Aberrant: The Long March - Character Creation Rules

[Mr Fox]

12/24/06

NOTE: Those joining the game late can create their own character if they'd like, and don't have to go with the method described below. Just PM me for details if you'd rather create your own.

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Character creation rules depend on how the players would like to start the game.

Keep in mind, whichever way you choose, I give out experience pretty generously, so if your character is not just the way you want them at creation, they won't be that way forever.

Option 1:

30 NP Novas, standard rules, core books + brainwaves.

No more than 3 in abilities before bonus, No more than 5 quantum, period.

You come up with your story and how you came to erupt.

Option 2:

You make your character PRE-eruption and spend bonus points. (Bonus can not be spent on post eruption things like quantum)

You PM me with a list of your top 5 choices of what powers you would like your character to have.

We then rp your eruptions in the game.

I create your POST-eruption character sheets using 40 nps.

The first abby game I ran I did it by Option 2 and the players really enjoyed the 'Christmas morning' aspect of not discovering what powers they had until their eruptions happened. Option 1 is easier on me, but Option 2 has some serious potential for fun, and it really removes the 'my character is all about this power' problem.

The following applies to either choice:

If you pick Mega-Int, don't spoil the plot. It is a mystery based game, if a mega-int 5 nova put his mind to it he should really be able to solve it without much effort, but that would ruin the story for everyone.

Also, the players need to get together in the Character Discussion thread and decide on how they are connected. I want more of a connection than just 'oh, we all erupted at about the same time'. I'd like ties between the characters going back before their eruptions. Something that binds them together and promotes loyalty to each other.

Finally, whichever choice you make, I want strong characters. Be sure to focus on your backstory and who your character is before his/her eruption. The powers your character has or will have do not define them, their personality and life experiences do.

I would like you guys to vote here and let me know which choice you'd like. I'll do this as a group. If the majority votes for Option 1 however, and some of you would like to choose Option 2 we can still do that on an individual basis via PM.

[The White Rat]

I vote for option 2.

Can we purchase background dots in things like Node, Eufiber and Dormancy, or are they considered post eruption?

[Thoranon]

I vote for option 2 as well.

[Michael Peters]

Both sound good to me. 2 sounds interestingly new.

[Emily Williamson]

Option 2 sounds really cool, it's more like getting under our character's skin (after all, they don't choose what powers they get).

[Mr Fox]

Ok, that's already 4 out of 6 votes for option 2. We'll go with that then. If either of the others don't want option 2, I can work with you individually.

So start posting your character backgrounds over in the Character Discussion thread, and discuss how you guys would know each other before your eruptions.

When you have them done, PM me your pre-eruption character sheets.

Oh, and your bonus points can't be used to buy any post eruption things like Quantum, attunement, node, etc. (Eufiber is allowed, but unless you also have resources 5, you should make how you aquired the Eufiber as part of your backstory, or discuss it with me.) If you would like to have something specific like dormancy or high node after you erupt let me know in a PM.

[Neil Preston]

Option 2 seems pretty freaking cool too, even though my vote is a bit late in the day.

[Esther Bluecorn]

I'm willing to give Option 2 a shot.

[Neil Preston]

Well, I wanted to PM this, but time is of the essence, so I'll just shout it out. Emily Williamson, how would you like to start the game related?

We could be Brother-Sister, or Rich Girl-Servant, or some other close bond at your discrietion. I occassionally like having characters bonded at the start and since we get to do this pre-eruption thing, I think this could make for many interesting situations just from this lead-in. Please let me know what you think.

James

[Mr Fox]

Esther, you are Li Ai Jun Yen right?

[Esther Bluecorn]

Yes.

[Mr Fox]

Cure for Taint

The long awaited time has come. Step right up folks and you too can partake of Dr. Andrew's Miracle Elixir! For the small cost of only one dollar you can be cured of what ails you!

You sir! Do you have glowing radioactive hair? Just one sip of Dr. Andrew's Miracle Elixir and you will have a beautiful head of normal hair again.

What about you madam? Is your skin winkled worse than a shitzu? Are your elbows scaly or the rest of your body for that matter? Try a bottle of Dr. Andrew's Miracle Elixir today and you can have beautiful smooth radiant skin in no time at all! And by radiant I don't mean actually glowing, you'll be as normal as can be.

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Heh, all kidding aside, I said way back that I would post the rules when the time came and it has finally come. (Andrew had a large part in coming up with these rules, much thanks go to him.)

Current Rating x 2 per dot.

- (You can remove one dot of Taint free just for taking the cure thanks to Andrew having spent the points to hone his skill in making the cure.)

- Once the cure has been taken you will find it impossible to gain further taint.

- You do not have to remove all taint at one time, it can be removed as you gain the xp to pay to remove it later.

Note: the Taint Accrued from Q5+ and Node don't count towards that (since you don't gain a cost benifit there I feel those ought to be a set cost of 10 exp)

So how do you spend the points you ask? Start with removing the one free dot, then remove the dots one at a time using the cost of Current x 2, then when you are down to just the points remaining that were accrued by high Taint and Node scores you buy them off at 10xp/per.

Yes, you can purchase higher Quantum or Node scores that would otherwise have caused you to accrue taint. Doing so will cost extra, 10xp per dot.

For Example:

Morgan has 6 taint and takes the cure. From that moment on he can never again gain taint. Morgan's player only has 20 xp to spend on removing taint. He removes one dot automatically just from taking Andrew's extra special cure, bringing him down to 5 dots. Three dots of his taint came from high quantum and node scores, meaning that the 2 of his dots must be bought off at the cost of Current Rating x 2. He has a current rating of five so the first dot he is paying to remove costs him 10 xp, and the next dot costs 8 xp. That is 18 total xp spent leaving him with 3 taint remaining. He would remove aberrations from his sheet in the reverse order in which he acquired them. First to go would be his glowing hands, then his unnatural white hair, etc. Since he is left with only 3 dots of taint, it is no longer visibly displaying any aberrations. He can then remove the remaining dots as he has the xp to do so, at the cost of 10xp per dot since they came from high Quantum and node scores.

Second Example:

Morgan's player decides to raise his node from 4 to 5. This would normally gain him a point of taint. Morgan would pay the normal cost to raise his node + 10xp.