Designing Unique Characters in a Science Fiction Universe (part 4)

If you're having trouble deciding on how to make your character interesting and unique, there are options in our “Character Creation” chapter that might stimulate some ideas. Physiques and Personalities are traits you can choose for your character, and both of these have small, in-game bonuses and consequences. For instance, if you choose the “Good-Looking” physique, you'll have a bonus for persuasion attempts, but a penalty for stealth attempts to blend into a crowd (because you stand out so much!) This alone could spawn ideas for an interesting character—maybe your female Reln is so attractive that she draws attention wherever she goes, but she actually has low self-esteem, is an introvert, and doesn't like being noticed. Of course, the personality traits that are presented in the rules also can provide an excellent springboard for designing a fun character. For instance, your character could be a prankster, have a phobia, or be totally clumsy. How this plays out in the game could be very defining for your character. Maybe as a prankster, you've gone too far and made some enemies that are looking for revenge? Or perhaps your phobia has prevented you from living a normal life? What if your clumsiness has people avoiding you because you seem to have “bad luck?” Any number of creative designs can emerge for your character, and the physiques and personality traits in the game rules are a great starting point.