d20 The Game Mechanics Future Player's Companion - Tomorrows' Foundation.pdf

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FUTURE PLAYER’S COMPANION:
TOMORROWS’ FOUNDATION
by Gary Astleford & Rodney Thompson
Additional Design: JD Wiker
Editing: JD Wiker & Marc Schmalz
Creative Direction: JD Wiker
Art Direction: Stan!
Proofreading: Vincent Szopa
Layout and Typesetting: Marc Schmalz
Front & Back Cover Design: Marc Schmalz
Cover Art: Clarence Harrison
Interior Art: Khairul Hisham & Pete Schlough
Special thanks to Neil Spicer for comments and support.
What’s in This Book? ...............................2
How to Use This Book ..............................2
For the Gamemaster .................................2
Character Building .......................................3
New Races ..................................................3
Contents
™
™
The Game Mechanics, Inc
P.O. Box 1125, Renton WA 98057
www.thegamemechanics.com
‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used
according to the terms of the d20 System License version 4.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com/d20.
Urban Arcana, d20 Modern and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., in the United States and other
countries and are used with permission.
Future Player’s Companion: Tomorrows’ Foundation ©2005 The Game Mechanics, Inc. All rights reserved.
For information on the designation of Open Game Content and Product Identity in this publication, refer to the Appendix.
T HE G AME M ECHANICS and The Game Mechanics logo are trademarks of The Game Mechanics, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the
material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of The Game Mechanics, Inc. This product
is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.
Made in the U.S.A.
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Introduction
Introduction
Introduction
“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.”
—Arthur C. Clarke
2
If there is only one adage that can be applied to science
fiction roleplaying, it is this: The future is a place of limitless
possibilities. By definition, a roleplaying game is a series of
opportunities and possibilities defined by the people playing
it. Like fantasy, science fiction multiplies these to the point
that one is no longer limited by what is plausible or what is
probable: If you can imagine it, science fiction can come up
with some technology to explain it.
Thus, the challenge of every science fiction roleplaying
game is born. How does one create a rules system for a
game that has limitless possibilities? How can one create
a complete rules set to cover every conceivable story,
character, or bit of technology when those ideas are
literally limitless? This problem has challenged players,
Gamemasters, and authors alike ever since roleplaying games
were invented. The simple answer is that one cannot ever,
under any circumstances, write a complete science fiction
roleplaying game. Were it possible, no one would ever
publish another sourcebook or rules system.
Futuristic roleplaying in the d20 System continues
this trend of placing the options before the Gamemaster
and giving the GM and players everything they need to
get started. Yet there is always room for more: more
occupations, more feats, more pieces of technology, more
aliens, more time travelers. Thus, the Future Player’s
Companion is born.
Like its spiritual predecessor, the Modern Player’s
Companion, this book focuses on the material used in
character creation and game play designed for use by
players but also valuable for Gamemasters. After all, the
same material that applies to a player character can just as
easily apply to an NPC. Not every item in the book will apply
to your character or your campaign, but that’s all right—
because enough will that we know you will be pleased with
the result.
Within you will find new character options and all manner
of new feats, skill uses, and races for your perusal. More
than that, though, you will find inspiration and imagination. A
character’s stat block doesn’t make it interesting or exciting;
the way you play him or her does. It is with this concept in mind
that this book was designed, allowing you to match mechanics
to your abstract concepts in a way that makes logical sense.
Each page is filled with a plethora of ideas, just waiting for you
to pick one out and take it for a spin.
What’s in This Book?
The Future Player’s Companion is all about building
characters in a science fiction setting and providing players
and Gamemasters alike with ideas to make every character
unique. Chapter One contains six new alien species, new
human subraces, and environment packages for enhancing
your character right from the start. Additionally, the chapter
presents new talent trees for each core class, new talents for
existing trees, and several brand-new starting occupations
for various science fiction settings. Chapter Two continues the
character creation process with new uses for dozens of skills
as well as feats associated with every genre and character
archetype. Chapter Three covers character story arcs, which
are designed to give players and Gamemasters a clear idea of
how to develop a character over the course of the campaign.
How to Use This Book
First, check with your Gamemaster to be sure that he approves
of the material presented here. Then take out the Future
Player’s Companion and use it whenever you use the d20
Modern Roleplaying Game and d20 Future. You can use this
book when creating new characters, leveling them up, or
simply in deciding what options your character will pursue as
he or she gains experience. This book presents options that
will expand the possibilities for your character and open up
some venues not accessible through any other product.
For the Gamemaster
The big question on your lips is almost certainly: What will this
material do to my campaign?
The answer is: nothing—except broaden the possibilities
for your players to exercise their imaginations. The Future
Player’s Companion does not present new rules, power-
ups, or optional reinterpretations of the modern and future
d20 System games. It is designed with the same principles,
decisions, and guidelines that the original designers used.
We know this because it is written, edited, and produced by
people who were involved in creating both the d20 Modern
Roleplaying Game and d20 Future. This is material that might
have even gone in the original products if size, cost, time, and
other practical matters were not an issue.
Remember: The future is a place of limitless possibilities.
Anything that’s possible for a player character is possible for a
GM character as well!
Introduction
Introduction
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Chapter One: Future Heroes
Chapter One: Future Heroes
Chapter One: Future Heroes
Heroes in the future greatly resemble the heroes of modern
times in their personality and attitudes. When advancing
technology, space travel, cybernetics, time travel, and other
futuristic items are thrown into the mix, they can make a hero
look very different. This chapter provides players with many
new options for the basic aspects of character creation, with
new races and subraces, talent trees, and starting occupations
for heroes in all kinds of science fiction and modern
roleplaying games.
Khel-thirad have deep, baritone voices and large, watchful
eyes that constantly scan the immediate area for threats. Most
Khel-thirad have mottled and scaly skin, which can range from
browns to greens and even some other dark colors (such as
crimson or dark blue) depending on their unique heritage. All
Khel-thirad possess a curved beak similar to that of a parrot
or macaw, though they do have a relatively thick accent when
Table 1-1: Skill Points/Level for Races
Other than Baseline Human
Character Building
When building a character using a race other than baseline
human, there are some changes to character creation and
advancement. These changes apply to all heroic alien species.
Feats
Baseline humans get a bonus feat at first level, plus a first-
level feat and any bonus feats granted by their occupation
and first class level. Other characters do not get the bonus
feat at first level. When creating such a character, choose
only one feat in addition to any granted by occupation and
first class level.
Class
Skill Points/Level
d20 Modern Roleplaying Game
Basic Class
Strong
2+ Int modifier
Fast
4+ Int modifier
Tough
2+ Int modifier
Smart
8+ Int modifier
Dedicated
4+ Int modifier
Charismatic
6+ Int modifier
Advanced Class
Soldier
4+ Int modifier
Skills
Baseline humans gain skill points as described in the various
rules and source books. Other races get fewer skill points, as
shown on Table 1-1: Skill Points/Level for Races Other than
Baseline Human. As with human characters, multiply these skill
points by four when creating a 1st-level character of any race.
Martial Artist
2+ Int modifier
Gunslinger
4+ Int modifier
Infiltrator
6+ Int modifier
Daredevil
4+ Int modifier
Bodyguard
2+ Int modifier
Field Scientist
6+ Int modifier
New Races
Not every character in future roleplaying is going to be a human,
and the same goes for player characters. This section presents
six new character races that represent some of the most basic
and recognized archetypes in the world of science fiction.
Khel-thirad
The Khel-thirad are a dangerous warrior race that is both
aggressive and violent. Resembling large, bipedal saurian
creatures, the Khel-thirad have carved an empire out of the
various planets near their homeworld. Though the Khel-thirad
are natural hunters and warriors, they are intelligent beings
who make alliances and enemies just the same as anyone
else. Though not officially allied with humanity, the Khel-thirad
do have an uneasy peace treaty that prevents the forces of
the Khel-thirad Empire from raiding human outposts and
settlements. The Khel-thirad are quite independent and fear
no one, but are not foolish enough to risk open war against a
superior opponent.
Techie
6+ Int modifier
Field Medic
4+ Int modifier
Investigator
4+ Int modifier
Personality
4+ Int modifier
d20 Future
Advanced Class
Ambassador
4+ Int modifier
Dogfighter
4+ Int modifier
Dreadnought
2+ Int modifier
Engineer
6+ Int modifier
Explorer
6+ Int modifier
Field Officer
4+ Int modifier
Helix Warrior
2+ Int modifier
Space Monkey
4+ Int modifier
Swindler
6+ Int modifier
3
Technosavant
6+ Int modifier
Tracer
4+ Int modifier
Xenophile
6+ Int modifier
Chapter One: Future Heroes
Chapter One: Future Heroes
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Chapter One: Future Heroes
speaking human languages. The Khel-thirad are capable of
using all human technology, as their scaled hands resemble
human hands quite closely.
The Khel-thirad live in a society dominated by their
religious beliefs, convinced that it is their divine right to rule
the entire universe some day. Though their religion allows
for other species to be members of the Khel-thirad Empire,
typically these other species tend to chafe under the harsh
rules of the Khel-thirad government. A Khel-thirad warrior can
be a powerful ally, but many consider them untrustworthy—
and rare reports of a Khel-thirad warrior turning on human
allies make their way through the colonies each day. The
true nature of the Khel-thirad reliability largely depends on
the individual member of the species: While some see other
races as the stepping blocks upon which they will ascend to
greatness, others believe that their holy texts instruct them to
build strong relationships so they might dominate the galaxy
as a conglomeration of races.
All Khel-thirad speak their own language, and many learn to
speak an older form of Khel-thirad used primarily in religious
ceremonies. Further, Khel-thirad have communities on a
number of planets, and tend to acquire local languages.
Home Planet: Khel
location of their homeworld is a mystery; those fortunate few
outsiders who have been taken to the homeworld by Liandren
vessels describe it as a heavily-guarded fortress world. Though
the Liandren are peaceful on the whole, anyone who dares
to try to discern the secrets of their civilization is dealt with
swiftly and violently. Despite this secrecy, Liandren can be
quite open in their personal relationships. Once they bond
with a person or group, they accept their friends and allies into
their families in an elaborate ceremony. From that point on,
the individual Liandren’s personal life is open to his friends,
though no Liandren will share the secrets of their civilization
with any outsider under any circumstances.
The Liandren resemble slender humans with angular
features and purple-gray skin. Their hair, worn long by both
males and females, is always stark black even through old
age. Most Liandren stand at a height equal to humans, though
some grow quite tall depending on the planet of their origin;
particularly, Liandren colonists grow slightly taller than their
home world kin, leading some scientists to speculate that
the Liandren home planet has higher than normal gravity. In
addition to their skin tone and lithe physique, Liandren also
possess curved fangs, which appear only when the Liandren
open their mouths. These fangs are indicative of the Liandren’s
serpentine heritage.
Though Liandren society remains a mystery, it is known that
the Liandren prize order and organization over chaos. Most
Liandren operate under a caste system and their military has
a perfectly clear chain of command: There is no mutiny in the
Liandren Armada. Liandren family groups are close-knit, and
most Liandren would rather die than betray another member of
their family, even if they knew their relative had broken the law.
Most Liandren that venture out into the universe do so in order
to protect themselves or their family by learning more about
their allies and enemies.
In addition to their native language, Liandren have two
languages they use only amongst themselves: Thessilese
and Corvian. Because these languages derived from cultural
divisions, Liandren who speak one often do not speak the
other; only a handful of Liandren—generally diplomats and
scholars—bother to learn both.
Home Planet: Unknown
Species Traits
Size: Large. Khel-thirad take a –1 size penalty to Defense
and a –1 size penalty on attack rolls. They gain a +4 size
bonus on grapple checks and suffer a –4 size penalty on Hide
checks.
Ability Modifiers: +4 Strength, –2 Dexterity, –2 Wisdom,
–2 Charisma.
Base Speed: The Khel-thirad base speed is 30 feet.
Fighting Space: As Large creatures, Khel-thirad occupy a
10-foot-by-10-foot fighting space.
Reach: As Large creatures, Khel-thirad have a 10-foot reach.
Claws: The Khel-thirad possess a single, razor-sharp claw
that extends from under each forearm, granting the character
two natural claw attacks that deal 1d6 + Strength modifier
damage.
Impulsive: The Khel-thirad are rarely able to control their
emotions and are often goaded into action. Whenever a Khel-
thirad is unfriendly or hostile toward a character (as defined
under the Diplomacy skill), the Khel-thirad suffers a –4 racial
penalty to all Wisdom and Charisma-based skill checks against
that character.
Free Language Skills: Speak Khel-thirad.
Other Languages: High Holy Khel-thirad, local languages.
Level Adjustment: +1
Liandren
Though much about the Liandren remains a mystery, one
thing that is known is that they value their privacy more than
almost anything else. Hailing from a remote corner of space
and with but a few colonies of their own, the Liandren maintain
good relationships with the other species of the galaxy but
are something of a puzzle to anyone but their own kind. In
fact, the Liandren value their privacy so much so that the true
4
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Liandren have no special bonuses or
penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.
Base Speed: The Liandren base speed is 30 feet.
Mental Shielding: Liandren are particularly adept at
preserving the secrets of their kind and have developed a
mental resistance to mind probes over millennia of evolution.
All Liandren gain a +4 bonus to Will saves made to resist
mind-reading devices and psionic powers.
Fangs: Liandren possess two large fangs, granting the
Liandren a natural bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage.
Suspicious: The Liandren tendency to treat everyone as
a potential threat to their civilization makes them reluctant
to trust anyone. They suffer a –2 racial penalty to all Bluff,
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