Greetings, Dan here!

One of the main goals for Beneath Twisted Earth: Overdrive was to provide GMs and players with supernatural options for their campaigns. This encompasses several additions across multiple aspects one of which we will be discussing today in the new option for players, Pilot Talismans. Dating far back in the histories of soldiers, but popularized in the media back during the 1940's is the concept of a soldier's talisman. Some manner of charm that brought them good luck while they were far from home, facing the horrors of war. Most related are the talismans that WWII pilots would carry with them on the sorties. This could range from a lucky pair of socks, to a photo of a loved one, or a trophy from a past brush with death. To get real for a moment, it's something I can relate to as I keep a pair of sunglasses I found at the beach on the day I almost lost someone important to me. It's this sort of story that brings meaning to such objects an in the case of BTE, tangible power.

Pilot Talismans will offer roleplaying opportunity for the players through the meaning the talisman holds to their character while also providing a minor mechanical benefit while the object is with them in the cockpit of their mech. To help illustrate what sort of talismans and benefits players can equip their pilots with, I've included two examples from BTE Overdrive below:

• Book of Creed: If damage from a critical hit would drop the pilot to 0 HP, the book is destroyed instead and the pilot's HP remains unchanged.
• Game Piece: If a mech piloting or weapon skill check is failed by one point, it succeeds instead.

When taking a Pilot Talisman, players will be encouraged to come up with the nature and background of the object. Will their book of creed be a religious tome passed down in their family, or a book of philosophy they hold dear because it helped them through a personal tragedy? Will they carry a rook from their childhood chess set, or an Ace of Spades from the deck of cards used to win their mech in poker? This talisman will help to provide added personality to the pilot while providing them a benefit they will swear by, even if it's negligible enough for others to dismiss as sheer coincidence.

Next time, we'll move from new pilot options to the expanded mech options that will be available in the expansion. What better place to start that with Utility Systems and the new abilities pilots will be able to equip their mech with? Until then. Thank you for your interest and I look forward to seeing you at the launch of the premium versions of Beneath Twisted Earth and the launch of Beneath Twisted Earth: Overdrive.