Shadow Skill Feat

Shadow Skill by Shadowknight

This feat represents heroes that seems to have almost Supernatural ability at stealth but doesn't use powers as his base for those abilities. You talk with them and in darkness they disappear, they seem to move without making a sound or they seem to be one with the dark. So how do you explain those abilities, this feat is a partial explanation on how it could be done. In game terms they receive plus 15% to Surveillance System, Disguise, Escape Artist, Pick Lock, Pick Pockets, Tracking, Concealment, Palming, Prowl, Streetwise & Ventriloquism. In addition they seem to be more effective in the Dark, Night or Shadow, in those situation unless the person he's fighting have Night-vision or infra Red Vision they have -2 to Hit him, but he receives +2 to Hit, parry & dodge. In addition he gains +2 M.A for Intimidation purpose only, if has has an Awe Factor that also goes up by +2. {i.e. Unless combat is involved the hero could be talking to a Police Lieutenant on top of the roof with lock door and disappear from sight.} The hero would still need to make his Pick Lock roll, Prowl roll but for all intents and purpose he would disappear almost instantly and if he made his roll it would appear he has a mystical ability to vanish in darkness.
In many ways this feat can be considered a lesser form of the Invisibility abilities for Ninja & Super-spies used in a modern setting. Here are the 4 main abilities.

1) Be Unrecognizable: This sub-feat depends on controlled breathing, pulling & relaxing certain muscles in the face & spine to change your posture and facial structure. Done correctly it adds another +10% to Disguise skill, unlike the straight disguise skill this ability will fool even facial recognition software. The character depending on the need of the situation can vary his height by 4 inches upward or downward. In other words he can vary his height as much as 8 inches.

2) Be a Shadow: This sub-feat ability is similar to the minor Power Bend Light in HU pg 229 blank spot except instead of bending light around him to remain invisible to Infra Red or Ultraviolet. The character lowers his heat signature to equal to surrounding shadow. The other main difference from the power Bend Light the Blank Spot ability can only be create in a shadow or in darkness, outside of that it works as the ability

3) Be Impressive: This sub-feat relies on human Psychology. It's a know fact no matter what culture, religion or nationality, people tend to fear the unknown, the invisible and darkness. That's 1 of the main reason most scary have most of their scenes either in night or in the dark. This relies on this factor, with proper breath control you create an aura of not exactly menace but of being dangerous. But like the preceding Be a Shadow this sub-feat can only be used while in shadow, darkness or unlit area. You roll for Prowl skill if you succeed, your opponent or bystanders must make a Perception roll of 12+1 for every 2 levels you possess, if they fail they must make a H.F or Awe roll of 14 plus however much the missed their Perception roll I.E ( if they missed their Perception roll by 2, they would need to make an AWE roll of 14+2) if they fail they lose Initiative, 1 attack and if you hit your opponent on your first attack they can't parry or dodge. In addition unlike the normal H/F or AWE factor your opponents need to make another PER roll the following round the only difference is it's 11+1 for every 2 levels you possess. If they fail they must make a h.F or AWE of 14 like before with the same negatives based on much they missed by. This can continue up to 5 rounds.

4) Recognize Weakness: This sub-feat relies on Read Body Language feat. When fighting in shadow, in the dark you seem to instinctively know where to hit your opponent to do the most damage. Every round you fight 1 opponent to do the most damage. In game terms you lose 1 attack, to make a Perception roll of 15 or higher. If you succeed ever attack you make that round will do an additional 1d4 damage. If you fail you lose 2 attacks & you can't used this sub-feat against this opponent this fight. If you succeed the following round you can make another PER roll to see if you found the weakness again. Except this time you need to make a PER roll of 14 or higher. If you succeed you no do an additional 1d6 damage on any attack that hits your opponent. You can continue to make PER roll each round and if you succeed your success number drops by 1 each following round, the additional damage you do increase by 1 also I.E ( the third round you'd do an additional 1d6+1). This ability can only be a maximum of 5 rounds per opponent.

Cost: 3 feats

Bonus: The hero has Night-vision similar to the Psionic ability except for him it's not a Psionic power. If the Hero has the Intensive Training] feat or Unusual Background] feat SK feat only cost 2 feats

Limitation: This feat can only be taken by Natural Genius, Physical Training, Special Training, and characters from Ninja & Super spies. Sub-feat #3 area effect is 10 ft radius per level, Sub-feat #4 can only be used when fighting 1 opponent, should you which to a different opponent the PER roll # go back up to 15. Sub-feat #4 doesn't work on Undead, Robots or Cyborgs, but if you make a PER roll of a natural 16 or higher you'll recognize what they are unless they use magic or Psionic to disguise themselves. Finally people with the super power Alter Physical (anything) or Invulnerability are Immune to Sub-feat #4.

Prerequisite: P.P of 20 or higher, Yoga & Contortionist skill from Rifter magazine+ Breath Control, Read Body Language feat