Abilities | NeoTokyo Starter Guide

Strength Checks

Hydraulic Prowess

Forcing open jammed pneumatic bulkhead doors, leaping across rain-slicked rooftops in Kurogane, scaling industrial elevator shafts in Kōten, or breaking free from heavy security drone grappling clamps.

Leverages raw muscle mass, synthetic myomer fibers, and high-torque hydraulic cybernetic limbs.

Leverages raw muscle mass, synthetic myomer fibers, and high-torque hydraulic cybernetic limbs. * Example: Forcing open jammed pneumatic bulkhead doors, leaping across rain-slicked rooftops in Kurogane, scaling industrial elevator shafts in Kōten, or breaking free from heavy security drone grappling clamps.

Dexterity Checks

Vector Agility

Navigating flooded pontoon bridges in Mizu Ward, diving clear of an incoming Aegis Tactical drone strike, or landing safely after jumping from a high-speed metro train on The Underline.

Keeps balance on unstable surfaces, dodges urban hazards, or executes high-speed parkour maneuvers using neural reflex boosters.

Keeps balance on unstable surfaces, dodges urban hazards, or executes high-speed parkour maneuvers using neural reflex boosters. * Example: Navigating flooded pontoon bridges in Mizu Ward, diving clear of an incoming Aegis Tactical drone strike, or landing safely after jumping from a high-speed metro train on The Underline.

Palm-Hack

Swapping an executive's security keycard in a crowded Neon Shinjuku host club, palming an encrypted quantum drive during a trade at Sato's Noodle House, or quietly planting a tracking bug on a corporate suit.

Manual dexterity and stealthy physical manipulation of small tech, keycards, or weapons.

Manual dexterity and stealthy physical manipulation of small tech, keycards, or weapons. * Example: Swapping an executive's security keycard in a crowded Neon Shinjuku host club, palming an encrypted quantum drive during a trade at Sato's Noodle House, or quietly planting a tracking bug on a corporate suit.

Optic Scrub

Slipping past Aegis Tactical border patrols in Sector 17, creeping through high-security corporate arcologies in thermal-optic camouflage, or moving quietly through dark subway tunnels.

Evading visual observation, thermal optics, facial-recognition drone cameras, and acoustic sensors.

Evading visual observation, thermal optics, facial-recognition drone cameras, and acoustic sensors. * Example: Slipping past Aegis Tactical border patrols in Sector 17, creeping through high-security corporate arcologies in thermal-optic camouflage, or moving quietly through dark subway tunnels.

Intelligence Checks

Cyber-Arcana

Analyzing the mysterious Ghost Signal ("I REMEMBER YOU"), identifying Kitsune Bio-Magic alchemical formulas, or understanding how Izanagi Grid taps ancient Shinto ley lines beneath the Dead City.

Understanding how awakened magic interacts with Matrix infrastructure, spirit-attuned cyberware, and digital entities.

Understanding how awakened magic interacts with Matrix infrastructure, spirit-attuned cyberware, and digital entities. * Example: Analyzing the mysterious Ghost Signal ("I REMEMBER YOU"), identifying Kitsune Bio-Magic alchemical formulas, or understanding how Izanagi Grid taps ancient Shinto ley lines beneath the Dead City.

Data Archives (or Pre-Blackout Lore)**

Recalling events from the 2044 Osaka Blackout, remembering pre-war corporate treaties, or identifying abandoned infrastructure from old Tokyo beneath the Undercity.

Accessing stored historical databases or personal memory banks regarding Neo-Tokyo’s past.

Accessing stored historical databases or personal memory banks regarding Neo-Tokyo’s past. * Example: Recalling events from the 2044 Osaka Blackout, remembering pre-war corporate treaties, or identifying abandoned infrastructure from old Tokyo beneath the Undercity.

System Forensics

Reconstructing deleted camera feeds, analyzing biometric murder scenes, tracking illegal money trails through Ryujin Trust shell accounts, or finding hidden doors in corporate vaults.

Parsing complex data trails, cross-referencing public/private records, and inspecting crime scenes for physical and digital clues.

Parsing complex data trails, cross-referencing public/private records, and inspecting crime scenes for physical and digital clues. * Example: Reconstructing deleted camera feeds, analyzing biometric murder scenes, tracking illegal money trails through Ryujin Trust shell accounts, or finding hidden doors in corporate vaults.

Awakened Ecology

Identifying toxic bio-hazards in Sector 17 quarantine zones, tracking mutated aquatic creatures in the flooded Mizu Ward, or harvesting spirit reagents from awakened street plants.

Knowledge of mutated urban flora/fauna, spirit-infused bio-reagents, and environmental hazards.

Knowledge of mutated urban flora/fauna, spirit-infused bio-reagents, and environmental hazards. * Example: Identifying toxic bio-hazards in Sector 17 quarantine zones, tracking mutated aquatic creatures in the flooded Mizu Ward, or harvesting spirit reagents from awakened street plants.

Spirit & Tech Cults

Interacting with machine worshippers in Akihabara Ruin, understanding Ghost Signal cultists in Shiba Void, or identifying sacred wards placed on traditional shrines.

Knowledge of ancient Shinto traditions, machine-worshipping religions, transhumanist philosophies, and digital cults.

Knowledge of ancient Shinto traditions, machine-worshipping religions, transhumanist philosophies, and digital cults. * Example: Interacting with machine worshippers in Akihabara Ruin, understanding Ghost Signal cultists in Shiba Void, or identifying sacred wards placed on traditional shrines.

Wisdom Checks

Bio-Drone Control

Calming a genetically modified security hound, bonding with an astral spirit-critter in Kitsune-cho, or guiding a cyber-pigeon delivery network.

Communicating with awakened spirits/familiars, taming bio-engineered guard beasts, or handling cyber-enhanced street animals.

Communicating with awakened spirits/familiars, taming bio-engineered guard beasts, or handling cyber-enhanced street animals. * Example: Calming a genetically modified security hound, bonding with an astral spirit-critter in Kitsune-cho, or guiding a cyber-pigeon delivery network.

Subtext Scan

Spotting if an employer intends to betray the party at job handoff, detecting Amaterasu Media subliminal behavioral conditioning, or seeing through a corporate spy's cover.

Reading non-verbal tells, micro-expressions, or neural feedback cues to determine motives and spot deceptions.

Reading non-verbal tells, micro-expressions, or neural feedback cues to determine motives and spot deceptions. * Example: Spotting if an employer intends to betray the party at job handoff, detecting Amaterasu Media subliminal behavioral conditioning, or seeing through a corporate spy's cover.

Street Doc

Stabilizing a dying runner hit by Black ICE feedback, treating bio-toxins from Sector 17, or performing emergency back-alley cyberware repairs.

Field medicine, treating biological trauma, stabilizing fried neural pathways, and patching damaged cyberware.

Field medicine, treating biological trauma, stabilizing fried neural pathways, and patching damaged cyberware. * Example: Stabilizing a dying runner hit by Black ICE feedback, treating bio-toxins from Sector 17, or performing emergency back-alley cyberware repairs.

Threat Scan

Spotting hidden laser tripwires, noticing a sniper's optic glare on a distant rooftop, or detecting the low hum of a active stealth drone.

Using natural senses or sensory augments (cybereyes, acoustic dampeners, motion trackers) to notice immediate environmental details.

Using natural senses or sensory augments (cybereyes, acoustic dampeners, motion trackers) to notice immediate environmental details. * Example: Spotting hidden laser tripwires, noticing a sniper's optic glare on a distant rooftop, or detecting the low hum of a active stealth drone.

Street Navigation

Finding safe havens in Yoru Market, tracking a missing target through the flooded ruins of Mizu Ward, or avoiding environmental data-glitches in Shiba Void.

Finding safe routes, tracking targets through urban jungles, and surviving hazardous, abandoned environments.

Finding safe routes, tracking targets through urban jungles, and surviving hazardous, abandoned environments. * Example: Finding safe havens in Yoru Market, tracking a missing target through the flooded ruins of Mizu Ward, or avoiding environmental data-glitches in Shiba Void.

Charisma Checks

Deep Fake

Bluffing past a security checkpoint with fake credentials, convincing corporate interrogators that you are an innocent janitor, or leaking false rumors to rival fixers.

Spinning believable lies, using spoofed digital identities, or maintaining an undercover persona.

Spinning believable lies, using spoofed digital identities, or maintaining an undercover persona. * Example: Bluffing past a security checkpoint with fake credentials, convincing corporate interrogators that you are an innocent janitor, or leaking false rumors to rival fixers.

Threat Display

Flashing military-grade cyber-blades to back down street gangers, threatening an executive with a total matrix wipe, or forcing an informant to talk in a dark alley.

Coercing targets through physical dominance, flashing lethal cyberware, or leveraging terrifying digital threats.

Coercing targets through physical dominance, flashing lethal cyberware, or leveraging terrifying digital threats. * Example: Flashing military-grade cyber-blades to back down street gangers, threatening an executive with a total matrix wipe, or forcing an informant to talk in a dark alley.

Performance

Distracting a nightclub crowd in Neon Shinjuku, delivering a moving anti-corporate speech on a pirate stream, or performing in an idol theater to gather intelligence.

Captivating an audience through music, neural VR entertainment, speechcraft, or pirate mesh broadcasting.

Captivating an audience through music, neural VR entertainment, speechcraft, or pirate mesh broadcasting. * Example: Distracting a nightclub crowd in Neon Shinjuku, delivering a moving anti-corporate speech on a pirate stream, or performing in an idol theater to gather intelligence.

Corporate Protocol

Negotiating higher job payouts with fixers like Mama Sato, convincing a corporate scientist to defect, or brokering a truce between rival street gangs like The Chrome Lotus and The Oni.

Diplomatic negotiation, leveraging mutual self-interest, and navigating formal social hierarchies.

Diplomatic negotiation, leveraging mutual self-interest, and navigating formal social hierarchies. * Example: Negotiating higher job payouts with fixers like Mama Sato, convincing a corporate scientist to defect, or brokering a truce between rival street gangs like The Chrome Lotus and The Oni.

Constitution Checks

Overclock Tolerance

Resisting neural heat buildup while pushing a cyberdeck to its limits, holding your breath in acid fog, staying conscious after a heavy dosage of combat stims, or enduring physical torture in a corporate black site.

Resisting physical fatigue, stim-pack crashes, cyberware overheating, and environmental contaminants.

Resisting physical fatigue, stim-pack crashes, cyberware overheating, and environmental contaminants. * Example: Resisting neural heat buildup while pushing a cyberdeck to its limits, holding your breath in acid fog, staying conscious after a heavy dosage of combat stims, or enduring physical torture in a corporate black site.