5. ASSIGN SKILL POINTS
Based on the chosen experience level, each player has a number
of Skill points to assign to various Skills. Peruse the list of Skills on
the next page, and choose a few of them that match your character’s
theme. During this step, players choose a number of Skills, and at
least one of these Skills must be a Knowledge Skill (see Knowledge
Skills, at right).
Once you have chosen your Skills, assign your Skill points until
all of them are spent. Each Skill point assigned equals one point for
that Skill. For example, if you want a Melee Combat rating of 2, you
assign 2 of your Skill points to Melee Combat.
Each Skill chosen must be assigned a minimum of 1 point, and
the maximum value of any Skill during this step is 4.
Once all Skill points have been assigned, use the Skills list and
note which Attribute links to each Skill. This Attribute will be added to the Skill’s rating to determine the Skill Bonus, which is used in
Tests and combat.
Knowledge Skills: These Skills represent things your character
might know in-game. They can encompass a variety of subjects,
including specific languages (e.g., Swedenese, sign language),
interests (e.g., Solaris VII champions, Immortal Warrior trivia, House
Davion’s family history), or professional knowledge (e.g., ’Mech
manufacturers, yakuza culture, police procedure). Knowledge Skills
are not listed in the Skills list, so feel free to use your imagination
to create them. Check out the sample characters starting on page
84 for more examples of Knowledge Skills; feel free to use those, or
simply create one of your own.
SKILLS
Each MechWarrior: Destiny character has a unique set of Skills
that showcases the actions at which that character excels. Every Skill
has two parts: a numerical value, and the specific Attribute the Skill
is linked to. Whenever a player uses a Skill to accomplish an action,
the value of the Skill is added to the linked Attribute to determine
the base number they add to their 2D6 roll. See Rolling Dice, p. 32,
for more information.
The name and description of each Skill (see Skills List below)
provides some suggested ways in which the Skill can be applied,
but ultimately it will be up to the player, the gamemaster, and the
roleplaying group to determine the limits of what each Skill can
accomplish. Most Skills are broad enough to cover several different
options for an action, such as the Computers Skill, which can be
used to brute-force your way into a computer system, encrypt a
data file, and so on. If a player wants a given Skill to do something
that might fall slightly outside the guidelines of that Skill and there
is no other specific Skill in the Skills List that would govern the
action, the gamemaster may allow the action, perhaps by requiring
the player spend a Plot Point or take a –1 or –2 modifier to their
roll. In the end, a character is as strong—or as weak—as the plot
needs them to be, and your stories will need the same flexibility.
SKILLS LIST
The following list shows which Attributes link to which Skills
and provides some examples of actions each Skill can accomplish.
For quick reference, each Skill on a character sheet shows the
abbreviation of the linked Attribute.
STRENGTH (STR)
Athletics: Running, jumping, swimming, climbing, and
acrobatics.
Support Weapons: Heavy weapons, anti-’Mech weaponry,
exoskeleton/powered-armor weaponry.
REFLEXES (RFL)
Escape Artist: Escaping bindings, contortionism, and shaking
a tail.
Gunnery*: BattleMech, combat vehicle, and aerofighter
weaponry.
Melee Combat: Armed melee combat, unarmed melee combat,
and martial arts.
Piloting*: ’Mech and aerofighter piloting; vehicle driving.
Projectile Weapons: Bows and arrows; thrown weapons.
Small Arms: Pistols, rifles, shotguns, etc.
Stealth: Sneaking, palming, and pickpocketing.
Zero-G Operations: Extravehicular activity (EVA), zero-g
acrobatics, zero-g freefall.
*Designate BattleMech, combat vehicle, or aerospace fighter during
character creation.
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
Art: Drawing, sculpting, and forgery.
Artillery: Spotting, targeting, and firing artillery weapons.
Communications: Creating, boosting, or jamming
communications networks.
Computers: Hacking, programming, security systems, and
cryptography.
Demolitions: Rigging, placing, and disarming explosives.
Investigation: Gathering and evaluating evidence, researching,
forensics.
Knowledge Skills: Languages, interests, and career knowledge.
See page 71.
MedTech: First aid, medicine, surgery, and bionics.
Navigation: Map, compass, and GPS usage; air, ground, sea, space.
Perception: Situational awareness, noticing detail, and
determining authenticity.
Science: Biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, etc.
Tactics: Infantry, land, sea, air, and space tactics.
Technician: Diagnosing, repairing, and engineering mechanical/
electrical systems.
Tracking: Physical tracking, sensor tracking, and shadowing.
WILLPOWER (WIL)
Animal Handling: Herding, riding, and training.
Survival: Wilderness survival, wilderness navigation, and fasting.
CHARISMA (CHA)
Acting: Con artistry and performance.
Disguise: Camouflage, cosmetics, costuming, and mimicry.
Leadership: Inspiration, motivation, administration, and training.
Negotiation: Bargaining, contracts, and diplomacy.
Protocol: Proper etiquette and decorum.
Streetwise: Criminal underworld dealings and avoiding
dangerous missteps.
Intimidation: Influence, interrogation, and torture.
6. CHOOSE TRAITS
Each player must choose at least one positive Trait and one
negative Trait for their character. You may choose up to two of
each, but for each positive Trait you choose, you must also choose a
negative Trait, and vice versa.
Positive Traits can add additional bonuses to a Skill, offer a storybased perk such as an officer’s rank, and allow a myriad of other
positive gameplay bonuses. Negative Traits can impose penalties on
Tests or cause a number of other negative gameplay effects.
When choosing Traits, you can either pick one from the sample
character sheets, choose one from the list below, or you can create
one. The best Traits to choose, however, are those that fit with your
character’s theme and backstory.
To create a Trait, choose whether you want it to be positive or
negative. The maximum bonus a positive Trait can give to any one
Skill, Attribute, or other effect is +1. The maximum penalty a negative
Trait can give to any one Skill, Attribute, or other effect is –1.
POSITIVE TRAITS
Alternate ID: You live two lives. You or the GM may use this positive
Trait in the story at any time.
Animal Empathy: Animals love you, and the feeling is mutual. +1
bonus to Tests involving animals.
Attractive: People find you pleasing to the eye. +1 bonus to CHAbased Tests where physical appearance matters.
Citizenship: Citizens look favorably on other citizens. +1 bonus to
CHA-based Tests involving citizens from your faction.
Combat Sense: You are keenly aware of your surroundings in
combat. Choose when you take your Narration in the turn order
without needing to spend a Plot Point.
Connections: You know some folks with access to info, wealth,
equipment, or specific people. +1 bonus for CHA-based Tests when
interacting with your connections.
Equipped: You’ve got access to a larger stockpile of equipment than
others. Choose 1 additional Weapon OR 2 additional Inventory
items during character creation. (This Trait cannot be purchased
with XP.)
G-Tolerance: Your body is well adapted to working in situations
of high or low gravity. Ignore any situational modifiers for Tests
involving high-gravity maneuvers or zero-gravity situations.
Good Hearing: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around, you can
hear it. +1 bonus to Perception Tests involving hearing.
Good Reputation: People know you and tend to say good things
about you. +1 bonus to CHA-based Tests involving someone who
knows your character.
Good Vision: Your eyes are so sharp you can spot a ghillie-suited
sniper in the middle of a forest—at night. +1 bonus to Perception
Tests involving vision.
Pain Resistance: You can take a punch and not even feel it. Ignore
the first wound modifier on both Damage Tracks.
Poison Resistance: Your body has developed a tolerance for toxins.
Reduce by 2 any Condition Monitor damage caused by the effects
of a toxic substance.
Prosthetic: You lost a digit or limb at some point in your life, but
medical science came to the rescue. Must also take the Lost Limb
Trait. When the prosthetic is worn, it cancels the effect of Lost Limb.
Rank: You’ve climbed high enough up the chain of command to
command your own unit. Prerequisite for the rank of Captain (or
equivalent) and higher.
Sixth Sense: You have a bad feeling about this… +1 bonus to
Perception Tests to avoid being surprised or ambushed.
Tech Empathy: You were born with an innate understanding of
machines and technology. +1 bonus for any non-combat Tests
directly involving technology.
Thick-Skinned: High and low temperatures don’t bother you the
way they affect others. Ignore any situational modifiers related to
extreme heat or extreme cold.
Toughness: You’ve got skin like cured leather, and your bones are like
steel. Subtract 1 from all Physical and Fatigue Damage you receive.
(Damage to Armor pips is not reduced.)
Wealthy: You either won the lottery or were born into a well-to-do
family. +1 Hardware Points to spend during character creation. (This
Trait cannot be purchased with XP.)
NEGATIVE TRAITS
Animal Antipathy: Animals hate you, and the feeling is mutual. –1
penalty to Tests involving animals.
Bad Reputation: People know you and tend to say bad things about
you. –1 penalty to CHA-based Tests involving someone who knows
your character.
Bloodmark: You’ve got a bounty on your head, for one reason or
another. The GM may use this negative Trait in the story at any time.
Combat Paralysis: Whether due to anxiety or full-blown PTSD, you
freeze in combat every single time. Always take the last Narration
in a round, regardless of Plot Point usage.
Compulsion: Some addiction or impulse motivates you. –1 penalty
on Tests to resist your compulsion.
Dark Secret: You’ve got some deep, dark secret that would destroy
you, should it be revealed. –1 modifier to Tests for trying to keep
your secret hidden.
Dependents: You’ve got a family or someone else who actively
depends on you. The GM may use this negative Trait in the story
at any time.
Enemy: Someone is out to get you, either to ruin you, kill you, or
perhaps even both. The GM may make your nemesis appear at
any time to complicate your life.
Glass Jaw: You never quite learned how to roll with the punches.
Add 1 to all Physical and Fatigue Damage you receive.
Gremlins: You and technology do not get along. –1 penalty to any
non-combat Tests directly involving technology.
Illiterate: You never learned how to read. –2 penalty to Tests
involving written material.
In for Life: You belong to a shadowy organization, a crime syndicate,
or a secret society. The GM may use this negative Trait in the story
at any time.
Introvert: You are a wallflower, the exact opposite of the life of the
party. –1 penalty to CHA-related Tests.
Lost Limb: You are missing a limb or a digit either from birth or
due to injury and do not have a prosthetic fitted. –4 penalty to
Tests involving use of the affected appendage. The Prosthetic Trait
cancels this penalty when the prosthetic is worn.
Poor: You either grew up in modest means or have fallen on hard
times. Start with 1 Weapon, 2 Inventory items, and half (minimum
1) of your starting Hardware Points, regardless of your chosen
experience level.
Poor Hearing: If a tree falls in a forest, you probably won’t hear it
even if you’re standing right next to it. –1 penalty to Perception
Tests involving hearing.
Poor Vision: You should probably get your eyes checked. –1 penalty
to Perception Tests involving vision.
Thin-Skinned: Your body is more susceptible to the effects of
high and low temperatures. Double any modifiers related to
performing actions in extreme heat or extreme cold.
TDS—Transit Disorientation Syndrome: Some people’s systems
are not cut out for the rigors of hyperspace travel, which causes
severe disorientation and other detrimental symptoms. –2
penalty to all Tests taken within 20 minutes after a hyperspace
jump (GM’s discretion).
Unattractive: You have a face only a mother could love. –1 penalty
to CHA-based Tests where physical appearance matters.
Unlucky: You ticked off the gods of fate somehow. Whenever you
spend a point of EDG to reroll, any 6s rolled on the reroll are counted
as 1s instead.
7. CHOOSE LIFE MODULES
Life Modules represent the steps in your character’s backstory
that got them to where they are—the events of their childhood,
early adulthood, and so on. Most Life Modules convey a bonus to an
aspect of your character, and a Life Module can also serve as a Cue for
your character’s backstory, which can form the basis of a Narration.
Each Character may choose one Life Module for each of the
following four slots: Faction (based on their choice in Step 2),
Childhood, Higher Education (which is optional), and Real Life.
Like many aspects of character creation, the best Life Modules
for your character are those that fit their theme—but don’t hesitate
to add a seemingly mismatched Life Module if it might give your
character that unique feel you’re looking for.
You can add Life Modules by consulting the Life Module list
starting on p. 74.
When you choose a Life Module, choose which associated
Skill to increase (if there is more than one option), and increase
the chosen Skill rating for your character. Then choose the next
Life Module until all Life Module slots are assigned. If you do not
possess the Skill for which a Life Module provides a Skill increase,
that means you gain that Skill at a rank of 1. For example, if you take
the Farm Life Module, which gives a +1 to Animal Handling, but
you do not have the Animal Handling Skill, then you gain Animal
Handling with a rating of 1.
LIFE MODULES
0: FACTION (CHOOSE 1)
THE SUCCESSOR STATES
Capellan Confederation (House Liao)
Draconis Combine (House Kurita)
Federated Suns (House Davion)
Free Worlds League (House Marik)
Lyran Commonwealth (House Steiner)
THE PERIPHERY
Magistracy of Canopus
Outworlds Alliance
Taurian Concordat
Pirate (Bandit Kingdom)
OTHER
ComStar
Mercenary
Pirate (Independent)
Unaffiliated
1: CHILDHOOD (CHOOSE 1)
Backwoods: +1 to Tracking OR Projectile Weapons
Blue Collar: +1 to Art, Technician, OR Zero-G Operations
Mercenary Brat: +1 to Small Arms
Farm: +1 to Animal Handling
Fugitives: +1 to Escape Artist OR Disguise
Nobility: +1 to Protocol
Slave: +1 to Athletics
Spacer Family: +1 to Zero-G Operations
Street: +1 to Streetwise
War Orphan: +1 to Survival
White Collar: +1 to Protocol
2: HIGHER EDUCATION (OPTIONAL)
Technical College: +1 to Technician OR Communications
Trade School: +1 to Knowledge Skill
University: +1 to Science OR MedTech
Solaris VII Internship: +1 to Streetwise
Police Academy: +1 to Investigation OR Intimidation
Intelligence Operative Training: +1 Intimidation OR Tracking
Military Academy: +1 to Tactics OR Leadership
Military Enlistment: +1 to Support Weapons OR Artillery
Family Training: Requires the Nobility Life Module. +1 to Leadership
OR Protocol
Officer Candidate School: +1 to Tactics OR Leadership
3: REAL LIFE (CHOOSE 1)
Agitator: +1 to Melee Combat
Civilian Job: +1 to Art OR Knowledge Skill
Combat Correspondent: +1 to Perception
ComStar Service: +1 to Communications OR Computers
Covert Operations: +1 to Stealth OR Demolitions
Explorer: +1 to Navigation
Guerrilla Insurgent: +1 to Stealth OR Acting
Merchant: +1 to Negotiation
Ne’er-Do-Well: +1 to Acting
Organized Crime: +1 to Intimidation
Postgraduate Studies: +1 Science OR Technician
Solaris Insider: +1 to Negotiation
Solaris VII Games: +1 to Piloting (BattleMech) OR Gunnery
(BattleMech)
Think Tank: +1 to Science OR Knowledge Skill
Tour of Duty: Requires one of the following Life Modules: Military
Enlistment, Military Academy, Family Training, or Officer Candidate
School. +1 to one of the following: Artillery, Gunnery, Melee
Combat, Piloting, Projectile Weapons, Small Arms, Support
Weapons
To Serve and Protect: Requires Police Academy Life Module. +1 to
Small Arms OR Intimidation
Travel: +1 to any Skill (excluding Artillery, Gunnery, Piloting, or
Support Weapons)
