Making a Character

[Overkill]

First you must decide on an occupation and PM me with what you want to make sure I have an open slot for that job. Remeber any player may take upto 1 character in EACH of the 5 catagories listed.

1. Mech Warrior
-Light 20-35t
-Medium 40-55t
-Heavy 60-75t
-Assault 80-100t
(Note this is a home rule. You must pick a tonnage class to specialize in. Your warrior can pilot any mech within that tonnage range. Otherwise he/she must test out in a design. It's not hard, just flavor for the story/game)

2. Infantry
This is a 7 man squad of men and women with very specific talents. To work as a cohesive unit each member has a primary training specialty and a secondary training specialty. Each player must choose a primary AND a secondary specialty from the lists below. Each specialty may only be picked once. First come first serve. Any combo of primary and secondary will be allowed. If you for whatever reason can't figure out what a specialty means just ask here and I will flesh it out for you. Basically what you need to know is that these will be your roles within the squad and your skills will need to reflect them. I will choose the first NPC's leaving the others for you. Once all the players have picked I will then distribute the remaining specialties to the npc's. Got it? Good. Players who join later will replace an NPC and will be limited to the combos already chosen. I know this limits things for new players, but thems the rules.

Primary Specialties:

Commander (taken for NPC)
Medic (taken by Comedian)
Demolitions expert (taken by Beastie)
Hand to Hand expert (taken by Battlecat)
Weapons specialist (hold for Raptor)
Sniper (taken by Abby)
Driving/piloting ace (vehicles & VTOL's) (holding for Rancorious)

Secondary Specialties

Intelligence Officer (taken by NPC)
Communications specialist
Mechanic/technician/Engineer (on hold for now for Raptor)
Ranger (scout) (taken by Abby)
Anti-Mech Specialist (taken by Beastie)
Scrounger (taken by Battlecat)
Linguistics & impersonation specialist (taken by Comedian)

NPC#1 will be the Commander & Intelligence Officer

Post your choices. Take your time, think it over but, it is first come first serve. Though I will allow changes BEFORE the character begins the process of being made.

3. Vehicle crewman
-Gunner
-driver
-Sensor tech
-Commander (this must be earned through rank)
(Note some vehicle designs require personel to double up on duties so cross training helps)

4. Aerospace crewman
-AeroFighter pilot
-Dropship Gunner
-Dropship Pilot
-Dropship Captain
-Dropship Sensor tech
-Dropship Comm tech
-Dropship Marine or security Chief
-Dropship Engineer

5. Technical personel
-Medic/Doctor
-Mech Technician
-Vehicle Mechanic
-Aerospace Engineer (ground based fighters)
-Administrator/Negotiator

[Overkill]

When Making a Character you start with 150 points to spend on Skills, Abilities and special abilities as well as some equipment. Normally you are to spend them on Mechs or vehicles as well, but I've taken care of that for you if you join the Death Dealers. So lets take a look at what 150 points can get you. Ok?

ATTRIBUTES.

First edition is all about keeping things simple. There are only 4 Attributes for every character.

LRN or Learn is for all things intelligence based. Wisdom, problem solving, technical concepts, information gathering and mental toughness are all reflected by LRN.

DEX or Dexterity covers all things using a characters hands or agility. Such as...hitting a target with a weapon.

BOD or Body is broad as well covering how much endurance a character has, can he recover from injury and how much injury can he/she take. It even covers hand to hand combat damage a character can inflict.

CHA or Charisma covers things like, eloquence, fast talking, cons, bluffing, good looks, charm and personality. Oh yeah, and Leadership.

ALL Attributes range from 2-12. 2 being seriously handicapped in that area while 12 is top human performance. Attributes are not rolled in Mechwarrior as they are in most games. ALL characters automaticly start with a 6 in all 4 stats. Lets face it. This is a military game and they have standards. Now if you wish to raise your attributes you may either wait till game play begins or (for a much cheaper cost) use some of those 150 points we talked about. Even better news is that because this is a Mercenary unit...our standards are lower! You may lower Attributes below 6 to gain extra points to spend!

Here is the Attribute cost chart:

SCORE	BOD	DEX	LRN	CHA
2	60*	70*	80*	50*
3	30*	35*	40*	25*
4	15*	20*	25*	15*
5	5*	10*	15*	5*
6	0	0	0	0
7	10	15	20	10
8	20	30	40	20
9	40	50	60	40
10	80	100	125	80
11	150	200	250	150
12	300	400	500	300

As you can see it will cost you all 150 points if you want an 11 BOD score out the gate. Also notice that LRN is much more expensive then say...Charisma. Thats because it's a more important Attribute that affects more skills then Charisma does. That being said you can see that while it's cheap to raise your CHA score, lowering it gives you the least amount of extra points back to spend. If you wanted to raise your DEX score to an 11 (200 points), you would have to get an additional 50 points somehow such as by reducing your CHA to a 2. This of course would leave you no points left over for skills. This would be very bad. So play with it and have fun. I'd recommend leaving 75+ points for skills. You can always pick your skills first and then come back and modify the Attributes. PM me with any questions.

[Overkill]

Next you need an education Package:
*Note all characters start with 150 skill points to increase skills, attributes and buy special abilities. More points may be gained by lowering attributes or taking certain handicap abilities described later.

There are only 3 education packages available.

Basic Training: (Minimum Requirements None) This package gives you 2 FREE skills, both at level 1 proficiency (determined by occupation, listed later in this thread) and allows you to spend the rest of your skill points any way you want, but at full price.

Acadamy Package: (Minimum requirements LRN 6) This package gives you any 3 skills at level 2 and another 3 skills at level 1 proficiency each, for only 75 points instead of 110 (as if you had bought the same skills with the basic training package). Remaining points may be used normally. Note: no free skills.

University Package: (Minimum Requirements LRN 8) This Package gives the character 6 skills at level 2 and 2 skills at level 1 proficiency each, for only 100 points instead of 200 (as if you had bought the same skills with the basic training package). Remaining points may be used normally. Note: no free skills.

[Overkill]

Next we have special abilities, handicaps and personal characteristics. These are cool and unique, but a lot of players just use them to round out a character or to spend any left over points after skills and Attibutes have been determined.

Here is a list and costs.

Ambidextrous/Either 20 points: May use both hands equally well. No target mods.

Ambidextrous/Both 40 points: Character may use both hands at the same time. No target mods for firing two weapons.

Thick skin 20 points: Natural Immunity to damage. Personal Hitpoints are calculated as if Characters BOD score was +2.

Peripheral Vision 15 points: LOS or Line of Sight extends into his flanks. Increasing possible target choices. +1 to perception rolls involving visuals.

Sixth Sense 20 points: Unnatural ability to anticipate approaching danger. +2 on ALL initiative and perception rolls regarding danger/ambushes.

Family Friend 25 points: Close friend in an influential 'House' Government or military position. Details are to be made with Game Master OR may be made when needed!

Natural Aptitude 10 points: A natural at a given skill. Players Choice. That skill advances in levels at half normal cost.

Informant 5 points: Character has a cooperative relationship with a spy or information broker, who will usually have useful information about a character's current assignment to trade or sell. (5+ on 2d6) *Note: This informer isn't made until needed, but once 'activated' the informant will most likely only be useful on that particular world.

Useful Contact 15 points: Friend in the local bureacracy or Garrison who can be trusted to provide reliable information/intel about questions of intrest to the character, and can usually (6+ on 2d6) be convinced to provide limited, non-hazardous assistance tp the characters activities (i.e. issuing appropriate licenses, providing access to non-restricted facilities etc.). *Note: This contact isn't made until needed, but once 'activated' the informant will most likely only be useful on that particular world.

Prominent Contact 30 points: Highly placed friend in local government or on-world military who can provide character with information of any type (including restricted). Usually convince contact to actively pull strings (roll 5+ on 2d6) to rescue character from legal or administrative difficulties in exchange for a bribe or other consideration. Alternatively, character may make this contact someone in the hierarchy of the ruling House they presently serve, and attempt to use their connection to improve their mech units status for future assignments. *Note: This contact isn't made until needed, but once 'activated' the informant will most likely only be useful on that particular world.

The following are handicaps you may take to gain extra points to spend on Attributes, skills or even the abilities listed above.

Glass Jaw -15 points: Character tends to be knocked out by a single blow. +2 to all conciousness check numbers.

Family Feud -15 points: Long Standing vendetta with a rival individual/unit/clan etc. Must be discussed with Game Master.

Wanted -10 points: Character is wanted in one of the five major Houses for some crime (usually desertion/going AWOL). Must be discussed with Game Master.

Illness/physical/mental Challenge -25 points: Could be anything from; Combat stress, prostetic limb (low grade), flashbacks, phobia or nerosis. Must be discussed with Game Master and will be sever. Most likely affecting your combat abilities.

Jump Sickness mild -5 OR cronic -10 points: Nausia from hyper jumps. The mild case may clear up in hours, but some cronic cases can lay a man up for days. Mild: -2 on all skill rolls for 2d6 hours after jump. Cronic: -2 on all skill rolls for 2d6 days after jump.

[Overkill]

SKILLS: These skills will determine what your character can do well. You pick skills as determined by your Education Package. When picking skills that are not automaticly given to you by your package use the following chart for costs.

Level	cost	Comulative
1	20	20
2	10	30
3	20	50
4	30	80
5	50	130
6	80	210
7	120	330

[/tr]][tr][td] 8 [/td][td] 160 [/td][td] 490 [/td][/tr] [/table]

NOTES ON SUBSKILLS!!! When you take a Skill that has subskills you get 4 levels to split among the subskills per level of the main skill. For example *Computers subskills: Operations, Programming, Hacking, construction/repair. If you take Computers at level 1 expressed as (+1) then you may take all 4 subskills at +1 as well or specialize in just one at +4 or any comination there of. ADDED NOTES: 2 skills, Gunnery and Computers had too few subskills to warrent +4 levels per level gained. They are now +3 instead. Also note the difference between Subskills and Specializations. Specializations are considered seperate skills in the same field. Such as Engineering.


Acrobatics DEX
Acting CHA
Administration CHA/LRN
Animal Handling CHA/LRN
Appraisal LRN
Archery DEX
Artillery LRN

Blades DEX
Blunt weapons BOD
Bombing DEX/LRN
Boxing DEX/BOD
Brawling DEX/BOD
Bureaucracy* CHA/LRN

*Bureacracy subskills: Local, Planetary, Region
*Note Regional must be taken for each major House and periphery government because they are vastly different.

Climbing BOD/DEX
Comms/Conventional LRN
Comms/HPG LRN
Computers* LRN
Cooking LRN
Cryptography LRN

*Computers subskills: Operations, Programming, Hacking, construction/repair (note: only +3 levels instead of +4)
Deception LRN/CHA
Demolitions DEX/LRN
Disguise DEX/CHA

Electronic Counter-Measures LRN
Engineering (see note) LRN
Environmental Combat* DEX/BOD
Escape Artist DEX/LRN

*Environmental Combat subskills: Wilderness (Steppes), Arctic, Forest, Desert, Jungle, Mountains, Hostile Atmosphere/Vacuum, Aquatic.
Note: The Engineering skill offers the following specializations: AeroSpace Fighters, Conventional Aircraft, DropShips/Small Craft, JumpShips, Naval Vessels, VTOLs, and WarShips. (Note: these are NOT subskills, but specializations meaning each one must be taken seperatly.)

Fast Talk CHA
First Aid DEX/LRN
Forgery DEX/LRN
Forward Observer LRN
Free Fall DEX

Gambling LRN/CHA
Gunnery* varies (see note)
Gunsmith DEX/LRN

*Gunnery subskills: Ballistic, Laser, Missile
Note: Each of the three subskills of Ballistic, Laser and Missile fall within a specific category by the way the weapon is mounted. The categories are: AeroSpace (Aero), Conventional (Conv.), Humanoid, Mech and Space. (Note each 'specific' catagory must be taken seperatly and each Catagory has the same three subskills within it. This skill is also +3 instead of +4 per level)

Hunting (animals) LRN

Interrogation CHA/LRN
Intimidation BOD/CHA
Investigation LRN/CHA

Jump Packs DEX/BOD

Languages* CHA/LRN
Leadership CHA/LRN
Linguistics LRN

*Each skill level gains the character 1 new language

Mechanics* LRN/DEX
Marketing LRN/CHA
Martial Arts DEX/BOD
MedTech LRN/CHA

Mechanic subskills: Tracked, Hover, Wheeled, Cycles, ICE, Fusion, weapons

Navigation* LRN
Negotiation (see note) CHA/LRN

*Navigation subskills: Air, Ground, Jump Drive, Naval, Space
Note: The Negotiation skill offers specializations in the following: Commercial, Legal and Political.

Perception LRN
Performance CHA
Piloting* (see note) DEX
Pistols DEX
Poisons & Antidotes LRN

*Piloting: Aero, Aircraft, 'Mech, Battlesuit, Cycles, Hover, Jump, Naval, Space, Sub, Tracked, VTOL, Wheeled (NOTE, these are now specializations instead of subskills. Take each seperatly)
Protocol subskills: various, by region

Read Lips LRN
Reconnaissance LRN
Riding DEX/CHA
Rifles DEX
Rogue* DEX/LRN
Running BOD/DEX

*Rogue sub skills include; hide in cover, Listening/eavesdrop, Stealth, Forgery, Bribery, Security Systems, Disquise, Sleight Of Hand
NOTE some of the rogue skills may be found as normal skills as well.

Scrounge CHA/DEX
Security Systems* DEX/LRN
Seduction CHA
Sensor Operations LRN
Shotguns DEX
Sleight Of Hand DEX
Strategy LRN
Streetwise* CHA/LRN
Submachine Guns DEX
Support Weapons BOD/DEX
Surgery DEX/LRN
Surveillance LRN
Survival BOD/LRN
Swimming BOD

*Security System subskills: Personal, Vehicle, Home, Buisiness, Military, governmental, Computer
*Streetwise subskills: various, by region

Tactics* LRN
Technician* (see note) DEX/LRN
Throwing Weapons DEX/BOD
Tracking-Humanoids LRN
Training CHA/LRN

*Tactics subskills: Air, Air Support, Anti-BattleMech, Ground, Infantry, 'Mech, Naval, Space
*Technician subskills: Ballistics, Comms, Electronics, Fusion, ICE, Interplanetary, Lasers, Mech, Missile, Myomer.

Whips DEX

Zero-G Operations DEX

[Overkill]

Mechwarrior provides four unique skill fields that are designed to allow a player or gamemaster to tailor characters to fit any profile imaginable. Essentially, these four broad catagories act to cover all skills not previously listed. They can also present a different level of understanding or type of study for a specific skill. Lastly, they are a required part of the character building process, so that no character ends up as a two dimensional killing machine, but rather a fully fleshed out person with hobbies and pasttimes. Unfortunately, finding something that is both unique and suitable for the character in mind is sometimes difficult. The following lists should help jumpstart the creativity of the player or gamemaster.

ALL characters recieve (for free) 4 skills from any or all of the following lists at level 1 (expressed here as +1). Additional levels in these skills must be bought normally.

Interests
Interests represent hobbies, primarily. Although this skill may overlap other skills, it tends to represent a narrow scope of interest, or an amateur approach to a skill or a field. It can also be used to determine a character's level of interest or obsession as well as their actual knowledge or ability.

Example: Joe has Communications/Conventional +3, while Willie has Interest/Ham Radios +3. Joe will be well versed in a wide range of professional communications equipment and operations, while Willie will be far more knowledgable about the construction, procedures, and jargon used in amatuer radio operations. Also, while Joe may feel no particular draw to communications equipment, Willie will wish to fiddle with his radio equipment whenever he can.

Sports
Holovid shows
Duelists
Amateur and Ham Radio
Amateur Astronomy
Aquariums
Beachcombing
Bell Ringing
Birding
Books
Bubbles
Candlemaking
Cloud Watching
Collecting
Crafts
Dolls
Electronics
Games
Gardening
Genealogy
Handwriting Analysis
Homebrewing
Jet Engines
Juggling
Kites
Knotting
Lock Picking
Magic
Models
Photography
Pottery
Puppetry
Pyrotechnics
Railway Enthusiasts
Rockets
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals
Scrapbooking
Smokeless Tobacco
Smoking
Soapmaking
String Figures
Textiles
Tombstone Rubbing
Treasure Hunting
Urban Exploration
Winemaking
Writing



Careers
Most jobs consist of a specific set of skills that are required for a position, however most also consist of a set of intangibles that are necessary for the day to day operations in that field. Career skills cover job experience and knowing the ins and outs of the "biz" as opposed to simple technical knowledge.

Example: Joe has just gotten his commercial driver's license, Drive +3, and thinks he's ready to get a job as a trucker. Willie has Career/Trucking +3 and Drive +2. While Joe may be the better driver, Willie knows how to plan routes, find places to rest, what local traffic laws are likely to be, and the best places to pick up trucking rumors. Willie needs to take Joe under his wing before he does something stupid...

Accounting
Administrative and Office Support
Advertising and Marketing
Aeronautics and Aerospace
Agriculture
Airlines
Animation
Archaeology
Architecture
Arts and Design
Automotive
Aviation
Biotechnology
Books
Casino
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commercial Fishing
Communications and Media Services
Computers
Construction
Cruise Lines
Dentistry
Earth Science
Education
Electrical Engineering
Electronics
Energy
Engineering
Entertainment
Environment
Finance and Investment
Fire Protection
Food Service
Forestry
Geology and Geophysics
Graphic Design
Health
Hospitality Industry
Human Resources
Journalism
Law
Law Enforcement
Library and Information Science
Management Consulting
Manufacturing
Maritime
Material Science
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Mental Health
Military
Mining and Mineral Exploration
Movies and Television
Museums, Galleries, and Center
News and Media
Nonprofit
Nursing
Outdoors
Packaging
Pharmacy
Philosophy
Physical Therapy
Physicians
Physics
Printing
Publishing
Pulp and Paper
Purchasing and Supply
Real Estate
Religion
Retail Management
Science
Sex Work
Social Science
Sports
Telecommunications
Theater
Transportation
Trucking
Government
Veterinary Medicine
Wireless Telecommunications
Writing and Editing



Arts
Artistic expression is an area that greatly overlaps Interests, since quite often people pick up an art form as a hobby, however, most hobbyists are not true artists. This skill represents a unique mix of talent and skill that go into a dedicated study of an art form.

Example: Willie has Interest/Writing +3 and Joe has Art/Creative Writing +3. Willie enjoys writing, does it often in his spare time, and is fairly good at it. Joe understands the certain concepts of language structure and meter that can best express the ideas he wishes to convey while capturing the interest of his reader, and so has a refined talent for it.

Architecture
Dance
Music Composition
Music Performance
Illustration
Sculpture
Writing
Painting
Theater
Choreography
Poetry
Weaving
Film Making
Costuming
Lighting
Scene Design
Makeup
Drawing
Graphics
Ceramics
Photography



Academics
This skill represents the drier side of knowledge. It emphasises technical knowledge and study over field experience. Often, an academic skill complements a career skill, representing a skilled worker. Other times, it can be coupled with an art, indicating more theory and less skill in performance.

Example: Willie is an artist, Art/Painting +3 and Joe is an art critic, Academics/Paintings +3. Joe examines Willie's art, making note of his use of shading, perspective, and colors. He also comments on the similarities between Willie's art and the works produced during the Lyran Realist Renaissance. However, Joe couldn't paint his way out of a paper bag.

Philosophy
Psychology
Theology
Anthropology
Archaeology
Law
Literature
Agriculture
Biology
Astronomy
Geography
Linguistics
Mythology
Political Science
Sociology
Statistics
Art History
Drama Theory
Regional Studies
History Studies
Religious Studies
Language Studies
Creative Writing
Professional Writing
Criminology
Cultural Studies
Media Studies



Summary
It's important when using these skills not to abuse them. The wider the field of the skill, the less specific the knowledge, while a very narrow field of study can produce some highly obscure facts. Also, take care in using these skills to reinforce existing skills. While it may be fun as a plot device to allow a kid with Interest/MechSim Games to pilot an Agromech, it would be an abuse of the system to allow a mechwarrior with the same skill to derive any significant bonus from that skill. At a certain point, the skills cease to provide an increase in knowledge, but rather the ability to look at similar skills from a different perspective. Use these skills to add depth, they may come in handy at a suprising time.

[Overkill]

That's pretty much it folks. If you just can't seem to spend all your point the left overs may be used to purchase non standard issue equipment such as spare weapons, armor or even personal vehicles. Just PM me and we'll discuss it. Again, any questions, just ask!