Explorer

The Explorer finds himself equally at home uncovering secrets in the steaming rainforests of Borneo and the concrete jungles of downtown New York. Many organizations field these two-fisted researchers who circle the globe in search of places and phenomena beneath their technological colleagues’ notice. Explorers have a wealth of experience with exotic locations, and a steady hand during even the most bizarre missions.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Action Points: 5
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Wealth Bonus: +2


Class Skills


Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Anthropology (Int), Knowledge; Archaeology (Int), Knowledge: Culture (Int), Knowledge: Local (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex), Read/Write Language (-), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Speak Language (-), Treat Injury (Int), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Table: The Explorer

Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Defense Bonus Reputation bonus
1 +0 +0 +2
+0 Connected, All Over the World
+1 +1
2 +1 +0 +3 +0 Bookworm  I
+2 +1
3 +2 +1 +3 +1 Bonus Feat
+2 +1
4 +3 +1 +4 +1 Uncanny Dodge I
+3 +2
5 +3 +1 +4 +1 Bonus Feat
+3 +2
6 +4 +2 +5 +2 Rugged
+3 +2
7 +5 +2 +5 +2 Bonus Feat
+4 +3
8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +2 Uncanny Dodge II
+4 +3
9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 Rugged, Bonus Feat
+5 +3
10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +3 The Notebook
+5 +4
11 +8/+3 +3 +7 +3 Bookworm II, Bonus Feat
+6 +4
12 +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Uncanny Dodge III, Rugged
+6 +4
13 +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Bonus Feat
+7 +5
14 +10/+5 +4 +9 +4 Lifeline
+7 +5
15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +5 Rugged, Bonus Feat
+8 +5
16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Uncanny Dodge IV
+8 +6
17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Bonus Feat
+9 +6
18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Rugged
+9 +6
19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Bookworm III, Bonus Feat
+10 +7
20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Uncanny Dodge V
+10 +7


Class Features

All of the following are class features of the explorer:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Explorers are proficient with simple weapons and personal firearms.

Connected: You’ve come to know a wide variety of people in your travels. You may spend 1d6 hours and 1 action point seeking out an individual with whom you’ve dealt in the past (with GM approval). This NPC operates like a temporary consultant-grade contact, but his permanence may be no more than level 1. The contact’s starting dedication toward you must be at least 2, but he must be compensated for all services rendered at a cost of $100 per hour of assistance, plus the cost of any gear or materials belonging to him that are consumed or destroyed in the process (though you may reduce this cost with a Diplomacy check). You may use this ability even in a remote area, so long as there are at least 40 people within a 25-mile radius at the time (e.g. the ability may even be used in an Antarctic research base near the South Pole, or a nomad camp in a vast desert, presuming the bases are occupied by 40 or more people, or there are native villages nearby).

All Over the World: You’re familiar with foreign lands — and have the skills to escape when your knowledge fails you. At Level 1, each time you fail a Diplomacy or Bluff check and don’t suffer an error, you still succeed as long as the check DC (or your opponent’s check result) is equal to or less than your class level + 20. If more than 1 grade of success is possible, you achieve only the lowest possible positive result.

If you gain the all over the world ability from two or more classes, add together your levels in all classes granting you this ability before you add 20 to determine the DC against which you automatically succeed.

Bookworm I: You have unparalleled research skills and can just ‘walk up to the right part of a library’ or ‘flip open a book to the right page’ with spooky accuracy. At Level 2, you may reduce the amount of time required to make an Research check to 1/2 standard (minimum 5 minutes).

Bookworm II: At Level 11, your research time decreases to ¼ standard (minimum 5 minutes).

Bookworm III: At Level 19, your research time decreases to 1/10 standard (minimum 5 minutes).

Bonus Feat: At Levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19, you gain 1 additional Basic Combat or Chance feat.

Uncanny Dodge I: Your senses are unnaturally sharp, allowing you to react to danger far faster than others. At Level 4, you retain your Dexterity bonus to Defense (if greater than 0) even when flat-footed or being attacked by an invisible adversary (though you still lose your Dexterity bonus to Defense when held).

Uncanny Dodge II: At Level 8, you never become flanked.

Uncanny Dodge III: At Level 12, you gain a +4 bonus with Reflex saves made to avoid security devices, as well as a +4 bonus to Defense against attacks made by security devices.

Uncanny Dodge IV: At Level 16, each time you suffer an attack or effect that reduces your Initiative Count, your Initiative Count decreases by only 1/2 the listed amount (rounded down). This does not affect Initiative penalties inflicted by your own actions.

Uncanny Dodge V: At Level 20, you never become flat-footed, and may not be targeted with Coup de Grace actions unless you are held or unconscious. This does not prevent you from making skill checks possessing the Concentration tag (see page 101).

Rugged: At Levels 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18, your Constitution score rises by 1.

The Notebook: You keep a record of every interesting fact and detail you encounter, often referring to this notebook to help solve difficult puzzles or suggest unseen courses of action. At Level 10, once per session, you may consult your notebook to gather information relevant to your current situation. This allows you to take 20 on any Knowledge check, with the time spent being reduced to a single full-round action.

Lifeline: You and your teammates may slip out of even the most shocking circumstances (largely) unscathed. At Level 14, when you or an adjacent teammate has 1 or more hit points remaining and suffers enough damage to lower these hit points below 0, the target instead becomes flat-footed and suffers only enough damage to lower his hit points to 0. All excess damage is ignored. This ability affects lethal damage from attacks, falls, poison, and all other sources of injury. You may use this ability any number of times per round, though you may only use it a number of times per session equal to your class level.