Mothership gets to be my second character because a pal of mine wants to playtest a scenario sometime this year. I won’t use this character for the purpose — at the table, I’d rather make PCs with everyone else around — but it’ll familiarize me with the rules a bit.
Stats come first. This is another one where you roll stats in order, using 6d10 this time. I get:
Strength: 21
Speed: 32
Intellect: 41 (31 + 10 from my class)
Combat: 30
So clustering around the mean, sure. Interestingly I just noticed that the character sheet I downloaded says I should roll 2d10+25 for each stat, which must be a change from the initial rules. Well, I’ve got the initial rules so I’m using them and will cope.
I feel like playing a scientist; that’ll be my class. That gives me a +10 to Intellect, keen. My saves are:
Sanity: 40
Fear: 25
Body: 25
Armor: 35 (30 + 5 from gear)
Note that stat checks and saves are just roll under on 1d100. I sense plenty of exciting failure in this dude’s future.
Also my character — let’s call him Sal, he’s a xenobiologist who specializes in developing useful new drugs from alien lifeforms — deals with stress and panic by, um, freaking out people nearby when he fails a Sanity Save. I think he talks too much because he’s used to lab situations where communication is more important.
I get to choose some skills now. As a Scientist, I pick two of several basic skills, then spend 3 points. I’m taking Biology and Hydroponics as my basic Trained skills — that gives me +10% on their skill rolls. So 50% base, not so bad. Expert skills cost 2 points per and Master skills cost 3 points. Xenobiology is a Master skill, that’s a bummer. Let me revise a little: Sal wants to be a xenobiologist, but isn’t there yet. Thus, I spend 2 points on Genetics (a prerequisite for Xenobiology). If my GM will let me hold a point and spend it on the Expert skill Botany when I earn another point, I’m doing that. Otherwise I’m buying Scavenging.
Actually, no, I’m just buying Scavenging. Let’s be simple here. I get 2 skill points when I level up after the first session so I can go to Botany immediately. Xenobiology is a long ways away; that’s OK! Gotta have dreams.
Gear is super-easy, because Mothership is all about getting right down to play. There are four standard loadouts and you pick one. Sal gets Examination: a scalpel, a tranq pistol, pain pills, a diagnostic scanner, stuff like that. I also get a randomly selected trinket and patch: Sal has some kind of token, let’s call it a challenge coin, with “Is Your Morale Improving” written on it and a cool patch depicting a Fun Meter. The Fun Meter’s needle is in the Bad Time zone. I think Sal’s morale is not improving.
Sal has 20 credits, rolled on 5d10. I guess I could gotten a much better roll for starting credits if I selected gear piecemeal but it’s gonna be a long month, let’s not do that. His hazard suit boosts his Armor save by 5%; his tranq pistol does no damage but can knock the target unconscious. I bet it works very well on xenos. The stun baton does some damage along with a chance of unconsciousness but you kinda gotta be next to someone to use a stun baton on them so I know where Sal’s instincts lead.
Finally, secondary stats:
Stress: 2
Resolve: 0
Max Health: 42
In theory I’m supposed to pick a name at this point but I’m too much of a filthy storygamer to wait until now. Good luck, Sal, you’re gonna need it.
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