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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pinotage" data-source="post: 2715118" data-attributes="member: 15194">The Counter-Terrorism Assaulter is a short pdf by Sword's Edge Publishing for d20 Modern, and part of the Roles and Classes line of products. Written by Fraser Ronald, it features the CT Assaulter prestige class, new talents and some example NPCs with brief backgrounds. This 8 page pdf contains 5 pages devoted to detailing the class. The Counter-Terrorism Assaulter normally retails for $1.25. The Counter-Terrorism Assaulter is an update to the class found in Sword's Edge Publishing's Raid on Ashkesham. This review was done as part of Crothian's Review Project.Initial Impressions:The pdf comes in a zip file containing the pdf itself, a rtf file containing all the OGL from the pdf, and three images which are larger versions of the photographs contained within the pdf itself. Simple black front and back covers are provided for the pdf, which comes in a two column layout with a suitable military-looking border. The overall impression on layout and art (photographs) is very professional and well-done, something pleasantly surprising for such a short pdf. The three photographs contained in the pdf (courtesy of the Austrian Armed Forces) show suitable images of a counter-terrorism assaulter at his duty. A high standard of presentation from Sword's Edge Publishing.The Details:The counter-terrorism assualter is a prestige class aimed at countering terrorism, recuing hostages, and a variety of other tasks, specialising in room clearing and building assualt, threat neutralization, building entry, or other forms of security generally within elite forces. Ample real-world examples are provided of where such characters may be found, such as the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team or Delta Force. The brief description preceding the class provides enough detail to get your started in developing the class, although those not familiar with the real-world examples presented may have to do some research of their own.The class itself is built around a few new talent trees and some bonus feats, which makes for a solid class, although not necessarily all that exciting and the saving throw progressions are non-standard. Its a balanced and well presented class that fits the flavor text and background well. The talent trees provided include the Assualt Talent Tree specialising in close quarters fighting, breaching buildings and highly trained shooting, the Firearms Training Talent Tree that specialises in weapons training and is little more than feats as talents such as Improved Critical or Weapon Specialisation, and the Sniper Talent Tree that grants talents to camouflage, strike swiftly and quickly, and take careful aim. All talents are well presented, but I couldn't help shake the feeling that they were only feats in another form. Having said that, it still provided a suitable set of talent trees for the class, but perhaps something along the lines of negotiattion, stealth, or speed might have fleshed it out a bit more. Or even abilities focusing more on breaking and entering skills, and formation or tactics. No examples of tactics were given that are employed by such assaulters, and that would've been useful to see.The latter parts of the pdf present two NPCs, both fully statted and with brief backgrounds. Both are well-presented and give an good indication as to the application of the prestige class.Conclusions:This pdf presents the Counter-Terrorism Assaulter prestige class for the d20 Modern game. It's a well-formatted and presented pdf, with a solid class presented, although it would've been nice to see some expanded ideas on, for example, tactics, operational methods and the like. The class itself is balanced, and will provide for a suitable character to handle rescue operation or counter terrorism. Based on a solid class with high quality presentation, but lacking in full explotation of the class' background, I'd grade it with three and half stars and round down to three stars.</blockquote>

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