Aura
From D20advanced
| AURA | +1 Modifier |
|---|
A touch range sustained duration FX with this extra automatically affects anyone touching you, including anyone who strikes or grapples you unarmed, as well as anyone you touch or grapple.
To apply this extra, first modify the FX’s range and duration, if they are not already touch and sustained, then apply the Aura modifier. So a Damage FX (which is touch range and instant duration) would need a +2 Duration modifier along with the +1 Aura modifier.
You can turn your aura on or off as a free action and it is sustained in duration (the FX itself has its normal duration, so an Inflict (Condition) Aura’s effect is still instant in duration and lasting). You can change your aura FX’s duration with Duration modifiers. You can apply the Selective feat to change what parts of your body the aura covers as a free action; it normally surrounds you completely.
Any attacker who makes a successful unarmed attack or a successful attack roll to begin a grapple is automatically affected by your Aura. This includes those attacks which you successfully block in such a manner that the attacker comes into contact with your Aura. The attacker gets a normal saving throw against the Aura’s FX.
An attacker using a melee weapon does not come into direct contact with your Aura and therefore is generally not affected by it, although the Aura may affect the weapon itself. Descriptors can also affect this; for example, an Electrical Damage Aura could conduct through a metal weapon, affecting the wielder, while leaving the weapon itself largely undamaged. The Gamemaster should adjudicate these on a case-by-case basis.
If you make an unarmed attack while your Aura is active, a Damage Aura stacks with your melee damage, while targets save against other Aura FX separately. The total damage modifier may not exceed the campaign's power level.
You can also inflict your Aura effect on anyone you successfully touch (including many attempts to Gain Combat Advantage; you only need to make a successful attack roll to touch someone. The FX occurs whether or not you win the opposed Maneuver check. The maneuver must still involve you directly touching your target. It occurs again each round on your action so long as you hold the target, which is likely to encourage your opponent to escape as soon as possible.
If you activate your Aura while being held, it affects anyone grabbing you automatically (and, again, will likely encourage them to let go). An Aura FX does not provide any protection against attacks (beyond dissuading opponents from attacking you unarmed); use an appropriate defense FX like Endurance for that.
Mental Aura
Optionally, an Aura may be set up as a Mental Aura, “surrounding” your mind rather than your body. This has the same cost and requirements as a regular Aura FX. In this case, the Aura affects anyone “touching” your mind with an FX like Mind Reading or Mind Control. Otherwise, it works essentially the same: you immediately damage the aggressor during the Mental Aura FX and must do so again on each of your actions so long as mental contact is maintained.
