Building Utility Techniques

Utility techniques cause status effects, provide bonus movement, and other effects not covered by the other categories.

Follow the steps below to build a new utility technique. To do this, you will need to know your character level.

Utility Technique Definitions

First, let’s define the common pieces of a Utility technique.

  • Effect Type: What does this technique do?
  • Target: The target of the technique. The default is 1 square.
  • Range: The space where the technique manifests – the point of origin. At 0 squares the technique’s origin is on the user!
  • Power: This determines the ‘power’ of the technique.
  • Action: How many actions does it take to use these technique?

Base Utility Technique

Start with the base utility technique information and adjust the details step by step.

Effect Type ?, Target 1 Square, Range 0, Power 1, Action ?

Base UTILITY Technique

Step 1: Select Effect Type

This determines what effect the utility technique will have. The initial Target and Range are set by the Effect Type selected.

  • Positive Status Effect: Target set to 1 ally. Range set to 4. Power determines Duration.
  • Negative Status Effect: Target set to 1 enemy. Range set to 4. Power determines Duration.
  • Move: Target set to Self. Range set to 0. Power set to 2. Power determines movement range (1 Power = 1 Square).

Step 2: Select three 1st Tier qualities

Select qualities is what makes a technique unique. Certain qualities are locked to an Effect Type, this is designated by the Effect Type being noted in Parenthesis.

  • +1 Power: Increase Power +1. This quality can be taken multiple times, each time it increases Power +1 (up to a total of +3).
  • +1 Range: This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases Range +1 (up to a total of +3).
  • Leap (Move): This movement ignores terrain effects and elevation but the movement must be a straight line. (Special: A user with the Jump trait can add Leap to a technique for free. It does not count against their three 1st Tier Qualities).
  • Hover (Move): This movement ignores terrain effects.
  • Protect (Positive Status Effect): Grants the Protect Status Effect, which reduces Physical damage taken by 50%. Duration is determined by Power. (Special: If you select this you cannot select Barrier or Haste.)

After selecting three 1st Tier Qualities, increase Action to 1 and the technique could be complete. At this point you can jump to Final Steps or proceed to Step 3: Select three 2nd Tier Qualities if you meet the level requirement.

Step 3: Select three 2nd Tier qualities

The level requirement for adding 2nd Tier Qualities to Utility techniques is Level 4. A technique with 2nd Tier Qualities will require 2 Actions to use.

  • +1 Power: Increase Power +1. This quality can be taken multiple times, each time it increases Power +1 (up to a total of +3).
  • +1 Range: This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases Range +1 (up to a total of +3).
  • Area of Effect (Negative Status Effect): The target changes to an area of effect. Every enemy in the area of effect gains the Status Effect. Select one of the below.
    • Line: Short line of squares out from point of origin (determined by Range). Decrease Power – 1. This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases the Target size one step (up to long line and -3 Power).
    • Radius: Small radius of squares out from point of origin (determined by Range). Decrease Power – 1. This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases The target size one step (up to large radius and -3 Power).
    • Cone: Small cone of squares out from point of origin (determined by range). Decrease Power – 1. This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases The target size one step (up to large cone and -3 Power).
  • Slash (Move): During movement, make one Strike with a Melee Weapon against an enemy you pass. This can be taken multiple times, each time it allows the user to Strike one more enemy (up to three enemies).
  • Move Other (Move): You are stationary but instead Move an ally within Range.
  • Charge (Move): Increase Power +4 but the movement must be in a straight line.
  • Barrier (Positive Status Effect): Grants the Shield Status Effect, which reduces Elemental damage taken by 50%. Duration is determined by Power. (Special: If you select this you cannot select Protect or Haste.)

After selecting three 2nd Tier Qualities, increase Action to 2 and the technique is complete. At this point you can jump to Final Steps or proceed to Step 4: Select three 3rd Tier Qualities if you meet the level requirement.

Step 4: Select three 3rd Tier qualities

The level requirement for adding 3rd Tier Qualities to Utility techniques is Level 12. A technique with 3rd Tier Qualities will require 3 Actions to use.

  • +1 Power: Increase Power +1. This quality can be taken multiple times, each time it increases Power +1 (up to a total of +3).
  • +1 Range: This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases Range +1 (up to a total of +3).
  • Shot on the Run (Move): At any point during movement, make one Strike with a Ranged Weapon against an enemy in range. This can be taken multiple times, each time it allows the user to Strike one time (up to three times).
  • Move Together (Move): You and up to three allies in range Move.
  • Area of Effect (Positive Status Effect): The target changes to an area of effect. Every ally in the area of effect gains the Status Effect. Select one of the below.
    • Line: Short line of squares out from point of origin (determined by Range). Decrease Power – 1. This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases the Target size one step (up to long line and -3 Power).
    • Radius: Small radius of squares out from point of origin (determined by Range). Decrease Power – 1. This can be taken multiple times, each time it increases The target size one step (up to large radius and -3 Power).
  • Haste (Positive Status Effect): Grants the Haste Status Effect, which grants one additional Action per turn. Duration is determined by Power. (Special: If you select this you cannot select Protect or Barrier.)

Final Steps

Step 5: Is it Magic? If so, select one Magic quality.

The Elemental stat requirement for adding Magical qualities to Utility techniques is 20. If the user has the Magical Aptitude trait and at least 20 Elemental, they can select one magic quality.

  • +1 Power: Increase Power +1.
  • +1 Range: Increase Range +1.
  • Teleport (Move): This movement ignores terrain effects, environmental effects, and elevation.
  • Transposition(Move): If you end your movement in a space occupied by an ally, they are Teleported to the square where you started your turn.
  • Elemental Magic: Add one effect based on the user’s Innate Element. See below.
    • Blue: After using this technique, the user immediately recovers 5 HP per Power.
    • Red: Any enemies targeted by this technique also take minor Red elemental damage.
    • Green: Increase Area of Effect target area by one step. (See Game Master for specifics.)
    • Yellow: Increase Power +2.
    • Black: If any negative Status Effects are active on the target(s), increase their Duration by 1.
    • White (White): If any positive Status Effects are active on the target(s), increase their Duration by 1.
    • None/Physical: None.

The technique gains the Magic damage type, even if the technique does not deal damage.

Step 6: Send to Game Master to compile

The final step is to send the technique to the Game Master to compile. Don’t forget to include the ‘flavor’ description of what the technique does!