General Rules:
Time:
Combat Round: (3-6 seconds) defined as the amount of time needed to perform one
action.
Scene: (10 minutes or 1 hour) if there is a location change, it counts as a
scene change.
Episode: (Game night. 4-5hrs.)
Series: (6 games or 3 months)
Downtime: (The 2 week span between game sessions) during downtime,
you can heal, grow influence, and interact with the greater Nova world.
Types of Range
Self: Only the Nova
Touch: Must engage in a successful physical challenge to touch a target, in order for the power to have any effect.
Listed Range: As listed, usually in steps or meters.
Room: 40x40 feet maximum.
Types of Duration:
Stages of Combat:
Movement Phase
Declaration of target
Declaration of action
Test (Retests)
Resolution of effects
Apply Damage, or effects.
Movement:
Base 3 steps per combat round. (Mega Dexterity adds +1 step per Mega Dexterity trait.) If you move the full three steps (not counting your bonus movement) you gain a -1 trait penalty in any challenge that round.
Automatic Success(es):
If the Nova has double the required traits to accomplish a task that is not contested, then it happens automatically without the need to throw a challenge.
Teamwork:
Sometimes working together can make tasks easier. In any non-combat action where more than one person assists, the total difficulty is reduced by one for each person, up to five people and the minimum trait effect cannot exceed five.
If through teamwork, the central person making the challenge ends up with double plus one, the required traits needed, they can call for an overbid retest.
Teamwork in combat: Apply mass combat rules.
Extended Actions:
Simple tests each round vs. a predefined difficulty. If you fail the test, you have to start over.
Multiple Actions:
You can only perform 1 action a round unless you have the necessary knacks or powers that allow for multiple actions.
Maximum Normal traits: 10 + quantum per physical/mental/social category.
Knockback:
When a nova with mega strength traits hits someone who they are not grappling, to represent the shear power of the impact, the target is knocked back or knocked down by the force. For each mega strength trait, the target must take one step away from the nova in the reverse direction of the hit. The target must then use his movement to return to his feet or close the distance back to the nova who hit them.
Initiative:
Compare the total traits and mega traits of all characters involved (in the category they are challenging in: i.e. physical), highest total goes first.
Influence caps:
All normal traits + Social and Mental Mega traits.
Each Mega trait counts as three when determining influence caps.
Taint = -2 towards influence cap per point of Permanent Taint.
Retests:
During the normal progression of any challenge you can retest any result as long as you have the apropriate retest. The following are all the types of retests you can have. If you do not have a retest to dispute the results, then you must accept the result.
Overbid retest
1 Ability retest
1 Power-related retest
1 retest as a defender vs. mental or social challenges by blowing a willpower.
1 Last Resort retest
Round break up:
Move action: 3 steps. (Or 6 if all you are doing is running)
Active action: (I.e. hitting someone, using a Quantum power)
Passive vs. Active actions:
Passive equal unconscious actions like breathing or normal healing.
Active equals conscious actions like using an active quantum power.
Willpower:
1 willpower to refresh normal traits, or just your mega traits.
Retest when defending against mental or social challenges.
1 willpower to fake having an ability.
1 willpower to resist compulsions from derangements.
1 willpower to resist most mental powers.
Willpower Maximum: 5 + Quantum rating.
A Mega trait is a reflection of the amazing level of raw potential in each nova, as well as an expression of the shear power that novas possess.
1 Mega trait = 3 normal traits if bid in a challenge.
(Equals one trait if bid against another Mega trait.) I.e. you try to ferociously punch me, if I bid Mega tough, you have to bid two more traits in order to continue the challenge. But if you mega ferociously punch me, I�m still mega tough so the challenge solves itself as a regular physical challenge. In situations of comparing traits in ties, mega traits equal one. Unless it�s a static challenge, then they equal 3.
With the first Mega trait you buy in each category, you get a free knack. You can buy more knacks with nova points or experience points. You only get 1 free knack per category. (I.e. strength, dexterity, stamina) Your maximum number of knacks is equal to your mega traits in that category.
When you bid a Mega trait and lose it, you lose access to any knacks in that Mega trait category unless you have another Mega trait in that category.
Maximum Mega traits per category (strength/dexterity/stamina): Quantum +1
Knacks: A full listing
Refreshing Mega traits:
1 willpower and 1 Quantum will refresh your Mega traits and your normal traits. You can choose to refresh just your normal traits for 1 willpower. You can only refresh each category (physical/mental/social) once a night. This includes Mega traits. You can spend 1 willpower to just refresh your mega traits in one attribute category.
Quantum Traits
Your quantum trait rating is a determination of your raw power potential. The higher the rating, the more you can do. Your quantum trait rating determines which powers you can buy with Nova points or Experience and what level you can buy them up to. You also can expend a temporary Quantum trait to max a power.
Last Resort:
As a last resort, you can risk a permanent Quantum trait for a final retest. After ability, power, and willpower retests, you may expend a permanent Quantum trait for a final retest. However, if you lose this retest, you lose the Quantum trait permanently and must buy it back with Experience points. For the duration of the loss, you cannot access any powers that require your previous quantum rating to use.
Quantum Power Level Maximum: Quantum level +1
Quantum Pool Points:
Quantum Pool Maximum: Quantum x10.
A list of things you can spend Quantum Pool Points on:
Juicing an effect: 1 quantum = +2 traits or +1 damage or increased effect.
Style: you can use a quantum to add a stylish effect or cinematic effect to your action. (This could possibly lead to an experience bonus.)
Activating Knacks or Powers
Quantum Pool Point expenditure maximum per round: 1 + Node rating.
You can spend a quantum pool point to juice an effect, this reflects the crackling potential energy that the nova has control over. 1 quantum point = +2 traits or +1 damage (chosen before the point is spent.) this is restricted only by how many quantum points you can spend in a round. A nova can only juice one effect per round, and if you juice more than 3 times in a game session you gain one point of Temporary Taint.
Your quantum pool is also a direct reflection of how healthy you look. Low levels of quantum make you look tired and worn out.
Regenerating your Quantum Pool Points:
Stamina test vs. 10 � node rating in difficulty, to regenerate quantum at double your
normal rate but you gain 1 temporary taint, successful or not.
If you've ever read a comic book, or watched a show with characters that have super powerful
abilities, you have probably seen them Max their powers at least once. Maximizing your powers
is very stressful on your body and mind, but allows for that extra boost when placed
in a tight spot.
By expending one temporary Quantum trait and at least one quantum, and spend
one round concentrating (Contested mental challenge if your concentration is broken or interrupted. If you are interrupted, then you lose the Temporary Quantum trait and have to start over.) you may add your Quantum Rating and any Quantum pool points you have expended to the power effect of the power you are maximizing. The power receives a +1 dot bonus for every dot of quantum and every quantum pool point spent.
Power Maximized catagories and their Expense:
+2 to add another power level (Maximum of 5)
+3 to add an Extra
+1 to double the range
+2 to add one damage level
+1 to double the duration
+1 to add an additional target
This Power Maximize stays in effect for 1 combat round per quantum rating and Quantum pool point spent. (Or 10 minutes if not a combat power.)
Temporary Taint backlash:
After the power effect has faded, The nova must make a simple test to determine if they have overloaded their systems by "MAXing Out". The nova defends with their normal quantum rating traits plus any dots of Node they have vs. a difficulty of 3 traits. (+1 trait for each Quantum pool point spent to maximize) If you succeed, there is no ill effect, but if you fail the simple test, you gain +1 point of temporary taint.
Health levels:
Healthy: no penalties. (Armor and Force field are also covered by this health level.)
Bruised: -1 trait on all challenges. (I.e. you must bid one more trait.)
Wounded: lose all ties and bruised level penalties.
Incapacitated: knocked unconscious for 10 minutes.
Dead: Mortally wounded and will lose one physical trait per round unless treated by a medical facility. Mega traits are the last to go. When you reach zero physical traits you die.
Normal nova healing (no Mega stamina traits or powers that heal damage): 1 lethal health levels a week, +1 per mega stamina trait. All bashing damage is healed by next the game session. Normal nova healing is a passive action.
Any power that gives the nova any bonus health levels, those health levels are considered to be healthy health levels unless otherwise stated by the power.
When resisting penalties due to injuries, the nova can blow 1 mental trait to ignore all penalties for one combat round. When attempting to endure long-term stressful physical activity, or exposure to severe conditions, the nova can resist damage for mega stamina traits in days and then he must begin making a static stamina test each day to resist taking damage. Survival can retest this challenge. (Difficulty � 10 + number of days exposed.) The storyteller governs damage.
Aggravated Damage can only be soaked with the Mega Stamina Knack: Hardbody, the Level Two Power: Invulnerability, or healed with x3 Quantum Pool Point expenditure with the Mega Stamina Knack: Regeneration.
Permanent Taint: Each point translates into an Aberration in the form of negative traits, derangements or flaws.
Temporary Taint: Each point causes �1 social trait vs. Baseline humans.
If you gain 10 Temporary Taint, you gain 1 permanent taint. (Erasing the temp taint)
Permanent Taint (when to start counting):
in terms of adding Aberrations, start counting at 2 taint. (I.e. ignore taint of 1, taint of 2+ equals Aberrations.)
Gaining Temporary Taint:
Each of the following garners 1 point of Temporary Taint.
Failing a Taint backlash for a power maximizing challenge
Spending too many Quantum Pool Points, too quickly (max per round expenditure for more than 3 rounds)
Exhausting your Quantum Pool
Forcefully recovering Quantum Pool Points
"Juicing up" too much (More than 3 times per game session.)
Gaining Permanent Taint:
Each of the following garners 1 permanent taint.
Buying tainted nova points during character creation.
Buying tainted nova powers with experience
Gaining quantum 5
Gaining ten points of temporary taint
Node of 3 or higher
Beating back the Dragon:
Ways to rid yourself of Temporary Taint:
Be it from exhausting your quantum pool, or "Juicing" too many times, you will eventually find that being a nova is an endless spiral into the depths of permanent taint. However, with the appropriate rigorous training and meditation, you can resist the pull by buying off the Temporary Taint with Experience points. (One Experience point to buy off one point of Temporary Taint.)
Ways to rid yourself of Permanent Taint:
Other than the secret Teregen method referred to as the Chrysalis, there are no known
ways to rid a nova of permanent taint.
Low-level Aberrations (2-5 permanent taint):
(Per point of taint) Usually 1 negative trait, strange appearances or animas or a quantum
related flaw.
Midlevel Aberrations (6-8 permanent taint)
(Per point of taint) 2 negative traits, derangements or serious flaw that impacts the nova.
High level Aberrations (9-10 permanent taint)
"Truly alien." (Per point of taint) 3 negative traits, altered forms or alien thought patterns/lifestyles.
The storyteller chooses the form that the aberration takes based on how the permanent taint was gained, the powers involved, and story balance and player suggestions/approval.