After looking at criminal and military characters, our theme for the third and last instalment of our The Red Star advanced classes series is espionage – somewhat fitting for a Cold War inspired setting.
The Campaign Setting’s background section gives a good overview of the Kommissariat, the combined political police and intelligence agency of the URRS, as well as their Western counterparts from the BCI and their allies and the decades long shadow war they waged against one another. Additional tidbits are sprinkled throughout the book’s later chapters, including details of the more esoteric dealings and secret atrocities of sorcerous spycraft, and suggestions for running heroic Kommissariat campaigns. Yet more information can be had from the original comics and there especially from Sword of Lies, the fourth book.
Part I and II of the New advanvced classes serie can be found here and here.
Of the two advanced classes below, the Kommissar is really five classes rolled into one. It gives options to make dedicated members of any of the five main directorates or “hooks” of the Red Kommissariat, from the spies and assassins of the first hook, over the political officers of the second to the investigators of “impossible” crimes staffing the fifth hook.
The Kommissar accordingly offers a host of different class features, split across its five main paths and combines them with a strong skill suite and solid selection of bonus feats.
The mysterious third hook, whose true mission and capabilities only come to light in Sword of Lies, does not feature as part of the advance class.
The Zero advanced class is used to portray the ruthless special forces operatives, who are at the beck and call of the Kommissariat. Tasked among other things with taking down mutinous skyships, the brutal running battle between a villainous loyalist Zero and the rebel hero Kyuzo, himself an ex-Zero as we learn in Sword of Lies, forms one of the main storylines of this book.
Terror and intimidation along with superior abilities to personally take down even the largest and most heavily armored vehicles are the premier features of the Zero advanced class.
Kommissar
The sword and shield of the state, the Kommissariat of the URRS is the world’s premier intelligence organization.
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Reputation Bonus: +1
Skills: Gather Info 6 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks
Required Allegiance: Kommissariat
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 Kommissar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Drive (Dex), Gather Info (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences, Civics, Current Events, History, Popular Culture) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Research (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis) and Telekinesis (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 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +1 | +1 | Hook membership, hook skills |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | +2 | +2 | Hook specialization I |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +2 | +2 | Bonus feat |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +3 | +2 | Skill mastery |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | +3 | +3 | Bonus feat |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | +4 | +3 | Hook specialization II |
| 8th | +6 | +2 | +2 | +6 | +4 | +3 | Bonus feat |
| 9th | +6 | +3 | +3 | +6 | +5 | +4 | Skill perfection |
| 10th | +7 | +3 | +3 | +7 | +5 | +4 | Hook ability boost |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Kommissar advanced class.
Hook Membership
Upon attaining the first level as a Kommissar, a character must choose one of the hooks of the Kommissariat to belong to. This can be either the first, second, fourth, fifth or sixth hook.
Hook Skills
At first level a Kommissar gets to add two skills to his list of Kommissar class skills, dependending on the hook she joined.
| Hook | Bonus Class Skills |
| First | Hide, Move Silently |
| Second | Diplomacy, Knowledge (Tactics) |
| Fourth | Forgery, Knowledge (Streetwise) |
| Fifth | Kast, any one Knowledge skill |
| Sixth | Computer Use, Decipher Script |
Bonus Feat
At 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th level the Kommissar gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Kommissar must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Alertness, Attentive, Bersk Wrestling, Bersk Wrestling Pin, Bersk Wrestling Kill, Bersk Wrestling Strike, Champion, Combat Expertise, Combat Martial Arts, Confident, Deceptive, Double Tap, Educated, Focused, Frightful Presence, Heroic Surge, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Logistician, Low Profile, Meticulous, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Red Fleet Connection, Renown, Stealthy, Studious, Trustworthy, Windfall
Hook Specialization
At 3rd and again at 7th level the Kommissar gains the benefit of a specialization offered by her hook.
| Hook | Specialization I | Specialization II |
| First | Danger Sense | Shadow Warrior |
| Second | Zero Tolerance | Political Advisor |
| Fourth | Faceless Power | Master Interrogator |
| Fifth | Resolve | Becoming the Monster |
| Sixth | Unbreakable | Protector |
Becoming the Monster: At 7th level a Kommissar of the fifth hook can determine the current location of the perpetrator by using the Investigate skill to analyze a clue found at a crime scene. The base DC for this is 30, but the Kommissar gains a cumulative +5 bonus (up to a maximum of +15) for every crime by the same perpetrator that she investigates.
Danger Sense: At 3rd level a Kommissar of the first hook may spend an action point before rolling initiative to add her class level to her roll. A Kommissar using Danger Sense is not considered flat footed if she is attacked by enemies before her first action.
Faceless Power: A 3rd level Kommissar of the fourth hook may spend an action point to either add or subtract her class level from her Reputation score whenever Reputation checks are made. A single use of Faceless Power can affect multiple NPCs.
Master Interrogator: A 7th level Kommissar of the fourth hook can make a Sense Motive check, opposed by the target’s Bluff check, to determine one of her target’s allegiances. Only one allegiance can be determined with a single successful check. The target chooses which allegiance is revealed first. After failing a check, no further attempts at revealing allegiances of a target can be made by the same Kommissar. A use of Master Interrogator takes at least 30 minutes.
Political Advisor: Whenever a member of the Red Fleet gives an order, a 7th level Kommissar of the second hook can make a Diplomacy check to influence the attitude of others towards the character issuing the order. The Kommissar can choose whether she wants to improve or worsen the attitudes. Political Advisor can only affect the attitudes of characters with an allegiance to the Red Fleet or a government organization of the Lands of the Red Star.
Protector: Once per round at 7th level, if a Kommissar of the sixth hook is adjacent to an ally who is targeted by a direct melee or ranged attack (but not an area effect), she can subject herself to the attack in the ally’s stead. If the attack hits the Kommissar, she takes damage normally. If it misses, it also misses the ally.
The Kommissar must declare her intention to protect an ally before the attack roll is made. The Kommissar selects her ally either prior to combat or immediately after she makes her initiative check. The Kommissar can’t change her ally for the duration of the combat.
Resolve: Beginning at 3rd level, a Kommissar of the fifth hook may spend an action point to add her class level to all of her saves for one round. Using Resolve is a free action.
Shadow Warrior: At 7th level, a Kommissar of the first hook can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
Unbreakable: At 3rd level, a Kommissar of the sixth hook who is subject to a direct attack may spend an action point to add her class level to her defense against this attack. Unbreakable must be used before the attack roll is made.
Zero Tolerance: A 3rd level Kommissar of the second hook may spend an action point to add her class level to the result of any save, check or roll (including damage rolls) directed against a character with an allegiance to the Red Fleet.
Skill Mastery
Upon gaining this ability at 5th level a Kommissar selects a number of skills equal to 1 + her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.
Skill Perfection
At 10th level a Kommissar selects one skill in which she possesses skill mastery. When making a skill check with this skill she may always take 20.
Hook Ability Boost
At 10th level the Kommissar’s ability score in an ability associated with her hook increases by +2.
| Hook | Ability Boost |
| First | +2 Dexterity |
| Second | +2 Intelligence |
| Fourth | +2 Charisma |
| Fifth | +2 Wisdom |
| Sixth | +2 Constitution |
Zero
Zeroes are elite commandos of the Kommissariat. Hidden within the crews of skyships, they are trained to disable or destroy the vessels single handed in the event of mutiny or capture.
Requirements:
Feats: Iron Will, Rail Fighting
Skills: Demolitions 6 ranks
Required Allegiance: Kommissariat
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 Zero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Computer Use (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Chemical, Mechanical, Structural) (Int), Demolitions (Int), Disable Device (Int), Gather Info (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Current Events, History, Popular Culture, Tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Telekinesis (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 | +1 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +0 | Breaching strike, masked |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Protocol cache |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Bonus feat |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Sabotage |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +1 | Override codes |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +5 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 | +1 | Structural damage |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 | +2 | Bonus feat |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +5 | +5 | +7 | +2 | Vital systems |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Zero advanced class.
Breaching Strike
Starting at 1st level a Zero may ignore 1 point of Damage Reduction or Hardness per class level when making a melee attack or a ranged attack if the target is within 10m. This stacks with the benefits offered by the Precise Strike feat.
Masked
As long as he is wearing his Zero armor a Zero of 1st level or higher gains a +5 bonus on Intimidate checks and Reputation checks. When so armored, he is also considered to have the Renown feat (if the Zero has chosen Low Profile as a feat, the benefits of Low Profile are lost as long as he wears his Zero armor).
Protocol Cache
A 2nd level Zero has access to a special extra-dimensional protocol equipment cache he can use to store his Zero armor and other mission gear. The cache can only be accessed by the Zero, using a series of protocols permanently kast into his brain. The cache can hold 50 kg of equipment, +5 kg per class level. It takes a standard action to remove or store an item in the cache.
Bonus Feat
At 3rd level and every two levels thereafter the Zero gains a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Zero must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Acrobatic, Advanced Combat Hook, Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Alertness, Athletic, Bersk Wrestling, Bersk Wrestling Pin, Bersk Wrestling Kill, Bersk Wrestling Strike, Burst Fire, Cautious, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Hook, Combat Martial Arts, Combat Reflexes, Combat Throw, Deceptive, Defensive Martial Arts, Dodge, Elusive Target, Frightful Presence, Heroic Surge, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Improved Combat Hook, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Throw, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Mobility, Offensive Rotation Shield, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Strike, Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Sunder, Telekinetic Firearms Proficiency, Telekinetic Warrior, Unbalance Opponent, Weapon Focus
Sabotage
A 4th level Zero can spend one minute to try and disable a system on a skyship. Doing so requires a successful Disable Device check against DC 20. If using the d20 Modern starship rules, the effects of sabotage are equal to a system damage critical hit result.
Override Codes
At 6th level a Zero gains access to high priority command-override codes granting him a +8 competence bonus on any Computer Use and Disable Device rolls involving systems of the Red Fleet.
Structural Damage
Any hit point or system damage caused to a vehicle or structure by a Zero of 8th level from within cannot be repaired in the field.
Vital Systems
At 10th level any hit point damage caused to a vehicle or structure by a Zero from within is doubled.
The artwork is taken from The Red Star: 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 The Red Star: Sword of Lies und wurde mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Christian Gossett verwendet.
The Red Star und alle verwandten Charaktere sind ™ und © Christian Gossett. Verwendet mit freundlicher Genehmigung.
The Red Star Campaign Setting ist © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.