Universal Exploits

180 hammerhead (requires piloting skill; AGI 8+). A starship is rotated 180 degrees while continuing its momentum, enabling it to face and fire at pursuers. The ship continues moving in the same direction it was moving initially, and cannot turn until this maneuver is performed again to correct its facing.

Achilles heel (requires LOG 5+; aim; any [scientific] skill). Identifying a weakness in your target, you pay 2d6 and bypass its SOAK score. This exploit can only be performed once per target. Alternatively, you may grant this bonus to one ally who must use it within one round.

Aim. This is identical to the Feint exploit, but for ranged combat; it grants +1d6 bonus to an attack roll taken in the same turn. The attack action must come immediately after the aiming action. All characters get either the Aim, Focus, or Feint exploit for free.

Always prepared (requires LOG 8+). You have a brilliant tactical mind, and are always prepared. You may declare a single action which you took prior to the encounter (even if you didn't know the encounter was going to take place) which helps you in this exact scenario. This must be an action you were capable of.

Analytics (requires LOG 6+). Studying your target's behaviour, you notice a pattern to its actions. You grant all allies within 30' a +1d6 bonus to attack the target until the start of your next turn. This costs one action.

Arcane recharge (requires meditation skill). You can spend five minutes to recover 2d6 Magic Points once per day.

Arcane secret (requires LOG 4+). You have learned or discovered an arcane secret - either an element, creature type, or virtue. You can take this exploit multiple times, learning a new secret each time, but you may know no more secrets than your LOG attribute.

Arm lock (requires AGI 8+, martial arts skill). When you successfully grab a foe, you place your target in a painful armlock. The target gains the Restrained condition, drops any items in that hand, and cannot use that arm until he escapes. You may move at half SPEED, taking your victim with you. If you apply this twice, the attacker gains the severe Restrained condition.

Attune Implement. A magical implement you own (wand, staff, holy symbol, orb) gains one level of quality when you use it to cast spells.

Bearhug (requires STR 8+). When you successfully grab a foe, you grab your target with both arms, squeezing him. You can only bearhug a target of your size category or smaller. The target gains the Restrained condition, and takes 1d6 damage at the start of each of his turns. You may move at half SPEED, taking your victim with you.

Blindfighter. Skilled at using senses other than sight for combat, you may ignore darkness and the Blind condition for melee combat.

Blinding attack (requires AGI 6+). You throw sand into your opponent’s eyes, cover him in a cloak, pull his helm down, or gash his forehead; on a successful hit your target gains the Blind condition.

Blind shot (requires LUC 5+). While in full cover, you may pay 2d6 to take a shot without looking at what you are shooting at or exposing yourself. You use your LUC attribute instead of your AGI or INT for this shot.

Brush off (requires STR 8+). You contemptuously brush aside some melee attacks. Once per turn you may remove one die of damage from a successful melee attack against you, as long as the attacker is your size or smaller.

Burst of speed (requires piloting or driving skill). Your mount, ship, or vehicle gains a speed boost of 2 hexes/squares for the turn.

Burnout (requires driving skill). You launch your vehicle forward from a stationary position at maximum acceleration, gaining double acceleration in the first round only.

Charge. Move your speed in a straight line and then attack at the end of it and pay 2d6. You gain +1d6 damage to your attack. You must move at least 10'.

Cleave (requires STR 8+). When using STR as your attack attribute, you follow through in one mighty swing, and make an additional attack at -1d6 against an adjacent foe if the first one hits.

Counterhack. When an opponent is attempting to access your systems using the System Override exploit, you may make an immediate opposed LOG check to block the attempt.

Crippling strike (requires AGI 5+; deadly strike). You expertly target your opponent’s legs, causing a wound which inflicts the Slowed condition upon him.

Dart In (requires Charge). You move your SPEED, make a melee attack at –1d6, and then move your SPEED back again to your starting position. You cannot combine this exploit with other exploits, not can you dart in while on difficult terrain.

Deadly strike (requires AGI or STR 5+). You inflict an additional 1d6 damage with a successful hit. For a ranged attack, this is likely a headshot. By default, any character can trade attack dice to increase damage on a 2:1 basis.

Death from on high (requires charge). You pay 2d6 and drop down on your opponent from at least 5' above him. This counts as a charge but knocks your opponent prone and does 2d6 extra damage instead of 1d6.

Die hard (requires WIL 8+). While at negative HEALTH you are still conscious, and can take one action per round. You still form the death countdown pool as normal. If you take any further damage, you fall unconscious as normal.

Dive for cover (requires AGI 7+). If a ranged attack misses you, you may immediately move half your speed and either throw yourself prone or get behind cover if it is in range. This is a free reaction.

Dodge (requires AGI 6+). You may use a reaction to dodge one attack you are aware of, as long as you are not in cover. State your intention before the attack roll. The attacker suffers a -2d6 penalty for that attack.

Double tap (requires AGI 7+; aim). You fire two quick shots at your target at the cost of just one action, paying 2d6.

Dual Defense (requires AGI 8+). When dual-wielding, you can use both weapons defensively; you count as wielding a large shield until your next turn, but you cannot attack until your next turn.

Draw a bead (requires INT 5+). The penalty for firing at a target engaged in melee is reduced from 2d6 to 1d6.

e-Defender. Your starship gains +4 e- DEFENSE. This does not stack with additional e-Defenders.

Evasive action (requires AGI 5+; piloting skill). You use your action to perform a series of evasive maneuvers which grant your ship +4 DEFENSE until the start of your next turn.

Expert Disarm (requires AGI 6). When you use a Called Shot to disarm a target, you do not have to pay the 2d6.

Extreme concentration (requires WIL 8+; concentration skill). You can maintain concentration on two simultaneous spells. Each requires an action to maintain (thus requiring a whole turn to maintain both).

Far Shot. You increase range increments by 50%.

Feint. This is identical to the Aim exploit, but for melee combat; it grants +1d6 bonus to an attack roll taken in the same turn. The attack action must come immediately after the feinting action. All characters get either the Focus, Aim or Feint exploit for free.

Fleet. You are faster than you look. You gain +2 SPEED beyond that granted by your STR and AGI attributes. This does not stack with other SPEED bonuses.

Flying kick (requires AGI 8+; martial arts skill). You move your speed and issue a flying kick at the end of it, dealing your martial arts damage with a bonus 1d6 damage.

Focus. If you spend one action focusing, you gain +1d6 to a spell cast in the same round. Like Aim and Feint, this exploit is available to starting characters.

Fortitude. You gain a permanent +2 MELEE DEFENSE, able to shrug off many attacks.

High energy turn (requires piloting skill; INT 8+). The pilot uses FTL energy to force a ship into any emergency facing. It requires an AGI check equal to 10 + the ship's class. Failure infliucts 1d6 damage to the ship's SS per ship class. Success allows the pilot to face the ship in any direction he wishes.

Hunker down (requires END 6+). Cover grants you one extra die of cover.

Improviser. You are adept at using bar stools and other items as weapons. You suffer no attack penalties for improvised melee weapons.

Iron Will. You gain a permanent +2 to MENTAL DEFENSE, able to shrug off many mental attacks.

J-turn (requires driving skill; AGI 6+). Otherwise known as the "moonshiner's turn", you reverse and spin your vehicle 180-degrees. Also known as a "Rockford", this exploit allows you to drive a vehicle forward as normal from any facing.

Jury-rig (requires LOG 6+; engineering skill). You modify a weapon (yours or an adjacent ally's) to either increase its range by 50% or its damage by +1d6 until the start of your next turn.

Knockback (requires knockdown). When you use a Called Shot to move a target, you do not have to pay the 2d6; however, for each 1d6 you choose to pay, the target is pushed one extra square.

Knockdown (requires STR 5+). When you use a Called Shot to knock a target prone, you do not have to pay the 2d6; additionally, the target gains the Downed condition (making it unable to stand until that condition has been shaken off).

Leadership (requires CHA 8+). You are able to donate one or more of your available LUC dice to another character as a free reaction to their attempting an attribute check. You must declare this before they roll the dice.

Leaping Attack (requires AGI 8+, Charge). You leap into the air as you make a melee attack. You gain +1d6 damage, but if you miss your opponent gets a free attack.

Lightning Reflexes. You gain a permanent +2 to RANGED DEFENSE, able to dodge many ranged attacks.

Lucky Escape (requires LUC 6+). You may avoid all damage from one attack as a free reaction. You can only do this once per day.

Lunge. You increase your reach by 5' for one attack at a cost of –1d6.

Mighty Sunder (requires Sunder). Half the damage from your sunder also applies to the target weapon’s wielder.

Opportunist stomp. You can stomp on an adjacent prone opponent as a free action. This is an unarmed attack and uses your natural damage value.

Opportunity Strike. You can make an attack as a free action attack against a foe who disengages from melee combat with you.

Organization member. You are a member of a specific organization, and gain all the benefits that membership grants. You do not recover this exploit should you leave the organization or should it cease to exist.

Pep talk (requires CHA 6+). You can spend your ambush turn (if you have access to it) giving your allies a pep talk. They all gain a +1d6 bonus to initiative in the ensuing combat.

Piledriver (requires STR 8+, wrestling skill). You grab your opponent, lift him, and then drop to the ground, driving his head into the ground. Both you and your opponent end up prone. The exploit costs 2d6 and, if successful, the target takes double damage and gains the Dazed condition.

Point-Blank Shot. You get +1d6 to hit ranged targets within 10'. This does not stack with the +1d6 from using a sidearm against an adjacent foe.

Predictive reflexes (requires INT 6+). You are good at reading the situation. You gain a permanent +1d6 bonus to your INITIATIVE checks.

Protector (requires END 5+). You can take an attack meant for an adjacent ally. If the attack hits your ally, you take the damage instead. If you have a shield, the ally also benefits from your shield's defense bonus.

Quickstand (requires AGI 6+, martial arts skill). Once per turn you can stand immediately from prone as a free action or reaction and you are immune to the Downed condition.

Quickdraw (requires AGI 6+). If you are disarmed, you may immediately draw another weapon as an immediate reaction as long as you have one available.

Quick Mount (requires riding skill). You can mount or dismount a horse or other mount as a free action. Otherwise, this would cost an action.

Quickstep. You can move 5’ as a free action.

Reckless act. In utter disregard for your own safety, you make yourself a target as you unleash your attacks. You gain +1d6 to ranged attacks as long as you are not concealed, in cover, or using a shield. If you use Dodge, or any other exploit which protects you, you lose this bonus for one minute.

Reinforce shield (requires LOG 6+; computer operation skill). Until the start of your next turn, one shield (forward, aft, port, or starboard) becomes reinforced. It gains a +2 SOAK.

Relativity corkscrew (requires piloting skill; physics skill; LOG 10+). This complex maneuver uses FTL speeds, time dilation, and high-level calculations to gain a temporal advantage in starship combat. An FTL drive is necessary. One action is used to perform the relativity corkscrew, but the ship gains three actions in return. However, this is a dangerous maneuver and requires a Strenuous [25] LOG check to accomplish. It cannot be performed again until at least one hour has been spent maintaining the FTL engines.

Ricochet (requires INT 8+; aim). You can pay 4d6 to “bounce” a ranged attack off of one surface in order to hit a target to whom you would not normally have line of sight. This does not negate the target's cover bonuses; it merely creates a line of sight to a target where there previously was none.

Roll with it (requires AGI 5+). By voluntarily falling prone, you reduce damage by 2d6. You cannot use any instant-stand exploits in combination with this exploit.

Scattershot. When using a shotgun, you can attack two adjacent targets within 15' of you with a single attack action.

Sidestep (requires AGI 8+). When charged by an attacker, you casually step aside, causing him to rush past you. If the attacker's attack misses, he continues onwards in a straight line to the extent of his movement, unless something blocks his way. If he collides with a solid object, he takes 1d6 blunt damage.

Signature Spell (requires LOG 6+). Using the magic rules, devise and name a spell from the skills and secrets that you know. This spell becomes a signature spell. You may take this exploit multiple times, adding a new signature spell each time, but you may not have more signature spells than the value of your LOG attribute. A signature spell takes only one action to cast (rather than the usual two actions), although only one may be cast per round. Additionally, you gain a +1d6 die bonus to to attribute checks or attacks with it.

Ski (requires driving skill; AGI 8+). You drive a four-wheeled vehicle on two of its side wheels. This allows you to pass through narrow gaps, and increases your DEFENSE from the rear or front by +4. You can ski for one round, returning to all four wheels at the start of your next turn.

Spinning kick (requires AGI 8+, martial arts skill). A quick turn and your foot lashes out to strike your opponent. This attack is a free action. You do your normal unarmed damage; you may not stack this kick with additional exploits..

Spray. When using a weapon with the auto trait you may spend all your actions to spray a 30’ cone, making one attack against every target not in cover within the cone. Make one attack roll and apply it to the RANGED DEFENSE of all within that area.

Strafe. When using a weapon with the auto trait you may, as a single action, spray an area 15’ x 15’ with fire. Everyone in that area takes 1d6 damage of the appropriate type, and cannot SOAK that damage. This is the only attack you can make with this weapon this turn.

Sunder. You target your opponent’s weapon or shield with the intention of breaking it. The weapon has same MELEE DEFENSE as its wielder; you take –2d6 to strike a weapon and no penalty to strike a shield.

Stop Right There! Enemies which try to move past you (move within your reach) are subject to a free action attack, which stops their movement if successful.

System override. You remotely access another ship's control computer, and briefly take a system offline with a LOG vs. E-DEFENSE attack. One shield facing, or one weapon, can be deactivated until the beginning of the target ship's next turn, at which point it is automatically reactivated.

Systems upgrade (requires Android). Choose one modification from the Android modification exploits list. You may repeat this exploit.

Target engines (requires gunnery skill). You can choose to target an enemy ship's engines by paying 2d6. Attacks to the engines directly reduce their power output instead of damaging superstructure (and consequently affecting the ship's speed or FTL capability).

Taunt (requires CHA 8+). You taunt your target, enraging it, and make a CHA vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack. If successful, the target focuses all its attacks on you until the start of your next turn.

Throw (requires STR or AGI 7+; trip or knockdown). When you use a Called Shot to knock a target prone, you also move the target two squares and do your unarmed damage.STR is the prerequisite if the qualifying exploit is Knockdown; AGI if it is Trip.

Throw Anything. You suffer no attack penalty for improvised ranged weapons (including throwing melee weapons, which count as improvised when used in this way).

Torpedo spread (requires gunnery skill). Multiple torpedoes can be fired in a spread which affects a wide area of effect. For each 1d6 paid, one hex within range is affected; all affected hexes automatically do 1d6 damage of the appropriate type to any vessels in them.

Trip (requires AGI 6+). When you use a Called Shot to knock a target prone, you do not have to pay the 2d6; additionally, the target gains the Downed condition (making it unable to stand until that condition has been shaken off). You still do your normal attack damage. Additionally, if you are a smaller size category than your target, you gain +1d6 to your attack.

Utilikit (requires LOG 7+; engineering skill). You are able to turn one device into another device of equal value or lower. For example, you can modulate your scanner to use as a phaser, or enable your laser knife to operate as a lock pick. The device only functions in this way for a single action before becoming permanently useless. It takes 10 minutes to make the change.

Warp maneuver (requires LOG 8+; engineering skill, piloting skill). A very dangerous maneuver, you use your ship's FTL capability to reposition your ship on the battlemap. You can move to any location to which you have direct line-of-sight, but your resultant facing is randomized (roll 1d6). This takes your ship's FTL engines offline, and they require an hour to repair.

Whirlwind frenzy (requires AGI 6+). You attack all adjacent targets, but only do 1d6 damage to each. You must still make an attack roll against each target. Any targets you hit are pushed back 5', clearing a space around you.

Wingover (requires AGI 5+; piloting skill). You can reverse direction 180-degrees instantly with a half-loop plus barrel roll. The starship you are piloting must be Class V or smaller. This maneuver is part of the move phase. To perform the maneuver, the pilot must make an AGI (piloting) check with a dif culty of 10 + the ship's current speed. If successful, the maneuver is performed and the ship takes 1 SS damage; if unsuccessful, the maneuver is not performed, and the ship takes 1d6 SS damage (although this cannot reduce it to below 1 SS).