Character Creation

So, you've read up on this world, and you want to join in on the fun. Welcome aboard! First, you'll need a character to play as while you journey through the stars. There are six steps to creating a character:
Step 1: The Background
Step 2: The Race
Step 3: The Class
Step 4: Investing XP
Step 5: Derived Attributes
Step 6: Character Motivation
Step 7: Choose Gear, Appearance, and Personality

Step 1: The Background

Every character starts out as an idea. Think about what you would like to play as: a noble warrior fighting for justice, or an explorer looking to discover new worlds? There are millions of possibilities, so take a few minutes to think about this before diving in.

Step 2: The Race

The first thing you'll want to do is pick which race you want to play as. Each race, found here, has their own unique set of abilities and stats, so take care when deciding. It is recommended you do this in combination with Step 3 below so you can better optimize your character.
Races

Humans: The most familiar race to players, these are the inventors and dreamers of the system. They have created some of the most advanced machines and spells around.

Human

Sci-Fi Engineer by Tim Remin

Archetype Abilities

2 2 3 2 1 2

• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100
• Special Abilities: Humans may begin with one rank in Mechanics or Arcana.

Dwarves: A staple of many fantasy settings, what they lack in height they make up with sheer strength and determination.

Dwarf

Archetype Abilities

3 1 2 2 2 2

• Starting Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 90
• Special Abilities: Dwarves begin with one rank in one of the following: Resilience, Melee (Heavy), Ranged (Heavy)
• Dark Vision: Remove up to two Black Dice imposed on skill checks due to Darkness

Elves: The most beautiful race, they are nimble and swift, but generally as dumb as they are beautiful.

Elf

Archetype Abilities

1 3 2 2 2 2

• Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 105
• Special Abilities: Elves begin with one rank in one of the following: Perception, Coordination.
• Nimble: Elves have a Ranged and Melee defence of 1.

Dragonborn: The prideful warriors, they believe in strength and dominance above all else, and have learned Ki from its source.

Dragonborn

Archetype Abilities

3 1 2 3 2 1

• Starting Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100
• Special Abilities: Dragonborn may start with one rank in Ki.
• Claws: When making an unarmed combat check, add +1 to base damage, and it has a critical hit rating of 3.

Merfolk: Half elf, half fish, they have a deep love for exploration and fun, and feel that all should join in.

Merfolk

Archetype Abilities

2 2 2 1 2 3

• Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 105
• Special Abilities: Merfolk can change their tails into scaly legs with webbed feet and extra fins as a maneuver during a combat encounter, and as much as they like out of combat.

• Amphibious: Merfolk can breathe underwater and suffer no penalties for swimming or traveling through water.

Lycans: Half human, half canine, they can shift into full-canine form and back at will, are loyal to their friends, and are quite impulsive.

Lycan

Archetype Abilities

3 2 1 2 2 2

• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 8 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 90
• Claws: When making an unarmed combat check, add +1 to base damage, and it has a critical hit rating of 3.
• Dark Vision: Remove up to two Black Dice imposed on skill checks due to Darkness.

Naga:Half human, half snake, they are masters of deception and charm. They prefer to control others through more subtle means.

Naga

Archetype Abilities

1 2 2 3 2 2

• Starting Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100
• Special Abilities: Nagas start out with one rank in Charm.
• Toxic Bite: Nagas can bite with their fangs as an Average Difficulty Check to poison an opponent. (the base damage is the Brawn stat)

Fairies: Tiny winged humanoids, they have a deep love for nature and all living things, but are rather naive.

Fairy

Archetype Abilities

1 3 2 2 1 3

• Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 90
• Special Abilities: Fairies start with one rank in Medicine. They may change size from silhouette 0 to silhouette 1, or vice-versa, as a maneuver once per combat encounter, and as much as they like outside combat.
• Natural Healer: When Fairies heal others or themselves through Medicine checks or Magic, they add +1 to healed wounds. This does not apply to wounds restored through natural rest.
• Flyer: Fairies can fly above the ground. This is treated as normal movement, with the removal of terrain modifiers.

Genetaur: The mutant outcasts, their shape and powers vary wildly as a result of them being born from magenetic slurry.

Genetaur

Note: Some abilities are optional, and thus should only be granted if it fits the character. These are represented in italics.

Archetype Abilities

1 1 1 1 3 1

• Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 155
• Fearsome: Genetaur are feared in most societies other than their own. Add one b to Charm, Deception, Leadership, and Negotiation checks they make, and add one b to Coercion checks. This does not apply when talking to members of their own race.
• Claws: When making an unarmed combat check, add +1 to base damage, and it has a critical hit rating of 3.
• Dark Vision: Remove up to two Black Dice imposed on skill checks due to Darkness.
• Amphibious:: Can breathe underwater and suffer no penalties for swimming or traveling through water.
• Flying: Can fly, moves as normal, but ignoring terrain effects.

Step 3: The Class

This step is best done in conjunction with the previous step: selecting from one of the available classes in Star System Epsylon. These classes come with some free ranks in certain skills, and all skills that are class skills of your class get an XP discount. These classes are described in the folder below.
Classes

Entertainer

For the Entertainer, the whole world really is a stage. Whatever their chosen medium, these artists, actors, and musicians make their living brightening the days of others. However, there can be a lot more to these individuals than meets the eye, as some Entertainers use their acting skills to cover more serious agendas.

The Entertainer counts the following skills as career skills: Charm , Coordination , Deception , Discipline , Leadership , Melee(light) , Skulduggery , Stealth . Before spending experience during character creation, a Entertainer may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Explorer

The Explorer is at home in the wild, able to handle anything the wilderness throws at them. Explorers tend to thrive in the wilderness, and they are often pretty good with ranged weapons. Explorers may be military scouts, gruff and unsociable hunters, or people who just prefer living in the wild.

The Explorer counts the following skills as career skills: Athletics , Brawl , Coordination , Deception , Perception , Ranged(heavy) , Stealth , survival . Before spending experience during character creation, a Explorer may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Fighter pilot

The Fighter Pilot is a master of performing daredevil maneuvers in one-man planes, helicopters, or anything else of the like that can fly. Fighter Pilots tend to have lightning-fast reflexes and a firm grip on their controller.

The Fighter pilot counts the following skills as career skills: Cool , Driving , Gunnery , Mechanics , Perception , Piloting , Ranged(light) , Vigilance. . Before spending experience during character creation, a Fighter pilot may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Hacker

What Wizards are to reality, Hackers are to the digital realm. They have the skills and abilities to shut down security systems, remotely command robots, view camera feeds, and much, much more. Basically, if it's connected to a computer, a Hacker can control it.

The Hacker counts the following skills as career skills: Computers , Discipline , Knowledege , Mechanics , Percetion , Piloting , Streetwise , Vigilance. . Before spending experience during character creation, a Hacker may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Healer

The Healer focuses their efforts on keeping themself and their friends alive under dire circumstances. Healers are good at keeping cool under pressure, maintaining focus and -- of course -- healing. However, these aren't their only capabilities. Depending on their background and personality, Healers can also be good negotiators, tough and durable medics, or even morally depraved surgeons with a penchant for experimenting on their patients.

The Healer counts the following skills as career skills: Cool , Discipline , Knowledge , Medicine , Melee(light) , Resilience , Survival , Vigilance . Before spending experience during character creation, a Healer may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Ki warrior

A Ki Warrior is trained in mastery of not only martial arts, but also the very energy that comes from their soul. With this power, they can increase their speed and strength, fight from a distance, fly, and survive some of the harshest conditions around. While they generally fight hand-to-hand, some of them do use melee weapons.

The Ki warrior counts the following skills as career skills: Ki , brawl , athletics , melee(light) , melee(heavy) , discipline , vigilance , coercion , . Before spending experience during character creation, a Ki warrior may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Leader

The Leader focuses on leading and directing their fellows, as well as interacting with others. Leaders have a knack or taking charge and overseeing a situation, but their methods of of leadership can vary wildly. A Leader can be a kind and caring boss, a soft-spoken politician, or a military commander who believes in absolute discipline.

The Leader counts the following skills as career skills: Charm , Coercion , Cool , Discipline , Leadership , Melee(light) , Negotiation , Perception . Before spending experience during character creation, a Leader may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Mad scientist

For a Mad Scientist, the laws of physics are mere guidelines, achieving the impossible is a goal, and the morality of everyday society is a petty annoyance. Mad Scientists range from inventors of bizarre technology to researchers into forbidden magics. They don't have to be truly evil or even amoral, but generally Mad Scientists are a little myopic. They get so focused on their grand goals that they ignore the consequences of their actions.

The Mad scientist counts the following skills as career skills: Alchemy , Coercion , Knowledge , Mechanics , Medicine , Operating , Skulduggery , Ranged(heavy). . Before spending experience during character creation, a Mad scientist may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Priest

A Priest is someone whose prayers have tangible and powerful results. They can range from the soft-spoken to the battle-hardened, but one thing remains constant: they all have faith in something far greater than themselves.

The Priest counts the following skills as career skills: Charm , Coercion , Cool , Discipline , Divine , Medicine , Melee(light) , Negotiation. . Before spending experience during character creation, a Priest may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Rogue

The Rogue's business is crime in all forms. Whether swindling, burgling, or running a complicated con, the Rogue has the skills needed to separate marks from their money and valuables. A Rogue could be a cat burglar, con artist, quick-draw specialist, or just a smooth-talking card shark.

The Rogue counts the following skills as career skills: Charm , Cool , Coordination , Deception , Ranged , Skulduggery , Stealth , Streetwise . Before spending experience during character creation, a Rogue may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Soldier

Soldiers are warriors though and through. At home on the battlefield, they know everything there is to know about surviving the horrors of combat - and making sure the opposition doesn't.

The Soldier counts the following skills as career skills: Athletics , Coercion , Melee(heavy) , Perception , Ranged(gunnery) , Ranged(heavy) , Survival , Vigilance . Before spending experience during character creation, a Soldier may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Starship captain

Starship Captains can command massive spacefaring vessels with precision and ease. They are quite adept at repairing, programming, and piloting such a vessel, but their primary responsibility is leading and directing their crew.

The Starship captain counts the following skills as career skills: Astrocartography , Computers , Discipline , Ranged(gunnery) , Leadership , Mechanics , Operating , Perception . Before spending experience during character creation, a Starship captain may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Wizard

The master of magical mysteries, Wizards channel the magic that is gained through study, and have detailed knowledge of most arcane and supernatural phenomena. To them, reality is a thing to be molded and reshaped to their desires, but such hubris can come with a price - often a heavy one.

The Wizard counts the following skills as career skills: Alchemy , Arcana , Coercion , Discipline , Knowledge , Leadership , Skulduggery , Vigilance . Before spending experience during character creation, a Wizard may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.

Step 4: Investing XP

Now you have your character's race and class situated, it's time to spend some XP! Each race gets a certain amount of starting XP (detailed in their stat blocks) which can be spent during character creation to increase stats, buy ranks in skills, and buy talents. Raising a stat requires ten times the number you are raising it to, so raising a stat from 2 to 3 would require 30 XP. These increases must be purchased sequentially, so to raise a stat from 2 to 4, you would first need to raise it from 2 to 3. Note: You can only increase a character's stat during character creation, and even then it cannot be raised to higher than 5.

Skill Ranks

Ranks are a little different. Each rank in a skill costs five times that rank in a skill, so to get a skill from rank 1 to rank 2, you would need to spend 10 xp, and each rank must be purchased sequentially, similar to stats. Before spending XP, a character can take up to four free ranks in their chosen class, afterwards they can buy ranks in their chosen class as normal. They can buy ranks in non-class skills, but they must add 5 to the amount of XP they cost, so to get a non-class skill from rank 1 to rank 2 would cost 15 XP.

Magic Ranks

There are three types of magic skills in Star System Epsylon: Arcane, Divine, and Ki. If a character wishes to learn more than one of these skills, they must first decide which one of these is their primary magic skill. If their chosen race can begin with an automatic rank in one of these skills, they choose that skill as their primary magic skill. Otherwise, the primary magic skill is decided by the class chosen. They may then choose a secondary and tertiary magic skill if they so choose. Taking ranks in a secondary magic skill requires 5 more XP than it would otherwise, and 10 more XP if it is a tertiary skill. This factors in class and non-class magic skills.

Talents

Talents are special abilities that a character can buy to further specialize their own abilities. They are organized by tiers, up to tier five, and each tier has an XP cost of five times its tier, so a tier 1 talent would cost 5 XP. In order to purchase a talent, the character must have one more talent in the next lowest tier, so in order to buy a tier 2 talent, a character would need at least two tier 1 talents. Some talents are ranked, which means they can be bought again as the next highest tier talent, with all the restrictions that implies. These talents are described below.
Talents

Tier 1:

Bought info

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
When making any knowledge skill check, your character an instead use this talent to spend an amount of currency equal to fifty times the difficulty of the check and automatically succeed on the knowledge check with one un-cancelled s (instead of rolling). At your GM's discretion your character may not be able to use Bought Info if the information is particularly sensitive or difficult to find, or buying it doesn't make narrative sense.

Clever retort

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter your character may use this talent to automatically add h h to another character's social skill check.

Defensive sysops

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When attempting to defend a computer system against intrusion (or when someone attempts to hack a computer owned or programmed by your character) your character adds b b to their opponents checks. If your character has access to the computer system when the intrusion takes place, they are automatically aware of the intrusion.

Desperate recovery

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Before your character heals strain at the end of an encounter, if their strain is more than half of their strain threshold, they heal two additional strain.

Duelist

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character adds b to their melee combat checks when engaged with a single opponent. Your character adds b to their melee checks while engaged with three or more opponents.

Durable

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character reduces any Critical Injury result they suffer by 10 per rank of Durable, to a minimum of 01.

Forager/city sense

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character removes up to b b from any skill checks they make to find food, water, or shelter. Checks to forage or search the area that your character makes take half the time they normally would.

Grit

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Grid increases your character's strain threshold by one.

Hamstring shot

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per round your character may use this talent to perform a range combat check against one non-vehicle target within range of the weapon used. If the check is successful, half the damage inflicted by the attack (before reducing thee damage by the target's soak). The target is immobilised until the end of it's next turn.

Jump up

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round during your character’s turn, your character may use this talent to stand from a prone or seated position as an incidental.

Knack for it

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When you purchase this talent for your character, select one skill. Your character removes b b from any checks they make using this skill.
Each additional time you purchase this talent for your character, select two additional skills. Your character also removes b b from any checks they make using these skills. You cannot select combat or magic skills when choosing skills for this talent.

Know somebody

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Once per session, when attempting to purchase a legally available item, your character may use this talent to reduce its rarity by one per rank of Know Somebody.

Let's ride

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round during your character's turn, your character can use this talent to mount or dismount from a vehicle or animal, or move from one position in a vehicle to another (such as from the cockpit to a gun turret) as an incidental. In addition, if your character suffers a short-range fall from a vehicle or animal, they suffer no damage and land on their feet.

One with the city

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When in a city, your character may make a Simple (–) Streetwise check, instead of Discipline or Cool, to recover strain at the end of an encounter.

One with nature

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When in the wilderness, your character may make a Simple (-) Survival Check, instead of Discipline or Cool, to recover strain at the end of an encounter.

Parry

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: Yes
When your character suffers a hit from a melee combat check, after damage is calculated but before soak is applied (so immediately after Step 3 of Perform a Combat check, page 102 of Genesys book), your character may suffer 3 strain to use this talent to reduce the damage of the hit by two plus their ranks in Parry. This talent can only be used once per hit, and your character needs to be wielding a Melee weapon.

Proper upbringing

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a social skill check in polite company (as determined by your GM), they may suffer a number of strain to use this talent to add an equal number of a to the check. The number may not exceed your character’s ranks in Proper Upbringing.

Quick draw

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round on your character’s turn, they may use this talent to draw or holster an easily accessible weapon or item as an incidental. Quick Draw also reduces a weapon’s Prepare rating by one, to a minimum of one.

Quick strike

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character adds b for each rank of Quick Strike to any combat checks they make against any targets that have not yet taken their turn in the current encounter.

Rapid reaction

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: Yes
Your character may suffer a number of strain to use this talent to add an equal number of s to a Vigilance or Cool check they make to determine Initiative order. The number may not exceed your character’s ranks in Rapid Reaction.

Second wind

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent to heal an amount of strain equal to their ranks in Second Wind.

Surgeon

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a Medicine check to heal wounds, the target heals one additional wound per rank of Surgeon.

Swift

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character does not suffer the penalties for moving through difficult terrain (they move through difficult terrain at normal speed without spending additional manoeuvres)

Toughened

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Toughened increases your character’s wound threshold by two.

Unremarkable

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Other characters add f to any checks made to find or identify your character in a crowd.

Tier 2:

Basic military training

Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Athletics, Ranged Heavy, and Resilience are now career skills for your character.

Berserk

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Manoeuvre)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent. Until the end of the encounter or until they are incapacitated, your character adds s a a to all melee combat checks they make.

However, opponents add s to all combat checks targeting your character. While berserk, your character cannot make ranged combat checks. At the end of the encounter (or when they are incapacitated), your character suffers 6 strain.

Coordinated assault

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Manouevre)
Ranked: Yes
Once per turn, your character may use this talent to have a number of allies engaged with your character equal to your ranks in Leadership add a to all combat checks they make until the end of your character’s next turn. The range of this talent increases by one band per rank of Coordinated Assault beyond the first.

Counteroffer

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to choose one non-nemesis adversary within medium range and make an opposed Negotiation versus Discipline check. If successful, the target becomes staggered until the end of their next turn.

At your GM’s discretion, you may spend t on this check to have the adversary become an ally until the end of the encounter. However, the duration of this may be shortened or extended depending on whether your GM feels your offer is appealing to the adversary and whether your character follows through on their offer!

Daring aviator/driver

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Before your character makes a Driving or Piloting check, they may add a number of h to the results to use this talent to add an equal number of s. The number may not exceed your character’s ranks in Daring Aviator/Driver.

Defensive stance

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Manouevre)
Ranked: Yes
Once per round, your character may suffer a number of strain no greater than their ranks in Defensive Stance to use this talent. Then, until the end of your character’s next turn, upgrade the difficulty of all melee combat checks targeting your character a number of times equal to the strain suffered.

Defensive sysops (improved)

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Defensive Sysops talent to benefit from this talent. Before adding b b from Defensive Sysops to a check, use this talent to add f h to the results of the check instead.

Dual wielder

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Manouevre)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to decrease the difficulty of the next combined combat check (see Two-Weapon Combat, on page 108 of the Genesys core rulebook) they make during the same turn by one.

Fan the hammer

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter before making a combat check with a pistol (your GM has the final say on whether a weapon is a pistol or not), your character may use this talent to add the Auto-fire quality to the pistol when resolving the check. If your character does, the weapon runs out of ammo exactly as with an Out of Ammo result (see page 104 of the Genesys core rulebook).

Heightened awareness

Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Allies within short range of your character add b to their Perception and Vigilance checks. Allies engaged with your character add b b instead.

Inspiring rhetoric

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to make an Average (d d) Leadership check. For each s the check generates, one ally within short range heals one strain. For each a, one ally benefiting from Inspiring Rhetoric heals one additional strain.

Inventor

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a check to construct new items or modify existing ones, use this talent to add a number of b to the check equal to ranks of Inventor. In addition, your character may attempt to reconstruct devices that they have heard described but have not seen and do not have any kinds of plans or schematics for.

Lucky strike

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character purchases this talent, choose one characteristic. After your character makes a successful combat check, you may spend two s to use this talent to add damage equal to your character’s ranks in that characteristic to one hit of the combat check.

Scathing tirade

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to make an Average (dd) Coercion Check. For each s the check generates, on enemy within short range suffers 1 strain. For each a, one enemy affect by Scathing Tirade suffers additional strain.

Side step

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes
Once per round, your character may suffer a number of strain no greater than their ranks in Side Step to use this talent. Until the end of your character’s next turn, upgrade the difficulty of all ranged combat checks targeting your character a number of times equal to the strain suffered.

Tier 3:

Animal companion

Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character creates a bond with a single animal approved by your GM. This animal must be silhouette 0 (no larger than a mid-sized dog). The bond persists as long as your character chooses, although at your GM’s discretion, the bond may also be broken due to abusive treatment or other extenuating circumstances. As long as the bond persists, the animal follows your character, and you dictate the animal’s overall behavior (although, since the animal is only bonded with the character, not dominated, it may still perform inconvenient actions such as scratching furniture, consuming rations, and marking territory). Once per round in structured encounters, your character may spend one maneuver to direct their animal in performing one action and one maneuver during your character’s turn. The animal must be within hearing and visual range of your character (generally medium range) to do this. Otherwise, the animal does not contribute to the encounter. The specifics of its behavior are up to you and your GM.

For every additional rank of Animal Companion your character has, increase the allowed silhouette of the companion by one (this may mean your character gets a new companion, or their companion grows in size).

You may also at DM's discretion use this to have a Drone or Robotic companion.

Barrel roll

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Time)
Ranked: No
Your character can only use this talent while piloting a starfighter or airplane of Silhouette 3 or less. When your vehicle suffers a hit from a ranged combat check, after damage is calculated but before armor is applied, your character may have their vehicle suffer 3 system strain to use this talent. Then, reduce the damage suffered by a number equal to their ranks in Piloting.

Distinctive style

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a Computers check to hack a system or break into a secured network, before rolling, your character may use this talent to add sshh to the results.

Dodge

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn
Ranked: Yes
When your character is targeted by a combat check (ranged or melee), they may suffer a number of strain no greater than their ranks in Dodge to use this talent. Then, upgrade the difficulty of the combat check targeting your character a number of times equal to the strain suffered.

Eagle eyes

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter before making a ranged combat check, you may use this talent to increase your weapon’s range by one range band (to a maximum of extreme range). This lasts for the duration of the combat check.

Field commander

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to make an Average (dd) Leadership check. If successful, a number of allies equal to your character’s Presence may immediately suffer 1 strain to perform one maneuver (out of turn). If there are any questions as to which allies take their maneuvers first, your character is the final arbiter.

Forgot to count?

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
When an opponent makes a ranged combat check, you can spend hh from that check to use this talent to cause their weapon to run out of ammo (see page 104), as long as the weapon can normally run out of ammunition.

Full throttle

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action
Ranked: No
While driving or flying, your character may use this talent to make a Hard (ddd) Piloting or Driving check. If successful, the top speed of the vehicle increases by one (to a maximum of 5) for a number of rounds equal to your character’s Cunning.

Grenadier

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a ranged combat check with a weapon that has the Blast item quality, you may spend one Story Point to use this talent to trigger the weapon’s Blast quality, instead of spending a(even if the attack misses). In addition, your character treats grenades as having a range of medium

Inspiring rhetoric (improved)

Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Inspiring Rhetoric talent to benefit from this talent. Allies affected by your character’s Inspiring Rhetoric add b to all skill checks they make for a number of rounds equal to your character’s ranks in Leadership.

Painkiller specialization

Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When your character uses painkillers (or their equivalent, depending on the setting), the target heals one additional wound per rank of Painkiller Specialization. The sixth painkiller and beyond each day still has no effect.

Scathing tirade (improved)

Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Scathing Tirade talent to benefit from this talent. Enemies affected by your character’s Scathing Tirade add b to all skill checks they make for a number of rounds equal to your character’s ranks in Coercion.

Heroic will

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent for your character, choose two characteristics. You may spend a Story Point to use this talent to have your character ignore the effects of all Critical Injuries on any skill checks using those two characteristics until the end of the current encounter. (Your character still suffers the Critical Injuries; they just ignore the effects. See page 114 of the Genesys Rulebook.)

Natural

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character purchases this talent, choose two skills. Once per session, your character may use this talent to reroll one skill check that uses one of those two skills.

Parry (improved)

Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Parry talent to benefit from this talent. When your character suffers a hit from a melee combat check and uses Parry to reduce the damage from that hit, after the attack is resolved, you may spend d or fff from the attacker’s check to use this talent. Then, your character automatically hits the attacker once with a Brawl or Melee weapon your character is wielding. The hit deals the weapon’s base damage, plus any damage from applicable talents or abilities. Your character can’t use this talent if the original attack incapacitates them.

Tier 4:

Can't we talk about this?

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character can use this talent to make an opposed Charm or Deception versus Discipline check targeting a single non-nemesis adversary within medium range. If the check succeeds, the target cannot attack your character (or perform hostile actions against your character) until the end of their next turn. You may spend aa to increase the length of the effect by one additional turn, and spend t to extend the benefits to all of their identified allies within short range.

The effect ends immediately if your character or a known ally attacks the target. In addition, your GM may rule that some targets are immune to this ability. An automated sentry turret, for example, has no interest in resolving a conflict through talking, nor would someone consumed by rage and the desire for revenge against your character.

Deadeye

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
After your character inflicts a Critical Injury with a ranged weapon and rolls the result, your character may suffer 2 strain to use this talent. Then, you may select any Critical Injury of the same severity to apply to the target instead.

Defensive

Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Defensive increases your character’s melee defense and ranged defense by one.

Defensive driving

Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Increase the defence any vehicle your character pilots by one per rank of Defensive Driving.

Enduring

Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Enduring increases your character’s soak value by one

Field commander(improved)

Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Field Commander talent to benefit from this talent. When your character uses the Field Commander talent, your character affects a number of allies equal to twice the character’s Presence. In addition, you may spend t to allow one ally to suffer 1 strain to perform an action, instead of a manoeuvre.

How convenient!

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to make a Hard (ddd) Mechanics check. If successful, one device involved in the current encounter (subject to your GM’s approval) spontaneously fails. This can be because of your character’s actions, or it can simply be incredibly convenient timing!

Inspiring rhetoric (supreme)

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Inspiring Rhetoric talent to benefit from this talent. Your character may choose to suffer 1 strain to use the Inspiring Rhetoric talent as a maneuver, instead of as an action

Mad inventor

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to make a Mechanics check to attempt to cobble together the functional equivalent of any item using spare parts or salvage. The difficulty of the check is based on the item’s rarity.

Your GM will modify the check based on the circumstances and might decide that some items simply can’t be created with what’s available (if you are being held in a prison cell, for instance). Your GM may spend d on the check to indicate the item ends up being dangerous to the user and anyone around them in some way. For instance, a pistol might explode instead of running out of ammo, or a breathing mask might make the user light-headed.

Overcharge

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent to make a Hard (ddd) Mechanics check and choose one of their cybernetic implants that grants them one of the following: +1 to a characteristic rating, +1 rank to a skill, +1 rank of a ranked talent. If your character succeeds, until the end of the encounter, the chosen cybernetic instead provides +2 to the affected characteristic rating (to a maximum of 7), skill (to a maximum of 5), or ranked talent.

Your GM may spend d or hhh from the check to have the overcharged cybernetic short out at the end of the encounter; it provides no benefit until your character spends several hours making an Average (dd) Mechanics check to repair it.

Scathing tirade (supreme)

Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Scathing Tirade talent to benefit from this talent. Your character may choose to suffer 1 strain to use the Scathing Tirade talent as a maneuver, instead of as an action.

Tier 5:

Dedication

Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Dedication increases one of your character’s characteristics by one. This talent cannot increase a characteristic above 5. You cannot increase the same characteristic with Dedication twice.

Indomitable

Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, when your character would be incapacitated due to exceeding their wound or strain threshold, you may spend a Story Point to use this talent. Then, your character is not incapacitated until the end of their next turn. If your character reduces their strain or wounds to below their threshold before the end of their next turn, they are not incapacitated.

Master

Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent for your character, choose one skill. Once per round, your character may suffer 2 strain to use this talent to reduce the difficulty of the next check they make using that skill by two, to a minimum of Easy d..

Overcharge (improved)

Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Overcharge talent to benefit from this talent. When using the Overcharge talent, your character may spend aa or t from the Mechanics check to immediately take one additional action. This talent can only be used once per check.

Ruinous repartee

Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent to make an opposed Charm or Coercion versus Discipline check targeting one character within medium range (or within earshot). If successful, the target suffers strain equal to twice your character’s Presence, plus one additional strain per s. Your character heals strain equal to the strain inflicted.

If incapacitated due to this talent, the target could flee the scene in shame, collapse in a dejected heap, or throw themself at your character in fury, depending on your GM and the nature of your character’s witty barbs.

Step 5: Derived Attributes

Now that you've spent your XP, it's time to determine the derived attributes, which are totaled based on the stats you put XP into already. There are three such stats: Wound Threshold, which is representative of your character's physical well-being and is determined by adding the character's Brawn stat to their Wound Threshold rating listed in their race stats, Strain Threshold, which represents your character's mental well-being and is determined similarly to Wound Threshold, by adding a character's Willpower to the base rating on your race's sheet, and Soak, which reduces incoming damage and starts out equal to your character's Brawn stat. Out of these, only Soak and increase along with the stat it's derived from after character creation.

Step 6: Character Motivation

Now that you've built your character's physical traits, it's time to work on the main reason they're traveling, their motivation. People are motivated by lots of things, but Genesys boils it down to four core concepts:

Desire

This is what your character wants out of life. Whether it be wealth, knowledge, or a significant other, this is the primary thing that drives them throughout the adventure.

Fear

This is what your character dreads the most. Perhaps they fear being forgotten to the mists of time, being hurt by someone close to them, or even dying alone. In any case, this is the biggest hurdle to achieving their goals, even greater than any monster could ever hope to be.

Strength

This is your character's most positive personality trait. Perhaps they can adapt to many situations, are incurably optimistic, or have a great sense of humor. In any case, when people think of the best qualities about your character, this is at the top of the list.

Flaw

This is your character's least positive personality trait. Whether they're lazy beyond belief, excessively proud, or even racist, this is the one complaint everyone has against this character.

Step 7: Choose Gear, Appearance, and Personality

The last step is to determine what weapons, armor, appearance, and personality a character has. The first two are fairly easy, as each character starts out with 500 credits to spend on gear before the adventure begins. Appearance is simply a physical description of a character, namely what they look like and wear. Personality is a little trickier. There are a million little quirks that make up the human psyche, but a lot of it depends on our past experiences, so take a moment to think about where your character came from and what they went through, how would they react to it?