Psychic Knacks are the domain of those inspired individuals commonly known as mesmerists. These paranormal powers are applications of focused will and lie mainly within the realm of the mental. However. some mesmerists are also capable of truly spectacular physical manifestations, whether altering their own bodies capabilities or affecting the world around them. Mesmerists register as etherically active on a Z-wave image resonator, and some methods of divination can detect them as well (though there's some debate as to whether accurate divinatory talents are another psychic manifestation or something entirely different).

Theoreticians generally place psychic powers in one of three categories, determined by the extent of the powers measurable effects on the physical world or the mental equilibrium of test subjects. Level one psychic Knacks are usually sensory in nature or have no discernible capacity to inflict physical injury or psychological trauma on a healthy adult human. Level two Knacks have measurable physical manifestations (temperature, pressure and so forth) °' ca“affect a subject’s mental processes enough for a psychia- subject has no particular feelings about or actively wants Ltrist to record a measurable behavioral change. Level three to reveal but can't, one success is enough. If it's some Knacks generally have the potential to cause lethal injury thing the subject wants to avoid discussing but isn’t paror permanent psychological changes. ticularly afraid of saying, two successes will retrieve it.

These three classes are general rules of thumb, not emotionally sensitive topics or oath-bound secrets re- ironclad niles. Some potentially lethal physical powers require three successes. Things that the character actively have limiting factors that place them in level two due to fears revealing require four successes. If the secret will reduced danger, and exceptionally strong sensory abili- get the subject killed or ruin his life if it comes out, the ties may be rated as level two or even level three due to player needs five successes, and the mesmerist had best their range, scope or invasive nature. In short, the three be prepared to guard his newfound knowledge carefully. classes are a mechanic for game balance that also has a convenient reflection in the world of Adventure.

These powers are not hierarchical; a character does not have to buy a level one Knack before purchasing a level two power.

You have some basic telepathic aptitude — perhaps just enough to get yourself in trouble. While you can't insert false images or memories into your subjects’ minds, you can read their surface thoughts, the almost-verbalized truths that bubble up from the depths of consciousness. This isn’t always an exact science, as your readings are often colored by your own expectations or by the differences in the ways you and your subject perceive the world. Still, it's accurate enough that you can tell truth from lies or find out the answer to a question that your subject is actively trying to avoid. This Knack doesn't usually implant knowledge directly into your mind unless you see your abilities as that cut and dried. You may see the truth you seek in a fleeting vision, hear a ghostly whisper in your ear or taste your subject's lie on the back of your tongue.

The mesmerist must engage the subject in conversation, and the discussion must at least tangentially touch on the subject about which the character wants to know. The player specifies the information for which she wants to dredge and rolls Charisma+Empathy. If the subject is aware that the character is trying to get something specific out of him (Storyteller's discretion or a contested Manipulation+Subterfuge roll), he may try to resist the effort by thinking of other things (nursery rhymes, snatches of popular song, vulgarities directed at the mesmerist). The mesmerist’s attempt then becomes a resisted action against the subject's player, who rolls Willpower. Any successes the defender gets subtracts from the character’s ability to penetrate his mind.

The degree of success required depends on how closely held the information is. If it’s something that the subject has no particular feelings about or actively wants to reveal, but can't, one success is enough. If it's something the subject wants to avoid discussing but isn't particularly afraid of saying, two successes will retrieve it. Emotionally sensitive topics or oath-bound secrets require three successes. Things that the character actively fears revealing requires four successes. If the topic will get the subject killed or ruin his life if it comes out, it requires five successes, and the mesmerist had best be prepared to guard his new found knowledge carefully. Failure reveals nothing useful, while a botch may give the mesmerist incorrect or contradictory details.

This Knack requires some degree of successful communication between the participants. Also, if the target knows nothing about what the mesmerist is digging for, no amount of successes will offer up useful information.

Many drill sergeants believe the perfect soldier is one whose brain is not connected in the usual manner. Orders should enter his ears and move directly to his body without the intervention of his thought processes. When you put the full force of your mind behind your voice, you can achieve similar results with even the most thick-skulled or independent individuals. People leap to obey your orders without ever considering what they’re doing.

The diameter issues a short verbal command to a maximum number of subjects equal to her Charisma dice pool. The command must take no more than three sec- onds (one action) to speak at nonnal speed, and it must be something that the average person could do in three sec- onds. Finally, any subjects must understand the language the mesmerist speaks (unless the character also has Per- fect Translation). The player spends an inspiration point and rolls Command. Each subject who does not have more dots in \Mts than the number of successes the player rolled must execute the command as his next action, unless the command would obviously place him in direct danger of death or mutilation. lnspired characters may spend a Will- power point to avoid perfomiing the action.

‘tleiarinnalliewarrisll/ti1dhfinwhentlietiinei'sr1§rL” With this Knack, you can “mark” an individual or object. This mark gives you an innate sense of your subject’s location relative to you, allowing you to track it anywhere in the world! Neither distance nor intervening matter can block this sense. However, you must beware overconfidence — this Knack gives you absolutely no infomiation on your subject’s condition or surroundings.

To “mark”a characteror item. the mesmerist must first touch it: the player spends an inspiration point and rolls Navigation. The character thereafter gainsa com- plete sense of the marked individual or object's relative dis-

tance and direction from herself, which lasts for one week per success rolled. ifa living subject dies or an unliving one is destroyed, the link is broken. A character may simulta- neously maintain a maximum number of marks equal to her Reflective inspiration facet.

You have minor facility with telepathy. While you cannot probe another mind, you can touch the parts of consciousness that control communication. With sufficient concentration, you can understand the meanings and concepts behind virtually any form of spoken or gesture-based communication.

The character must be able to see or hear the subject without mechanical intervention — a radio broadcast or the like attenuates the thoughts behind the words too much for Perfect Translation to work. The player rolls Perception+Empathy; no inspiration point expenditure is necessary. One success allows translation of basic concepts. three facilitate fluent conversation, and five allow the mesmerist to understand even the most complex specialized ideas (assuming she has the necessary background to comprehend internal medicine or astrophysics…).

Perfect Translation provides only the mesmerist with total understanding. Still, while others cannot understand the character's words, she can convey general concepts through body language and snippets of her conversational partner’s own words. Also, a mesmerist with this Knack may use any other powers that influence the mind against targets that would otherwise not understand her.

You can exert low levels of raw telekinetic force. You do not have the control necessary for fine manipulation and lack significant strength. Still, you can press, grasp, or turn small objects with the power of your mind. In a similar vein, you can use the Psychic Hand to deflect attacks! The Psychic Hand is invisible unless you choose for it to become visible, in which case it appears as a ghostly shimmer in the air.

Psychic Hand lasts for a number of turns equal to the successes gained from an Stamina+Intuition roll. Alternately, the player may spend one inspiration to activate the Knack for the scene. While in effect, the mesmerist can move it anywhere within a radius equal to 20 meters per point of the character's inspiration. The player declares which application of Psychic Hand he wants each time he uses it: a manipulating “hand” or a protective shield. Only one may be active at any time.

The “hand” can exert a maximum force of twice the character’s Willpower in kilogram-meters per turn. So, a character with Willpower 7 can exert 14 kilogram-meters per turn: moving a one-kilogram object l4 meters or a 7 kilogram object two meters or so forth. it grasps like a normal human hand encased in a mitten but has no capacity for fine manipulation. Likewise, it has no leverage or speed to generate any sort of attack. If a situation demands resolution by the numbers, assume the Psychic Hand has one point each in Strength and Dexterity.

The shield spreads the psychic force into flat barrier roughly one meter wide by two meters tall. Being focused psychic force, it is not impenetrable, but it can slow or deflect attacks. This shield provides bashing and lethal soak equal to the mesmerist’s Reflective facet. it can be placed between any attacker and defender within the Knack's effect range. Unlike normal soak, if the shield reduces an attack's damage effect to zero, the defender takes no damage!

You plumb the depths of scientific theory, constantly pushing the boundaries. However, you don't go it alone — indeed, you psychically draw upon the knowledge and creativity of the colleagues and assistants you work with! Even individuals who have no formal scientific training may be of great benefit in such an effort, for you can draw on any related knowledge they may have, no matter how little they may be consciously aware of it. Depending on your personal inclinations, you may or may not give your research team the credit it deserves.

:Ttiis Knack enhances the character's super- scientific ability (see p. W6 For complete rules). it does not allow for directed sifting of others’ thoughts or knovdedge; instead, it acts as a kind of gestalt from which the mesmer- ist draws her conclusions. The character receives one ad- ditional die to her research and development roll for each assistant she has, up to a number equal to her intelligence + Reflective facet. (Tlle character may have more asistants, but this Knack gives her no further benefit from them.) No roll or inspiration expenditure is needed.

All mesmerists are, by nature, attuned to Z-waves to a certain extent. However, your affinity for this energy goes beyond that of most mesmerists. You can sense the flow of Only other individuals, but very ether itself. This sensitivity allows you to etect stalwarts and other mesmerists with a fair degree , as well as sense the use of more powerful dynamic Knacks. You can also tell if a . entific device relies on telluric energy manipulation to ro duce its effects.Todetermineifagiveri denoe' 5 an innwahve invention, the player rolls one suc. *5 9'V°5 i yes or no answer. if another character uses a dynamic or ' _ _ _ _ psychic a radius of l0 times the mesmerist’s lnspi. “am” '“ “lelefi. the Storyteller secretly makes an Aware. 2:; ml!‘ A d'fi'°“!tY ma)’ aPPl)'. dependent on the class e power used: standard for a level three Knack, +1 for a level two Knack or +3 for a level one Knack On success gives the direction and distance to the charactef r-i.nui=i.| 1-1u;ii:i

Knackflne of the less common and more feared telepathic “om s.|as a ‘plaster of Brainstomi you are capable of Irig ess t an a direct mind-to-mind attack, Viciims of Brainstorm expenence an instant of total violation then ?|'J1””;le“§e, gtflbbing Iagonyin their heads as you bu,-| (he _ Orfe 0. your will against them. Depending on (he subjects ability to resist such effects, he may be slightly make“ °r reduced f‘? 3 9_!l7!*eI‘iI1g wreck. Some victims of _ power seek retribution upon recovery, as the expe- rience can be profoundly unnerving.

: The target must be within the mesmerist's line of sight and within IO times the mesmerist’s inspira. Ion score in meters. The player spends an inspiration point and makes a cross-matched (Manipulation + De. structive facet) roll; the target resists with a Willpower roll. if the mesmerist has intimate knowledge of the target 5 psychology (Storytellers discretion, but casual wl'° “set! the P°WBI‘. as well as what level it is. Three\\\1¢qI1aintance does not suffice), the attacker gains three succefsszs allow the character to identify the power in Use, I s e has prior experience with it.

Y°“” gifts!’ °l so-called psychokinetic teohniques may not be sufficient to ignite fires or freeze the air but you Fifi‘ control over ambient temperature and even af- Iec ire to some degree. Temperatures are less threaten- lug to you than nomial — the Sahara at high noon is merely pleasantlybaliny, while the coldest Russian winter regis. ters a bit nippy._With practice, you can even extinguish small fires or melt ice with the power of your mind

Since each end of the temperature §¢a|e requires a different mental focus, the character can only generate Thermal Manipulation for one extreme at a time. Tg‘ atcltivat? the Knack for the scene, the player de,;|a|-es w e er s e is protecting against heat or cold, then spends an inspiration point and rolls Resistance. Each Zgccess apds. one_to_the character's soak total against urces ol Ifljtlly inflicted by that temperature extreme — Iflfilfldlng fire- or ice-based attacks. A single success is sufficient to immunize the character against casual ex- tremes of temperature for up to lZ hours. _ To extinguish a fire, the character concentrates on it for the tum. The player rolls Willpower. Every two suc. pisses, l’€t;l.;(6€ the fire‘; damage effect by one level (see th ire._ P- F ). A fire whose damage effect drops below ree is snu fed out entirely. The fire may have a maxi- mum radius of the chaiacter’s inspiration in meters Melt- Irlg ice uses the same mechanic, with every two sumesses tuming one cubic meter's worth of ice to water. additional dice on his roll. For every net success the mes- merist has, the target loses one temporary Willpower point and cannot take any action save fleeing for one sub. sequent turn. if she is reduced to zero temporary Wi||. power, she falls unconscious for (8 - Stamina rating) hours. if the mesmerist botches. the target is forever immune to all further Brainstonn attacks from him

_'r'l;on’t,/riakemeangy. ltwoddgo vgy],a®,fo‘.ym~ ab t ere s something preternaturally threatening 0 °”th)‘°lJ,\:l0mething you can focus to dramatic effect w'?t:_ er‘ he“ 7°” Summon up the darkness that lies I '!:i)’°|“Y $011!, you gain an aura of palpable menace. t:elVI|_ ua; lg. lesser prowess shnnk from you in fear as ”' '15 _ lfll‘ll>I‘BlI1s yammer about tigers in long black coats. Animals tend to flee in terror or attack in des- Pefitlcu, depending on their temperaments.

The player spends an inspiration point to activate Cloak of Dread for the scene. The character's intimidation Ability score is doubled. Animals run from him in fear unless they are already comered or are starv- ing predators. Due to a subliminal belief that any attack will be met with an instant and devastating reprisal, low_ grade °PP°“9flts (ordinary nameless thugs) go after (5,-. gets other than the character if possible; otherwise, they stnke with their least damaging attacks (throwing a Punch instead of using a knife, say),

This Knack is particularly difficult for psychic theoreticians to document because many of its most powerful practitioners do not believe they’re using psychic powers. You may see this Knack as a means of reducing a subject's basic self-confidence, or you may believe that you have the power to place a curse on your victims! Whatever your personal beliefs, the effects of this power are the same. When you use Evil Eye, you implant beliefs and commands into your target’s subconscious mind that lessen the efficiency with which his brain and body operate.

: To place a “hex” on a target, the mesmerist must look him in the eye and make some sort of sign —an arcane gesture, spitting in the subjects direction, or some similar act, The player makes a cross- matched (Wits + De- stnictive facet) roll; if the target is Inspired, the attacker must also spend an lnspiration point. At the Storyteller's discretion, the player may gain an additional die ifher char- acter also declares a suitably dramatic curse to the victim. Successes on the roll are split between the duration of the “hex” and its severity, as per the Following tables: Successes Duration l the rest of the scene Z eight hours 3 one day 4 one week 5+ one month Successes Effects l +l difficulty to all Willpower, ~ Mental and Social rolls Z +l difficulty to all rolls 3 +2 difficulty to all rolls; the sub- ject loses one temporary Will- power point 4 +2 difficulty to all rolls; the sub- ject loses two Willpower points 5+ +3 difficulty to all rolls; the sub- ject loses three Willpower points A character who loses temporary Willpower points cannot regain those points until the “hex's” duration ends. Subsequent attempts to give a character the Evil Eye have no effect until the first curse expires. At the Storyteller's discretion, the victim may end the curse before its natural expiration. Remember that the Evil Eye is actually a set of telepathic suggestions, so the problem is not mysticism — it is belief Even the most rigidly scientific personalities are subject to these sug- gestions, so lack of belief in psychic phenomena or magic is no defense against the initial “curse.” lt may, however, be of aid in subsequent psychotherapy… Example: Mister Saturday places a hex upon a troublesome adventurer. Engaging the interloper in con- versation during a party, the houngan informs the poor Fool that he 's angered the spirits, Saturday calls down the wrath of the loa upon his subject. Mister Saturday's player achieves a whopping six successes and decides to split these evenly between duration and effects. The adventurer loses one Willpower and is at +2 difficulty to all his actions For the next Z4 hours.

This Knack covers two similar yet distinct talents derived from the power of the mind. Flame Conjuration lets you create fire out of nothing, while Frost Conjura- tion enables you to freeze the very air. These talents are referred to by layman's terms such as “firestarting” or “ice throwing“ as well as more scientific labels such as pyrokinesis and cryokinesis. Each option sees common use as a psychic weapon, though more mundane applications are possible. Pyrokinetics have been known to cook dinner or heat an apartment with the power of their minds, while cryokinetics sometimes condense water from the air to ' reduce the humidity or create ice cubes.

: This Knack must be purchased separately for each type of manifestation, fire or ice; each type can alsobe used two different ways. Flame Conjuration can heat a small (hand-sized) area or hurl a fist-sized ball of flame. Frost Conjuration can freeze a small patch of an object's surface or freeze the air and project shards of ice crystals, The mechanics for each work roughly the same; the pyrokinetic application uses heat and flame while the cryokinetic version manifests as flash-freezing. To force an immediate extreme temperature change, the character affects a target between fingertip and hand- size at a range of up to Z0 meters times her Perception rating. The player spends an lnspiration point and rolls Willpower, the effect sustains itselfa number of tums equal to the successes rolled. A fire ignited this way bums out after the time passes, but flammable materials it ignites may bum longer. An area flash-frozen becomes so frigid and brittle that it may shatter. Used this way, the Knack has a three dice lethal damage effect, plus one die for every two successes the player rolled. Materials affected take a little while to dissipate the thermal energy; substances such as metal or stone may be painfully hot or cold to the touch for several minutes afterward. When used as a projectile attack, the player spends an lnspiration point and rolls Awareness as a standard ranged attack roll. The attack has a range of l0 meters times the character's Perception rating. lt has a base three dice lethal damage effect plus the mesmerist’s rating in her Destructive lnspiration facet. Victims may dodge this attack as they would dodge any standard ranged attack. Whether a fireball or an ice blast, the attack travels in a straight line; neither psychic manipulation nor wind con- ditions can divert its path. ' At the Storyteller's discretion, the character can perform minor tricks (lighting a lady's cigarette or warm- ing dinner for Flame Conjuration; cooling a car's radiator or keeping ice cream from melting for Frost Conjuration) without expending an lnspiration point. ln general, if something looks impressive but doesn't have any impact on the game beyond looking nifty, don’t require an lnspi- ration expenditure or a roll for it. The Storyteller may also allow this Knack to be used as the basis for electrical generation. This “psychic light. nlflg would generate a spark of electricity (enough to jump start a car battery, perhaps) or emit a crackling lightning bolt (damage as above). The Storyteller may alter certain aspects as he sees fit.

With but the slightest effort of your will you can place most individuals into a light hypnotic trance. While if 9” A1’-‘TIC ed, they are wholly susceptible to your W,‘V you can extract answers to even the mostprobing ques tions or implant commands that your victims will never remember until they Find themselves carrying Hiem pug

: The character must make eye contact with the subject and concentrate for a tum. The player s nds an l”5Plr°ll°“ P°i”l and rolls Rapport. lf she scorespizore successes than the victim has dots in lntelligence, the ;1)’P'l°§I5 attempt succeeds. The hypnotic trance lasts for IO minutes per point of the mesmerist's lnspiration. Dur- ing this time, the subject must answer any questions posed to him with the literal truth as he knows it. To implant a command during the trance, the player rolls Subterfuge, Each successful command requires a number of successes equal to the subject's lntelligence, A command may not directly violate the subject's self. preservation instincts or basic moral code, but anything else is fair game. A mesmerist may implant a maximum number of commands equal to her own Willpower These commands last for a number of days equal to the mesmerist’s Command dice pool. after which they fade

You ‘have discovered one of the keys to maintaining the cohesion of a group in the face of even the most ex- treme cnses, With this telepathic talent at your command, you can reinforce the psyches of your comrades and fol- lorizers, Gpstilling them with a renewed sense of purpose 2 “FT 'T19“95§_t<_> followyour orders. A sense of right- ess I slt e recipients, giving them the wherewithal to tackle with gusto feats that might otherwise give them pause. Masters of this Knack can convince their subor- dinates and allies to storm the very gate; of He” armed with nothing but buckets of ice water.

: The player spends an lnspiration point and rolls Command. Any difficulties to actions drop by one for every two successes rolled for the remainder of the scene (round down; three successes rolled would reduce any difficulty modifiers by one). This Kna¢k affects each character working on the mesmerist's side _ bug not the mesmerist himself — up to a number equaling the trgetshmenslis lnspiration score._The benefit applies first ose c osest to the mesmerist and can include player characters and Storyteller characters. red ghe mesmerist_doesn't benefit from the difficulty th “C I9”, but still gains from this Knack. For the rest of )9 $¢e“9, the character adds his Reflective facet total to his Command dice pool when issuing orders to any cham;_

ter who benefited From this Knack — as long as the or- ders are of an appropriately heroic nature. The Storyteller has the final say in what is appropriately heroic. g A character with lnspirational Aura may never gain the benefit of reduced difficulty through this Knack. ei- ther via her own use of it or through the inspirational Aura of another character.

Teledigitation is the Knack that mgst informepj people think of when they hear the word t9lEl(ll‘I8SlS: While you cannot exert a large amount of sheer teleki- netic force, you can perfomi highly intricate fine manipu- lations or even wield weapons! Essentially, Teledigitation gives you a pair of “spectral hands” that are every bit as capable as your own physical ones. They can pick a lock, fire a gun, mix a drink or slap an unwanted suitor. The hands are invisible unless you choose to make them vis- ible, in which case they manifest as ghostly outlines or shimmering idealized images. _ Teoaigieiimiassepaewefiwfifibm. ' PsyoliicHaifid.>As,suoli.8¢fl?'=*tl“l9ll1°f‘i,”°_9ll“s,' ». ' ~ . the cllafacter an enhlmsil °.ll°°f~, 7 telekinetic Force with finesse! Triggering Knacks simultaneously costs one lnspiration ’ ' point; the effect lasts for ai rliimber ‘ equal to the character's Stamina} vre-We ' both Knacks in effect, the character base ofPhantom Handswitlia_Strei1gtl1 sooreqquql_ . toherlntelligence.aDext9'ifity i~=iing“9=mal.q>*,,,1 -.. her Reflective ffimélffllhd a maxiriiufit Pf, I mwemsni W “is ‘ if in meters per uirn._Ail 0_ulOl”llili'ill2tl0f'\s' asp§l‘l,l19T.¢lQ\ll9ll'ill°”:“‘ll°$*. ~. ,, ,

: The player spends an lnspiration point to activate Teledigitation for a number of tums equal to the character's Stamina + Wits. This power provides a pair of “spectral hands” that the character can use like a pair of normal hands, with a range equal to IO times the character's lnspiration score in meters. The spectral hands can do anything that a nonnal pair of human hands can do, acting as if they had Strength l and a Dexterity score equal to the character's Reflective facet + l. lf the “hands” hold physical objects, they can move at a maxi- mum speed equal to half the character's walking speed. The character can take actions with both the spectral hands and her physical body. but the normal penalties for multiple actions apply. The hands provide the character with a sense of touch comparable to her own. They have no actual physi- cal substance; attacks pass harrnlessly through them. They can act independently of one another, to the extent that a pair of normal human hands possessed by a non-ambi- dextrous character can, but may move no more than two meters from each other. At the Storyteller's discretion the can perform minor telekinetic tricks (turning light switches on and off. Fetching drinks) without expending i|’\'lflSpl- ration point. ln general, if something looks impressive but doesn't have any impact on the game beyond looking nifty, don't require an lnspiration expenditure or a roll for it.

As this power's name implies. you are able to cloak your very presence from lesser individuals. When their minds are clouded,you arebut a passing breeze and a Flicker of shadow. barely perceptible to all but the keenest-eyed observers. This Knack is telepathic by its basic nature — it only affects the perceptions of living beings who can di- rectly observe you. Mechanical sensors are unaffected, and photographs of a scene will still reveal your presence when developed, even if no observer remembers you being there.

The player spends an lnspiration point to activate this Knack, and the character's Stealth Ability iat- ing is doubled for the scene. No casual observer notices the character's presence or actions unless the mesmerist does something blatantly obvious or the observer has a higher Perception score than the number of successes the player rolled on Stealth. The Storyteller is always the final arbiter of what is blatantly obvious, but geneial guideline is “anything that directly and noisily ‘affects the observer or the sun'ounding scenery” (initiating combat always counts). Picking a lock isn't all that obvious if its done out of direct sight, but kicking the door in is. V A searcher who is actively seeking the charactep (or actively seeking “someone who shouldn't be here, in the case of an alert patrolling guard) may roll Aware- ness. lf he scores more successes than the player scored when activating this power, he pierces the Knack's veil of ignorance. The character may still use mundane meth- ods of disguise or camouflage in addition to this Knack; such efforts are resolved normally. _

_ _ n withsiandirypsycliicmidit! As a master of the most overtly powerful teleki- netic Knack, you command a talent that easily makes up in sheer destructive potential what it lacks in subtlety. Mindhammer is little more than a direct telekinetic strike, an invisible piston of force that can strike hardenough to splinter wood or shatter bone.

: There's little room for improvisation with this power: The mesmerist simply smacks her intended target with a telekinetic wallop. The character must be able to see her target, which must be within a iange equal to Z0 meters times the mesmerist’: Perception rating. The player spends an lnspiration point and makes a cross- matched (Wits + Awareness) attack roll. Attempts to dodge the strike are at +Z difficulty because the target cannot see it coming. if the attack hits, it has a base bash- ing damage effect equal to the mesmerist's Willpower rating; extra attack successes add to the damage effect normally. The area of impact is a perfect circle approxi- mately the same size as the attacker's clenched fist.

This Knack is among the most feared mesmerist powers. Having the ability to twist another's mind makes others rather nervous, so you're likely to find even close friends distancing themselves from you when they discover what you can do. Conversely, governments and private groups alike may well take an unhealthy interest in you — a nation with a pet mind-controller has an important new pawn in the game of global politics.

The target must be within a range equal to 10 meters times the mesmerist's Perception score, and the character must concentrate for a number of minutes equal to the successes needed (see below). The mesmerist’s player spends an Inspiration point and a Willpower point and rolls Charisma+Leadership in a resisted action against the subject's player, who rolls Willpower. Any successes the defender gets subtract from the mesmerist's ability to alter his mind. The mesmerist may spend additional Inspiration for successes on a one-for-one basis. The degree of change to the target's memory depends on the final successes achieved. One success allows trivial changes (he can't remember his home address, he thinks the character has a different name); three successes applies major alterations (he forgets where he works, he believes he was married to a woman who never existed); five successes creates extensive — even disastrous — changes (he forgets to breathe, he remembers being born in Atlantis five centuries ago). The mesmerist must decide her intended memory alteration prior to the attempt; if she doesn't get enough successes, the change has reduced intensity. The target may also “buy down” the intensity by spending one Willpower point immediately after the resisted action, modifying the alteration appropriately. The Storyteller may make the resisted roll himself to keep the resolution in doubt and has final say on suitable modifications to the original intent. Psychic Control can also be used to restore a subject's memories that were changed by some other use of this Knack (certain spies have been placed in deep cover using this very method).

You can coordinate the actions of your underlings so well that they seem to share a single brain. Whether through singular leadership, telepathic communication or some sort of hive consciousness, you can direct your followers' behavior to lead to the most efficient outcome.

The player spends an Inspiration point and rolls Charisma+Leadership at standard difficulty. If successful, those loyal to the character may engage in complex tasks without the need for communication. The subjects need not be in the immediate vicinity, but the character must know exactly who he wants to communicate with. The number of successes indicates the scale of communication. One success allows for coordinating with up to a half-dozen people, three successes is sufficient to direct over a score of subjects, and five successes allows for directing at least 100 individuals — all without the need for radios or a chain of command! In addition, anyone affected by this Knack may also add their leader's Reflective facet to their dice pools for the rest of the scene. Finally, everyone affected by this Knack acts on the Initiative turn indicated by the highest roll within the group.

This is arguably one of the most powerful Knacks in existence, though it is also one of the rarest. With this power, you can move small objects with naught but an instant of concentration and a bit of creative visualization. While telekinetic powers can achieve similar effects, Sleight of Will is unique in that the objects it acts upon do not move through the intervening space! They simply vanish from one point and appear at another with no visible motion or expenditure of energy save for a slight twinkle. To date, no mesmerist skilled in Sleight of Will has been able to move a person in this fashion (though rumors persist of particularly powerful mesmerists who can apport themselves…). ”

The mesmerist can move an object with a maximum weight equal to her Reflective facet in kilograms between any two points that she can sense within a radius of 20 times her Perception in meters. The two points may be anywhere within this radius, as long as she can see or feel both of them. Other Knacks that allow remote sensing count for these purposes. To move an object, the player spends an Inspiration point and makes a cross-matched (Stamina+Intuition) roll. One success is sufficient to move the object. If the player scores three or more successes. use of Sleight of Will does not count as the character's action for this turn — so, with enough successes, this Knack could move a weapon into the character’s hand in an instantaneous fast-draw If the mesmerist tries to move an object out of contact with another character‘ the player must defeat the target’s player in a resisted Willpower roll. (“Out of contact“ means anything the target holds or has upon his person.) Objects moved with Sleight of Will retain all of their physical and chemical properties, though the mesmerist may change their orientation as she sees fit. In practice‘ this means a falling object continues to fall after being moved with this Knack, but the mesmerist may choose for the object to reappear falling upward (though gravity will soon reverse its course). Objects moving too fast to track with the naked eye may not be affected with this Knack, which makes it useless for deflecting bullets — though it is quite effective at reversing the courses of thrown objects (such attempts are subject to the rules for hitting moving targets). If the character wants to change a moving object's course to target a specific individual, the player makes an Perception+Alertness roll at +1 difficulty that counts as an attack roll.

Many observers consider you to be touched by God — or to be a pawn of the Devil. You can exert your will to heal virtually any injury, bringing your comrades back from the gates of death As long as even the barest spark of life remains in your subject, you can knit broken bones and seal torn flesh with your very will.

The character touches the subject and spends a minute in concentration‘ The player spends an Inspiration point and rolls Intelligence+Medicine; each success heals one level of bashing or lethal damage. For each patient, the mesmerist can heal up to twice her Reflective facet in bashing health levels and equal to her Reflective facet in lethal health levels. The player may allocate the successes to the subject as she sees fit. Even if the player fails the roll, the subject is stabilized and suffers no further blood loss or other worsening of condition. A botch, however, inflicts one additional level of bashing damage on the patient. No subject may benefit from this power more times in 24 hours than he has points of Stamina.