04. Special Abilities

Of course, life in the Bleach universe isn't any fun without superhuman skills and abilities to back you up. Whether you're a Shinigami, a Ryoka, a Quincy, an Arrancar, a Visored, or whatever else one might think up, everyone affiliated in some way with Soul Society has some sort of special ability.

Characters learn special abilities at specific levels.



You may learn one special ability in each slot. If a slot gives you a choice (Such as Level 70 TRAIT / ABILITY), you must choose one or the other.

INHERENT special abilities come from the self and can be utilized any time. SHIKAI and BANKAI special abilities can only be utilized while your SHIKAI and BANKAI are released, respectively. In addition, while you have SHIKAI and BANKAI active, you receive a bonus to all STATS equal to the number of LP you've spent on your Level 10 SHIKAI and Level 70 BANKAI special abilities, respectively, to a maximum of +4 for SHIKAI and +8 for BANKAI.

Special abilities are divided into three categories - TRAITS, ABILITIES, and SPECIAL ATTACKS.

TRAITS are special abilities that are always in effect, provided the appropriate Zanpakutou level is active. TRAITS are generally more powerful than ABILITIES, but you cannot spend LP to increase the power of a TRAIT. Each player starts with one TRAIT at Level 1 and may choose to learn a TRAIT at Level 10 and Level 70. You may still spend LP to increase your SHIKAI and BANKAI STAT bonuses (to a maximum of 4 for SHIKAI and 8 for BANKAI) even if you choose to learn a TRAIT at these levels.

ABILITIES generally start out weak, but you can spend LP to increase their power. ABILITIES are written like this, for example:

Quote :

LIFEDRINKING - You heal 1 WOUND for each WOUND you inflict, to a maximum of 1*() per turn.

For each LP spent on this ABILITY, the number before the asterisk increases by 1. The number after the asterisk is the maximum number you can increase this ABILITY to, and that number changes depending on the Level at which you learn it (see the number after the slash in the character sheet). If you learn the ABILITY at INHERENT Level 5, for example, the maximum you can increase it to is 3. But if you learn that same ABILITY at BANKAI Level 70 instead, the maximum you can increase it to is 9. ABILITIES are learned at Level 5 and Level 35, and you may choose to learn ABILITIES at Level 10 and Level 70 as well.

SPECIAL ATTACKS are powerful attacks that you perform with your weapon, such as Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou. You may use a SPECIAL ATTACK during any turn in which you can use a NORMAL ATTACK. However, SPECIAL ATTACKS have drawbacks, so it's not wise to use them turn after turn, in lieu of normal ATTACKS.
SPECIAL ATTACKS are learned at Level 20 and Level 100, and may be learned at Level 10, if you choose.

SPECIAL ATTACKS are written like this:

Quote :

#1 - Melee Attack. Your END and MIND both drop to 1 this turn, though maximum HP is not affected. You gain a bonus to STR this turn equal to 3*() + the number of END and MIND points lost in this way.
Drawback: Your remaining HP drops to 1.

Like ABILITIES, SPECIAL ATTACKS gain strength by spending LP on them. Unlike ABILITIES, though, SPECIAL ATTACKS start at a power of 3 instead of 1. The maximum number of LP you can spend on a SPECIAL ATTACK is no different from ABILITIES. A SPECIAL ATTACK learned at Level 20 can reach a maximum level of 7 (in other words, you can spend a maximum of 4 LP on that SPECIAL ATTACK).

While SPECIAL ATTACKS may have the same effect, you may pick the name of the SPECIAL ATTACK, and your personal ELEMENT will change the way the ATTACK is portrayed in the game. For example, a FIRE-ELEMENT character may shout out "Blaze of Glory!" and create a blazing inferno with the above SPECIAL ATTACK, while a CHI-ELEMENT character may concentrate his energy in his fist and yell "Power Fist!" instead. In both cases, the SPECIAL ATTACK in question would have the same effects (except for ELEMENT resistance, of course).

Finally, if you so desire, you may choose a Kidou spell as your SPECIAL ATTACK. This spell must be of a level no more than twice yours, so for Level 10 you may choose up to a #20 spell, and at Level 20 you may choose up to a #40 spell. At Level 100, you may choose any spell, including Forbidden ones, although even as a SPECIAL ATTACK, Forbidden spells remain illegal to use. If a KL variable appears in the spell's text, replace that variable with 3*(). For example, #31 Red Fire Shot would become "Ranged Kidou Attack + Special 3*()d8. Fire-elemental." If you choose a Kidou spell as your SPECIAL ATTACK, its HP cost is reduced by 50%, and that becomes the attack's Drawback.

NOTE ABOUT LEVEL 10 SPECIAL ATTACKS: If you choose to learn a SPECIAL ATTACK as your Level 10 special ability, it is handled slightly differently. You may use that SPECIAL ATTACK without a drawback. However, instead, you automatically use that SPECIAL ATTACK every time you release your SHIKAI. You may not release your SHIKAI without using that SPECIAL ATTACK, and you may not use it again until you reseal your SHIKAI and release it again. In addition, since a SPECIAL ATTACK starts at a power of 3, and the maximum you can increase a Level 10 ability to is 5, you may only spend up to 2 LP on a Level 10 SPECIAL ATTACK (and thus, the highest SHIKAI STAT BONUS you can get is +2).

Final note: You must max out a special ability's level in order to activate the next slot. For example, you must have spend 2 LP on your Level 5 ABILITY and raised it to 3/3 before you can get your Level 10 RELEASE.

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<== 03. Stats and Skills -=- 04. Special Abilities -=- 04a. Traits ==> 05. Gameplay ===>>