Now is the time to decide what your character can actually do. First we begin with the simplest element, that of your character's background. The other character Advantages—Weapons and Mechanisms—are slightly more complex, and are covered in the subsequent chapters.
A character's background is the elements from her past which shape her present. Backgrounds cannot be purchased with experience points after a character is created, but are dictated by the play of the game itself. You have five starting points to spend on Backgrounds.
Allies
People who are loyal to you: one ally for each point you spend on this background. Allies who are part of a character's own unit, of course, do not have to be purchased, unless they are extremely loyal and have known this Cybertron for some time. Spending a large amount of points in this Background can also mean a very important ally, like a general. Most often, Allies are people who have some influence in their geographic area, or political field.
1 One Ally of moderate influence.
2 Two Allies of moderate influence.
3 Three Allies, one of which is well-respected.
4 Four Allies, one of which is very well-known.
5 Five Allies, one of which has a large following.
Computer
The Computer Background, unlike the computer skill, is the rating assigned to the computer that the Cybertron personally owns. Central base computers also have a rating from one to five, as below, but this Background is not purchased for these computers, only a private computer. Many Cybertron citizens do not bother to own their own computers, since the government provides the needed access...however, if the computer is someone else's besides your own, it's public property. See Computer Learning in Chapter Six for more information on how to utilize computer contact.
1 Low-level, wimpy computer: A lap-top.
2 Government-approved computer stored in a Cybertron home.
3 Central base computer: computer on the Axalon.
4 Greatly important computer.
5 Computer at a great base or outpost: Teletran One.
Contacts
Sometimes it isn't what you know, but who. Contacts differ from allies in that they are not always loyal; sometimes they require manipulation. However, contacts are always in a place of advantage. Spend one point in this Background for every Major Contact the character will have, anywhere in the universe. A character who spends points in this Background also has several Minor Contacts; rolling this rating will determine whether or not these Contacts could be...(er...) contacted. Players should develop their Major Contacts as characters, and also be willing to state exactly where the Major and Minor Contacts are located.
1 One Major Contact; a few Minor Contacts in a small location.
2 Two Major Contacts; several Minor Contacts in several areas.
3 Three Major Contacts; Minor Contacts in more than one colony.
4 Four Major Contacts; Minor Contacts with a good geographic spread.
5 Five Major Contacts; Minor Contacts in about every nook and cranny.
Devices
Some Cybertrons, in their journeys, can encounter extremely rare items used during the Great War. Others simply have been protoformed with practical mechanical objects to aid them. Spend points here to start a character with a certain type of device: at lower levels, a useful gizmo, at higher levels, possibly a one-of-a-kind treasure.
1 One Level One Device
2 One Level Two Device, or two Level One Devices.
3 Three Level One Devices, one Level One Device and one Level Two Device, or one Level Three Device
4 One Level Four Device or combination of Devices adding up to four
5 One Level Five Device or combination of Devices adding up to five
Generation
Points spent here are used to alter the starting mode of the Cybertron. A Transformer who spends no points in the Generation background automatically defaults to the standard Cyberorganic Beast.
1 Fuzor
2 Transmetal
3 Transmetal Fuzor
4 Transmetal II
5 Optimal
Mentor
One or more important people who guide the Cybertron. A Mentor can be just about anyone.perhaps a Cybertron's original creator, perhaps a commanding officer from his unit in the army. A powerful mentor may be more than one person (perhaps this character knew the Maximal Elders personally!). Mentors provide guidance, knowledge, and assistance, though there are times they may ask for something in return.
1 A "father-figure" the character can look up to.
2 A parental figure with some rank and influence.
3 A high-ranking mentor with a great deal of respect.
4 A mentor with an amazing store of knowledge and wisdom.
5 A powerful, knowledgeable, ancient mentor, perhaps still alive from the Great War.
Past Spark
Cybertrons believe that, upon a return to the Matrix, all become one. A Cybertron well-tuned to the Matrix may be able to access the data files of earlier sparks. A character's Past Spark may refer to their tuning to the collective mind in general, but more likely consists of one or several special bonds with Cybertron ancestors in the Matrix. A Cybertron with this Background may utilize his ancestor or ancestors' knowledge once per session by rolling this Background at a difficulty of eight. Each success allows him to add one to the dice pool of an Ability or create a dice pool for an Ability he does not have. This effect lasts for only one scene. Botching this roll is very unfortunate, for it may indicate that the Cybertron is possessed by the ancient spark, or is bombarded with information as the entire Matrix contacts him at once.
1 A hazy dream or two, perhaps, of the Great War.
2 You remember a few famous figures as if you actually knew them.
3 A special connection with one particular ancestor, or with a few minor ones.
4 An ancestor speaks to you clearly when you are in need.
5 You understand the concept of "All Are One."
Procedures
How many different Procedures and of what level the Cybertron begins with. Does not effect learning new Procedures, only those which the Cybertron will already know.
1 One Level One Procedure
2 One Level Two Procedure, or two Level One Procedures
3 Three Level One Procedures, one Level One Procedure and one Level Two Procedure, or one Level Three Procedure
4 One Level Four Procedure or combination of Procedures adding up to four
5 One Level Five Procedure or combination of Procedures adding up to five
Pure Design
Stands for a physical resemblance of this character's design to the design of an infamous hero from their respective Protoform background or Alliance. A higher rating of Pure Design will cause some instant respect among certain Cybertrons. However, it may impede a change of alliance, since some groups of Predacons will not abide by a suspected Autobot in their ranks, and vice versa. When choosing a high level of Pure Design, it is recommended to also choose the ancient Cybertron this character resembles. In some situations, the Pure Design rating can be added to the dice pools for social rolls involving other Cybertrons. (Against those of opposite alignment, it may very well be taken away!)
1 Slight resemblance to Autobot or Decepticon ancestry.
2 Better resemblance, possibility of specific resemblance to minor hero.
3 Very familiar countenance, personality, or voice.
4 Practically a screen out of the history files.
5 "Hey...aren't you Optimus Prime?"
Rank
In war, some players are more respected than others. This Background is just how respected. Those who spend no points are assumed to be a normal citizen, or of low rank in an army. (Maximals have different terms than the Predacon terms used below; adjust accordingly.) Cybertrons of high rank enjoy lower difficulties when ordering around subordinates (at least, the loyal ones).
1 Cadet
2 Lieutenant
3 Sub-commander
4 Commander
5 General
Resources
Affluence in terms of amassed wealth, allowance, and other material possessions. Means more on Cybertron than on a war-torn faraway planet, though wealth does sometimes entail an amount of respect. Resources can also include things like ships, homes, and influence. Interestingly enough, Maximals place less emphasis on this factor than Predacons do, as their society is by and large socialist, and the economy is kept as evenly distributed as logically possible. Those Predacons that are poor have next to nothing; the rich Predacons have it all.
1 Small savings: a little land vehicle, a place of your own on the home planet.
2 Middle class: money from a steady line of work, good credit, maybe even a small ship.
3 Savings: good job, nice dwellings.
4 Well-off: lavish home, quick ship.
5 Very wealthy: You own your own galaxy-class starship; you can buy anything you desire.
Size
This Background determines the character's height and weight as positioned on the Size Class scale. A character who spends no points in this Background is of the Normal size class. Other points can purchase extra levels of mass:
1 Deluxe
2 Mega
3 Ultra
4 Super
5 Giga
You will be given twelve points to spend on your character's weapons, and eight points to spend on her Mechanisms. Choose Weapons and Mechanisms that fit your character's concept and current Abilities. When choosing Mechanisms, be sure to only choose those Mechanisms for which you already have the Required Ability or Attribute skill.
Now's the time to add any details you may have forgotten while you were dabbling in numbers. How did your character get involved in her unit? How does she express her alliance? How does she feel about all the other characters?
Record your character's Spark, which is based on Generation; her Willpower, which is based on Protoform; and beginning Energon, which is 10. Your character will always start with a maximum Energon Pool of 10; freebie points can be spent to increase this.
This is also the time that you can use freebie points to purchase additions to the character, such as Merits and Flaws. A complete listing of these is found in Chapter Six. Use freebie points to purchase Merits; use Flaws to gain extra freebie points. There is a limit of seven points that can be gained by adding Flaws to a character, so don't load a character down with Flaws simply to stock up on power in other categories. Use Merits and Flaws more as an avenue for roleplay than as a method of getting power. If none of the Merits or Flaws interest you, skip them completely.
Freebie points can also be used to add extra Weapons, Backgrounds, and Mechanisms. Here is the complete conversion chart for freebie points:
Attributes: 5 per dot
Abilities: 2 per dot
Backgrounds: 1 per dot
Weapons: 1 per weapon point
Mechanisms: 3 per dot
Spark: 2 per dot
Energon:1 per added slot
Willpower: 1 per dot
Extra forms (Optimal only): 5 per added form
Spark powers (Transmetal II): 1 per dot, maximum of Spark rating
Spark powers (Optimal): 2 per dot, maximum of Spark rating
Previous Part: Getting Started, Attributes, Abilities
Part III: Sample Character Generations