Critter Weaknesses Even as new species came into existence wielding new and strange powers, these life forms also displayed weaknesses that could be exploited — perhaps nature’s attempt to level the playing field in the metahuman struggle against these opponents. The following Weaknesses are explained below: Allergy Dietary Requirement Essence Loss Reduced Senses Vulnerability Allergy Many creatures suffer allergic reactions to one or more substances or conditions. In general, they suffer the reaction only when in contact with the substance or subjected to the condition. Common allergy-causing substances include sunlight, ferrous metals, objects of religious significance (such allergies appear to be psychosomatic), plastics and pollutants. Allergies have four severity levels, which equate to the four Damage Levels for purposes of determining Drain (see the Alleviate Allergy and Cause Allergy spell descriptions): Nuisance (L), Mild (M), Moderate (S) and Severe (D). Nuisance: Annoys the creature but has no significant game effect. Mild: Causes discomfort and distracts the creature (add +1 to all target numbers). Moderate: The creature finds the touch of the substance painful, and will often retreat from the contact. If contact is prolonged, the creature suffers an allergic reaction. Add +2 to the Power of weapons made from the substance. Severe: Even the slightest touch of the substance results in an allergic reaction and causes Physical damage. Add +2 to the Power of weapons made of the substance. In addition to whatever damage an attack with the weapon inflicts, the target suffers an additional Light wound. Dietary Requirement The diet of the creature must contain certain substances (often trace minerals, but sometimes more esoteric compounds). Without the specified key requirement in its diet, the creature will sicken and eventually die. Essence Loss Only humans and metahumans can fall victim to the Human-Metahuman Vampiric Virus, and only creatures so afflicted can suffer the weakness of Essence Loss. Such beings come into existence with whatever Essence they possessed before they changed, but they possess no innate Essence. Such creatures gain Essence only by regularly consuming the Essence of others. The creature loses 1 point of Essence every month. Some beings lose Essence at a faster rate, but few lose Essence more slowly. A being whose Essence is reduced to 0 will die within days, perhaps even hours. During this period, the being is extremely dangerous because, whatever its normal nature, it now behaves as a starved predator and will hunt fresh Essence with mindless ferocity. Reduced Senses One or more of the being’s senses may be limited in effectiveness. Typically, reduced senses function at half the normal rating. Vulnerability The metabolism of some beings can be disrupted by objects made of a particular substance. Increase the Damage Level of such weapons by 1 level. For example, a 2L wooden club becomes a 2M weapon against a being vulnerable to wood. Beings recover from wounds inflicted by the substance to which they are vulnerable at the same speed at which they recover normally. Non-damaging contact with the substance is treated as a Nuisance allergic reaction. Beings with the Regeneration power suffer the effects of wounds from substances to which they are vulnerable only until the beginning of the next Combat Turn. For example, a vampire damaged by a wooden stake would only suffer the related damage penalties for the Combat Turn in which it took the damage — the next Combat Turn, all damage would be healed.