1. Tags

Explorer

You are a person of action and physical ability, fearlessly facing the unknown. You travel to strange, exotic, and dangerous places, and discover new things. This means you’re physical but also probably knowledgeable.

Individual Role: Although Explorers can be academics or well studied, they are first and foremost interested in action. They face grave dangers and terrible obstacles as a routine part of life.

Group Role: Explorers sometimes work alone, but far more often they operate in teams with other characters. The Explorer frequently leads the way, blazing the trail. However, they’re also likely to stop and investigate anything intriguing they stumble upon.

Societal Role: Not all Explorers are out traipsing through the wilderness or poking about an old ruin. Sometimes, an Explorer is a teacher, a scientist, a detective, or an investigative reporter. In any event, an Explorer bravely faces new challenges and gathers knowledge to share with others.

Advanced Explorers: Higher-tier Explorers gain more skills, some combat abilities, and a number of abilities that allow them to deal with danger. In short, they become more and more well-rounded, able to deal with any challenge.

EXPLORER PLAYER INTRUSIONS

When playing an Explorer, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.

Fortuitous Malfunction: A trap or a dangerous device malfunctions before it can affect you.

Serendipitous Landmark: Just when it seems like the path is lost (or you are), a trail marker, a landmark, or simply the way the terrain or corridor bends, rises, or falls away suggests to you the best path forward, at least from this point.

Weak Strain: The poison or disease turns out not to be as debilitating or deadly as it first seemed, and inflicts only half the damage that it would have otherwise.

EXPLORER STAT POOLS

Stat Pool Starting Value

Might 10

Speed 9

Intellect 9

You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.

FIRST-TIER EXPLORER

First-tier Explorers have the following abilities:

Effort: Your Effort is 1.

Physical Nature: You have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge of 0, and an Intellect Edge of 0.

Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.

Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.

Weapons: You can use light and medium weapons without penalty. You have an inability with heavy weapons; your attacks with heavy weapons are hindered.

Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in chapter 9, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog.

· Block (115)

· Danger Sense (124)

· Decipher (126)

· Endurance (134)

· Find the Way (140)

· Fleet of Foot (141)

· Improved Edge (151)

· Knowledge Skills (157)

· Muscles of Iron (165)

· No Need for Weapons (166)

· Physical Skills (170)

· Practiced in Armor (171)

· Practiced With All Weapons (171)

· Surging Confidence (188)

· Trained Without Armor (193)

SECOND-TIER EXPLORER

Choose four of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

· Curious (123)

· Danger Instinct (124)

· Enable Others (133)

· Escape (136)

· Eye for Detail (138)

· Foil Danger (142)

· Hand to Eye (148)

· Investigative Skills (155)

· Quick Recovery (173)

· Range Increase (174)

· Skill With Defense (183)

· Stand Watch (186)

· Travel Skills (193)

· Wreck (200)

THIRD-TIER EXPLORER

Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

· Controlled Fall (122)

· Experienced in Armor (136)

· Expert Cypher Use (137)

· Ignore the Pain (150)

· Obstacle Running (167)

· Resilience (176)

· Run and Fight (179)

· Seize the Moment (181)

· Skill With Attacks (183)

· Stone Breaker (186)

· Think Your Way Out (191)

· Trapfinder (193)

· Wrest From Chance (200)

FOURTH-TIER EXPLORER

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

· Capable Warrior (118)

· Expert Skill (137)

· Increased Effects (153)

· Read the Signs (174)

· Runner (179)

· Subtle Steps (187)

· Tough As Nails (192)

FIFTH-TIER EXPLORER

Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

· Adroit Cypher Use (108)

· Free to Move (143)

· Group Friendship (147)

· Hard to Kill (148)

· Jump Attack (156)

· Mastery With Defense (161)

· Parry (168)

· Physically Gifted (170)

· Take Command (188)

· Vigilant (196)

SIXTH-TIER EXPLORER

Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

· Again and Again (109)

· Inspire Coordinated Actions (154)

· Mastery in Armor (161)

· Mastery With Attacks (161)

· Negate Danger (165)

· Share Defense (181)

· Spin Attack (185)

· Wild Vitality (198)

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Abilities

Unorganised

Escape - Action

You slip your restraints, squeeze through the bars, break the grip of a creature holding you, pull free from sucking quicksand, or otherwise get loose from whatever is holding you in place.

Foil Danger - Action

You negate one source of potential danger related to one creature or object that you are aware of within immediate distance for one round. This could be a weapon or device held by someone, a trap triggered by a pressure plate, or a creature’s natural ability (something special, innate, and dangerous, like a dragon’s fiery breath or a giant cobra’s venom). You can also try to foil a foe‘s mundane action (such as an attack with a weapon or claw), so that the action isn‘t made this round. Make your roll against the level of the attack, danger, or creature.

Group Friendship - Action

You convince a sentient creature to regard you (and up to ten creatures that you designate within immediate distance of you) positively, as they would a potential friend.

Inspire Coordinated Actions - Action

If your allies can see and easily understand you, you can instruct each of them to take one specific action (the same action for all of them). If any of them choose to take that exact action, they can do so as an additional action immediately. This doesn’t interfere with them taking their normal actions on their turns. 

Jump Attack - Action

You attempt a difficulty 4 Might roll to jump high into the air as part of your melee attack action. If you succeed at the jump and your attack hits, you inflict 3 additional points of damage and knock the foe prone. If you fail at the jump, you still make your normal attack roll, but you don’t inflict the extra damage or knock down the opponent if you hit. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to enhance your jump; each level of Effort used in this way adds +2 feet to the height and +1 damage to the attack.

Negate Danger - Action

You permanently negate a source of potential danger related to one creature or object within immediate distance. This could be a weapon or device held by someone, a creature’s natural ability, or a trap triggered by a pressure plate. 

Read the Signs - Action

You examine an area and learn precise, useful details about the past (if any exist). You can ask the GM up to four questions about the immediate area; each requires its own roll.

Run and Fight - Action

You can move a short distance and make a melee attack that inflicts 2 additional points of damage.

Spin Attack - Action

You stand still and make attacks against up to five foes, all as part of the same action in one round. All of the attacks have to be the same sort of attack (melee or ranged). Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action. Anything that modifies your attack or damage applies to all of these attacks. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the number of foes you can attack with this ability (one additional foe per level of Effort used in this way). 

Take Command - Action

You issue a specific command to another character. If that character chooses to listen, any attack they attempt on their next turn is eased, and a hit deals 3 additional points of damage. If your command is to perform a task other than an attack, the task is eased as if it benefited from a free level of Effort.

Trapfinder - Action

You find any traps (like a floor that would give way beneath you) or mechanical triggers to a trap or defense system that might pose a threat. You can do this without setting them off and in lieu of making a roll to find them. This ability can find traps of level 4 or below. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the level of traps that can be found by 2, so using two levels of Effort can find all traps of level 8 or below.

Wreck - Action

Using two hands, you wield a weapon or a tool with a powerful swing. (If fighting unarmed, this attack is made with both fists or both feet together.) When using this as an attack, you take a –1 penalty to the attack roll, and you inflict 3 additional points of damage. When attempting to damage an object or barrier, you are trained in the task.

Block - Action to initiate

You automatically block the next melee attack made against you within the next minute.

Decipher - Action to initiate

If you spend one minute examining a piece of writing or code in a language you do not understand, you can make an Intellect roll of difficulty 3 (or higher, based on the complexity of the language or code) to get the gist of the message.

Eye for Detail - Action to initiate

When you spend five minutes or so thoroughly exploring an area no larger than a short distance in diameter, you can ask the GM one question about the area. The GM must answer you truthfully. You cannot use this more than one time per area per 24 hours. Action to initiate, five minutes to complete.

Hand to Eye - Action to initiate

This ability provides an asset to any tasks involving manual dexterity, such as pickpocketing, lockpicking, games involving agility, and so on. Each use lasts up to a minute; a new use (to switch tasks) replaces the previous use.

Stand Watch - Action to initiate

While standing watch (mostly remaining in place for an extended period of time), you unfailingly remain awake and alert for up to eight hours. During this time, you are trained in perception tasks as well as stealth tasks to conceal yourself from those who might approach.

Wild Vitality - Action to initiate

You attune with the life force of a natural creature (your size or bigger) within long range that you can see. This is a level 2 Intellect task. If you succeed, the creature is not harmed, but through resonance with its wild vitality, you gain several benefits for up to one minute: an asset to all your Might- based tasks (including attacks and defenses), +2 to your Might Edge and Speed Edge, and 2 additional points of damage on all successful melee attacks. 

Adroit Cypher Use - Enabler

You can bear four cyphers at a time.

Again and Again - Enabler

You can take an additional action in a round in which you have already acted. 

Capable Warrior - Enabler

Your attacks deal 1 additional point of damage.

Controlled Fall - Enabler

When you fall while you are able to use actions and within reach of a vertical surface, you can attempt to slow your fall. Make a Speed roll with a difficulty of 1 for every 20 feet (6 m) you fall. On a success, you take half damage from the fall. If you reduce the difficulty to 0, you take no damage.

Curious - Enabler

You’re always curious about your surroundings, even on a subconscious level. Whenever you use Effort to attempt navigation, perception, or initiative tasks in an area that you’ve only rarely or never visited before, you can apply an additional free level of Effort.

Danger Instinct - Enabler

If you are attacked by surprise, whether by a creature, a device, or simply an environmental hazard (a tree falling on you), you can move an immediate distance before the attack occurs. If moving prevents the attack, you are safe. If the attack can still potentially affect you—if the attacking creature can move to keep pace, if the attack fills an area too big to escape, etc. —the ability offers no benefit.

Danger Sense - Enabler

Your initiative task is eased. You pay the cost each time the ability is used.

Enable Others - Enabler

You can use the helping rules to provide a benefit to another character attempting a physical task. Unlike the normal helping rules, this doesn’t require you to use your action helping the other character with the task. This requires no action on your part.

Endurance - Enabler

Any duration dealing with physical actions is either doubled or halved, whichever is better for you. For example, if the typical person can hold their breath for thirty seconds, you can hold it for one minute. If the typical person can march for four hours without stopping, you can do so for eight hours. In terms of harmful effects, if a poison paralyzes its victims for one minute, you are paralyzed for thirty seconds. The minimum duration is always one round.

Experienced in Armor - Enabler

The cost reduction from your Practiced in Armor ability improves. You now reduce the Speed cost by 2.

Expert Cypher Use - Enabler

You can bear three cyphers at a time.

Expert Skill - Enabler

Instead of rolling a d20, you can choose to automatically succeed on a task you’re trained in. The task must be difficulty 4 or lower, and it can’t be an attack roll or a defense roll.

Find the Way - Enabler

When you apply Effort to a navigation task because you don’t know the way, are lost, are attempting to blaze a new route, need to choose between two or more otherwise similar paths to take, or something very similar, you can apply a free level of Effort.

Fleet of Foot - Enabler

You can move a short distance as part of another action. You can move a long distance as your entire action for a turn. If you apply a level of Effort to this ability, you can move a long distance and make an attack as your entire action for a turn, but the attack is hindered.

Free to Move - Enabler

You ignore all movement penalties and adjustments due to terrain or other obstacles. You can fit through any space large enough to fit your head. Tasks involving breaking free of bonds, a creature’s grip, or any similar impediment gain three free levels of Effort.

Hard to Kill - Enabler

You can choose to reroll any defense task you make but never more than once per round.

Ignore the Pain - Enabler

You ignore the impaired condition and treat the debilitated condition as impaired.

Improved Edge - Enabler

Choose one of your Edge stats that is 0. It increases to 1.

Increased Effects - Enabler

You treat rolls of natural 19 as rolls of natural 20 for either Might actions or Speed actions (your choice when you gain this ability). This allows you to gain a major effect on a natural 19 or 20.

Investigative Skills - Enabler

You are trained in two skills in which you are not already trained. Choose two of the following: perception, identifying, lockpicking, assessing danger, or tinkering with devices. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose two different skills.

Knowledge Skills - Enabler

You are trained in two skills in which you are not already trained. Choose two areas of knowledge such as history, geography, archeology, and so on. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose two different skills.

Mastery in Armor - Enabler

The cost reduction from your Practiced in Armor ability improves. You now reduce the Speed Effort cost for wearing armor to 0.

Mastery With Attacks - Enabler

Choose one type of attack in which you are trained: light bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are specialized in attacks using that type of weapon. (If you aren’t trained in an attack, select Skill With Attacks to become trained in that attack.)

Mastery With Defense - Enabler

Choose one type of defense task in which you are trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are specialized in defense tasks of that type. You can select this ability up to three times. Each time you select it, you must choose a different type of defense task.

Muscles of Iron - Enabler

For the next ten minutes, all Might-based actions other than attack rolls that you attempt are eased. If you already have this ability from another source, the effect of this ability lasts for one hour instead of ten minutes.

No Need for Weapons - Enabler

When you make an unarmed attack (such as a punch or kick), it counts as a medium weapon instead of a light weapon.

Obstacle Running - Enabler

For the next minute, you can ignore obstacles that slow your movement, allowing you to travel at normal speed through areas with rubble, fences, tables, and similar objects that you would have to climb over or move around. This movement might include sliding on a railing, briefly running along a wall, or even stepping on a creature to boost yourself over something. If an obstacle would normally require a Might or Speed task to overcome, such as swinging on a rope, balancing on a rope, or jumping over a hole, you are trained in that task.

Parry - Enabler

You can deflect incoming attacks quickly. When you activate this ability, for the next ten rounds you ease all Speed defense rolls.

Physical Skills - Enabler

You are trained in two skills in which you are not already trained. Choose two of the following: balancing, climbing, jumping, running, or swimming. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose two different skills.

Physically Gifted - Enabler

Any time you spend points from your Might Pool or Speed Pool on an action for any reason, if you roll a 1 on the associated die, you reroll, always taking the second result (even if it’s another 1). 

Practiced in Armor - Enabler

You can wear armor for long periods of time without tiring and can compensate for slowed reactions from wearing armor. You reduce the Speed cost for wearing armor by 1. You start the game with a type of armor of your choice.

Practiced With All Weapons - Enabler

You become practiced with light, medium, and heavy weapons and suffer no penalty when using any kind of weapon.

Quick Recovery - Enabler

Your second recovery roll (usually requiring ten minutes) is only a single action.

Range Increase - Enabler

Ranges for you increase by one step. Immediate becomes short, short becomes long, long becomes very long, and very long becomes 1,000 feet (300 m).

Resilience - Enabler

You have 1 point of Armor against any kind of physical damage, even physical damage that normally ignores Armor.

Runner - Enabler

Your standard movement increases from short to long.

Seize the Moment - Enabler

If you succeed on a Speed defense roll to resist an attack, you gain an action. You can use the action immediately even if you have already taken a turn in the round. You don’t take an action during the next round, unless you apply a level of Effort when you use Seize the Moment.

Share Defense - Enabler

If your training in a defense task is greater than that of an ally within short range, your advice and insight allow them to substitute your training for that defense task.

Skill With Attacks - Enabler

Choose one type of attack in which you are not already trained: light bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks using that type of weapon. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose a different type of attack.

Skill With Defense - Enabler

Choose one type of defense task in which you are not already trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are trained in defense tasks of that type.

Stone Breaker - Enabler

Your attacks against objects inflict 4 additional points of damage when you use a melee weapon that you wield in two hands.

Subtle Steps - Enabler

When you move no more than a short distance, you can move without making a sound, regardless of the surface you move across.

Surging Confidence - Enabler

When you use an action to make your first recovery roll of the day, you immediately gain another action.

Think Your Way Out - Enabler

When you wish it, you can use points from your Intellect Pool rather than your Might Pool or Speed Pool on any noncombat action. 

Tough As Nails - Enabler

When you are impaired or debilitated on the damage track, Might-based tasks and defense rolls you attempt are eased. If you also have Ignore the Pain, make a difficulty 1 Might defense roll when you reach 0 points in all three of your Pools to immediately regain 1 Might point and avoid dying. Each time you attempt to save yourself with this ability before your next ten-hour recovery roll, the task is hindered.

Trained Without Armor - Enabler

You are trained in Speed defense tasks when not wearing armor.

Travel Skills - Enabler

You are trained in two skills in which you are not already trained. Choose two of the following: navigation, riding, running, piloting, or vehicle driving. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose two different skills. Enabler.

Vigilant - Enabler

When affected by an attack or effect that would daze or stun you, you are not dazed or stunned. 

Wrest From Chance - Enabler

If you roll a natural 1 on a d20, you can reroll the die. If you reroll, you avoid a GM intrusion—unless you roll a second 1—and might succeed on your task. Once you use this ability, it is not available again until after you make a ten-hour recovery roll.