Initial rolls: 747AB7, odd roll so male. Allowing 1 extra roll, initial UWP 777AB7. Physically perfectly average, but very smart with a high education, and smack dab middle class (such as it may be in the Third Imperium).
Having all those smarts, looking at which careers prefer that for enlistment. Navy he would have a +3 total, a higher chance at both survival and promotions, Marines +1 to get in, and an edge for commission. And so on. Merchants gives him a pretty good boost on most things, as does the scientist career. And all the other possible career choices.
And I have recently picked up the Cepheus Deluxe book, I suppose I should go through that process. What is interesting about this version (and now how many versions of Traveller and Traveller-like systems do I have? Best to look away, look away) is that there are no rolls to get into a career. This version gives the player a lot more control over the character generation process. No survival rolls. No promotion rolls - it is automatic on even terms (and possibly by random events). In the end this does generate a Traveller-like character, but without that randomness, for me at least it leaves things dryer. There is a story in the random rolls to flesh out the character. We'll see if the random events can do the same sort of thing.
I've always enjoyed Scout characters, and while the intelligence and education seem to want this character to be a scholar, and as I can no longer die in the Scout service (the dump career for those who roll crappy stats in the past, with the high likelihood of dying to allow you to roll up something better!) we'll give that a shot.
First, we have homeworld skills. As there are 6 sets, I'll roll a d6 to see what sort of system we come from. A frontier world, and I'll choose Survival-1 as my homeworld skill. This also helps with the background: there were no real scholarly opportunities here, and we've passed beyond what this world offers in terms of education. As there was a Scout base in system, we're off to join the Imperial Interstellar Scouts!
You can also choose your skills rather than rolling. I'm going to do my house-rule and roll, but then allow to pick the skill. I can see for some players being able to entirely control character generation is a thing they would like. I can also see the same players generating a very small subset of characters if they played enough.
It is also noted that the total number of skill levels is INT + EDU. For Brainy here, that is 21 total points. It also notes you can swap a skill for personal stat increase. Something to keep in mind. And you can also swap a benefit roll for a rank increase. Interesting and I actually like that.
Term 1: Scout (Rank 0)
Grav-Vehicles-0 and Repair-1. Repair is a combination of electronics and mechanical, at least in terms of fixing or hacking into things.
Event: A rescue mission! I rolled an 8 for the 8+ on Engineering, so pick up both Engineering-1 and a contact. Note that engineering is back to the CT version, and covers jump, maneuver, power and life support. Though honestly, I think I do prefer the cascade version of engineering.
Term 2: Scout (Rank 1)
Computer-1 and Engineering-2. Looks like he has an aptitude for engineering.
Event: Cybered. Cr6000 towards cybernetics. That is a new thing! There are 3 classifications of cybernetics. With a Cr6000 range, there are several possibilities. He'll get three cybernetic implants that fit into the Scout world as well as his intelligence:
- Internal OmniComm (a cell phone in his head) Cr100. Which seems really cheap even for an external omnicomm.
- Internal OmniComp (neural internal computer) Cr300.
- Internal filtration system to protect from airborne toxins and pathogens.
Term 3: Scout (Rank 1)
Zero-G-1 and Science-1.
Event: Ambushed! Choosing to fight and actually manage to roll a 9, beating the 8+ needed. I get a +1 on the benefits roll - maybe I can get a Scout ship!
I can also pick a trait, and having the computer skill, choose the Hacker trait. It gives me advantage on hacking and breaking into electronic devices.
Term 4: Scout (Rank 2)
Gun Combat 1 (and this covers all guns and bows; Cepheus skills are a lot broader than even Classic Traveller) and Pilot-1. If I get a Scout ship, I do need to know how to pilot it!
Event: Survey duty. Science-2 for my brainy Scout.
Aging: on the bright side, aging is a bit different than Classic. Classic is an 8+ to avoid the effects of getting older, whereas Cepheus you roll 2d6 and subtract the terms. 1+ is no effects, so you can go through a few terms before getting hit. Though, as per Mongoose, you can get hit really hard all at once. But I succeeded on this roll, so as per RPGSuite, I aged gracefully this term.
Another trait: Rescue Specialist. Helpful for those having issues in zero-G.
Term 5: Scout (Rank 2)
Grav-Vehicle-1 and Gun Combat-2.
Event: Xenomorphs! Fortunately, I bumped my gun combat up as that added the +2 I needed to survive! That bumps my survival to Survival-2.
Aging: 12 - 5 = 7, so still aging gracefully, Only 38 (and yeah, in college when I played a lot that was old. Now approaching 60, 38 was when I was actually in my physical peak as I was running marathons. Though I never did break 4 hours, I still completed a few marathons). I'll go 1 more term to get an additional rank and its concomitant science skill, and maybe take a stat increase.
And in re-reading the rules, I was only allowed 1 skill at terms 4+. Leaving the gun ones in there and removing the others.
Term 6: Scout (Rank 3)
I pick up Science-3 as a term skill. And I pull back that Pilot-1 as the skill gained this term.
Event: Life event! I travel a lot between the worlds. Well, yes, I am a Scout! I can pick either steward or carousing. I can't decide: he is smart, so would he be a party type or pick up basic housekeeping? I can see it going either way, so 1-3 for steward, and 4-6 for party time! Guess he learned to blow off steam - Carousing-1.
Aging: 8 - 6 = 2, so just barely this time, but still aging gracefully.
And a 3rd trait (yeah). This time picking languages, so he knows 3 other languages (helps that he is smart and has a built-in computer so in theory could just rely on that. This makes it more fluent, and dare I say, organic). Going with the primary Alsan language and 2 Vargr languages.
And enough - 42 years old, and ready to go. I also get a retirement of Cr7,000/year.
Mustering Out
Going to add one rank to get to Senior Scout. Still leaves me 5 rolls, and one has a +1. Wait - 6 rolls as you get 1 + the number of terms served. Bonus!
- Cash: Cr10,000, Cr50,000 on the 1st 2 rolls. Between that and my pension, think we've enough cash to sustain ourself just a bit.
- Benefits: +1 Int, weapon (stunner), Scout ship!, blaster pistol.
This character ended up pretty good. There are several updates to how Cepheus vs Traveller works. Some I like, some I am ambivalent about, some I don't like.
Senior Scout Lars Sebiin 777BB7 age 42
Science-3, Gun Combat-2, Survival-2, Engineering-2, Pilot-1, Carousing-1, Computer-1, Repair-1, Grav-1
Stamina: 7
Lifeblood: 14
Hacker (advantage on hacking into electronics)
Rescue Specialist Zero-G
Speaks Standard, Gvegh (Vargr), Ovaghoun (Vargr), Trokh (Aslan)
Has an internal omnicomm, internal omnicomp and an internal filtration system for airborne pathogens and toxins.
Stunner (3D stun damage), blaster pistol (4D), Scout ship, Cr60,000
Cr7,000/year pension
Contact: from a rescue mission, Baroness Aidy Redic
Growing up on a frontier world, Lars rapidly read through the entire colony's library and surpassed his teachers by the time he graduated high school. He went to the Scout base, and had a solid career in the Scouts, gaining scientific as well as practical and a few illicit skills in his 24 years as a scout. While he had an occasional adventure as when he rescued a noble woman on a hunting trip, or fought off an alien attack, most of his career was spent observing and researching worlds for the IIS. Retiring as a Senior Scout, the service granted him a Scout ship to explore the cosmos in his own fashion. Sometimes overly confident due to his intellect not being challenged nearly enough growing up, Lars can often come across as a know-it-all. He will rarely admit he is wrong and often will argue until it is just easier to give up. Unfortunately, while not knowing all, he does know a lot.
well, technically a Star Wars character but close enough for me
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