Aberrant - Trouble with character creation

[Crosshair]

I purchased the Aberrant d20 Superhero RPG, and my group sat down to try and create characters.... but we seemed to be missing some steps.


I'm writing this about a month or six weeks after we tried it, because I didn't think to use the boards.

We couldn't figure out any of the character creation, the Quantum scores, Quantum pool, rolling stats, assigning stats, skill-things, feats.

Do we need another book? We all play D&D every week, but that certainly didn't help.

I have the book pictured on http://www.iguk.co.uk/products/aberrant-rpg-1828.aspxp

The whole process just seemed circular.


We really do want to play Aberrant.

 

[VirtualWizard]

You need the Players Handbook for character creation and combat information. As Aberrant carries the d20 logo, I believe that the book cannot include information about character creation or leveling. With the Players Handbook and Aberrant, you should be able to create your super characters. Have fun

 

[Jer]

As VirtualWizard points out, you'll need the Player's Handbook to do Aberrant character creation, supplemented by the Aberrant rulebook.

The relevant rules in the Aberrant book are on pages 103 (under the heading Starting Characters) and page 104 (Superhuman Template). You create a first level character using the normal D&D rules but with one of the 5 Aberrant base classes instead of the D&D base classes. Once you have a first level character, you apply the Superhuman Template from page 104. The Superhuman Template has an ability adjustment for Constitution that you apply FIRST, then you calculate your Quantum Score and apply the rest of the template to the character. Next the character gets two more levels that can come from any class that you meet the prereqs for including the Superhuman or Aberrant "classes". Finally, once your third level character is finished, you compute your Quantum Pool using the formula on page 147 (where they call it "power points" instead of "quantum pool").

The character creation system isn't too bad, and the above probably makes it sound more complicated than it really is. WW made two bad choices with the rules in my mind -- they chose to not include character creation steps directly in the book and they chose to spread the character creation info out all over the book. The first choice is understandable since they were trying to capitalize on the "d20" logo to sell books. The second choice, though, just shows a lack of organization IMHO.

Give it another try -- I prefer Adventure! to Aberrant myself, but Aberrant isn't a bad game if you're trying to emulate X-men, Watchmen or maybe even "Heroes" type settings. I tend to think that starting Aberrant d20 characters aren't as powerful as I think they should be given the background info in the front of the book. You get characters who are at the lower end of the power spectrum (they are just 3rd level characters after all) and who have only 1 or 2 powers. If you're looking for a more "world shaking" power levels like the Authority you're going to want to pump the power level up substantially. (The background info works better with the original Storyteller Aberrant system, where the starting characters were more powerful than the d20 versions tend to be).

 

[pawsplay]

Aberrant d20 is a mess. "What would you do witht he power of a slightly above average person?

The original has a power level to match the background (which is like 2/3 of the book), but has its own problems.

 

[Crosshair]

Thanks for everyone who tried to help. We just went out and bought M&M instead. It looks substantially better and more expanded.

 

[pawsplay]

Heck, you could still use the Aberrant setting, if you wanted.

 

[Kenson]

Heck, you could still use the Aberrant setting, if you wanted.

... and, if you do, you may find some of the rules options from the Mastermind's Manual useful (notably lethal damage options, power surges, and taint, to name a few).

Have fun with M&M!