====== GURPS Core Resources: Modifiers ======
  * [[:rpg:gurps:core:start|Return to Core]]
A //modifier// is a feature that you can add to a trait – usually an advantage – to change the way it works. There are
two basic types of modifiers: //enhancements// and //limitations//. Adding an enhancement makes the underlying trait more useful, while applying a limitation
attaches additional restrictions to your ability.

Modifiers adjust the base cost of a trait in proportion to their effects. Enhancements //increase// the cost, while
limitations //reduce// the cost. This is expressed as a percentage. For instance, a +20% enhancement would increase
the point cost of an advantage by 1/5 its base cost, while a -50% limitation would reduce it by half its base cost. 

You can apply any number of modifiers to a trait. Total them to find the net modifier, and then apply this modifier to the base cost of the trait. Round the resulting cost up to the next-highest whole number. For example, a +10% enhancement, a +40% enhancement, a -30% limitation, and a -45% limitation
would give a net modifier of -25%. This would reduce the cost of a 10-point advantage to 7.5 points, which would round up to 8 points.

Modifiers can //never// reduce cost by more than 80%. Treat a net modifier of -80% or worse as -80%. Thus, no matter how many limitations you take, you cannot lower the cost of a trait to less than 1/5 its base cost.

The GM has the final say as to which traits you can modify, and in what ways. Some combinations make no sense (imagine Unaging with the Limited Use limitation!), others have potential for abuse, and still others might not suit the campaign. Percentile modifiers can also result in a lot of
extra math. GMs who prefer to keep things simple may wish to prohibit modifiers altogether.

==== Special Modifiers ====

Many advantages, and some disadvantages, offer "special enhancements" and "special limitations." These modifiers are generally applicable only to the specific trait(s) with which they are described. However, the GM may choose to extend the special modifiers of one particular trait to other, very similar traits.

==== Range, Area, and Duration for Advantages ====

When applying modifiers, you occasionally need to know the range, area of effect, or duration of an advantage for which one or more of these
quantities is not specified – for instance, when applying an enhancement
that gives a range to an ability that normally has none. Assume that //range//is 100 yards, //area// is a circle 2 yards in radius (and 12’ high, should volume
matter), and //duration// is 10 seconds, unless the advantage specifies otherwise.
Exceptions will be noted.

==== Attack Enhancements and Limitations ====

Some enhancements and limitations are intended only for Affliction,
Binding, and Innate Attack, and for advantages modified with the Ranged
enhancement (p. 107). They are called "attack" modifiers. Certain of these
have additional restrictions; e.g., Armor Divisor applies only to Affliction
and Innate Attack. Attack enhancements and limitations are marked (A).

==== Turning Enhancements Off and On ====

When you use an enhanced trait, you must use all of its enhancements
unless a particular enhancement – or the underlying ability itself – explicitly
allows you to turn an enhancement "off." (The extended capabilities
that many enhancements provide might have no effect in certain situations,
but they are still on.) To be able to pick which enhancements are
"on" at any given moment, take the Selectivity enhancement.

==== Optional Rule: Limited Enhancements ====

If the GM allows, you can add a limitation to an enhancement. This
restricts the enhancement, reducing its value as an enhancement without
directly affecting the underlying ability.

Apply the limitation to the percentage value of the enhancement exactly
as if it were a point value. This cannot reduce the value of the enhancement
below 1/5 normal. Then apply the cheaper enhancement to the cost
of the ability.

Example: Your Selective Area (+20%) enhancement has the Vision-
Based (-20%) limitation. You don’t need eye contact to make the attack
work, but you must make eye contact with someone in your area of effect
in order to single him out. A -20% limitation on a +20% enhancement
reduces the net enhancement to +16%.

A few limitations require a specific enhancement. For instance,
Emanation (p. 112) always accompanies Area Effect (p. 102). Such limitations
affect the underlying ability. You cannot use this rule to apply them
to just the enhancement.

The GM may choose not to use this option, as it requires extra bookkeeping.

====Declining Advantages====
As a rule, leveled advantages become more effective at
higher levels, while any enhancements they have remain
equally potent. However, some ability concepts call for
these enhancements to lose effectiveness as the advantage
increases in power. For example, a laser may be very accurate at low power levels, but increasingly hard to aim as it
channels more energy.

Both the advantage and the enhancement must come in
levels. Attack advantages must also have Variable. Then,
follow these steps.

1. Decide what the enhancement level will be when the
advantage is used at level 1. For simplicity, the enhancement level should be a whole-numbered multiple of the
advantage level, or vice-versa.

2. If the answer to step 1 is greater than the advantage
level, go directly to step 3. Otherwise, divide the advantage
level by the answer to step 1. The result is how many levels
of the advantage you can use before losing one level of the
enhancement. For example, with a result of 3, your
enhancement is at full strength for levels 1-3, at -1 for levels 4-6, at -2 for levels 7-9, and so on. Go directly to step 4.

3. Divide the answer to step 1 by the advantage level.
The result is how many levels of the enhancement you lose
per level of the advantage used. For example, with a result
of 3, your enhancement is at full strength for level 1, at -3
for level 2, at -6 for level 3, and so on.

4. Figure the cost of the enhancement from step 1 – that
is, multiply the per-level enhancement cost by the level chosen there – and multiply that by (the advantage level + 1).
Then divide the result by (the advantage level ¥ 2); round
up. This is the cost for the declining enhancement.

Example: Zzap has the laser mentioned above, as Burning Attack 12d. When firing shots that inflict 1d damage, he
has Acc 9. For step 1, because attacks have Acc 3 by default,
this requires the Accurate 6 enhancement. For step 2, the
advantage level (12) divided by the enhancement level (6) is
2, which means that every two levels of Burning Attack past
the first will lose a level of Accurate. For step 4, the final cost
is (+5% ¥ 6) multiplied by (12 + 1) and divided by (12 ¥ 2),
or +16.25%, which rounds up to +17%. Zzap’s laser has Acc
9 for 1d or 2d, Acc 8 for 3d or 4d, Acc 7 for 5d or 6d, Acc 6
for 7d or 8d, Acc 5 for 9d or 10d, and Acc 4 for 11d or 12d.

Example: Zzap also has Temperature Control 3, the
range of which depends on how hot he’s trying to make
things. For step 1, he adds Increased Range 100x, which is
six levels of that enhancement. For step 3, the enhancement level (6) divided by the advantage level (3) is 2, which
means that he loses two levels of Increased Range for every
level of Temperature Control past the first. For step 4, the
final cost is (+10% x 6) multiplied by (3 + 1) and divided by
(3 x 2), or +40%. His ability has 100x range at level 1, 20x
range at level 2, and 5x range at level 3.

====Alternatives to Alternative Attacks====
Ammunition Options and Thrusting Blade both offer means by which an attack can change damage
types, much like Alternative Attacks (p. B61). Each enhancement is intended as a simpler way to handle a common situation – specifically, modern guns and thrusting blades built
as Innate Attacks. While the two approaches are point-balanced for most builds, there are some circumstances under
which the enhancement may cost up to a few points more
than if the same ability were built using alternative attacks... but for many gamers, this small variance will be worth
the simplicity!

===== Meta-Enhancements =====
When creating new abilities – particularly as part of a
power – it often makes sense for the GM to build several very
similar abilities. For example, he may create two dozen new
abilities for a Holy power, where half are “auras of power” that
share many modifiers. Bundling these common modifiers into
a single meta-enhancement can streamline power-building and
simplify the final write-up.

To create a meta-enhancement, just identify which modifiers are common to every one of your builds. Then total them
up and treat them as a single enhancement (or limitation). Any
unshared modifiers can be added separately. Alternatively – if
two or three modifiers aren’t common to all of the abilities, but
each is common to several of them – it may be worth creating
different versions of the meta-enhancement; see Songs (p. 5)
for an example.

The following are meta-enhancements that have appeared
in previous GURPS publications.

====AURAS OF POWER====
This is a new special enhancement for Affliction; it must be
combined with one or more of Advantage, Attribute Penalty,
Disadvantage, Incapacitation, Irritant, or Negated Advantage.
Aura of Power is a meta-enhancement that turns the Affliction
into a two-yard area effect, centered on the adventurer, that
affects any targets he wishes.

Aura of Power (+175%): Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Aura,
+80%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%;
Reduced Duration, 1/60, Only after the target leaves the area,
-30%; Requires Will Roll, -5%; Selective Area, +20%; Takes
Extra Time, -10%.

The user must take a Concentrate maneuver and make a
Will roll to bring up the aura. If he fails, he may try again on
later turns, but each successive attempt costs 1 FP. If successful,
then the aura is active for the next minute. For a beneficial
Affliction, the user may roll Will (as a free action) when someone he wants to bless enters his area of effect. Success means
that person is blessed; note the margin of success. On a failure,
he may continue to roll once per second (again, as a free action)
with no penalty or cost, until successful in blessing that subject.

Those blessed stay that way until they leave the area or the aura
ends, in which case the effects of the aura linger for seconds
equal to the user’s original margin of success for that person.
For a hostile Affliction, the user may attempt to curse anyone entering the area of effect. This works the same as blessings, but is treated as a Quick Contest of the user’s Will versus
the target’s HT. The victim suffers the effects for seconds equal
to the user’s margin of victory.

The user must make a new Will roll each minute to keep his
aura up. If he fails, the aura drops; on any subsequent turn, he
may pay 1 FP, take a Concentrate maneuver, and make a Will
roll to bring it back up. He may also turn it off voluntarily at
the beginning of his turn (as a free action); if so, there is no FP
cost to switch it back on.

The adventurer must decide how the aura acts against targets of which he is not aware. He can choose (when buying the
ability) whether to affect all unknown targets. Either option is
balanced; the decision depends on whether the user would
rather risk targeting someone who shouldn’t have been or risk
not noticing a potential (but unseen) target until it’s too late.
Deities and other powers above (or below) often grant special
abilities to their most dedicated followers, and the capability to
instill courage or greatness on their allies just by their presence
is a common gift. Auras of Power are specially suited for followers of a deity with a limited portfolio, though omnipotent deities
could grant any of them if the GM deems it reasonable.

Sample Aura of Power: Chaos
33 points for level 1, plus 5 points
for each additional level

The gods of Chaos can confuse the minds of mortals with
horrible visions. The aura covers a two-yard radius around the
user. Each additional level doubles that radius, cumulatively.
Those cursed by the aura see nightmarish visions overlaying their perceptions, as per Hallucinating (p. B429).
Thus, before each skill roll, those affected must roll
against Will. On a success, the victim suffers only -2 to the
action, due to disorientation. On a failure, the penalty is
increased to -5 and lasts for 1d seconds. On a critical failure, the hallucinations become so real that the victim loses
touch with reality for 3d seconds: Roll 1d at the beginning
of each of the victim’s turns. On 1-3, he treats foes as
friends and friends as foes; on 4-6, the visions are too confusing and the victim just stands still, unable to act or perform active defenses.
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Aura of Power 1, +175%;
Hallucinating, +50%) [33]. Higher levels add more Area
Effect, at +50% and +5 points per level.
====SONGS====
Songs are potent musical abilities, used by supernaturally powered bards to either aid allies or hinder
foes. In rules terms, they’re Afflictions with one of these
meta-enhancements:

Baneful Song (+105%): Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%;
Bard-Song, -30%; Based on Will, +20%; Emanation,
-20%; Malediction 1, +100%; Reduced Duration, 1/60,
-35%; Selective Area, +20%.

Beneficial Song (+105%): Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; BardSong, -30%; Based on Per, +20%; Emanation, -20%; Malediction
1, +100%; Reduced Duration, 1/60, -35%; Selective Area, +20%.

Songs potentially affect everyone the bard chooses to
influence within two yards of him. The Bard-Song limitation
comprises the following drawbacks: the bard needs to play or
sing for at least a second, there must be mana, the song is
hindered by Magic Resistance, and the target has to be able
to hear the music.

For Baneful Songs, roll a Quick Contest of Will vs. Will plus
Magic Resistance (if any). The bard has -5 in low mana. Foes
with Immunity to All Mind Control (zombies, greater demons,
etc.) are never affected.

For Beneficial Songs, allies simply roll vs. Per minus any
Magic Resistance they have. Low mana gives -5.
The margin of victory or success, respectively, is the number of seconds the Song’s effects last. The bard can play constantly, causing a roll every turn, or cease after a second and
hope that the residual effects will suffice.

====Sample Baneful Song: Dirge - 25 points for level 1, plus 5 points for each additional level====

Dirge dooms the bard’s enemies to failure and disaster, usually in combat. Those who fail to resist suffer -3 to ST and DX
for the duration, penalizing attack and damage rolls. The song
reaches a two-yard radius around the performer. Each additional level doubles that radius, cumulatively.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (Will; Attribute Penalty, -3 ST, -3 DX,
+45%; Baneful Song, +105%) [25]. Higher levels add more Area
Effect, at +50% and +5 points per level.

====Sample Beneficial Song: Alarum - 31 points for level 1, plus 5 points for each additional level====

Allies affected by Alarum are inspired to strike down foes
brutally and with relish. For the duration, they enjoy +2 to ST for
the singular purpose of dealing blows. This normally gives +1 to
damage with thrusting attacks and +2 to damage with swings.
The song reaches a two-yard radius around the performer.
Each additional level doubles that radius, cumulatively.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (Per; Advantage, Striking ST 2,
+100%; Beneficial Song, +105%) [31]. Higher levels add more
Area Effect, at +50% and +5 points per level.

====STORMS====
Storms are powerful elemental abilities, based on Innate
Attack, that blast many foes. They work even in good weather
or indoors! All have these modifiers:

Elemental Storm (+190%): Accessibility, Requires gesture,
-10%; Area Effect, 16 yards, +200%; Bombardment, Skill 14,
-5%; Emanation, -20%; Limited Use, 1/day, -40%; Nuisance
Effect, Exploitable hole in center, -5%; Overhead, +30%; Persistent, +40%.
In practical terms, once a day, the user may take an Attack
maneuver to plant his staff in the ground – or make a similar
bold gesture, like smashing his oil lamp – and initiate the Storm.
On that turn and on each of his next nine turns (10 seconds
total), the Storm blasts everyone (friend or foe) within 16 yards
of the spot where he stood. Roll an attack from above at skill 14;
victims may block or dodge, but must focus their attention
either upward or at ground level, suffering -2 on defenses vs.
attacks from the direction ignored. The summoner is safe if he
remains at the eye – as is any foe in close combat with him – but
if he steps from where he started his Storm, he takes damage. He
cannot end the Storm early, dial back damage, etc.

====Sample Storm: Air - 41 points====

Bolts of lightning fry the area from above. Anyone struck
takes 2d+1 burning damage. A wounded victim must make a
HT roll, at -1 per full 2 HP of injury, or be stunned. He may roll
vs. HT each turn to recover, but later bolts can stun him anew.
Advantages: Burning Attack 2d+1 (Elemental Storm,
+190%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%) [41].

====Variable Enhancement====
As an optional rule, the GM may allow abilities built with
a Variable Enhancement – an enhancement that’s actually a
“placeholder” for any enhancements the user wants. This
decision is a free action, and may be changed every time the
ability is used. The value of Variable Enhancement is equal
to 10¥ the cost of the enhancements that can be added (minimum final cost of +50%).
Example: Emma takes Burning Attack 2d (Variable
Enhancement, +150%) [25]. It’s expensive, but now every
time she fires it, she can choose +15% worth of enhancements
to add. One turn she may add Incendiary (+10%) and Variable (+5%), and the next she could add Fragmentation 1d
(Cutting) (+15%). She could not add Increased Range, 5¥
(+20%), and Inaccurate 1 (-5%), even though those sum to
+15%, because Variable Enhancement only allows adding
enhancements, not limitations.

If you can switch around your enhancements, but have
to choose from a fixed list, see Selectivity (p. B108) and
Alternative Enhancements (p. 13).

=====Cosmic=====

Cosmic is one of the broadest enhancements in GURPS,
and arguably the most abusable. After all, the whole point of
Cosmic is to let its underlying advantage break the rules! For
this reason, even in a campaign where the GM allows players
to build their own powers freely, the Cosmic enhancement
always requires GM approval on a case-by-case basis.
Still, Cosmic has limits.

• Cosmic cannot alter the fundamental nature of an advantage. No version of Cosmic will let you use Mind Reading to
project your thoughts or Invisibility to walk through walls. For
this, buy the various advantages you wish to emulate as alternative abilities (see Powers).

• Cosmic cannot change the intended subject of an advantage. You cannot add Cosmic to Metabolism Control and use it
to put your enemies in a coma. To use a self-only advantage on
others, see Affects Others (p. 12) and Affliction (p. B35).

• Cosmic cannot remove a target’s resistance roll. It can
overcome active defenses and advantages which aid resistance
(e.g., DR, Mind Shield, and Resistant), but if the victim gets a
Contest or unopposed roll to avoid an advantage’s effect,
Cosmic cannot take it away. To better overcome your target’s
resistance in a Quick Contest, raise your own activation roll
using Reliable (p. 16), or a power Talent or power skill (see
Powers) – and consider Cosmic, No Rule of 16 (p. 7).
Alternatively, if you’re using Affliction, simply raise its level; the
higher your level, the worse your subject’s roll, and the Rule of
16 is unlikely to be an issue!

• Cosmic offense cannot overcome Cosmic defense. Some
versions of Cosmic allow the advantage to ignore non-Cosmic
defenses against it. When such an offense comes up against
Cosmic defense, however, handle it as if neither side had Cosmic;
the defense protects normally. The “one-upmanship” stops here;
e.g., you cannot make an attack that ignores Cosmic DR. To
overcome Cosmic DR, buy an attack that does more damage –
even Cosmic DR has a finite amount of protection.
Cosmic options are cumulative. For instance, an Innate
Attack that requires no roll to hit (+100%), allows no active
defense (+300%), and ignores DR (+300%) is +700%. An Attack
maneuver lets you immediately apply your damage roll to your
target’s HP! Because of the effect this can have on game balance, even if the GM allows Cosmic to be used freely, he may
wish to disallow certain combinations of Cosmic.
On a carrier attack, all forms of Cosmic raise the cost of
Follow-Up on the follow-up attack.

====COSMIC LEVELS====
There are three established levels of Cosmic, each with several preexisting examples. This doesn’t mean the GM can’t add more! Use the guidelines below to determine what the cost of a new Cosmic enhancement should be.
All “flavors” of Cosmic can be found below, with the exception of Cosmic as a power modifier. Power modifiers are beyond the scope of this book; see Powers for details.

The lowest level of Cosmic is generally used for either
removing an inherent restriction or countering a higher
level of Cosmic. These improvements are limited in scope
and should still feel “fair.” For example, this level of Cosmic
could allow an Innate Attack to emanate from any point on
the user’s body (e.g., eyes, hands, shoulder – making it
impossible for enemies to negate its use by binding his
hands, blindfolding him, and so on), but could not make the
attack hit automatically or bypass defenses.
===Avoiding drawbacks===
Your ability is not subject to some type of built-in restriction. For example, you could buy Cosmic for Snatcher to
avoid the “cannot get items that use different natural laws”
drawback, or for Serendipity to avoid the “coincidences
must be plausible” limitation. (In the latter case, you would
still need Wishing to dictate a coincidence.) Don’t write this
down as Cosmic, Avoiding drawbacks; list the actual reason
it’s being purchased – e.g., Snatcher (Cosmic, Items need
not obey local laws of physics). In some cases, it makes
sense to buy this multiple times, to avoid unrelated restrictions on an ability; see Cosmic in Action: Enhanced Move
(p. 9) for an example.
===Defensive===
Your defense or countermeasure is proof against
Cosmic effects. See the final bullet point under the introduction to Cosmic (p. 6) for details. This is most commonly
used to counter Cosmic, Irresistible attack (below), but a
single application covers all Cosmic offense.

Example: Chris has Corrosion Attack 2d (Cosmic, Irresistible attack, +300%; Cosmic, Lingering effect, DR does
not heal, +100%). When he hits someone, they take full
damage regardless of DR, their DR is reduced by 1 for
every 5 points of damage, and natural DR does not heal
normally from this attack! (Normally, DR heals at the same
rate as HP; in this case, the DR will need Cosmic treatment
to recover.) However, Chris attacks Ben, who has DR 10 (Cosmic, Defensive, +50%). His DR blocks up to 10 points of damage from Chris’ attack (countering the “irresistible attack”
aspect) and if damaged, it heals normally (countering the
“lingering effect” aspect as well). It is still reduced by 1 for
every 5 points of basic damage, however, as that’s part of how
corrosion damage works, not a Cosmic effect.

===No Rule of 16===
Your supernatural ability ignores the Rule of 16 (p. B349).
When rolling a Quick Contest against a subject, you may
always use your full (modified) skill. If you are highly skilled,
this may make resistance nearly impossible! The subject may
always try to resist, even if his effective resistance is less than 3
(due to penalties from high levels of Affliction, previous
attacks, etc.). In such a case, only a roll of 3-4 succeeds; treat
this as success by 0, not as automatic resistance! If your margin of success is 1 or better, you still overcome his resistance.
===Privileged attack===
Your attack or activation roll, and the subject’s defense or
resistance roll (if any), cannot be rerolled by anyone else’s nonCosmic meta-game abilities – unless you want it to be. This
includes advantages like Destiny, Luck, and Super Luck, and
spells like Bless, Lesser Wish, and Wish. As well, no one can
buy success or use player guidance (p. B347), non-Cosmic
Serendipity, or similar tricks to interfere with or mitigate the
use of your ability. This does not affect your target’s ability to
defend or resist – it just prevents anyone from using meta-gaming abilities to dictate or retroactively alter the result.

====Cheating (+100%)====
These variants of Cosmic break the rules in a significant,
noticeable way. Instead of just removing inherent restrictions,
they can ignore or overrule something important to game balance. Cosmic applications at this level are less concerned with
fairness, but still cannot casually overwhelm a target’s defenses.
===Lingering effect===
Your ability has an enduring effect that standard powers
or methods cannot counteract; only another Cosmic ability
can stop it. For example, this could be combined with Cyclic
if there is no normal way to stop the repeating damage –
though Healing (Cosmic, +50%) could still do so. This never
applies to the ability to heal the damage afterward, but see
Unhealing damage (below).
===No die roll required===
Only for abilities that require a success roll: Your advantage
works if you have any chance of success. Apply all the usual
modifiers to your base skill. If your effective skill is 3 or more,
you succeed – don’t bother to roll. The only way you can fail is
if your effective skill falls below 3. If your ability’s effectiveness
is based on your margin of success (e.g., Maledictions, Mind
Reading), roll anyway to determine that margin; if you fail,
treat it as success with a margin of 0.
===Unhealing damage===
The damage from your attack
does not heal normally – whether
via internal means (e.g., rest and
recovery, Regeneration) or external
ones (e.g., medical aid, magical
healing, or the Healing advantage).
There are two exceptions. First, any
advantage with Cosmic has full
effectiveness against it. Second, you
must specify a category of treatment that works normally. This type
of treatment must exist in the campaign setting, and cannot be rare or
unique; “requires natural herbal
preparations to heal” is fine, but
“requires the leaves of a flower that
only grows in Tibet” is not. This is a
variant of Lingering effect (above),
broadening the effect, but also the
countermeasure.

Examples of valid treatment categories include:

• Treatment from one specific
power source (e.g., magical, psionic,
or divine).

• Potions (in a fantasy game) or drugs (in a modern one).

• Natural healing – that is, the wound will heal normally,
but nothing else (except Very Rapid Healing) can accelerate the
recovery.

• Surgery (even for a surface wound).

• Any external treatment, but only if administered by a specific type of person (e.g., only a member of a certain religion).

====Godlike Tricks (+300%)====
At this level, Cosmic doesn’t just allow cheating, it lets the
ability do something completely unfair: ignoring a target’s
defenses, affecting subjects it should not be able to, and so on.
New forms of Cosmic, at this level, can have powerful and farreaching effects on the underlying advantage – but still subject
to the limits described under the introduction to Cosmic (p. 6).
===Irresistible attack===
Added to any sort of offensive ability, this allows it to bypass
non-Cosmic passive protection: DR (for Afflictions and Innate
Attacks), Mind Shield (for mental intrusion), Fearlessness and
Unfazeable (for Terror), Resistant and Immunity (for any resisted attack), and so on. It does not affect the target’s active
defenses; see No active defense allowed (below) for that. It also
does not affect resistance rolls; see the introduction to Cosmic
(p. 6) for more details. If this enhancement is combined with
the Multiple Projectile variant of Rapid Fire (p. B108), the rules
for extremely close range shots (Shotguns and Multiple
Projectiles, p. B409) no longer apply; roll such attacks normally.
===No active defense allowed===
Only for attacks that the target can dodge, block, or parry.
Your target gets no active defense against your attack, no matter how fast or skilled he is. If
your attack roll succeeds, you
hit. The victim’s DR and other
purely passive protection
work normally; see Irresistible
attack (above) to fix that. This
enhancement doesn’t prevent
resistance rolls; see the introduction to Cosmic (p. 6) for
more details.
===Unrestricted powers===
When bought for an ability
that interacts with any one
power source – like Neutralize, Psi Static, or Static (from
Powers) – this allows it to
work with, on, or against any
power. The user can decide
when using it, as a free action,
which power to affect.

Anything
In-Between

When coming up with new
forms of Cosmic, the GM is
not limited to just these three
levels! If a new ability seems too
powerful for +100%, but not quite up to the +300% level, don’t
hesitate to call it +200%. Removing two unrelated restrictions
on an ability is normally a net +100% (two separate +50%
Cosmic enhancements) – but if the GM feels that doing so
makes the ability too potent, he’s free to call that a new +150%
Cosmic. Because Cosmic is so wide-ranging in its applicability,
pricing it can often be as much an art as a science.

Cosmic Active
Defenses

Cosmic, Defensive (above), is most commonly applied to
passive protection (e.g., DR), negating the effects of Cosmic, Irresistible attack (p. 8). However, this suggests that
characters should be able to add Cosmic, Defensive, to their
active defenses as well, to counter Cosmic, No active defense
(p. 8). This is possible, using the cost of Enhanced Defenses
(p. B51) as a guideline, and treating all defenses as being
bought up from the base of 3.

Dodge: Round Basic Speed down to the nearest whole
number, then multiply it by 7.5 and round up, to find the
point cost.

Parry, One Skill: Halve the skill and round down, then
multiply it by 2.5 and round up, to find the point cost. For
untrained, unarmed attacks, use DX as your skill level.
Parry, All: Halve DX and round down, then multiply it by
5 to find the point cost.

Block: Halve Shield skill and round down, then multiply
it by 2.5 and round up, to find the point cost.

A Cosmic active defense can be used even when the rules
state that such a defense isn’t possible against a particular
type of attack – not just to stop Cosmic attacks! Thus, Cosmic Dodge lets you attempt to dodge a surprise attack, Cosmic Parry (Rapier) makes it possible to parry a flail, Cosmic
Block allows you to try blocking a bullet, and so on. This
never applies to Maledictions, area-effect attacks, etc. – only
to attacks for which the active defense would normally be
appropriate, were it not for a rule or circumstance disallowing it in this particular situation.
These rules should not be generalized to other forms of
Cosmic (or other enhancements). In particular, Cosmic, No
die roll required, is strictly forbidden!

If you enhance an active defense, you must also enhance
any levels of Enhanced Defenses you add to that defense.

COSMIC IN ACTION:
ENHANCED MOVE

Enhanced Move increases the user’s top speed, which is not
the same thing as increasing his Basic Move, Air Move, etc.; see
High-Speed Movement (pp. B394-396) for details. But what
would it take to change that?

The top speed granted by Enhanced Move differs from
Basic Move in a few ways:

1. You have to make control rolls when turning quickly or
encountering hazards.

2. You have to accelerate to reach top speed.

3. You have to take a Move or Move and Attack maneuver
in combat.

This implies that three forms of specialized Cosmic exist to
avoid these drawbacks:

Cosmic, Complete maneuverability. You are exempt from
control rolls and can turn on a dime, without concern for
acceleration. Because this affects even non-enhanced Move,
you must take this on both Enhanced Move and the underlying
movement ability (e.g., Amphibious or Flight). +50%.

Cosmic, Instantaneous acceleration. You can go from a
standing start to top speed, or vice-versa, in a single Move
maneuver. This does not allow you to make hairpin turns at full
speed (use Cosmic, Complete maneuverability for that), but
you can approach a point at full speed, stop and change facing,
then zoom away on your next turn. +50%.

Cosmic, Retained speed. You can use your Enhanced Move
with any combat maneuver. Calculate your Step using your
current Move. You may also All-Out Attack or All-Out Defend
when using high-speed movement – and may accelerate or
decelerate by up to half your Basic Move when doing so.
Note that combat usually requires sudden turns and has many
hazards; unless you also have Cosmic, Complete maneuverability, you may be making a lot of control rolls! +50%.

With all three enhancements, Enhanced Move replaces
Basic Move (or Air Move, Water Move, etc.) for all purposes. In
a supers game, the GM may wish to bundle all three together
into a new enhancement (Second-Nature, +150%) to enable
the quick and easy creation of super-speedsters.

=====Modifying Existing Damage=====

The rules for applying enhancements to advantages are
straightforward: Every advantage has a base cost, and any
modifiers simply alter that cost. But what about modifying
things with no base cost? A hero may wish to add an Armor
Divisor to his punches – which seems problematic when his ST
10 was free! Or perhaps he wants to turn his revolver into a
ghost-shooter by adding Affects Insubstantial, and it doesn’t
seem fair to make him repurchase his gun as an Innate Attack
with gadget limitations.

Fortunately, GURPS is flexible enough to accommodate
these situations. The following rules always require significant
GM oversight. While the suggestions for each category are not
hard-and-fast rules, it’s crucial to ensure that the enhancements added make sense for the attack.
See also ST-Based (pp. 20-21) and Enhanced ST-Based
Attacks (p. 20).

UNARMED ATTACKS

The GM might permit certain attack modifiers on unarmed
thrust damage. These should affect the hero’s ability to inflict
damage. Suitable enhancements include Affects Insubstantial
(to fight spirits), Armor Divisor (to strike at weak points in
objects), Double Knockback (for punching enemies through
walls), and Incendiary (for fists o’ fire). Valid limitations
include No Blunt Trauma (for martial artists whose strength
is “chi projection,” not brute force), No Knockback (ditto!),
and Takes Extra Time (for big, slow fighters). Some modifiers
are strictly forbidden, however (a * marks limitations found
in Powers):

  * Those already built into melee attacks: Melee Attack,
Melee-Capable, Variable, and Visible*.

  * Those that create attacks that belong to classes mutually
exclusive with close-combat melee: Area Effect, Cone, Explosion, Jet, and anything with such a modifier as a prerequisite
(e.g., Bombardment, Dissipation, Drifting, Emanation, Erosive,
Mobile, Persistent, Selective Area, and Wall).

  * Penetration modifiers other than Armor Divisor, Cosmic, or Surge, Arcing: Blood Agent, Contact Agent, FollowUp, Malediction, Mental Defense Only, Respiratory Agent,
and Sense-Based.

  * Those intended for non-physical attacks: Cyclic, Hazard,
Onset, Radiation, and Resistible.

  * Those intended for ranged attacks: Accurate, Blockable*,
Extra Recoil, Guided, Homing, Inaccurate, Increased Range,
Long-Range, Minimum Range*, Overhead, Ranged, Rapid Fire,
Reduced Range, Ricochet, Short-Range*, and Surprise Attack.

To apply modifiers to your unarmed damage, follow these
steps:

1. Find thrust damage for the highest ST you can use for
unarmed combat. This is the sum of regular ST, Arm ST, and
Striking ST.

2. Calculate the “effective point cost” of the basic thrust
damage from step 1 as if it were a Crushing Attack. Don’t pay
this cost! You just need it for step 4.

3. Total the desired modifiers. Treat a net limitation larger
than -80% as -80%.

4. Multiply the cost from step 2 by the net modifier from
step 3 to find the cost of the modifiers. Round up. Record a
positive cost as an advantage, a negative one as a disadvantage.
Example: Kaytee has ST 12, Arm ST 5, and Striking ST 10.
She can strike with ST 27, which gives her 3d-1 thrust damage.
Crushing Attack 3d-1 would cost 14 points, so Armor Divisor
(10), +200%, would be an 28-point advantage for Kaytee, while
No Blunt Trauma, -20%, would be a -2-point disadvantage.

Enhancements benefit kicks, punches, bites, head butts,
and all other unarmed melee attacks – but not weapons. Limitations affect all muscle-powered attacks, from unarmed
through melee to ranged! If you have Claws, Strikers, or Teeth
and modifiers on muscle-powered damage, you must buy your
body weaponry with exactly the same modifiers.

MELEE WEAPONS

You may modify the damage done via a specific weapon. If
you lose the weapon, you lose the enhancements as well –
though not the points spent on them. The GM should allow
you to either replace the weapon with an equivalent, or to shift
the modifiers to a different weapon; the latter may cost additional points, if the new weapon is better! These rules should
only be applied to weapons bought using cash (or Signature
Gear, etc.); if your sword is actually a Cutting Attack with
gadget limitations, just apply any modifiers directly to it. Similarly, the ability to add enhancements to any weapon you use,
instead of just one, can be found in Imbuements.

Your choice of modifiers is restricted as per Unarmed
Attacks (pp. 9-10). In addition, you may only apply enhancements. If you wish to include limitations, use the rules for modifying unarmed attacks; the limitations automatically apply to
every attack you make, including one made with your weapons.
The GM may allow exceptions to this restriction, to reflect
foibles or drawbacks that only apply to this one weapon, but
there are a few special rules:
  * Each limitation is only worth 1/5 its normal value.
  * If the net modifier for the weapon, after limitations, is 0%
or less, do no further math – just treat this as a perk. (A modified weapon is never free or a disadvantage.)
  * Any limitation applies to all uses of the weapon, not just
to the enhancements.
  * If a character takes the same limitation on multiple
weapons, the GM is within rights to insist that he instead add
the limitation to his overall damage (using the rules for modifying unarmed attacks).
The process for calculating point cost is very similar to that
for unarmed damage:

1. List the damage you can do for each mode of weapon use,
including the amount and the damage type. If the weapon can
be used at range, and its ranged damage is better than its melee
damage or you plan on adding ranged modifiers to it, see
Muscle-Powered Ranged Weapons (p. 11).

2. Calculate the “effective point cost” for each mode, as if it
were the appropriate type of Innate Attack. Take the highest
point cost of all these modes, and ignore the others. Exception:
If all of the enhancements being added would only apply to one
mode (e.g., Double Knockback would apply to a sword’s cutting swing, but not its impaling thrust), use that mode regardless of cost.

3. Total the desired enhancements (and limitations, if any).

4. Multiply the highest cost from step 2 by the net modifier from step 3 to find the cost of the modifiers. Record this
as an advantage.

Example: Kaytee wants to
add Double Blunt Trauma to
her fine thrusting broadsword. Her modes of attack
are 5d+3 cutting and 3d+2
impaling. Cutting Attack 5d+3
would cost 42 points, while
Impaling Attack 3d+2 would
cost 29 points, so she uses the
former. Double Blunt Trauma
is a +20% enhancement, and
42 ¥ 0.20 = 8.4, which rounds
up to 9 points.

She also talks the GM into
letting her have an incendiary
dagger, the blade of which
burns up and reforms (taking
time) every time she strikes
with it. Her dagger does 3d-2
impaling. Impaling Attack 3d-2 would cost 20 points. She adds
Incendiary (+10%) and Takes Recharge, 15 seconds (-20% / 5 =
-4%), a total of +6%. She pays 20 ¥ 0.06 = 1.2, which rounds up
to 2 points. The dagger now does an extra 1 point of burning
damage, but any use causes the blade to disintegrate for 15 seconds; Takes Recharge doesn’t just apply to the incendiary
affect, but to the use of the dagger as a whole.

At the GM’s option, these rules can be used to modify one
type of unarmed damage (e.g., just punches or just bites) instead
of using Unarmed Attacks (pp. 9-10). The only advantage to
doing so is that limitations can be added on an attack-by-attack
basis, instead of affecting all muscle-powered attacks.

MUSCLE-POWERED
RANGED WEAPONS

Muscle-powered thrown and missile weapons, such as
bows, use the rules for melee weapons (pp. 10-11) with one
exception: Enhancements intended for ranged attacks (the last
bullet point under Unarmed Attacks, pp. 9-10) are explicitly
allowed. The GM should also be generous about allowing the
ranged-attack limitations to be added on a per-weapon basis.

Example: Kaytee’s bow can target ghosts and force them to
materialize, but it has horrible range. Her composite bow does
3d+2 impaling, which would cost 29 points as an Impaling
Attack. She adds Affects Insubstantial (+20%); Symptoms,
Negated Advantage (Insubstantiality) after losing 2/3 HP
(+80%); and Reduced Range, 1/5 (-20% / 5 = -4%); for a net
+96%. She pays 29 ¥ 0.96, or 28 points. Her bow is an excellent
ghost hunting weapon, but it has range 108/135 instead of
540/675, even when she’s not attacking ghosts!

OTHER WEAPONS

Many modern and futuristic weapons, such as firearms and
beam weapons, do not use ST-based damage. In some ways,
this makes them simpler; each does a fixed amount of damage,
making it possible to calculate the point cost of any enhancement in advance. Ignore any special effects, damage modifiers,
etc. – as for other weapons, all that you need to know is the
number of dice dealt and the type of damage.

Things become more complex in other ways, however,
particularly when deciding which modifiers to allow on a
given weapon. The advice from Unarmed Attacks (pp. 9-10)
isn’t necessarily relevant when applied to a gamma-ray pistol! The GM must carefully vet each modifier to ensure balance in his campaign.

Otherwise, use the options for muscle-powered ranged
weapons (above) with two additional rules:
  * If the PC has access to a way to boost basic damage,
improve the damage type, or both, you must take this into
account when calculating what the Innate Attack would cost.
This is most often accomplished via special ammunition for
firearms (e.g., hollow-point rounds, which bump pi to pi+) or
via “hotshotting” or similar techniques for beam weapons.
Don’t worry about ammunition, etc., hidden away in military
arsenals or research labs. However, if the PC later does get
access to such things, the GM should recalculate the point cost
of this ability – just as for a warrior who upgrades his sword
(Melee Weapons, pp. 10-11).
  * To improve RoF, consult Rapid Fire (p. B108). If the
weapon is at the upper end of a RoF band (e.g., RoF 2, 3, 7, 15,
30, etc.), pay the difference between the current RoF band and
the new one. Otherwise, treat the weapon as belonging to the
RoF band a step down and pay the difference between that
band and the new one. (See the example below.) This rule
ensures that RoF can never be raised for free.

Example: Kaytee’s campaign uses the detailed guns from
GURPS High-Tech. She has a FN MK 16 MOD 0 rifle that
does 4d+2 pi. However, Kaytee can boost the damage and
damage type to 5d(0.5) pi+ by using HP+P ammo. Large
Piercing Attack 5d costs 30 points. (The Armor Divisor (0.5)
does not affect these rules.) She wants to boost its RoF from
9 to 30, so she can empty an entire magazine in one second.
RoF 9 is within the “8-15” band for Rapid Fire, but it’s not the
upper end of that band. Thus, the MK 15 is treated as having
Rapid Fire at the +70% level. She wants to buy it up to Rapid
Fire 30 (+150%), a difference of +80%. This costs 30 ¥ 0.80,
or 24 points.

If the MK 16 had had RoF 15 instead of RoF 9, it would
have already been at the upper limit of “RoF 8-15” (+100%),
and thus upgrading it to RoF 30 (+150%) would have only cost
30 ¥ 0.50, or 15 points.

====Modifying Other Characteristics====
While the details can be fussy, the concept behind rules like Cosmic Active Defenses
(p. 7) and Modifying Existing Damage (pp. 9-11) is a simple one: Figure out what the cost
of the enhancement would be if you had paid for the inherent ability. With GM permission, this can be generalized to other traits. Be careful, as the potential for abuse is high;
many enhancements were never designed to be added to attributes, characteristics, etc.!
Example: Wesley wants his Hearing and Vision to be linked together, so that if he
hears something, he doesn’t have to make a second roll to see it, and vice-versa. The GM
approves, and decides that Link (+20%) is the proper enhancement. (The +10% version
would force Wesley to look at what he was hearing, and that doesn’t seem right.) Wesley’s
Vision roll (p. B358) is a 12 and his Hearing roll (p. B358) is a 13. The GM uses Acute
Senses to determine the fair value, and charges Wesley (12 ¥ 2 ¥ 0.20) + (13 ¥ 2 ¥ 0.20),
or 5 + 6, or 11 points.
===== Sample Modifiers =====

Below are examples of power modifiers appropriate to broad categories
of powers. They attempt to stay true to the way novels and movies depict
those powers. Each lists its individual subcomponents to make it easier to
customize and to demonstrate the principles of design. The overall modifier
is the sum of these parts – don’t apply the component modifiers a second time!
Be sure to change the generic names to suit specific powers.

====Biological: -10%====
Your power is a physical capability
of your body. It’s fatiguing to use
because your metabolism must supply
all of the energy: pay an extra 1 FP
whenever you use an active ability
(Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%). Anything
that upsets your unique metabolism
might deprive you of your power –
including targeted pathogens, drugs,
and nanotech designed by your enemies (technological countermeasures,
-5%).

====Chi: -10%====
Your power emanates from your
life force – a mysterious energy often
called chi or ki. To strengthen your chi
to the point where you can channel it
for superhuman feats, you must
engage in exercises and meditation for
a few hours each day. This requirement is a -10-point disadvantage
(-10%), most often Disciplines of Faith
(Monasticism or Mysticism) or a comparable major Vow. Should you neglect this, your power fails you the first
time you call upon it under stress
(+0%). To restore it, you must take
1d days to rebalance your chi
(+0%). Until you do, you feel ill;
the GM should choose one of
these afflictions from Irritating Conditions (p. B428): Coughing/Sneezing,
Drowsy, Nauseated, or Pain.

====Cosmic: +50%====
Your power originates from the
energy of creation! Your abilities
ignore the ordinary countermeasures
that work against wild advantages,
and you always have access to them –
nothing can neutralize your power or
cut off its energy source. This is identical to the +50% level of the Cosmic
enhancement on p. B103. If you have
individual abilities with more expensive versions of Cosmic, your power
modifier only covers the first +50% of
their value; after that, you must pay
for Cosmic normally.

====Divine: -10%====
A deity grants you your power.
Nothing can prevent your god’s power
from reaching you... but your patron
expects certain behavior in return.
The precise details depend on your
god.

A good god expects you to lead a
virtuous life. The required moral code
is a -10-point disadvantage (-10%),
typically Honesty (12), Sense of Duty
(Coreligionists), or a major Vow.
Should you transgress, your god will
suspend your power – but since he’s
benevolent, he won’t cut you off if this
would endanger you (+5%), save for
the most egregious of sins. To make
amends, you must offer significant
penance: up to a month of fasting,
questing, or equivalent (-5%).

An evil god lets you do as you wish,
provided you make suitable sacrifices,
corrupt the innocent, etc. These
requirements are worth -10 points
(-10%), most often in the form of
Intolerance or a heinous major Vow
such as “Kill someone on the night of
the full moon.” If you forget, your
deity will revoke your power instantly
(+0%). It will turn on you in horrible
ways until you make amends (-5%). A
single killing or desecration will get
you back in favor – since you’ve
already sold your soul, this should be
easy for you (+5%).

An ineffable force of nature only
rarely concerns itself with mortal
affairs, leaving you free to act in its
name as you see fit. But it has principles – often strange, confusing ones –
that constitute a -10-point disadvantage (-10%), perhaps a Code of Honor
such as “Respect nature, and violently
oppose those who do not” or a complex Trademark that few can understand. It will immediately cut you off
for any perceived improbity (+0%). To
get back in good standing, you must
complete a minor quest (+0%) suggested to you through omens.

====Elemental: -10%====
Your power lets you manipulate an
“element”: one particular kind of natural matter or energy, or its absence.
Examples include Air, Cold/Ice,
Darkness, Earth, Electricity, Heat/Fire,
Light, Radiation, Sound/Vibration,
and Water. This power isn’t psionic or
channeled from an elemental god;
powers like that are Psionic or Divine,
respectively. Instead, you’re cosmically
attuned to your element; in effect, you
are an elemental spirit.

The GM should choose a mundane countermeasure or insulator
that can interfere with your elemental energy. Either way, this is worth
-10%. If your element would not logically merit the full -10% for countermeasures or channeled energies, the
GM may rule that this limitation is a
little of both. It’s fairest if every elemental power is more or less equally
limited.

====Magical: -10%====
Your power channels ambient
magical energy (mana). This is difficult to block and found almost everywhere. “No-mana zones” – areas
where your power doesn’t work at all –
occur only rarely in nature. However,
low-mana zones are more common,
and all rolls to use your abilities are at
-5 in such regions. This aspect of the
limitation is worth -5%.

In addition, a variety of anti-powers can thwart your abilities. The
Mana Damper advantage simulates
the effect of a low- or no-mana zone,
while Magic Resistance shields others
from your attacks. Moreover, spells
that dispel or protect against magic
affect your abilities exactly as if they
were spells. This is worth another -5%.
This modifier is identical to the
Mana Sensitive limitation on p. B34.

====Moral: -20%====
Your power comes from some cosmic moral principle – Chaos, Evil,
Good, Order, etc. – that transcends the
mortal and even the divine. This isn’t a
true cosmic power... it’s more like
half a cosmic power, because it has an
opposing anti-power (-5%): Chaos vs.
Order, Evil vs. Good, and so on. This
anti-power offers its wielders
Neutralize and Static abilities (and
perhaps other gifts) that they can use
against you. Your power gives you
similar weapons, of course.

Your ability to tap this power stems
from your dedication to a moral code,
to which you must adhere at all times.
This is a -15-point disadvantage
(-15%), usually Fanaticism – although
Honesty (9) or Sense of Duty
(Humanity) is just as likely for Good.
If you falter, even for a moment, you 
lose your power instantly (+0%). To
get it back requires an extreme
demonstration of commitment that
costs at least 2d days of lost time or
earnings (+0%). Details are up to the
GM, who should pick something
appropriate to your power; e.g., a
large donation to charity, for Good.

This modifier only exists in settings
with absolute morality, where moral
forces battle openly in the world and
are both tangible and detectable.

====Nature: -20%====
Your power channels the vital energy that surrounds all living things.
This exists even in the driest deserts
and on the most barren peaks, but the
ravages of civilization interfere with it,
acting as a mundane insulator against
your power (-10%). You’re at -1 to use
your abilities in a despoiled wild place
such as a clear-cut forest, -3 in a city, -5
amidst ordinary pollution, and -10 in a
poisoned wasteland.

Technology – not technological
countermeasures, but any technology
– also impairs your power. In effect,
it’s a mundane countermeasure
(-10%). You’re at a penalty equal to
half the TL (round up) of the most
advanced manufactured item you’re
carrying, wearing, or riding in or on.
Use the full TL of implants. Thus, a
TL3 sword gives -2, while a TL8 pacemaker gives -8.
An ability that requires no die roll
loses 10% of its effectiveness (bonus to
reactions or skills, DR, etc.) per -1
instead. If the penalties total -10 or
worse, you’re powerless.

This modifier best suits Animal
Control, Plant Control, and Weather
Control powers.

====Psionic: -10%====
Your power is an innate capability of your mind. The energy comes from
within, but a large number of countermeasures exist, including anti-powers
in the form of Antipsi power (-5%) and
technological countermeasures in the
form of “psychotronic” or “psi-tech”
defenses (-5%).

The Basic Set includes several
specific examples of psionic powers:
ESP, Psychic Healing, Psychokinesis,
Telepathy, and Teleportation.

====Spirit: -25%====
Your power comes through commanding spirits: you give orders and
the spirits do the work. Since only
those with powers of their own are
likely to realize this, it’s often hard to
distinguish your abilities from chi,
psi, etc. But there are some important
differences.

Spirits are fickle (-20%), and
whether they answer your summons
at all depends on an unmodified reaction roll. You can command them, but
you must show basic respect. This
imposes a -5-point disadvantage (-5%)
– typically Disciplines of Faith
(Ritualism), Sense of Duty (Servitor
Spirits), or a simple Trademark in the
form of a small offering or token. If
you fail to live up to this, the spirits
turn against you, depriving you of
your power at the worst possible
moment (-5%). Since they ultimately
want you to turn them loose on the
world, though, it’s easy to make
amends – a minor sacrifice, such as a
food offering, is usually enough
(+5%).

The spirits associated with an individual ability might be more or less
friendly, giving from -4 to +4 on reaction rolls. If so, that one ability has an
extra -5% modifier per -1, or +5% per
+1, on top of the basic power modifier
that applies to all abilities.

In some settings, spirits aren’t this
capricious and the GM might dispense
with the reaction roll. This reduces
Spirit to -5%.

====Zero-Cost Modifiers====
A power modifier can be +0%. This means that, on average, the
power’s abilities are neither better nor worse than wild advantages. It
doesn’t mean that they are identical to wild advantages.
A power might end up with a +0% modifier because its benefits and
drawbacks cancel out. Whether this is by design or coincidence, it’s
important to spell out the effects to keep players from assuming that
zero cost implies zero effect. For instance, Things Man Was Not Meant
To Know might grant cultists an unstoppable power (Cosmic, +50%),
but they might be fickle (-20%) and demand extremely strict behavior
(-25% for required disadvantages) – and using the power might have
unpleasant consequences (Nuisance Effect, -5%). The total modifier is
+0%, but certainly not irrelevant!

The rules for countermeasures, required disadvantages, and channeled energies can also result in a +0% modifier. A power might face
countermeasures different from but no more common than those that
affect wild advantages... or require minor upkeep that the user can
safely put off for a day... or channel energy that isn’t prone to interference. All of these things are worth +0%, but you should still note them,
because they can matter in play.

Finally, the GM can add a +0% modifier as a “special effect,” possibly for the sole purpose of marking the power’s abilities as part of the
power. Even then, the modifier isn’t irrelevant. If nothing else, it determines which advantages benefit from the power’s Talent and what traits
those who have the power can add later on (see Adding and Improving
Powers, p. 33). It might even make the power mutually exclusive with
some other power.

====Super: -10%====
Your power is a “generic superpower.” Details depend on the game
world. What’s common to all such
powers is that they face Neutralize
and Static – as wild advantages and as
part of various anti-powers (-5%) –
and that weird-science devices built by
gadgeteers can block them or even
steal them (-5%). In effect, this is just
a special form of the Psionic limitation. In many settings, the two are one
and the same.

Certain super-powers are subject to
mundane insulators or countermeasures that limit their ability to affect
the world. For instance, being underwater might be as effective as Static or
a power-suppressing serum for negating a fire-related power. If your power
is like this, you may give it both the
Super and Elemental modifiers. This
is an exception to the restriction
against “stacking” power modifiers.


===== Enhancements =====

You can apply enhancements to
advantages, and more rarely to basic
attributes and secondary characteristics.
The GM might even permit specific
enhancements on certain //skills//,
but this is difficult to justify unless the
skill functions much as an advantage
(which is sometimes true of
racially innate skills possessed by nonhumans).

Modifiers inflate the complexity of any GURPS game.
Enhancements in particular add a whole new range of ways to
potentially abuse the system. As such, the GM should be careful
when vetting an ability based on a heavily enhanced advantage.
Just because something is built “legally” doesn’t mean the GM
has to allow it in his campaign. For example, Toxic Attack 1
point [1] is unlikely to unbalance any game, but Toxic Attack 1
point (Area Effect 22, +1,100%) [12] could potentially damage
every person in North America simultaneously, while wiping out
thousands of insect and small animal species, all in a single shot
– despite being only 11 points more expensive!

As a general rule, extreme levels of any enhancement can be
problematic. As well, Cosmic (pp. 6-9) always deserves a close
look – it’s potent on its own, but it can be extremely powerful
when combined with other enhancements. Adding Cosmic,
Irresistible attack to the example above would increase the cost
by only 3 points – but the two enhancements together would
ensure that no one was safe from the attack, as it effortlessly
struck through armor, walls, etc.

====Affliction Enhancements====

While it may seem odd to include modifiers specifically
for Affliction, it’s important to realize that the modifiers below
can also be used as the basis of a Side Effect or Symptom
(both p. B109) enhancement. Density Increase and Slower
Move can affect inanimate objects as well as living beings.

Density Increase: The subject’s mass and weight (but not
his volume or size) is drastically increased. This is worth
+5% for x2 weight, +10% for x5, +15% for x10, +20% for
x20, +25% for x50, +30% for x100, and so on. By itself, this
enhancement only covers the nuisance of being heavier
(e.g., breaking chairs and being harder to carry). The subject’s ST, Move, etc., are unchanged; assume that his muscles become proportionately dense. To simulate the kind of
density increase that leaves him staggering under his new
weight, add any of Attribute Penalty (ST, DX, or both), Disadvantage (Lame, Reduced Basic Speed, or Reduced Basic
Move), or Slower Move (below).

Itching: This is a new irritating condition. The subject is
at -2 to DX for the duration of the itch. Scratching for one
full second relieves the itch, but he can do nothing else
while scratching; this requires a Do Nothing maneuver in
combat. +10%.

Slower Move: The subject becomes proportionately
slower than he was, reducing his Move in all mediums, but
not his Basic Speed. Unlike Disadvantage (Lame), this even
affects subjects who slither, fly, swim, etc. This is worth
+10% for 0.8¥ Move, +20% for 0.6¥, +30% for 0.4¥, +40%
for 0.2¥, and +50% to reduce Move to 0. For the first four
levels, round Move down, to a minimum of 1.


==== Accurate (A): +5%/level ====

Your attack is unusually accurate. Each +1 to Accuracy is a +5%
enhancement.

Any ability with the Ranged enhancement can have Accurate. See Reliable for an enhancement that affects die rolls
other than those for ranged attacks.
==== Affects Insubstantial: +20% ====

Your ability affects insubstantial
targets in addition to normal,
substantial things.

Affects Insubstantial is common on the abilities of divine, magical, psi,
and spirit powers. Advantages modified with it affect those using
Clairsentience, Jumper, or Warp with the Projection modifier – not
just targets using true Insubstantiality.
====Affects Insubstantial, Selective: +30%====
When using your advantage, you may choose to have it affect
just insubstantial targets, just substantial targets, or all targets.
(If you can only affect insubstantial targets, take the Insubstantial Only limitation.)
====Affects Others: +50% per person=====
You can extend your advantage’s benefits to others. If you
can affect a limited number of willing subjects by touching
them, Affects Others costs +50% per person. This isn’t an
attack – it has no effect on unwilling recipients. You must take
a separate Ready maneuver to make contact with each companion, who must be within reach. This bestows the effects of
the advantage, not the ability to use it. You turn it “off” and
“on,” set its level, and so on, and your decisions apply equally
to you and all subjects.

Your ability only affects others while they’re touching you.
They can end its effects at any time by breaking contact with
you. To affect those who are merely nearby, add Area Effect –
in which case a Ready maneuver lets you affect any number of
people up to your limit, if they’re in your area.

The above version of Affects Others is for movement abilities (e.g., Flight and Permeation) and physical transformations
(e.g., Growth and Shrinking). It’s a good way to keep the PCs
together on adventures that would leave behind those who
can’t fly, shrink, etc. The GM may allow Affects Others on other
traits when it serves this purpose.

If you apply Force Field (p. 14) to one of the defenses listed
for that enhancement, you may add Affects Others for a flat
+50%, provided you also take at least one level of Area Effect.
Together, these three modifiers let you extend your advantage’s
protection to everyone inside your area. This force field works
against attacks and hazards crossing it from the outside. Threats
inside the force field bypass its protection.

If based on Damage Resistance, the force field impedes
movement, too. Foes who wish to cross it must force their way
in. Those who try this as a free action (allowed once per turn)
roll thrust damage. Those who use Attack, Move and Attack, or
All-Out Attack to blast their way in roll their attack’s usual
damage. If damage exceeds DR, they make an opening large
enough to step through. This closes at the end of their turn,
and doesn’t weaken the force field.

The GM shouldn’t allow either form of Affects Others on
advantages that let the user do something, such as Healing,
Innate Attack, and Mind Control. To grant forbidden traits or
affect unwilling subjects, buy Affliction with a suitable
Advantage enhancement.
==== Affects Substantial: +40% ====

Your ability affects substantial targets
even when you are insubstantial. It also affects insubstantial creatures normally. 

Those who possess Clairsentience,
Jumper, or Warp with the Projection
modifier, Shadow Form, or any similar ability that renders them effectively
insubstantial can use this modifier to
let advantages that wouldn’t normally
affect the physical world do so.

(Do not add this enhancement to magical or psi abilities; these can already affect the substantial 
world at -3.)



//Note to GMs//: This enhancement is
very powerful. It lets insubstantial
characters affect the material world
with little fear of retribution. Feel free
to disallow it, restrict it to NPCs, or to
make sure that //lots// of foes have the
Affects Insubstantial enhancement!

====Affects Substantial, Selective: +50%====
When using your advantage, you may choose to have
it affect just insubstantial targets, just substantial targets, or
all targets.

====Alternative Enhancements: Variable====
Selectivity (p. B108) allows you to decide which
enhancements are “on” and which are “off,” as a free
action, every time you use the ability in question. You can
alternate between using a single enhancement, using all of
them, or anything in between! But some abilities don’t call
for that level of flexibility.

If you have access to multiple enhancements, but can
only use one at a time, treat this as a new enhancement:
Alternative Enhancements. Its cost is equal to that of the
most expensive enhancement, plus 1/5 the total value of the
remaining enhancements. (This is an adaptation of Alternative Attacks, p. B61.) Treat any enhancement less than
+5% (e.g., Game Time) as +5% for these purposes.

At the beginning of each turn, as a free action, you must
choose which of the enhancements is being used – for simplicity, establish a “default setting” with the GM, and then
let him know whenever you switch it.

Example: Cade can read any mind, whether organic or
digital. However, she finds flesh-and-blood minds much easier to read. She buys Mind Reading (Alternative Enhancements, Cybernetic or Reliable 6, +56%) [47] and sets
Reliable as her default use. When she knows she needs to
read a computer, she may consciously switch over to Cybernetic instead, losing her Reliable bonus.
The enhancements must be thematically linked; they
have to make sense as alternative settings for the ability.

For example, Burning Attack (Alternative Enhancements,
Armor Divisor (2) or Cone, 1 yard, +70%) can be justified
as “adjusting the focus of my laser,” but Affliction (Alternative Enhancements, Coma, Malediction 2, or Respiratory
Agent, +290%) would be much harder to explain.
For even more versatility, see Variable Enhancement
(p. 5).

====Ammunition Options: Variable====

Your attack – which must do piercing damage – can switch
between different types of ammunition. Switching is a free
action at the beginning or end of your turn. If it takes you a full
turn to select between ammo types, add a flat -5% to the final
value of this enhancement.

You may only choose one of the options below. Each
enhancement is restricted to attacks that do a certain type of
piercing damage. This is to avoid an impossible situation; e.g.,
a huge piercing attack can’t have HP Ammo, because there’s no
way to increase the damage type by a step!

^ Attack Type ^ AP Ammo ^ HP Ammo ^ Multi-Ammo ^
| Small Piercing | – | +40% | –  |
| Piercing | +20% | +20% | +40% |
| Large Piercing | +45% | +20% | +65% |
| Huge Piercing | +35% | – | – |
“–” means the enhancement is not available for this type of
attack.

===AP Ammo===

You can fire armor-piercing rounds instead of normal ones.
Doing so reduces your damage type by a step, but raises your
armor divisor by a step. For example, a 3d pi attack becomes a
3d(2) pi- attack.

===HP Ammo===

You can fire hollow-point rounds instead of normal ones.
Doing so increases your damage type by a step, but lowers your
armor divisor by a step. For example, a 3d pi attack becomes a
3d(0.5) pi+ attack.

===Multi-Ammo===

You may fire AP ammo or HP ammo, as per the two
enhancements above.

==== Area Effect (A): +50%/level ====

Your ability works as an area power
instead of affecting a single target.
Everything in the area suffers the
attack’s damage or other effects. On a
miss, use the scatter rules (p. B414) to
see where the area is centered. Active
defenses don’t protect against an area
attack, but victims may attempt to dive
for cover or dodge and retreat to leave
the area. For more information, see
//Area and Spreading Attacks// (p. B413).

^   Radius   ^  Modifier  ^
|   2 yards  |    +50%    |
|   4 yards  |   +100%    |
|   8 yards  |   +150%    |
|  16 yards  |   +200%    |

Further levels continue to double
the radius. If applied to an advantage
that //already// covers an area, each level
doubles the base radius.

Area Effect is a prerequisite for Mobile, Persistent,
Selective Area, Bombardment, and Emanation.

For advantages that already affect
an area, the area of effect sometimes
depends on the advantage level. If so,
the only way to increase the area is to
buy a higher level of the trait – Area
Effect is off limits.

Area Effect makes it possible to
affect groups of people with nonattack advantages that normally affect
just one target; e.g., Healing, Mind
Control, and Telekinesis. Several special rules apply to such abilities:

  * If the advantage has a FP cost, multiply this by the radius in yards. Paying this cost lets the user affect everyone in the area – he doesn’t pay FP separately for each subject. For instance, on a single subject, Healing costs 1 FP per 2 HP healed; on everyone in an eight-yard radius, it costs 8 FP per 2 HP healed (which the GM may interpret as 4 FP per HP).
  * If the advantage affects the target via a Quick Contest, the user must roll a separate Contest with each potential victim in the area.
  * If the advantage specifies a penalty to affect each victim after the first, the user has a penalty equal to the total number of potential victims, less one, on his roll for each subject. For example, to use Mind Control (Area Effect) on four people at once, roll to affect each of them at -3. 
  * If the advantage has user-defined effects, these must be the same for all subjects. In the Mind Control example above, the controller could tell all four victims, “Attack those men by the door!” He could not order, “John, save the girl. Paul, grab the treasure chest. George and Ringo, attack the men by the door!” If the ability is ongoing, it takes a second (or the usual amount of time for the advantage, if longer) to specify different effects for a particular subject, during which time the others continue to experience the last effect specified.


==== Armor Divisor (A): Variable ====

Your attack can pierce more armor
than its base damage would indicate.

^  Armor Divisor  ^  Modifier  ^
|       (2)       |     +50%   |
|       (3)       |    +100%   |
|       (5)       |    +150%   |
|      (10)       |    +200%   |

Only Innate Attacks and Afflictions can have this enhancement. Armor Divisor is a "penetration modifier"; you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers, such as Contact Agent and Follow-Up.

The GM may allow this modifier –
as an enhancement or a limitation –
on attacks affected by specialized
defenses other than DR. Adjust the
defense’s level just as you would DR.
For example, an Affliction with Vision-Based (which bypasses DR) could add
Armor Divisor (5) to reduce the effects
of Protected Vision from +5 to +1.
==== Aura (A): +80% ====

Your attack takes the form of a
malefic aura that affects anyone you
touch (reach C) or who touches you. If
a weapon strikes you, your aura
affects the weapon. You can switch the
aura on or off at the start of your turn
(if not, take Always On). You //must// take Aura in conjunction with Melee Attack (p. 112) at the -30% level
(reach C), and you cannot claim the
extra -5% for "cannot parry" – an aura
cannot parry in the first place.

The classic example of an Aura is
the sheath of flame surrounding a fire
elemental. See //Body of Fire// for
how to write this up.

Creatures that bleed acid, flame,
and so on when wounded have a
Burning Attack or Corrosive Attack
that combines Aura (+80%) with
Always On (-20%), Blood Agent
(-40%), and Melee Attack (-30%), for a
net -10%. Always On is worth -20%
because it’s inconvenient to fry your
possessions whenever you’re cut.
Blood Agent works “in reverse” here;
see Blood Agent for details.

==== Based on (Different Attribute): +20% ====

This enhancement is only available
for abilities that allow a resistance roll
against ST, DX, IQ, HT, Perception, or
Will. It moves the resistance roll from
the usual attribute or characteristic to
a different one, specified when you
buy the ability. This is considered an
enhancement because it lets you finetune
your ability to be more effective against targets with known
weaknesses.

Some sinister entities (e.g., demons) can “aim” Afflictions, Mind 
Control, and so on at their victim’s
weaknesses. If the GM permits, an
attack can have several instances of
this enhancement, letting the user
choose how his attack is resisted.
Each attribute – including the one that
normally resists the attack – costs
+20%. For instance, to target IQ, HT,
or Will costs +60%. The attacker must
choose the target attribute before he
attacks.

The GM may permit this modifier
on advantages that require the user to
roll against his own DX, IQ, HT, Will,
or Per, shifting the roll to another of
these scores. This still costs +20%. He
can take this enhancement twice to
change his roll and his target’s roll,
where logical.
====Based on (Different Attribute), Own Roll: +20%====
This enhancement is available for any ability that requires
the user to roll against his own DX, IQ, HT, Will, or Per to use.
It shifts the roll from the usual attribute or secondary characteristic to a different one. (Note that ST is deliberately
excluded; you cannot shift a roll to or from ST.)
This does not affect the target’s resistance roll, if any! Use
the standard Based on (Different Attribute) (p. B102) for that.
==== Blood Agent (A): +100% ====

On an attack with Area Effect or
Cone, this is an //enhancement//. See the
Blood Agent limitation for
details.

====Can Carry Objects: Variable====
A physical transformation normally affects your body but
not your belongings. With this enhancement, your advantage
also transforms objects you’re carrying or wearing. It ceases to
affect these things when you put them down. Can Carry
Objects is already defined for Insubstantiality, Invisibility, Permeation, Shadow Form, and Shrinking, but it’s also useful for
Chameleon, Elastic Skin, Growth, Morph, and anything else
the GM allows.

Cost depends on how much you can carry: No encumbrance is +10%; Light, +20%; Medium, +50%; Heavy, +100%;
and Extra-Heavy, +150%.
To affect people you’re touching, add Affects Others.
To extend defensive effects to your possessions, take Force
Field.
==== Cone (A): Variable ====

Your attack spreads to affect everyone
in a cone-shaped area. Cones use
special rules; see //Area and Spreading
Attacks// (p. 413). Decide on the maximum
width of the cone, in yards, at
the attack’s maximum range. Cone
costs +50% //plus// +10% per yard of
maximum width.

You cannot combine Cone with
Area Effect, Aura, Jet, Melee Attack,
Rapid Fire, or Emanation.

The notes under Area Effect also apply to Cone. The only difference is that the user multiplies the FP
cost of non-attack advantages by the
maximum width of the cone instead of
a radius in yards.
When combining Cone with
Malediction – which has no Max statistic – assume that the cone spreads
by one yard per yard of range. It
attains its maximum width at a range
equal to that width (e.g., at five yards,
for a five-yard-wide cone), and has no
effect on more distant targets. Work
out the range modifier separately for
each target within the cone, following
the usual rules for Malediction.
==== Contact Agent (A): +150% ====

On an attack with Area Effect or
Cone, this is an //enhancement//. See the
Contact Agent limitation  for
more information.

==== Cosmic: Variable ====

Your ability operates on a "higher
level" than is usual in your game
world. This allows it to work under all
circumstances, and possibly even
ignore opposing powers! The value of
the enhancement depends on the
underlying trait:

//Ability other than an attack or a
defense//. Your ability is not subject to
the usual built-in restrictions. For
instance, your Healing might cure otherwise
"incurable" diseases, your
Insubstantiality might allow you to
penetrate barriers that would block
other insubstantial beings, or your
Shapeshifting might be immune to
negation by external forces. +50%.

//Defense or countermeasure//. Your
defensive trait provides its usual benefits
against offensive abilities modified
with the Cosmic enhancement. +50%.

//No die roll required//. Only for abilities that require a success roll. Your
advantage works if you have any
chance of success. Apply all the usual
modifiers to your base skill. If your
effective skill is 3 or more, you succeed
– don’t bother to roll. The only way
you can fail is if your effective skill
falls below 3. You can add this
enhancement to attacks, but not to
abilities with effects based entirely on
margin of success. This excludes such
resisted abilities as Mind Control and
Maledictions. +100%.

//Attack with a lingering special effect//.
Your attack has an enduring effect
that only another Cosmic power can
counteract; e.g., a burning Innate
Attack that sets fires that water cannot
extinguish, or a toxic Innate Attack
that inflicts Cyclic (below) damage
that medical technology cannot halt.
This does not negate the target’s protection!
DR still affects Innate Attack,
a HT roll is still allowed for a
Resistible attack, etc. +100%.

//Irresistible attack//. Your attack //does//
negate the target’s protection; e.g., an
Innate Attack that ignores DR, or
Mind Control that ignores Mind
Shield. The target may still attempt an
active defense against the attack, if
applicable. You cannot combine this
enhancement with other "penetration
modifiers," such as Follow-Up. +300%.

//No active defense allowed.// Only for
attacks that the target can dodge,
block, or parry. Your target gets no
active defense against your attack, no
matter how fast or skilled he is. If your
attack roll succeeds, you hit. The victim’s DR and other purely passive protection works normally, and this
enhancement doesn’t prevent resistance rolls. +300%.

Cosmic options are cumulative.
For instance, an Innate Attack that
requires no roll to hit (+100%), allows
no active defense (+300%), and
ignores DR (+300%) is +700%. An
Attack maneuver lets you immediately
apply your damage roll to your target’s
HP!
No version of Cosmic bypasses the
resistance roll against Affliction, Mind
Control, Maledictions, and similar
abilities. Despite its name, “irresistible
attack” simply negates protection
such as DR and Mind Shield – it doesn’t deny the target his chance to resist.
On a carrier attack, all forms of
Cosmic raise the cost of Follow-Up on
the follow-up attack.

//Cosmic as a Power Modifier//: At the
+50% level, Cosmic is often a power
modifier (see p. 26). On abilities with
this modifier, reduce the total cost of
all Cosmic options by +50%. In effect,
the first +50% of Cosmic is built in.
When using Powers, Great and Small 
(below), each tier has an enhancement
cost, and pays a premium equal to
that cost for a lingering attack, or five
times that cost for an irresistible
attack. “No die roll” and “no active
defense” are at full cost, less the value
of the tier enhancement.

//Cosmic vs. Cosmic//: When Cosmic
abilities conflict, handle it as if neither
side had Cosmic. For instance, DR
with Cosmic subtracts from “irresistible” attacks with Cosmic. The not-quite-cosmic powers of \\Powers, Great
and Small\\ only count as Cosmic
against lower tiers – and only top-tier
powers count as Cosmic against wild
abilities. Powers on the same tier
interact as if neither were Cosmic.

===Powers, Great and Small===
Ordinarily, two advantages that
interact in a particular way in their
wild form interact no differently when
one or both belongs to a power – even
if their power sources are very different. For example, Mind Shield resists
all mental attacks, of any source,
whether it’s a wild advantage or a chi,
psi, or magical ability. Similarly,
Damage Resistance subtracts from the
damage inflicted by Innate Attack,
regardless of the source of
either trait, unless the DR
is limited not to work
against the attack or the
Innate Attack is
enhanced to bypass DR.
Cosmic powers are the
sole exception.

If you wish, though,
you can set things up so that
certain powers operate on a higher
plane than others. To do so, arrange
the powers into “tiers.” Whenever a
power interacts with a higher-tier
power, treat the higher-tier power as if
it were cosmic. For instance, if there
are three tiers, then bottom-tier See
Invisible can only defeat bottom-tier
Invisibility; middle-tier See Invisible
can pierce bottom- //or// middle-tier
Invisibility; and top-tier See Invisible
can penetrate //any// Invisibility.

In this model, //truly// cosmic
powers add +50% to their power
modifier and are superior to all
other powers. The “least” powers
add +0% and are inferior to all others. Powers in between add an intermediate value that depends on
which tier they occupy and how
many tiers there are, as follows:

Two tiers: Tier 1 (Cosmic), +50%;
Tier 2 (everything else!), +0%.

Three tiers: Tier 1 (Cosmic), +50%;
Tier 2, +25%; Tier 3 (least), +0%.

Four tiers: Tier 1 (Cosmic), +50%;
Tier 2, +30%; Tier 3, +15%; Tier 4
(least), +0%.

Five tiers: Tier 1 (Cosmic), +50%;
Tier 2, +35%; Tier 3, +25%; Tier 4,
+10%; Tier 5 (least), +0%.

Six tiers: Tier 1 (Cosmic), +50%;
Tier 2, +40%; Tier 3, +30%; Tier 4,
+20%; Tier 5, +10%; Tier 6 (least),
+0%.
==== Cyclic (A): Variable ====

This enhancement is only available
for Innate Attacks that inflict burning,
corrosion, fatigue, or toxic damage. It
represents an attack that persists //on
the victim//: acid, disease, liquid fire,
poison, etc. (For attacks that linger in
the environment, see //Persistent//.)

A Cyclic attack damages its target
normally – but once the target has
been exposed, the attack damages him
//again// each time a set interval passes!
All penetration modifiers (e.g.,
Contact or Follow-Up) continue to
apply; for instance, a Cyclic attack
with Follow-Up continues to ignore
DR. Worst of all, the victim cannot
recover HP or FP lost to a Cyclic
attack until the attack stops damaging
him!

You must specify a reasonably
common set of circumstances that
halt any further damage from your
attack. For instance, to halt cyclic corrosion
or burning damage, the victim
might have to wash the acid off or roll
on the ground to extinguish the
flames, taking one or more seconds
and a DX or IQ roll. Fatigue or toxic
damage might require drugs or medical
care (use Physician skill). Details
are up to the GM.

The base value of Cyclic depends
on the damage interval.

^   Interval   ^  Modifier  ^
|   1 second   |    +100%   |
|  10 seconds  |     +50%   |
|   1 minute   |     +40%   |
|   1 hour     |     +20%   |
|   1 day      |     +10%   |

Burning or corrosion attacks
shouldn’t have intervals longer than 10
seconds. At the GM’s option, someone
taking damage at one-second intervals
might have to make a Fright Check!

Multiply the base value by the
number of cycles after the first. The
GM should consider limiting large
numbers of cycles to attacks that do
less than 1d damage.

Cyclic attacks are often Resistible; if so, an extra resistance roll
is allowed for each cycle, with a success
preventing any further damage. If
the attack is Resistible, halve the value
of Cyclic.

Some Cyclic attacks are contagious.
If the attack is contagious, those
who come into contact with victims
must roll against HT, per Contagion
(p. B443). “Mildly contagious” (+20%)
means the required contact is holding
or being held by an infected victim for
a //full// cycle, or contact with bodily fluids. “Highly contagious” (+50%)
means the effects spread at the slightest touch.

These factors are cumulative. For
instance, a resistible disease with 31
daily cycles would cost +10% x 30 x
1/2 = +150%. If it were highly
contagious, it would cost +200%.

==== Damage Modifiers (A): Variable ====

You may give an Innate Attack one
or more of these modifiers to further
qualify the way it does damage.

=== Double Blunt Trauma (dbt): +20% ===

Available for Innate Attacks that do
burning, corrosion, cutting, impaling,
or piercing damage. Burning and corrosion
attacks enhanced this way
inflict 1 HP of blunt trauma injury per
10 points of basic damage resisted by
flexible armor. Cutting, impaling, and
piercing attacks with this enhancement
inflict the same blunt trauma as
a crushing attack: 1 HP of blunt trauma
injury per 5 points of basic damage
resisted by flexible armor.

=== Double Knockback (dkb): +20% ===

This lets a crushing or cutting
attack inflict twice as much knockback
as usual; see Knockback (p. 378).
To make this
meaningful for low-damage attacks,
double the basic damage of the attack,
for knockback purposes only, instead
of doubling yards of knockback.

=== Explosion (exp):  +50%/level ===

The attack produces an explosion
at the point of impact (on a miss,
check for scatter; see p. 414). The target
takes damage normally; anything
nearby receives "collateral damage"
equal to basic damage divided (3 x the
distance in yards from the blast). If the
attack also has an Armor Divisor, it does not apply to this collateral
damage.

You can take up to two additional
levels of Explosion if you desire a blast
that isn’t as affected by distance. The
second level divides basic damage by
twice the distance in yards and is
+100%; the third level divides damage
by the distance in yards and is +150%.
Explosion is usually limited to
crushing and burning attacks, but the
GM may permit other combinations.
For more on explosions, see
Explosions (p. 414).

=== Fragmentation (frag): +15% per die ===

The attack scatters damaging fragments
on impact. Decide on the dice
of fragmentation damage and note
this in brackets after the attack’s basic
damage. Everyone within 5 yards per
die of fragmentation damage is
attacked with effective skill 15, modified
by range penalties from the point
of impact; see //Fragmentation Damage//
(p. 414).

Fragments inflict cutting damage.
If you add Fragmentation to a burning
attack or one with the Incendiary
enhancement (below), the fragments
are Incendiary at no extra cost. If you
apply it to an attack with Follow-Up, penetration indicates the
fragments automatically hit the victim
but no one else. Fragmentation often
accompanies Explosion (above), but
this is not required.

Fragmentation costs +15% per die
of fragmentation damage. A damage
of [2d] or [3d] is typical of a grenade-sized
blast. Maximum fragmentation
damage is [12d] or the attack’s basic
damage, whichever is //less//.

//Hot Fragments//: The fragments
inflict burning damage with the modifiers
Cyclic (Six 10-second cycles) and
Armor Divisor (0.2) //instead// of cutting
damage. Cost is unchanged.

//Large Piercing Fragments//, like the ball bearings hurled by modern antipersonnel mines, cost +15% per die. 

//Impaling Fragments//, like the flechettes scattered by some artillery shells, cost +20% per die. In all cases,
use the usual fragmentation rules; damage type is all that changes.

=== Hazard: Variable ===

You may give an Innate Attack that
inflicts fatigue damage one of these
enhancements: Dehydration, +20%;
Drowning, +0%; Freezing, +20%;
Missed Sleep, +50%; Starvation,
+40%; or Suffocation, +0%. Treat FP
lost to the attack identically to FP lost
to the relevant hazard for //all// purposes,
notably recovery (see Chapter 14).

Traits that protect the target from
the hazard in question also shield him
from this damage. For instance, a
Starvation attack would inflict FP that
could only be recovered by eating a
meal, but someone with Doesn’t Eat
or Drink would be immune.

Pyrokinetic Fatigue Attacks that inflict gradual
heating (as opposed to rapid burning) can add a new Hazard:
Heat, +20%. FP lost to this Hazard follow the rules on p. B434.

=== Incendiary (inc): +10% ===

An Innate Attack //other// than a burning
attack may be Incendiary. This
gives the damage a secondary flame
effect that can ignite volatile material
(fuel, dry tinder, etc.).

Optionally, to represent
superscience and magical attacks with
fire-starting potential out of proportion to damage, add Incendiary to a
Burning Attack. This moves the effective flammability class of anything
damaged by the attack up a step; see
Making Things Burn (p. B433).

=== Missing Damage Effect ===

If the GM agrees and the special effects support
it, an attack may lack one of the normal “side effects” of its damage type.
The absence of an effect that damages
the target’s HP, FP, or DR is worth
-20% (like No Blunt Trauma); e.g., No
DR Reduction, for a Corrosion Attack.
Most other limitations are worth -10%
(like No Knockback); e.g., No
Incendiary Effect, for a Burning
Attack.

=== No Wounding ===
The GM may allow this on Burning and Corrosion Attacks. For a Burning Attack, roll 
damage normally but use it only to
determine whether the attack sets a
fire; see Making Things Burn
(p. B433). In the case of a Corrosion
Attack, the damage only serves to
reduce the target’s DR.

=== Radiation (rad): +25% or +100% ===

The attack irradiates the subject.
Roll damage normally, but whether or
not the attack penetrates DR, it inflicts
1 rad per point of basic damage rolled.
See //Radiation// (p. 435) for effects. For
a toxic attack, this dosage is //instead// of
regular damage, and the enhancement
is worth +25%; this is typical of "ordinary"
radioactivity. For a burning
attack, the radiation dose is as well as
regular damage, and the enhancement
is +100%; use this for particle beams.
Other damage types cannot have this
enhancement.

In settings that feature
weird, mutation-inducing radiation,
attacks with this modifier can bathe
the target in these energies instead of
causing regular radiation damage.
Effects are up to the GM.

=== Surge (sur): +20% ===

The attack produces an electrical
surge or pulse that can disable electronics
or anything with the Electrical
disadvantage.

Electronics that take over
1/3 HP from an attack with this
enhancement must make a HT roll to
avoid shorting out. Failure disables
the target for seconds equal to the
margin of failure; critical failure disables it until repaired (see Repairs,
p. B484).

Burning Attacks or Afflictions designed to represent
powerful electric charges (such as lightning) can take a higher
level of Surge, below.

//Surge, Arcing//: In addition to the regular effects of Surge,
your attack treats any conductive, metal armor as DR 1,
regardless of its actual DR. This is a “penetration modifier”;
you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers. It
may be combined with Side Effect. +100%.

====Decreased Immunity: +50% per level or +20%====
Some advantages offer a form of “immunity” to those who
successfully resist, making it either impossible or just more difficult to use your ability on them again. Each level of this
enhancement shifts this immunity down one level on the chart
below. It does not affect any penalties in play for repeated
attempts. Note that some levels have two equally limiting
effects; you must choose which alternative applies when buying this enhancement.

^Level^Effect^
|4|Permanently Immune|
|3|Immune for one day or Permanent, cumulative -2 penalty|
|2|Immune for one hour or Cumulative -2 penalty lasting one day|
|1|Cumulative -2 penalty lasting one hour|
|0|No effect|

Switching between two alternatives on the same level is a
+20% enhancement. Note it as “Decreased Immunity 0” along
with the new effects chosen.

If you do not roll to use the ability, interpret each -2 penalty
as a +2 bonus for your subjects to resist. Terror is a special case,
in that subjects also get a bonus to resist further use, whether
they succeed or fail. Thus, for Terror, each level of Decreased
Immunity also shifts the bonus, from “+1 per Fright Check after
the first within 24 hours” to “+1 per Fright Check after the first
within an hour” to no cumulative bonus for Fright Checks.

Example: Yvette buys Mind Reading (Decreased Immunity
1, +50%). Mind Reading normally has a cumulative -2 penalty
lasting one hour (level 1) for those who resist, while a critical
failure reading a subject makes him immune for one day (level
3). This reduces both effects, to level 0 and level 2, respectively.
Thus, Yvette is at no penalty to try again if a subject resists, and
she may choose (when adding this enhancement) whether a
critical failure grants the subject immunity for an hour or gives
her a cumulative -2 penalty, lasting one day, to read him.

Example: Mikey buys Terror (Decreased Immunity 1,
+50%). Normally, if a target succeeds at his Fright Check, he is
immune for one hour; Mikey chooses to instead give the subjects a cumulative +2 to resist lasting one hour. In addition, the
window in which his victims get a +1 cumulative bonus to
resist multiple Fright Checks has shrunk, from 24 hours down
to a single hour.
==== Delay (A): Variable ====

This enhancement delays the
attack’s effects until sometime after
you hit the target. This lets you simulate
time bombs and the like. You
must specify some way to neutralize
the effect before it occurs. Work out
this detail with the GM.

A //fixed// delay (e.g., 2 seconds) is
+0%.

A //variable// delay is +10% if you can
set it for any time from "no delay" to
10 seconds, or +20% if you can set it
for longer (minutes, hours, days...).

You must select the delay //before// you
roll to hit.

//Triggered Delay//: Instead of a time
delay, the effects are triggered by a
simple action: a radio signal, touch,
pressure, a metal object passing within
a yard, etc. Specify the trigger when
you buy the attack. +50%.

====Delay, Supernatural: +50% or +100%====

The attack goes off if the victim performs some forbidden
act: attacks someone, speaks, etc. This is worth the usual +50%
if the triggering condition is fixed, +100% if the attacker can
specify the details of the curse when he attacks. The traditional
way to neutralize such attacks is with an exorcism, Remove
Curse spell, or similar measure.


====Destructive Parry: +10%====

Prerequisite: Melee Attack or Melee-Capable.
Your attack damages weapons it parries or that parry it.
Roll damage normally and apply it to your foe’s weapon on
a successful parry by either of you; see Damage to Objects
(p. B483) for effects.
==== Drifting (A): +20% ====

You may add this enhancement to
any attack with Delay (above) or
Persistent (p. 107). The initial attack
roll places the effect. It then drifts from
that point with the wind, water currents,
solar wind, etc., as appropriate.
Use this for poison gas, ball lightning,
floating mines, and so forth.


====Dual: +10%====
Prerequisite: Melee Attack or Melee-Capable.
Your ability generates two melee weapons – usually one in
each hand – permitting a Dual-Weapon Attack (p. B417).

====Erosive: +10%====
Erosive must accompany one of
Blood Agent, Contact Agent, or
Respiratory Agent, and either Area
Effect or Cone. Your attack is a gas
that eats away at the seals on gas
masks, environment suits, etc.
Whenever the wearer of such gear is
exposed to the gas, roll against his
equipment’s HT. Assume HT 12 unless
otherwise specified. Any failure means
enough gas seeps in to affect him and
reduce the HT of his equipment by 1
(this loss is cumulative). Restoring a
point of lost HT is a major repair (see
Repairs, p. B484).
==== Extended Duration: Variable ====

This enhancement increases the
normal duration of your ability.
"Multiple" applies to the original duration
(or changes it to permanent).

Duration occasionally depends on
advantage level. If so, the only way to
increase it is to buy a higher level of
the advantage; Extended Duration
isn’t allowed.

^      Multiple     ^  Modifier  ^
|      3x duration  |     +20%   |
|     10x duration  |     +40%   |
|     30x duration  |     +60%   |
|    100x duration  |     +80%   |
|    300x duration  |    +100%   |
|  1,000x duration  |    +120%   |
|  3,000x duration  |    +140%   |
|     Permanent*    |    +150%   |

* You must specify a reasonable
set of conditions that will dispel the
effect (or cure it, for abilities such as
Affliction and Mind Control). The
GM is the judge of what is "reasonable."
If there is //no// way to end the
effect, the enhancement is +300%.
To keep PCs from granting each other
free advantages, the GM may wish
to forbid this level of Extended
Duration on Afflictions with the
Advantage modifier.

To add Extended Duration to an
attack, the attack must //either// have
Aura, Persistent, or Wall, or specifically
allow this enhancement. You can
also add Extended Duration to any
advantage that has the Ranged
enhancement.

If the modified trait has multiple
facets with separate durations, you
must specify which duration you are
extending. For instance, a cloud of
sleeping gas could have this enhancement
to extend the duration of the
sleep it induces or the length of time
the cloud persists; to do both, buy this
enhancement twice.



Example: Pedro buys Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Alternate
Form, Frog, +150%; Extended Duration, Permanent, Dispelled
with a Santeria ritual, +150%) [40]. He can turn a person into
a frog indefinitely – but if someone knows the appropriate ritual, they can restore the victim within mere minutes! 

Shawn
takes Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Alternate Form, Frog,
+150%; Extended Duration, 10,000x duration, +160%) [41].
His transformations only last a few weeks, but there is no simple way to end the effect before then!

===Extended Duration Table===
^Multiple^One Second Becomes*^One Minute Becomes*^Modifier^
|3,000x duration|50 minutes|2 days|+140%|
|10,000x duration|3 hours|1 week|+160%|
|30,000x duration|8 hours|3 weeks|+180%|
|100,000x duration|1 day|10 weeks|+200%|
|300,000x duration|3.5 days|7 months|+220%|
|1,000,000x duration|11.5 days|2 years|+240%|
|3,000,000x duration|1 month|5.5 years|+260%|
|10,000,000x duration|4 months|19 years|+280%|

* These have been rounded to convenient values, within 10% of the exact product.

====Extra Passes: +10% per pass====
Prerequisite: Either Guided or Homing.
Cinematic missiles don’t crash on a miss . . . they turn around
and make another pass. This costs +10% for each pass after the
first; e.g., Crushing Attack (Extra Passes 2, +20%; Guided, +50%)
gets a total of three chances to hit. If the initial attack misses,
reroll it one second later, using the same effective skill as on the
first attempt. Roll again once per second until the attack hits
or runs out of extra passes – or, if Guided, the attacker stops
guiding it.

====Fixed Duration: +0%====
This enhancement turns a duration that depends on margin
of success or failure (e.g., for Affliction) into a fixed time.
Figure the duration as though the margin of success or failure
was 3; for most abilities, this means three minutes. This can be
modified further with Extended Duration or Reduced Duration.

==== Follow-Up (A): Variable ====

Your attack’s effects are delivered
by a "carrier." Use this to represent
poison on a dart, an explosive in an
armor-piercing shell, etc. Pick a //different//
attack as the carrier. This can be
either body weaponry (e.g., Claws or
Teeth) or an Innate Attack (usually
one that does cutting, impaling, or
piercing damage).

A Follow-Up attack need only list
its damage amount and type. All other
details depend on the carrier attack.
The Follow-Up attack only hits if the
carrier attack hits. If the carrier attack
penetrates the target’s DR, DR has //no//
effect on the Follow-Up attack’s damage
or HT rolls.

If the carrier attack is a natural
weapon, such as Claws or Teeth,
Follow-Up is a +0% enhancement.
(//Exception//: On a passive carrier attack
such as Spines, Follow-Up is a -50%
//limitation//.)

If the carrier attack is an Innate
Attack, the cost of Follow-Up depends
on the modifiers on the carrier attack.
The cost of Follow-Up equals the sum
of the costs of whichever of the following
modifiers apply to the carrier
attack: Always On, Aura, Cone,
Drifting, Emanation, Emergencies
Only, Extra Recoil, Guided, Homing,
Increased Range, Jet, Limited Use,
Malediction, Melee Attack, Preparation
Required, Rapid Fire, Reduced
Range, Takes Extra Time, Takes
Recharge, Unconscious Only,
Uncontrollable, or Unreliable. If none
of these modifiers apply to the carrier
attack, Follow-Up costs +0%. Note
that the Follow-Up attack itself cannot
take any of these modifiers. Only
its carrier attack may have them.

Follow-Up is a "penetration modifier";
you cannot combine it with
other penetration modifiers (although
the carrier attack can have them).

Follow-Up is only valid on attacks
that can’t normally ignore DR. If an
attack that normally ignores DR (e.g.,
Leech) only works if a natural weapon
– Claws, Teeth, etc. – pierces DR, use
the Blood Agent limitation (-40%)
instead.
====Follow-Up, Universal: +50%====
This variant of Follow-Up (p. B105) allows your attack to
“piggyback” on any unarmed or weapon attack you make,
whether melee or ranged – but not on an Innate Attack. (Of
course, you can buy this enhancement, then add standard
Follow-Up enhancements to cover your Innate Attacks.) It only
hits if your mundane attack hits. If that attack penetrates the
target’s DR, the Follow-Up attack ignores DR completely.
Follow-Up, Universal is a “penetration modifier”; you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers.

====Force Field: +20%====
This enhancement converts a defensive trait into a field projected a short distance from your body.
 The field engulfs and protects your entire body – including your eyes –
 and everything you’re carrying or wearing (p to Extra-Heavy encumbrance), even if the unmodified trait wouldn’t.
 Always apply its
effects before those of armor, environment suits, etc. See
Extending Defenses (Powers, p. 173) for other
benefits

Force Field is suitable for Damage Resistance (but never
with Tough Skin), Improved G-Tolerance, Magic Resistance,
Pressure Support, Protected Sense, Radiation Tolerance,
Resistant, Sealed, Slippery, Temperature Tolerance, and Vacuum Support. 
The GM may permit it on other advantages. If you have multiple traits with Force Field, note whether you
have one force field or several (and their order).

Force Field often occurs in combination with Affects Others and Area
Effect (see Affects Others, p. 107, for
rules), and alongside the Active
Defense limitation (p. 112)
====Fragmentation: Variable====

The attack scatters damaging fragments on impact. The damage done
by these fragments depends on the
level of this enhancement, and cannot
exceed the lower of 12d or the attack’s
basic damage. List the fragmentation
damage and type after the attack’s
basic damage, in brackets – e.g., 8d
[3d pi+] cr ex. For cutting fragments,
you may omit the damage type (e.g.,
8d [3d] cr ex), as fragments are
assumed to be cutting by default.
When the attack hits, everyone
within (5 ¥ dice of fragmentation
damage) yards is attacked with effective skill 15, modified by range penalties from the point of impact. See
p. B414 for full rules.

If the base attack does burning
damage or has the Incendiary
enhancement, the fragments are
incendiary at no extra cost. For hot
fragments, this raises the flammability
class of anything hit instead of adding a
point of burning damage; see Incendiary
(below) for more.

===Fragmentation, Cutting: +15% per die===
Your fragments inflict cutting damage, as for most bursting
shells. This is the default assumption for Fragmentation; if
listed by itself, assume cutting fragments.

===Fragmentation, Hot: +15% per die===
Your fragments are like white phosphorus or napalm. They
do burning damage, with an armor divisor of (0.2). If they hit
someone, they continue to burn, inflicting the same damage
every 10 seconds. This lasts for six cycles (a total of 50 seconds)
or until the victim can put the fire out.

===Fragmentation, Impaling: +20% per die===
Your fragments are flechettes or some similar form of stabilized dart. They do impaling damage.

===Fragmentation, Large Piercing: +15% per die===
Your fragments are rounded, like the ball bearings hurled
by modern antipersonnel mines. They do large piercing (pi+)
damage.
====Game Time: +0%====
Some traits – including Luck, Serendipity, and Wild Talent
– rely on real time. This modifier lets such an advantage use
game time instead. If it usually works at least once per real
hour, you get uses per game day equal to its maximum possible uses per real hour; 
e.g., Ridiculous Luck, which works every 10 real minutes, gets six uses per game day.
If it’s rated in uses per session, you get that many uses per game week; e.g.,
Serendipity 3 gives three uses per game week.

These ratios assume a campaign with a significant amount of
“fast” time and “real” time (Time During Adventures, p. B497).
They may be unfair in a combat-heavy game, or any game with
a significant amount of “slow” time. In such a case, the GM may
adjust these ratios, multiplying the frequency by anywhere
from 2 (e.g., “twice per hour” becomes “four times per day,”
and “once per session” becomes “twice per week”) to 7 (e.g.,
“once per hour” becomes “seven times per day,” and “twice per
week” becomes “14 times per week”). These improved ratios
are what the “+” in “
+” (above) refers to.

====Glamour: see GURPS Powers, p. 111====
It makes sense for certain abilities to allow a Per- or IQ-based resistance roll to see past the glamour, 
as opposed to a Will-based one. This is a special effect that does not change the value of the limitation.


==== Guided or Homing (A): Variable ====

You can guide your attack – or perhaps
it "homes in" by itself! Use this
enhancement to create guided missiles
and supernatural effects such as
magical javelins that seek your foes.

//Guided//: You steer your attack to
the target using your own skill. This
lets you ignore all range penalties to
hit! If the target is so distant that your
attack needs multiple turns to reach it
(see below), you must take a
Concentrate maneuver each turn. If
you lose sight of the target while the
attack is en route, your attack automatically
misses. +50%.

//Homing//: Your attack steers itself.
Decide how it seeks its target: with
ordinary vision or a sensory advantage
such as Detect, Infravision, Night Vision, Scanning
Sense, or Vibration Sense. The attack uses this sense for
the purpose of combat modifiers; e.g.,
radar ignores darkness but can be
jammed. To "lock on," you must Aim
at the target and make an unmodified
skill roll. Do not roll against your skill
to hit. Instead, use the attack’s skill of
10 – plus Accuracy, if you made your
skill roll – and ignore all range penalties.
Homing costs a base +50%, //plus//
1% per point the chosen homing
mechanism would cost if bought as an
advantage (without any modifiers);
e.g., Infravision costs 10 points, making
Homing (Infravision) +60%.
Ordinary vision uses the base +50%.

If a Guided or Homing attack has a
1/2D statistic, read this as the attack’s
speed in yards/second. The attack can
hit a target at up to its 1/2D range on
the turn you launch it. It requires multiple
turns to reach more distant targets.
Do not halve damage, but defer
the attack roll until the attack reaches
its target.

Cinematic missiles don’t crash on a miss... they turn around and make another pass. Add +10% to the enhancement 
per pass after the first;
e.g., a Guided attack that gets three
chances to hit is +70%. If the initial
attack misses, reroll it a second later,
using the same effective skill as on the
first attempt. Roll again once per second until the attack hits or runs out of
extra passes – or, if Guided, the attacker stops guiding it.
For attacks with Rapid Fire and
either Guided or Homing, make the
attack roll as usual, but the roll is for
the entire pack of missiles. Success
means one missile hits, plus additional missiles equal to the margin of success, to a maximum of the attack’s
RoF.

For more information, see Guided and Homing Weapons (p. B412).

====Heat: +20%====
This is a type of Hazard (p. B104) for attacks that inflict
fatigue damage. Treat all FP lost to the attack as though they
were lost to extreme heat; see p. B434 for full rules.

====Incendiary: +10%====

For Burning Attack, this
enhancement does not add
the “inc” damage modifier.
Instead, it moves the effective flammability class of
anything damaged by
the attack up one step.
See Making Things Burn
(p. B433) for details.

You may normally have
only one level of Incendiary.
For Burning Attack only, it’s
possible to break this rule, but
doing so requires GM permission and a special application
of Cosmic. Higher
levels make targets more flammable, as described above;
they do not improve the
amount of burning damage
done. Incendiary 2 (+20%)
requires Cosmic (+50%);
Incendiary 3 (+30%) requires Cosmic (+100%); and Incendiary 4 (+40%) requires Cosmic (+300%). Further levels are not available and should not be necessary – a Burning Attack with Incendiary 4 can ignite brick or
metal with only 1 point of damage!
==== Increased Range: +10%/level ====

You may add this enhancement to
any advantage that has a range; e.g.,
Innate Attack or Scanning Sense.
Each level increases range as follows:

^  Range Multiple  ^  Modifier  ^
|        2x        |    +10%    |
|        5x        |    +20%    |
|       10x        |    +30%    |
|       20x        |    +40%    |
|       50x        |    +50%    |
|      100x        |    +60%    |

Further levels follow the same "2-5-10" progression.

If applied to a ranged attack, each
level increases 1/2D //and// Max. You may
increase 1/2D or Max individually at
half cost (that is, "Increased 1/2D" and
"Increased Max" are +5%/level).
However, you cannot increase 1/2D
past Max. At most, you can make 1/2D
//equal// to Max – this means the attack
has no 1/2D range. For attacks that
already have no 1/2D range, you can
increase Max for +5%/level.

Increased Range isn’t allowed on
advantages whose range depends on
advantage level. To increase the range
of such traits, buy more levels of the
advantage. When adding this
enhancement to a trait that normally
doesn’t work at a distance, Ranged
(p. B107) is a prerequisite.
====Increased Range, LOS: Variable====

Increased Range, Line-of-Sight (LOS) allows the user to
reach anything he can see. He must have a clear view of the target,
using his own vision; while optical binoculars are permissible, 
viewing from a remote TV feed is not. If the advantage adds
a new sense (e.g., Detect or Scanning Sense), you must identify
the target visually before scanning it with your new sense. (This
is the equivalent of the Sense-Based (Reversed) limitation from
Powers; the two modifiers are incompatible.)

The value of this enhancement depends on the typical range
of the advantage – the longer it is, the less it costs to extend range
to LOS. If range falls between two values on the table below, use
the lesser value (e.g., treat a 30-yard range as “20 yards”).

^ Typical Range ^ Cost ^
| Less than 5 yards | +90% |
| 5 yards | +80% |
| 10 yards | +70% |
| 20 yards | +60% |
| 50 yards | +50% |
| 100 yards | +40% |
| 200 yards | +30% |
| 500 yards | +20% |
| 1,000 yards | +10% |
| 2,000 yards or more | +0% |

====Independent: +40% or +70%====

This enhancement is for advantages that require concentration to control. Your ability demands no attention after the initial Concentrate or Ready maneuver to activate it. If it requires
a die roll, it lasts for minutes equal to your margin of success
(your margin of victory, for a resisted ability) or its usual duration – whichever is less. During this time, it’s completely self-sufficient. Its effects endure even if you’re incapacitated or killed.

Independent doesn’t allow multiple instances of the
advantage’s effects unless this is standard for the trait. If this
is standard, all instances are “hands free” and you’re exempt
from penalties for simultaneous uses.

The only downside is that you don’t control your ability
after activation. Its effects last for the entire duration specified
above – you can’t end them early or maintain them. You must
specify all particulars required by the ability when you activate
it, and can’t change these later on.

Independent is worth +40% for most advantages, +70% for
those with penalties for simultaneous uses.

==== Jet (A): +0% ====

Your attack is a continuous stream,
like a flamethrower. Treat it as a melee
weapon with a very long reach rather
than as a ranged weapon. Do not
apply penalties for target range and
speed.

An attack with Jet has no Acc, and
has 1/2D 5 and Max 10 instead of its
usual range. Increased Range increases
range by 100% per level instead of
its usual effects.

Jet is incompatible with Area
Effect, Aura, Cone, Follow-Up, Melee
Attack, and Rapid Fire.

Jets have limited range but enjoy
many benefits reserved for melee
attacks. They can use All-Out Attack
(Double), Deceptive Attack, Feint, and
Rapid Strike, and get +4 to hit with
All-Out Attack (Determined). A jet is
narrow – no thicker than a pole
weapon – and must engage targets one
at a time. For a “jet” that can sweep an
area, take Cone. Jet is for force blades,
flame jets, plasma swords, and so on
that are longer than Melee Attack
(p. B112) allows.
==== Link: +10% or +20% ====

You can use two or more advantages
simultaneously, as if they were a
single ability. For +10%, your abilities
are permanently linked into a single
power, and must be used together –
you //cannot// use them separately. For
+20%, you can also use them separately.
You must add this enhancement
to all the abilities you wish to
link.

If you link two attacks into one and
give them identical Malf., 1/2D, Max,
Acc, RoF, Shots, and Recoil, you can
treat them as a //single// attack with one
attack roll but separate rolls for damage.
This is not the same as the Follow-Up enhancement!

Link is a key building block of custom abilities – without it, a tangler
grenade that strikes its target for damage (Crushing Attack) and releases
webbing that restrains and blinds the
victim (Binding and Affliction) would
be impossible. Label each Link on the
character sheet in a way that distinguishes it from other Links and makes
all connections clear. No trait can have
multiple Links, but a single Link can
connect any number of advantages.
The GM wish to use these optional
rules:

//Asymmetric Links//: A set of linked
advantages can mix the +10% and
+20% versions of Link. The advantages with the +20% level work both as
part of the Link and on their own.
Those with +10% level are only available when using all of the linked
advantages at once.

//Discretionary Links//: When a set of
advantages has Link at the +20% level,
the user can specify that he’s using
one, some, or all of them, in any combination. For instance, if his Affliction,
Binding, and Innate Attack had a
+20% Link, he could use just one of
the three attacks, or any of three combinations of two, or all three at once.

====Long-Range: +50% per level====

Your ranged ability uses a better class of range penalties
than usual. From worst to best, these classes are -1/yard like
a Regular spell (p. B239), the Size and Speed/Range Table
(p. B550), Long-Distance Modifiers (p. B241), and no penalties
at all. Each level of Long-Range makes the penalties one step
more favorable.

Long-Range can be applied to attack abilities, but the GM
should be aware that this will drastically improve the user’s
ability to hit, as Long-Range 1 (+50%) effectively removes
range penalties out to 200 yards. The attack’s 1/2D and Max
range don’t change; use Increased Range or Reduced Range for
that. Long-Range affects the cost of Follow-Up.

====Low or No Signature: +10% or +20%====
An attack normally has a “signature”: a flash of light, a sound, etc. If
left unspecified, this is assumed to be
similar to a gunshot or a stroke of
lightning – that is, a brilliant flash and
a loud report. This enhancement
makes your attack less obvious.

//Low Signature//: The attack is no
more easily identifiable as an attack
than the loud pop of a champagne
cork; e.g., a suppressed pistol shot.
+10%.

//No Signature//: The attack is almost
completely unnoticeable; e.g., a blowgun’s dart. Alternatively, it is utterly
undetectable by normal means, but
leaves a magical or psionic trace.
+20%.

These enhancements make any ability less noticeable – they aren’t just for attacks. If the GM desires extra detail, he can charge +5% per
-2 to rolls to notice the ability, and treat -10 (+25%) as “undetectable.” 
These penalties apply to Sense rolls to spot most abilities, or
to supernatural attempts to trace those that are magical, psionic, etc.
If the ability is obvious //and// traceable, buy the enhancement twice to
foil both forms of detection.

====Low Psychic Signature: +5% per -2====

This enhancement muffles the ability’s supernatural emanations, rather than its physical signs.
Others have difficulty detecting it with their own
psychic powers, spells (e.g., Aura or Know Illusion), psi-tech sensors, etc. Every +5% imposes -2
on applicable rolls. This includes using Detect
(Supernatural Powers) or Psychometry to notice
it, Mind Reading to realize that the user is affecting someone’s mind, Danger Sense to be aware of
an incoming psychic attack, spells like Aura or
Know Illusion to notice an effect, psychotronic
sensors (like those in GURPS Psi-Tech) to spot
psionics, and so on. At -10 (+25%), your ability is
undetectable.

This does not affect the physical evidence of any
attack. In particular, Affliction and Innate Attack
are still loud and visible, even with Malediction. To
remedy this, use either Low Signature, Variable, or Low or No Signature (p. B106).

====Low Signature, Variable: +5% per -2====

This variant of Low Signature (p. B106) offers extra detail.
Instead of a flat penalty to detect an ability, every +5% gives -2
on all rolls to notice the ability. Treat -10 (+25%) as “undetectable.” These penalties apply to all Sense rolls to detect the
ability being used. For supernatural attempts to trace an ability, use Low Psychic Signature (above).
This enhancement replaces both Low Signature and No
Signature (p. B106).

==== Malediction (A): Variable ====

Your attack is not a conventional
ranged attack; it works more like a
Regular spell (p. 239). It lacks Malf.,
1/2D, Max, Acc, RoF, Shots, and
Recoil statistics, and cannot have any
enhancement or limitation that modifies
those statistics. Most importantly,
the target’s DR has //no effect// on the
attack’s damage, resistance roll, or
other effects!

Malediction requires a Concentrate
maneuver rather than an Attack
maneuver to use. It can target any victim
you can see or otherwise clearly
perceive. To determine if the attack
succeeds, roll against your Will, applying
the range penalties detailed below.
Your foe may choose to resist; if so,
resolve the attack as a Quick Contest
of Will. You must win to affect the victim.

When enhancing an Affliction, the
Quick Contest above //replaces// the usual
resistance roll. You roll against Will,
but your target rolls against HT – or
other attribute, if the attack has Based
on (Different Attribute) – modified as
usual for the Affliction. For instance,
an Affliction that allows a HT-1 roll to
resist would result in a Quick Contest
of your Will vs. the target’s HT-1.

The value of Malediction depends
on the range modifiers it uses. If it
takes -1 per yard of range, like a
Regular spell, it costs +100%. If it uses
the range penalties on the //Size and
Speed/Range Table// (p. 550), it costs
+150%. And if it uses the penalties
given under //Long-Distance Modifiers//
(p. 241), it costs +200%.

A Malediction affects substantial
and insubstantial targets equally,
whether the user is substantial or
insubstantial. This makes Malediction
especially suitable for divine, magical,
psi, and spirit abilities. In some settings, it might only be available for
abilities with supernatural power
modifiers.

Malediction is a "penetration modifier";
you cannot combine it with
other penetration modifiers, nor with
modifiers that apply only to
conventional ranged attacks.

====Melee-Capable: Variable====
This may be applied to any ranged attack, allowing it to be
used as a melee attack. You may switch between the two
modes as a free action at the beginning of your turn; if it takes
a Ready maneuver to switch, add -5% to the final value of this
enhancement; this cannot reduce cost below +5%.
The cost of Melee-Capable is +40%, plus whatever the value
of the equivalent Melee Attack (p B112) limitation would be. For
example, Melee-Capable, Reach 1-4, is a +25% enhancement,
while Melee-Capable, Reach C, Cannot Parry, is a +5% one.

====Mental Defense Only: +250%====
This may be applied to any attack that is normally affected
by DR (including Affliction). Your attack completely ignores all
DR, whether natural or from armor – but if the target has a
Mind Shield, treat it as providing DR equal to its level.
Mental Defense Only is a “penetration modifier”; you cannot combine it with other penetration modifiers, such as
Contact Agent (p. B103) or Malediction (p. B106).
==== Mobile (A): +40%/level ====

You may only add this enhancement
to an attack that has both Area
Effect //and// Persistent. The area of effect moves under your
control. Move equals the level of the
enhancement (Move 1 at +40%, Move
2 at +80%, and so on), and cannot
exceed the attack’s Max range.

To move the area of effect, you
must take a Concentrate maneuver. To
make the mobile area autonomous,
add Homing (which causes it to attack
the nearest valid target) and possibly
Selective Area (so it only seeks out
enemies). Buy these enhancements
//twice// if they’re intended to apply to
both the initial attack roll and the
autonomous area.

Mobile is mutually exclusive with
Drifting.

This enhancement is legal for any
ability with an enduring area effect,
even if it lacks one or both of Area
Effect and Persistent; e.g., Obscure
with the Ranged enhancement.
====Once On, Stays On: +50%====

This is only available for physical transformations that end
if you’re knocked out or killed – mainly Elastic Skin, Shadow
Form, and Shapeshifting. You revert to your “normal” form
only if you consciously choose to do so. Sleep, unconsciousness, and death don’t force you to change back. Severed body
parts may remain transformed after you change back, if you
wish; specify this when you buy your ability.
==== Overhead (A): +30% ====

Your attack can alter its angle to
strike from a different side of the target
– usually the top. This bypasses
any cover that does not provide overhead
protection, and negates attack
penalties to hit crouching, kneeling,
sitting, or prone targets. (If you are
already above or below your target,
adjust this appropriately.) Use this to
represent a rain of fire, a missile that
swoops up and then dives down at the
last moment, an airburst grenade, etc.

The target of an Overhead attack
defends at -2 the first time he’s
attacked; after that, assume he’s on the
lookout (see Attack from Above,
p. B402). Defenses against attacks that
swoop around the target and strike
from behind are also at -2 (see
“Runaround” Attacks, p. B391). The
GM may allow a special variant:

//Surprise Attack//: Your attack //originates// behind the target. Victims with
360º Vision or Peripheral Vision
defend normally, while those with
Danger Sense may defend at -2 on a
successful Perception roll. Otherwise,
no active defense is possible. This is
most suitable for attacks that teleport
or emerge from extradimensional portals behind the target. +150%.
==== Persistent (A): +40% ====

You may only add this enhancement
to an Area Effect attack. This causes the area of effect to remain
in place for 10 seconds, continuing to
damage (or attack and //possibly// damage,
if taken with Bombardment) anyone entering or passing
through it. Use Extended Duration to
increase the duration.

An advantage doesn’t need Area
Effect as a prerequisite for Persistent
if it affects an area //innately//. Any
Persistent ability can be “on” in several different areas simultaneously
as the result of successive attacks,
unless the underlying trait forbids
this. Multiple uses in the same area
never “stack,” however.
==== Ranged: +40% ====

This enhancement gives range to
an advantage that normally affects
your immediate area, or that requires
a touch to affect others. By default, it
has 1/2D 10, Max 100, Acc 3, RoF 1,
Shots N/A, and Recoil 1. Duration is
10 seconds, unless the ability lists
another duration (like Neutralize or
Possession) or is instantaneous (like
Healing), and you cannot use the ability
again until all existing effects have
worn off. You can apply other modifiers
to change the ranged combat statistics
and duration.

This enhancement is normally
restricted to Healing, Mana Damper,
Mana Enhancer, Neutralize, Possession,
and Psi Static. The GM is free to
allow it on other traits, but it should
never modify body weaponry (such as
Strikers or Vampiric Bite) or abilities
that already have a range.

When applied to an ability that works as a touch-based
Malediction (e.g., Mind Probe, Neutralize, and Possession),
this enhancement does not turn it into a true ranged attack.
Instead, it becomes a Malediction that uses standard range
penalties (p. B550).

Abilities that are normally “touch
only” or “zero range” – Control,
Create, Healing, Illusion, Leech, Mana
Damper, Mana Enhancer, Neutralize,
Possession, Static, etc. – often work at
a distance in fiction. The GM may also
permit Ranged on information-gathering abilities (such as Mind Probe,
Precognition, and Psychometry),
allowing them to “read” distant subjects. Ranged doesn’t prevent an
advantage from working the usual
way (in an area around the user or by
touch, as appropriate) when the wielder wishes. For other rules on using
Ranged with specific advantages, see
the advantage text and the notes in
this chapter. Where Ranged appears
as a special enhancement, as it does
for Obscure, use that version of
Ranged and //not// the general one.

When creating abilities based on
advantages that normally have no
range, Ranged is a prerequisite for
all modifiers that affect ranged attack statistics (Range, Acc, RoF,
Shots, and Rcl).

==== Rapid Fire (A): Variable ====

An Innate Attack’s base Rate of Fire
(RoF) is 1. Consult the table below to
find the cost for a higher RoF:

^    RoF    ^   Cost   ^
|     2     |    +40%  |
|     3     |    +50%  |
|    4-7    |    +70%  |
|    8-15   |   +100%  |
|   16-30   |   +150%  |
|   31-70   |   +200%  |
|   71-150  |   +250%  |
|  151-300  |   +300%  |

Special options are available
for attacks with this enhancement:

//Multiple Projectile//: Each shot splits
into multiple projectiles after you
attack, like a shotgun blast or forked
lightning. Express this as a multiplier
following RoF; for instance, RoF 3x4
means each of three shots fired
divides into four individual projectiles.

Modifier cost is based on the RoF
times the multiplier; e.g., RoF 3x4
costs the same as RoF 12.

//Selective Fire//: You may designate a
RoF 5+ attack as Selective Fire, allowing
it to fire as if it had RoF 1-3. This
costs an extra +10%.

Rapid Fire assumes the attack
delivers its RoF over the course of a
full second, but some TL8+ projectile
weapons fire their full RoF in a tiny
fraction of a second. They shoot so
rapidly that recoil isn’t felt until after
the entire burst is in the air. The resulting stream of projectiles is a lot like a
beam. The following option simulates
this:

//Very Rapid Fire//: You fire your full RoF almost instantly. Follow the
rules under Rapid Fire (p. B373), except that you get two extra hits per
point by which you make your attack roll. When using rapid fire against
close stationary targets (see p. B408), any success means you hit with all
shots. You can’t attack multiple targets or an area with spraying fire or
suppression fire, however – you can only ever attack one target. This costs
+10% over and above the cost of Rapid Fire, and is incompatible with Extra Recoil.


==== Reduced Fatigue Cost: +20%/level ====

You may only take this enhancement
for abilities that cost FP, and
never in conjunction with the special
modifier "Usually On." You can take it
any number of times. Each level cuts
the cost to use the ability by 1 FP. If
you must "maintain" the ability by
spending FP on a regular basis, reduce
this maintenance cost by a like
amount.

In situations where the rules multiply the FP cost to use an ability, this
enhancement subtracts 1 FP per level
from the cost after multiplying. For
example, when using Healing with
Area Effect and Reduced Fatigue Cost,
multiply FP cost by radius and then
reduce it.

==== Reduced Time: +20%/level ====

You may only add this enhancement
to abilities that require time to
activate. You can take it any number
of times. Each level halves the time
required to use the ability (round up).
Once time is reduced to one second, a
further level of Reduced Time makes
the ability //instantaneous// – using it is a
free action.

Note that you //cannot// add Reduced
Time to attack powers, to traits that
list any kind of special modifier that
affects activation time, or to Magery
(to reduce casting times).

====Reflexive: +40%====

Reflexive is for defenses that take a second to activate,
senses that require a second of concentration (e.g., Detect),
and anything the GM feels serves a purpose similar to either.
It lets your ability switch itself on – under attack if a defense,
in the presence of something “interesting” if a sense – without
a Ready or Concentrate maneuver. If this normally demands a
success roll, activation requires a roll at -4; otherwise, it’s
automatic. If you’re asleep, successful activation also wakes
you up.

Reflexive counts as a level of Reduced Time when you use
your ability consciously. It’s incompatible with Always On
(p. B110), as well as Active Defense and Usually On (both
from Powers).

====Reliable: +5% per +1====

Your ability generally works as intended. Perhaps you have
extensive experience or natural aptitude with it, or maybe it’s
just easy to use. Whatever the reason, you get a bonus on all
rolls to use it. This works exactly like, and is cumulative with,
a power Talent (see Powers for details).
Reliable is handy for advantages that routinely suffer large
penalties (e.g., the -8 to use Precognition actively). It isn’t available for ranged attacks – use Accurate (p. B102) for those.
Reliable costs +5% per +1 bonus, to a maximum of +10.

Reliable does not interact well with Skills for Everyone
(GURPS Powers, p. 162), a key part of building and using
psionics. If allowing players to build their own psionic abilities,
it is recommended not to allow Reliable except to remove inherent penalties; see Prognostication (pp. 37-38) for an example.


==== Respiratory Agent (A): +50% ====

Your attack must be inhaled to
have any effect, but it ignores all DR.
Only Doesn’t Breathe and Filter Lungs
protect completely – although a victim
who makes a Sense roll to notice the
attack in time may hold his breath
(see Holding Your Breath). To
make your attack less noticeable, take
Low Signature.

You may only add this enhancement
to an Affliction or to an Innate
Attack that inflicts toxic or fatigue
damage, and you //must// combine it
with one of Area Effect, Cone, or Jet. Persistent
 is common but not required.

Respiratory Agent is a "penetration
modifier"; you cannot combine it with
other penetration modifiers, such as
Follow-Up.

====Ricochet: +10%====
This can be applied to any attack that is affected by DR and
requires an attack roll. The attack can “bounce” on its way to
the target! The attacker must be able to see the target clearly or
know exactly where he is; the GM can require a Sense roll if
there’s any doubt, at -2 per camera, mirror, telepathic relay, or
other “remove.”

The attacker must then describe the path the attack will
take, bouncing it off as many surfaces as he
likes. Ignore details such as the angle of incidence and the DR and HP of the surfaces; all
that matters is that they are convincingly
“hard.” Figure the range penalty using the
total path length to the target (not a straight
line). If spotting the target required a penalized Sense roll, apply that penalty to the
attack roll, too. And finally, there’s an additional -2 per bounce.
If the attack roll succeeds, it may manage
to surprise the target completely – there’s no
defense roll against an unexpected attack suddenly bouncing around the corner! If he’s able
to see the attack coming – even if it bounces
behind him first – he may still defend, but at
-1 per bounce. The attack does full damage if
it hits.

This enhancement is not likely to break a
game if allowed, but it is thoroughly unrealistic! At the GM’s option, any attack may be able
to ricochet in a cinematic or four-color supers
game – but if so, lacking this enhancement
means the attack’s damage (or level, for
Afflictions, Binding, etc.) is reduced by 10% per
bounce (round down).

==== Selective Area (A): +20% ====

You may add this enhancement to
any Area Effect or Cone attack. It lets you choose
which targets within your area are
actually affected.

====Selective Effect: +20%====

Any ability that can affect multiple targets may have this
enhancement. The user can either exclude specific subjects or
limit the effect to them. He must base this decision on either
sensory input (e.g., he could affect any group he can see,
unless blind, but “everyone who has committed murder”
would demand special gifts) or a guess (but then he’s at the
GM’s mercy!). Other examples include:

  * Attacks with Rapid Fire. An attack with Selective Effect and Rapid Fire can hose down an area that contains both friend and foe without risking a “friendly fire” incident. The GM might even permit Selective Effect on attacks with RoF 1. This would prevent shots that miss or overpenetrate from hitting allies in the line of fire. Either option is suitable for the “smart bullets” seen in pulp sci-fi.


  * Elastic Skin, Invisibility, and Shapeshifting with the Glamour limitation. This keeps the user from being misidentified or overlooked by his allies . . . and lets him make his enemies look like madmen (“What man? You’re talking to a dog!”).
  * Illusion. Another way to make people look crazy!
  * Telecommunication. This lets the user choose who can receive – or make sense of – a broadcast (e.g., by Radio, or Telesend with the Broadcast enhancement). This combination is useful for simulating secure tactical communicators. 
  * Terror. This is appropriate for dragons, deities, and other powerful entities that can demoralize their foes without frightening off their allies.

Abilities that only affect a single subject may take this
enhancement if it would make sense to restrict the effect to a
single part of the subject. Examples include:

  * Afflictions. This can allow an irritant or incapacitation to target a specific part of the body; e.g., to paralyze a single limb, or cause severe pain in a localized spot (perhaps convincing the target that he’s been shot). Other effects may be possible, such as combining Advantage, Invisibility and Selective Effect to make a victim’s legs “disappear”!
  * Attacks with Malediction. Normally, such attacks cannot target hit locations, but combining Malediction and Selective Effect makes it possible!
  * Detect. This allows the user to narrow the range of what he’s looking for, whether to simply limit the class of substances or to pare the search down to a single, specific subject.

Area-effect abilities should generally take Selective Area
(p. B108) instead of Selective Effect, but either one may fit. The
former allows the user to precisely control the area of effect,
while the latter allows him to control the targets affected.

Neither is compatible with Always On (which is only a limitation if you can’t choose who is affected), or with advantages
that offer the Discriminatory special enhancement.
==== Selectivity (A): +10% ====

This enhancement lets you turn a
trait’s other enhancements off and on
at will. For instance, if you had an
attack with Area Effect, you could
turn this enhancement off to affect
only one other person. You must specify
which enhancements you wish to
ignore //before// you activate the ability.
The default assumption is that you are
always using all of your enhancements.

By allowing you to select which
enhancements you use, Selectivity
permits you to have multiple versions
of the same ability without having to
buy the ability multiple times. This
can be extremely useful when creating
comic-book supers!

Abilities with Selectivity can have
mutually incompatible enhancements, if the GM permits. For
instance, a spirit might buy Visualization with Selectivity plus both
Blessing and Cursing in order to curse
or bless, while a super might take a
Burning Attack with Cone, Jet, and
Selectivity so he can “dial down” his
broad cone to a precise jet in close
quarters. The user pays full price for
all of his enhancements, but he must
choose just one of them when he uses
his ability; incompatible enhancements can’t be active at the same time.
==== Sense-Based (A): Variable ====

Your attack is channeled through
your victim’s senses, allowing it to
ignore DR! You must specify the
sense(s) affected. Examples include
vision, hearing, smell, and exotic senses
such as Detect. This is worth
+150%, plus an extra +50% per sense
after the first; e.g., Vision and
Hearing-Based would be +200%.
Your attack only affects someone
who is using the targeted sense. For
instance, a Vision-Based attack cannot
affect a blind subject or someone with
his eyes closed, while a Smell-Based
attack doesn’t work underwater or on
a target with a gas mask. Advantages
(such as Protected Sense) and
equipment that protect the sense in
question either negate the attack completely
or, in the case of attacks that
allow a roll to resist (such as
Afflictions, Maledictions, and
Resistible attacks), give a bonus to the
resistance roll.

The most common Sense-Based
attack is an Affliction that knocks out
the sense it is based on; for instance,
Affliction (Blindness; Vision-Based)
for a blinding flash. However, Sense-
Based attacks can also be deadly, like
a banshee’s wail or basilisk’s gaze.

Sense-Based is a "penetration
modifier"; you cannot combine it with
other penetration modifiers, such as
Follow-Up (p. 105).

//Exception//: You can combine Sense-
Based with Malediction. In
conjunction with Malediction, or
when added to an ability that already
ignores DR (e.g., Mind Control or
Mind Reading), Sense-Based becomes
a //limitation//. It is worth -20% if it works
through one sense, -15% if two senses,
or -10% if three senses. If it works
through more than three senses, it is
not a significant limitation.

==== Side Effect (A): Variable ====

You may only add this enhancement
to an Innate Attack, and you
cannot combine it with penetration
modifiers other than Armor Divisor. If
any damage penetrates the target’s
DR, he must make a HT roll, at -1 per
2 points of penetrating damage, or
suffer a "side effect."

Choose the side effects from the
effects described for Affliction.
Valid choices are stunning, Attribute
Penalty, Disadvantage, and Incapacitation.
The cost of Side Effect is a
base +50%, //plus// the cost of
the Affliction enhancements. For
instance, stunning would be +50%,
while Disadvantage (Blindness)
would be +100%.

You may specify more than one
side effect. If the victim gets a single
resistance roll against all of them,
treat them as a single Side Effect
enhancement, totaling their cost. If
the victim must resist each effect individually,
take a separate Side Effect
enhancement for each effect.

Stunning wears off normally, while
other effects last (20 - HT) minutes,
minimum 1 minute. If Incapacitation
is combined with other effects, the
other effects last for //another// (20 - HT)
minutes after the Incapacitation
wears off.

An Innate Attack with Side Effect
can have Based on (Different
Attribute) to shift the resistance roll
from HT to another attribute. Use this
score instead of HT in the duration
formulas, too. This is especially suitable for a supernatural attack that
produces a curse-like effect that’s tied
to wound severity but more logically
resisted by Will than HT.

==== Spreading: +100% or +150% ====

Your attack spreads out from you, affecting an ever-increasing area the longer you use it. This could represent the emission of some gas or liquid, continuously growing roots or vines, the build-up of supernatural energies, an overbearing aura, or the accumulation of some other substance. Like anything enhanced with Area Effect, everything in the affected area suffers the attack's damage or other effects, and active defenses don’t protect against it.

While your attack is switched on, it effects anyone standing in your hex (except you, if the effect is bad). If you stand in the same spot for 10 seconds while your attack is activated, it will spread to effect the ring of hexes directly around you. If you stand in that same spot for another 30 seconds, it will spread to effect the next ring out. If you continue standing in one spot, it will spread to effect the third ring of hexes after another 50 seconds, the fourth ring of hexes after another 70 seconds, the fifth ring of hexes after another 90 seconds, the sixth ring of hexes after another 110 seconds, and so on. Your attack can potentially spread to effect an area of any size, though this may take an exceedingly long time for large areas. To figure out how long it will take for your ability to spread to fill/cover an area with a radius n, multiply the square of n by 10.

As long as you stay anywhere within the area of your spreading attack, it will continue to spread, though the GM may rule that when you move near to the edge of your effect, the spreading effect will begin to build up on that side of the effected zone until the effected area is 'more or less' circular again. In general, your attack spreads to roughly six new hexes every ten seconds. If you are in a confined space, such as a hallway, your attack will spread more rapidly into available directions, but will effect the same total area at the same rate. If you are sealed inside a building, container, spaceship, etc. with walls that your attack is not permeable to, your attack will eventually fill the whole area and then stop spreading. If your attack is totally unaffected by barriers (as might be the case for a supernatural energy), add +50% to the value of Spreading.

In order to increase or decrease the rate at which your attack spreads, add Reduced Time or Takes Extra Time. The former would be appropriate for a rapidly-spreading gas attack, while the latter would be appropriate for a slowly seeping slime or lava discharge, or a slowly growing root Binding. Keep in mind that even if you reduce the time it takes for your attack to spread by more than tenfold, this does not mean that your attack will instantly spread to cover the entire universe. For example, a Toxic Attack with Spreading +100% and Reduced Time 5 +100% would instantly fill the ring of hexes surrounding you when activated, it would then take 1 second to spread to the second ring, 2 more seconds to spread to the third ring, 3 more seconds to spread to the fourth ring, 3 more seconds to spread to the fifth ring, 4 more seconds to spread to the sixth ring, and so on. You would calculate the time required to fill an arbitrarily large area with a radius of n as the square of n times ten and divided by 32.

If you deactivate your attack or leave the area of your spreading effect for more than 10 seconds, it will dissipate. In order to increase or decrease the time your effect remains after you leave, add Extended Duration or Reduced Duration.

By default, this enhancement already includes the effects from the Area Effect, Aura and Melee Attack, and Persistent modifiers: don't add any of those to an ability with Spreading. You may not take the Emanation limitation with Spreading either, since it is incompatible with Melee Attack modifiers.

With the exception of Emanation, any modifier that can be applied only on Area Effect, Cone, or Explosion attacks can also be applied to Spreading. Blood Agent, Bombardment, Contact Agent, Dissipation, Drifting, Low or No Signature, Mobile, Resistible, Respiratory Agent, Selective Area, Sense-Based, Underwater, and Wall are common. Accessibility, Environmental, and Nuisance Effect limitations are a must for most realistic spreading attacks: for example, Accessibility: Only on earthbound targets -10%, Environmental: Only with a floor -10%, Nuisance Effect: Can't spread uphill -5%, and Nuisance Effect: Mundane insulators, cold and water -10%. would be a must for a spreading lava attack.




====ST-Based: +100% or +30%====
This enhancement lets you add your dice of
thrust or swing damage to that of an Innate
Attack, effectively turning it into a musclepowered weapon. It may be applied to any
melee or ranged attack that does crushing, cutting, or impaling damage.
ST-Based is incompatible with any modifiers that don’t suit a muscle-powered attack.
These include Area Effect, Blood Agent,
Cone, Contact Agent, Cyclic, Explosion, Follow-Up, Jet, Malediction, Onset, Resistible,
Respiratory Agent, Sense-Based, and any
modifier that has one of these modifiers as a
prerequisite.

You may choose, when attacking, whether
to use your thrust or swing damage. Under
most circumstances, the higher swing damage
is the better choice, but there are times when
thrust makes more sense; e.g., when attacking
underwater. Also, if you use swing damage to
make an impaling melee attack, it may get
stuck in your foe (p. B405)!

A ST-Based attack can make use of All-Out Attack (Strong)
(p. B365), Mighty Blows (p. B357), and other similar methods
of increasing muscle-powered damage. You may also use abilities like Power Blow (p. B215) to boost your ST directly,
though this does not affect the damage contributed from the
Innate Attack. The damage provided by your ST is automatically Variable, but the Innate Attack damage is not.
The full ST-Based enhancement is +100% and works as
described above. For +30%, a weaker version – ST-Based,
Limited – is available with the following additional drawbacks:

  * It must be combined with the Melee Attack limitation.

  * When making a cutting attack, you may only use your swing damage. When making an impaling attack, you may only use your thrust damage. Crushing attacks may use either.

  * The total damage added by your ST cannot exceed that of the Innate Attack. For example, Crushing Attack 1d (Melee Attack, Range C, -30%; ST-Based, Limited, +30%) could inflict a maximum of 2d damage, even if you had ST 100. All-Out Attack (Strong), Mighty Blows, etc., can still be applied to this capped damage.

ST-Based can unbalance certain aspects of the game. In particular, Crushing Attack 1d (Melee Attack, Range C, 1, -20%; STBased, +100%) [9] boosts the damage of bites, head butts, kicks,
and punches approximately as well as Striking ST 8 [40]! And a
weak Cutting Attack or Impaling Attack can be an inexpensive
alternative to Claws or Strikers. The GM should consider these
issues before allowing ST-Based in a non-supers game.


===Enhanced ST-Based Attacks===

The ST-Based enhancement (above) does not normally require familiarity with the rules for modifying muscle-based damage (pp. 9-11). By
definition, if you have Cutting Attack 3d (ST-Based, +100%), you don’t
need to do anything special to your ST or muscle-based damage to apply
it to the Cutting Attack – if you do 5d+2 swing, then your attack does 8d+2
cutting. It’s as simple as that.

Things do get more complex when an attack has ST-Based and one or
more enhancements that affect the attack’s ability to damage things or the
effects of its damage:
  * Affects Insubstantial
  * Affects Substantial
  * Armor Divisor
  * Cosmic (Attack with a lingering special effect or Irresistible attack)
  * Damage Modifiers (any)
  * Mental Defense Only
  * Side Effect
  * Surge, Arcing
  * Symptoms
If an attack has ST-Based and any of the enhancements above, you
must use the rules for modifying unarmed attacks (pp. 9-10) to add them
to the damage being contributed by your muscles. (Don’t use the rules
for weapons, even for a non-crushing attack – you’re not wielding a
weapon, you’re using an innate ability!)

Example: Brad has ST 19, for 2d-1 thrust damage. He buys a spike
shuriken attack as Impaling Attack 1d (Armor Divisor (2), +50%; No Blunt
Trauma, -20%; No Signature, +20%; ST-Based, +100%) [20]. He must also
apply Armor Divisor (only) to his muscle-based damage: 2d-1 crushing
would cost 9 points, and 50% of 9 rounds up to 5, so he adds 5 points to
the cost of this attack, raising it to 25 points total.

==New Enhancements==
The list above covers all known general enhancements to date – but
it cannot foresee modifiers added in future GURPS books! The GM, as
always, is the arbiter of whether a given new enhancement should be
added to the list, using the following guidelines.

The list intentionally leaves off limitations; acquiring an attack
with limited utility doesn’t reduce the usefulness of your built-in
strength! Enhancements that affect range, rate of fire, targeting ability, etc., are also not an issue, as such things are unconnected to the
damage contributed by your muscles. Finally, any enhancement that
covers something that inborn strength can already do (e.g., Variable)
can be ignored.
====Surge, Arcing: +100%====
In addition to the regular effects of Surge (p. B105), your
attack treats any conductive, metal armor as DR 1, regardless
of its actual DR. This is a “penetration modifier”; you cannot
combine it with other penetration modifiers. It may be combined with Side Effect.
Electronics that take over 1/3 HP from an attack with either
Surge or Surge, Arcing, must make a HT roll to avoid shorting
out. Failure disables the target for seconds equal to the margin
of failure; critical failure disables it until repaired (p. B484).

====Surprise Attack: +150%====
Your attack originates behind the target. Victims with 360°
Vision or Peripheral Vision defend normally, while those with
Danger Sense may defend at -2 on a successful Perception roll.
Otherwise, no active defense is possible. This is most suitable for
attacks that teleport or emerge from extradimensional portals
behind the target.
====Super Attribute: +25%====

Most skills in GURPS have default levels based on attributes.
Those defaults are limited by the Rule of 20 (p. B173) – if a basic
attribute is higher than 20, skills default to it as if it were 20.
This provides a measure of realism since defaults are limited to
16 (for most Easy skills), 15 (for most Average skills), and 14
(for most Hard skills), which represents a high level of competence but not brilliance.
Applied to attributes or secondary characteristics, this modifier lets you disregard the Rule of 20 for skills that default to
them. Apply the enhancement to attribute points in excess of
20; each point bought that way raises the limit for skill defaults
by 1. That is, your new attribute limit for defaults becomes
20 + (levels of the attribute bought with this enhancement).
Example: Divine Grace has DX 26 – but this was purchased
as DX 22 [240] and DX+4 (Super Attribute, +25%) [100], for a
total cost of 340 points. The four points of DX with Super
Attribute raise the normal limit of DX 20 for skill defaults to
DX 24, so she has Acrobatics-18, Cloak-19, and Knife-20, without spending points on them.

====Switchable: +10%====

This enhancement only exists for physiological features
(e.g., Claws), defenses, and other traits that are normally
“always on.” It lets you switch your advantage off and on with
a Ready maneuver. Specify whether it switches on or off – or
remains in its current state, whatever that is – when you’re
knocked out.

You can’t add Switchable to an advantage that lists special
modifiers that enable you to turn it off and on, regardless of
whether your ability has those modifiers. If an advantage
notes Switchable as a special enhancement with a different
value, use that value instead. Switchable isn’t permitted on
meta-traits, either. To get a switchable meta-trait, buy an
Alternate Form.

A weaker version of Switchable is
logical for some advantages:

//Usually On//: Only for advantages
that are “always on” by default. Your
ability is usually on, but you can
switch it off by expending 1 FP per second. For advantages that are normally
off by default, this is a limitation; see
Always On (p. 99). +5%.



==== Symptoms (A): Variable ====

Symptoms are effects that occur if
the cumulative damage (HP or FP
loss) inflicted by the enhanced Innate
Attack exceeds a fraction of the victim’s
basic HP or FP. The victim does
not get a HT roll to resist Symptoms!
The GM should consider limiting
Symptoms to attacks that inflict 1d
damage or less.

Choose Symptoms from the following
effects described as enhancements
for Affliction: Advantage, Attribute Penalty,
Disadvantage, Irritant, and Negated
Advantage. If the threshold for the
Symptom is 2/3 the victim’s basic HP,
use the cost under Affliction. If the
threshold is 1/2 basic HP, //double// this
cost. If it’s 1/3 basic HP, //triple// this cost.

//Example//: Blindness is worth +50%
as an Affliction, but as a Symptom
that occurs when the victim has lost
half his HP to an Innate Attack, it is a
+100% enhancement.

Unlike Afflictions, Symptoms
abate only when the damage that
caused them is healed. In the example
above, the Blindness would only end
when the victim’s HP healed past the
halfway point.

An Innate Attack can have multiple
Symptoms, representing different
effects that that occur at different
damage thresholds.

====Thrusting Blade: +15%====
This enhancement is available for any attack that does cutting damage. You may choose to have your attack do impaling damage instead! Doing so halves the basic damage,
rounding down; e.g., a 4d+3 cutting attack would become a
2d+1 impaling attack. To halve damage that does an odd
number of dice, convert one die into +4 damage before dividing; e.g., 3d+1 becomes 2d+5, half of which is 1d+2. For small
values, use this chart:
^Original Dmg^Halved Dmg^
|1d-2|1d-5|
|1d-1|1d-4|
|1d|1d-3|
|1d+1|1d-2|
|1d+2|1d-1|
|1d+3|1d|
|1d+4|1d|
Attacks that do less than 1d-2 or 2 points of damage cannot
take this modifier.

If this is combined with ST-Based (pp. 20-21), the strength-based portion of the damage is not halved – but with ST-Based,
Limited, the maximum amount of damage your muscles can contribute is!

====Time-Spanning: Variable====
Your ability works across time. Rolls to use it this way have
a penalty for the time gap between you and your target; use
Long-Distance Modifiers (p. B241) and substitute “days” for
“miles.” Find the distance in space as if you were at the same
point in time. This is worth +50% if you can reach just the past
or just the future, or +100% for both; add -50% to either value
if your ability doesn’t work in the present.

The GM decides which advantages can use this enhancement. It’s meant for sensory and communications abilities (e.g.,
Clairsentience and Telesend), but might suit other mental abilities – like Possession – if the user also has an ability that lets him
sense his target across time. If the GM allows this on an attack,
Cosmic (+50%) is a prerequisite.

==== Underwater (A): +20% ====

Attacks are assumed to be usable in
air or in vacuum, but ineffective in liquid.
This enhancement lets an attack
work underwater at 1/10 range.

The GM may permit aquatic
heroes to add Underwater to abilities
other than attacks – e.g., Scanning
Sense and Telecommunication – that
don’t normally work (or work well)
underwater. Like attacks, they function at 1/10 range underwater. This is
unrealistic for radio waves, but comic-book supers often ignore such details.


====Usually On: +5%====
Only for advantages that are “always on” by default (e.g., DR
or Invisibility). Your ability is usually on, but you can switch it
off by expending 1 FP per second. See also Switchable (p. 17).

==== Variable (A): +5% ====

You can reduce the level of your
attack. For example, if you have an
Innate Attack that normally does 3d
damage, you could reduce it to 1d or
2d damage. You must indicate this
before you make your attack roll.

Variable is strictly for attacks,
which otherwise work at full power
at all times. Non-attack abilities
don’t need it – their range, area, level
of effect, and so on are variable
automatically.
====Very Rapid Fire: Variable====
You fire your full RoF almost instantly. Follow the rules
under Rapid Fire (p. B373), except that you get two extra hits
per point by which you make your attack roll. When using
rapid fire against close stationary targets (see p. B408), any
success means you hit with all shots. You can’t attack multiple
targets or an area with spraying fire or suppression fire, however – you can only ever attack one target. This costs +10%
more than the equivalent Rapid Fire (p. B108) enhancement
would. It is incompatible with Extra Recoil (p. B112).
==== Wall (A): +30% or +60% ====

You may only add this enhancement
to an attack that has both Area
Effect and Persistent.

For +30%, you can set up your
Area Effect as a wall filled with the
substance or effect of your ability. This
affects anyone or anything passing
through it. You get a three-yard-long
by one-yard-wide wall per yard of
radius in your area.

For +60%, your wall works as
above, but you can form it into any
shape you choose.

You must define your wall as either
permeable or rigid:

//Permeable//: The wall is composed of
liquid, gas, energy, or an amorphous
solid (e.g., thorn bushes). It impedes
vision, and inflicts damage on anyone
who attempts to cross it, but an
intruder can traverse it provided he is
not stunned, knocked out, killed, etc.
by its effects. Anything effective
against the substance of the wall will
disperse it; e.g., water or a fire extinguisher
could extinguish a wall of fire.

//Rigid//: The wall is a material barrier.
This is only possible for Innate Attacks
that deal crushing, cutting, impaling,
or piercing damage. Each yard of wall
has DR 3 and 1/2 HP per die of damage
(round up); e.g., a 6d attack produces a
wall with DR 18 and 3 HP. The wall
does no damage itself, but the damage
type applies to the injury inflicted on
anyone crashing into it.

====World-Spanning: +50% or +100%====
Your ability can reach parallel worlds. Find the distance in
space as if you and your subject were on the same world.
The GM may also permit a Plane-Spanning variant for abilities
that work across dimensions other than parallel worlds. Either
is worth +50% if you can only contact other worlds or planes,
or +100% if your ability also works in your current realm. See
Time-Spanning (p. 17) for guidelines on allowed advantages.

===== Limitations =====

You can apply limitations to almost
any trait (although as with enhancements,
skills are normally off-limits).
When you apply a limitation to a //disadvantage//,
you reduce its value as a
disadvantage; e.g., a -10% limitation
on a -25-point disadvantage would
make it a -22.5-point trait, which
rounds to -22 points. Limited disadvantages
are worth fewer points
because they affect you under more
restricted circumstances.

Remember that no matter how
many limitations you take, you cannot
reduce the cost of a trait by more than
80%. That is, when totaling modifiers,
treat net modifiers below -80% as
-80%.



==== Accessibility: Variable ====

Accessibility is a catchall limitation
you can use to cover any restriction
not specifically defined elsewhere.
Accessibility limitations fall into two
broad categories: those that limit the
//targets// your ability can affect and
those that limit the //situations// in which
it works.

Accessibility (p. B110) is a catchall limitation – a means to
restrict your ability in a way that other limitations don’t cover.
As such, it asks more of the GM than any other limitation; he
must decide whether a proposed Accessibility is a valid limitation and then assign a fair value. It’s as much art as science, and
that fair value can even vary from one campaign to the next –
“Accessibility, Only while underground” might be worth -30% in most games, but in a fantasy campaign set beneath the Dwarven
Mountains, the GM would be generous to call it -5%!

Use the following examples as guidelines and benchmarks
when adjudicating the value of new Accessibilities. However, remember that the combination of limitation and other modifiers must be legal, the combination of limitation and trait must be legal, and that the trait is actually being limited. In particular, be wary of Accessibilities that limit acceptable targets to those on
which the advantage would already be used; e.g., if the campaign setting specifies that only women develop psychic powers, then Neutralize (Accessibility, Only on women) is not a valid combination. Likewise, Fatigue Attack (Accessibility, Not on machines) would be free points, as machines have no FP!

If your ability can only affect certain
targets, the limitation depends on
how common the target group is.
"Only on women," "Only on men," or
anything else that covers about half of
the population is worth -20%. "Only
on Electrical" or "Only on machines"
is worth -20% in a technological setting.

"Only on sea creatures" is worth
-30% – unless the campaign is set on a
world mostly covered with water, in
which case it isn’t worth more than
-10%. "Only on aliens" is worth -30%
or -40%, depending on the world.
"Only on psis" is worth -50% in most
settings. "Not on redheads" is identical
to "On everyone but redheads," and is
worth -10%.

The same yardstick applies to limitations
based on the situation. "Only
at day" or "Only at night" is worth
-20%. "Only in direct sunlight" is
worth -30%. "Only in water" is worth
-30% on Earth – but more on a desert
planet and less on an ocean world.
"Only during full moon" or "Only during
new moon" is worth -40%. And
"Useless under stress" is a whopping
-60%, since it makes the ability worthless
in most adventuring situations!

You can also link situational
Accessibility to your actions. The
more unusual, difficult, or obnoxious
the required action is, the greater the
limitation value. Some examples:

Only in altered body form
(Invisible, Insubstantial, etc.): -10%.

Only while playing trumpet: -20%.

Only while flying, Only while
swimming, Only in hypnotic trance:
-30%.

Only by one side of split personality:
-40%.

“Only on supers” is worth -50% in
settings where supers make up much
less than 1% of the general population, as in most comics. In worlds
where a significant percentage of people have powers, use the table. This
limitation doesn’t apply to Neutralize,
Static, or any other advantage that
only affects those who have powers in
the first place.

A common limitation on mental influence abilities is “Only on those
who share a language with me.” This
is worth -10%, and valid only on
abilities that already require the user
to talk, such as those with Hearing-Based.

Abilities that let the user defy gravity – Clinging, Walk on Air, Walk on
Liquid, etc. – often have “Only while
moving.” If the user stops moving, he
falls. This is worth -10% if he must
take at least a step per second, -20% if
he must travel at half Move, or -30% if
he must use his full Move. It’s incompatible with All-Out.

Some supernatural abilities
require ritual or worship by others to
work. To evaluate “Only with assistants,” halve the basic point value that
Maintenance (p. B143) gives for that
number of people and write it as a percentage; e.g., 11-20 people is -25%.

A limitation that prevents an attack
from working on targets it couldn’t
affect anyhow is meaningless, and
worth no discount. For instance, “Not
on machines” isn’t valid for a Fatigue
Attack (machines lack FP), and “Only
on psis” isn’t allowed on Neutralize
(Psi).

Finally, limitations such as “Only
when using ability X” are forbidden if
the limited ability has a Link to X.


In all cases, if the ability is only
weakened (half power) instead of
becoming useless, halve the value of
the limitation.

The GM shouldn’t allow meaningless
Accessibility limitations. For
instance, buying a helpful ability with
the limitation "Only on friends" gives
no cost break. Buying it with "Only on
enemies" would be interesting,
though! Likewise, the GM should
reject any proposed limitation that is
already implicit in the ability. For
instance, "Only while flying" is not an
acceptable limitation for Enhanced
Move (Air).

===Percentage-Based===

If an ability works only in a situation that occurs an easily
calculated percentage of the time (e.g., “Only on a Sunday” is
14% of the time) or on a percentage of the population (e.g.,
“Only on women” is about 50% of the populace), find the limitation on this table.

^Percentage of Time the Ability Works^Limitation Value^
|94-100%|-0%|
|82-93%|-5%|
|69-81%|-10%|
|57-68%|-15%|
|44-56%|-20%|
|32-43%|-25%|
|19-31%|-30%|
|7-18%|-35%|
|1-6%|-40%|

These types of Accessibilities can go below -40%. At this
point, it becomes easier to switch from percentages to frequency – that is, how often a person you come across will be a
potential subject.

^Frequency of Potential Subjects^Limitation Value^
|One in 10,000|-50%|
|One in 1 million|-60%|
|One in 100 million|-70%|
|One person|-80%|

In-between frequencies use the lower limitation value. The
GM must consider the campaign scope when determining the
fair value for this Accessibility.

Example: In a particular setting, only one person in a million has superpowers. However, the game takes place in New
York, where (for whatever reason) about one person in 50,000
has powers. Therefore, “Accessibility, Only on supers” is
worth -50% in this campaign.

===Supernaturally Appropriate===
When modifying advantages to represent spells, the following
limitations are useful. Anyone observing gestures or words will
automatically realize that you’re casting a spell if he has any
familiarity with magic. Someone with actual magical training
(even if only theoretical, such as Occultism or Thaumatology)
may roll vs. an applicable skill (or IQ) as a free action to identify
what the spell will do. This roll is at -4 if you are only speaking
or gesturing, or at no penalty if you’re doing both.

Requires gestures: Your hands – and to a lesser degree, the
rest of your body – must be free to move about. If your arms
are restrained in any way, or your lower body is fully pinned or
clamped in place, you cannot use your ability. -10%.

Requires magic words: You must chant at normal conversation levels. You cannot be gagged, and stealth is impossible. -10%.

Requires material component: You must have something
specific in your hand (or with your hand resting on it, for large
things). It needs to be defined with some specificity: “a rock” is
too broad, but “an agate” is fine. (Extremely rare needs may be
worth an extra -5%, if the GM is feeling generous.) Unlike
Trigger (p. B115), the component is not used up. -10%.

Some supernatural abilities are powered by a ritual that
must be performed on a regular basis, instead of every time the
spell is used. If not, the ability shuts down until you can invoke
the ritual. Decide if it’s required once per day or once per session; either way, the following values are fair.
Requires simple ritual: It merely calls for 1d minutes of quiet
chanting, and simple materials weighing no more than a
pound. -5%.
Requires typical ritual: It involves cumbersome preparation
and materials (lots of loud chanting, several candles, a bonfire,
a complicated circle drawn on the floor, etc.), or a successful
casting of a relevant spell at minimum FP cost, taking 1d¥5
minutes either way. -10%.
Requires complex ritual: It’s something entailing 1d/2 hours
of work, serious expense, actively illegal or somewhat dangerous behavior, or some combination thereof. -20%.


===Power Varies with Hit Points/Fatigue Points===
Special Limitations: For Advantages this is essentially an Accessibility Limitation: Only while above X HP. Appropriate cost would be:

Only while above 1/2 HP: -30%

Only while above 0 HP: -20%

Only while above -1xHP: -10%

Only while above -2xHP: -5%

Loses 1/4 of it's levels per HP "Threshold", -20%

Loses 1/3 of it's levels per HP "Threshold", -25%

Loses 1/2 of it's levels per HP "Threshold", -30%

For advantages that lose effectiveness if you lose Fatigue points the appropriate with the thresholds  for the Accessibility are:

Only while above 3/4 FP, -30%

Only while above 1/2 FP, -20%

Only while above 1/4 FP. -10%

Loses 1/4 of it's levels per FP "Threshold", -15% (at 0 FP the advantage stops functioning).

Loses 1/3 of it's levels per FP "Threshold", -20%

Loses 1/2 of it's levels per FP "Threshold", -25%

For Disadvantages, this is essentially a Mitigator (though mitigators are usually items or substances, I see no reason not to expand it to conditions):

Only while below 1/2 HP: -40%

Only while below 0 HP: -60%

Only while below -1xHP: -80%

Gains 1/4 of it's levels per HP "Threshold", -50%

Gains 1/3 of it's levels per HP "Threshold", -45%

Gains 1/2 of it's levels per HP "Threshold", -40%

===Other Accessibilities===
Only on those who share a language with me: This commonly accompanies Hearing-Based (Sense-Based, p. B109) on
mental-influence abilities. -10%.

Only while moving: Abilities that let the
user defy gravity – Clinging, Walk on Air,
Walk on Liquid, etc. – often have this. In a
sci-fi game, pair it with Requires Low Gravity (p. 17). It’s incompatible with All-Out
(p. 11). If the user stops moving, he falls. This
is worth -10% if he must take at least a step
per second, -20% if he must travel at half
Move, or -30% if he must use his full Move.

Only while succumbing to (disadvantage
with self-control roll): The ability is available
only while the user is giving into his disadvantage, whether voluntarily or because he
failed a self-control roll. The size of the limitation is equal to the unmodified size of the
disadvantage, as a percentage; e.g., “Only
while succumbing to Gluttony” would be -5%, regardless of the
self-control roll chosen. See Only When Berserk (p. 16) for a
special case and Required Disadvantages (p. 16) for disadvantages that lack self-control numbers.
Only while using (ability): This ability turns on only when a
different ability is in use. For this to be a valid limitation, both
abilities must be useful on their own and neither can have a
Link (p. B106) to the other. -10%.

Only with assistants: Some supernatural abilities require ritual or worship by others to work. Halve the basic point value
that Maintenance (p. B143) gives for that number of people
and write it as a percentage; e.g., “11-20 people” is -25%.

Requires (item): This variant of “Requires material component” (above) suits abilities that seem like they should use
gadget limitations (pp. B116-117) but actually work with any
piece of appropriate mundane equipment. For example, a
super-archer with a special, custom bow would buy his Innate
Attack with gadget limitations. However, one who can pick up
any bow and make unrealistic shots would use Accessibility,
Requires bow; if his bow is stolen or damaged, he can just run
into a sporting goods shop and grab another. -10%.

While conscious: Your ability requires a Concentrate
maneuver (never a Ready or a free action) to activate, and it
switches off immediately if you lose consciousness. Use this
with switchable abilities, but not with transient ones (including most attacks), as those automatically shut down after the
turn in which you use them. -5%.


====Active Defense: -40%====
This limitation is appropriate for any passive
defensive ability, such as Damage Resistance,
Improved G-Tolerance, Magic Resistance, Pressure
Support, Protected Sense, Radiation Tolerance,
Resistant, Sealed, Slippery, Temperature Tolerance,
or Vacuum Support.

Your ability only protects you against threats you’re aware
of – and only if you make a roll to interpose it in time. This roll
is at DX/2 + 3, +1 for Combat Reflexes. If you try to use the
same ability more than once in a turn, apply a cumulative -4
per attempt after the first. You roll at -4 if stunned, and can’t
roll at all in situations where you wouldn’t get an active defense
(attack from behind, unconscious, etc.).

If your roll fails, all future attempts to activate the ability
(until you succeed) cost a flat 1 FP but are at no additional
penalty. However, if you drop to 3 FP or less from this, your
ability shuts down until all FP are regained.

Your ability is independent of your actual active defenses. It
does not count as your active defense against an attack; it is
activated alongside it, not as an alternative to it. You may
always choose whether to attempt your activation roll before
your defense, after it, or not at all.

Active Defense, Independent: If you can make this activation
roll against surprise attacks (e.g., your DR is reflex armor that
triggers upon being struck), halve the value of this limitation
to -20%. This also eliminates the -4 for being stunned and
allows a roll even if unconscious.

====Aftermath: Variable====

You suffer the effects of a Temporary Disadvantage, but
only once your advantage switches off. You can add this only
to a switchable advantage that you can and must eventually
turn off – whether because you’ll run out of FP to maintain it,
its duration is fixed by Limited Use or Trigger, or leaving it on
indefinitely would negatively affect your health. Find the limitation value as usual, and halve it.

A disadvantage with no self-control roll will be in full effect
for as long as you used the modified trait, with a minimum of
10 minutes. A disadvantage with a self-control roll instead
leaves you with an urge that endures until you get into a situation where you have to make that roll. Success means you
fight the urge. Failure means you give in for at least 10 minutes. Either way, there are no further effects.

===Expanded Aftermath===

With GM permission, other limitations may have
Aftermath variants that kick in after the fact, halving their normal values. For example, Insubstantiality (Aftermath Costs
Fatigue, 2 FP, -5%; Maximum Duration, 30 minutes, -25%)
would allow you to phase out for up to half an hour without
paying FP. However, the instant you resumed tangibility, you
would lose a total of 2 FP for the first minute and 1 FP for each
additional minute. If you had been insubstantial for 20 minutes, the loss of 21 FP would likely knock you unconscious and
cause serious injury!

====All-Out: -25%====
Your ability requires an All-Out Attack maneuver; you can’t
use it with any other maneuver (e.g., Move or Change Posture).
You have no active defense while using it. If it would let you
move more than a step, you’re limited to half your Move in a
forward direction. You may attack if the advantage is one that
lets you do so, and receive the benefits of All-Out Attack, but
All-Out isn’t just for attack abilities – you can add it to any
advantage that requires a maneuver to use (typically Concentrate or Ready), replacing the standard maneuver with All-Out
Attack. Explain what you’re doing that limits you: deep concentration, spinning in place, etc.

All-Out Concentrate: This variant of All-Out is suitable only
for abilities that normally require a Concentrate maneuver to
use. Your ability requires an All-Out Concentrate maneuver to
use. This new maneuver gives you +1 to all rolls required to perform
your ability, but at the cost of your active defenses. You may
move only a step. If you are knocked down, injured, or otherwise distracted, 
you must make a Will-2 roll (the usual Will-3,
at +1 for this maneuver) to maintain your concentration. -25%.

==== Always On: Variable ====

You cannot switch your advantage
off. You may only add this to an ability
that can normally be switched off
//and// that is inconvenient if you can’t
turn it off. It is worth -10% if the
effects are social or cosmetic, -20% if
they are physically inconvenient, and
-40% if they are dangerous (to you!).
Always On appears as a "special limitation"
for most of the traits to which
it would apply. The GM can add new
costs as appropriate for other abilities.

For Insubstantiality and Obscure,
Always On is worth -50%. The GM may
permit this level of Always On for other
abilities. To qualify, the ability must be
at least as crippling as Insubstantiality
(user can’t interact with the physical
world) or Obscure (user is deprived of
a sense and can’t use stealth). A weaker
version of Always On makes sense for
many abilities:

//Usually On//: Any advantage that can
be Always On can instead be Usually
On. The ability is on //almost// all the
time – but the user can switch it off
briefly by expending 1 FP per //second.//
If Always On is no worse than -20%,
Usually On is worth //half// as much; if
it’s a larger limitation, add a +10%
enhancement to find the value of
Usually On.
==== Armor Divisor (A): Variable ====

Your attack can pierce less armor
than its base damage would indicate.
"Divisor" is the factor by which you
divide. "DR Multiplier" is an equivalent
calculation – multiply your opponent’s
DR by this number.

^  Divisor  ^  DR Multiplier  ^  Modifier  ^
|   (0.5)   |        2        |    -30%    |
|   (0.2)   |        5        |    -50%    |
|   (0.1)   |       10        |    -70%    |

In addition, if you have any level of
this limitation, targets that have DR 0
(e.g., bare flesh) get DR 1 against your
attack.

Only Innate Attacks and Afflictions
can have this limitation. Armor
Divisor is a "penetration modifier";
you cannot combine it with other penetration
modifiers, such as Contact
Agent and Follow-Up.

The GM may allow this modifier –
as an enhancement or a limitation –
on attacks affected by specialized
defenses other than DR. Adjust the
defense’s level just as you would DR.
For example, an Affliction with VisionBased (which bypasses DR) could add
Armor Divisor (5) to reduce the effects
of Protected Vision from +5 to +1.

When using this option with the
Armor Divisor limitation, treat targets
that lack the specialized defense as if
they had the lowest level of the
defense. For instance, a radiation
beam with little penetrating power
might be a Toxic Attack with
Radiation and Armor Divisor (0.5).
Targets with Radiation Tolerance
would get double its divisor; those
without Radiation Tolerance would
gain the benefits of Radiation
Tolerance 2 (the lowest level).
====Aspected: -20%====
Your ability works only when pursuing a specific class of
related tasks or activities (e.g., athletics, combat, investigation,
or social interaction), or in a specific area of daily life (e.g., job,
personal health, or romance). The GM has the final say and
can make the categories as broad or as narrow as he wishes.

The GM also decides which advantages can take Aspected.
Suitable traits include Common Sense, Intuition, Serendipity, and those that directly alter your odds of success at tasks
(Luck, Super Luck, Visualization, etc.). Certain aspects aren’t
useful even on normally permitted abilities, though; for
instance, Visualization is so slow that Aspected, Combat
would make it worthless.

When applying Aspected to other advantages, it’s important
to set the focus relative to what the trait can already do. For
example, Aspected, Social would fit Common Sense but not
Charisma, which is already limited to social interaction. However, Aspected, Job would fit both.

====Attracts Threats: -5% or -10%====
Something about your ability attracts a particular type of
dangerous creature or person (the “threat”). The GM will
secretly roll 3d each time you use this ability out of combat –
at most once per minute – and once after any battle in which
it was used at all. On a 6 or less (-5%) or 9 or less (-10%), the
threat noticed you from afar and has traveled to attack! If the
GM has established that your threat is already present (e.g.,
you use an advantage with Attracts Threats, Reptiles in a jungle full of snakes), he may add up to +3 to the target number
before rolling.

If you have multiple abilities with this limitation, the GM
rolls just once if any of them were used. Similarly, if multiple
people have the same limitation, the GM rolls only once; if the
threat shows up, it attacks everyone! This applies only if everyone has a shared threat – Attracts Threats, Ghosts and Attracts
Threats, Birds do not interact in any meaningful way.

The GM needs to balance the threat encounter fairly. As a
general rule, it should be a danger, but one that the character can reasonably overcome. A random encounter table can
be a fun way to mix light annoyances with the occasional
boss monster.

====Backlash: Variable====
You suffer noxious effects when you use your ability.
Choose these from among Attribute Penalty, Incapacitation,
Irritant, and Stunning, as defined for Affliction (p. B35). If you
succumb for a minute (a second, for Stunning), and can roll
against HT once per minute (second) after that to recover,
apply a limitation equal in size to the equivalent enhancements. If you get a HT roll to resist, and the effects last for minutes (seconds) equal to your margin of failure, halve this. For
instance, Nauseated is worth +30% on Affliction, so nausea is
worth -30% if automatic or -15% if resistible.


====Blockable: -5% or -10%====
Ranged attack abilities (Affliction, Binding, Innate Attack,
advantages with the Ranged enhancement, etc.) normally work
like firearms when it comes to the target’s legal active defenses:
the victim can only dodge. Abilities that affect an area – including anything with Area Effect, Cone, or Explosion – only allow
an attempt to dive for cover, whether or not they’re ranged. If
either kind of attack produces an effect that the target can try
to block, it has a -5% limitation – or -10%, if he can attempt a
block or parry.

Use this limitation to simulate slow-moving projectiles
(like nets or Missile spells), summoned swarms of biting creatures, and so on. To block an
attack with Blockable and Overhead – like a rain of stones – the
defender must hold his shield over
his head.

//Can Be Parried//: Your attack can be dodged or parried, but not blocked. This variant (really just the 
extra -5% for a fully Blockable attack 
without the base -5%) suits few real-world attacks, but may make sense
for certain supernatural ones. -5%.
==== Blood Agent (A): -40% ====

Your attack must reach a mucous
membrane (eyes, open mouth, nose,
etc.) or an open wound to have any
effect at //all//. DR //always// stops it.
This limitation is intended for
Afflictions, and for Innate Attacks that
inflict fatigue or toxic damage. It is
especially appropriate for poisonous
spit or spray. In conjunction with Aura, it can also represent an attack
that is delivered via intimate physical
contact.

When an attack that normally
ignores DR (like Leech) depends on a
natural weapon – such as Claws or
Teeth – penetrating the victim’s DR,
apply the Blood Agent limitation. Don’t
use Follow-Up; that’s intended for
attacks that can’t normally ignore DR.

//Exception//: If the attack also has
Area Effect or Cone,
Blood Agent works as described above
and also when inhaled (like
Respiratory Agent. This lets it
ignore //all// DR. Only targets with the
Sealed advantage – or with one
of Doesn’t Breathe or Filter
Lungs //and// one of Nictitating
Membrane or Protected Vision
– are immune. This powerful
ability converts Blood Agent into a
+100% //enhancement// when combined
with Area Effect or Cone!

This is a "penetration modifier";
you cannot combine it with other penetration
modifiers, such as Follow-Up.

====Blood Agent, Reversed: -40%====
Your attack requires you to bleed on your victim. You must
suffer at least 1 HP of injury from a cutting, impaling, or piercing attack, and then ensure that your blood
 reaches your target.

This is automatic if combined with Aura; otherwise, it requires
an attack roll. The GM may rule that such attacks simply don’t
work underwater or in other environments where blood would
be diluted or washed away. The target’s DR works normally.

For abilities that aren’t attacks, such as personal advantages that activate automatically after you’re hurt,
use Trigger, Injury (-15%) instead.


==== Bombardment (A): Variable ====

You may only take this limitation
in conjunction with Area Effect or Cone. The attack
does not automatically hit everyone in
the area. Instead, it attacks each
potential target in the area at an effective
skill, which sets the value of the
limitation.

Bombardment is a legitimate limitation for Area Effect and Cone
attacks that conjure something that
attacks everyone in the area instead of
truly “bombarding” it. The classic
example is a swarm of biting pests. In
this case, the “effective skill” of the
attack is the skill of whatever the
attack summons. Such attacks often
have Blockable.

^  Effective Skill  ^  Modifier  ^
|       14          |     -5%    |
|       12          |     -10%   |
|       10          |     -15%   |
|        8          |     -20%   |

Modify effective skill for target size
only – not for range or for any other
factor. Determine hit location randomly.
If the target is under cover, the
cover protects normally against the
damage.

This limitation is intended for
attacks like electrical or ice storms,
which could affect some but not all
individuals within a given area.

====Cardiac Stress: Variable====
You can take this limitation only on a switchable advantage. While in use, it places undue stress on your heart; you
must roll against HT immediately (14+ always fails) and then
continue to make periodic rolls. Failure means loss of 1d FP;
critical failure means a heart attack (p. B429).

Cost depends on how often you need to make the HT roll:

^Frequency^Modifier^
|Every second|-50%|
|Every 10 seconds|-40%|
|Every minute|-30%|
|Every 10 minutes|-20%|
|Every hour|-10%|

Cerebral Stress: This variant, especially suitable for mental
abilities, works like Cardiac Stress, with two differences. First,
the roll is made against the lower of HT or Will, as both mental and physical health are a factor. Second, critical failure puts
you into a coma (p. B429) instead of causing a heart attack.
==== Contact Agent (A): -30% ====

Your attack must touch bare skin
or porous clothing to have any effect
//at all//. DR //always// stops it.

This enhancement is intended for
Afflictions, and for Innate Attacks that
inflict fatigue or toxic damage. Taken
with Aura, it can represent a
"contagious" attack that spreads via
skin contact.

//Exception//: If the attack also has
Area Effect or Cone,
Contact Agent lets it ignore //all// DR.
Only targets with the Sealed advantage
are immune. This powerful
ability converts Contact Agent
into a +150% //enhancement// when
combined with Area Effect or Cone!

This is a "penetration modifier";
you cannot combine it with other penetration
modifiers, such as Follow-Up.

This limitation can be applied to psionic abilities that
require skin-to-skin contact. If the ability can normally be used
at range, apply Melee Attack as well. 

Attackers who must touch victims
with their bare skin should take Touch-Based, not Contact Agent; see Sense-Based.
====Corrupting: -20%====
A trait with this limitation causes you to accumulate Corruption each time it’s used. You gain 1 point of Corruption per point
by which Corrupting reduces the cost of the modified trait.

Corrupting can also be applied to a disadvantage that offers
a self-control roll. In that case, it’s a +20% enhancement, worsening the disadvantage. You gain 1 point of Corruption per 5
points of unmodified disadvantage value each time you fail a
self-control roll.

The GM is free to modify the amount of Corruption gained,
changing the values above. See GURPS Horror, pp. 146-148,
for the effects of Corruption.

====Costs Fatigue, Variable: Variable====
Those adding Costs Fatigue to an Innate Attack that has the
Variable enhancement may, if the GM permits, specify that the
FP cost is proportional to the dice of damage used. To find the
size of the limitation:

1. Set the FP cost to use the ability at full effect.

2. Divide this maximum FP cost by the attack’s maximum
dice of damage to find the FP cost per die.

3. Multiply cost per die by “average” damage dice – (1 +
maximum dice)/2 – to find average FP cost.

4. Drop all fractions.

The result is the number of levels of Cost Fatigue to take.
Example: Laser Lad has Burning Attack 10d with Variable
and Costs Fatigue. His FP cost at full effect is 20. His attack
requires 20/10 = 2 FP per die. “Average” damage dice are (1 +
10)/2 = 5.5d, so average FP cost is 2 ¥ 5.5 = 11 FP. He takes
Costs Fatigue 11, for -55%. When he attacks, he pays 2 FP for
1d, 4 FP for 2d, and so on, to a maximum of 20 FP for 10d.

Use the same method to add a variable FP cost to nonattack
abilities that come in levels; just substitute levels of effect for
dice. Abilities other than attacks don’t need the Variable
enhancement to use this option.
==== Costs Fatigue: Variable ====

Your ability costs FP to use. This is
worth -5% per FP per use. What constitutes
a "use" depends on the underlying
trait.

For abilities that produce instantaneous
effects (e.g., Innate Attack), you
must pay this FP cost every time you
trigger the ability.

For advantages that produce continuing
effects (e.g., Flight), you
must pay this FP cost to activate the
ability for one minute. However,
once you have paid this initial cost,
you need only pay //half// as many FP
(round up) per minute to keep the
ability active. If an advantage that
produces continuing effects only
lasts one //second//, and you must pay
the cost to maintain it every second,
this doubles the value of the limitation
to -10% per FP.

In campaigns with powers, the GM
may require Costs Fatigue on all but
completely passive abilities, forcing
the heroes to think strategically rather
than hurl their powers at every problem. This is especially appropriate if
powers are supposed to be mysterious. It can also help balance powers
against spells and cinematic martial
arts skills.

===Special Enhancements===
Hazard: You may wish to build an ability whose FP cost causes a particular type of Hazard FP, 
such as Dehydration or Starvation. Treat this as the appropriate Hazard modifier (p. B104), 
applied directly to the Costs FP limitation. So Starvation FP would be -5% x 1.4 = -7%.

Dehydration, -6%

Drowning, -5%

Freezing, -6%

Missed Sleep, -7.5%

Starvation, -7%

Suffocation, -5%


==== Costs Hit Points: Variable ====

Your ability costs HP to use. This is
worth -10% per HP per use. What constitutes
a "use" depends on the underlying
trait.

For abilities that produce instantaneous
effects (e.g., Innate Attack), you
must pay this HP cost every time you
trigger the ability.

For advantages that produce continuing
effects (e.g., Flight), you
must pay this HP cost to activate the
ability for one minute. However,
once you have paid this initial cost,
you need only pay //half// as many HP
(round up) per minute to keep the
ability active. If an advantage that
produces continuing effects only
lasts one //second//, and you must pay
the cost to maintain it every second,
this doubles the value of the limitation
to -20% per HP.

Special Limitations

//Radiation:// As above, but apply the Radiation modifier (p. B105) directly to the Costs HP limitation:

Radiation Only, -12.5%

Damage & Radiation, -20%


==== Damage Limitations (A): Variable ====

You may add the following
limitations to an Innate Attack:

=== No Blunt Trauma (nbt): -20% ===

An attack that inflicts crushing,
cutting, impaling, or piercing damage
normally inflicts blunt trauma (see
p. 379). Add this limitation if it does
not.

=== No Knockback (nkb): -10% ===

An attack that inflicts crushing or
cutting damage normally inflicts
knockback (see p. 378). Add this
limitation if it does not.

=== No Wounding (nw): -50% ===

The attack inflicts basic damage,
and may cause knockback and blunt
trauma, but its penetrating damage
has no wounding effect (HP or FP
loss). Apply this limitation to a crushing
attack to represent effects such as
a mighty gust of wind or jet of water.
Use it with impaling, piercing, or cutting
attacks that are carriers for
Afflictions or Innate Attacks (usually
those that inflict fatigue or toxic damage)
with the Follow-Up modifier; this represents small poison
darts, stings, etc. that can slip through
armor without inflicting grievous
wounds.

==== Dissipation (A): -50% ====

You may only take this limitation
in conjunction with Area Effect
or Cone. The further
the victim is from the center of the
area or the apex of the cone, the less
effective your attack is. See Area and
Spreading Attacks (p. 413) for details.

====Easily Resisted: -5%/level====
This limitation can be applied only to an ability that affects
someone else and offers him a resistance roll to avoid the
effects. If your target possesses an ability that aids his resistance (e.g., Magic Resistance or Resistant), multiply its resistance bonus or skill penalty by (1 + your Easily Resisted level).
If not, he gets a bonus equal to your Easily Resisted level to all
rolls to resist. Your roll to use the ability is unaffected.
The GM must set the maximum level available. A cap of
four to six levels is recommended.
==== Emanation (A): -20% ====

You may only take this limitation
in conjunction with Area Effect
(p. 102). It means the effect has no
range or Accuracy, but radiates from
your body (without affecting you, if
the effect is a bad one). This is incompatible
with Melee Attack and ranged
attack modifiers.

The GM may allow Emanation in
conjunction with Explosion (p. B104)
instead of Area Effect. Use this combination to simulate antipersonnel
grenades mounted on the hull of an
armored vehicle... or the attack of an
entity that flares like a phoenix without destroying itself.
==== Emergencies Only: -30% ====

Your ability is triggered by your
fear or excitement; you cannot use it
under "routine" conditions. The GM is
the final arbiter. He may rule that multiple
successive failures of your power
make you angry enough that it begins
to work, but this is entirely up to him.

An “emergency” is any event that
causes severe mental, emotional, or
physical stress. Most situations involving self-control rolls for disadvantages, Fright Checks, or HT rolls for
major wounds qualify. The GM should
also let a hero with a Code of Honor,
Sense of Duty, or Vow that compels
him to protect others use his ability to
aid an innocent person who’s in immediate danger (being mugged, falling to
his death, suffering a heart attack,
etc.).

//Full Power in Emergencies Only//: If
your ability works at half power under
normal conditions, but at full power
under stress, this limitation is not
worth as much. For traits that come in
levels, "half power" means half as
many levels. The GM must decide
what this means for other traits (half
range, duration, bonuses, etc.). -20%.


====Environmental: Variable====
Only advantages that affect others can have this limitation.
Your ability manipulates an existing item or condition, which
must touch or surround the target. Unlike Accessibility, this
doesn’t influence activation – you can trigger your ability anywhere, barring a failed roll or another limitation. However,
your ability is effective only if the subject is in a particular environment . . . and the GM can alter its impact if the environment
you’re attempting to manipulate is at all unusual.

Example: A Binding that commands plants to entangle the
victim would do nothing in an area without vegetation. It
would be little more than a nuisance if the only plant nearby
were a small potted fern . . . and totally unpredictable in an
alien jungle!

The GM should base the value on the environment’s rarity.
Very Common: Environment is present all the time, outside
of one or two unusual situations that would be difficult for an
enemy to arrange; e.g., in a gravity field, in the presence of air,
or on a planet. -5%.

Very Common: Environment is
present all the time, outside of one or
two unusual situations that would be
difficult for an enemy to arrange; e.g.,
in a gravity field, in the presence of air,
or on a planet. -5%.

Common: Environment is present most of the time, but a
resourceful foe could arrange for it to be absent; e.g., in contact with dust or in the presence of microbes. -10%.

Occasional: Environment is often absent, or easily avoided
by enemies (although a crafty user might be able to “rig” an
important encounter to work around this); e.g., in a city, in the
wilderness, outdoors, or touching the ground. -20%.

Rare: Environment is usually absent and difficult for the
user to arrange; e.g., in a storm, in dense vegetation, in the
desert, or underground. -40%.

Very Rare: Environment is so unlikely that the ability is useless most of the time; e.g., in lava, in quicksand, or in vacuum. -80%.

The GM should forbid proposed Environmental limitations
that duplicate one of the ability’s built-in restrictions; e.g., “in
water” isn’t valid for Control (Water). In games with powers,
an ability that gets -10% for a mundane countermeasure or
insulator as part of its
power modifier already has this limitation – don’t apply it a
second time.
==== Extra Recoil (A): -10% per +1 Recoil ====

By default, a ranged attack has
Recoil 1, making it virtually recoilless
(see p. 271). You may give an attack
with Rapid Fire (p. 108) a higher
Recoil (Rcl) as a limitation.

^  Recoil (Rcl)  ^  Modifier  ^
|       2        |    -10%    |
|       3        |    -20%    |
|       4        |    -30%    |
|       5+       |    -40%    |


This limitation is incompatible
with Very Rapid Fire; see Rapid Fire.
====Fickle: -20%====

Your ability is or seems sentient, and sometimes reacts
poorly. Make an unmodified reaction roll whenever you wish to
use it. For an attack, make this roll before each use. For other
abilities, the advantage works until you need to make a success
roll for it . . . then make a reaction roll. For instance, Flight
requires a reaction roll when you try a DX roll to “push the
envelope,” or an Aerobatics or Flight skill roll, while Dark
Vision calls for a reaction roll anytime you attempt a Vision
roll in the dark.

On a reaction of Neutral or better (10+), the ability works as
expected and you can attempt your attack roll, DX roll, Sense
roll, etc., as applicable. A Very Good reaction (16-18) gives +1
to the ensuing roll; an Excellent reaction (19+) gives +2.

On a reaction of Poor or worse (9 or less), the ability fails.
If it wasn’t already active, it refuses to activate. If it was
active, it shuts down. This doesn’t normally endanger you
directly; for instance, Flight sets you down gently and Insubstantiality leaves you in open space. Of course, the sudden
loss of DR in battle, Dark Vision in an unlit room full of traps,
and so forth can endanger you //indirectly//.

On a reaction of Very Bad or worse (3 or less), the ability
//does// endanger you or turns on you in some unpleasant way.
Flight drops you like a stone, Insubstantiality leaves you
stranded inside a wall, your attack blasts you, and so forth. The
GM should be creative!

You can try to invoke a failed ability every second if you
wish, but the reaction roll is at a cumulative -1 per repeated
attempt as your ability (or the forces behind it) become
increasingly annoyed by your requests. To eliminate this
penalty, you must go for a full hour without using your ability.

The GM may permit a weaker
limitation:

Requires Reaction Roll: Your ability works as described
above, but with two major changes. First, all normal reaction
modifiers apply. Second, you can substitute an Influence roll;
if so, unless the GM feels that it was especially appropriate or
inappropriate, success produces the equivalent of a Good reaction. -5%.

====Glamour: Variable====
This can be applied to any advantage that alters how others
perceive you, such as Appearance, Chameleon, Elastic Skin,
Invisibility, Shapeshifting (with the Cosmetic limitation),
Silence, or Voice. Your ability controls others’ perceptions
through a persistent hypnotic suggestion, mental illusion, or
psychic compulsion. It doesn’t affect machines.

Living victims get a Will roll to resist your influence and
sense you normally, and individuals with Mind Shield may add
their level to this roll. A resistance roll against Will-5 is
worth -5%. Each +1 to the roll is a worth another -5% (e.g.,
Will+4 is -50%).

It makes sense for certain abilities to allow a Per- or IQ-based resistance roll to see past the glamour, as opposed to a
Will-based one. This is a special effect that does not change the
value of the limitation. (The same applies when switching the
resistance roll for Resistible, p. B115).

====Granted by (Other): -40%====
This is a general version of Granted by Familiar (Familiars,
p. B38). Your ability is not innate or inherent; rather, it is
something that another individual – not an omnipresent
deity! – empowers you to do when physically nearby. Examples include a mage who can only fly when his hawk familiar
is with him (Flight with Granted by Familiar), a martial artist
who’s faster when his ancestor is present in spirit (Altered
Time Rate with Granted by Ancestor), and a robot whose
senses are enhanced by an add-on drone (Hyperspectral
Vision with Granted by Drone).

This is a significant limitation because the ability is inherent to the granter, not you. Thus, if he wishes to deny you
access to it, for any reason, you immediately lose it. (Assuming
the granter is an Ally, this will be rare, but even Allies can be
mind-controlled, reprogrammed, swayed by Fast-Talk, etc.)

Your ability also goes away if the granter is ever stunned,
unconscious, killed, or simply not present. There’s some leeway in the definition of “not present,” so it’s important for the
GM and player to agree on what this means ahead of time. In
all cases, if the granter is an Ally and his appearance roll fails,
he is not present. Past that, a good guideline is that the granter
must be able to reach you in a minute or less (thus, within 300
yards for the average person). However, this can be altered to
fit the specific relationship.

Example: Zora is a cyberkid whose robot pal Alpha helps
her process sensory data incredibly quickly. She buys this as
Enhanced Time Sense (Granted by Alpha). But rather than
Alpha’s physical presence, what matters is her network connection to him. She can use her ETS whether Alpha is right next
to her or miles away – but if anyone can jam that signal, it goes
away no matter where he is.

===Granter Groups===

What if you want a swarm of drones rather than just one?
Or you’re a supervillain who works best when his team of
henchmen is cheering him on? This requires defining your
granter as a group. The value of the limitation depends on how
many members are in your group, as shown in the table.

^ Members ^ Value ^
| 2 | -30% |
| 3 | -25% |
| 4-5 | -20% |
| 6-7 | -15% |
| 8-10 | -10% |
| 11-15 | -5% |
| 16+ | -0% |

When any of the members are unhelpful, stunned, not present, etc., you lose their proportional value from the strength of
this ability. For example, if you have a group of four people,
each one missing weakens your ability by 25%. If none are
present, then your ability doesn’t work at all.

If the ability is one that wouldn’t make sense to “weaken,”
you can treat each 10% loss (or fraction thereof) as -1 to all
rolls to use it or +1 for others to resist. If that isn’t meaningful
either, treat the percentage loss as a limitation value and add
the nearest level of Unreliable (p. B116)!

====Granted by Worshipers: Variable====

As per Granted by (Other), except that in this case the ability is granted unwittingly by your worshipers.

If you only require a single fervent believer for your ability to continue working, this functions identically to Granted by (Other), except that your worshiper does not need to be in your vicinity, and since he is granting you your ability unwittingly, anything that makes him lose faith (seeing you defeated in battle, failing to have his prayers answered, or dying, for instance) may cause your ability to stop working.

The value of each believer is proportional to the power of his belief. A single fervent believer (a cultist eager to sacrifice himself and others on your alter, a crusader hell-bent on conquering all in your name, a jihadist who will martyr himself with ecstasy, a monk who will forgo all worldly things, etc.) is worth 10 moderate believers (cultists who are happy to sacrifice goats but not humans, evangelists who regularly go door-to-door with pamphlets, people who get down on their hands and knees and pray every single day, average priests, etc.), and a single fervent believer is worth 100 passive believers (people who identify with the religion but don't do much beyond going to church on certain holidays, wearing some holy jewelry, and observing some sacred superstitions).

In game terms, Fervent probably means at least a -5 to -15 point Vow, Code of Honor, Pact, or other self-imposed mental disadvantage. Moderates probably have a -1 to -5 mental disadvantage. Passive believers might be anything between a -1 quirk and a 0 point feature.

If you've got 90 passive believers and 1 moderate believer, that's as good as 100 passive believers, 9 moderate believers and 10 passive believers, or 1 fervent believer. The value of the limitation correlates to the minimum number of believers required for your ability to function. Always list the number of fervent believers required in notation.

If the number of believers you require falls below the threshold, the ability stops working entirely. If, instead, the ability works at half-power below the threshold, halve the value of the limitation. If working at half-power doesn't make sense for the ability, you can instead treat it as a -5 to all rolls to use it or +5 for others to resist. If that doesn't make sense either, treat the halved limitation value as the nearest equivalent level of Unreliable (p. B116).

This is a serious limitation, especially at higher levels. If your god-powers will turn off if you don't have at least 100 fervent believers, then you must put considerable effort into ensuring that your worshipers stay fervently faithful, that they aren't swayed to worship other gods, that they don't get wiped out by competing religions, and of course, if you're immortal, you must ensure that your worshipers continue spreading the faith so that your religion doesn't die along with your mortal worshipers some day.

Though it is not required for this limitation to function, you may buy Allies or Ally Groups (p. B36) to fill out the ranks of your worshipers. It is up to the GM to determine how fervent, moderate, or passive each one is, depending on how you treat them and their backstories. As a general rule of thumb, an ally with a constant frequency of appearance (e.g., one who is willing to follow you anywhere, even into the jaws of death) might be a fervent believer, allies with quite often or fairly often frequencies of appearance might be moderate believers, and allies with a quite rare frequency of appearance might be passive believers. This isn't set in stone however: a constant companion who sees you as a friend, but not as an object of worship, isn't a believer at all, and perhaps your most devoted minion only appears in your adventures rarely because he spends all of his time preaching to the congregation. Work out the details with your GM on a case-by-case basis.

If your worshipers are particularly needy or helpless, regularly requiring you to defend them from invaders or save them with miracles, you may want to buy them as both Allies and Dependents (p. B131).

This limitation is appropriate for various gods and demons who require worship in order to remain potent, like the gods from Terry Pratchett's Discworld or the Ori from Stargate SG1. It may even work for more mundane situations, perhaps a politician's Charisma (p. B41) or a singer's Talent (p. B89) is only effective in light of his fans' fervor, and if people stop believing in him, the magic goes away.

{{ :rpg:gurps:core:granted_by_worshippers.webp |}}

====Hard to Use: -5% per -3====
Each level of Hard to Use, to a maximum of four levels,
gives -3 to all rolls to use your ability. If it’s part of a power,
Talent doesn’t help. This is incompatible with Reliable
(Power-Ups 4, p. 16) and forbidden on ranged attacks (but
see Inaccurate, p. B112).
====Immediate Preparation Required: Variable====

You must concentrate for a long time before using your
ability. Unlike Preparation Required (p. B114), you cannot
concentrate and then save your ability for later use; it must be
used as soon as it’s ready. The value of this limitation depends
on the amount of time that you must spend taking Concentrate
maneuvers first:

^ Preparation ^ Time Modifier ^
| 1 minute | -30% |
| 10 minutes | -45% |
| 1 hour | -75% |
| 8 hours | -90% |

Advantages that normally take one minute or longer to activate cannot take Immediate Preparation Required, 1 Minute;
use Takes Extra Time instead.

For fair results, the GM may wish to restrict Takes Extra Time
to two levels; past that, use Immediate Preparation Required.

==== Inaccurate (A): -5%/level ====

Your attack benefits little from
careful aiming. Most attacks start with
Accuracy (Acc) 3. Each -1 to Acc is a
-5% limitation. You may not reduce
Acc below 0.

====Increased Immunity: -10%/level====
This limitation can be taken on any ability that is resisted
with a Quick Contest (like a Malediction). It provides a degree of
“immunity” to anyone who successfully resists, making it either
impossible or just more difficult to use your ability on him
again. Where penalties for repeated attempts apply even without this limitation, they are above and beyond this drawback.

Each level of this limitation shifts this immunity up one degree
on the chart below.
Degree Effect
4 Permanently immune
3 Immune for one day or Permanent, cumulative -2
2 Immune for one hour or
Cumulative -2 lasting one day
1 Cumulative -2 lasting one hour
0 No effect
If the advantage has a built-in immunity for those who resist
(e.g., Mind Reading, which starts with degree 1 immunity: a
cumulative -2 for the next hour), start on the most appropriate line and move up from there. Some degrees list two
equally limiting effects; you must choose which alternative
applies when adding this limitation.

If you do not roll to use the ability, interpret each -2 as
+2 to your subjects’ resistance rolls.

Terror (p. B93) is a special case: In addition to its natural degree 2 immunity, subjects also get +1 to resist further Fright Checks within 24 hours, whether they
succeed or fail. Thus, for Terror, each level of Increased
Immunity also increases that time frame, first to “+1 per
Fright Check after the first within a month” and then to
“+1 per Fright Check after the first, regardless of the
time that passes.”

====Informal: -50%====
This limitation can be applied to various social advantages, including Clerical Investment, Legal Enforcement
Powers, Legal Immunity, Security Clearance, and Tenure.
You don’t officially have the advantage in question – but
you can exercise its privileges, and both the public and
legal authorities accept you doing so. However, those benefits can be revoked at any time without formal proceedings of any kind. The GM is the judge of when this
happens; he may be guided by reaction rolls. Many cinematic heroes have Legal Immunity with this limitation – the
police cooperate with them, or juries won’t convict them – but
it can be taken away without even an administrative hearing if
they do something unethical.

====Insubstantial Only: -30%====
Your ability only affects intangible
targets: beings with the Spirit metatrait, individuals using Insubstantiality, and those using Clairsentience,
Jumper, or Warp with the Projection
special modifier. This modifier is especially useful for attacks intended to
exorcise spirits.
==== Leaves Psi Signature: Variable ====

This is essentially a Nuisance Effect, worth -5% if the signature is only detectable with specialized equipment or through the use of Psi powers, or -10% if it is detectable by a normal person without the aid of special equipment (i.e. leaves a glowing hand print on the victim). If the signature lasts an unusually long period of time (over 24 hours) it's worth an additional -5%.

==== Limited Use: Variable ====

You can use your ability only a limited
number of times in a 24-hour period.
For most advantages, each "use" is
1 minute of activation. For an attack,
each "use" gives shots equal to your
RoF, with a minimum one shot per
use; for instance, three uses of an
attack with RoF 2 would give six shots.
The value depends on the number of
uses you get.

^  Uses Per Day  ^  Modifier  ^
|       1        |    -40%    |
|       2        |    -30%    |
|      3-4       |    -20%    |
|      5-10      |    -10%    |

More than 10 uses per day is not a
significant limitation.

For the purpose of this limitation,
treat any advantage that produces an
instantaneous effect – e.g., Healing,
Jumper, Rapier Wit, Snatcher, Terror,
Visualization, or Warp – like an attack.
Each “use” lets you roll once per 24
hours to use the advantage.
For information-gathering abilities
such as Blessed, Mind Probe, and
Psychometry, each question answered
counts as one “use.”

Limited Use isn’t allowed on social
advantages, advantages that must
always be “on” to make sense (like
Destiny, Digital Mind, and Unaging),
or advantages with built-in usage limits (notably Extra Life, Gizmos, Luck,
Oracle, Serendipity, and Wild Talent).

Two special options are available
for attacks (and optionally, other abilities)
that have this enhancement:

//Fast Reload//: You can replace all
your uses in 3 to 5 seconds simply by
replenishing ammunition. The GM
determines the weight and cost of the
ammunition. This halves the value of
the limitation; e.g., three or four uses
would be worth only -10%.

//Slow Reload//: As above, except if you
have two or more shots (not uses!) you
must reload each shot individually
(taking 3 or more seconds //per shot//). If
you have only one shot, it must take at
least 6 seconds to reload – possibly
longer, if using this limitation to represent
a very slow-firing weapon such as
a flintlock. This makes the limitation
worth 5% less than usual; e.g., three or
four uses would be worth only -15%.

====Maximum Duration: Variable====
Available only for switchable, beneficial abilities that you
could normally leave “on” indefinitely (e.g., Insubstantiality).
Your ability can operate only for a limited length of time.

After that, it shuts down without warning and you can’t reactivate it for five minutes.
The value of the limitation depends on the time limit:

^ Time Limit ^ Modifier ^
| Less than 30 seconds | -75% |
| Up to 1 minute | -65% |
| Up to 10 minutes | -50% |
| Up to 30 minutes | -25% |
| Up to 1 hour | -10% |
| Up to 12 hours (or one night) | -5% |
| Greater than 12 hours | -0% |

==== Melee Attack (A): Variable ====

Your attack functions as a melee
weapon. It has no range, but allows
you to parry, use Rapid Strike, Feint,
etc. It lacks Malf., 1/2D, Max, Acc,
RoF, Shots, and Recoil statistics, and
may not have any enhancement or
limitation that modifies these statistics.
Instead, it has a Reach statistic.

Mental abilities that can normally be used at range (e.g.,
Mind Control, Telesend) can take this limitation (as Melee
Attack, C, -30%) to turn it into a touch-only ability.

^ Reach                   ^  Modifier  ^
| C                       |    -30%    |
| 1 //or// 2              |    -25%    |
| C, 1, or 1, 2, or 2, 3  |    -20%    |
| 1-4 (like a whip)       |    -15%    |

If your attack cannot parry, it is worth an extra -5%.

Melee Attack results in an effect
like energy claws or a flaming sword.
This extends from the wielder’s body,
letting him attack and parry. “Touch
only” abilities that call for a light
touch with the hand have Reach C and
can’t parry (-35%). Those that must
touch bare skin also have Contact
Agent (-30%), while attacks that circumvent DR should add Malediction 1
(+100%) if resistance is possible,
Cosmic (+300%) if not.

Melee Attack turns an attack
advantage into a //powered// melee
weapon, not a //ST-based// one; damage
isn’t cumulative with thrust or swing
damage. It lets the user wield his
attack in one hand. The GM may permit modifiers that relax these restrictions, possibly turning Melee Attack
into a net //enhancement//:

//Melee Attack (Destructive Parry)//:
Your attack damages weapons it parries or that parry it. Roll damage normally and apply it to your foe’s
weapon on a successful parry by
either of you. Price Melee Attack
as usual, and then add a +10%
enhancement.

//Melee Attack (Dual)//: Your ability
generates two melee weapons – usually one in each hand – permitting a
Dual-Weapon Attack (see p. B417).
Price Melee Attack as usual, and then
add a +10% enhancement.

//Melee Attack (ST-Based)//: Only for
Crushing, Cutting, and Impaling
Attacks. You can add your dice of
thrust or swing damage to the damage
of your Innate Attack. Work out Melee
Attack as usual, and then add a +100%
enhancement. (This modifier is more
cost-effective than Striking ST; the
GM may wish to reserve it for cinematic genres.)
====Minimum Duration: Variable====

Available only for switchable abilities that would – in the
GM’s opinion – seriously inconvenience you if you couldn’t
deactivate them at will. Your ability must stay “on” for a certain period of 
time once activated; you can’t shut it off before
this time is up. Minimum Duration can never exceed Maximum Duration (if any).
The limitation’s value depends on the minimum amount of
time your ability stays on:

^ Minimum Time ^ Modifier ^
| Less than 1 hour | -0% |
| Up to 8 hours | -5% |
| Up to 12 hours (or one night) | -10% |
| Up to 24 hours | -15% |
| Up to 1 week | -20% |
| Up to 1 month | -25% |
| Greater than 1 month | -30% |

On an advantage that allows Always On (p. B110), this limitation is worth at most -5% less than Always On; e.g., if Always
On is -20%, Minimum Duration can’t go beyond -15%.

====Minimum Range: -5% or -10%====
You can’t use your ranged ability on a target inside a certain
range. Use this for weapons that have a minimum fusing distance or that fire in a high arc, and for sensors with a “blind
spot” within which they can’t resolve targets. The GM should
restrict this modifier to ranged abilities that are normally useful at relatively close range. This is worth -10% for a minimum
range of 5% maximum range, or -5% for a minimum range of
1% maximum range (always at least a yard).


====Missing Damage Effect: -20% or -10%====
If the GM agrees and the special effects support it, an
attack may lack one of the normal “side effects” of its damage
type. The absence of an effect that damages the target’s HP,
FP, or DR is worth -20% (like No Blunt Trauma); e.g., No DR
Reduction, for a Corrosion Attack. Most other limitations are
worth -10% (like No Knockback); e.g., No Incendiary Effect,
for a Burning Attack.

==== Mitigator: Variable ====

You may only apply this limitation
to a disadvantage. A particular item or
substance – the //mitigator// – temporarily
negates your disadvantage. The
more effective the mitigator, the fewer
points you get for the disadvantage.
Use the following guidelines:

Mitigator is //vulnerable//, and easily
stolen, broken, or misplaced (e.g., a
pair of glasses). -60%.

Mitigator is a drug or other treatment
that you must take //daily//. -60%.

Mitigator is a //weekly// treatment.
-65%.

Mitigator is a //monthly// treatment.
-70%.

This assumes your treatments are
available at pharmacies. If you require
a special (and possibly expensive) prescription,
add +5% to the values
above; e.g., -70% becomes -65%. If you
can only get your treatments from one
specific source, such as an experimental
drug program, add +10%; e.g.,
-70% becomes -60%.

//Example 1//: Bad Sight is worth -25
points. Glasses cure Bad Sight while
worn, but are breakable, for a -60%
Mitigator limitation. This reduces Bad
Sight to -10 points.

//Example 2//: Jan has AIDS, and
would die in a month without treatment.
This level of Terminally Ill is
normally worth -100 points. Fortunately,
Jan is on an experimental drug
plan that is holding him in remission.
The treatments are weekly (-65%) but
impossible to find outside his program
(+10%), for a -55% Mitigator
limitation. This reduces Terminally Ill
to -45 points. As long as Jan stays with
the program, his countdown to death
is halted.


==== Nuisance Effect: Variable ====

Your ability has a "side effect" that causes you serious inconvenience. The GM must approve this limitation and determine its value in each case, and should ruthlessly forbid effects that
are abusive or that do not genuinely limit the ability’s value. A few guidelines (a given trait can have more than one of these drawbacks):

  * Your ability earns a reaction penalty from those around you. Perhaps it makes you look disgusting, or requires you to perform some sort of distressing ritual. -5% per -1 to reactions (maximum -4).
  * Your ability makes you obvious, limiting stealth and attracting enemies. -5%.
  * Your ability physically inconveniences you – it attracts stinging insects, causes your armor to rust, makes you ravenously hungry, etc. -5%.

You cannot take a valuable power as a Nuisance Effect. For instance, "Kills everyone within a mile" is not
an acceptable Nuisance Effect! Neither can you claim a limitation for a //harmless// nuisance. If your Terror advantage attracts gerbils instead of frightening them, this is amusing but not a limitation.

Harsher-than-usual consequences
under the optional rules in Chapter 4 of Powers
can be Nuisance Effects. Examples
include being unable to affect a given
subject for 24 hours after a failure
when using Repeated Attempts (Powers p. 159), or having to check for crippling after any failure when using
Crippled Abilities (Powers p. 156). Each such drawback is worth -5%.

An ability that prevents the use of
certain skills while active can claim
-5% if the GM feels the skills it disrupts would be especially useful with
that ability. For instance, a rocket-powered robot that can’t use Stealth
while flying could claim -5% on Flight.

Those whose abilities severely
inconvenience them may use this
variant:

//Backlash//: You suffer noxious
effects when you use your ability.
Choose these from among Attribute
Penalty, Incapacitation, Irritant, and
Stunning, as defined for Affliction
(p. B35). If you succumb for a minute
(a second, for Stunning), and can roll
against HT once per minute (second)
after that to recover, apply a limitation
equal in size to the equivalent
enhancements. If you get a HT roll to
resist, and the effects last for minutes
(seconds) equal to your margin of
failure, halve this. For instance,
Nauseated is worth +30% on
Affliction, so nausea is worth -30% if
automatic or -15% if resistible.


====Only When Berserk: -20%====
Your advantage applies only when in a berserk rage! The
Berserk disadvantage (p. B124) is required for this limitation.
You may deliberately go berserk to use the affected ability,
but you are limited in your actions and may be a danger to
your friends.

Only When Berserk is a special case of Accessibility, broken
out as a separate modifier and given a cost befitting the drastic behavior brought on by Berserk.
==== Onset (A): Variable ====

You must "stack" this limitation
with one of Blood Agent, Contact
Agent, Follow-Up, Malediction, or
Respiratory Agent. It delays the damage
or affliction caused by the attack
until some time after exposure. The
delay determines the value of the limitation.

^ Delay             ^  Modifier  ^
| 1 minute          |    -10%    |
| 1 hour            |    -20%    |
| 1 day             |    -30%    |
| 1 week (or more)  |    -40%    |

Delays that fall between two values
use the smaller limitation; e.g., 30
minutes is -10%. If you can control the
onset time, take Delay instead.

A variant limitation is //Exposure
Time//, which is only available for
attacks with Aura or Persistent. Use it
to represent radioactivity, mildly toxic
gases, etc. It works just like Onset,
except that the victim must be
exposed for the //entire period// to suffer
the effect (or repeat it, if you continue
exposure). This is worth an extra
-20%; e.g., 1 minute is -30%.

The Exposure Time variant is legal
– and appropriate – for advantages
that work like Maledictions (e.g.,
Mind Control). It represents a compulsion that slowly creeps over the victim
as he views or speaks with his influencer. This is worthless in combat but
subtle enough to escape notice in
social situations. Limitation value is
unchanged.

==== Pact: Variable ====

A Higher Power – god, spirit, etc. –
grants your ability under the condition
that you follow a //strict// moral
code. This code must take the form of
one or more of the traits listed under
//Self-Imposed Mental Disadvantages//. These disadvantages give you
the usual number of points. Should
you ever stray from the path, your
ability immediately ceases to function
until you repent. The limitation value
is numerically equivalent to the point
cost of the required disadvantages;
e.g., a -10-point Vow gives a -10% Pact
limitation.

A hero can have a Pact with the
//GM//, if the GM agrees. The GM should
only allow this if both the Pact and the
modified ability support a genre convention, like “kung fu movie realism.”

For instance, the player of a super-heroic karate master might make a
deal with the GM: if he fights his foes
hand-to-hand, bullets mostly won’t
hurt him. He takes a -10-point Vow
(“Never use a gun.”) and buys DR with
Limited, Bullets, -60% and Pact, -10%.
If he uses a gun, he gives up his DR for
the rest of the fight.

The GM may also give limitations
for disadvantages other than self-imposed mental disadvantages:

//Required Disadvantage//: You have a
disadvantage such as Increased
Consumption or Sleepy. If you fail to
meet its requirements, you lose your
ability in addition to the usual effects
of missing meals, sleep, etc.
Alternatively, you must indulge an
Addiction to keep your ability. In
either case, if you lose your ability,
the only way to restore it is to satisfy
the needs of your disadvantage //and//
recover fully from any ill effects it
caused you during the period where
you didn’t: FP or HP loss, attribute
penalties, afflictions, etc. Price this
limitation exactly as you would Pact.

Abilities with power modifiers
that include Pact or Required
Disadvantage can’t take a separate
limitation for these; see Required
Disadvantages (Powers, p. 21).



==== Partial DR: Variable ====

{{ :rpg:gurps:core:partial_dr.webp |}}

==== Partial (Multiple Locations): Variable ====
Partial: Multiple Locations. This is priced just like the Partial limitation on p. B47, except that once you price each location you multiply the percentage values of all limitations together, then round up to the next -5%. (Exception: If any limitation exceeds -80%, reduce it to -80% before this calculation).

Example: A character has one Cyber Arm (which includes the hand) and his other hand is also cybernetic. To find the value of One Arm (-40%) and One Hand (-80%) you would multiply 0.4 × 0.8 = 0.32, then round that up to -35%.

 Example 2: A character has DR that protects his Skull (-70%), Face (-50%) and Neck (-50%). 0.7 × 0.5 × 0.5 = 0.175, rounding up to -20%.

===Either/Or Limitations===
Some concepts call for an “either/or” limitation. With Damage resistance this often comes from with Subdermal Armor which has Tough Skin while the cybernetic limbs DR simply has Partial (Cyber Limbs). To calculate the cost of such a combination simply multiply the value of the limitations together, then round up to the next -5%. In the case of Partial: Multiple Locations find the final cost for that, as described above, then multiply that by the other limitations.

Example: A character has Subdermal Armor providing Tough Skin (-40%) except on his Cyber Arms (-20%). The cost is 0.4 × 0.2 = 0.08, rounding to -10%.


====Periodic Recharge: Variable====

Your power must be sustained or renewed from an external
source, which takes about a minute; if you don’t have contact
with that source, it stops working. For this to be a valid limitation, access to the source has to be a major difficulty, such
as not being able to carry it around with you and having to go
somewhere else to recharge, or having to wait an hour after
using your ability before recharging it. This doesn’t restrict
the number of times you can use your ability in the period
between recharges. Likewise, using it at less than full power
to “save energy” won’t prolong the cycle; when your time is
up, that’s it.

The value of the limitation depends on the interval between
recharges:

Interval Modifier
Up to 1 minute -80%
Up to 10 minutes -40%
Up to 1 hour -20%
Up to 8 hours -10%
Up to 24 hours -5%

An interval longer than 24 hours is not a meaningful restriction and does not count as a limitation.


==== Power Modifier: Variable ====
You have a set of abilities that come from a common power source; you may take Talent for this source at the rate of five points per level (to a maximum of four levels) to increase your natural or learned ability to control said power, and may apply an appropriately sized limitation based on how easily the power can be changed or subverted.

When calculating power modifiers, it’s useful to have all the
numbers in one place. Unless indicated otherwise, all modifiers are
cumulative.

===Channeled Energies===

Ambient energies blocked by (choose one)*:

Esoteric or supernatural item/condition: -5%

Mundane item/condition: -10%

Fickle: -20%

Cosmic Power: +50%*

===Countermeasures*===

Mundane countermeasures: -10%

Special advantages or skills: -5%

Technological countermeasures: -5%

===Required Disadvantages===

Code of conduct: Point value of
required disadvantages,
expressed as a percentage.

Power disappears (choose one):

Gradually: +5%

Immediately: +0%

Power turns against user: -5%

===Restoration requires (choose one)===

A day: +5%

A week, a minor quest, or minor harm: +0%

A month, a major quest, or serious harm: -5%

* Cosmic powers can neither be blocked nor have countermeasures.
===Examples of Power Modifiers===
===BARD-SONG===
This is the power of magical song. Its abilities are subject to
the Bard-Song limitation. Rolls to use them are made at a
bonus equal to the bard’s Bardic Talent level.

==Power Modifier: Bard-Song: -30%==
Bard-Song abilities require the bard to sing or play a musical instrument at skill 14+; all effects end immediately if he
stops. Anything that affects others only works on targets who
can hear the music, while any messages or instructions the
bard sends have to be hidden in song. Bard-Song abilities are
also subject to the constraints on wizardly magic: they need
mana to work, Dispel Magic can end their ongoing effects, and
modifiers such as the -5 for low mana and penalties for Magic
Resistance apply to rolls to use them.

==Bard-Song Abilities==
Empathy (PM, -30%) [11]; Mimicry (PM, -30%) [7]; Mind
Control (PM, -30%) [35]; Rapier Wit (PM, -30%) [4]; Speak
With Animals (PM, -30%) [18]; Subsonic Speech (PM, -30%)
[7]; Telecommunication (Telesend; PM, -30%) [21]; Terror
(PM, -30%) [21]; and Ultrasonic Speech (PM, -30%) [7].

==Bardic Talent: 8 points/level==
Bardic Talent both adds to Bard-Song rolls and lets the bard
cast Communication and Empathy and Mind Control spells
(only!) as if he were a wizard who had the same level of Magery
with the Song limitation.

==Bardic Skills==
Those with any points in Bard-Song can learn Captivate
(p. B191), Hypnotism (p. B201), Musical Influence (p. B210),
Persuade (p. B191), Suggest (p. B191), and Sway Emotions
(p. B192).

===CHI MASTERY===
This power channels the user’s life energy, or chi. All of its
abilities have the Chi limitation. Rolls to use them enjoy a
bonus equal to the wielder’s Chi Talent level.
==Power Modifier: Chi: -10%==
Chi abilities depend on special diet, exercise, and meditation.
The user must take the disadvantage Disciplines of Faith (Chi
Rituals) [-10] to reflect this. Each day, roll 1d; this is how many
hours less he has for sleep, standing watch, etc. Moreover, he
must pay double for rations, which reflects not just an unusual
diet, but incense, ointments, etc. If deprived of these things, or
if he fails to sacrifice the necessary time, he must take a day out
to rebalance his chi. His entire power will immediately burn out
for 1d days if called upon before he does this.

==Chi Abilities==
Catfall (PM, -10%) [9]; Damage Resistance 1 or 2 (PM, -10%;
Tough Skin, -40%) [3 or 5]; Danger Sense (PM, -10%) [14];
Enhanced Move 0.5 or 1 (Ground; PM, -10%) [9 or 18]; Extra
Attack 1 or 2 (PM, -10%) [23 or 45]; Metabolism Control 1 to 5
(PM, -10%) [5 to 23]; Perfect Balance (PM, -10%) [14];
Regeneration (Slow, Regular, or Fast; PM, -10%) [9, 23, or 45];
Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+3) or (+8) (PM, -10%) [9 or
14]; Striking ST 1 or 2 (PM, -10%) [5 or 9]; and Super Jump 1
or 2 (PM, -10%) [9 or 18].
==Chi Talent: 15 points/level==
Chi Talent adds to both Chi Mastery rolls and the special chi
skills below. In general, a power’s Talent doesn’t add to its special skills – this one is an exception!
==Chi Skills==
Those with any points in Chi Mastery can learn
Autohypnosis (p. B179), Blind Fighting (p. B180), Body
Control (p. B181), Breaking Blow (p. B182), Breath Control
(p. B182), Esoteric Medicine (Chi) (p. B192), Flying Leap
(p. B196), Immovable Stance (p. B201), Invisibility Art
(p. B202), Kiai (p. B203), Light Walk (p. B205), Mental
Strength (p. B209), Mind Block (p. B210), Parry Missile
Weapons (p. B212), Power Blow (p. B215), Pressure Points
(p. B215), Pressure Secrets (p. B215), Push (p. B216),
Throwing Art (p. B226), and Zen Archery (p. B228).

DRUIDIC ARTS

This power emanates from nature itself. Its abilities must
be bought with the Druidic limitation. Rolls made for them get
a bonus equal to the user’s Druidic Talent level.

Power Modifier: Druidic
-10%

In areas where nature is weak, druidic abilities take the
same penalties to success rolls that druidic spells suffer; see
Druidic Spells (p. 19). Abilities that don’t require a success roll
instead lose 10% of their potency – Ally point value, DR, etc. –
per -1 (round down).

Druidic Abilities

Allies (Nature spirit or powerful totem beast of equal
points; 12 or less; PM, -10%; Summonable, +100%) [19] or (15
or less) [29]; Animal Empathy (PM, -10%) [5]; Channeling
(PM, -10%; Specialized, Nature Spirits, -50%) [4]; Damage
Resistance 1 or 2 (Limited, Elemental, -20%; PM, -10%) [4 or
7]; Detect (PM, -10%) for all plants [18], all animals [18], or
anything alive [27]; Medium (PM, -10%; Specialized, Nature
Spirits, -50%) [4]; Mind Control (Animals Only, -25%; PM, -
10%) [33]; Plant Empathy (PM, -10%) [5]; Speak With Animals
(PM, -10%) [23]; Speak With Plants (PM, -10%) [14]; and
Terrain Adaptation (PM, -10%) [5] for ice, mud, snow, or other
weather-related conditions.

Druidic Talent
5 points/level

Each level of Power Investiture (Druidic) costs 10 points,
includes a level of Druidic Talent, and thus adds to both
druidic spells and rolls for Druidic abilities. Spellcasting druids
should buy that advantage – not this one.

Druidic Skills

Those with any points in Druidic Arts can learn Esoteric
Medicine (Druidic) (p. B192) and Herb Lore (p. B199).

HOLY MIGHT

This power is granted by the user’s patron deity. Its abilities
have the Holy limitation. Any rolls necessary to use them
receive a bonus equal to the user’s Holiness.

Power Modifier: Holy
-10%

Holy abilities depend on the possessor living a virtuous life.
He must adopt a moral code worth -10 points: Honesty (12),
Sense of Duty (Coreligionists), a major Vow, etc. If he transgresses, he loses his power – although his god won’t endanger
him unless the sin is terrible. To recover his power, he must
offer significant penance: coin and goods equal to starting
money ($1,000), a full month of fasting, a major quest, etc.

Holy Abilities

Allies (Divine servant of equal points; 12 or less; PM, -10%;
Summonable, +100%) [19] or (15 or less) [29]; Blessed (PM, -
10%) [9]; Detect (PM, -10%) for evil [18], good [18], or supernatural beings [18]; Healing (Faith Healing, +20%; PM, -10%)
[33]; Intuition (PM, -10%) [14]; Oracle (PM, -10%) [14]; Patron
(Deity; 6 or less; Highly Accessible, +50%; PM, -10%; Special
Abilities, +100%) [36] or (9 or less) [72]; Resistant to Evil
Supernatural Powers (+3) or (+8) (PM, -10%) [5 or 9]; Spirit
Empathy (PM, -10%) [9]; and True Faith (PM, -10%; Turning*,
+65%) [24].

* Take a Concentrate maneuver and roll a Quick Contest of
Will with any undead or evil spirit in sight. If you win or tie,
the creature can’t come closer than yards equal to your margin
of victory (minimum one yard). If it’s closer already, it must
move away. Effects endure for as long as you concentrate and
for 1d seconds afterward.

Holiness
5 points/level

This is the Talent for Holy Might, and is normally bought
by holy warriors. Clerics buy Power Investiture instead, at 10
points/level. Each level of Power Investiture both adds to clerical spells and counts as a level of Holiness.
Holy Skills
Those with any points in Holy Might can learn Esoteric
Medicine (Holy) (p. B192) and Exorcism (p. B193).

DF Psionics: -10%

Psi abilities require 1 FP to activate for a minute and 1
FP/minute to maintain – or 1 FP per attack, for Mind Blast.
Using such gifts attracts psionic monsters. The GM will roll 3d
every time you activate psi abilities and after each battle in
which you use Mind Blast. On 6 or less, Astral Things (treat as
insubstantial spirits for the purpose of what affects them),
mindwarpers, or something similar will strike. The odds rise to
9 or less if such monsters are already present in the dungeon!

Psionics Abilities

Clairsentience (PM, -10%) [45]; Damage Resistance 1 to 6
(Limited, Psi*, -20%; PM, -10%) [4 to 21]; Detect (Psionics;
PM, -10%) [9]; Mind Blast† [29]; Mind Control (PM, -10%)
[45]; Mind Reading (PM, -10%) [27]; Mind Shield 1 to 6
(Limited, Psi*, -50%; PM, -10%) [2 to 10]; Psychometry (PM,
-10%) [18]; Scanning Sense (Para-Radar; PM, -10%) [36];
Telecommunication (Telesend; PM, -10%) [27]; and Telekinesis
1 to 10 (PM, -10%) [5 to 45].

* Limited, Psi means DR only works against psionic attacks
like the mindwarper’s psychokinetic lash, and Mind Shield
only helps vs. things like Mind Blast.

† Mind Blast: Take an Attack maneuver and roll a Quick
Contest of Will, at -1/yard, against your foe’s Will. Victory stuns
him for 3 seconds; he may try a Will roll every 3 seconds to
recover. Victory by 5+ knocks him out for minutes equal to
triple the margin. This is Affliction 1 (Based on Will, +20%;
Extended Duration, 3¥, +20%; Malediction 1, +100%; No
Signature, +20%; PM, -10%; Secondary Unconsciousness,
+40%) [29].

Psi Talent
5 points/level

This Talent gives +1 per level to all Psionics rolls.

Psi Skills
Those with any points in Psionics can learn Hypnotism
(p. B201), Mental Strength (p. B209), and Mind Block
(p. B210).

Power Modifier: Unholy
-10%

Unholy abilities are disturbingly easy to get: just sign here,
here, and right here in blood. They’re 10% off because the
recipient must take Social Stigma (Excommunicated) [-10]
(see Evil Clerics, p. 23). There’s no meaningful behavior code
– although a reprobate who destroys a perfectly functional
cursed item or slays a demon (one of his gods’ pets) will
immediately be rendered powerless until he makes a blood
sacrifice.

Unholy Abilities

Allies (Demon or undead of equal points; 12 or less; PM,
-10%; Summonable, +100%) [19] or (15 or less) [29];
Channeling (PM, -10%; Specialized, Demons, -50%) [4];
Detect (PM, -10%) for evil [18], good [18], or supernatural
beings [18]; Dread Touch* [14]; Medium (PM, -10%;
Specialized, Demons, -50%) [4]; Patron (Deity; 6 or less;
Highly Accessible, +50%; Minimal Intervention, -50%; PM,
-10%; Special Abilities, +100%) [29] or (9 or less) [57];
Resistant to Good Supernatural Powers (+3) or (+8) (PM,
-10%) [5 or 7]; Spirit Empathy (PM, -10%) [9]; and Terror
(PM, -10%) [27].

* Dread Touch: A successful unarmed melee attack inflicts
1d toxic damage, bypassing DR. Each attempt costs 1 FP.
This is Toxic Attack 1d (Cosmic, Irresistible Attack, +300%;
Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot
Parry, -35%; PM, -10%) [14].

Unholiness
5 points/level

This is the Talent for Unholy Might, intended for unholy
warriors. Evil clerics buy Power Investiture (Unholy) instead,
at 10 points/level. Each level of Power Investiture both adds
to evil clerical spells and counts as a level of Unholiness.

Unholy Skills

Miscreants with any points in Unholy Might can learn
Exorcism (p. B193). Success with this skill either casts out the
evil spirit or binds it to an hour’s service – your choice.
Failure means it tries to kill you. There’s no honor among
scum.


==== Preparation Required: Variable ====

Your ability requires special preparation
before you can use it. Perhaps
you have to meditate first, or perform
some ritual to focus concentration.
This limitation is particularly appropriate
for supernatural traits such as
Channeling and Medium.

You cannot use an unprepared
ability. To prepare, take the Concentrate
maneuver for the required
amount of time. You need not specify
how you plan to use your ability while
you are preparing it, but you must
specify which ability you are preparing
if you have more than one trait
with this limitation.

You can use a prepared ability normally
– either immediately or at a later
time. However, you can only have one
advantage with this limitation prepared
at a time, and it becomes unprepared
immediately after use, regardless
of success or failure (but if your
ability has continuing effects, you can
maintain them once activated).

The value of this limitation
depends on the time required to prepare
the ability.
^ Preparation Time  ^  Modifier  ^
| 1 minute          |    -20%    |
| 10 minutes        |    -30%    |
| 1 hour            |    -50%    |
| 8 hours           |    -60%    |

//Weakened Without Preparation//:
Your ability works if you do not prepare
it beforehand, but at half duration,
range, effect, etc. This does not
make sense for all advantages (GM’s
decision as to when it does).
Weakened Without Preparation is
worth exactly half as much as listed
above.

====Reduced Duration: Variable====
Your ability lasts for a shorter time than it should. Note that
this limitation cannot be applied to advantages with a “maintained” duration, such as Mind Control (though Mind Control 
with the Independent enhancement would qualify).

The limitation’s value depends on the reduction in duration:
^ Multiple ^ Modifier ^ 
| 1/2 duration | -5% |
| 1/3 duration | -10% |
| 1/6 duration | -15% |
| 1/10 duration | -20% |
| 1/20 duration | -25% |
| 1/30 duration | -30% |
| 1/60 duration | -35% |

This table can be extended from the progression shown,
but the minimum duration for an ability cannot be taken
below one second. For example, Affliction (Disadvantage) has
a variable duration that lasts a minimum of one minute, and
is thus eligible for no more than Reduced Duration, 1/60,
while unmodified Affliction has a minimum duration of one
second, and could not take any level of
Reduced Duration.

====Prevented by Worshipers: Variable====

Based on Granted by Worshipers. You may take this limitation as a Mitigator (p. B112) on a disadvantage (for example, Terminally Ill, p. B158), such that you will begin to feel the effects of the disadvantage if your number of worshipers falls below the threshold. In this special case, add 100% to the value of the limitation and flip the sum's sign from + to - in order to determine its new value as a Mitigator, e.g. Granted by Worshipers (1,000) -70% -> Mitigator: Prevented by Worshipers (1,000) -30%.

For example: Terminally Ill (Up to one month) (Mitigator: Prevented by Worshipers (1) -60%) [-40]. This works well for any Terry-Pratchett-type gods who will swiftly cease to exist if no one believes in them any more. If the only thing keeping your god character from going blind is the power of his worshipers' belief, or the only thing keeping a super-star character away from alcohol is the power of his fanatical fans' loving devotion, then this works too.

==== Reduced Range: -10%/level ====

You may add this limitation to any
advantage that has a range; e.g.,
Innate Attack or Scanning Sense. It
comes in three levels, depending on
the range divisor.

^  Range Divisor  ^  Modifier  ^
|        2        |     -10%   |
|        5        |     -20%   |
|       10        |     -30%   |

If applied to a ranged attack that
has a 1/2D range, each level reduces
both 1/2D and Max. You may reduce
1/2D only at half value (that is,
"Reduced 1/2D" is -5%/level). You may
not reduce Max independently.

When adding this limitation to
a trait that normally doesn’t work
at a distance, Ranged is a
prerequisite.

====Required Disadvantage: Variable====
You have a disadvantage such as
Increased Consumption or Sleepy. If you
fail to meet its requirements, you lose
your ability in addition to the usual
effects of missing meals, sleep, etc. Alternatively, you must indulge an Addiction
to keep your ability. In either case, if you
lose your ability, the only way to restore it
is to satisfy the needs of your disadvantage and recover fully from any ill effects
it caused you during the period where you
didn’t: FP or HP loss, attribute penalties, afflictions, etc.
The limitation value is numerically equivalent to the point
cost of the required disadvantages; e.g., a -15-point Addiction
gives a -15% Required Disadvantage limitation.

====Requires (Attribute) Roll: Variable====
This limitation works like Unreliable (p. B116), except that
instead of rolling against a fixed activation number to trigger
your advantage, you roll against DX, IQ, HT, Will, or Per
(choose one when you buy the ability). This is worth -10% for
a DX, IQ, or HT roll, or -5% for a Will or Per roll. Things that
temporarily modify your score do affect this roll.

For a defensive ability, roll each time the defense would mitigate an attack or a hazard – 
or once per minute, for constant
exposure. If your roll fails, all future attempts to activate it (until
you succeed) cost a flat 1 FP but are at no additional penalty.
However, if you drop to 3 FP or less from this, your ability
shuts down until all FP are regained.

If the attribute roll that you make can be resisted by
potential subjects as a Quick Contest, add -10% to the value
of this limitation. For example, Invisibility (Requires IQ vs.
Per Roll, -20%) would require you to win a Quick Contest of
your IQ vs. the Perception of anyone who might see you.
This cannot be combined with Glamour (pp. 13-14) or
Resistible (p. B115), and is incompatible with any trait that
already allows a resistance roll. Advantages that currently
necessitate an attribute roll to work may turn that roll into
a Quick Contest for a flat -10%. Note this, for example, as
Empathy (Requires IQ vs. Will Roll, -10%) if you must win
a Quick Contest of IQ versus Will to use your Empathy.
See Under the Hood: Active Defense (p. 10) and below for
notes on customizing this limitation further.

//Requires (Skill) Roll//: As a special effect that does not
change the value, Requires (Attribute) Roll may be turned
into Requires (Skill) Roll, as long as the skill in question is
based on that attribute. For example, Requires Mathematics
(Applied) Roll would be priced identically to Requires IQ Roll
(-10%), because Mathematics (Applied) is an IQ-based skill.
Hard skills are the most balanced when used in this
manner, but using an Average or Very Hard skill is not a
significant enough change to warrant altering the limitation value. An Easy skill, however, reduces the size of the
limitation by 5% (e.g., Requires Carpentry Roll would be
a -5% limitation).

A special version of this limitation
exists for the defensive traits listed
under Force Field (p. 108):

//Active Defense:// Your ability only
protects you against threats you’re
aware of – and only if you make a roll
to interpose it in time. This roll is at
DX/2 + 3, +1 for Combat Reflexes. If
you try to use the same ability more
than once in a turn, apply a cumulative -4 per attempt after the first. You
roll at -4 if stunned, and can’t roll at all
in situations where you wouldn’t get
an active defense (attack from behind,
unconscious, etc.). -40%.
====Requires Concentrate or Ready: -15% or -10%====
Your ability requires a series of Concentrate maneuvers to
maintain. Taking any other maneuver (such as Attack or Move)
causes it to switch off. Thus, you can only move one step per
second while using it, and can’t attack, aim, etc. Your ability
shuts down if you lose your concentration (e.g., if attacked and
you fail your Will roll).

You can’t combine this with All-Out, All-Out Concentrate, or Requires Ready.
Normally, only switchable advantages that would otherwise stay on without an active
effort can take this limitation. A passive ability without definite
activation conditions (e.g., Empathy) can also take it; if so, it
requires a Concentrate maneuver to use.

//Requires Ready:// As above, except that your ability requires a
series of Ready maneuvers. This is less of a limitation because
foes cannot cause you to lose the ability to ready as easily as
they can make you lose concentration. -10%.

====Requires Low Gravity: Variable====
Your ability doesn’t function in gravity fields over a certain
strength. This can be appropriate for movement abilities
that work better in lower gravity, such as Clinging or Flight.
This is worth -5% for each 0.1G under 1G at which the ability
does not work (-5% at 0.9G, to -50% if the ability works only
in zero gravity).

For Flight specifically, this limitation assumes a standard pressure atmosphere (1 atm). In other environments, multiply the gravity in which the flier can operate by the atmospheric
pressure. Thus, someone who can only fly in up to 0.2G could
fly in 0.3G if the atmosphere were 1.5 atm, but would be limited to 0.1G if it were 0.5 atm.

==== Resistible (A): Variable ====

This limitation is only available for
Innate Attacks that inflict fatigue or
toxic damage. You must combine it
with one of Blood Agent, Contact
Agent, Follow-Up, Respiratory Agent,
or Sense-Based. It represents poison,
disease, or a similar effect that a sufficiently
healthy victim can resist or
"shrug off."

The victim gets a HT roll to avoid
the effect. A resistance roll against HT-
5 is worth -5%. Each +1 to the roll is a
worth another -5% (e.g., HT-4 is -10%,
and HT+4 is -50%).

If the attack is also Cyclic,
the victim rolls before each cycle
(including the first). Success means
the attack ends without further injury;
failure means the target takes damage
normally and the attack continues.

A supernatural disease or magical
poison (like an alchemical elixir)
might allow a Will-based resistance
roll. An ultra-tech threat might be
engineered to require a ST, DX, or IQ
roll. Represent either by adding
Resistible and specifying an attribute
besides HT; e.g., “Resistible, Will-3,
-15%.” //Don’t// use Based on (Different
Attribute). The GM is the final judge of
what combinations are allowed.

==== Sense-Based (A): Variable ====

On an attack with Malediction or
an ability that //normally// ignores DR
(e.g., Mind Control), this is a //limitation//.
See the Sense-Based enhancement for details.

==== Sense-Based, Reversed: Variable ====
This variant has the same value as normal Sense-Based
(p. B109), but works “in reverse” – through the user’s senses,
that is, your senses. To affect your target, you must see it with
your unaided eyes (Vision-Based), hear it with your own ears
(Hearing-Based), touch it with your bare hand (Touch-Based),
and so on. If you can’t – or if you’re deprived of your sense (e.g.,
by a blindfold for Vision-Based or heavy gloves for Touch-Based), or using a technological or paranormal intermediary –
your ability doesn’t work. This variation is allowed as a limitation only on an advantage that’s normally unaffected by DR.

Example: A robot that analyzes
minerals by detecting minute quantities of airborne dust has Detect
(Minerals; Smell-Based, -20%), and
can’t use its ability in a vacuum or
from within a sealed suit.
====Short-Range: -10%/level====

Your ranged ability uses a worse class of range penalties than
usual. Each level of Short-Range, to a maximum of three, makes
the penalties one step more unfavorable on the table.

^ Step ^ Penalty ^
| 3 | -1/yard like a Regular spell (p. B239) |
| 2 | Size and Speed/Range Table (p. B550) |
| 1 | Long-Distance Modifiers (p. B241) |
| 0 | None |

The ability’s 1/2D and Max range don’t change; use
Increased Range (p. B106) or Reduced Range (p. B115) for that.
You can combine Short-Range with Reduced Range, but
the total limitation value can’t exceed -30%. Short-Range
affects the cost of Follow-Up. It’s incompatible with Guided,
Homing, Long-Range, and Melee Attack.

====Skill Enhancement Only: -60%====
You may add this limitation to any exotic or supernatural
ability that is not designed primarily to improve skills. For
example, you could not take this on Brachiator, because the +2
to Climbing is a fundamental part of what that trait grants, but
you could add it to Telekinesis because the +4 to Gambling,
etc., is an add-on to that advantage’s true benefit (acting at a
distance). See Abilities Enhancing Skills (GURPS Powers,
pp. 162-163) for a long list of appropriate traits.

Your ability’s overt effects are extremely limited. You can
use it to gain a bonus to a skill: +2 if the ability substitutes for
fine-quality mundane equipment; +4 for miraculous aid. You
can’t use this gift on its own, apart from any skill, or in conjunction with an ability roll whose primary effect is to achieve
a successful use of the power (such as Flight or Innate Attack).
This is a good limitation for “wild talent” superheroes who are
just starting to learn to use their powers.

====Specific: Variable====
Specific restricts an ability that lets you interact with a
material to a subset of what it normally affects. Applicable
advantages include Clinging, Penetrating Vision, Super Climbing, Walk on Air, and Walk on Liquid. Advantages that already require a particular choice of materials can’t be Specific.

This limitation is generally worth -40% for common materials, -60% for uncommon ones, and -80% for absurd ones – but the GM sets the precise value, which might be as little as -10% for very common materials. Abilities that affect ferromagnetic metals – iron (including steel), nickel, and cobalt – have a -50% limitation, called “Magnetic” and not “Specific, Ferromagnetic Metals” to save space.

====Substantial Only: -10%====
You have an attack or other ability that normally works on
both substantial and insubstantial opponents, such as a Malediction. However, yours works only on substantial opponents.
==== Takes Extra Time: -10%/level ====

You can only apply this limitation
to abilities that require time to activate
and that work fast enough to be
useful in an emergency (e.g., combat).
This is up to the GM, who is free to
restrict this limitation to advantages
that take only 1 or 2 seconds to
activate.

For abilities that require a Ready
or Concentrate maneuver, each level
of Takes Extra Time //doubles// the time
required. Activation occurs at the end
of this time. For instance, Takes Extra
Time 1 on an advantage that usually
requires a one-second Ready maneuver
would increase the Ready time to
2 seconds.

For attacks, the first level of Takes
Extra Time results in a one-second
Ready maneuver //before// you can make
your Attack maneuver. Successive levels
double the Ready time.

Takes Extra Time means the ability
is constantly available but demands a
long “ready time” immediately prior
to use, making it unavailable in “quick
response” situations. It isn’t the same
as Preparation Required, which
allows the wielder to prepare in
advance, giving him a single use with
which to respond instantly. To keep
the two balanced, the GM may restrict
heroes to two levels of Takes Extra
Time, which is equal in value to the
lowest level of Preparation Required.

When Takes Extra Time results in
more than one second of Ready to use
an ability, it is possible to interrupt the
user, just as if he were concentrating
(see p. B366).
==== Takes Recharge: Variable ====

Your ability requires "recharging"
after each use. It is unavailable during
the recharge period. Value depends on
the time between uses: five seconds
(or twice the time required to use the
ability, if longer) is -10%, 15 seconds
(or 5 times the time required to use
the ability, if longer) is -20%, and one
hour (or 10 times the time required to
use the ability, if longer) is -30%.
Longer recharge times are not valid as
limitations (but see Limited Use).

This limitation is suitable for energy attacks that fire from an “accumulator” charged by a power plant or the
user’s body. If the attack has Rapid Fire, it gets shots equal to its RoF before it needs to recharge. Once all
shots are fired, the attack is unavailable until one full recharge period passes; then shots equal to RoF are
available again. Shots don’t trickle back gradually during the recharge period.



==== Temporary Disadvantage: Variable ====

You may add this limitation to any
advantage that can be switched off
and on at will, //and// that takes at least
one second to switch. When you
switch on the advantage, you suffer
one or more disadvantages until you
switch it off again. This limitation is
worth -1% per point the temporary
disadvantages are worth, to a maximum
of -80%.

//Example//: You can use your feet as
hands, but can’t walk while doing so.
This is Extra Arms 2 (20 points) with
Temporary Disadvantage: Legless
(-30%), for 14 points.

The //point break// due to Temporary
Disadvantage cannot exceed 80% of
the value of the original disadvantage.

//Example//: You have Altered Time
Rate 1 (100 points) with Temporary
Disadvantage: Hemophilia (-30%) –
you bleed faster, too! Since
Hemophilia is worth -30 points normally,
the most it can be worth as a
Nuisance Effect is -24 points;
therefore, it reduces the cost of Altered
Time Rate by 24 points (to 76 points)
and not by 30 points (to 70 points).

You may only take Temporary
Disadvantages that could logically
inconvenience you for the period of
time the advantage is normally on. In
the case of mental disadvantages
(Berserk, Lecherousness, etc.), if a
failed self-control roll indicates that
you give in to the disadvantage, you
will suffer the disadvantage’s effects
until the GM rules you have regained
your composure – which might be
long after you deactivate the advantage
with this limitation!

You can also use this limitation to
remove an advantage temporarily.
This is worth -1% per point the negated
advantage is worth, and the point
break cannot exceed 80% of the deactivated
advantage’s cost. Only one of
the involved advantages can take this
limitation – you //cannot// take two
advantages, both with this limitation,
each of which negates the other when
used.

===Irresistible Disadvantages===
Temporary Disadvantage can simulate those who suffer a mental breakdown the instant they
activate their gifts. To do so, select a mental disadvantage
that requires a self-control roll (e.g., Berserk or Pyromania),
specify a self-control number of “N/A,” and price Temporary Disadvantage as if the disadvantage were worth 2.5
times its listed cost (drop fractions). Using the ability
always causes the effects specified for a failed self-control
roll. For example, Temporary Disadvantage, Berserk (N/A)
is worth -25%, and immediately drives the user berserk
whenever he uses his ability!

An “always on” advantage can have Temporary Disadvantage. Instead of 
affecting the entire character, the disadvantage has the potential to shut
down the advantage. See Cybernetics (p. B46) and Cyberpunk Abilities
(Powers, p. 116) for more information. In this case, “temporary” means the disadvantage 
is irrelevant after it causes the advantage to fail. 

====Temporary Disadvantage, Shutdown: Variable====
An “always on” advantage can have Temporary Disadvantage (p. B115), if – instead of affecting the entire character – the disadvantage has the potential to shut down the
advantage. In this case, “temporary” means the disadvantage is irrelevant after it causes the advantage to fail.

Cybernetics (p. B46) are the most common example, with
Temporary Disadvantage, Shutdown, Electrical, signifying
that surges can shut down the cybernetic advantages
instead of shutting down the owner.

====Terminal Condition: Variable====
This is allowed only on abilities that affect others for at
least a minute. Your enemies can end your ability’s ongoing
effects with a simple act: kissing the subject, speaking three
words, etc. If this condition isn’t met, the effects have their
usual duration.

This is worth -5% if the condition is arcane enough to require
research; -10% if a skill roll (against Religious Ritual, Ritual
Magic, Thaumatology, etc.) can discover it; or -20% if common
knowledge. These values become -0% (a special effect), -5%,
and -10% if the condition is difficult to arrange even if known,
like a kiss //from a princess// or words //spoken by an elf//.

Abilities that //can’t// end until a certain condition is met just
have Extended Duration, Permanent (+150%). That enhancement already requires such a condition – 
you can’t take Terminal Condition separately.

==== Touch-Based: Variable ====

To convert a ranged ability or attack to a touch-based one,
add Melee Attack, Reach C (-30%), from p. B112. Despite this
modifier’s name and its classification as an attack limitation,
the ability need not be offensive; for example, you could use
it to change Telesend to touch-based telepathy.

An ability that is unaffected by DR and works via touch
– either inherently or because of Melee Attack – can be
restricted further, by giving it one of the following mutually
exclusive options.

Touch-Based (p. B109): Your ability works only if you
make contact with the target’s skin, or through light clothing at most. Any DR or rigid covering that prevents him
from feeling your contact will stop the effect. -20%.

Touch-Based, Reversed (below): Your ability works only
if you touch the target with your bare hand. You cannot
wear even light gloves. The subject’s clothing, armor, etc.,
have no effect, but you must feel the connection. -20%.

Contact Agent (p. B111): You must make skin-to-skin
contact with the target. Your skin must touch his. -30%.

==== Trigger: Variable ====

Your advantage requires exposure
to a specific substance or condition
(e.g., a dose of a drug) to function.
One dose or exposure is required per
one-minute "use." Cost depends on
the rarity of the Trigger:

//Very Common// (available almost
anywhere): -10%.

//Common// (expensive, somewhat
hard to find): -20%.

//Occasional// (very expensive and
hard to find): -30%.

//Rare// (cannot be bought; must be
found or made): -40%.

Multiply the limitation value by 1.5
if the Trigger is illegal, addictive, or
otherwise dangerous.

Injury is an entirely valid Trigger.
Since a desperate hero can nearly
always find a way to wound himself,
this Trigger is Very Common... and
since injury is by definition dangerous,
the limitation is worth -15%. This
isn’t the same as Blood Agent “in reverse.” 
The user needn’t bleed on
his victim or suffer a particular form
of injury; even 1 HP of blunt trauma
will do.


====Trigger, Extended: Variable====
If a “use” of the advantage is defined as being longer than
one minute, the value of Trigger (p. B115) drops. If each dose
allows you to use the ability for 10 minutes, halve the value.
For one hour, quarter it. For eight hours, divide it by 8. In all
cases, round up (toward 0) to the nearest 5%.

Example: Tam gains Flight for an hour (1/4 value) by drinking a rare elixir (-40%); he buys it with Trigger, 1 Hour, Flight Elixir, -10%. He also acquires Absolute Direction for an hour
(1/4 value) when he eats wildflowers (-10%). The fraction reduces the limitation to -2.5%, which rounds up to -0%; this is thus not a meaningful limitation.

If your trigger is unique and difficult to use in some way,
compare Periodic Recharge (p. 16).

==== Unconscious Only: -20% ====

You may only take this limitation
in conjunction with Uncontrollable
(below). You cannot consciously activate
your ability //at all//; it can only
come into play under GM control, as a
result of stress. Like Uncontrollable,
you may buy this off later on, as you
gain control over your ability.

==== Uncontrollable: -10% or -30% ====

Your ability tends to manifest itself
at undesirable or inappropriate times.
Whenever the GM rules that you are
in a stressful situation – including any
situation that requires a Fright Check
or a self-control roll for a mental disadvantage
– you must make a Will roll
to keep your ability under control,
even if you did not intend to use it!
You need only roll once per stressful
situation, but a roll of 14+ always fails,
regardless of Will.

On a failure, the GM takes over
your ability, playing it as though it
were an entity of a prankish or hostile
nature. The actions of your ability will
often reflect your "suppressed
desires," as reflected in your quirks
and mental disadvantages.

An ability that cannot inflict damage
– for instance, Flight or Jumper –
will activate unexpectedly. This is
inconvenient and embarrassing, but
not overly dangerous. After each
uncontrolled act, you get another Will
roll to control your power. This goes
on until you make a Will roll. In this
case, Uncontrollable is worth -10%.

A harmful ability goes after obvious
foes first, and will never turn on
//you//... but nobody else is safe! After
each uncontrolled act (or //before// an
attack on a Dependent or other loved
one), you get another Will roll to control
your power. This continues until
you make a Will roll or destroy everything
around you! For destructive
powers, Uncontrollable is worth -30%.

You may buy this limitation off
later on, as you gain control over your
ability.

Situations that involve self-control
rolls for disadvantages, Fright Checks,
or HT rolls for major wounds qualify
as “stressful”; see Emergencies Only. Disadvantages that don’t
allow self-control rolls can also trigger
this limitation. For instance, a hero
with Pacifism might lose control if
forced to commit violence.

Anyone who takes Uncontrollable
must specify the “intelligence” that
commandeers his ability: his subconscious or //something else//. 
His subconscious uses his scores for all rolls, and
its first priority is always to deal with
the cause of the stress. For example, if
a super were to lose control of her
Death Ray due to a major wound, her
ability would go after whoever caused
the injury first – even a foe she must
capture unharmed, or a friend with
bad aim – and use her Innate Attack
skill to hit.

If the ability originates from a
demon, implanted AI, or other intelligence the user can’t fully control, it
has its own scores and agenda (determined by the GM, exactly as for an
Enemy). It acts purposefully and perhaps subtly; it could let the user
remain “in control” but pervert his
intent. For instance, Mind Control
might work as desired but send victims //additional// suggestions, unknown
to the user.

The GM may allow the following
variant:

//Uncontrollable Trigger//: Your ability
manifests uncontrollably in the presence of an item, not stress. Use the rarities given for Weakness (p. B161).
This isn’t a meaningful limitation if
the item is “Rare.” It’s worth -5% if “Occasional,” -10% if “Common,” or
-15% if “Very Common.” Triple this for
destructive abilities. Unconscious
Only is a frequent addition.
====Uncontrollable Trigger: Variable====
Your ability manifests (as for Uncontrollable, p. B116) in the presence of an item or environment. Use the rarities given for Weakness (p. B161):

Rarity Modifier
Rare -0%
Occasional -5%
Common -10%
Very Common -15%

Triple the value for harmful or destructive abilities.

This limitation goes well with Unconscious Only (p. B115).

==== Unreliable: Variable ====

Sometimes your ability works and sometimes it doesn’t! It just comes and goes, and you’ve never identified why.
This is completely separate from any roll //normally// needed to activate the ability. You can have skill 20 and still have problems making it work!

Every time you want to use the power, you must roll the activation number (see below) or less on 3d. Once you succeed, the ability will work for that particular use. When you cease to use it, you must make another activation roll to start it again.

If you cannot activate your ability on your first attempt, you may try again once per second after that, at no
penalty. Each successive attempt costs one FP. If you are reduced to three or fewer FP, you must rest until //all// FP are regained before you can attempt to use your ability again.

^  Activation Number  ^  Modifier  ^
|          4          |    -100%   |
|          5          |     -80%   |
|          6          |     -65%   |
|          7          |     -50%   |
|          8          |     -40%   |
|          9          |     -35%   |
|         10          |     -30%   |
|         11          |     -25%   |
|         12          |     -20%   |
|         13          |     -15%   |
|         14          |     -10%   |
|         15          |      -5%   |
|         16          |      -1%   |


Unreliable works differently when
applied to attacks which are //also// gadgets
or built-in firearms. Instead of
requiring an activation roll, it gives a
Malfunction number worse than 17. 
The GM may allow natural
attacks to have a “Malf.” statistic
similar to that used for gadgets and
built-in firearms. This is especially
suitable for abilities that originate
from experimental drugs or surgery – or cinematic genetic engineering or
mutation. 

^  Malf.  ^  Modifier  ^
|   12    |    -25%    |
|   13    |    -20%    |
|   14    |    -15%    |
|   15    |    -10%    |
|   16    |    -5%     |

Unreliable offers a “Malfunction” variant,
intended for built-in firearms and similar gadgets. However, it
can apply to any attack ability that doesn’t work as well as it
should. On an attack roll equal to or greater than Malf., roll 3d:

3-4 – The ability fails to go off and is crippled. See Duration of
Crippling Injuries (p. B422) to determine recovery time. In
some worlds, a Bioengineering, Physician, or Surgery roll
can hasten recovery.

5-8 – The ability fails to go off and is temporarily unavailable.
After three seconds, make a HT roll. Success means the
ability comes back online. Otherwise, wait three more seconds and roll again. Critical failure on any of these HT
rolls means the ability is crippled as in 3-4.

9-11 – The attack fires a single shot and then fails as described
for 5-8.

12-14 – As 5-8.

15-18 – As 3-4, but the attack also strains the user. He suffers 1d-3 (minimum 1) each of fatigue and injury. DR
doesn’t protect.

==== Unsupported: -25% ====
You may take this limitation on some of your ST or DX, or
on any transient ability: one used for brief spurts of activity. The
latter class includes advantages used to attack, move, or perform
physical feats – or to defend actively (e.g., Enhanced Dodge or
any advantage with Active Defense, p. 10).

Your body has not adapted to make proper use of this ability.
Every time you use it for any transient feat (but not for slow, sustained effort), you must roll against HT afterward. (In combat,
roll at the very beginning of your next turn.) Success means no
problem occurs, but a failure causes 1 point of injury; critical
failure, or two failures in consecutive seconds, does 1d injury
and causes any one limb you are using to be crippled.

Example: Kurt buys Lifting ST 10 (Unsupported). Every time
he uses that extra strength to lift, grapple, or throw, he must roll
against HT. However, once he’s lifted a load (or if someone else
helps him do so, so he doesn’t even have to use his Lifting ST),
he can carry it without making constant HT rolls.

==== Untrainable: -40% ====

You may only apply this limitation
to abilities that normally require a
skill to use. You can’t learn to control
your power well. You learn all skills
associated with it as though the relevant
attribute were only 8 (or at one
less than its usual value, if already at 8
or worse), and your maximum skill
level is 10.

Abilities with Untrainable gain no
benefit from Talent. This is in addition
to the limitation’s other effects.
Abilities that require a roll to use can
take this special version:

//Hard to Use//: You have a penalty on
all rolls to use your ability, and Talent
doesn’t help. Each level of Hard to Use
gives -3. This is incompatible with
Reliable and forbidden on
ranged attacks. -5% per -3, to a limit of -12.


====Usually On: Variable====
You may add this only to an advantage that can normally be
switched off and that is inconvenient if you can’t easily turn it
off. Your ability is on almost all the time – but you can switch
it off briefly by expending 1 FP per second. This is worth -5% if
the effects are social or cosmetic, -10% if they are physically
inconvenient, -30% if they are dangerous (to you), and -40% if
they are absolutely crippling (e.g., Insubstantiality and Obscure).

====Visible: -10% or -20%====
Your ability has a manifestation that makes it plainly obvious to everyone nearby. The effects and value depend on the
underlying advantage:

  * A communication, influence, information, or sensory ability that would otherwise have no visible effect – such as Clairsentience or Mind Reading – generates an attention-grabbing effect (shimmering ray, floating eye, etc.) that gives away the fact that you’re affecting or observing the subject. This makes subtlety impossible (if it doesn’t, you don’t have a limitation). -10%.
  * An ability that lets you physically attack might qualify if it’s normally invisible and largely unavoidable; e.g., Telekinesis. In addition to the effects above, your target gets an unpenalized defense roll to avoid the attack. -20%.

====Weaponized: Variable====
This limitation can be applied only to an ability that normally works like a ranged Malediction. In other words, it must
use a Quick Contest instead of an attack roll and it must be
unaffected by DR. Suitable advantages include Mind Control
and Mind Reading. As well, Mind Probe, Neutralize, and Possession would be valid //with the Ranged enhancement//.

This limitation turns the advantage into a normal, visible,
ranged attack. The GM must decide which attack skill it will
use – usually a specialty of Innate Attack. The attack uses Size
and Speed/Range modifiers (p. B550) and can be dodged. If it
hits, the target resists by making an unopposed roll against the
appropriate attribute (e.g., Will for Neutralize). If the resistance roll fails, determine the effects as usual, using the subject’s margin of failure instead of the user’s margin of victory.

Weaponized is worth a base -50% if the victim’s DR has no
effect, or -80% if his DR adds to his resistance roll, as for an
Affliction (p. B35). If the subject has a fixed penalty to his
resistance roll, this adjusts the modifier value by +10% for
every -1, to a maximum of -5. For example, a Neutralize ray
that ignored DR and gave the subject a Will-3 roll to resist
would have a net -20% limitation.

Note: This modifier is intended for turning psionic abilities
into psychotronic devices, such as Neutralization Grenades
and Mind Control Rays.
===== Gadget Limitations =====

The GM may require you to pay
points for any "gadget" that grants
traits that usually cost points (attribute
levels, advantages, etc.). However,
he should charge points only for items
that even the most advanced technology
could not produce (e.g., a ring that
bestows Luck) – and even then, only if
those items are not for sale at //any//
price in the game world.

In particular, the GM should never
charge points for ordinary, manufactured
equipment – or even for special
equipment, if it is for sale – unless it
happens to be Signature Gear.
Body armor, a rifle, and night-vision
goggles effectively bestow Damage
Resistance, Innate Attack, and
Infravision, respectively... but since
anyone could buy these items, they
have a cash cost, not a point cost.

Traits bestowed by items have
their usual point cost. You can give
them any logical combination of
modifiers, plus one or more of the
special limitations below.

==== Breakable: Variable ====

Your foes can destroy the item.
Once destroyed, it will cease to grant
you its benefits until repaired. Add the
following elements together to find
the final limitation value.

//Durability//: The easier the object is
to break, the greater the limitation.
Decide on the gadget’s weight and DR.

^ DR            ^  Modifier  ^
| 2 or less     |    -20%    |
| 3-5           |    -15%    |
| 6-15          |    -10%    |
| 16-25         |    -5%     |
| 26 or higher  |     0%     |

If the object is a machine that can
break down (as opposed to a simple
artifact, like a ring or a hat), add
another -5%. See //Damage to Objects//
(p. 483) to determine HP and the
effects of damage.

//Reparability//: You can normally
repair your gadget if it breaks; the GM
chooses the skill(s) needed to make
repairs. If you //cannot// repair it, and it
requires inconvenient time, effort, or
expense to replace (GM’s decision), it
is worth an additional -15%.

//Size//: The item’s Size Modifier
affects Vision rolls to identify it out of
combat and rolls to hit it in combat.

^ SM          ^  Modifier  ^
| -9 or less  |      0%    |
| -7 or -8    |     -5%    |
| -5 or -6    |    -10%    |
| -3 or -4    |    -15%    |
| -1 or -2    |    -20%    |
| 0 or more   |    -25%    |

==== Can Be Stolen: Variable ====

Your foes can take this item from
you, depriving you of its benefits. This
is only a limitation if the item is obviously
powerful and likely to be the target
of theft! The value of the limitation
depends on how hard it is to steal:

Easily snatched with an unopposed
DX roll (e.g., a hat): -40%.

Thief must win a Quick Contest of
DX (e.g., a bracelet) or ST (e.g., a
wand) with you: -30%.

Can only by taken by stealth or
trickery (e.g., a coin in a pocket): -20%.

Must be forcefully removed (e.g., a
suit of armor): -10%.

Halve the value of the limitation if
the gadget will not immediately work
for the thief.

==== Unique: -25% ====

You may only take this limitation
in conjunction with Breakable or Can
Be Stolen. Normally, you can replace a
broken or stolen gadget – although
this might require significant time and
effort (GM’s decision). If the item is
Unique, //you cannot replace it//!
Character points spent for the item are
lost for good if it is broken or stolen.

===== End =====
This is the end of the file.