This Classic Traveller character generator on Devil Ghost is a hoot. The visuals are a perfect match for Traveller, and it couldn’t be easier to use: just refresh to get a new character.[1]
Here’s my favorite character I’ve rolled up so far:
Just look at this dude: he spent five terms — 20 years — in the military, working his way steadily up to the rank of colonel, and has the mustering-out benefits of someone who was a very successful soldier. But what interests me most is one skill in particular: Dagger-3.
Dagger-1 is a professional knife fighter, or equivalent. Like if there’s a job that involves knifey stuff, you can get hired to do that job with Dagger-1.
Dagger-2 is an elite knife fighter. This is someone with special skills, who stands out even among skilled knife fighters.
But Dagger-3? Dagger-3 is a fucking ninja assassin. And in his 20 years in the service, that must be what Colonel Wang spent the most time doing.
Why? What kinds of missions did he undertake? How did they shape him as a person? Who is he today, mustering out at 38 with the means to travel the galaxy?
I had some ideas the moment I scanned his character sheet, and I bet you did too. That’s why I love Classic Traveller‘s (paid link) minimalist characters and delightfully random character creation.
[1] I do wish there was a permalink for each character, but I don’t know enough about programming to know if that might be difficult to produce.
I do love the Classic Traveller conceit of ‘skill of 1 is employable’. So like an NPC soldier would have Rifle-1 or SMG-1. Pilot-1 is enough to get a pretty good, steady job.
And Dagger-3 is basically someone who has probably killed a person wearing power armor with just a knife and (maybe) the element of surprise. I’ve heard of a character with Cutlass-5, which would be like the Inigo Montoya of cutlass use.
Cutlass-5 is insane! Playing around with generators, Wang’s Dagger-3 is the highest skill I’ve seen so far.
After several clicks with some cheating options on, I got this bad dude:
URL Parms: history=verbose&hunt=skill&skill=Gun&level=7&cascade=skip&maxcash=0
Army General Malika Tamm 9B5979 Age 46
7 terms Cr0
Skills: Blade-1, Fwd Obsvr-1, Gambling-1, Gun-9, Rifle-1, SMG-1, Tactics-2
Benefits: 8,000/yr Retirement Pay, Gun, High Passage, High Passage
So that could be either Rifle-10 or SMG-10, either of which he gets +2 DM for Advantageous Dexterity. Even at very long range he nets a +5 against Battle Dress with a Rifle… (i.e. he only fails to hit on a 2…).
The galaxy’s most notorious hired gun!
I’ve been using that CharGen for several years for NPCs.
I copy and paste to my word processing program, have several multipage documents of these NPCs.
Nice! I’ve got a little Cepheus Solo campaign going, and generating my party randomly was a ton of fun — and has led to plenty of surprises.
Gun-10… Think Seal team Sniper using a Barret 50cal. Hired by revolutionaries to defend a specific area for a bounty on each POW taken. Someone capable of hitting the emergency eject button on Battle Dress at 3000 meters, every time. By the time a platoon of Imperial Space Marines in full Battle Dress carrying FGMP15s know they are in trouble would be way to late. Just leave a note on a pole for the Marines to surrender NOW!!! place your fancy weapons on the ground and step into the shipping container near the pole. A nice bounty would be the weapons and armor of all POWs he takes. A full platoon in battle dress and weapons would be enough to by a nicely equipped star ship with MCrs left over.
An interesting patron might offer a PC group a job to rescue the POWs and their gear for a couple of years mortgage payments on their ship.
I dig it! I’d play that game.
Take your group up against a motivated sniper Laser Rifle-10 with a +2 for DEX? Guarding a platoon of BD trained Marines? Well, if you like a challenge. The sniper would have at least a squad for security, wearing something camo and bullet resistant. They would be POW guards and prepared defense security posts. Add a devious GM and a few pirates coming to get the BD armor and weapons should make a very interesting time for the players. Fill out your wills and grab your body bags before trying.
A quick and dirty game using a cut and paste from that character generator.
I more meant in the sense that I’d play the game that spun out of that idea — your riff on a single skill is awesome. :-)
I have learned a few things running many different games over too many years. Basic rules are…
1. Make it memorable.
2. The great and twisted god Murphy and his laws are always in effect. Many names for Murphy, every culture had one. Loki, Coyote, Pan, Killroy, or whoever was blamed for misfortune, freedom, choice, self interest and more.
3. The more challenge, the longer it shall be remembered.
4. Don’t think outside the box, throw the box away.
5. Listen to your players, they know best how to cause them difficulties.
6. Never be afraid to kill a character. A good death can make for an outrageously memorable session.
7. Rule Zero means you are the god of your universe. The characters most of interest to the game gods are the most tormented and tortured. Complaints mean they need more torment.
8. Never be afraid to give the players too much equipment or cash. The more they have, the more they have and protect and to lose.
9. Misjumps are openings to new adventures. Use them, Pirate fleets are great for forcing early jumps, especially when your ship is overloaded with refugees.
10. Old Si Fi has great adventure ideas. It may be outdated, but the ideas are still terrific. Younger players almost never read the older golden age literature, use it.
I have been playing and running since the original 3 LLBs. Make it memorable and challenging, exploit every player character error with Murphys rules. Let them get their special designed TL15 Merchant badly damaged back to a Class B TL10 post for repairs and watch the loot in their cargo holds go to pay for repairs. Don’t forget the import taxes, bribes, crooked officials, unrefined fuel, exotic diseases, and settling the bill with the guy who sold you the defective missiles without firing pins.