Character Examples


Semat - 10th Level PC - Life specialist

Toki - 1st Level - under D&D, GURPS & HS

Semat - John Dallman - 31/Dec/99

Semat is a player character technologist, who's made it to 10th level through a variety of activities in addition to adventuring, over 20 years of play, and about 25 years of game time. This description omits certain campaign-specific details.

She started out by taking a job with a major technological establishment, and being reasonably empathic and of good alignment, was assigned to the Androids and Artificial Life department. She's made that her specialisation ever since, and is reasonably good at it. She left that job to set up for herself as a salvage & repair specialist in a city with a number of technologists, then left that city to set up a general technological establishment in a smaller city. Currently, she's back at her first place of employment as deputy head of department. She's done a fair amount of adventuring throughout this career; much of her equipment dates from her salvage & repair period; not spending much money on equipment accounts for her surprising cash wealth.

Str 15     Hit points: 42       Armour class -2 or 0
Int 17     Experience: 385,442  Money: 575,000 gp
Wis 10     UM  (+15) 105%
Dex 17     RMM (+15)  90%
Con 11     Meddle 1%
Cha 11

Proficencies: General Technology III, Mechanical Theory II, Magic Theory II, Alchemical Theory II, Force Field Theory II, Biological Theory III, Life Theory II, Psionic Technology II, Sensor Technology II and Life Theory II.

She's taken several additional training courses for proficencies, and has been allowed to learn more Biological and Life Theory than her Wisdom would normally allow because of her unstained record and good sense.

Notable devices and techniques that she understands fully include Android Moulds, Adamantite mining, Terraforming, and a variety of flying machines that she worked on for a customer.

Equipment: More than most technologists, Semat has a wide variety of fairly low-powered equipment. She tends to select items for adventures that sound appropriate. She also carries a lot of stuff around, since she doesn't use her strength for much else.

Expendable: Healing potions x 24; Extra-Healing potions x 17; flash pellets x 10; Dust of Sneezing x 3; Smoke Bombs x 6; Circuit Suppressors - with magnetic clamps x 16 - with suction cups x 15; Charged Darts x 26; +2 Adamantite darts x 40; Nose filters x 18 sets.

Weapons:

Projector - for dusts.
Dart gun x 2
Hand Blaster I x 2, with 125 ep Power Packs.
Miniaturised Blaster I - Cylinder
Miniaturised Blaster I - Bolt
Electro-Subdual dart rifle II (2D4 damage + 5D6 subdual)
Pulse-Blasters x 2
Hand Stunner II x 2
Mithril Vibro-Sword II (+3 weapon)
Miniaturised Heavy Laster II
Energy Blade I

"Web gun" 20' long x 10' base cone, effects as web spell, 3
shots/cartridge, 6 cartridges. This is alien technology loot, which didn't
seem worth dismantling until the ammunition runs low.

Defences:

Chameleon armour and shield
Shockcloth/metal cloth composite armour (shockcloth scales sewn onto metalcloth), normally worn over chameleon armour, to give a net AC 0, AC 2 vs lasers.
Shockcloth shield.
Personal Force Field III (Damage/Energy/Physical)
spare Personal Force Field II (Damage/Sonics/Magnetic)
Energy Shield II
Field Demodulator III, with all the trimmings

Utility:

Frame backpack with Fusion Lamp and Transformer Crystal III - powers most of her equipment.
Medi Kit with 50 assorted palatives
Micro-Miniaturised Gravitic Neutraliser + Field Defocusser
Light Generator
125ep Power Pack x 17
Breather Mask, six spare cartridges
Multi-spectrum goggles x 2 sets
Field Probe
Energy Probe
Energy Field Damper
Transformer Crystal III x 2, II x 3, I x 1 - for improvisation
Multi-scanner
detector cubes for: Magic, Force Fields, Ethereal, Astral, Adamantite, Mithril.

To carry this lot, Semat also possesses a mule. It was built as a technological android, and has 6HD, 30HP, and Int 12. It speaks common and equine, and is equipped with metalcloth armour over shockcloth padding, four electro-weapon horseshoes, and a Breather Mask in the form of a nosebag. This increases its survivability no end over a standard mule; it's fought off Drow, lions, and a variety of other opponents.

Her personal workshop also contains, at least:

Micro-Computer I
Body Scanner I
Matter Scanner I
Heavy Water Extractor I + Micro Pile
another Micro Pile
Crystal recharger, chemical charger, 13 x energy fluid
Power Coil II

Energy Shield I
+1 crystal plate armour
Aircloth/circuitcloth suit with breather mask
spare web gun, as above
+1 Mithril chainmail with Chameleon coating

Plus several hundred level of devices of up to 6th level, many of them broken but usable for spare parts. She has the parts and skills to mend almost any device up to 6th level.

As deputy head of Androids & Artificial Life at Monobrick Enterprises, she has access to equipment and computer resources capable of building or maintaining almost any sort of robot, cyborg, android or cyberware. She has experienced a variety of high-tech civilisations, and while not as cosmopolitan as some habitual universe-hoppers, knows how to stay out of trouble.

Toki (as a D&D character) - Rory McLean - 04/Jan/00

Toki (toe-key) is a just starting 1st level Tech, and is unclear
what area he should concentrate on. In terms of classes he would
probably make a better thief...

In terms of equipment he has a suit of hardened leather (AC7), a
shortsword, a Toolkit, and he spends all his remaining starting
money on a Dart Gun and a clip of (10) Darts.

Seeing as he is from a noble background he has horse riding,
etiquette and dancing (the noble backgroud is probably why he is
not a thief).

Note that his DM is using the racial modifiers to abilities, so
he gets +5% UM for being human.

Str 11     Hit points:  3       Armour class 7 (+1 for Dex)
Int 12     Experience:       0  Money:       0 gp
Wis 10     UM  ( +5)   5%
Dex 15     RMM (+15)  10%
Con 10     Meddle 7%
Cha 10

WP: 1+2
NWP: 6+4

Weapons: dartgun, dagger, shortsword

Proficencies: Mechanical Theory I, Magical Theory I, (Al)Chemical
Theory II, Force Field Theory II, General Technology I, Riding-
horse, Etiquette, Dancing

Languages: Common (literate), Native (literate), Unglas (literate)

Toki as a GURPS character - John Dallman - 06/Jan/00

ST 10
IQ 11
DX 13
HT 10

Total 40 points

Heavy Leather Armour (PD2, DR 2)
Shortsword
Toolkit
Dartgun, 1 clip

Advantages:

10 Literacy
15 Status 3 (lesser Lord)
14 Starting Technologist ranks (Mechanical Theory I,
Magical Theory I, (Al)Chemical Theory II, Force
Field Theory II, General Technology I)
25 Technologist Unusual Background

Total 64

Disadvantages (* not counted against personal total)

-10 Technologist Secret*
-10 Technologist Sense of Duty*
-5 Compulsive Interest in Technological things*

Total -25

Skills:

2 Chemistry 10-
2 Philosophy (Hermetic) 10-
1 Engineer (Mechanical) 9-
1 Engineer (Combat) 9-
1 Engineer (Structural) 9-
1 Draftsman 11-
1 Thaumatology 8-
2 Physics 10-
2 Engineer (Force Fields) 10-
4 Maths 11-
1 Engineer (TLtech devices) 9-
1 Professional Skill: Technologist 10-

1 Riding (Horse) 12-
0 Savoir-Faire (own society, free from Status) 13-
1 Dance 12-

1 Shortsword 12-
1 Guns(Dartgun) 14- (+1 for IQ)

Languages
1 Common 10-
0 Native (11- is free)
1 Unglas 10-

Total 25 points

Grand total: 104 points

This isn't a fully-fleshed-out GURPS character. He would have up to 40
points of personal disadvantages and 5 points of quirks, with which he
could buy a good deal more, or reduce his points total. The standard
starting GURPS character at 100 points + 40 points of disadvantages + 5
quirks is rather tougher than a basic 1st level (A)D&D character. Notably,
buying more IQ would increase his skill rolls drastically; he isn't really
intelligent enough to make a good Technologist.

Toki as a Hero System character - Rory McLean - 29/Jan/00

                                                           Roll
Val  CHA  Pts  Pts          Powers/Skills         BP AP MP /END
 11  STR    1    1  Magic skill                              8-
 15  DEX   15    4  Language: Unglas, 3pts, literate         - 
 10  CON         1  PS: Technologist                         8-
 10  BODY        1  KS: General Technology                   8-
 13  INT    3    1  PS: Mechanical Theory & Practice         8-
 10  EGO         1  KS: Magical Theory                       8-
 10  PRE         2  PS: (Al)Chemical Theory & Practice      11-
 10  COM         2  PS: Force Field Theory & Practice       11-
  2  PD          1  Understand Machine (INT based)           8-
  2  ED          1  Repair/Modify Machine (DEX based)        8-
 2.5 SPD         1  High Society                             8-
  4  REC         1  PS: Dancing (DEX based)                  8-
 20  END         1  Weapon Familarity: Dart Gun              - 
 21  STUN        1  Weapon Familiarity: Swords               - 
           19   20  Toki's Skills (see next page)            - 
           39     
  Total    58   39 = Powers/Skills Cost

                       Disadvantages                       25+Pts
Distrust of Magic & Mages, uncommon, moderate                   5
Technologist Conditioning, uncommon, total                     15
Major Magic Restriction: only tech gadgets, infreq, greatly    10
Technologist Package Bonus                                      3

Experience:  0                                Experience Spent  0
                                                               58
OCV  5                          INT 12-
DCV  5                          EGO 11-
ECV  3                          DEX 12-
                                PER 12-

Running   6"                    Height 1.70m(5' 7")
Swimming  1"                    Weight 59kg(9st 4lb)
Leap: Hori  2"
      Vert  1/2"                Phases: 6, 12

 Roll  Location  STUNx BODYx N STUN OCV   DEF     Shot OCV  Roll
 3- 5  Head      x5    x2    x2     -8     2      Head -4  1D6+3
 6     Hands     x1    x1/2  x1/2   -6     0      High -2  2D6+1
 7- 8  Arms      x2    x1/2  x1/2   -5     2      Body -1  2D6+4
 9     Shoulders x3    x1    x1     -5     2      Low  -2  2D6+7
10-11  Chest     x3    x1    x1     -3     2      Leg  -4  1D6+12
12     Stomach   x4    x1    x1 1/2 -7     3
13     Vitals    x4    x2    x1 1/2 -8     3
14     Thighs    x2    x1    x1     -4     2
15-16  Legs      x2    x1/2  x1/2   -6     2
17-18  Feet      x1    x1/2  x1/2   -8     3

DEF 2 leather, DEF 3 leather 12-13, 17-18
 -1 DCV/DEX Rolls from encumberance

Attacks      OCV DCV RMod  DMG  STUNx END  Notes
Strike        -   -   -   (2D6)   -    1   Punch
Shortsword   +1   -   -    1D6    -    1   
Dartgun       -   -  -1    1D6    -    1   half phase, 10 shots


Toki's Skills

 Pts                          Skill                          Roll
      *Climbing                                                8-
      *Concealment                                             8-
      *Conversation                                            8-
      *Deduction                                               8-
      *Shadowing                                               8-
      *Stealth                                                 8-
      *Transport Familiarity: Horse                            - 
      *PS: Noble                                               8-
      *CK: Native Culture                                      8-
      *AK: Native Area                                         8-
   1  *Lang: Native, 4pts, literate                            - 
      *Lang: Common, 4pts, literate                            - 
      *Swimming, 1"                                            - 
      *Running, 6"                                             - 

   1   PS: Tanner/Cobbler                                      8-
   1   PS: Spinner/Weaver/Tailor                               8-
   1   PS: Woodcutter/Carpenter/Woodcarver                     8-
   1   PS: Architect/Stonemason/Potter                         8-
   1   PS: Glass Maker/Blower/Glazier                          8-
   1   PS: Herbalist/Alchemist                                 8-

   1   Weaponsmith: archaic                                    8-
   1   PS: (Gold/Silver/Tin/Copper/etc) Smith                  8-

  11   Toki's Gadgets: 8pts                                    - 

  20

Toki's Gadgets: Variable Power Pool- Technological Equipment: 8pts, BP=8, AP=8, END=-, MP=8, RP=8.
Variable Power Pool Control- Technological Equipment: 8pts, BP=4, AP=4, END=-, MP=4, equipment(-1/4), normally only changed at base(-1/4), (-1/2), RP=3.
Total RP: 8 + 3 = 11.

Toki has the minimum Tech skills, 2pts of personal skills, and 2pts of weapon familiarities. He has +1 INT over D&D as Techs are assumed to increase in INT with experience (+8 INT/to 18 INT from an initial 10 INT by 10th level). He has a 'gadget pool', which is 8pts and this again increases with experience (60pts by 10th level), which he initially uses for his dartgun, equipment not generally available in the campaign society.

Whether the 'gadget pool' is required depends on the style of campaign: does the GM require points to be spent on magic items which are anything other than plot devices (i.e. that the character intends to use on a long-term basis and are under their control rather than the GMs)? If points are paid for magic items, which it is assumed are not 'generally socially available', whether on a 1pt per 5 Real Points, or even on a straight Real Points basis, then it is reasonable that Tech devices are also paid for. The reason for using a VPP is that Tech devices are far more frequently changed by Techs than magic items, though a character who used magic items on a similar 'select for a trip' basis might reasonably aquire a 'magical gadget pool'.

Some GMs may not permit more than 25pts of Disadvantages for a 25pt character, in which case 8pts are either disallowed (meaning they can never be spent, except possibly to 'buy off' some other Disadvantage later), or blocked (meaning they may be spent later, on a one-for-one basis as Experience is gained). Some GMs might not require the 'gadget pool', see above, or allow the various 'local tech' professional skills to be implied, and bought with Experience as and when used, if there is a need to trim the cost to, say, 25+25pts.

Note that this character does not have any motivating Disadvantages which are their own, and typically this sort of character might have 10-15pts of things like 'Chivalry', 'Thirst for Adventure', or 'Wants to Right the Worlds Wrongs', or other things appropriate to the campaign or the player. These might also run into the "Disadvantages may not exceed Base Points" ruling.