Spending from the Growth Pool
Quick Reference
- The number of successes needed for each type of growth is listed in the table below. Some growth types may also require resources to be spent, as noted in the table.
- Spend a minimum of two and a maximum of five (2-5) dice from a PC’s Growth pool.
- Each of these Growth dice become Beneficial(+) Add Dice for a Growth test.
- Dice from the Growth pool are spent regardless of success or failure.
- Every point of Agony is counted as a Beneficial(+) Ranked modifier for a Growth test.
- Failed Growth tests give one Growth die in return.
- A character may attempt to grow in multiple areas during the same downtime scene as long as there are dice still in their Growth pool.
Character Growth in Relics of the Moon is not automatic, emphasizing the risk-reward nature of the setting. Failure of Growth tests is easy and common, and a feature of the game. It is designed to make the Beneficial(+) modifier from accumulating Agony desirable and very useful, driving character growth both narratively and mechanically. GMs should make sure that Growth dice are available a steady pace, allowing for Growth tests quite often (possibly every session).
Agony
Every point of Agony is counted as a Beneficial(+) Ranked modifier for a Growth test.
Other Modifiers
Very few other modifiers may be used for Growth tests. The most common are those Stunts available during a Relationship Spotlight.
Success and Failure
If the test succeeds, the indicated growth happens. If the test fails, a die is added to the Growth pool. The character may attempt again as long as the number of successes needed is less than or equal to the dice remaining in the Growth pool.
Resource Cost for Ranking Up a Psionic Power
When attempting to increase a Power (whether infused, integrated into an item, or a Bonded Companion), a resource equal to or greater in size than the increased rating is required and spent in addition to dice from the Growth pool. For Ethertech Powers, this is a Moonshards resource; for Solartech Powers, it may be whatever resource is most appropriate to the Power (other than Moonshards).
For example, to attempt to increase a Rank 2 Ethertech Power to Rank 3, a Moonshards resource of Rank 3 or greater must be spent in addition to dice from the Growth pool. This resource is spent regardless of success or failure.
Creating a New Ethertech Power from a Moon Relic
If attempting to create a new Power from a Moon Relic fails, by default the Moon Relic is destroyed in the process. The GM may want to relax this requirement depending on the pacing of the overall story.
Creating a New Power from an Existing Ethertech or Solartech Item
- If an item has multiple Powers attached to it, use the highest Rank Power for the success requirement.
- If the attempt to make a found Ethertech or Solartech item permanent fails, it may be attempted again if there are enough dice remaining in the Growth pool. The Cohort may store the item across multiple sessions using a Resource slot until an attempt succeeds.
- If a Rank 3+ item has an Ethos different from either of the PC’s Ethos, an extra success is required.
Bonded Companions
Bonded Companions follow the same rules as Ethertech items.
Maximum-ranked Powers
Rank 5 Powers are extremely rare, only occurring once every few generations. These are legendary powers whose use always come with consequences.
Solartech
While theoretically possible, no one has yet created or modified a Solartech item to reach the Rank 5 level of Power on Anasta. Or, at least, such tech is not publically known to exist. Any such attempts by a PC will require the Solartech laboratories of Helis and will not go unnoticed.
Ethertech
From time to time, a Moon Relic will be found with the fully-intact knowledge of the Archons. Those that wield Powers unlocked by such power do so at the risk of disrupting reality. Use of Rank 5 Ethertech Powers will create Stress to their users and will temporarily or permanently alter their surroundings in unusual ways. This includes when Rank 4 and 5 active Moonshards are destroyed to Power Up existing Psionic Powers to Rank 5.
Growth Requirements
| Bioform, Motto, Ethos, and Agony | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Unlock a Bioform trait | 3 successes |
| Swap out a Motto for a new one | 2 successes |
| Swap out an Ethos for a new one | 5 successes |
| Remove one Agony | 5 successes Narrative requirement |
| Faction | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Create a Faction association at Rank 1 | 2 successes |
| Rank up within a Faction from Rank 1 → Rank 2 | 3 successes Narrative requirement |
| Rank up within a Faction from Rank 2 → Rank 3 | 4 successes |
| Rank up within a Faction from Rank 3 → Rank 4 | 5 successes Narrative requirement |
| Rank up within a Faction from Rank 4 → Rank 5 | 6 successes Narrative requirement |
| Psionic Power | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Create a new Rank 1 Power: Infuse a Moon Relic into a bioform | 2 successes Moon Relic (any Rank) |
| Create a new Rank 1 Power: Integrate a Moon Relic into an item | 2 successes Moon Relic (any Rank) |
| Create a new Rank 1 Power: Build a new Solartech item | 4 successes |
| Rank up a Power from Rank 1 → Rank 2 | 3 successes |
| Rank up a Power from Rank 2 → Rank 3 | 4 successes |
| Rank up a Power from Rank 3 → Rank 4 | 5 successes |
| Rank up a Power from Rank 4 → Rank 5 | 6 successes |
| Make a found Rank 1 item a permanent Power | 2 successes |
| Make a found Rank 2 item a permanent Power | 3 successes |
| Make a found Rank 3 item a permanent Power | 4 successes (same Ethos) 5 successes (different Ethos) |
| Make a found Rank 4 item a permanent Power | 5 successes (same Ethos) 6 successes (different Ethos) |
| Make a found Rank 5 item a permanent Power | 6 successes (same Ethos) 7 successes (different Ethos) |
| Add a Power Stunt | 4 successes Rank 3+ Power |
Cohort Growth
A minimum of three (3) Cohort members must contribute dice to the Growth test. Each may contribute a minimum of two to a maximum of five (2-5) dice, just like individual Growth tests. The Agony of the contributing members may be used in the test. If a Cohort has more than five (5) members, add one required success for each member beyond five.
Unlocking new Cohort Tactics is one of the easiest Growth paths available, and benefits the entire Cohort.
| Cohort | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Swap out a Rallying Cry for a new one | 3 successes |
| Unlock a Cohort Tactic | 5 successes |