Core Rulebook

Rulebook

Androids are ageless biomechanical constructs with an integrated soul; although logical and resilient, they have difficulty understanding and expressing emotion.

Dwarves are stocky, slow, and skilled with stone; they’re stubbornly fixated on preserving their ancient crafts, culture, laws, and enmities.

Elves are long-lived isolationists with keen senses; they have an innate understanding of magic and deep bond with nature.

Small and spindly fey exiles, gnomes are curious and crave new experiences; drastic coloration and personality differences exist between subspecies.

Possessed of elven and human heritage, half-elves are adaptable social chameleons with slightly pointed ears.

Descended from humans and orcs, half-orcs are intimidating, green-skinned survivors who remain tenacious despite generations of adversity, prejudice, and oppression.

Halflings are lucky, small-statured optimists who possess quick reflexes, exceptional body control, boundless confidence, and a love of community.

Humans are driven by ambition and curiosity to create, discover, excel, explore, and possess. Adaptable and determined, they’re ubiquitous.

Kasathas are four-armed traditionalists with elongated craniums; they value history, stability, and follow complex societal customs, including covering their mouths.

Lashuntas are dimorphic antennaed telepaths with minor psychic powers and undeniable charisma; they have a love of learning and strive for excellence.

Shirrens are insectile telepaths whose species diverged from a predatory hive mind; they’re addicted to individualism and dedicated to spreading freedom, peace, and community.

Vesk are muscular reptilians from a militaristic empire; they are fearless, honorable, and proud and value might and combat prowess.

Ysoki are scrappy ratlike survivors with expandable cheek pouches who are tech- savvy, street-smart, and fiercely loyal to friends and family.

You are most comfortable at the controls of a vehicle, whether it’s a starship racing through the inky void of space or a ground vehicle zooming between trees, around boulders, and across dusty badlands. You might be a member of an elite military force, the recipient of intense courses of training. Alternatively, you might be a total amateur with innate skills that make you a much-admired hotshot.

You track people down for money. It is a dangerous profession, as most of your targets understandably don’t wish to be caught. You wouldn’t have it any other way. You might have a code of ethics, never taking jobs that, say, target children or members of your own race. You might hunt down only escaped criminals. Or you might be completely amoral, taking any job that comes along — for the right price.

Thanks to interstellar transmissions and Drift travel, the galaxy is smaller than ever, and this connectivity has facilitated your ascension to celebrity status. You might be a famous performer or a celebrated scientist, but either way, you get recognized on the Pact Worlds and in associated systems. Your reason for traveling to unknown worlds might be to further spread your acclaim or to escape the limelight.

Whether you take jobs that match your ethical beliefs or you fight for anyone who can afford your services, you are a hired gun. You might take pride in your past accomplishments, proudly displaying trophies of your kills, or you might be laden with guilt over being the sole survivor of a mission gone terribly wrong. You most likely work with other mercenaries and are familiar with the methodologies of military actions all across the galaxy.

Due to the sins of your past or your current unlawful behavior, you are a wanted individual somewhere in the Pact Worlds. You might not even be guilty and are striving to clear your good name. Or you might fully admit to being a criminal but believe the laws you break are unjust. Whatever the case, boarding a starship headed to the Vast might be just the thing you need until the heat dies down — or until you’re dragged off to prison.

You are a member of an organized religion or similar association. Your belief, whether it has been a part of you since childhood or it came to you later in life, is an integral part of your character. You might travel the stars proselytizing your deity, or your church might have sent you out on a specific holy (or unholy) mission. No matter what obstacles life puts in your way, you always have the conviction of your beliefs to fall back on.

You are an erudite intellectual, pitting your brain against problems and puzzles that others would find daunting. You might be an instructor of a specific topic at a large university or a dabbler in a number of fields of study. You could be exploring the galaxy in search of ancient artifacts or new scientific phenomena. Whatever your motivation, you are sure that the answers you seek are out there.

Your longing to journey among the stars can’t be sated. You yearn for the adventure of stepping onto a distant world and exploring its secrets. You tend to greet every new opportunity with bravery and fortitude, confident that your multitude of skills will pull you through. Perhaps you simply find joy in the act of traveling with your companions, or perhaps you are just out to line your pockets with all sorts of alien loot!

If you decide that none of the themes above fit your particular character concept, you can choose not to have a theme. You then gain the following benefits at the listed levels. A themeless character is considerably less powerful than a character with a theme, so choose this option with care.

The thought of meeting alien life-forms excites you. The more different their appearances and customs are from yours, the better! You either believe they have much to teach you or you want to prove you are better than them. Of course, the only way to accomplish your goal is to leave the Pact Worlds and travel to the Vast, where a virtually endless number of aliens await.

You make your way in the universe with a charming smile, quick wit, and keen sense of self-preservation, and excel at getting others to do what you want. You might be a trickster, hustler, or con artist, or you might serve as an actor, ambassador, or businessperson, paving the way for negotiation through kind words or the occasional dirty trick. You are often the group’s strategist, using your quick wit and tactical acumen to push your friends to greater heights. You may also be skilled in diplomacy, serving as the face for a starship crew, talking your way into restricted systems or gaining audiences with local politicians or warlords.

You are a master of machines, from advanced supercomputers to simple magnetic engines. Understanding how these devices work gives you insight into the world around you, allowing you to make the most of your gear, circumvent hardened defenses, and even take over remote systems. Your programming skill also gives you the ability to create a powerful ally, in the form of either an implanted artificial intelligence or a robotic drone, which can assist you with a variety of tasks. If there’s a computer or machine that needs to be fixed, bypassed, or destroyed, you’re the first on the scene. Whether you’re a skilled scientist, a starship engineer, or a battlefield technician, you’re no stranger to combat—but you find it much more reasonable to have your AI or drone do the fighting for you.

You understand that what most people call magic is simply an expression of the innate connection between all things, and you intuitively tap into this unseen power to create strange effects. You may conceptualize the source of your magic as divine grace, a manipulation of fundamental energy, or an unlocking of psychic potential, but always with the knowledge that you are a conduit channeling forces greater than yourself. Though you may study, you understand that spellcasting—like all existence—is messy and intuitive, and you specialize in biology and mental systems too complex to be perfectly understood by science. You sense the intangible and exploit your bonds with others, whether to bolster them or bend them to your will.

You’re a shadow. You move swiftly, strike suddenly, and always have an escape plan. You’re a consummate professional, and you always get the job done, whether it’s scouting enemy lines, hunting down criminals, stealing and smuggling items, or assassinating key figures. As an operative, you’re skilled in a wide variety of disciplines and specialties, and use speed, mobility, and your quick wits rather than relying on heavy weapons. You excel at the art of surprise, whether it’s sniping targets from cover or striking while their backs are turned. Your cause may be righteous, but you have no problem fighting dirty—achieving your objective is all that matters.

The stars guide the planets with gravity, create life with light and heat, and utterly consume worlds in supernovas and black holes. You understand that these acts of creation and destruction are not opposites, but rather two parts of a natural, dualistic cycle. You seek to be an agent of that cycle, an enlightened warrior with the ability to manipulate the forces of the stars themselves. Constantly accompanied by a mote of fundamental energy or entropy, you can shape this essence in combat to create weapons and armor of gleaming stellar light or pure, devouring darkness. Whether you apprenticed in a temple or came to your powers through personal revelation, you recognize yourself as part of an ancient tradition—a force of preservation and annihilation.

Conflict is an inevitable result of life. On every world that harbors complex living organisms, creatures battle one another for dominance, resources, territory, or ideals. Whether you’ve taken up arms to protect others, win glory, exact revenge, or simply earn a living, you are the perfect embodiment of this truth. You’re an expert at combat of all types but tend to prefer heavy armor and weapons—the bigger, the better. You may be a career soldier, a fresh mercenary recruit, or a lone wolf who rejects authority, but whether rushing in for hand-to-hand combat or firing Tactical barrages, you’re a consummate warrior, never hesitating to put yourself in the line of fire to protect your friends.

To the uninitiated, magic and technology are completely unrelated, but you know there are more correlations between the two than most suspect. Magic and technology are just tools, and when combined into one discipline, called technomancy, they can be far more powerful than one or the other on its own. You utilize tech to empower, harness, and manipulate magic, and you wield magic to augment, control, and modify technology. You are an expert at hacking the underlying structure of the universe itself, bending the laws of science and nature to your will. Your technomancy—which is gained from scientific study and experimentation—manipulates the physical world, weaves illusions, allows you to peer through time and space, and if necessary, can blast a foe into atoms.

Create controlled undead creatures out of target corpses.

Invisible floating eye moves 30 feet per round and sends you visual information.

Magical sources become visible to you.

Deal 10d6 electricity damage in a 120-foot line.

Learn whether an action will be good or bad.

Create a temporary robot from random junk, turning it into a deadly combatant.

Target takes –4 penalty to attack rolls, saves, and checks or 50% chance of not acting on each of its turns.

Free creatures from curses, enchantments, and transmutations.

Rain cosmic particles on targets, dealing 4d6 fire damage and 3d6 cold damage.

Fling magical nanites as a ranged attack that deals 4d4 acid damage to one target, plus 5 additional damage in subsequent rounds.

Deal 13d12 electricity damage to primary target and up to 10 secondary targets; one of the primary target’s electrical devices stops functioning for 1 round.

Make one creature believe it is your ally or one day per level.

Make one humanoid creature believe that it is your ally.

Hear or see at a distance for 1 minute per level.

One creature obeys a select command for 1 round.

Undead creature obeys your commands.

One creature per level obeys select command for 1 round per level.

Learn about terrain for 1 mile per level.

You understand all spoken, signed, and written or tactile languages.

Targets behave randomly for 1 round per level.

One living creature is confused for 1 round.

Ask questions of extraplanar entity.

Alter gravity in an area.

Command technological constructs within range telepathically.

Undead creatures follow your commands and don’t attack you.

Cloud deals 4d8 acid damage per round, plus 10 additional damage.

Whirlwind deals 4d6 damage and knocks creatures prone.

Create a single object made of vegetable or mineral matter.

Deal 18d8 damage to living creature’s head.

Create and direct up to four lights.

Grant ability to see 60 feet in total darkness.

one humanoid creature of CR 3 or lower

Target living creature of CR 5 or lower is dazed.

Target gains +4 bonus to saves against death spells, and is immune to negative energy and gaining negative levels.

Put a number of creatures whose CRs total 8 or less to sleep.

Turn nonhostile technological construct against your foes.

Determine whether a creature or object has been poisoned, is diseased, is cursed, or is suffering a similar affliction.

Detect spells and magic items within 60 feet.

Detect radiation within 120 feet.

Detect technological items with charges or that replenish charges within 60 feet.

"Listen" to surface thoughts.

Teleport a short distance.

Reveal deliberate falsehoods.

Disrupts or depowers one target technological item or construct.

Disrupts or depowers multiple technological items or constructs.

Change your appearance.

Ray reduces one creature or object to dust.

Force a creature to return to its native plane.

Cancel one magical spell or effect.

Cancel multiple spells or effects.

Attacks miss target 50% of the time.

Gain useful advice for specific proposed actions.

Control humanoid telepathically.

Ray deals 1d3 acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage.

Ray imposes 2 negative levels.

Targets can’t attack or be attacked, but can exist comfortably.

Touch decays a construct or nonmagical manufactured item once per round per level.

Remove writings of either magical or mundane nature.

You become ethereal for 1 round per level.

Deal 9d6 fire damage to creatures in a 20-foot radius.

Touched creature is fatigued.

Frighten a single living creature that’s of CR 4 or lower for 1d4 rounds.

Target’s Intelligence and Charisma scores drop to 1.

Turn a creature into a statue.

One creature or object per level falls slowly.

Create a fog that obscures vision.

Cone deals 2d6 force damage and bull rushes creatures.

Create minor illusory sounds.

Force a corpse to babble.

Particle with infinite density pulls creatures and objects into it, dealing 12d6 damage each round to those inside.

Make a 10-ft. square or one object slippery.

Remove all harmful conditions affecting a creature.

Grant DR 15/— or energy resistance 15 against four energy types.

Create a temporary robot made of junk to perform Computers, Engineering, Piloting, and Sleight of Hand tasks.

One creature per level moves and acts faster.

You turn a pile of technological junk into a robot that can perform basic healing tasks.

Deal 13d8 cold damage to creatures in a cone.

Paralyze one creature.

Paralyze one humanoid.

Hold a door shut.

Extract a creature’s memory and replay it as a hologram.

Create a silent hologram of your design.

Create a large hologram that depicts terrain and structures.

Disc deals 3d6 force damage to one target then ricochets to other targets, dealing 2d6 force damage.

Gain a +10 bonus to identify items of a magic or technological nature.

Embed one piece of data per level in a target computer or system.

Wracking pain imposes –2 penalty to ability checks, attack rolls, and skill checks on one target.

Wracking pain imposes –2 penalty to ability checks, attack rolls, and skill checks on one target per level.

Touch deals 4d8 damage to target and causes the confused condition.

Inflict technological construct with disease.

Teleport between planets.

Target is invisible for 1 minute per level or until it attacks.

Target is invisible for 1 round per level, even if it attacks.

Flood area with dangerous radiation.

Touch deals 4d6 electricity damage.

Target gains low-light vision and a +2 bonus to Perception checks.

Opens a locked or magically sealed door.

Remove one minor harmful condition affecting a creature.

Grant DR 5/— or energy resistance 5 against two energy types.

Dispel magical ability penalty or cure 1d4 ability damage.

Encase targeted creatures with a shell of tolerable atmosphere.

Target computer deals 6d6 energy damage to the first creature that tries and fails to use it.

Two missiles deal 1d4+1 force damage.

Restore 5d6 Hit Points to an object or construct.

Multiple targets are invisible for 1 minute per level or until one target attacks or moves away from other targets affected by spell.

Restore 3d8 + your Wisdom modifier Hit Points to one living creature per level.

Restore 1d4 Hit Points to an object or construct.

Cloud of tiny robots harasses creatures within it.

Instantly and telepathically communicate information to a creature.

Potentially access a target creature’s memories and its knowledge.

Mentally deal 2d10 damage to one target.

Alter reality to better suit you.

Create decoy duplicates of yourself.

Make yourself invisible and create an illusory double of your likeness.

Change 5 minutes of target’s memories.

Restore 1d8/3d8/5d8/12d8/16d8/20d8 + your Wisdom modifier Hit Points to a living creature.

Hide target from divination and surveillance.

Deal 2d8 fire damage to creatures in cone.

Target creature has a 50% chance to lose each action.

Create a passage through most walls.

Seal an area against all planar travel into or within it.

Trap an extraplanar creature until it performs a task.

As many as eight creatures travel to another plane you choose.

Prevent anyone from viewing or scrying an area for 24 hours.

Reroll one attack roll, save, or check.

Twenty floating eyes scout for you.

Cure all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage and drain, plus remove other mental afflictions and conditions.

Telekinetically move an object of 1 bulk or less.

Concentrate to immobilize target and deal 3d8 damage per round.

Restore life to a creature that died no more than 1 day per level ago.

Construct or weapon regains 2d8 Hit Points per round for 1 minute.

Ray makes target exhausted.

Replenish charges in a battery or item capable of holding charges.

Sheath of mystical force can reflect damage back on foe.

Grow back target’s severed limbs, restore 12d8 Hit Points, and remove exhaustion and fatigue.

Bring a target dead creature back to life in a random body.

Neutralize curses, diseases, infestations, poisons, and other harmful conditions affecting a creature.

Remove one moderate harmful condition affecting a creature.

Remove ongoing radiation effects from a creature or object.

Force globe protects but traps one target.

Grant up to 10 creatures DR 5/— or energy resistance 5 to all energy types.

Grant DR 10/ or energy resistance 10 to three energy types.

Restores ability score drain and negative levels.

Gain psychic impressions of past events in a certain location.

Turn target partially into a robot, dealing 3d6 damage per round and reducing speed.

Deal 3d6 damage per round and reducing targetss’ speed during that time.

Magically lock a portal, a container, or a security system.

See invisible creatures or objects.

Step into a shadowy realm to travel to a destination rapidly.

Illusion of starships deals 3d6 piercing damage and 3d6 fire damage to all creatures in the affected area.

Target understands chosen languages.

You take half of the target’s Hit Point damage.

One creature per level moves and acts slower.

Instantly kill or massively damage one creature per 2 caster levels, depending on targets’ CRs.

Calm a target hostile technological construct.

Corpse answers up to six questions.

Grant ability to walk on walls and ceilings.

Cause a dying creature to stabilize.

Monitor condition and position of allies.

You convince yourself one creature or object is an illusion.

Compel a target to follow stated course of action.

Compel one target per level to follow stated course of action.

Touched weapon deals extra damage.

Deal 2d10 damage per round to freestanding structure.

Target takes 18d8 damage and is staggered for 1 minute.

Stun all creatures within 20 feet for 1 round.

Stun all creatures within 20 feet for 1d4 rounds.

Move an object, attack creatures, or hurl objects or creatures with your mind.

Telekinetically hurl an object, dealing 1d6 damage to the target and object.

Link allows allies to communicate.

Use your telepathic bond with a creature to teleport to its location.

Send a short telepathic message and hear simple telepathic replies.

Communicate mentally with any creatures within 100 feet.

Instantly teleport as far as 2,000 miles.

Alter terrain and climate.

Perform simple magical effects.

Target can speak and understand any language.

Move charges from one power source to another source of the same type.

Target can see things as they really are.

Invisible force obeys your commands.

Charm a target into protecting you during combat.

Change appearance of a group of creatures.

Answer a question about a person, place, or object.

Blazing curtain deals 2d6 fire damage out to 10 feet and 1d6 fire damage out to 20 feet; passing through the wall deals 5d6 fire damage.

Invisible wall is difficult to destroy.

Wall has 45 Hit Points per inch of thickness and hardness 15.

Several targets become fatigued.

Alter reality to better suit you.

Create wisp of energy that shines light and distracts an enemy.

Creatures within range can’t lie.

You can adjust your fighting style to match specific conditions during combat.

You know how to use advanced melee weapons.

You can move, cast a spell, and move again before foes react.

You can create sudden distractions with technological devices.

You know how to make foes extremely angry with you.

You are adept at creating quick, temporary cover.

You know how to use basic melee weapons.

You are skilled at attacking opponents you can’t clearly see.

You can attempt to ward off attacks that target nearby allies.

You can strike two adjacent foes with a single swing.

You can climb as well as a monkey or a spider.

You leave fewer openings when casting a spell.

You gain a hint of mystic power.

You can maneuver a foe to be in the direct line of an ally’s fire.

Your can strike your enemies’ weak points and deal more damage.

You can use your melee weapon to deflect attacks.

You are especially hard to kill. Your wounds quickly stabilize when you’re grievously wounded.

You know how to dive out of the area of an effect.

You can draw attention to yourself, allowing your allies to slip away.

You are skilled at bringing your opponent down with you when you are knocked prone.

You have trained your body to resist a particular type of damage.

Your resolve is stronger than most.

You remain accurate at longer ranges.

You can baffle a foe with chatter to disguise the start of battle.

You are faster than most.

You use your numerous limbs to lay down a hail of fire.

You can strike many adjacent foes with a single blow.

You are resistant to diseases, poisons, and other maladies.

You are skilled at fooling your opponents in combat.

Your spells break through spell resistance much more easily than most.

You know how to use grenades.

You can use your healing channel to harm undead.

You know how to use heavy armor.

You know how to use heavy weapons.

You are particularly skilled with a specific combat maneuver.

Attacks with your chosen weapon are harder to shake off.

You are skilled at fooling your opponents in combat.

You are more resistant to diseases, poisons, and dangers.

Your quick reflexes allow you to react rapidly to danger.

Your clarity of thought allows you to resist mental attacks.

You have a knack for avoiding the dangers all around you.

You keep your mobility when sidestepping foes’ melee attacks.

You are particularly skilled at stopping foes in their tracks.

You have trained to make your unarmed strikes lethal and strike with kicks, head-butts, and similar attacks.

You put yourself in danger’s path to save your allies.

You are more resistant to mental effects.

You are swift of foot and can make enormous leaps.

You can stand up from prone in a hurry.

You know how to use light armor.

You have faster reflexes than normal.

You know how to use longarms.

You can strike foes that would normally be out of reach.

You have a significant natural psychic ability.

You can construct things more quickly than most.

You are an expert at medical science and caring for the ill.

You have a minor natural psychic ability.

You can easily move past dangerous foes.

You know how to fight with several lighter weapons at once and how to take advantage of your multiple attacks.

Through a twist of genetics, magic, or strange fate, you developed another of your race’s traits

Your magical power flows into your weapons.

You can move across a single obstacle with ease.

Your ranged assault leaves your foe disoriented and vulnerable to your next melee attack.

You are an expert skirmisher and are able to take a final shot as you retreat.

You know how to angle your attacks so that you penetrate your opponent’s defenses.

You know how to cast spells so that they penetrate your opponent’s defenses.

You know how to use powered armor.

You have a natural psychic ability.

You can activate a foe’s grenade.

You can draw weapons faster than most.

You can use your melee weapon to redirect attacks.

You can move, fire a ranged weapon, and move again before your foes can react.

You can reposition yourself after a foe’s missed swing.

You are particularly adept at a certain skill.

You understand how two skills work well together.

You can get the most out of flying technology.

You leave fewer openings when making a ranged attack.

You know how to use small arms.

You know how to use sniper weapons.

You know how to use a special weapon.

Through careful study, you have developed methods to make your spells harder to resist.

Your spells break through spell resistance more easily than those of other spellcasters.

Your mind and body are fortified against magic.

You can deftly move up to a foe, strike, and withdraw before it can react.

You can use covering fire to make it easier for your ally to move.

You can stop foes that try to move past you.

You can close the distance when a foe tries to move away.

When a foe tries to move away, you can follow and make an attack of opportunity.

You can strike at foes that attack you using their superior reach by targeting their limbs or weapons as they come at you.

You can use automatic weapons to create a cone of covering fire or harrying fire.

You can swim as well as a fish.

You dabble with coding in the language of magic.

You have enhanced physical resilience, and harsh conditions or long exertions don’t easily tire you.

You can trick foes into firing at an unintended target.

You can be so subtle not even the people you threaten are entirely sure you threatened them.

You draw upon your resolve to quickly change tactics in the heat of battle.

You know how to get full value out of weapon types your class doesn’t normally use.

You know how to get full value out of weapon types your class doesn’t normally use.

You have increased training in a particular weapon type, making it easier to hit your target.

You know how to get the full damage out of a weapon type your class doesn’t normally use.