Character Creation Process
- Choose your Affiliation (Assign d6, d8, and d10 to Solo, Buddy, and Team).
- Choose your Species.
- Choose your Class.
- Choose three Distinctions (related to your Race, Class, Theme, or Goal).
- Choose one Specialty at Expert.
- Add one extra SFX to one of your power sets.
- Choose your Milestones (related to Species, Class, Theme, or Goal).
- Choose your name.
-- Species --
Asari
Enhanced Reflexes d8, Biotic Resistance d8, Barrier d6
SFX: Focus. Replace two dice of the same size in a pool with a single die +1 step up.
Limit: Superiority. Shutdown Asari and gain a PP when confronted with something that affects your sense of being the most evolved race in the galaxy. Recover when no longer afflicted by it.
Gain Biotic Expert.
Drell
Enhanced Reflexes d8, Enhanced Strength d6, Eidetic Memory d8
SFX: Impossible Accuracy. Spend a PP to re-roll any attack action, adding in Eidetic Memory.
Limit: Desert Dweller. Shutdown Drell and gain a PP when in an excessively humid environment. Recover when no longer afflicted by it.
Gain Covert Expert.
Elcor
Enhanced Strength d10, Environmental Resistance d6, Enhanced Senses d6
SFX: “I will do Science to it!”. Step up or double Enhanced Intellect (1PP for both), then shutdown. Recover on an Opportunity.
Limit: Slow. Convert Enhanced Strength into a Complication and gain a PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Limit: “Insincere Apology: Your loss is my loss.”. Count 1s and 2s on dice as Opportunities when using an Elcor Power to inflict Emotional stress or trauma on a non-Elcor.
Gain Business Expert.
Geth
Enhanced Intellect d10, Enhanced Stamina d6, Shields d6
SFX: Hivemind. Spend 1 PP to recover mental stress and step-down your mental trauma by -1.
Limit: “We are Geth.”. Shut down a Geth power to step up another Geth power by +1. Recover on an Opportunity or during a Transition scene.
Gain Tech Expert.
Hanar
Levitation d6, Shields d8, Neurotoxin d6.
SFX: Grapple. Add a d6 and step up effect die +1 when inflicting a complication on a target.
SFX: Enkindler’s Touch. Spend 1 PP to step up Neurotoxin to d10, then step down to 2d4 for subsequent actions. Recover by activating an opportunity or during a transition scene.
Limit: Mass Effect Field Dependent. While Stressed Out, Asleep, or Unconscious, shutdown Levitation and Shields from the Hanar Powerset. Recover them when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take mental trauma, shut down Levitation and Shields from the Hanar Powerset until you recover that trauma.
Gain Diplomacy Expert.
Human
Choose one at d8 and one at d6: Enhanced Stamina, Enhanced Reflexes, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Senses.
SFX: Willpower. Split any Human power into two stepped-down dice.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any Human power trait to gain 1 PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Choose two additional Expert Specialties.
Krogan
Enhanced Stamina d8, Enhanced Strength d8, Enhanced Durability d6
SFX: “I am Krogan!”. Add your stress to your own attack action dice pool for no PP cost, double for a PP.
SFX: Redundant Organs. Step up or double Enhanced Durability (1PP for both), then shutdown. Recover on Opportunity.
Limit: Burden of a Dying Race. Step up mental stress to gain 1 PP.
Gain Combat Expert.
Quarian
Enhanced Intellect d8, Enhanced Senses d6, Environmental Resistance d8
SFX: Environment Suit. Step up or double Environmental Resistance (1PP for both), then shutdown. Recover on an Opportunity.
Limit: Spacerat. Step up emotional stress to gain 1 PP.
Limit: Suit Puncture: Shut down Environmental Resistance when you take physical trauma until you recover from that trauma.
Gain Tech Expert.
Salarian
Enhanced Intellect d10, Enhanced Reflexes d6
SFX: “I will do Science to it!”. Step up or double Enhanced Intellect (1PP for both), then shutdown. Recover on an Opportunity.
Limit: Limited Lifespan. Step up physical stress to gain 1 PP.
Gain Science Expert.
Turian
Enhanced Speed d10, Enhanced Senses d8
SFX: Apex Predator. Step up or double an opponent’s stress in your dice pool (1 PP for both.)
Limit: Burden of Service. Change a Turian power into a Complication to gain a PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Gain Combat Expert.
Volus
Environment Suit d8, Enhanced Durability d6, Enhanced Senses d6
SFX: A Long Life of Cowardice. Before you make an action using your Volus power set, you may spend 1 PP to move your physical stress to the doom pool and step up your Volus power trait for this action.
Limit: Short. Convert Environment Suit into a Complication and gain a PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Gain Business Expert and Crime Expert.
Vorcha
Bite d8, Enhanced Durability d8, Environmental Resistance d6.
SFX: Unnatural Regeneration. Spend 1 PP to recover physical stress and step-down your physical trauma by -1.
Limit: Weak Willed Servitor Race. Shut down all Vorcha powers with a rating less than your current mental stress. Recover when your mental stress is less than or equal to their power rank.
Gain Menace Expert.
Yahg
Enhanced Strength d12, Enhanced Durability d10.
SFX: Huge Lumbering Ragebeast. Spend 1 PP to step up a physical stress or trauma you inflict.
Limit: Pack Mentality. If you take emotional trauma, shut down Yahg Powerset until you recover that trauma.
Gain Menace Expert.
-- Classes --
Soldier
Enhanced Durability d8, Assault Rifle d8, Shotgun d8
SFX: Adrenaline Rush. Add a die from the Doom Pool to your attack action, then step up the die and return it to the doom pool.
Limit: Exhausted. Shut down any Soldier power to gain 1 PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Combat Expert, Menace Expert
Adept
Warp d8, Singularity d8, Barrier d8
SFX: Unleashed. Step up or double an Adept power (1 PP for both) for one action. If action fails, add a die to the Doom Pool equal to the normal die rating of the power.
Limit: Unpredictable. Change an Adept power into a Complication to gain a PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Biotic Expert, Diplomacy Expert
Engineer
Shotgun d8, Combat Drone d8, Omnitool d8
SFX: Hacking. Step up or double an Engineer power (1 PP for both) for one action. If action fails, shut down an Engineer power.
Limit: Gear. Shut down any Engineer power to gain 1 PP. Recover on an Opportunity.
Tech Expert, Science Expert
Infiltrator
Enhanced Senses d6, Sniper Rifle d8, Machine Pistol d6, Omnitool d6
SFX: Infiltrator’s Cloak. Step up any Stunt activated by a Opportunity, or step up Physical Stress on successful action when activating an Opportunity.
Limit: Exhausted. Shut down any Infiltrator power to gain 1 PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Acrobatics Expert, Combat Expert, Covert Expert
Sentinel
Barrier d6, Omnitool d6, Throw d8, Omnigel d6
SFX: First Aid. Add Omnigel to your dice pool when helping others recover physical stress. Spend 1 PP to step back your own or another’s physical stress or trauma.
Limit: Exhausted. Shut down any Sentinel power to gain 1 PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Biotic Expert, Tech Expert, Medical Expert
Vanguard
Shotgun d8, Warp d6, Pistol d6, Barrier d6
SFX: Charge. Split any Vanguard power into two stepped-down dice.
Limit: Exhausted. Shut down any Vanguard power to gain 1 PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Biotic Expert, Cosmic Expert, Combat Expert
-- Milestones --
Galactic Saviors
1 XP whenever your group defeats a non-minion enemy.
3 XP whenever you complete a side-mission, or reject a side-mission in pursuit of a higher goal.
10 XP whenever you complete a priority mission, or spectacularly fail a priority mission.
Character Creation Example
Jeph is going to be a player in a Mass Effect Heroic Roleplay game, so he sits down to put together a character. He goes back and forth between two possible concepts: an Asari Adept and a Turian Soldier. He decides to go with the Asari Adept, because there are already two other soldiers in the group (a Krogan and a Drell). He decides to not-too-subtly steal Jack’s basic character archetype, but put an Asari twist on it.
He assigns a d10 to Solo, a d8 to Team, and a d6 to Buddy. His character was trained to work best alone or as part of a cohesive unit. When forced to work with a partner, she isn’t nearly as effective. He copies the Asari and Adept power sets onto his character sheet. He adds the specialties under each to his list of specialties. Since he has Biotic Expert listed under each, that combines into Biotic Master.
When it comes to Distinctions, Jeph is a bit at a loss. He doesn’t want to completely copy Jack’s backstory, just craft an homage to it. He decides that his character was part of a Biotic Legacy selective breeding program, wherein the most powerful Asari Biotics donated genetic material to create a super Biotic. His character was raised in an Ardat-yakshi Monastery compound to keep the prying eyes of the Citadel Council off of her. Upon leaving the monastery, she served briefly with the Asari Commandos before leaving to find her own way. She studied the Goddess in order to better understand her powers. She was recruited from there to join the Citadel’s new Rapid Response Task Force by her former mentor from the Biotic Legacy project. She hasn’t had much experience with the galaxy at large, so she is a bit distant and lost when interacting with people. That brings her backstory to the present. The three most defining parts of her backstory are, as Jeph sees them: the Biotic Legacy project, her devotion to the Goddess, and her naivety. He chooses the following for his distinctions: Legacy of Asari Perfection, Heart of the Goddess, and Wide-eyed Wonder.
Her specialties currently include Biotic Master and Diplomacy Expert. Jeph decides that he’s going to add Psych Expert to emphasize the skills learned from dealing with the Ardat-yakshi and the interpersonal skills picked up during her time studying the ways of the Goddess.
Now, Jeph has to design a new SFX for one of his power sets. Since the concept of the character is less about her training and more about her biological perfection, he decides to add it to the Asari power set. He thinks on it for a bit before putting together a SFX called Impervious to Biotics, allowing her to spend a Plot Point to ignore the effects of a trauma or stress caused by Biotic powers.
The Storyteller has already decided that everyone will get the Galactic Savior milestone set, so Jeph only has to lay out one set. Jeph decides to modify a Milestone set from the Marvel Heroic Roleplay book, called “... And what I do isn’t very nice.”, which revolves around violence. Since his character lived and trained with the Ardat-yakshi, he decides that her outlook on conflict was influenced by the more Renegade members of that order.
Finally, he thinks over a name. He decides on Hakara, claiming that it’s the Ancient Asari word for “Zero”; another homage to Jack. He submits the finished character to the Storyteller for final verification. The finished character is listed on the next page.
Hakara - Asari Adept
Affiliations: Solo d10, Buddy d6, Team d8
Distinctions: Legacy of Asari Perfection, Heart of the Goddess, Wide-eyed Wonder
Asari Powerset:
Enhanced Reflexes d8, Biotic Resistance d8, Barrier d6
SFX: Focus. Replace two dice of the same size in a pool with a single die +1 step up.
SFX: Impervious to Biotics. Spend 1 PP to ignore stress or trauma caused by Biotic powers.
Limit: Superiority. Shutdown Asari and gain a PP when confronted with something that affects your sense of being the most evolved race in the galaxy. Recover when no longer afflicted by it.
Adept Powerset:
Warp d8, Singularity d8, Barrier d8
SFX: Unleashed. Step up or double an Adept power (1 PP for both) for one action. If action fails, add a die to the Doom Pool equal to the normal die rating of the power.
Limit: Unpredictable. Change an Adept power into a Complication to gain a PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Specialties: Biotic Master, Diplomacy Expert, Psych Expert.
Milestones:
Galactic Savior
1 XP whenever your group defeats a non-minion enemy.
3 XP whenever you complete a side-mission, or reject a side-mission in pursuit of a higher goal.
10 XP whenever you complete a priority mission, or spectacularly fail a priority mission.
Dangerous Beauty
1 XP when you first choose to deal mental stress in a Scene.
3 XP when another hero rebukes you for your violence or you threaten violence against another hero.
10 XP when you kill someone in front of innocents or allow yourself to be stressed out without having inflicted trauma on anyone.
----------
Thokrin - Drell Mercenary
Affiliations: Solo d6, Buddy d8, Team d10
Distinctions: Serial Pragmatist, Red Hand of Amonkira, Paragon of Persistence
Drell
Enhanced Reflexes d8, Enhanced Strength d6, Eidetic Memory d8
SFX: Impossible Accuracy. Spend a PP to re-roll any attack action, adding in Eidetic Memory.
Limit: Desert Dweller. Shutdown Drell and gain a PP when in an excessively humid environment. Recover when no longer afflicted by it.
Soldier
Enhanced Durability d8, Assault Rifle d8, Shotgun d8
SFX: Adrenaline Rush. Add a die from the Doom Pool to your attack action, then step up the die and return it to the doom pool.
SFX: Spray-and-Pray. Target multiple opponents. For every target beyond the first, add a d6 to your die pool and keep +1 effect die.
Limit: Exhausted. Shut down any Soldier power to gain 1 PP. Recover on Opportunity.
Specialties: Combat Expert, Covert Expert, Menace Expert, Medical Expert
Milestones:
Galactic Savior
1 XP whenever your group defeats a non-minion enemy.
3 XP whenever you complete a side-mission, or reject a side-mission in pursuit of a higher goal.
10 XP whenever you complete a priority mission, or spectacularly fail a priority mission.
The Ends Justify the Means
1 XP when you first inflict stress on a foe who is unaware of your presence.
3 XP when your allies first confront you about your methods, or you challenge another ally’s methods.
10 XP when you choose to inflict physical trauma on a foe who has inflicted stress on you or at least one ally, or you choose to intercede on behalf of a foe and allow yourself to be stressed out.
