Brilliant Litigator “I seem to remember a case”

3
Requires Seasoned
You possess superhuman wits and insight.
Used by Harold Polk, Created by jwesley123.
( )

Harold Polk embodies the pinnacle of spycraft, blending classic espionage skills with a self-hypnosis regimen grounded in Speech Act Theory. Through carefully crafted hypnotic phrases, he has reprogrammed his mind into a weapon of perception and influence. His mental conditioning allows him to follow multiple streams of awareness, effortlessly tracking conversations and hidden details in his surroundings. Each observation is absorbed like a new language, allowing him to mimic skills and knowledge with uncanny ease, as though he’s slipping into a role. In critical moments, a single, self-planted word—“clarity”—sharpens his mind to a fine edge, guiding his thoughts with the precision of a spy and the insight of a linguist. Through this unique form of self-hypnosis, Harold’s mind has become his greatest tool, a finely tuned instrument that lets him move through any scene with flawless subtlety and control, embodying the true essence of espionage.


You gain the following benefits at all times.

Your Intellect rating is increased by 0. You may Exert your Mind to automatically gain an Outcome of 5 on any roll that uses Intellect (Cannot be used on combat rolls or Power activations).

You also gain the following effects:

  • Multithreaded: Instead of being unable to take Actions while maintaining Concentration, you may now take Actions at a -2 dice penalty. You may maintain Concentration from two different Effects, but you are unable to take Actions when doing so.
  • Never Forget: You have a perfect photographic memory, and can recall or recreate even complex and detailed things. If you forget something you had previously seen or noticed, you may ask the GM and they will remind you.
  • Prodigy: Whenever you witness someone get an Outcome of 6 or higher, or someone demonstrates an Ability with the intent of teaching you, you may Exert your Mind. If you do, rolls using that Ability use their rating instead of your own for the next day.

  • Being Injured or interrupted in some way can still break your Concentration.
  • Attribute bonuses from multiple sources do not stack. Instead the highest bonus is used.

Revision purchased with:
Improvement from running The Hourglass spent on improving power: Brilliant Litigator    (since refunded)
Revision purchased with:
Revision purchased with:
Revision purchased with:
Revision purchased with:
Gift from the Asset Gifted spent on new power: Brilliant Litigator

Community Passive Gifts

You gain the following benefits as long as you are piloting any vehicle.

You receive +2 dice to any rolls to pilot a vehicle.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Afterburner: Your vehicle has a 25% faster top speed and you may Exert your Mind to accelerate to its top speed in a single Round.
  • Daredevil: Damage you and your passengers take from vehicle collisions is reduced by 2, and any Injuries suffered are limited to a maximum of Severity 4.
  • Drive-By: You may drive or pilot your vehicle as a Free Action, without taking any penalty on other Actions.

You gain the following benefits at all times.

You are permanently and visibly transformed: Feline. You are considered to be a Sapient, Living Creature when targeted. Your Dexterity is increased by 1 and your Perception is increased by 1.

You can squeeze through any cracks and passageways a cat would be able to.

You may make a +2 Weapon Damage claw attack without additional equipment.

You cannot wear standard human clothes. Using equipment, vehicles, or facilities designed for humans is not always possible and always comes with increased Difficulty.

You are incapable of fine object manipulation and can only hold or grasp things in a crude, clumsy way.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in unarmed combat.

Your unarmed attacks deal +2 Bonus Damage (instead of -2). The target's Armor is fully effective against this damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Armored Fist: You cannot take damage from attacking a dangerous material (such as steel armor, a spiked carapace, or an acidic blob). You may Clash with or Defend against any melee weapons or arrows.
  • Brutal Strikes: Any Injury you inflict causes a Battle Scar if you wish, regardless of Severity.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.
  • Unlike the Ability Brawl, this Effect does not affect small weapons such as knives.

You gain the following benefits at all times.

Any Injury you receive heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every day, starting once it becomes stabilized. You may also Exert your Mind and spend an Action to reduce the Severity of a single stabilized Injury by 1. Does not affect Injuries suffered as an activation cost for Effects.

Battle Scars caused by your Injuries will remain. Any Injuries you receive automatically count as a successful Makeshift Stabilization and do not deteriorate further.

Once an Injury has been reduced in Severity by two levels, it no longer benefits from this effect and instead heals as normal.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with Swords.

+2 dice to all rolls with Swords. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using Swords.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Finesse: When Attacking a single being, you may limit the Severity of any Injury you inflict or determine a maximum Wound Level, including Incapacitated. You may also choose to make this Injury properly or improperly stabilized, or to keep it unstabilized.
  • Grip Discipline: You cannot be disarmed against your will by Minor, Major, or Severe Battle Scars, physical Actions, environmental conditions, botches, or Effects. Your weapon may still be destroyed.
  • Whirlwind: You may Exert your Mind to apply your next attack to any number of targets who are within melee range.

Stock Passive Gifts

You gain the following benefits as long as you are in werewolf form, and you are engaged in unarmed combat.

+2 dice to rolls for Attacking, Defending, and Clashing without a weapon. Unarmed attacks do +0 Weapon Damage (instead of -1).

You may Defend against melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks from any range and Clash with those in range of your Attacks. Attacking materials like steel or spikes will not Damage you unless it has an Effect that does so.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Brutal Strikes: If your attack inflicts a Battle Scar, you may choose which of the appropriate-severity Battle Scars the target suffers. If it causes a less severe Injury, you may inflict a Minor Battle Scar of your choosing.
  • Jiu-Jitsu:When you successfully grapple an opponent, you may choose to also deal damage to them equal to the Contested Outcome on the grapple roll.

  • The total damage of a ju-jitsu grapple-attack is equal to your Outcome minus their Outcome. Bonus Damage from the Bonus Damage Parameter does not apply to damage dealt through this Enhancement.
  • Unlike the Ability Brawl, this Effect does not affect small weapons such as knives.

You gain the following benefits as long as the attacker isn't important enough to have a name.

You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. This Armor cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.

  • This Effect’s Armor rating cannot be increased by any other Effects.
  • When shredded, it returns to full potency in one hour.

You gain the following benefits at all times.

Any Injury you receive from a source other than silver or fire. heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every 6 hours. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active do not deteriorate over time. However, any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will remain unless it is Properly Stabilized as normal.

You may Exert your Mind and spend an Action to reduce the Severity of one of your Injuries by 2. Does not affect Injuries suffered as an activation cost for Effects.

Injuries you receive from silver or fire. are increased in Severity by 1.

  • The increase in Injury Severity stacks with any similar effects, such as the Vulnerable drawback on Inhuman Physiology.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.

You have 6 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack.

Your Armor cannot be destroyed, and it always provides a minimum of 2 Armor regardless of any Armor shredding or penetration. It cannot be circumvented with Called Shots. When shredded, it returns to full potency in one hour.

Any time your Armor prevents Damage, your Armor rating is temporarily decreased by 2. Whenever it goes five Rounds without preventing any Damage, it is restored back to its full value.

  • Armor recharging happens automatically and does not require an Action.
  • This Effect’s Armor rating cannot be increased by any other Effects.

You gain the following benefits at all times.

As long as you maintain Concentration, you can take Actions and interact with things that are within 75 feet without needing to physically touch them or be near them. Any rolls made for Actions taken in this way use a Mental Strength of 2 in place of your Brawn rating, a Mental Agility of 2 in place of your Dexterity, and otherwise use your own Attributes and Abilities.

Telekinetic actions have the following restrictions and behaviors:

  • Line of Sight: You must be able to visually observe anything you interact with, and any actions that you are taking will end if their target moves out of sight.
  • Unarmed Combat: You cannot deal damage through unarmed combat or thrown objects with this Effect, though you may still grapple with targets.
  • Weapons: You cannot wield weapons effectively in combat.
  • Fine Tools: You are otherwise limited to actions that a normal human could do with their bare hands.
  • Levitation: If you are strong enough to lift yourself, you may levitate up to 75 feet away from the ground. Movement is limited to 5 feet per Round.
  • Multiple Items: You can only interact with one thing or take one Action at a time.
  • Lifting and hauling: you may lift 90 pounds.

  • Any telekinetic actions which interact with Animate targets may require contested rolls at GMs discretion.