Rules Only: Character Creation Question

[hdan]

I'm having trouble understanding how to build T20 characters who serve in one of the "service careers" for their prior service. The example unfortunately uses a core class (Rogue) for everything.

So, when I first create a character who is destined for, say, the Army, what class do I take my first level in? Army, or the core class I will eventually enter?

Also, I assume my class skills are whatever my homeworld made available to me combined with whichever class I'm taking a level in, but I have to actually spend ranks to get those skills, right?

I've made Pathfinder characters before with the aid of software, but I'm a little shaky on manual d20 character creation. (Don't suppose there's a HeroLab T20 module...)

 

[aramis]

I'm having trouble understanding how to build T20 characters who serve in one of the "service careers" for their prior service. The example unfortunately uses a core class (Rogue) for everything.

So, when I first create a character who is destined for, say, the Army, what class do I take my first level in? Army, or the core class I will eventually enter?

Either.

Once in the Army, he can only take Army levels until Army is the highest level class (it can be tied), at which point he can take levels in new classes. If, at any point after tieing for highest, he has more class levels in a different class, he's done.

Also, I assume my class skills are whatever my homeworld made available to me combined with whichever class I'm taking a level in, but I have to actually spend ranks to get those skills, right?

Yep.

 

[hdan]

Thanks. I *think* I get it now. T20's quite a change from the Travellers (or D&Ds) I'm used to.

So I can start off in the Army (say), and I'll take my first level in that class, with all feats and skills selected from the Army list. Or I can start off in any core class (building my 1st level stats from that class), and immediately join the Army to gain experience, though I'll need to take levels of Army any time I level up while in the Army.

I need to sit down and try again to make a character to be sure I have it before I consider trying to talk my gaming group into playing T20. (I did a CT game with them, but a few players were not at peace with the CT rules. I think d20 is more their comfort zone, and frankly I do like the looks of T20....)