KLOANE WAR KNIGHTS - C.1 P.3

CHARACTER CLASSES

The four basic classes (Soldier, Scientist, Scout, and Technician) are available in the KWN setting, each representing a different background and/or focus of training for the Star Knight character. In addition, players have the option of selecting the High-Born class detailed below. PLEASE NOTE: Multi-Classing is NOT an option in the KWN setting.

High-Born

Though the galaxy is governed by the Galactic Republic, individual planets and star systems have different methods of ruling their citizens, including hereditary nobles and officials elected from the wealthy upper class. High-Born individuals are those born into lives of privilege, possessing the benefits of wealth, education, and well-placed contacts as members of the galaxy’s ruling caste. While Star Knights set these things aside in serving the Republic, those of this background tend to carry their former status as a badge of honor and their skills reflect their heritage.

High-Born Skills

Level	Credit	Culture	Linguistics	Overawe
1	+1	14+	15+	+1
2	+1	13+	14+	+1
3	+2	12+	13+	+1
4	+2	11+	12+	+2
5	+3	10+	11+	+2
6	+3	9+	10+	+2
7	+4	8+	9+	+3
8	+4	7+	8+	+3
9	+5	6+	7+	+3
10	+5	5+	6+	+4

Credit (PRE): Even itinerant and altruistic Star Knights have resources provided by the Republic; High-Born characters supplement this with their family wealth, as well as business contacts and financial acumen. The bonus listed is added to the PC’s credit roll (in addition to PRE adjustments) when making a purchase as described in Chapter 2.

Culture (INT): High-Born characters are well-versed in galactic culture and often know much about the history and customs of various cultures. Characters use this skill to discover vital and useful information when visiting a new world or locale.

Linguistics (INT): Similarly, High-Born characters have extensive training in the languages of the Galactic Republic. When dealing with member species of a non-primitive variety, characters can use this skill to understand the gist of any particular conversation, and should be able to say at least a few words in return (provided they have the ability to vocalize like the species in question). A character that exceeds the target number by 5 or more can be considered near-fluent in the language studied.

Overawe (PRE): The bonus listed is added to any PRE saving throw made in negotiation and diplomacy rolls with sentient cultures due to the character’s regal bearing and commanding presence. This bonus applies whether dealing with the wealthy elite or barbaric primitives; the High-Born character is astute at picking up and adapting to the etiquette of specific cultures with only the briefest exposure.

STAR KNIGHT ABILITIES

Star Knights possess all the same abilities as a standard galactic adventurer. In addition, they are rigorously trained in the psychic disciplines, learning to awaken their own intuition and inner connection with the Star Force, the energy that underlies the structure of physical reality in the universe. The abilities they learn may seem like mysticism, superstition, or sorcery to those untrained in their ways; to the Star Knight their powers are based on scientific principle and directed application.

Because of their psychic training and attunement with “the will of the Star Force,” all Star Knights have a psychic defense bonus equal to their level of experience. This bonus is added to the Star Knight’s Armor Class, though it is lost when the character is weighted down by excessive equipment (see the X-Plorers rulebook for information on being “weighted down”). A Star Knight’s psychic defense bonus does not add to the protection given by artificial or natural armor; only the best protection is used. For example, a 5^th level Star Knight would not benefit from wearing armor other than combat armor (AC 16) because her psychic defense bonus of +5 is better than the protection provided by both mesh suits and reflec armor.

Along with the standard skills of their chosen class, all Star Knights learn a number of psychic powers, called talents, which aid them in the course of game play. To activate a psychic talent, the character must succeed at a PRE saving throw, adding their tier as a bonus; failure indicates mental distraction and a failure to muster the focus needed to succeed. Each Star Knight begins the game with two psychic talents from the list that follows, and can learn an additional two with each level of experience. Some talents have prerequisites; the character must have or meet the listed prerequisite before they can learn a given talent. Because a Star Knight learns two talents at a time, it is certainly possible for a character to learn both a talent and its prerequisite upon advancing to a new level.

Talents are grouped by tier; a character may not learn talents of a higher tier than their own. See the Character Advancement section for information on tiers.

Tier 1 (Apprentice) Talents

Talent	Prerequisite
Beast Mastery	Empathy
Channel Darkside*	-
Clear Mind	-
Deflection	-
Empathy	Premonition
Mind Meld	-
Move Many Objects	Move Small Object
Move Small Object	-
Premonition	Clear Mind
Reflex Pilot	-
Surge	-
Sustain Life	-
Telekinetic Shove	-
Visions	Premonition

Tier 2 (Adept) Talents

Talent	Prerequisite
Destroy Machine	Move Many Objects
Detoxify	Surge
Healing Trance	Detoxify
Know Deception	Empathy
Mask Presence	Mind Trick
Master Darkside*	Channel Darkside
Mind Over Matter	Clear Mind
Mind Trick	Empathy
Move Object	Move Small Object
Psychokinetic Storm*	Telekinetic Attack
Psychometry*	Visions
Resist Death*	Channel Darkside
Telekinetic Attack*	Telekinetic Shove
Telekinetic Disarm	Move Small Object
Telekinetic Slam	Telekinetic Shove
Touch Mind	-

Tier 3 (Master) Talents

Talent	Prerequisite
Ascension	-
Attunement	10th Level
Battle Mind	Farsight, Touch Mind
Dark Lightning*	Master Darkside
Disrupt Energy	Detoxify
Farsight	Visions
Mind Rape*	Mind Trick
Mind Warp	Mind Trick
Mind Wipe	Mind Trick
Move Any Object	Move Object
Razor Throw	Move Small Object
Rend Space*	10th Level, Dark Lightning
Shatterstrike*	Psychometry
Vitality Transfer	Healing Trance

*Psychic talents listed in bold have the potential to earn a Star Knight corruption points, twisting their souls and pushing them into evil and insanity.

All Star Knights are wary of psychic corruption; opening themselves to the Star Force allows them access to the power of the universe, but if that power is not used in the service of the justice and the greater good it becomes a path to damnation and evil. Unfortunately, Star Knights are fallible individuals and subject to the same emotions and selfishness as most folks. Add to this the inherent pride in possessing abilities greater than the common citizen and it becomes a real challenge to remain a humble “servant of the people.”

In addition to the psychic talents noted, certain actions always earn a corruption point when taken by a Star Knight: 

• Causing unnecessary physical harm
• Intentional cruelty resulting in harm or deprivation
• Torture of any type
• Cold-blooded murder (killing an unarmed foe)
• Slaying an “agent of the Star Force,” including any psychic that is not a corrupted follower of Shadow.

Players must keep track of the total number of corruption points earned. Whenever a character earns a corruption point (including the first time), the player rolls 1D8 subtracting the total number of corruption points accumulated and adjusting the total by the character’s PRE modifier, if any. If the result is 0 or less, the character has become corrupted: an unbalanced, unhinged, selfish servant of Evil (what the Star Knights call “falling to Shadow”). At the end of the game session, a corrupted character usually becomes a Non-Player Character under the control of the Referee.

Over time, Star Knights learn from their past mistakes and find ways to atone and heal their own damaged psyches. Whenever a PC Star Knight achieves a new level of experience, the player may remove D4 corruption points from the character’s total.

[to be continued]

[Kloane War Knights is copyright 2013 by Jonathan Becker and Running Beagle Games. The X-Plorers rpg is copyright 2009, Dave Bezio & Grey Area Games. The X-Plorers trademark is used under the X-Plorers Trademark License]