Ranger
AP 50 EP 70 FF 12 Gen. 2
Described in: Core book
It is almost impossible to talk about the Ranger model without mentioning the Longbow rifle. Most meta-armours are designed to fit a need, to fulfil a role, often with specific skillrequirements. The Ranger was designed entirely around a weapon: the polycaliber polymorph Longbow rifle. After one of Avalon’s forward advanced bases was destroyed by colossal creatures of the Anathema, Merlin saw the need for a weapon that could fell even the most titanic enemy from afar, while still holding its own against the more common hordes of foes Knights had to face.
The Ranger meta-armour and its Longbow are in fact a single piece of equipment, combining the firepower and precision of an anti-materiel rifle with the adaptive armour required to survive in territory controlled by the Anathema. Anti-materiel rifles are basically oversized weapons designed to fire anti-aircraft and heavy machine gun rounds from secure positions far from their target. Knights have no such luxury, having to deal far too often with tighter quarters and terrain that would make such large weapons impractical at best. The Longbow remedies this by being able to modify its size, shape, and ammunition as needed, taking no more than a couple of seconds to fully adapt to the situation at hand.
Ranger armours look like a Rogue with thinner armour plating. 1-inch alpha element alloy may seem on the flimsy side compared to previous armours, but the lighter plating is necessary to compensate for the Longbow’s considerable weight. On its back is a compact, dependable alpha energy reactor, encased in slightly thicker armour, fuelling the systems’ power requirements.
One of the Ranger’s peculiarities is a set of nanomachine tanks located near its shoulders and hips. These tanks are connected to the Longbow by a series of reinforced tubes, ferrying a liquid filled with nanomachines and base components through a hollow framework lying just under the armour’s outer layer, like so many blood vessels. These nanomachines give the Longbow its morphing capabilities, and supplies ammunition on demand following preset diagrams. The rifle’s telescopic sight and the armour’s sensors constantly scan the armour’s surroundings, pinpointing adversaries and analysing projectile trajectories, factoring in weather and obstacles (trees, concrete, metal, and the like). As a point of reference, its onboard targeting computer predicts firing trajectories up to 2 miles away.
Longbow ammunition is produced as needed each time it fires, modifying its caliber and properties as requested by its user. Radiant ammunition, armour-piercing uranium rounds, with added tracer pyrotechnic charges or subsonic ammo depending on the Ranger’s need for subtlety, simple bullets, microexplosive points, hollow points filled with damaging nanomachines, etc. Producing this ammunition costs a lot of energy, but gives the Longbow its reputation as a highly versatile weapon.
Available slots
Notes
This armor does not have automatic upgrades but can purchase special enhancements for its weapon.
Vision
A Ranger armour’s various sensors and equipment allow its wearer to see things beyond human senses for a few seconds. This ’Vision’ mode allows the Knight to see vapors, gas, wind, airborne illnesses, trails left by breath, microscopic life forms, radio waves, the Anathema, even thoughts or the past and the future (within reason). The player chooses what they wish to attempt to see. Depending on difficulty of the Vision, the Knight spends anywhere between 5 and 10 energy points at the GM’s discretion.
The GM then describes what the PC sees for the next few seconds. It can be precise or vague, the Vision’s technology being notoriously fickle.
These visions are purely sight-based. If the PC chooses to see a person’s thoughts, for example, they will appear as floating words or soundless pictures.
Effect: An Acuity based skill check allows the PC to see things that should normally be impossible to see, on a difficulty ranging from simple (2) to very arduous (9) (at the GM’s discretion). They could, for instance, use the Vision module to spot invisible creatures or Knights in Ghost mode.
| Energy | 5 to 10 |
|---|---|
| Activation | Move action, 6 seconds outside of a conflict phase. |
| Duration | 6 seconds |
Polycaliber polymorph Longbow sniper rifle
The Ranger and its Longbow are in fact a single piece of equipment, combining the firepower and precision of an antimateriel rifle with the adaptive armour required to survive in territory controlled by the Anathema. There is little point in wielding other weapons when using this meta-armour. Longbow sniper rifles can be racked. When they are, they count against the rack’s weapon capacity. Just like any other ranged weapon, a Longbow can receive enhancements – no more than two, though, with the same restrictions as weapons with the heavy effect, even after any evolutions.
Effect: Knights in Ranger model meta-armour can choose the damage and violence dealt by their Longbow rifle. Each modification lasts until the next shot is fired. Several modifications can be made at once, and do not require an action. Additional effects can be added to each shot by spending the required EP. Up to three different effects from each of the following lists may be added to a Longbow shot. The effects are only available on the next shot fired (the next attack), although some effects may have a longer duration (for instance, continuous damage and holo-targeting). The appropriate amount of energy must be spent each shot.
See the weapon Longbow Rifle
Q&A > Meta-armour questions > Ranger - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.
Yes, using the same rules as if they had an appropriate alternative vision module or a major exceptional Machine aspect score. This gives them 3 extra dice on a skill check to detect the Rogue, who loses their 3 automatic success advantage on their Stealth skill check.
Q&A > Meta-armour questions > Ranger - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.
3 per list and per shot. On each ranged attack, the Ranger may choose up to 3 separate effects from each list of effects available to them, and can change at will even on shots fired during the same turn. The effects are only available on the next shot fired (the next attack), although some effects may have a longer duration (for instance continuous damage, holo-targeting…). The appropriate amount of energy must be spent each shot/attack.
Q&A > Meta-armour questions > Ranger - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.
Each attack is unique, even if they happen in the same combat action. Energy costs are paid on a per-attack basis, and the Ranger is free to use some, all, or none of their available added effects on each shot.