What Are Backgrounds?
Backgrounds in Dystopian Sky: Skirmish are backstories that players choose for each of their Units to further customize them, going beyond basic stats and affiliations. Each background provides a unique narrative that suggests a Unit's past experiences, shaping their skills and adding depth to their character. This history is reflected in stat adjustments, some positive and others negative, highlighting each Unit's unique strengths and weaknesses. Similar to skills, no two Units in a Crew can share the same background. If a background causes any skill to drop to a negative number, it is an invalid choice and the player must choose a new background for that Unit.
Exclusive Backgrounds
Over time, new Backgrounds may be introduced on this page. Some additional Backgrounds may not be included in future editions of the rulebook, making this page the best place to find new ways to customize your Crew. Check back regularly for updates and expand your options with fresh, unique Backgrounds to shape your Units’ pasts.
Backgrounds
Amnesiac
Stats: +1 to any Stat, -2 to any other Stat, +2 HP
Resistances: +5% Fear, +5% Stun, -10% Arc, -10% Bleed
A mysterious individual with a forgotten past, possessing hidden talents but vulnerable to manipulation.
Archivist
Stats: +2 Tech, -1 Focus, -1 Agility, -2 HP
Resistances: +5% Stun, -5% Bleed, -5% Burn, -5% Poison
The archivist is a guardian of knowledge, preserving data and unearthing secrets from digital archives.
Astrophysicist
Stats: +3 Tech, -1 Brawn, -1 Focus, -1 Agility, -1 HP
Resistances: +5% Stun, +5% Arc, -10% Bleed
The astrophysicist’s brilliant mind possesses unparalleled knowledge of the universe but lacks practical survival skills.
Biohacker
Stats: +2 Tech, +1 Brawn, -3 Focus, -2 HP
Resistances: +10% Bleed, -5% Fear, -5% Poison
An explorer of human potential, pushing the boundaries of augmentation but often sacrificing stability for power.
Black Market Surgeon
Stats: +2 Tech, -2 Agility, -1 HP
Resistances: +10% Bleed, -5% Burn, -5% Stun
You replace limbs with cybernetic upgrades. Skilled with a scalpel, but your operating room rarely has an exit strategy.
Bounty Hunter
Stats: +1 Brawn, +1 Agility, -2 Focus, +1 HP
Resistances: +10% Disarmed, -5% Arc, -5% Fear
A relentless pursuer driven by profit, skilled in tracking and combat but often blinded by their singular focus.
Clone
Stats: +1 to any Stat, -1 to any other Stat, -2 HP
Resistances: +5% Fear, +5% Poison, -5% Bleed, -5% Burn
A clone, grappling with identity and purpose, mirrors their original's skills and memories while seeking their own path.
Con Artist
Stats: +1 Focus, +1 Agility, +1 Tech, -2 Brawn, -5 HP
Resistances: +10% Fear, -5% Bleed, -5% Staggered
Skilled in deception and manipulation, they rely on their wits and technology rather than brute force.
Corporate Spy
Stats: +1 Tech, +1 Agility, -2 Brawn, -1 HP
Resistances: +5% Fear, +5% Poison, -5% Burn, -5% Bleed
A master of infiltration and technology, operates in the shadows to steal secrets and forbidden knowledge.
Cult Member
Stats: +2 Focus, -1 Tech, -1 Agility, -3 HP
Resistances: +10% Fear, -10% Burn
The cult member finds focus and purpose in their unorthodox faith, but is susceptible to manipulation.
Cybernetic Child
Stats: +1 Agility, +1 Tech, -1 Brawn, -4 HP
Resistances: +5% Stun, +5% Arc, -5% Burn, -5% Fear
A child burdened by enhancements, possesses agility and technological aptitude but bears emotional scars.
Data Miner
Stats: +3 Tech, +1 Focus, -2 Brawn, -2 Agility, -1 HP
Resistances: +5% Stun, +5% Arc, -10% Staggered
An expert at sifting through archives and cracking codes, you’re physically weaker and slower than more active Units.
Deserter
Stats: +2 Agility, +1 Focus, -1 Brawn, -2 Tech, +1 HP
Resistances: +5% Bleed, +5% Poison, -5% Burn, -5% Arc
Fleeing a troubled past, they rely on stealth and evasion, leaving behind formal training.
Explosives Expert
Stats: +1 Tech, +1 Focus, -2 Agility, +1 HP
Resistances: +10% Burn, -5% Bleed, -5% Disarmed
The Explosives expert, wielding volatile power with precision, sacrifices agility for destructive knowledge.
Feral Child
Stats: +2 Agility, -2 Tech, +2 HP
Resistances: +10% Poison, -5% Arc, -5% Stun
You were raised by wolves in the ruins of a fallen city. You’re quick and agile, but have no understanding of technology.
Field Scientist
Stats: +1 Focus, +1 Tech, -2 Brawn, -2 HP
Resistances: +5% Poison, +5% Arc, -10% Bleed
Driven by curiosity, the Field Scientist prioritizes research over preparedness and physical ability.
Fleet Officer
Stats: +3 Agility, +1 Focus, -2 Brawn, -2 Tech, +1 HP
Resistances: +10% Staggered, +5% Stun, -15% Bleed
A coordinator of starships with quick thinking and reflexes, but their time is spent behind a desk, not on the battlefield.
Freighter Pilot
Stats: +2 Agility, -1 Focus, -1 Tech, +2 HP
Resistances: +10% Disarmed, -5% Arc, -5% Fear
A navigator of trade routes that finds comfort in solitude, but struggles to focus on the world beyond a cockpit.
Fugitive
Stats: +1 Agility, -1 Brawn, +2 HP
Resistances: +5% Fear, +5% Staggered, -10% Bleed
The fugitive, constantly on the run, possesses survival instincts and agility but is burdened by the threat of capture.
Gallant Station Pickpocket
Stats: +1 Agility, +1 Focus, -1 Brawn, -5 HP
Resistances: +10% Fear, -5% Bleed, -5% Poison
The Gallant Station pickpocket, a product of the station's underbelly, relies on dexterity and evasion to survive.
Gallant Station Street Vendor
Stats: +1 Agility, +1 Focus, -1 Brawn, +4 HP
Resistances: +10% Disarmed, -5% Bleed, -5% Staggered
The Gallant Station street vendor hustles to survive in the station's bustling marketplace, using street smarts to thrive.
Genetic Experiment
Stats: +2 to any Stat, -3 to any other Stat, +1 HP
Resistances: +10% Bleed, -5% Arc, -5% Poison
This experiment, shaped by unpredictable manipulation, grapples with enhanced abilities and potential instabilities.
Indentured Servant
Stats: +2 Brawn, +1 Tech, -1 Agility, -2 Focus, +3 HP
Resistances: +10% Staggered, -5% Burn, -5% Fear
Bound by duty, they have developed resilience and practical skills through hard labor.
Interrogator
Stats: +2 Focus, +1 Brawn, -1 Agility, -2 HP
Resistances: +10% Fear, -5% Stun, -5% Disarmed
The interrogator, a master of extracting information, treads a fine line between necessity and cruelty.
Mechanic
Stats: +2 Tech, -2 Focus, +4 HP
Resistances: +10% Arc, -5% Burn, -5% Stun
The mechanic, dedicated to the intricacies of machines, prioritizes technical expertise over social awareness.
Neptune Ice Miner
Stats: +2 Brawn, -1 Agility, -1 Focus, +2 HP
Resistances: +10% Staggered, -5% Bleed, -5% Disarmed
Hardened by unforgiving conditions, the Ice Miner possesses great strength but has limited focus and agility.
Nomad
Stats: +1 Brawn, +1 Agility, -2 Focus, +1 HP
Resistances: +5% Staggered, +5% Disarmed, -10% Burn
A wanderer seeking new experiences that embraces adaptability, but struggles with deep connections and goals.
Novice Explorer
Stats: N/A
Resistances: +5% Fear, +5% Poison,
An inexperienced space traveler, fresh off the boat and up to date on all their immunization shots.
Refugee
Stats: +1 Agility, -1 Brawn, -3 HP
Resistances: +5% Fear, +5% Stun, -5% Bleed, -5% Poison
The refugee, scarred by Trauma and loss, possesses survival instincts and agility but carries heavy emotional burdens.
Reporter Extraordinaire
Stats: +1 Focus, +1 Tech, -2 Agility, -1 HP
Resistances: +10% Stun, +5% Fear, -5% Staggered
The reporter, a shaper of public perception, utilizes communication and technology but lacks physical skills.
Robotic Servant
Stats: +2 Tech, -2 Focus, +2 HP
Resistances: +10% Arc, -5% Bleed, -5% Burn
A robotic servant programmed for obedience. It exhibits technical prowess but lacks any independent thought.
Salvage Operator
Stats: +1 Tech, +1 Brawn, -2 Focus, +1 HP
Resistances: +5% Arc, +5% Stun, -5% Fear, -5% Poison
The embodiment of resourcefulness and technical ability, but suffers from anxiety and has difficulty focusing.
Scavenger
Stats: +1 Tech, -1 Focus, +2 HP
Resistances: +10% Poison, -5% Bleed, -5% Burn
An Old-Earth survivor that is knowledgeable of improvised technology and weaponry, but struggles with mental acuity.
Space Health Inspector
Stats: +2 Focus, +1 Tech, -2 Brawn, -1 Agility
Resistances: +5% Burn, +10% Poison, -10% Bleed, -5% Stun
An enforcer of sanitation and safety regulations, they are more concerned with contamination than any actual danger.
Space Trucker
Stats: +1 Agility, +1 Tech, -1 Focus, -2 HP
Resistances: +10% Disarmed, -5% Stun, -5% Fear
A skilled pilot that transports goods across vast distances, but struggles with loneliness and distraction.
Syndicate Hacker
Stats: +1 Focus, +2 Tech, -1 Agility, -2 Brawn, -2 HP
Resistances: +10% Stun, -5% Bleed, -5% Disarmed
The syndicate hacker displays technological mastery and focus, but exhibits diminished physical strength and mobility.
Thug
Stats: +1 Brawn, -1 Tech, +3 HP
Resistances: +10% Staggered, -10% Fear
A hardened street fighter that relies on strength and violence, but is vulnerable to more cunning opponents.
Valkyrie Optics Technician
Stats: +1 Agility, +1 Tech, -2 Brawn, -1 HP
Resistances: +5% Arc, +10% Burn, -5% Bleed, -10% Poison
You are a master of optics technology, but your expertise lies in fine-tuning lasers, not swinging a hammer.
Vutharan Spy
Stats: +2 Agility, -2 Tech, -5 HP
Resistances: +5% Fear, +10% Poison, -5% Burn, -10% Bleed
The Vutharan Spy is an infiltrator of organizations. Quick and quiet, but you lack access to Vutharan technology.
Wasteland Preacher
Stats: +3 Focus, +1 Brawn, -2 Agility, -2 Tech, -1 HP
Resistances: +10% Fear, -5% Arc, -5% Staggered
Bringing hope to the corners of the world, they have plenty of inner strength but lack agility and technical knowledge.
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