Subcategory Legend

The following subcategories are used with abilities for the purposes of rules clarification, and may show up in the entries for some abilities;


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Armor-Related
Damage-Dealing
Earth-Based
Eldritch-Based
Fighting Styles
Fire-Based
Ice-Based
Instant Kill
Lightning-Based
Mind-Altering
Poisons
Psi-Based
Ranged Weapons
Shield-Based
Ship-Based
Sound-Based
Teamwork
Unarmed Attacks
Water-Based
Weapon-Based
Wind-Based

WEAPON-BASED

Physical Attacks that represent learning to wield a weapon. These abilities often are grouped as a prerequisite for ability paths.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Archery
Axe
Bite
Bow and Arrow
Brass Knuckles
Claws
Club
Crossbow
Dagger
Double Arrow
Dual Wielder
Fencing
Great Sword
Greatrazor
Gunslinger
Hornet Style
Hurricane Waltz
Katana
Kendo
Khopesh
Lance
Long Sword
Monkey Staff
Mountain Hammer
Musket
Ninjitsu
Nunchaku
Poison Arrow
Rapier
Reaper's Walk
Ring Blade
Ryouko
Scythe
Deadly Scythe
Short Sword
Shuriken
Sniper's Eye
Spear
Spiked Chains
Staff
Sun Style
Twin Wand Style
Wand
Warhammer
Whip
Wind Razor
Returning Wind Razor
Zweihander

UNARMED ATTACKS

Unarmed Attacks, unlike Weapon-Based abilities, rely on the user's body and natural prowess, and are alternatively used as prerequisites for Ability Paths, in addition to being combinable, as a group, with certain other abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Bug Zapper
Fists Of Fire
Fists of Fury
Improved Fists Of Fury
Improved Pin
Ki Blast
Knockout Punch
Raptor School
Sciborean Dancefighting
Tackle
Trip Attack
Wrestling

FIGHTING STYLES

Fighting Styles are advanced Physical Attacks representing having learned a martial art. They always require some other ability, usually another Physical Attack, and are sometimes prerequisites for ability paths.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Archery
Beastfighting
Bug Zapper
Deadly Scythe
Fencing
Fists Of Fire
Greatrazor
Gunslinger
Hornet Style
Hurricane Waltz
Improved Fists Of Fury
Improved Pin
Kendo
Ki Blast
Monkey Staff
Mountain Hammer
Ninjitsu
Raptor School
Reaper's Walk
Ryouko
Sciborean Dancefighting
Sun Style
Twin Wand Style
Vampire Hunter
Wrestling

ARMOR-RELATED

Armor-related abilities, as their name suggests, represent the character wearing armor of some kind. They are noted as a group in the requirements for some abilities and ability paths. Armor-related abilities typically cannot be combined, with exceptions noted in their ability descriptions.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Bone Armor
Dragonscale Armor
Heavy Armor
Light Armor
Medium Armor
Second Skin
Spring Armor
Toughen Armor

INSTANT KILL

Abilities (typically magical) that, if not resisted, will kill the opponent automatically, regardless of their hit point total. Death Attack Immunity can ward off these abilities unless the opponent is specifically vulnerable (such as evil creatures and Light Attack or the attacker has completed the Assassin ability path, in which case the opponent only recieves a +4 bonus on their check to oppose these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Cremation
Dark Attack
Death Attack
Dim-Mercury
Flaming Death
Instant Death
Light Attack
Piercing Dark Attack
Piercing Light Attack
Self Destruct

EARTH-BASED

Earth-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the latent energy of the land beneath us. Energy Immunity (Earth) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Earth Attack
Earthquake
Piercing Earth Attack

DAMAGE-DEALING

Damage-dealing attacks (which are almost always magical attacks) specifically target hit points, although they may have additional effects as well. Some ability paths, such as the Blast Mage and Spell Sword, require you to take one of these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Burst Attack
Earthquake
Eldritch Attack
Fire Attack
Flaming Aura
Ice Projectile
Improved Burst Attack
Lightning Attack
Magma Choke
Piercing Eldritch Attack
Piercing Fire Attack
Piercing Lightning Attack
Piercing Psychic Attack
Piercing Water Attack
Poison Attack
Poison Mist
Poison - Assassin's Root
Reverse Polarity
Self Destruct
Water Attack

ELDRITCH-BASED

Eldritch-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the raw power of magic itself. Energy Immunity (Eldritch) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Eldritch Attack
Piercing Eldritch Attack

MIND-ALTERING

Abilities that affect the mind and alter a person's normal behavior. The Mental Barrier and Clear Head abilities grant a bonus against or negate the harmful effects of these abilities. The Puppetmaster also makes use of this grouping, getting a +4 bonus on Magic rolls with and Resistance checks against mind-altering abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Contest Of Wills
Enchanting Presence
Mindbreaker
Mind Control
Program
Suggestion
Turn Coat
Viel Of Madness
World of Illusion

FIRE-BASED

Fire-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the dangerous energy found within fire. Energy Immunity (Fire) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Cremation
Fire Attack
Fists Of Fire
Flaming Aura
Flaming Death
Magma Choke
Piercing Fire Attack

ICE-BASED

Ice-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the chilling power of ice. In most instances, ice-based attacks can be negated by Fire Attack. Energy Immunity (Ice) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Ice Immobilization
Ice Projectile
Ice Walk

LIGHTNING-BASED

Lightning-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the electric energy of lightning. Energy Immunity (Lightning) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Lightning Attack
Piercing Lightning Attack

POISONS

These abilities can be negated by Poison Immunity and Remove Poison. The Sadist ability path grants a bonus to these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Cobra Strike
Boutlin Strike
Dim-Mercury
Mixed Poison
Perfect Poison
Persistent Poison
Poison Attack
Poison Mist
Poison - Arcane Fever
Poison - Assassins Root
Poison - Fighters Bane
Poison - Mind Wipe
Poison - Slug Broth
Poison - Stone Soup
Potent Poison
Silent Poison
Snake Fangs
Virulence

SOUND-BASED

Though not an energy type, sound-based abilities are grouped together, in particular, because the Bard gains a bonus on all rolls with them.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Battle Hymn
Silence
Sonic Attack
Upbeat Melody

WATER-BASED

Water-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the crushing power of water. Energy Immunity (Water) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Water Attack
Piercing Water Attack

WIND-BASED

Wind-based attacks draw upon their element in question; the blinding speed of wind. Energy Immunity (Wind) negates the damage and/or ill effects from these abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Piercing Wind Attack
Tornado Blast
Wind Attack

SHIP-BASED

Abilities required to build or enhance a ship. All such abilities require the Captain ability to acquire.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Arcane Engine
Cannon
Magical Cannon
Sails
Ship Hull (Heavy)
Ship Hull (Light)
Ship Hull (Medium)
Ship Hull (Superheavy)

SHIELD-BASED

These physical defenses work mechanically much the same as armor-related abilities do, but can often be combined with armor as well as each other. Because they are not armor-related abilities, they cannot be used to qualify for ability paths that require an armor-related ability, such as the Fighter, with exceptions noted in the mechanic for the ability in question.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Reinforced Hat
Shield
Toughen Shield
Tower Shield

PSI-BASED

These abilities specifically manifest from, or are powered by, the mind itself, rather than external magical source. Psi-Based abilities may have magical equivalents using the same mechanics, and if so should be noted as not having the Psi-Based subcategory on their entry in a character sheet. Psi-Based abilities are treated as mind-affecting abilities for the purposes of overcoming them, making Mental Barrier and Clear Head an effective defense. The Psychic ability path grants a bonus on all Psi-Based abilities.

Abilities in this subcategory include...

Concentration
Deep Telepathy
Impede Magic
Improved Precognition
Piercing Psychic Attack
Precognition
Psychic Attack
Telekinesis
Telepathy

TEAMWORK

These abilities represent coordinated effort on the part of two or more characters, granting a bonus to both. The Sentai doubles the bonus from these abilities.

Abilities in this category include...

Collective Will
Group Attack
Group Defense
Group Hustle
Team Effort

RANGED WEAPONS

These are physical attacks and technological abilities that can be used at a range, as long as you can see your opponent. The Sniper path, in particular, gains a bonus with ranged weapons.

Abilities in this category include...

Bow and Arrow
Crossbow
Dagger
Ki Blast
Musket
Shuriken
Spear
Spiked Chains
Gravity Snare
Handgun
Longarm
Rail Gun