Difficulties

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Summary

All heroes have their issues. Difficulties are designed as a guideline for adding more 'flavor' or detail to a Character and their personal story. This can be in the form of a simple Quirk that changes the way a Hero may behave and primarily impacts role-playing. Or it can include Advanced Difficulties as in Cybernetics, Mutations, Psionics which can add new rules to combat and conflict resolutions.

Quirks: Are role-playing and story-driven Difficulties that can also be called Flaws. Those are mostly centered around Character development, as in something for a Character to overcome about themselves. The effect is usually (but not limited to) a role-playing feature that does not directly affect the Character attributes. Although Quirks do come with penalties that are designed to mostly affect rolling playing situations and not combat. Quirk's penalties are specific and defined in their description. A reward is provided by the GM to the Character that successfully overtime overcomes these Character flaws which can include a small bonus that was opposite of the penalty.

Advanced Difficulties: There are 3 advanced types of difficulties. Each deserves its own special categories and rules. These are considered controversial in the universe of Future Path and most societies shun or even eliminate peoples with these traits.

Cybernetics: This is when electronic and mechanical components are used to enhance or even replace biological components. IE: Super strength, speed, senses
Mutations: This is when extremely complicated and rare genetic changes cause overwhelming positive and unique results in a specimen. IE: Enhanced senses, Shapechanging, Regeneration
Psionics: This is the rarest and most controversial type of Mutation that results in difficult-to-explain abilities in the specimen. IE: Telekinise, Telepathy, Elemental Control

Detractors: These are more general penalties that have no positive side effects and are considered permanent. They are used by Advanced Difficulties as a balancing force between the enhanced abilities provided by the Advanced Difficulties.

Quirks/Flaws

Quirks or Flaws are character attributes that are largely used for role-playing. They can help build a story for your Character and have some personal aspect of there personality or body that they can optionally choose to overcome. They can have effects on rolling but should only be limited to non-combat situations and should be minor in nature unless used in place of a Detractor. A Player should notify a GM if there Character has a Quirk and if they intend to, overtime, overcome it.

To learn more about the rules for Quirks/Flaws and all the possible options visit its page here.

Advanced Difficulties

There are 3 different types of advanced difficulties within Future Path. These are Cybernetics, Mutations, and Psionics. They each come with their own rules explaining advantages and disadvantages. What makes these stand out the most is how the majority of citizens of the Ring see those who walk this Path. Most cultures frown upon those who are Cyborgs, mutants, or mutants with Psionic powers. Many cultures even restrict or even outlaw these people. And some go out of their way to 'purify' the galaxy of them. To be an enhanced adventure with one of these abilities is to each judgment from their peers and even death.

A Character can only pick one of these difficulties. Psionics is a special form of Mutation and being a mutant of any kind makes the cybernetic implant not compatible with the Character's body.

Cybernetics

Cybernetics is the most common difficulty in the Future Path Universe and so doesn't get as much flak. However, prejudice is still real. The most common and least extreme example of this is people who get implants for medical reasons such as to replace body parts like a missing leg or arm. Most cultures forbid these people from participating in sports. Most people who get body parts replaced are willing to pay more for Cybernetic implants that look and feel 'normal' creating a very profitable market for companies willing to give implants to anyone even people not needing them. This has led to more and more advancements in Cybernetics that provide more enhancements in functionality, not just replacement. This is where the line starts to get really fuzzy and many Civilizations outlaw this practice or at the very least look down on those who choose artificial means of self-improvement.

Cybernetics that only replace features of a Character do not count as a Special Difficulty. Characters that declare they are taking the Cybernetic Special Difficulties imply that their Cybernetic implants provide enhancements not merely for medical use.

When getting a cybernetic implant that provides an enhancement for the first time the Character has to take the Cybernetic Prejudice difficulty and one Detractor.

Learn more about these replacements and enhancements at the Cybernetics page.

Mutations

Mutations are very rare in most species. Usually, less than .1% have major or noticeable mutations. Even fewer have mutations that can provide some kind of benefit amongst all the negatives. Most people see mutants as evolutionary mistakes and/or a cautionary tale to those who wish to play 'God' with the building blocks of life. However, not all see it this way. Mutations can be seen as a gift and as a source of learning for future generations. Mutations are either natural or caused by accidental or forced exposure to a catalyst such as different forms of radiation or some special nano-machine that rewrites DNA etc...

Some species mutations are more common. Humans once nuked their homeworld Earth almost to oblivion and thus Humans have a higher population of mutants, particularly on Earth. Most cultures shy away from the weird and macabre and mutates are cast away from society.

In order too declare a Character is a mutant the Character must have one difficulty that provides negatives associated with Charisma and one Detractor.

Learn more about mutations and their side effects at the Mutations page.

Psionics

Psionics is a very uncommon form of mutation. Less than 0.01% of mutants so signs of Psionics. Although some species have adopted low-level Psionics through millions of years of evolution most species do not have such powers. Telekinesis, Telepathy, and other phenomena have been supposedly recorded by different civilizations across time. However, so rare are these abilities that little is known about them except for some minor Telepathy abilities certain species seem to possess between each other.

Most people choose to believe they do not exist or at the very least over exaggerated. Some cultures due to tradition, spiritual or other reasons have governments that actively try to dismiss or even remove mutations and Psionics in particular. However, the Graylings embrace Psionics and have an unusual amount of people with abilities the most common of which is Telepathy. They continue to fight for the rights of mutants, particularly Telepaths around the Ring. They often downplay their own abilities to better fit with their fellow Galatic colleges by explaining that their Psionic powers come more from technology than from some unknown biological process.

A Psionics must take one Quirk/Flaw and one Detractor before they can start to benefit from their Psionic powers.

Learn more about these rare but powerful abilities at the Psionics page.

Detractors

Detractors are more extreme penalties that directly affect a Character's attributes in a more general way than a Flaw does. Its effects are permanent and cannot be removed. It always is meant as a general affliction that applies during both combat and normal gameplay. Detractors also provide no positive benefits. Detractors are often used in the rules for Advanced Difficulties such as Cybernetics, Mutations, Psionics. However, they can also be applied to the Character if the Player wishes to add extra spice and difficulty to their Character's journey. These can also be used if the Player/GM wishes to invite their own Quirk/Flaw and are looking for a penalty although it is recommended that the penalty for a Flaw that comes from here should be reduced or made more specific to the nature of the Flaw.

GM Note: The GM can ban the use of Detractors or the use of certain Detractors when applied to improving Advanced Difficulties. It can become very easy to enhance a Character and have Detractors that do not impact a Character significantly. That is *NOT* the point of a Detractor. These are general disadvantages that are meant to directly hinder a Hero's Path/Journey. For example a Character that takes a Detractors for a Skill that they never intend to improve should be frowned upon and the GM should have finial say on if they except the Detractor a Player picks to enhance there Character.

Detractors List

Ability Reduction

Gain a reduction to a specific Ability. An example of Ability Reduction would be 'Ability Reduction (Strength) x2'. This implies that the Strength Score is reduced by 2. This cannot be used to reduce something below a total score of 7.

Requirements: In order to count towards an Advanced Difficulty the Score needs to be reduced by 2.

Ability Cap

This is a cap on the max score of an Ability. An example would be 'Ability Cap (Dexterity) 12'. This implies that the Character can only have a max of 12 for their Dexterity score. When given if the Character has more than 12 they lose the extra points. If given as part of Character creation the Character can move the points around. If taken more than once for the same Ability then whatever the lower score counts and the other Ability Cap is removed. The Cap cannot be lower than 10.

Requirements: Must be taken before level 12. Cannot use this towards an Advanced Difficulty if the Score is already 18 or above.

Skill Deficiency

This causes a negative modifier to be applied to the Skill in question. An example would be 'Skill Deficiency (Disguise) -4'. This would imply that the Character has a minus 4 whenever they attempt to use the skill Disguise.

Requirements: This needs to be a minimum of -3 to count towards an Advanced Difficulty. Needs to be a Skill that the Character has Ranks in. Cannot use this on Crafting, Language, any Knowledge Skills.

Skill Rank Cap

This causes a cap on the max Skill Rank of a particular skill. An example would be 'Skill Rank Cap (Knowledge - Culture) 3'. This would imply that the Knowledge - Culture skill can never exceed the Rank of 3.

Requirements: Must be taken by level 10. Needs to be a Skill that the Character has Ranks in. Cannot use this on Crafting, Language, any Knowledge Skills.

Skill Growth

Here the number of provided skill points is reduced by 1 for every time the Character gets this Detractor. IE: 'Skill Growth x3' would mean the Character gets -3 skill points per level. This cannot be given if the Character is already down to zero. Even if the Character is at Zero skill points can be awarded by other means. Zero also means that the Character only gets Skill Points at every Odd level. Skill Points that are awarded at Character level 1 as part of Character creation are not affected by Skill Growth.

Requirements: Can only be taken once. From level 1-5 this is an x1. From level 6-10 this must be x2 or it won't count towards an Advanced Difficulty. From 11-15 must be x3 or won't count towards an Advanced Difficulty. Cannot be taken after level 15.

Proficiency Trees

Technologically Illiterate: The Character cannot improve there existing Technology score in the Proficiency Tree.

Melee/Ranged/Armor Branch: The Character has to spend 2 points instead of 1 for every level beyond level 2 in the Melee/Ranged Branchs or Armor Branch.

Power Armor: The Character finds wearing Power Armor difficult. Each Rank costs 2 points instead of 1.

Requirements: This can only be picked once. Has to be taken by level 10.

Languages

The Character finds it harder than normal to learn new languages. Language skill is not considered Natural to them. All learned Language skill slots require two points to advance instead of one. (Not counting the initial skill rank)

Requirements: Can only be taken once. Has to be taken by level 10.

XP Sink

The Character gains less XP than other Characters do. This goes by increments of 5%. IE: (XP Sink 10%) would imply that each time XP is rewarded out to this Character they take 10% less. This doesn't mean that XP is divided up unevenly between Characters. If there is a reward of 400 XP and there are 4 players each gets 25% of the XP and the Character with the 'XP Sink 10%' simply earns 90XP while all others earn 100.

Requirements: This behaves similar to Skill Growth. Every 5 levels the minimum requirement for this to count towards an Advanced Difficulty this increases by 5%. So from level 1-5 this is 5% to count. If a Character is level 6-10 and they take this difficulty they have to start at 10% and goes by increments of 10% and so on.

Techniques

This only applies to Characters that can use Class specific Techniques. The Character can only know and use Techniques as if they are 1 level lower. This can only be applied once.

Requirements: Can only be taken once.

Hit-Points Reduction

This reduces the amount a Character gets per level. Each time this is applied the Character gets 1 less HP per level. An example would be 'HP Reduction x2' This would imply each level the Character gets 2 less HP. This cannot be applied more than 5 times. This cannot cause a Character to gain at less than 2 HP per level. This is applied retroactive starting at level 2.

Requirements: None

Damage Sensitivity

The Character has become weakened to a particular damage type. Learn about damage types and attributes here. This acts like Weakness rules for Danage Types.

Requirements: Can only be taken twice.

Feat Blocking

The Character is restricted from being able to apply a particular Feat.

Requirements: Has to be a Feat that the Character can be eligible for. This can not be applied to the following Categories: Specialty Skills, Difficulties, Skill Enhancements, Misc Feats.