Degeneration (Action)

Heroic Action Role-Play

This is a Method for using Powers in Action. Methods are a part of Traditions and define how Powers are used in each campaign.

Degeneration

Your powers derive from an inner, secret nature shocking to common sensibilities. As you use your powers, your power origin becomes shockingly obvious, making people shun you and dread you. Typical examples are necromancers and demonologists turning into the monstrosities they control, androids losing their skin to expose the machinery below, or cosmic powers bleeding out all around.

Limitation

Degeneration is measured in points; each time you take a Hit or roll a snake eyes or boxcars result when using a power you gain one degeneration point. All interactions except base terror against people with common sensibilities suffer a penalty equal to the number of degeneration points you have. When you have degeneration points equal to your Mind, you are no longer recognizably human (or whatever creature you normally look like); sensible people will run from you. In more tolerant settings, your degeneration becomes more disgusting so that they still break the mold of "normal" sufficiently to have you ostracized.

This is a side effect of your powers; it never prevents you from using your powers, except that powers cannot hide your degeneration and interactive powers suffer the penalties mentioned.

Degeneration points reset to zero each game session. Full degeneration can be overcome/adapted to given time and care; this usually only happens between stories or when you take a time out from adventuring, not at the end of each session.

Focus Condition

Trigger Action (Focus)

You can focus as your current degeneration points are less than your Mind. Doing so gives you a degeneration point.