Gang Boss
A Hive-level kingpin who clawed to the top of a crew and holds it by violence and reputation.
A Gang Boss is what happens when a Hive Ganger survives long enough to become the thing that kills Gangers. They are scarred, cunning, and territorial -- ruling a block, a level, or a smuggling route through a combination of personal violence, loyalty bought with synth and scrip, and the implicit threat of the crew behind them. They are not soldiers; they are warlords in miniature, and they know the difference between a fight they can win and a fight that ends with their body on the level floor.
The Boss is the anchor of a Hive encounter. They direct the crew, call the ambush, and are the first to recognise when the opposition is too heavy. Strip the crew away and the Boss is a dangerous individual; with the crew, the Boss is a territorial force.
Rules Reference
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Abilities / Cha | 14 |
| Abilities / Con | 14 |
| Abilities / Dex | 14 |
| Abilities / Int | 12 |
| Abilities / Str | 14 |
| Abilities / Wis | 10 |
| Armor Class | 15 |
| Base Attack Bonus | 3 |
| Creature Type | Humanoid |
| Flat Ac | 13 |
| Hd Count | 4 |
| Hd Sides | 8 |
| Hit Dice | 4d8+8 |
| Hit Points | 26 |
| Hp Bonus | 8 |
| Initiative | 2 |
| Languages | Trade Cant; one hive dialect; enough Core Standard to bark orders at outsiders |
| Morale | Elite (13); fights dirty and runs when the math turns; will sacrifice the crew to cover their own escape |
| Psionics | None |
| Role Tags | Leader, Ranged, Hive |
| Saves / Fort | 6 |
| Saves / Ref | 6 |
| Saves / Will | 2 |
| Senses | Normal human vision; hive-adjusted (ignores concealment in dim/smoky hive environments); passive Perception 14 |
| Size | M |
| Skills / Athletics | 6 |
| Skills / Deception | 5 |
| Skills / Intimidation | 8 |
| Skills / Notice | 4 |
| Skills / Stealth | 5 |
| Skills / Streetwise | 7 |
| Speed | 30 |
| Threat Rating | 3 |
| Touch Ac | 12 |
| Xp | 400 |
| Dialogue Path | game/dialogue/npc-gang-boss.yaml |
Notes
Full Attack: Heavy slug pistol ranged +5 (1d8+1 energy; range 40 ft) or Machete melee +5 (1d6+2 slashing) or Holdout slug pistol ranged +5 (1d6 energy; range 20 ft)
Habitat: Lower hive levels, under-hab warrens, industrial dead-zones, and the control points of hive smuggling routes. Found leading a crew of 3-6 Hive Gangers, taxing locals, running synth, or fighting a rival Boss for territory. Roll 1d6: 1-2 = Boss holding court in a stash- house (entrenched, trap-aware), 3-4 = Boss leading a crew on a shakedown (aggressive, hunting), 5-6 = Boss cornered in a turf war (desperate, fighting for survival).
Resistances: Scrap armour (included in AC; pieced from dead contractors and gang kills), Hive-born (immune to environmental penalties in hive environments)
Tactics: The Boss reads the room first, then sends the crew. They hold back, call the push with Crew Boss, and wait for the opening -- then close with the machete or heavy slug pistol to finish the job. They use Make an Example early to break morale, and Know When to Run the moment the math turns. The Boss fights to win, not to die; the crew dies for the Boss, not the other way around.
Treasure: Heavy slug pistol (400 rek), machete (20 rek), holdout slug pistol (150 rek), scrap armour (100 rek), gang signet or block-key (priceless to the crew; 50 rek melted), synth stash (100-300 rek), 4d10 rek in loose coin and scrip, stolen datapad with route maps or blackmail material (200-500 rek to the right buyer).
Vulnerabilities: Crew-dependent (without the Gangers the Boss is a lone elite with a good slug pistol; the crew is the Boss's force multiplier and morale anchor), Territorial (the Boss will not leave their level or block willingly; pursuing them into the hive gives the Boss +4 to all checks in their home turf)
Attacks
Heavy slug pistol
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
bonus | 5 |
category | ranged |
damage | 1d8+1 |
damageType | energy |
name | Heavy slug pistol |
notes | Looted or bought from a dead contractor; better than anything the crew carries |
rangeFt | 40 |
Machete
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
bonus | 5 |
category | melee |
damage | 1d6+2 |
damageType | slashing |
name | Machete |
notes | The Boss's signature; used for executions and close work |
Holdout slug pistol
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
bonus | 5 |
category | ranged |
damage | 1d6 |
damageType | energy |
name | Holdout slug pistol |
notes | Concealed; the Boss always has a backup |
rangeFt | 20 |
Special Abilities
Crew Boss
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | Swift (1/round) |
name | Crew Boss |
description: As a swift action the Gang Boss issues an order to all Hive Gangers within 40 ft who can hear them. Choose one: +1 to attack rolls (push), or +10 ft speed (reposition), or immediate withdrawal (crew breaks and scatters on the Boss's command). Player-visible: the Boss shouts a block-name and a hand-signal, and the crew moves.
Hive Instinct
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | passive |
name | Hive Instinct |
description: The Gang Boss has an instinct for hive terrain. They gain +4 to Tactics checks in hive, under-hab, and industrial environments, and can identify the nearest escape route, chokepoint, or ambush spot with a DC 10 Perception check (no action). Player-visible: the Boss always knows which corridor leads out and which one is a dead end.
Make an Example
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | Standard (1/encounter) |
name | Make an Example |
description: The Gang Boss can execute a downed foe or hostage as a standard action. All enemies within 30 ft who witness the execution must make a DC 13 Will save or take a -2 to attack rolls for the next round (horror). All allied Gangers gain +2 to morale checks for the rest of the encounter. Player-visible: the Boss puts the machete through the body, looks up, and smiles.
Know When to Run
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
actionCost | Immediate (1/encounter) |
name | Know When to Run |
description: When reduced below 10 HP or when half the crew is down, the Gang Boss can immediately disengage and flee at +10 ft speed, spending any remaining Gangers as a rearguard (they fight to the last on the Boss's order). The Boss vanishes into the hive warren. Player-visible: the Boss does not announce the retreat -- one moment they are there, the next the corridor is empty.