The Red Star Campaign Setting is a surprisingly complete book. It captures everything from the comics (those issues that were published by the time of its release), and then adds some. It also translates all of this amazingly well into the constraints of the d20 system.
If there is one thing really missing from it, that would be advanced classes (or prestige classes if you prefer the D&D rather than the d20 Modern terminology).
Sure, there are two advanced classes included in the book, but those are specifically geared towards playing… well, dead characters. Those are advanced classes for spirits.
There are no advanced classes included for normal, living, breathing characters. Which is a shame really, because while the new base classes provided in the book are pretty flexible (with most of them offering multiple paths or class feature trees), they still cannot capture quite everything seen in the comics, described in the background section of the book itself, much less everything that would be imaginable in a rich setting such as this.
Advanced classes from other sources (e.g. the standard d20 Modern advanced classes) can help a bit with this, providing additional features to model common archetypes, but of course those offer little when trying to capture the concepts specific to the setting.
Three of these concepts are presented below as short advanced classes with five level each.
All three of them take on aspects and concepts from the setting’s war-torn world going beyond the organised military formations and resistance movements which form the primary focus of most of the base classes. They are probably best suited for campaigns along the lines of the “Scavengers All” campaign outline presented in the appendix of the Campaign Setting, in which the player characters are smugglers, mercenaries, deserters and others trying to make a fortune (or just a living) off the national or revolutionary struggles of others.
The Mercenary is an obvious concept. It is influenced here by the depiction of the dangerous inhabitants of the mercenary haven Amar Kahn in Sword of Lies. In the comics, the seemingly ragtag band of thugs and soldiers can be seen wielding an assortment of non-standard yet powerful weapons, including stolen prototypes and even a full battery of “stratospheric artillery”, threatening the mighty skyships of the Red Fleet. The class is thus modelled to give the more standardized “warrior classes” (like the Hailer, Nistaani Warrior, or Red Trooper) of the setting access to a wider range of equipment options.
The Shell is based on the descriptions of burned-out veterans bearing that moniker in the background section of the Campaign Setting. The horrific realities of industrial-sorcerous warfare and extended guerilla war have robbed them of their former convictions and beliefs in the Fleet, the state and the meaning of life. Taking levels in the class provides a character with improved defenses against physical attacks and other effects, but also makes him lose access to some types of options and benefits normally enjoyed by all characters.
The Vulture finally tries to capture the feel of the band of war profiteers that features quite prominently in one of the issues of the comics’ Nokgorka arc. There, they can be seen prowling the streets of the besieged city of Bahamut in the aftermath of a pitched battle, collecting salvage and trying to capture survivors to sell them to the rebels or federal troops or even as slaves on the black market. The class provides a broad skill set and abilities to directly or indirectly increase the character’s wealth.
Mercenary
Bands of mercenaries, often consisting of Red Fleet deserters and escapees from the special labor camps, constantly trouble the border regions of the Lands of the Red Star.
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Personal Firearms Proficiency, Weapon Focus
Skills: Knowledge (Tactics) 3 ranks, Profession 3 ranks
Hit Die: 1d10
Action Points: 6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the character attains a new level in this class.
Class Skills
The Mercenaries class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Climb (Str), Demolitions (Int), Drive (Dex), Gamble (Wis), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Current Events, Popular Culture, Tactics) (Int), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Telekinesis (Wis) and Treat Injury (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + Int Modifier.
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Defense Bonus |
Reputation Bonus |
Class Features |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Flexible loyalities |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Improvisation |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Bonus feat |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Versatility |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Mercenary advanced class.
Flexible Loyalities
Starting at 1st level a mercenary with less than 3 allegiances always qualifies for the allegiance-based bonus to Charisma-based skill checks, regardless of the allegiance of the character he is interacting with.
Bonus Feat
At 2nd level and again at 4th level the Mercenary gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Mercenary must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Alertness, Athletic, Bersk Wrestling, Bersk Wrestling Pin, Bersk Wrestling Kill, Bersk Wrestling Strike, Black Market Connections, Brawl, Burst Fire, Cautious, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Hook, Combat Martial Arts, Combat Reflexes, Combat Throw, Confident, Dead Aim, Defensive Martial Arts, Dodge, Drive-By Attack, Elusive Target, Endurance Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Brawl, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Throw, Improved Initiative, Low Profile, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Strike, Quick Reload, Renown, Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Strafe, Streetfighting Sunder, Surface Vehicle Operation, Telekinetic Firearms Proficiency, Toughness, Weapon Focus
Improvisation
A Mercenary of 3rd level or higher suffers only a -2 non-proficient penalty when making attacks with a weapon for which he doesn’t possess the correct weapon proficiency feat.
Versatility
At 5th level, a Mercenary may select a single specific weapon he is proficient with. He may apply the benefits of any feats (such as Weapon Focus) and class features (such as Hook Training) he possesses and which are normally limited to a specific weapon to this chosen weapon as well, as long as it is generally applicable to the type of weapon.
Shell
Shells are mentally scarred veterans of Al’Istaan and other conflicts, who survived the battlefield only to die an emotional death back in the motherland.
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Great Fortitude or Iron Will
Special: The character must have lost one of his allegiances while fighting in a war.
Hit Die: 1d12
Action Points: 6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the character attains a new level in this class.
Class Skills
The Shell’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Drive (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Current Events, Popular Culture, Streetwise) (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + Int Modifier.
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Defense Bonus |
Reputation Bonus |
Class Features |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | +1 | +0 | No friends, no hope |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | +2 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | +2 | +1 | Empty staredown |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | +2 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | +3 | +1 | No pain, no soul |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Shell advanced class.
No Friends
A 1st level Shell loses all allegiances. A Shell who gains a new allegiance may not continue to take levels in the Shell advanced class.
No Hope
Starting at 1st level a Shell becomes immune against fear effects. The character may not profit from morale bonuses any longer.
Bonus Feat
At 2nd level and again at 4th level the Shell gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Shell must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Bersk Wrestling, Bersk Wrestling Pin, Bersk Wrestling Kill, Bersk Wrestling Strike, Black Market Connections, Brawl, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Brawl, Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Feint, Improved Knockout Punch, Knockout Punch, Low Profile, Power Attack, Streetfighting, Sunder, Toughness
Empty Staredown
Upon attaining the 3rd level in the Shell advanced class a character gains Frightful Presence as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. The DC to resist a Shell’s Frightful Presence is increased by an additional +1 per class level.
No Pain
When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored against a 5th level Shell, there is a 25% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally.
No Soul
A 5th level Shell becomes immune to mind affecting effects. He may not gain levels in classes which have the Immortal template as a prerequisite.
Vulture
Like their namesake, vultures converge on the battlefields once the fighting is over, picking through the rubble to scavenge weapons, parts and people to sell off to the highest bidder.
Requirements:
Feats: Black Market Connections
Skills: Intimidate 6 ranks, Search 6 ranks
Hit Die: 1d8
Action Points: 6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the character attains a new level in this class.
Class Skills
The Vulture’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Drive (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gamble (Wis), Gather Info (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Current Events, Popular Culture, Streetwise, Technology) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis) and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 7 + Int Modifier.
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Defense Bonus |
Reputation Bonus |
Class Features |
| 1st | +0 | +1 | +1 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Better part of valor |
| 2nd | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | +2 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 3rd | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Skavenger |
| 4th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +2 | Bonus feat |
| 5th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +2 | Ransom |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Vulture advanced class.
Better Part of Valor
Beginning at 1st level a Vulture no longer loses his Dexterity bonus to Defense when running.
Bonus Feat
At 2nd level and again at 4th level the Vulture gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Vulture must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Alertness, Brawl, Cautious, Combat Expertise, Confident, Deceptive, Dodge, Elusive Target, Endurance, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Frightful Presence, Great Fortitude, Guide, Improved Brawl, Improved Knockout Punch, Knockout Punch, Lightning Reflexes, Low Profile, Mobility, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Quick Draw, Renown, Run, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Streetfighting, Track, Windfall
Skavenger
A 3rd level Vulture gains a +4 bonus on Profession and Search checks.
Ransom
A 5th level Vulture has built the necessary net of contacts for ransoming off captured personnel to their companions. At the end of an adventure, when the Vulture has captured alive one or more characters with an allegiance to the Red Fleet, Nokgorkan Resistance or another large organisation, he may choose to release his captives in return for a one time Wealth increase. This Wealth increase is equal to one half the Encounter Level (rounded down) of the returned captives.
The artwork is taken from the concept sketches for The Sword of Lies and was used with kind permission of Christian Gossett.
The Red Star and all related characters are ™ and © Christian Gossett. Used with kind permission.
The Red Star Campaign Setting is © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Die Grafik stammt aus den Konzeptskizzen für Schwert der Lügen und wurde mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Christian Gossett verwendet.
The Red Star und alle verwandten Charactere sind ™ und © Christian Gossett. Verwendet mit freundlicher Genehmigung.
The Red Star Campaign Setting ist © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.