Class Flavour Guide

## Atlas class lore:

The class lore on this page is purely to provide suggestions for alternate flavour your character could use. All standard fantasy interpretations of a class are available.

# Flavour options for magical might:

## 1.     Spell slots as power cells

Flavouring spell slots as some form of battery or power cell the wizard keeps on their person. Some casters may even implant them or store them within cybernetics.

## 2.     wands/staffs as tech

Rather than the traditional wooden staff/wand your character might use a more technically advanced device to help cast their spells. An example could be a commlink style device that uses computer code to help shape the wizards spells or datajack ports you plug your wand/staff into. Using the tech for a direct mind to mana interface

## 3.     spells as tech

A spell could be considered a form of magitech and these come in 5 general flavours.

### 3.1    Nanotech

Nanotech based living metal is a fundamental element of cyberware and warforged (why they can benefit from healing spells and similar). But nanotech's advanced enough to be able to used in more direct applications. Healing spells, disintegration, mending or illusions could all be applications of magically enhanced nanites

### 3.2    Alchemistry

Chemistry can be a strange science at the best of times. With the introduction of magic and the possibilities it provides for forcefully regulating reactions conditions, merging substances (think casting mending on chemicals as you mix them [yes I know that's not technically how the spell works]), or simply skipping certain logical steps chemistry can get a lot stranger. A wizard might premix (or do it on the spot) chemicals to create concoctions that cause spell effects when they introduce magic

### 3.3    mechatronics

The art of making robots of all kinds. An unseen servant could simply be an advanced energy construct and summon fey could bring a fey mind in to pilot a mechatronic body

### 3.4    cybernetics

Most applicable to spells like shield of cantrips. Maybe your wizard has a forcefield generator grafted to his spine and fuelled by their magic (or external, or perhaps implanted power cores). An example could also be a cybernetic hand with the 'thorn whip' spell built in

### 3.5    gene-coding

Spells like haste or Longstrider which affect creatures could function via temporarily editing the code that defines how organic beings work to push them beyond their limits. Alternately in the case of spells like sickening radiance, or bestow curse, introduce escalating diseases. Hold person or petrification could also be example of this introducing a rapid ossification or bone growth within the target immobilising them.

### 4.     Rifts

Magical energy in the world of atlas is sourced from rifts that lead to the various planes so spells like fireball, ice knife, burning hands, circle of death, or tidal wave might function by tearing open a microscopic rift to the appropriate planes and channelling their effects. Misty step, dimension door, or thunder step could also use flavour like this

# Flavour options for martial might:

## 1.     Vibroweapons

Rapidly vibrating on a microscopic scale this style of weapons is excellent at rending apart energy-based defences. The motion disrupting the coherence of defensive fields. Paired with the best modern material science can offer weapons made with this technology are capable of sheering through even military grade body armour to injure their wearers.

## 2.     Impact amplifiers

You are constantly surrounded by dimensions beyond count, some intersecting with ours. Impact amplifiers borrow momentum from echoes of yourself. Allowing modern bludgeoning weapons to hit with a bone shattering impact capable of inflicting injuries through even the heaviest of armours.

### 3.     Lyte weapons

Harnessing a mix of plasma and coherent light into the shape of a weapon these tools aim to burn through any opposition. Overwhelming defensive measures through raw application of energy.

## Extra attacks:

Additional attacks and similar feats of physical might are a core part of martial classes. The following options present suggestions for how your character might achieve these beyond the norm feats.

## 1.     Cybernetics

Embrace the machine and overcome your limits. The flesh of mortals is weak and fallible. By replacing your body parts with cybernetics, you can reach beyond your previous limits and achieve far more. Cybernetics make excellent flavour justifications for stat increases, sudden jumps in character ability (such as suddenly being able to attack twice as much in the same time span) or physically focused feats.

## 2.     Drugs

Dosing yourself with experimental and possibly magical concoctions of chemicals has a long tradition, a tradition many Atlas mercenaries uphold. Whether you’re accelerating your reaction speed, slowing your subjective experience of time, or simply pumping up your muscles designer and off the shelf drugs are an excellent method for your character to achieve this.

## 3.     Gene-mods

The bucketheads will tell you the flesh is weak and should be replaced with chrome and nanites but you disagree. Evolution is a random and inefficient process, one that can be improved on. Using advanced medical treatments, you modify and enhance your body strengthening bone, tensioning muscle and enhancing nerve ends. Some even enhance their inherent connections the planes channelling extra planar energies into themselves to bring their blood and flesh to the next stage.

# Defensive measures

Armour and shields are a central part of any DnD game. The following is a list of suggestion for how your characters defensive gear might hold up to the dangerous life of a space merc.

## 1.     Phase weave

Tapping into the dimensions that overlap our reality Phase weave disperses incoming energy to provide some defensive utility while minimising weight. This material works best when blows come in at just the right angles so they can slide along it’s surface.

## 2.     Impact dampeners

A common element of hard-shelled armours. Impact dampeners feed on incoming kinetic energy charging up internal reservoirs that are then vented, most commonly in the form of light or heat.

## 3.     Advanced composite materials

ACM armour uses the best components modern material science can offer to create supernaturally tough armour. Mundane and reliable this is a popular choice for police forces and armies the systems over.

## 4.     Force Shields

Layers of mana conductive material are built up on the exterior of stiff armour pieces. The introduction of flows of energy creates a hard shell of energy around the surface serving as an excellent method of deflection. Able to regenerate from damage and keep harmful substances away from the delicate parts of the armour this is a popular armouring method though it’s not always used. As a prepared opponent can exploit inconsistencies in the fields coherence to slip a blow through.

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# Miscellaneous elements:

## Psychic Powers:

While standard psychic powers are available in the setting you may wish to flavour physically focused powers such as telekinesis or forcefields as a result of advanced technology. In this case your character is most likely utilising NFPS, Nanite Force Projection Systems. NFP systems work by releasing a manipulating clouds of nanites which conduct energy between them. Creating an effect similar to that of force shields built on solid plates. However, the malleable nature of the cloud allows the constructs to be manipulated and used to in a variety of creative manners.