Zerk

You know a Zerk before they tell you. The air changes when one steps on deck, heavier somehow, charged with that wild, twitching stillness before a storm. They’re bigger than you remember people being, even the small ones. You could line up a squad of Corp. Sec goons behind them and still feel like the Zerk’s the real weapon. Doesn’t matter if they were born in a gene-tank, grown up in jungle gravity, or just hit the gym too hard for too long, every one of them carries the same current: a body built to break and a mind that refuses to.

Nobody agrees on what starts the Rage. Some swear it’s chemical, cocktails of stimulants and suppressors that cancel each other out just long enough to turn pain into poetry. Others treat it like religion: breath control, mantras, meditation, and that eerie calm that comes right before the screaming starts. A few are built for it from birth, engineered for muscle density and adrenal output and others even swear it's a spiritual thing, spirits from the Astral Space, riding your meat like a combat sim, either way, Corpo labs sell it as “combat optimization.” Out here, we just call it being a Zerk. However they reach that state, it’s the same result: a person who can take a flash blast through the shoulder and still rip a hatch off its hinges.

Zerks are strange that way, half brute, half mystic. Most soldier types struggle with the arcane outside of the more the basic counter magic drills; too much study, too little time. Zerks don’t care about that divide. They use whatever works — biofield manipulation, blood magic, instinctive kinetic focus. You’ll see them throw sparks without a gesture, or push a blast aside through sheer will. It’s not pretty, but it’s power, raw and improvised. They don’t train for years in academies; they just learn what keeps them alive. Theirs is a kind of magic that smells of sweat and ozone.

Environment makes the Zerk. On jungle worlds, they learn to move quiet and hit fast. Scrap-world Zerks come plated in welded armour, patched together like their ships and wielding chainsaws. Even some kind've “academic Zerks” from university colonies exist, kids who figured out how to turn stress and supplements into transcendence. They adapt because that’s what they do: absorb their surroundings until they become a reflection of whatever tried to kill them, even if it was just society. That’s the secret to a Zerk’s survival. The galaxy keeps throwing harder punches, and they just keep getting thicker skin.

They’re not idiots, despite what people say. Sure, most couldn’t pass a Federation entrance exam if their life depended on it, but hand them a broken weapon, and they’ll have it working before your coffee cools. They think in motion. They understand things by breaking them. You can’t teach that, same as you can’t teach someone to laugh while bleeding. That’s a Zerk for you. When everything else fails, plans, spells, diplomacy, you’ll want one on your side. Because when the airlock blows and the lights go red, the Zerk’s the last spacer still grinning, ready to drag the universe down with them if it tries any harder.

- Buck Texas, post Kantkliff Massacre, Mark 6223.

A Zerk’s brain runs on instinct, not instruction. They don’t read manuals, they glare at machinery until it starts working or explodes trying. Ask one to recall a briefing and you’ll get half the details and twice the confidence. It’s not that they’re incapable of thought; they just process information through action instead of theory. They’ll forget the plan, misread the label, and probably press the big red button “just to see what it does.” Most of the time, luck or sheer durability gets them through the fallout. If you’re smart, you don’t give a Zerk homework, you give them something sturdy to hit, and stand back until the smoke clears.

Trait.

You suffer the Disadvantage Property to any Tech, Study, Knowledge - Astral, Knowledge - Material and Knowledge - Social Checks and Attacks you perform.

Environmental Affinities define how a Zerk is shaped by the place that forged them — whether that place is a wilderness, a machine hive, a gang-controlled district, or an elite academic enclave. These environments imprint priorities, instincts, and methods so deeply that a Zerk’s abilities become expressions of terrain, culture, and pressure rather than learned techniques alone. A Zerk does not merely survive their origin environment; they internalise it, carrying its rules, violence, and momentum wherever they go. They are forces of nature not despite their origins, but because nothing is more natural than being shaped by the world that demanded they endure it.

Trait.

You must choose 1 of the following Environmental Affinities for your Zerk, you then gain the listed features and Abilities:

The Astral Protector affinity represents the oldest known expression of the Zerk, emerging from tribal and magically aligned cultures where land, spirit, and survival are inseparable. Their fury is not purely personal, but drawn from wronged ancestors, protective entities, or an internalised mandate to defend territory, people, or ecological law. Among all Zerks, Astral Protectors are the most mystic, channeling raw arcane force through martial action in ways most Spacers would consider impossible without extensive augmentation. Some remain so deeply embedded in non-industrial regions that they reject Federation cyberware entirely, so-called luddites, relying instead on the authority of the land and the certainty of their own strength.

• You gain Proficiency in Magic.
• Increase your Starter, Current and Maximum Hokum by 1.
• You gain 1 free Rank in one of the following Masteries:

• Additionally you may, optionally, gain the Luddite Trait. If you do, you gain exactly two additional free Ranks in any of the above Masteries. You may only gain a maximum of two Mastery Ranks in total but you may gain them in different Masteries, if you wish.
  

Please Note: A Mastery may never be increased above Rank 3 during Character Creation.

The Grinder affinity emerges from scrap worlds, astromotive hubs, and shipping stations where survival means mastering metal, motion, and neglect. Raised among underslung tubes, live rigging, and drifting wreckage, many Grinders grew up welding before they could read and fighting pests in pressurised piping as a matter of routine. Though their environments are artificial, they are no less territory and a Grinder knows every vibration, choke point, and structural weakness by instinct. They may trade wilderness lore for technical brutality, but no one questions the choice when a chainsaw comes screaming out of the dark and ends the problem permanently.

• You gain Proficiency in Tech.
• You gain 1 Starter, Current and Maximum Brawn and Wits.
• You gain 1 free Rank in one of the following Masteries:

• Your Dumb Trait now applies to Magic, instead of Tech.
  

Please Note: A Mastery may never be increased above Rank 3 during Character Creation.

The Gang Zerk is born at the bottom of the economic stack, in districts where poverty is engineered, opportunity is rationed, and corporate neglect is the default condition. In these environments, crime is not rebellion or thrill-seeking, it is logistics, it is food, it is rent, and it is survival, and Gang Zerks are shaped early into instruments that keep families alive when systems refuse to. Big even as children, they are absorbed into gangs or disposable corporate crews as enforcers, learning the invisible map of power: who owns the street, which laws are performative, and why Fed. Sec. only arrives after the damage is done. They understand pressure better than paperwork, and when corporations or rivals threaten what little they have, a Gang Zerk answers the only way the world ever taught them, by flooding their system with combat stims and reducing the problem to bone, blood, and silence.

• You gain Proficiency in Savvy.
• You gain 1 Starter, Current and Maximum Panache and Wits.
• You gain 1 free Rank in one of the following Masteries: [Thievery], [Stealth], [Intimidate] or [Prestige].

Please Note: A Mastery may never be increased above Rank 3 during [Character Creation].

The Feral Zerk affinity emerges from deep wilderness zones where civilisation fails and only instinct, strength, and adaptation endure. Raised closer to animals than people, Feral Zerks become apex predators of their environments — towering, physically overwhelming figures with an unmatched understanding of terrain, fauna, and the unspoken laws that govern the wild. They are the most brutal of the Zerks, yet sometimes among the most curious, observing, learning, and adapting with a predator’s intelligence rather than blind rage. Many are luddites with no cyberware at all, having no need for it when the jungle itself has already finished shaping them.

• You gain Proficiency in Natural.
• You gain 1 Starter, Current and Maximum Brawn and Agility.
• You gain 1 free Rank in one of the following Masteries:

• Additionally you may, optionally, gain the Luddite Trait to gain exactly two Ranks to spend on any of the above Masteries. You may only gain two Mastery Ranks in total but you may gain them in different Masteries, if you wish.
  

Please Note: A Mastery may never be increased above Rank 3 during Character Creation.

The Savant affinity is a rare and unsettling expression of the Zerk, emerging from academic enclaves and high-status worlds where intellect and privilege intersect with unchecked physicality. Often the largest presence in elite schools or social circles, Savants learn early that brilliance carries weight when backed by intimidation, and their rage manifests not as blind fury but as explosive, hyper-focused cognition. Unlike other Zerks, a Savant can continue to reason while raging—shouting at equations, tearing apart flawed models, and forcing reality to reconcile with their conclusions. They may be heavier on theory than practice, but if pressed to show their working, they are perfectly capable of doing so with a pencil through your skull.

• You gain Proficiency in one of the following Skills: Knowledge - Material, Knowledge - Astral or Knowledge - Social.
• You perform all knowledge and Study Checks under the effects of the Trusty Property.
  
• You gain 2 Starter, Current and Maximum Smarts.
• Replace the Rage Ability with the following Nerd Rage Ability:
  

• At Zerk Rank 1, your Nerd Rage Die is D4. You add your Nerd Rage Die to any Check or Attack you are Proficient in while raging. In addition, whenever you apply your Nerd Rage Die to a Check, you also gain the benefits of the Advantage Property.
• At Zerk Rank 3, Upgrade your Nerd Rage Die to D6. In addition, whenever you apply your Nerd Rage Die to a Check or Attack, you also gain the benefits of the Reliable Property.
• At Zerk Rank 5, Upgrade your Nerd Rage Die to D8. In addition, whenever you apply your Nerd Rage Die to a Check or Attack, you also gain the benefits of the Fine Property.
• At Zerk Rank 7, Upgrade your Nerd Rage Die to D10. In addition, whenever you apply your Nerd Rage Die to a Check or Attack, you also gain the benefits of the Exploding Property.
• At Zerk Rank 9, Upgrade your Nerd Rage Die to D12. In addition, whenever you apply your Nerd Rage Die to a Check or Attack, you also gain the benefits of the Doubles Property.

The Chill Zerk affinity belongs to the gentle giants: enormous, easy-going figures who move through life with surfer confidence, gym-bro charm, and an almost supernatural luck. They aren’t thinkers or planners — most peak somewhere between hanging ten and beer pong — but the universe seems to accommodate them anyway, doors opening and problems resolving without much effort. Their rage is real, just rare, and when it finally surfaces the shock is part of the impact: a calm, smiling mountain suddenly deciding something is no longer acceptable. Most people are happy to see a Chill Zerk at the party — right up until they tear the guy cheating at Tarot in half and calmly go back to their drink.

• You gain 1 Starter, Current and Maximum Grit.
• Your Dumb Trait also applies to Savvy. In addition, Savvy is removed from the Zerk Proficiencies list and therefore cannot be taken during [Character Creation].
  
• The first time, per Encounter, you suffer a Critical Failure on a Check or Save, you restore 1 Grit Point.

What spacers call “rage” isn’t one thing—it’s a dozen ways to push a body past sane limits. Some Zerks use injected stims or gland triggers that flood the system with raw energy; others reach it through meditation or ritual, dropping into a calm so deep it looks like madness. A few swear it’s the ancestors or astral winds steering their hands, and after seeing what they can do, it’s hard to argue. Rage doesn’t make them invincible — it just turns every ounce of muscle, will, and training into a weapon. They strike harder, move faster, and tear through bulkheads like tissue. Fatigue still hits, but it comes late, and by then the fight’s usually over. The most practiced can balance on that knife edge for minutes, burning bright and clean, while the rest ride it like a storm and pray they don’t break before their enemies do.

Quick Action.

You gain the Rage Quick Action:

• At Zerk Rank 1, your Rage Die is D4. You add your Rage Die to any Meat or Magic Damage you deal while raging.
• At Zerk Rank 3, Upgrade your Rage Die to D6. You also add your Rage Die to Athletics and Coordination Checks you perform while raging.
• At Zerk Rank 5, Upgrade your Rage Die to D8. You also add your Rage Die to Athletics and Coordination Attacks you perform while raging.
• At Zerk Rank 7, Upgrade your Rage Die to D10. You also add your Rage Die to Fortitude and Reflex Saves you perform while raging.
• At Zerk Rank 9, Upgrade your Rage Die to D12. At the start of your [Turn], while raging, you roll your Rage Die. You restore Health equal to the Result of your Rage Die.

A Zerk’s hide isn’t just for show—it’s a survival mechanism so overbuilt it borders on absurd. Their dermal layers thicken with every scar, knitting into dense collagen plates that can turn aside small-arms fire or flash burns outright. Some grow calloused enough to pit a knife’s edge or spark when hit with a welder. It’s why some don't even bother with armour or dermal plating; for them, protection is just decoration. Even unarmed, they can take punishment that would pulp a power-suited Op-Sec. and keep moving through sheer habit. They heal crooked, scar thick, and wear every mark like a medal. It’s not invulnerability — just layers of bad decisions stacked so deep that nothing short of annihilation gets through.

Trait.

You gain 2 Supernatural Armour.

At Zerk Ranks 4, 6 , 8 and 10 you gain an additional 2 Supernatural Armour for a total of 4, 6, 8 and 10, respectively.

Trait.

You gain a Job Die. A Job Die is a Bonus Die that is added to Checks or Saves that you are Proficient or Resistant in, respectively. Your Job Die is a D4.

If you gain an additional instance of this Ability, and you already have a Job Die, you do not gain another; it is Upgrade instead.

At Zerk rank 4, 6, 8 & 10, you gain an additional instance of this Ability.

Trait.

You gain an additional Proficiency. This can be Swagger, Presence, Initiative, Reaction or any Skills.

Please Note: You can select any of the above options, not just the ones listed on the Starting Package, so long as you are not already Proficiency in it.

At Zerk rank 5, 7 & 9, you gain an additional instance of this Ability.

Veteran Zerks don’t fight — they end things. Every swing carries the weight of a lifetime spent surviving places that eat lesser beings whole. When one of these grizzled monsters hits you, it isn’t just strength — it’s certainty. Their bodies know how to kill the way lungs know how to breathe. Scars map their skin like warning signs, and even before they move, something primal in you starts calculating escape routes. They’ve been shot, burned, spaced, and crushed, and they wear it all like proof that dying simply doesn’t take. Facing a Zerk with years behind them isn’t about having a plan or a big gun; it’s about ignoring the part of your nervous system that’s screaming “fucking run!”

Trait.

You add your Job Die to Injuries or [Malfunction] Tests you inflict.

In addition, when generating Injury Tests that you have received, you may reduce the Result by your Job Die.

Furthermore, you add your Job Die to Presence and Swagger Tests you perform.

Please Note: These bonuses Stack with Proficiency.

There’s tough, there's legendary, and then there’s that! The kind of Zerk you hear stories about in spacer bars — the ones who should’ve died a dozen times but somehow got meaner instead. They’re built wrong in all the right ways. Skin like old hull plating, eyes that look through you, not at you. You can pump them full of plasma, bury them under rubble, set them on fire—they’ll just climb out, steaming and grinning, like it was a warm-up. Some of the old tales talk about Zerks tearing lungs from an enemy and jamming them into their own chest to replace ones lost to mortar fire. Maybe that’s myth. Maybe it’s not. What’s certain is this: when one of these things walks onto a field, everything else gets quiet. Even the machines seem to hesitate. You don’t fight a Zerk like that. You just pray it’s in a good mood — or that it doesn’t notice you at all.

Trait.

You are Immune to the [Death] Injury. If you would gain the [Death] Injury, gain a Wound instead.

Please Note: You are affected by the [Chunklettes] and [Disintegrated] Injuries as normal.

In addition, you gain 20 Health.

Furthermore, you gain 1 Supernatural Armour for each Wound you have. Your Wounds now provide a Modifier of +5 to Injury [Tests], instead of the normal +10.