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STARFARER
Chapter 4: Character Creation Lists
Appendix A1: Skill
Descriptions & Specializations
Table A1.1: Master Skills List
Acrobatics
Acting
Administration
Animal Handling
Artist
Astrogation
Athletics
Bribery
Charm
Computer
Con
Culture
Demolition
Disguise
Dodge
Electronics
Engineering
Equipment Operation
Forgery
Gaming
Gunnery
History
Hostile Environs
Interrogation
Intimidation
Intrusion
Investigation
Knowledge
Language
Law
Leadership
Mechanic
Medicine
Movement
Navigation
Observation
Persuasion
Profession
Quick Draw
Riding
Science
Stealth
Streetwise
Survival
Tactics
Tracking
Trading
Unarmed Combat
Vehicle
Weapon: Heavy
Weapon: Melee
Weapon: Ranged
Weapon: Thrown
Skill Descriptions:
Acrobatics
Description: Acrobatics
is the ability to perform difficult maneuvers in the air - by creatures
that normally don't fly on their own power. Such abilities my be useful
when precise maneuvering is required or to gain an advantage in combat.
Limiting Trait: Jumping
Specializations: Combat
acrobatics, catwalk, break fall.
Acting
Description: This
skill normally used to portray an alternate personality and emotions self
as another person. Normally, this is used to entertain an audience, but
occasionally can be used to misdirect an enemy.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Dramatic,
Sensenet, Infiltration
Administration
Description: This
is the ability to operate efficiently when dealing with or in a position
of authority within a hierarchical organization. This skill would be useful
in processing requests through paperwork or a chain of command.
Limiting Trait: Willpower
Specializations: Military,
Corporate, Bureaucracy
Animal Handling (Categorical)
Description: This
categorical skill entails the ability to deal with a certain class of wild
animals, train or domesticate them, and utilize domesticated ones to perform
certain tasks. Ease factors of related tasks would vary widely depending
on the trainability of the animals, and not all specializations would be
available to all categories (e.g., most mammalian herbivores cannot be
trained to hunt, falconry is generally not applicable to non-flying creatures,
etc.)
Categories: General
class of animals (e.g., mammalian herbivores, mammalian carnivores, reptilian
carnivores, etc.)
Limiting Trait: None
Specializations: Specific
tasks or purposes (e.g., falconry, hunting, herding, guard animals, attack
animals, household pets.)
Artist (Categorical)
Description: Artist
encompasses a number of skills that allow and individual to make artistic
objects and creations.
Categories: Drawing/Painting,
Computer Graphics, Sculpting, Dance, Sensenet, Photography, Cinematography
Limiting Trait: Varies.
Drawing/Painting, Sculpting: Dexterity. Graphics: Reason. Dance: Agility.
Cinematography, Photography, Sensenet: Perception.
Specializations: Specific
media or forms (e.g., cultural dance, slasher movies, watercolor painting.)
Astrogation
Description: This
is the ability to plot the course of a spacecraft through normal and Q-space.
Limiting Trait: Physics.
Specializations: N-space,
Q-space, Orbital, Atmospheric.
Athletics
Description: This
is familiarity with and conditioning needed to participate in a variety
of athletic activities. Some athletic activities are handled under the
movement skill (running, sprinting, jumping,) Some specific sports activities
may incur significant penalties to those unfamiliar with the sport.
Limiting Trait: Endurance.
Some specializations may be limited by other attributes, such as agility,
dexterity, or strength.
Specializations: Throwing,
Weightlifting, specific sports.
Bribery
Description: This
is the skill in offering graft for favors in an appropriate (usually unobtrusive)
manner. This is normally thought of as an illicit activities, but in some
societies and situations, graft and kickbacks are a perfectly normal and
acceptable way of doing business.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Kickbacks,
Political Graft, Specific societies or organizations.
Charm
Description: Charm
is the ability to interact socially, forming and improving relations with
other individuals. This is usually applied on a small scale, only a handful
of people at a time at most. EF penalties may apply if the character lacks
specializations pertinent to the characters' current situation, or trying
to interact with members of an unusual or alien society.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Carousing
(interacting in casual social setting), business, flirting (interacting
with potential sexual partners), specific societies.
Computer
Description: This
skill involves the general use of computer systems and software to achieve
desired results and retrieve information. It does not directly involve
repair of computer systems, writing or debugging software, or hardware;
these are the province of electronics and engineering (computer) and engineering
(electronic) skills.
Limiting Trait: Reason
Specializations: VRnet,
specific applications or operating systems.
Culture (Categorical)
Description: This
is familiarity with the customs, laws, and mores specific to a culture.
Having this skill may prevent penalties when utilizing other interaction
skills in the culture, or may allow the player to make judgements about
expectations or appropriate behavior for the culture.
Categories: Specific
culture.
Limiting Trait: Perception.
Specializations: Specific
subcultures or social settings within the culture.
Demolition
Description: This
is the skill required to safely handle and safely and effectively use explosives
for a variety of reasons. Most often this is to destroy structures or alter
landscape. Other common uses are to perform infrasonic testing, pyrotechnic
displays, and thermal boring charges to create shafts for mining.
Limiting Trait: Reason
Specializations: Civil,
Landscape, Combat, Pyrotechnics, Infrasonic, Thermal Mining
Disguise
Description: Disguise
is the ability to alter one's appearance and behaviorism so as to appear
as someone else. In the simplest form, this could be altering ones garb
and mannerisms to appear as a technician. In more complex forms, this is
using props and pigments to appear as a completely different person. Acting
skill is also useful in pulling of such ruses.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Imitation
of a specific person or type of person, make-up artistry, unobtrusiveness.
Dodge
Description: This
is the useful ability to avoid being hit in combat. Its use is covered
extensively in the chapter on combat.
Limiting Trait: Agility.
Specializations: Ranged
Weapons, Melee Weapons, Traps, Explosions.
Electronics
Description: This
is the skill required to maintain and repair a large variety of electronic
equipment, from computers to beam weapons. Having this skill is also a
good sign of intelligence.
Limiting Trait: Reason
Specializations: Computers,
Beam Weapons, Communications, Sensors, other applications
Engineering (Categorical)
Description: Engineering
skills are used to design and products and devise technologies. The specifics
vary widely by category.
Categories:
Computer Engineering:
This is the use of programming languages or other tools to provide software
and ROM programming (this does not extend to actual system design, which
is the province of electrical engineering.)
Electrical Engineering:
This is the design of systems that utilize elctricity a majority of their
design, including computer hardware and electonic control systems.
Mechanical Engineering:
This is the skill used in the design of devices that have structural members,
moving parts, move fluids, and transfer heat. Examples might be starcraft
hulls, cooling systems, or chemical engines.
Power Systems Engineering:
This is the ultra-modern equivalent of nuclear engineering. It involves
the design of systems that create and utilize high energy fields, such
as fusion plants, plasma engines, and Q-drives.
Limiting Trait: Varies.
All have mathematics. Computer engineering has computer skill. All others
have physics.
Specializations: Specific
disciplines within fields, such as: Civil, Structural, Astronautics, Cooling
systems (mechanical), Computers, Nanotechnology, Lasers (electronic), Evolutionary
programming, specific programming languages (computer), Q-drives, Fusion
plants (power systems).
Equipment Operation (Categorical)
Description: These
skills represent the training in use of special equipment that requires
certain expertise and/or knowledge of procedures to safely or effectively
use.
Categories: Sensor
Operation, Surveillance Equipment, Starship Engineering, 20th century VCR-based
chronographs, other special equipment.
Limiting Trait: Reason.
Specializations: Specific
types of equipment in each category, e.g., Starship sensors, Laser-sonic
surveillance devices.
Forgery
Description: This
is the skill needed to manufacture convincing falsified documents that
may be required for various purposes, including identification papers,
reciepts, security badges, and authorizations of various types.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity
Specializations: Signatures,
Computer, ID documents, Receipts, Licences.
Gaming (Categorical)
Description: These
skills represent a knowledge of the rules and strategies of certain games.
Some games may have their own specific skills; others may include a variety
of related games and have specializations to represent specific games.
Categories: Card-games
(Poker variants), Card-games (Blackjack variants), Role-Playing Games,
Dice Games, Wargames
Limiting Trait: Reason
Specializations: Specific
games or tight categories of games, e.g., Guild&Empire, Stud Poker,
Trichip
Gunnery
Description: This
is skill with crew-served or vehicle mounted weapons, typically ones having
a range of 5 or more.
Categories: Missiles,
Projectile, Beam Weapons
Limiting Trait: Perception
Specializations: Specific
subtypes or mountings: crew-served, starship mounted, particle cannon,
railgun.
History (Categorical)
Description: This
skill includes familiarity with topics concerning the annals of a certain
race, region, or organization.
Categories: A given
race or interstellar government (e.g., The Guild Protectorate), Megacorp,
or major world.
Limiting Trait: Reason
Specializations: A
specific topic (Literature, Spaceflight), time period (2300-2400), or region
(a small group of related minor worlds or region on a major world.)
Hostile Environs
Description: This
skill is experience in the use of techniques and equipment used in hostile
environments. This is a singular skill, as use of measures to protect one's
life in one environment is generally similar to another - using a vacc
suit on an airless moon isn't that much different than using vacc suits
in deep space. However, while the basic means of protection in different
environments is superficially similar, the specific hazards and techniques
can be quite different. If a character does not have the appropriate specializations,
the GM should assess modest to severe penalties - maneuvering in zero-g
is very different from maneuvering in jovian atmospheres.
Limiting Trait: Agility
Specializations: Zero-g,
Vacuum, Low-G, High-G, Jovian, Underwater, Iceworld, Hotworld.
Interrogation
Description: This
skill represents the use of inspiring of anxiety in a victim, other psychological
methods, or outright torture to obtain and interpret information from an
unwilling or unwitting individual, as well as effectively debriefing willing
targets.
Limiting Trait: Willpower
Specializations: Torture,
Psychological, Debriefing, or against specific target type or race.
Intimidation
Description: This
is the use of such methods as daunting appearance, actual or implied violence,
and thinly veiled--or vividly described--threats to cause anxiety in an
individual or to manipulate their behavior.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
or Strength
Specializations: By
method (daunting appearance, violent behavior, threats) or target type.
Intrusion
Description: This
skill allows the individual to defeat devices and security measures used
to restrict their movement or access to certain areas. This includes a
wide variety of activities, from safecracking to escape from bindings.
Some activities are exceptionally difficult and would require a specialization
to perform without penalty.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity
Specializations: Escape
Artist, Safecracking, Picking Locks, Disarm Traps, Evade Surveillance,
other specific activities.
Investigation
Description: This
is skill in a variety of methods that one uses to obtain otherwise unobvious
bits of information about a given subject. It does not include forensic
investigation.
Limiting Trait: Perception
Specializations: Canvassing,
Interviewing, Research.
Knowledge (Categorical)
Description: This
is a broad group of skills that describes familiarity the character has
with one of a variety of subjects. This may be a scholarly area of study
or a simple familiarity such as the familiarity one has with their hometown.
More specific categories or might allow the character to make rolls concerning
the topic in question with no penalty where a specific question might require
penalties for a person with a broader skill.
Categories: Specific
skills fall into more general headings of techniques, people, organizations,
places, or things. Example of each category are: feng shuei, acupuncture,
horse breeding (techniques), Triumvirate figures, MegaCorp execs, important
scientists (people), The Patrol, The Jacobsen corporation, The Interstellar
Resources Defense Council (organizations), Terra, Guild Space, The Shattered
Frontier (Places), AI technology, Triumvirate Politics, and Godosian Archeology
(Things).
Limiting Trait: Reason.
Specializations: Specific
areas withing a general area of knowledge, e.g., current Triumvirate figures,
the Special Services division of the Patrol, the North American region
of Terra.
Language (Categorical)
Description: This
is the ability to understand and communicate using a given language. Although
one does not need any sort of specialization to speak another language,
it is very difficult to learn all of the idioms and inflections that a
native speaker of a language uses, and this foreign speakers of a language
must make rolls to effectively pass as a native speaker.
Categories: The specific
language to be learned.
Limiting Trait: Reason.
Specializations: Specific
dialects, idiomatic usage.
Law (Categorical)
Description: These
are skills understanding and applying the laws of complex societies. It
might be needed to ensure that individuals or organizations are complying
with regulations, as well as acting as a barrister in a court setting.
Categories: Specific
law-utilizing entities. Where similar laws are applied to a large area
but specific variations exist, a broad skill with specializations is warranted.
Examples: Triumvirate Interstellar Law, Protectorate Interstellar Law,
Corporate Laws (specify), World Law (specify).
Limiting Trait: Reason.
Specializations: Specific
areas or subjects. Examples: Protectorate Trade Law, Triumvirate Military
Justice.
Leadership
Description: This
is the skill required to effectively motivate and inspire subordinates
as well as effectively managing their efforts.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Specific
settings or applications; Business Management, Military, Network
Mechanic
Description: This
is the skill needed to repair and maintain mechanical devices and structures.
Limiting Trait: Reason
Specializations: Specific
types of devices: Pumps, Starship Hulls, Plasma Conduits
Medicine
Description: This
is the skill needed to maintain the health of living beings, either against
mundane adversities and illnesses, or to repair damage caused by trauma
to the body. This skill has a wide variety of specializations. A practicing
physician would probably have many such specializations as well as a high
level in the basic skill.
Limiting Trait: Biology,
Physiology
Specializations: Pharmacology,
Internal medicine, Physician, Surgery, Physical therapy, Cybernetic Medicine,
Health Care / Nursing, Oncology, Paramedic, Neurology, Nanotherapy.
Movement (Categorical)
Description: These
skill represents training the character has with their normal racial modes
of movement beyond that represented by agility and endurance. Any character
can attempt most of these tasks without training, but some may suffer penalties
if it is not inherent to their race (such as humans swimming) or be wholly
inappropriate for their race (such as flying for humans).
Categories: Jumping,
Running, Climbing, Swimming, Flying, Brachiation
Limiting Trait: Agility,
Endurance
Specializations: Specific
environments and means of movement: Broad jumping, high jumping, SCUBA
diving, Climbing Trees
Navigation
Description: Where
Astrogation refers to plotting movement in 3 (or n-) dimensional environments,
Navigation refers to finding one's way on or near a worlds surface utilizing
charts or landmarks.
Limiting Trait: Mathematics
Specializations: Specific
environments or techniques: Aerial, Instrument, Sea, Forest.
Observation
Description: This
is a "trained eye", useful in a variety of circumstances where small details
may be important. The basic skill should be usable with the character's
perception attribute with no penalties, but having specializations may
be important in specific circumstances.
Limiting Trait: Perception
Specializations: Military
Scouting, Surveillance, Intelligence, Notice Abnormalities, other specializations
by purpose or setting.
Persuasion
Description: While
the charm skill allows a character to change the reaction of NPCs towards
the character, this skill allows the character to influence one or more
NPCs' views of an idea, concept, or course of action. With this skill,
the character change the opinion of an individual or a group concerning
the validity and pertinence of a statement or idea.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Fast
Talk, Oratory, Essays, Bargaining, Diplomacy, specific settings or targets.
Profession (Categorical)
Description: These
are skills or training that one needs to practice certain professions that
are not explicitly covered by other skills.
Categories: Specific
professions: Accounting, Cook, Secretary, Waiter, Radiologist, Waste Management,
Hazard Control, Cashier, Zookeeper.
Limiting Trait: Varies.
Specializations: Specific
activities within discipline.
Quick Draw
Description: This
is the ability to rapidly bring a weapon to bear in combat. In surprise
situations, it may be used to offset penalties to the character's reaction
score. While this usually implies the character using a weapon, a specialty
unarmed allows an unarmed character to execute an attack on an enemy before
they can bring their weapon to bear.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity
Specializations: Melee
weapons ("iajitsu"), Pistols, Longarms, Unarmed
Riding
Description: This
skill is usually utilized in riding various beasts of burden, but can also
apply to trick riding or riding of vehicles where the character rides externally
(e.g., gravbikes) in addition to the vehicle skill.
Limiting Trait: Agility
Specializations: Specific
class of riding beast or vehicle, Trick riding, Gravbike, Rodeo-riding
Science (Categorical)
Description: This
skill includes the gamut of scientific endeavors. Many of these fields
overlap extensively, but consideration should be given by the GM as too
when certain science skills can be used in the place of others, and what
penalties apply when doing so.
Categories: Mathematics,
Physics, Biology, Physiology, Astronomy, Archeology, Genetics, Geology,
Planetology, Paleontology, Zoology, Psychology, Sociology.
Limiting Trait: Varies.
Most hard sciences require mathematics and/or physics; most life sciences
require biology.
Specializations: Specific
fields within the broader categories: Astrophysics, Microbiology, Archeology
of specific race.
Stealth
Description: This
is the skill required to hide, move unobtrusively, or otherwise avoid detection
by other people or security and surveillance devices.
Limiting Trait: Agility.
Specializations: Hiding,
Shadowing, Camouflage, Penetrate Security, Evade Surveillance.
Streetwise
Description: This
is the skill used to interact safely and effectively with the shadier elements
of society. Using this skill, the character can make contacts get information
or goods, as well avoid conflicts.
Limiting Trait: Charisma
Specializations: Black
Market, Inside information, specific regions or criminal organizations.
Survival
Description: Survival
is the skill required to find basic necessities of life in uncivilized
or otherwise hostile surroundings.
Limiting Trait: Perception
Specializations: Specific
terrain types or activities (foraging, water acquisition), Urban
Tactics
Description: This
is proficiency is effectively utilizing resources and predicting enemy
actions in real or simulated combat situations.
Limiting Trait: Reason.
Specializations: Small
unit tactics, strategic deployment, single ship, fleet, covert action,
other specializations appropriate to application or setting.
Tracking
Description: This
skill is used to find living beings or other unobvious objects, usually
in a wilderness setting, by observing signs of its passage. Note that this
does not cover finding a person through research and canvassing; that is
the purview of the Investigation skill.
Limiting Trait: Perception
Specializations: Specific
setting or applications: urban, hunting.
Trading
Description: This
skill is familiarity with the world of free commerce. Includes the ability
to assess value of items, find buyers or sellers, and make profitable transactions.
Limiting Trait: Willpower
Specializations: Appraisal,
Bargaining, Speculation, Stock Trading, specializations specific to certain
races, regions, or types of items.
Unarmed Combat
Description: This
is the ability to hurt someone with your bare hands--or feet, or tentacles,
or whatever.
Limiting Trait: Agility
Specializations: Specific
Maneuvers or Martial Art styles.
Vehicle (Categorical)
Description: This
is the general ability to operate one of a number of vehicles. While some
vehicles actually take several people to operate, this skill is the one
that applies to primary pilots of the vehicle.
This skill does not include
skills in operating supporting or engineering systems associated with the
vehicle, or navigation (or astrogation of the vehicle.)
Categories: By vehicle
type: aircraft, spacecraft, wheeled vehicle, motorcycle, tracked vehicle,
helicopter, ground effect.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity
Specializations: Specific
subtype of vehicles or modes of operation: Jet Fighter Aircraft, Spacecraft
(Battlecruiser), VTOL operation, Racing Motorcycle, Tank.
Weapons, Heavy (Categorical)
Description: This
is the use of weapons that are man portable, but must be fired stationary
from a pintle or tripod, or are mounted on Personal Mechanized Unit armor.
In most cases, these weapon are RC 5 or 6, but this applies to some railguns
and particle cannons of RC 4.
Categories: By weapon
type: Missiles, Mortars, Projectile, Beam.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity
or Perception.
Specializations: Specific
weapon within categories (Railguns) or special modes of use (indirect fire).
Weapon: Melee (Categorical)
Description: This
is the skill of using implements in melee combat.
Categories: Cudgels,
Swords, Knives, Axes, Staves.
Limiting Trait: Agility
Specializations: Specific
weapon types: Tanto (knife), Gladius (sword), Chair (Cudgel)
Weapon: Ranged (Categorical)
Description: This
is the skill of using man portable ranged weapons, RC 4 or less.
Categories: Energy
Pistol, Energy Longarm, Projectile Pistol, Projectile Longarm, Bows, Crossbows.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity.
Specializations: Specific
weapon subtypes: MLA (Railgun) pistols, Laser Rifles, Muzzle-loading rifles,
etc.
Weapon: Thrown
Description: This
is the ability to use weapons that are hurled by the character without
the aid of other devices. This skill is not considered categorical, but
some weapon types are bizarre enough that significant penalties should
be assessed if the character lacks specialization.
Limiting Trait: Dexterity.
Specializations: Specific
weapons: Daggers, Darts, Shuriken, Bolos.
Appendix A2: Advantage
Descriptions
Table A2.1: Master Abilities List
Acute Senses
Alien Empathy
Alertness
Ambidexterity
Aptitude
Attractive
Combat Reflexes
Cyber Receptive
Direction Sense
Fast Healing
Fearlessness
Intuition
Life Support
Light Sleeper
Longevity
Mental Calculator
Movement
Photographic Memory
Prodigy
Psionic Aptitude
Reputation
Resist Disease
Resist Toxins
Resist Pain
Size Advantage
Speed Reading
Toughness Abilities are given the designations
in square brackets of X,G,A, or O. "X" means that the ability may be part
of a xeno-template. "G" means that the ability may be part of a geno-template.
"A" means that the ability may be part of an archetype template. "O" (short
for "open") means that the ability does not have to be purchased part of
a template.
Acute Senses (Categorical)[X,G,O]
Description: Acute
senses reflect an above average ability in one or more senses that a character
uses to perceive the world. It may be purchased for any sense the character
has, but each sense must be purchased separately.
Acute senses are purchased
in levels like traits. Levels add to a characters perception score when
the acute sense is being used, and at the GMs discretion, may offset penalties
to a task level. Levels up to 5 may be purchased openly. Above level 5
may only be purchased as part of a xeno or geno template.
Categories: Vison
(normal), Vision (night), Hearing, Smell, Sight, Touch.
Cost: As skill. Only
15 CPs (5 levels) may be purchased outside of a template.
Alien Empathy [X, G, A, O]
Description: This
is an unusual adaptation that allows a character to offset penalties when
performing interpersonal tasks with alien species. Each level will cancel
a -1 penalty per level of the Alien Empathy ability. The DM may have to
determine if the character can buy this skill for extremely hostile alien
species.
Categories: May be
purchased for a single alien species, a set of similar alien species (any
appearance category save "totally alien."), or for all alien species.
Cost: Cost is as a
skill x5 for a single alien species. Add 1 to the effective skill level
for cost purposes for similar alien species (thus level 1 in alien empathy
in "amoebic alien life" would cost 15 points). Add 2 for all alien life
forms; the GM may limit the use of this ability. The GM may also impose
a cost penalty for taking a skill with truly alien species, and the ability
may not counter specific cultural penalties.
Alertness [X, G, A, O]
Description: Similar
to Acute senses, alertness is indicative of a character's ability to perceive
and react to situations more rapidly than an average human. The level of
ability in alertness is added to the characters reaction score the first
round of a combat, and may be used as a bonus to a characters perception
in situations in which the character must perceive and react to a threat.
Add 1 to the EF of any checks to determine surprise for each two levels
(or fraction) of alertness ability.
Cost: As skill x3.
Ambidexterity [X, O]
Description: Normally,
most species only have one primary manipulatory appendage (hand). Tasks
with the off hand may suffer up to a ½ penalty on agility and dexterity,
or up to a -2 penalty on ease factors using an off hand. Having this advantage
offsets all such penalties, but not penalties for multiple actions in a
round.
Cost: 5 points.
Aptitude [X, G, O]
Description: An aptitude
is a special knack with a skill or set of skills. A character may only
buy this ability once, but it may encompass several skills.
A character receives a +1
skill bonus or offsets a -1 EF penalty with any skill that the aptitude
applies to. The DM decides which is more appropriate.
Cost: Treat the number
of skills the aptitude applies to as a trait level and consult the trait
cost chart as a skill x5.
Attractive [G, A, O]
Description: Normally,
a character's appearance is defined by their charisma and endurance. A
character with the attractive advantage is considered a desirable specimen
among their race and gender where appearance is concerned.
A character is considered
to start out with an appearance "attribute" of 4. For each level of appearance
purchased beyond this, the character receives a +1 bonus on reaction checks
for the opposite gender of their own species and half of this towards the
same gender, or on other interpersonal tasks of the same gender.
Cost: As attribute.
If the character chooses to have appeal that only applies against a certain
subculture, then they may take the ability at ½ cost.
Combat Reflexes [X, G, A, O]
Description: A character
with combat reflexes is quick in combat and difficult to get the jump on.
A character with combat reflexes adds their combat reflexes ability level
to their reaction score and to any dodge checks.
Cost: As skill x3
A character with combat reflexes my only take up to 3 levels of the ability
without a templates part of an archetype template.
Cyber Receptive [X, G, O]
Description: The intrusive
act of installing hardware in the body of a living being can cause lasting
shock and damage to their essence. A character with this ability reduces
the essence cost of cyberware by ½ and reduces the adverse effect
of failed cyber-surgery installation rolls by 1 level.
Cost: 20 points.
Direction Sense [X, G, O]
Description: A character
with this ability has a sort of "internal compass." The instinctively know
what direction they are going and can navigate without complex equipment.
This ability can normally be bought in 3 levels. The character may reduce
penalties to perception and navigation rolls for not having equipment by
½ of their ability level (round up.)
Characters with direction
sense-1 can determine direction of travel on foot traffic or in slow (less
than 100 kph) surface vehicles. Level 2 allows the character to use this
ability in fast or flying vehicles. Level 3 or higher skill will allow
the character to use the ability in interplanetary vehicles. The GM may
wish to allow levels higher than this; applications might include overcoming
gravitic fields and determining directions traveled in Q-space.
Cost: As skill x3.
Levels above 2 may only be purchase as part of a xeno- or geno-template.
Fast Healing [X, G, O]
Description: Characters
with this ability have the ability to rapidly recover from wounds and more
easily survive severe wounds. For each level of ability, double the healing
rate of the character. For each two levels of ability, reduce the severity
of wound resolution rolls by 1.
Cost: As skill x5.
Above level 2 may only be purchased as part of a geno- or xeno-template.
Fearlessness [X, G, O]
Description: Characters
with fearlessness have unbreakable morale and are very difficult to intimidate.
The character reduces the effects of any intimidation rolls by 4 levels,
and is never required to make a willpower check when performing nerve-wracking
tasks. The does not mean that the character is suicidal or overconfident,
just very calm in the face of danger.
Cost: 10 points.
Intuition [X, G, O]
Description: A character
with this ability has an uncanny ability to sense the outcome of a situation
that they do not have all the facts about with uncanny accuracy. This ability
is almost a form of psionics.
If, during the game, the
player suspects something is amiss, they may request an intuition check.
And intuition check is usually a check vs. perception and essence, at a
level determined by the DM. The DM deducts one karma point from the character
and makes the check secretly. If the check succeeds, the character receives
an impression of what is wrong. If the check fails or nothing was wrong,
the GM returns the karma point to the character at the end of the session
Cost: 15 points.
Life Support (Categorical) [X, G]
Description: With
this ability, the character has the ability to survive environments deleterious
to human life. The nature of this ability varies wildly, but is usually
the results of evolution or genetic engineering to adapt to specific environment.
Heat, cold, and radiation resistance are treated as armor of the appropriate
type at the level of the ability. Pressure resistance allows the character
to operate in an environment with a pressure of up to 2^level+1 atmospheres
(for high pressure) or ½^level+1 in atmospheres (for low pressure).
Categories: Heat resistance,
cold resistance, radiation resistance, low pressure, high pressure, different
media (water, etc.), filter toxins.
Cost: As skill. Levels
above 5 are not allowed to geno-templates. Half the cost if the creature
has a corresponding vulnerability to an opposite environment. Treat breathing
different media as a 10 point ability and filtering toxins as a 5 point
ability.
Light Sleeper [X, G, O]
Description: A character
with this ability is very sensitive and even alert while sleeping. A character
with this ability may make perception checks to notice intruders or other
unusual occurrences while sleeping. Further, normal characters half their
reaction scores the round that they wake up; characters with lightsleep
forego this penalty.
Also available to xeno and
geno packages are reduced sleep. This is bought in levels. Normal sleep
periods are assumes to be 1/3 of a standard day. A character with reduce
sleep halves this ratio for each level of reduced sleep.
Cost: 10 points for
light sleep. Xeno- and geno-templates may also buy reduced sleep at the
cost of a skill x5.
Longevity [X, G]
Description: This
ability slows the aging process in a character. A normal character starts
accumulating aging points at an age of 30. A character with longevity does
not start accumulating aging points until 30 + 5x (level in longevity)
and adds their longevity to their endurance score when making aging checks.
Cost: As skill x3.
Mental Calculator [X, G, A, O]
Description: Characters
with this ability may make rapid, accurate mathematical calculations without
the assistance of a calculator or computer. The character can offset time
penalties for doing such calculations and may even receive a +1 EF modifier
to certain tasks that require calculations (GM option.) The GM may allow
the player to keep a calculator at the table and use it as a resource if
needed, even if their character has no such access to such resources. The
GM may, alternatively, simply tell the player the answer to any questions
that would normally depend upon such calclations.
Cost: 10 points.
Movement (Categorical) [X, G]
Description: A character
with this ability can move at high speed or in different mediums. This
is not merely the ability to run quickly (which is covered by the movement
skill) but the ability to run, fly, or swim differently than a human can.
Levels in the movement ability
represent increased speed in one movement mode, usually ground (running).
For each TWO levels of movement ability, double the calculated speed. For
1 level, multiply by 1.5. Swimming and jumping movement are also handled
similarly.
Flying costs a base of 10
points to give the creature speed equal to its ground movement, but each
level doubles the calculated speed. If the creature is considered to glide,
not fly, half the cost and only double the speed for every two levels.
Cost: As skill x3.
For flying, add 10 points. For gliding, ½ cost of flying.
Photographic Memory [X, G, O]
Description: This
skill is very useful to a wide variety of characters, especially those
in investigative pursuits. It allows the character to remember precisely
events and images that the character has viewed. Nominally, there is no
time limit to this memory, but over a year or so, the GM may be well within
his rights to require a reason check before allowing the character access
to a specific memory.
This ability has several
advantages. First, it may allow the character several attempts to notice
an unusual event, or specific details of a setting. The DM may allow a
character with photographic memory multiple attempts to perform reason,
perception, and observation based tasks that have to do with recalling
specific pertinent items.
Second, the character can
remember long winded texts exactly, even if the character does not understand
the subject matter. This allows the character to smuggle information in
his head, or to recite important instructions exactly. The GM may allow
this skill to offset penalties to a task for lacking a specific skill or
specialization if the have read text pertinent to the task at hand.
This ability can easily be
abused as a "universal skill." If the character tries to read a little
of everything in order to act as a jack-of-all trades, the GM should impose
reason or willpower checks to keep the power of this ability reasonable.
Cost: 20 points.
Prodigy [G, O]
Description: The character
is exceptionally young for a character of his or her abilities. Accordingly,
when rolling the character's age, half any positive modifiers to the character's
age (not the base 12) for each level of this ability.
If the character ends up
being less than 18 years old, roll a d10 and add 8. If the total is more
than the character's age, the character is small, and is treated as having
one level of size disadvantage until they reach an age equal to the number
rolled on the dice. Since this is temporary, the character only gets one
fifth of the points normally granted for the size disadvantage for each
year they are less than the age rolled on the dice.
Cost: As skill x5.
Psionic Aptitude [X, G]
Description: Psionic
ability is normally strictly a product of what race the character belongs
to. Genetically engineering or eugenically breeding psionic aptitude is
possible but difficult. This ability determines what range of psionic abilities
are available to the character.
The default level of psionic
aptitude for humans is 4. Levels above this are purchased through this
ability; levels below this are considered under the disadvantage psionic
ineptitude. The general effects of psionic ability are as follows.
Note: As the role
of psionics vary greatly between SF settings, the GM may alter the beginning
level of this ability, allow it to be purchased as an archetype of even
open option, or disallow psionics (and thus this ability) totally.
Reputation [X, G, A, O]
Description: A character
has a reputation, earned or not, that may be of benefit in certain situations.
This ability comes in two types, "good" or "dangerous." Good means that
the character is well known for achievements of some sort. This sort of
skill can help the character get employment and influence reactions and
interpersonal tasks. Assume a +1 EF on reaction checks and interpersonal
for each level of ability.
A "dangerous" reputation
tends to portray the character as a seedy or threatening character. This
may act like a good reputation among some circles, but in high society
or law enforcement officials, it would be treated as a stigma.
A purely bad reputation would
be treated as a stigma (under drawbacks).
Cost: Good reputations
are as skillx5. Dangerous reputations are as skillx3.
Resist Disease (Categorical) [X,
G, O]
Description: A character
with this ability is resistant to one or more diseases. Diseases under
this skill should be listed in categories. A character with this ability
gets a +1 EF on any ability checks against any protected disease, and a
+1 attribute modifier against this disease and any related diseases.
Categories: The GM
should generate a list of common dangerous diseases.
Cost: As skill. This
cost is x1 for a narrow group of diseases, x2 for a broad group of diseases,
and x3 for all known diseases hazardous to the character's race. Xeno packages
can only use the later two options (either the race is a scavenger race
that is relatively immune to microbes originating on its homeworld, or
it has a biology that does not foster hazardous microorganisms.) Only levels
up to 4 can be taken as an open option.
Resist Toxin (Categorical) [X, G,
O]
Description: A character
with this ability is resistant to one or more toxins. Diseases under this
skill should be listed in categories. A character with this ability gets
a +1 EF on any ability checks against any protected toxin, and a +1 attribute
modifier against this toxin and any related toxins.
Categories: The GM
should generate a list of common dangerous toxins.
Cost: As skill. This
cost is x1 for a narrow group of toxins, x2 for a broad group of toxins,
and x3 for all known toxins hazardous to the character's race. Xeno packages
can only use the later two options (indicating that the character's race
is can absorb nearly any material without hazard to their biochemistry)
Only levels up to 4 can be taken as an open option.
Resist Pain [X, G, A, O]
Description: A character
with this ability is resistant to incapacitation due to pain diseases.
A character with this ability gets a +1 attribute modifier to their stun
total and to checks to see if they can act due to injury.
Cost: As skill x2.
Only levels up to 4 can be taken as an open option.
Resist Disease (Categorical) [X,
G, O]
Description: A character
with this ability is resistant to one or more diseases. Diseases under
this skill should be listed in categories. A character with this ability
gets a +1 EF on any ability checks against any protected disease, and a
+1 attribute modifier against this disease and any related diseases.
Categories: The GM
should generate a list of common dangerous diseases.
Cost: As skill. This
cost is x1 for a narrow group of diseases, x2 for a broad group of diseases,
and x3 for all known diseases hazardous to the character's race. Xeno packages
can only use the later two options (either the race is a scavenger race
that is relatively immune to microbes originating on its homeworld, or
it has a biology that does not foster hazardous microorganisms.) Only levels
up to 4 can be taken as an open option.
Size Advantage [X, G, O]
Description: A character
with this ability is larger than the human average. Each character is assumed
to have a mass rating. The human average mass rating is 6;
this corresponds to a mass between 51 and 80 kilograms. This is figured
into many figured attributes and provides a modifier to the character's
strength.
Cost: As attribute
with a base value of 6. The cost, mass rating, and mass of various size
modifiers is given in the table below. Only one level may be taken as an
open option; any remaining levels can only be obtained through xeno- or
geno- packages.
The converse of this advantage
is the diminutive flaw, c.f. A character cannot take size advantage
and the diminutive flaw.
Size Advantage Table:
Speed Reading [X, G, A, O]
Description: A character
with this ability can assimilate written information much more rapidly
than a normal human. This ability is purchased in levels. 5 levels of skill
allow a character to read at 10 times the speed of a normal human. Each
level allows the character to read about 1.6 times faster than the previous
level.
Speed Reading Table:
Cost: As skill. Only
levels up to 4 can be taken as an open option. The below table summarizes
the cost and relative speed of various levels of this ability:
Toughness [X, G, A, O]
Description: A character
with this ability can withstand more damage than a normal character of
their size. Toughness is purchased in levels. A character receives a variety
of benefits from their toughness score.
First, a character with toughness
treats their toughness score as an inherent AR. This AR is not cumulative
with any other ARs except natural armor. Since toughness is typically 3
or less, this is a relatively minor ability, but allows the character to
blow off minor attacks such as unarmed attacks.
Second, a character's toughness
score is added to their resilience rating and base wound rating.
Third, a character uses their
toughness rating as a trait bonus to their endurance rating for the purpose
of any shock or incapacitation checks.
Cost: As skill x5.
Only levels up to 3 can be taken as an open or archetype option.
Cost: As skill with base
level of 4.
Size Mod
Mass Rating
Cost, CPs
Mass, KG
0
6
0
51 - 80
1
7
14
81 - 127
2
8
30
128 - 201
3
9
48
202 - 318
4
10
68
319 - 505
5
11
90
506 - 800
6
12
114
801 - 1268
7
13
140
1269 - 2010
8
14
168
2011 - 3185
9
15
198
3186 - 5048
10
16
230
5049 - 8000
Level
Cost, CPs
Multiple of reading speed
0
0
1
1
1
1.6
2
3
2.5
3
6
4
4
10
6.3
5
15
10
6
21
16
7
28
25
8
36
40
9
45
63
10
55
100
Table A2.2: Master Perks List
Authority
Bioware
Contacts
Cyberware
Henchmen
Patron
Reputation
Vehicles
Wealth
Authority
Description: This
perk indicates that the character wields some sort of authority due to
their position within an official organization. Examples could include
a branch of the military, a corporation, or some sort of police force.
Having a low rank in such
an organization is actually considered a flaw, since such a character will
be considered a resource more than command them. The following level shows
the basic level of perk and the corresponding military and corporate rank.
Authority Basic Level Table
To this basic level, modifiers
must be applied. The GM may apply modifiers of -1, 0, +1, or +2 for each
of the following categories: Resources: -1 (local police force) to +2 (interplanetary
military); Autonomy: -1 (base security) to +2 (covert agent); Authority:
-1 (none) to +2 (interstellar police powers).
Cost: As skill at
a base level of 4.
Note: This perk may
have a profound impact on the campaign. This perk should fall under the
GM's scrutiny, and should not be taken without the GM's permission. The
GM may require the character to take specific templates to take this perk.
Bioware
Description: The character
begins the game with one of more items of bio-engineered symbiotic implants.
These implants cost the character essence in addition to character points.
See the section on equipment for more details.
Cost: See the section
on equipment for details.
Note: Not all campaigns
will have bioware. Take this perk only with GM permission.
Contacts:
Description: The character
begins the game knowing - and having a degree of influence over - a person
that may be in a position to help the character.
Contacts are described in
two terms - level and reliability. Level is typically in the range from
1 to 5. Level of the contact represents how useful the contact is. This
may be in terms of political influence or authority, or in terms of skills
the contact can offer.
When expressed in terms of
influence, the contact may have rank or authority up to double the level
of the contact (see the authority perk). For example, a brigadier
general would probably be a level 4 contact. The GM may adjust the level
of the contact upwards if the contact's level does not reflect the level
of the influence. Often an wily aide or clerk may wield as much power -
and be more free to act - as a higher ranked official would.
When expressed in terms of
ability, the contact might have a proficiency level up to 4 times the contact
level. A level 4 contact might be a bounty hunter with abilities as a character
of PL 16.
In addition to the contact
level is the reliability of the contact. This should be treated as an ease
factor bonus when requesting a favor of the contact, and typically ranges
from 1 to 3.
Normally a character decides
what specific contacts the character has when this perk is purchased. However,
at the GM's option, a player may choose a contact as "open." This means
that the player does not choose what exactly the contact is when generating
the character, but during the game when it is more apparent what would
come in handy.
If the GM allows this option,
the character must pay the total of the contacts level and reliability
in karma points at the time the player wishes to utilize the contact. After
that point, the contact is no longer "open."
Cost: Buy as a skill
of a level equal to the reliability level, multiplied by the contact level.
To buy a level 4 contact with a reliability level of 2, it would cost 12
points (3 is the cost of a level 2 skill, times the contact level of 4
is 12.)
Cyberware
Description: The character
begins the game with one of more items of cybernetic implants. These implants
cost the character essence in addition to character points. See the section
on equipment for more details.
Cost: See the section
on equipment for details.
Note: Not all campaigns
will have cyberware. Take this perk only with GM permission.
Henchmen
Description: The character
begins the game with one or more followers that have some degree of loyalty
to the character. This is similar to the authority perk, but does
not come with the attendant obligation to a higher authority.
A character is normally assumed
to only be able to have henchmen that are equal to or below the character's
own PL.
Cost: Base cost of
3 times the NPC's PL. An additional cost 5 points for 1.6 multiple in the
maximum level of followers. For example, an extra 25 points will buy 10
followers.
Patron
Description: A patron
is an ally, friend, employer, mentor, and/or benefactor to the character.
A patron has abilities and/or resources that can prove very useful to the
player.
A patron is rated in terms
of resources they control. Most patrons should be considered to start the
campaign controlling 1 million credits; some may be much more powerful.
The patron may occasionally
require the character to perform assignment to pay for benefits that the
patron provides, but generally, the patron and the character should be
considered to have similar or coinciding goals, which is why they enter
the mutually beneficial relationship to begin with.
Cost: A patron controlling
1 million credits worth of resources costs 15 points. Each additional point
increases the patrons resources by 1.6 times, each 5 points increases the
patron's relative power tenfold. A 35 point patron would control 100 million
credits worth of resources.
Vehicles
Description: The character
begins the game with a starship or other vehicle appropriate to the milieu.
Starships typically cost in the tens or even hundred of millions of credits.
The scale used for this perk
is similar to that used for the wealth perk. However, this perk
has the advantage that the cost may be split between several characters.
The GM may wish to allow
this option to allow the characters to purchase other forms of equipment.
In no case should this equipment be immediately liquidatable. If you want
your character to start out rich, use the wealth advantage.
Cost: 10 points grants
a vehicle with a new value of about 10,000 credits. Every additional point
allows 1.25 times this figure. Every additional 10 points allows a ship
of ten times this figure. At this rate, a 100 million credit starship would
cost 50 points.
Unlike other perks, this
cost may be split between party members. The split may be negotiated any
way available, but the amount each character pays should be representative
of the character's stake in the ship.
The above cost is assumed
to have the ship financed with a 10% downpayment. The players may choose
to have a higher percentage of the ship payed off buy spending extra point.
Each character must spend 1 point to muliply this base figure by
1.25. If each character spends 10 extra points, the ship is 100% payed
off, and is thus owned free and clear.
Note: Not all campaigns
will assume that the players are part owners in a starship. Take this perk
only with GM permission.
Wealth
Description: Any starting
character is assumed to start the game with 1000 credits in cash. A character
may take the wealth advantage to start with a higher figure than this.
Cost: Each character
point that the character spends on wealth multiplies the starting wealth
figure by 1.25 times. Each 10 CPs gives the character 10 times the starting
wealth of 1000 credits. Thus a character who spends 50 points would have
100 million credits in assets.
It is up to the GM how much
of this wealth is actual cash and how much is tied up in assets. One simple
assumption is that for each point the character spends on wealth over 5,
2% of the characters wealth is in assets vice cash, up to a maximum of
90%
Level
Military Rank
Corporate Rank
1
E1-E3
Worker
2
E4-E6
Team Leader
3
E7-E9
Manager
4
W1-W4, 01-02
Junior Executive
5
03-04
Executive
6
05-06
Senior Executive
7
07-08
Junior VP
8
09-010
Senior VP,
CEO
(Italics indicates a primary psionic skill. Skills listed under each are the attendant specializations.)
Antipsionic
Psi-Shield (1)
Psi-Block (2)
Psi Barrier (3)
Psi Backlash (5)
Extrasensory
Sense (1)
Aura Sense (2)
Farsight (3)
Object Read (4)
Precognition (6)
Psychometabolic
Willpower (1)
Healing Trance (2)
Stasis (3)
Adrenalin Control (4)
Weapon Bond (4)
Regeneration (5)
Telekinesis
Slide (1)
Lift (2)
Manipulate (2)
Push (3)
Bend (3)
Shield (4)
Throw (4)
Crush (5)
Impact (5)
Chill (6)
Heat (6)
Cleave (7)
Telepathy
Truthear (1)
Mind Mask (1)
Distract (2)
Sense Mind (2)
Suggestion (3)
Empathy (3)
Converse (3)
Mind Read (4)
Confuse (4)
Empathic Implant (5)
Agony (5)
Memory Implant (6)
Appendix A3: Flaw Descriptions
Table A3.1: Master Flaws List
Addiction
Age
Allergy
Appearance
Compulsive Behavior
Deep Sleeper
Dependant
Diminuative
Enemy
Physical Disorder
Psionic Ineptitude
Psychological Disorder
Rage
Sensory Impairment
Susceptibility
Synth-nerve Allergy
Uncouth
Standard Conventions
The scale that is used for
skills and advantages is not used for flaws in most cases. Most have three
parts: frequency, severity, and impact. The ratings have a number from
2 to 5. To find the final value of the disadvantage, multiply the three
numbers together and half the result. This allows the player to take a
few minor 4 point "quirks" just for fun. However, to get a large number
of points, the player must take some truly debilitating flaws.
The standard ratings for
disadvantages is as follows; specific flaws may have alternate scales for
these ratings:
Frequency:
2 - Comes into play less
than one time per adventure
3 - Comes into play once
per adventure
4 - Comes into play more
than once per adventure
Severity:
2 - Must roleplay or overcome
with Will x10 roll.
3 - Must roleplay or overcome
with Will x5 roll.
4 - Must roleplay or overcome
with Will x3 roll.
5 - Must roleplay or overcome
with Will x1 roll.
Impact:
2 - Minor impact, -1 EF or
trait modifier
3 - Major impact, -3 EF of
trait modifier
4 - Severe impact, -5 EF
or trait modifier or potentially deadly results.
Addiction
Description: A character
with this flaw has a physical or psychological need for a certain substance
or other means of simulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the pleasure
centers of the brain.)
Frequency: Describes
how often the side effects or withdrawl symptoms come up; use the standard
scale.
Severity: Describes
how easy the substance is to acquire and how easily the effects of the
drug are shaken off. Use the standard scale as a measure of addictiveness,
and add the following number for availability :
Availability:
-1 - Less than 50 credits
per daily dose.
0 - 51 to 100 credits per
daily dose.
+1 - Over 100 credits per
daily dose.
Impact: Use the standard
scale. The listed result is assumed to be effects of using the substance
(euphoria, hallucinations, shaking, etc.) or withdrawl symptoms. If you
wish to separate the effects of use and withdrawl symptoms, half the point
value of the impact for use and for withdrawl and add them together.
Age
Description: The character
starts the game at a relatively advanced age. A sort of aging disadvantage
is built into the game system in that a character adds a number of dice
to their age according their proficiency level. However, this age system
assumes individuals that have achieved a fair level of development at a
fairly early age; a character with this disadvantage has a little more
realistic skill acquisition rate... and will thus be a little older for
a given PL.
An aging character will accumulate
"aging points." These points are accumulated at the rate of 1 per 2 years
over 30 and one per year over 50. These will tend to reduce a characters
statistics as they age. See the player's manual for more details.
Frequency: Frequency
is based on the overall availability of age-retarding products in the campaign.
Use the following guidelines instead of those in the general guidelines:
2 - Rejuvenation techniques
are generally available in the campaign (generally TL 16+)
3 - Age retarding drugs are
available in the campaign (Generally TL 14+)
4 - Anti-aging techniques
are generally unavailable in the campaign.
Severity: The severity
is based on how old the character is compared to the standard assumptions.
Use the following scale:
2- Treat all of the characters
age dice rolls as 5s (instead of rolling a d5.)
3 - As above, but add 10
years to the character's starting age.
4 - As above, but add 20
years to the character's starting age
5 - As above, but add 30
years to the character's starting age.
Impact: After you
have selected severity, you should determine the character's starting age.
The age at which the character will be starting the campaign is a measure
of the actual impact:
2 - Starting age is less
than 40.
3 - Starting age is 41 -
60.
4 - Starting age is 61 -
80.
Allergy
Description: The character
suffers an adverse effect when exposed to certain substances or compounds.
These can be things that are products of industry, such as a common coolant
compound, or organic compounds associated with specific creatures or pollens.
This should not include poisons that are already inimical to the character's
race.
Frequency: Use the
standard scale.
Severity: Use the
following scale
2 - Effects may be prevented
by easily available drugs or reduced End x 10 roll.
3 - Effects may be prevented
by moderately available drugs or reduced by End x 5 roll.
4 - Effects may be prevented
by difficult to obtain drugs or reduced by End x 3 roll.
5 - Effects may be reduced
(only) by difficult to obtain drugs or End x 1 roll.
Impact: Use the standard
scale.
Appearance
Description: The character
is an unsightly or distinctive member of their race. At best, the character
is easily spotted and cannot blend into the crowd. At worst, the character
is ill-suited to social interactions, as you will repulse members of your
race.
This disadvantage is not
appropriate to alien species unless they are repugnant to their own species
or will not frequently interact with members of their own species. The
frequency scale can be used to gauge this where it does apply.
Frequency: This is
based upon how broad a group the penalty applies toward.
1- Appearance is merely unusual
or distinctive.
2 - Alien appearance in cosmopolitan
campaign.
3 - Alien appearance in humanocentric
campaign.
4 - Alien and unique appearance.
Severity: This factor
determines how easy it is to avoid the adverse effects in personal interactions.
2 - Easily concealable.
3 - Concealable with appropriate
skill rolls.
4 - Concealable with technology.
5 - Not concelable.
Impact: Use the standard
scale at a -1 to the listed value. The listed modifier is applied to interactions
with the affected group. A -1 CS usually just means that the character
is unusual. A -5 indicates that the character is horrifying to behold.
Compulsive Behavior
Description: The character
has some sort of extreme behavior that is likely to get her in trouble.
Examples could include lechery, bigotry, compulsive honesty or impulsiveness,
or perhaps something more specific.
Frequency: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how often the behavior is to come up. If
you hate "Rigelians" and you meet them every session, this might be worth
a base value of 3 or 4. If you are not likely to meet them every game,
this is worth only 2.
Severity: Use the
standard scale may be applied in determining whether the character can
overcome the compulsion.
Impact: Use the following:
2 - The behavior can cause
social embarrassment.
3 - The behavior can cause
loss of money or incarceration by authorities.
4 - The behavior will put
the character's life in jeopardy.
Deep Sleeper
Description: The character
does not notice things when sleeping and is not easily roused from a slumber.
Frequency: Assume
a value of 2.
Severity: Use the
standard scale. The listed multipliers are used as willpower or perception
checks to rouse from a slumber.
Impact: Even once
roused, the character is slow to regain their faculties. The listed modifiers
apply the round the character's initiative, combat, and perception rolls
the round that the character is wakened and d5 rounds afterwards. The next
lower category applies d5 rounds after that, and so on. So a character
with the worst deep sleep would suffer -5 for d5 rounds, -3 for d5 rounds,
and -1 for another d5 rounds.
Dependant
Description: The character
begins the game with family or friends that requires their attention or
support, and may become involved in adventures.
Frequency: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how frequently the character becomes involved
in the campaign.
Severity: This indicates
how difficult the dependant is to care for:
2 - The dependant is competent.
3 - The dependant is weak
or challenged.
4 - The dependant requires
special care.
Impact: This describes
what kind of attention the character usually has to foster on the dependants.
1 - Economic support (e.g.,
a poor girlfriend back home).
2 - Occasional danger (e.g.,
a poor girlfriend on a frontier zone.)
3 - Frequent danger (e.g.,
a poor girlfriend in a warzone.)
Diminuative
Description: This
is the opposite of the size advantage. The character is smaller than the
human average.
A character may not take
more than one level below the racial mass rating for their race. Any other
levels must be taken as a xeno-template.
Frequency and Severity:
Do not use the standard scale. Instead, treat this as an attribute (i.e.,
a skill at double cost) with a base cost of 6. The meanings of these levels
and flaw values are as follows.
Diminutive Flaw Table
Rating Impact:
1 - The character will outgrow
the size levels. The GM will handle this; at most assume that the character
will gain 1 size level every 5 years.
2 - The character's size
is permanent.
Remember that these are then
multiplied by the value from the flaw table and by ½.
Enemy
Description: The character
has someone powerful most put out.
Frequency: Describes
the scale on which the enemy operates, and thus the likelihood that the
character will run into his old foes:
2 - Limited to a planet or
small concourse of planets.
3 - Limited to a large concourse
of planets.
4 - Operates in most or all
of a race's extent in interstellar space.
Severity: Just how
big of a mistake did you make when you PO'd these folks?
2 - Enemy is a single person
on par with the player in power.
3 - Enemy is a small group
on par with the character.
4 - Enemy is a large group
and/or very powerful.
5 - Enemy is very large and/or
very powerful.
Impact: What does
your enemy want from you?
2 - To keep an eye on you.
3 - To incarcerate you.
4 - To separate you into
your component atoms.
Physical Disorder
Description: This
is a catch-all flaw that can describe a wide variety of limitations in
the characters mobility and functionality. Use the standard scales to determine
point values.
Frequency: This describes
how frequently the disorder affects the character. Characters who have
implants that offset the disadvantages should treat the frequency as "1."
Severity: This varies
by specific flaw, and depends on how severely the disadvantage affects
the character. Some examples are:
3 - Cannot read or write.
3 - Hand
4 - Arm
3 - 1/4 move.
4 - Parapalegic.
3 - Can make sounds but not
speech
4 - Totally mute.
Impact: Varies by
type. The GM should determine the impact that the defect has on certain
tasks or what risks it causes, according the standard scale.
Psionic Ineptitude
Description: The character
begins the game with a psionic ability below the human norm for the campaign.
This flaw is not appropriate if the campaign includes no psionics. Additionally,
the default assumption is that psionic aptitude is purely a function of
a character's race; this flaw cannot be taken without the GM's permission,
save as part of a xeno- or geno- package.
See the psionic aptitude
ability for details of the effect of the psionic aptitude score.
Frequency: This is
according to the frequency of the psionics in the campaign; the GM will
decide this. Use the following scale:
0 - Psionics are not used
in the campaign.
1 - Psionics are of minor
importance in the campaign.
2 - Psionics are of major
importance in the campaign.
+1 - If the character has
psionics.
Severity and Impact:
Do not use the standard scale. Instead, treat it as a skill with a base
value of 4; the resultant "kickback" points are multiplied by the frequency
x ½ to find the actual flaw value.
Psychological Disorder
Description: The character
has a genuine psychological problem which may interfere with her daily
life, not to mention stressful situations (i.e., adventures) with which
the character may be involved.
This flaw is almost a catch-all.
It may describe a great number of psychological problems: delusions, paranoia,
obsessions, depression, manic-depression (a.k.a. bipolar disorder). Use
the standard scales to construct the flaw.
Frequency: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how frequently the character's flaw manifests
itself, or how frequent the character's behavior limits the character.
An agoraphobic, who is afraid of leaving a domicile and interacting would
easily constitute a level 4. An triskadekaphobiac - afraid of the number
13 - might encounter her stimulus less than once per adventure.
Severity: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how easy the disorder is to overcome. For
the most part, those who only have low levels of severity would not be
clinically be classified as insane - but definitely judged as unusual by
others.
Impact: Use the standard
scale. This indicates how hazardous the character's behavior is to herself.
A triskadekaphobiac might make un-needed steps to avoid being placed in
room 13, warranting only a 2. However, a dangerous paranoid who is afraid
that everyone is out to get him - so shoots at everyone - is asking for
trouble. That would warrant a level 4 severity.
Rage
Description: This
is a specific subset of the psychological disorder. The character is violent
and has difficulty controlling his anger.
Frequency: Use the
following scale indicating how frequently the character becomes enraged.
2 2 - The character becomes
enraged when in combat or attacked.
3 - The character becomes
enraged when taunted or threatened.
4 - The character becomes
enraged when someone sullies their honor is some slight, unpredictable
way.
Severity: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how easy it is for the character to get
a grip on his temper after the object of his ire has been pummeled into
submission.
Impact: This describes
what measures the character will take when enraged, and consequently, what
kind of danger the character puts himself in.
2 - The character will push
around or respond in kind the thing that enraged him.
3 - The character will physically
attack and pummel into submission the thing that enraged him.
4 - The character will try
to kill the thing that enraged him.
Sensory Impairment
Description: The character
has a problem with one or more of her senses, or simply lacks a sense.
In aliens, this may be used to represent the fact that they do not have
the same senses as humans.
Frequency: Use the
following scale, describing how easy it is to overcome the disadvantage.
This may be determined by the character's race. An alien who is a member
of a race cannot hear will likely never be able to hear despite hearing
aids simply because the aliens brain cannot even handle the concept of
sound.
2 - Methods are available
to eliminate penalties to the sense.
3 - Methods are available
to reduce penalties to the sense.
4 - Methods are not available
to correct the sense.
Severity: This indicates
how important the affected sense is to the character's race:
2 - The sense affected is
of little or no importance to the race (e.g., smell or taste to humans.)
3 - The sense affected is
moderately important to the race (e.g., hearing to humans.)
4 - The sense affected is
of primary importance to the character's race (e.g., sight to humans.)
Impact: Use the standard
scale; this indicates the impact on perception checks with the related
snse. In addition, severity 3 or 4 senses will affect tasks other than
perception tasks as well (e.g., a person with poor sight will have a hard
time hitting; the bonus applies in combat in this case.)
Add this category to the
standard scale
4 -Total loss of affected
sense; no perception checks allowed, related checks only possible at EF
½ if at all.
Susceptability
Description: The character
takes damage - or additional damage - from some conditions. This is usually
the result of a xeno- or geno- template, but may also represent old wounds
or glass jaws for relatively normal characters.
Frequency: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how common is the condition is that causes
damage. A 1 pip body area (leg, arm) is 2 points. A multi-pip body area
is 3 points. Whole body or common conditions is 4 points.
Severity: This indicates
what conditions cause the damage:
2 - Normal combat damage.
3 - Relatively slow damaging
conditions (heat, cold, radiation.)
4 - Normally very slowly
damaging conditions.
5 - Normally non-damaging
conditions cause 1 point of damage per minute.
Impact: This describes
how damaging the effect is:
2 - Damage x1.25, or 1.6
times as frequent.
3 - Damage x1.6, or 2.5 times
as frequent.
4 - Damage x2, or 4 times
as frequent.
5 - Damage x2.5, or 6.4 times
as frequent.
Synth-nerve allergy
Description: The character
has difficulty accepting of utilizing cyberware, due to an allergy to the
synthetic nerve material or an excessive immune system reaction.
In addition to the below
described disadvantages, all characters with this disadvantage double
any essence loss associated with cyberware.
Frequency: Assume
a value of 1.
Severity: This indicates
how severely the character rejects cyberware.
2 - The character can only
have minor items, totaling an essence loss of less than 1.0 prior to modifications.
3 - The character can only
have bioware items, totaling an essence loss of less than .5 prior to modifications.
4 - The character may have
no cyberware or bioware.
Impact: This describes
the impact of cyberware on the character. If the character chose a severity
factor of 4, assume an impact factor of 4. Use the standard scale, the
assigned penalties are applied to any installation routine on the character.
Uncouth
Description: The character
is insensitive to the social sensibilities to certain races or cultures.
This could lead to embarrassment, social outrage, or hostility on the part
of the races in question.
Frequency: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how frequently the character offends others.
A character with a 2 rating offends a few minor races or cultures. A character
with a 4 rating consciously tries to get on the nerves of everyone, regardless
of race, or has a philosophy that achieves the same effect.
Severity: Use the
standard scale. This indicates how hard it is for the character to overcome
the negative behavior.
Impact: This describes
how far the character will "push it."
2 - Will embarrass self.
3 - Will elicit hostilities
or legal action.
4 - Will risk deadly confrontation.
The standard scale can be
used as reaction modifiers when the character wants to interact socially.
Size Mod
Mass
Cost
Mass, LL (kg)
Mass, UL (kg)
-5
1
-40
6
8
-4
2
-36
9
13
-3
3
-30
14
20
-2
4
-22
21
32
-1
5
-12
33
50
0
6
0
51
80
2 - Can only read slowly.
2 - Fingers
2 - ½ move.
2 - Quiet or stuttering voice.