Reliquary Space: Quick Character Creation

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This is a quick overview of character creation for my Reliquary Space setting, using the rules of Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes as a basis. Setting-specific house rules are highlighted.

Reliquary Space index

Rolling Attributes

Roll 3d6 seven times, and assign the totals you get to the seven attributes: Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Luck, Speed, and Strength. Arrange them as you see fit. If any of the rolls show triples—the same number on all three dice—roll two additional dice and add them to your original roll. This should give you seven attribute scores ranging from 4 (pitiful) to 30 (superlative).

If your average score is below 12, consider playing a recommissioned Boomer (see below).

Example A – Paolo Atreidus: CHA 7, CON 22, DEX 11, IQ 5, LCK 12, SPD 12, STR 10

Example B – Bella Jesurit: CHA 5, CON 4, DEX 15, IQ 17, LCK 14, SPD 12, STR 9

Combat Adds

Hand-to-Hand Combat Adds. Exceptional Dexterity, Luck, and Strength improve your hand-to-hand combat ability: If any of these scores are higher than 12, you get 1 Hand-to-Hand Combat Add per point over 12. Low Dexterity, Luck, and Strength diminish your hand-to-hand combat skill: Subtract 1 point from your Hand-to-Hand Combat Adds for each point below 9. This should give you a number ranging from -15 to +54—but skewing toward zero.

Example A: Paulo’s DEX, LCK, and STR are all in the average range—offering neither bonuses nor penalties to Hand-to-Hand Combat Adds.

Example B: Bella has exceptional DEX and LCK, giving her +5 Hand-to-Hand Combat Adds. 3 points come from her high DEX (15 – 12 = 3), and 2 come from her high LCK (14 – 12 = 2).

Missile Weapon Combat Adds are derived from exceptional Luck only: +1 for each point of Luck beyond 12, or -1 for each point of Luck below 9.

Example A: Paulo’s LCK of 12 gives him zero Missile Weapon Combat Adds.

Example B: Bella’s LCK of 14 gives her +2 Missile Weapon Combat Adds.

Skills

You have a number of Skill Points equal to your IQ, which you can spend on Skills that round out your character’s abilities. Skills also shape your background, contacts, and starting gear. Most skills cost 1 Skill Point, but a few cost 2 or 3. The Skill Point cost is listed in parentheses with each skill.

Most skills require a certain Intelligence threshold to master. In order to take the skill, your IQ must have a score equal to or exceeding the IQ minimum listed. Some skills have other requirements, which may include other skills, minimum thresholds in other attributes, or both.

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At a Glance Skills List (MSPE 2019 Combined Edition, p128)

At a Glance Skills List, p128 of MSPE 2019 Combined Edition by Michael Stackpole. © 1983 and 2019 by Flying Buffalo Inc.

You can spend additional Skill Points to increase your level in many skills. Each additional level costs double the Skill Points required for the previous level.

Skill Level ½pt. Skill Cost 1pt. Skill Cost 2pt. Skill Cost 3 pt. Skill Cost
1 ½ 1 2 3
2 +1 +2 +4 +6
3 +2 +4 +8 +12
4 +3 +6 +12 +18
5 +4 +8 +16 +24

Example A: Paulo’s low IQ gives him 5 Skill Points, which must all come from the “IQ 4” or “Open” lists—he currently lacks the necessary intellect for higher pursuits. He takes Knife Fighting (1 pt.), Pugilism (1 pt.), and Hereditary Title (3 pts.)—a Duke. He wants to increase his level in Knife Fighting to 2, but that would cost an additional 2 Skill Points, which he does not currently have.

Example B: Bella’s IQ gives her 17 Skill Points to spend, which may be chose from all available skills. She takes Martial Arts (1 pt.), Basic Telepathy (3 pts.) at level 2 (+6 more pts.), Mental Blow (3 pts.), Mind Shield (3 pts.), and Environmental Survival: Desert (1 pt.). To advance her Basic Telepathy an additional level and unlock Sleep would cost another 12 Skill Points, but all her points are spent.

Knighthood – 1 pt.

The character must make a level 3 Charisma Saving Roll to receive the title. Until then, they are a squire—a knight in training apprenticed to another knight. You may attempt the Saving Roll once before play if you invest the skill point when creating your character. If you fail, you may attempt it again when you have downtime to present yourself before your lord after an adventure. Add 1 point to your Saving Roll for each major knightly deed you have accomplished that brings renown to your lord.

Once you earn the title, you may be addressed as “Sir”, “Dame”, or an appropriate honorific of your culture. You also add 2 to your Charisma, permanently. Knights are expected to fulfill duties to their liege lord .

Lordship – 2 pts. (Requires Knighthood)

The character must make a level 6 Saving Roll on the average of Charisma and Intelligence to receive this title. You may attempt the Saving Roll once before play if you invest the skill points when creating your character. If you fail, you may attempt it again when you have downtime to present yourself before your sovereign after an adventure. Add 1 point to your Saving Roll for each major lordly deed you have accomplished that brings renown to your sovereign.

Once you earn the title, you may be addressed as “Lord”, “Lady”, or an appropriate honorific of your culture. You also gain the power to nominate subjects of the realm for Knighthood. Lords are expected to fulfill duties to their sovereign when called.

Psionics

I have tinkered with the MSPE psionics rules to integrate material from GURPS Basic Set, 3rd edition as appropriate to the setting, and my tinkerings are covered in detail here.

Each psionic skill costs 3 skill points and may be latent or mastered. To check for mastery, make a Level 2 Saving Roll for each skill, combining your IQ with your level in the chosen skill.

Latent skill: The GM uses the skill erratically as though it were controlled by an distracted and unreliable, but otherwise benevolent NPC. Such powers may manifest in stressful situations (with a Saving Roll) or otherwise, at the GM’s whim. If you spend significant downtime training under a master of a given discipline, you may check for mastery again at the end of your training regime, taking a +1 bonus for each fortnight of unbroken, focused practice in a single skill.

Example B: Bella must attempt Saving Rolls for mastery of Basic Telepathy 2, Mental Blow, and Mind Shield. Her first roll gives her a 5 + 2. Adding her IQ and Basic Telepathy skill, the result is 26, which passes the Saving Roll. Her roll for Mental Blow comes up 1 + 3—an automatic failure. Her Mental Blow is yet untrained and manifests erratically. Her Saving Roll for Mind Shield produces a 6 + 3—the result is 27, meaning her Mind Shield is fully under her power.

Decide Personal Details

Your character’s Age, Sex, Gender, Nation, Height, and Weight are all up to you, within reasonable human limits.

Example A: Paulo (he/him) is the 15-year-old scion of House Atreidus, a minor noble family in the galaxy’s Outer Rim that rules over the planet and nation of Cowabung. His dark Ducal robes conceal a portly frame of 5′10″ (and still growing), at 200#.

Example B: Bella (she/her) is a 33-year-old votary of the Interstellar Vestal Order. She is 5′4″ and 135#.

Gear

You may begin play with the tools of your trade, including any and all equipment implied by your skills. If in doubt, ask the GM. Rare or exceptional equipment may require a Saving Roll on LCK to acquire, and you may have to settle for second-hand or jury-rigged gear in questionable condition.

Unlockable: Boomer (cybernetic organism)

If the average of all seven attributes is less than 12, you may choose to play a recommissioned Boomer instead of a human. Boomers are cyborgs designed to appear human, that have been discontinued and outlawed in the galaxy. To convert your character to a Boomer, make a Level 1 Saving Roll for each attribute; this represents the various stress tests that Boomers must pass in manufacturing. If the Saving Roll fails, your engineers detected and patched a manufacturing flaw: Add the highest number showing on the dice for your Saving Roll to that attribute. Then, pick your chassis:

  • C-Class: Choose one of the following attributes and double it: CON, DEX, SPD, or STR. Choose another and multiply it by 1.5. Combat skills cost you half the usual number of Skill Points/Adventure Points, and all other skills cost double. C-Class Boomers typically have alloy endoskeletons capable of mounting new weapons systems.
  • I-Class: Choose one of the following attributes and double it: CHA or IQ. Multiply the other by 1.5. Social and performance skills cost you half the usual number of Skill Points/Adventure Points, and all other skills cost double.
  • M-Class: Triple your IQ. Theory, information, and calculation skills cost you half the usual number of Skill Points/Adventure Points, and all other skills cost double.

Boomers lack organic minds required to practice psionic disciplines. As you gain Adventure Points, it costs half the number of AP to advance the attribute that you doubled or tripled when picking your Boomer model.

If a Boomer suffers damage equal to half their CON or greater, they are disfigured in a way that makes their inhuman status obvious. If a Boomer suffers damage equal to triple their CON, their fusion cell is breached, causing a devastating explosion that deals a damage potential of 12d6. Anyone within a radius equal to the Boomers IQ in yards must make a Luck Saving Roll vs. the damage potential or suffer damage equal to the amount they missed by. In this case, the Boomer’s frame is melted and their internal data crystal is destroyed.

If a Boomer is damaged beyond repair without having their fusion cell breached, their internal data crystal can be recovered and transferred to another Boomer frame, including their CHA, IQ, LCK, and all their skills and memories.

Example C – Otis VIII Centennial

Original rolls: CHA 6, CON 12, DEX 17, INT 6, LCK 8, SPD 11, STR 13

After stress tests: CHA 11, CON 12, DEX 17, INT 12, LCK 14, SPD 11, STR 19

Otis will be an excellent C-Class Boomer. They double their CON to 24 and multiply their STR by 1.5, making it 29.

That gives Otis +24 Hand-to-Hand Combat Adds (5 from Dexterity, 2 from Luck, and 17 from Strength); and +2 Missile Weapon Combat Adds.

Otis gets 12 Skill Points, which might as well go mostly to combat-related skills, since their cost is halved. Let’s start with Martial Arts—6½ pts. are enough to propel them to a skill level of 4. That leaves enough points for Archery (½ pt.), Knife Fighting (½ pt.), Fencing (½ pt.), Plasma Pistol (½ pt.), Plasma Rifle (½ pt.), Combat Shooting (½ pt.), Underwater Combat (½ pt.), and Speeder Bike (2 pts. doubled).

Otis was decommissioned over a century ago and their previous internal data crystal was partially corrupted, leaving them with no memory of their previous commission. They now appear to be a 37-year-old human male bodybuilder, with scars and hints of grey in their stubble. They are 5′11½″, weighting 368#.

Go back to Reliquary Space index.

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