Going to try keeping this going for another week. This time out, Catalyst Game Labs' MechWarrior Destiny, one of the BattleTech RPGs. BattleTech is on a renaissance right now, with a popular video game, a successful Kickstarter campaign to get a new edition with new miniatures, and an extensive fandom. And, yes, one of the RPGs. Prior to Destiny was A Time of War, which had an extensive and involved character creation method. Destiny kept the lifepath setup from A Time of War but simplified character creation by reducing the number of points to spend on drastically.
MechWarrior Destiny uses the Cue System, the same system used in the Valiant Universe Roleplaying Game, as seen with Nasty and Ringette. There are differences between the games, reflecting the source material. But the system does make character creation easier and faster. Since this will get long, the meat will appear after the break.
There are thirteen steps to creating a character in Destiny. Seems like a lot, but, some of the steps are just choices, without having to work out numbers or skills. I will have to decide on an era of play now, though. BattleTech has several era, from the Star League, including the Aramis Civil War, from 2750-2775, the various succession wars, including the Third Succession War ending in 3025, the Fourth Succession Wars started at the wedding of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner in 3039, the Clan Invasion of about 3050, the new Star League and the ComStar Civil War from 3058-3067, and the Word of Blake Jihad of 3067, and beyond. There's a lot of room for any type of game. However, for this post, I'll use 3025, the default given in Destiny.
1) Character Theme
Essentially a quick description of the character. I want to work with a noble from the Magistracy of Canopus, one of the nations in the Periphery. The idea right now is that she is trying to prove herself worthy of being a noble in the realm. Canopus doesn't have hereditary nobility, technically, but passing something from mother to daughter will still happen. This character, though, wants to earn her title. The character also needs a name; I'll go with Catalina Francesca Mendoza y Romero. For tags, I'll use MechWarrior, Officer, Dedicated, Social, and Loyal.
2) Faction
The nation the character is from. I've already chosen for Catalina; she's from the Magistracy of Canopus.
3) Experience Level
Normally chosen by the GM or the group in general, for this example, I'll go with Regular. Catalina isn't fresh from the academy, but she doesn't have the experience that a front line MechWarrior from the Federated Suns would have. Regular characters have five Attribute points, twelve Skill points, two weapons, and two Hardware points.
4) Attribute Points
All Attributes start at 1. There are five attributes, Strength (STR), Reflexes (RFL), Willpower (WIL), Intelligence (INT), and Charisma (CHA). There is also a special attribute, Edge (EDG) that also starts at 1. The cost to increase an Attribute is 1, except for EDG, which costs 2. Catalina will bump up RFL, WIL, and INT to 2, costimg three points total, and CHA to 3, for another two points.
I can now also set Catalina's condition monitors. With a STR of 1, she needs to mark two pips off the first row and off the second on her Physical Damage Track. With her WIL of 2, she needs to mark two pips off the first row and one pip off the second of her Fatigue Damage Track. Catalina will need to not get hit, really.
5) Skill Points
Skill levels will be bought at a one-for-one rate, so a skill of 2 will cost 2 points total. I will have to get a Knowledge skill, a catch-all representing background and career. The twelve points get spent as follows:
Gunnery (BattleMech) 1
Knowledge (Spanish) 2
Leadership 1
Piloting (BattleMech) 2
Protocol 3
Small Arms 1
Tactics 2
6) Traits
Catalina gets one positive and one negative and can take a second positive as long as she takes another negative. I'll start with Attractive for the positive with the negative being Animal Antipathy. While Rank is tempting, I don't see her being in command of a unit yet.
7) Life Modules
There are three modules to be chosen - Childhood, Higher Education, which is optional, and Real Life. For Catalina's Childhood, I'll take Nobility, getting a +1 to her Protocol. For Higher Education, Catalina gets Family Training, as the Magistracy won't get a proper military academy until 3058, resulting in a +1 to Leadership. Finally, for Real Life, Catalina gets Tour of Duty, giving her a +1 to Gunnery (BattleMech).
8) Armour
Catalina has a choice of six different types of armour to choose from. Being from the Periphery, though, the most appropriate is the Flak Armour, providing ten pips of protection from ballistic (ie, gunfire) damage. There are armours that protect against energy weapons like lasers, but the tech isn't common in the Periphery, unlike the major Houses.
9) Select Weapons
Catalina gets two weapons based on her experience level. First weapon is a revolver, as they are more rugged generally than semi-auto pistols. The other weapons is a submachinegun, for when Catalina is caught away from her 'Mech.
10) Select Inventory
Catalina gets four pieces of gear, though the gear can also include personal effects. The first item I want is a family ring; Catalina comes from a long line of Canopian loyalists. Next, a field pack, since she expects to be out in the field more often than being at the base. Third piece is a noteputer, the setting's version of a tablet PC. Last, a dress uniform, since Catalina will get involved in the social part at times.
11) Select Hardware
Catalina can now get a BattleMech. She has enough to get a medium 'Mech, 40-55 tons, or can take a light and use the leftover Hardware point to raise EDG or spend two more skill points. Catalina will take the medium 'Mech, the family's WVR-6R *Wolverine*, a Star League-era 'Mech that has seen better days.
12) Create Cues
These are catchphrases that the character can use. I tend to develop these in play, so I'll just pass over them for now.
13) Create Character Background
Essentially, time to fill out the character sheet. Let's do that.
Catalina Francesca Mendoza y Romero
Attributes
STR 1 RFL 2 WIL 2 INT 2 CHA 3 EDG 1
Skills
Gunnery (BattleMech) 2 + RFL (4+)
Knowledge (Spanish) 2 + INT (4+)
Leadership 2 + CHA (5+)
Piloting (BattleMech) 2 + RFL (4+)
Protocol 4 + CHA (6+)
Small Arms 1 + RFL (3+)
Tactics 2 + INT (4+)
Life Modules
Faction: Magistracy of Canopus
Childhood: Nobilty
Higher Education: Family Training
Real Life: Tour of Duty
Vital Factors
Faction: Magistracy of Canopus
Age: 27
Rank: Ensign
Height/Weight: 1.70m/60kg
XP: 0
Tags: MechWarrior * Officer * Dedicated * Social * Loyal
History
Catalina comes from a family with a tradition of serving the Magistracy in one form or another, which led to a non-hereditary noble title being passed along from generation to generation. Catalina wants to hold up her family tradition, but instead of using family money to hire a proxy to serve in the Magistracy Armed Forces, she went in herself, determined to make a mark.
Inventory
Family Ring
Dress Uniform
Field Pack
Noteputer
Traits
Positive: Attractive - +1 to CHA tests where physical appearance matters
Negative: Animal Antipathy - Animals just hate Catalina
Personal Weaponry
Unarmed - Damage 3F, Close OK, Near --, Far --
Revolver - Damage 4, Close OK, Near -2, Far --
Submachinegun - Damage 3, Close OK, Near OK, Far --, may attack two targers each Narration
Armour
Flak Armour: -2 damage from ballistic (B) weapons
OOOOO/OOOOO
Physical Condition Monitor
O -1 (CON Check: 3)
O -2 (CON Check: 5)
OOO -3 (CON Check: 7)
OOO -4 (CON Check: 10)
O Staggered (CON Check: 11)
O Dead (CON Check: Dead)
Fatigue Condition Monitor
O -1
O O -2
OOO -3
OOO -4
O Staggered
O Knocked Out
Creating Catalina was simple enough. Not too many choices but still left room for creativity. Another Canopian character could be anything from another MechWarrior to DropShip crew to spy to cruise attendant (Canopian cruisers are luxurious and have ample room for shenanigans for an enterprising young PC). At no point was I left floundering to fill in details. I feel that the concept I had at the beginning, even in its vagueness, is well represented with the final result.
As always, if you use Catalina, let me know how the character works out.
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| Time to rest. (photo by author, model is Jewel) |
Friday, Lost in Translation continues at Psycho Drive-In.
Saturday, Lost in Translation can be found at The Seventh Sanctum.
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