Charm (Action)

Heroic Action Role-Play

Introduction

Unskilled Use

Impress skill defaults to XXX. How you can use the skill unskilled.

Use in Action

General description of how the skill is used in action.

Knowledge

What you know based on the skill.

Contacts

Who you know based on the skill.

Stunts

List of specific stunts the skill can be used for, and rules for each using the standard power format.

Acting & Disguise

You can play out an assumed role with an opposed Charm roll. Against people with only limited knowledge of your assumed role, the difficulty is their Mind instead. Make a roll on the initial encounter and a further roll at important junctures, which generally works out to once per scene. You cannot impersonate a specific person, and need bulky clothes to change your apparent race or gender.

Fast Talk

Basic Action

You can baffle others with tricky words and misleading demeanor. Make an opposed Charm roll; on a success, your target loses 3 shots and you can move past or by them or claim some minor boon from them. Typical uses include distracting a doorman or police officer, conning someone out of some change, or stealing an unsuspecting kiss. It can also be used to get a respite in a fight.

If your Outcome matches the target's Mind, you cause him major consternation; he loses a number of shots equal to your Outcome.

Feint

Basic Action

You distract another by a quick and deceptive actions or words, causing him to stumble or otherwise make a fool of himself. This is a useful set-up both in and outside of combat. The roll will be heavily modified depending on how well you describe your stunt and use available props.

Make an opposed Charm roll against your target. If you succeed, add the Outcome as a modifier to your next skill roll against this target. You can also give away this advantage to someone else, effectively setting the target up for someone else's attack.

It you score an Outcome matching the target's Mind, you also inflict a Setback; the target suffers some direct penalty, as appropriate to the situation and how you described your outmaneuver. He might mistake you for an ally, strike past you at a friendly target, run off after some imaginary danger, or otherwise temporarily make a fool of himself.

Gambling

Basic Action

When gambling against another character, make opposed Charm rolls to see who gains the advantage at each stage. The Outcome is a bonus on your next roll. If you get an Outcome matching your opponent's Mind, you win. As in any fight, various stylish stunts can give you a bonus. Your stake is raised before each roll you make; refusing to raise ad roll means you forfeit the game. Rigged games give the cheater a bonus of +3, or possibly even more for complex cheats.

Good Cop Routine

Trigger Action (Finisher)

Make an opposed Charm roll against your target. If you succeed, you gain their confidence and they see how you are trying to work out the best for them in their current situation; they would not lie to you or play tricks on you, but they still maintain ther old loyalties ad might not spill the beans to you either. Combines well with Bad Cop Routine.

Seduction

Special: 1 hour per roll

Charm can be used to get others to help you because of love and desire. Seduction is slow and takes a minimum of an hour per roll, in an appropriate setting and mood.

Seduction requires an opposed Charm roll to work. On an Outcome equal to the target's Mind, the target falls for you. On a lesser success, add the outcome as a bonus to any later seductio roill. A failure means the mood is lost and you can't continue in this scene. The sexual preferences of the target modifies this heavily; it is generally impossible to seduce someone who is not attracted to your apparent species and gender.

Once some has been seduced, they will willingly follow and help you out. They seek to avoid conflict with their old allies, and if push comes to shove you cannot guarantee how they will react; they will try to avoid seeing you harmed, but they might make you a captive to save you later or even to have you at their mercy, or they might decide to throw in their lot with you and abandon their former allies.

Someone who you have seduced expects sexual favors from you; if you refuse them when the occasion present itself your power over them is broken, and they might become vindictive or even downright hostile. The same applies if they learn you have been unfaithful.