System Mechanics: Ability Creation Update:

For those that didn't know before...  Blogger's image upload compression is terribly brutal.  That said, here is a link to the graphical concept work accompanying this post: Ability Creation Process Graphic

Ability Creation:

All abilities of every profession, species and class affect the gameplay of FARAD, often in combat or prior to it, sometimes in trade, and often in general on quests. Abilities are separated into Universal Abilities, Species Abilities, and Specialized Abilities. First, how abilities are listed, as previously briefly covered in the Core System Mechanics Vol. 1:

Ability: Ability Name Level Numeral (Cost for First Uses / Uses per First Cost / Cost after First Use per Use)(Targeting / Shape / Concentration)(Time per use / Turns per use) (Ability Source / Ability Range Bonus/Penalty / Ability Modifiers): Ability Description. Prerequisites for usage.

First, each ability has a name that helps a player or GM keep track of it, followed by the numeral of its level. Even if an ability has no initial cost to it, repeated use throughout a day will typically tire an individual's focus, causing a cost later. As each ability takes time to use, it will take turns to use in combat and out of combat things are less heated and therefore it is easier to see how much time it takes to use instead of relying on turns. Additionally, each ability requires a particular statistic or attribute to succeed without burning luck points, and at a certain point it will always succeed with greatest effect if one's aim or other reliant skill is true. Likewise, each ability has a source, range and may have one or more domain modifiers. Following that is the description and finally the prerequisite abilities or knowledge needed for usage. {This all should also apply to home-brew creations, as it will help both the player and GM be able to keep better track of what precisely an ability does and needs to perform correctly.}

Ability Modifiers:

All abilities have a destination, and shape with most also having a concentration. Additionally, all abilities are capable of being modified by the various domains listed out in the Core System Mechanics vol. 1 (CSMv1). All abilities have a potential initial cost, number of attempts for that cost, and an additional cost per attempt afterward. At bare minimum, each ability learned may be tried at least once, but may be highly ineffective if the initial cost is very high, and the additional cost will never be lower than the initial cost.

The destinations are direction, self, target, and touch.

Direction: Aims in a general direction along a three-dimensional (or sometimes even more dimensions) axis. Using this as a base destination costs 3 FP for most abilities.

Self: Aims for the individual using the ability. Using this as a base destination costs 0 FP for most abilities.

Target: Narrows to affect a designated target initially with its effects. Using this as a base destination costs 2 FP for most abilities.

Touch: Only affects that which is directly touched by the one using the ability within its duration. Using this as a base destination costs 1 FP for most abilities.

The shapes are aura, ray, sphere, and wall.

Aura: Surrounds the individual targeted as a persistent effect when successful. Using this as a base shape costs allows two attempts on initial cost.

Ray: A very tight focus circle extending out from the source that aids in targeting, decreasing the number of targets if they are not in a straight line, but allowing for greater accuracy and therefor chance of success. Using this as a base shape allows three attempts on initial cost.

Sphere: Targets all within range of the area chosen with its effects regardless of height level. Any area with an obstruction will have that as a shield from its effects,

as well as having that segment of the sphere continuing outward have no effect.

Using this as a base shape allows one attempt on initial cost.

Wall: A solid force of effects, usually used as a shield of sorts. Using this as a base shape allows two attempts on initial cost.

The concentrations are beam, blast, chain and wave.

Beam: Fires directly out in a sharp even focus of generally circular shape. This may be dodged to the side, by ducking or jumping, though the size of the beam may either be increased by leveling up to include more movement squares, or have more damage fueled into it so that even a grazing hit may be dangerous. Using this concentration as a base increases costs by 1 FP.

Blast: Fires directly out in a burst that splatters its effects on impact, though with diminished effect compared to whatever the target was. This may be dodged to the side, by ducking or jumping, but if one is still within 1/2 movement square per level of the ability, they may still take the secondary effects. Using this concentration as a base increases costs by 3 FP.

Chain: Links the targeted individual and two nearby secondary targeted individuals even if they are not in a straight line or tight radius. Missing the initial target still gives a potential to hit the secondary targets and have it affect one or both of them. A chain may be dodged to the side, by ducking or jumping, but secondary targets might still be hit. Using this concentration as a base increases costs by 2 FP.

Wave: Spreads outward in wave pattern, shoving its effects forcefully without the focus of a beam or blast. Individuals may attempt to duck under or jump over a wave, but cannot dodge to the side unless there is an obstruction in the path of the wave as a result of their movement. Using this concentration as a base increases costs by 2 FP.

Every ability has a maximum of ten domains (or their sub-domains) that can be applied to its creation. The domains and sub-domains are listed below, as well as how they modify an ability:

The Base Domains are Communication, Creation, Decreasing, Destruction, Dream, Increasing, Merging, Physical, Pulling, Pushing, Releasing, Separating, Transfer, Transformation, Trapping and Will. Usage of any of these domains constitutes the nature of almost every ability, adding no additional cost or usage and likewise not reducing either. Any character wanting to utilize any of these domains with any ability may, however, if it is not already part of an ability they must roll 1d10 and achieve 5 or higher to succeed in adding it as an option if using in combat and not already learned with that modifier added. It is to every character's advantage to practice adding each base domain to an ability outside of combat in this manner, as not only does it gain them the ability modifier with less issue if it fails, but it also gains them CXP, RXP or GXP as appropriate, and allows players to test their creativity prior to an instance where failure has dire consequences. One may add a maximum of 4 base domains per ability. Opposing base domains may not be used together in the same ability without doubling all costs.

The Classical Elemental Domains are Fire (and Heat), Water, Soil (and Plants), and Air (Sky and Wind) for the Primary Elements. The Secondary Elements are Ice (and Cold), Metal, Lightning (and Electricity), and Stone (and Minerals). The Tertiary Elements are Blood (and Organs), Bone (and Shell), Sand (and Dust), and Slime (and Ink). The Quaternary Elements are Fabric, Ghost, Toxin (and Poison), and Rot (and Fungus). Each classical elemental domain used adds +1 Damage in its type per level, another +1 to foes weak to it, and if one is attuned to resist the ability either does no elemental damage to themselves if hit by it, or if they are more attuned to it than the one using the ability, they will heal from it as well. Each classical elemental domain used also adds +1 FP cost, regardless of the level used, as long as the user has obtained that ability. One may use one classical elemental domain per set at no additional cost beyond the default +1 FP cost per classical elemental domain, however each additional use from the same set doubles all costs the ability has.

The Physics Force Domains are Density/Gravity/Size, Gamma Rays/High Energy Gamma Rays, Infrared/Visible Light, Magnetism, Radio/Microwaves/High Microwaves, Spatial Coordinates, and Temporal Flow, and Ultraviolet/X-Rays. Each physics force domain used adds +1 Damage in its type per level, and if one is attuned to the ability either it does no physics damage or if they are more attuned to it than the one using the ability, they will heal from it as well. There is no weakness attunement to physics domains, so it would not do additional damage from that, unlike the elemental domains. Additionally, each physics force domain used removes 1 attempt per initial cost, regardless of the level used, as long as the user has obtained that ability, and the cost tends to be linked to a power source to recharge or ammunition to reload from as well as FP. Usage of two Physics Force Domains increases the cost by +1 FP, and no more than two may be used per ability.

The Bridge Force Domains are Vibrations (Slowing and Increasing), Luminosity (Light and Shadow). Each bridge force domain used adds -1 Damage in its type initially with higher levels increasing by +1 damage each level. Attunement to one side of a bridge force gives resistance to that side as well as healing from it if used against them, but the opposite side will be a weakness and take +2 damage initially. Additionally, each bridge force domain used adds +1 FP to the initial cost, and one may use either one side and its opposite, or one side and a side of the other bridge force, but not a full bridge force and a side of the other. Using more than one side of a bridge force doubles all costs of an ability.

The Outside Force Domains are Life (and Renewal), and Death (and Decay). Each outside force domain used adds +2 damage in its type initially with higher levels increasing +1 damage each level. Attunement to one gives resistance to it, including healing if more attuned to it than the one using it against them. Usage against one who is weak to a particular outside force will deal an additional +1 damage to them. Additionally, each outside force domain used removes 1 attempt per initial cost, regardless of the level used, as long as the user has obtained that ability, and the cost tends to be linked to HP as well as FP. Usage of both outside force domains doubles all costs of an ability.

The Reaction Force Domains are Attitude (Chaos/Entropy and Order/Void), Concern (Celestial/Selfless and Infernal/Selfish), Perceiving (Senses and Intuition), and Judgment (Logic and Emotions). Each reaction force domain used adds +1 attempt for the initial, regardless of the level used, but adds a 1d10 chance of 1 SP being an additional cost, but doing a special effect if spent. Usage of a domain within the reaction force domains allows one side or the other of particular reaction force domain, and triples all costs if using both sides. Usage of more than one sub- domain of a reaction force domain within the same subset will also require a check of WIL against the FP cost of the ability. Failure will constitute a backfire with a 1d10 chance of 3 damage.

The Concern Sub-Domains are Caution, Charity, Chastity, Diligence, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Humility, Ignorance, Kindness, Lust, Lying, Patience, Pride, Sloth, Temperance, Truth, Vanity, Wisdom, and Wrath. Each creature, terror or character has one or more habits as part of their personality, and one can affect their own or another's habits via abilities, items or actions to accentuate or decrease them, potentially gaining individual renown, rewards, or punishments.

The Perceiving Sub-Domains are Balance, Coordination, Taste, Touch, Pain, Sight, Smell and Sound. Each species has three or more of these senses available to it, most having all, and some having extra powerful use of one or more of their senses. Additionally, some abilities or items may accentuate one or more of the senses, or decrease them in the individual or another, potentially gaining individual renown, rewards, or punishments.

The Judgment Sub-Domains are Admiration, Aggressiveness, Awe, Contempt, Disapproval, Dominance, Ecstasy, Fear, Grief, Loathing, Optimism, Passion, Pessimism, Remorse, Rage, Serenity, Submission, Surprise, Suspicion, and Trust. Each of these are possible emotional states for a creature, terror or character to be in, and seeing one in said state may give another information as to how to deal with them in a myriad of ways. Additionally, some abilities or items may accentuate one or more of the emotional domains, or decrease them in the individual or another, potentially gaining individual renown, rewards, or punishments.