Difference between revisions of "Animal Powers (FiD)"
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=== Survey === | === Survey === | ||
Perceive and locate Animals and Animal powers. | Perceive and locate Animals and Animal powers. | ||
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| − | + | The Outcome required depends on the target’s concealment: | |
| − | + | * '''Limited Outcome''' finds targets hiding behind cover or in distant places you can barely see. | |
| + | * '''Standard Outcome''' can perceive behind walls and into hard cover. | ||
| + | * '''Great Outcome''' can reach far-away places or locations you had no prior awareness of. | ||
| − | + | ==== Instinctual Sense ==== | |
| − | + | Animal sensing. | |
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| − | + | Sense animals and animal remains at a distance, or gain the senses of a chosen animal. | |
| − | + | The first use is a basic spotting ability, selectively sensing things related to Animal. | |
| − | + | The Outcome required depends on the target’s concealment. | |
| − | + | You can also choose an animal and gain its sensory abilities. | |
| − | You can | + | For example, a dog’s perception focuses on scent, while a cat’s focuses on hearing and the ability to detect motion even in darkness. |
| − | ==== | + | ==== Instinctual Impression ==== |
| − | + | Borrow senses. | |
| − | + | Tap into the perception of an animal you know is present and perceive as if you were that animal. | |
| + | You can use an Advanced Command or Sway ability to have the animal move into a better position. | ||
| − | ==== | + | ==== Instinctual Insight ==== |
| − | + | Sense a target. | |
| − | + | Choose a location or creature. You gain Instinctual Impression through the nearest suitable animal. | |
| + | This functions like Instinctual Impression, but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position, which need not be animal-related. | ||
| + | The ability automatically selects the animal with the best vantage point. | ||
| + | It fails if no suitable animal is available. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Instinctual Integration ==== | ||
| + | Sense an Area. | ||
| + | |||
| + | You perceive through all animals within Range (p. 221). | ||
| + | Your senses are enhanced impossibly, as though you were all of the animals spread across the scene. | ||
| + | This creates a comprehensive mental image of the Area, revealing numerous details simultaneously and allowing you to integrate them into a single coherent mental picture. | ||
<div style="text-align:center;"> — [[#top|Back to top]] — </div> | <div style="text-align:center;"> — [[#top|Back to top]] — </div> | ||
Revision as of 17:49, 21 January 2026
| Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page |
Animals are an important part of mystic experience.
What Animal Does
The entire domain of living creatures is governed by the Life power, but this is subdivided into different realms: Mind governing creatures that think and act, Animal governing creatures that act but do not think, Plant governing life that doesn't act or think.
Animal governs the minds and bodies of natural animals as well as creatures and spirits related to animals. The defining trait of all these creatures is that they can act, but are not Sapient, don't build societies, and are motivated by instincts and drives. Some can be trained or even domesticated making them a part of the society of Humans and other sapient Folk, but they do not form society by themselves. Eusocial animals are a borderline case, but these are still animals as they don't reason, they work off instincts.
There is no clear line between Animals and Monsters. A monster is an animal that is dominated by its Forms, it is not as much a part of the ecology as a danger to the ecology. This is a narrative deskription, the rules don't make this distinction.
Elemental Forms deal with animals and monsters that are connected to their elements.
- Air governs flying animals.
- Earth governs burrowing animals.
- Electricity governs the few electric animals, such as electric eels and sharks with electrosense.
- Fire governs desert animals.
- Ice governs arctic animals.
- Water governs aquatic and amphibious animals.
Animals, Monsters, & Elementals
Animal-like monsters exist with all kinds of weird powers, often reminiscent of tribal myths, but they are all creatures of flesh and blood. All these creatures are monsters, but still under the Animal Form as well as their elemental Forms. A bird is affected by both the Animal and Air forms.
On the other hand, Elementals, creatures that are entirely made of elemental materials, are not governed by the Animal Form even when they have the form of an animal.
Animal Spirits
Animal Spirits are immaterial intelligences associated with the fauna of a territory. When you speak with an animal, you may actually be communicating with such a Spirit, which temporarily channels itself through a particular animal in order to speak. The animal is not the spirit; it is a vessel or mouthpiece. Most such spirits are weak, bound to their Haunts, and perceive the world through the animals they protect. They allow more complex conversation than would be possible with an entirely mundane animal, resolved using the relevant Command and Sway powers. They do not grant access to great power. More powerful spirits can be summoned; this is the realm of Attune.
Totem Animal
You can choose to have a special relationship to a particular kind of animal, and your relation to other animals is colored by the totem. For example, wolf totem is regarded by animals as a wolf and feared by prey animals, sheep totem is liked and regarded as harmless, and so on.
Animal Attacks
Animal attacks create phantom animal features such as teeth, claws, antlers, or horns to attack with. You use them to do stunts like grab, tackle, or knock back. You create these animal parts from nothing, use them, and they then disappear. How this works and what this looks like depends on your Power Playbook, it can be animal spirits or ghosts, conjured animal shapes, projections of your ki or chi or actual summoned but very temporary animals. Decide on the look of your animal attacks and stick to it until there is a narrative reason to change.
Animal 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 | Wild Watch Detect Animal powers and animals with powers. |
Wild Ward Dismiss animals. End Animal powers. |
Wild Wrangling Summon animals and animal spirits. |
Wild Window Create a portal that allows travel to and from the animal spirit realm. |
| Command | Beast Boast Command with animalistic authority. |
Beast Message Communicate long-distance with or using animals. |
Animal Authority Commands to animals as if you were their alpha. |
Enslave Animals Permanently bind creatures to service. |
| Consort | Animal Mask Gain cosmetic animal traits to mask your identity or create a fabulous look. |
Animal Shape Assume animal form or human-animal hybrid form. |
Animal Transformation You can use Animal Shape on a willing or helpless creature. |
Wild Hunt Transform a number of willing or non-sentient creatures and give them a simple instruction. |
| Finesse | Beastly Bridle Ride any animal or animal-powered vehicle. |
Fine Claw A fine and potent close-range attack. Give crew Beastly Bridle. |
Control Animal Control an animal like a string puppet. |
'Wild Ride Ride ignoring terrain. |
| Hunt | Scent Seeker Track by scent, similar to a well-trained tracking dog. |
Beast Bolt Flying fangs, similar in effect to a fine and potent rifle. |
Herd Mind Influence many animals at once. |
Beastly Barrage Attack like fine and potent grenade. |
| Prowl | Camouflage Assume the camouflage pattern of an animal, hide where that animal could. |
Beast Stride Use the movement of animals. Move through herds or packs of animals. |
Pack Prowl Bring crew when you use Camouflage and Beast Stride. |
Roaming You and allies teleport from one animal den to another. |
| Skirmish | Avoid Animals Resist Animal damage. |
Ravage Fine and potent animal attack. |
Onslaught Create distractions that prevents scale. |
Pack Attack Attack all enemies in an area. |
| Study | Animal Analyze You can identify animals and objects relating to animals. |
Animal Lore Learn the powers and abilities of something you analyze. |
Pedigree Read past events of an animal or animal product. |
Omniscience Animal Lore in a wide area, then Pedigree on chosen targets. |
| Survey | Sense Animal Sense animals and animal remains at a distance. Gain the senses of a chosen animal. |
Beast Perception Tap into the perception of an animal you know is there and perceive as if you were that animal. |
Pet Perception Choose a location or creature. You gain Beast Perception at the nearest animal. |
Wild Sense You perceive from all animals over a wide area. |
| Sway | Read Animal Understand animal motives and what they are about to do and to avoid provoking them. |
Animal Tunges Your crew can communicate with animals. Influence folk to be lustful and competitive. |
Program Animal Post suggestions in the mind of an animal. |
Domesticate Permanently change the personality and motivations of an animal. |
| Tinker | Animal Crafts Work animal products as if you had the appropriate tools. |
Animal Shaping You can shape materials that manifest your power as if they were of clay. |
Beastcraft Create objects made from animal parts out of nothing, or transform an object from one material to another. |
Wild Fabrication Similar to Animal Shaping, but you mass produce objects or make something large, such as a vehicle or building. |
| Wreck | Mangle Jimmy organic materials that animals could destroy. Noisy and leaves a twisted remains. |
Decompose Apply the effect of reducers like bacteria and insects like woodworms. Slow but powerful. |
Wildwarp Decompose or Mangle, but destroyed targets silently disappear or are reduced to a fine dust. |
Infestation Decompose or Mangle over a large area. This can do massive destruction over time. |
Expanded Animal Powers
Connect with the natural world and harness the power of animals for various purposes.
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.
Wild Watch
Detect Animal.
Detect Animal powers and animals with powers. This is usually done to spot a spirit or a disguised creature. However, it can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature. Limited effect suffices against a creature you can clearly see. If you know several different powers, you can scan for all of them at the same time. Limited outcome suffices against a creature you can clearly see. You need greater outcome against against a creature that is hidden (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.
Wild Ward
End Animal abilities.
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.
You can dispel Animal effects and powers that affect Animal creatures. 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 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 is hard and usually requires Great Outcome. A creature that has been wounded or otherwise weakened only needs Standard Outcome. A creature that wants to be dismissed requires only Limited Outcome.
Wild Wrangling
Summon Animal.
Summoning brings you allies to fight or labor for you, giving you scale. Summons can use simple effects of their power and maintain power effects you have created.
You can summon mundane animals from other planes, including extra large and legendary animals and Animal creatures with Powers other than Animal. The limit is that animals are not Sapient or capable of speech. Most mundane animals are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune power effects.
Summons are Chohorts: 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
Wild Window
Animal gate.
Create a portal that allows travel to and from the Animal spirit realm, a vast wild land with many different biotopes inhabited by all kinds of wild animals. Many animals in this land are Inteligent and can speak. Humans are only visitors here, tolerated and even allowed to hunt as long as they don't disturb the natural order.
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 animals, projecting authority. Position and Effect depend on the situation and your relationship with the listeners.
Beast Bristle
Animal intimidation.
You can growl, roar, raise your hackles, and otherwise display animalistic traits to heighten your authority, similar to what could be achieved by displaying a weapon, but with less notoriety. This can provide the leverage needed to use Command to intimidate without a spoken threat of violence. Animals may recognize you as a figure of authority.
Beast Boast
Animal messenger.
Communicate over long distances with or through animals. You can communicate with Animal creatures over any distance, as long as you know the target, even without line of sight. You can also communicate with the most powerful Animal creature associated with a vehicle or installation, provided you can see its exterior. Communication is simple and direct, as is typical for the Command action.
You can have animals carry messages to a specific place, or with Great Outcome to specific individuals. The animal must travel there by its own means.
Beast Bluster
Command as an alpha.
Animals perceive you as an alpha, or as if you have just successfully faced them down. This allows you to issue orders to strangers and improves Effect, but not Position; targets comply without accepting your authority. This does not remove existing loyalties, which may lead to conflict. Understanding the social structure of your targets helps avoid clashes with established hierarchies.
Orders must be direct and specific. You can tell an animal to escort and guard something, but if you later want it to do something else, you must Command it again.
Beast Bond
Permanently bind an animal.
This only works if you already hold power over the target. The effect is similar to Beast Bluster, but permanent. Strong emotions may break your control, but otherwise it persists until dispelled.
Consort
Consort powers change your form and, later, that of other creatures. These powers also facilitate Consort rolls where being an Animal is an advantage, often granting improved initial Effect, improved Position, or allowing actions a human could not perform. Do not make separate Consort rolls for using the power and for consorting in this form; it is all resolved with a single roll.
Both Animal and Life allow you to assume animal forms. Animal can produce hybrid or partial animal forms; Life can only assume the forms of existing creatures.
A common consequence is that you are mistaken for someone else, or that your assumed form becomes a hindrance. You might be obnoxiously attractive, trigger prejudices, or suffer unexpected handicaps.
Herd Hue
Animal cosmetics.
Gain cosmetic animal traits to mask your identity or create a striking appearance. You make minor physical changes to yourself, such as adding an animal nose, fur, ears, or a tail. You can also make subtler changes, becoming reminiscent of an animal in stance or manner, such as ratlike or catlike, while retaining your general form. The initial Effect is usually Limited and the Position Controlled.
You can use this ability on your entire Crew as an Advanced ability.
Herd Heart
Transform self.
Assume an animal form or a human–animal hybrid form. This is a true physical transmutation, allowing you to gain the abilities of animals. You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the game master agrees that your new form qualifies as an animal, including legendary animals.
Herd Heart can function as a set-up action for other actions, but may penalize some actions, as appropriate to your new form. Your new form can use appropriate Basic and Advanced Animal powers inherently, without risking Stress. If you wish to transform into a Monster, you must know any Forms that monster is related to.
- Limited Outcome allows you to transform into a version of yourself as you might have been if you had grown up as the creature whose form you assume. Those familiar with you will recognize you.
- Standard Outcome allows you to become a generic creature, making you very difficult to recognize as yourself.
- Great Outcome allows you to assume the shape and some of the personality of a specific creature you have studied.
Herd Haven
Transform others.
This is Herd Heart applied to another creature that is either helpless or cooperative. The duration depends on the Outcome.
- Limited Outcome is very temporary.
- Standard Outcome lasts for the duration of a score.
- Great Outcome lasts a long time and, when used as punishment, may be permanent.
If you also want to make the target unrecognizable, that requires additional Outcome; see Herd Heart.
Herd Host
Transform bit characters.
Transform a number of willing or non-sentient creatures into animals and give them a simple instruction. 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.
Finesse
Exercise finesse with your power, manipulating and attacking with precision.
Practiced Poise
Ride any Animal.
This allows you to proficiently use Finesse with mounts and animal-drawn vehicles, even if you are not familiar with them. You can ride beasts even if they are not trained to carry a rider, as long as they are physically capable of doing so. You can also sprint like an animal, giving you a very fast burst of speed over short distances.
As an Advanced ability, you can grant Practiced Poise to your Crew.
Precise Poise
Fine and Potent Attack.
Claw, bite, or thrust like an animal. Animal attacks manifest as phantom animal features such as teeth, claws, antlers, or horns. Using Finesse, you strike with sudden swipes or thrusts while mostly staying out of reach.
This substitutes for equipment only; a Fine and Potent Finesse weapon is equally effective for dealing damage. Using this ability does not take additional time in a fight; activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.
Puppet Poise
Puppet an animal momentarily.
Force an animal to perform a small, precise movement. This works best on animals not actively involved in the scene, such as pets, mounts, or vermin in the area. The control is extremely precise but very brief.
The animal’s intelligence or attitude is not a factor, but it must have a suitable body part for manipulation. This allows an animal to open doors, trigger or interfere with mechanisms, or perform other quick, minor actions. You can also cause an animal to fumble an attack or action.
This only takes a moment to use and can be used to Set Up yourself for another action.
Piloting Poise
Ride ignoring terrain.
You, your Crew, and any mounts or vehicles you ride adapt seamlessly to terrain, moving as if native to it. This does not apply in situations that require the use of Prowl.
Hunt
Track, attack, and unleash devastating barrages with the power of Hunt.
Seeker Scent
Track by scent.
Track by scent, similar to a well-trained tracking dog. Consequences are usually the loss of the trail, but depending on the environment and the target, they may also lead you into traps, cause you to become lost, or result in an ambush.
Seeker Strike
Flying fangs.
Hurl spines or semi-material beasts at your targets from a distance, similar in effect to a Fine and Potent rifle. The exact appearance depends on taste and setting: ephemeral claws or teeth, or even entire temporary animals summoned to strike.
This serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a Fine and Potent ranged weapon would be equally effective. In melee, this ability can be dangerous to you and your allies.
Seeker Scramble
Confuse animals.
Exert imprecise control over many animals across an entire scene. Mounts may become unruly, herd animals may stampede, livestock may panic, and guard animals may bark, flee, or seek shelter instead of performing their duties.
This is not an attack. It confuses animals, which then affect the environment, but they do not fight on your behalf. You can influence the general direction of their behavior, but you cannot directly control them.
Seeker Storm
A storm of spectral animals.
An escalation of Seeker Strike, creating a swarm of temporary animals and directing them into an Area (p. 221). This effect is less precise and affects all creatures in the Area.
The animals attack indiscriminately, creating a risk of collateral damage. Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in immediate danger, but tend to keep their heads down, giving your side the initiative.
Prowl
Sneak and move with animal agility.
Skulking Slink
Hide like an animal.
Assume the camouflage patterns of an animal and hide where that animal could hide. This allows you to conceal yourself in otherwise impossible places, as long as you know of animals capable of doing so. The concealment is never perfect, but it is especially effective in natural environments.
This otherwise works like a normal attempt to use Prowl to avoid notice. Only you can use this ability; your friends and allies cannot unless you use Skulking Swarm.
Skulking Scuttle
Move like an animal.
Select an animal. Without changing your shape, you move like the chosen animal. This allows you to climb, jump, or swim as that animal would.
Your size and mass remain the same, which prevents flying and restricts climbing to surfaces that can support your weight.
Skulking Swarm
Prowl with your crew.
You can share Skulking Slink and Skulking Scuttle with your Crew, but each ally still uses their own Prowl action. This often results in a Group Action.
Skulking Surge
Teleport den to den.
You and your Crew teleport from one animal den to another. This allows regional travel between animal dens you know. Both dens must be large enough to accommodate the largest member of the group.
If a den cannot hold all of you, those who arrive first are pushed out to make space. This form of travel is limited to a city or county in scale.
Skirmish
Prosper in the chaos of battle.
Rush Roll
Resist Animal Harm.
You can ignore Harm from Animal abilities and attacks made by animals. 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.
Rush Rip
Fine and Potent attack.
Attack like an animal, briefly manifesting animal parts such as claws, teeth, or horns to strike with.
Rush Rumble
Prevent Scale.
You call animals or create temporary animals to participate in a fight. They do not inflict direct Harm, but they prevent enemies from benefiting from Scale (p. 221). In addition, you make a Rush Rip attack as part of this ability.
Rush Ravage
Attack all enemies in an Area.
Like Onslaught, but the animals actively attack, allowing you to deal full damage to a cohort gang (p. 96).
Study
Study and analyze objects made by or from animals. The effect required depends on range, limited effect for touch, standard effect for line-of-sight, and 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. Sometimes the thing you are researching it dangerous in itself, worsening position. Consequences may give you knowledge that is faulty or lacks crucial details or depend on the situation such as a stray shot finding you when divining in battle.
Animal Analyze
You can identify animals and objects relating to animals.
This gives the name and very basic information in narrative terms, but not details or actual rules. You can tell which animal left certain spoor, that this is the shed skin of a certain type of snake, that a bird spider made this well, and the like.
Animal Lore
Learn the powers and abilities of something you analyze.
You learn of any powers or special abilities an Animal creature or object has. This includes actual rules and game effects. Examples include that the hatchling of this snake is quite dangerous, what animal wove this web, that an animal weaves dangerous webs and how they work, what is needed to counteract this venom, and so on.
Pedigree
Read past events of an animal or animal product.
This includes previous owners of an item and how the object or animal has moved around as well as significant scenes from its history. It also gives breeding information and shows the relationship between animals analyzed. The power zooms in on events and information of interest to you.
Omniscience
Animal Lore in a wide area, then Pedigree on chosen targets.
Provides a detailed view of events involving animals as far as you can see, pinpointing locations of interest like territory, dens, and stables. You can then use Pedigree to learn the history of up to three such locations.
Survey
Perceive and locate Animals and Animal powers.
The Outcome required depends on the target’s concealment:
- Limited Outcome finds targets hiding behind cover or in distant places you can barely see.
- Standard Outcome can perceive behind walls and into hard cover.
- Great Outcome can reach far-away places or locations you had no prior awareness of.
Instinctual Sense
Animal sensing.
Sense animals and animal remains at a distance, or gain the senses of a chosen animal.
The first use is a basic spotting ability, selectively sensing things related to Animal. The Outcome required depends on the target’s concealment.
You can also choose an animal and gain its sensory abilities. For example, a dog’s perception focuses on scent, while a cat’s focuses on hearing and the ability to detect motion even in darkness.
Instinctual Impression
Borrow senses.
Tap into the perception of an animal you know is present and perceive as if you were that animal. You can use an Advanced Command or Sway ability to have the animal move into a better position.
Instinctual Insight
Sense a target.
Choose a location or creature. You gain Instinctual Impression through the nearest suitable animal. This functions like Instinctual Impression, but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position, which need not be animal-related. The ability automatically selects the animal with the best vantage point. It fails if no suitable animal is available.
Instinctual Integration
Sense an Area.
You perceive through all animals within Range (p. 221). Your senses are enhanced impossibly, as though you were all of the animals spread across the scene. This creates a comprehensive mental image of the Area, revealing numerous details simultaneously and allowing you to integrate them into a single coherent mental picture.
Sway
Communicate, mesmerize, and manipulate animals. Position and Effect are determined normally, depending on the situation and your relationship to the listeners. Animals are more capable of understanding and negotiation because ambient animal spirits act as intermediaries.
Read Animal
Understand animal motives and anticipate their behavior.
Gauge the mood and motivations of animals and interpret any communication they use. This does not allow animals to understand you. You can also sense when any kind of creature is in an animalistic, lustful, or competitive mood.
Animal Tongues
Your Crew can communicate with animals. Influence creatures to be animalistic, lustful, or competitive.
This allows you and your Crew to use the Sway action with full Effect when dealing with animals, communing with them more clearly than animals normally communicate with one another. In addition, you can influence any creature to become more animalistic, lustful, or competitive.
Program Animal
Implant post-suggestions in the mind of an animal.
This is an enhanced form of Animal Tongues, allowing you to implant suggestions that trigger under conditions you set. The power remains subtle until the suggestion activates.
Domesticate
Permanently change the personality and motivations of an animal.
This power is permanent and blatant. The animal must be helpless or willing. Domesticate alters the animal on a deep level, changing its priorities and loyalties. The target remembers its past, but considers it unimportant compared to its new motivations. Exceptional creatures or circumstances
Tinker
Manipulate, shape, and create objects made from animals, including skin, bone, leather, feathers, and fur.
- 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.
Animal Crafts
Work animal products as if you had the appropriate tools.
Work animal products like leather, bone, teeth, sinew, and horn as if you had the appropriate tools and protective devices. Items you work with can have small parts made of other materials, such as metal eyelets or synthetic thread.
Animal Shaping
You can shape materials that manifest your power as if they were of clay.
Manipulate animal parts as if you were in a workshop.
- Make quick fix repairs to leather and bone items.
- Quickly break a carcass down to extrakt useful parts.
- Quickly build simple large things like traps and barricades out of cadavers.
Beastcraft
Create objects made from animal parts out of nothing, or transform an object from one material to another.
You can create objects made from animal parts out of nothing, or transform an object from one material to another as long as you know all of the Forms involved for both the starting and final material.
You can create complex tools, such as fine and potent items. You can do Animal Shaping without access to cadavers or other raw materials.
Wild Fabrication
Similar to Animal Crafts, but you mass produce objects or make something large, such as a vehicle or building.
You can mass produce objects or create large structures like ships or buildings that normally require a workforce and facilities. In long-term projects involving construction or crafting, Wild Fabrication makes many dozens of items with the same effort as one item but risks the usual Stress cost.
Wreck
Destroy, dismantle, and obliterate animal products. Rip and rend like a wild beast.
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.
Mangle
Jimmy organic materials that animals could destroy. Noisy and leaves a twisted remains.
Just as crude as it sounds. You destroy animal products and strike with the force of a bear paw in combat. What you can wreck depends on the size and structural strength of your target. Standard effect is a car-sized hole in a brick or mortar wall. Construction significantly weaker than this only demands limited effect. A smaller hole stil need the same effect. Something larger and/or stronger requires great effect.
Animal attacks create phantom animal features such as teeth, claws, antlers, or horns to attack with. You can do things like grab, tackle, or knock back. As usual, Wreck may be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to Hunt, Finesse and Skirmish, depending on the situation.
Decompose
Apply the effect of reducers like bacteria and insects like woodworms. Slow but powerful.
This bypasses the strength of materials, allowing you to break even the strongest barrier, but it takes time. Minutes for organic barriers, hours for metals, days or weeks for stone. You can also use this to smash like a fine, potent claw.
Wildwarp
Decompose or Mangle, but destroyed targets silently disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
The real difference here is that wrecking things is now silent. Leave less traces, as what you wreck disappears. Get rid of evidence, as long as that evidence are animal remains and products.
Infestation
Decompose or Mangle over a large area. This can do massive destruction over time.
Rather straightforward, this just scales things up.