Creating a Character
Player Characters are created using the HERO System 6th Edition. Player Characters have 150 points, with 25 points in Complications, which does not alter the 150 points in any way. Of the 150 points: 50 go towards characteristics (STR, DEX, etc.), 20 go towards Species/Race, 10 go towards Childhood, 20 go towards Education, 30 go towards current occupation, and the remainder are used to personalize skills and knowledges.
For example:
- Malcolm Reynolds (from Firefly) has a childhood experience of Farmer/Rancher, an education of Soldier, and a Current Profession of Smuggler.
- Luke Skywalker (from Star Wars) has a childhood experience of Farmer, an education of Pilot, and a Current Profession of Jedi Initiate.
The idea, of course, is that life is a series of experiences, and we don't always end up where we thought we would.
Step 1: Your Starting Characteristics
For Player Characters, their Starting Characteristics Points is 50 Character Points, with the following restrictions.
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Everyone is SPD 3 for a cost of 10 points. There are no other allowable SPD values for player characters to begin with, although you may spend earned XP later to raise SPD if desired.
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A total of 20 character points are spread among STR, DEX, CON, INT, EGO, and PRE. None of these stats can be higher than 15 or lower than 8. (A chosen species template may impact the final value.)
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A total of 20 character points are spread among OCV, DCV, OMCV, DMCV, PD, ED, REC, BODY, END, and STUN. No more than 5 points can be spent on any one stat, and no stat can go above twice the base value or go below the base value.
Example: Mack Reynolds allocates +3 DEX (6 cp), +3 CON (3 cp), +3 INT (3 cp), +3 EGO (3 cp), and +5 PRE (5 cp) for a total of 20 cp (character points.)
His SPD is 3 (10 character points).
He then allocates +1 OCV (5 cp), +1 DCV (5 cp), +2 BODY (2 cp), +1 REC (1 cp), +10 END (2 cp), and +10 STUN (5 cp) for 20 points.
Step 2: Choose a Species template (Species/Race)
Choose one species package. I have intentionally set all species templates, aka packages, to a total of 20 points to prevent overpowered builds.
The starting area is 99% Human, speaking English and Chinese. While you can play other races, do keep in mind that as characters making a living in a predominantly human area, playing other races may cause issues when secrecy, stealth, fitting in and not drawing attention are paramount.
TBD
Step 3: Choose the character's Childhood Experience
How did the character spend their childhood? Farmer, colonist, spoiled brat, street ragamuffin? Select the Childhood Experience template that fits the character's childhood.
Also, important: (1) What language(s) does the character speak? What is his homeworld, as that is the area knowledge and cultural knowledge that he possesses. In otherwords, what is known as Everyman Skills:
Step 4: Choose the character's Education
Select an appropriate Education template. Did the character work for the family business, serve in the military, or go to college? How did life/the school of life educate them?
Step 5: Choose the character's current profession
What is the character's current profession? Smuggler, Starship Pilot, Doctor, Hired Gun, etc.? Choose the appropriate Profession template.
Step 6: Personalization Points
This leaves approximately 20 points left of the 150 character points for personalization. For personalization, the remainder may be spent on Skills, Talents, Perks, Martial Arts, and/or Powers -- but not Characteristics.
Step 7: Complications
Complications are the psychological aspects of a character and other life complications (such as being Hunted or a Social outcast) that make the person unique.
Example: Malcolm Reynolds of Firefly has the following Complications
Cost Complication
10 Psych: Lives by a Set of Principles, including keeping his word (Common, Moderate)
10 Psych: Tells it Like it Is, regardless of how it affects others (Common, Moderate)
5 Hunted: Psychotic Russian Crimelord (Infrequently, As Powerful, Limited Area, Harshly Punish). The Russian Crimelord is still psychotically mad about Malcolm returning the stolen medicine to the people instead of giving it to him as promised and is determined to pin Mack's literal hide to the wall.