A Profession also determines how difficult it can be for you to learn certain skills. Finally, a Profession can also offer insight into a character’s demeanor or motivation in life.
Each Profession contains the following information:
Name & Description: The name of the Profession and a short description.
Favored Categories: This section lists a number of skill categories at which characters of the Profession are unusually proficient. Skills listed in any favored category are purchased at the cost of 2 Development Points per rank. Skills from any other category are purchased at the cost of 4 Development Points per rank. Each Profession gives a character a number of free skill ranks. These ranks are bestowed upon characters during a training period, and as such are only gained at the time of character creation.
1 Example: Researchers have five favored skill categories:
Artistic: 2 General: 6
Physical: 2 Scientific: 8 Technical: 2
So when creating a Researcher, you have 2 initial skill ranks to assign to the Artistic category, 6 to the General category, 2 to the Physical category, 8 to the Scientific category, and 2 to the Technical category. Once these free skill ranks have been assigned, any additional skills desired in any of the five favored categories are purchased at 2 points per skill rank. Skills in categories outside of a Researcher’s favored categories, such as the Outdoors category, are purchased at 4 Development Points per skill rank.
Key Stats: These stats are the ones most prized by members of the Profession in general. The stat values are used in determining any bonuses to the majority of the favored skills.
Professional Abilities: Each of the Professions has at least two unique special abilities.
1Note: The Adept profession gains access to either one or two Psionic Fields at 1st level; other characters wishing to develop psionic abilities must first gain a Psionic Field Talent. Psionics are detailed in Chapter 11.
Adept
The Adept’s training has turned inward, focusing on the hidden potential of the mind. The rewards for this dedication are paranormal abilities affecting mind and matter, space and time.
Their powers may be inexplicable, but their effects are very real.
Favored Categories:
Artistic: 2 Influence: 2 Concentration: 8 Physical: 2
General: 6
Key Stats: Presence and Self Discipline
Professional Abilities: At 1st level, all Adepts gain one Latent Psionic Field Talent and one Active Psionic Field Talent (same Field). They can then take either a second Active Psionic Field Talent (in the same Field) or a second Latent Psionic Field Talent (in a different Field). (The SysOp determines which Fields are available in the setting.)
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Adepts gain a +10 bonus to any one Concentration skill of their choice. No Concentration skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Dilettante
Jack-of-all-trades and masters of none, most Dilettantes are content with ordinary average lives as clerks, farmers, officials, shopkeepers and so on. However, a few Dilettantes find themselves drawn to adventure, while others find it thrust upon them. Their flexibility can make them surprisingly effective heroes.
Favored Categories:
General: 6 Physical: 2 Select 4 categories: 3 each
Key Stats: None
Professional Abilities: A Dilettante gains a +10 bonus to one skill of their choice from any of their Favored Categories (except General).
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Dilettantes gain a +10 bonus to any one General skill of their choice. No General skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Entertainer
Entertainers are the ultimate performers and artists. Some harness their creativity through music, painting, sculpture, or writing.
Others need the appreciation of audiences, large and small, and become athletes, actors, dancers, and holovision stars. For many Entertainers, fame is their only goal.
Favored Categories:
Artistic: 6 Influence: 4 Athletic: 3 Physical: 2 General: 4 Subterfuge: 1 Key Stats: Agility, Insight and Presence.
Professional Abilities: Entertainers may choose one of the following talents: Artistic Prodigy, Enhanced Senses, Extremely Nimble, Good Memory or Natural Linguist.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Entertainers gain a +10 bonus to any one Artistic skill of their choice. No Artistic skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Fusion
The Fusion combines the paranormal training of an Adept with the skills set of another specialty, such as Entertainer, Merchant, Pilot, Researcher, Scout, Soldier, Spy or Tech. The hybrid education is extremely demanding and few have the innate ability necessary to bridge two areas of expertise. The Fusion is a set of eight variant professions rather than a single profession.
Favored Categories:
See the Fusion Table (Table 3.1 below)
Key Stats: Presence, Self Discipline, and one or more other stats as specified in the Fusion Table
Professional Abilities: At 1st level, all Fusions gain one Latent Psionic Field Talent. (The SysOp determines which Fields are available in the setting.)
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Fusions gain a +5 bonus to any one skill of their choice from the categories specified in the Fusion Table. No skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Merchant
Merchants are the traders of the galaxy, buying and selling goods, services, information and ideas for profit and advantage. They excel in the many arts of persuasion and are equally comfortable in social interactions with individuals and groups.
Favored Categories:
General: 6 Scientific: 2 Influence: 6 Subterfuge: 2 Physical: 2 Vehicular: 2 Key Stats: Insight, Presence and Reasoning.
Professional Abilities: Merchants may choose one of the following talents: Calming Voice, Judge of Value, Natural Linguist, Quick Calculator or Xenophile.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Merchants gain a +10 bonus to any one Influence skill of their choice. No Influence skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Pilot
Pilots are the masters of speed. Lightning-fast reaction times, perfect hand-eye coordination and a supreme unconscious awareness of their environment allow Pilots to become one with their vehicle and succeed at daredevil stunts with grace and style. On planets, they drive fast cars, steer swift speedboats, and fly fighter jets. In space, they may serve as ordinary crewmembers, but will aspire to be astrogators, starfighter pilots, or starship captains.
Favored Categories:
Athletic: 2 Physical: 2 Combat: 3 Technical: 3 General: 3 Vehicular: 7 Key Stats: Agility, Insight, and Quickness.
Professional Abilities: Pilots may choose one of the following talents: Instinctive Evasion, Lightning Reflexes, Natural Astronaut, or Natural Gunner.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Pilots gain a +10 bonus to any one Vehicular skill of their choice. No Vehicular skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Researcher
Researchers are the thinkers, theorists, and experimenters of the universe. Some Researchers seek to understand the mysteries of the cosmos, and apply their knowledge in laboratories and in the field as doctors, physicists, chemists, and biologists. Other Researchers are writers, teachers, and academics, favoring less technical branches of knowledge such as history, cultural studies, and cosmography.
All are skilled in collating information and finding the unexpected synergies between isolated facts.
Favored Categories:
Artistic: 2 Scientific: 8 General: 6 Technical: 2 Physical: 2
Key Stats: Insight and Reasoning.
Professional Abilities: Researchers may choose one of the following talents: Academic Specialization, Good Memory, Knowledgeable Authority, Physician, or Speed Reader.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Researchers gain a +10 bonus to any one Scientific skill of their choice. No Scientific skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Scout
Scouts live for the frontier, seeking to discover new worlds, new civilizations, new races, or new resources. The last great outdoorsmen, Scouts are the paramount survival experts in hostile environments, wilderness guides in unknown territories, and planetary explorers.
Favored Categories:
Athletic: 1 Physical: 2 Combat: 4 Subterfuge: 2 General: 3 Vehicular: 2 Outdoor: 6
Key Stats: Agility, Constitution, Insight, and Strength.
Professional Abilities: Scouts may choose one of the following talents: Alien Affinity, Enhanced Senses, Intuition, or Toughness.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Scouts gain a +10 bonus to any one Outdoors skill of their choice. No Outdoors skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Soldier
Soldiers are the warriors of the future. Drawn to conflict and war, Soldiers may fight for the survival of their species, the honor of the corps, glory or personal gain. Soldiers are always found in the front-line of combat. As space marines, mercenaries, bodyguards, or thugs, there will always be a need for these combat specialists.
Favored Categories:
Athletic: 2 Physical: 6 Combat: 8 Vehicular: 1 General: 3
Key Stats: Agility, Constitution, Quickness, and Strength.
Professional Abilities: Soldiers may choose one of the following talents: Lightning Reflexes, Martial Arts Training, Shield Training or Speed Loader.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Soldiers gain a +10 bonus to any one Combat skill of their choice. No Combat skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Spy
Spies are the masters of subterfuge and deception, reconnaissance and infiltration. Spies find employment as secret agents or pursue careers as police officers, private investigators, bounty hunters, con artists or criminals according to their personal morality and circumstances.
Favored Categories:
Athletic: 3 Influence: 2 Combat: 3 Physical: 3 General: 3 Subterfuge: 6 Key Stats: Agility, Insight, and Strength.
Professional Abilities: Spies may choose one of the following talents: Enhanced Senses, Extremely Nimble, Judge of Value, Manual Dexterity, or Skill Specialization.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Spies gain a +10 bonus to any one Subterfuge skill of their choice. No Subterfuge skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Tech
Techs are the consummate specialists in analyzing, designing, and repairing equipment, essential in any world with advanced technology. Some prefer working with gadgets; others master the virtual intricacies of software. If a device is broken, a Tech can fix it, if it ain’t broke, they can make it better!
Favored Categories:
General: 4 Technical: 8 Physical: 2 Vehicular: 2 Scientific: 4
Key Stats: Agility, Insight, and Reasoning.
Professional Abilities: Techs may choose one of the following talents: Computer Wizard, Fast Fixer, Improvisation, Machine Affinity, or Quick Calculator.
Beginning at first level, and then every fifth level thereafter (5th, 10th, etc), Techs gain a +10 bonus to any one Technical skill of their choice. No Technical skill can have more than a +30 bonus from this ability.
Multiple
Professions
HARP SF allows a character the opportunity to add additional professions as he progresses in levels. Upon gaining a new level, a player may purchase the Talent Additional Profession (see Chapter 7), which allows him to add a level of another profession to his overall level. The character’s overall level is the sum of all levels in any Professions that he has acquired.
Whenever a character obtains enough experience to advance his character level, he may freely choose which Profession to advance, or elect to add yet another new Profession, provided that the Additional Profession Talent is purchased again. A character is limited to adding only one new Profession each time they advance a level. Characters do not double their Development Points when adding a new profession.
1 Example: Pieter is a 3rd level Adept. Upon attaining 4th level, Pieter decides that learning about mundane weaponry could be useful and obtains his first level as a Soldier. Pieter’s player pays for the Additional Profession Talent and records Pieter’s current status as Adept (3)/Soldier (1). For the purpose of calculating character level, Pieter is considered 4th level overall. Once Pieter obtains enough experience to advance to 5th level, he may increase his Adept level, increase his Soldier level or elect to add yet another new Profession. After some thought, considering
his effectiveness in armed combat, Pieter decides to increase his level in the Soldier Profession. Pieter’s player notes the change on his character sheet to Adept (3)/Soldier (2).
1Note: Special Professional abilities or perks are gained only when that particular Profession level is obtained.
When a character has multiple professions the maximum bonus allowed from the combined professional bonuses is +30 to a single skill. If multiple bonuses are applied and the total is greater than +30, then anything above the +30 is lost.
1 Example: Emilia, a Soldier (3)/Pilot (1), has just obtained enough experience to gain a new character level. Prior to gaining her new level, Emilia’s player peruses the Professional Abilities of the Soldier. Noting that she stands to gain a +10 skill bonus to any Combat skill of her choice upon obtaining 5th level, the player decides to spend her advancement on her Profession as a Soldier. Unfortunately for her, the GM interrupts her daydreaming on which Combat skill to develop by pointing out that her total level in Soldier is only 4, even though her overall level is 5. Without an additional level in her Soldier Profession, the Combat skill bonus is still out of reach. The next Silth raiders can expect no mercy from Emilia!
1Note: The Adept and Fusion professions give access to Latent and Active Psionic Field Talents as part of their
3.1 The Fusion Table
Fusion Specialty
Favored Categories Entertainer Merchant Pilot Researcher Scout Soldier Spy Tech
Artistic 4
Athletic 2 2 2 2
Combat 2 2 4
Concentration 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 5
General 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Influence 2 4 2
Outdoors 4
Physical 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2
Scientific 5 2
Subterfuge 2 2 4
Technical 2 5
Vehicular 2 4
Fusion Specialty Additional Key Stats Category Bonuses
Fusion:Entertainer Agility and Insight Artistic and Concentration Fusion:Merchant Insight and Reasoning Concentration and Influence
Fusion:Pilot Agility, Insight, and Quickness Concentration and Vehicular Fusion:Researcher Insight and Reasoning Concentration and Scientific Fusion:Scout Agility, Constitution, Insight, and Strength Concentration and Outdoors Fusion:Soldier Agility, Constitution, Quickness, and Strength Combat and Concentration
Fusion:Spy Agility, Insight, and Strength Concentration and Subterfuge Fusion:Tech Agility, Insight, and Reasoning Concentration and Technical
professional abilities. This access is only available at first level. If a character begins his career as anything other than an Adept or Fusion, and then adds Adept or Fusion at second or higher-level, the character must take the level bonus ability as the professional ability gained through the Additional Profession Talent.