Character Creation

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03-13-2006, 11:44 PM
PGoodman13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverstreak

Well as I said before, with such a convoluted history I find I end up with a character that looks as I've shown you earlier in the thread. The skills look really low and not the right kind.

You can buy others, you know. Some of them aren't as cheap as others, depending on whether or not they're professional skills, but you're not restricted to the skills in those packages.

Quote:

For instance, in the ICON version, the character has knowledge of Romulus, Cardassia Prime, a bit of their history, Languages, and culture to properly fit in while doing undercover work. That's in addition to what she has in way of her own culture and history and stuff.

Take the appropriate specializations in Knowledge: Specific World and Knowledge: Culture should do the trick. Ditto for taking some language skills during advancement.

Quote:

I just find that the process of creating these backgrounds or Tours of Duty difficult. Maybe if the CODA system had those.

So it is the freeform advancement system that's giving you a headache. :) I think we can work with that.
03-14-2006, 12:29 AM
Silverstreak

Race: Betazoid
Rank: Captain

Attributes:

Fitness: 3
(Vitality: +2)
Coordination: 3
(Dexterity: +1)
(Reaction: +2)
Intellect: 3
(Perception: +2)
Presence: 3
(Willpower: +1)
(Empathy: +1)
Psi: 6
(Range: +2)
(Focus: +2)

Skills:

Culture: 2 (Betazoid) 3 (Klingon) 5 (Romulan) 4 (Cardassian) 5
History: 1 (Betazoid) 2 (Federation) 2 (Romulan) 2 (Klingon) 2 (Cardassian) 2
World Knowledge: 1 (Betazed) 4 (Qo'noS) 3 ( Romulas) 3 (Cardassia Prime) 3 (Earth) 2
Unarmed Combat: 2 (Betazoid Martial Arts) 3 (Starfleet Martial Arts) 4
Energy Weapon: 2 (Phaser) 4 (Phaser Rifle) 3 (Disruptor) 3
Receptive Telepathy: 4
Projective Telepathy: 4
Receptive Empathy: 2
Projective Empathy: 2
Mind Control: 3
Mind Shield: 3
Telekinesis: 3
Clairvoyance: 3
Dodge: 4
Search: 4
Languages:
Federation Standard: 2
Betazoid: 3
Klingon: 3
Romulan: 2
Cardassian: 2
Starship Tactics: 2 (Federation) 5 (Klingon) 3 (Romulan) 4 (Cardassian) 5 (Dominion) 4 (Breen) 3
Charm: 2 (Influence) 3
Shipboard Systems: 2 (Tactical) 4 (Command) 3 (Communications) 3 (Sensors) 3
Computer: 1 (Data Alteration/Hacking) 4 (Research) 3
Personal Equipment: 1 (Tricorder) 2 (Holographic Suit) 2
Vehicle Operations: 1 (Shuttlecraft) 2
Espionage: 3 (Traffic Analysis) 4 (Counter Intelligence) 4
Behaviour Modification: 1 (Resistance) 2
Law: 2 (Starfleet Regulations) 6 (Federation Law) 3 (Klingon Defense Force Regulations) 3 (Interstellar Law) 3
Command: 3 (Starship Command) 5
Disguise: 1 (Romulan) 2 (Cardassian) 2
Athletics: 1 (Jumping) 2
Planetside Survival: 1 (Urban) 2
Persuasion: 1 (Oratory) 2
Intimidation: 0 (Interrogation) 1
Planetary Tactics: 1 (Small Unit) 2
Stealth: 1 (Stealthy Movement) 2
Surveillance: 1 (Observation) 2
Strategic Operations: 1 (Invasion Strategies) 3
Administration: 2 (Intelligence) 3 (Starship Administration) 4
Systems Engineering: 1 (Security) 4
Space Sciences: 1 (Stellar Cartography) 2

Backgrounds:

Early Life: Psionic
Academy Life: Intelligence Training
Cadet Cruise: Heroic Action!
Tour of Duty 1: Intelligence Recruitment
Tour of Duty 2: Officer Exchange Program
Tour of Duty 3: Intelligence Recruitment
Tour of Duty 4: Hostile Frontier Defense Mission
Tour of Duty 5: Shakedown Cruise
Tour of Duty 6: Shakedown Cruise
Tour of Duty 7: Border Patrol

Advanced Training Programs:

Intelligence School:
- Intelligence Operations School
- Intelligence Administration School

Advanced Legal Training:
- Interstellar Law
- JAG Training

Advanced Tactical Training:
- Starship Training
- Unit Training

Exocultural Relations School:
- Survey Team (Field Officer)
- Cultural Advisor

Officer Exchange Program:
- Klingon Defense Forces

School of Diplomacy:
- Exocultural Affairs

Strategic Operations Training:
- Intelligence Monitoring

Commanding Officer Training:

Branch Officer Training
Bridge Certification Training
Command School

Advantages:

Promotion +10 (Captain)
Bold +1
Cultural Flexibility +1
Shrewd +1
Department Head +4 (Security)
Department Head +4 (Executive Officer)
Psionically Gifted +3
Security Clearance +5
Sexy +2
Double Jointed +2
Athletic Ability +2
Ambidexterity +2
Excellent Balance +1
Quickdraw +2
Toughness +2
Battle Hardened +3
Strong Will +2
Great House +2 (Second House of Betazed)
Favour Owed +1
Commendation (Several at +1, +2, and +3)

Disadvantages:

Obligation -3 (Starfleet Intelligence)
Obligation -3 (Section 31) - bought off with XP
Argumentative -1 - bought off with XP
Code of Honour -2 (Prime Directive)
Code of Honour -2 (Pledge) - detailed in background
Code of Honour -3 (Defender)
Code of Honour -4 (Starfleet)
Chronic Pain -2 - bought off with XP
Sworn Enemy -1 (Breen Captain from the Dominion War)
Vengeful -1 (Breen)
Intolerance -1 (Breen)
Species Enemy -4 (Breen)
Marked Man -2 (Breen Captain)
Marked Man -3 (Tal'Shiar)
Marked Man -3 (Obsidean Order)
Dark Secret -1 - detailed in her background
Romantic Attachment -2 (Her Imzadi Lover)

Courage: 3

Renown: 77
Aggression: +3
Discipline: +5
Initiative: +18
Openness: +10
Skill: +40

Resistance: 7

Wound Levels:

Healthy: 7
Stunned (+1): 7
Injured (+1): 7
Wounded (+2): 7
Incapacitated (-): 7
Near Death (-): 7
Killed

*****Just so you know I have been playing this character off an on for 5 years now.
03-14-2006, 04:53 PM
Liquidator Queeg

Sorry to be off-topic, but it's sort of about this topic I guess ...

Quote:

Ergi wrote:

Maybe, in order to provide some guidance and speed up the process of advanced character creation, someone, or some game company (this would be worth paying for), could create some profession-specific advancement packages, like in the Tour of Duties in The Price of Freedom (if I am not mistaken).

Look for future issues of Beyond the Final Frontier. I'm polishing up a whack of these for Gandalf of Borg, along with some other stuff I have to finish soon. (Sorry Gandalf! Been hella busy lately! :()

Quote:

Silverstreak wrote:

I just find that the process of creating these backgrounds or Tours of Duty difficult. Maybe if the CODA system had those.

I'm working diligently on these, although they may be worth one or more advancements (CODA) depending on the situation and/or options I write for them. Again, check future issues of BTFF, because when I get 'em done, I'll be sending them to Gandalf.

Just doin' my bit to keep fan-created CODA material alive! ;)

Cheers,

LQ
03-14-2006, 05:12 PM
Ergi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquidator Queeg

Just doin' my bit to keep fan-created CODA material alive! ;)

Thanks. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGoodman13

If you'll look at pages 41-42 of the Starfleet Operations Manual, you'll find a number of "advancement packages" based on service in specific fleets/on specific ships. It's possible that some of the upcoming books will have similar packages, though I haven't seen anything on that yet. But I think it's the sort of thing that fits your description, more or less.

Thank you. Close to what I had in mind. I tend to forget the content of the black sheep of the Decipher Trek book line. :)

(I consider it the black sheep because it is too short, too expensive, and the ships chapter has been made obsolete by Starships. :( )
03-14-2006, 05:55 PM
PGoodman13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ergi

(I consider it the black sheep because it is too short, too expensive, and the ships chapter has been made obsolete by Starships. :( )

The ships chapter was obsoleted by the Narrator's Guide. Ken's a good writer, but he never met a ship-building system he couldn't ignore, apparently. At some point, I think Don was going to redo those ships a la Starships as errata, but if it happened, I don't know. Must remember to drop him a note and ask about that now that my email is behaving a little better.
03-14-2006, 05:57 PM
Silverstreak

Did you get the chance ot look over the character? That is what I am trying to make in CODA and I can't seem to do it.
03-14-2006, 06:22 PM
Ergi

Unfortunately, without my PG at hand, I won't be able to be of much help here. However, I noticed that you might have more than just 18 advancements. Nontheless, your focus should lie on improving skills, not attributes. In my experience, player characters advanced faster than 1000 XP a year, so I think you should calculate the total number of ICON build points, substract the starting points and find a formula to convert the result to CODA advancements.
03-14-2006, 07:00 PM
PGoodman13

Something else you might be interested in: Conversion guidelines.
03-15-2006, 10:56 AM
PGoodman13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverstreak

Did you get the chance ot look over the character? That is what I am trying to make in CODA and I can't seem to do it.

I've looked her over briefly, but I'm still trying to get my ICON chops back. It looks like she's been a busy girl, though, so she might have more than a mere 18 advancements. She could easily be in the Sisko/Kira range, and that's around 40. I'll see what I can come up with sometime this week (I've got a 3-month-old child, so a lot of my free time has somehow evaporated...).
03-15-2006, 01:35 PM
Silverstreak

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGoodman13

I've looked her over briefly, but I'm still trying to get my ICON chops back. It looks like she's been a busy girl, though, so she might have more than a mere 18 advancements. She could easily be in the Sisko/Kira range, and that's around 40. I'll see what I can come up with sometime this week (I've got a 3-month-old child, so a lot of my free time has somehow evaporated...).

That's cool, I understand how real life can get in the way. Take your time.

As for the character, yeah, as I said I started playing it about 5, maybe 6 years ago now, whenever the ICON TNG book was released.

Now I want to use her as the NPC captain of the game I want to run in May using CODA rules.
03-15-2006, 01:45 PM
Tobian

It has to be said as well.. If you are just using the character as purelly a GM characher, which the players never get to see the stats of.. it doesn't really matter how many 'picks' she has... Just add the skills, stats, abilities and traits that you think suit her. Use comparable people to her as a basis for skill level - such as Sisko or Kira, as has been said, and tweak accordingly.

There are very few occasions you're going to actually need to have her make a skill roll, and you could just be arbitrary and assign a modifier number, as you saw fit.. So long as she is fleshed out as a story, stats are not so important!
03-15-2006, 01:48 PM
Silverstreak

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobian

It has to be said as well.. If you are just using the character as purelly a GM characher, which the players never get to see the stats of.. it doesn't really matter how many 'picks' she has... Just add the skills, stats, abilities and traits that you think suit her. Use comparable people to her as a basis for skill level - such as Sisko or Kira, as has been said, and tweak accordingly.

There are very few occasions you're going to actually need to have her make a skill roll, and you could just be arbitrary and assign a modifier number, as you saw fit.. So long as she is fleshed out as a story, stats are not so important!

I disagree, it's very important to know exactly what they can do, why cheat? I wouldn't like the players to do so and they shouldn't expect it of me.

Besides, I may want to play the character again.
03-16-2006, 12:05 AM
Ergi

If you do it as a GM it isn't cheating. Your primary goal should be that everyone is having a good time. Blowing a roll in the worst possible and most unlikely moment certainly won't increase the players' fun level. "Sorry, the captain rolled double ones during his routine diplomacy check. The alien fleet opens fire and that's, wait a second, 73 points of damage to your ship. What do you want to play next?" --- Not exactly my idea of fun. If bad things happen to the PCs, without a good reason and the possibility to counter the negative effects, your players will probably think that you are treating them unfairly.
03-16-2006, 12:08 AM
Silverstreak

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ergi

If you do it as a GM it isn't cheating. Your primary goal should be that everyone is having a good time. Blowing a roll in the worst possible and most unlikely moment certainly won't increase the players' fun level. "Sorry, the captain rolled double ones during his routine diplomacy check. The alien fleet opens fire and that's, wait a second, 73 points of damage to your ship. What do you want to play next?" --- Not exactly my idea of fun. If bad things happen to the PCs, without a good reason and the possibility to counter the negative effects, your players will probably think that you are treating them unfairly.

Again, I disagree. It gives a good idea of what the Captain's strength's and weaknesses are. Fudging a roll so the Captain doesn't fail is one thing, but to not bother writing one up fully with a list of skills is a detrement to the game.
03-16-2006, 12:54 AM
Ergi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverstreak

Again, I disagree. It gives a good idea of what the Captain's strength's and weaknesses are. Fudging a roll so the Captain doesn't fail is one thing, but to not bother writing one up fully with a list of skills is a detrement to the game.

Slightly off topic, but: Give me an example!

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