I have been wanting to play some Traveller but games around here are few and far between so I have decided to run one. I have not GM'd a Traveller game before so all I am promising is to run an adventure/scenario/module whatever you would like to call it and see how it goes from there.
I will be using the 2008 Mongoose Traveller rules, MgT1. If you have them great if not, it's no big deal. I just got a hard copy of it. There is a SRD. It is not as good as the Pathfinder one but gives a description of character creation and skills.
I'll be using the character creation right from the rules.
I'll need at least 2 people to run this, more are certainly welcome.
Please let me know of your interest and any questions. Once we have some people interested I will start character creation.
Thank you.
Death during character creation? ;)
I've only done creation. Never actually played. But I'm willing to try this :)
Death during character creation? ;)
LOLOLOLOLOL we really expose our age when we know about dying during Traveller chargen ;)
The 2008 version DM-T cited as the base of the campaign is when failed Survival Roles meant a roll on the Mishaps Table and an end to the current career service, but NOT an end to life. A helpful shift to be sure, because you never have to discard 30 minutes work and the mishaps themselves can also have positive outcomes as well.
Totally interested :)
I'm aiming for Navy Flight path
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Hey DM Trawets, certainly interested :)
According to the book we don't have to roll down the line. But will have to see what the GM wants for character gen
Here's a question:
Would you alien races to be part of this, or just human?
Hey Cucumber, Trawets has a template for rolling characters, you may want to wait.
Seth86, from what he's discussed on discord the game will be human-centric
Again from the discussion, we will be able to place our beginning stats where we want them.
Much appreciated for the update
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As RH said stats are going to 2d6 and arrange to taste. This will be human only.
I was waiting to make sure I had interested before getting into character generation. Which I seem to have. I am leaving for my appointments for the day now but will get into generation when I am free later today.
Feel free to discuss any ideas you have for a group. I would make sure all the basic skills are covered.
Thanks GM
So career for me : Navy Flight
Main skills : pilot and tactics
This is IF the dice work with me
All of the above sounds good. But I'm kinda liking pirates.
Perhaps a bunch of ex military resorting to piracy due to *insert reason here*
Generator Site
IT doesn't work all the time, (on several builds once you get to events the page comes up 'unavailable') and the "Skill and Training" table selections are narrower. I'd recommend waiting for Trawets template,
I'll wait to see what sort of character I'm rolling up based on the stats. With three low stats Cucumber was smart going military, big and dumb still works there. Though I don't see mercenary in the 2008 core rulebook.
As far as game and builds go, I was hoping for several old guys who actually retired. Something very different from the 'young hero' games most of us start out in.
it was just a fun thing to try, i do plan to use what the GM prescribes
and about old guys? that depends if we make it that far :P
it was just a fun thing to try, i do plan to use what the GM prescribes
and about old guys? that depends if we make it that far :P
I was stoked when I first found the generator, but the only one I could get past 'events' was the 'Scout' and a couple others occasionally.
Well, with the mishap rules, we can make it far, even if you knock out a couple levels as 'Drifter.' The scary part is what may happen to your physical stats...
yeah, not too keen on that happening :P but who knows, maybe i can muster out finally, retire as a fleet admiral :P
yeah, not too keen on that happening :P but who knows, maybe i can muster out finally, retire as a fleet admiral :P
Testing the template I've rolled up about eight characters practicing. I was rolling five 'tours' and had one go admiral in the navy and another master sergeant in the marines. Most earned a couple ranks and were in at least two different 'occupations,' but a couple were complete train wrecks. But I know some of those folks too, so it's all good :)
it was just a fun thing to try, i do plan to use what the GM prescribes
and about old guys? that depends if we make it that far :P
Well, like I posted before, at least we know we aren't going to die in character generation.
To be honest, the big thing that I want to address is equality in ship share values ...
It does seem like one of the things that we need to do is set term targets, so that we actually know which terms the characters are going to overlap in and which terms the old timers are kind of on their own; that's really the only way we can accomplish the "Connections" part of the process really.
It does seem like one of the things that we need to do is set term targets, so that we actually know which terms the characters are going to overlap in and which terms the old timers are kind of on their own; that's really the only way we can accomplish the "Connections" part of the process really.
Come on, let's all be old timers :)
For those who may not have access to the character generation process here are the steps:
1. Roll characteristics and determine characteristic modifiers.
Roll 2d6 six time and arrange how you like. Strength (Str), Dexterity (Dex), Endurance (End), Intelligence (Int), Education (Edu), Social Standing (Soc)
CHARACTERISTIC MODIFIERS
0 –3
1–2 –2
3–5 –1
6–8 +0
9–11 +1
12–14 +2
15 +3
2. a. Choose a homeworld.
b. Gain background skills. 3 + Edu DM (DM = Die Modifier)
3. a. Choose a career. You cannot choose a career you have already left.
Choices: Agent, Army, Citizen, Drifter, Entertainer, Marines, Merchant, Navy, Nobility, Rogue, Scholar, and Scout.
b. Roll to qualify for that career.
c. If you qualify for that career, go to Step 4.
d. If you do not qualify for that career, then you can go to the Draft or enter the Drifter career. The Draft can put you back into a career you have been forced to leave, at your old rank. You can only apply for the Draft once.
4. If this is your first time on this career, get your basic training.
5. Choose a specialization for this career.
6. a. Choose one of the Skills and Training tables for this career and roll on it.
b. Roll for survival on this career.
c. If you succeed, go to Step 7.
d. If you did not succeed, then events have forced you from this career. Roll on the Mishap table, then go to Step 9.
7. a. Roll for Events.
b. Optionally, establish a Connection with another player character.
8. a. Roll for Advancement
b. If you succeed, choose one of the skills and training tables for this career and roll on it. Increase your Rank and take any bonus skills from the Ranks table for this career.
c. If you roll less than the number of terms spent in this career, you must leave this career.
d. Military characters (Army, Navy, Marines) can roll for commission instead of rolling for advancement.
9. Increase your age by 4 years. If your character is 34 or older, roll for Aging.
10. If you are leaving the career, roll for Benefits.
11. If you have left your current career, then go to Step 3 to choose a new career, or to Step 12 if you wish to finish your character. Otherwise, go to Step 5.
12. Finalize any Connections with other characters.
13. Choose a Campaign Skill Pack and allocate skills from that pack.
14. Purchase starting equipment and, if you can afford it, a spacecraft.
Each of you may have up to 2 connections to another player coming from your events rolls. Each connection allows you to gain one level in any skill, but you cannot bring a skill above level 3 using this rule nor may you take the Jack of all Trades skill.
A campaign skill pack will also be available. Taking a skill package ensures that your group will at
least have basic competency in the situations that will come up in the game. When you have collectively decided which skill package is most suitable for the campaign you want to play, each player takes it in turns to select an item from the package. Keep going until all skills have been selected. Choices are:
Traveller Skill Package: Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Comms 1, Gunner (any) 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1.
Explorer Skills Package: Pilot (any) 1, Astrogation 1, Sensors 1, Survival 1, Recon 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1
Investigator Skill Package: Advocate 1, Admin 1, Investigate 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Computers 1, Sensors 1, Gun Combat (any) 1
Starship Skills Package: Pilot (any) 1, Gunner (any) 1, Engineer (any) 1, Mechanic 1, Sensors
1, Medic 1, Comms 1, Astrogation 1.
My plan is to stick to rules as written for this first adventure. Once I have a better handle on things we may change some things.
A note about statistics and damage: There are not hit points as such. Damage is applied initially to the target’s Endurance. If a target is reduced to Endurance 0, then further damage is subtracted from the target’s Strength or Dexterity (target’s choice, but all the damage from a single attack must be subtracted from a single statistic). If either Strength or Dexterity is reduced to 0, the character is unconscious and any further damage is subtracted from the remaining physical characteristic. If all three physical characteristics are reduced to 0,
the character is killed.
More to follow
Unless we go for a "Rogue Trader" type game. I don't think Starship package will work. I know I plan to go pilot. But yeah. Just my 2cr.
The other packages will work for specific type of games
Though I am partial to either Rouge Trader or perhaps Pirates. Another option is we go for Merchants. And amass a fleet. Though I guess we can do that as pirates too :P
When I mentioned discussing ideas for the group I meant more like character generation and if you want to have some sort of shtick: all Army, or all Army and Navy, all former scouts, etc or all people who grew up together and went your separate ways and then regrouped later in ife, or all retired old farts who got sick of sitting around in the old folks home. Maybe family friends that sort of thing.
What type of game depends on the scenarios that get run.
If by rogue trader you mean trading one week and blowing things up the next and ship combat that is the Traveller package. The packages are kinda listed in my recommended order. The scenario I am running could have a little be of everything in it but mostly exploration/investigation of a locale and some combat, very deadly combat to be honest. Depending on how much fun everyone has and how things go we will discuss next steps after the scenario ends.
I have put the rolling template in the campaign tab for anyone who wants to use it. When you roll please put each term in it's own post here in recruitment so it is easy to see.
If you don't have access to the different careers I can step you through it and I am sure that others can help as well.
If you have any questions please let me know and certainly people entirely new to Traveller are welcome to join in. We can all learn together.
so do I use the original rolls?
You can if you want to or start all over since I hadn't started character generation.
Unless we go for a "Rogue Trader" type game. I don't think Starship package will work. I know I plan to go pilot. But yeah. Just my 2cr.
The other packages will work for specific type of games
Though I am partial to either Rouge Trader or perhaps Pirates. Another option is we go for Merchants. And amass a fleet. Though I guess we can do that as pirates too :P
Is there confusion about the packages or how skills aggregate? All of the packages are great, and 3 of them have the opportunity to get Pilot-1 if it isn't chosen by another player. As it stands, they all have 8 skills listed, other than Investigator, which has 9. Meaning that if we chose Investigator as our package, whoever won the coin toss to pick 1st would in fact receive 3 skills from the package versus 2.
But there isn't anything more or less appropriate about any of them, they're just focused themeatically. All things considered, I would probably choose Investigator simply by the numbers (even if I didn't get to pick first)
Cucumbertree, could you pause a moment? There are some issues and I'll be better able to help when I am at a computer.
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Ooooooo...did someone say Traveller!! I would love to throw my hat into the ring...will roll the stats first. I have a great program (RPG Suite)to run the character generation, if that is ok.
Strength (Str):
Dexterity (Dex):
Endurance (End):
Intelligence (Int):
Education (Edu):
Social Standing (Soc):
Hmmm...interesting..will work on something if that is ok
I would prefer all the rolls be done on here. It helps others learn.
Sorry it took so long Trawets, let me give them an example:
Str:7, Dex: 7, End:10 (+1), Int: 6, Edu:9 (+1), Soc: 3
Choose a homeworld: Asteroid: Zero-G 0 Vacuum: Vacc Suit 0
Education: Carouse 0, Medic 0
First tour 18
Careers: Scout specialization: Exploration
Basic Training (Service Skills @ 0): Pilot, Survival, Mechanic, Astrogation, Comms, Gun Combat
Sensors
You spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. Gain Navigation 1
End of first tour.
Second Tour age 22
pilot small craft
When dealing with an alien race, you have an opportunity to gather extra intelligence about them. Roll either Sensors 8+ or Deception 8+. If you succeed, gain an Ally in the Imperium and a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll. If you fail, roll on the Mishap table,
You have no idea what happened to you – they found your ship drifting on the fringes of friendly space.
Scout Vacc Suit 1
Sensors
End second tour
Third Tour age 26
stealth
Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster. Roll either Medic 8+ or Engineer 8+. If you succeed, gain a Contact and a +2 DM to your next Advancement check. If you fail, gain an Enemy.
gain an enemy
2nd promotion
Jack of all trades
End of third tour
Fourth Tour age 30
Pilot (spacecraft)
Injured. Roll on the Injury table.
Lightly injured. No permanent effect.
no effect
Mustering out: three terms, two promotions, total of four rolls
weapon
+ Edu
+ 1 Int
Cr. 20,000
End of fourth tour age 34
Where were at so far:
thirty four year old retired scout
77A7A3
Astrogation 0, Carouse 0, Comms, Gun Combat 0, Jack of all trades 1, Mechanic 0, Medic 0, Navigation 1, Pilot (small craft 1) (spacecraft), Sensors 2, Stealth 1, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0,
Events:
First tour: You spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. Gain Navigation 1
Second tour: When dealing with an alien race, you have an opportunity to gather extra intelligence about them. Failed. You have no idea what happened to you – they found your ship drifting on the fringes of friendly space
Third tour: Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster. Failed, gain an enemy
Mishaps:
Fourth tour: Lightly injured. No permanent effect.
Muster out: Weapon (TBD) Cr 20,000
sure not a problem....do you want us to you year by year so you can check them before we move on?
I would prefer each term in a post so they are easier for me to distinguish. You don't have to wait for my approval on each term unless you want to.
fifth tour age 34
Careers: drifter specialization: Scavenger
Basic Training: N/A
Mechanic
You run afoul of a criminal gang, corrupt bureaucrat or other foe. Gain an Enemy.
no effect
Finished
thirty eight year old retired scout
77A7A3
Astrogation 0, Carouse 0, Comms 0, Gun Combat 0, Jack of all trades 1, Mechanic 1, Medic 0, Navigation 1, Pilot (small craft 1) (spacecraft 1), Sensors 2, Stealth 1, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0,
Events:
First tour: You spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. Gain Navigation 1
Second tour: When dealing with an alien race, you have an opportunity to gather extra intelligence about them. Failed. You have no idea what happened to you – they found your ship drifting on the fringes of friendly space
Third tour: Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster. Failed, gain an enemy
Mishaps:
Fourth tour: Lightly injured. No permanent effect.
Fifth tour: Gained an enemy
Muster out: Weapon (TBD) Cr 20,000
He feels a little useless, but at least he has his health...Now to figure out a name and tie a backstory in that fits, and eventually pick a skill off of the 'Skill Package' and possibly tie a couple backstories in.
DM Trawets, everything look right?
2. a. Choose a homeworld.
b. Gain background skills. 3 + Edu DM (DM = Die Modifier)** spoiler omitted **
Sorry for the delay.
I am not sure if you have access to the core rules. When you pick a homeworld you are picking two types or descriptors for the world since we are not using premade worlds. Each type with have a skill associated with it. Those skills are two of your background skills. The worlds are:
Agricultural: Animals 0
Asteroid: Zero-G 0
Desert: Survival 0
Fluid Oceans: Seafarer 0
Garden: Animals 0
High Technology: Computers 0
High Population: Streetwise 0
Ice-Capped: Vacc Suit 0
Industrial: Trade 0
Low Technology: Survival 0
Poor: Animals 0
Rich: Carouse 0
Water World: Seafarer 0
Vacuum: Vacc Suit 0
Pick two as long as they make sense. A vacuum asteroid world makes sense. A desert fluid oceans world doesn't.
Any remaining skills are picked from the education list: Admin 0, Advocate 0, Art 0, Carouse 0, Comms 0, Computer 0, Drive 0, Engineer 0, Language 0, Medic 0, Physical Science 0, Life Science 0, Social Science 0, Space Science 0, Trade 0.
The total picked for you would be 4. Two will be homeworld and two will be from the education list.
Scholar
Qualification Int 6+
Int: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 1 = 8 SuccessDrive
Electronics
Diplomat
Medic
Investigate
ScienceField researcher
Skills table: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Survival
Advancement Int 6+: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 1) + 1 = 7
Science 1
Personal Development: 1d6 ⇒ 2
+1 Edu
Survival Edu 6+: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 1) + 1 = 5
Life Event: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
Travel DM+2 to qualification roll
For your first term you get all the skills in Service Skills at 0 for your first term. You chose scholar. Service skills are: Comms, Computers, Diplomat, Medic, Investigate, and Any Science (Physical Science, Life Science, Social Science, or Space Science). I am not sure where you got your list from.
Your skill roll for Field Researcher was fine.
Your advancement roll should have given you Social Science 1. Your roll for advancement on the Personal Development table was fine.
For your survival roll you only rolled a 5. Which means you need to roll on the mishap table and may not be able to continue in this career.
If you could roll the mishap and then we can see whether you continue on or not in this career.
What were you using to make your roll determinations? Some match up or are close but some aren't. I just want to make sure you are using the right book.
fifth tour age 34
Careers: drifter specialization: Scavenger
Basic Training: N/A
[dice=Skills and Training: Scavenger]1d6 Mechanic
[dice=Survival: Dex 7+]2d6
[dice=Mishaps]1d6 You run afoul of a criminal gang, corrupt bureaucrat or other foe. Gain an Enemy.
[dice=aging table]2d6 - 5 no effect
Finished
thirty eight year old retired scout
77A7A3
Astrogation 0, Carouse 0, Comms 0, Gun Combat 0, Jack of all trades 1, Mechanic 1, Medic 0, Navigation 1, Pilot (small craft 1) (spacecraft 1), Sensors 2, Stealth 1, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0,
Events:
First tour: You spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. Gain Navigation 1
Second tour: When dealing with an alien race, you have an opportunity to gather extra intelligence about them. Failed. You have no idea what happened to you – they found your ship drifting on the fringes of friendly space
Third tour: Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster. Failed, gain an enemy
Mishaps:
Fourth tour: Lightly injured. No permanent effect.
Fifth tour: Gained an enemy
Muster out: Weapon (TBD) Cr 20,000He feels a little useless, but at least he has his health...Now to figure out a name and tie a backstory in that fits, and eventually pick a skill off of the 'Skill Package' and possibly tie a couple backstories in.
DM Trawets, everything look right?
Just to make sure you understand Navigation is on planets and astrogation is in space.
For subsequent careers you get to pick 1 skill from the Service Skills table at Level 0 as your basic training.
Some of your rolls on the events table didn't have DMs. For example Medic you had Medic 0 at that point and I could see you using Edu so your roll should have been 2d6+0+1 which would have totaled 8 and made it. So gain a contact instead of an enemy. You would still have advanced. I don't think that affected any others but you might want to double check.
Other than that I think it looks good.
I would not call him useless. He has ship skills (Scouts), won't shoot his foot off with a gun and can get around planetside fairly well. Plus you can fix things.