COMPREHEND

Effect: Sensory

Action: Reaction

Range: Personal

Duration: Continuous

Cost: 2 points per rank

You can comprehend different sorts of communication. Each rank allows you to choose one of the following options:

• Languages: You can either speak or understand the language of any intelligent creature. You can speak only one language at a time, although you can understand several languages at once. This effect does not enable you to speak with creatures that don’t possess a language. For two ranks you can both speak and understand all languages. For an additional rank anyone able to hear you can understand what you’re saying, regardless of language. Being able to read any language requires one more rank.

• Animals: You can either speak to or comprehend animals (creatures with Int 1 or 2). You can ask questions and receive answers, although animals are not any more friendly or cooperative than normal. Furthermore, wary and cunning animals are likely to be terse and evasive, while especially stupid ones make inane comments. If an animal is friendly toward you, it may do some favor or service for you. For two ranks you can both speak to and understand animals.

• Plants: You can either comprehend or communicate with plants, both normal plants and plant creatures. You can ask questions of and receive answers from plants. A plant’s sense of its surroundings is limited, so it won’t be able to give (or recognize) detailed descriptions or answer questions about events outside its immediate vicinity. For two ranks you can both speak to and understand plants.

• Machines: You can verbally communicate with electronic devices. Most are limited by their programming and peripherals in terms of what they know, and may not be able to answer some inquiries. Machines tend to be cold and mechanical, and may not be cooperative. At the GM’s discretion, you can use the Computers and Disable Device skills in place of Diplomacy and Bluff when speaking with machines. For two ranks you can both speak to machines and understand their replies.

• Objects: You can communicate with inanimate objects, granting them the ability to speak to you or simply “reading” impressions from them. This requires two Comprehend ranks. Objects only “know” about events directly affecting them or occurring in their immediate area. Gamemasters can apply the guidelines for Postcognition (see page 103) to this effect.

FLAWS

Type (–1): You can only comprehend a general type of subject (only elves, canines, avians, or sea creatures, for example).

• Narrow Type (–2): You can only comprehend a particular type of subject (dogs, falcons, or dolphins, for example).