House Rules (Frozen Frontier)

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OOC


Everything on this page is a work-in-progress. I expect to edit over time, as I learn how best to use the Savage Worlds system with my Edgewar setting and stories.

Please confer with the GM and the team leader on a character concept before starting creation. They can explain which certs and specialties are available/needed (see below).

Sources

If anything is in these Approved Sources, then you don't need the GM's permission to use it:

We also use some parts of Sprawlrunners, especially Arcane Background: Shaman and totems. Talk with the GM about using anything from Sprawlrunners.

Hindrances

The GM must approve a Hindrance. Over time, the GM will collate a list of Approved Hindrances.

Marshals Code

You must take this Hindrance: 

Marshals Code (Major): You work full-time for the Marshals Service. You have been commissioned as a Marshal or been hired as a contractor. You must follow the Marshals Code.

This hindrance is similar to both Code of Honor and Vow. However, it does not prevent you from taking either of them.

Species (Races)

When possible, we say "species" instead of "race."

You can use a Race from the Core Rules or Fantasy Companion as written. You can work with the GM to modify a Race (especially any culture-based abilities).

Skills Changes

  • Hacking includes social engineering.
  • Survival includes weather forecasting.

Magic Skills

SWADE uses the adjective "arcane" in a very broad sense, for everything from Miracles to Weird Science. When referring to the magic of Spellcasting, we say it's "hermetic." This basically includes any approach that treats magic like science or engineering.

Occult spans theoretical knowledge of all the arcane backgrounds and skills. Each arcane skill includes relevant theoretical knowledge and practical application.

New Skills

  • Governing (Smarts): perceiving, understanding, and engaging in building and sustaining a community. This includes elections, leadership, policies, legislation, law enforcement, justice systems, and bureaucracy.
  • Nature (Smarts): perceiving, understanding, and engaging with natural phenomena. This includes fauna, flora, ecosystems, and xenobiology. It overlaps with Academics (e.g., behaviorism), Science (e.g., biology), and Survival (e.g., biomes and weather).

Walker Skills

Walker crews need a variety of skills:

  • Athletics: moving quickly inside or outside a walker. See: Grip
  • Battle: indirect weapons (e.g., missiles)
  • Boating: steering and maintenance
  • Nature: sustaining hydroponics, exogardens, etc.
  • Shooting: direct weapons (e.g., lasers, Gauss cannons)

(There are few opportunities to use Boating with traditional watercraft because most of Sihblos is frozen.)

Recruiting Standards

The Marshals Service is particular about who they commission as marshals or hire as contractors. They look for:

  • Tenacity: You must have sufficient training and experience to hold your own in dangerous situations, especially combat. “There is no room for tourists on these jobs.”
  • Certs: The Service issues a "cert" (or certification) when you have a desirable set of skills and edges. These certs align with the work that marshals do, both in and out of combat.
  • Specialization: You must excel at a particular specialty. Your specialty is why you're in the squad, or at least a key reason.
  • Combined Arms: A squad is stronger when the members have a variety of certs and specialties. The Service transfers personnel when there is too much redundancy in a squad.

Tenacity Requirements

You must have:

  • Basic physical fitness: Agility d6, Strength d6, or Vigor d6
  • Basic weapons use: Fighting d4 or Shooting d4
  • Combat versatility: able to fight in melee and at range

Cert Requirements

  • When you complete the Required list for a cert, you automatically unlock that cert.
    • Some certs require the same skill. Choose one, based on how you use the skill.
    • As part of unlocking a cert, there may be an IC testing experience (GM's choice).
  • When you have raised all the Required skills for the cert at least one die, you automatically unlock a higher grade in the cert.
Example (Choice): Crunch and Drake each raise their Fighting to d8. Crunch chooses to unlock the Tank cert, while Drake chooses to unlock the Striker cert.

Example (Grade): Bastion raises their Electronics to d8 and unlocks the Tech cert. Later, Bastion raises their Electronics to d10. Since Electronics is the only Required skill or edge, they unlock the Tech 2 cert.

Specialty Requirement

  • Choose one skill as your specialty.
    • You must choose a specialty that no other PC already has.
    • Recommended: choose from the Required list for one of your certs.
  • You receive +1 to this skill.
    • The limit for this skill is increased one step (e.g., d12 becomes d12+1). This can stack with a racial ability.
  • When you Advance, you have the option to change your specialty to another eligible skill, if no other PC already has it.

Combined Arms Requirements

When creating your PC:

  • You must unlock one cert that no other PC already has.

When creating your PC or later:

  • You can't increase a skill if doing so would unlock a cert that two other PCs already have.
    • Another PC's cert is the restriction, not their skill. The same skill can unlock different certs.
    • Grade matters: if another PC has unlocked a higher grade, then you can unlock the lower grade.
  • You must choose a specialty that no other PC already has.

Why We Use Certs and Specialties

  • Certs help newer players orient to the Savage Worlds rules and the Edgewar setting.
  • Certs and grades make it easier to discuss skills and edges in character.
  • Certs are not classes. After you unlock a cert, it doesn't dictate or limit your further growth.
  • Certs can be mix-and-match (e.g., you could be a Jockey and a Wrench, or a Cleric, Medic, and Knight).
  • Certs and specialties are niche protection. They ensure that you are better at something than everyone else.

Certs at a Glance

  • Adept: wield innate gifts
  • Cleric: wield miracles
  • Earthkeeper: expert in nature
  • Fixer: use social connections
  • Gadgeteer: wield weird science
  • Hacker: infiltrate digital systems
  • Jockey: pilot thopters and drones
  • Knight: prefer melee combat
  • Mage: wield hermetic magic
  • Medic: heal
  • Occultist: expert in the paranormal
  • Psion: wield psionics
  • Ranger: expert in the wilderness
  • Sniper: fight with fewer, more deadly ranged attacks
  • Soldier: prefer ranged combat
  • Spiritbound: work with spirits
  • Striker: prefer hit-and-run melee combat
  • Tank: expert in melee defense
  • Tech: expert in electronics
  • Thief: expert in espionage
  • Wraith (aka Ninja): expert in stealth
  • Wrench: expert in repair

Certs

About the Certs

Each cert includes the following:

  • Required: Skills(s) and/or Edge(s) that your PC must have to unlock this cert. Higher ratings will help more.
  • Recommended: Skill(s) and/or Edge(s) that will help you excel at this cert. Higher ratings will help more.
  • SPN: Appropriate tactical role(s) to fill in the Sweep, Protect, Neutralize SOP.
  • Other Duties: Typical responsibilities outside of a tactical operation.
  • D&D 5E: Loose comparisons to the classes of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition.
  • Backstory: One or more ways you might have prepared for this kind of work. These are only suggestions.

Adept

  • Required: Focus d8 + Arcane Background: Gifted
  • Recommended: N/A
  • SPN: This depends on your powers.
  • Other Duties: This depends on your powers.
  • D&D 5E: Monk; Sorcerer
  • Backstory: This will depend on the origin of your gift. Perhaps it's divine and you were a novice at a temple. Perhaps it's part of your species' natural genetics.

Cleric

  • Required: Faith d8 + Arcane Background: Miracles
  • Recommended: Persuasion d6; Research d4
  • SPN: Divine
  • Other Duties: The squad may rely on you to communicate with other clergy and faithful. For example, many Sihblosians are deeply religious. If you serve the Defiant Mother or the Humbled Crone, then you will have relevant privileges and duties when among their followers. If you serve a different higher power, then you may have different privileges and duties.
  • D&D 5E: Cleric; Druid
  • Backstory: You could have come to this path from almost any personal history. Sooner or later, you made a deep connection to one or more higher powers. Perhaps you trained in a religious order.

Earthkeeper

  • Required: Nature d8
  • Recommended: Riding d4; Science d4; Survival d4
  • SPN: Fauna & Xeno; Flora & Enviro
  • Other Duties: A marshal's primary duties include monitoring fringe and clandestine paranormal activity. You may lead research and development in areas like biology. For example, you might perform an autopsy on a strange beast. Also, Sihblosians have pro-environmental values, and they need to maintain systems like water scrubbers and walker exogardens. Thus, Sihblosians honor earthkeepers and may ask you for aid.
  • D&D 5E: Druid
  • Backstory: You have substantive training and/or experience working with natural systems. If you grew up on Sihblos, then perhaps you were an apprentice to another earthkeeper. Some Earthkeepers are Clerics, but this cert doesn't require an arcane background.

Fixer

  • Required: Persuasion d10
  • Recommended: Common Knowledge d6
  • SPN: Face; Quartermaster
  • Other Duties: The squad may rely on you to locate rare contacts or supplies. You may extrapolate how other factions will act and react, based on your experience and contacts.
  • D&D 5E: Bard
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for social networking and knowing where to look for things that are hard to find. If you grew up on Sihblos, then perhaps you were an apprentice to walker quartermaster.

Gadgeteer

  • Required: Weird Science d8 + Arcane Background: Weird Science
  • Recommended: Electronics d4; Repair d4; Science d4
  • SPN: Tech
  • Other Duties: The squad may rely on you to solve problems and provide assets related to weird science. A marshal's primary duties include monitoring fringe and clandestine paranormal activity. You may lead research and development in areas like cybernetics. For example, you might deconstruct a strange robot. You may work with a Tech or a Wrench, but your arcane background distinguishes your contributions.
  • D&D 5E: Artificer
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for working beyond contemporary science and engineering. Perhaps you worked as a researcher or engineer in the military or a corporation.

Hacker

  • Required: Hacking d8
  • Recommended: Electronics d4; Research d4
  • SPN: Tech
  • Other Duties: The squad will count on you to solve problems and provide assets related to computers and similar technology. Walkers have sophisticated internal networks. Each walker's operating system varies somewhat, based on the current configuration of pods, sensors, weapons, etc. A good hacker coaxes a walker towards harmony.
  • D&D 5E: Artificer
  • Backstory: Your training and experience included both theory and application in computer science. Perhaps you worked as a programmer or network admin in the military or Big Tech. Hacking includes social engineering, so you have learned that, too.

Jockey

  • Required: Piloting d8
  • Recommended: Boating d4; Driving d4; Repair d4
  • SPN: Scout (using a drone)
  • Other Duties: You can transport people and goods in a thopter. You can scout with a drone. You may use a vehicle's sensors to provide tactical information. You may use a vehicle's weapons to fight. If you have Boating, then you know how to steer and maintain a walker.
  • D&D 5E: Artificer
  • Backstory: Your education and/or experience probably included both theory and application in aerospace and telerobotic systems. If you grew up on Sihblos, then perhaps you were an apprentice to a thopter pilot. If you're from Earth, then perhaps you were a corporate chauffeur or pilot, or a stunt driver.

Knight

  • Required: Fighting d8
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Battle d4; Taunt d4
  • SPN: Tactical
  • Other Duties: You can help maintain the squad's armor and melee weapons. You may work together with a striker or a tank, but they lean towards different approaches to melee combat. If you have Battle, then you know how to fire a walker's indirect weapons (e.g., missiles).
  • D&D 5E: Fighter
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for staying alive in close quarters combat. You don't disdain ranged weapons, but you've found more success in melee. You may have been in the military or as a mercenary.

Mage

  • Required: Spellcasting d8 + Arcane Background: Magic
  • Recommended: Occult d4; Research d4
  • SPN: Hermetic
  • Other Duties: The team will count on you to make sense of hermetic magical phenomena, including protecting the team from hostile beings and effects. You can use spells to give the team crucial advantages or help them overcome obstacles in creative ways. You may work together with an occultist or spiritbound, but they are more focused on extradimensional assets and challenges.
  • D&D 5E: Wizard
  • Backstory: There are many paths to learning magic. Perhaps you were an apprentice to an experienced magician, or perhaps you trained at an academy with many teachers. Perhaps you believe that you have an innate talent (perhaps inherited), or perhaps you believe that magic only requires study and discipline.

Medic

  • Required: Healing d8
  • Recommended: Academics d4; Research d4; Science d4
  • SPN: Medical
  • Other Duties: After combat, the squad will look to you for healing and other recovery. A marshal's primary duties include monitoring fringe and clandestine paranormal activity. You may lead relevant research and development in areas like medicine. For example, you might develop a vaccine against a paranormal pathogen.
  • D&D 5E: Cleric
  • Backstory: Perhaps you trained and worked as doctor or paramedic, either military or civilian.

Occultist

  • Required: Occult d8
  • Recommended: Research d4
  • SPN: Fauna & Xeno; Hermetic
  • Other Duties: The squad will count on you to make sense of extraterrestrial and extradimensional phenomena, including aliens, spirits, demons, and the like. You may work together with a Mage, but they are more focused on spells and enchantments. You may work together with a Spiritbound, but they have a special relationship with their totem.
  • D&D 5E: Cleric; Druid; Warlock
  • Backstory: You may have a similar background to a Mage, but you've focused more on extraterrestrial and extradimensional places and beings. You know quite a bit about life beyond Earth and Sihblos, including how to deal with marauders.

Psion

  • Required: Psionics d8 + Arcane Background: Psionics
  • Recommended: Occult d4
  • SPN: This depends on your powers.
  • Other Duties: This depends on your powers. For example, if you have powers like Mind Reading, the squad will count on you to find secrets or threats that would otherwise remain hidden.
  • D&D 5E: N/A
  • Backstory: You may have a similar background to a Mage, but your magic comes directly from your mind. Perhaps you were self-taught, or perhaps you come from a family or culture where psionics are common.

Ranger

  • Required: Survival d8
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Notice d6; Riding d4
  • SPN: Flora & Enviro; Scout; Surveil & Traps
  • Other Duties: The squad will rely on you to track quarry and avoid hazards. When the squad is away from the walker for an extended period, they will rely on you to create a campsite (e.g., tents, campfire, latrine). You can also forecast the weather, which can be invaluable on Sihblos.
  • D&D 5E: Ranger
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for staying alive in the wilderness. Perhaps you have training and experience with the military or a civilian organization (e.g., U.S. National Park Service).

Sniper

  • Required: Shooting d8
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Battle d4; Notice d6
  • SPN: Tactical
  • Other Duties: You can help maintain the squad's ranged weapons. You can research and develop special ammunition and enhancements to ranged weapons. You may work together with a Soldier, but they lean towards firing faster. If you have Battle, then you know how to fire a walker's indirect weapons (e.g., missiles).
  • D&D 5E: Fighter; Paladin
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for hitting the target, even in chaotic circumstances. Perhaps you have training and experience in the military or in hunting.

Soldier

  • Required: Shooting d8
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Battle d4
  • SPN: Tactical
  • Other Duties: You can help maintain the squad's ranged weapons. You can research and develop special ammunition and enhancements to ranged weapons. You may work together with a Soldier, but they lean towards firing precisely. If you have Battle, then you know how to fire a walker's indirect weapons (e.g., missiles).
  • D&D 5E: Barbarian; Fighter; Paladin
  • Backstory: You have training and experience in the military or law enforcement.

Spiritbound

  • Required: Spiritualism d8 + Arcane Background: Shaman [Sprawlrunners]
  • Recommended: Occult d4; Persuasion d6; Research d4
  • SPN: Divine; Fauna & Xeno
  • Other Duties: The squad will rely on you to make sense of extraterrestrial and extradimensional phenomena, including aliens, spirits, demons, and the like. You may also be able to call on strange beings for favors, including information. You may work together with a Mage, but they are more focused on spells and enchantments. You may work together with an Occultist, but you have a special relationship with your totem. Your totem gives you special privileges and duties.
  • D&D 5E: Cleric; Druid; Warlock
  • Backstory: You could have come to this path from almost any personal history. What matters is who your totem is and how you developed your relationship. Perhaps your family or culture guided you. Perhaps you were in desperate need and your totem answered. Perhaps your totem chose you without warning.

Striker

  • Required: Fighting d8
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Taunt d4
  • SPN: Scout; Tactical
  • Other Duties: You can help maintain the squad's armor and melee weapons. You may work together with a Knight or a Tank, but they lean towards different approaches to melee combat.
  • D&D 5E: Rogue
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for hit-and-run close quarters combat. You don't disdain ranged weapons, but you've found more success in melee. Perhaps you have training and experience in the military or as a mercenary.

Tank

  • Required: Fighting d8
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Battle d4
  • SPN: Scout; Tactical
  • Other Duties: You can help maintain the squad's armor and melee weapons. You may work together with a Knight or a Striker, but they lean towards different approaches to melee combat. If you have Battle, then you know how to fire a walker's indirect weapons (e.g., missiles).
  • D&D 5E: Barbarian; Fighter; Paladin
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for holding the line in close quarters combat. You don't disdain ranged weapons, but you've found more success in melee. Perhaps you have training and experience in the military or law enforcement.

Tech

  • Required: Electronics d8
  • Recommended: Hacking d4; Piloting d4; Research d4; Science d4
  • SPN: Tech
  • Other Duties: The squad will rely on you to solve problems and provide assets related to electronics and similar technology. You can research and develop new devices. You may work together with a Wrench, but they focus more on mechanical systems. You may work with a Gadgeteer, but their arcane background distinguishes their contributions.
  • D&D 5E: Artificer
  • Backstory: Your training and experience included both theory and application. Perhaps you worked as an engineer or technician in the military or as a civilian.

Thief

  • Required: Thievery d8
  • Recommended: Hacking d4; Notice d6; Research d4; Stealth d6
  • SPN: Surveil & Traps; Tactical
  • Other Duties: The squad will rely on you to deal with security, both human and physical.
  • D&D 5E: Bard; Rogue
  • Backstory: You have training and experience doing dirty work. Perhaps you were an agent of a corporate, government, military, or paramilitary organization. Perhaps you were a criminal (e.g., pickpocket).

Wraith

  • Required: Stealth d10
  • Recommended: Athletics d6; Notice d6; Taunt d4; Thievery d4
  • SPN: Scout; Tactical
  • Other Duties: You can help maintain the squad's preparedness to remain undetected, and to detect unseen threats. You may extrapolate how quarry is evading the squad.
  • D&D 5E: Rogue
  • Backstory: You discovered that you have a knack for moving and hiding without being noticed. Perhaps you have training and experience via the military or law enforcement. Perhaps you were a criminal (e.g., burglar).

Wrench

  • Required: Repair d8
  • Recommended: Electronics d4; Research d4; Science d4
  • SPN: Tech
  • Other Duties: The squad will count on you to solve problems and provide assets related to machines and similar technology. You can research and develop new devices. You may work together with a Tech, but they focus more on electronic systems.
  • D&D 5E: Artificer
  • Backstory: Your training and experience included both theory and application. Perhaps you worked as an engineer or technician in the military or as a civilian. You may work with a Gadgeteer, but their arcane background distinguishes their contributions.
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