The Day One Preacher is the person who walks into a Rim colony that has not seen a corporate supply ship in eighteen months and tells them the Nine have not forgotten them. This is usually a lie, but the Preacher makes it true by staying. They carry the creed to worlds that have never heard it, live among the forgotten settlements, and believe that civilisation must be torn down and rebuilt from the dirt. In the Nine's corporatocracy, the Day One Preachers serve a dual purpose: they keep the frontier colonies from turning hostile (cheaper than a Legion garrison), and they propagate a belief system that frames the Fold as judgment and the Nine as the necessary response. A sermon moves a district faster than a permit does. The Preacher speaks, the cell moves, and the ground changes hands before anyone files an objection. The Kadiss grid tracks Preachers through their creed affiliation and the colonies they have visited; a Preacher who converts too many settlements to something the Nine did not approve gets a red flag and a visit from Corp-Security. They operate on the Creed chassis (d8 HD, 3/4 BAB, Fort/Will good, Ref poor) because conviction is their armour. Light and medium equipment. CON is prime because the frontier kills the soft first. Prime requisites: WIS and CON.
Rules Reference
Field
Value
Armor Allowance
Light, Medium
Bab Tier
three-quarters
Base Skill Points
4
Hd
d8
Hd Sides
8
Max Level
20
Primary Abilities
WIS, CON
Prime Requisites
WIS, CON
Save Tiers / Fortitude
good
Save Tiers / Reflex
poor
Save Tiers / Will
good
Weapon Allowance
All rifles, Pistol, Knife, Improvised weapons
Notes
Archetype Niche: The Day One Preacher is the party's spiritual and survival anchor. Frontier Creed provides passive environmental resilience and anti-Kadiss tracking, making the Preacher essential for off-grid operations. Ritual of the Land adapts the party to any environment within 1 hour. Preach the Burn is the signature combat ability -- a sermon that debuffs enemies and buffs allies simultaneously. The Preacher's niche is the frontier itself: they make hostile worlds survivable and turn the Rim's harsh conditions into the party's advantage.
Multiclass Notes: Day One Preachers can multiclass with Chaplain and Survivalist archetypes. Non-humans use simultaneous multiclassing rules.
Level Table
Seeker
Field
Value
bab
0
fortitude
2
level
1
reflex
0
skillPoints
16
title
Seeker
will
2
xp
0
Circuit Rider
Field
Value
bab
1
fortitude
3
level
2
reflex
0
skillPoints
4
title
Circuit Rider
will
3
xp
2000
Preacher
Field
Value
bab
2
fortitude
3
level
3
reflex
1
skillPoints
4
title
Preacher
will
3
xp
4000
Wilderness Pastor
Field
Value
bab
3
fortitude
4
level
4
reflex
1
skillPoints
4
title
Wilderness Pastor
will
4
xp
8000
Day One Preacher
Field
Value
bab
3
fortitude
4
level
5
reflex
1
skillPoints
4
title
Day One Preacher
will
4
xp
16000
Master Preacher
Field
Value
bab
4
fortitude
5
level
6
reflex
2
skillPoints
4
title
Master Preacher
will
5
xp
32000
Grand Preacher
Field
Value
bab
5
fortitude
5
level
7
reflex
2
skillPoints
4
title
Grand Preacher
will
5
xp
64000
Frontier Prophet
Field
Value
bab
6
fortitude
6
level
8
reflex
2
skillPoints
4
title
Frontier Prophet
will
6
xp
125000
High Prophet
Field
Value
bab
6
fortitude
6
level
9
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
High Prophet
will
6
xp
250000
Apostle of the Rim
Field
Value
bab
7
fortitude
7
level
10
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Apostle of the Rim
will
7
xp
500000
High Apostle
Field
Value
bab
8
fortitude
7
level
11
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
High Apostle
will
7
xp
750000
Firebrand
Field
Value
bab
9
fortitude
8
level
12
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
Firebrand
will
8
xp
1000000
High Firebrand
Field
Value
bab
9
fortitude
8
level
13
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
High Firebrand
will
8
xp
1250000
World-Shaper
Field
Value
bab
10
fortitude
9
level
14
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
World-Shaper
will
9
xp
1500000
High World-Shaper
Field
Value
bab
11
fortitude
9
level
15
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
High World-Shaper
will
9
xp
1750000
The Living Creed
Field
Value
bab
12
fortitude
10
level
16
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
The Living Creed
will
10
xp
2000000
High Living Creed
Field
Value
bab
12
fortitude
10
level
17
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
High Living Creed
will
10
xp
2250000
The Burn Incarnate
Field
Value
bab
13
fortitude
11
level
18
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
The Burn Incarnate
will
11
xp
2500000
High Burn Incarnate
Field
Value
bab
14
fortitude
11
level
19
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
High Burn Incarnate
will
11
xp
2750000
Supreme Day One Preacher
Field
Value
bab
15
fortitude
12
level
20
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Supreme Day One Preacher
will
12
xp
3000000
Special Abilities
Frontier Creed
Field
Value
level
1
name
Frontier Creed
description: The Preacher gains Survival, Persuasion, and Off-Grid Adaptation as class skills with a +2 competence bonus. The Preacher's presence provides solace and purpose: allies within 30 feet of the Preacher ignore the first level of exhaustion and gain +2 to saves against environmental hazards in wilderness or frontier settings. The Preacher always knows the phases of local moons and suns, true north, and the approximate distance to the nearest water source, settlement, and Kadiss relay. The Preacher never counts as 'on the grid' for Kadiss tracking purposes -- a useful side effect of spending years in places where the grid does not reach. At level 7, the bonus radius extends to 60 feet. At level 13, allies ignore the first two levels of exhaustion. The creed is not a philosophy; it is a survival protocol dressed in conviction.
Sermon of the Reset
Field
Value
level
1
name
Sermon of the Reset
description: As a standard action, the Preacher delivers a short, sharp burst of creed to one creature within 30 feet. Against an ally, no save: the target gains +2 to their next attack roll, save, or skill check, expiring after 1 round if not used. Against an enemy: Will save (DC = 10 + Preacher level + CHA modifier) or shaken for 1d4 rounds. Once per encounter. Scales with level: the ally bonus increases to +3 at level 4, +4 at level 8, +5 at level 12, +6 at level 16.
Renounce Kadiss
Field
Value
level
2
name
Renounce Kadiss
description: The Day One sacrament of Kadiss renunciation: 10 minutes of ritual (cannot be performed in combat) that takes the Preacher and up to 3 willing creatures off-grid for 24 hours with no off-grid penalties, immune to Kadiss tracking for the duration, +2 to Off-Grid Adaptation and +2 to Streetwise (the unconnected trust the renounced) -- but the targets also lose access to Kadiss services (no rek transactions, no door access, no grid communication) for the duration. Once per day.
Radicalise
Field
Value
level
2
name
Radicalise
description: 10 minutes of uninterrupted conversation (cannot be performed in combat) with one willing or neutral creature within conversation range, forcing a Will save (DC = 10 + Preacher level + CHA modifier; +2 if the target has been wronged by the corporatocracy, +2 if currently suffering, -2 if loyal to an institution, -2 if the target has heard a Preacher's sermon in the last week). On a failed save, the target becomes a Day One adherent for 1 week: +2 to Will saves vs fear, and the target follows the Preacher's reasonable instructions. On a successful save, the target is immune to this Preacher's Radicalise for 1 month. Usable 3 + CHA modifier times per day (minimum 1). Scales with level: duration extends to 2 weeks at level 6, 1 month at level 10; permanent adherence on a failed save (no drift period) at level 14; at level 18, the Preacher can radicalise a hostile creature.
Ritual of the Land
Field
Value
level
3
name
Ritual of the Land
description: The Preacher can perform a 1-hour ritual attuned to the local environment. The ritual provides the Preacher and up to 6 participants with one of the following benefits for 24 hours: resistance 5 to the local dominant environmental hazard (heat, cold, radiation, toxicity), +2 to Survival and Perception checks in that environment, or the ability to find edible food and potable water in any wilderness (no check required). At level 9, the ritual requires only 10 minutes. At level 15, the Preacher can imbue one tool, weapon, or piece of gear with the ritual's blessing (+1 to a relevant check using that item for 24 hours). The ritual is not prayer; it is the accumulated knowledge of a person who has survived on a dozen hostile worlds and learned what each one will kill you with.
Cell Network
Field
Value
level
3
name
Cell Network
description: A downtime feature: 1 week establishes one Day One cell in a location the Preacher has visited. The cell has 2d6 + CHA modifier members (minimum 3), is loyal to the Preacher (shelter, intelligence, reasonable tasks), and has a base security rating of 10 + Preacher level against Legion/PMC/corp security Intelligence checks -- a discovered cell is destroyed (1-2 on 1d6), scattered (3-4, re-established with 1 week downtime), or escapes underground (5-6, auto re-establishes in 1d4 weeks). The Preacher can maintain 1 + CHA modifier cells (minimum 1); cells beyond this limit go independent.
Conviction Aura
Field
Value
level
4
name
Conviction Aura
description: The Preacher projects an aura of reset-creed conviction, radius 30 feet at level 4 growing +10 feet per 2 levels (40 ft at 6, 50 ft at 8, etc.) to a maximum of 100 feet at level 20. All allies within the aura gain a morale bonus to Will saves against fear, despair, and morale-shattering effects: +2 at level 4, +3 at level 6, +4 at level 11, +5 at level 15. Passive, always on. Drops if the Preacher is unconscious, dead, or broken. At level 8, the Preacher and allies within the aura become immune to natural (non-supernatural) fear; at level 14, the immunity extends to supernatural and Fold-induced fear. Does not stack with a Commissar's Standing Orders aura or a Spiritualist's Morale Aura -- the party uses the highest of the three.
Preach the Burn
Field
Value
level
5
name
Preach the Burn
description: Once per encounter, the Preacher can deliver a firebrand sermon as a standard action, targeting all creatures within 60 feet. Enemies who can hear the sermon must succeed on a Will save (DC = 10 + Preacher level + CHA modifier) or be shaken for 1d4 rounds; on a critical failure (fail by 5+), the target is frightened instead. Allies within range gain +2 to attack and damage rolls for 1 minute and become immune to fear for the duration. The sermon can be heard clearly over combat noise. At level 12, the Will save DC increases by 2 and shaken enemies become frightened on a critical failure. At level 18, affected allies gain +4 to attack and damage instead of +2. The Preacher does not ask for belief; the Preacher weaponises conviction.
Firebrand Sermon
Field
Value
level
7
name
Firebrand Sermon
description: Preach the Burn upgrades: as a standard action, the Preacher chooses one mode affecting all creatures within 60 feet. Inspire: as Preach the Burn. Terrorise: all enemies save vs Will (DC = 10 + Preacher level + CHA modifier) or are frightened for 1d4 rounds; allies gain no bonus. Recruit: all neutral or hostile creatures save vs Will or become shaken and lose their next action; on a critical failure, the target becomes a Day One adherent for 1d4 rounds. Once per encounter, one mode per encounter.
Organise the Faithful
Field
Value
level
10
name
Organise the Faithful
description: The Preacher's Cell Network capacity doubles (2 + CHA modifier cells, minimum 2). Cells can communicate across systems via trusted couriers (1d6 days per system jump) and gain +2 to their security rating. Once per month, the Preacher can call a council of all cells (1 week to organise) that coordinates on a single objective (sabotage, recruitment, intelligence, or escape), granting +4 to all relevant checks. Each council carries a cumulative detection chance (10% the first time, 20% the second, 30% the third, etc.); if detected, all cells are compromised and must scatter.
The Burn Incarnate
Field
Value
level
20
name
The Burn Incarnate
description: The Preacher's capstone. The Conviction Aura now also grants all allies within it immunity to Fold-induced fear and +2 to all saving throws against any corporatocracy-originating effect (Kadiss throttling, asset realisation, indenture enforcement). Preach the Burn can be used at will, with no per-encounter limit. Firebrand Sermon's Recruit mode now converts on any failed save, not just a critical failure. Once per session, the Preacher may declare 'Day One': all allies within the Conviction Aura fight as if at full HP for 1 minute regardless of current HP.