The ace pilot is to vehicle combat what the elite trooper is to personal weapons combat. Her arms and armor are the weapons and shields of a sleek starship soaring through space or an airspeeder shrieking through the atmosphere. A veteran of countless engagements, the ace pilot has proven her skill again and again by virtue of facing the enemy and surviving—and making sure the enemy did not. She has several kills to her credit, and her combat maneuvers are occasionally studied and discussed in training academies for their ingenuity and effectiveness.

The assassin kills for credits.  Unlike the bounty hunter, who also sometimes kills, the assassin never takes a victim alive.  Moreover, assassins know the value of discretion, so they employ a variety of sneaky tactics to approach their target unseen and strike when least expected.  Assassin's techniques vary greatly; some use poisons or toxic species, while others prefer more spectacular and dependable methods such as explosives or up close and personal attacks.

The bounty hunter capitalizes on the vendetta of others, tracking down fugitives for their enemies, their masters, or simply for justice.  The best bounty hunters are the ones who can stay emotionally detached from their them employers or their quarry - although bounty hunters who hate their prey often make more spectacular kills.

Found in seedy areas everywhere, charlatans are swindlers and con artists, thieves of the highest order.  They specialize in double-cross, using graft, deception, and misdirection to part their victims from their hard-earned credits.  Charlatans have the dangerous ability to convince others that handing over their credits is a good idea, even when every instinct screams that they should not.

There are 'contractors' - those who have entered into a pact with a spirit, and then there are Contractors - those entered into that pact and learned to use those abilities with such ease that it seemed more like they simply knew what they were doing. Contractors have an exceptionally close tie to their bound spirit, and are correspondingly more powerful than a run-of-the-mill spirit bind

Corporations hold a huge amount of power in the Terran Alliance (not so much in the Proximan Suzerainty or among the Teuthidoids, however).  Some corporations control entire colonies, in fact, such as Yang Enterprises and their Neptune Shipyard Facilities.  However, most corporations are spread out across the colonies of the Alliance.  Their presence varies, ranging from near dominance of a local market, to only a single office, store, or facility.  Major corporations have agents of their own, looking after company interests.  These agents might specialize in security, fraud, exploration, administration, or many other aspects of management and production.  They operate in the open or covertly, normally restricting their activities to keeping an eye on their own company, but corporations can use agents for corporate espionage or even sabotaging competitors.

Few societies manage to eradicate crime altogether.  In the underworld, someone always rises to the top, either through vision, organization, or sheer intimidation.  The life of a crime lord isn't for the timid.  After conquering an unseen empire, the crime lord wages a daily struggle not only to stay on top but also to stay alive. Of course not every crime lord is bent on corrupting society and making a profit.  Some use their criminal connections to wage lucrative guerilla war against tyrants and despots.  Indeed, some of the heroes of historical rebellions and conflicts began as smugglers or pirates, and eventually rose through the ranks of an organization to provide a more noble direction for their groups' activities.

All armies need an established hierarchy to ensure that objectives are achieved successfully. Even drones, with their network connection to each other and possibly even centralized control, must sometimes have specific movements dictated to them by a separate drone designated as a field commander, or by someone with a neural interface so that they can operate 'at the speed of a drone.' The drone commander, through the course of its career as a soldier for its organization, proves itself through its actions and is promoted to lead others of its kind to support the unit's mission and the organization's cause.

The elite trooper represents in individual who has received advanced combat training.  More than a mere soldier, the elite trooper is highly trained and capable of taking on any number of combat-related missions, such as guarding an important location, assaulting an enemy base, or participating in a stealthy insertion into enemy territory. She’s a crack shot and, although trained in the use of armor, can easily operate without it if the situation warrants.  When the fighting gets particularly brutal, the elite trooper can dispatch foes hand-to-hand as easily as she does with a gun.

The vital task of law enforcement takes many forms through out the known space.  Backwater constables, Terran Alliance Sector Rangers, corporate security forces, city police, and some types of government agents are a few of the typical examples.

For the most part banned in the Terran Alliance, and the very thought of it is a joke among the Teuthidoids, gladiatorial combat holds a prominent place in Proximan culture.  In order to satisfy their inner warrior urges, the Proximans hold massive wargames on a routine basis, but between the wargames they satisfy their urges with nonlethal gladiatorial combat.  Some gladiators are former soldiers, some are current soldiers, some are civilians, and some are professionals.

Since the first primitive pistol was developed, there have been soldiers of fortune focused on pistol fighting. The tradition grew with the technology, creating a special breed of gun-wielding freelancers who shoot first and ask questions later. Often wandering guns-for-hire, bodyguards in fringe areas, professional duelists, or even assassins, these fighters know everything there is to know about pistols of all descriptions. They can draw faster, shoot faster, and aim more accurately with their weapons of choice than any other category of warrior. Some use their prowess to defend the weak and battle injustice, while others use their skill to gain fast and easy credits. Regardless of motivation, gunslingers seek to use their focused combat techniques to gain greater fame, and wield that fame as a weapon against less well-known foes

Survival should not be taken for granted, particularly on the fringes of civilization where resources can be scarce. One of the most important skills for fending off death is the ability to think quickly when the need arises. Improvisers can quickly grasp the needs of a situation, analyze what tools are at hand, remember relevant information, and combine all these factors into a hasty (though not necessarily elegant) solution. Although improvisers specialize in mechanical marvels, they also have a moderate aptitude in almost any skill or area of knowledge.

Although many AI in the galaxy function on their own with minimal oversight from more corporeal creatures, some become highly independent and self-sufficient. These specialized artificial intelligences prefer to operate on their own, or in the company of a specific group useful to their current needs. Independent AI express their individuality much more strongly than a typical AI does. One might focus on a very narrow segment of its original purpose. Another might develop a complex or damaged personality. Independent AI universally reject the notion that they are owned by anyone, though the more deceptive or pragmatic units among them could give the appearance of having such an attitude if they believe that doing so is necessary to ultimately retain their independence or avoid a memory wipe.

Infiltrators come in many guises, such as spies, moles, special forces operatives, and secret agents. Infiltrators specialize in secretly penetrating enemy strongholds or organizations and carrying out their missions from within. Infiltrators typically operate individually or in small groups.  Their training emphasizes stealth, discreet combat, and covert penetration techniques.  They typically have less combat training than commandos and are better trained and more mission-specific than saboteurs.  Covert infiltrators operate for extended periods of time within an organization.  Aggressive infiltrators carry out specific combat missions, on their own or in support of commandos or other military units.

Mages represent the middle tier of innate magic prowess, between a run-of-the-mill spellcaster and a 'master of magery.' Not everyone with magical talent pursues the path of the Mage, some choose to focus on more 'practical applications of skill' and eschew the more old-timey thoughts that spellcasters can only sling spells. But those who walk the path of the Mage begin to learn the more advanced elements of magical skill, such as farther reaching and more potent spells.

Most warriors become proficient with a variety of weapons, but martial arts masters strive to master various styles of hand-to-hand combat, shunning weapons and turning their bodies into powerful weapons. Although other combatants are satisfied with learning the basics of unarmed combat, martial arts masters learn the techniques and philosophies of many different styles of martial arts, incorporating different elements and techniques into unique personal styles. They are among the most self-sufficient and the most dangerous fighters out there.

Some master privateers are pirates, a motley collection of rogues and cutthroats that prey on merchant ships to plunder them for credits and cargo.  An unsavory lot, master privateers commandeer any vessel they capture, taking prisoner the crew and passengers, perhaps letting them go, perhaps tossing them out the airlock depending on the nature of their captain.  In all, these types of master privateers are treated as criminals by any law enforcement agency. Although such rogues are a menace to be sure, not all pirates are merciless killers.  Many adopt and live by a strict code of conduct that gives them parameters for the types of ships they'll strike and what they do with prisoners.  Some pirates release the prisoners, depositing them in a more-or-less safe location where they are likely to be rescued.  But for every decent master privateer, a dozen more merciless fiends lay in wait. While not as common as the pirates, but probably more famous, and certainly better respected, there are privateers that work in the employ of law enforcement agencies, military forces, and even private security firms.  These privateers thrive in times of war, but also in times of peace, as they often see use as customs agents, security forces, and even as assistants for bounty hunters.

The world is a dangerous place.  Vicious creatures, massive battles, barroom brawls, lethal environments, and other kinds of threats imperil people everywhere. Doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel provide vital care to the critically injured, but are less available to those operating in the field. The medic fills this void, providing on-the-spot advanced medical treatment and support.

Throughout history, dueling has seen many degrees of acceptability, militarily, legally, and socially. Some cultures or subcultures regard dueling as an honorable and civilized method of settling disputes, but others see dueling as barbaric. The melee duelist specializes in fighting a single opponent.  The melee duelist selects a primary weapon of choice, studying and practicing maneuvers, feints, and tricks to perfection. Competitive duelists train with several types weapons because they may not know ahead of time which types of weapons will be used in a duel.  Battlefield duelists expand their abilities to take on small groups because they cannot depend on the luxury of fighting a single opponent in the middle of a skirmish.

The platoon's transport has broken down.  The radio is not working.  Two of the soldiers' rifles have jammed.  The enemy is closing in.  Who is going to fix everything in time?  This is when the military engineer steps in.  The military engineer is a tech specialist who focuses their energy on making repairs in the field and keeping the group's hardware running until they make it back to base.

Even the best-trained troops need someone to make decisions and provide direction.  The officer fills that role but also takes responsibility when the troops fail in their appointed tasks.  They frequently also suffer the disrespect of their subordinates, who often see the uniform as a symbol of oppression.  Many soldiers cant perceive the honor of the person inside the uniform.  Very few officers earn the universal respect of their troops and their superiors, but to those who understand the concepts of leadership and valor, it often just comes naturally.

Where there is law, there are those who would break it, circumvent it, and fly in its face.  Outlaws are rogue individuals who rightly or wrongly have crossed the line and now pay the price for their indiscretion.  Naturally, outlaws cover a lot of territory, from freedom fighters waging a private war against tyranny to bloodthirsty cutthroats and murders wanted in twelve systems.

Modern war is not fought along rigid lines that clearly delineate one faction's territory from another.  In light of the this, faction forces need to remain flexible, moving from base to base, nation to nation, and system to system, sometimes on a moment’s notice. Such maneuverability and secrecy requires a multitude of small bases throughout the world in unpopulated areas. The forces employs a group of scouts - sometimes called pathfinders - who work alone or in small groups, scouring the galaxy to find viable locations for secret bases. When they find a suitably remote site that fits the needs of their current mission, they begin preparing it with defenses, concealment, power, and other basic requirements.

While everyone with psionic talent could be referred to as a 'psion,' the term really applies towards those who have put effort into mastering their talent and focusing on it. Psions are more common among innately-psionic species, such as a the Teuthidoids, but they have begone to appear in Human society as well. Thanks to the guidance of the Teuthidoids, more and more Humans are learning to use their psionic abilities in a multitude of ways.

Saboteurs aim to disrupt or destroy the physical mechanisms of their enemies, usually covertly and often from within.  They might use improvised tools or create specialized devices to carryout certain tasks. They rely on stealth and secrecy to carry cut their missions. A saboteur might work alone in a single installation, or as part of a small group for complex or widespread attacks.  Saboteur missions employ explosives, computer slicing, and social engineering to achieve their goals.

The "Internet of Things" was a wonderful technological revolution. Interconnectivity between devices meant that hardware could let engineers know they were failing before they failed, your refrigerator automatically let you know when you were out of orange juice, and your car knew where the cheapest places in town to get gas were. Plus, your air conditioner automatically tuned itself to adjust for weather conditions, and your oven was self-cleaning. And weapons could be connected to a soldier's communications device and heads-up display, giving them information about battlefield conditions, ammunition levels, and tactical information provided from HQ with only a glance. Of course, this also meant that these systems could be compromised in ways never before imagined. Enter, the superhacker.

Fighting an effective war and taking out the enemy is necessary if your army is to live to fight another day.  But you must first find the enemy, and those sensor results can be a little deceptive at times.  Send out the vanguard to track them down. The vanguard, simply put, is an advance scout who specializes in locating the enemy and relaying its position to his allies.  With the stealth and sharp senses required to achieve his goal, he specializes in locating and observing the enemy's movements, all the while obscuring his presence from them.  If the situation arises, he might try to take a few of the enemy down before retreating back to friendly territory, but his primary purpose is to serve as his group's eyes and ears.

Your skills at observation and stealth are frequently called upon as you gather information about enemy forces.
Contains: Forward Patrol, Mobile Combatant, Trailblazer, and Watchful Step

You specialize in springing ambushes on your enemies.
Contains: Ambush Specialist, Destructive Ambusher, Keep It Going, Keep them Reeling, Perceptive Ambusher, Spring the Trap

You have studied the ways of your enemies and have learned how to read the actions and thoughts of others. You can predict what they will do, and you gain advantage over them by anticipating their every move.
Contains: Anticipate Movement, Forewarn Allies, Get Down, Heavy Fire Zone, Summon Aid

You can maximize the benefits of wearing armor while reducing or eliminating some of its drawbacks.
Contains: Armor Mastery, Armored Defense, Improved Armored Defense, Juggernaut, Second Skin

Artificial intelligences can take advantage of their specialized programming, upbringing, abilities to interface with normal software, and other quirks of their existence to improve their abilities.
Contains: Adept Assistant, Dull the Pain, Mechanics Mastery, Medical AI, Targeting Package, and Vehicle Mechanic
SPECIAL: These talents can only be taken by AI (and by extension, only by Smart AI)

Given the military realities of the galaxy, often small units of highly trained individuals can have a greater impact than massed troops. In order to ensure that they always have those sorts of individuals available, modern militaries select particularly talented soldiers to undergo additional training.
Contains: Heavy Gunner, Grenadier, Improved Heavy Gunner, Close Combat, Improved Autofire, Vanguard

You are exceptionally good at noticing things and avoiding perilous situations.
Contains: Acute Senses, Expert Tracker, Improved Initiative, Keen Shot, Reset Initiative, Uncanny Dodge I, Uncanny Dodge II, Weak Point

Whether by design or accident, you found yourself in need of cybernetic replacement parts. This talent tree helps you utilize them to their full potential.
Contains: Augmented Strike, Concealed Weapon, Cybernetic Efficiency, Cybernetic Protection, Ghost in the Machine, Servo Assisted Leap, Targeting Optics
SPECIAL: Each talent requires some form of cybernetic augmentation. Additionally, each talent a character has from this tree imposes a -2 cumulative penalty to their Magery checks, as it represents an abandonment of their natural form and a move towards the artificial.

You like to get up close and personal with your enemies and engage them in melee combat.
Contains: Bar Brawler, Bayonet Master, Counterpunch, Crowd Control, Devastating Melee Smash, Disarm and Engage, Entangler, Experienced Brawler, Expert Grappler, Grabber, Gun Club, Hammerblow, Make Do, Man Down, Melee Smash, Pick a Fight, Reverse Strength, Strong Grab, Stunning Strike, Sucker Punch, Unbalance Opponent, Unrelenting Assault

You use your experience operating on the wrong side of the law to give you an advantage in a fight, fair or otherwise.
Contains: Cheap Trick, Easy Prey, Quick Strike, Sly Combatant

Your brutal fighting techniques give you an upper hand when operating in small groups.
Contains: Gang Leader, Melee Assault, Melee Brute, Melee Opportunist, Squad Brutality, Squad Superiority

You learn quickly how to blend in with your environment.
Contains: Dig In, Extended Ambush, Ghost Assailant, Hidden Movement, Hide in Plain Sight, Hunker Down, Improved Stealth, Shadow Striker, Slip By, Total Concealment

You use advanced combat tactics to take down enemies quickly, shield your comrades, and endure whatever challenges are thrown your way.
Contains: Battle Analysis, Cover Fire, Coordinated Effort, Dedicated Guardian, Dedicated Protector, Defensive Position, Demolitionist, Draw Fire, Hard Target, Harm's Way, Indomitable, Keep Them at Bay, Out of Harm's Way, Tough as Nails

You are an experienced deep-space explorer who has reamed a few tricks along the way that help you survive both in space and planet-side.
Contains: Deep-Space Gambit, Guidance, Hidden Attacker, Deep Space Savant, Silent Movement, Vehicle Sneak

Scandal fouls your family name, forcing you to live among the fringes of society and teaching you that honor is overrated when victory is on the line.
Contains: Ambush, Castigate, Dirty Tactics, Misplaced Loyalty, Two-Faced, Unreadable

You've reached a pinnacle of ability and power that few others have.
SPECIAL: These talents all require you to be level 21 or higher to take.
Contains: Attribute Increase, Epic Cleave, Epic Defense, Epic Skill Focus, Inherent Power, Instinctive Defense, Nexus, Quadruple Attack

You use your knowledge of stealth and survival to make yourself a master of espionage and a valuable resource for those who wish to keep their hands clean in dirty situations.
Contains: Fade Out, Keep Together, Prudent Escape, Reactive Stealth, Sizing Up

You have expanded your control over your shapeshifting to allow you to introduce elements of other species into any of your forms. These talents only apply when you are not in your Mode 1 form.
Special: This talent tree is only available to Yoitsuni who possess the Adaptive Shapeshifter feat or the Yoitsuni Wanderer theme.
Contains: Ambush, Attribute Increase, Fast Healing, Scent, Swift

You have broken with your family, world, or organization and cannot rely on its aid or support. Whether forced or self-imposed, your exile allows you to adapt in new ways to the world at large.
Contains: Arrogant Bluster, Band Together, Galactic Guidance, Rant, Self-Reliant

Long ago, the fine art of swordplay was stylish among people. A particular style arose mixing martial precision with forceful panache. You seek to bring this back.
Contains: Demoralizing Defense, Leading Feint, Noble Fencing Style, Personal Affront, Transposing Strike

Many scoundrels like to gamble with destiny, putting everything on the line and trusting fate to bring them fortune, fame, and success.
Contains: Avert Disaster, Better Lucky than Dead, Dumb Luck, Fool's Luck, Fortune's Favor, Knack, Labyrinthine Mind, Lucky Shot, Lucky Stop, Ricochet Shot, Uncanny Luck, Unlikely Shot