Genetic Modifications
The humans that live among the stars after the Blackout is different than the ones we know today. In the old human sphere, an empire of a thousand worlds, genetic engineering was as common as breathing. For hundreds of years humans ‘improved’ and changed themselves in almost all conceivable ways, from the most common genetic modifications to the most outlandish. Eventually, it became easy to alter entire genetic lines though modular ‘Gene Mods’.
Humans in Blackout are tougher, faster and stronger than anyone alive today. While the technology to create Gene Mods was lost after the blackout and most of those with the most extreme modifications died off, the most useful ones became so widespread that they became part of humanity as a whole. Everynow and then, however, some of the more extreme traits in someone’s genetic lineage will resurface after lying dormant for generations.
Getting Gene Mods
Certain traits and background features will give characters Gene-Mod points which can be used to purchase different Gene-Mods. Additionally, some Gene-Mods are entirely Cosmetic, meaning they do not provide any mechanical changes, simply roleplaying opportunities, and have a cost of 0. Minor Gene mods cost 1-point, regular GeneMods cost 2 and Major Gene Mods cost 3.
Any character can, if they so choose, select Cosmetic gene-mods even if they have no Genetic Modification trait, the cosmetic gene-mods presented here are simply examples. GMs are encouraged to come up with new Gene mods to offer their players, especially cosmetic ones.
Gene Mods and Implants
Most gene mods are global changes to a character, some, however, may be located within a specific body part. if a character were to lose one of said body parts or replace them with an implant, they would lose use of the gene mod on that specific part. If a character were to replace all of the body parts affected by a gene mod, they would lose the gene mod altogether.
Augmented Gene Mods
Aside from a feature/trait, characters may obtain further Gene Mod points through trainings. Gene Mod points obtained from training can only be spent to Augment your currently existing gene mods (at a rate of 1 point per augment).
The intent behind ‘Gene’ training options is to allow characters to enhance their gene mods, so you may only spend points on a new gene mod if you don't have any Gene Mods that could be augmented or if all available augments would give you bonuses you already have. Additionally, only characters that already have the Genetic Modifications trait may gain Gene Mod points from training options.
Cosmetic Gene Mods
Cost: 0
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Your sclera is solid black, giving off a disturbing aura. Your irises may also be black, or sometimes another unnatural color.
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Your feet and legs are structured in a digitigrade manner, with your weight on your toes and an elongated heel in a sort of double knee. While you're forced to mostly buy custom footwear, it doesn't bother you otherwise.
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You are strangely lanky and thin, with elongated ears or limbs.
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All or some of your teeth grow sharp and pointy and in some cases, never stop growing.
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Thick, coarse hair grows in some parts of your body, like fur, many times along your spine or back.
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You have strange colors and pigmentation on your eyes, skin and and/or hair.
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Strange keratin formations grow from your skull on different places.
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The digits on your hands and feet may be longer or thicker than normal and sometimes you may have less of them than usual.
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Shimmering patterns appear on your skin. The patterns are permanent and vary from person to person, some look like animal markings whereas others might be reminiscent of circuitry.
Lesser Gene Mods
Cost: 1
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Several clusters and nervous nodes form as small bumps along the character’s spine, able to channel and project electricity.
You can add Shock(+1) to any Melee Attack you make.
Auto-targeting weapons have Disadvantage on attacks against you.
Augment:
Auto-targeting weapons have Major Disadvantage on attacks against you.
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There are small patches of bioluminescent skin on your body, usually arranged in simple patterns around your hands, shoulders or on your fingertips. At will, you can make them glow and light your way.
Can be used as a Flashlight.
As a 1 AP action, you can release a burst of light as an attack which automatically hits a single target with the following profile:
[Attack: n/a Damage: 0 Range: 5ft / Knockdown(2), Stun (3)]
Augment:
You can now use your burst of light attack for 2 AP as a Blast(2) centered on yourself.
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Your eyes sight is sharper than that of a regular human’s your slit pupils adapting to rapid changes in light and responding almost automatically to movement.
You can reduce enemy Cover by 1 degree when using a ranged attack.
Can see in the dark up to 60 feet away.
Augment:
You ignore Stealth when making ranged attacks.
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You grow sharp keratinous growths or scales along your nails, knuckles, elbows, etc., or razor sharp fangs/teeth.
+1D Damage on your Jab or Body Strike actions.
You are Proficient at Unarmed Fighting.
Augment:
Your Jabs or Body Strike actions gain the Sever quality.
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Your eyes are sunken in and smolder like hot coals, always surrounded by dark circles, your lower canines stick out slightly out of your mouth, your posture exudes aggression and swagger.
+1 Modifier on Presence tests.
Augment:
Additional +1 Modifier on Presence tests.
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The character’s skin is either thick and covered in a dark, rubbery coating, or shielded by coarse fur. Regardless of how it looks, the skin repels extreme cold or electricity.
Gain Shockproof (+1) and Coldproof (+1).
Augment:
Gain Fireproof(+1) and Chemproof(+1).
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Needle like blades grow out of your forearms up to your elbows, though most of them are usually hidden with a quick flick, they can become deadly projectiles.
Has up to 12 keratin spikes that count as Throwing Blades. You can regrow 1d3+1 spikes over a one hour rest or all of them over an 8 hour rest.
A spike can be thrown normally or as a free action.
Augment:
Your Keratin Spikes count as Throwing Blades with the Monomolecular and Balanced Mods.
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A strange array of gill like organs alongside the upper sides of the neck, they are used not for breathing, but to modulate sound and speech.
The character can perfectly replicate sounds and voices they have heard before, down to copying someone's pitch and accent.
Advantage on Performance or Deception tests to pretend to be someone else.
Augment:
+1 Modifier on Performance tests.
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Greenish veins or patterns extend from your flanks towards the center of your body, your wounds seem to close faster and heal better than those of regular humans.
Advantage on Vitality tests to recover from Wounds or Injuries.
You heal 1 Hit point at the beginning of each of your turns in combat as long as you are not Out of the Fight.
Augment:
You heal D3 Hit points at the beginning of each of your turns in combat instead of 1.
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Your ears are designed to better capture sounds, they are larger, longer and even shaped differently than those of other humans.
+1 Modifier on Perception tests.
Augment:
Additional +1 Modifier on Perception tests.
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Your hands are large and knotty and can close with vice-like power.
You cannot be disarmed.
Advantage on Grapple tests using Strength.
Augment:
Your Jab actions gain the Stun(+1) quality.
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Strong enhancements to olfactory organs manifest as slightly elongated nose or a change of color and texture on the tip of the nose on some... or an almost dog-like nose on others.
The character is able to identify and recognize people's scents.
The character gains Advantage on Survival or Perception tests to identify a scent or track someone whose scent they are familiar with.
Augment:
The characters gain Major Advantage on Survival or Perception tests to identify a scent or track someone whose scent they are familiar with, instead of advantage.
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You are equipped with a small, acidic poison-producing gland right above your gums, under your upper lip, and it can be used against others, if you can get them to ingest it.
Over a long rest, you can produce one Acid Canister, Poison Canister or Corrosive Canister.
As a Free action, you may perform one of the following attacks which counts as a Chem weapon;
[Attack: Dex + Aim / Damage: 5D /Range: 5-20ft / Poison(X), Ranged]
[Attack: Dex + Aim / Damage: 5D/Range: 5-10ft/Acid(X), Corrosive(X), Ranged]
Augment:
You gain Chemproof(+1).
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Your skin exudes powerful and potent toxins, to which you are immune. These are usually coupled with naturally occurring yet unusual colors and patterns on your skin as a warning.
Once per round, when an enemy hits you with a melee attack, you use a Reaction to force them to make a Fortitude(Endurance) test against your Passive Vitality or be affected by the Poisoned condition. If they pass the test, they become immune to the effect of your poison until they take a Long Rest.
Out of combat, anyone who touches you must also pass a test against your Passive Vitality or be affected by the Poisoned condition. If they pass the test, they become immune to the effect of your poison until they next rest for 8 hours.
Your Jab, Kick and Body Strike actions gain the Poison(X) quality.
Augment:
You gain Chemproof(+1).
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Particularly large, coiled horns are coupled with reinforced skull and neck bones and tissues, ideal for ramming.
Your Body Strike actions gain +1D damage and Knockback(+1).
Augment:
You can make a Body Strike as a Free Action as part of a Charge Maneuver.
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Your skin is pale or blue hued and your body is permanently cold, your breath is like the fog that rises from dry ice.
You can add Frost(+1) to any Melee Attack you make.
Gain Coldproof (+1)
Augment:
You gain an additional Coldproof(+1)
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You grow strange keratin scales on several parts of your body strong enough to offer some protection against blows.
+1 Natural Armor Value.
Augment:
+2 Natural Damage Resistance.
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There is a strange organ which grows right on the frontal lobe of your brain and extends through your skull to the front of your forehead, it looks like little more than a cross shaped slit. You do not know what this organ was designed to do originally, but it sometimes offers glimpses of things to come.
You gain Advantage on Investigation and Perception tests.
Augment:
You can never Critically Fail Investigation or Perception checks.
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Small glands capable of producing thin, sticky silk have grown at the tips of your fingers, under your fingernails. With time, you can use this silk for a variety of applications.
Over the course of at least one hour of downtime, the character may;
Create a continuous thin, near invisible thread of up to 60 feet in length that can stick to walls, dangle over openings. As long as the character is adjacent to the end of the thread, they will become aware of the thread being destroyed or disturbed, even if they are asleep.
Or; Produce 10 feet of super strong rope that weights half as much as regular rope. Each hour spent working on the rope adds 10 feet to the total length of a segment of rope but two individual segments of rope cannot be permanently attached.
Augment:
You can produce an additional 10 feet of rope or 60 feet of thread per hour.
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Usually manifests as eyes or ears more akin to those of a specific type of animal, they belay a deeper ability to communicate with animals.
The character is Proficient at Animal Handling and has advantage on Social Tests against animals.
Augment:
Hostile animals will not attack the character unless attacked first.
Standard Gene Mods
Cost: 2
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Sometimes manifested alongside clammy, rubbery skin, you have vestigial gills hidden along your neck and ribcage as well as webbed fingers and toes.
You are not considered Slowed when swimming.
You can breathe underwater for up to 60 minutes at a time, as long as there is oxygen present.
Augment:
You gain Coldproof(+1)
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Your hands and some parts of your body are equipped with rough micro ridges that allow you to ‘stick’ to surfaces.
You are not considered Slowed when climbing.
You Automatically Succeed on tests to climb out of combat.
Augment:
You gain a +1 Modifier on Grapple tests.
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Some of the musculature in your body is set as tight, stringy coils that are capable of generating quite a bit of force, but are very exhausting to use.
When you take a Run action, you can expend Stamina to increase your Running Speed by 5 feet per point of stamina spent, up to 30 extra feet.
When Exerting, you can give yourself Major Advantage instead of Advantage at the cost of 3 Stamina as opposed to 1.
Augment:
Granting yourself Major Advantage when exerting costs 2 stamina as opposed to 3.
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You are built exceedingly dense and tough, your bones are like steel and your organs encased in extra layers of protective tissue.
You have Disadvantage on any checks to swim, climb or jump.
When taking an Injury from damage you may chose to make an Endurance[Vitality] test and reduce the damage received by 5 for every success you obtain as opposed to the regular Injury rules.
+1 Modifier on Vitality tests.
Augment:
+3 Natural Damage Resistance.
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Somewhere in your body, you posses an extra organ the size of a baseball which can produce a variety of special compounds. The glow of the organ is noticeable through your skin and you have two small ducts connected to it on the roof of your mouth.
You can naturally produce one of these attacks as a 2 AP action:
Combustion Weapon: [Attack: None / Damage: 7D / Range: 5ft / Template(4), Ranged, Scorch(2)]
Frost Weapon: [Attack: None / Damage: 7D / Range: 5ft / Template(4), Ranged, Frost(2)]
Arc Weapon: [Attack: None / Damage: 7D / Range: 5ft / Template(4), Ranged, Shock(2)]
You pick the attack when you select this Gene Mod and may never change it.
Your breath attacks count as their corresponding weapon types for the purposes of trainings and abilities.
Augment:
Your breath attack deals +5pts of damage.
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Manifesting either as an array of acoustic ridges on your forehead or on elongated, larger ears, you can emit ultrasonic chirps and use them to make a mental map of your surroundings.
You can 'see' within 15 feet of yourself even if Blinded or in complete darkness.
As a Free action, you can release a pulse that detects any hidden or camouflaged creatures within 15 feet of you.
Augment:
The range of your echolocation and detection pulse increases to 30 feet.
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A thin, super strong membrane extends alongside a retractable lightweight vestigial arm-like structure on your back, allowing you to glide for short distances.
You take no damage from falling less than 30 feet and only injuries from falling more than 30 feet and less than 60 feet.
Can glide horizontally up to 10 feet for every 5 feet of fall distance.
Augment:
You get Major Advantage on checks to jump.
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Your limbs are longer than average and, while they may look a bit strange, they let you move fast.
+1 Modifier to Athletics tests.
+5ft walking speed.
+10ft running speed.
Augment:
Your melee attacks have an extra 5 feet of range on your turn.
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Silver lines of iridescent metallic deposits grow over certain parts of your body, when activated with a thought, they can generate a significant magnetic pull or disruption.
As a free action, you may pull any loose metallic object within 30 feet that you can see and weights no more than 5lbs to your hand.
You gain Major Advantage on Sneak tests against Mechs, Drones, Cameras and other electronic devices.
Augment:
The range of your Magnetoderms increases to 60 feet.
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Bony ridges or scales grow on several parts of your body, shielding your vital organs.
+2 Natural Armor Value.
+3 Natural Damage Resistance.
+1 Encumbrance
Augment:
- 1 Encumbrance
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Your stomach is endless and you can draw nourishment from anything edible with extreme speed. Your teeth may be sharp and can endlessly replace themselves as would a shark's.
As a 2 AP action, you can consume 1 tube of Nutripaste or any other GM approved edible material to instantly regain HP equal to your Endurance attribute.
Augment:
Consuming something also restores Stamina equal to half your Endurance attribute.
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Long, flexible protrusions stick out of your upper back, each topped by a small line of feathered webbing. Somehow, these appendages can relay sensory information as a sort of… danger sense, that tickles at the back of your neck.
As a reaction, you can turn in any direction whenever targeted by an attack.
You can use the Brace action as a Reaction.
If you can already Brace as a reaction, you can now Free Move as no action whenever you do it.
Augment:
You can use the Hunker Down action as a Reaction.
If you can already Hunker Down as a reaction, you can Disengage as no action whenever you do it.
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You have a specialized organ with two chemical receivers as small holes right above your collarbone. This organ can pick up the hallmark chemicals exuded by a person when they lie.
+1 Modifier on Empathy tests.
You can re-roll Empathy tests in social situations but you must keep the second roll.
Augment:
When you re-roll Empathy tests, you can choose either roll.
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You are shorter than average, thick bodied and tough. While you might not be the fastest, you sure are hard to knock down.
+1 modifier on Fortitude tests.
You have Advantage on tests against being Knocked Back and/or Knocked Down.
Your Running speed is reduced by 10ft.
Augment:
Your Advantage on against being Knocked Down and/or Knocked Back increases to Major Advantage.
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You have a tail at least as long as your arm, it helps keep you balanced and you have enough degree of control over it to manipulate small objects.
+1 Modifier on Evasion tests.
+1 Passive Evasion.
As a free action, you may pick up an object that weighs 2lb or less that is within 5 feet of you.
Augment:
You can sacrifice your tail without requiring an action to halve the damage received from a Melee attack. The tail will take 1D3+1 days to regrow.
Greater Gene Mods
Cost: 3
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Red crystalline shards grow out of your skin, usually focused around your hands, shoulders and parts of your chest, they are usually coupled with somewhat unnaturally hued skin, hair or eyes.
You are immune to the Poisoned condition.
You do not need to sleep, but do need to remain inactive or at a rest state for at least 4 hours every day.
If you take a non-mechanical enemy Out of the Fight with a melee attack, you can immediately Heal from an Injury or recover 1D6+1 HP.
Augment:
If you use your Alpha Strain to recover HP beyond your maximum HP, you add the extra Hit Points healed as Temporary HP.
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Unnaturally pale, individuals with genes laced with the Beta Strain have black veiny patterns along their skins, sharp fangs and pitch black, hooded eyes.
You do not need to sleep, but do need to remain inactive or at a rest state for at least 4 hours every day.
Your Body Strike actions gain Corrosion (X)
If you knock a non-mechanical target Out of the Fight with a Body Strike action, you can immediately make an Endurance(Vitality) test and add the successes to a wound of your choice you are currently recovering from. If you are not wounded, you instead add the successes to your HP as temporary Hit Points.
Augment:
You can take your time on a Body Strike action to deal +5 pts of damage and gain the Coup de Grace(+2) quality.
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There is a strange quality on your voice that makes people want to listen to you. Meaning you find it easier to manipulate those around you. When forced or used actively, the voice can come out as noticeable yet hypnotic, echoing hum which can entrance a single target.
+1 Modifier on Diplomacy tests.
+1 Modifier on Deception tests.
You can force your voice to create a hypnotic, echoing hum alongside your words that allows you to re-roll any number of dice on any Charisma test that involves speaking, but is very noticeable to all but the target. Each die only be re-rolled once.
Augment:
You gain a +1 Modifier on Performance tests.
You gain a +1 Modifier on Empathy tests.
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Gamma Strain Individuals tend to look frail and pale, with yellowish, sunken eyes and coarse pale skin... closer inspection tends to reveal thin stringy muscle of iron-like strength and sharp claws tipping each finger.
As a Free action, you can shift into a more bestial form. These forms change between individuals but usually entail growing sharp, black quills, large fanged teeth or spine like scales. Reverting from your bestial form is a 3 AP action.
As long as you remain in this form, you are afflicted by the Berserk condition and you gain the following benefits;
Major Advantage on all Strength and Dexterity tests.
Your running speed increases by 20 feet.
All your melee attacks gain Sever.
Augment:
While you are in your bestial form, you ignore the effects of any Injuries you receive and can remain conscious even if below 0 HP.
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Your body runs hot, it is able to break down, absorb and even reject substances and poisons in record time. Faint vein-like structures can be seen under your skin, ranging from green to purple.
The duration of all substances you consume is halved.
You are immune to addiction.
Major Advantage on tests against substances, poisons and acids.
Augment:
You reduce Exhaustion by one additional level whenever you take a rest lasting one hour or longer.
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Your skin can change color to fit its surroundings or simply as a dazzling display to confound those who see you. While a neat parlor trick at home, it might actually have an application in combat.
Sneak is a Specialized Skill
Increases Stealth by 1.
Once a day; You can become invisible for up to 10 minutes, gaining Major Advantage on Sneak tests and Stealth(2). If you take damage, use an item or attack while invisible the effect ends.
Augment:
Instead of going invisible, you can visually morph into another human of similar build and stature as yourself for 10 minutes.
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There is something ‘different’ in your brain, like a switch that pushes you towards pursuit and violence. When this switch flips, the entirety of your eyes become solid black and devoid of emotion, focused on your prey.
You can see in the dark up to 60 feet away.
As a free action, you can ‘Mark’ a target you can see.
While the target is alive, any tests against them have advantage. Any tests against someone other than your target have disadvantage.
The target cannot benefit from sneak attack damage against you or gain flanking advantages against you.
You cannot mark a new target until your original target is Out of the Fight, out of line of sight or combat is over.
Augment:
The advantage against marked targets increases to Major Advantage, the Disadvantage against non-marked targets increases to Major Disadvantage.
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You have always healed faster than normal… healed different too. Not only do wounds close and scars fade but things… things grow back.
+1 Modifier on Vitality tests.
+1 Modifier on Fortitude tests.
You can re-roll tests to recover from Wounds and pick either result.
You heal 1 Hit point at the beginning of each of your turns in combat. as long as you are not Out of the Fight.
You can grow back limbs and other body parts over 4 weeks after a wound has completely healed.
Augment:
You heal D6 Hit points at the beginning of each of your turns in combat instead of 1.
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A Tertiary bone grows hidden alongside the radius, just barely under the skin. With a diamond sharp carbon edge, it can be deployed without a warning.
Character has an organic Blade, Sword or Curved Sword (your choice) with a Monomolecular mod hidden in each forearm, you may choose for them to have the Finesse quality.
These blades can be deployed as a free action and are otherwise hidden and imperceptible.
The character has an Advantage on all attacks and +1D damage with their Scything talons and cannot be disarmed if using them.
If the blades are destroyed as gear, they snap and must regrow over 48 hours.
Augment:
Once per encounter and on the turn in which the Scything talons are first deployed, attacks with them gain the Coup de Grace(+2) quality.
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Strange patches akin to circuitry grow along several spots on your skin, carrying an electrical charge along them.
+1 Modifier on Datacraft tests.
Can have an extra Dermal Implant.
Major Advantage on tests to adapt to new implants.
Augment:
You can spend an hour resting to recover either 1D3+1 Tech Points or 1D3+1 Energy on your equipment.