Character Creation

[WSmith]

Originally posted by AllenS


This game does a few things differently than it's two predecessors (which is not a bad thing at all, mind you), and one of those is not requiring you to roll up a lengthy service career for your character..you create the character, and then come up with a history as grandiose and filled with unlikely acts of heroism as your GM will let you get away with . That said, it does require a bit of a shift in thinking, as I am finding out. But given the game's desire to encompass not just Starfleet characters but civilians as well, it makes sense.

Allen

This system might actually be even better for Traveller than d20 is, (although the playtesters love T20.)

I have a question about gaining advencements later on during the game, as opposed to CharGen. How are they given out? Is it addressed in the PG or will that be in the NG only? Will the narrator detemrine what tasks get advancements? I am so used to the (kill monster / get XP / rinse & repeat until you level) model that I am trying to break out of.

[AllenS]

Originally posted by WSmith


This system might actually be even better for Traveller than d20 is, (although the playtesters love T20.)

I have a question about gaining advencements later on during the game, as opposed to CharGen. How are they given out? Is it addressed in the PG or will that be in the NG only? Will the narrator detemrine what tasks get advancements? I am so used to the (kill monster / get XP / rinse & repeat until you level) model that I am trying to break out of.

According to the book, you get an advancement for every 1,000 experience points.

Allen

[WSmith]

Originally posted by AllenS


According to the book, you get an advancement for every 1,000 experience points.

Allen

Humm. I wonder how XPs are given out. Now I am getting interested in getting the NG, also, when it comes out.

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by WSmith
Humm. I wonder how XPs are given out. Now I am getting interested in getting the NG, also, when it comes out.

That's covered in the NG. A whole chapter on it, actually.

[Lt. Dade]

<B>Re: Whole chapter on experience points</b>

Good. The cop-out we got from Star Wars D20 (for example) was extremely disappointing, and I'm looking forward to see what the hybrid thinking of the Decipher design studio comes up with. The combination of toolkit design with avant garde storytelling support makes me happy.

Regarding Advancements and their relationships to Tours of Duty, I'm learning (through the conversion of my existing crew of PCs to Coda) that it's easy to change the definition of any Advancement not just from character to character, but from Advancement to Advancement.

We dished out some extra Advancements to simulate the experience and backstories of the characters, and (roughly) tied the Advancements to periods in a character's life. (First three Advancements: my tour aboard the <I>Churchill</I>, for example)

The system very simply explains folks like "Tapestry"'s Lt. Picard as well as the young crew of the USS <I>Valiant</I> from DS9, who either manage to live years in Starfleet without managing much experience, or who long to go out and get it so that they can buy new skill levels, etc.

word,
will

(Think of the transporter operator from STIII, whining about the "back end of space.")

[Zavier]

While looking through the book I have yet to find a set path or process to create a character... I mean all the information is there but it's scattered about many chapters...

I would have thought that it would be nice to see list of the process, something like what was in the LUG books...

so far I find the process a bit confusing and will have to redo the character I made up already... but then maybe I should read the book more too... just have not had the time to sit down with it and read it through...

if anyone has some suggestions please post them...

BTW Love the book, except the Character Sheet (someone in the art dept needs their head examined, too busy)

[AslanC]

I agree, a one or two page Flow Chart with page numbers would be very helpful indeed

Otherwise though it looks good, in fact it looks great!

[Flamestrike]

Originally posted by Fesarius


In the USN, the most populous rank is lieutenant, at 16,670 (as of 2/2002). Followed by lieutenant commander (10,429). These two ranks outnumber all the others, put together. The US military has an "up or out" policy, which basically states that if you get passed over for promotion a certain number of times, you must leave. This is designed to keep new blood flowing in. It also serves to keep the middle ranks populated, since the promotion boards can pick and choose who they want for the higher ranks, without the demoralizing effect of "trapping" individuals in the lowest ranks because of slow promotion rates (a problem at many businesses).

Star Fleet probably has similar rules. An organization that trusts a machine capable of laying waste to a planet (almost any serious starship) is going to want to make sure only the best and brightest ever command.

LOL I'm awfully curious as to how Commander Riker would stand up to this policy.... What is it, three offers for his own captaincy now?

[Imagus]

Originally posted by Flamestrike
LOL I'm awfully curious as to how Commander Riker would stand up to this policy.... What is it, three offers for his own captaincy now?

I think his situation may be slightly different, in that he hasn't been "passed over" (i.e. considered by his superiors and then turned down), he actively refused commands. Despite a reference in the PG to some first officers being Captain in rank, he seems to have stayed at Commander as a result.

Of course, if I were the admiral offering him the command, I'd be getting really ticked off about his desire to stay out of the hotseat by now. I'd have put him in charge of Deep Space Station K-7 or something

[Doug Burke]

Originally posted by Zavier
While looking through the book I have yet to find a set path or process to create a character... I mean all the information is there but it's scattered about many chapters...

Actually, if you look at the summary on pages 20-21, and take all the steps from top to bottom on each page, that's all you need to make a new character. The chapters are even in the proper order for it (for the most part).

[RIsaacs]

If you look at the top of the two-page spread on pages 20-21, you'll also find a step-by-step list of how to create a character.

[tonyg]

Any chance of a quickie XP award chart to hold us over until the NG is released?

[Sea Tyger]

Quick question for fellow narrators here:

Given my Betazoid-Vulcan mixed-species example character in the "Errata" thread, how would you rule on the character's telepathic ability (should they choose it and not choose the mind meld ability)?

Since Vulcans are also psionic, would you allow a mixed character of this type to retain the Telepathy 2 skill, instead of the Empathic 2 skill recommended for half-Betazoids?

[AndorMan]

I'm not sure I understand what "Starship Duty" is for and how it functions. It says that for Starship Officer Elite Professions "This ability substitutes for all the prerequisites for entering that elite profession." OK...

First - Why do they even list Prerequisites if all you need to have is the Starship Duty Professional Ability.

Second - One of the prerequisites for all the Starship Officer Elite Professions is Starship Duty itself. So if you're not a Starship officer already, you'd need Adaptability (?), and once you have it, you don't need to meet the prerequisites anymore.



I'm not sure I get this. Can other non-Starship Officer professions take Starship Officer Elite Professions and if so, how does this work?

AndorMan
Looking for Andor in all the wrong places

[Greg Smith]

Don, Doug or Ross, could you please clarify about aquiring elite professions and the subsequent advancements (P155)?

It says, "When you enter an EP you must spent 5 advancement picks. In later advancements you can only spend picks on related professiona skills and abilities. You may not spend them on other elements (edges, atributes, etc). Your character has now joined the EP. During subsequent advancements, you may allocate your picks as normal."

The last sentence contradicts the rest of the paragraph. Does this mean the first advancement after selecting the profession must be used on skills for the EP, or are you committed for life (or until you select a new EP)?

Thanks.