Looking at the T5 Characteristics Chapter

[Supplement Four]

I just read the chapter on characteristics, and I will admit, I really, really like this chapter. When I say that T5, despite its numerous flaws, has parts that will tune your Classic Traveller antenna, THIS is what I'm talking about.

This is a very useful chapter for the Traveller Ref. Heck, you could use it, almost word for word, for a CT game.

Here are a few notes and highlights:



T5 CHARACTERISTICS CHAPTER, PAGES 58-64



Characteristics: The first thing we learn is that all species in the Traveller game are described using a string of six numbers. The UPP. The six positions are now easily referred to as C1 through C6.



Genetic Profile: This is just a neat way to refer to the UPP for different species. A Human GP is: SDEIES. (A Droyne GP is: SASIIK.)

All that means is: The UPP for Humans is Str, Dex, End, Int, End, Soc. "E" in the C5 position means Education. "E" in the C3 positioin means Endurance. Since there are two characteristics in the C6 position that start with "C" (Charisma and Caste), use "K" for "Caste".

Using this in a game: If you've got a mixed set of PCs, some Human, some alien, the Ref can call for a "C1" check, in which everyone knows to make a check vs. Str. Or, he can call for a "C2" check, in which the Human character would check against Dex while the Droyne character would check against Agility.

Nothing new here--just clarification on how the information is presented.



Non-Human Characteristics: These are all listed in a chart. There's a table at the bottom of page 59, but it's mis-aligned (but not hard to figure how the table should be aligned). Dexterity is akin to Agility or Grace. Endurance is akin to Stamina or Vigor. Education is akin to Training or Instinct. Social Standing is akin to Caste or Charisma.



Obscure Characteristics: We are also told in this chapter that characters may have other characteristics, which are now called Obscure Characteristics, that are not determined until they are needed in a game. Sanity and Psi are the two obscure characteristics detailed.



Four Types of Characteristics: You've got Physical Characteristics, Mental Characteristics, Social Characteristics, and Obscure Characteristics. Each of a character's characteristics fits into one of those types. For the Human, we have:

Physical - Str, Dex, End
Menal - Int, Edu
Social - Soc
Obscure - San, Psi

Again, nothing real new here. The chapter is just laying the groundwork for definitions used in the game.

 

[Supplement Four]

The Quick Characteristic Check: Now, here's something straight out of CT. Whenever you need to make a quick check (not a task) against a character's attribute, throw the same number of dice that was used to create the attribute, trying to throw the Characteristic or lower.

Human Characteristics are created using a 2D throw, therefore, if a deck hand on a free trader is trying to move a heavy container off the ramp, the Ref might call for a Str (or C1) check. The player would throw 2D looking for Str or less. If successful, the character puts his shoulder into the action and moves the canister off the ramp.

Just like in CT, hard checks are made at +1D, and easier checks are made at -1D. So, for Human checks, those are made at 2D normally, but 3D for really hard checks and 1D for really easy checks.

I liked it in CT, and I like it here. Quick and easy.





Characteristic Analogs: If a character ever has to make a check for an equivalent attribute, use half the characteristic. For example, if a Human needs to make an Agility check, the he'd use half Dexterity to make it.

Note that making an Agility check is not necessarily the same as making a C2 check. If the Ref calls for a C2 check, then the character makes a check using whatever his C2 Characteristics happens to be. Humans would make the check using full Dex.



Common Characteristics: All species have Str and Int characteristics, thus C1 and C4 are always Str and Int, respectively.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

The Quick Characteristic Check: Now, here's something straight out of CT. Whenever you need to make a quick check (not a task) against a character's attribute, throw the same number of dice that was used to create the attribute, trying to throw the Characteristic or lower.

This is exactly why I have argued that Traveller has always had elements of a "roll-low" system. All that the task system now does is extend this "roll 2D and try to roll less than or equal to Characteristic" to account for more difficult tasks with more dice for the same target number. Skills were thrown into the mix with a bit of recaliberation (my rough estimate is multiply Classic Traveller skills by 2, and skill-0 is skill-1 in T5; I'm happy to be corrected on this).

 

[Supplement Four]

The rest of the chapter is devoted to detailed sections about each characteristic. This is a gold mine for Ref's running their games, as this chapter provides info to help the Ref answer questions like, "Is it a Int or Edu check?"



C1 STRENGTH: What is neat here is that T5 details what CT implied--that a character's Load is calculated by encumbrance, not just weight alone. Instead of saying that a character's Load is his Str rating in kilograms, T5 clarifies this and states that a character can carry, easily, a Burden up to his Str rating. The QREBS system is used.

Want to know how much a character can carry, lift, or transfer (the process of lift, walk a short distance, and drop), then this section has it.





C2 DEXTERITY (AGILITY, GRACE): This is neat because we are told that the Dex number is body and hand-eye coordination and fine touch control, but primarily the stat reflects the use of firearms.

That last little bit is important. Agility is focused on flying. Grace is about swimming. All three are general hand-eye coordination and fine-touch control stats, but each has a little bit different slant.

Need to check Balance? Use C2 (either Dex, Agility, or Grace).

Need to check Climbing? Check Agility (thus, Humans would check half Dex).

Need to check Fine Manipulation? Check Dexterity (thus, Droyne would check half Agility).





C3 ENDURANCE (STAMINA, VIGOR): Want to check Exhaustion and Fatigue? Use C3.

Want to check a Sprint? Use Vigor (Humans check half Endurance).

Want to check Long Distance Running? Use a Hard Check Endurance (thus, Humans roll 3D for End or less).





C4 INTELLIGENCE and C5 EDUCATION (TRAINING, INSTINCT): Int is used to check Puzzles. When he's trying to figure out something from the facts at hand.

When checking to see if a character knows something, some particular fact, check Edu.

That helps separate the two.

So, does the character recognize the ancient Vargr scrpt etched in the stone? That's an Edu check.

Can the character realize that the circular indents in the rock symbolize a star system? That's an INT check (solving a puzzle).





C6 SOCIAL STANDING (CHARISMA, CASTE): If you want to Bluff, check Social Standing, unless the target of the Bluff has C6 = Charisma. In that case, check Charisma (and Humans would then check half Soc).

You can figure Living Costs using C6.

Some notes on Nobility: When C6 = Charisma, then half Charisma is their Soc. Caste is always = Soc 4.

What does this indirectly tell us? Imperial Society is prejudiced towards non-humans! They look down on them as lower class citizens!

SOC A = Gentleman. This is a new social standing.

SOC C is actually two steps. First, Soc c, with a lower case "c", is a Baronet. The next increase in SOC keeps the number at C, but the character is now a full Baron, denoted with an upper case "C".

I assume the same goes for SOC E. Step one, "e", is a Viscount. The next increase, "E", is a Count.

SOC f (lower case) is a Duke. SOC F is also a Duke, but a much more powerful one (an Arch-Duke?).

 

[Supplement Four]

This is exactly why I have argued that Traveller has always had elements of a "roll-low" system.

No argument here. Although CT uses primarily a roll high system (most throws are roll high), there are, indeed, situations where rolling low is the object. Plus, the Ref can throw as many roll low situations at the players as he wants, if he thinks that rolling low best fits the situation.

Here's an example, straight out of the game: Throw a World's Law Level or less on 2D for police (local authority) harassment*

*Though, that throw is expressed as a higher-is-better throw by stating the task as, "Throw LL or higher to avoid harassment...".

 

[Supplement Four]

Lastly, CS (Sanity) and CP (Psi) are covered.

Sanity is interesting and new, and a system is presented to check Sanity, to go Insane, and the effects of Counseling and Drugs.

Psi, we all know about. Psi is generated by rolling: 2D +3 - Life Stage. Since adulthood is Life Stage 3, the roll for Psi is 2D (if checked as an infant, the roll is 2D +3).

This is neat: People who roll snake eyes (double ones), for exactly 2, on the 2D throw, are Psi Immune.

 

[Supplement Four]

OH....and it is also clear, in this chapter, that the average stat for a human character is still 7. A character with the UPP 777777 is average in each characteristic.

 

[rancke]

OH....and it is also clear, in this chapter, that the average stat for a human character is still 7. A character with the UPP 777777 is average in each characteristic.

So Soc 7 actually is middle middle class? Explicitly?


Hans

 

[Supplement Four]

Added onto the Characteristics Chapter are a few pages with tables the Ref can use to reference different types of Characteristic checks.

The first one takes up a whole page--a sub-chapter, entitled: The Personal Day.



Personal Day: A character's Personal Day is created by referencing the character's genetics (different chapter) and his homeworld. The example is the usual 24 hour period.

If you need to check fatigue on a character, you can use his Personal Day. Take the PD and add Flux (Flux is 1D - 1D, for a result of +5 to -5). If Flux is zero, then the Personal Day for that character that day is average (24 hours).

There are three periods of the day, so to see how long each is, simply divide PD by 3.

For a 24 Hour Personal Day

Optimal Period is 7 hours. During this time, the character receives a +1 Mod to both Hasty and Cautious tasks.

Ordinary Period is 7 hours. During this time, the bonuses above are not available.

Tired Period is 7 hours. During this time, the character is penalized -1 to Hasty and Cautious tasks.

Sleepy: The character is considered sleepy anytime time after his Tired Period. And, during this time, the character must check End before each task.



The character needs PD / 3 hours of sleep in order to return to his Optimal Period. (8 hours).

He needs PD / 4 to return to his Ordinary Period. (6 hours).

And, he needs PD / 6 to return to his Tired Period. (4 hours).





Example

Thus, if you have a character that has worked all day, gets 5 hours of rest, he will start the next day in his Tired Period. He'll get 7 hours of that and then be in his Sleepy period, where he's rolling End checks in order to be able to do anything.

 

[Supplement Four]

So Soc 7 actually is middle middle class? Explicitly?

Yep. There's a chart. It looks like this:

Soc
0 Social Outcaste
1 Social Misfit

2 Dregs of Society

3 Lower Low Class
4 Middle Low Class
5 Upper Low Class

6 Low Middle Class
7 Middle Class
8 Upper Middle Class

9 Low Upper Class
A Middle Upper Class
B Upper Upper Class

C Remarkable
D Extraordinary
E Extreme
F Supreme


There's a separate table showing the nobility.

 

[Supplement Four]

The last two pages of the chapter present tables showing the definition of each level of each characteristic. I wrote the C6 - Social Standing table above for Hans.

On every table, a score of 7 is the average. On the C1 Strength table, a score of 6, 7, or 8 is considered average. Many tables are like this. 5 starts the Below average stats. 9 starts the Above average stats. B usually starts the extra ordinary descriptions.

 

[Supplement Four]

Parting notes...


Looking at the tables on the last two pages, there's some neat stuff squeezed on those pages.

How long can a character hold his breath? Check C3 every minute. The character holds his breath for as long as he can keep making the 2D for End or less check.



How big an object can a character drag? Burden must be less than or equal to STR x 20, and the object dragged for no more than one minute.



If a character wants to toss an extra ammo clip at his compadre, make a Dex check (use Easy or Hard to account for near/far distance).



A Ref may blend the INT and EDU scores either by using full INT and adding half EDU, or using full EDU and adding half INT.

Thus, let's say we are checking to see if a character recognizes a the scratchings on a cave wall to be representative of a solar system. The Ref may decide that this is a puzzle (INT based), but also the character's EDU has much to do with the check as the character must also recognize the system once he realizes it is a star system.

Thus, the check may be 2D for a target of INT + half EDU. A character with the UPP 785346 would throw 2D for 5 or less.

 

[rancke]

Yep. There's a chart. It looks like this:

Soc
0 Social Outcaste
1 Social Misfit

2 Dregs of Society

3 Lower Low Class
4 Middle Low Class
5 Upper Low Class

6 Low Middle Class
7 Middle Class
8 Upper Middle Class

9 Low Upper Class
A Middle Upper Class
B Upper Upper Class

C Remarkable
D Extraordinary
E Extreme
F Supreme

Well, that could work, although a social ladder that separates out social outcasts, social misfits, and dregs of society from the rest of the lower lower class and distinguishes between the three to boot is a little... quirky. What's the definitions of the difference between an outcast, a mistfit and a dreg?

"I get to go first with the mulligan stew because I'm a dreg of society and you're just a social misfit!"

"I guess that's fair, but I get to go before the outcasts, right?"
​

Also, what's the definitions of Remarkable, Extraordinary, Extreme, and Supreme? Anything that could make a planetary bigwig without an Imperial title the social equal of an Imperial duke would be truly astonishing.

"I get to take Duchess Amira in to dinner because I'm Supreme and you're merely Extreme!"

"So I get stuck with Empress Ermintrude?"​

Be that as it may, now for the crucial question: What are the rules for assigning Soc to NPCs?

There's a separate table showing the nobility.

Imperial nobility I take it? Because middle upper class would be planetary nobility and upper upper class would be royalty, right? (In societies with nobles and kings, of course).


Hans

 

[David Johansen]

But isn't burden -5 to +5 like all QUERBS Values? So does carrying lots of little things let you carry more big things?

 

[Supplement Four]

Well, that could work, although a social ladder that separates out social outcasts, social misfits, and dregs of society from the rest of the lower lower class and distinguishes between the three to boot is a little... quirky.

The point of these tables, imo, is to give the Ref a rule of thumb on what each level of a particular stat means, not necessarily to hard code define it.

It's meant to give the Ref an idea of how to figure the difference in say, Soc 5 and Soc 6, or Dex 3 and Dex 9. Without it, it's really up to the Ref's interpretation. With it, we can get a better feel that Soc 5 is Upper Lower Class while Soc 6 is Lower Middle Class. Dex 3 clumsy while Dex 9 is above average.

T5 even suggests to string these descriptions together in order to give the player an overall descriptive picture of the character.

Take a character we all know from The Traveller Book, Merchant Captain Alexander Jamison UPP 779C99.

779C99 is just a string of numbers, but if you consider T5's Characteristic descriptors, a character appears, something to roleplay.

Str - Average
Dex - Average
End - Above Average
Int - Very Gifted (just below Genius)
Edu - Master's Degree
Soc - Lower Upper Class

From this, it's easy to say: Jamison is 38 years old. He's got an average build, and he keeps himself in shape by not eating too much of the wrong things or heavy drinking. You can find him on the ship in the lounge on the fold out treadmill, when he's not on the bridge, in engineering, or in his cabin. His favorite thing to do, when dirtside, is to plot out a course on alien worlds and explore them during a long distance jog.

Few realize how very intelligent Captain Jamison truly is. He has earned the equivalent of a Master's Degree, but there's more than behind that piercing, contemplative stare that he sometimes has. He's inquisitive. This is probably the main reason he became a Traveller.

He comes from a lower upper class family, which means he grew up in a rich area, but he never had as much as his friends and classmates. Though, he never wanted for anything as a child, either. At age 18, he was able to secure a loan for his starship using his family's connections, and he's never looked back. The stars have been his home now for over 20 years.

 

[rancke]

The point of these tables, imo, is to give the Ref a rule of thumb on what each level of a particular stat means, not necessarily to hard code define it.

But that's just what this does. It hard codes a society that actually distinguishes between three levels of social undesirables BELOW that of the lower lower class.

It's meant to give the Ref an idea of how to figure the difference in say, Soc 5 and Soc 6, or Dex 3 and Dex 9. Without it, it's really up to the Ref's interpretation. With it, we can get a better feel that Soc 5 is Upper Lower Class while Soc 6 is Lower Middle Class. Dex 3 clumsy while Dex 9 is above average.

And Soc 7 is six level above social outcasts but only four level above dregs of society?

I stand by my 'quirky'.

But note that I said that it could work. Much, perhaps all, depends on how you assign Soc to NPCs. Which was the question I described as crucial in the hope that it wouldn't be overlooked.

Sorry, I have to run; dinner engagement. I'll get back to this later.


Hans

 

[Supplement Four]

Be that as it may, now for the crucial question: What are the rules for assigning Soc to NPCs?

Wasn't in this chapter, but I assume it is the same as for PC's: Roll 2D.

Imperial nobility I take it? Because middle upper class would be planetary nobility and upper upper class would be royalty, right? (In societies with nobles and kings, of course).

Like CT originally, it's kinda vague. Reading between the lines, I'm sure it's referring to Imperial nobility. The actual text says: Nobility is the expected noble rank held by an individual based on Social Standing. Characters with Soc* are participants in the widespread social structure of the universe, which includes granted or inherited titles of nobility to those with higher values of Soc. Characters with Cha are at the fringes of the Nobility system: their equivalent Soc equals Cha / 2. Characters with Cas do not participate in the Nobility system: they are culturally or genetically dismissive of such rank, and generally ignore it or seem unaware of it.

And, this last part is interesting...

In the rare event that a character with Cha or Cas receive a Noble rank, it is noted as a skill.


*By that definition, not all Humans use C6 as Soc. All Imperial Humans would use Soc. But, Humans outside the Empire will probably use something else for C6. (This is speculation on my part.)





More interesting speculation on my part....

It's also interesting to note what it says above about Cha and Soc. By interpolation, this means that Vargr are really not treated as equals within the borders of the Imperium. At best (with half value Cha), this means that the high Charisma Vargr leaders are looked upon as middle class citizens, and most of that Vargr's lower Cha followers are seen as lower class individuals.

Then, take the Droyne. I remember how the Chirper was treated in the descriptions from the old GDW adventure Research Station Gamma. In T5, Caste always equals Soc 4. And Soc 4 is middle lower class. This means that even the Droyne leader is not respected and looked upon as a low middle class citizen.

I think that's interesting as hell.

Species prejudice is alive and well in the far future!

 

[Supplement Four]

But isn't burden -5 to +5 like all QUERBS Values? So does carrying lots of little things let you carry more big things?

Take a knife. It weighs 1 kg. But, it's Burden is -1 when a scabbard is used. Thus, the knife can easily be strapped to a character's leg, and the weight of that item does not count against the character's Str rating when calculating Load.

So, yeah, you can carry a lot of stuff if you are not burdened by it. If it's not bulky.

A big, cardboard box, weighs little (let's call it 0 kg, for this example), but it's bulky, so it may have a Burden of +3, which is three points against a character's Str rating when determining Load (and it should be noted that at least one hand has to be used to carry the box).

 

[rancke]

Take a character we all know from The Traveller Book, Merchant Captain Alexander Jamison UPP 779C99.

779C99 is just a string of numbers, but if you consider T5's Characteristic descriptors, a character appears, something to roleplay.

Str - Average
Dex - Average
End - Above Average
Int - Very Gifted (just below Genius)
Edu - Master's Degree
Soc - Lower Upper Class

From this, it's easy to say: Jamison is 38 years old. He's got an average build, and he keeps himself in shape by not eating too much of the wrong things or heavy drinking. You can find him on the ship in the lounge on the fold out treadmill, when he's not on the bridge, in engineering, or in his cabin. His favorite thing to do, when dirtside, is to plot out a course on alien worlds and explore them during a long distance jog.

Few realize how very intelligent Captain Jamison truly is. He has earned the equivalent of a Master's Degree, but there's more than behind that piercing, contemplative stare that he sometimes has. He's inquisitive. This is probably the main reason he became a Traveller.

He comes from a lower upper class family, which means he grew up in a rich area, but he never had as much as his friends and classmates. Though, he never wanted for anything as a child, either. At age 18, he was able to secure a loan for his starship using his family's connections, and he's never looked back. The stars have been his home now for over 20 years.

Very nice. But you could just as easily have:

Jamieson's parents were among the dregs of society, so he started with Soc 2. The unusually determined boy managed to get himself an education and a job on a company starship, moving him up into the lower middle class. Eventually he became an officer (upper middle class), but as he transferred to a free trader, he dropped to middle middle. Becoming captain of a free trader he again became upper middle class, and when he became the owner of a 10 million credit starship, he wound up in the lower upper class, which is where we find him today.

Wasn't in this chapter, but I assume it is the same as for PC's: Roll 2D.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. That doesn't work. Sorry to be so dogmatic, but it simply doesn't work. Broadly speafing, if you start out in one social class and get a job and a lifestyle in another social class, you usually move into that social class. There can be some subtleties involved in some societies with someone with a background lower than his current social class suffering stigma and homeless persons who used to be gentlemen or academics perhaps getting a benefit of the doubt that other homeless persons don't get, but in broad generic terms, your job and lifestyle determines your social class.

The proper way to establish the social class of an NPC is to consider what social class tends to have that particular job and roll a die only if there are more than one possibility.


Hans

 

[Supplement Four]

The proper way to establish the social class of an NPC is to consider social class tends to have that particular job and roll a die only if there are more than one possibility.

You're the Ref. You can certainly run the game that way.

And, I do see the point. I remember reading a CT article on SOC, years ago, that treated the stat as fluid.

I could definitely see an argument where people tend to hang out with those of the same social class.

In game terms, if a group of young toughs come up to the PCs, starting trouble, it is probably not the right thing to randomly roll the SOC ratings of each NPC thug. Instead, pick a SOC and make all the NPCs that rating, or have them vary by 1 step, up or down.

There's nothing in T5 from preventing you from doing that.