It’s easy to vanish in the Verge, and some people seem to do it with surprising regularity. Bounty hunters are then sent to find the poor, lost souls and return them to where they’re supposed to be-normally a prison cell. They're then paid their fee and leave to find the next lost person. Bounty hunters get two kinds oi jobs: bond work and contracts. Bond work is more common. A hunter checks to see who has a price on their head, and then goes after that person. In many cases, bond work is perfectly legal, and the local justice system guarantees the reward. In other cases, bond work is simply another word for an open contract; the first bounty hunter that finds the wanted person can claim the reward. Contract work shows up on a hero's doorstep after he's proven himself with bond work. When a bounty hunter earns a reputation, powerful people seek him out and offer him lucrative robs. As a bounty hunter advances in level, successfully completing more and more missions, word of his efficiency gets around and more work comes his way.

In the Verge: The most notorious outstanding bond is for the corsair lord Kalt Terenz. Last year he captured and looted a space yacht belonging to House Blackmore of Alaundril, owners of Solar X Industries. Two members of the family were killed in the attack, and Halt took a third one prisoner. Maura Blackmore, leader of her house, has offered a reward of $2,500,000 Concord Dollars for Halt Terenz, dead or alive.

The Tracer is always looking for someone or something, stalking his elusive quarry with unyielding resolve. His expertise in pursuing fugitives makes him the ideal bounty hunter or truant officer. Sometimes his skills are put to the test tracking down missing persons or packages. His talents also make him a skilled assassin, although only the most emotionally detached Tracers are comfortable with that role. Regardless of how the Tracer earns his keep, he invariably finds what he's looking for … or dies trying.

Select this advanced class if you want your character to excel at hunting fugitives or locating missing persons or consignments.

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

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

Base Attack Bonus: +2.

Skills: Investigate 6 ranks, Knowledge (Criminal or Social Sciences) 6 ranks, Survival 6 ranks.

Feat: Track.

The following information pertains to the Tracer advanced class.

Hit Die: The Tracer gains 1d8 vitality points per level. The character’s Constitution modifier applies.

Action Points: The Tracer gains a number of action points equal to 6 + one-half his character level, rounded down, every time he attains a new level in this class.

The Tracer’s class skills are as follows.

Climb (Str), Computer Use (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Drive (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Investigate (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex), Research (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

The following class features pertain to the Tracer advanced class.

At 1st level, a Tracer selects a species or specific kind of creature his “target species. The Tracer must have previously encountered at least one member of the target species to select it. An expert tracker, the Tracer gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against members of the target species. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.

As a free action, a Tracer may spend an action point to change his target species.

At 1st level, a Tracer gains the bonus feat Urban Tracking.

At 2nd level, the Tracer becomes skilled at taking down unwary targets quickly. He deals +1d6 points of damage on successful melee and ranged weapon attacks made against a flat-footed opponent. This extra damage can be lethal or nonlethal, as determined by the choice of weapon and the manner in which it’s used.

The extra damage increases to +2d6 at 5th level and +3d6 at 8th level.

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

Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Alertness, Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency (medium), Armor Proficiency (powered), Athletic, Combat Throw, Dead Aim, Double Tap, Elusive Target, Far Shot, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Throw, Improved Initiative, Low Profile, Nerve Pinch, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, Spacer, Starship Operation, Stealthy, Trustworthy, Unbalance Opponent

Tracers learn to move quickly yet quietly.

At 4th level, a Tracer no longer suffers the –5 penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks while moving at full speed.

At 7th level, a Tracer suffers only a –10 penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks while running or charging (instead of the normal –20 penalty).

At 10th level, the Tracer can move a full speed without penalty when using the Survival skill to track. He can move at twice normal speed while tracking, but takes a –10 penalty on the check when doing so.