Traits And Abilities
Hunters possess a set of traits and abilities that set them apart. These are the Hunter's tools in the unending battle against the Horrors. Hunters are given their traits and abilities by their chosen archetypes, with traits available from level one, while abilities unlock as the Hunter gains more experience and levels up.
Traits shape the Hunter's inherent powers and nature. They can manifest in a variety of ways, such as a supernatural companion, an enhanced attribute that provides a constant bonus, or even a unique piece of equipment that others cannot wield. Many traits are passive, but some include actions, limited uses, or conditions of their own. Follow the trait's description rather than assuming every part is always active.
Abilities, on the other hand, are action-oriented. They denote special actions that a Hunter can undertake during combat or non-combat scenarios. Abilities can range from a potent attack that can devastate an enemy to a unique skill that provides valuable utility in certain situations. Many abilities are tied to ability charges, which are expended upon use and replenished when the Hunter takes a rest.
Ability Damage and Checks
When a Hunter ability deals damage, roll its damage dice a number of times equal to your effective Core Modifier (CM), with a minimum of one repetition. An ability listed as dealing d6 fire damage therefore deals CMd6 when your CM is positive, or 1d6 when it is 0 or lower. Later critical or feature adjustments can still reduce the dice to zero; see Limits and Interactions. An explicitly stated total, such as the damage written into a Horror's ability, is not multiplied again.
When an ability instead forces a target to resist its effect, that target makes a check against your Core Threshold (CT), meeting or beating it to avoid or reduce the effect. The minimum number of dice does not increase that threshold.
Ability Charges
Each unlocked ability with charges has its own supply unless its description explicitly shares one. For a maximum written as CM or CM/2, use your effective CM, round down, and then apply a minimum of 1 charge. An ability with CM/2 charges and a CM of 3 has 1 charge, not 2. The same ability still has 1 charge at CM 0. This minimum does not unlock abilities early or replace a stated daily limit.
Keep a tally of charges spent since the ability last refreshed. Available charges equal its current maximum minus that tally, with a minimum of 0. If your CM changes, recalculate the maximum but keep the tally. A temporary loss and recovery of strength cannot refill a spent ability.
For example, an ability with a maximum of 3 charges and 2 spent has 1 available. If its maximum falls to 1, none are available. When the maximum returns to 3, it has 1 available again. A full refresh clears the tally; a feature that restores one spent charge reduces it by one, never below zero. Follow explicit daily limits and special refresh conditions separately. An ability with no charge limit does not gain one from these rules.
A Note on Duration
Some abilities last for a number of rounds, while others are measured in minutes or hours. A turn belongs to one participant; a round is one complete pass through the turn order. Combat time is approximate, not a stopwatch. When an ability gives both a time and a number of rounds, use its stated round duration in combat. Otherwise, the Overseer establishes how the duration fits the scene before the ability is used. The Turn Order and Status Effects rules explain when recurring effects and turn-end checks happen.
Amy: "So, my Twin Soul Hunter, Mira, has the 'Soul Companion' trait. That means her spectral partner, Lumi, a former Victorian child with a mischievous streak, is always around, right?"
Overseer: "Lumi is bound to Mira, yes. Releasing them uses a bonus action and one of the trait's limited uses. Once released, they can scout within their range and help through the abilities you've learned."
Amy: "Awesome! And I see that Mira has the 'Conveyance' ability. That uses an ability charge and lets Mira swap places with Lumi, right?"
Overseer: "Exactly! But remember, you have a limited number of ability charges, so use them wisely!"
Amy: "Oh, I will. I've got something devious planned with that grenade we found."