As noted here, the rules for using Crystals weren’t giving us the results we wanted – I mean in actual playtests, not in the comics – so we’ve made a few changes, and we’re trying a different approach. Here is the previous iteration; below are the major changes to the rules, along with our protagonists’ revised Crystals.
A Crystal is a Pool of Powers
Each Crystal has a Rank, denoting how powerful it is. You’ll begin with Novice Crystals, graduating to Seasoned, Veteran, and so forth, just like the five PC Ranks.
A Crystal gives its user access to several powers, that must share a common theme and trappings. One of the powers is “Basic”, meaning it’s always on. Unlike before, simply having a Crystal inside of you is enough to give you some sort of an advantage, usually an Edge. There’s also a “casual use” entry for every Crystal, denoting the simple, non-rules related things you can do while the Crystal is socketed into your Harness – again, to give you a feeling that your current Crystal matters, even when not activating it.
All other powers must be activated, with a Crytal Channeling check, which is made with a penalty equal to the Power Points cost of the power. (We’re still using the No Power Points setting rule, see page 95 in Savage Worlds Deluxe). In addition, the roll is modified by the difference between the Crystal’s Rank and the character’s Rank: as a penalty, if the Crystal’s Rank is higher, or as a bonus, if the character’s Rank is higher.
If you would fail a CC check only because of the inherent penalty for the power (including the difference in Ranks, if any), you succeed but suffer a level of fatigue that can only be reduced by a few minutes of meditation. This is to encourage you to try, even if you’re going for an insane power with a Legendary ranked Crystal; you’ll probably make it, but then you’re fatigued.
Survivor
This is Mac’s current Crystal. It’s deep blue in colour and is considered a real life saver.
Hindrance: Quirk, makes you cocky.
Novice Crystal
Casual use: Ignore minor pain.
Basic: Permanent Boost Vigor [This is a new rule we’ve created, allowing for the Boost/Lower Trait to be “always on” for the purposes of Basic powers.]
Powers: Boost Vigor (-1), Armor (-1), Environmental Protection (-1)
Good Fellow
This is Muna’s Crystal. It’s lime coloured, thin, almost hourglass shaped. It’s all about reading the psychic energy given by people and things.
Hindrance: You’re easily distracted, -2 Notice.
Novice Crystal
Casual use: Reading the mood of that chicken.
Basic: Charismatic Edge.
Powers: Mind Reading (-1), Analyze Foe [Taken from the Fantasy Companion], Divination (-5; living beings only)
Life Sense
This is Raffaela’s Crystal. It’s a pink-white, elongated, thin sphere. Its theme is “awareness as pulsing light” – you can sense living things (when the life pulses against you, kinda like a sonar), but can also try to “extinguish” the light, thus suppressing awareness, or “ignite” it, thus awakening, by pushing against the pulses.
Hindrance: Quirk, makes your cheery and merry.
Novice Crystal
Casual use: Sense the ant colony inside the wall.
Basic: Healer Edge.
Powers: Succor (+0), Detect/Conceal Life (-1), Slumber (-1)
