VERS:Character Profile

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VERS -> Book I - Player Rules -> VERS:Character Profile


The first step in creating a character is defining who that character is. Characters are not just collections of stats on a piece of paper. They are the representations of people, with all the mental and emotional parts required for that in addition to the physical. This first half of the character creation process is focused on those psychological elements that make a character tick. Don't worry though, its not as difficult as it seems.

Character Concept

The Character Concept is the most basic seed of the character. It is a plain English description of that character that tells you what that character is like. Think of it like the blurb on the back of a book. The concept should tell you who they are, what the they do, how they behave, why they would risk their lives to go on adventures away from the safety of hearth and home.

For example, the character concept for Albert Battle-blooded, a character for a dark-ages inspired fantasy game would sound something like this: “The second son of a famous clan, Albert is both stout-hearted and level-headed. Living most of his life in his brother’s shadow, he has recently found himself the only thing that stands between his clan and the jaws of history. Now each night he says a prayer to the god of protection and stands in vigil over what’s left of his family, knowing he has little chance to see the break of day.”

From this we can gather several important things about the character: firstly, that while he was not the original heir, Albert still takes his duties to his clan seriously. He seems to have devoted his life to protecting them from something. Secondly, we also know he is calm in stressful situations and rarely lets his emotions run away with him. We also know that there is some danger that stalks his family in the night and that has possibly already claimed his elder brother. However, we can also see that Albert does not back down from the challenge but instead he takes his place as the only guardian that can protect his family and its legacy. We can also see that his is pious, looking to the gods for strength, and that instead of a god of glory, he seeks aid from a much humbler deity in the god of protection and duty. In just a few sentences Albert’s player paints a portrait of a character that tells us a lot, details that will help to build him as well as play him.

Momentum

Hero is a term that is often used incorrectly, at least from the prospective of its Greek origins. A hero is not necessarily the good guy, but the person who drives the action forward. Hercules is a great example of this, in that he often does things that we, as modern readers, are horrified by. The players in an RPG perfectly reflect this definition. Whether they are the revolutionaries fighting an evil empire, the tyrants who enslave the population, or the bandits that profit from the chaos, they are the stars of the story who push the action forward and which the story at the table revolves around.

So, heroes are made of more than the average person, and the pinnacle of their excellence is their ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat; a tenacity to see their vision made real. This Momentum carries them past obstacles that would leave the average person battered and defeated. Momentum is a pool of points that a character can draw on in times of need to succeed where they may otherwise fail.

The primary use of Momentum allows the player to retry a roll and keep the best result. It can also be used to gain an additional action in combat, or gain a recovery action regardless of when the next one is due. Momentum can be enhanced when used in service of the character's Talent, or when focused on a character's Anchor. When enhanced, spent Momentum points will grant automatic success on a roll with 3 degrees of success, move the character to the front of the combat order (starting the next Turn), or remove the highest level condition of one type.

Characters have a number of Momentum points equal to twice their Power Level. Momentum can only be regained by acting in accordance with a character's Motivations and Flaws. One point is regained each time a character is put into a difficult spot because the character is roleplaying these weaknesses. Only one point of momentum can be spent per character per turn, and that point only applies to the single roll it was invoked for.

Talent

Each character has one thing that they are better at than anyone else. This is the thing they most pride themselves on. They could be the strongest, or toughest, or bravest, the best swimmer, or the chess master. Just about anything could his or her talent, the only limit is that it must be unique among the players.

Talents are like a statement of what the character feels most confident with, or what they understand as their strength. This does not have to actually correspond to their best Attributes or Skills, but instead their perceptions of themselves. Depending on the character's background and experiences they may be completely wrong about their talents, and that's ok. What matters is breathing life into the character, not maximizing their effectiveness. To this end a character can change their talent as the game progresses and they learn more about themselves. This change cannot be made during a game session, but must be between episodes.

When facing a challenge on which the player is spending a point of momentum, the player can choose to invoke their talent to enhance their momentum's effect. This must be explained by the player, such as: "As I force myself to calm down, I realize that the bomb's timer is actually just another type of electronics. I think I can defuse it. I've been repairing and building electronic devices since I was a kid!" This explanation is subject to GM discretion and what is dramatically appropriate for the game's tone and setting.

Below is a small list of example Talents.

Example Talents

  • I'm the best at (insert type of game)
  • I'm the best at (insert type of sports)
  • I know all about (insert subject here)
  • I'm the best at (school subject)
  • I'm not afraid of anything
  • My family is famous/important/powerful
  • Everyone likes me
  • I know all the gossip
  • I play guitar
  • I stand up for others
  • I am the most wanted person in the country

Anchor

Much like every great hero has a talent that sets them apart from other, every hero also has something that keeps them grounded and ties them to the world and society in some way. Maybe that is a family member, a friend, a memento from a special trip, or even just that clearing in the woods that the character always loved to play in as a kid. This is an anchor, and it is the reminder of what is at stake and why the character pushes forward.

To be clear, Anchors are a type of a motivating force, but are distinct from Motivations. Anchors are like the picture of his wife that the fighter pilot has taped to the wall of his plane's cockpit. They are a reminder of what a character stands to lose. Anchors are more personal and usually hinge around a person, place, or thing, whereas Motivations, in the VERS sense, are more idealogical.

When facing a challenge in which the player is spending a point of momentum, the player can invoke their character's anchor to enhance their momentum's effect. This must be explained by the player, such as: "He touches his dead wife's ring that hangs on a chain around his neck and knows that he has to succeed!" This explanation is ultimately subject to GM discretion and the dramatic appropriateness of the action.

Below is a small list of example anchors.

Example Anchors

  • Picture of someone important
  • A memento from a special trip or experience
  • An item that once belonged to a loved one
  • The home that the character grew up in
  • The character's mother or father
  • A sibling or best friend
  • The name tag of the character's first pet
  • The character's current pet
  • The character's coach or commanding officer

Motivation

Very few people in the real world would ever do the things great heroes do by choice. The life of a hero is dirty, dangerous, and emotionally taxing on every level. To be willing to put oneself through that takes a very special type of person, driven by something extra. Sometimes this extra factor comes from within, such as a sense of justice or compassion, whereas sometimes they are external, like money and fame. That special something is called Motivation and are the ideals and goals that push a character forward.

Whenever a character finds themselves in a situation that challenges these motivations, they have an opportunity to dive deep into their character's psyche. Examples of such a situation would be a knight character having to confront the legally enforced suffering of innocents, such as slavery, or a samurai who is caught between his honor and his duty to his master who has ordered him to lie on his behalf. What will they do? How will they resolve it? What will be the consequences, emotionally, mentally, and physically? When a character is put into such a situation then they regain a point of spent momentum, so long as they stay in character and actively seek to solve the issue in game. This is ultimately up to the GM and the dramatic appropriateness of the tone and setting of the game.

In most games a character will only have one motivation. Some genres, however, like high fantasy, may work better with two (allowing for a paladin with Justice and Altruism, for example). This is ultimately up to the GM and the conventions of the genre.

The following chart shows some example motivations, but this list is by no means exhaustive.

Example Motivations
Motivation Types Motivation Examples
Internal Motivations Altruism, Curiosity, Faith, Fame, Glory, Greed, Justice, Nationalism, Patriotism, Responsibility, Revenge, Validation, Wanderlust
External Motivations Duty, Family, Famine, Necessity, Obligation, Plague, Religion, Revenge, Rewards, War

Flaw

The final component to the traditional hero is a weakness, something that holds them back and that they must strive to overcome. This adversity is actually the defining characteristic for many heroes, the thing that people think of first when remembering them, such as their code against killing, a secret identity, or the tragedy that drove them to vengeance.

Like everything else so far, this too is true of RPG characters. A Flaw is a dramatic pathway for the GM to make a story or situation personal, as well as for a player to add some pathos to their character's story. Similarly to the character's Motivation, a Flaw is used in play to enhance a Momentum expenditure. This requires the character to be disadvantaged by the Flaw, to have trouble or conflict arise out of it and the player staying in character and dealing with those consequences.

A classic example of this would be Hercules. The character was actually born as Alcaeus, but later took the name Hercules, as it meant Glory of Hera. Hera hated Heracles as he was one of Zeus's many bastard children, and many of his adventures were had in overcoming the hardships that Hera put in his way which included many attempts on his life and even a confusion that caused him to kill his wife and children. Hercules would not have been a legendary figure had he not had the Flaw of being hated by the queen of the gods.

This also illustrates the fact that not all Flaws are internal or personal. They only need to be a running source of conflict for the character. They do not even need to be a "negative" thing, as most people would consider it. Something like a Code Against Killing, like many superheroes would have, is a Flaw, because any villain that is not more permanently dealt with could be back to harm innocents again.

Whenever a character finds themselves in a situation stemming from their Flaw (directly or indirectly) that challenges them, they have an opportunity to focus on their character and their struggles. What will happen? What are the stakes? What toll will it have on them and their allies? When a character is put into such a situation they regain a point of spent momentum, so long as they stay in character and actively seek to solve the issue in game. This is ultimately up to the GM and the dramatic appropriateness of the tone and setting of the game.

In most games a character will only have one flaw. Some genres, however, like a gritty street-level crime story, may work better with two. This is ultimately up to the GM and the conventions of the genre.

The following list shows some example flaws, but this list is by no means exhaustive.

Example Flaws

  • Physical handicap
  • Addiction
  • Archenemy
  • Phobia
  • Wanted
  • Undercover
  • Code of conduct
  • Allergy
  • Distinctive features or mannerisms
  • Social class
  • Secret

Relationships

When making characters it is important to define not just who they are and what they can do, but who do they know. Their social situation is very important to how they develop over time. That friend in high school that turned the character onto that obscure heavy metal band may very well have ignited a major part of their personality going forward, for instance.

When making a character, they must define relationships to at least two NPCs (either of their own creation, such as family members, etc, or those that already exist), and to at least half of the adventuring troop. Once the entire troop is done there will be an intricate web of social ties that bind these characters together into a cohesive, although perhaps dysfunctional whole. This will help to ease the characters into their stories, build into them a reason to trust each other (or at least to work together).

If a player wishes to define a familial or friendship connection with another player, both parties must agree. This would count as a connection for both characters. Characters can also share relationships to the same NPCs, each counting for both characters.

Characters who seek aide or advice from their relationships get a +2 bonus on any rolls that the NPC can assist them with. In most cases this benefit will be obvious, such as "My dad has been a car mechanic for 40 years, I bet he can help us figure out what this part comes from." Other such uses are less obvious and may need to be justified, such as "I have been really stressed out, so I hang out with my brother reading comic books all afternoon, can I get a bonus to Morale recovery?" These situations are dependent upon GM discretion and genre appropriateness.

Final Details

By this point the character should be fairly well defined and have all the basics needed to fulfill the role(s) that relate to the original concept. The next steps will fill in the rest of the character sheet with ranks and other information.

First, however, it is time to give him or her a name, physical description, and history. These are, in many ways, the last details to be decided, although sometimes these details are the first bits of information a player will decide on, and be part of the character concept. For settings that exist or are mostly similar to the real world, baby name books and websites are invaluable for this type of thing. For more fantastical settings the GM should be able to point you to a list of names or other such resource.