Utility Abilities

by bioa10



This is a simple system intended to help flesh out characters and provide them with useful abilities outside of combat. Each Hero may choose a number of abilities equal to their tier, and may change these abilities whenever they increase in tier or if the Storyteller permits.

There are two ways to use this system. The first is by sorting abilities by class with a few general abilities. The second is to sort the abilities into themes called archetypes. If using the class sorting, Heroes may choose any ability from the general list or from their class list. If using the archetype sorting, Heroes may choose any ability from their archetype list.


  • General
  • Basic Telekinesis: You can perform simple actions up to Range 5.
  • Conjure Weapons: Your weapons are not always present. Instead you conjure your weapons whenever they are needed. You can only know how to conjure a single melee and ranged weapon at a time. When you gain a new weapon you can learn to conjure it by forgetting the previous weapon of that type.
  • Elemental Conjuration: You can conjure handfuls of Air, Earth, Fire, or Water.
  • Familiar: You have a small animal that can perform simple tasks for you.
  • Polyglot: You can speak, read, and write all common languages.
  • Read Emotions: You can clearly see how people are feeling by looking at them.
  • Sleepless: You no longer need to sleep.
  • Ardent
  • Coat of Flames: You can wear a coat of flames which protects you from both extreme cold and heat.
  • Explosive Charge: You can set up a simple explosive charge which will blow through simple terrain. This takes time to set up making it unusable in combat.
  • Give Me Fuel: When you gaze intensely into someone's eyes, you may ask them "What fuels the flames of your desire?" and they'll answer with the truth.
  • Druid
  • Cleanse: You can cleanse food and drink of any ill effects.
  • Passage of Time: You can cause time to rapidly accelerate on objects that you touch, such as causing wood to rot or food spoiling.
  • Tools of Life: You can create basic tools from plant life around you.
  • Invoker
  • Defile: You can curse food and drink, making it unfit to consume. Creatures that consume cursed items feel as if they have eaten rotten food.
  • Illusive Guise: You can change your appearance at will. This is a simple illusion and does not alter the tactile or audible components of you or your equipment.
  • Mold Earth: You can mold earthen materials as if it were clay.
  • Archer
  • Airstep: When travelling out of combat, you may travel as the crow flies.
  • Always Prepared: You can buy items available in the local area at any time for double the cost and treat it as if you had it the whole time.
  • Tracker: You can always track a creature as long as there is a physical trail left behind.
  • Rogue
  • Poisonous Arsenal: You always have any poison you need.
  • Second Identity: You have two identities and anything you do in one identity can not be linked back to your other identity unless they see you switching.
  • Shadowstalk: You can follow anyone without being seen.
  • Warrior
  • Brute: You can lift about a ton without much effort.
  • Warrior's Intuition: You can sense when you are being watched or targeted and the general direction but nothing more precise.
  • Well of Stamina: You never get tired from basic movement tasks such as climbing or running.
  • Atlanta
  • Heroic Spirit: Others are often put at ease around you and will assist you if requested as long as it does not bring them harm and is not against their beliefs or morals.
  • Insight: Through religion or some other means, you are able to gain insight on a topic. Once per day you may ask the Storyteller a yes or no question.
  • Purge Illness: You can cure any non-magical disease or illness.
  • Spiritualist
  • Everyoung: You will never die of old age and will only age in appearance if you wish to.
  • Seance: If you have a tie to a deceased creature, you can call forth their spirit and ask it a single question.
  • Spiritual Advisor: You have a spirit that follows you and can inform you of local events.
  • Tactician
  • Envoy: As long as you obey the local laws you can meet with important people or seek an audience with the local ruler.
  • Inspire: Whenever you are in a group of people, you can give a speech or perform another action which will raise the spirits of everyone around you. This puts everyone in a much more helpful mood.
  • Map Master: After studying a map once, you can remember it perfectly and always find the best path between two points.
  • Chessmaster
  • According to Plan: Once per session, something lucky will happen at the right time. You convince everyone that it was part of the plan the whole time, because of course it was.
  • Expert Teamwork: Once per day, an ally can perform an action using your abilities as if you were there to help.
  • Pieces on a Board: As long as your allies are within a mile (1.5 Km) of your position, you know the general direction and distance to them.
  • Healer
  • Cleanse: You can cleanse food and drink of any ill effects.
  • Everyoung: You will never die of old age and will only age in appearance if you wish to.
  • Heroic Spirit: Others are often put at ease around you and will assist you if requested as long as it does not bring them harm and is not against their beliefs or morals.
  • Insight: Through religion or some other means, you are able to gain insight on a topic. Once per day you may ask the Storyteller a yes or no question.
  • Purge Illness: You can cure any non-magical disease or illness.
  • Seance: If you have a tie to a deceased creature, you can call forth their spirit and ask it a single question.
  • Spiritual Advisor: You have a spirit that follows you and can inform you of local events.
  • Tools of Life: You can create basic tools from plant life around you.
  • Leader
  • According to Plan: Once per session, something lucky will happen at the right time. You convince everyone that it was part of the plan the whole time, because of course it was.
  • Envoy: As long as you obey the local laws you can meet with important people or seek an audience with the local ruler.
  • Expert Teamwork: Once per day, an ally can perform an action using your abilities as if you were there to help.
  • Give Me Fuel: When you gaze intensely into someone's eyes, you may ask them "What fuels the flames of your desire?" and they'll answer with the truth.
  • Inspire: Whenever you are in a group of people, you can give a speech or perform another action which will raise the spirits of everyone around you. This puts everyone in a much more helpful mood.
  • Map Master: After studying a map once, you can remember it perfectly and always find the best path between two points.
  • Pieces on a Board: As long as your allies are within a mile (1.5 Km) of your position, you know the general direction and distance to them.
  • Polyglot: You can speak, read, and write all common languages.
  • Read Emotions: You can clearly see how people are feeling by looking at them.
  • Mage
  • Basic Telekinesis: You can perform simple actions up to Range 5.
  • Coat of Flames: You can wear a coat of flames which protects you from both extreme cold and heat.
  • Conjure Weapons: Your weapons are not always present. Instead you conjure your weapons whenever they are needed. You can only know how to conjure a single melee and ranged weapon at a time. When you gain a new weapon you can learn to conjure it by forgetting the previous weapon of that type.
  • Defile: You can curse food and drink, making it unfit to consume. Creatures that consume cursed items feel as if they have eaten rotten food.
  • Elemental Conjuration: You can conjure handfuls of Air, Earth, Fire, or Water.
  • Explosive Charge: You can set up a simple explosive charge which will blow through simple terrain. This takes time to set up making it unusable in combat.
  • Familiar: You have a small animal that can perform simple tasks for you.
  • Illusive Guise: You can change your appearance at will. This is a simple illusion and does not alter the tactile or audible components of you or your equipment.
  • Mold Earth: You can mold earthen materials as if it were clay.
  • Passage of Time: You can cause time to rapidly accelerate on objects that you touch, such as causing wood to rot or food spoiling.
  • Scout
  • Airstep: When travelling out of combat, you may travel as the crow flies.
  • Always Prepared: You can buy items available in the local area at any time for double the cost and treat it as if you had it the whole time.
  • Poisonous Arsenal: You always have any poison you need.
  • Second Identity: You have two identities and anything you do in one identity can not be linked back to your other identity unless they see you switching.
  • Shadowstalk: You can follow anyone without being seen.
  • Sleepless: You no longer need to sleep.
  • Tracker: You can always track a creature as long as there is a physical trail left behind.
  • Warrior's Intuition: You can sense when you are being watched or targeted and the general direction but nothing more precise.
  • Well of Stamina: You never get tired from basic movement tasks such as climbing or running.