Everyone at Astraeus Institute has something that allows them to stand out from the rest of the crowd, be it a gift or technology. To encourage variety and diversity, players will be allowed to start with up to two unique gifts or technology that that can be almost anything they wish. Regardless of whether it is a gift or technology, all character capabilities will follow the system outlined below.

Note that powers can be either combative or non-combative. Also, players may earn additional (third, fourth, etc.) gifts as rewards for completing missions. For more information on that, head here.

You are given almost complete freedom when it comes to what kinds of gifts or technology you use. Note that all gifts will be discussed by staff prior to being approved, especially if they are a more unique type of gift. More standard gifts will be approved fairly quickly, whereas unique or complicated powers will require more discussion before they can be approved.

Note that powers may be buffed or nerfed at any time if they are found to be too underpowered or overpowered, for the sake of having a fair balance on the site. We encourage people to implement their own weaknesses from the get-go, so as to avoid staff intervention down the line.

Primary Gift

This is your character's primary gift, and the skill at which they are able to become the most adept. All characters start at level 1 in their main gift, and it is able to grow up to level 5. Gifts at level 1 aren't the most powerful or devastating, but are still useful in a bind and, if utilized properly, can be a force to be reckoned with all the same. Inversely, Gifts at level 5 have the potential to be earth-shattering, making your character a near god on the battlefield. Note that Gifts can be non-combative. An example Gift is below. (Note that this does not have to be followed exactly, nor do you have to know what your higher levels of gift are at the beginning.)

Level 1: Unlocked at start.
Ex: Able to manipulate fire to an extent, heating one's body temperature up or throwing fireballs.
Level 2: Unlocked at 100 posts.
Ex: Grants the ability to use their fire to fly, as well as heat up the area around them drastically.
Level 3: Unlocked at 300 posts.
Ex: Grants the ability to shoot a large wave of fire at their opponent, as well as make their body hot enough to melt steel.
Level 4: Unlocked at 500 posts.
Ex: Grants the ability to harness all sources of heat around them to power up their attacks further, as well as drastically raise their body temperature and the immediate area to extreme levels.
Level 5: Unlocked at 700 posts.
Ex: Grants the ability to stand safely on a star's surface, utilizing it's heat energy to the user's advantage for devastating attacks.

Secondary Gift

A second, less effective means of combat and utility, secondary gifts can still be an ace in the hole at the opportune time. Secondary gifts are there to spice up and add more variety to your characters. The secondary gift doesn't have to be related to the first, or can be used to aid the first in some way. Following similar rules to main gifts, the main difference in secondary gifts is that they may only reach level 3 at their highest.

Level 1: Unlocked at start.
Level 2: Unlocked at 200 posts.
Level 3: Unlocked at 400 posts.

As you can see, an upgrade to either giftis available every 100 posts, with the exception of your Level 5 Main Power being available 200 posts after Level 4. This is to encourage a sense of growth and reward active posters.

Note that this set up also works for technology users and those who fight through other means besides gifts. Every 100 posts will be a new level of technology or a further upgrade to your fighting capabilities. (For example, a level 1 technology user may only have access to an energy pistol, but at level 2 would have an assault rifle, or level 5, power armor energized by a nuclear reactor.)