Savant (FiD)

Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page

As a savant, you are a master of gadgets and concoctions. With your vast knowledge of chemicals and herbs, you create powerful elixirs that can heal allies, weaken foes, or enhance physical capabilities. You are also a natural philosopher, with practical knowledge of science and mechanics allowing you to make gadgets useful in almost every situation. Whether brewing in a lab or improvising in the field, you always have something potent up your sleeve.

An adaptation of the Leech playbook from Blades in the Dark. Savants are mundane technologists corresponding to the artificer's magical technologist and the sage's humanist.

You might be called a technician, inventor, barber, surgeon, or master crafter.

Touchstones MacGyver (MacGyver TV 1985), Steven (Flesh and Blood 198)), Nikola Tesla (The Prestige 2006), Archimedes (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 2023).

Special Abilities

Automaton

You upgrade your Tinker Drone into an Expert Cohort (tinkerer) (p 96). It gains the usual additional action each downtime to Craft or Invent and can Assist you in addition to the Tinker Drone ability.

Craftsman

Choose a craft (e.g., blacksmith, tailor). Improve the level of success in this field by one step: Fumble → Failure → Opposed success → Success → Critical. Can be taken multiple times for different crafts.

Deep Pockets

Increase your Load capacity by two.

Demolition

You can use Tinker as if it was Wreck to destroy things with a loud bang. Pick one: muffle sound — damage is hidden from casual inspection — increased Effect.

Inspiration

When performing a Downtime Action in a flashback, you may spend Stress in place of Coin to pay the cost.

Inventor

When you Craft or Invent Alchemy, Armaments, and Gadgets, take +1d to your roll. You can make new Formulas and Designs. You begin with one Design or Formula already known.

Prototype

Tinker in a Flashback to Craft gear, Alchemical, Armament, or Gadget without needing a Formula or Design. The item breaks at the score's end but can be Reverse Engineered from the remains.

Surgeon

With a few minutes of surgery, reduce harm suffered in the last hour by one level: Level 1–2 harm is controlled, Level 3 is risky, and Level 4 (recently dead) is desperate. Each wound can only be treated once; consequences affect the patient. In downtime your crew (or you, for 2 stress) can use your Tinker for healing rolls.

Additional Playbook

Select another playbook. You gain immediate access to its Inventory and XP conditions. 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.

Human Resources

˄ ˅ Addison, an savant.

˄ ˅ Cameron, a patron.

˄ ˅ Emerson, a mage.

˄ ˅ Morgan, a fixer.

˄ ˅ Rowan, a spirit.

Inventory

Surgeon's Tinkering Tools

☐ Bandolier of alchemicals ☐, ☐, ☐, ☐, ☐.

◯ Emerald Pen.

☐ Fine Disguised Weapon.

☐ Fine Syringe Crossbow.

☐ Fine tinker tools.

◯ Tinker Drone.

• Bandolier of Alchemicals ☐: A strap worn across the body, fitted with specially-padded pouches to hold five flasks of Alchemical agents. When you employ an alchemical from a bandolier, choose an acquired item, one of your own manufacture, or a Common alchemical with complexity no higher than your tier. See page 226 for more on alchemicals.
• Emerald Pen ◯: This pen is tipped with an emerald nib and requires no ink to write. It can draw green lines and text on any material, including in air, and you can make the text glow for a few minutes. On a surface it lasts much like normal ink, in the air it disappears when it stops glowing. More expensive versions use other gems and create text of other colors. Common.
• Fine Disguised Weapon ◯: A A weapon that appears as an everyday object unless closely inspected, such as cane swords, fan blades, concealed daggers, or palm pistols hidden in cutlery. It is a masterwork weapon you made, enhancing your effect.
• Fine Syringe Crossbow ☐: A pistol crossbow that fires a bolt that injects a drug or poison. Effective to about 10 meters. You must supply the drug. Gadget.
• Fine Tinkering Tools ☐: A finely crafted set of tools for detailed mechanist work, including various tongs and pinchers, a jeweler's loupe, and precision measuring devices. Increases effect on Tinker rolls for manipulating delicate machinery, such as locks, clockwork, and metal traps. Does not increase the effect of the machinery you work on. Playbook.
• Tinker Drone ◯: Clockwork device that can assist you on Tinker rolls, but you pay the stress cost. It is too limited to act on its own. Playbook.

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 that item occurred multiple times.

• You addressed a challenge using technical skill or mayhem.
• You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.
• You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

Starting Actions

Hunt 1

Tinker 2

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