Adepts acquire powers like other heroes acquire feats. In fact, an adept can choose to exchange a feat to learn a power instead. Also like feats, some powers have prerequisites that must be met in order to acquire them. An adept can meet a power’s prerequisites and acquire it at the same level.

Power Rank

Adepts have a power rank that operates much like a skill rank, measuring the overall effectiveness of the adept’s powers. An adept’s power rank is their adept level +3, so a 1st-level adept has power rank 4. Mixed-role characters use only their adept level for determining their power rank; it requires dedication to achieve true mastery of the supernatural arts.

Save Difficulty

Adepts also have a Difficulty used when subjects make saving throws against their powers. The base save difficulty is half the adept’s level (rounded up), plus 10. So a 1st-level adept has a power save Difficulty of 11 (1/2, rounded up to 1 + 10).

Key Ability

Choose a mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) as the key ability for your adept’s powers. A hero’s total power bonus with any known power is their power rank + key ability score. Total save Difficulty is the base save Difficulty + key ability. So a 6th-level adept with Wisdom +4 as the key ability for her powers has a power bonus of (6 + 3 + 4) or +13 and a power save Difficulty of (10 + 3 + 4) or 17.
In some Take20 settings, a particular key ability for powers has a certain meaning. For example, Intelligence-based powers may be arcane or magical, Wisdom-based powers spiritual, divine or holy (or unholy, as the case may be), and Charisma-based powers psychic or psionic. These distinctions (and their game effects, if any) are up to the Narrator as best suits the setting and story.
In some settings, the Narrator may also choose a single key ability for all supernatural powers, or assign specific key abilities to specific powers, as best suits the style of the setting.

WHAT ARE POWERS?
In Take20, “power” is a general term for supernatural traits that characters and creatures may possess. Depending on the nature of the setting, powers could be magical, divine, technological, psychic, or psionic in nature. Perhaps even all or none of these! The key point is that powers are supernatural abilities not found in the ordinary world, and there are people (adepts) skilled in using them. The Narrator decides exactly which powers are available and appropriate in any given setting, and some powers may be restricted solely to Narrator characters.

Powers and Adepts

The ability to wield powers is the key advantage of the adept role. If you’re running a Take20 game with no supernatural powers whatsoever (or at least no access to powers for the heroes), consider removing the adept role as an option for heroes as well, since players will find it considerably underpowered otherwise.
Note that you might find “adepts” in surprising places, however. A science-fiction setting, for example, might have psionic adepts with mental powers, but also “technomancers” able to interface with “miracle” nanomachines or hackers whose powers operate solely in the confines of a virtual reality computer network.

Dabblers

If you want to create a hero who just “dabbles” in the supernatural, having only one or two specialized powers, take just a level or two of adept for your hero for the powers, but focus primarily on another role. Experts and warriors with just a few levels of adept can have some interesting surprises up their sleeves.

Acquiring Powers

Using Powers

There are a wide variety of powers that characters can wield in Take20 games, but they all share certain common rules. Unless stated otherwise (in the power description, for instance) all powers follow these guidelines for use.

Action

Wielding powers is primarily an act of will. Adepts often gesture or speak when using their powers, but this is not required. An adept can use powers with nothing more than intense concentration. Using a power takes a particular amount of time, given in the power’s description. Most powers require a standard or move action in combat. Others require a full-round action or longer. Powers are subject to the normal rules regarding actions.

Power Checks

Some powers call for a check using the bonus of the power. This is the same as any other type of check: a die roll plus the power’s bonus against a Difficulty. The check result often determines the effectiveness of the power. Some powers do not require checks; they operate automatically.
The power’s rank or bonus usually determines its effectiveness in these cases.

Taking 10 and Taking 20

An adept not rushed or under pressure can take 10 on a power check, unless the power’s description specifies otherwise. If the check carries no penalty for failure, the adept can take 20 as well. Taking 20 with a power check increases the power’s fatigue save Difficulty by +20 however, since it counts as twenty uses of a fatiguing power. This is virtually certain to fatigue most adepts. Additional notes on taking 10 and 20 with powers are included in the specific power descriptions.

Attack Rolls

Some powers require an attack roll to affect a target, particularly in the midst of combat. Any ability requiring an attack roll also takes at least a standard action and counts as the adept’s attack for that round. Powers requiring attack rolls are subject to the normal combat modifiers and can benefit from feats like Attack Focus.

Saving Throws

Powers affecting other creatures allow a saving throw to reduce or overcome the power’s effect.
Adepts can choose to deliberately lower the save Difficulty of a power by reducing their effective adept level to as low as 1. This generally makes the power less effective (also lowering its rank), but makes it easier to resist any fatigue it may cause (see Fatigue later in this section). Subjects of powers can choose to forego the saving throw, willingly accepting the power’s effects. This choice is made before the subject knows what that effect is! Be careful about allowing people to use their powers on you, unless you know and trust them…

Range

Specific limitations on the range of a power are noted in its description. Some powers transcend space, and even time, as we understand them; they can affect targets anywhere. However, using powers against targets out of sight and unfamiliar to the adept is difficult, effectively limiting the range of most powers to somewhat familiar targets or things in the adept’s line of sight.
If a power’s description doesn’t specify a range, assume it is line of sight.

Familiarity

An important factor for some powers is how familiar the subject is to the adept. In power descriptions mentioning a familiarity modifier, determine the relationship between the adept and the target on the Familiarity table and apply the appropriate modifier to the Difficulty of the power check. For example, using the Mind Touch power on a somewhat familiar target increases the Difficulty by +15.

Familiarity: Difficulty Definition

Present: +0 A subject visible to the naked eye or in physical or mental contact with the adept.
Very Familiar: +5 A subject currently seen or sensed through another power, a close friend or relative, an item made by the adept or owned and used for at least a year, a place where the adept spent at least a year’s time.
Familiar: +10 A subject the adept has been acquainted with for at least three months, a casual friend.
Somewhat Familiar: +15 A subject the adept has been acquainted with for at least a week, reading someone else’s memory of a familiar subject.
Casually Familiar: +20 A subject the adept has been acquainted with only briefly, reading someone else’s memory of a somewhat familiar subject.
Slightly Familiar: +25 A subject the adept has only seen briefly or had described in detail.
Unfamiliar: A subject totally unfamiliar and unknown to the adept and out of the adept’s line of sight or physical contact. Powers cannot be used on unfamiliar subjects.

Mental Contact

Some powers refer to the adept being in mental contact with the subject. This involves the use of the Mind Touch power, allowing the adept to contact another character’s mind. Subjects in mental contact are considered present to the adept in terms of familiarity, regardless of the physical distance between them (no increase in Difficulty). Mental contact does not count as line of sight for powers requiring it. Powers that require mental contact also require it to maintain the power (unless the power description says otherwise). That means if the adept loses mental contact with the subject for any reason, the dependent power stops working as well.

Multiple Subjects

Although it is easiest to use a power on a single subject at a time, an adept can affect multiple subjects with the same power at once: lifting multiple objects, making mental contact with multiple minds, and so forth. This requires time, skill, and effort to achieve.
A character attempting to use a power on more than one subject at once increases the power and fatigue check Difficulties by +2 for every additional target. So, affecting three subjects at once is +4 on the power and fatigue check Difficulties. If the power does not require a check, then reduce the power’s saving throw Difficulty by 2 per additional subject. Additionally, the power requires a full-round action to use. If the power normally requires a full-round action or more, then it requires an additional full-round action.
The various subjects must all be within range. If the power requires mental contact, then the user must be in mental contact with all subjects. The Narrator has the final say on whether a power can affect more than one subject at a time and, if so, how many.
The Widen Power feat also allows an adept to affect more than one target with a power at once.

Fatigue

Some powers are fatiguing, putting a strain on the adept’s mind and body. When an adept uses a fatiguing power, make a fatigue save.
This is a Will saving throw against Difficulty equal to the power’s base save Difficulty, or 10 plus half the adept’s level, rounded up. (Note the power’s key ability is not added to this Difficulty, unlike the power’s saving throw Difficulty.)
A successful save results in no ill effect on the adept. A failed save means the adept suffers a level of fatigue. (See Fatigue)
Rapid use of powers in a short period of time takes a toll on an adept, and makes it harder and harder to stave off fatigue. Every time an adept uses a fatiguing power within an hour’s time, the Difficulty of any successive fatigue save for using powers (of any type) increases by 1. For example, an adept uses a fatiguing power, making a fatigue save against the normal Difficulty. A minute later, the adept uses another fatiguing power. This time the Difficulty of the fatigue save is 1 higher.
Use of certain powers in rapid succession can tire out even the most powerful adepts.
To eliminate the cumulative fatigue save modifier, an adept must refrain from using any fatiguing powers for at least an hour. The adept doesn’t need to physically rest during that time, just avoid any further uses of fatiguing powers. At the end of the hour, the accumulated penalty is removed.
An adept can also use the role’s core ability to spend a Conviction point at any time to eliminate the cumulative fatigue save modifier, setting it back to +0.

Maintaining Powers

Some powers can be maintained; that is, their effects can continue at the same level achieved by the initial use. This maintenance requires at least a modicum of concentration on the adept’s part. Maintaining an effect is a free action each round.
Using another power (or another application of the same power) while maintaining other powers increases the Difficulty of the power check and the fatigue save by +2 (regardless of the total number of powers maintained).
An adept distracted while maintaining powers must make a Concentration check with Difficulty 10 + 2 per maintained power. Additional modifiers may apply for damage and other distracting conditions (see the Concentration skill). A failed check means the adept stops maintaining all the powers. Optionally, the Narrator may rule that the adept stops maintaining one power for every two points the Concentration check missed the Difficulty (rounding up). Keep in mind that powers requiring mental contact require the adept to maintain both that and power the Mind Touch power at the same time.
An adept unable to take free actions (due to being stunned, for example) cannot maintain powers.

Concentration

Some powers require intense concentration to maintain. The adept must devote a standard action each round to concentrate and maintain the ability rather than a free action. Concentration checks and Difficulties remain the same as maintenance.
You can maintain a concentration power as a move action rather than a standard action with a Concentration check (Difficulty 10 + power rank) once per round. A failed check means the power lapses.

Fatigue Save Options

You can modify how powers work in your True20 game by changing how fatigue saving throws work.
For example, by basing fatigue saves on Fortitude rather than Will, you make it more difficult for adepts, since they generally have lower Fortitude save bonuses. This emphasizes Constitution and physical endurance over willpower and mental strength. It means adepts tire more easily and will be cautious about using fatiguing powers, especially adepts who are frail or otherwise in poor health.
You can also vary the cumulative penalty to fatigue saves for using powers in succession. If you eliminate it altogether, adepts can more reliably use powers in succession. By lowering a power’s fatigue save Difficulty, some adepts can even reliably use fatiguing powers almost indefinitely (although only higher-level adepts have Will save bonuses high enough to ensure success on even a Difficulty 11 save). The shorter the time frame where power fatigue penalties accumulate, the more freedom adepts have to use their powers.
Conversely, the longer the time where fatigue penalties accumulate, the more conservative adepts will be. For example, if each fatiguing power used within a day’s time (rather than an hour) increases fatigue save Difficulty by +1, then adepts will be careful about using fatiguing powers.
They will try to conserve their strength as much as possible for those times when they really need it, and will take precautions after exercising their powers to allow them time to recover.

Some powers have a Try Again section, describing whether or not it is possible to attempt a failed use of the power again and the conditions for doing so. If this section is absent, assume the power use may be attempted again without restriction.
Each description ends with the time it takes to use the power. In some cases, this varies depending on the conditions when the power is used.
The powers in this section follow the general format for skill descriptions in Chapter 2, with a few modifications. Powers cannot be used untrained.
If a power causes fatigue, it’s listed as fatiguing after the power name. If it requires maintenance or concentration, this is noted. Powers requiring mental contact have this listed on the line after the power’s name.
A description of what the power does follows, along with the game rules for the power.

Power Descriptions

[Name Summary]

Apport Transport creatures or objects to different locations.
Beast Link Perceive through an animal’s senses.
Blink You can teleport rapidly to avoid attacks.
Bliss Project blissful feelings to daze a subject.
Body Control Exert mental control over your body.
Calm Drain intense emotion from others.
Cold Shaping Create intense cold.
Combat Sense Gain a temporary Combat bonus.
Computer Link Make mental contact with computers.
Cure Heal injuries by touch.
Cure Blindness/Deafness Remove blindness or deafness.
Cure Disease Remove a disease, preventing further harm.
Cure Poison Remove a poison, preventing further harm.
Dominate Control a subject’s actions.
Drain Vitality Drain vital energy by touch.
Earth Shaping Shape and direct masses of earth and stone.
Elemental Aura Surround yourself with a damaging aura.
Elemental Blast Strike a foe with a focused blast of elemental force.
Elemental Resistance Resist the effects of a particular element.
Elemental Weapon Imbue a weapon with damaging elemental energy.
Energy Shaping Shape and direct the flow of electromagnetic energy.
Enhance Ability Temporarily boost your Strength or Dexterity.
Enhance Other Temporarily boost someone else’s Strength or Dexterity.
Enhance Senses Temporary bonus to Notice, Search, and Sense Motive checks.
Fire Shaping Shape and direct fire.
Flesh Shaping Shape and mold flesh like clay into other forms.
Ghost Touch Touch and affect incorporeal creatures as if they were solid.
Harm Inflict injury with a touch. Truth-Reading Sense when someone is lying to you.
Heart Reading Sense the emotions of other creatures.
Heart Shaping Impose emotional conditions on others.
Illusion Create illusions that fool the senses.
Imbue Life Restore life to the recently dead.
Imbue Unlife Create undead creatures.
Light Shaping Shape and direct light and illumination.
Manipulate Object Manipulate and handle objects at a distance.
Mind Probe Probe a subject’s mind for information.
Mind Reading Sense a subject’s surface thoughts.
Mind Shaping Alter a subject’s memories or behavior.
Mind Touch Establish mental contact with another mind.
Move Object Lift and move objects at a distance.
Nature Reading Sense the flows and signs of the natural world.
Object Reading Read psychic impressions from place and objects.
Pain Inflict stunning pain on a subject.
Phase You can become incorporeal.
Plane Shift You can transport yourself to other dimensions.
Plant Shaping Shape living plants and wood and direct their growth.
Psychic Blast Inflict mental damage on a target.
Psychic Reflection Send a psychic attack back at the attacker.
Psychic Shield Shield your mind from psychic influences.
Psychic Trap Counterattack an attempt to bypass your Psychic Shield.
Psychic Weapon Create a melee weapon out of psychic energy.
Scrying Sense distant events as if you were present.
Second Sight Sense the use and lingering effects of supernatural powers.
Self-Shaping Reshape your body into different creatures.
Sense Minds Sense the presence and location of other minds.
Severance Remove the powers of others temporarily.
Sleep Put a target into a deep sleep
Suggestion Implant suggestions in the minds of others.
Supernatural Speed Move at great speed in short bursts.
Supernatural Strike Overcome the damage reduction of supernatural creatures.
Supernatural Weapon Imbue weapons to overcome damage reduction.
Teleport You can move instantly from place to place.
Visions See visions of the future.
Ward Create interference with supernatural powers or creatures.
Water Shaping Shape and direct the flow of water.
Weather Shaping Shape and direct weather conditions.
Wind Shaping Shape and direct the force of the wind.
Wind Walk Walk on air.