Ingenuity

Combat Traits are the main source of combat-related advantages and combat abilities. Anyone can learn to use a weapon without hurting themselves. Anyone can learn to block an attack to learn to duck an arrow. Learning to deal devastating damage, break weapons, or knock someone to their knees takes not only training but a certain degree of sheer physical or mental conditioning that exceeds what most people can do. Each Trait represents the instinctive way that each individual approaches combat and how those basic tendencies are represented in the game world.
  • Each Trait Tier has a Passive Advantage that is gained when the Trait Tier is purchased.
  • Each Trait Tier has a Per Combat ability that can be purchased up to three times each. These abilities refresh after 15 minutes of rest, during which time no Trait-based abilities can be used, nor can the character participate in combat in any fashion.
  • Finally, each Trait Tier has a Per Reset Ability Set that is purchased one time. These sets offer three uses of an ability at Tiers 1, 2, and 3, two uses of an ability at Tier 4, and one use of an ability at Tier 5. These uses refresh at Sunrise, and Sunset.

Any Combat Trait ability that does not deal damage such as Natural Torment, Natural Betrayal, Natural Snare Arms, etc bypass all Shells, worn armor and Vigor. As a general rule of thumb if the Protective wouldn’t be taken down by the ability they don’t interact. They are still negated by missing the delivery swing/packet, being physically blocked by a hand-held shield or weapon, Dodge, Parry (if melee), Side Step (if ranged), Wyrding, Resist and other appropriate defenses.

Passive Advantage: Sharpened Awareness (Included with Tier 1)

This ability grants the character multiple options. First, the character is under a constant, permanent Strong Will effect, which halves the duration of any Mental Effects that affect the character.  Second, it allows for the character to request an out of play description of an object or person so long as a silhouette can be clearly seen. Lastly, the character may identify Poison effects on or in items by examining them, and this action does not trigger the effect. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Keen Sight: What Do I See”, “Natural Detect Poison”

Per Combat Ability: Torment

The character may use a Natural Torment effect. This effect causes the target to experience debilitating pain for 3 seconds during which time no action can be taken, line of sight is broken, and Concentration cannot be maintained. They must make some sort of sound or cry revealing their location. Multiple applications of Torment are cumulative. Torment will not Awaken a subject under the effects of mental effects.  Torment is a Mental effect.  Please see the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Torment”

Per Reset Ability Set: Snap Out Of It

Allows the character to use a Natural Awaken effect 3 times per Reset. This effect removes all mental effects from the target character. In this instance, the effect must be delivered as a weapon attack.

Tagline: “Natural Awaken”

Passive Advantage: Blindside (Included with Tier 2)

This ability grants the character the ability to, at will, use a Sap effect. Sap is an effect that must be delivered from behind the target (within the rear 180 degrees). It must be delivered to the target’s shoulder blade area with a blow using a weapon, and the strike must be made, safely, with approximately the closest six inches of the weapon to the handle (be it striking surface or not). Wearing a helmet that meets the criteria of Medium Armor allows a character to call “No Effect”, as do certain other abilities. Sap cannot be Parried or Dodged.  Duration of Sap is 5 minutes or 30 seconds of roleplayed shaking to awaken by another character. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Sap”

Per Combat Ability: Stupefy

The character may use a Natural Stupefy effect. This effect causes the target to not be able to attack for a 10 second duration. The target may still defend themselves or flee. Stupefy is a Mental Effect. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Stupefy”

Per Reset Ability Set: Combat Chameleon

Allows the character to, 3 times per Reset, use a Mimic effect to duplicate a Natural effect delivered by weapon that the character has witnessed in the last 10 seconds. This includes, but is not limited to, Natural Crits, Maiming, Mortal, and Killing Strikes, Natural Disarm, Torment, etc. abilities. This does not allow the character to duplicate packet delivered effects even if they are Natural. The character may also duplicate any Lesser or Greater Defense they have witnessed in the last 10 seconds. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Mimic, [Duplicated Effect]”

Passive Advantage: Intuitive Insight (Included with Tier 3)

This ability allows the character to use, at-will with the presence of a Marshal, the Identify Magic Item effect. Using this effect, the character may determine the nature of a magic item, its specific effects, power source of those effects, and what, if any, activation costs there are. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Identify Magic Item”

Per Combat Ability: Betrayal

The character may use a Natural Betrayal effect. Under this effect, the target will attack their own allies (allies do not have to be friends, only fighting on the same side), WITHOUT using offenses abilities, for 10 seconds or until unconscious whichever comes first.  This is a Mental Effect. See the Effects List for more information..

Tagline: “Natural Betrayal”

Per Reset Ability Set: Pressure Points

Allows the character to use a Natural Drain Magic effect 3 times per Reset. This effect causes the target to be unable to use magical skills or abilities. Drain lasts until the target has rested for 15 minutes (as if refreshing Per Combat abilities from Traits). See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Drain Magic”

Passive Advantage: Slippery Mind

Allows the character to use any one use of any Ingenuity Per Combat Ability to instead Reduce a Mental effect, to 1 point of damage, taken to the location struck. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Reduce”

Per Combat Ability: Snare Body

The character may use a Natural Snare Body effect. This effect causes the target whole body to be snared, and they may take no actions except the warding off of a Killing Blow for one (1) minute. See the Effects List for additional information on Snare Body.

Tagline: “Natural Snare Body”

Per Reset Ability Set: Ride the Lightning

Allows the character to, 2 times per Reset, use a Mimic effect to duplicate a Magical effect delivered by packet or Spellstrike that the character has witnessed in the last 10 seconds, and use it as a Spellstrike with the same source. See the Effects List for more information.

Tagline: “Natural Mimic, Spellstrike [Magical Effect]]”

Passive Advantage: Grounded Aura

This ability grants the character 1 point of Spell Protection that is always on. This Spell Protection stacks with any other source of Spell Protection that the character may have.

Tagline: N/A

Per Combat Ability: Spellstrike Spirit Barrage

The character may use a Spirit Barrage effect as a Spellstrike, melee or ranged. This effect delivers an automatic Wound to every location. Note that this effect directly causes Wounds, it does not deal damage, and so bypasses armor, Shells, Vigor, and Spell Protection. It may be defended with Dodge, Spell Flux, Counter Spell, Wyrding, Resist and Absorb. See the Effects list for more information.

Tagline: “Spellstrike Spirit Barrage”

Per Reset Ability Set: Dead Zone

Allows the character to, 1 time per Reset, enter a stance after 10 seconds of concentration that lasts for one minute. While in this stance, the character MUST call “No Effect” to any and all magical effects that affect the character, beneficial or harmful. While in this stance, the character is considered to be under the effects of a Drain Magic effect that cannot be prevented, and ends when the stance ends.

Tagline: “No Effect”

Ingenuity Trait Costs

Tier12345
Tier Cost8XP8XP8XP8XP8XP
Tier Cost, Difficult*10XP10XP10XP10XP10XP
Per Combat Ability Cost5/5/5XP6/6/6XP7/7/7XP8/8/8XP10/10/10XP
Per Reset Ability Set Cost**3XP4XP5XP6XP8XP

* Characters who possess any supernatural racial heritage may experience Difficulty learning one or more Traits and must pay increased XP costs to learn Tiers. Players must pay the increased difference in cost for any Difficult Traits that were purchased before manifesting a supernatural racial heritage.

** This is a one time cost, regardless of the number of uses granted by the Per Reset Ability Set.

Each Trait has 5 Tiers and these Tiers must be bought in progression. Humans can buy any Trait at base cost at any point and at any time. Altera intentionally does not have any “Character Creation Only” abilities. Once a human embraces any of the mythological legacies they will begin to gain access to unique Passive advantages, Per Combat abilities, and Per Day abilities however, the trade-off is that the newly awakened races make two Traits Difficult to learn. The first tier of any Trait is 8 XP. If a Trait is considered Difficult this cost is 10 XP instead.

To advance from one Tier to the next a character must have all three Per Combat abilities and the Per Reset Ability Set before the next Tier can be purchased. When advancing to Tier 5, an additional in-game requirement is necessary before the character may purchase this Tier. This requirement is something that must be discovered in-play.