For this build, I went back to Star Frontiers because it is simple and fast. This time I choose to do a Dralasite. Dralasites are described as "short, rubbery aliens that have no bones or hard body parts. Their skin is a flexible membrane that is very tough..". Thus they have a special ability to change the shape of thier bodies, with up to Dexterity divided by 10 (round up) number of limbs (arms with functional hands, legs, pods, etc).
They also have a 5% chance to detect a lie. This is listed as a Special Ability, which can be improved by expending experience points, just like a skill. A 5% starting chance to detect a lie doesn't sound like much of a special ability: I think most people's innate bullshit detectors are calibrated better than that.
Dralasites are also hermaphroditic, longed lived (250 years), and have a keen sense of smell that can identify individuals. They are philosophical and thoughtful, and judge themselves by the quality of their thoughts and ideas rather than wealth, power, or status symbols. Best of all, Dralasites are known for their strange sense of humor, loving old jokes and puns.
So I roll stat groups (Strength/Stamina, Dexterity/Reaction Speed, etc), percentile on a table. I then adjust for my race (+5 STR/STA, -5 DEX/RS), and adjust within a set by up to 10. This results in
STRength 65 / STAmina 55
DEXterity 55 / Reaction Speed 45
INTuition 65 / LOGic 55
PERsonality 70 / Leadership 60
So I have a very friendly Dralasite who is a good leader - maybe a bit more of a forceful personality than your normal every-day next door Dralasite.
I did not do skills on my first Star Frontiers character, as they are not in the Basic Rules. The Expanded Game Rules add skills, but not very clearly. There are three Primary Skill Areas (PSAs): Military, Technological, and Biosocial. It says there are 7 Military Skills, 3 Technological Skills, and 3 Biosocial Skills. Under some skills, like Computer Skill, are listed multiple subskills (8 in the case of Computer Skill). After some perusal, I think Subskills are really like skill tasks. Either way, whatever you call it, it looks like if you take Computer skill you can apply it to those 8 subskills/tasks.
So for character generation, you pick a PSA. Then you get one skill (at Level 1) in that PSA and can pick another skill from any PSA. I pick the Technological PSA for my Dralasite, who I've named Momen Vasilikous.
I take Technician as my PSA skill, which has the subskills/tasks of Operating Machinery, Repairing Machinery, Detecting Alarms/Defenses, Deactivating Alarms/Defenses, and Opening Locks. Each subskill has a base Success Rate %, to which the 10 x the skill level would be added (skills have level 1 thru 6). The Base Success Rate is based on Dexterity for Military Skills, and is just given for all others.
Momen's Technician base Success Rates would be:
Operating Machinery: 50% + 10% = 60%
Repairing Machinery: 40% + 10% = 50%
Detecting Alrams/Defenses: 60% + 10% -alarm level = 70% - alarm level
Deactivating Alarms/Defense: 40% + 10% - alarm level = 50% - alarm level
Opening Locks: 50% +10% - lock level = 60% - lock level
For my other skill, I take Projectile Weapons under Military. This covers automatic pistols and rifles, bows, needler weapons (magnetically propel a cluster of needles, so very quiet. Needles can be barbed for direct damage or anesthetic, machine guns and recoilless rifles(!) ). Baes Success Rate is 1/2 Dex, so 28% + 10% = 38%. Momen's not an ace by a longshot, but at least you don't have to worry about him shooting you in the back. Maybe.
At the end of a session/adventure, after experience points are awarded (usually 1-6), these points can be used to buy new skills or upgrade and existing skill per a chart-given cost.
I rolled 299 credits and purchased a needler pistol for 200, 5 10 round needler (barbed) clips for 50, and a Doze Grenade for 10, leaving Momen 39 credits in his bank account. The Equipment List does not give any costs for standard fare like food or drink. But an All Weather Blanket is 20 credits, and Sungoggles are 2, so let's say Momen is dirt poor and definitely looking for work!
Here's a Dralasite in action, but I'm not sure this would be Momen.
But this is Momen:
#CharacterCreationChallenge
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