The characters are a special group of rangers, a paramilitary police force, sent on missions that are considered high risk. They are 800 point characters. (typical new rangers might be 250 points and experienced might be 400 points)

They have a Roswell-class ship (best ship available for rangers) assigned to them.

Option: You can chose to roll the special background(300), basic training(200) and the special power(25) instead of picking them and then get following:

• Random power balance [-50]
• +1 to HT, IQ, DX, ST[60]
• Roll twice: [-10]
  1. -0.25 speed
  2. -0.25 speed
  3. -0.25 speed
  4. -1 per
  5. -1 will
  6. -1 FP -1 HP

option: instead of special background and basic training(520 points) you can be Ultimate Action Hero(470) and get 2 extra 25 point training packages.

Things to think about when building the character, in approximate order.

• Role on group, so that all the basic needs of the group are filled. see :suggested
• The special background, as that defines a lot of how the character will be. see: Special background 300
• Home world type, as this has impact a lot on how the character should “feel like”. see: Home world packages 8/15
• The basic training, as this will define your “job” most likely. see:Basic character package 200

The other factors are more minor and can be handled as the process goes along, but having the above ready though out before starting the build will likely make it easier.

Characters created later get: the normal 800 points and higher of: 2/3 of the points over 800 that the player had or 1/2 the points over 800 that the highest party member has.

Use the extra points as follows:

• Maximally 1/4 to attributes.
• Maximally 1/4 to Basic skills/background.
• Maximally 1/4 to raise any known skill by maximum 1 rank each.
• Maximally 1/2 to get extra training/options. Try to adjust the points put here (1/4 to 1/2 total) to get a number that fits the given training exactly. For total points:
  • <50 resulting in: 1-24:buy one training package and reduce any skills in package by one rank each until low enough. Adjust points put to extra training/options to try to fit the 25 points exactly.
  • 50-150 resulting in: 25/50/75: Buy 1-3 extra 25 point extra training packages.
  • 151-350: resulting in: 76-175: Buy one training/experience package from special background and then 25 point training packages with rest.
  • 351-500: resulting in: 176-250: Buy one edge(150) and then 25 point training packages with rest. Note that any attribute raises in the edge count against the attribute points above.
  • 501-650: resulting in: 251-375: Buy one edge(150), one training/experience package from special background and then 25 point training packages with rest. Note that any attribute raises in the edge count against the attribute points above. Can have 2 special power levels.
  • 651+: resulting in 376+ points. Buy one edge(150)+two training/experience package from special background or one Important background(note that you can have only one important background total) and then 25 point training packages with rest. Note that any attribute raises in the edge/background count against the attribute points above. Can have 3 special power levels at +1500 points, then one more at each +1000 points.

If possible the character should be one of the “extras” around.

It is suggested that each character has some function aboard the starship and some ability to function in combat. The extra training packages are good for fleshing out options.

The group should have at least someone for following roles:

• Tech
• Communication tech
• Pilot
• Space pilot
• Driver
• Explosive ordnance disposal
• Face-someone to interact with others(usually best if it is the highest rank character)
• Hacker
• Security systems bypass
• Detective/Forensics for crime scene investigations
• Space ship gunner

One possible set of four to cover the roles is:

1. Face/detective → Team leader
2. Technician/Explosive ordnance disposal
3. Hacker/communications tech/security bypass
4. Pilot/driver/space pilot

One thing to consider is if everyone has gone though Airborne School or not. If you all have then that allows for additional covert deployment option(HaLo jump) in places where you are not supposed to be.

You will have two NPCs in the ship that can operate it for short periods without the players.

One of the characters should be Master ranger(rank 1+2) and one second in command(rank 1+(1→2) ranger), rest can be rank 1+(0→1) rangers.

Note that the first rank (ranger) is a courtesy rank as it does not mean anything in 99% of the cases as you are the lowest ranked deployed ranger, it only matters in cross service matters. Further ranks are normal ranks. The courtesy rank does not count for free status.

If you wish you can be a member of another service instead of ranger that is doing a tour in rangers.

Skills needed: the two NPCs and the robot have all spaceship repair and operation skills combined at some level, but it is normally a good idea that two people at least have every skill.

Spaceship Repair:

• Armoury (Vehicle Armor)
• Electronics Repair (Communications)
• Electronics Repair (Sensors)
• Electronics Repair (Computers)
• Computer Programming
• Electrician
• Mechanic (Life Support)
• Housekeeping
• Electronics Repair(Medical)
• Armoury (Force Shields)
• Electronics Repair (Scientific)
• Mechanic (Spaceship)
• Electronics Repair (EW)
• Mechanic (Reactionless Drive)
• Mechanic (Stardrive)
• Mechanic (Fusion)

Spaceship Operation:

• Electronics Operation (Communications)
• Electronics Operation (Sensors)
• Computer Operation
• Electronics Operation(Medical)
• Electronics Operation (Scientific)
• Electronics Operation (EW)
• Piloting (Fast Spaceship)
• Piloting (Hyperspace)
• Piloting (Aerospace)
• Navigation(Space)
• Navigation(Air)
• Navigation(Hyperspace)
• Piloting(Remote controlled)
• Piloting(Aerospace)
• Gunner(Beams) *3

Other Equipment maintain: (some of the spaceship maintain skills in addition for other equipment too)

• Armoury (Body Armor)
• Armoury (Small Arms)
• Mechanic(Robots)

Science skills, these are optional, but someone having a point in most of these and electronics operation(scientific) could come handy at some point.

• Archaeology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Farming
• Forensics
• Geology
• Metallurgy
• Paleontology
• Pharmacy

When selecting skills is is good to skim though the technology page to see what technology is in use.

All basic technology skills are at a base of TL 10 as that is the common TL. If you wish you can freely place any of your skills at a lower TL(8-9).

You can however buy single skills at TL 11 by buying advanced skill perks. (see Suggested background below). Note that this concentration on the newest things makes it harder to use older gear.

You can buy off the penalty as a separate average technique to each skill and TL or buy a second skill at different TL and use the one with highest effective skill. Such skills default to each other at the indicated penalty.

See: effects of skill TLs

Select one of the character training packages as base ranger package.

It is not normally a good idea to focus too much on one thing, so if you are going to be combat based special background you should select something else here.

Note that most rangers by far are investigators, but others exist.

For those on cross service tour to rangers:

• Navy: For space ship crew select specialist with the Starship XXXX training package.
• Army: For normal troops select the shooter or sniper package. For special forces select something else and take the special forces background as your special background. Make sure you have at least 4 points in battlesuit skill. if you were in infantry you should have more battle suit skill(The battlesuit trooper extra training is good for this). Also see below.
• Survey: Either select spaceship crew as navy or specialist scientist.
• Postal service: Not very common, though a postal investigator might make sense.
• Marshals: Basically same as rangers, but more at home in civilized settings: Most are investigators.
• Patrol: As navy above.
• Science and Environment: A park ranger might well be on tour to rangers, a scientist or similar is very unlikely. But see below.
• Safety: Not very likely, but again a safety investigator might be reasonable, but most of the personnel are more attorneys, bureaucrats, scientists…
• Education and public information: again not very likely.
• Weapon control: again not very likely.
• Treasury: again not very likely.
• Palace guard; again not very likely.

Special note: if you wish, one or two of the characters can something from below instead of a ranger. Such character will not have even the basic ranger training below and instead those points go to the Basic skills/background.

• A Science and Environment field agent(rank 1-2) or a scientist(rank 2) that is assigned to the group.
• Army colonial troop chief(rank 1-2), that will be assigned to the group.

Advantages: Law enforcement powers(everywhere except Primary and secondary systems -20%)[8], Rank(courtesy) 1[1], Cultural familiarity(colonies)[1]

Skills: Law (Police) (H) IQ [4], Survival (any) (A)[4], Swimming (E)HT+1 [2];Hiking (A) HT [2]

Another 9 of:[2 each]Forced Entry, Beam weapons(Rifle, Pistol) Guns (Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, or Submachine Gun), or Liquid Projector (Sprayer), all (E) DX+1 [2]; Riding (Horse), Shortsword, or Tonfa, all (A) DX [2]; First Aid or Savoir-Faire (Police), both (E) IQ+1 [2]; Administration, Animal Handling (Dog), Criminology, Interrogation, or Streetwise, all (A) IQ [2]; Accounting, Forensics, or Tactics, all (H) IQ-1 [2]; Observation or Search, both (A) Per IQ [2]; Soldier (A) IQ [2]. Artillery(any)[2] Gunner (any), Guns (any), Knife, or Parachuting, all (E) DX+1 [2]; NBC Suit, Power armor, Vac suit Spear, or Throwing, all (A) DX [2]; Camouflage, First Aid, Gesture, Savoir-Faire (Military), Spacer, Seamanship, or Submariner, all (E) IQ+1 [2]; Artillery (any), Forward Observer, Leadership, or Scuba, all IQ (A) [2]; Strategy or Tactics, both (H) IQ-1 [2]; Skiing (H) HT-1 [2]; Survival (any other) (A) Per [2];Vac suit[2] and rank[+1-3]

Other services: have had basic ranger training:[10]
Law (Police) (H) IQ [1], Survival (any) (A)[1], Swimming (E)HT+1 [1];Hiking (A) HT [1]. They should be minimum of rank 1[5], Cultural familiarity(colonies)[1]

As member of a specialist group of rangers all have security clearance[5]: You have access to a relatively narrow range of secrets on a “need to know” basis

Add character special background: one at 300 points

This specifies your background as either different race/special home world or previous experience or training.

Note that this is the single largest use of points so is very influential in how your character turns out.

All rangers get basic bionic enchantment unless they have better previously.

Get 4 additional training packages of your choice.

• One of the training packages can be replaced by style training if you wish.
• One of the packages can be replaced with Extra life if you wish.
• One of the packages can instead be used to buy 25 points of advantages from Basic skills/background if you wish. This is specially useful if you wish to buy the 15 points suggested advantages and something else expensive.

Note that you can substitute similar skills (like beam weapons for guns, or different specializations of piloting and so on)

It is suggested that if you are based on a combat template you use these to broaden your skills to other areas and if you are based on some other area you pick up at least some combat skills.

If you do not have combat reflexes from elsewhere it is highly suggested to take the combat simulator training from here.

This is also a good place to pick up some space ship skills.

Non rangers/non army should select 5 packages.

Select the special powers path you get and one of level 1 powers in Special powers.

Note that:

• It would be useful to have a beguiler for living targets and either infiltrator or engineer for synthetics in the group
• Psionics benefit greatly from the “combat psi” abilities
• Most others should have something to enhance the combat style they want.

These define where you are from

Area Knowledge: empire[1] home town[1], home planet[1], home sector[1]

Dabbler: History empire, History own planet, applied mathematics, Computer Operation. (if you buy some of these skills as full skills, replace with suitable scholastic skills that you learned basics of in school)[1]

From a core world:

• Cultural familiarity core worlds[1]
• Savoir faire(any)[2]

From a colony world:

• Cultural familiarity colonies [1]
• Survival(any)[2]

Spacer:

• Cultural familiarity spacers[1]
• Spacer[1]
• Vac suit[1]

If your world has standard imperial culture use:

• Speak, write imperial native[0], Cultural familiarity(Imperium)[0]

If your world has different culture than imperial standard then all following +7 points:

• Speak, write imperial native[6], Cultural familiarity(Imperium)[1]
• Speak, write own native[0], Cultural familiarity(own culture)[0]

these are 15 points and replace the normal package for people from these.

From Haraza:

• Speak, write One of the haraza languages native[0], Cultural familiarity(Haraza)[0]
• Speak, write imperial native[6], Cultural familiarity(Imperium)[1]
• Area Knowledge: empire[1] own area[1], Haraza[1], home sector[1]
• Survial(radioactive wasteland)[4]

From Elvenhome:

• Speak, write imperial native[6], Cultural familiarity(Imperium)[1]
• Speak, write Elven[0], Cultural familiarity(Elven)[0]
• Area Knowledge: empire[1] own area[1], Elvenhome[1], home sector[1]
• Survival Woods[2]
• Musical Instrument (any)[1]
• Dabbler: History empire, History Elvenhome, Hobby skill(Elven lore from fantasy literature),Computer Operation. (if you buy some of these skills as full skills, replace with suitable skills that you learned basics of in school)[1]

From non imperial world:

• Area Knowledge: galactic area[1] home town[1], home planet[1], home sector[1]
• Dabbler: History galactic area, History own planet, applied mathematics, Computer Operation. (if you buy some of these skills as full skills, replace with suitable scholastic skills that you learned basics of in school)[1]
• Cultural familiarity own world [1]
• Survival(any)[2] or Savoir faire(any)[2]
• Speak, write imperial native[6], Cultural familiarity(Imperium)[1]
• Speak, write own native[0], Cultural familiarity(own culture)[0]
• The own world/culture/language things might instead be some alien race if the world was dominated by them.

Take instead of basic package.

Area Knowledge: empire[1], own race area[1], home town[1], home planet[1], home sector[1]

Dabbler: History empire, History own planet, History own race, Computer Operation. (if you buy some of these skills as full skills, replace with suitable scholastic skills that you learned basics of in school)[1]

+2 points in Basic skills/background.

Note characters physical attributes

• Name
• Build: rangers tend to be one of the builds below:
  • Skinny[-5] rare
  • Skinny build[-1] you are the same mass for your ST as normal, but look up appropriate height at +4 ST. -1 to Disguise, Shadowing
  • Normal
  • Stocky build[-1] you are the same mass for your ST as normal, but look up appropriate height at -4 ST. 1 to Disguise, Shadowing
  • Overweight[-1] rare
• Height
• Weight
• Age and service length
  • Normally you can be a full ranger earliest at about 22(enter service at 18, 2 year service academy and 2 year assistant position) and due to the ability rejuvenete there is no maximum age.
  • It takes at least 5 years each to reach additional ranks. If you have 20 year service background you are at least 38 years old.
  • If you want to randomly generate use: 16+2d for entry age, add 2 years service academy, 2d6 years additional service and +2d6/each extra rank over “ranger”, if you have more than 20 year service, buy the independent income in the Basic skills/background section and if you are 15+ years service, you should buy the potential version.
• Skin color/Eyes/Hair color/Hair style/other identifying marks.
• Home gravity.

It it suggested that you buy the following:

• Legal immunity ranger[5]
• G-experience[10]
• 1-5 Licenses[1 each] for the skills that you qualify in.

You can buy up to 2 “Advanced skill” perks. Each upgrades the base TL of one skill to TL 11.

Each level of wealth(10/20/30/50/75/100) adds 1 to the maximum. Each level of better gear adds 1. If you would have 5 or more perks, you can instead be TL 11 for 5 points if you want.

It is suggested that you buy as many as possible and upgrade to base TL 11 when possible.

As the spaceship the group has is TL 11, it is a good idea that the primary operators at least buy the skill for their main spaceship skills(pilot, navigator, sensors, gunners, techs).

In game: Buying an “Advanced skill” perk into a new skill requires a lengthy retraining, normally about 200 hours(5 weeks full time study) of advanced training, or 400 hours of self training with just devices and manuals or 1600 work hours at the penalty for too low TL when working with such devices.

If you have served for 15-19 years of your current 20 year hitch, you should buy following potential advantages that you get when you get to 20 years.

• Independent income 2(potential -50%)[1]: represents both the higher pay for 20 year men and the retirement money you would get.
• Optional: Better gear(potential, -50%) [3]
• Optional:Rank(potential -50%)[3]

If you have served 20 years without having that as your edge, buy independent income as non potential version and can buy the better gear if you wish.

• Independent income 2[2]: represents both the higher pay for 20 year men and the retirement money you would get.
• Optional:Better gear[5]

Get 37 points total-things used in the suggested background and eventual higher cost home world package. Some earlier options might give extra or fewer points here. You balance the points here. (Typically you have about 18 points to use here)

Use the remaining points on Basics/Background to give your background fill out any missing things.

Max 2 points/skill.

Starting equipment