Character Creation

Character Creation

In the harsh, unforgiving expanse of the Cradle, every void pirate begins as a survivor shaped by centuries of genetic drift, gravity adaptation, and hard-won experience. Character creation is the process of forging that survivor into a playable hero (or scoundrel) ready to board derelict haulers, raid corporate outposts, or flee Teegarden patrols. The steps below guide you through rolling attributes, choosing your Gravity Rating, calculating Health Points, spending Backstory Experience Points, selecting skills and gear, and — if you wish — awakening rare psionic potential or becoming a Living Neuro-Core. All math is shown explicitly so you can follow every calculation.

Step 1: Roll Your Core Attributes
Roll three six-sided dice (3d6) five times to determine your five core attributes. Each roll produces a score between 3 and 18. Record these raw numbers:

Strength (STR): Physical power, melee combat, lifting, carrying.
Agility (AGL): Dexterity, dodging, precision, ranged attacks, movement.
Intellect (INT): Problem-solving, hacking, technical skills, knowledge.
Health (HLTH): Endurance, constitution, resistance to poison and fatigue.
Personality (PER): Social interactions, perception, leadership, deception.

Step 2: Choose Your Gravity Rating (GR)
Your Gravity Rating represents the gravitational environment that shaped your body during growth. Choose one of the four types (or roll 1d4 if you prefer randomness):

Floater (0–0.2g) — born in zero-gravity ships or spin-dead stations.
Hopper (0.4–0.6g) — raised on low-gravity moons or asteroids.
Brick (0.8–1.2g) — adapted to near Earth-standard gravity.
Stomper (1.6g+) — engineered or born on super-heavy worlds.

Apply the permanent Gravity Rating modifiers to your raw attribute scores:

Gravity Rating Starter Attribute Modifiers

GR Type	STR	AGL	INT	HLTH	PER
Floater	–2	–1	+2	–1	0
Hopper	–1	0	+1	–1	0
Brick	0	0	0	0	+2
Stomper	+2	–1	0	+1	0

Example: You roll STR 12, AGL 14, INT 10, HLTH 13, PER 9 and choose Floater.
Final scores: STR 12 – 2 = 10, AGL 14 – 1 = 13, INT 10 + 2 = 12, HLTH 13 – 1 = 12, PER 9 + 0 = 9.

Step 3: Spend Backstory Experience Points (XP) (Optional Increases)
Choose your starting age (18 or older). Backstory Experience Points accumulate from age 15 onward at 6 XP per year:

Starting Age & Backstory XP (examples only)

Starting Age	Years of XP	Total Backstory XP
18	3 (15–17)	18 XP
20	5 (15–19)	30 XP
25	10 (15–24)	60 XP
30	15 (15–29)	90 XP

You may spend Backstory XP to increase any attribute by +1 (cost 12 XP per point, maximum +1 per attribute, maximum two attributes increased at creation). Example: With 60 XP (age 25), you spend 12 XP to raise AGL from 13 to 14 and 12 XP to raise HLTH from 12 to 13. Remaining XP: 60 – 24 = 36 (saved for skills).

Step 4: Calculate Health Points (HP)
Health Points represent how much damage you can take before falling unconscious or dying. Formula: HP = final Health (HLTH) attribute × 2 Example: Final HLTH = 13 → HP = 13 × 2 = 26.
Cybernetic implants, bio-augmentations, or medications may later modify this total.

Step 5: Spend Remaining Backstory XP on Skills
Spend your remaining Backstory XP to purchase starting skills and ranks. Skills are divided into two categories:

Average Skills (ASR – Average Skill Rank) — Common abilities. Add +1 per rank to the Action Roll.
Examples: Athletics (STR), Ranged Combat (AGL), Perception (PER), Streetwise (PER), Persuasion (PER).
Difficult Skills (DSR – Difficult Skill Rank) — Advanced abilities. Add escalating bonuses: Rank 1 = +1, Rank 2 = +3, Rank 3 = +5, Rank 4 = +7, Rank 5 = +9.
Examples: Piloting (AGL), Computer (INT), Medicine (INT), Tactics (INT), Demolitions (INT).

Skill Purchase Costs (per rank, bought sequentially)

Rank	Average Skill Cost	Total XP (Average)	Difficult Skill Cost	Total XP (Difficult)
1	6 XP	6	12 XP	12
2	9 XP	15	18 XP	30
3	12 XP	27	24 XP	54
4	15 XP	42	30 XP	84
5	18 XP	60	36 XP	120

Example: With 36 XP left, you buy Ranged Combat Rank 3 (Average, 6 + 9 + 12 = 27 XP) and Perception Rank 1 (Average, 6 XP). Total spent: 33 XP. Remaining: 3 XP (banked for play).

Step 6: Buy Starting Gear & Determine Money
Roll for starting money in ounces of gold (oz gold):

Age 18: 25 oz gold base.
For every year after 18: Roll 1d4 oz gold and add.
Age 30+: Roll 1d4 oz debt per year past 29 and subtract.

Example: Age 25 → 25 oz base + 7 years (19–25) = 7d4 oz gold. Use this gold to buy initial personal gear from the Extended Gear List (prices in oz gold). Examples of common starting items:

Holdout Pistol (9mm): 0.8 oz gold (damage 2d6)
Armored Vac-Suit: 20 oz gold (AV 6/2, sealed vs. vacuum)
Medkit: 1.0 oz gold (heals 1 HP per use)
Multi-Tool: 0.5 oz gold (general repairs, +1 Electronics/Mechanics AR)
Breather Mask: 0.7 oz gold (negates thin/toxic atmosphere)

Any leftover gold is carried as pocket change or bullion.

Optional Step 7: Check for Psionic Potential
After final attributes are set (including GR mods and Backstory XP), check for psionic latency:

If final Intellect (INT) is 16 or higher, roll 1d20.
On a 19 or 20, the character has psionic potential (awakened before age 18).

If successful:

Roll Psionic Strength (PSI): 3d6 (3–18).
PSI determines the maximum number of additional Psionic Talents you can learn beyond the initial two:
- PSI 3–11: 0 additional (max total 2)
- PSI 12–13: 1 additional (max 3)
- PSI 14–15: 2 additional (max 4)
- PSI 16–17: 3 additional (max 5)
- PSI 18: 4 additional (max 6 — human cap)
Start with two free Rank 1 Psionic Talents (no XP cost). Roll 2d10 on the Psionic Talent Table (reroll duplicates): Telepathy, Clairsentience, Telekinesis, Metabolism Control, Levitation, Empathy, Psychometry, Precognition, Energy Manipulation, Mind Shield.
All talents are Difficult skills (escalating SRM).
Learn additional talents for 12 XP each (Rank 1), limited by PSI. Raise ranks sequentially per Difficult skill costs.

Optional Step 8: Living Neuro-Core (LNC) Character Creation
Instead of a standard body, you may play a Living Neuro-Core — a preserved human brain in a nutrient jar interfaced to a host vessel (mech, ship, drone).

Replaces Gravity Rating selection (uses Floater GRM table).
Roll attributes only for Intellect (INT) and Personality (PER); apply Floater modifiers: INT +2, PER –2.
Brain HP: 5 (fixed, jar AV 12/6). No wound penalties (vessel absorbs damage).
Starting vessel: Free Light Scout Walker Mech (STR equiv. 15 [+5], AGL 12 [+4], HP 100, AV 10/4). Vessel stats override physical actions.
Spend Backstory XP on INT/PER (+12 XP/point, max +1 each) and skills (vessel uses STR/AGL AtMod for physical actions, personal INT/PER for mental/social).
Starting money same as standard.
Psionic check: Final INT 16+ → 1d20 (19–20 = latent).
Drawbacks: PER –2 (social stigma), fragile if ejected, monthly maintenance (Engineering/Medicine AR TN 15 or –2 all ARs).

Once complete, your character is ready to step into the Void — a product of gravity, grit, and whatever dark luck the stars have left to offer. Roll initiative, load your holdout pistol, and remember: in the Cradle, every breath is borrowed.