Shepard

Shepherd Knacks at the mortal level have the power to choose a Ward and support them, allowing them to shrug off wounds or effects that would otherwise be debilitating, or Fatebind them with others with relative ease. These Knacks operate on the concepts of allyship and aid. Your ward may be a bandmate, if that player and your Storyguide both agree, but under most circumstances, they will be a Storyguide character.

Every hero has a hype-up person, their trainer in their corner, the person who believes most that the hero can complete any challenge put before them. Shepherds are those Gods, and their Scions play those supportive roles. They don’t do the work for their Wards, as that would deny them glory and victory they would otherwiseearn with their strength and cleverness. Nothing worth doing gets done easily, after all, and there’s a reason why some of the most famous stories in myth and history are the trials and tribulations of one hero or another, but always feature the person who starts them on the path. Even as the shit hits the fan, your Shepherd is always there, making sure you can make it through. You may be beaten, battered, and worse for wear, but no one can say victory isn’t yours.

Knacks

• A Friend to All: You and your Ward may have additional Fatebinding Conditions over the limit set by Legend, equal to the difference in tier between you and your Ward.



• Aim For My Mark: You gain access to the following stunts, which may be used in close and ranged combat:
  • Weak Point (1s): On his next attack, your Ward may purchase the Critical stunt at a discount equal to the difference between you in Tiers (i.e., if he is a mortal and you are a Hero, it costs 3s; if you were a Demigod, it would cost 2s).
  • Find the Opening (2s): The opponent’s Soft Armor doesn’t apply to your Ward’s next attack.



• And My Shield: When you take a Full Defense action and your Ward is within short range, he also doubles his Defense pool.



• In the Nick of Time: If your Ward is attacked within your line of sight, you can spend Momentum to instantly move to him.



• Leading by Example: When your Ward gains a Complication, you may choose to suffer its consequences, and may overcome the Complication with any roll, even unrelated ones. If you successfully overcome the Complication, your Ward gains Enhancement on their next action equal to the Complication’s rating; you gain half that, round up.



• Matchmaker: Instead of using your once per session ability to acquire a new Fatebinding, another consenting player or a Storyguide character may use that ability instead.



• Taught You Everything I Know: Once per session, when you spend a scene training your Ward, make a Shepherd skill roll and note your successes. For the remainder of the session, you may spend these successes for any of the following effects, once per turn, so long as they mirror an aspect of the training you provided.
  • Just Like in Training (1s): Grant +2 Enhancement to your Ward’s action
  • You Won’t Stop Me (2s): Negate any Complications or Conditions your Ward is suffering for the remainder of the turn, including Injury Conditions.
  • I Can Do This (variable): When your Ward spends Momentum, add an additional die for every Momentum and success spent. If your Ward is an SGC, you may spend Momentum on their behalf for this roll.

Immortal Knacks

• My Senses are Tingling: You are aware if any Storyguide characters you meet have the Jinx, Nemesis, Rival, or Traitor Fatebinding Condition with your Ward or your Bandmates, but not which Condition they have.



• Out of the Frying Pan: If your Ward is Taken Out within your line of sight, roll a Knack Skill. On a success, they negate the damage after Armor is applied and are not Taken Out. You may use this Knack a number of times per Episode equal to the difference in tier between you and your Ward.



• Punching Above Your Weight: Once per episode, you may spend Momentum when your Ward makes or defends against an attack. They make that action at Scale equal to the difference in tier between you and him.



• Wise Counsel: While together in a Procedural scene, if your Ward is rolling to do research with a Skill they do not have any dots in, you may spend Momentum once per session and make a Knack Skill roll. They make their research roll as if they have a number of dots equal to the number of successes you rolled, up to five.



• You Can Do This All Day: When your Ward is trying to buy off a Complication, spend Momentum and make a Knack Skill Roll. Your Ward may spend successes from this roll to buy off that Complication.