Since nations have developed borders, there have been Outriders patrolling them. These days, most planets have moved to singular societies since joining the Alliance, but even if they aren’t patrolling extinct borders, Outriders are needed more than ever. As the population grows, so does the frequency of Darkbrood attacks, and someone needs to patrol the wilderness to spot outbreaks before they become too big an issue to handle.

They are a versatile Vocation focused on ranged Weapons, primarily guns, and wilderness skills, such as trapping. In Combat, they provide cover fire while providing negative Status Effects to enemies that both cripple them and allow their teammates to do greater damage. Outriders also know a small amount of first aid that can help allies in a pinch, though they don’t replace having a good Caster or Diviner on the team.

K.A.O.S. deploys Outriders more often than any other unit, but that is partly because the job attracts the type of person who wants to always be out in the field. For many of them, city life with all the hustle and bustle, crowds, and loud noises is more of a prison sentence than a luxury. They tend to prefer spending peaceful nights under the stars, hunting their own food, and solitude for days on end, even if it means danger could be around any corner. But that is why they are trained to be fleet of foot. Their job is to report sightings and to never engage without backup unless someone else is in immediate danger.

Abilities

Unique Constant Ability: Emergency Sensors
Self, Physics

Outriders are equipped with safety gear provided by K.A.O.S. and cannot be Ambushed at the start of Combat. Also, any Attack or damaging Ability that targets them from outside of their Zone of Awareness has to be treated as if the Outrider is aware anyway.

Unique Command Ability: Sensor Dart
TP 50 – Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] Sync’d to your K.A.O.S.-issued Emergency Sensor, you fire a tracer with a CoS (PC DOG + PC ATN) – Target RES to hit. If Successful, all Attacks and Abilities from the affected unit toward Allies are treated as if the Target is aware for the next 5 turns.

Trap Reveal
Cost 1 AP – 10 SP – Learned, Command, AOE Unique, Physics

For a Full Action, in or out of Combat, search the area within your Zone of Attention for traps and mark them for yourself and all your Allies.

Brute Force Trap
Cost 5 AP – 10 TP – Learned, Command, Single Unique, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] For a Full Action, in or out of Combat, select one trap or other similarly placed object (such as a turret) within your Zone of Attention to either disable or force to go off. You do not have to be adjacent to this trap.

Sniper Stance
Cost 1 AP – 15 SP – Intuitive, Channel, Self, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] Get low and out of sight. Line up and take the shot. As a Full Action, declare a target you will take an Attack Action against on your next turn. If you are outside the target’s Zone of Awareness, the shot is guaranteed to hit as long as the path between you isn’t obscured by the time your turn comes back around. If it is obscured, you may choose not to take the shot and stay in Sniper Stance until you can take the shot or the target exits Combat (either by Death or Fleeing), for no further SP cost. If you are within their Zone of Awareness, roll to hit. The shot cannot Critically Hit or Botch, only Hit or Miss. The Attack will deal +100% bonus damage, and you will leave Sniper Stance after the shot is taken. You may not take Full Actions during Sniper Stance or the turn the shot goes off, but you may still take Empty Actions. 

Sniper Stance: Camouflage
Cost 5 AP – 10 SP – Learned, Command, Self, Physics

Prerequisite: Sniper Stance. For this additional SP cost, increase incoming Hit Difficulty toward you by 50%, as well as any attempt at detecting your position.

Sniper Stance: Dive Roll
Cost 5 AP – 10 TP – Intuitive, Command, Self, Physics

Prerequisite: Sniper Stance. While in Sniper Stance, for an Empty Action, you may dive up to half your Movement in any direction, as long as it doesn’t obscure the line of sight between you and your declared target.

Sniper Stance: Moving Snipe
Cost 10 AP – Intuitive, Constant, Self, Physics

Prerequisite: Sniper Stance. You can now use your Movement during Sniper Stance, including before your shot on the next turn (or each turn if you are holding your shot). You cannot use Bonus Movement with this.

Sniper Stance: Panic Shot
Cost 20 AP – Intuitive, Conditional, Single Enemy, Physics

Prerequisite: Sniper Stance. If an Enemy uses an Attack or Ability against you while you are in Sniper Stance, roll an Attack with CoS (PC DOG + PC DIS) – Target DOG to Hit or Miss. This Attack cannot Botch or Critically Hit. 

First Aid
Cost 1 AP – 10 SP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] As a Full Action, you can select one Ally within your Zone of Attention to fire a healing flare that restores (Level / 5) x FTH + (Level / 10) d20 HP to the target.

Mine Toss
Cost 1 AP – 5 SP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

As an Empty Action, you toss a proximity mine onto the field within your Zone of Attention. When a character steps on the same spot, it goes off and deals (Level / 10) d20 True Damage to the target. You may throw this directly at a target to have it detonate immediately. You do not have to roll to hit a spot within your Zone of Attention, but you must roll Athletics to land it anywhere past the edge of it. Your GM gets to decide the Difficulty based on the distance and your LFT.

Shackle Shot
Cost 1 AP – 5 SP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] As a Full Action, you shoot a beam shackle at a target with a CoS (PC DOG + PC DIS) – Target RES to Hit or Miss. If Successful, the target has their SPD lowered by 25% and their DOG by 50% for 4 turns.

Tranquilizer
Cost 1 AP – 10 SP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] As a Full Action, you shoot a dart at a target with a CoS (PC DOG + PC DIS) – Target RES to Hit or Miss. If Successful, the target becomes sedated and their CoS for landing Attacks and Abilities is 50% more Difficult for 4 turns.

Nerve Shock
Cost 1 AP – 10 SP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] As a Full Action, you shoot a pin at a target with a CoS (PC DOG + PC DIS) – Target RES to Hit or Miss. If Successful, the target becomes wired like an exposed nerve and takes 25% more damage from all sources for 4 turns.

Full Coverage
Cost 20 AP – 10 SP – Intuitive, Command, AOE Unique, Physics

For this additional cost, you can turn either First Aid, Shackle Shot, Tranquilizer, or Nerve Shock into an AOE Ability that will affect all of the same Target-type within their Zone of Attention.

Crack Shot
Cost 10 AP – 15 TP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] As a Full Action, fire off an Attack Action without rolling that cannot Critically Hit but also cannot Miss.

Mercy Shot
Cost 5 AP – 5 TP – Intuitive, Command, Single Enemy, Physics

[Requires a gun equipped] As a Full Action, fire off a normal Attack Action that is guaranteed to Critically Hit if it lands, but cannot bring the target below 1 HP. The damage of this Attack is reduced by 10% for every 10% HP the enemy has remaining. 

SPD Boost +
Cost 1 to 10 AP – Intuitive, Constant, Self, Existenscience

For each AP added to this Ability (up to 10), add 1% bonus SPD.

DOG Boost +
Cost 1 to 10 AP – Intuitive, Constant, Self, Existenscience

For each AP added to this Ability (up to 10), add 1% bonus DOG.

Handgun +
Cost 1 – 10 AP – Intuitive, Constant, Self, Physics

For each AP added to this Ability (up to 10), add 1% total damage to Handgun Attacks.

Riffle +
Cost 1 – 10 AP – Intuitive, Constant, Self, Physics

For each AP added to this Ability (up to 10), add 1% total damage to Riffle Attacks.

Launcher +
Cost 1 – 10 AP – Intuitive, Constant, Self, Physics

For each AP added to this Ability (up to 10), add 1% total damage to Launcher Attacks.