This is the second part of a series of articles looking to add setting specific advanced classes to The Red Star. Here is part one of a series of articles.
In the first article, we presented three classes for criminal and mercenary characters. This time, we will look at expanding the options for characters serving on the frontlines of the Red Fleet’s wars.
Krawls, the setting’s mammoth equivalents to tanks, while mostly taking a backseat compared to skyships still feature prominently in both the comics and the Campaign Setting. Indeed, one of the main supporting characters of the first two books, Alexandra Goncharova, as well as her hapless sidekick Renko are both krawl commanders.
The more manageable size and stats of krawls (again compared to skyships) can make it quite desirable to include them in games and playing the crew of such a fighting machine is even listed as a possible campaign outline in the Campaign Setting’s appendix.
Yet, while the vehicles themselves get a detailed treatment in both the background and the rules section, there are precious little options available to develop characters focussing on krawl action. Third party products also do little to rectify this.
The Krawl Ace advance class aims to plug this hole and offers a set of abilities especially tailored for characters engaged in armored warfare in The Red Star universe, boosting both the vehicle and other crew members.
The Protocol Desantnik on the other hand is an advanced class for elite infantrymen focussing on ambush tactics and sorcery-enhanced mobility via teleportation.
It is not based on anything directly seen in the comics, though. Instead it is an extrapolation of the emphasis on airborne troops (or VDV – air landing forces) in real life Soviet doctrine during the Cold War years for The Red Star.
While in the universe of The Red Star, all infantry can be considered airborne due to being deployed from huge skyships, the concept of elite formations forming highly mobile advance and quick reaction forces certainly can be translated to the comic/game world, switching their insertion method from air landing to teleportation in the process.
Krawl Ace
A Krawl Ace is an accomplished crew member or commander of the mammoth armored fighting vehicles known as krawls.
Requirements:
Feats: Gunnery, Surface Vehicle Operation (Tracked)
Skills: Drive 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 Krawl Ace’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Computer Use (Int), Craft (Mechanical) (Int), Drive (Dex), Knowledge (Current Events, History, Popular Culture, Tactics) (Int), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none) and Repair (Int).
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 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +0 | +0 | Crack shot |
| 2nd | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +0 | Low silhouette |
| 3rd | +2 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +1 | Well oiled machine +2 |
| 4th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 5th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +2 | +1 | Redline +10/+1 |
| 6th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +2 | +2 | Close-in defense |
| 7th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +2 | +2 | Well oiled machine +4 |
| 8th | +6 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +3 | +2 | Bonus feat |
| 9th | +6 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +3 | +3 | Redline +20/+2 |
| 10th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +3 | +3 | Ace |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Krawl Ace advanced class.
Crack Shot
A 1st level Krawl Ace gains a +1 competence bonus to attacks with vehicular weapons mounted on a krawl.
Low Silhouette
At 2nd level a Krawl Ace acting as the commander or driver of a krawl may increase the degree of cover granted to her krawl by one step. The krawl must already have at least 1/10th cover for this ability to function.
Bonus Feat
At 4th level and again at 8th level the Krawl Ace gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Krawl Ace must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Dead Aim, Double Tap, Drive-By Attack, Far Shot, Force Stop, Gearhead, Improved Initiative, Strafe, Vehicle Dodge, Vehicle Expert, Weapon Focus
Redline
When a Krawl Ace acts as the commander or driver of a krawl, her krawl receives a bonus to its speed and maneuver scores. This bonus is +10m to speed and +1 to maneuver at 5th level. It increases to +20m to speed and +2 to maneuver at 9th level.
Close-in Defense
Once per round starting at 6th level, when a creature moves adjacent to a Krawl Ace’s krawl, she may make a single attack with a vehicular weapon mounted on her krawl against that creature.
Ace
A 10th level Krawl Ace firing a vehicular weapon mounted on a krawl can score critical hits against other vehicles, applying all the normal effects (i.e. increased damage) of a critical hit with the weapon, even though vehicles are normally not subject to critical hits.
Protocol Desantnik
Protocol Desantniks are members of elite Red infantry formations, who use advanced protocols to outflank enemy positions or strike at targets deep behind the frontlines.
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Jump 3 ranks, Knowledge (Tactics) 3 ranks, Navigate 3 ranks, Survival 3 ranks
Required Allegiance: The Red Fleet
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 Protocol Desantnik’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.
Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Demolitions (Int), Drive (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Current Events, History, Popular Culture, Tactics) (Int), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Spot (Wis), Survival (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 | +0 | +1 | +0 | Advanced Deployment Gate link, promotion |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +2 | +0 | +1 | +0 | Bonus feat |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +2 | +0 | +2 | +1 | Sneak attack +1d8 |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +3 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Flanking maneuver |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Bonus feat |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +3 | +2 | +3 | +2 | Sneak attack +2d8 |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +4 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Improved flanking maneuver |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +4 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Bonus feat |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +4 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Sneak attack +3d8 |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +5 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Gatekrasher |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Protocol Desantnik advanced class.
Advanced Deployment Gate Link
A 1st level Protocol Desantnik gains an ADG link. This is a protocol enhancement permanently kast into his brain, and allows the Protocol Desantnik to use an Advanced Deployment Gate (see ADG protocol below).
Promotion
The protocol-landing forces are an elite arm of the Red Fleet. Upon being accepted into them and taking the first level of the Protocol Desantnik advanced class the character is automatically promoted one rank.
Bonus Feat
At 2nd level and every three levels thereafter the Protocol Desantnik gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Protocol Desantnik must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Acrobatic, Advanced Combat Hook, Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Advanced Defensive Rotation Shield, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Alertness, Athletic, Bersk Wrestling, Bersk Wrestling Pin, Bersk Wrestling Kill, Bersk Wrestling Strike, Burst Fire, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Hook, Combat Martial Arts, Combat Reflexes, Dead Aim, Defensive Martial Arts, Defensive Rotation Shield, Diehard, Double Tap, Endurance, Engine Pull Champion, Heroic Surge, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Dead Aim, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Extended Defensive Rotation Shield, Guide, Improved Combat Hook, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved Defensive Rotation Shield, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Offensive Rotation Shield, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Precise Strike, Railfighting, Shot on the Run, Telekinetic Firearms Proficiency, Telekinetic Warrior, Stealthy, Weapon Focus
Sneak Attack
If a Protocol Desantnik can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The Protocol Desantnik’s attack deals extra damage any time his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to Defense (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Protocol Desantnik flanks his target. This extra damage is 1d8 at 3rd level, and it increases by 1d8 every three Protocol Desantnik levels thereafter. Should the Protocol Desantnik score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 10m.
With an unarmed attack, a Protocol Desantnik can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.
Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The Protocol Desantnik must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A Protocol Desantnik cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
A Protocol Desantnik’s sneak attack is cumulative with any sneak attack gained from other classes, such as Zek.
Flanking Maneuver
When making a ranged attack against an opponent that has already been attacked by another character in this round, a Protocol Desantnik of at least 4th level is treated as if he were flanking that opponent. The opponent must be within 10m of the Protocol Desantnik.
Improved Flanking Maneuver
When a 7th level Protocol Desantnik flanks an opponent, that opponent is considered flat-footed.
Gatekrasher
In the round a 10th level Protocol Desantnik emerges from a protocol gate he is considered to have total concealment.
New Protocol
Protocol Desantniks are sent into battle using a special variant of the Gate Transfer Protocol, called an Advanced Deployment Gate Protocol or ADGP. An ADGP can have a vastly increased range over a normal GTP, but it can only be used by personnel equipped with a Protocol Desantnik’s special ADG link brain enhancement.
Advanced Deployment Gate Protocol (ADGP)
U.R.R.S.
Nonlethal Damage: 1d10
Component Purchase DC: 21
Component Weight: 0.5 kg
Kast Check DC: 20
Kasting Time: 1 full round
Range: Close (Kast check result x 1 meter), plus see text
Target: One willing creature with an ADG link
Area: Square gate of 2 x 2 meters in size
Duration: (Kast check result) x 1 round, or until cancelled
Saving Throw: None (but see text)
Sorcery Resistance: No
An ADGP functions as a GTP with the following differences:
The kaster must target a single willing creature with an ADG link (most often a character with at least one level in the Protocol Desantnik advanced class) when kasting the protocol. The first gate appears adjacent to this target. The second gate may appear anywhere within (Kast check result x level or hit dice of target x 100 meters) of the kaster.
Only creatures with ADG links can pass through the gates.
Overkast: Increase the level or hit dice of the initial target by +1 per grade for the purpose of determining the allowed distance of the second gate.
The artwork is taken from The Red Star: The Battle of Kar Dathra’s Gate 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: The Battle of Kar Dathra’s Gate 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.