Vanguard

The **Vanguard** Class is an upcoming WIP. The Vanguard specializes in the use of custom Power Armour, along with the construction of said armour.

## Class Traits

### Health

**Hit Dice**: 1d4 per Vanguard Level

**Armour Hit Dice**: 1d10 per Vanguard Level

### Proficiencies

**Armor**: Light, Medium, Heavy and Vanguard

**Weapons**: Light and Medium

**Tools**: Smith's Tools, Electrical Tools, Hacker's Tools and one of your choice.

**Saving Throws**: Intelligence

**Attack DC**: 8 + your Proficiency Modifier + your Intelligence Modifier

### Starting Equipment

* Civilian Clothing
* Vanguard Armour Frame
* 9mm Pistol or .357 Revolver
* 40 Rounds of Pistol Ammo or 30 Rounds of Heavy Pistol Ammo
* Simple or Martial Melee Weapon
* 4d4 x 10 Atlas Dollars

## 1st Level

### Vanguard Armour

The most important part of the Vanguard Class is the special set of Power Armour you create. At 1st Level, you build your first frame of Vanguard Armour.

Vanguard Armour operates like extra Hit Points to the user, and grants them extra abilities and weaknesses while in the armour. You can don Vanguard Armour in one minute, and doff it in 30 seconds.

* Vanguards can wield Heavy Weapons while in their armour.
* Vanguard Armour grants the user Advantage on Strength Checks and Saves.
* Vanguard Armour is not *Immune* to **Magnetic** Damage.

When you take a Level in this Class, your Vanguard Armour also rolls for a Hit Point Increase, adding your Intelligence Modifier to the roll instead of your Constitution.

If a set of Vanguard Armour is destroyed, it must be rebuilt at the Pilot's Cost. Each Class has a general cost price for rebuilding that takes into account your Vanguard Level and Frame Class.

* Basic Vanguard Frames cost $1000 to build at 1st Level, and $1500 at 2nd.
* Joule Vanguard Frames cost $2000 to build, plus $200 per additional level in this Class.
* Ohmic Vanguard Frames cost $3000 to build, plus $300 per additional level in this Class.
* Zeus Vanguard Frames cost $5000 to build, plus $500 per additional level in this Class.

### Vanguard Augments

Your entire body has been augmented with a network of augmentations that allow you to interface with your Vanguard Armour. You are very much connected to machines, to the point where you now share their weaknesses. You have Resistance II to **Magnetic** Damage (which you are *not immune to*), and gain Proficiency in Computers.

### Mechanic on Duty

Armour is built to take the damage for the wearer, and Vanguard Armour takes a lot of damage. You can perform repairs on it with your Smith's Tools.

* You can repair the Vanguard Armour for an amount equal to half of its Maximum Hit Points over a Short Rest.
* You can fully repair the Vanguard Armour over a Long Rest, provided no major parts are missing.

### Suit Class

At 1st Level you specialize your first set of Vanguard Armour into one of three categories:

* Joule Class
* Ohmic Class
* Zeus Class

## 2nd Level

### Vanguard Upgrades

You have learned how to upgrade your Vanguard Armour to increase your combat effectiveness. You gain 2 Vanguard Upgrades, and can gain more with additional levels you take in this class.

### Expert Machinist

You are, with one possible exception, the smartest and most resourceful technician around.

You gain Expertise in one Tool and one Skill you currently have Proficiency with.

## 4th Level

### Ability Score Improvement

As 5e. Feats are available to take instead as per usual. You gain this ability again at 8th,12th,16th and 19th Level.

## 7th Level

### A Fine Addition to the Collection

You may now create a *second set* of Vanguard Armour. This set can be any of the three categories, and you may apply your choice of Vanguard Upgrades to this set also.

**Important Note: Your Vanguard Upgrade Points are refreshed when you use them on this new suit, so a Vanguard with access to 5 Vanguard Upgrades can spend 5 on each suit as opposed to 2 on one and 3 on another.**

## 9th Level

### Wingman

You install an AI Companion into your Vanguard's Systems. When you do this, you can choose the name and personality of the AI. The AI is a DM-Controlled NPC who remains loyal to the Vanguard Pilot indefinitely.

The AI is able to utilize armour functions, and has its own turn at your Initiative minus 10. It has a single Action, which it can use to activate one of your Vanguard Upgrades or make a Skill Check. It cannot control your arms or legs, so it cannot fire your main weapon, but it can utilize a turret and similar free aiming effects. It's to-hit chance is equal to your Proficiency Bonus plus its Wisdom Modifier plus 1.

It has the following mental stats:

* Int: 12 (+1)
* Wis: 14 (+2)
* Cha: 6 (-2)

And has proficiency (bonus is equal to your own modifier) in the following skills:

* Computers
* Engineering
* Perception
* Science

## 13th Level

### AI Partner

Your AI has evolved from a simple program into a true artificial intelligence. While this would scare most sci-fi writers, you are a bit better at writing programs than your average hack protagonist in a sci-fi horror.

Your AI Companion now has the following mental stats:

* Int: 16 (+3)
* Wis: 16 (+3)
* Cha: 12 (+1)

Additionally, your AI Companion is now far more emotive, and may disagree with you on certain actions. It is still unable to disobey you however.

It now has Expertise in Science and Perception. It can now make **two attacks** with attatched turrets as opposed to one.

## 15th Level

### The Triumvirate of Mechs

You may now create a *third set* of Vanguard Armour. The same rules apply as the second set you gained at 7th Level.

## 20th Level

### Brothers in Circuits

Your AI Companion can now utilize your suit without you inside. It can now boot armour systems and maintain them without the Vanguard Pilot connected for up to an hour. It can utilize the Vanguard Armour without the Vanguard Pilot on its turn to the same extent as if there were a proper Vanguard Pilot in control.

## Vanguard Upgrades

*Joule Class Vanguards can only support one shoulder weapon, while Ohmic Class can support two and Zeus Class can support four.*

### Arm Laser

You add a powerful cannon to the arm of your Vanguard Armour.

* Range: 120/240
* Damage: 1d12 + Str or Dex **Fire** Damage.
* You gain an Extra Attack with this weapon at 5th Level, 11th Level and 17th Level.
* No Ammunition Required.

### Night Vision

You gain an additional 120ft of Darkvision while in your Vanguard Armour.

### Shoulder Turret

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class*

Adds a light automatic turret to the shoulder of your Vanguard Armour. It shares a statblock with the 5.56 LMG, and can make a single attack roll as a Bonus Action against any enemy within Range. Reloading this weapon only takes a Bonus Action as it has reloading servos.

### Shoulder-Mounted Grenade Launcher

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class and Requires 9th Level*

Adds a powerful Grenade Launcher mounted on a shoulder of your Vanguard Armour. This Launcher can propel a Grenade up to 60ft and increases the Grenade's Radius by 5ft. It can be fired as a Bonus Action, but must be loaded as a Bonus Action after use.

### Active Camo

*Restricted to Joule Class and Requires 5th Level*

As an Action, you can make yourself *Invisible* for one minute. If you make an attack during this time, you visibly flash out of your cloak and are not *Invisible* until the start of your next turn. You can do this a number of times equal to your Proficiency Modifier per Short Rest.

### Shoulder Laser

Adds a small Laser Blaster to the shoulder of your Vanguard Armour. It shares a statblock with the Laser Pistol, and can be fired as a Bonus Action. It has one difference to the Laser Pistol in that it does not need to be reloaded, while it still does consume Energy Cells.

### Metaenium Plating

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class and Requires 7th Level*

You plate your armour with the extremely durable alloy known as Metaenium. This shining golden-hued alloy is near impossible to miss, and grants the following benefits:

* All Critical Damage against you is reduced to normal damage.
* Your Vanguard Armour has Resistance II to **Fire** Damage, and cannot gain the *Burning* Condition*.*
* You also lose 5ft of Movement Speed, as Metaenium is quite heavy.

### Boosted Servos

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class and Requires 5th Level*

You upgrade the mechanical aspects of your Armour, allowing you to move at an advanced speed. You gain an additional 5ft of Movement Speed.

### Metaenium Internal Structures

*Requires 5th Level*

You modify the central skeleton of your Vanguard Armour with the Superalloy Metaenium. Your Armour gains an additional +1 Hit Point per Level Up, and an additional +1 per Level you've gained so far.

### Overdrive Mode

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class and Requires 3rd Level*

You modify the power core of your suit to allow you to move significantly quicker for a short period of time. Once per Short Rest, you can activate Overdrive. Overdrive increases your Dexterity to 24 (+7) for a number of rounds equal to your Proficiency Modifier. It also increases your Movement Speed by 10ft. When Overdrive disengages, your Movement Speed is reduced to 0 until the end of your next turn.

### Boost Jump

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class*

You add a large booster to your Vanguard Armour, allowing you to vertically jump up to 40ft in the air. You can control how high you jump, but you still take Fall Damage if you jump too high and land too hard. **Do remember that Vanguard Armour is extremely heavy.**

### Combat Platform

*Restricted to Zeus Class*

You add a Combat Platform to the back of your armour, occupying the back two tiles of your Vanguard Armour on the battlemap. Allies can ride on this platform, and have Half Cover against enemies in front of you. If an Ally has Hacker's Tools, they can utilize your Turrets on their turn.

### Jetpack

*Restricted to Joule Class and Requires 9th Level*

You add a Jetpack to your Vanguard Armour, allowing you to fly for an extended period of time. You can use an Action to gain a 60ft Flying Speed, and can fly for up to ten minutes before you need to land to recharge your turbines. Recharging after flight takes a Short Rest.

### Arm Boosters

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class and Requires 6th Level*

You install several boosters on the arms of your Armour that allow you to make swifter attacks in combat. You may make a second Strike when you take the Attack Action.

### Vector Thrusters

*Restricted to Joule Class and Requires 11th Level*

You add Plasma-Powered Boosters to your Vanguard Armour that allow you to move far more effectively. Your Reaction Dash Ability can now move you 15ft as opposed to 5ft.

### Enhanced Armour Programming

You gain Proficiency in Athletics and one other Skill of your choice. If you already have Proficiency in Athletics, you gain Expertise.

### Upgraded Boot Systems

*Restricted to Zeus Class*

You can now attempt to don your Vanguard Armour as an Action, bypassing all boot programmes. You must roll on a d100, and the following result will apply until you take the time to fix it:

 31-50
 51-70
 71-100

### Arm Laser Tuning

*Requires the Arm Laser Upgrade*

You put more engineering into your Arm Laser, and can apply one of the following upgrades to it.

* **Frequency Booster-** Increase the Range to 300/600.
* **Energy Overflow-** You can choose to push your targets back 10ft on hit.
* **Electrolaser-** You can choose to slow the target by 10ft on hit. This attack changes the damage type to **Lightning.**
* **Magnetic Grasp-** You can choose to pull your targets 10ft closer on hit. This deals an extra 1d8 **Magnetic** Damage.
* **Megapulse-** You can expend 50 Energy Cells to create a 20ft Radius explosion centered on your target. All characters within the affected area must make a Dex Save against your Attack DC, taking 8d6 **Fire** Damage or half on a success. You can only do this once per turn.

You may take this upgrade more than once.

### Translation Helmet

Your Vanguard Armour helmet automatically translates all languages to one you specify, as well as filtering all visual outputs of other languages to instead read the same in your specified language.

### Energy Shield

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class*

You build in an Energy Shield into your armour. As a Bonus Action, you can activate the shield to gain Temporary Hit Points equal to 1d10 plus your Intelligence Modifier.

### Aquatic Armour

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class*

You upgrade your Vanguard Armour to work in underwater and airless environments. While within your armour, you have 1 hour of breathable air and your Movement Speed is not slowed by being covered in water. You still automatically sink, as Vanguard Armour *does not float*.

### Vital-Point Targeting

*Requires 13th Level*

When you hit with a weapon attack on your turn, you may also add your Intelligence Modifier to the Damage.

### Holographic Disguise Matrix

*Restricted to Joule Class*

As an Action, you can project a holographic disguise around your Vanguard Armour. If investigated, a character can detect the hologram if they roll an Investigation Check higher than your Attack DC.

### Hologram Projector

*Restricted to Joule Class*

As an Action, you can project an image no larger than a 15ft cube. As with the Disguise Matrix, the image can be investigated and detected.

### Cryobarrier

*Restricted to Ohmic Class*

As a Reaction, you can fire off a series of Cryo Explosives around you, freezing yourself and anyone within 5ft of you in a block of solid ice until the end of your next turn. While within the ice, all of the frozen occupants share a Temporary Hit Point Pool equal to 10 x your Vanguard Level. While in this state, every occupant has Vulnerability II to **Fire** Damage. When the ice melts, everyone within the radius gains the *Wet* Condition. You can do this once per Short Rest.

### Heat Stars

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class*

As an Attack action, you can throw a shuriken-like object covered in thermite. Uncovered creatures and flamable objects within a 5-foot radius burst into flame, giving the *Burning* condition and dealing 2d4 **Fire** Damage. It ignores up to Fire Resistance II but does not impose Vulnerability.

### Reactor Purge

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class and Requires 5th Level*

As an Action, you can open the casing of your armour's reactor core, dousing a 20ft radius in potent radiation (yourself included). It deals 4d6 **Necrotic** Damage and 4d6 **Fire** Damage, with a Dexterity Save with a DC equal your Attack DC. You automatically succeed this Save. You can only do this once per Short Rest, and you need to spend time over your Short Rest repairing your Reactor.

### Radiation Shielding

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class*

You gain Resistance III to **Necrotic** Damage and you have Advantage on Saves made against Radiation Poisoning.

### Tracker Rockets

*Restricted to Ohmic and Zeus Class*

You add a multi-barrel rocket launcher to the shoulder of your Vanguard Armour. You can fire custom rockets from the launcher that deal 1d4 + 1 **Fire** Damage each, but are an auto-hit as they possess rudimentary targeting systems. You can choose exactly where each rocket hits. When you take the Attack Action, you can instead choose to fire off a number of these rockets equal to one plus your Proficiency Modifier. Constructing a rocket requires $20.

Tracker Rockets can only be blocked/dodged by the following abilities. Using them causes the Rockets to miss without any roll needed.

* Professional's Matrix Dodge Style Move
* Spec Ops' Elusive Dodge Ability
* The Defensive Combatant Feat
* The Metahuman's Lightning Reflexes Ability

### Repair Subsystems

*Restricted to Zeus Class and Requires 13th Level*

You add a subsystem to your Vanguard Armour that detects Armour Damage and attempts to repair it.

While your Vanguard Armour is below half of its Hit Points, it regains 5 + your Intelligence Modifier Hit Points at the start of your turn. If your Armour takes **Magnetic** Damage before the start of your turn, it is unable to heal on that turn as the repairs are interrupted.

### Power Weapon

*Restricted to Ohmic Class and Requires 5th Level*

You gain the ability to augment Melee Weapons to become Power Weapons. When you augment a Melee Weapon, it becomes a Power Weapon that charges from your Vanguard Armour. If disconnected, the battery lasts for one hour.

When you take this upgrade, you may modify your Melee Weapon over a Long Rest to become a Power Weapon (as long as you have available tools and materials). You may only have three Power Weapons active at a time. When you make a weapon a Power Weapon, you may choose one of three styles below:

* **Flaming Weapon**- Your Melee Weapon deals an additional 1d8 **Fire** Damage. This increases to 2d8 **Fire** at 9th Level and 3d8 **Fire** at 15th Level.
* **Charged Weapon**- Your Melee Weapon deals an additional 1d6 **Lightning** Damage and has an additional +1 to Hit. This increases to 2d6 **Lightning** at 9th Level and 3d6 **Lightning** at 15th Level.
* **Magnetized Weapon**- Your Melee Weapon deals an additional 1d10 **Magnetic** Damage and has an additional +1 to Hit. This increases to 2d10 **Magnetic** and +2 to Hit at 9th Level and 3d10 **Magnetic** and +3 to Hit at 15th Level.

### Thrust Pack

*Restricted to Joule Class*

You gain access to the Professional's Wall Running style move. You may also make a 10ft jump before or after Wall Running.

As an action, you can reroute power from other sub-systems to the Thrust Pack, either doubling your jump height or adding an additional 15ft of movement for 1 minute. This can be used up to 1 + your Dexterity Modifier.

### The Last Hand

*Requires 18th Level*

Everyone's hands are all in, the chips are down, and the truth is, the game was rigged from the start.

Using your entire turn, you flood your Vanguard with electricity, activating all offensive systems at once. Your AI forgoes it's turn to assist you in activating all of your installed weaponry. While this ability is active, during your turn, you may make an attack with all of your installed armaments. This effect lasts for 1 minute, and once the duration expires, all electrical circuits within the Vanguard are short-circuited and must be replaced.

### Backup Systems

*Restricted to Joule and Ohmic Class and* *Reqires 9th Level*

When your Vanguard Armour is reduced to 0 Hit Points, you can remain inside and continue fighting. Your Movement Speed is equal to 5ft x your Strength Modifier, to a minimum of 5ft. If you are forced to make Death Saving Throws in your Vanguard Armour, you may reroll your first failed save before it is locked out. Rolling a 1 on the d20 is no longer a Critical Failure on Death Saves.

### Overclock

*Requires 18th Level*

Pros do it, programmers do it, hell even simp streamers do it. Time to overclock vital equipment.

You replace the servos in your vanguard with custom made variants, leaving open the option to essentially 'overclock' them. Your movement systems surge, doubling your movement speed, and on it's turn, your AI hijacks your finger servos, allowing it to make attacks with your primary weapon equal to your own. You can use this equal to your dexterity modifier before you must replace your servos, this can be circumvented by repairing them over a long rest in a workshop.

### Emergency Exit

*Restricted to Zeus Class and Requires 9th Level*

When things are getting dicey, you can always count on your Zeus. As a Reaction, you can choose to fire your Zeus' Ejection Thrusters and fire the cockpit of the Armour away from the chassis. You are propelled 60ft away from your Armour whilst inside the cockpit, and your Armour is reduced to 0 Hit Points until you spend at least a Short Rest to restore Hit Points. It requires an Action to leave the cockpit once it has been ejected. You can utilize this ability immediately upon being dropped to 0 Hit Points as long as you have your Reaction.

### Phase 2 Deployment

*Restricted to Zeus Class and Requires 15th Level, Emergency Exit and at least one Joule Class Armour Set.*

You've learned over time that you are vulnerable when not in armour. While your Zeus is powerful, it can quickly become a target in a shoddy situation. Luckily, you can now store one of your Joule Class Armours within the Zeus. You can drop it from the Zeus with a Bonus Action normally, but if you are forced to use your *Emergency Exit* ability then it is automatically deployed within 5ft of where your cockpit lands. You may then enter it and rejoin the fight.