Some of our AD&D group said they wouldn't mind playing Traveller if I should
make the character generation be easier and more at their control. Below is a
system that I dreamed up over night. It has bugs -- I'm sure. I would like
some feed back on it. Take a few minutes and try it out. If I can get the
kinks worked out of it, I will probably use it because, I am wanting so much to
do something becides chop, slice, dice, et. al. orcs all day long.
Thanks
Rob
- - ------8<--- Cut Here -----------------
Traveller
Character Generation
Overview:
This is a new way of generating Traveller characters. It is based, in
principle, on the methods found in games such as GRUPS and Champions. The
characters is created rather than rolled up. While some like the random
varibility of the Traveller system, others prefer to have more control over
the characters development. This system allows that without violating game
balance. The created characters should fall between those of the basic system
and the advanced system in the number of skills and stat modifiers.
Instead of working with a term at a time, we randomly determine when the
character will enter play. Their starting age is calcuated as follows:
Starting Age = 22 + 2d6, each 6 earns an extra roll.
Thus the starting age is open ended. Generally the starting age will be around
29 years old. Each character has a number of skill points that are used through
out the generation process to buy stats and skills. The number of skill points
is computed as follows:
Starting Points = 10 + Age
The average 29 year old character will start play with 39 skill points. This
system allows the GM to give out experience after play that the characters can
directly apply to their stats and skills, much like GURPS and Champions. These
points should be 2 or 3 a session. The rules for reading the Stat and Skill
charts change after the character is created. During the creation, the skill
points listed are the cost for that level of skill. After play begins, the
cost to go from one skill level to another costs the listed amount. This
will be detailed later.
Stats:
Stat Cost Stat Cost
1 -32 9 2
2 -16 A 4
3 -8 B 8
4 -4 C 16
5 -2 D 32
6 -1 E 64
7 0 F 96
8 1
Thus, if a player desires his or her character to have a Dexterity of C (12)
it would cost them 16 character points. After play starts, and that character
is improved to a D (13) dexterity, it would cost the player 32 points. At
creation time, it would have only cost 16 points in addition to the 16 already
spent on the C dexterity.
Skills:
Skills work much like stats. The player spends points to buy skills at a
certain level as determined by the following chart.
Skill Cost
0 1
1 2
2 4
3 8
4 16
5 32
6 64
7 96
8 128 (Each point above 8, costs an additional 32 points).
All skills must be purchased at the lowest cascade level. Thus Jet Aircraft-3
could be purcahsed for 8 points. If the player prefers to have the whole
cascade group, it can be bought for the next highest points. Thus, the
following are examples of buying groups.
Jet Aircraft-3 = 8 points
Aircraft-3 = 16 points
Vehicals-3 = 32 points
(Note this could cause a problem where the cascade skills run to different
levels).
After play begins, the cost to improve is read straight from the chart and no
one may improve more than one level in a session. Thus, if the Jet-Aircraft-3
player wanted to improve to Jet Aircraft-4, it would cost 16 experience points.
Stats may be improved in a similar fashion, however to keep players from
abusing this, a die roll determines which stats are improved. If a player
wants to have three stat rolls, it would cost them 8 points. The stat that is
improved is based on the following chart:
Roll Stat
1 Strength
2 Dexterity
3 Endurance
4 Intellegence
5 Education
6 Social Standing
Each character starts with some base skills and some given skills based on
their branch of service. The following chart details these base skills.
Computer-0 (Artisan-0 if TL too low)
Vehical-0 (Equestrian if TL too low)
Gun Cbt-0 (Hand Cbt of TL too low)
Service Skills
Army Cbt Rifle-1, Brawling-0
Sailor Small Watercraft-1, Mechanic-0
Flyer (Aircraft)-1, Vacc Suit-0
Navy (Space)-1, Vacc Suit-0
Marine (Blade)-1, Vacc Suit-0
Scout Pilot-1, Vacc Suit-0
Merchant Trader-1, Admin-0
Belter Vacc Suit-1, Prospecting-0
Pirate Brawling-1, Streetwise-0
Rogue Streetwise-1, Stealth-0
Hunter Hunting-1, Rifle-0
Law Enf Pistol-1, Streetwise-0
Doctor Medic-1, (Tech)-0
Diplomat Liason-1, Lingustics-0
Bureaucrat Admin-1, Interview-0
Scientist (Tech)-1, (Science)-0
Noble +1 Soc, Carousing-0
All skills in (parantheses) are cascade skills and the player must choose a
skill from the lowest level or pay for the group.
Mustering Out:
At the age where the character will begin play, the character is
mustered out at that point. Rank, starting cash value, and possessions are
determined. Instead of making cash rolls, the characters Social Standing
determines their starting wealth. Note: This includes the value of all
possession except for those gained during this phase. If a character is
listed as having 50,000 credits and they claim to own a house, the GM must
determine the value of that house and deduct it from their available cash.
Also, the GM must limit the starting cash of high Social Standing characters
by forcing them to have a large sum of their value tied up in investments, etc.
Soc Credits Soc Credits
1 500 9 200,000
2 1,000 A 500,000
3 2,000 B 1,000,000
4 5,000 C 2,000,000
5 10,000 D 5,000,000
6 20,000 E 10,000,000
7 50,000 F 20,000,000
8 100,000
Additional Musting Out benifits are determined by the characters finishing age.
Finish Age Rolls Roll Benifit
22-25 1 1 Low Passage
26-29 2 2 Weapon
30-33 3 3 Middle Passage
34+ 4 4 High Passage
5 Traveller's Aid Society*
6 Ship (10 years pmts)
Finally, Rank is determined by finish age and Social Standing. The following
chart shows the equivialant Officer Rank for Navy and Army people. The GM
should assign titles and such accordingly to other services.
Rank Title Age Range Soc Age Group Mod
1 Ensign/2LT Upto 24 9 +1
2 Lt JG/1LT 25-26 A +1
3 Lt/Cpt 27-30 B +2
4 Lt Cmdr/Major 31-36 C +2
5 Cmdr/Lt Col 37-42 D +3
6 Cpt/Col 43-50 E +4
7 Commodore/Brig Gen 51-56 F +5
8 Rear Adm/Lt Gen 57-62
9 Vice Adm/Maj Gen 63-68
10 Adm/Gen 69+
Characters with higher Social Standing can use their influence to speed up
promotions. This is the reason for the modifier. Thus a 33 year old character
with a B Social Standing would be of rank 6. Their age of 33 made them a
rank 4, and their social influences has moved them up the ranks faster.