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STEP FOUR:

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Some character Profiles provide Characters with special abilities not adequately described by attributes or skills. These include racial benefits, Nile Empire Powers and gizmos, Cyberware, spells, and miracles among others. Sometimes they even include "background" advantages. Characters who have these special "background" abilities MUST incorporate them in to there background Event that explains how that character came to have this special ability. Character Profiles that include "special abilities" also include details in mechanics as to how the ability works in game.

SPECIES BENIFITS
Characters from certain Cosms might not be of the "human" species. For instance ... Elves.. Giants... Edeinos.. are all examples of other races, yet they are playable in Torg. Some may have natural tools... Examples listed on the Character Profile.

In the case of Elves and Giants of Aysle, the minimum and maximum number of enhancement packages allowed are listed, these will appear as follows:

*Enhancement Packages: Min1/Max 2 (for elves)
*Each enhancement packages provides three attribute points. Points can be put into any attribute except TOU. Each has either an adventure cost of 1, or a limited attribute of 7;
OR
*each enhancement Packages: Min 2/Max 3 (for Giants)
*each enhancement package provides three extra attribute points. Points can be put into either STR or TOU. Each has either an adventure cost of 1, or a limited attribute of 7 for the first, and limited attribute of Six for each additional.

NILE EMPIRE POWERS
Some characters from the Nile Empire have strange pulp powers that allow them to perform incredible feats. When a character profile includes "powers", the number of available powers is listed. Selecting a Character Profile with powers means accepting the adventure cost. For more information on pulp powers, see pages 45 - 46 of the Torg world book., or Chapter eight of the Nile empire source book.

NILE EMPIRE GIZMOS
Some character profiles from the Nile Empire list Weird Science Gizmos among their special abilities. In these cases, the power(s) of the gizmos and there maximum action values are listed. See The Nile Empire source book for more information regarding weird science gizmos.
Before beginning a campaign with a character possessing a weird science gizmo, the gamemaster and the character should actually construct the gizmo. While this means extra work, it makes sure that both of you know exact characteristics and specifications of the gizmo.

CYBERWARE
Many characters from the Cyberpapacy have cyberware available to them. When a Character Profile includes Cyberware it is expressed as a Cyber Value. This Value is expressed in either a "+" or a "-" to the characters SPI attribute. For instance the Cyber Value of a Cyberdecker might be expressed as the following:
(Cyberware: Max, Cybervalue=SPI -2)

In some cases, the specific pieces of cyberware are listed as well as the maximum Cyber Value. The Maximum Cyber Value listed includes the Cybervalue of any listed items. For example, if a profile allows a total Cyber Value of SPI +3, a character with a SPI of 9 could have up to a Cyber Value of 12. If the Profile also lists "NeuraCal (5), J-Jack (2)" the maximum amount of additional cyberware the character could have would have to result in a Cyber Value total of 5 or less:
(12 (max) - 7 (listed cyberware) =5 )

If, when the player assigns attribute values, she gives a character too low a Spirit to support the items listed as required for the profile, she must go back and assign a higher spirit.
Aside from the Cyber Value limitation, the character may have any amount and type of cyberware available in the Cyberpapacy -- as long as she and the Gamemaster can come to an agreement as to why she has that cyberware.

MAGICIANS
Characters who have one of the Four magic skills listed as there tag skill are given 12 additional points with which they may purchase spells and arcane knowledge�s (see the Torg rulebook page 141). Other characters with magic skill are given these additional points ONLY if they have at least one add in each of any two of the four magic skills available.

Example : The Dwarven Priestess Character profile is from Aysle. This means that she automatically starts the game with one magic skill and one arcane knowledge. While the profile does not indicate that she cannot have magic as well as miracles, it does not preclude it either. If she selects another magic skill in addition to her birth magic, she can get the twelve arcane knowledge�s as well.
Normally, selecting "extra" abilities like this must be cleared with the gamemaster, and also requires a Background Event.

MIRACLES
Storm Knights who have the Faith and Focus skills are able to use Miracles of Faith. These are listed in special abilities, because they usually require background events.
When a character is created with faith and focus skills, it must be determined which miracles of her particular faith are available to her. As a guideline (to be approved by your gamemaster), Storm Knight miracle users choose a number of miracles equal to the total number of adds they have in there faith and focus skills combined.
Example: The Dwarven Priestess (above), Decides to be a follower of Dunad. She has three adds in faith and two in focus. She can select, with her gamemaster's approval, up to five Miracles of Dunad at the beginning of the campaign.
As the Storm Knight adventures, he learns to use more miracles as his faith and focus skill adds are increased and he sees them performed. The gamemaster may require the player to pay a cost of one possibility each for new miracles, but this is not necessarily required -- as long as he has purchased more faith or focus adds.
NOTE: Characters native to the living land, or any other reality where focus is not always needed to perform miracles, may have access to miracles if they purchase only faith skill. Normally, they must buy at least two adds in the skill to get miracles, but a Background Event may be an appropriate compensation. Check with your gamemaster.

BACKGROUND ADVANTAGES

A few of the Character Profiles have special abilities that do not actually have concrete game effects. Some examples are personal wealth, or a network of contacts and friends.
While these options may be more difficult for a gamemaster to pin down with a rules definition, they can be the most fun to play. Basically, when a character chooses one of these Profiles, she and the gamemaster should consult on the possibilities surrounding the advantage and come up with a mutually satisfactory solution.

Example: Dan selects the Character profile of the Burakumin, or Streetperson, of the Nippon Tech. This profile has "extensive contacts and knowledge of Tokyo".
The gamemaster, Ted, decides that he will generate several non-player characters within Tokyo that Dan can contact at virtually anytime during an adventure in the city -- Without having to play a connection card. Unlike playing the connection card, however, Dan cannot be sure that these people have actual knowledge that might be helpful--many may not even be helpful at all.
Also, since Ted doesn�t want to bother giving Dan's character a map of Tokyo, he decides that, when in the city, Dan can make a mind roll of 5 higher to know where any public location is and the best way to get there and, once per act he can make a Mind roll of 15 or higher to find a structure or place that is not public knowledge (like a hiding place of the Shiki). Ted assures Dan in advance that he wont let him spoil an adventure with a die roll, however; if the object of the adventure is to find the hiding place of the Shiki, Dan cant just Solve the puzzle by rolling high--but he may be able to find someone who can help this group of Storm Knights find the place.