DCC-DUNE: The Human Computer

"Welcome Baron, I see you brought you Human Computer to this meeting. Note m'Lord is suspicious of persons to similar to the dreaded Thinking-Machines of yore. We will be keeping an tight eye on him for security reasons. One mistake in our eyes and you'll be hauling that robot back in pieces."

Today we'll be exploring the Human Computer character class (which is obviously inspired by the Mentat from Frank Herbert's Dune). I had a lot of fun figuring this class out, and as always these ideas are still evolving. So with out further ado lets dive in.

Piter De Vries by Mark Zug

Human Computer

You are a walking information database in the guise of a human. You are the result the Hundreds Year War against the Thinking-Machines and the inevitable evolution of mankind. You're an adviser to a Great or Minor House, a ware strategist or calculated and skilled assassin.

With the ever present fear of a resurgence in Thinking-Machine rule, no Great or Minor House is complete without at least one Human Computer. Through compartmentalizing your brain you are able to function just like a machine while retaining a level of humanity the cold bodied machines cannot.

With enough information you can enter a Processing Trance in order to come to a decisive and correct conclusion of any situation.

Hit Points: A Human Computer gains 1d6 hit points at each level.

Weapon training: A Human Computer is trained in the use of the blackjack, cutteray, dagger, flip-dart, hidden poison, hunter-seeker, lasgun, maula pistol, rapier, stunner, shig-wire garrote and throwing knives.

Alignment: Human Computers are usually Neutral. In that way they can see every side of a situation to determine the best outcome and are not skewed by their own judgement. Human Computers may however choose to be Lawful and will usually show signs of absolute loyalty to the House they have been assigned and may lose sight of  a situation as a whole, adding penalties to their Processing Trance checks. Alternatively, Human Computers that have been twisted will become Chaotic, choosing then the best outcomes that suit their needs and suffering penalties to their Processing Trance checks.

Processing Trance: A Human Computer, using the data provided, can formulate the best solution to any situation presented. During a Processing Trace the Human Computer will add his Intelligence modifier, plus any additional modifiers from the data provided or penalties from alignment chosen, to the roll against a hidden DC determined by the Judge. If the Human Computer hits or exceeds the DC they have formulated the best outcome possible. If the Human Computer fails the check then they were either not provided enough data or provided false data and have formulated the wrong outcome.

Depending on the outcome of the check, positive or negative modifiers will be added to the situation throughout the adventure until another Processing Trace check with new data can be made. If the outcome was positive these modifiers are provided in the form of a Data Die according to the level of the Human Computer.

Programming: At 1st level and following every other level afterwards, a Human Computer may decide on a type of programming that will aid in a particular skill set. A programming type may be taken three times by a single Human Computer, making him all the more resourceful in that particular skill set.

• Assassin - You have a vast database of knowledge concerning poisons, specialty weapons and human anatomy. Add the following skills and points depending on your level as an Assassin.
• Level 1 - Add the skills Backstab, Sneak silently, Hide in shadows, Disguise self, and Handle poison. You may put +4 points in one skill, +3 points in two skills, +2 points in one skill and +1 point in one skill.
• Level 2 - Add +4 points into any skill(s) of you choosing.
• Level 3 - Add +6 points into any skill(s) of your choosing. Additionally, Master of Assassins title is granted.

• Diplomat - You have a cunning tongue and a natural ability to negotiate. Add the following skill and points depending on your level as a Diplomat.
• Level 1 - Add the skills Forge document, Disguise self and Espionage. You may put +4 points in one skill, +3 points one skill, +2 points in another skill.
• Level 2 - Add +4 points into any skill(s) of your choosing. Add the Propaganda skill.
• Level 3 - Add +6 points into any skill(s) of your choosing. Additionally, Master of Diplomacy title is granted.

• Strategist - You have a great understanding of the art of war. During any Processing Trance check that involves a strategy, be it espionage, attacking, escaping, etc, you may add a positive modifier to your roll depending upon your level as a Strategist.
• Level 1 - Add a +2 modifier to the roll. Ability to speak your House's secret Battle Language.
• Level 2 - Roll +1d higher and add a +2 modifier to the roll. Ability to communicate House's secret Battle Language with Hand speech.
• Level 3 - Roll +1d higher and add a +4 modifier to the roll. Ability to attempt to break another House's Battle Language. Additionally, Master of Strategy title granted.

Luck: A Human Computer's Luck modifier applies to Processing Trance checks. That modifier does not change as the Human Computer's Luck score changes.

Languages: At 1st level a Human Computer knows two additional languages for every Intelligence modifier point.

Action dice: A Human Computer use his action dice for attacks or processing trances.

Level	Attack	Crit Die/ Table	Action Dice	Data Die	Ref	Fort	Will
1	+0	1d6/I	1d20	d3	+1	+0	+2
2	+0	1d6/I	1d20	d4	+1	+1	+3
3	+1	1d8/I	1d20	d5	+2	+1	+4
4	+1	1d8/I	1d20	d6	+2	+1	+4
5	+2	1d10/I	1d20+1d14	d7	+3	+2	+5

Level	Title (Lawful & Neutral)	Title (Chaotic)
1	Memorizer	Fragmenter
2	Processor	Glitched
3	Hypothesist	Corrupter
4	Generalist	Worm
5	Advisor	Twisted

In Conclusion:

I really can't wait for the day when I can finally play-test these ideas. I personally like this class the best of all the classes so far.  Like every class I want to add the ability to use the Fumes (aka the Spice) to aid in the Human Computers processing trance, like the Sapho juice in Dune.

Up next we'll look at the Imperial Medic!