Home > Rulebook > Basics & Ability Scores > Using Abilities
Abilities in Metanoia Engine are your most fundamental skills, these are your perks, powers, feats and combination abilities, while each of these things have different functions, listed in their specific areas, each ability follows these rules and followings.

TP Cost

Time Points are a very important mechanic, some abilities cost more time points, while others cost less. Abilities with 0 TP cost can be casted at any time in combat.

Ability Cost

Abilities typically cost either your Magic Points (MP) or Stamina Points (SP), the difference between these two may seem vague, but SP typically affects more physical abilities, while MP affects more energy based and mental effects, both play an important part in Metanoia Engine combat and gameplay.

Ability Descriptors

Abilities have descriptors which details how the ability affects the environment, the Descriptor is heavily important in determining the effects that the ability has on the environment

Physical

The ability has a physical effect on the environment and can be used to interact with the environment, it typically does physical damage.

Mental

The ability can only be targeted by anything with any mental ability, all damage created by it typically is not visible.

Energy

The ability has a physical effect on the environment and deals an energy damage type

Divine

This ability is divine in nature and can be casted as a divine cast. Casting the ability this way costs 1 sacrifice every 25 MP or SP.

Generic

This ability is generic, all kinds of people can use this ability as a lesser version without having the perk, it is usually listed with the perk

Stacking

This ability can stack with itself and be cast multiple times for an increased effect.

Defence

This ability is designed to be used in a defence situation, and can be used as a form of blocking or dodging depending on the ability.

Speed

This ability affects the creatures speed at which they perform actions.

Mobility

This ability affects the movement speed or gives a bonus level of manoeuvrability and mobility that cannot normally be attained

Support

This ability is typically used as a way to restore, buff or debuff others, or the caster, providing a bonus element in the middle of combat to turn the tides.

Utility

This ability is designed to be useful in situations that necessarily aren’t combat related

Elemental

This ability uses a specific element in its nature, such as fire or ice.

Nature

This ability bends nature around the user of the ability, and focuses on interacting with nature

Light

This ability adjusts the light levels and is considered positive energy

Dark

This ability adjusts the light levels and is considered negative energy

Enhancer

This ability enhances another ability when used in conjunction, it does not necessarily have to enhance the casters ability

Nerfer

This ability debuffs or nerfs an ability when used, not necessarily debuffing the caster’s ability

Creation

This ability creates an item or creature when used.

Counter

This ability is designed as a counter to an attack and can be used defensively or as a response to an attack.

Ability Range

Ability Range is important as it shows the maximum range that the ability can be used, while certain abilities are short ranged, some are long ranged, and their range can be extended through other means such as powers.

Sometimes, ranges are specified as more then just numbers, the most commonly used ranges are:

  • Self – This ability only affects the caster.
  • Touch – This ability affects all that the caster can physically touch (including the caster)
  • Weapon – This ability affects all that the caster can attack, using their method of attack, this also works in the same way as Touch and Self.

Casting Modifier

The casting modifier is what ability statistic you use when casting the ability. this modifier is added to your actions and any percentages that the ability grants, but this percentage is additive (e.g. +10% modifier turns a 25% modifier into a 28% modifier).

Components

Various abilities have components required to cast and use the ability.

  • V – Vocal, This ability requires the user to speak with their mouth
  • S – Sight, This ability requires line of sight to use
  • E – Equipped, This ability must be equipped, or you must have one hand free to use
  • M – Material, This ability requires some form of material cost that is lost once the ability is cast. The material cost can be found after this symbol in brackets.
  • I – Item, This ability requires a certain item, usually followed by brackets to be in hand to use.
  • F – Form, This ability changes the target into a different form or mode and requires the caster to focus to keep that form. Only one form can be active at a time.
  • N/A – Non-Applicable, No components are needed to cast this ability.

Cantrips

Cantrips are abilities that act passively when the character has that ability. You do not need to use the ability to have the cantrip take effect. The cantrip takes effect as soon as you get the ability, and does not stack with higher tiers of your power or perk.