Squawk Role-Playing Game

Copyright © 2020 by Benjamin Galbraith and Seth Galbraith

This is the system reference document for the Squawk Role-Playing Game. Please reuse this document under the terms of the Creative Common Attribution International License version 4.0.

Contents

Event Example

As long as there has been life on Earth, alien visitors have used samples from our planet to populate other Earth-like worlds. In a distant part of the galaxy, intelligent dinosaurs evolved and colonized the other worlds using advanced biotechnology. After millennia of constructing worlds these colonists have fallen back on more primitive and sustainable technology, from beanstalks that lift cargo into space to chemical rockets, steam engines, animal labor and stone tools.

Squawk is a science-fiction role-playing game (RPG) where each player takes on the role of an intelligent avian or reptilian creature. Squawk can be played by two or more people, but it is most fun with 3 to 5 people. One person serves as the game master (GM) and everyone else is a player. Each player controls a player character (PC) and all the PCs form a crew of adventurers (the party) who travel together in space. The GM controls different non-player characters (NPCs) in each encounter.

This game is designed to use writing materials like pencils and paper, at least one 20 sided die (d20) and several 6 sided dice (d6.) However, we have optional rules that allow you to play with only a single d6 and no d20, if you prefer. (See Missions/Checks/d6 Checks and Characters/Attributes/Non-random Damage.) The players and GM should browse the player character templates to see what types of characters the players would like to play. (See www.ResilienceRPG.com for more information on this core game system.)

There are no humans in Squawk.

The players and GM should browse the player character templates to get familiar with the beings who populate this setting. Read the setting chapters if you want to learn more about their worlds before you start playing. Some cultures produce firearms that employ compressed air, rocketry or biotechnology, but most Squawk characters find that hand to hand combat - grappling with their natural weapons, blades or bludgeons - is more effective, especially aboard spacecraft that can be damaged by gunfire. Constrictionists train specifically for zero gravity combat, Symbiotic Monks defend themselves using bioelectricity and Splicers cut up creatures to recycle their parts later.

The tone of the Squawk RPG is fairly serious, but we find that non-human characters create separation between the players and their characters which is suited to dark comedy. (For example, does your carnivorous dinosaur PC eat his enemies?)

Earth's Sun passes through one of the two major spiral arms of the galaxy every 20 million years. These arms are not material, but "density waves" - stellar traffic jams - that orbit the galactic core in the opposite direction of the stars passing through them.

When the Sun passes through one of the spiral arms, the rate of interstellar contacts increases, and civilizations emerge which transport life between Earth and other stars. However, even at their closest approach the Sun and Abaddon may be as much as 1000 light years apart.

The Progenitors were scaly creatures genetically engineered by aliens who visited Earth during the late Cretaceous period. They were mostly crocodilian but had some spliced-in plant and cephalopod genes. The aliens engineered them to colonize Earth-like land and water environments.

Tens of millions of years ago, the Progenitors created an interstellar communication network. Each planetary system in the network hosted a cloud of genetically engineered trees orbiting the star(s) of the system. Some clouds absorbed most of the light emitted by their stars, radiating mostly infrared waste energy and radio communication signals.

These clouds could also Focus beams on the sails of interstellar spacecraft, accelerating them to near light speed. Important trips between nearby stars could be made in just a few years as long as the network was maintained around each star.

The Progenitors colonized Abaddon before any other intelligent species we know. They first established artificial habitats in the Lower Worlds and the lagrangian points of Midgard. After integrating the Abaddon system into their network, they created new oceans and atmospheres for Yggdrasil, Monopolis and Radix by bombarding them with iceballs. Yggdrasil became their main base of operations.

The Progenitors also found simple indigenous various icy water worlds. They avoided settling on those worlds but used the indigenous microbes to enhance their active camouflage technology.

The Progenitor communication network collapsed millions and millions of years ago. Staying connected when messages require decades and centuries to fly from star to star required monastic discipline which eventually broke down at too many points to sustain the network. The lights went out and the stars became silent.

The Progenitors evolved into many genera and species including leviathans and gygeans. They engineered plant-based habitats like Yggdrasil and Treecraft, and they engineered cephalopods such as shapeshifters and Squidcraft. Behemoths evolved large brains through symbiosis with parasitic plants, developed the advanced hydroponic systems, and engineered gremians and skand using their own brain parasites.

The gygeans and leviathans are descendants of original progenitors. The behemoths, gremians and skands were created with plant parasites. Shapeshifters and cephalopod bioships are remnants of Progenitor cephalopod technology.

The Golem Masters are intelligent pterosaurs which evolved on terraformed worlds by learning to exploit alien technology. These aliens probably visited Earth in the early Jurassic era.

The Golem Masters have symbiotic relationships with engineered arthropods ranging from tiny parasites to massive spider-like creatures and living starships. Before the Progenitors evolved, the Golem Masters were already spreading across the galaxy, extracting resources from each planetary system to breed swarms of nuclear-powered, self-replicating starships carrying genetic information. The more agile, light-speed Progenitor network eventually stopped the expansion of the Golem Masters.

These colonists used extremely advanced fusion power and ion drives which could accelerate small spacecraft to relativistic speeds. This allowed them to make short interstellar trips within a single lifetime. They modified their own biology to make these long trips more efficient, lowering their metabolisms and increasing their lifespans.

The Wardens come from a world initially populated with organisms from Earth's early Cretaceous period. The Wardens were flightless birds with long clawed arms and huge, intelligent brains. They bred other dinosaurs as pets, hunting companions and laborers, and modified them using the techniques of chimeric surgery.

Problematically, the Wardens' troodontid companions (gafflings) gradually developed a degree of self-awareness and when the Wardens bred their larger ceratosaurs to have similar intelligence, it also became more difficult to treat that species like mindless tools. The emerging intelligent species were increasingly seen as threats and competitors instead of useful animals.

Some idealistic Wardens collected a diverse sample of semi-intelligent dinosaurs and launched massive ark propelled by hydrogen bombs. This ad hoc nuclear pulse propulsion technology allows massive spacecraft to travel between nearby stars in a few centuries or millennia with minimal technology and organization. Essentially a wandering space colony with a self-contained ecosystem and nuclear power plants, this generation ship contained everything necessary to survive and produce more colonies (except for an unlimited supply of nuclear fuel.)

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More than a dozen intelligent species inhabit planets, moons and artificial worlds. Aeolytes were bred from large birds. Gafflings evolved from small feathered dinosaurs. Stygians are flightless pterosaurs. Leviathans are huge crocodilians whose ancestral genome was spliced with plant and invertebrate DNA.

Each player takes on the role of a player character (PC) and makes choices for that PC during the game. In these rules, "you" refers to a PC or that PCs player. Character points (CP) reflect how powerful characters are. A character worth 30 more CP than another character is about twice as powerful.

At the beginning of the game, you have a CP Budget of 120 CP to create your new PC. Record this in the CP Budget box on your character sheet.

Now choose a template for your character. (See Characters/Templates.) Record the name of the template on the line labeled Template on your character sheet.

Give your character a name and record it on the line labeled Name on your character sheet.

Copy the Attributes (Agility, Perception, Strength, Coordination, Toughness and Power) from your template to your character sheet. Write the CP value of each attribute on the line next to the attribute.

Copy the Abilities (but not Optional Abilities) of your template to your character sheet. If an ability has a number after the name, that is the ability's current rank. The CP value of an ability is the ability's rank or 1 CP if the ability has no rank. Record the CP value of each ability on the line next to the ability.

Copy your template's CP Value to the CP Value box on your character sheet. This is the total CP value of all your template's attributes and abilities.

The Character Sheet is on the next page...

Subtract your CP value from your CP budget and record the difference in the Action Points box on your character sheet. Your Action Points (AP) are unspent CP which you can spend during events and encounters or training and upgrades. You can save the rest of your AP for events or encounters or use some of them now to customize your character. (See Characters/Training and Upgrades.)

Count how many of your abilities have the expertise or persona keyword. Record this number on the line labeled Focus on your character sheet.

Your initial Hit Points are equal to your Toughness. Record this in the Hit Points box on your character sheet.

Your Stamina is half of your Toughness, rounded down. Record this on the Stamina line of your character sheet.

Your Rest Dice is a number of six sided dice (d6) equal to your Toughness divided by 6, rounded down. For example, if your Toughness is 20, then your Rest Dice is 3d6 because 20 divided by 6 is 3 after rounding down. Record this on the Rest Dice line of your character sheet.

Players can have a team of PCs instead of a single character, but they need the GM's permission to have more than two PCs. Players often use this to give their PC a construct or animal companion. Instead of a single 120 character point character, a player can have two 90 character point characters, or one character with a higher character point budget and another with a lower character point budget. (See Creating Encounters for more ways to divide character points between characters.)

For example one player could play a team of two aeolyte spies with a character point budget of 90 for each character.

Intelligent species can have pets that are larger and more powerful or smaller than their masters. A player could pair a 60 character point skand investigator with a 108 character point ceratopsian mount, or a 114 character point behemoth shock trooper with a 36 character point theropod tracker.

Gafflings are less intelligent than the other intelligent species and often paired with a trainer. A player could have a 98 character point skand clone soldier working with a 80 character point gaffling scout, or a 102 character point lyndwyrm warlord leading a 72 character point gaffling gladiator.

Golem masters and chimeric surgeons create creature companions. A player could play an 80 character point strix golem master with a more powerful 98 character point spinner golem, or a big 98 character point borean chimeric surgeon with a medium sized 80 character point chimera bodyguard.

Each character has six attributes: Agility, Perception, Strength, Coordination, Toughness and Power (abbreviated Agi, Per, Str, Crd, Tgh and Pwr.) Attributes measure the combined effect of many different advantages and disadvantages, so two characters might have the same attribute rank for different reasons. The specific advantages and disadvantages that contribute to a character's attributes can be explained in the character's general description.

Attributes are ranked on a few different scales. Agility, Perception and Strength are defenses. These are target numbers for different types of attacks. Attack checks are based on twenty-sided die rolls, so an attack will succeed more often than not against Agility, Perception or Strength of 10 or less. An attack is more likely to fail if the defense is more than 15. Coordination is a bonus to attack checks, so it is usually a smaller, single digit number. Ranks of Toughness and Power are measured on the same damage scale, but Power is smaller because it usually takes several attacks to take down a well-matched enemy.

Agility is your defense when quick reflexes and fast movement are critical. Blocking, dodging and running for cover require Agility. Agility combines defense training, raw speed and short reaction time.

Smaller, faster, climbing, flying and leaping creatures usually have more than 10 Agility. Long, thin, slithering, and streamlined creatures have good Agility, but so do compact creatures that can produce massive acceleration with powerful limbs. Flocking behavior and disruptive color patterns can also improve Agility. Agile characters often have acrobatic fighting styles.

Flat-footed and heavily armored characters are slower and usually have less than 10 Agility, but powered armor, springy limb extensions, jet propulsion and advanced climbing tools can provide high Agility. Characters who always drive a vehicle during personal combat encounters have Agility based on the speed and maneuverability of that vehicle.

Perception is your defense against stealth, deception and manipulation. It includes problem solving ability, willpower and senses. Perception and chance also determine initiative - the order of turns during encounters.

Smarter, better trained and more alert characters have more than 10 Perception. Stealthy characters can often spot an ambush before they are detected themselves, so they tend to have high Perception. Artificial sensors and communication equipment can also augment a character's Perception.

Strength (Str) is your defense against grappling and attacks that test your endurance. Big, muscular characters have more than 10 Strength. Stocky characters who are solidly built with a low center of gravity also have high Strength. Resilient and tenacious characters can also be strong even if they are not large and muscular.

Athletic training and manual labor increase Strength. Sprawl-and-brawl fighting styles require muscle, endurance and anti-grappling skills. Powered armor can make the wearer stronger, but armor can also improve Strength through extra mass, life support systems or sharp spikes which make grappling difficult. Characters who always drive a vehicle during personal combat encounters have Strength based on the mass and torque of that vehicle.

Coordination is a bonus to attack rolls, the basic attack check modifier. Zero ranks of Coordination is mediocre. Characters with good manual dexterity, fighting skills, tactics or reliable aim have more Coordination. Characters with poor Coordination can even have negative Coordination.

Melee weapons that provide reach, leverage or versatility can improve Coordination. So can more accurate ranged weapons with good sights. Creatures with very small arms may still have low Coordination in spite of decent manual dexterity.

Toughness (Tgh) is your maximum Hit Points - the amount of damage your character can survive. It represents resilience and protection. Big, solidly built and armored creatures have more than 20 Toughness, but so do creatures that heal and recover quickly.

Damage includes exhaustion as well as wounds. Damage to a healthy character might be a blow the character safely absorbed, a superficial injury or even the strain of flinching to narrowly avoid a serious injury. The same amount of damage to a badly injured character can be a lethal wound that only landed because the victim was not able to move at full speed or keep his guard up.

Characters become tougher through experience and training which toughens them up and improves their endurance. Improving the character's general health or upgrading their body armor will also increase Toughness.

Power (Pwr) is measured in six sided dice (d6) plus pips (+1 or +2.) To find the damage of an attack, roll that many dice, then add the pips to the total.

Some attacks are more powerful or less powerful. If the attack has -½ Pwr, halve the damage and round it down. If the attack has +½ Pwr, increase the damage by half (rounded down.) If the attack has double Pwr, double the damage.

A medium sized creature usually has 2d6 Power when armed and 1d6 Power if unarmed. Size, muscle, natural weapons and firepower increase Power. Characters who precisely target vital areas are also more powerful. Attacks are combinations of moves, so characters with a high rate of fire or faster combos are more powerful.

A GM may choose to use non-random damage in a campaign instead of rolling dice for damage. In that case damage is calculated by giving three points of damage per dice, and then adding any pips. For example, 3D6+1 damage would always be 3+3+3+1 or 10 damage when using non-random damage. In this example if an ability added +½ damage, that ability would always do 15 damage instead, or in the case of double damage the attack would do 20 damage.

Each template has all the attributes and abilities you need to make a playable character. The keywords in parentheses after each ability's name summarize how the ability works. (See Characters/Abilities/Keywords.)

Templates also have optional abilities you can buy with AP, and your template's attributes determine the maximum attribute ranks you can buy. (See Characters/Training and Upgrades.)

Each template is an example of an occupation and a species. Species tend to have different occupations suited to their physical and mental traits, and some occupations are unique to a specific culture. Characters who have the same occupation may use different equipment and techniques for anatomical, cultural or personal reasons.

The newest intelligent species, the ability to fly makes aeolytes valuable as messengers. Male aeolytes are gray or brown with white throats and breasts and black iridescent feathers running from the head and face down the back of the neck. Females aeolytes are more cryptically colored with a camouflage pattern of black, white, brown, gray and blue feathers. Aeolyte speech sounds like low, hoarse bird calls.

The average aeolyte has a 5 meter (17 foot) wingspan, stands 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall, and weighs 75 kg (160 lbs.) Aeolytes are not the most agile fliers but they have extraordinary stamina. Aeolytes have fairly long necks, and long, flexible, coordinated legs.

Aeolytes can see magnetic fields, helping them to navigate. Keen eyesight and innate flying skills combined with talon-eye-coordination make them good vehicle pilots. These innate flying skills include 3D thinking, an intuitive sense for orbits, kinetic energy and gravity, and perception of subtle invisible forces like rising thermals.

Lighter than most intelligent species but large enough to limit maneuverability while flying, aeolytes can wield a relatively large weapon with either of their powerful talons while flying or hopping on one leg. On the ground, they cannot wield weapons with two hands because one talon must be left empty to support the weight of the aeolyte and its weapon. Aeolyte grappling dynamically utilizes energy and momentum instead of Strength and leverage. They can carry prey weighing as much as 150 kg (300 lbs.)

Aeolyte Spy

An intelligence agent and emissary, you are equipped with telescopic goggles (Perception, Coordination,) while alchemy airtight treatment strengthens your skin and protects you from suffocation and chemical irritants (Strength, Toughness.) Example names: Whitefeather, Skyneedle.

abilities

aeolyte vision (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

aeolyte wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

alchemical smoke bomb (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

CP Value 93

optional abilities

aerial surveyor (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

alchemical metal lubricant 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

alchemical shadow venom 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Lingering effects of this attack hinder your opponent.

alchemical thunder cracker 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

alchemical waterproof infusion 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

alchemical wooden body vaccine 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

carbine sword blade 1 (1 use/rank; 2 attacks; melee and ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Use this as both a melee and ranged weapon. You can attack the same target twice or two separate targets. One attack must be ranged and one must be melee.

carbine sword gyro-jet (ranged vs Agi; +½ Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Take a moment to aim each shot.

decoys and illusions (ranged vs Per; target: distracted 1 turn): Draw fire to protect your allies or set up a flanking attack.

discreet (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

hoist and drop prey (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

Aeolyte Alchemist

A scientist (Perception), you wield elemental weapons and medicine. Example names: Foi Shin, Jade Firesky.

abilities

aeolyte vision (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

aeolyte wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

air rocket 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Per; -2 Crd): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

CP Value 91

optional abilities

chemical engineer (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

natural philosophy (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

scientific tradition (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

earth paste (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

fire fountain 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

metal lubricant 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

shadow venom 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Lingering effects of this attack hinder your opponent.

thunder cracker 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

water of life 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

wood glue 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

Behemoths are immense sauropod dinosaurs whose intelligence comes from a parasitic plant in their brains. The average behemoth is 12 meters (40 feet) long and weighs 6 tons. The parasite uses energy from the host animal's massive body, but it also uses the Behemoth's skin, especially the long tail and neck, to generate more energy through photosynthesis. Behemoths are one of the most intelligent species when they get enough sunlight to boost their brainpower.

The average behemoth is about 6 meters (20 feet) tall when standing upright, but behemoths are knuckle-walkers who use all four limbs when they need to move quickly. Male behemoths have a decorative row of short spikes running all the way from the tops of their heads to the ends of their tails. Color varies dramatically between different populations of behemoths. Some behemoths have uniform dull brown or indigo scales while others have reticulated patterns of bright colors.

Behemoths are extremely loud. With very low-pitched rumbling, rolling, droning, blasting voices, and chest slapping, foot stomping body language that drives away most wild animals by itself, Behemoths can even produce a thunderous sonic boom by whipping their tail.

Behemoths are often preoccupied with food, reflecting their mostly vegetarian diet and the challenge of fueling a six ton body. Behemoths use their long and powerful arms to wield large tools and weapons. Long necks and the ability to walk on two legs allow behemoths to see far, an important battlefield advantage. These natural defenses and sheer bulk make behemoths an ideal species for exploration and colonization; Predators and hindering vegetation cannot stop their trailblazing for long.

Behemoth Bushwhacker

The Bushwackers are merchant adventurers who have established pioneering space colonies. Example names: Orgraff, Lakkon Mapsmith.

abilities

behemoth tail whip (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

plant symbionts harvest solar energy (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

business savvy and negotiation (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

CP Value 112

optional abilities

behemoth thundering (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

slave and tail combo (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

slave bond 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

slave grip (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

slave shapeshifting 1 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

Yggdrasil parasite bioship affinity (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

Yggdrasil parasite sickness detection (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

Yggdrasil parasite energy reservoir 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

Behemoth Shock Trooper

Behemoths and gremians built impressive cities behemoths providing the brawn and gremians providing the brains. Behemoths prefer to work outside and on the surface to catch more sunlight. They are often construction workers, architects, guards, greeters or greenhouse keepers. Behemoth Shock Troopers armed with axes, mauls, mortars or guns form heavy artillery. You wear an armored spacesuit (Toughness) and use a maul for knocking down doors. Example names: Wallbane, Thundertail.

abilities

behemoth tail whip (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

heavy maul disintegrates obstacles 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

CP Value 120

optional abilities

aggressive conditioning (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

full circle swing 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Agi; -2 Crd): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

giant air rifle 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

space combat veteran (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

warning roar 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

behemoth thundering (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

Boreans are flightless, swimming avians who prefer cold and temperate marine environments. Although they can move well on land, boreans are also adapted for life in water. The stocky limbs and webbed hands and feet make them powerful swimmers, while their high nostrils allow boreans to breath with only the top of their heads above water. Boreans are carnivores, and although they do have beaks they also have many long sharp teeth which help them hold slippery prey.

The average borean is 3 meters (10 feet) tall and weighs 700 kg (1500 lbs.) Boreans are mostly covered in dark feathers with lighter plumage on the ventral surfaces (throat and belly) and above the eyes. Females tend to have lighter colors than males. Local borean populations have a variety of different skin and beak colors, but pale yellow and gray are common.

Boreans have a complex echolocation ability which allows them to "see" and accurately judge distance through fog, smoke, murky water and darkness, so these obstacles do little to impair them. This ability is also used to communicate. Boreans do not have to open their mouths to talk. Calling to each other over very large distances, their language is difficult to understand and impossible to pronounce by most other species. This communication barrier and advantage creates friction between boreans and other races, but boreans are sought after as scouts and "sounders." Borean sounders use their echolocation ability to help boats and aircraft avoid obstacles hidden by water, fog and clouds.

Borean Sounder

You are a privateer. You wear extreme altitude gear (Toughness.) Example names: Captain Cloudskinner, Marshall Longfall.

abilities

aeronaut (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

borean swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

spot hidden things with borean sonar (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 102

optional abilities

air pistol (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

bind prisoners with grappling hook 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

borean language barrier (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

grappling hook yanks target 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

keen sense of hearing (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

take control 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

Borean Big Game Hunter

You hunt giant reptiles. You sometimes use trained hunting animals. You pay your way by working as a pilot on spaceships. Example names: Glacierborn, Windchill.

abilities

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

borean swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

harpoon gun 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

master of harsh environments (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

CP Value 102

optional abilities

aeronaut (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

air rifle 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

borean language barrier (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

harpoon (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

stealth (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

tracking (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

Borean Chimeric Surgeon

A highly educated and quite mad scientist (Perception) , you practice the esoteric art of Chimeric Surgery. You work as a medic on spaceships to fund your travel and research. Example names: Doctor Chlorospine, Radaly Webbers.

abilities

borean swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

repair allies with chimeric modifications 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

scientist (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

CP Value 101

optional abilities

bone saw 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

borean language barrier (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

catch attacking limb (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

chains bind subject 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

ghoulish (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

repair biotechnology (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

splicer armor with built-in weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

splicing disciple 1 (specialty: all melee attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You disable enemies with wrestling techniques.

Gafflings are intelligent deinonychosaurs whose three-fingered hands have exceptional flexibility and opposable thumbs. Like ordinary deinonychosaurs, gafflings are feathered dinosaurs with long, stiff tails and two functional toes plus one very large, sickle shaped claw on each foot. Gafflings often live in large extended family groups with complex relationships. The average gaffling is 3 meters (10 feet) long, stands 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall and weighs 70 kg (150 lbs.) At least half of that length is the tail.

Gaffling plumage is short and darker on the back than the throat or belly. Most gafflings are tan or brown, and males tend to be a darker, reddish shade, but many gafflings have unusual colors or patterns, and some populations have lighter plumage which takes on pastel tints from pigments in the creatures they eat. Gaffling speech is full of simple, rapid clicks and growls.

Gafflings are found on many worlds, sometimes living as civilized beings, sometimes treated like clever service animals, and sometimes living like wild beasts. Gafflings also live in space, sometimes employed as guards, soldiers or pirates, and they can be capable combat pilots.

Gaffling Gladiator

Gaffling gladiators fight with their sickle claws while defending with dual shield sticks (Toughness.) You were sent into space as a test pilot. Example names: Pitclaw, Shortscar.

abilities

block and counter with shield sticks (melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

paired shield sticks and sickle claws 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 79

optional abilities

callous (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

tao rho defensive line (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

tao rho line breaker 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

tao rho teamwork 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

tao rho quarterstaff (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

Gaffling Shaman

Shamans coach gaffling gladiators. You were sent into space as a test pilot. Example names: Wise Thorn, Staff Shaker.

abilities

brawl with natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

lead fighters as trainer and coach 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

CP Value 72

optional abilities

bonesetter 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

tao rho defensive line (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

tao rho line breaker 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

tao rho teamwork 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

Gaffling Scout

You were trained to guard bases and fly scout craft. Spacesuits (Toughness) protect gaffling scouts when cheap life support systems fail. Example names: Swiftlight, Tracker Axwing.

abilities

fly spacecraft on dangerous missions (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

sniff out intruders, leaks, fumes and fire (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 82

optional abilities

constriction limb lock (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

constriction stranglehold (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

constriction zero-gravity martial arts (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

group hunting tactics 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

scavenger (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

Gremians are descended from gafflings, sharing their small size, light build and large forward-facing eyes. Symbiotic plants in the gremian brain make them very different from gafflings in other ways. These symbionts are derived from the symbiotic plants in behemoth brains.

The symbiotic plants give gremians large, bulbous heads which require an erect posture instead of a counter-balancing tail. Gremians are completely tailless. Their three-digit hands and feet have blunt nails instead of razor-sharp talons. Gremian snouts are very short and their rounded teeth are more suited to an omnivorous diet than pure carnivore.

Gremians have smooth pink, yellow, tan or gray skin with darker purple, brown or black markings. Female gremians tend to have a few patches of small dark spots while Male gremians have more extensive markings. Newborn gremians have sparse downy white feathers on their heads, but adult gremians are bald. The average gremian stands 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall and weighs 25 kg (55 lbs.)

Gremians use their brains, eyes, and manual dexterity instead of traditional natural weapons like claws and teeth. Of all the intelligent species they are often the most skilled with machines. Gremian language is complex with fast-paced songbird-like sounds synchronized with specific movements of the eyes, hands and head.

Gremian Troubleshooter

You are an independent investigator working with this crew to pay your way. Concealed body armor and gas mask doubles as a spacesuit (Toughness.) Example names: Scentwise Holmsen, Loster Steelworthy.

abilities

air pistol (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

collect rumors and connect facts (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

gather information through interviews (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

gremian night vision (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

CP Value 74

optional abilities

close range shot (range = Crd; ranged vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Target an enemy whose distance is no further than your Coordination in meters.

confuse enemies with verbal taunts (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

discreet (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

interrogation at gunpoint 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

keen observer and patient tracker (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

restraints for detainees 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

sanctioned (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

Gremian Clockmaker

You are a researcher (Perception) working with this crew to pay your way home. The Clockmakers are a secret society who study the origins of life. You defend yourself with a customized grappling hook (Power.) Example names: Hamel Screwtek, Aimsmith Wax.

abilities

climbing gear (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

expert on ancient history and technology (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

gremian night vision (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

reverse engineer and invent your own gadgets (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

CP Value 57

optional abilities

air pistol (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

archaeologist (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

business savvy (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

explorer (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

grappling hook 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

swing grapple around enemy defenses (melee vs Per; ignore grabbed penalty; +5 Crd; -½ Pwr): If you are grabbed when you use this attack, you get the +5 Coordination bonus for this ability and you also ignore the -5 Coordination penalty for being grabbed.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Gremian Chimeric Surgeon

A scientist (Perception), you use poison weapons (Power.) You are working as a medic. Chimeric surgeons usually have a chimera minion. Example names: Scarverson, Camingrass.

abilities

air rifle fires poison darts 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

gremian night vision (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

repair allies with chimeric modifications 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

scientist (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

CP Value 64

optional abilities

ghoulish (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

jab with poison dart 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Lingering effects of this attack hinder your opponent.

malpractice (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

repair biotechnology (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

Gygeans are stealthy carnivores that can rapidly change the color and pattern of their skin to match their surroundings. Gygeans can become invisible while mimicking their environment and holding still; use light and shadow to disguise their movement; or confuse opponents with dazzling animated patterns.

The average Gygean is 5 meters (17 feet) long and weighs 250 kg (550 lbs.) Gygean skin has a scaly texture but it is transparent so that the changing color of the living skin beneath shows through. They have many horns on their heads and a row of small horns running down their backs, but even the horns have color-changing tissue beneath the surface. Male Gygeans have two extra horns that are longer than the others.

Gygeans have improved their camouflage with local biotechnology. Shadow Stalkers are infected by parasitic plants. The Ghost Dragons incorporated cephalopod shapeshifter genes. Star Stalkers wear holographic swarms. The Progenitors use bioluminescent microbes. Gygeans rarely use clothes or equipment that interferes with this camouflage.

Gygeans have slow metabolisms and tend to live in warm climates. They are ambush hunters, wounding their target with a surprise attack, then waiting for bleeding and infection to finish it off. The slow metabolism keeps them from starving while they wait. Gygeans spend a lot of time basking and practicing not being seen, but they are also very social, living in larger colonies than hot-blooded predators can sustain. In warm weather they sleep out in the open but in cold weather they must find shelter and hibernate.

Gygeans communicate primarily through sign language that involves most of their body: frills, color changes, hand gestures and other body language. Any sound in gygean communication is considered extremely loud, and spoken words always have sharp, terse meanings.

Gygean Assassin

You are a commando Shadow Stalker. You wear invisibility skin bioarmor (Toughness) with razor sharp retractable claws designed by the Star Stalkers. This living suit reflexively changes its color and pattern to disguise your movement and break up your outline. Example names: Coldrock, Lazaro.

abilities

ambush from above (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

automatic bioarmor camouflage (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

built-in retractable claws 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 102

optional abilities

bioarmor sensors (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

callous (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

close range stealth killer 1 (specialty: all melee attacks vs Per; +1 Crd/rank): You specialize in outmaneuvering opponents.

deception and information gathering (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

gygean sprawling (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

gygean trickery (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

slash with claws while invisible (melee vs Per; -2 Crd; target: distracted 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): Sucker punch and run away to lead enemies away from allies or into a flanking trap.

stealth (effect): +5 bonus to the initiative check at the beginning of encounters.

Yggdrasil parasite bioship affinity (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

Yggdrasil parasite energy reservoir 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

Yggdrasil parasite plant empathy (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

Yggdrasil parasite sickness detection (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

Gygean Symbiotic Monk

The gygean Ghost Dragons are usually hunters and spies, but you were raised as a monk of the Symbiotic Order. You are a missionary of the Order. An alchemy metallic resonance magnetizing vaccine increases your sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (Perception) while a grounding vaccine defends you against synerga and other electrical attacks. Example names: Algaeus, Torbule.

abilities

electricity arcs through synerga staff's plasma channel 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Per; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Stun an opponent from a distance.

gygean camouflage (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

gygean climbing claws (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

sense hidden objects (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 95

optional abilities

alchemical waterproof infusion 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

alchemical wooden body vaccine 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

gygean sprawling (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

long thrust with synerga staff (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

metabolic synerga discharge 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

metabolic synerga purge 1 (1 use/rank; free action; you: not stunned): Use this ability on your turn to remove the stunned state from yourself. Because this is a free action, you can still perform a standard action, like attacking, in the same turn.

metabolic synerga reset 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

sense bioelectric fields (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

stealth (effect): +5 bonus to the initiative check at the beginning of encounters.

therapeutic synerga alignment (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

therapeutic synerga boost 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

gygean trickery (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

symbiotic collectivism (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

Gygean Spy

Many gygean Ghost Dragons are spies who combine their natural stealthiness with illusions and tradecraft. You are a diplomat. Alchemy earthbound vaccine helps you withstand and slither out of grappling attacks (Strength.) Alchemical illumination stimulant improves your alertness, mental defenses and resistance to the elements (Perception.) Example names: Fellshadow, Lightbane.

abilities

code breaker and political insider (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

gygean camouflage (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

gygean climbing claws (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

senses honed for stealth and surveillance (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 97

optional abilities

alchemical waterproof infusion 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

alchemical wooden body vaccine 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

deception and information gathering (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

decoys and illusions (ranged vs Per; target: distracted 1 turn): Draw fire to protect your allies or set up a flanking attack.

gygean sprawling (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

pistol dagger blade (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

pistol dagger gyro-jet (ranged vs Agi): Shoot from the hip.

gygean trickery (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

stealth (effect): +5 bonus to the initiative check at the beginning of encounters.

Leviathans are armored, swimming crocodilians. The average leviathan is 4 meters (13 feet) tall, 6 meters (20 feet) long and weighs 2.5 tons. They have dexterous five-fingered hands on short but relatively powerful arms. The tall double-row of scutes running down the neck, back and tail is significantly more developed in males. The darker scales on the back of a leviathan may be dark green, blue, purple or brown, with black spots. The lighter scales of a leviathan's throat and belly may be white, yellow, tan or pale green.

Leviathans live in coastal and wetland areas, avoiding cooler regions. They are aggressive and territorial carnivores, and they will eat their enemies, but their slow metabolisms don't require a large hunting territory.

Leviathans often live in large family and tribal groups. They have no trouble living near other intelligent species as long as their territory is respected. Leviathans often build homes in caves they carve from river banks.

Adapted to an amphibious lifestyle, Leviathans hear through both their ears and their jaws. They can hear and produce low pitched sounds below the hearing range of many other species. They hear better in water than out of water. Out of the water, Leviathans use body language for clarity. Leviathan conversation sounds like deep croaking, clicking and hooting sounds.

Leviathan Privateer

A space pirate, you are equipped with a spacesuit (Toughness) and a shapeshifting melee weapon called a slave (Coordination and Power.) Example names: Sunfoe, Snageltooth.

abilities

Drifter symbiont enhanced timing and direction sense (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

leviathan sculling tail 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

slave becomes different weapons to exploit weaknesses 1 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

slave resists removal 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 118

optional abilities

constriction zero-g grappling style (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

constriction hold with killer bite (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

Drifter symbiont bioship affinity (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

Drifter symbiont plant empathy (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

Drifter symbiont sickness detection (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

Drifter symbiont energy reservoir 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

leviathan aggression (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

ruthless (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

slave grips enemy weapon (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

Leviathan Interrogator

Interrogators are the enforcers and scouts. You were captured in a dispute and volunteered to test pilot in exchange for your freedom. Example names: Three Feathers, Blacksky Rainworm.

abilities

leviathan sculling tail 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

powerful bite and heavy tail 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

ropes secure detainees 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

torture and interrogation expert (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

CP Value 108

optional abilities

callous (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

command attention (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

leviathan aggression (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

menacing presence 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

relentless tracker (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

set ambush (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

sanctioned (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

stealth (effect): +5 bonus to the initiative check at the beginning of encounters.

Lyndwyrms are large, predatory theropod dinosaurs who evolved from the same ancestor species as skand. Some of these semi-intelligent ancestors were placed by the first Wardens. Living as primitive hunters, they evolved into massive predators that did not require a civilized temperament or hand tools.

The average lyndwyrm weighs 1 ton, stands 3 meters (10 feet) tall and is 5 meters (17 feet) long. They are shaped like typical carnivorous dinosaurs, except that the brain is enlarged and they have two massive brow-horns. Like many other theropods, lyndwyrm arms are much smaller than the legs, and the hands have three clawed fingers. However, lyndwyrm hands are built for using tools rather than powerful grasping and clawing.

The lyndwyrm neck and chest is covered by a shaggy mane, but most of the body is covered in shorter plumage. Lyndwyrm feathers are black, blue, white and silver, with more dark feathers on the mane and tail and more light feathers on the throat and chest. Female lyndwyrms are typically larger than males.

A lyndwyrm can attack effectively with its sharp teeth, horns, and the claws on its feet, but the horns can also be used for less lethal head-butting and grappling. Rival lyndwyrms often compete by locking horns and trying to throw each other off balance. Lyndwyrm language combines deep-pitched growls, groans, croaks, roaring and gesturing with the horns.

Lyndwyrm Warlord

You wear a grappling helmet and spiked shoulder armor (Toughness and Power.) You supplied and trained gaffling test pilots until you became a space explorer yourself. Example names: Hatemonger, Skull King.

abilities

battlefield strategy 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

lyndwyrm horn toss 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

lyndwyrm talon pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

weapons attached to armor and natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 110

optional abilities

callous (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

lyndwyrm savagery (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

tao rho defensive line (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

tao rho line breaker 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

tao rho teamwork 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

Lyndwyrm Armorer

A craftsman (Perception), you wear lamellar armor made from spider golem silk and steel (Toughness.) Now you have been selected to establish trade relations with other worlds. Example names: Rho Shu, Wu Tao.

abilities

good at repairing a variety of technology (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

lyndwyrm horn toss 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

lyndwyrm talon pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 117

optional abilities

lyndwyrm savagery (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

rifle lance blade (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

rifle lance gyro-jet 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

razor whip strangle (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

razor whip strike from behind (melee vs Per; ignore grabbed penalty; +5 Crd; -½ Pwr): If you are grabbed when you use this attack, you get the +5 Coordination bonus for this ability and you also ignore the -5 Coordination penalty for being grabbed.

Myrmidons are omnivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs with long head shields and a sword-like or mace-like weapon at the ends of their tails. Myrmidons are a rowdy bunch of natural fighters and frequently engage in brawls. Female myrmidon head shields are sometimes shorter and less elaborate than males.

The average myrmidon is 4 meters (13 feet) long, 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall and weighs 400 kg (900 lbs.) Myrmidons can be almost any hue. The scales are darkest along the spine and the midline ridge of the head shield, fading to paler scales along the throat, belly and bottom of the tail. Myrmidons also have dark stripes. A single color and stripe pattern often predominates in isolated populations.

Myrmidon languages are deep and monotone, with simple syllables combined with gestures of the head, hands and tail. They tend to move while speaking, strutting around and turning their heads from side to side. Myrmidon languages have both a belligerent or authoritative voice and an inferior or submissive voice.

Myrmidon Guardian

Guardians from the Symbiotic Order fight with natural weapons and synerga techniques which use their bioelectric fields (Agility, Perception and Strength.) You were sent as a missionary by a Symbiotic Order theocracy. Example names: Sapflow, Kripix.

abilities

myrmidon tail sword (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

synerga electrocution (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Disable opponent with a special attack.

CP Value 100

optional abilities

discharge synerga field 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

metabolic synerga discharge 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

metabolic synerga purge 1 (1 use/rank; free action; you: not stunned): Use this ability on your turn to remove the stunned state from yourself. Because this is a free action, you can still perform a standard action, like attacking, in the same turn.

metabolic synerga reset 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

myrmidon kangaroo kicks and head butting (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

myrmidon tail sweep (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

myrmidon roughhousing (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

symbiotic collectivism (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

syncrase defense (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

Myrmidon Slam Dancer

Slam dancing is a combat sport of many myrmidon communities. Example names: Hammerdrum, Spinscale.

abilities

acrobatic slam dancing (defense melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

myrmidon tail sword (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 100

optional abilities

acrobatic slam dancing kicks (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

hyver collectivism (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

myrmidon kangaroo kicks and head butting (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

myrmidon roughhousing (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

myrmidon tail sweep (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

tail whip around defenses (melee vs Per; ignore grabbed penalty; +5 Crd; -½ Pwr): If you are grabbed when you use this attack, you get the +5 Coordination bonus for this ability and you also ignore the -5 Coordination penalty for being grabbed.

slam dancing trainer medicine 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

Myrmidon Shock Trooper

You have an armored trench coat (Toughness) and air rifle. You are making your way as a mercenary. Example names: Handelstien, Barbringer.

abilities

air pistol (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

myrmidon tail sword (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 104

optional abilities

aggressive conditioning (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

air rifle 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

camaraderie (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

daredevil space warrior (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

force enemies to run for cover (ranged vs Agi; -5 Crd; counter any attack): Lay down a field of fire to keep your enemies from attacking. Prepare a second attack (ranged vs Agi). If an enemy attacks before your next turn, you can use this second attack against that enemy as an immediate reaction.

myrmidon kangaroo kicks and head butting (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

myrmidon roughhousing (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

myrmidon tail sweep (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

space combat veteran (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

Phages are long-tailed and leathery-winged intelligent pterosaurs. They live off of the blood of large animals. Phage venom prevents clotting, kills germs and numbs pain. This helps with feeding and it is also useful for healing livestock, phages and other animals. Phages are nocturnal, hiding by day in caves and other dark places. They have good night vision and can also track warm objects and creatures with their infrared-sensitive faces. Phage language is composed mostly of quiet cooing and murmurs, with some occasional hooting, screeching and howling.

The average phage has a mass of 15 kg (33 lbs), stands 1 meter (3 feet) tall and has a wingspan of 3 meters (10 feet.) Male phages have pronounced brow ridges, and female phage fangs stick out farther when their mouths are closed. Like all pterosaurs, phages are covered in fur-like pycnofibres. Phage pycnofibres form a dark brown, dark red or black coat over most of the body with lighter brown, reddish or deep red pycnofibres on the ventral surfaces (throat, chest, inner thighs and the bottoms of the wings and tail.)

There is prejudice against phages in some cultures. The subterranean phages on are are regarded as pests by surface dwellers. Members of the Symbiotic Order have used phages as a symbol of selfish "parasitic" living. The art of Chimeric Surgery practiced by many phages is also taboo to the Symbiotic Order.

Phage Privateer

A Collective Defense grappler from the Raincatcher culture of Yggdrassil, you wear a spacesuit infused with solar-powered algae (Toughness.) Example names: Captain Quoot, Aes Hookfist.

abilities

constriction zero-gravity grappling training (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

phage infrared sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

phage wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

spaceship piloting experience (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

CP Value 63

optional abilities

close quarters fighting 1 (specialty: all melee attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You disable enemies with wrestling techniques.

constriction limb lock (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

constriction stranglehold (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

phage blood-sucking 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

phage night life (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

ruthless (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

Yggdrasil parasite energy reservoir 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

Yggdrasil parasite plant empathy (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

Yggdrasil parasite sickness detection (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

Phage Surgeon

Chimeric surgeons from Radix are often accompanied by pet chimera. You came to L4 working as a medic on spaceships to fund your travel and research (Perception.) You use splicing martial arts and bladed armor (Toughness and Power.) Example names: Doctor Xellirks, Sir Bludsmith.

abilities

anaesthetic venom and chimeric surgery 2 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

blades built into armor 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

phage infrared sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

phage wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 82

optional abilities

mad scientist (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

phage blood-sucking 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

phage night life (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

repair biotechnology (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

splicer blades sever limbs 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

splicer chains bind quarry 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

splicing specialist 1 (specialty: all melee attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You disable enemies with wrestling techniques.

trap and cut attacking limb (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

Phage Golem Master

The Golem Masters of breed and train spider-like creatures called golems, and they are usually accompanied by a golem minion. You are a creature breeder protected by tiny symbiotic nano golems. You have been studying bioengineering techniques from different worlds. Example names: Professor Falkner, Vlad Fiacre.

abilities

phage wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

phage infrared sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

parasitic mites form a defensive, blinding smokescreen 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

modify spacecraft with Golem Master biotechnology (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

CP Value 59

optional abilities

bioship drones (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

phage blood-sucking 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

seeking drones (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

stinging mites 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

painkilling venom (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

intoxicating venom (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

phage night life (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Skand are small predatory dinosaurs related to lyndwyrms. The ancient Wardens brought the common ancestor species of skand and lyndwyrms. While lyndwyrms evolved great size and long horns, skand developed a symbiotic relationship with plant symbionts from the brains of Behemoths. These parasites limit skand growth but increase their mental abilities.

The average skand is 1.6 meters (5 feet) tall and weighs 50 kg (110 lbs.) They have a mostly upright posture, usually walking on their heels, but skand also have a tail which helps them turn quickly and balance while climbing. Male skand have powerful arms, useful for grappling competition with other males or acrobatic displays to impress rivals and potential mates.

A thick mass of stiff, hair-like feathers insulates the head. These feathers are usually blue, but sometimes black, white or silver. The rest of the body is mostly smooth with patches of small scales or short feathers. This bare skin is usually a light brown color with black spots.

Skand language tends to be subtle, complex sounding, and somewhat high pitched. Skand are quite bodily animated when speaking.

Skand Clone Soldier

A bioengineered warrior, you are protected by standard body armor (Toughness,) conditioned combat reflexes (Agility, Perception and Strength) and a versatile biocannon which fires a variety of projectiles from different barrels (Coordination and Power.) Example names: 992, U1150.

abilities

skand acrobatics (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

biocannon burst 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Agi; double Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Sacrifice defense to fire repeatedly.

biocannon suppressive fire (ranged vs Agi; -5 Crd; counter any attack): Lay down a field of fire to keep your enemies from attacking. Prepare a second attack (ranged vs Agi). If an enemy attacks before your next turn, you can use this second attack against that enemy as an immediate reaction.

biocannon spray and pray 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

CP Value 106

optional abilities

biocannon specialist 1 (specialty: all ranged attacks vs Agi; +1 Crd/rank): You overwhelm opponents with a barrage of projectiles.

daredevil space warrior (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

fire from a strategic position (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

space combat veteran (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

camaraderie (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

callous (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

Skand Investigator

A detective, you avoid attacks by thinking on your feet (Perception.) Example names: Detective Minefall, Investigator Ronzer.

abilities

skand acrobatics (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

shoot from the hip with air pistol (ranged vs Agi): Shoot from the hip.

interrogation at gunpoint 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

interview and collect information (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

CP Value 81

optional abilities

shoot from cover with air pistol (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

keen observer and patient tracker (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

confuse enemies with verbal taunts (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

restraints for detainees 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

sanctioned (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

discreet (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

Skand Imperial Privateer

You are a space pirate with zero-gravity swashbuckling reflexes (Agility and Coordination.) Example names: Lay Hung, Fut Sing.

abilities

skand acrobatics (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

Shangdanese carbine sword 1 (1 use/rank; 2 attacks; melee and ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Use this as both a melee and ranged weapon. You can attack the same target twice or two separate targets. One attack must be ranged and one must be melee.

expert shot with spacecraft cannons (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

daredevil space warrior (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

CP Value 90

optional abilities

acrobatic fighting style (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

carbine sword gyro-jet (ranged vs Agi; +½ Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Take a moment to aim each shot.

fire from a strategic position (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

shooting in sword fights (range = Crd; ranged vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Target an enemy whose distance is no further than your Coordination in meters.

deceptive flourish 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; +5 Crd): A deceptive movement draws their attention from your real attack.

parrying blade (melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

ruthless (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Strix are flightless, primitive birds with short necks and raptorial hooked beaks. Each hand and foot has three long fingers or toes with very sharp claws. Strix plumage is brown with black and white stripes. Male strix have larger eyebrow ridges adorned with long drooping feathers. The beak and claws are brown or gray darkening to black at the tips and edges. Strix are lightly built predators with ferocious natural weapons and the ability to wield weapons with their strong hands and opposable fingers. Often nocturnal hunters, strix have large eyes, good night vision, and excellent directional hearing. The average strix is 2 meters (7 feet) tall and weighs 150 kg (330 lbs.)

Strix can easily recognize and mimic animal calls and the languages of other intelligent species. Strix languages on the other hand tend to be extremely complex and almost impossible to understand by other intelligent species. Their natural language talent makes them particularly valuable when trained as interpreters, allowing strix-centered cultures to maintain larger, more loosely connected civilizations. They are also naturally good animal trainers and teachers of other intelligent species.

Strix Ghoul Slayer

Ghoul Slayers are monster hunters. They use the splicing system of martial arts and the sneaky illusions. You travel as an interpreter for explorers . Example names: Skratchus, Foeshadow.

abilities

strix vision, hearing and pattern recognition (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

strix translator (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

splicer hooks catch attacks (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

Blackbird Clan terrifying aural illusions 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

CP Value 100

optional abilities

Blackbird Clan ventriloquism sets up ambush (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

splicer armor with built-in weapons 2 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

splicer blades sever limbs 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

splicer chains bind quarry 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Strix Linguist

You have worked as an interpreter for many employers. Example names: Athorbane, Squidbeak.

abilities

strix vision, hearing and pattern recognition (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

strix translator (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

expert on ancient languages and secret codes (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

long, sharp talons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 90

optional abilities

air pistol (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

interrogation at gunpoint 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

provoking taunts (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

Strix Golem Master

The Golem Masters breed and train spider-like creatures called golems, and they are usually accompanied by a golem minion. You are a creature trainer protected by expendable small flying golem drones. You have been studying golem wrangling techniques. Example names: Praxifinger, Fowleyes.

abilities

strix vision, hearing and pattern recognition (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

strix translator (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

defend ship with golem drones (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

indirect attack with a golem drone (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

CP Value 91

optional abilities

biomechanical engineer (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

coordinate a swarming attack with allies 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

sonic amplifier 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Per; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Stun an opponent from a distance.

stinging drone swarm 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

Stygians are flightless pterosaurs and great swimmers, living in and near bodies of freshwater. The wings are reduced to webbing between the arms and body, and the hands and feet are webbed for paddling and crawling on soft mud. A long, flexible tail ends an enlarged vane which acts a rudder or paddle. The stygian head has a flattened bill-like snout and a fin-shaped crest which is larger in males than females.

Like other pterosaurs, stygians are covered in fur-like pycnofibres. Stygian pycnofibres form a sleek coat of iridescent green or brown with dark spots or stripes. Stygian skin, beaks and claws come in many colors that vary between populations, but pink, yellow and brown are common. The average stygian is 2 meters (7 feet) tall, 3 meters (10 feet) long and weighs 100 kg (220 lbs.)

The stygian snout is packed with electrical sensors which can be used to navigate tight spaces and locate small prey. Stygians are natural craftsmen and architects, living in or near the bridges and dams that they build. Stygian social life is based on building and maintaining physical structures, so they get hostile with those who don't respect these structures. Stygian languages reflect this passion with constant references to building, design and structure. To other species, the stygian voice sounds like croaking, clicking and hooting sounds.

Ancient stygian Golem Masters developed technologies based on their natural ability to sense and generate electrical fields. Spacefaring stygians including missionaries of the Symbiotic Order.

Stygian Priest

Agents of the Symbiotic Order receive special synerga sense and awareness training (Perception.) Each agent wields a stiff, conductive synerga whip with a plasma channel that provides a beam mode for ranged attacks. Example names: Phronsi, Lyzophan.

abilities

stygian swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

stygian electrical sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

synerga whip plasma channel 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Per; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Stun an opponent from a distance.

CP Value 80

optional abilities

discharge synerga field 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

measure electric field strength (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

metabolic synerga purge 1 (1 use/rank; free action; you: not stunned): Use this ability on your turn to remove the stunned state from yourself. Because this is a free action, you can still perform a standard action, like attacking, in the same turn.

metabolic synerga discharge 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

metabolic synerga reset 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

stygian electrocution (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Disable opponent with a special attack.

syncrase defense (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

syncrase redirection (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

therapeutic synerga alignment (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

therapeutic synerga boost 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

stygian structuralism (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

symbiotic collectivism (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

Stygian Privateer

You are a warrior monk. You are trained in the constriction zero-gravity grappling style and some synerga hibernation techniques inherited from the Symbiotic Order. Example names: Captain Grapeshot, One Eye Hucksabre.

abilities

stygian swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

stygian electrical sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

constriction zero-gravity grappling training (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

spaceship piloting experience (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

CP Value 82

optional abilities

close quarters fighting 1 (specialty: all melee attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You disable enemies with wrestling techniques.

constriction limb lock (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

constriction stranglehold (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

Sleeper symbionts and synerga metabolic techniques (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

Sleeper symbiont energy reservoir 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

stygian electrocution (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Disable opponent with a special attack.

stygian structuralism (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

ruthless (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Stygian Golem Master

The Golem Masters of breed and train spider-like creatures called golems, and they are usually accompanied by a golem minion. You wear a suit of living bioarmor which augments your natural electrical field. Example names: Sylester, Thownian.

abilities

stygian swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

stygian electrical sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

ball lightning 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Per; -2 Crd): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

biomechanical engineer (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

CP Value 86

optional abilities

electric arcs make the target twitch (ranged vs Str; hit: stunned 1 turn): Momentarily disable the target from a distance.

stygian electrocution (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Disable opponent with a special attack.

bioship drones (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

seeking drones (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

stygian structuralism (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

Titans are huge, armored herbivores related to ankylosaurs. Like myrmidons, titans were created to serve as Guardians. On average titans are 1.5 tons, 5 meters (17 feet) tall and 6 meters (20 feet) long. Besides massive bone scutes and a thick hide, titans also have a sturdy tail with a formidable mace on the end. Titans are covered in brown, red, orange and yellow scales, with the darker scales on the armored back. The pattern and amount of each color varies between individuals and populations. Male and female titans look similar, but can be distinguished by their scent, calls and gestures. All titans have low and growling voices.

Titan Guardian

You are a warrior monk from the Symbiotic Order, using the syncrase fighting style which combines synerga electrical attacks and conventional martial arts. Example names: Locust, Five Star Crane.

abilities

titan tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

titan shoulder spikes (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

powerful discharge burns enemy 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

metabolic synerga fast (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

CP Value 120

optional abilities

discharge synerga field 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

measure electric field strength (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

metabolic synerga purge 1 (1 use/rank; free action; you: not stunned): Use this ability on your turn to remove the stunned state from yourself. Because this is a free action, you can still perform a standard action, like attacking, in the same turn.

metabolic synerga discharge 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

metabolic synerga reset 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

sense electric fields (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

syncrase defense (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

syncrase redirection (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

titan formidability (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

symbiotic collectivism (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

Titan Bounty Hunter

You are a hired gun who wears spider golem silk lamellar armor (Toughness.) Your mortar axe fires elemental ammunition designed by alchemists. After pulling some strings to follow a fugitive all the way into deep space, you have been working for new clients. Example names: Wing Sao, Rings Fabron.

abilities

titan tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

titan shoulder spikes (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

mortar axe chops and fires shells 1 (1 use/rank; 2 attacks; melee and ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Use this as both a melee and ranged weapon. You can attack the same target twice or two separate targets. One attack must be ranged and one must be melee.

patient and attentive tracker (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 123

optional abilities

mortar axe blade 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

metal frag shell 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Per; -2 Crd): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

sticky earth trap 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

thunderclap stun grenade 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

interview, interrogate and collect information (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

restraints for detainees 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

titan formidability (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

sanctioned (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

callous (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

discreet (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

Titan Bodyguard

You are a Tao Rho sport fighter who has become a spacefaring emissary. You wield a massive 3-handed machete (Power.) Example names: Gao Choy, Rex Megafist.

abilities

titan tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

titan shoulder spikes (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

shield allies (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

protect client in space battles (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

CP Value 124

optional abilities

rushing decapitation 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

tao rho teamwork 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

titan formidability (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

professional commitment (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

A broad range of trained animals and bioengineered creatures can be found. These extra templates help round out a party of player characters.

Chimera Bodyguard

Chimera are creatures engineered by chimeric surgeons. This chimera is a ruthless killing-machine whose body has been overhauled with parts from golems and intelligent reptiles, including their armor. A parasitic infection suppresses organ rejection and provides unnatural tolerance to poison and disease. Example names: Hex, Homer.

abilities

tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

grafted weapons 2 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

hold off enemies with biocannon (ranged vs Agi; -5 Crd; counter any attack): Lay down a field of fire to keep your enemies from attacking. Prepare a second attack (ranged vs Agi). If an enemy attacks before your next turn, you can use this second attack against that enemy as an immediate reaction.

many-limbed frenzy 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Agi; -2 Crd): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

Value 88

optional abilities

extra limbs (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

experimental features 1 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

backup organs 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

biocannon burst 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Agi; double Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Sacrifice defense to fire repeatedly.

biocannon volley 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

ghoulish (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

professional commitment (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

Hunting Pterosaur

This small, leathery-winged, flying reptile was bred for falconry. Example names: Pali, Captain Flint.

abilities

sharp vision of an aerial hunter (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

leathery wings 2 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

nip (melee vs Per; -2 Crd; target: distracted 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): Sucker punch and run away to lead enemies away from allies or into a flanking trap.

sharp teeth 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 24

Ornithomimid Mount

This fast two-legged dinosaur was bred as a swift mount for intelligent species. Example names: Joust, Camelus.

abilities

claws, beak, kicking with long legs 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

saddle for one small rider 1 (effect; 1 rider/rank; riders have cover if you are healthy): When you use a map, riders move with you, but they must end their turn in spaces you occupy. When you are targeted by an attack which has multiple targets, your riders can be targeted without counting toward the maximum number of targets. For example, if you have two riders and your enemy uses an attack which normally has three targets, the attack can target you, your riders and two other targets.

self-sufficient foraging (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

CP Value 72

optional abilities

run and swipe with claws or rider's melee weapons 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

Pterosaur Mount

This large, leathery-winged reptile has been bred as a flying mount for intelligent species. Example names: Thunderbird, Xander.

abilities

sharp vision of an aerial scavenger (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

harness for one lightweight rider 1 (effect; 1 rider/rank; riders have cover if you are healthy): When you use a map, riders move with you, but they must end their turn in spaces you occupy. When you are targeted by an attack which has multiple targets, your riders can be targeted without counting toward the maximum number of targets. For example, if you have two riders and your enemy uses an attack which normally has three targets, the attack can target you, your riders and two other targets.

leathery wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

beak and wing strikes 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 65

optional abilities

outreach with long beak and wings (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

drop small target or tackle large one (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

Shapeshifter

Shapeshifters are intelligent cephalopods which change color, texture and shape to mimic objects and creatures. Shapeshifters were bioengineered by the ancient Progenitors to operate for long periods out of water. Example names: Dradiux, Ursulus 571.

abilities

slither along quickly even in a prone position (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

breathe water, even with low oxygen content 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

slippery and flexible (action; while grabbed; you: not grabbed): Release yourself from a grab without making a check.

catch opponent off guard with shapeshifting ambush (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

CP Value 85

optional abilities

slip tentacle around neck (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

many tentacles make scaling obstacles easy (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

tentacles yank away weapons (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

menacing new form 1 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

tentacles aid maneuvering in low gravity (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

discreet (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

Spinner Golem

Spinner golems are spider-like creatures engineered by the Golem Masters of Radix, and highly valued by the Shangdan Empire on Peleg. They spin cables of extremely strong spider silk. Golem skin is a hard segmented cuticle of calcified chitin with a fused carapace protecting the combined head and chest. Golems are bred and conditioned to perform many complex tasks with limited self-awareness and emotions. Example names: Jorogumo, Princess.

abilities

swing around on web and crawl up walls (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

convert flesh into liquid biofuel 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

cocoon targets in webbing 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

CP Value 89

optional abilities

spin and throw webbing in self defense 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

Theropod Tracker

This small, two-legged, carnivorous dinosaur was bred to hunt with intelligent species. Example names: Old Red, Spike.

abilities

amazing sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

bite and pin (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

pack hunting instinct (melee vs Per; -2 Crd; target: distracted 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): Sucker punch and run away to lead enemies away from allies or into a flanking trap.

teeth and claws 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 28

optional abilities

loyal companion (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

vicious (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

Triceratops Mount

This four-legged, horned dinosaur was bred as an enormous mount for intelligent species. Example names: Battleram, Symba.

abilities

sharp horns and beak 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

spiked head shield (melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

carry a few medium sized riders 4 (effect; 1 rider/rank; riders have cover if you are healthy): When you use a map, riders move with you, but they must end their turn in spaces you occupy. When you are targeted by an attack which has multiple targets, your riders can be targeted without counting toward the maximum number of targets. For example, if you have two riders and your enemy uses an attack which normally has three targets, the attack can target you, your riders and two other targets.

horn toss (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

CP Value 108

When you create a character and between missions, you can spend AP on abilities or attributes, or save AP for events and encounters. You can also decrease attributes and remove abilities to get AP when retraining your character.

The CP value of an attribute or ability is the amount of AP it costs. For example, to increase Power from 2d6 (20 CP) to 2d6+1 (23 CP) you must spend the difference in Action Points (3 AP.)

Update your CP Value as you add and remove attributes and abilities. This will make it easier to reset your AP between missions, when you get back the AP you spent during events and encounters.

Each unranked ability is worth 1 CP. The CP value of a ranked ability is equal to your current rank. The minimum rank is 1.

You can add abilities from your template's optional abilities list, and from your template's default abilities if you have removed any of those. For example, if you want to replace a default ability with an optional one, you can remove the default ability and then add the optional ability.

You don't need many abilities or ability ranks. Buy only the abilities and ability ranks you need, and use your Action Points for attributes or save them for events and encounters. Some abilities have a maximum number of ranks (combat specialties, fixed weapons and regeneration.) If an ability can be used once per rank, keep in mind that you will only have a few turns to use the ability in each encounter.

Chimeric Surgery (borean chimeric surgeon, gremian chimeric surgeon, phage surgeon, strix ghoul slayer) is an ad-hoc, bespoke approach to bioengineering spread by the Wardens. Chimera can start out as normal specimens of any species, gradually accumulating surgical modifications and transplanted organs, or they might be the product of some tragic accident or horrific experiment. Surgeons may become chimera themselves to enhance their abilities or after sustaining crippling injuries.

Chimera may have an enhanced frame and metabolism, or extra limbs, natural weapons and armor. Surgeons use drugs and parasites to prevent chimera from rejecting grafted components. Chimera may have prominent scarring where heavy parts have been attached with sturdy sutures, or a skilled surgeon may have fused the tissues with no visible scars. Chimera are often asymmetrical, although experienced surgeons try to create gracefully balanced chimera.

Intelligent chimera are haunted by the incongruities of their bodies and the interruption of their physical integrity. A chimera may be horrified by what she has become, or feel only partially alive and undergo more surgical modifications, endlessly searching for a body that is completely her own.

Golem Masters (phage golem master, strix golem master, stygian golem master) use engineered organisms as living machines, including golem laborers, wearable bioarmor, and bioship space vehicles. Combining several biomechanical devices with his own abilities, the Golem Master becomes something greater than himself.

Golems and members of the Golem Master culture may be more likely to take risks, seeing themselves as an expendable member of a collective, and sublimating their individual identity. Armor or masks may also conceal their identity to strangers.

Alchemy (aeolyte alchemist, lyndwyrm armorer) is a scientific tradition emphasizing chemistry, medicine, biology and environmental science. The institutions of alchemy were established to promote commerce, quality of life and primitive space exploration. Alchemists pursue balance and optimization. Alchemists and their patients are often individualists, perfectionists or stoics striving for moderation and self-sufficiency.

Alchemical weapons include poisons, corrosives, adhesives, combustibles and lubricants, delivered as thrown flasks, specially prepared grenades, concealable bombs, modified projectiles, rockets, mortars and improvised inventions. Alchemists can also use potions in a carefully planned, balanced strategy designed to enhance natural abilities. Some potions contain symbiotic microbes and parasites. Others modify the patient's tissues when absorbed through the skin.

Synerga (gygean symbiotic monk, myrmidon guardian, stygian priest, titan guardian) is a technique for manipulating electrical fields using the practitioner's body as a central component. It was developed long ago by stygian Golem Masters who founded the monastic Symbiotic Order.

Symbiotic monks often wear special clothing or use equipment to magnify their synerga abilities. They may take special potions or have tattoos infused with special substances that modify body chemistry and electrical conduction. Some even use symbionts and surgical modifications.

Conductive synerga weapons extend the reach of synerga techniques. Synerga whips are stiff crops or rods. Synerga staffs are longer two-handed poles. Some synerga whips and staffs can collapse into a shorter, concealable form. Others conceal flexible cables or joints and can split into two, three or more articulated sections. Synerga staffs or whips can be equipped with paired lasers that ionize air, forming conductive plasma channels which can be used as a circuit to fire bolts of electricity.

Advanced synerga also requires cooperation, sensitivity and dedication. Practitioners must have a cool head and typically have a temperate or peaceful personality. Some follow this path to escape a violent past or compensate for their naturally volatile tendencies.

Parasitism (behemoth bushwhacker, gygean assassin, leviathan privateer, phage privateer, stygian privateer.) Some are hosts to parasites that cause mutations and alter their metabolisms. Behemoths, gremians and skand also host these parasites regardless of where they are from. They are usually bald and scaly.

Parasites can enhance strength, speed, reflexes and healing abilities, but they consume additional resources and can adversely affect the host's immune system. Parasites also affect the brain, senses, perceptions, personality and thoughts of their hosts. Hosts become more aware of the health and needs of organisms, friend or foe.

The CP value of any defense attribute (Agility, Perception or Strength) is equal to its rank.

The maximum rank for each defense attribute is your template's rank plus 7. So, if your template has 12 Agility, the maximum Agility rank you can buy is 19.

Defenses can be improved by practicing skills. Acrobatic training improves Agility. Honing one of your expertise abilities can increase Perception. Grappling practice can improve Strength.

Explorers (behemoth bushwhacker, borean big game hunter, borean sounder, gremian clockmaker, gaffling scout) often have extra Perception for navigating strange places or Strength to endure exotic environments.

Investigators (gremian troubleshooter, leviathan interrogator, skand investigator, strix linguist, titan bounty hunter) need to be keen, alert, streetwise and insightful so they have high Perception.

Soldiers (behemoth shock trooper, myrmidon shock trooper, skand clone soldier, skand imperial privateer) are conditioned or bioengineered with exceptional Agility to maneuver in battle and Strength to scale obstacles in heavy combat gear.

Spies (aeolyte spy, gygean assassin, gygean spy) can use high Agility to slip into and out of places they aren't supposed to be or high Perception to make observations and spot threats.

Each rank of Coordination is worth 3 CP.

You cannot get another rank of Coordination if that would make your Coordination greater than your template’s Coordination plus 7. For example, if your template’s Coordination is 2, then your Coordination cannot be higher than 9.

Coordination can be improved by martial arts training and target practice. Weapon modifications like an enhanced grip, stock, sights, barrel or scope can also improve Coordination. Depending on your needs and tactics a shorter or longer, lighter or heavier weapon might work better.

Tao Rho is a striking sport from.

Constriction is a grappling system focused on techniques that can be used in zero gravity

Slam Dancing is a fighting style practiced by myrmidons which involves lots of acrobatics and high kicking.

Syncrase is a defense art associated with Synerga which employs health exercises, staff sparring, evasive footwork and stand up grappling.

Splicing is a Warden art of self-defense, studied by Chimeric Surgeons preparing to hunt down and dispose of rogue chimera. The essential principle of splicing is to cut off any part of the opponent's body that is coming at you. Splicing Focuses on sharp, short weapons, counter attacks, limb destruction and defensive footwork.

Splicing gets its name from surgeons who used it to gather body parts for building chimera. Historians believe splicing originated from an ancient bloodsport, where unarmed strix would fight larger animals, using their talons to carve away at the larger creature's limbs until it was slowed enough for the strix to land a fatal blow. As other species embraced these techniques they compensated for their lack of strix talons with sharp short weapons such as cleavers, daggers and axes. This in turn influenced strix technique, so the ancient boxing style evolved into the fencing style practiced today.

Splicing uses horns, hooks, and spikes attached to body armor, as well as extremely sharp short swords, broad swords, axes, sickles, natural weapons and other sharp tools to cut apart attacking opponents. Splicing also involves some joint manipulation, sometimes breaking arms or fingers to position the target for dismemberment. Splicers train in heavy sparring armor using wooden weapons shaped like their real metal weapons, attempting to hit oncoming limbs with direct strikes or occasionally forcing submission by joint lock.

Use the following formulas or the table above to find the CP value of Toughness. At Toughness 40 and higher one AP will buy multiple ranks of Toughness. For example, every 2 ranks of Toughness between 40 and 100 are worth 1 CP, so increasing your Toughness from 40 to 50 (10 ranks) is worth 5 CP and costs 5 AP.

You cannot acquire more than triple the Toughness of your template. If your template has 22 Toughness, the maximum Toughness rank you can buy is 66.

When you increase your toughness, increase your Hit Points by the same amount. When you lower your toughness below your current Hit Points, lower your Hit Points to your new toughness.

Characters can increase their Toughness by improving their endurance and resilience or acquiring new armor, like a protective spacesuit, spider silk jacket, lamellar armor with titanium or ceramic plates stitched together with spider silk, a lightweight flexible bioarmor skin or a rigid bioarmor carapace.

If a character's template is unarmored or lightly armored, they won't acquire heavy armor because it would interfere with their more subtle techniques. An investigator might wear concealed body armor, but a bulky carapace would get in the way.

Sport fighters (gaffling gladiator, gaffling shaman, lyndwyrm warlord, myrmidon slam dancer, titan bodyguard) often have extra Toughness from their conditioning and sometimes wear protective gear, like horned grappling helmets, spiked shoulder armor and shield sticks.

Bioarmor symbionts are wearable living machines which can give characters extra Strength by adding mass and muscles. They can add Agility in the form of powerful leaps, super speed or jet propulsion. Bioarmor can increase Perception with enhanced senses, radio communication, or by having its own brainpower.

Some bioarmor features are based on their wearer's natural defenses. Strix golem masters have designed bioarmor with voice modulation, transmuting their voice into a painful, nauseating, directed pulse of sound. Stygian golem masters have designed bioarmor which adds range to their natural electrocution ability. Naturally occuring phage parasites have been engineered by Golem Masters for use as a blinding smokescreen. Phage golem masters use their numbing anticoagulant venom as medicine or use it to make others vulnerable to suggestion. The venom can be injected, mixed with food or sprayed as an aerosol.

Characters can increase their Power by acquiring more powerful weapons, executing quicker combos, shooting faster or hitting more precise targets.

Use the following formulas or the table above to find the CP value of Power. For example, increasing your Power from 1d6 to 1d6+1 costs 6 AP, but increasing your Power from 2d6 to 2d6+1 only costs 3 AP.

You cannot have more than double your template's Power, rounded to the nearest die. In other words double your template's power dice and then add 1d6 if your template has any Power pips. If your template has 2d6+1 Power, then you cannot buy more than 5d6 Power.

Air guns have modest Power but they are relatively quiet. Air pistols are silent sidearms that won't reveal your location. Air rifles allow you to get some distance from your enemies and fire from hiding.

Gyro-jet firearms have more Power and a built-in melee blade. Mortar axes fire a variety of elemental warheads, such as metal frag shells, sticky earth traps or thunderclap stun grenades.

Biocannons are living weapons which grow their own ammunition stacked in multiple barrels. Though less precise at long range, at medium range, the combined Power of larger and smaller projectiles fired in volleys or bursts is substantial.

Razor whips are made from industrial strength spider silk cord used in space elevators.

Slaves are shapeshifting melee weapons which can form hard striking surfaces and sharp blades.

If you do not spend your whole CP Budget on attributes and abilities, the unspent CP become your Action Points (AP.) You can spend AP during events and encounters, or you can spend them on training and upgrades that increase your CP value. Each time you begin a new mission, your Action Points are reset to your CP Budget minus your CP value. This gives you back all the AP you spent during the events and encounters of the previous mission.

Whenever the GM gives you an Action Point, your CP Budget also goes up by one point. For example, if your CP Budget was 122, and the GM awarded you 2 new Action Points, your CP budget would now be 124.

You must use 1 Action Point to use an ability for an event check if the ability is not one of the event's recommended types of expertise. If you do not have an ability with a recommended expertise type, and you have no remaining Action Points, or you do not want to use the Action Point, you can still make the check without using an ability.

You can use 5 Action Points after making any check (including attack rolls and event checks) to re-roll the check. You can use the original roll or the new roll, whichever is better.

After rolling for any check you can use up to 5 Action Points to add a +1 modifier to the check for each Action Point used.

After learning that an attack against you was successful, but before you subtract Hit Points or apply other effects of the attack, you can use 5 Action Points to make the player or GM who rolled the attack check roll a second time and use whichever result is lower. You can only do this once per attack. You cannot do this if the attack was automatically successful.

You can use 10 Action Points to recover 1d6 Hit Points. Use this when you are dying or when recovering a few Hit Points would remove the injured state and its -5 Coordination penalty.

Abilities are advantages which some characters have and others do not. Abilities reflect a character's equipment and anatomy as well as learned skills. For example, some characters have one attack ability for each weapon they use. Others specialize in one weapon and have separate abilities for different techniques with that weapon. Some characters have no attack abilities, relying on basic actions like strike, distract and grab in combat.

Some abilities have a rank, which must be at least 1. More ranks can change how the ability works, increase the ability's effect or determine the number of times it can be used in an encounter. Some abilities have a maximum rank, but others can have unlimited ranks.

Attack abilities have the keyword ranged or melee, depending on whether they attack from a distance or require direct contact, followed by "vs" and which of the target's defense attributes is the difficulty of the attack roll (Agi, Per or Str.) "Ranged vs Per" means a long distance attack whose difficulty is the target's Perception. Using an attack ability is a standard action. Some attack abilities also allow you to do a second attack or prepare a counter attack. Most attacks target one character at a time, but some can hit multiple targets. By default, attacks cause your Power in damage if the attack check is successful, but some attacks have more or less Power.

Specialty abilities compensate for the limited versatility of characters who specialize in one type of attack, like melee attacks vs Strength or ranged attacks vs Intelligence. They are most effective when you only have one specialty, but two specialties can also work. Each rank gives you a +1 Coordination bonus to the specific attack type. You cannot have more than 2 ranks of any combat specialty.

Expertise abilities are used in events rather than encounters. Events are non-combat situations or fighting on a larger scale than the personal combat of encounters. Battles between vehicles are events. Battles between characters when a vehicle is boarded are encounters. Each expertise ability applies to an area of expertise (detection, gunner, influence, knowledge, mechanic, pilot or survival) listed after the keyword "expertise." An expertise ability gives a +5 bonus to an event check.

A persona is also an ability that is used in events rather than encounters. A persona reflects advantages gained from social skills, status, personal values, reputation or charismatic talent. Though some may have more than one persona ability, only one persona ability can be used per event check. A persona gives a +2 bonus to an event check.

The rules for using each ability are summarized by keywords in parentheses after the ability name. The description following the keywords may have additional rules or explanation about how the ability works.

action: this is a standard action, but it is not an attack

2 attacks: attack the same target twice or two targets as a single action

-5, -2, +0, +2 or +5 Crd: add this Coordination modifier to your attack check

effect: this ability has a passive effect; it is not an action

environment: this ability cannot be used unless the encounter allows it

expertise this ability is used in events rather than encounters, +5 to appropriate event checks.

free action: use this ability on your turn before or after your standard action

hit: this effect applies to the target(s) if the attack succeeds

melee: standard action, close range attack, requires physical contact with target

move slow: You can only use this ability while moving slowly. If you have already moved at normal speed, you cannot use this ability for the rest of your turn. If you have already used this ability, you cannot move at normal speed on this turn.

move 1/rank: When you use this ability you can move extra distance equal to the rank of this ability in meters. If you are moving slowly the extra distance is halved.

no map: This effect does not apply if you are using a map to represent the locations of characters.

not: this ability makes it impossible for the character to have another specific ability.

permanently: this effect lasts until something removes it or you are no longer threatened by enemies, such as the end of a successful encounter.

persona: this ability is used in events rather than encounters, +2 to appropriate event checks.

-½ Pwr: halve the damage of this attack.

+½ Pwr: increase the damage of this attack by half.

double Pwr: double the damage if the attack succeeds

range: attacks a target up to this many meters away

ranged: standard action, long range attack, does not require physical contact

reach: This melee attack can target characters 2 meters away from you instead of only adjacent targets. When you are using a map divided into hexes or squares, you can target enemies with a full space between you, even if the map scale is more than 1 meter per space.

reaction: once you have performed this reaction, you cannot do another reaction until the beginning of your next turn

rider: carry riders with less Strength than you, their turn must end in your space, and 3 target attacks count you and riders as 1 target

specialty: this combat specialty gives you a bonus to some attacks

target: this effect applies to the targets immediately after the attack, whether or not the attack succeeds

target and 2 other targets: this effect applies to both the main target and two other characters, whether or not the attack succeeds

2 or 3 targets: the attack can target this many characters

3 targets or far area: Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point. For example, if you are using a map divided into 2 meter squares, you can target everyone in an area which is 5 to 6 spaces long and wide, as long as there are at least 5 spaces between you and the affected area. When you do not use a map, you can target up to 3 enemies with this attack.

3 targets or near area: Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are. For example, if you are using a map divided into 2 meter squares, you can target everyone in an area which is up to 6 spaces long and wide as long as it is adjacent to you. When you do not use a map, you can target up to 3 enemies with this attack.

3 targets or each enemy you can reach: Target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack. If you are using a square grid, you attack enemies in all 8 spaces adjacent to you, including diagonals. This does not target allies. When you do not use a map, you can target up to 3 enemies with this attack.

1 turn: this effect lasts until the end of your next turn

1 use: you can use this ability again after equipping between encounters.

1 use/rank: you can use this ability once per rank of the ability. You regain these uses after equipping between encounters.

vs Agi: the DC of the attack check is the target's Agility

vs Per: the DC of the attack check is the target's Perception

vs Str: the DC of the attack check is the target's Strength

while: you can only use the ability if these requirements are met

you: this effect applies to the character who performed this action

In addition to attributes, abilities and character points, characters have a few stats which are calculated from their attributes, damage and temporary states.

Hit Points (HP) are your Toughness minus any damage you have taken, plus any Hit Points you have recovered by healing and resting. Hit Points can never be less than zero. If you take more damage than your remaining Hit Points, your Hit Points are just reduced to 0. If an attack reduces a character to 0 Hit Points, they are dying. If a dying character's Hit Points increase they are no longer dying.

Stamina is half your Toughness, rounded down. If your Hit Points are less than your Stamina, you are injured. If your Hit Points are greater than or equal to your Stamina, you are healthy. For example, if you have 27 Toughness, then you are dying when you have 0 Hit Points, injured when you have 1 to 12 Hit Points, and healthy if you have 13 to 27 Hit Points.

Rest Dice is one six-sided die (d6) for every 6 points of Toughness. For example, if your Toughness is 20, then your Rest Dice is 3d6 (20 divided by 6, rounded down.) If you have less than 6 Toughness, your Rest Dice is 1d6. This is how many Hit Points you recover when resting. (See Missions/Resting.)

Focus is the total number of all of your persona and expertise abilities. (For example, if you had two persona abilities and three expertise abilities, your Focus would be 5.) This is your modifier for event checks. Characters apply their perseverance and accumulated knowledge to solve complex problems.

Coordination modifiers affect attack rolls and other checks where you add Coordination, like the release action. They include penalties for fighting in darkness (-2) and while weightless (-2), injured (-5), intimidated (-5) or grabbed (-5). The penalty for being distracted (-2) is not included because it only applies if you attack someone other than the character who distracted you. These modifiers stack: they are added together when you have more than one modifier, so if you are injured and grabbed your total Coordination modifier is -10.

Defense modifiers are added to the difficulty of attacks vs Agility, Perception and Strength. They include bonuses for cover (+2) or defending (+5) and penalties for being exposed (-5), rushed (-2) or stunned (-5). The defense modifier for being prone is left out because it is a bonus (+2) against ranged attacks but a penalty (-2) against melee attacks. These modifiers stack: they are added together when you have more than one modifier, so if you are defending but rushed your total defense modifier is +3.

States are conditions which affect a character during encounters. Some are temporary Coordination and defense modifiers. Some states keep track of the character's health and tactical position.

borrowed: you already borrowed a weapon in this encounter

cover: +2 to all defenses

darkness: -2 Coordination

defending: +5 to all defenses

distracted: -2 Coordination vs other targets

disarmed: -1d6 Power, you cannot use equipment abilities

evading: you can escape on your next turn, unless grabbed

exposed: -5 to all defenses

grabbed: -5 Coordination

already healed: a healing ability was used on you in this encounter

dying: you have 0 Hit Points, but you are not dead yet

injured: -5 Coordination

intimidated: -5 Coordination

prone: -2 to all defenses vs melee attacks, +2 vs ranged

rushed: -2 to all defenses

stunned: -5 to all defenses

weightless: -2 Coordination, you cannot be prone

A mission is a series of events, encounters and stories that happen while the PCs are away from their base of operations. PCs can be injured or killed and earn character points during missions, but they can only spend character points and replace PCs when they return to base between missions. A mission may end prematurely if all of the PCs die or if the surviving PCs return to base early.

Roll a twenty-sided die (d20). The number on top of the die is the natural value of the roll. If the natural value of the roll is 1, 2, or 3 the check automatically fails. If the natural value is 18, 19, or 20, the check automatically succeeds.

If the natural value does not cause automatic failure or success, add any modifiers that apply to the check. Compare the total to the check's difficulty class (DC.) If the total is less than the DC, the check fails. If the total is greater than or equal to the DC, the check succeeds.

• d20 + modifiers vs DC
• automatic failure if the number on the die is 1, 2 or 3
• automatic success if the number on the die is 18, 19, or 20

If you don't have a twenty-sided die (d20) you can use this alternate rule to make checks using a six-sided die (d6.)

Roll the d6. If the natural value of this roll is 1 the check automatically fails. If the natural value is 6, the check automatically succeeds.

If the roll does not automatically succeed or fail, multiply the roll by 3 and then add any modifiers that apply to the check. Compare this total to the DC. If the total is less than the DC, the check fails. If the total is greater than or equal to the DC, the check succeeds.

• d6 × 3 + modifiers vs DC
• automatic failure if the roll is 1
• automatic success if the roll is 6

Make casualty checks when all of the characters in a party may be injured by an accident, vehicle damage, barrage, trap or environmental hazard.

To determine casualties, make a check against every character in the party. The modifier depends on the severity of the threat, and the DC is each character's Agility, Perception or Strength depending on the type of attack.

Each successful check causes that character to take damage. If the check was automatically successful, the character's Hit Points are reduced to 0. Otherwise, roll the character's own rest dice to see how much damage they take. A character with 0 Hit Points could die. (See Missions/Resting.)

At the end of a battle with space pirates, the party must make +6 casualty checks vs Perception to spot damage to the spacecraft and avoid injury. Player 1 has a single character, Lay Hung, who has 12 Perception, 18 Toughness and 3 rest dice. Player 2 has two characters. Hamel Screwtek has 14 Perception, 15 Toughness and 2 rest dice. Handelstein has 8 Perception, 33 Toughness and 5 rest dice..

(GM rolls a twenty sided die and adds the +6 casualty check modifier to the result for each PC.)

GM: 11 vs Lay Hung's Perception, 23 vs Handelstein's Perception and 14 vs Hamel Screwtek's Perception.

Player 1: My Perception is 12 so I was just barely able to avoid damage from the pirate guns.

Player 2: Obviously Handelstein got hit, but so was Hamel Screwtek because his Perception is exactly 14. How much damage do they take?

GM: What are their rest dice?

Player 2: Handelstien has 5 rest dice, and Hamel Screwtek has 2 rest dice.

(GM rolls 5d6 for 13 damage.)

GM: Handelstien takes 13 damage.

(GM rolls 2d6 for 5 damage.)

GM: Hamel Screwtek takes 5 damage.

During an event, players help tell the story by describing their characters' activities and making checks to see if those activities are successful. Each event has a DC which is used for all of the event checks players make during the event. The event description explains the situation and what the PCs must do. Each event has a list of zero or more important areas of expertise (detection, gunner, influence, knowledge, mechanic, pilot or survival.) Events may also list extra story which unfolds during or after the event, benefits of succeeding and consequences of failure.

First, the GM reads the description of the event and the important areas of expertise out loud. Then players take turns making event checks clockwise starting with the player to the left of the GM. When the number of successful checks or failed checks is equal to the number of players plus two, the event is over. The whole event is successful if the successful checks outnumber the failed checks. If the event is successful the GM reads the consequences in the success section. If the event is not successful, the GM reads the consequences in the failure section.

If a player has more than one character, he must alternate which character he uses on each of his turns.

At the beginning of their turn, each player can choose what abilities to apply to the event check. This includes up to one expertise ability and one persona ability. A persona ability only applies to the event check if the GM agrees with the player's explanation of how the persona ability is being used.

If the character does not have any of the important areas of expertise for this event, the player can try to improvise with another ability. The GM can decide that the improvised ability cannot be used in this event. The PC must spend 1 Action Point (AP) to use the improvised ability even if the GM allows it.

After deciding which abilities to use, the player describes what his character is doing. Characters do not have to do the activities suggested by the event text. If the event suggests sneaking past guards or offering them a bribe, a character could tie their shoelaces together instead. The player can emphasize the ability he chose when describing what his character is doing. Alternately, the player can take all of his character's attributes, abilities and description into account, but only the previously decided upon abilities are used to make the check.

Finally, the player makes an event check to see if it succeeds. Add the character's Focus to this check. If the character uses an expertise ability, add 5 to the check. If the character uses any other ability add 2. When an event check automatically succeeds, it counts as two successful checks. When an event check automatically fails, it counts as two failed checks.

Space battles usually happen because a well-funded privateer expects to capture a valuable ship to plunder it and collect a bounty. Combat between spacecraft is a gradual collision between swarms of precisely controlled vehicles and projectiles which are moving very fast across enormous distances. Attacking spacecraft are spotted long before they come within firing distance, so the crew of a defending spacecraft has time to plan a strategy to survive the collision. Spacecraft combat tactics are broadly categorized as missiles, guns or grappling.

Missiles Waves of swarming attack drones and smart missiles attack enemy spacecraft. Clouds of defensive or fighter drones intercept attack drones and smart missiles. Small guns also stop some attack drones. Widespread damage causes leaks, electrical shorts and fires. Make casualty checks vs. Agility as defenders race to control the damage.

Guns Small guns can defend against missiles or drones and attack smaller or unarmored spacecraft. Big guns can pierce the armor of larger spacecraft, but they are useless against swarms of missiles and drones. Guns cause massive damage to the specific components they hit. Make casualty checks vs Perception as defenders try to spot damage and save critical systems.

Grappling Grappling devices can be used to latch onto larger vehicles and shake or capture spacecraft of similar or smaller size. Powerful or armored spacecraft can push and bash without special grappling devices. Make casualty checks vs Strength as defenders hold on tight to avoid being thrown and endure acceleration while the ship is shaken or spun in circles.

Crew members have several important jobs during space battles. Gunners fire guns or pilot drones and smart missiles. Mechanics repair damage, maintain systems or optimize performance. Pilots attack by grappling enemy spacecraft, defend with evasive maneuvers, retreat to a more advantageous position, monitor sensors or pilot drones. Medics use healing abilities to treat injuries and keep the crew healthy. Characters who don't use an ability can use Agility to put out fires, Perception to monitor sensors or Strength to move supplies.

Event (DC 18): Angry space pirates are threatening you on the radio. They have their hands on a heavy fighter - a small, armored spacecraft. They are preparing to fire on you with the heavy fighter's big recoilless rifles.

Expertise: gunner (remove turret with gatling gun,) mechanic (bring backup systems online,) pilot (ram the pirates.)

Success: CP budget increases by 5 CP.

Failure: casualty checks, +6 vs Perception.

The PCs are intelligent dinosaurs crewing an armored freighter spacecraft. There are two players and three PCs. Player 1 has one character, Lay Hung. Player 2 has two characters, Hamel Screwtek and Handelstein.

Hamel Screwtek

Inventor Hamel Screwtek is gremian - a tailless bipedal theropod with smooth skin and a huge brain.

abilities

reverse engineer and invent gadgets (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

air pistol (ranged vs Agi): Shoot from the hip.

CP Value 80

Handelstein

A myrmidon shock trooper. Myrmidons are bipedal ceratopsians with weaponized tails.

abilities

impaling tail sword 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn; grid: move 1 space/rank, +0 Crd): Put your weight and momentum into a committed attack. If you are using a grid, you can move extra spaces equal to the rank of this ability, but you do not get the +2 Coordination bonus.

kangaroo kicks and head butting (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

battlefield strategy 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

air rifle 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

CP Value 99

Lay Hung

The privateer Lay Hung is an intelligent arboreal theropod called a skand.

abilities

spacecraft cannons (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

daredevil space warrior (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

grappling hook (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

spider silk cable 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

sonic grenades 2 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

CP Value 102

(The GM begins by reading the event description.)

GM: Angry space pirates are threatening you on the radio. They have their hands on a heavy fighter - a small, armored spacecraft. They are preparing to fire on you with the heavy fighter's big recoilless rifles.

(After reading the description, the GM needs to tell the players about the important areas of expertise.)

GM: You can use pilot expertise to ram the pirates, gunner to attack their weapons with your gatling gun or mechanic to activate backup systems.

Player 1: I'm a daredevil space warrior, so I'll ram the pirates.

Player 2: That sounds insane. Let's do it!

GM: Okay Player 1, you go first.

Player 1: 14 Agility minus 10 gives Lay Hung a Focus of 4. (Rolls a 20-sided die.) I rolled 13. 4 plus 13 is 17, plus 5 for expertise gives a total of 22.

GM: That's a success. You slam into the enemy spacecraft at ramming speed. Player 2, it is your turn.

Player 2: That's going to cause some damage to our ship. Hamel Screwtek is an inventor. I'll try to fix the damage. My Focus is also 4. Plus... (Rolls a 20-sided die.) ...9. That's 18 total, including the expertise bonus. Is that enough?

GM: Yes, after colliding with the enemy spacecraft, you locate some damage and begin to repair it. That's two successes so far. Player 1, it is your turn again.

Player 1: I'm going to ram them again! (Rolls a die.) Ouch! I rolled a 1. That's automatic failure.

GM: That counts as two failures. Now you have 2 successes and 2 failures. Apparently ramming the pirates again undid Hamel Screwtek's repairs. Player 2, your turn.

(Player 2 must use his other character this turn.)

Player 2: Handelstein doesn't have any of the important areas of expertise. Can I use battlefield strategy to leap onto the heavy fighter in my spacesuit and pry the hatch open?

GM: Sure, go for it.

Player 2: Handelstein's Strength and Agility are both 12, giving him 2 Focus. (Rolls the die again.) I rolled 12. Battlefield strategy is not expertise, so 12 plus 2 Focus and 2 for my ability makes 16.

GM: Sorry, that's not enough. You can't get a grip on their hatch. Now you have 2 success and 3 failures. Player 1, your turn again.

Player 1: Ramming them didn't work so good, but I also have spacecraft cannons expertise. I turn the gatling gun on the pirates. (Rolls a 20-sided die.) Ouch! I rolled 7, even with my Focus that's not enough.

GM: That is 4 failed checks. Now you must make casualty checks as the pirate guns tear through your spacecraft.

(The GM makes casualty checks against each PC to see what injuries they sustained, then the space pirates board the freighter and the PCs fight them in a personal combat encounter.)

Encounters are personal combat between player characters (PCs) and non-player characters (NPCs). PCs and NPCs take turns until either all of the PCs have escaped or died or all of the NPCs have escaped or died.

At the beginning of the encounter, roll 1d20 for each character. Add the character's Perception. The player or GM with the highest sum decides which player goes first.

Break a tie for highest initiative by having the tied players or GM each roll a die until one of them has a higher roll. The player or GM with the highest roll decides who goes first.

If a GM or player controls more than one character, each of those characters gets a turn during the turn of the GM or player who controls them. The GM or player controlling the characters can choose the order of their turns within his or her turn.

At the end of a player or GM's turn, the player or GM to their left gets a turn. In other words, the players and GM take turns clockwise, starting with the first player or GM chosen by the winner of the initiative check.

In the first round of an encounter, all characters begin the round in the defending state.

On his turn a character may move and perform a standard action. The character can also perform one free action per turn. The free action can come before moving, while moving, after moving or after the standard action.

Most attacks are standard actions. An attack requires a check with the attacker's Coordination as a modifier and the target's Agility, Perception or Strength as the difficulty class (DC.) If the attack is successful, the target takes damage equal to the attacker's Power roll. This damage is subtracted from the target's Hit Points (HP.)

Some actions allow you to do multiple attacks as a single action, target multiple opponents with a single attack, or prepare a counter attack to use on another character's turn. Some attacks have a Coordination modifier which is added to the attack check in addition to the attacker's Coordination attribute. Some attacks have reduced or increased Power.

A failed attack check can mean attacking and missing the target, being blocked, or hitting but not having a significant effect. It can also mean not attacking at all because of hesitation, being preoccupied or having no window of opportunity.

This is an optional rule. If the GM chooses to use this rule in a mission, then all players can use this rule in that mission. If the total roll of an attack check, including modifiers, is at least 10 points higher than the attack's DC, then the attack causes twice as much damage as it normally would.

The rules for using these basic actions are summarized by keywords in parentheses. See Characters/Abilities/Keywords for definitions of these keywords.

free actions: run, jump, climb or swim; draw, holster or sheath a weapon; open and close doors; push buttons; speak quickly; drop, pass or pick up a handheld object; stand up or drop prone.

strike (melee vs Agi): Strikes can be many kinds of simple, close range, damaging attacks, such as kicks and punches, biting or pinching, swinging a weapon or burning the target with a hot iron.

distract (melee vs Per; target: distracted 1 turn, +2 to hit you): Draw enemy fire toward yourself with a provoking attack, giving them a +2 bonus to hit you, but a -2 to hit anyone else (even if you miss.) This effect lasts one turn. If the enemy is already distracted, this replaces the previous effect. To keep an enemy distracted, distract him again each turn.

grab (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Grab an enemy and hold him through your next turn. Being grabbed gives the target -5 Coordination, but this attack only causes half damage. You and your enemy can only move by dragging each other. To maintain your hold you must make another successful hold attack each turn.

evade (action; you: defending, evading 1 turn): Avoid attacks instead of attacking, giving you a defending bonus (+5 to all defenses) until the end of your next turn.

escape (action; while evading, not grabbed; you: leave encounter): You can only escape if you are evading but not grabbed. If you used the evade action on your previous turn, then you are evading. When using a map, you can only escape if you start your turn in an exit area (sometimes the edge of the map.) After leaving the encounter you have no more turns and cannot be targeted by actions.

rearm (action; you: not disarmed): You are no longer disarmed.

borrow (1 use; action; unresisting target: disarmed 1 turn; you: use target's attack ability): You can use this action once per encounter. The target must be willing, dead, dying or already disarmed by you. You cannot borrow weapons from a character who is disarmed by someone other than you. Use one of the target's weapon abilities. Use your own Coordination for this attack, and use your Power + 1d6 or the target's Power, whichever is less. The target is disarmed until your next turn unless they use an action to recover their weapons.

release (action; while target grabbed permanently; Crd vs DC 10; success: not grabbed): Attempt to free a character who has been restrained. Make a Coordination check vs DC 10. If the check succeeds the target is no longer grabbed. This does not free a character who has been grabbed for a duration of 1 turn, it only removes a grabbed status which lasts until released. You cannot use the release action if your whole party is grabbed, dying, or dead.

coup de grace (melee vs Str; while target dying; hit: dead): Finish off a dying enemy who has no more Hit Points. If the attack succeeds, the target dies.

If an action has Power or Coordination modifiers, these apply to the action and its immediate consequences (like damage the action causes to an enemy.) Other effects of actions - such as effects beginning with the keywords hit, target or you - begin immediately after you attack but before any counterattacks.

The grab action, for example, has a -½ Pwr modifier, so a grab causes half as much damage as a strike. Grab also has a hit effect: the target is grabbed (-5 Coordination) for 1 turn if the grab is successful. This effect begins after your successful attack check but if the target has a counterattack ready, the counterattack has a -5 Coordination penalty because the grabbed effect begins before the counterattack.

Many effects last until the end of your next turn or the end of your attacker's next turn. These effects are continuous. If you are grabbed by an opponent for 1 turn and grabbed 1 turn again on the opponent's next turn, you aren't grabbed, released, then grabbed a second time; You are grabbed and held continuously for two turns.

If you are knocked prone for 1 turn, then hit by another attack that gives you the prone state for 1 turn, you aren't knocked down twice; you are knocked down once by the first attack and held down or prevented from standing by the second attack.

Although it is not necessary, you can use a map and markers or miniatures to keep track of character locations. If the map is divided into hexes or squares, characters occupy any spaces covered or partially covered by their marker or the base of the miniature representing that character. For example a 1 inch circle shaped marker can occupy a single 1 inch square space by standing in the center of that space, two spaces by standing on the edge of those spaces, or four spaces by standing on the corner those spaces share.

Characters cannot move through walls or occupy spaces on both sides of a wall. A character squeezing up against a wall or in a passage narrower than their marker does not occupy spaces on the far side of that wall or the passage's walls. Characters cannot attack through walls. Attacks which affect an area must have no walls between the attacker and the center space, and only affect targets if there are no walls between the center and the target.

If you are not using a map, assume that characters who make ranged attacks use their movement to keep their distance from characters making melee attacks. If you make a ranged attack and you are not grabbed, anyone who makes a melee attack against you before your next turn is rushed for 1 turn.

If you are not using a map, you can escape from combat regardless of whether you can outrun your pursuers. Slower characters can use endurance, stealth, distractions or obstacles to throw off their pursuers.

If the map is divided into hexes or squares, you can attack from any point in a space you occupy. You can also be targeted by any effect that can reach a space you occupy. For example, you can attack from any corner of your space to any corner of a space occupied by a character you target, even if the area between the middle of your spaces is blocked by a wall.

Your melee attacks can only target characters adjacent to you unless an ability gives you more reach. If the map is divided into hexes or squares, adjacent means that you occupy at least one space that shares a corner with at least one space occupied by the target.

Normally you can move a number of meters equal to your Agility on your turn. Sprinting doubles the distance you can move, but you are rushed until the end of your next turn.

You can move more than once per turn by splitting up your movement. For example, if you have 10 Agility you can move 3 meters, open a door and then move 7 more meters. However, you can only continue moving after quick, free actions. You cannot move after performing a standard action. Fighters are constantly moving, but they are particularly vulnerable while attacking. Because characters move before their action, their markers remain where each character performed its last attack or other major action.

When you move slowly your movement is halved. If the map is divided into hexes or squares, you may move at least one hex or square per turn if you can move at all, regardless of the map scale. If the squares are 2 meters wide, then you can move at least 2 meters per turn unless you can't move at all.

You must move slowly on difficult terrain such as thick undergrowth, tight spaces, knee-deep snow or water, sticky mud, slippery and unstable surfaces. You must move slowly up steep slopes, but you can move normally down or across the slope.

You must move slowly while prone, swimming, climbing or burrowing.

You must move slowly around enemies who can reach you with melee attacks, but you don't have to move slowly when moving into their reach.

If you can fly, you do not have to move slowly over water, chasms and difficult terrain.

To make a running jump, move in a straight line and jump during the second half of that straight line movement. To make a standing jump, simply move slowly in a straight line. You can make multiple standing jumps in one turn. For example, if you can normally move at least 12 meters, then you can make three 2 meter hops in one turn.

To jump across a gap and land on your feet you must clear the gap with 2 meters to spare. To jump and hang on the other side of a gap, you only need 1 meter to spare, but you are exposed until you drop down or use an action to pull yourself up on the other side. So, to jump across a 3 meter gap and land on your feet, you need to jump 5 meters. To jump across a 3 meter gap and hang on the edge, you need to jump 4 meters.

After any jump, you are rushed until the end of your next turn.

When using a map, a character is much larger if its marker or the base of its miniature is at least twice as wide as another character. When you are not using a map, a character is much larger if its Strength is at least 5 ranks higher than another character's Strength.

If you are not much larger than another character and they are not much larger than you, then you must both move slowly, dragging each other, if you have grabbed them or they have grabbed you.

If you are much larger than another character, then they are immobilized and you can carry them if you have grabbed them or they have grabbed you.

When you are immobilized you do not move unless dragged or carried by another character, and you can only use close range attacks against enemies who have used a close range attack against you since your last turn.

If a character is dying at the beginning of their turn, make a DC 15 check with no modifiers (roll a d20.) If the check is successful (15 or more), the character may move and perform free actions, but not standard actions like attacking. If the check fails (14 or less), they fall prone and may not move or perform actions. If the check is automatically successful, the character may perform a standard action like attacking. If the check automatically fails, the character dies. Instead of making dying checks for NPCs, assume they fail their checks, fall prone and cannot perform actions.

Characters are always weightless in space encounters. Even if their spacecraft has simulated gravity compartments, it is easier for boarding parties to breach other parts of the ship.

If you automatically fail a close range attack, miss a ranged attack vs a single target or even attempt a ranged attack which can affect multiple targets, you may cause damage to the ship that threatens everyone including yourself, your allies and your enemies.

Roll a 20-sided die to see what type of casualty check to make:

1 - 3: casualty checks vs Agility. Widespread but mostly visible damage from shrapnel and explosions catches up with slow characters. You must move quickly to put out fires and evacuate compromised parts of the vessel.

4 - 6: casualty checks vs Perception: Damage to critical systems surprises inattentive characters. Lights flicker and you can smell smoke. Detect, locate and identify acute damage in specific locations while avoiding hazardous areas.

7 - 9: casualty checks vs Strength: Your endurance is tested by damage to life support systems (loss of air pressure or temperature control.) Try to hold on until you reach a safe area or the problem is fixed.

10 - 20: no casualty checks. You didn't hit anything important.

In this encounter the characters are intelligent dinosaurs with a spacecraft. A space pirate named Wing Sao has damaged their vehicle forcing them to land on a planet and abandon the ship.

Wing Sao

The space pirate Wing Sao belongs to a race of intelligent ankylosaurs called titans.

abilities

titan tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

titan shoulder spikes (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 127

The party has two PCs. Player 1 controls Lay Hung, and Player 2 controls Handelstein

Lay Hung

The privateer Lay Hung is an intelligent arboreal theropod called a skand.

abilities

spacecraft cannons (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

daredevil space warrior (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

grappling hook (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

spider silk cable 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

sonic grenades 2 (1 use/rank; 3 targets; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn; grid: far area): When you use a grid, you target a space which is at least 4 spaces from you and all the spaces within 2 spaces of that center (i.e. a 5 by 5 square which is not adjacent to you.) This can be many targets if they are tightly clustered, but you also target any creatures in that space, including allies, not just enemies.

CP Value 102

Handelstein

A myrmidon shock trooper. Myrmidons are bipedal ceratopsians with weaponized tails.

abilities

impaling tail sword 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn; grid: move 1 space/rank, +0 Crd): Put your weight and momentum into a committed attack. If you are using a grid, you can move extra spaces equal to the rank of this ability, but you do not get the +2 Coordination bonus.

kangaroo kicks and head butting (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

battlefield strategy 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

air rifle 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

CP Value 99

(The GM starts by introducing the encounter.)

GM: Wing Sao has landed nearby and he's marching straight at you. Roll for initiative. (Rolls 7 for Wing Sao's initiative and adds it to his 11 Perception.) He got 18, less than 20, so he is not defending or evading this first round.

Player 1: (Rolls a die and adds Lay Hung's Perception.) I got 29.

Player 2: (Determines the Handelstein's initiative in the same way.) I got 27.

Player 1: I have the best initiative, and I choose to go first. I am going to soften up our enemy with a sonic grenade. (Player 1 adds Lay Hung's Coordination to a dice roll.) I got a 14 vs Wing Sao's Strength.

GM: (Sees Wing Sao's Strength is 14, equal to Lay Hung's total roll.) That just barely hits.

Player 1: The damage of that gas attack is Power minus 1d6. I have 3d6 Power, so my sonic grenade does 2d6 damage. (Rolls two six sided dice.) Wing Sao loses 10 Hit Points. It also stuns him for one turn.

GM: (Subtracts 10 of Wing Sao's Hit Points. He has 44 Hit Points left) Wing Sao is still healthy. Being stunned gives him a -5 to all his defenses.

(Player 2 is sitting to the left of Player 1, so Handelstien goes next and Wing Sao will be last.)

Player 2: I'll try to impale Wing Sao with my tail sword. (Rolls a 20-sided die for the attack check and three 6-sided dice for the damage. Player 2 adds Handelstein's Coordination to the 20-sided die roll, then adds the charge ability's +2 Coordination bonus.) I got a 12 vs. Wing Sao's Agility. (Sees that the damage dice add up to 8, and doubles it because the attack has double Pwr.) This attack will do 16 damage if it hits. I am now exposed, which means -5 to all defenses until my next turn.

GM: (Sees that the total 12 is easily over the Wing Sao's modified Agility, which is only 1 because he has 6 Agility and he is stunned. Subtracts the damage. Wing Sao has 28 Hit Points left.) That's a hit, but Wing Sao still looks healthy. Now it is his turn. He's going to ram Handelstein with his spikes. (Rolls a 3.) Yikes, automatic failure, and he has a -5 to all defenses until his next turn, exposed by his titan shoulder spike attack.

Player 1: Wow, that must have been a powerful charge. I am going to tie him up with my grappling hook, using restrain ability. (Adds Lay Hung's Coordination to a 20-sided die roll, plus the restrain ability's +2 Coordination bonus. Also rolls two 6-sided damage dice.) I only got 10 vs. Wing Sao's Strength. If that hits, he takes 5 damage and he's grabbed permanently.

GM: Wing Sao is still stunned until the end of your turn, and he's exposed. Those both reduce his defenses by 5. Right now Wing Sao's effective Strength is only 4, so that's a hit. (Subtracts 5 Hit Points. Wing Sao has 23 Hit Points, which is less than his 27 Stamina.) Wing Sao is now injured, giving him -5 to Coordination and -5 Coordination because he is grabbed. He is now stumbling around in your grappling hook cord, with a total Coordination penalty of -10 for the rest of the encounter unless he breaks free.

Player 2: Wing Sao is big and slow, so I want to attack his low Agility, but my Agility attacking abilities would make me more vulnerable. I use a basic action, strike, to smash him in the throat with my rifle. (Adds Handelstein's Coordination to a 20-sided die roll and rolls three damage dice.) I got an 8, which is a hit for sure, and my strike does 11 damage.

GM: (Subtracts 11 Hit Points. Wing Sao has 12 Hit Points left.) It is Wing Sao's turn. Engage is his best chance at hitting either of you now, and this time he's trying to spike ram Lay Hung.

(The GM adds Wing Sao's Coordination to a die roll, -10 because he is injured and grabbed, +5 because of the ability's Coordination bonus. The total is more than Lay Hung's Agility, so the GM rolls four damage dice and Player 1 lowers Lay Hung's Hit Points from 18 to 3. Wing Sao is exposed again.)

Player 1: That's most of my Hit Points. Ouch! Now I am angry. I see red and strangle him with my grappling hook cord.

(Lay Hung's has a -5 Coordination penalty for being injured, but Wing Sao is still exposed, with a -5 to all defenses. Lay Hung's attack is successful and Wing Sao only has 5 Hit Points left.)

Player 1: I have cover until my next turn from using choke, but Wing Sao is already grabbed. It might have been smarter to use a strike to do more damage, but like I said, Lay Hung is losing his cool.

Player 2: Not me, I am laying in with another strike.

(Handelstein finishes Wing Sao's last 5 Hit Points with another successful strike, ending the encounter victoriously for the PCs.)

At the end of encounters (or casualty checks,) surviving PCs can use remaining uses of regeneration and healing abilities which were not used during the encounter. They can use regeneration even if they are healthy. They cannot use healing on characters who were already healed during the encounter. Characters can also spend 10 Action Points to recover 1d6 Hit Points. (This will save the character's life if they are dying.)

Next, make a DC 10 check with no modifiers for each PC who is still dying. If this check fails, they die.

If the PCs have time to rest and recover before the next encounter or event, each PC rolls their Rest Dice and recovers Hit Points equal to that roll. Any PC with remaining uses of a healing ability can roll another rest die for themselves or an ally for each remaining use of the ability. (See Characters/Derived Statistics/Rest Dice.)

Example: a character is dying (0 Hit Points) and has 25 Toughness (12 Stamina, 4d6 Rest Dice) and 2 ranks of regeneration ability. They did not use regeneration during the encounter, so the player rolls 2d6 and the character recovers 7 Hit Points. Now they aren't dying anymore, so they do not have to make a DC 10 check to see if they live or die. Finally the player rolls their Rest Dice (4d6) and the character recovers 12 more Hit Points for a total of 19 Hit Points after resting.

Between missions, surviving PCs recover all of their Hit Points, so their Hit Points are equal to their Toughness.

PCs who have been killed can be replaced by new PCs. These have the same character point budget as the character who was killed, plus any character point budget that surviving PCs earned while the replaced character was dead.

In other words everybody in the party gets the same character point budget whether they live or die. (This encourages selfless heroism and replacing less powerful early game characters with more powerful late game characters instead of upgrading one cautious character from zero to hero.)

Players replacing characters can switch between controlling a single PC or a team of PCs (See Player Characters/Making PCs.) A player with more than one PC can choose to replace only the PCs that died or all of his PCs, as long as at least one of them is dead.

In combat encounters, the GM controls non-player character (NPC) enemies.

NPC stats describe an individual NPC or a group of NPCs with identical stats. These stats resemble PC templates with NPC names instead of example names. The GM can use the stats right out of the book or use an electronic or paper copy of the stats.

Encounters are designed for a party of 4 PCs. To adjust the difficulty increase or decrease the number of monsters by 25%, Toughness or Power by about a third or defenses and Coordination by about 2 points per missing or extra PC. (If you only have 1 or 2 players, you can allow each player to control a whole party or half a party of PCs instead of adjusting the enemies, but when you have 3 or more players, they should return to playing only their own PCs.)

The GM may allow players to try things that are not covered in the campaign. Some situations do not require the random chance of success or failure that event checks introduce. These can be played out by storytelling and acting in-character.

However, when there is a chance of success and a chance of failure and playing it out as an event will add entertaining suspense and description, the GM can create events on the fly. The GM should choose which expertise abilities are recommended for the event. Players can also suggest expertise abilities but the GM has final say about which abilities are recommended or allowed.

You can also use single event checks for simple things which are not already covered in the rules and have a chance of success and a chance of failure. One character gets one turn to make this check. You can also require the character to use a specific defense attribute (Agility, Perception or Strength) minus 10 instead of Focus.

If an event seems like each character should make a check instead of each player, give examples of how characters can work together instead of relying on their individual attributes and abilities. A character may be able to shield allies from an avalanche with their own body or use deception and speed to lead predators away from slower allies.

Some events, like searching for hidden objects or creatures, seem like they should only require one success. Show how each success is only a step toward the goal. Each success may bring you closer to finding a secret door, or each success might be a different ambush you spotted and avoided.

Some events, like sneaking and escaping, seem like they should require success from every event check. Design the event so that failed checks are merely close calls, while successful checks can help everyone. Characters can protect allies, draw fire and distract predators.

If an event seems like it should have degrees of success instead of total success or failure, set the consequences of success as if the event were mostly successful but not the best possible outcome, and set the consequences of failure as if the event were less successful but not a total failure.

Detection helps characters search for hidden objects, secret doors, traps and ambushes. This area of expertise is also important when exploring buildings, finding hidden bunkers and gathering supplies. Stealthy activities like avoiding predators and sneaking into enemy bases also benefit from detection.

Gunner expertise is used to defend vehicles and fortifications with artillery, mounted weapons, drones and missiles. It also helps characters hunt large animals with harpoon guns, net guns and so forth. Gunner expertise applies to land, sea, air and space combat.

Influence is important when characters need to negotiate, whether they are haggling over prices or trying to avoid violence. It also helps PCs get information from NPCs. (If characters can get the information they need through education, research and communication devices, the event should also recommend knowledge expertise.)

Knowledge helps characters solve problems through research and communication even if the event requires information beyond their specialty. Knowledge is important for medical problems and interpreting writing or symbols. (If PCs can learn what they need to know from NPCs, the event can also recommend influence expertise.)

Mechanic helps characters repair and maintain vehicles and other machines. It can also be used to refuel vehicles in space, salvage damaged equipment, or perpetrate sabotage. This expertise applies to all types of vehicles: land, water, air, space, muscle-powered, mechanical or bioengineered living vehicles.

Pilot expertise allows characters to perform maneuvers like racing, pursuing or escaping from opponents' vehicles. This area of expertise is also useful when plotting routes and orienting the party if the PCs get lost. (Survival expertise can also be used for orientation when lost.) Pilot expertise applies to all types of vehicles: land, water, air, space, muscle-powered, mechanical or bioengineered living vehicles.

Survival is important when characters must endure or adapt to harsh environments or deprivation. It is also useful when characters travel through rough terrain or live off the land. Recommend survival expertise when the PCs can become lost on land or at sea. (If they are traveling in ships or other vehicles, pilot expertise can also be useful.)

The rule of thumb for choosing event DC is 5 plus one tenth of a single PC's character point budget. If PCs start with 80 character points, then events at the start of the scenario should have a DC of 13 (5 + 8.)

Increase the DC by 2 ranks if the event should be harder with greater rewards. Decrease the DC by 2 ranks if the event should be easier with less rewards or if one player is making a single event check instead of a whole event.

For example, when the PCs must make casualty checks for failing the event, that is very bad (-2 DC) but if their enemies must make casualty checks when the PCs succeed, that is very good (+2 DC.) Do not adjust the DC for modest rewards or consequences, like a character point budget reward.

(Multiple event checks curve the result toward an average number of successful checks, so 1 rank of DC is a 10% chance of success for the whole event even though it is only a 5% chance of success for each individual die roll. If the PCs have a 55% chance of success when the DC is 19 and you increase the DC to 20, their chance of success falls to 45%. If you decrease the DC to 18, their chance of success rises to 65%.)

In most campaigns the PCs do not compete directly against each other, but if that happens, divide the players into teams. Players take turns as if they were doing a single event, but each team has its own pool of successes and failures. When a team has enough successful checks or failed checks to end the event, they stop taking turns but other players keep taking turns until their team has enough successes or failures. The DC and expertise types for each team can be the same or different.

Any combination of teams can succeed or fail. If there are two teams, either team can succeed while the other fails, both teams can succeed or both teams can fail. Prepare for each possible outcome. Success for both teams may be a win for everyone, stalemate or mutual destruction. Failure for both teams might be a disaster for all or a harmless disappointment.

Vehicle events simulate and dramatize a car chase, naval maneuvers, aerial dogfight or other struggle between vehicles. Sometimes vehicles are treated as character equipment in combat encounters (seating ability for example.) Vehicle events are for action on a larger scale than personal combat between characters.

The DC of a vehicle event reflects the reliability and defenses of enemy vehicles. Gunner, mechanic and pilot are the most common expertise abilities for vehicle events.

Failed vehicle events are often followed by casualty checks. If either side fails a player vs player vehicle event, they make casualty checks. If both sides fail, they both make casualty checks.

The casualty check modifier reflects how deadly and aggressive the enemy vehicles are. To get a typical modifier, subtract 20 from the event's DC. The modifier may be negative.

The type of casualty check depends on the weapons the enemies use, because different weapons cause different kinds of damage. Putting out fires requires Agility. Noticing damage to the vehicle takes Perception. Holding on when the vehicle tumbles tests Strength.

Vehicle events can also be followed by combat encounters between passengers when they exit their vehicles or try to board enemy vehicles.

After a player vs player vehicle event, successful sides can choose to retreat and avoid an encounter. So, in a pursuit, the success or failure of the side being chased usually determines whether they get away.

In this example the players are divided into two crews. Each crew controls a spacecraft, and they want to board the other crew's ship, but first they will each try to disable the enemy spacecraft.

Each crew must do an event to overcome their opponent's vehicle. The armored freighter's crew does the heavy fighter event, and the heavy fighter crew does the armored freighter event.

Event (DC 19): The armored freighter is equipped with a gatling gun turret, but mostly relies on its sheer mass to shake pirates who attempt to board the big ship.

Expertise: gunner (gatling gun turret), mechanic (repairs), pilot (shake pirates).

Success: you can choose to retreat instead of fighting the enemy crew.

Failure: casualty checks, -5 vs Strength.

Event (DC 15): The heavy fighter has kinetic energy penetrator missiles and a recoilless rifle array. This vehicle is much smaller, but its weapons are devastating if the enemy crew does not defend themselves successfully.

Expertise: gunner (missiles or rifles), mechanic (repairs), pilot (maneuvers).

Success: you can choose to retreat instead of fighting the enemy crew.

Failure: casualty checks, -1 vs Perception.

Every player makes event checks for two rounds. The crew of the armored freighter has more failures than successes so the GM makes -2 casualty checks vs the Perception of each character of the armored freighter crew. Two characters on that team are injured by successful casualty checks. The heavy fighter's crew has more successes than failures, so they do not have to make casualty checks. The healthy crew of the heavy fighter boards the armored freighter with a huge advantage against their injured enemies.

As will be explained below, there are 4 steps to determining appropriate NPC character point (CP) budget for an encounter: determine the party's average CP budget, adjust for difficulty level, adjust for number of players, and determine the character point budget for each individual NPC.

1. Determine the PC party's average CP budget: This is based on the CP budget of each player, rather than the CP budgets listed on the character sheets. (These are the same except for players who have more than one character.) If each player has the same CP budget then that is the average CP budget of the party. If there are differences between the players CP budgets, then add all the player's CP budgets together and divide that by the number of players to get their average CP budget for the party.

2. Adjust for difficulty level: subtract character points from the PC party's average CP budget, based on the intended difficulty of the encounter.

3. Adjust for number of players: add character points to the total so far, based on the number of players.

4. Determine the CP budget for each individual NPC: Below are different options based on what different kinds of NPCs will be in the encounter.

If all the NPCs will have the same CP budget, subtract the following CP based on the number of NPCs.

If there are two or more kinds of NPCs and more than a few CP difference in CP value between them, subtract character points based on how much each NPC contributes to the challenge of the encounter. The NPC shares expressed as fractions should add up to 1.

You can also split a share among a number of equal NPCs by subtracting both amounts from those NPCs character point budget.

For example, suppose you are designing an encounter with a 120 CP boss and his 80 CP minions. You are expecting four PCs with a character point budget of 120, and you want the encounter to be hard. First, start with the PCs character point budget of 120 as the average party CP budget. Second, subtract 10 points for hard difficulty. Third, add 60 points for four players. (The total is now 170 CP.) Fourth, look at the share of challenge the 120 CP boss takes up. A 1/3 share would subtract 48 from 170 leaving 122 CP, which is enough for the boss. We have a 2/3 share (-18 CP) left for the minions. If there was only one minion, it could have 170 - 18 = 152 CP. However, since the minions only have a CP value of 80, the boss can have five minions: 152 - 70 (1/5 for each of the minions on the above table) = 82 character point budget for the minions.

Do not count the character point value of abilities NPCs never use in encounters. For example a 71 character point enemy with pilot ability can fill a 70 character point slot. (Usually you don't have to worry about this because 1 character point is not a big difference, but if an enemy has lots of non-combat abilities, remember they don't count.)

Some environment types have special rules. Abilities which have the environmental keyword, such as burrow, climb, dive or fly, can only be used in environment types that allow them. An encounter can combine several environment types.

arctic This environment allows burrowing, diving and flying.

darkness Characters without blind fighting abilities have -2 Coordination. Apply this rule in environments with no light, very dim light, fog or smoke that makes seeing difficult. Also use this effect when the environment has big, dark shadows that large characters can hide in.

concealment Characters have -2 Perception. Apply this rule to cluttered environments where characters can easily hide, like thick undergrowth. This makes it easier for everyone to sneak up on their opponents with clever footwork and hunting tactics.

high gravity All characters have a -2 Agility modifier.

hungry predators If any PCs are dying, the predators will attack them with coup-de-grace attacks until they are dead. The predators will fight each other for the corpse. They will not attack evading PCs if there is at least one dead or dying PC. If a PC attacks one of the predators while they are fighting over the corpses, the predators will resume fighting the PCs. If a predator is alone and injured, it will try to escape.

jungle Everyone has a -2 perception modifier. Characters can climb the trees and vines.

loose soil This environment allows burrowing. Loose soil can be dry sand or tilled earth, but it can also mean deep snow or terrain riddled with tunnels left by other burrowing creatures.

no concealment Characters have +2 Perception. There is nowhere for characters to hide in this wide open environment. That makes it more difficult to sneak up on opponents with clever footwork and hunting tactics.

no escape Characters cannot escape from this encounter. Everyone is trapped in this encounter until it is over. If one group of characters is trapped by their opponents, this rule may only apply to one side of the conflict.

sandThis environment allows burrowing.

scalable This environment allows climbing. This environment has vertical terrain such as climbable walls, trees, rocks, ladders, poles, ropes, chains, big furniture and stacks of stuff. However, if the walls are too sheer for creatures with special climbing adaptations to scale quickly, the environment may not be scalable.

spaciousThis environment allows flying. This environment type usually applies outdoors and in large rooms or caves with very high ceilings. It does not apply in dense jungle where large flying characters do not have room to maneuver.

swampThis environment allows swimming and climbing. Concealing foliage gives everyone a -2 Perception modifier.

waterThis environment allows swimming. If there are tactically useful places where large characters can dive or submerge themselves, the encounter has this environment type.

weightless Characters cannot be prone, and characters without a zero-g fighting ability have -2 Coordination. Space combat encounters have this effect unless the entire encounter takes place in a compartment with simulated gravity.

You can design new templates or create characters from scratch without a template. See Training and Upgrades for the character point value of attributes and abilities. Agility 0, Perception 0, Strength 0, Coordination 0, Toughness 10 and Power 1d6 are each worth 0 character points. Characters can have less than 0 character points, but Toughness and Power must be at least 1.

Your new template or character can copy abilities from this list, or from other templates and their optional abilities. You can rename the ability and alter its description to fit your new template or character.

aim (ranged vs Agi; +½ Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Take a moment to aim each shot.

all-out (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

blast 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Per; -2 Crd): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

blind fighting (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

burrow 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: burrowing; you: cover, defending and prone 1 turn; move slow): The environment must have features that allow burrowing, like loose soil or deep snow. You must move slowly while burrowing. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending, prone and have cover until the end of your next turn.

charge 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

charming (persona): You excel at getting others to like you.

choke (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

climb (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

combined weapon 1 (1 use/rank; 2 attacks; melee and ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Use this as both a melee and ranged weapon. You can attack the same target twice or two separate targets. One attack must be ranged and one must be melee.

crawl (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

daze 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Per; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Stun an opponent from a distance.

defend flank (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

detection (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

disarm (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

dive 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

diversion (ranged vs Per; target: distracted 1 turn): Draw fire to protect your allies or set up a flanking attack.

double tap (free action; coup de grace when you incapacitate target with single target attack): When you perform an attack which targets a single enemy and it reduces the enemy's Hit Points to 0, you can finish the target off with an immediate coup de grace basic action. The coup de grace requires close range, even if you use a ranged weapon.

drain 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

engage (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

evolving tactics 1 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

escape artist (action; while grabbed; you: not grabbed): Release yourself from a grab without making a check.

feint 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; +5 Crd): A deceptive movement draws their attention from your real attack.

fixed weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

flanking 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

fly 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

footwork (specialty: all melee attacks vs Per; +1 Crd/rank): You specialize in outmaneuvering opponents.

gas 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

grappler (specialty: all melee attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You disable enemies with wrestling techniques.

gunner (expertise: gunner): +5 bonus to artillery and vehicle weapon event checks.

gunslinger (specialty: all ranged attacks vs Agi; +1 Crd/rank): You overwhelm opponents with a barrage of projectiles.

healing 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

honorable (persona): You excel when your efforts are both transparent and popular.

hunter (specialty: all ranged attacks vs Per; +1 Crd/rank): You ambush enemies using stealth.

imposing (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

influence (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

interference (melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: distracted 1 turn): Get in your opponent's face to protect an ally or set up a flanking attack.

intimidate 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

knowledge (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

lead 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

mechanic (expertise: mechanic): +5 bonus to repair and crafting event checks.

parry (melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

pilot (expertise: pilot): +5 bonus to vehicle operation event checks.

plow (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

point blank (range = Crd; ranged vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Target an enemy whose distance is no further than your Coordination in meters.

poison 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Lingering effects of this attack hinder your opponent.

rapid fire 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Agi; double Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Sacrifice defense to fire repeatedly.

reach (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

recover 1 (1 use/rank; free action; you: not stunned): Use this ability on your turn to remove the stunned state from yourself. Because this is a free action, you can still perform a standard action, like attacking, in the same turn.

regeneration 1 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

restore (action; target: defending 1 turn, not stunned): Remove the stunned state from one ally. That ally is defending until the end of your next turn. You can also use this effect on an ally who is not stunned to give them the defending state for one turn.

restrain 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): The restrained target is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

ruthless (persona): You excel at brutal, unkind and distasteful solutions.

seating (effect; 1 rider/rank; riders have cover if you are healthy): When you use a map, riders move with you, but they must end their turn in spaces you occupy. When you are targeted by an attack which has multiple targets, your riders can be targeted without counting toward the maximum number of targets. For example, if you have two riders and your enemy uses an attack which normally has three targets, the attack can target you, your riders and two other targets.

shady (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

shock (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Disable opponent with a special attack.

skirmish (melee vs Per; -2 Crd; target: distracted 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): Sucker punch and run away to lead enemies away from allies or into a flanking trap.

slam (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

snap shot (ranged vs Agi): Shoot from the hip.

sneak attack (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

sniping 1 (1 use/rank; while evading; ranged vs Per; +5 Crd; double Pwr): Attack from a distance with deadly accuracy.

spray 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

stealth (effect): +5 bonus to the initiative check at the beginning of encounters.

striker (specialty: all melee attacks vs Agi; +1 Crd/rank): You specialize in aggressive, close-range, stand-up fighting.

stun ray (ranged vs Str; hit: stunned 1 turn): Momentarily disable the target from a distance.

suppressive fire (ranged vs Agi; -5 Crd; counter any attack): Lay down a field of fire to keep your enemies from attacking. Prepare a second attack (ranged vs Agi). If an enemy attacks before your next turn, you can use this second attack against that enemy as an immediate reaction.

survival (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

take cover (ranged vs Per; -2 Crd; you: cover 1 turn): Sacrifice some opportunities to shoot by staying safely behind cover.

three-sixty 1 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Agi; -2 Crd): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

throw trap 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

transform (action; replace this character with another form; 1 form/rank): Your character has one or more alternate forms. Each form has its own character sheet. After transforming, if the new form has more Stamina, add the difference between the Stamina of the old and new forms to your Hit Points. If the new form has less Stamina, and subtract the difference between the Stamina of the old and new forms from your Hit Points. If this would reduce you to less than 1 Hit Point, you have 1 Hit Point and cannot transform again during this encounter. During encounters you can only reverse the transformation if the new form has an ability like this and the old form is one of the new form's alternate forms. Between encounters you can transform or revert at any time.

trapper (specialty: all ranged attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You specialize in throwing traps to capture prey.

virtuous (persona): You excel when helping others requires personal sacrifice.

wrap (melee vs Per; ignore grabbed penalty; +5 Crd; -½ Pwr): If you are grabbed when you use this attack, you get the +5 Coordination bonus for this ability and you also ignore the -5 Coordination penalty for being grabbed.

wrench 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

zero-g fighting (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

Here are the average attributes and natural abilities of the intelligent reptiles of Abaddon:

Aeolyte

The average aeolyte has a 5 meter (17 foot) wingspan, stands 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall, and weighs 75 kg (160 lbs.) Aeolytes are not the most agile fliers but they have extraordinary stamina. Aeolytes have fairly long necks, and long, flexible, coordinated legs. Aeolytes can see magnetic fields, helping them to navigate. Keen eyesight and innate flying skills combined with talon- eye-coordination make them good vehicle pilots. These innate flying skills include 3D thinking, an intuitive sense for orbits, kinetic energy and gravity, and perception of subtle invisible forces like rising thermals.

abilities

aeolyte vision (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

aeolyte wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 81

Behemoth

Behemoths are immense sauropod dinosaurs whose intelligence comes from a parasitic plant in their brains. The average behemoth is 12 meters (40 feet) long and weighs 6 tons.The average behemoth is about 6 meters (20 feet) tall when standing upright, but behemoths are knuckle-walkers who use all four limbs when they need to move quickly. Behemoths are extremely loud. With very low- pitched rumbling, rolling, droning, blasting voices, and chest slapping, foot stomping body language that drives away most wild animals by itself, Behemoths can even produce a thunderous sonic boom by whipping their tail.

abilities

behemoth tail whip (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

CP Value 107

optional abilities

behemoth thundering (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

Borean

Boreans are flightless, swimming avians who prefer cold and temperate marine environments. Although they can move well on land, boreans are also adapted for life in water. The stocky limbs and webbed hands and feet make them powerful swimmers, while their high nostrils allow boreans to breath with only the top of their heads above water. Boreans are carnivores, and although they do have beaks they also have many long sharp teeth which help them hold slippery prey. The average borean is 3 meters (10 feet) tall and weighs 700 kg (1500 lbs.) Boreans are mostly covered in dark feathers with lighter plumage on the ventral surfaces (throat and belly) and above the eyes. Boreans have a complex echolocation ability which allows them to "see" and accurately judge distance through fog, smoke, murky water and darkness, so these obstacles do little to impair them. This ability is also used to communicate. Boreans do not have to open their mouths to talk.

abilities

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

borean webbed hands and feet 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 97

optional abilities

borean language barrier (persona): You excel at illicit activities that require secrecy.

Gaffling

Gafflings are intelligent deinonychosaurs whose three- fingered hands have exceptional flexibility and opposable thumbs. The average gaffling is 3 meters (10 feet) long, stands 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall and weighs 70 kg (150 lbs.) At least half of that length is the tail. Gaffling plumage is short and darker on the back than the throat or belly. Most gafflings are tan or brown, but many gafflings have unusual colors or patterns, and some populations have lighter plumage which takes on pastel tints from pigments in the creatures they eat.

abilities

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 70

Gremian

Gremians are completely tailless. Their three-digit hands and feet have blunt nails. Gremian snouts are very short and their rounded teeth are more suited to an omnivorous diet than pure carnivore. Gremians have smooth pink, yellow, tan or gray skin with darker purple, brown or black markings. The average gremian stands 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall and weighs 25 kg (55 lbs.) Gremians use their brains, eyes, and manual dexterity instead of traditional natural weapons like claws and teeth. Gremian language is complex with fast-paced songbird-like sounds synchronized with specific movements of the eyes, hands and head.

abilities

gremian night vision (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

CP Value 47

Gygean

Gygeans are stealthy carnivores that can rapidly change the color and pattern of their skin to match their surroundings. Gygeans can become invisible while mimicking their environment and holding still; use light and shadow to disguise their movement; or confuse opponents with dazzling animated patterns. The average Gygean is 5 meters (17 feet) long and weighs 250 kg (550 lbs.) Gygean skin has a scaly texture but it is transparent so that the changing color of the living skin beneath shows through. They have many horns on their heads and a row of small horns running down their backs, but even the horns have color- changing tissue beneath the surface. Gygeans have slow metabolisms and tend to live in warm climates. Gygeans communicate primarily through sign language that involves most of their body: frills, color changes, hand gestures and other body language. Any sound in gygean communication is considered extremely loud.

abilities

gygean climbing claws (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

gygean camouflage (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

CP Value 95

optional abilities

gygean sprawling (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

gygean trickery (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Leviathan

Leviathans are armored, swimming crocodilians. The average leviathan is 4 meters (13 feet) tall, 6 meters (20 feet) long and weighs 2.5 tons. They have dexterous five-fingered hands on short but relatively powerful arms. The tall double-row of scutes running down the neck, back and tail is significantly more developed in males. The darker scales on the back of a leviathan may be dark green, blue, purple or brown, with black spots. The lighter scales of a leviathan's throat and belly may be white, yellow, tan or pale green. Leviathans hear through both their ears and their jaws. They can hear and produce low pitched sounds below the hearing range of many other species. They hear better in water than out of water. Out of the water, Leviathans use body language for clarity. Leviathan conversation sounds like deep croaking, clicking and hooting sounds.

abilities

leviathan sculling tail 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 105

optional abilities

leviathan aggression (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

Lyndwyrm

Lyndwyrms are predatory theropod dinosaurs. The average lyndwyrm weighs 1 ton, stands 3 meters (10 feet) tall and is 5 meters (17 feet) long. They are shaped like typical carnivorous dinosaurs, except that the brain is enlarged and they have two massive brow-horns. Lyndwyrm arms are much smaller than the legs, and the hands have three clawed fingers. Lyndwyrm hands are built for using tools rather than powerful grasping and clawing.The lyndwyrm neck and chest is covered by a shaggy mane, but most of the body is covered in shorter plumage. Lyndwyrm feathers are black, blue, white and silver, with more dark feathers on the mane and tail and more light feathers on the throat and chest. Lyndwyrm language combines deep-pitched growls, groans, croaks, roaring and gesturing with the horns.

abilities

lyndwyrm horn toss 1 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

lyndwyrm talon pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 101

optional abilities

lyndwyrm savagery (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

Myrmidon

Myrmidons are omnivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs with long head shields and a sword-like or mace-like weapon at the ends of their tails. Myrmidons are a rowdy bunch of natural fighters and frequently engage in brawls. The average myrmidon is 4 meters (13 feet) long, 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall and weighs 400 kg (900 lbs.) Myrmidons can be almost any hue. The scales are darkest along the spine and the midline ridge of the head shield, fading to paler scales along the throat, belly and bottom of the tail. Myrmidons also have dark stripes. Myrmidon languages are deep and monotone, with simple syllables combined with gestures of the head, hands and tail. They tend to move while speaking, strutting around and turning their heads from side to side. Myrmidon languages have both a belligerent or authoritative voice and an inferior or submissive voice.

abilities

myrmidon tail sword (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

CP Value 93

optional abilities

myrmidon kangaroo kicks and head butting (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

myrmidon tail sweep (melee vs Str; hit: grabbed or prone 1 turn; you: prone 1 turn if target grabbed): Throw an enemy to the ground, hurting the target and slowing it down. You are also prone until the end of your next turn unless you choose to release the target, in which chase the target is not grabbed, just prone.

Phage

Phages are long-tailed and leathery-winged intelligent pterosaurs. They live off of the blood of large animals. Phage venom prevents clotting, kills germs and numbs pain. This helps with feeding and it is also useful for healing livestock, phages and other animals. Phages are nocturnal, hiding by day in caves and other dark places. They have good night vision and can also track warm objects and creatures with their infrared-sensitive faces. Phage language is composed mostly of quiet cooing and murmurs, with some occasional hooting, screeching and howling. The average phage has a mass of 15 kg (33 lbs), stands 1 meter (3 feet) tall and has a wingspan of 3 meters (10 feet.) Phages are covered in fur-like pycnofibres. Phage pycnofibres form a dark brown, dark red or black coat over most of the body with lighter brown, reddish or deep red pycnofibres on the ventral surfaces (throat, chest, inner thighs and the bottoms of the wings and tail.)

abilities

phage infrared sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

phage wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 52

optional abilities

phage blood-sucking 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

phage night life (persona): You excel at illicit activities which require secrecy.

Skand

Skand are small predatory dinosaurs. The average skand is 1.6 meters (5 feet) tall and weighs 50 kg (110 lbs.) They have a mostly upright posture, usually walking on their heels, but skand also have a tail which helps them turn quickly and balance while climbing. A thick mass of stiff, hair-like feathers insulates the head. These feathers are usually blue, but sometimes black, white or silver. The rest of the body is mostly smooth with patches of small scales or short feathers. This bare skin is usually a light brown color with black spots. Skand language tends to be subtle, complex sounding, and somewhat high pitched. Skand are quite bodily animated when speaking.

abilities

skand acrobatics (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

CP Value 76

Strix

Strix are flightless, primitive birds with short necks and raptorial hooked beaks. Each hand and foot has three long fingers or toes with very sharp claws. Strix plumage is brown with black and white stripes. The beak and claws are brown or gray darkening to black at the tips and edges. Strix are lightly built predators with ferocious natural weapons and the ability to wield weapons with their strong hands and opposable fingers. Often nocturnal hunters, strix have large eyes, good night vision, and excellent directional hearing. The average strix is 2 meters (7 feet) tall and weighs 150 kg (330 lbs.) Strix can easily recognize and mimic animal calls and the languages of other intelligent species. Strix languages on the other hand tend to be extremely complex and almost impossible to understand by other intelligent species. They are also naturally good animal trainers and teachers of other intelligent species.

abilities

strix vision, hearing and pattern recognition (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

strix translator (expertise: influence): +5 bonus to persuasion and diplomacy event checks.

CP Value 86

Stygian

Stygians are flightless pterosaurs and great swimmers. The wings are reduced to webbing between the arms and body, and the hands and feet are webbed for paddling and crawling on soft mud. A long, flexible tail ends an enlarged vane which acts a rudder or paddle. The stygian head has a flattened bill-like snout and a fin-shaped crest which is larger in males than females. The average stygian is 2 meters (7 feet) tall, 3 meters (10 feet) long and weighs 100 kg (220 lbs.) The stygian snout is packed with electrical sensors which can be used to navigate tight spaces and locate small prey. Stygians are natural craftsmen and architects, living in or near the bridges and dams that they build. Stygian languages reflect this passion with constant references to building, design and structure. To other species, the stygian voice sounds like croaking, clicking and hooting sounds.

abilities

stygian electrical sense (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

stygian swimming 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 77

optional abilities

stygian electrocution (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Disable opponent with a special attack.

stygian structuralism (persona): You excel when pursuing solutions that are completely legal and transparent.

Titan

Titans are huge, armored herbivores related to ankylosaurs. On average titans are 1.5 tons, 5 meters (17 feet) tall and 6 meters (20 feet) long. Besides massive bone scutes and a thick hide, titans also have a sturdy tail with a formidable mace on the end. Titans are covered in brown, red, orange and yellow scales, with the darker scales on the armored back. The pattern and amount of each color varies between individuals and populations. Titans have low and growling voices.

abilities

titan tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

titan shoulder spikes (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

CP Value 111

optional abilities

titan formidability (persona): Others find your presence frightening.

Aeolyte Hunter

Bred and trained for hunting (Perception, Coordination,) this creature is an experienced killer (Strength, Toughness.)

abilities

aeolyte vision (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

aeolyte wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

attack from above (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

CP Value 96

Aeolyte Symbiotic Order Monk

A missionary of the Symbiotic Order supported by a partnership between the Empire and the L4 Magistracy. A shangdan alchemy metallic resonance magnetizing vaccine increases this agent's sensitivity to electromagnetic fields.

abilities

aeolyte vision (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

aeolyte wings 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: flying; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features which favor flying, typically a large outdoor space. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

electricity arcs through synerga staff's plasma channel 1 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Per; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Stun an opponent from a distance.

sense hidden objects (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 94

Ankylosaurus

This 3 ton, 7.5 meter (25 foot) long bulky armored dinosaurs have rows of spikes running down each side and heavy tail clubs. Although heavily armored for a dinosaur, Ankylosaurus is more erect and quicker than other armored reptiles such as tortoises or even crocodiles.

abilities

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

bony tail mace (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

long armored tail (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

spiked flanks 3 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

CP Value 187

Behemoths evolved large brains through symbiosis with parasitic plants and engineered gremians and skand using their own brain parasites.

Behemoth Elite Shock Trooper

This Shock Trooper is equipped with heavy body armor and revolver style grenade launchers.

abilities

tear gas grenades 6 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

trample 2 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

behemoth tail whip (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

CP Value 170

Behemoth Butcher

A proud warrior armed with a lance made from embedding a giant boat oar with Deinosuchus teeth.

abilities

behemoth tail whip (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

plant symbionts harvest solar energy (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

Killing blow with lance 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

CP Value 111

Borean Biologist

This mad scientist is armed with deep sea diving equipment and a rocket powered harpoon gun.

abilities

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

borean swimming 2 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

long arms and harpoon reach (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

rocket powered harpoon line 2 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

advanced medical knowledge 2 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

marine biologist (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

CP Value 162

Borean Hunter

Arctic hunters, tough and hungry. (The borean hunters can use their melee attacks vs Agility to kill slow PCs and ranged attacks vs Strength to catch small ones.)

abilities

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

borean swimming 2 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

poisoned harpoon 2 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Lingering effects of this attack hinder your opponent.

thrust harpoon (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

throw harpoon 2 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed permanently): If you hit the target, it is grabbed until the target or one of its allies successfully uses the release action to free it.

CP Value 142

Borean Marauder

This blind barbarian attacks with an intelligent weapon at night.

abilities

borean echolocation (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

borean swimming 2 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

slave bond 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

slave grip (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

slave shapeshifting 1 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

CP Value 140

Brachiosaurus

A 40 ton, 26 meter (85 foot) long sauropod with massive forelimbs.

abilities

bellow 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

tail slap (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

stand and kick (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

trample 3 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

CP Value 190

Canadaga

These 50 kg (110 lb,) 2.5 meter (8 foot) long flightless waterfowl slide about in the snow kicking like frogs with powerful sprawling legs, but are more graceful in the water. (The Canadaga have melee attack abilities which target each defense.)

abilities

slide around on stomach (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

graceful swimmer 3 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

long neck and toothed beak (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

leap from the water and strike (melee vs Per; -2 Crd; target: distracted 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): Sucker punch and run away to lead enemies away from allies or into a flanking trap.

bite and cling with sharp teeth 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 66

Chicken

This small harmless land foul is a popular source of protein with numerous common recipes involving either its flesh or eggs.

abilities

flying kicks and beak pecks 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value -40

Chimera Cerberus

This 1 ton 4 meter (13 foot) long two headed quadruped monstrosity is covered in thick scales, has an agile build and mouths full of razor sharp teeth. It was surgically created to be the ultimate guard.

abilities

chomp at multiple intruders (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

rend with both jaws 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 162

Chimera Gryphon

This 180 kg (400 lb) 4 meter (13 foot) wing span creature uses its wings to help it make extra long leaps attacking with razor sharp natural weapons. It was surgically created to be the ultimate hunter.

abilities

flying attack 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this class="western" align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in" ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

pin prey 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 130

Chimera Minotaur

This 4 ton 9 meter (30 foot) predator dinosaur, has been surgically modified with massive horns and arm spears. It was surgically created to be the ultimate battlefield weapon.

abilities

spear with arms or horns (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

natural weapons 2 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

lash out in every direction 3 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Agi; -2 Crd): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

CP Value 157

Cretoxyrhina

This huge shark weighs up to 2 tons and is around 8 meters (25 feet) long.

abilities

smell blood from incredible distances (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

must keep swimming to breathe 4 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

attack from the darkness below (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

tear at prey to get chunks of meat 2 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 161

Deinonychus

70 kg (150 lb,) 3.4 meter (11 foot) long feathered predatory dinosaurs with an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on each foot. They have well-developed forearms and large, clawed hands, so they can catch and kill prey with their feet, hands or teeth.

abilities

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

sickle claw pounce 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

bite neck and pin (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

swipe lures prey into trap (melee vs Per; -2 Crd; target: distracted 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): Sucker punch and run away to lead enemies away from allies or into a flanking trap.

maul distracted prey 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

CP Value 97

Deinosuchus

A 10 m (33 foot) long, 5 tonne crocodilian with thick natural armor.

abilities

sculling tail 3 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

grapples big dinosaurs 2 (specialty: all melee attacks vs Str; +1 Crd/rank): You disable enemies with wrestling techniques.

tail sweep 3 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

bite and roll to thrash and smother prey (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn; you: cover 1 turn): You can use your opponent as a shield while strangling them.

killer twist with powerful jaws 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

CP Value 190

Diplodocus

This 13 ton, 35 meter (120 foot) long sauropod dinosaur is longer but more lightly built than other sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus. Diplodocus have a row of narrow pointed spines running down their backs like iguanas, and a whip-like tail which can produce a noise as loud as a cannon being fired. Long-necked sauropods rely on size and Strength for defense. (The Diplodocus has abilities which target each of the defenses: the long tail to reach slow enemies; crack tail whip to intimidate enemies who aren't too bright; stomp for little weak ones.)

abilities

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

long tail (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

crack tail whip 1 (1 use/rank; targets all enemies; ranged vs Per; no damage; hit: intimidated 1 turn): This threat causes no damage, but may encourage healthy NPCs to evade, and injured NPCs to retreat.

stomp 4 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

CP Value 184

Djinn Swarm

An air-bound, intelligent, predator swarm of nanobots and cultivated microbes.

abilities

sound based predator (effect; no Crd penalty in darkness): You can sense enemies in the dark.

slither across the floor (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

any part of the creature can attack 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

semi-solid material is hard to hold (action; while grabbed; you: not grabbed): Release yourself from a grab without making a check.

reassemble from whispy remnants 14 (1 use; action; while injured or dying; you: recover 1d6 HP/rank): Once per encounter you can recover 1d6 Hit Points for each rank of this ability. The rank of this ability may not exceed one sixth of your Toughness. You can perform this action when you are dying or injured but not when you are healthy. You can perform this action regardless of whether you made a dying check and regardless of whether it was successful. If you use this action immediately after automatically failing a dying check, you do not die.

whirlwind form and lashes out in all directions 3 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Agi; -2 Crd): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

blend into shadows and strike from behind (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

seems more solid after feeding on prey 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

constantly shifting form 3 (1 use/rank; while you or target injured; strike, distract or grab attack; +5 Crd): You or the target must be injured. Perform a strike, distract or grab attack. Aside from the +5 Coordination bonus, these attacks are exactly like the standard strike, distract or grab action.

CP Value 190

Edmontosaurus

A 4 ton, 9.0 meter (30 foot) long hadrosaur sometimes called "trachodon." Hadrosaurs are a colorful advanced group of ornithopods with deep bodies and tails and a flattened beak vaguely resembling a duck's bill.

abilities

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

tail slap (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

kick and bite (melee vs Agi; +5 Crd; you: exposed 1 turn): Maneuver around and overwhelm an enemy's defenses.

trample 2 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

CP Value 142

Elasmosaurus

These 2 ton, 14 meter (46 foot) long plesiosaurs have extremely long-necks, compact bodies and turtle-like flippers. They normally eat fish, but they can bite and slash party members with their teeth as they snatch food from the wreckage.

abilities

fly through the water with strong paddles 3 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: diving; you: defending 1 turn): The environment must have features that allow diving, like deep water. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending until the end of your next turn.

teeth slash while whipping head back and forth (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

use long neck to dart in and strike first (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

ambush from water catches opponent off guard (while evading; melee vs Per; double Pwr): Set up a deadly attack with stealth and patience.

CP Value 130

Gaffling Chimera Bandit Leader

Makeshift armor plating and air rifles grafted onto arms.

abilities

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 5 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

double air rifles 5 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Agi; double Pwr; you: rushed 1 turn): Sacrifice defense to fire repeatedly.

shoot anyone who moves (ranged vs Agi; -5 Crd; counter any attack): Lay down a field of fire to keep your enemies from attacking. Prepare a second attack (ranged vs Agi). If an enemy attacks before your next turn, you can use this second attack against that enemy as an immediate reaction.

instinctive shooter 2 (specialty: all ranged attacks vs Agi; +1 Crd/rank): You overwhelm opponents with a barrage of projectiles.

weapons grafted to body 2 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 155

Gaffling Chimera Ice Axer

Several arms terminating in metal ice axes

abilities

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

lash out with ice axe arms (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

block attacks with metal axes (melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

weapons grafted to body 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 125

Gaffling Chimera Pyro Shaman

Juggles flames and spits fire.

abilities

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 2 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

exhale a gout of flame 2 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

throw blinding balls of flame 2 (1 use/rank; ranged vs Per; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned permanently): Stun an opponent from a distance.

belch clouds of choking smoke 2 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

internal weapons 2 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

CP Value 125

Gaffling Cult Shaman

Adorned with metal talismans, the cult leader carries a vessel filled with fizzing, fuming liquid (The shamans open with lead ability to soften the PCs defenses during the first wave of attacks. Then they try to stun the PCs with gas ability. If another cult member is injured and has not been healed yet, a shaman will use an elixir instead of attacking. The disciples only have one attack ability (wrench) which they use to pounce on the PCs three times or until it proves futile against a strong PC. They can also employ their claws and teeth for a basic strike or distract action to bring down PCs who have far more Strength than Agility or Perception.)

abilities

fuming elixir 3 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

throw blinding elixir 3 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: stunned 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

lead fanatics 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

gaffling sickle claw pin 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 115

Gaffling Cult Disciple

relentless fanatic pounces on intruders

abilities

natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

gaffling sickle claw pin 5 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 85

Gaffling Shepherd

The shepherds wield long wooden crooks.

abilities

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

gaffling sickle claw pin 5 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

gang up on distracted enemy 5 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; while target distracted; +2 Crd; +½ Pwr): By harrying the enemy on all sides, you can outmaneuver them with wits rather than speed. This attack only works on targets who are distracted. The distract action and some abilities distract targets.

shepherd's crook reach (reach, melee vs Agi; +2 Crd; you: rushed 1 turn): Target an enemy up to 2 meters away or with one space between you.

CP Value 93

Gaffling Warlord Gladiator

gafflings armed with paired shield sticks

abilities

paired and natural weapons 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

shield sticks (melee vs Agi; -5 Crd; you: defending 1 turn): Approach your enemy cautiously, slipping around his attacks and keeping him between you and his allies.

gaffling sickle claw pin 4 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

gaffling sense of smell (expertise: detection): +5 bonus to searching and scouting event checks.

CP Value 93

Gallimimus

a 200 kg (440 lb) 6 meter (20 foot) long ornithomimid.

abilities

claws, beak, kicking with long legs 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

run and swipe with claws 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

self-sufficient foraging (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

CP Value 104

Gastornis

a 90 kg (200 lb) 2 meter (6.5 foot) tall flightless carnivorous bird with a large sharp beak.

abilities

beak, kicking with long legs 1 (effect; 1 rank: keep Pwr and melee attacks while disarmed; 2 ranks: cannot be disarmed): If you have 1 rank of this ability, your melee weapons cannot be disarmed, but they also cannot be borrowed. You still lose your ranged attacks when you are disarmed, but you do not lose Power. If you have 2 ranks of this ability, none of your weapons can be disarmed or borrowed.

aggressive attack with beak 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

self-sufficient foraging (expertise: survival): +5 bonus to emergency and wilderness survival event checks.

CP Value 97

Arthropod golems include tiny nanogolem parasites, larger spider golems, sporecraft and starflower bioships.

Golem, Deckhand

tough exoskeleton, extra limbs

abilities

crawl along surfaces (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

skittering movement (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

front limbs snatch (melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: disarmed permanently): If the attack is successful, the target is disarmed until it uses an action (rearm) to recover its weapons.

side limbs swipe (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

rear limbs kick (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

space mechanic (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

CP Value 100

Golem, Overlord Overseer

Golem skin is a hard segmented cuticle of calcified chitin with a fused carapace protecting the combined head and chest. This Overseer weighs 250 kg (550 lbs) and is designed to command fortified nests. This golem moves swiftly and has potent chemical weapons.

abilities

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

command coordinated attack 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Per; target and 2 other targets: rushed 1 turn): Lead a charge that rushes your enemies. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the target and two other enemies are rushed until your next turn.

spray venom and digestive enzymes 3 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

convert flesh into liquid biofuel 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

CP Value 150

Golem, Overlord Panzer

A 10 ton tank-like golem with an armored exoskeleton.

abilities

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

acid cannon 3 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or far area; ranged vs Per; -2 Crd): Choose a point you can attack at least 15 meters away from you. This attack targets every character within 5 meters of that point.

convert flesh into liquid biofuel 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

run over and crush 3 (3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Str; -½ Pwr; hit: prone 1 turn): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

CP Value 212

Golem, Overlord Ravisher

A 1 ton evil spider-like creature with numerous sharp pointed legs, stingers, tentacles and an armored exoskeleton. (Any time a PC is killed in this encounter, the ravisher reanimates the fallen PC as a standard action on the ravisher's turn. The PC comes back as an injured (HP = stamina) NPC controlled by the ravisher. If the ravisher is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it dies and so does any reanimated former party members.)

abilities

crawl up walls (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

spray venom and digestive enzymes 4 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or near area; ranged vs Agi; you: rushed 1 turn): Choose a point you can attack no more than 5 meters away from you. This attack targets each creature which is closer to that point than you are.

convert flesh into liquid biofuel 7 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; hit: rushed 1 turn, you recover 1d6 HP): Parasitize an opponent for a quick energizing snack. You recover 1d6 Hit Points only if the attack succeeds. This ability cannot make your Hit Points greater than your Toughness. This ability does not depend on or affect the healed state, so you can recover Hit Points every time this attack succeeds, before or after being healed.

whipping tentacles (melee vs Per; ignore grabbed penalty; +5 Crd; -½ Pwr): If you are grabbed when you use this attack, you get the +5 Coordination bonus for this ability and you also ignore the -5 Coordination penalty for being grabbed.

snapping pincers (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

CP Value 190

The Swarm's foot soldiers are smaller eight-armed ravishers derived from engineers. Modified Sporecraft called swarmlings serve as armor and vehicles, but they lack life support systems and other amenities of standard Spore. All Swarm castes have adapted to life in space and do not require life support systems as long as they have fuel, water and oxygen stores.

Golem, Swarmling Mutant Juggernaut

Like a cross between a centipede and a cephalopod, a cavernous maw at one end of the segmented body is surrounded by many armored tentacles. (This creature lives in space, so any prey without a zero-g fighting ability has a -2 Coordination modifier. If any PCs are dying, the Swarthy Krackis will attack them with coup de grace attacks until they are dead. The PCs can escape by taking shelter inside the Nemesis while the Krackis devours their ally, but if the PCs continue to fight the Swarthy Krackis, it will try to kill them all.)

abilities

lashing tentacles 3 (1 use/rank; 3 targets or each enemy you can reach; melee vs Agi; -2 Crd): When you use a map, target every enemy within reach at the moment you attack.

guarding tentacles (melee vs Per; reaction to melee attack against you: second attack): Prepare a second melee vs Per attack which you can use immediately after an enemy attacks you with a melee attack before your next turn.

tear prey apart 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

space predator (effect; no Crd penalty for weightlessness): Maneuver in three dimensions while fighting in free-fall.

CP Value 170

Golem, Engineer

Golem skin is a hard segmented cuticle of calcified chitin with a fused carapace protecting the combined head and chest. This Engineer weighs 50 kg (110 lbs) is designed to raise and repair other golems, uses all eight legs to climb around and their many hands resemble pruning hooks, saws and scalpels.

abilities

crawl up walls (effect; environment: climbing; while defending; any attack; +5 Crd): When you evade in an encounter which allows climbing, you have a +5 Coordination bonus to your next attack.

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

fight in multiple directions (2 targets; melee vs Agi; you: exposed 1 turn): Unleash a quick, powerful combination of strikes.

repair others 1 (1 use/rank; action; while target not already healed; target: already healed, HP = Stamina): Heal one ally up to Stamina (Toughness/2) Hit Points. You can only heal characters who have Hit Points less than their Stamina. You cannot heal dead characters.

CP Value 95

Golem,Grafter

Golem skin is a hard segmented cuticle of calcified chitin with a fused carapace protecting the combined head and chest. This Grafter weighs 200 kg (440 lbs) and is designed for protecting territory, farming, landscaping and collecting libraries of genetic data. Of its 4 front legs, two end in shovels and two end in saws.

abilities

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

genetic librarian (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

saw into invader 3 (1 use/rank; melee vs Str; -2 Crd; +½ Pwr; hit: grabbed 1 turn): Subdue opponent with a powerful grappling attack.

digging and tunneling 1 (1 use/rank; free action; environment: burrowing; you: cover, defending and prone 1 turn; move slow): The environment must have features that allow burrowing, like loose soil or deep snow. You must move slowly while burrowing. You can use this ability as a free action. You are defending, prone and have cover until the end of your next turn.

CP Value 142

Golem, Steward

Golem skin is a hard segmented cuticle of calcified chitin with a fused carapace protecting the combined head and chest. This Engineer weighs 100 kg (220 lbs) and is designed to stabilize ecosystems, maximize biodiversity and trade genetic information. This golem travels often, using all eight legs for movement to maximize its speed or the weight it can carry.

abilities

low center of gravity (effect; while prone; +1 defense vs melee attacks): When you are prone you have -1 to all defenses (Agility, Perception and Strength) against melee attacks instead of the normal -2 penalty for being prone. This helps when you are knocked down and when you drop prone intentionally to avoid ranged attacks.

genetic librarian (expertise: knowledge): +5 bonus to research and education event checks.

high velocity bump 1 (1 use/rank; melee vs Agi; double Pwr; you: exposed 1 turn, but not rushed): You can charge at full speed before this attack without being rushed.

CP Value 103

Gremian Cultist

This cultists has a spider silk vest and weapons hidden under heavy robes. (The Clockmaker cabal has taken blood oaths to never betray their secret society. They will not retreat or surrender, fearing the society's wrath more than death. They also cannot allow witnesses to escape, so they will Focus their attacks on PCs who evade.)