(See Cypher for more about Types.)

You master abilities outside the understanding of the layperson, and combine knowledge across a broad set of specialties: a brilliant grasp of mechanical functions, deep knowledge of advanced power generation, and an intuitive sense of the fields interacting with the void.

Individual Role: Engineers are usually thoughtful, intelligent types. They often think carefully before acting and rely heavily on their technical abilities.

Group Role: Engineers are not powerful in straightforward combat, although they often wield abilities that provide excellent combat support, both offensively and defensively. They sometimes possess abilities that facilitate overcoming challenges.

Societal Role: Engineers are the practical face of a variety of vital technologies.

Advanced Engineers: Even at low tiers, Engineer skills and abilities are impressive. Higher-tier Engineers can accomplish amazing deeds that can reshape matter and the environment around them.

Engineer Player Intrusions

When playing an Engineer, you can spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions, provided the situation is appropriate and the GM agrees.

Advantageous Malfunction: A device being used against you malfunctions. It might harm the user or one of their allies for a round, or activate a dramatic and distracting side effect for a few rounds.

Convenient Idea: A flash of insight provides you with a clear answer or suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle you’re facing.

Inexplicably Unbroken: An inactive, ruined, or presumed-destroyed device temporarily activates and performs a useful function relevant to the situation. This is enough to buy you some time for a better solution, alleviate a complication that was interfering with your abilities, or just get you one more use out of a depleted cypher or artifact.

Engineer Stat Pools

Stat Pool Starting Value
Might 7
Speed 9
Intellect 12

You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.

Engineer Background Connections

d20 Background
1 You served your apprenticeship in a shipping line respected and feared by many people. Now you carry their reputation.
2 You studied in a school infamous for its risk-taking and poor safety procedures.
3 You learned your abilities in the school of an obscure genius. Their instructors and graduates, although small in number, respect and admire your talents and potential.
4 While serving on a ship, you saved the life of a powerful person. They remain indebted to you.
5 Your parent was a brilliant Engineer while she lived, mentor to many others. They look upon you kindly, but they also expect much from you.
6 You owe money to a number of people and don’t have the funds to pay your debts.
7 You failed disgracefully at your initial studies with your teacher and now proceed on your own.
8 You learned your skills faster than your teachers had ever seen before. The powers that be took notice and are paying close attention.
9 You killed a well-known criminal in self-defense, earning the respect of many and the enmity of a dangerous few.
10 You trained as a Marine, but your Engineer predilections eventually led you down a different path. Your former comrades don’t understand you, but they respect you.
11 While studying to be an Engineer, you worked as an assistant for a bank, making friends with the owner and the clientele.
12 Your family owns a sensor company known to all for its fine craftsmanship and fair business dealings.
13 You trained for a time with a group of influential Engineers, and they still look upon you with fondness.
14 You worked in the yacht berths of an influential noble or person of wealth. They wouldn’t remember you, but you made friends with their young daughter.
15 An experiment you conducted in the past went horribly awry. The stationers there remember you as a dangerous and foolhardy individual.
16 You were trained in a distant polity where you were well known and regarded, but people here treat your abilities with skepticism.
17 You don't go anywhere without your tool bag, and can't stop tinkering with other people's things.
18 Your best friend is also an Engineer. You and your friend share discoveries and secrets readily.
19 You know a particular shipyard very well. Since you give them so much business, they offer you discounts and special treatment.
20 You belong to a secretive social club that gathers periodically to drink and talk.

First-Tier Engineer.

Effort: Your Effort is 1.

Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.

Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at a time.

Starting Equipment: Appropriate clothing, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items of your choice.

Weapons: You can use light weapons without penalty. You have an inability with medium weapons and heavy weapons; your attacks with medium and heavy weapons are hindered.

Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise. The full description for each listed ability can be found in Abilities, which also has descriptions for flavor and focus abilities in a single vast catalog. (Engineer abilities require at least one free hand unless the GM says otherwise.)

  • Hacker
  • Junkmonger
  • Handy
  • Machine Affinity
  • Machine Hunting
  • Machine Interface
  • Modify Device
  • Natural Crafter
  • Scramble Machine
  • Tech Skills
  • Tinker

Second-Tier Engineer

Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

  • Machine Efficiency
  • Overload Machine
  • Computer Programming
  • Robot Assistant
  • Robot Builder
  • Tool Mastery

Third-Tier Engineer

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

  • Device Insight
  • Disable Mechanisms
  • Enhanced Intellect
  • Expert Crafter
  • Expert Skill
  • Improvise
  • Knowledge is Power
  • Machine Companion
  • Passing Mechanic
  • Robot Upgrade
  • Ship Footing
  • You Studied

Fourth-Tier Engineer

Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

  • Greater Enhanced Intellect
  • Machine Vulnerabilities
  • Master Crafter
  • Remote Control
  • Robot Fighter
  • Robot Improvement

Fifth-Tier Engineer

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

  • Control Machine
  • Deactivate Mechanisms
  • Effective Skill
  • Further Mathematics
  • Innovator
  • Inventor
  • Jury-Rig
  • Machine Companion
  • Using What's Available

Sixth-Tier Engineer

Choose one of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

  • Improved Machine Companion
  • Like the Back of Your Hand
  • Master Machine
  • Robot Evolution
  • Robot Fleet
  • Weird Science Breakthrough