Revision as of 19:28, 8 March 2016

Engineer

Ripley, iconic engineer

"I'm gonna need a few things. Cup of coffee, some bolts, a battery, and... that guy's prosthetic leg."

Necessity is the mother of invention, or so it is said; sometimes, however, curiosity takes necessity's place. For as long as the world has been peopled, curiosity has driven many to explore further than their peers. Over time, this curiosity evolved from "what" and "where" to "why" and "how," and soon enough craftsmen appear in most societies. From there, it is only a short leap before individuals begin discovering the laws of physics: the very rules that govern all of reality itself. While some find these rules and scoff at them, preferring to simply work around them than obey, others find them fascinating, and begin to puzzle out ways to manipulate them to their own ends: for at the end of the day, any set of rules can be abused, if one looks hard enough.

Enter the engineer, a student of nature and physics, who builds contraptions to take advantage of the rules of reality. Using math and her own intellect, she can assemble gadgets that have astounding effects. However, technology is a fickle mistress, and such devices are not always the most reliable, though as an engineer's knowledge of reality grows, she can produce devices that are significantly more reliable, provided they aren't on the bleeding edge of her abilities. On the other hand, the engineer's toil at constantly working with mathematics and other scientific fields hones her mind to a razor edge, and she is sometimes able to make sudden leaps of ingenuity when in a difficult situation that can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The study of technology is a rather unforgiving lot. While magicians can make use of their spells after resting and manifesters can use their abilities seemingly whenever they feel it appropriate, engineers must contend with the fact that they must construct devices to take advantage of physics, and such devices are subject to the passage of time. Wear and tear can cause even the most robust device to rust, the most well-sealed flasks to gradually lose their contents to evaporation, and - for the adventuring engineer - the constant bumps and dings taken from being on the road can make short work of all but the sturdiest of devices. As such, while an engineer can build as many devices as her pocketbook will allow, she can only maintain so many at a time: as she gains experience, she can keep more in fully operational condition.

Engineers can often come across as terrifying individuals: while mages are quite capable of producing lightning with just a few words, engineers instead walk about with rather-large cannons with glowing bits that might emit steam seemingly at random. While most of their devices are safe when operated by someone who knows what they're doing, engineers are well aware that most common folk who haven't grown up around technology are sometimes more frightened of them than those who wield magic or invoke the power of the Saints, simply by virtue of the fact that their power is held in physical objects, rather than in fancy words or trapped in their brain.

Game Rule Information

Engineers have the following game statistics.

Force Alignment: Technology.

Force Resistances: SR 5 + level, PR 5 + level.

Abilities: Intelligence is the most important ability for an engineer, as it modifies her ability to use devices. However, many fields of research benefit from a secondary ability.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 5 + Con score.

Hit Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Con modifier.

Healing Surges: 6 + Con modifier.

Class Skills: The Engineer’s class skills are Analysis, Crafting, Engines, Insight, Lore (Technology), Pilot, Resolve, Search, and Security.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Age: Moderate.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the engineer.