Biotics
| GM Note: |
| I have reworked some of the key moves here, combining some into one move with options, etc. Current as of 25JUNE2016 |
Biotics is the ability of some lifeforms to create mass effect fields using element zero nodules embedded in body tissues. These powers are accessed and augmented by using bio-amps. Biotic individuals can knock enemies over from a distance, lift them into the air, generate gravitational vortices to tear obstacles or enemies apart, or create protective barriers.
asari are naturally biotic from birth, though not all choose to develop their abilities. Biotics of other species are individuals who were exposed to dust-form element zero, or colloquially, "eezo", in utero and subsequently developed eezo nodules throughout their nervous systems. These nodules can generate mass effect fields when energized by electrical impulses from the brain.
Eezo exposure is by no means guaranteed to result in biotic ability. On the contrary, most fetuses that are exposed are not affected at all. Others will develop brain tumors or other horrific physical complications. In humans, only about one in ten eezo-exposed infants will develop biotic talents strong and stable enough to merit training, and these abilities are not always permanent. In extremely rare cases, humans who were exposed in utero but did not manifest biotic talents as children can develop them during young adulthood through additional exposure.
Prothean biotics - Once a person has been identified as having biotic ability, they may be outfitted with a surgically implanted amplifier, usually installed around the time of puberty, in order to make their talents strong enough to be useful. Some races have experimented with biotic drugs to stimulate power instead, such as red sand. They must then develop conscious control over their nervous system, which is a long, slow, difficult ordeal (except for the asari, who possess a degree of control naturally). Biofeedback therapy is commonly used to aid in this process. Once trained, a biotic can generate and control dark energy to move objects, generate protective barriers, or restrain enemies. Biotic abilities are activated using a technique called "physical mnemonics", in which the biotic uses a physical gesture to cause neurons to fire in a certain sequence, sending an electrical charge through their eezo nodules and creating the desired effect. A biotic may enhance certain aspects of his or her biotic abilities by installing implant upgrades called bio-amps.
Biotic abilities fall into two categories: Biotic Weapons that are used as Seize By Force and Go Aggro options, and Biotic Specialties that require their own rolls and are used outside of Seize by Force and Go Aggro.
Biotic Weapons
Flare: You put everything into a huge biotic explosion (4-harm, hand/close, area, disruptor). Using this power is draining. You are impeded for the rest of the fight.
Throw: If an enemy has no shields, attack and throw them with biotics (3 Harm, close, impede, move enemy in any direction, ignores cover)
Shockwave: Attack an area with biotics and make enemies stumble backwards (3 Harm, close, messy, impede, ignores cover). Also, if a mass effect field is nearby, it detonates (add the area tag to your attack)
Stasis: If a target has no shields, use biotics to hold them in stasis (close, impede, target cannot attack and takes -3 harm from all attacks) The effect ends if the target takes 2-harm from any source. Player characters may attempt to act under fire to break the effects of Stasis.
Warp: If an enemy has no shields, crush them with a biotic field (1 Harm, close, decrease armor by 1, decrease barriers by 2). Also, if a mass effect field is nearby, it detonates: (+3 Harm, area, impede)
Nova: You can purge your barriers in a fight to create a biotic explosion and knock your enemies away from you with great force (2-harm, hand, +1-harm per barrier, area, forceful)
Reave: You can use biotics to attack your target's nervous system. (1-harm, ap, ignores barriers, heal 1-harm on yourself)
Biotic Specialties
Biotic Fortification:When you fortify your barriers, roll+Cool. On a 10+, gain +2 barrier. On a 7-9, +1 barrier. Advanced Barriers: on a 12+, gain +3 barriers.
Biotic Breach: When you use biotics to smash through something too tough for your regular weapons to breach, roll +Hard. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1:
- You avoid causing collateral damage
- You can get out the way you got in
Biotic Leap: You can use your biotics to leap great distances, such as leaping up or down a few stories, or leaping over a varen pit. You should only have to make a roll for leaping in extraordinarily difficult circumstances
Dominate: When you Dominate a biological NPC, roll +Will. On a 10+, hold 3, on a 7-9, hold 2. At any time, spend your hold 1 for 1 to:
- Make them fight on your behalf.
- Make them defend you. They take all harm from an attack meant for you.
- Make them die. They take 1 harm per hold spent (ap, ignore shields/barriers
Kinetic Defense: When you expand your barrier to defend a person, place or thing as long as you do nothing but maintain the barrier you have full cover and whatever you are defending takes -1 harm.
Singularity: When you create a mass effect field on or near your enemy, roll +Cool. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. Advanced Singularity: On a 12+, 4 hold
Spend your hold, 1 for 1 to choose an option below.
- Pull: choose a GM character. You pull them towards you (decreasing the range by one step), out of cover and you create an opportunity that you may follow through on
- Lift: choose a GM character. You lift them into the air. While aloft, enemies slowly float helplessly upwards for a short time, you and your allies take +1 forward against them.
- Slam: choose a GM character. You lift them into the air and slam them back to the ground with great force. For every hold you spend (+1-harm, forceful).
Warp Ammo: You charge a weapon’s ammo with biotic energy granting the anti-barrier tag. You can only have one Ammo move attached to a weapon at a time. Changing Ammo moves in mid-battle counts as acting under fire