Splicer OCC-Trailblazers

[Guy_LeDouche]

Another file I'm cleaning the dust off of. Originally intended for a Rifter article/sourcebook I was working on. Enjoy!

Trailblazers
by Guy LeDouche
Based on a concept by Todd Yoho

With the Machine rearranging continents and landscapes on a regular basis, it can be extremely easy to lose one’s way. Landscapes are changed, the flow of rivers can be shifted, and familiar landmarks destroyed or relocated. It is in this capacity that the Trailblazers came to be and earned their namesake. A combination of scout, trapper, frontiersman and explorer, Trailblazers are men and women who prefer to spend their time in the untamed wilderness. They are no strangers to harsh conditions and they are ever the tougher for it. The years of life in the outdoors means many are powerfully built, conditioned to harsh climates and environments, and all around tough as nails. They live their lives to the fullest, as they recognize that each day is a struggle to survive. They thrive on challenge and while not as refined as some, they are by no means primitive or backwards. They consider themselves to be one with the land and are stealthy, cunning, resourceful and self-reliant. A Trailblazer can be a native to the wilderness, a member of a Great House or hail from a Retro-Village. Regardless of their origins, Trailblazers feel an irresistible pull to the wilderness and all are hardened experts at hunting, trapping, wildlife, and living off the land.

As their name suggests, Trailblazers know all the paths through the wilderness, and know their home regions and denizens (animals, tribes, Splicers, even N.E.X.U.S. forces) with astonishing familiarity. Like the Deliveryman, a Trailblazer is often the only means of communication for wilderness people, Great Houses, and out of the way villages. Even when not carrying “official” communications, Trailblazers are always willing to share news, rumors, and recent events, as well as being good at storytelling. All these attributes, combined with the in-depth knowledge of the landscape and its denizens, makes the Trailblazers welcome visitors almost anywhere.

A Trailblazer’s true strength lies in their knowledge of the landscape. Many Trailblazers stick to one particular region; though that region may span hundreds of miles. Others are constantly on the move, roaming from one territory to the next. No matter their habits, all Trailblazers are highly skilled cartographers and their services are desperately sought after by Great Houses, communities, military units, and anyone in need of accurate regional maps or knowledge. Trailblazers regularly lead groups or individuals from place to place, easily working through woods or swamps that would otherwise seem impossible to navigate. The ability to safely lead people through the dangerous wilds to an appointed destination is a rare one, making the Trailblazers important people. Payments for a Trailblazer’s service usually come in the form of tradable goods, supplies, or special services. These may include new clothes, nutrients for bio-equipment, healing, and so on. However, pay is usually fair because many Trailblazers take their reward in the company of people, a hot meal, and the knowledge that they did a good thing for someone. Despite their desire to live in the wild, many Trailblazers are “people persons” and skilled storytellers or musicians.

Still, no matter how much they like the company of people from time to time, Trailblazers will always feel the need to return to the wilderness and continue their explorations. Unfortunately, the Trailblazer’s skills also bring them unwanted attention as they are often the targets of Waste Crawlers, bandits, spies, and raiders from other Houses who have need of the Trailblazer’s special regional knowledge. Often, they will force the Trailblazer into service or don’t want their enemies/intended victims to have the resources at their fingertips. However, due to their tremendous knowledge, Trailblazers are rarely killed by other humans, even the vile Waste Crawlers (though they can certainly expect to be roughed up.)

Alignment: Any, but lean towards Principled, Scrupulous, and Unprincipled.
Attribute Requirements: I.Q.: 9, M.A.: 9, M.E.: 11, and P.E.: 12 or higher. A high P.S. and P.P. are helpful, but not required.
O.C.C. Bonuses: Add a bonus of +1D6x10 to the characters physical S.D.C., +1D4 to the P.S. and P.E. attribute, +1D6+6 to Spd attribute, +1 on initiative, +2 roll with impact, +2 to save vs. poison and disease, +10% to save vs. Coma & Death, +1 to save vs. Horror Factor at levels 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
Base S.D.C.: 40, plus any from Physical skills.
Common Skills: Standard.
O.C.C. Skill Program: Survivalist (+25%), Cowboy (+15%), Reconnaissance/Scout (+20%), Naturalist/Nomad (+25%) and either Man Hunter (+15%) or Hunter/Trapper (+20%)
Elective Skills: Select any one Domestic skill (+15%) and Wilderness skill (+20%) and seven other skills from the following list at first level. Select another three additional skills at level 3 and one at levels 4, 6, 8, 11, and 14. All new skills start at level one proficiency.
Communications: Any (+5%)
Domestic: Any (+10%)
Espionage: Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment, Escape Artist, and Intelligence only (+5%)
Medical: First Aid (+10%), Animal Husbandry (+10%), and Holistic Medicine (+15%), but the latter counts as two skill selections.
Military: Trap Construction and Trap & Mine Detection only (+10%)
Physical: Any, except Acrobatics (+10% where applicable).
Rogue: Card Shark and Seduction only.
Science: Advanced Math, Anthropology, Biology, and Botany only.
Technical: Any (+10% to Lore, Languages, and Rope skills only)
Transportation: Any, except Host Armor Combat, Pilot Wingpack, and War Mount Combat.
Wilderness Survival: Any (+20%)
W.P.s: Any except Heavy and Heavy Bio-Weapons.
Secondary Skills: The character gets to select five Secondary Skills at level one and one additional skill at levels 4, 7, 9, 12, and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
Special Trailblazer Skills:
1. Regional Land Navigation (exclusive): This is specific knowledge about one particular region that the Trailblazer frequents; the character knows the area like the back of their hand. It can be a character’s home range, an adopted stretch of territory, or favorite region for hunting and exploring. The Trailblazer’s extensive knowledge of the area enables them to find hiding places, more easily spot ambushes, travel at maximum speed when on the run without leaving much of a trail behind for others to follow (or leave a super-obvious one if he desires to lead them on), or do general scouting without missing a vital detail, while covering twice as much ground as those in pursuit. Bonuses: When in their home region, the Trailblazer is truly one with the land. They receive a bonus of +25% to Detect Ambush, +30% to Camouflage skill to conceal himself, a vehicle or inanimate objects, but only +10% to Camouflage himself and others. In addition, the character applies an additional bonus of +10% to Land Navigation, Tracking, (people, animals, and robots) and Prowling. Note that these bonuses apply only when the character is in their home region. Range: Regional knowledge is centered on one specific landmark, such as a particular lake, river, mountain peak, valley, Great House, Retro-Village, Boneyard, ruin, etc. The home range extends for a radius of 1D6x10+60 miles (112 to 192 km) around that landmark. Add 1D4x10 miles (16 to 64 km) for each level of experience the Trailblazer has remained predominantly in the region. No increase if they have been traveling or adventuring beyond that territory.
2. Regional Environmental Awareness (exclusive): The Trailblazer knows their home territory better than anyone and this gives them a strong connection with their environment. They are survivors in completely in tune with the language of the wilderness. For Trailblazers, this isn’t any superpower, but rather a heightened sense of awareness and ability to read the warning signs around them.
The following abilities and bonuses apply ONLY when in the Trailblazers home region. They are completely negated when outside of the home area.
Heightened Sense of Hearing:
Range: 200ft. radius
Estimate distance: 45+5% per level of experience
Estimate speed and direction: 30%+5% per level of experience
Recognize voices and other sounds: 35%+5% per level of experience
Heightened Sense of Smell:
Range: 100 ft. radius
Recognize specific odors: 40%+5% per level of experience
Alert and Ready: Extremely difficult to surprise, as the character is likely to detect the smell or noise of a person, vehicle, gun or machine/robot before it reaches them.
Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +1 to dodge, +1 disarm, +5% to Detect Concealment, +10% to Detect Ambush.
3. Cross Country Pacing: Trailblazers are well known for pacing themselves for cross-country travel. This not only includes pacing their physical exertion and speed, but also pacing their food and water intake, enabling them to cover great distances on foot or horseback, at a pace that can be maintained for days. This skill, combined with Regional Land Navigation, also enables them to accurately predict how long a trip will take (for them alone or with others in tow-the latter always taking twice as long) within 2D6X10 minutes, 6D6 hours if unfamiliar with the area. On foot, this skill enables the character to move at full running speed cross country for a time equal to his P.E.x5 in minutes without overexerting themselves.
This makes the Trailblazer an excellent messenger between parties with no other form of communication. While no substitute for bio-comms or Deliverymen, the Trailblazer is able to cut across country easily, avoiding roads, trails, and other well trafficked areas in favor of little known hunting trails, waterways, and shortcuts. (Note: Trailblazers never reveal their most secret and favorite routes to clients or strangers unless it is an absolute emergency.) These characters come and go without anyone knowing how, when, or where they’ve been. Once a Trailblazer travels out of sight, they seem to simply vanish into the wilderness.
Base Skill: 35%+5% per level of experience
4. Trail Blaze: Not only can the Trailblazer navigate the wilderness, but they can cut and mark trails for others to follow. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. A failed roll means the trail cannot be followed by others as intended.
5. Cartography: The specialized art of mapmaking and map reading, cartography is one of the most important skills that a Trailblazer learns. Trailblazers can produce highly accurate maps with a wide variety of tools, including ink and paper, navigational plotting, and even advanced memory files for Liberians. Cartography also includes a basic understanding of geology, estimation of distances, and the gauging of altitude, distance, depths, etc. Trailblazers are able to make extremely accurate land, water, and even underwater maps, including topography, prevailing winds or currents, terrain type, likely animal habitats, and other pertinent geographic information. This also includes the ability to accurately read and interpret a map, adding +10% to Navigation skills when a map is present. Cartography also includes the rudiments of mathematics. A Trailblazer with the Cartography skill has the equivalent of the Basic Math skill (if they do not have it already) at a fixed base of 50%, plus any applicable bonus for an exceptional I.Q. attribute. If the Basic Math skill is already knows, Cartography grants a +5% bonus. Base Skill: 40%+5% per level of experience.
A successful roll means the map is not only accurate and easy to use, but elegant and aesthetically pleasing. A failed roll indicates that some details were wrong, other details have been left out, and the scale and specified locations are off by 1D10 miles.
Living Armor: The Trailblazer O.C.C. does not get the powerful Host Armor, preferring to travel light and fast. Each Trailblazer has a customized suit of Living Body armor, usually Leatherback or Heavy Hide (player’s choice) with the following modifications: +1D6x10+15 to the Main Body, +3D8 to the arms, +3D10 to the Legs. In addition, the Trailblazer does not suffer any movement penalty in the armor.
The Trailblazer also gets 3D20+20 Bio-E points worth of enhancements of choice, but is limited to the categories of Eyes & Vision, Other Sensory Features, Biological Defenses, Offensive Bio-Weapons, Ranged Bio-Weapons, and Ranged Weapon Upgrades. Each level, the Trailblazer gets an additional 2D6+8 Bio-E for additional enhancements of choice.
War Mount: Trailblazers do not receive a personal War Mount and prefer to operate without them. However, Trailblazers do have a fondness for Gore Hounds and Mega Horses and may have one or both as a traveling companion. These War Mounts start out standard without any upgrades.
Standard Equipment: They are likely to carry map making and survey equipment in a protected, hard case. Writing implements include six pieces of white chalk, two pieces of charcoal, a ceramic pen with 24 refills, 1D6 pens or markers of various colors, a sketchbook, and 6D6 sheets of loose paper. Other items include traveling clothes (typically camouflage fatigues or other hunting clothes), set of dress clothes, one pair of moccasins or similar hiking footwear, a pair of gloves, 2D4 heavy cloth sacks, 1D4 waterproof sacks, small hammer/mallet, 120 feet of rope, survival knife, utility belt, first-aid kit, 1D6 Slap Patches, Face Wrap, Extractor, tinted goggles, hatchet for cutting wood, tent, knapsack, backpack, two water skins, emergency food rations (two weeks supply), and some personal items.
Weapons: The Trailblazer starts with two Bio-Weapons of choice (light or heavy), as well as one weapon for each W.P. with appropriate ammunition. Trailblazers prefer precision long-range weapons with many favoring modified Light Cell Laser Rifles. Bows and specialty arrows are also favorite items. As Trailblazers often operate in the wilderness for weeks or months at a time, most of them have an Extractor organism to supply the bio-equipments nutrients.
Money: Has 2D6x100 credits in precious metals, relics or trade items, as well as 6D6x10 in available credits. Money can be spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
The Upside: Your stealth skills are impressive, but your knowledge of the outdoors and ability to survive in the wild are unparalleled in the Resistance. You can slip past both robots and Splicers with ease, and disappear without a trace. No one knows more about the surface than you; you know every short cut and hiding spot there is. You can lead the Resistance right past the Machine, and you take pride in helping anyway you can. In addition, you enjoy a certain “hands off” status, even among the vile Waste Crawlers.
The Downside: You can handle yourself well enough in a fight, but you’re not really meant for heavy combat. Without a little assistance, you wouldn’t last long in a sustained fight. Most of the time, you are on your own, and will sometimes go days or weeks without ever seeing another human being.

[slappy]

Nice. Very well done and a nice addition. I have only one criticism. I think it should have Host Armor. I know the book says Host Armor is rare, but it really makes sense for the Trailblazer. It's the same decision I had to come to with the Deliveryman. Living Armor needs to be recharged in the underground havens every week while Host Armor is self-sustaining. At the least, it would make more sense for Trailblazers to use light armor like Leatherback or Heavy Hide. Dragonscale and Chitinous are way to heavy for someone who is basically a non-combatant.

[Guy_LeDouche]

I think it should have Host Armor. I know the book says Host Armor is rare, but it really makes sense for the Trailblazer.

Slappy, its interesting you say that; I went back and forth on whether or not it should have Host Armor. At the time I put this PC together, I was on kind of "Anti-Host Armor" kick, hence the M.D.C. boost to the Living Armor. I was thinking there were plenty of other OCCs that could use Host Armor, and I wanted something with a bit of a different feel to it. However, even now, I'm not 100% I'm happy with no Host Armor, and may adjust it per your suggestion.

And speaking of Living Armor, I must hang my head in shame. Apparently, I was a little too happy with the Copy/Paste functions; I had meant the Leatherback or Hide armor. That's what I get for not paying enough attention.

[LostOne]

Also their bio-weapons will starve unless the player has the foresight to include the enhancement (which the name escapes me) that allows the weapons to be fed in the field. In the case of this class, it might be wise to just include it for being a member of the OCC, it's automatic in all of their host armors, that type of thing.

[Guy_LeDouche]

Also their bio-weapons will starve unless the player has the foresight to include the enhancement (which the name escapes me) that allows the weapons to be fed in the field. In the case of this class, it might be wise to just include it for being a member of the OCC, it's automatic in all of their host armors, that type of thing.

Its buried in the write-up (the Equipment section, I believe) but I gave the Trailblazer the Extractor organism created by Slappy. Seemed a perfect fit.

[LostOne]

Its buried in the write-up (the Equipment section, I believe) but I gave the Trailblazer the Extractor organism created by Slappy. Seemed a perfect fit.

Ok, I missed it. Glad to see you thought of it.

[Guy_LeDouche]

No worries; I appreciate you taking a look and keeping me honest.

[Todd Yoho]

You, sir, are made of win.

That is an excellent cross-over adaptation for Splicers.

My only criticism is that I am jealous that I didn't think of it first.

[taalismn]

Agreed..in Splicers we see more mental and physical enhancement/attunement/focus, rather than simply relying on GPS or other gadgetry...

[Guy_LeDouche]

You, sir, are made of win.

That is an excellent cross-over adaptation for Splicers.

My only criticism is that I am jealous that I didn't think of it first.

Many thanks Todd, since its originally your PC, I'm glad to have your approval. You've contributed heavily to my Splicers "Universe"; House Shiva was fantastic and the Dinosaur Swamp books may as well be "The Yoho Field Guide to the Preserves."

On an unrelated note, how's the RTP these days? I lived in NC for almost 18 years; my wife graduated from UNC and her brother from NC State. Makes for some interesting holidays.

[Aramanthus]

Very nice OCC! I think it fits in well with the overall Splicers universe! Excellent creation!

[Todd Yoho]

Many thanks Todd, since its originally your PC, I'm glad to have your approval. You've contributed heavily to my Splicers "Universe"; House Shiva was fantastic and the Dinosaur Swamp books may as well be "The Yoho Field Guide to the Preserves."

On an unrelated note, how's the RTP these days? I lived in NC for almost 18 years; my wife graduated from UNC and her brother from NC State. Makes for some interesting holidays.

HA! Nice. Yeah, the DS books are pretty universal when it comes to a wild, untamed, monster filled wilderness.

The Triangle never changes. No matter how many lanes they open up on 40, the traffic is still backed up to Durham! I spent a lot of money at both State and Duke, and my ex-wife's dad went to UNC undergrad and law, so I know how the holidays can be!

[abe]

how about this for a bio-item for the trailblazer
bio-nockulars-a bio-tech item that allow the user to see GREAT distances & has these posible upgrades-heat-vision(suitable for spotting robots)ultra-violet vision,sonar & radar!