Fleet Commander (Helmsman Archetype)

In the largest battles, one ship is not always enough to turn the tide in battle. Hence, some ambitious helmsmen augment and command entire fleets of ships, amplifying the strength of their force all across their realm.

Bonded Fleet

Starting at 2nd level, instead of a single bonded vessel, the fleet commander may have more than one vessel, but he must divide up his effective pilot level between his mechs to determine the abilities of each vessel.

For example, a fleet commander with an effective pilot level of 4 can have one 4th-level mech, two 2nd-level mechs, or one 1st-level mech and one 3rd-level companion vehicle.

Each time a fleet commander’s effective pilot level increases, he must decide how to allocate the increase among his vessels (including the option of adding a new 1st-level mech). Once an effective pilot level is allocated to a particular vessel, it cannot be redistributed while that mech is in the fleet commander’s service (he must dismantle a mech or wait until a vessel is destroyed to allocate its levels to another vessel).

The fleet commander shares a bond with his mechs that allows him to see and hear as though he occupied their location, and can spend his own actions to command his mechs to take an equivalent action as long as they are within 100 feet + 10 feet per class level (for example, a fleet commander could spend a move action to command his mech to move, and then expend a standard action to command it to make an attack against a target within its range).

Mechs controlled in this way use the eclipse’s base attack bonus, feats, and skill modifiers.

At 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level, the fleet commander may issue commands to an additional one of his bonded vessel with the same action, though doing so causes the vessels to take a -1 penalty on attack rolls and skill checks per mech commanded in this way. Vessels commanded in this way must all take the same action (such as a charge, move, or attack action), but may have different targets or destinations.

When the helmsman shapes a veil, he must choose which vessel gains the benefits of it.

This ability modifies bonded vessel and replaces adaptive response.

Hypercharges

When a fleet commander uses a hypercharge, he may take additional points of essence burn to affect additional vessels. For every additional point of essence burn he takes, an additional vessel gains the benefits of the hypercharge.

This ability modifies hypercharges.

Akashic Armada

When using akashic armaments, the fleet commander invests essence separately into each of his bonded vessels, with each one gaining separate benefits. However, starting at 8th level, the fleet commander may choose to invest essence into a single bonded vessel and have all other bonded vessels share the benefits of veils shaped to that vessel and akashic armaments augmented by essence invested in that vessel.

This ability modifies akashic armaments and replaces the enhanced capacity granted at 8th level.

Boundless Fleet

Starting at 12th level, the fleet commander may bond with any vessel as a standard action. This vessel is treated as one of the fleet commander’s bonded vessels for all purposes.

The fleet commander may have any number of vessels affected by this ability at a time, but a single vessel may only be considered the bonded vessel of one helmsman at a time.

This ability replaces turboboost.

Endless Command

At 18th level, the helmsman gains the ability to expand his influence significantly at a cost. As a swift action, the helmsman may take any amount of essence burn. For each point of burn that he takes, he may command one additional vessel as part of the same action.

This ability replaces improved turboboost.

Peerless Admiral

At 20th level, the helmsman can command a vast fleet without impediment.

Vessels under the command of the fleet commander no longer take penalties for being one of several vessels controlled at the same time. In addition, such vessels may take distinct and separate actions from each other so long as the total value of each action is worth the same amount of actions (for example, two vessels could charge while another makes a full attack).

This ability replaces peerless strategist.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Arcforge: Technology Expanded © 2018, Legendary Games; Authors: Matt Daley, Michael Sayre.

scroll to top