Smart Hero
The Smart hero uses his Intelligence score to best advantage. Taking a feature in this class demonstrates educational training in an academic or technical subject. Learning and reasoning powers combine to define the Smart hero.
A Smart hero might be brainy or bookish. He might possess uncanny reasoning skills or the ability to puzzle his way out of any situation. He's bright, quick-witted, and possessed of a great deal of knowledge - or at least the ability to gather that knowledge if he so chooses.
Examples of Smart Heroes
Scientists and researchers of all descriptions, academics, law enforcement or military professionals who specialize in using tactics, deduction, or reason, and many kinds of white-collar professionals fall within the scope of the Smart hero.
Ability
Intelligence is the ability associated with this class. Smart heroes often put a good score into one of their physical abilities (such as Dexterity) and sometimes combine high intelligence with either a good Wisdom or Charisma. The base class features for this class are the same as all General Classes and can be found in that article.
Class Features
Tier OneTIER ONE FEATURE: Exploit Weakness
- AXP: 2200
- Pre-Requisites: Intelligence score of at least 16 (or Smart Hero selected as base class)
- Grants Access To: Tactician
After 1 round of combat, the hero can designate one opponent and try to find ways to gain an advantage by using brains over brawn. The hero uses an action or spends one action point and makes an Intelligence check (DC 15) with a bonus equal to his or her tier. If the check succeeds, for the rest of the combat the Smart hero uses his or her Intelligence bonus instead of either Strength or Dexterity bonus on attack rolls against that hero as the hero finds ways to outthink his opponent and notices weaknesses in his opponent's fighting style.
TIER ONE FEATURE: Linguist
- AXP: 500
- Pre-Requisites: None
- Grants Access To: Interpreter
Gain proficiency in one common language. Or one uncommon or alternative language (ex. ASL, Brail, Morse code) for 1000 AXP. Or one ancient or dead language for 1500 AXP. See Languages for examples of languages.
This feature can be taken up to eight times at the same AXP cost each time.
TIER ONE FEATURE: Notebook
- AXP: 1800
- Pre-Requisites: Exploit Weakness or any feature from the Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens
- Grants Access To: None
You begin carrying a notebook or voice recorder with you in your adventures, storing conversations and research as you obtain it. For every successful use of the Research Weakness ability (see Researching Creatures) or the Exploit Weakness feature, you gain one Knowledge Point (a max of 10 can be stored at one time).
Each use of this feature expends 5 Knowledge points, once used these knowledge points cannot be used again until after a long rest. As an action or by spending one action point you may rifle through your notes and discover something about your subject.
- Resistances the creature has.
- Immunities the creature has.
- Damage types the creature can inflict with weapons they possess.
TIER ONE FEATURE: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants
- AXP: 2500
- Pre-Requisites: Proficiency in Animal Handling, Nature and Survival and Smart hero selected as base class (or access granted by any feature in the Research Weakness Feature Tree)
- Grants Access To: Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens
This feature grants you the Research Creatures ability as detailed in the Researching Creatures in Apendix A. You may only use this ability to research creatures with the Beast or Plant type, and you may use an Investigation, Animal Handling, Nature or Survival check to complete your ability. You may reduce the time it takes to research a creature to 30 min if able to physically examine or watch the creature or species in question. Additionally, you may lower the DC of your research check by 2 for every additional feature you take from the Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens.
TIER ONE FEATURE: Savant
- AXP: 1000
- Pre-Requisites: Smart Hero selected as base class.
- Grants Access To: Expert
Select one of the skills listed in the following paragraph. The Smart hero gets to add a bonus equal to his or her Tier when making checks with that skill. A Smart hero can take this feature multiple times; each time it applies to a different skill and costs 75 less AXP each time (min 100 AXP).
Circuitry, Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Mechanics, Medicine, Nature, Navigation, Perception, Religion, Sleight of Hand.
TIER ONE FEATURE: Skilled
- AXP: 1500
- Pre-Requisites: None
- Grants Access To: None
You may gain proficiency in any four skills. If you already have proficiency in that skill double your proficiency bonus for that skill. This feature may be taken one additional time for 2500 AXP and cannot be applied to the same skills.
Alternatively you may gain proficiency in a tool, instrument, or vehicle you are not proficient in.
TIER TWO FEATURE: Expert
- AXP: 5600
- Pre-Requisites: Skilled
- Grants Access To: None
Choose 4 skills from the list in the following paragraph that you already have proficiency in. Gain expertise in those skills.
Circuitry, Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Mechanics, Medicine, Nature, Navigation, Perception, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Survival
TIER TWO FEATURE: Googler
- AXP: 3600
- Pre-Requisites: None
- Grants Access To: None
After years of practice researching topics online, you know what sites contain the most accurate information. When using the Asking Terra feature (see The Eden Project), you may view the first 5 results instead of 3.
TIER TWO FEATURE: Historian
- AXP: 3600
- Pre-Requisites: Expertise in History
- Grants Access To: None
After years of studying history and the battles that mark the historical terrain of earth, you have become very familiar with archaic weapons, vehicles and languages. You may choose four of the following benefits:
- Gain proficiency in one category of Archaic Weapons; Archaic Simple Weapons, Archaic Martial Weapons, Archaic Heavy Weapons, Archaic Siege Weapons.
- Gain proficiency in one category of Archaic Vehicles; Archaic Naval Vehicles, Archaic Land Vehicles, Archaic Air Vehicles.
- Gain proficiency in one of the following; Alchemist’s supplies, Brewer’s supplies, Calligrapher's Supplies, Archaic Carpenter’s tools, Archaic Cartographer’s tools, Cobbler’s tools, Cook’s utensils, Glassblower’s tools, Jeweler’s tools, Leatherworker’s tools, Mason’s tools, Painter’s supplies, Potter’s tools, Smith’s tools, Tinker’s tools, Weaver’s tools, Woodcarver’s tools, Bagpipes, Drum, Dulcimer, Flute, Lute, Lyre, Horn, Pan flute, Shawm, Viol, Navigator’s tools, Thieves’ tools.
- Gain proficiency in one dead or ancient language.
A Smart hero can take this feature multiple times; each time it applies to different proficiencies and costs 100 less AXP each time (min 100 AXP).
TIER TWO FEATURE: Interpreter
- AXP: 3600
- Pre-Requisites: Proficiency in at least four languages (or access granted by Linguist)
- Grants Access To: None
With this feature, the hero becomes a master linguist. Whenever the hero encounters a new language, either spoken or written, that he or she does not know the hero can make an Intelligence check to determine if he or she can understand it. The check is made with a bonus equal to the hero's tier x 2. For a written language, the bonus applies to a Intelligence (Investigation) check instead.
The DC for the check depends on the situation: DC 15 if the language is in the same group as a language the hero has proficiency in; DC 20 if the language is unrelated to any other languages the hero knows; and DC 25 if the language is ancient or unique. With this special ability, a hero can glean enough meaning from a conversation or document to ascertain the basic message, but this ability in no way simulates actually being able to converse or fluently read and write in a given language.
A single check covers roughly one minute of a spoken language or one page of a written language.
TIER TWO FEATURE: Research Weakness: Monsters
- AXP: 6800
- Pre-Requisites: Proficiency in Animal Handling and Survival and Smart hero selected as base class (or access granted by any feature in the Research Weakness Feature Tree)
- Grants Access To: Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens
This feature grants you the Research Creatures ability as detailed in the Researching Creatures in Apendix A. You may only use this ability to research creatures with the Monstrosity, Abberation, or Giant type, and you may use an Investigation, Animal Handling, or Survival check to complete your ability. You may reduce the time it takes to research a creature to 30 min if able to physically examine or watch the creature or species in question. Additionally, you may lower the DC of your research check by 2 for every additional feature you take from the Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens.
TIER TWO FEATURE: Trick Opponent
- AXP: 5000
- Pre-Requisites: Intelligence or Charisma score of at least 16 (or Smart Hero selected as base class)
- Grants Access To: None
The hero has the ability to temporarily confuse a target through the use of ploy and deception. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a trick, must be within 30 feet of the hero, and must be able to hear and understand the hero.
To play a trick on a target, the hero must use a full-round action The target can try to think quickly and ignore the trick. The target resists the trick by making a Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw (DC 10 + hero's tier + hero's Intelligence modifier). If the saving throw fails, the target becomes dazed (unable to act, but can defend normally) for 1 round.
A trick can only be played on a particular target once per encounter. After the first trick in an encounter, whether the attempt succeeds or not, that target becomes wary and immune to such ploys. This is a mind-affecting ability.
TIER THREE FEATURE: Hobby
- AXP: 5600
- Pre-Requisites: Smart hero selected as base class
- Grants Access To: None
Very intelligent people sometimes get bored with their chosen career or expertise. With proficiency in so many skills its no one most take up a hoby, and many even earn a second income from it. Select two feats from any occupation found in the Character Creation: Occupations article. Additionally, increase your Wealth score once by +3.
TIER THREE FEATURE: Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead
- AXP: 8400
- Pre-Requisites: Proficiency in Medicine and Nature and Smart hero selected as base class (or access granted by any feature in the Research Weakness Feature Tree)
- Grants Access To: Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens
This feature grants you the Research Creatures ability as detailed in the Researching Creatures in Apendix A. You may only use this ability to research creatures with the Diseased or Undead type, and you may use an Investigation, Animal Handling, Nature, Medicine or Survival check to complete your ability. You may reduce the time it takes to research a creature to 30 min if able to physically examine or watch the creature or species in question. Or you may spend two action points to use the Research Creatures ability as a full action. Additionally, you may lower the DC of your research check by 2 for every additional feature you take from the Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens.
TIER THREE FEATURE: Research Weakness: Humans and Androids
- AXP: 10400
- Pre-Requisites: Proficiency in Insight, Perception and Circuitry and Smart hero selected as base class (or access granted by any feature in the Research Weakness Feature Tree)
- Grants Access To: Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens
This feature grants you the Research Creatures ability as detailed in the Researching Creatures in Apendix A. You may only use this ability to research humanoids with the Human or Android race, and you may use an Investigation, Insight, Perception or Circuitry check to complete your ability. You may reduce the time it takes to research a creature to 15 min if able to physically examine, talk to, or watch the creature or species in question. Or you may spend one action point to use the Research Creatures ability as a full action for humanoids with the Human or Android race. Additionally, you may lower the DC of your research check by 2 for every additional feature you take from the Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens.
TIER THREE FEATURE: Tactician
- AXP: 9200
- Pre-Requisites: Expertise in History and Insight (or access granted by Exploit Weakness)
- Grants Access To: Prior Planning
Your experience and study in combat tactics lets you shout out guiding words to aid your allies. You gain the following benefits:
You can give tactical advice to give your allies an edge in combat. When an creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend one action point. The creature adds 1d6 to their roll. You can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the action point, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.
You learn two of the following maneuvers. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 5th, 7th, and 9th tier. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.
Tactical Maneuvers
If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence or Dexterity modifier (your choice).
Ambush
When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check or an initiative roll, you can expend one action point and add 1d6 to the roll, provided you aren't incapacitated.
Bait and Switch
When you're within 5 feet of a creature on your turn, you can expend one action point and switch places with that creature, provided you spend at least 5 feet of movement and the creature is willing and isn't incapacitated. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Roll 1d6. Until the start of your next turn, you or the other creature (your choice) gains a bonus to AC equal to the number rolled.
Commander's Strike
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks and use a bonus action to direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you and expend two action points. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack, adding 1d6 to the attack's damage roll.
Disarming Attack
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one action point to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it's holding. You add 1d6 to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.
Distracting Strike
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend two action points to distract the creature, giving your allies an opening. You add 1d6 to the attack's damage roll. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.
Evasive Footwork
When you move, you can expend one action point, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your AC until you stop moving.Feinting Attack
You can expend one action point and use a bonus action on your turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. That creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls against you untill your next turn. And you gain advantage on your next attack against that creature, as long as it happens before the end of your next turn.
Maneuvering Attack
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend two action points to maneuver one of your comrades into a more advantageous position. You add 1d6 to the attack's damage roll, and you choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of your attack.
Parry
When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend two action points to reduce the damage by 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier.
Precision Attack
When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one action point to add 1d6 to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.
Tactical Assessment
When you make an Intelligence (Investigation), an Intelligence (History), or a Wisdom (Insight) check not related to another feature, you can expend one action point and add 1d6 to the ability check.
Trip Attack
When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can expend one action point to attempt to trip the target. You add 1d6 to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.
TIER FOUR FEATURE: Perceptive Action
- AXP: 14400
- Pre-Requisites: Wisdom (Perception) modifier of at least +10, or a Dexterity ability score of at least 18
- Grants Access To: None
You gain the initiative to react to changes in knowledge quickly. Whenever you pass a Perception or Investigation check in the middle of a surprise round, during the Initiative of a fight or chase, or right before (Or as) a trap goes off (Working only if the trap is what the Perception or Investigation check discovered), you may use your reaction to take the Dash, Disengage or Hide action, or to interact with an object that doesn't cause an attack roll or saving throw to another creature. If you dash with this action, you can take one willing creature you can pull with you, though this halves your speed. If you dash from a trap this way, you (And anyone you pull) don't have to save against the trap if you escape the area it affects.
TIER FOUR FEATURE: Prior Planning
- AXP: 9100
- Pre-Requisites: At least one of the following; Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens or access granted by the Tactician feature
- Grants Access To: None
Prior to an encounter the Smart hero can develop a plan of action to handle the situation. Using this talent requires preparation; a Smart hero can’t use this talent when surprised or otherwise unprepared for a particular situation. Creating a plan requires 1 minute.
After creating the plan the Smart hero makes an Intelligence check (DC 8) with a bonus equal to his or her tier. The result of the check provides the Smart hero and allies with a circumstance bonus. A Smart hero can’t take 10 or 20 when making this check.
Prior Planning Check
| Check Result | Bonus |
|---|---|
| 8 or lower | +0 (check failed) |
| 9-12 | +1 |
| 13–16 | +2 |
| 17–22 | +3 |
| 22 or higher | +4 |
This bonus can be applied to all skill checks and attack rolls made by the Smart hero and his or her allies, but the bonus only lasts for the first 3 rounds after making the plan. After that time, reduce the bonus by 1 point (to a minimum of +0) for every additional round the situation continues, as the vagaries of circumstance begin to unravel even the best-laid plans.
Additionally, the Smart Hero and his or her allies gain advantage the next time they roll for initiative and any suprise attacks made during the first round deal an additional damage die.
TIER FOUR FEATURE: Research Weakness: Aliens
- AXP: 14000
- Pre-Requisites: Proficiency in Perception, Insight, Persuasion and Investigation and Smart hero selected as base class (or access granted by any feature in the Research Weakness Feature TreeONLY AVAILABLE DURING PHASE THREE}
- Grants Access To: Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens
This feature grants you the Research Creatures ability as detailed in the Researching Creatures in Apendix A. You may only use this ability to research creatures with the Alien type, and you may use an Perception, Insight, Persuasion or Investigation check to complete your ability. You may reduce the time it takes to research a creature to 30 min if able to physically examine or watch the creature or species in question. Or you may spend three action points to use the Research Creatures ability as a full action for creatures with the Alien type. Additionally, you may lower the DC of your research check by 2 for every additional feature you take from the Research Weakness Feature Tree: Research Weakness: Beasts and Plants, Research Weakness: Monsters, Research Weakness: Disease and the Undead, Research Weakness: Humans and Androids, Research Weakness: Aliens.
TIER FIVE FEATURE: Focused Defense
- AXP: 27000
- Pre-Requisites: Selected Smart Hero, Medic, or Technician as base class, or an Intelligence ability score of at least 20
- Grants Access To: None
You've finally figured out how to implement your defensive reasoning to its greatest use. You gain the following abilities, all used as an action:
Defend against melee: If an enemy would melee you this round, they must roll 3 higher than your AC to hit you. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
Defend against ranged: If an enemy would make a ranged attack that isn't a spell or effect against you this round, they must roll 3 higher than your AC to hit you. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
Defend against effect shots: If an enemy would make a ranged attack that is a spell or effect against you this round, they must roll 3 higher than your AC to hit you. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
Defend against saves: If an enemy would use a feature that requires you to make a save to lessen its effects this round, you add 3 to the final total of your save, and if you succeed on the save you take no damage or harmful effects. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn or you save against another effect, whichever happens first.
You cannot use any of these abilities if you have any Exhaustion levels, are afflicted with a Disease, or are under the effects of a Feeblemind effect, or any similar effect that lowers your Intelligence or Wisdom score.
TIER FIVE FEATURE: Mental Reflex
- AXP: 21700
- Pre-Requisites: Charisma ability score or at least 16, or access granted by selecting Smart Hero, Charismatic Hero, Hustler, or Personality as base class
- Grants Access To: None
Your mind is so quick that if you make a mistake, you can attempt to amend it. You gain the following abilities. Each one can be used once per day.
If an attack you make against another creature would miss, you may re-roll your attack. You must take the new roll even if it is lower than the first.
If you would make a check with advantage or disadvantage, you may reroll any 1's associated with this roll.
When you roll a natural 1 on an Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Perception), or Wisdom (Insight) check, you can instead treat it as a natural 20.
Additionally, you may add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative checks.
TIER SIX FEATURE: Hyper-Intellect
- AXP: 33000
- Pre-Requisites: Selected Smart Hero as base class or at least one Smart Hero feature from each tier 1-5.
- Grants Access To: You may take the Technician, Medic, or Hustler class as a second base class for 20,000 AXP. You may not take more than two base classes.
With a brain like yours, everything is a problem that can be solved with a little more thought. When you take this feature you gain proficiency in Strength and Charisma saving throws. At 8th tier, you also gain proficiency in all other saving throws.
Additionally, you have begun to apply your skills to other proficiencies. You may elect to take the average of all of your current skill modifiers as a bonus to every skill that you do not have proficiency in.
Lastly, at any time if your Intelligence ability score becomes 30. You gain Auto-Success on all Intelligence skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.
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