Sketchley's Macross Gateway
RPG stats by AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@hotmail.com)

Ver 2.2 2010.08.22

How to make a character:

The following pages are the step by step character creation process. The rules in brief will be found in a summary at the top of the page, followed by a fuller description as well as optional rules in the middle. Lastly an example character with the applicable sections highlighted in bold text can be found at the bottom of the page.

Character Sheet

Copy and paste it into a text editor on your computer for ease of use. All of the stats created in the following steps will be written on the sheet.

Pre-formatted Open Office character sheet: here


Character Creation: Step 1: Attributes

Roll 3D6 for each attribute. If the result is 16, 17, 18, roll another 1D6. If that roll's result is 6, roll another 1D6.

For über-simple creation:
Simply determine the skill percent as indicated. It is recommened that for this, and subsequent steps, calculation be saved until after all skills have been selected.

Optional: psionics as spiritia abilities. It's a quick and dirty representative of spiritia abilities.
Random Spiritia Ability (Psionics) Table:
01-04 Major Spiritia Abilities (Psionics) - results of 01 are anima spiritia. Alas nothing further at this time.
05-13 Minor Spiritia Abilities (Psionics)
14-00 No Spiritia Abilities (Psionics)

In the world of Macross, spiritia powers are somewhat common. Even an average person may have some degree of spiritia power.

A minor psionic selects two powers from any one of the following psionic categories: Sensitive, or Physical, or Healer. The number of Inner Strength Points (I.S.P.) is determined by taking the number from M.E., roll 2D6 and add both numbers together. This is the base I.S.P.; add the roll of 1D6 per each level of experience.

A major psionic is a character who has an impressive amount of paranormal abilities. Unlike the minor psychic who can only select from one category, this individual can select a total of eight (8) powers from one category or a total of six (6) from any of the three categories available. The categories from which a major psionic can select includes: Sensitive, Physical, and Healer. This means the psychic can have a combination of power types. The number of I.S.P. for a major psionic is determined by taking the number from M.E., roll 4D6, and add both numbers together. This is the base I.S.P.; add the roll of 1D6 + 1 per each level of experience.

Change from Level of experience to experience based system: 1 level equals 10% (maximum 150%). Players start at ME% (bump up to 10% for players with less than 10).

NOTE: A player may skip this entirely if he or she does not want a character with psionics.
Refer to the "Rifts" core book (original) for the description of psionic powers.

link to Step 2


Table of contents

1 The Scale
2.1 IQ
2.2 ME
2.3 MA
2.4 PS
2.5 PP.........................................................

2.6 PE
2.7 PB
2.8 Spd
3 Optional Rules
4 Example Character...............................

The Scale

Max for any attribute is 30. The main reason is that the super human element of Macross comes from the variable fighters and other mecha the characters pilot. Not to mention that I've never had a character get an attribute that high! If you want higher attributes, you'll have to play a different, non-Macross game.

23-30: godlike
17-22: exceptional
13-16: above average - tried out for the Olympics?
7-12: average
1-6: low


I.Q.

IQ is arguably one of the only attributes that should not have a cap on it. As is evidenced in fiction, the human mind is perhaps the sole part of us that will evolve into something more. However, the smarter you are, the more alien you become. This is not something to take lightly! Assuming a fixed attribute scale of 3-18, an IQ of 25 would view us normals as dull children at best and would be concerned on a scale of consciousness we could not comprehend at worst. There is a reason why all those Gods with IQs the size of their egos are so very remote and distant to mortals, because to them mortal concerns are pithy at the best of times. Also, another point to consider is that as you get smarter and smarter, it gets more and more difficult to mentally challenge you. This may seem like nothing but to simulate this, find a Curious George book and read it 100 times in a row without distracting yourself with anything else. You will become to frustrated and bored that you won't be able to do it. Now think of how it would be to view the entire WORLD like that.

10-12 being average, then 25+ is extremely out of typical range, and 20-24 are fairly removed in and of themselves. Talking to them would be like try to have a conversation with someone who knows way more than you on any given topic.

It is interesting to note that most high IQ people have low MA attributes, although this is not always universally true. It's proportional in cases where it is true, meaning the higher it goes, the lower the other goes. But that is more a function of being more "distant" from day-to-day concerns and being locked into a higher mode of thinking. The higher the IQ is, the more they see the big picture, as well. A high-IQ character may condemn a hunt to kill off excess predators in the area because he realizes it is a cycle of Nature and a necessary step in reestablishing the balance of Earth's ecosystem. They tend to think in grand and sweeping strokes and rarely see things in terms of people and dreams but rather resources and plans.

Perception:
Perception is a derived value that filled an important gap that existed in the grey area of combat data (initiative mostly) and IQ. This is NOT the ability to PROCESS the information, since that falls under IQ, but is simply the ability to COLLECT information. Again, it is both a blessing and a curse; while you may be able to see all and know all, you will be overwhelmed in your senses at the higher levels.

Note that a high Perception does not necessarily mean that you UNDERSTAND the information, just that you noticed it. Sherlock Holmes would have a huge Perception, but he has an equally huge IQ to deduct it all out. For instance, if you have a low MA and a high Perception, you may be really deft at picking together facts and figures, but you would probably not be able to read people well. Sure, you can tell that Joey has dark circles under his eyes and is in a bad mood and is glaring at Sue, but that doesn't mean that you know that they had a fight last night. Consolidating the data gleaned is another function of IQ that I am too tired to alter up there.

  • (IQ+ME)x2% is the formula for determining Perception.


    M.E.

    ME is meant to represent general fortitude in willpower, resistance to psionics, and concentration abilities, as well as ostensibly patience and spirit. It is an attribute which is often misunderstood and therefore misapplied, and can include things such as attention span (short or long), raw willpower, and the ability to persevere in the face of insurmountable odds. It is actually best described as something of a mood indicator for your mind; for while IQ indicates raw processing power, ME indicates the emotional filter that it goes through. This is especially important for PCs, because characters need this fortitude to continue their adventuring in the face of such overwhelming odds and they need to maintain their mental health. It represents the ability of the character to deal with feelings and emotions, and often low ME people are troubled individuals, manic-depressive or simply moody and sullen, while high ME people are optimistic and stable.

    The major use for it is to gauge the general mental stability of the character; the ability for the character to handle shocks and surprising news, their general emotional barometer and their tendancy to swing moods or lose control of their emotions. Low ME people are subject to very emotional outbursts and tend to follow their passions more while higher ME people are more adept at keeping control of their emotions and being able to repress their passions if they need to. People with higher ME scores don't "fly off the handle" or make snap decisions based on the heat of the moment, and can restrain themselves to think it through.


    M.A.

    On the surface of things, MA is general charisma and charm. If you dig a little, it can be a lot more. Most importantly to PCs, it represents empathy and humanity, two things that can doom a munchkin character if used properly. The ability to connect with other humans is one that most of us take for granted and it is a fundamental part of humanity that we are social creatures, and if you remove that, you get a shadow of a character.

    Characters with MA beyond 24 get far too ridiculous to play effectively and a character with that much empathy would literally be overflowing with sheer emotional crises always, much like a very young child. If you are going to put in a very high MA character into your game, they had best be a plot device and not an antagonist, because it will get out of control too quickly.

    MA also counts a lot for animals, and animals recognize the inherent magnetism in higher MA characters. Animals recognize when an unstable (low MA) character is around and respond accordingly, not necessarily disobeying but being around warily and keeping a mild eye on the character. It goes without saying that MA is not the deciding factor in a character's interpersonal relationships, but it is that which represents the inherent "beneath the looks" slant of the character and certainly should play a much larger role than it currently does.


    P.S.

    This represents your raw strength and lifting capability. It is mostly futile to point out that extreme strength comes with its own problems. It is worth noting that even in the future strength or the lack of it is still a judgement used by people. A character with a PS of 18 will be regarded more favourably than one of PS 6. Along the same lines, someone with greater strength will be equally expected to be more heroic than weaker characters, and generally be considered to be a threat before weaker characters.


    P.P.

    This covers manual dexterity as well as agility and reflexes. This can affect dodge rolls, hand to hand strikes and a variety of physical skills that require deft actions. It can affect Initiative rolls as well, if the GM so desires, as well as natural grace. Low PP characters are forever running into things or tripping over their feet, while higher PP characters are much better able to handle themselves and their bodies. Extremely high PP (unearthly kind) move with preternatural grace and flow like living mercury. Note that high PP does not necessarily mean a higher level of excitability (which would fall under ME).

    While this does not cover psychological excitability, it does cover physiological excitability, and a character's metabolic rate is determined between this and PE. In general, the more difference between PP and PE, the more the character must consume to maintain his high PP. Which is to say, as a character's body reacts faster, it requires more energy to keep it going at that level. It sounds pithy at first, "So, my character has to eat more, whoopee, I have a +100 to dodge" but it can be truly terrible once the game begins and the GM reminds you of your ration requirements.


    P.E.

    PE represents your actual health from a physical standpoint. The capacity to handle illness and the frequency of illness are especially important in the world of Macross, where strange and alien diseases can be present on any planet or ship. Stamina is represented as well, the staying power of a character for doing whatever it is that they are doing, and low PE characters tire quickly while high PE characters take much longer to tire out.

    The primary use of this is for resisting diseases and determining endurance. The importance this attribute and its proper use cannot be overstated, because the little things like diseases are easily forgotten. One disease can make for a horrible plot twist (good horrible that is) and even more so if it is alien in origin. It also applies to resisting animal and plant poisons, another threat, and also to drinking contaminated water.

    Another important consideration for PE is that it determines the amount of g-force the character can take.


    P.B.

    PB represents the general appearance of the character, and this covers a wide array of things. Low PB could indicate terrible scarring, unsightly features, no fashion sense, or any such sort of typically "superficial" sort of thing. An important thing to remember though is the very subjective nature of this attribute! There are generally some basic features that people can agree are beautiful or not, but beyond this it varies so extremely between people (and races!) that it really should be taken into account, which is why the appearance must be explained.

    Characters with high PB should not just be able to charm everyone they meet and get whatever information they like out of them. These are other PEOPLE, and are not simply walking, talking resources. Members of the same sex will get jealous of high PB characters and probably mock low PB characters, while the opposite sex may end up with a pile of unwanted travelling companions , and when they learn they are unwanted as a rule, they do not react well, especially if this was after a quick tryst that the PC thought he could get away with.

    Extreme beauty and extreme ugliness are the different sides of the same cursed coin. The character's PB rating will determine the relative obscurity level of him. Of course, the other side of this is that if you are very good looking, certain, shall we say, unsavoury elements may notice you and wish to enlist you into their stables, or else another more powerful warlord or crime boss might equally enlist you. Be careful what you wish for...


    Spd (Speed

    The only thing I have to say on this is that you have to use some common sense! No matter how many Physical skills the character takes, the human body can only be so fast! The fact is that I can improve myself to peak performance but there will still be a limit on how fast I can practically go. Biology is a strong inhibitor.

    The metabolic rate effect described under PP should DEFINITELY be in use here.


    Optional Rules

    The following are up to the GM. They may be applied all the time, some of the time, or never.

    Determining Attributes:
    instead of the 3D6, you roll 5D6 and remove the highest and lowest results.

    PS:
    A sadistic GM will multiply the strength rating by 5 to get the chance that the character forgets his own strength. This is only applicable for realistic situations where the character might actually, believably forget that he actually has a PS of 25.

    PE:
    Each point of difference between PP and PE is a 10% chance that overeating develops (must consume the equivalent of 5 or 6 meals a day (10 or 12 to feel sated). If can't, then feels cold, lightheaded, and weak. Reduce all combat bonuses and initiative by -1. They will feel mild anxiety and be afflicted by pangs of hunger. If they see food, they will feel a nearly irresistible urge to drop anything they're doing and consume a meal (save versus insanity (plus M.E. bonuses, if any) is necessary to resist the urge at inappropriate times). Eating less than 10,000 calories (but at least 2,000) a day will severely weaken the character: reduce all combat bonuses by -1 (cumulative) per day. If they don't eat for a day, all the bonuses and melee attacks are halved, and the character will be racked with hunger pains. The starving character must save versus insanity to avoid going crazy at the first sight of food. Failing the roll means the character dives in and eats whatever he can get his hands on (and will fight, perhaps kill, to get it)!

    Increasing and Decreasing Attributes In addition to increasing attributes through skills, it is possible to increase attributes by player action. Some possibilities are plastic surgery, experimental chemicals, brain training activities and so on. In some cases the effects are permanent, in other cases they are temporary. GM's choice if it is possible, and if so, how many points. Some recommendations are: +1, +1D2 or +1D4 depending on the seriousness that the character persues the increases, and the method persued.

    Inversely, it is possible to lose attribute points in ways other than injury and mental trauma. Some possibilities are lifestyle choices (such as being a couch potato) and lack of actions to maintain high or above average attribute levels. As it is hard to quantify how much of what causes what detremental effects, it is recommended that a GM either make the effects temporary, or at worst, reduce attributes back to a pre-skill increase level; with the option of the player character needing to take action to regain the lost points if the player so desires.


    Example character:
    IQ: 13 (6+1+6)
    ME: 10 (5+3+2)
    MA: 8 (2+1+5)
    PS: 10 (5+4+1)
    PP: 18 (5+5+6; bonus +2)
    PE: 8 (1+1+6)
    PB: 12 (5+3+4)
    Spd: 9 (5+2+2)


    Perception 46%
    Base Loyalty 40%
    Affected By Disease/Resistance to Disease 40%
    Get Noticed 60%


    REFERENCES USED


    Sketchley's Macross Gateway