Character Basics

Proficiencies
Characters are rated in 4 proficiencies. Each proficiency has three associated skills and a save which resists specific types of threats.



Proficiencies are graded from AA through D. The letter grade is an in-universe rating which would appear on official records. Official licenses or certifications often require a minimum grade. Grades have a numerical bonus that sets the save and is added to Resolve or Stamina. Master grades are AA/A/AB, professional grades are B/BC, novice grade is C, probationary is CC, and D is deficient.

Ratings


FLT Specialties
Corporate
-- NEGOTIATION Ruthlessly broker deals with legal and illegal corporate entities
-- BUREAUCRACY Navigate the Kafkaesque world of corporate red tape
-- MANIPULATE Influencing thoughts and emotions of others
Command
-- INTERROGATION Extracting information from others through guile or force
-- INSPIRATION Rousing speeches and eliciting trust from others
-- SMALL UNIT TACTICS Coordinating action among tight-knit group of people
Empathy
-- MEDIATION Diplomatically and gracefully arbitrate disagreements
-- TEACHING Instructing and guiding others
-- COMMUNICATION Effective and efficient information sharing

SEC Specialties
Combat
-- STRIKING Unarmed combat with fists, elbows, knees, and feet
-- GRAPPLING Full-contact combat with throws, trips, and submission holds
-- ARMED COMBAT Combat armed with melee weapons such as knives or axes
Firearms
-- DYNAMIC SHOOTING Rapid acquisition of targets
-- PRECISION SHOOTING Accurate and effective fire
-- SUPPORT SHOOTING Covering and suppressive fire
Fieldcraft
-- SITUATIONAL AWARENESS Keen perception of surrounding danger and opportunity
-- RECONNAISSANCE Scouting, surveillance, and observation in the field
-- WILDERNESS SURVIVAL Finding necessities of life in harsh environments

MEN Specialties
Computers
-- PILOTING Maneuver and control spacecraft
-- COMPUTER SECURITY Securing and bypassing computer security
-- OPERATING SYSTEMS General purpose programming and data processing
Science
-- RESEARCH Finding, assessing, and reporting information
-- FIELDWORK Using scientific equipment and techniques in the field
-- LABWORK Using scientific equipment and techniques in the laboratory
Medical
-- NURSING Care and treatment of non-urgent medical conditions
-- FIELD MEDIC Emergency treatment of acute injuries in the field
-- SURGERY Invasive medical procedures using surgical instruments

PHY Specialties
Mobility
-- ZERO G Safe and effective movement in zero or low gravity environments
-- CLIMBING Safe and effective movement against the force of gravity
-- PARKOUR Quickly and efficiently overcoming obstacles
Machinery
-- MECHANICAL REPAIR Diagnosing and repairing the function of machinery and engines
-- INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT Safely operating large vehicles and machines
-- GUNSMITHING Repairing and upgrading firearms
Technician
-- ELECTRONICS Diagnosing and repairing electronics
-- COMPUTER REPAIR Building and repairing computers
-- DEMOLITIONS Building and disarming explosive devices


Academics
HUMANITIES: History, Law, Literature, Performing Arts, Philosophy, Theology, Visual Art, Xenoesoterocism
LIFE SCIENCE: Botany, Pathology, Xenobiology, Medicine, Pharmacology, Surgery, Toxicology, Zoology
SOCIAL SCIENCE: Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology
NATURAL SCIENCE: Astronomy, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Planetology
APPLIED SCIENCE: Artificial Intelligence, Astrogation, Communication, Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics

1. ARCHETYPE Choose an archetype: Flight Officer, Android, Scientist, or Engineer.

2. PROFICIENCIES Choose a training background which will determine your ratings:
-- Standard: AB, B, BC, C
-- Generalist: B, B, BC, BC
-- Specialist: A, AB, C, CC

Assign the 4 ratings to your 4 proficiencies in the order, highest to lowest, given for your chosen archetype:



4. Assign skill points. Each rating gives an amount of points dependant on its grade. No single skill may start with more than half the total of its Rating's skill points.

5. Choose three trained Specialities. Trained specialties increase their related skills by +1.

6. Choose a number of Academic subjects based on your MEN rating. These do not give bonuses, but may be required for some checks.

An action check is used when a character commits to an action that has meaningful consequences of failure. Every action check has three components:
-- INTENT A clearly-defined outcome the character wants to achieve.
-- ACTION The foundation of the action check: a specific action a character attempts to realize their intent. The skill most relevant to the action is used as the modifier for the check.
-- APPROACH Always a single adverb from the list of approaches. It sets the priority or style of the action and provides input over the outcomes. If a character is using one of their preferred approaches, they roll with one bonus advantage for the action. Approaches must make sense with the context of the chosen action; not all approaches will be compatible with all actions.

A check uses, at its bgse, 2d10. If you have advantage or disadvantage on a roll, you'll add more d10s. You gain advantage or disadvantage from each of these.
-- Specialty: The character has or lacks a relevant specialty
-- Push: Exert themselves (take Stress or Fatigue) to gain an advantage
-- Assistance: An ally exerts themself to help OR advantage from a previous Critical
-- Condition: Any condition that would help or hinder this action
-- Equipment: Having appropriate or insufficient gear for the action

Once you've determined how many dice to roll - and you'll never roll more than six - roll! If a die rolls 10, it explodes. Add 10 to the result and reroll the die. If a die rolls 1, it implodes. Subtract 10 from the result and reroll the die. Dice may explode or implode any number of times.

After rolling, discard down to two dice. Advantage lets you keep the two highest; disadvantage, the two lowest. Then, add your skill.

Every check has a DC of 10 for a mixed success and a DC of 20 for a complete success.

APPROACHES

While your skills and dis/advantage determine your success, your approach determines exactly what happens if you fail, and YOU get to decide. In the table above they are organized into rows and columns where columns are related and rows are mutually exclusive. When considering how an approach falls short, look at approaches in other columns starting with those in the same row.

For instance, I am attempting to carefully defuse a bomb. I may fall short by not doing it quickly; I will need extra time to finish or will have to give up. I may also fail to do it insightfully; I might be absorbed in my work and end up surrounded by enemies without realizing it.