These talents are the subtlest of the three types of Inspired powers, for their effects are neither obvious nor quantifiable. Instead, they take the form of incredible displays of skill or uncanny coincidence. Heroic Knacks don't even require an Inspiration expenditure to use. They are narrowly focused, usually applicable in only one given situation - but in that situation, the character is a world-class specialist who even mesmerists and stalwarts may not rival. They might more appropriately be considered brief instances of dramatic editing.

Almost all Heroic Knacks require certain trait minimums to purchase. They're specialized effects, after all, that center on one particular feat or situation. It doesn't make much sense for a 98-pouind weakling to have Fists of Stone, nor should a stammering nincompoop be a Master of Dissimulation. If the character's score in a prerequisite ever falls below the minimum (whether as a result of age, injury, disease or the effects of other Knacks), the character loses that Knack's benefits until she can raise the effected Trait back to its minimum level.

Daredevils are the only Inspired who may use heroic Knacks. Each heroic Knack costs two transformation points if bought during the character creation process or 12 experience points if purchased during the course of play.

No one’s ever caught you talking about something you shouldn’t be discussing. No matter how hard someone tries to listen, there’s always a convenient string quartet or a loud market trader nearby. Your hair or hat always seems to block the line of sight over your shoulder, or your hand conveniently shields your notepad. You’ve never been caught in a bedroom you shouldn’t be in, and the local law enforcement has the devil’s own time following you through the streets. This knack is particularly subtle, as it doesn’t do anything to affect your own actions. Rather, it interferes with other people’s attempts to listen in on your conversations or pry on your writing. It’s nearly impossible to monitor you without being blatantly obvious.

This knack provides no defense against obvious, direct scrutiny, nor does it keep people from breaking into her hotel room and searching her luggage. It’s only good against covert attempts at invading her privacy – listeners who don’t want to be seen listening and the like.

All attempts to eavesdrop on the character, read her lips, tap her phone line, read over her shoulder or otherwise subtly monitor her personal actions automatically fail without the use of an Inspired power. Attempts to shadow or tail her are at +2 difficulty. Prerequisite: 2 dots in Stealth and Subterfuge OR Cipher 3

Your cohorts have seen a building collapse on your head. They’ve heard your screams as you’ve toppled off a 200-foot cliff. They’ve watched you fall in the spray of a score of archers. Yet, no matter how many times you’ve faced certain death, you’ve resurfaced - rent, bent, but very much alive. Perhaps they watch him drown, only to learn that he washed ashore on the Blessed Isle and is still breathing (for the moment, anyway). The exact time and location of the character’s resurgence is left to Storyteller discretion. This knack is by no means guaranteed to work, the character may find that doing something really stupid and relying on this knack to save him is not a good idea.

When using dramatic editing, the character's player may spend Willpower points in addition to or instead of Inspiration in situations that are likely to result in the character’s death. The only limitation is that the character is apparently dead for at least one scene – perhaps his friends see him fall off a cliff, only to find him hours later, broken but alive. Prerequisite: Willpower 8+

You’ve just got it. You may not know quite what it is, but everyone else sure does! Whether it’s your stunning features, your gleaming smile, your distinctive mode of dress or your aura of palpable menace, something makes people stop and take notice of you when they first see you. This reaction isn’t a sustained one – the novelty of your presence soon wears off – but if you’re clever, you can milk it for quite a bit while you’ve got your new acquaintances sandbagged.

The player gains three bonus dice on all social rolls against any given individual during the entire scene of their first meeting (in-person only) . This Knack has no effect during subsequent encounters – only during the initial acquaintanceship (one hour maximum). Any botches on a roll dealing with first impressions or a dramatic entrance count as ordinary failures. On the downside, the character is at +1 difficulty at any attempt to remain inconspicuous in any situation where more than half the observers haven’t seen her before. This includes most crowd scenes. Prerequisite: Appearance 3+

Whenever you’re traveling, you constantly irritate your companions pointing out things they can’t see. Your eyesight is second to none. This uncanny visual acuity even allows you some degree of perception in weather conditions that leave most people blind to anything more than five feet in front of them.

The character gains two additional dice on all rolls related to long-range or precise visual perception. All difficulty penalties imposed on any vision-related roll by poor visibility (darkness, fog, smoke) are reduced by two. All difficulty penalties for long-range attacks with ranged weapons are halved, rounding down. Prerequisite: Perception 3+

Your attacks drive your victims staggering back several meters in pain and shock. This can be a tactical advantage by opening the range between you and a closing opponent or a fatal attack in its own right if you can strike at the proper angle to drive your enemy into something harmful. However you use it, it sure looks impressive.

A character may purchase this Knack separately for each of the following Abilities: Brawl, Firearms, and Melee. When the character makes a successful attack against another character while using an Ability for which she has Enhanced Impact, the victim is hurled one meter in the direction of the attack for every health level of damage the daredevil inflicts. This impact does no additional damage, though it can propel the target into a hazardous or fatal situation (through a campfire, off a cliff, into a vat of acid). Prerequisite: Brawl, Firearms or Melee 3+, depending on which ability the character selects when he buys this Knack.

Your gnarled, knobby hams have probably seen more than their fair share of other folks’ jawbones. You’ve got a grip like a vice, and you tend to leave dents when you knock on doors. Why bother with tricks such as a roll of coins or brass knuckles? Your collection of scars and calluses works just fine for you. His hands never suffer minor mishaps (scraped knuckles, sprained wrists), though they’re not all that pretty, and he probably doesn’t play piano. Finally, he receives no damage from punching anything less sturdy than solid metal.

The character’s barehanded attacks inflict a base (Strength + 3) dice of bashing damage. His Strength rating is considered two higher for any roll dealing solely with the power of his grip. Prerequisite: Strength 3+

It’s not that you don’t make a good impression; just that no one ever seems to remember it once you’re gone. They may be able to recall everything you did or said with perfect clarity, but your name, your face and the sound of your voice consistently escape memory. Even portraits of you tend to be blurry or faded. This knack is invaluable if you don’t want your actions to come back and haunt you, but it also makes it hard to get a second date.

The character is just what this knack’s name implies: forgettable. The knack has few mechanical benefits, but the Storyteller should strive to ensure that only the character’s most extreme impressions have any lasting effect on witnesses’ memories. Note that this does not apply to the current scene the character is in. The character suffers no penalty to social rolls involving direct interaction. Only after he leaves the immediate area do people begin to forget him. While the character’s closest associates and family members aren’t likely to forget him, pretty much everyone else will. Any casual acquaintance or witness attempting to recall the character’s name or face after he’s left the immediate scene must succeed in Intelligence + Alertness roll with a dice penalty equal to the character’s Intuitive Inspiration facet. Prerequisite: No dots in the Reputation background

You have no problem using even the most complex devices. Intuition and a good deal of mechanical sense give you the uncanny ability to operate any piece of machinery you encounter. You may not always know exactly what you’re messing with, but you know how to make it do … well, whatever it’s supposed to do.

Plus, you’re no slouch when it comes to making improvements to standard technology. Coming up with technological breakthroughs is as easy as Falling off a log — and given a couple minutes you could figure out a way to improve on that, too.

The character can operate any relatively simple device (five or fewer controls) within seconds of seeing it. Complex machinery requires a few minutes of inspection. Gadgeteer does not grant familiarity with the principles behind the device, just an operator’s familiarity with the controls and settings. Any additional Ability requirements required to operate the device still apply, but otherwise the character faces no difficulties from unskilled operation.

If the character has Ability Mastery in Technology, Medicine or Science this Knack adds one die to any rolls involving Super Science. You must purchase this Knack seperately for each Ability Mastery. Prerequisite: Intelligence 3+, Wits 3+, Inspiration 3+

You laugh at feeble attempts to invade your mind as if they were but the wheedling of children. Indeed, you may even be completely unaware of the effects of such powers, should they be used upon you. Whether you’re incredibly disciplined or simply thick-skulled, most paranormal attempts to influence your mind fail – even those of considerable strength meet significant resistance.

All mundane attempts to hypnotise or brainwash the character require three times as long and three times as many successes as normal. Any Knacks that attempt to directly invade the mind, whether for purposes of probing, communication, alteration or outright attack, are at +2 difficulty. Indomitable Will does not affect Knacks that creates illusions affecting the character’s perceptions, only those that actually touch her thought processes.

Unfortunately, the character cannot turn off this knack. Telepathic contact from friendly minds meets with this resistance just like an unwelcome invasion does. Also a character with Indomitable Will provides no benefit to a mesmerist with the Scientific Prodigy Knacks. Prerequisite: Willpower 8+

You have the uncanny ability to recall any single feat you’ve seen performed - once. This Knack doesn’t allow you to repeat the deed with any degree of consistency, but it may allow you to reach for an Inspired level of performance in a field you normally know nothing about, at a moment when nothing less than the world’s best effort will suffice.

The player spends a Willpower point. For one physical task (though it may be a lengthy action, such as surgery), the character gains a number of dots equal to her Intuitive Facet in a single ability in which she possesses zero dots. This Knack may only produce this effect for any given Ability once per game session. Prerequisite: Wits 3+

Your reaction times are far faster than the human norm, and you rarely, if ever, falter. While you’re not capable of the bursts of blinding speed that some stalwarts display, your reflexes nonetheless operate at a steadily higher level than do those of most people. You habitually snatch insects out of the air, and ambushes never catch you flat-footed.

Whenever a die for the character’s initiative roll comes up a 1, 2, or 3, it counts as 4. Prerequisite: Dexterity 4+ and/or Wits 4+. The character gains no additional benefit for fulfilling both prerequisites.

No one is more confident than you are, buddy. Your binding webs of double-talk and immense vocabulary bamboozle even the most astute listener. As long as there’s no one present who can call you on your bluffs, you can fake nearly any sort of professional credentials. Just don’t try to act on your professional knowledge – you may talk the talk, but you most likely can’t walk the walk.

With a successful Manipulation+Subterfuge roll at standard difficulty, the character becomes an instant authority on anything - as far as observers are concerned. She could claim to be a detective and gain admission to a crime scene by mumbling under her breath about the preservation of evidence or could infiltrate a hospital by masquerading as a doctor called in to consult on the dreaded Bennett-Mullins Syndrome. As long as her deception remains within the realm of verbal misdirection, only those observers whose Perception Attribute ratings that exceed the your successes on the Manipulation+Subterfuge roll and who are experts in the field that she is discussing can tell that she’s not what she appears.

The character’s duplicity is revealed if she attempts to act on her purported knowledge. She could infiltrate a hospital by speaking pseudo-medical gibberish, and even most of the doctors there would accept her, but she would quickly be revealed as a fraud if she tried to perform surgery. Of course, if the character actuality does have the Abilities required for her roll, there’s no reason she can’t back up her bluff!

The thing that separates a Master of Dissimulation from an ordinary scam artist is her complete independence from physical guises (“I left my badge on my dresser, Johnnie…”). This Knack functions regardless of the character's appearance. Even if she‘s just crawled out of the sewers, a straight posture and an arrogant tilt of the chin will convince just about anyone that she’s a high-class lawyer who was simply performing some “field investigation.” Prerequisite: Manipulation 3+ and Wits 3+

You’re not prone to accidents yourself, but it seems that every driver around you is. These accidents are confined to minor fender-benders (which never seem to impede your travels) in normal traffic, but true catastrophes result whenever you're involved in high-speed maneuvers. Pursuing vehicles are flung end-over-end by minor brushes with lampposts, and subjects you’re trying to catch are hard-pressed to dodge the myriad pedestrians, wagons and cattle in their paths.

This Knack functions anytime the character is in a race, chase or combat in which she is not on her own two feet The form of transportation doesn't matter—the daredevil could be diving a car, flying a biplane, piloting a motorboat, pushing a scooter, riding a camel or clinging to the back of a pterosaur. The character must be steering the transportation herself for the Knack to function.

If an opposing vehicle (or mount) receives collision damage or suffers a mishap (the driver fails a control roll) during the conflict, it loses an additional number of structural levels equal to the daredevil’s Destructive facet (for mounts, the damage applies as automatic bashing health levels). This bonus also applies as a bashing damage effect to any people in the target vehicle (or on the target mount). This damage effect adds to any other bashing damage passengers might already suffer from the collision and may be resisted with soak normally.

A vehicle destroyed by this extra damage explodes in flames if even the slightest quantity of flammable material is on board. Passengers may roll Dexterity+Athletics at +2 difficulty or spend an Inspiration point to leap clear before the fire consumes them. This Knack does not apply when a vehicle or mount takes damage from a weapon, unless it physically collided with the weapon in question. Cannon shells are not collision hazards in the usual sense. Prerequisite: Drive 3+ or Animal Ken 3+ and Destructive Facet 1+

You're never outnumbered — you just have larger and larger target selections. The more enemies you’re facing, the happier you are. In fact,you prefer situations where you're being assaulted by more than just a couple of opponents. If there's one of you and five of them, chances are good that they'll wind up doing some of the work for you!

The character receives none of the usual penalties for facing multiple opponents in close combat. Instead, she receives one bonus die on all close combat maneuver rolls for every opponent past the first that she faces, to a maximum of +4 dice. In addition to this bonus, each turn the daredevil faces four or more opponents directly in close combat she gains one additional action. This extra action can only be used for close-combat maneuvers and occurs at half the character’s current Initiative score. Remember to adjust the total bonuses as the number of opponents change. Prerequisite: Brawl 3+ or Melee 3+

They never see you sweat. You’re capable of remaining unruffled even in the tightest of situations. If you gamble, even the most savvy of opponents remarks on your poker face. You never panic at the threat of violence, nor in the face of the most excruciating insults. You are the very epitome of “suave and debonair,” never less than completely composed and in control of yourself. Note that you aren’t necessarily immune to surprise - you can be ambushed just as easily as the next person. You’re simply better able to control your reactions than most ordinary folks.

The character is completely immune to panic unless it’s induced by other Inspired powers. She is completely incapable of displaying any sign of discomfort, shock or surprise unless she chooses to. The daredevil gains two bonus dice in staredowns and all Social rolls involving poise, grace or composure (Storyteller’s discretion). She also receives one additional die in any gambling situation where a “poker face” is a factor.

As a side effect of this Knack, the character is immune to minor embarrassing mishaps such as tripping, spilling her drink or getting splashed by a passing car. Also, her clothes almost never suffer damage or get significantly dirty outside of combat. If they do become rumpled or soiled, a brief brushing-off usually restores them to near-pristine condition. Prerequisite: Wits 3+ or Willpower 7+

You’re up and around while the doctors are still trying to decide how to break the news of your crippling injuries to your next of kin. You’re not any less likely to be critically injured, but you bounce back from even the gravest wounds or illnesses in a matter of days – as long as you survive them.

The character heals all wounds as if they were one wound level less serious on the recovery chart. This bonus applies if she is already enjoying improved recovery times due to skilled medical care - effectively healing at two levels better on the chart. Additionally, the character halves the minimum healing time for the Bruised health level. Prerequisite: Stamina 3+

It’s said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. This may well be true in your case, for one glimpse of your blazing orbs convinces even the most hardened observer of your inner steel. Very few men can stand nose-to-nose with you and not back down. Your cobra-like stare can even pin particularly weak-willed individuals in place as if they were particularly appetising field mice.

The character automatically wins any staredown against non-Inspired characters and gains two bonus dice against Inspired opponents. The character may also temporarily stun a non-Inspired target with the sheer force of personality that his gaze contains. To do this, the character makes eye contact with the intended target (who must have a Willpower score lower than or equal to the character’s Charisma rating). The player rolls Charisma+Intimidation at +1 difficulty. Success forces the subject to lose her next combat action (if in combat) or automatically fail her next opposed Social roll (if out of combat). A character may use this Knack against any one individual no more than twice per day. Prerequisite: Charisma 3+

While your usual marksmanship is nothing to sneer at, you truly shine when attempting the impossible. The more difficult the conditions under which you’re shooting, the more skilled you become.

The character purchases this Knack separately for guns and thrown weapons. When performing a tricky maneuver the character’s difficulty penalties are halved (round down) for called shots, target size, high winds, target movement, character movement, unsure footing or virtually anything else except wound penalties or poor visibility. In addition, the character gains a number of bonus dice equal to the original difficulty penalties that were imposed! She may not gain more bonus dice through this knack than she has dots in the Ability she is using to make the attack.

Any extra successes that result from the Trick Shot are halved (round down) before applying them to the attack’s damage effect. This reduction reflects the fact that the Knack’s focus is on performing amazing shots. Prerequisite: Firearms 3+ for guns or Athletics 3+ for thrown weapons

In your hands, any weapon is extremely deadly. You may never have seen a given weapon before, but you intuitively understand how to use it as soon as it’s in your hand. You’re more a prodigy than a savant – your talents are the product of precise aim and an intuitive understanding of range, weight and speed.

The character gains one die to attack rolls with all weapons and reduces by one all wound penalties involving weapon use. The character is never penalized for using unfamiliar or exotic weapons. Prerequisite: Firearms 4+ and Melee 4+

Through a combination of indomitable courage, swift reflexes and uncanny luck, you can face down gun-wielding maniacs with only your bare hands and have a better chance of surviving – and even winning – the fight than your gun-toting companions.

Whenever the character is in combat and is not armed with a ranged weapon, all ranged attacks made on him suffer a difficulty penalty dependent on his Destructive facet, as determined by the following table. This only applies if he began the combat without a gun on his person – no fair throwing down the tommy gun once the fight starts in order to gain these benefits!

Prerequisite: Dexterity 3+ and Athletics 3+ or Brawl 3+

You were driving to the corner store before you could walk, or you were born with a stick in one hand and a throttle in the other, or you can guide a mount like its a part of you. Whether you're a speed demon. a knight of the skies, a renowned skipper or a master horseman, you are virtually unassailable in any vehicle or on any mount that navigates your chosen medium. You can overcome any damage to the craft or mount short of its total destruction, assuming anyone can hit you at all. Even in the direst of circumstances, you can keep moving as long as your conveyance is capable of motion — stories abound regarding fatally injured daredevils who defied death itself to finish one last journey.

This Knack may be purchased for four different areas, though all use the same rules. A Wheelman is a natural at controlling all land-based vehicles: a Barnstormer is her airborne counterpart; a Sea Dog is a nautically inclined daredevil; a Trick Rider shares a similar relationship with living mounts.

Whenever the character is controlling a vehicle to which the Knack applies, its top speed increases by 10 percent for each dot of Intuitive Inspiration she has (a living mount increases by 20 percent). The characters Intuitive facet also adds to the vehicle or mounts total Maneuver score, giving the daredevil a potentially larger dice pool to perform amazing stunts.

While the vehicle or mount is moving, all attacks against it that the daredevil is aware of have their difficulty raised by half of the daredevil’s Wits rating (round down). Once the vehicle or mount is hit, the daredevil takes no dice pool penalties for damage to it, short of its total destruction. If she herself is in control and receives injuries that drop her below the Crippled health level (including those that would otherwise kill her instantly), the character continues to function as if she were only Crippled until the vehicle or mount is destroyed or stops moving. Prerequisite: Animal Ken 3+ for Trick Rider, Drive 3+ with an automobile specialty for Wheelman, Drive 3+ with an aircraft specialty for Barnstormer, Drive 3+ with a watercraft specialty for Sea Dog.