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Classes
Fighter Types
Bounty Hunter Pilot Police Soldier Specialist Trader
Performer Types
Actor Artist Craftsman Reporter Tech
Intellectual Types
Medic Engineer Psi
Thief Types
Criminal Investigator Politician Raider Smuggler Spy
Fighter Types

All fighter types start out with six skills to be used exclusively for weapon proficiencies. Every fifth level the fighter's chance to critical on a d20 to hit decreases by one; i.e. at fifth level a fighter has max damage and a chance to critical on a 19 or 20. Every level they receive a +5% on their chance to critical roll. For example, at first level a hunter must roll a natural 20 on the to hit dice, then roll under 5% on percentile. At second level, he would need to roll under 10%.

Bounty Hunter

With so many jurisdictions and such a large number of small states it often becomes easy for criminals to flee prosecution. Bounty hunters pursue these criminals across these artificial boundaries and return them to face judgement. The line between legal official and paid thug is sometimes crossed but only for the right price.

Bounty hunters must be licensed by an RFW recognized government. Once licensed they are required by law to treat their prisoner by the Accords. However, not everyone plays by the rules. Some bounty hunters try to function without licensing and face long prison terms because of it. Similarly, less reputable bounty hunters will use their license to carry in weapons to perform assassinations against refugees from persecution. Reputable bounty hunters will act much like state police, that is to say rough but fair.

Bounty hunters receive the following initial skills:

2 Wilderness Survival, 1 Tracking, 1 Hunting, 1 Investigation, 1 Targeting
Pilot

Pilots are able to drive any vehicle. They specialize in piloting vehicles such as planes, tanks, trains, and ships.

Pilots are always in demand and will be found in almost every form of business endeavor from local industries to interstellar shipping. Military pilots are usually in short supply due to the better pay and benefits in the civilian sector. Pilots can range from legal endeavors like cargo transport to illicit and illegal activities like smuggling and raiding.

Pilots receive the following initial skills:

3 Piloting, 1 Vehicular Repair, 1 Ships Technology, 1 Comm Technology
Police

Police serve an important role in an organization's security and the safety of its members. These organizations may be a country, world, corporate entity or empire. In most cases whether the security of the people or of the organization itself is most valued defines whether it is a police state or a free organization. The role that police play in the operation varies from border patrol to internal security. As a function of this, police are exposed to the temptations of corruption and vice. Some rise above this while others sink to the lowest level.

Corporate police tend to be more honest since they are more closely monitored, although this can lead to them taking their frustrations out on detainees. Civilian police are highly affected by the culture they come from. Some cultures only have the smallest of police forces, mostly used for enforcing customs or providing emergency services for the citizenry. This is the case with the Mog. In the case of the Balek, the Buhwatti, or Order of Secrets, is a secret police force renowned for their effectiveness.

Police get the following initial skills:

1 Dodge, 1 Law, 1 Interrogation, 1 Piloting, 1 Unarmed Combat
Soldier

Soldiers make their way in life by doing battle. They are occasionally paid for their services as with mercenaries, and other times they fight for a cause. In either situation, a soldier must know the ways of war. Many of the megacorps keep their own personal armies for the suppression of workers, protection of property or as a means to acquire new resources. Whatever their use, a soldier's job is dangerous and they are usually paid well.

Soldiers receive the following initial skills:

1 Dodge, 1 Targeting, 1 Wilderness Survival, 2 Unarmed Combat
Specialist

A specialist is a fighter who is extremely proficient in a weapon type. Specialists spend many years, and indeed most of their lives, in learning and perfecting the mastery of a weapon. In fact, they train to such an extent with a specific weapon type that all weapon proficiencies for that type of weapon are reduced by one (with a minimum of one). This means an extra plus to hit costs two points instead of three, but a plus to damage still costs one point.

The following initial skills are available to the Specialist:

1 Unarmed Combat, 2 Targeting, All weapon proficiencies within their specialty cost one less point (with a minimum of one)
Trader

Traders form many groups but the best known are the Free Traders. These merchants ply their wares from port to port throughout known space. Most are employed by huge megacorps. These megacorps rule entire colonies and are capable of manipulating the economies of governments to suit their ends. The Traders are their agents. Free Traders, in contrast, are free agents and may contract with a Mega-Corp but are always free to leave if they so wish.

Unlike smugglers, traders are bound by very specific laws about the cultures they may trade with and the manner in which they must conduct business. Specifically, if the culture does not have a particular technology, it cannot be sold to them. For instance, if a culture has steel tools and a valuable herb is plentiful on their planet, then a trader may sell steel plows for the herb. If they do not possess explosive technology then the trader would not be able to sell explosives to them. The RFW is most diligent about policing this aspect of trading.

Traders get the following initial skills:

3 Piloting, 2 Navigation, 1 Ships Technology, 1 Unarmed Combat
Performer Types

All performer types start with three skills to be used only for weapon proficiencies. Their critical roll increases by 2% each level.

Actor

Actors perform stories for the public. Sometimes these stories are performed with song and other times on film or stage. Because of the expense and inconvenience of traveling around known space, actors often must be flexible in the parts and even the profession they are involved with.

Actors' groups often tour several planets, staying for months and sometimes years on each planet. This is due to the vast number of outlets that actors have for their craft. The greatest demand is for plays from other cultures. This upsets some natives as they see it as a pollution of their own culture, but actors seldom draw such moral lines and prefer the purity of the play to the lofty moral ramblings of philosophers.

Actors get the following initial skills:

2 Acting, 1 Oratory, 1 Disguise, 1 Singing
Artist

Artists vary in their media as well as in their success. Artists express themselves via sculpture, painting or other crafts. This is considered the expression of a person's soul and spirit.

Artists come from many different worlds but one thing defines them: they are all trying desperately to live their dream. They often live in poverty, only glimpsing the dream from a distance. To make ends meet until their ship comes in, artists need a variety of marketable skills. To see their way through to their dreams they must often take jobs outside their profession to survive.

Artists get the following initial skills:

2 Craft Skills of the type of the Artist (i.e. sculpting, painting), 1 Disguise, 1 Singing, 1 Acting
Craftsmen

Craftsmen is a general term encompassing several skilled workers (such as blacksmiths, carpenters, weapon smiths). Although these roles are sometimes replaced with machinery, craftsmen have found a niche in producing hand crafted items. These are often native to their culture and demand heavy prices on other worlds.

Craftsmen are still very important in the age of industrialization and play their part in the daily life on every planet. Despite the modernizations, glassblowers, blacksmiths and jewelers still continue to make their goods.

Craftsmen receive the following initial skills.

5 in their specific class, 2 in the Appraisal of their specific class
Reporter

Reporters look for stories and news in the pursuit of journalism. In known space people wish to be entertained in many different forms. It is relatively inexpensive to download the local news onto a personal senacron. Whether this takes the form of written work or televised reports, a reporter most get the story. In known space this is extremely big business and battles between Teledyme Media and Trans Comm are legendary. Unfortunately, reporters are often caught in the crossfire.

Reporters of the period go where the news is. This usually leads to a lot of investigative journalism involving some dangerous locations and people. When someone pokes his nose into enough dives, he finds things out that might better have been left secret. Nonetheless, journalists hunt the truth. This does not mean they always report it. Their editor may close them down and most likely will if the story is about a megacorp. These stories tend to be dropped.

Reporters, just like everyone else, come in different degrees of moral strength. Those without the talent or will to resist temptation write for hack news services or freelance and turn in what their editors want to hear. Whatever the level of the professional, reporters usually need to take care of themselves. War correspondents bleed the same as soldiers, and a slow reporter can die quickly.

Reporters receive the following initial skills:

3 Journalism, 1 Investigation, 1 Sensor Operation
Tech

The techs of any crew solve the problems and fix the malfunctions of machinery. They are usually the ones doing the actual repairs while an engineer looks wistfully on. Techs require 2-4 years of education and are in high demand all over known space. Some of the most sought after are Ship's Techs, who specialize in the repair of space ships. Techs come in many different types and may specialize in electronics, computers, metallurgy or many others.

Techs receive the following skills:

3 Technology Skills of their choice, 2 Metal Working, 1 Zero G Movement
Intellectual Types

Intellectual types start with two skills to be used only for weapon proficiencies. Their critical rolls increase 1% each level.

Medic

Medics cover a wide range of healers from emergency field medical personnel to skilled surgeons. The most common are the field medics who treat wounded soldiers or injured workers where they fall in the battlefield. Any expedition will have at least one licensed medic with them. It is RFW law that an interstellar ship have a licensed medic on board. This law also extends to planetary expeditions and work sites.

Becoming licensed with the RFW entails completing a five year study of medical sciences and passing a test called the Medical Registration Test (MRT). The MRT may be taken as many times as desired but costs 500 credits per test. The RFW can revoke the license if they receive three charges of negligence against the medic.

Medics generally receive a very good wage, but the ones who sign up for field duty are usually seeking adventure and excitement over money.

Medics receive the following initial skills:

1 Surgery, 1 First Aid (1d20 pts), 1 Xenobiology, 1 Medicine, 1 Bone Setting
Engineer

Engineers are problem solvers for the real world. There are many types of engineers based upon specializations such as civil, chemical, electrical and mechanical. In the field, engineers are able to perform various analyses as well as construct solutions.

The RFW requires the presence of a Ship's Engineer on board any interstellar ship in order to maintain the ship's systems, conduct emergency repairs and ensure safe operations. Engineers are not regulated and range from highly educated and skilled people to the most incompetent type of lout. They are known for their rough plain speech, often telling it like it is and not the way their employer wants to hear it.

Engineers receive the following initial skills:

4 Engineering, 1 Electronics Technology, 1 Metal Working
PSI

Psi are not common because of the intense training it requires to become one. The great ones are born with the talent and merely need training to focus and develop their abilities. The Psi's most important stat is PIE since it reflects their faith in their powers. Without intense concentration and the belief that they can affect the world around them with their minds, they would lose the ability to use their Psionics. The next most important stat is WIS. WIS is their mental discipline which allows them to focus their raw talent and ability supplied by the PIE. Without WIS their power would do horrible damage to their own body.

There are literally thousands of schools dedicated to the expansion of mental powers and for the most part they specialize in only one or two different disciplines. Students attending these schools usually need to be wealthy, since tuitions are high, but corporations pay very well to have their own department of Psi on hand.

The Psi are limited in the range of their abilities and the number of times before they must meditate to regain their mental balance. This means that the Psi may use disciplines listed here for general areas of effects. The Psi must pick one discipline to study initially but may add other disciplines as they gain experience.
Disciplines
Telekinesis
Telekinesis is the moving of objects with the mind. The heavier the object, the more distant the object or the more complex the movement, the higher the difficulty. To pick up an object and float it to a person is much easier than typing on a keyboard. Applying killing force is very difficult and requires a to hit roll in addition to a successful psi roll.
Telepathy
Telepathy is, in its easiest from, reading the surface thoughts of a person. Much more difficult is reading the memories of a target and the most difficult effect is implanting new memories.
Empathy
Empathy is reading or projecting emotions onto an individual. Reading is rather simple but projecting is very difficult.
Illusion
This is the power to alter the perception of an individual. To affect multiple minds at once is more difficult than affecting the mind of one person. Creating an illusion of something believable is easier than creating something unreal. The illusion will only be audible and visual. If touched it will dissipate.
Tele-Imaging
This is a projection of the Psi's mind into another location. The more distant the location the higher the difficulty.

The GM may wish to impose their own modifiers for difficult conditions (Tele-imaging in the midst of a fire fight) or for optimal conditions (Telepathic scan of the memories of a person under truth drugs). AS A GUIDELINE ONLY, the following table has been supplied.
Mod
Modifier Examples
0
Majority of simple things: Tele-imaging across line of sight, reading surface emotions, minor telekinesis
-1
Easy: Telekinesis up to 10 kg, simple illusions, communicating via telepathy within 5 km.
-2
Hard: creating moving illusions, flying via Telekinesis
-3
Difficult: Implanting memories, complex movement with Telekinesis, implanting emotions, Tele-imaging elsewhere on a planet, illusions with sight and sound
-7
Nigh Impossible: Tele-imaging across interplanetary distances, telepathy across interstellar distances (including orbiting craft), moving tons of material
In general, the more powerful the effect the larger the minus since it draws more conscious thought and discipline to focus an effect.



System

Base Chance: PIE Channel Base: WIS

Base Modifier: -0 (- 3/additional effect)

Psi have a base chance of their PIE to succeed in generating a desired effect. This is modified by - 3 every time beyond the first effect that the psi has attempted (i.e. first attempt -0, second attempt -3, third attempt -6, etc.). In addition, the GM may modify the roll if he or she feels it appropriate (i.e. combat, difficulty of effect, Balek pounding on the foot). Finally, the player must roll under their modified PIE. If successful, the psi has created the effect with the mind. If the psi rolls a natural 20, the effect not only fails but backlashes and harms the psi's psychic strength (see Psychic Backlash table below). The same modifier is then applied to the character's WIS and another d20 is rolled. If the player rolls under the modified WIS then no ill effects are felt. If the player rolls over the modified number, he fails, he takes the modifier in fortitude points to all areas (i.e. if the mod was -9 then the psi takes 9 points of damage to all areas. No, positive modifiers do not return points). If the roll was a natural 20 he rolls on the Mental Backlash Table below. NOTE: you can fail your PIE roll (no effect generated) and succeed at your WIS roll (no damage taken) OR you can succeed at your PIE roll (effect generated) and fail at your WIS roll (damage taken) OR you can fail at your PIE roll (no effect generated) and fail at your WIS roll (damage taken) OR you can succeed at your PIE roll (effect generated) and succeed at your WIS roll (no damage taken).

The Base Modifier will set back to 0 and all psychic effects will be removed if the Psi is allowed to meditate for one hour (unless a duration is stated).

Levels

The Psi will be able to keep the Base Modifier constant for a number of attempts equal to her level. For example, if a fifth level Psi were attempting seven consecutive SIMPLE effects then the total modifier for the psi would be for each effect respectively; -0,-0,-0,-0,-0,-3,-6. Since the Base Modifier does not change it allows the Psi to perform more effects.

Saves

A person who is attacked psionically receives a save vs their PIE - the level of the Psi. If this is a desired effect then the affected may decline the save. For an effect that is external to the target (i.e. Telekinesis), there is no save. A to hit roll is needed to hit an opponent in order to lift them or hit them with a secondary object.
d20
Psychic Backlash
1-5
-1 to all PIE rolls until Psi meditates; shaken.
6-10
-2 to all PIE rolls until Psi meditates; shaken badly.
11-13
-1 to all PIE rolls until Psi sleeps for 6 hours; psi powers questioned.
14-16
-2 to all PIE rolls until Psi sleeps for 6 hours; unsure of psi powers.
17
The real world Comes into question. The Psi's balance is off and the world spins. -4 to AGL 1/2 movement until psi meditates.
18
Mind Crushed! The Psi has difficulty concentrating. Cannot perform Intellectual skills and - 4 to INT until Psi meditates.
19
Belief in the Psi Disciplines crippled! Psi may perform no effects for the day and have a -2 to all PIE rolls until the psi can meditate for a number of hours equal to the amount of points that the psi missed their PIE by.
20
Discipline Destroyed! The Psi must relearn their discipline. To do this they must attend a Psi school for 3 months. No effects may be generated until the discipline is relearned. No experience need be spent for this.
d20
Mental Backlash
1-5
-1 to all WIS rolls until Psi meditates; discipline shaken.
6-10
-2 to all WIS rolls until Psi meditates; discipline shaken badly.
11-13
-1 to all WIS rolls until Psi sleeps for 6 hours; mind exhausted.
14-16
-2 to all WIS rolls until Psi sleeps for 6 hours; mind in agony.
17
Resolve Destroyed! -4 to WIS and no Craft skill may be performed until Psi meditates.
18
Wisdom Confused! All WIS rolls automatically fail. The Psi will be incoherent and must rest for 12 hours.
19
Amnesia! The Psi retains all their skills and abilities but have no memory. This can only be cured through time and meditation. It is up to the GM to determine the duration. Familiar people and objects will help.
20
Mind Destroyed! The Psi's mind is destroyed. He must receive professional help for a Psi or a psychiatrist within 3 days or damage is permanent and the body will fail. It will take 3 months to heal the damage.

Psi receive the following skills:

2 Psychology, 2 Deception, 1 Disguise, 1 Meditation
Thief Types

Thief types start with four skills to be used only in weapon proficiencies. Their critical rolls increase 3% each level.

Criminal

Criminals are basic thieves who use any means to commit a crime. Criminals find their way onto space habitats and often go whatever way will keep them out of jail. This typically means fleeing more than one system. Successful criminals are often part of a greater crime syndicate (see Organizations on page 150). There are many more localized crime syndicates and every society has them. Some societies have a more elusive organized crime element, but most will have one or more that serve a necessary role.

Individual criminals do exist as well but have a rougher time of succeeding. To acquire seed capital, they may become involved in all manner of unsafe ventures.

Criminals get the following initial skills:

1 Move Silently, 1 Open Locks, 1 Locate Security, 1 Disarm Security, 1 Move in Shadows, 1 Climbing
Investigator

Investigators are self employed doing investigative work for people, governments or companies that do not want their dirty laundry aired. They work with bounty hunters when needed but prefer to work alone or with experts in other fields.

Investigators are common enough in most all areas of known space. The Balek and Gren use them extensively and have a certain affinity for this profession, from paid ruffian to skilled detective. Pay varies depending on the situation and cultures involved.

Investigators receive the following initial skills:

2 Deception, 1 Acting, 1 Disguise, 1 Interrogation
Politician

Politicians may use criminal activity or lies to gain power within a government. Some few politicians are elected by the people while far more seize power though the use of force or guile.

Politicians leave their home planet for a variety of reasons. One reason could be fleeing some scandal. Mogs are not particularly sensitive to this but Gren and Kiran are. Another reason would be to raise seed capital for a run at an elected office. Many politicians are not elected but appointed to court or the like by royalty or their assistants. This requires large sums of money.

Politicians receive the following initial skills:

3 Oratory, 1 Deception, 1 Acting, 1 Law
Raider

Raiders are the pirates of the known universe, but rather than dashing soldiers of fortune they are the lowest of villains. They wait for inbound cargo haulers and attack them, killing or enslaving the crew and taking everything of value. If the odds are right they attack small colonies, robbing them of wealth and vital equipment and leaving them to fend for themselves. They may take the slaves if the colonists could fetch valuable price.

Raiders receive the following initial skills:

2 Unarmed Combat, 1 Interrogation, 1 Deception, 1 Piloting
Smuggler

Smugglers try to avoid the import restrictions, taxes and regulations that most worlds impose on them. At times they pose as a number of different professions but most often masquerade as a Free Trader. This leads to Free Traders being their most dangerous enemies, even more so than planetary naval forces. The Free Traders will at best apprehend smugglers at every chance and killing a smuggler is not frowned upon by most local authorities.

Smugglers receive the following skills:

2 Camouflage, 2 Navigation, 1 Piloting, 2 Smuggling
Spy

Spies either serve their government or act as freelance agents. Both types live an extremely dangerous life on the edge. They have the support of their government, but that government may wish to maintain plausible deniability. In either case, spies serve several purposes from assassination to information gathering.

Spies during this period are highly self reliant. They may be surgically altered to appear as another race. When this is physically impossible the spy must rely on a holo projector. Those that are truly great manage to avoid the need and use their wits and abilities to make their way to their objective via their own path.

Spies need to think on their feet. They can trust no one and expect help from no quarter. It is not surprising that some individuals play both sides against each other and hope to come out on top. These people are risk-takers and think outside their situation. If they need to resort to violence, then they have most likely failed the mission, and worse yet can expect to die or be captured. Suicide pills are often offered to operatives since this is an age of torture and crude, often fatal, truth drugs.

Spies receive the following initial skills:

1 Investigation, 1 Unarmed Combat, 1 Deception, 2 Disguise, 1 Sensor Operation, 1 Coded Messages
Character Classes


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