Homeworld as Template

[BluWolf]

Have not read T20 yet but from what I have seen in the message traffic part of the character gen process involves selecting a homeworld to determine baseline characteristics such as some base skills and possibly feats.

Is the homeworld "profile" a template? If so are there or can you use the full range of possibilites to create custom templates??

I know the short answer is "you CAN do what ever you want". I guess my question is did the T20 designers INTEND for homeworld distinction to be a template with all that it implies?

 

[DrSkull]

The homeworld skills are really no big deal, since you have to spend skill points to get ranks in the skills anyway, it just might give you 1-2 minor skills class skills.

The only really big impact of the homeworld is the feats gained. It's nice not having to spend a feat for Wheeled or Grav vehicles (and getting Vac suit for free can be really sweet if your class doesn't include it).

I don't think it rises to the level of template.

 

[BluWolf]

OK, but I guess my next question is "why not"?

A homeworld template feature could address a whole range of possibilities. Examples;

Heavy worlder:

PC gains +2 to Str -2 Dex

Aquatic world:

PC gains +4 to swim check and can hold breath 3 X Con.

Noxious gas world

PC gains +4 Fort save versus inhaled poisons
Pc requires a breathing mask in any atmosphere other than his native. Failure to do so results in character being subject to drowning rules.

Just ideas off the top of my head.

Anyone??

 

[lord irial]

While I understand what you're saying, BluWolf, what you're basically describing is minor human races and other genetic/teratogenic adaptations to environment over time. In TU, it seems that these are generally handled as being seperate, or at least off-shoot, species rather than as Templates. The Luriani are aquatic humans, the Sydites, IIRC (I ain't got the book yet, dang it!) are supposed to be heavy-G adapted.

I think the assumption is that unless the Ancients seeded the race millions of years ago and gave it time to evolve (or helped it along), environmental factors have basically been so occluded by technology that Major Race humans don't adapt to the planet, but rather adapt the planet, or at least their habitations, to themselves.

I don't know if I'm saying this clearly, but hopefully that makes some sort of sense despite the run-on sentence.

 

[Bruce]

There is another factor here.

IF you have these templates..what happens when your character goes to a world that is like his home world? Do you have to re-do all the math for the bonus to STr and minus to Dex etc?

The heavy worlder would get the Str bonsu on lighter grav worlds...which mean most of the time those bonuses would be there..but there are so many different types of worlds that you'd have to have some kind fo CHART to keep track of your varying bonuses and penalties.

I would not want to re-do my Stats every time I went to a different world.

Bruce
The Man Behind the Curtain

 

[BluWolf]

Lord Irial, for the most part yes, this is what I'm Templates could also be sued to reflect cultural issues.

Low Tech worlder

PC will always suffer a -2 to any tech skill roll.

Caste Society

PC comes from a world with a very rigid caste culture and any "socially interactive" rolls with be affected. The you define what they are disdain, subservience...bla blabla..

I'm not all that familiar with the OTU and the more I read about it the more I'm not really impressed. I don't think its terrible, just more "close but not quite right" for what I would like to run.
So the idea of "adaptive evolutionary" differences being sort of glossed over I'm not neccessarily in agreemnet with. But that is a window dressing issue and not the meat of the subject.

Did the OTU make this assumption as a way of good story or as a convient way to streamline mechanics?

 

[lord irial]

Both your examples sound like the downsides of a couple of d20 Feats [i.e., Low Tech Worlder: +2 circumstance bonus to Charisma when dealing with other sophonts from worlds with TL <6; PC suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to any untrained tech skill roll.]

Similarly, I would do Heavy-G Adaptation and the like as a Feat, rather than as a Template. I would also say that physical stats would be affected by gravity and soupy atmospheres depending on current locality rather than your natural disposition. Anyone on a high-G world would be get a -2 or -4 circumstance penalty to Strength, but those with the Feats to overcome the problem fare better than those without. [Heavy-G Worlder: Prerequisite- Homeworld Size A+. Description- Your carrying capabality is that of a creature one size larger than you, or, if you are Medium or larger, increased by 25%. Circumstance penalties imposed on Strength and Endurance due to high gravity are halved for you, rounding down.]

Not all Feats have a downside, other than the fact that you have to use a Feat to get the benefit, but some of the more powerful Feats have either prerequisites or downsides or both. Then again, if you are from, say, a high-G world and don't take the Feat, your backstory could be something like "Oh, we lived in an area of artificially dampened G's," or "I was sickly, compared to most other folks at home."

Of course, again, I don't yet have the book, so I'm guessing on gravity effects, but this is how I'd do it. Your milage may vary.

 

[PapaGolfWhiskey]

Um...
yeah.
Heavy grav adaption is a feat (and I think a world feat for heavy worlders)

ditto low grav adaptation and Armour Proficiency: Vacc Suit for Vaccum worlders.

Rather than a template each world colours you character with some feats and some skills that are ALWAYs class skills for you.

The low tech bit is part of the barbarian package.
though you can also be a low tech army officer and learn swordsmanship and pikes instead of autopistol.