Character Creation, Classes, Advancement

Creation

  1. Character Idea. Choose Karma Path, Age, Name, Actor, Catchphrase, Etc.
  2. Choose a Class.
  3. Choose Skills and Feats. Most human characters should start with 3 Class Feats and 2 General Feats.
  4. Divide starting IP (200 + 20 x Level) between Abilities & Skills.
  5. Buy equipment.

Choosing Ability Scores

The cost to raise an ability score by 1 point is the new value of the ability score. I.e. it costs 8 more points to have an 8 than it does a 7. This means that the initial cost of an ability score is the sum of all the numbers from 1 to the ability score value. I.e. an ability score of 5 cost 15 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5. For the starting stat range these values are all listed in the Table.

Ability Score IP Cost
1 1
2 3
3 6
4 10
5 15
6 21
7 28
8 36
9 45
10 55
n f(n) = n * (n + 1) / 2
n f(n) = f(n - 1) + n

Dividing points between initial ability scores may seem a daunting task. Here are some quick hints.

  1. You want to spend about 200 IP on a character’s initial ability scores.
    • You probably want to start with ability scores on the range 4-9, and your primary attribute for your class should probably be the highest.
  2. A good approach is to look at the ability tree for relative ability level.
    • Is the character more Mental or Physical?
    • More Cool or Intelligent?
    • More Brawny or Nimble?
  3. The Ability Scores Lists provide a quick way to get values that can be assigned to any ability.
    • A quicker way to do this is just to rank Cool, Intelligent, Brawny and Nimble, Then use one of the first ability score lists to allocate the ability score pairs together. I.e. We have a Spy character, he is very Cool under fire often talking his way out of tight spots. Then he is more Nimble that anything, good with a gun. Then Intelligence because he is more brains than Brawn. That maps to: Str 5, End 5, Dex 7, Agi 7, Pre 8, Wil 8, Kno 6, Cun 6.
  4. A more advanced way to get a jump start on point allocation is start with all abilities at 4, divide 18 more points, then calculate the IP cost.

Sample Starting Ability Scores

Ability Scores List IP Cost
8,8,7,7,6,6,5,5 200
9,9,7,7,5,5,4,4 196
9,9,6,6,6,6,4,4 194
8,8,6,6,6,6,6,6 198
7,7,7,7,6,6,6,6 196
9,8,8,7,5,5,5,4 200
9,9,7,6,6,5,5,4 200
9,7,7,6,6,6,6,5 200
8,7,7,7,7,6,6,4 200
8,8,8,8,6,5,4,4 200
9,8,7,7,7,5,4,4 200
9,8,8,6,6,6,4,4 200
9,9,9,5,5,5,4,4 200
10,10,5,5,5,5,5,5 200
4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4 80
5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 120
6,6,6,6,6,6,6,6 168
7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7 224

Classes

Base Abilities

All characters start with these abilities.

Pay
150 per month
Points
200 + 20 per level
Ability Score Range
2 to (10 + 1/6 levels as primary attribute + 1/10 levels as non-primary attribute)
Max Skill Ranks
1 + 1/1 level as class skill + 1/2 levels as cross class skill
Base General Feats
2
Base Class Feats
2 in starting class.
Additional Feats
1 class feat per class level not divisible by 3 and 1 general feat per class level divisible by 3
Starting funds
(level+1) x base pay

Ace

The Ace is often boisterous and self assured. They like going fast, weapons with a certain panache, and showing off. Aces tend to approach problems directly, relying on their skill to get them out of trouble.

Example
Red Baron, Han Solo, Robin Hood
Quote
"I know I make it look easy, but it's just all in the wrist."
Power
None
Primary Attribute
Dexterity
Pay
+450 per Level

Athlete

The Athlete will often avoid the trappings of convenience, relying instead on their own physical prowess. Too many things just slow them down. Though they are not above showing off, they are far more interested in performing at there personal best at all times. Athletes will primarily approach challenges as physical, relying on control of their body to achieve goals.

Example
Perseus, Flash Gordan, Jesse Owens
Quote
"If you can't keep up now, what will happen when we get to the hurdles?"
Power
BioFeedback
Primary Attribute
Agility
Pay
+450 per Level

Powerhouse

The Powerhouse, though sometimes gentle, is always direct. They have little use for subtlety and will solve problems as directly as possible, preferably thru the direct application of force. In combat, they prefer heavy weapons that allow them to do just that.

Example
Andre the Giant, Goliath, Heracles
Quote
"If you won't bend, maybe you'll break"
Power
Human Dynamo
Primary Attribute
Strength
Pay
+600 per Level

Enchanter

The Enchanter is a subtle manipulator, believing in the power of people to get things done, other people. By nature a team player, they provide the coordination and motivation to meet goals, but not always the group's goals. Enchanters will actively avoid combat. If unavoidable, they prefer providing support for others instead of getting their hands dirty.

Example
John Lenin, Scheherazade, The Shadow
Quote
"Sometimes, my friend, I think we're not that different..."
Power
Influence
Primary Attribute
Presence
Pay
+750 per Level

Expert

The Expert is fascinated by the minutia of how the world works, making them master craftsman. Willing to share their knowledge but knowing that most will not understand, they are often patronizing and distant. Experts prize tools and gadgets because of the power they grant over creation. Though often curious about machines of war, experts go to great lengths to avoid combat. When forced into a fight, they use acquired knowledge to support allies and devastate opponents.

Example
Archimedes, Merlin, Head of Q branch
Quote
"Of course, you don't know how I did it. You're an idiot."
Power
Arcane
Primary Attribute
Knowledge
Pay
+600 per Level

Grunt

The Grunt is tough, stubborn and tenacious. Always ready to take on a dirty job, they often get them. Grunts solve most of their problems thru rugged determination. In combat, a place many find themselves, they bring the same last man standing philosophy.

Example
Boromir, Captain America, John Henry
Quote
"Aaargh... Just.. one.. more.. click..."
Power
Martial Arts
Primary Attribute
Endurance
Pay
+300 per Level

Ranger

The Ranger is in tune with the world around them and often lack patience for others who fail to see what is right in front of them. The ranger tends to solve problems the simplest way, making use of what is immediately available. In combat, they prefer calculated strikes and tactics.

Example
Aragorn, Wolverine, Davy Crockett
Quote
"Yesterday, two men came thru here. Tomorrow, the shorter man will be alone."
Power
Natural Understanding
Primary Attribute
Cunning
Pay
+300 per Level

Devotee

The Devotee is above all about belief. They know their course and follow it. Devotees always have an ethos to guide their actions and rely on for positive outcomes. They will try to solve most problems through patience and perseverance. A devotee's ethos also guides their approach to combat causing most to take a non-violent stance.

Example
Yoda, Gandalf, Gandhi
Quote
"Have a little faith, I always get what I need."
Power
Belief
Primary Attribute
Willpower
Pay
+150 per Level

Generalist

The Generalist is the "class-less" character. They cannot multi-class into another class, nor can they be multi-classed into. All their feats are general feats. If a feat is not normally available as General Feat, they can get it as one with a +2 to all level and skill requirements and +1 to Stat requirements. The Generalist does not differentiate between class and cross class skills, and does not have a primary attribute. This class is not recommended for inexperienced players. This is primarily meant for players who can't get the flexibility they desire from the classes or for guidelines for quickly thrown together NPCs when the DM is too lazy to give them a class;) Choosing this class forgoes any class specific rewards, in particular any class specific role playing awards.

Example
N/A
Quote
"..."
Power
Varies
Primary Attribute
None
Ability Score Range
2 to (10 + 1/8 levels)
Max Skill Ranks
1 + 1/1 level
Base General Feats
4
Base Class Feats
0
Additional Feats
1 general feat per class level
Pay
+450 per Level

Advancement

As the game is played the GM will award IP, probably at the end of each session. As a character accrues IP they can be spent immediately on skills or abilities, as was done during character creation. Every 20 points, the character goes up a level. When the character goes up a level, the maximum number of points that can be in stats and skills goes up based on class, new feats can be selected, hit points go up and base pay goes up.

Single Class Advancement

Lvl IP Pri Attr Sec Attr Class Skill Cross Skill Class Feats General Feats
0 200 10 10 1 1 2 2
1 220 10 10 2 1 3 2
2 240 10 10 3 2 4 2
3 260 10 10 4 2 4 3
4 280 10 10 5 3 5 3
5 300 10 10 6 3 6 3
6 320 11 10 7 4 6 4
7 340 11 10 8 4 7 4
8 360 11 10 9 5 8 4
9 380 11 10 10 5 8 5
10 400 11 11 11 6 9 5
11 420 11 11 12 6 10 5
12 440 12 11 13 7 10 6
13 460 12 11 14 7 11 6
14 480 12 11 15 8 12 6
15 500 12 11 16 8 12 7
16 520 12 11 17 9 13 7
17 540 12 11 18 9 14 7
18 560 13 11 19 10 14 8
19 580 13 11 20 10 15 8
20 600 13 12 21 11 16 8

Generalist Advancement

Lvl IP Attr Skills General Feats
0 200 10 1 4
1 220 10 2 5
2 240 10 3 6
3 260 10 4 7
4 280 10 5 8
5 300 10 6 9
6 320 10 7 10
7 340 10 8 11
8 360 11 9 12
9 380 11 10 13
10 400 11 11 14
11 420 11 12 15
12 440 11 13 16
13 460 11 14 17
14 480 11 15 18
15 500 11 16 19
16 520 12 17 20
17 540 12 18 21
18 560 12 19 22
19 580 12 20 23
20 600 12 21 24

Multi-Classing

As a character accrues IP they can be spent immediately on skills or abilities, if the character doesn't plan on adding a new class at level up. If the character wants to multi-class he must accrue but not allocate all 20 points then spend them on the new class when leveling up. This reflects the training the character is devoting to getting skills that can not yet be used. A character cannot have more than 3 classes.

Note, that whether a feat is a class feat or a general feat is based on class level not overall level.

Abandoning a class

If GM wants to allow a character to completely abandon a class, use the following rules:

When a character abandons a class completely, he gets refunded 10 Points per level in the abandoned class. A class cannot be partially abandoned, all levels in the class must be refunded to points. The character obviously loses all benefits of that class including feats, pay etc. Points refunded in this manner cannot be spent immediately. They can be re-spent either at a rate of 5 per month or 1 for 1 as other points are normally accrued. The character can not gain levels in the abandoned class until all refunded points have been spent.