Ad Astra - Character Creation

Here we can hash out tone and theme, party dynamics, character creation, and setting-specific homebrew.

I guess one important thing to hash out would be what magic (or supernatural) means in this specific setting

I was thinking of a character with a nanotech implant, which she can use to do weird stuff. Does that sound ok?

EDIT
Its use would look like biotics in Mass Effect.

Biotics or psionics would be what I would have in mind as well for magic.

The idea I'd be interested in for a character would be a merged consciousness. A host body and a parasite or symbiont that combine to create a distinct personality. Think Trill in Star Trek or (for any potential Germans here) Co-Drivers in Collector.
For what niche in the crew I'd fill, I'm open to different things. I'm not super interested in being the muscle but from face to scientist to engineer to pilot, I could take whatever niche nobody else wants to fill.

Good read on magic/supernatural so far. Cybernetics of course would be tech. At which point we've got two supernaturals so far!

Are either of you a human base? That'll impact the "race" creation.

I'd probably be human as a base but then changed through the symbiosis/connection

Edits, but here are a symbiote and nanite model for the "race", such as they are.

Symbiosis:
The Symbiote has its own Will score (either), which can be made a strength if you choose out of your usual pool. When an event happens that requires the symbiote to take over completely (you lose a battle of wits in a conflict of interests, it's simply more experienced, etc.) it deals you 1x Tool damage (for the strain on your body), and 1x Will damage if you don't consent to the action. You always roll disadvantage on charisma checks (since you're a composite - can be avoided if one takes over with Will, but resets next time they see you as a composite) and folks who know what you are naturally look upon you with concern (until they know better). Since the symbiote has a vested interest in keeping you alive, treat your milestone as one higher for the purposes of calculating health.

So, acknowledging the symbiote with a new mechanic, a negative, and a boon.

Nanites:
Start Body (if enhancing existing abilities) or Tools-Supernatural (if learning new "weird stuff") at a d8. You now have 2 strengths left. Electricity and radiation do 1d extra damage (since they effect the nanites). When you hit half health (and all damage moments after), roll Will-Leader to see if you can power through your body glitching. If you fail, you fall unconscious while the nanites glitch, even if you have health left.

So a stronger being, but it comes with risk.

Thoughts?

The way I imagine it, the symbiote and host would be combined inseparably, so there wouldn't be a way to tell where one ends and the other begins anymore so the suggestion wouldn't really work for that.
It doesn't even really need a mechanical basis for me. I'm fine with it being a purely RP thing.

Why is a d8 better than a d6?

More damage/healing on that die, and more options for character design (since the difference between balance and unbalanced is a wider range). Also, it unlocks more intense crits.

So Bowl, let's simplify to disadvantage on charisma and 3 extra health (not stacked).

I think I'll just play a regular human maintenance tech for this one.

(lavtodd, could you remove my permissions for the other games? just for my own forum organisation ;) )

I'm not sure how to do that. I can change your permissions for this entire forum, but I can't find it for threads.

You cant do it for threads. You'd have to separate the games into their own subforums

Ah, gotcha, gotcha. I will do that for the games themselves.

Ah yes, sorry. I thought it was subforums already. You can easily move threads once you have the subforums to separate the games :)

Oh, even existing threads? Great!

And I'll play a human, too. Probably a daredevil type girl, flying ships and other vehicles, addicted to adrenaline.

My character concept (Sheet is submitted, have a look, Lavtodd)


Professor Janine Bale was an expert on Anthropology and Xenobiology, successful and well liked both by her students and researcher colleagues.
During one of her field missions, the human scientist was infected by an unknown, symbiotic lifeform that attached itself inseparably to her nervous system. The two beings have become one, dramatically altering the personality the human host had previously displayed. They, now calling themselves The Sisters and using plural pronouns for themselves, have since then completely resigned from teaching in favor of furthering their studies on foreign cultures and biologies.
They're known for possessing vast knowledge, derived from both halves that make up their new identity but also for being emotionally detached and cold. Owing to their unprecedented condition, they are generally mistrusted, though so far, they have not given any indication they may have hostile intentions towards humanity.
This mission is exactly the type of opportunity they are particularly interested in exploring and suited for due to their expertise.

After considering it, I'll go with a different type of character for more variety. TBA.