Character Build Step Three:
Select Character Specialty
The Atomic RPG System’s Specialties are similar to Dungeons and Dragons’ Feats or Skills and Powers. A player chooses a Atomic Specialty for their character to specialize in a certain area. There are a great many Specialties to choose from, so it’s important to have a good understanding of the areas in which you want your character to excel.
If you’re not familiar with a character or a Specialty, you can choose it and test it out. If you decide it’s not a good fit, you can easily exchange it when the character is leveled up next time. The GM can even allow players to change Specialties at other times if they choose.
Atomic RPG System Specialty Basics
Atomic Specialties are chosen to enhance and increase the player character’s Statistics, Powers, Skills, etc. Here are a few things that a Atomic RPG System player should keep in mind when it comes to Specialties:
- Characters gain one new Specialty every level.
- Characters can replace one existing Specialty every level.
- Specialties are progressive. Characters must have Tier 1 to gain the Tier 2 later.
- Specialties in the same group supersede previous Specialties of the same group. They do not stack.
- Specialties grant a Specialty Bonus. Specialty Bonuses do not stack.
- Any character can pick any Specialty.
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The standard naming convention for Specialties is, from lowest to highest;
Minor, Lesser, Improved, Greater, and Superior -
Specialties will have Minimum Character Tier prerequisite;
Minor = Tier 1, Lesser = Tier 2, Improved = Tier 3, Greater = Tier 4, and Superior = Tier 5 - Specialties may have a required Character Specialty prerequisite.
Atomic Specialty Character Requirements
In the Atomic RPG System, the system of character improvement is streamlined to make Specialty selection easy. First, you have to be of a certain Character Tier in order to choose certain Specialties. This ensures the strength of the Specialty taken is appropriate for the Character Level. Second, the previous Specialty in a group will need to be taken first. This represents the process of learning–starting out with less skill (the weaker version of the Specialty) and training up to stronger versions of the Specialty. Here is a quick Atomic Specialty progress example:
| Name | Level | Required Specialty | Description |
| Minor Damage Increase | 1 | Add 2 Damage to all Powers. | |
| Lesser Damage Increase | 5 | Minor Damage Increase | Add 5 Damage to all Powers. |
| Improved Damage Increase | 9 | Lesser Damage Increase | Add 10 Damage to all Powers. |
| Greater Damage Increase | 13 | Improved Damage Increase | Add 20 Damage to all Powers. |
| Superior Damage Increase | 17 | Greater Damage Increase | Add 35 Damage to all Powers. |
If a player removes a prerequisite Specialty from their character, any Specialty that depends on that prerequisite will no longer work for the character.
Character Specialties Customize Characters
Specialties allow for a huge range of possibilities for customizing a character. The flexibility to change Specialties means they are a very good tool to make a Atomic character just the way the player wants. One of the biggest decisions players will need to make for their characters is to use Specialties to make the character totally focused on a few things, working up to the highest Specialties in those categories, or do they want to spread the talents around with many different Specialties for their character?
At the extreme end of the spectrum, a character can have the very best of four Specialties. The player will to choose 4 Specialty lines they want to focus on and just work their character up to each of the four Specialty progressions. On the other end of the spectrum, a player can spread their Specialties around to 20 different Specialties where their character will have only minor improvement in each of the 20 areas. Each path can be equally strong, it’s just a matter of choice and narrowing down the type of character. Most players will find themselves somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
Gaining a Specialty from a Atomic RPG Advanced Item
Atomic RPG System Advanced Items can grant a character a Specialty or even multiple specialties. When a Atomic RPG System Item grants a character a Specialty, it does not stack with any Specialty the character has if it is the same type. For example, if a character that has taken Specialties up to Lesser Damage Increase receives a weapon that has Greater Damage Increase, the two Specialties do not stack offering a total of 30 damage to all Powers. Instead, the greater of the two will be calculated. So this character would add 20 Damage to all Powers. The two Specialties this character took, Minor and Lesser Damage Increase, can now be exchanged out by the character for other Specialties if they choose. The character will be able to do this at the next Full Rest. The character doesn’t have to switch the Specialties out, because the character will only receive the Specialty if the item is equipped. Once the character removes the item they also will lose the Specialty the Atomic RPG System Item granted. If the item is sold, stolen, or otherwise not equipped anymore a character can change their Specialties after a Full Rest.
Atomic RPG System Advanced Optional Specialties
Atomic RPG System premium subscribers will have access to many other character Specialties that they can use to further enhance and improve their character. The Atomic RPG System Advanced Optional Specialties can add a lot of flavor and strength to a character, but many of them add a little more character management. Players should make sure to read the benefits fully. Also, players who have Active Use Specialties will have those Specialties added to the front of the character sheet. This way, players will be easily reminded to use them to their fullest!