Techniques
Techniques are special abilities that fall outside the skill list. In a fantasy setting, they are spells. In sci-fi, they might be hacking protocols or psionic abilities. In a wuxia game, they are martial arts techniques that defy physics. The system does not care what you call them — only that they cost something.
Tech Points
Every character has a pool of tech points — the energy, focus, or willpower needed to activate techniques. Your pool equals WIL ÷ 10 (minimum 1), rounded down. This is your max tech points.
Your current tech points refresh to max after a long rest (8 hours of sleep in a safe location). You cannot stockpile points between days — unused points are lost.
Activating a Technique
To use a technique, spend tech points equal to its tier. You have enough points to use it? You activate it. The effect happens as described. No roll needed unless the GM calls for one — for example, when a technique is contested, improvised, or used under pressure.
When a roll is required, the standard target is ≤ WIL. The GM can apply difficulty modifiers as normal.
Tiers
Techniques come in five tiers. Higher tiers are more powerful and cost more to activate.
| Tier | Cost | Power Level | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Minor effects, cantrips, basic tricks. | A spark of light, a brief shield, a whispered lie that sounds true. |
| 2 | 2 | Moderate effects, standard combat techniques. | A bolt of force, a short burst of invisibility, a healing touch. |
| 3 | 3 | Significant effects, turning-point abilities. | A wall of flame, a mind-reading trance, a strike that ignores armor. |
| 4 | 4 | Major effects, encounter-defining. | A storm of blades, a zone of silence, a blast that levels a wall. |
| 5 | 5 | Legendary effects, story-altering. | Resurrection, teleportation, a curse that cannot be broken by mortal means. |
The GM decides the exact effect of each technique. The tiers give you the budget and the power floor — the fiction fills in the rest.
Techniques and Skills
Techniques and skills are separate tools. They do not replace each other.
- A skill is something you are trained in. You roll d100 ≤ the skill value. You can use it as many times as you want.
- A technique is a special ability you activate by spending tech points. The effect happens as described. You can use it as long as you have points.
A character can have both a technique and a skill that cover similar ground. For example, a character might have a Heal technique (magical restoration) and a First Aid skill (mundane medicine). The technique heals instantly on spend. The skill requires a roll and takes time. Both can be used in the same encounter — the technique for a quick magical fix, the skill for a careful mundane one.
The GM decides how techniques and skills interact in specific situations. When in doubt, the principle is simple: techniques spend points and produce effects; skills require rolls and produce outcomes. They coexist.
Learning Techniques
You start with 3 techniques at Tier 1, chosen with your GM to fit your concept. A wizard starts with spells. A psychic starts with psionic abilities. A swordsman starts with martial techniques. The system adapts — the concept leads.
Leveling Up
When you level up, you gain 2 technique points. Spend them to:
- Learn a new technique — cost equals its tier. A new Tier 1 technique costs 1 point. A new Tier 3 technique costs 3 points.
- Upgrade an existing technique — cost equals the new tier. Upgrading a technique from Tier 2 to Tier 3 costs 3 points.
You cannot exceed your techniques known cap: level + 2 (minimum 3). A level 1 character can know 3 techniques. A level 5 character can know 7. A level 10 character can know 12.
If you cannot afford a new technique or upgrade, you save your points for the next level.
Stat Requirements
A technique at Tier 3 or higher requires a relevant stat of at least 50 + (tier × 10). Tier 3 requires a stat of 80. Tier 4 requires 90. Tier 5 requires 100. If your stat is not high enough, you cannot learn or use that technique.
Designing Techniques
Your GM designs techniques for your setting. The guidelines:
- Tier 1 should be useful but minor. A cantrip, a trick, a small edge.
- Tier 2 should be reliable in combat or social encounters. A bread-and-butter ability.
- Tier 3 should change the shape of an encounter. A big play.
- Tier 4 should be rare and decisive. A moment the table remembers.
- Tier 5 should be legendary. A story-altering event. Most characters never reach this.
The GM is free to create, modify, or retire techniques as the setting demands. The tiers and costs are the constraints — the fiction is the GM's to build.
Genre Examples
| Genre | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fantasy | Spark, Light, Ward | Fireball, Heal, Invisibility | Wall of Force, Mind Reading | Storm of Blades | Resurrection |
| Sci-Fi | Scan, EMP Ping, Holo-Mirror | Shield, Hack, Telekinetic Push | Cloak, Gravity Well | Orbital Strike | Time Loop |
| Horror | Sense Aura, Ghost Touch, Whisper | Fear, Possess, Blood Hex | Spirit Walk, Curse | Mass Suggestion | Plane Shift |
| Wuxia | Palm Strike, Feather Step, Iron Skin | Qi Blast, Drunken Fist, Leap | Hundred Strikes, Stone Skin | Mountain Throw | Dragon's Breath |