Kalos Mechanism 4e EN:Creation
Making up a Kalos Mechanism character should only take about 30 minutes, once you are familiar with the process. The hardest part is thinking up a character background and choosing what kind of character to play. In this chapter, we offer a few suggestions to help you out.
Before You Start
The goal of Kalos Mechanism is to help you have fun with your friends. Try to assemble the players and make up your characters together. That way, you can avoid having two characters with the same focus. It's usually more fun if each character has their own specialty.
You might consider establishing a reason for the characters to work together by having some previous connection between them. The connection could be something as simple as, "Hey, I know you! You helped me that one time." If every character has a connection to at least one other character, it will be easier to get them past that awkward "getting to know you" stage.
Character Checklist
There are five main parts to creating a character:
- Motivations — why does the character do what they do?
- Complications — what makes the character's life more difficult?
- Skills — what does the character know how to do? (see the Skills chapter)
- Gifts — what gives the character an edge over most normal people? (see the Gifts chapter)
- Powers — what powers set the character apart from normal people? (see the Powers chapter)
Motivations
Motivations are the driving force behind most of the character's choices. Motivations are ultimately under the control of the character (although it may take effort). Pick one or two, or roll to determine them randomly. Take notice of the fact that a few of these are morally questionable, and some of them are incompatible with the life of a player character.
| Roll 2d6 | Complexity |
|---|---|
| 2-7 | Roll once on Table 2 |
| 8-10 | Roll twice on Table 2 |
| 11 | Roll three times on Table 2 |
| 12 | Conflicted: roll once on table 2, and see the note below |
Conflicted: The character is torn between two mutually incompatible motivations. Roll on Table 2, and make a note of the roll and its opposite. The character's primary motivation is the first motivation rolled, but they are also driven by the opposing motivation. For example, the opposing motivation of "adventure" is "security".
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Adventure
Your character has an adventurous spirit and rarely turns down the opportunity for a bold quest or a daunting challenge, as long as the task is noteworthy, risky, and exciting. They tend to carry out any endeavour with a swashbuckling flair. This can be a good or a bad instinct depending on the circumstances.
In opposition to: Security
Asceticism
Your character practices severe self-discipline and avoids all forms of indulgence, typically for spiritual reasons. They may regard those who partake in earthly pleasures with good humour and patience, or they might look down on such hedonism as a moral weakness.
In opposition to: Materialism
Audacity
Your character is an adrenaline junkie driven by a desire to experience thrills and glory. They crave action, speed, and attention, and often leap before looking. On the positive side, this sort of person often deals well with chaotic situations that require quick reflexes and spur-of-the-moment decisions.
In opposition to: Subtlety
Community
Your character believes that the greatest measure of an individual is in their value to society. They seek to be dependable and helpful to those around them, and they encourage these traits in others. A character motivated by community might choose to work in isolation, but they do so with the greater good in mind.
In opposition to: Individualism
Compassion
Your character wants to protect others and alleviate their suffering, particularly the innocent and the helpless. Seeing people in danger or in pain brings out the character's strongest instincts to act. By the same token, the character will tend to be quite careful when using violence in public places.
In opposition to: Wrath
Control
Your character detests the chaos of society, and seeks to impose order and discipline. They conduct their own affairs with precision, and they impose that same order on others when possible. If they are truly ambitious, the character might seek to control events on a grand scale as a kind of benevolent dictator or as a mastermind pulling strings behind the scenes for the benefit of the masses, who aren't competent to lead themselves.
In opposition to: Freedom
Courage
Your character chooses and is willing to confront agony, danger, and uncertainty. They seek to face physical pain, hardship, and death with equanimity, and they embrace the opportunity to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, scandal, and personal loss. They will be remembered either as a great hero or as a fool.
In opposition to: Fear
Curiosity
Your character lives and breathes to solve the world's mysteries. Their focus might be on cracking the puzzles of the natural world or on unraveling the enigmas of the heart and mind, but whatever their obsession, ignoring a riddle requires great effort. The expression "curiosity killed the cat" comes to mind.
In opposition to: Faith
Detachment
Your character seeks to avoid any emotional entanglements on a personal or professional level. They may feel that such connections limit their freedom of action, and they may fear the obligation such a commitment entails. If offered the choice between maintaining their detachment or assisting with a cause that supports their other motivations, the character may have a crisis of conscience.
In opposition to: Responsibility
Enlightenment
Your character's true calling is education and enlightenment, both their own and others'. Nurturing talent and preserving or establishing a legacy are key goals in their life. They may seek to provide a moral compass to those in their company, or they may be prone to probe and test others' abilities.
In opposition to: Secrecy
Exploration
Your character lives to seek out new places and new ideas, to go beyond the edges of the map. The same old routine is not stimulating enough, and though proper planning is important, cautionary tales are often ignored in favour of seeking the new.
In opposition to: Isolation
Faith
The character believes in something which is not supported by empirical evidence, and this belief gives meaning to their life. They may feel compelled to adhere to a code of conduct inspired by their faith, or they may strive to spread their beliefs to others. Depending on how militant the character is about their faith, their beliefs may cause friction with those who require objective evidence for extraordinary claims, or those whose beliefs conflict with the beliefs of the character.
In opposition to: Curiosity
Fear
Your character makes every effort to avoid injury, danger, and uncertainty. Threats of physical pain, hardship, or death will compel the character to take preventative or palliative action, and they are likely to shift their position when faced with popular opposition, scandal, or personal loss. Those who run away may live to see another day.
In opposition to: Courage
Fellowship
Your character seeks to eliminate artificial barriers between individuals, such as socioeconomic status or political influence. They attempt to treat all sentients as equal in fundamental worth and social status. This may cause friction with those who do not share the character's egalitarian views.
In opposition to: Nobility
Freedom
Your character detests the rigid structure of society, and seeks to escape any imposed order and discipline. They conduct their own affairs with wild abandon, and they disrupt the carefully-laid plans of others when possible. If they are truly ambitious, the character might seek to disrupt events on a grand scale as a kind of "agent of chaos", for the benefit of the masses who are too complacent to free themselves.
In opposition to: Control
Humility
Your character strives to maintain a healthy perspective regarding their own importance in the universe, for in a vast and uncaring universe, what does a single sentient life matter? They are likely to decline honors and rewards, no matter how well-earned, and they are usually polite and respectful even in the face of abuse and deliberate malice. At the same time, since their sense of self-worth is internal, they pay little heed to rude or disrespectful behaviour. On the cosmic scale, such things simply do not matter.
In opposition to: Pride
Idealism
Your character believes in some cause or ideology so strongly that they would willingly die to protect it or uphold it. For example, your character might believe that their worth as a person is tied to their adherence to a code of honor, including such tenets as keeping one's word, appropriate use of force, and respect for rank. Any challenge to these ideals is sure to provoke a strong response.
In opposition to: Pragmatism
Individualism
Your character believes that the rights of the individual hold the highest moral value, above any society or philosophy. The character seeks to be self-reliant and independent, and encourages these traits in others. A character motivated by individualism might work with a team, but their reasons for doing so are personal, rather than out of any sense of obligation.
In opposition to: Community
Isolation
Your character seeks to avoid exposure to new places and new ideas, preferring the comfort and safety of the known. It may be that they are frightened of what lies beyond the horizon, or it may simply be that they like the world as they know it and feel no desire to discover anything else. In extreme cases, the character may wish to avoid being contaminated, either physically or culturally, by strangers and their uncouth customs.
In opposition to: Exploration
Justice
Your character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate punishment. If the structure of society is such that the judicial system usually works as intended, then the character seeks to deliver criminals to the appropriate authorities (along with evidence of their crimes, if possible). However, if the system is corrupt (or if the character believes it to be so), then the character may decide that the cause of justice is best served by taking the law into their own hands.
In opposition to: Vengeance
Materialism
Your character wants to amass great wealth. Whether they hoard it, spend it, or pursue philanthropy on a large scale is likely based on other personality traits, but the accumulation of riches is an end in itself for this character. Some might even call them greedy.
In opposition to: Asceticism
Mercy
Your character practices benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness. They make a point of doing so particularly when the recipient is, by any objective measure, undeserving of such consideration. They might do this for any number of reasons, from the purely selfish (e.g., it makes them happy) to the pragmatic (e.g., they believe that by showing mercy, the person unworthy of forgiveness may change their ways) to the altruistic (e.g., they believe that each small act of kindness makes the universe a better place).
In opposition to: Ruthlessness
Nobility
Your character was born to rule and command the respect of their lessers. They may look out for the little people based on a sense of noblesse oblige, but they take action because they feel it is necessary and proper to do so, not because someone else demands that they act. At best, a slight condescension is apparent in most interactions with those of a lesser lineage.
In opposition to: Fellowship
Passion
Your character has a visceral, perhaps even savage, nature that they may have to struggle to control. At the same time, they may have a strong sense of loyalty or compassion. In general, your character is ruled by emotions and has to work to fit into a rational world, but they may also have insights that logical people overlook.
In opposition to: Serenity
Pragmatism
Your character believes that practical accomplishments are more important than ideas and philosophies. Honor and ideologies are of little value if they do not produce the desired real-world result. This approach is likely to become controversial when the pragmatic approach violates the ethical tenets of the culture at large.
In opposition to: Idealism
Pride
Your character seeks to personify the ideal of something, whether a culture, social class, or profession. They hold to an exacting standard of behavior and expect to be in the public eye, commanding respect for what they represent. They are not likely to appreciate scandals or public slights.
In opposition to: Humility
Rebellion
Your character doesn't fit into the larger society, living as a loner due to prejudice or personal choice. The rebel scoffs at popular trends and pays little heed to public mores. They may seek out other iconoclasts who follow their own drummer or they may just want to be left alone.
In opposition to: Traditionalism
Responsibility
Your character feels that they have abilities or burdens that limit their freedom of action. They have a duty to someone or something outside of themselves, and they feel that casting this duty aside would be selfish or irresponsible. If offered the chance to cast aside this burden, the character may have a crisis of conscience.
In opposition to: Detachment
Ruthlessness
Your character will allow no personal feelings or squeamishness to cloud their judgment. The feelings and well-being of others are irrelevant to the achievement of your character's ambitions. If this means that some must suffer while you claw your way to your objective, so be it: it matters not whether those in your character's way deserve such treatment. Perhaps your character's goals are so lofty that the ends justify the means; perhaps your character is just a heartless bastard.
In opposition to: Mercy
Secrecy
Your character strives to hide information from those who are unworthy of it, or from those who are unready to hear it. Knowledge is power, and power must be kept in the hands of those most fit to wield it. They may attempt to conceal or destroy information in order to prevent its dissemination, or they may seek to discredit those who attempt to reveal that which should remain hidden.
In opposition to: Enlightenment
Security
Your character strives to minimize risk, despite the potential reward or excitement. Even the most extraordinary task is carried out with an eye toward avoiding or eliminating anything which might be potentially interesting (and thus, dangerous). Ideally, this will lead to a long life, albeit a dull one.
In opposition to: Adventure
Serenity
Your character seeks to maintain a spiritual, mental, and emotional balance. This may be for spiritual reasons, or it may be a mechanism for coping with the character's inner demons. It's probable that they try to avoid situations that might trigger bad memories or unhealthy behaviors, but learning to face these challenges with equanimity is an important step toward recovery.
In opposition to: Passion
Subtlety
Your character seeks to achieve their goals without attracting attention. Careful planning is usually high on their list of priorities, but success alone is not enough. From your character's point of view, the greatest achievement is one that no one else ever knows about. The most powerful hand is the one that no one sees.
In opposition to: Audacity
Traditionalism
Your character believes in structure, tradition, and the chain of command. They appreciate the value of respecting authority, and of following and giving orders. They thrive on stability, structure, and clear objectives. This can potentially create a crisis of conscience if those orders conflict with their personal morals.
In opposition to: Rebellion
Vengeance
Your character seeks revenge for some past wrong done to them or to someone else. Any personal sacrifice is worthwhile. Depending upon the character's other motivations, sacrificing others might be worth the cost as well.
In opposition to: Justice
Wrath
Your character exults in causing death and destruction, particularly when the target is guilty or despicable. Seeing people abuse their power or behave in an offensive manner brings out the character's strongest instincts to act. The character will tend to be careless when using violence in public places.
In opposition to: Compassion
Complications
Complications are circumstances that make the character's life more difficult, and which are beyond their choice or control. When a character is acting in direct opposition to one of their complications, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV).
Think of one or two complications for your character: things that make your character more interesting, and which will make the game more exciting for you and the other players. If you do not choose a complication, the GM will introduce one for you during play.
Don't choose a complication that makes your character unplayable or impossible to get along with ("Repugnant: Religious Fanatic"). Complications like that are for NPCs.
- Compulsion — The character has a powerful urge to do (or not to do) something. For example, they may be unable to overtly lie ("Compulsion: Oathbound"), or they may be prone to acting before they have thought the situation through ("Compulsion: Impulsive").
- Obligation — The character must answer to someone else ("Obligation: Criminal Syndicate"). The character doesn't necessarily have to obey ("Obligation: Day Job"), but disobedience will have consequences if it becomes known.
- Outsider — The character is unfamiliar with ("Outsider: Not From Around Here"), uncomfortable with ("Outsider: Loner"), or perhaps even incapable of navigating ("Outsider: Autism Spectrum Disorder") social norms and customs.
- Repugnant — Whatever the reason, the character makes a terrible first impression. They may come across as distasteful in social situations ("Repugnant: Selfish"), or they may be visually unpleasant ("Repugnant: Huge Centipede").
- Wanted — The character is an outlaw ("Wanted: Interpol"), or is hated and/or hunted by a powerful enemy ("Wanted: Lastimar Corporation").
- Weakness — When the character is exposed to an otherwise harmless environment ("Weakness: Sunlight") or substance ("Weakness: Water"), they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV).
Character Points
Once you have the important parts of the character sketched out, you can start writing up the character's abilities. Characters in Kalos Mechanism are created using "character points". The player begins with a pool of these character points, and then spends them to buy skills, gifts, and powers.
Power Levels
The Game Moderator will choose the Power Level for the game and let the players know how many points they have to spend on a character. Here are some point values that we have found to be appropriate for characters of various power levels.
| Power Level | Character Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10 |
| 2 | 15 |
| 3 | 25 |
| 4 | 35 |
| 5 | 45 |
| 6 | 60 |
| 7 | 70 |
| 8 | 85 |
| 9 | 100 |
| 10 | 115 |
Buying Abilities
A Kalos Mechanism character has three types of abilities: skills, gifts, and powers. They each have a slightly different cost. Skills, gifts, and powers are explained in more detail in their own chapters, but here is a rough overview of what they each cost in character points (CP).
| Skills | Gifts | Powers |
|---|---|---|
|
1 skill at level 1 = 1 CP |
1 gift = 1 CP |
1 power = 1 CP |
|
1 skill at level 2 = 2 CP |
2 gifts = 2 CP |
2 powers = 1 + 2 = 3 CP |
|
1 skill at level 3 = 3 CP |
3 gifts = 3 CP |
3 powers = 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 CP |
|
1 skill at level 4 = 4 CP |
4 gifts = 4 CP |
4 powers = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10 CP |
|
etc. |
CP: character point
Improving Your Character
At the end of each story arc (every few game sessions or so), the GM should grant one additional character point to each character. If the GM prefers, they can grant each character an additional character point after every third game session (or any time they like).
The GM should keep a close eye on any new abilities the character gains, as well as on any increases in the character's abilities that might make the character unsuitable for the game being played. It's always a good idea for the players and the GM to discuss how the players plan to spend their character points.
Characteristics
As explained in the introduction, each character has three characteristics in addition to their skills, gifts and powers: Power Level, Endurance, and Health.
Power Level
Power Level represents the strength of a character's technological might, alien potency, psychic ability, or what have you. Most people have a Power Level of zero.
The Power Level of a game is selected by the GM, based on the kind of game being played. PCs will all have the same Power Level, while the Power Level of NPCs will vary. Most NPCs will be no more powerful than the PCs, but exceptional opponents might have a higher Power Level than the PCs. As the PCs gain additional character points (see Improving Your Character), the GM may increase the Power Level of the game.
If a power is ranged, the maximum range of the power is dictated by the character's Power Level. Attacking a target within short range incurs neither a penalty nor a bonus, while attacking a target beyond short range but within long range incurs a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Similarly, if a power affects an area, the maximum radius of the area is dictated by the character's Power Level. This distance is not a requirement: a character may choose to target a smaller area.
If a character's Power Level is reduced to zero, they can no longer use any abilities which depend on Power Level. Power Level may not be reduced below zero.
| Power Level | Damage | Range (Short/Long) | Max Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1d6+1 | 60 m/100 m | 1 m radius |
| 2 | 1d6+2 | 100 m/200 m | 2 m radius |
| 3 | 1d6+3 | 200 m/300 m | 3 m radius |
| 4 | 1d6+4 | 300 m/600 m | 6 m radius |
| 5 | 1d6+5 | 600 m/1 km | 10 m radius |
| 6 | 1d6+6 | 1 km/2 km | 20 m radius |
| 7 | 1d6+7 | 2 km/3 km | 30 m radius |
| 8 | 1d6+8 | 3 km/6 km | 60 m radius |
| 9 | 1d6+9 | 6 km/10 km | 100 m radius |
| 10 | 1d6+10 | 10 km/20 km | 200 m radius |
Endurance
Endurance represents a character's ability to physically and mentally exert themselves. Endurance acts as a reservoir of points which is expended as the character becomes fatigued. When a character loses Endurance, that amount is subtracted from their current Endurance.
A character's Endurance is equal to their Athletics + 10, and a permanent change to Athletics will increase or decrease the character's Endurance by the same amount.
If an attack would reduce the target's current Endurance to zero or less, the target's Endurance is reduced to zero. A character with zero Endurance is unconscious. Endurance may not be reduced below zero. If a character with zero Endurance takes additional points of Endurance damage from another attack, the damage is subtracted from their current Health.
A character recovers their lost Endurance by resting for about an hour.
Health
Health represents a character's ability to withstand physical and mental injury. Health acts as a reservoir of points which are expended as the character takes damage. When a character loses Health, that amount is subtracted from their current Health.
A character's Health is equal to their Athletics + 10, and a permanent change to Athletics will increase or decrease the character's Health by the same amount.
If an attack would reduce the target's current Health to zero or less, the target's Health is reduced to zero. A character with zero Health is unconscious, their Endurance is also reduced to zero, and they are probably out of the fight. Health may not be reduced below zero.
A character may recover half of their lost Health (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half) by resting for about an hour. After that, a character recovers the rest of their Health by getting a good night's sleep (or its equivalent, for characters who don't sleep). Barring some gruesome disfigurement, a character's Health will be completely replenished after a night's rest.