While there are many talented individuals who have the charisma and drive to accomplish one-man shows, most of the entertainers in the Verge are part of larger companies or troupes. Musical groups, Shakespearean stage actors, comedians, Grid celebrities, and others come to the Verge for brief tours before returning to the comfort of Old Space. Hundreds of promoters, charities, foundations, and societies seek to bring the culture of Old Space to the Verge. It's possible that an entertainer hero could have been lured here by any of them, only to get caught up in the grander mystery of the Verge.

In the Verge: The Society for the Arts, a Hatire-backed charity, contracts with a variety of entertainers to bring their shows to the Verge. Their only requirement is that everything in the production must be handcrafted—they won’t tolerate computer-generated scenery or special effects. They contract for around a dozen performances throughout the Verge and pay quite well. The Orlamu Operatic Theater is always performing its Sendir and the Divine Unconscious production, spreading the word of the Cosimir throughout the Verge. It frequently changes the lead actor in the opera, always utilizing a famous personality.

The Personality is in the public's eye by day. A movie star or television talk show host, a high-profile community leader or politician, a world famous novelist or self-help guru-all these and more fit into the Personality advanced class. The Personality is recognizable, has some amount of fame and a following, and often has the reputation and wealth (or illusion thereof) to go along with the spot-light. A Personality might simply be famous because of who she is, or she may have earned her status by what she's done. She could be an entertainer, a celebrity, a dilettante, a politician, or the bored offspring of one of these public personalities.

Select this advanced class if you want your character to make the most of her Charisma and Charisma-based skills.

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

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

Skills: Diplomacy 6 ranks, Perform (select one) 6 ranks

Feats: Renown

The following information pertains to the Personality advanced class.

Hit Die: 1d6

Action Points: 6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the Personality attains a new level in this class.

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

Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

The following features pertain to the Personality advanced class.

When others would normally make a Diplomacy check or Bluff check to smooth-talk or trick their way into a private party or invitation-only event, the Personality adds a bonus equal to his or her Personality level.

When a Personality buys a ticket to a show or for transportation, he or she can make a Diplomacy check to get that ticket upgraded. DCs are given below.

At 2nd and again at 7th level, the Personality designates one cross-class skill as a class skill. Once designated, the skill is considered a class skill every time the character adds a new level of Personality.

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

Alertness, Animal Affinity, Combat Expertise, Confident, Creative, Deceptive, Defensive Martial Arts, Educated, Trustworthy

At 4th and 8th level, a Personality’s activities in the public eye generate extra income. This income provides a Wealth bonus increase of +4.

At 5th level, a Personality develops such a force of personal magnetism that he or she can convince a single target to regard him or her as a trusted friend. (If the target is currently being threatened or attacked by the Personality or his or her allies, this ability won’t work.)

The target makes a Will saving throw to avoid being persuaded by the Personality’s words and actions. The DC is 10 + Personality’s class level + Personality’s Charisma bonus.

This ability doesn’t enable the Personality to control the target, but the target perceives the Personality’s words and actions in the most favorable way. The Personality can try to give the target orders, but he or she must win an opposed Charisma check to convince the target to perform any actions the target wouldn’t normally undertake. The target never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, and any act by the Personality or his or her allies that threatens the target breaks the mood and clears the target’s head. Otherwise, a target remains won over for 1 minute per Personality level.

After the duration expires, the GM determines the reaction and attitude of the target based on what the Personality compelled the target to do.

This is a Mind-Affecting ability.

At 10th level, a Personality’s force of personal magnetism increases to the point that he or she can arouse a single emotion of his or her choice—despair, hope, or rage—in a target. To use this ability, the Personality must spend 1 action point. The emotion he or she arouses affects one target (a GM character) within 15 feet of the Personality (or within 15 feet of a television, radio, or telephone that broadcasts the Personality’s performance). The performance requires a full-round action, and its effects on the target last for 1d4+1 rounds.

The target makes a Will saving throw. The DC is 10 + Personality’s class level + Personality’s Charisma bonus. If the target succeeds at the saving throw, he or she is immune to the compulsion of this performance. If the target fails, he or she reacts to the emotion as described below.

Despair: The target takes a –2 morale penalty on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.

Hope: The target gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.

Rage: The target gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a –1 penalty to Defense. In a dramatic situation, the target is compelled to fight, regardless of the danger.