Crime Broker Class

Crime Brokers are disreputable scum who arrange illegal acts for those who wish to retain some level of anonymity or deniability. Not quite crime lords, Crime Brokers operate on a smaller scale, bringing clients together with contractors, or acting as a go-between to see that some crime is committed – for a percentage of the fee.

There aren’t a lot of credits in crime brokering, unfortunately, because Crime Brokers frequently have a crime lord patron who expects a significant cut. On the other hand, a lowly crime broker doesn’t have nearly the same overhead – nor does he draw so many assassination attempts – as his crime lord employer. Even so, many Crime Brokers go on to become crime lords, lured by the wealth and prestige.

Most Crime Brokers go completely unnoticed by the general public; only those who need an illegal service take the trouble to find a Crime Broker. They advertise almost solely by word of mouth (“I know a Rodian who knows a Zabrak who knows a Hutt…”) and, as might be expected, must be careful with whom they do business, and where. If caught by the authorities, a Crime Broker can expect a short prison term, since the most he’s usually guilty of is acting as an accessory. A Crime Broker who earns the anger of a crime lord might face a different destiny – in the empty void of space or the stomach of a hungry sarlacc.

Requirements
To qualify to become a Crime Broker, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Diplomacy 6 ranks, Gather Information 8 ranks, Knowledge (Streetwise) 8 ranks, Sense Motive 6 ranks, Speak Language (Huttese)
Feats: Influence, Low Profile
Reputation Bonus: +3
Hutt Sympathy: +4

Game Rule Information
Vitality:
A Crime Broker gain 1d6 vitality points per level. The character’s Constitution modifier applies.

Class Skills
The Crime Broker’s Class skills, and the key abilities for each skill, are as follows.
Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Computer Use (Int), Craft* (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gamble (Wis), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge* (Int), Profession* (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language
*This skill actually encompasses a number of unrelated skills. Each time this skill is learned, a specific category must also be chosen.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following are features of the Crime Broker prestige class.

Starting Feats
The Crime Broker gains the following feats.
Weapon Group Proficiency (Simple Weapons)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Vibro Weapons)

Criminal Influence
The Crime Broker has made acquaintances in the criminal underworld; these shady characters can help the Crime Broker with certain shady dealings. Once per adventure, the Crime Broker may attempt a favor check rolling 1d20 and adding the character’s favor bonus (if any). The GM sets the DC based on the scope of the favor being requested. The DC ranges from 10 for a simple favor being requested to as high as 25 for highly dangerous, expensive, or illegal favors. The Crime Broker can’t take 10 or take 20 on this check, nor can she retry for the same (or virtually the same) favor. The Crime Broker can add +1 to his roll for every 500 credits he spends, to a maximum of +5 (2,500 credits). Note that favors should help advance the plot of an adventure. A favor that would enable a character to circumvent an adventure should always be unavailable to the character, regardless of the result of a favor check.

If the Crime Broker has levels in noble, he may add his favor bonus from that class when making a favor check.

The GM should carefully monitor the Crime Broker’s use of favors to ensure that this ability isn’t abused. The success or failure of a mission shouldn’t hinge on the use of a favor, and calling in favors shouldn’t replace good roleplaying or the use of other skills. The GM may disallow any favor deemed to be disruptive to the game (see favors and contacts for additional information on this).

Bonus Feat
At 2nd level, and again at 4th level, the Crime Broker gets a bonus feat. This feat must be drawn from the following list, and the Crime Broker must meet any prerequisites.
Contact, Hutt Favor, Infamy, Persuasive, Piece of the Action, Shady Merchant, Trustworthy

Patron
At 3rd level, the Crime Broker’s activities come to the attention of a crime lord (usually a Hutt) who takes the Crime Broker under his wing. Once per day, the Crime Broker can attempt a Diplomacy check to gain resources from his patron.

The value of the resources gained equals 20 x the Crime Broker’s class level x the result of the Diplomacy check. Thus a 4th-level Crime Broker who gets a result of 19 on his Diplomacy check would gain 1,520 credits’ worth of resources. Keep track of how many credits’ worth of resources the patron provides over the course of a single adventure.

These resources can take virtually any form the Crime Broker desires (within reason) and are his to do with as he pleases. The resources gained arrive in his possession 1d6 hours after he makes the check. Note that these resources must be reasonably (though not necessarily commonly) available when and where the Crime Broker chooses to make the check.

This is a mixed blessing, however. At the end of every adventure, the Crime Broker’s patron expects a 25% return of the investment. If the Crime Broker is unable to pay the patron this percentage, the Crime Broker’s Hutt Sympathy score is reduced by 1 point for every 500 credits’ worth of resources. If this number reduces the Crime Broker’s Hutt Sympathy below +1, the Crime Broker can no longer use this class ability.

Minions
Beginning at 5th level, a Crime Broker can add his Crime Broker level to any Reputation checks made to attract followers (see Followers).

Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Defense Bonus Reputation Bonus
1 +0 +0 +1 +2 Criminal Influence +1 +1
2 +1 +0 +2 +3 Bonus Feat +2 +2
3 +1 +1 +2 +3 Patron +2 +2
4 +2 +1 +2 +4 Bonus Feat +2 +3
5 +2 +1 +3 +4 Minions +3 +4
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