Dune - Rulbuk

RULBUK second edition
v2.060
Inspired by Frank Herberts words, David Lynchs vision & Last Unicorn Games RPG, The Chronicles of the Imperium
The RULBUK is total conversion of The Chronicles of the Imperium using Wizard of the Coasts d20 Modern System.
Allowing you to create and chronicle the rise and fall of the neo-feudal imperium before the crisis on Arrakis.
Dedicated to the first entourage, the Charteriis dogs;
Lord Alexandre Charteriis, Ginaz Templar Annaric, Warmaster Bellios, Nexiis - Earl of Turcal,
Lord Raphaen - Pope Innocence XIII, Mentat-Saint Viktor & Spymaster Vrashenko - The Grey Spider.
And to the Ravenser
Aganon, Master of Hawks, Baron Cardinal Andre Ravenser, Baron Michel Ravenser, Baron Santinian Ravenser, Machinist
Calfax of Ix, the twin Charnizai - Swordmaster Kazimir & Didactora Salikha, Proctor Kehra Montserrat of Ginaz, CHOAM
Minister Roman DKri, & Suk Doctor Hessian Lang
Dagmar Scott Fraser

2017
Those who would repeat the past must control the teaching of history.
Bene Gesserit Coda
"History never repeats itself, but the kaleidoscopic combinations of the pictured present often seem to be constructed out of
the broken fragments of antique legends."
Mark Twain
"The real problem of humanity ... we have Palaeolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and godlike technology."
E. O. Wilson
1
CONTENTS
CHARACTER GENERATION 4
CHARACTER ARCHETYPES 6
CHARACTER CLASSES 8
STRONG 9
FAST 11
TOUGH 13
SMART 15
DEDICATED 18
CHARISMATIC 20
MULTICLASS CHARACTERS 23
KARAMA - ACTION POINTS 24
SKILLS 25
SPEAK LANGUAGE 26
COMPLEX SKILL CHECKS IN THE RULBUK SYSTEM. 26
CAMPAIGN SPECIFIC SKILLS 27
FEATS 33
CLASS FOCUS FEATS 35
GENERAL FEATS 36
FORFEITS 60
COMBAT 65
CRITICAL HITS AND DAMAGE REDUCTION 65
MASSIVE DAMAGE 65
PRECISION DAMAGE 65
WEAPONS AND ARMOUR OF THE IMPERIUM 66

WEAPON VARIATION IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE 67
WEAPONS 70
EQUIPMENT 73
INSTALLATIONS 75
SHIELD CONDITIONING AND THE HOLTZMAN SHIELD 76

CONDITIONED ACTIVATION 76
SHIELD STRIKE 76
SHIELD LASGUN INTERACTION 77
SHIELD VARIANTS 77
2
STANDARD DEFENSIVE TACTICS 77
FIGHTING DEFENSIVELY 77
TOTAL DEFENCE 77
CRAFTING POISONS 78
POISONS IN YOUR CHRONICLE 79
CLASSIC POISONS 80
POISON SAVING THROWS 80
CRAFTING PHARMACEUTICALS 82
STANDARD PHARMACEUTICAL TYPES 82
BENEFITS 84
PHARMACEUTICAL STRENGTH RATING 90
EFFECTS OF WITHDRAWAL 91
PHARMACEUTICAL DESCRIPTIONS 92
FEAR 93
REPUTATION 94
FAMOUS OR INFAMOUS? 94
USING THE REPUTATION BONUS 94
CORRIDA ESCUDA - THE GRAND SPECTACLE OF THE GREAT HOUSES 95

VARIATIONS OF THE CORRIDA 96
GLADIATORS, MATADORS AND THE CROWD 96
THE GREAT CONVENTION 100

THE TREATY OF CORRIN 100
THE FAUFRELUCHES CASTE SYSTEM 101
THE FORMS OF WARFARE 102
WAR OF ASSASSINS 103
PROSCRIBED TECHNOLOGIES 105
THE ORANGE CATHOLIC BIBLE 105
TIMELINE OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE 108

BEFORE GUILD 108
AFTER GUILD 110
RECENT HISTORY 111
3
Character Generation
All characters are noted servants; Swordmasters, Mentats, Assassins, or Nobles of a House Minor. Your character is a
member of a select band, an entourage, tasked with serving this Houses interests. This House Minor offers fealty to one of
the Great Houses such as the honourable Atreides or infamous Harkonnens. Your Navigator will suggest a House for his
Chronicle, but not all characters necessarily serve their advertised House.
A House Minor governs a sub fief on their homeworld, managing subsidiary CHOAM industries and the pyons that till the
land and harvest the sea. Whereas the Great Houses abide by the Great Convention & assemble before the Emperor in the
Landsraad, a House Minor answers to House law, congregating in the planetary Sysselraad. Like their nobler kin, the
Houses Minor fight & squabble amongst themselves, vying to rise above their peers & bring their households to greatness.
More than once, history tells, of lesser families rising to greatness as a result of sickness or infirmity leaving the ruling
House without a suitable heir. In such cases, the most able & honoured of the Houses Minor may be called upon by the
Emperor to assume the mantle of the Household name, raising their familial station to that of a Great House.
After establishing your characters culture choose a DUNE Archetype; e.g. deadly Sword Master, haughty Noble, enigmatic
Bene Gesserit or predatory Assassin. Then draw from the Classes; Strong, Fast, Tough, Smart, Determined and Charismatic,
to explore and expand upon that character suggested by House and Archetype.
Ability
Cost
Ability
Cost Characters get 25 points to spend on their statistics. Then
Score Score apply the Great House cultural Training Modifiers. Take
9 1 14 6 one cultural feat initially. This reflects the cultural
10 2 15 8 legacy of your Great House. Then choose your
11 3 16 10 Archetype, to reflect the role you have been trained to
12 4 17 13 serve / rule in. Finally apply any Forfeits, which indicate
13 5 18 16 flaws or hidden allegiances.
Choose only one of the listed feats as a cultural bonus. For faithfully serving House ideals, the Navigator may award others
later. All RULBUK Skills except Proscribed Technologies, Mentat Computation, Mentat Projection, Speak (Mirabhasa,
Culture Specific languages) and Autohypnosis are available to all characters. The skills listed are cultural suggestions,
specifically Homeworld and Language. Out-freyn Skills (e.g. Ixian, Bene Tleilax, Guild) require Navigator permission.
House Moritani
Cultural Modifiers Dex+2 Int+2
Hunters, mercurial in thought, deed and morals.
Skills Acrobatics, Bluff, Language (Bhotani Jib), Knowledge (Grumman, Theology), Sleight of Hand, Spot, Move Silently.
Feats Poison Resistance, Alertness or Track
House Harkonnen
Cultural Modifiers Str+2 Cha+2
Strength, Dominance through the Will to Power.
SKILLS Athletics, Acrobatics, Intimidate, Gamble, Language (Harko, Harkonnen Battle language), Knowledge (Geidi
Prime, CHOAM). Feats Endurance, Improved Damage Threshold or Toughness,
House Atreides
Cultural Modifiers Con+2 Cha+2
Loyalty is the reward of Fortitude and Integrity.
Skills Athletics, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Caladan, Imperium), Navigate, Pilot,
Feats Alertness, Action Boost or Great Fortitude.
House Ginaz
Cultural Modifiers Str+2 Wis+2
Blood and Faith.
Skills Athletics, Diplomacy, Language (Hebron), Knowledge (Marcincko, Theology).
Feats Heroic Spirit, Iron Will or Lightning Reflexes
4
The following Houses, Guild and Out-freyn cultures will require Navigator permission.
Ixian Technocracy
Cultural Modifiers Dex +2 Int +2
Deftness in Mind and Body.
Skills Craft (Armourer, Proscribed, Servok, Weaponsmith), Encryption, Knowledge (Ix, Science, Proscribed Technologies),
Language (Ixian), Repair, Research, Security. Feats Mastercrafter, Gearhead or Meticulous
Bene Tleilax
Cultural Modifiers Con+2, Wis+2
Indomitability and Zeal.
Skills Craft (Proscribed), Knowledge (Science, Proscribed, Theology), Encryption, Language (Tleilaxu), Perform (Song),
Research, Sense Motive, Treat Injury. Feats Heroic Spirit, Surgery or Willing Deformity
The Guild
Cultural Modifiers Con+2, Int+2
Concentration and Hypermathematics.
Skills [REDACTED]
Feats Windfall, Zero G Training [REDACTED]
House Ordos
Cultural Modifiers Int +2 Con +2
Rationality and Resilience
Skills Athletics, Craft (Structural), Encryption, Gamble, Knowledge (Ordos, Imperium), Language (Ordos Battlelanguage),
Navigate, Pilot, Repair, Survival
Feats Endurance, Poison Immunity, Windfall
House Fenring
Cultural Modifiers Dex+2 , Cha+2
Grace and favour.
Skills Diplomacy, Knowledge (CHAOM, Imperium), Perform (Dance), Listen
Feats Attentive, Lightning Reflexes, or Renown
Richese
Cultural Modifiers Str +2 Int +2
The Strength of Reason.
Skills Craft (Armourer, Proscribed, Servok, Weaponsmith), Encryption, Knowledge (Richese, Science, Proscribed
Technologies), Language (Richese), Repair, Research, Security. Feats Gearhead or Meticulous, Salvage
House Corrino
Cultural Modifiers Dex +2 Int +2
The Lion Throne.
Skills Diplomacy, Knowledge (CHAOM, Imperium), Perform (Dance), Listen Feats Poison Resistance, Renown, Windfall
5
Character Archetypes
Assassin, Bene Gesserit Adept, House Trooper, Noble, Mentat, Sword Master, Spy Master, Suk and Technocrat are initially
open to players. Sardaukar, Tleilaxu Face Dancer & Guild Banker may become available in later play. With Navigator
permission it is possible to play multiple Archetypes e.g. Bene Gesserit Assassin, Mentat Swordmaster, refer to the Forfeits
section below. Other Archetypes can be also crafted with the Navigators guidance.
The Archetypes have synergies with specific classes; Swordmaster Strong Assassin Dexterity
House Trooper Constitution Mentat / Technocrat / Spymaster / Suk Smart
Bene Gesserit / Spymaster / Suk Dedicated Bene Gesserit / Noble / Spymaster - Charismatic
The Talents from those synergistic classes allow you to empower your Archetypes initial feats. Taking levels in the
associated class will enable you fulfill the duties that Archetype is generally called upon to perform. However you are
encouraged to forge unique characters by violating expectations; a Charismatic Swordmaster can enrapture the crowd, a
Dedicated Assassin can call upon their faith to ensure a kill, or a Swift Mentat whose mind and body move with the same
darting speed.
All Archetype Skills that cannot be used untrained (in italics) are now considered trained, even if no points are added.
All Feats are awarded.
Assassin Artisans of death in an ancient tradition. The style with which you kill makes revenge into an exquisite phrase -
from a poignant knife thrust, short and sweet, to the buzzing terror of a hunter-seeker. These are the many fine distinctions to
the art of Kanly, or Vendetta as it was known in the ancient tongue. Steeped in the secret disciplines of the Handbook of
Assassins, you command a vast arsenal of lethal devices, exotic poisons and cunning pitfalls. Through murderous craft you,
communicate subtle messages or audacious statements. There are legion nuances of the assassin's art. Archetype Skills
Acrobatics, Craft (Chaumas & Chaumurky), Knowledge (Assassination), Language (Chakobsa), Handle Animal, Listen,
Research, Security and Treat Injury. Archetype Feats Assassins Handbook, Swift Strike, Track Common Feats Common
Weapon Proficiencies, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Hunter Seeker). Suggested Class Fast.
Bene Gesserit Adept As a Bene Gesserit-trained Adept, you exist only to serve. Your covenant with the Sisterhood
binds you to preserving its secret ways, a pact your House would find disconcerting. Whilst sending confidential reports to
the Mother School, you present as historian for the family lineage, acting as sentinel for the family bloodline, and religious
counsellor -essential services for which you are tolerated, if not gratefully employed. The Bene Gesserit recognise their
"weirding ways" inspire fear and suspicion among the uninitiated and keep their skills concealed. These highly developed
talents result from rigorous Prana-Bindu conditioning and intensive training in self-awareness - not from witchcraft as you
Missionaria Protectiva induces primitive cultures to believe. Archetype Skills Acrobatics, Autohypnosis, Bluff, Craft
(Pharmaceuticals), Gather Information, Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy), Perform, Sense Motive, Speak Language
(Mirabhasa), Spot, Treat Injury. Archetype Feats Minutiae Observation, Prana-Bindu Suspension, Defensive Martial Arts,
Common Feats Common Weapon Proficiencies. Suggested Class Dedicated.
House Trooper You are pyon elevated into the military service of your noble house. Fanatically loyal to the House you
are trained to fight with dclass weapons such as the Maula Pistol, Needle gun, Slow Pellet stunner and Kindjal. Only
Nobles and Swordmasters get shields, the House Trooper makes do with numbers & mundane armour. Archetype Skills
Athletics, Armaments, Craft(Armourer, Weaponsmith) Knowledge(House and Homeworld), Pilot, Repair, Survival, Treat
injury. Archetype Feats Oathbound, Armour Proficiency (Light, Medium), Common Feats Common Weapon Proficiencies,
Exotic Ranged (Slow Pellet Stunner). Suggested Class Tough.
Mentat More accomplished that the ancient thinking machines of the pre-Butlerian era, you represent the ultimate
achievement in human mental training. From confidential reports you assimilate and process volumes of data, recalling
minutiae and computing probabilities with accurate and causal precision. You lead fact-finding missions with the zeal of an
inquisitor, embracing espionage, propaganda and interrogation to wring information from every shadow. Your broad mental
training makes you the ultimate advisor to your liege. Archetype Skills Concentration, Investigate, Knowledge (All), Mentat
Projection, Mentat Computation, Research. Archetype Feats Heroic Surge, Mentat Awareness, Mnemonic Conditioning
(Eidetic Memory), Common Feats Common Weapon Proficiencies. Suggested Class Smart.
6
Noble From your lofty station in the Imperial faufreluches, you perch as sentinel above your bound subjects. You monitor
you fees with the falcon's eye, protecting your nest from rival predators. Let no man hunt on House grounds, there you stand
and there you remain. From birth you have been taught in the art of statecraft and rightful governance - from early lessons in
economics and politics to advanced studies in diplomacy and law. Your House mentors versed you in all the ways of
treachery and intrigue from snooping lethal poisons to assassins' devices. As heir to the fiefdom your mentors instructed you
in self-defence, drilling you in the art of duelling and the use of shields. Your family spared no expense grooming you for the
mantle of command; and perhaps one day, it will be you who rules as lord of your House. Archetype Skills Diplomacy,
Knowledge (Imperium, House and Homeworld), Leadership, Perform (Dance, Oratory), Speak Language (Mirabhasa).
Archetype Feats Noble Blood, Diplomatic Immunity, Noble Weapon Proficiency Common Feats Common Weapon
Proficiencies, Shield Conditioning Suggested Class Charismatic.
Spy Master As a Spy Master, you advise your liege in the murky field of espionage, intrigue, propaganda, subornation and
black mail. Your official title may be CHOAM Advisor, or Security Commander; you are in truth a Master of Secrets, for it
does not pay to advertise your role. As Security Commander you monitor all security procedures, attending to household
surveillance and counter-intelligence. In such matters, the House guard answers to your command, putting the household
arsenal at your disposal. Its important for spymasters to keep personal emotions distinct from professional attachments. They
must be ready to liquidate even someone close to them without a moments thought if so ordered. Betrayal is their business,
and their loyalty is always to their Liege. Only your unquestioned Loyalty keeps you alive. Archetype Skills Encryption,
Bluff, Diplomacy, Forgery, Gather Information, Intimidate, Investigate, Knowledge (Psychology), Research, Security, Sense
Motive, Speak Language (Mirabhasa). Survival. Archetype Feats Spy Network, Profile, Urban Tracking, Common Feats
Common Weapon Proficiencies. Suggested Classes Smart, Dedicated, Charismatic
Suk Doctor You are the caretaker of the noble bloodline. The diamond Suk tattoo branded on your forehead proclaims
you loyalty and competence for all to see. Your pyretic conscience so rigorously conditions you against taking human life
that you can be trusted to treat even the Emperor's person. But your value as a surgeon only touches on your entire worth to
your patron household. More than a physician, you area also trained in the art of pharmacology and psychology. You
concoct serums and antivenins to counteract poisons or loosen a sleeper agent's tongue. You can administer drugs to weaken
an informant's resistance or employ hypnosis to aid in the most delicate of interrogations. And your broad knowledge of
anatomy and science makes you the ideal candidate to lead forensic investigations into medical enigmas or mysterious deaths.
Archetype Skills Craft (Pharmaceutical), Diplomacy, Investigate, Knowledge (Psychology, Science), Research, Search,
Spot, Sense Motive, Treat Injury Archetype Feats Pyretic Conscience, Pharmacopoeia, Surgery Common Feats Common
Weapon Proficiencies Suggested Class Dedicated, Smart
Swordmaster Where your lord commands, there shall you place your blade; thus goes your sacred oath. To the noble
heirs you teach the art of duelling, instructing them in sword, Holtzman shield, and the ritual forms of Kanly. Killing with
the tip lacks artistry, move slowly on attack, fast on defence, never let an armed opponent inside your guard - these are the
lessons imparted by your masters at the academy, truths by which to live or die. Your other duties include attending to House
military affairs as Warmaster. As Warmaster you command the House battalions, ordering House defences and planning
military expeditions. In either capacity you remain ever vigilant of external threats; and by your Swordmaster Code you are a
man of action. To live a purposeful existence and die in an honourable death are the rewards for a lifetime of valorous
service. Archetype Skills Armaments, Leadership, Intimidate, Knowledge (Tactics), Navigate, Survival, Treat injury.
Archetype Feats Armour Proficiency (Light), Shield Conditioning, Weapon Focus Common Feats Common Weapon
Proficiencies, Noble Weapon Proficiency, Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Lasgun) Suggested Class Strong
Technocrat Not all can be member of the Great Schools; Ginaz Swordmaster, Mentats, Suks & Bene Gesserit. Some
servants of the Great Houses, and in the Guild, on Ix, Richese and Tleilax, follow in the footsteps of Holtzman. They ensure
House shields activate, Heighliners reach their destination, craft new pharmaceuticals on Ecaz, serve as Imperial
Planetologists and pioneering CHOAM Astrogeologists on the frontier worlds. Some even skirt the tenets of the Butlerian
jihad with cunning machines. They craft, they salvage, and they endure the physical hardships of a Field Technocrat.
Archetype Skills Craft(Armourer, Proscribed, Servok, Weaponsmith), Encryption, Knowledge(Science, Proscribed
Technologies), Language (Richese), Repair, Research, Security Archetype Feats Armour Proficiency (Light), Mastercrafter,
Salvage, Common Feats Common Weapon Proficiency Suggested Class Smart
7
Character Classes
Basic Class Descriptions
Ability
This entry tells which ability is typically associated with that Class.
Hit Die
The die type used by characters of the Class to determine the number of hit points gained per level.
A player rolls one die of the given type each time her character gains a new level. The characters Constitution modifier is
applied to the roll. Add the result to the characters hit point total. Even if the result is 0 or lower, the character always gains
at least 1 hit point. A 1st-level character gets the maximum hit points rather than rolling (although the Constitution modifier
is still applied).
Action Points
The number of action points gained per level.
Class Skills
This section of a Class description provides a list of Class skills and also gives the number of skill points the character starts
with at 1st level and the number of skill points gained each level thereafter. A characters Intelligence modifier is applied to
determine the total skill points gained each level (but always at least 1 point per level, even for a character with an
Intelligence penalty).
A 1st-level character starts with 4 times the number of skill points he or she receives upon attaining each level beyond 1st.
The maximum ranks a character can have in a Class skill are the characters level +3.
The skills listed are considered core competencies, but all skills are available (with a few notable exceptions).
Starting Feats
The feats gained at 1st level in the Class.
Class Table
This table details how a character improves as he or she attains higher levels in the Class. It includes the following
information.
Level: The characters level in the Class.
Base Attack Bonus: The characters base attack bonus and number of attacks.
Fort Save: The base save bonus for Fortitude saving throws. The characters Constitution modifier also applies.
Ref Save: The base save bonus for Reflex saving throws. The characters Dexterity modifier also applies.
Will Save: The base save bonus for Will saving throws. The characters Wisdom modifier also applies.
Class Features: Level-dependent Class features, each explained in the section that follows.
Defence Bonus: The characters bonus to Defence. The characters Dexterity modifier and equipment bonus also applies.
Reputation Bonus: The characters base Reputation bonus.
Class Features
This entry details special characteristics of the Class, including bonus feats and unique talents that are gained as a character
attains higher levels in the Class.
Talents
Every basic Class offers a selection of talents to choose from. A character gains a talent upon attaining each odd-numbered
level in a Class (including 1st level). Talents are considered to be extraordinary abilities. Some talents have prerequisites that
must be met before a character can select them.
Bonus Feats
Every basic Class offers a selection of bonus feats to choose from. A character gains a bonus feat upon attaining each even-
numbered level in a Class. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that all characters receive as they attain new levels.
Some feats have prerequisites that must be met before a character can select them.
8
STRONG
Ability: Strength
Hit Die: 1d8
Action Points: Strong Characters 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 Strong Classs class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Athletics (Str), Craft (Armourer, structural, Weaponsmith) (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Underclass, tactics) (Int),
Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Repair (Int), Speak Language (none).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (3 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 3 + Int modifier.
Starting Feats The two feats all characters get at 1st level.
Table: The Strong Class

Base Attack Class Defence Reputation
Class Level Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Features Bonus Bonus
1st +1 +1 +0 +0 Talent +1 +0
2nd +2 +2 +0 +0 Bonus feat +2 +0
3rd +3 +2 +1 +1 Talent +2 +0
4th +4 +2 +1 +1 Bonus feat +3 +0
5th +5 +3 +1 +1 Talent +3 +1
6th +6/+1 +3 +2 +2 Bonus feat +3 +1
7th +7/+2 +4 +2 +2 Talent +4 +1
8th +8/+3 +4 +2 +2 Bonus feat +4 +1
9th +9/+4 +4 +3 +3 Talent +5 +2
10th +10/+5 +5 +3 +3 Bonus feat +5 +2
Class Features
The following are class features of the Strong Class.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Strong Class character selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have
a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the Class qualifies, he or she can
select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.
Extreme Effort Talent Tree

A Strong character can push his or herself to make an extreme effort. The effort must relate either to a Strength check or a
Strength-based skill check. You must decide to use this ability before making the check.
Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus on the check.
Improved Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonus
provided by extreme effort (+4 total).
Prerequisite: Extreme effort.
Advanced Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonuses
provided by extreme effort and improved extreme effort (+6 total).
Prerequisites: Extreme effort, improved extreme effort.
Greater Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and allows the Strong Class to take 10 on the check. The +6
bonus gained from advanced extreme effort is also applied.
Prerequisites: Extreme effort, improved extreme effort, advanced extreme effort.
9
Ignore Hardness Talent Tree
The Strong Class has an innate talent for finding weaknesses in objects. This allows a Strong Class to ignore some of an
objects hardness when making a melee attack to break it.
Ignore Hardness: The Strong Class ignores 2 points of an objects hardness.
Improved Ignore Hardness: The Strong Class ignores 2 additional points of an objects hardness (for a total of 4).
Prerequisite: Ignore hardness.
Advanced Ignore Hardness: The Strong Class ignores 2 additional points of an objects hardness (for a total of 6).
Prerequisites: Ignore hardness, improved ignore hardness.
Melee Smash Talent Tree

The Strong Class has an innate talent that increases melee damage.
Melee Smash: The Strong Class receives a +1 bonus on melee damage.
Improved Melee Smash: The Strong Class receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+2 total).
Prerequisite: Melee smash.
Advanced Melee Smash: The Strong Class receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+3 total).
Prerequisites: Melee smash, improved melee smash.
Improved Melee Critical: The Strong Class knows how to strike more effectively and with a better chance of dealing
significant damage with a particular melee weapon. Choose one melee weapon (or choose unarmed melee attacks). When
using that weapon, the Strong Classs threat range increases by one. For example, a metal baton threatens a critical hit on a
1920. With this talent applied to the metal baton, the threat range becomes 1820.
Prerequisites: Extreme effort, melee smash, improved melee smash, advanced melee smash.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Strong Class gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list,
and the Strong Class must meet any prerequisites.
Athletic, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Martial Arts, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Power
Attack, Reckless Offence, Shield Conditioning, Stand Still & Weapon Focus.
10
FAST
Ability: Dexterity
Hit Die: 1d8
Action Points: Fast Class characters 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 Fast Characters class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Acrobatics (Dex), Craft (mechanical)
(Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Underclass) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis),
Read/Write Language (none), Ride (Dex), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (none).
Starting Feats The two feats all characters get at 1st level
Table: The Fast Class

1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Talent +2 +0
2nd +1 +0 +2 +0 Bonus feat +3 +0
3rd +2 +1 +2 +1 Talent +3 +1
4th +3 +1 +3 +1 Bonus feat +4 +1
5th +3 +1 +3 +1 Talent +4 +1
6th +4 +2 +3 +2 Bonus feat +5 +2
7th +5 +2 +4 +2 Talent +6 +2
8th +6/+1 +2 +4 +2 Bonus feat +6 +2
9th +6/+1 +3 +4 +3 Talent +7 +3
10th +7/+2 +3 +5 +3 Bonus feat +8 +3
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Fast Class.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Fast Character selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set
order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the Character qualifies, he or she can
Defensive Talent Tree

The Fast Character gains the ability to improve her innate defensive talents as the Character attains new levels.
Evasion: If the Fast Character is exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for
half damage, the Fast Character suffers no damage if he or she makes a successful saving throw. Evasion can only be used
when wearing light Armour or no Armour.
Uncanny Dodge 1: The Fast Character retains her Dexterity bonus to Defence regardless of being caught flat-footed or
struck by a hidden attacker. This defence denies an Assassin the chance to employ swift strike on the Fast Character. (The
Character still loses her Dexterity bonus to Defence if the Character is immobilised.)
Prerequisite: Evasion.
Uncanny Dodge 2: The Fast Character can no longer be flanked; the Character can react to opponents on opposite sides of
him or herself as easily as he or she can react to a single attacker. This defence denies an Assassin the chance to employ
deadly precision on the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more levels than the target does.
Prerequisites: Evasion, uncanny dodge 1.
Defensive Roll: The Fast Character can roll with a potentially lethal attack to take less damage from it. When the Fast
Character would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a ranged or melee attack), the Fast Character
can attempt to roll with the damage.
A Fast Character spends 1 action point to use this talent. Once the point is spent, the Character makes a Reflex saving throw
(DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, he or she takes only half damage. The Fast Character must be able to react to the
attack to execute a defensive rollif the Character is immobilised, he or she cant use this talent.
Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the Fast Characters Evasion
talent doesnt apply to the defensive roll. Prerequisites: Evasion, uncanny dodge 1.
11
Instinctive Response Talent Tree
The Fast Character gains the instinctual ability to react quickly and effectively to unexpected danger.
Full Alert: The Fast Character gets a +4 circumstance bonus on initiative checks. This bonus stacks with the one provided by
the Improved Initiative feat (providing a +8 bonus if the Fast Character has both).
Improved Evasion: If the Fast Character is exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving
throw for half damage (such as getting caught in a grenade blast), the Fast Character suffers no damage if she makes a
successful saving throw and only half damage on a failed save. Improved evasion can only be used when wearing light armor
or no armor.
Prerequisites: Full alert, evasion, increased speed.
Heightened Reflexes: The Fast Character can choose to take 10 on any Reflex saving throw. She may also spend 1 action l
point to gain a +10 bonus on a Reflex saving throw. She may choose to take 10, spend an action point to gain the +10 bonus,
or both.
Prerequisites: Full alert, evasion, increased speed, improved evasion.
Opportunist: The Fast Character can spend 1 action point to use this talent. Once the point is spent, the Character can make
an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack
counts as the Fast Characters attack of opportunity for that round. Even a Fast Character with the Combat Reflexes feat cant
use this talent more than once per round.
Prerequisite: Evasion.
Increased Speed Talent Tree

The Fast Character can increase her natural base speed.
Increased Speed: The Fast Characters base speed increases by 5 feet.
Improved Increased Speed: The Fast Characters base speed increases by 5 feet. This talent stacks with increased speed (10
feet total).
Prerequisite: Increased speed.
Advanced Increased Speed: The Fast Characters base speed increases by 5 feet. This talent stacks with increased speed and
improved increased speed (15 feet total).
Prerequisites: Increased speed, improved increased speed.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Fast Character gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list,
and the Fast Character must meet any prerequisites.
Acrobatic, Combat Expertise, Combat Martial Arts, Focused, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved Disarm, Lightning
Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Prone Attack, Shield Conditioning, Sidestep Charge, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.
12
TOUGH
Ability: Constitution
Hit Die: 1d10
Action Points: Tough characters gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded down, at
Class Skills
The Tough Characters class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft
(Armourer, mechanical, structural, Weaponsmith) (Int), Pilot (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Underclass) (Int),
Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).

Table: The Tough Class

1st +0 +2 +0 +0 Talent +1 +0
2nd +1 +2 +0 +0 Bonus feat +2 +0
3rd +2 +2 +1 +1 Talent +2 +1
4th +3 +3 +1 +1 Bonus feat +3 +1
5th +3 +3 +1 +1 Talent +3 +1
6th +4 +3 +2 +2 Bonus feat +3 +2
7th +5 +4 +2 +2 Talent +4 +2
8th +6/+1 +4 +2 +2 Bonus feat +4 +2
9th +6/+1 +4 +3 +3 Talent +5 +3
10th +7/+2 +5 +3 +3 Bonus feat +5 +3
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Tough Class.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Tough Character selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set
Damage Reduction Talent Tree

The Tough Character has an innate talent to ignore a set amount of damage from most weapons, but not from energy or
special attack forms (which may or may not exist, depending on the campaign). Before the Character can select a talent from
this tree the Character must have previously selected at least one talent from the Energy Resistance or Unbreakable Talent
Tree.
Damage Reduction 1/: The Tough Character ignores 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons.
Prerequisite: One other talent from either the Energy Resistance Talent Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.
Damage Reduction 2/: The Tough Character ignores an additional 1-point of damage from melee and ranged weapons
(DR 2/ total).
Prerequisites: Damage reduction 1/, one other talent from either the Energy Resistance Talent Tree or the Unbreakable
Talent Tree.
Damage Reduction 3/: The Tough Character ignores an additional 1-point of damage from melee and ranged weapons
(DR 3/ total).
Prerequisites: Damage reduction 1/, damage reduction 2/, one other talent from either the Energy Resistance Talent
Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.
13
Energy Resistance Talent Tree
The Tough Character is particularly resistant to certain kinds of deadly energy effects. These talents can be selected in any
order.
Acid Resistance: The Tough Character ignores an amount of acid damage equal to her Constitution modifier.
Cold Resistance: The Tough Character ignores an amount of cold damage equal to her Constitution modifier.
Electricity Resistance: The Tough Character ignores an amount of electricity damage equal to her Constitution modifier.
Fire Resistance: The Tough Character ignores an amount of fire damage equal to her Constitution modifier.
Sonic/Concussion Resistance: The Tough Character ignores an amount of sonic or concussion damage equal to her
Constitution modifier.
Improved Resistance: This ability increases the effectiveness of one other talent from the Energy Resistance tree. The
Tough Character chooses one such talent he already possesses and doubles its effectiveness. In other words, the Character
may now ignore an amount of damage equal to twice his Constitution modifier when that damage is cause by the specified
type of energy. The Tough Character may take this talent more than once, but each time it must apply to a different talent
from the Energy Resistance Talent Tree.
Prerequisite: Any talent from the Energy Resistance Talent Tree, damage reduction 1/.
Unbreakable Talent Tree

The Tough Character is particularly resilient thanks to the following talents.
Remain Conscious: The Tough Character gains the ability to continue to perform actions when he or she would otherwise be
considered unconscious and dying. When the Tough Characters hit points reach 1, the Character can perform as though he
or she were disabled, making either an attack action or a move action every round until the Character reaches 10 hit points
(and dies) or the Characters hit points return to 1 or higher. The Character can choose to succumb to unconsciousness if he
or she thinks that doing so might prevent him or her from taking more damage.
Robust: The Tough Character becomes especially robust, gaining a number of hit points equal to her Tough level as soon as
he or she selects this talent. Thereafter, the Character gains +1 hit point with each level of Tough he or she gains.
Second Wind: The Tough Character can spend 1 action point, as a free action, to gain a second wind. When the Character
does this, he or she recovers a number of hit points equal to her Constitution modifier. This talent does not increase the
Tough Characters hit points beyond the characters full normal total. This can be used to trigger a Healing Surge.
Stamina: The Tough Character recovers twice as fast as normal. So, the Character recovers 2 hit points per character level
per hour of rest, 2 points of temporary ability damage per evening of rest, and awakens in half the normal time after being
knocked unconscious.
Prerequisite: Robust.
Stay in the Game: If the Tough Character fails a Fortitude saving throw to resist the effects of massive damage he may
spend 1 action point to attempt the save again. He must accept the results of this second attempt.
Prerequisites: Remain conscious, robust, stamina.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Tough Character gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following
list, and the Tough Character must meet any prerequisites.
Alertness, Athletic, Combat Martial Arts, Confident, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved,
Bull Rush, Improved Feint, Knockout Strike, Mastercrafter, Power Attack, Shield Conditioning, Toughness, Vital Strike.
14
SMART
Ability: Intelligence
Hit Die: 1d6
Action Points: Smart Characters gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded down, at
Class Skills: The Smart Characters class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Armaments (Int), Proscribed
Technologies (Int), Craft (Armourer, Chemical, Proscribed Technologies, Servok Mechanisms, Pharmaceutical, Structural,
Audio-visual Arts (solido projectors - shigawire recordings - filmbooks), Writing, Weaponsmithing) (Int), Encryption (Int),
Security (Int), Forgery (Int), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (Psychology, CHOAM, Imperium, Proscribed Technologies,
History, Science, Underclass, tactics, theology and philosophy) (Int), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language
(none), Repair (Int), Research (Int), Search (Int), and Speak Language (none).
Table: The Smart Class

1st +0 +0 +0 +1 Talent +0 +1
2nd +1 +0 +0 +2 Bonus feat +1 +1
3rd +1 +1 +1 +2 Talent +1 +1
4th +2 +1 +1 +2 Bonus feat +1 +2
5th +2 +1 +1 +3 Talent +2 +2
6th +3 +2 +2 +3 Bonus feat +2 +2
7th +3 +2 +2 +4 Talent +2 +3
8th +4 +2 +2 +4 Bonus feat +3 +3
9th +4 +3 +3 +4 Talent +3 +3
10th +5 +3 +3 +5 Bonus feat +3 +4
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Smart Class.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Smart Character selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set
Research Talent Tree

The Smart Character 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 Character must have ranks in the skill if it is Trained
Only. The Smart Character gets to add a bonus equal to her Smart level when making checks with that skill. A Smart
Character can take this talent multiple times; each time it applies to a different skill.
Proscribed Technologies, Craft (any single skill), Encryption, Armaments, Security, Forgery, Investigate, Knowledge (any
single skill), Navigate, Repair, Research, and Search. Mentat skills can also be amplified by a Savant.
Linguist: With this talent, the Smart Character becomes a master linguist. Whenever the Character encounters a new
language, either spoken or written, that he or she does not know the Smart Character can make an Intelligence check to
determine if he or she can understand it. The check is made with a bonus equal to the Characters Smart level. For a written
language, the bonus applies to an Encryption 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 Character has as
a Read/Write Language or Speak Language skill; DC 20 if the language is unrelated to any other languages the Character
knows; and DC 25 if the language is ancient or unique. With this special ability, a Smart Character 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.
A single check covers roughly one minute of a spoken language or one page of a written language.
Prerequisite: At least 1 rank in either Read/Write Language or Speak Language for each of three different languages.
15
Strategy Talent Tree
The Smart Character has the brainpower to see solutions in most situations. These talents can be selected in any order, but
before the Character 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 Character can designate one opponent (or class of opponents) and try
to find ways to gain an advantage by using brains over brawn. The Smart Character uses a move action and makes an
Intelligence check (DC 15) with a bonus equal to her Smart level. If the check succeeds, for the rest of the combat the Smart
Character uses her Intelligence bonus instead of either Strength (or Dexterity, or Wisdom) bonus on attack rolls as the
Character finds ways to outthink his opponent and notices weaknesses in his opponents fighting style.
Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree.
Plan: Prior to an encounter the Smart Character can develop a plan of action to handle the situation. Using this talent requires
preparation; a Smart Character cant use this talent when surprised or otherwise unprepared for a particular situation. Creating
a plan requires 1 minute.
After creating the plan the Smart Character makes an Intelligence check (DC 10) with a bonus equal to her Smart level. The
result of the check provides the Smart Character and allies with a circumstance bonus. A Smart Character cant take 10 or 20
when making this check.
Check Result Bonus
9 or lower +0 (check failed)
1014 +1
1524 +2
25 or higher +3
This bonus can be applied to all skill checks and attack rolls made by the Smart Character and her allies, but the bonus only
lasts for the first 3 rounds after making the plan. 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.
Trick: The Smart Character has the ability to temporarily confuse a target 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 Character, and must
be able to hear and understand the Character.
To play a trick on a target, the Character must use a full-round action and make an Intelligence check (DC 15), adding 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 Will saving throw (DC 10 + Smart Characters class level + Smart Characters 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. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Adapt: The Smart Character has the ability to use information gleaned from failures to formulate more effective courses of
action. This talent may be used both in and out of combat.
In combat, if the Smart Character gets hit by the same opponent three times or more in a single fight, as a full-round
action he may attempt an Intelligence check (DC = 10 + opponents relevant attack bonus). This action does not provoke
attacks of opportunity. If the check succeeds, for the rest of the fight the Smart Character gains a dodge bonus equal to his
Smart Character level against all attacks made by that opponent.
Outside combat, the Smart Character may use this ability to bolster an Intelligence-based skill. If the Smart Character
has three times attempted and failed an activity that requires an Intelligence-based skill check to succeed, he may attempt an
Intelligence check (DC = 10 + the EL of the obstacle). If the check succeeds, the Smart Character gains an insight bonus
equal to his Smart Character level on attempts to overcome this or similar obstacles for the rest of the day.
Prerequisites: One talent from the Research Talent Tree, plan.
Abuse Weakness: If the Smart Characters attack roll threatens a critical hit against the current target of his exploit weakness
talent, he can spend 1 action point to automatically confirm the threat and score a critical hit.
Prerequisites: One talent from the Research Talent Tree, exploit weakness.
16
Deduction Talent Tree
The Smart Character has spent time training his mind to be as efficient, analytical, and rational as possible. This allows him
to take full advantage of his learning and experience, but can sometimes make him seem a little distant and emotionless.
Logical: The Smart Character can use the theoretical information at his command to help solve real tangentially related
problems. Choose any Knowledge category in which the Smart Character has 4 or more ranks. He gains a synergy bonus
equal to half his class level (round down) to the related skill listed below.
Knowledge Category Synergy Bonus to

Autohypnosis Knowledge (theology and philosophy)
Art Craft (Audio Visual Arts)
Psychology Sense Motive
CHAOM Forgery
Imperium Diplomacy
House and Homeworld Gather Information
Earth and life sciences Treat Injury
History Research
Sciences Craft (chemical)
Popular culture Underclass
Underclass Intimidate
Tactics Investigate
Proscribed Technologies Craft (Servok)
Theology and philosophy Autohypnosis
The Smart Character may take this talent multiple times, but each time it must apply to a different Knowledge category.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks.
Talk a Good Game: The Smart Character has such stunning command of a subject that he is able to use it to obfuscate his
real meaning or intention. Choose one Knowledge category to which the Smart Character already has applied the logical
talent. When talking about that subject, if a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check is called for, the Smart Character may
instead use the skill modifier from his Knowledge skill. For example: If the Character has taken the logical talent for
Knowledge (business) and is trying to convince a colleague particular company has a higher net value than it truly does, he
may use his Knowledge (business) score instead of his Bluff score when determining whether or not the colleague believes
him. (The check is still opposed normally.) This talent may be taken multiple times, but each time it must be applied to a
different Knowledge category to which the Smart Character has applied the logical talent.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks, logical.
Implacable: The Smart Character selects a number of Intelligence-based skills equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. When
making a check with one of these skills, the Smart Character can take 10 even when distracted or under duress.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks, Logical talent.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Smart Character gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following
list, and the Smart Character must meet any prerequisites.
Builder, Cautious, Combat Expertise, Educated, Gearhead, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Insightful Reflexes, Iron Will,
Sense Weakness, Meticulous, Studious, Weapon Focus.
17
DEDICATED
Ability: Wisdom
Hit Die: 1d6
Action Points: Dedicated Characters gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded
Class Skills: The Dedicated Characters class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Craft (pharmaceutical, audio-
visual art, writing) (Int), Gamble (Wis), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (Imperium, CHOAM, Psychology, Proscribed
Technologies, History, Sciences, Underclass, Tactics, Theology and Philosophy) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis),
Read/Write Language (none), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Treat Injury
(Wis).
Table: The Dedicated Class

1st +0 +1 +0 +1 Talent +1 +1
2nd +1 +2 +0 +2 Bonus feat +2 +1
3rd +2 +2 +1 +2 Talent +2 +1
4th +3 +2 +1 +2 Bonus feat +3 +2
5th +3 +3 +1 +3 Talent +3 +2
6th +4 +3 +2 +3 Bonus feat +3 +2
7th +5 +4 +2 +4 Talent +4 +3
8th +6/+1 +4 +2 +4 Bonus feat +4 +3
9th +6/+1 +4 +3 +4 Talent +5 +3
10th +7/+2 +5 +3 +5 Bonus feat +5 +4
Class Features
The following are class features of the Dedicated Character.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Dedicated Character selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a
set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the Character qualifies, he or she can
Empathic Talent Tree

The Dedicated Characters innate talents give him or her a great capacity for empathy.
Empathy: The Dedicated Character has a knack for being sensitive to the feelings and thoughts of others without having
those feelings and thoughts communicated in any objectively explicit manner. This innate talent provides a bonus on checks
involving interaction skills (Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform, and Sense Motive), provided the
Character spends at least 1 minute observing her target prior to making the skill check. The bonus is equal to the Characters
Dedicated level.
Improved Aid Another: The Dedicated Characters bonus on attempts to aid another increases by +1 on a successful aid
another check. This talent can be selected multiple times, each time increasing the bonus by +1.
Prerequisite: Empathy.
Intuition: The Dedicated Character has an innate ability to sense trouble in the air. The Dedicated Character can make a Will
saving throw (DC 15). On a successful save, the Character gets a hunch that everything is all right, or the Character gets a bad
feeling about a specific situation, based on the Navigators best guess relating to the circumstances. This talent is usable a
number of times per day equal to the characters Dedicated level.
Prerequisite: Empathy.
Observant: The Dedicated Character is intuitively able to sense a persons body language, vocal tone, and other nonverbal
communications. She adds her base Will saving throw bonus to all Sense Motive and Gather Information checks.
Prerequisites: Empathy, skill emphasis.
18
Healing Talent Tree
The Dedicated Character has a talent for healing.
Healing Knack: The Character has a knack for the healing arts. The Character receives a +2 bonus on all Treat Injury skill
checks.
Healing Touch 1: The Dedicated Characters ability to restore damage with a medical kit or perform surgery with a surgery
kit increases by +2 hit points.
Prerequisite: Healing knack.
Healing Touch 2: The Dedicated Characters ability to restore damage with a medical kit or perform surgery with a surgery
kit increases by +2 hit points, which stacks with healing touch 1 for a total of +4 hit points.
Prerequisites: Healing knack, healing touch 1.
Insightful Talent Tree

The Dedicated Characters innate insightfulness serves her well.
Skill Emphasis: The Dedicated Character chooses a single skill and receives a +3 bonus on all checks with that skill. This
bonus does not allow the Character to make checks for a trained-only skill if the Character has no ranks in the skill.
Aware: The Dedicated Character is intuitively aware of her surroundings. The Character adds her base Will saving throw
bonus to Listen or Spot checks to avoid surprise.
Prerequisite: Skill emphasis.
Faith: The Dedicated Character has a great deal of faith. It might be faith in self, in a higher power, or in both. This
unswerving belief allows the Dedicated Character to add her Wisdom modifier to the die roll whenever the Character spends
1 action point to improve the result of an attack roll, skill check, saving throw, or ability check.
Prerequisite: Skill emphasis.
Cool Under Pressure: The Dedicated Character selects a number of skills equal to 3 + the Characters Wisdom modifier.
When making a check with one of these skills, the Dedicated Character can take 10 even when distracted or under duress.
Prerequisite: Skill emphasis plus either faith or aware.
Sixth Sense: When the Dedicated Character is in a situation where she must select between two or more options or courses of
action, she can spend 1 action point to attempt a Will saving throw (DC = 10 + the EL of the encounter). If the save succeeds,
the Dedicated Character can determine which option or course of action is potentially the least dangerous. In this case,
dangerous is defined as being likely to cause personal injury to the Dedicated Character. It does not mean the option having
the greatest chance of success. If two or more of the options are equally safe, the Navigator should inform the character that
the possible outcomes are equally dangerous (or equally safe).
Prerequisites: Skill emphasis, either faith or aware, cool under pressure.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Dedicated Character gains a bonus feat. This feat must be from this list, and the
Dedicated Character must meet any prerequisites.
Alertness, Attentive, Blind-Fight, Combat Intuition, Danger Sense, Deceptive, Educated, Iron Will, Medical Expert,
Meticulous, Surgery, Track, Weapon Focus.
19
CHARISMATIC
Ability: Charisma
Hit Die: 1d6
Action Points: Charismatic Characters gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded
Class Skills: The Charismatic Characters class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Craft (visual art,
writing) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha),
Knowledge (CHOAM, Psychology, Imperium, Underclass, Theology and Philosophy) (Int), Leadership (Cha), Perform (act,
dance, percussion instruments, sing, stringed instruments, wind instruments) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language
(none), and Speak Language (none).
Table: The Charismatic Class
1st +0 +1 +1 +0 Talent +0 +2
2nd +1 +2 +2 +0 Bonus feat +1 +2
3rd +1 +2 +2 +1 Talent +1 +2
4th +2 +2 +2 +1 Bonus feat +1 +3
5th +2 +3 +3 +1 Talent +2 +3
6th +3 +3 +3 +2 Bonus feat +2 +3
7th +3 +4 +4 +2 Talent +2 +4
8th +4 +4 +4 +2 Bonus feat +3 +4
9th +4 +4 +4 +3 Talent +3 +4
10th +5 +5 +5 +3 Bonus feat +3 +5
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Charismatic Class.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Charismatic Class character selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees
have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the character qualifies, he or she
can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.
Charm Talent Tree

The Charismatic character has an innate talent for being charming and captivating.
Charm: The Charismatic Character gets a competence bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks made to influence members
of his chosen gender. (Some characters are charming to members of the opposite gender, others to members of the same
gender.) The bonus is equal to the characters Charismatic level.
A Charismatic Character can only charm Navigator characters with attitudes of indifferent or better. The charm bonus cant
be used against characters that are unfriendly or hostile. This ability can be taken more than once (for another gender).
Favour: The Charismatic Character has the ability to acquire minor aid from anyone he or she meets. By making a favour
check, a Charismatic Character can gain important information without going through the time and trouble of doing a lot of
research. Favours can also be used to acquire the loan of equipment or documents, or to receive other minor assistance in the
course of an adventure. A Charismatic Character spends 1 action point to activate this talent. To make a favour check, roll a
d20 and add the characters favour bonus, equal to the characters Charismatic level. The Navigator sets the DC based on the
scope of the favour being requested. The DC ranges from 10 for a simple favour to as high as 30 for formidable and highly
dangerous, expensive, or illegal favours. A Charismatic Character cant take 10 or 20 on this check, nor can the Character
retry the check for the same (or virtually the same) favour. Favours should help advance the plot of an adventure. A favour
that would enable a character to avoid an adventure altogether should always be unavailable to the character, regardless of the
result of a favour check. The Navigator should carefully monitor a Charismatic Characters use of favours to ensure that this
ability isnt abused. The success or failure of a mission shouldnt hinge on the use of a favour, and getting a favour shouldnt
replace good role-playing or the use of other skills. The Navigator may disallow any favour deemed to be disruptive to the
game.
20
Prerequisite: Charm.
Misdirect: The Charismatic Character can encourage opponents to ignore him by making himself appear to be harmless and
unthreatening. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a misdirect attempt, must be
within 30 feet of the Charismatic Character, and must be able to see, hear, and understand the Character. To misdirect a
target, the Character must use an attack action to make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding his Charismatic level as a bonus. If
the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist. The target resists the misdirection attempt by making a Will saving
throw (DC = 10 + Charismatic Characters class level + Charismatic Characters Cha bonus). If the saving throw fails, the
target pays no attention to the Character, deciding that he is harmless, worthless, or otherwise not worthy of regard. The
target completely ignores the Character until the end of the Charismatic Characters next turn. This allows the Charismatic
Character to take actions of which the misdirected target is unaware. The effect ends immediately if the Charismatic
Character performs any attack action. The Charismatic Character can concentrate to keep a target misdirected for additional
rounds. The Charismatic Character must spend an attack action on the task, and the target gets to make a new Will save each
round. The effect ends when the Character stops concentrating, or when the target succeeds on the save.
Prerequisites: Charm, favor.
Captivate: The Charismatic Character has the ability to temporarily beguile a target through the use of words and bearing.
The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a captivate attempt, must be within 30 feet of the
Character, must be flat-footed or not in combat, and must be able to see, hear, and understand the Character.
To captivate a target, the Character must use an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding her Charismatic
level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist.
The target resists the captivation attempt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic Characters class level +
Charismatic Characters Cha bonus). If the saving throw fails, the Character becomes the targets sole focus. The target pays
no attention to anyone else for 1 round and remains flat-footed. This focusing of the targets attention allows other characters
to take actions of which the captivated target is unaware. The effect ends immediately if the target is attacked or threatened.
A Charismatic Character can concentrate to keep a target captivated for additional rounds. The Charismatic Character
concentrates all her effort on the task, and the target gets to make a new Will save each round. The effect ends when the
Character stops concentrating, or when the target succeeds on the save. This is a Mind-Affecting ability.
Prerequisites: Charm, Favour.
Greater Charm: The Charismatic Character can attempt to improve the attitude of an unfriendly target (Navigator
character). The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, must be within 30 feet of the Charismatic Character, and
must be able to see, hear, and understand the Character. The Character may not be holding a weapon or threatening the target
in any way. The Character and target make opposed Will saving throws. Each character receives a bonus on this saving throw
equal to his or her Charismatic level. If the Character succeeds, the targets attitude immediately becomes indifferent toward
the Character. If the Character fails, the targets attitude immediately becomes hostile toward the Character.
Prerequisites: Charm, favor, captivate, misdirect.
Fast-Talk Talent Tree

The Charismatic Character has an innate talent for bending the truth and dazzling others with a combination of words,
mannerisms, and charm.
Fast-Talk: The Charismatic Character has a way with words when attempting to con and deceive. With this talent, he or she
applies her Charismatic level as a competence bonus on any Bluff, Diplomacy, or Gamble checks the Character makes while
attempting to lie, cheat, or otherwise bend the truth.
Dazzle: The Charismatic Character has the ability to dazzle a target through sheer force of personality, a winning smile, and
fast-talking. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a dazzle attempt, must be within 30
feet of the Character, and must be able to see, hear, and understand the Character.To dazzle a target, the Character must use
an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding her Charismatic level as a bonus. If the Charisma check
succeeds, the target can try to resist. The target resists the dazzle attempt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 +
Charismatic Characters class level + Charismatic Characters Cha bonus). If the save fails, the target receives a 1 penalty
on attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws for a number of rounds equal to the characters Charismatic
level. This talent can be selected multiple times, each time worsening the dazzled penalty by 1.
Prerequisite: Fast-talk.
Taunt: The Charismatic Character has the ability to temporarily rattle a target through the use of insults and goading. The
target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a taunt, must be within 30 feet of the Character, and
must be able to hear and understand the Character. To taunt a target, the Character must use an attack action and make a
Charisma check (DC 15), adding her Charismatic level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist.
The target resists the taunt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic Characters class level + Charismatic
Characters Cha bonus). If the save fails, the target becomes dazed (unable to act, but can defend normally) for 1 round.
A taunt can be played on an opponent any number of times. This is a Mind-Affecting ability.
Prerequisites: Fast-talk, dazzle.
21
Leadership Talent Tree
The Charismatic Character has a talent for leadership and inspiration.
Co-ordinate: The Charismatic Character has a knack for getting people to work together. When the Character can spend a
full round directing her allies and makes a Charisma check (DC 10), the Character provides any of her 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 Characters Charisma
modifier.
The Character can co-ordinate a number of allies equal to one-half her Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of
one ally).
Inspiration: The Charismatic Character can inspire her allies, bolstering them and improving their chances of success. An
ally must listen to and observe the Charismatic Character for a full round for the inspiration to take hold, and the Character
must make a Charisma check (DC 10). The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Characters Charisma modifier.
An inspired ally gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls.
A Charismatic Character cant inspire him or herself. The Character can inspire a number of allies equal to one-half her
Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally).
Prerequisite: Co-ordinate.
Greater Inspiration: The Charismatic Character can inspire her allies to even greater heights, bolstering them and
improving their chances of success. An ally must listen to and observe the Charismatic Character for a full round for the
greater inspiration to take hold, and the Character must make a Charisma check (DC 10). The effect lasts for a number of
rounds equal to the Characters Charisma modifier.
An inspired ally gains an additional +1 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls, which stacks with the
bonus from inspiration for a total of a +3 morale bonus.
A Charismatic Character cant inspire him or herself. The Character can inspire a number of allies equal to one-half her
Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally).
Prerequisites: Co-ordinate, inspiration.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Charismatic Character gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the
following list, and the Charismatic Character must meet any prerequisites.
Agile Riposte, Creative, Cloak Dance, Deceptive, Dodge, Force of Personality, Frightful Presence, Iron Will, Lightning,
Reflexes, Low Profile, Renown, Trustworthy, Windfall.
22
Multiclass Characters
A character may add new classes as he or she progresses in levels, thereby becoming a multiclass character. The class
abilities from all of a characters classes combine to determine a multiclass characters overall abilities.
Class and Level Features As a general rule, the abilities of a multiclass character are the sum of the abilities provided by
each of the characters classes.
Level Character level is a characters total number of levels. It is used to determine when feats and ability score increases
are gained. Class level is the characters level in a particular class. For a Class whose levels are all in the same class,
character level and class level are the same.
Hit Points A Character gains hit points from each class as her class level increases, adding the new hit points to the previous
total.
Base Attack Bonus

Add the base attack bonuses for each class to get the Characters base attack bonus. A resulting value of +6 or higher
provides the Character with multiple attacks.
Base Attack Bonus Additional Attacks at
+6 +1
+7 +2
+8 +3
+9 +4
+10 +5
+11 +6/+1
+12 +7/+2
+13 +8/+3
+14 +9/+4
+15 +10/+5
+16 +11/+6/+1
+17 +12/+7/+2
+18 +13/+8/+3
+19 +14/+9/+4
+20 +15/+10/+5
To use multiple attacks in the same round, a character must use a full attack, which is a full-round action.
Saving Throws Add the base save bonuses for each class together.
Defence Bonus Add the Defence bonuses for each class together.
Reputation Bonus Add Reputation bonuses together.
Skills A multiclass Character uses her character level to determine the maximum ranks the Character can have in a skill. Use
the character level to determine a skills maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + character level.)
Class Features The character gets all class features (talents, bonus feats, or other special abilities) of all classes for the levels
he or she possesses.
Feats A multiclass character receives a new feat every three character levels, regardless of individual class level. Taking one
level in a new class does not entitle a character to receive the two feats that a beginning 1st-level character gets.
Ability Increases A multiclass character increases one ability score by +1 every four character levels, regardless of
individual class level.
23
Adding a Second Class
When a character with one class gains a level, he or she may choose to increase the level of her current class or pick up a new
class at 1st level. The character gains the 1st-level base attack bonus, base save bonuses, class skills, other class features of
the new class, hit points of the appropriate die type, and the new classs number of skill points gained at each additional level
(not that number x4, as is the case for a 1st-level character). Picking up a new class is not exactly the same as starting a
character in that class. When picking up a new class, a character doesnt receive maximum hit points but should roll the new
Hit Die.
Advancing a Level
Each time a multiclass character attains a new level, the Character either increases one of her current class levels by one or
picks up a new class at 1st level. When a multiclass character increases one of her class levels by one, the character gets all
the standard benefits that characters receive for attaining the new level in that class: more hit points, possible bonuses on
attack rolls, Defence, and saving throws (depending on the class and the new level), a new class feature (as defined by the
class), and new skill points. In general, a character can have levels in as many different classes as there are classes.
Karama - Action Points

Karama is a Zensunni gift-word to Galach, the common Imperial language. It is variously interpreted as Gods will, the hand
of fate, willpower or just serendipity. Karama, or action points, provide characters with the means to affect game play in
significant ways. A character always has a limited amount of action points. The character loses unspent and replenishes this
with every new level he or she attains For high-level player characters, the character gets the number of action points granted
by his last class level. For example, a 5th-level Character would get 7 action points, because his fifth level gives him 5 + 1/2
his level. Characters with Faith talent or the feats Action Boost, Noble Blood & Heroic Spirit have a greater chance to use
this effect. Those with Ixian prosthesis may have limited Karama.
A character can spend 1 action point to do one of these things:
Alter a single d20 roll used to make an attack, a skill check, an ability check, a level check, or a saving throw, at any point
before the Navigator resolves effects of the roll.
Use a feat, class talent or class feature during your turn for which the expenditure of 1 action point is required.
Healing Surge. A Healing Surge bestows of the characters maximum hit points back (round up). Any excess is lost. A
healing surge can only be triggered when associated another source of hit point recovery. For example; a successful
Healing check, or the Tough class Second Wind ability. You may not use a healing surge if you are Dying or Stabilised
for hit point gain, even if able to act due to Die Hard feat. Though you may use one to Stabilise.
When a character spends 1 action point to improve a d20 roll, add 1d6 to the d20 roll to help meet or exceed the target
number. A character can declare the use of 1 action point to alter a d20 roll after the roll is made -- but only before the
Navigator reveals the result of that roll (whether the attack or check or saving throw succeeded or failed). A character can't
use an action point on a skill check or ability check when he or she is taking 10 or taking 20. Depending on the
Characters character level (see the table below), he or she may be able to roll more than one d6 when spending 1 action
point. If the character does so, apply the highest result and disregard the other rolls.
Character Level Action Point Dice Rolled When a character spends 1 action point to use a feat or
class feature, he or she gains the benefit of the feature but
1st - 7th 1d6 doesn't roll a d6. In this case, the action point is not a
8th - 14th 2d6 bonus to a d20 roll. A character can only spend 1 action
15th - 20th 3d6 point per round for any of the three outcomes. E.g. If a
character spends a point to use a class feature, he or she
can spend another one in the same round to improve a die
roll, or another to activate a Healing Surge. However,
characters can only use one Healing Surge per scene.
24
Skills
Skills in bold are modified or new skills. Others are broadly as presented in the D20 MSRD
Those marked with * are new and detailed in the RULBUK below.
Those marked with ** are restricted in some fashion, generally to specific Archetypes.
Trained?
Acrobatics (conflates Balance and Tumble skills; Dex based)
Armaments (replaces Demolition skill, in addition to reflecting LUG DUNE Armaments skill)** Yes
Athletics (replaces Climb, Jump and Swim skills; STR skill)
Autohypnosis (new skill, Bene Gesserit specific) Yes
Bluff
Concentration
Craft Yes all
Armourer
Chemical
Chaumas / Chaumurky
Pharmaceutical
Proscribed Technologies (was Electronic) Restricted
Servok Mechanisms (was Mechanical)
Structural
Audio-visual Arts
Writing
Weaponsmithing
Diplomacy (also reflects the Noble Command skill from LUG DUNE)
Disguise
Disable Device is now Security
Encryption (Decipher Script) Yes
Escape Artist
Forgery
Gamble
Gather Information
Handle Animal (used for falconry, training Taiga Tigers to assassinate et cetera) Yes
Hide
Intimidate
Investigate Yes
Knowledge Yes all.

Art
Assassination ** (requires feat Assassins Handbook) Restricted
CHOAM (business)
Psychology (behavioural sciences)
Imperium (Landsraad, Sysselraad i.e. politics)
Science (conflating; life sciences, physics, chemistry, Holtzman field technologies)
Spacing Guild ** (restricted) Restricted
Proscribed Technologies Restricted
House and Homeworld (House specific)
Out-freyn Cultures (Ix, Bene Tleilax) **
History
Underclass (streetwise)
Tactics
Theology and Philosophy Zensunni & Zensufi mysticism, Bene Gesserit (Missionaria Protectiva)
Listen
Leadership (replaces the Sword Master Field Operations from LUG DUNE)* Yes
Mentat Computation (INT based, Mentat only)** Yes, Restricted
25
Mentat Projection (INT based, Mentat only)** Yes, Restricted
Move Silently
Navigate
Perform
Act
Dance
Percussion
Sing (also used for the Bene Gesserit Voice**)
Stringed Instruments (baliset)
Wind Instruments
Pilot (includes Drive skill) Yes
Profession
Proscribed Technologies (new skill replaces Computer Use, Ixian, Bene Tleilaxu)** Yes, Restricted
Read/Write Language Yes
Repair Yes
Research
Ride
Search
Security* (formerly disable device) Yes
Sense Motive (skill employed by Minutiae Observation**)
Sleight of Hand
Speak Language
Spot
Survival
Treat Injury
Speak Language
There are several languages available to Characters of the Imperium. Mirabhasa is the lingua franca of politics, refinement,
religion and philosophy. Galach and variants is spoken by all, but is considered crude. There are also a variety of Battle
Languages (all House specific) and so called Hunting Languages like Chakobsa and the Bhotani Jib. Only Nobles, Bene
Gesserit and Spymasters begin with Mirabhasa.
Complex Skill Checks in the RULBUK system.

With most skill checks, a single die roll immediately determines whether or not a character succeeds. If a character wants to
perform a dance or recall a specific piece of information, his success or failure is apparent after a single check.
For complicated and time-consuming tasks (such as disabling a Pentashielded Pru Door or researching an obscure
poison), or at times when the Navigator wants to build tension and suspense, the complex skill check described here might be
called for. In such a case, a specific number of successful skill checks must be achieved to complete the task. The complexity
of the task is reflected in the DC of the required check, the number of successful rolls required to complete the task, and the
maximum number of failed rolls that can occur before the attempt fails. In most cases, one or two failed rolls does not mean
that a complex skill check has failed, but if three failed rolls occur before the character makes the required number of
successful rolls, the attempt fails. Although three failures is a common baseline, Navigators are encouraged to change the
number if the situation warrants it.
The Navigator can also apply a penalty to future rolls in the complex check if the character rolls one or more
failures. For instance, an intricate trade negotiation requiring a complex Diplomacy check might assess the character a -2
penalty on her checks for each failed check made as part of the complex check (representing the tide of the negotiation
turning against her).
Table: Example Complex Skill Checks Successes
Required Complexity Example (Skill)
2 or 3 Slight Training a riding horse (Handle Animal)
4 to 6 Ordinary Making a rapier (Craft [weapon smithing])
7 to 9 Good Bypassing an Ixian Pentashield (Security)
10 or more Amazing Pick an amazing lock (Open Lock)
Each die roll is one portion of a complex skill check, and each die roll in the attempt represents at least 1 round of effort (it
might represent more time, depending on the skill or task in question). Like skill checks, ability checks can also be complex.
Complex skill checks are rarely used in situations that call for opposed checks.
26
Campaign Specific Skills
Some skills are presented here, those that are novel, or will see heavy usage in game.
Armaments (Int) Trained Only (includes standard MSRD skill Demolitions)

Armaments confers the ability to operate and maintain military hardware, such as lasguns, artillery, vehicular weapons and
even House Atomics. The skilled man-at-arms is able to secure and deploy such weapons. The Armaments skill also confers
knowledge of the practical working and servicing of the Holtzman Shield generators of all scales, personal, vehicle and
House shields. Example DCs; Recharge Shield DC 5, retune Shield to bar specific radiation DC 20.
Autohypnosis (Wis): Trained only.

The Bene Gesserit have trained your mind to resist certain injuries and threats while also gaining a few select benefits.
Check: The DC and effect depend on the task you attempt.
Task DC Resist Fear: In response to a fear effect, you can make an
Resist fear 15 Autohypnosis check on your next action even if youve
Memorize 15 been overcome by fear. A successful check grants you
another saving throw with a +4 morale bonus to resist the
Tolerate poison Poisons DC
fear effect.
Willpower 20
Memorize: You can attempt to memorize a long string of numbers, a long passage of verse, or other particularly difficult
piece of information. Each successful check allows you to memorize up to 250 words or the equivalent of what could be
comfortably contained on an 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheet of paper. You always retain this information; however, you can only
recall it with a successful Autohypnosis check.
Tolerate Poison: In response to being poisoned, you can make an Autohypnosis check on your next action. A successful
check grants you a +4 morale bonus on your saving throw to resist the poisons secondary damage.
Willpower: If reduced to 0 hit points (disabled), you may make an Autohypnosis check. If successful, you can perform a
strenuous action without taking 1 point of damage. A failed check carries no penaltiesyou can choose not to perform the
strenuous action. If you do perform the strenuous action after failing the check, you take 1 point of damage, as normal.
Try Again? For resist fear and memorize, you can make a check once per round. You cant try again to tolerate poison. You
cant try again in the same round for willpower.
Special: You can take 10 on Autohypnosis checks, but you cant take 20.
Bluff (Cha)
Check: A Bluff check is opposed by the targets Sense Motive check. See the accompanying table for examples of different
kinds of bluffs and the modifier to the targets Sense Motive check for each one.
Favourable and unfavourable circumstances weigh heavily on the outcome of a bluff. Two circumstances can weigh against
you: The bluff is hard to believe, or the action that the target is asked to take goes against its self-interest, nature, personality,
orders, or the like. If its important, you can distinguish between a bluff that fails because the target doesnt believe it and one
that fails because it just asks too much of the target. For instance, if the target gets a +10 bonus on its Sense Motive check
because the bluff demands something risky, and the Sense Motive check succeeds by 10 or less, then the target didnt so
much see through the bluff as prove reluctant to go along with it. A target that succeeds by 11 or more has seen through the
bluff. A successful Bluff check indicates that the target reacts as you wish, at least for a short time (usually 1 round or less)
or believes something that you want it to believe. Bluff, however, is not a suggestion spell. A bluff requires interaction
between you and the target. Creatures unaware of you cannot be bluffed.
Sense Motive Modifier Example Circumstance

-5 The target wants to believe the character.
+0 The bluff is believable and doesn't affect the target much one way or the other.
+5 The bluff is a little hard to believe or puts the target at some kind of risk.
+10 The bluff is hard to believe or entails a large risk for the target.
+20 The bluff is way out there; it's almost too incredible to consider.
Feinting in Combat: You can also use Bluff to mislead an opponent in melee combat (so that it cant dodge your next attack
effectively). To feint, make a Bluff check opposed by your targets Sense Motive check, but in this case, the target may add
its base attack bonus to the roll along with any other applicable modifiers.
If your Bluff check result exceeds this special Sense Motive check result, your target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC (if
any) for the next melee attack you make against it. This attack must be made on or before your next turn.
Feinting in this way against a non-humanoid is difficult because its harder to read a strange creatures body language; you
27
take a -4 penalty on your Bluff check. Against a creature of animal Intelligence (1 or 2) its even harder; you take a -8
penalty. Against a non-intelligent creature, its impossible. Feinting in combat does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Creating a Diversion to Hide: You can use the Bluff skill to help you hide. A successful Bluff check gives you the
momentary diversion you need to attempt a Hide check while people are aware of you. This usage does not provoke an attack
of opportunity.
Delivering a Secret Message: You can use Bluff to get a message across to another character without others understanding
it. The DC is 15 for simple messages, or 20 for complex messages, especially those that rely on getting across new
information. Failure by 4 or less means you cant get the message across. Failure by 5 or more means that some false
information has been implied or inferred. Anyone listening to the exchange can make a Sense Motive check opposed by the
Bluff check you made to transmit in order to intercept your message (see Sense Motive).
Action Varies. A Bluff check made as part of general interaction always takes at least 1 round (and is at least a full-round
action), but it can take much longer if you try something elaborate. A Bluff check made to feint in combat or create a
diversion to hide is a standard action. A Bluff check made to deliver a secret message doesnt take an action; it is part of
normal communication.
Try Again: Varies. Generally, a failed Bluff check in social interaction makes the target too suspicious for you to try again in
the same circumstances, but you may retry freely on Bluff checks made to feint in combat. Retries are also allowed when you
are trying to send a message, but you may attempt such a retry only once per round. Each retry carries the same chance of
miscommunication.
Diplomacy (Cha)
Check: You can change the attitudes of others (nonplayer characters) with a successful Diplomacy check; see the Influencing
NPC Attitudes sidebar, below, for basic DCs. In negotiations, participants roll opposed Diplomacy checks, and the winner
gains the advantage. Opposed checks also resolve situations when two advocates or diplomats plead opposite cases in a
hearing before a third party.
Action: Changing others attitudes with Diplomacy generally takes at least 1 full minute (10 consecutive full-round actions).
In some situations, this time requirement may greatly increase. A rushed Diplomacy check can be made as a full-round
action, but you take a -10 penalty on the check.
Try Again: If the initial check fails, the other character has probably become more firmly committed to his position, and a
retry is futile.
Special A character can take 10 when making a Diplomacy check, but can't take 20. A character with the Trustworthy feat
gets a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks. NPCs who are Oathbound may substitute the Diplomacy Check, of whom they
offer fealty to, in situations where they would be influenced to betray their Oath.
Influencing NPC Attitudes

Use the table below to determine the effectiveness of Diplomacy checks (or Charisma checks) made to influence the attitude
of a nonplayer character.
New Attitude (DC to achieve)

Initial Attitude Hostile Unfriendly Indifferent Friendly Helpful Fanatic
Hostile Less than 20 20 25 35 50 150
Unfriendly Less than 5 5 15 25 40 120
Indifferent Less than 1 1 15 30 90
Friendly Less than 1 1 20 60
Helpful Less than 1 1 50
Attitude Means Possible Actions

Hostile Will take risks to hurt you Attack, interfere, berate, flee
Unfriendly Wishes you ill Mislead, gossip, avoid, watch suspiciously, insult
Indifferent Doesnt much care Socially expected interaction
Friendly Wishes you well Chat, advise, offer limited help, advocate
Helpful Will take risks to help you Protect, back up, heal, aid
Fanatic Will give life to serve you Fight to the death against overwhelming odds
Fanatic
In addition to the obvious effects, any NPC whose attitude is fanatic gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution
scores, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a -1 penalty to AC whenever fighting for the character or his or her cause. This
attitude will remain for one day plus one day per point of the characters Charisma bonus, at which point the NPCs attitude
will revert to its original attitude (or indifferent, if no attitude is specified).
28
Intimidate (Cha)
Check: You can change anothers behaviour with a successful check. Your Intimidate check is opposed by the targets
modified level check (1d20 + character level or Hit Dice + targets Wisdom bonus [if any] + targets modifiers on saves
against fear). If you beat your targets check result, you may treat the target as friendly, but only for the purpose of actions
taken while it remains intimidated. (That is, the target retains its normal attitude, but will chat, advise, offer limited help, or
advocate on your behalf while intimidated. See the Diplomacy skill, above, for additional details.) The effect lasts as long as
the target remains in your presence, and for 1d610 minutes afterward. After this time, the targets default attitude toward
you shifts to unfriendly (or, if normally unfriendly, to hostile).
If you fail the check by 5 or more, the target provides you with incorrect or useless information, or otherwise frustrates your
efforts.
Demoralise Opponent: You can also use Intimidate to weaken an opponents resolve in combat. To do so, make an
Intimidate check opposed by the targets modified level check (see above). If you win, the target becomes shaken for 1 round.
A shaken character takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. You can intimidate only an opponent
that you threaten in melee combat and that can see you.
Action: Varies. Changing anothers behaviour requires 1 minute of interaction. Intimidating an opponent in combat is a
standard action.
Try Again: Optional, but not recommended because retries usually do not work. Even if the initial check succeeds, the other
character can be intimidated only so far, and a retry doesnt help. If the initial check fails, the other character has probably
become more firmly resolved to resist the intimidator, and a retry is futile.
Special: You gain a +4 bonus on your Intimidate check for every size category that you are larger than your target.
Conversely, you take a -4 penalty on your Intimidate check for every size category that you are smaller than your target.
A character immune to fear cant be intimidated, nor can non-intelligent creatures.
Knowledge (Assassination) (Int) Trained Only

This skill enables an Assassin to successfully plan and execute forays into secure locations, acquiring blueprints, architectural
renderings, memorising security codes (but not obtaining them), and planning alternate escape routes. Infiltration differs in
from the physical stealth skills Hide and Move Silently that confer the ability to actually implement such plans.
Prior to contact with a target the Assassin can make a knowledge check. The DC depends on the information available at the
time of planning. Successful tests in situ allow the Assassin to recall details of the plan, and the varying contingencies.
These contingencies need not be agreed on beforehand and may emerge as fully realised elements of the plan, retroactively
during play.
Example Situation DC
Private domicile 10
Civilian Building 15
Military Depot 20
House Keep 25
Guild Bank 30
Sardaukar Outpost 35
Imperial Selamlik 40
Further modifiers for high alert, complacent security, sleeper agent et cetera can be assigned by the Navigator.
Leadership (Int) Trained Only

Allows you immediate, on-the-ground assessment of tactical options in battle. Does not cover tactical or strategic planning.
You may use it in any of the following four ways:
Quick Reconnoitre Once per round as a free action you may make a Leadership check (DC 15) to find the quickest route to
higher ground, concealment, cover or an effective place to hide (granting a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff checks used to
create a diversion to hide this round).
Battlesense As a move action, you may make a Leadership check (opposed by the opposing commanders Leadership check)
to determine what the enemys primary goals are, such as whether they will pursue you if you flee, are concentrating on a
specific objective, or simply wish to retreat.
Situational Awareness You may use the Leadership skill (DC 20) as part of an examination of an area in order to recognise
good points for ambush. This does not actually allow you to spot a specific ambush without making a successful Spot check,
but does allow you a +2 circumstance bonus to Spot checks to see an ambush if you have previously realised you are entering
a prime ambush location.
Art of War As a standard action, you may make a Leadership check (opposed by the opposing commanders Leadership
check) in an attempt to find a weakness in the enemys tactics or strategy.
Retry Not until a major outside change occurs in the nature of the battle.
29
Mentat Computation (Int) Trained Only
Computation enables a Mentat to forecast future actions, events or results based on accumulated data including motives,
facts, actions & events. Whether predicting behaviour stemming from identified motives or inducing probable outcomes for
intended courses of action. Mentat Computation extrapolates future consequences from a wealth of factual data, and
represents the ultimate science of cause and effect. Successful Mentat Computation Tests enable the derivation of hidden
links contained within the current scene. Allowing the Mentat to glean connected facts and motivations from future scenes.
The actors and the current situation define a scene. Where actors are those identified as those with relevance to the outcome
of the scene.
The Navigator should ask the player for at least 3 anchors for the Computation, depending on the veracity and pertinence of
these anchors the Computational DC will be adjusted. Generic information provides no bonus (assuming it is accurate),
whereas knowledge of specific actors motivation provides a bonus. False information provides dangerously flawed
Computations, but these will never be immediately obvious. Ignorance of additional actors can also ruin Computations.
DC Prediction
20 Glean facts relevant to the immediate future of actors in the current scene.
25 Predict future actions of actors based on the current scene.
30 Deduce the motivations of an organisation based on the behaviour of a single member in the current scene.
35 Forecast the future behaviour of an actor in a future scene.
40 Accurately divine an actors interactions based on previous predictions. A so called Second Order Computation.
Mentat Computation and Projection generally takes at least 1 full minute (10 consecutive full-round actions). A rushed
Projection or Computation can be made as a full-round action, but you take a -10 penalty on the check.
Mentat Projection (Int) Trained Only

Projection allows Mentats to assimilate information about the current scene, by deducing facts and ascertaining motives
based on accepted and verified motives, or substantive theories. With this skill a Mentat can analyse any datum; sorting fact
from fiction through inter-relating evidentiary information. Thus forming proximity hypotheses, allowing the construction of
elaborate logic matrices, illuminating missing elements, invisible plot lines and probable explanations.
At any point during a scene a Mentat may attempt to uncover a hidden fact or underlying motivation presented within the
scene. The skill test is not blind the player must declare what manner of information they are attempting to discern, in
addition to presenting at least 3 anchors. The nature of these anchors modifies the difficulty as noted in the Computation
skill.
DC Information
20 Basic information about the scene. Why this locale was chosen, why these actors et cetera
25 Concealed information about this scene. Who is planning violence?
30 Obscure information about threads that directly link to this scene.
35 Related threads linked to this scene.
40 Related threads independent of this scene.
Mentat Computation and Projection generally takes at least 1 full minute (10 consecutive full-round actions). A rushed
Projection or Computation can be made as a full-round action, but you take a -10 penalty on the check.
30
Sense Motive (Wis)
Check: A successful check lets you avoid being bluffed. You can also use this skill to determine when something is up
(that is, something odd is going on) or to assess someones trustworthiness.
Hunch: DC 20 This use of the skill involves making a gut assessment of the social situation. You can get the feeling from
anothers behaviour that something is wrong, such as when youre talking to an impostor. Alternatively, you can get the
feeling that someone is trustworthy.
Sense Conditioning: You can tell that someones behaviour is being influenced by a mind-affecting effect, such as the
Voice, or pharmaceuticals even if that person isnt aware of it. The usual DC is 25.
Discern Secret Message: You may use Sense Motive to detect that a hidden message is being transmitted via the Bluff skill.
In this case, your Sense Motive check is opposed by the Bluff check of the character transmitting the message. For each piece
of information relating to the message that you are missing, you take a -2 penalty on your Sense Motive check. If you
succeed by 4 or less, you know that something hidden is being communicated, but you cant learn anything specific about its
content. If you beat the DC by 5 or more, you intercept and understand the message. If you fail by 4 or less, you dont detect
any hidden communication. If you fail by 5 or more, you infer some false information.
Action: Trying to gain information with Sense Motive generally takes at least 1 minute, and you could spend a whole
evening trying to get a sense of the people around you.
Try Again: No, though you may make a Sense Motive check for each Bluff check made against you.
Assess Opponent: As a standard action, you can use Sense Motive to ascertain how tough a challenge an opponent poses for
you. This skill check is opposed by the opponent's Bluff check. To attempt this task, your opponent must be visible to you
and within 30 feet. If you have seen the opponent in combat, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on the check. The accuracy of
the assessment depends on the amount by which your Sense Motive check result exceeds the opposed Bluff check result. On
a successful Sense Motive opposed check, you can gain the following information:
Opponent's rating Assess Opponent Result
4 or more less than your level/HD A pushover
1, 2, or 3 less than your level/HD Easy
Equal to your level/HD A fair fight
Equal to your level/HD plus 1, 2, or 3 A tough challenge
Exceeds your level/HD by 4 or more A dire threat
A successful assessment reveals that your foe belongs in one of two adjacent categories (for example, "Easy" or "A fair
fight"). If your Sense Motive check result exceeds the opposed Bluff check result by 10 or more, you can narrow the result
down to a single category.
By contrast, if the target's Bluff check result equals or slightly exceeds your Sense Motive check result, you gain no useful
information. If the target's Bluff check result exceeds your Sense Motive check result by 5 or more, you may (at the DM's
option) gain a false impression, believing your opponent to be much stronger or weaker than he really is (equal chance of
either). If the target's Bluff check result exceeds your Sense Motive check result by 10 or more, your assessment is off by at
least two categories (for example, a dire threat might be assessed as a fair fight).
Special: The Combat Intuition feat grants a +4 bonus on Sense Motive checks made to assess opponents. It also enables you
to narrow your assessment of your opponent's combat capabilities to a single category. Finally, it allows you to accomplish
this task as a free action.
An opponent that is particularly vulnerable to your typical attack routine (an unshielded House Trooper versus your lasgun)
registers as one category less challenging; one who is resistant to your typical attack routine registers as one category more
challenging.
Try Again: You can use this skill on a different opponent each round
31
Treat Injury (Wis)
Long-Term Care (DC 15) With a medical kit, the successful application of this skill allows a patient to recover hit points
and ability points lost to temporary damage at an advanced rate of 2 hit points per character level or 2 ability points restored
per hour of rest. A new check is made each hour; on a failed check, recovery occurs at the normal rate for that hour of rest
and care. A character can tend up to as many patients as he or she has ranks in the skill. The patients need complete bed rest
(doing nothing all hour). The character needs to devote at least 10 minutes of the hour to each patient the character is caring
for. The onset of long-term care can be used as a trigger for a Healing Surge.
Restore Hit Points (DC 15) With a medical kit, if a character has lost hit points, the character can restore some of them. A
successful check, as a full-round action, restores 1d4 hit points. The number restored can never exceed the characters full
normal total of hit points. This application of the skill can be used successfully on a character only once per hour. Each
successful application of this skill may trigger a Healing Surge if so desired.
Revive Dazed, Stunned, or Unconscious Character (DC 15) With a first aid kit, the character can remove the dazed,
stunned, or unconscious condition from a character. This check is an attack action. A successful check removes the dazed,
stunned, or unconscious condition from an affected character. The character cant revive an unconscious character who is at
1 hit points or lower without first stabilizing the character.
Stabilize Dying Character (DC 15) With a medical kit, a character can tend to a character who is dying. As an attack action,
a successful Treat Injury check stabilizes another character. The stabilized character regains no hit points, but he or she stops
losing them. The character must have a medical kit to stabilize a dying character.
Surgery (DC 20) With a surgery kit, a character can conduct field surgery. This application of the Treat Injury skill carries a
4 penalty, which can be negated with the Surgery feat. Surgery requires 1d4 hours; if the patient is at negative hit points, add
an additional hour for every point below 0 the patient has fallen. Surgery restores 1d6 hit points for every character level of
the patient (up to the patients full normal total of hit points) with a successful skill check. Surgery can only be used
successfully on a character once in a 24-hour period. A character that undergoes surgery is fatigued for 24 hours, minus 2
hours for every point above the DC the surgeon achieves. The period of fatigue can never be reduced below 6 hours in this
fashion.
Treat Disease (DC 15) A character can tend to a character infected with a treatable disease. Every time the diseased
character makes a saving throw against disease effects (after the initial contamination), the treating character first makes a
Treat Injury check to help the diseased character fend off secondary damage. This activity takes 10 minutes. If the treating
characters check succeeds, the treating character provides a bonus on the diseased characters saving throw equal to his or
her ranks in this skill.
Treat Poison (DC 15) A character can tend to a poisoned character. When a poisoned character makes a saving throw
against a poisons secondary effect, the treating character first makes a Treat Injury check as an attack action. If the treating
characters check succeeds, the character provides a bonus on the poisoned characters saving throw equal to his or her ranks
in this skill.
Try Again? Yes, for restoring hit points via long term care, reviving dazed, stunned, or unconscious characters, stabilizing
dying characters, and surgery. No, for all other uses of the skill.
Special The Surgery feat gives a character the extra training he or she needs to use Treat Injury to help a wounded character
by means of an operation. A character can take 10 when making a Treat Injury check. A character can take 20 only when
restoring hit points or attempting to revive dazed, stunned, or unconscious characters.
Long-term care, restoring hit points, treating disease, treating poison, or stabilizing a dying character requires a medical kit.
Reviving a dazed, stunned, or unconscious character requires either a first aid kit or a medical kit. If the character does not
have the appropriate kit, he or she takes a 4 penalty on the check. Surgery requires a surgery kit.
A character can use the Treat Injury skill on his or herself only to restore hit points, treat disease, or treat poison. The
character takes a 5 penalty on your check any time he or she treats his or herself.
Natural Healing Characters recover hit points at a rate of one hit points point per hour per character level.
32
Feats
Bolded feats may only be taken as part of an Archetype or with the Navigators permission.
Action Boost Dodge

Acrobatic Agile Riposte
Alertness Defensive Strike (requires Combat
Expertise)
Armour Proficiency (light) Melee Evasion (requires Combat Expertise)
Armour Proficiency (medium) Mobility
Armour Proficiency (heavy) Spring Attack
Whirlwind Attack
Assassins' Code Educated
Assassins' Handbook Elusive Dance
Endurance
Athletic Steadfast Determination
Attentive Focused
Force of Personality
Blindfight Frightful Presence
Hear the Unseen
Gearhead
Builder Great Fortitude
Guide
Cautious
Cloak Dance Heroic Spirit
Combat Expertise Heroic Surge
Defensive Strike (requires Dodge)
Improved Disarm Improved Initiative
Improved Feint Danger Sense
Improved Trip
Melee Evasion (requires Dodge) Improved Critical
Sense Weakness (requires Weapon Focus) Improved Damage Threshold
Single Blade Style (requires Weapon Focus) Insightful Reflexes
Superior Expertise Intimidating Strike
Intuitive Attack
Combat Intuition Iron Will
Combat Martial Arts
Improved Combat Martial Arts Jack-of-all-Trades
Advanced Combat Martial Arts
Knockout Strike Lightning Reflexes
Improved Knockout Strike Prone Attack
Vital Strike
Master Manipulator
Combat Reflexes Mastercrafter
Deft Opportunist Medical Expert
Expert Tactician
Improved Combat Reflexes Mentat Awareness
Vexing Flanker Greater Mentat Awareness
Perfect Mentat Awareness
Confident Meticulous
Creative Mnemonic Conditioning
Danger Sense Nimble

Darting Weapon Noble Blood
Defensive Martial Arts
Combat Throw Oathbound
Improved Combat Throw
Elusive Target Point Blank Shot
Nerve Pinch Double Tap
Unbalance Opponent Precise Shot
Deceptive Poison Resistance

Diplomatic Immunity Poison Immunity
33
Power Attack Toughness
Cleave Track
Great Cleave Trustworthy
Flay Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Bull Rush Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Sunder Two Weapon Defence
Improved Two Weapon Defence
Prana Bindu Suspension Greater Two-Weapon Defence
Minutiae Observation Two Weapon Rend
Truthtrance Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Voice Double Hit (req. Combat Reflexes)
Voice, Greater Dual Strike
Prana Bindu Mastery Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Inner Voices Perfect Two-WeaponFighting
Profile Weapon Finesse

Pyretic Conscience Weapon Focus
Pharmacopoeia Graceful Edge
Breath of Life Greater Weapon Focus
Greater Weapon Specialisation
Quick Draw Weapon Supremacy
Flick of the Wrist Power Critical
Sense Weakness (req. Combat Expertise)
Quick Recovery Single Blade Style (req. Combat Expertise)
Reckless Offence Weapon Specialisation

Renown Melee Weapon Mastery
Run Devastating Critical
Driving Attack
Shield Conditioning Slashing Flurry
Shield Charge Urban Tracking
Shield Slam Weapon Proficiency (Common)
Agile Shield Fighter Weapon Proficiency (Exotic)
Shield Specialisation Weapon Proficiency (Lasgun)
Active Shield Defence Burst Fire
Shield Ward Weapon Proficiency (Noble)
Shield Wall
Willing Deformity
Sidestep Charge Clawed Hands
Spy Network Face
Stand Still Gaunt
Stealthy Obese
Studious Skin
Surgery Tall
Swift Strike Teeth
Deadly Precision
Hour of the Assassins Windfall
Telling Blow
Silencing Strike Zero G Training
34
Class Focus Feats
Charismatic Plus Smart Plus
Benefit: You gain two talents from the Benefit: You gain two talents from the Smart
Charismatic characters talent trees. You cannot characters talent trees. You cannot select more
select more than one talent from a single talent than one talent from a single talent tree, and you
tree, and you must meet all the prerequisites of a must meet all the prerequisites of a talent to
talent to select it. select it.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Special: You may select this feat multiple times.
Each time you select this feat, you must choose a Each time you select this feat, you must choose a
different pair of talents. different pair of talents. The exception is the
savant talent, which you can select multiple
Dedicated Plus times. However, each time you select the savant
Benefit: You gain two talents from the talent, you must choose a different skill (see the
Dedicated characters talent trees. You cannot savant talents description).
select more than one talent from a single talent
tree, and you must meet all the prerequisites of a Strong Plus
talent to select it. Benefit: You gain two talents from the Strong
Special: You may select this feat multiple times. characters talent trees. You cannot select more
Each time you select this feat, you must choose a than one talent from a single talent tree, and you
different pair of talents. must meet all the prerequisites of a talent to
select it.
Fast Plus Special: You may select this feat multiple times.
Benefit: You gain two talents from the Fast Each time you select this feat, you must choose a
characters talent trees. You cannot select more different pair of talents.
than one talent from a single talent tree, and you
must meet all the prerequisites of a talent to Tough Plus
select it. Benefit: You gain two talents from the Tough
Special: You may select this feat multiple times. characters talent trees. You cannot select more
Each time you select this feat, you must choose a than one talent from a single talent tree, and you
different pair of talents. must meet all the prerequisites of a talent to
select it.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times.
Each time you select this feat, you must choose a
different pair of talents.
35
General Feats
Action Boost
Benefit Use a d8 rather than a d6 when spending an Action Point to modify a d20 roll.
Active Shield Defence

Your expert use of your Shield allows you to strike at vulnerable foes even when you forgo your own attacks in favour of
defence.
Prerequisite Shield Conditioning, Shield Specialisation
Benefit When fighting defensively and using a Holtzman Shield you do not take the standard fighting defensively penalties
on attacks of opportunity. When using the total defence action with a Holtzman Shield you still threaten the area around you
as normal. You can make attacks of opportunity at -4 penalty.
Normal You take -4 penalty on all attacks when fighting defensively. You cannot attack while using the total defence action.
Acrobatic
Benefit The character gets a +3 bonus on all Acrobatic checks. You may take 10 even when threatened or distracted.
Advanced Combat Martial Arts

Prerequisites Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +8.
Benefit When the character scores a critical hit on an opponent with an unarmed strike, the character deals triple damage.
Normal An unarmed strike critical hit deals double damage.
Alertness
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks. You may take 10 even when threatened or
distracted.
Agile Riposte
Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Dodge.
Benefit Once per round, if the opponent the character has designated as his or her dodge target (see the Dodge feat) makes a
melee attack or melee touch attack against the character and misses, the character may make an attack of opportunity against
that opponent. Resolve and apply the effects from both attacks simultaneously.
Even a character with the Combat Reflexes feat cant use the Agile Riposte feat more than once per round. This feat does not
grant more attacks of opportunity than the character is normally allowed in a round.
Agile Shield Fighter

You are skilled at combining your Shield with an armed strike. When you use your Shield in unison with a weapon, your
training allows you to score telling blows with both.
Prerequisite Shield Conditioning
Benefit When making an unarmed attack and an armed strike as part of a full attack action, you take a -2 penalty on each
attack. These penalties replace the normal ones you incur for fighting with two weapons.
Armour Proficiency (heavy)

Prerequisites Armour Proficiency (light), Armour Proficiency (medium).
Benefit See Armour Proficiency (light).
Normal See Armour Proficiency (light).
Armour Proficiency (light)

Benefit When you wear a type of Armour with which you are proficient, the Armour check penalty for that Armour applies
only to Acrobatic, Athletics, Hide, Move Silently and Sleight of Hand checks.
Normal A character who is wearing Armour with which she is not proficient applies its Armour check penalty to attack rolls
and to all skill checks that involve moving, including Ride.
Armour Proficiency (medium)

Prerequisite Armour Proficiency (light).
Benefit See Armour Proficiency (light).
Normal See Armour Proficiency (light).
36
Assassins' Handbook
You have assimilated the Code of Assassins into your personal identity. The code allows you to work within the Great
Convention, giving legal justification to an otherwise illegal activity. Those who share the Code also extend professional
courtesy in the form of inviolate secrecy, non-interference and possibly sanctuary.
The Assassins Handbook is also a compilation of poisons and deadly devices, permitted under the Guild Peace and Great
Convention, to be used in a War of Assassins. The various possibilities of chaumurky, chaumas and basilia receive the
greatest attention. Chaumurky is any poison administered in drink and chaumas concealed in food; both logical agents for
murder for a political world heavily dependent on festivals and ceremony. Basilia is a poison on tip of a knife or sword.
Prerequisite Assassin Archetype.
Benefit Gives full knowledge of a range of poisons (Creation DC 20 + Character lvl). They may follow recipes for more
potent poisons.
Normal Non Assassins applying poison requires as DC 12 Concentration check. Non Assassins rolling a natural 1, wielding
poisoned weapons, inflicts the poison on the wielder.
Special +2 on Treat Injury when specifically related to Chaumas/Chaumurky.
Athletic
Benefit The character gets a +3 bonus on all Athletic checks. You may take 10 even when threatened or distracted.
Attentive
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Investigate checks and Sense Motive checks. You may take 10 even when
threatened or distracted.
Special Remember that the Investigate skill cant be used untrained.
Blind-Fight
Benefit In melee combat, every time the character misses because of concealment, the character can re-roll the miss chance
roll one time to see if the character actually hits.
The character takes only half the usual penalty to speed for being unable to see. Darkness and poor visibility in general
reduces the characters speed to three-quarters of normal, instead of one-half.
Breath of Life
Prerequisite Suk Archetype.
The Suks Doctors utter reverence for life drives them to exhaust every avenue in the pursuit of saving a life. The greater
knowledge of physiology and drugs gives that drive a chance of success.
Benefit A Suk Doctor can save a character reduced to 10 hit points or lower. If the Suk Doctor is able to administer aid
within 3 rounds of the characters death, he or she can make a Treat Injury check. The DC for this check is 30, and the Suk
cant take 10 or take 20. If the check succeeds, the dead character can make Fortitude save (DC 15) to stabilise and be
restored to 0 hit points. If the Suk Doctor fails the skill check or the patient fails the save, the dead character cant be saved
Special With access to an Organ Bank (mentioned in Dune, probably at least Ornithopter sized) a Suk can lower the DC by 5
points. Any character with 5 ranks treat injury can, with a DC25 check, delay final death. If the check succeeds, the dead
character can make Fortitude save (DC 15) to stabilise for 1 day, allowing the Breath of Life to be administered later.
Builder
Benefit Pick two of the following skills Craft (Structural), Craft (Servok mechanisms), Craft (Chemical) and Craft
(Proscribed Technologies). The character gets a +2 bonus on all checks with those skills. You may take 10 even when
Special The character can select this feat twice. The second time, the character applies it to the two skills he or she didnt
pick originally. Remember that some Crafts cannot be used untrained.
Burst Fire
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, Weapon Proficiency (Lasgun)
Benefit: When using a lasgun, with at least five charges remaining, the character may fire a short burst as a single attack
against a single target. The character receives a 4 penalty on the attack roll, but deals +2 dice of damage. Firing a burst
expends five charges and can only be done if the weapon has five charges in it.
Normal: Autofire uses ten charges, targets a 10-foot-by-10-foot area, and cant be aimed at a specific target.
37
Cautious
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Armaments checks and Security checks. You may take 10 even when threatened
or distracted.
Special Remember that the Armaments skill and the Security skill cant be used untrained.
Cleave
Prerequisites Strength 13, Power Attack.
Benefit If the character deals an opponent enough damage to make the opponent drop (either by knocking the opponent out
due to massive damage or by reducing the opponents hit points to less than 0), the character gets an immediate extra melee
attack against another opponent adjacent to the character. The character cant take a 5-foot step before making this extra
attack. The extra attack is with the same weapon and at the same bonus as the attack that dropped the previous opponent. The
character can use this ability once per round.
Cloak Dance
This is essential for Cape work in the Corrida Escuda, has found favour in in duels between nobles and Swordmasters. You
are skilled at using optical tricks to make yourself seem to be where you are not.
Prerequisite Hide 10 ranks, Perform (dance) 2 ranks
Benefit You can take a move action to obscure your exact position. Until your next turn, you have concealment.
Alternatively, you can take a full-round action to entirely obscure your exact position. Until your next action, you have total
concealment. Even without a free hand you benefit from the +1 Armour Defence bonus whilst wearing the cloak.
Normal You cannot benefit from a Duelling Cloak without a free hand. Nor may you obscure your position.
Combat Expertise
Prerequisite Intelligence 13.
Benefit When the character uses the attack action or the full attack action in melee, the character can take a penalty of up to
5 on his or her attack roll and add the same number (up to +5) to the characters Defence. This number may not exceed the
characters base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Defence last until the characters next action. The bonus to the
characters Defence is a dodge bonus (and as such it stacks with other dodge bonuses the character may have).
Normal A character without the Combat Expertise feat can fight defensively while using the attack or full attack action to
take a 4 penalty on attacks and gain a +2 dodge bonus to Defence.
Combat Intuition
You have a keen understanding of your opponent's moves and your instinctive feel for the flow of combat enables you to
shrewdly assess your opponent's combat capabilities.
Prerequisites Sense Motive 4 ranks, base attack bonus +5
Benefit As a free action, you can sense motive to assess the challenge presented by a single opponent in relationship to you
own level. You gain a +4 bonus and narrow the result to a single category.
In addition, whenever you make a melee attack against an opponent that you made a melee attack against during the previous
round, you gain a +1 insight bonus on your melee attack rolls against this opponent.
Combat Martial Arts

Benefit With an unarmed strike, the character receives a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls and deals lethal or non-lethal
damage (the characters choice) equal to 1d4 + the characters Strength modifier. The characters unarmed attacks count as
armed, which means that opponents do not get attacks of opportunity. The character may make attacks of opportunity against
opponents who provoke such attacks.
Normal Without this feat, a character deals only 1d3 points of non-lethal damage. Unarmed attacks normally provoke attacks
of opportunity, and unarmed combatants cannot normally make attacks of opportunity.
Combat Reflexes
Benefit The maximum number of attacks of opportunity the character may make each round is equal to the characters
Dexterity modifier + 1. The character can still only make one attack of opportunity on a single opponent. With this feat, the
character may also make attacks of opportunity when flat-footed.
Normal A character without the Combat Reflexes feat can make only one attack of opportunity per round and cant make
attacks of opportunity when flat-footed.
Special The Combat Reflexes feat doesnt allow a Fast character with the opportunist talent to use that talent more than once
per round.
38
Combat Throw
Prerequisite Defensive Martial Arts.
Benefit The character gains a +2 bonus on opposed Strength and Dexterity checks any time the character attempts trip or
grapple attacks, or when the character tries to avoid a trip or grapple attack made against him or her. May also choose
Dexterity instead of Strength for the opposed roll when the attacker, normally they must use strength.
Confident
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Gamble checks and Intimidate checks, and on level checks to resist intimidation.
You may take 10 even when threatened or distracted.
Creative
Benefit Pick two of the following skills Craft (audio-visual art), Craft (writing), Perform (act), Perform (dance), Perform
(percussion instruments), Perform (sing), Perform (string instruments), and Perform (wind instruments). The character gets a
+2 bonus on all checks with those two skills.
Special A character can select this feat more than once. Each time, the character selects two new skills from the choices
given above.
Danger Sense
You are one twitchy individual.
Prerequisite Improved Initiative
Benefit Once per day, you can re-roll an initiative check you have just made. You use the better of your two rolls. You must
decide to re-roll before the round starts.
Darting Weapon
Your melee attacks are incredibly fast.
Prerequisite Combat Expertise, BAB +3, light or one handed weapon.
Benefit At the start of the combat round, you may subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to
your initiative check. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus, and the effects last until the start of the next
round. You may not make ranged attacks this round.
Deadly Precision
You empty your mind of all distracting emotion, becoming an instrument of deadly precision.
Prerequisite Assassin Archetype, Swift Strike
Benefit If an Assassin can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from his attack, he can strike
with deadly precision. The Assassins attack deals an extra d6 Precision Damage any time her target is denied their Dexterity
bonus to AC, or when the Assassin flanks her target.
Deceptive
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Bluff checks and Disguise checks. You may take 10 even when threatened or
distracted.
Defensive Martial Arts

Prerequisite Bene Gesserit Archetype
Benefit The character gains a +1 dodge bonus to Defence against melee attacks.
Special A condition that makes the character lose her Dexterity bonus to Defence also makes the character lose dodge
bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack, unlike most other types of bonuses.
Defensive Strike
You can turn a strong defence into a powerful offence.
Prerequisites Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, Dodge
Benefit If an opponent attacks you and misses you while you are using the Total Defence action, you can attack that
opponent on your next turn with a +4 bonus on your attack roll. You gain no bonus against an opponent that does not attack
you or against an opponent that attacks and hits you.
Deft Opportunist
Prerequisite Dex 15, Combat Reflexes
Benefit Gain +4 bonus on attack rolls during attacks of opportunity.
39
Devastating Critical
Prerequisite Weapon Focus, Specialisation and Mastery in chosen weapon.
Benefit (choose a weapon) increase the critical multiplier by one step (from 2x to 3x only). This feat may be taken multiple
times, but each time in a differing weapon.
Special This cannot be taken with the same weapon chosen for the Improved Critical feat or the Improved Melee Critical
talent.
Diplomatic Immunity [Dictum Familia]

Prerequisite Noble Archetype
Benefit if the Noble is arrested for a crime, she can make a Diplomacy check to invoke the Dictum Familia and not suffer the
usual legal penalty or punishment. The severity of the crime determines the DC of the Diplomacy check, and how authorities
react if the Noble succeeds. See Table Diplomatic Immunity for Diplomacy check DCs based on the severity of the crime.
If one of the Nobles Household is arrested for a crime and unable to secure her own release, the Noble may intercede on the
retainers behalf. The accused member of the Household may aid the others Diplomacy check.
A Noble who routinely invokes the privilege of diplomatic immunityeither on her own behalf or to protect her selected
consulsis likely to be recalled or terminated by those she has sworn to represent.
Table Diplomatic Immunity
Severity of Crime Examples DC Effect of Successful Diplomacy Check

15 2 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy
Class 5 Disturbing the peace, public intoxication, non-injurious traffic violation checks in that area
Possession of controlled substance, injurious traffic violation, operating

5 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy
Class 4 business without a license, operating a vehicle or starship without a 20
checks in that area
license, assault without a deadly weapon
Attempted bribery of a public official, robbery or grand theft, aiding and

10 penalty on subsequent Diplomacy
Class 3 abetting a known felon, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a 25
checks in the area
concealed weapon
Murder or manslaughter, fraud, smuggling, assault against a public

Class 2 30 Deportation within 2d6 hours
official, trafficking in controlled substances
Conspiracy against the government, murder of a public official, 35 Detention pending the diplomatic action by
Class 1 sabotage of public utilities characters affiliated government
Dodge
Prerequisite Dexterity 13.
Benefit During the characters action, the character designates an opponent and receives a +1 dodge bonus to Defence
against any subsequent attacks from that opponent. The character can select a new opponent on any action.
Special A condition that makes the character lose his or her Dexterity bonus to Defence also makes the character lose dodge
bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.
Double Hit
Prerequisite Combat Reflexes, Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Benefit You can attack with both weapons (incurring the normal penalties) during an attack of opportunity.
Double Tap
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Point Blank Shot.
Benefit: When using a maula pistol (or needle thrower) with at least two projectiles loaded, the character may fire both as a
single attack against a single target. The character receives a 2 penalty on this attack, but deals +1 die of damage with a
successful hit. Using this feat fires two projectiles and can only be done if the weapon has two projectiles in it.
40
Driving Attack
When you strike an opponent with a piercing weapon, the brutal impact of your strike sends him sprawling.
Prerequisites Proficiency, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialisation and Melee Mastery (Piercing), base attack bonus +14.
Benefit If you use a full-round action to make a single attack with any piercing weapon and succeed, you can initiate a
special bull rush attack against the target. The bull rush uses the your total bonus on damage rolls in place of your Strength
modifier. You do no provoke an attack of opportunity with this bull rush, and you cannot move forward with your opponent.
If you succeed in pushing an opponent back 10 feet or more you can reduce the distance by 10 feet. In return your foe falls
prone in the square where he ends his movement. Note that by reducing the distance that you push your opponent you can
have him fall prone in his current space.
Dual Strike
Prerequisite Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit As a Standard Action, you can make a melee attack with your primary and off-hand weapon. Both attacks use the
same attack roll and the worse of the two weapons attack modifier. If you are using a one-handed or light weapon in your
off-hand, you take a 4 penalty; otherwise the penalty is 10.
Each weapon deals its damage normally and reduction/resistance is applied separately. Precision damage (such as Swift
Strike) is only applied once. A critical hit only deals critical damage from the primary.
Educated
Benefit Pick two Knowledge skills. The character gets a +2 bonus on all checks with those skills. You may take 10 even
when threatened or distracted.
Special A character can select this feat as many as seven times. Each time, the character selects two new Knowledge skills.
Elusive Dance
Prerequisite Perform (dance) 5 ranks
Benefit During your action, you may designate an opponent who may not make Attacks of Opportunity against you. If you
have the feat Dodge, or active Holtzman shield, your designated foe and Elusive Dance opponent must be the same.
Elusive Target
Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Defensive Martial Arts.
Benefit When fighting an opponent or multiple opponents in melee, other opponents attempting to target the character with
ranged attacks take a 4 penalty. This penalty is in addition to the normal 4 penalty for firing into melee, making the penalty
to target to character 8.
Special An opponent with the Precise Shot feat has the penalty lessened to 4 when targeting the character.
Endurance
Benefit The character gains a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves hourly Swim (Athletics) checks to avoid becoming
fatigued, Constitution checks to continue running, Constitution checks to hold the characters breath, Constitution checks to
avoid damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves to avoid damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves
to resist suffocation or drowning. Also, the character may sleep in medium or light Armour without becoming fatigued.
Normal A character without this feat that sleeps in Armour is automatically fatigued the following day.
Expert Tactician
Your tactical skills work to you and your allies advantage.
Prerequisite Dex 15, Combat Reflexes, base attack bonus +2
Benefit If you hit an opponent with an attack of opportunity, you and all your allies gain a +2 circumstance bonus on all
attack rolls against that opponent for 1 round.
Focused
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Acrobatic checks and Concentration checks. You may take 10 even when
41
Flay
When fighting un-armoured opponents, you excel and delight in causing pain.
Prerequisite Str 13, Power Attack
Benefit When you use your Power Attack feat with a slashing or piercing weapon against a foe that lacks an armour bonus to
DR, you inflict horrific pain on your target. If your attack hits, your opponent must make a Fortitude save [DC 10 + your
Power Attack damage bonus]. If this save fails, he takes -2 penalty on attacks for one round. You can use this feat once a
round against a given target.
Special A save must also be made when a Threatened Critical penetrates armour.
Flick of the Wrist

Prerequisites Dex 17+, Quick Draw, Sleight of Hand 5 Ranks
Benefit If you draw a Light weapon and attack with it in the same round, your opponent is considered Flat-Footed. This
ability can only be used once in a given scene.
Force of Personality
You have cultivated an unshakeable belief in your self-worth. Your sense of self and purpose are so strong that they bolster
your will power.
Prerequisite Cha 13+
Benefit You add your Charisma modifier (instead of your Wisdom modifier) to Will saves against mind affecting effects.
Frightful Presence
Prerequisites Charisma 15, Intimidate 9 ranks.
Benefit When the character uses this feat, all opponents within 10 feet who have fewer levels than the character must make a
Will saving throw (DC 10 + the characters level + the characters Charisma modifier). An opponent who fails his or her
save is shaken, taking a 2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks for a number of rounds equal to 1d6 + the
characters Charisma modifier. The character can use the feat once per round as a free action.
A successful save indicates that the opponent is immune to the characters use of this feat for 24 hours. This feat does not
affect foes with an Intelligence of 3 or lower.
If the character has the Renown feat, the Will saving throws DC increases by 5.
Graceful Edge
Choose one type of one handed slashing melee weapon, for which you have already chosen the Weapon Focus feat. You
wield this weapon with an almost unnatural grace.
Prerequisite Base Attack Bonus +1, Weapon Focus (any One-Handed Slashing weapon).
Benefit If you do not wield a weapon in your off hand, you treat your chosen weapon as a light weapon. If you do not wield
a weapon in your off hand you also gain a +1 Shield bonus to your defence, while wielding your chosen weapon. When
fighting defensively or using the total defence action, this Shield bonus increases to +2.
Special You may take this feat more than once - each time you do, it applies to a new one handed slashing weapon you have
Weapon Focus in.
Gearhead
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Proscribed Technologies checks and Repair checks. You may take 10 even
Special Remember that the Proscribed Technologies skill and the Repair skill can only be used untrained in certain
situations.
Great Cleave
Prerequisites Strength 13, Power Attack, Cleave, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit As Cleave, except that the character has no limit to the number of times he or she can use it per round.
Great Fortitude
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws.
Greater Two-Weapon Defence

Prerequisites Dex 17+, Improved Two Weapon Defence, Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defence, BAB +11
Benefit When wielding a double weapon or two weapons (not including natural weapons or unarmed strikes), you gain a +3
shield bonus to your AC.
Special When you are fighting defensively or using the total defence action, this shield bonus increases to +6.
42
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Prerequisite Dex 17+, Improved Two-weapon Fighting, Two-weapon Fighting, Base attack bonus +11
Benefit You get a third attack with your off-hand weapon, albeit at a 10 penalty.
Greater Weapon Focus

Choose one type of weapon for which you have already selected Weapon Focus. You can also choose unarmed strike or
grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisite Weapon Focus with Selected Weapon, Base Attack Bonus +8
Benefit You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on
attack rolls, including the one from Weapon Focus (see below).
Special You can gain Greater Weapon Focus multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to
a new type of weapon. You must have Greater Weapon Focus with a given weapon to gain the Greater Weapon
Specialisation feat for that weapon.
Greater Weapon Specialisation

Choose one type of weapon for which you have already selected Weapon Specialisation. You can also choose unarmed strike
or grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisite Greater Weapon Focus with Selected Weapon, Weapon Focus with Selected Weapon, Weapon Specialisation
with Selected Weapon, Base Attack Bonus +12
Benefit You gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make using the selected weapon. This bonus stacks with other bonuses
on damage rolls, including the one from Weapon Specialisation (see below).
Special You can gain Greater Weapon Specialisation multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it
applies to a new type of weapon.
Guide
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Navigate checks and Survival checks. You may take 10 even when threatened or
distracted.
Hand of God
You may threaten a critical hit if you succeed in hitting an opponent.
Prerequisite Base attack bonus +10, proficiency with weapon.
Benefit You may spend an action point before making an attack with a weapon with which you are proficient. If the attack
hits, it automatically threatens a critical hit (regardless of whether the attack roll falls within the weapons actual threat
range). You must roll to confirm the critical hit, as normal.
Normal You must roll in the threat range of a weapon, and then confirm that threat to score a critical hit.
Hear the Unseen

Prerequisite Blind-Fight, Listen 5 ranks
Benefit As a Move Action, you can attempt a Listen check vs. DC 25 to pinpoint all foes within 30 (as long as you have line
of effect on them). This benefit does not eliminate your miss chance. If an opponent is using Move Silently, it is an opposed
check, with a +15 bonus for your opponent.
Special If you are deafened, or in a Cone of Silence, you cannot use this feat.
Heroic Spirit
Benefit +3 Action Points for characters, replenished each level.
Special Gives Navigator characters 3 Action Points.
Heroic Surge
A process cannot be understood by stopping it. First Law of Mentat. Mentat training affords heroic economy of action.
Benefit The character may take an extra move action or attack action in a full round, either before or after the characters
regular actions. The character may use Heroic Surge a number of times per day depending on his or her character level (as
shown below), but never more than once per round.
Character Level Times per Day
1st4th 1
5th8th 2
9th12th 3
13th16th 4
17th20th 5
43
Hour of the Assassin
Prerequisite Assassin Archetype, Swift Strike, Deadly Precision
Benefit Death Attack
If an Assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then uses deadly precision with a melee weapon and successfully deals
damage, the attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralysing or killing the target (assassins choice). While
studying the victim, the assassin can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target
does not detect the assassin or recognise the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC
10 + the Assassins BAB + the assassins Int modifier) against the kill effect, she is brought to -1 hit points as if they had
failed a massive damage save. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable
to act for 1d6 rounds + the BAB of the Assassin. If the victims saving throw succeeds, the attack is still one of deadly
precision. Once the Assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.
Improved Bull Rush

Benefit When the character performs a bull rush, the character does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender.
Improved Combat Martial Arts

Prerequisites Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a +2 competence bonus on her attack roll, and the
characters threat range on an unarmed strike improves to 1920.
Normal A character without this feat threatens a critical hit with an unarmed strike only on a 20.
Improved Combat Reflexes

Prerequisite Dex 19+, Combat Reflexes
Benefit There is no limit to the number of attacks of opportunity the character can make in one round. (The character still
cant make more than one attack of opportunity for a given opportunity.)
Improved Combat Throw

Prerequisites Defensive Martial Arts, Combat Throw, base attack bonus +3.
Benefit In melee combat, if an opponent attacks and misses the character, the character may immediately make a trip attack
against the opponent. This counts as an attack of opportunity, which the character can make even if he or she is unarmed.
Attacking unarmed in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Special This feat doesnt grant the character more attacks of opportunity than he or she is normally allowed in a round.
Improved Critical
Prerequisites Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +8 or higher.
Benefit When using the weapon the character selected, the character's threat range is increased by one.
Improved Damage Threshold

Benefit The character increases his or her massive damage threshold by 3 points.
Normal A character without this feat has a massive damage threshold equal to his or her current Constitution score. With this
feat, the characters massive damage threshold is current Con +3.
Special A character may gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.
Improved Disarm
Prerequisites Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise.
Benefit The character does not provoke an attack of opportunity when the character attempts to disarm an opponent, nor does
the opponent get a chance to disarm the character.
Improved Feint
Prerequisites Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise
Benefit The character can make a Bluff check in combat as a move action. The character receives a +2 bonus on Bluff checks
made to feint in melee combat.
Normal Feinting in combat requires an attack action.
Improved Initiative
Benefit The character gets a +4 circumstance bonus on initiative checks.
44
Improved Knockout Strike
Prerequisites Combat Martial Arts, Knockout Strike, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit When making the characters first unarmed attack against a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical
hit. This critical hit deals triple damage.
Improved Trip
Prerequisites Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise.
Benefit The character does not provoke an attack of opportunity when the character tries to trip an opponent while the
character is unarmed.
If the character trips an opponent in melee combat, the character immediately gets to make a melee attack against that
opponent as if the character had not used his or her attack action for the trip attempt.
Improved Two Weapon Defence

Prerequisites Dex 15+, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defence
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting

Prerequisites Dexterity 15, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit The character gets a second attack with his or her offhand weapon, albeit at a 5 penalty. Also, this feat allows the
character to use a melee weapon in one hand and a ranged weapon in the other.
Normal Without this feat, a character can only get a single extra attack with an off-hand weapon, and both weapons must be
of the same type (either both ranged weapons or both melee weapons).
Inner Voices
Prerequisite Prana-Bindu Mastery, Spice Agony.
Benefit Access to ancestral memories.
Special Abomination.
Insightful Reflexes
Your keen intellect allows you the uncanny knack for evading dangerous effects.
Benefit You add your Intelligence modifier (instead of your Dexterity modifier) to Reflex saves.
Intimidating Strike
You make a display of combat prowess designed to strike terror in your foe. Your stance, attack method, and demeanour
demonstrate to your foe that you are capable of defeating him with little effort. Prerequisite Intimidate 4 Ranks
Benefit As a standard action, you can make a single melee attack against your foe. You subtract a number from this attack
equal to or less than your base attack bonus. If your attack hits, you can make an Intimidate check against the foe you struck,
with a bonus equal to the number you subtracted from your attack roll. If this check succeeds you opponent is shaken for the
rest of the encounter. You cannot use this feat to worsen an opponent's condition beyond shaken.
Intuitive Attack
You fight by insight more than brute strength.
Benefit With a common weapon or an unarmed attack, you may use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength modifier
on attack rolls. Finessable weapons may also benefit.
Special Common weapons include Knife, Slip-Tip, Kindjal et cetera.
Iron Will
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.
Jack-of-All-Trades
You have an amateurs knowledge of all skills, even ones that require training.
Prerequisite Character level 8, Int 13+
Benefit You may use any skill untrained. You cannot, however, gain ranks in a skill unless you are normally allowed to gain
ranks in the skill.
45
Knockout Strike
Benefit When making the characters first unarmed attack against a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical
hit.
Lightning Reflexes
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Reflex saving throws.
Low Profile
Benefit Reduce the characters Reputation bonus by 3 points.
Master Manipulator
Your words are your weapons. You can confuse others with your speech, luring them into giving up vital secrets and leaving
them dumbfounded with your carefully constructed conversational legerdemain.
Prerequisite Cha 13, Diplomacy 9 Ranks,
Benefit This feat grants two new uses for the Diplomacy Skill. You must share a language with the being to use these
options against it. Neither ability functions during combat.
Captivating Speech You can distract a foe with your compelling delivery and witticisms. With a successful
Diplomacy Check opposed by the target's own Diplomacy or Will save, you can impose a -4 on the target's Listen, Sense
Motive and Spot checks so long as you continue speaking. You can affect a number of targets equal to 1+ you Cha bonus (if
any), as long as they are all within 20 feet.
Trap of Words If a being attempts and fails to successfully use Bluff to lie to you, you can skilfully manoeuvre the
conversation to confuse the target to trap or trick him into letting slip a vital fragment of information. After succeeding in
you Sense Motive check you can then engage the target in conversation for at least one minute. At the end of this time make
a Diplomacy Check opposed by the target's Bluff Check. If you succeed, the target reveals his lie and the reason behind it.
Mastercrafter
You are adept at creating mastercraft servok devices, tools, vehicles, weapons and armour.
Prerequisite Technocrat Archetype, or 2 Crafts e.g. electrical & mechanical at 8+ ranks.
Benefit When successfully completed, a mastercraft object provides an equipment bonus on skill checks made to use the
object (in the case of mastercraft vehicles, this includes Pilot checks). A mastercraft weapon provides a bonus on attack or
damage rolls (your choice, or additional capabilities as discussed in the variant weapons section). In each case, the bonus can
be +1, +2, or +3, and no single object can have more than one mastercraft feature. (For instance, you cannot build a
mastercraft weapon that gains a bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls.) A mastercraft suit of armour improves up to 3 of the
following, at most once; Defence bonus, maximum Dexterity Defence bonus, and/or reduces the Armour Check Penalty.
On average, it takes twice as long to build a mastercraft object as it does to build an ordinary object of the same type. The
cost to build a mastercraft object is equal to the purchase DC for the object (or its components) + the bonus provided by the
mastercraft feature (+1, +2, or +3). In addition to the Wealth check, you must also pay a cost in Karama, action points equal
to the bonus provided by the mastercraft feature. The Action Points must be paid before making the Craft check.
Apply the following modifiers to the Craft check DC for mastercraft items:
Mastercraft Features DC Modifier
Mastercraft (+1) +3
Mastercraft (+2) +5
Mastercraft (+3) +10
You can add the mastercraft feature to an existing ordinary object or a lower-grade mastercraft object by making a Wealth
check and then making the Craft check as though you were constructing the object from scratch. It is possible for to use
another Characters Action points for some or all of the cost, through the use of Aid Another. This is an Aid Another check
at DC 10 + DC Modifier of Mastercraft Feature (i.e. +3, 5, and 10) using an appropriate skill e.g. Craft (Weapon). If the roll
fails the other Characters points are lost. The Mastercrafters Karama points offered, if any, may allow completion of a less
than potent result.
Medical Expert
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (pharmaceutical) checks and Treat Injury checks. You may take 10 even
Special Remember that the Craft (pharmaceutical) skill cant be used untrained.
46
Melee Evasion
Your speed, agility, and talent for intelligent fighting allow you to avoid your opponent's blows. You take careful stock of an
opponent and slip away from his sword blow just as he commits to the attack.
Prerequisite Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, Dodge
Benefit While fighting defensively, you can attempt to negate a single attack made by the target of your Dodge feat. If this
opponent attacks you can make a d20 roll modified by your highest base attack bonus. The result is used as your normal AC
and touch AC against that single specific attack. You cannot use this feat if your Dexterity bonus to AC does not apply
against you opponents attack.
Melee Weapon Mastery

You have mastered a wide range of weapons. Your training with one specific weapon now extends to weapons of a similar
sort.
Prerequisite Proficiency, Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialisation with selected weapon, base attack bonus +8. Only
Swordmasters may gain Melee Weapon Mastery.
Benefit When you select this feat, choose bludgeoning, piercing or slashing. You must have Weapon Focus and Weapon
Specialisation with a weapon that deals this type of damage. When using a melee weapon that has the type of damage you
selected, you gain +2 bonus on attack rolls and +2 bonus on damage roll.
Special You can select this feat more than once. Each time, you can select a new damage type.
Mentat Awareness
Prerequisite Mentat only.
Benefit Required to compute 1st Order Mentat Projections & Mentat Computations.
A Mentat may apply his Intelligence bonus to AC instead of his Dexterity in a fashion similar to the Dodge Feat. During the
characters action, the character designates an opponent and receives a Dodge bonus equal to his Int bonus against any
subsequent attacks from that opponent. The character can select a new opponent on any action. Any situation that would deny
the Mentat his Dexterity bonus to Defence also denies the Intelligence bonus.
Mentat Awareness, Greater

Prerequisite Mentat Awareness, Mentat Projection 8 Ranks
Benefit Required to make 2nd Order Mentat Projections & Mentat Computations. 2nd Order results may be computed using
1st Order Projections / Computations as Anchors.
A Mentat may apply his Intelligence instead of his Dexterity bonus to his Defence against all opponents. Any situation that
would deny the Mentat her Dexterity bonus to Defence also denies the Intelligence bonus. Mentat Computation and
Projection generally takes at least 1 full minute (10 consecutive full-round actions).
Mentat Awareness, Perfect

For Mentats Rhajia is the song of the sirens. It is the total immersion of the Mentat in the inferential consciousness. Playt
called it the "Movement of Infinity," and regarded it as the final evolution of the Order, a breaking of the chains of
servitude to practicality; but Albans thought it a death-trap: only 30 percent of Mentats who enter Rhajia 'reawaken.
The Rhajia experience provides unconscious insight into the 'Movement of Infinity'. This allows gestalten spasms of
pure insight out-with the normal, time consuming, debilitating Mentat Trance.
Prerequisite Greater Mentat Awareness, Rhajia
Benefit As a move action, and at the cost of an action point a Mentat can project several rounds into the future. Rounds
equal to the Int bonus. A structured and increasingly difficult Mentat Computation is required for each successive round.
As this is a rushed use of Computation, it incurs a -10 penalty.
These computed moments are enacted by the Navigator and players as if real; though every roll is a 10, and no action
points may be spent. Depending on the success of the Mentat Computation hidden motives may even be revealed, or
false motives assigned. Once the rounds have elapsed play resumes normally, however the Mentat now has uncanny
insight. In a combat situation, this awareness provides strong guidance in what action the Mentat might take and offers a
+2 insight bonus to attacks, AC, skill checks and all saves. This insight bonus is lost whenever you would lose a
Dexterity bonus to AC. Effects from the Simulation such as Exploit Weakness & resetting Initiative remain active.
Normal Mentat Computation and Projection generally takes at least 1 full minute (10 consecutive full-round actions). A
rushed Projection or Computation can be made as a full-round action, but you take a -10 penalty on the check.
Special This effort drains the mental reserves of the Mentat. They cannot attempt Perfect Awareness again till X hours
have passed, where X is the number of Computed rounds.
47
Meticulous
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Forgery checks and Search checks. You may take 10 even when threatened or
distracted.
Mnemonic Conditioning (Eidetic Memory)

The character remembers everything he perceives easily remembers names, faces, facts read in books or smells from his
homeworld. Characters can use a DC 10 Concentration Check to memorise and recount experiences with complete accuracy.
This perfect situational recall allows those skilled with Mentat Projection to glimpse the potential futures as they perform an
action, and self-correct. This is the first step on the path to Rhajia and perfect inferential awareness.
Prerequisite Mentat Archetype
Benefit A given number of times per day you may re-roll a skill check, attack roll, or saving throw you have just made. You
may keep the new result. You may continue re-rolling if you have the mental reserves.

1st4th 1
5th8th 2
9th12th 3
13th16th 4
17th20th 5
Mobility
Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Dodge.
Benefit The character gets a +4 dodge bonus to Defence against attacks of opportunity provoked when the character moves
out of a threatened square.
Special A condition that makes a character lose his or her Dexterity bonus to Defence also makes the character lose dodge
bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.
Minutiae Observation
Prerequisite Prana-Bindu Suspension, Sense Motive 4 Ranks
Benefit The Prana-Bindu adepts self-awareness and control gives deep insight into the lack of such control in others. The
centred being is able to read the intent of an individual in a fashion much more swiftly than normally allowed by Sense
Motive, which normally takes a minute (10 full rounds). Minutiae Observation allows the Sense Motive skill to be employed
at the end of a single round of scrutiny.
Special You may take 10 with Sense Motive if you use a full minute.
Nerve Pinch
You can incapacitate foes with a vice like pinch.
Prerequisites Defensive Martial Arts, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit You make an unarmed attack against a living foe, this provokes an attack of opportunity. If the targets attack of
opportunity hits you and deals damage, the nerve pinch automatically fails. If the attack succeeds, the target takes no damage
but must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half your character level + your Strength modifier) or be paralysed for
1d4+1 rounds.
Special This ability does not work on foes without nervous systems or discernible anatomies.
Nimble
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Escape Artist checks and Sleight of Hand checks. You may take 10 even when
Special Remember that the Sleight of Hand skill cant be used untrained.
48
Noble Blood
Born and bred to rule, the Noble is atop the social stratum. They may employ a suitable Noble Title, and are permitted to
bear caste-restricted weapons (i.e. rapier and sabre) & fight in the Corrida Escuda. Protected by the Dictum Familia and
with access to fabulous wealth the Nobles life is the envy of pyons. However the life of a noble is fraught with dire peril.
The expensive education lavished on a Noble results in remarkable competence and sangfroid when confronted with crisis.
Prerequisite Noble Archetype.
Benefit Whenever a Noble born spends 1 Karama point to improve the result of a die roll; he or she rolls an additional 1d6.
The Noble can then select the highest of these die rolls to add to her d20 roll. If this point is spent in the pursuit of House
goals, and witnessed, up to one Karama per scene may be recovered by making a DC 15 Reputation Check, with a +1 Bonus
for each House aligned Oathbound player character present. You may roll for each Karama spent, but ultimately only one
may be recovered. You also gain +2 to all Charisma Skill checks where Noble Blood is pertinent, as people recognise your
authority.
Oathbound
You swear undying allegiance to a person, group, organisation, nation, planet, stellar empire, ethical philosophy, moral
philosophy, or belief system. By doing so, you can better influence others who share your allegiance and more effectively
oppose those who dont.
Prerequisites At least one declared allegiance i.e. House Minor, Suk Medical School, Code of Assassins
Benefit Choose one of your allegiances. The allegiance you select becomes your primary allegiance and cannot be broken,
except by you. The strength of your allegiance enables you to better assist other beings that have the same allegiance; if your
aid another attempt succeeds, your ally gains a +3 circumstance bonus (instead of +2) on his skill check result or attack roll.
Your dedication also grants you a +1 bonus on attack rolls made against foes that do not have this allegiance.
Special You cannot apply the benefits of this feat to multiple allegiances. If you break your Oathbound allegiance, you
forever lose the benefits of this feat but may take the feat again and apply the benefits to a new allegiance.
Oversized Two Weapon Fighting

You are adept at wielding a larger than normal weapon in your off hand.
Prerequisite Str 13, Two Weapon Fighting.
Benefit When wielding a one handed weapon in your off hand you take penalties for fighting with two weapons as if you
were wielding a light weapon in your off hand.
Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting

Prerequisite Dex 19+, Greater Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-weapon Fighting, Two-weapon Fighting, and Base
attack bonus +16
Benefit You get a fourth attack with your off-hand weapon, albeit at a 15 penalty.
Pharmacopoeia
Prerequisite Suk Archetype or 4 ranks of Treat Injury
Benefit Craft (Pharmaceuticals) Research types beyond those already known to the Imperium.
Normal Craft (Pharmaceuticals) Craft those only already widely known to the Imperium.
Special Pharmaceuticals not designed for your individual physiology, by a Suk, will always have 2 side effects (with the
possible exception of the Spice Mlange).
Point Blank Shot

Benefit The character gets a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons against opponents within 30 feet.
Poison Resistance
You are less susceptible to the ravages of poison, disease, and radiation poisoning.
Prerequisite Constitution 13
Benefits You gain a +2 bonus on Fortitude saving throws to resist poisons, diseases, and radiation sickness. Furthermore, any
permanent ability drain inflicted upon you is treated as temporary ability damage instead.
Poison Immunity
After prolonged exposure to a poison or toxin, the character has rendered himself immune to it.
Benefit The character is immune to one specific poison (chosen by the Navigator or the characters player), whether available
as a blade poison, the venom of a specific creature, or one other toxin. The character also gains a +1 circumstance bonus on
saving throws against other poisons.
Special A character may take this feat multiple times, choosing a different poison each time.
49
Power Attack
Prerequisite Strength 13.
Benefit On the characters action, before making attack rolls for a round, the character may choose to subtract a number from
all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed the characters base
attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage applies until the characters next action. You cant add the bonus
from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes), even though the penalty on attack
rolls still applies.
Power Critical
Prerequisites Weapon Focus (chosen weapon), base attack bonus +4
Benefit When using the weapon you selected, you gain a +4 bonus on the roll to confirm a threat.
Special You can gain Power Critical multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it may be with a different weapon or the
same weapon. If you take it with the same weapon, the effects of the feats stack.
Prana-Bindu Suspension
Self-control of body and mind.
Prerequisite Bene Gesserit
Benefit As a free action, you can temporarily increase either your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution by 1d4+1 points. The
increase lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier. The character may use Prana Bindu Suspension
a number of times per day depending on his or her character level (as shown below).
1st4th 1
th
5th8 2
9th12th 3
13th16th 4
17th20th 5
Prana-Bindu Mastery
Self-control extends down to a cellular level.
Prerequisite Prana-Bindu Suspension, Autohypnosis 8 Ranks.
Benefit As a free action, you can temporarily increase two of your physical attributes, Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution by
1d4+1 points. The increase lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier. The character may use Prana
Bindu Mastery a number of times per day depending on his or her character level (as shown above).
Special Suspension and Mastery cannot be used additively on the same statistic, highest value prevails.
Precise Shot
Prerequisite: Point Blank Shot.
Benefit: The character can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without penalty.
Normal: A character takes a -4 penalty when using a ranged weapon to attack an opponent who is engaged in melee combat.
Profile
Prerequisite Spy Master Archetype.
Benefit By making Gather Information check (DC 15) the profiler compiles a rough mental picture of any given target
(individual or organisation). For an individual this mental picture provides a physical description, including distinguishing
markings and visible mannerisms. Success makes the profile accurate, at least concerning a particular suspect as seen by
associates and acquaintances interviewed. (For this Gather Information check, no money changes hands.) The profiler can
expand the profile by making an Investigate check (DC 15) involving the abode or other physical evidence linked to the
target. If both are successful, the profiler combines verbal accounts with forensic evidence to develop a profile of the targets
modus operandi. The Profiler gains a +2 circumstance bonus on any checks made in relation to the target; skills, to hit, saves.
Prone Attack
You attack from a prone position without penalty.
Prerequisites Base attack bonus +2, Dex 15+, Lightning Reflexes.
Benefit You can make an attack from the prone position and suffer no penalty on your attack roll. If your attack roll is
successful, you may regain your feet immediately as a free action, without incurring Attacks of Opportunity.
50
Pyretic Conscience (Imperial Medical Conditioning)
Prerequisite Suk
Resulting from his Imperial Conditioning, the character finds himself bridled by the so-called "conscience of fire," a
restraining mechanism programmed at the inhibitory level of his subconscious mind. Though his conditioning does not force
the character to adopt a pacifistic ideology, the character finds himself incapable of directly endangering human life. The
character cannot take up arms against his fellow man, insinuate poison into his rivals drink, or withhold medical treatment
from a dying enemy. The character not only finds such acts entirely unconscionable, but also quite impossible, given the
deeply ingrained Pyretic Conscience.
Benefit +4 on Treat Injury to reflect the Suks utter reverence for life. Conditioning also provides a +4 save to any Will save.
Special Inability to take life or by inaction allow life to be taken. Will Save rises to +10 against any effect that might
otherwise provoke them to take a life, for instance the Voice. A failed save causes mental crisis and unconsciousness rather
than taking action that causes harm.
Quick Draw
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit The character can draw a weapon as a free action. A character with this feat may throw weapons at his or her full
normal rate of attacks.
Normal A character can draw a weapon as a move action. If a character has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, the character
can draw a weapon as a free action when as part of another move action.
Quick Recovery
It's hard to keep you down for long. You have a talent for shaking off effects that leave others unable to act.
Benefit Whenever you begin your turn stunned or dazed you can make a new saving throw at the original DC of the effect
that stunned or dazed you in an attempt to recover. Recovering from being stunned or dazed in this way is a move action. If
the effect that caused you to become stunned or dazed did not allow a saving throw, you can recover by succeeding on a Will
save (DC 10 + 1/2 level of originator of the effect + relevant ability modifier, or Cha modifier if there is not an obvious
ability linked to the effect).
Normal You are stunned or dazed as long as the effect calls for and do not have an opportunity to recover early.
Reckless Offence
You can shift your focus from defence to offence.
Prerequisite Base attack bonus +1
Benefit When you use the attack action or full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of 4 to your Armour Class and
add a +2 bonus on your melee attack roll. The bonus on attack rolls and penalty to Armour Class last until the beginning of
your next turn.
Renown
Benefit The characters Reputation bonus increases by +3.
Run
Benefit When running, the character moves a maximum of five times his or her normal speed instead of four times. If the
character is in heavy Armour, the character can move four times his or her speed rather than three times. If the character
makes a long jump, the character gains a +2 competence bonus on his or her Athletics check.
51
Salvage
Prerequisite Technocrat Archetype
You can salvage electrical and mechanical parts from destroyed vehicles, starships, servok, and Ixian prostheses.
Benefit: Salvaging destroyed vehicles, starships, servok, and an Ixian prosthesis takes time, as noted below. At the end of
this time, make a Search check. If the check succeeds, you may increase your Wealth score by the amount indicated on the
table, either by selling the salvaged parts for scrap or using them to offset the cost of future building projects.
Time Search Wealth

Salvaged Machine
Required Check DC Increase
Vehicle
Huge or smaller 30 min. 15 +1
Gargantuan 1 hr. 20 +2
Colossal 3 hr. 25 +3
Starship
Huge 1 hr. 30 +3
Gargantuan 3 hr. 35 +5
Colossal 6 hr. 40 +8
Servok
Tiny or smaller 10 min. 20 +1
Small to Large 30 min. 25 +2
Huge or bigger 1 hr. 30 +3
Ixian Prosthesis
Replacement 10 min. 15 +1
Enhancement 30 min. 20 +2
Special: A particular vehicle, starship, servok, or Ixian prostheses can be successfully salvaged only once. Any further
attempts to salvage the wreckage fail automatically.
Sense Weakness
Prerequisite Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise, Weapon Focus (any)
Benefit Whenever you attack with a weapon with which you have Weapon Focus, you may ignore up to 5 points of the
targets Damage Reduction i.e. Armour DR and/or innate Damage Reduction.
Shield Conditioning
The Holtzman Personal Shield dominates the battlefield; intimate knowledge is essential to those whose chief concern is
warfare. Conditioning allows instinctive, effective use and defeat of the Holtzman Personal Shield
Benefit You may activate a Shield as a free action. You may also activate the Shield as an Immediate Action (i.e. even out
with your turn) by making a DC 15 Reflex save. Proficient Shield users can parry with the whole body. This grants an
effective +2 Deflection AC bonus against a single opponent, similar to that granted by the Dodge Feat (if the Shield user has
both feats, they must be directed at same target).
You can manoeuvre your Shield to intercept the Shield of another resulting in forceful feedback. This is resolved as a strike
to your opponent, using your Holtzman Shield, as an unarmed attack. For the purpose of penalties on attack rolls, treat a
Holtzman Shield as a light weapon, dealing a d4 bludgeoning damage (only Strength bonuses to damage apply as per usual).
Unarmed attacks of this sort do not invite attacks of opportunity as they are considered armed.
Normal You may activate a Shield as a Move Action. You may not activate your Shield as an Immediate Action. You do not
gain the benefits of Shield Parry (+2 AC) or Shield Strike (considered armed / 1d4 damage).
Shield Charge (Idaho's Style new, in 1.12)

You deal extra damage when you use your shield as a weapon when charging
Prerequisite Shield Conditioning, base attack bonus +3
Benefit If you hit an opponent with your shield as part of a charge action, in addition to dealing damage normally you may
make a trip attack without provoking an attack of opportunity. If you lose the defender does not get to try to trip you in
return.
52
Shield Slam
You can use your shield to daze your opponent.
Prerequisite Shield Conditioning, Shield Charge, base attack bonus +6
Benefit As a full round action or as a charge action, you may make an attack with your shield against an opponent. If you
hit, you force the target damaged to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Str bonus) in
addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is dazed for one round (until) just before your
next action. Foes immune to critical hits cannot be dazed.
Shield Specialisation
You are skilled in using a Holtzman Shield, allowing you to gain a greater defensive bonus from it.
Prerequisite Shield Conditioning
Benefit When using a shield the +2 dodge bonus counts against all threatened opponents.
Shield Wall
You are skilled in using shields when in formation with other Shield-bearers.
Prerequisite Shield Conditioning.
Benefit When you and an adjacent ally are each using a shield, your Shield bonus to Armour Class increases by 2.
Sidestep Charge [Corrida Escuda]

You are skilled at dodging past charging opponents and taking advantage when they miss.
Prerequisite Dex 13, Dodge
Benefit You get a +4 dodge bonus to Armour Class against charge attacks. If a charging opponent fails to make a successful
attack against you, you gain an immediate attack of opportunity. This feat does not grant you more attacks of opportunity
than you are normally allowed in a round. If you are flat-footed or otherwise denied your Dexterity bonus to Armour Class,
you do not gain the benefit of this feat.
Silencing Strike
Prerequisite Swift Strike
Benefit If an Assassin hits a flat-footed opponent with a melee attack, the opponent is unable to speak for one round. This
prevents the shouting warnings or alarms. On ensuing rounds a Fortitude save versus DC 15 may allow speech.
Special Successful use of a shigawire garrotte against a flat-footed opponent invokes Silencing Strike even without the feat.
Single Blade Style [Einhander]

You wield a single weapon well, presenting a narrow profile against attack.
Prerequisites Int 13+, Combat Expertise, Weapon Focus (chosen weapon).
Benefit When fighting with a weapon you have chosen for the Weapon Focus feat, wearing light Armour or no Armour, and
with nothing in your off-hand (excepting a Dueling Cloak), you gain a +2 dodge bonus to your AC.
Slashing Fury
You swing your weapon with uncanny speed, slicing apart a foe in the blink of an eye.
Prerequisite Proficiency, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialisation with any slashing weapon, Weapon Mastery (Slashing),
base attack bonus +14.
Benefit When you use a standard action to attack with any slashing weapon, you can choose to make a second attack with
that weapon. You take -5 on the first attack and a -10 penalty on the second.
When you use a full attack action with any slashing weapon, you gain one additional attack at you highest base attack bonus.
That attack and all other attacks you make in the current round take a -5 penalty.
Spring Attack
Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit When using an attack action with a melee weapon, the character can move both before and after the attack, provided
that the total distance moved is not greater than the characters speed.
Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender the character is attacking (though it can
provoke attacks of opportunity from others, as normal).
A character cant use this feat if he or she is carrying a heavy load or wearing heavy Armour.
53
Spy Network,
Prerequisite Spymaster Archetype
Benefit Spymasters cultivate associates and informants.
Each time the Spymaster gains this feat they gain a network of contacts. The player can suggest the types of contact her
character wants to gain. A contact will not accompany a Spymaster on missions or unnecessarily risk her life. A contact can,
however, provide information or render a service (make a specific skill check on the Spy Masters behalf). At 1st level, the
Spymaster gains a low-level contact, at 4th level a mid-level contact, at 9th level a high-level contact; at 16th level they have
ensnared the greatest prey. The Spymaster cant call on the same contact more than once in a week, and when he or she does
call on a contact, compensation may be required for the assistance the contact renders. In general, a Noble or professional
associate wont be compensated monetarily, but instead will consider that the Spymaster owes him or her a favour. Contacts
with smuggler or pyon connections usually demand monetary compensation for the services they render, and experts in the
use of skills normally want to be paid for the services they provide. For smuggler or pyon contacts, this expense is
represented by a Wealth check against a purchase DC of 10 for the low-level contact, 15 for the mid-level contact, or 20 for
the high-level contact. For skilled experts, the purchase DC is 10 + the ranks the expert has in the appropriate skill.
Special This feat may be taken multiple times. Contacts can die or be abandoned at will (with possible consequence). They
are refilled at the Navigators discretion.
Spy Master Level Example Contact
1st A character of lower station in a rival House Minor
4th A character of equal station in a rival House Minor; a minor servant of a Great House
9th An officer in a rival Great House, a Noble in a Minor House
16th A noble in a rival Great House.
Stand Still [Corrida Escuda]

You can prevent foes from fleeing or closing.
Prerequisite Str 13
Benefit When a foes movement out of a square you threaten grants you an attack of opportunity; you can give up that attack
and instead attempt to stop your foe in his tracks. Make your attack of opportunity normally. If you hit your foe, he must
succeed on a Reflex save against a DC of 10 + your damage roll (the opponent does not actually take damage), or
immediately halts as if he had used up his move actions for the round. Since you use the Stand Still feat in place of your
attack of opportunity, you can do so only a number of times per round equal to the number of times per round you could
make an attack of opportunity (normally just one).
Normal Attacks of opportunity cannot halt your foes in their tracks.
Steadfast Determination
Your physical durability allows you to shrug off attacks that would cripple a lesser person. Rather than depend on your
agility or willpower, you use raw toughness to survive.
Prerequisite Endurance
Benefit You can use your Constitution Modifier in place of your Wisdom modifier on Will saves. You do no automatically
fail Fortitude saves on a roll of a natural 1.
Stealthy
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Hide checks and Move Silently checks. You may take 10 even when threatened
or distracted.
Studious
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Encryption checks and Research checks. You may take 10 even when threatened
or distracted.
Superior Expertise
Prerequisites Int 13, Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit When you use the Combat Expertise feat to improve your Armour Class, the number you subtract from your attack
and add to your AC can be any number that does not exceed your base attack bonus. This feat eliminates the +5 maximum for
the Combat Expertise feat.
54
Sunder
Benefit When the character strikes an object held or carried by an opponent, such as a weapon, the character does not
provoke an attack of opportunity.
The character gains a +4 bonus on any attack roll made to attack an object held or carried by another character. The character
deals double normal damage to objects, whether they are held or carried or not.
Normal A character without this feat incurs an attack of opportunity when he or she strikes at an object held or carried by
another character.
Surgery
Prerequisite Treat Injury 4 ranks.
Benefit The character can use the Treat Injury skill to perform surgery without penalty. See the Treat Injury skill description.
Normal Characters without this feat take a 4 penalty on Treat Injury checks made to perform surgery.
Swift Strike
The Assassin is skilled at taking down unwary targets quickly.
Prerequisite Assassin Archetype
Benefit The assassin deals +1d6 points of Precision Damage on successful melee and ranged weapon attacks made against a
flat-footed opponent.
Telling Blow
When you strike an opponent's vital areas, you draw on your ability to land a crippling blow to make the most of your attack.
Prerequisite Swift Strike, Deadly Precision
Benefit When you score a critical hit against a target, you deal your Deadly Precision damage in addition to the damage from
your critical hit. This benefits both melee and ranged attacks.
Toughness
Prerequisite Base Fortitude save bonus +2.
Benefit You gain a number of hit points equal to your current Hit Dice. Each time you gain a HD (such as by gaining a
level), you gain 1 additional hit point. If you lose a HD (such as by losing a level), you lose 1 hit point permanently.
Track
Benefit To find tracks or follow them for one mile requires a Survival check. The character must make another Survival
check every time the tracks become difficult to follow. The character moves at half his or her normal speed (or at the
characters normal speed with a 5 penalty on the check, or at up to twice the characters speed with a 20 penalty on the
check). The DC depends on the surface and the prevailing conditions.
Surface Track DC
Very soft 5
Soft 10
Firm 15
Hard 20
Very Soft Any surface (fresh snow, thick dust, wet mud) that holds deep, clear impressions of footprints.
Soft Any surface soft enough to yield to pressure, but firmer than wet mud or fresh snow, in which the quarry leaves frequent
but shallow footprints.
Firm Most normal outdoor or exceptionally soft or dirty indoor surfaces. The quarry might leave some traces of its passage,
but only occasional or partial footprints can be found.
Hard Any surface that doesnt hold footprints at all, such as bare rock, concrete, metal decking, or indoor floors. The quarry
leaves only traces, such as scuff-marks.
If the character fails a Survival check, he or she can retry after 1 hour (outdoors) or 10 minutes (indoors) of searching.
Normal A character without this feat can use the Survival skill to find tracks, but can only follow tracks if the DC is 10 or
less. A character can use the Search skill to find individual footprints, but cannot follow tracks using Search.
Trustworthy
Benefit The character gets a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks and Gather Information checks. You may take 10 even when
55
Truthtrance
Prerequisite Minutiae Observation, Sense Motive +8 Ranks, Wisdom 18*
Benefit Given a full minute to read an individual (DC 25 Sense Motive). You may make a DC 25 Sense Motive Check to
determine the individuals belief about its answers to any ensuing questions. A wary target may attempt to substitute their
Bluff check as the DC if they are aware of the scrutiny, or during questioning. This Bluffing will often result in a lower DC
and so Bene Gesserit practitioners provoke this response from interviewed individuals.
Special May be learned with a Wisdom of lower than 18, but only used with Wisdom affecting drugs.
Two Weapon Defence

Prerequisites Dex 13, Two Weapon Fighting
Two Weapon Fighting

Prerequisite Dexterity 13.
Benefit The characters penalties for fighting with two weapons are lessened by 2 for the primary hand and 6 for the offhand.
If your off-hand weapon is light, the penalties are reduced by a further 2 each. (Normally -6/-10)
Two Weapon Rend

Prerequisite Dex 15, Base attack bonus +11, Two-weapon Fighting
Benefit If the character hits an opponent with a weapon in each hand in the same round, he or she may automatically rend the
opponent. This deals additional damage equal to d6 + 1.5 times the characters Strength modifier. The character can only
rend once per opponent per round, regardless of how many successful attacks he or she makes.
Unbalance Opponent
Prerequisites Defensive Martial Arts, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit During the characters action, the character designates an opponent no more than one size category larger or smaller
than the character. That opponent doesnt get to add her Strength, Finesse or Intuitive Strike modifier to attack rolls when
targeting the character. (If the opponent has a penalty, he or she still takes that penalty). The opponents Strength modifier, if
any, applies to damage, as usual. The character can select a new opponent on any action.
Urban Tracking
You can track down the location of missing persons or wanted individuals.
Benefit To find the trail of an individual or to follow it for 1 hour requires a Gather Information check. You must make
another Gather Information check every hour of the search, as well as each time the trail becomes difficult to follow, such as
when it moves to a different area of town.
The DC of the check, and the number of checks required to track down your quarry, depends on the community population
and the conditions:
Checks
Population DC Required Settlement
Fewer than 1,000 5 1d4 Hamlet
1,00010,000 10 1d4+1 Village
10,00020,000 15 2d4 Town
20,000-300,000 20 2d4+1 City
300,0003,000,000 25 3d4 Metropolis. A city and its suburbs consisting of multiple cities and towns
3,000,000-10,000,000 30 3d4+1 Conurbation. A groups of cities and their suburbs.
10,000,000+ 35 4d4 Megalopolis. A group of conurbations
100,000,000 40 4d4+1 Ecumenopolis, Planet Cities such as Kaitain IV
Condition DC Modifier
Every three creatures in the group being sought 1
Every 24 hours the quarry has been missing or sought +1
Tracked quarry lies low i.e. Low Profile feat +5
Tracked quarry lives large i.e. Renown feat -5
If you fail a Gather Information check, you can retry after 1 hour of questioning. The Navigator rolls the number of checks
required secretly, so the player doesnt know exactly how long the task requires.
Normal A character without this feat can use Gather Information to find out information about a particular individual, but
each check takes 1d4+1 hours and doesnt allow effective trailing.
Special You can cut the time per Gather Information check in half (to 30 minutes per check rather than 1 hour per check), but
you suffer a 5 penalty on the check.
56
Vexing Flanker
You excel at picking apart an opponent's defences when your allies also threaten him.
Prerequisite Combat Reflexes.
Benefit You gain +4 bonus on your attack rolls when flanking.
Normal Flanking grants +2 bonus on attack rolls.
Vital Strike
Benefit Once per round, if the character makes a successful melee attack with an unarmed strike or a light weapon, the
character deals an extra d4 points of Precision Damage.
Voice
Prerequisite Prana-Bindu Suspension, Minutiae Observation, Perform (Sing) 9 ranks
Benefit Using highly trained vocal cords, knowledge of primitive structures in the human auditory system and a stunning
insight into a given individual's psyche, wielders of the Voice wielder may implant a suggestion.
The first step requires a successful Minutiae Observation check; a full round Sense Motive check vs DC targets Bluff check
for actively hostile individuals, or DC 20 for those unaware). Actively aggressive individuals often make the DC easier by
betraying themselves. Bene Gesserit often provoke a crisis in order to read individuals. Dr Yeuh demonstrates the high
default DC when he chooses not to Bluff but remain as close as possible to the truth.
The observation determines the exact pitch of voice required for that individual. As a move action the Bene Gesserit may
attempt a Perform (Sing) versus a base difficulty of 20; modified by target wariness, success of the Minutiae Observation and
the situation (quiet and anechoic environments offers a bonus, combat in a burning thopter adds a penalty) is required to
insinuate the suggestion (limited to a sentence or two). The target individual can still negate the suggestion with a Will Save
versus DC 10 + Bene Gesserit Level + Charisma bonus.
The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the foe to do some
obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the suggestion. [When Jessica suggests there is "no need to fight
over me" - this is a classic example - she doesn't explicitly demand violence.]
The suggested course of activity can continue for up to 1 minute per Rank in Perform (Sing). If the suggested activity can be
completed in a shorter time, the effect ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can instead specify
conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the Voices duration
expires, the activity is not performed.
A very reasonable suggestion causes the will save to be made with a penalty (such as 1 or 2).
Special Hypno-ligature. Requires much longer observation of the individual, over a period of days, and complete trust from
the victim. May implant a post-hypnotic suggestion e.g. 'Uroshnor', which will cause the individual to be dazed (for
example) upon hearing the trigger phrase, after an unlimited period of time.
Repeated Voice attempts against those who have resisted your suggestion suffer a DC increase of 5 for each failed use of the
Voice upon that individual. Victims of the Voice are normally unaware of the attempt at compulsion.
Voice, Great
Prerequisite Prana-Bindu Mastery, Minutiae Observation, Voice, Perform (Sing) 18 Ranks
Benefit Mass suggestion on a body of similar individuals.
Weapon Finesse
With a light weapon (plus special 1 handed weapons such as Rapier), you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your
Strength modifier on attack rolls.
Benefit The character may use his or her Dexterity modifier instead of his or her Strength modifier on attack rolls.
Weapon Focus
Choose a specific weapon. A character can choose unarmed strike or grapple for your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisites Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit The character gains a +1 bonus on all attack rolls he or she makes using the selected weapon.
Special A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time the character takes the feat, the character must select a
different weapon.
57
Weapon Specialisation
Choose one type of weapon for which you have already selected the Weapon Focus feat. You can also choose unarmed strike
or grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat. You deal extra damage when using this weapon.
Prerequisites Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Base Attack bonus +4.
Benefit You gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make using the selected weapon.
Special You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of
weapon.
Weapon Supremacy
You are a grand master in the use of your chosen weapon. When you hold it in your hands, no foe can stand against you.
Prerequisite Proficiency, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialisation, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialisation
with weapon, Melee Weapon Mastery appropriate to the weapon. Character level 18th.
Benefit When fighting with the weapon that you choose for this feat, you gain a number of additional advantages.
You gain +4 bonus on all checks to resist being disarmed. You can wield your weapon against a foe that grapples you
without penalty and without first making a grapple check. In this situation, you can take a standard action or a full attack
action as normal. When you take a full attack action, you can apply +5 bonus to any single attack after your first strike.
Once per round before making an attack roll, you can instead choose to treat your d20 result as a 10.
You gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Special You can choose this feat only once, for a single specific kind of weapon. The dedication and focus it requires makes
it impossible to gain this feat for more than one weapon.
Whirlwind Attack
Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit When the character performs a full-round action, the character can give up his or her regular attacks and instead
make one melee attack at the characters highest base attack bonus against each adjacent opponent.
Willing Deformity
Through scarification, self-mutilation, or supplication to the Bene Tleilaxu, you intentionally mar your own body.
Prerequisite Bene Tleilaxu, Harkonnen background, Navigator permission.
Benefit You gain a +3 bonus on Intimidate checks.
Deformity (Clawed Hands)

Prerequisite Willing Deformity
Benefit You have sharp claws that deal 1d6 damage. You are considered armed even without a weapon. Your unarmed
attacks do not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Deformity (Face)
You have a hideous face due to mutilation.
Benefit +2 on Intimidate. +2 on Diplomacy with outcasts, or those with Infamy feat.
Deformity (Gaunt)
Benefit You have skeletal appearance and weight half the normal weight. +2 deformity bonus to Dex, -2 deformity bonus to
Con, +2 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist and Intimidate checks.
Deformity (Obese)
You are grossly overweight, being at least triple the normal weight for your race.
Benefit +2 deformity bonus to Con, -2 deformity bonus to Dex, +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate, +2 circumstance bonus
to save against poison. You cannot also have the Deformity (Gaunt) feat.
Deformity (Skin)
Due to a regimen of deliberate abuse, you have roughened your skin until it has grown as coarse and tough as rhino hide.
Prerequisite Willing Deformity.
Benefit You gain a +1 natural Damage Resistance.
Special You can take this feat more than once. Its effects stack.
58
Deformity (Tall)
Through long and painful stints on the rack, bolstered by the surgical implantation of various splints and struts, you have
stretched yourself to well over 7 feet in height.
Prerequisite Willing Deformity, Medium size.
Benefit Even though you are still technically a Medium creature, your improved height and lanky limbs grant you an
additional 5 feet to your reach, thereby allowing you to strike nonadjacent squares with non-reach weapons.
Special You are a larger and clumsier target than you were before undergoing the height extension, giving you -1 to your
AC. You also take a -2 penalty on Hide checks.
Deformity (Teeth)
By filing your teeth to points and brutalizing your gums, you gain a hideous smile full of razor-sharp teeth that enable you to
make a grisly bite attack.
Prerequisite Willing Deformity.
Benefit You gain a bite attack that can be used as a natural weapon to deal damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. If
you attack with other weapons, you can use your bite as a secondary attack (taking a -5 penalty on your attack roll) for 1d4 +
half Strength modifier damage. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus on Intimidate checks.
Weapon Proficiency (Exotic)

Choose one exotic melee weapon. The character is proficient with that weapon in combat.
Prerequisite Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit The character makes attack rolls with the exotic weapon normally.
Normal A character who uses a weapon without being proficient with it takes a 4 penalty on attack rolls.
Special A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time the character takes the feat, he or she selects a different
exotic melee weapon.
Weapon Proficiency (Noble)

Choose one exotic melee weapon. The character is proficient with that melee weapon in combat.
Benefit The character makes attack rolls with the Noble weapon normally. They also have the elevated status required to
carry such weapons, how this comes about is up to the Navigators discretion.
Normal A character that uses a weapon without being proficient with it takes a 4 penalty on attack rolls.
Windfall
Benefit The characters Wealth bonus increases by +3. Also, this feat provides a +1 bonus on all Profession checks.
Special A character can select this feat multiple times. Each time, both of its effects stack.
Zero-G Training
You can function normally in low gravity or zero gravity.
Prerequisite Dexterity 13, Tumble 4 ranks
Benefit You take no penalty on attack rolls in low-gravity or zero gravity environments. In addition, you do not suffer the
debilitating effects of space sickness.
Normal Without this feat, you take a 4 penalty on attack rolls while operating in zero gravity environments, or a 2 penalty
on attack rolls while operating in low-gravity environments. In addition, you are subject to the effects of Space Adaptation
Syndrome, also known as space sickness.
59
Forfeits
Some characters are defined by their personality failings, conflicts of loyalty, or perilous addictions. These issues are
represented by forfeits. Your character may have up to 3 levels of Forfeits, and you must pick them during character
generation. You cannot add them later, and these problems will always be with your character through his or her life. Each
Forfeit you choose gives your character one bonus Feat (the character still must meet any prerequisites) from the following
list:
Action Boost, Acrobatic, Alertness, Armour Proficiency (Light, Medium, Heavy), Attentive, Builder, Cautious,
Combat Martial Arts, Confident, Creative, Dodge, Deceptive, Educated, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Focused,
Gearhead, Great Fortitude, Heroic Sprit, Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Initiative, Intuitive Strike, Iron Will,
Lightning Reflexes, Low Profile, Medical Expert, Meticulous, Nimble, Quick Recovery, Renown, Shield Conditioning,
Stealthy, Studious, Toughness, Trustworthy, Weapon Finesse, Windfall.
With Navigator permission these bonus Feats can be replaced with the defining Feats of one other Archetype. By
this method Mentat Assassins et cetera can be fully realized. All Archetype defining feats must be taken; you may not just
take Assassins Swift Strike without also taking Assassins Handbook and Assassins Code. You do not gain the Common
feats of the second class. Archetype skills become available.
Addiction (+1- 3)
The character suffers intense cravings or painful withdrawal resulting from a physical or psychological addiction. At
some point in their background, the character developed a dependency for an addictive substance such as a medicine, drug or
chemical. Though commonly resulting from medicinal or narcotic abuse, addictions can also result from natural, bodily
chemicals (such as adrenaline) predisposing characters to sate their addiction by seeking intense emotional experiences, such
as those evoked by the thrill of danger or the flame of love.
Though withdrawal symptoms rarely result in actual, bodily injury, characters suffer negative effects as if they were
physically injured whenever they enter withdrawal. Whenever the character goes for more than 12 hours without feeding his
addiction, he or she suffers the onset of withdrawal status effect. In most cases, characters can immediately "heal" the
complete effects of withdrawal by feeding the addictive habit. Every further 12-hour period incurs the next and cumulative
status effect. The advance of withdrawal can be alleviated by medical treatment, subject to the Navigator's discretion. See the
accompanying table to determine the relative point-value of different forms of addiction.
Addiction Substances / Withdrawal Symptoms

+1 Adrenaline, Alcohol, Elacca, Caffeine/ Rachag , Nicotine
/ Dazzled, Fatigued
+2 Rachag, Semuta, Sappho, Verit
/ Fatigued, Nauseated, Sickened,
+3 Melange, Residual Poison Antidote
/ Exhausted, Helpless, Unconscious, Death (Fortitude DC 15)
Adversary (+1-3)
The character has an adversary in a rival House - someone the character wronged or offended at some point in his
background. The adversary treats his relationship with the character as a zero-sum game-when the character wins, he loses,
and vice versa. Whenever he can, the rival tries to best the character by undermining his relationships, sabotaging his
missions or destroying his reputation. Though the enmity between the character and rival may escalate to mortal
consequence, the adversary doesn't seek formal retribution by way of Kanly (that's the Vendetta disadvantage). The value of
this disadvantage depends on the rival's power (see table).
Sample Adversary Costs
Value Adversary
+1 A character of lower station in a rival House Minor
+2 A character of equal station in a rival House Minor; a minor servant of a
Great House
+3 An officer in a rival Great House
60
Bonded Allegiance (+1-2)
The character serves his House under a contract of bonded allegiance, forged between a household representative and the
character's vocational school. Having paid for the character's education, his House demands loyal service for a number of 3-
year terms equal to the value of the disadvantage. During that time, the family provides for all of the character's material
needs, but may otherwise treat the character as any other member of the bondsman or pyon classes (one level lower than the
character's actual Caste). Upon expiration of the contract, the character may opt to renew his service contract or seek
employment with another House. For this reason, bonded characters are rarely treated as poorly as might be expected for
others sharing their legal caste.
Brash (+1)
The character often acts without thinking, following impulses and failing to consider consequences before rushing into
action. Once per game session, unless the character spends a Karama Point to check her brash impulses, she will take action-
determined by the Navigator-that results at least in personal embarrassment (speaking out in the Sysselraad without being
called upon) or at worst, in physical danger to her person (leaping into a Gladiator arena to stop a duel.)
Byzantine Corruption (+1)

Byzantine Corruption predisposes the character to demonstrate one or more of the moral infirmities associated with the
Orange Catholic Bible's seven venal sins pride, lust, hate, avarice, wrath, envy or sloth. Byzantine Corruption prompts
characters to emphasize personal ambition over moral pursuits, justifying their private gains at the expense of others. When
tempted by any situation providing for the character's immediate gratification the player must spend a Karama Point to avoid
the indulgence.
Chronic Pain (+2)

The character suffers intense pain on a continual or recurring basis. Whether resulting from a battle injury, congenital defect
or physical stigma (such as the burning scar left by a Harkonnen inkvine whip), the pain proves difficult to ignore causing the
character to suffer a -2 penalty to all Strength or Dexterity challenges, and for social / intellectual skills (DC 15
Concentration check to avoid), attempted during a flare-up. At least once every game session, the Navigator should require a
Fortitude Test (vs DC 15) to determine if the character suffers a painful attack. Failure indicates that agonizing pain
consumes the character for the duration of the scene.
Code of Conduct (+ 1-3)

The character holds a particular religious, philosophical, vocational or ideological pledge dear to his heart, staking his
personal honour and self-identity in the strict adherence to its guiding tenets. The code itself imposes certain moral, ethical or
social restrictions on the characters' conduct, such as routine observance of daily rituals, complete abstinence from a certain
type of behaviour or a compelling duty to fulfil a sworn oath. The player and Navigator should work together to detail the
specifics, though you can find examples throughout this game. See the accompanying chart for suggestions.
Dark Secret (+1- 3)

The character guards a dark secret, something about his House, family or himself so terrible that its discovery would prove
ruinous. The character shoulders his burden alone, risking life and limb to keep this knowledge from falling into the wrong
hands. The player and Navigator should cooperate in detailing the secret, deciding who the character protects and what would
become of them should his secret is revealed. The Navigator must also determine if anyone else knows of the secret,
considering the repercussions to the character should the secret be wrested from him. Guidelines for determining the value of
a secret are provided in the accompanying table. If a character's Dark Secret is revealed, he may earn negative Reputation
(depending on the nature of the secret) in addition to less numerical consequences.
Value Secret
+1 Embarrassing (Characters parents are of Low Birth)
+2 Career Ruining (Character violated the Forms of Kanly)
+3 Life-threatening (Character has committed Treason against his House)
Diminished Sense (+1)

The character suffers unusually limited vision, poor hearing, dulled olfactory perception or benumbed touch. Choose one
sense when acquiring this trait. When making Spot / Search Tests using this sense, the character suffers -4, and is thus more
easily surprised.
61
Dual Allegiance (+2)
The character serves two masters who share the character's allegiance and servitude between them in accordance with a
mutual agreement. Though the character's primary responsibility lies with his House, the character must serve the interests of
his other master from time to time, occasionally being caught in conflicts of interest between the two employers. In such
instances, the character must either choose among his sponsors (earning certain disfavour with one of them) or find a way of
fulfilling both of his obligations without seriously offending either party. Bene Gesserit cannot take Dual Allegiance as a
Forfeit as their training already implies it.
False Allegiance (+3)

The character serves his current House under False Allegiance, owing fidelity to no-one but his own conscience, or perhaps,
serving another household as a hidden sleeper. As long as the character maintains his facade by acting in accordance with his
liege's wishes, his False Allegiance remains hidden; however, any infraction witnessed by a loyal house servant may be
reported, incriminating the character and subjecting him to formal inquisition and persecution.
Genetic Eunuch (+3) Nobles Only.

The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood has determined the character possesses a genetic defect limiting his potential development.
Upon acquisition, the player must name one of his Ability Scores as the source of his genetic flaw. The characters chosen
Ability Score is reduced by 2. Skill points spent in skills covered by that Ability Score are halved. Considering the character
a Genetic Eunuch, the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood treats the character as "unsalvageable with regard to their breeding
program.
Hypno-ligature (+1- 2)
Foreseen as a danger to the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, the character's psyche has been impregnated with a secret "word-
sound" (such as "Llroshnor") known to certain individuals within the Sisterhood. If the character hears the word-sound
uttered, he suffers a synaptic misfire, experiencing temporary paralysis or unconsciousness depending on the depth and
degree of the implantation. When selecting this trait, the Navigator must determine who in the Sisterhood has access to the
specific password, and under what circumstances they would pass such information along to other Sisters. Though the player
will know of it, the character remains unaware of his psychic impediment.
Perversion (+1-3)
The character suffers from moral perversion and entertains one or more obsessions, compulsions or manias. Depending on
the degree of affliction, the character may experience bouts of emotional imbalance only once per session or he may
constantly exhibit obsessive behaviour. The player and Navigator should work together when describing the nature of the
character's perversion and determining its point value.
Physical Impairment (+1-3)

The character suffers from severe physical impairment- blindness, partial paralysis, a missing appendage or similar handicap.
The player should, at the time of character creation, determine the exact nature of the disability. The value of the
disadvantage depends on the extent of the impairment (see table).
Physical Impairments
Value Impairment
0 Missing Finger
+1 Mute; withered limb
+2 Missing limb; deaf
+3 Blind; Body Paralysis
Physical Impairments are permanent afflictions that won't heal naturally; however it is possible that characters may undergo
corrective surgery, physical transplant or bionic enhancement later in life ; effectively negating the primary disadvantages
resulting from the impairment. If players wish to remedy their physical impairment in such a manner, they may purchase a
"Medical Remedy" subject to Navigator approval, by expending a number of future Feats (i.e. those awarded at 3 rd, 6th level
et cetera) equal to the value of the Impairment. If allowed, the player and Navigator should cooperate in describing what sort
of remedy is needed and how the character comes to acquire it.
Renegade (+1)
The character renounced former allegiance to another household and joined his current employer as a fugitive. Whether the
character's previous family was destroyed in a war of assassins or whether he fled for personal reasons, the character now
62
suffers a negative reputation (-2 Reputation) as a Renegade. Before earning the complete trust of his new benefactor, the
character must distinguish himself through exceptional loyalty or prolonged service.
63
Rogue (+1)
The character has renounced all former allegiance and now wanders the Imperium as a mercenary for hire. Having grown
accustomed to self-reliance, the character works poorly with others and must expend one Karama to use Aid Another. In
addition, the character's unorthodox independence makes others extremely suspicious of his motives, and the character rarely
finds himself entrusted with an great measure of responsibility-which is exactly how he wants it.
Shaitan's Bargain (+2-+3)

The character has entered into a proverbial "deal with the devil," owing a major debt or obligation to a powerful individual or
organization in return for prior favours. The player and Navigator should work together to set the parameters of the deal,
defining its conditions and term while setting the point award for the disadvantage. Regardless of the specific nature, the
bargain should be of sufficient consequence; usually placing the character, his relatives or his household in mortal peril
should he fail to honour the terms of the bargain.
Superstitious (+1)
The character adheres to superstitious ritual. Entertaining folklore, wives tales and supernatural beliefs with grave respect.
His superstitious nature confounds superiors and vexes peers who do their best to indulge the character's oft-seeming strange,
eccentric behaviour. Though the character intellectually knows that superstitions are largely cultural fictions, hed rather be
safe than sorry-and with these things, well, you never can tell. Once per game session at the prompt of the Navigator, unless
the character spends a Karama Point, they will indulge the superstition rather than acting freely.
Twisted Conditioning (+1-3)

The character has undergone extensive psycho-alteration aimed at breaking or perverting his vocational conditioning or
personal ideology. Creating killer Mentats, a specialty of the Bene Tleilax, requires some degree of twisting since the higher
order of Mentat logic resists killing for wanton or capricious reasons. Similarly, suborning Imperial Conditioning against
violence, subverting an Adepts loyalty to the Sisterhood, or breaking a Noble's allegiance to his family all become possible
through Twisted Conditioning. The player and Navigator must discuss the nature and consequences of this trait before
allocating its point value. Typically, any behavioural impulse that runs contrary to a character's normal vocational role or
rational identity can be qualified and handled under Twisted Conditioning.
Vendetta (+2- 3)
The character's name appears on a formal proclamation of Kanly, filed with an appointed Judge of the Change in the
Emperor's service. Underwritten by another House, the legal suit enables a specific member of that household to seek
retribution for the character's prior offenses or wrongdoings by means of a Kanly duel or formal treachery. The character has
been notified of the vendetta and may seek Kanly negotiations, or defend himself during a Kanly duel or war of assassins.
But until the matter is settled, the character must watch for assassins in every shadow, seeing his enemy's face behind every
naked blade. The player and Navigator must work out the details of the Vendetta, determining who seeks the character's
demise and the reasons why before assigning an exact point value to the disadvantage.
64
Combat
Critical Hits and Damage Reduction
When a character makes an attack roll and gets a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20), the character hits regardless of the targets
Defence. The character has scored a threat of a critical hit. In addition this attack also ignores damage reduction from
equipment, i.e. worn Armour, or innate damage reduction, such as that from the Tough Character talent, or creature Hide.
To find out if it is actually a critical hit, the character immediately makes another attack roll with all the same modifiers as
the attack roll that scored the threat (excepting bonuses from Action Points). If the second roll also results in a hit against the
targets Defence, the attack is a critical hit. (The second roll just needs to hit to confirm a critical hit; the character doesnt
need to roll a second 20.) If the second roll is a miss, then the attack still ignores Equipment Armour DR and deals the
damage of a regular hit.
A critical hit multiplies the weapons base damage dice only, never any associated bonuses. Roll all dice; do not multiply a
single dice roll.
Unless otherwise specified, the critical damage multiplier is x2. (It is possible for some weapons to have higher multipliers,
doing more damage on a critical hit.) Some weapons have expanded threat ranges, making a critical hit more likely.
However, even with these weapons, only a 20 is an automatic hit. The Critical column in the weapon tables indicates the
threat range for each weapon. Bonuses to damage, represented as extra dice (such as precision damage) or fixed numbers, are
never multiplied when a character scores a critical hit.
Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that
accompany the attack, such as injury type poison (but not contact), and injury type disease. Damage reduction does not
negate touch attacks, or energy damage dealt along with an attack (e.g. electricity). Nor does it affect poisons or diseases
delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.
Massive Damage
Any time a character takes damage from a single hit that exceeds the characters massive damage threshold that damage is
considered massive damage. A characters massive damage threshold is equal to the characters current Constitution score;
though this can be affected by options such as taking the Improved Damage Threshold feat.
When a character takes massive damage that doesnt reduce his or her hit points to 0 or lower, the character must make a
Fortitude save (DC 15). For every 10 points of damage dealt by an attack in excess of a characters massive damage
threshold, increase his Fortitude save DC by 2. If the character fails the save, the characters hit point total is immediately
reduced to 1. If the save succeeds, the character suffers no ill effect beyond the loss of hit points. Creatures immune to
critical hits are also immune to the effects of massive damage.
Precision Damage
Precision Damage is additional damage dealt by Vital Strike and the Assassins Swift Strike feat chain. Separate sources of
Precision Damage do not stack, though you may roll and take the highest if both are applicable. Creatures immune to critical
hits are also immune to Precision Damage. Creatures which enjoy a miss-chance from Concealment cannot be subject to
Precision Damage.
65
Weapons and Armour of the Imperium
Weapon Groups
Common Weapon Proficiency Group Flip-dart, Kindjal, Knife, Slip-tip,
Noble Weapons Proficiency Group Rapier, Sabre
Exotic Melee Weapons (require individual Feats) Armour Spikes, Net, Shigawire Garrotte, Warfan
Common Ranged Weapon Group; Maula Pistol, Needle Gun
Exotic Ranged Weapons (require individual Feats) Hunter-Seeker, Slow Pellet Stunner, Lasgun
Standard Armour Category DR* / Armour Notes Check Penalty

Duelling Cloak Light Armour 0 / +1 Disarms +2, requires free offhand -1
Fencers Light Armour 1/- Max Dex Def bonus +6 -1
House Trooper Battle Dress Light Armour 1 / +1 Max Dex Def bonus +4 -2
Technocrat Smock Light Armour 1 / +1 Technician DR, Max Dex Def bonus +2 -4
Plasteel Chain Shirt Medium Armour 2 / - Max Dex Def bonus +4 -3
Plasteel Chain Medium Armour 2 / +1 Max Dex Def bonus +2 -4
Pioneer Salvage Gear Medium Armour 2 / +1 Technician DR, Max Dex Def bonus +1 -6
Harkonnen Banded Heavy Armour 3/- Max Dex Def bonus +2 -4
Cuirassier Heavy Armour 3 / +1 Max Dex Def bonus +1 -5
Guild Raumanzug (Spacesuit) Heavy Armour 3 / +1 Technician DR, Max Dex Def bonus +0 -8
Mastercraft Armours
Ginaz Templar Chain Medium Armour 2 / +2 Max Dex Def bonus +3 -3
Sardaukar Krimskell Weave Heavy Armour 3 / +2 Max Dex Def bonus +2 -4
Any armour inhibits characters ability to use some skills. Armour check penalty applies to Acrobatics, Athletics, Escape
Artist, Hide, Move Silently & Sleight of Hand checks. Non proficient characters apply the Check Penalty to attack rolls and
Reflex Saves. Mastercraft can reduce Check Penalty by 1, increase Max Dex AC Bonus by 1, or increase Defence by 1, or
any combination of these 3. E.g. Ginaz Chain is Mastercraft III example of Plasteel Chain. Similarly typed bonuses do not
stack i.e. Plasteel Chain and Duelling cloaks +1 Armour does not result in +2 Armour.
* Military armour DR protects against Bludgeoning, Slashing and Piercing. Technicians is proof against all sources.
Melee Weapons Critical Damage Size Hardness/hp* Notes

Flip-dart See text /x4 1 P 0 Hand 4/1 Requires flatfooted opponent.
Parrying Dagger 20/x2 1d3 B Light 6/5 +1 Shield Defence, +2 Disarms
Knife 20/x3 1d4 S Light 6/2
Slip-tip 18-20/x2 1d4 P Light 6/2 +2 to Hit versus Shielded opponents.
Kindjal 19-20/x2 1d6 P Light 6/6
Rapier 18-20/x2 1d6 P 1 Hand 10/6 Finessable, may not be wielded in 2 hands.
Sabre 19-20/x2 1d8 S/P 1 Hand 10/8
Exotic
Armour Spikes 20/x3 1d4 S/P 0 Hand 10/10
Warfan 18-20/x2 1d6 S/P Light 10/6 Bluff for +4 to first Attack, +2 vs Shield.
*Mastercraft items add 2 to a weapons hardness, and +10 to its hit points
Projectile Weapons Critical Damage Size Notes

Needle Gun 19-20 /x3 1d3 P 0 Hand Wrist mounted projectile thrower
Maula Pistol 18-20/ x2 2d4 P 1 Hand
Exotic Damage Size Notes
Slow Pellet Stunner 20/x2 1d12 Special* 2 Hand Bypass shield. Full Round Action to reload, attracts AoO
Lasgun - pulse fire n/a 3d8 Fire 2 Hand 1 charge
- lasing arc n/a 5d8 Fire Requires Burstfire Feat, -4 to hit 5 charges
- Full burn n/a 3d8 Fire Autofire vs 10x10 area. Defence 10 10 charge
All within offered Reflex Save DC 15 for half damage.
Firing missile weapons, whilst threatened, attracts an Attack of Opportunity.
66
Slow Pellet Stunners normally deliver 1d12 electrical damage, and paralyze for 1d6 round, DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid.
Weapon Variation in the Known Universe

The re-emergence of archaic warfare in the era of the Holtzman Shield has led to the perfection of the duelist and a
renaissance in bladed weapons. The battle-tested classics are the Slip Tip, Kindjal, Rapier and Sabre. However there are as
many expressions of these blade families as there are Noble Families. Those with Craft(Weaponsmithing) can create a
standard pattern blade with ease (Common 12, Noble 15, Exotic 18), or create a novel variant for a knowledgeable
Swordmaster.
First choose a Weapon Proficiency Group (common, noble, exotic). Exotic Weapon variants will need a unique exotic
proficiency assigned to them. The proficiency group suggests a Base damage and a number of Capability Points. Use these
points to purchase Capabilities from the list. All the following weapons start with a 20/x2 threat range and critical multiplier,
and a singular damage type.
Common: 4 Upgrade Points Exotic: 6 Upgrade Points

Light: Base damage 1d3 Light: Base damage 1d4
One-handed: Base damage 1d4 One-handed: Base damage 1d6
Two-handed: Base damage 1d6 Two-handed: Base damage 1d8
Noble: 5 Upgrade Points Weapon Damage Progression

Light: Base damage 1d3 Choose one of the following two:
One-handed: Base damage 1d4 1->1d2->1d3->1d4->1d6->1d8->1d10->1d12->2d8
Two-handed: Base damage 1d8 1->1d2->1d3->1d4->1d6->1d8->2d4->2d6->2d8
Weapon Capabilities (non exhaustive list)

Cost Benefit
2 Damage Increase, may be taken twice.
1 Disarm. Gain +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent
(including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails)
1 Finessable. Light Weapons are always finessable. Finessable weapons cannot be wielded in two hands.
1 Hand and a Halfer (Exotic Weapon Proficiency to Wield it One-handed, only applicable to two-handed weapons)
1 Critical Threat Range e.g. 20 -> 19-20
3 Critical Modifier e.g. x2 ->3. Only two critical modifying adjustments can be made.
3 Use as a Shield. Only Light (Buckler +1 Shield Def) or One-Handed weapons (Medium Shield +2 ShieldDef)
Defence bonus is lost if the Weapon is used offensively.
1 No Hands. Light weapons only, may not make attacks with more weapons than you have appendages.
8 Hit Enemies within 15'. As a whip, can't threaten with it or take Attacks of Opportunity
-1 Lower Damage Die, can be taken up to 2 times.
1 Can Deal Two Types of Damage.
1 Deals an additional type of damage.
1 Shield Tuned Profile +2 to hit Shielded opponents. May only be light and Piercing.
1 Thrown (1 for 10' range increment, 2 for 20' range increment)
0 Flexible. Attack rolls take a -4 penalty if this weapon is in melee. Automatically has a range of 20'
Common Weapons Cost Breakdown Examples

4 Points for player crafted.
Knife (Light, S, 1d4, Crit x3) 1 Disarm

1 Higher Damage 3 Can be used as a shield.
3 Critical Modifier I Slip-Tip (Light, P, 1d4, Crit 18-20
1 Thrown 2 Higher Damage
2 Critical Range II
Parrying Dagger / Fencers Gauntlet (Light, P, 1d3 20 x2) 1 Shield penetrating profile
67
Kindjal (Light, P, 1d6, Crit 19-20, 2x)
4 Higher Damage II
1 Crit Range I
68
Noble Weapons Exotic Weapons
5 points for player crafted 6 points for player crafted
Rapier (One Handed, S, 1d6, Crit 18-20, 2x) Armour Spikes (Light, S/P, 1d4, 20x3)
2 Higher Damage I 1 No Hands
1 Finessable 1 Deal 2 Types of Damage (S/P)
2 Critical Range II 1 Disarm
3 Critical Modifier I
Sabre (One Handed, S/P, 1d8, Crit 19-20, 2x)
4 Higher Damage II Katana (2 Handed, S, 1d10, 19-20 x2, Finessable)
1 Deal 2 Types of Damage (S/P) 4 Higher Damage II
1 Critical Range 1 1 Hand and a Halfer
1 Critical Range 1
1 Finessable
Master Craft Weapons add up to +3 points. Generally they are taken as direct bonuses to hit or damage, but they can also
expand the weapons fundamental capabilities instead.
Weapon Focus and all such feats are now more abstract. Weapon Focus (and Feats that have it as a Prerequisite) provide their
bonus for any weapons that matches the blades defining feature.
Slip Tips are defined by their Shield penetrating profile and lightness.
Knives by their slashing quality and lightness.
Kindjals are defined by their lightness and Piercing quality.
Sabres are defined by their one handedness and capability of dealing slashing damage.
Rapiers are defined by their one handedness and their finesse-ability.
Some variants, examined below, can be wielded effectively by one with Weapon Focus (Sabre) or Weapon Focus (Rapier).
Dueling Sabre (S/P, 1d6, Crit 20 x2, Disarm)

Noble Weapon 5 Points
2 Higher Damage I
1 Finessable
1 Deal 2 Types of Damage (S/P)
1 Disarm
Cut and Thrust Colada Rapier

(S/P, 1d6, Crit 19-20, 2x)
Noble Weapon 5 Points
2 Higher Damage I
1 Finessable
1 Critical Range x1
1 Deal 2 Types of Damage (S/P)
69
Weapons
Dueling Cloak: This large, heavy, often elaborate cloak is weighted along the bottom edge with numerous
small lead beads sewn into the seam. It is often used to parry with, requiring the off-hand be free* to provide a
+1 Defence Bonus (at -1 Armor Check Penalty). It can also aids in disarm maneuvers, offering +2. It may also
be thrown like a net to entangle opponents. When you throw a dueling cloak, you make a ranged touch attack
against your target. The cloak's maximum range is 10 feet, and you suffer no range penalties to throw it even to
its maximum range. If you hit, the target is entangled. An entangled creature suffers -2 on attack rolls and a -4
penalty on effective Dexterity. The entangled creature can only move at half speed and cannot charge or run.
The entangled creature can escape with an Escape Artist check (DC 10) that is a full-round action. The cloak has
3 hit points and can be burst with a Strength check (DC 20, also a full-round action). A dueling cloak is only
useful against creatures between Tiny and Medium size, inclusive, and need not be folded to be thrown
effectively. *See the Cloak Dance Feat to escape this limitation.
Flip Dart A small needle like barb used to deliver a potent drug or poison. Flip darts are so named for the
protective 'flip-cover' used to conceal the needle - difficult to spot with the naked eye and near immune to
poison snoopers as long as it remains hermetically sealed. A successful feint (or other situation that denies Dex
bonus to Defence, such as being flatfooted) will be required to gain the moment to employ the flip dart. It
always strikes as a threatened critical against a flatfooted opponent. This must be confirmed normally.
Criticals ignore Armour DR, and innate DR such as that from Tough talents.
Slip-tip A specialised form of fighting knife designed for off hand use. The blade earns its name from the
comparative ease by which its slender blade penetrates shields and between ribs. The blade is a long, double-
edged and tapers gently towards the sharp tip. Its hilt incorporates a deliberate cross guard to catch and deflect.
The blade gains +2 to hit versus shielded opponents. Primarily considered a companion blade to a kindjal,
rapier or sabre. When used in a formal duel, an envenomed slip-tip will be carried in a white-gloved hand (the
blade sinister). Whereas the sword will be carried in a black glove indicating purity.
Kindjal A kindjal is a double bladed short sword (or long knife) constructed of any metal such as plasteel. The
traditional form is of a gracefully curved, double-edged blade terminating in a glittering point. Kindjals are the
standard issue blade of House personnel but remain a favourite amongst noblemen and duellists.
Rapier* & Sabre, the epitome of noble weapons in the age of the Imperium. The rapier is a long straight edged
blade, whereas the sabre is elegantly curved. Both terminate in an acute point - instrumental in shield
penetrating thrusting attacks. Constructed of tempered metal such as cold-cast plasteel or crystalline titanium.
Duelling swords prevail as the most elegant of the archaic weapons, quick in balance and precise of motion.
Considered regal weapons for noble personages, swords carry caste restrictions on most Imperial worlds.
Legally borne by Nobles, Swordmasters or House Troopers who possess sufficient training and cachet to bear
them.
*You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to
attack rolls with a rapier, even though it isnt a light weapon. However you cant wield a rapier in two hands in
order to apply 1 times your Strength bonus to damage.
Armour Spikes You can have spikes added to your Armour, which allow you to deal extra piercing damage on
a successful grapple attack. The spikes count as an exotic weapon. If you are not proficient with them, you take
a -4 penalty on grapple checks when you try to use them. You can also make a regular melee attack (or off-hand
attack) with the spikes, and they count as a light weapon in this case. (You cant also make an attack with
Armour spikes if you have already made an attack with another off-hand weapon, and vice versa. Though you
may combine Spike attacks with 2 handed weapons.) They may not be disarmed.
War Fan appears to the untrained eye as nothing more than a beautifully crafted fan. In fact, the vanes of the
fan are crafted from plasteel, and the tips are needle-sharp. When first brought into melee, the wielder may
attempt a Bluff check against an opponents Sense Motive check. If the wielder wins the contest, he adds a +4
bonus to the attack roll for his first rounds attack(s). This weapon remains very rare in the Imperium, first
popularised by twin noble Prinzporio assassins, and is limited to the Navigators discretion.
70
Hunter Seeker Elegant in its simplicity, the Hunter-Seeker is composed of two parts: the control console, from
which its operator directs the weapon's movements; and the hunter-seeker proper, a hair-thin metal sliver
measuring five centimetres or less. The sliver is powered by a compressed suspensor field, which gives the
operator the combined advantages of speed (the sliver can travel, in short bursts, at speeds in excess of 100 km
per hour) and high manoeuvrability. In the hands of a skilled operator, it can also be moved with the exquisite
timing necessary to penetrate a personal Holtzman shield.
At one end of the sliver was a pointed crystal eye. Through this, the operator would see to hunt his
or her prey; harder than the metal making up the body of the sliver, the eye was also the tip with which the
hunter-seeker entered its victim's body.
Once contact is made, the outcome is nigh on inevitable. Regardless of what portion of the body it
strikes, the sliver, attracted to bio-electric impulses, is drawn into the nearest nerve pathway. It then follows this
course to the major organs, leaving a bloody wake. When sufficient damage has resulted in death, the flow of
energy through the nervous system stops, and the sliver freezes in place. The unstable metal is designed to
disintegrate within half an hour, leaving only the tiny and easily overlooked crystal eye inside the corpse.
The console and its operator, of course, are less easily concealed, particularly because the hunter-seeker's field
can be controlled only within a seventy five metre range. For the first three centuries following the device's
invention, such concealment was less crucial, as the knowledge of the weapon's existence was one of House
Corrino's most carefully guarded secrets. Other Houses, Major and Minor, buzzed with speculation concerning
the emperor's "private death's angel," but no real information was revealed until 10155 when it part of a failed
assassination against then Her Apparent Prince Shaddam Corrino.
The basic operation requires a Security Check, DC 12. The device then moves from concealment to
concealment. As the device is Fine in size, it benefits from a +16 Hide Modifier. The device is not silent
however. The operator can choose speed and noise or slow and whisper. Full speed Move Silently -2, down to
1m/round (6 seconds). Move silently +8. The small device has a limited charge of 20 rounds i.e. 2 minutes. It
will fully recharge in the same amount if time (if not exhausted and decaying) if re-joined with the console.
When approaching the targets vicinity, the operator must attempt a DC 15 Spot Check (you may not
normally take 10) at -1 per metre distant. If successful, and the target has failed Spot and Listen, the operator
may to assassinate; see below. If unsuccessful in the Spot Check the operator may move the Hunter Seeker for a
better view, however Spot and Listen check will be required of the target. Or the Hunter Seeker may remain
stationary and attempt a Spot Check DC 20, -1 per metre distant, in which case only a Listen check is offered, vs
a Move Silently of +10.
If the target becomes aware they may take action to increase the difficulty of the Spot Check.
Remaining stationary adds 5 to the DC as the compressed viewing field more easily detects motion.
Assassination; if the operator Spot Check succeeds, and the target fails their Listen and Spot check then
the Hunter Seeker strikes at up to +8 BAB (use the operators base BAB if lower). Akin to using the feat Hour of
the Assassins, if the Hunter-Seeker strikes, the target must make a DC 10 +8 BAB Fortitude Save or be brought
to -1 hit points as if they had failed a Massive Damage Save. If the save succeeds it still deals a total of 3d6
damage (which cannot force a second Massive Damage Save) and the weapon is spent.
If the target has heard or spotted the Hunter Seeker roll initiative as if it were the Operator, with a
maximum of +4 due to the interface. If the target is flatfooted then Assassination may still occur as above, if a
Spot Check is now made. Otherwise combat is joined. The Hunter-Seeker has Hardness 2 and 4 hit points, a
defence of 18 and a BAB of upto +8. It deals 2d6 damage on its only attack. It may only assassinate a flatfooted
or surprised opponent.
71
Lasguns are high-energy beam projectors fashioned into a heavy pistol or mini-carbine design. Their weighty,
power cells are secreted into their grips and stocks, making the weapon entirely portable, if somewhat
cumbersome. Lasguns emit a visible beam of powerful energy. Unequalled in its destructive power, the lasgun is
reserved almost exclusively for elite military personnel and guardsmen. Because their beams initiate pseudo-
atomic reactions when intersecting with hot shields, Houses issue lasguns to only their most disciplined troops.
Under extraordinary circumstances, a trusted vassal or retainer (such as a Swordmaster) may be outfitted with a
lasgun for missions of utmost importance; but rarely do Houses issue lasguns to any individual on a permanent
or on-going basis.
Lasgun-Shield Intersection
When a las-beam intersects an active shield, a Roll 2D6
pseudo-atomic reaction ensues. Ranging from 2 Minor: The reaction feeds back through the
minor events; obliterating both shooter and target lasgun beam, causing an explosion that destroys the
with engulfing flame, to major nuclear events lasgun and kills the operator and anyone with 1
devastating everything within a several kilometre meter of him (Massive Damage Saves DC 15 for
radius. Lasgun shield intersections always result in all).
catastrophic consequences. In addition, the 3-7 Lesser Atomic Explosion: A thermonuclear
pseudo-atomic blast to be mistaken for a true explosion with an initial blast radius of
atomic attack, resulting in political fallout as approximately 1km
provided for by the Great Convention. Navigators 8-12 Greater Atomic Explosion: A thermonuclear
may roll on the following table to determine the explosion with an initial blast radius of
impact of any lasgun- shield explosion. approximately 2-12 km.
Maula pistol A distance weapon, the maula pistol uses a tensile firing-spring to fling darts up to an effective
range of 40 meters. It is a semi-automatic pistol, meaning that each squeeze of the trigger fires one dart and that
the darts auto-load into firing position. Firing with nearly no sound makes it the weapon of choice when distance
is unavoidable between assassin and target. The main weakness of this tool is that it is completely ineffective in
an attack involving a shielded target. It fires its darts at only one speed, a speed nowhere near the threshold
needed to penetrate a defensive shield.
Needle Gun Needle guns are small projectile weapons, often worn as unobtrusive bracers. They are too small
to contain more than a handful of envenomed darts. These devices are easy to conceal and not cumbersome to
wear. Typically hidden beneath long baggy sleeves, the user needs only point his arm toward his target and lift
his hand from the missile trajectory to trigger the reflexive firing mechanism and discharge the weapon. Often
worn in pairs, needle guns are preferred by non-military personnel such as Nobles, Mentats, diplomats and
spies. Military personnel occasionally employ them on specific occasions, but prefer maula pistols or stunners
for their longer range and greater capacity for storing ammunition.
Slow pellet Stunner; uses compressed air to fire a cigar shaped projectile at a target, slow enough to penetrate a
Holtzman Shield. On impact it releases a powerful electrical current. Dealing 1d12 points of electricity damage,
which ignores most forms of DR. In addition the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) or be
paralysed for 1d6 rounds. Reloading a Slow Pellet Stunner is a full-round action that provokes attacks of
opportunity. Other forms of payload, such as injury poisons may be delivered. A Holtzman Shield equipped
target can benefit from Concealment against ranged attacks, and as such may enjoy the appropriate mischance
(normally 10%, but up to to 50% depending on the opacity of the shield).
72
Equipment
Baliset Perhaps the most popular of musical instruments, the nine-stringed baliset descends from the zithra. It is
favoured by wandering troubadours who strum out their poetic ballads using its specialized 'multlpick'. Balisets
display a range of sizes and shapes, from large ones as tall as a man to shorter varieties less than meter in over-
all length. The best balisets were those made during the 9th millennia by the Varotan masters of the planet
Chusuk.
Filmbook Replacing the more archaic books (filled with ridulan crystal pages (1 micron thick) and static page
turning device), contemporary filmbooks are the basic tool for storing information in a portable form.
Resembling the 'book computers' of the pre- Butlerian era, filmbooks consist of a small screen and playback
mechanism used for reviewing the contents of whatever shigawire reel happens to be inserted. The playback
device enables the user to skip about the reel, forward or backward to review moving pictures accompanied by
written annotations and a voice recording. The average spool contains encyclopedic storage capacity, storing the
equivalent of 300 hours worth of moving pictures and voice imprints.
Krimskcll Rope Krimskell is a natural fiber derived from the hufuf vine of Ecaz, and enjoys a wide variety of
uses due to its characteristic strength and elasticity. Also called "clawfibre" or "strangler vine" krimskell
demonstrates an 'elastic memory,' clawing increasingly tighter as greater force is applied to change its original
shape. Captives held by krimskell bonds unanimously report that their bonds grow tighter the more they strain
against them. For this extraordinary quality, krimskell fiber is favored for crafting a variety of ropes and cords-
from the rigging of sea craft to the ropes used for mountaineering and knot work.
When bound with krimskell bonds, characters who try to break free risk the possibility of worsening their
predicament. To break free of krimskell bonds, a character uses Escape Artist as normal. Each failure increases
the difficulty of the subsequent attempt by +2 cumulatively. If successive attempts increase the Difficulty to 10
or more, the character begins to suffer 1 point of damage as a result of the krimskell beginning to cut off
circulation. Provided the character rests for 10 minutes or more, the krimskell begins to relax, returning to its
normal shape. Each minute reduces the DC by 2, with circulation being restored at Difficulty 8.
Medkit An important component of any field pack, a medkit contains a variety of items for performing first aid.
Including sundry pharmaceuticals and instruments for administering them, medkits also pack bandages and
compresses, scalpels and shot injectors and a small pharmacopoeia of standard medicines and drugs (stimulants,
antibiotics, anti-coagulants, tranquilizers and so on). Surgical medkits , the likes toted by Suks and physicians,
tend to contain more sophisticated equipment and specialized medicines. While any character having Treat
Injury skill can use a standard medkit with little fear of causing additional harm, the instruments and medicinals
included in a surgical kit require the expertise of a practicing physician (Surgery Feat).
Oil-Lens Binoculars Binoculars in the Imperium use lenses made not of glass, but of hufuf oil held in place by
a static field. Oil lenses can be adjusted one micron at a time, making them extraordinarily acute. Oil-lens
binoculars also enable a much wider range of magnification. Typically, standard issue binoculars range from
I.5x to 200x magnification, giving their users the ability to see up to 200 times further (or 200 times as much
detail) as they normally could with the naked eye.
Shield Dissembler Similar to shield generators, Dissemblers radiate Holtzman fields at preset, destructive
frequencies. When encountering an active shield, the dissembler field negates the defensive barrier, granting the
wearer passage through powerful shields, such as those emanating from prudence doors and House Shield portal
areas. Only the best dissemblers can modulate the five frequencies required to bypass a pentashield pru-door.
To counteract any shield, the dissembler needs to be programmed, calibrating the device to emit the appropriate
preset, destructive frequencies. Intelligence agents relying on dissemblers must either discover the proper
frequencies through espionage, or acquire a pre-calibrated dissembler through similar means. Operating a
properly calibrated Shield Dissembler represents a simple DC12 Security Test. Without the proper presets, base
Difficulty skyrockets for dissembling monoshields adding further difficulty for each additional, interlaced shield
frequency (i.e. for a pentashield). Navigators should note that Dissemblers operate on different bandwidths than
personal shields, making them ineffective against body shield technologies. Similarly, dissemblers prove too
weak to nullify a House shield, except portal openings which should be treated as duo shields (see "Prudence
Door" and "House Shield Generator" for more information).
73
Shigawire Imprinter
Shigawire imprinters come in several basic models, each revealing any number of features and refinements
depending on their origin of manufacture and intended purpose. But regardless of design, all imprinters serve
the same basic purpose-recording images and sounds on shigawire reels, for subsequent playback in either a
filmbook, solido projector, or similar display.
Standard Imprinters contain both microphone and lens for capturing audio and video bytes. Their
instrumentation may reveal any number of advanced features, improving upon the basic record mode
essential to their purpose. More advanced imprinters may contain 3-D, infrared or nightlight functions
for capturing images under different conditions. Such devices may also contain a small display in
addition to a viewfinder, enabling the user to take advantage of an internal playback feature (instead of
putting the shigawire reels into another device for review).
Minimic Recorders present the same range of features and diversity as Standard Imprinters, except
they imprint minimic film (shigawire only one micron wide) and reveal much smaller casings for use
during espionage or intelligence operations. While superior minimic recorders can capture the full
range of sound or imagery available to shigawire imprinters, inferior models prove incapable or such
quality. Highly advanced models may even exhibit a flip-up display or earplug adapter for reviewing
information stored on its internal reel.
Solido Recorders represent the most technologically advanced of all shigawire imprinters. Invariably
possessing 3- D lens technologies and 360-degree image rendering mechanism, solido recorders are
capable of recording much more information on standard reels, superimposing images and scrambling
signals to create the advanced holo-images created when the recording is replayed on a solido
projector.
Solido Projector Solido projectors exhibit some of the most advanced technology in the Imperium, approaching
the strictures of the Butlerian Jihad. They use 360-degree reference signals imprinted on a shigawire reel to
project three-dimensional, holo-images. Though solido technology does not allow for realistic illusions (the
images appear transparent), it does enable precise modeling of three-dimensional structures allowing for
accurate representation of buildings, tunnels, planet topography and the like. Mentats employ special 3-D reels
to transmit volumes of data with the speed of a single glance. By successfully studying solido images while in
Mentat Trance a Mentat can process and retain information 1000 times faster than reading a filmbook.
Sonar Probe
Sonar probes are used to scan large surfaces in search of hidden voids, buried items or concealed objects.
Bouncing ultrasonic pulses at various depths within the surface, a sonar probe displays an 'ultrasound' image on
its visual display. The image reveals structural and material anomalies within the surface, alerting the user to the
presence of hidden vacuoles or heterogeneous materials and objects concealed within the surface of study.
Sonar probes have a limited range of about 10 meters in depth-objects hidden deeper than that cannot be
detected. When using a sonar probe to sweep an area, the character must perform an Security DC 12 to activate,
and then a Search Difficulty assigned by the Navigator. Generally, if an item or cavity falls within the range of
the probe, detecting a man-sized object should be of DC 15, with Difficulty increasing to detect smaller items.
Surgical Cutteray (las-scalpel) Employing the same basic technology used in lasguns, cutterays emit powerful
las-beams albeit much more refined and limited in range (no more than 1m). Cutteray projectors range from the
size of a scalpel (surgical cutterays) to heavy, vehicle-mounted units powerful enough to carve tunnels through
solid rock.
Suspensor Globe Also called "glowglobes" or "suspensor lamps," suspensor globes employ external Holtzman
devices to float at pre-set heights and shed illumination from within. The brightness of their lighting may be
adjusted from a dim yellow to brilliant white, and their position may be similarly adjusted by remote control.
Personal glowglobes feature a 'leash' that may be hooked to a person's clothing or uniform. When the person
walks, the leash detains the glowglobe, making it follow the person wherever they lead. Personal glowglobes
light a spherical area approximately 5 meters in diameter at maximum brilliance. Their internal power cells
provide for approximately 1000 hours of illumination at maximum intensity.
74
Installations
Unlike personal equipment, which may be toted about, installations represent large-scale technologies, built into
buildings, spacecraft, caverns and so on. Too large or impractical to carry on your person, Heavy equipment is
typically transported by vehicles to the location where it is meant to be installed.
Cone of Silence Another Holtzman device, a cone of silence emits a dampening field to disrupt the transmission
of voices, engines or other sounds. As a result, sounds produced within the conical field remain shielded within,
allowing two or more people to converse without fear of being overheard. Since the speakers are still vulnerable
to lip reading, most cones of silence are built into alcoves or grottos where their users can speak in complete
privacy by facing a wall.
House Shield Generator Comprised of a massive generator and numerous directional relays, House Shield
Generators project defensive shield barriers large enough to envelop a large structure, such as a palace, hangar
storage silo or communications facility. So powerful are these shields that no projectile or explosion can breach
the defensive barrier. Simple personal lasguns lack the power to wreak nuclear havoc. The relays used for true
House Shields (those protecting the entire House compound) can be adjusted to open 'portals' in the shield,
permitting vehicles or persons to enter or leave without compromising the integrity of the rest of the shield. An
entourage who need to attack a shielded building must find some way to drop the shield. A shield dissembler
may permit an individual to pass through a portal zone, but it does not generate force sufficient to nullify the full
power of the perimeter barrier. A better strategy involves infiltrating the power facility and sabotaging the
generators or power source, dropping the shield until power can be restored.
Prudence Door Prudence doors exploit shield technology to secure a portal with one or more protective shield
barriers. The force fields protecting a pru-door are much stronger than those of personal shields, generated by
larger Holtzman projectors, drawing from a strong, constant power source. Pre-calibrated shield dissemblers
may be provided to authorized personnel, granting them access without compromising security codes.
Pru-door shields reveal three basic configurations. Monoshields provide the minimum protection (roughly equal
to setting 5 of a personal shield projector) and are typically used to protect windows and doors from projectile
fire and rushing vehicles. Duoshields are similar to monoshields, but also bar access to slow moving vehicles
and even charging troops. Adding additional shields, the pentashield (a five-layer shield) represents the pinnacle
of pru-door technology. Using five interlaced shields, pentashields prove impossible to defeat with any attack
short of an atomic explosion. Without the assistance of a sophisticated dissembler, the only other way to defeat a
pentashield is to cut power from its generator.
Palm Lock A palm lock employs primitive sensory technology and a servok-automated bolt to key a lock to a
specific palm print (or prints). The user presses his hand against the sensory mechanism, and once identified, the
lock opens automatically. Palm locks are reputed to be impossible to bypass, though a character with Prana-
Bindu Conditioning, who has studied the hand, may make a Disguise check DC 20 to fool the sensor and defeat
the lock.
75
Shield Conditioning and the Holtzman Shield
"The slow blade penetrates the shield."
Gurney Halleck, Atreides Warmaster
The Holtzman Personal Shield dominates the battlefield; intimate knowledge is essential to those
whose chief concern is warfare. The personal shield has made almost all forms of projectile weapons completely
ineffective for man-to-man combat. Therefore, ancient melee fighting styles have been revived and perfected.
In hand-to-hand combat, the typical military shield provides complete defence against
swinging/crushing and swinging/cutting damage because the full speed of the attack cannot be used. Most
hand-to-hand attacks are carefully timed impaling attacks with fencing-style weapons like the foil or the knife.
Timing is more important than brute strength; hence the Strength bonuses to attack cannot be employed, giving
rise to schools of Finesse and Intuition.
Against ranged attacks of high velocity (bullets, rockets, grenades et cetera) the Shield is extremely
effective, providing near immunity (providing the mass of the projectile is less than that of the shielded
individual). Slow velocity slug-throwers do exist, but are rare and not very effective. Bludgeoning attacks are
very ineffective; but locks, holds and throws are just as effective against shielded opponents as against
unshielded opponents. Against such attacks shields provide no defence. Strength bonuses to attack can be used
in Defensive Martial Arts throws, trips and locks.
The standard form of the Holtzman Shield provides full-body defence, permitting objects to pass
through them, albeit only slowly. An object attempting to pass through a planar field at a right-angle vector
speed of more than the strike speed is faced with resistance; which grows more intense as the fourth power of
the velocity. When the speed is sufficiently high, the field becomes essentially solid to the impinging object.
Shields have varying strike speeds -- that speed at which a normal object can pass a planar Holtzman field --
that depends upon the electromagnetic admissions spectrum of the planar field. It is never less than 5.8 cm/s for
one-angstrom fields, and increases only to 9.3 cm/s for all-absorptive fields. Typical shields have a strike speed
of about 7 cm/s admitting most visible light, x-rays and gamma rays. The wielder is trained in both the effective
use and indeed defeat of the Holtzman Personal Shield. Standard shields have only one setting; certain unique
shields have other settings - for example the demi-shield, and the expensive concealable shields of certain
House Major nobles. Burseg Belios, House
Charteriis Warmaster
Conditioned Activation
For those with the Holtzman Conditioning feat activating the shield is normally a Free Action, presuming a
hand is free. Shield Conditioning allows activation at the first sign of danger. If unsurprised, a Reflex save vs
DC 15 may be attempted to activate a shield as an Immediate Action even if its not your turn.
Characters remain flatfooted. For those without this feat a move action is required to activate the shield
(this action is often combined with drawing a weapon for those without Quickdraw and a BAB of +1 or greater).
Unconditioned characters may not activate the shield as an Immediate Action.
The shield can also be used as an active defence like its medieval counterpart. However, because of its
full coverage, it can be used not only to block incoming attacks but also to parry them. A skilled fighter can use
his shielded arms to parry an incoming weapon attack without fear of being injured in the attempt. Proficient
Shield users can parry with the whole body. This grants an effective +2 Deflection AC bonus against a
single opponent, similar to that granted by the Dodge feat (and if using both, bonus must be directed at
the same opponent). Demi-shield users are only protected from this opponents missile weapons
Shield Strike
You can manoeuvre your Shield to intercept the Shield of another resulting in forceful feedback. This is
resolved as a strike to your opponent, using your Holtzman Shield, as an unarmed attack. For the purpose of
penalties on attack rolls, treat a Holtzman Shield as a light weapon, dealing a d4 bludgeoning damage (only
Strength bonuses to damage apply as per usual, unless against an unshielded opponent). Unarmed attacks of this
sort do not invite attacks of opportunity as they are considered armed (though they do not threaten).
76
Shield Lasgun Interaction Personal defensive shields react explosively upon contact with the coherent
light of laser weapons. When coherent light impinges upon a planar effect field from either surface, all pseudo-
matter bound in the shield is instantly converted to real matter. This converted matter then converts explosively
to pure energy. Fortunately the actual mass of a planar field is quite small, on the order of .005 g for a personal
shield (because of its massive size, a House Shield cannot be destructively shorted-out by a Lasgun). Thus, a
typical personal defensive shield if touched by a laser beam, would result in an atomic blast with a power of .1
kilotons. The centre of this blast is quite erratic, sometimes originating within the shield, sometimes within the
laser weapon, sometimes both, with no way to determine it beforehand, thus making the tactic of using laser
weapons to take out shields explosively suicidal.
Shield Variants Holtzman Field Protection covers near immunity to projectile weapons (except Slow
Pellet Stunners), and enforces the absence of Strength bonuses to attack rolls.
Shield Type Benefits / Penalties

Demi-Shield +2 Dodge Bonus and Holtzman Field protection against one specific target.
10% miss chance for that opponent using adapted missile weapons
Concealable Shield Holtzman Field protection versus all opponents.
Swordmaster Shield +2 Dodge Bonus against one specific target. Holtzman Field protection against all.
Opaque Shield +2 Dodge Bonus against one specific target. Holtzman Field protection against all.
20% miss chance for both wielder and opponent in melee, 50% for adapted missile.
Demi Shields are often used in the Corrida Escuda, for the bull, not the Matador and in gladiatorial events.
They and Swordmaster shields are commonly available to those with the resources of a Minor House.
Concealable shields are a recent innovation and quite rare. Opaque shields are favoured by Assassins and
Sardaukar. Some shields can switch between multiple settings. Recall that Precision Damage (Vital Strike,
Swift Strike et cetera) cannot be delivered to a defender that has a miss chance.
Standard Defensive Tactics

Fighting Defensively
You can choose to fight defensively when attacking as a Standard Action. If you do so, you take a -4 penalty
on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the same round. You may also Fighting
Defensively as a Full-Round Action, using Full Attack. If you have 5 or more ranks in Tumble, you gain a +3
dodge bonus to AC when fighting defensively instead of the usual +2 dodge bonus to AC.
Total Defence
You can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC
improves at the start of this action. You cant combine total defence with fighting defensively or with the benefit
of the Combat Expertise feat (since both of those require you to declare an attack or full attack). You cant
make attacks of opportunity while using total defence i.e. you do not threaten. If you have 5 or more ranks
in Tumble, you gain a +6 dodge bonus to AC when executing the total defence standard action instead of the
usual +4 dodge bonus to AC.
77
Crafting Poisons
Creating poisons is a function of the Craft (Chaumas / Chaumurky) skill. Only those with the Handbook of
Assassins feat may create novel poisons. Those without the feat may follow established recipes see Classic
Poisons below. The DC of the Craft (Chaumas / Chaumurky) check to create a poison is determined by the
poisons delivery method, save DC, and initial and secondary damage. The base DC to create a poison is a
function of the poisons delivery method. Begin the process of determining how to make a poison by choosing
the delivery method;
Contact Merely touching this type of poison necessitates a saving throw. It can be actively delivered
via a weapon or a touch attack. Even if a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid taking any damage
from the attack, the poison can still affect it. A ships console or other object can be smeared with contact
poison as part of a trap.
Ingested Such poisons are virtually impossible to utilize in a combat situation. A poisoner could
administer a dose to an unconscious individual or attempt to dupe someone into drinking or eating something
poisoned. Assassins and other characters tend to use ingested poisons outside of combat.
Inhaled Aerosol poisons are usually contained in fragile vials, or emerge from a blowpipe. The former
can be thrown as a ranged attack with a range increment of 10 feet. When it strikes a hard surface (or is struck
hard), the container releases its poison. One dose spreads to fill the volume of a 10-foot cube. Each creature
within the area must make a saving throw. Shields provide near perfect defence against inhaled poisons.
Holding ones breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons; they affect the nasal membranes, tear ducts, and
other parts of the body.
Injection This poison must be delivered through injection. The weapon such as Hunter Seeker or Flip
Dart contains a reservoir that pumps the required dose. If a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid
taking any damage from the attack, the poison does not affect it.
Delivery Method Base DC

Contact 15 includes Poisons applied onto blades.
Ingested 10 Chaumas / Chaumurky
Inhaled 10 Gas / aerosol powders.
Injection 5 Poisons that requires a full dose to be injected into the bloodstream e.g. Gom Jabbar
Next, determine the effects of the poison. Select initial effects and secondary effects (most poisons have
one of each, but some have more than one effect at each stage). Each effect adds a modifier to the creation DC.
For example, if the poison deals 1d3 points of Dexterity damage initially, followed by 1d6 points of Dexterity
damage, the DC would be modified by +2 (initial damage 1d3 ability) and +2 (secondary damage 1d6 ability),
for a total of +4. Constitution damage is especially dangerous. For Constitution damage, use the appropriate
ability damage, but double the DC modifier.
Effect Initial Secondary
none 0 0
1 ability damage* +1 +1
1d2 ability damage* +1 +1
1 ability drain* +4 +4
1d2 ability drain* +6 +6
1d3 ability drain* +8 +8
1d3 hp +2 +2
1d6 hp +4 +3
2d6 hp +8 +6
Per additional d6 hp +4 +3
Blindness 1d6 rounds +6 +3
Paralysis 2d6 minutes +10 +5
Unconsciousness 1d3 hours +12 +6
78
Finally, set the Fortitude save DC for the poison. A save DC of 10 or lower does not modify the poison creation
DC. For each point you increase the save DC above 10, however, the Craft (Chaumas / Chaumurky) skill DC
increases by +1.
Once you know the total DC to create the poison, you can determine the time required to create the poison. The
final product is 1d4 doses of the poison.
Poison Creation DC Time
014 1 hour
1519 2 hours
2024 4 hours
2529 8 hours
3034 16 hours
3539 24 hours
4044 48 hours
45+ 72 hours
An Example: You wish to concoct a poison that deals 1d6 points of Dexterity damage initially, followed by
unconsciousness. The poison is to be ingested, and youd like the Fortitude save DC to be 18. The DC to create
the poison is 10 because its ingested, +4 for initial damage 1d6 ability, +6 for secondary damage
unconsciousness, +8 for the Fortitude save DC. Thats a total Craft (Chaumas / Chaumurky) DC of 28. With a
Craft (Chaumas / Chaumurky) DC of 28, it takes eight hours to concoct the poison. You end up with 1d4 doses.
If the poison deals instant damage do not tally it with the weapon damage to check against the Massive
Damage Threshold. First record any physical damage. Poison is considered a separate source of damage that
may trigger its own Massive Damage Save.
Poisons in Your Chronicle

Chaumas, Chaumurky in food & drink. Basilia, by blade. All poisons fall within 5 categories outlined in the
Assassins Handbook, Type I weak and slow acting to Type IV which may prove lethal in a few heartbeats, and
Type V.
Type I poisons slowly attacks the victims immune system. Often the victim notices no immediate effects;
hours pass between exposure and effect. This category covers a range of systemic poisons usually administered
by Chaumas or Chaumurky, but also includes severe bacteriological or chemical contaminants. The Great
Convention bans the use of these in weapons of mass deployment.
Type II poisons are more aggressive, mere minutes pass before the effects begin to become apparent. [e.g.
Unconsciousness as a Secondary Effects only.] Type III poison in mere seconds, Type IV are those that are
near instantaneous. [Powerful Primary and Secondary Effects] The Great Convention permits these only against
named groups and individuals named under an Article of Kanly.
Type V poisons are the true essence of the craft designed to artfully remove the faculties of the victim. To
paralyse, to blind, to panic. The Great Convention unequivocally tolerates the employment of such Type V
poisons, even in instances pertaining to populace control.
79
Classic Poisons
Save Initial Secondary Craft

Poison Type DC Damage Damage DC Time
Arsenic Ingested 15 1d4 Str 2d4 Con 24 4 hr.

Atropine Contact 13 1d6 Dex 1d6 Str 14 1 hr.
Blue Vitriol Contact 12 1d2 Con 1d2 Con 9 1 hr.
Chloral Hydrate Ingested 18 1d6 Dex Unconsciousness 28 8 hr.
1d3 hours
Chloroform Inhaled (1) 17 Unconsciousness - 24 4 hr.
1d3 hours
Cyanide Contact 16 1d6 Con 2d6 Con 31 15 hr.
Cyanogen Inhaled 19 1d4 Dex 2d4 Con 28 8 hr.
DDT Inhaled 17 1d2 Str 1d4 Str 20 4 hr.
Knockout gas Inhaled 18 1d3 Dex Unconsciousness 26 8 hr.
1d3 hours
Lead arsenate(gas) Inhaled 12 1d2 Str 1d4 Con 17 2 hr.
Lead arsenate(solid) Ingested 12 1d2 Con 1d4 Con 18 2 hr.
Mustard gas Inhaled 17 1d4 Con 2d4 Con 26 8 hr.
Paris green(gas) Inhaled 14 1d2 Con 1d4 Con 20 4 hr.
Paris green(solid) Ingested 14 1d4 Con 1d4 Con 24 4 hr.
Sarin nerve gas Inhaled 18 1d4 Con 2d4 Con 30 15 hr.
Strychnine Contact 19 1d3 Dex 2d4 Con 23 4 hr.
Tear gas Inhaled 15 Blindness - 21 4 hr.
1d6 rounds
VX Nerve gas Inhaled 22 1d6 Con 2d6 Con 42 48 hr.
(1) Chloroform gives off vapour that causes unconsciousness. Applying chloroform to an unwilling subject
requires a successful grapple check and pin.
Poison Saving Throws

He realigned his own metabolism to match this threat and change the molecules of the soporific, but he felt a
thrill of doubt. Theyd been prepared with soporific on a blade. A soporific. Nothing to alert a poison snooper,
but strong enough to slow the muscles it touched. His enemies had their own plans within plans, their own
stacked treacheries. Paul Muaddib.
When a character takes damage from an attack with a poisoned weapon, consumes a poisonous substance,
inhales a poisonous gas, or is otherwise poisoned, the character must make a Fortitude saving throw. If the
character fails, he or she takes the poisons Initial Effect (usually ability damage). Even if the character
succeeds, he or she typically faces secondary damage 1 minute later. This secondary damage similarly requires a
Fortitude saving throw to avoid. Treat Injury may allow intervention as does the Autohypnosis skill.
Poisons reduce the opponents score in one or more abilities. This loss can be temporary (ability damage) or
permanent (ability drain). If a characters Constitution score drops, then he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for
every point by which his Constitution modifier drops. A hit point score cant be reduced by Constitution damage
or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die. While any loss is debilitating, losing all points in an ability score can
be devastating.
Strength 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He lies helpless on the ground.
Dexterity 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He stands motionless, rigid, and helpless.
Constitution 0 means that the character is dead.
Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless.
Wisdom 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a deep sleep filled with nightmares, helpless.
Charisma 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a catatonic, coma-like stupor, helpless.
Keeping track of negative ability score points is never necessary. A characters ability score cant drop below 0.
80
Perils of Using Poison Applying poison requires as DC 12 Concentration check. A character has a 5% chance
(roll of 1 on 1d20) to expose him or herself to a poison whenever the character applies it to a weapon or
otherwise readies it for use. Additionally, a character that rolls a 1 on an attack roll with a poisoned weapon
must succeed at a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) or accidentally poison him or herself with the weapon.
Characters with the Handbook of Assassins feat are exempt from these dangers.
Poison Snoopers are devices that analyse the volatile compounds present in the atmosphere. The correct use of
a basic Snooper requires a DC 10 Security check to activate. Mastercraft snoopers often provide a bonus.
Snoopers only cover a range of known poisons (see classic poisons above) and heuristically attempt to identify
novel ones. They are calibrated to reflect Poison Creations potency DCs of 20-30. Poisons less than 20 are
generally considered daily hazards, and are often present incidentally. These values are ignored, as they would
generate false positives from any but the cleanest environment. The snoopers detection value is equal to the
Poison Craft DC (reduce DC as if it were not Constitution).
Generally, this device takes one of two forms: fixed position and portable. The fixed-position snooper
generally has a base from which a brace extends upward to support the two sensory arms that are normally
described as insect-like. These arms, when activated, wave over the item to be scanned to perform the snoop.
The portable snooper usually comes in the form of a relatively small control box connected by a thin cable to the
sensory wand, which is waved over a substance to perform a scan. A bold assassin will allow himself to be
snooped by the laziest of a target's guards, taking a gambit that the guard will decide not to snoop entirely or do
an inefficient job of it(Security Check is now vs Sleight of Hand at -10). Emplaced snoopers can be re-
calibrated to a range of user choice; you can set it as high as a Security skill check. You may take 10, but not 20.
Portable scoopers are generally of a fixed range (20-30, or 25-35 for high value targets).
81
Crafting Pharmaceuticals
The Pharmacopeia feat (like the Handbook of Assassins), grants the ability to create novel bio-agents and craft
the classic chemical agents of the Imperium.
Example Pharmaceuticals
Elacca The Elacca pharmaceutical is a narcotic that was formed by the burning of Elacca Wood of the planet
Ecaz. Its main characteristic when administered was that it would eliminate the user's will for self-preservation.
As a result, it was popular during the days of the Imperium, when it would be administered to gladiators to
prepare them for the ring.
Typically, those who had been drugged with this substance would display a carrot-coloured pigmentation to
their skin.
Type Stimulant, +4 Initiative, Endurance Feat
Benefits Calm, +4 Concentration and Will save vs Fear, Cost 2
Ignore Pain, Improved Damage Threshold, Cost 4
Extended Duration, Cost 6
Side Effects Aggressive Behaviour -2 DEF, Cost -3.
Acne to reflect Carrot coloured skin. -2 on all CHA checks, Cost -1
Craft(Pharmaceutical) DC equals Base 10 + [ 2 +4 + 6 ] + [-3 -1] = 18

DCs of less than 20 are Pharmaceutical Strength 1 i.e. Elacca Can be taken freely without addiction. Onset 3
minutes, duration 30 minutes, doubled to 1 hour.
Semuta With the elacca drug being the first narcotic, Semuta was the second narcotic derivative (by crystal
extraction) from burned residue of the elacca wood of Ecaz. The effect of semuta was described as timeless,
sustained ecstasy. It was elicited by certain atonal vibrations, referred to as Semuta Music.
Type Awareness Spectrum Narcotic

Benefits Calm, +4 Concentration and Will save vs Fear, Cost 2
Ignore Pain, Improved Damage Threshold, Cost 4
Extended Duration, Cost 6
Increased Healing, Cost 4
Fast Burnout, Side Effects cut to 1/3 duration, Cost 6
Side Effects Addiction Tolerance, Cost -3

Physiologically Addictive, Cost -3
Sleepy, Cost -2
Craft(Pharmaceutical) DC equals Base 10 + [ 2 +4 + 6 +4 + 6 ] + [-3 -3 -2 ] = 24

DCs of less than 25 are Pharmaceutical Strength 2 i.e.
Standard Pharmaceutical Types

The effects of pharmaceuticals on the human body are vast, and interactions between pharmaceuticals are too
complex to ever fully understand. Certain pharmaceuticals can be quite beneficial to the human body, while
others have a detrimental effect even after a single use. The following is a listing of pharmaceuticals and their
effects on the user's body, depending on the amount taken and the condition of the user prior to the
pharmaceuticals introduction. Each pharmaceutical has one of these base effect, possible Benefits, and at least
two Side effects.
Antibiotic: These pharmaceuticals were created with the intention of preventing and fighting infections, or
stopping a pre-existing one. When an antibiotic pharmaceutical is introduced into a disease or infection that is
vulnerable to it, it will cause the infection to stop spreading. This type of pharmaceutical or chemical agent
gives the user a +4 bonus on his next save against the disease.
Overdosing: Overdosing on antibiotics causes severe nausea and diarrhoea for 1d4 days.
Anticoagulant: This type of pharmaceutical is use to prevent blood from clotting and causes extreme blood loss
in a wounded individual who uses it. This pharmaceutical can be used as an antidote for a coagulant overdose.
82
Overdosing: Overdosing on an anticoagulant causes haemophilia. Even small cuts will bleed remarkably. The
user of this pharmaceutical will suffer an additional 1 point of damage per round any time he takes damage from
a slashing, piercing, or ballistic damage until the pharmaceutical expires or the wound is attended to. This effect
is cumulative for each wound suffered
Antidote: Antidotes are used to negate the effects of or reduce the effective intensity of poisons or other various
toxins. Antidotes by their very nature are poisons themselves and can cause damage to those that overdose on
them. This type of pharmaceutical or chemical agent grants the user a +4 bonus on his next save against the
appropriate type of poison.
Overdosing: Antidotes are almost poisons in their own right, and anyone overdosing on them suffers the
effects of the poison the antidote is designed to cure.
Aphrodisiac: This type of pharmaceutical was created to increase the user's libido and sexual drive. An
aphrodisiac can help those with a problem in this area to perform up to expected standards. This type of
pharmaceutical or chemical agent's effects are best left to role-playing rather than game mechanics.
Overdosing: The character's sexual urges cannot be satisfied, and his state of arousal will not diminish for up
to 12 days.
Coagulant: This type of pharmaceutical is used to help with the clotting of blood, thus reducing or stopping
blood loss. If a coagulant is used on an uninjured person, she suffers 1 point of damage per turn until the
pharmaceutical expires or the coagulant is attended to with an anticoagulant. A dose of coagulant can
automatically stabilize a dying character, or negate damage from any effect which causes damage from
bleeding.
Overdosing: An overdose of coagulants can cause large amounts of blood to clot inside a healthy body. The
overdosing character must make a DC 25 Fortitude save or suffer a massive heart attack which inflicts 3d10
points of damage and leaves the character stunned for 5 minutes.
Contraceptive: This type of pharmaceutical is used to prevent pregnancy, and the majority of them are quite
effective in that regard. If this pharmaceutical is overdosed, there is a good chance it will cause sterility.
Overdosing: An overdose of contraceptive pharmaceuticals causes sterility in the user.
Depressant: This type of pharmaceutical is used to "bring someone down" from a high. A depressant reduces
stress and tension, and makes it easier for a person to relax. Characters under the effects of a depressant receive
a +2 bonus on saves or checks against fear or stress, but also suffer a -2 penalty to initiative checks, as the
pharmaceutical makes the user listless and lethargic.
Overdosing: An overdose of depressants forces the user to make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or slip into a deep
coma for 2d12 hours.
Euphoric: These types of pharmaceuticals are created to make you feel happy. They produce an incredible
"high" that lasts for as long as the pharmaceuticals duration. The user gains a +2 bonus on Charisma-based
checks, but suffers a -2 penalty on Wisdom-based checks as the pharmaceutical dulls their common sense.
Overdosing: An overdose of a euphoric pharmaceutical will make the user incredibly sick. The overdosing
character must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be nauseated for 1d3 days.
Hallucinogen / Awareness Spectrum Narcotic: these types of pharmaceuticals make the user see things that
are not there, or aware of normally discarded sensory data. It is often difficult to tell which effect is which, even
in retrospect. While under the influence of this pharmaceutical the user is prone to see anything the Navigator's
imagination can conjure.
Overdosing: An overdose of a hallucinogenic pharmaceutical has very detrimental effects on the user, at the
Navigator's vicious discretion. Suggestions include a permanent loss of anywhere from two to four points of
Wisdom, some form of insanity, or even recurring flashbacks that persist years after the character stopped taking
the pharmaceutical.
Hypnotic: Hypnotic pharmaceuticals can work well in both lower and higher intensity doses. In lower dosages,
they can be used to produce sleep during medical surgery. In higher doses, they could be used as a truth serum,
causing users to speak about guarded subjects that they would hide under normal conditions. In game terms, a
mild hypnotic pharmaceutical puts the user into a deep sleep suitable for performing surgery, while a high
intensity dose inflicts 2 points of temporary Wisdom damage unless the user makes a DC 20 Fortitude save.
Overdosing: An overdose of a hypnotic pharmaceutical causes a user to fall unconscious for 2d6 hours.
83
Pain Reducer: Pain reducers lessen the intensity of pain felt. These pharmaceuticals grant the user a temporary
+2 to Constitution for as long as the pharmaceutical lasts. The user gains all the benefits of his new, temporary
Constitution score, including 1 additional hit point per level and a +1 on Fortitude saves. Note, however, that
these extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.
Overdosing: An overdose of pain reducers requires the user to make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or slip into a
coma for 1d12 hours.
Soporific: Soporifics, better known as "sleeping pills" or "tranquillisers", are used to put a patient to sleep or
render them unconscious. To resist the effects of these pharmaceuticals, a user must make a DC 15 Fortitude
save for each dosage. If a user fails his roll, he falls unconscious for the duration of the pharmaceutical.
Overdosing: Overdosing on soporifics can cause death. The user must make a DC 20 Fortitude save, and if he
fails the roll, he dies. If the user passes the roll, he falls into a coma for 2d12 days.
Stimulant: Stimulants, better known as "uppers," possess the ability to increases the user's feelings of natural
energy and endurance. In game terms, this pharmaceutical grants the user a +4 bonus on Initiative checks and
the benefits of the Endurance feat.
Overdosing: Overdosing on stimulants will cause a severe heart attack, and more often than not, death. The
user must make a DC 20 Fortitude save, failure indicating death.
Benefits
Pharmaceutical benefits include unique abilities or advantages that a user gains by taking the pharmaceutical.
Benefits range from increased healing rates to the ability to ignore pain. A pharmaceutical or chemical agent
may have as many benefits as the character wishes, and the Navigator allows. Generally you can develop a new
pharmaceutical with a total Craft DC of 20 + Character Level. This DC is composed of a Base DC 10
difficulty + Benefits Side Effects. You may raise this with exotic sources of compounds like Ecaz, or
Arrakis).
Most pharmaceuticals are manufactured for the human population. However those that are crafted by Suks, for
specific persons (or populations), benefit from reduced Benefit costs. When targeting a pharmaceutical for a
specific individual they may remove an element of the pharmaceuticals DC to Craft. [Non targeted users will
suffer reduced effects or random side effects.].
Treat
Injury
DC Reduced Benefit Cost Suk User Familiarity
15 4, e.g. Reduced Addiction Examined once.
20 6, e.g. Extended Duration Thorough medical examination taking 1d4 hours.
25 8, e.g. Reduced Withdrawal Long term medical care with extensive records.
30 10, e.g. Reduced Addiction
and Extended Duration Personal Suk
Benefits: Some benefits may even be chosen multiple times, as noted in the text.
Ability Boost: A pharmaceutical or chemical agent with this benefit gives its user a +2 equipment bonus on any
one ability score (chosen when the pharmaceutical is created). This benefit may be selected multiple times, each
time applying to a different ability score. Cost: 6
Calm: Pharmaceuticals or chemical agents with this benefit grant the user a +4 morale bonus on Concentration
checks and Will saves against fear. Cost: 2
Extended Duration: Any pharmaceutical or chemical agent that possesses this benefit lasts twice as long as
normal. This benefit may be selected multiple times, following the standard formula for stacking multipliers
(add all multipliers together, then subtract one per additional multiplier beyond the first). Cost: 6
Fast Burnout: A character under the influence of a pharmaceutical with this benefit suffers side effects for a
lesser period of time than normal. Side effects have their duration cut by 2/3 when suffered by a character under
the influence of a pharmaceutical with this benefit. For example, a pharmaceutical with a side effect duration of
12 hours would be reduced to 4 hours. Cost: 8
84
Ignore Pain: Pharmaceuticals or chemical agents with this benefit grant the user the benefits of the Improved
Damage Threshold feat for the duration of the pharmaceuticals effects. Cost: 4
Immunity: For some unknown reason, the pharmaceutical or chemical agent confers immunity to common, and
even exotic, poisons and/or diseases. The following chart shows how many points this benefit will cost a
pharmaceutical, depending on its strength. A pharmaceutical that confers immunity to a higher-intensity poison
also covers those below it. Cost: Variable
Cost Type of Immunity

2 General Poisons (Arsenic) or Diseases (Basic Flu)
4 Rare Poisons (Cobra Venom) or Diseases (Scarlet Fever)
6 Exotic Poisons (Portuguese Man-O-War Venom) or Disease (Ebola)
Increased Healing: This pharmaceutical or chemical agent benefit speeds up the body's natural healing process.
While under the influences of this pharmaceutical, the character's natural healing rate is increased. The user
recovers 2 hit points per character level in hit points per evening of rest (8 hours of sleep), or 3 hit points per
character level in hit points per day of complete bed rest. Cost: 4
Iron Will: This pharmaceutical or chemical agent benefit gives the user a +2 bonus on Will saves. Cost: 2
Reduced Addiction: Individuals who use a pharmaceutical or chemical agent with this benefit become addicted
to it less easily. Reduce the DC of the addiction save by 2. Cost: 4
Reduced Withdrawal Symptoms: This pharmaceutical is treated as having a strength rating 1 lower than its
actual rating for determining withdrawal symptoms and duration. Any pharmaceutical or chemical agent with
the Severe Withdrawal Symptoms side effect cannot also have this benefit. Cost: 8
Side Effects
Side Effects are disadvantages that are inherent to the use of a particular pharmaceutical. The side effect could
be anything from Acne to Sterility, or to the extreme example of Nerve Degeneration. Each drawback has a cost
reduction that lowers the net cost of the pharmaceuticals benefits. Side effects may reduce a pharmaceuticals
net benefit cost to below 1.
Several side effects in this section mention more severe effects for frequent use. Frequent use is defined as more
than once per week per point of Constitution bonus (minimum 1).
Acid Indigestion: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes an excess production of stomach acids. While
this is uncomfortable, it is rarely serious, thought it can result in ulcers in the stomach and oesophagus. Frequent
use of the pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes a serious acid indigestion problem to develop and incurs a -2
penalty on Concentration checks and any other skills requiring focus and concentration (i.e. Armaments or
Proscribed Technology Use in certain scenarios). Cost: -1
Acne: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes the user's face to break out in acne due to excess oil
production or stress. Frequent use of the pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes a serious acne problem to
develop and causes the user to take a -2 penalty on all Charisma-based checks that might be influenced by the
user's appearance. Cost: -1
Addiction Tolerance: People who use this pharmaceutical or chemical agent build up an immunity to its
effects. For each week that the character takes the pharmaceutical, he must double the dosage in order to gain its
effects. While the effects of the pharmaceutical remain normal, the user suffers overdose chances according to
the actual dose he is taking. Cost: -3
Aggressive Behaviour: Any pharmaceutical or chemical agent with this side effect causes its user to become
hostile to those around him. Users will not back down from any type of confrontation, and will even attempt to
initiate them on a more frequent basis. Such users have no respect for authority, rebelling against it at almost
every opportunity. Frequent users become edgy and aggressive, suffering a -2 penalty to their Defence as they
become more recklessly combative. Cost: -3
85
Asthma: Users will experience a tightening of the diaphragm muscles, shortness of breath, and other asthma
related problems. Each time this pharmaceutical or chemical agent is used, make a Fortitude save (DC 15). If the
user fails he cannot breathe, and will begin to suffocate unless medical attention is administered (see Suffocation
and Drowning on page 213 of the Modern Core Rulebook). Frequent users must make a Fortitude save at DC 18
instead. Cost: -4
Bad Breath: This side effect indicates that halitosis develops with repeated use of the pharmaceutical in
question. Casual users suffer from a minor case of bad breath, but frequent users' breath will be incredibly rank,
incurring a -2 penalty on all Charisma-based checks for direct, face-to-face communication. Cost: -1
Bloody Nose: Users that suffer from this side effect will randomly develop a bloody nose through the
pharmaceuticals side effect period. These nosebleeds are annoying, messy, and disconcerting for casual users,
but frequent users suffer
1 point of damage per hour until the side effect period expires. Cost: -1
Bloodshot Eyes: The user who takes this pharmaceutical or chemical agent will develop puffy, bloodshot eyes.
The user's vision is not normally impaired by this side effect, but frequent users suffer a -2 penalty on Spot
checks. Cost: -1
Bruising: Even small bumps and thumps leave large bruises on the user that tend to be both painful and
noticeable. All bludgeoning attacks against the user inflict 1 extra point of damage from bruising. Frequent users
suffer 2 extra points of damage, and a point of damage from general bruising whenever they make an Acrobatics
or Athletics check. Cost: -2
Carcinogenic: Repeated administration of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes the development of
cancerous tissues in laboratory tests animals. Every time a character uses the substance, he must make a
Fortitude save (DC 15). On a failed roll, the user contracts some form of cancer and has a small tumour growing
somewhere in his body. Frequent users must make the Fortitude save at DC 20 rather than 15. The exact type of
cancer contracted and its effects are left up to the Navigator, but in keeping with the setting, it should be
something that is killing the character slowly and painfully. Cost: -4
Cardiac Arrest: This particularly deadly side effect indicates that the pharmaceutical or chemical agent puts
massive strain on the user's heart, risking a severe heart attack. After each use of this substance, a user must
make a Fortitude save (DC 15). Failure of this roll indicates that the user suffers a fatal heart attack. Frequent
users increase the DC to 20. Cost: -8
Cold Sweats: This side effect causes the user to sweat for no apparent reason. The user easily sweats through
clothes and normal attire after an hour, and no amount of antiperspirant will stop the effect. Frequent users
sweat so profusely as to suffer a -2 penalty on Charisma-based checks; in addition, users require twice as much
water as normal for the duration of this effect. Cost: -1
Coma: By using this pharmaceutical or chemical agent, a character risks falling into a deep coma. When the
pharmaceutical or chemical agent is taken, the user must make a Fortitude save (DC 20). Failure of this roll
indicates that the user becomes comatose for 1d10 days times the pharmaceuticals strength rating (see below).
Unless properly cared for, the user will likely die of starvation and dehydration before waking up. Cost: -7
Constipation: This pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes constipation, preventing a character from
performing normal bowel movements for the duration of the side effect. No matter how bad the user feels he has
to go, no amount of straining, grunting, or groaning will help. Casual users suffer extreme discomfort, but
frequent users suffer a -1 penalty on all actions involving physical action, including initiative rolls and attacks.
Cost: -2
Cowardice: The user of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent will exhibit the most passive side of her
personality. Any time the character tries to accomplish any tasks that may cause her physical harm, she must
make a Will save (DC 15) or run from trouble. Cost: -2
Dandruff/Eczema: The user's skin will crack and peel away. This side effect could be confined to the user's
scalp, or it could affect his body as a whole. Frequent users receive a -2 penalty to Charisma-based checks. In
addition, the user tends to leave little bits of dead skin behind, making him an easier target for DNA
identification at crime scenes. Cost: -1
86
Death: Any pharmaceutical with this side effect is little more than a deadly poison. Each time you use this
pharmaceutical you must make a Fortitude save (DC 20). If you fail your roll, you die. Cost: -9
Dehydration: The user cannot retain water and suffers from symptoms such as cottonmouth and dry eyes. Cold
sweats, diarrhoea, and nausea usually accompany these side effects. Frequent users of this pharmaceutical suffer
a -2 penalty to all Constitution-based checks for the duration of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent's side
effects. Cost: -1
Delusions: Anyone suffering from delusions is under the impression that something that is highly unlikely is
actually happening. Delusions can be as minor as believing that God talks to them or as serious as believing that
the user really is God. Every hour, the user must make a Will save (DC 15) or succumb to the effects of his
delusion. Roll 1d4 to determine the effects of the delusion: On a 1, the character is cowering, on a 2, the
character is dazed, on a 3 the character is panicked, and on a 4, the character is shaken. Cost: -4
Depression: The user becomes depressed and doesn't feel like doing anything. The user suffers a -1 penalty on
all attacks, saves, and checks for the duration of the side effect. Frequent users suffer severe cases of depression,
which can cause feelings of hopelessness, and users who are normally unstable may feel like committing
suicide. Cost: -2
Diarrhoea: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes sudden, painful, explosive diarrhoea. The unlucky
soul will be unable to control his bowels for more than a few moments at a time. The user will feel as if he must
use the restroom at least once per ten minutes, and suffer a -1 penalty on all actions involving physical action,
including initiative rolls and attacks. Cost: -2
Diuretic: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent increases the amount of urine produced by the body. The user
affected by this will exhibit excessive urination, and must visit the restroom at least twice per hour of the effect's
duration. Cost: -1
Dizziness: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes severe dizziness. A user suffering this effect will have
trouble walking in a straight line, or even standing. This side effect causes the user to reduce his Dexterity and
base speed by half for the duration of the side effect. Cost: -5
Genetic Damage: Users of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent will suffer severe damage to their genetic
structure. Each time a user takes this pharmaceutical or chemical agent she must make a Fortitude save (DC 20).
If the roll fails, the user suffers 1d4 points of permanent ability drain to one ability score (the Navigator may roll
1d6 to determine the damaged ability randomly or pick one). Cost: -6
Headaches: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes blinding, painful headaches to plague its users. A
user cannot focus on anything for long periods of time because of these episodes. In game terms this side effect
incurs a -2 penalty on Concentration checks and any other skills requiring focus and concentration. Cost: -1
Impotence: While the user might desire to have sex, they are physically incapable of doing so for the duration
of the side effect. Cost: -1
Insomnia: The user cannot sleep, no matter how tired she might be. Users suffering from lack of sleep tend to
be cranky and have difficulty concentrating. The user suffers a -2 penalty to all actions until the side effects of
the pharmaceutical or chemical agent wear off. Cost: -4
Internal Bleeding: For some reason, the pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes the user to haemorrhage and
bleed. Blood may show up in the user's stools, urine, or vomit. All slashing, piercing, and ballistic attacks
against the user inflict 1 extra point of damage from bleeding. Frequent users suffer 2 extra points of damage,
and a point of Constitution damage each time such an attack triggers a massive damage save. Cost: -4
Irrational Fear: Anyone suffering this side effect will develop a sudden intense fear of a random object, thing,
or circumstance, determined by the Navigator The user will stop at nothing to put as much distance between
himself and the situation or object he fears. If escape is impossible, he will fight like a cornered animal to rid
himself of the object of his fear. In game terms, the user becomes panicked any time he is within 20 feet of the
object of his fear. Cost: -2
87
Kidney & Liver Failure: A pharmaceutical or chemical agent that has this side effect will cause remarkable
damage to a user's kidneys and liver. Users must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or suffer from kidney or liver
failure. Unless proper medical attention is sought, the user will die within twenty-four hours due to poisons not
being filtered out of his blood. Cost: -5
Light Sensitivity: The pharmaceutical or chemical agent cripples the user's pupils which causes his eyes to
become bloodshot and very sensitive to bright lights. The user suffers a -1 penalty to all actions in daylight,
unless he is wearing polarised sunglasses or lenses. Cost: -3
Loss of Appetite: The user of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent will not eat and does not feel hungry as
long as this side effect is active. Users addicted to a pharmaceutical or chemical agent with this side effect tend
to be emaciated and skinny. Characters that don't eat will starve within a couple of weeks if not given treatment.
(See Starvation and Thirst on page 213 of the Modern Core Rulebook.) Cost: -4
Nausea: A character that takes a pharmaceutical with this side effect must make a DC 15 Fortitude save every
hour or be nauseated for an hour. Even if he passes the save, he must make another save (also DC 15) any time
he sees food or hears food mentioned in more than passing detail. Cost: -2
Nerve Degeneration: This side effect is among one of

the most dangerous in existence. Each time the user takes this pharmaceutical or chemical agent, his Dexterity is
permanently reduced by 1d6 points. If the user's Dexterity reaches zero, he is paralysed for life. Cost: -7
Nightmares: This side effect causes the pharmaceuticals user to suffer terrible nightmares. Each time a
pharmaceutical with this side effect is used the user must make a Will save (DC 15). Failure indicates that that
the user will not be able to sleep through the night for 1d4 days. This will prevent the individual from regaining
hit points each night, and causes him to be fatigued the next day. Cost: -3
Numbness: This pharmaceutical causes the user's extremities to become numb and devoid of feeling. The
character suffers a -2 penalty to Defence and all Dexterity-related checks. In addition, frequent users experience
no pain at all; the Navigator should secretly keep track of such a character's hit point total. Cost: -4
Pain Sensitivity: This side effect causes the pain of injuries to be intensified for the user of the pharmaceutical;
the more intense the pain, the more debilitating the effects. For every 5 points of damage the user suffers, he
suffers 1d3 points of nonlethal damage as well. Cost: -5
88
Paralysis: A pharmaceutical with this side effect causes extreme paralysis in the user, who then cannot move
and has trouble speaking and even breathing. The paralysis may manifest as an excruciatingly painful tightening
of all the muscles in the user's body or the total relaxation of the user's muscular system. While paralysed, the
user is completely helpless and can perform no actions. The user may make a DC 20 Fortitude save to avoid this
paralysis, but even on a successful save, his Dexterity is reduced by 6 points and his speed is halved. Cost: -8
Physiologically Addictive: Pharmaceuticals with this side effect are very physiologically addictive. Anyone
using a pharmaceutical with this side effect must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or become instantly addicted.
This is in addition to the standard addiction checks described below. Cost: -3
Psychologically Addictive: This side effect enhances the psychological effect the pharmaceutical or chemical
agent has on its user. A user that is psychologically addicted is mentally convinced that they need the
pharmaceutical or chemical agent to survive. The user thinks and feels as if he can not accomplish anything
without using it. The user suffers a -2 penalty on all attacks, saves, and checks while not under the
pharmaceuticals influence. Cost: -5
Rage: Any pharmaceutical or chemical agent with this side effect causes the user to become embroiled in all
types of conflict, and forces them to become physically violent at the slightest provocation. Any time the user
perceives an insult or threat, he must make a Will save (DC 15) or attack the person offering the insult. If the
Navigator feels that a player is overlooking slights against his character, the Navigator is free to require a Will
save to prevent the character from attacking the next person he sees. Cost: -5
Reduced Attribute: This side effect reduces a random ability score by 1d4 for its duration. If a physical ability
is reduced below zero, the character dies, as normal for ability damage. If a mental ability is reduced below zero,
the character suffers a total nervous breakdown and goes permanently insane in a manner decided by the
Navigator. Cost: -4
Reduced Awareness: The user of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent feels as if his senses have been dulled
or as if his head is filled with cotton. The user suffers a -2 penalty on Listen, Search, and Spot checks, and his
maximum Dexterity bonus to Defence is reduced to +3, as if the character were wearing armour. Cost: -2
Ringing Ears: Due to severe tinnitus, the user of this pharmaceutical or chemical agent has trouble hearing soft
to medium volume sounds. As such, he suffers a -2 penalty on Listen checks and any other check related to
hearing (such as Sense Motive to pick up a character's vocal intonation). Cost: -1
Sense Reduction: The pharmaceutical reduces the user's sense of touch, smell, hearing, taste, or sight for the
duration of the side effect. All skill checks related to the affected sense suffer a -2 penalty. Cost: -1
Severe Withdrawal Symptoms: This side effect makes all withdrawal symptoms even more intense than
normal. All withdrawal symptoms last twice as long as normal. Pharmaceuticals with the Lessened Withdrawal
Symptoms benefit cannot have this side effect. Cost: -5
Sleepy: This pharmaceutical or chemical agent causes the user to fall asleep. A user that is affected by this side
effect is overwhelmed with a feeling of extreme sleepiness. Each hour, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 15)
or fall into a deep, dreamless sleep for 1d8 hours (or until the side effects wear off). Soporifics with this side
effect induce a coma-like state that lasts for an additional 1d10 days. Cost: -2
Slow Burn: Pharmaceuticals with this side effect work through the character's body more slowly-or at least, the
bad parts do. The duration of all other side effects for the pharmaceutical is doubled. For example, a
pharmaceutical with a side effect time of 8 hours would be increased to 16 hours. Cost: -5
Sterility: Users of this pharmaceutical can become sterile after extended usage. In game terms, sexual function
is completely impaired by this side effect, and impotence can result in the long term. Frequent users must make
a Fortitude save (DC 20) each time they use the pharmaceutical or become impotent, incapable of any type of
sexual interaction. Cost: -4
Suicidal Tendencies: A user of a pharmaceutical or chemical agent with this side effect will become depressed
or upset, and can easily be persuaded that life is so insignificant that he should end it all. The character suffers a
-3 penalty on all attacks, saves, and checks for the duration of the pharmaceuticals side effects, and may seek to
commit suicide if left unattended. Cost: -3
89
Temporary Memory Loss: The user of this pharmaceutical
or chemical agent will have no memory of what has happened while under the effects of the pharmaceutical or
chemical agent. Cost: -2
Twitch: The pharmaceutical causes the user's body to move and jerk uncontrollably. The user experiences
violent tremors in his face, body, and hands for the side effect's duration, incurring a -2 penalty on Dexterity and
Charisma-based checks until the effect subsides. Cost: -3
Water Retention: Due to nonfunctional kidneys or other less traumatic problems, the user of a pharmaceutical
with this side effect will retain water for its duration. The user will not be able to urinate and will become
bloated until the effect wears off. Casual users suffer extreme discomfort, but frequent users suffer a -1 penalty
on all actions involving physical action, including initiative rolls and attacks. Cost: -3
Weight Gain: This side effect causes the user's body to store excess energy in the form of fat. Users of
pharmaceuticals with this side effect tend to be quite large and overweight, while frequent users suffer from
extreme obesity. Due to the extra weight, an overweight character's base speed is reduced by 5 feet. Cost: -1
Pharmaceutical Strength Rating

The strength rating determines a pharmaceutical or chemical agent's effectiveness. The higher the number is, the
more potent the pharmaceutical or chemical agent. The strength rating also determines the number of doses that
can be taken before an overdose, as well as the ease with which a user will become addicted and the difficulty of
overcoming that addiction. The strength of the pharmaceutical or chemical agent can be any number between 1
and 5. The following is a listing of common pharmaceuticals and chemical agents and their strength rating.
Pharmaceutical Strength Rating Examples

1 Elacca, Alcohol, Tobacco
2 Canniboids, Soporifics
3 Verite, Cocaine, Methamphetamine
4 Semuta, Crack Cocaine, Heroin
5 Special
Onset Time and Duration

Nobody knows the truth of the saying "nothing lasts forever" quite like an addict. Pharmaceuticals take time to
affect you, and then they stay in your body long after the benefits have worn off. Eventually your body flushes
the toxins out of your system, but not before they can do irreparable harm. The following charts list the amount
of time it takes for the pharmaceuticals dosage to affect a user and the length of time that the pharmaceuticals
benefits last. Side effects, as noted previously, last for 30 hours minus the users Constitution score.
Pharmaceutical Strength Rating Onset Time Duration

1 3 minutes 30 minutes
2 1 minute 1 Hour
3 1d10 Rounds 2 Hours
4 1d6 Rounds 3 Hours
5 1 Round 1d4+1 Hours
Addiction and Dependency

Many things can be addictive, either physiologically or psychologically. People who are addicted to a
pharmaceutical or chemical agent cannot behave and function at full capacity without it. When a pharmaceutical
or chemical agent is used, a roll for addiction is needed. This roll is a Fortitude save, the DC of which is
determined by the pharmaceuticals strength rating.
Pharmaceutical Strength Rating Fort DC

1 10
2 15
3 20
4 25
5 30+ (Navigator's discretion)
90
How often an addiction roll is needed depends on a pharmaceuticals strength rating. Pharmaceuticals with
strength rating of 1 are considered to be slightly addictive, forcing an addiction roll only once for every eight
times a pharmaceutical is used. Pharmaceuticals or chemical agents with strength rating of 2 to 3 are considered
to be mildly addictive, and a user must make an addiction roll every one out of three times he uses the
pharmaceutical. Pharmaceuticals or chemical agents with strength rating of 4 to 5 are considered to be highly
addictive, forcing an addiction roll every time they are used. Any time a character fails this addiction check, he
becomes an addict and begins to suffer even worse drawbacks, as described below.
Once a pharmaceutical or chemical agent has expired, the addict will need to acquire another dose. However,
the user won't necessarily need one right away. The following chart lists the time a user can go before he is
incapacitated by his need for the pharmaceutical or chemical agent. When the user's most recent dosage has
worn off, check under Next Dosage
to determine how long it will be before his cravings for the pharmaceutical return. If at that time he does not get
the pharmaceutical or chemical agent, roll under the Withdrawal Period to determine how long withdrawal
symptoms last. It is recommended that the Navigator roll these values and keep them secret.
Strength Rating Next Dosage Withdrawal Period

1 1d12 Hours 1d6 Hours
Effects of Withdrawal
A character in withdrawal suffers a -4 penalty on all attacks, saves, and checks until he gets another dose of the
pharmaceutical in his system. In addition, he suffers additional effects based on the pharmaceuticals strength
rating, as shown below.
Strength Rating Effect

1 No effect other than cravings, irritability, and minor sickness.
2 User fatigued
3 User exhausted, user suffers 1d3 points of Con damage (Fort DC
15 negates)
4 User exhausted, dazed, and suffers 1d6 points of Con damage
(no save)
5 User suffers hallucinations and extreme pain, loses 2d6 points of
Con and Wis.
Overcoming Addiction
Overcoming addiction is a difficult prospect. The character must go through an entire period of withdrawal
without indulging in his vice. At the end of the withdrawal period, the addict must make a Fortitude save (DC
15 + drug strength rating + 1 per failed attempt to break the addiction). If he fails, he remains addicted to the
drug. Roll another withdrawal period on the table above; the user continues to suffer withdrawal symptoms until
he breaks the habit, takes more drugs, or dies. If the character passes the Fortitude save, he is no longer
physically addicted to the drug. The psychological addiction still remains, however, and if presented with an
opportunity to indulge again, a former addict must roll a Will save (DC 15 + drug strength rating) to keep from
indulging.
Taking Multiple Doses

Users may take multiple doses of the same drug or chemical agent, but doing so is far more harmful than
beneficial. Reduce the benefit for each further dose by half, but still double all negative effects of the drug.
Mixing Pharmaceuticals
When a user decides to mix two* or more drugs together, the possibility of a bad combination exists. Sometimes
these mixtures may end up making the user sick, and they can also cause death. Roll 1d10 and consult the
following chart when a user mixes pharmaceuticals.
91
1d10 Effect
1-3 Fully Compatible: The two drugs are compatible and work as normal.
4-5 Partially Compatible: Both of the drugs function, but at half their normal effective
strength.
6-7 Superiority: One of the drugs will perform normally while the other has no effect.
It is the Navigators decision to determine which drug will be dominant.
8 Negation: Both of the drugs are negated but the side effects of both will be
experienced.
9 Coma: The user falls into a coma for 4d10 days.
10 Death: Massive Damage Save DC
Modifiers
-1 If all pharmaceuticals were prepared/administered by your Suk.
-1 If you have the Feat Poison Resistance and/or Poison Immunity
*The spice mlange is sovereign. It always works with full efficacy.
Overdoses
When a user takes multiple doses of a single drug or several different drugs at once (within 1 hour), there is an
increased chance the user will overdose. If the total drug strength rating of the combined drug doses is greater
than twice the user's Con bonus, then the user will overdose. Depending on the drugs used, the effects of the
overdose may vary greatly. Please check the individual effect of the type of drug used to determine the results. If
a drug has two or more effects, combined effects of the drug's overdose will apply.
Pharmaceutical Descriptions
Direct Contact: This type of pharmaceutical is absorbed directly through the skin of the user. Many direct
contact pharmaceuticals are used with a dermal patch.
Caplet: This form of pill is coated in a celluloid, often flavoured, coating that makes it easier to swallow.
Inhaled: Pharmaceuticals in this form are usually burnt, or "fired up," and then inhaled into the user's body.
Injected: Pharmaceuticals in this form are ready to be introduced directly into a user's bloodstream, either via a
hypodermic needle or a coated slashing, piercing, or ballistic weapon. Many powerful pharmaceuticals can be
easily liquefied so that they can be injected.
Liquid: Pharmaceuticals in liquid form are usually swallowed or absorbed directly into the skin. Several liquid
pharmaceuticals can be mixed with another substance or liquid to improve the pharmaceuticals taste.
Pill: This is the everyday, generic pill. Pills and tablets come in a variety of shapes, colours, and sizes.
Plant: Plant-based pharmaceuticals like yellow mellow can be ingested directly, inhaled, or processed into
direct contact patches.
Powdered: Powdered pharmaceuticals are normally snorted and make their way to the sinuses, lungs, and
mucous membranes, where they are absorbed by the body.
Rock: Pharmaceuticals or chemical agents in this form are normally sold in a solid, powdery form, which is
referred to as
a rock. Rocks can typically be either inhaled or orally injected. Pharmaceuticals or chemical agents in this form
are often broken down into powdered form before being used.
Tab: A piece of paper or other material has been soaked in a concentrated liquid form of the pharmaceutical and
then dried. When ready for use, the individual places the paper or material on his tongue and sucks on it or
applies it directly to his skin until it takes effect.
92
Fear
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its
path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear.
All fear attacks are mind-affecting effects. A failed Will Save usually results in a character that is shaken. Fear
statuses are cumulative in that; a shaken character that is made shaken again becomes frightened, and a shaken
character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A frightened character that is made shaken
becomes panicked instead. Elevation can only come from a novel source of Fear i.e. multiple successful
Intimidate checks from separate opponents overlap for example.
Shaken A shaken character takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Frightened A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A
frightened creature takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A
frightened creature can use special abilities to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only
way to escape.
Panicked A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as
well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It cant take any other actions. In addition, the
creature takes a -2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature
cowers. A panicked creature can use special abilities, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they
are the only way to escape.
Cowering The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a -2 penalty to
Armor Class and loses her Dexterity bonus (if any).
Examples non overlapping sources of Fear are the Demoralise use of Intimidate skill, feats such as Intimidating
Strike, Frightful Presence & some uses of Voice. Tangible sources of fear include the famed Ordos Lysergus
Gas, pharmaceuticals which cause cowardice and irrational fear, or the rumored Infrasonic Standing Wave
Generator said to be installed in the Imperial Selamlik.
93
Reputation
Every Character gains a reputation of one sort or another as his or her career progresses, expressed as a
Reputation bonus. Reputation is used to determine whether another character (a Navigator character) recognises
you. While a Character might try to take advantage of his reputation from time to time, usually the Characters
reputation precedes himwhether he wants it to or not. Those who recognise the Character are more likely to
help him or do what he asks, provided the reputation has a positive connotation to the character that recognises
him. A high Reputation bonus also makes it difficult for the Character to mask his identity, which can be a
problem if hes trying not to be noticed. Most of the time, a Character doesnt decide to use his reputation. The
Navigator decides when a Characters reputation can be relevant to a scene or encounter. At the moment it
becomes relevant, the Navigator makes a Reputation check for a Navigator character that might be influenced in
some fashion due to the Characters fame or notoriety, as detailed below.
Famous or Infamous?
Its all a matter of perspective. That is, what the Characters reputation represents is in the eye of the
beholderthe Navigator character he interacts with. Most characters with a high Reputation bonus (+4 or
higher) are considered well known within their profession or social circle. Whether this has a positive or
negative connotation depends on the point of view of the person who recognises the Character. When a
character has a positive opinion of a Characters reputation, the Character is considered to be famous by that
character.
Fame, when recognised, provides a bonus to certain Charisma-based skill checks. When a character has
a negative opinion of a Characters reputation, the Character is considered to be infamous by that character.
Also, at the Navigators option, a Character might be considered infamous in certain situations due to events that
have transpired in the campaign. For example, if your Character got into trouble with the local Harkonnen
garrison on Geidi Prime, he or she would be considered infamous when attempting to interact with people in
that town. Infamy, when recognised, provides a penalty to certain Charisma-based skill checks.
Using the Reputation Bonus

Whenever the Navigator decides that a characters reputation can be a factor in an encounter, the
Navigator makes a Reputation check (DC 25) for the Navigator character involved. A Reputation check is 1d20
+ the Characters Reputation bonus + the Navigator characters Int modifier. (Some Knowledge skill modifiers
might apply instead of the Int modifier, such as Knowledge [Underclass] if the Character is a nefarious
criminal.) Modifiers to the Reputation check depend on the Character and the Navigator character in question,
as shown below. Note that if the Navigator character has no possible way of recognising a Character, then the
Reputation check fails automatically.
If the Navigator character succeeds at the Reputation check, he or she recognises the Character. This
provides a +4 bonus or a -4 penalty on checks involving the following skills for the duration of the encounter:
Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform.
Situational Reputation Modifier

You are famous, known far and wide with either a positive or negative connotation +10
Navigator character is part of your professional or social circle +5
You have some small amount of fame or notoriety +2
Bluff: In general, being either famous or infamous aids Bluff checks. However, any Bluff check made to deny
or hide your identity No, Im not that Swordmaster. You must be thinking of someone else. automatically
turns the characters Reputation bonus into a penalty for that check.
Diplomacy: Infamous characters use their Reputation bonus as a penalty when making Diplomacy checks (its
tough to negotiate a peace treaty when they think youre a killer).
Gather Information: People are more willing to help someone they know, whether happily (for a famous
individual) or fearfully (for an infamous individual).
Intimidate: A famous character can use his reputation to throw his weight around, but he gets to use only half
of his Reputation bonus (round down). An infamous character, on the other hand, uses his full Reputation bonus
when making an Intimidate check.
Perform: A famous individual generally gets a better reception for his performances than an infamous one.
The Navigator must decide that a characters fame or infamy can come into play in a given situation to make a
Reputation check necessary. A character that doesnt know you or know of you cant be influenced by your
reputation.
94
Corrida Escuda - The Grand Spectacle of The Great Houses
Corrida is not a sport, though some of its detractors refer to it as such; it is, rather, a contest between a
man and his courage. The practice of the Corrida dates back into the dimmest reaches of the history of the
Empire: there is considerable evidence that even the First Empire knew of Corrida, during the years when the
Empire ruled only a portion of a single planet and did not even know of other worlds.
Legend has the Corrida originating in a land known variously as Iberia, or Hybernia, or perhaps
Hyperborea, when the god-Archetype Manolete fought the god Zeus, who had taken the form of a bull for the
combat. Zeus, the most powerful of the pre-Orange Catholic Bible gods, was certain of his victory when he saw
that the aspect chosen by Manolete was evidently that of a fencer, or a dancer, since he was wearing clothes
which made sense only if freedom of movement was paramount, and his body was not powerful, but lithe and
precise.
However, Zeus learned quickly of his mistake, as his charges were repeatedly misled by the dancing
Manolete's cape, and the ability of the agile duellist to be mere millimetres from Zeus's horns when he charged
by. The contest went on for weeks, with Zeus becoming more and more frustrated, especially now that the duel
had attracted the attention of all of the gods of Hybernia, and they were all quite vociferous in their admiration
of Manolete's bravery.
Eventually, Zeus realised that the only way he could match the bravery of Manolete was to admit
defeat, and he did so, allowing his mortal body to tire, but continuing to drive it against Manolete in one futile,
deadly charge after another, turning, twisting, and wheeling about in the most unexpected ways possible, but all
the time becoming slower, until eventually, Zeus stood before Manolete, too tired to lift his head, too tired to
charge again, and saw Manolete draw his sword for the first time.
The Corrida travelled from Old Terra with its people, though it was apparently not nearly as popular
before the Jihad as it was afterwardsa fact that has been held up as an example of the dissolute nature of the
populace when in the thrall of the Machines. However, even before the Jihad, the Corrida was the entertainment
of choice of large segments of the population of the Empire. The bull- breeding farms on La Coruna, Saragonna,
and Bahamonde were continually busy, keeping the fans of Corrida satisfied. During this time, Corrida was not
associated with the nobility to the extent that it would be after the Jihad, and all of the famous matadors of the
period (with the exception of Duke Ban Leon, who was not, at any rate, particularly noteworthy as a matador)
were commoners.
Among these were "Rodolito", whose real name is unknown; "Little" David Mariante; Lili Kalt, one of
the few women matadors; and Jose Martino Vasquez, still famous as "The Tempter" for his (eventually fatal)
flirtation with the horns. After the development of the Holtzman Shield, bull-fighting underwent a fundamental
change that seated it forevermore firmly in the ranks of upper-class entertainment.
It was probably the Baron of La Coruna who first thought of shielding the bulls, making them much
harder to kill inartistically, while at the same time insulating the bull from distractions and crowd noises.
It is known that the first public display of what was then called Corrida Escuda took place in the
Champions' Arena on La Coruna, in 1333 B.G. The Baron had asked his House Matadors to fight the bull, and
all but two had refused, saying, quite rightly, that as commoners they were completely unfamiliar with the
techniques of shield-fighting.
The two who did volunteer were the Master of the training school and his prize pupil, the then-
unknown Tial. Both had had experience in shield-fighting: Master Barkan as part of his twin duties as Trainer of
the Levy, and Tial because Barkan had seen this development coming a long time before and wanted to be ready
for it.
The Corrida that day is still spoken of in hushed tones by aficionados of the ring. It is said that the
audience was stunned silent by the beauty of the pair of battles fought that day, and did not utter a sound during
either Corrida, but when each kill was made, the pandemonium in the stadium could not be controlled. Both
matadors made their names that day, and could have retired then and there as rich men, but neither did.
95
Both survived the Corrida that day, but Barkan, aghast at the level of competency required, resolved to
continue his training programs at heretofore unknown levels, knowing that the old skills were now merely
deadly delusions. He was the first to train the new breed of noble matadors, and under Barkan's instruction and
Baron La Coruna's patronage, the Corrida underwent a renaissance that has continued to this day.
Variations of the Corrida

There are as many different styles of Corrida as there are Matadors' schools, and there are usually
several different schools on any given planet. In addition to mere variations in style, there are some Houses that
considered the Corrida to be too tame: these tend to be outlying Minor Houses, though some of the Houses
Major also are, counted in this number.
These are the main practitioners of a variation of the Corrida more properly known as the Arena, since
their sole purpose was to provide the spectators with a bloody spectacle: usually, the combat was between an
armed (though unshielded) man and some particularly dangerous example of the local fauna; or else the combat
was between two human participants, either because they were professionals, or because they had a grudge to
settle.
The many variations and the incredible history of the Arena cannot be done justice in the short space
available here.
Gladiators, Matadors and the Crowd

The presence of the crowd can inspire or demoralise.
Treat the crowd as a single NPC, and use it's attitude toward each gladiator to track the morale bonus or penalty
he receives. If the crowd is friendly toward a gladiator gets a +1 morale bonus on attack, damage rolls and skill
checks. If the crowd is helpful the gladiator gets a +2 morale bonus. An indifferent or unfriendly crowd confers
no bonus or penalty, but a crowd that is hostile to a gladiator confers a -1 penalty on attack, damage rolls and
skill checks.
Unless a particular gladiator is exceptionally well known, the crowd starts indifferent to each combatant. Each
gladiator typically makes some form of Perform Check to influence the crowd before the bout begins.
Once the fight begins only certain actions change the crowds attitudes as described in the table below. Note the
reaction to each gladiator is tracked separately. It is possible for two inept gladiators to be loathed by the
spectators, and two veteran
gladiators can both have the crowd on its feet cheering them on.
Attitude Means Possible Actions

Hostile Will take risks to hurt you Attack, interfere, berate, flee
Unfriendly Wishes you ill Mislead, gossip, avoid, watch suspiciously, insult
Indifferent Doesnt much care Socially expected interaction
Friendly Wishes you well Chat, advise, offer limited help, advocate
Helpful Will take risks to help you Protect, back up, heal, aid
Fanatic* Will give life to serve you Fight to the death against overwhelming odds
In more exotic gladiatorial matches, there may be other ways to influence the crowd. In a match featuring
gladiators on horseback, for example, being knocked from the saddle might worsen the crowds attitude toward
you by one step. If the crowd is composed of Harkonnens, a successful coup de grace that reveals your
opponents heart may improve the crowds attitude by two steps.
While one-on-one gladiator contests are the most common, team matches are also popular (and may be more
convenient, because all PCs can participate). One common variation pits a single Large or Huge creature against
a team of smaller gladiators. Occasionally, a gladiatorial match includes mounted combat or ranged combat. Its
also commonplace for match organisers to add terrain elements to make a fight more memorable or deadly.
Sometimes two gladiators fight atop tall platforms, attempting to bull rush each other to their doom. Some
organisers hide weapons all over the arena, leading to a mad scramble as the gladiators arm themselves.
96
Sometimes a maze or stockade is built inside the arena, although spectators will not likely pay to attend a
gladiator match they cant see.
Table; Gladiator Crowd Reaction

Situation Check Consequence1
Gladiator rolls natural 1 Attitude toward gladiator worsens

Gladiator confirms critical hit Attitude toward gladiator improves
2
Successful feint in combat Bluff vs. Sense Motive Attitude toward opponent worsens
2
Successful demoralize opponent Intimidate vs. level check Attitude toward opponent worsens
Successful tumble DC 25 Tumble Attitude toward you improves
Successful Perform check DC 20 Perform Attitude toward you improves
Destroy opponents weapon See sunder rules Attitude toward you improves
Trip opponent See trip rules Attitude toward you improves3
Disarm opponent See disarm rules Attitude toward you improves3
Attitude toward opponent worsens
4
Bull rush opponent 10 feet See bull rush rules Attitude toward you improves
Gladiator caught cheating Attitude toward gladiator worsens by two steps
1 All attitude changes are one step (for example, indifferent to unfriendly) unless otherwise noted.
2 Special modifiers apply to this check. See the appropriate skill description.
3 If you are tripped or disarmed yourself in a failed attempt, the attitude toward you worsens.
4 If you fall prone during a failed attempt, the attitude toward you worsens.
A recent winner of a Gladiatorial bout generally gets a bonus (+2 for routine contests and +4 for championship
events) to improve an NPCs attitude if the NPC saw the victory.
Corrida Escuda
A specialised form of the gladiatorial arena is the exclusive Corrida Escuda. Here man faces a battle with his
own courage. Treat the Matador and Bull as Gladiators, however the Crowd always begins with a Friendly
rating towards the Bull. If the Crowd consists of aficionados then the Matador must perform to a higher degree.
Any misstep loses the Crowds pleasure, any triumph is only grudgingly accepted.
There are three matadors in a bullfight, and each faces two bulls. The Matador is not merely competing against
the bull, but his fellow Matadors. In a mano a mano bullfight two rival matadors take turns fighting several
bulls each.
Structure
The basic structure of a the bull fight is three acts; Tercia de Lances, the Act of Lances, Tercio de Banderillos
and Tercio de Capote, the Act of the Cape. A pass of the bull with the cape is called a Lance, a set of three to
five Lances is a Faena, and a set of Faenas is a Tandas. In game terms each lance, or pass, is composed of a
Manoeuvre, coupled with one or more Flourishes (noted below).
It is assumed that the Matador has refocused his initiative. Making it unlikely that the bull can defeat the
initiative count. Certain unusual circumstances can change this assumption. The bull always attacks, unless the
bull is deficient in some
fashion.
Cloak Dance is considered an essential feat. Hand of God is commonly employed for the Estocada, especially
coupled with Spring Attack. Stand Still and Sidestep Charge are also common feats amongst bullfighters.
Heroic Surge has obvious applications.
97
Tercia de Lances
The first Tercio, is an performed purely with the full Cape, the Capote.
Perform(Dance) is used with the Cape. Coupled with the full round Cloak Dance feat, which offer total
concealment and hence a 50% miss chance. The DC of the Perform Check, if successful, is added to this 50%.
In the absence of the Cloak Dance feat, then use the DC as miss chance.
The Bull charges in response to the Perform check. It will attempt to gore the matador. It is considered the
height of drama for the Bull to appear to connect, i.e. successfully strike the AC of the Matador, but for the
Cloak Dance to prevent actual injury. The bull often continues its charge past the Matador, unless the Stand
Still feat is used. Such control of the movement of the Bull please the aficionado. Sidestep Charge aids directly
in defence against such a charge.
Manoeuvres with the Cape
Abanico DC 10 "fan", two-handed cape manoeuvre, usually to bring bull to picador.

Alto, Pase por DC 12 - high right-handed muleta pass
Arrucina DC 15 - muleta held in right hand behind legs
Chicuelina DC 10 - cape is pulled in tight against body
Farol DC 12 - two-handed cape pass where it is flipped over and round man's head
Manoletina DC 17 - muleta is held behind one's back and lifted over bull's head
Mariposa DC 20 - "butterfly", a spectacular pass with cape held behind one's back
Media Veronica DC 10 - pass where the cape is gathered up on the hip, ending series
Firma, pase de la DC 20 - pass in which muleta is snatched from bull's face
Natural DC 12 - usually refers to left-handed muleta pass without sword being used
Revolera DC 15 - a swirling remate [enthusiastic] pass with the cape
Serpentina DC 15 "serpentine", a swirling cape pass
Trincherazo DC 12- right-handed muleta pass
Veronica DC 10 - the fundamental two-handed cape pass named after St.Veronica
Flourishes
Adorno A pose, such as touching the bulls horns as it passes. Perform DC +5. On a failed
check; provokes an attack of opportunity. This can be done for free with Sidestep
Charge, which allows an AoO.
Ayudado "helped", pass in which muleta is helped with the sword in other hand. You may use
your Attack Bonus with the Estoque rather than perform Dance. This also allows
multiple manoeuvres to be performed.
Ceirse to pass the bull very close. Reckless. +2 on Skills and Attacks, -4 to AC.
Mirando al publico cape or muleta pass performed while looking at the crowd. DC +5. On a failed
Perform check the Bull attacks as if invisible.
Molinete muleta pass where matador spins round after the horns have passed. Adds a second
Perform Dance check at the same DC as the initial pass. Success will please the
aficionados; failure invites an attack of opportunity.
Muerte, Pase de la "pass of death", matador stands motionless. Matador is considered flatfooted.
Rodillas, de a pass done while kneeling. -4 on Perform(Dance), and Attacks, and AC.
Templar "to moderate", to move the cape or muleta very slowly/smoothly. Raise
Perform(Dance) DC +5.
Tremendismo an almost foolhardy brave style which gets the spectators excited. +2 on Skills and
Attacks, -4AC, invokes an Attack of Opportunity.
Tercio de Banderillos
The second Tercio is performed with the cape and banderillos (little flags). Again a series of Lances, but each
involves a one handed pass, and the placement of a Banderillo. The Banderillos cause blood loss and weaken
the Bull. Thus preparing the bull for the Estocada, the killing strike with the estoque, in the following Tercio.
Perform(Dance) is used again, but this time the Cloak Dance feat can only be performed as a Move Action,
giving rise to only a 20% mischance + the DC of the successful Perform Dance (unless Heroic Surge is
employed for a full round action Cloak Dance).
98
The rest of the combat round is used to insert a Banderillo or little flag. This is a standard attack. Each
successful placement of a Banderillo gives a successive -1 on Constitution (which becomes important in the
Estocada, the Massive Damage Strike that ends the Third Tercio). The Banderillos themselves deal 1-4 damage.
The Alguacilas, the plaza judges determine when enough have been applied.
The matador can abandon the cloak completely, and adopting the form of the bull, approach with a banderillo in
each hand. Use normal combat rules. This was preferred archaically. However it offers no chance to sway the
crowd.
Tercio de Capote
The third, Tercio de Muerte, the Act of Death, is the act of the Cape, the Muleta, and Sword. Lances are
performed, sometimes with the aid of the Estoque, the sword of the Matador. This act climaxes with the
Estocada the driving of the Estoque into the neck of the bull.
As in the first Tercio Perform(Dance) is used with the Cape. Coupled with the full round Cloak Dance feat,
which gives 50% miss chance, the DC of the Perform Check, if successful, is added to this 50%.
The Matador can also use the Sword attack bonus in place of the Perform(Dance), as in this round he is armed
with the Estoque. The sword can be used to guide the Cape. This allows multiple attacks to be employed (as
well as feats that depend on attack actions such as Combat Expertise). The Bulls shielded AC is used as a
target. Each successful attack may be totalled to give the final miss chance, less the AC of the Bull. Single
Sword Manoeuvres can also be combined with a partial action Cloak Dance in a manner akin the second Tercio
for 20% base miss chance.
The Tercio Muerte ends with the Estocada, one final Lance brings the Bull to the Matador. There the Matador
attempts to kill with one stroke of the Estoque. Feats such as Power Critical and the Hand of God will aid the
Matador. The bull already weakened by the Act of Banderillos should then succumb to the Matador. Failure to
kill with one stroke is bad form.
Equipment
Traje de Luces the suit of Lights
Estoque the balanced killing sword of the Estocada.
Banderilla the hooked darts, used to weaken the Bull.
Muleta the small Cloak of the Bullfighter
Capote the large Cloak of the Bullfighter.
99
The Great Convention
"An absolute monarchy is one in which the sovereign does as he pleases so long as he pleases the assassins."
-Ambrose Bierce
Following the Battle of Corrin and their ascension to the status of Imperial House, the head of House Corrino
now the Padishah Emperor convened a vast council with representatives from every remaining power in the
Known Universe. The councils goal was to put an end to the cyclical rise and fall of civilisations that had
plagued mankind for twenty thousand years and create a social system that would endure. It took them thirty
years to put together and ten times that long to hammer out the details, but in 337AG the single largest, most
comprehensive and most influential piece of legislation in the history of humanity was completed. The final
version had 317 sections, each of which began with The Forms Must Be Obeyed, a phrase that became linked
inseparably with both the Convention and the society it describes.
The key to its success was that its laws were shaped to include and control even undesirable behaviour rather
than futilely trying to eliminate it. Instead of trying to ban warfare and assassination, the Convention assumed
these things would occur regardless of their legality and laid down rules that minimised the disruption they
would cause. Penalties for improper procedure were harsh (see Warfare). Besides describing the enduring
society, the Convention also set up powerful blocks against change. Recognising that shifts in social structure
usually follow from shifts in power between social groups, it first fixed the ratio of power-holders to population
with a caste system (see faufreluches below) then set up a brilliant set of checks, balances, and blocks to
prevent power mobility.
Where possible, Houses were organised into groups of near-equal size, the Landsraad for the Great Houses and
numerous Sysselraads for the Houses Minor. This provided opportunities to organise for collective defence
(Minor Houses against Great, Great Houses against the Imperial) and also ensured that every House was always
so heavily outnumbered by its closest allies / potential victims that independent aggression became unfeasible.
Additionally, most Houses Minor owed fealty to a Great House and could expect protection in return, as long as
the political situation allowed it.
A Judge of the Change a neutral observer nominated by the Emperor and approved by the Landsraad -
oversaw every transfer that involved House resources, from marriage and inheritance to the handover of fiefs
and the awarding of titles, to make sure the Forms were obeyed. Unsurprisingly, expansion in such locked-in
circumstances was rare, although the fall of a Minor or Great house from conflicting obligations was relatively
common.
Several aspects of the Great Convention deserve further elaboration: including The Treaty Of Corrine, the
Faufreluches caste system, the Forms of Warfare (especially the Wars of Assassins), Proscribed Technologies
and the O.C Bible.
The Treaty of Corrin

Control the coinage and the courts. Let the rabble have the rest.
- Unnamed Padishah Emperor on ruling.
The Treaty of Corrin, in which the assembled (surviving) Great Houses surrendered to the Sardaukar, is
reprinted in the Great Convention. It sets out the legal supremacy of the Corrinos and their right to enact binding
legislation and tax absolutely anybody. The Padishah Emperors are the source of ultimate legal authority;
House law may not contradict Imperial practice, and are also the court of last appeal. However, layers of judges
and truthsayers try to resolve issues before they require precious royal time. Taxes are paid by the Houses on
their fief income in Solaris (the galactic currency) and levies of soldiers for the Imperial forces. Any
discrepancy between the accounts a House presents (on demand) to the Emperor and the one the I.F.A. (Imperial
Fiscal Intelligence) provide is grounds for a merciless and thorough investigation.
Every planet in the Known Universe is technically Imperial property, but they are held and worked by the
Houses on behalf of the Lion Throne, which only retains direct control of the Imperial homeworld Kaitain and
the prison planet Salusa Secondus. The colossal administrative burden of government (which the advent of
Mentats merely eased) passes to the Great Houses, and in turn the Houses Minor, as the price of quasi-
independence. However, the Emperor seldom misses an opportunity to remind the Houses that power legally
100
belongs to him and is loaned to them.
The Faufreluches Caste System

"A place for every man, and every man in his place"
- Summary of the faufreluches.
When the Butlerian Jihad ended the Second Golden Age, all forms of government that required sophisticated
mechanics ended. Into the vacuum emerged a system based on personal and family ties: neo-feudalism. Some of
these proto-Houses claimed lineages back to the Great Diaspora, some were fragments of the old governments,
but most were simply warlords who had seized control of local economic facilities.
Whatever their origin, by the time of the signing of the Great Convention the House was the dominant political
unit of the universe. The social order that they supported (and that supported them) had become so widespread
that the codification of the Faufreluches caste system in the Great Convention was merely a formality the
classes of people it described already existed.
The greatest division was between the two largest castes: the lowborn, apolitical masses called pyons and the
Households (defined as the ruling family plus the Bondsmen in their employ), but a small third class of freeborn
citizens acted as a buffer and transitional zone between them, for those on the way up or down.
An individuals status is derived firstly from birth, then by profession, then by accomplishment. As a general
rule, marriage pulls a lower-caste partner up to the caste of the higher and any children belong to the caste of
their parents, unless they are unmarried in which case they have the same status as the lowest born parent.
Slaves are not used by all the Houses, but Imperial law permits them so few questioned the practice. One can
become a slave either though sale by your legal guardian or capture in battle. Legally a slave is property,
nothing more.
Pyons (or Commoners). More than 90% of humanity live recognisably the same way: in small but close-knit
communities, bartering with neighbours, working in the same rural or industrial jobs as previous generations,
earning just enough to support them with perhaps a little left over for modest annual festivals or religious
donations.
Noted for the strength of their traditional values, including fundamentalism, superstition and violent
technophobia, pyons are legally Wards of the Planet and forbidden to travel or own property above basic
lodging, clothing and utensils. Traditionally, House bondsmen (see below) are appointed to protect them against
banditry and maintain law and order.
Bondsmen have sworn service, and been accepted, to a House for whom they perform essential functions that
uneducated pyons cant be trusted with. Overseers at factories, mines or important farm complexes are usually
bondsmen, as are the House servants, bureaucrats, and any trained professionals or academics that the House
can afford to financially support. Bondsmen may own any non-restricted property that they can afford and may
travel far and wide on House business.
What separates a Household from everyone else is their official classification as political entities. Once you join
a House youre a part of every grudge, feud and victory in its history and a legal target for anyone with
unfinished business. This doesnt stop ambitious pyons volunteering for military service, which automatically
promotes them to the status of bondsmen with a slim chance of climbing higher.
Freeborn citizens, or their ancestors, were bondsmen who were rewarded for exemplary service to their House
with a small personal estate, usually on retirement. They are not bound to the planet like pyons and while it is
generally expected that they will follow in their familys footsteps and serve their House (becoming slightly
higher-status bondsmen), some do not. Freedom to travel grants freedom to trade, so independent traders and
entrepreneurs are almost exclusively freeborn.
Without the political immunity of a pyon, or the protection that a bondsman enjoys, life as an independent
operator can be hazardous. However, most Houses can see that a willing source of deniable operatives is
essential to their intelligence gathering and treats their contractors fairly (or 'disappears' them discretely).
101
Nobles are the political instigators of the neo-feudal system. They serve as visible embodiments of their house
culture and exemplars for their followers. The privilege and responsibility of leadership is theirs, though some
take this burden more seriously than others, and non-essential family members can serve their House as
ambassadors, fief governors, or even (rarely) Mentats should they show the potential. Noble rank can
theoretically be earned through excellence in politics, business, or the military. A new House Minor must be
sponsored by a Great House and recognised by a majority vote in the Landsraad. The Emperor can veto the
appointment, but usually prefers to cripple objectionable candidates indirectly (and untraceably) to avoid
appearing petty.
While rank can be earned, noble blood cannot and must be acquired through many generations of carefully
managed marriages. Those who are recognised as royal cousines form an elite within an elite, which can
arouse jealousy.
Many of these ranks are sub-divided (generally the higher the caste, the more divided) according to complex
formulae specified in the Convention, but this summary covers all the universal castes. If disputes arise use the
following guidelines to determine who looks down on whom, but note that prestige and authority to command
can be very different:
1. A freeborn accredited master-craftsman is roughly equal to a decorated soldier bondsman of a

Minor House.
2. The ruling family of a House Minor is roughly equal to a trusted advisor of a Great House or a
decorated Sardaukar regular.
3. The ruling family of a Great House is roughly equal to a trusted advisor of the Imperial House or
a decorated Sardaukar officer.
4. Proximity to either the royal bloodline or the Imperial court counts for a lot.
5. Rank gained in the service of the Padishah Emperor is superior to rank gained serving anyone
else.
6. Political influence outranks military strength, although this is more of a safety precaution than a
rule of etiquette.
7. Old money/property/titles outrank new money/property/titles.
8. If individuals are tied, compare the accomplishments/breeding of the nearest kin (wives, sons,
and parents) to determine standing.
Professional Ranking
Obviously there are far too many professions to rank them individually, but status is usually granted according
to a) usefulness to the ruling House, b) the rarity of practitioners, and c) the degree of skill necessary for
mastery.
The Mentat Academy, the Spacing Guild, the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, and a few others perform functions that
are recognised as so beneficial to the Imperium that belonging to them confers a status at least equal to
bondsmen of a House Minor or even a Great House if sufficiently accomplished.
The Forms of Warfare

The Great Convention be damned - Duke Leto Atreides
The Great Convention accepts mass violence as a legitimate tool of territorial disputes, but is critical of
personal grudges being settled the same way as overly disruptive. The noble alternative is a War of
Assassins. Once declared, the involved Houses send an agreed number of killers against each other, re-
convening if all are slain. The first House to be annihilated or surrender (forfeiting all assets and accepting exile
to Tupile) is declared the loser. A list of permitted weapons is also agreed.
In the millennia that followed, Wars of Assassins became so popular they were even seen as
impersonal and gentlemanly ways of expanding ones territory. Kanly, a more personal form of the war of
assassins, required a peace gesture and a meeting of the Heads of Houses, but permitted almost unlimited
military and covert actions against each other. A Judge of the Change was always appointed to oversee such
wars, and should the forms not be obeyed a transgressor could expect total destruction by outraged neighbours
and peers or even the Emperors Sardaukar.
When mass battles do occur, it is considered an extension of the spirit of the rules to fight openly at a
mutually convenient battlefield. In practice, the invitation to battle is issued after one side has launched a
102
crippling strike against the infrastructure, supply centres and tactical facilities of the other. There is nothing in
the rules that stops generals forcing the enemy to fight at a disadvantage.
Crucial sections protect non-involved parties pyons are not legal targets in any kind of war.
Weapons of Mass Destruction (those that killed indiscriminately and in volume, including the nuclear shield-
lasgun reaction) should never be used against humans unless their House had broken this law. Each Great
House is permitted to retain Atomics against the possibility of alien attack, but ironclad rules (and the threat of
massive and complete obliteration) prevent smaller Houses using them to overcome larger (and nobler) Houses.
War of Assassins
Large-scale use of professional assassins in a feud between two great houses of the Landsraad. Atomic
weapons are outlawed by the Great Convention and shields nullify projectile weapons and non-nuclear
explosives. Hence Great Houses are obliged to resort to treachery and professional assassination in order to
carry on their perennial vendettas. All Great Houses customarily utilise a Master Assassin, Spymaster or even a
Mentat with training in the logic of War and the traditional Mentat distrust of emotion - to oversee the defences
of the family household, supervise the house's corps of assassins, and to command House Troopers or even
mercenaries. Their function is therefore both offensive and defensive. Consequently a "war of assassins"
between two great houses often takes on the appearance of a Cheops game between two grand masters.
However, some great Barons or Dukes, although relying on the advice of their chief assassin, may be said to
have managed - or mismanaged - their own campaigns.
The first recorded instance of a war of assassins is the conflict between House Pardee and House
Harkonnen in 3367-3375, a conflict that virtually obliterated House Pardee. This war involved an extensive use
of poison, but it climaxed in the famous Lasgun Massacre, when Harkonnen mercenaries ambushed Duke Ira
Pardee and his family at their hunting lodge on the planet of New Salem. Various stories attribute this victory to
the defection of the steward of their rural estate, a jealous functionary who was easily bribed. Undermining the
loyalty of the retainers of another house was a specialty at which House Harkonnen excels, according to the
reputation of the house among others in the Imperium. An outright war of assassins always requires, under the
Great Convention, a formal declaration of intent to be filed with the Imperial Court, the offices of the Guild, and
the Secretary of the Landsraad. Imperial judges are appointed to monitor the conflict and particularly to observe
any instances where innocent bystanders might be harmed. Such actions do not always ensure the safety of non-
combatants, nor a fair treatment of the two houses involved, for the Emperor is seldom completely disinterested
in the conflict. This observation makes the feuding houses wary of harming or even involving outsiders.
Numerous, famous wars of assassins have occurred in Imperial history, often altering the balance of
power among the Great Houses of the Landsraad. For instance, House Galloway was powerful in the third
millennium, but was nearly destroyed in its war of assassins with House Albonite. Some other well-known wars
of assassins were the Steinhauser-Boudreau feud (8193-8195) and the Choi-Dwyer-Ferguson war (8787-8843),
a three-cornered bloodbath from which each house emerged weakened. This latter conflict was unusually bitter,
and ended only when the emperor himself interceded with the families in conflict. The longest standing formal
Kanly existed between the Ginaz and the Moritani. In the year 4796 A.G., for reasons still debated by
historians, though it seems likely that the diametrically opposed political philosophies of the two houses
contributed to this conflict. Although it is also true that the Ginaz had a small fief established on Grumman, the
Moritani homeworld. This fief had been established long before the Moritani were granted control over
Grumman, and had been a source of conflict for years before finally boiling over into open warfare.
Some interesting effects of wars of assassins entered the folklore of the Imperium. It was customary,
for instance, to speak of someone who was notorious for his rationality as being "logical as an assassin." And
the hour before dawn when human bio-cycles are customarily at a low ebb was often called the "hour of
assassins" because of the tendency of professional assassins to use it for their attacks. There is also the
infamous Assassins Handbook. Originally a third-millennium compilation of information on poisons to aid
professional assassins, The Assassins Handbook was expanded in the fifth millennium (5345 - 5348) by a
committee appointed by Emperor Kelal Djordjevich to discuss the theory and practice of legalized murder under
the rules of the Great Convention and the conditions defined by the Guild Peace. The expanded Handbook
resulting from the committee's deliberations is held in high regard by mercenaries and master assassins
employed by the Emperor and the Great Houses.
The authorship of the original version of the handbook is a matter for controversy, but a consensus
seems to assign it to Keshas Khorzh, a third millennium assassin employed by House Moritani. Zhorzh was
103
suspected of several murders of prominent aristocrats, especially members of House Ginaz, House Atreides and
House Herzog. Oddly, Zhorzh himself succumbed to chaumurky, probably administered by an Imperial servant,
in 3756. For more details of Zhorzh's life, see The Practice of Death by Zautii Kuuraveer.
The expanded version of The Assassins Handbook is attributed by most authorities to the committee
of nine appointed by the Protector Kelal Djordjevich; it was later ratified by the Landsraad (5359), by which
time several of the authors, themselves Mentats spymasters and assassins employed by the Great Houses, had
become victims of the vicissitudes of their profession. One of the committee, however, deserves special note:
the Imperial representative, Count Otho Fenring, himself known to have been an able assassin - indeed, some
have argued, one of the supreme artists of his profession. Count Fenring's influence on the final draft of The
Assassins Handbook appears to have been considerable, especially when the text is compared to his monograph
on The Fine Art of Professional Homicide, the passages concerning methods of circumventing the rules of Kanly
without detection. In the early millennia after the Butlerian Jihad, assassination flourished, but assassination in
general was often crude and impulsive, lacking in the finer artistry and subtlety that the master assassins of the
later Imperium attained. The accomplishments of these highly skilled professionals must be in large part
attributed not only to years of careful refinement of their art, but also to the tutelage of such repositories of
cunning as The Assassins Handbook.
The handbook is divided into four major parts, the first dealing with poisons - a legacy from the first
version - the second with other weapons and their uses, and the third section with a discussion of strategies and
odds, as well as methods of circumventing the Great Convention, and the rules of Kanly. The fourth section of
the Handbook describes certain professional standards and rules of prudence. In the section devoted to poisons,
the various possibilities of chaumurky, chaumas and basilia receive the greatest attention. Chaumurky is the
general term for any poison administered in drink and chaumas for that concealed in food; both logical agents
for murder for a political world heavily dependent on festivals and ceremony. Basilia is a poison which acts
swiftly when injected into the bloodstream and which is therefore often placed on the tip of a knife or sword.
Since basilia is also nearly invisible to the naked eye, it is a favourite with many professional assassins
throughout the Imperium, though its use depended usually on some context where the rules of hand-to-hand
combat would apply.
A poison of particular interest because of its painful side effects is given a brief but special eminence in
the Handbook. Most of the poisons in the book are valued because of their swift action, and their ability to be
disguised. But one seldom-used poison, zenobia, or the "throat of hell," is highly respected because of the
excruciating pain it imposes on the victim when ingested in food or drink. Zenobia is recommended for those
special occasions when the prospective victim is completely at the assassin's mercy, and the killer wants to
impose a remarkably horrifying demise on his - and often her - enemy. Generally, the professional assassin is
advised to eschew personal feeling and to approach his work with a suitable objectivity and craftsmanship
beyond mere vulgar expressions of personality; but the Handbook acknowledges that there are some occasions
when even the professional using the logical approach stressed by Mentat training might well find it pleasurable
to allow himself some of the enjoyment of personal revenge.
The second section of the Handbook devotes itself to the discussion of conventional weapons,
primarily swords and lasguns, and their functional advantages and disadvantages for the assassin. As with the
poisons, subtlety is recommended, for as the Handbook comments, "Any mindless mercenary can commit
indiscriminate homicide which will probably rebound upon himself." (In passing, it might be noted that the
manual is written in a style that was often trenchant and sometimes characterized by a rich sense of irony.)
Assassins are instructed to acquire swordmaster training as a matter of course, and, if at all possible, to develop
considerable competence in marksmanship, although the Handbook implies that the master assassin should,
whenever possible, leave slaughter with lasguns to ordinary journeymen. Section three of the Handbook
provided a detailed analysis of the odds for success in given situations where the assassin might be expected to
perform his work. The best strategies, for instance, for murdering guests at a formal dinner are evaluated, as
well as the methods of avoiding swift reprisal. Much space is given to the problems of infiltrating a ducal palace
or launching attacks at public events and ceremonies, especially sporting events.
The fourth part of the Handbook's commentary presented the rules of the Great Convention and the
code of Kanly and provided numerous suggestions of how these might be circumvented or turned to the
advantage of the assassin. A favourite method involved bribing the judges or Imperial representatives at various
transactions between the Great Houses. The use of poisoned swords at single combat was brought up again here,
although much had already been said of this tactic in earlier sections. Various means of infiltrating the defences
of ducal castles, despite the use of shields and other protections, are also considered at length here.
104
This section also presents the conventions and ritual formulas involved in a War of Assassins, from the
formal declaration of intent with the Imperial Registrar and the Landsraad Secretariat to the final moment
when victory is declared for one side or the other. The Handbook, however, seems to imply that even such
formal wars were best carried out on a small scale and waged with subtlety by experts, rather than becoming
engagements involving large groups of soldiers. A frequent metaphor in the Handbook is that of the Cheops
master, and the authors seemed to regard the art of assassination as a profession rather like that of the grand
master of Cheops.
A final note at the end of the Handbook concerns the assassin's need for self-protection. He is enjoined
to learn much of his employer's private crimes, and to store the information in places beyond the employer's
reach, with provisions that would allow it to become public in the event of his own death. The assassin is also
warned to make himself as valuable as possible to his master, yet never to believe himself irreplaceable. Most
important, the Handbook advises the assassin to respect his profession and to avoid the temptations of political
ambition or personal involvement in his work. Although many famous assassins find the first easy enough,
evidence suggest that most are unable to avoid the second pitfall.
Proscribed Technologies
"Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a mans mind."
- Orange Catholic Bible
This section of the Great Convention was mostly a formal declaration of illegality against the machines that
enslaved humanity (or permitted humanity to enslave itself) in the past. However, none of the Houses wished to
deny themselves access to technology that could give them the edge over their rivals so many clauses were
deliberately left vague and none specifically mention Ix, Richese, or Bene Tleilax.
The Orange Catholic Bible

Any comparison of the religious beliefs dominant in the Imperium must start with the major forces that shaped
those beliefs:
1. The followers of the Fourteen Sages, whose Book was the Orange Catholic Bible, and whose views are
expressed in the Commentaries and other literature produced by the Commission of Ecumenical Translators
(C.E.T.);
2. The Bene Gesserit, who privately deny they are a religious order, but who operate behind an almost
impenetrable screen of ritual mysticism, and whose training, whose symbolism, organization, and internal
teaching methods are almost wholly religious;
3. The agnostic ruling class (including the Guild) for whom religion is a kind of puppet show to amuse the
populace and keep it docile, and who believe essentially that all phenomena--even religious phenomena--can be
reduced to mechanical explanations;
4. The so-called Ancient Teachings--including those preserved by the Zensunni Wanderers from the first,
second, and third Islamic movements; the Navachristianity of Chusuk, the Buddislamic Variants of the types
dominant at Lankiveil and Sikun, the Blend Books of the Mahayana Lankavatara, the Zen Hekiganshu of III
Delta Pavonis preserved among the pundi rice farmers of Caladan, the Tawrah and Talmudic Zabur surviving on
Salusa Secundus, the pervasive Obeah Ritual, the Quran with its pure Ilm and Fiqh, the Hindu outcroppings
found all through the universe in little pockets of insulated pyons, and finally, the Butlerian Jihad.
There is a fifth force that shaped religious belief, but its effect is so universal and profound that it deserves to
stand alone.
This is, of course, space travel--and in any discussion of religion, it deserves to be written thus:
SPACE TRAVEL!
105
Mankind's movement through deep space placed a unique stamp on religion during the one hundred and ten
centuries that preceded the Butlerian Jihad. To begin with, early space travel, although widespread, was largely
unregulated, slow, and uncertain, and, before the Guild monopoly, was accomplished by a hodgepodge of
methods. The first space experiences, poorly communicated and subject to extreme distortion, were a wild
inducement to mystical speculation.
Immediately, space gave a different flavour and sense to ideas of Creation. That difference is seen even in the
highest religious achievements of the period. All through religion, the feeling of the sacred was touched by
anarchy from the outer dark.
It was as though Jupiter in all his descendant forms retreated into the maternal darkness to be superseded by a
female immanence filled with ambiguity and with a face of many terrors.
The ancient formulae intertwined, tangled together as they were fitted to the needs of new conquests and new
heraldic symbols. It was a time of struggle between beast-demons on the one side and old prayers and
invocations on the other.
There was never a clear decision.
During this period, it was said that Genesis was reinterpreted permitting God to say:
"Increase and multiply, and fill the universe, and subdue it, and rule over all manner of strange beasts and living
creatures in the infinite airs, on the infinite earths and beneath them."
It was a time of sorceresses whose powers were real. The measure of them is seen in the fact they never boasted
how they grasped the firebrand.
Then came the Butlerian Jihad--two generations of chaos. The god of machine-logic was overthrown among the
masses and a new concept was raised:
"Man may not be replaced."
Those two generations of violence were a thalamic pause of all humankind. Men looked at their gods and their
rituals and saw that both were filled with that most terrible of all equations: fear over ambition.
Hesitantly, the leaders of religions whose followers had spilled the blood of millions began meeting to exchange
views. It was a move encouraged by the Spacing Guild, which was beginning to build its monopoly over all
interstellar travel, and by the Bene Gesserit who were banding the sorceresses.
Out of those first ecumenical meetings came two major developments:
1. The realization that all religions had at least one common commandment: "Thou shalt not disfigure the soul."
2. The Commission of Ecumenical Translators.
C.E.T. convened on a neutral island of Old Earth, spawning ground of the mother religions. They met "in the
common belief that there exists a Divine Essence in the universe." Every faith with more than a million
followers was represented, and they reached a surprising immediate agreement on the statement of their
common goal:
"We are here to remove a primary weapon from the hands of disputant religions. That weapon--the claim to
possession of the one and only revelation."
Jubilation at this "sign of profound accord" proved premature. For more than a standard year, that statement was
the only announcement from the C.E.T. Men spoke bitterly of the delay. Troubadours composed witty, biting
songs about the one hundred and twenty-one "Old Cranks" as the C.E.T. delegates came to be called. (The name
arose from a ribald joke that played on the C.E.T. initials and called the delegates "Cranks--Effing--Turners.")
One of the songs, "Brown Repose," has undergone periodic revival and is popular even today:
"Consider leis.
106
Brown repose--and
The tragedy
In all of those Cranks!
All those Cranks!
So laze--so laze
Through all your days.
Time has toll'd
for M'Lord Sandwich!"
Occasional rumours leaked out of the C.E.T. sessions. It was said they were comparing texts and, irresponsibly,
the texts were named. Such rumours inevitably provoked anti-ecumenism riots and, of course, inspired new
witticisms.
Two years passed...three years. The Commissioners, nine of their original number having died and been
replaced, paused to observe formal installation of the replacements and announced they were labouring to
produce one book, weeding out "all the pathological symptoms" of the religious past.
"We are producing an instrument of Love to be played in all ways," they said.
Many consider it odd that this statement provoked the worst outbreaks of violence against ecumenism. Twenty
delegates were recalled by their congregations. One committed suicide by stealing a space frigate and diving it
into the sun.
Historians estimate the riots took eighty million lives. That works out to be about six thousand for each world
then in the Landsraad League. Considering the unrest of the time, this may not be an excessive estimate,
although any pretence to real accuracy in the figure must be just that--pretence. Communication between worlds
was at one of its lowest ebbs.
The troubadours, quite naturally, had a field day. A popular musical comedy of the period had one of the C.E.T.
delegates sitting on a white sand beach beneath a palm tree singing:
"For God, woman and the splendour of love

We dally here sans fears or cares.
Troubadour! Troubadour, sing another melody
For God, woman and the splendour of love!"
Riots and comedy are but symptoms of the times, profoundly revealing. They betray the psychological tone, the
deep uncertainties...and the striving for something better, plus the fear that nothing would come of it all.
The major dams against anarchy in these times were the embryo Guild, the Bene Gesserit and the Landsraad,
which continued its 2,000-year record of meeting in spite of the severest obstacles. The Guild's part appears
clear: they gave free transport for all Landsraad and C.E.T. business. The Bene Gesserit role is more obscure.
Certainly, this is the time in which they consolidated their hold upon the sorceresses, explored the subtle
narcotics, developed prana-bindu training and conceived the Missionaria Protectiva, that black arm of
superstition. But it is also the period that saw the composing of the Litany against Fear and the assembly of the
Azhar Book, that bibliographic marvel that preserves the great secrets of the most ancient faiths.
Ingsley's comment is perhaps the only one possible: "Those were times of deep paradox."
For almost seven years, then, C.E.T. laboured. And as their seventh anniversary approached, they prepared the
human universe for a momentous announcement. On that seventh anniversary, they unveiled the Orange
Catholic Bible.
"Here is a work with dignity and meaning, they said. "Here is a way to make humanity aware of itself as a total
creation of God."
The men of C.E.T. were likened to archaeologists of ideas, inspired by God in the grandeur of rediscovery. It
was said they had brought to light "the vitality of great ideals overlaid by the deposits of centuries, that they
had sharpened the moral imperatives that come out of a religious conscience."
With the O.C. Bible, C.E.T. presented the Liturgical Manual and the Commentaries--in many respects a more
107
remarkable work, not only because of its brevity (less than half the size of the O.C. Bible), but also because of
its candour and blend of self-pity and self-righteousness.
The beginning is an obvious appeal to the agnostic rulers.
"Men, finding no answers to the sunnan [the ten thousand religious questions from the Shari-ah] now apply their
own reasoning. All men seek to be enlighten d. Religion is but the most ancient and honourable way in which
men have striven to make sense out of God's universe. Scientists seek the lawfulness of events. It is the task of
Religion to fit man into this lawfulness."
In their conclusion, though, the Commentaries set a harsh tone that very likely foretold their fate.
"Much that was called religion has carried an unconscious attitude of hostility toward life. True religion must
teach that life is filled with joys pleasing to the eye of God, that knowledge without action is empty. All men
must see that the teaching of religion by rules and rote is largely a hoax. The proper teaching is recognized with
ease. You can know it without fail because it awakens within you that sensation which tells you this is
something you've always known."
There was an odd sense of calm as the presses and shigawire imprinters rolled and the O.C. Bible spread out
through the worlds. Some interpreted this as a sign from God, an omen of unity.
But even the C.E.T. delegates betrayed the fiction of that calm as they returned to their respective congregations.
Eighteen of them were lynched within two months. Fifty-three recanted within the year.
The O.C. Bible was denounced as a work produced by "the hubris of reason." It was said that its pages were
filled with a seductive interest in logic. Revisions that catered to popular bigotry began appearing. These
revisions leaned on accepted symbolisms (Cross, Crescent, Feather Rattle, the Twelve Saints, the thin Buddha,
and the like) and it soon became apparent that the ancient superstitions and beliefs had not been absorbed by the
new ecumenism.
Halloway's label for C.E.T.'s seven-year effort--"Galactophasic Determinism"--was snapped up by eager billions
who interpreted the initials G.D. as "God-Damned."
C.E.T. Chairman Toure Bomoko, a Ulema of the Zensunnis and one of the fourteen delegates who never
recanted ("The Fourteen Sages " of popular history), appeared to admit finally the C.E.T. had erred.
"We shouldn't have tried to create new symbols, he said. We should've realized we weren't supposed to
introduce uncertainties into accepted belief, which we weren't supposed to stir up curiosity about God. We are
daily confronted by the terrifying instability of all things human, yet we permit our religions to grow more rigid
and controlled, more conforming and oppressive. What is this shadow across the highway of Divine Command?
It is a warning that institutions endure, that symbols endure when their meaning is lost, that there is no summa
of all attainable knowledge."
The bitter double edge in this "admission" did not escape Bomoko's critics and he was forced soon afterward to
flee into exile, his life dependent upon the Guild's pledge of secrecy. He reportedly died on Tupile, honoured
and beloved, his last words: "Religion must remain an outlet for people who say to themselves, 'I am not the
kind of person I want to be.' It must never sink into an assemblage of the self-satisfied."
It is pleasant to think that Bomoko understood the prophecy in his words: "Institutions endure." Ninety
generations later, the O.C. Bible and the Commentaries permeated the religious universe.
Timeline of the Known Universe

Before Guild
19,000-16,500 Early civilizations on Terra.
16,500 Aleksandr creates FIRST EMPIRE.
108
16,400-16,000 ROMAN EMPIRE arises and conquers the known world, except for China, which resists until
14400.
15,800 Imperial Seat moved to Byzantium in retreat before provincial rebellions and minor jihads.
14,700-14,608 THE GREAT STRUGGLE: The Century Without an Emperor.
14,608 Discoveries in America allow Madrid to attain the status of the Imperial Seat.
14,512 BATTLE OF ENLICHANNEL. Seat of Empire moved from Madrid to London.
14,500-14,200 THE GOLDEN AGE OF INVENTION: Development of radio, television, atomics, rocketry,
genetics, and the computer.
14,255 First atomics demonstrated in an intraprovincial war. Seat of Empire moved to Washington.
14,100-13,600 THE LITTLE DIASPORA: The solar system colonized, and the population of Terra is eventually
outnumbered by 20 to 1.
13,402 Ceres gains the Imperial Seat after a planetoid strikes Terra.
13,402-13,399 THE RESCUE OF THE TREASURES from Terra.
13,360 Terra re-seeded and set aside (by Imperial edict) as a national park.
13,004 SUSPENSOR-NULLIFCATION EFFECT discovered.
12,200 THE EMPIRE OF TEN WORLDS. Communications becoming strained.
11,200 The EMPIRE OF A THOUSAND WORLDS (an empire in name only, because Imperial power was so
diffuse as to be nonexistent).
11,105 AGE OF PRETENDERS begins when Ceres is destroyed by rebellion, and the Imperial Seat ceases to
exist as a single entity.
11,100-7,562 THE AGE OF TEN THOUSAND EMPERORS (sometimes called "The Great Dark Ages").
7,593 I.V. Holtzman born on Liesco II.
7,565 Holtzman disabled and cyborged.
7,562 Holtzman reveals the "wave-effect" nature of the suspensor-nullification device.
7,556 Holtzman severely damaged and thrown into a cometary orbit around galaxy centre. Communications are
lost.
7,562-5,022 THE WARS OF REUNIFICATION, consequent on the immediate communication made possible
by Holtzman Effect.
5,022 THE EMPIRE OF TEN THOUSAND WORLDS united under Ladislaus the Great.
5,022-3,678 THE FIRST GOLDEN AGE.
3,832 Holtzman reappears at Liesco, and presents the theory for construction of the DEFENSIVE SHIELD.
3,678 THE SILICON PLAGUE: the "Death of the Machines."
3,678-2,000 THE LITTLE DARK AGES, ending with the development of plague-resistant conductors.
109
2,000-1,800 THE RETURN OF THE COMPUTER (sometimes called "The Second Reunification").
1,970 Holtzman reappears, and presents his UNIFIED THEORY.
1,800-400 THE SECOND GOLDEN AGE. Circa 700 the first anti-computer pogroms occur.
711-200 Tensions increase between programmites and humanity-firsters, tensions which Jehanne Butler was to
exploit.
200-108 THE BUTLERIAN JIHAD.
108 Holtzman returns and is destroyed by forces of the Jihad.
ca. 100 Ixians, refugees from the Jihad, led by Aurelius Venport, discover TUPILE, the Sanctuary Planet(s).
88 THE BATTLE OF CORRIN.
86 FOUNDATION OF HOUSE ATREIDES when Demetrios Atreides is made Baron Tantalos in reward for
aiding the Corrinos.
84 First MELANGE-guided journey through hyperspace, by Norma Cenva.
12 B.G.-70 A.G. The Reign of SAUDIR I, "The Great."
10 Corpus Luminis Praenuntiantis (the future Spacing Guild) begins negotiations with the Empire.
10-5 THE GREAT FINANCIAL SYNOD, on Aerarium IV, creates CHOAM.
0 THE LION THRONE, THE SPACING GUILD, and CHOAM (as the arm of the Landsraad) combine to
establish the form of human society for the next ten thousand years.
After Guild
123-184 Reign of NEGARA II.
207 Thomas Atreides helps restore Elrood II, and is made Duke of Jaddua.
283 Duke Senshisai Ginaz succeeded in forming a minor fief on the southern continents of Grumman. This fief
will be a source of great consternation for the Moritani when they awarded the rest of the planet.
337 THE GREAT CONVENTION is ratified.
385-388 THE LISHASH REBELLION, the last significant armed resistance to the Empire.
388 Saudir III designates SALUSA SECUNDUS as PRISON PLANET.
390 Wallach I begins use of Salusa Secundus as a training ground for the SARDAUKAR.
477 Moritani elevated to House Major status, with support of Emperor Saluso III.
1,234 THE ORDER OF MENTATS is founded by Gilbertus Albans, originally on the planet Septimus, and
moved to Tleilax a decade later.
1,487 The Corrinos shift the Imperial Seat to Kaitain.
2,800 Elrood V gives Poritrin, third planet of Epsilon Alangue, to House Maros. Siridar Charles Baron
Mikarrol, planetary governor of Terra, sends two million ZENSUNNI to Poritrin, beginning the Zensunni
Migratrion.
110
4,492 Poritrin is given to House Alexin, and the Sarduakar are sent to remove the Zensunni, sending five million
to BELA TEGEUSE and five million to SALUSA SECUNDUS.
4796 The first Kanly was recorded between House Ginaz and House Moritani. The Ginaz fief on Grumman
incites the conflict, which lasts to the present day.
5,122 First FACE DANCERS appear as entertainers at the Court of Corrin XIV.
5,295 Ezhar VII releases the Zensunni on Salusa Secundus, sending them to ISHIA, second planet of Beta
Tygri.
6,049 Zensunni on Bela Tegeuse are transported again, with the majority sent to Harmonthep, and the remainder
to ROSSAK, the fifth planet of Alces Minor.
ca. 6,600 A Sayyadina on Rossak discovers a plant whose ingestion unlocks the "voices within."
ca. 6,800 Harmonthep, a satellite of Delta Pavonis, is destroyed by unknown causes.
7,193 Zensunni on Rossak buy passage to ARRAKIS from the Spacing Guild. By this time, all Zensunni from
both Ishia and Rossak have reached Arrakis.
8,711 The Atreides family is awarded the Siridar- Dukedom of CALADAN.
9434 House Moritani forms an alliance with House Harkonnen for its Kanly against House Ophelion. The
alliance persists even after the Harkonnens best House Ophelion.
9,751 ELACCA drug in relatively common use.
9,846 Invention of HUNTER-SEEKER.
ca. 10,000 Invention of the DISTRANS on Ix.
10,092 Semuta extraction process discovered.
Recent History
10,140 LETO ATREIDES (Duke Leto is born)
10,155(-10,165) GURNEY HALLECK a slave on Giedi Prime.
10,163 The Old Duke, Minotauros Atreides dies in Corrida Escuda.
10,165 na-Count Agon MORITANI is assassinated on GRUMMAN. His successor Gabryela was almost
poisoned by the Imperial observer, ALBRECHT, the Kanlys JUDGE OF THE RITE. MORITANI House
Minor CHARTERIIS defect to GINAZ in stunning coup de theatre for Lord Steffan.
10,169 Imperial Inquisition sanctions the IXIANS.
10,170 House HARKONNEN replaces House ORDOS in fief-precaria on ARRAKIS.
10,171 CHARTERIIS betray GINAZ re-join MORITANI. Steffan Lear dead. Count Agon MORITANI re-
appears, only to be murdered on his wedding day during CARRINGTON EVENT. Hidden GINAZ heir
revealed. CHARTERIIS re-join GINAZ.
10,172 ALBRECHT released from PAIN AMPLIFIER and made Lord of the MORITANI.
111
10,173 CHARTERIIS turncoats exiled to TUPILE by GINAZ Regent Anselm. WINTER WAR on
MARCINCKO, open Warfare between GINAZ and MORITANI.
10,175 PAUL ATRIEDES born.
10,179 First successful implant of a distrans in a Human
10,182 WINTER WAR and MORITANI GINAZ Kanly ends.
10,190-10,191 House Atreides moves to ARRAKIS. House Minor RAVENSER to take fief of CALADAN.
The entourage gathers.
112

Dune - Rulbuk

Transféré par

Informations du document

Description originale:

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Dune - Rulbuk

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

RULBUK second edition

Dedicated to the first entourage, the Charteriis dogs;

And to the Ravenser

Dagmar Scott Fraser

KARAMA - ACTION POINTS 24

WEAPONS AND ARMOUR OF THE IMPERIUM 66

SHIELD CONDITIONING AND THE HOLTZMAN SHIELD 76

CORRIDA ESCUDA - THE GRAND SPECTACLE OF THE GREAT HOUSES 95

THE GREAT CONVENTION 100

TIMELINE OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE 108

Table: The Strong Class

Extreme Effort Talent Tree

Melee Smash Talent Tree

Table: The Fast Class

Defensive Talent Tree

Increased Speed Talent Tree

Skill Points at 1st Level: (3 + Int modifier) x4.

Table: The Tough Class

Damage Reduction Talent Tree

Unbreakable Talent Tree

Table: The Smart Class

Research Talent Tree

Knowledge Category Synergy Bonus to

Table: The Dedicated Class

Empathic Talent Tree

Insightful Talent Tree

Charm Talent Tree

Fast-Talk Talent Tree

Base Attack Bonus

Karama - Action Points

A character can spend 1 action point to do one of these things:

Knowledge Yes all.

Complex Skill Checks in the RULBUK system.

Armaments (Int) Trained Only (includes standard MSRD skill Demolitions)

Autohypnosis (Wis): Trained only.

Sense Motive Modifier Example Circumstance

Influencing NPC Attitudes

New Attitude (DC to achieve)

Attitude Means Possible Actions

Knowledge (Assassination) (Int) Trained Only

Leadership (Int) Trained Only

Mentat Projection (Int) Trained Only

4 or more less than your level/HD A pushover

1, 2, or 3 less than your level/HD Easy

Equal to your level/HD A fair fight

Equal to your level/HD plus 1, 2, or 3 A tough challenge

Exceeds your level/HD by 4 or more A dire threat

Action Boost Dodge

Danger Sense Nimble

Deceptive Poison Resistance

Profile Weapon Finesse

Reckless Offence Weapon Specialisation

Active Shield Defence

Advanced Combat Martial Arts

Agile Shield Fighter

Armour Proficiency (heavy)

Armour Proficiency (light)

Armour Proficiency (medium)

Combat Martial Arts

Defensive Martial Arts

Diplomatic Immunity [Dictum Familia]

Table Diplomatic Immunity

Severity of Crime Examples DC Effect of Successful Diplomacy Check