Creating your character
In most games, you create your character independently of the other players in the group. In this game, however, your characters have all been hand-picked to work together, and their strengths and weaknesses have been properly matched. As such, you all should work together in the Character Creation Chat thread to figure out the details of your character. If you ignore an important role or skill, you may find yourself in a situation where you need that very skill.
Don't forget to check out the House Rules thread before you start creating your characters.
Ability Scores
Roll 1d10. Your ability scores are based on this roll (you can assign the scores in any order):
d10 | Scores |
---|
1-2 | 18, 15, 16, 16, 14, 10 |
3-4 | 18, 17, 17, 15, 14, 10 |
5-6 | 17, 17, 16, 14, 13, 10 |
7-8 | 17, 17, 16, 15, 12, 11 |
9-10 | 17, 17, 16, 15, 14, 10 |
Classes
We will be using any advanced classes listed on the
d20 MSRD except the following:
Acolyte (Core: Urban Arcana)
Battle Mind (Core: Shadow Chasers)
Dogfighter (Future)
Mage (Core: Urban Arcana)
Mecha Jockey (Future)
Mystic (Urban Arcana)
Occultist (Core: Urban Arcana) -- New Addition. This class has been modified into Arcanist, see below.
Psionic Agent (Core: Agents of PSI)
Space Monkey (Future)
Speed Demon (Core)
Swindler (Future) --
Note: This class has been slightly modified into Universe Manipulator. See below for details.
Techno Mage (Urban Arcana)
Technosavant (Future)
Note: Even though we are using some material from d20 Future, Shadow Chasers and Urban Arcana, we will not be using mecha, space exploration, aliens and we are only using some forms of psionics (the Telepath) and very minor forms of magic (Occultist Arcanist). Also, because online campaigns are so much slower than real life campaigns, there will be little, if any, car chases or dogfights. You can invest a couple skill points or feats if it fits your backstory, but don't dedicate your character towards either of these professions. If you have any questions about what classes/abilities/feats will be useful, feel free to ask.
The following prestige classes are
allowed:
Holy Knight (Urban Arcana) --
Note: You can only if you are sponsored by a church (think Van Helsing)
Sniper (Urban Arcana Web Supplement) (Errata: 7 action points/level)
SpecOp (Urban Arcana Web Supplement) (Errata: 7 action points/level)
Spell Slinger (Urban Arcana Web Supplement (Errata: 7 action points/level)
Occupations
You may choose any
occupation listed on the MSRD except Astronaut Trainee or Colonist.
If you choose the Transporter occupation, you must choose Vehicle Expert as your bonus feat.
Feats
You can choose
any feat from the MSRD except the following:
Alien X
X Plus
Divine Heritage
Planetary Adaptation
Spacer
Starship X
Zero-G Training
Any Mecha Feats
The following feats are adjusted or clarified:
Action Boost does not affect your Temporal Backlash dice (see the House Rules thread)
Sacred Spell only works on divine spells
You can take vehicle feats (including aircraft feats), but your ability to use them will be greatly limited.
Skills
Remember from the House Rules thread that untrained knowledge skills can still be used, but you roll a d10 instead of a d20, and you can't take 10 or take 20.
Remember also that all characters get Spot, Listen, Climb, Jump, and Swim as a class skill.
You start the game knowing one language fluently. For every 1 point of intelligence bonus, you gain 1 point that can be spent to learn new languages. If you have 2 or more points, you can spend multiple points in one language, or 1 point in multiple languages. (See the House Rules thread for more details about languages).
Wealth
Your starting wealth is 8 plus your total ranks (not modifier) in the Profession skill plus your occupation bonus plus any applicable feats or abilities.
Equipment
Supplied equipment
Every PARC is outfitted with the following equipment:
*Comlink -- an over-the-ear device which allows for secure radio communication between team members and allows the wearer to be tracked from Home Base. Also contains a small but powerful LED light which is capable of projecting a beam 10 feet long and 5 feet wide at the end. When the flashlight feature is not in use, it looks like any standard bluetooth attachment.
*Cell phone with integrated PDA. Can be used to make secure phone calls.
*All other equipment you must purchase with your starting wealth.
Restriction
You can buy any object of Restricted rating or lower (subject to availability, described below), but don't forget you need a license for every group of items.
Military items are available at character start, but you need to include at least a paragraph in your backstory that describes how you got them. If your story sounds plausible given the rest of your background I will probably allow it (and don't forget that you need a Military license).
Illegal items require approval. Depending on the item, I may determine that a license will allow you to carry the item (and a bit of backstory may sway me to this decision) or I may decide that you can only buy the item on the black market. If the latter is the case, keep in mind that a character who is caught with an illegal item will suffer the consequences.
Progress Level (PL) and Availability
This game is set in PL 5 (roughly modern day) with limited access to PL 6 equipment. You can use any modern equipment listed on these pages of the MSRD:
Armor
General Equipment
Lifestyle and Services
Weapons
As for future equipment all mundane PL 5 and 6 equipment
listed in the MSRD can be used (keeping in mind that PL 6 is +5 DC)
except:
Gadgets:
Weapons:
Collapsible (possibly with some exceptions)
Compact
Genetic tags (but can be applied to ammunition)
Miniaturized
Techno-Organic Makeup
Variable Ammunition (maybe with exceptions for longarms)
Armor:
Techno-Organic Makeup
Prehensile Appendage
Universal:
Compact (but *can* be used on electronics)
Miniaturized (but *can* be used on electronics)
Self-repairing
Gear:
Weapons:
Bio-Agent ammo (improved to illegal; severe penalties for being caught with it)
Tangler grenade
High Frequency Sword
Laser Weapons
Mini grenade launcher
Mini rocket launcher
Tangler Gun
Armor:
Survival Suit
Equipment:
Portable Environmental Generator
Puritizer (works on water only)
Antitox chemical (instead gives +5 bonus to resist poisons)
Neutrad chemical (instead gives +5 bonus to overcome radiation sickness)
Solvaway chemical
Sporekill chemical (instead gives +5 bonus to overcome disease)
Display contacts (but video lenses are still in)
Fusion torch
Intellipicks
Jetpack (has one lower category of maneuverability)
Neural scrambler
Personal plastic surgery kit
Violet rations
Cybernetic enhancements (note that all cybernetic replacements of PL 6 or lower are allowed):
Nightvision Optics
Skill Implant
Subcutaneous Body Armor (Medium) and (Heavy) (Light is still allowed)
Subcutaneous Cell Phone
Voice Stress Analyzer
Telescopic Optics
Character Option
Most characters were chosen by The Order in part because of their ability to see through the veil of Shadow. Some characters, however, know of shadow, but refuse to believe in it's existence. These types of characters usually think in terms of vast conspiracies, or they think they are seeing illusions, or are going crazy. Any such character may choose the following feat for free at first level only:
Non-believer [Initial]
Though you posses the qualities which normally allow you to see Shadow for what it is, you refuse through sheer power of will.
Prerequisites: Wis 12
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to Will saves against any effect of a shadow creature derived from its shadow nature (subject to GM approval). These effects include such things as fear effects, spell-like abilities, and abilities based on HD (but not class levels).
Drawback: You use any class ability, feat, or other feature that gives advantages over Shadow creatures or that require belief in Shadow. You automatically fail any knowledge or research checks to find out information about creatures of Shadow (when you would normally succeed, you simply believe that the information is faked or simply wrong).
At any time that a Shadow creature performs an action that allows you to use the benefit of this feat, you can choose to give up the use of this feat voluntarily. You no longer gain the benefits, but neither do you suffer the drawbacks.
If you are dealt damage from a shadow creature from a source other than a natural weapon (bite, claw), psionic source, or manufactured weapon (sword, handgun), you must make a Will save (DC = damage dealt) or involuntarily give up the use of this feat. Applicable damage includes but is not limited to: slam damage by seemingly inanimate objects, elemental damage (from breath attacks, or otherwise), spells (other than those from a scroll) or otherwise unnatural damage. The GM makes the final decision as to whether or not a given attack requires a will save.
If at any time you lose the use of this feat you never again gain the benefits of it, nor can you choose it again.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:07, Thu 16 July 2009.