Local Threat Skills

The following are skills that are unique to threats in DR:TX and could see play in one of our events:

Universal Threat Skills

• Dark Water Strike: This aquatic attack inflicts the Drowning condition on a successful strike, when the creature calls “Dark Water Strike, Inflict Drowning!”. While Drowning, the target is immediately reduced to 0 Body and enters Bleed Out. Full Dead and Saltwise are immune to this ability, as they can either breathe underwater or do not require air to survive. This attack is resisted by Avoid.

• Devour: This delivery modifier causes the attacker to be healed for an equal of Body as the attack deals. For instance, a creature might call “Devour 50 Body!”, which will deal 50 Body as the attack and heal them for 50 Body. This call can drain Body or Mind.

• Ocular Destruction: Applies the “Missing Eyeball” status. While missing this organ, the victim cannot spend Mind points to Avoid or resist the Blinding Skill call. This condition may be repaired by spending 10 mind and 10 minutes with Master Medical repairing the damage.

• Slaughter: This overwhelming strike is the pinnacle of what can be done in a single blow. The creature will call “50 Body, Reduce Bleed Out to 1 Minute!”. This does not reduce the Bleed Out timer below 1 minute, even if used multiple times.

• Whisper Walk: The creature can use the Basic Stealth ability even under the effects of bright light or daylight. This effect is countered as normal with Awareness.

retro Dead

• Body Puppet: White Packet delivered, the Bone Head can call “BODY PUPPET: Psionic Compulsion!”  If the target does not resist, give the command to the LC to “Fight the Living for 5 minutes. Bleed Out ends!” This effect ends once the victim has been reduced to Bleed Out, or the Bone Head is slain.  This power is resisted by Mental Endurance.  Do not use more than once per minute.

• Overwhelming Strike: While most undead cannot use weapons, the Hate can make a single massive strike and call “15 Body, Overpower!”. This strike requires 2 uses of Avoid to ignore.  Do not use this on the same target more than once per every other flurry.

• Triple Jointed: 13th Story Ghasts can access any room by squeezing through impossible spaces. Place your hand on your head, go out of character, and spawn inside the space near a window, door, or small access point.  You may return to play in Whisper Walk, with the stealth symbol.  Do not use more than once per minute.

• Wail of the Damned: The Golgos can drain the resolve and willpower of their victims with a terrifying scream.  They can call out “Wail of the Damned: Psionic Area of Effect, Devour 10 Mind!”. This can be prevented with Call the Phalanx or Basic Mental Endurance.  Do not use more than once per minute.

• Still as a Statue: While remaining motionless under direct observation, Golgos gain Damage Reduction (Major).  They reduce all Melee or Ranged strikes by 10 to a minimum of 1 damage. Bane does normal damage, not double.

• Attract: The Mercy can call “By My Voice, Attract the Living!”. Victims must proceed within melee range of the Mercy, but can stop to defend themselves if attacked. Countered by Basic Mental Endurance for a five-minute period.  Do not use more than once per minute.

• Mercy Paralyze: The Mercy can call “Area of Effect, Psionic Stun, 1 Minute”. Functions as a very long stun, allowing the Mercy to feed from the horrified and paralyzed victim at their leisure. Resisted by Balance or Mental Endurance. Do not use more than once per minute.

Oxkiller Alliance

• Faithful Miracles: Oxkiller Zealots can call “Psionics: By the Sound of my Voice, all OXKILLERS heal 5!” to heal their war party.

• Faithful Strike: The Zealot can channel their faith into a touch or Psionic Attack with a white packet.

  • Against enemies, this is a Psionic Attack that deals 10 damage. Call “Psionic: 10 Damage!” This can be resisted with Mental Endurance.

  • Against allies, this Psionic Attack can heal 10 Body instantly.  Call “Psionic: Heal 10!”

• Commander Shout: Part belief, part tactics, the Oxkiller Commander can shout encouragement to his allies in a fight urging them to fight on, even beyond their normal limits.  Oxkillers find a second wind, and surge into the battle once more. The Commander can call “Sound of my Voice: All Oxkillers, Upsurge 20 Armor, Heal 1 Body, Heal All Limbs!”.  This effect cannot be used more than once each minute.

• Mastercrafted Weapons: The Commander can ignore the first Break used against them in a fight, as they are prepared for enemy tactics.  Call “Reliable, No Effect!” and ignore the strike.

REsonant Raiders

• Psionic Cannibalism: Resisted by Basic Mental Endurance.  Resonant raiders can feed on the emotional turmoil and aberrant energies of lineages as they are dying.  If uninterrupted for the full 30 seconds of the roleplay, the Resonant calls “Psionic Cannibalism: Reduce Bleed Out to 1 minute”.  Roleplay for this should still be loud and dramatic but should roleplay getting close to the target in order to bask and soak in their energies with cries of glee and hunger at getting to feast on the mental energies instead of physically tearing apart and consuming the target.  It is still an agonizing process to the target and they should be encouraged to roleplay appropriately if needed.

• Psionic Vampire: This ability cannot be resisted.  Many creatures can react to the unnatural Anomaly skills of psions with a power called “Anomaly Response”. When a psionic power is used within Line of Sight of the Resonant, it can drain the psionic potential from the target. The creature will call “Anomaly Response: Psionic Vampire! Line of Sight, 10 Mind damage, no Anomaly Skill use for 1 Minute!” This ability cannot be used more than once per minute on the same target.

• Psionic Assault: Resisted by Basic Mental Endurance.  The Resonant will call “Psionic Assault: Line of Sight, Blinding, Stun, 10 body!”  The victim of this power is overwhelmed and left helpless to the fear inducing powers of the Resonant. 

• Last Laugh: Resisted by Basic Mental Endurance. After 10 seconds of maniacal laughter while in Bleed Out, call “Psionic: Last Laugh, Area of Effect 10 Mind damage!”. Instant kill mechanics such as Murder or Double Tap can deny the use of Last Laugh.

firebrand raiders

• Basic Pyro Strike: Firebrand raiders can manifest psionic flames across their limbs and weapons, enabling a fiery strike. Call “Psionic: 5 body!” on melee or ranged strike. Can also be Avoided or Defended.

• Proficient Pyro Strike: Stronger Firebrands can strengthen their psionic flames around their weapons. Call “Psionic: 20 body” on melee or ranged strike. Can also be Avoided or Defended.

• Backdraft: Soulflame Firebrands can summon the heated winds of the Dune Sea around them. Call “Area of Effect, Knockback 10”

• Explosive Death: On Killing Blow, the Firebrand raider can explode into a retributive blast of psionic fire unless Double Tapped. Call “PSIONIC: Area of Effect, 10 Body”.

drowned ones

• Natural Armor: Drowned Ones do not wear “armor” in the traditional sense, but their skin and flesh have become waterlogged and hardened over their time at sea. They are highly resistant to damage from this natural armor, and can slough off blows like someone wearing plates of heavy metal. Drowned Ones have Armor points but are not required to wear physical armor.

• Raider Drum Beat: The Wavemasters carry large drums to announce an impending raid on their targets. The raider must spend 30 seconds of active RP banging a drum followed by the call: “By the Sound of my Voice, All Raiders Upsurge 10 Armor”.

• Spearing Strike: The Drowned One Fisher can call “Nail, cannot move for 1 minute!”. Countered by Avoid, but breaks on entering Bleed Out. The Target cannot use Enhanced Movement, but can still pivot on one leg. (You can find the rules for Nail on the DR Lexicon)

• Wave of Terror: The Wavemasters can strike an imposing figure on the battlefield and few can stay in one place when faced by their battle cries. Call “AOE, Lineages run in Terror for 30 seconds!”. Countered by Mental Endurance.

• Creeping Dread: Drowned Ones are a ferocious enemy and strike Fear in the bravest of opponents. The Drowned One can call “AOE, Fear, 1 minute - cannot attack me!”.

Rimebound Dead

• Death Explosion (Minor Mutation): The Rimebound undead violently expels shattered ice shards on their death, if not Double Tapped.  If a Killing Blow is used without calling Basic Combat Tactics, call “SHATTERED FROST, AOE, 10 DAMAGE” upon their death.

• Icy Armor (Major Mutation): The Rimebound undead has hardened ichor as armor all over their body and gains points of Armor equal to their Body.  They have Melee Reduction (minimal) as long as they have Armor points remaining.  

  • Once the armor is BROKEN, whether by the Break Skill or repeated damage, they may call “SHATTERED FROST, AOE, 10 DAMAGE” as a response.  Note that Body damage bypasses armor completely and will not break the Armor.

  • Once a zed has been “Shattered” in this way, their RP should change and they should no longer shiver and chatter teeth as they shamble.  They can move at a normal speed once this happens.

• Retributive Death (Minor Mutation): When a Rimebound dead is the target of a Killing Blow, they can explode in a violent blast of cold and ice. Target within 3 steps that does the Killing Blow takes 5 Body unless Double Tap is used (Call “Spike: 5 Body to Killer”)

scorched dead

• Pyro Burst: Cinders can gather the steam and flame inside their undead bodies in a terrible attack on everyone near them. Hiss for 5 seconds, then call “AOE, 10 Body”.

• Molten Aura: A common ability that can be called repeatedly by a Cinder. Call “AOE, 1 Body”. This power cannot be used more than once every 30 seconds.

• Explosive Death: Upon hitting bleedout, Cinders explode into a burst of flames and steam. Hiss for 5 seconds, then all targets nearby take 5 Body unless Double Tap is used. Call “AOE, 5 Body”.

• IMMOLATION!: The largest of Scorched Dead can explode with a massive explosive of magma and fire. Upon hitting bleedout, hiss for 10 seconds, then all targets nearby take 20 Body unless Double Tap is used. Call “Immolation: AOE, 20 Body”.

bloodghasts

• Bloody Healing (Basic Anger Mutation) — The creature can heal quickly as long as it is not in Bleed Out. Call “Bloody Healing” to heal all wounds and fix all limbs instantly. Cannot be called while in Bleed Out, and instead is used mid fight.

• Bloody Evolution (Minor Biological Mutation): Upon successful use of Cannibalism, in addition to the normal benefits, the Bloodghast increases in combat tier to the next rank. Call “Bloody Evolution!” after completing the skill use. A Bloodghast Omega (Rank 1) becomes a Bloodghast Beta (Rank 2), and a Beta becomes an Alpha (Rank 3), etc.

• Blood Frenzy (Master Anger Mutation): Call “Blood Frenzy” to become immune to all anomaly skills for 5 minutes. When struck with anomaly skills may call “No effect, Blood Frenzy.”  At the end of the 5 minutes these effect calls are dropped as if they had been canceled. Skill cannot be initially used as a counter or during bleed out.

murder goat deer

• Murderous Strike: The MGD can strike with a terrible piercing strike. Call “10 Body, Murder!” on strike. Countered by Avoid.

• Stampede: Movement skill, causes all animals within sound of voice to all charge in a single direction for up to 10 large steps. During these 10 large steps the critters affected by Stampede have up to 10 uses of “Takedown” as a skill during the 10 steps. If struck or affected by any damage or skills during Stampede all animals may call “No Effect: Stampede.” Stampede may not last for more than 10 seconds.

• Slaughter: The Slaughter Goat Deer can destroy their prey in one massive strike. Call “30 Body, Murder!” on strike. Countered by Avoid.

• Show of Dominance: None can approach a Slaughter Goat Deer when it gives a ferocious roar. Call “By My Voice, Fear, 5 minutes!”.

midnight jellyfish

• Alluring Visage (Psionic Mutation): The Jellyfish can attract any Lineages near it, who must immediately proceed within melee range of the critter. Once they have reached that point, they may leave. Call “By My Voice, PSIONIC: Alluring Visage, Attract all Lineages”. Countered by Mental Endurance for a period of 5-minutes.

• Stunning Strike: The tendrils of the jellyfish are coated in a neurotoxin. Call “10 damage, STUN!”.  The Jellyfish can use OVERPOWER once per strike attempt if this strike is Avoided. The Stun effect may be ignored with Balance, but you still take the damage unless Avoided.

longwalkers

• Invulnerable - In short, a Longwalker can never truly be “killed” in any way that we can recognize.  They have no Body, no Armor, or any other way to be physically harmed. They are threats to survive, not kill or defeat...

  • Ranged and Melee Immunity - Call “No Effect” or “Reduced” to any damage calls or similar effects.

  • Unnatural Creature - Call “No Effect” to any use of Mangle or Knockout. These creatures can never be killed, outside of plot effects

• Discorporate - Longwalkers can declare “BLINK” and leave a scene as they fade out of reality. The Longwalker can leave an area at any time, even if someone uses a “No Escape” effect.