 December 1, 2009 - 9:22pm | See the digitally remaster rules at the star frontiersman site: http://www.starfrontiersman.com/PDF/Star%20Frontiers.pdf reffer to page 146 of the pdf under optional rules. Also for some great examples look at the character arch type artcles in the, what first 5-6 SFman zines for great examples of edges and flaws designed to fit a character concept. Also for creating new ones dont think about the rules define the character concept and ask your self what is this guys flaw? and think like a writer not a player once you have that flaw designed to match the character concept then go to the rules and see how you can incorporate that into the game. a great idea a player used for his character in my game was he gave his pilot character PTSD, I should have jumped on that and worked in a flaw rule from these optional rules as it was a great idea and he had a well thought out background to match it. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 1, 2009 - 9:26pm | Thanks. I just downloaded it. I found the link under another thread about AD mentalist rules. I'm looking for something to add just slightly more depth to the characters. The remastered stuff is really nicely done. |
December 1, 2009 - 9:38pm | check the arch types in the SFman zine too I love those. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 1, 2009 - 10:34pm | Yeah, i like the archetypes idea. Sample character concepts are especially handy when you have players who aren't familair with the setting and are just looking at 2 skills and some stats. PTSD is a great flaw. It works for any "former military" background story. I may snatch that for my Combat Medic idea. Maybe it'll involve some chance at freezing up in fire fight situations (as stunned, no more than once per adventure, Int check each turn to shake it off... or something). |
 December 2, 2009 - 4:17pm | I'm working on an origins background generator that should be ready for issue 14 (if it gets published in that issue). I'm already done with the tables. I just need to flesh out all the details. It has built-in edges and flaws and will generate a minimum of 2.5 billion backgrounds. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
December 2, 2009 - 8:58pm | 2.5 Billion?? Golly... i'd've settled for a list of 20-40 good examples.  Is it gonna be one of those mad-libs style generators where you roll on seperate tables to fill in the details of your background? "My name is Bork, [surprize] yazarian [dental assistant] and [gravy boat] of Clan [mutton chop]." |
December 2, 2009 - 10:01pm | Currently I'm using (working on) a short list of simple perks to choose from. Stuff like Athlete (+X% to STR or DEX checks to climb, jump, or balance), Thick-Skinned (+X% to STA checks to resist stunned, sleep or KO effects), Combat Driver (requires Technician lvl 1, +X% to RS checks while driving or piloting) or Two-Fisted (may make an additional unarmed attack each turn). Just something minor that might set your character apart from the next military PSA with 2 level 1 skills. Also to compensate for the lack of "true scientists" in the rules, I have 3 Science perks that require at least 1 level of either a tech or biosocial skill: Science (Life), Science (Physical), and Science (Social). As far as function, they simply allow the character to make a LOG check to answer questions about any science that falls under their specialty. A character with Science (Life) could answer a genetics question or explain the dralasite "budding" process accurately. A character with Science (Social) can answer questions regarding archeology, politics, or psychology. The perks just provides general access to already existing knowledge, they do not replace rolls to identify, observe, or apply given under skills. I've only got like 15 or so at the moment but am adding more. I know it's a tool that's become popular lately (feats, talents, edges, whatever) but i think it's a valid one. They aren't as deep or involved as the edges/flaws from the remastered books but then again, sometimes the players would just rather have a list. Especially for quick play or one-nighters. At the moment I'm just letting them take one at character creation (no flaw to offset) but am considering processes for gaining new ones later as the character develops (something like an exp cost, or as benchmark reward, or by taking minor flaws). |
December 4, 2009 - 10:30pm | PTSD is a great flaw. It works for any "former military" background story. I may snatch that for my Combat Medic idea. Maybe it'll involve some chance at freezing up in fire fight situations (as stunned, no more than once per adventure, Int check each turn to shake it off... or something). PTSD could be more setting specific rather than just combat specific. Say that the character was on Pale during the sathar occupation of that world and freezes up when a sathar is invovled or the suggestion of a sathar. Also it occurs to me that the D&D ver 3.5 Player's handbook has a 2 page list of feats that could be mined for edges but no flaws. If I still had my GURPS 1st ed. rules; it had a list of character flaws that could be taken which bestowed more build points to buy edges. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
