Stars - Characters

Index

Introduction	Characters	Equipment	Known Space
Setting	Ship Combat/Flight	Ship Gear	Ship Plans
Government	People	Files

Attributes

Each character has six Attributes that define their basic physical and mental characteristics. The average human attribute is three. The Attributes are: Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Intelligence, Social, and Education.

Skills

Each character has a number of skills that define their capabilities and knowledge. Skills have a base value of zero and are acquired through education and practice.

Skill List

Skills marked with (*) in the list below have specialties available.

• Admin - Dealing with red tape and administrative processes.
• Advocate - Legal knowledge, formal debate, and public speaking.
• Animals - General skill with living creatures. (*)
• Riding, Veterinary, Training, Husbandry
• Athletics - Formal (non-combat) athletic training. (*)
• Art - Creative arts (*).
• Acting, Dance, Music, Painting, Writing
• Broker - Trade and barter negotiation.
• Carouse - Socializing and partying.
• Combat Armor - Using personal power armor / combat armor.
• Comms - Using communications equipment, interfacing with remote systems and making connections.
• Computers - Operating / programming computer equipment.
• Deception - Sleight of hand, disguise and lying.
• Diplomacy - Political negotiation, first contact protocols, and proper high society behavior
• Drive - Operating ground vehicles. (*)
• Cars & cycles, Trucks, Tracked, Industrial
• Engineer - Operation and maintenance of spacecraft and associated gear. (*)
• CL-Drive, Reactor Control, Electronics, Life Support
• Explosives - Demolitions, bombs and other explosive devices.
• Flyer - Skill at operating atmospheric craft. (*)
• Grav Vehicles, Rotor, Fixed Wing
• Gambling - Slots and cards anyone?
• Gunner - Operating ships weaponry and defenses. (*)
• Energy Weapons, Projectiles, Missiles, ECM, Defenses, Drone Control
• Gun Combat - Using hand-held weapons. (*)
• Projectile Pistol, Projectile Rifle, Shotguns, Energy Pistols, Energy Rifles,
• Heavy Weapons - Rocket launchers and heavier arms. (*)
• Launchers, Mortars, Hurled Explosives, Demolition
• Investigate - Observation, forensics and analysis.
• Languages - Speaking other tongues. (*)
• Enlag - English derived, most common language in Core, Cluster and some Independents
• In-Chin - Chinese derived, with elements of other central Asian languages. Common use in Independent space.
• Arabac - Arabic-influenced. Uncommon usage in some Cluster worlds.
• Leadership - Directing others, inspiring loyalty and improving morale.
• Mechanic - Repear of machinery and equipment.
• Medic - Someone get hurt?
• Melee - Hand to hand combat. (*)
• Blades - Knives and short blades.
• Martial Arts - Unarmed combat.
• Thrown - Hurled weapons.
• Persuade - Negotiation, fast talk, bargining bluffing.
• Pilot - Piloting space ships, including jump calculations, high-speed maneuvering, and in-system travel. (*)
• Jump Specialist - Specialized in CL-jump navigation and drive operation.
• Combat Pilot - Combat maneuvering.
• Navigator - In system piloting and navigation between orbital bodies.
• Recon - Scouting and tactical observation.
• Seafarer - Water-based ship operations. (*)
• Sailing, Small power craft, Large power craft, Submarines.
• Sensors - Using ship sensors, satellites and remote probes, and interpreting the data they provide.
• Stealth - Sneaking about and remaining undetected.
• Steward - The art of the service industry.
• Streetwise - The art of urban living.
• Survival - Environmental survival. (*)
• Environment based
• Sciences - Formal study of the various fields of science. (*)
• Physical - Physics, Chemistry, Electronics
• Life - Biology, Cybernetics, Genetics
• Social - Archeology, Economics, History, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology
• Space - Planetology, Robotics, Xenology
• Tactics - Squad leadership and combat tactics, providing initiative bonuses.
• Trades - Production skills. (*)
• Industrial Operations, Space or Ground Construction, Hydroponics, Mining
• Vacuum Ops - Operating in zero G and using space suits in a vacuum.

Engineer vs. Mechanic - Engineers are focused on space ship gear, and have deeper skills, allowing both repair and construction of new equipment from component parts. Mechanic applies to almost all mechanical gear, but covers repair only.

Diplomacy vs. Persuade vs. Broker - Diplomacy applies in more formal situations (dealing with public officials or leaderships for example). Broker specifically covers trade negotiations. Persuade is more general purpose, and can be used at a penalty as a substitute for either Diplomacy or Broker.

Comms vs. Computers - Comms is about talking to systems, Computers is about making them do what you want.

Skill Mechanics

Skill checks are an Attribute + Skill + FUDGE roll versus a target number. Unlike previous games there is no fixed Attribute / Skill relationship. The most applicable combination will be used depending on the action. Examples:

• Attempting to reassemble a complex but familiar piece of equipment is a test of Dexterity + Mechanics. Attempting the same thing on an unfamiliar item is a test of Intelligence + Mechanics.
• Fast-talking your way into a research lab to heist some files is a test of Education + Fast talk, trying to talk your way past the bouncer at a club might be Social + Fast talk.

Clearly some Attributes and Skills are more likely to be used together, but there is no fixed relationship.

Unskilled Actions

A character can attempt any action. A character using a skill they do not possess suffers a -1 penalty on the skill test.

Specialties

Characters gain specialties in some skills (those indicated with (*) in the skill list. Specialties are gained at odd skill levels (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) A specialty provides a +1 bonus to that area of the main skill.

Character Combat

Combat is resolved in a series of rounds, which are processed as follows:

Initiative

Initiative is an attribute roll, depending on the situation.

• DEX - Ranged combat (guns).
• STR - Melee combat (unarmed, weapons).
• INT - Tech combat (hacking).
• SOC - Social combat (debate, negotiation).

In some situations a skill check can provide a group bonus to initiative. For example Tactics may apply to a combat situation, or Carouse to a social conflict. Usually these skills apply to the initial round of a conflict, allowing anyone on the appropriate side to use the skill result as an initiative roll instead of their own result.

Example: While negotiating a price for a cargo shipment, Bill uses Carouse to set up his opponent. This tactic allows him to establish an opening price closer to his desired target and places his opponent at an immediate disadvantage.

Hitting and Shooting

An attack roll is resolved as a skill check vs. a static target number of 8+, modified by conditions and the weapon used. Typical modifiers include lighting, range, weapon used, and cover.

Damage

Each character has damage pools equal to 2x their physical attributes, END, STR, and DEX. These damage pools are used to absorb incoming damage.

Damage is determined by the weapon used. It can be reduced by defenses. The resulting damage is applied against the character's END pool. If their END pool is reduced to zero the damage is applied to either the STR or DEX pool (target's choice). If either the STR or DEX pool is reduced to zero the target is rendered unconscious. If both are reduced to zero the target is dead.

Note: Getting shot is a *really* bad idea.

Defenses

Armor (and possibly cover) reduces incoming damage by a fixed amount. Armor is rated with both a ballistic and energy defense. Ballistic defense is used vs. projectiles, energy defense vs. energy weapons. Armor can also have a movement penalty or bonus and serve as vacuum protection.

Character Creation

Attributes

Attributes: Each PC starts with all attributes at 3, then distributes another 5 points as they see fit. Each PC may reduce one attribute to 2 and add 1 point elsewhere.

Background

System Status: Choose one of the following and take the indicated skill or attribute bonus.

• The Core - +1 Social, Diplomacy 1
• Outer Clusters - Diplomacy 1, Languages 1
• Independents - +1 Education, Persuade 1
• Fringes - +1 Endurance, Survival 1

Homeworld: Choose 2 features of your home planet from the list below and give yourself the listed skills. Please use common sense, no water-world asteroids please!

• Agricultural - Animals 1
• Asteroid - Vacuum Ops 1
• Water World - Seafarer 1
• High Tech - Computers 1
• High Population - Streetwise 1
• Desert - Survival (desert) 1
• Ice - Survival (arctic) 1
• Garden - Survival (forest/jungle) 1
• Industrial - Trade 1
• Low Tech - Survival (choose) 1
• Rich - Carouse 1
• Capital - Diplomacy 1
• Military - Advocate 1

Education: Choose 2 skills from the following list (3 if your Education attribute is 5+). Note: Education skills cannot overlap with any previously gained skill.

• Admin 1
• Art 1
• Comms 1
• Computers 1
• Engineer 1
• Language 1
• Medic 1
• Science 1
• Trade 1

Career History

Each PC has a work history which is divided into a number of phases. At least ONE phase must be taken, but up to FOUR may be chosen. Phases MUST be processed one at a time and require GM intervention to determine any additional benefits or problems that may arise during the phase. Potential benefits and problems include:

• Additional skills or attribute bonuses
• Promotion in the career
• Cash or equipment
• Contacts
• Injuries
• Enemies
• Getting kicked out or forced back into the career

Careers have an enlistment requirement. To begin that career requires the given attribute. Characters that qualify for NO career automatically become Drifters or face the Draft (player choice).

On your first phase you gain ALL base skills from the career you choose. On subsequent phases choose 2 from the list. Each skill chosen is granted at level 1 or improves an existing skill by one rank. Each character is guaranteed at least 1 additional skill gain per phase, the skill granted is based on the career chosen. When choosing a career for a phase, the player should offer a brief description of their desired path through that career (i.e. Navy specializing in engineering and gunnery). This will help guide the GM in choosing appropriate career results.

Agent
The character works in law enforcement, security or intelligence services.
Requires: INT 4
Skills: Streetwise, Drive, Investigate, Computers, Recon, Gun Combat

Army
The character was a member of a military ground force.
Requires: END 4
Skills: Drive, Athletics, Gun Combat, Recon, Melee, Heavy Weapons

Citizen
The above average every-man.
Requires: EDU 4
Skills: Drive, Flyer, Streetwise, Melee, Steward, Trade

Colonist
Daring the wilds to tame a new world.
Requires: END 4
Skills: Animals, Athletics, Drive, Survival, Recon, Mechanic

Drifter
Man... what?
Requires: N/A
Skills: Athletics, Melee, Recon, Streetwise, Stealth, Survival

Entertainer
All those involved in media and the arts.
Requires: INT 4
Skills: Art x 2, Carouse, Deception, Persuade, Steward

Marines
Combatants specialized in ship to ship and ship to ground combat.
Requires: END 4
Skills: Athletics, Combat Armor, Tactics, Heavy Weapon, Gun Combat, Stealth

Merchants
Traders.
Requires: INT 4
Skills: Drive, Vacuum Ops, Broker, Steward, Comms, Persuade

Navy
Ship's crew.
Requires: INT 4
Skills: Pilot, Vacuum Ops, Engineer, Gunner, Mechanic, Gun Combat

Nobility
Diplomats, leaders and government officials.
Requires: SOC 5
Skills: Admin, Advocate, Comms, Diplomacy, Investigate, Persuade

Rogue
Backstab!
Requires: DEX 4
Skills:Deception, Recon, Athletics, Gun Combat, Stealth, Streetwise

Scholar
The over-educated.
Requires: INT 5
Skills:Comms, Computers, Diplomat, Medic, Investigate, Science

Scout
Explorers, couriers and military scouts
Requires: INT 5
Skills: Pilot, Survival, Mechanic, Comms, Recon, Gun Combat