Samloyal23
Adventurer
So, just out of curiosity, what have been some of the more "interesting" occupations and talents you have seen published or created by gamers?
Anyone Have New Occupations or Talents?
- Thread starter Samloyal23
- Start date
wingsandsword
Legend
I came up with the following new occupations for my home-brew conversion of the Dark*Matter setting to d20 Modern (a conspiracy/occult setting, an short mini-conversion was in a late issue of Dungeon/Polyhedron). (The Arcane Heritage and Divine Heritage feats are from Urban Arcana, but contained in the MSRD, they are feats that you can only take at 1st level that give you very limited cantrip/orison level spellcasting ability).Samloyal23 said:
Adept
Adepts are phone psychics, police psychics, academic scholars of the occult, apprentices to secret mystical orders or mages, members of arcane cults who are initiated into occult secrets or anyone else who makes a living related to the paranormal or occult. The Adept need not actually have any paranormal abilities; they could be just a scholar or follower.
Prerequisite: Age 18+, Int 13+ or Cha 13+, This Occupation should only be taken with GM permission.
Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills. If a skill you select is already a class skill, you receive a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill.
Craft (Chemical), Knowledge (Arcane Lore), Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy), Concentration, Investigate , Research, Decipher Script, Sense Motive, Spot
Bonus Feat: Select from Iron Will, Wild Talent, Studious, Arcane Heritage or Divine Heritage. The character must meet all requirements for the feat.
Wealth Bonus Increase: +1
Offworlder
An offworlder is anyone who does not work or regularly reside on Earth. Whether on an alien spaceship, a secret space station or moonbase, or some alternate dimension, an Offworlder lives a very different life from most people. For some unknown reason, Psionic abilities have been documented to be more common among humans born away from Earth than on.
Prerequisite: Age 15+, This Occupation should only be taken with GM permission.
Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills. If a skill you select is already a class skill, you receive a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill.
Computer Use, Knowledge (Technology), Knowledge (Physical Sciences), Knowledge (Earth & Life Sciences), Navigate, Pilot, Repair, Treat Injury
Bonus Feat: Select either Low Profile, Acrobatic, or Wild Talent
Note: This occupation does not change Wealth or Reputation bonuses, they are both too tied to life on Earth to be a concern for an Offworlder.
Operative
Not exactly a law enforcer, not exactly a private investigator, this occupation represents those who work as career employees for shadowy organizations that if not outside the law, at least works on the edges of it. This might be quasi-governmental entities like the UN, intelligence agencies like the CIA, secret agencies , powerful cults, or maybe private organizations like the Bilderbergers.
Prerequisite: Age 21+, Cha 13+, This Occupation should only be taken with GM permission.
Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills. If a skill you select is already a class skill, you receive a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill.
Bluff, Intimidate, Spot, Drive, Gather Information, Knowledge (Current Events), Speak Language, Demolitions.
Bonus Feat: Select from Low Profile, Armor Proficiency (Light), Personal Firearms Proficiency or Deceptive.
Wealth Bonus Increase: +1
wingsandsword
Legend
Some Talent Trees I've also written up:
Trivia Talent Tree
The Smart Hero can learn diverse information from many fields, and can recall even seemingly meaningless or unimportant (but potentially useful) information.
A 1st level Smart Hero can choose the Trivia Talent.
Trivia
The smart hero knows a vast amount about a variety of seemingly unrelated subjects, even if he doesn't know a lot in any one subject. He gains the ability to make Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Obscure Knowledge
The Smart Hero picks up a lot of stray knowledge in his travels. Learning urban legends, stories, and obscure trivia among other things. He may make an Intelligence Check to see if he knows something relevant about a person, place, thing or event. If the Smart Hero has 5 ranks in Knowledge (Popular Culture) he gets a +2 to this check.
DC 10: Common; Obscure information about local people and events, legends and odd trivia about local sites and people. "That old house on the hill down at McMurray's point? They say it's haunted, supposedly some people were killed in there a few decades ago."
DC 20: Uncommon; The criminal record of a minor local figure, obscure information about local places. "That old haunted house? The police found a few dead bodies in there back in the 1940's, but the crime was never solved."
DC 25: Obscure: Known by few people or hard information to find. "Actually, the people inside were found dead, but the coroners reports were sealed and the investigation into the deaths was dropped. They never said publically what happened there."
DC 30: Extremely Obscure: Known by very few people, possibly by people who have forgotten the information or don't know it's significance. "Before they dropped the investigation, the police chief was quoted as saying it was some kind of strange human sacrifice."
Exotic Lore
The Smart Hero may add his Smart Hero Level to all Intelligence Checks made for the Obscure Knowledge talent.
Prerequisite: Obscure Knowledge
Buffy Shadow Slayers model is good for this)
True Faith Talent Tree
The Dedicated Hero can develop a remarkable and truly amazing level of faith in something greater than himself.
Sanctify: The Dedicated Hero can give a divine blessing for religious usage. The Dedicated Hero can bless a ritual item or a person. If performed on a container of water of up to one pint in size, the water becomes Holy Water, if performed on an item that item is Blessed, and this blessing can be conferred on a person.
If Holy Water created with this rite is used immediately (typically within an hour) for ceremonial or other religious usage other than as a weapon or as a Spell/Incantation component there is no XP cost for this ability. If the Holy Water is stored for later usage or if it is used as a Spell/Incantation component or intended for usage as a weapon then this use of the talent costs 5 XP.
If performed upon a person or item for similar ceremonial or religious usage, there is also no cost to this ability, but no game-effect either. If the Dedicated Hero wishes, he can spend one Action Point to give the benefit of a Bless spell or Bless Weapon spell (See SRD v3.5). The caster level for these abilities is equal to the character’s Dedicated Hero level (plus their Divine Spellcasting level, if any).
Prerequisite: Faith
Show of Faith: The Dedicated Hero can protect others around him from evil with the raw power of faith and the assistance of the divine. He may Turn Undead as if a 1st level Acolyte (Acolytes normally cannot Turn Undead at 1st level, but they count as 1st level for the turning), and he may spend an Action Point when turning Undead to turn Fiends/Evil Outsiders instead (Fiends/Evil Outsiders cannot be destroyed).
Prerequisite: Sanctify
Divine Guidance: By spending an Action Point and spending a minute in prayer, the Dedicated Hero may ask for divine guidance or assistance. He may ask the GM for a hint, clue or guidance about his current problems, and the GM must provide some kind of helpful, meaningful guidance or advice to the Dedicated Hero about how to proceed.
Prerequisite: Sanctify
Divine Protection: The Dedicated Hero is protected by a continuous Protection from Evil effect at a Caster level equivalent to his Character Level. If dispelled, it will return on it’s own after 1d4 rounds.
Prerequisite: Show of Faith
Holiness: The Dedicated Hero may add his Dedicated Hero level to all Knowledge (Arcane Lore) checks to all checks to perform incantations that use the Banish, Heal, Life or Ward seeds.
Prerequisite: Show of Faith
New Smart Hero Talents
Trivia Talent Tree
The Smart Hero can learn diverse information from many fields, and can recall even seemingly meaningless or unimportant (but potentially useful) information.
A 1st level Smart Hero can choose the Trivia Talent.
Trivia
The smart hero knows a vast amount about a variety of seemingly unrelated subjects, even if he doesn't know a lot in any one subject. He gains the ability to make Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Obscure Knowledge
The Smart Hero picks up a lot of stray knowledge in his travels. Learning urban legends, stories, and obscure trivia among other things. He may make an Intelligence Check to see if he knows something relevant about a person, place, thing or event. If the Smart Hero has 5 ranks in Knowledge (Popular Culture) he gets a +2 to this check.
DC 10: Common; Obscure information about local people and events, legends and odd trivia about local sites and people. "That old house on the hill down at McMurray's point? They say it's haunted, supposedly some people were killed in there a few decades ago."
DC 20: Uncommon; The criminal record of a minor local figure, obscure information about local places. "That old haunted house? The police found a few dead bodies in there back in the 1940's, but the crime was never solved."
DC 25: Obscure: Known by few people or hard information to find. "Actually, the people inside were found dead, but the coroners reports were sealed and the investigation into the deaths was dropped. They never said publically what happened there."
DC 30: Extremely Obscure: Known by very few people, possibly by people who have forgotten the information or don't know it's significance. "Before they dropped the investigation, the police chief was quoted as saying it was some kind of strange human sacrifice."
Exotic Lore
The Smart Hero may add his Smart Hero Level to all Intelligence Checks made for the Obscure Knowledge talent.
Prerequisite: Obscure Knowledge
New Dedicated Hero Talents
(Written up for a low-magic game, a low/no spellcasting game with undead and monsters ideally, the True Faith Talent Tree
The Dedicated Hero can develop a remarkable and truly amazing level of faith in something greater than himself.
Sanctify: The Dedicated Hero can give a divine blessing for religious usage. The Dedicated Hero can bless a ritual item or a person. If performed on a container of water of up to one pint in size, the water becomes Holy Water, if performed on an item that item is Blessed, and this blessing can be conferred on a person.
If Holy Water created with this rite is used immediately (typically within an hour) for ceremonial or other religious usage other than as a weapon or as a Spell/Incantation component there is no XP cost for this ability. If the Holy Water is stored for later usage or if it is used as a Spell/Incantation component or intended for usage as a weapon then this use of the talent costs 5 XP.
If performed upon a person or item for similar ceremonial or religious usage, there is also no cost to this ability, but no game-effect either. If the Dedicated Hero wishes, he can spend one Action Point to give the benefit of a Bless spell or Bless Weapon spell (See SRD v3.5). The caster level for these abilities is equal to the character’s Dedicated Hero level (plus their Divine Spellcasting level, if any).
Prerequisite: Faith
Show of Faith: The Dedicated Hero can protect others around him from evil with the raw power of faith and the assistance of the divine. He may Turn Undead as if a 1st level Acolyte (Acolytes normally cannot Turn Undead at 1st level, but they count as 1st level for the turning), and he may spend an Action Point when turning Undead to turn Fiends/Evil Outsiders instead (Fiends/Evil Outsiders cannot be destroyed).
Prerequisite: Sanctify
Divine Guidance: By spending an Action Point and spending a minute in prayer, the Dedicated Hero may ask for divine guidance or assistance. He may ask the GM for a hint, clue or guidance about his current problems, and the GM must provide some kind of helpful, meaningful guidance or advice to the Dedicated Hero about how to proceed.
Prerequisite: Sanctify
Divine Protection: The Dedicated Hero is protected by a continuous Protection from Evil effect at a Caster level equivalent to his Character Level. If dispelled, it will return on it’s own after 1d4 rounds.
Prerequisite: Show of Faith
Holiness: The Dedicated Hero may add his Dedicated Hero level to all Knowledge (Arcane Lore) checks to all checks to perform incantations that use the Banish, Heal, Life or Ward seeds.
Prerequisite: Show of Faith
Samloyal23
Adventurer
Not bad... Not sure about balance, but they look good...
Roudi
First Post
This is the only talent tree that I've done up that is associated with a core class. The Intimidation talent tree is meant for the Tough Hero.
Intimidation talent tree
Brute
Some people don’t need a strong force of will to intimidate people; their natural toughness is apparent to those around them. A Hero who takes Brute adds his Constitution modifier to his Intimidate checks.
Prerequisite: At least one talent from the Unbreakable talent tree, Intimidate 6 ranks.
Take It Like A Man
Once per combat, whenever the Hero takes damage from a successful attack, he may spend one action point to make a free Intimidation attempt against his opponent. The Hero adds the damage taken from the attack as a bonus on his Intimidation check.
Prerequisite: At least one talent from the Unbreakable tree, Intimidate 10 ranks.
Demoralizing Attack
The Hero may spend one action point to make a single melee attack as a full round action. If the attack is successful, it deals only nonlethal damage. The Hero may then make an Intimidation attempt against his opponent for free, adding the damage from the attack as a bonus to the Intimidation check.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +3, Intimidate 8 ranks.
Really Demoralizing Attack
The Tough Hero may spend one action point to make a single melee attack as a full round action. If the attack is successful, it deals only nonlethal damage. The Hero may then make a free Intimidation attempt against all opponents who can see the attack. The Tough Hero adds a bonus to his Intimidation check equal to the damage dealt.
Prerequisite: Demoralizing Attack, Base attack bonus +6, Intimidate 12 ranks.
Why Won’t You Die?
Whenever the Tough Hero has less than 0 hit points and is not unconscious or dead, he receives a bonus to his Intimidate checks equal to his character level. He may also spend one action point to make Intimidate checks as an attack action.
Prerequisite: Remain Conscious, Con 16+
Intimidation talent tree
Brute
Some people don’t need a strong force of will to intimidate people; their natural toughness is apparent to those around them. A Hero who takes Brute adds his Constitution modifier to his Intimidate checks.
Prerequisite: At least one talent from the Unbreakable talent tree, Intimidate 6 ranks.
Take It Like A Man
Once per combat, whenever the Hero takes damage from a successful attack, he may spend one action point to make a free Intimidation attempt against his opponent. The Hero adds the damage taken from the attack as a bonus on his Intimidation check.
Prerequisite: At least one talent from the Unbreakable tree, Intimidate 10 ranks.
Demoralizing Attack
The Hero may spend one action point to make a single melee attack as a full round action. If the attack is successful, it deals only nonlethal damage. The Hero may then make an Intimidation attempt against his opponent for free, adding the damage from the attack as a bonus to the Intimidation check.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +3, Intimidate 8 ranks.
Really Demoralizing Attack
The Tough Hero may spend one action point to make a single melee attack as a full round action. If the attack is successful, it deals only nonlethal damage. The Hero may then make a free Intimidation attempt against all opponents who can see the attack. The Tough Hero adds a bonus to his Intimidation check equal to the damage dealt.
Prerequisite: Demoralizing Attack, Base attack bonus +6, Intimidate 12 ranks.
Why Won’t You Die?
Whenever the Tough Hero has less than 0 hit points and is not unconscious or dead, he receives a bonus to his Intimidate checks equal to his character level. He may also spend one action point to make Intimidate checks as an attack action.
Prerequisite: Remain Conscious, Con 16+
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