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Character Creation

Some of the folks on here that aren't big D&D or D20 players have said that character creation takes some getting used to in T20, especially when you have to continually reference the D&D PHB. With that in mind I've worked up a summary taking the pertinant info from each book. You could probably get away without the PHB with this summary but that would be dishonest and I would *never* approve, so obviously you will all go out and buy the PHB anyway, won't you?

Hope this is useful.

Shane

Creating a Character:

1) Concept, race, etc.

2) Roll Attributes (PHB pg 7 - 8):

Roll 4d6, take the highest 3. Total.
Repeat 8 times.
Allocate as desired amongst the attributes (not PSI).
Fill in attribute modifiers.

3) Racial details (THB pg 22 - 30):

Apply racial modifiers, alter attribute modifiers as needed.
Note down traits such as special abilities and base speed.

4) Homeworld (THB pg 30 - 33):

Modify Education, alter EDU modifier if needed.
Fill in homeworld Skill(s) and Feat(s).

5) Starting character class (THB pg 34 - 61, PHB pg 22):

Choose class (starting requirements may apply).
Fill in starting class Feats.
Choose starting skills **
- 1 point per rank for Class skills and Homeworld skills.
- 1 point per *half* rank for cross-class skills.
- Exclusive skills may not be chosen unless class skills.
- Maximum Ranks equal to level + 3 (half that for cross-class).
Choose starting Feats **
- Starting Feats given by class.
- All level 1 characters get 1 Feat (choose).
- Bonus Feats by class (if applicable).
Note Base Attack Bonus and Base Saves.
Fill in starting stamina (default in D20 is maximum at lvl 1).
Note starting funds.

** These two steps are interchangable so you can juggle Feats and Skills until you are happy.

>>>> At this point you have a level 1, starting age PC. You must decide whether to continue through terms, or begin now. If you choose to begin now, buy starting equipment from starting funds and calculate all bonuses, etc on the sheet.

6) Prior History (THB 120 - 143):

The age table on THB pg 120 indicates the maximum number of terms you may serve in Prior History.

6.1) Education (optional step, requirements apply)
a) Check admission
b) Check graduation, increase EDU (if applicable)
c) Check for honours, increase EDU (if applicable)
d) Choose OTC (Bachelor's degree only, optional)
e) Add xp as required
f) Increase age (as applicable), apply affects
g) Apply experience (see step 7 below)
h) Repeat (a) to (g) as needed for different degrees / level

6.2) Employment
a) Choose class prior history to undertake
- Choose only classes you have a level in or a service class history
- For service class history you must meet the class entry requirement
b) Roll for survival, commission, etc and add xp as applicable
c) Apply experience (see step 7, below)
d) Check for continued employment / reenlistment
- Roll of 20 on the die indicates another term is required
- Less than the DC means no further prior history in that class is possible
- You may stop if a 20 is not rolled, or continue if you are able
- If you stop go to step 8, Mustering Out

7) Apply experience (PHB 144 - 146, changes on THB 34 - 35):

Check your current experience total against the chart on TNB pg 35. If you have sufficient experience to advance a level or more you must decided whether to continue in your current class, or to multi-class.
If you choose to multi-class you must ensure you meet the requirements of the class you are choosing. If you wish to multi-class into a service class you may only do so if you have served a term in the prior history of that service class. You may only advance in a service class as long as you continue to remain in that prior history (but this is not required, so a Naval Administrator could advance in the Academic class or Navy class whilst in the Navy prior history to reflect his Navy time, but if that character undertakes prior history in another class, such as Academic, you could no longer choose Navy levels). This restriction on advancement does not apply to Scouts.

a) Increase level in desired class by 1 (requirements apply, see above)
b) If level 4, 8, 12, 16 or 20 increase 1 attribute by 1 point.
c) Choose Skills
- Costs as per class / cross-class of class you are advancing in
d) If levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 or 18 choose a Feat.
e) Add any class abilities and Bonus Feats.
f) Roll for stamina.
g) Alter Base Attack Bonus and Saves as applicable.

Repeat these steps for every level, then return to the relevant prior history.

8) Mustering Out (THB pg 126 - 127):

Check for age effects (THB pg 114-116)
- Determine age category
- Apply age effects (cumulative for multiple categories)
Total up number of benefits
Roll benefits (maximum of 3 on cash)
Note pension (if applicable)

9) End

Erm, that’s the end.
 
So basically, the only thing you really need the PHB for is to know how many dice to roll for your attributes?!
 
Originally posted by Evil Dr Ganymede:
So basically, the only thing you really need the PHB for is to know how many dice to roll for your attributes?!
:D
That and "how" to level up. By the D20/SRD license those two things must be left out so that the player has to reference (ie buy) a copy of PHB.

William
 
Correct.

T20: The Traveller's Handbook is catered toward the d20 audience who have one of Wizards' core rulebooks, just as GURP: Traveller is for GURP audience.

Actually, the d20 System Trademark License is being applied here. The System Reference Document (which falls under the Open Gaming License) do not other than being a developer's toolkit.
 
So that's how a character is created.

Still doesn't tell me how to play, and since the Great Shane Mclean isn't available, I can't really ask, now, can I?
 
One of the persistent problems with Traveller as a whole is that it is "too big". The framework of the rules is present in multiple editions, but "what do I do with them?" is a question answered much less often. Traveller isn't the only game with this problem, by the way, but is among the oldest.

With that in mind, could you focus your request?
 
Adding a little bit more on where to find this character creation material would be good. I had to ask a d20 gamer to find the method of building a character.

Savage
 
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