Leader

The Leader is just what her title implies: someone gifted with the ability to understand the workings of a group, whether it’s a small band of individuals, or a whole community, and to give a group effective direction. Similar skills apply to leadership of many sorts, even though the actual work of leading a nomadic tribe is quite unlike the work of managing a high-tech enclave or settled low-tech village.

REQUIREMENTS

Abilities: Charisma 13+.
Skills: Diplomacy 3 ranks, Sense Motive 3 ranks.

CLASS INFORMATION

Hit Die: d10.
Action Points: 6 + one half character level (rounded down) per level.
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (behavioural sciences, business, earth and life sciences, gossip, history, politics) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perform (any) (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Table: The Leader

CLASS FEATURES

Coordination: At the beginning of combat, before initiative is rolled, the Leader may make a Diplomacy check against DC 18. If she succeeds, all characters who share a particular allegiance with the Leader may act in coordination. They all roll initiative normally, but they may choose to act on the highest initiative result rolled for any of them or on their own initiative result. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed for the remainder of the combat (although delay actions can move initiative order around as normal). Regardless of their choice for initiative, they all may subtract half the Leader’s class level (rounded down) from penalties for actions that might endanger another member of their group, such as shooting into mêlée. This cannot reduce a penalty to less than 0.
In order to use this ability, the Leader must be aware of the opponents before combat begins. Thus, if there is a surprise round and the Leader is not able to act in it, she may not use this ability. However, if the Leader is able to act in the surprise round but some or all of the recipients cannot, this ability allows them to act during the surprise round. In such a case, these recipients only receive 1 act instead of the regular 2 for a surprise round (those who could have acted in the surprise round without this ability can still take the usual 2 acts).
Recipients of this ability must share an allegiance with the Leader and be within 10 feet per class level of the Leader. The Leader must also have a means of communicating with the recipients. This may be visual, audio, or even mental (such as telepathy). Anyone who cannot see, hear, or otherwise communicate with the Leader cannot benefit from this ability, even if they are within the range limit.
Voice of Authority: At 2nd level, the Leader may add the population level of the community she leads to her skill rating for social interactions in which she can draw on her authority. This bonus comes from the faction’s size, whether a small group within the community, or from the community as a whole if she is chief, vizier, high priest, or some other sort of recognized authority for the entire population.
Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the Leader gets a bonus feat. It must be selected from the following list, and the character must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.
Attentive, Confident, Focused, Frightful Presence, Guide, Iron Will, Renown, Trustworthy, Windfall.
In Front: When a leader of 4th level or above puts herself in a visible, forward position of risk, her followers take heart from her example. For each point by which the Leader voluntarily reduces her Defence bonus, followers in the same fight who can see or hear her get a +1 bonus on their initiative and attack rolls. In addition, for each attack of opportunity she incurs while advancing on enemies of while defending a follower, each of her followers may add an additional +1 circumstance bonus on a single attack roll.
Nudging the Community: At 5th level, the Leader may intervene in the flow of change in her community. Once every (11 – class level) days, the Leader may shift the weight of a single link in the community by one level, up or down. This action requires the expenditure of an action point. She can use this feature on any particular link only once each month. She Chapter Four of the Gamma World Player’s Handbook for the details of this process.
Directing the Community: At 7th level, the Leader may directly change the rating of any one community factor. Once every (11 – class level) days, the Leader may change the factor rating up or down by her class level + Charisma modifier. This action requires the expenditure of an action point. The community reverts to its old ways in ten days, of when the Leader uses this feature again, whichever comes first. She can use this feature on any particular factor only once each month.
Preserving the Community: At 8th level, the Leader may exert her force of will to strengthen her followers’ will to resist change. Once every (11 – class level) days, she may reduce any one link weight to slight. This lasts for 24 hours, and requires the expenditure of an action point. She can use this feature on any particular link only once each month.
Growing the Community: At 10th level, the Leader may make permanent changes in the community. Once each month, she may spend 1 action point and permanently change a factor rating by 10 + (2 x her Charisma modifier), or permanently change a link weight up or down one level.