Techie

From Cf

Current revision as of 12:01, 10 April 2007

The techie can be a mechanic, a pilot, a computer specialist, a demolitions expert, or any other profession that has an emphasis on the use of chemical, mechanical or electronical equipment and machinery.

Role

The techie is the natural choice as pilot or driver of any sort of moveable vehicle or transportation. In addition, her basic combat skills should provide an adventuring party with decent fighting capabilities, allowing her to function as a supportive ranged or melee combatant in tactical situations. Furthermore she has a wide range of other skills and features, including the ability to find and disable traps, operate computers and handle dangerous explosives.

Abilities

Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom are the techie's most important abilities. The techie uses her Dexterity to manipulate sensitive equipment, for ranged combat, and to drive and pilot vehicles and aircrafts. Her high Dexterity also provide the techie with an invaluable bonus to her initiative and armor class. A techie with a high Intelligence score gets additional skill points, although the high number of skill points would privide a techie with low or medium Intelligence a very reasonable amount as well. In addition to being based on Intelligence, some of the techies skills are based on Wisdom, and having a high score in that ability should provide her with additional advantages.

Game Rules

Hit Die

d6

Class Skills

The techie’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:

• Appraise (Int)
• Computer use (Int)
• Concentration (Con)
• Craft (Wis)
• Demolitions (Int)
• Disable device (Int)
• Drive (Dex)
• Knowledge (Int)
• Navigate (Int)
• Open lock (Dex)
• Pilot (Dex)
• Profession (Wis)
• Repair (Wis)
• Research (Int)
• Search (Int)
• Use rope (Dex)

Skill Points

• First level: (8 + Int. modifier) x4.
• Additional levels: 8 + Int. modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the techie.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A techie has the following weapon and armor proficiency feats:

• Simple Weapons
• Personal Firearms
• Light Armor

Jury-Rig

A techie gains a +2 competence bonus on Repair skill checks made to attempt temporary or jury-rigged repairs. See the Repair skill for details on jury-rigging. At 5th level, this competence bonus increases to +4.

Bonus Feat

The techie may choose a bonus feats from the following list. The techie must meet any requirements set in the feat description to select the feat. At every third additional level, the techie gains another feat from the same list.

• Aircraft Operation
• Builder
• Drive-By Attack
• Focused
• Force Stop
• Gearhead
• Nimble Fingers
• Skill Focus (class skills only)
• Surface Vehicle Operation
• Vehicle Dodge
• Vehicle Expert

Extreme Machine

If it has mechanical or electronic components, a techie of 2nd level or higher can get maximum performance out of it. By spending 1 action point and making either a Craft (electronic) or Craft (mechanical) check (whichever is appropriate for the machine in question), the techie can temporarily improve a machine’s performance—at the risk of causing the machine to need repairs later. The DC for the Craft check depends on the type of improvement being made, as shown on the table below.

The techie performs the extreme modifications in 1 hour. The techie can’t take 10 or take 20 on this check. If the check succeeds, the effect of the improvement lasts for a number of minutes equal to his or her techie class level, beginning when the object is first put into use. The techie selects the single improvement he or she wants to make prior to making the check. After the duration of the effect ends, the machine reverts to its previous state and a repair chance percentile roll is made. The result of this roll indicates whether the machine requires repairs before it can be used again.

Trapfinding

At 3rd level techies can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Techies can use the Disable device skill to disarm traps. A techie who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Improved Extreme Machine

At 6th level a techie can make extreme modifications to electronic or mechanical components in 10 minutes.

Mastercraft

At 8th level, the techie becomes adept at creating mastercraft objects. She applies the mastercraft ability to one of her Craft skills. From this point on, she can build mastercraft objects using that skill. With Craft (electronic), the techie can build electronic devices. With Craft (mechanical), the techie can build mechanical devices, including weapons. On average, it takes twice as long to build a mastercraft object as it does to build an ordinary object of the same type. The cost to build a mastercraft object is equal to ???. The techie must also pay a cost in experience points equal to 25 x her Techie level x the bonus provided by the mastercraft feature. The XP must be paid before making the Craft check. If the expenditure of these XP would drop the techie to below the minimum needed for her current level, then the XP can’t be paid and the techie can’t use the mastercraft ability until she gains enough additional XP to remain at her current level after the expenditure is made. When successfully completed, a mastercraft object provides a +1 bonus to its quality compared to an ordinary object of the same type. All weapons and armor, and certain other types of equipment, such as computers and electronic devices, can be constructed as mastercraft objects. At 14th level, the techie can add the mastercraft ability to another Craft skill, or she can improve his or her ability in the skill selected at 8th level, so that his or her mastercraft objects provide a +2 bonus. At 20th level, the techie adds another +1 bonus to his or her mastercraft ability. If the techie focuses his or her ability on one Craft skill, his or her mastercraft objects now provide a +3 bonus. If the techie already has the ability for both Craft skills, he or she chooses which one to improve to a +2 bonus. The Craft DC for a mastercraft object is the same as for a normal object of the same type, as described in the Craft skill, with the following modification: For a +1 object, add +3 to the Craft DC; for a +2 object, add +5 to the Craft DC; and for a +3 object, add +10 to the Craft DC.

Perfect Extreme Machine

At 12th level a techie can make extreme modifications to electronic or mechanical components in 1 minute.