"Every conflict has a resolution. The question is whether we find it before or after the shooting starts."
Envoys are the galaxy's professional negotiators, social engineers, and face operatives. They talk their way into secure facilities, negotiate with hostile factions, and gather intelligence through a web of contacts. When violence isn't the answer, the Envoy steps forward.
Envoys excel at:
They are the squad's voice - opening doors and avoiding fights.
Envoys understand that words are weapons. They can defuse a standoff, start a war, or completely change someone's loyalties - all without raising a hand. This power requires responsibility.
Consider:
| Skill | Application |
|---|---|
| Persuasion | Convincing people to agree with you |
| Deception | Lying convincingly, false identities |
| Social Networking | Contacts, information gathering |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Spin | Reframing the truth; the Envoy's primary weapon |
| Wild Shot | A negotiation gambit that shouldn't work but does |
| Table | Any negotiation space; also where you put problems you can't solve yet |
| Face | The person everyone talks to; the squad's front door |
| Dead Name | An old identity that's been retired; dangerous if someone remembers it |
| Favour Bank | The running tally of who owes what; an Envoy's real currency |
| Room Read | Instantly assessing everyone's motivations and leverage |
| Friendly Fire | When your words accidentally hurt the wrong person |
From the operational files of Envoy designation "Spin"; XERO Diplomatic Division, Neutral Zone Summit
The negotiation was already dead when Spin walked in. He just hadn't told anyone yet.
Two factions. One conference room. The Kovak Mining Consortium on the left, three executives in suits that cost more than Spin's annual operating budget, each one radiating the specific brand of contempt that comes from owning things. The Freeport Labour Alliance on the right, two dock workers and a union rep who looked like she'd rather be throwing punches than shaking hands.
Neutral zone. Neutral mediator. That's why they'd called XERO. Because when nobody trusts anyone, you call the people nobody trusts equally.
Spin adjusted his collar, scanned the room, a room read that took less time than a blink, and started talking. He matched the corporate register for the Consortium. Shifted to working-class cadence for the Alliance. Split the difference when addressing both. The words weren't the point. The rhythm was. Get them nodding. Get them listening. Get them believing that the person across the table might, against all evidence, be reasonable.
Forty minutes in, they had a framework. Wage adjustments. Safety protocols. A profit-sharing model that gave the Consortium enough margin to save face and the Alliance enough credits to matter. Spin was three clauses away from a signed accord when the Consortium's lead negotiator leaned back in her chair and smiled.
"Interesting approach, Zuckburger."
The room went quiet.
Spin didn't flinch. Fourteen months of XERO reputation management. Two years of building the name "Spin" into something people respected; or at least feared enough to return calls. And this woman had just reached into his past and pulled out a dead name like a knife.
"I'm sorry?" Spin said. Buying time. Calculating.
"Zuckburger. Fourth Expeditionary, wasn't it? You had a squad mate. Joe something. Heard he got bagged." Her smile didn't move. "Careless Aim, they called it. Friendly fire incident. Interesting background for a diplomat."
The Alliance rep was watching. The dock workers were watching. Spin could feel the framework dissolving. Trust is a fragile architecture, and this woman had just put a breaching charge on the foundation.
Spin looked at her for a long moment. Then he leaned forward.
"Joe didn't get bagged because of my aim," he said. Quiet. Not performing. "Joe got bagged because someone decided his life was worth less than a quarterly target. Sound familiar?"
He let that land. The Alliance rep's expression shifted. The dock workers straightened. Even the Consortium executives looked uncomfortable; because "quarterly targets" was their language, and Spin had just weaponized it.
"My name is Spin," he said. "And the reason XERO sent me is because I know exactly what it costs when people treat other people like line items. So we can discuss my history, or we can finish the accord that keeps your workers alive and your shareholders comfortable. Your call."
The lead negotiator held his gaze for five seconds. Then she picked up her pen.
The accord was signed by 1400. Spin filed the paperwork, collected his fee, and sat alone in the shuttle for a long time before starting the engines.
Joe would have laughed. Joe always laughed at the wrong moments. That was the best thing about him.
Best Legacies: Diplomat, Entertainer, Merchant, Information Broker
Best Origins: Human, Rodi, Om
Best Organizations: FOFT, XERO, CORSEC
Recommended Skills: Espionage - Social, Intel - Marketeering, Intel - Street Smarts
Suggested Skills: Electronics - Security, Espionage - Stealth
| Rank | Title |
|---|---|
| 2 | Junior Envoy |
| 4 | Diplomatic Attache |
| 6 | Senior Diplomat |
| 8 | Ambassador |
| 10 | Grand Envoy |
New Envoy operatives begin with the following standard-issue gear:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Concealed Pistol | Hidden compact sidearm |
| Babel Fish | Universal translator device |
| Formal Attire | High-quality diplomatic clothing |
| Recording Device | Concealed audio/video recorder |
| Toolkit-Persuasion (Std) | Social engineering tools |
| Expense Account (1000 credits) | Operating funds for bribes and gifts |
Envoys prefer negotiations to firefights. When diplomacy fails, Weapon Training abilities make sure the transition is handled professionally.
| Layer | Source | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Core Weapon Training | 11 × Rank (automatic) | 110 |
| Weapon Skill | +1% per SP in weapon type | 10 |
| Weapon Familiarity | +1% per hit with this specific weapon | 20 |
| Weapon Training | Tactical / Expert / Master (+5% each, per weapon type/size) | 15 |
| Max Accuracy Bonus | 155 |
The Envoy's signature mechanic, covering espionage gadgets, field assets, and social operation tools, is being finalised as part of the Class Expansion update. The Ability Tree below is fully playable in the meantime.
All Envoy abilities are purchased with Ability Points (AP) during R&R.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Gain Boon(1) to all Persuasion and Deception rolls. You can attempt to talk your way out of combat in the first round; if successful, combat pauses for negotiation. Words are cheaper than bullets, and considerably more versatile.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Extra Action
Requires: Tier 1
Frequency: At will
Effect: Instantly assess the social dynamics of any group you can observe. Learn the general power structure, who defers to whom, and who is uncomfortable. This is a surface read; motivations and secrets require deeper investigation.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: You suffer no penalties when dealing with unfamiliar cultures, species, or social customs. Where others stumble over etiquette and taboos, you adapt instinctively. Gain Boon(1) to social checks involving cross-cultural interaction.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Authorities hesitate to detain you. Gain Boon(1) to avoid arrest, detention, or bureaucratic obstruction. Your credentials, real or fabricated, carry enough weight to give security personnel pause. This does not protect against active hostiles or combat situations.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Extended Action (30 minutes)
Requires: Tier 1
Frequency: At will
Effect: In any populated area, you always know who to talk to for specific information. Gain Boon(1) to intelligence-gathering checks. You can locate a relevant contact, rumour source, or data seller with minimal effort. The information's accuracy depends on what you pay.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Extended Action (1 hour)
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: At will
Effect: In any populated area, you can locate a useful contact; someone who can provide information, equipment, or access. The contact's usefulness depends on your relationship and what you offer in return. At this tier, your network spans organisations and sectors.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: At will
Effect: Analyse a social situation in depth. Learn each NPC's motivation, mood, and what might persuade them. Gain Boon(2) to all social rolls against these NPCs for the remainder of the scene. The Envoy sees the strings; and knows exactly which ones to pull.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Improve any negotiation result by one step (hostile to reluctant, reluctant to neutral, neutral to favourable, favourable to enthusiastic). This applies to any structured negotiation; contracts, treaties, hostage situations, or price haggling. The Envoy always leaves the table with more than they came in with.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 2 Actions
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Through careful conversation, implant an idea in a target's mind that they believe is their own. Make an Espionage-Social check against the target's TL. Suggestions must be plausible and cannot be directly self-harmful. On success, the target acts on the suggestion within the next hour.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: At will
Effect: Perfectly adapt to any social situation instantly; accent, mannerisms, register, body language. You become indistinguishable from a native of any social group you observe for at least one round. Gain Boon(1) to all Espionage-Social checks while maintaining the persona.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 2 Actions
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Attempt to stop combat through diplomacy. Make an Espionage-Social check. Each hostile target within voice range whose TL you exceed ceases hostilities for 1 round, during which negotiation can proceed. A single aggressive action from your squad breaks the effect immediately.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 2 Actions
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: At will
Effect: Implant a suggestion in a target's mind through conversation. They believe the suggestion is their own idea. Make an Espionage-Social check against the target's TL. Suggestions cannot be directly harmful to the target. Unlike Planted Suggestion, this works even on targets who are actively suspicious of you.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Extended Action (variable)
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: Negotiate a seemingly impossible agreement. Warring factions agree to ceasefire. Enemies become reluctant allies. Prices drop dramatically. The agreement lasts until someone actively violates it. Once per mission, the Envoy can prevent or start a war through words alone.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: At will
Effect: Target a creature within voice range that can understand you. Make an Espionage-Social check against the target's TL. On success, the target gains Rattled(2) and Shaken(1) as you systematically dismantle their confidence, credibility, or composure. If you exceed the target's TL by 60, the target is Confused for 1 round. Words don't break bones; they break everything else.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 2 Actions
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Deploy a blackmail payload, compromising data, fabricated evidence, or damaging intelligence, against a target within voice or comms range. Make an Espionage-Social check against the target's TL. On success, the target gains Rattled(2) and is strongly incentivised to follow your suggested course of action on their next turn. The target can refuse, but doing so means you release the payload, GM determines the social/political consequences. Does not work on targets with nothing to lose.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Your reputation precedes you across known space. Most rational beings will not directly oppose you without significant cause. Gain Boon(2) to all Espionage-Social checks against targets who recognise you or know your identity.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Extended Action (1 hour)
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per mission
Effect: Broker a binding agreement between two or more hostile factions. All parties must be present and willing to negotiate (even reluctantly). The resulting treaty carries weight; breaking it imposes severe social and political consequences. The Envoy's signature on a document means something in this galaxy.
"I can make anything look good. Including my aim."
— Spin, XERO