Building a Profession
AX.C.07.01 - Building a Profession
A Profession defines what a character does and how they do it. It is not a job title; it is a mechanical framework that shapes a character's resilience, capabilities, and growth over time. Every Profession provides three things: a Favored Save, optional Power Access, and a Progression Track.
Genre Catalogs provide their own curated Profession lists appropriate to their setting. When no Genre Catalog is in use, or when a GM wants to create a custom Profession for their campaign, this builder provides the tools to do so from scratch.
The example library in AX.C.07.02 through AX.C.07.06 illustrates completed Professions built using this framework. Use them as reference, as starting points, or as ready-to-run options for play test and home brew campaigns.
Step 1. Define the Concept
Before assigning any mechanics, articulate the Profession in one sentence. This sentence should describe what the character does and what role they fill.
Example
- A trained combatant who excels at direct physical engagement
- A covert operative who exploits information and positioning
- A scholar who channels studied power to reshape reality
- A field medic who keeps allies functional under pressure
The concept drives every choice that follows. If a mechanic doesn't serve the concept, it doesn't belong in this Profession.
Step 2. Assign the Favored Save
A Profession grants +1D to one of the three Saves, reflecting the kind of pressure the character is built to endure.
The Favored Save should mirror the Profession's dominant Attribute, the one the character relies on most and trains hardest.
| Dominant Attribute | Favored Save | Represents |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Body Save (Body + Fortitude) | Physical resilience, resisting harm, poison, disease, trauma |
| Speed | Speed Save (Speed + Acrobatics) | Reactive resilience, dodging, escaping, avoiding area effects |
| Wit | Wit Save (Wit + Resolve) | Mental resilience, resisting fear, manipulation, psychic pressure |
A warrior who fights in melee and absorbs punishment favors Body. A rogue who survives by never being where the blow lands favors Speed. A scholar whose greatest threats are mental favors Wit.
If a Profession genuinely splits across two Attributes, choose the Save that reflects the more dangerous failure condition for that role.
Step 3. Determine Power Access
Power Access grants a character the ability to train and use Odd Talents, the extraordinary capabilities that exist beyond the standard Talent library.
Not every Profession grants Power Access. Power Access is appropriate when the Profession's fictional role is defined by the use of extraordinary capability. A warrior's identity is defined by physical skill. A wizard's identity is defined by magical power. The distinction is usually clear.
| Profession Role | Power Access |
|---|---|
| Defined by physical or social skill | No Power Access |
| Defined by extraordinary capability | Power Access granted |
When Power Access is granted, the core rules establish that the character can use Odd Talents. The specific tradition they access, which Arcane Philosophy, which Syonic Discipline, which Force or Resonance Tradition, is defined by the Genre Catalog in use. A wizard in a Fantasy Genre Catalog accesses Arcane Magic. The same Profession concept in a Sci-Fi Genre Catalog might access Psitech or Energy Manipulation instead.
If no Genre Catalog is in use, the GM defines the available tradition directly.
Step 4. Build the Progression Track
The Progression Track is a three-stage series of abilities the character unlocks as they earn XP. Each Stage unlocks at a cumulative XP threshold and grants one Perk drawn from the Earned Perks library (AX.C.09.02) or from the Genre Catalog's Setting Perks.
XP Thresholds
| Stage | XP Required | Recovery | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 10 XP earned | Short Rest | Self or single target |
| Stage 2 | 25 XP earned | Long Rest | Nearby allies or enemies |
| Stage 3 | 50 XP earned | Full Rest | Area, group, or unusual effect |
These thresholds assume the standard 3 XP per session baseline from AX.C.13. Genre Catalogs may adjust thresholds to suit their intended campaign pace.
Selecting Stage Abilities
Layer 1. Core Perks (AX.C.09.02): Genre-agnostic abilities available to any Profession in any setting. Always available. Draw from these first.
Layer 2. Setting Perks (Genre Catalog): Setting-specific abilities that reference genre systems, factions, or technology. Available when a Genre Catalog is in use. These supplement Layer 1, they do not replace it.
Layer 3. Custom Perks: When no existing perk fits the Profession concept precisely, design a custom ability using the format below. Custom perks should be approved by the GM and reviewed for balance against the Stage guidelines.
Stage Design Guidelines
Each Stage should escalate in scope and impact. A well-designed Track feels like a natural extension of the Profession's identity at every Stage, not a collection of unrelated abilities.
| Stage | Action Economy | Target Scope | Power Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free Action | Self or single adjacent/nearby target | Small, reliable, always useful |
| 2 | Primary Action | Nearby allies or enemies | Moderate, tactically significant |
| 3 | Primary Action | Area, group, or unusual effect | Major, encounter-shaping |
No two Stages should draw from the same perk category. A Track with three Tactical perks lacks variety and fails to represent the full breadth of the Profession.
Custom Perk Format
When authoring a new perk, use this format to ensure mechanical clarity:
**Name** | *Category* | Stage | Action | Scope | Recovery
Mechanical effect: [precise, table-ready description]
Limit: [usage frequency]
Genre Note: [optional cross-genre note]
Step 5. Review Against the Concept
Before the Profession is complete, check it against the original concept sentence from Step 1.
- Does the Favored Save reflect how this character survives?
- Does Power Access (or its absence) match the character's fictional identity?
- Does each Stage ability feel like a natural expression of what this character does?
- Does the Track escalate meaningfully from Stage 1 to Stage 3?
If any element feels disconnected from the concept, revise it. A Profession should read as a coherent whole, not a collection of mechanical selections.
Advancement Triggers
By default, Progression Track Stages unlock automatically when a character reaches the cumulative XP threshold. GMs who prefer a more narrative approach may require one of the following in addition to the XP threshold:
- Downtime: The character spends time practicing, studying, or reflecting between sessions
- Trainer: The character studies under someone with mastery of the relevant capability
- Quest: The character completes a story beat directly tied to their professional growth
These triggers prevent mid-adventure power-ups and create natural story hooks. They are optional, use them when they serve the campaign, not as a default barrier.
Advancement Methods
The standard advancement method tracks cumulative XP earned. Two alternative methods are available for groups that prefer a different cadence.
Plot Milestones: Stages unlock when the primary adventure plot reaches a significant turning point. Pacing is determined by the story, not by XP accumulation. Works well for tightly structured campaigns.
Character Milestones: Stages unlock when a character explores a significant moment in their personal journey. Pacing is driven by individual character arcs. Works well for roleplay-focused groups and solo play.