Note: Heroes in Starship
A hero in a starship fills one of several possible roles, which determines what the character can do.
Commander: ADAM A ship’s commander makes decisions about tactics and issues orders to the crew. The commander can help another crewmember by taking an aid another action (see Chapter Five: Combat in the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game). The commander must be located on the starship’s command deck to do so. Aiding another crewmember is a move action. A starship can only have one commander, and ships under Colossal size tend not to have a commander at all.
Pilot: SUZIE: The pilot of a starship controls its movement. Most starships have only one position from which the starship can be piloted. Piloting a starship is always at least a move action, which means that the pilot may be able to do something else with her attack action each round. On smaller ships such as fighters, the pilot also serves as the gunner. A starship can have only one pilot at a time.
Copilot: DOC The copilot can help the pilot on Pilot checks by taking an aid another action. The copilot must be located somewhere on the ship from where he can see the starship’s surroundings and advise the pilot (usually the command deck or cockpit). Aiding the pilot is a move action, leaving the copilot with an attack action each round to do something else. A copilot may also serve as a gunner or sensor operator if he can access one of the starship’s weapon systems or the ship’s sensors from his station. A starship can have only one copilot at a time.
Gunner: A gunner controls one of the ship’s weapon systems, applying her ranged attack bonus and Dexterity modifier to the attack rolls. A ship with multiple weapon systems can have multiple gunners.
Sensor Operator: LARRY Although the copilot usually operates the sensors, some ships (particularly heavy and superheavy ships) have a dedicated crew position for a sensor operator. A sensor operator can take an aid another action either to help the pilot with Pilot checks, or to help a gunner with attack rolls. Either is a move action, leaving the sensor operator with an attack action each round to do something else. A starship can have as many sensor operators as it has different sensor systems (see Starship Sensors, page 136).
Engineer: EVANS A starship’s engineer keeps the ship in working order. If a system has failed for any reason, it is usually up to the engineer to get that system working again. An engineer can attempt a Repair check to fix minor problems as a full round action. A starship can have one engineer, plus one additional engineer each for the ship’s life support, sensors (and communications), and defensive systems.
Passenger: BENNETT All other personnel aboard the starship are considered passengers for purposes of starship combat. Passengers have no specific role in the starship’s operation, but they help repel boarders or take other actions.
BENNETT
Coordinate: The Charismatic hero has a knack for getting people to work together. When the hero can spend a full round directing his allies and makes a Charisma check (DC 10), he provides any of his allies within 30 feet a +1 bonus on their attack rolls and skill checks. The bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the hero’s Charisma modifier (3 rounds). The hero can coordinate a number of allies equal to 1/2 his Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally) (1 Ally).
Inspiration & Greater Inspiration Cha Check DC 10, 30ft, An ally must listen to and observe you for 1 full round. Last Cha Bonus rounds. +3 Morale to Attack, Damage, Save.
The hero can use Inspiration on a number of allies equal to 1/2 his Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally) (1 Ally).
COMPUTER USE (INT)
In addition to all the uses described in the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, this skill can be used to operate shipboard sensors as well as send, jam, scramble, and unscramble transmissions sent through space or across dimensions.
Check: The following applications of the Computer Use skill can be used untrained:
Conduct Active Sensor Scan: Using a starship’s sensors to analyze another ship or object in sensory range requires a Computer Use check (DC 15). An active sensor scan conducted over a vast distance (for example, across a star system) or subjected to some form of disturbance (such as interference from a solar flare) applies a –5 or higher penalty on the check, at the GM’s discretion.
Send Transmission: Routine communications (hailing a nearby ship, using a subspace or dimensional transceiver, and so on) are accomplished with a Computer Use check (DC 10). Communications sent over incredibly long distances (such as between star systems) are subject to distortion; correcting that distortion to ensure a message reaches its intended destination requires a successful Computer Use check (DC 20).
The following applications of the Computer Use skill can’t be used untrained:
Jam Transmission: This skill can be used to prevent a ship or facility from receiving an incoming transmission. An opposed Computer Use check between the individual receiving the message and the individual attempting to jam the message determines whether or not the message gets through. If an unmanned computer receives the transmission, jamming the transmission requires a Computer Use check (DC 15).
Scramble/Unscramble Transmission: Computer Use can be used to scramble a transmission. This is done with an opposed Computer Use check between the individual sending the message and anyone attempting to intercept or unscramble it.
Time: Scrambling or unscrambling a transmission are all full-round actions. Conducting an active sensor scan or sending/jamming a transmission is a move action.
REPAIR (INT) :: DAMAGE CONTROL SYSTEM
A starship equipped with a damage control system can perform damage control as a move action. With a successful Repair check (DC 15), the ship regains a number of hit points depending on its type. Damage control cannot be performed if the ship has been reduced to negative hit points.
PILOT (DEX)
You can use the Pilot skill to fly any kind of spacecraft.
Check: Unless you have the Starship Operation feat (page 14), you take a –4 penalty on Pilot checks made to pilot a starship. The pilot of a starship can make a Pilot check to escape after being held or immobilized by another starship’s grapplers or tractor beam; see Grappling Systems (page 143) for more information on grapplers and tractor beams.
AID ANOTHER
A starship can help an ally attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an enemy in weapon range. The aiding starship makes an attack roll against Defense 10. If the attack roll succeeds, the starship doesn’t actually damage the enemy ship—but its ally gains either a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against that opponent or a +2 circumstance bonus to Defense against that opponent (your choice) on its next turn.
TOTAL DEFENSE
Instead of attacking, a ship can use its attack action to defend itself by performing complex evasive maneuvers. This is called a total defense action. A ship that uses the total defense action doesn’t get to attack, but it gains a +4 dodge bonus to its Defense for 1 round. The ship’s Defense improves at the start of this action, so it helps against any attacks of opportunity the ship is subject to during its move action.
Fighting Defensively: Instead of diverting all of its attention to defending itself, a starship can choose to fight defensively while taking a regular attack action. If it does so, it takes a –4 penalty on its attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to Defense during the same round.
SURGE FORWARD
A starship can use its afterburners to surge forward as a full-round action. When a starship surges forward, it can move up to four times its tactical speed in a straight line. (It does not get a 500-foot shift.) It loses its pilot’s Dexterity bonus to Defense and any dodge bonuses to Defense since it can’t avoid attacks. A starship can surge forward for as many rounds as the pilot likes.
Attacks of Opportunity: A starship that surges forward provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemy ships armed with point-defense systems (see Starship Defense Systems, page 135).