Wheelman O.C.C.
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 2:53 am
Wheelman O.C.C.
Long ago, the roads and highways of America and the rest of the world were relatively safe. People and goods traveled freely from one end of the country to the other without fear of attacks from wandering Splatterpunks or hungry insect aliens from another dimension. After the Meltdown, travel, especially long distance cross-country runs, became
very dangerous. The main roads became the province of wandering gangs of the newly emerged Splatterpunks. It was into this environment that the Post-Meltdown Wheelman was born.
The first Wheelmen were hot rodders, bootleggers, truckers, race car drivers, and state patrolmen. Over time, these men and women started to come together and share their expertise with one another, passing these skills on to the generation coming up behind them. These disparate backgrounds are reflected in the different careers Wheelmen choose, but they all have a couple of things in common with one another-- their love of their machines and their courage.
The Wheelman’s best friend is his Ride, an automobile that he has become so familiar with that it almost borders on obsession. Whether he’s a white hat lawman or a backstabbing scumbag bandit, his Ride is his whole world. Its not uncommon for a Wheelman to talk to his vehicle like it was a faithful dog or best friend. In fact, many romantic relationships have been ruined because a Wheelman spent more time with his vehicle than with his spouse. In a few extreme cases, Wheelmen have given up their careers or committed suicide after losing their Ride. Most, however, will go through a period of mourning, typically a year, before looking for a new Ride. During this time, the mourner is considered off-limits by even the bitterest Wheelman enemy. Not even Miscreant or Diabolic Wheelmen will lift a finger against them. Once he’s back in the driver’s seat, which is usually announced by a wild celebration, he’s fair game again.
The courage of a Wheelman is widely known. One has to be brave to face the dangers of the road ahead. However, most are not fools and will avoid needlessly endangering their vehicles, themselves, and in some cases, their passengers and cargo. However, if their Ride or their passengers are in danger, they will fight to the fullest to protect both. It’s a point of pride for a Wheelman to get his charges to their destination safely. Wheelmen who regularly lose passengers and cargo get a reputation as a “black cat” and find often find work hard to come by. Of course, many of the more despicable Wheelmen will find a way to twist the definition of a “safe” arrival.
Wheelman O.C.C.
Alignment: Any
Attribute Requirements: Good reflexes (P.P. 9 or higher), plus good P.E. and M.E. (9 or higher). A high I.Q. is also helpful but not required.
Base S.D.C.: 35
Special Abilities and Bonuses:
1. Defensive Driving: +1 to initiative and +1 to dodge while driving. The Wheelman gains an additional +1 to dodge at levels 3, 7, and 15.
2. Choice Ride: Every Wheelman has a “Choice Ride”, a favorite vehicle that they have come to know inside and out. The Wheelman knows exactly how it will respond in a given situation and how hard he can push it. This familiarity with their vehicle’s handling gives them an additional +2 to dodge as well as a +10% bonus to Pilot Automobile and
Automotive Mechanics as those skills pertain to their Choice Rides. These bonuses apply only to operating one very specific vehicle. Even the same make & model will not get these bonuses. As most become attached to their Rides, this isn’t really a problem.
If the Wheelman loses his Ride due to combat, an accident, theft, or simple age (cars do eventually wear out), he temporarily loses his Choice Ride bonuses until he has spent six months to a year (1D6+6) with a new vehicle, familiarizing himself with it. Then, of course, its party time!
O.C.C. Skill Programs: All Wheelmen, regardless of their career path, get the Pilot, Basic Program (must be all ground vehicles) +20% as well as the following skills: Automotive Mechanics (+10%), Basic Mechanics (+10%), Basic Electronics (+10%), plus one Modern W.P. and Land Navigation (+15%)
The Wheelman may also select ONE of the following careers:
1. Freewheeler: Freewheelers are wandering bohemians. They travel as the mood hits them. Select one of the following skill programs: Domestic, Technical, or Wilderness Survival
2. Long Hauler: Long Haulers are the stereotypical trucker types. +1D6 to P.E., +2D6 to S.D.C., and +10% to Land Navigation
3. NORAD Wheelman: Military Basic Program
4. Peacekeeper Wheelman: Police/Law Enforcement Program
5. Splatterpunk Wheelman: Professional Thief Program
O.C.C. Related Skills: Select five skills from the following categories:
Communications: Radio: Basic only (+5%)
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Computer Repair only
Espionage: Wilderness Survival only
Mechanical: Locksmith only
Medical: First Aid only
Military: Armorer (Field), Camouflage, Find Contraband & Illegal Weapons
Physical: Any, except Acrobatics or Gymnastics. Hand-to-hand: Expert counts as TWO skills and Hand-to-hand Martial Arts (or Assassin, if evil) counts as THREE.
Pilot, Basic: Any (+10%)
Pilot, Advanced: Any ground vehicle (+10%)
Pilot Related: Any (+10%)
Rogue: Any, except Computer Hacking
Science: Basic Math only
Technical: Any
W.P. Ancient: Any
W.P. Modern: Any
Secondary Skills: None to start with, but the Wheelman may select one at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15.
Standard Equipment: Personal equipment will include a conventional firearm of choice with 1000 rounds of extra ammunition. Wheelmen tend towards guns they easily access while driving, such as pistols, sub-machine guns, and sawed-off shotguns. Additionally, they will have a toolkit for making on the spot repairs, $2D4x100 in spare parts for their Ride, backpack or dufflebag, flashlight, and $1D6x100 in personal gear.
Their Ride will typically reflect the nature of its owner. Long Haulers tend towards the larger vans and trucks. Peacekeeper Wheelmen will usually have tricked out police cruisers and pursuit vehicles. The NORAD ones typically drive Hummers, Gun Buggies, or whatever their current assignment has them driving. Freewheelers and Splatterpunk Wheelmen can be encountered driving just about anything smaller than a tractor trailer, but you can bet that its been modified in all the right places to do exactly what its owner wants it to. Exactly what modifications have been done to the Wheelman’s vehicle should be worked out between the player. Another thing to consider is that most Wheelmen will avoid super exotics like Lamborghinis and Ferraris, both because parts are harder to come by and because they tend to be big bullseyes for Splatterpunk gangs.
Money: Typically $1D4x100 in tradable goods or precious metals. Even though they can command respectable fees, most usually put the bulk of what they earn back into their vehicles and spend the rest as the opportunity presents itself. NORAD types get a monthly stipend of $100 as most of their needs , including vehicle maintenance, are taken care of.
The Upside: If anybody can get from Point A to Point B, its you. You know all the highways and backroads like the back of your hand and if push comes to shove, you and your Ride can outrun or outmaneuver any trouble encountered along the way.
The Downside: Fuel and parts can be very difficult to come by, and sometimes the only way to get either is to take them from some other scrub by force. Sometimes, that other scrub is you. Then there’s the fact that many people don’t get the special connection you have with your vehicle.
Experience Point Table for Wheelmen: Same as the Exterminator O.C.C. (p.p. 85 of Systems Failure).
Long ago, the roads and highways of America and the rest of the world were relatively safe. People and goods traveled freely from one end of the country to the other without fear of attacks from wandering Splatterpunks or hungry insect aliens from another dimension. After the Meltdown, travel, especially long distance cross-country runs, became
very dangerous. The main roads became the province of wandering gangs of the newly emerged Splatterpunks. It was into this environment that the Post-Meltdown Wheelman was born.
The first Wheelmen were hot rodders, bootleggers, truckers, race car drivers, and state patrolmen. Over time, these men and women started to come together and share their expertise with one another, passing these skills on to the generation coming up behind them. These disparate backgrounds are reflected in the different careers Wheelmen choose, but they all have a couple of things in common with one another-- their love of their machines and their courage.
The Wheelman’s best friend is his Ride, an automobile that he has become so familiar with that it almost borders on obsession. Whether he’s a white hat lawman or a backstabbing scumbag bandit, his Ride is his whole world. Its not uncommon for a Wheelman to talk to his vehicle like it was a faithful dog or best friend. In fact, many romantic relationships have been ruined because a Wheelman spent more time with his vehicle than with his spouse. In a few extreme cases, Wheelmen have given up their careers or committed suicide after losing their Ride. Most, however, will go through a period of mourning, typically a year, before looking for a new Ride. During this time, the mourner is considered off-limits by even the bitterest Wheelman enemy. Not even Miscreant or Diabolic Wheelmen will lift a finger against them. Once he’s back in the driver’s seat, which is usually announced by a wild celebration, he’s fair game again.
The courage of a Wheelman is widely known. One has to be brave to face the dangers of the road ahead. However, most are not fools and will avoid needlessly endangering their vehicles, themselves, and in some cases, their passengers and cargo. However, if their Ride or their passengers are in danger, they will fight to the fullest to protect both. It’s a point of pride for a Wheelman to get his charges to their destination safely. Wheelmen who regularly lose passengers and cargo get a reputation as a “black cat” and find often find work hard to come by. Of course, many of the more despicable Wheelmen will find a way to twist the definition of a “safe” arrival.
Wheelman O.C.C.
Alignment: Any
Attribute Requirements: Good reflexes (P.P. 9 or higher), plus good P.E. and M.E. (9 or higher). A high I.Q. is also helpful but not required.
Base S.D.C.: 35
Special Abilities and Bonuses:
1. Defensive Driving: +1 to initiative and +1 to dodge while driving. The Wheelman gains an additional +1 to dodge at levels 3, 7, and 15.
2. Choice Ride: Every Wheelman has a “Choice Ride”, a favorite vehicle that they have come to know inside and out. The Wheelman knows exactly how it will respond in a given situation and how hard he can push it. This familiarity with their vehicle’s handling gives them an additional +2 to dodge as well as a +10% bonus to Pilot Automobile and
Automotive Mechanics as those skills pertain to their Choice Rides. These bonuses apply only to operating one very specific vehicle. Even the same make & model will not get these bonuses. As most become attached to their Rides, this isn’t really a problem.
If the Wheelman loses his Ride due to combat, an accident, theft, or simple age (cars do eventually wear out), he temporarily loses his Choice Ride bonuses until he has spent six months to a year (1D6+6) with a new vehicle, familiarizing himself with it. Then, of course, its party time!
O.C.C. Skill Programs: All Wheelmen, regardless of their career path, get the Pilot, Basic Program (must be all ground vehicles) +20% as well as the following skills: Automotive Mechanics (+10%), Basic Mechanics (+10%), Basic Electronics (+10%), plus one Modern W.P. and Land Navigation (+15%)
The Wheelman may also select ONE of the following careers:
1. Freewheeler: Freewheelers are wandering bohemians. They travel as the mood hits them. Select one of the following skill programs: Domestic, Technical, or Wilderness Survival
2. Long Hauler: Long Haulers are the stereotypical trucker types. +1D6 to P.E., +2D6 to S.D.C., and +10% to Land Navigation
3. NORAD Wheelman: Military Basic Program
4. Peacekeeper Wheelman: Police/Law Enforcement Program
5. Splatterpunk Wheelman: Professional Thief Program
O.C.C. Related Skills: Select five skills from the following categories:
Communications: Radio: Basic only (+5%)
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Computer Repair only
Espionage: Wilderness Survival only
Mechanical: Locksmith only
Medical: First Aid only
Military: Armorer (Field), Camouflage, Find Contraband & Illegal Weapons
Physical: Any, except Acrobatics or Gymnastics. Hand-to-hand: Expert counts as TWO skills and Hand-to-hand Martial Arts (or Assassin, if evil) counts as THREE.
Pilot, Basic: Any (+10%)
Pilot, Advanced: Any ground vehicle (+10%)
Pilot Related: Any (+10%)
Rogue: Any, except Computer Hacking
Science: Basic Math only
Technical: Any
W.P. Ancient: Any
W.P. Modern: Any
Secondary Skills: None to start with, but the Wheelman may select one at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15.
Standard Equipment: Personal equipment will include a conventional firearm of choice with 1000 rounds of extra ammunition. Wheelmen tend towards guns they easily access while driving, such as pistols, sub-machine guns, and sawed-off shotguns. Additionally, they will have a toolkit for making on the spot repairs, $2D4x100 in spare parts for their Ride, backpack or dufflebag, flashlight, and $1D6x100 in personal gear.
Their Ride will typically reflect the nature of its owner. Long Haulers tend towards the larger vans and trucks. Peacekeeper Wheelmen will usually have tricked out police cruisers and pursuit vehicles. The NORAD ones typically drive Hummers, Gun Buggies, or whatever their current assignment has them driving. Freewheelers and Splatterpunk Wheelmen can be encountered driving just about anything smaller than a tractor trailer, but you can bet that its been modified in all the right places to do exactly what its owner wants it to. Exactly what modifications have been done to the Wheelman’s vehicle should be worked out between the player. Another thing to consider is that most Wheelmen will avoid super exotics like Lamborghinis and Ferraris, both because parts are harder to come by and because they tend to be big bullseyes for Splatterpunk gangs.
Money: Typically $1D4x100 in tradable goods or precious metals. Even though they can command respectable fees, most usually put the bulk of what they earn back into their vehicles and spend the rest as the opportunity presents itself. NORAD types get a monthly stipend of $100 as most of their needs , including vehicle maintenance, are taken care of.
The Upside: If anybody can get from Point A to Point B, its you. You know all the highways and backroads like the back of your hand and if push comes to shove, you and your Ride can outrun or outmaneuver any trouble encountered along the way.
The Downside: Fuel and parts can be very difficult to come by, and sometimes the only way to get either is to take them from some other scrub by force. Sometimes, that other scrub is you. Then there’s the fact that many people don’t get the special connection you have with your vehicle.
Experience Point Table for Wheelmen: Same as the Exterminator O.C.C. (p.p. 85 of Systems Failure).
