AREA
This extra allows an effect that normally works on a single target to affect all targets in an area instead. You can only use one Area Power per round. This does not include any area effects used in previous rounds that may still be in effect or waiting to be triggered, or Auras.
TARGETING
You can choose to target an Area Effect against a specific target as normal, in which case you make a regular attack check against that target’s Defense Class, or you can target an Area Effect on a point in space that is effectively Defenseless, a Very Easy DC attack check that can be made as a routine check.
If the attack check succeeds, the Area Effect hits it's designated target or point. If the attack check fails, the target point of the Area Effect shifts one Space per degree of failure in a random direction, this is called displacement, as determined by the GM. This may place different targets in the Area Effect than originally intended.
SHAPE
Choose one of the following options for the shape the
Area Effect occupies.
Blast: The effect fills a cube distance rank -1 on each side, originating from a point along any of its sides. Each additional rank in the Area extra increases the distance rank of each side by 1.
Burst: The effect fills a cube distance rank -1 on each side, originating from the center of the cube. Each additional rank in the Area extra increases the distance rank of each side by 1.
Line: The effect fills a path distance rank 1 long and distance rank -3 wide in a straight line, originating from one end of the line. This line can be horizontal and diagonal, or vertical and diagonal. For a +1 point increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra you can do horizontal, diagonal, and vertical. Each additional rank in the Area extra increases the distance rank of either the line’s width or length by 1. +1 cost per rank of the Area extra
Shapeable: The effect fills a number of 5 foot cubes distance rank 0 long if you were to place them in a straight line. You may place these spaces as you wish, so long as they all remain contiguous. The effect can originate from anywhere within or touching its shape, chosen when the effect is used. Each additional rank in the Area extra increases the distance rank of the length by 1.
RANGE
The Area extra interacts with different Ranges as follows.
Close: An effect must be at least close range in order to apply Area (personal range effects work only on the user by definition). A Close Area effect originates from the user and spreads to fill the affected area. The user is not affected by it, even if they are in the Area. This immunity does not apply to other effects, nor does it extend to anyone else. For that, apply the Selective extra. If the user wants to be affected at the same time as everyone else, increase the cost per rank of the Area extra by +1. This is the equivalent of the +1 Affects Others extra. +1 cost per rank of the Area extra
Ranged: A Ranged Area Effect can be targeted and placed anywhere within the effect’s range, spreading to fill the area’s shape from the target point.
Debate: A Debate Area effect can be targeted and placed at any point the character can accurately perceive within the immediate vicinity, or around 120 feet, without need for an attack check, spreading to fill the area’s shape from the target point. The attacker can directly target one character they can accurately perceive without need for an attack check. The effect works on anyone within the area Effect able to perceive it with a particular sense, chosen when you apply this extra, like the Sense-Dependent flaw. If the user wants to add additional senses that can be affected increase the cost per rank of the Area extra by +1 per additional sense. +1 cost per rank of the Area extra
Gossip: A Gossip Area effect can be targeted and placed at any point an appropriate medium exists and that the attacker has knowledge of or knowledge of the target, without need for an attack check, spreading to fill the area’s shape from the medium being used. The attacker cannot directly target any character with Gossip Area effect. The effect works on anyone within the area Effect originating from the medium, chosen when you apply this extra, like the Medium flaw.
SPREAD
By default, Area Effects spread out from an origin point to fill their shape. This means that any cover between a target and the origin point of the effect provides its usual benefits and targets behind Total Cover relative to the origin point of the Area Effect are unaffected. An Area Effect can also have the following variant types of spread.
Emanation: The Area Effect fills its entire shape at once rather than originating from an origin point for +1 point increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra. Cover does not block or hinder the Area Effect in any way. +1 cost per rank of the Area extra
Sensory Spread: The Area Effect emits from its origin point and affects any potential target in its shape able to perceive it with a particular sense, chosen when you apply this extra for +0 point increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra. Any cover that doesn’t block the targeted sense doesn’t block or hinder the Area Effect
either. Concealment against the Sensory Spread can reduce its effects, however. +0 cost per rank of the Area extra
RESISTANCE
The Area Effect fills its designated shape, potentially affecting any targets in that area. Targets in the affected area can make a Fortitude or Reflex resistance check for physical effects or Reflex or Will resistance check for mental effects against a passive Effect DC to avoid some of the effect. A successful resistance check adds Advantage to the actual resistance check equal to the degrees of success against the Effect, while a failed resistance check suffers Disadvantage to the actual resistance check equal to the degrees of failure against the Effect. A character directly targeted by an Area Effect and hit by it with a successful attack check against their Defense Class does not get this resistance check to improve their resistance check against the Effect, but an Area Effect can normally only target one character in this way.
ONGOING AREA EFFECTS
Subjects that start their turn in or move into the Area effect are affected as normal. A character can only be affected by an Area effect once per round, unless they willfully leave and enter the Area effect multiple times.
A subject that was in the Area effect, and is unwillingly moved out of the effect and back into the effect does not suffer any additional effects from the Area effect until the beginning of their turn as normal.
When moving an ongoing Area effect, any new subjects that were in the path of the moving Area effect, including those in it at the end of it’s movement, are affected differently. First calculate the Speed rank of the Area Effect based on the distance moved. These subjects make a resistance check to avoid the Area effect as normal, but add +1 Advantage equal to the speed rank of the Area Effect that breaks Tier. If a Subject succeeds on this check they are unaffected by the Area effect. If they fail they make a resistance check to resist the Area effect as normal, but add +1 Advantage equal to the speed rank of the Area Effect that breaks Tier to this check as well.
An Area Effect can have the following variants added to the Area extra.
Locked On: An ongoing Area effect is Locked On to the chosen specific target, and will follow the subject as it moves for a +4 point increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra, see Ongoing Area effects above. +4 cost per rank of the Area extra
Movable: An ongoing effect can be moved to any point within its range by taking a Command action, for a +4 point increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra, see Ongoing Area effects above. +4 cost per rank of the Area extra
Zone: The Area effect is Instant Duration but lingers in the same place and then slowly fades away on its own for +2 points increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra, see Ongoing Area effects above. You cannot dismiss or control the Area effect once it is placed. The Area effect loses 1 rank of Effect or Area per round until it is gone, chosen when you apply this extra. It can still be nullified or countered. A Zone Area Alternate Effect continues to function even when its array is switched to a different effect. For 1 point increase in the cost per rank of the Area extra the Area effect loses 1 rank of Effect and Area per round until it is gone. +1 or 2 cost per rank of the Area extra
