Homebrew Variations and Scars

[Satchel]

This is a great idea, but I think it could use some work. For one, it feels weird that it refers to rules and concepts (Dread Powers, Rank, Horrors, etc.) that aren't in the Deviant book itself, but weirder still is the fact that it has "empty" levels at Magnitude 2 and 4. The "default" powers should probably be Scar-free Variations, too, as they are already more malleable than either Dread Powers or Numina.

Gonna piggyback on this to chime in that the Manticore Companion Merit and what it represents seems like a very tidy thing to draw upon for this concept.

[lladas]

Gonna piggyback on this to chime in that the Manticore Companion Merit and what it represents seems like a very tidy thing to draw upon for this concept.

I was playing around with that idea for awhile. My dream with this Variation was to give the Remade the ability to create any kind of entity (e.g., sentient alien tumors, the ghosts of other experiments). Manticores seemed kind of limited to experimented on animals and I wasn't sure that would be dynamic enough to match my original idea. That being said I could redo the Variation to make it more consistent with the material in the core rulebook and suggest that Manticores are any kind of monstrosity?

With regards to the issues of the missing Magnitude, would it make sense for the Basic Variation go from three-dots to five-dots? I just didn't want to make it super easy for people to have a ton of minions under their control at low Magnitude.

[The MG]

I was playing around with that idea for awhile. My dream with this Variation was to give the Remade the ability to create any kind of entity (e.g., sentient alien tumors, the ghosts of other experiments). Manticores seemed kind of limited to experimented on animals and I wasn't sure that would be dynamic enough to match my original idea. That being said I could redo the Variation to make it more consistent with the material in the core rulebook and suggest that Manticores are any kind of monstrosity?

Just make it clear that, though it uses the rules of the Manticore Companion Merit, the Offspring is not a Manticore, but can represent any kind of creature or entity.

With regards to the issues of the missing Magnitude, would it make sense for the Basic Variation go from three-dots to five-dots?

Unconventional, but it should be fine. Scars do it, after all, so why not Variations?

[lladas]

Just make it clear that, though it uses the rules of the Manticore Companion Merit, the Offspring is not a Manticore, but can represent any kind of creature or entity.

Unconventional, but it should be fine. Scars do it, after all, so why not Variations?

I made some edits that I hope bring it in line with your comments and those of Satchel. It dawned on me that this Variation basically allows for the creation of Manticores with Scars for the Remade. Was wondering if I should put in a notes section that suggests that Scars can be chosen to affect the Offspring, Remade, or both. For example, Alternate Persona taking control of the Offspring or having them both require some sort of sustenance through Dependency. Thanks for workshopping this with me.

[lladas]

Molecular Manipulation (• to •••••) (General Variation)
Overt
Directed, Tiered, Toggled
The Remade can manipulate the molecular composition of inorganic materials without advanced technologies. The Broken can affect targets or areas in range with a Size no greater than their Scar Power.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant can analyze the target’s chemical composition until she either diverts her attention as a reflexive action, or until the scene ends. Successfully analyzing the object gives the Deviant two options. First, they can choose to learn a number of characteristics (e.g., Durability, Toxicity, Availability) about the target equal to their Scar Power. Second, they can choose to take the Informed Condition that can be applied to their next Crafts, Investigation, Medicine, or Science or roll with the target.

At Magnitude ••, the Deviant can now manipulate superficial characteristics of the target. These characteristics include color, taste, smell, and any other characteristic that is not normally reflected in game mechanics. These alterations can provide a dice bonus or penalty to relevant rolls (e.g., changing the appearance of a desired object that enemies are looking for) equal to half the Remade’s Scar Power rounded up. The only exception is that the Broken can alter the opacity of the target allowing the Remade to make object transparent or opaque. More elaborate alterations may require a successful Scar Finesse roll. All of the previously mentioned and forthcoming alterations to a target last for the scene. The Remade can continue to make alteration rolls on a given target as long as their attention is Directed on it allowing for the Broken to alter numerous characteristics over time.

At Magnitude •••, choose one:

• Alter Composition: The Broken can now begin to manipulate the properties of the target. The Remade can heighten or dampen the Toxicity, Intensity, or Availability of the target. Altering a target like this requires a successful Scar Finesse roll. A dramatic failure might lead to unexpected and unknown changes to the target. The roll to alter the target receives a dice penalty equal to the difference between the desired rating and the current rating of the characteristic. At this level the Remade cannot reduce a rating to 0 nor can they make a target develop one of these ratings spontaneously.
• Strengthen/Weaken: The Broken can warp the bonds between the atoms in an object. The Remade can strengthen or weaken the Durability, Armor, Equipment Bonus, and Size (the size of the object does not change, but the effective size does for determining Structure and carrying) of the target. Altering a target like this requires a successful Scar Finesse roll. A dramatic failure might lead to unexpected and unknown changes to the target. The roll to alter the target receives a dice penalty equal to the difference between the desired rating and the current rating of the characteristic. At this level the Remade cannot reduce a rating to 0 nor can they make a target develop one of these ratings spontaneously.

At Magnitude ••••, choose one:

• Catalyst: The Deviant is capable of both Magnitude ••• effects.
• Transmutation: This is only available if the Remade chose Alter Composition as her Magnitude ••• effect. The Deviant is capable of manifesting or eliminating a chemical property in the target. Like Alter Composition, this alteration requires a Scar Finesse roll. Similarly, the roll receives a dice penalty equal to the difference between the desired rating and the current rating of the characteristic, but adds 6 – Acclimation. In addition, the Remade can instead choose to make an alteration to a targets chemical properties that is purely narrative.
• State Change: This is only available if the Remade chose Strengthen/Weaken as her Magnitude ••• effect. The Deviant is capable of manifesting or eliminating atomic bonds in a target. Like Strengthen/Weaken, this alteration requires a Scar Finesse roll. Similarly, the roll receives a dice penalty equal to the difference between the desired rating and the current rating of the characteristic, but adds 6 – Acclimation. Targets with 0 Durability or Size are completely insubstantial. In addition, the Remade can instead choose to make an alteration to a targets state that is purely narrative.

At Magnitude •••••, the Broken enjoys the benefits of both Magnitude •••• effects.

Deviations

• Expanded Volume (+1 Magnitude): The scope of the Deviant’s control over the atoms around them expands. The Remade can now target objects and areas equal in size to their Scar Power times Variation Magnitude.
• Organic chemistry (+1 Magnitude): The Broken’s understanding of molecular manipulation covers more complex organic compounds. The Deviant may now target organic targets. In living beings, Alter Composition can be used to heighten or dampen the magnitude of Poisoned or Sick Tilts or the toxicity of Poisons or Drugs in a target. Strengthen/Weaken can improve or reduce the Natural Armor or Size of a target. They can also reduce or improve the Physical Attributes of a target up to 5 or down to 1. With Transmutation, the Remade can manifest or eradicate the Poisoned or Sick Tilt in the target. The Deviant can also manifest or remove other Conditions/Tilts produced by chemical imbalances in the target (e.g., Blindness). State Change can manifest or eradicate natural armor or weapon ratings, make targets insubstantial, or reduce/improve attributes to 0 or above their natural rating.

After being exposed to the experimental nuclear fusion reactor, the Coactive attained almost godlike control over the atoms around them, but with this power has come a godlike distance from their humanity (Frozen Heart; Persistent).
The Invasive can disassemble her form to release a cloud of nanomachines that can destroy or transform matter (Deterioration; Controlled; Dexterity; connected to a gentle ranged Lash with the Channel effect).
By syncing his nervous system with an object or organism, the Mutant can make any object he touches as malleable as his own body (Power Failure; Controlled; Dexterity).

[lladas]

Thought I would try my hand at some Homebrew Forms.

---

Amplifier
The Broken’s Divergence left them with a unique connection to the power source of their Variation and the Variations of other members of their Clade. Some Amplifiers started out as Baseline members of Conspiracies or even as Progenitors. Other Amplifiers were simply unlucky to be exposed to a greater dosage of weirdness that would normally cause normal Divergence in others. Whatever there origin may be, all Amplifiers have an intuitive connection and understanding of how their Clade’s Divergence warps the bodies of the Remade.
Systems: During character creation, the Amplifier’s player must indicate a Remade of the same Clade as one of their Loyalty Touchstones. While the character is free to lose this Touchstone through play, the Amplifier must have at least one Remade of their Clade as a Loyalty Touchstone. If they do not, they cannot heal Instability. Moreover, the severity of the Instability consequence for any Faltering roll with that Touchstone. Despite all of these hindrances, the Amplifier is able to use their Clade Adaptations on Loyalty Touchstones of the same Clade. For example, a Mutant Amplifier could use Unpredictable to exchange one of his Variations for a Universal Variation of up to half its Magnitude (rounded up) that can be used by his Mutant cohort member.

[The MG]

lladas: Both Molecular Manipulation and Amplifier look good, and the latter is especially clever. Kudos.

Now, I hope you don't mind, but your Offspring Variation really inspired me, and I've been tinkering with my own take on the concept for a while.

Homunculus (Mutant Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Overt
Discrete, Perpetual
Part of the Remade’s power manifests as a separate entity, reminiscent of a Manticore but far less independent.
This Variation may be purchased any number of times, and each time it grants the Deviant control over a different entity. The homunculus has the following traits, determined when you purchase or upgrade this Variation:

• Health equal to (Scar Power + 2), modified by Variations.
• Defense, Initiative, and Resistance traits equal to Scar Power.
• Speed equal to (Scar Power + 5).
• Size 5.
• (Lower of Magnitude or Scar Power) points of Willpower per story.
• Scar-free Variations equal to Magnitude.

The homunculus uses the transformed’s Scar Finesse roll for all actions, modified by Specialties reflecting its nature. It has (Magnitude) Specialties, but suffers a -3 penalty on any roll where none of them apply. If the roll also directly opposes one of its Specialties, this penalty increases to -5.
If the homunculus takes or heals Instability for any reason, it treats it as points of damage of equivalent severity (bashing for minor, lethal for medium, and aggravated for major). It can’t take Beats.
Finally, if the homunculus dies, it returns to life at the beginning of the next story, or at the beginning of the next chapter if the Deviant accepts a medium Instability.

Deviations

• Malformed (-1-3 Magnitude): The homunculus suffers an unentangled Persistent Scar of a Magnitude equal to (Deviation + 1).
• Calcified (+1 Magnitude): One or more of the homunculus’ Toggled Variations become Perpetual.
• Sapient (+1 Magnitude): The homunculus gains a Vice, allowing it to recover a point of Willpower once per scene. Additionally, its maximum Willpower increases by 1.
• Derived (+1-4 Magnitude): Every dot put into this Deviation grants two additional dots of Variations.

The Cephalist can split her consciousness to animate and puppeteer dead flesh (Power Failure; Controlled; Wits).

The Chimeric periodically moults, leaving himself vulnerable, but the cast-off shell defends him until his skin hardens again (Power Build-Up; Involuntary; Stamina; Deviation: Indelible Mark [Hemophilia]).

A tumour pressing against his brain allows the Mutant to perceive and communicate with an entity that others can only identify as a string of unexplained deaths (Genetic Disorder; Persistent).

Design Notes
Since homunculi lack Attributes and Skills, the Hyper-Competence, Superhuman (Attribute), and Omnicompetence Variations, as well as the Suppression Scar, don’t interact straightforwardly with their traits. I considered dedicating a paragraph to solving this, but ultimately left it for individual tables to decide.

[lladas]

lladas: Both Molecular Manipulation and Amplifier look good, and the latter is especially clever. Kudos.

Now, I hope you don't mind, but your Offspring Variation really inspired me, and I've been tinkering with my own take on the concept for a while.

Thanks for the compliment

I don't mind at all. I think Homunculus is a great direction to take my original idea. I wanted the Offspring Variation to be more than just "create Manticores." So, I am glad that you have created something that I think gets back at that idea while adding even more of the Mutant flavor to it.

My only question is about whether you think it makes sense to add a Deviation to allow the Homunculus to enter Twillight or other Ephemeral being abilities. I only bring this up because I like the idea of the Cephalist example you provide, but I wonder if it would make sense to make the Homunculus a spirit or goetia that has the Possession.

[The MG]

My only question is about whether you think it makes sense to add a Deviation to allow the Homunculus to enter Twillight or other Ephemeral being abilities. I only bring this up because I like the idea of the Cephalist example you provide, but I wonder if it would make sense to make the Homunculus a spirit or goetia that has the Possession.

It's definitely possible, but I don't think it's strictly necessary. The Deviant corebook doesn't discuss Twilight or the ephemeral entity rules, but provides Variations like Out of Phase, Astral Travel, and Body Snatcher, which I think serve as adequate replacements.

Though, now that you mention it, I don't think it would be too out of line to trade out Variation dots for Manifestations and Influences (Dread Powers and Numina feel too meaty to replace at a one-to-one ratio), with ST permission.

Anyway, I guess finally working out how to make Homunculus work caused a bit of a snowball effec, because I ended up writing two more Variations today. Unlike Homunculus, I haven't gotten any second opinions on them yet, and I strongly encourage criticism.

Cognitive Partition (Cephalist Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Subtle
Tiered, Perpetual
The Deviant is capable of maintaining multiple lines of thought, and possibly houses more than one consciousness within her skull.
At Magnitude ●, the Deviant can recover a point of Willpower from her Touchstones or Vice (if she has the Blood on My Hands Merit) an additional time per scene. Likewise, she can replenish all Willpower through her Touchstones or Virtue (with the Bleeding Heart Merit) an additional time per session.
At Magnitude ●●, the Broken can perform two actions with a single roll, as long as at least one of her actions is Mental or Social and requires no major bodily activity, such as attempting social maneuvering or scanning a scene for clues. If both actions fulfill these criteria, she rolls the higher pool for her combined action; otherwise, she uses the lower pool. Bonus dice from Willpower are applied to whichever pool she actually rolls.
At Magnitude ●●●, both of the Deviant’s actions can be Physical, as long as she could reasonably perform both at once. Once per scene, she can sacrifice her secondary action in combat to Dodge without giving up her next turn.
At Magnitude ●●●●, once per chapter, the Remade can attempt to perform three actions with a single roll. When she performs only two actions, she always uses her highest pool.

Deviations

• Emanation (+1 Magnitude): One of the Deviant’s actions can be a Scar Finesse roll to activate or direct another Variation. This Deviation can’t modify the Magnitude • version of Cognitive Partition.

The Cephalist’s psyche is constantly fracturing and expanding, allowing her to think many thoughts at once, but she needs to kill off excess selves to avoid dissolving entirely (Maintenance; Persistent).

Extra limbs and a second head leave the Chimeric unable to pass as human (Conspicuous Appearance; Persistent).

The Coactive’s Symbiote is always eager to help, but it feeds on the phenomenal experience of its living host (Tabula Rasa; Controlled; Wits).

Anathema (Coactive Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Overt
Directed, Tiered, Toggled
The Broken is able to share some fraction of her Divergence, forcing Baseline conspirators – and anyone who draws her ire – to feel the jagged edges of a cracked soul.
This Variation allows the Deviant to inflict curses, which function as unentangled Persistent Scars of a Magnitude equal to or less than the Magnitude of Anathema. The following special rules apply:

• If the victim is a Deviant, the curse doesn’t count against their number of unentangled Scars, doesn’t worsen with rising Instability, and can’t be used to entangle new Variations.
• If the curse matches one of the victim’s extant, non-Repeatable Scars, he only suffers the Scar with higher Magnitude.
• The Magnitude of the curse can include Deviations specific to that Scar, but not Standard Deviations.
• The inflicted Scar can’t be Addictive Variation or Maintenance.
• Once per scene, when a victim of her curse would take a Beat from the Magnitude ● effect of a Scar, the Deviant recovers a point of Willpower. Adaptations can’t exceed this limit.

The maximum number of curses the Broken may have active at a time cannot exceed Scar Power, and she can’t have more than one curse active against the same target at once.

Deviations

• Limited (-1 Magnitude): The Remade can only inflict a specific Scar, chosen when she takes this Deviation. Anathema can be purchased multiple times, but each purchase must also be Limited, and each must inflict a different Scar.
• Geas (+1 Magnitude): Once per chapter, the Deviant can name a task when she curses a target. If the task is equivalent to a short-term Aspiration, the curse lasts until the end of the chapter; if equivalent to a long-term Aspiration, it lasts until the end of the story. In either case, the curse ends early if the victim completes the task, which can’t be impossible or suicidal.
• Contagion (+2 Magnitude): If she has access to a sympathetic link to her victim (a sample of hair or blood, a treasured personal item, a loved one, etc.) and is aware of his general location, the Deviant measures the range of Anathema in miles/kilometers instead of yards/meters. This can be done once per story without adverse effects, but each additional usage causes a medium Instability.

The Cephalist speaks a mutagenic prehuman language, but uttering the words transforms both her and her victim (Persistent Drawback [Conspicuous Appearance]; Controlled; Manipulation).

Through ecstatic ritual, the Coactive can direct the attention of the godlike entity that caused her Divergence (Preparation; Controlled; Wits).

An integrated AR suite leaves the Invasive detached from reality, and he can share this warped perspective to inflict various psychosomatic debilities on his enemies (Glitch; Persistent).

[lladas]

It's definitely possible, but I don't think it's strictly necessary. The Deviant corebook doesn't discuss Twilight or the ephemeral entity rules, but provides Variations like Out of Phase, Astral Travel, and Body Snatcher, which I think serve as adequate replacements.

Though, now that you mention it, I don't think it would be too out of line to trade out Variation dots for Manifestations and Influences (Dread Powers and Numina feel too meaty to replace at a one-to-one ratio), with ST permission.

I agree with your points. I think I have struggled with the lack of inclusion of ephemeral entity rules in this book because I am such a huge Mage and Demon fan. I should just be patient and wait for the Clades Companion. I think those Variations do serve as adequate replacements though I can imagine a player wanting to jump into the Shadow or Underworld leaving me wondering how that might happen. I think trading Variation dots for Manifestations or Influence makes sense, but I think the real issues comes down to how to handle things like Essence and other components of ephemeral entities. I think Homunculus as is provides a lot of freedom within the confines of the current book that I think Offspring lacked.

Anyway, I guess finally working out how to make Homunculus work caused a bit of a snowball effec, because I ended up writing two more Variations today. Unlike Homunculus, I haven't gotten any second opinions on them yet, and I strongly encourage criticism.

Cognitive Partition (Cephalist Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Subtle
Tiered, Perpetual
The Deviant is capable of maintaining multiple lines of thought, and possibly houses more than one consciousness within her skull.
At Magnitude ●, the Deviant can recover a point of Willpower from her Touchstones or Vice (if she has the Blood on My Hands Merit) an additional time per scene. Likewise, she can replenish all Willpower through her Touchstones or Virtue (with the Bleeding Heart Merit) an additional time per session.
At Magnitude ●●, the Broken can perform two actions with a single roll, as long as at least one of her actions is Mental or Social and requires no major bodily activity, such as attempting social maneuvering or scanning a scene for clues. If both actions fulfill these criteria, she rolls the higher pool for her combined action; otherwise, she uses the lower pool. Bonus dice from Willpower are applied to whichever pool she actually rolls.
At Magnitude ●●●, both of the Deviant’s actions can be Physical, as long as she could reasonably perform both at once. Once per scene, she can sacrifice her secondary action in combat to Dodge without giving up her next turn.
At Magnitude ●●●●, once per chapter, the Remade can attempt to perform three actions with a single roll. When she performs only two actions, she always uses her highest pool.

Deviations

• Emanation (+1 Magnitude): One of the Deviant’s actions can be a Scar Finesse roll to activate or direct another Variation. This Deviation can’t modify the Magnitude • version of Cognitive Partition.

The Cephalist’s psyche is constantly fracturing and expanding, allowing her to think many thoughts at once, but she needs to kill off excess selves to avoid dissolving entirely (Maintenance; Persistent).

Extra limbs and a second head leave the Chimeric unable to pass as human (Conspicuous Appearance; Persistent).

The Coactive’s Symbiote is always eager to help, but it feeds on the phenomenal experience of its living host (Tabula Rasa; Controlled; Wits).

I feel the same when I come up with a solid Variation. Normally two or more things will come out at that time.

I really love the feel of Cognitive Partition. It has a really great feel. I wonder if it could benefit from some of the diverging effects that you find in Variations like Telekinesis. With a branch focused on quick actions (maybe teamwork with yourself) with another focused on reducing the time and difficulty of extended actions. But that might take it further away from what you initially wanted.

Anathema (Coactive Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Overt
Directed, Tiered, Toggled
The Broken is able to share some fraction of her Divergence, forcing Baseline conspirators – and anyone who draws her ire – to feel the jagged edges of a cracked soul.
This Variation allows the Deviant to inflict curses, which function as unentangled Persistent Scars of a Magnitude equal to or less than the Magnitude of Anathema. The following special rules apply:

• If the victim is a Deviant, the curse doesn’t count against their number of unentangled Scars, doesn’t worsen with rising Instability, and can’t be used to entangle new Variations.
• If the curse matches one of the victim’s extant, non-Repeatable Scars, he only suffers the Scar with higher Magnitude.
• The Magnitude of the curse can include Deviations specific to that Scar, but not Standard Deviations.
• The inflicted Scar can’t be Addictive Variation or Maintenance.
• Once per scene, when a victim of her curse would take a Beat from the Magnitude ● effect of a Scar, the Deviant recovers a point of Willpower. Adaptations can’t exceed this limit.

The maximum number of curses the Broken may have active at a time cannot exceed Scar Power, and she can’t have more than one curse active against the same target at once.

Deviations

• Limited (-1 Magnitude): The Remade can only inflict a specific Scar, chosen when she takes this Deviation. Anathema can be purchased multiple times, but each purchase must also be Limited, and each must inflict a different Scar.
• Geas (+1 Magnitude): Once per chapter, the Deviant can name a task when she curses a target. If the task is equivalent to a short-term Aspiration, the curse lasts until the end of the chapter; if equivalent to a long-term Aspiration, it lasts until the end of the story. In either case, the curse ends early if the victim completes the task, which can’t be impossible or suicidal.
• Contagion (+2 Magnitude): If she has access to a sympathetic link to her victim (a sample of hair or blood, a treasured personal item, a loved one, etc.) and is aware of his general location, the Deviant measures the range of Anathema in miles/kilometers instead of yards/meters. This can be done once per story without adverse effects, but each additional usage causes a medium Instability.

The Cephalist speaks a mutagenic prehuman language, but uttering the words transforms both her and her victim (Persistent Drawback [Conspicuous Appearance]; Controlled; Manipulation).

Through ecstatic ritual, the Coactive can direct the attention of the godlike entity that caused her Divergence (Preparation; Controlled; Wits).

An integrated AR suite leaves the Invasive detached from reality, and he can share this warped perspective to inflict various psychosomatic debilities on his enemies (Glitch; Persistent).

This is a real clever idea. Anathema is a Variation that I think this game is really missing. I wonder if to make the structure of the Variation more simple you could model it off of Sacred Flesh where the Variation Magnitude equals the Scar magnitude and you can choose the vector of delivery from a list. The deviations could allow for flexibility in the vector or flexibility in the scar. Also, I would suggest making the mechanic where the Remade gains a point of Willpower (or even a Beat) when the target gets a Beat a deviation considering how powerful an addition that it. Maybe call it Just Desserts.

[The Throne]

Anathema (Coactive Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Overt
Directed, Tiered, Toggled
The Broken is able to share some fraction of her Divergence, forcing Baseline conspirators – and anyone who draws her ire – to feel the jagged edges of a cracked soul.
This Variation allows the Deviant to inflict curses, which function as unentangled Persistent Scars of a Magnitude equal to or less than the Magnitude of Anathema. The following special rules apply:

• If the victim is a Deviant, the curse doesn’t count against their number of unentangled Scars, doesn’t worsen with rising Instability, and can’t be used to entangle new Variations.
• If the curse matches one of the victim’s extant, non-Repeatable Scars, he only suffers the Scar with higher Magnitude.
• The Magnitude of the curse can include Deviations specific to that Scar, but not Standard Deviations.
• The inflicted Scar can’t be Addictive Variation or Maintenance.
• Once per scene, when a victim of her curse would take a Beat from the Magnitude ● effect of a Scar, the Deviant recovers a point of Willpower. Adaptations can’t exceed this limit.

The maximum number of curses the Broken may have active at a time cannot exceed Scar Power, and she can’t have more than one curse active against the same target at once.

Deviations

• Limited (-1 Magnitude): The Remade can only inflict a specific Scar, chosen when she takes this Deviation. Anathema can be purchased multiple times, but each purchase must also be Limited, and each must inflict a different Scar.
• Geas (+1 Magnitude): Once per chapter, the Deviant can name a task when she curses a target. If the task is equivalent to a short-term Aspiration, the curse lasts until the end of the chapter; if equivalent to a long-term Aspiration, it lasts until the end of the story. In either case, the curse ends early if the victim completes the task, which can’t be impossible or suicidal.
• Contagion (+2 Magnitude): If she has access to a sympathetic link to her victim (a sample of hair or blood, a treasured personal item, a loved one, etc.) and is aware of his general location, the Deviant measures the range of Anathema in miles/kilometers instead of yards/meters. This can be done once per story without adverse effects, but each additional usage causes a medium Instability.

The Cephalist speaks a mutagenic prehuman language, but uttering the words transforms both her and her victim (Persistent Drawback [Conspicuous Appearance]; Controlled; Manipulation).

Through ecstatic ritual, the Coactive can direct the attention of the godlike entity that caused her Divergence (Preparation; Controlled; Wits).

An integrated AR suite leaves the Invasive detached from reality, and he can share this warped perspective to inflict various psychosomatic debilities on his enemies (Glitch; Persistent).

I am in love with this. Really. SSS!!!

[The MG]

I agree with your points. I think I have struggled with the lack of inclusion of ephemeral entity rules in this book because I am such a huge Mage and Demon fan.

Speaking of, how do they actually work out in play? I was turned off by them back at 2e's inception, when it was still the God-Machine Chronicle (in fact, they're part of the reason I didn't pay attention to 2e until Deviant rolled around), but I've never had the opportunity to see them in action.

I think those Variations do serve as adequate replacements though I can imagine a player wanting to jump into the Shadow or Underworld leaving me wondering how that might happen.

There's probably room for a Variation to that effect – Liminal Space or Gatekeeper or something – that would allow a Deviant to poke into otherworlds and, at higher levels, take their allies or enemies along with them.

I really love the feel of Cognitive Partition. It has a really great feel. I wonder if it could benefit from some of the diverging effects that you find in Variations like Telekinesis. With a branch focused on quick actions (maybe teamwork with yourself) with another focused on reducing the time and difficulty of extended actions. But that might take it further away from what you initially wanted.

It's a good idea, but I'm not sure how to implement it (never mind; see below). At the same time, all throughout writing Cognitive Partition, I worried about it being too strong even at the lower Magnitudes.

This is a real clever idea. Anathema is a Variation that I think this game is really missing. I wonder if to make the structure of the Variation more simple you could model it off of Sacred Flesh where the Variation Magnitude equals the Scar magnitude and you can choose the vector of delivery from a list. The deviations could allow for flexibility in the vector or flexibility in the scar.

I actually considered basing it off Sacred Flesh for a time, but ultimately rejected the idea mostly to save time and not risk losing steam. If I was going to revise it, I think I would base it on the Curse Effigy Merit from Hurt Locker, since that's where I got the idea to begin with.

Also, I would suggest making the mechanic where the Remade gains a point of Willpower (or even a Beat) when the target gets a Beat a deviation considering how powerful an addition that it. Maybe call it Just Desserts.

Any ideas for a replacement effect? Since 1-dot Scars are largely opt-in, I want there to be a player-facing effect to give them some teeth.

I am in love with this. Really. SSS!!!

Thank you. If I may ask, what did you think of Homunculus and Cognitive Partition?

[The Throne]

Thank you. If I may ask, what did you think of Homunculus and Cognitive Partition?

Cognitive Partition is a thing that i want playtest at sometime... the idea is neat, for me too but the idea of "multiple action sorta" like, is a topic tha make me a little biased, i admeet.

Homunculus i found this a little too dense of mechanic and bookeeping for the Ability, i guess.

[The MG]

It's a good idea, but I'm not sure how to implement it.

I guess I lied?

Cognitive Partition, Revised (Cephalist Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Subtle
Discrete, Perpetual, Reflexive
The Deviant is capable of maintaining multiple lines of thought, and possibly houses more than one consciousness within her skull.
None of the benefits of this Variation apply to rolls to activate, direct, or resist other Variations.
At Magnitude ●, the Deviant can recover a point of Willpower from her Touchstones or Vice (if she has the Blood on My Hands Merit) an additional time per scene. Likewise, she can replenish all Willpower through her Touchstones or Virtue (with the Bleeding Heart Merit) an additional time per session.
At Magnitude ●●, as Magnitude ●, and choose one:

• Synthesis: Once per scene, before taking an action, the Remade can make a Scar Finesse roll. Each success adds +1 die to her intended action.
• Projection: Once per chapter, when the Deviant takes an extended action, she may make a number of additional rolls equal to Scar Power. She can forgo any number of these rolls, on a one-by-one basis, to negate the effect of a failure or to make two rolls in a single interval.

At Magnitude ●●●, as Magnitude ●, and choose one:

• Complexity: The Broken enjoys the benefits of both Magnitude ●● effects. Synthesis can't affect an extended action benefitting from Projection.
• Parallelization: Once per scene, the Deviant can perform two actions with a single roll, as long as she could reasonably perform both at once. She rolls the higher of her two pools to determine whether she succeeds or fails, but must assign additional successes to each action separately (for example, to determine the damage of an attack or whether she achieved an exceptional success).

At Magnitude ●●●●, the Deviant enjoys the benefits of all lower-Magnitude effects.

Deviations

• Emanation (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant can apply the effects of Cognitive Partition to Scar Finesse rolls to activate or direct another Variation. This Deviation can’t modify the Magnitude • effect.

Design Notes
This is a pretty significant nerf compared to the first version, but I feel more comfortable with it. It leans heavily on once-per-scene and once-per-chapter limitations, but all Clades have Adaptations to overcome those.

[SomethingFishy]

Offspring (•• to •••••) (Mutant Variation)

So, I have some questions and/or feedback on this Variation, since one of my players is using it to make chestbursters with his character's murder tail. Concerning the Variation's Magnitude, is it supposed to be 2-5 [as written], 3-5 [as later mentioned in the thread], or 1-5 [as implied by the mechanics]? Because as it's currently written, the Variation's effects imply it is rated from 1-5 [allowing you to make a Magnitude 1 Offspring]. However, the Litter Deviation seems to be written under the assumption its minimum Magnitude is 2, but also does not grow more potent if Offspring has 3 Magnitude before adding the Deviation. Is there something I'm missing here? Is it just the result of conflicting drafts?

My table has assumed Offspring is rated from 1-5, and changed how Litter works, accordingly. The Remade can create a number of offspring each story equal to Scar Power + 1, albeit at one less Magnitude than they otherwise could [minimum 1]. The Deviation is still +2 Magnitude, so at the maximum Magnitude [Offspring 4 with Sympathetic Link and Litter], the Remade is only able to make between 2 and 6 offspring, each with 3 Scar-free Magnitude of Variations [and presumably, they would all be identical]. It's not quite what you were intending, but what do you think?