SPECIAL POWERS

Here are some of thirty or so new powers to be found in our upcoming Hydra sourcebook. Have fun!

CLAW OF TYPHON

Prerequisites: Unique Background: Typhon.

This power is what makes members of House Typhon masters of close combat. Simply by reaching out and touching someone with their naked right hand, you can cause a D10 damage per point of ST. Using this power is a slot of the unarmed combat skill. When the darktouch is activated, House Typhon members can parry weapons even energy weapons like forceblades with their right hand without any of the usual penalties.

Activating this power costs one LF. It lasts until you choose to deactivate, until you fumble when using it in combat or for one minute whichever comes first. Once the power becomes deactivated, you must spend another LF to reactivate it. Cost: 10 points.

SPIRIT OF TYPHON

Prerequisites: Claw of Typhon.

This power is an extension of the Claw of Typhon and can only be used when the Claw of Typhon has been activated. It causes a dark aura of power to emerge from your right hand and envelops any close combat weapon you are holding in it. When activated this lets you add the extra damage created by the Claw of Typhon to any close combat damage the weapon does. It also enables you to parry energy weapons like forceblades normally.

You can only use the Spirit Of Typhon with physical weapons such as swords, axes and chainswords. It does not increase the damage of energy weapons such as forceblades or powerblades. The Spirit of Typhon remains activated for as long as the Claw of Typhon does. If you fumble with the weapon you are holding in your right hand when using the Spirit of Typhon then the Claw of Typhon will be deactivated as well. Cost: 10 points.

GIFT OF LUXOR

Prerequisite: Unique Background: Luxor, Negative Appearance.

The Corpse Lords of House Luxor are famed for granting this gift to their chosen people. It gives a terrifying and loathsome form of immortality. You have been so chosen.

Your bloodstream has been infected with a modified form of the Nekroth virus that animates and preserves you. Your heart has ceased to beat, your lungs no longer draw breath, your internal organs have decomposed and changed into something else. You no longer age. You no longer need to eat or breath or sleep. You are immune to poison and mutation. You do not feel pain save as a mild discomfort.

Your limbs can be blasted away and it will not even slow you down. You need never check for shock or stunning or sudden death. Critical hits will have a physical effect. If a limb is blown off, you will lose the limb but nothing except a type 19+ critical hit to the head can kill you outright.

Of course there are some disadvantages. You cannot gain new powers through mutation. Any normal symbionics implanted into your body after you gain this gift will die. New limbs can be grafted to your body but they must be taken from the animated zombies who serve the Corpse Lords or they will simply be useless, wither and die. The Corpse Lords will replace this free of charge, but you will still need to pay XP to buy off any unusable limb disadvantages you have gained.

You must take the Negative Appearance disadvantage, the level is up to you. You could just look like a grey- skinned pallid individual who bleeds green when cut, or you could look like a shambling rotting animated corpse. Every time you take a critical hit the marks of the wound will show. Ripped skin will reveal decomposing muscle. White bone will gleam through gouged flesh.

Eventually, your appearance will grow worse. Each time, you take such a critical hit you must roll a D20. if the result is greater than the critical hit you took nothing happens. If you fail, your level of negative appearance increases by one. Once you reach the third level nothing more will happen although you should keep track off your wounds for your own sick pleasure. Cost: 20 points.

GIFT OF VALKA

Prerequisite: Unique Background: Valkan.

With this gift you can understand any man portable weapon, given time. If you pick up any weapon, handle it for a round and use this power, you can make an IN roll. If you are successful you gain the slot with the skill, or the skill itself needed to use the weapon. As soon as you receive some XP, these must be spent on purchasing the skill or slot. This power only works with weapons you can pick up, handle and inspect not with vehicles, battlesuits etc. You cannot use the Gift again until you have paid of the XP for the latest skill you have gained. Cost: 5 points.

NATURAL DRIVER

Put you behind the wheel of any vehicle and you will instinctively know how to drive it. If you can make an In roll you acquire the skill or slot necessary to drive the vehicle. As soon as you receive some XP, these must be spent on purchasing the skill or slot you have just received. You cannot use this power again until you have paid of the XP for the latest skill you have gained. Cost: 5 points.

SYMBORG

Your body exists in symbiosis with an alien entity which recycles its waste products and passes them on to you as food, water and air. You can continue to survive as long as you can find a liter of water and a mouthful of fresh food each month. The symborg spreads over your body like a second skin protecting you from radiation and poison. This power is more common among Wasteland animals than it is among humans. Cost: 20 points.