Combat Professions

AX.C.07.03 - Example Combat Professions

The following Professions represent combat-oriented archetypes that appear in some form across most genres. Each entry is a complete, playable Profession built using the framework in AX.C.07.01. Stage abilities are drawn from the Core Perks library (AX.C.08.02) or authored as custom perks using the same format.

These entries are genre-neutral by design. Genre Catalogs may rename, re-skin, or extend any of these Professions to fit their setting and may substitute Setting Perks from their Layer 2 library at any Stage.

Warrior / Soldier / Marine

A trained combatant who excels at direct physical engagement. This Profession is defined by endurance under fire, relentless offensive pressure, and the ability to anchor allies in a fight.

Dominant Attribute: Body
Favored Save: Body Save (Body + Fortitude)
Power Access: No

Progression Track

When making an attack against a target that is suffering any Condition (Stunned, Prone, Blinded, Restrained, Frightened, Exhausted, or a Severity-based Attribute Condition), gain +1D on the attack roll.

Genre Note: Functions identically for a sword strike, a firearm burst, or a boarding action, any attack against a compromised target.

Trigger: You take damage from an attack or effect. Make a Body Save vs Threshold 2. On success, reduce the damage by 3 before it is applied to Health. On failure, the damage applies normally.

Limit: Once per Long Rest.

As a Free Action on your Turn, grant all allies within Near range +1D on all rolls until the start of your next Turn. This bonus applies to all roll types, attacks, saves, Talent checks, Odd Talent rolls. Duration is strictly one Turn cycle.

Limit: Once per Full Rest.

Rogue / Infiltrator / Operative

A covert specialist who survives through positioning, misdirection, and decisive strikes against unprepared targets. This Profession rewards patience and punishes opponents who underestimate the cost of leaving an opening.

Dominant Attribute: Speed
Favored Save: Speed Save (Speed + Acrobatics)
Power Access: No

Progression Track

Declare before rolling an attack. This attack ignores the target's armor bonus to Defense, calculate Defense as Speed ÷ 3 only. Does not ignore natural Defense from Size or other non-armor sources.

Limit: Once per Short Rest.

Immediately after making an attack, whether it hits or misses, make a Stealth check vs the highest Notice pool among enemies who can see you (Threshold 3 minimum). On success, you become hidden until the start of your next Turn or until you take an action that would reveal your position. While hidden, attacks against you have Disadvantage and your next attack roll has Advantage.

Limit: Once per Long Rest.

Genre Note: Smoke grenade, urban shadow movement, electronic signature suppression, or arcane misdirection, the fiction changes, the mechanic does not.

Declare a single target as your Mark as a Free Action. Until the end of the scene or until the target is incapacitated, all of your attack pools against the Mark gain +2D and any Conditions you apply to the Mark are applied at one severity level higher than normal (Minor becomes Moderate, Moderate becomes Major). You may only have one Mark active at a time.

Limit: Once per Full Rest.

Ranger / Scout / Recon

A self-sufficient tracker and ranged combatant who controls engagements through awareness, positioning, and sustained firepower. This Profession excels at operating independently and denying the enemy freedom of movement.

Dominant Attribute: Speed
Favored Save: Speed Save (Speed + Acrobatics)
Power Access: No

Progression Track

Ignore the first instance of Disadvantage imposed on you each scene, from any source (conditions, environmental, opposed effects). The Disadvantage is simply not applied on that first instance. Subsequent instances in the same scene apply normally.

Make a ranged attack (no damage roll required). The target must make a Speed Save vs Threshold 3. On failure, the target cannot voluntarily move toward you or your allies until the end of their next Turn. They may still move laterally or retreat.

Limit: Once per Long Rest.

Genre Note: Arrow volley, sniper overwatch, drone suppression, or thrown hazards, any ranged action that controls ground.

Choose one Talent at the time this perk is unlocked, Precision is the standard choice for this Profession. Once per Full Rest, after making a roll using that Talent, you may reroll any dice in the pool that showed 1, 2, or 3. Keep the new results. The Wild Die may be rerolled this way.

Limit: Once per Full Rest.

Guardian / Protector / Sentinel

A defensive specialist whose presence directly improves the survivability of nearby allies. This Profession trades offensive output for exceptional durability and the ability to absorb punishment that would otherwise fall on the party.

Dominant Attribute: Body
Favored Save: Body Save (Body + Fortitude)
Power Access: No

Progression Track

While you are adjacent (Close range) to an ally, that ally gains +1 Defense against attacks that would require the attacker to move through your position or that originate from the same direction you are facing. This represents active physical coverage, positioning yourself to intercept. The bonus does not apply if you are Prone, Stunned, or otherwise unable to act.

Trigger: You take damage from an attack or effect. Make a Body Save vs Threshold 2. On success, reduce the damage by 3 before it is applied to Health. On failure, the damage applies normally.

Limit: Once per Long Rest.

As a Primary Action, establish a defensive perimeter centered on your position. Until the start of your next Turn, all allies within Near range gain +1 Defense and may treat any failed Body Save as a success once during this period. This effect ends immediately if you are Stunned, reduced to 0 Health, or move beyond Near range of the protected allies.

Limit: Once per Full Rest.

Genre Note: Shield wall, covering formation, suppression perimeter, energy barrier projection, any active defensive posture that extends protection to nearby allies.