Zoologist Pre-release

Description

+Vigor, +Intelligence, +Vitality*

*Choose from among all three when determining your two Class-based Personality Traits (the final may come from any Stat).

“The smallest frog has more mystery in it than all the stars in the sky.”

— — John Muir

You are an enthusiastic wildlife researcher with an infectious passion for animals. You seem to know everything there is to know about any creature you come across and are remarkably good at getting them to cooperate, though your actual authority over them is limited.

Conduits designing a mission for you should try to include animals where possible but do not need to do so excessively — your kit can easily provide all the critters you’ll need. Consistency is not your specialty, so if the Conduit wants to really challenge you they could put you in a setting where an animal on the loose will likely be quickly captured or subdued.

Grounded in larger-than-life naturalists sharing their love of animals with the world and the many functional characters they have inspired.

Examples from contemporary history & pop culture include:

  • Steve Irwin, Jane Goodall, David Attenborough, the Kratt Brothers, and other modern wildlife educators
  • Nigel Thornberry (The Wild Thornberrys)
  • Ace Ventura (eponymous)
  • Newt Scamander (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
  • Professors Oak, Birch, Juniper, and others (Pokémon)
  • Dora the Explorer (eponymous)

Challenge Level: Mid

Class by Tomáš Staněk

Edition: Advent v1

Public: Yes

Signature Gear

Base Gear

Pith Helmet

Base

Lightly protective, wide-brimmed hat with a core of spongy wood.

  • Provides a Mid Ward against natural environmental hazards.
  • While the user keeps quiet, slow, and low to the ground, local foliage will gradually sprout over a Low Duration to conceal them and allies in the immediate vicinity doing likewise.

Control Pole

Base

Sturdy pole with an ensnaring loop at the end, standing at shoulder height.

Accuracy Boost
Mid
  • Ensnared targets are far less able to damage or escape this item.
  • Haft may be telescopically extended or contracted at will (capping out at triple normal length).
  • While moving this pole very slowly, it is much less likely to be noticed.

Pocket Critters

Base

Small, safe-to-handle animals, stashed in indeterminate locations on your person.

Quantity
5x
  • Pitch a critter as you reveal it while commenting on a behavior it is known for; it will promptly demonstrate that behavior.

Elective Gear

Dart Gun

Elective

Long-barreled air gun, firing with a brief hiss; launches tranquilizer darts that inflict no damage.

Ammunition
5x
Effective Range
High
  • Forcibly sedates and heals the target, scaling on how panicked, enraged, or similar they are.
    • Impact caps out at High against creatures and Mid against humans and other sapient species.

Field Journal

Elective

Full of notes and sketches.

  • Document an animal or natural phenomenon in this journal to receive an answer to a Mid Impact question about it from your Conduit.
    • The animal or phenomenon will remain as it was while the owner documents it.
    • Give this journal to a prominent local to make these documented notes publicly known within the locale over a Mid Duration.

Animal Cam

Elective

Concealed camera in a clumsy, harmless, robotic animal replica, which operates autonomously as a playful Companion when deployed.

Battery Life
High
  • Not brought onto the mission normally, instead summoned to the owner’s side at will with a Pitched Reskin.
  • Encourages playfulness and curiosity in beings it interacts with, particularly those it is Reskinned to look like.
    • Unlikely to be noticed otherwise.
  • Must be recovered to access recorded footage.

Abilities

In the Wild

Conjure a wild animal, causing it to appear from a hidden spot nearby, and Pitch its mood.

Essence Cost
Low–Mid
Cooldown
Low–Mid

Paired Action: Enthusiastically introduce the animal to someone nearby as it appears, sharing some interesting trivia about it.

  • Animal must be grounded in the user’s Backstory; it does not need to be plausible for the locale.
  • Cost and Cooldown scale on how much of a threat the animal poses to those in the vicinity besides the user. (e.g. A large shark conjured at an aquarium would have a Low Cost and Cooldown; one conjured while diving at sea would have a Mid Cost & Cooldown.)
    • Animals that would pose a High threat or greater cannot be conjured.

Crikey!

Mount an unwilling animal; it gains Boosted strength and toughness and enters a ferocious rampage, which the user is largely protected from and may minorly steer.

Essence Cost
Mid
Max Duration
Mid
Cooldown
Mid

Paired Action: Leap onto the target’s back or similar. You must hang on for at least a Low Duration, or Crikey! will end prematurely.

  • The user’s initiating leap and clinging tenacity (per the Paired Action) are both somewhat empowered.
  • Lasts until the animal is calmed down or exhausts itself (even if the user dismounts after a Low Duration).
    • Gentle, caring actions and words from the user will disproportionately calm the animal.
    • If fully calmed in this way, the animal will tend to trust the owner (Mid Impact).

Documentary Voice

Pitch elements of an animal’s behavior and morphology while observing it.

Essence Cost
Mid
Cooldown
Mid

Paired Action: Continuously narrate the actions of an animal you are observing aloud, earnestly noting its captivating traits and behaviors as they are Pitched.

  • Accepted traits are immediately exhibited by the observed animal and should be taken as having been true all along. May continue to make new Pitches so long as the Paired Action is sustained.
    • Pitches may apply to the entire species rather than just the observed individual.
  • Pitches may, in total, exceed High Impact, scaling on how engaging and natural your narration is.
  • The user is concealed from the target (including their voice) while this Ability lasts.