Difference between revisions of "Helio (IB)"

Latest revision as of 15:44, 13 November 2025

The wise pilot steers by the stars when the path is uncertain.

— Pindar, fragment 110

Helio Playbook

As a Helio, you are the interface between mind and machine — pilot, driver, and navigator. A HELIO — Heuristically Embedded Link Interface Operator — is technically someone who possesses the Neural Link special ability, but the name has become a moniker for elite pilots in general. Through neural jacks, gesture loops, or deep-link rigs, you merge with your craft until the line between self and system blurs. You fly gunships through plasma storms, thread skiffs through collapsing debris, and ride the edge of control where instinct and software overlap. You might be a racer, a smuggler, a gun-runner, or the one who gets everyone home. Whatever you fly, you know its pulse — and you are its voice.

Touchstones: Han Solo (Star Wars (1977)), Pilot (Farscape TV (1999–2003)), Hoban "Wash" Washburne (Firefly TV (2002–03)), Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Battlestar Galactica TV (2004–09)).

Special Abilities

Cold Start

You can bypass a vehicle’s warm-up or lockout protocols. You may Helm to overcome startup delays or security that would prevent you from piloting. You can operate unfamiliar vehicles without introduction.

Dauntless

You ignore penalties from Harm to a vehicle you are driving.

Edgerunner

You can exploit natural hazards. When operating in an environment where hazards exist, you can use them to increase the Effect of Helm actions to outmaneuver or disable other vehicles, but not weapon attacks.

Ghost

When you Helm and Push yourself, choose one: engage or disengage at will — your vehicle takes no Harm — avoid notice.

Lock-On

When you Interface to spot or target vehicles or installations, gain increased Effect or improved Position (your choice).

Neural Link

When you Helm a vehicle rigged for neural control, you gain improved Position.

On Target

When you inflict Harm on a vehicle or installation, you may describe the specific system that stops working. This cannot be power, life support, or other systems that would kill the vehicle.

Overdrive

You can temporarily overdrive your vehicle’s systems, gaining increased Effect, but with the additional consequence of level 1 Harm (burnout, feedback, or system strain).

Reflexes

When there’s a question of who acts first, it’s you (if both have Reflexes, you act simultaneously).

Additional Playbook

Select another playbook. You gain immediate access to its Inventory and XP conditions, but not base upgrades. From now on, you can choose its Special Abilities. You can take this special ability multiple times, each time selecting a new playbook. Prerequisite: To select a playbook, you need an action rating of one in each of its starting actions.

Contacts and Enemies

˄ ˅ Bragg, a mechanic.

˄ ˅ Juno, a courier.

˄ ˅ Kade, a fellow Helio.

˄ ˅ Lira, a fixer.

˄ ˅ Sol, a naval officer.

Inventory

Your understanding and connections let you access Imperio equipment one Quality level above your Tier. You also have access to the following higher-quality items; their Quality already includes this bonus.

☑ Beamer Sidearm +2 Quality.

☐☐☐ Hardsuit +1 Quality.

☐ Hand Tool Kit (Any type) +1 Quality.

☑ License +1 Quality. License to Operate Regulated vehicles and personal kit, and Possession license for Military vehicles.

☑ Neme +1 Quality.

☐☐ Pack Rocket Drone +2 Quality.

Your Crew also gains an additional upgrade: Power, Maneuver, Runabouts, Shuttles, or Fighters.

XP

Every time you roll a Desperate Action, mark XP in that Action’s Attribute.

At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 XP (in your playbook or an Attribute), or 2 XP if it occurred multiple times.

You addressed a challenge using speed or power.
You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.
You struggled with issues from your Vice or Traumas during the session.
The player pointed out an established enemy or disadvantage.

Starting Actions

Helm 2

Interface 1

4 points by choice, no higher than 2 in any one.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{IB}}
+{{IB}}{{tocright}}
-''The machine does not dream — until you do.''
+''The wise pilot steers by the stars when the path is uncertain.''
-: — Spacer proverb
+: — Pindar, fragment 110
 == Helio Playbook ==
 As a Helio, you are the interface between mind and machine — pilot, driver, and navigator.
-A HELIO— Heuristically Embedded Link Interface Operator — is properly someone who has the Neural Link special ability, but Helio has become a moniker for elite pilots in general.
+A HELIO — Heuristically Embedded Link Interface Operator — is technically someone who possesses the ''Neural Link'' special ability, but the name has become a moniker for elite pilots in general.
 Through neural jacks, gesture loops, or deep-link rigs, you merge with your craft until the line between self and system blurs.
 You fly gunships through plasma storms, thread skiffs through collapsing debris, and ride the edge of control where instinct and software overlap.
 You might be a racer, a smuggler, a gun-runner, or the one who gets everyone home. Whatever you fly, you know its pulse — and you are its voice.
 '''Touchstones:'''
-Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (''Battlestar Galactica'' TV (2004–09)),
 Han Solo (''Star Wars'' (1977)),
-Hoban "Wash" Washburne (''Firefly'' (XXXX)),
+Pilot (''Farscape'' TV (1999–2003)),
-Pilot (''Farscape'' TV (1999–2003)).
+Hoban "Wash" Washburne (''Firefly'' TV (2002–03)),
+Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (''Battlestar Galactica'' TV (2004–09)).
 === Special Abilities ===
-# '''Neural Link:''' When driving or piloting a vehicle rigged for neural control, you gain improved Position.
-# '''Ghost:''' When you Helm and Push yourself, choose one: ''engage or disengage at will — your vehicle is unharmed — avoid notice.''
+==== Cold Start ====
-# '''Ace:''' When you inflict Harm on a vehicle or installation, you can describe the specific Harm within the given level. This allows you to target specific systems and decide which functions to penalize.
+You can bypass a vehicle’s warm-up or lockout protocols. You may [[Actions_(IB)#Helm|Helm]] to overcome startup delays or security that would prevent you from piloting. You can operate unfamiliar vehicles without introduction.
-# '''Ironheart:''' You can ignore Harm penalties to a vehicle you are driving.
-# '''Cold Start:''' You can avoid the warm-up period a vehicle usually needs. You can Helm to overcome locks and security that would prevent you from piloting a vehicle. You can drive an unfamiliar vehicle without introduction.
+==== Dauntless ====
-# '''Edgerunner:''' You can find an exploit natural hazards. When in an environment where a Natural Hazard makes sense, you can find and use them to increase the Effects of Helm to outmaneuver others and cause them to crash.
+You ignore penalties from Harm to a vehicle you are driving.
-# '''Overclock:''' You can temporarily overclock your vehicle’s systems, gaining increased Effect but suffering one level of temporary Harm (“burnout,” “feedback,” or “system strain”).
-# '''XXX:''' When there’s a question of which vehicle moves first, it’s yours (if both have XXX, you act simultaneously).
+==== Edgerunner ====
-# '''XXX:''' When you Interface to spot or lock on to vehicles and installations, you gain extra Effect or suffer less Consequence, your choice.
+You can exploit natural hazards. When operating in an environment where hazards exist, you can use them to increase the Effect of [[Actions_(IB)#Helm|Helm]] actions to outmaneuver or disable other vehicles, but not weapon attacks.
+==== Ghost ====
+When you [[Actions_(IB)#Helm|Helm]] and Push yourself, choose one: ''engage or disengage at will — your vehicle takes no Harm — avoid notice.''
+==== Lock-On ====
+When you [[Actions_(IB)#Interface|Interface]] to spot or target vehicles or installations, gain increased Effect or improved Position (your choice).
+==== Neural Link ====
+When you [[Actions_(IB)#Helm|Helm]] a vehicle rigged for neural control, you gain improved Position.
+==== On Target ====
+When you inflict Harm on a vehicle or installation, you may describe the specific system that stops working. This cannot be power, life support, or other systems that would kill the vehicle.
+==== Overdrive ====
+You can temporarily overdrive your vehicle’s systems, gaining increased Effect, but with the additional consequence of level 1 Harm (''burnout,'' ''feedback,'' or ''system strain'').
+==== Reflexes ====
+When there’s a question of who acts first, it’s you (if both have Reflexes, you act simultaneously).
+==== Additional Playbook ====
+Select another playbook. You gain immediate access to its Inventory and XP conditions, but not base upgrades. From now on, you can choose its Special Abilities. You can take this special ability multiple times, each time selecting a new playbook. ''Prerequisite'': To select a playbook, you need an action rating of one in each of its starting actions.''
 === Contacts and Enemies ===
 : ˄ ˅ Bragg, a mechanic.
 : ˄ ˅ Juno, a courier.
-: ˄ ˅ Kade, a helio.
+: ˄ ˅ Kade, a fellow Helio.
 : ˄ ˅ Lira, a fixer.
 : ˄ ˅ Sol, a naval officer.
 === Inventory ===
+Your understanding and connections let you access [[Imperio_(IB)|Imperio]] equipment one Quality level above your Tier.
+You also have access to the following higher-quality items; their Quality already includes this bonus.
+: ☑ ''[[Imperio_(IB)#2_Beamer|Beamer Sidearm]]'' +2 Quality.
+: ☐☐☐ [[Limes_(IB)#☐☐☐_Hardsuit|Hardsuit]] +1 Quality.
+: ☐ [[Limes_(IB)#1 ☐ Hand_Tool_Kit|Hand Tool Kit]] (Any type) +1 Quality.
+: ☑ ''[[Forum_(IB)#1 ☑ License|License]]'' +1 Quality. License to Operate Regulated vehicles and personal kit, and Possession license for Military vehicles.
+: ☑ ''[[Forum_(IB)#1 ☑ Neme|Neme]]'' +1 Quality.
+: ☐☐ [[Imperio_(IB)#3_Rocket_Drone|Pack Rocket Drone]] +2 Quality.
+Your Crew also gains an additional upgrade:
+[[Crew_Playbooks_(IB)#☐,☐ Power|Power]],
+[[Crew_Playbooks_(IB)#☐,☐ Maneuver|Maneuver]],
+[[Crew_Playbooks_(IB)#☐,☐ Runabouts|Runabouts]],
+[[Crew_Playbooks_(IB)#☐,☐ Shuttles|Shuttles]], or
+[[Crew_Playbooks_(IB)#☐,☐ Fighters|Fighters]].
 === XP ===
@@ Line 43: / Line 79: @@
 * ''You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.''
 * ''You struggled with issues from your Vice or Traumas during the session.''
-* ''You pointed out an established NPC whom the GM then brought into the action.''
+* ''The player pointed out an established enemy or disadvantage.''
 === Starting Actions ===