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  D20 Decade: The 1980s 
   
  “Freedom is not something you are given, but something you have to take.” 
  -Meret Oppenheim 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Chris A. Field 
  Writing, Art and Layout 
   
  Additional Art from Louis Porter Jr.’s Image Portfolios 
  Stock Photographs from Stock.xchng www.sxc.hu/home 
  Additional Public Domain Images from www.Dotgovwatch.com 
  Military Images from www.dod.mil 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Copyright 2008, Otherverse Games 
  WWW.OTHERVERSEGAMES.BLOGSPOT.COM 
   
   
   
  Requires the Use of the D20 Modern Core Rulebook 
  Published by Wizards of the Coast 
   
  3
  
   
  D20 Decade: The 1980s is a sourcebook 
  designed to immerse players and 
  gamemasters (particularly those gamers who 
  grew up during the 1990s) into the culture 
  and color of 1980s America. Gamemasters 
  will find a wealth of cultural and historical 
  details about the 80s, allowing them to 
  breathe some life into a campaign set during 
  the recent past. D20 Decade is genre neutral, 
  and provides information which can be used 
  in any campaign set between January 1, 
  1980 and December 31, 1989.   
   
  It doesn't matter if the players are 
  battling leather jacketed zombies, going toe 
  to toe with the USSR’s supersoldiers, 
  rampaging through time and space, planning 
  a bank heist, stopping assassination plots, 
  serving in America’s most elite rapid 
  deployment force, or running drugs in the 
  ghetto… if they're doing any of that during 
  the 1980s, this is the book for you. Here and 
  there, you'll find suggestions for importing 
  the themes explored by 80s gaming into 
  other genres- for example by running a 
  classic cyberpunk campaign set in a future 
  stuck inextricably in the 1980s  
   
   
  Players will find an assortment of 
  gear, feats, 80s flavored starting 
  occupations,  and character classes built for 
  the 1980s. Most of the classes can be played 
  straight, or can devolve into retro-camp, all 
  depending on how seriously the players and 
  game group takes the setting. Everybody 
  will find an assortment of cultural details, 
  rules modifications, and new uses for old 
  skills.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20/20 Hindsight  
   
  You know how the story ends. 
   It’s one of the biggest drawbacks to a 
  game set in the 1980s, and it is simultaneously 
  one of the genre’s greatest strengths. Players can 
  look at a history book, and read about the fall of 
  the Berlin Wall; they know that if they want 
  their players to make a killing in the stock 
  market, they should invest in IBM as soon as the 
  company goes public.  
   
  The gamemaster should decide how 
  closely the events in her game mirror the real 
  world events. Does the Cold War never end, or 
  does it end in a nuclear holocaust? Do Steve 
  Jobs and Bill Gates die in a car accident, 
  allowing a fictional company to begin the home 
  computing revolution? That’s your call, and by 
  changing the details and fundamental 
  assumptions of the setting, you can keep your 
  players on their toes. Each gamemaster needs to 
  set their own limits on how wildly the setting 
  can change before it stops being an 80s 
  campaign and mutates into alternate history sci-
  fi.  
   
  Of course, keeping the setting tightly 
  grounded in real world history has its 
  advantages. A historical 80s campaign can be 
  educational, and it can also be easy (and cheap) 
  to research. Few ‘campaign settings’ provide 
  information about their setting for free; since 
  you're running a historical campaign, you can 
  use any history book or Wikipedia page as a 
  ‘sourcebook’ at no cost. The shared history, 
  accessable to every player and game master, 
  provides a cohesiveness to the universe that few 
  fictional settings can match.  
   
  And on the supernatural front, players 
  who build diviners or precognitives get a chance 
  to shine. Since the major events of the recent 
  past have already been decided and recorded, a 
  precognitive player in a recent history game can 
  rack up an impressive track-record of correct 
  predictions….even if the precog fails to predict 
  an unexpected in-game event or a flukey die roll. 
  This is difficult to achieve in a modern or future 
  setting without a lot of gamemaster fiat. 
   
   
   
   
  4
  
  Chapter One: Our 
  Modern World  
   
   
  The first portion of D20 Decade: The 
  1980s includes only a few rules elements, 
  instead focusing providing a history of the 
  Eighties, as they unfolded on our world. If 
  you're familiar with the 80s, you might want 
  to skip ahead to Chapter Two: Imaginary 
  Eighties, which includes the majority of the 
  crunchy rules bits- new feats, classes, 
  occupations and optional modern magic and 
  heroic fiction elements. Of course, if you're 
  too young to remember the Eighties, or want 
  to read my take on the events and politics of 
  the decade, stick around.  
   
  Skillz for the 80s: Modified Skills in an 
  80s Campaign  
   
  Most feats and skills 
  function normally 
  during the 1980s. A few 
  skills, mostly having to 
  do  
  with computers, are modified slightly for a 
  1980s campaign, and are not as useful as 
  equivalent skills in a modern campaign.  
   
  Computer Use: Without the Internet, 
  computer use and especially computer 
  hacking is fundamentally altered. The 
  relatively lower power, expense and rarity of 
  80s style computers limits the utility of this 
  skill. By 1988 or 1989, the computer use 
  skill begins to operate normally.  
   
  A character can use the Computer 
  Use skill to hack an 80s style system (either 
  a desktop or a mainframe) as described in 
  the D20 Modern core rule book. However, 
  most computers are not connected to a 
  network, and the Internet does not yet exist. 
  A hacker must physically connect to a 
  computer to access it during the early 80s.  
   
   
  Finding files data on a computer 
  system or network takes longer than 
  described in the D20 Modern core rules, due 
  to the cruder interfaces and slower 
  processors of early computers.  
   
   
   
  Size of Site  
  Check DC  
  Time (modern) 
  Time (1980s)  
  Personal Computer 
  (desktop)  
  DC 10  
  1 round 
  1 minute 
  Small Office Network 
  (corporate mainframe, local 
  LAN)   
  DC 15 
  2 rounds 
  1d4+1 minutes 
  Large Office Network 
  (university or large 
  corporate mainframe)  
  DC 20 
  1 minute 
  10 minutes 
  Masive Corporate Network 
  (military or corporate 
  mainframes)  
  DC 25 
  10 minutes 
  1 hour  
   
   
  Accessing a military or university computer 
  that is connected by the DARPA-Net (a 
  precursor to the Internet used for military 
  research, invented in the early 1970s) is 
  possible. These simplistic, bulletin board 
  style networks are relatively well defended, 
  are usually Large Office Networks with 
  Exceptional (DC 35) computer security.  
   
   
  Memory space for early computers 
  was prohibitively small. Most files were 
  simple text documents or simplistic 
  programming instructions. Graphics files 
  5
  
  were very rare, and a photograph or piece of 
  artwork stored on computer will likely be 
  monocolor or pixelated almost beyond 
  recognition. Early computers were 
  monochromatic, either black and white or 
  black and green, though later monitors could 
  display 16 or 24 colors simultaneously.  
  There is a very good chance that 
  whatever data the character is looking for is 
  not stored on the computer itself, but is 
  instead stored on a large floppy disk, 
  magnetic tape or reel-to-reel tape.  
   
   
  Finally, performing tasks with the 
  computer use skill requires additional time. 
  Any task which would require a round to 
  complete on a modern computer system 
  requires at least a minute to complete on a 
  1980s computer system. A task requiring a 
  minute requires 2d6 minutes to compete on 
  an 1980s computer system.  
   
   
  New Task: Arcade Dueling!   
   
  Arcade games were the first 
  introduction many children of the 80s had to 
  computers. Though it’s a trivial use of the 
  Computer Use skill, winning an arcade duel 
  can get a young proto-hacker some serious 
  respect.  
  An 80s arcade rat can attempt a DC 
  10 Computer Use check to clear a level on 
  an early video game. Failure indicates the 
  player simply loses a life in the game. 
  Success indicates the gamer progresses to 
  the next stage. Since early video games were 
  designed for head to head competition, if 
  multiple competitors are each trying to clear 
  the same stage, the gamer with the highest 
  check result achieves high score.  
   
  Gamers may add their DEX modifier 
  as a bonus to this check.  
   
   
   
  Using the Computer Use skill this 
  way requires at least a round. The gamer 
  cannot take 10 or 20 on this check. You may 
  not retry a failed check.  
   
   
  Investigate: Due to inferior 
  technology, crude collection and storage 
  methods, not to mention slightly poorer 
  training, investigators in a 1980s campaign 
  cannot take 10 nor take 20 on an Investigate 
  Skill Check.  
   
   
  Research: Prior to the advent of the 
  Internet, research involved a journey to a 
  library, a newspaper mourge, or scanning 
  through reel after reel of microfiche 
  documents. As such, Research checks took a 
  lot longer during the 1980s than during the 
  modern era.  
   
  A typical Research check during the 
  1980s requires 3d4 hours to complete. 
  Having five ranks or more in Computer Use 
  does not provide a Synergy bonus to 
  Research checks, since most information is 
  still stored on hard-copy, not in a computer 
  system. Otherwise, the Research skill 
  functions as described in the D20 Modern 
  core rulebook.  
   
   
  Perform: The Perform skill is 
  fundamentally unchanged, though street 
  performers in the 80s might use the skills in 
  new ways. Dancers can use this skill to 
  break dance, while rappers can free style 
  with the skill.  Performers can also choose to 
  specialize in mixing, scratching and the 
  other skills of the early DJ.  
   
   
   
  New Task: Freestylin’   
   
  Rappers and fans can pit their 
  improvised on the spot lyrics against other 
  rappers, or ‘do the dozens’ and trade insults 
  back and forth, trying to get the biggest 
  reaction from the audience. Performers can 
  oppose another rapper’s Perform check; the 
  rapper with the highest check result busts 
  6
  
  the best rhyme or cuts loose with the most 
  scathing, hilarious insult.  
   
  Having five or more ranks in any one 
  of the following skills provides the rapper 
  with a +2 synergy bonus on opposed rap 
  checks: Knowledge: current events, popular 
  culture or streetwise, or Bluff.  
   
   
  Using the Perform skill as an 
  opposed check requires at least 1-2 rounds. 
  The rapper cannot take 10 nor can he take 
  20 on the check. Retries are not allowed on 
  this opposed check.  
   
   
   
  You Can’t Want What Doesn’t Exist  
   
   
  From a modern perspective, its easy 
  to define the technology of the 1980s by 
  what the men and women of the decade 
  lacked. It’s easy to forget how rapidly the 
  technological landscape changed during the 
  1980s- the technological innovations of the 
  decade built the future we live in today.  
   
   
  The children of the early 1980s were 
  the last generation born to communicate 
  without e-mail or without omnipresent 
  blogs. Cellphones didn't come into wide 
  usage until the middle of the decade, and 
  these crude prototypes were incredibly 
  bulky and prohibitively expensive. Before 
  the cell phone shrunk to its current 
  convenient size, beepers enjoyed a brief 
  prominence, before fading into ghetto 
  obscurity as a symbol of drug-dealer culture.  
   
   
  The following pieces of gear, 
  described in the D20 Modern core rulebook, 
  did not exist during the real world’s 1980s. 
  Of course, heroes working for an top secret 
  government agency like Department Seven 
  might have access to early prototypes, tech 
  pilfered from the future or parallel realities. 
  Still, even if the heroes manage to aquire 
  21st century or more advanced technology, 
  comparable consumer technology simply 
  doesn’t exist. Some of these items are 
  replaced with bulker, inferior 1980s 
  analouges, which are described later.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Computers and Consumer Electronics 
  Camera (digital), Cellphone, 
  Computer (desktop or notebook), 
  PDA, Digital Audio Recorder, 
  Modem, PDA, Portable Satelite 
  phone, Portable Video Camera 
  Surveillance Gear  
  Caller ID Defeater, Cellular 
  Interceptor 
  Professional Equipment 
  Evidence Kit (Deluxe) 
  Survival Gear 
  Binoculars (Rangefinding, Electro-
  optical), GPS Receiver 
  Weapon Accesssories  
  Laser Sight, Scope (Electro-Optical)  
  Body Armor  
  Light Undercover Shirt, Pull-Up 
  Pouch Vest, Light-Duty Vest  
   
  Vehicles 
   
  The statistics provided for most 
  modern vehicles can be used to simulate 
  1980s cars and trucks simply by changing 
  the vehicle’s name, description and flavor 
  text. It’s fairly easy to rename a Volkswagen 
  Jetta into a VW Rabbit, or transform a 
  Chevy Suburban into a 1980s style family 
  van (possibly complete with an airbrushed 
  fantasy scene on the sides?). Car enthusiasts 
  can easily tweak the preformance (typically 
  by reducing the vehicle’s stats slightly to 
  better simulate the limitations of 1980s 
  technology).  
   
   
  The biggest difference between 
  2008’s civilian vehicles and their 1980s 
  equivalents are the standard options 
  installed. During the early 1980s, luxuries 
  air conditioning wasn’t a standard option  
  Instead of CD or integrated MP3 players, 
  older model cars had tape decks (or 8-trac 
  decks for truly ancient models), and simple, 
  low fidelity radios. Airbags and some now 
  7
  
  common safety features didn’t become 
  factory standard until the late 80s and early 
  90s.  
   
   
  The following military vehicles, 
  planes and motorcycles didn’t exist during 
  the 1980s, and earlier equivalents were not 
  readily available.  
   
   
  Learjet Model 45, Ducati 998R, AM 
  General Hummer, M2A2 Bradley, UH-60 
  Black Hawk (late 1980s) 
   
  Electronics of the 1980s 
   
   
   
  These common, household 
  electronics either were common, or were 
  first introduced during the 1980s. Though 
  very expensive, ownership of the latest 
  gadgets was an important status symbol, and 
  people were willing to pay for convinence 
  and style.  
   
  The prices listed here are for 
  characters purchasing the equipment new, 
  during the decade. If a character in a modern 
  campaign goes looking for used equipment 
  from the 80s, he can usually find it for much 
  lower prices. Reduce the Purchase DC by as 
  much as 10 or 15 points, if not more. Most 
  80s junk is collecting dust in thrift stores and 
  can be found pretty cheaply. The rare 
  exceptions are collectibles, such as the hard 
  to find original Nintendo.  
   
  Cable Television Access: Up until 
  the early 1980s, television viewers only had 
  the choice of the ‘big three’ networks (NBC, 
  CBS and ABC) or public broadcasting. The 
  introduction of cable television provided 
  more viewing options, such as HBO, CNN, 
  ESPN, MTV and others. The wider selection 
  of channels lead to the development of 
  whole new entertainment genres, such as 
  music videos, reality TV and 24 hour news 
  and sports coverage.  
   
  Cassette Player (home): A home 
  cassette player/recorder is device roughly 
  the size of a large book, designed to record 
  and playback music cassettes. Individual 
  music cassettes have a purchase DC of 3.  
   
  Cassette Player (walkman): 
  Introduced during the mid-80s, this portable 
  tape player can be squeezed into a pocket, 
  and comes with a pair of headphones.  
   
  Cassette Player (boombox): The 
  quintessential symbol of 80s teens, this 
  massive device boasts a pair of equally 
  mammoth speakers, a radio and a tape deck. 
  You can plug a set of ‘cans’ into the 
  boombox, but nobody ever does.  
   
   
   
  Portable Cassette Recorder: This 
  small device, roughly the size of a can of 
  soda, can be used to record audio. These 
  recorders pick up sounds within 5-10 ft. 
  Blank cassettes have a Purchase DC of 2, 
  and can record upto 60 minutes of sound, 30 
  minutes on each side of the cassette. 
   
   
  CB Radio: Movies like Cannonball 
  Run popularized CB radios and 
  trucker/redneck culture. Immensely useful in 
  business and the national shipping industry, 
  the public also briefly embraced a fad for 
  CB radio ownership, allowing them to listen 
  in on convesations or join in with other 
  enthusiasts. The CB radio boom predates the 
  age of modern cell phone communications, 
  and early CB radio clubs could be thought of 
  as a precursor to Internet Bulletin Boards 
  and social networking sites.  
   
  The CB Radio works like a larger, 
  longer range walkie-talkie. Anyone using a 
  similar CB radio can listen in on your 
  conversation, if they are within range. The 
  CB user has a choice of 3-4 different 
  channels, allowing a trucker to find a clear 
  channel. The radio has a range of upto 20 
  miles, or 30 miles in clear, open terrain. The 
  CB radio can be run on house current or 
  feed of a vehicle’s battery.  
   
  Computer (80s Desktop): Early 
  computers were far cruder than their 
  contemporary counterparts. During the early 
  part of the 80s, the bulky devices had small, 
  monochromic monitors, only a few kilobites 
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  of memory and ludicrously low processing 
  speeds. Most programs were simple 
  calculators or accounting software, word 
  processing applications or crude video 
  games.  
  As the 80s progressed, graphics 
  capability, speed and memory all increased 
  dramatically, and as the computers became 
  smaller and more efficent, costs fell. Modern 
  desktop computers, as described in D20 
  Modern, first become available during the 
  late 80s and early 1990s.  
   
   
  Computer Storage Media: With 
  low amounts of internal memory, most 
  programs and data were stored externally. 
  During the 80s, this meant storing data on 5 
  ½ inch floppy disks, magnetic tapes or reel-
  to-reel tapes. Some early computers even 
  store data on laminated cardboard 
  punchcards! The cost given is for a form of 
  media able to store several documents or 
  one or two basic programs .  
   
   
  Computer (Mainframe): 
  Mainframe computers were massive devices 
  which took up entire offices. Most of these 
  glitchy, temperamental computers were 
  roughly as powerful as a modern desktop, 
  and had to be kept cool, and had huge 
  maintenece and power costs. Some 
  mainframes were connected to DARPA-Net, 
  a military precursor to the Internet.  
   
   
  DARPA-Net Access: Mainframe 
  computers could be connected to DARPA-
  Net via a specially designated phone and 
  modem connection. Connection to DARPA-
  Net allows the mainframe and its networked 
  computers to access military and university 
  databanks as well as potentially hack those 
  systems.  
   
   
  Early Internet Access: Beginning in 
  the late 1980s, the Internet began to replace 
  DARPA-Net. Early connections were slow 
  and relatively pricy, but costs dropped, 
  while utility increased throughout the 1990s, 
  until the modern Internet finally developed.  
   
   
  Mini-cam: Mini-cams are small, 
  handheld motion picture cameras which 
  record low resolution images and sound on 
  small reels of film. Color photography is 
  possible, but the colors usually seem dim 
  and washed out, especially in bright light. A 
  mini-cam’s battery lasts for upto two hours 
  of filming, and the device can record to 
  either 15 minute or 1 hour blank movie 
  reels. The device itself cannot playback 
  movie reels.  
   
   
  Movie Projector: Before the 
  introduction of the VCR, those wanting to 
  watch movies at home did so using these 
  bulky, cumbersome devices. Similar to the 
  industrial movie projectors found in theaters, 
  these heavy, hot-running devices projected 
  images from a reel of film onto a blank wall 
  or canvas screen. With the introduction of 
  the VCR, these devices quickly disappeared 
  from the home.  
   
  Home movie reels are sold 
  separately. Most 2 hour movies are broken 
  into two or three reels, sold together.   
   
   
  Portable Phone (briefcase): The 
  earliest portable phones were relatively 
  bulky radio transmitters, with such heavy 
  components they had to be carried in a 
  briefcase sized carring case. Despite their 
  bulk, the battery of a briefcase portable 
  phone lasted 8 hours or less.  
   
   
  Portable Phone (brick): Appearing 
  in the mid to late 80s, these phones are only 
  slightly larger than a home phone’s handset. 
  A “brick” phone is heavy and inconvenient 
  but much easier to carry than their briefcase 
  phone predacessor. A brick’s battery lasts 
  2d4 hours before needing to be recharged.  
   
   
  Portable Phone (carphone): A car 
  phone is a effectively a ‘briefcase’ style 
  phone integrated into a vehicle, drawing its 
  power from the car’s battery. 
   
   
  Record Player: LP records (large 
  plate sized plastic disks with data stored on 
  their cocentric grooves) predated cassette 
  tapes as the means of hearing music in the 
  9
  
  home. Record players remained common 
  throughout the 80s, and many are still in use 
  today, by those who prefer the sound of old 
  vinyl (and the eye catching cover art on the 
  huge LP cases)  
   
  Early VCRs were bulky, unattractive 
  boxes. Early VCRs could record or playback 
  VHS tapes. Deluxe models could play one 
  tape and copy another, and have a +2 
  modifier on their Purchase DC. Video 
  cassette tapes are purchased separately.  
   
  Individual records range in size from 
  palm sized singles to plate sized LPS, 
  depending on the length of the album. A 
  typical album has a Purchase DC of 3 or 4. 
  After the 80s, out of print records become 
  highly collectible items.  
   
   
  Video Game System: Home video 
  game systems burst onto the scene during 
  the 1980s, quickly becoming one of the most 
  popular hobbies in America. Early video 
  games (Atari 2600, Comodore 64, the 
  Oddessy, Nintendo Entertainment System 
  and Sega Master System) were crude, 
  offering only 8 bit graphics and tinny, 
  mechanical sound. Later systems (such as 
  the Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or 
  Turbographix-16) had 16 bit or greater 
  resolution, showcased by more complex and 
  ambitious games.  
   
   
  Record Player (DJ’s Deck): This 
  fancy record deck includes two turn tables 
  and adjustable sound boards. These sleek 
  decks are common among early rappers and 
  hip hop DJs, and scratching and mixing 
  records became a respected art during the 
  early 80s.  
   
  A DJ’s Deck provides a +2 
  equipment bonus on Perform (sing or rap) 
  checks as well as Perform (break dance) 
  checks when used as accompaniment.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  VICAP Account: Once VICAP 
  becomes available in the mid 1980s, law 
  enforcement agencies can connect their 
  mainframes and networks to the database, 
  allowing them to search the VICAP system 
  or possibly hack the site.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  Video 
  Cassette 
  Recorder: 
  The 
  introduction 
  of the VCR, in 
  the mid 80s, 
  changed the home entertainment landscape. 
  With a way to quickly get content to the 
  consumer, video rental stores emerged as an 
  ever present part of the urban landscape. 
  Early VCRs were one of two formats-VHS 
  or Betamax, but Betamax technology 
  disappeared by the mid-eighties (True Fact: 
  ostly due to the fact the adult entertainment 
  industry prefered the cheaper to produce 
  VHS format).  
   
   
   
   
  Individual  video game cartridges, each 
  containing one or two specific games, have a 
  Purchase DC of 8-10. Most video game 
  systems come with a single game, a pair of 
  controllers, connector cables and assorted 
  accessories.  
   
   
  Arcade cabinets were effectively 
  pricey videogame systems, dedicated to 
  playing a single game or pair of games, with 
  integrated joysticks and clear LCD screen. 
  These cabinets were roughly the size and 
  bulk of a refrigerator.  
   
   
   
  10
  
   
   
   
   
  Table: 1980s Consumer Electronics  (Mid Progress Level 5)  
  Object  
  Size 
  Weight  
  Purchase DC  
  Restriction  
  Cable Television Access 
  - 
  - 
  8-9 per month  
  - 
  Cassette Player (home)  
  Small 
  4 lbs  
  11 
  - 
  Cassette Player (walkman)  
  Tiny 
  1 lb  
  10  
  - 
  Cassette Player (boombox)  
  Medium
  8 lbs  
  15 
  - 
  Cassette Recorder, Portable  
  Tiny  
  ¾ lb  
  12 
  - 
  CB Radio  
  Small 
  4 lbs  
  15 
  - 
  Computer (80s Desktop)  
  Medium
  20 lbs 
  24 
  - 
  Computer (Main Frame)  
  Huge 
  2,500 lbs 
  32 
  - 
  Computer Storage Media 
   Tiny  
  1 lb 
  4 
  - 
  DARPA-Net Access  
  - 
  - 
  20 per month 
  Restricted 
  (+2)  
  Early Internet Access 
  - 
  - 
  8 per month  
  Liscensed 
  (+1)  
  Mini-cam 
  Small 
  2 lbs 
  18 
  -  
  Movie Projector  
  Medium 25 lbs 
  15 
  - 
  Movie Reels  
  Small 
  2 lbs 
  5 (for standard)  
  7 (for adult) 
  3(for blank, 15 
  min)  
  5 (for blank, 1 
  hour)  
  None or 
  Liscensed 
  (+1) for 
  adult 
  Record Player  
  Medium
  8-10 lbs 
  11 
  - 
  Record Player (DJ’s Deck)  
  Medium
  10-12 lbs 
  14 
  - 
  Portable Phone (briefcase)  
  Medium
  10-12 lbs 
  17  
  - 
  Portable Phone (brick)  
  Small 
  2-3 lbs  
  18  
  - 
  Portable Phone (car phone)  
  Medium
  10 lbs 
  17  
  - 
  VICAP Access 
  - 
  - 
  12 per month  
  Restricted 
  (+2) 
  Video Cassette Recorder  
  Medium 10-15 lbs 
  20  
   
  Video Cassette Tape  
  Small  
  ½ lb 
  5  (for standard 
  movie)  
  6 (for adult)  
  2 (for blank) 
  None or 
  Liscensed 
  (+1) for 
  adult movie 
  Video Game System (8 bit)  
  Small 
  5 lbs  
  14 
  - 
  Video Game System (16 bit)  
  Small 
  4 lbs  
  15 
  - 
  Video Game System (arcade 
  cabinet)  
  Large 
  250-300 
  lbs  
  24 
  - 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  11
  
   
  Birth of the Mall, Death of the Family 
  Store  
   
   
  Watch the mall chase in the Ackroyd 
  and Belushi Blues Brothers, or the original 
  Day of the Dead again and you'll realize 
  something. In both movies, an entire 
  shopping mall is destroyed with enough 
  joyous relish to make a modern anti-
  capitalist wet himself with glee.  
   
  The shopping mall was a new 
  innovation during the early part of the 80s, a 
  convenience and social hangout that offered 
  incomparable choice, diversity and fun… 
  but at a cost. During the early part of the 
  1980s, Americans experienced a profound 
  ambivalence towards the newly invented 
  ‘shopping mall’- they enjoyed hanging out 
  and shopping there, but almost 
  subconsciously seemed to realize that the 
  joys of the mall came with a downside.  
   
   
   
   
   
  Shopping malls offered dozens of 
  shops, including speciality shops designed to 
  cater to techno-philac yuppies like 
  Radioshack, movie theaters, beauty salons 
  and restaurants, not to mention the 
  quintessential 80s hangout- the video arcade. 
  Big box retailers, like Wal-mart and K-Mart 
  emerged during the 1980s and offered 
  choice goods at a decent price. So what’s so 
  bad about that?  
   
   
  Look around any strip mall today for 
  the answer. No matter where you go, you’ll 
  see franchise brands that didn’t exist during 
  the early 1990s. You’ll see Blockbuster 
  Videos, who first appeared on the American 
  landscape during the late 80s. You’ll see that 
  child of the 90s, Starbucks, on every corner. 
  You’ll see a Borders next to a Quiznos. You 
  won’t see something that nearly died out 
  during the 1980s: the family store.  
   
   
  The 1980s were one of the last 
  decades where small business owners could 
  compete with larger counterparts. With the 
  birth of big box retailers and mega-malls, 
  that competition ended. Cities, wishing to 
  attract major retailers, offered tax incentives 
  to large corporations, while a Republican 
  controlled government offered tax incentives 
  and unprecedented legal protection to large 
  corporations.  
   
  The 1980s also began America’s 
  shift from an industrial economy into a 
  service-driven economy. High paying, 
  unionized factory work vanished due to 
  industrialization,  overseas competition and 
  subtle union-busting tactics and politics at 
  home. Factory jobs were replaced with 
  minimum wage, typically non-union jobs in 
  the service or retail sectors. Malls provided 
  jobs for millions of workers, but at lower 
  wages and fewer benefits than their parents 
  enjoyed.  
   
  Unemployment, worries about 
  layoffs and plant closures, anger over class 
  inequities and ‘the rich getting richer’ found 
  their way into the art and entertainment of 
  the 1980s. The cyberpunk genre itself was 
  born out of a frustration of with 
  industrialization, a cynical view of late 
  70s/early 80s politics and the perceived 
  dehumanization that comes with living in an 
  era of burgeoning new technologies.  
   
   
  Turning Japaneese  
   
  If economic fears drove 80s 
  cyberpunk, than the mingled fear/fascination 
  with Japaneese culture provided the 
  gasoline. During the 1980s, Japan rose into 
  its current position in the global 
  marketplace. During the 1960s and 1970s, 
  the “Made In Japan” label meant cheaply 
  produced, bootleg toys that would fall apart 
  in three days. By the Reagan era, though, 
  12
  
  “Made In Japan” meant something else. 
  That label meant that America’s days of 
  economic supremacy were over.  
   
  Japaneese auto makers took 
  advantage of the oil shortages and fuel lines 
  of the late 1970s. While American auto 
  makers still produced ‘big bodies’- bulky, 
  highly inefficient luxury roadsters, their 
  Japaneese counterparts produced small, 
  agile imports with great gas mileage. Within 
  a few years, Japaneese brands were 
  outselling American models by wide 
  margins, forcing American auto makers to 
  radically restructure themselves. Plant 
  closures, layoffs and corporate bankruptcies 
  cost huge numbers of American workers 
  their jobs.  
  With the home electronic boom, 
  Japan had another chance to shine. Most of 
  the higher end electronics purchased during 
  the 1980s were Japaneese imports. As the 
  American dollar lost strength and American 
  factories closed, Japaneese rivals seemed to 
  get stronger by the day.  
  News reports of the economic 
  downturn were played anytime the news 
  cycle slowed. Differences between 
  Japaneese and American educational 
  systems, corporate culture and training 
  methods were highlighted, with America 
  typically looking the worse for the 
  comparison. American industries adopted 
  Japaneese-style innovations, especially 
  automation.  
  Japan had always been on the 
  forefront of industrial robotics, and to 
  compete, America borrowed Japaneese 
  technology to put robots onto its assembly 
  lines. Skilled workers were laid off and 
  replaced with articulated robot arms and 
  automatic arc welders, only worsening the 
  jobless rates in America’s “Rust Belt”.   
  In response, American labor unions 
  pressured Congress to impose protective 
  tariffs on Japaneese goods, and began a 
  grass roots “Buy American” campaign. 
  Supporters displayed American flag bumper 
  stickers and pins supporting American 
  factory workers, or staged scattered boycotts 
  of Japaneese goods. Vandalism of foreign 
  made cars or a brief scuffle with an 
  ‘unpatriotic’ driver wasn’t unheard of either.  
   
  In fiction, authors and actors played 
  on themes of national self doubt and 
  xenophobia. The heartless, ruthlessly 
  efficient Japaneese executive became a 
  stock villain, appearing in everything from 
  teen comedies to cyberpunk adventures.  
   
  At the same time, with Japaneese 
  investors buying up large tracts of land and 
  small businesses across America, 80s 
  creators realized that America was changing, 
  both industrially and ethnically. Most 
  cyberpunk and sci-fi stories incorporated 
  elements like international conglomerates 
  with a Japaneese board of directors, a new 
  economic feudalism overseen by Japaneese 
  masters, and of course, the omnipresent 
  “corporate samurai” ready to do anything 
  necessary, from backroom deals to subtle 
  assassinations to achieve his goals.  
  The portrayal of Japan and Japaneese 
  heroes wasn't entirely negative, though even 
  the most positive portrayals also verged on 
  the stereotypical. If you were a fictional hero 
  during the 1980s, and if you were Japaneese, 
  you knew karate and could wield a katana 
  like a ninja. And if you couldn’t, than at 
  least you were the best hacker in the movie. 
  In 80s cartoons, in particular, the Asian kid 
  was almost always the tech expert.  
  The kung fu films of the 1970s gave 
  way to 80s martial arts movies like The 
  Karate Kid and Bloodsport. Karate and judo 
  became national obsessions, and for a time, 
  it seemed like every pre-teen in America had 
  a white or yellow belt in karate from classes 
  at the local community center.   
   
   
  Optional Rule: Exclusively 
  Japaneese Techies   
   
   
  In keeping with the spirit of 80s 
  fiction, you may want to limit access to the 
  Techie Advanced Class to Japaneese 
  citizens. On one hand, limiting a class to a 
  particular race sets an unsettling precedent, 
  13
  
  and only reinforces the stereotypes of 80s 
  films.  
   
  If your group objects to this rule, and 
  they are fully within their rights to do so, 
  simply allow the Techie Advanced Class as 
  written. If you choose to use this variant 
  rule, add the following requirements to the 
  list of prerequisites for the Techie Advanced 
  Class.  
   
   
   
  Skills: Add Speak and Read/Write 
  Language: Japaneese.  
   
  Special: The potential Techie must 
  either be a Japaneese citizen, who takes his 
  or first level in this class while living or 
  working in Japan, or a foreigner studying 
  robotics while living and working in Japan.  
   
   
  The justification for this racial 
  restriction is that only 1980s Japan had the 
  experience with robotics necessary to 
  produce heroes of this class. Other nations 
  simply don’t have the robotics expertise 
  during the 1980s necessary to produce 
  Techies.  
   
  On the other hand, heroes, especially 
  ones working for a high tech employer like 
  Department Seven, might have access to 
  micro-robotics technology far in excess of 
  the mainstream progress level. Ultimately, 
  restricting Techies to Japan, or not, is a 
  decision for each individual player and 
  gamemaster.  
   
  Getting Away With Murder  
   
   
  Forensic technology was well 
  established by the 1980s, though it lacked 
  many of the final case-winning refinements 
  that would help prosecutors of the 1990s 
  convict murderers. Most notable is the fact 
  that while the basic structure and purpose of 
  DNA was well understood by 1980, the 
  mapping of the human genome had not even 
  begun, and forensic DNA testing did not 
  come into wide usage until the early 1990s.  
   
   
  If blood, hair or semen was 
  recovered at a crime scene, the forensic 
  experts of the day could determine the blood 
  type (and make a reasonable guess as to the 
  race) of the suspect, but they could not 
  individually identify a criminal by his DNA. 
  In court, a recovered sample could be 
  compared to the defendant’s blood type, but 
  conclusive, one to one identification was 
  almost impossible.  
  Complicating matters is the fact a 
  substantial minority (between 10 and 25%) 
  of the male population are ‘non-secretors’, 
  who naturally do not leave serological 
  evidence behind in their semen. This means 
  that when investigating a non-secreting rape 
  or lust murder, the pathologist might not 
  even be able to conclusively identify the 
  suspects blood type.  
  Once DNA testing first became 
  available, it was prohibitively expensive, 
  took several months to complete, and often 
  destroyed large portions of an evidentiary 
  sample. Local police agencies lacked the 
  resources and training to do the testing 
  themselves, and were forced to turn over 
  evidence to federal labs, such as the FBI 
  laboratory at Quantico, or to private DNA 
  testing firms. Only samples from the most 
  notorious cases, urgent recent cases or cases 
  involving high profile victims were sent for 
  testing.  
  The majority of evidence samples 
  from pre-DNA cases were never submitted 
  for genetic testing. In many cases, the 
  original serological evidence simply didn’t 
  exist. It had been lost, destroyed or any 
  genetic material contained within had been 
  allowed to decay or become containment. It 
  is possible modern pathologists to pull DNA 
  evidence from 1980s crime scenes, but it is a 
  difficult, time consuming process.  
   
  During the 1980s, the biggest 
  problem facing law enforcement was the 
  decentralization of records. Fingerprint data, 
  for example was still stored on hard-copy 
  print cards; comparing recovered prints to 
  known samples could take weeks of 
  painstaking work. Worse, without computer 
  matching of prints, finding fingerprint (or 
  other evidentiary records)  in other 
  jurisdictions became more difficult. If a 
  14
  
  criminal had records in multiple states or 
  counties, or in several different names, it 
  became a real chore to locate all the relevant 
  data.  
   
   
  Serial killers and multiple rapists in 
  the 1980s could often evade capture for 
  years, even decades, simply by moving their 
  hunting grounds regularly. Police in the 
  different locations might not know there was 
  a serial predator in the area, much less that 
  the criminal had committed similar crimes in 
  neighboring states or cities.  
  Recognizing this limitation, the FBI 
  instituted the VICAP (Violent Criminal 
  Apprehension Program) during the mid 
  1980s. This central database included data 
  on violent crimes from around the country. 
  Police officers around the nation could 
  query VICAP and search by crime type, date 
  of occurance, or by the details of the crime, 
  looking for similar cases.  Law enforcement 
  databases grew in complexity and utility 
  throughout the decade, and with the 
  introduction of the Internet, searching 
  national databases became much quicker 
  and easier. 
   
  Off the G.R.I.D.  
   
   
  The world was ending during the 
  1980s. Or at least one world was.  
   
  Thanks to the new concept of 24 
  hour news networks, America watched as a 
  newly discovered epidemic ravaged an 
  unprepared population, leaving nothing but 
  death in its wake and completely changing 
  the American political, sexual and 
  ideological landscape.  
   
  Beginning in the last days of the 
  1970s, gay men were dying in record 
  numbers, thanks to diseases which had, until 
  now, been mostly theoretical. Initial theories 
  speculated that ‘the gay cancer’ was caused 
  by the club drug amyl nitrate, but scientists 
  quickly realized they were dealing with a 
  new communicable disease, stunningly 
  deadly and spreading through an unknown 
  vector.  
  By 1981, the new disease’s 
  symptoms were well known: a total collapse 
  of the human immune system, which lead to 
  a quick but savage death from opportunistic 
  infections. Initially, the disease seemed 
  confined to the gay community, which lead 
  to the first scientifically accepted name for 
  the illness: Gay Related Immune Disorder, 
  or GRID. Soon, however, clusters were 
  found among other population: intravenous 
  drug users, hemophiliacs of both sexual 
  orientations who had received blood 
  transfusions, and large numbers of African 
  and Hatian immigrants.  
   
   
   
  By the summer of 1982, the terms 
  HIV and AIDS had been widely accepted by 
  the medical establishment. What was still 
  unsure was how exactly the disease was 
  spread. Initial research showed the disease 
  could be passed by sexual contact with an 
  infected partner, by blood to blood contact, 
  or to a child from its infected mother. 
  However, the public remained unconvinced 
  that the HIV virus could not be transmitted 
  by breath or touch.  
   
   
  Above: C Everett Koop, US Surgeon General 
   
   
  As millions, primarily among the gay 
  community died, public fear and 
  misconceptions about the disease hampered 
  treatment efforts and inflicted even more 
  15
  
  suffering on the infected. Many gays of the 
  era, regardless of their health, were regarded 
  as potential plague bearers, forcing many 
  deeper into the closet.  
   
  The burgeoning Religious Right 
  movement, backed by influential friends in 
  the Reagan Administration, used the 
  epidemic to inextricably link gays with the 
  creeping death of AIDS in the minds of the 
  public. Civil rights victories won after the 
  Stonewall Riots were rolled back overnight; 
  shows with gay friendly themes or gay 
  supporting casts, such as the innocuous 
  Three’s Company were quickly pulled off 
  the air. Advertisers fled from any 
  association with gays, while opportunistic 
  televangelists preached that AIDS was a 
  divine judgement on a sinful lifestyle.  
   
   
  An infection meant not only death, it 
  also meant a social stigma unlike those 
  faced by victims of any other disease. An 
  HIV infected person could easily lose their 
  job, their home or be forced out of their 
  school if their secret was discovered. 
  Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s 1992 
  comments about segregating AIDs victims 
  in leper colonies / concentration camps 
  indicated the degree of fear and loathing 
  associated with the disease, even almost a 
  decade after the transmission vector was 
  fully understood.  
   
   
  It took the infection and death of 
  patients who broke the gay stereotype to 
  lessen the stigma associated with HIV 
  infection. When basketball “Magic” Johnson 
  became infected through heterosexual 
  contact, and teenager Ryan White became 
  infected through what’s basically a medical 
  mistake, it forced Americans to realize that 
  anyone could ‘catch the bug’. Non-profits  
  like the NAMES Project created highly 
  symbolic works of art, including the massive 
  AIDS quilt to both humanize the dead and 
  call attention to the sheer number of 
  casualties.  
   
   
   
   
  Queer Decade  
   
   
  AIDs killed.  
  It also transformed the world, in 
  ways no one living in the early 1980s could 
  have predicted. The AIDS Crisis marked the 
  last gasp of the dying “free love” ethos of 
  the 1960s. Casual hookups and dating gave 
  way to carefully chosen monogamy.  To 
  teens of the Eighties, the fact they could not 
  enjoy the consequence sexuality their 
  parents pioneered was just one more 
  injustice heaped upon the generation, one 
  more glaring example of their parents’ 
  failures.  
   
   
  By the mid 1980s, public health 
  campaigns urged Americans, of both 
  genders and orientations to be tested. The 
  first condom ads appeared on television 
  during this time, marking a lifesaving new 
  application for a product whose utility had 
  waned with the introduction of the Pill and 
  abortion-on-demand. The gay community 
  became a collection of self-taught safer sex 
  experts as a matter of survival. 
  Comprehensive sex education appeared in 
  schools for the first time, even if its lessons 
  were usually limited to the dubious utility of 
  ‘abstinence only’.  
   
   
   
  The initial government response to 
  the epidemic was painfully slow and 
  disorganized. Groups like Gay Men’s Health 
  Crisis and ACT UP were formed, purely to 
  put pressure on the White House to increase 
  funding for AIDs research. These early 
  activist groups formed the backbone of a 
  16
  
  new ‘out and proud’ gay rights movement, 
  which would gain power and momentum 
  through the next few decades. The Religious 
  Right and the gay pride movement grew up 
  together, with their development and tactics 
  mirroring each other. Both sides used the 
  other as an easily demonized enemy to drum 
  up fundraising dollars among their own 
  constitutancy. 
   The increased visibility of the gay 
  community lead to the return of gay 
  characters to television, first in stereotypical 
  roles as lisping comic relief, and than later 
  in more complex roles. Over the remainder 
  of the decade, the gay community won a 
  number of important victories, both legal 
  and in the public relations arena: Work place 
  protections, increased AIDS education and 
  funding searching for a cure, and the 
  removal of homosexuality from the DSM’s 
  list of mental illnesses.  
   
  Ready Rock 
   
   
  An epic, by definition, tells the story 
  of a people, and explains in mythic terms 
  why things are the way they are. Viewed in 
  that light New Jack City is an epic. The 
  movie tells the story of the mythic first crack 
  dealer, the suave, Luciferian drug lord who 
  first vialed up some ‘ready rock’ and carved 
  out a criminal empire. It explains why things 
  are the way they are.  
   
    
   
  Crack hit the streets during the 
  1980s. A highly processed form of cocaine, 
  crack rocks were quick, easy and cheap to 
  produce and could be sold for big profits, 
  made a few dollars per customer. Incredibly 
  addictive and producing an intense, almost 
  sexually ecstatic but short lived high, crack 
  completely changed the urban landscape. By 
  the end of the 1980s, Americas inner cities 
  were in economic and social ruins. 
   Poverty and drug addition was 
  rampant throughout the 1980s and beyond, 
  this hopelessness was reflected in 80s 
  fiction. Distopian cities overrun with drugs,  
  gangers and mutants, like the futuristic 
  Gotham City of Dark Knight Returns, Judge 
  Dredd’s Mega-City One or the crumbling 
  futuristic ghettoes shown in the action films 
  like  Running Man and Robocop were only 
  slightly worse than the real inner cities of 
  the decade.  
  Partially in response to the crack 
  epidemic, and partially in conscious political 
  rejection of the drug-friendly ethos of the 
  60s, the Reagan Administration began 
  promoting it’s “Just Say NO!” anti-drug 
  campaign. With Nancy Reagan, the then-
  First Lady as its spokesman, along with the 
  cartoony mascot,  McGruff the Crimedog,  
  the campaign was memorable and easily 
  remembered, but sociologists are divided on 
  its ultimate usefulness.  
   
   
  At the same time education and 
  mimetic warfare was being used to try and 
  prevent drug use, the courts were using 
  unprecidented punishments to try to scare 
  addicts and dealers out of the life, or at least 
  keep them off the streets. Congress passed 
  mandatory minimum sentencing law, 
  mandating decades of imprisonment for 
  drug offenses, particularly violent crimes 
  connected with drugs or for crack related 
  crimes. Under the new laws, a user holding a 
  tiny vial of crack could be punished with 
  sentences usually reserved for major cocaine 
  dealers.   
  Civil rights advocates and members 
  of the black community were (and remain) 
  outraged by the new laws. Politicians like 
  Jesse Jackson argued that crack, a drug 
  mostly used by poor blacks, was being 
  treated, and the users punished more harshly 
  than cocaine users. They argued that since 
  cocaine use was widely regarded as the drug 
  of choice among wealthy whites, the new 
  sentences were racially biased and thus 
  unconstitutional. Federal appeals courts 
  ruled otherwise throughout the 80s and 
  1990s, though as of 2007, some federal 
  courts are beginning to cast a harsh eye on 
  the anti-drug laws enacted during the early 
  1989s.  
   
   
   
  The Decade of Hungry Noses  
   
   
  Drug use during the 1980s was far 
  more common than it is today, and in many 
  17
  
  cases, ‘recreational drug use’ was widely 
  accepted, despite the fact the drug culture of 
  the 1960s and the disco and cocaine culture 
  of the 1970s was waning. Cocaine was 
  regarded as the drug of choice for the 
  wealthy and glamorous, and was its use was 
  celebrated in movies and music. 
   Marijuana maintained a suprizing 
  popularity, not just among teens, but among 
  the adult, now professional and respectable 
  children of the sixties. For many American 
  adults, having a joint after putting the kids to 
  bed was almost as common as having a beer 
  with dinner. LSD’s popularity had waned, 
  virtually disappearing from the street, until a 
  psychedelic resurgence in the early 1990s.  
   
   
  Crack, on the other hand, was 
  demonized and its users subjected to some 
  of the harshest prison sentences ever handed 
  out to drug abusers. Attitudes towards 
  recreational drugs of all kinds hardened over 
  the course of the decade, mostly in response 
  to the crack epidemic.  
   
  The biggest drugs of the 1980s are 
  described below. Street drugs are treated as 
  poisons, with an initial and secondary effect. 
   Drugs also require the user to 
  succeed at a WILL Save after ingesting a 
  dose. The WILL Save DC increases by +1 
  for every dose of the drug taken within a 7 
  day period, with no maximum ceiling. 
  Repeat users are at higher risk for drug 
  addition than casual users.  
   
  Failure indicates the user becomes 
  addicted to the drug, and in addition to any 
  other effects, begins undergoing withdrawl 
  symptoms after 24 hours without a dose the 
  drug. A drug’s withdrawl symptoms, if any, 
  are described among its other effects. 
  Addicted characters can who endure 
  the pain of wiwithdrawlor a number of days 
  to 31 days minus their CON score 
  (minimum one day) and attempt to go ‘cold 
  turkey’ from the drug. At the end of this 
  period, the character can attempt a DC 15 
  WILL Save to break their 
  addiction; if successful, the 
  character no longer suffers 
  withdrawal symptoms, but may 
  become re-addicted later.  
  If the addict fails this check 
  on his or her first attempt to kick 
  the habit, they can attempt a new 
  DC 15 WILL Save every 1d4 days, 
  so long as they do not use the drug 
  again in the meantime.  
   
   
   
  Amyl Nitrate: Amyl Nitrate 
  “poppers” are a mild stimulant, 
  used during sex to heighten 
  orgasm. Poppers were a popular 
  club drug, espeically among the 
  gay community of the time.  
   
  Cocaine: Cocaine is the stimulant of choice 
  among the elite of the 80s. The silvery white 
  powder sold in small vials or plastic baggies.  
   
  Crack Cocaine: Crack is a processed, 
  highly addictive form of cocaine. Sold in 
  tiny rock crystals, crack was one of the most 
  widely used drugs of the decade.  
   
  LSD: LSD is a powerful synthetic 
  hallucinogen developed during the late 
  1950s, and was one of the most popular 
  drugs of the Sixties. Its popularity waned 
  during the Eighties, and this drug is usually 
  18
  
  sold in liquid form, soaked into small stamps 
  or sheets of paper.  
   
  Marijuana: Marijuana is a naturally 
  occurring depressant, which is usually 
  smoked. During the 1980s, despite its 
  illegality, the drug was widely accepted.  
   
  Qualludes: ‘Ludes are prescription 
  tranquilizers, sold in pill form. They were 
  one of the most popular and widely used 
  drugs during the Disco Era. Like cocaine, 
  ‘ludes are a popular party drug.  
   
  Table: Drugs of the 1980s  
  Drug  
  Amyl 
  Nitrate 
  Cocaine 
  Crack  
  LSD  
  Marijuana 
  Qualludes 
  Type  
  Inhaled 
  Inhaled 
  or 
  Ingested 
  Inhaled 
  Contact or 
  Ingested 
  Inhaled or 
  Ingested  
  Ingested 
  (Effect) 
  FORT 
  Save DC:  
  DC 10 
  DC 14 
  DC 17 
  DC 14 
  DC 11 
  DC 12 
  (Addiction) 
  WILL Save 
  DC:  
  Base DC 8 Base DC 
  10 
  Base DC 
  14 
  Base DC 5 
  Base DC 5 Base DC 8
  Initital 
  Effect:  
  Raised 
  heart rate, 
  euphoria 
  1d4 
  minutes  
  Raised 
  Heartrate, 
  +2 bonus 
  on 
  Initiative 
  checks/ 
  saves vs 
  pain 
  effects 
  for 2d10 
  minutes 
  Raised 
  Heartrate, 
  +2 bonus 
  on 
  Initiative 
  checks/ 
  saves vs 
  pain 
  effects 
  for 2d4  
  minutes 
  -1d4 WIS  
  Mild 
  euphoria 
  10-15 
  minutes 
  -1d2 DEX 
  Secondary 
  Effect:  
  -  
  -1d4 WIS -1d6 WIS Shaken by 
  hallucinations 
  for 1d6 hours 
  Dazed for 
  1d2 hours  
  -1d2 INT  
  Withdrawal 
  Symptoms:  
  Mild 
  Anxiety 
  Dazed 
  until dose 
  taken 
  Sickened 
  until dose 
  taken  
  Mild Anxiety 
  Mild 
  Anxiety  
  Shaken 
  until dose 
  taken  
  Purchase 
  DC:  
  DC 3 
  (Liscensed 
  +1) 
  DC 8 
  (Illegal 
  +3) 
  DC 2 
  (Illegal 
  +3)  
  DC 4 (Illegal 
  +3)  
  DC 5 
  (Restricted 
  +2)  
  DC 4 
  (Liscensed 
  +1)  
  Craft 
  Check DC:  
  DC 10 
  DC 15 
  DC 12 
  DC 16 
  Harvested  DC 14  
  Time to 
  Craft a 
  dose:  
  1 hour 
  1d4 
  hours 
  1 hour 
  3-4 hours 
  N/A  
  1d6 hours  
   
  19
  
   
  Hip Hop, It Don’t Stop  
   
   
  Death and birth. The death of the 
  1970s style stable inner city gave birth to a 
  new and uniquely American form of music. 
  Rap and Hip-Hop emerged as musical 
  styles, fueled by black pride and power, 
  anger at the state of current society and the 
  feeling that conventional media silenced 
  black voices. Early hip-hop mixed energetic 
  dance beats with serious political messages. 
  Early rappers like the Sugar Hill Gang, 
  Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, Public 
  Enemy and NWA considered their rhymes 
  ‘the Black CNN’ and claimed it was the 
  only true, uncorrupted media of the Eighties. 
  The newly formed MTV network brought 
  the videos and rhymes of these artists to 
  listeners across the nation.  
   
   
  Over the years, rap changed its focus 
  from politics to a harder edged, more 
  streetwise style. The modern form of rap is a 
  more violent, mostly 
  apolitical evolution 
  of this earlier style. 
  Some rappers, like 
  NWA relished the 
  newer, angrier style, 
  while Public Enemy 
  rode the controversy 
  over their song  Cop 
  Killer to big money 
  and bigger infamy. 
  Other rappers stuck 
  to ‘the old school’, 
  others like Will 
  Smith, then going by 
  the moniker the 
  Fresh Prince, left the 
  rap game entirely.  
   
   
  Conservative 
  politicians, 
  spearheaded by 
  lobbyists like the 
  Parent’s Music 
  Resource Coalition, 
  used the public furor 
  over the song and 
  other rap and heavy metal songs to push 
  through legislation requiring warning labels 
  on albums with explicit or violent lyrics, as 
  well as attempting to force retailers to refuse 
  to sell ‘explicit’ albums to minors. For all 
  the group’s sound and fury, it accomplished 
  little except moderately annoying teenaged 
  music fans.  
   
  Within a few months of the warning 
  labels’ introduction, the controversy died 
  out, and even during the height of the panic, 
  young music fans could still always find a 
  way to get the music they wanted. With the 
  rise of peer-to-peer file sharing at the turn of 
  the century, the issue became moot, as it 
  became possible for anyone, of any age to 
  find virtually any media they want with a 
  single Google search.  
   
   
   
  20
  
  Censorship, That Satanic Game and 
  Purchasing Restrictions  
   
   
  In the early 1980s, Dungeons and 
  Dragons was on everyone’s mind, and not 
  necessarily in a good way. The game had a 
  Saturday morning cartoon dedicated to it, and 
  was widely played, but was being skewered in 
  the court of public opinion. The Christian Right 
  loathed the game, and condemned it from the 
  pulpit.  
   
  If gaming appeared in the mass media, it 
  was almost always in a negative light, and 
  gamers were portrayed as either hopelessly 
  geeky at best, or insane at worst, as in the early 
  Tom Hanks film Mazes & Monsters.  Talkshow 
  pundits like Donahue interviewed mothers who 
  ‘lost’ their children to the supposedly Satanic 
  game.  
  The comic industry, however, wasn't as 
  close minded, particularly since many comics 
  creators were and are gamers. D&D cameos, in-
  jokes and clones popped up in dozens of 
  Eighties comics, sometimes in jarringly weird or 
  inappropriate places. Trust me, you haven’t 
  lived until you’ve seen Starboy and Wildfire 
  enjoying a holographic game of D&D in an 
  issue of Legion of Superheroes.  
   
   
  The early 80s protests against D&D and 
  other games were in many ways a dress 
  rehearsal for the better organized, better funded 
  anti-rap campaigns of the late 80s. In game 
  terms, both campaigns had a similar effect.  
   
  If the game master wishes to emphasize 
  the relatively powerlessness of teens and 
  children (even ones with Action Points and 
  Heroic class levels), or wants to showcase how 
  conservative the current game setting is, he 
  might wish to invoke an optional rule that in 
  certain places otherwise innocuous, perfectly 
  legal materials like D&D game books, Sex 
  Pistols records or Ice-T tapes might have a 
  restriction placed upon their Purchase DC. 
   The restriction is usually limited to 
  Liscensed (+1), and usually only applies to 
  buyers in the Young Adult or younger age 
  categories. However, the restriction might be 
  more severe, especially in some close-minded 
  jurisdictions.  
   
   
   
   
  Entertainment, for Adult and Child  
   
   
  “But more than anything [Seth] 
  loves the Power Wagons. They’re battery-
  powered vans, quite large, very futuristic. 
  Most have wings he can popout by pushing a 
  lever on the bottom, plus radar dishes that 
  really turn (the one of Cassie Style’s Dream 
  Floater is shaped like a valentine, this after 
  about thirty years worth of talking about 
  equal rights & female role models for girls; 
  I could just about puke….)”  
   
  -Steven King, The Regulators  
   
   
  Ask boy  who grew up during the 
  Eighties about the decade and the first thing 
  he’ll tell you about is the toys. That’s 
  because children’s marketing (and children’s 
  play styles) changed forever in the 1980s. 
  During the 1982 Congressional session, new 
  laws were passed allowing toy companies to 
  fund cartoons based on their toy lines, 
  creating what critics argued were 30 minute 
  long toy commercials.  
   
  Over the year, legendary toy lines 
  like He-Man, Transformers and G.I.Joe: A 
  Real American Hero made their debut on 
  toy store shelves and on television. 
  Meanwhile, complimentary lines like Jem 
  and the Holograms, Rainbow Brite and 
  Strawberri Shortcake were specifically 
  targeted at pre-teen girls, tending to focus 
  more on exploration and nurturing, rather 
  than war and super heroic conflict.  
  These new franchises quickly 
  entrenched themselves in public 
  consciousness and became must buy 
  Christmas items. Thanks to a cartoon 
  expanding the story line and firmly 
  establishing the character’s personalities 
  every afternoon after school, these 
  franchises achieved a ‘penetration’ that 
  older concepts like Superman and 
  Spiderman took decades to achieve.  
   
  As memorable as the TV shows 
  were, the sales of the toy lines were helped 
  by two factors, one accidental and one 
  purposeful. New sculpting and molding 
  methods allowed for more realistic, 
  21
  
  articulated figures then were possible during 
  the sixties and seventies. 
   
   At the same time, the oil shortage of 
  the last decade meant that the price of plastic 
  sky rocketed. Manufactuers shrunk action 
  figures from foot tall dolls to the 3 ¾ inch 
  scale pioneered by the Micronauts, Star 
  Wars and G.I. Joe lines, making the toys 
  more affordable, easier to carry and easier to 
  store.  
  The memories fascinated with these 
  toy lines and brands are so powerful that 
  many of the lines have enjoyed a post-
  millennium renaissance, as the boys who 
  played with the toys as children became 25 
  and 30 year old men with major purchasing 
  power.  
  Unfortunately, the same public 
  pressures that tried to burn D&D off the 
  meme-scape and drove rap underground had 
  its effects on children’s television. Pressure 
  from lobbing groups resulted in plot lines 
  that were non-violent to the point of idiocy. 
  A mandate to create racially diverse casts 
  resulted in the same cast of cookie-cutter 
  kids appearing as the cast of dozens of 
  cartoon shows. Quick, how many 80s toons 
  can you name where the human protagonists 
  include two white people, a black person, 
  one ‘other’ person, usually an incredibly 
  stereotypical Asain, Hispanic or American 
  Indian, and a guy in a wheelchair?  
   
  With American animation limited by 
  the times, anime (then often referred to as  
  Japanimation) began making inroads into 
  the West, culminating in the manga 
  explosion more than 20 years later.  
   
  The surge in popularity has helped in 
  part by the fact that most anime was better 
  than its American counterpart, by the clever 
  marketing of the Robotech franchise, and by 
  the rise of home video cassettes. Anime’s 
  popularity was also helped by the same 
  fear/fascination with Japan that shook the 
  auto and electronics industries.  
   
   
   
  For everyone, adult and child, the 
  Eighties were the decade of pop culture. The 
  eighties were the decade when the television 
  stopped being an optional appliance and 
  became a fixture in modern homes, when 
  latchkey kids were left in front of the 
  electronic babysitter. The Eighties was the 
  decade where media-fed fears of ‘stranger 
  danger’, child abduction and a new threat 
  called ‘serial killers’ joined with the birth of 
  the home video game to pretty much put an 
  end to outdoor play practically overnight.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The new electronic luxuries brought 
  entertainment into the home. Where just a 
  few years ago, a family would have to go to 
  bar or an arcade to play Galaga or a theater 
  to see a movie, now they could do both in 
  the comfort and privacy of their own home. 
  Some mass media, like theaters, weathered 
  the changes. To compete with home movie 
  viewing, the theaters of the late 80s and 
  early 90s  became larger, multi-screen 
  buildings with more comfortable, stadium 
  style seats and better sound systems. Other 
  mass media outlets, like drive in movies had 
  all but vanished by the end of the decade.  
   
   
  Ironically, for all the concern over 
  morality in children’s media, many of the 
  technological revolutions of the Eighties 
  were driven by a distinctly immoral source: 
  the porn industry. The appearance of the 
  VCR allowed viewers to watch mundane 
  movies at home, but it also transformed the 
  adult entertainment industry from an ‘under 
  the counter’ niche market into a multi-
  billion dollar business.  
   
  Video cassettes, particularly VHS-
  format cassettes could be produced more 
  quickly and cheaply than either film reels or 
  Betamax tapes, leading to this format’s 
  eventual victory in the VCR wars. Cheap, 
  22
  
  fairly anynomous distrubution helped the 
  porn industry flourish, right alongside 
  mainstream Hollywood.  
   
   
  The enduring image of Eighties 
  Times Square, a neon lit redlight district 
  filled with strip clubs, peepshows and adult 
  theaters eventually eventually gave way to 
  Gulliani’s sterile Nineties Times Square. 
  While partially due to increased police 
  presence and selective enforcement of 
  zoning regulations, this change also had 
  another cause. Thanks to the VCR (and 
  later, to the Internet), the porno merchants 
  had found a better way to sell their wares.  
   
   
  “And they don’t take American 
  Express….”  
   
   
  You’ve got your fire-engine red 
  Converse Allstars on your feet, your pink 
  Izod shirt on your back, and you’ve just 
  bellied up to the Radioshack counter to buy 
  the latest 64 Meg Commodore (and a copy 
  of Zork! to go with it) for seven hundred 
  dollars. So how are you going to pay for it?  
   
   
  With fewer options for instant, 
  global communication, paying for goods and 
  services was a lot different during the 1980s 
  than it is today. While slightly less 
  convienent for regular shoppers, the lack of 
  instant responses made fraud a lot simpler 
  for the criminally minded.  
   
   
   
  Many merchants during the 1980s 
  will only accept cash, making a character’s 
  total Wealth bonus largely irrelevant unless 
  she has cash on hand. Merchants may or 
  may not accept checks. Modern debit cards 
  didn’t exist, and there were only a relatively 
  small number of credit card providers. 
  Newer credit cards, such as bank issued 
  cards like Capitol One, or cash back cards 
  like Discover simply didn’t exist yet. 
  Merchants might or might not accept a given 
  credit card, especially when travelling 
  abroad; the tagline of Master Card’s famous 
  mid-80s ad campaign always ended with 
  “…and they don’t take American Express.”  
   
   
  Automatic Teller Machines didn’t 
  come into national use until the late 1980s, 
  and in the early days, the only place to find 
  one of these machines were banks. Before 
  that, shoppers had to physically visit their 
  bank and make a withdrawl to get the cash 
  they needed for their shopping spree.  
   
   
  Hacking ATMs  
   
   
  Early ATMs had fewer security 
  systems than current models, making them 
  easier to pilfer, especially for skilled proto-
  hackers with a jury rigged ‘laptop’ cracking 
  device. Hacking an early 80s ATM requires 
  the hacker to only defeat  Average (DC 25) 
  computer security; ATMs located at major 
  branches or in large, crime ridden cities 
  might have Exceptional (DC 35) computer 
  security.  
  After that, getting the machine to spit 
  out tens and twenties is a simple matter. It 
  requires a DC 22 computer use check (and 
  2d4 minutes) to get the ATM to spit out a 
  windfall equal to a +1 wealth bonus 
  increase. The bonus increases by +1 for 
  every five point the proto-hacker beats the 
  check DC by.  
   
  An ATM's internal video camera 
  records automatically, and this function 
  cannot be stopped with a Computer Use 
  check, nor can the tape be erased. However, 
  early ATMs actually kept their tape within 
  the machine. 
   For those without the computer 
  skills necessary to ‘phreak’ a bank machine, 
  the device can also be battered open. A 
  typical early ATM has Hardness 5, 50 HP. 
  The lock has a DC 25 Disable Device or a 
  DC 20 Break DC. An ATM usually has 
  wealth inside equal to a +1d6-1 (minimum 
  0) windfall.  
   
  Check & Credit Card Fraud for Fun and 
  Profit 
   
  If a merchant did accept a check or 
  credit card payment, that shopkeeper had no 
  way of instantly knowing if the charge 
  would go through or if the check would 
  23
  
  clear. Rather than ‘running’ a credit card 
  electronically and getting instant credit 
  approval, the merchant merely took an 
  imprint of the card using carbon paper. With 
  this system, if a shopper’s credit card 
  matched their ID, they could easily use it 
  make a purchase, even if it was over the 
  limit or stolen.  
  Con-artists could easily use  the 
  Forgery skill, ranks in Bluff or present a 
  stolen credit card with an ethnically 
  plausible name to make big dollar purchases 
  without ever touching their own Wealth 
  bonus.  
  Finding a merchant who will 
  knowingly accept a stolen credit card 
  requires a DC 18 Knowledge: streetwise or 
  Gather Information check. The check DC 
  increases by +1 for every two points past 
  Purchase DC 20 the thief wishes to buy 
  using the stolen credit card, reflecting the 
  greater risk to the fence.  
   
  Checks didn’t clear automatically 
  during the 1980s, and shoppers (particularly 
  the poor and struggling middle class) could 
  occasionally take advantage of this. Checks 
  required 1d6+2 days to clear the bank, and 
  during this time, the check does not affect 
  the character’s total Wealth Bonus or 
  purchasing power.  
   
  Of course, if the shopper’s total 
  wealth bonus is lowered beneath the 
  threshold needed to actually buy the item, or 
  reduced to O or less by a spending spree, the 
  check bounces. If a check bounces, most 
  banks add fines and a surcharge, with a 
  Purchase DC of 4 + 1d4 to the failed 
  purchase. In some jurisdictions, knowingly 
  ‘kiting’ a check is a misdemeanor, and may 
  even be considered grand theft (a felony) 
  depending on the amount of the check. 
  Naturally, using a set of stolen or forged 
  checks eliminates this concern completely.  
   
  Red Menace  
   
   
  The 1980s were dominated by a war 
  that was never actually fought, and the 
  citizens of the world lived in fear of a 
  nuclear holocaust which never happened. 
  The Cold War had been a fact of American 
  politics since the 1950s, but the long 
  simmering conflict finally came to a head 
  during during the Eighties.  
   
   
  Under Ronald Reagan, defense 
  spending increased to record levels, with the 
  entire strength of the United States military 
  focused on winning a seemingly inevitable 
  battle with a single, monolith nemesis: the 
  United Socialist Soviet Republic. During the 
  early 1980s, both the United States and 
  Russia continued to build up their arsenals, 
  creating vast stockpiles of both conventional 
  and nuclear weapons.  
  America and Russia fought in-direct 
  battles in odd arenas of competition; some 
  battles were serious, life and death struggles 
  in proxy warfare or ultra technology. Other 
  Cold War conflicts were almost ludicrous. 
  The space program was a continual source 
  of national pride, and the newly unveiled 
  Spaceshuttle was a gleaming icon of 
  American know-how. Bobby Fischer, an 
  American chess master, became a national 
  hero for defeating his Russian rival. 
   
  In 1980, the United States Olympic 
  ice hockey team made history by defeating 
  their heavily favored Soviet counterparts. 
  The late Eighties introduction of McDonalds 
  24
  
  to the USSR was considered a victory 
  matching anything ever achieved on the 
  battlefield.  
   
   
  In other proxy-wars between the 
  United States and Russia, people died. And 
  people continue to die today, nearly two 
  decades after the fall of Communism, by 
  forces set into motion during the last days of 
  the Cold War. When the USSR invaded 
  Afghanistan during the late 70s, the US 
  government allied itself with native 
  insurgents-the mujahedeen- in an attempt to 
  check Soviet ambition in the region. Even 
  after the disaster in Vietnam, the concept of 
  ‘containing’ Communism was still the prime 
  goal of the Pentagon.  
   
  During the Afghanistiani war, the US 
  government provided material support in the 
  form of guns, shoulder fired SAM rockets 
  and training for the mujahedeen rebels. The 
  Central Intelligence Agency pushed its 
  mandate to the limit, and sent ‘observers’ 
  and trainers into trouble spots across the 
  planet. CIA operatives trained the 
  mujahedeen in terror tactics and 
  asymmetrical warfare.  
  With little in the way of actual 
  resources, these fanatically courageous 
  warriors fought the entire might of the 
  Russian military to a standstill. In an ironic 
  replay of the way America’s part in the 
  Vietnam war ended a decade prior, in 1988 
  the Russians were forced to abandon their 
  plans to conquer Afghanistan.  
  Unfortuantely, once the Russians 
  were defeated, the mujahedeen were 
  abandoned and forgotten. Afghanistan was 
  gutted by decades of war. 
  Thanks to the crushing poverty 
  and hopelessness of the blasted 
  country, the fascistic Taliban 
  were able to rise to power. 
  Many of of the mujahedeen 
  fighters- irregulars trained and 
  equipped by the US 
  government- became charter 
  members of Al Queda.  
   
  An early issue of Marvel’s  
  G.I. Joe comic, where the Real 
  American Heroes team-up 
  with a noble band of 
  mujahedeen to beat back a 
  Soviet strike force provides a brutally ironic 
  look back at how times (and alliances) have 
  changed.   
   
  Uneasy Allies  
   
  Afghanistan was not the only trouble 
  spot where the CIA did business with the 
  corrupt, the morally bankrupt or the insane. 
  Throughout the late Seventies and Eighties, 
  the CIA backed coups and revolutions and 
  funded assassinations across Africa and 
  South America, in hopes of destroying 
  Communist or leftist governments and 
  checking the USSR’s influence in the 
  region. That the newly installed 
  revolutionary governments were military 
  dictatorships every bit as brutal as the 
  Communist states they overthrew didn’t 
  matter…. The CIA wholeheartedly 
  embraced the concept of ‘Better Dead than 
  Red”, even when it was civilians doing the 
  dying.  
   
  The Iran-Contra scandal of the late 
  1980s involved a stunningly convoluted web 
  of drug deals, arms for hostages trades and 
  black ops missions of dubious legality and 
  even more dubious common sense. When 
  the details of Iran-Contra came to light in 
  25
  
  1984-85, they created an immediate public 
  outcry, and eventually almost brought down 
  the CIA. By the time the scandal faded from 
  the front page, a majority of senior CIA 
  operatives had resigned, and the 
  organization was forced to radically change 
  its tactics and reconsider its institutional 
  morality. The CIA spent the latter part of the 
  80s and most of the 1990s attempting to 
  recover from the damage done to its public 
  image.  
   
   
   
   
   
  By the time the Iran-Contra scandal 
  hit the papers, the CIA had become the most 
  mistrusted and disliked branch of the 
  government. Conspiracy theories linking the 
  Central Intelligence Agency to the Kennedy 
  assassination ran rampant. Black leaders, 
  including moderates as well as militants and 
  hard liners, blamed the CIA for the 
  introduction of crack cocaine into the inner 
  city, in a racist attempt to control black 
  power. This program, they claimed, was 
  similar to the FBI’s “COINTELPRO” of the 
  1960s, which practiced blackmail and 
  intimidation against black leaders like King. 
   Others believed that the CIA had 
  unleashed AIDS onto the world, as part of a 
  failed attempt at either genocide or bio-
  warfare. The fact these claims were given 
  wide credence attests to the degree of 
  loathing and mistrust Americans held 
  against the nations premier intelligence 
  agency.  
   
   
   
  Trillion Dollar Defense 
   
  With the American defeat in 
  Vietnam still fresh on the country’s mind, 
  our military restricted its activities towards 
  peacekeeping… and training. Endless 
  training. All branches restructured 
  themselves, changing their organizational 
  structure, modernizing training methods and 
  attempting to implement the bloody lessons 
  of the ‘Nam.  
   
   
  During the 1980s, the White House 
  increased defense spending to record levels, 
  partly in an attempt to keep a technological 
  lead  in the arms race against the Soviets. 
  Reagan’s lavish military spending was also 
  an ultimately successful attempt to collapse 
  the Soviet Union’s economy by forcing the 
  USSR to spend itself into the grave in an 
  attempt to keep up with United States 
  developments. New classes of war machine, 
  like the nuclear-fueled Seawolf and Los 
  Angeles class submarines, the iconic F-15 
  Tomcat were inducted into America’s 
  arsenal. Computers were integrated into 
  every aspect of combat, and military in all 
  four branches were retrained to take 
  advantage of the new tech.  
   
   
  Both nations continued to build ever 
  more lethal warheads, even as nuclear non-
  proliferation treaties and disarmament 
  26
  
  agreements were signed. With treaties like 
  START I and START II limiting the total 
  number of missiles (but not total number of 
  warheads),  the US and Russia responded by 
  developing fearsome new nuclear weapons- 
  MIRVS (Multiple Independent  Reentry 
  Vehicles), which carried dozens of warheads 
  inside a single missile fuselage. 
   
   In 1983, President Reagan proposed 
  the never completed “Star Wars” system, a 
  series of well armed satellites which could 
  target and destroy incoming nuclear 
  weapons as soon as they were launched. It 
  was attempting to compete the Star Wars 
  which finally collapsed the Soviet economy, 
  as that nation’s military spending drove it 
  into bankruptcy.  
   
   
  Meanwhile, while its hardware 
  improved steadily, the United States military 
  was forced to confront a crisis of morale and 
  discipline within its own ranks. During the 
  late 1970s and early 1980s, drug use in the 
  military was rampant. Mandatory drug 
  testing became routine. The military of the 
  Eighties underwent a brutal decimation, as 
  drug users were purged from its ranks, and 
  many traditions of the Vietnam era military, 
  both positive and negative, 
  came to an end.  
   
  During the 1980s, the 
  military embraced a more 
  ‘corporate’ culture. Training 
  methods improved, focusing 
  more on critical thinking and 
  technical expertise than rote 
  memorization, and new job 
  fields embraced the high tech 
  revolution sweeping the nation. 
  The military also became more 
  diverse. Women were finally 
  accepted into an ever increasing 
  number of support roles, while the last 
  vestiges of institutional racism were 
  scrubbed. College-like advancement tests 
  became mandatory to achieve higher ranks, 
  while the military encouraged its troops to 
  further their education with new benefit 
  programs and financial aid packages.  
   
  Veterans groups, outraged over the 
  treatment of returning Vietnam vets, pushed 
  the military to improve the way it treated its’ 
  former members. Health care, financial aid 
  and psychological care for disabled vets 
  improved, as did benefits across the board. 
  Military pay improved slightly, as did 
  incentives for enlistment or re-enlistment.  
   
  Unfortunately, the median age of 
  America’s soldiers dropped. Korea and 
  Vietnam era officers retired, some forced 
  out thorough various scandals and base 
  closures, taking decades of experience with 
  them. In their place, younger, tech-savvy 
  officers were tasked with preparing the 
  military to tackle the looming Soviet threat.  
   
   
  The conventional military evolved 
  itself with a costly, deliberate and carefully 
  thought out plan for improvement and never 
  actually faced its intended adversary in 
  battle. The special forces and law 
  enforcement communities were forced to 
  improve themselves piecemeal, in response 
  to one crisis after another, and got far more 
  practice than they would have wanted.  
   
   
  Jimmy Carter’s 1980 attempt to 
  rescue a group of US embassy staff taken 
  hostage in Iran ended in abject failure. The 
  failed rescue doomed Carter’s chance for re-
  election, and convinced the US military of 
  27
  
  the need for an elite special operations force 
  for exactly these kinds of crisis. 
   Delta Force was created in response; 
  though the groups methods and existence 
  were officially secret, the idea of tough, 
  highly trained spec ops soldiers captured the 
  public imagination. Chuck Norris starred in 
  a series of movies about the group, 
  cementing his status as an 80s action icon.  
   
   
  High profile terrorist strikes 
  throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including 
  the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre, the 
  bombing of the US Embassy in Beruit 
  during 1982 and the destruction of Pan-Am 
  flight 103 in 1988, forced American law 
  enforcement to take a well armed terror 
  strike seriously.  
   
   
   
   
   
  Cities across the country formed 
  neophyte Special Weapons Teams (SWAT), 
  designed to end hostage situations with 
  explosive, well aimed fire power, and to 
  assault heavily armored ‘drug cribs’. Los 
  Angeles’ SWAT team was spotlighted 
  during the 1984 Summer Olympics, when 
  the officers successfully provided security 
  for the games.   
  During the early 1980s, the Federal 
  Beauru of Investigation formed its own elite 
  unit, the Hostage Rescue Team. The HRT 
  was composed of veteran officers, many of 
  whom had helped found SWAT teams in 
  their home cities. The group was trained to 
  military standards, including cross training 
  with Delta Force.  
   
  You Are Not Forgotten  
   
   
  As America geared up for a final 
  Apocalyptic conflict, the wounds from a 
  previous battle still hadn’t healed. The 
  Vietnam War was still weighing heavily on 
  the public consciousness. The sheer vitriol 
  of anti-war protests and counter-protests 
  built a firm, unbreakable wall between 
  liberal and conservative, laying the 
  foundations for the anti-abortion violence of 
  the 1990s and the red state vs blue state 
  divide at the turn of the millennium 
  .  
   
   
  Vietnam era combat veterans still 
  stung from the brutal ‘welcome back’ they 
  received from anti-war demonstrators. 
  Feeling that their sacrifices went 
  unrecognized, veterans became justifiably 
  bitter and resentful. Many older veterans 
  flocked to the nation’s burgeoning 
  conservative subculture, rejecting the liberal, 
  hippy culture that had first rejected them. 
  28
  
  Other returning veterans campaigned against 
  the subtle racism of the draft.  
  The fact that more combat medals 
  were issued to troops during the brief police 
  action in Grenada than during the entire 
  Vietnam conflict only added fuel to the 
  simmering fires of resentment. When the US 
  government unveiled the starkly designed 
  Vietnam War Memorial in late 1982, 
  reaction was mixed. On one hand, it was an 
  elegant, haunting acknowledgement of the 
  heroism and sacrifice of the lost soldiers. At 
  the same time, many veterans’ advocates 
  questioned the logic of building a multi-
  million dollar monument when the veterans 
  themselves weren’t getting the care they 
  needed.  
  While the image of the shell 
  shocked, dead eyed Vietnam Vet became an 
  ingrained part of American iconography, 
  mostly thanks to films like Apocalypse Now, 
  Platoon, and The Deer Hunter, not every 
  soldier returned from Vietnam broken. 
  However, a sizable chunk of the returning 
  veteran population suffered from some form 
  of post traumatic stress disorder, a mental 
  illness not officially diagnosed until the mid 
  1980s. Navigating the beauracracy of the 
  Veterans Affairs department was a heroic 
  task, and too many former soldiers never 
  received the help they needed.  
   
   
  While veterans tried (and sometimes 
  failed) to get on with post-war life, the 
  Vietnam War was refought, time and time 
  again in popular fiction. As the first major 
  military defeat in US history, the Vietnam 
  War shook public confidence in the military. 
  The atrocities committed during the war lead 
  to a widespread distrust of the government 
  and its motives. Worse, when America 
  pulled out of Vietnam, it left thousands of 
  lost soldiers behind, and the lingering fear 
  that their comrades could still be alive, 
  imprisioned somewhere, still haunts many 
  Vietnam-era veterans.  
   
   
   
  Brash action movies like the Rambo 
  series, Charles Bronsin’s films and the 
  Remo Williams novel franchise allowed 
  Americans to refight the war, this time with 
  a happier ending. By sending in a fictional, 
  uber-muscular avatar back into the ‘Nam, 
  America had a chance to symbolically 
  rescue the P.O.W.s her veterans they could 
  have saved in the real world. The staggering 
  and enduring popularity of these works 
  indicates how powerfully the dream of 
  rescuing the P.O.W.s the government wrote 
  off  resonated with middle America.   
   
  Unthinkable  
   
   
  Even though the military and 
  international police agencies refined their 
  tactics during the Eighties, they couldn't 
  prevent some of the most sensational, 
  terrifying crimes of the decade. This 
  helplessness lead to a feeling the world 
  was spiraling out of control, a feeling 
  reflected in the art and culture of the 
  time.   
   
  During the first year of the 
  decade, former Beetle and peace activist 
  John Lennon was gunned down by an 
  insane fan. No one, not even the 
  commentators on Monday Night 
  Football, knew what to say or how to 
  react. The nation was stunned into mute 
  horror. Within two years, both Pope John 
  Paul II and President Reagan had been 
  29
  
  shot and wounded by would be assassins. 
  American politician Bill Brady was gunned 
  down. Though he survived, his wounds put 
  him into a wheel chair, leading the man to 
  lead a crusade to regulate or ban assault 
  weapons.  
   
  Even more than assassination 
  attempts, even more then the AIDS plague, 
  natural disasters shook public consciousness 
  and demoralized an already shell-shocked 
  nation. Mount St. Helens erupted, inflicting 
  almost Biblical devastation on Washington 
  state just a few months into the decade. 
  Deadly earthquakes hit across the world, 
  including a massive quake in 1989 which 
  rocked San Fransisco, and was caught on 
  tape, since the entire event took place during 
  a Major Leauge Baseball game!  
   
   
  The most significant disasters of the 
  1980s were manmade however, and the 
  ecological consequences of these disasters 
  lead to the formation of America’s ‘green’  
  movement. The explosion of the space 
  shuttle Challenger in January 1985 rattled 
  public confidence in NASA, and put our 
  space program on hold for the best part of 
  that year.   
   
   
  When the Chernobyl reactor in 
  northern Russia suffered a partial meltdown 
  just three months later, and unleashed a 
  storm of lethal radioactive dust into the 
  atmosphere, nations across the world were 
  forced to reassess their own civilian nuclear 
  power programs.  
   
   
  In America, ‘anti-nuke’ activists 
  used the Chernobyl disaster as ammo in 
  their fight to shut down US reactors. 
   
   
   
   
  The disaster prevented new reactors 
  from being built, effectively putting an end 
  to the US nuclear power program. Though 
  many cities in the US are powered by fission 
  reactors today, nuclear power never reached 
  the shining potential its adherents promised 
  during prior decades, mostly due to the 
  disaster in the USSR. After learning the hard 
  lessons of the Silkwood debacle,  Three 
  Mile Island and Chernobyl, the American 
  nuclear industry was forced to upgrade its 
  existing reactors and improve safety.  
   
     
   
  A similar disaster resulted in 
  dramatic changes to the commercial 
  shipping industry, and ruined the reputation 
  of an oil company who was only beginning 
  to recover from the trails and tribulations of 
  the oil-starved 1970s. In 1989, the single 
  hulled oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground 
  on the rocky Alaskan coast, spilling millions 
  of gallons of oil, and devastating the local 
  eco-system. The cleanup became a national 
  obsession, with Americans volunteering 
  time and millions of private dollars to assist.  
   
   
   
  In the wake of the crash, tanker 
  design was changed. New laws mandated 
  double hulls for tankers, which were far 
  more difficult to breach. Shipboard crews 
  were retrained, new safety features and 
  improved sensors were brought aboard in 
  hopes of preventing a repeat of the disaster. 
  Public outcry over the damage done to the 
  Alaskan wilderness prevented new oil 
  pipelines from being constructed in the 
  wilds, and prevented oil-drilling in the 
  Alaskan forests for almost two decades.  
  30
  
   
   
  Meanwhile, the hole in the ozone 
  layer continued to grow, with the damage 
  worsened with each squirt from a then 
  omnipresent aresol spray cannister. 
  Rainforest deforestation became a growing 
  concern, as did the near extinction of several 
  species: golden condors, American bald 
  eagles and pandas. America’s political left 
  became associated with ecological causes, 
  while movies like Soylent Green and Fern 
  Gully brought ecological concern to the 
  movie going public.  
   
  Wanting to Help  
   
  ….and things were indescribably 
  worse in Africa.  
   
  The Eighties saw the rise of global 
  media and the twenty-four hour news cycle. 
  Photojournalism and video journalism 
  brought the problems of the world into the 
  American living room. Just as Americans 
  watched the Vietnam War unfold in real-
  time, the nation was also able to watch 
  Africa self destruct. The horror and 
  deprivation scarring the African continent 
  was a continual source of almost 
  masochistic fascination for the American 
  public.  
   
  In South Africa, activists like 
  Mandela fought and died for their freedom, 
  trying to finally end decades of apartheid. 
  Furthur north, Ethopia and Sub-Saharan 
  Africa were dying of starvation. Grim photo 
  montages of starving children ran in Time 
  and National Geographic, and the horrific 
  images of famine scarred the evening news.  
   
  America poured millions of dollars 
  of food aid into the crisis zones, while the 
  United Nations, the Peace Corps, the 
  Christian Children’s Fund and other 
  charities sent volunteers and huge 
  emergency stockpiles of rations into the 
  hardest hit areas. Unfortunately, much of the 
  material and financial aid fell into the hands 
  of various African warlords, who were able 
  to steal or redirect virtually anything they 
  wanted into their own pockets.  
   
  In an attempt to help, the Eighties 
  became the decade of the high profile 
  benefit concert. Celebrities in all musical 
  genres, from Micheal Jackson and Bruce 
  Springsteen to Willie Nelson preformed to 
  sold crowds, with the profits going to 
  African AIDS and famine relief. The early 
  LIVE-AID concerts were such successful 
  fund raisers that similar concerts, benefiting 
  a variety of causes, from Farm-Aid to 
  ecological groups, became a familiar part of 
  the cultural landscape.   
   
  Get Religious, Get Paid 
   
   
  The Four Horsemen of the 
  Apocalypse were grooming their mounts for 
  their final ride; the Devil was in the details, 
  and God was in the money. Nineteen-
  eighties America was a nation with its 
  confidence almost fatally shaken by the 
  Vietnam war, ecological crisis, rising 
  unemployment, the unquiet ghosts of the 
  Sixties and skyrocketing crime rates. 
  Americans turned to new ways of coping: 
  psychology and anti-depressants, 
  consumerism and techno-hedonism, as well 
  as returning to an old way of coping. Church 
  attendance rose steadily, after a drop off 
  during the Seventies.  
   
   
   
  The foundation for the Religious 
  Right and Evangelical Christian culture was 
  laid in the late sixties and early seventies, 
  and the ‘shot heard round the (Conservative) 
  world’ was Roe vs Wade, the 1973 Supreme 
  Court decision legalizing abortion. Reacting 
  to the vast social changes of the Sixties, a 
  group of influential conservative thinkers, 
  televangelists and media figures came 
  together in the late 70s.  
   
  Some of the most influential 
  Christian leaders of the day, including Pat 
  Robertson, Jerry Falwall, Ralph Reed and 
  Robert Grant banded together, using their 
  public platforms to champion conservative 
  causes and candidates. This coalition of 
  Evangelical Christian power-merchants used 
  the force of their words to organize effective 
  grass roots support for their pet causes: 
  opposition to abortion, restrictions on gay 
  rights, opposition to the teaching of 
  31
  
  evolution and sex education foremost among 
  them.  
  Variously refered to as the Moral 
  Majority, the Silent Majority and the 
  Religious Right, this power base was a 
  mighty voice in American politics, whatever 
  it was called. This coalition was 
  instrumental in the Presidental election and 
  re-election of Ronald Reagan, and the 
  religious right reaffirmed their electoral 
  power during post millennial Presidental 
  campaigns.  
   
   
  During the 1980s, the Christian 
  Right was a stunningly effective political 
  force. Over the years, the faction achieved at 
  least partial fulfillment of many of its goals, 
  most notably legislating gradual restrictions 
  on the legality and availability of abortion. It 
  also was a billion dollar industry.  
  Charismatic and well known 
  preachers used newly available cable and 
  satellite networks to spread their message 
  across America. The ‘televangelist’ was 
  born, blending new media savvy with an old 
  school religious message. The most famous 
  televangelists- Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell,  
  Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, among 
  others- not only became important social 
  and political leaders, they became celebrity 
  icons. Many succumbed to the temptation of 
  their offices- easy access to cash, even easier 
  access to interns- and reports of the latest  
  televangelist scandals had a regular rotation 
  on the evening news.  
   
  Christian televangelists were aided in 
  getting their message to the masses by a well 
  oiled conservative media empire. In contrast 
  to the left wing media, who allowed their 
  speakers to evolve on their own, the 
  conservative movement had a 
  comprehensive training program in place for 
  its young spokespeople. Fledling 
  conservative commentators, televangelists in 
  training and wanna-be Republican 
  politicians had several options to begin their 
  training for public life.  
  Schools like Liberty University, 
  CBN University and the Regent Law School 
  blended a conventional college or graduate 
  school curriculum with extensive training in 
  media relations, political savvy, all taught 
  with an obvious Evangelical Christian mind 
  set. After graduation, conservative speakers 
  were allowed to hone their talents as 
  speakers, often finding jobs as a local talk 
  radio commentator. A tenure in a small, 
  relatively ‘friendly’ market gave the rookie 
  speaker the experience and resume 
  necessary to climb higher.  
   
  Talk radio was alive with 
  conservative voices by the late 80s, and by 
  the Clinton-era, the airwaves were strongly 
  Republican. The long term program of ‘care 
  and feeding’ for young conservative 
  speakers, begun in the 1980s, would pay 
  huge dividends in the coming decades.  
   
   
  No Future/Yes Future/Maybe Future  
   
   
  Was the future going to be a place of 
  food pills and gleaming white plastic 
  domes? Was it going to be a polluted urban 
  hellscape, viewed through chrome 
  mirrorshades? Or would whatever future we 
  had vanish in a nuclear mushroom cloud? 
  During the Eighties, nobody knew what the 
  future could bring, and even their wildest 
  guesses never came close to what really 
  happened.  
   
  32
  
   
   
  People were afraid during the 1980s, 
  even if they hid it behind jokes and after-
  the-bomb movies. The doctrine of Mutually-
  Assured-Destruction had a cruel logical 
  inevitability. Most military leaders, on both 
  sides, assumed that sooner or later Russia 
  and the United States would meet on the 
  battlefield, with the conflict soon escalating 
  into a nuclear holocaust. The near-miss of 
  the Cuban Missile Crisis did nothing to 
  assuage the fear, only reinforcing how close 
  the actions of a handful of men could push 
  the planet to the brink of destruction. For 
  many generals, the question wasn’t IF, it 
  was WHEN and HOW.  
   
   
   
  Cold War politics and fear of “The 
  Bomb”, always capitalized in the public 
  mind, dominated the art and fiction of the 
  decade. Despite the best efforts of peace 
  activists across the globe, and somewhat 
  successful disarmament talks between the 
  superpowers, the citizens of the 80s still 
  watched the Doomsday Clock crawling 
  towards nuclear midnight. The graphic novel 
  Watchmen  perfectly encapsulated the fear 
  of a suicidal nuclear exchange. 
   
   
   In theaters, Mad Max and On The 
  Beach and The Terminator depicted nuclear 
  scorched futures without hope. Hopeful sci-
  fi utopias like Star Trek and The Jetsons 
  were relegated to reruns.  William Gibson’s 
  pioneering cyberpunk novels were what 
  passed for optimism. The world might be 
  polluted beyond repair and enslaved by the 
  megacorps, but humanity was still alive; we 
  hadn’t wiped ourselves out.  
   
   
  So when the USSR collapsed under 
  the weight of its own military budget, when 
  the Berlin Wall fell without a single NATO 
  round being fired, an entirely new future 
  was born. And nobody knew what to say.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Everything Changes / Nothing Changes  
   
  “She saw a severed city put back together 
  with sledgehammers.”  
  -Spider Jerusalem, Warren Ellis’s 
  Transmetropolitian: Another Cold Morning  
   
   
  The Cold War ended on November 
  9th, 1989, when East German students 
  ripped down the Berlin Wall with 
  sledgehammers and bare hands. No shots 
  were fired. No nuclear missiles left their 
  silos. Around the globe, people watched the 
  continuing CNN coverage in bemused joy. 
   A month later, then-President 
  George Bush and Russian Premier Mikhail 
  Gorbachew met on Malta- the island that 
  saw the dawn of the Cold War – to shake 
  hands and declare the long conflict at an 
  end. Within another two months, the 
  Communist Party had ceded control of the 
  country, and by the summer of 1990 the 
  USSR that had threatened America with 
  nuclear decimation for nearly five decades 
  no longer existed.  
   
   
  The Eighties ended on the highest of 
  all possible notes: we were all still alive, the 
  economy was improving and best of all, 
  we’d beaten the Russians! For the first time 
  in nearly a decade, a battered nation had 
  hope for the future.  
   
   
  We’ll leave America there, watching 
  dingy grey stone passed from hand to hand, 
  watching reunited relatives hugging and 
  crying in what used to be a lethal 
  demililatarized zone. We’ll let America have 
  a well earned happy ending, leaving the 
  dawning problems of an unforeseen future 
  for another day.  
   
  The Eighties are 
  over.  
   
   
  33
  
  Chapter Two: The Imaginary Eighties  
   
   
  The Eighties gave birth to cyberpunk. The Eighties gave birth to the action cartoon. The 
  Eighties pioneered the slasher film. The Eighties evolved the action movie genre into the slick, 
  big budget explosion fests we know today. The Eighties refined the cop drama, ressurected the 
  spy movie, revamped the soap opera and brought comic books firmly into the grim n’ gritty, 
  mature readers realm. The 1980s are pretty damn gamable.  
   
   
  The section of D20 Decade: The 1980s is a collection of modular elements, allowing you 
  to mix and match elements like Lego bricks to build any kind of 80s flavored campaign you 
  want. With a little work, you can base a campaign on anything from Scarface to Rainbow Brite, 
  depending on how you stack the pieces together. This section also includes suggestions on 
  incorporating many of  my other works into an Eighties campaign.  
   
  Suggested Purchases for the Big Spending 
  Eighties Gamer  
   
   
  Most of my previous works for LPJ 
  Designs and Skortched Urf Studios can 
  easily be time-warped back into the 
  Eighties. The LPJ Designs products are 
  designed for a real world modern crime or 
  espionage setting, while the Skortched Urf 
  products are built for superheroic or modern 
  magic campaigns.  
   
   
  Adrenaline Surge (LPJ 
  Designs): Adrenaline 
  Surge is a sourcebook 
  focusing on athletes, 
  extreme sports and 
  celebrities and is very 
  applicable to an Eighties 
  game. The Champion Advanced Class was 
  actually based on the real life exploits of OJ 
  Simpson, while the information on skater 
  culture can easily be adapted to early roller 
  derby enthusiasts. The Punk Idol 
  Intermediary Class has a definite Sex Pistols 
  vibe, and what’s the Eighties without a few 
  Porn Stars hanging around?  
   
  Corporate Raiders 
  (LPJ Designs): 
  Corporate Raiders is a 
  sourcebook about 
  courtroom drama and 
  big money business 
  deals, perfect for any 
  campaign featuring Reaganomic Yuppies 
  run amok. The new advanced classes (the 
  Advocate and the Corporate Raider) and 
  some of the feats are absolutely vital to 
  running a big-biz Eighties campaign. Greed 
  is good, so go buy this one.  
   
  Tell Me Now (LPJ 
  Designs): This short PDF 
  includes a really gritty, brutal 
  system for torture and 
  interrogation. Gamemasters 
  wanting the bloody reality of 
  warfare in their Cold War 
  espionage and action campaigns should 
  check this mature readers sourcebook out.  
   
  Prototype: Blue 
  Equalizer (LPJ 
  Designs): The Blue 
  Equalizer is an ‘action-
  movie’ style cop, perfect 
  for players who want the 
  power and prestige of the 
  badge, but don’t want to 
  be bogged down in real world concerns 
  about justifiable force, paperwork or the 
  treatment of suspects. Riggs, Murtough, 
  Crockett and Tubbs…. Hell, even Tango 
  (but not Cash) all probably have levels in 
  this class.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  34
  
  Prototype: Original 
  Gangsta (LPJ 
  Designs): The 
  Original Gangsta 
  class is inspired by 
  the crime movies of 
  the Ninties, but can 
  easily be slotted into 
  an 80s campaign just 
  by refocusing the class’s flavor. The class is 
  inspired by real world gangs like the Crips, 
  Bloods, and Latin Kings. Just give the gangs 
  different names and some funky, unified 
  fashion sense if you want to build a 
  Warriors inspired street crew.  
   
   
  Prototype: The 
  Juryrigger (LPJ 
  Designs): This short PDF 
  describes the Juryrigger 
  advanced class. Why is that 
  important for an Eighties 
  gamer? Because my design 
  specs for the project were only two words 
  long: “Build McGyver”. If you're a fan of 
  the television show, you'll like this one.  
   
  D7ACU: The Cold 
  Bringer (Skortched 
  Urf): The Cold Bringer 
  is a cryokinetic Russian 
  super agent. The 
  technology behind these 
  ice-bound spies and 
  assassins was well 
  established and battle-tested by the Eighties, 
  and these mutant warriors are a natural fit 
  for a Cold War era sci-fi campaign. Most of 
  the other classes, (especially the Jem meets 
  Sniper Wolf styled Light Weaver) are a 
  good fit for a Cold War era game of psi-
  spies.  
   
  D7ACU: The Prince of 
  Doggs (Skortched Urf): 
  In a modern magic 
  campaign, the birth of hip-
  hop might give birth to a 
  whole new kind of sorcery. Princes of 
  Doggs are ballsy, lycantrophic rappers, and I 
  can easily see them busting enchanted 
  rhymes on the streets of 1982 Harlem.    
   
   
   
  D7ACU: The 
  Innocent (Skortched 
  Urf) : The Innocent is 
  a fun loving, toy 
  obsessed kid-mage, 
  and with all the cool 
  toys out there, was 
  there a better time to 
  be a kid than the 
  Eighties? This class owes as much to 
  Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake as 
  it does to anime, so give her a look.  
   
  D7ACU: The S.L.A.M. Soldier and the 
  Void Sparrow (Skorthed Urf): This pair of 
  cybernetic ally enhanced warriors were 
  intentionally based on two of the coolest toy 
  lines of the 1980s. Fans of the Centurions 
  cartoon might take a look at the S.L.A.M. 
  Soldier, while Silverhawks enthusiasts  will 
  find a lot to enjoy in the Voidsparrow 
  advanced class.  
   
   
  D7 Tech Update: 
  Cybernetics 
  (Skortched Urf): If 
  you’re going to run 
  Gibson-style 
  cyberpunk, you could 
  do a lot worse than 
  use this sourcebook. 
  The tech update brings 
  cyber tech into the 
  21st century, incorporating elements like 
  concerns about power sources, wireless 
  cyberhacking and innovative nanotech 
  weapons, but describes technology that 
  could be fielded by the USA or the USSR’s  
  secret corps of cyber-soldiers 
   
   
  35
  
  The Secret Races of the 
  Eighties 
   
   
   
  Lace up your Chuck Taylors and zip 
  up your red leather jacket. We’re going to 
  build a character for the eighties.  
  First thing to know: we are definitely 
  not alone, and I’m not just talking about the 
  UFO Ronald Reagan claims he saw. 
  Eighties America was home to a variety of 
  hidden races, hiding between the cracks of 
  society. Some are friendly, some are 
  champions…. Some are worse than you can 
  ever imagine.  
   
  If your game master allows non-
  humans in your 1980s campaign, you might 
  choose to play a member of one of the new 
  metahuman races described in this book. 
  Metahumans receive four fewer still points 
  at first level, and one fewer skill point each 
  level there after. Fully human characters 
  receive two bonus feats during character 
  creation, while a metahuman character 
  receives only a single feat.  
  Not every metahuman in this chapter 
  is suitable for every campaign; they are as 
  diverse as the gnarled mutants Beyond 
  Thunderdome or the hyperactive goblins of 
  Labryinth. Some metahuman races are 
  designed for modern magic campaigns, 
  while others are products of mutation, are 
  alien warriors stranded to earth or are 
  artificial races created by the Cold War arms 
  race.  
   
   
  1. Arcadians (fey from a video game 
  dimension)  
  2. The Crow Folk (shapeshifting, 
  stealthy thieves)  
  3. Daughters of Stone (sadistic race of 
  medusa-kin)  
  4. High Solstice Sidthe (cruel fey 
  nobility)  
  5. Imajinaries (fun loving, urban 
  shadow fey)  
  6. Manifold (highly advanced 
  cybernetic explorers)  
  7. Mountian Ghosts (goatlike Afghani 
  mutant mujahedeen)  
  8. Mustard Men (NBC-resistant mutant 
  soldiers)  
  9. The R-Raiders (pan-dimensional 
  pirates)  
  10. Spetsnazski (Genetically superior 
  Russian soldiers)  
  11. Wild Fawn (innately good 
  descendants of 
  unicorns)  
   
  If you are using the variant 
  psionic rules presented in the 
  Psi-Watch campaign option, 
  species indicated in italicized 
  text gain the Psionic subtype. 
   
   
  Arcadian  
  Medium Fey  
   
   
  Every computer is a 
  door, a portal to another 
  world which can be opened 
  with just the right 
  combination of motherboards 
  and keystrokes. Thee have 
  always been parallel realms 
  hovering just outside human 
  36
  
  perception; the everyday technology of the 
  1980s has accidently opened a path to one of 
  these many parallel dimensions.  
   
  Arcadians are a race of noble, 
  adventurerous creatures who hail from  
  the pocket reality called R-Kayed. These eye 
  catching extra-dimensional visitors are what 
  humanity called ‘fairy-folk’ in earlier days. 
  Arcadians step into our world from gates 
  hidden in arcade cabinets our burst from 
  televisions hooked up to a grey and red 
  N.E.S. box in a shower of flaring pixels, 
  accompanied by the squeaks of MIDI 
  trumpets.  
   
  Many Arcadians venture into our 
  reality in search of adventure, or as part of 
  some overly-complex grand quest to win the 
  hearts of their beloved. Some travel between 
  worlds regularly, while others spend the 
  majority of their lives in their new 
  homeland, protecting its citizens and 
  befriendingbefriending the human children 
  who hang around the arcades. Irrepresible, 
  romantic souls, these planar visitors are 
  known for their odd sensors of humor, 
  courtly codes of honor and zest for life. 
  Even the most selfish and roguish Arcadian 
  will risk their lives to defend an innocent, 
  especially a child who asks for their help.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 8. Arcadians resemble 
  tall, lean humans, but are obviously not a 
  standard homo sapiens. These creatures are 
  tall and willowy, with sharply pointed, semi- 
  prehensile ears which just several inches 
  from their skulls. Arcadians use the position 
  of their ears to communicate emotion, just 
  like a dog or cat would; more than anything 
  else, these fey resemble the conception of 
  Elves, as imagined by Japaneese anime and 
  manga.  
   
  Most Arcadians have pale, peach-
  white skin, though brown skinned Arcadians 
  are not unknown. Neither are Arcadians 
  with pastel pink, greenish or blue 
  complexions. All Arcadians are covered 
  with a faint, circuitry like network of 
  glowing lines and connective nodes. These 
  luminous runes resemble intricate tattoos, 
  but are naturally occurring parts of the 
  Arcadian’s body, present at birth.  
   
  Occasionally, especially if the 
  Arcadian is angry, especially happy or 
  aroused, portions of their fey body will 
  ‘glitch’. A small part of their body might 
  flash briefly transparent, change color for a 
  fraction of a second, or sparkle with 
  harmless pyrotechnics. Though distracting, 
  these displays are harmless, and are 
  mundane facts of life to any child of R-
  Kayed.  
   
  Size: Medium. An Arcadian’s base land 
  speed is 30 ft. 
   Most Arcadians are within a few 
  inches of six feet tall, though the lean 
  creatures rarely weigh more than 130 or 140 
  lbs.  
   
  Reproduction: Arcadians reproduce as 
  humans do, and enjoy sex for pleasure; they 
  are capable of producing fey-touched 
  offspring with a human partner. Romance, 
  sexuality and courtship are given prime 
  importance in Arcadian society. Arcadian 
  pregnancies range from 8 to 10 months, with 
  the Arcadian lass giving birth only during 
  the dark of the Pixel Moon.  
   
  Names: Arcadians have elaborate, archaic 
  sounding first names with description filled 
  surnames composed of coined words or  
  short, poetic phrases.  
   
  Male Names: Simon Hellwatcher, 
  Archibald Stonegate, Achilles Mooncry  
   
  Female Names: Victoria Stonehaven, 
  Matilda Sundowner, Celeste Brownvine 
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: -2 WIS, +2 CHA. 
  Arcadians are confident and attractive, but 
  are impulsive and prone to rash decisions.  
   
  Racial Skills: As the children of a digitized 
  universe, Arcadians receive a +2 racial 
  bonus on Computer Use and Craft: 
  electronics checks. Since Arcadians rarely 
  get a chance to practice these skills in R-
  Kayed, they enjoy the new challenges Earth 
  offers.  
  37
  
   
  All Arcadians, regardless of gender 
  or social standing,  are trained in swordplay 
  from the moment they can hold a blade. 
  Fencing is one of the most popular hobbies 
  on R-Kayed, and many Arcadians bear long 
  dueling scars on their cheeks as a memento 
  of a successful match.  
   
  Arcadians receive a +1 bonus on 
  attack rolls when fighting with any one 
  handed sword or knife. All Arcadians 
  receive Archaic Weapons Proficiency as a 
  racial bonus feat.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: As Fey, Arcadians 
  receive low-light vision.  
   
  Cheat Codes (SP): 
  Arcadians can use 
  the magic of their 
  home dimension to  
  make minor changes 
  to the earth realm. 
  These minor magical 
  ‘reality-hacks’ are 
  second nature to the 
  fey. A number of 
  times per day equal to his or her CHA 
  modifier, the Arcadian may use any of these 
  minor abilities as a first level mage: daze, 
  light, mage hand, prestidigitation.  
   
  Insert Coin to Continue (SU): Arcadians 
  can easily return to their home dimension. 
  By inserting a mess of quarters (equivalent 
  to Purchase DC 2) into any working arcade 
  cabinet and simply concentrating on 
  returning home, the Arcadian vanishes and 
  reappears somewhere on R-Kayed. 
  Returning home in this manner requires one 
  minute of concentration.  
   
  By spending an action point, the 
  Arcadian may bring along a number of 
  passengers equal to his CHA modifier. All 
  passengers must be size Large or smaller, 
  and must be in direct contact with the 
  Arcadian when he returns to his home 
  reality, usually by forming a chain of hands 
  with the video-fey.  
   
   
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Arcadians sometime 
  have difficulty adapting to the ‘real world’ 
  of the 1980s.  
  An Arcadian player character can 
  only select from the following starting 
  occupations, reflecting their culture’s 
  limitations: Adventurer, Athlete, Creative, 
  Criminal, Rural. The character may also 
  choose from the starting occupations found 
  in the Urban Arcana campaign option.  
   
  Arcadians find money and business 
  mystifying, and tend to spend their money 
  frivolously. The fey suffer a –2 racial 
  penalty on Knowledge: business and civics 
  checks, as well as Profession checks.  
   
  Adventures in R-Kayed  
   
   
  While its more likely that that 
  Arcadians will cross over into Eighties 
  America, adventurous,  computer savvy 
  arcade-rats might be able to find a portal 
  into R-Kayed and have adventures in the 
  video-game dimension.  
   
  Opening a portal to R-Kayed is 
  difficult, as doors are never in the same 
  location twice. By making a DC 45 
  Computer Use check on an arcade game or 
  home video game system, the player can 
  attempt to open a portal to the otherworld. 
  The player can take 10 on this check, but she 
  cannot take 20. A check can only be 
  attempted once on a particular machine.  
  This portal appears as shimmering 
  portal in the air, a two way aperture large 
  enough to drive a small truck through. R-
  Kayed is visible on the other side, and MI-
  DI music drifts through the dimensional 
  gate. A portal remains open for 2d6 minutes 
  before sealing itself shut.  
   
  Planar Traits: R-Kayed  
   
  R-Kayed is a traditional fantasy 
  realm, similar to many of the fantasy 
  settings the D20 system offers. However, 
  everything appears digitized and surreal; the 
  landscape is an intricate network of colorful 
  wire frame models. The inhabitants of R-
  38
  
  Kayed are luminous sculptures, composed of 
  solidified colored light, and bleed dark 
  pixels when wounded. Some creatures move 
  stiffly, as if they had been crudely animated. 
  When a creature or object is destroyed, it 
  explodes in a shower of brilliant pixels.  
   
  As a portal to a living video-game, 
  R-Kayed embraces metagame concepts. As 
  a free action, any sentient Arcadian creature, 
  or any sentient visitor to the realm can 
  glance at a creature or object and find out its 
  current Hit Points, Armor Class/Defense and 
  Hardness or Damage Resistance, if any. 
  Visitors to arcade can also know the 
  Challenge Rating and Hit Dice of a 
  particular creature with a glance. The 
  information seems to float above the 
  head of the observed creature. When 
  a creature does damage with a spell 
  or weapon, a numerical readout 
  showing the effects appears over the 
  wounded creature’s head.  
   
  • R-Kayed’s climate and 
  gravity are nearly earth 
  normal in most places, 
  though the realm does not 
  have an atmosphere in the 
  conventional sense. No 
  creature in R-Kayed, 
  including visitors, needs to 
  breathe, and become immune 
  to inhaled toxins, drowning 
  and suffocation for as long as 
  they remain in the realm.  
  • Some regions of R-Kayed 
  might exhibit extreme 
  temperature variations- forming 
  endless plains of magma or vast ice-
  scapes for example.  
  • Gravity is slightly lower than Earth-
  standard, making it easier for 
  creatures to move in R-Kayed. All 
  creatures receive a +4 circumstance 
  bonus on Jump and Tumble checks 
  within the dimension.  
  • Time passes more quickly in R-
  Kayed than in the Earth dimension, 
  with a day of activity in R-Kayed 
  only corresponding to a minute’s 
  activity on Earth.  
  • The fabric of R-Kayed makes certain 
  kinds of magic easier to cast; since 
  the dimension is sculpted from light 
  and imagination, all Illusion and 
  Evocation spells cast within the 
  pocket dimension are cast at +1 
  caster level.  
  • Spells from the Necromantic school 
  are impeded, and are cast at –1 caster 
  level. All Necromancy spells require 
  at least a full round action to cast 
  while within R-Kayed’s borders.  
   
   
  The Crow Folk  
  Medium Sized Human (Shapechanger 
  subtype)  
   
   
  The Crow Folk are carrion birds in 
  human form, a race of scavengers and 
  corpse pickers born in the alleyways and 
  shadows of our great skyscrapers. Some 
  claim that Crow Folk have always been with 
  us, the source of legends of witches and skin 
  changers. Others claim they represent a new 
  breed of shapeshifter, Kinku for the 
  Eighties, shapeshifters ideally suited to the 
  39
  
  glitz, speed and urbanization of the modern 
  world.  
   
  Crow Folk are natural thieves, subtle 
  mimic and adept liars. The best and most 
  noble are protectors of the urban poor, 
  modern day Robin Hoods who pull of 
  bloodless heists with a cawing laugh. The 
  worst among the Crow Folk are killers, 
  rapists and blood-scavengers. 
   
   Many are drawn into the world’s 
  military: Crow Folk are found among the 
  ranks of the K.G.B. and NVKD, serve with 
  the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan and have 
  earned the right to wear the Green Berets of 
  the US Army’s most elite spec ops units.  
   
  Even before their secret gifts become 
  apparent, Crow Folk children are drawn to 
  the shadows, to dying animals and humans 
  breathing their last, or to the glittering 
  wonder of stolen wealth. Some Crow Folk 
  with less taste for adventure turn to 
  medicine. Crow Folk mortiticians, homicide 
  detectives and hospice workers are a secret 
  part of the urban life cycle.  
   
  Spot Check DC: Crow Folk are 
  indistinguishable from ordinary humans 
  under most circumstances.  
   
  From an hour before high noon to an 
  hour afterward, their shadows resemble a 
  large crows, not a human’s. The Spot DC to 
  notice this disturbing abberation is DC 10.  
   
  Size: Medium. A Crow Folk’s base land 
  speed is 30 ft. Crow Folk tend to be short 
  and thin, but conform to human height and 
  weight norms.  
   
  Reproduction: Crow Folk are a magical 
  breed of humans, and breed and love as their 
  human counterparts do.  
   
  Names: Crow Folk names mimic the names 
  of ordinary men and women in the nation 
  they are born in.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: +2 WIS, -4 CHA. 
  Crow Folk are naturally perceptive, clever 
  and curious, but their their odd mannerisms,  
  and often shabby appearance unsettles 
  others.  
   
  Racial Skills: Crow Folk receive a +2 racial 
  bonus on Disguise, Investigate, Move 
  Silently, and Perform (song and mimicry) 
  checks. The Crow Folk receives a +2 racial 
  bonus on Spot checks made at night or in 
  darkness.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: Crow Folk are as 
  comfortable in the dark as in the light and 
  gain low light vision and darkvision with a 
  30 ft range.  
   
  Crow’s Call (SU): The Crow Folk shares 
  the language of carrion birds. The Crow 
  Folk receives a +4 racial bonus on all 
  Handle Animal checks made against crows 
  or other carrion birds. In addition, the Crow 
  Folk can automatically sense the presence of 
  any corpses belonging to a Small or larger 
  creature within 30 ft, even buried or 
  carefully hidden bodies.  
   
  Upon Black Wings (SU): A number of 
  times per day equal to her WIS modifier 
  (minimum once daily), a Crow Folk can 
  transform herself into a large black or grey 
  crow. Use the game statistics for an owl (pg 
  253 of the D20 modern core rulebook), with 
  the following changes. In crow form the 
  metahuman retains her own INT, WIS and 
  CHA scores, her class abilities, base attack 
  bonus and her Hit Dice.  
   
  While transformed, the Crow Folk’s 
  weapons and gear meld into her body, and 
  become useless. Transformation is a full 
  round action which provokes attacks of 
  opportunity. The Crow Folk can maintain 
  her bird form for a number of hours equal to 
  her total character level, or can choose to 
  return to human form at any time.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Crow Folk are easily 
  distracted and often let their greed get the 
  better of them. If someone tosses a handful 
  of brightly polished coins, or other shiny 
  40
  
  metallic objects, the Crow Folk must 
  succeed at a DC 15 WILL Save, or be 
  shaken for 1d4 rounds due to the glittering 
  distraction.  
   
  None of the Crow Folk’s declared 
  alliances can be towards concepts like law, 
  good for its own sake, nor any form of 
  selfless devotion to others. Even the most 
  noble Crow Folk are fundamentally 
  roughish, selfish creatures. 
   
  High Solstice Sidhe  
  Medium Fey  
   
   
  High Solstice Sidhe are the pale and 
  decadent nobility of the fading fey race. 
  They are the nobles of the hidden courts of 
  shadow, the planners and the strategists of 
  the fey race. Occasional sidhe nobles will 
  foster their offspring with an unwary human 
  family, leaving the burden of child rearing to 
  the mortals, and benefit from their exiled 
  child’s wisdom when he finally returns to 
  the shadow-spaces under the hill.  
   
  Children descended from true-born 
  High Solstice Sidhe are marked by alien 
  beauty, a gift for conjuration, and a mind 
  that seems to wander off on its own….. an 
  unshakable sense of being something other 
  than human. All High Solstice Sidhe long to 
  return to the fey otherworld, at least 
  occasionally.  
   
  High Solstice Fey are the nobility of 
  the Fey race, and other, lesser fey creatures 
  pay them deference. They are somehow 
  related to the Imajin and other fey-kind, but 
  the exact nature of their relationship with 
  these reclusive little rodents is unknown.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 12. As a High Solstice 
  Sidhe ages, his fey nature asserts itself more 
  and more. His skin becomes the grey of the 
  English sky, or the dingy white of the new 
  moon. Spirals and Celtic knots may appear 
  on his hands and face, and his ears elongate 
  as his eyes turn strange colors. An adult 
  High Solstice Sidhe can’t easily mingle with 
  mortals.  
   
  Size: Medium. A High Solstice Sidhe’s base 
  land speed is 30 ft. High Solstice Fey are tall 
  and willowy, standing well over six foot tall, 
  weighing only as much as a human teen. 
  Female Sidthe are more voluptuous and well 
  built, with the curvy bodies of Mideval 
  seductresses.   
   
   
   
  Reproduction: High Solstice Sidthe are a 
  dying race, with new fairy children born  
  only once every few centuries. Despite the 
  race’s infertility, the race relishes sexual 
  pleasure and romance, and has few sexual 
  taboos. It’s claimed that only a Sidthe who 
  has saved the life of one of the Sidthe Royal 
  Court is ever blessed with the ability to 
  conceive.  
   
  Sidthe perpetuate their race by 
  stealing human children and newborn, and 
  raising them in the traditions of the fey. A 
  puberty ritual transforms these human 
  ‘changelings’ into true High Solstice Fey.  
   
  Names: High Solstice Fey adopt names 
  from myth and history, and often claim to 
  have influenced the myths their names 
  reference. The majority of High Solstice 
  Sidthe take Gaelic or Aurthurian names, 
  though Sidthe from other cultures are not 
  41
  
  unknown. Many Sidthe name themselves for 
  infamous tricksters from history: Baba 
  Yaga, Coyote, Merlin and Loki are all 
  common inspirations for names.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: -2 CON, +2 INT, 
  -2 WIS, +4 CHA. High Solstice Sidhe are 
  physically frail, and like all fey, enjoy 
  flirting with madness and addiction. They 
  are also artistic savants and natural rouges, 
  lovers and diplomats.  
   
  Racial Skills: High Solstice Sidhe receive a 
  +2 racial bonus on Knowledge: arcane lore 
  and Hide and Move Silently checks, the 
  result of their strong fey blood.  
   
  Racial Arcana (SP): All High Solstice Fey 
  are natural, cosmopolitan mages, 
  instinctively gifted with the ability to 
  reshape reality to their desires. The 
  Mageborn instinctively casts spells based 
  upon the number of different languages he 
  or she has invested skill points to purchase 
  Speak Language in.  
   
  Each day, the Fey may cast a number 
  of spell levels equal to to the number of 
  languages he has expended skill points to 
  learn. No preparation is required, the High 
  Solstice Fey decides which spell to cast the 
  moment he speaks the magic words.  
    
  As an example, if a High Solstice 
  Sidhe speaks 6 different languages, he could 
  cast six spell levels per day. He could cast 
  three 2nd level spells, six first level spells, or 
  any other combination. Zero level spells 
  count as ½ spell level for the purpose of this 
  ability.  
   
   
   
  Passage to the True Court (SU): High 
  Solstice Sidthe can step between the mortal 
  realm and the fairy courts they call home. 
  As a move equivalent action, once per day, 
  the Sidthe can shift between the human and 
  fey realms. A High Solstice Sidthe can only 
  open the gate between worlds in areas of 
  shadowy illumination, or in an area 
  shrouded in fog, smoke, snow or rain. A 
  High Solstice Sidthe wanting to return to 
  Earth must wait for darkness or concealment 
  to return.  
  The exact nature of the fey realm and 
  the Sidthe Court is left up to individual 
  game masters, but the Court is intended as 
  more of a place of rest, wonder and 
  exploration than a major adventure location. 
  The gamemaster may decide that spatial 
  relationships are warped between the 
  worlds, allowing the Sidthe to cover great 
  distances in Earth-space by crossing only a 
  short distance in the Sidthe realm.  
   Sidthe cannot bring members of 
  other species along with them, but may take 
  along a wounded or unconscious Sidthe with 
  them when they jaunt.  
   
   
  Enhanced Senses: High Solstice Sidhe 
  possess low light vision. Their eyes glow a 
  cat-like yellow in the gloom.  
   
   
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Like all fey, High 
  Solstice Sidhe are relics of an older and 
  more primal time, a pagan faith and fog 
  shrouded world. The Fae is considered 
  shaken in any place 
  blessed or hallowed 
  by a representative 
  of any modern faith, 
  or in any modern 
  holy place. The 
  sound of church 
  bells being rung 
  within 1 mile 
  deafens the Sidhe 
  for 1d6 minutes.  
   
  Like their Fairie ancestors, the Sidhe 
  do not like the cold light of the sun, and 
   
  Racial Arcana Spell-Like Ability  
  Spell 
  Level  
  Spells (Arcane or Divine)  
  Zero 
  Daze (A), Inflict Light Wounds (D), Mage Hand (A), 
  Message (A), Prestidigitation (A)  
  First 
  Bane (D), Change Self (A), Command (D), Ray of 
  Fatiuge (A),  
  Sleep (A)  
  Second 
  Augury (D), Knock (A), Silence (D)  
  42
  
  suffer a –1 penalty on all skill checks, attack 
  rolls and saves in daylight. Iron weapons 
  (including most bullets) inflict 1.5x their 
  usual damage on a High Solstice Sidhe.  
   
   
  Daughters of Stone  
  Medium Sized Monstrous Humanoid  
   
   
  The Daughters of Stone are the 
  darkly beautiful champions and servants of 
  ancient feminine power, of a dark secret 
  passed down through their bloodlines for 
  uncounted generations. The Daughters of 
  Stone are the modern scions and last 
  remnants of the once great medusa race, 
  lethal women infamous for their beauty, 
  their cruel intelligence and their tactical 
  genius.  
  Some claim descent from the Gorgon 
  sisters, the first medusae, while others claim 
  spiritual descent from Athena herself, and 
  consider themselves the servants of the old 
  goddesses, serpentine weapons in a war 
  against crushing and homogenizing 
  patriarchy.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 12. Daughters of 
  Stone have the lithe, sensual body of an 
  attractive young woman. Their smooth 
  human skin is marked by colorful scaled 
  patches on ther abdomen and across their 
  small breasts. A mask like ring of 
  scales cover their jet black eyes, 
  which they often conceal behind 
  dark sunglasses or veils.  
   
  Size: Medium. A Daughter of 
  Stone’s base land speed is 30 ft. 
  Daughters of Stone resemble 
  petite human women.  
   
  Reproduction: The Daughters of 
  Stone are an exclusively female 
  kind, who require male consorts 
  to breed. Pregnancies last only 
  six months, and end with the birth 
  of a single daughter. Daughters of 
  Stone enjoy sex for pleasure, but 
  have little regards for human 
  mates regardless of their gender.  
   
  Names: Daughters of Stone may 
  adopt human names to disguise 
  their true nature, but always refer 
  to themselves, or others of their race as 
  ‘daughters of Athene’, as some variant upon 
  the names of the three mythical Gorgons, 
  Letho, Stheno or Medusa.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: +2 CHA. 
  Daughters of stone are known for their 
  physical beauty and steel-souled self 
  confidence.  
   
  Racial Skills: Daughters of Stone receive a 
  +2 racial bonus on Intimidate and any two 
  Knowledge skills of choice. The sleek 
  metahumans have keen minds and can bend 
  others through their will with a natural talent 
  for dominance.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: Daughters of Stone 
  possess darkvision with a 60 ft range. Their 
  eyes glow a faint, unhealthy purple, the 
  color of an old bruise when in total 
  darkness.   
   
  43
  
  Stone Regard (SU): Like the medusas of 
  old, Daughters of Stone can transform men 
  to stone. Once per day, the Daughter’s cold 
  black eyes glisten with alien energies, and 
  arcane tears roll down her checks. The 
  Daugther’s gaze can temporarily petrify any 
  sentient adult male within 30 ft that fails his 
  FORT save (DC 12 + the Daughter’s CHA 
  modifier).  
  Petrified creatures remain unaware 
  and trapped in a stone form for 1d6 hours, or 
  until released by magic like break 
  enchantment. Once activated, the Daughter’s 
  petrifying gaze lasts for a number of rounds 
  equal to one plus her CHA modifier 
  (minimum two rounds).  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Despite their great 
  beauty, Daughters of Stone are prone to 
  anorexia and bluemia. A Daughter of Stone 
  must succeed at a DC 20 WILL save, or be 
  considered shaken for 1d4 hours after eating 
  a full meal.  
  She suffers a –4 racial penalty on 
  Sense Motive checks and WILL when the 
  bluff or illusion involves questions about 
  beauty, weight or self worth. 
   
   
   
  Imajinaries 
  Small Fey  
   
   
  Imajinaries are all around us, living 
  with us, and we rarely see them. These 
  reclusive little shade-lings hide in the 
  darkness of America’s biggest cities, 
  peeking out from under shadowed, graffiti 
  covered awnings, filching candy and fresh 
  fruit from sidewalk stands. Imajinaries only 
  occasionally venture out from their own 
  insular worlds in search of fun, profit or 
  adventure, but can be tempted from their 
  bolt holes with the promise of sweets, 
  friendship and mischief.  
   
   
   
  The Imajin Nation, the world these 
  reclusive little tricksters call home, is a 
  series of pocket universes strung alongside 
  our reality, a web of portals, micro-worlds 
  and junk-filled palaces that bridge the 
  human and fairy universes. Imajinaries can 
  see and sense these portals between realms, 
  and can easily use their mastery of the 
  dimensional tunnels between their two 
  homes to escape danger or cut a long 
  journey short.  
   
  To an Imajin, the bonds 
  between the world 
  resemble a series of 
  knotted, warren-like mass 
  of tunnels, glowing brightly 
  with dimensional-fire.  
   
  The Imajin survive as 
  scavengers and petty 
  thieves, taking what they 
  need from the human 
  world. Most Imajin are 
  ‘honorable thieves’ taking 
  only what they need to 
  survive, and making do 
  with found items, trash and 
  junk. These clever fey have 
  built great cities, bustling 
  with light, color and noise 
  out of the leavings of the 
  Eighties.  
   
  44
  
   
   
   
   
  The Fairy Court 
   
  The world of the Imaginiaries owes a 
  debt of thanks to Jim Henson’s Creature 
  Workshop, particularly the designs on 
  quintessential 80s fantasy movies like The 
  Dark Crystal and Labryinth. Imajinaires live 
  and hunt alongside other fantastic creatures, 
  including goblins and kobold. 
   
   
   These creatures can be friendly 
  rivals, targets of endless prank wars, or they 
  could be cruel thugs picking on the mostly 
  peaceful Imajin Nation. Either way, 
  changing these creatures description to make 
  individual kobold and goblins cuter, more 
  whimsical and more visually unique is 
  encouraged. Larger goblin and fey can also 
  play a role in these hidden wars. Orcs and 
  Bugbears can be the thuggish ‘big boys’ of 
  the goblinoid race, doing everything from 
  working the mines to catching Imajininary 
  intruders.  
   
  More intelligent, humanoid fey, such 
  as creatures with the Feytouched template, 
  light or dark elves and even some 
  particularly charismatic fiends and undead 
  might play the same role in the campaign 
  Jareth did in Labryinth- an attractive but 
  terrifying king of the goblins.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 5. Imajins are too 
  small and rodent like to ever pass for 
  human. A few have taking to passing 
  themselves off as human infants or children, 
  wrapped in heavy coats or blankets.   
   
  Imajin are small, vaugely opossum 
  like creatures. The majority of the creature’s 
  soft pelt is a dingy grey, white or brown, but 
  all Imajinaires are decorated by Mohawk-
  like crests of brilliant color. An Imagin’s 
  stripes might be the shocking florescent 
  green of a 7-UP can, the hot pink of a trendy 
  girl’s headband, or the glittering red of 
  Times Square Neon.  
   
  An Imajin’s face ends in a short, 
  wedges shaped. tapering snout. Their 
  whiskers are as colorful as their hairy 
  topknots. Despite their normally friendly 
  demeanor, when an Imajin bears its teeth, 
  the feret like creatures display an impressive 
  array of small, razorsharp fangs.  
  All Imajin have tails. Males have a 
  single non prehensile tail, while females are 
  instantly recognizable thanks to their twin, 
  non prehensile tails. Females have a line of 
  6 nursing teats running the length of ther 
  abdomen; the marsupial creatures also have 
  a warm pouch for their young.  
   
  Size: Small. As small creatures, Imajin 
  receive a +1 size bonus on their Defense 
  score, a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, and 
  suffer a –4 size penalty on grapple checks. 
  An Imajin’s base land speed is 20 ft.  
  Imajinaries are small, agile little 
  rodents. Even the bulkiest rarely tops three 
  foot tall, and any Imajin wieghing sixty 
  pounds is mocked as incredibly obese and 
  ponderous.  
   
  Reproduction: Imajin are marsupial fey, 
  with no set breeding period. Like humans, 
  they can enjoy sex for pleasure. Litters of 5-
  8 fey are the norm, with pregnancies lasting 
  around four months. Young Imajin remain 
  in their mother’s pouch for an additional 
  eight or nine months before they are ready to 
  face the world.  
   
  Names: The logic behind Imajin naming 
  conventions makes zero sense to humans, 
  but is instantly obvious to the small fairy-
  folk. Imajin names vary wildly; there is only 
  one constant. It’s difficult for a human to 
  ever say an Imajin name with a straight face.  
  Some wierder examples of Imajin 
  names encountered include: Ccccc-so-
  what?, Zepetilino Zepinino, Fourth Spinning 
  Red, Chobi-Mogi, Watermelon Query?, and 
  XYZ-213.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: -2 STR, +2 DEX, 
  -2 CON, +2 INT. Imajin are a clever, agile 
  race, a breed of natural theives and tinkers. 
  45
  
  As is to be expected, their small size limits 
  their strength and ability to take a hit.  
   
  Racial Skills: Imajin have a natural talent 
  for larceny, and receive a +2 racial bonus on 
  Sleight of Hand checks. Imajin are skillful 
  and talented improvisers; they receive a +1 
  racial bonus on Craft: mechanical and 
  structural checks, and on one Perform skill 
  of choice.  
  These nimble creatures receive a +2 
  racial bonus on Jump and Climb checks, and 
  may use their DEX modifier for these skills 
  in place of their STR modifier.   
   
  Enhanced Senses: Imajin are accustomed to 
  the dim twilight of the fey world, and 
  receive lowlight vision.  
   
  Bolthole Runner (SU):  In desperate times, 
  an Imajin can use their ability to find a path 
  through the dimensional wilds to escape (or 
  get into) trouble. Once per day, the Imajin 
  can leap between shadows as a move action. 
   
   
  The Imajin must enter a pool of 
  shadow or darkness big enough to conceal 
  his or her body, and may than instantly 
  teleport  to any equivalent sized pool 
  of shadow within a 100 ft radius. If 
  there is no pool of shadow within 
  range to exit from, the Imajin returns 
  to his or her starting point.  
   
  Imajin Escape (SU): Imajin can see 
  and navigate the quantum tunnel 
  between their world and ours as 
  easily as any hamster running down 
  a plastic exercise tube. As a move 
  equivalent action, as often as once 
  per hour, the Imajin can shift 
  between the human and fey realms. 
  Imajinaries think of themselves as 
  citizens of two worlds, and jump 
  back and forth between the realms 
  several times per day.  
  The exact nature of the fey 
  realm and the Imajin Nation is left 
  up to individual game masters, but the 
  Nation is intended as more of a place of rest, 
  wonder and exploration than a major 
  adventure location. The gamemaster may 
  decide that spatial relationships are warped 
  between the worlds, allowing the Imajin to 
  cover great distances in Earth-space by 
  crossing only a short distance in the Imajin 
  realm.  
   Imajin cannot bring members of 
  other species along with them, but may take 
  along a wounded or unconscious Imajin with 
  them when they jaunt.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Imajin are nocturnal 
  creatures, and usually only appear in the 
  Earth realm after the sun sets and the world 
  turns into a neon fantasy-land. These 
  nocturnal creatures suffer a –1 morale 
  penalty on all skill checks, attack rolls and 
  saving throws when exposed to sunlight or 
  bright artificial light.  
   
  The Imajinaries are also voracious 
  creatures with incredibly rapid metabolisms. 
  Despite the fact they’re not much bigger 
  than a human toddler, they devour  nearly as 
  much food as a full grown human, and 
  suffer a –2 racial penalty on FORT saves 
  made to resist thirst or starvation! The little 
  creatures are always nibbling on something.  
   
   
   
   
   
  46
  
  Living Toys 
  Small or Medium Pseudo-Construct  
   
   
  You were not born; but you were 
  created out of an act of love, artistry and 
  well deserved pride. You were carved from 
  wood or plastic or silicone, sculpted from 
  wax, or sewn from exotic bolts of cloth, 
  stuffed and given the spark of magic and the 
  gift of self awareness. You are a Living Toy, 
  a magical construct that wants nothing more 
  than to be fully human. You are among the 
  rarest and most highly prized of all Eighties 
  creatures, a living creation every bit as 
  innovative and mercurial as the decade 
  which built you.  
   
  Some magical Toys are designed to 
  protect, teach or amuse children; others are 
  designed with more adult pursuits in mind. 
  No matter the reason for your creation, you 
  are a living work of arcana.  
  Spot Check DC: DC 12. The Toymaker’s 
  Children resemble the humans they are 
  designed in imitation of, but upon close 
  inspection their seams, buttons, mold lines 
  and joints give them away. With a little care, 
  a Living Toy can easily pass for a human.  
   
  Size: Depending on whether the Toymaker 
  chooses to build a child sized plaything or 
  an adult scale companion, the Toy may be 
  Small or Medium sized. A Small Toy has a 
  base land speed of 20 ft, and a Medium 
  sized Toy has a base land speed of 30 ft.  
   
  A Small Living Toy receives a +1 
  size bonus on their Defense score, a +4 size 
  bonus on Hide checks, and suffers a –4 size 
  penalty on grapple checks.  
   
  Living Toys built to emulate 'flesh-
  born' human children conform closely to 
  human height and weight norms. Though as 
  bulky as a human child, many Living Toys 
  are substantially lighter, since they are 
  stuffed with cloth and cotton batting, not 
  bone or viscera.  
   
  Reproduction: Living Toys are often 
  fairly asexual creatures, with a 
  childlike disinterest in sex or 
  romance. However, a few Living 
  Toys are designed and built as erotic 
  playthings. Though all Toys can 
  potentially enjoy sex for pleasure, as 
  an artifical race of constructs, they 
  cannot produce children of their own.  
   
  Names: Living Toys are named at the 
  whims of their creators. Some may 
  adopt a new name when and if they 
  win their freedom.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: -2 STR, +2 
  DEX, -2 INT, +4 CHA. As pseudo-
  living constructs, Toys have a CON 
  score. Toys are designed for 
  posability  and innocent charm and 
  appeal, but are not as strong or smart 
  as a true human.  
   
  Racial Skills: Toys receive a +4 
  racial bonus on Diplomacy checks 
  made against anyone in the Young 
  Adult age category or younger, as well as a 
  +2 racial bonus on any two Craft, Profession 
  or Perform checks of choice.  
   
  47
  
  Enhanced Senses: None.  
   
  Living Toy (EX): As an artificial life form, 
  Living Toys are immune to several human 
  failings and ailments. Unless otherwise 
  stated Toys are immune to: paralysis, 
  disease, poison, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, 
  effects that cause the sickened condition, 
  and energy drain.  
  As a sentient creature, the Toy is 
  venerable to mind influencing effects, sleep 
  effects and insanity. The Toy's  intricate and 
  beautiful, highly complex artificial body 
  mimics human anatomy, and it does have 
  vital areas. Living Toys are subject to 
  critical hits and stunning, just like any other 
  living being.  
  Unfortuantely, Living Toys cannot 
  heal damage naturally. Damaged robots may 
  be repaired with the Repair skill. A 
  successful Repair check (DC 10 + ¼ the 
  amount of damage suffered) restores 1d10 
  HP and represents at least an hour of work. 
  A Toy may be magically repaired with any 
  spell designed to repair, construct or rebuild 
  inanimate objects, or may benefit from 
  conventional magical healing.A Toy can 
  also recover 1d4 points of HP for every four 
  hours it spends playing with a child.  
   
  However, healing spells and 
  supernatural abilities that cure hit point 
  damage or ability score damage provide 
  only half their normal effect to a Toy.  
   
  A Toy does not need to eat, or sleep 
  (in the conventional manner) or breathe. It 
  can still benefit from the effects of 
  consumable magic items and spells. On 
  magically active worlds, a Living Toy magic 
  user must still rest or meditate for 8 hours 
  before preparing it’s spells.  
  A Toy reduced to 0 HP is disabled, 
  just like a living creature. The Toy can only 
  take a single more or standard action each 
  round, but does not risk further injury and 
  does not lose additional HP unless more 
  damage is dealt to it. A Toy dies when 
  reduced to –10 HP.  
   
  Stuffing Belly (EX): Living Toys are filled 
  with straw, stuffing, cotton and rags, not true 
  organs. A Living Toy feels no pain when cut 
  or injured, though they are aware of the 
  damage done to their little artificial bodies. 
  The magical constructs are immune to pain 
  effects.  
   
  Child-Babel (SU): Living Toys have 
  enchanted buttons sewn onto the undersides 
  of their fabric tongues, which allow them to 
  speak all the languages of childhood. A 
  Living Toy may communicate with any 
  creature in who is in the Young Adult age 
  category or younger, who has not yet killed 
  a sentient creature or had a sexual encounter, 
  as if the toy and the child shared a common 
  language.  
   
  A Toy’s Purpose: Each Toy has a purpose 
  in life, a reason it was constructed. When 
  created, a Toy must select one of the 
  following purposes, which define its 
  character and abilities.  
   
  Boy (or Tomboy) Toy (EX): The Toy 
  is designed to accompany a 
  rambunctious young adventurer. The 
  Toy receives a +2 racial bonus on 
  Climb, Jump, Handle Animal, 
  Survival and Tumble checks, and 
  likes nothing better than exploring 
  the wilds with its charge.  
   
  Conjurer (SP): The Toy has been 
  gifted with a natural talent for magic 
  and prestidigitation. The Toy can 
  cast either Mage Hand or 
  Prestiditation at will, as a first level 
  mage.  
   
  Childhood Protector (SU): The Toy 
  is designed to protect and inspire a 
  single child, but most dedicate to 
  protecting all children. The Toy can 
  cast light on itself at will, and also 
  radiates a continual bless effect, as 
  cast by a first level acolyte. The bless 
  effect only affects those in the 
  Young Adult age category or 
  younger.  
   
  48
  
  Marionette (EX): The Toy was built 
  with only the finest joints, and is 
  designed for dance, for leaping, and 
  for grace. The Toy’s racial bonus to 
  Dexterity is increased to +4.  
   
  Mother’s Helper (EX):  The Toy was 
  created to be a useful companion 
  around the house. The Toy receives 
  an additional +2 racial bonus on its 
  chosen Craft, Profession or Perform 
  skill, as well as a +2 bonus on Repair 
  checks. Any time the Toy takes 10 or 
  20 on any of these skills, he or she 
  receives an additional +2 bonus, 
  effectively ‘taking 12’ or ‘taking 22’.  
   
  Patchwork (SU): The Toy is a 
  wonderfully chaotic rag doll made of 
  fabric scraps that have been 
  magically turned into flesh. The Toy 
  can change her coloration at will, 
  and even manipulate the pigments in 
  her body with fine enough control to 
  show cartoons on her tummy. 
  Creating intricate images requires a 
  Craft (visual arts) check. The color 
  shifting Toy receives a +2 racial 
  bonus on Hide checks.  
   
  Tutor (EX): The Toy is designed to 
  open young minds and show them 
  the world’s wonders. The Toy does 
  not suffer any penalty to its INT 
  score, and may choose any two 
  Knowledge skills. The Toy receives 
  a +2 racial bonus on checks with 
  these skills, which are always 
  considered class skills for the Toy.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Toys are warded and 
  sewn for obedience and loyalty- to master, 
  to child, to family. As a free action, the 
  Toy’s creator, current owner or the child the 
  Toy accompanies  can speak a command (as 
  the acolyte spell) to the Toy that it must 
  obey without hesitation. The Toy receives 
  no saving throw.  
   
  Toys can attempt to resist more 
  involved commands by making a DC 26 
  WILL Save. Instructions that are obviously 
  self destructive or would dramatically 
  violate the Toy’s moral code grant the 
  Living Toy a +4 bonus to resist the 
  command. Once a command is resisted, the 
  Toy does not have to obey that specific 
  order for 24 hours. Toy can attempt a single 
  WILL Save to resist a command per round.  
   
  The Toymaker’s Secret: Building 
  Living Toys 
   
   
  A player who wishes to build their 
  own family of living dolls can do so, with 
  the gamemaster’s approval. The easiest way 
  to adjudicate this unique ability is to create a 
  short feat tree, allowing a Toymaker to craft 
  their own Living Toys. This ability is 
  mechanically similar to the Harem Mage’s 
  class abilities; described in Black Tokyo, the 
  Harem Mage is  a conjurorer who, like a 
  Toymaker, creates living magical servants 
  and  playthings.  
   
  Dark Toymaker (Item Creation)  
   
  You have mastered the darkest 
  method of creating a Living Toy, imbuing 
  the toy with the soul of a murdered child.  
  Prerequsite: Toymaker’s Secret, any evil 
  allegience 
  Benefit: Rather than spending an action 
  point when crafting a Living Toy, you may 
  instead ritually murder any child in the 
  Young Adult age category or younger. Each 
  Hit Dice the murdered child possesses, 
  usually a single HD, is treated as an action 
  point for the purpose of bringing your 
  Living Toy to life. You may sacrifice 
  multiple children for this purpose.  
  You must murder the child (or 
  children) within 24 hours of begining the 
  construction process, and must annoint the 
  toy with the child’s blood or include 
  portions of the child’s body within the 
  newly made toy.  
   
  Lesser Toymaker (Item Creation)  
   
  You have mastered the lesser secrets 
  of magical craftsmanship. You are such a 
  skilled sculptor or seamstress you can bring 
  49
  
  toy animals to a kind of strange life and 
  animation.  
  Prerequsites: Creative, Craft: visual arts 6 
  ranks, Knowledge: arcane lore 4 ranks  
  Benefit: You can create living toy versions 
  of animals and fantastical beasts. Doing so 
  requires a Craft: visual arts check (Base DC 
  25 + the created Toy’s Challenge Rating, 
  rounded down. Fractional CR creatures are 
  DC 25), and at least 8 hours of work. You 
  can craft your toys from virtually any kind 
  of material, and often work from scrap, rags 
  and recycled material. The raw material for 
  these minor toys has a Purchase DC of 5.  
   
   
  If your check is successful, you may 
  create a living toy version of an appropirate 
  creature with a CR equal to 1/3 your own 
  total character level or hit dice, rounded . 
  Thus, at 3rd level, you could construct 
  Living Toys which are CR 1 or less. To 
  bring a Living Toy to life, you must touch 
  the construct’s inert body and sacrifice 10 
  XP per Hit Die, offering a sacrifice of 
  memories and life energy to bring the 
  creature to life.  
   
   
  You may craft a Living Toy version 
  of any creature with the Animal, Vermin or 
  Magical Beast or Dragon type. Your 
  creature gains the Living Toy trait, as 
  described above. Your creature gains the 
  attribute modifications common to all 
  Living Toys. These creature have a 
  minimum INT score of 1. Living Toy 
  animals may speak and understand at least 
  one language known by their creator, even if 
  their ‘live’ animal counterparts are incapable 
  of speech.  
   
   
  These creatures remain in existence 
  until destroyed, and serve you (or a new 
  owner you personally designate) loyaly. 
  Your Living Toy menagarie will obey even 
  suicidal orders on your behalf to defend you. 
  These creatures have a primary alligence to 
  you or their owner, and if they are intelligent 
  enough to do so, will act independantly on 
  your behalf.  
   
   
  Master Toymaker (Item Creation)  
   
  More than just human-like toys, you 
  can handcraft  an array of magical living 
  toys.  
  Prerequsite: Toymaker’s Secret  
  Benefit: In addition to creating Living Toys 
  modeled on humans, you may create more 
  exotic Living Toys. Doing so is 
  mechanically identical to crafting a standard 
  Living Toy, including the sacrifice of one or 
  more action points, 12 hours of work, and a 
  successful DC 30 Craft: Visual Arts check. 
   
   You can create a Living Toy version 
  of almost any roughly humanoid creature, 
  from size Tiny to size Large.  
   
  You construct an artifical version of 
  any Humanoid, Fey, Giant, Monstrous 
  Humanoid, or Outsider whose Challenge 
  Rating is equal to ½ your total character 
  level or Hit Dice. The created creature gains 
  the Living Construct trait, described above, 
  and recieves the attribute modifications 
  common to all Living Toys.  
   
   
  Toymaker’s Secret (Item Creation)  
   
  You have mastered the arcane 
  secrets of bringing to life fabulous, human-
  like beings with artifical hearts and spell-
  stiched bodies, but true souls.  
  Prerequsite: Lesser Toymaker, Craft: visual 
  arts 12 ranks  
  Benefit: You can construct Living Toys, 
  creating highly intelligent, competent and 
  loyal artifical servants. Doing so requires a 
  DC 30 Craft: visual arts check, which 
  requires at least 12 hours of work, and the 
  expenditure of one or more action points.   
   
   
  By spending a single action point, 
  you can constuct a human-like Living Toy. 
  This humanlike character has the standard 
  attribute array (15,14,13,12,10, and 8), 
  assigned as you see fit, prior to adding the 
  Living Toy’s standard racial traits and 
  attribute modifiers. 
  Your Living Toy servant / 
  companion has a single heroic level. Its 
  alligences are initially identical to your own, 
  50
  
  but as a thinking creature, might seek out 
  another path as he or she gains experience.  
   
   
  Action Enhancement: Each 
  additional action point spent during the 
  creation process increases the number of 
  heroic levels the Living Toy possesses by 
  +1. You are not required to have specific 
  knowledge or training in a class to imbue a 
  Living Toy with levels in that class, but you 
  must have personally encountered at least 
  one example of the class in your lifetime.  
   
   
  The Manifold  
  Large Pseudo-Construct  (PL 8)  
   
   
  The Manifold are a relatively 
  peaceful, bio-mechanical race which 
  abandoned the limitation of flesh and blood 
  organic bodies eons ago. Originally a 
  humanoid species limited to a handful of 
  planets orbiting the massive black hole at 
  the enter of the galaxy, the Manifold were 
  born when their organic ancestors salvaged 
  the remains of warships fallen out of the sky 
  in the aftermath of some great battle. 
  Though the fallout from the cosmic war 
  devastated their home’s ecosystem, the 
  technology recovered from the crash sites 
  helped the proto-Manifold leap from an 
  agrarian society to an advanced, starfaring 
  culture in less than a century.  
   
   
  As the proto-Manifold explored the 
  universe around themselves, the humanoids 
  began a species wide program of cybernetic 
  upgrades, using the recovered technology 
  to transform themselves into more capable, 
  harder to kill mechanoids. Their quest for 
  physical perfection was successful: the 
  humanoid species transformed themselves 
  into the Manifold, leaving organic 
  limitations and weaknesses far behind.  
   
   
  With new bodies of metal and 
  silicon, most trappings of their humanoid 
  existance became irrelevant. The Manifold 
  reinvented themselves, becoming a self-
  created race of machines. Today, the 
  Manifold only retain a handful of 
  humanoid mannerisms and cultural 
  elements, kept as racial memories 
  hearkening back to a time when they had 
  flesh bodies.  
   
  The Manifold thrive in deep space, 
  and are among the galaxy’s foremost 
  navigators and diplomats. Individual 
  Manifold are often hired as guides, 
  particularly while travelling through 
  dangerous areas of space, or serve as 
  engineers on non-Manifold vessels. Since a 
  Manifold can survive in space indefinitely, 
  they relish their task as shipboard engineers, 
  damage control and EVA experts. Manifold 
  colonies are often established on otherwise 
  uninhabitable worlds- planets without an 
  atmosphere or liquid water, or lethally cold 
  worlds.  
  The fact the Manifold has little 
  desire for more ‘habitable’ worlds has 
  allowed the robotic species to peacefully 
  coexist with most other races. It is not 
  uncommon for an independent  Manifold 
  settlement to spring up within another race’s 
  solar system. Since the type of world 
  prefered by most humanoids- warm, humid 
  and oxygenated- rust and decay the 
  Manifold, the robots are more than happy to 
  avoid those planets. 
  51
  
   As a result, the well armed 
  Mechamorph Defenders are more of a self 
  defense force than an expansionistic 
  military.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 0. A Manifold 
  can never pass for human. Manifold are a 
  species of large, robotic humanoids, 
  resembling a bulky cyborg or suit of Power 
  Armor more then they do any organic 
  creature. The have the rough proportions 
  and posture of a large (roughly 8 – 9 ft tall) 
  humanoid.  
  Most have dull grey or bronze 
  superstructures, composed of intricately 
  jointed plates and exposed cables and 
  armatures. Extremely vibrant colored plates 
  are attached to a Manifold’s body in 
  intricate patterns, somewhat resembling the 
  colorful scales found in some fish or snake 
  species. The colorful patterns on a 
  Manifold’s armor provide a hint as to that 
  robot’s caste and function.  
  Manifold have long, delicate fingers 
  capable of extremely fine manipulation. 
  Most have 4-6 fingers, including specialized 
  tools and manipulators at the end of each 
  hand. To support their great weight, 
  Manifold have relatively large, spatula feet, 
  resembling the boot of military combat 
  armor.  
  Manifold skulls are distinctly non-
  humanoid. Their skulls are elongated, 
  banana shaped appendages which typically 
  add at least another foot to their height. A 
  Manifold’s impressive cranial display 
  resembles a mechanical version of the the 
  decorative plating and frills in some 
  dinosaur species. The Manifold’s ‘face’ is a 
  highly decorative, mask like structure which 
  recalls the race’s humanoid origins. Masks 
  vary wildly among Manifold, with some 
  having extremely humanoid features, with 
  others having obviously robotic camera 
  lenses, complex, grinding mouth parts or 
  virtually anything else.  
   
  Reproduction: The Manifold are an 
  asexual species that does not reproduce in 
  the commonly understood sense of the word. 
  New Manifold are manufactured rather than 
  born. Since Manifold do not age, and are 
  effectively immortal unless slain, new 
  Manifold are constructed only in response to 
  a drop in population caused by disaster or 
  warfare, or when the species as a whole 
  decides a population boom is in its best 
  interest. Large numbers of new Manifold are 
  usually commissioned before colonizing a 
  new world, or when hostilities seem 
  inevitable, to swell the mechanoids’s 
  armada.  
   
  Manifold are effectively created as 
  adults, with the memories and basic skills 
  necessary to function in their society. The 
  moment a Manifold is rolled off the 
  production line, the robot is ready to take its 
  first ordinary or Heroic class level, and has 
  already had a Starting Occupation 
  programmed.  
   
  Any Manifold may petition its 
  government for the right to commission an 
  offspring; this right is usually given to 
  Manifold who have preformed some heroic 
  feat, contributed greatly to the culture, or 
  who has suffered a grievous personal loss. In 
  this case, the newly constructed Manifold 
  physically resembles its ‘parent’, whose 
  design is used as a template, and shares the 
  specific memories (though not class levels, 
  skills or feats) and basic outlook and 
  alliances of its parental template.  
   
  Names: When interacting with other 
  Manifold, the robots use the correct form of 
  their name- a high frequency data burst 
  describing a polynomial sequence several 
  dozen digits long.  
  When interacting with organic life 
  forms, Manifold typically adopt a nickname 
  based upon stellar phenomena, mathematics, 
  physics or the names of stars and galaxies. 
  Those Manifold serving in a military unit 
  append appropriate rank and honorific. As 
  genderless creatures, the robot’s names are 
  not segregated along sexual lines.  
   
  Example Names: Starmantle Phi, 
  Capricorn Novus, General First Polynom, 
  Andromeda Spinward, Six Singularity  
  52
  
   
  Size: Manifold are Size Large.  As a 
  Large creature, the Manifold can wield 
  larger weapons than its human counterparts, 
  and its lifting and carrying limits are double 
  those of a medium creature. The Manifold 
  receives a –1 size penalty on attack rolls and 
  Defense, and a –4 size penalty to Hide 
  checks. Conversely, the Manifold receives a 
  +4 size bonus on grapple checks.  
  Manifold have a base land speed of 
  30 ft. Manifold  stand around 8 ½ feet tall, 
  not including their long, sloping skulls. 
  Manifold are heavy as heavy as a humanoid 
  robot is expected to be, with most weighing 
  in at over a ton and a half.   
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: -2 DEX, 
  +2 CON, +2 INT, +2 WIS, -4 CHA. Though 
  durable and extremely quick mentally, 
  Manifold find it difficult to interact socially 
  with organics, and remain at a self-imposed 
  distance from biological races.  
  Their enormous size and mass makes 
  it difficult for a Manifold to dodge attacks, 
  but few ever really need to. As Pseudo-
  Constructs, the durable machines do have a 
  CON score, and their internal systems are 
  modeled on organic structures.  
   
  Racial Skills: None. A manifold’s 
  skills are uploaded during its creation, and 
  are reflected in the creature’s caste and 
  starting occupation. The Manifold do not 
  have a race wide set of skills.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: Manifold have 
  excellent vision, provided by their bio-
  organic cameras. The bio-mechs have 
  darkvision with a 90 ft range and lowlight 
  vision.  
   
  Computer Nerves (EX): The 
  Manifold’s brain is a computer-like 
  structure, which functions like a standard 
  ‘hard-tech’ computer system. The Manifold 
  can easily perceive high end EM signals, 
  and can receive unencrypted radio, 
  television or cell phone signals. The alien 
  can attempt a DC 10 Intelligence check to 
  intercept any signal received within 60 ft of 
  it.  
  The Manifold may network 
  wirelessly with other computer, cell phones 
  and other devices with a wireless card 
  within 60 ft, and may access the Internet (or 
  more advanced communication devices) 
  wirelessly through wi-fi hotspots.  The 
  Manifold’s onboard alien computer system 
  cannot be hacked and has natural defenses 
  against typical computer viruses.  
  The Manifold may download and 
  install programs into it’s computer-like mind 
  as with an ordinary computer system. The 
  Manifold may make Computer Use checks 
  without the need for external equipment. 
  The robot can read USB flashdrives and 
  similar magnetic media by holding the 
  device close to your skin; reading a device is 
  a standard action.  
   
   
  The Mainfold’s internal computer 
  system has a Purchase DC equal to 22 + its 
  INT modifier. If the Manifold’s mind is 
  keen enough and its nervous system 
  complex enough to support the bio-
  cybernetics, the aliens neuro-computer can 
  be upgraded like a hard-tech computer 
  system, lending increased performance.  
   
  Pseduo-Construct (EX): As an 
  artificial life form, Manifold are immune to 
  several human failings and ailments. Unless 
  otherwise stated Manifold are immune to: 
  paralysis, disease, poison, nausea, fatigue, 
  exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened 
  condition, and energy drain.  
  As a sentient creature, the Manifold 
  is vulnerable to mind influencing effects, 
  sleep effects and insanity. The Manifold’s 
  intricate,  highly complex artificial body 
  mimics humanoid anatomy, and it does have 
  vital areas. Manifold are are subject to 
  critical hits and stunning, just like any other 
  living being.  
   
  Manifold cannot heal damage 
  naturally. Damaged robots may be repaired 
  with the Repair skill. A successful Repair 
  check (DC 10 + ¼ the amount of damage 
  53
  
  suffered) restores 1d10 HP and represents at 
  least an hour of work. 
  A Manifold may be magically 
  repaired with any spell designed to repair, 
  construct or rebuild inanimate objects, or 
  may benefit from conventional magical 
  healing. However, healing spells and 
  supernatural abilities that cure hit point 
  damage or ability score damage provide 
  only half their normal effect to a Manifold.  
   
  Manifold do not need to eat, or sleep 
  (in the conventional manner) or breathe. It 
  can still benefit from the effects of 
  consumable magic items and spells, usually 
  by smearing the item on its hull, where it is 
  absorbed. On magically active worlds, a 
  Manifold magic user must still rest or 
  meditate for 8 hours before preparing it’s 
  spells.  
   
  A Manifold reduced to 0 HP is 
  disabled, just like a living creature. The 
  Manifold can only take a single move or 
  standard action each round, but does not risk 
  further injury and does not lose additional 
  HP unless more damage is dealt to it. A 
  Manifold dies when reduced to –10 HP.  
   
  Integral Armor (EX): Manifold 
  hulls are made of durable alloys and 
  ceramic/polymer hybrids, and some elder 
  Manifold can shrug off depleted uranium  
  rounds from a tank’s main gun.  
   
  A Manifold’s integral armor plating 
  provides the creature with a +4 natural 
  armor bonus to Defense. At the Manifold’s 
  10th character level or when it reaches 10 
  HD, its natural armor bonus increases to +6. 
  The alien’s natural armor bonus increases to 
  +8 at 15th level or reaches 15 HD. 
   
  The Manifold’s integral armor is 
  environmentally sealed, and provides the 
  robot with Fire and Cold Resistance 5. The 
  robot’s resistance increase to 10 at 10th 
  level, and 15 at 15th level. These resistance 
  stack with energy resistance from other 
  sources, including feats and Tough Hero 
  class levels.  
   
  The integral armor does not inflict an 
  armor check penalty, but is considered to be 
  light armor for the purposes of spell casting, 
  and has a 10% arcane spell failure chance.  
  A Manifold’s natural armor and 
  unusual body structure prevents the robot 
  from wearing additional armor. Power 
  Armor designed for a manifold must be 
  specially made, and custom fitted, 
  increasing the final purchase DC of the 
  armor by +12.  
   
  Onboard Weapons (EX): Manifold 
  warriors are assembled with several 
  powerful weapons built into their bio-
  mechanical structure. All Manifold have a 
  slam attack which deals 2d4 + STR modifier 
  points of bludgeoning damage; the 
  mechanoids are always considered armed 
  and proficient when attacking in this 
  manner.  
   
   
  As a standard action, a Manifold can 
  transform their dominant hand into a bulky 
  energy weapon, which fires a deadly pulse 
  of kinetic energy. While transformed, the 
  Manifold cannot grip or hold objects, or use 
  another weapon with that hand.  
   
  The Manifold’s energy weapon has a 
  range increment of 50 ft, and threatens a 
  critical hit on a roll of natural 20. The 
  energy weapon is capable of semi or full 
  auto fire. The Manifold’s energy beam 
  inflicts 1d8 points of force damage per four 
  character levels, rounded down, to a 
  maximum of 5d8 points of force damage at 
  20th level. Firing a blast is a standard attack 
  action, and the Manifold may use any gun 
  combat feats it possesses with its cannon.  
   
   
  Upgrade Coccoon (EX): The 
  Manifold are in a constant state of evolution 
  and bio-mechanical upgrades. In addition to 
  receiving implants through 
  surgical/mechanical intervention, any time 
  the Manifold is eligible for a new feat, it can 
  54
  
  generate a liquid metal cocoon around 
  itself, initiating system wide changes to 
  improve performance. Entering this 
  evolutionary cocoon renders the 
  Manifold helpless for 36 hours, while it 
  upgrades, reboots and mechamorphizes.  
   
   
  A Manifold character may 
  always select Robotic Feats from the 
  Heroic Robotics sourcebook; in 
  addition, the manifold may select any 
  upgrade available to a PL 8 or less robot 
  as a feat. At the gamemasters option, 
  relatively minor upgrades (running 
  lights, display screens, retractable 
  blades, ect) may be chosen as a 
  customization option without expending 
  a feat slot.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Manifold have no 
  natural sense or smell or taste.  
   
   
  A Manifold’s cybernetic 
  linkages and intricately machined bio-
  systems can be disrupted with relative 
  ease.  
  Any adversary with 5 or more ranks 
  in either Knowledge: technology or Disable 
  Device receives a +1 competence bonus on 
  damage rolls made against the aliens; even 
  though the Manifold are alien machines, a 
  skilled xeno-mechanic can deduce the best 
  ways to incapacitate one.  
   
  Electricity based attacks inflict 
  double damage against any Manifold, or 
  normal damage on a successful save.  
   
  Mountian Ghosts  
  Medium Monstrous Humanoid  
   
   
  The Mountain Ghosts represent the 
  last, best hope to drive the Russian invaders 
  from Afghanistan. The Mountain Ghosts are 
  an evolved race of supersoldiers and 
  insurgents, carefully culled from the best 
  and most committed mujahedeen. Using 
  stolen Russian gene-cutting techniques, 
  Afghani geneticists have created a race of 
  hardy, courageous warriors, whose genes 
  blend the intelligence and versatility of the 
  human bloodline with the innate strength 
  and toughness of the goats who call the 
  Afghani mountains home.  
  In many ways, the Mountain Ghosts 
  are similar to the west’s Moreaus, but have 
  taken the genetic alterations to a level 
  American genetics have never dared. 
  Mountian Ghosts are visibly non-human, 
  having traded their humanity for combat 
  effectiveness.  
  The Mountian Ghosts are a vital part 
  of anti-Soviet warfare, and are respected 
  members of the mujahedeen. However the 
  obvious non-human nature and the 
  psychological changes which accompany 
  mutation into a powerful form means that 
  even the most well liked Mountian Ghost 
  has to endure the fear and distance of his 
  comrades. Because of this difficulty relating 
  to humanity, many Moutain Ghosts have 
  become lonely warriors, operating without 
  support, known only by the Russian kills 
  they make. Other Mountian Ghosts have 
  taken to operating in small, exclusive bands, 
  and are forming the rudiments of a new 
  society high up in the war torn Afghani 
  mountains.  
  55
  
   
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 5. Mountain Ghosts 
  are so heavily mutate they can only pass for 
  human in near total darkness or when full 
  concealed by clothes or body armor. 
  Mountian Ghosts resemble petite, muscular 
  humanoids covered in a warm grey or 
  whitish-brown wool pelt. 
   The calcium horns of their ram and 
  goat gene-donors have evolved into dense 
  skulls; Mountian Ghosts of both genders 
  have thick skulls hard enough to survive a 
  hit from a small caliber round, and most 
  Mountain Ghosts have a head butt ferocious 
  enough to dent truck armor! Both genders 
  have horns. Female Mountian Ghosts have 
  only short, stubby horns protruding from 
  their foreheads, while males can display 
  impressive, curving ram horns up to three 
  feet long. To better fit in with their human 
  comrades, many male Mountain Ghosts 
  shave or whittle down their horns to their 
  skull.  
  Mountian Ghosts lack the reverse 
  articulated legs of their goat ancestors, but 
  still possess massive lower body strength. 
  Their thighs and calves are swollen with 
  thick ropes of muscle, and their feet are 
  nearly as dexterous as their hands.  
   
   
  Size: Medium. As Medium creatures, 
  Mountain Ghosts receive no special bonuses 
  or penalties due to their size. Thanks to their 
  powerfully built legs, Mountain Ghosts are 
  natural sprinters, with a base land speed of 
  40 ft.  
   
  Most Mountain Ghosts stand roughly 
  five and a half feet tall, and weigh around 
  two hundred pounds. These creatures are 
  short and stocky, with most of their muscle 
  mass located in their powerful legs.  
   
  Reproduction: Though they can enjoy sex 
  with an unmodified human, these mutants 
  can only produce off spring with another 
  one of their kind. Mountian Ghosts have no 
  set breeding period. Their pregnancies last 
  up to ten months and usually result in the 
  birth of a single mutant child, several of 
  which have been born throughout the decade 
  and a half of Russian occupation. Most 
  Mountain Ghosts display a sexual 
  preference for members of their own 
  species.  
   
  Names: As members an artificially evolved 
  human subspecies, Mountian Ghost names 
  follow Afghani naming traditions.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: +2 STR, +2 DEX, 
  -2 INT. Mountian Ghosts have finely honed 
  physiques, but the dense bone casing of their 
  altered skulls puts pressure on their brains. 
  Members of the species must live with 
  regular headaches, difficulty concentrating 
  and minor problems with memory.  
   
  Racial Skills: Mountain Ghosts are as 
  nimble as the rams their enhancement-
  program took as its inspiration. These 
  mutants receive a +4 racial bonus on Climb, 
  Jump and Tumble checks. A Mountian 
  Ghost’s maximum jump distance is not 
  limited by height. 
   
   
  Mountian Ghosts are extensively 
  trained in anti-Russian tactics and guerrilla 
  warfare. Mountian Ghosts receive a +1 
  racial bonus on Knowledge: tactics and 
  Survival checks. Mountain Ghosts receive 
  Endurance and Personal Firearms 
  Proficiency as a racial bonus feat.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: Mountain Ghosts have 
  eyes adapted to the early darkness of the 
  mountains. They possess lowlight vision.  
   
  Head Butt (EX): Thanks to their horns and 
  thick skulls, Mountian Ghosts can deliver 
  impressive head butts. The mutants may 
  head butt an opponent as a secondary natural 
  attack, delivering a 2d4 point slam on a 
  successful hit. The Mountian Ghost is 
  always considered armed and proficient 
  when attacking with a head butt.  
   
  Organ Redundancy (EX): Mountian 
  Ghosts are engineered to absorb multiple 
  gunshots ands still keep fighting. These 
  hardy mutants have multiply redundant 
  organs, increased clotting factors in their 
  blood and an extra thick rib cage protecting 
  56
  
  their vitals. Mountian Ghosts have a 25% 
  chance of ignoring the extra damage of a 
  critical hit, as if they had the Light 
  Fortification ability.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: None.  
   
  Mustard Men/Women  
  Medium Monstrous Humanoid  
   
   
  The Mustard 
  Men are an offshoot 
  human species, born 
  in secret labs deep 
  under Langley. The 
  initial drafts of the 
  highly classified 
  “Mustard Project” 
  were written during 
  the early days of the 
  Cold War, but the 
  plans set in a drawer 
  at the Pentagon, 
  gathering dust, until 
  the technology 
  existed to make the 
  ambitious project a 
  reality.  
   
   
  The first 
  generation of 
  Mustard Men cut their teeth in the jungles of 
  Vietnam, and today the mutated children of 
  these prototype goliaths continue the war 
  against the Soviets.  
   
  The prototype Mustard Men were a 
  strange mix of the best and worst the 
  Vietnam-era military had to offer. The 
  majority of Mustard Men were military 
  prisoners, scheduled for execution for 
  desertion, rape or murder, whose sentences 
  were commuted by participating in the 
  Mustard trials. These experimental subjects 
  were subjected to months of steroid therapy, 
  exposure to mutagens and primitive genetic 
  engineering, all in the hopes of building a 
  soldier capable of surviving irradiated 
  battlefields and ignoring most bio-war.  
   
  The surviving experimental subjects 
  were grouped into small units, and sent deep 
  behind enemy lines, commanded by Mustard 
  Men officers. Officers selected for the 
  Mustard program were exclusively 
  volunteers, who were only subjected to the 
  augmentation after the process was 
  perfected. Operating in secret, the Mustard 
  Men achieved amazing successes, including 
  displaying a savage knack for littoral (river-
  based) warfare.  
   
   
  The existence of 
  Mustard Men is 
  considered a 
  vital national 
  defense secret; 
  when not 
  engaged in a 
  mission, the 
  supersoldiers are 
  kept isolated 
  from the public.  
   
  However, some 
  were allowed to 
  re-establish 
  contact with their 
  loved ones; a 
  handful even 
  produced 
  Mustard-mutant 
  sons and 
  daughters. 
  Others were bred with human volunteers. In 
  all cases, the CIA raised these younger 
  Mustards, training them from infancy in 
  black ops, geo-politics and combat. 
   Additionally, since its expected that 
  a large percentage of Mustard Men  would 
  be able to survive a full scale nuclear war, 
  these second generation mustards are being 
  drilled extensively in post-bomb survival 
  tactics. It’s hoped that Mustard strength and 
  durability will allow America to rebuild 
  itself even after an atomic holocaust.  
   
   
   
  A female Mustard, displaying a 
  different, unrecognized phenotype, was 
  recently encountered and killed by a Delta 
  Force strike unit operating in Romania. It’s 
  believed that the Russians have stolen the 
  Mustard process, and have been creating 
  their own platoons of NBC-resistant 
  57
  
  supersoldiers. How extensive the Russian 
  Mustard program truly is remains unknown.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 0. A Mustard Man or 
  Woman can’t pass for human. These hulking 
  creatures get their name not only because of 
  their ability to resist mustard gas and other 
  toxins, but because their thick, elephant like 
  hides are the pebbly yellow of sandstone.  
   
  Mustard Men resemble incredibly 
  unattractive humans, with thickened, 
  yellowish skin hanging heavily on their 
  dense bones. Their features are thick and 
  simian, and both males and female are 
  marked by heavy brow ridges. Some 
  Mustard males have dinosaur like cranial 
  armor and decorative bone crests. Mustards 
  lack a distinct nose or nostrils, and their 
  chests and upper back are marked by sets of 
  thickened gill slits.  
   
  Size: Large. Mustard Men are Large 
  monstrous humanoids. They receive a –1 
  size penalty to Defense, as well as a –4 
  penalty on Hide checks. They receive a +4 
  size bonus on Grapple checks. A Mustard’s 
  base land speed is 30 ft.  
   
  Most Mustards stand nearly nine feet 
  tall, and most weigh just under half a ton. 
  There is no measurable difference in size 
  between males and females.  
   
  Reproduction: Mustard Men are human 
  mutants, and breed like true humans. They 
  enjoy sex for pleasure, but suffer minor loss 
  of sensation, mostly due to their dense, 
  leathery hides. Mustard pregnancies last 
  between nine and ten months; multiple 
  births are the norm. The Mustard genome is 
  recessive, meaning that sometimes Mustard 
  mothers will give birth to a pair of perfectly 
  human children. Of course, what the 
  grandchildren will look like is anyone’s 
  guess.  
   
  Names: Mustards are an American bred 
  human variant race and follow American 
  naming conventions.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: +4 STR, -2 DEX, 
  +4 CON, -4 CHA. Mustard Men are 
  basically two legged rhinos- incredibly 
  tough and strong enough to up-end an APC 
  if they have to. However, their sheer bulk 
  limits their agility, and their mutations make 
  them less attractive and confident.  
   
  Racial Skills: Mustard children are raised in 
  seclusion in secret CIA training camps. As a 
  result of this grueling early training, as well 
  as their genetically encoded talents, Mustard 
  Men and Women receive a +4 racial bonus 
  on Survival and Swim checks.  
   
  Tanker Hide (EX): A Mustard’s skin is 
  almost as dense as tank armor, and about as 
  heavy. The mutants receive a +4 racial 
  bonus to their Defense score. Unfortunately, 
  a Mustard’s bulk means that if the Mustard 
  wishes to wear additional armor or power 
  armor, it must be custom fitted, increasing 
  the Purchase DC by +4.  
   
   
  Tanker Lungs (EX): Mustard Men have 
  extremely durable internal anatomies, and 
  their gills can pull oxygen out of even the 
  most polluted or irradiated atmosphere. 
  These mutants are designed to to tube 
  ultimate NBC (Nuclear, Biological and 
  Chemical) troopers around.  
   
  The Mustard Man is immune to 
  inhalation toxins, and treats an irradiated 
  area as being two categories less irradiated 
  than it really is. Radiation sickness is 
  described in chapter four the D20 Future 
  core rulebook. A Mustard can hold his or 
  her breath for a number of minutes equal to 
  it’s CON score before needing to breathe.  
   
  Improved Damage Threshold (EX): 
  Mustards receive Improved Damage 
  Threshold as a racial bonus feat.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: None. A Mustard’s 
  senses are only as keen as an ordinary 
  human’s.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: The same protective 
  mutations that make the Mustard Men all 
  but immune to chemical weapons means that 
  these creatures have no sense of smell, and 
  58
  
  only a minimal sense of taste. No Mustard 
  may ever receive the Scent special quality.  
   
   
  A Mustard’s highly regimented 
  childhood and years of continual 
  brainwashing limits the starting occupations 
  these mutant soldiers are allowed to select. 
  A Mustard can only select from the 
  following short list of starting occupations:  
   
  Adventurer, Emergency Services, or 
  Military  
   
  More Mutants ! 
   
  Players looking to add an even more 
  diverse array of genetically engineered Cold 
  Warriors to the campaign might want to pick 
  up the Psi-Watch campaign option, 
  published by Otherverse Games. The new 
  metahuman races in that book fit nicely with 
  the supersoldiers found here, and many of  
  Psi-Watch’s most powerful metahumans 
  have their origins in Cold War laboratories.   
   
  The United State’s “Patriot” program 
  produced a trio variant human strains every 
  bit as powerful as the Spetsnazski, and 
  gruesome Gravedigger cyborgs were field 
  tested during the Vietnam War. The 
  Challengers were born from a distinct 
  moment in history, the destruction of the 
  shuttle Challenger, one of the defining 
  moments of the decade.  
   
  Genetically altered Moreaus, 
  described in the D20 Modern Core rule 
  book, are common on both sides of the Iron 
  Curtian. To make these mutants a more 
  attractive PC option, the game master might 
  give them some of the versatility and skill of 
  their pure born human parents.  
   
  Covert Moreus in this campaign 
  receive an additional bonus feat during 
  character creation, for a total of two feats, 
  exactly like a human PC. They do not 
  however, receive any additional skill ranks.  
   
   
   
  The R-Raiders  
  Medium Humanoid  
   
   
  Imagine a 1980s where it all went 
  wrong, and then project that world thirty 
  years into its own hellish future. On a 
  parallel Earth, the thing epidemiologists in 
  our world feared came to happen: the HIV 
  virus mutated, becoming capable of airborne 
  thread. Over the next six horrible years, 
  eighty percent of the human population died 
  off, cut down by opportunistic infections, 
  famine and secondary diseases.  
  Those few who survived did so 
  thanks to a natural resistance to the 
  infection. Within less than a decade human 
  society decayed into a few scattered bands 
  of refugees, struggling to survive the 
  diseases caused by the unburied victims of a 
  global plague, the world wide famine after 
  the bio-medical apocalypse and the brush 
  fire wars that erupted over scarse resources 
  and scavenging rights. Scattered nuclear 
  exchanges only worsened the situation. By 
  the time the parallel-80s became the 
  parallel-90s, worldwide human population 
  had dropped to only a few hundred 
  thousand.  
   
  Realizing their blasted Earth could 
  no longer support human civilization, the 
  pitifully few survivors of this alternate 
  universe began looking for a way out. No 
  longer having the resources for space flight, 
  this world’s scientists were forced to turn to 
  untested new technologies. Within a few 
  decades, Plauge-Earth’s scientists had 
  proven the existance of parallel realities, and 
  had designed crude dimensional gates.  
   
  Until Plauge-Earth’s last surviving 
  scientists can find an uninhabited parallel 
  Earth for their the survivors to escape to, the 
  citizens of this parallel survive by raiding 
  and dimensional piracy.  
   
  R-Raider squads tear through 
  dimensional barriers, striking unpredictably 
  and without mercy, ambushing completely 
  unprepared targets. A successful strike gives 
  the R-Raiders a chance to bring back the 
  things their own world needs to survive: 
  food stocks, fuel, weapons and computer 
  59
  
  tech. R-Raiders steal to survive, even if their 
  victories mean death to their parallel reality 
  cousins across the dimensional gulf. Just 
  pray they never find the dimensional 
  coordinates for your own native Earth.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 16. R-Raiders are 
  humans forced to evolve thanks to global 
  disease and endless warfare, and as such 
  they closely resemble their pure-human 
  cousins in other parallel realities.  
   
  R-Raider humans have crammed 
  thousands of years of evolution into a few 
  short decades of disease, warfare and 
  looming Earth-death. Regardless of their 
  racial origin, R-Radier humans have a 
  vaugely yellowish cast to their skin. Most 
  have dark brown or black eyes; blue or 
  green eyes are 
  million to one 
  rarities, and are 
  considered highly 
  attractive traits 
  among the survivors.  
   
  Typically 
  dressed in hastily 
  improvised combat 
  armor, R-Raiders are 
  a terrifying sight as 
  they step out of a 
  sputtering, jury 
  rigged dimensional 
  gate. However, if a 
  R-Raider cut his 
  scraggly hair, bathed 
  his filthy blood 
  stained skin and 
  traded his kevlar for 
  a business suit, he could easily pass for just 
  another human citizen of Eighties America.  
   
  Size: Medium. A R-Raider receives no 
  special bonuses or penalties due to size. A 
  R-Raider’s base land speed is 30 ft. R-
  Raiders conform closely to human height 
  and weight norms.  
   
  Reproduction: R-Raiders are a variant 
  human species, and reproduce like ordinary 
  homo sapiens. However, the same mutations 
  that allow the R-Raiders to survive an earth 
  gone mad have dramatically cut their 
  chances for perpetuating their species. 
   Most R-Raider pregnancies end in 
  miscarriage, and fertilization is rare and 
  incredibly difficult. A shockingly high 
  percentage of R-Raider females die of 
  complications during birth. R-Raiders 
  perpetuate their species by crude cloning 
  techniques or by raising infants stolen from 
  other dimensions.  
   
  Names: R-Raider names reflect “Pre-
  Plauge” human naming conventions, but 
  many R-Raiders address each other by rank 
  or by nicknames won in battle. The few R-
  Raider females who have managed to bring 
  a child to term and survive are addressed as 
  “Momma”, which has become one of the 
  embattled culture’s 
  highest honorifics.  
   
  Ability Score 
  Modifiers: +2 
  CON. R-Raiders 
  are the last 
  survivors of a 
  plague that wiped 
  out billions, and as 
  such are far tougher 
  and hardier than 
  their human 
  cousins.  
   
  Racial Skills: R-
  Raider mutants 
  have learned some 
  hard lessons of 
  survival, 
  scavenging and self reliance  in the years 
  since the Bug went airborne. R-Raiders 
  receive a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks, 
  Craft: mechanical checks and Treat Injury 
  checks.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: R-Raiders have senses 
  about as keen as their human counterparts.  
   
  Last Survivor (EX): R-Raider mutants are 
  incredibly durable; the gene stock of these 
  mutants has been improved by the trials the 
  60
  
  species has suffered. R-Raiders are immune 
  to all non-magical forms of disease.  
   
  R-Raiders have highly efficient 
  metabolisms, and receive a +8 racial bonus 
  on FORT saves made to resist thirst or 
  starvation. As a result of their superior 
  physical processes, all R-Raiders receive 
  Endruance as a racial bonus feat.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: None.  
   
  The Spetsnazski  
  Medium Humanoid  
   
   
  The Spetsnazski are products of a 
  secret Russian genetics experiment, 
  designed to produce the perfect soldier. The 
  Spetsnazski program actually predates 
  American attempts to produce enhanced 
  Cold Warriors by nearly a decade; the first 
  Spetsnazski experiments were performed on 
  the unfortunate victims of the Stalin-era 
  purges. Thanks their willingness to spend 
  thousands of lives for a single positive 
  result, and a budget dwarfing anything the 
  CIA or Department Seven had to work with, 
  the USSR took an early initial lead in the 
  genetic arms race.  
   
  Spetsnazski mutates first entered 
  combat service during the late 1960s. These 
  perfect Soviet warriors were dispatched to 
  hotspots around the globe, instructed to train 
  ‘progressive elements’ and leftist rebels in 
  guerilla tactics. Secret duels between 
  Spetsnazski agents and their gene-enhanced 
  American counterparts were common and 
  brutal, as the two breeds of super soldier 
  clashed on battlefields around the globe.  
   
   
  Like their nearest American 
  counterparts, the Patriot Ivories (described 
  fully in the Psi-Watch campaign option) 
  Spetsnazski are raised in isolation, usually in 
  a remote and fortified ‘Science City’ which 
  does not appear on any Russian map. Many 
  of the 1960s era Spetsnazski were mutated 
  into a post-human form during their 
  childhood, after it became clear they would 
  survive, these mutant children were taken 
  from their dissident parents and raised by 
  the State.  
   
  Today, Spetsnazski are trained in the 
  same way they have been for decades. Their 
  childhoods are filled with wilderness 
  survival courses, armed and unarmed 
  combat training, and political indoctrination. 
  During their teens, young Spetsnazski are 
  instructed in the arts of espionage and 
  insurgency. By the time these super-agents 
  are allowed to leave Russia on their first 
  mission, they have as much fieldcraft 
  training as most veteran Western spies.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 16. Spetsnazski are 
  designed to easily pass for human; those 
  with overt mutations are euthanized within 
  minutes of birth. A Spetsnazski resembles a 
  pale, lean Russian man or woman. The main 
  difference between a Spetsnazski and a 
  human is the structure of the eyes; a 
  Spetsnazski’s eyes lack visible irises. Their 
  61
  
  dark irises seem to fill most of their eyes. 
  This minor mutation can easily be concealed 
  behind sunglasses.  
   
  Size: Medium. As a medium creature, a 
  Spetsnazski has no special bonuses or 
  penalties due to size. A Spetsnazski’s base 
  land speed is 30 ft. These human mutants 
  conform to human height and weight norms.  
   
  Reproduction: Spetsnazski reproduce 
  identically to ordinary humans.  
   
  Names: Spetsnazski are an artificial, variant 
  of humanity, and follow Russian naming 
  conventions.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: +2 DEX. 
  Spetsnazski musculature and connective 
  tissue is more flexible and pliable than 
  comparable human tissue, giving the 
  supersoldiers unparalleled grace and agility.  
   
  Racial Skills: Spetsnazski are trained 
  extensively in espionage and warfare, and 
  are taught to take pride in the revolutionary 
  history of the USSR. Spetsnazski receive a 
  +2 racial bonus on the following Knowledge 
  checks: History, Streetwise and Tactics.  
   
   
  All Spetsnazski receive Personal 
  Firearms Proficency as a racial bonus feat; 
  most young Spetsnazski fire a gun for the 
  first time before their fifth birthday. 
   
   Due to the years these genetically 
  engineered warriors have spent drilling with 
  the AK-47, they receive AK-47 Insurgent as 
  a racial bonus feat. 
   
  With the emphasis the Russian 
  unarmed combat style places on wrestling, 
  its no suprise that these warriors receive a 
  +2 racial bonus on grapple checks.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: Spetsnazski eyes are 
  designed to let in maximum amounts of 
  light, giving the mutates darkvision with a 
  60 ft range.  
   
  Cold Soldier (EX): Spetsnazski are 
  designed to thrive in cold weather, and to 
  use Russia’s lethal winters as another 
  weapon in their arsenalarsenal. Spetsnazski 
  receive a +8 racial bonus on FORT saves 
  made to resist extreme environmental cold.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: A Spetsnazski’s early 
  years are focused on military and espionage 
  training, limiting their social interaction and 
  early career choices.  A Spetsnazski 
  character can only select a starting 
  occupation only from the following list:  
   
   
  Adventurer, Athlete, Criminal, 
  Emergency Services, Military  
   
   
  The same optical mutations which 
  increase a Spetsnazski’s night vision gives 
  the mutate a mild form of day blindness. 
  The mutate suffers a –2 penalty on ranged 
  attack rolls during daylight or when exposed 
  to any bright artificial light source.  
   
   
   
  Wild Fawn  
  Medium Humanoid (Shapechanger subtype)   
   
   
   
  There are legends of noble unicorns 
  and pegasi who accept pure hearted young 
  child warriors as riders, two becoming a 
  single force of brilliant good. There are 
  stories of virgin girls, pure enough to touch 
  the divine, to walk along side nature’s 
  perfect beast. Unspoken in those legends is 
  62
  
  the sexual component, another form of 
  communion between woman and mage-born 
  creature. Wild Fawn are the distant 
  descendants of those mythic liaisons, 
  children of pure good and unconquered 
  innocence.  
   
  The Wild Fawn are an ancient 
  mystical species, far common in myth-
  haunted Europe than in the New World. 
  Wild Fawn are especially common in Russia 
  and the near east. Despite the struggle 
  between their two nations, a handful of 
  Russian and Afghani Wild Fawns have 
  teamed to bring peace to both nations. 
  America’s White Fawn are a rare breed of 
  child-heroes, many of whom proudly display 
  their Native American heritage. Many 
  American-born Wild Fawn are the spiritual 
  grandchildren of the mythic White Buffalo 
  Woman, or the incarnation of Cherokee 
  spirits.  
   
  Spot Check DC: DC 18. Wild Fawn are 
  nearly indistinguishable from normal 
  humans. Male or female, they are the 
  embodiment of grace and beauty. Wild 
  Fawn are marked by a  pale white birthmark 
  on their forehead, a memento of their 
  unicorn blood, or a similar stains on their 
  shoulders, a moment of their pegasi heritage.  
    
  These marks are hard to see and can 
  be easily be concealed with make upon a 
  pale skinned Wild Fawn, but are much more 
  noticable among darker skinned Wild Fawn. 
  Most Wild Fawn hide their nature in plain 
  sight, simply attempting to pass for a human 
  with an unqiue birthmark.  
   
  Size: Medium. A Wild Fawn’s base land 
  speed is 30 ft. Some Wild Fawn display 
  even greater swiftness of foot, or possess a 
  flght speed. Wild Fawn are roughly the same 
  size as normal human boys and girls.  
   
  Reproduction: The children and 
  grandchildren of Wild Fawn share their 
  ancestor’s nobility and mystical heritage. 
  Wild Fawn have children and enter 
  romances as their mortal counterparts do; 
  however, Wild Fawn are often more 
  sexually conservative and modest than their 
  human friends.  
   
  Names: Wild Fawn names reflect the wider 
  human culture of their birth.  
   
  Ability Score Modifiers: +2 CHA. Wild 
  Fawn are indescribly beautiful, in body and 
  soul.  
    
  Racial Skills: Wild Fawn receive a +4 racial 
  bonus on Survival checks and any one of the 
  following Knowledge skills: arcane lore, 
  civics, history or theology & philosophy.  
   
  Enhanced Senses: Wild Fawn possess 
  lowlight vision.   
   
  Heritage of the Hooves: A Wild Fawn’s 
  arcane animal heritage comes to the fore, 
  reflected in her unique abilities. All Wild 
  Fawn must select two of the following 
  ability packages. Once chosen, the Wild 
  Fawn’s racial abilities cannot be changed.  
   
  Blood of the Unicorn (SU): The Wild 
  Fawn’s blood bears traces of the 
  unicorn’s magic and powerful legacy 
  of good. Any creature with an 
  allegiance to evil, or to an evil group 
  or faith suffers the effects of a bane 
  spell cast by a 1st level acolyte (-1 
  on attack rolls and saves against fear 
  effects) when within 60 ft of the 
  Wild Fawn, and able to see her 
  clearly. 
   
  Equine Form (SU): A number of 
  times per day equal to her WIS 
  modifier (minimum once daily) , the 
  Wild Fawn can transform herself 
  into a form reminiscent of her 
  ancestral beast. She may transform 
  into a horse or deer like creature, 
  which may resemble an ordinary 
  animal or be a fantastical mystic 
  creature.  
               Whatever her change form’s 
  appearance,  model it using  the 
  game statistics for a horse (pg 239 of 
  63
  
  the D20 modern core rulebook), with 
  the following changes. In equine 
  form the metahuman retains her own 
  INT, WIS and CHA scores, her class 
  abilities, base attack bonus and her 
  Hit Dice.  
   
  While 
  transformed, the 
  Wild Fawn’s 
  weapons and gear 
  meld into her 
  body, and become 
  useless. 
  Transformation is 
  a full round action 
  which provokes 
  attacks of 
  opportunity. The 
  Wild Fawn can 
  maintain her 
  equine form for a 
  number of hours 
  equal to her total 
  character level, or 
  can choose to 
  return to human 
  form at any time.  
   
  Fleeting Beauty 
  (SU): The Wild Fawn is too perfect a 
  creature to be easily captured or 
  recorded. She receives a +4 racial 
  bonus on Hide, Move Silently and 
  Escape Artist checks, and cannot be 
  recorded by any electronic device. 
  She can however, communicate in 
  ‘real time’ over a cell phone or other 
  device, but the image cannot be 
  stored, intercepted or recovered.  
   
  An ally may spend an action 
  point to attune a specific recording 
  device or sensor to allow the Wild 
  Fawn to be detected and recorded by 
  that device.  
   
  Heritage of Europa (EX): The Wild 
  Fawn’s blood can be traced to the 
  rape of Europa, by Zues Parthagenos 
  in his form as the divine bull. The 
  Wild Fawn is incredibly strong, 
  receiving a +2 racial bonus to STR.  
   
  Heritage of the Hart (EX): The Wild 
  Fawn’s blood is that of the Divine 
  Stag, and she is a graceful, 
  amazingly deft runner. She receives 
  a +10 ft increase to base land speed, 
  which 
  stacks with 
  increases 
  from other 
  sources, 
  such as 
  Fast Hero 
  levels. 
   
  Moon Soul 
  (SU): The 
  Wild Fawn 
  is blessed 
  by the pure 
  silver light 
  of the 
  moon. 
  During the 
  night, she 
  receives a 
  +2 dodge 
  bonus to 
  Defense, 
  and a +2 racial bonus on all Reflex 
  saves, Hide and Move Silently 
  checks.  
    
  Soul of the Sky (SU): The Wild Fawn 
  lacks the glorious feathered wings of 
  a true pegasi, but she can fly through 
  sheer force of will. The Wild Fawn 
  gains a flight speed of 30 ft (average 
  maneuverability).  
   
  Soul of the Unicorn (SU): The Wild 
  Fawn’s soul is as pure and clear as 
  any true unicorns, and she is a 
  powerful force for good. A number 
  of times per day equal to her CHA 
  modifier (minimum once daily), the 
  Wild Fawn can cast cure light 
  wounds as an acolyte of her total 
  character level.  
  64
  
  Sun Soul (SU): The Wild Fawn is at 
  her strongest when blessed by the 
  warmth of the sun. During daylight 
  hours, the Wild Fawn receives Fast 
  Healing 1 and becomes immune to 
  all poisons.  
   
  Racial Weaknesses: Wild Fawn are 
  creatures of pure good; they cannot select 
  any evil allegiance, nor pledge loyalty to any 
  evil group or faith. In addition, the Wild 
  Fawn must select one of the following racial 
  weaknesses. Once selected, this racial 
  weakness cannot be changed.  
   
  Empathic Innocence (SU):  As a 
  creature of pure good and limitless 
  love, the Wild Fawn is shaken by the 
  evil it can sense in man’s heart. The 
  Wild Fawn suffers a –2 morale 
  penalty on all attack rolls,  saving 
  throws and skill checks when within 
  30 ft of any creature with an evil 
  aura, alignment, alligence or 
  subtype, as well as anyone who has 
  ever intentionally tortured or 
  murdered a sentient being.  
   
  Otherworldly (EX): The Wild Fawn 
  is so pure a creature, so strange and 
  innocent an intellect, she cannot 
  select a starting occupation.  
   
  Unwavering Mercy (EX): The Wild 
  Fawn cannot bring itself to kill 
  easily. The Wild Fawn must spend 
  an action point prior to making any 
  attack it knows is likely to kill any 
  living adversary, sentient or not. If 
  the Wild Fawn knows that the 
  damage it will inflict will not 
  immediately kill the target, he or she 
  does not need to spend the action 
  point- only when death is likely. Nor 
  does the Wild Fawn need to spend an 
  action point when making any non-
  lethal attack or using any non 
  damaging spell or effect.  
   
  If the Wild Fawn ever uses 
  kills any living creature, he or she 
  loses all supernatural racial abilities 
  for 24 hours.  
   
   
  Career Minded: Starting Occupations for the 1980s!  
   
  “When underage, Mann’s subjects tend to stare forthrightly at the camera, as if displaying their 
  own wisdom, power and volition. They’re a little dangerous, the antithesis of shopping-mall and 
  television-obsesed mini-consumers who play with palstic toys on manicured lawns.”  
  − David Ebony, Curve: The Female Nude Now  
   
   
  The new starting occupations described in this chapter differ slightly from the starting 
  occupations found in the D20 Modern core rules. The D20 Modern and D20 Future starting 
  occupations define a character’s preheroic life primarily by the skills the character picked up 
  along the way.  
  These Eighties starting occupations take a slightly different approach, defining characters 
  by their racial and national origins, age, interests and place in Eighties America. Both sets of 
  starting occupations can be used interchangeablyinterchangeably. Since kids heroes and plucky 
  sidekicks were stables of Eighties fiction, many of these starting occupations are specifically 
  designed to allow pre-teen PCs.  
  The Astronaut Trainee occupation from D20 Future is a nice choice for any campaign 
  involving NASA or the Space Race. Gladiator, Outcast and Scavenger are a perfect fit for a post-
  apocalypse campaign.  
   
   
  65
  
  • Agent Trainee 
  • Child Soldier 
  • Forester  
  • Karate Boy/Girl  
  • Mall Rat  
  • Marielito  
  • Motorhead  
  • New Ager  
  • Old Hippie  
  • Olympic Hopeful 
  • Romanov Survivor  
  • Samizdat  
  • Scientist’s Kid  
  • Urban Mole  
  • Vietnam Vet  
  • Young Dreamer  
   
   
  Agent Trainee  
   
  Properly training an 
  intelligence agent takes years, and 
  this major investment in time and 
  resources is a price both sides of the 
  Cold War are willing to pay. Many 
  young intelligence operatives are 
  recruited out of high school, or are 
  hired and sent to college at their 
  parent agency’s expense. In the 
  USSR, promising young candidates 
  are given their first taste of military 
  training and field craft during 
  exercises that begin while the 
  recruits are still secondary school students.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 18+  
   
  Skills: Select two of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Bluff, Computer Use, Craft 
  (electronic), Disable Device, Disguise, 
  Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, 
  Hide, Investigate, Knowledge (streetwise, 
  technology or tactics), Listen, Search, Sense 
  Motive, Spot  
   
  Bonus Feat: You receive Personal 
  Firearms Proficiency as a bonus feat.   
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +2  
   
  Child Soldier  
   
   
  “A child with an assault rifle…. is a 
  fearsome match for anyone. These weapons 
  are very simple to use. The AK-47 can be 
  stripped and reassembled by a child of 10.”  
   
  -UNICEF, the State of the World’s 
  Children: 1996 Report  
   
  International law and long standing 
  tradition prevents supposedly prevents 
  children from being forced into warfare.  
   
  Despite the taboo against child soldiers, 
  these young warriors are a sad fact of 
  modern warfare. Child Soldiers are usually 
  by-products of invasion and rebellion, or are 
  forced into para-military groups by cruel 
  warlords. At the same age where most of 
  their American counterparts are learning to 
  drive or spending their quarters at the 
  arcades, Child Soldiers are learning how to 
  fight, kill and are fighting to stay sane.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 8+  
   
  Skills: Select two of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Climb, Demolitions, Disable Device, 
  Drive, Hide, Knowledge (tactics, theology & 
  philosophy), Move Silently, Pilot, Repair, 
  Survival, Treat Injury   
   
   
  Bonus Feats: The Child Soldier 
  gains Personal Firearms Proficiency as a 
  bonus feat, plus one other feat of choice, 
  chosen from the following list: Advanced 
  66
  
  Firearms Proficiency, AK-47 Insurgent, 
  Guide, or Toughness.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Special: Child Soldiers can purchase 
  or aquire weapons or equipment from their 
  patron government or paramilitary group 
  just as easily as an adult soldier could, 
  despite their young age.  
   
   
  Forester  
   
  Groups like the Boy Scouts (and 
  their Russian counterparts, the Young 
  Pioneers) were popular with children during 
  the late Seventies and early Eighties. These 
  groups taught woodscraft, hunting, tracking 
  and a respect for the natural world, among 
  other miscelanious talents.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 12+  
   
  Skills: Select two of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select  
  is already a class skill, you receive a +1 
  competence bonus on checks using that 
  skill.  
   
  Climb, Handle Animal, Hide, Jump, 
  Knowledge (current events, earth & life 
  sciences, popular culture), Listen, Navigate, 
  Ride, Spot, Survival, Swim, Treat Injury  
   
  Bonus Feats: Foresters receive 
  Guide as a bonus feat.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
   
   
  Karate Boy/ Karate Girl  
   
  Movies like The Karate Kid, old 
  kung-fu flicks and the Ninja Turtles brought 
  about a marital arts rennisance. By the late 
  1980s, it seemed that every kid in America 
  had taken a few weeks of martial arts 
  lessons, usually taught in some franichse 
  dojo. A few kids are tough and disciplined 
  enough to begin a serious study of the 
  martial arts.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 11+  
   
  Skills: Select two of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, 
  Intimidate, Knowledge (arcane lore, history, 
  popular culture), Move Silently, Perform 
  (dance), Swim, Tumble  
   
  Bonus Feats: Karate Boys and Girls 
  receive Defensive Martial Arts as a bonus 
  feat.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +1  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
   
   
  Mall Rat 
   
  Mall Rat isn’t an occupation so much 
  as it is a lifestyle, a way for bored, under 
  supervised kids with a little bit of disposable 
  income to spend their time. The Mall Rat 
  starting occupation encompasses everyone 
  from monied yuppie-spawn, middle class 
  latchkey kids, to homeless street kids, 
  pickpockets and young gang bangers. The 
  thing that binds all these diverse children 
  together: the mall they all hang out at in 
  search of excitement.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 10+  
   
  Skills: Select two of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Bluff, Computer Use, Craft 
  (electronics), Hide, Kowledge (current 
  events, poular culture, streetwise), Move 
  Silently, Perform (dance, keyboards, sing, 
  67
  
  stringed instruments), Sleight of Hand, 
  Tumble  
   
  Bonus Feat: Select one of the 
  following: Brawl, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, 
  Nimble, Studious, or Stealthy  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +2  
   
  Marielito  
   
  In 1980, the Mariel Boatlift brought 
  more than 125,000 Cuban refugees into 
  America, the first and only major exodus 
  from the Communist island. In contrast to 
  the promises Fidel Castro made America, 
  many of those shoved into the dangerously 
  overloaded boats were dissidents, criminals, 
  the insane and other undesirables. Few were 
  actually relatives of the Cuban-American 
  community which had long hoped for a 
  long-delayed with their loved ones, still 
  trapped in Cuba.  
   
  Large numbers of ‘Marielitos’ 
  remained in the United States, some joining 
  the criminal underground, while others 
  assimilated into mainstream American 
  society.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 15+, Cuban 
  Nationality  
   
  Skills: Select three of the following skills as 
  permanent class skills. If the skill you select 
  is already a 
  class skill, you 
  receive a +1 
  competence 
  bonus on 
  checks using 
  that skill.  
   
  Bluff, 
  Disable 
  Device, Drive, 
  Escape Artist, 
  Forgery, 
  Intimidate, 
  Knowledge 
  (civics or 
  streetwise), 
  Move Silently, 
  Profession (any 
  blue collar),  
  Sleight of Hand 
   
   
   
  Bonus Feat: Select one of the 
  following: Brawl, Toughness or Personal 
  Firearms Proficiency 
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Motorhead  
   
  The Eighties were the decade of the 
  car chase and the cross-country road trip. 
  Truckers, speed demons, road warriors and 
  racers were all media heroes. The motorhead 
  starting occupation encompasses all the 
  skills needed to go fast and misbehave.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 16+  
   
  Skills: Select two of the of the 
  following skills as permanent class skills. If 
  the skill you select is already a class skill, 
  you receive a +1 competence bonus on 
  checks using that skill.  
   
  Craft (mechanical), Drive, Gamble, 
  Intimidate, Knowledge (streetwise or 
  technology), Navigate, Pilot, Profession 
  (any blue collar), Repair 
   
   
  Bonus Feat: The Motorhead 
  receives Vehicle Expert as a bonus feat.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +2  
   
   
  New Ager 
   
  The late Seventies 
  and early Eighties brought 
  with them a new interest in 
  all things occult and exotic. 
  Mystic heroes dominated 
  paperback sales and 
  pseudo-Satanic cults 
  menaced drive-in movie 
  craters. While irritating 
  mothers waged ineffectual 
  wars against the made-up 
  magic in heavy metal and 
  Dungeons and Dragons, a 
  few seekers discovered 
  true mystic enlightenment. 
  You are one of those few.  
  Prerequsite: Age 13+  
   
  Skills: You receive 
  Knowledge: arcane lore 
  68
  
  and two of the of the following skills as 
  permanent class skills. If the skill you select 
  is already a class skill, you receive a +1 
  competence bonus on checks using that 
  skill.  
   
  Bluff, Concentration, Craft: (visual 
  art, writing), Decipher Script, Handle 
  Animal, Knowledge: (art, behavioral 
  sciences, history, theology & philosophy), 
  Perform (any), Research, Sleight of Hand 
   
  Bonus Feat: The New Ager receives 
  the Magical Heritage feat, described below, 
  as a bonus feat.   
   
  Magical Heritage (General 
  SU)  
  You have magical ability in 
  your background, such as a sorcerer 
  in your bloodline, or you gained 
  access to magic at a particularly 
  young age (by discovering a 
  spellbook in your attic, for example). 
  As a result, you mastered some basic 
  spellcasting. 
  Prerequisite: Intelligence 
  10+, Character level first.  
  Benefit: Choose three 0-level 
  arcane spells (“cantrips”). You may 
  cast each of these spells once per 
  day per your arcane spellcasting 
  level (minimum 1). You are treated 
  as a Mage for purposes of arcane 
  spell failure chance when you are 
  wearing armor. 
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +1  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +1  
   
  Old Hippie  
   
  Some of the children of the Sixties 
  held fast to their ideals and non-materialistic 
  lifestyle even during the ‘Me Decade’. The 
  Old Hippie starting occupation means the 
  character has never lost sight of the Sixties. 
  Many live agrarian lives, on communes or 
  small family farms just outside mainstream 
  society, but others remain active in politics- 
  particularly eco-feminism, civil rights and 
  nuclear disarmament.  
  Prerequsite: Adult or Middle Aged 
  age category. American nationality.  
   
  Skills: Select three of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Craft (pharmaceutical, visual art), 
  Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Knowledge 
  (art, civics, current events, popular culture, 
  theology & philosophy), Perform (any), 
  Profession (farmer), Repair,  Treat Injury  
   
  Bonus Feat: Select one of the 
  following: Animal Affinity, Creative, 
  Educated, Low Profile 
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0   
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
    
   
  Romanov Survivor  
   
  The rumors of surviving members of 
  the Romanov family were whispered just 
  days after the massacre of the Imperal 
  Dynasty during the earliest days of the 
  Russian Revolution. Over the years, a 
  number of claimants to the lost Russian 
  throne have emerged, most notably Anna 
  Anderson during the late 1970s. However, 
  these claimants have invariably been proved 
  false, unconnected to the murdered royal 
  family.  
   
  However, you are different. You 
  share a blood tie with the members of the 
  long vanished royal family. Perhaps your 
  ancestors were abroad when the Revolution 
  broke out, or were able to flee to safety. 
  Perhaps, like some have hoped, Czarina 
  69
  
  Anastasia survived the execution of her 
  family and escaped abroad.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 10+ , Russian 
  ancestry (though the character may be a 
  citizen of any nation)  
   
  Skills: Regardless of your native 
  language, you may speak and are literate in 
  Russian. Select two of the following skills as 
  permanent class skills. If the skill you select 
  is already a class skill, you receive a +1 
  competence bonus on checks using that 
  skill.  
   
  Diplomacy, Disguise, Knowledge 
  (art, civics, current events, history), Perofrm 
  (dance, sing), Profession (any white collar), 
  Research  
   
  Bonus Feat: You gain one of the 
  following feats as a bonus feat: Animal 
  Affinity, Educated, Trustworthy or 
  Windfall.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +3   
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +1  
   
  Samizdat  
   
  You are a member of Russia’s 
  samizdat, a repressed and hunted cultural 
  underground. The samizdat is a loosely 
  aligned group of dissidents and free 
  thinkers. The group does not have the 
  resources (or the desire) to overthrow the 
  USSR, instead focusing on coping and 
  distributing forbidden art and literature. 
  Many of these cultural-dissidents are 
  obsessed with American pop culture, and 
  make a tidy living selling bootleg movies, 
  tapes and books on Russia’s well-entrenched 
  black market.  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 15+, Russian 
  nationality.   
   
  Skills: Select three of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Craft (visual art, writing), Decipher 
  Script, Forgery, Hide, Knowledge (arcane 
  lore, art, civics, current events, history, 
  streetwise, popular culture, theology & 
  philosophy), Perform (any), Research 
   
  Bonus Feat: Select either Personal 
  Firearms Proficiency, Creative, Deceptive, 
  Educated or Studious as a bonus feat.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0   
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +2  
   
  Scientist’s Kid  
   
  Eighties cartoons were filled with the 
  orphaned offspring of super-scientists, many 
  of whom died trying to protect their 
  revolutionary inventions from spies and 
  thieves. Often, the scientist’s son or 
  daughter must protect the invention or 
  recover it, forcing these gifted, brainy 
  children into a heroic role despite their 
  young age.  
   
  A Scientist’s Kid usually has parents 
  who are high or mid-level Smart Heroes, 
  Techies or Field Scientists. Usually these 
  parents are unavailable, off on globe trotting 
  adventures, forcing their gifted kids to fend 
  for themselves. Many kids have lost their 
  parents at an early age to espionage or secret 
  plots. Whether the player can call upon his 
  or her parents for aid is a choice for 
  individual gamemasters to make.  
  Prerequsite: Age 8+, INT 13+  
   
  Skills: Select three of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Computer Use, Concentration, Craft 
  (chemical, electronic, mechanical), Disable 
  Device, Drive, Knowledge (business, earth 
  & life sciences, history, physical sciences, 
  technology), Pilot, Repair, Research 
   
  Bonus Feat: A Scientist’s Kid 
  receives either Gear Head or Builder as a 
  bonus feat.  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +1  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +2  
   
  Olympic Hopeful 
  Olympic Hopefuls are similar to 
  Athletes, in that they are characters who 
  push their bodies and wills to the limit for 
  fame and fortune. Unlike regular Athletes, 
  Olympic Hopefuls focus as much as they do 
  on positively representing their nation, being 
  70
  
  a good example to younger athletes as they 
  do training for competition. 
   Since the Olympics were a chance 
  for a nation to flex its muscles and show its 
  national pride, achieving great public 
  relations victories, countries in both the 
  NATO and Warsaw Pacts lavished a great 
  deal of time, money and attention on their 
  young athletes.  
   
   
  Prerequsite: Age 12+  
   
   
  Skills: Add Diplomacy and any two 
  of the following skills as permanent class 
  skills. If the skill you select is already a class 
  skill, you receive a +1 competence bonus on 
  checks using that skill.  
  Balance, Climb, Concentration, 
  Jump, Knowledge: popular culture, 
  Perform: dance, Swim, Tumble  
   
  Bonus Feat: Select one of the 
  following:  
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +2  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +1  
   
   
   
   
  Urban Mole   
   
  Not everyone shared in the 
  prosperity of the 1980s. During the decade, 
  homelessness soared. The “mole people” 
  were a persistent urban legend in and around 
  New York, a group of well organized 
  homeless living deep in the seers, service 
  tunnels and abandoned subway lines deep 
  beneath the city. Moles survive by 
  scavenging and teamwork, and thanks to 
  illegal water and power hooks ups, their 
  hidden cities have a suprisingly high 
  standard of living. Mole cities are relatively 
  stable and far safer than above ground 
  homeless camps.  
  Prerequsite: Age 10+, New York 
  region  
   
  Skills: You receive Hide and any 
  two of the following skills as permanent 
  class skills. If the skill you select is already a 
  class skill, you receive a +1 competence 
  bonus on checks using that skill.  
   
  Craft (electronic, structural), Gather 
  Information, Handle Animal, Knowledge: 
  streetwise, Move Silently, Repair, Search, 
  Spot.  
   
  Bonus Feat: Select either Brawl, 
  Builder or Stealthy   
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +0  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  71
  
  Vietnam Vet  
   
  The Vietnam Veteran is an unusual 
  starting occupation in that it assumes the 
  character has seen combat and survived a 
  tour of duty in Vietnam. This starting 
  occupation assumes the character is 
  significantly older and more battle-hardened 
  then younger teammates. 
   
   
   The character is assumed to have 
  returned to civilian life after his tour of duty, 
  only returning to the military or assuming a 
  Heroic role a just prior to the start of the 
  campaign.  
   
  Prerequsite: Adult or Middle Aged 
  age category. American Nationality.  
   
  Gender: Due to restrictions on the 
  role of women in combat at the time, only 
  males can select this starting occupation.  
   
  Skills: Select two of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Demolitions, Hide, 
  Intimidate, Knowledge: tactics, 
  Listen, Move Silently, Pilot, 
  Survival, Treat Injury  
   
  Bonus Feat: The Vietnam 
  Vet receives Personal Firearms and 
  one other bonus feat of choice from 
  the following list, as a result of his 
  experiences in combat and his 
  training in boot camp.  
   
  Alertness, Advanced 
  Firearms Proficiency, Endurance, 
  Far Shot, Guide, Track  
   
  Reputation Bonus 
  Increase: +1  
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
   
   
   
  Young Dreamer 
   
  The young dreamer starting 
  occupation embraces children who are 
  driven by dreams or idealism, fantasy and 
  hope. Young Dreamers could be imaginative 
  but ordinary kids who fall into magical 
  adventures, or passionate young activists 
  like Samantha Smith who used their 
  youthful innocence to achieve political 
  victories.  
  72
  
   
  Prerequsite: Age 8+  
   
  Skills: Select three of the following 
  skills as permanent class skills. If the skill 
  you select is already a class skill, you 
  receive a +1 competence bonus on checks 
  using that skill.  
   
  Computer Use, Craft (visual arts, 
  writing), Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Hide, 
  Knowledge (arcane lore, art, history, popular 
  culture, theology & philosophy), Listen, 
  Perform (any), Sense Motive 
   
  Reputation Bonus Increase: +1 
   
  Wealth Bonus Increase: +0  
   
   
   
  Feats Don’t Fail Me Now 
   
   
  As the Eighties wore on, you needed to be something special just to survive. Most of the 
  following feats saw wide use in the Eighties. The other new feats represent magical talents and 
  supernormal knacks that add punch and power to any modern magic campaign set in an arcane 
  version of the Reagan-era.  
   
  Some of these new feats are marked as “Metagame Abilities”, which allow a player to 
  take direct control over some minor aspect of the game. These metagame talents might break 
  immersion by reminding the player that he or she’s playing a game, and giving that player the 
  limited ability to ‘break the rules’ of the game. 
   
   Some gamemasters might disallow metagame abilities, while others encourage them.  
   
   
  The following feats are presented in the Psi-Watch campiagn setting (Otherverse Games, 2008. 
  This assortment of feats emphasizes advanced military training, and is designed for any fairly 
  realistic, modern or espionage campaign…. The feats are perfect for either real world or psi-spy 
  style Cold Warriors.  
   
  Advanced Training ; Annointed Cleric ; Anti-Mech Warfare ; Anti-Tank Warfare   
  Arresting Images ; Armored Survivor ; AWACs Fire-Control ; AWACs Operator 
  AWACs Scout  ; Clean ID; Cold Steel Hunter ; Combat Cover ; Combat Cover, 
  Improved ; Combat Medic ; Combat Showman ; Command Airstrike 
  Comms Expert ; Controlled Burst ; Decorated Veteran ; Diplomat 
  Diversity of Experience ; Duskhunter ; Extremis Peacemaker ; Fearsome Violence 
  Full Autofire ; Harder Target ; Heavy Weapon Specialist ; Infiltrator  
  Jujitsu ; Meaningful Ink ; Military Chaplin ; Misinformation ; Missile Volley 
  Penetrating Fire ; Political Awareness ; Precision Fire ; Psychologist 
  Ranged Sabotage  ; Redliner ; Rouse to Violence ; Savant ; SERE Training 
  Squad Leader ; Tank Driver ; Tank Gunner ; Weapons Cache 
  New Feats 
   
  1. 
  Accupuncture  
  2. 
  Acid Shaman  
  3. 
  Action Bank 
  4. 
  Activate Sleeper Agent  
  5. 
  Acquisitions  
  6. 
  Ad Campaign  
  7. 
  Adapto-Instant Gadget  
  8. 
  ADi-Tech Inventor 
  9. 
  AK-47 Insurgent 
  10. American Arcanist  
  11. Angel School 
  12. Anti-Personel Explosives  
  13. Arcade Owner  
  14. Arctic Adventurer  
  15. Arresting Images  
  16. Audacity  
  17. Blackmail  
  18. Body Hardening Defense 
  19. Bombadier 
  20. Boombox Bard  
  21. Breach Expert 
  22. Breakdance Battle  
  23. Breakin’ Stickyfoot  
  24. Bugsweeper 
  25. Bugsweeping Instincts 
  26. Burn Rubber 
  27. Career Woman  
  28. Chaotic Aura  
  29. Cheerleader  
  30. Child of the Gallows  
  31. City Glyph  
  32. Citymover  
  33. Clobber 
  34. Coke Monster  
  35. Combat Athiest  
  36. Communist Elite  
  37. Constrictor 
  38. Contingency Planning 
  39. Cool Gig  
  40. Counter-Intel Expert  
  41. Crosstrained  
  42. Dark Reputation 
  43. Decisiveness 
  44. Decorated Veteran  
  45. Delicate Touch  
  46. Destructive Backbeat 
  47. Diamond Fist Technique  
  48. Disrespect 
  49. Disco Butterfly  
  50. Diversity of Experience 
  51. Dress to Impress  
  73
  
  52. Drunken Monkey Boxing  
  53. Elite Clearance  
  54. Expert Vandal  
  55. Fashion Rainbow  
  56. Fast Rope Training  
  57. Feral Youth  
  58. Feral Warcry  
  59. Fey Senses  
  60. Field Repair  
  61. Freedom Seeker  
  62. Freestyling  
  63. Friends Who’ve Died  
  64. Glam Gendershift  
  65. Glamor Dust  
  66. Gold & Platinum  
  67. Good Girl’s Aegis  
  68. Gold Girl’s Empathy 
  69. Good Girl’s Glow  
  70. Gonin-gake Karate 
  71. Groundshake  
  72. Gungrapple  
  73. Gym Rat 
  74. Handload  
  75. Hard Landing  
  76. Hard Training/ Easy 
  Missions 
  77. Heavy Caliber Knockback 
  78. Heavy Weapons Specialist  
  79. High Riser  
  80. Hitback Harder  
  81. Hotwire  
  82. Imajinary Explorer 
  83. Infiltrator  
  84. Investment Portfolio 
  85. Jujitsu 
  86. Kotodama Technique  
  87. Krav Maga 
  88. On Leather Wings  
  89. Liberty Graduate  
  90. Living Nightmare  
  91. Local Hero 
  92. Lucky Shot 
  93. Luckiest Shot in the World  
  94. Master of Improvisization 
  95. Meaningful Ink  
  96. Nightmarish Ressurection  
  97. One Inch Punch  
  98. Patient Sniper 
  99. Perfect Cover  
  100. Pillow Talk  
  101. Prepared for Betrayal  
  102. Pyromaniac  
  103. Racial Exotica 
  104. Ranged Disarm 
  105. Ranged Humiliation 
  106. Really Unlikely Allies  
  107. Redliner 
  108. Retained Council 
  109. Romantic Tragedy  
  110. Secular Philosopher  
  111. Serpentine Mane  
  112. Set the Pace  
  113. Sexual Healin’ 
  114. Shoot Out the Lights 
  115. Shoplifter  
  116. Silencing Strike  
  117. Skyfall 
  118. Snakefinger Jab  
  119. Sociopath’s Insight  
  120. Sound of Fear  
  121. Spray and Pray 
  122. Special Forces Training  
  123. Spec Ops Stealth  
  124. Stranglehold  
  125. Street Dealer  
  126. Sudden Inspiration  
  127. Sunflare  
  128. Super Heavywieght  
  129. Sweet Kicks  
  130. Tagger  
  131. Terrain Mastery 
  132. Terrain Supremacy  
  133. Two Fisted Scientist 
  134. Twine-Witch   
  135. Urban Warfighter  
  136. Urban Scavenger 
  137. Warrior’s Backbeat  
  138. Wages of Sin 
  139. Wheelman 
  140. Whip Scarf  
  141. Wholesome Image  
  142. Wise Sensi  
  143. Working Class Stoicism  
  144. Za-Zen Meditation  
   
   
   
  Accupuncture (General)  
   
  You are a student of Chineese 
  medicine and use your knowledge of the 
  body’s energy flow and pressure points 
  to perform medical miracles that even 
  modern surgical techniques cannot 
  match.  
  Prerequsite: Concentration 4 
  ranks, Treat Injury 8 ranks 
   
  Benefit: You can use the Treat 
  Injury skill to perform advanced medical 
  procedures using specially constructed 
  accupuncture needles (Purchase DC 8), 
  accupressure and massage rather than 
  requiring the Surgery feat or a surgical 
  kit. Your patients are not fatigued after 
  undergoing an occupant healing session, 
  as they would be in the case of surgery.  
   
  Normal: You must have the 
  Surgery feat and proper equipment to 
  treat serious injuries.  
   
   
  Acid Shaman (General – SU)  
   
  You spent the sixties in a drug 
  induced haze, dropping acid, taking 
  shrooms and smoking peoyte, blowing 
  74
  
  apart the doors in your mind and finding a 
  new way to see the world.  
   
  Prerequsites: Knowledge: 
  streetwise 4 ranks, arcane lore 1 rank, 
  theology & philosophy 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to your WIS modifier (minimum once 
  daily), you can summon the old LSD that’s 
  permeated your spinal fluid and re-
  configured your soul and have a spiritually 
  altering acid flash back. Summoning an acid 
  flashback is a move equivalent action.  
   
   
  During the acid flashback,you gain 
  an altered form of perception. During this 
  time you receive a +2 insight bonus on 
  WILL Saves, gain dark vision with a 60 ft 
  range, and can naturally see and interact 
  physically with invisible and ethereal 
  creatures.  
   
  If you are a spell caster, you cast 
  Illusion and Conjuration spells at +1 caster 
  level during the acid flashback. The 
  flashback lasts for a number of minutes 
  equal to one plus your WIS modifier 
  (minimum two minutes).  
  Once the acid flashback ends, you 
  must make a DC 17 WILL Save. Success 
  indicates you are sickened for 1d6 minutes 
  after the flashback. Failure on the save 
  indicates you are nauseated for 2d6 minutes 
  after the flashback. You may not enter 
  another acid flashback while shaking off the 
  lingering aftereffects of a previous trip.  
   
  Special: You must have been alive 
  during the Sixties, and this usually means 
  you must be in either the Adult or Middle 
  Age age categories. Children of hippy 
  parents who can say ‘I learned it from 
  watching you!’ might also qualify for this 
  feat.  
   
   
   
  Action Bank (General – Metagame Ability)  
   
  You know when to act decisively 
  and heroically, and are capable of 
  performing heroic feats with amazing 
  regularity.  
  Prerequsite: Heroic Surge, any 
  other feat that requires an action point to 
  activate  
   
  Benefit: When you take this feat, 
  you gain a permanent action point that 
  refreshes each day. Thus, you always have 
  at least one action point.  
   
  Special: You may take this feat 
  multiple times. Each time you do so, you 
  gain another permanent action point.  
   
  Activate Sleeper Agent (General – 
  Metagame Ability)  
   
  Both superpowers have seeded their 
  rival’s shores with sleeper agents, some of 
  which have penetrated the top echelons of 
  law enforcement, the military and 
  government. Some of these sleeper agents 
  are willing, highly trained deep cover 
  agents, while others live false lives pre-
  programmed into them by Cold War era-
  brainwashing, spy fiction psionics or intel-
  magik. You can recall these ‘sleeper agents’, 
  whether willing or not, from their ordinary 
  lives with a simple coded pass phrase.  
   
  Prerequsite: Deceptive, Elite 
  Clearance, Knowledge: tactics 12 ranks  
  75
  
   
   
  Benefit: You can use this ability to declare 
  that virtually any non-player character you 
  encounter is a sleeper agent, secretly 
  working for your patron government. 
  Effectively, you transform a human (void) 
  character into a adapto-instant gadget, 
  transform an ordinary person, even an 
  enemy into a loyal servant of the state with a 
  short conversation. The ability of superspies 
  to find hidden allies anywhere, even at the 
  highest levels of the chain of command, 
  fosters an aura of fear, mistrust and Cold 
  War paranoia.  
   
  Normally activating this ability 
  requires the expenditure of an action point 
  and at least one minute of conversation with 
  the agent to be ‘awakened’. You do not need 
  to share a language with the target, as many 
  of these conversations consist solely of 
  coded memory phrases and hypnotic 
  triggers, most of which sound like gibberish 
  anyway.  
   
  At the end of the short trigger phrase, 
  the potential agent makes a WILL Save, 
  with a base DC of 18.  
   
  If the target resists the effect 
  successfully, he or she is a loyal citizen of 
  their nation, exactly as they appear to be, 
  and can never be declared a sleeper agent.  
  If the target fails their save, he or she 
  ‘awakens’ to their true identity, and 
  becomes a loyal operative of your agency. If 
  the character has Ordinary class levels, he or 
  she gains Heroic class levels of the same 
  number and type, becoming much more 
  competent. The target’s primary allegiances 
  change to your patron government or to 
  aiding you specifically. The target’s attitude  
  towards you is initially Helpful, though the 
  target is not a mindless robot; their opinions 
  and attitudes towards you may change based 
  on your actions.  
  Typically, only nonplayer characters 
  without a personal connection to a player 
  character or important antagonist can be 
  ‘awakened’. A skilled spymaster can also 
  turn those closest to his enemies, activating 
  sleeper agents posing as lovers, family 
  members of coworkers. Doing so requires 
  the expenditure of two or more action 
  points, and is much harder to accomplish.  
   
   
  Acquisitions (General)  
   
   
  Your own vast fortune isn’t enough 
  to satisfy you, and you’re a notorious stock 
  market shark, taking over other trader’s 
  portfolios and using them to increase your 
  own wealth.  
   
  Prerequsite: Investment Portfolio 
   
  Benefit: You can use your 
  knowledge of investments and trade law to 
  seize control of other investors’ portfolios. 
  Once per week, you may ‘attack’ another 
  investor’s stock portfolio. Your Portfolio 
  makes an opposed Knowledge: business 
  check against the Target Portfolio. If your 
  check fails, neither Portfolio’s market value 
  changes. If the target Portfolio beats your 
  Portfolio’s check by five or more, your 
  Type of Sleeper to Awaken 
  WILL Save DC Modifier (Base DC 18)  
  Sleeper agent has undergone extensive 
  background checks, or has the Elite 
  Clearance or Decorated Veteran feats 
  DC +8  
  Sleeper agent is a highly placed 
  government figure or politician 
  DC +4  
  Sleeper agent is a minor or small child, 
  cutting their potential training time short 
  DC +4  
  Sleeper agent is already a member of an 
  underground or subversive organization: ie, 
  an American communist or a member of 
  the Russian samizdat  
  DC –5  
  Sleeper agent is a member of a PC or major 
  NPC’s family, close friend or acquaintance 
  DC +6  
  Each additional action point spent (beyond 
  one or two) when activating the agent 
  Cumulative DC –1 
  76
  
  Portfolio loses a point of effective 
  Intelligence.  
   
  If the opposed check succeeds, the 
  target Portfolio’s effective Intelligence score 
  is reduced by one point plus one point per 
  every three points by which your roll beats 
  the target’s. You may use this sudden influx 
  of capital in one of two ways:  
  • You permanently increase your 
  Wealth bonus by this amount.  
  • You increase your Portfolio’s 
  effective INT score by this amount. 
   
  Ad Campaign (General)  
   
  Given the right incentive, the public 
  will buy or believe anything. You can create 
  that incentive, build buzz about new 
  products or campaign promises, and create 
  need where none existed.  
   
  Prerequsite: Creative, Craft (visual 
  arts or writing) 4 ranks or Perform (any) 4 
  ranks, Bluff 4 ranks  
  Benefit: With a little effort, you can 
  create a compelling ad campaign which 
  makes business and politics much easier for 
  yourself or your client. Creating an ad 
  campaign requires the expenditure of an 
  action point and at least one week worth of 
  work. You must have access to the media to 
  use this feat.  
  When creating an advertisement or 
  piece of propaganda, you make either a 
  Craft (visual art or writing) check, or a 
  Perform (any) check The difficulty of the 
  check is based on the relative importance of 
  the campaign; it’s easier to convince the 
  public to take innocuous actions than do 
  something that puts them at risk or serious 
  inconvenience. A failed check simply means 
  the ad campaign has no impact.  
   
   
   
  If you succeed on the Craft/Perform 
  check, you have crafted a successful 
  propaganda campaign. As a result, the 
  corporation, group or allegiance that is the 
  subject of the advertisement gains a 
  commercial and political advantage. When 
  you craft the ad campaign, you may choose 
  any two of the following skills. 
  • Craft: visual art, writing  
  • Diplomacy  
  • Gather Information  
  • Knowledge: business, civics, popular 
  culture, theology & philosophy  
  • Profession: any  
   
   All employees of the client group or 
  members of the client salience (including the 
  advertiser) receive the same equipment 
  bonus on the chosen skills. This bonus 
  applies any time the subject interacts with 
  any sentient creature with an INT score of 
   five or greater that has seen the ad 
  campaign.  
  The bonus remains in effect for 1d6 
  days, plus one day per point by which the 
  advertiser beats the Craft/Perform check by. 
  The equipment bonus is equal to the 
  advertiser’s CHA modifier.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Type of Ad Campaign  
  Craft/ Perform DC  
  Innocous (buy one particular brand of clothes, ect)  
  DC 15  
  Prestigious (buy extremely expensive luxury goods, ect)  
  DC 20  
  Political ads (vote for a particular candidate, support a particular 
  popular cause)  
  DC 28  
  Military Propaganda (fight in a war, support a revolutionary 
  group or make major lifestyle or belief changes)  
  DC 35  
  77
  
   
   
   
  Adapto-Instant Gadget (General – 
  Metagame Ability)  
   
  Why bother to learn unarmed 
  combat? A good spy is never unarmed. 
  Ever, and even the most ordinary objects- a 
  Rolex watch, a fountain pen, a pair of cuff 
  links- might be a concealed gadget.  
   
  Prerequsite: Elite Clearance, 
  Knowledge: tactics 6 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You are a highly trained 
  espionage agent, and your parent agency 
  provides you with lifesaving gadgets and 
  concealed weapons, usually disguised as an 
  ordinary minor item or piece of clothing. 
  Once you have this feat, you do not need to 
  specify your adapto-instant gadget until it is 
  needed.  
   
  At any time, as a full round action, 
  you may spend an action point and declare 
  that almost any mundane item you are 
  carrying is really your adapto-instant gadget 
  in disguise. You may transform your adapto-
  instant gadget into any one of the following 
  pieces of gear.  
  • 
  Det cord (2d6 damage) and detonator 
  with 2 round timer.  
  • 
  Smoke or tear gas grenade.  
  • 
  Mild acid vial (1d6 damage)  
   
  • 
  35 mm camera, basic walkie talkie, 
  linesman’s buttset, tap detector, 
  telephone tap or night vision goggles 
  (batteries in each  for 1d2 hours)  
  • 
  Any standard quality professional kit, 
  lockpick set 
  • 
  Standard binoculars, gas mask or 
  breathing aperatus (1d4 minute oxygen 
  supply)  
  • 
  Single-shot poison dart launcher. 1d4 
  damage plus mild neurotoxin 1d4 DEX 
  initial and secondary damage, FORT 
  Save DC 14. Range Increment: 10 ft  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  You may have any number of 
  undefined adapto-instant gadgets concealed 
  on your person, and may spend as many 
  action points as you feel comfortable to 
  amass a small, useful arsenal of spy-tech.  
   
   
  Limitation: The game master may 
  disallow the use of this feat in certain 
  circumstances, especially if your captors 
  have succeeded on a DC 30 Search check to 
  find your concealed gadgets, if you are 
  nude, or if you have been dressed in foreign 
  clothing.  
   
  Some gamemasters might still allow 
  you to use this feat even after a thorough 
  search, by spending two action points. This 
  usually means either your captors missed a 
  gadget, or the gadget is concealed on or in 
  your body. Depending on the technology 
  (and realism level) of your game, the 
  rationale for this might represent everything 
  from a set of swallowed lockpicks, 
  subcutaneous implants or useful nano-
  colonies.  
   
  ADi-Tech Inventor (General – Metagame 
  Ability)  
   
  You are one of the few armorers and 
  inventors capable of dreaming, and building 
  new ADi-Tech… those lifesaving, mission 
  winning  adapto-instant gadgets that all elite 
  spy masters dream of owning.  
   
  Prerequsites: Craft: mechanical and 
  electronic 8 ranks each, Builder  
   
  Benefit: With a successful Craft 
  check, you can construct a new adapto-
  instant gadget. The base Craft Check DC for 
  a new gadget is 30, requiring at least 10 
  hours of work to complete. You may present 
  the Adapto-Instant gadget to its intended 
  user and deliver a “ADi-brief” describing 
  the object, how it operates and its field uses. 
  In effect, you define the gadgets appearance 
  and use. The intended user may than activate 
  and use a specific gadget he or she has been 
  briefed on without requiring an action point 
  expenditure.  
  78
  
   
  Noone other than the gadget’s 
  designated user may use the gadget without 
  sacrificing an action point.  
   
  AK-47 Insurgent (General)  
   
  “A child with an assualt rifle…. is a 
  fearsome match for anyone. These 
  weapons are very simple to use. The 
  AK-47 can be stripped and 
  reasssembled by a child of 10.”  
   
  -UNICEF, the State of the 
  World’s Children: 1996 Report  
   
   
  The AK-47 is one of the most 
  commonly used weapons on the 
  planet, chosen because this famous 
  assault rifle is easy to use, easier to 
  clean and virtually idiot proof. Like 
  mercenaries, guerrillas, child soldiers 
  and revolutionaries around the world, 
  you've trained extensively with the 
  AK-47.  
   
  Prerequsite: character level 
  first only, Personal Firearm 
  Proficiencies  
   
  Benefit: In exchange for 
  giving up a feat slot and selecting AK-47 
  Insurgent, you effectively gain the benefits 
  of several gun combat feats. 
   
  You gain the benefits of Advanced 
  Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Strafe and 
  Point Blank Shot. However, unlike the more 
  general versions of these feats, which apply 
  to all firearms, these ‘bargain’ feats only 
  apply when using the AK-47, making you an 
  effective, if limited gunman.  
   
  Angel School (General)  
   
  You are a member in good standing 
  of the Guardian Angels organization, and 
  you proudly patrol the streets in your red 
  uniform. Though not an official police 
  officer, you are expected to help protect the 
  public, prevent crime and if possible, make a 
  citizens arrest.  
   
  Prerequsites: Brawl, Defensive 
  Martial Arts, Local Hero 
   
  Benefit: Before being allowed to 
  wear the Angels’ distinctive beret, you are 
  given extensive training in unarmed self 
  defense, first aid and an introduction to 
  arrest law. You receive a +2 bonus on 
  grapple checks and a +1 bonus on damage 
  rolls when making non-lethal, unarmed 
  attacks. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus 
  on Treat Injury checks and a +1 bonus on 
  Knowledge: civics checks.  
   
   
   
  Anti-Personel Explosives (General)  
   
  You know all the tricks to creating 
  improvised explosive devices designed to 
  kill the maximum number of victims, and 
  know how to throw grenades with deadly 
  accuracy.  
   
  Prerequiste: Disable Device 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: Any explosive device you 
  construct or place, or any grenade you throw 
  threatens a critical hit on all victims within 
  the blast radius on a roll of natural 20.  
   
  Normal: Explosive devices do not 
  have a critical threat range.  
   
  Special: You can take this feat up to 
  three times. Each time you do, your 
  explosive’s threat range increases by one. If 
  this feat is taken twice your explosives have 
  a critical range of 19-20. If taken three 
  times, the threat range becomes 18-20.  
   
   
   
  79
  
   
  American Arcanist (General SP)  
   
  Unknown to the general public, 
  several elite military units incorporate 
  ancient arcane secrets into thier training 
  regimen; the United States has maintained a 
  small corps of magical soldiers and 
  espionage agents on hand since the early 
  1960s. While not a full spell caster by any 
  means, you have several minor supernatural 
  powers that keep you alive on the battlefield. 
   
  Prerequsite: Base attack bonus +1, 
  Concentration 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcane 
  lore) 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: Once per day, you may cast 
  any one of the following spells as a first 
  level mage or acolyte: create water, cure 
  minor wounds, light, mage armor, power 
  device, sleep. Using this feat is a spell like 
  ability.   
   
  Arcade Owner (General)  
   
  Owning a videogame arcade during 
  the early 1980s is a license to print money, 
  and a good way to keep current with the 
  street.  
   
  Prerequsite: Cool Gig, Windfall  
  Benefit: You are an owner or partial 
  owner of a gaming arcade, which provides 
  wealth and contacts with little additional 
  involvement. You have hired a manager or 
  trusted aide to run the day to day business of 
  the arcade.  
  Each week, you may make a single 
  purchase with a Base Purchase DC of 15 + 
  1d6 without affecting your own wealth 
  bonus, purely from the arcade’s cash out 
  profits. You may save up to 2 weeks worth 
  of profits, allowing you to make purchases 
  with a Base Purchase DC of 20 + 1d6. 
  Purchasing power which goes unused for 
  more than two weeks is simply lost.  
  In addition, the arcade provides you 
  with a +2 insight bonus on Knowledge: 
  popular culture and streetwise checks and 
  Gather Information checks.  
   
  Arctic Adventurer (General)  
   
  You have hardened yourself against 
  the cold, and can survive indefinitely even in 
  harshest, inhospitable places on the planet.  
   
  Prerequsite: Survival 4 ranks, 
  Balance 1 ranks 
   
  Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus on 
  FORT saves made to resist extreme 
  environmental cold, as well as a +4 bonus 
  on Survival checks made to track or find 
  food made in arctic and other freezing, 
  wintery environments. You may move at 
  full speed over a slick or icy surface with a 
  successful Balance check.  
   
  Normal:  When balancing on ice, 
  you move only half your speed with a 
  successful DC 10 Balance check.  
   
  Arresting Images (General)  
  The artist is a master of choosing 
  images that stop viewers dead in their track, 
  and have an emotional resonance that 
  persists long after the page is turned, the 
  dance ends or the tale is told.  
  Prerequsites: WIS 13, CHA 15, 
  Perform (any) or Craft: Visual Art 12 ranks 
  Benefit: Any time the artist critically 
  succeeds at a Perform (any) or Craft: Visual 
  Art check, the extraordinary image created 
  is ‘imbued’ with extra emotional punch. 
  Anyone viewing the performance/image or 
  hearing the tale must make a WILL save 
  (DC 12 + the artist’s CHA modifier) or be 
  emotionally effected by the piece. The effect 
  lasts for a number of minutes after viewing 
  the image equal to twice the artist’s CHA 
  modifier.  
   
  The artist chooses when he takes the 
  picture whether he wants the image to 
  inspire or horrify viewers.  
  An inspiring picture grants a +2 
  morale bonus on WILL saves and attack 
  rolls for the duration. A horrifying picture 
  leaves the viewer shaken for the duration of 
  the effect.  
  Once a picture’s effect is chosen, it 
  cannot be changed. An audience member 
  can willingly fail the save to benefit from 
  the positive effects of an inspiring picture. 
  The artist has no control over who sees an 
  image once its published; all enemies and 
  allies who see the image are affected. Once 
  a character is affected by this feat, he or she 
  can’t be affected again by the same 
  80
  
  photograph or artwork for 24 hours. This is 
  a non-magical, mind influencing effect.  
   
   
  Audacity (General – Metagame Ability)  
   
  You’ve made a career of doing the 
  impossible, and somehow surviving the 
  insane risks you take.  
   
  Benefit: When spending an action 
  point, you can choose to spend additional 
  action points to increase the size of the 
  bonus die you roll. This feat superceeds the 
  rule that you can only spend a single action 
  point per round.  
   
  Normal: When adding an action 
  dice, you roll d6 and add the result to the die 
  roll.  
   
  Blackmail (General)  
   
  Nobody wants you angry, because 
  they’re afraid of what you know, and what 
  you’ll say.  
   
  Prerequsite: Deceptive, Knowledge: 
  streetwise 4, current events 1  
   
  Benefit: You know a little bit of dirt 
  on virtually everyone, from shady business  
  deals to undiscovered murders and sexual 
  mis-adventures. Once per day, you may add 
  your ranks in Intimidate to any Gather 
  Information, Research, Knowledge: 
  streetwise or Diplomacy check.  
  You may also call in a major favor 
  by spending an action point. Doing so 
  enables you to call upon a pliable blackmail 
  target. Using the target’s resources, you may 
  add ¼ your ranks in Intimidate to your 
  Wealth Bonus for a single purchase. 
  However, doing so frees one of your 
  contacts from his or her obligation to you. 
  Each time you use this ability, you lose one 
  rank in Knowledge: streetwise, representing 
  the loss of a potential information stream. 
  Using this ability takes 24 to 48 hours, at the 
  game master’s discretion.  
   
  Body Hardening Defense (General SU)  
   
  Your will is as unbreakable as armor, 
  and by focusing your chi you can make your 
  body like a thing of iron, enabling you to 
  survive blows that would kill lesser 
  creatures.  
  Prerequsite: Concentration 8 ranks, 
  Iron Will, either Great Fortitude or 
  Gym Rat 
  Benefit: By making a DC 15 
  Concentration check as a standard action, 
  you can harden your body against incoming 
  attacks. You may maintain the armored state 
  for a number of rounds equal to your WIS 
  modifier. While using this feat, you gain a 
  +4 insight bonus to Defense, and it becomes 
  virtually impossible for others to 
  move you against your will. You 
  recieve a +8 insight bonus on 
  checks made to resist being 
  tripped, overran or grappled.  
   
  Limitations: While 
  entranced, you may not move 
  from the spot you began using the feat at, 
  even to make a 5 ft step. However, you may 
  take actions that do not require mobility as 
  normal, including attacking, defending, 
  using firearms or casting spells. If you 
  choose to move, choose to make a REF 
  save, or are successfully moved, this feat’s 
  effect ends immediately.  
   
  Bombadier (General)  
   
  You’ve earned a reputation as a 
  master bombsmith, one destroyed building 
  or vaporized target at a time.  
  Prerequsite: Pyromaniac  
   
  Benefit: The blast radius of any 
  explosive device you plant or create is 
  doubled. This feat does not apply to the blast 
  radius of grenades, unless you create the 
  grenade by hand.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Number of Action Points Spent  Type of Bonus Die rolled 
  1 action point 
  D6 
  2 action points 
  D8  
  3 action points 
  D10 
  4 action points  
  D12 
  5 action points  
  D20  
  81
  
  Boombox Bard (General SU)  
   
  There’s always been stories of 
  singers and minstrels who can work magic 
  with their songs. Those stories are true, and 
  the magic is 
  alive today, 
  humming in 
  the streets of 
  the 80s. The 
  dirges of 
  ancient singers 
  like Orpheus 
  have given 
  way to the 
  poppy beats of 
  the Jackson 
  Five and the 
  rhymes of 
  Grandmaster 
  Flash, but the 
  magic remains 
  the same.  
   
   
  Prerequsites: 
  Knowledge: 
  arcane lore 3 
  ranks ; any one 
  of either 
  Perform: Dance, Sing/Rap or DJ 6 ranks  
   
  Benefit: Before using this ability, you must 
  ‘sanctify’ a specific boom box, usually by 
  performing a jury rigged ritual which 
  requires at least 8 hours of dance, meditation 
  and rhymes that echo the back-beak of old 
  song-spells. The power of the boom-box 
  bard may lie within you, but it is expressed 
  through your thumping beat box ‘focus’. 
  You may only sanctify a single box at any 
  given time, but sanctifying new boxes 
  requires only a repeat of the ritual.  
   
   
   
  A number of times per day equal to 
  ½ your ranks in Perform (rounded down, 
  minimum 3 times daily), you may use your 
  bardic music abilities to produce magical 
  effects on those around you, typically 
  including yourself.  
   
   
  Activating a boombox bard a ability 
  is a standard action, which means the 
  boombox bard must take a standard action 
  each round to maintain the ability. The 
  boombox must be 
  used; the bard 
  sings along, raps 
  or break dances 
  to the beat.  
   
  Even while using 
  bardic music that 
  doesn’t require  
  concentration, a 
  boombox bard 
  cannot cast 
  spells, activate 
  magic items by 
  spell completion 
  (such as scrolls), 
  or activate magic 
  items by magic 
  word (such as 
  wands). 
   
   Just as for 
  casting a spell 
  with a verbal 
  component, a 
  deaf boombox bard has a 20% chance to fail 
  when attempting to use bardic music. If he 
  fails, the attempt still counts against his 
  daily limit. 
  The abilities the boom box has to 
  choose from, each time he or she unleashes 
  the magical rhymes include:  
   
  Countersong (SU): A boombox 
  bard can use The Music  to counter magical 
  effects that depend on sound (but not spells 
  that simply have verbal components). Each 
  round of the countersong, he makes a 
  Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet 
  of the bard (including the bard himself) that 
  is affected by a sonic or language-dependent 
  magical attack may use the bard’s Perform 
  check result in place of its saving throw if, 
  after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform 
  check result proves to be higher. 
   If a creature within range of the 
  countersong is already under the effect of a 
  82
  
  non instantaneous sonic or language-
  dependent magical attack, it gains another 
  saving throw against the effect each round it 
  hears the countersong, but it must use the 
  bard’s Perform check result for the save. 
  Countersong has no effect against effects 
  that don’t allow saves. The boombox bard 
  may keep up the countersong for up to 3 
  minutes.  
   
  Fascinate (SU): The boombox bard 
  can cause  creatures to become fascinated 
  with him. Each creature to be fascinated 
  must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear 
  the bard, and able to pay attention to him. 
  The bard must also be able to see the 
  creature. The distraction of a nearby combat 
  or other dangers prevents the ability from 
  working. For every two Perform ranks past 
  six the boombox bard attains, he or she can 
  target one additional creature with a single 
  use of this ability. 
  To use the ability, a bard makes a 
  Perform check. His check result is the DC 
  for each affected creature’s Will save 
  against the effect. If a creature’s saving 
  throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to 
  fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If 
  its saving throw fails, the creature sits 
  quietly and listens to the song, taking no 
  other actions, for as long as the bard 
  continues to play and concentrate (up to a 
  maximum of 1 minute per rank in Perform 
  (minimum 6 minutes)  
  While fascinated, a target takes a –4 
  penalty on skill checks made as reactions, 
  such as Listen and Spot checks. Any 
  potential threat requires the bard to make 
  another Perform check and allows the 
  creature a new saving throw against a DC 
  equal to the new Perform check result. 
  Any obvious threat, such as someone 
  drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming 
  a ranged weapon at the target, automatically 
  breaks the effect. Fascinate is an 
  enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting 
  ability. 
    
  Inspire Courage (SU): The 
  boombox bard can spread courage and joy to 
  his allies,  (including himself), bolstering 
  them against fear and improving their 
  combat abilities. To be affected, an ally 
  must be able to hear the bard sing.  
  The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears 
  The Music and for 5 rounds thereafter. An 
  affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on 
  saving throws against charm and fear effects 
  and a +1 morale bonus on attack and 
  weapon damage rolls. For every four ranks 
  the boombox bard has beyond six, the 
  morale bonus increases by +1. This is a 
  mind-affecting ability.  
   
  Inspire Competence (SU): A 
  boombox  bard can use The Music to help 
  an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be 
  within 30 feet and able to see and hear the 
  bard. The bard must also be able to see the 
  ally. 
  The ally gets a +2 competence bonus 
  on skill checks with a particular skill as long 
  as he or she continues to hear The Music. 
  Certain uses of this ability are infeasible; 
  after all Bombbox Bards aren’t exactly the 
  best at Moving Silently. The effect lasts as 
  long as the bard concentrates. A bard can’t 
  inspire competence in himself. Inspire 
  competence is a mind-affecting ability 
   
  Breach Expert (General)  
   
   
  You’ve recieved police or military 
  training in urban warfare and ‘dynamic 
  entry’- blowing through walls and doors to 
  get at the enemy.  
   
  Prerequsite: Demolitions 4 ranks, 
  Disable Device 4 ranks 
   
  Benefit: You halve the time required 
  to perform Disable Device or Demolitions 
  checks. In addition, you recieve a +2 
  competence bonus on STR checks made to 
  force a locked door or simply knock it 
  down.  
   
  Breakdance Battle (General)  
   
  You grew up breakdancing out from 
  of your apartment block, and as you grew up 
  you’ve studied capeopria, a flashy, 
  dancelike martial art that had it’s origins in 
  South American slave colonies. Your 
  combat technique incorporates taunts, leaps 
  and amazingly quick and brutal footwork.  
  83
  
   
  Prerequsites: Acrobatic, Combat 
  Martial Arts, Base Attack Bonus +3,  
  Tumble 8 ranks, Perform: dance 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: When using the full attack 
  action, you add your CHA bonus (if 
  positive) on attack rolls, Tumble checks and 
  REF saves. Your attacks are incredibly 
  flashy, incorporating verbal and spoken 
  taunts and insults, and you are instantly 
  recognizable by your unique combat 
  flourishes and body language.  
   
   
   
  Breakin’  Stickyfoot (General)  
   
  When your feet go flying, so do your 
  enemies, and the guns you kick outta their 
  hands. Only a fool would try and knock you 
  off your feet, because you can easily turn 
  their clumsy trips and blocks against them.  
   
  Prerequsites: Capeopria, Improved 
  Trip 
   
  Benefits: If an opponent attempts to 
  trip or disarm you and fails, you may make 
  an automatic trip or disarm attempt in 
  retaliation. This retaliatory strike takes the 
  form of a series of snap kicks and feints, and 
  you recieve a +2 circumstance bonus on the 
  check. Even if your check fails, you may not 
  be tripped or disarmed in return. You must 
  have at least one leg free to use this ability.  
   
  Bugsweeper (General)  
   
  You’ve always had a natural talent 
  for finding bugs and hidden cameras, which 
  neatly complements the advanced military 
  training you’ve gotten on the subject.  
   
  Prerequsites: Spot 4 ranks, either 
  Craft: electronic or Knowledge: technology 
  4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You may add your INT 
  modifier (minimum +1) as a bonus on all 
  Spot and Search checks made to detect 
  hidden surveillance devices like hidden 
  microphones, spy cameras, or phoneline 
  bugs. You may add your WIS modifier 
  (minimum +0) as a bonus on all Disable 
  Device checks to destroy or bypass a 
  surveillance device, as well as Computer 
  Use checks made to shut down remote 
  surveillance.  
   
   
  Bugsweeping Instincts (General)  
   
  Nobody can ever hide a bug 
  around you. You’ve got uncanny 
  instincts for detecting hidden dangers 
  that makes you one of the most elite, in-
  demand people in the electronic 
  intelligence community.  
   
  Prerequsites: Bugsweeper  
   
  Benefit: You may make a 
  Search check to discover a hidden 
  survivance device or any electronic 
  based trap or alarm when you come 
  within five feet of the device. You do not 
  need to actively search for these devices; 
  this feat requires no time to use and occurs 
  automatically.  
   
  Burn Rubber (General)  
   
  You’re an expert driver, capable of 
  pushing your vehicle to its design limits.  
   
  Prerequsite: Vehicle Expert, Drive 
  4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: When driving any surface 
  vehicle at Highweay Speed or faster, you 
  recieve an additional +2 competence bonus 
  to Defense. Any Drive checks made to 
  regain control of an out of control vehicle 
  have their DC reduced by 3 points to DC 12.  
   
  Normal: The DC of a Drive check to 
  regain control of a vehicle is 15.  
   
  Career Woman (General)  
   
  You’re a modern career woman, a 
  stoic and tough minded professional in a 
  finely tailored power suit…. With massive 
  shoulder pads.  
  84
  
   
  Prerequsite: female gender, 
  Profession (any white collar) 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You receive a +2 
  competence bonus on Knowledge: business 
  and civics checks, as well as Profession 
  checks. Each day, upon awakening, you may 
  choose to receive a +2 bonus on either Bluff, 
  Diplomacy or Intimidate checks made 
  against anyone who would conceivably find 
  you attractive. Once chosen, this daily bonus 
  cannot be changed.  
   
  Chaotic Aura (General SU)  
  Your presence somehow causes vital 
  systems to fail, the social order to break 
  down and luck to turn horrifically bad. Your 
  presence spreads misery and disorder, and 
  you thrive within the terror and confusion 
  you cause.  
  Prerequsite: Frightful Presence 
  Benefit: No creature that is within 
  the effective radius of your Frightful 
  Presence ability, or who has been 
  successfully effected and since moved out of 
  range may use or benefit from flanking or 
  the aid another action, nor can they take ten 
  or twenty on any skill check.  
   
  Cheerleader (General)  
   
  You’ve jumped, twirled and shouted 
  school spirit, and no matter if you're still in 
  school or not, you're still as sexy as ever.  
   
  Prerequsites: character level first, 
  female gender, Perform: dance 4 ranks, 
  Jump 1 rank, Tumble 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: You may add your DEX 
  modifier as an untyped bonus on all 
  Perform: dance checks made when a 
  majority of your audience would find you 
  sexually attractive. You receive a +2 bonus 
  on Jump and Tumble checks as a result of 
  your athletic training.  
   
  Child of the Gallows (General SU) 
   
  As a child, you watched one of your 
  parents die at the end of a rope or by fall to a 
  revolutionary's AK-47.  Other gallows-
  children were created by the last sexual 
  encounter of a condemned man, or were 
  birthed by a woman who went to her death 
  shortly there after.  
   
  Prerequsite: Character level 1st, 
  WIS 13+   
   
  Benefit: Your early, intimate 
  connection with death grants you a strange 
  supernatural insight. With a glance, you may 
  make a DC 18 Sense Motive check. If the 
  check succeeds, you instantly know if the 
  target has ever killed a sentient creature or 
  creatures, if the target is a professional 
  assassin or paid executioner (though not 
  which one), and if the target has ever been 
  lawfully sentenced to death.  
   
  You cast spells from the 
  Necromancy subschool at +1 caster level.  
   
   
  City Glyphs (General SU)   
   
  You can draw strength and power 
  from the tags and pieces your allies leave 
  scattered on alley walls, or on subway cars. 
  With a little effort, you can leave a tiny 
  bolus of power behind for your allies to take 
  in the same graphitti sigils.  
   
  Preqrequsite: Tagger, Knowledge: 
  arcane lore 4 ranks, Knowledge: streetwise 4 
  ranks   
   
  Benefit: When this feat is first 
  chosen, you choose a specific gang or group 
  that you belong to as the allied group. By 
  touching an otherwise mundane piece of 
  graffiti pained by a member of that group, 
  you draw upon a source of ancient totemistic 
  energy.  
   
   
  Just by slapping a graffiti covered 
  wall, typically a move equivalent action if 
  you are near the wall, you draw upon this 
  power source. The totemestic power boost 
  provides you with a +5 ft increase to your 
  base land speed and a +2 enhancement 
  bonus to your STR and DEX scores. This 
  ability boost lasts for a minute.  
   
  You may draw upon this feat as 
  often as once per minute, and may draw 
  upon the power of a particular tag once per 
  day. You may draw power from walls you 
  have tagged yourself. These tags are non-
  magical and mundane to anyone but you or 
  another character with this feat.  
  In addition, by spending an action 
  point, while creating a tag, you may imbue 
  the graffito with a tiny charge of magical 
  power. The charge remains in place for a 
  85
  
  number of days equal to your INT modifier 
  (minimum one day), before disappearing 
  harmlessly if not accessed. Any member of 
  your allied gang who comes within 60 ft of 
  your city glyph feels its power, and knows 
  instinctively how to access the magic stored 
  within. Any allied gang member who 
  touches the glyph receives its stored power, 
  exactly as if that character possessed the 
  feat.  
   
   
  Citymover (General)  
   
  You grew up amid the crowds and 
  chaos of a major city, and know how to get 
  where you need to go no matter how wild 
  the streets get.  
   
  Benefit: You 
  recieve a +4 bonus on 
  Hide and Tumble 
  checks when in a 
  crowded, densely 
  populated urban area. 
  You may move 
  through crowds of 
  indifferent, or non-
  hostile NPCs at your 
  full base movement 
  rate, regardlessly how 
  densely packed the 
  mass of humanity is.  
   
  Clobber (General)  
   
  You hit like a 
  wrecking ball.  
   
  Prerequsite: Super Heavyweight, 
  base attack bonus +4  
   
  Benefit: When you successfully 
  strike an opponent  with an unarmed attack, 
  or a melee attack with a bludgeoning 
  weapon, he or she must make a FORT save 
  (DC 10 + ½ the damage inflicted) or be 
  knocked back 5 ft. On a critical hit, the 
  opponent is knocked back 10 ft and drops 
  prone on a failed save.  
   
  Coke Monster (General)  
   
  When you put a spoonful of that 
  white dust up your nose you turn into the 
  Incredible Hulk. At least, you get really 
  angry, and people don’t like you when 
  you're angry.  
   
  Prerequsites: Knowledge: 
  Streetwise 4 ranks, Great Fortitude  
   
  Benefit: By snorting a hit of cocaine 
  as a full round action, you enter a bezersk, 
  drug fueled rage state. Despite the damage 
  you're doing to yourself, you never feel 
  stronger or more invincible than when the 
  coke is singing in your veins.   
  Once the coke rage begins, you gain a +4 
  enhancement bonus to STR, and your base 
  land speed increases by +10 ft. During this 
  time, you become immune to non-lethal 
  damage.  
   
   
  While in the coke rage, you cannot 
  use any CHA based skill, with the exception 
  of Intimidate, nor can you use any ability 
  requiring concentration or deliberation.  
   
  This enhancement lasts for 1d3 
  minutes.  Once you use this ability, you are 
  fatigued for the rest of the encounter. If 
  already fatigued, you become exhausted.   
   
  Limitation: Each time you use this 
  ability, in addition to suffering the normal 
  penalties associated with cocaine use, you 
  suffer 1d4 points of Hit Point Damage. If 
  this reduces you to 0 or fewer HP, you fall 
  unconcious immediately. You suffer an 
  additional point of damage each time you 
  use this ability within a 24 hour period. If 
  86
  
  you used this ability twice in one day, you 
  would suffer 1d4 damage the first instance, 
  and 1d4+1 points of damage the second time 
  you entered a coke rage.  
   
   
  Combat Athiest (General SU)  
   
  You place your faith purely in 
  yourself, in your own strength and your own 
  will.  
     
  Prerequsites: Iron Will, Secular 
  Philosopher  
    
  Benefit: No creature receives a holy 
  or profane bonus to attack rolls or damage 
  when battling you. You ignore the special 
  effects of any holy or profane weapons. (In 
  D20 Fantasy campaigns, you ignore the 
  special affects of all aligned weapons.)  
  Drawback: A healer must succeed 
  at a caster level check (DC 18) in order to 
  affect you with divine healing. If the check 
  fails, the effect of the spell is lost.  
    
  Special: You may not have any 
  religious salience. If you ever become 
  religious, you lose the benefit of this feat.  
   
  Communist Elite (General)   
   
  You are a well respected, honored 
  member of the USSR’s Communist Party. 
  You have a voice, however small, in party 
  matters, and are given special privileges in 
  exchange for your loyalty and continued 
  high performance.  
   
  Prerequsite: Russian nationality. 
  You must either have the Decorated Veteran 
  or Elite Clearance Feat, or have 8 or more 
  ranks in any Craft, Knowledge or Profession 
  skill. Only those who have contributed 
  greatly to the Soviet cause are so honored.  
   
  Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on 
  Diplomacy and Gather Information checks 
  made against fellow members of the 
  Communist Party.  
  You have access to special shops, 
  resorts and dachas, accessable only by the 
  privileged members of Russian society. 
  Your Wealth Bonus is considered to have 
  been increased by +2 when purchasing 
  goods and services in the Soviet Union or 
  any Warsaw Pact nation.  
   
   
   
   
  Constrictor (General)  
   
  Through agonizing falon gong and 
  yoga training, you’ve learned to dislocate 
  your joints, enabling you to wrap your limbs 
  around your opponent and crush the life 
  from them.  
   
  Prerequsite: Stranglehold, 
  Toughness, Concentration 4 ranks,  
   
  Benefit: You can dislocate your 
  joints in battle, granting you incredible 
  flexibility, and are hellishly strong when 
  you're grappling. By voluntarily suffering 
  1d4 points of damage, you can grant 
  yourself a +1 bonus on grapple checks, 
  disarm attempts, Tumble and Escape Artist 
  checks. You may choose to suffer additional 
  dies of damage; for each d4 of damage you 
  choose to suffer, you recieve an additional 
  +1 bonus. These benefits last until the end of 
  the encounter, and the hit point damage 
  recovers normally.  
   
  Contingency Planning  (General)  
   
  Before a mission, you spend hours 
  studying photographs, blueprints and 
  intelligence reports, preparing for the 
  unexpected.  
   
  Prerequsite: Knowledge (tactics) 8 
  ranks, Craft (structural) 1 rank  
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  Benefit: If you spend at least 4 hours 
  studying blueprints or recent (within 1 
  month) photographs of a targeted building’s 
  layout, you recieve the the following 
  benefits during your raid on the building: +2 
  bonus to Hide, Move Silently, Search, Spot 
  and Listen. These bonuses come into effect 
  the moment you begin your assault on the 
  target building, and last for a number of 
  minutes equal to your INT modifier 
  (minimum one minute).      
  Additionally, you may spend an 
  action point at any time while these primary 
  benefits remain active, you use your 
  knowledge of the building’s layout to grant 
  you a +2 competence bonus to Defense 
  while at that location. Furthermore, any 
  cover you utilize during the assault is 
  improved by one ‘step’. These secondary 
  bonuses last for a number of minutes equal 
  to your INT modifier (minimum one 
  minute).  
   
  Cool Gig (General)  
   
  You’ve been lucky enough to find a 
  job that’s caught the public imagination; 
  once others find out what you do for a 
  living, they're fascinated.  
   
  Prerequsite: Profession (any) 4 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: You must be employed, at 
  least part time, in an occupation that has 
  found its way into the public eye. In the 
  eighties, DJs are considered cool on the 
  strength of WKRP in Cincinatti, movies like 
  Cannonball Run made truckers hip, and the 
  military enjoys a resurgence in popularity 
  thanks to Top Gun and Rambo.  
   
  If you are a member of one of these 
  ‘cool professions’, once per day, when your 
  occupation is known, you may add your 
  ranks in Profession to any Bluff, Diplomacy 
  or Gather Information check.  
   
  Counter-Intel Expert (General)  
   
  You are highly trained in counter-
  espionage, and are experienced in spotting 
  impending betrayals. Even your failure to 
  spot a spy in the ranks teaches you 
  something.  
   
  Prerequsites: Investigate 4 ranks, 
  Spot 4 ranks, Sense Motive 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on 
  all Spot and Sense Motive checks to 
  penetrate a disguise, or to detect a traitor or 
  spy within any agency or organization you 
  belong to. If an allied Spymaster known 
  personally to you goes rouge (see the 
  Spymaster class description), and this 
  betrayal later becomes known to you, you 
  become better able to prevent similar future 
  acts of treason. Each time this betrayal 
  occurs, you receive a permanent +1 insight 
  bonus on Sense Motive checks.  
  This bonus is cumulative with each 
  occurance. Thus, if over the course of your 
  career with the CIA, three American 
  Spymasters go rouge, you would receive a 
  +3 insight bonus.  
   
  Crosstrained (General; elite)  
  Your training regimen emphasizes a 
  diversity of skills and on the interrelation 
  between different fields of study.  
  Prerequsite: WIS 15+  
   
  Benefit: You recieve a +3 synergy 
  bonus on all your interrelated skills. This 
  feat applies retroactively to all synergy 
  bonuses you acquired before gaining this 
  feat, and applies to any synergy bonus you 
  would earn in the future.  
   
  Normal: When you have more than 
  5 ranks in a particular skill, you recieve a +2 
  synergy bonus on a related skill.  
   
  Dark Reputation (General)  
   
  You’ve exaggerated your crimes 
  and cultivated a dark, eerie public demeanor, 
  a mixture of street criminal and gothic sex 
  symbol.  
   
  Prerequsite: CHA 13+, 
  Knowledge: arcane lore or streetwise 4 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: When interacting with 
  any sentient creature younger than the 
  Middle Age category, with anyone with 
  more than 4 ranks in Knowledge: streetwise 
  or arcane lore, or anyone interested in 
  criminal or Goth subculture, you may add ½ 
  your ranks in either Knowledge: streetwise 
  or arcane lore (rounded down) as a bonus on 
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  all Diplomacy, Gather Information and 
  Perform Checks.  
   
  Special: If you act in a way 
  contrary to your public image or act openly 
  in a manner contrary to your audience’s 
  ethics you lose the benefit of this feat.  
   
  Decisiveness (General)  
   
  You know the importance of striking 
  first and crippling resistance before it can be 
  mounted.  
   
  Prerequsite: Spot 4 ranks, 
  Knowledge: tactics 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: You recieve a +2 bonus on 
  Initiative checks and Spot checks. In 
  addition, the first successful attack you 
  make during a sprier round deals one 
  additional die of damage. This feat applies 
  to melee, ranged and unarmed damage, as 
  well as spells, supernatural abilities and psi-
  talents.  
   
  Decorated Veteran (General)  
   
  Your years of service mean one 
  thing: you’ve survived enough fire fights 
  you can call yourself a professional soldier. 
  Prerequsites: Base attack bonus +5, 
  Knowledge: tactics 8 ranks  
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to your WIS modifier (minimum once 
  daily), you may add ½ your base attack 
  bonus as a morale bonus to any saving 
  throw, Knowledge check or Initiative check. 
  You may also choose to ‘give’ some or all 
  of this bonus to any ally within 30 ft. You 
  must speak briefly and inspiringly to the 
  ally, and he must be able to see, hear and 
  clearly understand you. If you grant this 
  bonus to an ally, he or she must use the 
  bonus within the hour or it is lost.   
   
  Delicate Touch (General)  
   
  You have the steady hand of a 
  jeweler or a surgeon, and are capable of 
  amazingingly precise work.  
   
  Prerequsite: Nimble 
   
  Benefit: You may add your DEX 
  modifier as a bonus on the following checks: 
  any Craft Check, any Perform check 
  involving a hand instrument, and any Treat 
  Injury check involving surgery.  
   
  Destructive Backbeat (General SU)  
   
  You can tap into the angriest, highest 
  tempo rhythms of the city, and can unleash 
  Music powerful enough to bring down a 
  building.  
   
  Prerequsite: Boombox Bard, Iron 
  Will   
   
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to one plus your CHA modifier 
  (minimum twice daily), you can unleash a 
  devastating sonic wave from your 
  enforceable boombox. Unleashing the sonic 
  assault is a standard action, which provokes 
  attacks of opportunity.  
   
  This sonic assault inflicts 4d6 points 
  of sonic damage to all creatures and objects 
  (except the caster and his box) within a 60 ft 
  radius. This assault destroys nonmagical 
  glass and crystal objects within the blast 
  radius, such as windows, mirrors, bottles, 
  windshields, and other glass, crystal, 
  ceramic porcelain and light stone. Objects 
  weighing more than 5-10 pounds are usually 
  unaffected by the destruction effect, but take 
  damage normally if they are within range.  
   
  Creatures within the blast radius may 
  attempt a FORT Save (DC 10 + your CHA 
  modifier + ¼ your total character level) for 
  half damage.  
   
  Diamond Fist Technique (General SU)  
  You are a student of the Indian 
  “vajramushti” school, and have mastered a 
  deadly boxing technique potent enough to 
  cave in a strong man’s ribs and kill lesser 
  foes in a single blow.  
   
  Prerequsite: Combat Martial Arts,  
  Improved Combat Martial Arts, Power 
  Attack, Concentration 4 ranks 
   
  Benefit: By spending an action 
  point, you can focus your ki into your fist, 
  until it becomes as hard and deadly as a 
  diamond blade. This enhancement lasts until 
  the end of the encounter. When making any 
  unarmed strike after your hands have been 
  ki-enhanced, your blows become 
  exceptionally deadly, penetrating weapons.  
  Anytime you roll maximum damage 
  on an unarmed strike (rolling 6 on d6 for 
  example), the damage is considered to have 
  89
  
  penetrated, and you may roll damage again 
  and add it to the previous roll. There is no 
  limit to the number number of times a single 
  attack can penetrate. Penetration damage is 
  multiplied on a critical hit, making this feat 
  potentially very deadly.  
   
   
  Disco Butterfly (General)  
   
  You’re one of the beautiful people, 
  one of the hippest and most glamorous club 
  goers on the dance floor. Your funky, 
  groovy dancing and charm can open doors.   
   
  Prerequsite: CHA 13+, 
  Trustworthy, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Perform: 
  Dance 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: Upon awakening each day, 
  you may reassign your ranks in the 
  Diplomacy and Perform Dance skills, 
  depending on which skill you believe will 
  benefit you the most that day. You may 
  assign up to your total ranks in one skill as 
  an insight bonus upon the other skill. 
   Thus, if you plan to begin a major 
  negotiation that day, and you have four 
  ranks in each skill, you might choose to 
  assign three of your Perform: Dance ranks to 
  Diplomacy, raising that skill temporarily to 
  7 ranks. This benefit lasts until you next 
  sleep, and once ranks are allocated for the 
  day, may not be changed.  
  Special: Eighties Russian culture 
  doesn't have an equivalent to American 
  disco culture, though this feat may be found, 
  as Diplomatic Ballet among professional 
  ballet dancers, representing the respect these 
  artists are given in Russian society.  
   
  Disrespect (General)  
   
  You know how to break an opponent 
  down with just a few well chosen words.  
  Prerequisite: Confident, Perform 
  (rap/sing) 1 rank  
  Benefit: Once per round, you can 
  designate a single enemy to be the butt of 
  your jokes and insults. The enemy must 
  have an Intelligence score of at least 3, must 
  be within 30 ft of you, and must be able to 
  hear and understand your words. This 
  enemy becomes enraged by your words, and 
  for the duration of the battle, that adversary 
  suffers a –2 morale penalty if he attacks 
  anyone other than you, or takes non-combat 
  actions not related to attacking or harming 
  you in some way. This condition lasts a 
  number of rounds equal to your Charisma 
  modifier.  
   
  Diversity of Experience (General)  
   
  You draw inspiration from your 
  adventures and regularly incorporate new 
  elements into your combat style and tactics.  
   
  Benefit: This feat gives you a new 
  use for action points. You can choose to 
  spend 10 action points to purchase a new 
  feat at any time. You must meet the 
  prerequisites of any purchased feat. You 
  gain the benefit of the newly purchased feat 
  after 8 hours of sleep or rest.  
   
  Dress to Impress (General)  
   
  You wear only big name designers 
  and multi-thousand dollar jewels, and 
  always look your best.  
   
  Benefit: When purchasing clothing 
  and accessories, if you intentionally 
  purchase high dollar items, they grant you 
  bonuses on social interaction made against 
  anyone who would find you sexually 
  attractive. If you raise the purchase DC of an 
  article of clothing to 15 you recieve a +1 
  bonus on sexually related Bluff and 
  Diplomacy checks.  
  For each additional 2 points you 
  raise the Purchase DC, you recieve an 
  additional +1 bonus. Thus, if you raised the 
  purchase DC of a new suit to 19, you would 
  recieve a +3 bonus on all sexual Bluff and 
  Diplomacy checks made while wearing that 
  suit.  
   
  Drunken Monkey Boxing (General)  
   
  You are an adherent of the drunken 
  master style of kung fu, a soft style which 
  emphasizes flexibility, random, chaotic 
  movements and never doing what the 
  opponent expects.  
  Prerequsite: Combat Martial Arts, 
  Improved Combat Martial Arts, Tumble 5 
  ranks 
   
  Benefit: You recieve a +4 bonus on 
  Tumble checks and Bluff checks made to 
  feint in combat.  
  90
  
  Additionally, you may spend an 
  action point to activate this feat’s full 
  potential. Each time you miss an adversary 
  in combat, you recieve a cumulative +1 
  modifier to your attack roll against that 
  adversary, making it easier for you to wear 
  down a tough enemy’s defenses. The 
  maximum possible bonus is +5, and the 
  bonus ‘resets’ when you finally strike the 
  opponent, or when you attack another 
  adversary. This secondary aspect of the feat 
  lasts until the end of the encounter.  
   
  Elite Clearance (General)  
   
  You are a trusted government 
  operative.  
  Prerequsite: Employment or 
  patronage of a government or political body.  
   
  Benefit: You recieve a +4 
  competence bonus on Diplomacy, Gather 
  Information and Research checks made 
  concerning the government or agency you 
  work for. You may legally purchase Illegal, 
  Liscensed or Restricted equipment through 
  your agency without suffering a Purchase 
  DC modifier.  
   
  Special: You can select this feat 
  multiple times, each time you do it applies 
  to a different government or government 
  agency. You lose the benefit of this feat if 
  you act in a manner contrary to your 
  patron’s wishes or code of ethics.   
   
  Expert Vandal (General)  
   
  Finding and taking out key support 
  columns and load bearing structures is 
  second nature to you. When you're around, 
  buildings have a way of collapsing 
  unexpectedly.  
   
  Prerequisite: Builder  
   
  Benefit: When attacking a building, 
  large vehicle or any other huge, stationary 
  object, you may make a Craft (structural) 
  check (DC 15) as a full round action. If this 
  check is successful, all succeeding attacks 
  on that structure ignores a number of points 
  of Hardness equal to the characters 
  Intelligence modifier. This increased 
  damage applies anytime the character 
  attacks the structure with a weapon or 
  explosive; it does not apply to unarmed 
  damage.  
   
  Field Mechanic (General)  
   
  You know how to get the most utility 
  out of discarded parts and junk technology. 
  Your sputtering, broke down creations might 
  not be pretty, but they get the job done.  
   
  Prerequisite: Gearhead  
   
  Benefit: When you use the Repair 
  skill to jury rig a broken machine, your 
  repairs last for one day per point by which 
  your Repair check result beat the DC. When 
  the machine does inevitably break down, it 
  still must be fully repaired before it can 
  function again.  
    
  Normal: Juryrigged repairs only 
  remain functional until the next encounter.  
   
  Fashion Rainbow (General)  
   
  The Eighties were the era of shoulder 
  pads for women, pastel blazers for men, eye-
  scrapingly neon disco fashion and big hair 
  for both genders. If you're going to play a 
  character that ridiculous looking, and really 
  commit to the 80s look, you deserve to be 
  rewarded for it.  
   
  Prerequsite: either Dress to Impress 
  or Sweet Kicks  
   
  Benefit: You have tapped into the 
  visual stereotypes of Eighties TV and 
  movies, and receive your choice of several 
  minor bonuses, based on the eye popping 
  colors of the outfit you’ve put together. You 
  may also receive this bonus in conjunction 
  with odd clothing, a uniform, a colorful suit 
  of body armor, even color-coordinated 
  Power Armor!  
  You may receive only one ‘color’s 
  bonus from an outfit, even if your costume 
  is multicolored- for example, if you're 
  wearing white slacks and a pink blazer, or if 
  you're wearing a black and white polka dot 
  dress. When you first don a suit of clothing 
  you determine what bonus to receive.  
  • Green: Green is a militaristic, 
  powerful color. Green clothes give 
  you either a +1 morale bonus to your 
  Defense score, or a +2 bonus on 
  Knowedge: nature and Knowledge: 
  tactics checks.  
  91
  
  • Yellow: Yellow is a mellow, club 
  color. Yellow fashion gives you 
  either a +2 morale bonus on 
  Knowledge: streetwise and Perform: 
  dance checks, or a +1 luck bonus on 
  REF Saves.  
  • Red: Red is a power color, it is also 
  the color of the USSR and the 
  Communist cause. While wearing 
  red, you either receive a +1 luck 
  bonus on Wealth checks, or a +2 
  morale bonus on Knowledge: history 
  and Diplomacy checks.  
  • Blue: Blue is a big time corporate 
  power color; its also the color of a 
  pig’s uniform. You may choose to 
  receive either a +1 morale bonus on 
  FORT saves or a +2 bonus on 
  Intimidate and Knowledge: civics or 
  business checks.  
  • Browns and earth tones: Earth colors 
  are for those serious souls who don’t 
  care about fashion. You receive 
  either a +1 morale bonus on WILL 
  Saves or a +2 bonus on any one 
  Knowledge and one Profession skill 
  of choice.  
  • White:  White is a color for the truly 
  hip, the smooth criminals. You 
  receive either a +1 bonus on ranged 
  attack rolls or a +2 bonus on 
  Intimidate and Knowledge: 
  streetwise checks.  
  • Black: Black is the color of serious 
  biz, the cocaine-fueled club scene, 
  and hard core punks and metal 
  heads. You either receive a +4 
  morale bonus on Kowledge: civics or 
  Knowledge: streetwise or a +1 
  morale bonus on melee damage rolls.  
  • Pink: Pink is a hip and happening 
  color. Wearing a pink outfit grants 
  you either a +2 morale bonus to 
  Knowledge: Streetwise and Perform: 
  dance and sing checks, or a +1 dodge 
  bonus to Defense.  
   
  Fast Rope Training (General; elite)  
   
  You’ve trained extensively in 
  mountaineering, rappelling and zipline 
  rappelling, and are skilled at making 
  dangerous ascents when under fire.  
   
  Prerequsites: Climb 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You do not lose your DEX 
  bonus to Defense and are not considered 
  flatfooted while climbing. When using a 
  rappelling harness to quickly descend, you 
  may move at up to double your normal 
  movement rate as a move round action, 
  which only requires a single Climb check to 
  successfully complete.  
   
  Normal: Climbers lose their DEX 
  bonus to defense, and making a double 
  move while climbing is a difficult, risky 
  proposition.  
   
  Feral Youth (General)  
   
  You grew up on the mean streets, 
  running with a gang of misfits and thugs, 
  brawling over turf and earning your 
  reputation. Back in the day, before guns hit 
  it big, you settled things with fists, bats and 
  broken beer bottles. Only the weakest punks 
  ever had to carry a gun.  
  Prerequsite: Character level first, 
  Brawl, Knowledge: Streetwise 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: You receive a +1 bonus on 
  unarmed melee damage and melee damage 
  rolls with any blade in the Small or smaller 
  size category, with clubs, hammers and 
  blunt hand weapons, and with any 
  improvised weapon.  
   
  You fight chaotically, always 
  shifting and movin’, looking for openings. 
  All ranged attacks fired into a melee you are 
  participating in suffer an additional –1 
  penalty. Unfortunately, your wild, self 
  taught fighting style means its harder for 
  your allies to get clear shot when you're 
  fighting.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  92
  
   
  Feral Warcry (General)  
   
  You proudly yell out the name of 
  your gang, even if it’s been years since you 
  ran the streets with them. Guys from your 
  gang never go down easy, and you prove it.  
   
   
   
  Prerequsite: Feral Youth, Improved 
  Damage Threshold, Heroic Surge   
   
  Benefit: Once per day, you can 
  scream the name of your gang, as a free 
  action immediately before taking a hit. You 
  sacrifice an action point to activate this 
  ability. You interrupt the normal flow of 
  combat, gaining the ability to take a single 
  attack action before you would be affected 
  by the attack.  
   
  In the reality of the game, your 
  sudden burst of fury and the incoming attack 
  occur simultaneously and are resolved 
  simultaneously. For example, you could 
  activate this ability to kill an attacker even 
  as his attack kills you. You may activate this 
  ability in response to any incoming attack, 
  no matter the source.  
  Melee and ranged attacks, magical 
  attacks and psionic talents, including area 
  effect attacks such as a fireball spell, a 
  thrown grenade or a strafing assault from a 
  helicopter gunship, can all be retaliated 
  against using this feat.  
   
  Fey Senses (General SU)  
   
  Your strangely colored eyes see 
  another world, and your long, tapering ears 
  hear sounds too faint for others to 
  perceive.  
   
  Prerequsite: Character level 1st, 
  WIS 13+ 
   
  Benefit: You can naturally see 
  invisible creatures, and you receive a +2 
  racial bonus on Listen checks made against 
  ethereal creatures. You are considered a 
  fey for the purposes of magical items that 
  require fey blood to operate, as well as any 
  effects specifically targeting fey.  
   
  Limitations: Your long, obviously 
  inhuman ears and strange eyes mark you as 
  other than human, and you suffer a –2 
  racial penalty on all disguise checks.  
   
  Freedom Seeker (General)  
   
  You cannot be held captive for 
  long, either physically or mentally.  
   
  Prerequsite: Escape Artist 4 ranks, 
  Iron Will   
  Benefit: You recieve a +4 bonus on 
  Escape Artist checks and on all WILL saves 
  made to resist mental domination or 
  compulsion.  
   
  Freestyle (General)  
   
  You can write rhymes on the fly, 
  improvising great poetry almost effortlessly.  
  Prerequsite: Perform (rap/sing) 4 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: You recieve a +4 bonus on 
  Perform (rap/sing) checks made before a 
  live audience. In addition, when improvising 
  a rap, you can attempt to inspire your allies 
  to greatness. By making a DC 15 Perform 
  check as a full round action, you can rap 
  93
  
  some encouragement that grants your allies 
  a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, skill 
  checks and saving throws. This morale 
  bonus lasts for a number of round equal to 
  your CHA modifier, and affects all allied 
  creatures within 30 ft, assuming they can 
  clearly see and hear you. 
   
  Friends Who’ve Died (General)  
   
  The Eighties were a decade of 
  passion and innovation, but they were also a 
  decade of death and pain. Afghani tribesmen 
  lost friends and family to the Soviets; 
  haggard Vietnam veterans remembered the 
  combat-buddies they couldn't save; virtually 
  everyone in America’s gay community has 
  watched friends die to AIDS.  
   
  Some people are lucky enough they 
  can call upon the spirits of their dead friends 
  for aid. Some just consider themselves lucky 
  they finally got a chance to say goodbye.  
   
  Prerequsites: WIS 13+ 
    
  Benefit:  A number of times per day 
  equal to your WIS modifier (minimum once 
  per day), you can call upon the souls and 
  memories of your long dead friends to aid in 
  current situations. As a full round action 
  which provokes attacks of opportunity, you 
  can allow one of these friends to possess you 
  and live again in your body.  
  Your personality may alter 
  dramatically, and you might speak with a 
  distinct accent or manifest minor physical 
  changes, though your alignment/allegiances 
  are fundamentally unchanged. Your ghostly 
  companion can remain in control for a 
  number of minutes equal to your WIS 
  modifier (minimum one minute).  
  During this time, you may choose to 
  apply any two of the following benefits. You 
  may instead choose the same bonus twice; 
  the effects stack. These benefits define the 
  memories and abilities of your past 
  incarnation, and a new selection of benefits 
  can be chosen each time this feat is 
  activated. In game terms, each time you 
  activate this feat, you call upon a different 
  spiritual ancestor.  
  • A +2 bonus on any two 
  Knowledge skills of choice 
  • A +2 bonus on any other skill 
  of choice  
  • A +1 bonus on attack and 
  damage rolls  
  • A +1 bonus on one save of 
  choice  
  • A +1 dodge bonus to Defense  
  • Familarity with a chosen 
  weapon 
  • Ability to speak, read and 
  write a chosen language  
  • Ability to cast a 0 level 
  arcane or divine spell once  
  Special: You may select this feat 
  multiple times. Each time you do, you may 
  select an additional benefit. Thus if you 
  choose this feat twice, you can manifest up 
  to four benefits simultaneously.  
   
  Getaway Driver (General)  
   
  You’re a competent wheelman, able 
  to move fast and getaway clean, no matter 
  how crazy the streets get.  
   
  Prerequsites: Local Hero, Vehicle 
  Expert, Drive 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You know how to move 
  easily and swiftly through crowded, winding 
  back allies and heavy traffic. When driving a 
  vehicle, you may cover ground, as well as 
  receiving the speed based Defense Bonus at 
  Street Speed even when conditions would 
  normally limit you to Alley Speed.  
   
  If involved in a collision, you use 
  Alley Speed to calculate the damage 
  inflicted. You may slow down or change 
  speed as if you were moving at either Alley 
  or Street Speed, whichever is more 
  beneficial at the time.  
   
  Gifts of Ecstacy (General) 
   
  You are a skilled and considerate 
  lover, gifted with an almost magical 
  understanding of what brings others 
  pleasure.  
  Prerequsite: CHA 13+  
  Benefit: You receive a +4 
  competence bonus on sexually oriented 
  Diplomacy and Bluff checks, as well as 
  receiving a +4 competence bonus on 
  Profession (prostitute or courtesan) checks.  
  94
  
   
  Gonin-Gake Karate (General)  
   
  You are at your best when fighting 
  outnumbered, moving from one adversary to 
  another with brutal efficiency, and leaving 
  no corner undefended.  
   
  Prerequsite: Defensive Martial Arts, 
  Mobility, Cleave, base attack bonus +4   
   
  Benefit: No adversary can gain a 
  flanking bonus against you in melee combat.  
   
  Normal: Adversaries that are 
  flanking you and their nearby allies gain a 
  +2 bonus on their attack rolls against you.  
   
  Glam Gendershifter (General SU)  
   
  You are neither truly male nor 
  female, but an especially 
  appealing combination of the 
  two. Your body is 
  androgynously beautiful, and 
  your sex (whatever it is) is a 
  matter of choice and pleasure, 
  not biology.  
   
  Prerequisite: character level 
  first, CHA 13+  
   
  Benefit: You are a naturally 
  hermaphroditic humanoid, 
  with strange genitals that 
  combine male and female 
  anatomy and features that 
  blend masculine and feminine 
  traits into an appealing 
  whole. You may use sexually 
  oriented feats, skills and 
  special abilities against both 
  genders with equal 
  effectiveness. Your charms 
  are especially appealing to 
  homosexual members of 
  either gender, and you revive 
  a +2 racial bonus on 
  Diplomacy and Bluff checks made against 
  homosexuals of either gender.  
   
   
  As a full round action which 
  provokes acts of opportunity, you can enter 
  a trance state where, through an intense act 
  of concentration, rewrite your chromosomal 
  structure and change gender, temporarily 
  becoming fully male or totally female. 
  When gender shifting, you always shift into 
  a specific member of the opposite sex, 
  which always resembles your natural form, 
  as if your two bodies are close relatives. 
  When gender shifting, you receive a 
  +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks against 
  those unaware of your hermaphaditic nature. 
  You can father children as a male or carry a 
  child to term while in female form; you 
  cannot gender shift while pregnant or 
  nursing. If you possess any feats or class 
  abilities usable only by a specific gender, 
  you may use the ability in either form, 
  assuming the ability is compatible with your 
  new anatomy.  
   
   
   
  Special: This feat is a renamed version of 
  the Bishonen Hermaph feat from the Black 
  Tokyo campaign setting, modified slightly 
  for the decade of David Bowie and glam 
  rock. It should be noted that Bishonen 
  Hermaph is probably the least sexually 
  explicit of any of Black Tokyo’s feats.  
  95
  
   
  Glamor Dust (General SU)  
  Your body naturally produces a 
  potent organic opiate, and you can breath a 
  narcotic cloud to stun your prey. Glands at 
  the roof of your mouth allow you to spit 
  your natural toxin like a cobra.  
  Prerequsite: Glam Gendershifter  
    
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to one plus your CHA modifier 
  (minimum twice daily), you may breathe a 
  line of glittering powder, a mix of arcane 
  cocaine and stardust, which has an effective 
  range of 30 ft. Any creature caught within 
  your breath weapon’s area of effect is 
  affected by a sleep spell cast by a mage of 
  your total character level.  
   
  Gold & Platinum (General)  
  Your music has gone gold and 
  beyond, and your name’s already down in 
  history. 
  Prerequsite: Perform (any) 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: Once per day, you may use 
  your celebrity status and talents to your 
  advantage. You may add your ranks in your 
  highest ranked Perform skill as a bonus to 
  any other charisma based skill, or to any 
  Wealth check.  
   
  Good Girl’s Aegis (General SU)  
   
  You’re innocent and virginal, the 
  Eighties girl next door in braces and a white 
  sweater. You are hip enough to hang with 
  your friends, but have an essential purity of 
  soul that keeps you safe from the worst 
  monsters of the Eighties.  
   
  Prereqsuites: Female gender, 
  character level first, Knowledge: either 
  arcane lore or theology & philosophy 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: Your essential purity 
  provides you with a +1 holy bonus on all 
  Saves made against the hostile attentions of 
  evil fey, outsiders and undead. Hostile 
  creatures of those types who venture within 
  30 ft of you must succeed at a WILL Save 
  (DC 15 + your CHA modifier) or be shaken 
  for as long as they remain in your presence 
  and for 5 rounds there they leave it. Once a 
  creature saves against this effect, it cannot 
  be affected by your purity again for 24 
  hours.  
   
  Limitation: You lose access to this 
  feat for 24 hours after voluntarily 
  compromising your purity by engaging in 
  premarital or adulterous sex, by taking drugs 
  or alcohol or many of the other fatal sins of 
  early Eighties horror movies.  
   
  Good Girl’s Empathy (General SU)  
   
  The light of your soul allows you to 
  influence the minds of others, touching their 
  hearts with light and cheer.  
   
  Prerequsite: Good Girl’s Aegis, 
  Trustworthy, Diplomacy 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to two plus your CHA modifier 
  (minimum three times daily), you may allow 
  your spiritual aegis to become faintly visible 
  around you, bathing you in a soft golden 
  glow. Using this ability is a free action.  
   
   
  Each use of this ability allows you to 
  instantly improve the attitude of an NPC by 
  one category; the target must be of at least 
  animal intelligence for this mind-affecting 
  ability to have any effect. You may expend 
  as many uses of this ability as you deem 
  necessary at once. 
   The target receives a WILL Save 
  (DC 10 + your CHA modifier + ½ your total 
  chararcter level) to resist the empathic 
  effect. A target who successfully saves 
  against this effect cannot be affected by your 
  glowing aura for 24 hours.  
  You may also expend a use of this 
  ability to receive a +4 holy bonus on your 
  next CHA based skill check. This ability 
  cannot improve the results of an Intimidate 
  check.   
   
  Finally, you may expend two daily 
  uses of this ability to cast sleep as a mage of 
  your total character level. Alternatively, the 
  character can remove the fatigued or 
  exhausted condition (three daily uses) from 
  a willing creature touched, including herself.  
   
  Good Girl’s Glow (General SU)  
   
  Your purity of spirit allows you to 
  glow with a shimmering, sparkling nimbus 
  96
  
  of pure golden or rainbow light that spreads 
  cheer and repels monsters.  
   
  Prerequsite: Good Girl’s Aegis, 
  Iron Will  
   
  Benefit: You gain the ability to 
  produce a brilliant, holy light at will, thanks 
  to your innate good nature and your 
  innocence of spirit.  
   
   
   
  You may cast light or 
  prestidigitation at will, as a mage of your 
  total character level. You may also touch a 
  willing creature and grant them the benefit 
  of the resistance spell, as cast by a mage of 
  your total character level.  
   
   
   
  More importantly, a number of times 
  per day equal to one plus your CHA 
  modifier (minimum twice daily), you may 
  unleash your glowing nimbus as a 
  spectacular brilliant fountain of golden or 
  rainbow colored plasma. All hostile 
  outsiders, fey and undead within 60 ft of you 
  suffer 4d6 + your CHA modifier points of 
  holy damage from this storm of glowing 
  purity. 
  Targeted creatures may attempt a 
  REF Save (DC 12 + your CHA modifier + 
  ½ your total character level or hit die) for 
  half damage. Creatures destroyed by this 
  effect are burned away to ash and dust, 
  though some of their gear and weapons may 
  remain behind.  
   
  Groundshake (General SU)  
   
  Your great strength and iron 
  determination allows you to shake 
  the ground with your passage.  
  Prerequsite: Super 
  Heavyweight, STR 17   
  Benefit: As a standard 
  action, you may slam your foot or 
  weapon down onto the ground, 
  causing a localized earthquake, 
  which affects all creatures within a 
  30 ft radius of you. Creatures in the 
  tremor zone must make a REF save 
  (DC 12 + your STR modifier) or be 
  knocked prone, suffering 1d6 points 
  of subdual damage in the process.  
   
   
  Gungrapple (General)  
   
  When wrestling for control 
  of a gun, you always seem to come 
  out on top, and your enemy always 
  seems to take a few stray shots.  
   
  Prerequiste: Improved 
  Disarm  
   
  Benefit: On a successful disarm 
  attempt, you may fire a single ‘free’ shot at 
  your opponent before using his gun before it 
  actually leaves his hands. This attack is 
  considered a touch attack, and inflicts 
  normal damage. Due to the imprecise nature 
  of the attack, neither combatant’s Point 
  Blank Shot affects the damage inflicted. 
  Your opponent must be armed with a loaded 
  ranged weapon for this feat to have any 
  effect.  
   
  Gym Rat (General) 
  You live in the gym, train constantly, 
  sacrifice much all to sculpt your physique 
  into a thing of hard, chiseled perfection.  
  97
  
  Prerequsite: STR 15+, Athletic, 
  Iron Will  
  Benefit: You may add your STR 
  modifier as an untyped bonus to all 
  Diplomacy checks made against someone 
  who would find you sexually attractive, and 
  on all Perform (dance) and Profession 
  (bodybuilder, athlete or similar) checks.  
   
  Hard Landing (General)  
  You’re tough and lucky enough to 
  survive impacts that would splatter anyone 
  else.  
  Benefit: Any time you suffer falling 
  damage, or damage from a vehicular 
  collision, you may spend an action point to 
  transform the damage from lethal damage 
  into subdual damage. You may activate this 
  ability after the fall’s damage is rolled, 
  allowing you to save your luck for when you 
  need it most.  
   
  Hard Training/Easy Missions (General  - 
  Metagame Ability)  
   
  You train constantly, and enjoy the 
  chance to show off your unique skills. The 
  skills and talents you demonstrate at the 
  beginning of an adventure often prove useful 
  at the adventure's climax.  
   
  Prerequsite: Contingency Planning  
   
  Benefit: You as a player gain a 
  limited ability to influence the adventure's 
  plot, dictating what types of challenges you 
  will face later in the adventure. At the 
  beginning of a particular mission or 
  adventure, before the end of the first two 
  game sessions, you may tell your game 
  master you are intently practicing a 
  particular skill (such as demonstrating your 
  prowess at Escape Artist by dislocating your 
  shoulders to escape a straightjacket to win a 
  station house bet). You receive a +6 luck 
  bonus on all checks with this skill made 
  during the particular mission or adventure.  
   
   
  More importantly, the gamemaster 
  will incorporate the designated skill check at 
  some point during the adventure's climax. 
  This encounter may replace one of the 
  gamemaster's previous planned challenges, 
  or be an additional challenge appropriate for 
  a character of your level. Since you as a 
  player know the challenge is coming, and 
  are receiving a bonus to the check, you are 
  in a better position to succeed.  
   
  Limitation: You may only designate 
  one skill at any particular time.  
   
  Handload (General)  
  You handcraft you own ammunition, 
  not trusting anyone else to touch something 
  that’s going into your guns.  
  Prerequsite: Weapon Focus (any firearm), 
  Base Attack Bonus +3   
  Benefit: When firing hand loaded 
  ammunition, your specially formulated, 
  speciality ammo ensures you do additional 
  damage. You recieve a +1 on attack and 
  damage rolls with any fire arm when firing 
  ammunition you’ve hand loaded yourself.  
   
  Heavy Caliber Knockback (General)  
   
  In your capable hands, a peice of 
  steel and lead small enough to fit in a child’s 
  palm can knock a man back like he just got 
  hit by a wrecking ball.  
   
  Prerequsite:  Double Tap 
   
  Benefit: When you double tap an 
  enemy, he or she must make a FORT save 
  (DC 8  + the damage inflicted) or be 
  knocked prone. Quadrapeds or characters 
  with the stability racial feature are not 
  affected by knockback.  
   
  Special: You may only use this feat 
  in conjunction with a weapon that deals 2d8 
  points of damage or greater.  
   
  Heavy Weapons Specialist (General)  
   
   
  Your size and combat savvy makes 
  the obvious choice to carry heavy, squad 
  support weapons, and thanks to your great 
  strength and superb aim, you can inflict 
  massive damage with these equally massive 
  weapons.  
  Prerequsite: Exotic Firearms 
  Proficiency (any), STR 15+   
   
  Benefit: You may add your STR 
  modifier as a damage bonus on any exotic 
  firearm you are proficient in. 
   
  Normal: You do not add your STR 
  modifier to damage with firearms.  
   
  98
  
  High-Riser (General)   
   
  You’ve spent your childhood 
  running from cops, darting along rooftops 
  and leaping from fire escape to fire escape. 
  You can perform amazing acrobatic feats, 
  making jumps that even Olympic champions 
  would find impossible.  
   
  Prerequsites: Tagger, Acrobatic, 
  Jump 8 ranks, Climb 2 ranks, Tumble 2 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: You may make a vertical 
  leap without needing to make a running 
  start. However, if you can make a running 
  start of at least 20 ft, you recieve a +4 bonus 
  on the Jump check. In addition, you receive 
  a +2 competence bonus on Climb and 
  Tumble checks made in urban environments.  
   
  Normal: A running start is required 
  to make a vertical leap.  
   
   
   
  Hitback Harder (General)  
   
  All your life, you’ve been 
  victimized, but no longer. You can turn the 
  tables on your tormentors at long last.  
   
  Prerequsite: Heroic Surge, 
  Workingman’s Stoicism 
   
  Benefit: When fighting an adversary 
  with advantages you lack (defined as a BAB 
  more than +2 higher than your own, a 
  Wealth bonus more than 4 greater than your 
  own, psionic abilities, superpowers or 
  spellcasting capability) you may spend an 
  action point to inflict maximum damage for 
  a short period of time. For a number of 
  rounds equal to 1 + your CHA modifier 
  (minimum 2 rounds), all your natural and 
  melee attacks do maximum damage. 
   
  Hotwire (General)  
  There isn't a vehicle on the planet 
  that you can’t steal quickly, quietly and 
  efficiently.  
  Prerequisite: Gearhead  
  Benefit: When you use the Repair skill to 
  hot-wire a vehicle, you recieve a +4 
  circumstance bonus on the skill check, due 
  to your familiarity with various vehicle 
  electrical systems. You can hot wire a 
  vehicle as a standard action.  
  Normal: Hot-wiring a vehicle is a full round 
  action.  
   
  Imajinary Explorer (General SU)  
   
  Your natural ability to see the 
  glowing tunnels between Earth and the 
  Imajin Nation, and your gift for exploring 
  those portals has made you a friend to the 
  Imajinairies.  
   
  Prerequsite: character level first, 
  any non-Imajinary species  
   
  Benefit: From the moment you 
  opened your eyes, you’ve had the ability to 
  perceive the pan dimensional portals the 
  Imajin use to cross realities. By spending an 
  action point, you temporarily gain the ability 
  to step into the Imajin Nation and return to 
  our Earth, just like a true-born Imajin. 
  Though the tunnels are cramped, you can 
  interact with their inhabitants and find 
  adventures in the other realm.  
   
  Once the action point is spent, you 
  gain the ability to jump between dimensions 
  as a move equivalent action, as often as once 
  per hour. This enhancement remains in 
  effect for 13 hours, or until you next sleep, 
  whichever is sooner.  
   
  Your familiarity with Imajin culture 
  grants you a +4 insight bonus on Diplomacy 
  and Gather Information checks among the 
  Imajin.  
  99
  
   
  Iron Robes (General SU)  
   
  You know the secret of cloth, which 
  transforms woven cotton into armor strong 
  enough to resist high caliber bullets.  
   
  Prerequsite: Twine-Witch, Craft: 
  visual arts 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to ½ your ranks in Craft: visual arts, 
  you may transform your organic fiber 
  clothing into dense armor. Transforming 
  your clothing into armored robes is a 
  standard action, which provokes attacks of 
  opportunity.  
   
  Your armored clothing provides you 
  with a +5 deflection bonus to Defense, in 
  addition to any mundane equipment bonuses 
  to Defense it provides. Your armored 
  clothing grants you Fire and Electricity 
  Resistance 10. 
   
  Your armored clothing provides you 
  with Damage Resistance 1/magic, which 
  stacks with DR from other sources, 
  including Tough Hero class levels, if you 
  have 12 or more ranks in Craft: visual arts. 
  Your magical DR increases by +1/magic for 
  each additional three ranks in Craft: visual 
  arts you possess.  
  Each activation of this ability lasts 
  for a number of rounds equal to your INT 
  modifier (minimum one round).  
   
  Investment Portfolio (General)  
   
  You’ve invested heavily and 
  intelligently in the stock market, creating a 
  stable revenue stream that requires little 
  additional effort to enjoy.  
   
  Prerequsite: Profession (broker) 4 
  ranks, Knowledge (business) 4 ranks, 
  Windfall 
   
  Benefit: You create an investment 
  portfolio for yourself which generates a 
  small but steady amount of income each 
  month. The portfolio has its own 
  “Intelligence score” and ranks in 
  Knowledge: business, which are used on 
  your behalf. At the beginning of each 
  month, the portfolio makes a DC 20 
  Knowledge: business check.  
  If the check succeeds, your Wealth 
  Bonus increases by +1, plus an additional 
  point for every five points by which the 
  Portfolio beats the Knowledge check DC. 
  Failing the check simply means your 
  investments generate no revenue that month. 
  Failing the check by five or more points 
  reduces the Portfolio’s “INT score” by one 
  point, representing a loss of capital due to 
  bad investments and poor market conditions.  
   When you create your Portfolio, you 
  assign resources to the Portfolio, 
  representing your initial investment and 
  determining the Porfolio’s effective 
  Intelligence. The Portfolio has an INT score 
  equal to 9 + one point for every point of 
  Wealth bonus you sacrifice to the 
  Investment Portfolio. The Portfolio has no 
  maximum INT score. At any time, you may 
  sacrifice another point of Wealth Bonus to 
  the Portfolio, increasing it’s Intelligence and 
  effectiveness in the market.  
  The Portfolio’s effective ranks in 
  Knowledge: business are equal to your 
  current ranks in Profession (broker). The 
  Portfolio’s knowledge ranks increase as 
  your understanding of the market grows.  
   
  Jujitsu (General) 
  You are adept at using an opponent’s 
  strength and overconfidence against him.  
   
  Prerequsite: Defensive Martial Arts, 
  Balance 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: When making a Trip, 
  Disarm or Grapple  check, you may use your 
  opponent’s STR modifier in place of your 
  own if it is greater.  
   
  Krav Maga (General)  
   
  You practice the brutal martial art 
  pioneered by Isreal’s MOSSAD agency, a 
  hard style focusing on quickly killing or 
  incapacitating attackers. 
   
  Prerequsite: Power Attack, 
  Streetfighting, Base Attack Bonus +4   
   
  Benefit: Any time your attack roll 
  defeats your opponent’s Defense score by 5 
  points or more, you inflict an additional 1d4 
  points of damage. This bonus damage stacks 
  with additional damage gained from sources 
  such as the Streetfighting feat, class abilities 
  or supernatural effects, and is multiplied on 
  a critical hit.  
  100
  
   
  Kotodama Technique (General SU)  
   
  Known as the “true word technique”, 
  this Buddhist martial arts skill allows it’s 
  adherents to use their voice to disarm their 
  enemies.  
   
  Prerequsite: Perform (sing) 4 ranks  
  Benefit: As an attack action, you can 
  shout a ritual war-cry that may stun your 
  adversaries. All enemies within 60 ft must 
  make a WILL save (DC 10 + your CHA 
  modifier) or be dazed for one round.  
   
  Leather Wings (General SU)  
  Your kung fu draws its 
  inspiration from the bats that soar across 
  Southeast Asia’s humid skies. When you 
  move, your robes and cloak move like 
  great wings, concealing you in their 
  folds.  
   
  Prerequsites: Dodge, Jump 4 
  ranks, Tumble 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You can use your 
  flapping cloak to confuse and distract 
  opponents and hide your vital areas Any 
  time you are wearing exceptionally 
  bulky, loose clothes (such as robes, a 
  cloak, a trenchcoat or duster, scarves or 
  similar articles) you recieve a +4 morale 
  bonus to Defense when fighting 
  defensively or any time you are targeted 
  by a ranged attack. This ability provides 
  no benefit against area effects.  
  Additionally, you can slow your fall 
  with your ‘leather wings’ and always 
  treat a fall as if it were 10 ft shorter 
  when properly dressed.  
   
   
  Liberty Graduate (General)  
   
  You are the graduate from a 
  prestigious, conservative college or 
  university, such as Pat Robertson’s Liberty 
  University. You have been trained as a 
  public speaker and are expected to become a 
  major voice in conservative politics.   
   
  Prerequsites: Character level first, 
  Diplomacy 4 ranks, Knowledge: civics 4 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: When speaking to a 
  conservative audience, or arguing a 
  conservative cause, you may add your INT 
  bonus as an untyped bonus on the associated 
  charisma-based skill check. Conservative 
  artists and entertainers may add this bonus 
  to Craft: visual arts or writing or Perform 
  checks.  
   
  Drawback: You suffer a –2 penalty 
  on CHA based skill checks (except 
  Intimidate) when interacting with a liberal or 
  mostly liberal audience.  
   
   
   
  Living Nightmare (General)  
  The torments you can inflict are 
  legendary, even in the depths of hell. 
  Memories of your cruelty continue to plague 
  your enemies, even years after the encounter 
  ends.  
  Prerequsite: Frightful Presence 
  Benefit: You can inflict severe 
  psychological damage on your enemies. To 
  activate this ability, you must successfully 
  use your Frightful Prescense and inflict 
  damage upon the victim in the same 
  encounter. By spending an action point, you 
  can turn the passing moment of terror into a 
  101
  
  lifetime of flashbacks and post traumatic 
  stress disorder.  
  The victim must make a second 
  WILL save at the same difficulty or begin 
  suffering from a very severe form of PSTD 
  as a result of your actions. The victim is 
  always considered shaken in your presence, 
  and becomes shaken anytime your name or 
  deeds are mentioned, or when the victim 
  encounters any person or situation that 
  strongly reminds them of you. These 
  flashbacks last for a number of rounds equal 
  to 1d6 + your CHA modifier. The victim 
  may often suffer random, recurrent 
  nightmares as well as flashbacks.  
   
   
  Local Hero (General)  
  You are a local celebrity, extremely 
  well known in a specific city or 
  neighborhood. 
   
  Prerequsite: Knowledge: local 4 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: You may choose any small 
  city or neighborhood within a larger city that 
  you have lived in for at least a month. Your 
  reputation bonus is doubled within this area. 
  Additionally, you recieve a +2 competence 
  bonus on Spot and Search checks within the 
  area. You are so attuned to the 
  neighborhood, you can easily detect the 
  unusual.  
   
  Lucky Shot (General – Metagame Ability)  
   
  Killing your way through thugs and 
  minions somehow (nobody is really sure 
  how) gives you a better chance of taking out 
  a major adversary at a suitably dramatic 
  moment.  
   
  Prerequsite: Heavy Caliber 
  Knockback  
   
  Benefit: Keep track of the number of 
  shots fired; a shot for this purpose is 
  considered a single attack with a particular 
  gun, even if multiple bullets are fired, as in 
  the case of Double Tap. After you make ten 
  shots with a particular weapon, the eleventh 
  shot you fire with that weapon inflicts an 
  additional 2 dice worth of damage, and the 
  lucky eleventh shot receives a +1 luck bonus 
  on its attack roll.  
   
  You may choose to change weapons, 
  allowing you to save this lucky bullet for the 
  next time you really need it, or expend the 
  lucky shot on your next attack. If you do not 
  use this benefit before you next sleep, you 
  lose it.  
   
   
  Luckiest Shot in the World (General – 
  Metagame Ability)   
   
  You manage to get great shots off a 
  lot more often than normal. In a gun fight, 
  it’s like some sniper-friendly God has His 
  hand on your shoulder.  
   
  Prerequsite: Lucky Shot  
   
  Benefit: Anytime you roll a natural 
  20 on a ranged attack roll, the next attack 
  you make with that weapon is considered a 
  lucky shot. This lucky shot is in addition to 
  the 11th lucky shot you receive thanks to the 
  Lucky Shot feat.  
   
  Master of Improvisation (General)  
   
  It doesn't matter if you have the tools 
  or not, you can get the job done.  
   
  Prerequsite: Craft (any) 4 ranks  
  Benefit: The skill penalties for 
  working without proper tools are reduced by 
  2. Thus, you take a –2 penalty for attempting 
  a tool without the proper skill kit, and no 
  penalty for using improvised tool kits.  
   
  Normal: If you make a skill check 
  without the proper tools, you suffer a –4 
  penalty. If you use an improvised tool kit 
  rather than proper equipment, you suffer a –
  2 penalty.  
   
  Meaningful Ink (General)  
   
  There’s a flag sewn into your skin. 
  You tattoos tell the world who you are, what 
  you stand for, and you draw strength and 
  courage from them.  
   
  Benefit: You’ve been extensively 
  tattooed, marked with designs that have 
  deep personal meaning for you. Your tattoos 
  grant one of the following the following 
  morale bonuses:  
  • +2 morale bonus on Diplomacy and 
  Gather Information checks against 
  anyone sharing your alliance.  
  102
  
  • +2 morale bonus to any Perform 
  checks made against anyone sharing 
  your alliance.  
  • +2 bonus on melee attack damage 
  rolls against anyone directly opposed 
  to your allegiance 
  • +1 morale bonus to Defense  
   
   
  Drawback: Anyone seeing your 
  highly detailed, wide reaching tattoos may 
  attempt a DC 12 Knowledge check (the type 
  determined by the GM based on the type of 
  affiliation you claim). Success means the 
  viewer easily knows the salience your 
  tattoos represent. If you select this feat 
  multiple times, each time the check DC 
  decreases by 2 points.  
   
  Special: You may select this feat 
  multiple times. Each time you do so, the feat 
  and its benefits apply to a particular 
  salience. Your allegiances cannot be in 
  obvious conflict. You may choose a 
  different benefit each time, or select the 
  same benefit multiple times, in which case 
  the effects stack.   
   
  Nationalistic Pride (General SU)  
   
  Convinced of the superiority of your 
  nation or clan, you fight even more 
  effectively with your countrymen at your 
  side.  
  Prerequsite: Base attack bonus +1  
    
  Benefit: When using the aid another 
  action in combat or flanking an enemy in 
  conjunction with an ally that shares your 
  national, racial or tribal origin you both 
  receive a +4 bonus.  
  Normal: Flanking a creature or 
  aiding an ally provides a +2 bonus.  
   
  Limitation: You must wear or carry 
  some small token of your homeland, such as 
  a locket of a lover’s hair, a vial of soil from 
  your home, a regimental tattoo or a blade 
  with an intricately carved hilt that resembles 
  your nations seal to benefit from this feat. 
  This feat is considered inactive when you do 
  not carry a token of home. 
   
   
   
   
  Nightmarish Ressurection (General SU)  
  You can claw your way back from 
  the depths of hell briefly, in the hopes of 
  committing murder one more time.  
  Prerequsite: Frightful Presence, 
  Toughness, Iron Will, any evil affiliation or 
  alignment.  
  Benefit: Once you die and reach –10 
  Hit Points, you may briefly return to a false 
  life and horrific vitality. You immediately 
  rise the following round, and act as if you 
  had your full normal Hit Points, assuming 
  your body has not been completely atomized 
  or been damaged too badly to reanimate 
  (reduced to –20 HP or greater).  
  You remain ‘alive’ for a number of 
  rounds equal to one plus your WIS modifier 
  (minimum two rounds). While in this false 
  life state, you cannot speak, cast spells, or 
  take any action that requires concentration. 
  You perish instantly if reduced to 0 HP or 
  fewer. If you receive medical treatment or 
  magical healing while using this feat, you 
  return to life without level loss or the risk of 
  CON drain. A creature using this feat can 
  later be raised or resurrected normally.  
   
  One Inch Punch (General)  
   
  Though you barely seem to move, 
  your blows are powerful enough to knock 
  down walls. Your combat style emphasizes 
  control and efficiency.  
   
  Prerequsties: Combat Expertise, 
  Improved Combat Martial Arts 
   
  Benefit: When grappled, or fighting 
  any any space smaller than 10 ft square, you 
  recieve a +2 bonus on grapple checks made 
  to damage your opponent and on unarmed 
  attack rolls.  
   
   
  Patient Sniper (General)  
   
  You are willing to wait hours, even 
  days if necessary before making that one 
  lethal shot that just might change the course 
  of history.  
  Prerequsite: WIS 13, Far Shot 
  Weapon Mastery (any ranged) 
  Benefit: Before making a ranged 
  attack, you may take a full round action to 
  line up your shot. This grants you a +2 
  103
  
  bonus on your next attack roll. Once you 
  begin aiming, you cannot move, even to take 
  a 5 ft step until the next attack is resolved, 
  otherwise the benefit of the feat is lost. If 
  your concentration is disrupted, or you are 
  attacked before your next attack, the benefit 
  of aiming is lost. A sniper may use any type 
  of ranged weapon or spell when making this 
  attack.   
  You may receive a maximum bonus 
  on the shot equal to twice your base attack 
  bonus.  
   
  Perfect Cover (General)  
   
  Before beginning an operation, you 
  take plenty of time to study the habits, 
  interests and quirks of your target, allowing 
  you to custom tailor a disguise that your 
  intended mark will never suspect.  
   
  Prerequsites: Deceptive, Research 8 
  ranks, Bluff 4 ranks, Disguise 4 ranks  
   
   Benefit: Before crafting a disguise 
  or false identity, you may attempt a DC 20 
  Research check to find out details about a 
  specific target, to be fooled by the disguise. 
  This research requires 1d3 days to build a 
  detailed profile on your target. Your 
  Research encompasses everything from your 
  target’s sexual habits and business interests 
  to political ideology, even things as 
  innocuous as the type of wine the target 
  likes to sip. These details allow you to craft 
  a disguise to prey on your target.  
   
  If your check is successful, you 
  receive a +2 insight bonus on all Bluff and 
  Disguise checks made against your 
  designated target for the next 60 days. The 
  bonus increases by +1 for every two points 
  you beat the Research check by. There is no 
  maximum ceiling on the bonus this feat can 
  provide.  
   
  Pillow Talk (General)  
   
  You use your body as the best, 
  deadliest Cold War weapon ever devised. 
  Loose lips sink ships, and you know how to 
  charm those lips loose.  
   
   
  Prerequsite: CHA 13+, Deceptive, 
  Gather Information 4 ranks    
   
  Benefit: You use seduction as a 
  weapon, and gather vital fragments of 
  information from your targets / lovers in 
  their most unguarded, post-coital moments. 
  You receive a +2 bonus on Bluff, 
  Diplomacy and Gather Information checks if 
  the target of the check would find you 
  sexually attractive.  
   
  For 24 hours after a sexual encounter 
  with a target, you receive an additional +2 
  (total +4) on Bluff, Diplomacy and Gather 
  Information checks made against the target. 
  You can usually phrase your questions in 
  such a way it requires a Sense Motive check 
  on the part of the target (DC 12 + your CHA 
  modifier) to even realize they are being 
  ‘pumped’ for information, so to speak.  
   
  Prepared for Betrayal (General – 
  Metagame Ability)  
   
  You have been a spy long enough to 
  realize that only someone you’ve trusted 
  intimately can ever truly betray you, and 
  you’ve planned exacting, highly secret 
  countermeasures just in case any of your 
  allies ever goes rouge.  
   
  Prerequsite: Counter-Intel Expert, 
  Knowledge: tactics 8 ranks, WIS 15+ 
   
  Benefit: When an allied espionage 
  operative goes rouge (described in the 
  Spymaster class ability) and you are placed 
  in direct risk as a result of the betrayal, you 
  may spend an action point to activate this 
  feat. Activating this feat is a free action, 
  which can be used at any time, even when it 
  is not your turn.  
   
  As a player, your character must be 
  in personal danger (from an ambush, a bomb 
  or similar hazard, or actively involved in 
  combat with the rouge agent or some of his 
  new allies) prior to activating this feat. 
  However, your character need not be 
  consciously aware of the danger to use this 
  ability; since this is a metagame ability, your 
  character can activate this ability even when 
  helpless, unconcious, dying or otherwise 
  unable to take normal actions.  
  This ability represents the off-screen 
  planning, hidden ‘reveals’ and plot twists 
  that are a vital part of the spy-movie genre, a 
  chance for a veteran spy to turn to his 
  betrayer and say “Of course you’re a  double 
  104
  
  agent. I’ve known about you since that 
  conversation in Marakesh….”  
   
  Once this feat is activated, the player 
  and the gamemaster work quickly to define 
  how the rightly paranoid agent’s hidden 
  plans come to light. These hidden plans 
  always shift the favor back into the 
  activating player’s favor, though the exact 
  nature of the dues ex machina that saves the 
  character is matter for discussion.  
  For example, a team of allied NPC 
  soldiers or agents might burst from hiding to 
  assist your character, a sniper shot rings out 
  from a neighboring rooftop, turning the tide 
  of battle, previously hidden explosives 
  detonate, a rescue team arrives to extract the 
  character, or an attack that should have 
  killed the character is declared null and void, 
  stopped by a concealed bulletproof vest.  
  The gamemaster may even declare 
  that an important character, either PC or 
  NPC, who died at the double agent’s hand is 
  still alive. Perhaps they were only wounded 
  in the initial assault, or perhaps their death 
  was faked to draw out the traitor.  
   
  From the moment this feat is 
  activated, the activating character may act as 
  if he or she had always been aware of the 
  betrayal, even if the player only knew about 
  the plot twist only found out about it 
  immediately prior to activating this feat.  
   
  Pyromaniac (General) 
  Fire is your friend. You know how 
  make and set devastating explosives.  
  Prerequsite: Cautious 
  Benefit: You recieve a +2 bonus on 
  Demolitions Checks and Craft: chemical 
  checks, as well as any Craft: mechanical or 
  electronics checks made to create a warhead, 
  timing device or similar explosive device. 
  You may spend an action point to inflict an 
  additonal die of damage with any explosive 
  you set or create.  
   
  Racial Exotica (General SU)  
   
  The full details of your heritage may 
  never be fully known, and while your 
  features mark you as not completely human, 
  your strange beauty and otherworldly appeal 
  cannot be denied.  
  Prerequisite: character level first.  
    
  Benefit: Your body bears subtle 
  mutations that make you both more durable 
  and more sexually appealing. Most 
  noticeably, your skin is an abnormal but 
  appealing color or texture- you might have a 
  light pelt, iridescent scales, or seem to be 
  made of more exotic matter. Some humans 
  with this feat have translucent bodies that 
  resemble glass sculptures, while others have 
  gleaming steel skin. Once your unusual 
  appearance is chosen, it cannot be altered. 
   
   Regardless of appearance, your 
  exotic skin gives you a +2 natural armor 
  class bonus, and grants a +4 racial bonus on 
  sexually oriented Bluff and Diplomacy 
  checks.  
  Limitations: Characters with this 
  feat suffer a –4 penalty on Disguise checks.  
   
  Ranged Disarm (General)  
   
  You’re good enough you can blast 
  the guns out of your enemy’s hands. Of 
  course, sometimes bits of finger come with 
  the guns, but nobody’s perfect.  
   
  Prerequsites: Precise Shot, Combat 
  Expertise, Spot 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: As an attack action, you 
  may make a disarm attempt by firing one 
  round with any ranged weapon that fires a 
  physical projectile. The target must be 
  clearly visible to you and within your 
  weapon’s first range incrementincrement. A 
  successful ranged disarm attempt disarms 
  your opponent and inflicts 1 point of 
  damage.   
  Your projectile is considered to be 
  your ‘size’ for the purposes of the disarm 
  attempt, and unlike normal disarm check, 
  your ranged disarm attempt adds your WIS 
  modifier, rather than your STR modifier to 
  the check. If the disarm attempt fails, your 
  opponent can not attempt to disarm you in 
  turn.  
   
  Ranged Humilation (General)  
   
  Why stop at shooting the gun out of 
  somebody’s hands? Shoot off his belt and 
  leave him bare assed in the face of your 
  105
  
  onslaught..... blast away the snaps securing 
  his bullet proof vest. Get creative in your 
  gun fighting.  
   
  Prerequsites: Base attack bonus +5, 
  Ranged Disarm  
   
  Benefit: You may attempt to sunder 
  an object or remove an article of your 
  enemy’s clothing though some spectacular 
  trick shooting. The target must be clearly 
  visible to you and within your weapon’s first 
  range increment. A successful ranged 
  sunder/theft attempt hinders your opponent 
  and inflicts 1 point of damage.   
  Your projectile is considered to be 
  your ‘size’ for the purposes of the disarm 
  attempt, and unlike normal disarm check, 
  your ranged disarm attempt adds your WIS 
  modifier, rather than your STR modifier to 
  the check. If the sunder/theft attempt fails, 
  your opponent can not attempt to disarm you 
  in turn.  
  You may attempt to catch a weapon 
  or object shot off your opponent’s person if 
  you have a free hand.  
   
  Really Unlikely Allies (General –Metagame 
  ability)  
   
  It’s all about who you know. 
  Nobody’s every quite who all you know, but 
  your weird contacts always comes in handy.  
   
  Prerequsite: Local Hero, Diplomacy 
  4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You are at the center of a 
  constantly shifting network of friends and 
  contacts. Each month you select three fairly 
  narrowly defined groups of potential allies 
  (for example, Puerta Rician beat cops, 
  Catholic priests and California surfers). 
  None of the groups can be closely related or 
  operate in similar social circles; your minor 
  allies from feat this can be enemies without 
  seriously affecting your standing with your 
  patrons and major allies.  
   
  Each month you must select a new 
  three ally groups. You may not select the 
  same group (or a very similar group) more 
  than once every six months, meaning you 
  are forced to cultivate a diverse and weird 
  array of contacts. You receive a +2 
  competence bonus on all CHA-based skill 
  checks made among your allied groups.  
   
  If you act in a manner that obviously 
  harms or works counter to the interests of 
  one of your ‘minor allies’ you might lose the 
  benefit of that ally temporarily.  
   
  Redliner (General)  
  You are one of the best pilots alive today, a 
  veteran with thousands of flight hours 
  logged, and you know how get maximum 
  performance from your machine.  
   
  Prerequisite: Aircraft Operation, 
  Pilot 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: By spending an action point 
  while particular aircraft, you may attune 
  yourself to all aircraft of that type and 
  model. When piloting an attuned aircraft, 
  you can coax increased performance from 
  the machine. In your hands, the aircraft’s 
  maximum speed is increased by 10 %, and 
  its maneuverability is increased by one 
  category (maximum Perfect 
  maneuverability).  
   
  You may attune to any number of 
  different types of aircraft.  
   
  Retained Council (General)  
   
  You’ve got a law firm, bondsmen 
  and corporate law specialists  on retainer, 
  ready to come to your defense with only a 
  single phone call.  
   
  Benefit: You reduce the Purchase 
  DC of any legal services or bail bonds by 5 
  points, allowing you to find and retain 
  highly skilled attorneys at a reasonable cost. 
  You attorneys will begin acting on your 
  behalf, to arrange bail or make preliminary 
  arguments in a case you bring within 1d4 
  hours of being contacted.  
   
   
  Romantic Tragedy (General - Metagame 
  Ability)  
   
  Spies live in a world of betrayal and 
  heartbreak. Casual lovers come and go, but 
  true love is rarely encountered during an 
  operation. For spies, love almost always 
  ends badly, with their beloved murdered by 
  rival agents or killed by a bomb meant for 
  them. You don't love easily as a result of 
  your past losses.  
   
  Benefit: If your character begins a 
  long term sexual or romantic relationship 
  106
  
  with another character who may be either 
  another player character or an important 
  NPC, which lasts longer than a few days of 
  game-time, you may declare that person to 
  be a 'true love', a soul mate and companion 
  for your otherwise heartless agent.  
   
   
  You may only have a single true love 
  (in the sense of this feat) at any given time. 
  This true love may be the same true love 
  designated in certain modern magic feats 
  (such as Mage of the Heart) or the 
  Forbidden's class abilities.  
   
   
   
  If this true love ever dies or is critically 
  injured, you receive a temporary action 
  point, which must be spent before the end of 
  your current mission or adventure. You 
  receive a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls 
  made against the character who killed your 
  beloved, as well as anyone who ordered the 
  assassination. By spending an action point 
  while confronting your beloved's killers, you 
  inflict maximum  damage with any weapons 
  or unarmed attacks you make against the 
  killer or killers. This enhancement lasts until 
  the end of the encounter.  
   
  Secular Philosopher (General)  
   
  You put more faith in the great 
  works of science and reason, and in man’s 
  inherent goodness than you do in any 
  supreme being.  
    
  Benefit: You recieve a +2 bonus on 
  Knowledge (civics and earth & life 
  sciences). You recieve a +2 bonus on WILL 
  saves against any mind influencing effects 
  stemming from a character with the Aligned 
  Zealot or Annointed Cleric feat, or from any 
  character whose primary allegiance is 
  towards a religion.   
   
  Serpentine Mane (General SU)  
   
  Your long , intricately styled hair 
  writes and moves with a life to its own, 
  twining around opponents and always 
  secretly working for your benefit.  
   
   
  Prerequisite: CHA 15+, Concentration 4 
  ranks  
   
  Benefit: You 
  have total 
  psychic control 
  over every strand 
  of your hair. 
  Your prehensile 
  hair grants you a 
  +2 bonus on all 
  grapple and 
  disarm checks, as 
  well as Sleight of 
  Hand and Escape 
  Artist checks. If your hair is uncovered, you 
  are always considered to have a ‘hand free’ 
  for the purpose of what combat abilities you 
  can bring to bear.  
   
  Limitation: If your hair is ever cut 
  or burned, you lose the benefit of this feat 
  until it regenerates to it’s full length, which 
  requires 1d6+1 days.  
   
  Set the Pace (General - Metagame 
  Ability)  
   
  You know how to control the 
  momentum of a battle, how to use 
  distractions and perfectly timed feints and 
  counterattacks for maximum tactical benefit.  
   
  Prerequsites: Combat Reflexes, 
  Decisiveness, Improved Initiative, 
  Knowledge: tactics 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: By spending an action 
  point, you can force the battlefield to 
  conform to your time table. You force all 
  sides involved in a battle, including yourself, 
  to re roll initiative. Using this feat is a free 
  107
  
  action, which may be preformed at any time, 
  even during another creature’s turn. With 
  proper timing, you can use this feat to deny 
  an enemy a chance to act.  
  Because you know this shocking 
  reversal is coming, you recieve a +4 bonus 
  on your Initative check, which stacks with 
  the bonus from Improved Iniative, and you 
  can extend this bonus to a number of allies 
  equal to your INT modifier. The round 
  immediately after this ability is used is 
  considered a suprise round.  
   
  Sexual Healin’ (General)  
   
  Marvin Gaye said it best. Sometimes 
  you just need a little bit of sexual medicine.  
   
  Benefit: By engaging in at least one 
  hour enjoying sex with a partner, who need 
  not have this feat, you may make a DC 12 
  WIS check. Success means that you can 
  instantly recover a number of Hit Points 
  equal to your partner’s CHA modifier plus 
  one (minimum two HP), or you may 
  instantly recover from being fatigued or 
  exhausted.  
   
  You may only benefit from this feat 
  once per day.  
   
  Shoot out the Lights (General)  
   
  Darkness is a fine equalizer, and you 
  use it as often as you can to give you the 
  edge in combat.  
   
  Prerequsite: Combat Reflexes  
   
    
  Benefit: Any time you are indoors, 
  you may fire a single shot to blast a specific 
  light source as a free action in on 
  conjunction with a move or attack action. 
  You may not use this feat to attack a light 
  source carried or worn by another character.   
   
   
  Skyfall (General)  
   
  Nothing shakes up a target quite like 
  you dropping the cieling on ‘em.  
   
  Prerequsite: Shoot out the Lights  
   
  Benefit: Once per round, as a move 
  equivalent action similar to the Shoot out the 
  Lights class feature, you may fire a wild 
  shot at the cieling, in hopes of bringing 
  down some rubble on your adversary’s 
  skull. When using this feat, you make an 
  attack roll against a theoretical AC 20. The 
  amount you beat your attack roll by 
  determines the size of the rubble created. 
  You must be in doors, and the cieling must 
  be within your weapon’s first range 
  increment to use this feat. You cannot create 
  a rubble pile larger than the targeted 
  structure with this feat, for obvious reasons.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  If you beat AC 
  20 by:  
  Rubble Size 
  Initial Damage  
  Reflex Save 
  DC 
  Strength Check 
  DC (if pinned 
  by rubble)  
  By 1 point  
  Tiny 
  1d3  
  5 
  N/A 
  By 2-3 pts  
  Small 
  1d4 
  10 
  5 
  By 4-5 pts  
  Medium 
  1d6 
  15 
  10 
  By 6-8 pts 
  Large 
  2d6  
  20 
  20 
  By 9-10 pts  
  Huge 
  4d6 
  25 
  30 
  By 11+ pts  
  Gargantuan  
  8d6  
  30 
  40  
  108
  
  Shoplifter (General)  
   
  Why pay for something you want, 
  when you can just take it? You’re adept at 
  stealing from stores and evading minor 
  security. The items you steal are rarely 
  really valuable, but it’s always a thrill (and 
  sometimes a profitable thrill) to get away 
  clean.  
   
  Prerequsites: Knowledge: 
  streetwise 1 rank, Sleight of Hand 1 rank  
   
  Benefit: The shoplifter receives a +4 
  bonus on all Sleight of Hand checks made to 
  steal Tiny or smaller  objects from a store or 
  conceal that theft. Examples of situations 
  where this feat  would be palming a tape or 
  CD at the mall, subtly lifting rings out a 
  jewelry store display case, or pocketing 
  money from a cash register while the clerk is 
  distracted.     
  Additionally, the shoplifter may 
  always Take 10 on a Sleight of Hand check 
  made when attempting to steal an Tiny (or 
  smaller) object with a Purchase DC of 5 or 
  less, even when observed or stressed. This 
  feat does not apply when using the skill to 
  pick pockets.  
   
  Silencing Strike (General)  
   
  With a quick strike to an opponent’s 
  throat, you render him incapable of speaking 
  or calling for help.  
  Prerequsite: Combat Martial Arts, 
  Improved Combat Martial Arts  
   
  Benefit: When you successfully 
  make an unarmed or melee attack against a 
  subject, if your attack roll beats his Defense 
  score by more than 5 points, in addition to 
  dealing damage, you have silenced the 
  victim with a sharp jab to the throat. The 
  victim cannot speak or make any vocal 
  sounds for 1d4+1 rounds. A DC 12 Treat 
  Injury check can quickly restore the 
  wounded creature’s ability to speak. You 
  may also spend an action point to activate 
  this feat on any successful hit.  
   
  Snakefinger Jab (General)  
   
  With a straight fingered blow to your 
  adversary’s vitals, you can inflict sickness 
  and misery with your fists.  
  Prerequsite: One Inch Punch, Treat 
  Injury 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: When you successfully 
  make an unarmed or melee attack against a 
  subject, if your attack roll beats his Defense 
  score by more than 5 points, in addition to 
  dealing damage, your victim is considered 
  nauseated for a number of rounds equal to 
  your WIS modifier. A DC 12 Treat Injury 
  check will remove the victim’s nauseated 
  condition, but the victim is still sickened for 
  the effect’s duration. You may also spend an 
  action point to activate this feat on any 
  successful hit. 
   
  Sociopath’s Insight (General)  
   
  You have an instinctive knack for 
  sensing a person’s emotional weaknesses 
  and triggers.  
   
  Prerequsite: Sense Motive 4 ranks 
   
  Benefit: While conversing with a 
  sentient creature, you may made a Sense 
  Motive check (DC 12 + the target’s WIS 
  modifier). If successful, you gain a basic 
  understanding of the target’s thought 
  processes, particularly any recent events or 
  obsessions weighing heavily on the target’s 
  mind. As such, for the next 24 hours, you 
  receive a bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy 
  checks equal to +2 (plus an additional +1 for 
  every two points you beat the Sense Motive 
  check by). 
   
  Sound of Fear (General SU)  
   
  Any creature that can hear your 
  footsteps implacably closer or listens to that 
  eerie thing you call your voice is terrified 
  beyond all reason.  
   
  Prerequsite: Frightful Presence 
   
  Benefit: Any creature within 60 ft 
  can be affected by your frightful presence 
  ability, assuming it can hear your words or 
  you take some audible action. Anyone 
  actively using the Listen skill to pinpoint 
  your presence receives no save against your 
  Frightful Presence ability.  
   
   
   
   
   
  109
  
  Special Forces Training (General)  
   
  Murtaugh: “I pulled your file. It said you 
  were in the Phoenix Project in Vietnam, is 
  that right? Assassination stuff. It’s over, you 
  know?” 
  Riggs: “What?” 
  Murtaugh: “The war….” 
  -Lethal Weapon (1987) 
   
  You have undergone extensive guerilla and 
  unconventional warfare training, and know 
  how to operate behind the lines without 
  supplies or support. Your training 
  encompasses raising popular support or 
  spreading fear through terror tactics, as well 
  as survival combat expertise.  
   
  Prerequsites: Knowledge: tactics 6 
  ranks, Survival 4 ranks  
   
   
  Benefit: Your training emphasizes 
  stealthy, silent and tactically perfect 
  assaults. As often as  per encounter, you 
  may reroll any failed Hide or Move Silently 
  check, any failed demolitions or Disable 
  Device check. You may also reroll melee 
  attack damage made against any living 
  creature with a reasonably normal anatomy. 
  This reroll takes no time, and is considered 
  part of the failed check. You must accept the 
  result of the reroll, even if it is worse than 
  the first.  
   
  Special: If used in conjunction with 
  the Squad Leader feat, presented in Psi-
  Watch, this feat raises your effective 
  character level is raised by +1 for the 
  purpose of recruiting follows and cohorts 
  from the local population.   
   
   
  Spec Ops Stealth (General) 
   
  Your elite military training allows 
  you to move quietly and attack unnoticed 
  even when carrying the backbreaking load 
  all infantrymen carry.   
   
  Prerequsite: STR 13+ Hide 4 ranks, 
  Move Silently 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You do not suffer from 
  armor check or encumbrance penalties on 
  Hide and Move Silently checks, no matter 
  how much gear you are forced to carry.  
   
  Normal: You cannot use stealth 
  effectively when heavily encumbered.  
   
  Spray and Pray (General)  
   
  Sometimes accuracy takes a back 
  seat to putting steel down range.  
   
  Prerequsite: Advanced Firearms 
  Proficiency, Strafe 
   
  Benefit: You may fire a burst as a 
  move equivalent action. This hurried burst 
  suffers a –2 penalty on accuracy and inflicts 
  1 fewer die on damage, but always inflicts a 
  minimum of 1 die worth of damage.   
  110
  
   
  Stranglehold (General)  
   
  You know how to apply lethal 
  pressure, quickly knocking out or killing a 
  grappled adversary.  
   
  Prerequsites: Brawl or Combat 
  Martial Arts, base attack bonus + 2 
   
  Benefit: If you pin an opponent 
  while grappling, and maintain the pin for 
  one full round, at the end of the round the 
  victim must make a FORT save (DC 10 + ½ 
  your total character level + your WIS 
  modifier). If the saving throw fails, your 
  opponent falls unconcious for 1d4 rounds.  
   
  If you maintain the stranglehold, 
  your must begins suffocating, and must 
  begin making Constitution checks each 
  round to avoid death. See pg 213 of the D20 
  Modern campaign setting for additional 
  details.  
   
  Street Dealer (General) 
   
  Your product is widely regarded as 
  the best shit on the street; your reputation as 
  a drug chemist is unquestioned.  
  Prerequsite: Knowledge: streetwise 
  4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on 
  Knowledge: streetwise and Craft: chemical 
  or pharmaceutical checks. Additionally, 
  when using Bluff or Diplomacy to haggle 
  over the price of a package, you may add 
  your INT modifier, if positive, as a bonus on 
  the check.  
   
  Sudden Inspiration (General)  
   
  You have an amazing memory, and 
  often recall previously forgotten facts and 
  minor details that allow you to break 
  important cases wide open!  
   
  Prerequsites: Concentration 1 rank, 
  Investigate 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: A number of times per day 
  equal to your WIS modifier (minimum once 
  daily), you may concentrate for one minute, 
  and trying to remember some previously 
  forgotten clue. This ability allows you re-
  roll any failed Knowledge check made 
  within the last 48 hours.  
   
  If, at the gamemaster's discretion, 
  have performed some mundane, non-heroic 
  task relevant to the Knowledge check, (for 
  example by playing video games with your 
  kid for a Knowledge: technology check), 
  you receive a +2 insight bonus on the check.  
   
  You may reroll a failed Investigate 
  check to Analyze a Clue, as described in the 
  skill's description, effectively closing your 
  eyes and picturing the crime scene in your 
  head. However, since you are not physically 
  present at the crime scene, you suffer a -4 
  penalty on the re-analysis check.  
   
  Normal: You may not retry failed 
  Knowledge or Investigate checks.   
   
  Sunflare (General)  
   
  You are adept at finding the most 
  advantageous position and firing with the 
  sun at your back, making it difficult for your 
  targets to retaliate.  
   
  Prerequsites: Spot 5 ranks, Hide 5 
  ranks, Base Attack Bonus +3 
   
  Benefit: If the archer fires from any 
  position where he’s back lit by the sun, he 
  receives several minor tactical benefits. Any 
  ranged attacks the archer makes recieve a +1 
  circumstance bonus, and the archer receives 
  a +2 circumstance bonus on his Defense 
  score.  
   
  Special: This feat can only be used 
  outdoors, on clear days when the sun is 
  visible. The game master might rule that this 
  feat also applies if the bow hunter is firing 
  when back lit by any especially intense 
  artificial light.  
   
  Super Heavyweight (General)  
  You are a sheer wall of muscle, 
  capable of incredible feats of strength.  
   
  Prerequsite: STR 15+, CON 13+, 
  Toughness  
   
   Benefit: Your great strength allows 
  you to function as if you were a size 
  category larger. Whenever you are subject to 
  a size modifier (for grapples, bull rush 
  attempts, and trip attempts) you are treated 
  as if you were the next larger size category, 
  if that would benefit you. You are 
  considered one size category larger for the 
  purpose of determining if special attacks 
  (such as swallow whole) can effect him. 
  You can use weapons designed for creatures 
  111
  
  in the next size category without penalty, 
  and your lifting and carrying limits are 
  increased, as if you were truly larger.  
   
  Sweet Kicks (General)  
   
  Only the coolest shoes in the world 
  ever touch your feet.  
   
  Benefit: When you purchase any 
  pair of shoes or boots, by voluntarily raising 
  the Purchase DC of the shoes to at least DC 
  8, you can purchase a pair of high end, 
  brand name ‘kicks’.  
   
  When wearing your special, 
  expensive set of kicks, you receive a +2 
  morale bonus on any two of the following 
  types of skill checks: Balance, Climb, Jump, 
  Move Silently, Knowledge: streetwise, or 
  Perform: dance. You also choose to receive 
  a +1 bonus on melee attack and damage 
  rolls with kicks, plus one skill bonus.  
   
  You must choose the bonus 
  conferred when you make the purchase. It 
  cannot be changed there after. You probably 
  have an assortment of shoes, for everything 
  from stomping fools into the curb, popping 
  and locking or moving stealthily.  
   
  Limitation: You may not use this 
  feat in conjunction with foot ware which 
  already has a Purchase DC of 8 or higher, 
  though this feat may stack with mundane 
  equipment bonuses provided by speciality 
  footwear.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tagger 
  (General)  
  There’s not a 
  wall, freeway 
  overpass or 
  train car safe 
  from your 
  spray cans 
  and sense of 
  style.  
  Prerequsite: 
  Craft: visual 
  arts 1 rank  
  Benefit: You 
  receive a +2 
  bonus on all Craft: visual arts and Hide 
  checks. You may produce a piece of art in 
  half the normal time.  
   
  Terrain Mastery (General – Metagame 
  Ability)  
   
  Years of harsh conditioning and 
  battlefield experience have allowed you to 
  become a deadly, highly specialized 
  adversary, who excels at killing in a specific 
  environment.  
   
  Prerequsite: Base Attack Bonus +3, 
  Survival 4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: Select one of the following 
  environment. Any time you engage in melee 
  combat in that environment, you gain a +1 
  competence bonus on attack rolls and a +2 
  bonus to damage. In many cases, both you 
  and your opponent much be physically 
  touching the environment (by walking 
  across a city’s asphalt for example) in order 
  to gain the benefit of this feat.  
  • Asphalt: When both you and your 
  opponent are touching concrete, 
  asphalt or blacktop in an urban 
  environment.  
  • Close Quarter Combat: Cramped 
  artificial environments, like a 
  submarine’s corridors, sewer and 
  maintenece lines, prison cells.  
  • Jungle/ rainforest : Hot, high 
  vegetation environmentsTerrain like 
  Brazil, Peru, or Vietnam.  
   
  112
  
   
   
  • Mountianous: High altitude, barren 
  mountain slopes and tundra. High 
  altitude mountain ranges like the 
  Himmalyas, or the Andes.  
  • Oceanic: Fighting on or near the sea 
  or large body of water, or when 
  submerged.  
  • Savvanah: Warm open grasslands, 
  like Keyna or parts of Mongolia.  
  • Snow: When both you and your 
  opponent are touching snow, or 
  fighting in a snow storm.  
   
  • Swampfighter: Muggy, stagnant 
  marshes, mud flats and swamps. 
  Areas like the Louisana bayou, a 
  Vietnameese rice paddy, or an Irish 
  peat bog.  
  • Terran: When fighting in 
  undeveloped, open areas such as 
  grassland. Both you and your enemy 
  must be in contact with the earth.  
  • Woodland: Temparate or arctic 
  forests, such as those found in 
  northern California, or across 
  Europe.   
   
   
   
  Special: You can select this feat 
  multiple times. Each time you do so, the feat 
  applies to a new environment.  
   
  Terrain Supremacy (General –Metagame 
  Ability)  
   
  You can hold off an army a thousand 
  strong, when fighting in your favored 
  terrain.  
   
  Prerequsite: Terrain Mastery  
   
  Benefit: Once per day, when 
  fighting in any terrain you have designated 
  as favored by selecting the Terrain Mastery 
  feat, you gain a temporary action point. This 
  action point must be used at any time prior 
  to leaving that environment. If the 
  temporary action point is not used before 
  you leave the terrain, or is not used before 
  24 hours have elapsed, it is simply lost.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Twine-Wiz / Twine-Witch (General SU)  
   
  The Afghanis unleashed a 
  devastating and impossibly ancient form of 
  weave-magic on the Soviet invaders, 
  successfully using magical cloth and 
  ensorcelled whips successfully against 
  HIND helicopters and the world’s largest 
  infantry force. This magic has migrated to 
  America’s counterculture, who like both the 
  open handed, defensive nature of the magic 
  and the rejection of the garish rayon fashion 
  of the 80s.  
   
  Prerequsite: Craft: visual art 4 
  ranks, Knowledge: theology & philosophy 2 
  ranks, Profession: seamstress or weaver 2 
  ranks, Creative  
   
  Benefit: You have mastered the 
  initial mysteries of twine and weave magic, 
  a minor arcane tradition originating in the 
  Afghani mountains. While you wear loose 
  fitting, multi layered clothes made from 
  mostly natural materials, you can draw upon 
  the magic of the cloth.  
   
  You receive a +4 insight bonus on 
  Jump, Climb, Swim and Tumble checks 
  when so attired. Your maximum Jump 
  Distance is not limited by your height. Your 
  clothes bleed into new colors and response 
  in response to your mental commands, even 
  forming dramatically different garments. 
  You receive a +1 bonus on Hide and 
  Disguise checks as a result of your highly 
  useful, morphing garments.  
   
  While wearing your magical 
  garments, you may cast a limited number of 
  spells with equal to your ranks in 
  Profession: seamstress/weaver. For example, 
  a Twine-mage with 8 ranks could cast a total 
  of 8 levels worth of spells per day: two 
  fourth level spells, eight first level spells, or 
  any other combination. Zero level spells 
  count as ½ a spell level.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  113
  
  Casting spells is a standard action 
  which provokes attacks of opportunity. The 
  Twine-mage’s spells require no advance 
  preparation; she decides which spells to cast 
  at the moment he begins speaking the words. 
  The Twine Witch casts spells as a mage of 
  her total character level. The Twine Witch 
  cannot learn additional spells or copy spells 
  from another mage’s spell book.  
   
   
  Limitation: You may not use this 
  feat, nor any feat related to it, when wearing 
  an outfit composed of mostly inorganic 
  materials, which includes many modern 
  forms of body armor.  
   
   
   
  Two Fisted Scientist (General)  
   
  There’s occasionally a time when 
  even the most lab-bound scientist needs to 
  roll up his white lab coat’s sleeves and get 
  down to business.  
   
  Prerequsite: Combat Martial Arts, 
  Defensive Martial Arts,  Profession (any 
  scientific) 4 ranks, Knowledge (any) 6 ranks  
   
  Benefit: Despite being a lab-rat, 
  you’ve learned a few things about defending 
  yourself, especially against bruisers who 
  only think with their fists. If you have a 
  higher INT modifier an opponent you are 
  facing in melee combat, you may add the 
  difference between your two modifiers as an 
  insight bonus to either your attack rolls or 
  defense score. You know how to fight 
  scientifically, and exploit openings.  
   
  For example, if you have a +3 INT 
  modifier, and you opponent has a +1 INT 
  modifier, you would receive a +2 insight 
  bonus to your combat checks when facing 
  that adversary. If you later got into a brawl 
  with an opponent with a +3 or higher INT 
  bonus, this feat wouldn't provide any 
  benefit. This ability provides no bonus when 
  used against non sentient creatures (a 
  Kodiak bear), mindless, emotionless  or 
  completely unintelligent creatures (zombies) 
  or non-sentient robots.  
   
  You may choose to assign your 
  insight bonus to either offense or defense 
  each time this ability is activated. You may 
  swap between the two combat modes as a 
  free action. Once chosen, you combat mode 
  remains in effect until the beginning of your 
  next term.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Urban Scavenger (General)  
   
  You’re far from rich, and can make 
  do by purchasing used and sub-standard 
  equipment. Pawnshops are your friend.  
   
  Benefit: When purchasing a piece of 
  equipment with a Purchase DC of 16 or 
  lower you may double the shopping time in 
  an attempt to find a used version of the peice 
  of equipment. Assuming you can find the 
  object used, it’s purchase DC is lowered by 
  1d4+1 points, to a minimum of Purchase DC 
  1.  
   
  Normal: Purchasing used equipment 
  only offers a substantial benefit if the 
  object’s purchase price is DC 16 or higher.  
   
  Urban Warfighter (General – Metagame 
  Ability)  
   
  You are skilled at navigating 
  mazelike streets, fighting from cover, and 
  surviving sniper fire from unseen insurgents.  
   
  Prerequsite: Knowledge: tactics 4 
  ranks, Knowledge: streetwise 2 ranks, 
  Alertness  
   
  Benefit:  Once per day, you can add 
  your ranks in Knowledge: tactics as a bonus 
  Spell Level  
  Spells (Arcane or Divine)  
  Zero 
  Mage Hand, Message, Prestiditation 
  First 
  Feather Fall, Magic Armor, Shield  
  Second 
  Blur, Enhance Ability, Levitate , Protection from Arrows/Bullets  
  Third  
  Slow (only against a target wearing natural fabrics)  
  Fourth 
  - none -  
  Fifth  
  - none -  
  114
  
  on any of the following rolls: Spot, 
  Navigate, Hide, Move Silently, or Initiative 
  checks. If you are attacked by a sniper, and 
  have not yet used this class feature for the 
  day, you add your skill ranks as a bonus to 
  your Defense score, which often keeps you 
  alive long enough to seek cover.  
   
  Limitation: This feat only offers a 
  benefit while you are in an urban area.  
   
  Warrior’s Backbeat (General SU)  
   
  Your music is a war drum, a magical 
  combat load of righteous fury and screaming 
  anger, set to the tunes of disco dance mixes 
  and hardcore punk anthems.  
   
  Prerequsite: Boombox Bard, 
  Perform (dance, rap/sing or DJ)  8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You can use your beats and 
  The Music to imbue your allies with a 
  warrior spirit. You may affect yourself and a 
  number of allies within 30 ft equal to your 
  CHA modifier (minimum one ally). Your 
  ally must be able to clearly see and hear you.  
   
  This ability requires you to expend 
  one of the daily uses of your Boombox Bard 
  feat. The effect lasts for as long as the ally 
  hears the boombox bard perform and for 5 
  rounds thereafter.  
  A creature inspired to  greatness 
  gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), additional hit 
  points, including a CON bonus, if any, a +2 
  competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 
  competence bonus on all saves. The bonus 
  Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for 
  determining the effect of spells that are Hit 
  Dice dependant. Inspire greatness is a mind-
  affecting ability. 
   
  Wages of Sin (General)  
   
  The Eighties were a decade 
  obsessed with making the big money, no 
  matter the cost. You’ve sold out to corporate 
  America and are reaping the profits. You 
  invest heavily in the immoral or the 
  unethical, not to mention the just barely 
  legal, and see a decent return on your 
  investment. Your stock portfolio includes 
  gun manufacturers, cigarette makers, the 
  nuclear industry, and military contractors- 
  all hated examples of Eighties corporate 
  greed.  
   
  Prerequsite: Windfall, 
  Knowledge: business 8 ranks  
   
  Benefit: You may trade 
  reputation for wealth, buying stock in 
  unsavory corporate giants, which while 
  immensely profitable, lowers your standing 
  in the public eye. You gain a new use for 
  your Reputation Bonus.  
   
  You may voluntarily and 
  permanently lower your Reputation Bonus 
  by any amount, in two point increments. For 
  every two points of Reputation loss you 
  suffer, your Wealth Bonus permanently 
  increases by +1.  
   
  If you sacrifice 8 or more points 
  of Reputation in a single transaction, you 
  gain powerful, grey market contacts. You 
  may purchase goods with the Liscensed, 
  Restricted or Illegal modifiers without 
  paying an additional purchase DC increase, 
  or taking additional time, so long as you 
  make the purchase through a corporate ally.  
   
  Using this ability requires 24-48 
  hours, and access to the world financial 
  markets. You may use this ability as often as 
  once per month.  
   
  Drawback: For three months 
  after using this feat, you suffer a –2 penalty 
  on all CHA based skill checks (except 
  Intimidate) made against any person who is 
  aware of the transaction and opposes the 
  corporation or products you invest in.  
   
  Wheelman (General)  
   
  Nobody’s better at driving the crew 
  to or from a dangerous job than you.  
   
  Prerequsite: Vehicle Expert, Drive 
  4 ranks  
   
  Benefit: When making a Hide check 
  to lose a tail in traffic, or making a Bluff 
  check to misdirect pursuit towards a dead 
  end, recieve a +6 bonus on the checks. 
  Additionally, you recieve a +2 competence 
  bonus on all Drive checks made to attempt a 
  Stunt with a specific category of ground 
  vehicles (ie: all sports cars, all sedans, all 
  trucks, all SUVs, all panel vans, semis, any 
  motorcycle, ect).  
   
   
   
  115
  
  Wise Sensi (General – Metagame Ability)  
   
  You are a true master of the martial 
  arts, and can pass on your lessons to your 
  students.  
   
  Prerequsite: Combat Martial Arts, 
  Educated, Iron Will, base attack bonus +4  
   
  Benefit: You can temporarily give 
  some of your combat feats or base attack 
  bonus to a willing student. By spending at 
  least one minute teaching your student, you 
  can temporarily remove some of your feats 
  or combat talent and transfer it to the 
  student. You may sacrifice one feat or point 
  of base attack bonus per point of your INT 
  modifier.  
   
  The student can than use your 
  combat gifts as innate abilities for a number 
  of hours equal to your INT modifier. You 
  cannot voluntarily reverse the 
  transformation; once the abilities are given 
  away, they remain gone until the full time 
  period elapses. While the student is 
  enhanced, he or she can use the feats or 
  BAB freely, as if they were innate abilities. 
  The student must meet all the prerequisites 
  for any feats granted.   
    
  Whip Scarf (General SU)  
   
  You have honed your control over 
  cloth-magic to the point where an ordinary 
  scarf becomes a deadly, enchanted weapon 
  in your hands.  
  Prerequsite: Twine-Witch  
   
  Benefit: You must spend at least 8 
  hours handcrafting a long, natural fiber scarf 
  (DC 12 Craft: visual arts), which you 
  psychically atune to via a short ritual. If this 
  enchanted scarf is ever lost or destroyed, 
  you lose access to this feat until you replace 
  the scarf. Your scarf acts like an enchanted, 
  suprisingly lethal scarf in your hands. For 
  others, including other Twine-Witches, it is 
  an ordinary, non-magical item of clothing, if 
  a very well knitted accessory.  
   
  Your scarf is a whip-like weapon 
  with a maximum range of 20 ft and no range 
  penalties, which inflicts a base of 1d6 points 
  of damage! You may add both your STR 
  and your INT scores as modifiers to your 
  attack rolls and damage with this unique 
  weapon.  
   
  Because your scarf-whip can wrap 
  around an opponents’ leg or other limb, it 
  can be used to make a trip attack, by 
  succeeding at a ranged touch attacks. You 
  do not provoke attacks of opportunity when 
  using a whip in this way. You may drop 
  your whip-scarf to prevent being tripped if 
  your attempt fails.  
   
  You receive a +4 bonus on trip and 
  disarm attempts made using the whip. When 
  taking the total defense action, your whip 
  becomes semi-animate, moving as quickly 
  as a hunting cobra, knocking away attacks 
  that would otherwise kill. You receive a +2 
  deflection bonus to Defense, when using the 
  total defense action.  
   
  Wholesome Image (General)  
  You’ve carefully maintained your 
  image to appeal to the profitable 
  conservative, middle American 
  demographic.  
  Prerequsite: CHA 13+, Knowledge: 
  theology & philosophy 4 ranks   
  Benefit: When interacting with any 
  sentient character with an salience towards 
  good, to any conservative religious or 
  political group or to law, you may add ½ 
  your ranks in Knowledge: theology & 
  philosophy (rounded down) as a bonus on 
  all Diplomacy, Gather Information and 
  Perform checks.  
  Special: If you act in a way contrary 
  to your public image or act openly in a 
  manner contrary to your audience’s ethics 
  you lose the benefit of this feat.  
   
  Working Class Stoicism (General)  
   
  “Seems to me I could live my life / a 
  lot better than they think I am. 
  They call me the workin’ man.”  
   
  -Rush, the Working Man  
   
   
   
  You’ve worked a hard job all your 
  life, and you know that with the way the 
  country’s going, things will get tougher 
  before they get better. Instead of giving up, 
  you push on, shrug your shoulders and 
  complain “if it ain’t one thing, its another.” 
   
  Prerequsites: Profession (any blue 
  collar) 5 ranks ; Endurance ; CON 13+  
  116
  
   
  Benefit: Your years of dock 
  walloping or backbreaking factory work 
  have toughened and strengthened you. A 
  number of times per day equal to your CON 
  score (minimum once daily) you may add 
  one half your ranks, rounded down, in the 
  Profession skill you used to qualify for this 
  feat as an untyped bonus on any of the 
  following checks:  
   
  • Any FORT Save for which the 
  Endurance feat would apply  
  • Any REF Save against a mechanical 
  or industrial hazard. You’d receive 
  the bonus for example, trying to dive 
  out of the way of a speeding vehicle, 
  evade a mechanical trap, leap clear 
  of a falling vat of molten steel, or 
  avoid an out of control industrial 
  robot arm. This benefit wouldn't 
  apply if you attempted to avoid a 
  non-mechanical trap, an area effect 
  spell, bombs or other area effect 
  weapons.  
  • Any Craft (visual art or writing) or 
  Perform check to create a work of art 
  or performance based on your 
  experiences or working class 
  outlook.  
   
   
  Za-zen Meditation (General)  
   
  Za-zen meditation is also known as 
  ‘sitting meditation’. By remaining immobile 
  you can focus your will and heal your body.  
   
  Prerequsite: Concentration 8 ranks, 
  Iron Will 
   
  Benefit: By remaining motionless 
  for long periods of time, you may increase 
  your rate of healing. For every two hours 
  you remain completely immobile, you may 
  make a Concentration check to speed your 
  natural healing. If you succeed at a DC 20 
  Concentration check, you recover a number 
  of HP equal to your WIS modifier 
  (minimum one HP) at the end of the trance. 
  If you succeed at a DC 30 Concentration 
  check, in addition to increased healing, you 
  recover one point of temporary ability drain 
  or can remove any one of the following 
  status ailments: fatigued, nauseated, shaken 
  or stunned.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  117
  
  Eighties Style Heroes: New Advanced Classes 
   
   
   
  The new advanced classes presented below all draw their inspiration from the flavor 
  history and fiction of the Eighties. As with everything in this book, the classes below vary 
  wildly. Some classes are designed for fairly realistic modern crime or espionage campaigns, 
  while others are designed with modern fantasy or superheroic action in mind. Which ones you 
  choose to incorporate in your own games will depend on what kind of Eighties you are 
  roleplaying.  
   
  • The Blue Equalizer  
  • The Casual Angel 
  • The Druglord  
  • The Mechamorph Defender (Manifold species only)  
  • The Spymaster  
   
  Blue Equalizer Advanced Class  
   
   
   
  Blue Equalizers are super cops, the 
  toughest, hardest hitting men and women on 
  the force. They’re the best that the police 
  departments, detective agencies and anti-
  narcotic task forces of the 1980s have to 
  offer. Despite the fact they a Blue Equalizer 
  gets the job done- criminals dead or in jail, 
  drugs off the street, high dollar 
  confiscations, he’s never going to rise any 
  higher in rank than he is right now.  
  The Equalizer joined the force with 
  the best of intentions; you wanted to lock up 
  the bad guys and protect the innocents, but 
  somewhere along the way things got 
  twisted. Somewhere along the way, the 
  Equalizer realized that the laws you are 
  supposed to enforce are meaningless; the 
  crooks have the firepower, the money and 
  the sheer insanity to ignore the law. 
  Somewhere along the way, you realized the 
  only good cops were retired, dead or on the 
  take, and you were rolling down the streets 
  with the dregs. Somewhere along the way, 
  you realized that its easier to just kick in the 
  door on some pretext than bother getting a 
  warrant, and that is easier to beat a thief  
  senseless or put a bullet in a rapist’s head 
  than trust the courts to sentence them.  
   
  The Blue Equalizer rides the edge of 
  sanity, departmental regulations and self-
  preservation, and he’s a heroic loner 
  unconcerned with department politics and 
  petty regulations. Unlike the rest of the 
  burnout cops, he has the charisma and 
  connections to get away with his antics, or 
  else is smart or terrifying enough to cover 
  them up.  
   
  Most of all though, the Blue 
  Equalizer is one tough cop- tough enough to 
  even the score against the criminals he 
  fights. The fastest path into this advanced 
  class is normally through the Dedicated hero 
  basic class, though a Strong hero with a 
  decent amount of skill points could take this 
  class a level earlier.  
   
   
  The Blue Equalizer in the Campaign 
    
   
  The Blue Equalizer is a highly 
  trained detective, aliebt one more focused on 
  using his fists and gun than sifting through 
  crime scene debris. The Equalizer is a hero 
  based on one of the staple characters of the 
  Eighties action movie: the rouge cop. This 
  class offers a chance for players to show off 
  their machismo, street smarts and coolness 
  under fire.  
   
  Unlike a traditional Investigator, the 
  Equalizer has some meaty combat skills, and 
  is ideal for a lower Wisdom or Charisma 
  detective. The Equalizer’s NPC interaction 
  is probally going to be limited to a few 
  quips, some threats and intimidation directed 
  at scuzz-ball street contacts and informers.  
   
   
  118
  
  Requirements:  
  To qualify to become a  Blue Equalizer, a 
  character must fulfill the following criteria.  
   
  Base Attack Bonus: +4  
  Skills: Intimidate 2, Investigate 6, 
  Knowledge: Streetwise 6  
  Feats: Personal Firearms Proficiency, Quick 
  Draw, Local Hero 
  Special: The Blue Equalizer has no time for 
  rules or paperwork, and must choose justice 
  or any law enforcement body as one of his 
  affiliations. The Blue Avenger must have 
  killed or critically wounded a criminal while 
  on duty as an ordinary officer before taking 
  this prestige class.  
   
  Class Information  
  The following information pertains to the 
  Blue Equalizer advanced class.  
   
  Hit Die 
  The Blue Equalizer gains d10 hit points per 
  level. The character’s Consitution modifier 
  applies. You don’t get into this line of work 
  without being tougher than the kevlar you 
  wear.  
   
  Action Points  
  The Blue Equalizer gains a number of action 
  points equal to 6 + one-half of his character 
  level, rounded down every time he attains a 
  new level in this class.  
   
  Class Skills  
  The Blue Equalizer’s class skills are as 
  follows.  
   
  Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Drive 
  (Dex), Gamble (Wis), Gather Information 
  (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Investigate (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge: 
  Current Events, Civics, Streetwise (Int), 
  Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),  
  Profession (law enforcement) (Wis), 
  Read/Write Language, Ride (Dex), Sense 
  Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak 
  Language, Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis) 
   
  Skill Points at Each Level: 3 + Int 
  Modifier  
   
  Starting Feats: If the character is not 
  already proficient with simple weapons, he 
  or she gains that proficiency upon taking a 
  level of this class. 
   
  Class Features: The Blue Equalizer  
  Class 
  Level 
  Base 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  FORT 
  Save 
  REF 
  Save 
  WILL 
  Save 
  Special  
  Defense 
  Bonus 
  Reputation 
  Bonus  
  1st 
  +0 
  +1 
  +0 
  +1 
  Cold Cases, Hard 
  Hittin’ (1d6)  
  +1 
  +0 
  2nd 
  +1 
  +2 
  +0 
  +2 
  Select either 
  Hardcore 
  Beatdown or 
  Reckless Drivin’ 
  +1 
  +0 
  3rd 
  +2 
  +2 
  +1 
  +2 
  Bonus Feat  
  +2 
  +1 
  4th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +1 
  +2 
  Hard Hittin’ (1d8)  +2 
  +1 
  5th 
  +3 
  +3 
  +1 
  +3 
  Blue Wall  
  +3 
  +1 
  6th 
  +4 
  +3 
  +2 
  +3 
  Bonus Feat  
  +3 
  +2 
  7th 
  +5 
  +4 
  +2 
  +4 
  Word on the Street +4 
  +2 
  8th 
  +6 
  +4 
  +2 
  +4 
  Hard Hittin’ 
  (1d10)  
  +4 
  +2 
  9th 
  +6 
  +4 
  +3 
  +4 
  Bonus Feat  
  +5 
  +3 
  10th 
  +7 
  +5 
  +3 
  +5 
  Final Run  
  +5 
  +3 
   
  119
  
  Bonus Feats: At  3rd, 6th and 9th levels, the 
  Blue Equalizer gets a bonus feat. The bonus 
  feat must be chosen  from the following list, 
  and the Blue Equalizer must meet all 
  prerequisites of the feat to select it.  
   
  Acrobatic, Armor Proficiency (any), 
  Athletic, Brawl, Burst Fire, Dead 
  Aim,Double Tap, Knockout Punch, 
  Streetfighting, Combat Reflexes, Defensive 
  Martial Arts, Combat Throw, Drive-By 
  Attack, Endurance, Far Shot, Heavy 
  Caliber Knockback,  Improved Brawl, 
  Lucky Shot, Luckiest Shot in the World, 
  Point Blank Shot, Quick Reload, Ranged 
  Disarm, Ranged Humiliation, Shoot out 
  the Lights Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, 
  Sudden Inspiration, Two Weapon 
  Fighting, Vehicle Expert, Force Stop.  
   
  Cold Cases (EX): A first level Blue 
  Equailzer chooses one particular type of 
  crime (murders, rapes, arsons, child abuse 
  cases, grand theft, ect) that haunts him, 
  usually because a case just like that went 
  bad for him. Perhaps he never found the 
  right crook, or watched the criminal get off 
  in court, or just because the 
  viciousness of the crime 
  still gives him nightmares. 
  When investigating future 
  cases of that type, the 
  Equalizer’s hard won 
  experience allows him to 
  increase the efficiency of 
  any action points spent 
  during the case. While 
  working one of these cases, 
  whenever the Equalizer 
  rolls an action dice to 
  improve the results of any 
  Intimidate, Investigate or 
  WILL save, he rolls a d8 or 
  multiple d8s rather than 
  six-siders.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Gamemaster Note: The 
  damage inflicted on the 
  Blue Equalizer can be explained as old 
  wounds coming to the fore, a bad heart 
  giving out because of the stress of battle, or 
  a an especially risky combat maneuver that 
  inflicts massive damage, but leaves the 
  battered cop open to retaliation.  
   
  Hard Hittin’ (EX): The Blue Equalizer has 
  spent enough time on the street to know how 
  to bring the pain, and can bring down a perp 
  with his fists almost as fast as he can with 
  his nightstick or gun. The Blue Equalizer 
  can make attacks with fists, feet, knees and 
  elbows (even vicious head butts) as 
  effectively as he can with his weapon. A 
  Blue Equalizer may make an unarmed attack 
  even when his hands are full, and there is no 
  such thing as an off-hand attack for an 
  Equalizer striking unarmed.  
   
  The Blue Equalizer also does more 
  damage with unarmed strikes than a normal 
  person. At first level, the Equalizer inflicts 
  1d6 points of damage. This increases to 1d8 
  points of damage at 4th level, and 1d10 
  points of damage at 10th level. 
  120
  
   The Blue Equalizer can spend an 
  action point to increase the damage inflicted 
  by one ‘die step’ when fighting a suspect in 
  one of his or her Cold Cases. The damage 
  inflicted by unarmed strikes are increased 
  from d6 to d8, d8 to d10 and d10 to d12; this 
  modification lasts for one round for every 
  two Blue Equalizer levels the character has, 
  rounded down (minimum one round).  
   
  Hardcore Beatdown(EX): The Blue 
  Equalizer is incredibly tough and knows 
  how to use his fists, and to take a punch. 
  Each day, the Blue Equalizer receives a pool 
  of bonus points equal to his ranks in 
  Intimidate. These bonus points may be used 
  to increase the Equalizer’s combat abilities.  
   
  The Equalizer may spend bonus 
  points in one of two ways. He may spend 
  any amount of bonus points equal to his 
  class level.  
   
   
  Offense: The Equalizer may add 
  bonus points to inflict more damage with 
  any unarmed or melee weapon attack. Each 
  point spent causes the successful attack to 
  inflict an additional point of damage. The 
  bonus point’s use must be declared before 
  rolling to hit the target. If the attack misses, 
  the point (s) is lost without effect.  
   
  Defense: The Equalizer may use 
  bonus points to subtract damage from any 
  unarmed attacks which successfully hit him. 
  Each point spent reduces the attack’s 
  damage by 1 point, to a minimum of one 
  point of damage. The Equalizer may wait to 
  activate this ability until after damage is 
  rolled.  
   
   
   
  Reckless Drivin’ (EX): Blue Equalizers are 
  the bane of the police motor pool, getting 
  into more high speed pursuits in a week than 
  most officers do in a career. Equalizers 
  aren't shy as using their patrol cars as a 
  weapon, either. Equalizers know how to 
  drive fast, but very few know how to drive 
  well.  
   By voluntarily lowering the 
  vehicle’s Manuever modifier by –1 point, 
  the Equalizer can increase it’s top speed by 
  10 feet (character scale) or 1/5th  square 
  (chase scale). Each –1 penalty increases the 
  top speed by 10 ft  ( 1/5th chase scale 
  square).  When attempting to halve the 
  damage from a collision, the Blue Equalizer 
  rolls either a DC 15 FORT or REF save, 
  whichever is better.  
   
  Blue Wall (EX): Other cops, even the bad 
  ones, do their best to look out for and cover 
  up for the Blue Equalizer, simply because 
  whatever his faults, he’s one hell of a police. 
  When a 5th level Blue Equalizer encounters 
  any NPC police officers, judges, or law 
  enforcement personal, he can add his ranks 
  in Investigate to all Diplomacy, Intimidate 
  and Gather Information checks.  
   
  Word on the Street (EX): The Blue 
  Equalizer has an almost limitless network of 
  contacts and scum on his payroll, and his 
  collection of snitches comes in handy. In 
  any city that the Blue Avenger is familiar 
  with he can make Gather Information checks 
  in less than an hour, rather than the 1d4+1 
  hours the check would normally take.  
   
  A Blue Equalizer can designate a 
  city as familiar by either spending one week 
  living and working there, or by spending an 
  action point to rapid acclimate over the 
  course of a single long day. There is no limit 
  to the number of cities the Equalizer can 
  designate as familiar. However, if he spends 
  more than 3 months away from a city, he 
  loses familiarity with that city.  
   
  Final Run (EX): A 10th level Blue 
  Equalizer knows that every mission could be 
  his last, and realizes that a lifetime of all-
  night stakeouts, bad food, worse cigs, and 
  lots of rotgut whiskey to start the day is 
  slowing him down. For most cops, 
  encroaching age and old wounds mean its 
  time to retire, but not for the Blue Equalizer. 
  He’s gonna go down fighting.  
   
  At any time, a 10th level Blue 
  Equalizer can voluntarily and permanantly 
  give up 1d4 HP in order to gain an edge in 
  combat. Each Hit Point lost grants the Blue 
  121
  
  Equalizer the ability to automatically inflict 
  critical damage (using either the character’s 
  unarmed damage, or whatever weapon he’s 
  currently carrying) on his opponent with a 
  successful touch or ranged touch attack. An 
  unsuccessful attack costs the Blue Equalizer 
  the Hit Point, but does no damage to the 
  adversary. The Blue Equalizer can activate 
  this ability as part of his attack action.  
   
   
  The Casual Angel Advanced Class  
   
  "One thing I don't believe," says a 
  seven-year-old who attends shelter chapels 
  regularly, "is Judgment Day." Not one child 
  could imagine a God with the strength to 
  force evildoers to face some final reckoning. 
  Yet even though they feel that wickedness 
  may prevail, they want to be on the side of 
  the angels.  
   
  -Lynda Edwards, Myths Over Miami 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Casual Angels are servants of good, and of 
  some benevolent God or Goddess. Even the 
  gifted kids themselves aren’t sure which 
  one, though, and it doesn’t matter to them. 
  Casual Angels are holy, but they are not 
  theologians; they are saints but they have 
  probably never listened to an entire Mass.  
  Most Casual Angels are drawn from 
  the children of the street, homeless and 
  abandoned in the shadows. Their faith is a 
  patchwork quilt of half remembered 
  sermons, prayers they heard on TV, and 
  scraps of mythology imagined by gifted but 
  damaged children, trying to make sense of 
  an insane world. Despite their grim 
  circumstances, Casual Angels are beacons of 
  hope in the darkness.  
  They perform miracles and protect 
  the younger kids, they fight supernatural 
  evils and mediate 
  with the fey-kind 
  creatures that most 
  adults can never see. 
  Most of all, though, 
  Casual Angels bring 
  hope.  
   
  The fastest path into 
  the Casual Angel 
  Advanced Class is 
  through the 
  Dedicated Hero basic 
  class, though other 
  paths are possible.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  122
  
  The Casual Angel in the Campaign 
   
   
  The Casual Angel fills the same role in a 
  campaign that a traditional Acolyte does, but 
  lacks the religious certainty of their elder 
  counterparts. Casual Angels are healers and 
  supporters, with an array of supernatural 
  talents that allow her to sense secrets and 
  pierce illusions. The main difference 
  between the two classes is one of flavor: the 
  Acolyte is a well educated, respected 
  theologian with an adult relationship with 
  the divine. The Casual Angel’s attitude 
  towards the divine is still one of wonder and 
  exploration.  
   
  The Casual Angel, combined with 
  some of the new player races and feats 
  allows an Eighties campaign to take a 
  different approach to urban fantasy. In this 
  type of campaign, children become the 
  primary protagonists. Exploration and 
  wonder are the primary emotions of the 
  campaign, with the naturally inquisitive 
  nature of children and their ability to believe 
  in the fantastic contrasted with the grimmer 
  realities of Eighties America.  
   
   
  Requirements:  
  To qualify to become a Casual Angel, a 
  character must fulfill the following criteria.  
  Base Attack Bonus: +2  
  Skills: Craft: visual arts 4 ranks, Investigate 
  2 ranks, Knowledge: streetwise 6 ranks, 
  Knowledge: theology & philosophy 2 ranks  
  Feats: Iron Will, Creative  
   
  Special: Casual Angels must declare their 
  primary allegiance towards good, or towards 
  a good-aligned religion or cause. Prior to 
  taking their first level in this class, a would-
  be Casual Angel must have saved the life of 
  a child or a homeless person, of any age.  
  Special: A Causal Angel must have 
  achieved their first level in any Heroic class, 
  including this class, while still in the Child 
  or Young Adult age categories.  
   
  Class Information  
  The following information pertains to the 
  Casual Angel advanced class.  
   
  Hit Die 
  The Casual Angel gains d6 hit points per 
  level. The character’s Consitution modifier 
  applies. These young holy beings are pure in 
  spirit and purpose, but are still children, 
  youngsters who get most of their exercise 
  from play and adventure, not a dedicated 
  training regimen.  
   
  Action Points  
  The Casual Angel gains a number of action 
  points equal to 6 + one-half of her character 
  level, rounded down every time she attains a 
  new level in this class.  
   
  Class Skills  
  The Casual Angel’s class skills are as 
  follows.  
   
   
  Craft: visual arts (INT), 
  Concentration (CON), Diplomacy (CHA), 
  Gather Information (CHA), Handle Animal 
  (CHA), Hide (DEX), Jump (STR), 
  Knowledge (arcane lore, streetwise, 
  theology & philosophy) (INT), Move 
  Silently (DEX), Perform (dance, sing) 
  (CHA), Read/Write Language, Sleight of 
  Hand (DEX), Speak Language, Treat Injury 
  (WIS)  
   
  Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + INT 
  Modifier  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  123
  
  Class Features: The Casual Angel  
  Class 
  Level 
  Base 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  FORT 
  Save 
  REF 
  Save 
  WILL 
  Save 
  Special  
  Defense 
  Bonus 
  Reputation 
  Bonus  
  1st 
  +0 
  +0 
  +0 
  +2 
  Blue Medicine ; 
  Miracle Food  ; 
  Hopebringer’s 
  Orders  
  +1 
  +0 
  2nd 
  +1 
  +0 
  +0 
  +3 
  Hopebringer’s 
  Neon  
  +1 
  +0 
  3rd 
  +1 
  +1 
  +1 
  +3 
  Bonus Feat  
  +2 
  +0 
  4th 
  +2 
  +1 
  +1 
  +4 
  Child’s Truths  
  +2 
  +0 
  5th 
  +2 
  +1 
  +1 
  +4 
  Vigilant Flight   
  +3 
  +1 
  6th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +2 
  +5 
  Bonus Feat  
  +3 
  +1 
  7th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +2 
  +5 
  Name of a 
  Protector  
  +4 
  +1 
  8th 
  +4 
  +2 
  +2 
  +6 
  Wish For the 
  Worthy  
  +4 
  +1 
  9th 
  +4 
  +3 
  +3 
  +6 
  Bonus Feat  
  +5 
  +2 
  10th 
  +5 
  +3 
  +3 
  +7 
  Name of the Blue 
  General  
  +5 
  +2 
   
  Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, the 
  Casual Angel recieves a bonus feat, which 
  must be chosen from the following list:  
   
   
  Action Bank, Animal Affinity, 
  Animal Speech, Archaic Weapons 
  Proficiency, Boombox Bard, City Glyphs, 
  Citymover, Combat Expertise, Defensive 
  Martial Arts, Dodge, Good Girl’s Aegis, 
  Good Girl’s Empathy, Good Girl’s Glow, 
  Heroic Surge, Improved Disarm, Improved 
  Trip, Local Hero, Mystic Oragmi, Paper 
  Defense, Playfighting, Renown, Stealthy, 
  Shoplifter, Tagger, Toughness, Warrior’s 
  Backbeat 
   
   
  Italicized feats are presented in 
  another product by the author.  
   
   
  Bold feats are presented in this 
  PDF.  
   
   
  Blue Medicine (SU): A Casual 
  Angel usually first discovers her abilities by 
  saving a dying friend, healing someone 
  modern medicine can do nothing for.  
  Each day, the Casual Angel can 
  touch a wounded creature and instantly heal 
  it. Each day, the Casual Angel can cure a 
  number of HP equal to her WIS score plus 
  her class level, which she may use all at 
  once, or spread out over multiple healing 
  touches through out the day.  
   
   
  The Casual Angel also may expend 
  ten hit points worth of magical to cast 
  remove disease as an Acolyte of her total 
  character level.  
   
   
  Using this ability is a standard 
  action, which does not provoke attacks of 
  opportunity. The Casual Angel’s hands and 
  eyes are suffused with a watery blue glow, 
  looking like a special effect drawn on old 
  film stock, when she uses this talent.  
   
  Miracle Food (SU): Once per day, 
  the Casual may utter a short prayer to 
  whatever diet they believe in and 
  miraculously create enough food and water 
  to sustain 10 humans (or 2 horses) per point 
  of your WIS modifier. Those eating the 
  tasty, simple fare feel comforted and 
  calmed, and recieve a +1 morale bonus on 
  all WILL saves for 8 hours after the feast.  
  124
  
  For Casual Angels, this miracle food 
  doesn’t manifest itself as the loaves and 
  fishes of the New Testament. Instead, its 
  more likely this divine manna comes 
  wrapped in fast food wrappers.  
   
  Hopebringer’s Orders (SU): The 
  Casual Angel has been ordered to be a 
  ‘hopebringer’ by divine powers; she 
  considers herself a young soldier in a 
  guerrilla army of good beings.  
  If the Casual Angel ever refuses to 
  help a child or homeless person, she loses 
  access to the supernatural abilities granted 
  by this class for 24 hours. During this time, 
  the young soldier is plagued with disturbing 
  dreams, which force her to confront her own 
  fear or selfishness.  
  If the Casual Angel ever 
  intentionally commits an evil act or becomes 
  a member of any evil faith or takes an evil 
  allegiance, she loses all abilities provided by 
  this class forever.  
   
   
  Hopebringer’s Neon (SU): At 
  second level, once she has proven her worth 
  to the divine powers which protect her, the 
  Casual Angel is granted further supernatural 
  gifts. At will, the Casual Angel can bathe 
  her body in a column of  blue-green light as 
  warm as a tropical ocean, which illuminates 
  as brightly as a street lamp.  
   
  Good aligned creatures within 30 ft 
  of this divine spotlight become immune to 
  fear. When she glows, the Casual Angel is 
  also immune to fear, including psionics and 
  magical fear effects.  
   
   
  If a Casual Angel remains next to a 
  wounded creature (or creatures) and allows 
  herself to glow, the wounded person 
  recovers hit points and ability score damage 
  at double the normal rate, so long as the 
  Casual Angel spends at least 8 hours a day 
  at their bedside.  
   
   
  Child’s Truths (SU): Starting at 4th 
  level, the Casual Angel is gifted with an 
  uncannily deep perception for a child so 
  young. The Casual Angel is blessed by the 
  touch of a benevolent divine spirit, who 
  bathes their eyes in mystical water.  
   
  The Casual Angel gains the ability to 
  naturally see invisible and ethereal creatures 
  and objects. The Casual Angel can also 
  perceive dimensional gateways, such as the 
  Imajinary Nation’s tunnels.  
   
  Action Enhancement: By spending 
  an action point, the Casual Angel can cross 
  these dimensional doors under their own 
  power, transitioning between worlds as 
  easily as a native of the plane. Doing so 
  requires at least one minute of 
  concentration, as the Casual Angel tries to 
  figure out exactly how to ‘unlock’ the 
  dimensional gate.  
  A Casual Angel can carry a number 
  of good creatures with her when she crosses 
  dimensions equal to her WIS modifier. The 
  Casual Angel must be touching her 
  passengers when she makes the jump.  
   
   
  Finally, as a standard action, a 
  Casual Angel can look at any creature older 
  than the Young Adult age category for its 
  species and deduce that creature’s primary 
  allegiance. No form of anti-servileness 
  magic can defeat this divine scrutiny, though 
  the Casual Angel must be able to clearly see 
  and hear the target to be studied. The souls 
  and sins of adults are an open book to these 
  perceptive, divine children.  
   
  Vigilant Flight (SU): After five levels in 
  this class, a Casual Angel is allowed one of 
  the greatest blessings of her improvised 
  faith. Fed a special meal by a divine 
  emissary the color of the noon-day sky, the 
  Casual Angel gains the ability to fly, though 
  she can only soar in darkness.  
   
  This ability appears immediately 
  after sunset each day, and vanishes the next 
  dawn. During the dark hours, the Casual 
  Angel gains a Flight Speed of 40 ft, with 
  average maneuverability. The Casual Angel 
  is wrapped in her brilliant blue 
  Hopebringer’s Neon aura when she flies, she 
  cannot suppress this powerful glow. This 
  divine aura illuminates the area directly 
  125
  
  below the Casual Angel like a helicopter 
  searchlight.  
   
  While flight is a joy, the ability to fly 
  isn't given lightly. Angelic forces want the 
  young Casual Angel to defend children and 
  the helpless from the sky. The Casual Angel 
  gains a +4 bonus on Spot checks when 
  airborne. The angel’s Hopebringer Aura can 
  affect those directly beneath the path of the 
  glowing searchlight, regardless of their 
  distance from the Casual Angel.  
   
   
  Name of a Protector (SU): At seventh 
  level, the true, mystically binding name of a 
  divine spirit of good is revealed to the 
  Casual Angel in a dream. This protector is a 
  powerful, elemental being, statistically 
  identical to an Invisible Stalker, but 
  possessing an allegiance towards good.  
   
  To the Casual Angel, this wise 
  creature resembles a tall indistinct male or 
  female shape made of roiling blue smoke. 
  Light, like the sun peeking out from behind 
  storm clouds, shines through breaks in the 
  smoke. To all other people, the Invisible 
  Protector resembles a distinct ripple in the 
  air, a faint mass of blue cigarette smoke. The 
  Protector can always converse and 
  understand the Casual Angel, and loves the 
  young hero like its own child.  
   
  By spending an action point, the 
  Casual Angel can summon the angel. Doing 
  so is a full round action, which provokes 
  attacks of opportunity. Once summoned, the 
  Protector remains in our world for a number 
  of minutes equal to the Casual Angel’s WIS 
  modifier (minimum one minute).  
   
  Once given orders, the Protector will 
  carry them out to the best of its abilities, 
  including improvising or modifying the 
  plans if necessary. It is a tactically brilliant 
  sentient creature and 
  may suggest a wiser 
  course of action to its 
  young charge. The 
  Protector cannot be 
  compelled to commit 
  an evil act. If 
  destroyed, the 
  Protector cannot be 
  summoned again for 
  24 hours.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Casual Angel’s Invisible Protector: CR 7; Large 
  elemental (air); HD 8d8+16; hp 52; Mas —; Init +8; 
  Spd 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect); Defense 17, touch 13, 
  flat-footed 13 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +4 natural); BAB +6; 
  Grap +14; Atk +10 melee (1d8+6, slam); Full Atk 
  +10/_+5 melee (1d8+6, slam), or +9 ranged; FS 10 ft. 
  by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ elemental, natural 
  invisibility, improved tracking, darkvision 60 ft.;  
  AL good ; SV Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +4; AP 0; Rep 
  +0; Str 18, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 11. 
  Skills: Listen +11, Move Silently +15, Search +11, 
  Spot +13. 
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Focus (slam). 
  Species Traits 
  Invisible stalkers (and by extention the Invisible 
  Protector) have the following traits. 
  Elemental (Air): Invisible stalkers have the traits 
  and immunities common to elementals. 
  126
  
  Natural Invisibility (Su): An invisible stalker 
  remains invisible even when attacking. Creatures that 
  correctly discern the stalker’s location despite being 
  unable to see it have a 50% miss chance on melee 
  and ranged attacks. 
  Improved Tracking (Ex): Invisible stalkers are 
  consummate trackers and make Spot checks instead 
  of Survival checks to track a creature’s passage. 
  Automatic Language: Invisible stalkers speak (but 
  neither read nor write) Auran. They understand (but 
  do not speak, read, or write) two other languages. 
   
   
  Wish for the Worthy (SU): The Casual 
  Angel has nothing, but has learned lessons 
  of generosity and compassion deeper than 
  anything taught in church. The forces of 
  good reward her for her dedication, at 8th 
  level allowing her to bring a hopefully 
  lasting change to the lives of the poor or 
  hopeless.  
   
  While she dreams, the Casual Angel 
  can imagine a better life for the poor. She 
  may only use this ability to benefit a Child 
  or Young Adult, or a homeless person of 
  any age. The recipient of this magic cannot 
  have any evil allegiance, nor can their total 
  Wealth Bonus be greater than +3.  
   
  By spending an action point during 
  the dream, the Casual Angel alters the 
  recipient’s luck. The recipient of this magic 
  receives the Windfall feat, which they 
  receive through coincidence and good 
  fortune within the next 1d6+1 days.  
   
  The Casual Angel cannot use this 
  ability to directly benefit herself.  
   
   
  Name of the Blue General (SU): Only the 
  most steadfast, trusted and best loved Casual 
  Angels are the ultimate gift/burden this class 
  offers. At 10th level, the Casual Angel is 
  entrusted with the Truename of a one of 
  Heaven’s greatest guardian spirits.  
   
   
  The Blue General is a man or woman 
  carved from brilliant sapphire light. He or 
  she is draped in a child’s idea of a knight’s 
  armor plate, and carries a sword which 
  glows the intense, brilliant blue of a neon 
  sign. The General’s serene, regal face 
  resembles an idealized version of the casual 
  angel’s mother or father.  
  The General seems vaugely unreal, 
  and actually hurts to look at. The angel 
  moves with the unpredictable, jerky speed of 
  a stop-motion marionette, and seems to be 
  superimposed from our reality. The child is 
  the only one who can look upon the Blue 
  General without blinking or suffering 
  intense eyestrain.  
   
  By spending an action point, the 
  Causal Angel can summon this heavenly 
  guardian. The Blue General loves and cares 
  for its human charge as much as the 
  Invisible Protector does, and like the 
  Invisible Protector will serve the child 
  loyally. Also like the Protector, the General 
  may offer its own wisdom to the child, or 
  suggest other options.  
   
   
   
  The Blue General may be summoned 
  as often as once per seven day week. The 
  General remains on our plane for 1 minute 
  plus 1 round per point of the Casual Angel’s 
  CHA modifier (minimum 1 minute, 6 
  second duration).  
   
  Casual Angel’s Gotthammer (Avenging Angel): 
  CR 15; Medium outsider; HD 14d8+70; hp 133; Mas 
  20; Init +4 (Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft., fly 60 ft. 
  (perfect); Defense 27, touch 10, flat-footed 27 (+17 
  natural); BAB +14; Grap +18; Atk +21 melee 
  (2d6+9/19–20, +3 greatsword); Full Atk 
  +21/+16/+11 melee (2d6+7/19–20, +3 greatsword) 
  or +14/+9/+4 ranged; FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; 
  SQ acid and fire resistance 10, aura of menace, 
  call/dismiss weapon, damage reduction 10/+1, greater 
  incarnation, imbue weapon, immune to ballistic 
  damage and poison, keen vision, tongues;  
  AL good, law ; SV Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +12; AP 0; 
  Rep +0; Str 18, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 
  18. 
  Skills: Escape Artist +14, Hide +14, Intimidate +18, 
  Knowledge (theology and philosophy) +14, Listen 
  +17, Move Silently +14, Read/Write Celestial, Sense 
  Motive +17, Speak Celestial, Spot +17. 
  Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Cleave, 
  Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Simple Weapons 
  Proficiency. 
  Aura of Menace (Su): A righteous aura surrounds 
  the avenging angel. Any hostile creature within a 20-
  foot radius of a gotthammer must succeed at a Will 
  save (DC 21) or take a –2 morale penalty on attacks, 
  AC, and saves for one day or until they successfully 
  injure the gotthammer generating the aura. A creature 
  that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be 
  affected again by the gotthammer’s aura for one day. 
  127
  
  Call/Dismiss Weapon (Su): Once per day, as a free 
  action, a gotthammer may call his shining greatsword 
  to him. The weapon is normally hidden in a secure 
  location of the gotthammer’s choosing, but may be 
  called from anywhere unless carried by another living 
  creature or in an area where magic does not function. 
  Once per day, as a full-round action, the gotthammer 
  may dismiss the sword to a location of his choosing. 
  Imbue Weapon (Su): Once per day, as a full-round 
  action, a gotthammer may imbue his weapon with 
  holy power, dealing +2d6 points of damage to 
  creatures with an allegiance to evil. The effect lasts 
  for 14 rounds. 
  Greater Incarnation (Su): A gotthammer can 
  change his size as a move action, becoming a 20-
  foot-tall (Huge) figure at will. His greatsword’s size 
  increases proportionately. In this form, the 
  gotthammer’s statistics change as follows: Defense 
  25, touch 8, flat-footed 25 (–2 size, +17 natural); 
  Grap +31; Atk +24 melee (4d6+16/19–20, +3 
  greatsword); Full Atk +24/+19/+14 melee 
  (4d6+12/19–20, +3 greatsword); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; 
  Reach 10 ft.; Str 29; Hide +6. 
  Immunities (Ex): Gotthammers are immune to 
  ballistic damage and poison. 
  Acid and Fire Resistance 10 (Ex): A gotthammer 
  ignores the first 10 points of any attack that deals 
  acid or fire damage.  
  Damage Reduction 10/+1 (Ex): A gotthammer 
  ignores the first 10 points of damage dealt by a 
  nonmagical weapon. 
  Possessions: +3 greatsword. 
   
   
   
   
   
  The Druglord Advanced Class  
   
   
  The Druglord is the prototypical 
  drug kingpin, the bloody-handed head of a 
  massive international criminal empire with 
  wealth exceeding the GDP of some small 
  nations. He is wealthy beyond dreams of 
  greed, almost as powerful as any king or 
  president. The Druglord has mansions 
  covering hundreds of acres, owns huge 
  fields of cocoa plants or poppies from which 
  he harvests the wealth of nations.  
  He has Lear jets and Lamborghinis; 
  he has a private army numbering in the 
  thousands. He owns combat helicopters and 
  AWACs planes, which he uses to brutally 
  supress threats to his cartel. The Druglord 
  can order the murder of anyone, even 
  Congressmen and judges. He can have any 
  woman he lusts after, either by charm, by 
  money or by force.  
   
  And a single mistake, a single 
  moment of weakness can cost him 
  everything, including his life.  
   
   
  The fastest path into the Druglord 
  Advanced Class is through the Charismatic 
  Hero basic class, though other paths are 
  possible. Anyone with the drive and money 
  to carve out an empire can eventually rise to 
  the throne of the cartel.  
   
   
  The Druglord in the Campaign 
   
   
  The Druglord advanced class can be 
  used in one of three main ways. First, it 
  obviously makes an excellent villain class. 
  The mechanics of the class mean that heroes 
  who go up against the drug lord will have to 
  contend with a well armed private army of 
  low and mid level thugs- perfect for mid 
  level Heroes to gun down en masse.  
  128
  
  The brutality and sheer 
  bloodthirstiness of these thugs makes it 
  especially satisfying for the heroes to feed 
  the drug dealer’s minions some lead. If the 
  heroes confront the Druglord on his own 
  territory, they are at an immediate 
  disadvantage, facing off against a small 
  army. Of course, anyone familiar with the 
  real life story of Manuel Noreiga or who has 
  ever read Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present 
  Danger knows that’s exactly how it should 
  be.  
   
  Alternatively, the Druglord can be 
  the leader and money man of a villain 
  campaign. With his wealth and power, he 
  makes a great financial backer for a group of 
  ruthless mercs, assassins and terrorists. If the 
  player characters want to build their own 
  criminal empire, step by bloody step, it 
  makes sense that at least one of the team 
  takes levels in the Druglord class.  
   
   
  Finally, gamemasters could take a 
  page from history. The Druglord, despite all 
  his power and money, might only be a pawn 
  in a larger game of Cold War espionage and 
  double-dealing. Players and their rivals 
  might be agents tasked with manipulating, 
  assassinating (or even protecting) a 
  Druglord as part of some Cold War scheme.  
   
   
  Requirements:  
  To qualify to become a Druglord , a 
  character must fulfill the following criteria.  
  Skills: Craft (chemical) 1 rank, Diplomacy 6 
  ranks, Gather Information 6 ranks, 
  Intimidate 6 ranks, Knowledge: streetwise 8 
  ranks  
  Feats: Confident, Personal Firearms 
  Proficiency, Windfall   
  Special: A Druglord’s total wealth bonus 
  must be at least +12 when he takes his first 
  level in this class.  
  Special: A potential Druglord must have 
  personally killed or ordered the 
  assassination of a narcotics officer or rival 
  dealer with Hit Dice or a Challenge rating at 
  least 1.5 times their own. Druglords build an 
  empire on fear, and must ‘make their bones’ 
  before they can start their drug empire in 
  earnest.  
   
  Class Information  
  The following information pertains to the 
  Druglord advanced class.  
   
  Hit Die 
  The Druglord gains d8 hit points per level. 
  The character’s Consitution modifier 
  applies. Druglords are not great athletes by 
  any means, but they stay in shape as a matter 
  of pride, and want to be tough enough to 
  survive the inevitable assassination attempts 
  that come with the job.  
   
  Action Points  
  The Druglord gains a number of action 
  points equal to 6 + one-half of his character 
  level, rounded down every time he attains a 
  new level in this class.  
   
  Class Skills  
  The Druglord’s class skills are as follows.  
   
  Bluff (CHA), Computer Use (INT), 
  Craft (chemical) (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), 
  Forgery (INT), Gather Information (CHA), 
  Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge (business, 
  civics, current events, popular culture, 
  steetwise) (INT), Listen (WIS), Profession 
  (white collar or military) (WIS), Read/Write 
  Language, Pilot (DEX), Sense Motive 
  (WIS), Survival (WIS) 
   
  Skill Points at Each Level: 7 + INT 
  Modifier 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  129
  
  Class Features: The Druglord  
  Class 
  Level 
  Base 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  FORT 
  Save 
  REF 
  Save 
  WILL 
  Save 
  Special  
  Defense 
  Bonus 
  Reputation 
  Bonus  
  1st 
  +0 
  +0 
  +1 
  +1 
  Pure Profit$ ; 
  Cartel Muscle ; 
  Risk It All  
  +0 
  +2 
  2nd 
  +1 
  +0 
  +2 
  +2 
  Anything You 
  Want 
  +0 
  +2 
  3rd 
  +1 
  +1 
  +2 
  +2 
  Frightful Presence 
  ; Bonus Feat  
  +1 
  +2 
  4th 
  +2 
  +1 
  +2 
  +2 
  Buy the Expertise  
  +1 
  +3 
  5th 
  +2 
  +1 
  +3 
  +3 
  Money Breeds 
  Power  
  +1 
  +3 
  6th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +3 
  +3 
  Bonus Feat 
  +2 
  +3 
  7th 
  +3 
  +2 
  +4 
  +4 
  Cartel Muscle II, 
  Insulated Assets  
  +2 
  +4 
  8th 
  +4 
  +2 
  +4 
  +4 
  Illegal Army  
  +2 
  +4 
  9th 
  +4 
  +3 
  +4 
  +4 
  Bonus Feat 
  +3 
  +4 
  10th 
  +5 
  +3 
  +5 
  +5 
  The World is 
  Yours 
  +3 
  +5 
   
  Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, the 
  Druglord recieves a bonus feat, which must 
  be chosen from the following list:  
   
   
  Advanced Firearms Proficiency, 
  Aircraft Operation, Armor Proficiency 
  (light), Blackmail, Casino Kingpin, 
  Deceptive, Doubletap, Coke Monster, 
  Fashion Rainbow, Fearsome Violence, 
  Generosity, Lawmaker, Oppritunistic 
  Legislation, Political Awareness, Pointblank 
  Shot, Retained Council , Renown,  Squad 
  Leader, Streetfighting, Surface Vehicle 
  Operation, Windfall 
   
  Italicized feats are presented in 
  another product by the author.  
   
   
  Bold feats are presented in this 
  PDF.  
   
   
  Pure Profit$ (EX): Even young, hot 
  blooded Druglords, still fighting to carve out 
  an empire are wealthier than most of their 
  Wall Street clients. The Druglord can make 
  big purchases without affecting her long 
  term financial conquests. The Druglord can 
  purchase items with a Purchase DC of 15 or 
  higher without automatically decreasing 
  their Wealth Bonus by 1.  
   
  Cartel Muscle (EX): So long as the 
  powder keeps flowing and the money keeps 
  coming in, the Druglord can call upon the 
  army of thugs and murderers his Cartel 
  employs. Your enemies die fast, and often in 
  horrible manners. To get your point across, 
  you're not above torturing women and 
  children to death, simply to prove your 
  manhood.  
  By making a successful DC 25 
  Knowledge (Streetwise) check, the Druglord 
  can place a death mark on any other 
  character. Once ordered, the assassination 
  will be attempted within the week, initially 
  carried out by 1d6 4th level Strong 
  Ordinaries or a a pair of 1st level Soldiers. If 
  the assassination attempt fails, the Shotcaller 
  may make another Knowledge: Streetwise 
  check (DC 30) to order a second attempt, 
  which is carried out by 1d6+1 first or second 
  level Soldiers or Gunslingers.  
  If this second attempt also fails, the 
  Shotcaller loses face, and immediately gains 
  a negative level in this class, which can not 
  130
  
  be regained until he personally kills the 
  target.  
  • Increase the DC of the Streetwise 
  check by +5 if the target and 
  Druglord are both members of the 
  same Cartel.   
  • Increase the DC of the Streetwise by 
  +3 if the target is a child or infant.  
  • Increase the DC of the Streetwise 
  check by +2 if the target is a member 
  of a law enforcement or government 
  agency.  
   
  Action Enhancement: By spending 
  an action point when ordering a hit, the 
  Druglord can increase the urgency of the 
  command, as well as the number of thugs 
  sent to do the hit. The hit occurs within 48 
  hours, and is carried out by twice the usual 
  number of thugs. If the intertidal attempt 
  fails, the second attempt is also carried out 
  by twice the number of thugs.  
  Second Stage Action Enhancement: 
  Starting at 7th level, the Druglord can spend 
  an action point (either in conjunction with 
  the other action enhancement, or not, as he 
  sees fit). The low level thugs are 
  accompanied by a particularly fearsome 
  cartel assassin, with a total character level or 
  Effective Character Level equal to the 
  Druglord’s own, and levels in either Soldier, 
  Gunslinger or Martial Artist.  
   
   
  Risk It All (EX): Every day is a risk 
  for the Druglord. Rivals and drug 
  enforcement agents are constantly scanning 
  the Druglord for any sign of weakness, 
  either mental or physical.  
   
  Each week, the Druglord must 
  succeed at a Knowledge: streetwise check 
  (DC 22 + 1d6), which represents his 
  leadership, tactical planning and skill at 
  running the day to day business of the cartel. 
  Success indicates the cartel’s smuggling and 
  distrubution plans run smoothly, with 
  minimal interference from international law 
  enforcement or other cartels.  
   
  Failure indicates that something has 
  gone wrong, planes and shipments are 
  disappearing, pilots and mules are getting 
  arrested, people are dying. Things are going 
  wrong for the Druglord, and stress is 
  building up.  If the Druglord fails this 
  Knowledge check, he cannot loses access to 
  the following class features until his next 
  successful weekly Knowledge:streetwise 
  check:  
   
   
   
  Cartel Muscle, Anything You Want, 
  Insulated Assets, Illegal Army  
   
   
  Anytime the Druglord suffers a 
  public embarrassment or loss of face, it 
  becomes more difficult to maintain the 
  supply lines. If the Druglord publically fails 
  any skill check or melee attack roll by 
  rolling a natural one on the check, he suffers 
  a cumulative –1 penalty on the next week’s 
  Knowledge check.  
   
   
   
  The Druglord is bound inextricably 
  to the Cartel. If the Druglord ever acts 
  contrary to the Cartel’s interests, resigns 
  without naming a successor, or is 
  imprisioned, he is treated as having failed 
  this weekly check. It’s also likely that rival 
  Druglords within the cartel will attempt to 
  have him killed.  
   
   
  Anything You Want (EX): Drug 
  cartels have better supply-lines and more 
  expensive equipment than many national 
  militaries, for the simple reason the cartels 
  have more disposable income to toss around. 
  Starting at 2nd level, the Druglord adds half 
  his class level (rounded down) as a bonus on 
  Wealth Checks made to purchase goods with 
  a restriction rating.  
   
   
  Frightful Presence (EX): A 
  Druglord may look like a well scrubed 
  businessman in a finely tailored suit, but his 
  aura of power and sadistic authority oozes 
  from his pores like sweat. The Druglord 
  gains Frightful Presence as a bonus feat, 
  even if he doesn’t meet the prerequsites. If 
  the Druglord already has this feat, he gains a 
  +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.  
   
  Buy the Expertise (EX): A 
  Druglord doesn’t need to be an expert at 
  131
  
  anything other than keeping the powder 
  flowing; he’s got enough money to buy any 
  other talents he needs. Beginning at  4th 
  level, the Druglord is notorious enough, and 
  has enough connections and bribemoney to 
  wire himself into the fabric of society.  
  Even if away from his home 
  stomping ground a phone call can produce a 
  contact with the needed resource. The 
  Druglord attempts a Diplomacy check, the 
  difficulty of which is based upon how 
  common common the required abilities are: 
   
   
  A successful check indicates that the 
  individual is available, and the Druglord 
  knows how to contact him or her. It does not 
  guarantee the character contacted will be 
  willing to perform the requested service—
  the party requesting the service must still 
  negotiate for that person’s services.  
  An unsuccessful check means that no 
  such individual is immediately known or 
  available to the Druglord. This does not 
  negate trying again for a different skill, nor 
  from trying to locate a skill resource through 
  more traditional methods. The resource the 
  Druglord  knows about will have total ranks 
  in the needed skill of at least the Druglord’s 
  total character level +3, making this an easy 
  way to quickly hire the services of highly 
  trained specialists.  
   
   
   
  Money Breeds Power (EX): You’ve 
  ruined lives, bought out businesses, ordered 
  the torture and execution of hundreds and 
  can topple economies with a few well 
  played trades.  
  Once per day, you may add your 
  current Wealth bonus as a bonus on any 
  Intimidate check you make. If you succeed 
  at any Intimidate Check by five or more 
  points, the target is considered friendly for 
  24 hours, regardless of the targets distance 
  from you. The target will remain ‘friendly’ 
  to you during this period, even when out of 
  your presence. 
   
  Insulated Assets (EX): The 
  Druglord’s money is constantly on the 
  move, one step ahead of tax lawyers, 
  government investigators and war torn 
  nations eager to sieze their investor’s assets 
  and swell their own treasuries. Starting at 
  7th level, the Druglord’s assets cannot be 
  legally seized by any government, nor can 
  the Raider’s total Wealth bonus be lowered 
  as a result of a conviction for a crime.  
  If the Druglord’s assets are ever 
  seized semi-legally, the Raider’s total 
  Wealth bonus can never be lowered past 10 
  + the Raider’s CHA modifiable. Lost 
  Wealth returns at a rate of one point of 
  Wealth Bonus per month, requiring minimal 
  involvement from the kingpin. Corporate 
  lawyers and investigators do most of the 
  work.  
   
  Skill or Talent Desired 
  Base Diplomacy 
  DC 
  Common Skill (Ride, Pilot, Treat Injury)  
  DC 12 
  Uncommon Skill (subgroups of other skills such as Knowledge (arcane lore) or 
  Craft (pharmacuetical)  
  DC 18 
  Rare Skill (skills available for a particular, setting specific class—Autohypnosis, 
  Spellcraft, Psicraft, Use Magic Device)  
  DC 22 
  Specific Feat  
  DC 22 
  Member of a specific Metahuman race  
  DC 22 
  Extremely Rare Class Feature (spellcasting, turn undead, psionics)  
  DC 22 
  Specific Combination of Skills, Feats, and Abilities (someone with Knowledge 
  (business), the Misinformation Feat and an INT score above 16)  
  DC 25 
  Finding someone willing to perform activities secretly or illegally  
  DC +5 
  Finding someone with a specific class level  
  Add desired class 
  level  to DC 
  132
  
   
  Illegal Army (EX): The Druglord’s 
  cartel can field an array of equipment as 
  good as the entire military of many Third 
  World nations, including AWACs planes to 
  spot Coast Guard ships, tanks and APCs to 
  transport their thugs, and military grade 
  missiles and explosives. The Druglord 
  privately has an impressively well equipped 
  private army at his disposal.  
   
  Beginning at 8th level, once per 
  month, the Druglord can aquire expensive 
  military surplus illegally, allowing him to 
  purchase high dollar vehicles and weapons 
  without seriously affecting his purchasing 
  power.  
   
  The Druglord can accquire any 
  military or civilian vehicles or piece of 
  equipment, including highly restricted 
  systems like cryptography equipment, 
  fighter jets, tanks and the like. The Druglord 
  can even accquire chemical weapons, 
  though nuclear materials are out of reach in 
  most campaigns, the final arbiter of their 
  availability is the gamemaster. In some high 
  tech settings, the Druglord can purchase 
  mecha, power armor and starships this way.  
   
  The equipment chosen can have a 
  maximum Purchase DC 48 + the Druglord’s 
  CHA modifier. If the Druglord chooses to 
  sacrifice action points while making this 
  purchase, each action point used increases 
  the device’s max Purchase DC by +1, with 
  no maximum ceiling. Delivery usually 
  occurs in 1d6 weeks from the date of the 
  purchase.  
   
  If the Druglord does not use the 
  Illegal Army class ability in a particular 
  month, the benefit is simply lost for that 
  month. Most Druglords purchase high dollar 
  luxury vehicles, private planes, palatial 
  mansions, art and other ‘toys’ on the months 
  they don’t feel like building up their private 
  army.  
   
   
   
  The World is Yours (EX): By 10th 
  level, the Druglord’s cartel doesn’t just have 
  resources equal to a small country, it has 
  almost completely taken over a country. In 
  many ways, the Druglord is the ruler of a 
  small nation.  
   
  The druglord controls a region 
  several hundred or thousand miles square, a 
  lawless region where his thugs have absolute 
  power. Most of the Druglord’s citizens are 
  involved in the drug trade, usually as 
  subsistence laborers. The Druglord is 
  effectively immune from prosecution in his 
  native land.  
   
  The Druglord receives a +16 
  competence bonus on Diplomacy and 
  Knowledge: civics checks made to influence 
  the legal structure of ‘his’ nation, including 
  changing laws to benefit the Cartel, or when 
  negotiating matters of trade and 
  international law with other nations.  
  The Druglord may be loathed, but he 
  is a modern king, wielding incredible power. 
  The power the Druglord wields and the 
  money at his disposal makes him an 
  attractive ally for the world’s many 
  intelligence agencies.  
   
   
  The Druglord’s wealth exceeds all 
  previous known limits; many high level 
  Druglords have personal wealth in the 
  billions! 
  133
  
   
   Each month the Druglord succeeds 
  on all four of his weekly 
  Knowledge:streetwise checks, his personal 
  Wealth bonus increases by +1. There is no 
  maximum ceiling to an old and respected 
  Druglord’s potential wealth.  
   
  The Mechamorph Defender Advanced Class 
   
   
  The Mechamorph Defender is a 
  powerful character class that is unique to 
  the Manifold. Members of other species 
  cannot select this advanced class.  
   
   
  Mechamorph Defenders are the 
  champions and protectors of the Manifold 
  species, techno-organic paladins who keep 
  watch over the robotic species many colony 
  worlds. These elite warriors explore their 
  cybernetic heritage through a well defined 
  path of upgrades and continual evolution. 
  While all Manifold can periodically enter a 
  liquid steel cocoon and alter ther structures, 
  none do so as often or undergo as dramatic 
  of changes as the Mechamorph Defenders.  
   
  As a Mechamorph Defender rises 
  through the ranks of the order, it redesigns 
  and streamlines its body, improves its 
  onboard weapons and defensive 
  ccapabilityand develops the ability to project 
  the glistening blue fforce domesthat are the 
  most visible symbol of the Defender caste.   
   
   
   
  The fastest path into the 
  Mechamorph Defender advanced class is 
  through the  Strong hero basic class, though 
  young Manifold warriors may choose other 
  paths.  
   
  The Mechamorph Defender in the 
  Campaign 
   
   
  You’re the brick wall. You’re right 
  between the more ‘squishy’ team members 
  and every roadside bomb, metahuman 
  ambush and combat-caster out to kill them. 
  Mechamorph Defenders epitomize the 
  concept of a front line combatant- they're 
  intelligent, walking tanks with amazing 
  firepower.  
   
  In addition to their more obvious role 
  as the team’s heavy gunner, a Mechamorph 
  Defender is suprisingly good diplomat, well 
  trained in first contact procedures and 
  battlefield diplomacy. When dealing with 
  machine-life, these steel and polymer 
  juggernauts make excellent ‘front-men’ for 
  the team, and the Mechamorph Defender’s 
  mechanical gifts and technological know 
  how makes them excellent cyber-docs. In a 
  mixed Manifold/organic team, they will 
  likely be the mechanic best able to aid their 
  wounded siblings.  
   
  Requirements:  
  To qualify to become a Mechamorph 
  Defender, a character must fulfill the 
  following criteria.  
  Species: The Mechamorph Defender class is 
  exclusive to the Manifold species.  
  Base Attack Bonus: +3  
  Skills: Craft: structural 4 ranks, Spot 4 
  ranks, Repair 4 ranks    
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Toughness, either 
  Out-Colonist or Guide, Iron Will 
  Special: A prospective Mechamorph 
  Defender must declare at least one of his 
  alligences towards the protection of the 
  Manifold race, a particular Manifold colony 
  or organization, or the members of its 
  platoon.  
   
  Class Information  
  The following information pertains to the 
  Mechamorph Defender advanced class.  
   
  Hit Die 
  The Mechamorph Defender gains d12 hit 
  points per level. The character’s Consitution 
  modifier applies. Mechamorph Defenders 
  are walking tanks, capable of withstanding 
  massive amounts of punishment.  
   
  Action Points  
  The Mechamorph Defender gains a number 
  of action points equal to 6 + one-half of its 
  character level, rounded down every time it 
  attains a new level in this class.  
   
   
   
  134
  
  Class Skills  
  The Mechamorph Defender’s class skills are 
  as follows.  
   
   
  Computer Use (INT), Craft 
  (electronic, mechanical, structural) (INT), 
  Diplomacy (CHA), Drive (DEX), Intimidate 
  (CHA), Jump (STR), Knowledge (current 
  events, earth & life sciences, history, 
  physical sciences, tactics, technology) 
  (INT), Listen (WIS), Pilot (DEX), 
  Read/Write Language, Repair (INT), Speak 
  Language, Spot (WIS)  
   
  Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + INT 
  Modifer (Were a human somehow able to 
  take levels in this class, he or she would 
  receive 5 + INT modifier skill points per 
  level).  
   
   
  Class Features: The Mechamorph Defender 
  Class 
  Level 
  Base 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  FORT 
  Save 
  REF 
  Save 
  WILL 
  Save 
  Defense 
  Evolution
  Special  
  Defense 
  Bonus 
  Reputation 
  Bonus  
  1st 
  +0 
  +2 
  +0 
  +0 
  +5 HP 
  Lightbringer +1 
  +0 
  2nd 
  +1 
  +3 
  +0 
  +0 
  DR 1/- 
  Programmed 
  Aegis , Bio-
  Mech Medic 
  +1 
  +0 
  3rd 
  +2 
  +3 
  +1 
  +1 
  +5 HP 
  Bonus Feat 
  +2 
  +1 
  4th 
  +3 
  +4 
  +1 
  +1 
  DR 2/- 
  Structural 
  Superiority  
  +2 
  +1 
  5th 
  +3 
  +4 
  +1 
  +1 
  +5 HP  
  Lightbringer 
  2x/day 
  +3 
  +1 
  6th 
  +4 
  +5 
  +2 
  +2 
  DR 3/- 
  Size: Huge 
  Bonus Feat 
  +3 
  +2 
  7th 
  +5 
  +5 
  +2 
  +2 
  +5 HP 
  Programmed 
  Aegis II 
  +4 
  +2 
  8th 
  +6 
  +6 
  +2 
  +2 
  DR 4/- 
  Structural 
  Superiority 
  II,  
  Lightbringer 
  3x/day  
  +4 
  +2 
  9th 
  +6 
  +6 
  +3 
  +3 
  +5 HP 
  Bonus Feat  
  +5 
  +3 
  10th 
  +7 
  +7 
  +3 
  +3 
  DR 5/- 
  Final 
  Evolution  
  +5 
  +3 
   
  Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th and 9th  level, the 
  Mechamorph Defender may select a bonus 
  feat, which must be chosen from the 
  following list.  
   
  Aircraft Operation, Anti-Tank Warfare, 
  AWACS Operator, Blind-Fight, Brawl, 
  Builder, Comms Expert, Controlled Burst, 
  Cleave, Clobber, Defensive Martial Arts, 
  Far Shot, Full Autofire, Gear Head, 
  Groundshake, Heavy Weapons Specialist, 
  Hope In Desperation, Power Attack, Run, 
  Starship Operations, Squad Leader, Surface 
  Vehicle Operation, Super Heavyweight, 
  Trustworthy, Zero G Combat 
   
  As with all Manifold, the Mechmorph 
  Defender may choose any robotic feat or 
  upgrade in place of a class based bonus feat. 
  Bold feats are detailed in the Psi-Watch 
  campaign option.  
   
  Defense Evolution (EX): The Mechamorph 
  Defender is in a constant state of mechanical 
  evolution. Bio-mechanical ‘mutations’ 
  135
  
  increase the robot warrior’s survivability by 
  upping system redundancy and armor 
  density.  
  • At each odd numbered level, 
  the robot receives 5 bonus 
  HP, in addition to the d12 HP 
  gains from leveling up and its 
  CON Modifier, if any.  
  • On even numbered levels, the 
  robot’s Damage Reduction 
  increases by +1/-. This 
  damage reduction increase 
  stacks with DR increases 
  from other sources, including 
  feats and Tough Hero class 
  levels.  
   
  By 10th level, the Mechamorph 
  Defender has received DR 5/- and 25 bonus 
  HP from membership in this class.  
   
   
  Lightbringer (EX): Immediately before a 
  neophyte Mechamorph Defender takes its 
  first level in this class, the robot enters an 
  evolutionary cocoon and the first stage of 
  bio-mechanical alterations take place.   
   
  The structure of 
  the Mechamorph’s 
  torso armor changes. 
  Metallic plating is 
  replaced by high-
  density glass and 
  magnetic containment 
  fields. The energy that 
  gives the Mechamorph 
  Defender life and 
  power is visible behind 
  the thick glass 
  panels.The energy 
  visible beneath the 
  Mechamorph’s armor 
  is the cold, brilliant 
  blue/white of a 
  lightning strike, and 
  illuminates the area 
  around the robot like a 
  halogen flood. 
  Retractable panels 
  cover the glowing 
  windows when the stealth is required; the 
  robot can retract or extend these panels as a 
  free action. However, most Mechamorph 
  Defenders wear their glowing badges of 
  office proudly.  
    
   
  Once per day, a Mechamorph 
  Defender can generate a blindingly intense 
  flash of light. All machines within a 60 ft 
  radius, including the Defender instantly 
  recover a number of HP equal to the 
  Defender’s class level plus its CON codifier. 
  This healing surge uses ultra-advanced pico-
  technology to accomplish its goals, not 
  magic; both non-sentient and living 
  machines, including cyborgs are affected by 
  the healing pulse.  
   
   
  At fifth level, the Mechmorph 
  Defender can use this ability twice daily, 
  and the robot can use this ability three times 
  per day starting at 8th level.  
   
  Bio-Mech Medic (EX): Starting at 2nd 
  level, the Mechamorph Defender may add 
  half its class level, rounded down, to all 
  Repair checks as well as Diplomacy checks 
  made against bio-
  mechanical life 
  forms, including 
  other Manifold, 
  similar robotic 
  aliens, and 
  cyborgs of all 
  species.  
   
  Programmed 
  Aegis (EX): The 
  Mechamorph’s 
  superstructure 
  changes once 
  again. Visible 
  fiber optic tattoos 
  run the length of 
  the robot’s arms 
  and energy 
  discharge nodes 
  line its knuckles, 
  all of which glow 
  with brilliant 
  azure light. The robot’s internal programs 
  136
  
  use its life energy- the electromagnetic 
  substance of the robot’s soul- to power 
  defensive sub-routines designed to save the 
  lives of other bio-mechs.  
   
  Though fundamentally similar to 
  arcane spell casting, the ‘spells’ the 
  Mechamorph Defender can ‘cast’ are 
  products of ultra advanced nano-tech and 
  Smartlight programs centuries more 
  advanced than the best technology humanity 
  can imagine. These ‘spells’ are considered 
  extraordinary abilities, and function in anti-
  magic zones.  
   
  You cast spells as a mage of your 
  total character level. The Mechamorph 
  cannot learn additional spells or copy spells 
  from another mage’s spellbook, unless it 
  chooses a magically gifted class. 
  Each day, the mechamorph  cast a 
  limited selection of spell programs equal to 
  its  ranks in Repair. For example, a 
  mechamorph with 8 ranks  could cast a total 
  of 8 levels worth of spells per day: two 
  fourth level spells, eight first level spells, or 
  any other combination. Zero level spells 
  count as ½ a spell level.  
  Casting spells is a standard action 
  which provokes attacks of opportunity. The 
  Defender’s  spells require no advance 
  preparation; the robot decides which spells 
  to cast at the moment he begins speaking the 
  words.  
   
  Limitation: The Mechamorph Defender’s 
  spell-programs cannot affect purely organic 
  creatures- they can only affect other robotic 
  life forms, vehicles and nonliving machines, 
  robots and constructs. If an organic creature 
  has cybernetic implants, no matter how 
  minor, the creature may be affected by the 
  Defender’s spell programs.  
   
   
   
  Organic forms are repulsed normally the the 
  robot’s Wall of Force spell-program, 
  regardless of whether or not they have 
  cyber-implants.  
   
   
  Beginning at 7th level, the force 
  shielding capabilities the Mechamorph 
  Defenders are best known for begin to 
  manifest. When manifesting a wall of force, 
  the Mechamorph does so, he does so with an 
  ease and power far in excess of any other 
  shield-slinger’s capabilities. Previously, he 
  could cast an ‘ordinary’ version of the Wall 
  of Force spell; at 7th level, the robot gains 
  the ability to manifest a dramatically 
  improved version.  
   The robot may choose to manifest a 
  wall whose area is up to five 10 ft squares 
  per level, or a sphere or hemisphere with a 
  radius of up to five ft per level. The duration 
  of one of these superior energy fields is 10 
  minutes per level! 
  Action Enhancement: By spending 
  an action point while manifesting a Wall of 
  Force, the robot establishes a self sustaining 
  smart light matrix within the field, allowing 
  the enhanced field to stand for up to one day 
  per two Defender class levels.  
   
  Structural Superiority (EX): At 4th and 
  8th level, the Mechamorph Defender’s 
  sojourn in its evolutionary cocoon improves 
  its artificial superstructure, increasing the 
  durability of its inorganic tendons and alloy 
  bones, as well as ramping up reaction time 
  and the shock absorbing systems in its legs.   
   
  Each time the Defender’s 
  superstructure is upgraded in this manner, 
  the robot receives a +2 enhancement bonus 
  to its STR score, and a +10 ft increase to its 
  base land speed. These bonuses stack with 
  themselves, as well as speed increases due to 
  Fast hero class levels or feats.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Spell Level  
  Spell Programming  
  Zero  
  Resistance 
  First  
  Mage Armor, Magic Weapon, Power Device, Ray of Fatiuge, 
  Shield   
  Second 
  Blur, Enhance Ability, Resist Energy  
  Third  
  Greater Magic Weapon, Keen Edge, Lightning Bolt  
  Fourth 
  -  
  Fifth  
  Wall of Force  (see text)  
  137
  
  Size: Huge (EX): At 6th level, the 
  Mechamorph Defender enters an 
  evolutionary cocoon and completely 
  restructures its chassis. The robot becomes 
  much larger and more powerfully built, 
  becoming size Huge. If the robot is already 
  permanently Huge or larger, its size 
  increases by one 
  step to a 
  maximum of 
  Gargantuan.  
   
   
  As a 
  Huge creature, 
  the Mechamorph 
  Defender can 
  wield larger 
  weapons than its 
  human 
  counterparts, and 
  its lifting and 
  carrying limits 
  are triple those of 
  a medium 
  creature. The 
  Manifold 
  receives a –2 size 
  penalty on attack 
  rolls and 
  Defense, and a –
  8 size penalty to 
  Hide checks. 
  Conversely, the Manifold receives a +8 size 
  bonus on grapple checks.  
   
  Final Evolution (EX): At 10th level, the 
  Mechamorph Defender enters the 
  evolutionary cocoon for the final time. 
  During the 36 hour mechamorphizes, the 
  robots entire structure is streamlined: old 
  wounds and design flaws are eliminated.  
   
  During this final mechamorphizes, 
  the Defender receives a +6 enhancement 
  bonus to its CHA score, reflecting a new 
  found confidence and leadership role in its 
  bio-mechanical society, more than offsetting 
  the creature’s racial penalty to CHA. 
   
  In addition, the Mechamorph 
  Defender receives a final set of physical 
  upgrades, increasing its STR and CON 
  scores by +2 points each.   
   
   
  The Spymaster Advanced Class 
   
   
   
  The Spymaster is a veteran of the 
  Cold War, a 
  master of the great 
  game of 
  international 
  espionage. 
  Though overt 
  conflicts between 
  Communists and 
  Democratic forces 
  were relatively 
  rare, and usually 
  terrifyingly 
  bloody, a secret 
  war of theft, 
  sabotage, 
  espionage and 
  assassination was 
  waged ceaselessly 
  from the days 
  immediately after 
  WWII to the fall 
  of the Soviet 
  Union.  
   
  The 
  Spymaster 
  represents the most elite agents acting in the 
  secret service of their nation. These highly 
  trained agents use every skill at their 
  disposal, from sexual blackmail to martial 
  arts to high tech gadgets, to accomplish their 
  missions. The Spymaster may draw a salary 
  from virtually any nation, though the most 
  famous Spymasters in history and fiction are 
  American, Russian or British operatives, 
  working for the CIA, KGB or MI-6 
  respectively.  
   
   
   
  The fastest path into the Spymaster 
  Advanced Class is through the Charismatic 
  Hero basic class, though other paths are 
  possible. Smart heroes who blend gadgetry 
  with seduction and intel-gathering make 
  excellent Spymasters.  
   
  138
  
   
  The Spymaster in the Campaign 
   
   
  The Spymaster is a subtle and 
  underhanded generalist. Unlike the 
  Infiltrator Advanced Class, the Spymaster is 
  more focused diplomacy, seduction and the 
  long con rather then on burgulary and 
  tactical espionage action. Depending on an 
  agent’s training he or might be a smooth 
  seducer, recruiting unwitting accomplices 
  from among the CIA’s secretarial pools, a 
  gadgetier using advanced weapontry and 
  piloting skills to do the impossible, or a 
  cruel wet works expert who has killed more 
  people with knife or bare hands than cancer.  
   
  Fans of the James Bond franchise, 
  John Ludlum’s Jason Bourne or Tom Clancy 
  iconic characters like Jack Ryan or Mr. 
  Clark will find a lot to enjoy in the 
  Spymaster advanced class. Like these 
  fictional heroes, Spymasters are suave and 
  attractive, but highly competent and lethal. 
  Metagame talents available to the 
  Spymaster, represent this class’ talent for 
  pre-planning, secret communizes, high 
  stakes bluff and double bluff.  
   
  The Spymaster is an asset to any 
  Cold War campaign, but also represents a 
  threat. Spies go rouge, turning into double 
  agents and traitors. Spymasters are in a 
  unique position to betray their country, and 
  in some ways, the mechanics of this class 
  reward them for doing so. First and 
  foremost, a Spymaster is loyal to himself. 
  Always remember that.  
   
  Requirements:  
  To qualify to become a Spymaster, a 
  character must fulfill the following criteria.  
  Base Attack Bonus: +2 
  Skills: Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, 
  Gather Information 4 ranks,Knowledge: 
  streetwise 2 ranks,  Knowledge: current 
  events 2 ranks, Knowledge: technology or 
  tactics 1 rank  
  Feats: Deceptive, Elite Clearance, Precise 
  Shot  
  Special: The Spymaster must be funded and 
  report to a particular patron, usually a 
  government or megacorporation. In the 
  Eighties, this usually means the Spymaster 
  is in the service of either NATO (North 
  Atlantic Treaty Organization, lead by the 
  United States), or by the Warsaw Pact, an 
  alliance of Communist nations lead by 
  Russia.  
   
  Class Information  
  The following information pertains to the 
  Spymaster advanced class.  
   
   
  Hit Die 
  The Spymaster gains d6 hit points per level. 
  The character’s Consitution modifier 
  applies. Spymasters are masters of fieldcraft, 
  betrayal and espionage, but are physically 
  ordinary. Though well trained, Spymasters 
  lack the physique and toughness of front-
  line soldiers.  
   
  Action Points  
  The Spymaster gains a number of action 
  points equal to 6 + one-half of his character 
  level, rounded down every time he attains a 
  new level in this class.  
   
  Class Skills  
  The Spymaster’s class skills are as follows.  
   
  Bluff (CHA), Climb (STR), 
  Computer Use (INT), Craft (chemical, 
  electronic) (INT), Demolitions (INT), 
  Disable Device (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), 
  Disguise (CHA), Drive (DEX), Escape 
  Artist (DEX), Forgery (INT), Gather 
  Information (CHA), Hide (DEX), 
  Knowledge (business, civics, current events, 
  streetwise, tactics, technology) (INT), Listen 
  (WIS), Move Silently (DEX), Pilot (DEX), 
  Read/Write Language, Sense Motive 
  (CHA), Sleight of Hand (DEX), Speak 
  Language, Spot (WIS) 
   
  Skill Points at Each Level: 7 + INT 
  Modifier 
   
   
   
  139
  
  Class Features: The Spymaster 
  Class 
  Level 
  Base 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  FORT 
  Save 
  REF 
  Save 
  WILL 
  Save 
  Special  
  Defense 
  Bonus 
  Reputation 
  Bonus  
  1st 
  +0 
  +1 
  +0 
  +1 
  Agency Legend ; 
  NATO or Warsaw 
  Talent I  ;  Go 
  Rouge  
  +1 
  +0 
  2nd 
  +1 
  +2 
  +0 
  +2 
  Honey Trap, 
  Bonus Feat  
  +2 
  +0 
  3rd 
  +1 
  +2 
  +1 
  +2 
  NATO or Warsaw 
  Talent II 
  +2 
  +1 
  4th 
  +2 
  +2 
  +1 
  +2 
  Fine Fieldcraft, 
  Bonus Feat   
  +3 
  +1 
  5th 
  +2 
  +3 
  +1 
  +3 
  Stealth Kill  
  +4 
  +1 
  6th 
  +3 
  +3 
  +2 
  +3 
  NATO or Warsaw 
  Talent III  
  +4 
  +2 
  7th 
  +3 
  +4 
  +2 
  +4 
  Unlimited 
  Clearance  
  +5 
  +2 
  8th 
  +4 
  +4 
  +2 
  +4 
  Bonus Feat 
  +6 
  +2 
  9th 
  +4 
  +4 
  +3 
  +4 
  NATO or Warsaw 
  Talent IV 
  +6 
  +3 
  10th 
  +5 
  +5 
  +3 
  +5 
  Cold War 
  Crusader ; Bonus 
  Feat  
  +7 
  +3 
   
  Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 4th, 8th and 10th level, 
  the Spymaster selects a bonus feat, which 
  must be chosen from the following list:  
   
  Acrobatic, Activate Sleeper Agent, 
  Adapto-Instant Gadget, Aircraft 
  Operation, Blackmail, Blind-Fight, 
  Bugsweeper, Bugsweeping Instincts, 
  Cautious, Casino Kingpin, Censored 
  History, Clean ID, Combat Throw, 
  Communist Elite, Counter-Intel Expert, 
  Defensive Martial Arts, Dodge,  Dress to 
  Impress, Fast-Talk, Gifts of Esctacy, 
  Gearhead, Grifter, Heroic Surge, Improved 
  Initative,  Infiltrator, Krav Maga, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Low Profile, Patient 
  Sniper, Prepared for Betrayal, SERE 
  Training, Silencing Strike, Stealthy, Squad 
  Leader, Stranglehold, Trustworthy, 
  Windfall.  
   
   
  Italicized feats are presented in 
  another product by the author.  
   
   
  Bold feats are presented in this 
  PDF.  
  Agency Legend (EX): Your patron 
  government provides you with limited 
  diplomatic cover. In espionage terms you 
  are a ‘legal agent’, someone who is 
  introduced into a target nation as a member 
  of the diplomatic staff. Your diplomatic 
  cover may be in your true name, or in a 
  commonly used alias. You only receive the 
  benefit of this class ability when travelling 
  under your ‘legal’ identity. You may only 
  have one agency legend active at any time, 
  and changing the identity used in this class 
  feature requires 72 hours.  
   
  If you are arrested for a crime or 
  detained in a foreign country or among by a 
  rival pseudo-national power, you or your 
  attorney may make a Diplomacy check, the 
  DC of which is determined by the severity 
  of the crime. If the check is successful, you 
  are released into the custody of your home 
  government within 24 hours. 
    
  You are generally allowed to remain 
  in the country if you are held for minor 
  140
  
  crimes (such as misdemeanor assault), 
  though you will usually be permanently 
  expelled from the country for major offenses 
  or offenses against the host country. 
  Mistreating you while you are in custody 
  can strain relations between the nations, and 
  if your are tortured or murdered without trial 
  or cause, it may be considered an act of war.  
   
  Table: Agency Legend (Diplomatic 
  Immunity)   
   
  Special: You lose the benefit this 
  class ability if you act in a manner contrary 
  to your patron’s wishes or code of ethics.  If 
  you Go Rouge you lose the benefit of this 
  class ability, but are provided with a new 
  agency legend by your new patron within 24 
  hours.  
   
  Go Rouge (EX): Spies are masters of 
  betrayal and deception, betraying 
  confidences, blackmailing without 
  compunction, and manipulating lovers to 
  their own end. Occasionally, a spy turns 
  against his own nation and goes rouge, 
  knowing there is a big payment and 
  comfortable life waiting for them as a 
  defector on the farside of the Iron Curtian.  
   
  The Spymaster may choose to go 
  rouge at any point in his or her career. This 
  is a slightly metagame ability, and assumes 
  that the logistics of the defection have 
  occurred behind the scenes, having been 
  worked out secretly in the weeks or months 
  prior to the defection. A Spymaster can ‘go 
  rouge’ at any time, as a free action, even on 
  another character’s turn. Once this ability is 
  invoked, everything changes for the 
  Spymaster.  
   
   
  The character immediately severs all 
  ties with his or her original nation (though 
  the patron might not know about the 
  betrayal, allowing certain class features like 
  Elite Clearance to still function). The 
  Spymaster’s alligence changes to conform to 
  his or her new government patron, and the 
  Spymaster gains new contacts and identical 
  benefits within 
  the new 
  government.  
   
   
  For example, an 
  American 
  Spymaster who 
  defects 
  immediately gets 
  new Elite 
  Clearances in 
  Moscow, a new 
  Agency Legend is created for him by the 
  KGB, and so on.   
   
  The agents of your new government, 
  especially common soldiers and other field 
  operatives might have no way of knowing 
  that you have gone traitor and joined their 
  cause. These operatives might still 
  mistakenly hunt you, or disbelieve you if 
  told of your conversion.  
  If the Spymaster encounters one of 
  these mistakenly hostile groups within the 
  first 1-2 weeks after Going Rouge, he or she 
  can spend an action point. Doing so ensures, 
  again via mild metagame logic, that these 
  forces have been alerted to the Spymaster’s 
  new alligence. Usually after a few weeks of 
  service to the new government, 
  misidentification is no longer an issue.  
  Using this ability means a Spymaster 
  could potentially turn traitor in the middle of 
  a pitched fire-fight, spend an action point, 
  and gain the services of the soldiers she was 
  just trading shots with as now-loyal allies, 
  fighting in a common cause against her 
  former teammates!  
   
  Nature of Offense  
  Diplomacy 
  Check DC  
  Misdemeanor offenses, such as starting a brawl, traffic 
  violations, participating in prostitution or minor corruption 
  DC 15  
  Minor Felonies like theft, felony assault, breaking and 
  entering, major corruption cases or those that are widely 
  reported  
  DC 18  
  Major Felonies like rape, murder or an assault that inflicts 
  long term damage. Sedition, major corruption cases, 
  confirmed cases of espionage .  
  DC 22  
  Acts of war or terror against the host nation. Murder of 
  someone very important to the host nation.  
  DC 25  
  141
  
  Spymasters are rewarded for their 
  betrayal with new talents. A Spymaster who 
  has gone rouge retains all NATO or Warsaw 
  Pact talents they have already attained, 
  however the Spymaster can only gain new 
  Talents appropirate to their new nationalistic 
  alligence. In addition, the Spymaster gains a 
  host of new skills, reciveving Talents from 
  both the NATO and Warsaw Pacts 
  appropirate to the character level!  
  As a result, higher level Spymasters 
  receive a greater benefit from going rouge 
  than younger spies, ensuring these veteran 
  agents are closely watched by their agencies. 
  Many elder agents are assassinated by their 
  own agencies on the grounds they simply 
  ‘knew too much’.  
   
  NATO or Warsaw Talents (EX): When 
  you first take a level in the Spymaster class, 
  you must declare your alliance to either 
  NATO or the Warsaw Pact. This choice 
  defines which abilities you receive when 
  you become eligible for a new Talent. You 
  receive only the Talent that corresponds to 
  your nationality  except as described in the 
  Go Rouge class 
  feature.  
   
   
  First Level 
  Talents: Choose 
  from between these 
  talents at 1st level.  
   
  NATO: NATO 
  training places an 
  emphasis on 
  marksmanship, subtle 
  gunplay and high 
  technology. You 
  receive either Double 
  Tap or Precise Shot as 
  a bonus feat.  
   
  Warsaw Pact: 
  The KGB is notorious 
  for its use of exotic 
  poisons in 
  assassinations. You 
  receive a +4 
  competence bonus on 
  Craft (chemical) 
  checks to manufacture 
  poisons, and if you beat the Craft DC by 5 
  or more points, you may mix toxins in ½ the 
  usual time.  
   
   
   
  Third Level Talents: Choose from 
  between these talents at 3rd  level.  
   
  NATO: NATO spies are expected to 
  pilot a wide array of vehicles in the course 
  of their missions, and are extensively trained 
  in combat driving, nap of the earth flying 
  and dog fighting. The NATO agent receives 
  Vehicle Expert as a bonus feat. If he already 
  has this feat, the effects stack, providing a 
  +4 bonus.  
   
  Warsaw Pact: Warsaw Pact agents 
  are trained to perfectly duplicate accent and 
  intonation, and to pass for a native in most, 
  if not all of the many languages they learn. 
  The agent receives the Smart Hero’s 
  Linguist talent, as a Smart Hero of his or her 
  total class level. Levels in Spymaster and 
  Smart Hero stack for the purposes of this 
  feat.  
   
   
  Sixth Level Talents: Choose from 
  between these talents at 7th level.  
   
  NATO: The 
  Western intelligence 
  community pays its 
  agents and their contacts 
  well. A NATO spymaster 
  receives Windfall as a 
  bonus feat.   
   
  Warsaw Pact: 
  Warsaw Pact spies are 
  taught to kill silently, 
  with their bare hands. The 
  spy receives either 
  Silencing Strike or 
  Strangehold as a bonus 
  feat, even if she doesn’t 
  meet the prerequisites.  
   
   
  Ninth Level 
  Talents: Choose from 
  between these talents at 
  9th level.  
   
  NATO: A number 
  of times per day equal to 
  the NATO agent’s CHA 
  142
  
  modifier (minimum once daily), the NATO 
  spy may instantly reroll any failed Bluff, 
  Demolitions, Disable Device, Drive or Pilot 
  check. The spy must accept the results of the 
  second roll, even if it is worse than the first.  
   
  Warsaw Pact: A number of times per 
  day equal to the Warsaw agent’s CHA 
  modifier (minimum once daily), the Warsaw 
  Pact spy may instantly reroll any failed 
  Diplomacy or Intimidate check as well as 
  any REF save or weapon damage roll. The 
  spy must accept the results of the second 
  roll, even if it is worse than the first.  
   
  Honey Trap (EX): Spies from both nations 
  are trained in exploiting love and attractions 
  as some of the deadliest weapons in the Cold 
  War. Agents on both side, of both genders, 
  are experts at setting up “honey traps”, 
  sexual stings that allow the agents to 
  blackmail the unwary, the deeply closeted 
  and the embarrassingly kinky.  
   
  Starting at 2nd level, the Spymaster 
  receives a insight bonus on Sense Motive 
  checks made to deduce a mark’s sexual 
  habits, desires and orientation, as well as a 
  insight bonus on Diplomacy and Gather 
  Information checks against anyone who 
  would find the agent sexually attractive 
  equal to one half the character’s Spymaster 
  level (rounded down).  
   
   
  Fine Fieldcraft (EX): The Spymaster is 
  cautious, well trained in stealth, espionage 
  and the art of espionage. The Spymaster is a 
  dashing rouge who blends traditional field 
  craft with charm, wit and a knack for 
  improvisation. No matter how mundane the 
  task, the Spymaster does it with style.  
   
  Beginning at 4th level the Spymaster 
  may add his CHA modifier as an untyped 
  bonus to any two of the following checks. 
  Once chosen, this allocation can’t be 
  changed.  
   
   
  Drive, Escape Artist, Hide, Move 
  Silently, Listen, Spot  
   
   
   
  Stealth Kill (EX): At fifth level, most 
  agents are returned to their patron agency 
  for retraining, receiving intense instruction 
  in silent combat and guerilla warfare. The 
  Spymaster drills extensively with small, 
  easily concealed weapons, learning to kill 
  with speed, precision and silence. 
   
   
   
  The Spymaster receives a +1 insight 
  bonus on attack and damage rolls made with 
  any Tiny or Small sized pistol (such as 
  Barettas, Derringers, and the Walther PPK), 
  as well as attack and damage rolls with the 
  following weapons:  
   
  Shuriken, brass knuckles, knife, sap, 
  straight razor, kukri and nunchaku, as well 
  as most Small sized blades and knives.  
   
   
   
   
  The Spymaster receives a +2 
  competence bonus on Sleight of Hand 
  checks made to conceal one of these 
  weapons on his person.  
   
  Unlimited Clearance (EX): Veteran spies 
  are given virtually unlimited discretion in 
  carrying out their missions. Beginning at 7th 
  level, the Spymaster is effectively above the 
  law, answerable only to higher ups within 
  his Agency and the highest echelons on his 
  government.  
   
  If the veteran Spymaster can 
  demonstrate a need to do so, he or she can 
  gain access to even the most secure 
  locations or obtain an audience with the 
  highest ranking officials in her government. 
  For example, a Spymaster could demand 
  access to a nuclear missile silo, obtain a 
  berth on a fleet ballistic missile submarine, 
  walk into restricted ‘black sites’ like Skunk-
  Works, Area 51 or Science City 71.  
  Alternatively, the Spymaster can 
  obtain an audience with important figures 
  like the President, the Soviet primer, 
  members of Congress, big business or high 
  ranking military commanders. These 
  audiences usually require 24 hours to 
  arrange, but a successful DC 18 Diplomacy 
  check can cut the time by ½, plus 1 hour for 
  every two points the Spymaster beats the 
  143
  
  check by, down to a minimum of a single 
  hour.  
   
   
   
  The spy can obtain weapons and gear 
  from his or her patron agency without a 
  corresponding Purchase DC increase, 
  regardless of the item’s Restriction rating. 
  The secret vaults of the nation are opened to 
  the agent.  
    
  Cold War Crusader (EX): At 10th level, 
  the Spymaster is no longer just an agent of 
  government policy. At this point in his 
  career, the Spymaster is an important voice 
  in military strategic planning, and can shape 
  policy behind the scenes. In many cases, the 
  Spymaster is one of his nation’s most 
  respected intelligence agents, and often 
  holds a key leadership role in his nations 
  premier spy agency, such as being a Beauru 
  Chief in the CIA, a section head for MI-6, or 
  a KGB Chairman.  
   
   
  By making contact with his parent 
  agency, a Spymaster can grant any character 
  he wishes the Elite Clearance feat, for any 
  reason. The Spymaster can also provide a 
  character with a temporary Agency Legend, 
  as a first level Spymaster. This temporary 
  cover only remains active for 30 days, 
  unless the character it is granted to is 
  expected to be employed for a longer period.   
  The Spymaster can use this ability at 
  will, as often as he deems necessary. Once 
  the Spymaster pushes his agency to provide 
  clearances, the paperwork is pushed through 
  immediately, granting the Spymaster’s ally 
  these benefits within the hour.  
   
  Additionally, the Spymaster receives 
  a +4 bonus on Diplomacy as well as 
  Knowledge: civics and business checks 
  made to sway the opinion of government 
  figures in his own nation. Combined with 
  feats like Lawmaker, this exposure allows 
  the Spymaster to become an important 
  Cabinet-level decision maker.  
   
   
   
  Spy-Kids: Playing Younger, More Fun 
  Spymasters  
   
   
  With the emphasis the 1980s placed 
  on kid-friendly plots and toyetic media 
  icons, combined with lingering Cold War 
  paranoia, its no suprise that young, but 
  highly trained, gadget happy agents made 
  appearances as television heroes.  
   
   
   
  Players wishing to build a Child or 
  Young Adult “Kid Spymaster” may do so. 
  Alternatively, if a player wishes to 
  emphasize the cruelty and inhumanity of 
  Cold War espionage, where young 
  operatives were trained as unlikely, 
  untraceable assassins or children were used 
  to set up ‘honey trap’ stings against 
  pedophile targets, that’s also supported.  
   
  Is the young spy a coldly 
  professional lolita inspired by The 
  Professional? Or is your super going to be a 
  gadget using super-thief with a robot 
  sidekick inspired by M.A.S.K and James 
  Bond Jr? It’s your call.  
   
  The Kid Spymaster class has the following 
  entry requirements.  
  Base Attack Bonus: +1 
  Skills: Bluff 6 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, 
  Gather Information 2 ranks, Knowledge: 
  streetwise 2 ranks,  Knowledge: current 
  events 1 ranks, Knowledge: technology 1 
  rank  
  Feats: Deceptive, Gearhead  
  Age Category: The Kid Spymaster must 
  take their first level in this class, or any 
  other Heroic Class during the Chld or 
  Young Adult age category.  
  Starting Occupation: A potential Kid 
  Spymaster must have selected one of the 
  following Starting Occupations: Agent 
  Trainee (age requirement waived), Child 
  Soldier, Olympic Hopeful, or Scientist’s 
  Kid.  
   
  Modified Class Abilities: The Kid 
  Spymaster  
   
  144
  
  Class Skills: Remove Craft: chemical, 
  Demolitions  and Intimidate from the Kid 
  Spymaster’s list of class skills.  
   
  Elite Clearance (EX): A first level Kid 
  Spymaster gains Elite Clearance as a bonus 
  feat, even if he or she doesn’t meet the 
  prerequisites.  
   
  NATO and Warsaw Pact Talents (EX): 
  Replace all references to Craft: chemical and 
  poison making from the Warsaw Pact 1st 
  level ability. Replace this ability with an 
  identical bonus to Craft: electronic checks, 
  and an emphasis on building bugs, gadgets 
  and computers.  
   
  Honey Trap (EX): Remove Honey Trap as 
  the Kid Spymaster’s second level ability.  
   
  Adapto-Instant Gadget (EX): In return for 
  losing the Honey Trap ability, the Kid 
  Spymaster receives Adapto-Instant Gadget 
  as a bonus feat at 2nd level, even if he 
  doesn’t meet the requirements.  
  The gadget-happy Kid Spymaster 
  can use this ability once per day without 
  requiring an action point expenditure. 
  Additional uses per day require the Kid 
  Spymaster to sacrifice action points as 
  normal.  
   
  Stealth Kill (EX): Remove Stealth Kill as 
  the Kid Spymaster’s 5th level class ability.  
   
  Build Robot (EX): Replace Stealth Kill 
  with Build Robot at 5th level. This ability 
  functions identically to the Techie ability of 
  the same name, described in the D20 
  Modern core rulebook. Techie and Kid 
  Spymaster levels stack for the purposes of 
  this modified class ability.  
   
   
   
  Radio Shack Attack: The Techie 
  Robot Master  
   
   
   
  All Techies can build ordinary 
  robots, but robots in the 1980s were 
  anything but ordinary. The quirky, annoying 
  robot sidekick was a staple of Eighties 
  toons. Do you want your Techie to build a 
  Johnny-Five (Short Circuit), a transformable 
  T-BOB (M.A.S.K.’s irritating sidekick 
  android), something resembling a Daggit 
  (from the originally, very cheesy Battlestar 
  Galactica), a H.E.R.B.I.E (either the 
  Fantastic Four model or a Love Bug) or 
  even (shudder) a B.B. of their very own 
  (inspired by the long forgotten Wes 
  Craven’s Deadly Friend). Rock on, you wild 
  and crazy Robot Master.  
   
   
   
  Techies in the Eighties gain a few 
  expanded uses for their Build Robot class 
  feature, allowing them to build sentient, 
  highly capable robot sidekicks.  
   
   
   
  By spending an action point, and 
  really pouring some effort into the 
  construction, you can construct sentient 
  robotic companions. Creating a sentient 
  robot increases the Craft check DC by +3. If 
  the check is successful, your robot is treated 
  as a ‘creature’ with the construct type rather 
  than an inanimate piece of gear.  
  145
  
   
  Your robot has base INT, WIS and 
  CHA scores of 10. If you raise any or all of 
  these abilities, the programming check DC 
  increases by +1 per point of attribute 
  increase. These sentient robots may be 
  programmed with any skill they can 
  physically perform, not just the limited skill 
  list available to non-thinking robots.  
   
   
  You set your robot’s alliances at the 
  time of its creation. These alliances will not 
  change, unless you physically reprogram the 
  robot sidekick. Though sentient, your robot 
  is treated as a Construct in most cases, and 
  does not gain class levels.  
   
   
   
  You can include an ejectable 
  memory core, which usually takes the form 
  of a back-up cassette or floppy disk 
  containing your robot’s memories and 
  experiences (HP 5, no hardness). The 
  backup memory can be removed from the 
  robot and plugged into another comparable 
  machine, allowing the robot’s consciousness 
  to come back on-line even after the total 
  destruction of the robot’s original body.   
   
   
  Glam Rock and Lasers: The 
  Eighties Light Weaver 
   
  The Eighties were the decade of the 
  hologram and the laser lightshow; they were 
  a decade of high pitched, cheery bubble gum 
  pop and a fashion rainbow of Skittles colors. 
  The Light Weaver advanced class, available 
  from Skortched Urf Studios, can be used 
  unmodified in a sci-spy Eighties campaign, 
  as an elite psionic secret agent.  
  However, if a player wants to play a 
  different kind of Light Weaver, one inspired 
  by Jem and the Holograms instead of The 
  Uncanny X-Men, it’s fairly easy to modify 
  the class to taste. This variant, hard rocking 
  Light Weaver has slightly different entry 
  requirements and a modified Light Strike 
  ability.  
   
   
  Requirements:  
  To qualify to become an  Eighties Style 
  Light Weaver, a character must fulfill the 
  following criteria.  
  Base Attack Bonus: +2  
  Skills: Craft: visual art 4 ranks, Knowledge: 
  popular culture 6 ranks, Perform (any one of 
  dance, keyboards, percussion instruments, 
  sing or stringed instruments) 8 ranks  
  Feats: Creative, Iron Will, Renown   
   
  Class Skills: Remove Demolitions and 
  Knowledge: tactics from the Light Weaver’s 
  list of class skills.  
   
  Lightstrike Modifications (SU): An 80s 
  style Light Weaver may choose to inflict 
  non-lethal damage with her Lightstrike class 
  ability. Changing between lethal and non-
  lethal damage is a free action, and the Light 
  Weaver suffers no penalty when using her 
  Lightstrike to wound.  
   
  Psionic Songbird (SU): Starting at 2nd 
  level, an 80s style Light Weaver receives a 
  daily pool of bonus points equal to her ranks 
  in Perform. This pool of bonus points can be 
  used in two ways. The Light Weaver may 
  add a number of bonus points, up to her 
  Light Weaver class level, as bonus damage 
  to any attack with her Light Strike Ability, 
  or increase the WILL Save DC of any of her 
  holographic illusions by a number equal to 
  the points spent. She may also spend bonus 
  points to improve the result of any Perform 
  check.  
  The Light Weaver must declare the 
  use this ability prior to rolling damage or 
  before she sculpts the hologram.  
   
   
     
   
   
   
  146
  
  Arcane Espionage: The Spells of the Cold War  
   
   
  These new spells are designed for campaign worlds where magic and myth were weapon, 
  and spells became as common a Cold War weapon as tanks, guns and nuclear warheads.  
   
  1. Arsenel of Democracy  
  2. Assassination Politics 
  3. Child Ward 
  4. Cop Ward  
  5. Executioner’s Line  
  6. False Flag  
  7. Ghost Chassis 
  8. Laborer’s Rest  
  9. A Lesson in Manners 
  10. Millionaire’s Scourge 
  11. Naturalize Death  
  12. Nuclear Dreamthief  
  13. Nuclear Umbrella  
  14. Nuclear Winter  
  15. Nuke-Lance  
  16. Open Handed Protest  
  17. The People’s Strength  
  18. Radiologic Purge  
  19. Revolutionary’s Rooftop  
  20. The Service of the State  
  21. Shoplifter’s Tessarects 
  22. Thin the Atmosphere 
  23. Warhawk 
   
  Arsenel of Democracy (Conjuration – 
  creation)  
  Level: Arcane 2 
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material  
  Casting Time: Standard action  
  Range: Personal  
  Area: Single weapon created  
  Duration: 1 minute per level (D)  
  Saving Throw: Not applicable  
  Spell Resistance: No  
   
   
  Despite its name, this spell is in wide 
  use across the planet, though it was first 
  developed by American arcanists during the 
  Korean War. This spell allows a soldier-
  magi to create a mystical version of any 
  firearm he or she is familiar with, including 
  exotic firearms such as rocket launchers and 
  flamethrowers.  
  The created weapon resembles a 
  slightly translucent version of the actual 
  weapon. It deals damage according to the 
  type of weapon created, however all damage 
  dealt by this weapon is considered force 
  damage. This is a magic weapon for the 
  purpose of by-passing Damage Reduction.  
  The weapon is created with a single 
  clip of ammo; in the case of rocket launchers 
  and grenade launchers they are created with 
  a single ‘round’ in the tube, ready to fire. 
  Once the weapon runs out of ammunition, it 
  vanishes.  
   
  Material Component: An unfired bullet of 
  any caliber.  
   
  Assassination Politics (Necromancy)  
  Level: Divine Arcane  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material 
  Focus 
  Casting Time: One hour  
  Range: Touch 
  Area: Creature touched  
  Duration: one day per caster level (D)  
  Saving Throw: WILL Negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance: WILL Negates (harmless)  
   
   
  This spell was first penned by the 
  KGB, and it saw wide use throughout the 
  mid Sixties, and is still common among the 
  world’s intelligence agencies. American 
  spies stole the secret of this dark magic, and 
  have used this spell in proxy-wars across 
  South America and Africa.  
   
  This spell steals some of the spiritual 
  energy released upon the death of a 
  notorious figure, transforming those 
  fragments of soul-stuff into social and 
  political power. During the ritual that casts 
  this spell, the caster must make several 
  decisions about how this spell will be used.  
   
  This spell must first be keyed to one 
  of the six populated continents (Africa, Asia, 
  Australia,  North & South America, or 
  147
  
  Europe) ; this spell has no affect on the 
  political machinations of other continents, 
  though the assassination targets may be 
  murdered anywhere in the world. Then, the 
  caster must declare the nation, group or 
  political or religious ideology this spell is set 
  to benefit, the agents or allies of which must 
  carry out a series of assassinations to 
  ‘charge’ the spell. The recipient of the spell 
  must be a member of this group.  
   
   
  Then, the caster must recite or 
  clearly identify the targets to be 
  assassinated. The caster may name up to 2 
  targets per caster level, or may name a 
  smaller number of targets. These targets 
  must be public figures which the caster 
  wishes to see dead, for some reason. If these 
  targets are killed before the spells duration 
  ends, the recipient of the spell instantly is 
  aware of the fact, and receives the benefit 
  from the death.  
  The target must be clearly named or 
  otherwise identified. If the caster wishes to 
  include an unknown figure, such as a spy, 
  that person’s must be clearly identified by 
  his or her deeds (the American agent who 
  strangled Inspector Volga, the spy that 
  passed the STU-III code key to the 
  Russians). If the deeds of an unknown 
  enemy are assigned to the wrong target, no 
  magic is gathered from the mistaken target’s 
  death.  
   
   
   
  If any of the declared targets is 
  successfully assassinated during the spell’s 
  duration, the spell’s recipient receives a +1 
  profane bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, 
  Knowledge: civics and business and 
  Intimidate checks for the duration of the 
  spell. This bonus is cumulative with itself, 
  and only increases as more assassinations 
  occur.  
   
  Material Focus: A list of targets, written in 
  the target’s native language. The list is 
  crumpled, wrapped or tied around from a 
  piece of metal or plastic from a weapon in 
  common service in the recipient’s military. 
  The name of slain targets fade from the 
  paper. If this focus is lost or destroyed, the 
  spell ends abruptly.  
   
  Child Ward (abjuration)  
  Level: Arcane 1, Divine 1 
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material  
  Casting Time:  Standard action  
  Range:  Touch  
  Area:  10 ft radius plus 10 additional ft/level    
  Duration: 1 hour/level     
  Saving Throw: Will negates   
  Spell Resistance: Yes    
   
  A circle of dust and dislike ensures 
  that irritating children cannot approach a 
  warded area. This spell must be cast on a 
  specific enclosed room or building. Once the 
  area is warded, any humanoid younger than 
  the adult age category (or any humanoid 
  under the jurisdiction’s legal age of 
  majority) cannot enter the warded area. With 
  a successful WILL save, the child can force 
  his way into the warded area, but in doing so 
  triggers an audible alarm, the sound of 
  which is chosen by the caster at the time the 
  spell is cast.  
  Material Components: Shreds of old dollar 
  bills and fragments of cheap plastic gum-
  ball toys. Negligible purchase DC.  
   
  Cop Ward (abjuration)  
  Level: Arcane 3, Divine 2 
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material  
  Casting Time:  Standard action  
  Range:  Touch  
  Area:  10 ft radius plus 10 additional ft/level    
  Duration: 1 hour/level    
  Saving Throw:  Will partial 
  Spell Resistance:  Yes   
  Paranoia and hatred are solidified 
  into an arcane barrier that prevent police 
  officers, undercover agents and their 
  informants from entering a warded area. 
  Once the spell is cast, no one working for 
  any police force or military can enter the 
  safe-zone, nor can paid or unpaid 
  informants, anyone wearing a wire or 
  recording device. Vigalanties unconnected 
  to any police agency can still enter the area, 
  but officials are barred from entering.  
  With a successful WILL save, the 
  cop can force his way into the warded area, 
  148
  
  but triggers an audible alarm, the sound of 
  which is chosen by the caster when the spell 
  is completed. The police officer is outlined 
  by a faint blue radiance so long as he 
  remains in the warded area. The police 
  officer suffers a –2 circumstance penalty on 
  Hide, Move Silently and Bluff checks in the 
  warded area.    
  Material Components:  Silvers from an old 
  police badge, mixed with dirt and gravel.  
   
  Executioner’s Line (Evocation - Force)  
  Level: Arcane 4 
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, material   
  Casting Time: Standard Action  
  Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/two caster levels)  
  Area: Targets all creatures and objects in a 
  line of 5 ft squares 10 squares in length; 
  targets can be up to 30 ft away from the 
  center of the spell, where the illusory firing 
  squad appears.  
  Duration: Instant  
  Saving Throw: REF half  
  Spell Resistance: Yes  
   
  You create a ghostly execution 
  detail, which appears like a ghostly squad of 
  soldiers from some period in your birth 
  nation’s history. You cannot hide your 
  nation of origin when casting this spell, 
  regardless of current loyalties and 
  citizenship. This spell is drawn from the 
  mythic resonance and unpleasant memories 
  of your homeland.  
   
  You create a squad of ten ghostly 
  soldiers, how promptly take firing positions 
  and fire upon a target area you designate. 
  The ghostly soldiers fire into a horizontal 
  line of ten five foot squares directly in front 
  of them. The area where the illusory squad 
  appears is considered to be the focal point of 
  the spell, for the purpose of range finding. 
  The squad’s ‘guns’ have a maximum range 
  of 30 ft from where the squad is standing an 
  no range penalties.  
   
  The ghostly squad’s magical rifles 
  inflict 2d6 + 1 point per caster level (max 
  2d8 +10) points of force damage. Creatures 
  in the targeted area can attempt a REF save 
  for half damage.  
   
  Material Component: A tiny body part (lock 
  of hair, tooth) or a personal item from a 
  person executed by firing squad 
   
  Flase Flag (Illusion)  
  Level: Arcane 2  
  Components: Verbal  
  Casting Time: Standard action  
  Range: Touch  
  Area: One colossal or smaller vehicle 
  (including mecha and power armor)  
  Duration: 1 minute per level / concentration 
  (D)  
  Saving Throw: WILL negates  
  Spell Resistance: No  
   
  This is minor illusion is a common 
  battlefield tactic, in wide use by the worlds’s 
  arcane special ops groups. When cast, this 
  spell disguises a specific vehicle, including 
  falsifying electronic identifiers like IFF 
  beacons. The vehicle’s paint job and 
  communications protocols alter to match the 
  accepted schemes of any nation or group the 
  caster is familiar with.  
  However, though the vehicle’s paint 
  job seems to change, its physical appearance 
  and general type do not. Thus, this spell 
  could make a M1-A1 Abrams, an American 
  tank, appear to have a Russian paint scheme 
  and radio transponder, it doesn’t change the 
  fact that the Abrams is not a vehicle in the 
  Soviet arsenal.  
   
  Ghost Chassis (conjuration; summoning)  
  Level: Arcane 3, Divine 4  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material   
  Casting Time: Standard 
  Range: Touch 
  Area: One created vehicle 
  Duration: one hour/level (D)  
  Saving Throw: NA 
  Spell Resistance: NA  
   
  Throwing a handful of broken 
  machinery into the air, the mage speaks a 
  few words of power, which conjure a 
  ghostly vehicle. This spell can create an 
  ectoplasmic duplicate of any civilian ground 
  vehicle the size of a large panel van or 
  smaller. Cars, pickup trucks, light vans, 
  motorcycles, even light industrial vehicles 
  like forklifts can all be conjured. The created 
  149
  
  vehicle has average statistics for a machine 
  of its type. The summoned automobile’s 
  appearance is determined by the caster at the 
  time of casting.      
  The caster may concentrate on the 
  vehicle as a full round action and shift 
  details such as color, body style, and add or 
  subtract features such as bumper stickers or 
  a spoiler. The conjured vehicle has a license 
  plate and all appropriate stickers and decals 
  for the jurisdiction it is created in. However, 
  the false identification documents are 
  randomly created; while forgeries will fool 
  the naked eye, they won't hold up to 
  prolonged scrutiny.   
  Material Components: A handful of 
  mechanical junk consisting of rust chips 
  from a junkyard, fragments of broken spark 
  plugs, warped gears and fuses.  
   
  Laborer’s Rest (Conjuration – Healing)  
  Level: Divine 1  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Divine 
  Focus  
  Casting Time: Standard action  
  Range: Touch  
  Area: Creature touched  
  Duration: Instant  
  Saving Throw: WILL Negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance: WILL Negates (harmless)  
   
  This spell was developed by Marxist 
  magic users in the late 1800s, finding wide 
  use in Russia’s factories and farms. The 
  secret of the spell was presented as a gift to 
  American workers by Communist organizers 
  soon after the turn of the century.  
   
  When cast, the soothing touch 
  instantly removes the fatigued or exhausted 
  conditions from a subject, and refreshes the 
  recipient as if they had eaten a light meal.  
   
  Lesson In Manners (enchantment; mind 
  affecting)  
  Level: Arcane 2, Divine 1  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic  
  Casting Time:  Standard action  
  Range:  Close (25 ft +5ft/level)  
  Area:  all targets within 10ft radius sphere  
  Duration: Instant     
  Saving Throw:  Will negates  
  Spell Resistance:  Yes  
   
  The spell caster’s scorn and 
  annoyance becomes a potent weapon. When 
  the mage casts this spell, choose a specific 
  irritating behavior (such as cutting another 
  person off in traffic, talking on  a cell phone 
  in public, ect). The behavior chosen must be 
  a non-combat action, unrelated to a potential 
  target’s alignment/alliances or class features. 
  Thus you could decide that the targeted 
  behavior is ‘rudeness to waiters’, but 
  couldn't choose ‘making attacks of 
  opportunity’ ‘having a chaotic allegiance’, 
  ‘being a Communist’ or ‘casting a spell’ as 
  triggers.  
   
  Once cast, any creature within the 
  target area that has preformed the prohibited 
  action is subject to the spell’s effect. Any 
  creature that has preformed the prohibited 
  action suffers 1d6 points of subdual damage 
  per caster level (maximum 10d6 points of 
  subdual damage). Creatures that haven't 
  preformed the specified action are immune 
  to this spell, as are creatures immune to 
  subdual damage.   
   
  Millionaire’s Scourge (evocation)  
  Level: Arcane 2, Divine 3  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic   
  Casting Time:  Standard Action  
  Range: Medium (100 ft +10 ft/level)  
  Area: single targeted creature     
  Duration: Instant     
  Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text   
  Spell Resistance: No.  
   
  This potent war-spell turns the 
  victim’s wealth and social standing against 
  him. A line of golden force slams into the 
  victim with the force of a train. A poor 
  victim has little to fear from this spell, while 
  a wealthy target will be lucky to escape 
  alive. This spell inflicts 2d6 points of 
  damage plus 1d6 points of damage per every 
  3 points of the target’s Wealth bonus 
  (maximum 12d6 points). Any coins, cash, 
  non-magical jewelry or credit cards on the 
  victim’s person must succeed at a FORT 
  save or be destroyed, further 
  inconveniencing the target.  
   
  Minutes Become Hours (abjuration)  
  Level: Arcane 4, Divine 3   
  150
  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material  
  Casting Time: 1 minute  
  Range:  Personal   
  Area: A 10 ft radius around the caster plus 
  an additional 10 ft/level    
  Duration: 2 rounds (objective time) or 2 
  hours (subjective time) per level (D)  
  Saving Throw:  Will negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance:  Yes (harmless)  
   
  You carve a short lived pocket 
  dimension out of reality. In this other 
  dimensional sanctuary, time passes more 
  quickly, allowing you to rest and heal while 
  only a few seconds pass for the outside 
  world. This spell must be cast in a discrete, 
  enclosed area, such as a bedroom or closet, 
  though any bounded, enclosed area (even a 
  tent, cave or stone circle) can serve. The 
  spell’s magic wards the area, casting out of 
  normal time/space and projecting it into a 
  more swiftly flowing time stream. Every 
  round that passes for the outside world 
  (objective time) is an hour for those within 
  the warded area (subjective time).  
  During this time, those within the 
  spell-zone can sleep, heal naturally, use the  
  Treat Injury skill to bind their wounds, use 
  healing potions and magic, or preform 
  almost any other action. Any poisons or 
  spell effects brought into the spell-zone by 
  one of its inhabitants continue to function 
  and spell du rations continue to expire in the 
  subjective time zone.  
  Communication with the outside 
  world is impossible during this time; radios, 
  cell phones and similar devices cannot 
  penetrate the warded area. Those within the 
  warded area do not recover spells or spell 
  slots, due to the fundamental differences 
  between the ward-zone and true reality. If 
  someone outside the warded area enters the 
  ward-zone, the spell ends abruptly.  
   
  Material Components: A handful of colored 
  sand, crushed rose petals and chalk dust 
  which is sprinkled around the area to be 
  warded.  
   
  Naturalize Death (Necromancy)  
  Level: Arcane 3 
  Components: Verbal, Somatic 
  Casting Time: Full round action  
  Range: Touch  
  Area: Single humanoid corpse of size Large 
  or smaller touched  
  Duration: Instant  
  Saving Throw: None  
  Spell Resistance: No  
   
   
   
  This subtle magic saw wide use 
  throughout the Cold War, allowing arcane 
  assassins to hide evidence of their crimes. 
  When this spell is cast on a humanoid corpse 
  who is Size Large or smaller, the actual 
  forensic history of that creature’s death is 
  magically concealed. 
  No matter what manner of death was 
  inflicted upon the victim, this spell makes it 
  appear as if the the victim died of natural 
  causes (for example, succumbing to an 
  illness, stroke or heart attack). The caster 
  can also make the death appear to be the 
  result of a misadventure, such as a fall or 
  drug overdose, or can mimic suicide. 
  At least some portion of the corpse 
  must be present for this magic to function. 
  This spell can even conceal a death which 
  would grossly disfigure the corpse, returning 
  the body to an intact, naturalistic 
  appearance. In some cases, this spell may be 
  cast to assist an acolyte in returning a 
  comrade to life, by reapairing a badly 
  mutilated carcass.  
   
  Nuclear Dreamthief (Illusion – Mind-
  Affecting)  
  Level: Arcane 5, Divine 5  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic  
  Casting Time: Hour-long ritual  
  Range: Unlimited, so long as target and 
  caster are on the same planet 
  Area: One sentient creature  
  Duration: Instant  
  Saving Throw: WILL negates, see text.  
  Spell Resistance: Yes  
   
   
  This spell represents an ancient evil 
  repurposed to serve an ancient cause. A 
  modification of an ancient curse found in a 
  German manuscript, this particular version 
  of the spell was first cast during the 1974 
  Presidential election.  
  151
  
   
  By performing an hour long ritual, 
  the activist-mage sends a hideous and 
  unsettling vision of a nuclear holocaust to a 
  specific creature that you name or otherwise 
  specifically designate. 
  The nuclear nightmare prevents 
  restful sleep and causes 1d10 points of non-
  lethal damage. The nightmare leaves the 
  subject fatigued and unable to regain arcane 
  spells for the next 24 hours. Additionally, 
  upon awakening the subject must succeed at 
  a second WILL Save at the same DC or find 
  one of their allegiancesallegiances changing 
  towards nuclear disarmament, non-violence 
  or a similar cause.  
   
  The difficulty of both saves depends 
  on how well you know the subject and what 
  sort of physical connection (if any) you have 
  to that creature. 
   
  Knowledge 
  Will Save 
  Modifier 
  None1 
  +10 
  Secondhand (you have heard of the 
  subject) 
  +5 
  Firsthand (you have met the subject) +0 
  Familiar (you know the subject well) –5 
  1 You must have some sort of connection to a 
  creature you have no knowledge of. 
   
   
  Connection 
  Will Save 
  Modifier 
  Likeness or picture 
  –2 
  Possession or garment 
  –4 
  Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, 
  etc. 
  –10 
   
  If the Break Enchantment or Dispel 
  Evil spells are cast on the victim  while you 
  are casting the spell dispels the nightmare 
  and causes you to be stunned for 10 minutes 
  per caster level of the anti-curse magic. 
   
   
  If the recipient is awake when the 
  spell begins, you can choose to cease casting 
  (ending the spell) or to enter a trance until 
  the recipient goes to sleep, whereupon you 
  become alert again and complete the casting. 
  If you are disturbed during the trance, you 
  must succeed on a Concentration check as if 
  you were in the midst of casting a spell or 
  the spell ends. 
  If you choose to enter a trance, you 
  are not aware of your surroundings or the 
  activities around you while in the trance. 
  You are helpless while entranced.  
  Creatures who don’t sleep (such as 
  elves, but not half-elves) or dream are 
  immune to this spell. 
   
  Nuclear Umbrella (abjuration)  
  Level: Arcane 5, Divine 5  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, XP Cost, 
  Backlash   
  Casting Time: Full Round Action  
  Range: Upto 2 miles per caster level  
  Area: Warded spherical area upto 2 miles in 
  diameter per caster level  
  Duration: Upto 1 hour / caster level or until 
  discharged  
  Saving Throw: Not applicable  
  Spell Resistance: Not applicable  
  XP Cost: 7,500 xp  
   
   
  This spell has never actually been 
  cast during war-time; it has only been used 
  in nuclear emergency drills. First developed 
  in the mid-Seventies, this spell was designed 
  to allow selected American cities and 
  military strongholds to survive a nuclear 
  first strike unscathed. This vital missile-
  shield technology was promptly stolen by 
  the Russians. This spell demands much of 
  the caster asked to perform the spell, but it 
  can be a truly world changing sorcery.  
   
  When this spell is cast, it produces a 
  shimmering, golden dome of intangible 
  mystic force over a selected city or military 
  base. This spell can encompass an enormous 
  surface area; an experienced spell caster can 
  use this spell to cover most of a large city! 
  Once cast, the spell remains in effect for up 
  to one hour per caster level or until it is 
  discharged.  
   
  Each casting of the spell protects the 
  warded area completely from a nuclear 
  detonation, and confers no benefit against 
  non-nuclear threats. The city will be safe 
  152
  
  from the heat, pressure and blast of a single 
  nuclear detonation that would otherwise 
  impact it. Residual radiation and fallout 
  from the nullified blast is absorbed 
  harmlessly and leaves no ecological impact.  
   
   
   
  When this spell is cast, it inflicts a 
  heavy toll on the caster. In addition to the 
  7,500 XP sacrificed to power the spell, a 
  spell caster suffers backlash damage equal to 
  1d6 per each mile of territory warded. If this 
  damage is enough to kill the caster, even if it 
  reduces the caster to negative HP, the spell 
  is still cast successfully. The spell caster 
  merely dies in doing so.  
   
  Nuclear Winter (Evocation) 
  Level: Arcane 5  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic 
  Casting Time: Standard action  
  Range: Long (100 ft + 10 ft/caster level) 
  Area: Cylindrical area (20 ft radius, 40 ft 
  high)  
  Duration: 1 round per 5 caster levels  
  Saving Throw: None 
  Spell Resistance: Yes 
   
   
  This deadly combat spell first went 
  into service in 1984, inspired by scientific 
  expectations of  life after a nuclear 
  exchange. In addition to creating a 
  punishing ice storm, the spell also bathes the 
  area in low levels of lethal radioactive 
  fallout.  
   
  Great magical hailstones pound 
  down for 1 full round, dealing 3d6 points of 
  bludgeoning damage and 2d6 points of cold 
  damage to every creature in the area.  
  A –4 penalty applies to each Listen 
  check made within the ice storm’s effect, 
  and all land movement within its area is at 
  half speed. At the end of the duration, the 
  hail disappears, leaving no aftereffects 
  (other than the damage dealt). 
   
  Worse, each round the storm 
  continues, all creatures within the target area 
  are considered to be exposed to a low dose 
  of radiation (as described in the D20 Future 
  core rules). When the spell ends, the 
  irradiation vanishes, though the damage the 
  radioactive exposure causes remains.  
   
  Nuke-Lance (Evocation)  
  Level: Arcane 4  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic  
  Casting Time: Standard Action  
  Range: Long (100 ft + 10 ft/level)  
  Area: Single Target  
  Duration: Instant  
  Saving Throw: None  
  Spell Resistance: Yes  
   
   
   
  You unleash a devastating stream of 
  nuclear plasma and ultra-hot steam from 
  your outstretched hand. This greenish white 
  plasma lance rockets towards a single 
  unfortunate target, which you must 
  successfully hit with a ranged touch attack. 
  This nuclear blast inflicts 1d8 points of fire 
  damage per caster level (max 10d8 fire 
  damage).  
   
  In addition, the target, as well as all 
  living creatures in the squares adjacent to 
  the target are considered to have been 
  exposed to a highly radioactive substance 
  for 1 round.  
   
  Open Handed Protest (enhancement ; 
  mind-affecting)  
  Level: Divine 3  
  Components: Verbal, somatic, material  
  Casting Time: Move equivalent action  
  Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft / two caster 
  levels)  
  Area: All hostile creatures in a 60 ft 
  spherical area  
  Duration: 1d2 rounds   
  Saving Throw: WILL negates (see text)  
  Spell Resistance: Yes  
   
   
  Developed by counterculture priests 
  and neo-pagan priestesses in the wake of 
  Kent State, this spell was designed to protect 
  the gentle from the warlike. Capable of 
  being cast quickly, this emergency spell 
  creates a warded area of magically imposed 
  non-violence.  
   
  When this spell is cast any living 
  creature with hostile intent must succeed at a 
  WILL save or be temporarily paralyzed. 
  While paralyzed, the target creature is 
  helpless, and unaware, able to take no 
  153
  
  actions. The spell duration is brief, designed 
  to provide a victim with a chance to flee, 
  rather than any major combat advantage.  
   
   
   
  This spell specifically targets the 
  violent. If a target creature has a base attack 
  bonus beyond +5, he or she suffers a –1 
  penalty on the WILL save per each BAB 
  point above +5. Thus a creature with a +7 
  BAB would suffer a –2 penalty on its WILL 
  Save to resist the effect. Additionally, if the 
  target creature is carrying any firearm or 
  projectile weapon, he or she suffers an 
  additional –2 penalty on the WILL Save.  
   
  This is a mind-affecting ability.  
   
  Material Components: a handful of 
  crushed flowers, thrown at the moment of 
  casting  
   
  The People’s Strength (transmutation)  
  Level: Arcane 3, Divine 3  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic  
  Casting Time: Standard Action  
  Range: Touch  
  Area: Creature Touched  
  Duration: 1 minute per level (D)  
  Saving Throw: WILL Negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)  
   
  This spell has been known since the 
  latter part of the 19th century, before it 
  empowered Russian Communists, it was 
  used by Czarist troops to protect their 
  empire. When cast, the recipient of this 
  potent battle-magik is marked with striped 
  bands of azure and white scales running 
  across his chest and shoulders. Its believed 
  these distinctive marks are the inspiration 
  for the instantly recognizable undershirts 
  worn by the Russian Spetsnaz.  
   
  While this spell is effect, the 
  recipient receives a +3 enhancement bonus 
  to his STR score. This bonus increases by 
  +1 for every ally with an allegiance to 
  Russia, any Communist nation or the 
  Marxist philosophy within 60 ft of the caster 
  when this spell is first woven. The 
  maximum bonus possible for this spell is 
  +10.  
   
  The heavy layer of scales provides 
  the spell’s recipient with a +1 natural armor 
  bonus to Defense.  
   
   
  Radiologic Purge (Transmutation)  
  Level: Divine 4  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Divine 
  Focus  
  Casting Time: Standard action  
  Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/level)  
  Area: 10 ft x 10 ft cube of irradiated matter  
  Duration: Instant  
  Saving Throw: FORT negates  
  Spell Resistance: No 
   
  This spell was developed by United 
  States medics during the late 1970s, who 
  were instructed to devise a way to limit the 
  inevitable casualties from fallout and 
  residual radiation after a nuke strike.  
   
  When cast, this spell accelerates the 
  decay of radioactive substances, so their half 
  lives expire in a few seconds, rather than a 
  few millennia. All radioactive substances 
  within the target area are rendered inert and 
  harmless. However, if a character has 
  suffered ability score damage or mutation 
  from a radiation source, that damage 
  remains.  
   
  A single casting of this spell is 
  usually sufficient to render a ballistic missile 
  useless.  
   
  Revolutionary’s Rooftop (abjuration)  
  Level: Arcane 2  
  Components: Verbal, somatic  
  Casting Time: Standard Action  
  Range: Touch  
  Area: Target touched  
  Duration: 1 minute per level or until 
  discharged (D)  
  Saving Throw: WILL negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)  
   
  This spell was invented in the 
  jungles of Vietnam, first cast by VC combat-
  mages to protect them from American 
  helicopter gunships. The spell has migrated 
  to Afghanistan, where it has found a home 
  among the mujahedeen, who put it to an 
  identical use.  
   
  When the spell is cast, the recipient 
  is bathed in a tiny whirlwind of dust and 
  154
  
  debris, which hovers just a few inches from 
  his or her body. This protective aura makes 
  it more difficult for airborne assaults, 
  particularly those launched from helicopter 
  gunships or aircraft, to target the character.  
  The recipient receives a +6 luck 
  bonus against attacks launched from a flying 
  creature or object. The recipient also 
  receives a +2 bonus on REF Saves to evade 
  area effect attacks launched by an airborne 
  enemy.  
  Finally, while the spell is active, the 
  difficulty of all Pilot checks made within 5 
  miles of this spell’s recipient are made at a –
  2 penalty.  
   
  The Service of the State (transmutation)  
  Level: Divine 5 
  Components: Focus, Verbal, Somatic   
  Casting Time: Full round action  
  Range: Personal  
  Area: You  
  Duration: 1 minute per level (D)  
  Saving Throw: WILL Negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)  
   
   
  Similar to the American military-
  spell ‘Warhawk’ this Soviet transformative, 
  combat enhancement magic predates its 
  American counterpart by nearly a century. 
  Russian arcanists claim that the formula for 
  this spell was first revealed to them just a 
  few weeks after the October Revolution.  
   
  This spell allows the caster to 
  transform themselves into a massive, bear-
  like creature, a giantic black bear with a red 
  star of brilliantly burning plasma over its left 
  eye.  
  For the duration of the transformation the 
  caster is tranformed into a bear (D20 
  Modern campaign setting, pg 231), using its 
  statistics with the following changes.  
   
  In bear form the spell caster retains 
  his own INT, WIS and CHA scores, his 
  class abilities, base attack bonus and own 
  Hit Dice. The caster can still speak and cast 
  spells which do not require somatic 
  components while in bear form. As a 
  mystical bear, the caster gains DR 5/magic.  
   
  During the transformation, the 
  caster’s weapons and gear meld into his 
  body, and become useless. Returning to 
  human form is a full round action, which 
  provokes attacks of oppritunity.  
   
  Shoplifter’s Tessarects (conjuration; 
  teleportation)  
  Level: Arcane 0  
  Components: Somatic  
  Casting Time:  Standard Action  
  Range: Personal  
  Area: You  
  Duration: 1 round/level (D)    
  Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)  
  Spell Resistance: No (harmless)  
   
   
  A quick gesture made with your 
  hands hidden from a shopkeeper’s watchful 
  eyes, and you can pull off legendary heists. 
  Medium sized or smaller objects are 
  shrunken to sub-microscopic sizes and 
  stored within tessarects within your cell 
  structure, allowing a stolen item to literally 
  disappear from sight and detection.  
  You can store up to 10 lbs of objects 
  per level. While the spell’s duration lasts, 
  the objects are safely stored (as if by a glove 
  of storing), and can be stored or recalled as a 
  free action. Objects stored within your body 
  are expelled into your hands or into the 
  space around you when this spell’s duration 
  ends. While this spell is active, the caster 
  receives a +10 circumstance bonus on 
  Sleight of Hand checks.  
   
  Thin the Atmosphere (Transmutation)  
   
  Level: Arcane 4, Divine 4  
  Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material  
  Casting Time: Standard action  
  Range: Long (100 ft + 10 ft/level)  
  Area: Spherical area 60 ft in diameter, +5 ft 
  / 2 caster levels  
  Duration: 1 round / level, concentration (D)  
  Saving Throw: FORT negates 
  Spell Resistance: Yes  
   
  You inflict a massive, albeit 
  temporary wound upon the natural world. 
  When this spell is cast, a targeted area 
  becomes a near vacuum. The majority of the 
  oxygen in the area is simply erased, leaving 
  barely enough air to sustain life.  
  155
  
   
  Fires will not burn and internal 
  combustion engines will not work in the 
  affected area. All living things which require 
  an atmosphere are at a major disadvantage 
  while they remain in the area. These 
  unfortunate suffer a –8 penalty on FORT 
  saves made to continue any stressful activity 
  that requires cardiovascular endurance, such 
  as running.  
  The sorcerer’s mind-set changes so 
  he or she relishes combat, and can not cast 
  spells for the duration. While transformed, 
  the caster cannot use any CHA-based skills, 
  with the exception of Intimidate.  
   
  While transformed, the caster gains a 
  +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, 
  Dexterity, and Constitution, a +4 natural 
  armor bonus to Defense, a +5 competence 
  bonus on FORT saves.  
  Creatures in the area are considered 
  exhausted after a round in the area, and for 
  1d6 rounds after reaching a better 
  oxygenated area.  
   
  The caster becomes a one man or 
  woman army and gains the following 
  combat feats for the duration of the spell: 
  Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor 
  Proficiency (heavy), Martial Weapons 
  Proficiency, Personal and Advanced 
  Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Exotic 
  Firearms Proficiency (all).  
  The single beneficial aspect of the 
  spell is that airborne toxins and poisons, 
  including magical gases like cloud kill 
  simply fall out of the air, landing as inert 
  powder.  
   
   
  Material components: Unit patches or 
  campaign medals/ribbons from an American 
  or allied military unit 
  Warhawk (transmutation)  
  Level: Arcane 5  
  Components: Verbal, somatic, material  
  Casting Time: standard action  
  Range: personal  
  Area: you  
  Duration: one round per level  
  Saving Throw: WILL negates (harmless)  
   
  Spell Resistance:  yes (harmless)  
   
   
  This spell was the created by 
  Pentagon battle-casters, and found wide 
  service in Vietnam. The Warhawk 
  enchantment remains one of America’s most 
  highly guarded arcane secrets, classified as 
  highly as nuclear launch codes.  
   
  This transformation transforms the 
  combat-mage into a legendary, nigh-
  unstoppable warrior. During the 
  transformation, the caster’s body physically 
  changes. He or she gains at least a foot of 
  height, transforming into a heavily muscled, 
  monstrous creature, with a vaugely hawk or 
  eagle-like face and head. The character's 
  body is covered in row upon row of dense, 
  bronze and white feathers.  
   
   
   
   
   
  156
  
   
  Confetti: A Few Final Pieces of Eighties Flavor  
   
   
  This project came together quickly, and quickly mutated from an expected 30,000 words 
  to more than twice that. As I was writing the project, I kept a constant loop of Eighties movies 
  running on my DVD player, and the tropes and cliches of Eighties film making filtered into my 
  mind. We can talk history and fictionally-inspired flavor text all day,  but here’s some concrete 
  tips on bringing the Eighties to your game table.  
   
   
   
  Globetrotting Adventure: Eighties movies 
  took every opportunity to break out of 
  America, taking audiences around the world. 
  Of course, a few cities were visited more 
  than others. Asian cities like Tokyo and 
  Shanghi were neon future-scapes, with 
  rooftop battles set against a luminous, 
  futuristic skyline.  
   
   
   
  Any adventure set in the USSR 
  inevitably visits Red Square, giving the PCs 
  a chance to see the flood-lit majesty of the 
  onion-domed Kremlin through the snow. It 
  should also be mentioned that nobody ever 
  seems to visit Russia during the summer, 
  only during the later months of the years 
  when directors (and gamemasters) have a 
  chance to get archetypical shots of 
  snowdrifts, cossack hats and Russian-cut 
  pea-coats.  
   
   
   
  Other nations have their stereotypes 
  too. Any visit to Venice always ends with a 
  speed-boat chase and gunfight through the 
  city’s famed canals. If players visit Rome, 
  they can expect visits with enigmatic 
  contacts and foreign agents on the steps of 
  St. Peter’s Square, as flocks of pigeons take 
  wing.  
   
   
  American cities are idealized, 
  fictionalized and simplified. New York 
  became Times Square writ gigantic. Neon 
  was everywhere, and gangs of marauding 
  teens and addicts leaned out of graffiti 
  covered doorjambs or lurked menacingly in 
  overcrowded arcades. XXX peepshows and 
  adult movie markets were available on every 
  corner, advertised with blinking red neon.  
   
   
   
  Los Angeles was all about coke and 
  Hollywood. Like the hip and seductive 
  Miami Beach of the popular imagination, 
  Los Angeles was a place to see and be seen, 
  a place with the best clubs, the purest 
  powder and the most beautiful starlets.  
  Both towns were playgrounds for the 
  rich, where a mostly brown skinned 
  underclass (Mexican Hispanic in LA, 
  Cubano in Miami) fought for their slice of 
  the American dream. For some, this struggle 
  was faught legally, with activists struggling 
  corrupt and reactionary cops as new citizens 
  built up families and businesses. For 
  others…well, you’ve seen Scarface, haven't 
  you?  
   
   
  157
  
   
  Hometown Adventures: In contrast 
  to the globetrotting adventures of Eighties 
  spy-epics, many horror and suspense movies 
  took a different approach to deciding upon 
  locations. Most horror movies were set in 
  some nameless, suburban or semi-rural 
  small town. Flavorless and vapidly cheerful, 
  the sheer same-ness of these Anytowns, 
  USA were designed to highlight the boring 
  (but safe) predictability of the modern 
  world.  
   
  Contrasted against these cookie 
  cutter towns (one teen hangout, a hardware 
  store, two bars, a non-demonational 
  Christian church, a police station and a high 
  school), anything out of the ordinary was 
  immediately thrown into harsh relief. The 
  outsider was instantly marked as such. It 
  doesn’t matter if that outsider was the 
  ‘rebellious local teen’, the single minority 
  character in a cast of white suburbanites or a 
  mind-raping dream monster in a Christmas 
  sweater- an outsider was an outsider.  
   
   
  This emphasis 
  on ‘Anytown 
  America’ has 
  one major 
  downside: if 
  played in the 
  spirit of Eighties 
  fiction, there 
  will probally not 
  be much 
  diversity in 
  either cast or 
  setting. The 
  upside of course, is the fact that the 
  characters the players really care about: their 
  own protaganists, major NPCs and 
  adversaries are the ones who will likely to 
  be the most heroic or most unique characters 
  in town.  
   
   
  By relegating minor NPC roles to 
  horror-movie stereotypes, a gamemaster 
  runs the risk of breaking immersion in the 
  game. Of course, most Eighties 
  screenwriters never bothered fleshing out 
  the “main heroine’s Yuppie mom” or 
  “bumbling town Sherrif” beyond a couple of 
  stock phrases themselves. Gamemasters can 
  pull out some suprising shocks by 
  humanizing previously cliched characters, or 
  might pull off some big reveals by 
  intentionally perverting the tropes of the 
  genre.  
   
   
  The Mistakes of the Past: Children 
  grew up angry during the Eighties, and 
  rightfully so. Their parents had created a 
  world of nuclear paranoia, joblessness, 
  encroaching disease and urban decay. The 
  struggle between generations, and the idea 
  that the children of the Eighties would be 
  forced to clean up their parents' mistakes 
  became a repeated motif in Eighties fiction.  
   
  Child and teen protagonists might 
  display a deep, inexhaustible well of hope 
  and a strange innocence. Children might be 
  portrayed as highly competent, able to 
  compete with adults on the same level, such 
  as the child-soldiers in Red Dawn. Children 
  might be modern day noble savages, 
  building their own 
  societies, writing their own 
  laws, and attempting to 
  make a better world than 
  the one they inherited. Look 
  at the 'Children of the 
  Street' in Vacchs' novels, or 
  the tribe of children in Mad 
  Max, or the virginal, almost 
  messianic child-women in 
  Swan Song or The 
  Labryinth.  
   
  Finally, children can 
  be directly put at risk by 
  their parents mistakes. Nuclear war and 
  pollution kill old and young alike. A more 
  direct threat is the thought-dead villain who 
  strikes at his adult nemesis through their 
  children. If the parents had solved the 
  problem correctly, morally to begin with, the 
  villain would never have returned. Freddy 
  Kruger, the dark secret of a suburban town, 
  epitomizes this concept of villainy.  
   
   
  No Smoking: The health and fitness 
  fad of the Eighties lead to the first banning 
  of smoking, and the creation of separate 
  non-smoking sections in restaurants. The 
  158
  
  ability to smoke in public was just one of the 
  traditions that fell out of favor during the 
  Eighties, and this innocuous cultural shift 
  became symbolic of how times were 
  changing.  
   
  Here's a suggestion about how 
  smoking became a shorthand for character in 
  the Eighties: If the hero lights up boldly in 
  front of a no smoking sign, he's a non-
  conformist with no time for petty laws or BS 
  restrictions. He's a good, slightly rebellious 
  PC or ally. If a bad guy lights up in public, 
  in defiance of this minor ban, he's a bully 
  and powerbroker without a bit of concern 
  for the rights of the weak. That smokin' 
  bastard is somebody who enjoys stepping on 
  the little guy.  
   
   
  The Sporting Goods Store: I’m just 
  going to say this. Anytime the shit does 
  down, and it doesn’t matter if the shit is a 
  zombie outbreak, a joint Russo-Cuban 
  invasion of Rocky Mountain America, or an 
  alien incursion, the heroes need to break out 
  the big guns. If the protagonists aren't 
  members of the police or military, they are 
  going to need guns.  
   
  Sooner or later, your heroes will 
  throw a brick through the window of the 
  local hunting goods store, and load up on 
  pistols, rifles and shotguns. Let ‘em. Savor 
  the moment. Describe the endless racks of 
  rifles on the back wall, and watch the slow 
  smile creep across the face of even the least 
  hack-oriented player.  
   
   
  Gettin' Too Old for This $#!&: In 
  most D20 Modern campaigns, the 
  protagonists are college aged rookie heroes 
  just beginning their career with Department 
  Seven. That doesn't have to be the case in an 
  Eighties campaign. Lots of films and action 
  'toons featured child protagonists, and just as 
  many featured older, more capable heroes, 
  many of whom saw action during 'Nam.  
   
  Gamemasters might want to reduce or 
  eliminate the starting age requirements if the 
  campaign is going to focus on arcade-
  hangin' feral youth, magically gifted mall 
  rats, a clique of genius kid scientists, or 
  young super heroes in training. Since most 
  of the new starting occupations and some of 
  the feats presented here emphasize youth, 
  you should have no problem rolling up kid 
  characters.  
   
  On the other end of the spectrum, if 
  your game master allows you to, you might 
  want to build a character in the Middle Aged 
  or older age brackets. In exchange for minor 
  physical weaknesses, you might get a few 
  'free' Heroic class levels, letting you be the 
  veteran hero passing on the lessons to a new 
  generation.  
   
   
  One question you have to confront 
  when running a multi-ager campaign is how 
  much effect the aging modifiers will have on 
  your character. Do you simply ignore them 
  and play a character as written, or do you 
  alter  the starting attributes of your PC as 
  appropriate to his or her age during 
  character creation? One option, especially in 
  the case of younger heroes, is to simply treat 
  the rolled attributes as their starting 
  attributes. A few months or years of game-
  time later, your character receives some 
  physical ability improvements as they 
  finally reach adult hood.  
   
  This results in more powerful 
  characters over all, rewards players for 
  taking on the role of a heroic child by 
  promising a nice attribute bump down the 
  road. It also counterbalances the social 
  difficulties and in-game limitations of being 
  a kid during the Eighties.  
   
   
  The War At Home: The Vietnam 
  War is still fresh in the American 
  consciousness. If your character is a male in 
  his mid-thirties or early forties during the 
  1980s, and he didn't go to Vietnam, there is 
  something unusual about him. Was he well 
  connected enough to avoid the draft, a 
  college intellectual, a pacifist or  protestor, a 
  draft dodger, or was he doing time 
  somewhere? Older male heroes and villains 
  likely had their first combat experiences in 
  the jungles of the 'Nam. Heroic characters 
  were often heroic infantry and spec ops 
  veterans, who picked up some useful skills 
  at the cost of severe emotional pain, marked 
  159
  
  by one or two tours of anynomous, 
  competent service. 
   
  Villians might have picked up a taste 
  for killing, rape and atrocity over there, and 
  returned to the United States as serial killers 
  and sexual predators. Druglords may have 
  made their first forays into the opium trade 
  bringing back poppy shipments in body 
  bags, or made connections among the 
  Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, trading opium 
  for guns. Drugs for guns for hostages trades 
  popped up often in spy fiction in the years 
  after Iran-Contra.  
   
   
   
   Women in Peril: Eighties films 
  made it a point to include strong, titillating 
  elements, a carryover from the sexploitation 
  films of the Seventies. The worse the horror 
  movie, the more likely it was to include bare 
  breasts, and if a movie actually showed 
  breasts in its trailer, it was practically 
  guaranteed a place in B-movie history.  
   
  Slasher films blended nudity and 
  extremely well-realized gore, pushing 
  forward film’s boundaries. Heroic roles for 
  women were relatively rare, until Signorney 
  Weaver created a host of imitators. In most 
  cases, the only woman to survive a slasher 
  flick was the blandly suburban, sexually 
  conservative lead. Everyone else died 
  bloody, with filmmakers lingering over the 
  kill-shots as much (if not more) than the did 
  the bouncing breasts.  
   
  The spy genre offered less brutal, 
  fantastical gore, but included a large number 
  of ‘women in peril’ elements. How many 
  spy movies can you name without the 
  kidnapping or torture of a beautiful female 
  spy, or some intricate deathtrap menacing a 
  glamorous super spy in a tight leather jump 
  suit?  
   
  Sex and death were inextricably 
  linked in the public consciousness, as much 
  by Eighties horror movies as the AIDS 
  epidemic. Death-fantasy culture, an Internet-
  based subset of the extreme bondage culture, 
  got its start in the eighties. Many of this 
  fetish’s afficianados can trace their fantasies 
  back to the slasher flicks they enjoyed as 
  kids. This bizarre subculture is a suprizingly 
  large influence on my work, especially my 
  modern magic stuff, simply because its so 
  uniquely odd.  
   
  Aliens in Suburbia: During the 
  Reagan decade, most aliens in comics, 
  television and on the movie screen fell into 
  one of four main categories, each reflecting 
  a different view of mankind’s place and 
  importance in the galaxy.  
   
   
   
  Alien Intelligences: In several films 
  of the Eighties, alien visitors to Earth are 
  portrayed as so impossibly advanced, so 
  technologically adept and so psychologically 
  different, meaningful communication 
  between human and alien is impossible. 
  Assuming the aliens even notice, at best, 
  we're a beloved pet or an experiment in 
  progress to them. Humans are at the mercy 
  of the alien visitors/star-gods, and our best 
  hope is that they will be loving parents who 
  help an unworthy humanity fix our mistakes, 
  as seen in Aurthur C. Clarke’s novel, 
  Childhood’s End.  
   
  The enigmatic alien scientists found 
  in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and 
  The Abyss are examples of incredibly 
  advanced alien intellects. Whatever species 
  160
  
  created the Monolith in 2001, as well as the 
  mysterious Space-Jockey species in the 
  Aliens Universe are also probably alien 
  supra-intellects.  
   
  Some suggested opponents from the 
  D20 Modern, D20 Menance Manual and 
  D20 Future core books usable as alien 
  intellects include:  
   
  Aleerin, Alien Probe, Bodak, Etoile, 
  Fraal, Nyss. 
   
   
  Alien Predators: Similar to Alien 
  Intelligences, Alien Predators are impossible 
  to communicate with. They are implacable, 
  bizarre hunters who exist purely to survive, 
  reproduce and feed. Some might hunt with 
  violence, while other alien predators might 
  use stealth, cunning or psionic talents, but 
  they all hunger for the blood of humanity. 
  Others mimic human form or take over 
  human puppets.  The only meaningful 
  encounter a human can have with one of 
  these monsters  
   
  Alien is the quintessential alien 
  predator film, as are suspense-horror epics 
  like John Carpenter’s The Thing, The Blob 
  (80s remake), Predator and Lifeforce.  
   
  Some monsters inspired by 80s 
  movies staring these extraterrestrial super-
  predators include:  
   
  Acid Rainer, Kroath, Intellect 
  Devourer, Satanic Ichor, Sewer Sludge, 
  Puppeteer, Rouge Tulpa, Vampiric 
  creatures, Zap 
   
  Alien Equals: Science fiction 
  franchises like Star Trek, Star Wars and 
  Flash Gordon featured incredibly diverse 
  universes, which were home to thousands of 
  sentient races. Aliens might be as visually 
  diverse and odd as the aliens in Jabba’s 
  lounge, but they still have humanlike 
  psychologies, motivations and desires. 
  Basically, these aliens are human-like, with 
  a few recognizable human traits (for 
  example, a lust for battle in the case of Star 
  Trek’s Klingons) turned up to eleven.  
  Alien equals are just what their name 
  implies; they are coworkers, rivals, 
  adversaries, lovers and friends who owe the 
  PCs a favor or two. Having aliens be this 
  omnipresent and common usually works 
  best for a galaxy spanning sci-fi campaign, 
  not one set in on modern Earth. 
   
  Most of the playable races found in 
  various D20 Modern and D20 Future game 
  products, both first and third party, 
  especially those for licensed sci-fi settings 
  like the Star Wars universe, are suitable as 
  alien equals.  
   
   
  Alien Buddies: Bringing a space 
  alien to suburbia was a common sitcom 
  trope, with E.T. the Extraterrestrial, Alf and 
  My Favorite Martian all hiding out for a 
  while in a buddy’s garage. Small, quirky 
  aliens, unfamiliar with earth culture and 
  manners were comedic gold. Scriptwriters of 
  the eighties could also satirize society, by 
  having their alien visitors say the first 
  scathing thing that came to mind.  
   
  Small, feeble races like Goblins and 
  Kobolds are natural fits for comic relief 
  alien buddies, but any species, including 
  many of the new options in this book, can 
  also fill this niche.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  161
  
   
  Bibliography and Suggested Reading/Viewing  
   
  Non-Fiction  
   
  • Adventures in a TV Nation, others. 
  Michael Moore and Kathleen Glynn, 
  Harper Perennial, 1998 
  • The Art of Aids: From Stigma to 
  Conscience. Rob Baker. The 
  Continuum Publishing Group, 1994.  
  • The Corner: A Year in the Life of 
  an Inner-City Neighborhood. 
  David Simon and Edward Burns, 
  1997.  
  • A Day in the Life of the Soviet 
  Union. Photographic collection, 
  various artists. Collns Publishers, 
  1987  
  • A Dictionary of the Martial Arts. 
  Louis Frederic, Athlone Press, 1991  
  • 80s Child! Website: 
  www.eightieschild.com. Eighties 
  toys and fashions.  
  • Getty Images: The 1980s. 
  Photographic Collection, various 
  artists. Unique House, 2001.  
  • Head Injury Theater. Website: 
  www.headinjurytheater.com. 
  Eighties horror movie reviews.  
  • I Love the 80s! VH1 television 
  mini-series, various contributors, 
  2006 
  • “Myths Over Miami”, newspaper 
  article, Miami New Times by Lynda 
  Edwards, June 15,1997 retrieved 
  from www.miaminewtimes.com.  
  • No Heroes: Inside the FBI’s Secret 
  Counter-Terror Force. Danny O 
  Coulson and Elaine Shannon, Pocket 
  Books 1999.   
  • Odds & Ends. Art collection, R. 
  Crumb, Bloomsbury Publishing, 
  2001.  
  • Perfect Enemies. Chris Bull and 
  John Gallagher. Crown Publishers, 
  1996  
  • 20th Century Military Uniforms. 
  Chris McNab, Barnes & Noble 
  Books, 2002 
  • Wikipedia. Website: 
  www.wikipedia.org, various pages, 
  various contributors.   
   
  Fiction  
   
  • Firestarter, others. Steven King, 
  Viking Press, 1980.  
  • G.I. Joe: ARAH (Issues 6-7). Larry 
  Hama, Herb Trimpe, Marvel Comics 
  Group, 1982-83 
  • Omaha the Cat Dancer: Collected 
  Editions I-IV. Reed Waller and Kate 
  Worley, Kitchen Sink Press, 1987  
  • Quick Play Adventures: Miami 
  Under Fire. Peter C. Spahn, Small 
  Niche Games, 2007. D20 
  Compatable  
  • The Red Star: The Battle of Kal 
  Dartha’s Gate and Nogorka. 
  Christian Gossett and others. 
  Archangel Studios, 2002 
  • The Red Star Campaign Setting. 
  T.S. Luikart and Ian Sturrock, Green 
  Ronin, 2004. D20 Compatable  
  • Red Storm Rising, others. Tom 
  Clancy, Berkley Books, 1986.  
  • Strega, among many others. 
  Andrew Vachss, Vintage 
  Crime/Black Lizard Books, 1987  
  • The Tomb, among many others. F. 
  Paul Wilson, Viking Press, 1986. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  162
  
  Movies, Graphic Novels and Television (Fiction)  
   
  The A-Team  
  The Abyss  
  Alien / Aliens  
  Airwolf  
  Assault on Precinct 
  13 (original)  
  Back to the Future  
  Batman: The Dark 
  Knight Returns  
  The Blob (80s 
  remake)  
  Bloodsport  
  Blow  
  The Blues Brothers  
  Boys In The Hood  
  Blade Runner  
  Big Trouble in Little 
  China  
  The Candyman  
  Cannonball Run  
  C.H.I.P.s  
  The Cosby Show  
  Commando 
  Cyborg   
  Dallas  
  Daredevil: Man 
  Without Fear 
  Day of the Dead 
  Dawn of the Dead  
  Dirty Harry  
  Do the Right Thing  
  Dynasty  
  Escape from New 
  York  
  Explorers  
  Firestarter  
  Fire Fox  
  Flight of the 
  Navigator  
  Friday the 13th  
  Freejack  
  From Russia, With 
  Love  
  General Hospital  
  G.I. Joe: A Real 
  American  
  Hero  
  Green Arrow: The 
  Longbow Hunters  
  Hawaii 5-0  
  Hellraiser I & II  
  He-Man and the 
  Masters of the 
  Universe  
  Hill Street Blues  
  The Hunt for Red 
  October 
  The Inhumanoids  
  The Jeffersons  
  Jemm and the 
  Holograms  
  John Carpenter’s The 
  Thing  
  Knight Rider  
  Labryinth  
  The Last Detail 
  The Last Starfighter   
  Law and Order  
  Lethal Weapon 
  Lifeforce  
  The Lost Boys  
  Magnum P.I.  
  Mad Max: Beyond 
  Thunderdome 
  Martha Washington: 
  Give Me Liberty 
  McGyver  
  Miami Vice  
  Miracle (2007 film)  
  Moonraker  
  New Jack City  
  The New Mutants  
  The Neverending 
  Story  
  Nightmare on Elm 
  Street  
  Octopussy  
  Philadelphia  
  Predator  
  Rambo First Blood  
   
  Rainbow Brite  
  Red Dawn  
   
  Revenge of the Nerds  
  Rocky I-IV  
  The Scarecrow and 
  Mrs. King  
  Scarface  
  Silverhawks  
  Soylent Green  
  Spies Like Us 
  Superman I & II  
  The Terminator  
  They Live  
  Thirty-somethings 
  TRON  
  Top Gun  
  Transformers 
  Universal Soldier  
  The Visionaries 
  A View to a Kill   
  The Warriors  
  Watchmen  
  Wall Street 
  The Wiz  
  Wonderland (2005 
  film)  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  163
  
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  Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff 
  Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and 
  JD Wiker,  based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce 
  R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker. 
  Covert Ops Feats 2, Copyright 2006, Louis Porter Jr Design Inc (martial arts styles and feats)  
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