[OOC] Session Zero: Character Creation

Nov 19, 2019 4:39 pm
Feel free to discuss your character concepts here. Characters should follow standard Genesys character creation rules. There is a thread in this forum with step-by-step character-creation guidelines, so please consult that thread for guidance.

When you submit your character, please show your work. That is, give me a detailed explanation of how you built the PC (e.g., what were your free Career Skill ranks? What did you spend your starting XP on? Your bonus XP? How much was each piece of your gear? Are you under your Encumbrance Threshold?) You can do this in the "Notes" section of your character sheet.

OK, have at it!
Nov 23, 2019 4:14 am
Just a bit of background that may help you design your character:

1) Ever since the pharmaceutical industry collapsed, Rumble City has been on the brink of social and economic collapse.
2) Gangs run much of the city.
3) The police turn a blind eye as long as the gangs refrain from gun violence and stay out of richer neighborhoods.
4) The legendary sensei Phil Wakamatsu helped institutionalize the martial arts here 30 years ago.
5) Dojos and gyms train both gang members and vigilante groups who defend the neighborhoods.
6) A rash of kidnappings in the last month has people on edge.
Nov 23, 2019 6:01 pm
Thanks for having me Savagebob, I enjoy your other genesys game so I feel pretty confident this one will be fun. I'm pouring through the options and think I'm gonna settle for a martial artist devotee who wishes to bring goodness into the world. Through beating up bad guys. For this concept I had in mind the classic "kindly tiny fellow, fierce fighter" idea. How do fantasy/sci-fi species fit into the universe, are they simply all intermixed for the most part?

Naturally I'm going to pick the Martial artist archetype, with a focus on striking skills.

Career will be Socialite. (changed my mind)
Last edited November 23, 2019 11:56 pm
Nov 24, 2019 12:11 am
Glad to have you aboard, somebox! This game should be a bit different from the Terrinoth game in that fighting will be more central. But there will still be room for some socializing and investigating.

A martial artist striker will be very versatile and a good addition. That's a character type than can fit a bunch of different headquarters options, too (the last step of character creation).

There are actually no aliens, robots, fantasy races, etc. in this game. Everyone is assumed to be a basic human. I'm open to the possibility of Qi abilities being introduced at some point (intense-focus martial arts stuff), but for now, just assume that you're in a version of Detroit that's on the brink of collapse and you'll get the idea.
Nov 24, 2019 6:47 am
Ah okay, I can work with that.

For group HQ cast my vote for the Dojo.
[ +- ] Possible Character portrait, ignore the long ears and if it's too much please let me know!
Last edited November 24, 2019 5:12 pm
Nov 24, 2019 1:05 pm
The Imgur link isn't working. I think you have to click on "share," and then "BBCode" or something like that.
Nov 24, 2019 5:13 pm
Whoops. Should be fixed now.
Nov 24, 2019 6:54 pm
Character looks really cool! I'm actually planning on a sort of anime aesthetic with the art I use, so you'll fit right in. After all, the inspirational source material is Japanese beat-em-up video games. (That said, there's going to be a detectable influence from Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Segal movies...
Nov 25, 2019 1:47 am
I reached out to the author of the "Ready... Fight!" supplement for advice on PC builds and how Brawl (Striking) vs. Brawl (Grappling) is supposed to work in various types of engagements. In a nutshell, he suggests that Striking is better versus Minions, while Grappling is potentially better against Rivals and Nemeses ("boss" characters). Either build is serviceable, but there will be a difference in what you can do best. Here's what he said:
Quote:
So if it's me? And I have a grappling heavy PC build, and I'm in an encounter with minions? I'm just going to spam takedown attacks for damage, and probably spending advantage to keep my own feet (think steven segal when he's in a fight with 6 guys throwing them all over the place). I won't bother spending an action to improve my position for a takedown, because if the minion group is large, it's probably hard to make that check.

But what you are noticing is correct. A grappling focused build is going to be better than the striking focused build vs rivals and nemeses (the ability to bank crit scores is a huge advantage against such targets versus what strikers do), and somewhat less effective against hordes of minions. If I was building a grappler for the kind of campaign you're describing, I'd absolutely take a punch or elbow attack or something, and a rank in striking, so if I do a takedown and don't finish an enemy, I can finish them with a punch or elbow (though the plain old unarmed attack can work in that instance as well). There is also the ground and pound talent, which is for grapplers that use their grappling to get in a better position for punching.

If you're going to have this sort of PC, I'd just re-read the rules on prone targets, too. Just like in the real world, there is a lot of danger for grapplers outside one on one fights.
Nov 25, 2019 3:58 am
Eskaton says:
Hmm, reading that discussion on striking vs brawling has me reconsidering, but I've just dropped a boxer/investigator, backstory is a high school delinquent who washed out of the police academy and now works as a private eye. I think vigilante hideout makes the most sense for him as far as hideouts go, but could see storefront or gym as well.
Sorry, Eskaton; I meant to lock the Character Creation thread, keeping it as more of a how-to on character creation. Let's keep the discussion aspect here in this thread.

The specific hideout y'all pick will need to accommodate everyone, but we can be creative. Maybe he trains at the same dojo as the other character if we end up going the dojo route. Or maybe somebox's martial artist is a member of a vigilante outfit. Let's see what others cook up once we recruit another player or two.
Nov 25, 2019 4:04 am
And having two strikers isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think the strategy for you versus boss types will be the same as it is in vanilla Genesys: Attack and try to land critical hits.

Love the character, by the way! I'll check over everything once you have a chance to "show your work" (like indicating where your free ranks were, and what you spent your XP on).
Nov 25, 2019 4:58 am
@Eskaton this early on I was thinking the same thing actually, I could easily retool for grappling or be fine as is.
Last edited November 25, 2019 4:58 am
Nov 25, 2019 11:43 am
It might make sense for us to diversify. I think high school wrestler works as well for my char concept as boxer does tbh. Could even slide in dojo by saying he got into bjj or something as an adult. I'll take a look at retooling and showing my work after I get off tonight
Nov 25, 2019 2:35 pm
Either way, we should be good. I'm hoping another player or two join up. I think I made a mistake announcing the game over the weekend, when the site's not as well populated.
Nov 26, 2019 2:19 am
Just finished editing my sheet to show my work. If we have more join and one is cool with grappling, I'll stay as is, otherwise I'll edit when the time comes.
Nov 26, 2019 3:47 am
Sounds good. Part of me thinks we might have to be patient for the Thanksgiving holiday to pass. I'll keep putting out feelers to hopefully attract at least one more person. Three's enough to start.
Nov 26, 2019 2:32 pm
Head's up it may be a day or two before I can check over your characters. I've got a couple of deadlines with work that unfortunately overlap with a holiday weekend where I'll be traveling. People can be so cruel!
Nov 26, 2019 11:14 pm
No worries on both accounts SavageBob, holiday weeks get pretty hectic.
Nov 27, 2019 3:00 pm
Morning yall, new to the party and putting my faith in Chaos Theory once again.

Looks like I've gotten

Max 'The Rookie' Roberts
A young man with no sense of humor and is curious about most things
a Student Cop with a hankering for Justice
Last edited November 27, 2019 3:06 pm

Rolls

Cus - (1d10)

(9) = 9

Reasons - (1d16)

(3) = 3

from - (1d9)

(4) = 4

Nov 27, 2019 5:14 pm
Great! Maybe you know Eskaton's character from the police academy or something. While you don't have to necessarily follow the "cop" part of it literally, we can work with the idea if you want him to be an official part of the PD. He'd just be a rogue cop, fighting the corruption from the inside or some such.
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