You’re good with words and good with people. You talk your way past challenges and out of jams, and you get people to do what you want.
Individual Role: Speakers are smart and charismatic. They like people and, more important, they understand them. This helps speakers get others to do what needs to be done.
Group Role: The Speaker is often the face of the group, serving as the person who speaks for all and negotiates with others. Combat and action are not a Speaker’s strong suits, so other characters sometimes have to defend the Speaker in times of danger.
Societal Role: Speakers are frequently political or religious leaders. Just as often, however, they are con artists or criminals.
Advanced Speakers: Higher-tier speakers use their abilities to control and manipulate people as well as aid and nurture their friends. They can talk their way out of danger and even use their words as weapons.
SPEAKER PLAYER INTRUSIONS
When playing a Speaker, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.
Friendly NPC: An NPC you don’t know, someone you don’t know that well, or someone you know but who hasn’t been particularly friendly in the past chooses to help you, though doesn’t necessarily explain why. Maybe they’ll ask you for a favor in return afterward, depending on how much trouble they go to.
Perfect Suggestion: A follower or other already-friendly NPC suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
Unexpected Gift: An NPC hands you a physical gift you were not expecting, one that helps put the situation at ease if things seem strained, or provides you with a new insight for understanding the context of the situation if there’s something you’re failing to understand or grasp.
SPEAKER STAT POOLS
Stat Pool Starting Value
Might 8
Speed 9
Intellect 11
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.
FIRST-TIER SPEAKER
First-tier speakers have the following abilities:
Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Weapons: You can use light weapons without penalty. You have an inability with medium and heavy weapons; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing and a light weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
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.
· Anecdote (109)
· Babel (112)
· Demeanor of Command (127)
· Encouragement (134)
· Enthrall (136)
· Erase Memories (136)
· Fast Talk (138)
· Inspire Aggression (154)
· Interaction Skills (155)
· Practiced With Medium Weapons (171)
· Spin Identity (185)
· Terrifying Presence (190)
· Understanding (194)
SECOND-TIER SPEAKER
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.
· Basic Follower (112)
· Calm Stranger (118)
· Disincentivize (129)
· Gather Intelligence (144)
· Impart Ideal (151)
· Inspiring Ease (154)
· Interaction Skills (155)
· Practiced in Armor (171)
· Skill With Defense (183)
· Speedy Recovery (185)
· Unexpected Betrayal (195)
THIRD-TIER SPEAKER
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.
· Accelerate (108)
· Blend In (113)
· Discerning Mind (129)
· Expert Cypher Use (137)
· Expert Follower (137)
· Grand Deception (146)
· Lead by Inquiry (157)
· Mind Reading (162)
· Oratory (167)
· Perfect Stranger (169)
· Quick Wits (174)
· Telling (190)
FOURTH-TIER SPEAKER
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.
· Anticipate Attack (110)
· Confounding Banter (121)
· Feint (139)
· Heightened Skills (149)
· Psychosis (172)
· Read the Signs (174)
· Spur Effort (186)
· Strategize (187)
· Suggestion (188)
FIFTH-TIER SPEAKER
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)
· Discipline of Watchfulness (129)
· Experienced in Armor (136)
· Flee (141)
· Foul Aura (143)
· Knowing the Unknown (156)
· Regeneration (175)
· Skill With Attacks (183)
· Stimulate (186)
SIXTH-TIER SPEAKER
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.
· Assume Control (111)
· Battle Management (112)
· Crowd Control (123)
· Inspiring Success (154)
· Recruit Deputy (175)
· Shatter Mind (182)
· True Senses (194)
· Word of Command (199)