New BNW Powers
Need a few new Powers to build some Deltas with? Here's a few to work with.
Medium
A Medium has the ability to contact the spirits from the Other Side. They rely on psychometry to do this,
requiring an artifact from the deceased person to ply their powers. This ability is not dissimilar from the
Bargainer power. Each artifact is essentially a "totem," and a Medium cannot have more attuned artifacts than
their Spirit die type. A Medium attunes artifacts in the same manner that a Bargainer attunes
Totems. However, it takes a half hour to enable an "attuned" artifact, and requires a Spirit roll each time
this is attempted. Once a spirit is attuned and enabled, the Medium may use her powers as listed below.
Destruction of the item destroys the link to the spirit.
Powers
Necroscope: The Medium may ask questions of the spirit. This requires a Spirit roll. Against a spirit
who does not wish to answer questions, this is an opposed Spirit roll. In either case, the Medium
receives one answer per success. The spirit cannot answer questions concerning matters it was unaware of
when alive. Spirits, particularly reluctant ones, often phrase their answers in a vague or elusive manner
that, while literally true, are often obscure.
Takeover: A Medium can let a spirit contacted (see above) take her over almost entirely. She still
retains control at a basic level, but the spirit guides her actions, speaks as it wishes, and may
retain knowledge that the Medium is not privy to. Needless to say, this can be rather dangerous unless
the Medium has established a friendly relationship with the spirit in question. A Medium may attempt to
reassert her control forcibly by making a Spirit roll (TN 10), with modifiers based on how
adverse she would be to the action the spirit is taking. A spirit is still limited by the Medium's
statistics and skills (although an Alpha Medium could let a spirit use its own skill levels).
Power Channeling: A Medium may draw on any non-physical powers of a Delta spirit they are attuned to and
enabled with (i.e., a Goliath's power package can't be duplicated, but pretty much everything else
currently existing is fair game). An Alpha's power(s) cannot be duplicated by a Delta Medium (although a
Alpha Medium could do so). The Medium gains the complete power package, quirks and all. If the Power
Package relates to a skill or skills (i.e., Gunner, Genius), the Medium is considered to be Skilled.
Quirk
Enabling: Enabling is a potentially dangerous process. The Medium makes an opposed Spirit roll against
the spirit she is trying to channel. A spirit that was "friendly" to the Medium in life (or has become friendly
from previous contacts and any favors the Meidum may have done them) can choose not to oppose (although
the Medium must still make a Spirit roll). The Spirit gains a +1 bonus to its Spirit roll for each of
the following Quirks it had in life: Bloodthirsty, Crazy, Death Wish, Mean, Savage, Stubborn, Temper,
Vengeful. If the Medium is successful, the item is enabled and can be used. If the Spirit wins or the
Medium rolls a Disaster, it takes control of the Medium for five minutes per success it achieved.
Tricks
Jinx: As per the Bargainer trick.
Make It Look Easy: As per the Bargainer trick.
Other Tricks: The Medium can learn the tricks of any Powers associated with an item that she has
attuned. The trick is only of use when using that item's Power Package.
Buzzsaw
A "Buzzsaw" is a near-Alpha class power. As such, it is somewhat restricted. In fact, the basic Power
Package does not, in fact, give any "power" per se. It merely entitles the Buzzsaw to purchase Tricks. Such
a power is typically manifested by particularly twisted, insane individuals who tend towards casual
homicide. It is not recommended for player-character Deltas, although final determination should be made
by the Guide.
Powers
None (see above)
Quirk
Insanity: A Delta with this Power must take at least Crazy-2.
Energy-proof: Use of "Slice and Dice" has no effect and does no damage through force fields, such
as those established by a Deflector.
Tricks
Slice and Dice: For each extra success the Buzzsaw achieves on a barehanded attack roll
(Fighting or Martial Arts), after he has totaled his die for damage, he may then add an additional
dice to the damage total for each success (as if he had spent a Delta Point).
Phase Out: With each extra success on a Dodge roll, the Buzzsaw may go insubstantial
against one attack, totally ignoring it. While in this state, he may also pass through walls and other
solid objects (including force fields). If out of combat, he remains insubstantial for one round per
extra success. A Buzzsaw may cut off the insubstantiality whenever he wishes, but he cannot physically
affect anything as long as he is desolid.
Giant
A "Giant" is another near-Alpha class power. They are more versatile than a Goliath, since they can
turn their levels of growth on and off (sort of, see below). Unfortunately, as muscle power doubles, mass increases geometically.
Someone who alters their size back and forth not only puts strain on the muscles of the body, but their
heart. Even so, a fully grown Giant character can be fairly powerful. Unfortunately, Delta Prime
has dealt with them before, and typically either use called shots on unarmored body parts (the eyes
and ears are that much larger, and thus that much easier to hit) or simply bring out the big guns.
Due to their Damage quirk, Giants can't revert back to normal size quite so readily if they are
harmed in combat. A Giant is very much a combat do-or-die power, and many of them revert back to
normal size...only so that their comrades can haul off their unconscious body to the local underground
Healer.
Powers
Growth A Giant may selectively "turn on" as a full action up to five levels of Growth. Each level
they use gives them +1 Size, +2 Strength, and 3/- armor.
Quirk
Slow: A Giant has a -1 applied to their Speed rolls for each level of Giant they use.
Strain: At the end of each round upon which a Giant used any level of Giant and moved or
acted in a violent manner, they must make a Strength roll against a TN of 5. This number is increased
by one for each level of Giant they used that turn (up to the highest level of Giant used). If they fail
this roll, they take 1 Wound to all locations by each 5 points by which they failed the roll, and
must make a Stun check.
Damage: When a Giant takes damage, they should note the amount of damage done before they divide
it by Size to determine # of wounds. When they revert back to normal size, recalculate the Wound damage for
their new Size. Increasing Size does not cause a recalculation of Wounds inflicted.
Tricks
Rock Your World: As the Goliath trick.
Growth Charge: With an extra success on a close combat roll, the Giant may grow simultaneously
with his attack. This gives his attack additional damage equal to +2 for each level of growth he increased
by in the same action. This attack can only be directed at either A) targets larger than his initial
Size, or B) targets above the Giant (Flyers, helicopters, etc.).
Psychic
(created by Nikolaj Lemche)
A Delta with this power has senses beyond the natural world. A Psychic can listen to the emotional
echoes of people and events both in the past and present. The future is much more difficult to listen to.
A Psychic uses a new Spirit skill called sensitivity to use his powers.
Powers
Psychometry With a successful sensitivity roll, the Psychic can gain information from an
item or place. He can see events linked to the object or place in the past or gain insight about the
whereabouts of an owner of a place or item. The more successes the better the information. If a really
emotionally event is going to happen in the future in the place or with the item, then the Psychic
might notice it with 2 additional successes on his sensitivity roll.
Attunement The Psychic can sense ‘vibes' that enables him to sense the use of powers or the
presence of supernatural entities. On two extra successes the Psychic can even sense the presence of a
Delta.
Tricks
Danger Sense: With an extra success on a sensitivity roll the Psychic can sense the
presence of danger even before it happens.
Communicate With Spirits: With and additional success on a sensitivity roll, the Psychic
can not only sense the presence of supernatural entities, but he can also communicate with those
types of beings that we normally cannot communicate with like ghosts, spirits and demons. Whether these
entities really are what people call them no one can tell.
Beast
(created by Nikolaj Lemche)
This is a kind of Delta whose power is the power of the beast. This gives him enhanced senses and
reflexes, and he can grow claws. However, the animal in him has also taken control of him and he
might find it difficult to function as a normal person in modern society.
A Beast Delta often takes on some mannerism and looks of the kind of beast that he is close to, such
as long hair or catlike eyes.
Powers
Animal Senses Animal Senses: +5 on perception rolls.
Nimble Beasts +5 pace, dodge, initiative and stealth.
Or
Brute Beasts Strength +3, +3 pace & stealth, and Armor 3/-.
Claws +2 unarmed damage. These claws are retractable.
Quirks
Savage As per the normal –3 quirk.
Obvious At the –3 point level.
Tricks
Track Scent: With an additional success on a perception roll, a Beast can follow a track or
discover things by scent alone. He can also identify people or things belonging to people by their
scent alone.
Fast Healer: This is the same trick that the Scrapper has. For each additional success on a
healing roll recover an additional wound.
Spook
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Who cares? It's what fears and terrors lurking there
that count. And the Spook can manipulate them to her own advantage. Essentially this package is the
opposite of a Charmer. The Charmer relies on being nice to get folks to do what they want - the Spook
relies on sheer, gut-wrenching terror.
A Spook does not actually generate "fear," via telepathy or pheromones or whatever. Rather, the
Spook simply gives off bad "vibes" that intimidate anyone around him.
Powers
Inspire Fear: Add +10 to the Delta's persuasion: intimidation rolls.
Quirks
Aura of Fear: The Spook can't turn it off, even if she wanted to. All other Deltas add +5
to their rolls when resisting a friendly persuasion roll against a Spook.
Tricks
Give Me What I Want...: The Spook may make a persuasion: intimidation roll against a
TN of 5, just prior to making a persuasion: interrogation roll. Each extra success gives
a +1 to the subsequent interrogation roll.
Make an Impression: This Trick has no effect itself. Rather, it modifies the Give Me What I Want... Trick. In this case, each extra success generates a +2 to subsequent persuasion:
intimidation rolls, rather than +2.
Lasting Impression: This Trick has no effect itself. Rather, it modifies the Make an
Impression Trick. In this case, each extra success generates a +4 to subsequent persuasion:
intimidation rolls, rather than +2.
Martial Artist
Even in the Brave New World universe, martial arts are not particularly difficult to learn. Just
as the government allows the widespread carrying and use of guns, so too does it turn a blind eye
to various dojos, karate schools, etc., that teach the martial arts. The government feels that
this gives the citizenry a further sense of security, and that they can "handle" Deltas if the
need arises. Of course, the masses are sorely mistaken, but the government doesn't care. There is
also a sizable market for underground "street fighting" and other bloodsports.
However, there are a few "true" martial arts masters still out there, tied into the mystical forces
of the universe. They are difficult to locate, but are valuable to one who wishes to learn the true
mysteries of the martial arts.
However, such knowledge is not acquired without a price. Only those who have been to the brink of
death can learn such skills. Just as with any other Delta, a Martial Artist must undergo the
ritual of death and rebirth (as most true sensei refer to it as in one form or another). A Martial
Artist acquires some small skill (typically a mere +2) immediately upon revival, but does not truly
manifest his powers until he seeks out a teacher. Some innate sense guides him to such a teacher, where
she then spends roughly six months to a year learning at the feet of her new sensei.
Once the student's training is complete, they go out into the world again, to do as they please.
Well...almost. The sensei may often call upon their former student for assistance. Such
assistance can range from the "trivial" ("Bring me a cup of water from Lake Michigan")
to the epic quest. No one has ever heard again from those Martial Artists who have declined to
assist their sensei.
There are both "good" sensei and "bad" sensei, and even "neutral" sensei. The government actually
employs some sensei who train Delta Primer Martial Artists. These government sensei are a prized
commodity, and so given a great deal of leeway. The government will let a DP Martial Artist go on leave
to fulfill a sensei's request if necessary. Interestingly, the "government" sensei's agenda may not
be in exact accord with the government's, although it is rarely at (obvious) cross-purposes. Rather
than do without any sensei (and thus any Martial Artists), governments will tend to look the other
way as long as the sensei does not abuse this privilege.
Powers
Superior Skill: Add +5 to any rolls made with one martial arts subskill
(barehanded, blade, or club). The sub-skill is chosen during character creation and cannot be
altered.
Quick: Add +5 to any Speed rolls for initiative when using the
chosen martial arts subskill. If the Martial Artist modifies their initiative roll in
this manner, they lose one action if at any time during the round they use a non-martial arts skill
to strike an opponent. If they only have one action remaining, they cannot switch
to a non-martial arts skill in this manner.
Quirks
Duty: This is considered to be, on average, a -3 Duty to one's sensei. However, it can vary
wildly at the Guide's discretion, depending on whether they wish to make it merely annoying or a
major adventure hook.
Tricks
Find Weakness: As per the Find Weakness Trick found
elsewhere at this site, not the Gunner Trick.
Meditation: The Martial Artist may heal once every eight hours as if he were
a Tough. However, to do so he must use Spirit rather than Vigor. This is in
lieu of a normal Vigor-based Healing roll. The Martial Artist may forego Meditation healing
for 24 hours and make a normal Vigor roll instead.
Crusader
A Crusader is perhaps not the most accurate title for this particular Power Package, but it has
come into common usage.
It is fairly well-known that Ordained members of a religion all tend to manifest a similar set of
powers as every other Ordained members of that religion. That does not mean that every follower
of that religion gains that power. There is a wide range of powers that come to such followers. However,
it has recently been noted that there is a consistent pattern to certain types of followers who gain the
same power.
Fanatical followers of a religion (no specific religion) who are combat-oriented, often manifest
the "Crusader" power package. Not every such person who meets this criteria manifests the
Crusader power. However, non-devotees have not manifested this power to date. Certain
government agencies find this quite fascinating (as they do with any consistent manifestation of
powers that they take advantage of), but nothing as of yet has been confirmed.
Powers
Manifest Sword: With a specific flick of the wrist and a Spirit roll against a TN
of 5, the Crusader can manifest a flaming sword. This sword has the following statistics: Defense
+2, Quickness 1, Damage Strength+5. The sword remains in existence as long as the Crusader
is conscious, and he wishes it to manifest. A hit with the flaming sword to an opponent's particular
body location will also set that body part on fire. See the Fire rules (Basic Rulebook, page 162)
for more detail. The sword itself is "mystical" flame and cannot be extinguished through normal means.
Tricks
Righteous Flame: For each extra success the Crusader achieves when manifesting the sword,
that manifestation of the sword does an additional +1 damage on all attacks. If the sword is
dismissed or lost, new bonuses must be generated when the sword is re-summoned.
Armor of Righteousness: For each extra success the Crusader achieves when manifesting the
sword, he may shift sword damage into armor. Each success lets the Crusader subtract one point of damage
from the sword's damage and provides him with 2 points of Flaming Armor against any physical attack.
AP bullets gain no bonus against this armor, as it is not "solid" armor and thus the principles upon
which an AP bullet work do not come into play. The Flaming Armor provides no protection against
energy attacks (Blaster, Screamer, Bomber, Hotshot). Anything coming into direct contact with the
Crusader while he is so sheathed may be set on fire. Extra damage pluses gained using the
Righteous Flame Trick may be used to gain and increase Armor protection in this manner.
The Armor fades when the sword is dismissed or lost.
Blinder
"Blinder" is another of those package names that is kinda vague and perhaps not totally accurate. On the
other hand, no self-respecting Delta wanted to be known as a "Flasher," either.
The Blinder power is fairly simple, although it tends to have a number of exotic special effects. In
fact, the power rarely seems to manifest the same way twice in two different Deltas. Basically, the
Blinder directs a beam of energy at an opponent. This beam can come from the eyes, the hands, the body
(sometimes focused and directed with the use of the cape), or sometimes directly from the mind. The burst
more often then not looks like a beam of bright light, but not always. This attack is usually referred
to as a "light" for the sake of convenience.
Someone struck by this beam has a good chance of being blinded, depending on how quick their
reactions are. Despite any apparent special effect, this beam can only target one individual at
at time (unless the appropriate Trick is used - see below).
Since this ability can render an opponent helpless without incapacitiating them, it has become a
popular Delta power to duplicate and incorporate into gadgets.
Powers
Blinding Attack: The Blinder may make a Blinding attack against any one target in a 50' radius.
The target does not have to be facing the Blinder, so overwhelming is the "flash". The Blinder makes
a Spirit roll that is opposed by the target's Speed. The Blinder receives a +10 to
their roll. For each success, the target is Blinded (+10 to all appropriate TNs) for one action.
Immunity to Blindness: A Blinder receives a +10 to his Speed roll to resist someone else
using Blinder on him.
Tricks
Spreading Light: For each extra success may target another individual within range. They must
attack someone close to the original target (Guide's discretion) and cannot target someone in-between.
If the new target(s) has a Speed less than or equal to the original target, no
additional Speed roll is made, and each person is blinded for a number of actions equal to
the remaining successes. If the new target has a higher Speed they make a new roll against the
Spirit total generated by the Blinder. If the new victim gets enough successes to make it
impossible for the Blinder to affect them, then no one is blinded.
Focused Light: The Blinder may focus their energy further, generating a beam of light-like energy.
With an extra success on the roll to activate his power, the blinder may instead generate energy that
automatically strikes any one person they focus on, doing 1d6 damage each action they focus on the
target. Armor protects against this attack normally. This attack
is obvious, and anyone targeted or watching will know that the Blinder is directing the energy.
Wyldthing
(created by Rob Bemis)
This is a kind of Delta that resembles the werewolf of legend. He does not have the power to
transform into a wolf, and he looks quite normal. He has the enhanced senses and reflexes of a beast,
and an accelerated healing factor as well. However, the beast in him has also taken control of him
and he might find it difficult to function as a normal person in modern society,
especially on the nights of the full moon.
Powers
Fast Add +5 to Speed rolls for initiative and dodging. Also add +5 to Pace.
Healing Factor The Delta can make a healing roll every hour instead of once a day.
Animal Senses +5 on perception rolls.
Quirks
Savage As per the standard -3 Quirk.
Temper As per the standard -2 Quirk.
Lunacy During the nights of a full moon the Delta is very tense, and less able to control herself.
The Delta's Savage and Temper checks are made at +5 to the TN.
Tricks
Track Scent: With an additional success on a perception roll, a wyldthing can follow a
trail or discover things by scent alone. He can also identify people or things belonging to people
by their scent alone.
Adrenaline Surge: If the wyldthing gets an extra success on her close combat roll,
she may make a Spirit in addition to her Strength roll when determining
damage. She adds the two rolls together for her damage roll total.
Fugue
This power is rarely seen because of the innate dangers involved in it. In fact, since 1976 there are only
two documented cases: one in Canada and one in China. There may have been others, but it is quite possible
that they died or went insane (see below) shortly after discovering this ability.
A Fugue Delta has the bizarre ability to reach into alternate futures and pull back copies of
himself. This gives him a potentially unlimited army of doppelgangers. These duplicates cannot (or
will not) speak or otherwise communicate, and must be consciously directed by the original summoner. The
doppelgangers are
distinctively different from the original Delta (typically having reversed coloring to their costumes
- presumably a side effect of this form off "time travel"), but they all look the same among
themselves.
It has been assumed that the duplicates don't speak because to do so would be giving away future
knowledge that might generate a temporal paradox. Even though they are apparently from an alternate
timelines, it is possible they would know enough information relevant to this timeline to
give away something important.
The main problem with this Delta power is if the original witnesses the death of one of his
doppelgangers. Although this does not assure his own death in some future time (since the dead
duplicate came from an alternate timeline), the shock is enough to drive even the strongest
psyche insane.
Another flaw of Fugue is that the originator is obviously just that. He maintains the temporal
disruption(s) through an act of will, and can do nothing but concentrate (i.e., take simple actions), or
summon more duplicates while using this ability. He can vary his concentration enough to let
some duplicates vanish (typically when they are rendered unconscious) while keeping others in his
present.
The final flaw is simply that being a Delta, this is the only power the individual has. As such,
his duplicates are no more skilled or talented then he is. He also has no special ability to
communicate with them, although he can give them commands in advance to act upon
if he must go elsewhere.
Alpha Fugues would be a different story entirely, effectiveness-wise. However, there is no known record
of an Alpha Fugue existing. Some suspect that Devastator's bomb may somehow have disrupted this
dimension and/or the timelines, and that prior to '76 Fugues could not have existed. How
the bomb may have weakened time itself is not something most folks want to think about...
Powers
Summon Self A Fugue can summon a duplicate of himself at ground level within 30' by making
a Spirit roll against a TN of 5. For each future self already in existence, the TN is
increased by one. Future selves cannot talk or otherwise communicate, and while identical to each other, are
distinctly different from the Fugue himself while still being easily recognizable as an alternate version
of him. A Fugue must concentrate, only taking Simple Actins, to maintain his future selves in the present.
The only exception is that the Fugue can summon more future selves as an action. Future selves do not have
the Fugue power (or choose not to use it). A summoned future self cannot normally do something on the
action it arrives. All future selves go at the same time as the Fugue. Each turn
the Fugue only makes one Speed roll for initiative, and all future selves get the same
number of actions at the same time. Future selves have no Delta Points, but otherwise have all of
the skills of the Fugue. They arrive with nothing except the clothes on their backs.
Quirks
Face One's Death A Fugue witnessing the death of one of his future selves must make a Spirit
roll against a TN of 10 or go insane. She is catatonic, and can make a Spirit roll against the
same difficulty once per day to recover.
Tricks
Summon From Thin Air: With an extra success on the Spirit roll, the Fugue may
cause a future self to appear anywhere within his line of sight. This can include in mid-air, or on the
other side of a window or fence.
Multiple Selves: With an extra success on the Spirit roll, the Fugue may
summon an additional future self at the same time as the first one.
Surprise Appearance: With an extra success on the Spirit roll, one future self summoned
that action may immediately make an attack or otherwise take an action.
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