I'll put off codified heat and cold resistance for the time being - additional DR against the direct damage inflicted by those should be quite enough.

Repackaging specialized environments as Pathfinder Basics options:

• Zero-G: You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks.
• Poisoned Air: You gain Stress Resistance 5.

Undead = Purifier, Plants = Weedkiller.

"Not a problem, Shimura," Auntie says. "I just didn't know my good-for-nothing daughter was back in town." Auntie gives Chiki a fake smile. "How's my favorite little failure doing?"
Chiki, for her part, just looks like she's ready to cry.

Aiko notes that while Auntie seems to recognize her daughter, she hasn't actually used her name yet.

"Meditating transforming war machines," Loco muttered. "Now I've blurrily seen everything."

[you]

You find a free table and sit down for lunch. The rolling breeze is nice and soft, and the sea birds provide a relaxing soundtrack. After a few minutes, Auntie approaches your table with a smile.

"Welcome back!" she says. "Tuku, Shimura, good to see you - hello Mina!" Mina stands up, and the two women embrace briefly. "And two new friends, too!"
"Auntie," Tuku begins, "these are Jett and Yukio."
"Why hello, Jett!" Auntie says, extending her hand. "Are you new in town, too? You must be hungry!" She then turns to Chiki, and her smile loses some warmth. "What brings you back here?"

(...) and to date feats have dumped escalating skill rank requirements as a way of setting the pace of acquisition.

(derail)

And thank the heavens for it, too. Going through the old silver books for laughs and inspiration and reading some of the feat and class prereqs now is actively making me wince. Back then, it felt like anything cool needed to be planned for from chargen on, while these days with FantasyCraft we're more in "Huh, I never knew I was already halfway there, I can pick that up the level after next" territory. I'm so not missing the 1.0 unarmed feat chains - Hard Master took, what, eleven freaking feats to reach? Good riddance.

(/derail)

The simple answer is to start with Quick Draw and Snake Strike from the Basic Combat feats, then mix with the Sword melee feats as needed.

[Beatific]

Beatific
The beholders are agog at your visage!

• Attributes: +2 Grace, –2 Fitness (0)
• Engaging Diversion: You may Distract up to 3 opponents at once (see page 219). You roll only once for the action, while each opponent rolls to resist separately. If you gain this ability from two or more sources, the number of opponents you may target increases by 1 for each additional war of attrition ability. (3)
• Overwhelming Presence: Your appearance modifier increases by +2 (see page XX). (2)
• Inscrutable: The error range of all Sense Motive checks targeting you increases by 2. (0.5)
• Slippery Devil: You gain a +3 bonus to defense when being grabbed. (0.5)

Leaving Sculpted for the next challenger as I have no challenges right now.

[doesn't]

Digesting...

(I'm near the end of my waking cycle, so this may be a bit bleary-eyed and incomplete)

In the spirit of raiding some older class names, I might call this the Guide. If you have access to it, you might also reread that class for inspiration.

Hmm, not exactly. The Guide is a, well, guide through a foreign country, helping a team speak the language, plug into the local underground and disappear from the radar. The Sentinel is very much not about civilisation. It may be possible to reconcile this by further abstraction of some class features, but as it is, I feel my class already suffers from trying to cover too much ground. What I really originally set out for was to make a modern version of the old "single-environment specialist" classes from 1.0 and Stargate, like the Stingray, the Astronaut and whatever the NBC specialist was called. I realized fairly early that the reason we haven't seen a revival of those is that they were too specialized, so I pared it down to "survival expert", getting away from the Scout's "wilderness warrior" concept to something more defensive and team-focused. Specialized underwater or zero-G or NBC skills are best reserved for terrain feats, I think. Sentinel sounds nice enough, hints at the "keep yo dumb ass alive" function and hasn't been used anywhere else, so I went with that in the end.

Requirements. Ponder replacing Armor Basics with Close Call. The synergy with your core ability is ebil.

Hmm, yes, that would fit thematically. Armor Basics is kind of a holdover from the very beginning when the Sentinel was more focussed on environments that demand heavy protective gear, but as it is, it's kinda shifted into Bear Grylls/Tomb Raider reboot territory, so it's pretty atavistic. The class doesn't do a lot with it, which I realize isn't the best prereq design, so I'm not married to it.

Outlast. I would change the bonus to one-half Career level. Basically Smite save .

I wanted to reward the player for going into this with high Determination here, but I guess a scaling benefit works, too.

Would suggest swapping the levels of It's all in the Prep and Safety Line. Flawless skills work better at level 4 and safety line could easily become the defining feature of the class. Extending it to Allies or willing Bystanders also makes for some great hero moments ("I'll catch you, I promise!")

Roger that. Yeah, Safety Line is one of those ideas that just demanded to be included. Whether it's mountaineering gone wrong, or being dragged to the crush depth of your dive armor by a collapsing underwater research facility, or your spacesuit is out of delta-v and drifting away into space...it's good to know there's someone on the team who can say "I've got you!" and reel you back in. Now that I think about it, it could also let the Sentinel traverse tricky terrain and then reel his teammate to him. Also good synergy with The Extra Mile - again, I'm picturing mountaineering. You fall into an ice crack, shatter your leg and crack your skull. The last thing you do before you black out is hit your emergency transponder. There's a snowstorm blowing in and it don't look good - that's when the Sentinel's phone rings. But with that in mind, if it is to become his signature ability, it should be useable more than once per adventure, or?

Environmental sealing. Drop the mention of Armor Basics and set requirement to 'while wearing moderate or full armor'. Change DR to resistance and may wish to extend it to falling damage also. This being a backer class, I'd have it cover you and all teammates as part of I, then extend to affect all (armored) allies able to see and hear you at II.

Ayup. I tried to include something about air supply and suffocation and such for space- and NBC-walking Sentinels here, but it's too tech-level dependant. Better handled with a terrain feat, as said above.

Deathworld. Change trigger condition to when an enemy is in one of your terrains (e.g. you're on a catwalk over a giant terrarium. You toss something down at an irritable critter/killer-plant that gets your enemy below you into trouble even though you are in a different terrain type). Might also increase your enemies' error range by 1 on all attacks and skill checks while in one of your terrains, creating more opportunities for hijinks.

Sure. I need to make sure I don't step on the toes of the Black Cat feats here. Fluff-wise, I'm seeing here both the very genre-appropriate arrogance of enemies (which mountaineering drama doesn't have the rich kid pricks who get themselves into big trouble by disrespecting the mountain?) as well as the Sentinel's detailed knowledge of the little dangers that allows him to subtly use the environment against his enemies. He's not a saboteur by any stripe, but he can sure lure the bad guys onto a glacier where the snow hides cracks in the ice - cracks he knows how to avoid.

Born survivor. Drop the activation. Just give the player a pool of auto successes he can share that refreshes at the beginning of each scene. Possibly reduce pool size to one half of Career Level rounded down (7 auto-succeeds, scaling up to 10 is pretty juicy even with the limited check/saves they can be applied to). Make sure the successes are called/spent before rolling.

Sure. I admit I was kinda riffing on the Scout's Overrun here. More flexible use does better reflect the inspiration, too. Specifically, it's named for Lara Croft's Survival Instincts in the Tomb Raider reboot, but really, there's a lot of survivalist heroes who can really pull it together when their back is against the wall.

Lot of medium progressions on the class table. might look into mixing it up more. Funding comment in the bonus feat ability makes me think high lifestyle might be appropriate (celebrity wilderness explorer or a buttload of prudence both make sense for this archetype)

Yeah, this is a) where my creativity left me and b) where I tried to make the class more accessible and useful to different types of characters. I'd keep the BAB and saves as is, but I can see dropping Defense to low to boost Lifestyle - Sentinels seem to take a lot of hits, but they keep ticking.

[SENTINEL]

Inspired by Morg's new take on the system, I finally sat down and typed out an expert class I have been toying with in my head for literal years now without going anywhere. This is the result of an intense/insane two-hour hackathon where it felt like it all came together for me. It shouldn't be too hard to backport to FantasyCraft, if anyone wants it...but I guess first we need to see how broken it is. Enjoy:

EDITED: Changed Prereqs, Core, Safety Line, Environmental Sealing, Born Survivor, moved It's All In The Preparation, dropped Def to low and raised Lifestyle to high


SENTINEL

There are places where angels fear to tread...and yet, such places do not remain unmolested. No matter how deadly the environment and how far beyond conventional experience, a special breed of adventurer will feel the urge to go there. The universe quickly sorts out the lunatics, leaving behind a cadre of professionals who push their bodies and gear to the limit in pursuit of their goal: to boldly go where noone has gone before.

In your campaign, a Sentinel could be...

• An elite soldier with specialized training, pushing the envelope on power projection
• A dedicated scientist whose pursuit of knowledge pushes her deep into the unknown
• A disillusioned pathfinder looking for the ultimate spiritual experience
• A high-tech scavenger who hunts for lost treasures under the most perilous conditions
• A search & rescue specialist who's definitely earning his danger pay

Party Role: Backer/Specialist. The Sentinel keeps his team alive and makes sure that the "deadly" part of "deadly environment" applies only to their enemies.

CLASS FEATURES
Requirements: Close Call, Pathfinder Basics
Favored Attributes: Determination & Fitness
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Competition, Expertise, Focus, Profession, Research, Survival, Vigilance
Skill Points: 6 + Guile modifier
Vitality: 9 + Determination modifier

CLASS ABILITIES
Outlast (Core Ability): Your drive to do anything and everything to survive is a thing to behold. When you spend an action die to boost a Fortitude, Reflex or Will save, you may replace its result with half your class level (rounded up).

Safety Line: Nobody's getting lost on your watch. At Level 1, once per session, you may attempt to retrieve any willing ally or bystander NPC within your visual range to your position. You do not need to see this character, but there must be a clear path for the body to travel to you - at the GM's discretion, the retrieved character suffers damage from collisions or passing through other environmental dangers on the way. The character is considered to be moving at your standard speed per round for purposes of timing and collision damage. You may only take free actions while retrieving a character with this ability. When that character reaches you, he is moved into an adjacent square of your choice and secured there, preventing him from falling even if he is otherwise unable to climb. The retrieved character is considered entangled until you release him as a free action.

Environmental Sealing I: Your gear is ready for just about everything the world can throw at you. At Level 2, while wearing any moderate or full armor, you gain resistance against all environmental sources of damage (including falling damage) equal to your class level. Your teammates also gain this resistance when wearing moderate or full armor. No character may benefit from more than one Environmental Sealing ability; only the highest bonus applies.
Environmental Sealing II: Even those who are not as prepared as you can benefit from your last-minute adjustments and constant monitoring. At Level 7, your Environmental Sealing ability also applies to Allies and willing bystanders who can see and hear you.

Tech and Territory: You've got the funding and the know-how for every expedition. At Levels 3, 5, 7 and 9, you gain an additional Gear or Terrain feat.

It's All In The Preparation: More often than not, obsessive prep yields vital knowledge for your expeditions. At Level 4, your Research and Survival are flawless.

Huntsman: At Level 4 and 8, as the Scout.

Gimme Shelter: Even when Mother Nature gets pissed, she's not really angry at you. At Level 6, any Nature's Fury effect targeting you and any Ally and willing bystander that can see or hear you is reduced by two dice (minimum zero).

Death World: To the trained survivalist, it does appear that everything is trying to kill you...a fact you consistently employ against your enemies. At Level 8, when in a terrain covered by your Pathfinder Basics feats, you may activate your enemies' errors for one less action die (minimum zero).

Born Survivor: Take away your friends, your gear, your weapons, what's left? You. At Level 10, a number of times per session equal to half your career level (rounded down), you may automatically succeed with saving throws prompted by environmental conditions, skill checks to orientate yourself, track and forage as well as all Vigilance checks. You may further use this ability on the same checks made by Allies and willing bystanders who can see and hear you. You must declare that you are using this ability before the saving throw or skill check is rolled.

---
BAB: Medium
Fort: Medium
Ref: Medium
Will: High
Def: Low
Init: Low
Lifestyle: High
Legend: Medium

Actually, I just thought of a wrinkle with retroactively losing Language Barrier - what happens to those interests you spent on additional languages? Do you give the player retroactive credit or does it only count for future learning? I'm leaning towards the latter, because there's already precedent for permanently giving up Interests without replacing them.

I'd refund the interests. Just mention that in the feat that removes the drawback (in parenthesis, likely).

Starting to feel really bad about the theorycrafting threadjack, but I just thought of a wrinkle: as phrased, you would never be able to gain new additional languages through level growth, unless your GM allows you to save up interests. How about this:

Language Barrier: When you learn an additional language, you only learn how to understand it verbally. You must spend one additional interest on the language to be able to read it, speak it and write it.

And then, when you lose it through Alef-ka, the feat can more clearly state that you can repick the interests spent on learning how to read, speak and write it.

The whole quality is only in there because it's kind of a big deal that the Wherren are so oppressed not only because they look like shaggy beasts, but also because their natural language is animal-sounding barks and growls augmented by subtle gestures and color patterns on their fur. They're not totally incapable of speaking other languages, but it's definitely hard for them and ends up sounding like a rather strained imitation.

[Dastardly]

Actually, I just thought of a wrinkle with retroactively losing Language Barrier - what happens to those interests you spent on additional languages? Do you give the player retroactive credit or does it only count for future learning? I'm leaning towards the latter, because there's already precedent for permanently giving up Interests without replacing them. Hmm, there's also the Polyglot feat to consider - but that straight up gives you five new languages, not five interests that must be spent on languages, so I'd argue it's not affected by Language Barrier as written. (Which I agree with - if your concept is that your Wherren character is actually a wide-traveled space explorer who has spent the effort to learn the languages of other species, I don't want to piss in your cheerios over a -0.5 drawback in your species.)

Dastardly

• Attributes: +1 Guile & Precision (1)
• Speed: 30
• Always Ready: You may always act during surprise rounds. (2)
• Sneak Attack: Your attacks gain 1 die of sneak attack damage. (2)
• Desperate Words: While you are desperate you may re-roll a number of Distract, Feint, Taunt, Threaten, and or Tire checks equal to your starting action dice. (1)

Challenge: Fun Lovin'

[Wherren]

Here's a little homebrew thingie from a different project, updated for New Pie.

Wherren

I like 'em .

Max Health is based on Fitness not Con.

Language Barrier: It costs you two interests to learn any language other than Whiirrspeak. (-0.5)

Love it. *yoink*

Duh, old language copy-pasted. Fixed. Also added Indoors/Settled to Natural Camouflage options - Wherren servants / slaves are an extremely common sight on Imperial planets, and who can tell those dumb ugly beasts apart, right? Just ditch your fancy gear into a dark corner, slump your shoulders and lower your head.

I also quite like the reworked Xenomorphs...shades of the Rachni from Mass Effect by labelling the "aliens" of the movies as abandoned feral children instead of properly socialized members of the species.

[Wherren]

Here's a little homebrew thingie from a different project, updated for New Pie.

Wherren

You are a Wherren, a massive humanoid covered in striking, color-changing fur. Though your large muzzle and tusks make you look bestial and your home planet Whiirr has been hobbled in its social and technological development through the Imperium's interference, you are every bit as intelligent and capable as any other sentient, even if many people would rather see you as a primitive savage than as another person. Your people are famous for their strength and determination, and the Emperor's personal bodyguards are Wherren, the elite and rightly feared Alef-ka.

You were most likely born into servitude in the slums of an Imperial world, or - if you were lucky - as a member of the clans on Whiirr, but either way, you had an uphill struggle to make your way in the universe. Your people are slow to trust outsiders, given their unfavorable history, but in your travels you have found true friends, and you are proud to stand at their side and share their cause.

Common personality traits: Brave, distrustful, reliable, loyal, stubborn
Common physical traits: Elaborate color patterns for specific emotional states, decorated or broken tusks, broad build, hunched back
Example names: Dush, Rhea, Tarl, Torega, Swims-the-Black

Splinter Race Feats: Clan-Born (Wherren living out their life on Whiirr), Chosen (Wherren taken as imperial tribute). Unless you choose one of these, you're 'slave-born' (a Wherren born into Imperial servitude).

Type: Large biped folk with a Reach of 1. (1) Your maximum health equal your Fitness score x 1.5 (rounded down).

• +2 Fitness (1.5)
• Base Speed: 30 ft.
• Natural Camouflage: Choose Forest/Jungle, Indoors/Settled or Swamp. You gain a +5 gear bonus to blend checks while in that terrain. (0.5)
• Freedom Fighters: If your first career level is in Soldier, Scout, or Captain, you gain the class abilities from the next level of that class and your Class Level is considered 1 higher when determining the effects of the that class’ abilities. This does not grant other class benefits, such as class features or table modifiers. If your first Career Level is not one of these classes or if you reach level 20 in either class, you instead gain Combat Vigor. (3)
• Natural Attacks: You gain the Bite II and Claw II natural attacks (see page 235). (1.5)
• Reviled: The disposition of non-Wherren decreases by 10. (-1)
• Language Barrier: It costs you two interests to learn any additional languages. (-0.5)

Clan-born

Growing up among your clan on Whiirr, surviving the fiercest predators and leanest seasons has become second nature to you.

Prerequisites: Wherren, Level 1 only
Benefit: The higher of your Fitness or Awareness scores rises by 1 and you gain a +4 bonus with Survival checks. You always have enough food and water for yourself, so long as you're located within 10 miles of nature.

Wherren Elder

You have stood with your clan since childhood and are one of its most respected members.

Prerequisites: Clan-born, Awareness 13+
Benefit: The lower of your Fitness or Awareness scores rises by 1. You may purchase Heroic Renown for 20 Reputation per rank. Further, once per scene, you may improve the disposition of any 1 Ally or Bystander NPC by 10. You may not target the same NPC more than once.

Chosen

You were selected as a tribute to the false gods of the Imperium, and though they did not mean well when they took you from your home, you have learned how to prosper and attract the favor of jaded crowds in the Arena.

Prerequisites: Wherren, Level 1 only
Benefit: The higher of your Fitness or Grace scores rises by 1 and you gain a +4 bonus with Impress checks. You also gain a new trick:
Bread and Circuses (Natural Attack trick): You may substitute your Impress (Grace) bonus for your unarmed attack bonus. If the attack misses you become flat-footed at the end of your Initiative Count. You may use this trick as many times per combat as you have Species feats.

Alef-Ka

You are a Jade Caretaker, the elite personal guard of the Emperor himself. If people still talk badly about your species, they take very good care to do it out of your earshot.

Prerequisites: Chosen, Grace 13+
Benefit: The lower of your Fitness or Grace scores rises by 1. You lose the Reviled and Language Barrier qualities. If you have acquired additional languages through spending interests prior to picking this feat, you may immediately gain one new interest per additional language you gained. Further, once per scene, you may choose to receive all of the damage being inflicted upon an adjacent character by a single attack. You may apply your damage reduction and damage resistance to this attack normally, as if you had been the original target of the attack.

"I'm not going to argue with my work already being done. Alright, what's the mission, then?"