SRW v.2 rules
Your Character
You have 100 points to design your character. Any excess points can be saved for increase later.
Level 1 - 1 CP - Hobbyist
Level 2 - 3 CP - Amateur
Level 3 - 6 CP - Professional
Level 4 - 10 CP - Skilled Professional
Level 5 - 15 CP - Experienced Professional
Level 6 - 21 CP - Expert
Level 7 - 28 CP - Master
Level 8 - 36 CP - Ancient Master
Level 9 - 45 CP - Superlative
Level 10 - 55 CP - Unmatched
In short, to improve a stat costs (current level + 1)
Stats
These are the defining 'hard' characteristics of your character.
Pilot
Your character's Pilot rating is an overall measure of how well he or she pilots a mobile suit, covering the breadth of skills as opposed to the specific increases some other stats may provide. It also covers other pilotable things such as fighters or shuttles as determined by the GM. Low Pilot does not in itself prevent access to a powerful suit, but even tremendous Newtype prowess and bleeding edge technology cannot replace basic proficiency in piloting skills.
Aleph
Alephs (or colloquially, Newtypes) are, depending on whom you ask, the next stage in human evolution, an ability gained due to the invaders, their faith in God, or something that has been with us all along. Your character's Aleph rating governs her access to "magical" abilities.
Physical
This is the raw physical prowess of your character while she is on her own two feet, governing everything from proficiency with firearms, strength, agility, endurance, athleticism, and skill and/or talent in hand to hand combat. A character with a high rating in this category can make an excellent special forces combatant without other additions. However, it does not reflect her skill with the guns or melee weapons while inside her mecha.
Smarts
Your innate intelligence, as well as your ability to notice things and act on your feet.
Education
How well you paid attention during school; a measure of your book learning.
Charisma
Charisma measures the likeability of your character in several ways. Although few characters are anything but superior in physical attractiveness, those with high Charisma do tend to be the coolest or hottest, and they do tend to sell more figurines. More importantly though, charisma attracts followers, suitable romantic partners, and helps keep the faction together. Charisma is also the ability that governs your ability to get new or replace old/destroyed humanoid frames.
Specialties
You may also buy Specialties, which are substats giving you additional strengths in one field. Each specialty is bought as per regular stats cost and adds during the appropriate situation. For example, if a character has Pilot 4 and Melee Speciality (Pilot) 2, during mecha melee battleships he has effectively Pilot 6.
In especially appropriate situations, Specialties may add even more points to the stat.
Example for Physical: Sniper (superior gunmanship), Duelist (swordsmanship), Big Guy (brawling, clobbering, not-dying), Ballet (looking pretty), etc.
There are also a number of particularly important or common stats that are (almost) always bought as specialties. They are detailed below
Rank
Rank is a fairly straightforward rating of how much ‘pull’ you have in your armed forces. Sergeants don’t command battleships (except under exceptionally unusual circumstances) and Admirals do not go on infiltrations on foot. At higher levels it grants mook underlings and improved equipment.
Command is always bought in reference to a specific organization, such as INTACT, the Combined ZOCU Militias, the USMC, etc. Depending on the campaign, one or more levels of it may be automatically granted.
While the specifics may vary depending on the exact organization one is a member of, these are the typical ranks and bonuses.
Level 1 - Specialist
Level 2 - Flight Sergeant
Level 3 - Master Sergeant
Level 4 - Lieutenant - 1 bonus Mecha Build Point
Level 5 - Commander - 2 bonus Mecha Build Point
Level 6 - Major - 3 bonus Mecha Build Point
Level 7 - Colonel - 4 bonus Mecha Build Point
Level 8 - Captain - 5 bonus Mecha Build Point
Level 9 - Commodore - Additional warships
Level 10 - Admiral - Additional fleets
Command
Command measures your character's raw proficiency at tactics, strategy, and his or her ability to make awesome plans and have them miraculously flow like water – most of the time. While low Command characters aren't necessarily stupid, high Command characters do tend to be the conspicuously smart ones. Note that Command ability doesn't necessarily have anything to do with rank.
Command is normally bought for specific (if broad) circumstances, such as Aerospace Operations, Warship Command, Mecha Squadrons, Infantry Combat, etc. General Command can be bought and applies to all situations where Command would be used, but it is treated as being one-half of its stated rating (rounded down, you munchkins), and is generally used to represent a basic amount of training that military officers (or resistance leaders) get before they specialize in any one field.
Conspiracy
While Charisma is a measure of how well you deal with people, Conspiracy is a measure of how well connected you are to the political machinations that underpin the story. In essence, it is how much of the ‘big picture’ the character sees. Conspiracy is an effective way of acquiring information, supplies, allies and even new machines, but remember that there is rarely any loyalty, only self-interest in this.
Conspiracy is also normally bought for specific circumstances, such as Spymaster, Dirty Secrets, Infiltration, Well Connected, Overt Political Power, etc. Likewise, it can be bought in the 'unlimited' format, for those who truly have their fingers in every pie and is treated as having 1/2 of its stated rating, rounded down.
Tuneup
Tuneup represents your ability to squeeze just that extra bit of effectiveness out of whatever you're flying. Every level of Tuneup gives you one additional Mecha Build Point, to a max of the associated primary stat. Note that in all cases these require a certain level of 'maintenance', be it the only person who repairs (or touches!) your machine to having to spend hours every day flying it to keeping good relations with your secret patron.
Mechanic is Smarts-based, and represents tinkering with your own (or someone else's!) robot to make it work better. It most commonly increases melee, firepower or speed.
Engineer is Education-based, and represents applying advanced principles and techniques along with a dose of fancy R&D equipment to your machine. It most commonly increaseses firepower, defense or special.
Crack Pilot is Pilot-based, and represents simply getting every possible sliver of red-lined performance out of a machine. It most commonly increases melee, speed or defense.
Special Connections is Conspiracy-based, and represents someone out there with special interest in you providing you with some nifty toys. It almost always increases special, with firepower and defense being distantly behind.
Extras
These are things that are particularly limited in application or do not necessarily apply to character stats. It can cover things like having a family heirloom of exceptional power, a lot of money in portable format, mutant powers like healing factor, etc. Request one and the GM will provide a cost and effect.
Traits
Traits are particularly exagerated aspects of your character.
Hot-Blooded!
Cost: 0
God certainly must protect fools and lovers, because you're a fool that loves a good challenge. Your entire life is a litany of guts, determination and sheerest foolhardiness. For any one turn you can channel your hot-bloodedness to survive any (reasonable) amount of enemy fire. However, you can be psychologically vulnerable and be easy prey for enemy deception and tricks. You're also unable to understand that your subordinates might not be able to keep up with you.
No Such Thing As Overkill
Cost: 0
You love big guns, though you'll also gleefully accept lots of guns. In any mecha with a firepower rating or 5 or more, for one turn you can do an 'Alpha Strike' which significantly boosts firepower at the expense of speed - you're too busy shooting to move! Unfortunately, you ignore melee weapons as useless and always act at -1 melee.
Blademaster
Cost: 0
The way of the (beam) sword is the one you follow, and you have become particularly skilled in deflecting enemy melee attacks by doing a continuous parry and dodge. This gives you the ability to increase your defense in melee by sacrificing your opportunity to attack. You will either have a specially modified machine or simply ignore range weapons if possible, giving you a -1 to effective Firepower. Additionally, if properly equipped with energy melee weapons or similar, you can even potentially defend against ranged attacks with your melee power.
Advantages
Veteran
Cost: 0
While most protagonists tend to be relatively new at this whole ‘heroing’ thing (though not, let it be known, does this mean it is solely the domain of the young – see James Links) there are some who have had their time in the spotlight in the previous anime. These characters are better pilots, generally higher ranked and simply more skilled, having had an entire season or more of combat under their belt (or the backstory equivalent, if you’re Roy Fokker). They get +1 to Piloting and +1 Command (specific). Furthermore, as humanity as a whole has been oblivious to the existence of Alephs until recently, all Veterans suffer a -2 penalty to their effective Aleph Potential.
Type Master
Cost: 3
You’ve intensive trained, having never been defeated in 2000 simulated engagements. Unfortunately your winning streak comes to an end when you encounter a Gundam. But just wait until you face off against a force of Mobile Dolls . . .
You are particularly skilled against a particular type of unit or pilot, such as Mobile Dolls, Super Robots, Mobile Armors, Gundams, Newtypes, etc. You can expect to have the equivalent of at least one rank increase in your piloting skill if facing off against said, due to your almost instinctive understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Note that ‘Conventional Mecha’ is not a valid choice. This stacks with both Pilot and any pilot specialty, making it particularly useful.
License Holder
Cost: 4
For whatever reason, you’ve been issued a ‘License.’ This effectively grants you autonomy from the command structure; you still get all the perks of your rank, but you can also chose to hare off on your own wild misadventures. While in theory a license holder answers to no-one but those who issued it, in practice excessive abuses will result in consequences.
Cybernewtype
Cost: 4
You’re a government experiment in pilot uniform. You got the benefits of being able to control funnels, dodge incoming blasts you shouldn’t really be dodging, but you also got the downside of ranging from ~moe pill~ addition, being eccentric to batshit crazy and also technically being government property. You automatically get the Aleph Skills Newtype Flash and High Level Control at no Aleph point cost.
Fan Favourite
Cost: 6
You are The Patrick. You might not be omnicompetent and flying the top-end craft like some, but your popularity ensures that you’ll survive all but the most ridiculous situations (or, of course, deliberate self-sacrifice). Note that generally this advantage won’t apply if you’re the best of the best; Kira Yamato never needed to be a Fan Favourite to survive.
Disadvantages
Obsession
Bonus: 3
Perhaps you're a (very) persistent womanizer (no matter your gender), mechaphile or have some other sort of very noticeable personal trait. Essentially have acquired an (un)healthy interest in someone or something else to the level that you have little self-control when faced with it. This goes far beyond schoolgirl yuri or a wandering eye; at the extremes it can reach the level of creepy stalker crush.
Code of Honor
Bonus: 5
You abide by a code of honor consisting either of one huge schtick (never kill anyone – just disable their suits) or a general mode of behaviour, such as being polite at all times, not taking advantage of people when they're down and so on.
Intolerant
Bonus: 3
You hate some group. Maybe baselines killed your father, or your little sister was captured by pirates. You never associate with them, abuse them if they're prisoners, and always go after them in combat with extra berserk.
Adventurous
Bonus: 3
Whenever in a situation where direct instruction from higher command or even when direct instruction is somewhat interpretable, your instinct is to go ahead and drag along a partner along if you have one! This will put you in a lot of dangerous situations, though you will also have a useful streak of fearlessness.
Damaged Goods
Bonus: 3
At some point in your past, you encountered something terribly traumatic that set your angst temporarily at 11. You may pick a circumstance, though if the GM doesn't think it'll affect things enough, he may pick one for you or expand on it. Often, people with this disad are very bright and cheerful but may have constant nightmares, try to keep themselves, and suffer debilitating flashbacks, seizures, or freezeups during battle.
Type Failure
Bonus: 3
Your training had gaps, perhaps due to a rushed schedule or simple lack of experience. There’s one type of enemy unit or pilot that you simply cannot handle.
You are particularly unskilled against a particular type of unit, such as Mobile Dolls, Super Robots, Mobile Armors, Gundams, etc. You can expect to have the equivalent of at least one rank decrease in your piloting skill if facing off against said, due to your limited skillset.
Berserker
Bonus: 4
You go crazy in battle, forget to cover your friends and kill more shit then you need to. Even when you’re not in a berserker rage, you’re not likely to be terribly subtle. You may have a hair-trigger temper, or you just might have some ‘buttons’ that get pressed often.
Dark Secret
Bonus: 3-10
You have something hide, maybe it’s your face behind some mask....
3: It’s just really annoying to have it be found out; typical social issues that can be resolved with good roleplaying. “You mean you’re a Coordinator?!”
6: Your secret will result in jail time or demotion if it’s uncovered. In past you’d committed significant crimes, cowardice in the face of the enemy, a failure to obey orders, etc.
10: You have done or are actively doing something treasonous or dangerous. It would mean getting executed or having highly controlled in freedom of movement if it’s discovered. Protect it well.
Rival
Bonus: 3-10
In the past you’ve cultivated a rivalry with another skilled pilot. They will always seem to end up getting in your way.
3: You might have a fellow pilot as a rival with the inevitable complications that entails, or else an enemy pilot who’s not quite as good as you but it nonetheless determined to defeat you.
6: Your rival is every bit your equal, with your repeated clashes being often inconclusive and the talk of the ship.
10: You’ve managed to earn a grudge from someone who’s a better pilot and with a superior machine to you. You’d better hope you’ve got buddies who can bail you out.
Races
Grounders (Baselines)
Most of the human population of known space inhabit planets and have minimal if any genetic alteration. Classed as E-Types in the Solar Federation, these baseline humans are generally known as Grounder, and get a +1 bonus to Physical.
Spacers
Spacers have lived out in space on orbiting platforms, asteroid cities and the like for generations, generally the descendants of colonists who arrived in systems with no viable planets. All Spacers get +1 Education and +1 Zero-Gravity, but suffer -1 Physical. The Solar Federation generally labels these O-types, though few call themselves citizens of the Federation.
Low Transhumans
Earlier or less drastic enhancements to humans resulted in people that were only mildly changed from their parents. In the Solar Federation these are typically ranked as C or D type and get a +1 bonus to Physical and Smarts.
High Transhumans
The cautious early steps in human augmenation soon gave way to more drastic and significant upgrades to the human condition. At this point inherent biological immortality (or at least exceptionally long lifespans) became the norm. In the Solar Federation these are ranked A or B types and gets a +2 bonus to Physical, +1 to Smarts and +1 to Charisma.
Superior Transhumans
The pinnacle of the Solar Federation's power pyramid, Superior or S-Type transhumans are better than humans in almost all measurable ways. Living in the lap of power has given them a nearly universal sense of arrogance and confidence, one well-warranted by their immense personnel abilities. They also automatically get +1 rank for whatever Solar Federation organization they are in, thanks to preferential politics and recruitment. The following Races are all considered S-Class.
Outlier Superior
Many different projects, bloodlines, and retroviruses are at work in the human population. Just as humans may gain superlative abilities through chance of birth, effort, or cybernetics, S-class transhumans represent the leading edge of the curve. They enjoy a +3 bonus to Physical and a +1 to Smarts, Charisma, Education and Aleph.
Engo
A descendant of one of the twelve bloodlines created by Dr. Alexis Engo many decades ago. Engo-type parahumans are modeled after a type of animal, always sharing distinctive snow-white coloration. Engos may enjoy special abilities based on bloodline (wings, teeth, claws) and gain a bonus of +4 Physical and +1 to Education, Smarts and Charisma.
Seraph
Project Seraphim's goal is the mass production of S-class transhumans through human and alien technologies. Their successes display a +2 bonus to Physical and Aleph, and a +1 bonus to Education, Smarts and Charisma.
Full-Body Cyborg
Those not born with the abilities of an S-class are not incapable of gaining something similar. A dangerous and expensive surgical procedure may remove a person's brainstem, then install it in some form of mechanical body. The most experimental and powerful of these rival or even surpass the superlative abilities of an S-class. Full-Body Cyborgs have +2 bonus to Physical, +3 bonus to Physical: Big Guy and +1 to Education: Computer Operation. They get +1 rank for whatever League of Outer Stars organization they are in, as most of these are products of League science.
Careers
Careers represent what your character does for a living. Like Races, they provide bonuses and penalties to stats and specialties; again like Races these modify the final value, not the inherent value (eg, what you calculate cost to buy with). Some Careers might also have minimum stats - nobody's going to make it through special forces training with a physical of 1.
INTACT Lictors
Lictors are the public face of INTACT, front-line warriors and troubleshooters. Due to stringent testing and requirements, Lictors almost always are a minimum of A-type transhuman, though a few exceptions exist. Lictors get a +1 Pilot, +1 Charisma and +1 INTACT Rank.
INTACT Censor
Those few humans who have been born with exceptional Aleph powers are often enrolled in INTACT to serve as Censors. These mentalists recieve special training to focus their mental powers. As such, they recieve +5 Aleph Points and +1 INTACT Rank, and require a minimum of Aleph 5.
INTACT Legate
The Legates are the commanders and leaders of INTACT, typically having authority over one or more warships, bases or ground operations group. They recieve +1 Unlimited Command, +1 Education and +3 INTACT Rank.
League Combatsystem Operator
The League has few pilots, instead having 'operators' acting as telepresent squad leaders. These men and women are rigorously trained to capably time-share their attention between various viewpoints and react to shifting engagements from a rear-area perspective. Combatsystem Operators recieve +1 Engineer, +1 Education and +1 League Rank.
League Battlemanagement Director
With the League's predisposition towards automated weapons, their leaders must be just at home managing complex info-combat systems as they are at managing people. Battlemanagement Directors recieve +2 AI Command (specific field) and +3 League Rank.
Aleph Powers
Level 1 - 0 Aleph Points
Level 2 - 1 Aleph Points
Level 3 - 3 Aleph Points
Level 4 - 6 Aleph Points
Level 5 - 10 Aleph Points
Level 6 - 13 Aleph Points
Level 7 - 16 Aleph Points
Level 8 - 18 Aleph Points
Level 9 - 20 Aleph Points
Level 10 - 22 Aleph Points
Abilities
Each ability costs a varying number of Aleph points to purchase. Many also have a minimum Aleph rating. Check with your GM to see if all powers are acceptable - Alephs may be capable of incredible mental feats like traditional psychics, or may be limited to specific 'Newtype'esque abilities.
Peak Senses
- Aleph Points: 1
Your natural senses are incredibly tuned and the smallest detail will not escape you. Not too useful inside a giant robot but you’re a commando leader’s wet dream.
Spatial Awareness
- Aleph Points: 2
You have tremendously heightened spatial awareness. Your judgement of speeds, distances and dimensions is superhuman.
Newtype Flash
- Aleph Points: 2
When in immediate mortal danger, even when unaware or only vaguely aware of it, you may suddenly get the instinct to dodge, get out of the way, or otherwise remove yourself from danger instinctively.
Empathic Detection
- Aleph Points: 1
You resonate empathically with other Alephs in a particularly strong manner. You can usually feel one if he or she is nearby, although being around other Alephs regularly may provide some cover from your senses. You may also be able to judge their moods or emotions.
Empathic Manipulation
- Aleph Points: 4
- Minimum Aleph: 5
You can manipulate the emotions of those around you, reinforcing the words or actions of you or others. You can calm a crowd with a reasonable speech, or inflame them with a rousing diatrabe.
Inspirational Aura
- Aleph Points: 6
- Minimum Aleph: 6
Your merest presence kindles the fighting spirit in those around you, giving sheep the courage of lions.
Telepathy
- Aleph Points: 3
- Minimum Aleph: 5
You can communicate telepathically with other Alephs, and at higher levels, all humans, and finally, anything that has a mind.
Telepathic Scan
- Aleph Points: 4
- Minimum Aleph: 5
You can sense surface thoughts, like any good psy-cop. This does not allow for psychic probing however.
Mental Domination
- Aleph Points: 8
- Minimum Aleph: 8
With just the power of your will you can enforce your thoughts upon others, though this is taxing, tiring, requires physical contact and can result in nasty psychic backlashes.
Mind Trick
- Aleph Points: 3
'These are not the droids you're looking for'. Not guaranteed to work on alert individuals.
Illusion
- Aleph Points: 4
- Minimum Aleph: 6
You can cloud the minds of others, filling them with the cotton-candy confectionaries of their wildest dreams or darkest nightmares. It helps to be telepathic (or at least empathic) to pull this off successfully.
High Level Control
- Aleph Points: 3
You are exceptionally talented with machine interfaces. You can expand your mind to control drones, guide missiles, or even control extra limbs or something.
Limit Break
- Aleph Points: 2
Everyone can go a bit beyond their usual their abilities with an adrenaline rush. This goes way further. When in desperate straits, you can really push yourself way beyond what you ought to be able to manage, to the extent you may well seriously damage your physical body. Stock footage of a seed exploding into a rainbow optional.
Body Control
- Aleph Points: 3
You can meditate and fortify your body with your own psychic potential, letting you purge your body of poisons, heal at an accelerated rate and go without air, food or water for extended periods of time.
Clairvoyance
- Aleph Points: 6
- Minimum Aleph: 7
Out and out scrying. This may or may not be a voluntary, controllable thing, but you can sense events with amazing acuity without being anywhere near them.
Aleph Boon
- Aleph Points: 8
- Minimum Aleph: 8
You can 'lend' powers that are no more than 1/2 your Aleph Rating to others.
Telekinesis (minor)
- Aleph Points: 3
- Minimum Aleph: 4
Moving small things with your mind.
Telekinesis (major)
- Aleph Points: 8
- Minimum Aleph: 8
Moving big things with your mind.
Electrokinesis (minor)
- Aleph Points: 3
- Minimum Aleph: 4
You can futz with minor electrical applicances, glitz surveillance cameras, etc.
Electrokinesis (major)
- Aleph Points: 8
- Minimum Aleph: 8
You can control large amounts of electrical or other energy, such as your mecha's beam cannon. Of course handling such massive forces requires the utmost concentration.
Mind Bolt
- Aleph Points: 4
- Minimum Aleph: 4
A mental 'bolt' that can stun people. Generally requires some form of physical contact or close proximity and is very tiring.
Synergy
- Aleph Points: 1
- Minimum Aleph: 1
Your psychic potency bleeds into your mundane skills, subtly enhancing standard abilities. This functions identically to a Specialty for one of your primary stats, with the following exceptions.
You may choose each Synergy only once, though it stacks with normal Specialties of the same type, and you may not have more Synergies than you have Aleph rating. Also, your Synergies must be for things that can conceivably be affected by personal potential (rather than external instances, like Rank).
(Created by BM. This is mostly to allow an outlet for stray points.)
Machines
Mecha Build Points
Level 1 - 7 MBP
Level 2 - 10 MBP
Level 3 - 13 MBP
Level 4 - 16 MBP
Level 5 - 20 MBP
Level 6 - 24 MBP
Level 7 - 28 MBP
Level 8 - 32 MBP
Level 9 - 36 MBP
Level 10 - 40 MBP