Cavalier Character Discussion

This thread is for discussing Cavalier character other players should only post to this in regards to Cavalier's character and story collaboration is included within that.

I had a few character ideas and I wanted to get some input on which you thought might be better/more fun for the campaign:

Orn'afan - a Twi'lek commander - squadron commander. Age in their late thirties. Served with the rebellion through the later campaign. Joined after the destruction of Alderaan, when he decided that the battle against the Empire was bigger than just Ryloth. An experienced leader in the militia, he trained hard to be able to compete with the more gifted pilots. Rose to a flight leader position in time for Endor (GM's choice whether he was actually there) and now is a Rebel squadron commander (or flight leader - GM's choice)

Zane Alazar - a human male - warrior - starfighter ace. Age - 19. Brought up on Corellia, Zane's parents were shuttle pilots and trained their son to fly. As he grew older, he appeared to be preternaturally gifted. He was also reckless with it. Indeed, he had a number of near misses that more experienced pilots swore should have killed him, but Zane's reactions were so fast it seemed as though he could see what was coming just a few seconds in the future. When he was 16, a strange ship landed on the station on which he lived. The next day, his parents cast Zane out, telling him that he needed to leave Corellia and find a new life where he couldn't hurt his family or friends. Confused and feeling betrayed, Zane took the credits his parents gave him and found a job on a freighter headed for the Outer Rim. After a year of working as a mercenary pilot, Zane met two rebel pilots in a cantina. Although not a fan of the Empire, it was the stories of the starfighter battles and the glory to be had (as well as the Corellian brandy) that convinced him to join the fight. In the last two years, Zane has served with varying degrees of distinction. He is a very talented pilot, but very bad at obeying orders. In his last mission, an attack on an Imperial convoy, Zane disobeyed the order to disengage. Convinced that he could take out the last freighter, Zane flew masterfully through a hail of blaster fire to strike at the heart of the convoy. His attack run was successful, but his wingman was not so lucky. As Zane made his attack run, his wingman's fighter was destroyed by the same fire that Zane evaded. Returning to base, Zane was shocked to receive not compliments but derision. (GM - this is to justify spending my duty to gain extra character creation XP as well as to give an interesting story hook). Zane is a force sensitive but has no idea of it. (GM - I will not be taking any 'active' force powers unless and until something in the story makes the connection for him. I was thinking of Foresee and Enhance to start with)

I like them both and either would work fine

Although I am going to have to say you might simply have to accept a lower rank as a Flight Leader is a Lieutenant which requires a minimum Contribution Rank of 5 = 500 Duty = 500 xp

Now however if you want to make him a bit more than just a basic Pilot you can buy a Corporal Rank for 100 Duty = 15 + 85xp = Contribution Rank 1 + Contribution Reward

As for the 2nd one can you please explain why Zane's parents tossed him out that concept I did not quite understand

Should have given more of a hint - the black ship was an inquisitor's tie. They knew that he might be force sensitive, but he doesn't.

They thought the best way to keep him safe was to send him away and to keep him ignorant so that he doesn't explore his powers.

If I go with Zane, should he have morality or duty?

Also, is the Corellian Human species option allowed?

If you read the newer Character Creation Parameters you will find that you actually have all 3 -- Duty, Obligation, and Morality

Is the Corellian Human species in one of the 3 books or another FFG publication?

Cool, I will set up all three. I think Corellian is from Suns of Fortune.

Okay what I am going to do if you go with Zane is tweak your story then but keep it basically the same outcome

Also did you see the changes to Character Creation Parameters

I have now, yes. Thank you.

Okay the Corellian race benefit applies to Post Creation XP as well in that normally you cannot take a skill above Rank 3 but you may take the same skill to Rank 4 that you could take to Rank 3 during character creation.

Great, although I wasn't planning to use it that way. Just going to take a single rank of piloting planetary. I think I will play Zane, as there are more story hooks, unless you want fewer force users.

I can work with anything ;) -- if you like this character lets go with it -- I will work on the background tweak and run it by you but this ought not affect your character creation

Also so far we have no pilots so you might want to take that aspect of your species to heart and go piloting space. It will also help in other venues such as the background story stuff -- you do not have to take it mind you this is just a mere suggestion on my part but do let me know either way

I am taking piloting space (to level 3) and space piloting is definitely his background.

I have uploaded Zane for your review

As some extra info - I took agility to 5 in character creation (with the extra 10 XP instead of duty/obligation/morality) and the rest was gained in the course of the extra adventures. Zane learnt to trust his instincts while flying, to better focus on the momentary flashes of inspiration that he sometimes gets to 'guess' what is about to happen, and to shoot! In the process, he spent all of his earnings on what he calls an armoured flight suit, but is in fact a suit of vacuum sealed combat armour that he bought from one of the suppliers for his mercenary group after a mission where he was nearly spaced. When flying with the rebellion he insists on wearing it, although he has painted it orange and white to make it more 'uniform'.

Right okay so you took +10xp what was your other choice -- or did you see that update to the creation parameters?

I had not processed that we get 2. I will take the extra credits and will add a mod to my blaster.

In fact, I have added to the armour. It feels more like Zane's most prized possession. Slight change to the story - he hasn't painted it orange, instead he has used the shadowskin that the previous owner had installed to set the outer appearance to default to orange and white.

okay and if you can stat your character build out in detail here that would help immensely helpful -- such as

Step 1 : Whatever that entails --- down through each step

Then I do not have to try to pick your character sheet apart and can just quickly compare apples to apples -- if that makes sense

Okay if you would not mind please post here the following:

Step 1: Background (okay basically your story which we have no need to post just putting that here for thoroughness)

Step 2: Choose (or outline) the following :
.....Starting Duty : 5 (from Age of Rebellion)
.....Starting Obligation : 25 (from Edge of the Empire)
.....Starting Morality : 50 (from Force and Destiny)
..........From your character sheet it appears you did this just outline it here for completeness and ease for me thanks

Also in this step if you checked more recently I altered the choices as follows:
...Choose 4 of the following (cannot choose the same one twice)
--OR--
...Choose 2 of the following (cannot choose the same one twice)

So please explicitly list what you chose for this

Step 3: Select Species -- here just out line the crunch bits that are associated with your the Species you chose along with the Species :)

Step 4: Choosing a Career -- please outline what you did in this step

Step 5: Choosing Specializations -- please outline what you did in this step

Step 6: Invest Character Generation XP -- please outline what you did in this step

Step 7: Determine Derived Attributes

Step 8: Determine Motivations

Step 9: Character Generation Gear & Appearance

Step 10: Post-Character Creation XP Expenditures

Step 11: Post-Character Creation Gear

-------------- The ship thing I will be taking care of based on the players currently we only have 2 active players so may go with something small and then create an adventure where you get a bigger one should we get more active players -- not going to hold my breath though lots of folks say me me me and then notta, zippo, zilch .... its the way of PbP

Step 2: Choose (or outline) the following :
.....Starting Duty : 5 Space Superiority
.....Starting Obligation : 25 10 Adrenaline, 10 thrill seeker, 5 family
.....Starting Morality : 50 Pride/arrogance
..........From your character sheet it appears you did this just outline it here for completeness and ease for me thanks

10 XP; 2,500 credits

Step 3: Corellian Human - 1 rank in piloting planetary

Step 4: Warrior from Force and Destiny - Career skills - Cool, perception, survival

Step 5: Starfighter Ace - ranks in Gunnery and Piloting Space

Step 6: Invest Character Generation XP -- all in agility - to 5 (120 XP)

Step 7: Determine Derived Attributes - 12 wound, 12 strain, 2 soak

Step 8: Determine Motivations - growth (life) and ambition (glory)

Step 9: Character Generation Gear & Appearance - earbud comlink (75 credits) and a Dragoon (with custom grip and blaster actuating module) (all he left corellia with) - 5'8, blonde hair, skinny

Step 10: Post-Character Creation XP Expenditures - Skills - 1 rank in each of piloting space (10), astrogation (5) and gunnery (10)as he learnt to fly. Force powers - foresee (basic (10) and control initiative (10) and enhance (basic (10) and the co-ordination tree down to piloting space (5+5+5=15) as he learnt to trust his 'instincts'. Specialization steps: Skilled Jockey (5), Confidence (10), Intuitive Evasion (10), Rapid Reaction (15), Touch of Fate (20), Intuitive Strike (20)

Step 11: Post-Character Creation Gear - tricked out Protector 1 armour (5,500) bought in his two years as a mercenary and upgraded as he went with Jump boots (1,200), reflec shadowskin (1,200) and an in-helmet scanner (750). He has 375 credits left

In terms of ships Zane will fly anything anyone gives him, but he prefers things with guns. A two seat y-wing might work?

Updated this morning to try and be more helpful

Okay I need clarification on these two
I found Family but I could not find these two -- can you tell me where they are outlined?

Thrill Seeker: Some people are addicted to alcohol or chems. others Lo gambling or other seedy vices. This character, however, is a confirmed adrenaline junkie and chooses bounties [for Zane jobs or missions] not by their challenge or price, but by how exciting or dangerous they are. Avoiding the Obligation—perhaps by being a responsible business operator and considering every job's cost benefit analysis—results in an almost immediate case of excitement withdrawal. When inactive, the character is edgy, moody, easily distracted, and generally unpleasant: to be around. (from No Disintegrations)

Adrenaline Rush: "The character is addicted to the rush of adrenaline he gets from battle... Now he must feed the addiction or the results turn ugly indeed. The character cannot back down from a fight of any kind, and often goes in search of conflict when things get too tame for his tastes. Should the character go an entire session without combat of some kind, the GM may add a penalty of (1 setback die) to any skill checks in the next session (or until the character gets a chance to fight)." (from Dangerous Covenants)

Thanks

I understand thrill seeker to be picking exciting assignments and adrenaline rush as doing them in the most exciting/dangerous/combative way

If that makes sense

You do not want a boost to your Duty to reflect your time working with the Rebellion? I mean you do realize that a Duty 5 is basically a raw recruit status

The story was that in the last mission he blew any goodwill he had built up. He disobeyed an order to break off, destroyed his target and got his wingman killed

So in his case the 5 duty reflects not having no reputation but having a very mixed one. He is seen as skilled but risky and arrogant

Okay I can work with that -- so while he has Pros -- they do not out weigh his current Cons -- and he is viewed as a potential threat until he stops being such a "loose cannon" so-to-speak

Exactly.

Oh okay one more item I think --- Motivation: Growth

I could not find this one can you please let me know where it is thanks or do as you did before quote and and tell me where to find it ;)

Sorry, I can't find my copy of Disciples of Harmony, but it is on page 32 of that book.

okay thanks

From what I can see they do not come out and describe what is meant by the Motivation: Growth (Life) -- they list it and then say but your character is not a Consular so what aspect is your character focused or how do you describe the Motivation of Growth as it applies to your character. Now if there is a specific listing that covers it in detail like the other Motivations please let me know.

I thought there was one on page 33. The intention was to be that he is motivated by discovering who he is and what he actually wants to do with his life now that he is out in the big wide world.

Yeah well I actually scoured that book and googled the concept and could find nothing that explained what they meant by Growth so basically what I feel they meant is that Growth covers what is outlined in the various Consular Careers/Specializations --- and by being one of these you can simply extrapolate what means from what the Career/Specialization is all about but that might not be what you are thinking it means.

Now from what you just outlined it sounds like it is not really Growth(Life) but more Growth(Personal) -- so what is he focused on exactly? I ask because Personal Growth can take many many forms and most of the Motivations while general are a bit more specific than that such as:

Ambition(Expertise)
The character wants to excel in their chosen Career and/or Specialization and constantly practices to achieve perfection. Alternatively, the character picks a skill or two in which to excel.

This is a form of Personal Growth but it is much more focused and can even be more focused which kind of precludes it from being the same thing as Personal Growth. Now as I see it, Personal Growth is about making yourself a better you -- not just a better pilot but a better everything about you -- so again this can mean many different things. So what I would like you to do is examine your character and list the current top (minimum 3) things that your character feels they need to focus on to make themselves a better person. You can list more than 3 but please least them in most important to least important order and keep in mind that as things progress the list might change but the Motivation can remain the same. For instance today he currently feels he needs to work on A, B, and C and then something happens and he changes his view and decides he needs to work on B, C, D, then A then later on he feels A is good enough so drops it from his list an now is only working on B, C, and D

Thanks. I think that the three things are:
Piloting skill
Future prospects/career
Interpersonal skills

Okay so the mechanic crunch might extrapolate to:

Piloting -- Improving his ability to just fly (?space oriented?)-or-(?all kinds of craft?) or improve all things associated with flying (?space oriented -- such as astrogation and such?)-or-(?all kinds of craft?) --- keep in mind one of his focuses is Space Superiority so I could see him restricting this currently to just the space oriented aspects of flying

Future prospects/career -- I am assuming that this kind of means working on boarding his skill base (?via Specializations?) or another way might put it -- be more well rounded in relation to his chosen career?

Interpersonal Skills -- Learning to communicate better by ?? understanding other cultures, interelating to others, reading others better ??

Okay so if this the above is not clear -- what I am trying to help you do is pose that in a more "story-oriented" fashion rather than a mechanics crunch fashion. The mechanics crunch can be included to help outline what you are thinking about when you give the more generic story-oriented statement but it will the be the story-oriented statement that will be used in conjunction with your Motivation -- if that makes sense to you, if not please ask