Pilot

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Pilot - Class Progression

"I can fly anything. You got a ship, I got a vector."

You are not Scoundrel who *owns* a ship. You are the one Scoundrel calls when Imperials are on his tail and the hyperdrive is coughing blood. Wedge, Hera, Poe, Anakin in the cockpit — you live in g-forces where skill and nerve matter more than chrome. No neural plugs, no reflex boosters — just hands on stick, eyes on scope.

**Sources:** Atomic ThinkTank Vehicle Combat (Evasive Maneuvers, Outmaneuver, Extra Effort), Elite Republic Trooper / Smuggler Ace / Starships (size mods), House Rules metric ranges

**Primary:** DEX, AWE

**Secondary:** AGI, INT

**Off:** STR, FGT, PRE, STA

**Saves:** Fort Med (you pull g's), Will Med (you don't panic), Toughness Low (you wear a flight suit, not plate — ship is your armor)

**Attack:** Full (1/lvl) — +4 at L1, +10 at L10 — but only with vehicle weapons and light pistols. Take -2 when firing as gunner while vehicle moves unless you have talent.

**Skills:** 4 + INT mod per level (pilot skills are few but decr). Max ranks = Level+3. Class Skills +2 if trained.

Why Pilot ≠ Scoundrel

**Scoundrel starts with ship + Debt 35k.** You start with **no ship** but with **Benefit: Pilot License + Custom Gear.** You charter, you borrow, you steal.

**Scoundrel flies okay.** You fly *lethally.* Your Evasive Maneuvers and Outmaneuver mods make a used XS Freighter fight like a fighter.

**Glass cannon?** No — your Toughness is low because your *Defense* is insane when you are at the stick.

Level Progression

Lvl	Features	Talent	Feat
1	Combat Pilot (free), Spacer's Instinct (+2 Vehicles/Perception in cockpit), Pilot License (Benefit 2), Evasive Maneuvers basics	-	Feat
2	Snap Roll (Move-by Action + free reposition in dogfight), Combat Reflexes (Initiative +4 while piloting)	Talent 1	-
3	+1 Ability, Jump Plotter (-20% spool time, Expertise: Astrogation +4), Outmaneuver Unlock	-	Feat
4	Well Skim (Fuel -10% but DC 18 instability check), Evasive Mastery (half size mod on Evasive)	Talent 2	-
5	Extra Defense (half Vehicles bonus to ship Defense), Improved Snap Roll	-	-
6	Push It (DC 15 Vehicles to fatigue vehicle not pilot), Drift Braking	Talent 3	Feat
7	Evasive Instincts (Enhanced Dodge 2 while piloting), Reverse Vector	-	-
8	Improved Outmaneuver (size mod halved on Outmaneuver, not Vulnerable while locked), Shield Flick	Talent 4	-
9	Well Skim Mastery (no check on known lanes, -30% fuel), Ace's Luck (force vehicle crit reroll 1/scene)	-	Feat
10	Legendary Pilot (allies get +2 attack vs target you outmaneuver, Take 20 (spend Hero Point to treat as 20, takes 1 minute, or as noted) Vehicles for Hero Point)	Talent 5	-

Feature Details — Vehicle Combat Rules Built In

**Combat Pilot (L1 – free):** You get Combat Pilot advantage free (— you ignore the -2 penalty for firing vehicle weapons while piloting). Ignore Passenger -2 penalty when firing vehicle weapons while piloting.

**Evasive Maneuvers:** As Standard action, make Vehicles check *modified by vehicle's size mod* (Gargantuan freighter -4, Huge fighter -2, Large speeder -1). Result = ship Defense until next round. Does not help vs Area or surprise. **Being Vulnerable reduces your Vehicles bonus by half (round up) before defense calc.** You can maintain as Move if you have talent.

**Outmaneuver:** As Standard, make **opposed Vehicles checks**, *each modified by own vehicle's size mod*. Win with 1 degree = target **Attack Impaired + Vulnerable to you** until they break free. Win with 2+ degrees = **Attack Disabled + Defenseless (lock-on)**. You can improve position with follow-up Outmaneuver, degrees stack. Losing breaks your advantage. While locked in dogfight, you are Vulnerable to other vehicles unless you have Improved Outmaneuver. Maintain as Free if you spend Move to stay on target. Target can escape as Move.

**Extra Effort – Vehicle:** As normal Extra Effort but you make **DC 15 Vehicles check**. Success = you can push vehicle Feature/Weapon/Movement +1 rank or +1 advantage for 1 round. **Vehicle becomes Fatigued (not you)** unless you spend Hero Point. Per Vehicle Combat errata: Fatigue = -2 to vehicle checks, -1 Toughness. Second Extra Effort while already Fatigued = Exhausted (-5, half speed). Must be repaired DC 15 Maintenance 1 hour to clear.

**Size Mods HALVED (L4+):** At L4 Evasive Maneuvers size mod halved, at L8 Outmaneuver size mod halved. This makes your freighter fly like a fighter — training, not implants.

**Spacer's Instinct (L1):** You grew up in a cockpit. While piloting a ship you are *attuned* to (flown for at least a day), gain +2 circumstance to Vehicles and Perception checks to spot other ships, debris, or landing hazards. You can read ship sensors as Free (Perception vs Stealth of other ships with +2). This replaces Gumbo's Neural Jack — in Star Wars, you fly by feel and hours, not by plugging your brain into the bus.

**Pilot License (L1 – Benefit 2):** You start with Benefit 2: **Licensed Pilot (all Civilian + Light Freighters)** + **Wealth 1 (1,000cr/mo retainer from charter company/rival house)**. Unlike Scoundrel's Benefit 2 (Wealth + Black Market), yours is legal + reputation. Customs DC -5 to let you pass if you have manifest (even if fake — they like your patch). Can fly up to Colossal military shuttles without Restricted check, but not fighters/bombers without Military license.

You do NOT start with a ship. Only Scoundrel gets Used XS Freighter at char-gen Only Scoundrel starts with a ship (Used XS Freighter). You charter, you borrow, you co-pilot Scoundrel's ship.

**Snap Roll (L2):** Gain **Move-by Action + Evasion 1 while piloting**. Once per round as Free while executing Evasive Maneuvers, you may reposition 1 zone (approx 5m in speeder, 1 range increment in starship) without triggering attacks of opportunity from ships you outmaneuvered. Pure stick-and-rudder — Hera does this in a VCX-100, no chrome needed.

**Combat Reflexes (L2):** Enhanced Initiative 4 while piloting, +2 to Technology vs spool/astrogation when pressed. At L7 becomes Enhanced Dodge 2 (Limited: piloting) + Improved Initiative 2 = you go first, you don't get hit. This is *training*, not a booster implant.

**Jump Plotter (L3):** Expertise: Astrogation +4 circumstance when plotting jumps. Spool time **-20%** — spool time: 1 degree 8h → 6.4h (-20%), 2 degrees 4h → 3.2h. If assisted by astromech (Technician droid or purchased), you ignore -5 no-navcomp penalty This makes you the fastest plotter in gritty where time matters — Han plotted Kessel Run by cutting close, not by plugging in.

**Outmaneuver Unlock (L3):** You now know formal Outmaneuver maneuver (opposed check). At L5 you get Extra Defense, at L8 size mods halved.

**Well Skim (L4):** Standard Star Wars smuggler trick — skim the gravity well edge to save fuel. When executing Hyperspace Travel, reduce fuel cost **-10%** and you can "skim": Astrogation DC 18 or take **1 Injury (Fatigue) to ship** — ship takes Damage 6 vs its Toughness (11 for freighter, 8 for fighter), crew takes Damage 0 crit effect on fail ( crit rules: +5 damage to crew only + Dazed save). Risky.

**Evasive Mastery (L4):** Vehicle size penalty on Evasive Maneuvers **halved** (round up). Gargantuan freighter -4 -> -2, Huge fighter -2 -> -1. Gargantuan + good roll still gives Defense 15+.

**Extra Defense (L5 – KEY PILOT RULE):**

Extra defense from pilot skill = **half Vehicles bonus (rounded up) added to ship Defense** when you perform Evasive Maneuvers.

Example: Vehicles 8 (+3 ability?) Actually skill 8 = +8 bonus. Half = +4 Defense to ship when evasive. This stacks with Evasive Maneuvers result which already includes Vehicles check. Net: L5 Pilot in XS Freighter with Vehicles 8 (DEX 3): Evasive roll d20+8-2(size halved) = avg 19 = ship Defense 19 for round +4 Extra Defense = 23. Hard to hit.

Being Vulnerable while evasive reduces your Vehicles bonus by half *before* this calc.

**Push It (L6):** Old bush pilot trick — redline the engines. Once per scene, when you use Extra Effort on vehicle, you automatically pass the DC 15 Vehicles check to push (no roll). Vehicle still becomes Fatigued unless you spend Hero Point to avoid. Named for what every Outer Rim mechanic yells at you when you do this.

**Drift Braking (L6):** Speeders only: As Move, make Vehicles DC 15 to 180 and retain Defense from Evasive.

**Evasive Instincts (L7):** While piloting, Enhanced Dodge 2 + Enhanced Parry 2 (ship Defense already, but this is vs boarding / personal attacks in cockpit) and +4 Initiative total. You saw the shot coming before the scope did.

**Reverse Vector (L7):** Once per scene when an enemy gets lock-on (2 degrees Outmaneuver vs you), you can attempt opposed Vehicles as Reaction at -5. Win = you break lock and become neutral, 2 degrees = you reverse (now *you* have lock-on). Classic Poe "let's pull an Immelmann".

**Improved Outmaneuver (L8):** Vehicle size mod on Outmaneuver **halved** (like Evasive). Also you are **not Vulnerable to third parties** while locked in dogfight (normally you are). You can maintain lock-on as Free without spending Move (still need to stay within range).

**Shield Flick (L8):** When piloting, you can Deflect (with ship shields) once per round as Reaction using Vehicles in place of Deflect rank (like Jedi Deflection but ship-scale). Requires shields up. You angle deflectors — Wedge does this at Endor — no cyberware, just fast hands on shield controls.

**Well Skim Mastery (L9):** On known lanes (Jump Plotter), fuel save becomes **-30%** and no instability check. On unknown lanes, instability DC drops to 15.

**Ace's Luck (L9):** Once per scene as Free, force attacker who crit your ship to reroll crit and take worse (like Scoundrel Lucky Break but vehicle).

**Legendary Pilot – Capstone (L10):** When you establish Outmaneuver (1 or 2 degrees):

Allies who attack same target get **+2 circumstance attack** til start of your next turn.

You can Take 10 (treat d20 as 10 when not threatened) on Vehicles even in combat, Take 20 for 1 Hero Point even under fire.

Your Extra Defense becomes **full Vehicles bonus** (not half) for 1 round/scene.

This is why Pilot + Gunner (Soldier) combo is deadly: you lock-on (Defenseless), Soldier shoots with +2 Talent +2 your lock + Weapon Spec + Multiattack = DC 24-26 vs Defenseless = Injury every hit.

Talent Trees — Pick One Per Slot

**Talent 1 (L2) – How You Fly:**

**Dogfighter:** Ranged Combat (vehicle weapons) +3, Improved Critical (ship weapons) 19-20. When firing forward arc, +1 Damage circumstance. Vehicle size mod halved one extra time (stacks to quarter: freighter -4 -> -1). Requires fighter or light freighter.

**Freighter Jock:** Vehicles (heavy freighters) +4, Toughness saves for your ship +2 (you brace). Can carry +20% cargo without penalty (you balance). When you aid Technician's Maintenance on your ship, +5. Cargo scan DC +5 vs your ship.

**Hotshot:** Vehicles +2 when stunting, +2 Will vs Fear (you live for this). When you pull a stunt (GM discretion), gain Hero Point. Stim Injector optional but not required — you fly sober.

**Talent 2 (L4) – Upgrades:**

**Ship's Soul:** Your ship knows you. After flying same ship for a week, +2 to resist hostile slicing vs your ship. Can use *Ship's Feel* (like Technician's AI Whisper but non-magical) — +2 attitude from ship's computer/droid brain, ship won't eject you, +2 Maintenance on your own ship. No implant, just familiarity.

**Smuggler's Instincts:** Expertise: Streetwise +4, Security (hide contraband) +4, Smuggler's Hold free if you help Scoundrel — for *your* chartered ship, gain Feature 2 Hidden Compartments shielded DC 25. You know 1 blind jump.

**Gunnery Drills:** You and your gunners ignore -2 penalty for firing while moving (). Gunners under your command get +1 attack when you take Evasive Maneuvers.

**Talent 3 (L6) – Ace Tricks:**

**Snap Roll Mastery:** Snap Roll free reposition becomes 2 zones, can be used twice per round. When you Snap Roll, gain Concealment (Visual) 2 vs one attacker (you kicked debris).

**Astrogator's Edge:** Expertise: Astrogation +6 total, can plot jump as Move (was Standard), can plot while piloting without penalty. Hyperspace Mishap table roll -2 (safer).

**Combat Landing:** Speeders/Starships you pilot ignore difficult terrain on landing if you pass Vehicles DC 20. Can land as Move not Standard, and all passengers get Evasion 1 for that landing round.

**Talent 4 (L8) – Legendary Moves:**

**Improved Evasive — Barrel Roll:** When you succeed on Evasive Maneuvers, you may immediately make a second Evasive check as Free at -5. Take better result. 1/scene you can make attacker reroll their hit and take worse.

**Capital Jock:** Can pilot Capital ships (Colossal) without penalty. Your Extra Defense applies to Capital ships at full Vehicles bonus (not half) for 1 round/scene. Crew who fail Morale get +5 Will while you are at helm.

**Ghost Vector:** Your contrail fades: Pursuit checks vs you are at +5 DC. When you Well Skim, no trace on nav buoy. Can "ghost" — 1/scene as Standard, become Sensor Concealment 4 for 3 rounds (opposed Vehicles vs Sensors).

**Talent 5 Capstone (L10) – What They Whisper:**

**Ace of Aces (Dogfighter):** You are the monster that Elite Pilots fear. While piloting fighter/light freighter, Attack +2 circumstance to vehicle weapons (stacks over Tier cap), Dodge of your ship +2, and when you crit with ship weapon you can immediately Outmaneuver as Free and if you win +1 Injury to crew (crit damage +5 to crew rule already — this is extra).

**Master Hauler (Freighter Jock):** Your freighter is home. Ship Toughness +2 (you reinforced Bulkheads), Cargo +50%, Fuel consumption -50% on lanes you mapped. When you Aid Another's Vehicles or Maintenance on your ship, Aid = +5 not +2. You can Take 10 on any Vehicles check while hauling, even when Dying? No, not Dying — but while Staggered yes.

**Ghost Pilot (Hotshot):** Once per adventure, you appear exactly where needed: reposition to any location in scene that could conceivably be reached with your ship (ala Scoundrel Falcon's Shadow), unconscious allies auto-stabilized if you get there in 1 round. While piloting and you spend Hero Point, you can act twice on vehicle movement (2 Moves) + Standard attack.

Starting Package — No Point Buy (Pilot 1, Tier 4)

**Abilities:** DEX 3, AWE 2, AGI 2, INT 1, STA 1, PRE 0, STR 0, FGT -1 (8 ranks total, -1 FGT you don't brawl)

**Defenses:** Dodge 5 (AGI 2 + 3 class), Parry 2 (FGT -1 +3), Toughness 1/3 with Flight Suit (Prot 2, sealed 1h vacuum), Fort 4 (Med, STA 1+3), Will 4 (Med, AWE 2+2)

**Offense:** Blaster Pistol +4 (Ranged Damage 4, DC 19, Short 40m / Med 80m -2 / Long 160m -5), Knife +0 (Close Damage 0+STR), Ship Laser Cannon +6 when pilot-gunner

**Skills:** Vehicles 2 (+5 with Spacer's Instinct), Perception 2 (+4, +6 in cockpit), Astrogation 2 (+3), Technology 1 (+2), Athletics 1 (+1) = 8 ranks? Reconcile: Use 4+INT per level = 5 ranks/level, L1 = 5 ranks trained.

**Gear:** Flight Suit (Protection 2, Immunity 2 Cold/Heat half, Comms 5m, Vacuum 1h), Light Blaster Pistol (Ranged 4), Portable Navcomputer (+2 Astrogation, holds 3 jumps), R2 Unit Holo (how to work with astromechs), Encrypted Comlink, 2x Stim Injector (optional, Speed +10m 3 rounds, crash Fatigued Fort DC15), Holo-Maps (Outer Rim, 1 sector)

**Ship:** **None.** Only Scoundrel starts with ship. You have Pilot License — you can charter for 200-500cr/day (light freighter) or co-pilot Scoundrel's XS Freighter.

**Benefit:** Pilot License (civilian + light freighter, +5 Persuasion vs customs), Reputation (Reliable Pilot — +2 among spacers)

**Credits:** 800cr + 1,000cr/mo retainer (Wealth 1 from License)

**Complication:** Responsibility (ship/crew or charter contract), Rival (other ace), Debt? Optional — if you wanted a fighter, you took loan 20k = -200cr/mo (but then you'd have ship, breaking rule — so no loan unless GM waives)

Vehicle Combat Quick Ref — Pilot Section

Per Atomic ThinkTank Vehicle Combat.md + House Rules — print this:

**Defense while Evasive:** d20 + Vehicles - size mod (halved at L4) = Defense until next round. **Extra Defense = half Vehicles bonus added** at L5. Full Vehicles at L10 1/round. Vulnerable = half Vehicles before calc.

**Outmaneuver:** Opposed Vehicles - size mod (halved at L8). 1 deg = Impaired+Vulnerable, 2 deg = Disabled+Defenseless (lock). Maintain = Free with Move, Break = Free, Target escape = Move. Vulnerable to others while dogfighting unless L8.

**Extra Effort:** DC 15 Vehicles. Success = +1 rank Feature/Weapon/Movement 1 round. Fail = fatigued vehicle (not pilot) — -2 vehicle checks, -1 Toughness. 2nd fatigue = Exhausted (half speed, -5). Repair DC 15 Maintenance 1h clears Fatigue.

**Passenger -2 to hit** when vehicle moving — you ignore as pilot-gunner via Combat Pilot.

**Critical hits:** +5 damage to CREW only, ship takes normal damage. Crew still makes Toughness DC 15 vs Damage 0 if crit chooses other effect (). This is why Pilot Toughness Low matters — you take crew crits even though ship is tank.

Gritty Notes — Why You Don't Die

Your Toughness 1/3 means a Blaster Pistol Damage 4 vs you = DC 19 Toughness save. You need 16+ to avoid Injury. You *will* take Injuries if shot in corridor. **So don't be in corridors.** In cockpit, your Defense 19-23 while evasive means they miss. When they do hit, ship Toughness 11 soaks, you only take crit overflow.

When ship goes down, you punch out. Flight Suit gives 1 hour vacuum and +2 vs cold/heat. You fly with feel — no wires in your head. Cold-start an escape pod as Move because you drilled it, not because your implant let you.

Your job is not to tank. Your job is to make the freighter that has no right to outfly a TIE Interccrtor **outfly a TIE Interccrtor** because you know the size mod and added +4 Defense from pure skill, not cyberware.

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