Modern Spooky | CharGen

[rpg.veteran]

First, let's start with some aspects. All in all, a character has five, but if you have three, that's good.

Traditionally, and as a guide, the Fate SRD suggests having a High Concept, a Trouble, and three more connecting the characters to each other. However, that's not a rule. Any aspect can be used for justifying how the character succeeds at something (invoking an aspect) with some creativity, and any aspect can be used for luring the character into trouble (compelling an aspect) with some creativity. So, come up with 3-5 short, interesting phrases that give a good overall picture of your character.

[Leitz]

Jack

Background

The small Cessna bounced yet again, waking Jack up from his pain induced stupor. Doing a back to back week long scouting class followed by Systema camp was fine for twenty-something adrenaline junkies but more than the worn out body of a well-into-his-fifties auto mechanic could recover from. Jack groaned a little, realized that he had drank too much water and there was a while before they reached their next stop, and then made the mistake of looking out the window.

Wherever they were flying over, it was beautiful. Matilda would have loved to go for walks here; she'd run back and forth, bark a good bit, and give that "you know you want to fork over a treat" look that often worked. Jack groaned again, but this pain was so much worse. Three times Susan had sent someone to take Matilda, three times the beautiful Golden Austrailian Sheep Retriever mix had escaped and found her way home. To Jack's lap. Susan didn't even like dogs.

The last time was too much for old Matilda, though, and she curled up in Jack's lap, licked his face twice, and rested forever. Jack cried for longer than most men would think right, but he didn't care. Susan had left him, she wanted more than a mechanic could offer. She ignored the devotion, weekends worked so she could go on trips, and how much he ignored every woman but her. She liked her boy toys and the image of youth they provided. Whichever one was her current lover was who she sent to get Matilda.

The sheriff hadn't said much when they got to Jack's small house. Boy Toy had made a show of yelling so loud the neighbors all came out to see what the fuss was about. Boy Toy, full of youth and pride, kicked Jack's door in while Matilda still lay in her daddy's lap. Jack didn't have a lot of skill but he was in too much pain to care. Boy Toy would face B&E charges once he recovered enough to go to jail. Jack's friends had suggested he get away for a while. A long while.

Jack looked out the window. He was headed to a week at a hunting lodge armed with a family sized bottle of ibuprofen and a book on back to nature meditation. He needed the rest.

Chargen DRAFT

High Concept: Over the Hill Adventurer
Trouble: I'm too old for this...

[shaidar]

I need to download a copy of the SRD.

My initial thought was a young auto mechanic visiting an ailing relative. However, I guess I need to change profession.

I was also going to throw in a dark secret of some kind, but different what I was planning and Leitz has that covered

Great minds think alike.

[Leitz]

I need to download a copy of the SRD.

My initial thought was a young auto mechanic visiting an ailing relative. However, I guess I need to change profession.

I was also going to throw in a dark secret of some kind.

I'd say keep the job, it would give the characters something to talk about.

[rpg.veteran]

If he's young, he might have some hobby skills higher than his Craft skill, providing a different skill set than Jack. Also, there's no problem at all with two mechanics in a team. I never liked the almost-compulsory 'everyone must have a different class' attitude.

Basically, go with whatever you'll enjoy.

[shaidar]

OK, If I throw out some ideas about my character, named Daryl Mason, then hopefully you guys can help me form it into his high concept and aspects.

Daryl is 19, just finished his auto mechanics apprenticeship. His uncle is seriously ill, and he's flying up to visit. He's on his own because he's the only one in his family that likes his uncle. Daryl has a side hustle, his family isn't exactly hands on, so he mixed with wrong people and got involved in some low level b&e and thievery. He stepped on the toes of a local gang (b&e the wrong house) and so heading away for a week or two is a good idea until the dust settles.

[rpg.veteran]

His relationship to his uncle seems to be important and solid enough to be an aspect.

For his high concept, some defining hobby, job, goal and general outlook on life would be a good choice.

And another aspect could be a personality trait, maybe something he loves very much, or someone who had a great influence on his childhood and personality.

[shaidar]

Still not sure about High Concept yet, but certainly on the following aspects:

The impetuousness of youth
Crossed the local gang

[rpg.veteran]

The problem with the local gang is generally good, but if he specifically gets away from the location to avoid this, then it won't make a difference in this intro. You can definitely keep it for flavor, but it may only matter if we continue playing and return to the territory of the gang.

Anyway, you can both come up with aspects when you have a better picture of your characters. In order to do that, let's go on to skills. Yes, the same pyramid applies, but you don't need to assign all your skill points, at least not right off the bat. Let's start with the top ones: +4 and +3.
What are your characters best at?

[shaidar]

We could change the local gang to biker gang, they could have chapters all over the country. But we can come back to that one.

Would Trying to go straight work as a high concept, or youth with a troubled past?

He could be trying to go straight, he only broke in to get something back that belonged to a girl he likes that she had to leave at a dodgy ex-boyfriend's apartment. So we could add sucker for a pretty face.

What does he do best:
Fixing cars
Breaking and entering

[rpg.veteran]

fixing cars: craft +4
breaking and entering: burglary +3
Or switch those if you feel that's better describes him. He might be a long-time juvenile burglar, with less experience with fixing cars. Your call.

You've got one more skill for +3, something else he's good at. An crime-associated manipulation or intimidation? Or a good eye for details (comes handy both for repairs and b&e)?

Youth with a troubled past is perfect for a concise character summary. If you add some cultural base to it, like White-collar youth with a troubled past, that's more informative, and defines his default attitude a little. Basically, something about his upbringing that is part of his personality.

[shaidar]

OK, let's for for "Blue collar youth with a troubled past".

He's trying to go straight, so I'd like to keep fixing cars as highest skill. I like "a good eye for details" as his third skill.

Note: I did make a quick edit to my previous post, adding a couple of things, which you might have missed as you might have been reading it before I made the changes.

[rpg.veteran]

I like "a good eye for details" as his third skill.

That's notice +3.

So we could add sucker for a pretty face.

You can do that, but you can also add something more specific like linking it to a certain girl (I want/need/wish to make Fiona proud of me), or something in between, a certain type of woman (Latinas make me crazy, Gothic chicks are the best, etc.) All are equally good, the important thing is what you like best.

[shaidar]

Let's go specific:

I want Fiona to see me as more than just a work colleague

[Leitz]

Jack is American and follows the stereotype of drives, hikes in the wild, shoots, and fights. With that said, the last three were basic skill levels until his recent "troubles".

Skill ideas, in mostly descending order

Fix older cars, engines, guns, most anything mechanical (less skilled with the newest high tech stuff)
Drive off-road, race, performance
Listening to people's problems and encouraging them
Wilderness survival, recon
Self defense
shooting

[Leitz]

Here's what comes to mind for aspects, but they need some work:

Aspects:
- Likes to help the down and out that are trying to help themselves
- Likes most dogs more than he likes most people
- Very loyal to his friends

[rpg.veteran]

Leitz
skills in the same order:
Craft
Drive
Empathy / Rapport
Notice / Stealth / Lore
Fight
Shoot

aspect ideas:
Help yourself and Jack will help you
Dogs over humans / Dogs are better than humans / Humans??? Dogs any time!
Friendship is a sheltering tree (- Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

shaidar
In the characters thread summary could you change your skill block to this?

+4: Craft
+3: Burglary, Notice
+2: XXX, XXX, XXX
+1: XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX
+0:

If you'd like specialization bonuses (fixing cars, electronics, using sight, etc.) those are going to be stunts.

[shaidar]

Done. I guess I need to think up some skills to replace the XXXs. Definitely want drive, but probably just as a +1.

[Leitz]

Updated Jack, minor changes to the suggestions.

[shaidar]

Done. I guess I need to think up some skills to replace the XXXs. Definitely want drive, but probably just as a +1.

I'm thinking Boxing (Fight) as a +2.