Creativity

This skill provides a character with training and talent (or knowledge) in a variety of creative endeavors. A character with the Creativity skill has a well-developed sense for the aesthetically pleasing, a facility for communicating with the written word, and the ability to convey and evoke powerful emotions through a chosen medium.

A character with just the broad skill possesses all of these characteristics, but not to such a degree that he’s able to make a living as an artist, writer, or photographer. Turning the Creativity skill into the basis of a career (or being able to produce work of professional quality, if a character has another career) requires that the character pursue a specialty skill in his chosen field(s).

Creative Synergy

Creativity can be used as a support check to enhance other skills by providing unique solutions, emotional depth, or unorthodox methods. Possible uses are, but are not limited to the follow:

• Creativity + Inspire (Leadership): Use a creative medium (speech, song, manifesto) to stir followers. A successful check adds a step bonus to the Inspire check (-1 for Ordinary, -2 for Good, -3 for Amazing).
• Creativity + Invention (Technical Science): Use lateral thinking to find elegant shortcuts in design. A successful check reduces the successes required for an Invention complex check (-1 for Ordinary, -2 for Good, -3 for Amazing).
• Creativity + Deception (Bluff/Seduce): Weave a rich, emotionally resonant narrative. On a successful support check, the target’s Intelligence or Will resistance modifier is reduced by 1 step.

The Gamemaster has the last word on which specialty skill provide synergy on a particular task

Using Creativity (Production)

Creating a work of art or literature involves a complex skill check.

• Situation Modifiers: Based on conditions (materials, inspiration, distractions).
• Complexity (Successes Required): Ordinary (2), Good (4-6), Amazing (8+).
• Project Failure: If the check ends in a Critical Failure or three Failure results, the project is scrapped.

The Intangible

Focuses on abstract, digital, and ethereal expression, such as grid-sculpting (virtual environments), psionic illusions, and the aesthetics of complex algorithms. This specialty is the primary support for digital infiltration, mental powers, and ephemeral constructs.

Rank Benefits

▶ Rank 3 [Artistic Flourish]: The character can add a “signature” to their work. Any creativity skill check made to support another skill that results in an Amazing success grants the character an extra Last Resort point that must be used in the supported skill.

The Shape

Focuses on physical, structural, and visual expression, such as sculpting, painting, blueprint design, and technical prototyping. This specialty is the primary support for engineering, physical craftsmanship, and “things with defined structure.”

Rank Benefits

▶ Rank 3 [Artistic Flourish]: The character can add a “signature” to their work. Any creativity skill check made to support another skill that results in an Amazing success grants the character an extra Last Resort point that must be used in the supported skill.

The Word

Focuses on linguistic and auditory expression, such as writing, oratory, and singing. This specialty is the primary support for social, performance, and leadership endeavors.

Rank Benefits

▶ Rank 3 [Artistic Flourish]: The character can add a “signature” to their work. Any creativity skill check made to support another skill that results in an Amazing success grants the character an extra Last Resort point that must be used in the supported skill.