Menagerie
Empathy Jack
Mark Description
"Then I employed them as a one Jack army I wasn't quite expecting the menagerie of chaos that ensured."
Overview
The Menagerie brings creatures into the dream to do most of the heavy lifting in making their way through the dream. They may choose to fight alongside them or sit back and watch them. the form that the creatures take can be anything, and do not necessarily need to resemble "creatures".
Passives
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
The Menagerie controls creatures that they summon into the dream.
Control a number of creatures equal to the Menagerie's level. Creating more than this will result in an older creature becoming Detached and fleeing into the dream.
The occupant becomes disconnected from the Mark or it's controller and stops doing anything.
The Menagerie focusses their offensive capabilities into their creatures.
The Menagerie may sacrifice having their own weapon to give all creatures an additional weapon augment.
The Menagerie may meld their mind with one of their creatures.
Receive Paralysed at any time. While Paralysed the Menagerie can receive any sensory information from their creatures.
Lucid actions cannot be taken such as moving, attacking, Abilities that rely on a body or decisive rolls that rely on a body. Stacks. Fades.
The Menagerie has learnt some more volatile traits for their creatures.
Gain access to the Volatile Traits list.
Traits are behaviours, abilities, benefits or disadvantages that occupants and creatures have.
The Menagerie is used to having a lot of creatures running around.
Double the number of creatures the Menagerie can control.
Abilities
Level 1 - Simple Summon
Level 2 - Pet
Level 3 - Complex Summon
Level 4 - Evolve
Level 5 - Colossal Summon
The Menagerie channels their memory towards a creature they have seen in dreams previously to bring them into this dream.
Summon a creature with the Small or Medium typing. Once per scene.
Chaos Effect
The Menagerie lost focus while trying to remember. The creature's Traits are picked at random and there is one additional trait.
Traits are behaviours, abilities, benefits or disadvantages that occupants and creatures have.
Order Effect
The creature is extra stable in this dream. The creature gains the Hardy trait in addition to its other traits.
These creatures gain +1 to all Æthers.
The Menagerie tries to return one of their creatures to its original form.
Remove 3 conditions or condition stacks from a creature of your choice.
Chaos Effect
"Not those ones!"
Remove the conditions at random.
Order Effect
"Perfect!"
Remove 6 conditions.
The Menagerie can think of the detail on the tiniest of creatures or the largest to bring them into the dream.
Summon a creature with the Tiny or Large typing.
Chaos Effect
Perhaps the Menagerie focussed too hard. The creature's traits are picked at random and there are two additional traits.
Order Effect
The Menagerie is extra proud of this creation. The creature gains the Supportive trait in addition to its other traits.
These creatures provide Self-Confident, Focussed and Perceptive to their Allies. Can only be affected by this once.
The Menagerie can change the traits of a creature on the go.
Change up to 3 traits on a creature. Once per scene. Quick ability.
Quick abilities can be used as an extra ability each round. Only one quick ability can be used per round.
Chaos Effect
The change causes an unexpected consequence. Apply a d8
Chaos Condition to the creature.
Chaos conditions are rolled on a list. The die roll determines the elemental condition that is applied.
1. Hot
2. Cold
3. Wet
4. Zapped
5. Grounded
6. Burning
7. Charged
8. Fugued
9. Shifted
10. Frozen
11. Paralysed
12. Petrified
Order Effect
That trait seems to have always been there. Keep the original traits as well.
The Menagerie is able to consider the inner working of a huge creature in order to bring something giant into the dream.
Summon a creature with the Colossal typing. Is considered as 3 creatures for the sake of the Menagerie's control.
Chaos Effect
Let's go back to trying to focus.
The creature's traits are picked at random and there are three additional traits.
Order Effect
"Strong, Smart and Beautiful!"
The creature gains the Strong, Brainy and Cute traits in addition to its other traits.
These creatures gain +2 to their Lucidity.
These creatures gain +2 to their Mentality.
These creatures gain +2 to their Empathy.
Creatures
Creatures have their round when the Jacks do and can use it in the same way, with the only exception being that they cannot usually Dream Weave or use abilities.
Creatures have 5 types and are then built from a range of traits chosen from their trait list. This list is similar to the occupant's trait list.
Creatures have weapon attacks related to their size, mirroring the weapon sizes. These weapons can have any typing.
They function as occupants for resolving conditions requiring -4 in any Æther to receive an Occupant condition. Though rather than having the same Æther values as the Mark, they have set Æther values based on their size.
Dream Weaving is a decisive roll that is made when a Jack tries to do anything that would not be normally possible in the real world.
A negative narrative event occurrence or condition received, usually due to only just passing a decisive roll.
Sizes
Tiny
Fits in - 15cm cube
Move Distance - 40DU
Lucidity - -3
Mentality - 0
Empathy - 0
Weapon die - d8 cannot use physical weapons.
Trait number - 3
Special - Has the Hidden condition until it does something. becomes Hidden again after being unseen for 2 rounds.
Large
Fits in - 4m cube
Move Distance - 40DU
Lucidity - +3
Mentality - +1
Empathy - +1
Weapon die - d8
Trait number - 3
Special - extra weapon augment
Small
Fits in - 1m cube
Move Distance- 25DU
Lucidity - -1
Mentality - 0
Empathy - 0
Weapon die - d4
Trait number - 2
Special - extra attack
Colossal
Fits in - 16m cube
Speed - 50DU
Lucidity - +5
Mentality - +3
Empathy - +3
Weapon die - d10
Trait number - 5
Special - Is so intimidating that it applies Feared to normal occupants the first round it is seen. This does not happen if the dream is friendly or below on the hostility scale.
Medium
Fits in - 2m cube
Move Distance - 25DU
Lucidity - +1
Mentality - 0
Empathy - 0
Weapon die - d6
Trait number - 3
Special - nil
A decisive roll equal to the difficulty used to hide is needed to be seen by others.
Must move their full move distance away from the source of feared during the round. Fades.
Creature Traits
Amphibious
These creatures have a 25DU swimming move distance.
Augmented
These creatures have an addition weapon augment for their attacks chosen by the GM or the Menagerie.
Fast
These creatures increase their base move distance by 10DU.
Heavy Coat
These creatures move distance is not affected by the Cold condition.
Keen Eyed
Decisive rolls to see things are one difficulty easier for these creatures.
Rideable
These creatures can be ridden. size determines how many riders: small = 1 pulled, Medium = 1, Large = 2, Colossal = 8.
Strong
These creatures gain +2 to their Lucidity.
Aquatic
These creatures have a 50DU swimming move distance, The land move distance changes to 10DU.
Brainy
These creatures gain +2 to their Mentality.
Flying
These creatures have a 25DU flying move distance. Costs 2 traits.
Helper
These creatures can help an ally as a quick ability each round.
Mimic
These occupants can disguise themselves as other occupants or things. Costs 2 Traits.
Sneaky
Decisive rolls to see this creature are one difficulty harder for the Jacks.
Supportive
These creatures provide Self-Confident, Focussed and Perceptive to their Allies. Can only be affected by this once.
Armoured
When this creature receives the Pained condition roll a d6, on a 5 or 6 the condition is ignored.
Cute
These creatures gain +2 to their Empathy.
Hardy
These creatures gain +1 to all Æthers.
Jumpy
These creatures jump distance is tripled.
Regenerating
Remove one basic condition from these creatures each round. Costs 2 Traits.
Spiked
Apply Pained to adjacent things that attack these occupants.
Volatile Creature Traits
Spongy
These creatures soak up small bodies of water and are always wet.
Immunity
These creatures are immune to one condition chosen from Burning, Frozen, Poisoned or Charged.
Invisible
These creatures are Invisible until it does something other than move. They become Invisible again after not being seen for 2 rounds.
Elemental Trail
These creatures leave a trail behind them that applies Burning, Cold, or Poisoned to anything that touches it.
Stompy
These creatures stomp the ground as they walk applying Pushed to anything they are adjacent to.
Explosive
These creatures mar receive the Shattered condition to apply 3 Burning to everything nearby.
Tips for
playing as The Menagerie.
The Menagerie requires a lot of tracking of conditions and creature sheets, so be sure you'll have fun doing this before you start playing this specialisation.
spend some time making pre-made creatures sheets of each size so you can quickly bring them out when you summon one of them.
The Managerie ends up having a lot going on each round so try to plan ahead what you will likely do each round.
Your creatures getting destroyed is one of the thangs that stops this specialisation from getting out of hand so expect your creatures to be destroyed fairly often as they are quite fragile.