aligned 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). The position usually starts controlled, with the usual consequence that you missed the opportunity and cannot try again until the situation changes.

Mercurial Medium

Dismiss Metal.

You can force a Metal creature that is native to another plane to return to that plane, force a Metal spirit to materialize demilitarize, or end the operation of a Metal power, including powers 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 Set Up actions. When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety. Against an opponent that uses astral projection or turned into a merman to breathe underwater you have a better base effect. When its dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this may 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 or de-materialize is easy, but limited in range. The spirit cannot return under its own power for a while, usually after the score.

• Limited Outcome only works on spirits within reach.
• Standard Outcome covers an area based on your tier (p 220).
• Great Outcome reaches out to a range covered by tier (p 220).

Dismissing a creature back to its home plane and usually requires a high Outcome.

• Limited Outcome: Dismissing a creature that wants to return.
• Standard Outcome: Dismissing a weakened or damaged creature.
• Great Outcome: This is the norm, most dismissing requires this Outcome.

Mercurial Merge

Summon Metal.

Metal creatures generally fall into two broad categories: elementals and creatures with powers.

A Metal elemental is a simple creature wholly dominated by metal. Most elementals possess animal-level intelligence and often take the shape of animals, though animated chunks of matter and crude humanoid forms are also common. Many Metal elementals favor forms resembling tools, weapons, or machinery.

Creatures with powers resemble ordinary creatures and typically possess a biological body and metabolism, functioning much like mundane life but with exceptional abilities tied to Metal. A Metal dragon may be impossibly large, capable of flight, and able to generate powerful metal effects. A Metal turtle may possess a shell of steel and grow to such massive size that entire settlements can be built upon it.

Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible. Many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune effects.

Summons are Cohorts: Creatures you summon function as temporary cohorts (p. 96) — 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:

• Half-hearted efforts
• Demanding not to be summoned again
• Breaking things or demanding concessions
• A short fight to assert dominance
• Deliberate sabotage
• A constant struggle to maintain control

Mercurial Messenger

Gate to Metal.

You can create a portal that allows travel to and from a plane of Metal. This plane is an iron-framed world covered in sheets of tin and copper, with fittings and structures 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.

— Back to top —

Command

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

Chrome 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 achieved by a threat such as displaying a weapon. This can provide the leverage needed to use Command to intimidate without an actual threat of violence. Metal creatures may recognize you as a figure of authority.

Chrome Communication

Metal signaling.

You can communicate with Metal creatures over any distance as long as you know the target, even without line of sight. 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 Action.

Chrome Control

Command Metal.

Metal creatures will understand your orders and are likely to obey. Targets will perceive 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 clashing with their established loyalties.

• Limited Outcome might result in a creature doing something it might plausibly have done anyway, such as forgetting to report you or letting you pass without comment.
• Standard Outcome makes the creature do what it should, but in a way you decide, such as a police officer escorting you to safety or performing a quick favor.
• Great Outcome causes targets to ignore their normal routines and go out of their way to please you, such as neutral faction warriors fighting on your behalf or enemies choosing to ignore or flee from you.

Ordering city guard drones to ignore a disturbance usually requires more Effect than ordering them to resolve it and move on, as their default role is to protect the city.

Position depends on the creature’s actual relationship to you:

• Controlled Commanding a creature that agrees you outrank it, with consequences focused on limiting retries and misunderstanding details of your orders.
• RiskyOrdering a creature that sees itself as your equal, potentially leading to Heat, misunderstood orders, or orneriness.
• DesperateOrdering a creature that sees itself as your superior.

Chrome Crush

Enslave Metal.

You bind Metal creatures into obedient service. They remain in one location and act according to your instructions, like loyal and literal-minded enforcers, until the effect is broken.

This will not work unless you are already in a position of power. The effect is similar to Chrome Control, but potentially permanent. A creature under your enemies’ care may break free over time. Strong emotions, conflicting authority, or external interference can also break your control; otherwise, the effect lasts until dispelled.

— Back to top —

Consort

Consort powers change your form and later that of other creatures. These powers may also be used as a Set-Up action for a later Consort roll. This will often grant improved Effect, improved Position, or allow actions a human body could not normally perform.

Consequences may reveal your disguise, but only if the Position is Risky or Desperate. More common consequences are being mistaken for someone else, or attracting attention because your form is unnaturally glorious.

Golden Gloss

Metal accessories.

You do not physically change your body; instead, you alter your clothing and accessories. This can mask your identity or create extravagant, symbolic outfits. The Effect is usually Limited and the Position Controlled, though especially elaborate or conspicuous changes may require greater Effect.

You can use this on your entire Crew as an Advanced ability.

Golden Grace

Transform self.

This is a true physical transmutation, transforming you into a metal creature. You need not assume the form of an existing being, as long as the table agrees that your new form fits the power being used.

Golden Grace may function as a Set-Up action for social interactions, but may penalize other actions depending on the nature of your new form.

• Limited Effect — You resemble how you might have been had you grown up as the metal creature who's form you assume; those familiar with you may still recognize you.
• Standard Effect — You become a generic metal creature, very difficult to recognize as yourself.
• Great Effect — You assume the form and some of the mannerisms or presence of a specific metal creature you have studied.

Golden Glamour

Transform Crew.

You transform a willing or helpless creature into a metal creature. This is Golden Grace applied to another target.

The duration depends on Effect:

• Limited Effect — One scene.
• Standard Effect — Lasts for the duration of a score.
• Great Effect — Lasts longer and may become permanent, depending on the fiction.

This is often used as poetic justice, a curse that is difficult to reverse. Making the target unrecognizable requires additional Effect, as per Golden Grace.

Golden Garland

Transform crowd.

This is where Consort becomes similar to an Attune ability to summon. 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 creates a gang cohort (p 96) 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.

— Back to top —

Finesse

Steel Steering

Ride Metal.

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

You can grant this ability to your crew as an Advanced effect.

Steel Sting

Metal melee attack.

Attack in a manner similar in effect to a Fine and Potent dueling sword or pistol. This only substitutes for equipment; a fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective. In combat, using this does not take additional time — activating the power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.

Steel Spiral

Small manipulations.

You can precisely manipulate small amounts of metal at short range, similar to what you could do by hand. This allows you to push buttons, trigger devices, and perform acts of legerdemain. The effect is small, precise, and momentary. When it makes sense in the story that this creates leverage, you may roll Finesse without expending any time. Resolve this as a normal Set Up, then immediately roll the Action you are Setting Up.

Steel Streak

Create metal steeds.

You create metal mounts or vehicles for your crew. These are untiring and durable, but otherwise function like mundane means of transportation.

— Back to top —

Hunt

Lead Leash

Track 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 are usually losing the trail, but depending on the environment and the target, they may include getting lost, losing traction and skidding, or colliding with an obstacle at speed.

Lead Longshot

Metal snipe.

You can use your power to attack at range, similar in effect to a Fine and Potent rifle. This serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a Fine and Potent ranged weapon provides the same Effect.

Lead Landscape

Metal environment.

Alter the environment by making minor changes to metal over a wide area. You can corrode or polish metal to make it dull and pitted or smooth and reflective. You can gather, disperse, or alter slag and metallic pollution, changing its color and consistency. This does not inflict direct damage, but can significantly reshape the battleground and is often useful as a Set Up action, as long as the terrain or opponents’ gear includes metal.

Lead Lethality

Area metal attack.

Attack in a manner similar to a Fine and Potent grenade, harming many creatures at once while risking collateral damage. This is an escalation of Lead Longshot. Less precise, it affects all creatures at a location. Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not directly damaged, but are forced to keep their heads down, giving your side the initiative.

— Back to top —

Prowl

Sneak and move with stealth and agility.

Tin Tread

Hide in Metal.

You can hide in impossible places as long as the environment is predominantly metal (tin roofs, ship hulls, airframes, city pipes/gutters of lead). Otherwise resolve as a normal Prowl to avoid notice. Only you benefit unless you use Tin Tangle.

Tin Traverse

Move on/through metal.

You can climb sheer metal, pass through thin sheets, and slip gaps.

• Limited effect: cling to metal surfaces.
• Standard effect: pass through grilles, wire, bars.
• Great effect: pass through thin hulls/walls (not structural members or armor plate).

Only you benefit unless you use Tin Tangle.

Tin Tangle

Crew Prowling.

You can bring allies when you use Tin Tread or Tin Traverse. Allies roll their own Prowl if needed. Often resolved as a Group Action.

Tin Tunnel

Metal teleport.

Teleport from one location dominated by metal to another you’re familiar with (foundry, forge, mine with rich ore, metal-walled room). Position and effect are worse if you don’t know the destination—excellent for escapes, risky for blind intrusion. Regional only (same city/region) but enough to exit almost any situation.

— Back to top —

Skirmish

Skirmish focuses on endurance, tactics, and teamwork.

Bronze Bulwark

Resist Metal.

Absorb Harm from Metal sources (Metal Powers, melee Weapons, 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. Allies roll their own Skirmish dice.

Bronze Beatdown

Metal Melee Attack.

This substitutes for Equipment; a Fine and Potent mundane Weapon is equally effective.

Bronze Blitz

Gain Scale.

You attack with furor, overwhelm multiple Foes at once — this gives you Scale (p 221). Otherwise the same as Bronze Beatdown.

Bronze Bond

Group Action.

Enable a Group Action when using flexible resilience or overcoming rigid structure or mechanical opposition — allowing coordinated effort despite entrenched resistance that would normally prevent meaningful contribution. You may do this even when some participants would not normally be able to contribute meaningfully due to physical limitation, Scale, or environmental constraint.

You lead the Group Action and roll Skirmish. Choose the Action most appropriate to the shared physical task. Each participant other than you rolls that Action. Stress to the leader is resolved as normal for a Group Action.

— Back to top —

Study

Study and analyze objects and creatures imbued with your power to gain insight and knowledge. The Outcome 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.

Brass Brief

Identify Metal.

This gives precise mundane information, but not supernatural or exceptional abilities such as Powers.

Brass Blueprint

Analyze Metal.

Learn of powers and abilities. You learn the powers and abilities of a target. This is not restricted to mundane information; you also learn of any Powers, special abilities, and relevant rules.

Brass Backstory

Metal history.

Read the past events of an object. You learn previous owners, how the object has been moved or used, and significant scenes from its history. The power focuses on events of interest to you.

Brass Bibliography

Analyze a wide area.

Provides a detailed view of events involving metal within an Area (p. 221), pinpointing locations of interest that contain large amounts of metal or complex metal formations. This can detect things such as tanks, railroads, vaults, and similar structures. You can then use Brass Backstory 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.

Electrum Enquiry

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, as well as Metal creatures. The more detailed your information about what you are seeking is, the more precise the result.

Electrum Eye

Perceive from Metal.

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 a dim awareness at your actual location.

Electrum Eavesdropper

Spy from Metal.

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

Electrum Enlightenment

Area perception.

You perceive from all metal objects within Range (p 221). 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 to hide in this area unless they are aware of the need to conceal themselves.

— Back to top —

Sway

Silver Sympathy

Understand Metal.

You can converse with and gauge the mood and motivations of Metal creatures. You can also sense if a creature of any kind is confident, precise, or decisive.

Silver Speech

Talk to Metal.

You and your crew can communicate with Metal creatures. 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.

Silver Suggestion

Suggest Metal.

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. This is still a Sway attempt and absurd suggestions will be ignored.

Silver Subtlety

Inculcate Metal.

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

— Back to top —

Tinker

Manipulate, shape, and create metal objects. The names all include "pewter", but that is just a name scheme, Tinker Metal is not focused on working pewter.

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. Any effect achieved will last, such as a repair made with temporary tools.
• Standard Outcome construction, repair, or item lasts for the duration of a score.
• Great Outcome is semi-permanent. This does not make permanent kit, but it can make permanent effects to the setting, such as repairing a large construction like a bridge or wall.

Something larger than you are, very complex, or of higher Quality Level than your Tier increases the needed Outcome.

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

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

Patch Pewter

Craft Metal.

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

Pour Pewter

Work Metal.

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 a new shape or maintaining a flow without a pipe or mold. This can substitute for pipes and containers and facilitate the construction of traps or devices, avoiding the need for extensive equipment.

Provision Pewter

Transumte Metal.

This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create metal out of nothing. This can be fairly complex, to the level of Fine and Potent effects, but won't last past the end of a score.

The second can only be used if you know multiple Forms. You transmute metal into material connected to another Form. The result will maintain its form as if affected by Pour Pewter. The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows.

Combining this with Air, a metal door could be changed from metal to mist, you then pass through and the door reverts to metal. Likewise, a metal sword can be turned into Fire to create a burning weapon.

Produce Pewter

Fabricate Metal.

This is similar to Pour Pewter 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 workforce and facilities. In long-term projects involving construction or crafting, Produce Pewter makes many dozens of items with the same effort as one item, but remember the stress cost.

— Back to top —

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 direct attacks, massive crowds, or dangerous construction is desperate.

Iron Impulse

Metal sledgehammer.

Just as crude as it sounds. You destroy metal and strike with the force of a sledgehammer in combat. This relies on brute force, it does not bypass the inherent strength of a metal target. As usual, Wreck may be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to Hunt, Finesse and Skirmish, depending on the situation.

Iron Impact

Shatter Metal.

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

Iron Implosion

Pulverize Metal.

Like Iron Impact, but silent and reduces remains to fine metal filings, destroying most clues to what it was. Gets rid of evidence, as long as that evidence is of metal.

Iron Invasion

Area Iron Implosion.

This can level a city block, raze a metal wall, destroy a mass of vehicles, and similar large-scale destruction over an Area (p. 221). Metal is a ubiquitous support material in modern construction, wrecking the metal makes that construction unstable and causes it to slowly crumble.

— Back to top —