Nov 19, 2021 9:55 pm
Feats are special abilities or enhancements to existing abilities and are powerful tools for becoming highly proficient at specific tasks. They have not rank or grade as I character either has them or does not.
Feats are provided at certain levels (see Table 1.3 Level Dependent Benefits in the Spycraft 2.0 Core Rulebook), Origin, or as class bonuses.
Let's first address any feats provided by her Origin. Operative provides a bonus Tradecraft feat. Had it been listed as a specific Tradecraft feat then any and all prerequisites would have been waived but as it is listed as 'Any Tradecraft Feat' then the prerequisites must be met. Those eligible feats are as follows:
Breaking Points, Bug Basics, Candidate, and Hold Out.
Breaking Points and Hold Out pertain provide advantages to the Brainwash and Interrogation - Dramatic Conflicts (a unique multi-roll 'skill test' similar to Complex Tests in your standard d20 games). While they are certainly powerful feats providing nice bonuses in those two very different challenges, those both rely heavily on Manipulate, Resolve, and Intimidate skills that my character does not have so I would not be maximizing these Feats potential.
Breaking Points, Bug Basics, Candidate, and Hold Out.
Of the two remaining Candidate seems the most attractive for my concept - more of a kinetic operative than an observative one so while the bonuses provided are very cool, receiving a bonus Bug as a possession and providing bonuses to planting and concealing bugs is not quite the concept I was going for.
Candidate also increases my lowest (2) attributes by +1 - a nice bonus.
Revised Attributes
Strength - 11 (2pts) +0
Dexterity - 14 (8 pts) +2
Constitution - 13 (6 pts) +1
Intelligence - 14 (8 pts) +2
Wisdom - 14 (8 pts) +2
Charisma - 13 (4 pts) +1
Next, I will select the Feat provided at Career Level 1. This is another area where I think new players can become a bit overwhelmed with the amount of choice provided. Like Origin my only suggestion would be to peruse those categories that fit the concept, but if you come across a Feat that sounds interesting then file it away OR as before begin at Step 0 with this new Feat and concept in mind.
Having played/ran this game over the years I have come to a small group of Feats that are my 'go too' at first level relying on my Class selection to provide those Feats that will be helpful and most useful to my concept with my 'go too' Feats attempting to maximize my limited resources that may not be available to the class I've selected (or any class for that matter).
In this case I am going to select the Feat Talented that provides the following:
Choose 1 Basic Skill feat (whether you possess it or not). Each skill covered by the chosen feat is always a class skill for you, and each time you purchase 1 rank with one of them, you also gain 1 rank with the other (not to exceed your maximum skill rank for either skill). Further, your result cap with each skill covered by the chosen feat increases by 5.
The Basic Skill Feats offer a bunch of cool paired skills and bonuses with those skills and I already had one in mind when I began to craft my 'diplomat's kid' and well traveled counter-terrorist agent.
World traveler
You’ve been to far away places — and bought the T-shirt!
Benefit: You gain a +2 insight bonus with all skill and Knowledge checks made with Blend and Cultures. Further, your base threat range with these skills becomes 19–20.
Notice that my Origin provided me with a number of Focuses in the Cultures skill yet Intruder does not have Cultures as a Class Skill. Meaning that if I wanted to add any more Focuses or Fortes that I would have to spend the extra skill point per rank to acquire it as a Cross Skill. With the Talented - World Traveler Feat, Cultures is now considered a Class Skill and because I have (4) ranks in Blend I now also have (4) ranks in Cultures.
All at rank (4) - Acrobatics, Athletics, Blend, Bluff, Cultures, Notice, Search, Security, Sleight of Hand, Sneak, and Streetwise.
Now back to Focus Skills for a moment. The character gains one additional focus for every 4 ranks he purchases in each parent focus skill. With (4) ranks now in Cultures I can select an additional Focus or Forte. Rather than add an additional Focus region with her Focus in Western Asia I am going to add a Forte (Afghanistan) a country that has been a hotbed of the Global War on Terror for 20 years.
Those are the only to opportunities for acquiring Feats until Career Level 3 where I receive one for that Level and should I remain in Intruder will receive a Bonus Feat from Class.
Feats are provided at certain levels (see Table 1.3 Level Dependent Benefits in the Spycraft 2.0 Core Rulebook), Origin, or as class bonuses.
Let's first address any feats provided by her Origin. Operative provides a bonus Tradecraft feat. Had it been listed as a specific Tradecraft feat then any and all prerequisites would have been waived but as it is listed as 'Any Tradecraft Feat' then the prerequisites must be met. Those eligible feats are as follows:
Breaking Points, Bug Basics, Candidate, and Hold Out.
Breaking Points and Hold Out pertain provide advantages to the Brainwash and Interrogation - Dramatic Conflicts (a unique multi-roll 'skill test' similar to Complex Tests in your standard d20 games). While they are certainly powerful feats providing nice bonuses in those two very different challenges, those both rely heavily on Manipulate, Resolve, and Intimidate skills that my character does not have so I would not be maximizing these Feats potential.
Breaking Points, Bug Basics, Candidate, and Hold Out.
Of the two remaining Candidate seems the most attractive for my concept - more of a kinetic operative than an observative one so while the bonuses provided are very cool, receiving a bonus Bug as a possession and providing bonuses to planting and concealing bugs is not quite the concept I was going for.
Candidate also increases my lowest (2) attributes by +1 - a nice bonus.
Revised Attributes
Strength - 11 (2pts) +0
Dexterity - 14 (8 pts) +2
Constitution - 13 (6 pts) +1
Intelligence - 14 (8 pts) +2
Wisdom - 14 (8 pts) +2
Charisma - 13 (4 pts) +1
Next, I will select the Feat provided at Career Level 1. This is another area where I think new players can become a bit overwhelmed with the amount of choice provided. Like Origin my only suggestion would be to peruse those categories that fit the concept, but if you come across a Feat that sounds interesting then file it away OR as before begin at Step 0 with this new Feat and concept in mind.
Having played/ran this game over the years I have come to a small group of Feats that are my 'go too' at first level relying on my Class selection to provide those Feats that will be helpful and most useful to my concept with my 'go too' Feats attempting to maximize my limited resources that may not be available to the class I've selected (or any class for that matter).
In this case I am going to select the Feat Talented that provides the following:
Choose 1 Basic Skill feat (whether you possess it or not). Each skill covered by the chosen feat is always a class skill for you, and each time you purchase 1 rank with one of them, you also gain 1 rank with the other (not to exceed your maximum skill rank for either skill). Further, your result cap with each skill covered by the chosen feat increases by 5.
The Basic Skill Feats offer a bunch of cool paired skills and bonuses with those skills and I already had one in mind when I began to craft my 'diplomat's kid' and well traveled counter-terrorist agent.
World traveler
You’ve been to far away places — and bought the T-shirt!
Benefit: You gain a +2 insight bonus with all skill and Knowledge checks made with Blend and Cultures. Further, your base threat range with these skills becomes 19–20.
Notice that my Origin provided me with a number of Focuses in the Cultures skill yet Intruder does not have Cultures as a Class Skill. Meaning that if I wanted to add any more Focuses or Fortes that I would have to spend the extra skill point per rank to acquire it as a Cross Skill. With the Talented - World Traveler Feat, Cultures is now considered a Class Skill and because I have (4) ranks in Blend I now also have (4) ranks in Cultures.
All at rank (4) - Acrobatics, Athletics, Blend, Bluff, Cultures, Notice, Search, Security, Sleight of Hand, Sneak, and Streetwise.
Now back to Focus Skills for a moment. The character gains one additional focus for every 4 ranks he purchases in each parent focus skill. With (4) ranks now in Cultures I can select an additional Focus or Forte. Rather than add an additional Focus region with her Focus in Western Asia I am going to add a Forte (Afghanistan) a country that has been a hotbed of the Global War on Terror for 20 years.
Those are the only to opportunities for acquiring Feats until Career Level 3 where I receive one for that Level and should I remain in Intruder will receive a Bonus Feat from Class.