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Starship Pilot (a base class)
The starship pilot makes travel across the great expanse possible for goods and passengers. She is trained to operate everything from ground vehicles and submersibles to interstellar ships and entire fleets. Skilled with both ship's gunnery and tech pistols, a pilot is prepared to face any threat in space or in person. Because of the constant need for parts, fuel, crew, passengers, cargo and contacts, a pilot learns streetwise skills to deal with starport personnel to keep her ship flying profitably.
Role: a starship pilot provides transportation for an adventure party, as well as air support on ground actions. She can even serve as a tech savvy soldier, or as the party face in the environs of starports.
Alignment any, HD d10
Starting Wealth 5d6 x 10 (average 175) credits
Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Fly, Knowledge (astronomy), Knowledge (engineering), Knowledge (technology), Perception, Profession (starship crewman), Ride, Sense Motive, Techcraft, Use Technical Device.
Skill ranks per level: 6 + INT modifier.
Saves: Good Reflex and Will
1st level: Pilot 1, protocols, marooned trained
2nd level: Combat Style Feat (gunnery)
3rd level: Amateur Gunslinger, Starport Savvy +2
4th level: Side Arm Bond
5th level: Pilot 2, Technical Procedures, Simple Tech
6th level: Combat Style Feat (gunner)
7th level: Fast Hazard Negotiation
8th level: Leadership, Starport Savvy +4
9th level: Evasive Maneuvers
10th level: Pilot 3, Combat Style Feat (gunnery)
11th level: IFF Manipulation
12th level: Technical Counter Measures
13th level: Starport Savvy +6
14th level: Combat Style Feat (gunnery)
15th level: Pilot 4
16th level: Improved Evasive Maneuvers
17th level: Cloaking Tech
18th level: Combat Style Feat (gunnery), Starport Savvy +8
19th level: Advanced IFF Manipulation
20th level: Master Pilot, Urban Savvy
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: a starship pilot is proficient in all martial weapons, and naval siege cannons. They can wear light armor and no shields.
Pilot 1 (Ex) (Midshipman) - at 1st level, a starship pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and land small craft including personal land vehicles, surface ocean sport vessels, 6 man submersibles, private aerial vehicles, escape pods, and orbital shuttles. Pilots are able to make light ship maintenance and repair on small craft systems. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels.
Protocols (Ex) at 1st level a starship pilot understands the compliance of starship communications for diplomatic, military and corporate communication channel protocols. This grants a +2 bonus to diplomacy checks when using shipboard communication systems with ship, station and planetary authorities.
Marooned Trained (Ex) gain half your pilot levels as a bonus to heal and survival checks in situations of crash landing a starship and becoming marooned adrift or in primitive environments. The pilot can scavenge parts of the communications and the sensor array to create a signaling device in case the communications system fails to operate.
Combat style feat (gunner) (Ex) at 2nd level choose one of the feats without having to meet prerequisites involving starship gunnery and missile systems: death from above, focused shot, point blank shot, precise shot; at 6th add improved precise shot, parting shot, point blank master, and siege engineer; at 10th level add deadly aim, and master siege engineer; and at 14th and 18th levels Starship weapons include slug-thrower cannons, blaster cannons, ray cannons, sonic cannons and missile batteries.
Amateur Gunslinger at 3rd level a pilot gains this as a bonus feat, gain a grit pool and access to deeds.
Starport Savvy (Ex) at 3rd level a pilot gains a +2 morale bonus to Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Perception, and Sense Motive checks in the vicinity of starports working like street-wise so they can minimize port costs, find reliable and most affordable parts to repair starship systems, fuel, personnel, passengers, and goods for cargo or buyers of goods you sell. This bonus increases by +2 at 8th, 13th and 18th level.
Side Arm Bond (Ex) at 4th level a pilot gains +1 competence bonus to attacks using a chosen tech pistol side arm, either a slug-thrower, blaster, or sonic gun. This bonus increases by +1 every 3 levels, at 18th level she has a +6 competence bonus.
Technical Procedures – a pilot as access to a limited amount of technical procedures from the Pilot list, mostly involving shipboard operations, flight, armaments, defenses and maintenance. A PPU (procedural processing unit) is built into the cockpit or bridge console to program technical procedures on a physical touchscreen. At 4th level if the pilot has an INT bonus she can begin to use technical procedures, otherwise no slots are available until 5th level. (Technical procedures are spells in the Tech universe.) [Used the Ranger's Spell List for available spell slots].
Simple Tech - technical procedures equivalent to cantrips list.
Pilot 2 (Ex) (Lieutenant) at 5th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and land interplanetary starships using commercial star lanes, as well as operate colossal land and aerial vehicles, surface ships and submersibles with large crews. Light vehicle maintenance and repair on craft systems and safety procedure compliance. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels (this stacks with Pilot 1 bonus when applied to Pilot 1 vessels.)
Fast Hazard Negotiation (Ex), starting at 7th level a pilot can fly a starship through a vicinity with obstructions like an asteroid belt, floating wreck debris, solar flares, micro-meteors, radiation waves, changes in pressure such in layers of a gas giant, the heat from a nearby star and other hazards of open space, without requiring to slow down.
Leadership – at 8th level a pilot gains leadership as a bonus feat, though the cohort must qualify and serve as another bridge or starship officer, such as copilot, engineer, gunnery officer, marine commander, navigation officer, science officer, doctor, or cargo officer.
Evasive Maneuvers(Ex) at 9th level a pilot gains the ability to add a +4 competence bonus to starship AC by performing evasive maneuvers to avoid getting targeted by attacking creatures and opposing vessels and terrestrial guns, lasting for a single round.
Pilot 3 (Ex) (Commander) at 10th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and land combat and interstellar starships, use complex dog-fighting techniques, and coordinated weapons operations for attack and defense against superior number of enemy ships. Light vehicle maintenance and repair on combat and interstellar starship systems and safety compliance. Vehicles include single manned star fighters up to corvette class combat starships. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels, (this stacks with Pilot 1 and/or 2 when operating appropriate vessels.)
IFF Manipulation (Su), Identifier Friendly or Foe (IFF) devices identify the registry of your vessel to planets, starports, and other vessels with similar devices through a wireless connection. At 11th level a pilot can manipulate her ship registry identity to appear as a different vessel of similar tonnage and sensor signature. A pilot gains a +2 DC to bluff checks to disguise your ship’s identity when under sensors only.
Similarly a pilot can use IFF manipulation to enhance the sensory signal of vessels in attempts to trail their movement, unless the targeted ship is using IFF manipulation which counters the attempt. A pilot gains a +2 DC to perception checks to track vessels out of visual range, but within sensor range.
Technical Counter Measures (Su) at 12th level a pilot gains the ability to activate jamming signals and create decoy beacons that confuse weapon targeting systems or block harmful signals to avoid ship damage or detection by sensors.
Pilot 4 (Ex) (Captain) at 15th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and dock the largest interstellar starships including warships of the line, and the largest mercantile vessels, tankers and luxury liners. Operate ship diagnostics and manage maintenance crews for all starship systems and safety compliance. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels, (this stacks with Pilots 1, and/or 2, and/or 3 when operating appropriate vehicles.)
Improved Evasive Maneuvers (Ex), at 16th level a pilot gains the ability to exceed safety compliance levels to perform evasive stunts, granting a +8 competence bonus to ship’s AC lasting a single round.
Cloaking Technology (Su), at 17th level a pilot gains the ability to operate complex cloaking technology that can render a starship invisible to all but the closest sensor ranges, granting a +4 enhancement bonus to AC.
Advanced IFF Manipulation (Ex), at 19th level a pilot gains the ability to improve her IFF manipulation to disguise her actual flight path, appear as any tonnage and configuration to sensor arrays, or can briefly appear as large as a fleet of ships or not there at all (for 1 round per level), increases the bonus to +4 to Bluff. Similarly, in attempts to trail ships this bonus grants a +4 to Perception checks, (only +2 bonus for targeted ships using IFF manipulation.)
Master Pilot (Ex), at 20th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly, dock and coordinate a fleet of starships for military, scientific and mercantile operations, logistics, maintenance and personnel management, usually operating from the largest flagship or a terrestrial combat station.
Urban Savvy (Ex) at 20th level a pilot can apply her Starport Savvy bonuses in all urban environments, not just while confined to starport areas.
Starship Pilot Technical Procedure List: TBD, but it is much more limited than the Engineer technical procedure list.
I am not sure about the 2 IFF Manipulation, Technical Counter Measures and Cloaking Tech class features - are they too powerful, just completely odd, or other worthy comment? Is the class too powerful? I loosely based the design on the Rangers abilities though allowed some features to be a bit more powerful - still I think its balanced.
Thoughts?
The starship pilot makes travel across the great expanse possible for goods and passengers. She is trained to operate everything from ground vehicles and submersibles to interstellar ships and entire fleets. Skilled with both ship's gunnery and tech pistols, a pilot is prepared to face any threat in space or in person. Because of the constant need for parts, fuel, crew, passengers, cargo and contacts, a pilot learns streetwise skills to deal with starport personnel to keep her ship flying profitably.
Role: a starship pilot provides transportation for an adventure party, as well as air support on ground actions. She can even serve as a tech savvy soldier, or as the party face in the environs of starports.
Alignment any, HD d10
Starting Wealth 5d6 x 10 (average 175) credits
Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Fly, Knowledge (astronomy), Knowledge (engineering), Knowledge (technology), Perception, Profession (starship crewman), Ride, Sense Motive, Techcraft, Use Technical Device.
Skill ranks per level: 6 + INT modifier.
Saves: Good Reflex and Will
1st level: Pilot 1, protocols, marooned trained
2nd level: Combat Style Feat (gunnery)
3rd level: Amateur Gunslinger, Starport Savvy +2
4th level: Side Arm Bond
5th level: Pilot 2, Technical Procedures, Simple Tech
6th level: Combat Style Feat (gunner)
7th level: Fast Hazard Negotiation
8th level: Leadership, Starport Savvy +4
9th level: Evasive Maneuvers
10th level: Pilot 3, Combat Style Feat (gunnery)
11th level: IFF Manipulation
12th level: Technical Counter Measures
13th level: Starport Savvy +6
14th level: Combat Style Feat (gunnery)
15th level: Pilot 4
16th level: Improved Evasive Maneuvers
17th level: Cloaking Tech
18th level: Combat Style Feat (gunnery), Starport Savvy +8
19th level: Advanced IFF Manipulation
20th level: Master Pilot, Urban Savvy
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: a starship pilot is proficient in all martial weapons, and naval siege cannons. They can wear light armor and no shields.
Pilot 1 (Ex) (Midshipman) - at 1st level, a starship pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and land small craft including personal land vehicles, surface ocean sport vessels, 6 man submersibles, private aerial vehicles, escape pods, and orbital shuttles. Pilots are able to make light ship maintenance and repair on small craft systems. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels.
Protocols (Ex) at 1st level a starship pilot understands the compliance of starship communications for diplomatic, military and corporate communication channel protocols. This grants a +2 bonus to diplomacy checks when using shipboard communication systems with ship, station and planetary authorities.
Marooned Trained (Ex) gain half your pilot levels as a bonus to heal and survival checks in situations of crash landing a starship and becoming marooned adrift or in primitive environments. The pilot can scavenge parts of the communications and the sensor array to create a signaling device in case the communications system fails to operate.
Combat style feat (gunner) (Ex) at 2nd level choose one of the feats without having to meet prerequisites involving starship gunnery and missile systems: death from above, focused shot, point blank shot, precise shot; at 6th add improved precise shot, parting shot, point blank master, and siege engineer; at 10th level add deadly aim, and master siege engineer; and at 14th and 18th levels Starship weapons include slug-thrower cannons, blaster cannons, ray cannons, sonic cannons and missile batteries.
Amateur Gunslinger at 3rd level a pilot gains this as a bonus feat, gain a grit pool and access to deeds.
Starport Savvy (Ex) at 3rd level a pilot gains a +2 morale bonus to Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Perception, and Sense Motive checks in the vicinity of starports working like street-wise so they can minimize port costs, find reliable and most affordable parts to repair starship systems, fuel, personnel, passengers, and goods for cargo or buyers of goods you sell. This bonus increases by +2 at 8th, 13th and 18th level.
Side Arm Bond (Ex) at 4th level a pilot gains +1 competence bonus to attacks using a chosen tech pistol side arm, either a slug-thrower, blaster, or sonic gun. This bonus increases by +1 every 3 levels, at 18th level she has a +6 competence bonus.
Technical Procedures – a pilot as access to a limited amount of technical procedures from the Pilot list, mostly involving shipboard operations, flight, armaments, defenses and maintenance. A PPU (procedural processing unit) is built into the cockpit or bridge console to program technical procedures on a physical touchscreen. At 4th level if the pilot has an INT bonus she can begin to use technical procedures, otherwise no slots are available until 5th level. (Technical procedures are spells in the Tech universe.) [Used the Ranger's Spell List for available spell slots].
Simple Tech - technical procedures equivalent to cantrips list.
Pilot 2 (Ex) (Lieutenant) at 5th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and land interplanetary starships using commercial star lanes, as well as operate colossal land and aerial vehicles, surface ships and submersibles with large crews. Light vehicle maintenance and repair on craft systems and safety procedure compliance. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels (this stacks with Pilot 1 bonus when applied to Pilot 1 vessels.)
Fast Hazard Negotiation (Ex), starting at 7th level a pilot can fly a starship through a vicinity with obstructions like an asteroid belt, floating wreck debris, solar flares, micro-meteors, radiation waves, changes in pressure such in layers of a gas giant, the heat from a nearby star and other hazards of open space, without requiring to slow down.
Leadership – at 8th level a pilot gains leadership as a bonus feat, though the cohort must qualify and serve as another bridge or starship officer, such as copilot, engineer, gunnery officer, marine commander, navigation officer, science officer, doctor, or cargo officer.
Evasive Maneuvers(Ex) at 9th level a pilot gains the ability to add a +4 competence bonus to starship AC by performing evasive maneuvers to avoid getting targeted by attacking creatures and opposing vessels and terrestrial guns, lasting for a single round.
Pilot 3 (Ex) (Commander) at 10th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and land combat and interstellar starships, use complex dog-fighting techniques, and coordinated weapons operations for attack and defense against superior number of enemy ships. Light vehicle maintenance and repair on combat and interstellar starship systems and safety compliance. Vehicles include single manned star fighters up to corvette class combat starships. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels, (this stacks with Pilot 1 and/or 2 when operating appropriate vessels.)
IFF Manipulation (Su), Identifier Friendly or Foe (IFF) devices identify the registry of your vessel to planets, starports, and other vessels with similar devices through a wireless connection. At 11th level a pilot can manipulate her ship registry identity to appear as a different vessel of similar tonnage and sensor signature. A pilot gains a +2 DC to bluff checks to disguise your ship’s identity when under sensors only.
Similarly a pilot can use IFF manipulation to enhance the sensory signal of vessels in attempts to trail their movement, unless the targeted ship is using IFF manipulation which counters the attempt. A pilot gains a +2 DC to perception checks to track vessels out of visual range, but within sensor range.
Technical Counter Measures (Su) at 12th level a pilot gains the ability to activate jamming signals and create decoy beacons that confuse weapon targeting systems or block harmful signals to avoid ship damage or detection by sensors.
Pilot 4 (Ex) (Captain) at 15th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly and dock the largest interstellar starships including warships of the line, and the largest mercantile vessels, tankers and luxury liners. Operate ship diagnostics and manage maintenance crews for all starship systems and safety compliance. Gain a +2 DC bonus to fly checks when operating appropriate vessels, (this stacks with Pilots 1, and/or 2, and/or 3 when operating appropriate vehicles.)
Improved Evasive Maneuvers (Ex), at 16th level a pilot gains the ability to exceed safety compliance levels to perform evasive stunts, granting a +8 competence bonus to ship’s AC lasting a single round.
Cloaking Technology (Su), at 17th level a pilot gains the ability to operate complex cloaking technology that can render a starship invisible to all but the closest sensor ranges, granting a +4 enhancement bonus to AC.
Advanced IFF Manipulation (Ex), at 19th level a pilot gains the ability to improve her IFF manipulation to disguise her actual flight path, appear as any tonnage and configuration to sensor arrays, or can briefly appear as large as a fleet of ships or not there at all (for 1 round per level), increases the bonus to +4 to Bluff. Similarly, in attempts to trail ships this bonus grants a +4 to Perception checks, (only +2 bonus for targeted ships using IFF manipulation.)
Master Pilot (Ex), at 20th level a pilot gains the ability to launch, fly, dock and coordinate a fleet of starships for military, scientific and mercantile operations, logistics, maintenance and personnel management, usually operating from the largest flagship or a terrestrial combat station.
Urban Savvy (Ex) at 20th level a pilot can apply her Starport Savvy bonuses in all urban environments, not just while confined to starport areas.
Starship Pilot Technical Procedure List: TBD, but it is much more limited than the Engineer technical procedure list.
I am not sure about the 2 IFF Manipulation, Technical Counter Measures and Cloaking Tech class features - are they too powerful, just completely odd, or other worthy comment? Is the class too powerful? I loosely based the design on the Rangers abilities though allowed some features to be a bit more powerful - still I think its balanced.
Thoughts?
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