Talents

Talent Generation

AX.C.04.01

Character creation continues with a pool of dice used to establish a character's Talents.

Power Packages

Three power levels are available for character generation:

6D Package: Maximum starting Talent value of 3D, No Talent Foci at generation

Best for gritty, low-power campaigns
Characters are competent but mortal

9D Package: Maximum starting Talent value of 4D, up to 1D Talent Foci at generation

Standard power level for most campaigns
Characters are capable heroes

12D Package: Maximum starting Talent value of 5D, up to 2D Talent Foci at generation

High-powered, cinematic campaigns
Characters are exceptional from the start

Distribution: Distribute the dice from your chosen package across all Talents. No single Talent can exceed the package maximum at character creation.

Standard Maximum

The standard maximum Talent value is 5D. This ceiling applies at both generation and advancement, no Talent may exceed 5D under any circumstances unless a Lineage or Genre Catalog explicitly states otherwise.

Talent Focus

The basic Talent list consists of broad, generic titles that encompass a similarly broad application to actions taken by a character. If a character wants to improve beyond the general scope of a Talent, they must establish a Talent Focus, or simply a Focus.

A Talent Focus is a very specific application of the otherwise general Talent
A Talent Focus is limited to a maximum value of 3D
Talent Foci can be trained and improved through XP spending (see [[12 Advancement#Talent Focus Advancement|AX.C.12.02]] for costs and advancement)

Example

The Talent "Athletics" applies to any generally physical activities, jumping, running, climbing, and balanced movement on narrow or unstable surfaces. A character can focus on a single aspect like "Running," investing in training that narrows application to gain additional dice when that Focus applies. If a character has Body 3D, Athletics 2D, and Focus: Running 1D, they roll 6D for challenges involving running, sprinting, distance running, or outrunning an opponent.

Talent Foci are less expensive to improve through XP than broadTalents but only apply to a specifically narrow application of the parent Talent.

Focus Generation Conversion (9D and 12D Packages Only)

At generation, characters using the 9D or 12D package may convert Talent dice into Talent Foci at a 3:1 ratio, one Talent die from the package converts to three Talent Foci at 1D each.

This conversion represents early specialization: the character trades broad Talent investment for concentrated expertise in specific applications.

Example

A 9D package character converts 1 Talent die into three 1D Foci, Climbing, Swimming, and Sprinting, rather than adding 1D to Athletics directly.

The 6D package does not include Focus generation, all dice must be placed in Talents directly.

Body Talents

AX.C.04.02

Athletics

Movement, climbing, swimming, and basic physical coordination.
Parent Attribute: Body
Untrained: Yes (anyone can try)

Uses:

Running and sprinting
Jumping (long jump, high jump)
Climbing (walls, cliffs, trees, ropes)
Swimming and diving
Breaking falls
Maintaining balance on unstable surfaces

Common Foci:

Climbing (vertical surfaces)
Swimming, Diving (aquatic movement)
Running, Sprinting (foot speed and burst movement)
Jumping, Parkour (dynamic movement)
Balance (narrow surfaces, moving platforms)

Craft

Creating, repairing, and understanding physical objects and components.
Parent Attribute: Body
Untrained: Yes (crude repairs only)

Uses:

Building and repairing items
Fabricating individual components and parts
Blacksmithing, carpentry, basic mechanics
Jury-rigging and field improvisation
Appraising crafted goods

Common Foci:

Weapon Smithing, Armor Smithing (fantasy)
Carpentry, Masonry
Mechanics, Electronics (modern/sci-fi)
Jury-Rigging, Field Repair
Clockwork, Artifice (steampunk)
Starship Repair, Robotics (sci-fi)

Craft vs. Technical

Craft (Body) covers the fabrication of individual physical components and objects. Technical (Wit) covers the design and integration of those components into functioning systems.

The dividing line is complexity and interdependence:

Fabricating individual pistons and an engine block = Craft
Designing and assembling a functioning race car engine from those parts = Technical
Carving a wooden box = Craft
Building a mechanical lock with tumblers, springs, and a key mechanism = Technical

When a task involves making a single thing, use Craft. When a task involves making many things work together as a system, use Technical. In ambiguous cases the GM determines which Talent applies, or may call for both if the task genuinely requires fabrication and integration in sequence.

Fortitude

Physical resilience and resistance to acute harm.
Parent Attribute: Body
Untrained: Yes (limited to raw constitution)

Uses:

Resisting disease, poison, and toxins
Enduring environmental hazards (heat, cold, radiation, vacuum)
Stabilizing when at zero Health
Pain tolerance and concentration under duress
Resisting effects that would incapacitate or kill

Common Foci:

Resist Poison, Resist Disease, Resist Elements
Pain Tolerance
Environmental Survival (specific hazard types)
Combat Stamina (maintaining function through injury)

Note: Fortitude governs resistance to acute harm, sudden, potentially lethal threats to the body. Sustained effort and cumulative exhaustion are governed by Endurance.

Endurance

Sustained physical effort, cumulative pressure, and resistance to exhaustion.
Parent Attribute: Body
Untrained: Yes (basic physical labor)

Uses:

Forced marches and extended overland travel
Carrying heavy loads across distance
Working or fighting through fatigue and hunger
Prolonged physical tasks requiring hours of sustained effort
Resource gathering, construction, and manual labor
Basic shelter construction and camp establishment

Common Foci:

Load Bearing (sustained heavy carry)
Marathon (extended travel and forced march)
Labor (mining, logging, construction, harvesting)
Wilderness Survival (camp craft, exposure management)

Extended Athletics Synergy:

When a character makes an Athletics roll that spans multiple consecutive Turns (extended climbing, sustained swimming, hauling across distance), they may add their Endurance dice to the Athletics pool on the second roll and each subsequent roll in that same extended action.

First roll of an extended action: Use Athletics alone (establish the attempt)
Subsequent rolls (Turns 2, 3, etc. of the same action): Use Athletics + Endurance (sustain the effort)

Single-action Athletics checks (a single Turn jump, one-time wall climb, short dash) use Athletics alone. Only challenges explicitly spanning multiple Turns qualify for the Endurance synergy.

The GM determines whether a given Athletics challenge qualifies as extended effort based on duration and cumulative physical demand.

Example: A character climbs a 100-foot cliff (5 Turns of climbing). Turn 1 roll uses Athletics. Turns 2–5 each add Endurance dice to the Athletics pool, representing the character drawing on reserves of endurance as fatigue sets in.

Armor Penalty Offset:

Armor imposes a penalty to Athletics, Acrobatics, and Odd Talent action pools equal to the armor's modifier value. Endurance training allows a character to work within that restriction more effectively. For every 2D in Endurance, reduce the Armor Penalty on these pools by 1 (minimum 0).

Endurance	Penalty Reduction
1D	0
2D	−1
3D	−1
4D	−2
5D	−2
6D	−3

The penalty reduction applies passively at all times, no action required.

Exhausted Condition Mitigation:

The Exhausted combat condition imposes −1D to all action pools. A character with 3D or more in Endurance has trained to function under accumulated fatigue, this penalty is reduced to 0 while Exhausted. The Exhausted condition still applies normally in all other respects (movement halved, recovery requirements). Endurance does not prevent Exhaustion, it reduces its mechanical cost for those who have invested in sustained effort training.

Strike

Physical power, close combat, and forceful actions.
Parent Attribute: Body
Untrained: Yes (raw strength and instinct)

Uses:

Melee weapon attacks
Unarmed combat
Breaking objects and forcing doors
Lifting, pushing, and pulling heavy objects
Feats of strength
Physical intimidation through presence

Common Foci:

Longswords, Axes, Hammers, Spears (weapon-specific)
Grappling, Boxing, Martial Arts (unarmed styles)
Breaking & Forcing (destroying obstacles)
Intimidation (threatening through physical presence)

Speed Talents

AX.C.04.03

Acrobatics

Dynamic movement, tumbling, dodging, and performance.
Parent Attribute: Speed
Untrained: Yes (awkward attempts)

Uses:

Tumbling through combat
Dodging attacks and hazards
Maintaining balance on difficult surfaces
Breaking falls from heights
Performance arts (gymnastics, dance)
Escaping from bonds and grapples

Common Foci:

Tumbling, Evasion (combat movement)
Balance (tightropes, narrow ledges)
Dance, Performance (entertainment)
Escape Artist (bonds and restraints)
Contortion (squeezing through gaps)
Free Running, Parkour (urban acrobatics)

Pilot

Operating vehicles, mounts, and complex mobile systems.
Parent Attribute: Speed
Untrained: Yes (only for simple vehicles/mounts)

Uses:

Riding animals and mounts
Driving ground vehicles
Piloting watercraft
Flying aircraft and spacecraft
Vehicle combat and chases
Navigating difficult terrain or conditions

Common Foci:

Horses, Exotic Mounts (fantasy)
Ground Vehicles (cars, motorcycles, chariots)
Watercraft (boats, ships, submarines)
Aircraft, Grav-Vehicles (flying craft)
Spacecraft, Starfighters (sci-fi)
Combat Piloting (vehicle combat maneuvers)

Precision

Precise physical actions, ranged combat, and delicate manipulation.
Parent Attribute: Speed
Untrained: Yes (clumsy attempts)

Uses:

Ranged weapon attacks
Lock picking and disarming traps
Sleight of hand and pick pocketing
Fine manipulation and delicate work
Throwing weapons and objects
Precision tasks requiring steady hands

Common Foci:

Bows, Crossbows (archery weapons)
Firearms, Energy Weapons (modern/sci-fi ranged)
Thrown Weapons (knives, axes, grenades)
Lock picking, Trap Disarming
Sleight of Hand, Pick pocketing
Precision Surgery, Fine Tools

Reflexes

Quick reactions, initiative, and defensive maneuvers.
Parent Attribute: Speed
Untrained: Yes (basic reactions)

Uses:

Initiative in combat
Quick draw and fast reactions
Catching thrown objects
Defensive dodging
Reacting to surprise
Split-second decisions under pressure

Common Foci:

Combat Initiative
Quick Draw (weapons)
Defensive Dodging (avoiding attacks)
Catching, Interception
Reaction Time (speed-based saves)
Hair Trigger Reflexes

Stealth

Avoiding detection through concealment and quiet movement.
Parent Attribute: Speed
Untrained: Yes (obvious attempts)

Uses:

Moving silently
Hiding from observers
Shadowing targets undetected
Concealing objects on your person
Creating camouflage
Ambush and infiltration

Common Foci:

Urban Stealth (cities, buildings)
Wilderness Stealth (forests, natural terrain)
Shadowing (following without detection)
Ambush (surprise attacks)
Camouflage (blending with environment)
Concealment (hiding objects)

Wit Talents

AX.C.04.04

Attunement

Empathy, spiritual awareness and connection to living things and the extraordinary.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (basic emotional intuition only)

Attunement represents sensitivity to what cannot be directly observed, emotional states, intent, the presence of Odd Talent activity, and the subtle connections between living things. It is the primary Talent for characters who navigate the world through perception and feeling rather than knowledge or logic.

Uses:

Reading the emotional state or intent of a person or creature
Sensing the presence or recent use of Odd Talents in an area
Calming frightened or hostile animals and non-sapient creatures
Detecting whether a statement is made with genuine belief (sincerity, not objective truth)
Meditating to recover clarity or resist mental disturbance
Recognizing when something is wrong in a social or environmental situation, even without knowing why

Common Foci:

Empathy (reading emotional states and intent)
Animal Handling (calming and communicating with creatures)
Spiritual Awareness (sensing Odd Talent presence and resonance)
Meditation (mental recovery and focus)
Threat Sense (detecting danger through intuition rather than observation)
Bond (deep attunement to a specific person, creature, or place)

Note: Attunement does not grant access to Odd Talents; that requires an Extra-Normal Perk (AX.C.08.03). Attunement represents natural perceptive sensitivity. A character with high Attunement can sense that magic has been used in a room; they cannot use magic unless they have Power Access.

Deceive

Lies, misdirection, disguise, and social manipulation through deception.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (obvious lies)

Uses:

Lying convincingly
Creating and maintaining disguises
Bluffing and feinting
Going undercover
Forgery and falsification
Misdirection and diversions

Common Foci:

Bluffing, Fast Talk
Disguise, Impersonation
Forgery (documents, art, signatures)
Acting, Role-Playing
Misdirection, Distraction
Con Artistry, Scams
Combat Feints

Lore

Information, education, and academic understanding.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (general education only)

Uses:

Recalling historical facts
Understanding cultures and societies
Identifying creatures and their abilities
Knowing legends and mythology
Academic research
Recognizing symbols and references

Common Foci:

History, Ancient Civilizations
Geography, Cartography
Creatures & Monsters
Arcana & Magic Theory (fantasy)
Technology & Science (sci-fi)
Religion, Mythology, Planes
Nobility & Heraldry
Xenology (alien species)

Medicine

Physical treatment of injuries, illness, and biological knowledge.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (basic first aid only)

Uses:

Treating injuries and restoring health
Diagnosing physical conditions
Performing surgery
Treating disease and poison
Stabilizing dying characters
Understanding anatomy and biology

Common Foci:

Field Medicine, Emergency Treatment
Surgery, Advanced Procedures
Herbalism, Natural Remedies (fantasy)
Toxicology (poisons and antidotes)
Cybernetic Repair (sci-fi)
Xenobiology (alien physiology)

Notice

Awareness, observation, and detecting hidden details.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (basic observation)

Uses:

Noticing danger and avoiding ambushes
Searching for hidden objects or people
Detecting lies and reading body language
Tracking creatures and following trails
Eavesdropping and gathering information
General situational awareness

Common Foci:

Combat Awareness (initiative, spotting threats)
Search (finding hidden things)
Sense Motive (detecting lies, reading intentions)
Tracking (following trails)
Eavesdropping, Surveillance
Lip Reading

Persuade

Leadership and social manipulation through honest means.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (based on personality)

Uses:

Diplomatic negotiations
Inspiring and rallying others
Leadership and command
Public speaking and oration
Changing minds through argument
Mediating disputes

Common Foci:

Diplomacy, Negotiation
Leadership, Command
Oration, Public Speaking
Inspiration, Morale
Debate, Argumentation
Seduction, Charm (honest)
Interrogation (psychological pressure)

Resolve

Mental resilience, willpower, and resisting mental influence.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (based on willpower)

Uses:

Resisting fear and terror
Enduring torture and interrogation
Resisting mind control and mental attacks
Maintaining focus under stress
Overcoming temptation
Meditation and mental discipline

Common Foci:

Resist Fear, Terror
Resist Torture, Interrogation
Resist Mental Influence (telepathy, mind control)
Concentration, Focus
Meditation, Mental Discipline
Faith, Conviction
Resist Temptation

Tactics

Logic, strategy, planning, and analytical thinking.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (basic reasoning)

Uses:

Combat tactics and strategy
Logical deduction and problem-solving
Planning operations
Analyzing patterns and data
Coordinating team actions
Predicting behavior and outcomes

Common Foci:

Battle Tactics, Military Strategy
Investigation, Deduction
Forensics, Crime Scene Analysis
Strategic Planning
Pattern Recognition
Cryptography, Code Breaking
Predictive Analysis

Technical

Designing, building, and operating complex interconnected systems.
Parent Attribute: Wit
Untrained: Yes (basic operation only)

Uses:

Designing systems composed of multiple integrated components
Operating sophisticated machinery and complex devices
Understanding and interpreting technical schematics
Hacking and bypassing security systems
Systems analysis and troubleshooting
Using advanced tools and equipment

Common Foci:

Computer Systems, Hacking (modern/sci-fi)
Starship Systems, Navigation (sci-fi)
Security Systems, Bypassing
Mechanical Systems, Machinery
Magic Theory & Application (fantasy)
Electronics, Circuitry
Quantum Systems (advanced sci-fi)

Odd Talents

AX.C.04.05

Odd Talents are extra-normal capabilities that exist outside the standard Talent library. Where an ordinary Talent represents a learned professional skill or physical aptitude, an Odd Talent represents access to a system of power that operates through different rules: syonic potential, magical tradition, divine attunement, technological augmentation or any other framework a Genre Catalog might define.

Unless specified otherwise, Odd Talents are not typically locked to a specific Attribute. A practitioner may channel their tradition through Wit, Body or Speed, whatever best fits the character concept and the Genre Catalog's fictional framing. In many examples the default is Wit, which fits scholarly, intuitive, and socially-adept practitioners. Body and Speed expressions are equally valid and often create compelling role opportunities at the table.

Access to an Odd Talent tradition is governed by Extra-Normal Perks (AX.C.08.03). Without being granted access, a character cannot train or use an Odd Talent tradition regardless of available XP or time. See AX.C.08.03 for the full access mechanism.

For specific named traditions, Focus lists, and power system content, refer to the Powers section of the relevant Genre Catalog.

Three Universal Categories

Every Odd Talent tradition in every Genre Catalog falls into one of three universal categories. These categories define the domain of reality the Tradition manipulates and provide a framework that keeps traditions compatible across Genre Catalogs.

Force

The manipulation of energy, information and the physical world. Force Traditions act on the world directly: they produce, direct, or transform energy; encode and decode information; alter physical cause-and-effect chains. Effects are typically visible, measurable, and immediate.

Default Attribute tendency: Wit, though Body and Speed expressions exist.

Genre Catalog Examples

Arcane Magic (Fantasy)
Psitech (Sci-Fi)
Tectonic Harmonics (Iron Lattice)
Technomancy (Modern)

Resonance

The perception of, attunement to, and influence on probability, time, consciousness, and hidden information. Resonance Traditions do not act on the world directly, they read it, bias it or communicate through layers that Force Traditions cannot reach. Effects are often subtle and deniable.

Default Attribute tendency: Wit or Speed.

Genre Catalog Examples

Faith Magic (Fantasy)
Divination (Fantasy)
Temporal Harmonics (Iron Lattice)
Quantum Sensing (Sci-Fi)
Spirit Communion (Horror)

Form

The transformation of physical structure: biological, material or constructed. Form Traditions alter what things are at a fundamental level, their shape, composition, living state, or category of existence.

Default Attribute tendency: Body for biological transformation; Wit for constructed or animated Form work.

Genre Catalog Examples

Shapeshifting (Fantasy)
Necromancy (Fantasy)
Biohacking (Modern/Sci-Fi)
Nanoform (Sci-Fi)
Parasite Cultivation (Horror)

Foci & Tradition Terminology

Like any Talent, an Odd Talent can be improved through Foci, specific concentrations within the broader tradition that shape how the practitioner works and what they do most effectively.

Genre Catalogs assign the Focus terminology that fits the tradition's flavor and cultural logic. The term used has no mechanical weight; it is a naming convention that locates the Focus within the setting's fictional frame.

Tradition Type (Talent)	Example Focus Terminology (Focus)
Arcane Magic	Philosophies / Schools
Faith Magic	Spheres / Ethos
Syonic Powers	Disciplines / Paths
Elemental Sorcery	Elements / Aspects
Psitech	Protocols / Frequencies
Technomancy	Harmonics / Augments / Apps
Necromancy	Rites / Bindings

A Genre Catalog author is not bound to these labels; they are examples. The mechanical behavior of a Focus is defined by AX.C.04 regardless of what the setting calls it.

Split-Category Traditions

Some tradition labels do not map cleanly to a single universal category. Syonics, for example: mental disciplines that involve direct physical force (telekinesis, biokinesis) are Force Traditions, while disciplines that involve perception, attunement, or consciousness influence (telepathy, empathy, psychometry) are Resonance Traditions.

When a Genre Catalog implements a tradition label that spans two categories, it should do so explicitly, defining which Disciplines or Foci belong to which category. This has a practical design consequence: a Lineage or Profession access grant for a split tradition should specify which branch (or both branches) it covers.

See the Sample Power Folios in AX.C.08 for a worked example of how the Syonics tradition handles this split in a Fantasy Genre Catalog context.

For access rules, see AX.C.08.03 - Extra-Normal Perks.
For Odd Talent advancement and Focus costs, see AX.C.12.02 - Spending Experience.
For Genre Catalog power system definitions, see the relevant Genre Catalog Powers section.