Alternate CT Character Generation System

[tbeard1999]

Heavily Revised 1-16-08

While many Traveller fans consider its random character generation system a strength, I do not care to force my players to play characters they don’t want to play. If a player wants to play a Marine commando, I see little benefit in forcing him to play a Navy doctor. That said, one significant benefit of Traveller’s character generation system is the fact that a character creates a history as well as a list of skills and attributes. What follows is my attempt to allow players to generate the characters they want, while preserving the background detail generated by the Classic Traveller system. In addition, this system eliminates the significant advantages found in Books 4+ character generation sequences. This system will work for MegaTraveller with minor modifications.

Procedure

1. Determine attributes by allocation method below. Alternatively, roll 2d6 six times and allocate the rolls to attributes as the player desires.

2. Choose pre-career options (if desired).

3. Choose career and number of terms served.

4. Allocate skill points and take benefits and liabilities.

5. Resolve aging.

6. Go to post-career college and/or graduate school if desired.

7. Character is ready to start play.

Attributes

You can roll the standard 2d6 and arrange the scores. However, to prevent “Longview Rolling” and to prevent luck from giving a character a significant advantage, I prefer to give the character the following numbers to arrange as the player sees fit: 12, 10, 8, 8, 6, 4.

Skills

Most skills work exactly as defined in Books 1, 4+ and Supplement 4. However, the Gun Combat skill of Book 4 is eliminated and replaced with Gun Combat as defined in Book 1. In other words, Gun Combat skill must be applied to specific weapons—autopistol, revolver, snub pistol, rifle, carbine, autorifle, SMG, shotgun, ACR, gauss rifle, gauss pistol, laser rifle, laser carbine, laser pistol, LAG, plasma gun, fusion gun, accelerator rifle, and auto shotgun.
Jack of all Trades always costs double skill points, if available for a particular career.

Careers

Each character can participate in one career for up to seven four-year terms. The character starts at age 18. For the first term, the character gets 3 skill points. For each additional term, the character gets 2 skill points. Characters must spend skill points to take the required skills for their career. The character also gets 2 benefits per term.

Skill Selection

Characters may choose any skills from the Core Skills and Secondary Skills list for their career, subject to the following limits/rules:

1. Characters may take one skill (other than Jack of All Trades) from any other career’s skills list.

2. Characters may take up to 2 Core Skills and can spend up to 5 skill points earned during a career on each Core skill. This limit is not affected by skill points spent as a result of pre-career or post-career options.

3. Characters may spend up to 2 skill points earned during a career on each Secondary skill taken. This limit is not affected by skill points spent as a result of pre-career or post-career options.

4. Characters must take a minimum number of different skills equal to the number of terms served.

5. Some skills have prerequisites, such as Edu 8+, or a certain special assignment (see Benefits below). Required attribute levels or assignments must be met at the end of Step 4 in the character generation process. If aging reduces attributes below the required level, the character still meets the attribute requirement for skill and benefit purposes. Example – Biff Redstone has an End of 10 and an Int of 8. He serves 4 terms and gets 8 benefit points. He wants to take the Naval SAS special assignment, which requires an End of 10 and an Int of 10. He spends 1 skill point and 2 benefit points to get +2 Int and qualifies for Naval SAS. Later on, aging reduces his End to 9. He still meets the End qualification for Naval SAS.

Benefit Points

Characters get 2 benefit points per term of service. Unless otherwise stated, each benefit below costs 1 benefit point and characters may choose a benefit multiple times. Some benefits have prerequisites (usually other benefits).

Characters may also keep unused benefit points for use during post-career options.

Optional Use of Benefit Points. If the Referee agrees, characters can save unused benefit points for use during games. An unused benefit point can generally be used to define a single die roll, after the roll has failed (or yielded an unsatisfactory result). If this option is used, the roll cannot be used to create a direct economic benefit that exceeds cr5,000 (such as betting cr10,000 on roulette and defining the Gambling roll to yield a 36-1 payoff).
Alternatively, the character may spend the benefit roll to get any benefit on the general benefits or special benefits chart. However, the referee may double the benefit point cost for cash and gear benefits.


(continued)

 

[tbeard1999]

(continued; heavily revised 1-18-07)

General Benefits

Every career may choose from this list of general benefits:

+1 to an attribute. Costs 2 benefit points. Only 6 benefit points can be spent on attributes.

Academic Degree—the character has a degree. If it’s a liberal arts degree, it’s in a course of study not covered by the skills list, earned while working in his career. A bachelor’s degree works as a skill level of 1, costs 1 benefit point and requires an Edu of 8+. A master’s degree works as a skill level of 2, costs 2 benefit points and requires an Edu of 9+. A doctorate works as a skill level of 3, costs 3 benefit points, and an Edu of 10+. A technical degree has the same Edu requirements as the liberal arts degree, but the character must also spend skill points to get a Technical skill at level 1 (for bachelor’s degree), level 2 (for master’s degree, or level 3 (for doctorate). So for a doctorate, the technical skill must be in the Core skills of the character’s career.

Attractive Feature—the character has some kind of attractive physical feature (pretty smile, deep voice, wavy hair, dimples, startlingly blue eyes, beauty mark, etc.) The feature can even be some kind of disfiguring wound that makes him look more dashing, romantic, mysterious or otherwise attractive. (At the risk of being sexist, it’s hard to imagine how this might benefit a female character.) At the referee’s discretion, each attractive feature modifies reaction rolls by +1.

Cash—cr20,000

Collectible—the character gets a rare collectible of uncertain (but high -- cr40K+) value. Referees may use these as adventure hooks.

Contact—the character establishes a relationship with a useful individual, usually in the character’s career.

Fame. Up to six points can be spent on this. The character did something that made him famous. The degree of fame depends on the number of benefit points spent—1 point is somewhat known; 2 is fairly well known and 3 is well known. Multiply cost by 1 if fame is limited to a single world, by 2 if limited to a cluster of about 5 worlds, by 3 if limited to a subsector. Typical sources of fame are singularly heroic acts, publication of a popular book, etc.

Favor—a powerful NPC or organization owes the character a favor.

Gadgets—the character gets devices worth up to cr10,000 per benefit point. The device may be rare, illegal or otherwise difficult to obtain. Common Gadgets are military class weapons, intrusion kits, etc. Illegal drugs may also be taken as Gadgets.

High Passage—these are passage warrants (see my previous post on these for details).

Illiquid Asset—the character owns a valuable asset that he can’t easily sell for its full value. Examples might be a family estate, a house, an expensive racing animal, an exotic sports car, etc. The value of the asset will be from cr50,000 to cr200,000 per benefit point expended. The asset should be very hard to sell or borrow money on. The harder it is to liquidate, the more valuable it should be. An inheritance might be an Illiquid Asset; the character has to wait until someone dies before he gets it.

Pension—character gets a monthly pension of cr100 per for life per benefit point.

Trinket—the character gets a minor item (value cr300 or less) appropriate to his career. A bureaucrat might get a watch or fountain pen, a soldier might get an old service revolver, etc. 1 benefit point will get 2 trinkets. Referees may require trinkets for certain careers.

Special Benefits

Special Benefits are limited to certain careers:

Award or Medal—character gets a citation for meritorious conduct. 1 benefit point gets the equivalent of a Meritorious Conduct Under Fire medal; 2 benefit points gets a Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry; 3 points gets a Starburst for Extreme Heroism. Any military character may also take one Purple Heart for free. Additional Purple Hearts are 2 for one benefit point.

Commission—character is commissioned as an officer in his career and receives a rank of O1. Careers like Army, Marines, Navy, and Scouts have enlisted ranks that do not require commissions.

Honors Graduate. Available for College, Academy, Medical School and Law School graduates. Each gives a +1 reaction bonus to anyone who should be impressed by such things.

Promotion—character is promoted one rank.

Ship—character gets a ship. Costs 2 benefit points. For ships that are financed, each additional Ship benefit taken will eliminate 10 years of payments (referee’s discretion on this benefit).

Skill—character gets one level in the indicated skill. Costs 2 benefit points (4 for Jack of All Trades). Only 4 benefit points can be spent on skills.

Special Assignment—character is assigned to special duty, such as military intelligence, commandoes. This usually makes additional skills available and will often be a mark of distinction.

Service in an Elite Unit Character serves in an elite formation such as the 82nd Mobile Infantry division, the Coldstream Guards Assault Regiment or the 3rd Air Cavalry Regiment. Service in an elite unit provides a +1 reaction modifier to any current or former member of the character’s career and a +2 reaction modifier to any current or former member of the elite unit.

Travellers’ Aid Society—costs 2 benefit points. Character gets a membership in the Travellers’ Aid Society (in my campaigns, the TAS does not give a free high passage every other month; if it does in your campaigns, the cost should be 6+ benefit points).

Liabilities

A character can take liabilities to get additional benefit points.

Debt—the character is in debt to a powerful individual or group to the tune of cr10,000 per benefit point received. Interest—probably high interest—will accrue on this debt going forward. The creditor may declare the debt in default at any time and proceed with collection activities.

Enmity—the character has made a significant enemy. Really powerful enemies might be worth 2 or 3 benefit points.

Dishonor—some significant stain on the character’s honor exists. Typical examples would include a dishonorable discharge, a public scandal, etc.

Favor—the character owes a favor to a powerful individual or group. The group may call in the favor at any time and the character cannot easily refuse.

Troublesome Relative/Friend—the character has a family member or friend that will typically get into some kind of serious trouble once per year. The character, of course, has a strong personal compulsion to help him or her out.

Unattractive Feature. The character has some kind of unattractive physical feature (high pitched voice, acne, crooked teeth, nasty scar, etc.) At the referee’s discretion, each unattractive feature modifies reaction rolls by -1.

Aging

During the aging phase, the character must lose 1 point from two physical attributes -- Str, Dex or End -- for every term after the 4th that the character went through. The player chooses which attributes are affected.

(continued)

 

[far-trader]

I hate being one of "those" didn't read it but... posters I promise I will get back to this when I have a little more time. I am always interested in OTU ideas like this...

I prefer to give the character the following numbers to arrange as the player sees fit: 12, 10, 8, 8, 6, 4.

I just wanted to quickly share with you my own "default characteristics" method. I typically use < 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 4 > myself as a better representation of averages. Though if Nobles are important to the game I will use < 11, 8, 7, 7, 6, 3 > and you can guess where the 3 goes most of the time

It's fairer and faster than rolling, I call it "every sophont is born equal" since they all start with the same rolls, just different choices. But it does tend to reduce the variations.

 

[tbeard1999]

I hate being one of "those" didn't read it but... posters I promise I will get back to this when I have a little more time. I am always interested in OTU ideas like this...



I just wanted to quickly share with you my own "default characteristics" method. I typically use < 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 4 > myself as a better representation of averages. Though if Nobles are important to the game I will use < 11, 8, 7, 7, 6, 3 > and you can guess where the 3 goes most of the time

It's fairer and faster than rolling, I call it "every sophont is born equal" since they all start with the same rolls, just different choices. But it does tend to reduce the variations.

Oh, I agree that you can come up with different sets of numbers. I like to give the players a somewhat better than average character for 2 reasons. First, my games tend to be rather dangerous--people die and a 33% kill ratio in one game is not unheard of (more typical is probably 17%-25% per game). So they need all the help they can get. Second, I prefer to give my players a *choice* of rolling the dice or taking the standard set of numbers. No reasonable player would take the dice over my set of numbers.

But regardless of the precise set of values used, I think that the approach has much to commend it. I use it in all of my RPGs with random character generation.

 

[pendragonman]

An interesting premise. So, the players choose which skill they want off each relevant list?

Am I understanding this right?

A 7 term Marine would have 15 skill points to spend, and could then take two core group skills at level 7 and a secondary skill at level one?

Is there some other skill level restriction? I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure that I don't want to GM a character with Cutlass 7 and Brawling 7.

Yes, that would make the character pretty one dimensional, but you wanna do hand to hand with him?

And does this system replace everything but the enlistment/survival/promo/reenlist roles or are those different too.

 

[tbeard1999]

An interesting premise. So, the players choose which skill they want off each relavent list?

Am I understanding this right?

A 7 term Marine would have 15 skill points to spend, and could then take two core gourp skills at level 7 and a secondary skill at level one?

Is there some other skill level restriction? I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure that I don't want to GM a character with Cutlass 7 and Brawling 7.

Yes, that would make the character pretty one dimmensional, but you wanna do hand to hand with him?

You are correct in your understanding of the system. As you note, the system could be used to create a very one dimensional character (a problem with most systems that allow players to totally control character generation). However, I'd not have a problem GMing him as he's hardly overwhelming. He'd be in a lot of trouble in a firefight, it seems to me. Bringing a cutlass to a gunfight and all that.

And he'd be useless in anything but a close quarters fight. If one of my players was willing to run such a character, I'd let him (though in fairness, I'd caution him that the character may not have a lot to do most of the time).

Also, he'd lose a total of 6 points from his physical attributes due to aging, so he'd have to be careful to allocate his physical

I'd toyed with only allowing one skill to be at 3+, but I think that I'd want characters to be able to be really good at two things. That would allow thoughtful players to be excellent at one combat activity and one non-combat activity, for example.

If allowing the character above gives you heartburn, you could limit skills to a maximum of level 5. He'd still be a close combat diva, but he'd have to take some other skills. To round out the close assault meme, I'd take the required Gun Combat-1 (probably SMG), Medical-2 [Edu permitting], Recon-1, and maybe Demolitions-1 or even a second Gun combat skill (probably snub pistol). He'd spend some of his 14 benefit points on a special assignment in the Commandos, getting his Edu up to what's necessary for Medical-2 and perhaps a doctorate in philosophy (for that Patrick Swayze "Roadhouse" effect).

An alternative approach might be to require that a character take a minimum number of different skills. Say, half the number of terms served plus one, rounded up. In that case, your Marine would need to take five different skills, which would round him out a bit.

 

[pendragonman]

I don't know about you, but I could easily role-play that Brawling 7 cutlass 7 monstrosity thru a firefight, and quite well. As you know, have skill-0 in weapons is not necessarily bad, just no bonuses.

The chart you give means that the example would lose 6 points of physical stats. Creative use of the benefits can counter much of the aging issues or skill shortages. With 14 bene points that is 3 points of stat and two skills for 10 plus a commision, 2 promotions and a favor.

I like the idea of min # of skills chosen like you show, and coupling that with a max level of 5 overall would really broaden and deepen the non-main skills.

Our example would then have at least
brawling-5, cutlass-5, str-1, end-1, Revolver-1, Demo-1, Leader-1

The bene section fixes 3 of the lost stat points, 3 skill point fix the other 3.

So the marine in our example is a Major, with the above skills, with the stats he started with, and he has some powerful NPC (politician, a general, perhaps an arms dealer) that owes him one. Not bad.

Now, when you figure that most Marine characters are not well skilled outside the ground combat arena (or z-g combat arena) the above guy is eminently playable.

 

[Foxroe]

Or you could limit the maximum possible skill level based on terms served (i.e. max skill level is [1+terms/2] rounded up).

I used to have a similar "house rule" when I played back in the day. I would just allow players to pick the skills off of the lists instead of roll. But as you note, the levels tend to get high (if not narrow in focus), so we would always end up going back to just rolling the characters normally. We would roll a few characters each, pick the ones we liked best, and turn the others over to the GM for use as NPC's... sorta kept everyone happy.

(PS: I'm not saying your system isn't do-able; it's a great house rule.)

- Fox

 

[tbeard1999]

I don't know about you, but I could easily role-play that Brawling 7 cutlass 7 monstrosity thru a firefight, and quite well. As you know, have skill-0 in weapons is not necessarily bad, just no bonuses.

The chart you give means that the example would lose 6 points of physical stats. Creative use of the benefits can counter much of the aging issues or skill shortages. With 14 bene points that is 3 points of stat and two skills for 10 plus a commision, 2 promotions and a favor.

I like the idea of min # of skills chosen like you show, and coupling that with a max level of 5 overall would really broaden and deepen the non-main skills.

Our example would then have at least
brawling-5, cutlass-5, str-1, end-1, Revolver-1, Demo-1, Leader-1

The bene section fixes 3 of the lost stat points, 3 skill point fix the other 3.

So the marine in our example is a Major, with the above skills, with the stats he started with, and he has some powerful NPC (politician, a general, perhaps an arms dealer) that owes him one. Not bad.

Now, when you figure that most Marine characters are not well skilled outside the ground combat arena (or z-g combat arena) the above guy is eminently playable.

I'm agreeing with you on the skills. While I might be willing to let such a character in my game, my game would probably not be improved by such one dimensional characters. The reality is that as idle hands are the devil's workshop, so it is with idle player characters.

I'll edit the post accordingly to limit the core skills to two with a maximum level of 5 (the rest being limited to 2+) and a requirement to take 1+terms/2 (round up) in separate skills.

 

[atpollard]

Or you could limit the maximum possible skill level based on terms served (i.e. max skill level is [1+terms/2] rounded up).

Ironically, after reading S4's discussion on Experience in CT, I realized that "maximum skill level = (1+terms/2) " is exactly what the experience rules would allow if you were to play out every term starting at your 18th birthday. In summary, at 18 you could attempt to learn 2 skills and would be able to use them at Skill-1 immediately. After 4 years (age 22), they could become permanent but you would be unable to improve them for another 4 years. Thus at age 22, you could have 2 skills at permanent level-1 and 2 additional skills at temporary level-1. After another 4 years (age 26), the second pair of skills could become permanent and you could attempt to improve the first pair of skills again. Thus at age 26 (after completing two terms), you could have 2 skills at permanent level-1 and 2 additional skills at temporary level-2. Thus the "max=terms/2". The "1+" comes from the fact that some careers start learning at age 14 and some careers offer an initial 'bonus skill'.

 

[tbeard1999]

(continued; heavily edited 1-18-2007)

Pre-Career Options (Optional)

Pre-career options are available. Each option takes 1 term and counts as the first career term for purposes of determining skills and benefit points. Skill points in pre-career options can be spent to raise skills as high as desired.

College requires (a) one term; and (b) Edu 6+, Soc 8+ or Int 8+. The character has two options. The Bachelor of Arts option gives the character one benefit point and 3 skill points for the term, plus a bachelor’s degree in a non-skill field (examples would include History, Political Science, Music, Literature, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Business, etc.) The Bachelor of Sciences option gives the character 1 benefit point for the term, a bachelor’s degree in a skilled field, and 3 skill points. One skill point must be spent on technical skills, the remainder on technical skills or college skills. The character can spend the remaining benefit point on being an Honors Graduate if he chooses. A character can attend College after completing his career. If he does so, he gets 2 skill points instead of 3.

Technical Skills
Broker
Medical
Engineering
Gravitics
Electronics
Navigation
Mechanical
Computer

College Skills
Carousing
Streetwise
Admin
Vehicle
Equestrian
Instruction
Steward
Brawling
Blade Combat

Service Academies

Service academies consume a full term and are normally available only for the first term. There are 3 service academies—the Army Academy, the Naval Academy and the Marine Academy (in reality, this is the Naval Academy, but will be treated separately from the Naval academy).

A character can be an Honors Graduate if he chooses, but will have to spend a future benefit point earned during his later career.

A character who graduates from a service academy may choose to (a) join the applicable service; or (b) go to Medical School or Law School.

If the character joins the service, he must take the Commission benefit.

If the character goes to Medical School or Law School, he must qualify. After graduation from Medical School or Law School, he must then choose the applicable service. He must take a Commission and one Promotion.

Army Academy requires End 8+ and either Edu 8+ or Int 10+. The character gets no benefit points and 3 skill points. He must spend 1 skill point on Gun Combat. He may spend 1 point on a College Skill or Technical Skill. He must spend the remaining skill points on Army career core skills.

Naval Academy requires End 8+ and either Edu 8+ or Soc 10+. The char-acter gets no benefit points, +2 Soc and 2 skill points. He may spend 1 point on a College Skill or Technical Skill. He must spend the remaining skill points on Navy career core skills.

Naval Academy (Marines) requires End 8+ and either Edu 8+ or Soc 10+. The character gets no benefit points, +2 Soc and 2 skill points. He may spend 1 point on a College Skill or Technical Skill. He must spend the remaining skill points on Marine career core skills.

Technical College. Many careers (Merchants or Flyers for instance) have colleges that offer custom curriculum for that field. Such colleges last 1 term. The character gets 1 benefit point, a bachelor’s degree in the applicable field and 3 skill points. 1 skill point can be spent on College Skills; the remainder must be spent on Core Skills for the career in question.

Graduate school will consume a full term. Prerequisite is a bachelor’s degree (any kind). Note that Graduate School does not have the same Edu requirement as the Academic Degree benefit. The character will receive 1 benefit point and 2 skill points. He will receive a liberal arts Master’s degree or a sciences Master’s degree. The Master of Arts degree is taken in a non-skill field. The Master of Sciences degree is taken in a technical field. At least 1 skill point must be taken in a technical skill.

If the character chooses to spend his remaining benefit point on a Doctoral degree, he gets a doctorate in a non-skill field (for a Doctor of Arts degree) or a doctorate in a technical field (for a Doctor of Sciences degree). In the latter case, the character’s remaining skill point must be spent on a Technical skill.

The character can be an Honors Graduate in any degree if he chooses, but will have to spend future benefit points earned during his later career if he lacks the benefits points at this stage.

A character can attend Graduate School after completing his career. He can be an honors graduate by spending an unused benefit point.

Medical School takes up one term and requires graduation from College, Int 10+ and (a) Edu 10+; (b) Int 12+ and Edu 8+; or (c) being an Honors Graduate from College or a service academy. The character gets no benefit points or skill points. He gets a Doctor of Medicine degree and Medical-3. If he joins a military service, he must take the Commission benefit and Promotion benefit. The character can be an Honors Graduate if he chooses, but will have to spend a future benefit point earned during his later career. A Medical School graduate can either attend Law School (if he otherwise qualifies) or join a Career.

Law School takes up a second term and requires graduation from College, Int 8+ and (a) Edu 10+; (b) Int 12+; or (c) being an Honors Graduate from College or a service academy. The character gets no benefit points and 2 skill points. He gets a Doctor of Law degree, Legal-1, and can spend the remaining two skill points on Legal, Admin and Bribery skills. If he joins a military service, he must take the Commission benefit and Promotion benefit. The character can be an Honors Graduate, but will have to spend a future benefit point earned later. A Law School graduate can either attend Medical School (if he otherwise qualifies) or join a Career. A Law School graduate can add Legal to the core skills and secondary skills lists of any career he chooses.

The character can be an Honors Graduate if he chooses, but will have to spend a future benefit point earned during his later career.

Careers

I'll start with the Army, Navy and Marines. I’ll publish additional careers later. However, you can sketch additional careers by following these guidelines. Core skills are skills listed at least twice in the Classic Traveller skill charts for that career. Secondary skills are all other skills that appear in the Classic Traveller skill charts for that career. Special benefits should reflect the Classic Traveller Mustering Out benefits table.

Army

Core Skills
Battle Dress
Blade Cbt
Brawling
Combat EngineerE
FA Gunnery
Fwd Obs
Gun Cbt
Heavy Weapons
Tactics*
Vehicle

Secondary Skills
All Core Skills
Admin*
Air Raft
Bribery(I)
Carousing
Computer*
Demolitions(C or E)
Electronics
Forgery(I)
Gambling
Instruction
Interrogation(I)
Leader*
Mechanical
Medical*
Recon
Recruiting
Streetwise(I)
Survival
Water Craft
Zero-G Combat
+1 Str
+1 Dex
+1 End
+1 Edu

Required Skills
1 non-pistol or shotgun Gun Combat skill level

Notes
*Edu 8+ required to take this skill.
(I) Must take Intelligence special assign-ment to get this skill
(C) Must take Commandos special as-signment to get this skill
(E) Must serve in Combat Engineers to get this skill

Special Benefits
Special Assignment: Commandoes
Special Assignment: Army Intelligence
+1 Int
+1 Edu
+1 Soc if rank O5+
Commission
Medal
Promotion
Service in Elite Unit (Mobile Infantry)
Service in Elite Unit (Rangers)
Service in Elite Unit (Air Cavalry)
Service in Elite Unit (Combat Engineers)

Marines
Requires: End 8+

Core Skills
Battle Dress
Blade Cbt
Brawling
Combat Engineer
FA Gunnery
Fwd Obs
Heavy Weapons
Leader*
Vacc Suit
Zero-G Combat

Secondary Skills
All Core Skills
Admin*
Bribery
Commo
Computer*
Demolitions(C)
Electronics
Forgery
Gambling
Instruction
Interrogation(I)
Mechanical
Medical*
Recon(C)
Recruiting
Streetwise(I)
Survival
Tactics
Vehicle
+1 Str
+1 Dex
+1 End

Required Skills
1 non-pistol or shotgun Gun Combat skill level
Cutlass-1
Revolver-1 if rank O1+

Notes
*Edu 8+ required to take this skill.
(I) Must take Intelligence special assign-ment to get this skill
(C) Must take Commandos special as-signment to get this skill

Special Mustering Out Benefits
+1 Int
+1 Edu
Travellers Aid Society
+1 Soc if rank O5+
Special Assignment: Commando
Special Assignment: Marine Intelligence
Commission
Medal

Navy

Core Skills
Admin*
Engineering
Fleet Tactics
Gravitics
Gunnery
Medical*(M)
Navigation*
Pilot*
Ship’s Boat
Ship’s Tactics
Vacc Suit
+1 SOC

Secondary Skills
All Core Skills
Blade Cbt
Brawling
Bribery(I)
Carousing
Commo
Computer*
Electronics
Forgery(I)
Fwd Obs
Gambling
Gun Cbt
Instruction
Interrogation(I)
Jack-o-T
Leader
Medical*
Streetwise(I)
Vehicle
Zero-G Combat
+1 STR
+1 DEX
+1 END
+1 INT
+1 EDU

Required Skills
+1 Soc if rank O4+
+1 Soc if rank O6

Notes
*Edu 8+ required to take this skill.
(I) Must take Naval Intelligence special assignment to get this skill
(C) Must serve in Naval SAS to get this skill.
(M) If Pre-Career options are being used, the character must attend Medical School to take this skill as a core skill. If the character does not attend Medical school, the skill can still be taken as a Secondary skill. If Pre-Career options are not being used, this is not a core skill.

Special Benefits
+1 Int
+1 Edu
+1 Soc if rank O5+
Travellers’ Aid Society
Commission
Medal
Promotion
Service in Elite Unit (Naval SAS) Requires End 10+ and Int 10+.

 

[tbeard1999]

I've heavily edited the original 2 posts, which required me to stretch into a third post. The changes are:

1. Added Navy.

2. Added optional pre-career and post-career options like College, Graduate School, Medical School, Law School and military academies. Note that higher education will allow characters to (maybe) have a third skill at level 3+ and will theoretically allow characters to get to level 6 in a single skill.

3. Refined the language regarding limits on skill levels. Eliminated rule limiting skill levels to terms served (it's redundant with the other changes made).

4. Simplified rules for minimum number of different skills.

5. Clarified Core Skills limits and clarified that secondary skills include core skills.

6. Added some new optional options for benefit points.

7. Clarified and simplified minimum attribute requirements and interaction with aging.

8. Doubled cash and gadget benefit values to comport with Book 1 averages.

 

[pendragonman]

A question arises from reading the above. Why would someone want to lose a bene point to get commisioned, promoted, or earning a medal? What sort of advantage is there? Are they just for character color?

Should not those things be just something that happens, rather than costing a bene point?

 

[tbeard1999]

Scouts, Merchants and Other

Scouts

Core Skills
Engineering*
Jack-o-T
Mechanical
Medical(M)
Navigation
Pilot
Vacc Suit

Secondary Skills
All Core Skills
Bribery
Carousing
Commo
Computer*
Electronics
Equestrian
Forgery
Gambling
Gun Cbt
Gunnery
Liason
Recon
Ship’s Boat
Streetwise
Survey
Survival
+1 STR
+1 DEX
+1 END
+1 INT
+1 EDU

Required Skills
1 level of Pilot skill

Notes
*Edu 8+ required to take this skill.
(M)If Pre-Career options are being used, the character must attend Medical School to take this skill as a core skill. If the character does not attend Medical school, the skill can still be taken as a Secondary skill. If Pre-Career options are not being used, this is not a core skill.

Special Benefits
Commission
Promotion
+1 Int
+1 Edu
Ship

Merchants

Core Skills
Broker
Medical(M)
Navigation*
Pilot
Steward
Trader
Vacc Suit

Secondary Skills
All Core Skills
Admin
Blade Cbt
Bribery
Carousing
Commo
Computer*
Electronics
Engineering*
Gravitics
Gun Cbt
Gunnery
Jack-o-T
Legal
Liason
Mechanical
Naval Architect
Ship’s Boat
Ship’s Tactics
Streetwise
Vehicle
Zero-G Combat
+1 STR
+1 DEX
+1 END

Required Skills
1 level of Pilot skill if O4+

Notes
*Edu 8+ required to take this skill.
(M)If Pre-Career options are being used, the character must attend Medical School to take this skill as a core skill. If the character does not attend Medical school, the skill can still be taken as a Secondary skill. If Pre-Career options are not being used, this is not a core skill.

Special Benefits
Commission
Promotion
+1 Int
+1 Edu
Ship

Other

Core Skills
Blade Combat
Brawling
Carousing
Electronics
Forgery*
Gambling
Intrusion
Stealth
Streetwise

Secondary Skills
All Core Skills
Bribery
Computer*
Gun Cbt
Jack-o-T*
Mechanical
Medical*
Steward
Streetwise
Vehicle
+1 STR
+1 DEX
+1 END

Required Skills
None

Notes
*Edu 8+ required to take this skill.

Special Benefits
+1 Int
+1 Edu

 

[tbeard1999]

A question arises from reading the above. Why would someone want to lose a bene point to get commisioned, promoted, or earning a medal? What sort of advantage is there? Are they just for character color?

Should not those things be just something that happens, rather than costing a bene point?

The referee is expected to flesh out the advantages that accrue from benefits like promotions, medals, etc. Medals would provide reaction roll bonuses in interactions with those who should be impressed by such things --military personnel, etc. Promotions would provide residual benefits, such as contacts with service personnel, maybe reserve commissions, etc. Of course, some ranks are prerequisites for other benefits like increases in Social Status and getting starships.

However, it is probable that the military would require a character to be promoted a minimum number of times or he wouldn't be retained. A 42 year old Army lieutenant is hard to imagine. So I'd suggest that Army, Navy, Sailors, Marines and Flyers be required to take Promotions equal to the number of terms served minus 1. Of course, this may not be applicable to small, professional militaries -- in the pre-WWII US military, and pre-Civil War military men often served for 20+ years before reaching O4 (Lt. Colonel ). The modern trend, though has been for there to be an "up or out" attitude. And in many societies -- 19th century Britain for instance, a certain Social Standing would have been required for officer ranks (rank + 5; minimum of Soc 8 required).