"You won't see me coming. You won't see me leave."
Silhouettes are the galaxy's shadows - assassins, infiltrators, and covert operators who handle the missions that never officially happened. They specialize in stealth kills, neuro-toxins, and getting in and out without a trace.
Silhouettes excel at:
They are the squad's scalpel - precise, invisible, and deadly.
Silhouettes live in the shadows. They take lives for money, ideology, or orders - and they're very good at it. The moral weight of this varies by individual.
Consider:
| Skill | Application |
|---|---|
| Stealth | Moving unseen, avoiding detection |
| Deception | False identities, misdirection, social infiltration |
| Pharmaceutical | Poisons, toxins, and debilitating agents |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Float | To space someone; also the preferred disposal method for board-level problems |
| Personnel Adjustment | A sanctioned kill; sounds better in the quarterly report |
| Window Shopping | Watching a target's routine before the hit; also what happens to Director Branson |
| Quiet Promotion | When your predecessor didn't resign; they were adjusted |
| Dust | To disappear completely; also what's left of the evidence |
| Wet Memo | An assassination order delivered as casual conversation |
| Ghost Walk | Moving through a facility without appearing on a single log |
| Family Business | Leverage involving someone's loved ones; the oldest currency in ICE |
From the operational minutes of Silhouette designation "Tobias"; ICE Corporate Tower, Boardroom 7-Alpha, Solarus Sector
The quarterly review was at fourteen hundred. Tobias had been in the boss's office since twelve.
Not because the meeting required two hours of preparation. Because the boss enjoyed the preamble. The small talk. The careful, measured conversation where every sentence carried the weight of something unsaid; and Tobias was expected to hear all of it.
"How are your children, Tobias?"
"Well, sir. Both well." Tobias kept his hands still. His voice level. When the boss asked about your children in ore processing, it wasn't affection. It was a reminder of where the leash was anchored.
"Good. Good. Survived another quarter." The boss turned a data pad over in his hands, not reading it. "Solarus numbers are down. Eight percent."
"Yes, sir."
"Director Branson's sector." The boss smiled. The kind of smile that never reached his eyes; never tried to. "His mistress, Lady Evea Von Fleischwolf. Lovely woman. Very ambitious. Did you know she's been managing a private account? Branson's skimming routed through her holdings. Elegant, really. Almost admirable."
Tobias said nothing. Saying nothing was a skill he'd perfected over eleven years.
"The board presentation begins at fourteen hundred. Branson will be presenting the Solarus projections; the ones he's been falsifying." The boss set the data pad down. "I'd like him to float past the port side window at approximately fourteen-twelve. During the revenue slide. For dramatic effect."
"Branson is on level three, suite ten, I believe," Tobias said.
"You believe correctly."
"And Lady Evea?"
"Promoted. She fills the board vacancy by fifteen hundred. She's smarter than Branson, and now she knows exactly what happens to people who skim." The boss picked up the data pad again. "Any questions?"
Tobias had many questions. He asked none of them.
"No, sir."
"Good man. Give my regards to your children, if all goes accordingly there should be a promotion coming up in ore processing."
Tobias left the office at twelve-fifteen. At twelve-forty, he confirmed suite ten's airlock maintenance schedule. At thirteen-fifty, he arrived on level three. At fourteen-twelve, the revenue slide appeared on the boardroom display, and Director Branson floated past the port side window; briefly, silently, and without complaint.
Lady Evea was seated in Branson's chair. She didn't ask how the position had opened. Nobody did.
Tobias went home to find his sons passed over for promotion, replaced by a sneering Mr. Von Fleischwolf, bragging that his wife now on the board ensured his stay in ore processing would be brief.
"The Boss and Mr Fleischwolf, both right," Tobias murmured to himself as leaned back in the kitchen chair, watching the man’s progress on the slag intakes flicker across the Neural-Link embedded in his contact lens, "there is indeed about to be an opening in ore processing." He turned to his sons, asking about their day before casually inquiring about the maintenance control protocols on the slag intakes.
Best Legacies: Spy, Hustler, Information Broker
Best Origins: Rodi, Human, Zetas
Best Organizations: ICE (syndicate), CREED, XERO
Recommended Skills: Espionage - Stealth, Espionage - Social, Medic - Pharmaceutical
Suggested Skills: Espionage - Search, Electronics - Security, Espionage - Traps
| Rank | Title |
|---|---|
| 2 | Shadow Operative |
| 4 | Ghost Agent |
| 6 | Poison Specialist |
| 8 | Elite Assassin |
| 10 | Phantom |
New Silhouette operatives begin with the following standard-issue gear:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Silenced Pistol | Suppressed sidearm |
| Combat Knife | Concealed blade |
| Electronic Lockpick | Advanced bypass tool |
| ICE Boots | Silent climbing/magnetic boots |
| Stealth Suit | Low-profile infiltration armor |
| Toolkit-Stealth (Std) | Concealment and evasion tools |
| Toxin Vials (x3) | Basic sedative/poison compounds |
A Silhouette doesn't get second shots. Weapon Training abilities let you master specific weapon configurations; because when the first round has to be the last round, you don't leave anything to chance.
| 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 |
"Breathe. Wait. The shot will come to you."
A Silhouette's edge is patience, not volume. The Observer abilities let you spend Actions setting up a shot, then cash that preparation in, for yourself or a squadmate.
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Study a target as you take aim. Spend 1, 2, or 3 Actions observing it to bank +5% / +10% / +15% accuracy on your next attack against that target this turn. Take the shot before you lose line of sight or the target acts; held breath doesn't last forever.
Requires: Tier 2, Observer
Effect: Call the shot for someone else. Spend the same 1 / 2 / 3 Actions observing a target, but grant the +5% / +10% / +15% to a chosen ally's next attack against it instead of your own. You read the angles; they pull the trigger.
Requires: Tier 3, Observer
Effect: Your Observer setup also grants Advantage on the prepared shot (roll an extra d100, keep the highest). A fully prepared Silhouette shot is as close to a sure thing as the galaxy allows.
"One cut. That's all it takes."
Silhouettes don't spray and pray; they place every strike where it hurts the most. When a Silhouette hits, the damage doesn't stop until the universe decides it's done.
Core Rule: When a Silhouette deals Hits with a weapon, roll a Wild Die for each Hit dealt (die size depends on weapon class, see table). Each die that rolls its maximum value deals +1 bonus Hit and explodes, roll it again. Keep rolling as long as it keeps exploding.
This applies to all Hits from the weapon; base Hits, bonus Hits from crits, and any additional Hits from abilities. Where everyone else only rolls Wild Dice on a Solid Hit (TL + 30) or better, the Silhouette rolls them on every hit; that is the core of the class.
A Silhouette strikes with a combat knife (Light weapon, 1 Hit). She rolls her Wild Die (d4): a 4, it explodes, +1 bonus Hit. She rolls again for the bonus: another 4, it explodes again, +1 more. She rolls a 3, done. Total from one knife strike: 3 Hits. A single knife wound that should have been routine just became a personnel adjustment.
| Weapon Class | Base Hits | Wild Dice | Explodes On | Expected Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 1 | 1d4 | 4 (25%) | ~1.33 |
| Standard | 2 | 2d6 | 6 (16.7%) | ~2.40 |
| Heavy | 3 | 3d8 | 8 (12.5%) | ~3.43 |
| Mounted | 4 | 4d10 | 10 (10%) | ~4.44 |
Lighter weapons explode more often; a knife in a Silhouette's hand has a 1-in-4 chance of finding something vital with every strike. Heavier weapons rely on raw firepower, not surgical precision. That's the Silhouette's edge: the smaller the blade, the deadlier the hand that holds it.
All Silhouette abilities are purchased with Ability Points (AP) during R&R.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 1, Target unaware of you, melee range
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Instantly incapacitate or kill a target without alerting nearby enemies. No sound, no alarm. The body can be hidden as part of this action.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Extra Action
Requires: Tier 1
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Move up to 6m without being detected. This movement does not break stealth, trigger free attacks, or appear on sensors. Use it to close the last few metres to a target, slip past a guard, or reposition without giving up your position.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Extended Action (during R&R or Lockdown)
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Create basic poisons and toxins at half the normal credit cost. You know how to synthesise sedatives, irritants, and contact poisons from common materials. Requires access to a basic chemistry kit or pharmaceutical supplies.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Your Silent Takedowns produce no sound whatsoever; no gasp, no thud, no death rattle. Adjacent enemies have no chance of noticing the kill. The body drops silently. Professional standards.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Gain Boon(1) to all impersonation, disguise, and false-identity checks. You can adopt a convincing cover identity with 10 minutes of preparation. Without this ability, disguises require an hour and a proper kit.
Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: You can purchase restricted and illegal items at standard market prices through your network of contacts. Items that are normally unavailable become purchasable (at GM discretion). You always know someone who knows someone.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: At will
Effect: For the next minute, you are virtually undetectable. Gain Boon(2) to all Stealth rolls. You leave no footprints, make no sound, and don't appear on standard sensors.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: You always have access to basic poisons and toxins. When applying poison to a weapon or drink, choose the effect: Incapacitated, Stunned(3), Suffering (1 Hit per hour), or Confused. When a target is exposed, make a Medic-Pharmaceutical check against the target's TL to apply the effect.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your attacks from stealth deal +1 Hit. This bonus Hit triggers Lethal Precision Wild Dice as normal. A Standard weapon from stealth now deals 3 Hits base; before the dice even start exploding.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your Lethal Precision Wild Dice now explode on the top two values instead of just the maximum (d4 on 3-4, d6 on 5-6, d8 on 7-8, d10 on 9-10). Every strike finds something vital twice as often; not luck, just applied anatomy and a complete disregard for squeamishness.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Break line of sight (smoke bomb, flash, misdirection) and immediately enter stealth. You vanish where you stand; no need to reposition. You roll Espionage-Stealth against each enemy's TL to remain hidden.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: You gain Boon(1) when rolling to apply poison effects against targets. Your poisons are refined to clinical purity; harder to detect, harder to resist, harder to survive.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: When you bypass security systems (locks, alarms, cameras, electronic barriers), you leave no trace. Forensic analysis of your entry point finds nothing. Gain Boon(1) to all security bypass checks.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Study a target for one action. Learn their approximate threat level, combat stance (aggressive, defensive, unaware), visible weapons, and one vulnerability or personality weakness. Useful for selecting the right approach before committing.
Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 2 Actions
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: Once per encounter
Effect: Designate a single target you can see. For the remainder of the encounter, your first attack against that target from stealth deals +2 Hits instead of the normal Assassination Mastery bonus. The designation is lost if the target becomes aware of you before you strike.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 2 Actions
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: At will
Effect: Make a melee attack that deals triple Hits if the target is unaware of you (each Hit still triggers Lethal Precision Wild Dice). If this kills the target, you may immediately move up to your full speed and re-enter stealth for free.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive + Active
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per Mission (Active Component)
Passive: You can no longer be detected by electronic sensors, thermal imaging, or bio-signature scanners while stealthed.
Active (Once Per Mission): Become completely invisible for 1 minute. You can attack without breaking invisibility. After attacking, you roll Espionage-Stealth against the target's TL to remain hidden.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 1 Action (melee range, target unaware)
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per mission
Effect: Touch a target and deliver a lethal nerve agent, micro-needle, or pressure-point strike. Make an Espionage-Stealth check against the target's TL. On success, the target dies instantly. On failure, the target takes 3 Hits and is Hindered(2). No weapon required; your hands are the weapon.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Extended Action (30 minutes)
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Assume any humanoid identity with no chance of casual detection. Voice, mannerisms, gait; all perfect. Only active investigation with Boon(2)+ or specific counter-intelligence equipment can penetrate the disguise. Lasts until you choose to drop it.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: While stealthed, you cannot be detected by any technological means; thermal, motion sensors, electronic surveillance, AI tracking, or cybernetic detection implants. Only biological senses (eyes, ears, nose) can find you, and even those are at Bane(1).
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Your attacks from stealth automatically count as critical hits (+1 Hit). This stacks with Assassination Mastery. A Standard weapon from stealth with both abilities deals 4 Hits base; each triggering Lethal Precision Wild Dice.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Killing a target in melee does not break your stealth. Other enemies in the area do not become alerted unless they directly witness the kill (line of sight within 5m). You can chain Silent Takedowns through a room without raising the alarm.
Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 1 Action
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per mission
Effect: Mark a target you can see. For the remainder of the mission, all your attacks against the marked target deal double Hits (applied before Lethal Precision Wild Dice). The mark persists across encounters. You've studied this one. You know every weakness, every habit, every blind spot.
"Every casual observation is an order. Every polite request is a threat assessment."
— Tobias, ICE