Alien RPG General Talents

BODYGUARD

If someone within SHORT range of you is hit by an attack, you can dive in to take the hit. Roll for MOBILITY. It doesn’t count as an action in combat. If you roll one or more, you take the hit instead. You can push the roll.

CALM BREATHER

When making a supply roll for air, you get to roll two dice fewer than your Supply Level, to a minimum of one die.

COUNSELOR

Once per Turn, you can use the COMMAND skill to reduce the STRESS LEVEL of another character within SHORT range. For each you roll, their STRESS LEVEL is reduced by one extra step (in addition to the default one step, see page 104). You cannot use this talent on yourself.

EVA SPECIALIST

You get +2 to HEAVY MACHINERY and COMTECH rolls when spacewalking.

FAST REFLEXES

You can draw two initiative cards instead of one during the initiative draw (see page 87). Choose the one you want to use, and shuffle the other one back into the deck before others draw their cards.

FLYWEIGHT

When you block in close combat, you can use AGILITY instead of STRENGTH.

HARD HITTER

You get a +2 modification to CLOSE COMBAT if you sacrifice your fast action.

HEALER

You are very resilient and recover quickly from injuries. The healing time of critical injuries (see page 101) is halved for you.

HIDDEN STASH

You begin each session with an extra item of your choice, hidden on your person or stowed somewhere safe. The item must be something you could reasonably have. The GM has final say about what items are available to you. If the GM allows it, you may wait until a dramatic moment during the session to choose what type of item you are hiding.

HOTHEAD

You don’t like being told what to do. You get a +2 modification to opposed rolls for MANIPULATION whenever someone tries to give you orders. This talent can also be used to resist the Officer’s career talent Pull Rank.

LIGHT EATER

When making a supply roll for food, you get to roll two dice fewer than your Supply Level, to a minimum of one die.

LIGHT SLEEPER

You can get by on less sleep than most. You only need to sleep for one Shift every two days, instead of one shift every Day.

KILLER

You know where to strike to make your enemy fall and not get up. Ever. When your enemy sustains a critical injury (see page 99) you may switch the D66 roll so that the ones die becomes the tens die and vice versa. This talent can only be used on humans.

MACHINEGUNNER

Firing full auto is the only way to get the job done, in your opinion. When firing on fully automatic, your STRESS LEVEL does not increase.

MENACING

You have a scary physical presence that makes it easy to intimidate people. You can roll for MANIPULATION using STRENGTH instead of EMPATHY when you threaten someone to make them do what you want. If you succeed, your opponent cannot demand anything in return from you. They can still choose to attack you instead of giving in.

MERCILESS

You can perform a coup de grace (see page 99) without rolling for EMPATHY. Also, your STRESS LEVEL is decreased one step each time you cause an enemy to be Broken.

NERVES OF STEEL

You keep a cool head in all situations, and thus get a –2 modification to all Panic Rolls (see page 104).

PACK MULE

You can carry twice as many objects as normal without being encumbered.

QUICK DRAW

You can draw your weapon so quickly it doesn’t cost you an action.

RAPID FIRE

You can fire a pistol or rifle (see Chapter 6) as a fast action instead of a slow action, at the cost of a −2 modification.

RAPID RELOAD

You can reload a weapon as a fast action instead of a slow action.

SECOND WIND

When you are Broken, you can get back on your feet immediately, without anyone giving you first aid (see page 98). Roll for STAMINA. For every you roll, you get one Health point back and can keep fighting a little while longer. This talent can only be used once per Turn, and has no effect against critical injuries.

SPACESHIP COMMANDER

In the role as a captain of a spaceship during space combat (see Chapter 7), you can draw two initiative cards instead of one during the initiative draw. Choose the one you want to use.

SPACESHIP MECHANIC

You get a +2 modification when you use HEAVY MACHINERY or COMTECH to repair damage to a spacecraft (see Chapter 7).

SPACESHIP GUNNER

As a gunner on a spaceship during combat (see Chapter 7), you get a +2 modification to your RANGED COMBAT rolls.

STEALTHY

You get a +2 modification to MOBILITY when using the skill to move undetected (see page 85).

STOIC

You can roll for STAMINA using WITS instead of STRENGTH.

TOUGH

You are used to taking a beating. You increase your Health by +2, i.e. your maximum number is equal to your STRENGTH plus 2.

WATCHFUL

The hairs on the back of your neck stand up when enemies lurk nearby. You get a +2 modification to OBSERVATION when trying to spot a sneak attack.

WEAPON SPECIALIST

You’re an expert at using a specific weapon model—choose one from the weapon lists in Chapter 6. When you use this weapon, you get a +2 modification. You can choose this talent several times, once per weapon type. You can be a specialist at fighting unarmed.

ZERO-G TRAINING

Your sense of balance is well adapted to an environment without gravity. You get +2 to MOBILITY rolls in zero-G.