Character Creation Guidelines

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SavageBob
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Character Creation Guidelines

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Post by SavageBob » Sun Sep 23, 2018 2:59 am

There may be up to 5 PCs. No one may be Force-sensitive; it's just not that kind of Star Wars game.

Character creation should follow the steps from the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook, except for the use of Genesys's four-part Motivation (see separate post). All characters begin with +30 XP as a GM grant; this may only be spent on Talents and Skills (not on Abilities).

Party Roles

The first thing to consider is what role you play in the band. The standard RPG roles of Tank/Healer/Rogue/Face/Support don't necessarily apply to this game concept. Instead, think about the kinds of people who are involved with the real-world music scene and how you might emulate them. Some examples include:

Bandleader: In certain genres, a bandleader is important, even if they aren't necessarily the most spectacular performer.

Lead Performer: The most likely to take a traditional face specialization. The front person. Perhaps a singer or instrument player.

Backup Performer: A wide-open slot that lends itself to support specializations.

Dancer: Perhaps a face specialization, but could just as easily be someone who has invested in Athletics or Coordination.

Manager: Someone savvy in negotiations and logistics. May have some face abilities, but intellectual acumen and cunning are just as important.

Promoter: A good PR person, able to win fans and gigs. May overlap with the Manager.

Roadie: A member of the band, but one who is much tougher and muscular than the others. Traditional tank specs might fit the bill.

Driver: A specialist in getting the band from Point A to Point B. A piloting-focused spec can handle this, but any build with decent Agility will do.

Technician: Some sort of intellect-focused character who may repair the band's equipment, handle on-stage lighting and pyrotechnics, manage an army of roadie droids, or use computers to DJ music and cut slugs (Star Wars speak for records) for the group.

Bodyguard: Someone's got to keep the band safe, right? The best slot for anyone who just really wants to play a combat-focused character.

Stylist: This character handles hair, makeup, and costumes to ensure the band looks good. Could be a technician if these things are holographic, or a support specialization that represents this sort of work via talents and skills.

Performing

Although this is a game about a band, actual musical performances will only constitute a minor aspect of gameplay. Still, each PC must have some skill they can use to perform on stage or in a sound booth. Players should be creative in choosing this skill, and each player must have at least one rank in their performance skill of choice. The following are suggestions only; it is by no means an exhaustive list.

Athletics might be a good choice for a percussionist.

Charm is an obvious choice for a singer and might also represent playing a musical instrument.

Coercion might cover an aggressive singing or instrument-playing style.

Computers might cover a DJ who creates and uses electronic music, as well as covering studio skills such as sound mixing and editing.

Cool can cover an unflappable stage presence.

Coordination is a good choice to cover dancing.

Discipline could be used for a very methodical approach to music, perhaps by a percussionist or bassist.

Knowledge (Education) might represent musical training in classical Core Worlds musical styles.

Knowledge (Lore) could cover various folk instruments.

Knowledge (Xenology) can represent playing exotic instruments associated with non-human cultures.

Leadership might represent a singer who is able to work a crowd, or a bandleader or maestro who keeps the band in synch.

Resilience could cover instruments that are particularly strenuous to play, especially large woodwinds.

Skulduggery can cover pyrotechnics and other stage trickery.

Career and Specialization

Careers and initial specializations should come from Edge of the Empire or Age of Rebellion. That said, additional specializations may come from any source (Universal Specializations, Force and Destiny, etc.). Just keep in mind that Force talents will be unusable, since Force-using characters are not allowed.

Species

Official species are fair game, and non-official species may be permitted at the GM's discretion. Play what you like, and don't worry too much about min-maxing. The most famous band in Star Wars lore is made up entirely of Bith; what would an all-Devaronian band look like? An all-Whiphid band? That said, the band can also be made up of a mixture of species. The point is to play what interests you, not necessarily the species that gives you some random bonus.

Obligation

Characters begin with 10 Obligation. You may choose to take on up to 10 additional Obligation in exchange for access to more starting XP or credits, as described in the Edge of the Empire core rulebook. No matter how much Obligation you have, at least 5 of it must pertain to the band's recent breakup with their former lead singer, Zannel Redbeam.

The group as a whole may wish to take on Group Obligation to improve their business, a recording studio. This may happen at character creation or during the course of play.

If a Talent interacts with Duty in some way, we will reinterpret it to affect Obligation instead. E.g., Positive Spin can be used to lower Obligation rather than to increase Duty.

Gear

Rare or Restricted gear may be permitted at the GM's discretion. Everything else is fair game, provided it fits into the theme of the campaign.

Party Resource

The premise of this game is that the PCs are all members of a band. Therefore, their starting resource is not a starship but rather a business as described in the sourcebook Far Horizons. This means that the PCs have a base of operations (such as a flat, house, or warehouse) that includes a space to practice music, basic living quarters, and modest storage space. The business includes basic equipment, such as amplifiers, basic recording gear, microphone stands, music stands, basic instruments, and so on. Finally, the PCs will have one employee or droid per band member. As a starting resource, the band business grants all PCs Charm as a Career Skill. The players are encouraged to come up with the details of their band and the associated business as a group.

Useful Links for Character Background and Inspiration

Star Wars Musical Genres
Star Wars Musical Instruments

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