Pulp Professions

[p_Clapham]

I've got a laundry list of pulp professions I am going to try to convert into the Legend rules. I tried to keep the list as broad as possible. The professions to the right are intended to be examples of what other kinds of professions can be built using professions in bold font. Please let me know if I am missing anything.

As per suggestions: renamed native "Noble Savage", added Mystic Profession, and added Rocket-Man, Philanthropist, and Mad Scientist.


Adventurer - Explorer, Big-Game Hunter, Treasure Hunter, Cowboy

Academic - Student, Teacher/ Professor, Scholar, Librarian, Archaeologist

Athlete - Acrobat, Martial Artist, Boxer, Football Star

Criminal - Assassin, Burglar, Gangster, Thug, Gun Moll, Mastermind, Femme Fatale

Dilettante – Idle Rich, Nobility, Trust Fund Baby

Doctor - Surgeon, ER Physician, Battlefield Medic, Nurse

Investigator - Gumshoe, Paranormal Investigator, Conspiracy Theorist

Entertainer - Artist, Actor/Actress, Singer, Writer, Celebrity, Magician, Femme Fatale

Laborer/ Artisan - Carpenter, Construction Worker, Plumber, Mechanic

Lawman - Police Detective,  Beat Cop, G-Man, Lawyer

Man of Mystery – Masked Detective, Scourge of the Underworld, Vigilante

Moneyman - Industrialist, Businessman, Philanthropist

Mystic - Psychic Detective, Paranormal Investigator, Sorcerer

Noble Savage – Tribal Warrior, Shaman, Lord of the Jungle

Nun - Holy Sister, Novice, Nurse, Teacher

Pilot - Daredevil, War Hero, Test-Pilot, Rocket-Man

Politician - Assistant District Attorney, Mayor's Aide, White Knight

Priest - Missionary, Crusader, Exorcist

Reporter - Muckracker, Paparazzi, Newspaper Man

Sailor - Navy, Mate, Navigator, Ship's Master

Scientist - Engineer, Chemist, Naturalist, Inventor, Mad Scientist

Soldier - Grunt, Intelligence Officer, Marine, Soldier of Fortune

Spy - Secret Agent, Double-Agent, Code-Breaker, Femme Fatale

[soltakss]

Maybe Philanthropist under Moneyman, Mad Scientist under Scientist?

I'd have a Mystic as well, there are loads of examples of mystics in pulp fiction, especially if you include Dennis Wheatley-type fiction.

The professions listed are, indeed, very pulpy.

[tarkhan bey]

Perhaps you could find room for the Noble Savage. This is a fellow in the mould of Tarzan, Korak, Ka Zar, Kioga(The Hawk of the Wilderness), Thundarr or Turok.

What about Rocketeer/King of the Rocket Men as well?

[Da Boss]

Femme Fatale? Seductress, Adventurer, Spolit but not totally Evil Princess

[p_Clapham]

Femme Fatale could be represented by a couple of the Professions. The Criminal, Entertainer, and Spy would all make Fine Femme Fatale characters.

Femme Fatale? Seductress, Adventurer, Spolit but not totally Evil Princess

[p_Clapham]

I ran into some issues with skill bonuses and advanced skills, so I came up with some more advanced skills.

Academics – INT x2
Pick one: History, Law, Literature, Philosophy, Psychology, or Religion

Bureaucracy – INT+CHA

Diplomacy – INT+CHA

Science – INT x2
Pick one: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geology, or Physics

Academics and Science more or less replace/ supplement lore. Diplomacy is just the Courtesy skill re-named.

Here are some Combat Styles to go with the professions.

Pistols - INT+DEX
Rifles - INT+DEX
Heavy Weapons - STR+DEX

[Rick]

Personally - I would change the name of 'Labourer' to 'Artisan' and have - Artisan - Labourer/Builder, Plumber, Mechanic, Other Skilled Trades. Also, maybe have Sailor in a separate profession; Navy - Sailor, Mate, Navigator, Ship's Master.

[soltakss]

Nun - Novice, Nurse, Teacher

With Sailor, you probably need something about tramp-steamer, as all pulp ships of worth are tramp-steamers.

[p_Clapham]

Here are the updated professions with the skill bonuses.

Adventurer - Explorer, Big-Game Hunter, Treasure Hunter, Cowboy
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick two at 10%: Athletics, Evade, Lore (Regional), Perception, Ride
Combat Styles – Two combat Styles at +10%
Advanced Skills – Pick one: Academics, Language, Survival, Track

Academic - Student, Teacher/ Professor, Scholar, Librarian, Archaeologist
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick two at 10% Culture (own), Evaluate, Influence, Insight
Advanced Skills – Pick three: Academics, Culture (specific culture), Language, Lore, Oratory, Teaching

Athlete - Acrobat, Martial Artist, Boxer, Football Star
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick three at +10% - Athletics, Brawn, Evade, Resilience, Swim, Unarmed
Combat Styles – Pick one at +10%
Advanced Skills – Pick one - Acrobatics, Academics (Sports)

Criminal - Assassin, Burglar, Gangster, Thug, Gun Moll, Mastermind, Femme Fatale
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick three at +10% - Drive, Evade, Influence, Sleight, Stealth
Combat Styles – Pick one at +10%
Advanced Skills - Streetwise

Dilettante – Idle Rich, Nobility, Trust Fund Baby
Common Skill Bonuses - +10% to influence. Pick two more at +10% - Culture (own), Drive, Evaluate, Insight, Ride
Advanced Skills – Pick two - Academics, Diplomacy, Commerce, Gambling, Language

Doctor - Surgeon, ER Physician, Battlefield Medic
Common Skill Bonuses – Evaluate and Lore (regional) +5%, First Aid +20%, Perception +10%
Advanced Skills - Healing

Investigator - Gumshoe, Paranormal Investigator, Conspiracy Theorist
Common Skill Bonuses - Perception and Insight +10%, Pick one more at +10% Evade, Influence, Sleight, Stealth, Unarmed
Combat Styles – One at +10%
Advanced Skills- Streetwise

Entertainer - Artist, Actor/Actress, Singer, Writer, Celebrity, Magician, Femme Fatale
Common Skill Bonuses – Influence +20%, Pick two at +10% - Culture (own), Dance, Insight, Sing, Sleight
Advanced Skills – Pick one - Academics (Literature), Art, Oratory, Play Instrument

Laborer/ Artisan – Cabbie, Carpenter, Construction Worker, Plumber, Mechanic
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick three at +10% - Athletics, Brawn, Culture (own), Drive, Evaluate
Advanced Skills – Pick Two - Craft, Engineering, Mechanisms

Lawman - Police Detective,  Beat Cop, G-Man, Lawyer
Common Skill Bonuses – Perception at +10%, Pick one more at +10% - Evade, Influence, Insight
Combat Styles – Two at +10%
Advanced Skills – Pick one – Academics (law), Bureaucracy, Streetwise

Man of Mystery – Masked Detective, Scourge of the Underworld, Vigilante
Common Skill Bonuses Stealth at +10%, Pick one more at +10% - Evade, Influence, Perception, Insight, Sleight, Unarmed
Combat Styles – Two at +10%
Advanced Skills- Streetwise

Mystic – Psychic Detective, Paranormal Investigator, Dabbler in the Unknown
Common Skill Bonuses – Insight and Persistence +10%, Pick two at +10% - Influence, Perception, Sleight, Stealth
Advanced Skills – Lore

Moneyman - Industrialist, Businessman, Philanthropist
Common Skill Bonuses – Influence and Evaluate at +10%. Pick two more at +10% - Insight, Lore (regional), Perception, Persistence
Advanced Skills - Commerce

Noble Savage – Tribal Warrior, Shaman, Lord of the Jungle,
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick two at +10% - Athletics, Brawn, Evade, Resilience, Unarmed
Combat Styles – Two combat styles appropriate to the culture at +10%
Advanced Skills – Pick one – Track, Survival.

Pilot - Barnstormer, Daredevil, War Hero, Test-Pilot, Rocketeer
Common Skill Bonuses – Perception +10%, Pick two more at +10% - Drive, Evade, Persistence, Unarmed
Combat Styles – One combat style at +10%
Advanced Skills - Pilot

Politician - Assistant District Attorney, Mayor's Aide, White Knight
Common Skill Bonuses – Influence +20%, Pick one at +10% - Culture (Own), Insight, Lore (regional), Persistence
Advanced Skills – Pick Two - Bureaucracy, Diplomacy, Oratory

Priest - Missionary, Crusader, Exorcist, Nun
Common Skill Bonuses – Influence +20%, Insight +10%
Advanced Skills – Academics (Theology), Pick one more – Academics, Diplomacy, Language, Oratory

Reporter - Muckracker, Paparazzi, Newspaper Man
Common Skill Bonuses – Insight and Influence at +10%. Pick two at +10% - Culture (Own), Evaluate, Lore (Regional), Perception
Advanced Skills – Pick one – Academics (Literature), Diplomacy, Streetwise

Sailor – Navy, Sea Dog, Mate, Navigator, Ship's Master, Merchant Mariner
Common Skill Bonuses – Swim at +10%. Pick two more at +10% - Athletics, Brawn, Perception, Unarmed
Combat Styles – One combat style at +10%
Advanced Skills - Boating

Scientist - Engineer, Chemist, Naturalist, Inventor, Mad Scientist
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick two at +10% - Evaluate, Insight, Perception, Persistence
Advanced Skills – Pick Three – Engineering, Mechanisms, Science

Soldier - Grunt, Intelligence Officer, Marine, Soldier of Fortune
Common Skill Bonuses – Pick three at +10% - Athletics, Brawn, Evade, First Aid, Perception, Resilience, Unarmed
Combat Styles – Two Combat Styles at +10%

Spy - Secret Agent, Double-Agent, Code-Breaker, Femme Fatale
Common Skill Bonuses – Influence +10%. Pick one more at +10% - Evade, Insight, Perception, Persistence, Stealth, Unarmed
Combat Styles – Pick one at +10%
Advanced Skills – Pick two – Diplomacy, Disguise, Gambling, Language, Seduction, Streetwise

Wheelman - Racer, Hell-on-Wheels, Getaway man
Common Skill Bonuses - Drive +20%, Perception +10%, Persistence +10%
Advanced Skills - Engineering or Mechanisms

[tarkhan bey]

I wonder if Blue Collar Worker or Regular Joe are more 'setting appropriate' for Labourer/Artisan?

Maybe Stand Up Guy as well?

Perhaps Barnstormer as a concept within Pilot.

[tarkhan bey]

I would give them Drive and Athletics.

Cab Drivers and Construction workers working on Skyscrapers spring to mind. Purely for the setting and for flavour, what about Dance?

Big Bands and Dance Halls would probably be a huge source of social entertainment for people in this bracket(as well as going to the Movies).

[p_Clapham]

The list seems pretty much done. I didn't include a race car driver. I'm thinking something along these lines.

Wheelman - Racer, Hell-on-Wheels, Getaway man
Common Skill Bonuses - Drive +20%, Perception +10%, Persistence +10%
Advanced Skills - Engineering or Mechanisms

[Rick]

I'd be tempted to add Engineering to the Labourer profession - I realise that makes a lot of overlap with the scientist, but where the scientist is more interested in design and a prototype, the Labourer would be interested in full production. Also - might be an idea to expand the craft skills to 2, as some jobs might cover 2 skill areas - an Engineer might have Craft (plumbing) and Craft (engines or boilers?) for example?

Also, I'm only working from the RQ books - but does Legend have the RQ GM's guide skill 'culture' in it? I'm thinking some professions should have Culture (Working class) or Culture (Society) in them - even in the pulp era and the USA there are big differences between the swanky high society and bums on the street! Might add a bit of flavour!

[Rick]

Nope - got a better idea. Engineering in the book covers early mechanical engineering mainly - I think for a more modern setting, it should be a grouped skill, like craft, covering Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Chemical. Scientists are more likely to have Electrical and/or Chemical Engineering, while Labourers are more likely to have Civil and/or Mechanical Engineering.
Any good?

[p_Clapham]

I could see Engineering working for the Laborer/ Artisan. Not sure if I want to start splitting Culture (own) into multiple categories. One of the reasons I prefer Legend over BRP is simplicity.

[p_Clapham]

I think the list is now complete. Thank you all for your input. I've uploaded a pdf of the listing to the BRP central site if you want a copy of the document.

http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.p ... ile&id=549