The numbers used by ebons in formulating their use of the flux are not the numbers used by a dealer to work out prices, or by a soldier to add up his body count: they are different numbers, existing at ninety degrees to the ones we are familiar with. But, in the same way that you can add two vectors travelling in opposite directions, real numbers can provide a tool for ebons in using formulation.
The ability ranks below represent the ebon's ability to bridge the gap between the two sorts of numbers and apply real maths to flux. Accordingly, the rank of this skill is limited by the rank of the new DIAGNOSE skill "Maths".
RANK: NAME - DESCRIPTION - LIMITATIONS - COST - RANGE
0: Describe - allows the user to write down ebb formulae as a training aid for other ebons. This is NOT a glyph. It does not have any power in itself. It is just a stack of paper (~10 sides handwritten A4 per rank being described) that can be used by another ebon. - user must make a MATHS roll to get it right, otherwise what he writes down is incorrect - no cost - no range.
1: Optimize 1 - Apply simple streamlining procedures to a formula, including finding common denominators, simplifying expressions etc., allowing the ability an extra 25% on one of its features. That is, range, area of effect, duration or, with some GM guidance, a less linear feature. - Takes an entire turn (Five phases) - costs 1 flux (this is used so the ebon can see the formula he's simplifying) - no range
2: Revector 1 - allows subtle shifts in the effects of a formula: Range abilities can be "fired" at an unusual angle, claw enhancements can be developed from other parts of the body. - Requires one phase preparation in addition to preparation of actual ability - costs 2 flux
3: Interfere 1 ("Muttering") - using this ability an ebon can attempt to put another ebb-user off his concentration. The advantage of this ability over, say shouting or firing a gun is that it can be kept up for a length of time without the victim getting used to it. The user subvocalises a string of random numbers which the target must concentrate to avoid incorporating into his formula. It's like trying to add up your shopping bill with the football results on: -2 on the target's conc. roll - Does not require a preparation phase but the user must be concentrating absolutely - costs 1 flux per turn
4: Ignore 1: ("Parity") - a simple error-checking system which an ebon can use to defend from "interfere 1" - The ebb ability with which this is used takes twice as long to formulate (two phases, usually) - no cost
5: Optimize 2 - further refinements and techniques to improve other formulae, allowing an extra 25% on any two features (e.g. range and area, duration and damage) - takes an entire turn - costs 2 flux
6: Revector 2 - allows the user to play with another ebon's ability. The user and the target both make a DIA roll. The target's roll is at -3. The amount by which hi makes (or fails) the roll is taken as a penalty (or bonus) on the user's roll. The amount by which the user makes his roll equates to the amount of ranks the target ebon's ability can be shifted, up or down. If the new ability has a higher flux cost than the original, the difference comes from the interferer. If he doesn't have enough, the ability takes place as the target ebon intended - costs 4 flux
7: Interfere 2 ("Chanting") - the user intones a mantra of random numbers that causes a field of ebb deadening around him. Radius: earshot. All attempts at ebb use within the field are at -2 on their CONC rolls - user must be concentrating absolutely, and the effect does not work through PAs or any other artificial sound amplification - costs 2 flux per phase.
8: Ignore 2 ("Feedback checking") - the flux pathways for an ebb ability can be built in "S" shapes, allowing the user to check the flow while he formulates. This gives him +4 on his CONC roll when Interfere 2 is being used against him - the target ability takes an entire turn to formulate - doubles flux cost
9: Optimize 3 ("The Balyard Expression") - a specific sequence of subformulae discovered in 601SD by a brain waster called Balyard. It replaces certain commonly occurring parts of ebb formulae with a more volatile flux pathway. Any one feature of the ability with which this is used can be doubled, but the user must make an additional CONC roll at -5 or take one point of damage to the head. - Requires no preparation - costs one flux per level of the ability it's being used with.
10: Revector 3 - Allows an ebb user to invert the effect of one of his abilities, i.e.
Blast <-> Healing
Blue Thermal <-> Red Thermal
Communication <-> Detect
Enhancement <-> Protect
Illumination <-> Senses
Reality Fold <-> Telekinesis
(Thanks to WiNC/THe ouTCaST. You're right.)
The maximum rank of the inverted ability is 1 lower than the original, and the flux cost is doubled. In other words, an ebon with Blast rank 5 could use Healing rank 4, paying double the flux for it. There are no other limitations on using Revector 3.
11: Interfere 3 ("pi") - irrational numbers have a bad effect on ebb use. This is a more surgical version of interfere 2, which attempts to insert the irrational but easily calculable (by ebb standards) number pi into another ebon's formulation. The target must make a DIA roll at -3 or the ability he was trying to use will fizzle out as if he'd failed his CONC roll - cost 6 flux
12: Ignore 3 ("concentric circles") - the defense against pi. The user creates empty circular pathways in addition to the pathways needed for his ebb ability. This gives him +6 on his DIA roll if pi is used against him - does not require any extra time - costs 2 extra flux
13: Optimize 4 ("Vertical surge") - if an ebon needs a lot of ebb very quickly he can use the risky option of setting up a vertical flux surge. This replaces standard pathways with the flux equivalent of a waterfall. The user makes a DIA roll at -3 and the normal CONC roll at whatever penalties the GM prescribes. If he fails the CONC roll, nothing happens. If he makes the CONC roll but fails the DIA roll, he is drained of half his total flux and the ability fails. If he makes both rolls, the ability comes into effect immediately, without the usual lag phase, at double the normal cost. Setting up the surge itself does not cost any flux.
14: Revector 4 - Charge object. This ability allows an ebon to implant a specific implementation of an ebb skill into an object, along with the flux required for it. This works a bit like a glyph card 'except' it loses 1 flux per day. So the creator might want to put extra flux into it to give it a life span. The object must weigh at least 1 kg per rank of the ability it's being charged with; anyone can use the charged item, not just ebons. - Charging the object takes one hour per flux being put into it - cost is 10 flux + the flux charged.
15: Interfere 4 ("e") - a harder to calculate version of the pi ability. The target must make a DIA roll at -5 or the ability he was trying to use will fizzle out as if he'd failed his CONC roll - cost 6 flux
16: Ignore 4 ("log_e") - the defense against e. The user creates exponential curve pathways in addition to the pathways needed for his ebb ability. This gives him +7 on his DIA roll if pi is used against him - does not require any extra time - costs 4 extra flux
17: Optimize 5 - allows the user to access abilities up to two ranks higher than normal, paying double flux and spending twice as long (2 phases, normally) for the privilege.
18: Revector 5 - with this rank of ability an ebon can retarget another ebon's ability. So he could move a Blast back onto it's caster, make a reality fold open in the wrong place etc. The ebons make opposed DIA rolls as for Revector 2, but the amount by which the interferer's DIA roll is made is irrelevant as long as he makes it. The new target can be anything the original caster of the ability could have targeted normally. - costs 16 flux
19: Interfere 5 ("i") - Causes a targeted ebon in the process of formulating to suddenly think of the imaginary number i, the square root of -1. The resulting equation is 'not' unsolvable, it's just solvable in an 'impossible way'. The affected ebon will probably vanish in a puff of logic. There is no defense ability against i. - The victim is allowed to make a CONC roll with a penalty equal to the rank of ebb ability they were trying to use. If they fail, they lose ranks of formula and hit points from the head equal to the amount by which they failed. - The flux cost is equal to the flux cost of the ability the target was trying to use. If this is more flux than the attacker has at the time, *he* finds himself trying to incorporate i into his equation. - Range: CONC meters
20: Life Channel - This skill touches on the Karmic ability that Senti used to give life to stormers. A dead body (note: not a vat-grown body) can be re-animated. It will behave like a very stupid version of itself in life, having little imagination or reasoning ability, but it will retain most of its memories. It will not require food, but instead needs flux at the rate of 1 point per hour. The ebon responsible for reanimating it can charge the body with flux to give it some sort of life span, but decomposition will occur as normal, and the body will be beyond life channeling after about a week unless it's kept cold. - Takes about an hour to reanimate a body per day it has been dead - costs 5 flux per day it's been dead.