Creature Traits
Most monstrosities and other inhuman adversaries possess one or more creature traits. These frequently represent unique or wholly alien abilities. Common creature traits are listed below. Unique ones are listed alongside the stat blocks later in this chapter.
For the sake of brevity, these descriptions do not make explicit every possible edge case. GMs should use common sense when adjudicating their effects.
Actions
Each round of combat, this creature gets the specified number of Action Points instead of the usual 3 AP.
Aquatic
This creature is at home in the water. It does not conventionally drown, gains ⊕⊕ on all tests made to swim and may travel at its full Move score through water.
Attack
Most creatures have one or more attacks. Each attack is given a name and is listed alongside its modifier, damage and properties. Below is a table of common natural attacks.
| Attack | Damage | Parry | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bite, Blunt | 3 sm | — | Close, Feeble |
| Bite, Sharp | 3 pi | — | Close |
| Claw | 3 cut | 2 | Close |
| Horn | 3 pi | 2 | Close |
| Kick | 4 sm | 1 | — |
| Slam | 5 sm | — | — |
| Tentacle | 3 sm | — | Close, Wraps |
| Unarmed | 2 sm | 2 | Close, Feeble |
| Whip | 4 cut | 1 | Feeble, Reach 4, Wraps |
Burrow
This creature can burrow through the ground with surprising speed. It may travel at half its Move score through soil or rock, leaving an unstable tunnel behind.
Flight
This creature has the ability to fly. It may travel through the air at twice its Move score, ignoring all intervening terrain and obstacles.
Frenzy
This creature may attack more than once in the same round. Any restrictions on when and how it may make these additional attacks are listed alongside this trait in the creature’s stat block.
Immunity
This trait always comes with a specified source of damage or damage type. The creature is immune to damage from the specified source.
Indomitable
At the start of each round, this creature may remove a Bleeding, Dazed, Disabled, Dying, Fear, Fixation, Hindered, Prone, Stunned or similar short-lived consequence from itself.
Infravision
This creature may locate targets in the dark by seeing body heat. It ignores all ⊖’s imposed by darkness.
Machine
This creature is a machine. It is immune to toxic damage and metabolic hazards, as well as mental and emotional effects. In addition, it doesn’t heal, although an appropriately skilled technician might be able to repair it.
Mindless
This creature does not possess a conventional mind. As such, it is immune to all mental and emotional effects.
Overwhelm
This creature is a particularly overwhelming and dangerous foe. It may choose to take a turn immediately before fast turns get to act. This is in addition to its usual turn during the NPC turns. Both of these turns share the same AP for the round.
Resistance
This trait always comes with a specified source of damage or a damage type. The creature takes half damage from the specified source (after subtracting Armor).
Scent
This creature has a keen sense of smell. It gains ⊕⊕ on all tests made to detect others by scent. In addition, it may target invisible or unseen foes, ignoring all ⊖’s imposed by darkness or obscured vision.
Semi-Aquatic
This creature is at home in and out of the water. It gains ⊕⊕ on all tests made to swim and may travel at its full Move score through water. In addition, it only needs to return to the surface for air every 20 minutes or longer.
Size
This trait represents creatures whose size differs significantly from that of an adult human—the assumed default: Size 0. Creatures larger than this are given a positive Size, while smaller creatures are given a negative Size. Each step in Size represents roughly a doubling of the creature’s length.
A creature’s Size acts as a modifier to attacks, Defense, Move, Health, Encumbrance and damage from weapons. Smaller creatures add to attacks and Defense, while subtracting from Move, Health, Encumbrance and damage. Conversely, larger creatures add to Move, Health Encumbrance and damage, while subtracting from attacks and Defense. Creatures of at least Size ±2 multiply HP and Encumbrance. See the table below.
| Size | Attacks | Damage | Defense | Encum. | Health | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -3 | +3 | -3 | +3 | ×1/3 | ×1/3 | -3 |
| -2 | +2 | -2 | +2 | ×1/2 | ×1/2 | -2 |
| -1 | +1 | -1 | +1 | -1 | -1 | -1 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | -1 | +1 | -1 | +1 | +1 | +1 |
| 2 | -2 | +2 | -2 | ×2 | ×2 | +2 |
| 3 | -3 | +3 | -3 | ×3 | ×3 | +3 |
| 4 | -4 | +4 | -4 | ×4 | ×4 | +4 |
Swift
This creature has four or more legs, or is otherwise particularly fast moving. Double its Move score. Depending on its locomotion, it may also benefit from a ⊕ to avoid being tripped.
Swarm
This isn’t a single creature, but rather a moving mass of many smaller creatures. Any attack made against the swarm that doesn’t target an area deals only 1 damage. Swarms use their Determination instead of Strength to make melee attacks and to calculate Health. Any swarm that would be dealt a Dying consequence instead dissipates into many dying and scattered individuals.
Unstoppable
This creature is particularly difficult to bring down. Double its Health score.
Untouchable
This creature benefits from a ⊕ on all Defense tests.
Vulnerability
This trait always comes with a specified source of damage or damage type. The creature takes double damage from the specified source (after subtracting Armor).
Wall-Walker
This creature may move across ceilings and walls in full gravity, much as it moves across the floor. It gains ⊕⊕ on all tests made to climb, and may travel its full Move along any solid surface.