Heavy

Of the 8 Career Skills, choose 4 to get a free rank. Of the 4 Specialization Skills, choose 2 to get a free rank.

Hired Gun Career Skills: Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Melee, Piloting (Planetary), Ranged (Light), Resilience and Vigilance

Heavy Specialization Skills: Gunnery, Perception. Ranged (Heavy) and Resilience

For a Heavy, size really does matter. These characters prefer to use the biggest guns possible, and usually have the physique to match. Heavies are often physically impressive, a necessity for effectively wielding the heaviest manportable weapons. Heavies are inevitably found at the front in combat, as allies back away and give them space.

Their straightforward list of skills allows a Heavy to do primarily one thing: wield large, dangerous weapons. From heavy blasters to missile tubes, Heavies favor big, loud, and devastating weaponry. Using such weapons is often punishing for the wielder, and characters must possess great fortitude in order to wield such weapons extensively. A high Resilience skill is often a side effect of the Heavy's actions, rather than the result of conscious training. Lugging around heavy weapons builds stamina, and simply dealing with the recoil provides a workout.

Heavies generally approach combat in the most direct way possible—stealth and duplicity are not becoming of a walking arsenal. Similarly, Heavies tend to be very straightforward in their dealings. This bluntness sometimes comes across as a lack of intellect, though few would be brave enough to say so to the Heavy's face. There may be some truth to the perception that Heavies sacrifice brains for brawn, but as with all generalizations, there are many exceptions. In a galaxy of double-crosses and altered deals, steadfastness and blunt honesty can be seen as virtues.

While some Heavies may work as independent operators, most find themselves as a permanent addition to a group. Heavies can easily find a place among a mercenary band. Having a Heavy in a group is a great boon. The mere sight of the heavy weapons they carry can ensure that no one hassles them, and a single Heavy—when properly equipped—is easily a match for numerous foes.

In a Player Character group, a Heavy fulfills a similar role to that of a light battle tank in a military force. Heavies can often deal out enough damage to wipe out entire groups of enemies single-handedly, and are also typically able to absorb a great deal of punishment. Heavies must have a high Brawn in order to wield heavy, cumbersome weapons, which helps them to shrug off damage, and also allows them to wear heavy armor that may be too encumbering for other characters. A Heavy's skills and talents are narrowly focused, but they make him a master of ranged combat.

Potential Backgrounds

  • Yesterday's Hero: Heavies have a very specific skill set, so it's what they put their skill set toward that made them heroes. A Heavy who used to be famous might have been a war hero, perhaps honored for a single heroic act such as holding a battle line against hordes of enemies or destroying an enemy walker with a single well-placed shot. However, beyond his skill or luck on the field of battle, the Heavy had nothing else that made him heroic, and might have possessed vices or personality flaws that made him a poor hero in the public eye. Quickly cast down from the pedestal, the character could be understandably bitter at the unexpected whims that saw him rise and fall.
  • Ex-Military: Many Heavies who started life in a military force did so as gunnery specialists for artillery or walkers, or with crew-served weapons such as heavy blasters. However, a Heavy could have just as easily been a gunner on a warship. Turbolasers and proton torpedoes are very different from shoulder-mounted missile launchers or flechette launchers, but for some, the thrill of firing the big guns is the same. In addition, there are some basic similarities between using one weapon and another, so the transition from Navy officer to Heavy is very possible.
  • The Avenger: For a Heavy, what sets the character on the course for veneance could be infinitely varied, but how he plans to deliver reprisal might tie directly into his particular set of weapon skills. If the goal is simply to avenge himself through killing, this should not be too difficult. However, if the character decides that death is too easy for a hated foe, he'll have to think creatively as to how to use his particular skills when fulfilling the vendetta.
  • Scion of a Legacy: Due to the singular focus of their specialization, the Heavy could just have likely gone into their singular lines of work in spite of their parents, instead of because of them. The character could have had parents who had reached the heights of a chosen line of work (just about any line of work would be appropriate in this case), but found their talents and interests did not follow their parents' path at all. Now they work towards something completely different, but still hope to match their parents' fame and renown, even if they can't duplicate it.
  • Peace Turned to War: A Heavy might have gotten his start as a construction worker or miner. Although neither job offers training in high-powered weaponry, both require durability and raw physical strength. These attributes are also key for the Heavy, and a former miner might bring a friendly, blue-collar attitude from his former job to his new life (as opposed to the serious and grim demeanor of a professional soldier).