Calls (Advanced Reference)

DAMAGING CALLS

These calls cause damage as per the Combat Rules.

BLAM

If you have Endurance, spend a point of Endurance to resist this. If you are Staggered, become Wounded.

REND

You become Staggered. If you are Staggered, become Grievously Wounded.

SUNDER

You become Grievously Wounded. This call ignores Cover and Shields and cannot be resisted unless an ability specifically says it can be used to resist this call. If parry a Sunder and are not carrying a Power Weapon or Relic, your weapon/shield is destroyed and unusable (you do not have to drop it, but you can’t use it in the fight).

BURN

Unless accompanied by a call of Mass or a Designated Target this call affects all characters (including friends) within 5m in a 90 degree cone in front of the user. This call ignores Cover and Shields. If you have Endurance, spend a point of Endurance to resist this, backing away from the user while patting out the flames. Where a Designated Target is called and there is no Mass call attached this call only affects the target.

However if you are unable to retreat from the user, are a Designated Target, or you are Staggered then you become Grievously Wounded. However, if Grievously Wounded you do not need to fall to the ground as normal but may instead roleplay as if on fire for ten seconds, up to and including running around.

DAKKA

Affects all characters (including friends) within range of hearing in a 90 degree cone in front of the user. You have three seconds to take cover (place a piece of cover between you and the shooter) after hearing this call, if you fail to do so you become Wounded, if you attempt to exit this cover into the direction of fire while the fire is still calling this call, you become Wounded. Characters with Aegis Training can use their shields to ignore this call, characters with Adept Mortis and Vigilator cannot use their cover abilities against this call.

SHOCK

Loose a point of endurance as if hit by a Dramatic Blow - however, roleplay as if being shocked by a high-voltage current for 5s during which you can take no other action. If you are Staggered, you collapse unconscious to the ground until someone spends 5s bringing you around or the scene ends. You cannot be affected by Shock again for 10s after the effect ends.

I AM A KNIFE IN THE DARK [Optional addition: NONLETHAL]

This call can only be used if your character did not consider our attacker a threat for less than 2s before the call was made. This call is intended to only be useful against enemies who are not actively wary of the attacker, if you are then call You’ll have to be faster than that! to indicate you were aware of your foe for more than the 2s window to strike. If you were not aware of them, fall to the ground as silently as possible and become Grievously Wounded (this instantly kills most NPCs). If ‘NONLETHAL’ is tagged on, collapse unconscious to the ground until someone spends 5s bringing you around or the scene ends. It is possible for a Telepath to use this call after using mental suggestion to hold your attention, in which case you are not considered to be able to defend against it.

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CALLS WITH STATUS EFFECTS

These calls do not cause damage but instead force a specific reaction or impose a mechanical or roleplaying effect on the target.

DRAG

Indicates you have been grasped by a powerful force, you are dragged towards the source for 3s if you hit an object or a person, then roleplay a painful jarring impact and the effect ends. If you are already in melee range of the source then you must remain in melee range of them for 3s.

REPEL

Indicates being hit by a powerful force you move away from the source for 3s if you hit an object or person then roleplay a painful jarring impact and the effect ends.

HAYWIRE

This causes all technological items on the affected character to cease functioning for at least ten seconds after which:

If they are a weapon or another wargear trait item then they then take a few seconds of roleplay to get working again.

If they are the result of any bionic trait then the character experiences ten seconds of painful bionic glitches when struck and then spends some time roleplaying rebooting/recovering.

If they are Power Armour or any other technological item provided by non-wargear traits or free items such as radios/dataslates then they cease function until attended to by a character with at least the Lay-Mechanicus trait for a few seconds of roleplaying a ‘rituals of repair’

NULL

Psykers and psychic equipment are severed from the warp for ten seconds. Psykers may not use any powers during this period. Warp entities may be differently affected.

TOXIC

When used with a Designated Target or a Melee Blow the character feels a sharp pain and begins to feel sick and nauseous as the wound begins to burn. When used with Mass attached, this attack is airborne, so it would be appropriate to include coughing and wheezing. Until they see the Game Team for an appropriate poisoning card the character must roleplay as if poisoned. Unlike PCs most NPCs will die from this rapidly.

Quake

Indicates a powerful earth-shifting disturbance, this call effects anyone who hears it, for the next 10s characters must roleplay as if the earth was shifting beneath them, falling to the ground, or staggering wildly around knocking into objects like the best low-budget sci-fi heroes ever.

AUGMENT CALLS

These calls are never used on their own but change the effect of other calls to indicate how they interact with characters and environments.

MASS

Changes a call so it affects all characters (including friends) in 360 degree blast that are within five meters (or the same small room indoors) of the designated target, or source of the call.

FRAG OUT! MASS [EFFECT]

Indicates that a grenade physrep has been thrown. Characters have 3s to place a piece of cover between themselves and the source of the call otherwise they take the effect of the call. Cover does not protect against Burn, and in the case of Toxic the act of covering the mouth with a gasmask or rebreather replaces taking cover, which does not protect against the call.

Where the accompanying mass call is a Damaging Call and not Shock, Toxic or Sunder, a character may throw themselves bodily atop the grenade calling Covering Grenade! to indicate to others they have done so they immediately become Grievously Wounded but other characters should not take this effect. If the call is Rend then the character immediately counts as having bled out and suffers a Scar.

WARP

Demonstrates a power drawn from the Warp – Indicates how other abilities interact with it.

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ROLEPLAYING CUES

These calls have no immediate damaging effects but do have a direct influence on a characters roleplay as they cue appropriate reactions to their use.

DREAD

If you can see the source of this call when it is called you are filled with complete and utter dread as supernatural terror overtakes your mind. You increase your Madness one step, and must either flee or roleplay quaking in terror, so long as you can see the source of the call, you cannot make calls except to call Blam at 1 meter or strike poorly executed melee blows.

Characters with traits to do so may spend Willpower to be able to fight to full effect, but still feel fear (as a roleplaying flavour) and still increase their Madness one step.

DEFLECT

Called in reaction to a call to indicate that it has been defended against by some form of Defence.

INEFFECTIVE

Indicates that a call did not have its usual effect on the character, perhaps because the foe is immune to the call or simply because of some innate ability.

SCAN [life/heat/material/etc]

If you think this would detect you, respond with PING.

GET IT TOGETHER

If you are not Woundedor Grievously Wounded you regain your Endurance pool. If you are Wounded you may get back to your feet on 1 Endurance.

WOULD YOU KINDLY?

You are not aware that this has been used on you unless you resist it. If affected, you must obey the command that will follow this cue either to completion of the task issued or for 30s (whichever is shorter).

COMMAND OVERRIDE

Your mechanical components are being hacked. If affected you must obey the command that will follow this cue as if your interfaced bionics force you to either to completion of the task issued or for 30s (whichever is shorter).

I TEST THEE!

If you have Willpower you must spend a point to resist this, if you do not then your will fails you, you become Staggered and your Corruption/Faith and Fire track increases one step.

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NPC CUES

These cues have no real effect on player characters unless they are specifically briefed to take them, and are presented here purely for awareness of their effects for crew and players with access to them.

[KEYWORD] I BANISH THEE!

By using a keyword associated with a warp entity (such as ‘greed’ for a hoarding demon) or its true name (all of which will be on its NPC sheet) this call does significant damage to warp entities. It has no effect on players, unless they are briefed otherwise.

AVAUNT!

Only takes effect while brandishing a holy symbol. This causes unholy things to retreat from the bearer of the symbol recoiling in fear of it. In some cases it may have other significant effects.

THIS IS MY FINAL STAND!

The caller has 30s to complete a task. During a final stand they may soak all damage as if they had spent Endurance or Willpower to resist it (and must therefore continue to roleplay as if doing so). All NPCs present should try to direct their attention towards the caller and allow other PCs to escape.

I CALL UPON THE LIGHT!

The individual calling this glows briefly with light, this isn’t blinding but it is appropriate for PCs to react to this. It has far more significant effects on unholy things and worshippers of the dark gods.