Special Abilities

There are many creatures in the NERO world that have special abilities or powers. The effects of these are described below. This list is not necessarily complete, and new abilities will be added as needed. Documentation for any ability is always required.

You may always request to see a skill card for any NPC you encounter. Checking documentation must always be done in a courteous and polite manner. Accusatory tones and yelling cannot be tolerated. If a marshal is nearby, the NPC can refuse to show you the card and show it to the marshal instead, but the basic theory still applies: you are always allowed to check to make sure that the NPC has the skill he or she is claiming. Any problems should be brought to the attention of a marshal so that it can be verified if the player is playing the correct part and then provide the correct documentation to the player.

Some monsters are made of multiple NPCs. These are either organisms that can divide into many segments, or are larger than man sized. In some cases, these creatures will be affected differently by battle magic spells. The spell may only affect one of the creature’s segments. A spell such as Pin may only affect the segment it hits, allowing the creature to pivot around the affected part.

Once again, the monster should have documentation describing any special allowances it may have.

Occasionally, a monster’s abilities may change from event to event or even during an event! This can be the result of many things, from mutation to strange magics to a new tribe moving into the area.

Remember: The information on the NPC cards and in this section is out-of-game. Even though you saw a monster card that said a monster was immune to sleep, your character would only know that your Sleep spell had no effect when you tried it or when you were told in-game that it would not work.

Special Attacks

The following powers are used mainly in combat, and most of them require that the creature do body damage in order to affect you. The few that do not are labeled as such in their description. Some, such as Superhuman Strength, modify the monster instead of the monster’s chosen prey.

The people playing the monsters will call most special attacks every time they hit you, even if the power may not affect you on that particular swing.

Special Attacks that require body damage do not work unless the damage they do is applied to your Body Points. In other words, the monster must get through your armor and touch your skin with their “claws.” (Bless and Greater Bless spells do not count as “Body” Points for this purpose.) If you are incapacitated or unconscious, then they merely have to touch you for the attack to affect you.

“Arcane”, “Magic”, and “Elemental” effects that are identical to spells have exactly the same qualities as the spell, including duration, effect removal, etc. “Physical” effects are not affected by Dispel Magic, “Physical” cannot be applied to other effects besides Pin/Bind/Web/Confine. “Poison” effects that duplicate alchemical effects have exactly the same qualities as the Alchemical Substances, including duration, effect removal, etc. “Carrier” effects that duplicate spells are treated like “Arcane”. “Carrier” effects that duplicate alchemical substances are treated like “Poison”. All “Carrier” effects that are ambiguous are treated as “Arcane”. “Mixed” effects, like “Magic Feeblemind” should rarely be seen, and can all be removed by either Dispel Magic or Purify Blood. Also note that the <Damage> portion of “Elemental” is optional, since not all “Elemental” effects include damage.

Packet Attacks: Some creatures can generate a ranged attack using spittle, magic, elemental power, or some other method. The creature throws a packet and must hit another character. If the attack is poisonous (cured by a Purify Blood), the packet must be orange. If the attack is not poisonous, then orange packets may not be used. The effects depend on what is thrown.

Magic attacks are blocked by a Shield Magic or reflected by a Reflect Magic. The creature calls out “Magic <effect name>.”

Poison attacks are blocked by a Poison Shield. The creature calls out “<type> Poison.”

Elemental attacks are blocked by an Elemental Shield. The creature calls out “<damage> Elemental <Effect>.”

Physical attacks have no standard spell defense. The creature calls out “Physical <spell name or effect>.”

Arcane attacks have no standard spell defense. The creature calls out “Arcane <spell name or effect>.”

Packet delivered special attacks must hit you or your immediate possessions in order to be effective.

Carrier Attacks: Some creatures can generate unusual damage by using body weaponry or claws which will affect a victim if the attack does body damage. The effect is called with the weapon strike instead of the usual “normal” verbal. The creature will call out the carrier attack with every swing, even if the power may not affect you on that particular swing. These attacks do not work unless the damage they do is applied to your Body Points. In other words, the monster must get through all of your Armor Points and all of your defensive spells and damage your Body Points with their claws. (Bless and Greater Bless spells do not count as “Body” Points for this purpose.) If you are incapacitated or unconscious, then they merely have to touch you for the attack to affect you.

Carrier attacks can never “heal” creatures. For example, a creature healed by fire cannot be healed by a creature swinging “12 Elemental Fire.” Some creatures can use their magical carrier attacks through weapons.

Whenever any defense is used against a carrier attach (or any other attack for that matter), the defense affects the entire attack. For example, if a weapon call of “10 Sleep” is used upon an Elf, they might choose to call “Resist”. In this case, the entire attack is negated – no damage is taken at all. The same goes for defenses like Cloak and Bane. If a Bane is used, the entire attack is sent back, and applied to, the attacker.

Effects

Base Claws/Body Weaponry: Monsters with this ability can strike with large claws or fists. The phys reps will always be covered in red duct tape; however, you cannot tell the difference between claws and real weapons unless you can actually see the red tape. The claws cannot be Disarmed, Shattered, or Destroyed. The NPC cannot call a Hold to pull out claws. Consider the claws retractable.

Control Greater Undead: Some undead creatures can control other less powerful undead in the area, making them do whatever they want. This effect is stronger than Charm, Shun, Dominate or Fear. The most recent Control Undead, Vampire Charm or Enslavement effect will take precedent if there is a conflict.

Curse of Transformation: Some monsters (notably werewolves and vampires) have the ability to curse their victims so that they will turn into versions of themselves under appropriate circumstances. Werewolves can turn their victims into werewolves who will then change on the next full moon (and every full moon thereafter). Vampires can turn their victims into lesser vampires. Both curses can be reversed if appropriate steps are taken before the victim changes.

Deadly Spittle: Some monsters have a toxic spittle that they can shoot at characters. This attack will be represented by the NPC throwing a spell packet at the player and calling out the attack type (either “Poison” or “Acid” or whatever). If the packet hits you, then you will take the damage of the attack. If the verbal contains the word “poison,” then the Poison Shield spell defense will block it, as will the racial ability Resist Poison.

Disease: This attack acts exactly like the spell Cause Disease.

Drain: This attack acts as the spell Taint Blood but without the loss of Body Points. Drain will last for ten minutes or it can be removed with a Life spell. This effect is not affected by a Dispel Magic.

Drain Life: This attack is the same as Drain but lasts until a Life spell is given or the victim resurrects. It cannot be removed by a Dispel Magic.

Elemental Damage: The attacker will call a type of damage followed by a number. This type of attack is an elemental attack. “10 Elemental Fire” does 10 points of damage to any creature affected by fire.

Engulf: Some monsters have the ability to engulf or absorb an unconscious character in preparation of digesting them. In some cases the creature’s digestion is very rapid, and the body is dissolved quickly. In other cases the character’s body is taken into the monster and carried along with it. The creature will have to be slain in order to recover the body so that it may be given a Life spell. If you are engulfed by such a monster, you must walk around with the creature until you are beyond the help of a Life spell. You may then proceed to the Healers’ Guild for resurrection.

Fear: Some creatures have the ability to invoke a magical fear. The racial ability Resist Charm can be used as a defense against this ability and an Awaken spell will free someone who is Feared. The feared victim must attempt to break Line of Sight and cannot attack the creature they fear in any way. If breaking Line of Sight is impossible, the victim will stay as far from the attacker as possible. Even if Line of Sight is broken, the effect lasts ten minutes or until the creature is dead. For example, Drina gets Feared by a vampire. She runs screaming around a corner and ten seconds later (as per the “Line of Sight” rule), she feels calm again. If the vampire then appears around the corner, Drina must run screaming again, as the ten minutes are not up. The victim cannot cast an Awaken spell on himself or herself until out of Line of Sight.

Infection: Some creatures have the ability to infect helpless victims with material that will turn the person into a version of the creature. Unlike a werewolf or vampire curse, this is only a physical transformation of the victim’s body. Players will be told of specific triggers if necessary. Victims will lose all memory of their former lives, and the player must follow the commands they are given by the Monster Master until the character is slain. The spirit may then proceed to the Healers’ Guild to be resurrected as normal. Infection is done just as a Killing Blow, with a count of “1 Infection, 2 Infection, 3 Infection.” An infected character will remain so even if killed and then given a Life spell. Sometimes only a resurrection will free a character from an Infection.

Nausea: Some creatures generate a noxious odor with which they can affect their foes. The effect is the same as a Taint Blood spell except that the effect only lasts for 10 minutes and no Body Points are lost. A Purify Blood cast before that time will free the character from the effects of the Nausea.

Physical Pin/Bind/Web/Confine: Some monsters can shoot a substance that uses a physical means to trap victims (such as giant sticky strands of silk). The physical effect is not stopped by any spell protections as it is not magical. The effect lasts for 10 minutes. An Oil of Slipperiness applied to the Body less than an hour beforehand will protect against one such attack. A Release spell or an Alchemical Solvent will free the victim. The victim can be cut by someone using an edged weapon with a three count (“One I cut you out, two I cut you out, three I cut you out.”) If you have an Endow or Delayed Endow spell, you may break free, expending the spell in the process. Someone else with an Endow type spell can likewise break you free. When using an Endow to break free of a Physical binding, the character calls “Endow – I rip free one, I rip free two, I rip free three”, roleplays that he is ripping free of the binding, and is free of the effect. An endow may be used to break another character out of a Physical binding, with the same call and similar roleplay.

Poison: Some creatures can shoot poison which will cause damage. The monster will call out the poison name followed by “Poison” to indicate that anyone struck is affected. The packet thrown must be orange. Any poison is rendered inert quickly after removal from the monster’s body or the death of the creature and thus is not available for use by characters. Anyone struck by a poison attack is affected by the poison as if they had ingested the poison. Poison Shield and Resist Poison blocks this.

Ricochet: Some monsters can redirect a battle magic spell that hits them. This is represented by the creature stating “Ricochet <spell incant>” and throwing a packet. This ability follows all of the normal spellcasting rules. If the monster says the verbal incorrectly, doesn’t throw a packet, or the packet misses, the ability is used up; however, the monster will not be affected by the original spell. This ability must be used immediately or the chance to use it is gone, and cannot be used before a Shield Magic or other appropriate spell defense.

Spell Strike: A few powerful magical creatures and magical items have the ability to generate spell effects in their weapons. The spell effects are just as the spell, except that they are delivered with a weapon strike instead of a spell packet. As with any weapon strike, all weapon safety rules must be followed. The spells are still subject to spell defenses as a normal spell, but parrying the weapon indicates that you have been affected by the spell. This ability does not require Body contact. When this power is used, the player will call “Spell Strike <spell name>” and will deliver a NERO-safe hit. The skill can still be used even when silenced. This call is out-of-game but in-game, the effect is recognizable to all who hear it.

The spell portion of a Spellstrike is only stopped by defenses that would stop the attack if it were delivered by packet. Therefore, Magic Armor, although it stops “the next single strike by a NERO-Safe weapon”, does not stop a Spellstrike. Since a Spellstrike is weapon-delivered, the user must have the in-game skill to wield the weapon in order to use the Spellstrike. For example, if the user is under a game effect that prohibits the use of in-game skills, then they cannot use a Spellstrike. Also, if the Spellstrike is in a non-ranged weapon, then the attack might not affect creatures under the effects of a Sanctuary and Desecrate, as per the spells’ description. Spellstrikes of any other type are not recognized; “Arcane-strike”, “Elemental-Strike”, “Poison-Strike”, and weapon-delivered “Physical” attacks cannot be used, even by variant.

Superhuman Strength: Any creature with superhuman strength can do more damage with any particular weapon than can a normal human. This bonus damage is split in half if the creature is fighting with any weapon other than a two handed one. Note, however, that creatures with Superhuman Strength can gain only limited advantage from either an Endow or a Delayed Endow. (See the spell description for more details). Creatures with Superhuman Strength may also throw “boulders.” A NERO boulder is a large bag filled with loosely wadded newspaper or similar fill. A boulder is a two handed weapon and cannot be used with only one hand. Boulders do a base of 4 points of damage plus the strength bonus of the creature who throws it. A boulder cannot be Parried but can be Dodged. If you accidentally parry or block a boulder then you must take the damage. The skill of Thrown Weapon is needed to throw a boulder. Creatures with Superhuman Strength can also smash down doors. Walls may never be smashed. This ability can also be used to perform certain limited roleplaying tasks such as dragging an unconscious or debilitated creature for ten seconds. It cannot be used to throw other creatures or jump long distances. Note that this ability does not grant the creature the ability to “rip free” from binding effects.

Vampire Charm: Vampires can charm a person if they can maintain eye contact for 10 seconds. This power does not require body contact. If you are charmed by a Vampire, then you must obey all commands the Vampire gives you. These commands are absolute and are much more powerful than a Charm spell; if a vampire tells you to commit suicide, you will do so unquestioningly. Spell defenses will not stop a Vampire Charm; however, the racial skill Resist Charm will protect the character from this effect. Unless stated differently on the monster card, the effect lasts ten minutes. This effect is stronger than Charm, Shun, Dominate or Fear. The most recent Control Undead, Vampire Charm or Enslavement effect will take precedent if there is a conflict.

Special Defenses and Vulnerabilities

Some creatures have special defenses that protect the creature from attacks, or make it more vulnerable to certain effects.

Remember, local chapters can use these definitions and/or change individual monster cards. For instance, a particular chapter may have a plot that makes all Lesser Undead vulnerable to Ice. In this case, the chapter would have monster cards that read “Lesser Undead, No Metabolism, affected by Ice normally”. Or, they might use the normal monster cards, and pass out an additional card to each NPC that say “Weekend of March 1^st, 1999, - all Lesser Undead are affected by Ice normally”. As always, all documentation must be produced if any other player asks to see it.

Acidic Skin/Acidic Blood: Some monsters are covered with a corrosive material that will slowly eat away at any material that comes in contact with the creature. After the battle is over, the NPC will take all weapons tags from anyone who struck it with a weapon, as the acid has destroyed them. Unshatterable items are not affected by this attack.

Bottles: Some creatures have a “bottle” that holds the monster’s spirit separate from their body. These creatures can die many times and will remember everything up to the moment of death. Bottled creatures are not affected by Life or Death spells.

Damage Cap: This ability allows the creature to take a maximum amount of damage from weapon attacks that would otherwise affect it. Damage Caps can affect all damage based weapon attacks that affect the creature, or it may be limited to a certain category of attacks. Damage Cap is never applied to spells. In all cases, other attributes of the attack will still apply even if only partial damage was taken. The call for a Damage Cap is “Cap x”, where “x” is the amount of damage the creature is taking. Please note that this ability is not the same as “Reduced Damage” or “Threshold”. For example, Jeff the NPC leaves monster camp with a monster card which says “Damage Cap 6”. Jeff faces off with two PCs, one who swings “4 Normal” and another who swings “8 Normal”. When hit with “4 Normal”, Jeff will simply take the damage, responding with a roleplaying “ouch!” if possible. When hit with “8 Normal”, Jeff will respond “Cap 6” – meaning he’s only taking 6 points from all attacks 6 or higher. If Jeff were hit by a Dragon’s Breath, he would simply take the spell, since Damage Cap never affects spells. If Jeff were hit with a “7 Waylay”, and his creature wasn’t immune to the Waylay skill, he would fall down (and still call “Cap 6”).

Double from <damage type or effect>: Some creatures take double damage from certain effects or spells. All damage of that type that would normally affect the creature is doubled.

<Effect> Shield: This monster ability acts just like Resist except that it must be used on the first applicable attack that would affect the creature. This means they can only be used after Spell Defenses like Shield Magic and Reflect Magic. This is a “dumb resist” in that the monster cannot choose when to use it. For example, a creature with a Magic Shield must resist the first spell that would affect it; a creature with Lightning Shield must resist the first lightning based attack that would affect it.

Escape Pin/Bind/Web/Confine: Some creatures can rip free from binding spells. Ripping free of a binding spell will still hurt the creature. Ripping free from a Pin spell will cause 2 points of body damage to the creature. Ripping from a Bind will cause 4, from a Web 8, and from a Confine 16 Body Points. This is a three-count action with the phrase “One I rip free, two I rip free, three I rip free.” Damage is taken at the beginning of the three-count, so that if the creature is forced to start over, they will take the damage again. While the creature is doing the three-count, it is vulnerable to attack. While ripping free, the creature may not use any skill requiring movement, such as Dodge. This ability has nothing to do with Superhuman Strength. A creature with the skill Escape Pin/Bind/Web/Confine can only use this skill upon itself, never upon others.

Gaseous Form: Creatures that are forced into gaseous form when they are killed, drop their possessions. Creatures which can turn into gaseous form while still “alive”, whether a certain number of times per day or “at will”, can bring their possessions with them. Creatures that turn gaseous will drop any other creatures being carried at that time. While they are in this form they are immune to all attacks except Solidify. They may move at a normal walking rate. They cannot fly, nor can they move objects they aren’t already carrying. Gaseous creatures can be seen but cannot be communicated with in any way whatsoever.

Group Mind: Some types of creatures (notably some giant insects) have a group mind. Each creature’s mind is but part of a larger whole. What one of them sees or experiences, they all know; however, Holds cannot be called for the NPCs to converse. Creatures that are part of a Group Mind are immune to control affects. An Awaken spell will not free them of the group mind’s control.

Harmed by <damage type or effect>: Some creatures take damage when struck by certain spells or effects.

Heal from <damage type or effect>: Some creatures are healed by certain types of spells or effects (For example, air, earth, fire, water, or all of them). Creatures with this ability cannot be healed by carrier attacks, but can be healed by packet attacks.

Immune to/from <damage type or effect>: Many creatures have immunities to some spells or effects. Creatures must call “No effect” when using this ability.

Immune to <Type> Weapons: Several types of creatures require special weapons (for example, silver or magic) to hit them. Normal weapons will do no damage, but the special weapon (or better) will do full damage. These creatures will tell you “no effect” if your damage is not affecting them. It is possible in very rare circumstances for a creature to be affected by Normal weapons but be Immune to Magic weapons.

Mind Abilities: Some creatures can perform mental abilities such as “mind melds.” These abilities are all completely roleplaying in nature. Generally speaking, a creature with this ability can instill or remove roleplaying insanity or otherwise “cure” mental damage. This ability can not be used to tell if another player is telling the truth or to have that player remember his or her death or otherwise get around any NERO rule. A player always has the right to refuse to roleplay any of these skills and can at any time decide to “break off” the contact or be cured. In order to use this roleplaying skill, the players must be touching each other and be concentrating completely by either staring in each other’s eyes or having their eyes closed. You cannot perform any in-game skills while roleplaying this.

Natural Armor: Some monsters have a skin that acts like armor. It can be refit in sixty seconds but cannot be breached. It cannot be Shattered or Destroyed in any way nor can it be salvaged after the creature is killed. Creatures with natural armor can never wear physical armor.

No Metabolism: Some monsters have an alien or complete lack of metabolism. For those with an alien metabolism, all immunities, defenses, etc., must be listed on the monster’s card. (The card cannot simply state “Alien Metabolism”, since there is no standard definition for this.) However, the statement “No Metabolism” on a monster’s card now has a standard definition, as follows: “Immune to Death, Disease, Drain, Drain Life, First Aid, Life, Nausea, Paralyze, Poisons, Sleep, Taint Blood, Waylay, Wither Limb. May cast spells while taking body damage.”

Non-Corporeal Form: Some monsters are non-corporeal, having no physical form but made mainly made of magic or energy. While they are in this form they are immune to normal weapons, and cannot be affected by most binding magics. They may move at a normal walking rate, and may pass through objects if the object is not living matter (wooden walls are fine, but trees are living and cannot be passed through). While walking through an object, they may not change directions. They cannot walk through walls at an angle, nor stop inside a wall or walk backwards through a wall. They cannot fly or move up through an object; they may only move down. They cannot carry or move objects they aren’t already carrying.

Phase: Some creatures can become non-corporeal for an instant, avoiding an attack as the Dodge skill, and announcing “Phase.” Unlike Dodge, Phase can be used even if the creature is completely immobilized, such as if in a Confine, Physical Web or a Paralysis.

Reduced Damage: Some monsters take less than full damage from physical weapons or types of eldritch damage. Some monsters can even take a maximum amount of damage (a “damage cap”) from every blow. The NPC must call “reduced” when using this ability.

Regeneration: Some creatures can regenerate Body Points by spending time to regenerate, much like refitting armor. The time it takes to regenerate is most often one minute but this may vary from creature to creature. If the regeneration time is interrupted by a weapon blow or a spell that affects the creature, the process must begin again. If the process is completed, then the creature regains all lost Body Points.

Renew skills: This ability allows a creature to renew one or more abilities or skills that have limited uses by fulfilling some condition defined by that creature’s abilities. The most common condition is to take a minute to reset the ability in a manner similar to resetting armor, where any interruption prevents the abilities from returning. Some creatures may also renew skills when entering an area or even if they use another power like Revive.

Resist: This ability is similar to an Immunity except that it is for a limited number of times per day. Unlike an <Effect> Shield, the creature with this skill can decide when to use it.

Revive: A creature with this skill can rise back up after five minutes of semi-death. Instead of dissipating and going to resurrect, the creature rises with full Body Points. The creature will either have a limited number of uses of this ability or there will be some special method of preventing the creature from reviving; for example, some creatures can be prevented from using this skill by applying a Killing Blow with a silver blade.

Rift: Some creatures can open a rift to another plane or time to allow for entrance or exit. This is a three counted action.

Solidify: This skill forces a gaseous form to become immediately solid. It is packet delivered with the verbal “solidify.” Note that the creature may still turn gaseous again.

Suicide Ability: Some creatures have the ability to destroy themselves if they are captured. This ability is the equivalent of a Killing Blow. In some cases, it can be triggered by a Group Mind even if the creature itself is incapacitated.

Threshold: This allows the creature to take Reduced Damage (only a single point of damage) from any blow equal to or below its Threshold. As per the skill Reduced Damage, the creature must call “Reduced” whenever a blow is landed. However, don’t expect to hear the call for every blow. Once you’ve acknowledged the call, the creature is under no obligation to continuously call “Reduced”, unless new players join the fight. These fights sometimes last a long time, so common courtesy on both sides is highly recommended. If you can exceed the limit of the hide, then the creature will take full damage from your blow. A Killing Blow can always go through a Threshold. Spell Defenses and suits of armor are affected by all blows, even if the creature wouldn’t normally be affected. For example: Fred the troll has a Threshold of 4, a suit of armor worth 10, and a Shield spell and a Bless spell active. He is attacked by Mirse the Merciless Mercenary who is calling “two normal.” The first hit from Mirse will remove Fred’s Shield spell, the next five will breach Fred’s armor, and the next hit will remove his Bless spell. After those points are lost, Fred will begin saying “no effect” to the rest of Mirse’s blows.