Personality
Well,
this is a broad category. This person is
not military personnel, but is somehow directly involved in the conflict. A strange confluence of events has put them
on center stage in this war and into the Characters’ lives. This person is, as the class name implies,
getting by as a Personality. Their
career is appropriate to that, such as an entertainer, a pro athlete, a
politician, a political activist, a news reporter, an Internet/reality TV celebrity,
a big corporate CEO, and so on.
But
just because these people aren’t warriors (they might know how to fight well,
but aren’t trained for combat), that doesn’t mean they don’t wield real
power. These Personalities can sway
public opinion, uncover terrible secrets, cripple mighty armies with their
singing and dancing.
BAH,
HA HA HA HA!
Okay,
but seriously (wiping away tears of laughter), these people will have an impact
on at least the civilian population during the war and possibly even the
enemy. Well-known celebrities will
typically always have an entourage of assistants, a manager, close friends, and
some personal security around them. Just
to make this more interesting, keep in mind that celebrities often hang out
with other celebrities.
Three
sample stats are presented here. This
class covers a very broad range, so these are just general guidelines. If you want a pacifist activist, who happens
to be a martial arts expert, you might want a fifth level trooper Character
with special melee moves, in addition to their personality skills.
Character Stats
(Performer)
Abilities: +3 Cha, Wis, +2
Dex
Beginner first level/Expert fourth level/Master sixth level
BAB (doesn’t improve
with level): +3 Ranged, +0 Melee
Hp (doesn’t improve
with level): 6 (d6)
AC: 12
Fort: +0/+1/+2, Ref: +4/+6/+7, Will: +5/+7/+8
Character Stats
(Reporter/Politician)
Abilities: +2 Cha, Wis, Int
Beginner first level/Expert fourth level/Master sixth level
BAB (doesn’t improve
with level): +0 Ranged, +0 Melee
Hp (doesn’t improve
with level): 6 (d6)
AC: 10
Fort: +0/+1/+2, Ref: +0/+1/+2, Will: +4/+6/+7
Character Stats
(Athlete)
Abilities: +3 Str, Con, +1
Wis, Cha, Dex
Beginner first level/Expert fourth level/Master sixth level
BAB (doesn’t improve
with level): +2 Ranged, +4 Melee*
Hp (does
improve with level): 15/42/60 (d12)*
AC: 11
Fort: +5/+7/+8, Ref: +3/+5/+6, Will: +1/+2/+3
*
While a pro athlete can improve in Hp with level, they still aren’t trained in
actual combat, so their BAB doesn’t improve.
If the Character is like a UFC fighter, then their Melee skill might go
up with level.
Level Skills:
Beginner
+4—Minor celebrity
Expert
+6—Well-known celebrity
Master
+8—PewDiePie
Rank: Unless your
Character is also famous for some reason, your Character is definitely
outranked, regardless of what you’re wearing on your shoulders.
Combat: A Personality is
highly unlikely to engage in combat, perhaps for a lack of skill, philosophical
beliefs, or even legal reasons. They could
have martial arts or self-defense weapons training, but more than likely they will
depend on security personnel or others to defend them.
Performance/Charm: In front of a
fawning audience of fans, there’s no need to roll. For a more stand-offish crowd of people, roll
DC 12. For a hostile crowd or angry
individuals, DC 18. Keep in mind, this
skill includes any sort of presentation in front of an audience, not just
singing and dancing. It can even include
presenting written material and Internet videos. Fair warning, many Personalities can be
anything but charming when not performing or trying to be personable. On some level, it is all an act when in front
of the public.
Access/Incident
Control:
“Do you know who I am?” Yes, being a
celebrity can you into places and even get you out of jams. Granted the gossip rags can hold you to
account afterward forcing your publicist to spin it for you. Celebrities also have connections to
important people and can get your Characters introduced to them.
Figure
DC 12 to get into an exclusive party or getting a meeting with someone
important, something like that. (No need
to roll to get into a regular club or party.)
It would be DC 18 to enter a private party with a bigger celebrity or
some powerful producers. DC 12 to wave
off a minor scuffle, a drunk and disorderly, or getting caught high and in
possession of a small amount Proto-Flower.
DC 18 OJ-level stuff. There will
be complications handling those kind of problems even with a successful
roll.
Notes: This is the class
that made me go to a generic static approach for all Support Characters. Making a standard class for this type of
Character is just about impossible.
This
class could also represent regular people who shine at their normal jobs, like
a good, saucy waitress at a bar that the Characters frequent. They won’t have the special celebrity skills,
but may have some minor connections (like they know the bouncer at a hip new
club and can get you in).
Character Stats
(Interesting Civilian)
Abilities: +1 Cha, Wis, Int
BAB: +0 Ranged, +0
Melee, Hp: 6 (d6), AC: 10
Fort: +0, Ref: +0, Will: +3
Tech Officer/Hacker
A
myriad of console jockeys usually supports a fighter group in wartime. These techs direct traffic, can help guide
pilots to targets, and alert them to incoming enemies. Having a tech group in a radar plane, in a
space satellite, in a mobile command unit, or at an HQ harnessing all of this
information will give the group a picture of the battlefield, including enemy
positions and strength. On a smaller
personal scale, a commando group equipped with coms, video, and bio-monitors
can be coordinated from a command trailer, with drones and hacked video feeds
covering them. Even a rebel group in the
field with a single radar dish, could be given an early heads up to incoming enemy
reinforcements during a raid.
For
the purposes of this game, a Tech that’s a Supporting Character will also have
some hacking skills. They’ll be able to
get into other people’s systems for possible intelligence and accessing their
security systems. If they’re in the
military, counter-intelligence is part of their job. Outside the military, they’re
“entrepreneurial freelancers” (hackers).
Character Stats
Abilities: +2 Int, Wis, Dex
Beginner first level/Expert fourth level/Master sixth level
BAB (doesn’t improve
with level): +3 Ranged, +1 Melee
Hp (doesn’t improve
with level): 6 (d6)
AC: 12 +armor if
appropriate
Fort: +0/+1/+2, Ref: +4/+6/+7, Will: +1/+2/+3
Level Skills:
Beginner
+4—Field or base tech staff/Code Monkey/4chan meme lord
Expert
+6—Bridge or base CNC tech/expert hacker/IT manager
Master
+8—Staff Intelligence expert/Some jerkoff who creates a computer OS or an
Internet app/website/game and becomes a billionaire “Master of the universe”
Rank: Beginners are
Petty Officers, Specialists, or Airmen depending on their service (Navy, Army,
Aero-Space Force). Experts are Ensigns
or Warrant Officers directing a staff.
Masters are Lieutenant Commanders or Majors working directly with their
commanders. They gather and interpret
information to present to command.
Outside the military, they are definitely hackers.
Combat: While if trained
military personnel, Techs are not combat troops. They will only have a sidearm (and armor, if
era appropriate), which will only be used as a last resort. Hackers won’t know how to shoot in combat
outside of a game of Fortnite.
Equipment: A Tech will have an assigned position on a bridge, base ops, or field
ops truck. They’ll also have access to a
computer lab and various tech equipment for field work, including a
high-powered laptop. Non-military
hackers will have their own lab at home, perhaps unrestricted use of a university lab
or corporate facility, or even a well-stocked van.
Tech Skill: A Tech will
automatically be able to do tasks associated with their regular job, such as
getting radar readings, establishing com links between base and field. Hackers can presumably do penny-ante systems
break-ins with little effort as well.
Hacking
Skill:
This includes breaking into secure computer networks. Hackers can get into computer networks and
manipulate the system there. This also
includes computer security, as well as avoiding it (like keeping their security
from tracking down your hacking attempt).
As a general guideline, breaking into a system may be DC 12, assuming
some reconnaissance beforehand or having previously hacked the system. DC 18 to get in cold. Getting physical access to the system,
obtaining a password or an organic sample for bio-spoofing, familiarity with
the tech level (such as an ancient legacy system or a bleeding edge, future
tech system), and other considerations can eliminate the need for a roll or
make it much harder and require special hardware.
Once
inside a system, they can retrieve information, unleash viruses, take control
of physical systems (such as computer locked doors and alarms), and tap live
video feeds. Writing actual special
software programs can also be a part of this skill, but those will require time
to write. It might be better that the
hacker has access to programs or a dedicated programmer (tracking either down
could be an adventure possibility).
Hardware
Skill:
Techs can repair, modify, and even create computer hardware. This assumes they have materials on hand (of
course needing to gather some special materials sounds like an adventure). This also includes using standard equipment
to perform non-spec actions or when actively being opposed, like when being
radar or com jammed. Figure DC 12 for
light interference, DC 18 for advanced interference.
Notes: This will likely
be the NPC that the Characters will be talking to when they’re on a
mission. This doesn’t necessarily mean a
close relationship, but don’t rule anything out with a “Bridge Bunny.” So many TV shows have an eccentric “techie”
character on them, I’m pretty sure they could also be useful in different types
of adventures.
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