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This type of community has, for whatever reason, managed to avoid the ravages of nuclear war and the ruin of civilization, not only preserving the technology and culture of the Ancients, but also improving upon it over the years. Such exceedingly rare communities will often have even more advanced technology than the Ancients possessed, giving them an increased advantage. Such groups generally scorn the Ancients for destroying the world and consider them weak, ignorant, and even primitive in comparison to themselves. Many communities founded by artificially intelligent life forms are of this type.An example of such a community might be an underground complex where an artificially intelligent robot has remained intact for decades, recreating and reactivating androids and other robots to do its bidding. Humans and mutants are enslaved by these robotic armies to perform manual labor for the robot legion, producing weapons, maintaining power sources, etc. Another example might be a peaceful community, populated by highly intelligent researchers, scientists, and thinkers, which fled to a secure underground shelter to wait out the war. Together they have developed advanced technologies (agricultural methods for growing fungi and algae, energy-to-matter replication units, etc.), and now they are beginning to send out scouts to explore the wasteland in hopes of making peaceful contact with other survivors of the holocaust. They believe that if they spread their wisdom, they can help to ensure that the same kind of cataclysm never occurs again.Skills: Choose one of the following skills as a permanent class skill: Computer Use, Concentration, Craft (any), Decipher Script, Demolitions, Disable Device, Drive, Knowledge (any), Navigate, Pilot, Repair, Research, or Treat Injury.Bonus Feats: Advanced characters receive Primitive Technology and Post-Apocalyptic Technology as bonus feats, and must choose Advanced Technology at 1st level as one of their starting feats.Language: AncientSpecial: Advanced characters start with one Artifact of the Ancients (market value 5000 cp or less).

Academics in this post-apocalyptic world are rare. Few libraries, schools, or universities exist. In a world where survival is the order of the day, the academic life is a very unprofitable one. Most academics come from larger communities where such abilities are rewarded, if only a little.Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Computer Use, Craft (writing), Decipher Script, Gather Information, Knowledge (any), Research, or add a new Read/Write Language or a new Speak Language. If a skill the character selects is already a class skill, he or she receives a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill.Starting Corium: 5d4 x 10 cp

THE SMART HEROAbility: IntelligenceCLASS INFORMATIONThe following information pertains to the Smart Hero base class.Hit Die: 1d6Action Points: Smart heroes gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded down, at 1st level and every time they attain a new level in this class. Class Skills: The Smart hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Computer Use (Int), Craft (chemical, electronic, mechanical, pharmaceutical, structural, visual art, writing) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Demolitions (Int), Disable Device (Int), Forgery (Int), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (ancient lore, art, behavioral sciences, business, civics, current events, earth and life sciences, history, mutant lore, physical sciences, popular culture, streetwise, tactics, technology, theology and philosophy, twisted earth) (Int), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Repair (Int), Research (Int), Search (Int), and Speak Language (none).Skill Points at 1st Level: (9 + Int modifier) x4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 9 + Int modifier.CLASS FEATURESThe following are class features of the Smart Hero.Talents: At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Smart Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some talents have prerequisites that a character must meet before selecting them. As long as the hero qualifies, she can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.Bonus Feats: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Smart Hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list: Builder, Cautious, Combat Expertise, Educated, Gearhead, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Meticulous, Modern Firearms Discipline, Modern Vehicles Discipline, Studious, Vehicle Expert, Vulture, Weapon Focus. The character must meet any prerequisites for these feats. The Smart hero has a natural aptitude for study and fact-finding. These talents can be selected in any order.Savant: Select one of the skills listed in the following paragraph. The Smart hero gets to add a bonus equal to his or her Smart level when making checks with that skill. A Smart hero can take this talent multiple times; each time it applies to a different skill. Computer Use, Craft (any single skill), Decipher Script, Demolitions, Disable Device, Forgery, Investigate, Knowledge (any single skill), Navigate, Repair, Research, Search. Linguist: With this talent, the Smart hero becomes a master linguist. Whenever the hero encounters a new language, either spoken or written, he or she can make an Intelligence check to determine if he or she can understand it. The check is made with a bonus equal to the hero’s Smart level + the hero’s Intelligence modifier. For a written language, the bonus applies to a Decipher Script check instead. The DC for the check depends on the situation: DC 15 if the language is in the same group as a language the hero has as a Read/Write Language or Speak Language skill; DC 20 if the language is unrelated to any other languages the hero knows; and DC 25 if the language is ancient or unique. With this special ability, a Smart hero can glean enough meaning from a conversation or document to ascertain the basic message, but this ability in no way simulates actually being able to converse or fluently read and write in a given language.Prerequisite: At least 1 rank in either Read/Write Language or Speak Language for each of three different languages.STRATEGY TALENT TREEThe Smart hero has the brainpower to see solutions in most situations. These talents can be selected in any order, but before the hero can select a talent from this tree he or she must have previously selected at least one talent from the Research Talent Tree.Exploit Weakness: After 1 round of combat, the Smart hero can designate one opponent and try to find ways to gain an advantage by using brains over brawn. The Smart hero uses a move action and makes an Intelligence check (DC 15) with a bonus equal to his or her Smart level. If the check succeeds, for the rest of the combat the Smart hero uses his or her Intelligence bonus instead of either Strength or Dexterity bonus on attack rolls as the hero finds ways to outthink his opponent and notices weaknesses in his opponent’s fighting style. Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree.Plan: Prior to a dramatic situation, either combat- or skill-related, the Smart hero can develop a plan of action to handle the situation. Using this talent requires preparation; a Smart hero can’t use this talent when surprised or otherwise unprepared for a particular situation.The Smart hero makes an Intelligence check (DC 10) with a bonus equal to his or her Smart level. The result of the check provides the Smart hero and allies with a circumstance bonus. A Smart hero can’t take 10 or 20 when making this check.Check ResultBonus9 or lower+0 (check failed)10–14+115–24+225 or higher+3This bonus can be applied to all skill checks and attack rolls made by the Smart hero and his or her allies, but the bonus only lasts for the first 3 rounds. After that time, reduce the bonus by 1 point (to a minimum of +0) for every additional round the situation continues, as the vagaries of circumstance begin to unravel even the best-laid plans.Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree.Trick: The Smart hero has the ability to temporarily confuse a target (a GM character) through the use of ploy and deception. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a trick, must be within 30 feet of the hero, and must be able to hear and understand the hero.TABLE 1-5: THE SMART HEROLevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialDefense BonusReputation Bonus1st+0+0+0+1Talent+0+12nd+1+0+0+2Bonus feat+1+13rd+1+1+1+2Talent+1+14th+2+1+1+2Bonus feat+1+25th+2+1+1+3Talent+2+26th+3+2+2+3Bonus feat+2+27th+3+2+2+4Talent+2+38th+4+2+2+4Bonus feat+3+39th+4+3+3+4Talent+3+310th+5+3+3+5Bonus feat+3+4
20To play a trick on a target, the hero must use a full-round action and make an Intelligence check (DC 15), adding his or her Smart level as a bonus. If the Intelligence check succeeds, the target can try to think quickly and ignore the trick.The target resists the trick by making a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + Smart hero’s class level + Smart hero’s Int bonus). If the saving throw fails, the target becomes dazed (unable to act, but can defend normally) for 1 round.A trick can only be played on a particular target once per encounter. After the first trick in an encounter, whether the attempt succeeds or not, that target becomes wary and immune to such ploys.Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree