Character guidelines

[Fulci]

This is part summary of the chargen rules from Unknown Armies 2e, part commentary on how to make the characters act and interact in the game environment I want to run.

The first step consists of picking out a few short descriptors – short, yet all-encompassing keywords that define your character, both personality/background- and system-wise. In the second step, you will also assume numerical values to a small set of attributes and related skills.

These descriptors are not only your character stats, but also certain guidelines for me, the GM, on what you want to include in the game.

The most important question is, of course, “Who are you?”

You are a person who is turning away from the everyday to
scratch deeper. You believe there are secrets that are worth
learning. You are determined to discover them.
You are not boring. You are an obsessed, passionate
individual with a distinctive personality.

1. Jot down a brief character concept – probably already done so in the player recruitment thread.
2. Come up with a trigger event. This is something harrowing and possibly life-changing you experienced in the past. Anything weird that opened your eyes to the existence of other, different worlds hidden behind reality.
   The trigger event doesn’t have to be explained. It might resurface during the game.
3. What’s your obsession? It’s important, it defines your life and choices. The connection between you and your obsession is two-way: you have certain control over the object of your desire, but it also governs you. It can be something partly physical (collecting archaeological artifacts) or purely abstract (think control freaks).
4. Beside your obsession, you have passions. Pick three different passions:
   • Fear. Something you fear the most. (Drowning? Fire? Death of loved ones? The Shadow Government?) Link your Fear passion to one of the Madness Meters (see next post for details).
   • Rage. Something that makes you truly furious. (The Shadow Government? Bullies? Human stupidity?)
   • Noble. What inspires you to be the very best person you can be? (Helping the weak? Technological progress? Debunking myths? Unveiling conspiracies?)
   Game-wise, if you encounter the object of your passion, you may opt for a re-roll or a flip-flop* a related test (once per "session").

Now on to the numbers.
Unknown Armies uses a percentage-die system (1d100). Flip-flopping a roll means switching the ones and the tens: 73 becomes 37. It's a good thing, a big advantage. It's almost like having a skill with a 10-20% bonus.

1. Divide 220 points between four attributes and attach a description to each one. 50-59 is human average.
   • Body - physical health and capability. Are you "skinny", "tough", "Bud Spencer", "fitness freak", "sick and old"? You also get this many Wound points.
   • Speed - response time, agility, body coordination. Are you "trembling", "quick", "accurate", "flexible"?
   • Mind - intelligence, knowledge, perception. Are you "well-read", "brainy", "witty"? Your Mind stat also represents how stable and tough you are mentally - keeps you from going insane...
   • Soul - empathy, emotions (and also juju and six (and seventh) senses). Are you "cold", "caring", "sensitive"?
2. Skills are related to these attributes. Each attribute's rating can be divided between the skills corresponding to the given attribute. If you have Body 65, you can divide 65 skill points between your Body-based skills. You also get 15 "freebies" you can assign to any skill group. The maximum rating of your skills is 55 OR the governing attribute's rating.
   There is no fixed skill list: make up anything you like (and anything I approve)!!
   You get a couple of free skills at a rating of 15% (feel free to boost your skill points):
   • Body: General Athletics, Struggle
     Speed: Dodge, Driving, Initiative (starts at half of your Speed attrib.)
     Mind: General Education, Notice, Conceal
     Soul: Charm, Lying
   Your self-made skills can be almost anything! Be creative. These skills also help to flesh out your character.
   E.g. you want to give your character an "intimidation" skill. Are you getting a Body-based "Terrifying appearance" or a Soul-based "Intimidating voice"?
   More examples: "Good with money" (Mind), "Blind luck" (Soul) - this is a bit of a stretch, but acceptable, "Thief in the night" (Speed), "Photographic memory" (Mind), "Endurance" (Body), etc.
   
   You don't get many skills, but in UA, these entries are treated quite widely, so your "Firearms" skill can be used for the actual firing of a gun, but also repairs and gun-related knowledge. Also, don't worry if your skill rating is "low" - tests are only called for if you are attempting something in a stressful or important situation. These circumstances are already calculated into the skill rating.
3. Pick an obsession skill - mark a skill that is most related to your obsession. Every time you use this skill, you may either re-roll or flip-flop...

And basically you have a character.

If you have any questions, I'm here to help!!

Here's a template/character sheet:

Name:
Character concept:
Trigger event:
Obsession:

Passions:

• Fear:
• Rage:
• Noble:

Madness Meters (hardened/failed):

• Violence:
• The Unnatural:
• Helplessness:
• Isolation:
• Self:

Attributes:

• Body:
• Speed:
• Mind:
• Soul:

Skills:

• Body: General Athletics, Struggle
• Speed: Dodge, Driving, Initiative
• Mind: General Education, Notice, Conceal
• Soul: Charm, Lying

Code: Select all

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Character concept:[/b]
[b]Trigger event:[/b]
[b]Obsession:[/b]

[b]Passions:[/b]
[list][*][b]Fear:[/b] 
[*][b]Rage:[/b] 
[*][b]Noble:[/b]
[/list]

[b]Madness Meters (hardened/failed):[/b]
[list][*][b]Violence:[/b]
[*][b]The Unnatural:[/b]
[*][b]Helplessness:[/b]
[*][b]Isolation:[/b]
[*][b]Self:[/b]
[/list]

[b][u]Attributes:[/u][/b]
[list][*][b]Body:[/b]
[*][b]Speed:[/b]
[*][b]Mind:[/b]
[*][b]Soul:[/b]
[/list]
[b][u]Skills:[/u][/b]
[list][*]Body: General Athletics, Struggle
[*]Speed: Dodge, Driving, Initiative
[*]Mind: General Education, Notice, Conceal
[*]Soul: Charm, Lying
[/list]

[Fulci]

Some additional information, concerning the Madness Meters.

There are five separate tracks on the meter. Each track represent a type of mental stress.

• Violence
• The Unnatural
• Helplessness
• Isolation
• Self (this is part ethics, part metaphysics... "Self measures how traumatized you are by your own reactions to those things. To put it another way, the only thing you can ever really be 100% sure of is “I think, therefore I am.” The Self meter measures how uncertain you are about the “I” in that statement." - that's how the authors put it)

When you face something mind-bending and insanity-inducing, you make a stress check (= a Mind roll).
If you fail the test, you get a "Failed notch". If you get five of them on any meter, you go insane.
If you succeed, you get a "Hardened notch" on the Madness Meter in question. If you get ten of them on any Meter, you become a certified sociopath. E.g., with 10 Hardened notches on your Violence Meter, taking a life is "okay" in your books...

Each stress situation has a rank, for example getting attacked with a knife can be considered a rank-1 Violence check. If you already have at least one Hardened notch on your Violence Meter, you ignore the test - this danger just doesn't scare you any more. Lying to a loved one may provoke a rank-4 Self check.

During character creation, you must link your Fear passion to one of the Madness Meters.

Update:

These meters correspond to the stuff that perpetuated against the character, not his reaction to his greatest fear.

Some examples:

• Violence is activated when somebody fires a gun at the character.
• The Unnatural is used when somebody casts a spell on the character, or when the character witnesses something supernatural.
• Helplessness is when the character faces his/her own inability to do anything to change the situation. Witnessing the murder of a friends happening on the other side of unbreakable glass - yupp, there's a huge Helplessness check.
• Isolation is activated when the character is kept in a small, dark room for a few days...
• Self checks are called for when the character questions her own identity: maybe learns that she was adopted by her parents (while earlier she thought she was their biological child)

[Inferno]

Work in progress...

Name:
Character concept: A writer/reporter who runs a small website about conspiracy theories; JFK, New World Order, UFOs, the Bilderbergs, Mothman, you name it. He's a true believer.
Trigger event: The day he read "Rush to Judgment" by Mark Lane.
Obsession: Collecting and promoting evidence of conspiracy theories.

Passions:

• Fear: The Shadow Government. Links to Violence.
• Rage: Government cover ups. And that the average person can't see right through them.
• Noble: Unveiling conspiracies.

Madness Meters (hardened/failed):

• Violence:
• The Unnatural:
• Helplessness:
• Isolation:
• Self:

Attributes:

• Body: 39. Wiry, Underfed, Exhausted.
• Speed: 68. Hyperactive, Nervous, Twitchy.
• Mind: 78. Over-Educated, Overthinks Everything, Relentless.
• Soul: 35. Burnt Out, Cynical, Introverted.

Skills:

• Body: General Athletics 15, Struggle 15
• Speed: Dodge 15, Driving 15, Initiative 15
• Mind: General Education 15, Notice 15, Conceal 15
• Soul: Charm 15, Lying 15

[Fulci]

I like how it's shaping up! A few things:

Trigger event: The day he read "Rush to Judgment" by Mark Lane.

It'd be good if you could elaborate on it a bit more. The trigger event doesn't have to be supernatural or anything, but it would be cool to add some circumstances that make it more dramatic!

• Fear: The Shadow Government. Links to Violence.

I think the Helplessness meter would be more fitting! The fear that the Shadow Government does it's dirty deeds, the character knows about it, but cannot do anything to stop them.

Attributes:

• Body: 39. Wiry, Underfed, Exhausted.
• Speed: 68. Hyperactive, Nervous, Twitchy.
• Mind: 78. Over-Educated, Overthinks Everything, Relentless.
• Soul: 35. Burnt Out, Cynical, Introverted.

In the rulebook they usually give only one descriptor to each Attribute, but I don't see why you shouldn't give more, so I guess it's fine! Besides, they kinda complement each other.

[Inferno]

His ego is too great for helplessness.

The violence trigger is for when he realizes no one will ever believe him so he gets a rifle and tries to assassinate the president.

[Fulci]

I see what you mean! I guess I'll have to clarify the Madness meter rules a bit.

These meters correspond to the stuff that perpetuated against the character, not his reaction to his greatest fear.

Some examples:

• Violence is activated when somebody fires a gun at the character.
• The Unnatural is used when somebody casts a spell on the character, or when the character witnesses something supernatural.
• Helplessness is when the character faces his/her own inability to do anything to change the situation. Witnessing the murder of a friends happening on the other side of unbreakable glass - yupp, there's a huge Helplessness check.
• Isolation is activated when the character is kept in a small, dark room for a few days...
• Self checks are called for when the character questions her own identity: maybe learns that she was adopted by her parents (while earlier she thought she was their biological child)

As for the ego part: your character's high ego is represented by the high Mind score. With a Mind of 78 he is likely to pass most Helplessness (or other Madness related) checks and proceed as he wishes - violently, if you see that fitting!
Sometimes, of course, even the strongest ego is broken (in game terms: failing a Mind check). In such cases, the character's reaction is dictated by the GM. Psychological break-down, running away, etc. Vigilante justice too, possibly.

A Violence-related Fear passion would be the fear of hypodermic needles, or a fear of big dogs. In your case, it could be the fear of "being tortured by the CIA/FBI/..."

In your case, I'd keep the Shadow Government stuff, but link it to Helplessness. Or maybe Isolation? Your character understands that he is alone, a lone gunman ( ). Most of the times (high Mind score!) he can cope with this fact, but sooner or later he will face such a level of estrangement, that he might break down: "Why won't anyone believe me?!"

[Inferno]

Oh, I thought the Madness was our reaction to the situation. My mistake. Will rework it.

Thanks.

[Dogma]

This has been useful to see Inferno. i was making the same assumption you were re; how madness works. I'll try to get a draft of my PC up tonight.

Fuki, are you going to make a separate thread for characters sheets or should be post them here?

[Fulci]

The character creation process can take place here, so that clarifications and notes are all in one place.
And I'll make a thread for finished characters.

[Mister-Kent]

Do you think skills for Freerunning and Climbing would both be under Speed? Body? One of each?

[Inferno]

Take two...

Name: tbd

Character concept: A writer/reporter who runs a small website about conspiracy theories; JFK, New World Order, UFOs, the Bilderbergs, Mothman, you name it. He's a true believer.

Trigger event: The day he read "Rush to Judgment" by Mark Lane. It was his trip down the rabbit hole, after which nothing was ever looked at the same way again. Every history book, every news report, every word out of every politician's mouth was never believed after that. His all consuming obsession had begun. Also his paranoia, culminating in firearms training for the day the CIA kick in his door.

Obsession: Collecting and promoting evidence of conspiracy theories.

Passions:

• Fear: The Shadow Government. Links to Helplessness.
• Rage: Government cover ups. And that the average person can't see right through them.
• Noble: Unveiling conspiracies.

Madness Meters (hardened/failed):

• Violence:
• The Unnatural:
• Helplessness:
• Isolation:
• Self:

Attributes:

• Body: 39. Wiry, Underfed, Exhausted.
• Speed: 68. Hyperactive, Nervous, Twitchy.
• Mind: 78. Educated, Overthinks Everything, Relentless.
• Soul: 35. Burnt Out, Cynical, Introverted.

Skills:

• Body: General Athletics 35, Struggle 34
• Speed: Dodge 34, Driving 15, Initiative 34, Firearms 49,
• Mind: General Education 34, Notice 15, Conceal 16, Computers 29, Conspiracy Theories 29
• Soul: Charm 29, Lying 36

Does General Athletics cover Running?
Does General Education cover Writing and American History?
Is Struggle HTH Combat?

[Fulci]

There's an optional rule that covers the recent questions. Goes like this:

You can call your skills whatever you want. Rename the
free skills if you like. Instead of Struggle, you could use Take
’Em Down Street-Style, or make boring old Driving into
Reckless Driving.

So, Mister-Kent, feel free to rename General Athletics to Freerunning.

Does General Athletics cover Running?
Does General Education cover Writing and American History?
Is Struggle HTH Combat?

1. Yes, it does!
2. Yes, it does!
3. Yes, it is!

[Inferno]

Thanks.

[Mister-Kent]

sweeeeeeet!

[Mister-Kent]

The first part. Still working on Lev's Skills...

Name: Lev Weiss
Concept: ritualistic graffiti artist
Trigger: As a young advertising agent, he received a pitch for a new ad campaign on his desk, unmarked and unsolicited. The folder contained page after page of photo mock-ups, ad copy, slogans--all very specifically directed at Levi. It wasn't a product the ads were selling him, but an entire way of life. Levi was profoundly moved, and quit his job the next day. Upon quitting his job, the folder vanished. If pressed, Levi cannot remember specific details about the advertisements, just his emotional responses to them.
Obsession: Graffiti

Passions:

• Fear - Physical abuse (Violence)
• Rage - Censorship
• Noble - Guidance

Attributes: 220

• Body 40
• Speed 58
• Mind 52
• Soul 70

[Fulci]

So, this new way of life - was it the ritualistic graffiti stuff?

[Mister-Kent]

Yes--he started out on the track to corporate dronery, and then he was sold on ditching that and becoming a street artist! I have a little paragraph with more description;/bio for him.

[LtTibbles]

Name: Zachary Boyd
Character concept: A washed up boxer working part time as a handy man, due to recent experiences he's become a bit paranoid about what is really going on in this life of his and the dark places around (and under) him.

Trigger event: Zachary had gotten a call to help an old lady with her clogged toilet, she had said "Well ol' Sassafras had nabbed himself a bird and was playing wit' it near tha' toilet and managed to get itself flushed on in there." He raised his eyebrow at the ladies' story but got to work all the same spending a good hour working on bringing up whatever was stuck in those pipes he finally pulled it loose but he couldn't believe what he was looking at.

Hanging on the end of his plumbers snake was some sort of creature sopping wet that look like a cross between an octopus, a rabbit, and that mogwai thing from that movie Gremlins. The thing made a chirping sound spat a tiny bird skull at his chest and went scurrying off to some other corner of the house, the old lady came in clapping and laughing "Oh my, Sassafras mus' really like you! He almos' never give people presents hehe...how much do I owe you?" Zachary didn't bother charging the lady he just packed up his stuff and left trying his best not to lose his mind before he sped off in his truck as fast as he could.

Obsession: Strength

Passions:

• Fear: Weakness (Helplessness)
• Rage: The Lazy that are rewarded for the hard work of others.
• Noble: Helping those that can't help themselves

Madness Meters (hardened/failed):

• Violence:
• The Unnatural:
• Helplessness:
• Isolation:
• Self:

Attributes:

• Body:75 Bulky with a bit of Paunch
• Speed:60 Quick and Accurate
• Mind:45 Has his moments but not necessarily "smart"
• Soul:40

Gruff
Skills:

• Body:
  General Athletics 35
  Boxing 45 Obsessed skill
  Power Lifting 25
  
  
• Speed:
  Dodge 35
  Driving 25
  Initiative 40
  Snatch 20
  
  
• Mind:
  General Education 15
  Notice 25
  Conceal 15
  Handy Man 20
  First Aid (Cutman work) 15
  
  
• Soul:
  Charm 15
  Lying 15
  Friend in the Family (Marty the Bookie) 20
  Persuasion (Haggle) 20

[Fulci]

Good! If any questions arise during the process, feel free to ask!

[Fulci]

DavetheLost reminded me:
Atlas Games has a nice chunk of the rulebook available as a free preview at their site: http://www.atlas-games.com/pdf_storage/ua2_preview.pdf
Basically it includes the character generation system and most of the rules (for non-Adept/Avatar characters).