postmodern - talent tree compendium

INTRODUCTIONThe talents listed here have been examined and re-examined carefully in order to mesh them perfectly

with the existing system. Many are

completely new, but many others are

based on existing class abilities or have been

pulled from the existing body of open game content.

In any case, every talent has been carefully examined and, in

most cases, changed for purposes of clarity, game balance, or proper inter-

action with other abilities. At times, some were changed to make them more versatile

in a system that anticipates frequent multi-classing. Therefore, even when a new talent shares the name of a published talent you may know, all the talents listed here should

be read carefully whenever they are selected for a character.

The overall function of talents, how-ever, remains completely unchanged. As always, talents are special abilities or qualities available only to characters of a certain class or occupation. Unlike feats, which can be learned by anyone, talents

represent special training available only to select members of the core classes. Tal-

ents are considered to be extraordinary abilities. Like feats, some talents have prerequisites that must

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TALENT TREE COMPENDIUM

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be met before a character can select them. Talents form talent trees, where each talent requires, and builds upon, the preceding talent. Other talents may require feats or a minimum base attack bonus as pre-requisites.

When a character gains a level and a talent in the corresponding class, he may choose any talent listed as being available to his class (assuming he meets all other prerequisites).

As always, the GM is the finally arbiter of how, or if,

TALENT TREES BY CLASS

CHARISMATIC HERO TALENTS1,000 Faces Talent TreeAuthority Talent Tree

Information Talent TreeInstruction Talent TreeNotoriety Talent TreePrivilege Talent Tree

Threatening Talent TreeWeapon Display Talent Tree

Well-Traveled Talent Tree

DEDICATED HERO TALENTSAnimal Friendship Talent Tree

Attentive Talent TreeGod of Gamblers Talent Tree

Diagnosis Talent TreeFavored Enemy Talent Tree

Lore Talent TreeMartial Discipline Talent Tree

Natural Hunter Talent TreeParanoia Talent Tree

Sleuth Talent TreeWeapon of Choice Talent TreeWilderness Expert Talent Tree

FAST HERO TALENTSAcrobatic Talent Tree

Elusive Talent TreeEfficiency Talent Tree

Instinctive Response Talent TreePoint Blank Range Talent TreeSpeed Wrestling Talent Tree

Thug Talent TreeUnarmed Prodigy Talent Tree

SMART HERO TALENTSBusiness Sense Talent Tree

Combat Interaction Talent TreeCraft Talent Tree

Deduction Talent TreeEngineering Expert Talent Tree

Intuitive Leap Talent TreeMechanical Aptitude Talent Tree

Precision Talent TreeQuick Thinking Talent Tree

Skill Enhancement Talent TreeTactical Talent Tree

STRONG HERO TALENTSBruiser Talent TreeBrute Talent Tree

Feats of Strength Talent TreeFoe Hammer Talent Tree

Hurling Talent TreeMelee Brute Talent Tree

Mighty Talent TreeSoldiery Talent Tree

Wrestling Talent Tree

TOUGH HERO TALENTSBulletproof Talent Tree

Death’s Door Talent TreeGrappling Resistance Talent Tree

Hardened Talent TreeMagic Resistance Talent Tree

Protector Talent TreeRage Talent Tree

Survivalist Talent TreeVigor Talent Tree

any Modern d20 talent or feat is available. The talent trees are grouped together by base class,

and the base classes are listed in alphabetical order (not in the order their equivalent ability scores appear on a d20 character sheet).

CHARISMATIC HERO TALENTS“*” = Modern advanced or prestige classes exist which may provide the Charismatic hero with a class ability

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similar, or identical, to this talent; a Charismatic hero who already possesses this talent may choose an-other talent from this talent tree instead, or any talent which is specified as a prerequisite for that talent.

1,000 Faces Talent TreeLike the super-spies of cinematic legend, the Char-ismatic hero has an amazing facility for disguise and impersonation.

Quick Change: Once per game session, as a stan-dard action, the Charismatic hero can change his mannerisms and clothes just enough to appear to be someone else. Essentially, he can use the Disguise skill without the usual time and without suffering the penalty for not using a disguise kit. The character can-not use this skill while being observed, unless he is momentarily able to step out of sight (e.g. behind a column at a bus station). This disguise will not make the Charismatic hero appear to be a specific person (at least, not to anyone who actually knows that person well), but can definitely make the character appear not to be himself. The quick change disguise stands up normally under casual scrutiny, but any careful inspection receives a +5 circumstance bonus to penetrate the disguise. This talent can be taken multiple times, allowing an extra use of this ability per game session each time.

A Thousand Faces*: The Charismatic hero becomes a master of the quick disguise. He can don a convinc-ing disguise in one-tenth the normal time (1d4 min-utes).

Convincing: Once per session, the Charismatic hero may spend 1 action point to force an opponent to re-roll a successful skill check that would penetrate his disguise or cover.

Fake It: Once per game session, the Charismatic hero may credibly pretend to have a skill that he does not possess. This does not allow him to use the skill; it merely allows him to act as if he can. Thus, he could stand next to a surgeon and pretend to know what’s going on, but he couldn’t perform the surgery himself with the actual skill required to do so. When required to make a Bluff check to fake having the skill, the Charismatic hero gains a +20 competence bonus. This talent can be taken multiple times, allowing an extra use of this ability per game session each time.

Prerequisite: Quick changeFace in the Crowd: When the Charismatic hero uses

his Quick Change talent while in a crowd or large

group of people, that Quick Change does not count against the number of times the character is permit-ted to use the ability per game session. The presence of the crowd makes it much easier for the Charismatic hero to disappear. He cannot use this benefit if the crowd is hostile or if the Charismatic hero does not share the crowd’s basic dress or ethnicity.

Prerequisites: Quick change, a thousand facesPerfect Mimicry: Once per game session, the Char-

ismatic hero may perfectly imitate the appearance, speech, and mannerisms of any one person. After studying the target for a number of days equal to the target’s level, the Charismatic hero may add his own character level to any Disguise or Perform checks made while imitating the target.

Prerequisites: Fake it, quick change

Authority Talent TreeThis Charismatic hero wears the mantle of author-ity naturally, and can convince people to reconsider reckless or foolhardy actions.

Authority: Twice per day, the Charismatic hero can add her base Will save to a Diplomacy check or Intimi-date check. This talent can be selected multiple times; each additional selection allows the Charismatic hero to use the ability one additional time per day.

Nonlethal Force*: The Charismatic hero becomes adept at using nonlethal force to subdue an oppo-nent. A character with this talent can deal nonlethal damage with a weapon that normally deals lethal damage (if she so chooses) without taking the normal –4 penalty on the attack roll.

“Freeze!”: Through a combination of persuasion and intimidation, the Charismatic hero may con-vince one target to cease any attempts to harm her. Three times per game session, as a full-round action, the Charismatic hero may make an Intimidate check against a single individual with a DC equal to 10 + the target’s Will save bonus. If the check is successful, the target cannot attack the character for a number of rounds equal to 2 plus the Charismatic hero’s Charis-ma modifier (minimum 1 round). This effect ends in-stantly if the Charismatic hero inflicts lethal damage on the target. However, the target may still take other actions, such as running or attacking the Charismatic hero’s allies. The Charismatic hero can only use this ability on targets at least 1 character level lower than herself.

Prerequisite: Authority

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Shakedown: Through a combination of persuasion and intimidation, the Charismatic hero may convince one target to give up his weapons and come along quietly. Once per session, when the Charismatic hero makes a successful check to use the “Freeze!” talent on a target, she can also convince the target to drop or abandon one item with a Purchase DC equal to or less than the character’s Intimidate check result. This talent can be taken up to three times, with each ad-ditional choice of this talent allowing the Charismatic hero to use this ability with her “Freeze!” talent an ad-ditional time per day.

Prerequisites: Authority, “Freeze!”

Information Talent TreeThe Charismatic hero gets to know a lot of people, and knows how to get them to talk.

Contact*: The Charismatic hero cultivates associ-ates and informants. Each time the Charismatic hero gains a contact, the GM should develop a supporting character to represent the contact. The player can sug-gest the type of contact his or her character wants to gain, but the contact must be an ordinary character, not a Heroic character. Contacts include informants, black marketeers, crime lab workers, reporters, street people, store clerks, taxi drivers, bureaucrats, clerical workers, security guards, and others who can provide limited aid and information pertaining to the charac-ter’s investigations. A contact will not accompany the character on missions or risk his or her life. A contact can, however, provide information or render a service (make a specific skill check on the Charismatic hero’s behalf ).

Word on the Street*: The Charismatic hero filters information constantly and remembers everything. Through regular contacts, gossip, internet chats, and other situations, he has a deep knowledge of every-day things. The Charismatic hero can make a Gather Information check on general or specific information instantaneously, and spends only an hour making a Gather Information check for restricted information. Retries may be made under normal rules. Protected information still requires 1d4+1 hours for a check. The purchase DC for using Gather Information is reduced by 10.

Information Access*: The Charismatic hero can make Gather Information checks without spend-ing money or making Wealth checks, provided she is dealing with individuals or organizations that are

helpful, friendly, indifferent, or unfriendly toward her or an organization she represents. Dealing with individuals or organizations that are hostile requires the Charismatic hero to make Wealth checks as usual when using the Gather Information skill.

Prerequisite: Character level 7

Instruction Talent TreeAs a master of social skills, the Charismatic hero is one of the best instructors in the world. In settings where the advancement of technology demands ever-increasing levels of technical knowledge, un-prepared adventurers can find themselves quickly overwhelmed. Fortunately, Charismatic heroes with talents from this tree can step in and provide a crash course in almost any subject, keeping their allies up to speed in a rapidly changing world.

Each target character can benefit from only one tal-ent from the Instruction Talent Tree at a time, so if an ally is the target of the Teach Skill target he may not be targeted by any other talent in the tree. Use of this talent requires one hour of uninterrupted time with the target characters.

Duration: The following talents each allow the Charismatic to impart some knowledge on his al-lies for a short period of time. For each talent, the number of characters that can be taught is equal to the character’s Charisma modifier, and the duration that the target characters benefit from the talent is a number of minutes equal to the instructor’s character level times 3.

Teach Skill: The Charismatic hero can provide a small amount of education in one skill. The character chooses one skill in which he has placed 4 or more ranks; each target of the Teach Skill talent gains a +2 competence bonus to checks made with that skill. Additionally, the bonus provided by this feat counts as skill ranks for the purposes of determining whether or not the character is considered trained in the skill.

Teach Feat: The Charismatic hero can provide in-struction in the use of one feat. The character chooses one feat he possesses; each target of the Teach Feat talent gains the temporary use of that feat, provided that they could normally qualify for that feat. Any characters that cannot qualify for the feat being taught gain no benefit from this talent.

Prerequisite: Teach skillTeach Talent: The Charismatic hero can provide

instruction in the use of one talent. The character

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chooses one feat he possesses; each target of the Teach Talent ability gains the temporary use of that talent, provided that they could normally qualify for that feat. A character who cannot qualify for the tal-ent being taught gains no benefit from this talent. Additionally, Teach Talent may not be used to impart the use of any talent from the Instruction Talent Tree on the targets.

Prerequisites: Teach skill, teach featTeach Class Feature: The Charismatic can provide

instruction in the use of one class feature (from an ad-vanced class or prestige class). The character chooses one class feature he possesses; each target of the Teach Class Feature talent gains the temporary use of that class feature, provided that they could normally qualify for that feature (assuming the class feature has any other prerequisites). Any characters that can-not qualify for the class feature being taught gain no benefit from this talent.

Prerequisites: Teach skill, teach feat, teach talent

Notoriety Talent TreeThe Charismatic hero’s activities seem to mark him as a member of the criminal element—whether he likes it or not.

Lawbreaker: Due to his natural confidence and his connections to others engaged in illegal activities, the character may add half his Reputation (round down) as a morale bonus to all Gather Information and In-timidation rolls. This stacks with any bonus or penalty that may or may not be gained from Reputation.

Code of Silence: The character is feared on the streets, and people are reluctant to discuss him. The Charismatic hero’s Reputation score is added to the DC of all Gather Information rolls made to obtain knowledge of the character’s whereabouts, history or activities.

Prerequisite: LawbreakerStreet Cred*: The Charismatic hero has devel-

oped such a reputation for his violent tendencies that even people who dislike him are afraid to cross him. Whenever the character’s Reputation modifies an Intimidate roll, whether as a bonus or a penalty, the character may add his base Will save as a bonus to that Intimidate check. In addition, whenever the character’s Reputation is applied as a penalty to any roll, he may offset this by adding his Will save as a bo-nus to that same roll. If the character has the author-ity talent (from the Authority talent tree), he can use

that ability and this one on the same roll.Prerequisites: Lawbreaker, code of silence

Privilege Talent TreeThis Charismatic hero enjoys advantages that those of lesser wealth or social status can only imagine.

Upgrade*: When the Charismatic hero buys a ticket to a show or for transportation, he or she can make a Diplomacy check to get that ticket upgraded. DCs are given below.

Upgrade Diplomacy DC

Seat at sporting event to field pass

10

Hotel room to suite 15

Concert or theater ticket to backstage pass

20

Economy transportation to first-class

25

Prerequisites: Character level 2, and the total of the character’s Wealth Bonus and Reputation Bonus must exceed 11

“He’s With Me”: The Charismatic hero’s friends and allies can use their connections to her to their advan-tage in social situations, if she lays the groundwork. When the Charismatic hero succeeds at a Bluff or Intimidate check against an opponent in which her Reputation bonus was a positive factor, she can spend an action point to give her allies a bonus to checks with that same skill against that specific opponent for a number of days equal to her Charisma modifier. The bonus is equal to half the Charismatic hero’s charac-ter level (rounded down). When the Charismatic hero first uses this ability, she must designate a maximum number of allies equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier who can take advantage of it—these allies are the ones she works into her lies or threats, giving them an easy connection to draw upon. Multiple uses of this talent do not stack for purposes of determining the bonus granted or the effect’s duration.

Prerequisite: Character level 3Undue Influence*: If the Charismatic hero is ar-

rested for a crime, he can make a Diplomacy check to use his influence to avoid suffering the usual legal penalty or punishment. The severity of the crime de-termines the DC of the Diplomacy check, and how authorities react if the character succeeds. See Table:

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Undue Influence for Diplomacy check DCs based on the severity of the crime.

If one of the Charismatic hero’s allies is arrested for a crime and unable to secure her own release, the character may intercede on the ally’s behalf at a –5 to his Diplomacy check. Multiple Charismatic heroes with this talent may aid each other’s Diplomacy rolls to use it.

Prerequisite: The total of the character’s Wealth Bo-nus and Reputation Bonus must exceed 16

Threatening Talent TreeThe Charismatic hero can develop a powerful force of personality, becoming highly skilled at intimidating others.

Intimidating Presence: With this talent the Char-ismatic hero adds half his character level (rounded down, to a minimum of 1) as a competence bonus on any Intimidate checks.

Startle: The Charismatic hero can make an Intimi-date check rather than a Bluff check to feint in com-bat. Targets can choose whether to resist the feint with Intimidate, Sense Motive, or a Will save, and gain a cumulative +1 bonus on their roll to resist the feint

Table: Undue Influence

Severity of Crime Examples DC Effect of Successful Diplomacy CheckClass 5 Disturbing the peace, public intoxica-

tion, non-injurious traffic violation15 –2 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy checks

in that area

Class 4 Possession of controlled substance, injurious traffic violation, operating business without a license, operating a vehicle without a license, assault without a deadly weapon

20 –5 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy a checks in that area

Class 3 Attempted bribery of a public official, robbery or grand theft, aiding and abetting a known felon, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a con-cealed weapon

25 –10 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy checks in the area

Class 2 Murder or manslaughter, fraud, smug-gling, assault against a public official, trafficking in controlled substances

30 Legal fees, reputation loss, –15 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy checks in the area

Class 1 Conspiracy against the government, murder of a public official, sabotage of public utilities

35 Some jail time, legal fees, reputation loss, –20 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy checks in the area—but the character will be spared execution

per each additional startle attempt against them in the same encounter.

Shake: The Charismatic hero can spend an Action Point to attempt to shake his opponents. A single use of this ability can affect a number of creatures equal to half the character’s level. Roll an Intimidate check; those targeted by the character must make a Will save equal to the Charismatic hero’s Intimidate check or become shaken. A shaken creature suffers a –2 morale penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Prerequisite: Intimidating presenceTerrify: When the Charismatic hero makes a bull

rush, a disarm attack, or trip attack, he may roll his Intimidate skill as a free action against a DC of 10. If the character succeeds, he may add a +2 circum-stance bonus to the attack roll or check. For every 5 by which the character exceeds the DC, he may add an additional +1.

Prerequisite: Intimidating presenceGame Face: Charismatic heroes can take on an ap-

pearance and manner of extreme gravity. Opponents who see this fearsome glare must make a Will save or suffer an additional 2 points of nonlethal damage

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every time the Charismatic hero inflicts lethal or non-lethal damage upon them.

Prerequisites: Intimidating presence, shake, terrify

Weapon Display Talent TreeWarriors with this talent tree have probably spent more time learning how to perform impressive theat-rics with their weapons than actually fight with them. Luckily, their opponents don’t know that. Professional wrestlers, stunt men, members of ceremonial units, and some Hollywood “martial arts” actors are typical users of this combat style.

Armed and Dangerous: With this talent, the Char-ismatic hero adds a bonus equal to half his character level to all Intimidate checks while brandishing or displaying his weapon.

Weapon Display: With this talent, a Charismatic hero can spend an Action Point to perform a flashy, intimidating display of prowess with his weapons. This causes a single opponent to make a Will save (DC 10 + the Charismatic hero’s Charisma modifier + half the Charismatic hero’s base attack bonus) or become shaken. The target must be within 30 feet of the Char-ismatic hero, must have an Intelligence of 3 or more, and be able to see the Charismatic hero. Creatures with 6 or more Hit Dice are immune to this ability.

If the target’s save fails, he suffers a –2 morale pen-alty on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws. The target also flees from the Charismatic hero as well as it can. If unable to flee, the target may fight. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Charismatic hero’s total character level.

Prerequisite: Armed and dangerousGreater Weapon Display: This talent functions

just like Weapon Display, except that it can affect a number of creatures equal to the Charismatic hero’s Charisma modifier and creatures above 6 HD are not immune to the effects.

Prerequisite: Armed and dangerous, weapon displayAdvanced Weapon Display: With this talent, the

Charismatic hero spends 1 Action Point to handle his weapons in such an intimidating and professional manner that one selected opponent can not help but begin cowering in fear. The opponent must make a Will save (DC 10 + the Charismatic hero’s Charisma modifier + half the Charismatic hero’s base attack bonus) or begin to cower. The target must be within 30 feet of the Charismatic hero, must have an Intel-ligence of 3 or more, and must be able to see the

Charismatic hero.Prerequisites: Weapon display, greater weapon dis-

playGrand Weapon Display: This talent functions just

as Advanced Weapon Display, detailed above, except that it affects a number of creatures equal to the character’s Charismatic hero level.

Prerequisites: Weapon display, greater armed and dangerous, weapon display, advanced weapons dis-play

Intimidating Weapon Display: With this talent, the Charismatic hero can wield his weapon in such an intimidating fashion that it convinces his opponents to fight defensively. A number of opponents equal to or less than the character’s Charisma modifier can be forced to make a Will save (DC 10 + the Charismatic hero’s Charisma modifier + half the Charismatic hero’s class level) or begin fighting defensively. Opponents with the Expertise feat who fail the save begin using their expertise to maximum benefit for their Defense. This effect continues for a number of rounds equal to the Charismatic hero’s Charisma modifier. Those char-acters that are in a state of rage and those with an In-telligence score less than 3 are immune to this effect. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same Charismatic hero’s Intimidating Weapon Display for 24 hours.

Prerequisites: Weapon display, armed and danger-ous

Charismatic Fighter: Charismatic heroes with this talent can use their weapon in creative and unusual ways that grant them a bonus to their Defense. Either using the weapon in lightning-fast flashing parries, or using it offensively to shield oneself with a blindingly fast assault, using this talent adds a dodge bonus to the Charismatic hero’s Defense equal to the Charis-matic hero’s Charisma bonus. The Charismatic hero only gains this bonus while actively engaged in com-bat. If he does anything other than attack or move and attack on his turn, he does not gain the Defense bonus from this talent.

Prerequisite: Armed and dangerous

Well-Traveled Talent TreeThe Charismatic hero’s path has taken her to many different places, whether all over the world, across the continent, or through all the different cultural hubs of her home city. Whatever the reason, her repeated interactions with different kinds of people

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have given her a unique versatility.Rubbing Elbows: The Charismatic hero has spent

a lot of time around foreign dignitaries and other people of rank or importance, and knows how to deal with them. The Charismatic hero doubles his Cha-risma bonus on all Charisma based skill rolls made to interact with people who have a higher social standing—or greater wealth—than the Char-ismatic hero.

World Traveler: Seasoned travelers have a good sense for the common desires, fears, and prejudices that mark most human be-ings. The Charismatic hero can use the Diplomacy skill against human-oids with whom she does not share a common language. Through pantomime and other gestures, the char-acter can put her message across. The character suff ers a –5 penalty to these checks, as this mode of communica-tion pales compared to the spoken word.

Versatile Traveler: With their wide range of experi-ence, travelers pick up bits of information here and there that can prove useful in their varied pursuits. When faced with a diffi cult task, the Charis-matic hero can recall bits of an over-heard conversation, a legend from a distant land, or some similar bit of useful information. Other times, he simply draws on a hidden reservoir of strength and toughness culti-vated by years spent on the road. He may make a single check using a skill of his choice as if he had ranks in it equal to his total class level + 3. This can be any skill, including one in which the Charismatic hero had no previous training. The character can use this ability three times per day.

DEDICATED HERO TALENTS“*” = Modern advanced or prestige

classes exist which may provide the Dedicated hero with a class ability similar, or identical, to this talent; a Dedicated hero who already possesses this talent may choose another talent from this talent tree in-stead, or any talent which is specifi ed as a prerequi-site for that talent.

Animal Friendship Talent TreeThese characters are especially devoted to the care and well being of animals. Through their bond, they develop a kinship with animals and

understand them almost empathically.Animal Affi nity: Dedicated heroes with this

talent gain add their Wisdom bonus to all Handle Animal checks. In addi-tion, the Dedicated hero can teach an animal a trick in one day rather than one week, but he suff ers a –10 modifi er to his Handle Animal check when he attempts to do so.

Wild Empathy*: The Dedicated hero can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The char-acter rolls 1d20 and adds one half the Dedicated hero’s character level (rounded down) and his Charisma bonus to determine the wild empa-thy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indif-ferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use wild empathy, the Dedicated hero and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, infl uencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with infl uencing people, it might take more or less time. Most domestic animals have a starting attitude of indiff erent, while most wild animals are unfriendly. (Exceptions exist: trained guard dogs may have an ini-tial reaction of hostile to strangers.) In campaigns where magic exists,

the character may also seek to infl uence magical beasts

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(including those she has never encountered before) at a –4 penalty. Animal empathy does not function on vermin.

Calm Animals: So long as the Dedicated hero is not suffering the negative consequences of a fear-based effect, he may replace the Will save result of any ani-mal he has taught at least one trick with a Handle Ani-mal check. The animal must be able to see and hear the Dedicated hero and it must be within 60 feet of him.

Feral Bond: The Dedicated hero forms close emo-tional ties to the animals he trains. When he sees an animal he has taught at least one trick in danger or otherwise threatened with harm, he gains a +2 mo-rale bonus to attacks and a +4 morale bonus to Will saves against fear-based effects for the remainder of the encounter.

Animal Friendship*: With this talent, the Dedicated hero spends an Action Point to beguile any creature of the animal type. To use this ability, the Dedicated hero must be within 30 feet of the intended target animal. Attempting to beguile the animal is a stan-dard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. The target animal must make a Will save (DC 10 + the Dedicated hero’s Charisma bonus + the Dedicated hero’s Wisdom bonus). If the save fails, the animal be-comes friendly for 1 minute per character level.

Greater Animal Friendship*: This talent allows the Dedicated hero to add his own base Will save to the DC of a Will save made by any animal to resist the Dedicated hero’s Animal Friendship talent. In addi-tion, the Dedicated hero gains the ability to use his normal Animal Friendship ability to beguile any crea-ture of the Animal, Vermin, or Magical Beast type with an Intelligence of 1 or 2. However, the Dedicated hero can only add his own base Will save to the DC of saves for creatures of the animal type.

Prerequisites: Animal affinity, wild empathy, animal friendship

Animal Companion*: A Dedicated hero with this talent gains an animal companion selected from the following list: ape, badger, bear, camel, cat (small or lower), crocodile, dog (medium), eagle, elephant, hawk, herd animal (such as cow, camel, or bison), horse, lizard, monkey, octopus, owl, pony, porpoise, snake (Small or Medium viper), squid, tiger, or wolf. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the Dedicated hero on her adventures as appropri-ate for its kind. The player running a Dedicated hero with this talent should consider the fact that certain

animals may create problems in urban areas. At lower levels, an animal companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As the Dedicated hero advances, however, the animal’s power increases as shown in Table: Animal Companions.

The Dedicated hero may release the animal back to the wild, regaining the action point initially spent in the process. The Dedicated hero does not regain the action point if the creature dies. In either case, if a Dedicated hero releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by spending a complete and uninterrupted 24-hour period devoting herself to the effort of finding and binding with a new animal. This effort can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

Prerequisite: Any talent from the Animal Friendship or Wilderness Expert talent trees.

Attentive Talent TreeThe Dedicated hero likes and enjoys the company

of others, but rather than using his force of his own personality to persuade or attract people, prefers to watch and listen, gaining greater understanding and creating lasting friendships.

Social Intuition: Some people develop an intuitive sense of human interaction. The Dedicated hero has so much insight into personal relations that he can add his Wisdom bonus to all Bluff, Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.

Connected: The Dedicated hero has come to know a wide variety of people through his business deal-ings or travels. Once per session, he may spend an ac-tion point to seek out an individual with whom he has dealt positively in the past. Seeking this acquaintance out requires 1d6 hours. The acquaintance has one skill of the Dedicated hero’s choice with a number of ranks equal to one-half the sum of the Dedicated hero character’s level + his Wisdom modifier (rounded up). Unlike allies gained from the contacts class ability, the Dedicated hero’s acquaintance is only considered friendly (rather than helpful) and must be compen-sated for any services rendered. The Dedicated hero may use this ability even in remote locations, so long as there are at least 40 people within a 25-mile radius around the Dedicated hero when he declares the abil-ity use (e.g. an Antarctic research base near the South Pole or a nomad camp in the midst of a desert).

Perceptive Synergy: The Dedicated hero has a wide range of interest in many different fields, and

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Table: Animal Companions

Animal Companion Advancement

Character Level Bonus HD Defense Bonus Str/Dex Adj. Bonus Tricks Special1st–2nd +0 +0 +0 1 Link, share spells*3rd–5th +2 +2 +1 2 Evasion6th–8th +4 +4 +2 3 Devotion9th–11th +6 +6 +3 4 Multiattack12th–14th +8 +8 +4 515th–17th +10 +10 +5 6 Improved evasion18th–20th +12 +12 +6 7

* The share spells ability is only available in games and settings which use magic.

Animal Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make the fol-lowing changes.

Character Level: The level of the character with the Animal Companion talent.Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember

that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a Dedicated character level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal com-panion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Defense Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing defense bonus.Str/Dex Adj.: Add this value to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the animal knows in

addition to any that the character might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The character selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.

Link: The character can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The character gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

Share Spells*: If the campaign includes any kind of spells or magic, the character may choose have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the character before the duration expires.

Additionally, the character may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A character and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).

Evasion: If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Devotion: An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and ef-fects.

Multiattack: An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal com-panion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.

Improved Evasion: When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

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is able to discern fact from fiction much more easily than other people due to his depth of understanding. All synergy bonuses the Dedicated hero receives to Wisdom or Charisma based skill checks are increased by +2 (i.e. from +2 to +4).

God of Gamblers Talent TreeThe character is a natural gambler. Maybe it’s just a hobby, or maybe it’s a living—or an addiction. In any case, this Dedicated hero is a cut above your average gambling aficionado and excels at games of chance, as well as other forms of risk-taking.

Weigh the Odds: Gamblers excel at judging the difficulty of a task at hand. Three times per day, the Dedicated hero can opt to force an opponent to make his opposed check before the Dedicated hero takes her action. The GM announces the total result of this check. The Dedicated hero may then decide to take her action as normal and oppose the result or do something else. In the former case, the announced result serves as the opponent’s total. In the latter, ig-nore the result. The Dedicated hero may instead take a different action.

For example, if the Dedicated hero wants to use Bluff to trick a dockworker into allowing her into the strange chapel she knows is aboard the ship he guards. She uses weigh the odds to force him to make a Sense Motive check, the skill normally used to op-pose Bluff. The GM announces that the total result is 10. The player decides that she likes those odds, so the Dedicated hero goes ahead with her Bluff check. If the result had been 26, the player may have de-cided to instead leave the dockworker alone or try to distract him while her friends tried to move in behind his back.

Prerequisite: Gamble 4 ranksGambler’s Luck: Regardless of the situation, things

just seem to go a good gambler’s way. Observers believe that they have incredible luck, but gamblers simply know how to play the odds. Once per day, the Dedicated hero may choose to re-roll a single d20 roll for an attack, check, or save before she learns if she succeeded.

Prerequisite: Gamble 4 ranksWork the Angles: Gamblers know how to read their

opponents, learning their tendencies in order to put together a game plan that takes advantage of the opponent’s weaknesses and avoids their strengths. If the Dedicated hero can speak with a person for 5 –

her Wisdom modifier minutes (minimum 1) and make a successful Sense Motive check opposed by her target’s Bluff skill, she learns some important informa-tion about his tendencies and mood. She gains a +2 competence bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gamble, Intimidate and Sense Motive checks made against him for the next 24 hours. Since this advantage is based partly on the target’s mood and current state of mind, it represents only a temporary advantage.

Prerequisites: Gamble 6 ranks, weigh the odds

Diagnosis Talent TreeThe Dedicated hero has the know-how to discern the medical condition of persons in his vicinity, and to do so with alacrity.

Triage: The Dedicated hero can quickly assess the medical needs of a creature within 30 ft. As a free ac-tion, roll Treat Injury (DC 10). On a successful check, the Dedicated hero can determine if that creature is dead, dying, disabled, seriously wounded (less than half its hit points left), moderately wounded (more than half hit points left but at less than full hit points) or in good condition. Failed checks may give no infor-mation or false information, at the GM’s discretion.

Prerequisite: Treat Injury 4 ranksAssess Condition: When using the triage talent

(above), the Dedicated hero can also determine any conditions that may be affecting the target creature. In addition to the normal benefits for triage, the char-acter can determine if a creature is ability damaged, ability drained, blinded, cowering, dazed, deafened, exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, panicked, paralyzed, shaken, stable, stunned, or unconscious. The Dedicat-ed hero can also determine if the character is under the effects of any mind-affecting spells or abilities, although he cannot determine what spell or ability it is that affects them.

Prerequisite: Treat Injury 4 ranksArea Triage: As a move-equivalent action, the

Dedicated hero can quickly assess the medical needs of every creature within a radius of 15 feet. Make a Treat Injury roll (DC 10) for every creature inspected. For each successful check, the Dedicated hero can determine if that creature is dead, dying, disabled, seriously wounded (less than half its hit points left), moderately wounded (more than half hit points left but at less than full hit points) or in good condition. Failed checks may give no information or false infor-mation, at the GM’s discretion.

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Prerequisite: Treat Injury 6 ranks

Favored Enemy Talent TreeThe Dedicated hero’s knowledge of a special group or disdain for their motivations makes him especially effective against them.

Favored Enemy: Select a single allegiance that is opposed to the Dedicated hero’s attitudes or al-legiances. The Dedicated hero gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures with that opposed allegiance. Likewise, the Dedicated hero gains a +1 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.

Improved Favored Enemy: The Dedicated hero either selects another allegiance as a favored enemy and gains a +1 bonus as described above against that enemy, or their bonus against their first favored en-emy increases by an additional +1 (+2 in total). This talent may be selected multiple times.

Prerequisite: Favored enemyImplacable Foe: The Dedicated hero with this tal-

ent adds his Wisdom bonus to all damage rolls made against a specific favored enemy.

Prerequisite: Favored enemyFocused Resolve: Dedicated heroes with this talent

gain their character level in hit points at the begin-ning of any encounter in which they face a favored enemy.

Prerequisite: Favored enemyDauntless Opponent: Dedicated heroes with this

talent gain a +3 bonus to all Will saves during any en-counter in which they face a favored enemy.

Prerequisite: Favored enemy

Lore Talent TreeThe Dedicated hero always has her ear to the ground, picking up scattered bits of information and lore throughout the world that may yet come in handy some day. As one of the most practical heroes in any adventuring party, a Dedicated hero with a talent from this tree is a fountain of information on many subjects, and much of what she knows comes from everyday knowledge rather than from a textbook.

Fragmented Legend: The Dedicated hero may make Knowledge skill checks untrained. This repre-sents the fragmented pieces of information picked up during the Dedicated hero’s adventures and not any education or formal learning.

Character Assessment: The Dedicated hero learns about a person simply by looking at them. The Dedicated hero makes a Wisdom check, adding the target character’s Reputation modifier to determine the final result. The amount that the Dedicated hero knows about that person is based on the result of the Wisdom check. Consult Table: Character Assessment Results to determine how much information the char-acter gleans from using this talent.

Prerequisite: Fragmented legend

Table: Character Assessment ResultsResult Knowledge16-20 Target’s general residence or place of

origin

21-25 As above, plus target’s starting oc-cupation

26-30 As above, plus target’s personality and interests

31 or more As above, plus target’s personal his-tory and misdeeds

Martial Discipline Talent TreeThis Dedicated hero’s combat effectiveness does not rely on mere strength or speed, but on her great focus and discipline.

Combat Assessment: The Dedicated hero is able to size up someone’s combat capabilities by observ-ing them carefully. As a move action, the Dedicated hero can choose a subject and make a Sense Motive check opposed by the subject’s Bluff check result. If the Sense Motive check succeeds, the Game Master tells the player the subject’s combat bonus relative to the Dedicated hero’s (lower, higher, or equal). The player doesn’t know the subject’s exact bonus unless it equals the Dedicated hero’s, and the Dedicated hero only obtains a rough estimate of relative ability. In cases of a 5-point or greater difference, the Game Master may choose to tell the player the subject’s bo-nus is considerably more or less than the Dedicated hero’s.

Shifting Throw: The Dedicated hero has trained herself in the fundamentals of redirecting opponents’ melee and unarmed attacks rather than resisting them. When the Dedicated hero is unsuccessfully attacked by an opponent, as a free action she may move that opponent to any square adjacent to her that doesn’t place the opponent in immediate jeop-

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ardy (such as flipping him into a woodchipper or over a cliff, although the square can be threatened by another combatant). All of the Dedicated hero’s allies within one range increment gain a +2 bonus to attack that opponent during their next action.

Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts featChi Strike: The Dedicated hero’s unarmed attacks

are incredibly powerful. The Dedicated hero gains the equivalent of the Power Attack feat, but only with un-armed attacks. Therefore, on the Dedicated hero’s ac-tion, before making attack rolls for a round, she may choose to subtract a number from all unarmed attack rolls and add the same number to all unarmed dam-age rolls. This number may not exceed the Dedicated hero’s base attack bonus. Once the penalty to attacks and bonus on damage is set, it may not change un-til the Dedicated hero’s next action. The Dedicated hero may purchase feats that have Power Attack as a prerequisite, but unless the Dedicated hero also gains the Power Attack feat, she can only use those feats with unarmed attacks. In addition, the Dedi-cated hero gains the equivalent of the Sunder feat, but only with unarmed attacks. Therefore, when the Dedicated hero strikes at an object held or carried by an opponent (such as a weapon or shield) with an unarmed attack roll, the attack does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The Dedicate hero also gains a +4 bonus on any unarmed attack roll made to attack an object held or carried by another character. The Dedicated hero may purchase feats that have Sunder as a prerequisite, but unless the Dedicated hero also gains the Sunder feat, she can only use those feats with unarmed attacks.

Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts featNerve Attack: The Dedicated hero trains in the

fundamentals of striking human vital points. Before making an unarmed attack roll, if the player declares that the Dedicated hero is making a nerve attack, that attack does nonlethal damage, but if a threat is rolled, the attack also inflicts the attacker’s choice of one point of temporary Strength, Dexterity or Wisdom damage.

Prerequisite: Treat Injury 2 ranksImproved Nerve Attack: The Dedicated hero has

mastered the techniques used to attack an oppo-nent’s vital points and may use this knowledge to vir-tually control the bodies of others. In addition to the normal effects of a nerve attack, if a threat is rolled with such an attack, the target is also dazed for one full round.

Prerequisites: Treat Injury 5 ranks, Combat Martial Arts feat, nerve attack, base attack bonus +3

Natural Hunter Talent TreeWhen this Dedicated hero travels in any wilderness setting, she instinctively perceives the lay of the land, and can track other creatures through it swiftly

Wilderness Awareness*: The Dedicated hero gets a +4 competence bonus when using Search, Spot, or Listen to detect ambushes or traps in the wilderness.

Prerequisite: Survival 4 ranksTrackless Step*: The Dedicated hero leaves no trail

in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Prerequisites: Wilderness awareness, Survival 5 ranks

Swift Tracker*: The Dedicated hero can move at her normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. She takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Prerequisites: Track feat, wilderness awareness, Sur-vival 7 ranks

Wilderness Attunement: When in any sort of natu-ral terrain, the Dedicated hero may substitute her Wisdom modifier for her Dexterity modifier when making Hide or Move Silently checks.

Prerequisites: Swift tracker, Track feat, wilderness awareness, Survival 7 ranks

Camouflage*: The Dedicated hero can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Prerequisites: Wilderness awareness, trackless step, Hide 9 ranks, Survival 9 ranks

Hide in Plain Sight*: While in any sort of natural terrain, the Dedicated hero can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Prerequisites: Wilderness awareness, trackless step, camouflage, Hide 11 ranks, Survival 11 ranks

Paranoia Talent TreeWhether they have reason or not, some people live in constant fear of attack. This Dedicated hero is such a person, and therefore is always ready for danger.

Paranoia: The Dedicated hero adds his Wisdom bonus to all Initiative rolls.

Sweep*: This Dedicated hero knows how to size up an area and get the lay of the land in a single sweep of his eyes. This sweep provides a +4 circumstance

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bonus on Spot checks and covers an area out to 30 feet away from the character. The Dedicated hero can use this bonus at the start of an encounter. Anything not concealed can be spotted in a sweep with a suc-cessful check (DC 10). The DC for concealed or less obvious threats is equal to their Hide check result.

Poised Strike: If the Dedicated hero must make a Listen or Spot check to determine whether he is sur-prised, add his base attack bonus (but not any modi-fiers he would normally gain on an attack roll) to his Listen or Spot roll in addition to the usual modifiers.

Wary: The Dedicated hero can roll a Will save (DC 20) to avoid being surprised. A successful save allows the Dedicated hero to act during the surprise round, even if he would otherwise be surprised. This ability is usable twice per day.

Prerequisite: Any other talent from this tree

Sleuth Talent TreeThe Dedicated hero has an eye for detail and an intui-tive understanding of the criminal mind.

Sharp Eye*: The Dedicated hero is known for being extraordinarily observant. When selecting this talent, the Dedicated hero gains a permanent +2 compe-tence bonus to any three skills from the following list: Gather Information, Investigate, Knowledge (civics, physical sciences, or technology), Research, Sense Motive, Search, Spot.

This talent can be taken up to three times. Each time, three new skills must be selected, and no skill can be selected twice.

Target Bonus*: The Dedicated hero, as a full-round action, may designate an individual as a target. He spends one action point to select a target, and there-after gains a competence bonus on certain actions involving that particular target. The Dedicated hero does not need to know the target personally and may know her only through her actions or description. The Dedicated hero may not select a target while he or the target is in combat, and once he chooses a target he must wait 24 hours before choosing another.

The Dedicated hero gains the target bonus as a competence bonus on attacks against that particu-lar target, as well as when using the following skills directly against the target, or in tracking a target: Bluff, Computer Use, Gather Information, Investigate, Listen, Research, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot. The target bonus applies to a single individual and lasts until the Dedicated hero chooses a new target. The

bonus is +1, but this talent may be selected multiple times, and each time it is selected it raises the Target Bonus by +1.

Profile*: The Dedicated hero knows how to create a profile of a criminal. By making a Gather Informa-tion check (DC 15) related to a crime, the Dedicated hero compiles a rough mental picture of the suspect. This mental picture provides a physical description, including distinguishing marks and visible manner-isms. Success makes the profile accurate, at least concerning a particular suspect as seen by witnesses. However, the Dedicated hero has no way to be certain that the criminal didn’t wear a disguise or otherwise mask her identity.

The Dedicated hero can expand the profile by mak-ing an Investigate check (DC 15) involving the crime scene or other evidence linked to the suspect. If suc-cessful, the Dedicated hero combines the information gathered with forensic evidence to develop a profile of the suspect’s method of operation. This provides a +2 circumstance bonus on any skill checks made to uncover additional evidence or otherwise locate the suspect—the Dedicated hero develops a sense of the suspect’s goals and where he or she might strike next.

Identify Motive*: The Dedicated hero can use a crime scene (or evidence from a crime scene) to de-termine the perpetrator’s state of mind at the time she committed the crime. If the perpetrator attempt-ed to hide the nature of her crime (such as making a premeditated murder look like a burglary gone awry), the Dedicated hero must make a Sense Motive check opposed by the perpetrator’s Bluff check. If the crime was committed by more than one perpetrator and the Dedicated hero does not know this fact, the Bluff check receives a +5 bonus. Success allows the Dedi-cated hero to understand the perpetrator’s emotional state at the time of the crime, and reveals how many perpetrators were involved.

Prerequisite: Profile

Weapon of Choice Talent TreeDedicated heroes with this talent tree are devoted to the mastery of a single weapon or fighting form.

Weapon Focus: So long as he meets the prereq-uisites, the Dedicated hero gains the Weapon Focus feat.

Greater Weapon Focus: The bonus to attack rolls for the Dedicated hero’s Weapon Focus feat is in-

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creased by +1. If the Dedicated hero has the Weapon Focus feat with multiple weapons, he must choose one weapon for which he has the Weapon Focus feat to benefit from this increased bonus. The chosen weapon can never be changed, and, like most talents, this talent can only be selected once.

Prerequisites: Base attack +2, Weapon Focus featCritical Strike: With this talent, the Dedicated hero

can strike with critical precision more frequently than other characters using the same weapon. This talent increases the critical threat range of the weapon the character has chosen for his greater weapon focus tal-ent by 1 point. For example, a Colt .45 usually threat-ens a critical on a natural roll of 20. With this talent, that increases to 19-20. This effect does stack with the Improved Critical feat.

Prerequisites: Base attack +3, greater weapon focus, Weapon Focus feat

Lethal Strike: The Dedicated hero’s strikes with the weapon he has chosen for his greater weapon focus talent become more deadly. The DC to save against massive damage inflicted with the Dedicated hero’s selected weapon is equal to DC 15 plus the Dedicated hero’s Wisdom modifier.

Prerequisites: Base attack +4, greater weapon focus, Weapon Focus feat

Weapon of Choice: Attacks made by the Dedicated hero with the weapon he has chosen for his greater weapon focus talent become even more devastating. Attacks made with the Dedicated hero’s Weapon of Choice inflict an additional amount of damage equal to the Dedicated hero’s Wisdom modifier. This dam-age stacks with any similar bonus gained from similar feats or talents such as Weapon Specialization.Prerequisites: Base attack +5, greater weapon focus, Weapon Focus feat

Wilderness Expert Talent TreeThe character is familiar with animals and natural set-tings.

Nature Sense: The Dedicated hero gains a +2 bo-nus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Natural Affinity: The Dedicated hero can identify plants and animals (their species and special traits) with perfect accuracy. Such a character can also de-termine whether water is safe to drink or dangerous.

Trailblazing: The Dedicated hero is particularly skilled at finding the best route through unfamiliar or obstructed areas. When traveling in poor conditions

or difficult terrain, the Dedicated hero may make a Survival check to reduce travel time. With a check re-sult of 15 or better, the Dedicated hero reduces total travel time by 25%. With a 25 or better the time is re-duced by 50%. The Dedicated hero can guide a group of up to three individuals at no penalty. However, for each additional three in the group being guided, ap-ply a -2 penalty to the trailblazing check. The Dedi-cated hero can take 10 on this check, but he can’t take 20. This ability does not apply to tactical movement or local movement.

Woodland Stride: The Dedicated hero may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suf-fering any other impairment. However, in a campaign where magic exists, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect the Dedicated hero.

Prerequisite: Any 1 other talent from this treeNaturalist: The Dedicated hero selects one of the

following terrains in which she specializes: arctic, desert, deciduous forest, jungle, mountain (high al-titude), mountain (low altitude), plains (temperate grasslands), rainforest, savanna, sea coast, swamp, volcanic plain.

When in that particular terrain, she gains a +2 com-petence bonus on all checks involving the following skills: Climb, Craft (structural), Hide, Move Silently, Navigate, Search, Survival.

This talent may be selected more than once. Each time, the Dedicated hero may either gain the de-scribed bonus in a new type of terrain or add an addi-tional +2 to a preexisting bonus. However, the bonus can never be greater than half the Dedicated hero’s ranks in the Survival skill (rounded down).

Prerequisites: Climb 6 ranks, Survival 6 ranks, Navi-gate 3 ranks

FAST HERO TALENTS“*” = Modern advanced or prestige classes exist which may provide the Fast hero with a class ability similar, or identical, to this talent; a Fast hero who already possesses this talent may choose another talent from this talent tree instead, or any talent which is speci-fied as a prerequisite for that talent.

Acrobatic Talent TreeThe Fast hero is a trained or natural acrobat.

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Graceful Recovery: Three times per game session, the Fast hero may re-roll any Balance check he makes and keep the better result of the two rolls.

Improved Charge: The Fast hero can make a charge without having to move in a straight line. All other charge rules apply, but the Fast hero can alter his or her direction when making a charge to avoid obstacles.

Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +2Nip-Up: The Fast hero can stand up from a prone

position as a free action that does not provoke an at-tack of opportunity.

Prerequisite: Character level 4Nimble: Tumble and Balance are always class skills

for this Fast hero. That is, the Fast hero treats Tumble and Balance as class skills for any class in which the Fast hero currently has, or subsequently gains, levels.

Slow Fall: If the Fast hero is within arm’s reach of a wall, she can use it to slow her descent. Subtract 10 feet from the fall per two character levels before determining damage, with falls of 0 or less doing no damage.

Prerequisite: Base Reflex save bonus +4 or higherAcrobatic Leap: The Fast hero’s jumping distance is

not limited according to his height. Also, he adds his Dexterity bonus to all vertical jumping attempts.

Prerequisite: Any one talent from this treeAcrobatic Attack: If the Fast hero attacks by jump-

ing at least 5 ft. into his opponent at or onto his op-ponent, or by swinging from a rope or similar object into his opponent, he gains a +2 circumstance bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Prerequisites: Acrobatic leap, graceful recovery

Elusive Talent TreeFast heroes with this talent tree are known for their uncanny ability to avoid attacks and to wriggle free of bonds or grapples.

Fancy Footwork: Each round, on his initiative, the Fast hero may choose to either gain a +1 Dodge bonus to his Defense against all attacks directed at her, or a +2 Dodge bonus against a single specific opponent. She cannot use this bonus when she is flat footed or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus to Defense. In addition, a Fast hero with this talent can acquire feats and talents that have the Dodge feat as a prerequisite, even if the Fast hero does not possess the actual feat.

Slippery: A Fast hero with this talent gains a +3

competence bonus to all Escape Artist checks, includ-ing those made to escape a grapple.

Creeping Reflexes: The Fast hero has remarkably keen reactions, enabling her to excel at certain skills. The Fast hero with this talent adds her base Reflex saving throw bonus to all Move Silently checks.

Prerequisites: Any one talent from this talent tree and any one talent from the Defensive talent tree.

Catlike Reflexes: The Fast hero has remarkably keen reactions, enabling her to excel at certain skills. The Fast hero with this talent adds her base Reflex saving throw bonus to all Hide checks.

Prerequisites: Any one talent from this talent tree and any talent from the Defensive talent tree.

Improved Fancy Footwork: Any Defense bonus the Fast hero gains from the Fancy Footwork talent is increased. Accordingly, each round the Fast hero may choose to either gain a +2 Dodge bonus to her De-fense against all attacks directed at her, or a +3 Dodge bonus against a single specific opponent.

Prerequisite: Fancy footwork.Celeritous Skulking: The Fast hero with this talent

can move at normal speed without suffering the –5 penalty to her Hide check.

Prerequisites: Any two talents from this talent tree and any talent from the Defensive talent tree.

Redirecting Dodge: Should an opponent against whom the Fast hero is receiving the bonus from her Dodge feat (or the fancy footwork talent) attack her while flanking her, she may be able to turn the attack against the opponent’s flanking partner. If the attack against the Fast hero misses, she can spend an Ac-tion Point to dodge out of the way successfully. This tactic causes the opponent to skewer the ally who helps create the flank, imposing its result against that ally. The opponent does not reroll the attack. Use the result of the original attack roll against the flanking target. Note that the Fast hero decides to spend the Action Point after seeing the attack’s results, allowing her to gauge whether the strike has a chance to hit the enemy.

Prerequisites: Dodge feat, base attack bonus +7

Efficiency Talent TreeThe Fast hero is not only able to move and react more quickly than other types of heroes, she is also more efficient with her time. The Fast hero learns how to act even when performing numerous other tasks and to accomplish those tasks in the shortest time possible.

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Tactical Action: The Fast hero may spend one ac-tion point to use this talent. At the beginning of any round, the Fast hero may raise her Initiative by +2. This must be declared before the combatant with the highest initiative begins his action.

Surge of Speed: The Fast hero may spend one ac-tion point to use this talent. At the beginning or end of the Fast hero’s round, the Fast hero gains an addi-tional move action to be used at her discretion.

Burst of Speed: The Fast hero may spend one ac-tion point to use this talent. At the beginning or end of the Fast hero’s round, the Fast hero gains an addi-tional attack action to be used at her discretion.

Prerequisites: Surge of speed, increased speed

Instinctive Response Talent TreeThe Fast hero gains the instinctual ability to react quickly and effectively to unexpected danger.

Full Alert: The Fast hero gets a +4 circumstance bonus on initiative checks. This bonus stacks with the one provided by the Improved Initiative feat (provid-ing a +8 bonus if the Fast hero has both).

Improved Evasion*: If the Fast hero is exposed to any effect that normally allows a Fast hero to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage (such as get-ting caught in a grenade blast), the Fast hero suffers no damage if she makes a successful saving throw and only half damage on a failed save. Improved eva-sion can only be used when wearing light armor or no armor.

Prerequisites: Evasion, plus any two other talents from this talent tree and/or the Defensive Talent or Increased Speed Talent Trees.

Heightened Reflexes: The Fast hero can choose to take 10 on any Reflex saving throw. She may also spend 1 action point to gain a +10 bonus on a Reflex saving throw. She may choose to take 10, or spend an action point to gain the +10 bonus, or both.

Prerequisites: Full alert, evasion, increased speed, improved evasion.

Point Blank Range Talent TreeThe Fast hero excels at using ranged weapons in close-quarters situations.

Point Blank Shot: The Fast hero gains the Point Blank Shot feat.

Improved Point Blank Shot: Opponents can never get close enough to the Fast hero to make her ranged weapon a disadvantage. As a free action

once per round, the Fast hero can choose whether to treat her ranged weapon as a melee weapon or go back to treating it as a ranged weapon. When treat-ing a ranged weapon as a melee one, the Fast hero threatens spaces up to her standard reach and makes attacks of opportunity as if the ranged weapon were a normal melee weapon. Further, while treating her ranged weapon as a melee one, she does not provoke attacks of opportunity with her ranged weapon’s at-tacks. However, while treating a ranged weapon as a melee weapon, she can only attack opponents in her threatened area, and must choose to go back treat her ranged weapon normally in order to attack foes at range.

Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot feat, base attack bo-nus +2

Advanced Point Blank Shot: Whenever the Fast hero makes an attack that gains the bonus from her Point Blank Shot feat, she can choose whether she wishes to use this talent. If she damages the oppo-nent while using this talent, the opponent damaged must roll a Strength or Dexterity check (whichever is higher) against a DC equal to 12 plus the amount of damage inflicted. If the check is failed, the opponent is knocked prone, as if the Fast hero had tripped him.


Greater Point Blank Shot: The Fast hero gains her Dexterity bonus to damage on all ranged attacks made against targets within 30 feet. This benefit stacks with Point Blank Shot’s base bonus damage.


Supreme Point Blank Shot: When the Fast hero uses her advanced point blank shot talent, the DC of the opponent’s Strength or Dexterity check to avoid falling prone is increased to 15 plus the amount of damage inflicted. In addition, if the opponent fails, the Fast hero may force him to fall prone in a square adjacent to his current position—in essence moving him one square. The Fast hero chooses which square the opponent falls into, but it cannot be a square closer to the Fast hero than the opponent’s current location.

If the opponent is forced to enter an occupied square in this fashion, the targets within it must make Reflex saves (DC 15 + fallen opponent’s special size modifier; see the Table: Falling Prone Check Modifiers) or also be knocked prone. Any creatures forced to make such a Reflex save also gain a modifier to the

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roll based on their own size (also using the same Table: Falling Prone Check Modifiers, below). Once any Reflex saves are resolved, the opponent who initially fell prone does not stay in an occupied square, but is moved back to his initial position. See the table below for size modifiers to trip saves:

Table: Falling Prone Check ModifiersSize DC/Save Modifier Fine –12

Tiny –8 Small –4 Medium +0 Large +4 Huge +8 Gargantuan +12 Colossal +16

If the square or squares into which the Fast hero forces the opponent to move are unoccupied, the creature comes to a stop where she placed him. The Fast hero must resolve this movement before gaining any additional attacks against that opponent.

Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot feat, advanced point blank shot talent, base attack bonus +6

Speed Wrestling Talent TreeGrappling is not all about Strength. There are many successful wrestlers who win because they are much faster than their opponent, rather than stronger. A truly speedy wrestler can execute more moves in less time and he is often far more limber than the muscle-bound brawler.

Kinetic Grapple: Fast heroes with this talent can use their Dexterity modifier instead of Strength modi-fier when grappling.

Chain Wrestling: The Fast hero can quickly execute wrestling moves while grappling at the expense of accuracy and form. When doing so, he may make one extra grapple check in a round at his highest base at-tack bonus, but that grapple check takes a –2 penalty, as does each other grapple check made that round. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects opposed grapple checks the Fast hero might make before her next action. The Fast hero must use a full attack action to use this talent while grappling.

Prerequisite: Kinetic grappleBasic Acrobatic Grapple: At the beginning of a

grapple, a Fast hero with this talent makes a Tumble

check to gain a +2 circumstance bonus in the grap-ple. The DC for this check is 10 + the opponent’s base attack bonus. If the check fails, no bonus is gained. The bonus applies to all grapple checks the Fast hero makes against the opponent and persists until the grapple ends.

Advanced Acrobatic Grapple: The Fast hero with this talent can make Tumble skill checks instead of grapple checks when engaged in a grapple. The Fast hero’s Tumble ability replaces his normal method of grappling. All the Fast hero’s grapple checks are now rolled as Tumble checks. These Tumble checks serve as the Fast hero’s grapple checks. This effect does not stack with the benefit gained from Basic Acrobatic Moves.

Prerequisites: Kinetic grapple, basic acrobatic grap-ple

Thug Talent TreeThe Fast hero understands how to hit someone where it hurts the most.

Sneak Attack: Any time the Fast hero’s target would be denied her Dexterity bonus to Defense (whether she actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the Fast hero’s attack deals +1d6 points of damage. Should the Fast hero score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. It takes precision and penetration to hit a vital spot, so ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the target is 30 feet away or less. With a sap or an unarmed strike, the Fast hero can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of normal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals normal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of his weapon in order to execute the sneak attack. A Fast hero can only sneak attack living creatures with discernible anatomies. Additionally, any creature im-mune to critical hits is similarly immune to sneak at-tacks. Also, the Fast hero must also be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach a vital spot. The Fast hero cannot sneak attack while striking at a creature with conceal-ment or by striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach. If the Fast hero gains sneak attack from another class or feat, the bonus dice from the various sneak attacks stack.

Sneak Attack 2: The bonus damage from the Fast hero’s sneak attack is increased to +2d6.

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Prerequisites: Fast hero level 3, sneak attackSneak Attack 3: The bonus damage from the Fast

hero’s sneak attack is increased to +3d6.Prerequisites: Fast hero level 5, sneak attack 2Sneak Attack 4: The bonus damage from the Fast

hero’s sneak attack is increased to +4d6.Prerequisites: Fast hero level 7, sneak attack 3Sneak Attack 5: The bonus damage from

the Fast hero’s sneak attack is increased to +5d6.

Prerequisites: Fast hero level 9, sneak attack 4Crippling Strike: A Fast hero with this abil-

ity can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An op-ponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.

Prerequisites: Sneak at-tack, base attack bonus +5

Death Attack: If the Fast hero studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that success-fully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional eff ect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the tar-get (the Fast hero’s choice). While studying the victim, the Fast hero can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the Fast hero or rec-ognize her as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one half the Fast hero’s level + the Fast hero’s Int modifi er) against the kill eff ect, he dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis eff ect, the victim is rendered helpless and un-

able to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the Fast hero. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the Fast hero has completed the 3 rounds of study, she must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the Fast hero does not launch

the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required be-fore she can attempt another death attack.

Prerequisites: Sneak attack, base attack bonus +7

Unarmed Prodigy Talent TreeThe Fast hero’s combat instincts are honed for fi ghting without weapons.

Exotic Arms: The Fast hero chooses three basic or exotic weapons of medium size or small-er with which she is profi cient. For purposes of any talents, class abili-ties or special attacks that require an attack to be unarmed (such as jump kick, fl urry of blows, etc.), she may consider attacks with those weapons to be unarmed attacks.

Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts feat or Defensive Martial

Arts featJump Kick: The Fast hero may

move one 5-ft. square before mak-ing an unarmed attack that is not a trip attempt. This does not prevent the Fast hero from taking another 5-ft. step dur-ing the round as normal.

Prerequisites: Jump (2 ranks), Combat Martial Arts feat

Roundhouse Kick: The Fast hero may attack two opponents who are adjacent both to herself and to each other with a single unarmed attack. The Fast hero makes one attack roll and compares it to each targeted opponent’s Defense value. If the Fast hero hits either or both of them, she makes a single damage roll and deals that damage

to each opponent she hit.

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Prerequisites: Combat Martial Arts feat, base attack bonus +1

Flying Kick: The Fast hero can use a charge to de-liver a devastating flying kick to an opponent. At the end of this charge, the Fast hero adds his or her class level as a bonus to the damage he or she deals with an unarmed strike.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +5Flurry of Blows*: The Fast hero may strike with fu-

rious speed at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, she may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a –2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects at-tacks of opportunity the Fast hero might make before her next action. The Fast hero must use a full attack action to strike with flurry of blows. The Fast hero can-not wear any armor while using this ability.

Prerequisites: Either the Brawl or Combat Martial Arts feat, at least two other talents from either this tree or the Acrobatic talent tree

SMART HERO TALENTS“*” = Modern advanced or prestige classes exist which may provide the Smart hero with a class ability similar, or identical, to this talent; a Smart hero who already possesses this talent may choose another talent from this talent tree instead, or any talent which is speci-fied as a prerequisite for that talent.

Business Sense Talent TreeThrough some combination of factors—be they good professional etiquette, a discerning eye, or just a natural cunning—the Smart hero has a honed tal-ent for business interactions.

Obsequious: The Smart hero has done business around enough people higher up the ladder than himself to be used to them—and figure out how to turn their relative positions to his advantage. The Smart hero can add his Intelligence bonus to all Cha-risma based skill rolls made to interact with people who have a higher social standing—or greater wealth—than the Smart hero.

Man About Town: As the Smart hero practices a trade in a certain community, the locals slowly begin to trust him based on the quality of his work and the services he renders to his neighbors. If the Smart hero practices his craft or profession in any community for a number of weeks equal to 6 – his Intelligence

modifier (minimum 1), he gains a +2 competence bo-nus to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks made against residents of that area. His reputation as a respectable businessman allows him to easily win his neighbors’ trust.

Merchant’s Eye: The Smart hero has an almost uncanny ability to spot valuable items. He gains a +2 competence bonus on any rolls to determine the worth of an item. Also, when he sells an item, assum-ing the object is undamaged and in working condi-tion, the sale value is equal to the object’s purchase DC (as if purchased new) minus 2 instead of minus 3.

Cut Your Losses: When the Smart hero purchases an object or service with a purchase DC 11 or more points higher than his or her current Wealth bonus, the dice rolled to determine the amount of wealth lost are d4’s instead of d6’s.

Prerequisite: Any 1 talent from this treeHaggling: Due to a combination of bartering in-

stinct and horse sense, when purchasing or selling equipment, the Smart hero may attempt a Bluff or Diplomacy check with a DC equal to the item’s pur-chase DC. If the check is successful, the Smart hero may raise or lower the item’s purchase DC by 1 point. This reduction is applied to price before any other modifiers the GM may figure in (including location, rarity, or relationship to the seller). Note that, in cam-paigns where magic exists, this modifier cannot be applied to magical items. This ability cannot be used when the Smart hero uses his Wealth to add to an ally’s roll, only when the Smart hero makes the actual purchase.

Prerequisites: Any 2 talents from this tree

Combat Interaction Talent TreeSmart heroes with this talent tree have an instinctive grasp of the geometry of a battlefield that affords them unique opportunities in a combat situation.

Combat Expertise: So long as she meets the pre-requisites, the Smart hero receives the Combat Exper-tise feat.

Accurate Strike: The Smart hero’s superior under-standing of the battlefield allows him to account for obstacles and confusion. Whenever the Smart hero makes an attack that adds her Dexterity bonus, Intelligence bonus, or Wisdom bonus rather than his Strength bonus to the roll, she can apply an ad-ditional +1 bonus to the attack roll as well. Further, when any attack to which this bonus is applied is

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made against a target who is currently benefiting from cover or concealment, that cover or conceal-ment is treated as if it were one degree worse than it is for purposes of the attack. For example, if a creature benefiting from 1⁄2 cover is attacked by a Smart hero using her accurate strike ability, he does not receive a +4 cover bonus to Defense against that attack, but rather receives a +2 bonus, as if the creature were only benefiting from 1⁄4 cover. If the same creature were benefiting from 1⁄2 concealment, the 20% miss chance applied to the Smart hero’s attack would be reduced to 10%, as if only 1⁄4 concealment applied. If the target only has 1⁄4 cover or 1⁄4 concealment, he receives no benefit against the Smart hero using her accurate strike.

Prerequisite: Combat Expertise feat or any talent from the Research Talent Tree, base attack bonus +1

Sudden Move: When the Smart hero takes her free 5-foot step she may move 10 feet instead. This is still treated as a 5-foot step for purposes of attacks of op-portunity.


Double Time: The Smart hero can spend 1 action point at the beginning of any round to re-roll her initiative check as a free action. This will change her place in the initiative order for the rest of the com-bat.


Advanced Combat Expertise: When using the Combat Expertise feat, the Smart hero may take a penalty to attacks of up to her base attack bonus and gain the same number as a bonus to defense. Other-wise, the feat functions as normal.

Prerequisites: Combat Expertise feat, base attack bonus +5

Craft Talent TreeThe Smart hero has learned many secrets regarding the manufacture of items.

Craft Competence: The Smart hero has studied the manufacture of goods relating to any single Craft skill to such a degree, that she can create items quickly without detracting from the quality of the item. When the Smart hero begins the process of creating an item, she makes a Craft skill check (DC 20) adding her levels in the Smart hero class as a bonus. If the Smart hero succeeds, the time needed to create the item is

halved. Other circumstances or skills that reduce the time are figured into the time to create the item first and then this amount is halved.

Prerequisite: Craft (any) 4 ranksMade to Last: Items created by the Smart hero are

made of such excellent material and with such skill that they are extremely durable. When the Smart hero has completed an item, she makes a Craft skill check (DC 25) adding her levels in the Smart hero class as a bonus. If the Smart hero succeeds, the item is considered durable. Durable items receive a +1 en-hancement bonus to any save. The Hardness and Hit Points of such items are increased by one-quarter.

Prerequisite: Craft competencePotent Weapon: Weapons created by the Smart

hero not only offer a bonus to hit, but also to dam-age. When the Smart hero has completed a weapon, she makes a Craft skill check (DC 25) adding her levels in the Smart hero class as a bonus. If the Smart hero succeeds, the weapon provides a +1 enhancement bonus to damage rolls.

Prerequisite: Craft competenceScrimp and Save: The Smart hero has become so

adept at fashioning items that she uses less mate-rial and maximizes the use of the materials available. When the Smart hero begins work on an item(s), she makes a Craft skill check (DC 25) adding the levels in the Smart hero class as a bonus. If the Smart hero succeeds, the value of the raw materials necessary is reduced by an amount equal to the character’s Smart hero levels.

Prerequisite: Craft competence

Deduction Talent TreeThe Smart hero has spent time training his mind to be as efficient, analytical, and rational as possible. This allows him to take full advantage of his learning and experience, but can sometimes make him seem a little distant and emotionless.

Logical: The Smart hero can use the theoretical information at his command to help solve real tan-gentially related problems. Choose any Knowledge category in which the Smart hero has 4 or more ranks. He gains a synergy bonus equal to half his class level (round down) to the related skill listed below.

Knowledge Category Synergy Bonus toArcane lore Knowledge (theology

and philosophy)

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Art Craft (visual art)Behavioral sciences Sense MotiveBusiness ForgeryCivics DiplomacyCurrent events Gather InformationEarth and life sciences Treat InjuryHistory ResearchPhysical sciences Craft (chemical)Popular culture Knowledge (streetwise)Streetwise IntimidateTactics Investigate

Technology Craft (electronic)Theology and Philoso-phy

Knowledge (arcane lore)

The Smart hero may take this talent multiple times, but each time it must apply to a different Knowledge category.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (any) 4 ranksTalk a Good Game: The Smart hero has such stun-

ning command of a subject that he is able to use it to obfuscate his real meaning or intention.

Choose one Knowledge category to which the Smart hero already has applied the logical talent. When talking about that subject, if a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check is called for, the Smart hero may instead use the skill modifier from his Knowledge skill.

For example: If the Smart hero has taken the logi-cal talent for Knowledge (business) and is trying to convince a colleague that a particular company has a higher net value than it truly does, he may use his Knowledge (business) score instead of his Bluff score when determining whether or not the colleague be-lieves him. (The check is still opposed normally.)

This talent may be taken multiple times, but each time it must be applied to a different Knowledge cat-egory to which the Smart hero has applied the logical talent.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks, logicalImplacable: The Smart hero selects a number of

Intelligence-based skills equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. When making a check with one of these skills, the Smart hero can take 10 even when distract-ed or under duress.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks, logical

Engineering Expert Talent TreeThe Smart hero has honed a talent for construction

and engineering.Barricade: Those with a sense for engineering pre-

fer to spend time carefully planning a fortification and determining the materials they need to create it, but in times of stress (such as when a prowling murderer is somewhere in the wilderness outside the cabin door) they can throw together a durable but temporary barrier. With five rounds of work and a DC 20 Craft (structural) check, the Smart hero can either increase the hardness of a 10-foot section of wall, a door, or similar structure by 1d4 or increase its hit points by 3d6. An object can receive either bonus only once. Thus, the Smart hero could either improve a door’s hardness or its hit points, but not both. The Game Master must judge whether sufficient con-struction materials are available to complete this work. If the Smart hero has help from one or more characters, reduce the time needed to complete this reinforcement by two rounds. Additional helpers be-yond the first one only get in the way.

Demolish: The Smart hero excels at tearing down structures and delivering smashing blows against brick walls and similar objects. When making attacks against constructs or objects with hardness, the Smart hero gains the benefits of the Power Attack feat. If the Smart hero already has this feat, double the bonus damage it grants when he uses a one-handed weapon against constructs or objects with hardness. When using a two-handed weapon, the Smart hero triples rather than doubles his bonus damage.

Engineer’s Eye: With their skill in handling steel, concrete and other materials combined with their knowledge of how best to put a structure together, engineering experts excel at finding weak points and vulnerable spots in objects. With a successful Craft (structural) check (DC 15), the Smart hero gains a +5 bonus to damage against any object with hardness or any construct. If the check result is 30 or higher, the Smart hero gains a +10 bonus. Using Craft (structural) in this manner is a full-round action. At the GM’s dis-cretion, a player may choose to substitute Craft (me-chanical) for this roll against appropriate constructs or objects.

Prerequisite: Barricade or demolish

Intuitive Leap Talent TreeThe Smart hero’s natural intelligence allows her to compensate for any gaps in her formal education or experience, and to attain insights far beyond those

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which mere study could grant her.Breakthrough: The Smart hero may not always

grasp a subject immediately, but when she makes a leap of logic it propels her thinking from then on. Whenever the Smart hero’s roll on a Knowledge skill check exceeds the DC by 5 or more, she gains a +4 competence bonus to all rolls for that Knowledge skill for the rest of the game session.

Factotum: Even if the Smart hero has no formal training in a field of knowledge, she still picks up bits and pieces of information from almost every area of study. The Smart hero can choose to make a Knowledge skill check as if she had ranks in it equal to half her Smart hero level, even if she normally has no ranks in that skill.

Brilliant Insight: Once per day, the Smart hero may treat a Knowledge skill check as if her die roll were a natural 20. This ability may only be used with Knowledge skills in which the Smart hero has at least 4 ranks.

Mechanical Aptitude Talent TreeThe Smart hero has a knack for building, repairing and dismantling mechanical devices, especially vehicles.

Kickstart: Twice per game session, the Smart hero can change a failed Repair roll into a success by giv-ing the device a whack in frustration. When the Smart hero fails a Repair check that may be re-tried, he may spend 1 move action to give the target device a whack in frustration. As long as the check DC is equal to or less than the Smart hero’s character level + 20, the whack reverses the failure. If several grades of success are possible, this ability achieves only the lowest possible positive result. This ability cannot be used to change rolls against DC ratings so high the Smart hero never had any chance of succeeding. For example, a Smart hero whose total modifier for a certain Repair roll is +14 cannot use this ability to suc-ceed on a roll where the DC was 40, since even a roll of 20 would have only yielded a 34 (20 + 14), which is still well shy of 40. This talent can be taken multiple times. Each selection allows the Smart hero to use this ability two additional times per day.

Quick Craft*: The Smart hero knows how to craft ordinary scratch-built electronic, mechanical, and structural objects more quickly than normal. When using the Craft (electronic), Craft (mechanical), or Craft (structural) skill to build an ordinary scratch-built item, the Smart hero reduces the building time

by one-quarter. Hit the Weak Spot*: The Smart hero knows enough

about vehicles to know the best way to damage and disable them. Whether using a weapon or another ve-hicle, the Smart hero ignores the first 5 points of hard-ness when attacking a vehicle. Advanced classes exist which may provide the Smart hero with a class ability similar, or identical, to this talent; a Smart hero who already possesses this talent may choose another tal-ent from this talent tree instead.

Precision Talent TreeThe Smart hero has a precise and exact mind, and works efficiently and carefully at anything she does.

Eidetic Memory: The Smart hero enjoys a +1 com-petence bonus to all Knowledge checks and gains a +2 bonus on Spot checks to detect a disguise. If you, as a player, have any questions about an event, such as a person’s name or exactly what happened, your Game Master must tell you the details even if you yourself have forgotten them. The Smart hero cannot remember extremely fine details, such as the text of a book left open on a desk, but she can remember the general gist of the book or the topic the passage cov-ered. She always remembers faces, names, and the basic sequence of events.

Accurate Attack: The Smart hero can lessen her attack’s damage to make a wider, more sweeping at-tack with a better chance to hit. Subtract a number up to 5 from the Smart hero’s damage bonus and add the same number to her attack roll. The Smart hero cannot lower her damage bonus below 0 nor more than double her attack bonus.

Competency: The Smart hero gains a +2 compe-tence bonus to all rolls for Craft skills, Profession skills or Perform skills in which he has at least 4 ranks.

Precise Skills: Choose three skills in which the Smart hero has at least 4 ranks. When the Smart hero takes 20 on a check for one of those skills, it takes half the normal time.

Prerequisites: Competency plus one Craft, Knowl-edge, Perform or Profession skill at 7 ranks or higher

Quick Thinking Talent TreeSmart heroes with this talent tree are capable of such rapid extrapolations of logic that they gain bonuses on various checks and rolls, thanks to their sharp minds.

Keen Reflex: Smart heroes with this talent add their

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Intelligence modifier in addition to any other modi-fiers that normally apply to all Reflex saving throws.

Keenly Skilled: Select one of the skills listed in the following paragraph. The Smart hero adds a bonus equal to his Intelligence modifier in addition to his normal modifiers when making a check with that skill. A Smart hero can take this talent multiple times; each time it applies to a different skill.

Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Drive, Handle Ani-mal, Jump, Perform (any single skill), Pilot, Profession (any single skill), Ride, Sense Motive, Survival, and Swim.

Perspicacious Response: Smart heroes with this talent add their Intelligence bonus to their Initiative checks in addition to their Dexterity modifier and any other modifiers that normally apply to Initiative checks.

Quick Catch: Whenever someone within 5 feet of the Smart hero is successfully disarmed, the Smart hero can roll a Reflex Save (DC:15) to immediately catch hold of the disarmed weapon, regardless of whether the Smart hero doing the disarming wished to acquire it for his or her self. If two or more Smart heroes with this talent attempt to catch the same weapon, it falls to the ground, where whoever gets to it first can pick it up.

Skill Enhancement Talent TreeThe Smart hero is one of the most skilled adventurers around, and his ability to apply his knowledge and talents in all situations makes him a valuable addition to the team. Smart heroes with talents from this tree, however, are able to use their skills and manipulate their own abilities to the point where they are not only able but flexible as well.

Competitive Edge: When taking this talent, the Smart hero must select one class skill. The Smart hero’s maximum ranks with that skill are increased by +2. Note that this does not increase the Smart hero’s actual ranks in the skill, only adding to the number of skill points he may invest in any chosen class skill. Also, ranks in excess of the Smart hero’s character lev-el+3 are not counted when determining if the Smart hero fulfills the requirements for an Advanced Class or Prestige Class. This talent can be taken multiple times, but only once for any given class skill.

Expanded Knowledge Base: The Smart hero gains an additional 2 skill points per level.

Prerequisite: Competitive edge

Applied Knowledge: When taking this talent, the Smart hero must select one skill (either class or cross-class). That skill’s relevant ability modifier is replaced by the Smart hero’s Intelligence modifier, allowing the Smart hero to apply his intellect to even the most physical tasks. Note that any situation that would normally cause the Smart hero to lose his ability bonus to that score does not affect his ability to add his Intelligence modifier to the skill check, unless the situation causes him to lose his Intelligence bonus to skill checks. So, in a situation where the Smart hero might normally be denied his Dexterity bonus to the Pilot skill, he may still use his Intelligence score as the relevant ability for the Pilot skill provided he selected Pilot as the target of this talent.

Prerequisites: Competitive edge, expanded knowl-edge base

Tactical Talent TreeThe Smart hero’s knowledge of tactics profits both herself and her allies.

Unit Integrity: When the Smart hero attacks an op-ponent who stands within 5 feet of herself, she gains a +1 competence bonus for each ally who is within 5 feet of that opponent, up to a maximum of +4. This stacks with any bonus gained from flanking an op-ponent.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (tactics) 5 ranksTactical Aid*: As a full-round action, the Smart hero

provides tactical aid to all of her allies (including her-self ) within sight and voice range of her position. This use of tactical aid requires an action point. This aid provides a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls. The bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-half the Smart hero’s level, rounded down.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (tactics) 7 ranksTactical Expertise*: As a full-round action, the

Smart hero can use her tactical knowledge to coordi-nate allies. Allies to be affected must be within sight and hearing distance of the Smart hero and must be able to understand her. The Smart hero must make a Knowledge (tactics) check with a DC equal to 15 + the number of allies affected. She cannot take 10 or take 20 on the check. If the check succeeds, all affected allies gain a competence bonus on attack rolls or a dodge bonus to Defense equal to the Smart hero’s Reputation bonus. The Smart hero chooses which of the two benefits to impart and must impart the same benefit to all affected allies. The benefits last

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for 1 round. If the check fails, the Smart hero’s allies gain no benefit, but the action point is still spent. The Smart hero cannot apply the benefits of this ability to herself.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (tactics) 9 ranksTactical Deception: The Smart hero can lure op-

ponents into making poor decisions in battle—either leaving herself open to attack or drawing on her op-ponent’s grasp of the tactical situation to manipulate him. As a standard action, the Smart hero can spend an Action Point to activate this ability against a single foe to whom she has line of sight. Her opponent must also be able to see her. The Smart hero’s foe attempts a Will save (DC 10 + half the Smart hero’s character level + the Smart hero’s Intelligence modifier). If this save fails, the Smart hero chooses one of the follow-ing effects:

•The opponent must charge the Smart hero on the next action if there is a clear path to her. The Smart hero can force an enemy to suffer attacks of opportunity by this means, but otherwise can never compel him to move into immediate jeop-ardy (over a chasm, through a bonfire, etc.).

•The Smart hero chooses which of her allies the opponent targets with his next attack. The foe may have to move in order to attack the designated ally. The ally chosen must be either the closest ally or within 30 feet of the opponent. The Smart hero can force an enemy to suffer attacks of opportu-nity by this means, but otherwise can never com-pel him to move into immediate jeopardy (over a chasm, through a bonfire, etc.).

•The opponent suffers a –5 penalty to all Spot and Listen checks against a single ally of the Smart hero’s choice.

Prerequisites: Any other talent from this tree, base attack bonus +6

STRONG HERO TALENTS“*” = Modern advanced or prestige classes exist which may provide the Strong hero with a class ability similar, or identical, to this talent; a Strong hero who already possesses this talent may choose another tal-ent from this talent tree instead, or any talent which is specified as a prerequisite for that talent.

Bruiser Talent TreeThe Strong hero’s natural strength and aptitude for bare-knuckle fighting give her an advantage when unarmed.

Arm Lock: When wrestling, the Strong hero knows how to lock her opponent’s arm in place to injure him and to prevent him from using a weapon. After the Strong hero has already initiated a grapple and pinned a foe, she may make an opposed grapple check against him. If the Strong hero succeeds, she twists the opponent’s arm into a painful hold. The op-ponent automatically takes 1d4 points of damage at the start of the Strong hero’s turn if she still holds the opponent pinned. In addition, the opponent suffers a –2 circumstance penalty on grapple checks against the Strong hero until the pin ends. Note that the Strong hero’s Strength bonus and other modifiers do not apply to this damage.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1, one talent from either the Brute talent tree or the Extreme Effort tal-ent tree

Jab: The Strong hero strikes a quick jab with her off hand, distracting her opponent while following up with a mighty blow from her primary hand. By taking an aid another action with her off hand first, treating it as if it were a light weapon wielded in her off hand, the Strong hero may choose to grant the aid another action’s bonus to herself and then resolve the primary attack as normal. The strong hero must spend a full-round action to use this technique. If the Strong hero normally gains more than one attack with her pri-mary hand, she may attack only once at her highest base attack bonus.


Leaping Tackle: By throwing herself into the air, the Strong hero can hammer into an opponent and knock him to the ground, making it easier to use unarmed strikes to pummel him into submission. When charg-ing, the Strong hero may opt to make a Jump check (opposed by the opponent’s Strength check) in place of an attack. The Strong hero gains a +2 competence bonus on this check. The opponent gains bonuses to his check as if targeted with a bull rush. If the Jump check succeeds, the Strong hero and the opponent fall prone in his space.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1, one talent from

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either the Brute talent tree or the Extreme Effort tal-ent tree

Low-Down Fighter: The strong hero is adept at fighting while prone, since she has trained relentless-ly in wrestling and other forms of unarmed fighting. When prone, the Strong hero threatens the squares immediately adjacent to her, regardless of her reach. The strong hero may make unarmed strikes or trip at-tacks as her attacks of opportunity while prone, but she may not use other attack types, such as armed strikes or disarm attempts.


Brute Talent TreeStrong heroes with these talents are remarkably forceful and powerful in close combat, dominating the battlefield wherever they go.

Rough: The Strong hero receives a +1 bonus to all Bull Rush, Grapple and Trip checks.

Rowdy: The Strong hero receives an additional +1 bonus to all Bull Rush, Grapple and Trip checks (+2 total).

Prerequisite: RoughBrute: The Strong hero receives an additional +1

bonus to all Bull Rush, Grapple and Trip checks (+3 total).

Prerequisites: Rough, rowdy

Feats of Strength Talent TreeThe Strong hero can use his brute strength and over-whelming physical advantage to overcome almost any obstacle. The talents in the Feats of Strength Tal-ent Tree allow the Strong hero to gain the most out of his own strength and make him more useful than simply participating in melee combat.

Combined Strength: Whenever the Strong hero successfully uses the Aid Another action on a Strength check, he may add his Strength modifier to the target’s check result, as opposed to the normal +2 bonus.

Incredible Lifting: The Strong hero may spend one action point to use this talent. For one round, the Strong hero’s lifting capacity (i.e. his maximum heavy load) is multiplied by 1.5.

Miraculous Lifting: The Strong hero may spend one action point to use this talent. For one round, the Strong hero’s lifting capacity (i.e. his maximum heavy

load) is doubled. This talent does not stack with the Incredible Lifting talent, but instead replaces it.

Prerequisites: Incredible lifting

Foe Hammer Talent TreeIn this Strong hero’s hands, a bludgeoning weapon is far more than a simple, brutish tool used to pound foes into submission. Whether using a simple club, the butt of a rifle, or an exotic weapon like the three-section-staff, the Strong hero knows how to deliver attacks that maximize the raw force a bludgeoning weapon delivers.

Foe Hammer: While he often relies on brute force to maximize the sheer power of a bludgeoning weapon, the Strong hero’s skill allows him to deliver that force with surprising precision. He may slam a foe in the gut or crack his skull to impair his fighting ability. The Strong hero may use a full-round action to make a single attack with a weapon that inflicts bludgeoning damage at his best base attack bonus. If the Strong hero hits and inflicts damage, his foe must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half damage inflicted) or suffer a –2 injury penalty to attacks until the end of his next turn. This ability does not affect creatures immune to critical hits. The benefits of this talent are only gained when the Strong hero is fighting with a bludgeoning weapon that he is proficient with.

Prerequisites: Power Attack feat, proficient in at least one bludgeoning weapon

Improved Foe Hammer: The Strong hero has learned to land crushing blows to a foe’s legs or knees, immobilizing him for a brief moment. As a full-round action, the Strong hero may make a single attack with a weapon that inflicts bludgeoning dam-age at his best base attack bonus. If the Strong hero hits and inflicts damage, the opponent must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half damage inflicted) or move at half speed on his next action. This abil-ity does not affect creatures immune to critical hits. The benefits of this talent are only gained when the Strong hero is fighting with a bludgeoning weapon that he is proficient with.

Prerequisites: Foe hammer, Power Attack feat, pro-ficient in at least one bludgeoning weapon, base attack +3

Master Foe Hammer: The strong hero specializes in hammering opponents in the gut, leaving them wracked with terrible pain. When the Strong hero scores a critical hit with a weapon that inflicts blud-

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geoning damage, he may choose to give up the bo-nus (critical) damage to cause the opponent instead to be sickened for a number of rounds equal to the Strong hero’s Strength bonus. This ability does not affect creatures immune to critical hits. The benefits of this talent are only gained when the Strong hero is fighting with a bludgeoning weapon that he is profi-cient with.

Prerequisites: Foe hammer, Power Attack feat, pro-ficient in at least one bludgeoning weapon, base attack +9

Hurling Talent TreeStrong heroes with talents from this tree are skilled at utilizing their immense upper body strength to throw objects much farther than other Strong heroes can.

Hurl: The maximum range at which the Strong hero can throw objects is increased to seven range incre-ments.

Great Hurl: The maximum range at which the Strong hero can throw objects is increased to ten range increments.

Prerequisite: HurlMighty Hurl: The maximum range at which the

Strong hero can throw objects is increased to twelve range increments.

Prerequisites: Hurl, great hurl

Melee Brute Talent TreeStrong heroes with these talents rely on their sheer brute strength when engaged in close combat.

Power Attack: Provided she fulfills the prerequi-sites, the Strong hero receives the Power Attack feat.

Inflict Massive Damage: Anytime that a target makes a Fortitude save against massive damage in-flicted by this Strong hero’s melee attack, the DC for the save is increased by the Strong hero’s Strength modifier.

Holding and Hitting: The Strong hero with this talent gains a +2 bonus to melee attack rolls made against a target that she is grappling.

Improved Power Attack: If the Strong hero takes a –3 or worse penalty to increase her damage via the Power Attack feat, any opponent she hits must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the Strong hero’s character level + the Strong hero’s Strength modifier) or suffer a –1 injury penalty to attacks for 1 round. The Strong hero’s powerful attack leaves her foe in terrible, distracting pain. A specific target need

make only one Fortitude saving throw per round to ignore this effect, even if the Strong hero hits that op-ponent more than once.

Prerequisites: Power Attack feat, base attack bonus +3

Greater Power Attack: If the Strong hero takes a –5 or worse penalty to increase her damage via the Power Attack feat, any opponent she hits must suc-ceed at a Reflex save (DC 10 + half the Strong hero’s character level + the Strong hero’s Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. A specific target need make only one Reflex saving throw per round to ignore this effect, even if the Strong hero hits that opponent more than once.

Prerequisites: Power Attack feat, base attack bonus +5

Mighty Talent TreeStrong heroes with this talent tree are capable of drawing upon their immense strength to resist ad-verse situations and conditions.

Might: Three times per day, the Strong hero with this talent can add his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to any one saving throw.

Mighty Fortitude: With this talent, the Strong hero adds his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to all of his Fortitude saving throws. This effect is not cumula-tive with the bonus gained from the Might talent.

Prerequisite: MightMighty Reflexes: With this talent, the Strong hero

adds his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to all Reflex saving throws. This effect is not cumulative with the bonus gained from the Might talent.

Prerequisites: Might, mighty fortitudeMighty Will: With this talent, the Strong hero adds

his Strength modifier as a morale bonus to all of his Will saving throws. This effect is not cumulative with the bonus gained from the Might talent.

Prerequisites: Might, mighty fortitude

Soldiery Talent TreeStrong heroes with this talent tree have either re-ceived intensive military training or been born with natural aptitudes which would blossom if they pur-sued a martial calling.

Haul*: The Strong hero can carry more heavy gear than the typical soldier. The Strong hero’s Strength is considered 4 points higher for the purpose of deter-mining her carrying capacity.

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Light Sleeper*: The Strong hero is light sleeper and can make Listen checks even while asleep, without penalty. (A sleeping Strong hero normally takes a –10 penalty on Listen checks.)

Unhindered*: The Strong hero treats any suit of ar-mor worn as though its armor penalty is 2 better.

Prerequisite: HaulArmor Use: The Strong hero’s total defense bonus

when wearing armor is increased one-fourth of his character level (round down).

Prerequisites: Haul, unhindered

Wrestling Talent TreeStrong heroes with this talent tree are exceptional wrestlers. They specialize in powerful holds and moves that take advantage of their great physical strength.

Skilled Grappler: With this talent, the Strong hero can start a grapple without provoking an attack of op-portunity. Furthermore, grappling damage inflicted by the Strong hero is considered lethal, as opposed to non-lethal for normal grappling damage.

Mat Techniques: The Strong hero can make a melee attack from the prone position and suffer no penalty on the attack roll. If his attack roll is successful, the Strong hero may regain his feet immediately as a free action..

Disable: Strong heroes with this talent can make an opposed grapple check to disable their opponent’s limb. If the opposed grapple check succeeds, the Strong hero must choose whether to disable the arm or leg. If the opponent’s arm is disabled, they suffer a –4 penalty to all attack rolls for 1 round per point of the Strong hero’s Strength modifier. If the Strong hero disables the opponent’s leg, the opponent’s speed in cut in half for the same duration.

Tackle: When the Strong hero starts a grapple by charging into an opponent, the Strong hero gains a +4 circumstance bonus to the touch attack made to start the grapple rather than the +2 normally gained from charging.

Improved Tackle: When the Strong hero starts a grapple by charging, he gains a +4 circumstance bonus to the first grapple check he makes with the opponent, provided he hits with his charging attack and starts a grapple.

Prerequisite: TacklePunishing Grapple: While grappling, the Strong

hero with this talent can spend an Action Point and

make an opposed grapple check to damage an oppo-nent’s Constitution score. This is an attack action, just as a normal opposed grapple roll. If the Strong hero wins the opposed roll, the opponent suffers tempo-rary Constitution damage equal to the Strong hero’s Strength modifier.

Prerequisites: Skilled grappler, grip of iron

TOUGH HERO TALENTS“*” = Modern advanced or prestige classes exist which may provide the Tough hero with a class ability similar, or identical, to this talent; a Tough hero who already possesses this talent may choose another tal-ent from this talent tree instead, or any talent which is specified as a prerequisite for that talent.

Bulletproof Talent TreePossessing a talent for survival usually seen only in an action movie, the Tough hero can cheat death—espe-cially in a gunfight—thanks to the following talents.

Endure Gunshot: The Tough hero ignores 1 point of ballistic damage.

Ballistic Resistance: The Tough hero ignores an amount of ballistic damage equal to her Constitution modifier.

Prerequisite: Endure gunshotImproved Ballistic Resistance: This talent doubles

the effectiveness of the Tough hero’s ballistic resis-tance talent. In other words, the Tough hero may now ignore an amount of ballistic damage equal to twice her Constitution modifier.

Prerequisites: Endure gunshot, ballistic resistance“Only a Flesh Wound”: The Tough hero is better

equipped to withstand a gunshot wound. She may add her base Fortitude save to her massive damage threshold against ballistic damage. Damage from other sources is compared to the massive damage threshold normally.

Prerequisite: Endure gunshot“Now You’ve Made Me Angry”: Whenever the

Tough hero is reduced to below half her normal full hit points; she gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage. This effect lasts until she recovers enough hit points to bring her hit point total back up to half or more of her normal full total.

Prerequisites: Any three talents from this tree and/or the Damage Reduction Talent Tree

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Death’s Door Talent TreeThough the Tough hero excels at soaking up damage without going down, sometimes even the most talented hero succumbs to the rigors of adventuring life. Tough heroes with talents from this tree have learned to roll with the punches and are extremely hard to kill. In fact, many heroes with these talents seem to reject the notion of death even when a normal man or woman would be killed outright.

Linger On: Whenever the Tough hero is reduced to negative hit points, he loses one hit point ev-ery other round until stabilized, as opposed to the normal one hit point per round.

Cling to Life: The Tough hero is able to sustain more damage than other characters and con-tinues to live on when others would die. The Tough hero is considered to be dying from –1 to –14 hit points, and dead at –15 hit points or lower.

Prerequisite: Linger onStable Status: The Tough

hero may spend one action point to use this talent. Whenever the Tough hero is reduced to negative hit points, the expenditure of the action point causes him to stabilize automatically.

Prerequisites: Linger on, cling to life

Grappling Resistance Talent TreeTough heroes with this talent tree are tough grappling opponents. It is dif-fi cult to get a good hold on them and they are seemingly numb to all but the most damaging moves.

Block Grapple: Any time the Tough hero makes an attack of opportunity provoked by an op-

ponent attempting to start a grapple, he adds his Constitution modifi er to the attack roll.

Advanced Block Grapple: The Tough

hero always gains an attack of opportunity

against anyone who at-tempts to start a grapple against

him, including those with feats and abilities that might prevent

him from receiving the attack of opportunity, such as Combat Mar-tial Arts, Improved Grab, or the im-proved grapple talent. The Tough h e ro is still limited to his normal

maximum number of at-tacks of opportunity in a

round.Prerequisites: Resist grap-

ple, block grappleResist Grapple: All grappling

damage the Tough hero suff ers is reduced by 2 points.

Greater Resist Grapple: All grap-pling damage the character suff ers is reduced by 4. This damage reduction replaces that provided by the resist grapple talent.

Prerequisite: Resist grappleAdvanced Resist Grapple: All grap-

pling damage the character suff ers is reduced by 6. This damage reduction replaces that provided by the resist grapple or greater resist grapple

talents.Prerequisites: Resist grapple, greater resist grapple

Hardened Talent TreeThe Tough hero’s body has been toughened by long hours of punishing exercise or labor.

Toughened Hands: The Tough hero has spent much of his life carrying heavy objects, handling coarse objects, or both, and his hands are callused

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and hardened. Three times per day, when the Tough hero is about to be attacked in melee, but before the attack is rolled, the Tough hero can catch the attack with one or both hands. So long as the Tough hero has at least one hand free, he automatically catches the weapon or unarmed attack. This means the attack automatically hits (and is not rolled, therefore remov-ing the possibility of a critical hit), but the damage is divided by 4 and rounded down (to a minimum of 1)—the Tough hero catches the fist, is stabbed through palm, grasps the blade of the sword, etc.

Undaunted: The Tough hero has seen a lot of hard knocks, and failure only stokes the fury of his determi-nation. When the Tough hero spends an action point to improve a Constitution-based roll, if the roll still fails, the Tough hero gets that action point back as if it had never been spent.

Improved Toughened Hands: When the Tough hero catches an attack with his toughened hands talent (see above), he can try to keep the weapon he was attacked with. If he was attacked with a melee weapon, he can make a free disarm attempt without provoking an attack of opportunity and, if successful, he can choose to automatically retain the weapon for himself, even if he has a weapon in his other hand, so long as both weapons only require one hand. If he was attacked with an unarmed attack, the Tough hero can attempt a free trip or grapple attack against the attacker without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Prerequisite: Toughened hands

Magic Resistance Talent TreeThe Tough hero is especially resistant to the effects of mysticism, magic, and FX powers. Obviously, this tal-ent is only available in settings where magic exists.

Magic Resistance: Heroes with this talent gain spell resistance equal to their Tough hero class level +6.

Improved Magic Resistance: Heroes with this tal-ent gain spell resistance equal to their Tough hero class level +9.

Prerequisite: Magic resistanceGreater Magic Resistance: Heroes with this talent

gain spell resistance equal to their Tough hero class level +12.

Prerequisites: Magic resistance, improved magic re-sistance

Supreme Magic Resistance: Heroes with this talent gain spell resistance equal to their Tough hero class level +15.

Prerequisites: Magic resistance, improved magic re-sistance, greater magic resistance

Protector Talent TreeThe Tough hero is skilled at protecting those who need it.

Harm’s Way*: Once per round, if the Tough hero is adjacent to an ally who is targeted by a direct melee or ranged attack (but not an area effect), the Tough hero can subject him or herself to the attack in the ally’s stead. If the attack hits the Tough hero, he or her takes damage normally. If it misses, it also misses the ally.

The Tough hero must declare his or her intention to place him or herself in harm’s way before the attack roll is made. The Tough hero selects his or her ally ei-ther prior to combat or immediately after the Tough hero makes his or her initiative check. The Tough hero can’t change his or her ally for the duration of the combat.

Protective Strike*: While the Tough hero is protect-ing his ally (see Harm’s Way, above), any attack against the ally provokes an attack of opportunity from the Tough hero with this talent. Note that this talent does not grant the Tough hero the ability to make more attacks of opportunity in a round than he otherwise could.

Prerequisite: Harm’s wayProtective Bonus*: When the Tough hero is de-

fending an ally using the Harm’s Way talent above, she receives a +1 bonus to her Defense against any attack she intercepts. This talent may be selected multiple times. Each time this talent is selected, the bonus increases by +1 (to a maximum of +4).

Prerequisite: Harm’s way.Defensive Stance: The Tough hero can become a

stalwart bastion of defense. In this defensive stance, the Tough hero gains phenomenal strength and du-rability, but she cannot move from the spot she is defending. She gains the following benefits:

• +2 Strength• +4 Constitution• +2 resistance bonus on all saves• +4 dodge bonus to Defense

While defending, the Tough hero cannot use skills or abilities that would require her to shift her position, such as Move Silently or Jump. A defensive stance lasts for 3 rounds, plus the Tough hero’s (newly im-proved) Constitution modifier. The Tough hero may

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end the defense voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the defense, the Tough hero is winded and suf-fers a -2 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. The Tough hero can only take her defen-sive stance a number of times per day equal to 2 + one quarter of the Tough hero’s charcater level (rounded down). Taking the stance takes no time itself, but the Tough hero can only do so during her action.

Prerequisites: Harm’s way, protective bonus, base defense bonus +5 or higher

Rage Talent TreeA terrible wrath broods and seethes within the Tough hero’s soul, a fury that finds release only in battle.

Rage 1/day: The Tough hero can fly into a rage once per day. In a rage, the Tough hero temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a –2 penalty to Defense. The increase in Constitution increases the Tough hero’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to nor-mal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While raging, the Tough hero cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intel-ligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has, except those that have a mini-mum Intelligence score and/or spellcasting or psionic ability (in a campaign featuring magic or psionics) as prerequisites. A fit of rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the Tough hero’s (newly improved) Con-stitution modifier. The Tough hero may prematurely end his rage. At the end of the rage, the Tough hero loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and be-comes fatigued (–2 penalty to Strength, –2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter. Entering a rage takes no time itself, but the Tough hero can do it only during his ac-tion, not in response to someone else’s action.

Whirling Frenzy: The Tough hero can choose to use his rage ability differently. Instead of gaining the normal bonuses for a rage (described above), the Tough hero temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength and a +2 dodge bonus to Defense and on

Reflex saves. He does not take the penalty to Defense he would receive in a rage. While in a whirling frenzy, the Tough hero may make one extra attack in a round at his highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a –2 penalty, as do all other attacks made this round. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects any attacks of opportunity the Tough hero might make before his next action. Any time a Tough hero enters a whirling frenzy, it counts as 1 use of his rage ability. It is impossible to enter a rage and a whirling frenzy during the same encounter.

Prerequisite: Rage 1/dayRage 2/day: The Tough hero can enter a rage twice

per day rather than once. However, the Tough hero can fly into a rage only once per encounter.

Prerequisites: Rage 1/day, character level 4Rage 3/day: The Tough hero can enter a rage three

times per day rather than once. However, the Tough hero can fly into a rage only once per encounter.

Prerequisites: Rage 2/day, character level 8Greater Rage: The Tough hero’s bonuses to Strength

and Constitution during his rage each increase to +6, and his morale bonus on Will saves increases to +3. The penalty to Defense remains at –2. If the Tough hero has the whirling frenzy talent, he bonuses while in a whirling frenzy do not receive these increases. In-stead, his bonus to Strength increases to +6, and his dodge bonus to Defense and Reflex saves increases to +3.

Prerequisite: Rage 3/dayTireless Rage: The Tough hero no longer becomes

fatigued at the end of his rage.Prerequisites: Any other 4 talents from this treeIndomitable Rage: While in a rage, the Tough hero

gains a +4 bonus on Will saves to resist mind-affect-ing abilities. This bonus stacks with all other modi-fiers, including any morale bonus on Will saves the Tough hero may receive for being in a rage.

Prerequisites: Any other 4 talents from this tree

Survivalist Talent TreeHeroes with this talent tree are adept at enduring the harsh elements of nature and living off the land.

Harsh Weather Endurance: The Tough hero with this talent experiences all temperatures as though they are 10 degrees more favorable to him. For de-termining the effects of severe weather on the Tough hero, hot weather seems 10 degrees cooler and cold weather seems 10 degrees warmer.

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Improved Harsh Weather Endurance: The Tough hero takes only half damage from hot and cold weather.

Prerequisite: Harsh weather enduranceOutdoor Skills: Tough heroes with this talent add

a bonus equal to their Constitution modifier to these skills when using them in the wilderness: Climb, Swim, and Navigate.

Master Survivalist: Tough heroes with this talent add a bonus equal to half their character level to all Survival skill checks.

Fasting: The Tough hero is able to go six days without eating before he begins to suffer starvation penalties.

Prerequisite: Concentration 4+ ranksCamel’s Endurance: Tough heroes with this talent

can survive on only half as much water as a normal person needs.

Prerequisites: Concentration 4+ ranks, fasting

Vigor Talent TreeTough heroes with this talent tree are remarkably ca-pable of enduring harmful chemicals and infectious diseases.

Vapor Resistance: Tough heroes with this talent gain a +4 bonus to saving throws made against all forms of gas attacks, including strong odors such as those produced by a skunk or walking in a sewer.

Toxin Resistance: Tough heroes with this talent gain a +4 bonus to all saving throws made against poison. If the poison is in the form of gas, this bonus does not stack with the bonus from vapor resistance.

Prerequisite: Vapor resistanceDisease Resistance: Tough heroes with this talent

gain a +4 bonus to all saving throws made against disease.

Prerequisite: Vapor resistance

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CONTENTSINTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1Talent Trees by Class......................................................... 2

CHARISMATIC HERO TALENTS....................................... 21,000 Faces Talent Tree .................................................... 3Authority Talent Tree........................................................ 3Information Talent Tree ................................................... 4Instruction Talent Tree ..................................................... 4Notoriety Talent Tree........................................................ 5Privilege Talent Tree.......................................................... 5Threatening Talent Tree................................................... 6Weapon Display Talent Tree........................................... 7Well-Traveled Talent Tree ................................................ 7

DEDICATED HERO TALENTS ........................................... 8Animal Friendship Talent Tree....................................... 8Attentive Talent Tree ........................................................ 9God of Gamblers Talent Tree .......................................11Diagnosis Talent Tree .....................................................11Favored Enemy Talent Tree ..........................................12Lore Talent Tree ................................................................12Martial Discipline Talent Tree ......................................12Natural Hunter Talent Tree ...........................................13Paranoia Talent Tree........................................................13Sleuth Talent Tree ............................................................14Weapon of Choice Talent Tree ....................................14Wilderness Expert Talent Tree .....................................15

FAST HERO TALENTS.......................................................15Acrobatic Talent Tree......................................................15Elusive Talent Tree ...........................................................16Efficiency Talent Tree......................................................16Instinctive Response Talent Tree................................17Point Blank Range Talent Tree.....................................17Speed Wrestling Talent Tree ........................................18Thug Talent Tree...............................................................18

Unarmed Prodigy Talent Tree......................................19

SMART HERO TALENTS ..................................................20Business Sense Talent Tree...........................................20Combat Interaction Talent Tree..................................20Craft Talent Tree ...............................................................21Deduction Talent Tree....................................................21Engineering Expert Talent Tree ..................................22Intuitive Leap Talent Tree..............................................22Mechanical Aptitude Talent Tree ...............................23Precision Talent Tree.......................................................23Quick Thinking Talent Tree...........................................23Skill Enhancement Talent Tree....................................24Tactical Talent Tree ..........................................................24

STRONG HERO TALENTS................................................25Bruiser Talent Tree ...........................................................25Brute Talent Tree ..............................................................26Feats of Strength Talent Tree.......................................26Foe Hammer Talent Tree ...............................................26Hurling Talent Tree..........................................................27Melee Brute Talent Tree.................................................27Mighty Talent Tree...........................................................27Soldiery Talent Tree.........................................................27Wrestling Talent Tree......................................................28

TOUGH HERO TALENTS..................................................28Bulletproof Talent Tree ..................................................28Death’s Door Talent Tree ...............................................29Grappling Resistance Talent Tree...............................29Hardened Talent Tree .....................................................29Magic Resistance Talent Tree.......................................30Protector Talent Tree ......................................................30Rage Talent Tree...............................................................31Survivalist Talent Tree ....................................................31Vigor Talent Tree ..............................................................32

Talent Tree Compendium is ™ and © 2006 Jeremy Forbing. All Rights Reserved. Big Finger Games and the Big Finger Games logo is a trademark owned by Michael Todd.

The original purchaser of this electronic product may print copies for his or her own personal use only. This document is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.

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CREDITSWriter: Jeremy Forbing Layout & Colors: Michael Todd

WHAT IS D20 POSTMODERN?D20 Postmodern is Big Finger Games’ catch-all title for their line of Modern d20 add-ons and enhancements; but more than that, it is a state of mind.

Postmodern art and entertainment allow that creative imita-tion of sources is just as artistically valid as faithfully recreating an actual subject and posits that perhaps, given our skewed view of the actual object, imitating the unreal rather than the real is a more successful undertaking.

Therefore, in many cases, postmodern art is based as much on other art as it is on reality, and the rigid “rules” of the real world take a backseat to the demands of creation. We laugh at old movies where the good guys never run out of bullets, but since those movies exist, in John Woo movies we accept that Chow Yun Fat only runs out of bullets when it is dramatically important that he do so. After all, the movie isn’t about counting bullets; it’s about Chow Yun Fat being cool.

Roleplaying games can take a lesson from that.With d20 Postmodern, Big Finger Games’ stated goal is to

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14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell,

based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker..Beyond Monks, Copyright 2002, Chainmail Bikini Games, Ltd.Dragon Lords of Melnibone, Copyright 2001, Chaosium, Inc.; Authors Charlie Krank, Lynn Willis, Richard Watts.Modern Player’s Companion, Copyright 2003, The Game Mechanics, Inc.; Author: Stan!Spycraft Copyright 2002, 2005, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.Unearthed Arcana Copyright 2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.Mutants & Masterminds Copyright 2002, Green Ronin Publishing.True20 Adventure Roleplaying, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.Wrath & Rage:A Guidebook to Orcs and Half-Orcs, Copyright 2002, Green Ronin Publishing; Author: Jim Bishop.Swords of Our Fathers Copyright 200, The Game Mechanics.22 Talent Trees Copyright 2003, Bloodstone Press.The Book of Iron Might Copyright 2004 Monte J. Cook.;Author: Mike MearlsMonte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed Copyright 2003 Monte J. Cook.Modern Dispatch #1 2004, RPGObjects; Author Charles Rice, Chris DavisComplete Feats, Copyright 2003, The Game Mechanics Inc.Martial Arts Mayhem, Copyright 2003, The Game Mechanics, Inc. Author: Rich RedmanModern: Occult Player’s Companion Copyright 2004 James Maliszewski. Published by Ronin Arts, www.roninarts.com.Kowloon Gun God, © 2004, Modern Kyuujinjouhoushi Contributor’s Group. Author: Fraser Ronald.Action Hero, © 2004, Alternate Realities Publications. Author: Dana Jorgensen.The Quintessential Rogue, Copyright 2002, Mongoose Publishing. Sovereign Stone Campaign Sourcebook Copyright 2001, Sovereign Press, Inc.; Authors Timothy Kidwell, Jamie Chambers, Don Perrin, based on original material by Larry Elmore, Margaret Weis and Tracy HickmanLibrum Equitis Vol 1 Copyright 2001, Ambient Inc.; Authors Matthew Jason Parent, Chester Douglas IIGrim Tales, Copyright 2004, Benjamin R. Durbin, published by Bad Axe Games, LLC.Monte Cook Presents: Iron Heroes Copyright 2005 Monte J. Cook. ;Author: Mike MearlsFuture Player’s Companion: Tomorrows’ Foundation, Copyright 2005 The Game Mechanics, Inc.; Authors: Gary Astleford, Rodney Thompson, and JD WikerCityworks Copyright 2003, Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.Darkness & Dread Copyright 2004, Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.; Author: Mike MearlsAnother 22 Talent Trees Copyright 2004, Bloodstone Press.Capable Hero Specialized Class Copyright 2005, Sword’s Edge Publishing; Author Fraser RonaldTalent Tree Compendium Copyright 2006, Jeremy Forbing. Published by Big Finger Games

postmodern - talent tree compendium

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