Elite Mercenary
DR 3Humanoid · Medium·Recommended levels: 4-8
Abilities
Saves
- DEX +5
- CON +5
Skills
- Perception +5
- Athletics +6
- Intimidation +3
- Stealth +4
Languages
- Basic
Equipment
Traits
Once per turn when the Elite Mercenary makes a weapon attack and rolls a 1 or 2 on a weapon damage die, they may reroll the die and must use the new result.
The Mercenary may choose to reroll any Initiative check, but the result of the reroll must be accepted, even if it is worse.
The Elite Mercenary has Advantage on saving throws against being Frightened or Shaken.
When using a melee or ranged weapon, the Elite Mercenary may make a single attack roll with a –2 penalty. If the attack hits, they deal +1 die of damage of the weapon’s normal type.
Actions
Lore
Elite Mercenaries are veterans who’ve outlived the average hired gun and learned how to fight smart, not loud. They command higher fees, demand clearer contracts, and are trusted with jobs that can’t afford mistakes. When an Elite Mercenary is on site, someone expects trouble — and paid extra to make sure it ends decisively.
In SWURPG encounters, Elite Mercenaries represent disciplined, mobile threats. They don’t overextend, they don’t panic, and they don’t waste actions. They use positioning, cover, and timing to pressure the party while remaining hard to pin down.
Elite Mercenaries are often hired as personal security for high-value targets, rapid-response units during raids, or independent troubleshooters sent to stabilize situations that have already gone sideways. They are not loyal to causes, but they are loyal to professionalism.
When Elite Mercenaries appear, the message is clear: this fight is no longer street-level.
In Play
Elite Mercenaries fight with precision, confidence, and tempo control. They aim to act early using Improved Initiative, taking strong positions behind cover or cutting off movement lanes before the party can settle into an optimal formation.
At range, Elite Mercenaries use modified heavy blaster pistols to apply steady, accurate pressure. When an opening presents itself, Rapid Attack allows them to trade accuracy for burst damage, especially against exposed or already-pressured targets. They coordinate fire to punish isolation rather than spreading attacks.
If enemies close distance, the Elite Mercenary transitions smoothly into melee, drawing a vibrosword and committing decisively. Rapid Attack makes them especially dangerous in close quarters, where a single clean hit can swing momentum. They fight aggressively but never recklessly, disengaging if holding position no longer favors them.
Elite Mercenaries are difficult to rattle. Combat Savvy keeps them steady under fear effects or battlefield chaos, and they maintain discipline even when allies fall. They retreat only when the contract is no longer viable, withdrawing in an organized manner that prioritizes survival, denial of pursuit, and clean extraction.
Adventure Hooks
- Premium Security — A Crime Boss hires Elite Mercenaries to guard a high-stakes negotiation, turning what should be a tense meeting into a potential kill zone.
- The Best in the Business — A rival faction brings in elite mercenary talent to counter the party specifically, studying their tactics and adapting between encounters.
- Contract Conflict — The party and an Elite Mercenary unit are hired by opposing sides of the same operation — and only one contract will be fulfilled.