"Signing Bonuses"

[Zarm R'keeg]

As an OT junkie that's also trying to give the adventures an OT flavor, sometimes I will give my characters 'signing bonuses' (a.k.a. bribes, I guess... ) to incentivize the selection of an OT alien- for instance, new player X is trying to decide what kind of species they're going to be- if they're not picking a Human, I may offer them "An extra 1D to add to initial skills at character creation if you pick a species from Jabba's Palace" or the like. I think this keeps things fun- exploring the various species and creatures that we grew up with, not the (to me) mostly bland dime-a-dozen species thrown into new EU... but I am wondering if this is a little TOO much of an initial incentive to hand to a player just for 'OT flavoring'?

Also, how to you tend to handle attribute/skill trade-offs for built-in 'superpowers'? For instance, a character wants to play a species with sharp claws, no problem- same number of attribute dice to distribute around, and the claws are just a kind of 'equipment' (possibly to be compensated for by less equipment- I usually start beginning characters with 2 pieces of equipment- for instance, one blaster & 2D-hundred credits, or a blaster rifle and macrobinoculars, etc.). No sweat. But where do you draw the line for built in species powers? A Givin, for instance- the ability to seal off the body from vacuum. Or species with regenerative abilities. Defel light-warping abilities. These kind of things seem like they should come with a D or 2 less in attributes to compensate for these majorly-impactful abilities. What about the area in-between? What line do you tend to draw between species' built-in abilities being just sort of a 'gimme' (sharp teeth, good in cold environments, infared vision/keen eyesight, etc.) vs. something that actually requires a stats 'trade-in' to compensate for?
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Hard core OT, all the way!

[Downstrike]

Zarm,

I guess my big plug for starting characters is that they have to try to fit in and work together. Someone wants to play the lone Merc who doesn’t like being around other people is going to have a great career doing something other than my adventure.

Otherwise there is next to nothing published that I can’t take away at a later time.

You gave someone big nasty claws and you are starting to regret it, have a light saber take a paw. Not both, just enough to scare them about where they put their hands.

Regeneration got you down? Have them pick up a fungus which weakens them in other ways like reducing STR for the soak rolls. Once again not to kill but definitely to scare. Things like Poison Oak are made worse by strong immune systems so have everyone come down with a slight contact dermatitis and in a day, the same system that heals them faster then everyone else makes them one big open sore or oozing pus!

Species stuff really got you down? Find the toughest most problematic race [the one that just screams munchkin dream] and have the whole group play that one species. Then put them is rolls that rarely uses whatever is the min max problems stuff.

Too much skill? Have it where they are being sought out by people who need there help all the time or want to challenge them. Think old west type stuff where the poor village needs whatever skill the player is “known for” and all they can pay with is gratitude. In the same western vein, “I hear yer pretty fast with a blaster there pard-ner? Why dowun ya show me how fast?”

Skill thing still not workin for you. Put them in situations where they don’t get to use the skill. Last night I ran a game where the only two shots fired were on stun to shut up a guy at point blank who they were trying to hide.

Lastly, I let starting equipment changes come out of back story. Playing a noble…you bet you have a nice blaster pistol with fire control, your choice color of bolt and pearl handles; but no, you wouldn’t dare have the brute heavy blaster version. Playing someone who has lost everything…I give them a bunch of contacts [which I ripped off from Shadowrun and the like] or some freebee streetwise for the area they live.

So I guess what I’m saying is I agree with you on game balance and some of the things being a little unfair but I just don’t sweat the numbers that much.

Cheers and glad at see ya onboard.

[Fallon Kell]

Givin, Defel, and many others are already statted. Almost all "superpowers" are analogous to some form of equipment or other, so the device that best reflects the power is a good starting point.
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Or that excessively long "Noooooooooo" was the Whining Side of the Force leaving him. - Dustflier

Complete Starship Construction System

[Raven Redstar]

The only bribes I offer my players are for well thought character histories, character motivations, enemies, friends, and lovers. I usually give a bonus in either free skill dice, or character points. I do not however let someone create a character that has "35 years of combat expertise, so they should get a 7D+ in combat skills."

I'm careful with giving away starting equipment, I don't like to give the non-blaster head character a T-6 thunderer because his starting cash allowed for it. Even for the laser-brain characters, I try to keep weaponry "reasonable." I really dislike giving players droids or other things that they can use to cover their obvious dump stats or lack of dice so that they're able to solo-play through my adventures.

As for alien races, I tend to be relatively liberal as long as I feel the player can role play the character effectively. I will offer up suggestions for races that will best suit the player's desired job or role in the group.
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RR
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[garhkal]

[Raven Redstar]

I know, but for some of the more long lived species, 35 years is a drop in the bucket. What if I played a Feeorin who live for 400 years? I could get a boatload of CP for making one who is getting in the 300s. That was the only point I was trying to make. Feeorins also become stronger and faster the closer to the end of their lifespan.

*Rough calculations come to 142 cp for making a Feeorin around 300.*

In one of my games I was going to run, the group's combat specialist was a Feeorin merc who was very young, but still relatively experienced.
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RR
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[Bren]

Rather than encouraging any particular mix of species, I'm more concerned with how the characters will get along as a group. I don't try to balance what species benefits a PC has nor what equipment starting PCs get. Some PCs need more equipment for their background. As long as (a) the PC seems like a fit for the group (b) the background seems interesting and playable, and (c) the whole thing doesn't seem like some munchkin dream - I'll allow it.

We typically spend some time (sometimes a lot of time) discussing how the characters will fit before we start play. It seems to help ensure we end up with a group that makes sense and is dramatically interesting without being broken.

[Zarm R'keeg]

[garhkal]