Examples of Powers in Use

I've promised that my next post would include examples of how to use the generic powers to make specific powers, so here are some examples with one power. First, let me introduce our example power users.

• The Necromancers of Taj Neroth, a dangerous cult that worships pre-human deities in a 1920s pulp adventure world. They have cells hidden all over North America, Europe, and Asia and are doing their best to infiltrate all levels of society. Their ranks include socialites, politicians, captains of industry, longshoremen, fishermen, and lumberjacks (although rarely in the same cell together). Their cells go by different names and appear to worship different gods but they all ultimately serve the pantheon of Taj Neroth in various guises. For example, Nai Ctagn, may be worshiped as the Great Buck by lumberjacks in the north woods while urban middle-class businessmen worship it as the Black Stag in their local lodge hall and the idle rich worship it as Naitan, a hedonistic satyr-like figure, in wild debauches in swank hotel ballrooms.
• Elemental Magic, a loosely organized tradition of wizards in a medieval fantasy world. These wizards rarely convene in one place, but sages often communicate with each other to exchange advice and information. More adventurous wizards who travel the world in search of knowledge also seek out their more sedentary brethren to learn new spells and share the knowledge they have gathered in their travels. Some specialize in a particular element while others are generalists.
• Aetheric Engineering, an exciting field of scientific endeavor which is as much art as it is science in a "sword and planet" setting. Aetheric Engineering is used by all the great powers in the Solar System from Venus to Uranus to design and construct their advanced technology which is powered by nuclear reactors and aetheric power transmitters. The Mercurians and Neptunians both use some kind of psychic amplification technology which is not yet well understood (or functional) for the other peoples of the Solar System. Mercurian ascetics use technology based on the field of Hermetic Dynamics (which seems to allow them a greater degree of control over thermal and kinetic energy) and the mysterious Neptunian priesthood uses technology based on Cryobionics (which allows them to create pseudo-living machines of icy crystal). The piratical invaders from Planet X use a previously unknown type of power but reports are still too sketchy to speculate on what it might be.
• The Source, a mystical energy field that permeates the galaxy and can be harnessed for telepathic, clairvoyant, and telekinetic abilities in a space opera setting. The Dai Zha Templars use the positive Astral Source to defend justice and peace in among the worlds of the Galactic Confederation. The Ma Quy use the negative Cthonic Source to service their own ambitions of conquest and empire-building.
• The Tyrian Brotherhood, an order of holy knights whose signature purple tabards and standards have come to represent honor, courage, and goodness throughout all the known kingdoms. They travel the world righting wrongs and correcting injustices. They lead armies against the forces of evil and stand as a shining beacon in the darkness. They possess miraculous powers, but perhaps the greatest is the infectiousness of their incredible courage.

Powers can be used with one of 4 durations: Instant (has an effect one time, usually immediately), Focus (can be maintained from round to round but maintaining it counts as an action), Scene (effects last for the entire scene), and Permanent (effects continue indefinitely). The base difficulty to use these powers is 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively (although Permanent powers may incur an additional cost). Using powers at range also increases the difficulty by 1 per Area (just like Shooting attacks). 

Now, let's take a look at a power and how it is used by these different groups and power sources. 

Enhance Weapon: This power adds +1D to a weapon's damage (including unarmed attacks) or other qualities for each point of Advantage. For example, a blade enchanted to guide its wielder's hand could be given the Precise quality (+1D to attack rolls), one given preternatural sharpness can be given the Brutal quality (+1D to damage rolls), etc.

• The Arrows of Nai Ctagn: Among the Necromancers of Taj Neroth, this Instant spell is used to temporarily enchant ammunition with a powerful corrosive venom. It grants a single shot the Brutal (+1D damage) and Armor-Piercing (+1D damage against armored targets) qualities. The difficulty to cast it is 2 (Instant power plus an extra point of Advantage for a second quality).
• Among the Elemental Mages, this power is known as many different spells. They are all  Scene powers that add one quality to a weapon. The Burning Blade sheathes the weapon in a halo of fire that grants the Brutal property. The Diamond Edge spell supernaturally hardens a weapon's striking edges to give it the Armor-piercing quality. The Fluid Weapon spell gives a weapon the flexibility of a rivulet of water which gives long weapons the Short quality and short weapons the Reach quality. The Storm Blade spell grants the Precise quality by surrounding a metallic weapon with crackling arcs of lightning; these arcs jump to foes on a near miss and help to draw the weapon into the foe.
• Aetheric Engineers use this power to create many upgraded melee weapons such as vibroblades (Brutal, Armor-piercing), shocklances (Armor-piercing, Tricky), and force field generating batons (Parrying, Shielding). Hermetic Dynamicists also use this power to boost the speed of their melee and ranged weapons (Quick, Sweeping).
• Templars use the Source to enhance their fighting abilities with an energy blade by using the Blade Focus Meditation, a Focus power that they use to give their blades a variety of weapon qualities as they need them (most commonly Parrying, Quick, and Sweeping). When targeted by blasters, they use the Shielding weapon quality to deflect the shots with their blades.
• The Tyrian Brotherhood knows this power as Reaping the Unrighteous, a Focus power with difficulty 3 that grants their weapons Sweeping and Brutal to allow them to mow through evil hordes.