Scout: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:15, 1 December 2024

Some are assassins or pickpockets, some trackers or hunters; some are artful saboteurs, or skilled in siege engines and battlefield traps. But scouts all have one thing in common: lacking either powerful magic or great might, they must rely on their talents and their wits to survive.

Most scouting skills align with four broad paths:

Theft, treachery and stealth
Tracking, woodcraft and stealth
Influencing others
Battlefield engineering

Many Scouts, of course, dabble with multiple paths.

Advice for Scout Characters

Ranger or Scoundrel skill is essential, of course – if not both – and most learn at least a couple of the skills branching off these two. Any scout will tend to eschew noisy heavy armour, so Body Development is invaluable. Resist Poison is useful for beastmasters risking venomed bites or for thieves fearing treachery alike, while Iron Body can aid in escape.

Assassins may dabble in Alchemist for brewing their own poisons, while thieves will benefit from Evaluate to determine which treasures are worth stealing. One of the greatest assets of any scout is surprise – most scouts will take at least some skills their enemies don’t expect, especially magic.

Scout Skills

No character can learn both Hunter's Mark and Killing Blow (both marked with a * below).

Combat Engineer

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites	Use
Device Proficiency	5	Scoundrel	Twice per day
Wardbreaker	8	Scout Archetype and Device Proficiency	Permanent
Sapper	5	Artisan	Special
Siege Weapons	4	Projectile Weapons	Permanent
Siege Engineer	6	Siege Weapons	Permanent
Trapper	6	Ranger	Twice per day

Politician

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites	Use
Detect Lies	6	Intuition	Twice per day
Diplomat’s Insight	6	Intuition	Twice per day
Friendly Face	8	Scout Archetype and Diplomat’s Insight	Twice per day
Silver Tongue	8	Scout Archetype and Diplomat’s Insight	Twice per day
Subterfuge	5	Scoundrel	Twice per day

Rogue

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites	Use
Chameleon	6	Ranger or Scoundrel	Twice per day
Move in Cover	10	Scout Archetype and Chameleon	Once per day
Device Proficiency	5	Scoundrel	Twice per day
Wardbreaker	8	Scout Archetype and Device Proficiency	Permanent
Dirty Fighting	6	Scoundrel	Twice per day
Treacherous Blow	5	Scoundrel	Twice per day
Killing Blow*	12	Scout Archetype and Treacherous Blow	Twice per day
Knockout Blow	10	Scout Archetype and Treacherous Blow	Twice per day
Poisoned Blow	8	Scout Archetype and Treacherous Blow	Twice per day
Subterfuge	5	Scoundrel	Twice per day

Woodcraft

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites	Use
Beast Empathy	6	Ranger	Twice per day
Beast Command	8	Scout Archetype and Beast Empathy	Twice per day
Chameleon	6	Ranger or Scoundrel	Twice per day
Move in Cover	10	Scout Archetype and Chameleon	Once per day
Hunter’s Insight	8	Ranger	Twice per day
Hunter’s Mark*	12	Scout Archetype and Hunter’s Insight	Once per day
Tracking Proficiency	5	Ranger	Twice per day
Pathfinder	8	Scout Archetype and Tracking Proficiency	Twice per day

Armour

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites	Use
Medium Armour	2	Light Armour	Permanent

Resistences

Skill Name	Points Cost	Prerequisites	Use
Immune to [Body Effect]	6	Iron Body	Permanent
Immune to [Disease]	4	Resist Disease	Permanent
Immune to [Poison]	5	Resist Poison	Permanent

Note: Any character may have a maximum of 3 immunities in total.

Scout Study Paths

The four scout study paths aren’t defined by individual skills but by a scout’s role or profession. As such, there is some overlap between paths (e.g. both rogues and politicians are skilled liars, and both survivalists and rogues are trained in stealth). When a scout completes a research project that could come under multiple paths, they should discuss with the research referee which path they are advancing.

Much study as a scout involves improving existing skills (using them more often, overcoming their limitations, their extending durations etc.) rather than devising new abilities. There are exceptions: developing a Wardbreaker rite to slip through a ritual circle ward, for instance, or a Beast Command technique to summon a wild animal.

Study paths include the following:

Combat Engineer Path

A combat engineer is devoted to shaping the battlefield: breaking defences, setting traps and maintaining and operating terrible siege engines against their foes. Research in this path may include more devious or destructive traps, more swiftly destroying structures, and doing more damage with siege weapons (or disabling them more quickly). Working with a skilled mechanician or invoker, a combat engineer may learn to incorporate flasks of poisons or magical charms in their traps; alongside a wardbreaker or a leyline magician, they may learn how to break down even magically-reinforced defences and sabotage leylines.

Includes research building on the Siege Weapons, Sapper and Trapper skills.

Politician Path

A politician’s battlefield is the hearts and minds of others. Research on this path can extend to duplicating the various mind effects, or achieving levels of insight similar to mind-reading. The most talented liars can foil truth potions, magical compulsions, and even attempts via ritual divination to uncover the truth – or to tell a lie so persuasive that it seems to briefly alter reality.

Includes research building on the Diplomat’s Insight, Detect Lies and Subterfuge skills.

Rogue Path

Masters of theft and guile, rogues sneak past guards, overcome traps and locks, lie and deceive, and dispatch their foes quietly and efficiently. Research on this path covers greater feats of stealth – masters are said to be able to become beings of shadow – and the ability to lie even under magical compulsion and truth potions. The slyest killers can slaughter even creatures with magical defences; the greatest lockbreakers can slip through wards, open magical portals and disable magical hexes.

Includes research building on Chameleon, Treacherous Blow, Subterfuge and Device Mastery

Woodcraft Path

The arts of the tracker, the hunter and the trapper fall under this heading. Research on this path covers greater stealth in the wild and deeper insight into reading the world around them; true masters are said to be able to commune with nature spirits and travel between trees like dryads do. The keenest hunters can sense any target’s weakness and shrug off their powers, while those most attuned to the beasts can summon animals to serve them, or even assume the powers and features of beasts themselves.

Includes research building on Beast Empathy, Hunter’s Insight, Chameleon and Tracking Mastery

Example Scout Characters

Assassin

Dragging themselves up from the streets in a major city, the assassin became a murderer for hire. They pay only lip service to the faction they travel with – those who can afford their services know how to reach them. They have the skills they need to close in on their prey and strike when least expected, for the most deadly effect.

Skills: Chameleon (6), Light Armour (2), Scoundrel (5), Treacherous Blow (6), 1 unspent point

Description: No make-up; dark, close-fitting clothes including light leather armour and a cloak, and a short sword and several daggers worn about the body.

Ranger

Born of a tribe of self-appointed guardians of the wilderness, the ranger is a skilled hunter and tracker, able to slip into the trees and disappear. While their duty – and their devotion – is to the forest of their birth, they’re travelling with the warband for a time to see more of the world.

Skills: Chameleon (6), Light Armour (2), Projectile Weapons (6), Ranger (5), 1 unspent point

Description: Pointed ears and a stripe of greenish-white across the eyes; rugged clothing including leather armour and a cloak in greens and browns, with a bow and a quiver of arrows and a light axe.

Treasure Hunter

Sent to study history at a college from a young age, the treasure hunter abandoned their studies to work in the field. Ruined temples, fallen castles, dusty tombs – all these are the stock in trade for the treasure hunter, who is a master of locks, traps and unexpected dangers.

Skills: Device Proficiency (5), Resist Poison (5), Scholar (5), Scoundrel (5)

Description: Fine red stripes across the temples and cheeks; rugged travelling clothes, with a coil of rope and digging tools.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Some are assassins or pickpockets, some trackers or hunters; some are artful saboteurs, or skilled in siege engines and battlefield traps. But scouts all have one thing in common: lacking either powerful magic or great might, they must rely on their talents and their wits to survive.
-Most scouting skills align with four main paths:
+Most scouting skills align with four broad paths:
+:* Theft, treachery and stealth
-:*'''Diplomat:''' Glib and charming, skilled in influencing others;
+:* Tracking, woodcraft and stealth
-:*'''Scoundrel:''' Skilled in deceit and theft, masters of the hidden blade and the broken lock;
+:* Influencing others
-:*'''Ranger:''' More at home in the wilderness than the cities, friend to beasts and caretakers of the forests; or
+:* Battlefield engineering
-:*'''Stealth:''' Both rangers and scoundrels are skilled at vanishing into their surroundings.
 Many Scouts, of course, dabble with multiple paths.
@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ==Scout Study Paths==
+The four scout '''[[Research#Study Paths|study paths]]''' aren’t defined by individual skills but by a scout’s ''role'' or profession. As such, there is some overlap between paths (e.g. both rogues and politicians are skilled liars, and both survivalists and rogues are trained in stealth). When a scout completes a research project that could come under multiple paths, they should discuss with the research referee which path they are advancing.
-Much of the study available to scouts is grounded in [[Training]] in the various skills listed above, and in further improvements in those skills; but characters may find scope for [[Research]]ing different or exceptional applications of those skills.
+Much study as a scout involves improving existing skills (using them more often, overcoming their limitations, their extending durations etc.) rather than devising new abilities. There are exceptions: developing a [[Wardbreaker]] rite to slip through a ritual circle ward, for instance, or a [[Beast Command]] technique to summon a wild animal.
 Study paths include the following:
-====Stealth====
+====Combat Engineer Path====
-Whether thieves in cities or rangers roving the wilderness, subtle movement is the keyword of the whole scout archetype. Scouts can train to use [[Chameleon]] and [[Move in Cover]] more often, to travel further under cover or to retain concealment when breaking cover. With research, they can extend this subtlety to a supernatural degree, concealing themselves even to magical detection; the true masters of this discipline are said to be able to become shadows, or assume the forms of plants or trees.
-====Treachery====
+A combat engineer is devoted to shaping the battlefield: breaking defences, setting traps and maintaining and operating terrible siege engines against their foes. Research in this path may include more devious or destructive traps, more swiftly destroying structures, and doing more damage with siege weapons (or disabling them more quickly). Working with a skilled [[Creator#Jeweller Path|mechanician]] or [[Magician#Invocation Path|invoker]], a combat engineer may learn to incorporate flasks of poisons or magical charms in their traps; alongside a [[#Rogue Path|wardbreaker]] or a [[Magician#Ritual Magic Path|leyline magician]], they may learn how to break down even magically-reinforced defences and sabotage leylines.
-As deadly as it is unexpected, the rogueish skill of the sudden blade or cosh (per [[Treacherous Blow]] and its specialisms) can be trained to work more often, to make more efficient use of blade venoms, or to bypass even magical defences. Research can unlock different applications of [[Dirty Fighting]] to confuse, blind, distract or paralyse opponents.
+Includes research building on the [[Siege Weapons]], [[Sapper]] and [[Trapper]] skills.
-True masters boast of being able to steal life from their victims, or to kill even creatures that elude death.
-====Traps and Locks====
+====Politician Path====
+A politician’s battlefield is the hearts and minds of others. Research on this path can extend to duplicating the various [[Calls#Body Effects, Mind Effects and Fear|mind effects]], or achieving levels of insight similar to mind-reading. The most talented liars can foil [[Truth Potion|truth potions]], magical compulsions, and even attempts via ritual divination to uncover the truth – or to tell a lie so persuasive that it seems to briefly alter reality.
-Although often overlooked, cracking locks, breaking traps and sabotaging mechanisms can too often be the difference between success and failure. Scouts devoted to this path train to use [[Device Proficiency]] more often or more swiftly, or to overcome exotic or unfamiliar devices. The mysteries of the [[Wardbreaker]] skill take this into the realms of mysticism, bypassing all manner of wards and opening mystical portals.
+Includes research building on the [[Diplomat's Insight|Diplomat’s Insight]], [[Detect Lies]] and [[Subterfuge]] skills.
-The greatest claim to be able to steal across the border between ''worlds''.
-====Beasts====
+====Rogue Path====
+Masters of theft and guile, rogues sneak past guards, overcome traps and locks, lie and deceive, and dispatch their foes quietly and efficiently. Research on this path covers greater feats of stealth – masters are said to be able to become beings of shadow – and the ability to lie even under magical compulsion and truth potions. The slyest killers can slaughter even creatures with magical defences; the greatest lockbreakers can slip through wards, open magical portals and disable magical hexes.
-Many Rangers are the siblings of all wild things, using [[Beast Empathy]] and [[Beast Command]] to control simple animals. Aside from training to use these skills more often, some can learn to speak the tongues of beasts, or to summon them from the wilderness to serve them. Some, it is whispered, even learn to assume bestial traits themselves, growing claws or thicker hides – perhaps even to transform into beasts altogether.
+Includes research building on [[Chameleon]], [[Treacherous Blow]], [[Subterfuge]] and [[Device Mastery]]
-====Tracking====
+====Woodcraft Path====
-Beyond the [[Tracking Proficiency]] skill is the potential for further knowledge: to follow even older tracks or gain greater insights into their targets, or to make their prey in their souls so they can follow them even where there are no tracks. Some trackers are said to gain a mystical insight into their environment, communing with the spirits of nature to learn about the movements of others.
+The arts of the tracker, the hunter and the trapper fall under this heading. Research on this path covers greater stealth in the wild and deeper insight into reading the world around them; true masters are said to be able to commune with nature spirits and travel between trees like dryads do. The keenest hunters can sense any target’s weakness and shrug off their powers, while those most attuned to the beasts can summon animals to serve them, or even assume the powers and features of beasts themselves.
-====Trapper====
+Includes research building on [[Beast Empathy]], [[Hunter's Insight|Hunter’s Insight]], [[Chameleon]] and [[Tracking Mastery]]
-Whether they set traps to snare animals for meat or hides, or seek to litter battlefields with hazards, trappers are skilled in setting the world against their foes. With research, Trappers can improve on existing designs, or design new traps – they cannot duplicate the intricate devices of a mechanician, but with some care they can even incorporate flasks of poison gas or trigger magical charms.
 ==Example Scout Characters==

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