Roleplaying
The Protoss are somewhat of an enigma. They are few in number and physically slight of build, yet they are of a warrior mindset and temperment comparable to beings who are much stronger and more durable than they are. While not conquerers, the Protoss are powerful in their weaponry, and also powerful of mind and experience. They rely heavily on their science and psionic powers, as all Protoss have at least rudimentary psionic capability. Most progress as Free Agents or Combat Specialists, with a few taking Tech Op, and the highest among them, the Judicators, choosing Diplomat. Also, all Protoss take Mindwalker as a primary or secondary career, as they all incorporate some degree of psionics into their daily lives and occupations.
When allowed to be, the Protoss as a people are a reserved people; thinkers and philosophers, researching the universe and pondering its mysteries, and as they can live for upwards of 1,000 years, they do so with a stately pace. But the Protoss do not take kindly to intrusion, and they are quick to mobilize their considerable military might against those who would attack them. They are, however, very inflexible regarding their beliefs, and this fact causes great difficulties with beings of differing viewpoints. The Protoss are one of the most powerful races in the cosmos, and they see themselves that way; they can be insufferably arrogant and often talk down to those they feel to be inferior, much like the learned teacher talks down to and chides the foolish, ignorant child. Many people do not appreciate this attitude of the Protoss, but few are willing to face their displeasure by telling them as much.
Special Abilities
Psionic Powers: See the fraal entry in the Alternity PHB. Protoss who possess Mindwalker as their primary profession hasPSP's equal to his Will score x 1.5, while those who chose to only have Mindwalker as a secondary profession gain points equal to their Will score (rather than 1/2 Will for most other characters). All Protoss receive Contact for free, as this is their promary communication method. Any use of Contact is automatically considered as Amazing success, due to the Protoss's long history of communicating this way. This power can be resisted by others, just as the normal Contact power, and then the Protoss must make the normal Skill check. Again, due to their intimate familiarity with this particular psionic power, Protoss do not need to expend PSP's to manifest Contact, even if it is resisted.
Shields: The Protoss are slight and frail overall, even the battle-trained Zealots, while their cybernetic devices are expensive and slow to build, even if they can be gated in whole from Aiur. Thus, every single Protoss character, even the Terran Acolyte and automated devices, possess psychic energy shields. The strongest of these guard important Protoss structures. See Induced Psi-Field Generator device below.
History
The Protoss were created by the Xel'Naga on the planet Aiur. For centuries, they dwelled with their creators, but over time the two races moved apart. After the Protoss attacked the Xel'Naga, who repelled the atack but then chose to depart Aiur, the Protoss fell into civil war. This thousand-year conflict, called the Aeon of Strife, did much to make the protoss what they are today, and show them what they never wanted to be again. After the Aeon of Strife, the Protoss settled down their conflict, turning their
weapons of war into weapons of defense, or even non-weapon useful science. Then, the Tarrans came to their region of space. At first, the Protoss chose to abide their own laws regarding interference with lesser cultures, not wanting to themselves beome like the Xel-Naga, but then, the Zerg came to the Terran worlds, and the Protoss, examining the Zerg, discovered that they had no choice, for the Zerg meant to wipe out Humanity, and then go looking for the Protoss. So, the Protoss came, putting whole worlds to the flame. Over the next several years, regardless of several great victories, the end of the Brood War left the Protoss broken and weak from so many campaigns against the Terrans and the Swarm, and both of their homeworlds comprimised. After the second UED fleet retreated for Earth, though with erred coordinates, the Protoss stealthilly and unknowningly (to the Terrans) followed, hoping to find help, lest they become extinct.
Far-Future Campaigns
The Protoss don't appear until well into Progress Level 8, as up till then they are fighting the Zerg too strongly. Also, some of their technology may be considered going beyond even the Progress Level of the Energy Age. The Protoss can warp prefabricated structures and individuals to roughly any point in the universe from their distant howeworld of Aiur. Though it can take several hours, or even a few days for the most colossal of their structures, as long as nothing damages the warp node that marks the site the building or individual will appear. Should the node be destroyed, he warped object or person is lost to the void of space, but it is immensly superior to having to build on site from scratch a building, and most Protoss do not want to live away from Aiur or Shakuras. Also, they can run psionics through machinery. In this campaign, the Protoss have only recently followed the ruined UED fleet back to Earth from the Koprulu Sector, and have been encountered by the Earth. They are viewed much as the Fraal are, and get along remarkably well with that race.
PROTOSS CHARACTERS
STR: 4-12, DEX: 4-11, CON: 4-12, INT: 9-15, WIL: 9-16, PER: 4-15
STR: --; DEX: Vehicle Op; CON: --; INT: Knowledge; WIL: Awareness, Resolve; PER: Interaction. Protoss characters may also choose one of the following psionic Skills for free: Telepathy, ESP, or Biokinesis.
Individual Protoss specialize in various fields of endeavor. Most Protoss take both a primary and a secondary career, thus the two listings and the slash, and every Protoss should have a Mindwalker choice as one of the two. Some primary examples ae as follows:
Khalai-Caste Member: These are the "average" Protoss. It is the responsibility of the Khalai-caste to construct, maintain, and design the structures and devices of the Protoss. They are the citizens, artisans, architects, scientists, doctors, engineers, and practilly everyone else who is not a Judicator (politician) or Templar (warrior). though the Judicator command and the Templar war and defend, both groups would be nothing without the Khalai to support them, and to build their civilization.
• Standard Classes- virtually any Tech Op career/no specific Mindwalker career
• Standard Skills- Khalai-caste members are civilian workers and engineers, and they take Skills that focus on whatever job they have. The caste-based inflexibility of the Protoss means that once a job is started, the engineer will be an engineer forever, and never a doctor, thus a Protoss character can focus more on specific skills than members of other races usually can, for they are not encouraged to learn much that isn't directly intrinsic to their job.
• Standard Gear- Whatever they need to do their job and a shield emitter, as even the citizens of Auir make use of psionic shields at all times, if for no other reason than to prevent a falling girder to smash into their heads.
Zealot: Zealots are the most numerous soldiers of the Protoss people. They are less powerful psions, but they make up for it with their fanaticism and technological equipment supplimentation. They are effectively holy warriors to the Protoss cause.
• Standard Classes- Soldier (Combat Spec.)/Biowarrior (Mindwalker)
• Standard Skills- They train more in their martial prowess than in their psionic powers, and so often buy more "mundane" combat skills than psionic ones; that's what the High Templar are for. Also, as the segment of the Protoss most likely to use cybergear, they may buy Skills in regards to using it.
• Standard Gear- Powered Combat Suit, psi-blades, cybergear below, khaydarian crystals
High Templar: The greatest among the Templar caste, as the name implies, the High Templar are those who have mastered their psionic powers so much that they forgo using any other weapons in combat. They lead the zealots and dragoons into battle, and support them with their potent psionic powers. They also teach the soldiers combat strategy.
• Standard Classes- Mind Knight(Mindwalker)/Soldier (Combat Spec)
• Standard Skills- though the High Templar obviously have standard, combat-oriented skills, they will no longer use most of them, by choice. They instead focus on their already formiddable psionic powers, as they shoud have been already in order to be initiated.
• Standard Gear-Heavy Padded Robes, Khyadarin Crystals
Dark Templar: Long ago banished by their brethren for heresy, the dark templar have recently returned to their ancestral home to help battle the Zerg. Dark templar are cloaked at all times, and it is their job to sneak around and perform surgical strikes and key assassinations. Due to their ritual severing of their nerve appendages, they have lost the capacity to manifest some of their psionic powers. Any power that they possess can only affect themselves. Any attempt to use a power on someone else is always considered a marginal failure, unless they score an Amazing success. Contact, of course, is unaffected by this. Due to this, most Dark Templar just focus on powers that affect themselves, and can afford to put more ranks into these, as well as more combat-oriented and sneaky skills.
• Standard Classes- Spy (Free Agent)/ Mind Knight (Mindwalker)
• Standard Skills- their reduced capacity to use their psionic powers has forced these former High Templar to fall back upon their mundane combat abilities, and focus on skills related to sneaking, assassinating, and information retrieval.
• Standard Gear-Warp Blades, Heavy Padded Robes,
Vessel Pilot: Those of the Templar caste who choose not to be ground troops instead train to be pilots of the various air forces that the Protoss possess. Most either pilot Corsairs or Scouts (Shuttles and Interceptors are automated). Some few even get the priveledge of manning the mighty Carriers. Only members of the Judicator caste, however, are permitted to man the awesome Arbiters.
• Standard Classes- Pilot (Tech Op)/Telekineticist (Mindwalker)
• Standard Skills- Vehicle Operation-air vehicle, Vehicle Operation-space vehicle, Navigation-astrogation, system, Navigation-surface, System Operation-weapons, System Operation-sensors.
• Standard Gear- Pulse Pistol, Flight Suit
Judicator: The religious leaders, and therefore the true masters of the Protoss people, the Judicator caste governs the Protoss, preaches the ways of the Khala, and is the most prevalent voice of the Protoss heard by the other races of the galaxy, as they are often also the diplomats. Judicators are elders, politicians, and statesmen, and they are powerful in the ways of the mind. However, among the Protoss, they are the most arrogant and unyielding, which is why so many other races get theat impression about the Protoss as a whole.
• Standard Classes- Mystic (Mindwalker)/Cleric (Diplomat)
• Standard Skills- various psionic skills, Languages, Law (court procedures and law enforcement), Administration (bureaucracy), Awareness (perception), Investigate (interrogate), Resolve (mental),
• Standard Gear- Heavy Padded Robes, khaydarin crystals, power staffs
Terran Acolyte: Though not Protoss, these Terran Ghosts were captured by them during some of the most recent combat between the Protoss and the UED forces. Discovering that these Terrans were latent psychics, and that they had been modified to squash that power, the Protoss accomadated them by removing the psi-dampeners and training these Terrans in the expanded use of their powers. Mostly, they are trained by the Dark Templar, and so seem most like them. Many of the other Protoss groups contine to look down their noses at humans as inferior, even if they do have psionic powers. The Dark Templar, however, have more experience with Terrans, and respect them and their adaptability. To that end, the Dark Templar train the Acolytes that remind them so much of themselves a thousand yars ago. These Terrans are very thankful to the Protoss for awakening their potential, and the protoss do treat them with some respect, but the protoss were not solely motivated by kindness. Their race has been decimated and they need psychic power to beat back their foes. At this point, the Protoss are taking all the allies they ca get.
• Standard Classes- Spy (Free Agent)/ESPion (Mindwalker)
• Standard Skills-Ghosts could access very little of their psychic talent, and took mostly skills based on their stealth and spying profile. Now openned to their powers, many Acolytes attempt to take several psionic skills as soon as possible, and they can even access one or two of the unique Protoss psi-powers. Now that they master the ability to cloak without mechanical aide, they must keep their psionics-use down some though, as they must use it to hide from sight.
• Standard Gear- Warp blades, C-10 Canister Rifle, Hostile Environment Suit, Heavy Padded Robes, Cyberoptics (as Cybergear entry)
PROTOSS VEHICLES
The Protoss need vehicles to travel, just like everyone else. Some of them follow. Note that the Protoss do possess "mundane" transports, but these ones listed are more their war vehicles:
Scout: Though called scouts, the Protoss scout is actually more like the fighter planes of old and the fighter ships of today. They fire missiles at airborne targets and lasers at things on the ground. Scouts are the primary air support of the Protoss, often forming vanguards for approaching arbiters and carriers. They are also equipped with powerful sensor equipment in their nose compartments, much like 20th century spy planes, and so they can also be put to reconnisence work, hence the name scout.
• Required Skills-Vehicle Operation-air vehicle, Vehicle Operation-space vehicle, Navigation-astrogation, system, Navigation-surface, System Operation-weapons, System Operation-sensors.
• Ship Armament & Standard Gear- Antimatter Missiles, Laser Cannon, Shield Generator
Corsair: These ships are new to most Protoss, as they are vessels of the Dark Templar. These small, fast fighters are adequete air-to-air combatants, but they are not equipped with air-to-ground weaponry, as the Dark Templar did battle in space. Instead, the pilots learn to use their psionic powers to scramble things below their ships, such as anti-aircraft guns or even soldiers, temporarily rendering them incapable of firing.
• Required Skills-Vehicle Operation-Space vehicle, Navigation-astrogation, system, System Operation-weapons.
• Ship Armament & Standard Gear- Phase Disruptors, Shield Generator
Arbiter: These large capital ships are second only two the carrier, both in size and reputation among the fleets of the Protoss. The Judicators pilot these bizarre ships, and because of them, the very ship is laden with psionic energy. The Arbiters can freeze enemies in place and warp friendlies across massive distances in mere seconds, but the purpose they often serve is that of escort. Any friendly within 500 yards of an arbiter, except for another arbiter, is cloaked from sight. Often, the Protoss use arbiters to hide large forces of troops and air forces, tricking their enemies into underestimating the threat that they are exposed to. Though they are capable warships, the arbiters are often to few, and manned by the "important" Judicators, so they often arrive, do their specialties, and depart again.
• Required Skills-Vehicle Operation-Space vehicle, Navigation-astrogation, system, System Operation-weapons.
• Ship Armament & Standard Gear- Phase Disruptors, Shield Generator
Carrier: The largest ships of the Protoss, these behemoths are incredible to behold. Though they carry no direct armament, they do instead carry production bays that construct interceptor fighters. Each carrier can hold up to 8 interceptors at a time, and these small fighters swarm around the carrier, defending it and other friendlies from surrounding attackers. Even though each fighter carries somewhat weak firepower, having eight of these each shooting at you twice per round adds up to some rather considerable firepower, and it saves energy for the carrier's energy reactors.
• Required Skills-- Vehicle Operation-space vehicle, Navigation-astrogation, system.
• Ship Armament & Standard Gear- Interceptors (x8) (Carriers carry no other weapons), Shield Generator
Interceptor: These small automated fighters are constructed by and to serve the carriers. These ships are quite capable of heavy combat, despite their size, and each is equipped with a target-jamming device, which makes firing shells or lasers at a carrier very difficult, despite its massive bulk. and, due to the high speed and manuverability of the interceptors, they too are often missed by the firepower that they misaim away from the lumbering carriers. This is one of the reasons that those farmiliar with the Protoss are so afraid of a carrier appearing on a battlefield, even when compared with other race's super-capital ships.
• Required Skills- Vehicle Operation-space vehicle, System Operation-remote weapons.
• Ship Armament & Standard Gear- 2 Pulse Cannons, Shield Generator
PROTOSS AUTOMATED VEHICLES
Protoss are few in number, and they have a very low birthrate, yet they have a penchant for having to go to war. To boost their forces and preserve precious Protoss lives, the Protoss use rather large quantities of automated units. All of these, except for the Dragoon, which is operated by the Protoss within, are remote-controlled from a settlement by Protoss focusing their psychic powers through the vehicle's internal Khaydarin crystals. Here are most of them:
Dragoon: Shattered zealots who do not die often choose to become dragoons, and thus are able to continue to fight. Their knowledge of cybernetics, coupled with their power of psionics allows the Dragoon "pilot" to get instantaneous responses from the mech, just as he would have from his old body. The Dragoon is full of an oxygenated nutrient solution that maintains the remnants of the zealot's battered body, and this eliminates their need to eat, drink, or breathe. Thus, Dragoons can operate even in space, and for relatively long periods. The Dragoon's power cells, which happen to be Khaydarin crystals of course, are recharged by the otherwise not-often-used psychic energy of the pilot.
• Armaments: Phase Disruptor- psychically-sheathed antiparticle blasts. Blasts are eqivalent to plasma grenades (p. 184), while the cannon that launches them is like a bantam launcher (p. 184).
Reaver: These large, slug-like machines are essentially walking heavy artillery pieces, capable of self-reloading. The slow reavers are often sent into trouble spots with the intent of destroying high-resistance enemies, armored vehicles and buildings, however, they cannot fire up into the air, so they are somewhat restiricted in what they can fire at. Their powerful explosives, called scarabs, are built within the reaver itself.
• Armaments: Scarab Drones- These small explosives are constructed by a micro-manufacturing plant. Drones are eqivalent to mass grenades (p. 186), while the Reaver's launcher is like a bantam launcher (p. 184). It takes about 3 minutes to construct a drone, and Reavers can carry 5. Modified Reavers can carry 10 drones.
Shuttle: When a pilot would just be taking up space, the Protoss build shuttles that are remote-controlled. These are the Protoss warriors primary method of moving from one place to another. Protoss shuttles are unarmed.
• Armaments: None.
Observer: If you can think of a fast-moving, cloaked, flying camera, then you pretty much have the Observer. The Protoss use these devices to scout out ahead of advance forces, for they can detect invisible or buried enemies. Also, since htey are cloaked, these cameras can often be sent deep into enemy bases to spy, until they are inevitably detected, but most just-established bases do not have the proper equipment in time. Unfortunately, after one puts in all the powerful sensor equipment, cloaking generator, Khaydarin crystals, and repulsor engine, there really isn't any room for weapons.
• Armaments: None, unless you want to include the cloaking projector.
PROTOSS EQUIPMENT
Individual Protoss specialize in various fields of endeavor. Some primary examples ae as follows:
Cybernetic Powered Armor: Same as Powered Armor, but with cyberlimb technology incorporated in.
Weapons
Psi-Blade: Energy blades wielded by the Templar Zealots, these are possibly the most well known of the weapons the Protoss implement. They function just like a Star Sword, except that they cost 1 PSP each time to activate. Thus, each attack with a psi-blade costs 1 PSP, so most Zealots use at least 2 PSPs every round, if they hit their target, though it only requires a standard attack roll (the PSP expenditue is automatic). Due to the cost, most Zealots are equipped with extra Khaydarin crystals that can augment their psionic reserves.
Warp Blade: The trademark weapon of the Dark Templar, these energy blades are beautiful, and lethal. Longer on average than psi-blades, and permanent, these weapon are very versatile. Statistically, warp blades act identical to a BattleKlaw, though they look more like a Star Sword. No PSP cost. They function as long as the character still has at least 1 PSP.
Pulse Pistol/Rifle: Even the Protoss will admit that sometimes a gun will just work better than blades. Some foes are better engaged from afar, while psi-blades are a bit on the expensive order, psionically speaking. So, the Protoss, like everyone else in the Universe have guns. Zealots carry these for certain battles, while cannons are attached to Dragoon exoskeletons. Most of the Protoss guns are similar to plasma guns or quantum weapons.
Power Staff: These staffs are religious symbols, a badge of office one might say for the Judicator caste. For anyone other than a Judicator to possess one is heresy. Though it is rare for the Judicators to need to resort to violence, these staffs also serve as rarely needed weapons. More often, the weapon-aspect of these devices is employed to enforce the Khala laws, punishing transgressors. These weapons are roughly equivalent to tri-staffs.
Armor
Induced Psi-Field Generator: Over the course of their own history, the Protoss have earned that they are not the hardiest of races. they breed slow and their mechanical equipment is very slow to replace sometimes. To make every single person and machine last as long as possible, the Protoss developed this device. During their infancy, they learned that their psychic power could shield them from attacks, while during their periods of civil war, they learned that they could build devices that could even shield nonsentient machines. So, every single thing the Protoss make, and every single Protoss itself, has a field generator. This device generates an energy field comprised of psionic energy, which will protect its user from all harm. These shields are trully what make the Protoss so formiddable in battle. An individual shield acts as an ablative harness worth 20-750 points of defense. They remain active until worn down, and recharge 1 point/minute as long as the user still has 1 PSP or a crystal that still has 1 PSP and is not still being attacked. They lose energy the same as ablative harnesses do. Though these shields can be worn down, more often than not the wearer can eliminate the threat before that happens. The most common values for the specific uses of these shields are given below:
Zealot: 80, Dragoon: 80, HT: 40, DT: 40, Archon: 350, DA: 200, Scout: 100, Observer: 20, Reaver; 80, Shuttle: 60, Carrier: 150, Carrier's Interceptors: 40, Corsair: 80, Arbiter: 150, Nexus: 750, Pylon: 300, Forge: 550, Assim: 450, Gateway: 500, Photon Cannon: 100, CyC: 500, Shield Battery: 200, Rob. Fac.: 500, SG: 600, Cit of Adun: 450, RSB: 450, Fleet Beacon: 500, Templar Archives: 500, Arbiter Tribunal: 500
Power Suit: Worn by the Zealot warriors of the Templar caste, these suits of armor are the trademark appearance most others associate with the Protoss. These act as powered attack armor (p. 188).
Heavy Robes: The Protoss are not always at war, and even when they are, not all of them wear heavy armor suits. This consists of the standard Protoss garb worn by citizens, Judicators, high-ranking Templars, and many others. More or less, these robes are the same as CF Longcoats (p. 189).
Flight Suit: Made of CF material and equipped with computer gear and breathing equipment, this is what the Scout and Corsair pilots wear. Other ships, such as Arbiters and Carriers, do not require that their crews wear these.
Other Miscellaneous Gear
Khaydarin Crystals: These beautiful, powerful blue crystals are unique to Aiur. They were created by the Xel'Naga to aide themselves, and the Protoss. Their long presence among the Xel'Naga and the Protoss has charged these crystals with latent psionic energy. These crystals can serve as "psychic batteries", and can even be recharged with energy by the Protoss. Most, if not all of their equipment and devices incorporate these crystals at least somewhere to allow them to channel psionic energy (such as the Observer and the Reaver). Through these, the devices can be remote-controlled by the minds of the Protoss from the safety of their settlements.
PROTOSS PREFERRED CYBERTECH
In the event that somehow you haven't noticed that the Protoss have very advance technology, here are a few more examples of some of it. Some Protoss, predominatly those of the Templar caste, make use of a small amount of cybertech. Most Zealots have cyberlimbs added to their arms and exoskeletons installed to allow these limbs to work. Those Zealots who can handle it sometimes have additional cyberlimbs or muscle-pluses installed into their legs, to enable them to move faster. Of course, a nanocomputer is required for some of this, and so they also have these. Some Zealots also try to make use of reflex devices, which allow them to enter a berserk state in combat. Other than Zealots, Protoss shy away from marring themselves with cybertech, preferring to depend on their psionic power instead. Most Protoss don't have a high enough Constitution to support massive cybergear anyway.
p>PROTOSS-SPECIFIC PSIONIC POWERS
The Protoss are powerful psionicists, and over the thousands of years that they have practiced their psionic powers, they have developed several powers that are unknown elsewhere:
Psionic Storm: much like Electrokinesis
Hallucination: creates illusions that fool those around them.
Cloak: sends thoughts to those in the vicinity that they do not see the user, even if attacked.
Feedback: used against other psychically-empowered, this deals damage equal to the amount of PSPs the target has remaining.
Maelstrom: disables the nervous system, rendering the target paralyzed
Mind Control: This is why the Dark Templar ae so feared. Like the High Templar, the Dark Ones are pwerful in the ways of the mind, but they cannot flex this power outward as much due to their rituals. This results in a large pooling of psionic power when they merge together into Dark Archons. The Dark Archon is so powerful that it can dominate the mind of its enemies for a long time. This ability takes most of their reserves, and deprives them of their shields, so they often die right afterwards, but no power yet has proven to be resistant against it, whether it be Terran, Zerg, or fellow Protoss. Thus the creation of Dark Archons is forbidden, both by the High Templar and te Dark Templar except in the direst of emergencies.
Recall: The Judicators who man arbiters learn to focus their psionic powers through the strengthened space-time around the vessel to transport anything from virtually any ditance. Though taxing to all the Judicators present, this ability can turn the tide of battle quickly, or save soldiers from oblivion. This power can only be performed by a group, and it requires an arbiter to focus.
Stasis Field: Another power the Judicators can flex using the altered space-time around the arbiter warships, the Judicators can somewhat duplicate that effect against opponents, locking them into stasis by altering the flow of time around them. They become impervious to any outside influence and are frozen in time. This lasts for roughly 10 minutes, but it does splash. Shield Values (for me to remember)
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