Meta-Points (MP) are a special resource that characters can be use to access Meta-Abilities, which are powerful modifications to in-game checks to influence results to the player character's favor. Meta-Abilities can usually be called upon any time that a check, event or interaction occurs. Meta-Points serve an incredibly high importance in the Metaforce system.
Game-Masters may want to consider how much MP they allow their players' characters during a game if they have concerns about challenges being trivialized too often. But consider that Metaforce is best played when players have the means to deny pointless deaths and frequently negative outcomes. Game-Masters have more freedom and assurances to create deadlier scenarios without fear of quickly and unfairly killing characters when players have access to Meta-abilities.
MP and Max MP
A character should have an amount of Max MP equal to their lowest Core Value, plus their level, multiplied by their MPLV parameter. MPLV is considered the 'hitdie' of Meta-Points and is by default set to 3. So whenever the character's lowest Core Value improves, and every time they level up, they gain an amount of Maximum MP equal to their MPLV.
So Max MP calculations is the sum total of:
♦ MPLV * Level + Lowest_Core_Value * MPLV + Any other bonuses or modifiers
Recovering MP
Characters usually recover an amount of MP equal to the number of Experience points earned in a session. Otherwise, the Game-Master can devise alternate ways to regain MP through narrative progression, time passing, and/or epic feats. Players can even spend experience points to recover an equal amount of MP, if they so choose.
Recovering MP shouldn't be as easy as recovering HP and from conditions. Items that outright recover or increase (Max) MP should be rare as to preserve some semblance of balance across a campaign.
Meta-Abilities
Meta-Abilities are special actions and reactions a character can use to alter the results of checks and the way the game is played. They always cost some amount of MP in order to use, but only when the Ability creates a meaningful alteration to an event or check. This means that using a Meta-ability will never cost MP if the result can't change a character's fate or result in a meaningful way. Players can cancel the usage of Meta-abilities if they so choose and not lose MP, cancelling prevents them from being reused or recalled until the next turn/interaction.
Create a Meta-Die
The most basic and effective result-modification Ability is Create a Meta-Die, or more specifically a Meta-d12, a d12 that can't roll lower than a 5. This die can be used on any check the character makes, or as a reaction to any event involving the user. The bonus or modification of the Meta-d12's result can be any modifier the player wants, from increasing a Skill/ToHit of the user, to taking less damage/magnitude or dealing more damage/magnitude. Anything that the Game-Master may permit.
The MP cost to using this Ability is equal to the result of the rolled Meta-d12. So a roll of 10 costs 10MP to take the result. If the character has less than 12MP, they may roll lower forms of Meta-die equal or greater than their remaining MP. As such, a character with 3 or less MP can't create a Meta-die (md4 is the lowest).
Enhance Attribute
At a mere cost of 1MP, a character can access their Attribute die on an Attribute check instead of using its base value. Alternatively they can add their character level to such checks as well. If the character rolls the minimum value on their Attribute die, they can add +1 to their result.
This ability can be used even when Metaphor(s) are included in a check, provided an Attribute contributes to it in some way.
Safe-6
Safe-6 is a Meta-ability that costs 6 MP, and temporarily alters the result of all rolls so that if a 6 plus all modifiers would succeed on a check, it succeeds. This can be in the form of Skill checks, or ToHit checks for attacks against foes. For other dice that affect non-binary effects such as damage/healing/magnitude, d4 and d6 will be treated as their maximum values, and all other dice will be treated as a 6 until the effect expires.
This ability effect has a duration of 6 seconds, or 3 Action Frames. It can be dismissed early any time. The user may roll any dice to obtain higher results as normal, if desired.
Action-8
Action-8 is a Meta-ability that typically only works in Combat/Encounter scenarios. For 8 MP, a character can gain an extra Action Frame to take additional actions during their turn, or outside of their turn. If the user uses this ability on their Reaction Frame, the cost is reduced to 4MP to upgrade their Reaction Frame to a Action Frame (allowing the use to use all available appendages and options, instead of a single action).
Action-8 can't be used more than once per round, access to the ability is restored after they start their next turn.
Force Fate
Force Fate is a Meta-ability that costs differently depending on how much they influence a check or event, and how many times they have done so previously. The player can spend an amount of MP equal to the modifier they want to alter for any check or event affecting the player's character. This is an incredibly powerful ability as the player can be told the necessary MP required to succeed at a check without spending any more points than necessary.
There is an equally big drawback however, every time Force-Fate is used, it gains +1 intensity (Force Fate +1), for every point of intensity, Force-Fate costs +1 extra Meta-Points to use for the entire lifetime of that character. A Game-Master may allow ways to reduce the intensity of Force-Fate by some means, but by default the cost should never decrease to de-incentivise reliance.
Metaphor Cost Options
Meta-Points can be used for more than just Meta-abilities, they can also serve as a way to spend them to power character Metaphors. Either by spending MP to use them, or by sacrificing Maximum MP values to grant themselves special passive powers and traits. Pay attention to the use cases of each option, as these are Advanced options for Meta-points and are not for every character and game scenario.
Meta-Points as a Resource
The first way to use Meta-points is to make them a resource that a character uses to empower their Metaphors. Metaphors don't normally need to use MP as there are other, easier ways to interpret costs such as energy drain and stress (Status Magnitude). So using MP to use certain Metaphors could be arranged if the Metaphor's power warrants it and the Game-Master allows.
Given this is a non-standard implementation of Metaphor costs, talk to your Game-Master to whether using MP to power a character's Metaphors is right for them. Usually, Metaphors don't require Meta-points to use.
Max MP for Passives or Metaphors
Another way to use Meta-points is to sacrifice maximum MP in order to grant a character a permanent trait or passive, possibly in the form of an Metaphor, without requiring any kind of concentration or Core Value affecting cost. The character's maximum MP will be reduced for as long as the passive remains active. Passives that are innate or intrinsic to a character's essence or biology may not be possible to revert or remove.
The amount of Max MP sacrificed will differ between the kind of passive, costing more depending on how powerful it is. It may even be possible for it to consume more Max MP in the case of an enhancable Metaphor, whereby improving the related Metaphor will increase its Max MP cost.
Note: It is normal for characters to have traits and passives that don't require sacrificing Max MP to obtain. Max MP for passives is generally for special circumstances in which a player wants their character to be augmented but a Game-Master requires something in return.
Experience Debt (alternative)
The player character can instead incur an amount of Experience Debt to afford their powers instead, slowing their progress upgrading Metaphors and Attributes.