Alien Campaign Traits
Table of Contents
Source: Legendary Planet Player's Guide
The following campaign traits are available to player characters in the Legendary Planet Adventure Path. The opening chapter assumes the PCs have been abducted by off-world alien invaders and meet for the first time during the initial, panicked moments of To Worlds Unknown. Thus, these traits focus more on a few of the possible backgrounds available for such characters. Players can select one campaign trait and one other trait of their choosing to better round out their characters. As noted above, it’s recommended that campaign traits be chosen only as the PCs are about to begin To Worlds Unknown, rather than at first level (even if they play the prequel adventure in The Assimilation Strain).
Far-flung Gladiator
You’ve always been a bit quicker than others at learning new things, especially weapons, regardless of how strange they may be. Whether you were an actual gladiator, you studied the unusual weaponry of ancient cultures, or just an extremely martial talent, the end effect is that the use of strange weaponry come more easily for you. The non-proficiency penalty for using an exotic weapon is only –2 for you.
Jagladine Experiment #14073
Long ago, the insidious alien bioengineers known as jagladine abducted you and kept you around for routine experimentation, lacing the jagladine script for the number 14073 into the flesh of your shoulder. Most of your captivity has been a blur to you, with long periods of nightmares interspersed with brief moments of lucidity. The jagladine experiments you endured were designed to enhance the agility of your race, possibly in ways to enhance any Klaven thralls they intended to craft from your species. However, the experiments did not go entirely as planned. While you now possess more agility than most others of your race, it lasts only for a limited duration. A few times per day, equal to 1 + your Constitution bonus (minimum 2), you can increase your move speed for 1 round by 5 feet. This is a free action.
Klaven Survivor
The klaven are known on many planets as the horrific shocktroops of the jagladine, sent to clear a path for interplanetary domination. Tales of klaven brutality have spread far and wide, and are almost as effective as the klaven themselves at causing panic in the communities they assault. While most know to run when the klaven approach, at one point you found yourself within reach of such a creature due to bravery, poor luck, or foolhardiness. Looking past the horrifically misshapen body modifications imposed by the jagladine on the unfortunate creature, you saw the tortured look of a once sentient being which now only knows pain and hatred. Since then, you’ve felt pity for the klaven, and, while you know they must be destroyed, you are able to defeat them in more gentle ways than most. Whenever you deal nonlethal damage to a klaven creature, you deal an additional 2 points of nonlethal damage.
Patron of the Stars
You come from a culture which revered the stars as holy entities, learning how to meditate upon them and later bless others with the stars’ benefaction. By meditating for 30 minutes under a clear nighttime sky, you may make a Wisdom check against DC 13. If successful, you can add a +1 trait bonus to any single d20 roll in the next 24 hours, but only before the roll is made. Applying this bonus is an immediate action, and you cannot apply it more than once per day, regardless of how many times you meditate under the stars.
Principle of the Stars
You come from a culture which saw the stars and starlight as revealing the flaws in others, and you learned how to call upon them to jinx those who wrong you. By meditating for 30 minutes under a clear nighttime sky, you may make a Wisdom check against DC 13. If successful, you can apply a –1 penalty to any single d20 roll which occurs within 30 feet of you during the next 24 hours, but only before the roll is made. Applying this penalty is an immediate action, and you cannot apply it more than once per day, regardless of how many times you meditate under the stars.
Resilient Peculiarity
Throughout the multiverse various traditions exist for harnessing energy for a wielder’s purpose, whether as arcane magic, divine magic, innate magic (such as spell-like abilities), psionic magic, technology, or other similar effects. Whether born under auspicious stars, experimented upon as a child, or caught in an influx of energy which left you permanently altered, your mind has become particularly resilient to one of these methods. Pick one of the above traditions. Against effects of that type, you receive a +2 trait bonus on Will saving throws.
Ruin Delver
Your home planet held a number of ruins from an ancient, long lost civilization dotting its landscape. At some point, you explored them and, during one such foray, you found a small trinket with curious properties, keeping it with you ever since. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Appraise checks. In addition, you gain a small bauble of your choice worth 100 gp. If sold, the trait bonus on Appraise checks is reduced to +1. Examples of such objects include:
A fist-sized, solid black sphere which can hover up to 6 feet off the ground, but cannot otherwise move. The sphere has a button flush with the curvature that when pressed reveals a small indentation which can hold a tiny object weighing 1 lb. or less.
A small, clear pyramid that houses a smaller black spindle which always points towards a specific, unchangeable star. A cracked mirror which can capture the reflection of the last creature to look at it, holding such an image for up to 8 hours. The GM has the final discretion on what sort of baubles might qualify for this trait.
Seeker of the Stars
You’ve always been drawn to the stars – but one star in particular holds your primary interest. You always know the direction to one single, unchangeable star. When you’ve asked astronomers about it, none have any information on it, and it seems that as far as anyone else can tell, it doesn’t actually exist. Some astronomers have heard the same question from others, and they suspect anyone asking about it are asking about the same one, if it exists. By spending 10 minutes in meditation, you can mentally visualize a star chart for your location, regardless of where you are and the time of day. The star you’re drawn to always appears in this visualization, even if it wouldn’t appear in your current location. In addition, once per day you may cast know direction as a spell-like ability (CL 1st).
Smuggler
You made a name for yourself as a smuggler on your home planet. Whether transporting alcohol, psionically-charged crystals, weapons, or more insidious things, you excelled at hiding objects from those searching for contraband. As such, you’ve learned a number of tricks related to body positioning, loose clothing, and misdirection which aid you in hiding these goods. Sleight of Hand is a class skill for you. In addition, at the beginning of each day, you can select one small object in your possession. You gain a +5 trait bonus on Sleight of Hand checks to hide that object until you choose another object to hide instead.
Stranger In A Strange Land
Unlike many, you are already aware of the larger multiverse and the politics which abound within it. You’ve intentionally traveled to other worlds, and gained exposure to a variety of alien cultures. As a result, Knowledge (local) is always a class skill for you, and you receive a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (local) checks. In addition, you receive no penalties on Knowledge (local) checks to ascertain the rules and peculiarities of any culture you encounter. In addition, your GM may share any additional information with you about the current political situation affecting the Legendary Planet multiverse.
Xenobiologist
You’ve devoured every unusual bestiary you could acquire, and your voracious appetite for such knowledge has better informed your ability to determine facts about unfamiliar creatures, drawing parallels to other beasts you already know. As such, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all Knowledge skill checks to identify creatures and their abilities. In addition, the base DC to identify creatures from a planet other than your own is treated as if you were from the location or planet spawned it. For example, if an auroch is normally a very rare creature on your home planet, but common on the planet Argosa, the Knowledge skill’s DC to identify the auroch would be 10 + its CR.
Xenopidgin
While many people dabble in a wide range of hobbies, you’ve explored a wide range of languages and dialects. When exposed to a new language, you may make a Linguistics check against a DC of 15. If successful, you gain a very rough understanding of the nuances of such conversation. This understanding only amounts to an informed hunch, but is usually enough to give the same level of understanding as a human toddler would be capable.