Rule Clarification: Divisible

One of the goals of the 2022 Edition of The Savage Soul® was to address common questions raised by the 2021A Edition. And perhaps no single Peculiarity has generated more questions than “Divisible.” The following is a sneak peek at the revised description for “Divisible” (now called “PW: Divisible” because it is a “Power” Peculiarity):

PW: DIVISIBLE: By performing a Task Attempt Action (which requires gestures—Section 6.5.1), the character may split into two or more independent units that share a common consciousness.  Each copy, however, will have reduced density (see Density, Low) and suffer certain Overall Penalties (Section 9.10).  Individual duplicates may rejoin by performing Instant Actions (Section 6.5.1) and making physical contact (which requires gestures—Section 12.13.1).  A divided character may also choose to cancel his use of Divisible, causing all duplicates to immediately and automatically recombine.  When duplicates recombine, all Injury Conditions are averaged (including those of Dead or Destroyed duplicates).  Mana and Luck Points are drawn from a common pool.  Characters may choose to apply a lower level (i.e., create fewer copies at higher density).  At the character’s option, copies may be smaller in Size (equal to the density reduction), but this must be decided upon character creation.

If the character (or any duplicate) is subject to a condition (other than Injury Condition—see above), that condition will transfer to all other duplicates upon splitting or recombining.  If the character is subject to a spell effect (other than a “Hostile” spell effect) that is supported by maintenance mana (Section 12.7.2) prior to splitting, the spell effect will remain active on only one duplicate (chosen by the original spellcaster, if he is within Line of Sight, or the Divisible character, if the spellcaster is not within Line of Sight).  Any “Hostile” spell effect will remain active on all duplicates but will be supported by only a single point of maintenance mana.  If a duplicate that is subject to any maintenance mana effect merges with another duplicate, the spell effect will remain active on the merged character (unless the combined character would have a higher Size Delta and the spell would have been affected by Size Delta).

Using Divisible causes “Prolonged Strain” to each duplicate (Section 4.6.3) and, once a duplicate becomes Winded or incapacitated (or attempts to Rest—Section 6.10), that duplicate will automatically merge with the nearest other duplicate (which will sometimes result in a cascade effect, as “Winded” and other conditions will transfer to the combined character; see above).  In cases where multiple duplicates are required to recombine at the same time, the character may choose the order in which the duplicates recombine—but each must recombine with the nearest other duplicate.

While a character with “Divisible” has only a single Silver Thread (Section 12.21), each duplicate has its own separate branch of that Silver Thread.  Whenever a deceased duplicate is subject to a circumstance that would result in this Silver Thread being severed (e.g., Obliteration, passage of time after death, etc.), the duplicate will immediately cease to exist and the nearest duplicate will automatically absorb its essence (regardless of distance) and suffer the consequences described above.  The character will then be unable to generate that duplicate until its branch of the Silver Thread is restored.  For every twenty-four hour period that passes, the character may attempt to reestablish each severed branch by making a Will Power attempt at DF 15.  No Peculiarity (e.g., PW: Regeneration) will accelerate this process or make the attempt easier.

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