A Hero has exactly two unique Presence abilities, established by the two inheritance gifts. Choose different MATRI names. Pathway marks may improve those two abilities up to Adept during creation, but cannot create a third Presence or overflow into a different MATRI name.
Starting Presence in My HeroesCopy link
The starting build applies these marks from the two inheritance gifts and three chosen Pathway Shades, respecting the Adept starting limit and overflow choices. These marks do not issue extra Ember tokens beyond the two inheritance Embers.
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The Pathways a Hero follows do more than determine what they have learned. They also shape the Presence they bring into the world.
During Character Creation, each of your three starting Pathways grants one Presence mark. The Pathway and Shade suggest which of the Hero’s two chosen Presence abilities to improve; they never unlock a third Presence.
Pathway Presence represents the natural qualities strengthened through a Hero's experiences. A Hero trained to approach Prowess through Control develops differently from one who approaches Prowess through Impulse, even though both may be accomplished combatants.
STARTING PRESENCE LIMIT Copy link
No Presence may be increased beyond Adept during Character Creation. If a Parent, Pathway, or other starting selection would increase an Adept Presence, place that Presence mark in the Hero’s other chosen Presence below Adept instead. If both chosen Presence abilities are already Adept, the mark grants no additional Training or token.
PATHWAY PRESENCE SELECTION Copy link
Pathway | CONTROL | VERSATILITY | IMPULSE |
|---|---|---|---|
Prowess | Might | Tenacity | Agility |
Influence | Resolve | Tenacity | Intuition |
Skill | Might | Tenacity | Agility |
Lore | Resolve | Tenacity | Intuition |
Threads | Resolve | Tenacity | Intuition |
Divinity | Resolve | Tenacity | Intuition |
Devotion | Might | Tenacity | Agility |
MARKING PRESENCE Copy link
For each of your three starting Pathways, find the Pathway and its selected Shade on the table. Improve the indicated Presence only if it is one of your two inherited Presence choices; otherwise improve the other chosen Presence that remains below Adept.
Each mark increases that Presence by one Training Level:
Untrained → Trained → Adept
Pathway Presence cannot increase a Presence beyond Adept during Character Creation.
A Pathway mark can only improve one of the Hero’s two chosen Presence abilities. If its indicated Presence is not one of those choices or is already Adept, use another chosen Presence below Adept. Once both are Adept, further starting marks grant no additional Training or token.
SHADE & PRESENCE Copy link
The Three Shades correspond naturally to the five forms of Presence:
Shade | Presence | Expression |
|---|---|---|
CONTROL | Might • Resolve | Strength directed through discipline, conviction, and deliberate action. |
VERSATILITY | Tenacity | Adaptability, persistence, resilience, and the ability to endure change. |
IMPULSE | Agility • Intuition | Speed, instinct, perception, reaction, and decisive action. |
Presence is not another Pathway. It represents the fundamental capability of the Hero beneath their learned skills and may be called upon whenever an action depends upon raw strength, instinct, endurance, perception, or resolve.
A Pathway represents what a Hero has learned. Their Shade reveals how they learned to do it. Their Presence shows what that experience has made stronger.