Leader

Leader

You lead.
Starting Skill: Leadership. If you choose Leader as your starting path, gain a free skill rank in Leadership.

Decisive Command (Leader Key)

Prerequisite: None.
Activation: 1 Action
Your voice carries the certainty of steel and your tactical acumen is renowned. This battle-won wisdom benefits those who listen.
When you acquire this talent, gain a command die, which begins as a d4.
Spend 1 focus to choose an ally you can influence within 20 feet of you. The next time they make a test before the end of their next turn, they can roll your command die along with the other dice for that test. After rolling, they can choose one die roll from that test, other than the plot die, and add the command die to that roll.
Some Leader talents allow you to use your command die in other ways; you can do so even if an ally currently has a command die from you.
Leads to:

• Biting Remarks & Well Dressed (Bard)
• Composed & Stand Together (Beacon)
• Combat Coordination & Valiant Intervention (Champion)
• Calculated Maneuver & Through the Fray (Commandant)
• Master Plan & Composed (Mastermind)
• Composed & Through the Fray (Officer)
• Cutthroat Tactics & Tactical Ploy (Politico)

Bard

Baleful (Bard)

Prerequisite: Biting Remarks
Activation: Always Active
With a severe stare, you crack the resolve of all but the most composed adversaries.
To resist your influence, a character must spend additional focus equal to your tier.

Biting Remarks

Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Decisive Command key talent
Activation: Always Active
You can use Decisive Command on enemies, reducing their result by the amount rolled instead of improving it.
Leads to: Baleful, Got 'Em Good

Collected (Bard)

Prerequisite: Finesse 2+; Well Dressed
Activation: Always Active
You’ve learned to be mindful of your immediate goals without losing sight of your deeper value, keeping you even-keeled amid chaos.
When you acquire this talent, increase your Mental and Spiritual defenses by 2.
Leads to: Martyr's Boon

Commanding Presence

Prerequisite: Finesse 4+; Deceptive Command
Activation: Special Activation
As part of a performance, you can spend 3 focus to test Finesse against the Cognitive defense of all characters that can perceive that performance. On a success, or if a target is a willing ally, you can use Decisive Command as a Free Action on each character you succeeded against and each ally that was willing

Deceptive Command

Prerequisite: Leadership 3+; Baleful
Activation: Special Activation
When an enemy you can influence rolls your command die as part of an action with a target, you can spend 1 focus as a Reaction to choose their target.
Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).
Leads to: Commanding Presence

Got 'Em Good!

Prerequisite: Biting Remarks
Activation: Reaction
You patiently wait for your allies to best someone in a battle of wits, then you further fluster the unfortunate soul by cleverly pointing out their mistakes.
After an ally succeeds on a test against the Cognitive or Spiritual defense of a target you can influence, you can use this reaction to make a clever jab. The target loses 2 focus, and if they have 0 focus afterward, they also become Disoriented until the start of your next turn.

Martyr's Boon

Prerequisite: Leadership 3+; Collected
Activation: Reaction
When your enemies harm you, your inspiring presence sparks indignation in others. In a rush of fervor, they find renewed purpose to keep fighting the good fight.
Once per scene, after an enemy hits you with an attack, choose a number of allies you can influence up to your ranks in Leadership. These allies gain a Reaction, which they can only use to gain the benefits of the Recover action.

Well Dressed (Bard)

Prerequisite: Decisive Command key talent
Activation: Special Activation
You cleverly match your outfits to the occasion, always making the perfect statement. While visibly wearing Presentable armor or fashionable clothing, you gain an advantage on the first Deception, Leadership, or Persuasion test you make during each scene.
Additionally, when you acquire this talent, gain a cultural expertise in Fashion.
Leads to: Collected

Beacon

Authority

Prerequisite: Lead an organization or have a patron who grants you authority over others; Considerate Command
Activation: Always Active
Your command experience helps you coordinate larger groups across greater distances.
Your Leader talents that affect allies now have double the range (if they had one) and can affect up to twice as many allies as usual.

Composed (Beacon)

Prerequisite: Decisive Command key talent
Activation: Always Active
Through practiced composure, you push your limits without becoming distracted or losing track of threats.
When you acquire this talent, your maximum and current focus increase by a number equal to your tier. When your tier increases by 1, your maximum and current focus do as well.
Leads to: Keep Going!

Considerate Command

Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Let Me Handle This
Activation: Special Activation
Before you make an Insight, Leadership, or Persuasion test, you can spend 1 focus to roll your command die and add the result to your d20 roll.
Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).
Leads to: Authority, Hold Your Ground

Hold Your Guard

Prerequisite: Persuasion 2+; Considerate Command
Activation: 2 Actions
Make an inspirational speech to a number of allies you can influence up to your ranks in Leadership. Until the end of the round, they can take the Recover action as a Free Action instead.

Keep Going!

Prerequisite: Composed
Activation: Reaction
When a willing ally you can sense or influence gains a Condition that has not been caused by an injury, you can use this reaction to not gain the condition.
Additionally, at the beginning of combat and at the start of each of your turns, you gain an additional Reaction, which you can use only for this talent’s effect.

Let Me Handle This

Prerequisite: Persuasion 1+; Stand Together
Activation: Always Active
While you're a member or leader of an organization, its scale increases by 1. At 5, you gain your organization's benefits twice as often.
Leads to: Considerate Command

Stand Together

Prerequisite: Insight 1+; Decisive Command key talent
Activation: Special Activation
At the start of the round, spend 1 focus to roll your command die. You can distribute its results to other player’s tests until the die is spent. You decide where points are allocated. Unused points do not carry over.
Leads to: Let Me Handle This, There's Another Way

There's Another Way

Prerequisite: Persuasion 1+; Stand Together
Activation: Special Activation
Once per round, when you or an ally make a test related to an endeavor, you can spend 2 focus to add an Opportunity to the result.

Champion

Combat Coordination

Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Decisive Command key talent
Activation: Free Action
You lead through action, bolstering your allies with the momentum of your blows.
After you use the Strike action, use Decisive Command as a Free Action. If your Strike didn’t hit, you also don’t have to spend the usual focus for Decisive Command.
Leads to: Imposing Posture

Demonstrative Command

Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Resolute Stand
Activation: Special Activation
You set an example from the front, applying your advice to your own actions.
Before you make an Athletics, Agility, or Leadership test, you can spend 1 focus to roll your command die and add the result to your d20 roll.
Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).

Hardy

Prerequisite: Valiant Intervention
Activation: Always Active
You’ve trained your body to endure pain and fatigue, keeping you in the fight until the bitter end.
When you acquire this talent, your maximum and current health increase by 1 per level. This applies to all previous and future levels; for example, if you choose this talent at level 6, retroactively increase your health by 6.
Leads to: Resolute Command

Imposing Posture

Prerequisite: Athletics 2+; Combat Coordination
Activation: Always Active
On and off the battlefield, your powerful physique sends a clear message to your foes.
After an enemy resists your influence while within your weapon’s reach, they become Disoriented until the end of their next turn.
Leads to: Mighty

Mighty

Prerequisite: Imposing Posture
'Activation: Always Active
You deliver your swings, punches, and kicks with practiced efficiency.
When you hit with a weapon or unarmed attack, for each you used on that attack’s action, increase the damage you deal by 1 + your tier. For example, if you’re level 6 and you make an attack that costs , each deals an extra 1 + 2 damage, for a total of 6 damage.

Resilient Hero

Prerequisite: Athletics 3+; Resolute Stand
Activation: Reaction
You summon your last reserves and press forward despite grievous wounds.
Once per scene, before you are reduced to 0 health, you can use this reaction to instead change your health to equal your Athletics modifier.

Resolute Stand

Prerequisite: Athletics 1+; Hardy
Activation: Special Activation
You project resolve, and even powerful groups of opponents find it hard to focus their attention elsewhere.
When you use your Valiant Intervention, you can spend focus up to your ranks in Leadership to target that many additional characters.
Additionally, after you affect a target with Valiant Intervention, they can’t make Reactive Strikes against your allies until the end of that target’s next turn.
Leads to: Demonstrative Command, Resilient Hero

Valiant Intervention

Prerequisite: Athletics 1+; Decisive Command key talent
Activation: 1 Action
You dauntlessly approach your opposition, daring them to ignore you at their peril.
Spend 1 focus to move up to 10 feet, then make an Athletics test against the Spiritual defense of an enemy you can influence. On a success, they gain a disadvantage on tests against your allies until the end of the target’s next turn.
A target can resist this influence, but after they do, you gain an advantage on your next test against them until the end of your next turn.
Leads to: Hardy

Commandant

Baleful (Commandant)

Prerequisite: Compel Concession
Activation: Always Active
With a severe stare, you crack the resolve of all but the most composed adversaries. To resist your influence, a character must spend additional focus equal to your tier.

Calculated Maneuver

Prerequisite: Intimidation 1+; Decisive Command key talent
Activation: Special Activation
When you succeed on a test to Gain Advantage with a Mental skill, you can become Determined instead of gaining the advantage.
Leads to: Compel Concession, Unyielding Determination

Compel Concession

Prerequisite: Intimidation 2+; Calculated Maneuver
Activation: Always Active
When a character resists your influence, if you are Determined, you can end that condition to gain an Opportunity.
Leads to: Baleful

Customary Garb

Prerequisite: Through the Fray
Activation: Always Active
You’ve worn your uniform or traditional clothing for so long that it feels like a second skin, freeing your movements and granting you a deep well of confidence.
While you’re visibly wearing Presentable armor or clothing appropriate for your station, your Physical and Spiritual defenses increase by 2.
Leads to: Resolute Command

Echoing Command

Prerequisite: Leadership 3+; Resolute Command
Activation: Free Action
After you make a test on your turn that includes your command die, you can use Decisive Command without spending an Action. That target can immediately Brace or Recover as a free action. If your test failed, you also don't spend focus.

Resolute Command

Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Customary Garb
Activation: Special Activation
Before you make an Discipline, Intimidation, or Leadership test, you can spend 1 focus to roll your command die and add the result to your d20 roll. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).

Through the Fray (Commandant)

Prerequisite: Persuasion 1+; Decisive Command key talent
Activation: 1 Action
You skillfully spot opportunities to gain the upper hand, coordinating with your allies as they spring into action.
Choose an ally you can influence within 20 feet of you. Before the end of your turn, they can use the Disengage or Gain Advantage action as a Reaction.
Leads to: Customary Garb

Unyielding Determination

Prerequisite: Discipline 2+; Calculated Maneuver
Activation: Free Action
When you are Determined, you can end that condition and choose one:

• Become Focused until the end of the scene.
• Spend 2 focus and an ally you can influence rolls your command die, recovering that much health plus your ranks in Discipline.
  

Mastermind

Behind You! Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Composed talent Activation: Honing your keen eye for danger and constant awareness of your surroundings, you skillfully anticipate threats and direct your allies out of harm’s way. When a willing ally you can sense and influence meets the conditions for the Avoid Danger or Dodge reaction, you can use that reaction as if you were in their space, spending the reaction and any focus costs on their behalf, and otherwise granting them the benefits of that action instead of you. Additionally, at the beginning of combat and at the start of each of your turns, you gain an additional , which you can use only for this talent’s effect.

Composed Prerequisite: Decisive Command key talent Activation: Through practiced composure, you push your limits without becoming distracted or losing track of threats. When you acquire this talent, your maximum and current focus increase by a number equal to your tier. When your tier increases by 1, your maximum and current focus do as well.

I’ve Got Just the Thing Prerequisite: Deduction 3+; On My Signal talent Activation: You’ve been known to overpack, but you always have the right tool for the job—even when the job isn’t quite right. Once per scene, spend 1 focus to choose an item you don’t currently possess but reasonably could’ve obtained in the past, such as a piece of equipment, building blueprints, a letter, or something similar you can store on your person. You then produce that item from your belongings, as if you’d previously purchased or otherwise obtained it off-screen. If the item usually has a cost (as listed in chapter 7), you must also pay that cost when you use this talent to obtain that item. The GM is the final arbiter of what item you can produce.

Master Plan Prerequisite: Deduction +1; Decisive Command key talent Activation: With a lot of forethought and a little luck, your master plan comes together like clockwork. Once per scene, you can reveal a master plan. Work with the GM to create an event (see “Events” in chapter 9) with a positive outcome for you and your allies. This Master Plan event represents your off-screen efforts to plan and bring a significant narrative boon to fruition. You can only have one such event active at a time. By default, your Master Plan has an event track with three Opportunity slots, which you and your allies can contribute to. When you create this event, you can choose to increase the event track by a number of slots up to your ranks in Deduction; this makes the event harder to trigger but more impactful. You and your allies can trigger it by filling the track before your next long rest. If not triggered by then, the event fails. For example, an event with three Opportunity slots might represent your efforts to ensnare your political rival in a social trap, depriving them of a key ally. An event with five Opportunity slots might represent your efforts to bribe an entire shift of guards to conveniently take a break at a specific time.

On My Signal Prerequisite: Deduction 2+; Stick to the Plan talent Activation: You and your crew are careful and efficient, preparing in advance so you can strike at the perfect moment. When you and your allies fill all Opportunity slots in your Master Plan event, you can choose not to trigger it immediately. Instead, during the current scene, you can decide to trigger it (no action required) after any test is resolved, or at the end of any character’s turn.

Precise Command Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Behind You! talent Activation: You’ve already devised the means to your desired end and calculated every step along the way. Now you attentively guide your allies and follow through on your careful plan. When you make a Deduction, Leadership, or Lore test, you can spend 1 focus to roll your command die and add the result to your d20 roll. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).

Smooth Execution Prerequisite: Leadership 3+; On My Signal talent Activation: Few things are as satisfying as a well-executed plan. You and your allies bask in the thrill of triumph—it’ll be smooth sailing from here. When your Master Plan event triggers, you and each ally you can influence become Focused until the end of each target’s next turn.

Stick to the Plan Prerequisite: Master Plan talent Activation: Malfunctions and missteps needn’t end in disaster if you think on your feet. With a little improvisation, you course-correct before a situation goes south. When you or an ally you can sense rolls a blank on a plot die, you can use this reaction and spend 2 focus to fill a slot in your Master Plan event, as if the roll were an Opportunity.

Officer

Authority Prerequisite: Lead an organization or have a patron who grants you authority over others; Confident Command talent Activation: Your command experience helps you coordinate larger groups across greater distances. Your Leader talents that affect allies now have double the range (if they had one) and can affect up to twice as many allies as usual.

Composed Prerequisite: Decisive Command key talent Activation: Through practiced composure, you push your limits without becoming distracted or losing track of threats. When you acquire this talent, your maximum and current focus increase by a number equal to your tier. When your tier increases by 1, your maximum and current focus do as well.

Confident Command Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Customary Garb talent Activation: You deliver your words with care and conviction, letting them resound in the hearts of those under your command. Before you make an Intimidation, Leadership, or Persuasion test, you can spend 1 focus to roll your command die and add the result to your d20 roll. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).

Customary Garb Prerequisite: Through the Fray talent Activation: You’ve worn your uniform or traditional clothing for so long that it feels like a second skin, freeing your movements and granting you a deep well of confidence. While you’re visibly wearing Presentable armor or clothing appropriate for your station, your Physical and Spiritual defenses increase by 2

Relentless March Prerequisite: Persuasion 3+; Confident Command talent Activation: You invigorate your troops, helping them push through fear, pain, and exhaustion under the worst of conditions. After you use your Decisive Command on an ally, until the end of their next turn, their movement rate increases by 10 feet and they ignore the effects of the Exhausted, Slowed, and Surprised conditions.

Synchronized Assault Prerequisite: Leadership 3+; Authority talent Activation: You observe a weakness in your enemy’s position, then direct your squad to focus their full power on a single crucial foe. Spend 2 focus to make a Leadership test against the Cognitive defense of an enemy you can sense. On a success, choose a number of allies up to your ranks in Leadership. On a failure, choose one ally you can influence. On the next turn of each of your chosen allies, they gain that can be spent only to Strike against that enemy. This Strike doesn’t count against their allowed number of Strike actions for the hands holding that weapon.

Through the Fray Prerequisite: Persuasion 1+; Decisive Command key talent Activation: You skillfully spot opportunities to gain the upper hand, coordinating with your allies as they spring into action. Choose an ally you can influence within 20 feet of you. Before the end of your turn, they can use the Disengage or Gain Advantage action as .

Well Supplied Prerequisite: Persuasion 2+; Composed talent Activation: You adeptly move the wheels of the military machine, acquiring the supplies needed to keep your unit in fighting shape. When you make a test to requisition or allocate resources, you can spend 2 focus to add an Opportunity to the result. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, gain a utility expertise in Military Logistics.

Politico

Baleful Prerequisite: Rumormonger talent Activation: With a severe stare, you crack the resolve of all but the most composed adversaries. To resist your influence, a character must spend additional focus equal to your tier.

Cutthroat Tactics Prerequisite: Deception 1+; Decisive Command key talent Activation: You’ve learned to take risks if you want to get results. When briefing your allies, sometimes you downplay the danger to increase their confidence—and to increase the chances they’ll prevail. Before an ally rolls your command die on a test, they can choose to instead raise the stakes on that test. If they do so and roll a Complication, you recover 1 focus.

Grand Deception Prerequisite: Deception 3+; Shrewd Command talent Activation: With great forethought and misdirection, you spread a rumor that even your allies assume to be true. When you later reveal the truth behind your ruse, your enemies are thrown into disarray. Spend 3 focus to make a DC 15 Deception test. On a success, choose a detail you established since the start of the last scene and reveal that it was actually a ruse. This ruse must be plausible. For example, it’s reasonable to reveal you hid a powerful artifact in a different place than you previously said, or to reveal you moved your army east instead of west. It’s not reasonable to reveal that a mundane item is actually a priceless artifact, nor to suddenly declare you recruited an army when you previously said you had no allies in the region. The GM is the final arbiter of what sort of ruse you can reveal.

Rumormonger Prerequisite: Have a patron; Cutthroat Tactics talent Activation: In social circles where rumors swirl and eddy, your patron’s name creates vast ripples. When you make a test to spread misinformation or gather rumors, you can spend 2 focus to add an Opportunity to the result. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, gain a utility expertise in Scandal.

Set at Odds Prerequisite: Leadership 3+; Baleful talent Activation: Envy, greed, suspicion—to you, these are mere tools, useful for igniting rivalries between rival factions or dividing your foes in the heat of battle. Choose two or more characters you can influence and spend that much focus to seed division among them. Describe a potential source of conflict (such as suspicion or jealousy), then make a Leadership test (DC equals highest Spiritual defense among those targets). On a success, you influence each target to become hostile toward the other targets, which sparks an argument, combat, or other conflict until they find a way to resolve it. A target can resist this influence, but after they do, they lose additional focus equal to your ranks in Leadership. If only some of the targets resist influence, the others remain hostile, but their conflict might become easier to resolve.

Shrewd Command Prerequisite: Leadership 2+; Rumormonger talent Activation: With a biting word or strategic glance, you cut to the heart of a conversation. Before you make a Deception, Insight, or Leadership test, you can spend 1 focus to roll your command die and add the result to your d20 roll. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, increase the size of your command die by one size (such as from a d4 to a d6).

Tactical Ploy Prerequisite: Decisive Command key talent Activation: Through clever omissions and false implications, you under- mine your enemy’s confidence and force them to question their own defenses. Make a Deception test against the Cognitive defense of an enemy you can influence. On a success, your target loses one and gains a disadvantage on their next cognitive or spiritual test. A target can resist this influence, but after they do, you gain an advantage on your next test targeting them before the end of your next turn.

Well Dressed (Politico) Prerequisite: Rumormonger talent Activation: You cleverly match your outfits to the occasion, always making the perfect statement. While visibly wearing Presentable armor or fashionable clothing, you gain an advantage on the first Deception, Leadership, or Persuasion test you make during each scene. Additionally, when you acquire this talent, gain a cultural expertise in Fashion.