Re: The Speak Easy: OOC Talk, Questions and Answers
Schticks are found on page 11 of the Guidebook, which is a downloadable pdf.
Apologies in advance for the Wall of Text, just want to get everyone up to speed quickly.
From the guide
Step 3] Shticks:
Shticks are what separate out the heroes from the normal, everyday
shmoe on the street. Some are subtle, others are more brazen, but all
give your hero the edge they need to survive. There are two kinds
of Shticks: The first one is a “flat-cost” Shtick that works without
a roll of the dice. The second kind adds to certain skill rolls. These
are purchased at a rate of one rank for one point, with no more than
5 invested in any one Shtick during character creation. A character
may start with up to 3 Shticks.
Shticks with an (M) after their titles are considered Mental
(Psionic) in nature and require that the hero has a base Empathy of
8 in order to purchase. Ask your Director is these are suitable for
the campaign.
When using or opposing Mental Shticks, replace the normally
linked stat associated with the skill with the character's Empathy.
(i.e. to detect someone using invisibility, instead of Awareness +
Intelligence, you would roll Awareness + Empathy).
Shtick Descriptions:
Amazing Contraption: With this Shtick you have either created
or come into possession of a unique item. It is up to you and the
Director to determine its capabilities; it could be a rocket pack, a
flying car, a ray-gun, or your own personal robot. If this Amazing
Contraption mimics another shtick, use the other shtick instead.
Amazing Contraptions are explained in more detail later on (5
points).
Animal Bond (M): You are able to mentally bond with a single
animal at a time and communicate with it. It will do tasks for you...
within reason (5 Points).
Beneficiary: You have inherited a great fortune that was not
destroyed by the Great Depression. You find that you have no need
of anything and you may own a mansion, a fancy car, an airplane, a
family business, etc. One important lesson you have learned since
you’ve acquired your fortune is that the more money you throw
around, the more attention you will attract... most of it unwanted.
The amount of money you have at your disposal at any given time
is up to the Director. (NOTE: The average salary in the late 1930s
was $1500.00 a year) (5 points).
Better Lucky than Good: You may use your current luck score in
place of your skill rank on a single skill or combat skill roll. You
may choose to use this after the roll has been made. Use of this
shtick costs one luck to use (after roll is made and total calculated)
(5 points).
Bulletproof: Normally bullets cut through flesh like a hot knife
through soft butter, however with this shtick, you may apply your
toughness against lethal damage (5 points)
Cat’s Grace: The Hero has perfect balance. For every rank
purchased, she receives a +1 to Acrobatics, Athletics, and other
skills that require balance. The Hero is also unafraid of heights.
Danger Sense (M): You get a bad feeling about situationsbefore they transpire, it may not
be obvious where the danger is coming from however. For every rank purchased, add a
+1 to Awareness & Dodge
rolls. Danger Sense does
stack with other shticks that
grant bonuses to awareness.
Death Defiance: You hear "I
thought you were dead" a lot.
Somehow you always manage
to survive the deadliest of
situations. The Hero must
have at least one point of Luck
remaining for this Shtick to
work, otherwise your luck
finally ran out (5 points).
Drop Dead Gorgeous: “Well, hey there goodlooking!” Add + 1 for
every rank purchased to any roll in situations
where looks come into play (Seduction, Persuasion, High Society).
Eagle Eye: Nothing gets past you, at least not visually. For every
rank purchased, gain a +1 to visual Awareness rolls. Each rank also
increases the Range Value of a ranged weapon by +1.
Escape Artist: There are no bonds or man strong enough to hold
you, your extreme contortionist abilities allow you to twist, turn
and dislocate joints, allowing you to shed any constraints. Add +
1 for every rank purchased. To escape bonds make a Deftness +
Legerdemain + Escape Artist Roll vs. the difficulty of the bond.
This can also be used in combat where you have been grappled,
allowing you to use Deftness instead of Brawn, whichever is
higher.
Evil Eye (M): You can unnerve your opponent, causing them to
falter. Ranks purchased can be imposed as penalties for both skills
and combat. This counts as an action in combat and requires a roll
to hit. Roll 1d10 + Empathy vs. your opponent’s Empathy + 1d10,.
If you succeed the number or ranks you purchased are subtracted
from all rolls that one opponent makes, you can only use this
ability on one opponent per scene.
Fists of Steel: Either having naturally dense knuckles or through
a martial arts kata like Iron Palm, you have incredibly strong fists.
Add +1 to your Damage Modifier for attacks made with fists for
every rank invested.
Feat of Strength: You can do amazing feats like: lifting more
weight than is normally possible, busting down doors, holding
onto something with an iron grip, etc. For each rank purchased,
add +1 to Brawn score. This shtick does not add to damage.
Forgettable: Character is forgotten, like she was never there,
this only works in situations where the character isn’t in constant
contact with the same people. Characters with this Shtick also
have an uncanny knack of not having their photographs taken,
either their face is out of focus or turned away when the shutter is
released. (5 points)
Gumshoe: "That's one thing I've learned about clients. Dead ones
don't pay their bills". - Rigby Reardon. You are the guy people go
to when they run out of options. Tenacious and thorough, you find
the information needed to crack the case, no matter how obscure.
You know where to go and who to talk to. For every rank purchased
add a +1 to streetwise, interrogation, and research.
Healing Hands (M): Some charlatans claim to have the healing
touch, but you really do! By spending one point of Luck you can
heal another person (Sorry, cannot be used on yourself). Roll 1 d10
+ Empathy + Healing Touch, you heal the target by one point for
every point rolled (healing is applied to fitness first, then to vigor).
You can also neutralize poison and even revive a recently deceased
person (5 minutes or less)… if the victim is still intact. (5 Points)
Heightened Senses: Your senses are fine-tuned to detect anything
out of the ordinary, this includes all your senses. Add +1 to all
Awareness rolls for every rank purchased.
Hide in Shadows: You are able to hide in seemingly unlikely
places as long as you were not previously spotted, add a +1 for
every rank invested to Stealth rolls.
Huntsman: You are at home on the hunt for big game, whether
it is in the Sahara or in the Great White North. For every rank
purchased, the Huntsman gets a +1 to Wilderness Survival and
+1 to hit and damage with a hunting rifle, bow or other primitive
projectile weapon.
Hypnotic Suggestion (M): You are able to persuade a person do
something he would be all but violently opposed to doing. Add a +
1 to all persuasion rolls for every rank purchased.
Invisibility (M): Through the power of the mind you are able
to cloud men's vision to where they are unable to perceive you.
With this Shtick you may add +1 for every rank purchased to your
Stealth instead of Deftness, you will use Empathy as your linked
stat. Unlike Hide in Shadows, you can walk through the middle of
a crowded room undetected.
Jury Rig: You can repair or modify anything with little more than
chewing gum and bailing wire, it’s not guaranteed to stay fixed,
but it will survive long enough to make it to the next scene. Add a
+1 to all repair or modification rolls for every rank invested (see
Amazing Contraptions below, for more information)
King of the Jungle: You are at home in the wilds; you were
probably born there and have a natural affinity for your nonhuman friends. For every rank purchased, you get a +1 to Animal
Handling & Wilderness Survival and are able to use social skills
normally used with humans on animals (Persuasion, Intimidate,
Society, etc…)
Know-it-all : You are a walking, talking encyclopedia set. At the
beginning of the scene, you may select a Knowledge skill of your
choice, the skill level is equal to the number of ranks of this Shtick
purchased, the choice may not be carried over to the next scene,
outside of whatever was noted in the previous scene (5 points)
Lie Detector: You can see through most attempts of subterfuge and
may add +1 to any opposed rolls where lying might be involved
(Acting, Persuasion, Seduction, Interrogation)
Lightning Reflexes: You react before most people realize they need
to react, for every rank purchased, add a +1 to your Initiative.
Mental Bullet (M): Through the power of thought you are able
to send a bolt of mental energy towards your opponent, causing
extreme mental anguish. This power is considered lethal and
cannot be resisted with toughness. You gain a +1 for every rank
purchased. To make a Mind Blast attack roll Empathy + Mental
Bullet vs. Empathy + Mental Discipline. Damage is 2d6 +1
for every rank purchased (i.e. If you have a rank 3, damage is
2d6+3). You may make one Mind Blast a round. Like other forms
of combat, critical successes do apply.
Mind Link (M): You can link your mind with another’s willing
mind to communicate with them telepathically and to experience
what they are seeing, hearing and doing. This does not allow you to
probe into their mind, only what is going on in the current situation
is made known to you. (5 points)
Mind over Matter (M): Your mind overrides pain and suffering
that you may be enduring, for every rank purchased add a +1 to
Endurance and Mental Discipline rolls
Nerves of Steel: Nothing seems to rattle you. For every rank
purchased add +1 to any Moxie based skill checks where fear/
nerves are involved (i.e. Mental Discipline)
Photographic Memory: You can remember amazing details
about a situation, photograph or document that you have
studied. You cannot learn skills using this ability, though
it does make taking exams easier. (5 points)
Precognition (M): You see visions, things that are to
come. By spending a luck point you may see events in
the future, what and how far into the future is up to the
Director. (5 Points)
Sidekick: With this shtick you have at your side a loyal assistant.
They are built as a normal character with 30 points to distribute
among stats, 30 points to distributor among skills. They will not
start with a shtick, but it can be purchased at a later time with
experience. The sidekick will share the heroes experience points.
(5 points)
Signature Weapon: "Lucille, God gave me a gift. I shovel well.
I shovel very well." - The Shoveler. You are known by being
exceptionally good with one particular weapon. For every rank
invested, and a +1 to hit and damage with one specific weapon.
(i.e.: Colt 1911, or broadsword, etc.). Your Signature Weapon
choice automatically makes you proficient in it use, not matter what
your Fighting or Firearms rank is (i.e. If your Signature Weapon is
a whip and your fighting is a 3, you will surfer no penalties, even
though a rank 5 is normally required to use a whip effectively)
Skilled: You get an additional 10 points to apply to new or existing
skills, standard creation rules apply. Tis can be taken more than
once. (5 points)
Steely Gaze: The character has eyes that seem to pierce the
soul, unnerving opponents, add a +1 for every rank purchased
for Interrogate/Intimidate and as well as when opposing rolls for
Persuade/Deceive
Street Smarts: You live on the streets, maybe literally. You know
every escape route and hiding place in your area. You know how to
blend in, and where to find food, shelter and money, either through
begging, stealing or a job. For each rank purchased you receive
a +1 to streetwise as well as stealth and awareness rolls in urban
settings.
Telepathy (M): The ability to read minds and to communicate
without using words. If the target is not a willing subject, an
Empathy + Telepathy vs. Empathy + Mental Discipline roll will
have to be made. The target need not be aware of the attempt to
defend. For each rank purchased add a +1 to your Telepathy rollTongues (M): Your mind automatically translates unknown
languages as you hear them, and gives you the ability to speak in
return as if it was your were native speaker. You will not retain the
language once you are out of earshot of the speaker. Tongues does
not allow you to read the written word. (5 Points)
Tough as Nails: You are one tough cookie, nothing seems to bring
you down, reduce incoming damage by one point for every rank
purchased.
Two-Fisted: The Hero can get in a second attack with his off-hand
(including fists, melee weapons or firearms) without the usual
penalties for a second attack. (5 points)
Untouchable: Because of ducking, weaving and knowing how to
uses cover, you are extra hard to hit. Add your current Luck to
your defense rolls (5 points)
Well Connected: You know people who know people who can get
the information and equipment you need. For every rank purchased
add a + 1 to Streetwise, General Knowledge and Research skills.
A failed roll means that contact cant find what you are looking for,
you will have to go to another one of your sources.
Wheelman: The road is your home, and your driving skills are
second to none. For every rank add +1 to any roll where driving or
flight is involved. You also know how to maneuver your vehicle
to avoid as much damage as possible. You may reduce the damage
done to your vehicle by one point for every rank purchased, this is
in addition to any armor it may be equipped with.
Wheelman: The road is your home, and your driving skills are
second to none. For every rank add +1 to any roll where driving or
flight is involved. You also know how to maneuver your vehicle
to avoid as much damage as possible. You may reduce the damage
done to your vehicle by one point for every rank purchased, this is
in addition to any armor it may be equipped with.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:34, Mon 22 Feb 2021.
