Character #5: Star Frontiers

 

TSR's answer to Traveller, published in 1980: 'Exciting Adventure on Alien Worlds'. I've got this boxed set, which includes a Basic Game Rules (16 pages) and Expanded Game Rules (60 pages). I even have a module for it, SF3 Sundown on Starmist. Another RPG I don't think I ever played: I had too much invested in Traveller so it was hard to break loose. Star Frontiers doesn't have spaceships: space travel is just to get to another world for the next mission.

One neat thing I just noticed is the Expanded Rules booklet includes a version of the 1E AD&D DMG Appendix N, 'Reading for Fun and Ideas'. Asimov Foundation Series, Bradbury Martian Chronicles, Clarke Rendezvous with Rama, etc. All the classics of course.

The inside cover of the Basic Rules has a few paragraphs titled History, which does a succinct job of laying out the history of human expansion into the stars, finding the friendly aliens (Vrusk - insectoids, Dralasites - elasitc blobs, and Yazirians - maned and winged monkeys), then the evil Sathar -armed worms, and the foundation of the United Planetary Federation (UPF) to defend the good guys/planets and hold off the Sathar expansion. Sathar agents of UPF races seem to be the main enemy.

Being engineer minded and history focused even as a teenager, I think I was always more human focused and had a hard time getting into the alien creatures, especially as characters. I could easily play a dwarf or elf in D&D, but they are humanoid. The cover art of Star Frontiers was just a bit too cartoonish for me, so I think that is why I stuck with Traveller.

But now I'm older, and more open to anything since I haven't played in years, so I think I could probably get into something like star Frontiers a little bit easier now. 

With that in mind, I'm rolling up a Yazirian. Because how cool is it to be a tinted goggles (due to light sensitive eyes) wearing winged monkey with a flowing mane fighting bad guys with a tri-barreled blaster? (although I can't find that gun in the rules)

I will be using the Expanded Game Rules, which just adds some attribute adjustment, Alien abilities, and skills. Star Frontiers looks to be an easy, simple system for both character generation and play. The simple one-page, one-sided character sheet is nice. This might be a good system to use to introduce players to RPGs.

Abilities (attributes) are listed as Physical Data on the character sheet. They are grouped in pairs: Strength (STR)/Stamina (STA), Dexterity (DEX)/Reaction Speed (RS), Intuition (INT)/Logic (LOG), and Personality (PER)/Leadership (LDR). Percentile dice are rolled on a table to get a Base Score which applies to each attribute in a pair. Racial modifiers are added per a table, or a Human character can add 5 point to any one Attribute. Then you can adjust scores within a pair by up to 10 points. Things to note are that the Reaction Speed divided by 10 is the Initiative Modifier (the highest Initiative Modifier within the group will be added to a 1D10 roll to determine initiative), Ranged weapon base chance to hit is half the Dexterity, Melee weapon base chance to hit is half the Dexterity or Strength (player choice), and Stamina is Hit Points (0 = DEAD).

For Strength/Stamina, I rolled 65, which is modified by a -10 for Yazirians, to 55. I shifted 5 points to give me 60 Strength (30 BCS for melee weapons) and 50 Stamina.

For Dexterity/Reaction Speed, I rolled 65, which is modified by +5 for race to 70. I shifted one point to Reaction Speed, to end up 69 Dexterity and 71 Reaction Score. Because the ranged weapon base chance for success is half Dexterity rounded up, and Initiative Modifier is Reaction Speed/10 rounded up, this gives me 35 for BCS and an 8 IM.

For intuition/Logic I rolled 55, with +5 race modifier, giving 60. I left this as is.

For Personality/Leadership I rolled 70 and kept this as is.

So my Physical Data (Ability Scores) are then:

STR/STA     60/50

DEX/RS      69/71 

INT/LOG    60/60

PER/LDR    70/70

Initiative Modifier: 8

My racial abilities are being able to see in dim light (-15 DEX/RS if not wearing goggles in bright light), Battle Rage (5% chance to go berserk to get a +20% to hit bonus in melee), and Gliding (10 m in 1G, 150m in .6G).

For skills, there are 13 skills in three Primary Skill Areas: Military, Technological, and Biosocial. I choose one area as my career, and get two skills, only one of which must be in my chosen area. Initial skills are at Level 1. Skill levels can be increased, and new skills learned, by expending experience points gained during the adventures. Higher skill levels cost more points, and skills outside the character's Primary Skill Area cost twice as much to learn or increase. Each skill level generally adds 10% to the chance of success using the skill (each skill has a base chance of success, modified by the character skill level and other factors).

In keeping with the cool blaster monkey image, I take Military as the Primary Skill Area. To hammer the point home, I'm taking two skills in the Military area, Gyrojet Weapons and Demolitions.

Starting credits is 250 plus D100. I rolled a 14 :/ So 264 starting credits. I spend 200 on a Gyrojet pistol, and another 50 on 5 10rd clips, leaving me with 14 credits. 

So please meet Zmat Drangian, a Yaziarian agent of the United Planetary Federation, known as the Powder Monkey. A charismatic leader, in the Yaziarian way ('any plan executed with vigor and force is better than the best plan executed too late'), Z lives and breathes to destroy Satharians and their agents after seeing the aftermath of a Sathar attack on his homeworld. He's young and anxious, ready to get to it and improve his capabilities. 

 #CharacterCreationChallenge