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.
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a improviser, a character must fulfill the following criteria.- Minimum Level: 7th
- Trained Skills: Mechanics, Use Computer
- Feat: Skill Focus (Mechanics)
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Improvisers have the following game statistics.HIT POINTS
At each level, improvisers gain 1d8 hit points + their Constitution modifier.HERO POINTS
Improvisers gain a number of Hero Points equal to 6 + one-half their character level, rounded down, every time they gain a new level in this class.| LEVEL | BASE ATTACK BONUS | CLASS FEATURES |
| 1st | +0 | Defense bonuses, no tools required, talent |
| 2nd | +1 | Contraband (2,000 credits) |
| 3rd | +2 | Talent |
| 4th | +3 | Contraband (4,000 credits) |
| 5th | +3 | Talent |
| 6th | +4 | Contraband (6,000 credits) |
| 7th | +5 | Talent |
| 8th | +6 | Contraband (8,000 credits) |
| 9th | +6 | Talent |
| 10th | +7 | Contraband (10,000 credits) |
CLASS FEATURES
The following are features of the improviser prestige class.DEFENSE BONUSES
At 1st level, you gain a +2 class bonus to your Reflex Defense and a +4 class bonus to your Will Defense.
NO TOOLS REQUIRED
The improviser can use parts of machines and electronics as tools, eliminating the need for a security kit or a tool kit when attempting Mechanics or Use Computer checks that would normally require a kit. The improviser is always considered to be using a tool kit or security kit, even when he or she does not have one.TALENTS
At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, 5th, and so on), the improviser selects a talent. The talent must be selected from the Procurement or Improviser talent trees (see below), from the Outlaw Tech talent tree (Scoundrel base class), or from the Slicer talent tree (Scoundrel base class). The improviser must meet the prerequisites (if any) of the chosen talent. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.PROCUREMENT TALENT TREE
You know how to find just what you need, no matter how far you are from civilization or how rare the item is. If you can’t find it, you make it—but most of the time, you find it.Black Market Buyer: When seeking an item from the black market, you do not need to make a Gather Information check to locate a black market merchant; you automatically succeed.
Excellent Kit: You always make sure that your allies have the best gear available. Whenever you purchase weapons, armor, or other equipment (either legally or through the black market), all gear you purchase has 50% more hit points than normal and has 5 more DR than normal. In addition, whenever one of your allies makes a Mechanics check on an object that you purchased, that ally gains a +2 equipment bonus to the check.
Just What Is Needed: You have a knack for finding the best quality replacement parts for broken equipment. Whenever you use the Repair application of the Mechanics skill, you restore an extra 1d8 hit points with a successful Mechanics check, in addition to what you would normally restore. If you use the aid another action to assist an ally with repairs, that ally also repairs an extra 1d8 hit points with a successful Mechanics check. Any ally can only benefit from this talent once per Mechanics check, regardless of how many allies with this talent aid on the check.
Only the Finest: Whenever you purchase goods through the black market, you can obtain items that have been modified with the Tech Specialist feat without increasing the base value of the items.
Prerequisite: Black Market Buyer.
Right Gear for the Job: Once per day when an ally makes an untrained skill check, as a reaction you can grant that ally a +5 equipment bonus to the check, and the ally is considered trained in that skill for the purpose of using trained-only applications of the skill. You cannot use this talent to allow an ally to make an untrained Magery, Nanite Control, or Psionics.
IMPROVISER TALENT TREE
You have mastered the ability to make something out of nothing, turning spare parts and scrap into a sensor pack, a weapon, or a protective suit of armor. You can build what you need on the fly, and sometimes your customized gear proves more useful than what you otherwise might have purchased.Bigger Bang: Whenever you create a grenade with the Improvised Device talent, the grenade deals an additional die of damage when used.
Prerequisite: Improvised Device.
Custom Model: Whenever you create a device with the Improvised Device talent, you can apply one modification granted by the Tech Specialist feat to the device. This customization does not affect the value of the item being created.
Prerequisites: Improvised Device, Tech Specialist feat.
Improved Jury-Rig: You can use the Jury-Rig application of the Mechanics skill as a standard action instead of as a full-round action. Additionally, you are not required to make a skill check to successfully jury-rig a device or vehicle, and the device or vehicle moves +3 steps on the condition track instead of +2.
Improvised Device: You can create a temporary piece of almost any type of equipment from the spare parts you have around. To do so. you must make a DC 25 Mechanics check and spend one hour building the device. The object can have a maximum value of 200 credits x your class level, it cannot have an availability of rare or illegal, and it cannot be unique. The device you create must be something that you would reasonably be familiar with, and after 24 hours the object is destroyed. You can use this talent once per day.