Gamemaster Characters

As a gamemaster, one of the most enjoyable—and challenging—responsibilities is populating your adventures. Each adventure will have its own flavor and its own original cast of characters, all created by you.

For the players, giving life to their character is reasonably simple. With only one or two characters to flesh out, the players will have their character conceptions well charted rather early.

The gamemaster, on the other hand, has the task of filling out the rest of the universe. At first, this may seem difficult, but with the proper techniques the challenge becomes easier to handle—and very rewarding.

The driving force behind many adventures, and most campaigns, is the gamemaster characters. These characters can range from the simple Rebel soldier intent on doing his duty, to the master villain plotting the overthrow of the Republic and dogging the player characters’ heels from adventure to adventure.

To give life to these characters and make them memorable is one of the most enjoyable parts of gamemastering and roleplaying. When designing characters, the first issue is how important the character will be to the adventure.

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Chapter Fifteen: Record-Keeping

After a few gaming sessions, the number of gamemaster characters you have created will make it difficult to keep their individual personalities and abilities straight. Their personalities and attitudes will probably start to blur in your memory.

This is where record-keeping comes in: if you have a log of each important gamemaster character and continually update it as the character is used in an adventure, you’ll find it easy to make sure you are properly playing the characters.

Logs by importance

Unimportant characters: use a smaller log. Most of the time, you only need: • significant skills • a couple of personality traits that let you quickly get into character

Important characters: use an expanded log with room for: • background • personality • objectives • notes you add as the character reappears in your adventures

If the character is just an “extra” (someone present for atmosphere or scenery, rather than an important personality), character creation is quick. Often it’s enough to determine: • appearance • what the character will do in the scene • the character’s most important skills

If the character is going to be important—such as a major villain, someone the player characters will interact with throughout an adventure, or someone who drives the plot “behind the scenes”—then the character requires more work.

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Example Introduction

When you walk into the cantina, the first thing you notice is the Wookiee. Lurking near the door, he is tall, shaggy, and smells of a few too many Dentarian Ripples. You’re probably better off giving the hulking brute a wide berth.

A few steps deeper into the bar and you finally spot the man you are here to see: D’Voras Brin, smuggler extraordinaire.

Brin’s demeanor gives you chills. The bearded, black-clad trader is definitely ready for any hint of trouble. The specially modified holster on Brin’s hip is designed to allow for a fast draw of what looks like a pared-down repeating blaster unit that was somehow crammed into the frame of a blaster pistol. It looks like it makes big holes in things.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

With that small read-aloud, two gamemaster characters have already been introduced: • The Wookiee at the bar is only barely mentioned. At this point, he needs only a small amount of work. • D’Voras Brin, on the other hand, is much more important and requires more preparation and attention.

The development of D’Voras Brin and the unknown Wookiee will help illustrate ways to give gamemaster characters more depth and meaning.

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Character Conception

One of the best starting points for gamemaster character creation is developing a history and background for the character. There are some important questions that should be answered to define a character and begin the creation process.

The first is the character’s conception and role in the campaign. When you devise a character—whether it’s a minor character to help the players and advance the storyline, or a major villain—you should define the basic conception and leave room for the character to grow in future adventures.

Will this character be: • a minor villain who shows up occasionally to make life difficult, or • the major villain driving the storyline ever forward, like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine?

Gamemaster characters can also be set up to aid the players on a short-term basis, much like Lando Calrissian or Yoda.

In the cases of Lando and Darth Vader, the characters grow and mature as the story progresses. In The Empire Strikes Back, Lando is a shadowy scoundrel and a friend from Han’s past who can’t be trusted. Lando is then forced to turn over Han to the Empire, and after helping with Han’s rescue, vows revenge on the Empire and actively leads the space assault on the second Death Star.

Darth Vader goes from a menacing, seemingly irredeemable villain to a tragic figure: the fallen Jedi turned to evil, who returns to the light side of the Force at the moment of truth, redeeming himself and saving his son and the Rebel Alliance.

Thinking in movie terms

The easiest way to think of characters is in movie terms: • Extras are gamemaster characters with only a little development: cannon-fodder villains like stormtroopers, most of the aliens in the cantina, the Rebel soldiers at Hoth. • Supporting characters are minor characters who contribute to an adventure and need more development, but don’t require complete details. Examples: Grand Moff Tarkin, Lobot, Bib Fortuna. • Lead characters are major contributors to the story, almost as important as the player characters. These need complete game stats, fleshed-out personalities, objectives, and detailed backgrounds. Examples: Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Lando Calrissian, Jabba the Hutt.

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Extras

For extras, development simply requires using a character template (or creating base attributes, skills, and species). One or two lines on behavior and appearance are enough.

An Imperial stormtrooper need not be more than a notation of appropriate attributes, skills, and equipment, plus notes on actions and objectives in the adventure.

Because these characters are “extras,” motives are straightforward: capturing Rebel spies, keeping order in Jabba’s palace, getting the best price when buying Luke’s landspeeder, and so forth.

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Supporting Characters

Supporting characters require a more detailed conception. These characters are more individualized and have more personalized objectives. They usually take a minor role in an adventure: • very important to a single scene, or • recurring throughout an adventure without doing anything too significant

When devising a supporting character, consider their impact and role. Do they have Force skills? Are they a mercenary for hire? A pilot desperate for someone to fund a trip off-world?

Supporting characters frequently provide: • information • equipment • limited assistance

They can also be intermediary foes—between standard troops and the major villains. A Moff’s assistant who sets a trap is a good example.

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Lead Characters

Lead characters take an active part in an adventure, either: • making a major difference in several scenes, or • participating throughout the adventure and taking at least one vital action

A lead might be a trusty retainer who sacrifices himself, or a slicer who circumvents a security code to get the characters into a top-secret Imperial base.

Major villains are often lead characters, but neutral characters can be “leads” as well. A smuggler might keep showing up and change how the story resolves—not by helping the characters, but by hindering the Imperials for personal reasons.

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The Capsule

Once you’ve decided how important a character is, it’s time to conceptualize them and put basic information on paper. The easiest way is the capsule: a verbal snapshot that lets you instantly understand and play the character.

A capsule can include motives, objectives, personality, history, appearance, and distinctive mannerisms.

Capsule examples

•	Lennar is a small-time con man and hired gun. This mangy, scarred Human considers himself a ladies’ man, but the truth is that he is repulsive, overbearing, and generally incompetent.
•	Cross a Sullustan smuggler with the scavenging instincts of a Jawa and you’ll get Byun Tenab. He’s a skilled pilot who knows his way around spaceports, but venturing onto his rubbish-filled ship will test anyone’s tolerance—except maybe a Squib. His advice not to go “exploring” on his ship shouldn’t be taken lightly.
•	Imperial Governor Defaris Muslo is a cunning and cruel manipulator. He hates the Rebel Alliance, blaming the Rebels for the death of his beautiful daughter Marna. What Defaris doesn’t know is that she was a Rebel operative who died at the hands of an Imperial torture droid. Defaris constructs elaborate traps to corner Rebel operatives. He is unaware that Imperial Intelligence suspects him of being a Rebel operative because of his daughter’s actions; he is targeted for assassination.

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Building the Capsule

Now that you’re familiar with capsule descriptions, here are the details that go into them.

Background

Where a character came from and what they have experienced gives insight into what they think and feel. • Was the character raised on a small farming planet, or on a dense, high-tech world? • Did they grow up with ease, or crisis after crisis? • What was their family like?

Family life and youth strongly influence values and beliefs. Someone raised in a close-knit, honorable family will see life differently than someone orphaned and raised among pirates.

Motivations become clearer once background is known. Someone whose family was killed by the Empire may seek revenge. A smuggler trapped in a desk job might do anything to get back into space.

Background is useful, but you don’t need a fully detailed history for every character. Broad strokes are fine, and you can add details as needed.

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Returning to Brin and the Wookiee

The gamemaster has set up the plot so that the player character hero, Stannik Nhaa, a young Rebel trooper, needs to get off-world quickly and quietly. Stannik has heard the smuggler D’Voras Brin can get anything or anyone anywhere in the sector—for a price.

The gamemaster decides Brin is a Human, about two meters tall, with long dark hair, an unkempt mustache and beard. He dresses in blacks and deep reds and keeps his face hidden most of the time with a hooded cloak. The most apparent thing about Brin is his heavily modified blaster and holster, both designed for a quick draw and a nasty punch—a warning to those who would cross him.

Brin has connections on both sides: he’ll work for either the Empire or the Rebellion, and it doesn’t matter as long as the money’s good. He is slow to anger, but never forgets a slight.

The Wookiee, named Gaartatha, is looking for help. His last partner was hauled away by an Imperial press gang seeking slaves for a distant work colony. Gaartatha barely escaped. Now he mourns the loss of his companion, drinks heavily, and searches for any lead that might help rescue his friend. He can’t do it alone, so he watches for an opportunity to find aid.

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Physical Description

One of the easiest ways to distinguish a gamemaster character is to give them an unusual and distinctive appearance. Use detailed adjectives to communicate qualities. A character with “smooth, shiny blackish-brown skin with sparkling brown eyes” is more vivid than one described in plain terms.

Consider: • species • skin, hair, and eye color • weight and build • body language • distinguishing marks (scars, tattoos, etc.)

Dress and possessions

Dress matters, too. Clothing communicates personality and culture: • Jedi robes (Obi-Wan) • Han’s vest and casual holster • Luke’s loose-sleeved tunics

Let your characters vary in style. People customize cultural norms to reflect their own tastes.

Equipment and personal possessions also reflect personality. This goes beyond weapons: • a “lucky charm” (a glazed rock strapped to the wrist) • trophies like Wookiee scalps (intimidation and reputation)

Outer trappings provide depth, not just tools.

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Personality

After history and “look,” decide how the character acts.

In general: • witty? flirtatious? dour? withdrawn? distracted?

Add distinct traits: tells bad jokes, complains about every slight, self-centered—these separate one NPC from another.

In specific conditions: • calm under pressure, or panics? • quick to fight, or avoids conflict? • blames others when things go wrong?

Look to people you know, real personalities, and fiction. Realistic characters are complex and not entirely predictable.

Speech mannerisms

A notable speech mannerism can make an NPC memorable: • lisp • high squeaky voice • peculiar accent

Planets can imply accent differences. Imperial soldiers often seem to have crisp “Core Worlds” diction; aliens may have unusual patterns. (Yoda is instantly recognizable.)

If you use voices, practice enough to stay consistent.

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Contacts and Resources

Few characters are isolated. Most have friends, family, and associates.

Major villains can draw on vast resources—including other NPCs—to distract, injure, or delay the player characters while the villain’s plot unfolds.

Like Vader using stormtroopers, officers, and bounty hunters, an effective villain avoids direct confrontation until the time is ripe—or until lackeys fail.

Beginning gamemasters often make the mistake of sending the villain directly into battle. Instead, whittle the characters down with lackeys, traps, and lesser villains so the main villain has a fair chance.

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Growth

Gamemaster characters should grow and change just as player characters do. They should not stagnate.

Over time, their: • ideals • objectives • loyalties • attitudes

can shift.

A character who first seems like an ally may later be revealed as an Imperial spy. Another may incur crushing debt and sell out friends. Another may avoid the party because they believe (rightly or wrongly) that the players betrayed them.

Long-term goals help you understand how the character fits the story and interacts with the party.

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Game Statistics

This final step is important, but remember: players want an interesting person, not just numbers.

Game statistics must fit: • the character’s background • the abilities of the player characters • “average” skill levels in the Star Wars universe

Villains need enough combat and non-combat ability to challenge the party. Specialists should have the skills their jobs demand.

Skills should reflect background and experience. Don’t add a skill just because it seems cool—ask whether it makes sense.

One or two unusual skills can add flavor. Luke is a Jedi and pilot, but also knows moisture farming and droid repair—his roots show in his skills.

High opposing skills can force players to adapt and use abilities they normally ignore.

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Using Templates

Templates are a great shortcut for quick NPC creation. • For a player-character-level individual: use the same attributes and assign as many skill dice as needed. • For an average-level character: subtract one die from each attribute and assign skills as needed.

For aliens, subtracting one die may drop below species minimums; for quick play, that’s usually fine. For important characters, use the more detailed approach.

If a template doesn’t fit, write a new template: allocate the species’ attribute dice as you like, staying at or above minimums. If you have time, you can refine it into a player-usable template.

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Assigning Dice

When distributing skills, match them to what the character is supposed to be. A pilot should have strong piloting skills in the ship they fly. Skill levels should also match the character’s “level” (as discussed in your system).

Avoid making every NPC type identical. Just as real people differ, so should pirates, Rebels, smugglers, and Star Destroyer captains.

There are two standards you can apply: • the “universe” standard (how the NPC compares to the wider galaxy) • the “character” standard (how challenging the NPC should be to the player characters)

Balancing (approximate)

No balance system is perfect. Attributes, skills, special abilities, Force powers, Character Points, and equipment vary too much. Use these as guidelines: • Compare only relevant skills (combat vs. bargaining vs. slicing, etc.). • Count attribute dice (e.g., Dex 2D + Know 3D + Mech 2D + Per 4D + Str 3D + Tech 3D = 17D). • Count skill dice only above the attribute (Dex 3D, blaster 5D counts as +2D). • Convert pips: +3 = 1D. • Specializations: count only dice above the base skill (blaster 5D, blaster pistol 8D counts as +3D). • Special ability bonuses: count the bonus dice. • Force skills: count as double comparable skill dice (due to breadth of Force powers). • 5 Character Points = 1D. • Each Force Point = 1D. • Equipment dice are optional; permanent weapons count normally, expendables can be approximated (e.g., 5D damage ≈ 1D for balance purposes). • Don’t include starships/vehicles in this system. • Gamemaster characters can earn Character/Force Points through actions and “doing their jobs,” though less dangerous actions yield fewer points.

The Universe Standard

With the universe standard, you rate characters based on how they compare to other characters in the Star Wars universe and how experienced they are.

This is a comparison of skill levels using the die system in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. Use the chart below.

Die Code Descriptions

Character Levels

By using the Universe Standard, and the die ranges below, you can rate characters by relative levels of experience.

Note: The die values listed here are intended to include all attribute dice, skill dice, and dice equivalents of Force Points, Character Points, and Special Abilities.

Experience Tiers

Average This character is truly average and has probably only had one or two “adventures” in their lifetime, if any. Up to 20 dice

Novice This character is a little better than average and is about the maximum reasonable skill level for characters with average attributes (12D attribute range). Beginning player characters (18 attribute dice, 7 skill dice, and 1 die for the one Force Point, totaling 26 dice) are in this range. Up to 35 dice

Veteran More experienced than a novice. Likely very good at a few key skills, but weak in others. 36 to 75 dice

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Character Levels and Types

Are the character types (extras, supporting characters, and lead characters) directly related to the number of dice they get?

Sometimes.

For example, most extras will qualify as Average or Novice. However, there are times when a character is an extra—just a walk-on in an adventure—but still has a lot of experience and a high number of dice. The character is important in the universe, but isn’t important to the specific plot being run.

The “paradox” comes from the fact that the die system ranks experience and ability relative to the wider Star Wars universe. It’s entirely possible for the characters to meet a very dangerous bounty hunter who isn’t central to the adventure’s plot.

These guidelines are just that—guidelines—and can be altered and tinkered with as you see fit.

| Superior | This character has had a great deal of experience and will probably present a formidable challenge. | 76 to 150 dice | | Master | An almost unbelievable level of mastery and experience—reserved for characters with the capabilities of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Darth Vader. | More than 150 dice |

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The Character Standard

This system is geared toward balancing gamemaster characters versus the abilities of the player characters.

For best results, compare the relevant skills in a particular scene—combat, interaction, knowledge, piloting, or technical—directly against each other. • To compare characters as a whole, use Total Dice. • To compare on a skill-for-skill basis, use Specific Skill. • All numbers are relative to the player characters.

Challenge Levels

Advancing Skills

As a gamemaster character goes through various adventures, they should receive Character Points and Force Points the same way player characters do. This allows the character to add new skills and improve existing ones in a fair and consistent manner.

Most player characters will be involved in more dangerous situations than most gamemaster characters, and therefore will usually gain more Character Points.

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Source: REUP: 263