Brand

Brand (Minor) by Senator Cybus

The super being can mark his opponents with a Brand, scarring them with his symbol.

The character chooses a Brand at first level; it can be a letter, shape or any kind of emblem, as long as it is no larger than 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. With a touch, the super being can imprint it onto the flesh of an opponent, where it will pulse with an unearthly light (character’s choice of colour).

Not only does a Brand stain the skin of the target, it also broadcasts a subtle psionic signal that creates a feeling of unease and distrust in observers (See Damage below). The opponent becomes a marked man, unable to hide in a crowd and immediately disliked by everyone who encounters him.

As the Brand is not a natural part of the target’s body, it remains visible even if he/she uses shape changing powers or Invisibility (though powers that confuse an observer‘s mind can ‘hide’ it). Attempting to conceal it with clothing is pointless: the Brand can actually dissolve normal fabric, eating through it like a powerful acid. Any clothes used to cover it will last no more than 1D4 minutes before liquefying and revealing the Brand. Armour will last longer, but even that will lose 1 point of A.R. for every hour of contact.

While being branded feels very much like being burnt, the Brand is actually an infusion of bio-energy; treatment for burns will not remove it, nor will any conventional form of medicine.

Range: Touch.

Damage: Only 1D4+1. However, for every Brand on an opponent’s body, he/she is -1 P.B. and M.A.

Duration: 12 hours, plus 12 hours per level of experience. If the target has a Healing Factor or other Minor healing power, the Brand lasts for half that time. If he/she has a Major regenerative super power, a Brand lasts for only one hour, plus thirty minutes per experience level of the super being.

Magical/psionic/super powered healing by others can help: Every use of such a paranormal ability will halve the duration of a Brand (only one Brand at a time can be affected in this way, making the treatment of multiple marks costly and time-consuming).

Attacks Per Melee: Using the Brand costs one melee attack/action.

Saving Throw: 14 or higher (P.E. bonuses are applicable). If successful, the target still takes damage, but resists the Brand.

Limitations: The Brand can only be used on living, organic opponents - dead/inorganic targets are immune. Opponents with the power of Impervious to Disease & Illness are also unaffected by this ability.

Psychics and characters with the power of Immune to Psionics are not affected by the antipathy causing effect of a Brand, though they themselves can still be branded.