It’s a fairly common practice in Savage Worlds settings to present a number of character archetypes that fit well within the campaign setting. Since Mercenary Breed 2.0 is designed to accommodate a variety of campaign settings, we introduced a small section called Character Concepts within each campaign setting type inside the Setting Themes chapter. There are a total of 5 campaign setting themes: Space Travel, Space Western, Space Opera, Military Sci-Fi, and Urban Warfare. Setting themes adds further options for these including technology bases, theme subsets, and additional theme flavors.
Within each of those 5 setting themes is a collection of character concepts (archetypes, professions, whatever) that fit within that particular setting theme. Although players can always pick and choose whatever concepts they desire, by presenting these concepts, it helps the players and GM align their character choices to better match the chosen theme. Another decision was made to NOT include quick-play stat blocks. There are simply too many options to present within the different setting themes that the stat blocks could quickly become overwhelming. That and they are often dependent on the xeno template chosen, the home world of the character, and how the employer is designed by the GM. Thus quick-play stat blocks wouldn’t offer enough value in the core setting guide.
Character Concepts
Mercenaries are more than just warriors in a space opera campaign. Each one has a flavor all his own, amounting to some type of specialized training or where the character’s interests lie. While the possibilities are endless, here is a sample of concepts.
Assassin: Assassins are skilled in stealth tactics, moving silently to get close enough to backstab their target or shoot them from the shadows.
Bounty Hunter: Bounty hunters are skilled in tracking their prey across the cosmos, always knowing where to find just the right information.
Engineer: Engineers not only design technology, they know how to fully utilize it, bypass necessary protocols, and probably repair it.
Hacker: Hackers are skilled in rifling through computers, computer systems, and networks to find the information they desire. Much of their work is beyond the regular limits of the law.
Hunter: Hunters are skilled trackers and killers, always being able to see, hear, or smell a target from a safe distance.
Infiltrator: Infiltrators are able to break through security systems, mechanical and electronic, to get inside of the most secure places. They also know how to navigate through a compound to find where the key individuals are located.
Mechanic: Mechanics are important for on-the-spot repairs and the creation of much-needed gadgets to get the job done.
Medic: Combat throughout the galaxy can be quite dangerous and anyone able to offer any type of healing, setting a broken bone, or pinpointing diseases is highly desired.
Navigator: Getting to and getting around new planets can be difficult. Navigators use their knowledge of the stars and terrain to reach their rendezvous.
Pilot: Traveling to distant planets is typically done on a large ship; but once deployed, a pilot needs to land the force safely.
Psion: Psions are masters of psionic abilities, with a mind much more powerful than any others.
Shock Trooper: Shock troopers lead from the front, able to break through enemy ranks, causing them to scatter and become vulnerable.
Sniper: Snipers perch on distant platforms to exploit their long range shooting abilities. They can take out a single target from incredible distances, allowing the hidden team to continue their infiltration efforts.
Specialist: Specialists are those who carry the weapons no one else wants to. They could be demolitions experts, skilled in flamethrowers, or know how to properly throw grenades.
