Mistborn Powers List

[PirateJack]

So the Request a Character thread kinda inspired me to adapt the Mistborn power sets to Fate. I've gotten four of the allomantic abilities done so far (Iron, Steel, Tin and Pewter) so I'm opening them up to judgement.

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Iron Allomancy [-4]
Description: An iron misting is called a Lurcher. Allows the allomancer to pull metals within range directly towards the allomancer. If the metal is attached to something heavier than the allomancer he is pulled towards it and vice versa. Every piece of metal within range is highlighted by a blue line drawn between the allomancer's heart and the metal.
Effects:
Iron Pull: A Lurcher may burn iron in order to pull metals towards his centre of mass using the Discipline skill.
Anchoring: In order to counteract the issue of weight, a Lurcher may choose to pull on a heavy object behind him so that he does not move when pulling on something in front of him. Especially powerful pulls using this ability may cause stress or even death if the allomancer is not capable of fortifying his body with pewter or a feruchemical ability, at the GM's discretion.
Iron Sight: Burning iron allows the allomancer to see lines of blue light between themselves and any metal in the zone. Thicker lines denote larger sources of metal.
Lurching: Lurchers take their name from the way they can use metals to throw themselves through the air, allowing them to cover great distances very quickly. A Lurcher can substitute his Discipline skill for Athletics if there is a suitablely large source of metal to pull himself towards. Unlike a Coinshot, however, a Lurcher cannot slow down a fall if he has no source of metal above him, making this a dangerous way to climb to great heights.
Flaring Iron: As a supplemental action the Lurcher may 'flare' his iron. This creates the temporary aspect Flared Iron, which he may then invoke in the usual way. This uses his supply of tin at a much greater rate than normal.

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Steel Allomancy [-4]
Description: A steel misting is called a Coinshot. Burning steel allows the allomancer to push metals directly away from their centre of mass. If the metal is something heavier than the Coinshot (or is attached to something heavier), the allomancer will be pushed away from it and vice versa. Every piece of metal within range is highlighted by a blue line drawn between the allomancer's heart and the metal.
Effects:
Steel Push: A Coinshot may burn steel in order to push metals directly away from his centre of mass using the Discipline skill. Coinshots take their name from the typical projectiles used in the Final Empire.
Anchoring: In order to counteract the issue of weight, a Lurcher may choose to pull on a heavy object behind him so that he does not move when pulling on something in front of him. Especially powerful pulls using this ability may cause stress or even death if the allomancer is not capable of fortifying his body with pewter or a feruchemical ability, at the GM's discretion.
Steel Sight: Burning steel allows the allomancer to see lines of blue light between themselves and any metal in the zone. Thicker lines denote larger sources of metal.
Steel Jumping: If the Coinshot has a suitably large source of metal below them, or even a small source that is in direct connection with a tough surface such as the ground, they may use it to propel themselves through the air at great speeds. This is much safer than lurching, but without metal beneath them to stay their fall, may be just as lethal. This ability allows the allomancer to substitute Discipline for Athletics.
Flaring Steel: As a supplemental action the Coinshot may 'flare' his steel. This creates the temporary aspect Flared Steel, which he may then invoke in the usual way. This allows for significantly stronger Steel Pushes. This uses his supply of steel at a much greater rate than normal.

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Tin Allomancy [-4]
Description: A Tineye Misting may burn tin in order to enhance all of his physical senses for a time. This allows them to notice things that may pass other people by and flaring tin is capable of dispelling pain and exhaustion in a burst of sensory input. Tineyes are also unique in being able to see through the Mists of Scaldrial.
Effects:
Tineye Senses: A Tineye may burn their metal in order to gain +2 to all Alertness and Investigation rolls.
Flaring Tin: As a supplemental action the Coinshot may 'flare' his tin. This creates the temporary aspect Flared Tin, which he may then invoke in the usual way. This uses their reservoir of tin at a much greater rate than normal.
Slow Burn: Tin is the slowest burning allomantic metal, allowing allomancers to use it for extended periods of time without stopping. Flaring tin for extended periods has the effect of lessening the Tineye's senses when they are not burning Tin, though their senses when doing so are not negatively affected. This damage is permanent. GMs are encouraged to keep this in mind when a character has been flaring Tin over multiple scenes/scenarios.

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Pewter Allomancy [-6]
Description: A Thug, or Pewterarm to the nobles, may burn pewter in order to enhance his physical capabilities. Contrary to popular perception, this is much more than just strength and toughness; a Thug is capable of incredible feats of endurance, balance, speed and healing on top of being stronger and tougher than a normal person.
Effects:
Pewter Strength: Thugs are much more physically adept than other humans, which makes them much better fighters in general. All Fists and Weapons tests are made at +1. Additionally, attacks that depend upon muscular force do +2 stress on a successful hit.
Pewter Speed: An allomancer burning pewter has both enhanced reflexes and speed. Athletics checks, including dodging, are made at +1. When sprinting this bonus becomes +2.
Pewter Dragging: Burning pewter allows the allomancer continue exerting themselves for an inhumanly long time. Endurance never restricts other skills while burning pewter.
Enhanced Recovery: Otherwise deadly wounds are eminently survivable to a Thug burning pewter. All consequences except Extreme are treated as one step lower for the purposes of healing. However, this only works if the allomancer burns pewter for the entirety of the healing process, which requires a constant source of metal.
Fast Burn: Pewter is the fastest burning of all allomnatic metals. GMs are encouraged to take this into consideration when a Pewterarm uses his abilities an extended amount.

[Sanctaphrax]

I dunno about this. I'm not sure what this approach has to offer that using existing Powers doesn't. And without some rules for metal supply, Flaring is basically just a free tag.

Then again, even with a free tag these are hardly overpowered. If anything they seem weak.

So yeah, I'm uninspired. These aren't terrible or anything, I just don't really see the point. I mean, you seemed to have non-Atium metals more or less down already.

[Sanctaphrax]

Hope I wasn't too discouraging. Because I'm actually pretty curious what you have in mind for Atium.

[PirateJack]

Nah, just been busy the past week. I'll be putting more up over the course of this week and the weekend.

Also, I'm doing it for two reasons. First is to bring the costs/benefits more into line with each other. In the setting each power is pretty much as useful as the others, in varying contexts, but as it is we've got a hilariously high variance in the refresh costs of the powers. Secondly, each power has its own benefits/drawbacks that I don't think are easily mapped by the current power lists. Not a fault of the powers, of course, just that the Mistborn powers are different to Dresden ones on a fundamental level.

I've been working on the mental metals a bit so I'll be posting up those in the next day or so.

[PirateJack]

Okay, here are the mental metal write ups. Looking at these, I think I may go back and improve the physical metals a bit. Allomancers are supposed to be superhuman in their given field but I don't get that impression looking at the ones I've already written. Also, I'd forgotten about Allomancer Savants, which should be a separate power along the same lines as Lawbreaker. The Slowburn trapping of Tin allomancy is more of a Savant thing than a normal Tineye ability.

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Zinc Allomancy [-4]
Description: Zinc Mistings, commonly named Rioters, are capable of inflaming the emotions of those around them, inciting them to acts of great emotion. Like Soothers, they are incapable of knowing whether their ability is having an effect beyond the reactions of the target. Many of the effects of Brass Allomancy can be replicated with this ability through rioting all but the desired emotions.
Skills Affected: Deceit
Effects:
You Feel What I Say: When using this power as a manoeuvre or block against a single target within the allomancer's line of sight, roll Deceit at +2.
Peer pressure: People are easier to manage in small groups than by themselves as they get caught up in the group's wake. Zinc Allomancers may target multiple individuals within a group with manoeuvres or blocks in the same manner as a spray attack. This also receives the +2 bonus.
Passion of the Crowd: This power may be used as a zone wide manoeuvre or block, but it does not receive the +2 bonus.
Flaring Zinc: When the Rioter decides to flare his metal, the temporary aspect Flared Zinc is created and he gains the ability to make attacks against the mental stress track using his ability.

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Brass Allomancy [-4]
Description: Brass Mistings, known as Soothers, are capable of smothering emotion such as fear, anger or fatigue. Like Rioters, they are incapable of knowing whether their ability is having an effect beyond the reactions of the target. Many of the effects of Zinc Allomancy can be replicated with this ability through soothing all but the desired emotions.
Effects:
You Are Feeling Very Sleepy: When using this power as a manoeuvre or block against a single target within the allomancer's line of sight, roll Deceit at +2.
Don't Get Involved: People are easier to manage in small groups than by themselves as they follow the lead of those around them. Brass Allomancers may target multiple individuals within a group with manoeuvres or blocks in the same manner as a spray attack. Manoeuvres and blocks made this way gain a +2 bonus to Deceit.
It's Not Your Problem: This power may be used as a zone wide manoeuvre or block, but it does not receive the +2 bonus.
Flaring Zinc: When the Soother decides to flare his metal, the temporary aspect Flared Brass is created and he gains the ability to make attacks against the mental stress track using his ability.

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Bronze Allomancy [-3]
Description: Bronze Mistings, known as Seekers, are the most sought after allomancers by the Steel Ministry as their power can create Inquisitors capable of piercing copperclouds. Seekers are capable of detecting allomancy within a a distance around the allomancer. Particularly adept Seekers are able to detect which type of allomancy is being used.
Skills Affected: Alertness, Investigation
Effects:
I See You: When burning Bronze a Seeker may be called upon by the GM to roll Alertness to detect one or more allomancers burning their metals. The range of their allomancy is three zones or two city blocks in distance, whichever is largest.
You Have My Attention: Sufficiently talented or practised Seekers are able to detect the type of allomancy being used through a combination of pulses, pulls and beats that result in the distinct feelings that make up allomancy.
Flaring Bronze: When a Seeker flares his metal, the temporary aspect Flared Bronze is applied to him and he gains a +2 to all rolls to detect Allomancy.

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Copper Allomancy [-3]
Description: Copperclouds, or Smokers, are the primary means by which Ska Mistings remain hidden from the Steel Ministry. Their ability is able to block a Seeker's Bronze Allomancy from detecting the burning of metals within range of the Smoker. As a side effect, Copperclouds themselves are protected from the emotional Allomancy of Brass and Zinc Allomancers while burning their metal.
Skills Affected: Discipline
Effects:
Copper Smokescreen: Burning copper has the effect of blocking the sight of Bronze Allomancers within its range. Using this power establishes the Coppercloud manoeuvre on a number of zones equal in size to that of a house, in all directions. Only Seekers who have a bronze hemalurgic spike may roll to see through this, and it is not removed for other Seekers if they succeed, otherwise it is impenetrable to allomancy. Manoeuvres made in this way are rolled at +2 to Discipline.
Safe in my own Mind: Smokers are, by nature, immune to the effects of emotional allomancy while burning their metal.
Flaring Copper: When a Smoker flares his metal, the temporary aspect Flared Copper is applied to him and he gains an additional zone of range in every direction.

[Theogony_IX]

The cost on these seems a bit too high, imo.  -4 to be a Smoker when -3 gives you Thaumaturgy.  I'm seeing your math and it adds up, but I'm not sure the math you're using is the right kind of math for these powers.  I think the most I would make a single allomantic metal cost is -2.  Some may be better at -1.  To me, they fall closer to Channeling or Ritual than to Incite Effect.  For Mistborn, I'd probably handle it closer to Evo and Thaum together offering Specializations in metals to reflect experience/talent in using them.

Pewter might be a different story and might be better modeled with some of the building block effects, but I think you can still get it down to -2 with an appropriate Catch effect in the power.

[PirateJack]

I'm not aiming to make this fit in to the same cost scheme as DFRPG. The costs are relevant to the other powers, rather than to DF powers.

EDIT: Also, unlike in DFRPG the powers in the Mistborn setting are fairly rigid. It's incredibly difficult, not to mention dangerous, to try to gain new powers. Mostly because doing so puts you under the influence of an evil god.

Looking at it again, however, I can see an argument for lowered costs giving players more options when creating characters. As it is Compounders would be pretty much impossible for default refresh games. I'll give it some thought over the rest of the week.

[Sanctaphrax]

I'm not aiming to make this fit in to the same cost scheme as DFRPG. The costs are relevant to the other powers, rather than to DF powers.

I don't think that's a good idea. The standard Power power level makes Powers, Stunts, and free Refresh all viable choices. If you make Powers significantly weaker, they'll lose out to Stunts and Fate Points.

So far you've written five -4 Powers, two -3 Powers, and one -6 Power. That's 32 Refresh altogether. Since a Mistborn can burn 17 metals, at this rate being a Mistborn is going to cost almost 70 Refresh.

But if you put a Mistborn using these Powers against a 70 Refresh mortal, the mortal will obliterate them with embarrassing ease.

[PirateJack]

I don't think that's a good idea. The standard Power power level makes Powers, Stunts, and free Refresh all viable choices. If you make Powers significantly weaker, they'll lose out to Stunts and Fate Points.

So far you've written five -4 Powers, two -3 Powers, and one -6 Power. That's 32 Refresh altogether. Since a Mistborn can burn 17 metals, at this rate being a Mistborn is going to cost almost 70 Refresh.

But if you put a Mistborn using these Powers against a 70 Refresh mortal, the mortal will obliterate them with embarrassing ease.

Like I said, I'm thinking about the costs.

The real problem is that Mistborns are still hilariously expensive even if you make every Misting power [-1] refresh. It gets worse if you try to future-proof as well, because there's the suggestion that every metal can be alloyed with each of the two god-metals, which Mistborn would have the ability to use. That's a theoretical total of 51 different metals, each with its own distinct ability. Even with just the 13 metals that were 'known' at the time of the first novel you're looking at being unplayable at the default refresh rate.

That's also before we get into Twinborn, Hemalurgy and Compounder territory. Suffice it to say that Mistborn are an incredibly expensive class to play as even if you cost things conservatively. I shudder to think how much refresh it would cost to stat the Lord Ruler.

[Sanctaphrax]

The cost doesn't have to scale linearly, though. Evocation gives three elements, each of which would cost 2 Refresh on its own, for 3 Refresh. Plus it gives a specialization and the right to buy more.

That's fair because having three elements isn't actually three times as good as having one. The same seems to apply here, so maybe you could use the same approach.

[Theogony_IX]

Yeah, that seems like the best option to me as well.  Having Iron isn't terribly different than having Steel except for a matter of strategy.  Granted, having them together allows you to do some pretty cool things that neither can do alone, but nothing outside of what you can do with Evocation.  I'd have mistborn cost -6 and each misting cost either -1 or -2, most at -1.

I might even consider separating the god metals into their own power, even for mistborn, considering how strong they are.

You could also manage metal reserves with a stress track . . . maybe.

[PirateJack]

Nah, metals are better represented through compels than through anything else. The only times it comes up in the novels are when it's dramatically appropriate. Atium is the only one that you really have to worry about, which could plausibly be modelled with a stress track, but I still think it makes more sense to have it work through compels as well.

Besides, the only times you're going to use Atium are when you need to curbstomp a whole load of baddies at once, or you're up against another Mistborn or Inquisitor. Anyway, it's not as though the other metals are particularly rare.

Everything in Luthadel (the capital city and setting of the Final Empire) is geared towards getting these metals. The Lord Ruler even made his capital there because of the abnormally high concentration of metals in the groundwater, which helps to both supply his nobleman allomancers and spot Skaa Mistings/Mistborn who instinctively burn their metal.

Anyway, I've given it a lot of thought and I agree with Theogony_IX. I think I'll adjust the costs of the powers down to -1/-2, though I think just being Mistborn is enough to warrant a higher refresh rate than -6. Mostly because I'm thinking of making Mistborn capable of use multiple metals at once in the same manner as Extra Appendages.

[Sanctaphrax]

Handling the metal requirement through Compels is fine as long as you're prepared to

a) give people a fate point every time they don't use atium (or whatever) in a situation where it would be useful
b) let them spend a fate point to ignore your Compel and use atium (or whatever) anyway
and
c) remove stuff like Flaring X that gives you a benefit for consuming metal faster.

Are you?

[PirateJack]

Hmm. Okay, let's think.

a) That's fine by me. Voluntarily weakening yourself in a situation where you may need it is something I highly encourage my players to do. Fate points are their reward for this.

b) Also fine. Part of the Fate economy.

c) This is a thing. The idea I had was that, essentially, flaring a metal would be an encouragement for the GM to compel that player into losing access to his power after a while. Pretty basic reasoning and utilisation of the Fate economy. Now I'm wondering whether a stress track would be more beneficial. The aspect is important, though, because there are a bunch of things that are only really compellable through it. Tineyes, for instance, have incredibly heightened senses when flaring their tin. They're also much more vulnerable to bright lights, loud noises and pain in general.

Perhaps it could work with a stress track.

Burning a metal gives you the standard benefits to your senses and running out is handled through compels. Flaring the metal creates the aspect and gives you a new stress track of X boxes that you can't use consequences for (it would have to be variable between metals; even flaring tin would not use it up at the same rate burning Atium does - maybe 2 for Atium, 3 for Pewter, 6 for Tin). One stress box is filled every round you are flaring your metal. The Taken Out effect of using all the stress boxes is that you lose access to that metal for the rest of the scene or until you Declare that you have more of the metal (or have a relevant aspect that you can invoke for effect).

Not entirely sure what level of effect that should have, however. I'm hovering between opening up 2 stress boxes for use and cleaning the stress track completely. I'm not sure which would be more balanced. Thoughts?

[Sanctaphrax]

A stress track seems needlessly complex, especially when you're a Mistborn with like six metals active.

Maybe flaring could just give a new Aspect with one free Invoke and one free Compel.