While the Marine brings the firepower and the Android brings the logic, someone has to be brave (or mad) enough to actually study the horrors lurking in the dark. Welcome to the third entry in our Mothership RPG character guide series. Today, we are examining the intellectual—and often doomed—heart of the crew: The Scientist.
The Burden of Knowledge
The Scientist is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward class. When rolling your 6d10 for stats, you’ll immediately apply a +20 to Intellect, making you the master of the ship’s most complex systems. Moreover, Scientists have a higher starting Sanity Save (40), representing your ability to rationalize the irrational.
However, being the smartest person in the room is a heavy weight to carry. The rules state: Whenever a Scientist fails a Sanity Save, every friendly player nearby gains 1 Stress. You are the one the crew looks to for explanations; when you lose your grip on reality, everyone else starts to lose theirs, too.
Specialized Intellect
The Scientist is the most customizable class when it comes to knowledge. You get to Pick Two starting skills from a specialized list: Biology, Hydroponics, Geology, Computers, Mathematics, or Chemistry. In addition to these, you receive +3 Skill Points to spend immediately. This allows you to dive straight into Expert skills like Pathology or Genetics. If you want to be the person who performs life-saving surgery in a cramped Medbay or the one who identifies the chemical weakness of an alien organism, the Scientist is your only choice.
Starting Loadout: The Examination
For a Scientist, the Examination Loadout is practically mandatory. It provides the essential tools of the trade:
- Scalpel & Medscanner: For when you need to know exactly what is eating the crew from the inside out.
- Hazard Suit: Grants a +5% Armor Save and essential protection against the toxic atmospheres and extreme temperatures of alien worlds.
- Automed x6: Nanotech pills that assist your body in repairing damage and resisting disease.
Survival Tip: Medbays and Science Labs
Don’t just stay in your bunk. While on a ship, the Scientist shines when utilizing specific modules. Each connected Medbay or Science Lab on the ship grants +5% to your Intellect. Consequently, you should always try to lure your “specimens” back to the lab where you have the situational advantage.
👉 Secure the Mothership Player’s Survival Guide on DriveThruRPG
Disclosure: If you pick up this survival guide through my link, I’ll earn a few gold pieces to keep the lights on in the dungeon at no extra cost to you.