SPACE WAR 84 by Matthew Celis

Based on story concepts by Matthew Celis & Shawn Gregg

All images © 2010 Matthew Celis

CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTER CREATION

STEP ONE: ASSIGN DICE TO TRAITS All characters have six basic Traits that determine how good they are at different tasks. The six Traits are: Coordination, Knowledge, Savoir Faire, Strength, Mechanical Aptitude (Mech for short), and Technical Aptitude (Tech for short). Coordination measures your dexterity, balance, and ease and suppleness in

movement. A gymnast would want a lot of dice in Coordination. Knowledge measures your education, cultural awareness, and mastery of

factual information and its interpretation. A scientist would want a lot of dice in Knowledge.

Strength measures your stamina and vigor as well as your raw muscle power. A boxer would want a lot of dice in Strength.

Savoir Faire measures your charm and sureness in social interaction. A conman would want a lot of dice in Savoir Faire.

Mech measures your ability to control and operate vehicles and machines. A pilot would want a lot of dice in Mech.

Tech measures your knack for figuring out what something does, how it works, and how to fix it when it breaks. A repairman would want a lot of dice in Tech.

You get 18D to divide among your Traits. The only rule is that you must assign at least 1D to each Trait, and may assign no more than 5D to any one Trait. These 12D may be assigned as whole numbers, or any 1D can be broken down into three “+1s”: that is, by giving up 1D, you may instead spread three +1s among your character’s Traits, or one +1 and one +2 among his Traits.

Traits do not change during the game. Think about what you would like your character to be especially good at: those are the Traits you should assign the most dice to. You won’t have enough dice to be especially good at everything, so you’ll have to decide how best to balance your character’s six basic Traits. The number of dice you assign to a Trait will be how many you get to roll when attempting a task that falls under that Trait--unless you have a Specialty (see Step Two).

STEP TWO: SELECT SPECIALTIES Now you get to decide what areas your character is particularly gifted in. Specialties are fields of extraordinary ability within each Trait. Your character gets one Specialty for each Trait. When your character performs a task using his Specialty, he gets to roll 3D in addition to the number of dice in the controlling Trait. Specialties can be improved and new ones can be acquired over the course of the game (see Chapter Three).

Coordination Specialties Conceal, Dodge, Electroblade Fighting, Hide/Sneak, Sleight of Hand, Throw

Objects/Weapons, Zip Gun Knowledge Specialties Counterfeit & Forgery, Cultures/Races, Languages, Red Tape, Search/Find,

Star Systems, Survival, Technology, Track, Zoology Strength Specialties Brawling, Climb/Jump, Lifting, Stamina, Swimming Mech Specialties Astrogation, Beast Riding, Hovercraft Operation, Spaceship Gunnery,

Spaceship Piloting, Spaceship Shields, Submersible Operation Tech Specialties Computer Program/Repair, Demolitions, Hovercraft Repair, Medicine, Robot

Program/Repair, Security Systems, Spaceship Repair, Submersible Repair, Weapons Repair

Savoir Faire Specialties Bargain, Command, Con/Bluff, Disguise, Etiquette, Flirt, Gamble, Persuade,

Streetwise

STEP THREE: CHOOSE A SPECIES

Although there are an unimaginable number of intelligent races in the galaxy, these are the eight species from which you may choose. Your species may have special talents or abilities that affect your character’s Traits and Specialties, but it’s more fun to choose a species that appeals to you based on its appearance and description rather than trying to maximize the number of dice you’ll have in a given Trait or Specialty.

Humanoids are upright bipeds who resemble nearly hairless apes. They come in practically all shapes, sizes, and colors, and are the most frequently encountered of all the races in the galaxy. Their greatest asset is their adaptability. Accordingly, Humanoids may select one additional Specialty as a bonus.

Space Munkies are fuzzy brown-furred simians equally at home in the treetops as they are on the ground. They have prehensile tails and can use their feet and hands with equal ability. Space Munkies must assign at least 2D to their Coordination Trait. They also get the Climb/Jump Specialty at

no cost. If you’ve already selected Climb/Jump, choose a different Specialty as your bonus instead.

Space Kats are furry bipedal felines with long tails and whiskers. They can see in the dark and are able to nap anytime, anywhere. Space Kats must assign at least 2D each to their Coordination and Savoir Faire Traits. They also get the Hide/Sneak Specialty at no cost. If you’ve already selected Hide/Sneak, choose a different Specialty as your bonus instead.

Space Bots are sentient robots who may either walk on two legs or roll about on retractable wheels (choose one or the other). They have excellent recall due to their reliance on memory chips rather than brain cells. As such, Space Bots must assign at least 2D to their Knowledge Trait and may select a second Knowledge Specialty at no cost. Space Bots do not heal as organic beings do, but rather rely on built-on self-repair mechanisms. Self-repair rolls are made on the healing chart, but anyone rendering aid must use the Robot Program/Repair Specialty rather than Medicine.

Space Bugs are six-limbed insectoids with compound eyes, feelers protruding from their heads, and exoskeletons. Space Bugs are not penalized for taking two actions in one round. (They are, however, penalized as normal when taking three or more actions in one round.) Space Bugs must assign at least 2D to their Strength Trait. Being insectoids, they get the Lifting Specialty at no cost. If you’ve already selected Lifting, choose a different Specialty as your bonus instead.

Space Dawgs are bipedal canines whose ears may be floppy or pointy, and whose tails may be bobbed or long. Space Dawgs can use their highly sensitive noses to sniff out and locate almost anything they’ve previously smelled. They get the Track Specialty at no cost. If you’ve already selected Track, choose a different Specialty as your bonus instead. Space Dawgs must assign at least 2D to their Strength Trait.

Space Gremlyns are one-eyed, pointy-eared, orange-skinned bipeds most at home in space. They have an incredible knack for tinkering with and repairing machinery, and love to be surrounded by scrap parts and tools. As such, Space Gremlyns must assign at least 2D to their Tech Trait and may select a second Tech Specialty at no cost.

Space Burds are bipedal fowl with keen eyesight and a nearly infallible sense of direction. They get the Search/Find or Astrogation (not both)

Specialty at no cost. STEP 4 Choose a goal Choose an advantage Choose a drawback CHAPTER: ACTION RESOLUTION OPPOSED ACTION RESOLUTION CHAPTER: IMPROVING SPECIALTIES CHAPTER: SPACESHIPS