Savage

Adventure!
This chapter helps you construct daring Adventurer
of The Roaring 20s!! As always, it helps to begin with
an idea of who or what your character is rather than
jumping right into the knacks and powers.
1) Character Concept
Pulp heroes often had unusual powers and abilities
granted to them as a result of a strange experience
or an eccentric background. A stint in the Far East
gave weird powers of the mind and body to the more
mystically oriented. Having been orphaned and
raised by animals in the jungles, deserts and polar
regions of the world conferred to certain heroes
amazing abilities in strength, agility and athletic
prowess. Or a strange gadget or device invented by
the hero may be the source of their unique powers
and weird talents. These powers were much milder
in comparison to the extravagances typical of the
long-underwear superheroes of golden-age comics,
and made pulp heroes even more believable for this
restraint.
If you have knacks, how did they develop? Or is it
the mastery of arcane magic or high-tech gadgets
that gives your adventurer her powers? If you
have superpowers, how did your character get his
powers? Was she the victim of a horrible accident?
An experiment from the Great War gone horribly
wrong? What sort of knacks or powers does your
adventurer have? A westernized Indian yogi? A
gadgeteer with a rocket-pack for flying and a death
ray pistol? A wealthy philanthropist with hope for a
new and better tomorrow?
Why did your character become an adventurer? Is he
a pilot from the Great War who feels restless in this
time of peace and prosperity? The concerned child
or sibling of an evil genius intent on conquering the
world? An daredevil archaeologist driven to acquire
rare and sacred objects for the sole purpose of
research and preservation? Or is he a disillusioned
policeman by day, death-dealing masked vigilante by
night?
Less fantastic, but still unique background abilities
and skills for pulp heroes of more traditional
whodunits and spy-smashing stories should
be encouraged. For example, a hero with an
encyclopedic memory coming from growing up in
a household with a set of these as the only reading
material will find this renaissance knowledge handy
time and time again; for even more entertainment,
Volume S could have been missing, providing
strange gaps in this characters knowledge. A
stint in the Great War will provide familiarity with
weapons, combat techniques, and even how to handle
airplanes and potato peelers for a character with
this type of background. Time spent in the police
station, as a rookie cop, news hound or even as a
custodian can provide in-depth knowledge of police
procedures, the city, underworld contacts, and even
how to fix a leaky faucet. Having at an early age
running away to join the circus and working there
can give useful knowledge of acrobatics, disguise

artistry, snake handling and human cannonballery.

As a last example, merely having sold newspapers
or shined shoes as a kid on the street corner near
the city hall or local honky-tonk, and remembering
the face or shoes of all the politicians, celebrities
and crime figures that bought papers can be a
very useful background. While not as exotic a
background as being raised by apes, or having the
power to cloud peoples minds, such background
skills are remarkably portable through many pulp
story genres and should not be neglected or sneered
at.

Backgrounds and vocations of the heroes can

also help to explain their involvement in pulpish
adventures. Stereotypical active professions of
the good guys of pulp adventures included hardboiled detectives, jaded playgirl/boy millionaires,
frustrated law officers, crime-fighting stagemagicians, absent-minded professors, veterans of
the Great War, gold-digging femme-fatales, mystics
from the mysterious East, ghost-busting scientists,
trouble shooting circus performers, cynical soldiersof-fortune, and many more. You can gently twist
these stereotypes to get such bent heroes as great
white hunters in urban jungles, ice-age barbarians
defrosted from ancient glaciers now living in
the 20th century, reformed gangsters for whom
bloodthirsty habits die hard, un-cerebral gadgeteers
whose devices work only occasionally as intended,
ultra-smart German Shepherds or any other favorite
animal star, cigar-chewing middle-aged aviatrixes,
and so on. The heroes of the pulps could be literally
anyone, as long as they stood behind truth, justice,
and fair play.

Disguises, strange names and alter egos for the

characters not only give a touch of mystery to
the adventure, but also protect them from the
unwelcome attention of the press, the police and
criminals. Have your players PCs invent such
distinctive names for these alter-egos as The
Nemesis, The Golden Cometeer, Captain
January, Merlini and Madam Xodiac. If the
players do not invent such names for their mystery
pulp heroes, they may find over-zealous newspaper
reporters doing it for them! Secret hideouts,
gadgets, exotic vehicles and more were stylistic
conventions that some players may want to include
in their PC conceptions. These may also have
their own colorful names and labels, such as The
Arachnids Web, The Juggernaut, The Radium
Gun, The Zed-mobile, etc. If the PC heroes are
using their real names during their adventures,
have attached to them a colorful nickname to create
such vibrant monikers as Ripper Smith, Flash
Maxwell, Dynamite Bob and Wizard Parker.
Sometimes a professional title or even the place
they were from provided part of the nickname; Doc
Ravage, Sawbones McCoy, China Blue and
Idaho Bones are some examples of this naming
trick.
Finally, epithets, little descriptive phrases such as
The Weird Crusader, The Red-headed Wrecker,
The Man of Uranium and The Reckless Flyer can
also be attached to the PCs name to spice it up a
little.

2) Race
Characters in Savage Adventure! can be Humans
or Something Else. Humans are described below.
Other races-undead, constructs, or hyper-intelligent
talking apes are also possible, but youll create
those with knacks, super and psychic powers-for
literally thousands of combinations! (Talk to the
gamemaster!)
3) Traits
Your character starts with a d4 in each of his five
Attributes: Agility, Smarts, Spirit, Strength, and
Vigor. You then have 5 points to distribute among
them as you choose. Raising an attribute costs 1
point, and you may not raise an attribute above d12.
You also have 15 points to buy your skills. Raising
a skill by a die type costs 1 point as long as its no
higher than the attribute its linked to. It costs 2
points per die type to raise a skill over its linked
attribute.
All skills from the Savage Worlds rulebook are
allowed in Adventure!.
Note: If you plan on being a super-being, check out
the new Arcane Background (Daredevil, Mesmerist,
or Superhuman) Edge. It gives super-types the
ability to increase their attributes, traits, and Edges
out of super- Power Points. You can ignore the usual
restrictions about not buying traits over a d12 when
using Power Points.
4) Hindrances
Hindrances allow you to define the weaknesses of
your character, and in turn give you more points
with which to build him or her. You may take up to
two Minor Hindrances (worth 1 point each) and one
Major Hindrance (worth 2 points).
For 2 Points you can:
-Raise an Attribute by one die type.
-Choose an Edge.
For 1 Point you can:
-Gain another Skill point (max d12).
- Gain an additional $1000.
Power Points
Characters with Arcane Background (Super Powers/
Knacks/Psychic Powers) can also use their Power
Points to further increase their attributes or take
new Edges. See page for details.
5) Gear
Your character starts with $1000 to spend on gear.
A list of some common items carried by adventurers
can be found on page .
6) Secondary Statistics
Now that youve finished raising your basic Traits
through Power Points and advances, its time to
determine your secondary statistics:
Charisma is a measure of your characters
likeability, and is added to Persuasion and
Streetwise rolls. Your Charisma modifier is +0
unless changed by Edges, Hindrances or Powers.
Pace is equal to 6, unless changed by Edges,
Hindrances or Powers.
Parry is equal to 2 plus half your Fighting.
Toughness is equal to 2 plus half your Vigor.
7) Final Touches
Now you can fill in your characters details. How
did she get into this business? What keeps him
motivated when it comes to getting into trouble?
What are his goals? Who does he hate? What major
changes would he like to see come about in the
world?

Allergy (Major/Minor)
Your character suffers an aversion to a common
condition or substance, such as water, fire, cold,
sunlight, etc. Exposure to that substance (generally
within 1 of it) inflicts a -4 penalty to all your
characters trait rolls as a Minor Hindrance. As a
Major Hindrance, all of your characters Psychic or
Super powers-including traits derived from themare actually negated until 4d10 rounds after the
substance is removed or shielded somehow. Only
characters with psychic or superpowers can take
this Hindrance.

Races of the 1920s

Humans are by far the most common race on the
planet, so most player characters should be human.
Human
Humans have a diversity in appearance and manner
that is matched only by their aptitude in a variety of
endeavors.
Racial Edges & Hindrances
Free Edge: Humans begin play with a free Edge of
their choice. They must meet the requirements of
the Edge as normal.

New Hindrances
Below are a few new Hindrances for Adventure!
Alien Form (Major)
Your character is completely inhuman in appearance
- a dog, gorilla, and so on. He suffers -4 to Charisma,
and his physiology a bit harder for Regular Joes
to figure out (unless the medic happens to be a
Veterinarian...). Healing rolls made to help your
character are made at -2. The numerous roleplaying
instances should also be a major challenge as wellyou cant get into restaurants, cant wear a flak
jacket, cant fit into a car, and so on, as defined by
your odd shape. Your characters form may grant
you special perks, but these must be bought as
powers. If a talking gorilla wants to be able to swing
from tree to tree, for example, youll have to take the
Swinging power. In other words, if your character
doesnt have a power, his form doesnt grant it to
him for free, no matter how you describe it.

Dependent (Major)
It may not be an intrepid reporter or a loyal butler,
but your character has some person to which he
is completely devoted, and will do anything to
protect. This may be his wife or girlfriend, one of his
children, or even a pet or servant. The Dependent is
a Novice Rank character, and while scrappy in her
own right, just isnt up to par with the Ubiquitous
Dragon and his Tong legions, or Baron Halcyons
Underearth Armies. For whatever reason, this
doesnt stop the dependent from getting involvedfrequently and often. She constantly requires
saving, reveals team secrets, or otherwise causes
your character no end of grief. Of course, every
now and then, the friend might just save the your
adventurers life as well, but such instances should
be rare. If the Dependent ever dies, your character
is heartbroken and grief-stricken for the rest of
the campaign. He receives only one benny at the
beginning of each game session (but Luck and other
bonuses apply normally). Relief comes only after
ultimate revenge. He cannot simply slay or arrest
the minion who murdered his girl, he must arrest/
kill the minions boss as well and only after making
them pay. Only then is the benny restriction lifted
and the Hindrance bought off.
Disability (Minor/Major)
Disabilities can include any number of physical
or mental conditions that in some way effect how
your character behaves or is perceived. Minor
disabilities might include speech impediments,
skin conditions, or learning disabilities such as
dyslexia. Major disabilities include lack of mobility
(paraplegic or quadriplegic), birth defects, or major
mental disorders not covered by other Hindrances.
Powers that compensate for these disabilities should
downgrade or negate the disability as appropriate.
Distinctive Appearance (Minor)
Your villains appearance is somewhat different from
others of his race (a blue skinned human, literally
faceless, a talking gorilla, etc), and is relatively
easy to spot, even when out of costume. This makes
the villain easier for the aliens to track down and
pick out of a crowd and can even cause troublesome
social problems even amongst his own people. The
appearance must be present in and out of costume
to count as a Hindranceall masked vigillantes are
distinctive in costume.

Gimmick (Major)
Your character must change clothes, get angry,
drink blood, summon mystical energy, imbibe a pill
or potion, or otherwise perform some unseemly
task to access his powers-all his powers. Whatever
the case, the character can be prevented from using
his powers if he cannot enact his gimmick. The
character cannot use any of his powers (or Edges or
Traits bought with Power Points) without it.
Two Characters: If your character transforms into
a completely different person, both characters
should be made separately, with the normal person
created as a normal Novice character. Advances
gained through play may be added to either form,
but not both.

Terminally Ill (Major)

Your character suffers from a terminal and incurable
illness and is going to die sometime soon. At the
beginning of every game session, draw a card. A face
card means your characters symptoms are acting
up this session. Whatever the specifics may be, he
suffers a -1 penalty to all his trait rolls this game.
If the draw is a Joker, your hero is about to die, and
he knows it. At some point in the game session,
preferably after accomplishing an important goal
or an act of personal importance, he dies. The Game
Master should always give a dying hero a few last
rounds of action to commit some noble sacrifice.
Weakness (Major/Minor) Your character is more
susceptible to a specific type of attack, such as ice/
cold, fire/heat, radiation, magic, darkness, light, air,
sound, kinetic energy, and so on. When hit by such
an attack, the attacker does +4 damage as a Minor
Hindrance, or double damage as a Major Hindrance.
Your villains weakness isnt public knowledge, but
anyone who does a little research on him should
find out eventually (typically after one or two
encounters).

New Edges
The following new Edges are available to heroes of
Adventure!
Background Edges

Heartless (Minor)
The character isnt necessarily Bloodthirsty (though
she might be), but she is willing to commit murder
to further her own goals. She doesnt take glee in
killing but doesnt let it stand in her way either.
Power Negation (Major)
Exposure to a certain substance or condition
robs your character of his powers or makes them
ineffective. In addition, your character suffers
a -4 penalty to all Trait rolls made while under
the substances effects. The substance should
be relatively uncommon or expensive, such as
gold, holy ground, or lightning storms. Very rare
substances(chunks of your aliens home planet,
lotus flowers)are possible as well, but word of your
weakness is out there and can be easily appropriated
by certain enemies if needed.
Servitor (Major)
Your character is the servant of a greater entity that
grants him his power. While your character may
have his own plans, he ultimately serves his masters
agenda, whatever that may be. This must be fleshed
out before the game begins, so that the Game Master
can devise the masters plans and what his minions
role in it may be. Regardless, the master cannot
be defied. If it is, it unleashes its full power upon
the defiant lackey in an attempt to show its other
minions what happens to those who are disloyal.

Arcane Background (Daredevil, Mesmerist or

Superhuman)[Req: Daredevil d6 Spirit, Mesmerist
d6 Smarts, Superhuman d6 Vigor]
Requirements: Novice
(This Edge replaces the one originally presented in
Savage Worlds.)
Arcane Background (Daredevil, Mesmerist or
Superhuman) works very differently from all other
Arcane Backgrounds. You have 10 Power Points
with which to buy superpowers from those listed
on the following pages. No arcane skill is required.
Superpowers work at will and require no roll
unless the specific power says otherwise.
New Powers:
Pulp heroes buy new powers by getting the Power
Points Edge. Note that this Edge may only be taken
once per Rank as usual (including once at Novice
Rank), so a characters core powers likely change
very little once their initial powers are selected. New
Power Points may be saved up as well, so that a hero
can buy a very expensive power by saving up.
Combat Edges
Combat Sense
Requirements: Seasoned, Fighting d8+, Notice d8+
This character is adept at fighting and keeping
track of multiple foes. Opponents gain no Gang Up
bonus against him.
Professional Edges
Brainiac
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d10+
Through liberal book-learning, or just amazing
intuitive perception, your character has a talent for

picking up skills on the fly. Any time he makes an

unskilled roll for a Smarts based skill, he may do so
at d4 instead of the usual d4-2.
Mechanical Genius
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d6+, Repair d6+,
Notice d8+
This character can improvise something when
the need for a tool arises. He suffers no negative
penalties on trait rolls for lack of equipment in most
situations. In addition, given a few simple tools,
props, or devices, he can generally rig simple devices
to help escape from death-traps, devise weapons
to match some bizarre need, or otherwise create
something thats needed when such a thing isnt
actually present. The extent of this is completely
up to the Game Master, but creativity should be
rewarded, particularly in dire situations where few
other answers are possible.

choking mist, and the like do not cause knockback.

Add +1d6 to the total damage if the victim hits a
substantial object, such as a wall or tree. This must
be worked out during the damage roll-before the
knockback occurs conceptually. This may seem a
bit awkward at first, but is much better than rolling
damage a second time.

Powers
Setting Rules
The following setting rules are in effect for
Adventure!
Arcane Background (Daredevil, Mesmerist or
Superhuman)
In Adventure!, all player characters start the game
with one of the Arcane Background Edges available
(Daredevil, Mesmerist, or Superhuman ) for free!
(This is in addition to any edges you recieve due to
race...) If you want to play a character without this
free Edge, you get another free Edge of your choice
instead (and good luck-youll need it!)
Knockback
The concept of powerful blows making assailants fly
through windows, over tables and into bottomless
pits is a staple of the pulp genre. A successful hit by
a character with a Strength of d12 or greater causes
the foe to fly backwards 1d4, plus an additional
1d4 per raise on the attack roll. Only kinetic
damage causes knockback of course-poison gas,

Universal Powers
Inspired Attribute (1/Step)
Trappings: Uncanny reflexes (Agility), advanced
half-alien brain
(Smarts), religious
background (Spirit) gorilla (Strength), huge (Vigor).
This power increases your characters attributes,
and usually reflects some sort of supernatural
enhancement. Each 2 Power Points spent increases
an attribute one step. Daredevils can increase Spirit
and any one other, Mesmerists Smarts and any one
other, and Superhumans Vigor and any one other.
A d12 becomes a d12+1, and so on. Maximum any
stat can be raised to is d12+5. (Note that derived
statistics, like Toughness, round down, so that a
d12+1 Vigor produces a Toughness of 6.)
Modifiers
Requires Activation (-1): The increase in attributes
must be activated. This is a free action, but it isnt
the characters normal state (i.e., he doesnt
eat, sleep, and walk about in public with increased
attributes). Subtract -1 from the total paid for

this power, regardless of how many attributes are

affected.
Inspired Edge (2)
Trappings: Extraordinary training or background,
extension of superhuman abilities.
Spending two Power Points grants the character any
Background Edge allowed in the settingregardless
of its requirements (except for those which require
other Edgesso a character must still take Rich or
Noble before he takes Filthy Rich).
Modifiers
Additional Edge Type (+1): For an additional point,
instead of selecting this edge only from Background
Edges, you may select this edge from Combat,
Leadership, Professional or Social Edges.
Super Skill (1/2 Skill Points)
Trappings: Software programs, intensive training.
Super skill grants you 2 points to increase your
villains skills (new skills cost 2 points to buy
at d4), and usually reflects extreme training or
supernatural enhancement of some sort. Each Power
Point spent increases a skill one step. Unlike the
normal advancement, it doesnt matter if the super
skill is over the linked attribute or not (though
it still matters if you use regular advancements
to increase the skill further). (Note that derived
statistics, like Parry, round down, so that a d12+3
Fighting produces a Parry of 9.)
Modifiers
Requires Activation (-1): The boosted skills must
be activated. This is a free action, and isnt the
characters normal state (i.e., he doesnt eat, sleep,

and walk around with increased skills). Subtract -1

from the total paid for this power, regardless of how
many attributes are affected. The power always costs
at least 1 point however.
Sanctum(1)
Trappings: Underground base, underwater fortress,
mountaintop retreat, penthouse apartment. This
power grants your character a lair. The lair is a
relatively secure location up to the size of a small
building he can retreat to when the going gets
rough, as well as a place to store devices, trophies,
vehicles and the like. The lair has access to all the
basic necessities, and your character can hide out
there indefinitely. You may buy powers at half cost
for the lair to aid in its defense. These powers are
devices that are permanently part of your lair, such
as a death-ray cannon (Attack, Ranged), guards
(Minions). etc. You may also choose to pool your
characters lair together with other characters
to create a super-lair, thus sharing the cost of
purchasing defenses and capabilities of the lair.
Modifiers
Escape Pod (+1): The lair has a built-in hidden
escape pod that can be used for a quick escape
should the lair become overrun. This can be a
chute, teleportation pad, short-range rocket, etc.
The escape pod is relatively small, and can only
accommodate you and a couple of other man sized
people or objects that you deem worthy of escape.
It will take you a mile or so away from your lair,
allowing you to make good your escape.
Research Lab (+1): Your lair has a workshop, library,
med-lab or other appropriate area that adds +2 to a
relevant skill roll (Repair, Investigation, Healing,
etc.). The research lab can be purchased multiple
times in order to get multiple types of labs, but
bonuses never stack.
Secure Access (+1): Only those people with the
proper key (mystic amulet, etc.) may gain access
to the lair. Anyone else will set off an alarm that
will alert everyone that does have proper access via
klaxon horns, silent signal, radio broadcast, etc.

Sanctum Sanctorum (+1): Your lair is fairly

well-hidden, either underground, underwater or
obfuscated in some way. All attempts to track you
down suffer a -4 to relevant die rolls when you are in
your lair.
Minions (1/Level)
Trappings: Uniformed thugs, a gang, Spirits or
Demons.
What Occultist cant summon spirits or demons?
Each time this power is taken, your character gains
a faithful and reasonably loyal minion with the
following statistics. More competent henchmen
must be hired through normal roleplaying.
Minion
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6,
Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Shooting d6,
Throwing d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Gear: Thats up to you and your wallet, millionaire.

Modifiers
Summonable (+2): You can summon your minion to
you via a magical portal,
etc. They will arrive within 1d4 rounds of
summoning. This modifier must be purchased for
each summoned minion.
Daredevil Powers
Barnstormer [5]A biplane will never make it
through that gap? Well, lets just see what this baby
will do! You were born with a stick in one hand and
a throttle in the other. You are virtually unassailable
in any aircraft. You can overcome any damage to
the craft short of its total destruction, assuming

anyone can hit you at all. Even in the direst of

circumstances, you can keep moving as long as your
conveyance is capable of motion stories abound
regarding fatally injured daredevils who defied
death itself to finish one last journey. Whenever the
character gets behind the stick, he makes a Piloting
roll. If the character fails this roll, this power has
no effect. With a success, the vehicles Max Speed is
multiplied by 1.5, in addition to having all attacks
against the aircraft that the character is aware of
have a 2 penalty. With a raise, the Max Speed is
raised by x2 and all attacks against the aircraft that
the character is aware of have a 4 penalty. Once
the aircraft is hit, the character suffers no penalties
due to damage to it short of the aircrafts total
destruction. If the character is knocked out or killed
while flying, he continues to function as pilot, albeit
at a 3 penalty, until the aircraft is either destroyed
or stops.
Complete Privacy [2] The deals set. Well meet
at Vroom! Honk! Honk! ... night. See you then.
Youve never been caught talking about or doing
something you shouldnt have been. A truck
backfires at just the right time to cover your voice
from eavesdroppers, a shadow falls on your face just
as the hidden muckrakers camera snaps a picture,
drips from a leaky pipe bleed the ink of the address
scrawled on your notepad in these and other ways,
its nearly impossible to monitor you without being
blatantly obvious. Anyone intending to overhear or
spy on you must succeed in an opposed Spirit roll, or
get blocked by coincidence.

Death Defiance [up to 3]But.. but.. I saw you die!

Your cohorts have seen you plane explode in midair.
Theyve heard you screams as youve toppled off a
20-story building. Theyve watched you drown, only
to learn a week later that youve washed ashore,
alive, on the Phantom Isle. Yet, no matter how many
times youve faced certain death, youve resurfaced
rent, bent, but very much alive. This power is more
like a pool that the character can put power points
into. Any points in this pool are ONLY usable to
simulate bennies once the character has run out of
the bennies he started the session with. After the
Death Defiance bennie is spent, make a Spirit roll
at -2. If you fail, lose the Death Defiance bennie.
If you succeed, you dont lose the Death Defiance
bennie. While the bennie may keep you alive, you
are apparently dead for at least one scene (usually
for the rest of the evening) your friends see you
drown, fall, get burned, carried off etc only to
reappear hours or days later with a fabulous story!

Enhanced Impact [2] (Req: d8 Fighting, Shooting or

Throwing) Wha-pow! CRASH! Just like in the pulps,
your attacks stagger victims back several feet in
pain and shock. This can offer a tactical advantage
(opening the range between you and a closing
opponent), or even be fatal if your foe is driven into
something harmful. However you use it, it sure looks
impressive. A d4(d6 for Shooting) knockback for
each success and raise is added to any combat skill
which is d8 or higher. If you would normally cause
knockback, this becomes d10.
Fists of Stone [2/level]Brass knuckles? Who needs
em? Your gnarled, knobby hams have probably seen
more than their fair share of other folks jawbones.
You have a grip like a vice, and you often leave dents
when you knock on doors. Why bother with tricks
such as a roll of quarters or brass knuckles? The
collection of scars and calluses on your gnarled
mitts works just fine. For each level of this power,
d6 is added to your barehanded attack damage. For
an extra {1/level], you can choose whether or not an
attack causes lethal damage or not.
Forgettable [5]This guy, he well, that is..I mean, I
think..huh. Yknow? I dont remember a thing about
im. Its not that you dont make a good impression;
simply no one remembers it once youre gone. They
may recall clearly everything you did or said, but
your name, your face and the sound of your voice
escape memory. Even photographs of you are blurry
or faded. This feat is invaluable if you dont want
your actions to haunt you, but it also makes it hard
to get a second date. Anyone who sees the character
must make a Smarts roll against this characters
Spirit.

Dramatic Entrance [2] (Req: Attractive)Whoa;

get a load of her! Youve got it and even if you
dont quite know what it is, everyone else sure does.
Whether its your stunning features, your gleaming
smile, your distinctive mode of dress or your aura
of palpable menace, something makes people take
notice of you when they first see you. This reaction
isnt indefinite the novelty of your presence soon
wears off but you may be able to milk it while your
new acquaintances are sandbagged. The character
gains +2 first impression bonus to Charisma when
dealing with a specific person, but only during
a first meeting with that person, and even then
only for about an hour. However, in any situation
where more than half the observers havent met the
character before, anyone trying to keep an eye on
the character gains a +2 to their Notice roll.
Eagle Eyes [2]Howd I know he was a spy? A cabbie
wouldnt have an impeccable manicure. You often
irritate your companions by pointing out things
their lesser eyes cant see. Your eyesight is second
to none. This uncanny visual acuity even allows you
some degree of perception that leave most people
blind to anything more than 5 ft. in front of them.
The character has +2 to all visual Notice rolls, and
can discern visual details at twice the distance of
other characters

Gadgeteer [4] (Req: Smarts d10, Knowledge

(Specific Science) d10, Repair d10)Hand me the
whatchamacallit, then push the button on the
doohickey when I give you the go-ahead! Intuition
and a good deal of mechanical sense give you the
uncanny ability to operate any piece of machinery
you encounter. You may not always know what youre
messing with, but you know how to make it do... well,
whatever its supposed to do. Youre also no slouch
when it comes to improving on standard technology.
Coming up with technological breakthroughs is as
easy as falling off a log and you could probably
figure out how to improve on that, too. This Knack
not only serves as the Mechanical Genius Edge, but
also allows an inventor to create one-off devices that
duplicate any other power in this book (or Necessary
Evil with the GMs permission). A character must
have a minimum Smarts of d10, a Knowledge
(Engineering) of d10, and a Repair skill of d10 to
take this power. The inventor can create a device
that mimics any power in this book. He does not get
the discount for it being a device, howeverthats
already figured into the price of this power. The
cost of the power duplicated can never be greater
than the creators level of invent. An inventor who
wants to create an invisibility belt, for example,
must have invent at level 5 since invisibility is a
5-point power. The inventor can also make several
devices as long as he has the Power Points in invent
to pay for them. (A villain with invent at level 10
could have two 4-point devices and a third 2-point
device.) The device invented requires 10 minutes

times its original cost (a 5-point invisibility belt

takes 50 minutes to assemble). Ultra-tech gadgets
arent really created in a few hoursthe inventor is
assumed to have been working on his many devices
in his spare time, but only puts the design together
when needed. The devices created are permanent,
but must be disassembled for parts to make a new
device (thereby freeing up the Power Points to invent
something new). Devices may be given to other
villains, but trait rolls made to use the device are
made at -2 as only theinventor truly understands his
jury-rigged creations.
Greased Lightning [2]Faster than a striking snake?
Yeah, I mightve heard that a time or two. While
youre not capable of the bursts of blinding swiftness
that some superhumans display, your reflexes
nonetheless operate at a higher level than those of
most people. You can snatch insects out of the air,
and ambushes never catch you off guard. This counts
as the Edge Quick. If the character is already Quick
he becomes even Quicker - redrawing anything less
than an 8 for Initiative.
Indomitable Will [4]Mesmerism? Hypnosis?
Telepathic mind-control powers from the Hollow
Earth? Ha! You laugh at feeble attempts to
invade your mind as if they were the wheedling of
children. Whether youre incredibly disciplined or
simply thick-skulled, most paranormal attempts to
influence your mind fail indeed, you may even be
unaware that such attempts even occur. Even those
of considerable mental strength meet resistance.
Any effects from mental invasion automatically
fail. Damage from direct mental attacks are halved
(roll normally, then half the total). The cost of this
Knack may be reduced by[-1] if the power requires
activation (a free action) to kick in.
Instant Expert [1]I saw a guy do this once in
Brisbane.. You have the uncanny ability to recall
any single feat youve seen performed once. This
doesnt allow you to repeat the deed with any degree
of consistency, but it may allow you to reach for an
Inspired level of performance in a field you normally
know nothing about, at a moment when nothing
less than the worlds best will suffice. The character
ignores the -2 penalty when making unskilled rolls.
Jack of All Tongues [1/2 skill points]I learned
this obscure dialect of Farsi during my last year in
university - right after completing an independent
study in Cantonese. Youre a refugee from the Tower
of Babel, or so it would seem to anyone who speaks
to you. Some consider you a freak of nature, while
others just want to drag you along on their next
Congo expedition. Each point spent in this Knack
gives you 2 points to spend on various Knowledge
(Specific Language) skills (buying a new skill at d4
costs 2 points) It doesnt matter if this Knack raises
the skills value over your Smarts die type or not
(though it still matters if you use regular advances
to increase the skill further).
Lie Detector [3]You think Ill fall for that line?
Try again, pal, and this time dont bother trying to
pull one over on me. People simply cant lie to you.
You may have a way of looking at them that makes
untruths freeze in their mouths, or your ears might
burn whenever you hear a lie. However it works, its

nigh impossible to pull a fast one on you - unless the

liars another Inspired individual. When a lie is told
to the character (and the liar is within 12), the liar
makes an opposed Smarts roll against the character.
If the character succeeds, he knows he is being lied
to.
Master of Dissimulation [2] Snake-oil salesman?
How crude. I prefer confidence man. No one is
more confident than you are, buddy. Your immense
vocabulary and webs of double-talk bamboozle even
the most astute listener. As long as theres no one
present who can call you on your bluffs, you can
fake nearly any sort of professional credentials.
Just dont try to act on your professed knowledge
you may talk the talk, but you most likely cant
walk the walk. With a successful Persuasion roll, the
character becomes an instant authority on anything
- at least as far as observers are concerned.
Navigation Hazard [3]Try and cut me off, will
ya? Whoops! Whoda thought a Bentley would flip
just from hittin a pothole? Youre not prone to
accidents yourself, but it seems that every driver
around you is. These accidents (which never seem to
impede your travels) are confined to minor fenderbenders in normal traffic, but true catastrophes
result whenever youre involved in high-speed
maneuvers. Minor brushes with lampposts send
vehicles flying end-over-end, and subjects youre
trying to catch are hard-pressed to dodge the myriad
pedestrians, autos, and other obstacles in their
paths. Any foe making a direct action against your
character while pursuing your character (whether on
foot, in a vehicle or on a mount of some sort) suffers
a mishap if his skill die is a natural 1, regardless
of Wild Die. When this occurs, a low branch
unceremoniously dismounts the pursuer from his
horse, he slips and falls, a pothole causes the car to
flip , and so on. The exact effect is up to the Game
Master, but should usually cause the foe to miss his
turn at the very least. For [+3] points, the mishap
occurs on a roll of 1 or a 2.
One-Man Army [3]Three against one? That aint
fair. Why dont you find some more friends first?
Youre never outnumbered you just have ever-larger
target selections. The more enemies you face, the
happier you are. In fact, you prefer situations where
more than a couple of opponents are attacking
you. If theres one of you and five of them, chances
are good theyll wind up doing most of your work
for you. For each opponent over the first that the
character faces directly in close combat, he gains
+1 to his Fighting roll, while the opponents gain no
gang-up bonuses at all..

Perfect Poise [4]I dont mean to be rude, old boy,

but I do have an appointment at three. Is your
maniacal ranting about this lovely deathtrap leading
somewhere? They never see you sweat. Youre
capable of remaining unruffled even in the tightest
of situations. If you gamble, even the most savvy of
opponents remarks on your poker face. You never
panic at the threat of violence, nor in the face of the
most excruciating insults. You are the very epitome
of suave and debonair, never less than completely
composed and in control of yourself. Note that
youre not necessarily immune to surprise you can
be ambushed just as easily as the next person. Youre
simply better able to control your reactions than
most ordinary folks. Your character never suffers
from fear effects and cannot be intimidated, or . In
addition, the character gains +2 to any gambling
rolls he may make which involve keeping a poker
face, as well as any Charisma rolls.

Steely Gaze [2](Req: Intimidate d6, Taunt d6)You

want to cross me? You look dumb, but I didnt think
you were that dumb. Its said that the eyes are the
windows to the soul. This may well be true in your
case, for one glimpse of your blazing orbs convinces
even the most hardened observer of your inner steel.
Very few men can stand nose-to-nose with you and
not back down. Your cobra-like stare can even pin
particularly weak-willed individuals in place as if
they were particularly appetizing field mice. This
Knack essentially gives your character the Edge
StrongWilled

Sea Dog [5]No ones ever survived those rapids,

eh? They dont look so tricky to me. You are one
with any water craft you man. You are virtually
unassailable in any water faring vessel. You can
overcome any damage to the craft short of its total
destruction, assuming anyone can hit you at all.
Even in the direst of circumstances, you can keep
moving as long as your conveyance is capable of
motion stories abound regarding fatally injured
daredevils who defied death itself to finish one last
journey. Whenever the character gets behind the
rudder of a ship, he makes a Boating roll. If the
character fails this roll, this power has no effect.
With a success, the vehicles Max Speed is multiplied
by 1.5, in addition to having all attacks against the
watercraft that the character is aware of have a 2
penalty. With a raise, the Max Speed is raised by
x2 and all attacks against the watercraft that the
character is aware of have a 4 penalty. Once the
watercraft is hit, the character suffers no penalties
due to damage to it short of the vessless total
destruction. If the character is knocked out or killed
while boating, he continues to function as pilot,
albeit at a 3 penalty, until the aircraft is either
destroyed or stops.

Trick Rider [5] Gotta ride across that square,

covered by a dozen snipers? No problem. A master
equestrian, you are virtually unassailable on any
mount. You can overcome any damage to the mount
short of its death, assuming anyone can hit you at
all. Even in the direst of circumstances, you can
keep moving as long as your animal is capable of
motion stories abound regarding fatally injured
daredevils who defied death itself to finish one last
journey. Whenever the character gets in the saddle,
he makes a Riding roll. If the character fails this
roll, this power has no effect. With a success, the
animalss Max Speed is multiplied by 1.5, in addition
to having all attacks against the mount that the
character is aware of have a 2 penalty. With a
raise, the Max Speed is raised by x2 and all attacks
against the mount that the character is aware of
have a 4 penalty. Once the mount is hit, the animal
suffers no penalties due to damage to it short of its
own death. If the character is knocked out or killed
while riding, he continues to function as controller
of the beast, albeit at a 3 penalty, until the animal
either dies or stops.
Trick Shot [3]William Tell? A piker! I could have
had that apple sliced and peeled before it hit the
ground! While your usual marksmanship is nothing
to sneer at, you truly shine when attempting the
impossible. You shine when attempting impossible
shots. The more difficult the conditions under which
youre shooting, the more skilled you become. This
Knack converts any penalties the character may
have for ranged attacks(excluding penalties for
wounds or poor visibility) into bonuses
Universally Deadly [3/level]No, Ive never used
a Chinese throwing star before... swwwTHUNK!
Doesnt seem too difficult, though. Any weapon
is deadly in your hands. You may never have seen
a given weapon before, but you understand how
to use it at soon as its in your hand. Youre more
of a prodigy than a savant your talents are the
product of precise aim, and an intuitive feel of range,
weight and speed. The character gains +1 to attack
roles with any weapon for each level of this Edge
purchased

Untouchable [1/level]]That the best you can do?

Through a combination of indomitable courage,
swift reflexes and uncanny luck, you can face down
gun-wielding maniacs with only your bare hands and
have a better chance of surviving - and even winning
-the fight than your gun-toting companions. As long
as your character isnt carrying a gun, all Shooting,
Throwing and other ranged attack rolls against him
are made at a penalty equal to the level of this Knack
Wheelman [5] Whoa! Dont worry, we dont need all
fours to get away from these amateurs. You were
driving to the corner store before you could walk.
You are virtually unassailable in any land vehicle.
You can overcome any damage to the craft short of
its total destruction, assuming anyone can hit you
at all. Even in the direst of circumstances, you can
keep moving as long as your vehicle is capable of
motion stories abound regarding fatally injured
daredevils who defied death itself to finish one last
journey. Whenever the character gets behind the
stick, he makes a Driving roll. If the character fails
this roll, this power has no effect. With a success,
the vehicles Max Speed is multiplied by 1.5, in
addition to having all attacks against the vehicle
that the character is aware of have a 2 penalty.
With a raise, the Max Speed is raised by x2 and all
attacks against the vehicle that the character is
aware of have a 4 penalty. Once the vehicle is hit,
the character suffers no penalties due to damage
to it short of the vehicles total destruction. If the
character is knocked out or killed while driving, he
continues to function as pilot, albeit at a 3 penalty,
until the vehicle is either destroyed or stops rolling.
Psychic Powers
Brain Skimming [3]Dissembling doesnt become
you, madam. I can read you like an open book.
You can read a targets surface thoughts to tell
truth from lies or to find the answer to a question
that the target is trying to avoid. Your readings
may be colored by your own expectations or by the
differences in the ways you and your subject perceive
the world. The manner in which you receive the
information depends on how you see your ability
- it could be a fleeting vision, a ghostly whisper or
a metallic tang on your tongue when a target lies.
Brain Skimming allows a character to read anothers
surface thoughts. The character MUST engage
the target in conversation, and the subject must
at least tangentially touch on the subject about
which the character wants to know. Then make an
opposed Smarts roll with a range of 12. A success
detects surface thoughts but the target is aware
that someone is in his head. A raise does not betray
the telepaths presence. Entering another persons
mind is always taxing. It requires an action, and
automatically Fatigues the mind reader. Drunk or
drugged targets suffer a -2 penalty totheir Smarts
rolls.
Command Voice [3]Since Im unarmed, why not
toss your firearms over here even things out,
dont you know. When you put the full force of your
mind behind your voice, people leap to obey without
even considering what theyre doing. The character
can contact and control other minds within 12
by making a brief verbal command (this must be
something that the average person could do in
three seconds..)and an opposed Smarts roll with the

target(s). This counts as an action. Success means

the target(s) must execute the command as their
next action. The subjects are complete slaves, but
being forced to attack loved ones or act completely
against their nature allows them to make another
contested Smarts roll to break the link. If the
character is somehow rendered Incapacitated before
his command can be obeyed, the control is broken,
and the victims are free to act as they choose on
their next action.
Marked Man [1/die level]He can run all he wants.
Ill find him when the time is right. You can mark
an individual or object with a psychic signature. This
gives you an innate sense of the targets distance
and direction relative to you no matter where you
are in the world. You gain no information about the
targets condition or surroundings, however. To
mark a person or item, the character must first
touch the target, then roll this power. The character
then has an innate sense of distance and direction
relative to the target for 1 week per success and
raise of the roll. For each simultaneous mark past
the first, the roll is made at a cumulative -1.
Perfect Translation [2]Actually, I believe he said
five hundred dollars. You can touch the parts of the
conscious mind that control communication. With
sufficient concentration, you can understand the
meanings and concepts behind virtually any form
of spoken or gesture-based communication. Your
character can speak any language.

Psychic Hand [3]With the proper focus, I should

be able to pull down that ladder like...so. You
can manifest an invisible, mindless, shapeless
telekinetic force for manipulation or defense.
This effect is invisible unless you choose for it
to become visible, in which case it appears as a
ghostly shimmer. Psychic Hand is the ability to
move objects, bind enemies, or create protective
barriers with pure thought or will. The range of
the power is 12, and its Strength is equal to the
characters Smarts. This is the Strength used to
throw objects (always rolling d4-2, as if Throwing
were unskilled), damage targets with objects (using
d4-2 for Fighting), just as if it were wielded by a
character of the same Strength. The Psychic Hand
cannot, however, be used for fine manipulation of
any sort. The character does not EVER roll a Wild
Die when rolling for the powers Strength. The
character can also attempt to bind his foes. This
requires an opposed Strength roll between the
target and the force. If the victim fails, he is bound
and may attempt to break free on his actions with a
Strength or Agility roll (his choice) opposed by the
fields Strength. Once bound, a foe is automatically
hit each round if the attacker desires. Roll Strength
damage for the force normally. Alternately, instead
of being used to move objects, the character can
use the Psychic Hand to deflect attacks. The field
covers any one person within the characters range.
The character makes a Smarts roll. Anyone within
the field gains +1 Toughness for each success and
raise. Enemies can push their way into or out of the
Telekinetic Field by beating the field in an opposed
Strength roll. Actively using Psychic Hand counts
as an action, so while a villain may use the power to
carry five baseball bats, striking with each of them is
still five separate actions (a -10 multi-action penalty
to each).
Scientific Prodigy [3]Gentlemen,
Ive just had an epiphany! You draw
psychically upon the knowledge
and creativity of your colleagues
and assistants to push
back the boundaries
of scientific theory.
This peculiar
ability doesnt sift
others thoughts;
rather it acts as a
kind of gestalt from
which you draw your
conclusions. Even
those with no formal

scientific training may help, for you may draw on

any related knowledge they have. (Whether your
research team gets any credit depends on your
personal inclinations.) Each assistant you have
helping you raises your skill die by one (assuming
each assistant possesses at least d4 in the field you
are experimenting. The highest a Skill may be raised
in this way is d12+12.
Telluric Resonance [1]Hmmm. That fellow isnt
quite what he seems. Your affinity to Z-rays goes
beyond that of most psychics. You can sense the flow
of telluric energy through other individuals and even
through the very ether itself. Using this power along
with the skills Notice and Tracking can not only
allow the detection of Inspired individuals (within a
small burst template), but of any presence of Z-Wave
devices, gadgets, or Telluric Crystals. Traces of ZWaves left behind from powers, devices, gadgets, or
Telluric Crystals can be detected as well, but with
penalties based on time that has passed and original
strength of the Telluric Energy.
Thermal Manipulation [2]Huh. Youd think
Antarctica would be colder....What? Temperatures
are less threatening to you than normal the Sahara
at high noon is pleasantly balmy, while the coldest
Russian winter may be a bit nippy. The character
can raise or lower temperature, melt ice, or even
extinguish fires within the radius of a Medium Burst
template. Within this area, the temperature may be
increased or decreased by ten degrees Fahrenheit
per success and raise. This may affect Vigor rolls
required due to extreme environmental heat or cold,
as well as reduce the Toughness of any ice within
this area by two per success and raise (being entirely
melted at zero Toughness). Extinguishing fires
within this range will reduce the die type of the fire
(usually staring at d10) by two per success and raise.
With concentration, this reduction to fire intensity
can be cumulative from one round to the next, but
with a cumulative 2 to the roll for each round after
the first.
Brainstorm [5]Fall before the very power of my
mind! In this direct mind-to-mind attack, you throw
the full force of your will against the targets mind.
Some victims have been known to seek retribution
upon recovery, as the experience can be a profound
violation of the psyche. Anyone 24 away and within
line-of-sight may be targeted by a character with
Brainstorm. Both attacker and target make an
opposed Smarts roll. If the attacker wins, the target
is shaken. If the attacker gets a raise, the target is
also fatigued. If the target is incapacitated by this
power, he or she is knocked unconscious for d6
hours.

Cloak of Dread [3]Dont make me angry. It

would go very badly for you. Whether a physical
impression, or a force of will, you can emanate an
aura of palpable menace that causes others to shrink
back in fear as their lizard hindbrains yammer about
tigers in long black coats. Even animals flee in
terror or attack in desperation, depending on their
temperaments. The character causes Guts checks
for everyone within 12. It must be activated on the
characters turn, but it is a free action. All effected
targets must be aware of the character.
Conjure Fire [6]Create fire with the power of
your mind? Impossible! You can excite molecules
to create sudden intense heat, or simply warm
a room. Increase the temperature by 30 degrees
within a large burst template for 1 hour per
success and raise, or send a fist-sized ball of flame
blazing outward from you in a 12 line doing 2d6
damage AND treating any unfortunates hit by it as
flammable.
Conjure Frost [6] Snow?...In July?...In New
Orleans?... You can slow molecules to freeze the
very air, create ice from ambient moisture, or keep
ice cream from melting in the summertime. Increase
the temperature by 30 degrees within a large
burst template for 1 hour per success and raise,
or send a frigid blast of ice shards outward from
you in a 12 line doing 2d6 damage AND forcing
any unfortunates hit by it to make Vigor rolls or
be slowed. Slowed characters must discard and
redraw any face cards drawn for initiative (excluding
Jokers). Each round, the Victims make another
Vigor roll, until they are no longer slowed.
Conjure Lightning [6] Shocking. You can manifest
an arc of electricity created from the Earths
ambient electromagnetic field, allowing you to
power items of technology, or simply stick balloons
to walls. Power a small engine or electrical system
for 1 hour per success and raise, or send a crackling
arc of lightning outward from you in a 12 line
doing 2d6 damage AND forcing any unfortunates
hit by it to make Vigor rolls or suffer an additional
d6 damage from the attack. Mostly electronic foes
make this roll at 2.
Evil Eye [4] May your ancestors visit a curse
upon you! Those who use the evil eye range
from occultists who believe that they inflict a
psychosomatic blow to the subjects self-confidence,
to mediums that claim to lay curses on their victims.
The character makes eye contact with the target
and makes some form of arcane gesture. The target
makes an opposed Spirit roll with the character. If
the target gets a raise, nothing happens, and this
character cannot attempt to Evil Eye him for the
rest of the day. If the target succeeds, his is merely
at 1 on all rolls until the next day. If the target fails,
then he also drops in a Spirit die for the remainder
of the day. If the character gets a raise, then draw a
card: Red- The targets roll penalties are increased
to 3 and Spirit drops two die types, Black- The Evil
Eye lasts for a week.

Smarts, and all attacks are resolved using the

characters normal combat skills. Unfortunately,
fine manipulation requires tactile sense, so this limb
may be attacked as if it were just another part of
the character, causing Fatigue, Wounds, or Shaken
results as normal. Fortunately, the limbs invisibility
forces a 6 penalty to Notice it or hit it.
Phantom Hands [*] By manifesting Psychic Hand
and Psychic Manipulation simultaneously, you
gain an enhanced effect that combines telekinetic
force with fine control! By activating Psychic
Manipulation and Psychic Hand simultaneously,
the character may, within 12, create a hand of
telekinetic force with Strength and Agility equal
to the characters Smarts. Unlike Psychic Hand or
Psychic Manipulation, when rolling Strength for
Phantom Hands, a Wild Die is rolled as well.
Cloud the Mind [5] I could have sworn someone was
standing there a moment ago. You cloak your very
presence from lesser individuals, becoming but a
passing shadow. This ability is telepathic, affecting
the minds of living beings who might observe
you directly. Mechanical sensors are unaffected,
and photographs will reveal your presence when
developed even if no observer remembers you being
there. The character can become invisible at will.
Going visible or invisible require an action. Attacks
made against an invisible foe suffer a 6 penalty.
Invisible beings always leave some tail-tale trace for
those who are looking, whether its a shimmer, a
smell, footsteps, etc., so foes get a Notice roll at -4 to
detect their presence if given some reason, or if the
invisible character closes within 1 (2 yards).
Hypnotic Presence [4] You are falling under
my spell... Whether through use of pheromone
emission, focus of will or some other means, you can
draw others under your will. You can then extract
answers to even the most probing questions, or
implant commands that lie forgotten until the
target finds himself carrying them out.
Inspirational Aura [2 per Leadership Edge
purchased] Once more unto the breach! You
reinforce the psyches of your comrades and
followers, giving them the wherewithal to tackle
with gusto feats that might otherwise give them
pause. Masters of this knack can convince their
subordinates to storm the very Gates of Hell armed
with nothing but buckets of ice water. Each time this
power is purchased, the character may take any one
Leadership edge he or she qualifies for, treating his
rank as one higher than it actually is.
Psychic Manipulation [3] These...these ghostly
hands appeared and plucked the necklace from my
neck! You manifest a pair of spectral hands that,
although they cannot exert a large amount of force,
are every bit as capable as your physical ones. They
can pick a lock, fire a gun, mix a drink or slap an
unwanted suitor. This psychic force is invisible unless
you choose otherwise, in which case it manifests
as ghostly hand or some other manipulating form.
While the character concentrates, this telekinetic
power functions as an invisible extra limb with a
Strength of d4 and a range of 12. When rolling
Strength for Psychic Manipulation, a Wild Die
is never rolled. Agility is equal to the characters

Mind Hammer [6] No physical barrier can withstand

my psychic might! An invisible piston of force that can
strike hard enough to splinter wood or shatter bone,
this knack makes up in sheer destructive potential
what it lacks in subtlety. You have a ranged attack of
some sort. The range is 12/24/48, the damage is 2d6,
and the attack counts as a Heavy Weapon. Your attack
causes targets to fly back 1d6 for each success and
raise. If the target is knocked down, the Mind Hammer
continues in the same direction until it reaches its
maximum range. The character may choose whether or
not the attack is a lethal attack, or not.

Psychic Control [6] These arent the refugees

youre looking for. Among the most feared psychic
gifts, this ability allows you to twist the minds of
others. This can make some people understandably
nervous; governments and private groups alike
may well take an unhealthy interest in you. You
may manipulate the memories of lesser minds.
The target of this power must be within 24. The
character concentrates for 3 minutes per success or
raise required for the desired memory change, then
makes an opposed Smarts roll with the victim. On a
success, a trivial change may be made to the victims
memory such as making the target forget her own
address, or your characters name. With a raise, a
major change may be made such as making the
target believe she was married to a man who never
existed. With two raises, an extensive or disastrous
change may be made such as making the target
forget to breathe, or believes she was born in
Atlantis. Psychic Control may also be used to restore
a subjects memories that were changed by some
other use of this knack.
Sleight of Will [5] For my next trick, I shall make
that gentlemans monocle appear in my hand
likeso! With this rare but potent ability, you
can teleport a non-living object from one place to
another with no visible effect. As yet, there are
no recorded instances of a mesmerist being able
to teleport living beings. The character can move
an object with a weight in lbs. equal to twice his
Smarts die type, from one point to another, as long
as the two points are within 48 of the character,
and as long as the character can sense both points.
A successful Smarts roll moves the object. Using
this power counts as a free action, so a gun may be
apported into the characters hand and fired all in
the same round. If trying to transport an object to
or from an unwilling target, the character makes
an opposed roll against the target to determine this
powers success.
Touch of Life[4] Dead? You are mistaken; the
fall merely knocked the wind out of her for a few
minutes. As long as even the barest spark of life
remains in your subject, you can heal almost any
injury with your very
will. Your character
can heal others with
a touch.
To do so,
she must
spend an
entire
action in
contact
with the
patient and
make a
Spirit

roll minus the victims wounds. Failure simply

indicates a lost action. Success heals one wound
instantly, but costs the healer a Fatigue level
that fades 24 hours later. A raise does not heal an
additional wound, but does prevent the healer from
suffering Fatigue. Victims with multiple wounds
require multiple attempts to heal completely. Extras
can also be returned to action using the same
process outlined above. The GM must check to see if
an Extra has expired or not before the healer makes
her roll. It generally requires a Smarts roll on the
healers part to recognize whether or not an Extra is
beyond saving.
Quantum Powers
A Single Bound [1-3] Onward and upward! Your
legs are better than coiled steel springs! You can
hurdle high walls or leap across a city street. Your
physique may reflect this ability in some manner.
Your character may actually be able to leap tall
buildings in a single bound. The number of points
you put into this power determines how far your
character can jump, vertically or horizontally.
Your character automatically ignores falling
damage for heights up to his vertical distance. This
might occasionally be negated if he is bound or
unconscious and cannot land on his feet.
Death From Above: If combined with a melee attack,
the character may add his level to any damage
caused at the end of his jump. The victim can see
it coming though, so each +1 added to damage is
subtracted from the attack roll.
Level
1
2
3

Vertical
Distance
2
4
8

Horizontal
Distance
4
8
16

Cool Hand [2]Grab the gem out of that pit of scorpions?

No problem. Youre steady as a rock, even in the tightest
situations. This is not necessarily mental composure you
may be just as prone to panic as anyone. Instead, your
body functions efficiently regardless of the stresses under
which its operating.
You never get the
shakes, nor do you
get seasick or shiver.
Your character
gains the edge
Nerves of Steel.
If the character
already has Nerves
of Steel, he gains
Improved Nerves
of Steel.

Heightened Senses [2]Shhhh! Someone just

unlocked the door downstairs! Youre a living
bloodhound, telephone and microphone rolled
into one. Acute senses can be a curse at times
bright flashes, loud noises and noxious smells can
incapacitate you through sensory overload. Best to
avoid big band concerts and Italian kitchens. The
characters senses are heightened for some reason.
He adds +2 to Notice rolls.
Mad Scientist [2/level]You all laughed. You said
it couldnt be done. Ha! Behold the product of my
genius; behold my creation! Armed only with a
notepad and your own formidable command of
modern science, you push the frontiers of human
achievement. Even the simplest schematics you
design baffle the learned. This impressive ability
allows an inventor to create one-off devices that
duplicate any other knacks/powers in this book
(and many out of Necessary Evil check with your
gamemaster). A character must have a minimum
Smarts of d10, a Knowledge (Engineering) of d10,
and a Repair skill of d10 to take this power. The
inventor can create a device that mimics any power
in this book. He does not get the discount for it
being a device, howeverthats already figured
into the price of this power. The cost of the power
duplicated can never be greater than the creators
level of invent. An inventor who wants to create
an Cloak of Invisibility, for example, must have
Mad Scientist at level 5 since Cloud the Mind is a
5-point power. The inventor can also make several
devices as long as he has the Power Points in invent
to pay for them. (A character with Mad Scientist at
level 10 could have two 4-point devices and a third
2-point device.) The device invented requires 10
minutes times its original cost (a 5-point Invisibility
takes 50 minutes to create). Ultra-tech gadgets
arent really created in a few hoursthe inventor is
assumed to have been working on his many devices
in his spare time, but only puts the design together
when needed. The devices created are permanent,
but must be disassembled for parts to make a new
device (thereby freeing up the Power Points to invent
something new). Devices may be given to other
characters, but trait rolls made to use the device are
made at -2 as only the inventor truly understands
his jury-rigged creations.

Man For All Seasons [4]Come along, gentlemen. Its

only the Sahara. A little sun never hurt anyone! You
can endure the utmost extremes of climate without
batting an eye or losing a drop of sweat. Whether
its a hike in Death Valley in a parka or a swimsuitclad snowball fight in the Himalayas, youre equally
comfortable. Your character has limited immunity
against temperature and starvation. Background
effects of temperature or starvation (walking
through the desert, not eating for a month, being
trapped in a giant incinerator) are completely
negated. Damage from direct temperature based
attacks are halved (roll normally, then halve the
total).
Powerlifter [1/level - up to d12+5]The safe is
cemented into the wall? Shhhraaaack! There ya
go. You win iron man competitions just by entering
your opponents take one look at the steel cables
you call muscles and shrink away. While your casual
strength may be no greater than that of anyone else
with your build, your focused might is awesome to
behold. For the purposes of encumbrance, lifting,
opening, closing and throwing, your character is
considered to have a Strength equal to his base
Strength PLUS a number of die type raises equal to
the level of this power. A d12 becomes a 12+1 and so
on.
Superhuman Strength
Strength over the human maximum is on a different scale than
the normal d4 through d12+2.
Below are the Load Limits and Maximum Weight liftable for
higher Strength values.
Strength
d4
d6
d8
d10
d12
d12+1
d12+2
d12+3
d12+4
d12+5

Load Limit
20
30
40
50
60
100
200
400
800
1600

Max Weight
80
120
160
200
240
400
800
1600
1.5 tons
2.5 tons

A character may throw an item under his load limit

with a Range of 3/6/12. Items less than half the load limit can be
thrown at 6/12/24.
Chewing the Scenery
Strong characters often use the world
around them as weapons.
Weapon
Weight
Damage
Parking Meter
50
Str+4
Large rock
100
Str+5
These items fall apart after only 1 or 2 uses
(GMs call).

Sex Symbol [2] Yowza! You exude raw sexuality

from every pore. A photograph of you can send
teenagers of the appropriate sexual orientation
into hormonal frenzies, and your actual presence
inspires even the most staid and reserved adults
to youthful pursuits. Youre never lacking for
companionship - in fact, your biggest problem may
be getting an uninterrupted nights sleep. Your
character gains a +2 bonus to her Charisma.

Superhuman Reflexes [3]Ive never seen anyone

move so fast! Your hands are faster than striking
cobras. It may be possible to surprise you, but no
old west gunslinger could have outdrawn you. Your
character discards a draw of 5 or less for a new card.
If the character also possesses the edge Quick, he
instead discards a draw of 8 or less for a new card.
Aetheric Vision [1] I sense a powerful electrical
charge emanating from that panel. Perhaps
we should step back. You transform the very
structure of your eyes to perceive portions of the
electromagnetic spectrum that are otherwise
inaccessible to sight. You can see heat, infrared,
and ultraviolet radiation, and even magnetic fields
or strong electrical charges. If you are of a mystic
bent, you may consider these energies to be auras
and ley lines. If you have advanced scientific
training, glowing schematics may superimpose
themselves over your normal vision. Once this power
is activated, the character can see in darkness and
ignores all darkness penalties.
Blazing Speed [3/level] How did you fend off those
three soldiers while entering the proper code to turn
off the doomsday device?! When seconds count,
you have twice as many as everybody else at least
from your perspective. You can supercharge your
nerves to move at blinding speeds. This power allows
you to take one additional action per round with no
multi-action penalty. A character with this power
could take two actions at no penalty, for example,
or three actions at only 2 each. The power may be
taken multiple times to gain additional actions. A
character may not perform the same action more
than twice in a round as usual (he cant make a gun
fire faster than it would normally, or attack with a
melee weapon in the same hand twice).
Blind Fighter [2] Wham! Wa-pow! Gentlemen,
it doesnt help to turn off the lights when you all
breathe as loudly as overweight water buffalo.
The phrase blind as a bat makes you chuckle.
After all, bats never run into things. This edge may
compensate for blindness or it may be the result of
extensive training. Regardless, darkness holds few
secrets for you. While surface and texture do not
exist for you in darkness, you can see everything
else as well as in broad daylight. Characters with
Blind Fighter suffer no penalties due to bad lighting,
fog, or other obscurement. Cover modifiers for solid
protection (hiding behind a wall, prone, etc.) apply
normally.
Optimized Metabolism [5] Almost 60? You cant
be serious; you dont look a day over 30! You may
not live forever, but so far, so good. You get most of
your energy from absorbing telluric radiation and
other forms of pure energy. Since your body cannot
process anything it cant use, youre conveniently
immune to many poisons. Your character has
limited immunity against poisons and disease.
Background effects of either of these are completely
negated. Damage from direct attacks from these
are halved (roll normally, then halve the total).
The characters aging process . This power should
usually only be purchased during character creation,
but special circumstances might apply depending
on the situation. For an extra [+1], the character is

already quite old, increasing his life experiences so

that he adds +2 to most Common Knowledge rolls.
To actually reflect this life, you might want to put
additional points in increasing his skills as well (via
Inspired Skill). In addition, the character can hold his
breath for five times as long as a normal human.
Piledriver [2/level]The guy wasnt human, boss he punched through the brick wall and dragged
me outside! Some girls break hearts; others break
laws. You prefer to break bones and bricks and the
occasional steel girder. Whether its from a special
diet, cosmic radiation, years of meditation or an
inexplicable telluric energy pattern in your bones,
your kicks and punches often land with inhuman
force. Each time this power is bought adds +1d6 to his
hand-to-hand attack damage, to a maximum of +3d6.
This counts as a Heavy Weapon.
Sun Tzus Blessing [1/2 die raises]If I were him, Id
make a diversion over there and bring my men in from
the south whats that alarm? Well, there ya go! The
French call this the Touch of Napoleon, while greeks
often harken back to the glory of Belisarius. Whatever
the label, the effects are the same: you have an intuitive
flair for the geometry of battle. You can access
any tactical situation at a glance, and a moments
reflection tell you where best to exert pressure to
break the enemys forces. Beware hubris knowing
what orders to give is not the same as knowing how
to give them. The character gains 2 die raises in his
Knowledge (Tactics) skill for each level of this power
purchased. If the character doesnt already possess
the Knowledge(Tactics) skill, then the first level of this
power grants the skill at d4.
Touch of the Muses [1/2 die raises] Another
masterpiece? You flatter me. This is just something
I whipped up before breakfast. The gods smile upon
your artistic effortsor maybe the Devil inspires you
to greatness. Whatever the source, you can achieve
a level of aesthetic creativity to which most people
aspire in vain. The character gains 2 die raises in his
Knowledge (insert any art form here) skill for each
level of this power purchased. If the character doesnt
already possess the Knowledge (insert any art form
here) skill, then the first level of this power grants the
skill at d4.
Body of Bronze [2/level]I must stop getting into
gunfights. My wardrobes taking a beating! Your
skin retains its normal consistency to a casual caress,
but its strong as steel when it comes to resisting
injury. You laugh at clubs and knives, and bullets are
as but wasp stings. You might want to watch out for
those antitank rifles, though. Your characters base
Toughness improves by +1, from mystical protection,
super-strong skin, dense bones, etc. Note that this is
different from armor because it cannot be negated by
Armor Piercing attacks. The character may reduce
the cost by [-1] point by making the power require
activation to function. Activation is a free action.
Indisputable Analysis [1/2 die raises]Sherlock
Holmes? An amateur. You adjust you senses to
function in a breathtaking synergy of observation
and deduction. Indeed you have an ability not
unlike Sherlock Holmes capacity of extreme logical
deduction you can reach (almost always correct)
conclusions from the barest scraps of physical

evidence. The character gains 2 die raises in his

Knowledge (Investigation) skill for each level of this
power purchased. If the character doesnt already
possess the Knowledge (Investigation) skill, then the
first level of this power grants the skill at d4.
Man of Many Faces I know I just left, but I forgot
something in my room. Would you mind letting me
back in? You can change your physical features to
look like someone else. With minimal effort, you
can become a bland everyman, while more precise
command can alter your features, voice, physical
dimensions, garb, race, and even gender! This power
allows the character to assume the appearance
of another being or animal. The character cannot
emulate someone more than 2 Size levels different
from himself. Someone familiar with the original
target gets a Notice roll at -2 to detect that
something is off (but even then only after short
range interaction). Clever roleplaying and intimate
questions might also see through the disguise as
well. Men of Many Faces do not gain any of the
targets abilities or traitsonly his appearance. For
[+2] points, your character can emulate voices as
well. The mimicry is perfect enough to fool voice
identification devices. Combined with an assumed
form, this modifier increases the Notice roll allowed
to detect the chameleon to -4.

Reptilian Regeneration [5]Damn; the grizzly

bit my hand off! How inconvenient! Thanks to
this distinctly unnatural ability, you can endure
injuries that would destroy any normal person
from knitting torn flesh to even re-growing missing
pieces of yourself in mere minutes! The character
enters a deep trance which nothing short of a
wound can awaken him from. Make a Vigor roll in
this state once every hour. If successful, heal one
wound. For an additional [+5] points, you gain Fast
Regeneration rolling Vigor every minute instead
of every hour. For another [+5] points, you gain True
Regeneration rolling Vigor rolls to recover every
round.

Sensory Filtering [4] Were looking for a man with

a red tie? Give me a moment - there he is! Some
wives complain of husbands with selective hearing
they can hear baseball scores but not requests to
mow the lawn. You really can tune out the din of a
crowd to zero in on a single conversation! Not only
that, you can refuse to see everything of a particular
color, or ignore the flashes of a blinding strobe
light. Always active, Sensory Filtering negates all
penalties for distractions such as noxious smells,
deafening noises, blinding lights, and the like. In
addition to being immune to sudden sensory shock,
the character can choose to isolate a single sensory
impulse, blocking out all sound save for a single
conversation or picking the smell of poison out
of a dinner buffet. When used in conjunction with
Heightened Senses, this power removes the danger
of sensory overload that otherwise accompanies that
power.

Threat Awareness (2)Look out; hes about to Whack! - ha! There; never mind. Whether its
an instinctive feel for body language, or uncanny
precognition, you know when someone is about
to launch an attack just in time to throw the first
punch yourself! Be careful, though; I knew she was
going to shoot me isnt the best defense against
charges of unprovoked murder. The character gains
the edge Danger Sense. If the character already has
Danger Sense, the character loses the 2 Notice
penalty associated with that edge.

Parting Words
Well, thats it. This is what I used to run my own Adventure!-Style pulp game. The
only thing which I never really dealt with here was the Adventure! games dramatic editing
system. To my way of thinking, thats what bennies are for anyway, right? Have fun, and if
you havent already done it, run right out and get the following books:
ADVENTURE! the pulp-prg - This is the best pulp game made yet! I just havent liked the
systems it was coupled with. Now that Ive got it jiving with Savage Worlds, the world is a
better place! The background and fluff in this book are amazing! Warren Ellis has even done
an ADVENTURE! story! If you want to crank up the timeline and play in ADVENTUREs
slightly post-modern future, pick up a copy of the Aberrant rpg, and its suppliments.
Savage Worlds core book - Best system ever! Period. The new book is in pdf format and the
original can still be found here and there. Go to Great White Games or Pinnacles websites to
get this game!
Neccissary Evil - The first Savage Worlds Super hero (?) setting and what theyve done is
great! If you want to link Neccissary Evil up with Adventure! instead of Aberrant, you can
DO it! It works great! Maybe even have PCs stumble across evidence of the Atlanteans!
Everything Ive done here is appropriated from other sources, so dont think that any of this
is original material. Everything here is essentially Neccissary Evil set into an ADVENTURE!
framework, with bits of Brian Misiazseks excellent
INTRODUCTION TO THE PULPS essay thrown in for good measure.
To view Brains essay, go to fantasylibrary.com and look for something
called Pulp Avengers. Its awsome!
Nothing in this book is my work with the exception of
the translation of ADVENTURE! to Savage world, by way of
Neccissary Evil. So, pretty please ....dont sue me.
I hope you all enjoy gaming in the pulp of the 20s and 30s
as much as I do!
Margrave