Design Monologue 18: Classes and Roles

Classless, but with a head start.

Race->Bloodline->Ancestry->Career->Specialization

Bloodline and ancestry are kind of the same, so we'll merge those. I've never liked the term "race", and it's doubly bad in a game featuring real humans from Earth, so we'll just call it "Homeworld".

For example:

• Homeworld: Koruun
• Ancestry: Clan Lords
• Career: Privateer
• Specialization: Ship Command

• Homeworld: Greenworld
• Ancestry: Scientists
• Career: Military
• Specialization: Fighter Jock

• Homeworld: Abel
• Ancestry: Empaths
• Career: Psi Ops
• Specialization: Stealth

Homeworld

Grants "racial" abilities, such as attribute modifiers, perception, etc.

Ancestry

Grants talents, which are skills you find easier to improve.

Career

Grants a boatload of skills, covering most of the bases, with some emphasis on one area.

Specialization

Grants a large bonus to a few skills.

The combination of skills and equipment means everything. There's always a bigger gun, but skill makes the difference when dueling with equal weapons. Skill matters most in the long-term for the achievement of goals.

Intro to Skills

Skills fall into three categories: primary skill, secondary skill, and certification (or "cert").

You can only train one primary skill at a time. You choose what skill you are working on (assuming you meet the prereqs), and apply 100% of XP earned toward that skill until you pass a threshold.

You can train 0-3 secondary skills at a time. You choose the skills you are working on (prereqs blah blah etc), and apply another 100% of XP earned, divided equally, toward the secondary skills.

Certs you can buy at any time with XP, provided you meet the prereqs.

Think of primary skills as things you can do, secondary skills as things that help you do it, and certs as proficiencies for specific equipment.

Primary Skills

Piloting

All to do with running a ship, whether large or small. Has various secondary skills for different classes of ship, different subsystems, etc. Each intersection of ship style and class has a cert; for example, "Korrunite Cruiser" or "Foundation Battleship".

Engineering

The ability to make things. In a world of nanotechnology, it is quite possible to craft useful items in an adventuring timeframe. It requires raw materials, tools (nanomachines), an understanding of the governing engineering principles, and the ability to program the nanomachines. It ain't easy, but it's damn useful. Many secondary skills in this track are very useful on board a ship.

Weapons

The care, maintenance, and, of course, use of weapons of various sizes. Primary skills focus on target acquisition, fire control, and accuracy. Secondary skills and certs allow access to the broad range of weapons in Homeworlds.

Defense

Covers everything from defensive flying to avoiding fire in ground combat, and a smattering of hand-to-hand combat and self-defense techniques.

Computing

Computer know-how. These skills are useful for sensor use, electronic warfare, hacking, and "Second Life" tasks.

Social

A wide range of skills which makes the difference between a has-been second-rate pirate and beaming, beloved hero of the people. Without the social grace to survive in the DMZ, most adventurers don't last long.