Firefly characters in MGT terms...

[Poppyseed45]

...or my attempt forthwith.

In any case, here are just some ideas looking at careers from the corebook. I won't do character writeups, just wondering how these characters would look in terms of the careers they'd need to get the skills they seem to have in the show and movie. One caveat here is that no one seems to be an expert particularly in anything, but they seem pretty good in one or two things. Also, using Wikipedia for ages.

Mal: 1 term colonist, 2 terms army (I'm assuming he got a special event in one of them to get him up to sergeant in 2 terms), 1 term Free Trader.

Zoe: 1 term worker, 2 terms army, 1 term Free Trader

Wash: 3 terms Navy (Flight), 1 term Free Trader

Inara (tough one here): 3 terms Performer? 3 terms Noble Dilettante? Diplomat?

Jayne: 3 terms enforcer (or 2?)

Kaylee: 1 term worker, 1 term free trader

Simon: 3 terms physician

River: 1 term psi-warrior

Book (hard also), since we've got no idea of his past. However, I'll take a stab: 4 terms Intelligence, 2 terms field researcher?

Thoughts, folks?

 

[aramis]

Book: 3 terms agent-intel, 2 terms Clergy-Preacher (from Spica's Career Book 1)

Jayne: 2 enforcer, 1 free trader

Inara: 3 terms Worker-service (trade (sex-worker))

 

[Poppyseed45]

Book: 3 terms agent-intel, 2 terms Clergy-Preacher (from Spica's Career Book 1)

Jayne: 2 enforcer, 1 free trader

Inara: 3 terms Worker-service (trade (sex-worker))

Well, I don't have Spica's career book (as I said, only working from the corebook). I've got Merc, High Guard, and 760 patrons though.

Based on that, I wonder how to work this out?

 

[vertigo25]

Also, I think it's pretty clear Wash was never in any military. I'd probably put all his background in Free Traders.

I'd also add one term Scholar to River. Of course, given her age and her abilities, she would have to have some special rules set up anyway. She'd be an NPC

I think Mencelus' Jayne with 3 terms as Enforcer is closer to the character than 2 Enforcer, 1 Merchant. He doesn't seem particularly knowledgeable about trade… hurting people on the other hand…

Mal might even have one more term in him somewhere. He's definitely older than 34. Joss Whedon has actually said that Mal is in his 50s, but that people don't age the same way in the 'verse. They have longer life expectancies and better meds. I think in Trav terms he's at least a 5 termer.

 

[vertigo25]

I take back what I said about Mal's age. I remembered my trivia wrong.

According Wikipedia,he's either 49 or 31. Nathan Fillion was 31 at the time he was on Firefly. I always thought he was older, though. He's a year younger than me, but looks older, IMO.

 

[Spinward Scout]

The thing with the Firefly characters was that they are all supposed to be the best at what they do. Great skill/natural talent in one or two specific skills coupled with high Intelligence/Education. Well, maybe not Jayne... Both Inara's and River's training started when they were children. Inara could be Entertainer (Performer) because of all the ceremony. But Noble would work because of how Companions are treated in that society. River was trained to be an Agent - but training only. Simon and River were raised in a Noble environment. Wash could even fall under Scout (Courier) - you don't know anything except that he's an expert pilot. Kaylee is difficult to stat because she doesn't seem to have any formal training - more of a natural talent (lots of J-o-T). Book could fall under Noble (Diplomat) - but then he could also fall under Drifter (Wanderer) or Scholar (Field Researcher). You just don't know.

But to offset all of these mad skillz, the NPCs (i.e. professionals) in the 'Verse were all made to be bumbling and inept. It's more like Star Wars in that respect - the main characters have just a little more magic than the rest of the people do.

Don't know if that helped or not...

o:

 

[Klaus]

In MGT terms, River may have very high stats (12+ Dex, Int, Edu), with lots of level 0 skills.

 

[Poppyseed45]

Interesting thoughts all. Yeah, I read the wikipedia thing too and went with the younger idea for Mal, though I agree about how he looks - I'm almost 34 and Fillion easily looks older than me.

As for Inari - I was torn between noble something (due to the obvious deference and "breeding") or as an entertainer (because of what she does - after all, star performers can be treated very well despite humble origins). I'd probably go entertainer.

Wash was a toss up. Again, according to wiki, there are rumors of flight school and him fighting in the war, or as he said in the series, "Spent in a POW camp doing shadow puppets," though that may have just been another joke. However, in that flashback episode, it seems he's got references out the wazoo on his expert pilotry...which implies definite formal training, either military or Coprorate Traders (read megacorp merchant marine). So I don't know, in the end.

Yeah, Jayne never struck me as the trading type. Just a legbreaker. Possibly his first term might have been rogue, though (from that Jayne's town episode implied he was low-life scum first, then dangerous scum). Don't know.

Anyway, thanks all. Other ideas on how to handle Wonder Girl? (yeah, NPC probably...)

 

[Poppyseed45]

In MGT terms, River may have very high stats (12+ Dex, Int, Edu), with lots of level 0 skills.

I like this very much - the idea from the series was that she was naturally very gifted, and from that, they took her to the program. As I remember, River was a good dancer/shot too.

Which implies Simon would also have high mental stats, possibly physical stats. Hmm...

 

[vertigo25]

I was just thinking about River. She really would be a special case, but doable.

Her combat abilities could be dealt with by using the Combat drugs. Obviously, she doesn't actually take the drugs, but their effects can kick in automatically (and unexpectedly) under specific stimuli. In order to resist it, she would have to make an Int check with a large penalty…

Speaking of which… How would you handle crazy in MgT? River's obviously very highly intelligent, but often that intelligence is hindered by her being "morbid and creepifying" and an inability to control a lot of her own actions. Also, the information she can attain is completely wasted on the rest of the world because it is so cryptic when it comes out of her mouth.

Would you make it so that her intelligence was actually a lower stat, or would you give her severe penalties? Or something else entirely?

 

[Psion]

Heh... I was fiddling with pregens and I considered starting with the same basic premise for each character as FIREFLY and then see where the random chargen/events take the characters.

 

[Poppyseed45]

Heh... I was fiddling with pregens and I considered starting with the same basic premise for each character as FIREFLY and then see where the random chargen/events take the characters.

That would be awesome. Can I subscribe to your newsletter?

 

[Poppyseed45]

I was just thinking about River. She really would be a special case, but doable.

Her combat abilities could be dealt with by using the Combat drugs. Obviously, she doesn't actually take the drugs, but their effects can kick in automatically (and unexpectedly) under specific stimuli. In order to resist it, she would have to make an Int check with a large penalty…

Speaking of which… How would you handle crazy in MgT? River's obviously very highly intelligent, but often that intelligence is hindered by her being "morbid and creepifying" and an inability to control a lot of her own actions. Also, the information she can attain is completely wasted on the rest of the world because it is so cryptic when it comes out of her mouth.

Would you make it so that her intelligence was actually a lower stat, or would you give her severe penalties? Or something else entirely?

Let me think on this. Probably, since I'd be making Psi restrictive anyway, I'd cut a deal with the player...but that isn't a mechanically satisfying answer.

 

[Qstor2]

In MGT terms, River may have very high stats (12+ Dex, Int, Edu), with lots of level 0 skills.

I'm thinking with her powers I'm guessing, she'd have more than one term. But there isn't a good way to reflect that in the rules mechanics.

Mike

 

[far-trader]

No precedents in MGT to allow starting careers before age 18? There is in previous editions. I'd think River, and even Simon, could be treated as "gifted" and allowed to begin their "careers" early. Simon in Medicine and River in the hands of the blue hand group. I seem to recall their backstory suggesting as much.

 

[jpster]

Wash Just Might Be a Vet

Also, I think it's pretty clear Wash was never in any military. I'd probably put all his background in Free Traders.QUOTE]

This 22-year military pilot says Wash could DEFINATELY be ex-military. I've only watched the series once (while deployed, no less), but he's iconic of a lot of us, which is to say his pilot skill is more important than any concept of military bearing, and his sense of humor in stress situations is a centering mantra. That being said, he would be a welcome odd-ball anywhere.

 

[CosmicGamer]

First, you may want to check out
http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=21167&highlight=serenity

River

How would you handle crazy in MgT? River's obviously very highly intelligent, but often that intelligence is hindered by her being "morbid and creepifying" and an inability to control a lot of her own actions. Also, the information she can attain is completely wasted on the rest of the world because it is so cryptic when it comes out of her mouth.

Would you make it so that her intelligence was actually a lower stat, or would you give her severe penalties? Or something else entirely?

To me, for a character to truly come across as River, it would take proper role playing and not proper stats and skills.

Wash

Also, I think it's pretty clear Wash was never in any military.

Though possibly not clearly detailed in the TV or movie, I believe it was mentioned in the DVD commentary that Wash served in the Unification War as a pilot. The actor joked that Wash entertained other captured prisoners with shadow puppets after being shot down early in the war.

 

[Vargr]

My two cents for Firefly character stats:


Stats (all): All at maximum peak level for each specific character.

Stats (River Tam): PSI off the chart.


Skills (all): Win 6, Not die 6, Come out on Top 6, Do that thing no one else could do before 6, Shoot things with Gun 6, Hit things 6.

Skills (Mal Reynolds): Be a murdering hypocritical jackass 6, Honor -6, Violate the rules of Duels 6, Convince audience that he is really a nice guy 6, Acting like a proper Free Trader Captain 0.

Skills (Inara Serra): Prostitute 6, Convince audience she isn't a prostitute 6, Meaningless insights into life and the universe 6, Look real smart when spouting the former 6.

Skills (River Tam): Worse acting in ages 6, Use any and all psionic power 6, Spouting nonsense in undecipherable Australian accent 6.

Skills (Zoe & Hoban Washburne): Making interacial marriage work 6, Looking cool while doing the former 6.


Equipment: Whatever they need, when they need it; unless dramatic tension is in the order of the day.

Contacts: Whatever is needed in the episode

Allies: Whatever is needed in the episode

Rivals: Whatever is needed in the episode

Enemies: Whatever is needed in the episode


The Firefly

Hull: Simultaneously big and small enough to fit whatever the plot requires.

Armor: enough to never blow up.

Thurst rating: Speed of Plot.

Fuel: Phlebotianized Handwavium.

Weeks of Operation: Until the series gets cancelled.


Also, the skills most NPCs in the series have. Not all of them will have the full list.

Die 6
Fail to kill main character 6
Looking like a poncy git in ridiculous clothes 6
Looking like Imperials from Star Wars 3
Being total asswipes to make the main characters look good 6
Fail to generate any simpathy with the audience 6


Finally, the series has its own skills.

Fail to be a good Sci-Fi series 6
Generate Rabid Fandom 6
Demonstrate American Civil War fetish 6
Rip off Traveller RPG 6
Annoy humans with country music 6
Show less than passable CGI 6


Jokes aside; I think adapting movie or tv series as NPCs is a terrible idea. Thronly rule that defines them is that they break all rules. Trying to fit them into a structured system as an RPG and expect them to be what they were in the movie/series is impossible.

The crew of the Firefly would not last a week in the OTU.

 

[Diveguy]

\


Wash was military trained and shot down on his first mission in the war and captured - none of the canon stuff did Joss ever say which side he was on, but from other sources it is said to be the Independents.

 

[Kilgs]

Wash was a toss up. Again, according to wiki, there are rumors of flight school and him fighting in the war, or as he said in the series, "Spent in a POW camp doing shadow puppets," though that may have just been another joke. However, in that flashback episode, it seems he's got references out the wazoo on his expert pilotry...which implies definite formal training, either military or Coprorate Traders (read megacorp merchant marine). So I don't know, in the end.

Mal indicates that "Monty has been trying to hire [Wash]" and Monty is a smuggler so...