Despite the high levels of traffic along the Tendril-Hammer's Star corridor in the Verge, there are still hundreds of star systems that human eyes have never seen. Some of these may be the homes oi new alien species, others might hold mineral wealth beyond imagining, and still others might possess the greatest of all prizes—an Earthlike world ready for settlement But there are dangers in open space, and a few exploration vessels have disappeared in search of the unknown.

In the Verge: The Concord Survey Service (part of the Concord Star Force) employs explorers on a continuing basis. They're looking for volunteers to investigate certain areas of the Verge and the Lightning Nebula.

Driven by a thirst for knowledge, an unyielding curiosity, or a craving for adventure, the Explorer lives to plumb the unknown. She is Columbus, Earhart, Livingston, and Armstrong all rolled into one. She might serve her own agenda or a larger organization. Regardless of her loyalties, the Explorer's investigative talents serve her well when unraveling the secrets of vanished alien cultures, map-ping new star systems, surveying distant planets for eventual colonization, unearthing the treasures of ancient dynasties, or determining what lies beyond dimension gates. The Explorer's survival skills also make her an excellent scout and guide.

Select this advanced class if you want your character to excel at exploration and uncovering secrets in places where most others fear to tread.

The fastest path into this advanced class is from the Dedicated hero basic class, though other paths are possible.

To qualify to become an Explorer, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (Life Sciences) 6 ranks, Knowledge (history, physical sciences, or theology and philosophy) 4 ranks, Search 4 ranks, Survival 6 ranks.

Dedicated Hero Talent: Aware.

The Explorer gains 1d8 hit points per level. The character's Constitution modifier applies.

The Explorer gains a number of action points equal to 6 + one-half her character level, rounded down, every time she attains a new level in this class.

The Explorer's class skills are as follows.

Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Drive (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Investigate (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex), Research (Int), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Treat Injury (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier

The following class features pertain to the Explorer advanced class.

An Explorer picks up stray and obscure facts during her adventures. She may make a spe-cial Explorer lore check with a bonus equal to her Explorer class level + her Intelligence modifier to see whether or not she knows some relevant knowledge about notable peo-ple, legendary items, or noteworthy places. If the Explorer has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), she gains a +2 bonus on this check. She may take 10 but cannot take 20 on this check.

An Explorer lore check does not reveal the powers of a magic or psionic item but may give some hint as to its general function; an Explorer may not take 10 or take 20 on this check. A GM can determine the Difficulty Class of the check result by referring to the table below.

At 1st level, the Explorer gains the bonus feats Guide and Track.

Beginning at 2nd level, an Explorer gains a morale bonus equal to one-half her Explorer class level (rounded down) on saving throws to resist fear effects and Intimidate checks.

When actively searching for secret doors or traps, an Explorer of 2nd level or higher gains a bonus on her Search checks equal to one-half her Explorer class level (rounded down).

At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the Explorer gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Explorer must I meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Action Boost, Advanced Action Boost, Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting, Aircraft Operation (any), Alien Cohort, Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Attentive, Brawl, Culturally Adapted, Dodge, Educated, Endurance, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency, Expert Scrounger, Heroic Surge, Improved Action Boost, Improved Feint, Improved Knockout Punch, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Jack of All Trades, Knock-out Punch, Meticulous, Mobility, Nimble, Open-Minded, Planetary Adaptation, Renown, Salvage, Spacer, Starship Operation (any), Streetfighting, Studious, Two-Weapon Fighting, Vehicle Expert.

At 4th level, an Explorer gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to Defense against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 at 7th level and +3 at 10th level.

An Explorer of 5th level or higher can spend an action point to take an extra 5-foot step during her turn, as a free action. This extra 5-foot step does not provoke attacks of opportunity. At 10th level, the Explorer can take the extra 5-foot step without spending an action point.

If an Explorer of 8th level or higher is exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage (a grenade blast, for example), the Explorer suffers no damage if she makes a successful saving throw.

If the Explorer already has evasion (the Fast hero's evasion talent, for example), she gains improved evasion instead. Improved evasion works similar to evasion, except the Explorer suffers only half damage on a failed saving throw.

EXPLORER LORE Type of Knowledge Examples DC Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the legends or rumors about a powerful place of mystery local populationA local official’s hobbies and interests; common 10

Uncommon but available, The coordinates of a known but uncharted world; 20 known only by a few people legends or rumors about a powerful artifact In the area Obscure, known by few, hard The customs of a documented but unfamiliar alien 25 to come by species; the true homeworld of an ancient royal alien dynasty

Extremely obscure, known by The most likely location of a long-lost tomb; the 30 very few, possibly forgotten by history of a powerful artifact and its creator; the most, possibly known only to a likely coordinates of a fabled but as-yet-undiscovered few who don’t understand the planet knowledge’s significance''

To qualify to become a , a character must fulfill the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus:

Skills:

Feats:

The following information pertains to the advanced class.

Hit Die: 1d

Action Points: + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the attains a new level in this class.

The ’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:

Appraise (Int), Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Computer Use (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Demolitions (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Drive (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gamble (Wis), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Navigation (Int), Pilot (Dex), Repair (Int), Research (Int), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Treat Injury (Wis), Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points at Each Level: + Int modifier.

The following features pertain to the advanced class.