ACE PILOT

Return to Home

Return to Advanced Classes

A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force using dedicated operation techniques.

**Requirements**

To qualify to become an **Ace Pilot**, a character must fulfill the following criteria

**Base Attack Bonus:** +4

**Feats:** Light Armor Proficiency, Personal Firearms Proficiency

**Skills:** Survival 5 Ranks

**Class Information**

The following information pertains to the **Ace Pilot** advanced class.

**Hit Die:** The **Ace Pilot** gains 1d2 + the Characters Constitution modifier in Hit Points per level.

**Action Points:** The **Ace Pilot** gains a number of action points equal to 6 + one-half his character level, rounded down, every time he attains a new level in this class.

**Skill Points at Each Level:** 5 + Int modifier.

**Class Features**

The following class features pertain to the **Ace Pilot** advanced class.

**Starship Defense**

At 1st level, the starship ace can add her Defense bonus derived from her starship ace levels to the Defense of any starfighter (for starfighter ace) or space transport (for space transport ace) she’s piloting.

#### **Vehicle Dodge**

Beginning at 2nd level, you apply a dodge bonus to the Defense Class of any Vehicle you Pilot. The dodge bonus is equal to one-half your Class Level, rounded down. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Defense Class also makes you lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses. This bonus only applies to a number of enemy vehicles equal your Dex Mod and must be declared at the begging of each round.

**Familiarity**

The **Ace Pilot** gains a competence bonus on Pilot and Repair checks when used on a starship she designates as familiar. The same bonus is applied to the **Ace Pilot**’s attack roll whenever firing the starship’s weapons. This bonus is +1 at 2nd level and increases by 1 every two levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th).

To designate a starship as familiar, the **Ace Pilot** must have operated it for at least three months. An **Ace Pilot** can only be familiar with one starship at a time.

**Starship Evasion**

At 5th level, the **Ace Pilot** can make a Pilot check to lessen the damage dealt by a successful hit against a starfighter (for **Ace Pilot**) or space transport (for space transport ace) she is piloting. If the Pilot check exceeds the attack roll, the damage dealt to the pilot’s ship is halved (round fractions down, minimum of 1 point of damage). The **Ace Pilot** can make an evasion check once per round.

**Improved Starship Evasion**

At 9th level, the **Ace Pilot**’s starship evasion improves. A successful Pilot check negates all damage suffered by the attack.

#### **Ace Pilot Talent**

At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, 5th, and so on), an Ace Pilot gains an additional Talent. An Ace Pilot may choose a Talent from any of the following Talent Trees (Ace Pilot) they wish, but they must meet the prerequisites (if any) of the chosen Talent. No Talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

# **Expert Pilot Talent Tree**

The Ace Pilot relies on finely honed instincts and years of pilot training to outmaneuver and destroy enemy starships.

#### • • **Blind Spot:** You can fly a Vehicle you Pilot so close to a target at least two sizes larger than your Vehicle that it is difficult for the target to avoid or attack you. You must be adjacent to the target (at Starship Scale) to use this Talent.

As a Swift Action, make an opposed Pilot check against the target. If you succeed, you move into the same space as your target. You move with your target if it moves (assuming your Vehicle has sufficient Speed to keep up), and you must make another opposed Pilot check each round as a Swift Action to stay in its Blind Spot.

As long as you stay in the target's Blind Spot, any attack you make against the target gains a +2 bonus, and the target takes a -2 penalty on attacks made against you.

#### • • **Close Scrape:** Whenever you are Piloting a Vehicle of Colossal Type 3 size or smaller, you may make a Pilot check as a Reaction to turn a Critical Hit into a normal hit. The TN for the Pilot check is equal to the attack roll total of the Critical Hit.

If you are successful, the damage from the attack is not doubled (though it is still considered an automatic hit).

#### • • **Renowned Pilot:** Your reputation as a skilled pilot precedes you and bolsters the resolve of your allies. All allies within 6 squares of a Vehicle you Pilot can reroll one Pilot check, keeping the better of the two results.

Once an ally has used this ability, that same ally cannot gain this Talent's benefit during the same encounter.

# **Gunner Talent Tree**

Many Starship Gunners are skilled both in and out of the cockpit, and are deadly with ranged weapons of any kind.

#### • • **Overcharged Shot:** (*Prerequisite:* Expert Gunner) You know how to overcharge your Vehicle's weapon to produce additional damage. As a Swift Action, you can overcharge your Vehicle's energy weapon and deal +1 die of damage on your next attack in the same turn.

However, your weapon loses 1 die of damage on its subsequent attacks and cannot be overcharged again, until a full round passes without the weapon firing.

#### • • **Synchronized Fire:** (*Prerequisite:* Expert Gunner) Once per encounter, you may ready to fire a single weapon at the same target as an ally, and you coordinate with a single weapon of your ally.

If both attacks hit, you add the damage of the two weapons together before applying the target's Shield Rating or Damage Reduction, and treat it as a single attack for purposes of exceeding the target's Damage Threshold.