Starting Talents and Occupations: Psi-Watch

I'm working on the starting occupations book, and thought I'd preview some of the new starting talents.... most of which are taken from the Psi-Watch campaign setting. And to give you something kickass to look at, some vintage Jim Lee art. I just found this pic today.... the "By Hectate...." word bubble just makes me smile so much. I think I'm going to start saying that. 

Blessed Be,
CHRIS

Armor Jacketing (EX)
Psi-Watch

Prerequisite: Light and Medium Armor Proficiency

            You commonly wear an armor weave leather jacket with your team insignia over your armored costume, maximizing both style and protection. You may wear a leather jacket (light armor) over any other form of armor. Doing so adds +1 to the equipment bonus of the heavier armor, without worsening armor check penalties, maximum DEX bonus, or increasing  the heavier armor’s arcane spell failure chance. And no, you cannot wear a leather jacket over another leather jacket.

Beauty of Egypt (EX)
Otherverse America

Prerequisite: Creative, Dilettante, Heir, Pink Collar, Student or any Choicer specific starting occupation, Craft (visual arts) 1 rank

            You consider dynastic Egypt to be the pinnacle of human culture and artistry, and strive to create memes that last half as long as the pyramids. Your indepth study of Egyptology colors your own work. You receive a +1 trait bonus on Craft (visual art) and Knowledge (history) checks, as well as Diplomacy checks made against characters with a Bastian allegiance.

Dramatic Meditation (EX)
Prerequisite: Any starting occupation, WIS and CHA 11+

            When times are toughest, you can take time to center yourself mentally, and return to the crisis with a renewed, heroic focus. Once per character level, you can perform a short, mostly improvised and personal hour long ritual. This ritual must be something that would look suitably dramatic on film: standing atop the tallest structure in the city and looking out over ‘your’ territory, staring out into the depths of space from the lonely, darkened bridge of your starship, practicing an increasingly frantic series of katas with your signature weapon, completely rebuilding your powered armor, and so on.

                                                     

At the end of the ritual you describe, your character gains an additional action point, which must be spent within the next 24 hours, or it is lost without effect. If your character is 10^th level or higher, he or she receives two (2) action points instead from the ritual.

Female Warfighter (EX)
Psi-Watch, General

Prerequisite: Military, Law Enforcement or Psi-Watch specific militaristic starting occupation, female gender, Adult age category or older.

You were one of the first women accepted for combat duty with an elite military unit such as SEAL Team 7 or Psi-Watch, possibly as far back as the early 1980s.

Once per day, you may act as if your STR score was 20 (if it is lower) for one round. However, you can only do so in the presence of at least one allied male character. If this character has belittled or insulted you because of your sex, you act as if you had a STR of 22 for one round instead. Activating this ability is a free action, which can be performed even on another character’s turn.

Killer Instinct (EX)
Prerequisite: Any combat-oriented starting occupation

You are comfortable taking the kill shot. You receive a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls made to confirm a critical hit.

Killing Inspiration (EX)
Psi-Watch, General

Prerequisite: Dilettante, Gladiator, Nightflight Citizen, Predator, Sword Cult Acoylte starting occupation, Craft (visual arts) 1 rank

            You blend battlefield prowess and artistry, savagery and creativity. For 24 hours after inflicting a critical hit on a living opponent, you are inspired by the blood and gore you spilt. During this time, you receive a +3 insight bonus on Craft (visual art) checks.

Raven of the Goddess (SU)

Otherverse America

Prerequisite: Any non-Lifer Starting occupation, any Covenant or non-Christian allegiance, pre-2020s

            You are one of North America’s oldest living pagans, and you remember a time before the Covenant formed. You remember how bad things got for witches and liberals before the Covenant’s neo-pagans ‘sharpened their athames’ and as such, fight harder than any young Witch to protect your pagan nation.

               

            You refuse to let the Christians kill you without a fight. Once per day, if reduced to 0 HP or fewer by any adversary you know to be Christian, and not killed outright, you can continue to fight on for one round as if disabled. At the end of this period, you fall unconscious and begin dying, unless brought above 0 HP.

Reality Programmer (EX)
Psi-Watch, Otherverse America

Prerequisite: Academic, Creative, Cyber Shaman, Entrepreneur, Ghostwise, Megacorp Trainee, Military Artist, Precision Targeted Idol, Scientist’s Kid, Technician, Computer Use 4 ranks or Craft (visual arts, writing) 4 ranks

You were responsible (possibly in just a small, unwitting way) for the creation of a simulated reality training Tube Grown and Narcisician Clones. Memes you encoded in your work form a major part of the psychological make up of characters with the Tube Grown and Narcisician Clone starting occupation; you may substitute either a Computer Use or Craft (visual arts or writing) check for a Sense Motive check against these characters.

Television Warrior (EX)
Psi-Watch

Prerequisite: Feral Mutant, Gladiator, Meta-Ganger, Outcast, Predator, Time Crosser, Tube-Grown Starting Occupation, CHA 13+, Perform (any) 1 rank 

            You grew to maturity in a parallel reality ruled by predatory, media mega-corps. Every aspect of brutal life and death on this reality was focused around lethal gladiator games broadcast live as reality show snuff films. Somehow you escaped, to a world where the media is a tame housecat, not a rabid lion that devours young lives by the million.

            You fight at your best when broadcast live, making you a poor fit for stealth operations. If you spend an action point to boost any attack or damage roll, or to boost your Defense Score or activate a combat ability, you may attempt a DC 15 Perform (any) check. If this check is successful, you retain the action point. You may only use this ability when you know your actions are being filmed/recorded or broadcast electronically.

Tribal Avenger (EX)
Any Setting Involving Lifechained Creatures

Prerequisite: Tribal Starting Occupation, Knowledge (history) 1 rank

            Your tribe’s oral tradition includes facts about the star-spanning Lifechained ecosystem (Guide to the Known Galaxy, Otherverse Games 2008). Since birth, you have learned these stories, and have prepared for the day when you would defend your tribe against extraterrestrial horrors.

            You receive a +2 insight bonus on melee attack rolls against any creature with the Lifechained subtype when using a Simple or Archaic melee weapon, or when attacking unarmed.

Undeclared Major (EX)
Prerequisite: Academy Cadet, Astronaut Trainee, Mascot, Neo-Witch Seeker, Scientist’s Kid, Student or Termite Starting Occupations, INT 13+

            You still haven’t decided what you wish to study. At character creation, and when leveling up, you do not have to assign all your skill ranks. You can wait until a situation comes up where you need the skill, and then assign ranks as a free action. You may use skills normally from that point.

Unique Scar (EX)
Prerequisite: Intimidate 1 rank

            You’ve earned an instantly recognizable facial scar somehow. This unique scar provides you with a +1 increase to your Reputation score. You also receive a bonus on Intimidate checks, but suffer an equal penalty to Disguise checks. You can choose to receive up to +4/-4 check modifier with this starting talent, but must receive a minimum +1/-1 check modifier. Once the severity of your scar is chosen, it can’t be changed.