Editing Setting:Nutopia/Rules (section)

===Hiving Mechanics===

1. Describe the feedstock used in the hiving action. Example: Junk in the environment, mineral rock, desert sand, an organic opponent’s body. Feedstock quality affects the Intensity rating of the nanite swarm when it is used to assemble an item, make a maneuver or construct an obstacle: the Intensity rating of the swarm cannot exceed the Quality of the feedstock when blocking, maneuvering or constructing items. By default, feedstock from the surrounding environment is rated at a Quality of Mediocre (0) and thus needs to be enriched with quality materials in order to be viable for hiving. A Hiver can use a “High-grade feedstock” item to increase feedstock quality to +5 for one hiving action.

2. For combat hiving: Describe the effect in terms of one of the following basic conflict actions: disassembly, block, maneuver, or counterhive.

2.1 In a disassembly attack, the Hiver instructs the nanoswarm to inflict physical stress on an opponent by taking it apart on the molecular level. A disassembly attack automatically succeeds unless the opponent has anti-nanite weapons or armor with anti-nanite properties. 1 shift of Intensity can be used to:

2.1.1 Increase the attack’s duration by 1 turn. By default, the opponent takes 1 point of physical stress for each turn of combat that the disassembly continues.

2.1.2 Increase range by 1 zone. 

2.1.3 Attack a specific part of the body (e. g. eyes), or a specific item of equipment (e. g. an opponent’s weapon).

2.2 A block is a barrier that is designed to absorb an enemy attack. For each shift of Intensity the block can absorb 1 additional point of the attack. Optionally, instead of block strength, you can opt to have the effect work as Armor (2 shifts add 1 point of Armor) or as a zone border instead. 1 shift of Intensity lets the block resist 1 additional attack. 2 shifts of power allow the effect to cover multiple allies within the same zone.

2.3 A maneuver places a temporary aspect (free-taggable) on an opponent or zone. A maneuver on a zone succeeds on a default of +3, a maneuver on an opponent must beat the skill value of whatever skill the opponent is attempting to resist with. 

2.4 Counterhiving is attacking an opposing hiver’s nanoswarm with your own nanoswarm. Use your Hiving skill to assess the opponent’s power and beat that power to succeed.

3. For noncombat hiving: if you’re trying to assemble or repair an item, a successful Engineering roll is required in order to initiate the action. The Hiver can then spend 1 point of Intensity to reduce the time needed to assemble or repair the item by 1 unit.

4. Decide how many shifts of Intensity you want to put into the hiving attempt. The more nanites your mind needs to control, the more mental stress you take – if you invest a greater amount of Intensity in a swarm, you take mental stress equal to the difference between the Intensity score and your Hiving skill. Thus, a hiving action with Intensity 8 would cause 4 points of mental stress to a character with Hiving 4.

5. Make a Discipline roll with a difficulty equal to the Intensity score of the swarm to perform the hiving action. The roll is modified by any hiving-relevant augs and any relevant aspects you wish to invoke.