Racial Abilities

Like Xenos in Scum and Villainy, some other races have special abilities that PCs can use, but unlike in S&V, they aren't always stress-costing abilities. Many of the standard races won't need special abilities, but if you start off with one of these races, you may select the racial special ability as your first ability, or as the signature ability.

If you replace your playbook's signature ability with a racial ability at character creation, you may take the signature ability later as a normal playbook ability.

You may spend 1 Action Point to change your form to another creature you're familiar with (or an original one), give or take 1 foot of height. Your clothing does not change, nor do your other abilities. The facsimile is perfect, including the voice, but you may need to make Action rolls to convincingly portray the person. The change lasts as long as you like, until you change into something else, or revert to your natural form (which does not cost any stress).

You do not need to breathe, sleep, or eat, and are immune to poison and disease. You are unable to wear armor, though you are considered to have standard (not heavy) armor available at all times. You have potency when fighting unarmed against unarmed opponents. You receive -1d on recovery rolls to recover physical harm.

You are considered to have heavy armor at all times without spending load; it is considered fine armor. Your potency when fighting unarmed now applies to armed opponents as well. You can only recover harm by rolling Artifice, not Tier. You are unable to carry a Light load.

Unlike other racial abilities, this one can be taken after character creation. This ability requires the Warforged ability.

You are a member of a larger-sized race, such as a Bugbear, a Minotaur, or a half-giant. You gain scale when fighting in melee with smaller foes, or trying to intimidate someone smaller than you. Your load increases by 2.

You are a member of a small race, such as halfling, goblin, or gnome. You gain potency when trying to pass unnoticed amongst people bigger than you or fit into small spaces, and can tick your Special Armor to avoid an attack from a larger opponent. Your load decreases by 1.

When you resist consequences related to being affected by magic, alcohol, or poison, reduce the harm gained by 1 additional step. Armor you wear counts as Fine. You can see in the dark.

You can spend 1 Action Point to establish telepathic link to your allies for the rest of the scene or conflict. You gain potency when using spells affecting others' minds. You don't dream, and any Sway, Command, or Consort rolls you make against Dreaming Dark agents are at a riskier position.

Choose a shifter trait (below) when you take this ability. You may spend 2 Action Points to shift for the remainder of the scene or conflict, gaining the benefits. You may take this ability one more time, gaining a second trait (you gain both traits when shifting).

• Longtooth: You take +1d when fighting in close quarters, even if your hands are full.
• Razorclaw: You gain potency when fighting unarmed, and when trying to climb.
• Beasthide: You take +1d to resist physical harm. If you aren't wearing armor, you can check the Armor box to resist physical harm.
• Longstride: You gain potency on checks made to move swiftly, and +1d to resist any consequences incurred on such checks.
• Dreamsight: You can speak to animals, see in the darkness, see through invisibility, and gain potency on checks to interact with the natural world nonviolently and to talk with Fey, Animals, Magical Beasts, or Plant creatures.
• Swiftwing: You can fly for a few moments at a time, as long as your hands are empty. You may take one person with you, but they need both hands to hold on. You don't take any damage when you fall, and can glide when falling.