House Rules and Character Creation (updated 7/31/16. Changes Bolded)

House Rules and Character Creation for Traveller Campaign

Starting Character Points: 250
Disadvantage Limit: -40
Quirks: -5

Allowed Races:

Human (Solomani or Vilani), Human (Minor Race), Varger, Aslani, Droyne, Vegan, Bwap, Hkar, Hlannsai.  See template list.

Attributes

Strength is 5 points per level down from 10.

Social Status:

Commoner Status:
Commoners within the 3rd Imperium may have any social status up to 7.  The titles and reasons for the varying status levels vary within each world’s culture.  Status conferred by education, imperial military rank, wealth, or mega-corporation rank is often not particular to any specific world.
Imperial Noble Ranks: (Do not use the table on Traveller page 83)
20 – Imperial Knight (Status 4) – Recognized by the Emperor.
30 – Baronet / Baronetess (Status 6) – Assigned to world with agricultural or wealth potential.
40 – Baron / Baroness (Status 8 ) – Often the ruler of individual worlds or systems.
40 – Marquis / Marquesa (Status 8 ) – Equivalent in power to a Baron, but often with slightly wealthier worlds and star systems.
40- Count / Countess (Status 8 ) - Equivalent in power to a Marquis, but often with slightly wealthier worlds and star systems.
50 – Duke / Duchess (Status 10) – Controls subsectors or sectors of star systems.
60 – Arch-Duke (Status 12) – Controls Domains of four sectors.
70 – The Imperial Family: Prince / Princess / Dowager / Karand (Status 14)
80 – The Emperor (Status 16)
The maximum starting player status is 6.

Languages:

The following languages are in frequent use in the Traveller Universe.  There are thousands more in explored space:
Anglic: The common Lingua Franca of the Empire.  Evolved from Earth’s English.
Vilani: The language of the First Imperium.  Still in frequent use, and signs may often be in both Anglic and Vilani.
Languages of the other major races:  Varger, Aslani, Hiver, Zhodani, and Droyne.  The races have their own names for the languages of course.

Wealth

Starting Wealth: The default starting wealth level is 50,000 credits.  
Wealth Advantage: No wealth advantage allowed for new characters.
Independent Income: Not allowed.
Debt: May be purchased normally.


Advantages:

Genetic Longevity: (3 Points) – Great advances in bioengineering, medical science, and genetics have greatly improved the average citizen’s lifespan.  Any character that was raised on at least a TL 10 world and had regular access to medical technology can have the advantage.  Your character does not start making aging rolls until age 100 rather than age 50.  The advantage is one level of Enhanced Lifespan (2) and one level of Early Maturation (1).

Pan-Immunity: (5 Points) – This advantage is strongly recommended for characters.  It is available from TL 10+ physicians and provides protection from most common diseases throughout known space.

Educated: (10 Points) – Your character has received a complete education at an Imperial University, and you studied hard (presumably).  Pick six skills from the following list.  You have them at IQ level for 0 points.  This advantage reflects a breadth of disciplines learned.  The character also gets Writing and Research at IQ-1.  Requirements: Minimum Status 0.  
Math, Physics, Chemistry, History (Any), Area Knowledge (Imperium) IQ+1, Literature, Archaeology (any), Biology (any), Any One Language (Accented), Politics, Economics, Geology, Sociology, Linguistics, Forgery (counts as 2 skills), Carousing (Counts as 2 skills).

Courtesy Rank: (1 point per level of prior military rank) – If your character was a military veteran, Courtesy Rank is the rank you mustered out at.  This gives you the right to sign your rank to your correspondence, or use your rank title (retired) for formal events.  It provides a level of camaraderie with active service members and other prior service members, access, and possible cooperation up to your prior rank.  
If a character completed a single 6 year tour as enlisted he would usually muster out as rank 1 (Sergeant or Petty Officer).  An officer would muster out at rank 4 (Navy Lieutenant or Army/Marine Captain).  A second tour could see an enlisted man reaching rank 2 (Gunnery Sargent or Chief) or even receiving a possible field commission as a rank 3 officer or warrant.  An officer would on average end at rank 5 (Major to Lt Colonel, or naval Commander.)
See Ground Forces page 51 for army and marine ranks.
See First In page 26 for Imperial Scout ranks.

Traveller’s Aid Society Membership: (5 Points) – Members of the Traveller’s Aid Society receive several perks.  Counts as 3 levels of Independent Income, 1 point Contacts, 1 point Claim to Hospitality.
• One middle passage ticket per month, redeemable for 1575 credits or passage on any starship line.  
• Free Access to Traveller News Service and Travel Zone Advisories at any world with a T.A.S. office.
• Low cost Membership Hostels or luxury rooms and lounges at any Class V starport.
If your character is of “Comfortable” wealth level, this advantage only costs 4 points.  At Wealthy or higher, it costs only 3 points.  Purchasing this advantage after character creation costs a one-time fee of 1,000,000 credits for a lifetime membership.

Psionic Institute: (15 Points) – This unusual background means your psionic character was able locate one of the hidden groups of psions in the Empire.  They taught you to control and use your powers.  This advantage allows you to purchase the abilities, perks, and skills from Gurps Psionics.  Without this advantage, you are limited to latent psionics (danger sense, empathy, intuition).

Psionic Resistance: (2 Points/level) – You are highly resistant to psionic powers.  Every level confers a -1 penalty to skill, ability, or advantage checks to use trained or latent psionic powers on you.  You cannot be a psion and have this advantage.  People most commonly associated with this advantage are native Terrans, Syleans (the cluster of worlds near the Imperial Capitol), and especially the Imperial royal family.

Disadvantages:

Low Technology:(-10 / level) You training and education was below the Imperial Maximum of Tech Level 11.  The vast majority of Imperial citizens have some level of this disadvantage, with the average Imperial being tech level 10.  Points from this disadvantage do not count against your disadvantage limit.

Cyberwear

Chipslot: (Cost 5 points + talent pool + Tech modifier)

-Base 5 points includes 15 points for the slot, and -10 for the reprogrammable disadvantage.

-Talent Pool: Spend points here equal to the maximum number of points you can slot for skills and advantages.  Maximum is 5 points at TL9, 10 points at TL 10, and 15 points at TL 11.

Example: with a 5 point slot you can slot a professional CMT medical chip that grants 2 points in first aid, 2 points in Diagnosis, and 1 point in Electronics Operation (medical).  Or you could slot a compass chip that grants absolute direction.  A 15 point physician chip would grant 8 points in physician, 4 points in diagnosis, 2 points in electronics operation (medical), and 1 point in Physiology.  A 15 point navigation chip could grant absolute direction, 4 points in Area Knowledge (Selected Area), 2 points in Navigation, 4 points in Language (local/accented).

Tech Level Modifier: 0 for TL 9; 3 for TL 10; 6 for TL 11.  This determines the maximum pool for the chips, and the maximum tech level the skill can be.
So, a bare bones Chipslot would be 5 (base)+5 (talent pool) + 0 (Tech Level) for 10 points.  A top of the line chipslot would cost 5 + 15 (talent pool) + 6 (tech level) for 26 points.

Chip Use:  Inserting a chip is a standard action.  Booting up the chip takes 1d seconds at TL 11, 2d seconds at TL 10, and 3d seconds at TL 9.  The skill or advantages are lost immediately if the chip is removed.  If the chip is removed unexpectedly, you are mentally stunned for 1d rounds, then may begin rolling to recover.  

Duration: Chips are generally only used for a day or less, but may be used longer.  After every 24 hours, make an IQ roll, at -1 for each additional day.  On a failure, the chip stops functioning, and that chip type cannot be used again for 1d6 months.  On a critical failure, the user gains 5 points of mental disadvantages.  Usually the first disadvantage gained is an addiction to having chips slotted for as long as possible.  If the chip is removed normally, that chip can be used again safely after a month.

Chip Types:

Language Chips:  Any specific language at Accented (TL9+) 400 cr

Advanced Language Chip: Any Specific Language at Fluent, Cultural Familiarity (TL10+) 1400 cr

Professional Chips: Single Skill at 4 points. 400 cr.; Professional Package (2 skills at 2 points, one skill at 1) TL 9+ 500 cr.  Advanced Package (2 skills at 4 points, one skill at 2) TL 10+. 2000 cr; Doctoral Package (1 skill at 8 points, One skill at 4 points, One Skill at 2 points, One skill at 1 point. -Or- 5 point utility advantage and advanced skill package) TL 11, 12,000 cr.

Utility Chips: Provide an advantage.  
5 point Chips: Absolute Direction, Absolute Timing, Mind Shield (1), Metabolism Control, Lightning Calculator, Fearlessness (2), Eidetic Memory. TL 9+(500 Cred)
10 Point Chips: Cultural Adaptability, Photographic Memory, Mind Shield (2), Recovery, High Pain Threshold. TL 10+, (2000 Cred)
15 Point Chips: Unfazeable, Perfect Balance, Combat Reflexes, Indomitable, Mind Shield (3) TL 11, 12000 cred.

Personality Chips: These chips overlay the personality of the user with a whole new personality and set of memories, becoming someone else.  These types of chips are legality class 1 or 0.  Once used, the new personality lasts for about 30 days before it fades.  That personality can then never be used on that individual again.


Tech Level:
Tech level 11 is zero points.  Everyone is automatically familiar down to tech level 10.  Every level below that is -1 to skill checks where appropriate.  Familiarity with a lower tech level is a 2-point advantage per level.
The Low Tech disadvantage is -10 points per level with no maximum.  These points DO NOT count against your maximum disadvantage limit.
Tech level for this campaign is split between 3rd and 4th edition due to all the material being presented in 3rd edition.  All ships and ship equipment will use 3rd edition tech rating.  All personal equipment will use 4th edition tech rating.
3rd Edition ------------> 4th Edition
7                                  8  (Modern Earth)
8-9                               9  (Imperial below average)
10                               10 (Average Imperial civilian Tech Level)
11                               10^ (Zhodani military average)
12                               11 (Imperial Maximum)
13                               11^ (Darrian historical maximum)
15+                             12+ (The Ancients)

Starting Equipment

Tech Level: Default starting gear tech level is 9, which is below imperial average.  Tech level 10 gear may also be purchased at double listed cost.  No tech level 11 gear is available to starting characters.
Legality Class: Characters may not start with any gear more controlled than legality class 3 or 4. (I.E. class 2 and 1 gear is prohibited)

Certificates and Licenses:

These are the civilian certificates available to the characters and their requirements.  Possession of a certificate may be a prerequisite of jobs, missions, and more.  They do not cost character points.  A starting character is assumed to have all the certificates he qualifies for.  Obtaining a certificate in play requires testing at a Class 4 or better star-port. Certificates are managed and endorsed by the Traveller’s Aid Society.  Licenses are managed by Imperial Star-port Authorities.

Basic Space-hand Certificate: Basic certification to serve as a crewman aboard a deep space or jump capable vessel.  
Requirements: Crewman (spacer) – 10; Environment Suit (Vacc Suit) – 10.

Able Space-hand Certificate: This certificate indicates a higher caliber of crewman, and often guarantees a higher wage.  
Requirements: Basic Space-Hand Certificate; Crewman (Spacer) – 12; Environment Suit (Vacc Suit) – 12; Computer Operation – 10; Free Fall – 10.

Communication Officer’s License: This is the basic certification in the use of shipboard radio, laser, and meson communications technology, along with knowledge of proper comms procedures.  This also covers the use of a ships transponder.
Requirements: Electronics Operation (Communications) – 12.

Astronavigaton Officer’s License: A shipboard astronavigator can evaluate jump routes maps and plot jump coordinates.  The astronavigation learns to plot where the ship will arrive around which object in the target system.  The astronavigator is responsible in part to avoid jump-mishaps just as stranding the ship in inter-stellar space.
Requirements: Astronavigation – 12; Computer Operation – 12; Math - 10; Physics - 10.

Sensor Officer’s License: The ship sensors officer is responsible to finding other objects and ships in space.  The sensor operator managers a variety of active and passive sensor arrays to locate and track other starships, space debris, and detect threats to the ship’s safety.  A sensor operator is also a critical combat role, as ships hide and hunt each other.
Requirements: Electronics Operation (Sensors) – 12.

Shipboard Gunner’s Certificate (Lasers, Sand-casters, or Missiles): Ship Gunners operate the weapon turrets on board starships.  The certified ship’s gunner should be able to operate the weapon system, perform maintenance on the weapons, and operate the ship’s often complex targeting software.
Requirements: Gunner (Beams) – 12 or Gunner (Cannon) -12 or Gunner (rockets) – 12; Armory (Heavy Weapons) – 10; Computer Operation – 10.

Master Gunner’s Certificate: Master Gunners are expected to be proficient in all forms of turreted ship weapons.  They are also certified to perform emergency repairs on damaged ship weapons.  They are often tasked with maintaining shipboard security systems and the small arms armory.
Requirements: Shipboard Gunner’s Certificate (all three); Gunner (any one) – 15; Gunner (the other two) – 12; Armory (Heavy Weapons) – 12; Electronics Operation (Security Systems) – 10.

Starship Pilot’s License (Limited or Unlimited): A starship pilot is able to maneuver a ship in and out of port, through refueling or skimming operations, and into atmosphere.  A certified pilot needs to be aware of all the Imperial star traffic regulations. Limited license covers all ships under 1000 Dtons.  Unlimited license covers ships of any size.
Requirements: Communication Officer’s License; Pilot (Spacecraft) – 12; Physics - 10.

Master Pilot’s License (Limited or Unlimited): This pilot tests for a higher breadth and depth of experience compared to a basic pilot’s certificate.  Expectations of payment are also higher.
Requirements: Starship Pilot’s License; Sensor Officer’s License; Pilot (spacecraft) – 15; Physics - 12.

Cargomaster Certificate: Person trained to on and off load ship’s cargo, negotiate with port brokers, and deal with customs issues, port authorities, or inspections.
Requirements: Freight Handling -12; Merchant -12; Savior Faire -12

Basic Hazardous Materials Handling Endorsement: A cargo master trained to handle and transport dangerous materials safely.
Requirements: Cargomaster Certificate; Hazardous Materials -12; NBC Warfare -12

Advanced Hazardous Materials Handling Endorsement: A more skilled and experiences hazardous materials handler.  Often hired and retained by major shipping lines.
Requirements: Basic Hazardous Materials Handling Endorsement; Hazardous Materials -15

Assistant Engineer Certificate: Trained to perform most general ships maintenance, basic repairs, and engineering functions.  Usually specializes in certain ship systems.
Requirements: Basic Space-Hand Certificate; Engineering (starship) -10; Any TWO of: Mechanic (Jump Drive, Maneuver Drive, Power Plant, or Starship) -12.

Chief Engineer Certificate: An experienced and fully trained ship’s engineer.
Requirements: Assistance Engineer Certificate; Able Space-hand Certificate; Engineering (Starship) -12; All four of Mechanic (Jump Drive, Maneuver Drive, Power Plant, or Starship) at 12.

Mate’s Certificate (Limited or Unlimited) : The “Mate” is a spacer of considerable experience.  A ship’s mate is often the first officer on civilian vessels.  It signifies broad competence in the operational requirements of a starship.
Requirements: Able Space-hand Certificate; Pilot’s License; Astronavigaton Officer’s License; Freight Handling -12; Engineering (starship) -10; Shiphandling -12.

Master’s Certificate: The ship’s “Master” is trained to command and captain starships.  Not every ship’s captain is a certified master, but having a master at the helm lends credibility and respectability to a ship when investors or employers are considering a ship or crew.
Requirements: Mate’s Certificate; Leadership -12; Administration -12; Law -10; Tactics -12. Special: No disabling mental disadvantages such as addictions, unless those disadvantages are also secret or quirks.

Certified Medical Technician: A CMT is responsible for looking after the health and wellbeing of passengers and crew while in transit.  The CMT is trained to identify and offer simple treatments for most simple illnesses and injuries, and to stabilize a serious patient until they can be brought to a doctor.  A CMT operates and maintains low berth tubes.  Any untrained person attempting to use low berth systems could easily kill the occupant.
Requirements: Diagnosis – 12; First Aid – 12; Electronics Operation (Medical) -12

Medical Doctor (M.D.):  A fully trained and licensed medical doctor.  Medical doctors are usually only found on larger ships.
Requirements: Diagnosis -15; Physician -15; Electronics Operation (medical) -15; Physiology -12; Biology -12

Surgeon’s License: A medical doctor who specializes in performing invasive operations.
Requirements: Medical Doctor; Surgery -15.

-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is clever enough.  Forgery can be used in place of one skill requirement for one certification.  The luck advantage can also replace one skill requirement on one certification (lucked out on a test you just guessed on).  A suitably placed and influential patron could also arrange to get you an unearned certification, but usually this comes with an assurance this will not later embarrass him.  A character without the skills for the certificates he possesses hopefully will have either a good fast-talk score, be very lucky, or have a competent buddy or he will soon be out of work.

Combat Rules

Dodging: The only active defense allowed versus firearms and beam weapons is the Dodge and Drop.  

Stepping Offline: Moving at least one hex (step free action) not directly towards or away from a shooter gives them an additional -2 to hit, provided you are no more than one hex wide.  If wider, you must displace your body width at least once to get the same bonus.

Beam Weapon Accuracy:  The accuracy rating of beam weapons is halved. The distance penalty of (non vehicle / shipboard) beam weapons are halved for aimed shots with full three rounds of aiming.

Spending Experience in Combat:  Players may spend a saved experience point to re-roll a personal defense, personal survival, enemy-attack, or enemy damage twice more as per luck and choose the result.

Extra Effort in Combat: Players may spend fatigue in combat as described in the extra-effort rules.

Default Hit Location: Unless a hit location is declared in the attack, the hit location will be random.

Cover and Concealment: The more simplified cover rules from Tactical Shooting will be used, conferring overall penalties to hit against targets in cover. An additional -2 penalty is added to the cover bonus.

Tactical Shooting Rules: The perks and team tactics from GURPS Tactical Shooting is permitted and encouraged.  NPCs will use them as well.

Miscellaneous

Advantage Die: Experimental Rule.  If a player does something particularly noteworthy / funny / awesome during the game, the GM may decide to award that player a golden advantage die.  The player may choose to roll the die once and add or subtract the result to any roll that affects his character directly.  The player then returns the die to the GM.  Advantage dice expire at the end of the session.

Extra Character Points:

Character Background:  A written character background introducing your character is worth up to 8 points maximum, at 2 points per page one time only.  Post it on the forum.
Character Portrait: A character portrait is worth 4 points one time only, provided the portrait is not horrible.  Then you get nothing, you lose, good day sir.
Character Journals*: Up to 2 character points per game session for a journal entry.  One point per page for the first two pages.  Posted on the forum.
*Fewer XP points are awarded for journals in the Traveller campaign.  This is because character progression in the sense of pure individual power and skill is traditionally slower in the Traveller Genre.

Blow-Through:
GURPS 4th edition removed the concept of blow through damage caps used in 3rd edition.  I will be reintroducing a version of blow-through to balance the house rule limiting dodging vs high velocity ranged weapons.
Blow-Through describes a bullet or beam passing clean through the target, limiting the amount of physical damage done to the target independent of the energy of the projectile.  The excess energy is lost out of the other side of the target when it exits.
Blow-through damage rules apply the following damage types: Impaling, piercing, and narrow burning damage.
For Piercing-, Piercing, impaling, and narrow burning damage, damage taken from a single attack or shot is limited to your maximum hit points.  Large piercing (pi+) deals up to 1.5 HP per shot.  Pi++ can deal up to twice your maximum HP per shot.  
Damage beyond the listed amount is lost.  The total damage amount is still used to determine the penalty to your bleeding checks on shots to the torso.  A very high power low caliber shot may deal your HP in damage, but still cause a mortal injury with an untreatable internal injury causing a lingering death.
Blow-through to the limbs or hands/feet are limited to the normal amount needed to cripple that extremity.
Attacks to the head, face, brain, or vitals have no blow-through cap.

Bleeding:
Bleeding Rules will be used from the optional bleeding rules in GURPS basic page 420.  There will be two changes from the listed rules.
1- Instead of being at -1 to your health roles to avoid losing HP each minute for every 5 damage, a character will be at -1 for each Max HP/2 damage (round down).  A character with 10 maximum HP will be at -1 per 5 damage.  A character with 9 maximum HP will be at -1 per 4 points of damage.  A character with 14 HP are at -1 per 7 damage.
2- When receiving first aid to stop bleeding, the success of the First Aid role reduces the bleeding penalty by the margin of success+1.  This includes bonuses from first aid kits or drugs used during treatment.  If the penalty is reduced to 0 then the bleeding stops automatically. If the bleeding cannot be stopped, then the character must be treated by a surgeon for further treatment to save him.


Layering Armor:
Flexible and concealable armor may be layered under other armor as described.  The bottom layer of armor provides .5 of regular DR due to not being able to flex, expand, detect, or otherwise perform as they were designed to.  
Wearing additional armor under a life support system or vacuum suit may induce problems or malfunctions.  Make a vacc suit skill roll at the beginning of combat to see if any problems occur from the armor interfering with the function of the suit.  This does not apply if the suits are designed to be worn together.

Milamber wrote:-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is cleaver enough.  Forgery can be used in place of one skill requirement for one certification.  The luck advantage....

So Jim is playing again?

Saule wrote:

Milamber wrote:-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is cleaver enough.  Forgery can be used in place of one skill requirement for one certification.  The luck advantage....

So Jim is playing again?

I am offended sir. He was a LEGENDARY and FAMOUS gunner!

Update - Added rules for cybernetic chip-slots.

-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is cleaver enough.

So, all I need to cheat the tests is to be a male cleaver, eh? Will this one do?

But don't feel bad. Spell checkers were created with the secret mission to make blubbering fools of us all.

The Son of Dior wrote:

-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is cleaver enough.

So, all I need to cheat the tests is to be a male cleaver, eh? Will this one do?

The grammar Nazi with an English degree strikes again...

Milamber wrote:

Saule wrote:

Milamber wrote:-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is cleaver enough.  Forgery can be used in place of one skill requirement for one certification.  The luck advantage....

So Jim is playing again?

I am offended sir.  He was a LEGENDARY and FAMOUS gunner!

You forgot "war hero".


Anyway, some of these licenses are at a "limited" or "unlimited" level. What's the difference between them, skill-wise, as far as which size of vessel a character is qualified on?

Limited is any vessel under 1000 Dtons. Unlimited is a vessel of any displacement tonnage(your character was a capitol ship pilot). The skill sets are the same and you can have either as you feel suits your character's needs and story.

The Son of Dior wrote:
-Cheating the Tests- An applicant can "bypass" certain skill requirements for certifications if he is cleaver enough.

So, all I need to cheat the tests is to be a male cleaver, eh? Will this one do?

The grammar Nazi with an English degree strikes again...

Sorry. I'll behave. This truly is a herculean amount of writing Milamber is churning out here, so a few small errors are to be expected.

Milamber, I salute you!

Starting Wealth: The default starting wealth level is 50,000 credits.
Wealth Advantage: Wealth may be purchased up to Filthy Rich which would be 5,000,000 credits (5 Mcred). Wealth levels beyond this are inappropriate for starting player characters.

Five million credits? Why, we could buy our ship for that.

Milamber wrote:Master’s Certificate: The ship’s “Master” is trained to command and captain starships.  Not every ship’s captain is a certified master, but having a master at the helm lends credibility and respectability to a ship when investors or employers are considering a ship or crew.
Requirements: Mate’s Certificate; Leadership -12; Administration -12; Law -10; Tactics -12. Special: No disabling mental disadvantages such as addictions, unless those disadvantages are also secret or quirks.

Does Casey's Addiction: Tobacco preclude him from this certification?

No. It would not be considered disabling. Alcohol, mind altering drugs, more than -5 in compulsive gambling etc are what they look for.

Alcohol, mind altering drugs, more than -5 in compulsive gambling

They don't want a drunken meth addict who's in 10 gs to the gambling mob running their starships? You see, to me that just opens up the game to more roleplaying flavor as well as a number of plot hooks the ship's crew could get tangled up into.

New rules added for blow-through, bleeding, and armor layering.

New changes:

Removed spending XP in combat.  Unbalancing, especially with luck (which everyone has.)

Removed tactical shooting perks for simplicity.  

Noted the additional -2 player get for cover.  This in not cumulative with the -2 for movement (if you moved to cover) or a -2 for posture (kneeling etc).

Tactical Shooting Rules: The perks and team tactics from GURPS Tactical Shooting is permitted and encouraged. NPCs will use them as well.

I'm going to hold to that one. No one has access to those rules, including the big bad NPC super alien intelligences you send us up against.

That change is because it's uselessly specific for things many characters should already be able to do just by having the tactics and guns skills.  Sitting with your back to the wall.  Clearing weapons malfunctions.  You dont need to spend points for that.

Milamber, I salute you!

That's for making a life-sized representation of our ship in the last game and then wiping it all away when the game ended.

Just a few clarification requests.

Agent Tash wrote:
Traveller’s Aid Society Membership: (5 Points) – Members of the Traveller’s Aid Society receive several perks. Counts as 3 levels of Independent Income, 1 point Contacts, 1 point Claim to Hospitality.

Does the Independent Income portion mean that benefits accrue like frequent flyer miles? Also, do you mean 3 points of Independent Income not 3 levels?

Now that I have the first character to actually die in the game, can you post a BRIEF addendum to these rules to clarify what is allowed for REPLACEMENT characters?

Does the Independent Income portion mean that benefits accrue like frequent flyer miles? Also, do you mean 3 points of Independent Income not 3 levels?

Now that I have the first character to actually die in the game, can you post a BRIEF addendum to these rules to clarify what is allowed for REPLACEMENT characters?

Well, I'm not the venerable GM; but, on a hunch I'd say that since independent income has been done away with, these three points have been done away with as well, making the advantage worth two points instead of five.

To be quite honest, I'm not entirely sure why Eric put this perk into play. Essentially he's saying that being a member of the TAS will net you extra money every month. For starting characters with regular wealth, that would mean 1500 dollars a month just for being a member. That's an incredibly generous frequent flyer program if that were the intention.  

So, I'm with Hiram (Tybreagus) on this one. Why do members of the TAS get levels of Independent Income?

Bionic Derek wrote:So, I'm with Hiram (Tybreagus) on this one. Why do members of the TAS get levels of Independent Income?

I would imagine that's because their free monthly ticket is redeemable for cash. It's not that too out of line considering it costs a million credits to join.

I would imagine that's because their free monthly ticket is redeemable for cash. It's not that too out of line considering it costs a million credits to join.

You make a good point there. I suppose the TAS is akin to those exclusive airline clubs that only wealthy businessmen can afford. Not that the wealthy businessmen pay for it; the company they work for does it for them...

Sorry I should have kept better track of the forum this week.

Yes, just as Casey said, the income represents the free passage ticket every month which may be taken as credits instead. The advantage also gives you free room and board at any class 4 or better starport and access to an exclusive news and alert network.

Membership was often a symbol of adventurous wealth and status. A sort of Allen Quartermain lifestyle.

Additionally after consideration, I will go with scalled character creation. 1/3 of earned character points may be applied to a new character.

AKA: character 1 started at 250 points and died at 310 points. 60 points were earned. New character starts at 270 points. Character 2 then dies 5 minutes into play. Make the new character again at 270, as 270 is like an "account minimum" for this campaign.

Note that if you had unfinished or unwritten journal entries for your old character, you may finish them up in a single narrative and post them at 1 point per page up to 6 pages and apply those 6 points to you new character. If you are caught up and squared away on your journals (note: no one is) you may write a heroic retelling of you last characters deeds for the same points. Either way 6 is the cap, you cant do both.

The rationale for this change is to permet players to feel like they can take risks in the game, and not be paralysed into inaction by worrying about having to start completely over.

Jake I leave it to you to update your characters point totals with this new information.