rules Additional Options and Custom Rules

[Paxon]

Wild Machines

Before the world broke, several enterprises were deeply engaged in bringing automated vehicles and mechanical helpers to the masses. Some of these companies, attempting to capitalize on people's love of their pets, programmed their algorithms to display certain qualities and behaviors similar to different animals.

 

All these decades later, some of the AI chips in these automated machines survive. They were originally programmed for certain degrees of facial and voice recognition, autopilot modes and the ability to complete tasks with autonomy, and even a degree of adaptable intelligence. Dozens of lawsuits were pending over the results of this experimental intelligence at the time of the Collision. The machines that made it through the apocalypse have, in most cases, remained dormant. These, once activated, can be interfaced with a re-synced to respond to new owners. Some have actually learned new patterns of behavior, and are occasionally encountered in the wild fully operational, going about fulfilling whatever goals their machine learning algorithms have decided best fulfill their objectives. Sometimes these are a nuisance, and sometimes they are able to be tamed and utilized by new controllers.

 

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All sorts of mechanical oddities can be found in the wastes, many of which seem to have a mind of their own. They exhibit animal-like intelligence. For the purposes of the Beastmaster Sphere or class features that gain you an animal companion, you may re-fluff that animal to be a machine. It doesn't actually need to look like a robot animal, in fact it probably doesn't. It might be a motorcycle, a buggy, a drone, or a roomba. Either way, you still pick an animal from an appropriate list, and treat it like an animal for the purposes of the sphere. Please check with me for this selection.

 

If you do so, you may use ranks in Craft (mechanical) or Knowledge (engineering) in place of his base attack bonus when determining your effective druid level for the Animal Companion talent (at -3 as normal) or arcane caster level for the Pet talent. It is now a Tamed Machine, and uses the appropriate animal companion or familiar’s base statistics and is otherwise treated as a normal animal companion or familiar, with the following exceptions:

Type: A construct pet’s type changes to construct and gains all the immunities and properties of the construct type (except immunity to mind-affecting effects).

• Properties: The construct pet retains its Intelligence score (and skill points) and its base attack bonus and saving throws are unchanged, possessing a lower base attack bonus but higher saving throws than a normal construct of its Hit Dice. A construct pet has no Constitution score. Construct animal companions gain bonus hit points appropriate for a construct of its size. Construct familiars determine their statistics normally for a familiar, using their master’s statistics where appropriate after applying these changes. A construct pet cannot be awakened and cannot be modified as a normal construct can.
• Repair: A Tamed Machine does not heal on its own. However, as long as you have access to an Artisan's Toolkit or Engineering Kit, you may work to slowly repair the construct. You may spend an hour performing maintenance and then leave it inoperative in self repair mode. For every 8 hours it spends in this mode, it gains back 1 hit point per HD. You may more quickly repair a Tamed Machine using a Craft (Mechanical) with a DC of 15 plus the HD of the construct, and spending 100gp in materials per HD. This repairs 1d6 hit points per HD, and takes 8 hours of work.
• Still An Animal: Your tamed machine is treated as an animal ally for the Beastmastery sphere, despite it being a construct, and the technician can use the Handle Animal skill on their construct pet normally for all purposes. When handling his construct pet, the technician may use his bonus in Craft (mechanical) or Knowledge (engineering) instead of his bonus in Handle Animal.
• Drive It or Ride It: When you gain the Ride package of the Beastmastery sphere, you may instead gain ranks in Drive and may use the Drive skill in place of Ride wherever mentioned in this base talent or when using (ride) talents, when dealing with a tamed machine. (If you make this substitution, if you take the extra beastmastery package you may still select Ride and gain ride as normal)
• Unnatural Weapons: Any natural weapons your substituted animal possesses still exist, and are simply re-fluffed as mechanical analogues, and are reflected in you utilizing the vehicle/machine in such a way as to physically attack your target with it. Gore becomes a spike, claws become razor edges, hoofs become wheel attacks, etc. Substitutions may be made at DM discretion.

[Paxon]

NOTE: The following entries in this post are simply copied from the Character Creation Guidelines thread. I'm copying them here in an expanded version for convenience of access.

 

Skills

Several skills have been customized or added as follows:

• Fly: Removed from all classes as a class skill (but not from animal companions with a Fly speed).
• Heal: This skill may be used to treat permanent injuries normally requiring Regeneration, as long as the limb hasn't been completely severed. Doing so requires at least one week of regular care, expending one use of a healer's kit each day. At the end of the week, the healer makes a skill check with a DC equal to 25 - the character's Constitution bonus. If successful, the healing process has taken hold and the healer must make an additional check at the end of every week of care, subtracting 2 from the DC each time (plus an additional 1 for every 5 points the previous check exceeded the DC); a failure instead increases the DC by 2. When the DC would be lowered to 10 or less, the injury is healed. If the initial skill check fails or three subsequent checks fail in a row, then the injury cannot be healed until the healer gains more skill ranks in Heal, at which point the process begins from scratch.
• Knowledge (planes): Eliminated. Stories about the afterlife or other planes of existence would be handled by Knowledge (religion).
• Knowledge (religion): Becomes a background skill. Identifying anything resembling undead of the wastes now falls under Knowledge (Wastes). This skill covers knowledge of the various surviving religions, cults, and other zealots.
• Knowledge (engineering): No longer a background skill. Now also used for identifying constructs, including vehicles, robots, and anything else mechanical.
• Linguistics: This skill may be used to puzzle out unfamiliar spoken languages and make yourself understood in simple phrases, with similar DCs as for deciphering written texts. Attempting to make yourself understood in this way in combat incurs a -10 penalty to your check, unless you have the skill unlock for Linguistics and 15 or more ranks.
• Profession (bodyguard or soldier): This skill may be used to identify the martial tradition an enemy possesses (including which base spheres they chose, if there was a choice) after watching them fight for 1 round, in a manner similar to a Knowledge skill check. For every 5 points by which you exceed the DC, you learn another base sphere that they have learned. If the enemy has any sphere-specific drawbacks, you learn them when you learn about the sphere to which they apply.
• Spellcraft: Eliminated.
• Use Magic Device: Eliminated. Replaced with Use Technology. 
• Use Technology: (Int) New. This is the users skill in operating strange pieces of technology from the before (if they can still be operated), like sophisticated electronics and computers. A class skill for any class that gained UMD.
• Drive: (Dex) New. Used for controlling vehicle, and the skill involved with doing so. Now a class skill for any class that gains Ride, Technician, and others upon DM approval. Ranks in Drive replace BAB when making a ramming/melee attack while driving a vehicle.
• Knowledge (Nobility): Replaced with Knowledge (Leaders), but covers roughly the same territory. You have knowledge of regional Warlords, Tribal territories, and other holder of power.
• Knowledge (Arcana): Replaced with Knowledge (Wastes), covers legends, myths, and anything to do with beings that arose from the Apocalypse. Monsters, Kaiju, infected (undead), etc.

Monster Lore Skills and Categorization

With the changes in knowledge skills, use the following for identification of creature types.

• Wastes: Kaiju, monsters (magic beasts fall under this category), infected (undead)
• Dungeoneering: Aberrations, oozes
• Engineering: Constructs
• Local: Humanoids
• Nature: Animals (including mutated beasts), monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin

 

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Feats

Feat Tax Reduction Rules

• Martial Mastery: Gone. Combat feats like Weapon Focus now apply to weapon groups instead of a specific weapon by default.
• Weapon Finesse: All characters are considered to have the 1x version of the Finesse Fighting combat talent.
• Agile Maneuvers: Gone. A character may add their dexterity to the CMB if they’re wielding a light or finesse weapon and their strength otherwise.
• Combat Expertise: Gone. Now simple a combat option for any class with at least +1 BAB.
• Power Attack: Gone. Now simple a combat option for any class with at least +1 BAB.
• Deadly Aim: Gone. Now simple a combat option for any class with at least +1 BAB.
• Piranha Strike: Gone. Now simple a combat option for any class with at least +1 BAB.
• Improved Trip/Disarm/Dirty Trick/Feint/Reposition/Steal: GONE. Replaced with Deft Maneuvers.
• Deft Maneuvers: New. You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a trip, disarm, dirty trick, feint, reposition, or steal combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks with these combat maneuvers. Now a prerequisite for the relevant greater combat maneuver feats.
• Improved Bull Rush/Drag/Reposition/Overrun/Sunder: Gone. Replaced with Powerful Maneuvers.
• Powerful Maneuvers: New. You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a bull rush, drag, reposition, overrun, or sunder combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks with these combat maneuvers. Now a prerequisite for the relevant greater combat maneuver feats. Note: Yes Reposition has been added here, and also in Deft Maneuvers. It feels like an agility thing, but considering the Brute Sphere always refers to Bull Rush, Drag, Reposition, and Overrun, it only makes sense to include it in a single feat. The bonus from this feat does not stack with Deft Maneuvers.
• Point-Blank Shot: Gone. Precise Shot replaces it as a prerequisite for further archery feats. Barrage sphere covers the absence of this anyway.
• Mobility: Gone. Merged with Dodge.
• Dodge: Revised. You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. This bonus increases to +4 against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened tile. A condition that makes you lose your Dex bonus to AC also makes you lose the benefits of this feat.
• Improved Two-Weapon Fighting: Gone. Merged with Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
• Greater Two-Weapon Fighting: Revised. Prerequisites now Dex 17, Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +6. In addition to the standard single extra attack you get with an off-hand weapon, you get a second attack with it, albeit at a –5 penalty. Once your BAB reaches +11, you also gain a third attack with your off-hand weapon, albeit at a –10 penalty.
• Improved Unarmed Combat/Improved Grapple: Now combined into the new feat, Unarmed Combatant.
• Unarmed Combatant: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed—you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed. Your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal damage, at your choice.
  You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a grapple combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to grapple a foe. You also receive a +2 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense whenever an opponent tries to grapple you.

New Feats

 

Mutation

You have been mutated by exposure to something wrong in the wastes.

Benefit: You gain the Eternal Transformation feat, along with the Improved Transformation Feat (which gets you a single trait at this level from your transformation form). You gain access to the following additional feat options.

 

Greater Mutation: (Requires Mutation.) You gain the Alteration Sphere and may select Alteration Sphere Talents as Combat Talents, but only for the purpose of selecting traits for your transformation form. You do not gain the base Shapeshift ability of the alteration sphere. Some talents will be deemed inappropriate for the campaign, so seek DM approval for traits you select. For instance, you may not gain a fly speed by any means (elemental or wings). You may not select any of the current Sphere Specific Drawbacks for the Alteration Sphere, but you may select from the following new drawbacks, from which you gain an extra Alteration Talent:

• Obvious Mutant: Your altered form is obvious, and many find it grotesque. You have a -5 penalty on all disguise checks, and have a -2 penalty to Diplomacy, Bluff checks against most denizens of the waste, except those with mutant sympathies (at DM discretion).
• Awkward form: The mutations to your body make you ungainly. You may not benefit from Unarmored Training, receive 1 less to features like AC Bonus or Prescient Dodger, and have a -1 penalty to attack rolls with weapons other than Natural Attacks.
• Vulnerability: You become vulnerable to one of the following damage/energy types, and may not gain inherent resistance or DR to it: fire, acid, electricity, sonic, slashing, piercing, bludgeoning.

Favored Form: (Requires Greater Mutation) You may also select the Favored Form alteration feat, applying its benefits to a form you selected with your transformation feat (so, 1 extra trait).

 

Combat Momentum
You push the pace.
Prerequisites: Combat Stamina.
Benefit: Choose one (momentum) talent from the War sphere. You learn that talent and may use it as an extraordinary ability by substituting 2 stamina points for each required momentum point. Animal allies (companions, tame animals, etc.) cohorts, and followers may use this talent if within 30 ft. of you, but other allies may not.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, gaining a new (momentum) talent each time.

Fate's Plan
You are able to temporarily avoid the worst, drawing on your belief in your own destiny.
Prerequisites: Combat Stamina, Fated Birth oath boon (see post above).
Benefit: You may spend 5 points of stamina as an immediate action to discharge your motif, gaining the normal benefits for doing so. Your motif is dispelled but returns as if cast again after you have rested for at least 8 hours.
Normal: You cannot discharge the benefit of the Fated Birth boon.

Slippery Customer
You can wriggle out of anything.
Prerequisites: Combat Stamina, Escape Artist 1 rank.
Benefit: As a swift action, you may spend 5 points of stamina to gain the benefits of Freedom of Movement until the end of your next turn. Once activated, you may spend an additional 2 stamina as a free action each round to extend this effect to the end of your following turn without interruption. This is an extraordinary effect.

 

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Masterwork Equipment:

Without magic weapons and the benefits they provide (though you will still be able to give enhancement bonuses to weapons through oath boons), we will be using expanded rules for masterwork weapons. See below for details.

• The regular +1 bonus provided by masterwork weapons is now considered a circumstance bonus, as with other masterwork equipment. It therefore stacks with the enhancement bonuses provided by Oath Boons.

• There are now several ranks of masterwork armor, weapons and tools, including several special abilities. As with magic weapons, adding multiple abilities increases the total price.

• You do not need to add the basic to-hit bonus if you don't want to (that is, you can buy a Serrated (+1) weapon for 300 gp without making it Balanced first).

• In all cases, the masterwork value is the amount that you paid for that specific ability, not the total amount of the weapon. So a sword that is Balanced +2/Serrated +1 adds 2 to attack and 1 to damage, not 3 to each. It would still be priced as a +3 weapon, however.

• The cost for ammunition is 1/5th the base price for 10 plus the cost of the ammo itself, i.e. 61 gp for 10 Keen (+1) arrows. You can't buy less than 10 of a given masterwork quality.

• Legendary weapons and armor are not available to start with; the forging techniques necessary have been lost to history and can only be discovered during play. I'm including them here for completeness. Legendary tools are available at the price listed.

 

 

Name	Value	Weapon Price	Armor Price	Tool Price	Craft DC
Masterwork	1	300 gp	150 gp	—	DC 20
Grand Master	2	1200 gp	600 gp	50 gp	DC 30
Exquisite	3	2700 gp	1250 gp	400 gp	DC 40
Legendary	4	???	???	1350 gp	DC 50

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weapon Options

Balanced (+1 to +4): (any) The weapon is perfectly weighted to allow effortless strikes, adding its masterwork value as a circumstance bonus to attack rolls (including combat maneuvers) made with it. (This is the default masterwork effect extended.)

Long Range (+1): (ammunition or ranged) Reduce the total range penalty by half for attacks with this weapon. This stacks with similar effects, but if another effect reduces "by half", the total is halved, then halved again (rather than 100% of the penalty removed).

Dueling (+1 to +4): (melee) The weapon was forged with a particular combat maneuver in mind. Pick one maneuver that you can perform with this weapon. Gain double the weapon's masterwork value as a circumstance bonus to CMB rolls with that maneuver; this stacks with the circumstance bonus from the Balanced feature, if the weapon possesses it.

Keen/Impact (+1): (ammunition or melee) The weapon is designed to exploit weaknesses in the enemies' armor, doubling its critical threat range. This does not stack with other effects that increase a weapon's crit range.

Hewing (+1): (ammunition or melee) The weapon is especially good at hacking away at bone. When making a called shot, a wound equal to half the target's hit points (minimum 40) is considered a debilitating blow (rather than minimum 50). This does not stack with the Greater Called Shot feat.

Impervious (+1): The weapon gains double the hardness and hit points, making it more difficult to sunder.

Parrying (+1 to +4): (melee) The weapon is designed as much to block blows as make them. When you are not flat-footed, add its masterwork value as a circumstance bonus to your AC against melee attacks you are aware of.

Serrated (+1 to +4): (ammunition or melee) The weapon has been modified with a jagged blade or extra weight to savage the flesh of those it strikes, adding its masterwork value as a circumstance bonus to damage rolls made with it. This can be placed on ammunition or thrown weapons, but not bows or other projectile weapons.

Merciful (+1): (ammunition or melee) The weapon takes no penalty when used to deal nonlethal damage.

Armor Options

Adept (+1 or +2): The wearer is treated as if they have the Armor Adept feat for any armor modifications the armor has. If taken at +2, the armor can also support two different modifications.

Distributed (+1 to +4): The armor check penalty is reduced by the masterwork value, up to a total of the armor's base penalty. If the armor is made of a material that also reduces the ACP, the total reduction can't be below 0. (This is the default masterwork effect extended.)

Fortified (+1): (medium or heavy) The armor provides a 25% chance to ignore the effects of a critical hit or precision damage. This does not negate a called shot, but it could turn a critical called shot into a regular one.

Reinforced (+1): The armor grants a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against called shots and critical hit confirmation rolls. This is doubled against critical hit confirmations for called shots.

Impervious (+1): The armor gains double the hardness and hit points, making it more difficult to sunder.

Anti-Ballistic (+1): This armor or shield is designed specifically against more powerful projectile weapons. Whenever a projectile weapon is used against the wearer, the full AC bonus of the armor and any enhancement bonus it possesses are applied to the touch AC of the wearer.

Tool Options

Exceptional (+2 to +4): The tool adds its masterwork value to skill checks made with one skill. If there is already a masterwork tool that exists for that skill, you must use that as your base item with whatever limits or quirks it normally has—you can't create a masterwork tool for a Knowledge that isn't a dungeon guide, for example. The prices above do supersede the original price of the dungeon guide, however, so that a +3 guide would cost 400 gp total, not 400 gp + the 50 gp list price of the guide. (This is the default masterwork effect extended.)

Profitable (+1): When added to a masterwork tool for a skill that can be used to directly earn a profit (usually Craft, Profession, or Perform), this tool allows you to double the amount of gold pieces earned with each check. You can only add this option to a tool that already is exceptional (above).

Sturdy (+2-4): (backpacks only) This masterwork backpack allows you to carry gear as if your Strength score was higher. The amount of increase is one less than the masterwork bonus (+1 Str for a +2 backpack, +2 Str for a +3 backpack, etc.)

Swift (+2): This tool allows you to perform any skill check that takes more than 1 round in half the normal time.

 

 Special Materials

Armor and weapons may be made of any of the following special materials: adamantine, alchemical silver, bone, bronze, cold iron, darkleaf cloth, darkwood, fire-forged steel, frost-forged steel, glass, gold, horacalcum, mithral, obsidian, silversheen, stone, sunsilk. Much of it would be re-fluffed to fit the setting accordingly.

 

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New Oath Boons

Fated Birth (1 point): Your birth held astrological significance and has influenced your life in subtle ways ever since. Choose one basic (non-advanced) motif from the Fate magical sphere. You are under the effects of that motif permanently as an Extraordinary effect, using your character level as your caster level. You cannot discharge this effect. If the chosen motif has an effect that changes or replenishes when cast, consider it to be cast again whenever you rest for 8 hours or more.

 

One with the Machine (1 point): You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Drive checks, and any vehicle you are operating gains a +1 resistance bonus to its saving throws and +1 enhancement bonus to its natural armor at 3rd level, both increasing by +1 every 3 levels thereafter (to a maximum of +5 at 15th level).

 

Incredible Metabolism (1 point): You gain the Endurance feat as a bonus feat. You may add your Endurance bonus to saving throws against poison and disease. You require only half as much food or water as normal for your size, and can be fully rested with only 4 hours of sleep.

 

Keen Senses (1 point): You gain low-light vision. You double the distance you are able to see in fog, mist, smoke, etc. (usually from 5 ft. to 10 ft.). You gain Perception as a class skill, and if you have 5 or more ranks in it, you gain its skill unlock.

 

Quick Recovery (2 points): You remove nonlethal damage equal to your character level each round. Whenever you are healed hit points by an alchemical item or an application of the Heal skill, you regain additional hit points equal to your character level, up to a maximum of twice the amount healed.

[Paxon]

New Equipment

There are items in the modern world that have survived through the apocalypse, or are so useful that knowledge of them has been retained and new ones are built. Notably, batteries are much more difficult to make and acquire outside of individual tinkerers, and electronic equipment that uses batteries is available, but perhaps more difficult to keep powered.

 

Binoculars: Paired lenses built for seeing great distances. Standard binoculars reduce the range penalty for perception checks to -1 for every 30 feet (instead of -1 for every 10 feet). Using binoculars takes five times as long as making a perception check unaided. Cost: 100gp. Weight: 2 lbs. Uses batteries: No

Masterwork Binoculars: As regular binoculars, but the range penalty for perception checks is instead -1 every 50 feet. Cost: 200gp. Weight: 2 lbs. Uses batteries: No

 

Night Vision Goggles: Goggles that enhance light, allowing the wearer to see in very low light conditions. While wearing, user gains Darkvision 60' and Light Blindness. Cost: 500gp. Weight: 3 lbs. Battery: Yes, 1 charge per hour

Masterwork NVGs: This version of goggles has superior range and better filters for adapting to changing lighting. Darkvision 120' and Light Sensitivity. Cost: 700gp. Weight: 3 lbs. Battery: Yes, 1 charge per hour

 

Flashlight: Simple tool with bulb, casts a 30' cone of light in the direction held (can change direction as a free action while held). Cost: 30gp. Weight: 1 lbs. Battery: Yes, 1 charge per 8 hours

Floodlight: Very large and powerful light source, often placed on vehicles. Casts a 120' cone of light. Cost: 200gp. Weight: 6 lbs. Battery: Yes, 1 charge per hour

 

Gas Mask: This apparatus covers the face and connects to a chemical air filter canister to protect the lungs and eyes from toxic gases. It provides total protection from eye and lung irritants. The filter canister lasts for 12 hours of use. Imposes -2 penalty to sight/hearing perception. Changing a filter is a move action. Filters cost 10 each. Cost: 50gp. Weight: 3 lbs. Battery: No

 

Walkie-Talkie: This hand-held radio transceiver communicates with any similar device operating on the same frequency and within range. 1 mile range. Anyone with a similar device can listen in on conversation. Listed cost is for a pair. Cost: 50gp. Weight: 1 lbs. Battery: Yes, 1 charge per 2 hours use

 

Handcuffs: Restraining device for medium creature's wrists, these cuffs have hardness 10, 10 hit points, a break DC of 30, and require a Disable Device check (DC 25) or Escape Artist check (DC 35) to remove without the key. Cost: 30gp. Weight: 1 lbs. Battery: No

MW Handcuffs: Made of hardened materials and with higher quality, these heavy-duty cuffs have hardness 15, 20 hit points, a break DC of 40, and require a Disable Device check (DC 30) or Escape Artist check (DC 40) to remove without the key. They can also be adjusted to fit Large or Small size creatures. Cost: 70gp. Weight: 1 lbs. Battery: No

 

Battery: An item that is used to power electronic devices. They hold charges similar to tech sphere, and if user possesses the tech sphere, they can use charges from these batteries as they would their own charges. A simple battery holds 1 charge, and is not rechargeable. Cost: 10gp. Weight: .1 lbs. 

Rechargeable Battery: Similar to above, but holds 2 charges, and its charges can be restored if connected to a power source at 1 charge per hour. Cost: 100gp. Weight: .1 lbs. 

Big Battery: Similar to a car battery, storing more power. Holds 6 charges. Can be recharged if connected to power source, 1 charge per 2 hours. Cost: 320gp. Weight: 10 lbs. 
 

 

 

New Equipment List

Name	Weight	Cost	Battery Use
Binoculars	2 lbs	100
MW Binoculars	2 lbs	200
Night Vision Goggles	3 lbs	500	1 per hour
MW Night Vision Goggles	3 lbs	700	1 per hour
Flashlight	1 lb	30	1 per 8 hrs
Floodlight	6 lbs	200	1 per hour
Gasmask	2 lbs	50
Walkie-talkie (x2)	1lb	50	1 per 2 hrs
Handcuffs	1 lb	10
MW Handcuffs	1 lb	70
Battery	.1 lb	10	1 charge
Rechargeable Battery	.1 lb	100	2 charges
Big Battery	10 lbs	320	6 charges

Edited June 7, 2022 by Paxon (see edit history)

[Paxon]

New Sphere-Specific Drawback

 

Tank Focus

You may take this drawback related to any martial sphere. This sphere and any talents in it are not available for personal use by your character. Instead, you may only use this sphere when interfacing with the tank (as when you are using the Crew's talents). You gain an extra combat talent in the sphere you apply this to as normal. You may take this drawback for multiple spheres. 

[Paxon]

Languages

Most of the wastelands in the regions The Crew operate speak English, and that is the default language. The expected variety of world languages also exist, some having survived better than others. Cross-continental travel is far less common in the post-apocalyptic world, so most of the languages spoken in the former US would have been ones of established communities or which were commonly taught. The most common languages other than English in the US were: Spanish, Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese, others), Tagalog (Filipino), Vietnamese, French and French Creole, Arabic, Korean, Russian, German. Interesting that French wasn't on the list I found, but if you're anywhere up near former Canada, expect it to be much more common. 

 

Generally speaking, language won't be much of a barrier in this game. That is, I won't put up some impassable challenge that you could work out if only you spoke the right language. You might happen upon communities or deal with peoples that primarily speak a different language, or speak it among their own community. A few might give you advantages in certain situations or make dealings go a little smoother.

 

There are some additional languages that are relevant to the game, or forms of communication that survived the Collision or have risen anew. Descriptions follow:

 

Languages you may take:

• English (this is the default, everyone should have this)
• Any existing world language (see list in first paragraph above of most common)
• A Native American/First Nation language (some tribes have made a comeback in the new world)
• WayfairerThis is a system of communication that has slowly and organically developed by travelers across the wasteland. It is based largely on semaphore communication, using "flags" (often bits of convenient cloth), broad gestures, hand signs, flashing lights, horn blares, and other signals that can be seen from a distance. It also incorporates some hand sign, for people traveling in convoy together to make gestures and communicate if they lack radio. The system developed and greatly expanded as travelers needed methods to communicate without getting within danger distance of one another, as it can be hard to trust strangers in the wastelands.
• Morse Code
• CodingYou know a programming language. Pick one, you can be a little abstract with it. Knowledge of at least one programming language allows you to make Linguistics checks to puzzle out similar programming languages, if you somehow have access to the source code. If you have the tech sphere and can make any automated device, it is assumed you know how to code your own objects, but you don't necessarily know old world languages.
  Prerequisite: 1 rank in Use Technology, 5 ranks in Knowledge: Engineering, or Tech Sphere.
• American Sign Language
• MyutA very strange and still developing language, it grew as mutations starting becoming more common place. First invented by a small group of mutants who collected together and hand vocal or hearing mutations, they played around with communication aspects that took into account a few of these expanded abilities. As that developed and it was taught to others, it was apparent more standardized forms were needed for those without such abilities. The language developed from there. It is mostly only taught and shared among mutants with one another, and remains a sort of secret language bonding them together. It will have been less common to pick up if one, even a mutant, hasn't spent much time with mutant communities. It is very rare for a non-mutant to speak, save those considered trusted allies by mutants who know the language.
• PrimalThis is what others call the language spoken by Primals, those mysterious humanoids that appeared after the Collision. It is wildly different than any other known language, and tends to be very hard for outsiders to pick up, doubly so given that Primals tend to be rather murderous toward outsiders in the first place.