The Survivalist does not explore. Exploration implies maps, objectives, return dates. The Survivalist endures. The Survivalist is the person dropped on a death world with a knife and a canteen who walks out three months later, leaner and quieter, carrying the bones of the expedition that came before. The Survivalist does not conquer environments. The Survivalist outlasts them.
Asset Realisation books the Survivalist as "environmental asset -- unrated." The corps have rating scales for hazard tolerance: Class 1 (habitable), Class 2 (hostile -- requires gear), Class 3 ( unsurvivable -- do not deploy). The Survivalist operates in Class 3 environments without noticing the classification. The corps tried to study Survivalists once -- ran tests, took biopsies, measured stress responses. The tests were inconclusive. The Survivalists walked out of the lab and back into the wastes, and the corps stopped asking questions.
The Survivalist's body has adapted through sheer repetition: starvation, dehydration, exposure, injury, repeat. The Survivalist needs less food, less water, less sleep. The Survivalist's metabolism slows on command. The Survivalist's wounds clot faster. The Survivalist finds water in Deserts, shelter in salt flats, food in places the corps' survey drones classified as sterile. The Survivalist is not genetically modified. The Survivalist is simply the person who survived long enough for survival to become instinct.
Operating on the Combat/Edge chassis (d10 HD, full BAB, Fort/Ref good, Will poor, 4 SP). Light armour -- weight kills in the wastes. Practical, reliable weapons -- rifles, pistol, knife, anything that can be improvised. Prime requisites: CON (the body) and WIS (the instinct that keeps the body alive).
Rules Reference
Field
Value
Armor Allowance
Light
Bab Tier
full
Base Skill Points
4
Hd
d10
Hd Sides
10
Max Level
20
Multiclass Notes
Survivalists can multiclass with Scout and Ranger Scout archetypes. Non-humans use simultaneous multiclassing rules.
Primary Abilities
CON, WIS
Prime Requisites
CON, WIS
Save Tiers / Fortitude
good
Save Tiers / Reflex
good
Save Tiers / Will
poor
Weapon Allowance
All rifles and long-arms, Pistol, Knife, Improvised weapons
Notes
Archetype Niche: The Survivalist is the party's insurance policy. Scavenge turns any environment into a supply depot -- food, water, ammo, medical supplies, all found where other classes see only barren rock. Endurance makes the Survivalist the last character standing in attrition-based scenarios (forced marches, starvation, exposure). Makeshift Fortification provides on-demand defensive positions that turn any clearing into a bunker. The Survivalist's niche is attrition-proofing the party: they cannot be starved out, frozen out, or worn down.
Level Table
Scavenger
Field
Value
bab
1
fortitude
2
level
1
reflex
2
skillPoints
16
title
Scavenger
will
0
xp
0
Endurer
Field
Value
bab
2
fortitude
3
level
2
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Endurer
will
0
xp
2250
Survivalist
Field
Value
bab
3
fortitude
3
level
3
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Survivalist
will
1
xp
4500
Hard-Case
Field
Value
bab
4
fortitude
4
level
4
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
Hard-Case
will
1
xp
9000
Desert Walker
Field
Value
bab
5
fortitude
4
level
5
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
Desert Walker
will
1
xp
18000
Wastes Walker
Field
Value
bab
6
fortitude
5
level
6
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
Wastes Walker
will
2
xp
36000
Iron Survivor
Field
Value
bab
7
fortitude
5
level
7
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
Iron Survivor
will
2
xp
75000
Master Survivalist
Field
Value
bab
8
fortitude
6
level
8
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Master Survivalist
will
2
xp
150000
Void Survivor
Field
Value
bab
9
fortitude
6
level
9
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Void Survivor
will
3
xp
300000
High Void Survivor
Field
Value
bab
10
fortitude
7
level
10
reflex
7
skillPoints
4
title
High Void Survivor
will
3
xp
600000
Death-World Walker
Field
Value
bab
11
fortitude
7
level
11
reflex
7
skillPoints
4
title
Death-World Walker
will
3
xp
900000
High Death-Walker
Field
Value
bab
12
fortitude
8
level
12
reflex
8
skillPoints
4
title
High Death-Walker
will
4
xp
1200000
Iron Ghost
Field
Value
bab
13
fortitude
8
level
13
reflex
8
skillPoints
4
title
Iron Ghost
will
4
xp
1500000
High Iron Ghost
Field
Value
bab
14
fortitude
9
level
14
reflex
9
skillPoints
4
title
High Iron Ghost
will
4
xp
1800000
World-Ender Survivor
Field
Value
bab
15
fortitude
9
level
15
reflex
9
skillPoints
4
title
World-Ender Survivor
will
5
xp
2100000
High World-Ender
Field
Value
bab
16
fortitude
10
level
16
reflex
10
skillPoints
4
title
High World-Ender
will
5
xp
2400000
The Unkillable
Field
Value
bab
17
fortitude
10
level
17
reflex
10
skillPoints
4
title
The Unkillable
will
5
xp
2700000
High Unkillable
Field
Value
bab
18
fortitude
11
level
18
reflex
11
skillPoints
4
title
High Unkillable
will
6
xp
3000000
Ghost of the Wastes
Field
Value
bab
19
fortitude
11
level
19
reflex
11
skillPoints
4
title
Ghost of the Wastes
will
6
xp
3300000
Supreme Survivalist
Field
Value
bab
20
fortitude
12
level
20
reflex
12
skillPoints
4
title
Supreme Survivalist
will
6
xp
3600000
Special Abilities
Scavenge
Field
Value
level
1
name
Scavenge
description: The Survivalist can scavenge usable resources from any environment. With 1 hour of searching and a Survival check (DC varies by environment richness: wasteland DC 20, frontier DC 15, developed DC 10), the Survivalist finds materials worth 10 rek per Survivalist level. At level 5, the Survivalist can also find usable components (weapon parts, armour patches, medical supplies, power cells) with a value equal to half the raw material value. At level 10, the Survivalist can craft simple gear from scavenged materials (climbing kit, water purifier, basic weapon, shelter) with no tools required. At level 15, the Survivalist can find rare materials (military-grade components, xenotech salvage) in any environment.
Scavenge. Component Extraction
Field
Value
level
7
name
Scavenge. Component Extraction
description: At level 7, a successful Scavenge check also yields usable components -- parts for repair, modification, or crafting rather than raw materials -- worth half the raw material value (5 rek per Survivalist level), in addition to the raw materials found. Components include weapon parts, armour patches, medical supplies, power cells, sealant, wiring, structural brackets, and filter cartridges. Tracked separately from raw materials: they weigh nothing and have no rek value for sale, useful only for repair and crafting.
Scavenge. Crafting
Field
Value
level
10
name
Scavenge. Crafting
description: At level 10, the Survivalist can craft simple gear from scavenged materials with no tools required, 1 hour per item: improvised shelter (Scavenge DC 15, +2 Fort vs exposure), water purifier (DC 15, filters 2 litres/day), basic weapon (DC 15, 1d4 damage), climbing kit (DC 18, +2 Athletics, 3 uses), snare trap (DC 18, 30 min), signal mirror (DC 15, 30 min), makeshift bandage (DC 10, 10 min, 1 use), or fire starter (DC 10, 10 min). Crafted items are fragile: they break on a natural 1 when used, or after 24 hours of continuous use, whichever comes first.
Scavenge. Rare Materials
Field
Value
level
15
name
Scavenge. Rare Materials
description: At level 15, a successful Scavenge check also yields rare materials -- military-grade power cells, advanced medical supplies, xenotech fragments, sealed pre-collapse ration packs -- worth the full raw material value (10 rek per Survivalist level), in addition to regular materials and components. The Survivalist's endgame: a Scavenge check in a lethal environment can yield hundreds of rek from one hour of searching.
Endurance
Field
Value
level
3
name
Endurance
description: The Survivalist can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 + CON modifier (instead of 3) before suffering starvation effects, and without water for a number of days equal to 1 + CON modifier (instead of 1). The Survivalist requires only 4 hours of sleep per night to gain the benefits of a full rest, and can function on 2 hours per night without penalty for a number of days equal to CON modifier before suffering Fatigued. The Survivalist ignores the first 2 points of ability damage from environmental hazards per day (does not apply to attacks, poisons, or psionics).
Endurance. Exposure Immunity
Field
Value
level
8
name
Endurance. Exposure Immunity
description: At level 8, the Survivalist becomes immune to non-lethal damage from environmental exposure: heat exhaustion, hypothermia, altitude sickness, sunburn, frostbite, and similar effects. The Survivalist still takes lethal damage from extreme environments (boiling water, open flame, hard vacuum, lethal radiation) -- but the slow grind of exposure that kills most people in the wilderness no longer affects them.
Endurance. Zero-Point Function
Field
Value
level
13
name
Endurance. Zero-Point Function
description: At level 13, the Survivalist can function normally at 0 hit points for a number of rounds equal to CON modifier before falling unconscious -- not dying, still moving, still fighting, and not beginning to lose hit points (the standard bleeding-out rule) until those rounds elapse. At 0 HP the Survivalist can take only one standard action or one move action per round (not both); cannot run, charge, or take full-round actions; and cannot manifest psionic powers. The ability that earns the title 'Iron Ghost.'
Makeshift Fortification
Field
Value
level
5
name
Makeshift Fortification
description: With 10 minutes of work, the Survivalist can construct a defensive position from available materials. The fortification provides +4 AC and +2 to Reflex saves to all allies within it, has hardness 5 and 20 HP per Survivalist level, and provides concealment (20% miss chance) against ranged attacks from outside. It fits within a 10-foot radius per Survivalist level, and lasts until destroyed or abandoned. Not subtle -- it provides cover, not stealth.
Fortification. Energy Resistance
Field
Value
level
10
name
Fortification. Energy Resistance
description: At level 10, the fortification also provides resistance 10 to one energy type, chosen by the Survivalist based on available materials: heat (insulated plating, ceramic tiles, heat-reflective sheeting), cold (thermal blankets, insulated panels, heat-retaining rubble), or electrical (rubber sheeting, grounded metal, Faraday-cage construction). Applies to all allies within the fortification; does not stack with other resistance effects (the higher value applies).
Fortification. Integrated Traps
Field
Value
level
15
name
Fortification. Integrated Traps
description: At level 15, the fortification includes integrated traps rigged from whatever the environment provides: punji sticks, trip-wired flares, pressure plates over corrosive runoff. Detection DC 15 (Perception), damage 3d6 (type depends on environment and materials), Reflex save DC 15 + Survivalist level for half. The Survivalist can set a number of traps equal to CON modifier (minimum 1) per fortification, one per 5-foot square within its perimeter. Traps are one-use and must be rebuilt after triggering.