Echo Reaver

Echo Reaver
Frontline scavenger-siphoners who harvest battlefield momentum
Type	Class / Variant
Location	Primarily independent relic hunters, Wastes border crews, and the Syndicate

Calythera Archives – Entry 72 – Echo Reaver

Echo Reavers are aggressive frontline harvesters who close distance with the enemy, deploy brass drones and canisters, and siphon momentum from the fight itself. Every successful strike or drone hit builds their Siphon Gauge, allowing them to overclock tools and bodies for devastating control. However, pushing the gauge too far risks mechanical jams, resonance backfire, or catastrophic overload. This archive entry details the training, mechanics, and high-risk role of Echo Reavers in Calythera.

Echo Reavers are scavenger-siphoners who turn the chaos of battle into usable mechanical power through drones, canisters, and aggressive positioning.

Core Capabilities

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Echo Reavers prioritize **Dexterity** (for accuracy and positioning) followed by **Constitution** (for durability under strain). They are proficient with light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons, and smith’s/tinker’s tools. Their primary tool is the **Brass Drone Kit**, which allows rapid deployment of semi-autonomous mechanical drones.

Siphon Gauge

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At 1st level, Echo Reavers track combat rhythm through the **Siphon Gauge**. Each successful melee attack or drone hit grants 1 point (maximum = level + proficiency bonus). The gauge has three tiers that unlock progressively stronger effects. It resets when combat ends or after a major jam.

Drone Deployment

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As a bonus action, an Echo Reaver can spend 1 charge (Dexterity modifier + level per long rest, refilled at forges or long rests) to deploy a Brass Drone. The drone has HP equal to 5 + 5 × level, AC 14, and makes one ranged attack per turn (1d8 piercing + Dexterity modifier, range 60/120 ft). Only one drone is normally active unless specific etches are used.

Build Choice

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At 1st level, Echo Reavers choose their primary playstyle:

• Aggressive Siphon — Focus on melee + drone synergy for maximum momentum harvesting.
• Controller — Emphasis on traps, battlefield denial, and canister-based effects.

Key Features

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• **Siphon Strike** — Once per turn when hitting with a melee attack, expend 1 gauge point to deal extra 1d6 force damage and reduce the target’s speed by 10 ft. until the start of your next turn.
• **Overclock** — At mid or high gauge tiers, as a bonus action overclock yourself or your drone for 1 minute, granting bonuses such as increased speed, extra damage, or enhanced drone performance. Higher tiers increase power but raise jam and backlash risk.

Risks and Limitations

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High-tier gauge usage or overclocking carries a real chance of mechanical jams (locking tools or drones), resonance backfire (force damage to self or allies), or complete system failure. Overuse beyond available charges triggers unavoidable resonance strain. Echo Reavers must balance aggression with careful gauge management and team coordination.

Role in Calythera

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Echo Reavers are valued by independent relic hunters, Syndicate cells, and certain expedition security teams who need aggressive frontline presence in unstable aether zones. Their ability to harvest battlefield momentum and turn it into immediate mechanical advantage makes them formidable in close-quarters combat and high-risk delves, though their reliance on charges and risk of catastrophic backfire limits widespread adoption by the major coalitions.

See also

• Ravager
• Phantom
• Weaver
• The Wastes
• Relic Delves

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