2300 AD House Rules

Copyright © 1998 Andy Slack.  All Rights Reserved.



Introduction

Back to Top of Page

The Director aims to capture the feel of action-adventure movies, so scenes will be skipped over unless they develop the plot or the main characters.

You are encouraged to focus on developing your character rather than accumulating equipment -- the typical SF movie hero has a weapon, a communicator, and no armour...


Fast Character Generation

Back to Top of Page

Creating a character using the full rules takes some time; you may prefer to use this faster method.  If you wish, the character can be fully detailed later.

Designing Your Character

You may either roll 3D6 for each of the seven characteristics (Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Determination, Intelligence, Eloquence and Education), or divide 80 points between them.  No characteristic may be less than 1 or more than 20.

For every 4 points of Education (rounded down), you have one skill level in a background skill.  These skill levels can be taken in one or more of these skills: Combat Rifle, Electronic, First Aid (maximum skill level is 2), Ground Vehicle, Hover Vehicle, Mechanical, Melee, Pressure Suit, Prospecting, Riding, Sea Vehicle, Sidearm, Survival, Swim.

Careers and Skills

Select one of the careers below; you gain the skill levels listed as Initial Skills, and a further 6 skill levels, which you can take in any of the Initial or Primary Skills.  You can learn Related skills at double cost; e.g., Aircraft-1 costs you two skill levels.  You can learn skills not listed as Initial, Primary or Related for your career at triple cost; e.g., learning Linguistics-1 or Medical-1 costs you 3 skill levels.

Ground Military Career (e.g., Colonial Marine)

Initial Skills: Combat Rifle-2, Demolitions-0, Ground Vehicle-1, Heavy Weapons-1, Melee-2, Survival-0.

Primary Skills: Combat Walker, Forward Observer, Leader, Recon, Sidearm, Tactics, Thrown Weapon, Electronics, First Aid, Hunting, Mechanical, Prospecting, Riding, Swimming, Tracking, Pressure Suit, Hover Vehicle.

Related Skills: Aircraft, Bureaucracy.

Field Agent Career

Initial Skills: Bureaucracy-0, Computer-1, Forgery-0, Information Gathering-1, Melee-1, Sidearm-0, Stealth-0, Streetwise-1.

Primary Skills: Disguise, Security Systems, Psychology.

Related Skills: Imaging, Interviewing, Writing, Aircraft, Ground Vehicle, Hover Vehicle, Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle, Sea Vehicle, Electronics, First Aid, Hunting, Mechanical, Prospecting, Riding, Survival, Swimming, Tracking, Pressure Suit, Demolitions.

Ship Crew Career (e.g., Star Fleet officer)

Initial Skills: Computer-0, Melee-1, Pilot-0, Pressure Suit-1, Ship Drive Engineering-0, Survival-0.

Primary Skills: Communications, Gunner, Remote Pilot, Sensors, Electronics, First Aid, Hunting, Mechanical, Prospecting, Riding, Swimming, Tracking, Sidearm.

Related Skills: Disguise, Forgery, Security Systems, Stealth, Streetwise, Appraisal, Trader, Bargaining, Combat Rifle, Aircraft.

Derived Attributes

A Player Character's mass is 50 + 3 x Strength kilogrammes; his Consciousness Level (CL) is mass / 20, his Life Level (LL) is mass / 10, rounded down in each case.  When a PC has taken as many Shock and Stun points as his CL, he is knocked out; when he has taken as many Shock points as his LL, he dies.

All 'fast generation' PCs start with a Coolness Under Fire (Cool) of 6.  A PC's Initiative Level in combat is his Cool, modified for encumbrance and the effects of his armour.

A PC can carry 4 x Strength kilogrammes without effect; if he carries more, he is encumbered and his Initiative Level is reduced by two.

A PC's Damage Potential Value (DPV) in unarmed combat is (Strength + Melee skill level) / 30, rounded down to the nearest 0.1 (but it is always at least 0.1).

A 'fast generation' PC begins play with $12,000 ($ is used to denote the campaign currency, whether Livres, Credits or whatever).  He knows his native language, the local language of rule, and an extra language per level of Linguistics skill.


Experience and Renown

Back to Top of Page

Once a character is in play, all skills are considered primary skills.


Fast Wound Resolution

Back to Top of Page

To speed up combat, the Director may rule that all successful attacks strike the lower torso (hit locations 3-4) and inflict the maximum damage possible for their DPV.


Go back to: [ "Briefing Room" Menu ] [ "Gold Quadrant" Menu ]
Last Update: 1999 Mar 20
First Online: 1999 Mar 20
Pentapod's World of 2300AD - http://www.geocities.com/pentapod2300/
Website maintained by: Kevin Clark ( kevinc AT cnetech DOT com )

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1