Jabes.plays.RPG's character

Thanks! I did read through that particular post before but somehow missed the part at the end.

Ok, so continuing with my skill points assignments, if I'm not mistaken so far I've only assigned 18 of my 21 Practical Knowledge Skill points. Actually I can't say I'm too happy with my skill selection as it seems to lack focus. Going back to my character concept what I imagine is this Gythaar is a hunter. You want someone found, he's your guy. There is no rock in the city or the widerness where you can hide if this guy wants to find you, and in many cases that means you are a dead man. Oh, and I'd like him to bhave an special interest and expertise in Bio-tec & Earth-Tec (as Ex-Militia I am already ranked Familiar in the latter). With this in mind which skills would you suggest?

With what you've said, I think your Practical Skills selection is pretty good. For the three remaining points, as a hunter I'd recommend Fauna recognition. I would also suggest that you consider taking points back from Traveler and Lore (leave them each at 6/Familiar) and put those four points into one skill that you'd like at Experienced. You could do the same with Geology, as well, which would give you six points to divvy up. How about something like this:

Bio-tec: 10
Earth-tec: 6
Fauna Recognition: 8
Geography: 12
Geology: 6
Lore: 6
Traveler: 6
Weather: 8

As an alternative, you could consider: what skills are you likely to want to increase? What skills do you envision trying to use in stressed situations in the game? You could give yourself 10s or 11s in the skills that will be your foci, and only give yourself more than a 6 in those skills that you think you will need to perform in a pinch (ie, you'll have to roll). Remember that without opposition, you will succeed at tasks if you're Familiar, given enough time. Given an 11 in a skill that will be a focus, you might improve it quickly and thus gain a rank in a characteristic, too.

That looks good, thanks! So I've assigned Practical Knowledge Skills as you suggested.

For Common Skills, I spent 18 pts improving skills I already have as Ex-Militia, and the remaining 3 pts to buy some new skills:
• Improved Conceal Self, Silent Movement, and Tracking from 6/Familiar to 12/Experienced
• Tail: 6/Familiar
• Search: 6/Familiar
• Contacts: 6/Familiar

On to Moon Skills! What can I do with 4 Color Points and 7 Moon Skill Ranks? One of the things that drew me to play a Crugar was when you mentioned that some crugar can throw lightning bolts. But maybe that's further along in advancement, eh? :-D

Actually, maybe I should work on combat skills first. Where do I get points to spend on those? The Extras?/At present I only know Knife, Fist, Sword, and Shield. I'm not looking to learn any new weapons (except maybe a ranged one), I'm thinking more along the lines of maneuvers/techniques and such.

I can't wit to jump into the game thread already! But I'd really like a completely put-together character first! :-)

Color points are used only for using rare isho-based items and for learning new dyshas, so I wouldn't be too concerned about how many you have now.

For moon skills, to cast the lightning blast dysha, you need a minimum of 3 ranks in the Desti moon skill. You could put all 7 into Desti, or you could take a look at the full dyshas skill list and see what other moon skill requirements they have, in case you might ask one of the muadra to teach you another dysha.

Yes, your combat skills would be increased by spending your extra skill points.

Lightning Blast sounds cool but looking at the full list of dyshas it looks like what would be most consistent with my bounty hunter concept is Bubble or Cage. Unfortunately I don't have enough points to spend. Most economical for now would be Quantum (5) - Du 7 - shoot a single orb of searing energy at a target. So I'll do that.

Spent my 3 Extra points raising Sword to Seasoned.

Foci (4): Sword, Tracking, Tail, Earth-Tec.

Gythaar learns by succeeding.

Rolling for cash: 100 yules.

Gear:
Sword (free)
Knife - 20
Backpack - 15
5 yards of rope - 20
Waterskin - 5
One week's bland rations - 20
Durlig - 5

Wow, I can hardly afford anything else!

Ok, special item. I'd like it to be an artifact of some sort. Earth-tec or alien technology...

Interesting. Pick one of these:

* an Earth-tec weapon that you were assigned as part of the militia. Being crugar, you can't use it (typical bureaucratic nonsense that you were issued a weapon you couldn't use), but you still have it somehow, and it's in good condition.
* an artifact that you found on a previous adventure, which no one yet has been able to identify. Is it Earth-tec, or from some other culture? Does it work? Who knows? But what would it do?
* a piece of working Earth-tec that is not a weapon, but is probably worth a lot to the right people

I'm excited about the second one. Gythaar has a personal fascination with all ancient tec that goes beyond his occupation. Call it a hobby :-)

Speaking of which, I'm working on his background and personality now.

Gythaar is nearly there! I see him as somewhat older than your typical adventurer, a grizzled veteran, but certainly not over the hill. Maybe not the most talented bounty hunter out there but he's certainly got experience on his side. He's earned his stripes (no, he doesn't have tiger stripes! :-D ). When he was younger he was motivated by the thrill of the hunt but these days his primary motivator is the attainment of Drennship in the pursuit of a better life for his family. I'm thinking maybe he has grandchildren. What's the average life-expectancy for crugars on Jorune?

He's even-tempered in his moods, and cynical in his genreal outlook on things. He doesn't see the world in absolutes, and is pragmatic rather than idealistic. but This cynicism hasn't diminished his natural curiosity for all things, however, especially when it comes to ancient tec.

Gythaar is cool and collected for the most part, but can sometimes take rash action. These reckless streaks are sometimes sparked by his long-time addiction to _______, a mild, legal stimulant.

I'm waiting for the results of my rolls above, but I imagine he was born in a village, and that he knew his parents, though they are both long dead (natural causes). His father was a Condrij and his mother was a Learsis. I'd say he took after his father in a way, and may still be in touch with some of the old cat's contacts.

Any resolution on these rolls? :-) Thanks!

Left home: separated from family through a natural disaster, possibly an isho storm

Friend: a non-human met at the shen (sort of a social club/hall); your choice of race. Could be a PC race, or it could be any of a variety of other sentients: croid (a bit like an umber hulk), corastin, scarmis (sentient giant mantis), salu (salt water merman), thriddle, trarch (club-wielding ogres), blount (frog person).

Reason for leaving home sounds good. What's an isho storm like? I'm going to say no one close to Gythaar died in the disaster. I've played too many tragic PC's and want to move away from that. Parents died of natural causes before the storm. Will roll for sibling relationships later. Is in close contact with daughter and grandkid. Pursuing drennship for their sake.

In char gen guide part 7 you said parents might grant extra skill points? Dad was a Condrij and mom was a Learsis.

Friend: which race would be most likely to share Gythaar's interest in ancient tec?

You get 2 skill points from your parents, which can be spent on any skill(s) they may have taught you.

Thriddle would be most likely to be interested in tech of any kind.

Axopho the Thriddle then :-) Gythaar seeks to make time to spend with this person, and at the moment everything is fine between them.

Gythaar's father Thomzorr (a Condrij) taught him the knife. Spending the 2 points to raise that to skill to 12/Experienced

I'll say Gythaar was very close to both parents when they were living, with his father being a mentor and key presence in his life. I'll determine sibling relationships randomly.

Feniar (brother, deceased): Gythaar was close to Feniar when he was living, and value time spent with him.

Hisanori (sister, deceased): Gythaar was inseparable from his sister, and she was a key presence in his life.

Haatono (brother): Gythaar used to enjoy seeing Haatono in social engagements, but didn't seek him out otherwise. Something bad happened between them however, and currently they avoid contact with each other.

Sayomi, Naufo, & Xomith (sisters): Gythaar enjoys seeing his sisters in social engagements, but doesn't seek them out otherwise. Everything's fine.

EDIT: Those relationships are inconsistent with him being separated from his family because of an isho storm. Let's say the parents and the two siblings all died in the storm and the remaining siblings made their own way in the world.

Isho storms are a bit like lightning storms, if the lightning was in seven different colors. Rather than static electricity, objects and creatures build up excess isho until it explodes outwards. This often destroys buildings and terrain, but rarely does it kill non-muadra, as other PC races generally have so little isho to begin with that even excess isho won't make them explode.

So I think the you may just have been separated from your family for a time by the disaster, and perhaps that started a distance between you?

Let's say my three sisters (Sayomi, Naufo, & Xomith) and I were separated from our parents and the other siblings (Feniar, Hisanori, and Haatono). We never saw our parents nor the two eldest again (died of natural causes). We found Haatono again but the relationship is strained.

Jabes, we've got a conundrum here, caused by my still catching up on my write-ups of the game system information (particularly the isho article).

In order to cast quantum, Gythaar would need to spend 15 isho points (you can think of your isho points as analogous to "mana").

We can resolve this in a number of ways:
- Gythaar can have learned the "caji entropy" skill, which a character uses to draw extra isho out of the environment to raise his isho points
- Gythaar can have a crystal that he drains for extra isho points
- Gythaar can cast a weakened version of Quantum with fewer isho points (9)
- we can retcon it and have Gythaar have his moon skill ranks in Desti and cast Lightning Blast like most crugar

If you don't like any of those alternatives, let me know.

The last one sounds like the most efficient solution so maybe we should go with that. :-)

OK, so back in the game thread, I'll have you roll 2d6 for the lightning blast damage.