Riptide-Type Battlesuit

Saves: Toughness +10, Willpower +7

Senses: War-engine sensor suite ignores darkness, smoke, and fog within 200 feet

Riptide Shield. The riptide ignores any single hit that deals 10 or less damage. Heavy weapons are the only honest conversation.

Nova Reactor. Once per round the pilot may overcharge the reactor for one benefit: the next attack deals one extra die of damage, the suit gains an extra Thruster Reposition, or Riptide Shield ignores hits of 15 or less until its next turn. Then roll 1d6; on a 1 the suit takes 2d10 internal damage that ignores the shield, arcing visibly across its hull.

Walking Firebase. The riptide's ranged attacks gain +2 to hit against targets in open ground within 60 feet. Its presence makes that ground a killing field, and the party should be told so.

Multiattack. The riptide makes one Ion Accelerator attack and either one Riptide Fist attack or one use of Point-Defense Sweep.

Ion Accelerator. Ranged Attack: +10 to hit, range 200/600 ft., one target. Hit: 4d10 + 5 energy damage. Alternatively it fires a blast at a point in range; each creature in a 15-foot radius makes an Agility Save DC 17, taking 4d10 energy damage on a failure, or half on a success. While Nova-charged, the blast also ignores cover bonuses.

Riptide Fist. Melee Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 3d10 + 6 bludgeoning damage, and the target makes a Strength Save DC 17 or is knocked Prone.

Point-Defense Sweep. Creatures of the riptide's choice within 30 feet make a Willpower Save DC 17 or become Suppressed until the start of its next turn.

Thruster Reposition. The riptide jumps up to 60 feet to a new firing position without provoking Reactive Fire, drones trailing.

Reactive Thrust. When an enemy ends its movement within 10 feet of the riptide, it may move up to 20 feet away without provoking Reactive Fire.

Morale: No Morale in any normal sense; the pilot withdraws the suit only on cadre orders or catastrophic reactor damage.

Tactics: Treat the riptide as an encounter, not a participant. Give the party a way in — reactor surges, terrain that blocks its firing arcs, stripping its escorts — and make direct trades of fire obviously suicidal. If the T'au are losing, it retreats before dying; the Empire recovers its investments.

Loot / Evidence / Hooks: A nova reactor and ion accelerator that half the sector's Mechanicus would commit atrocities to dissect.

A riptide-type is not heavy infantry; it is a war engine that walks like one. Its main weapon erases squads, its shield turns aside anti-tank fire, and its nova reactor lets the pilot burn the machine's future for its present.

Use this threat to anchor a major T'au encounter — a set-piece the party must outmaneuver, outlast, or defeat with a plan rather than a volley.

Threat Profile: War-engine durability, squad-erasing area damage, energy shielding, jump mobility for its size, objective-level threat for most parties.

Riptide Shield. Ignores any single hit below a damage threshold; heavy weapons are the only honest conversation.

Nova Reactor. May overcharge once per round for extra damage, speed, or shielding; on a bad surge it takes internal damage — visible, and worth encouraging.

Walking Firebase. Its presence turns 60 feet of open ground in every direction into a killing field.

Ion Accelerator Blast. Area attack on a zone; failed Agility Saves take severe damage, half on success.

Nova-Charged Barrage. Overcharged shot that ignores cover bonuses and threatens vehicles.

Thruster Reposition. Jumps a long distance to a new firing position, drones trailing.

Point-Defense Sweep. Suppresses attackers who close inside its main gun's comfort.

Morale: No Morale in any normal sense; the pilot withdraws the suit only on cadre orders or catastrophic reactor damage.

Tactics: Treat the riptide as an encounter, not a participant. Give the party a way in — reactor surges, shield drones, terrain that blocks its firing arcs — and make direct trades of fire obviously suicidal. It should retreat before dying if the T'au are losing; the Empire recovers its investments.

Full Stat Block Priority: Boss