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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Brisk-sg" data-source="post: 1114388" data-attributes="member: 5037">CHAPTER FIVE: Character Creation (48 pgs)Chapter five is where we start getting into the meat of the book. The chapter begins with an optional questionnaire to run through to help determine who your character is. It also makes an interesting (and unique as far as I know) suggestion to take an online personality test in character to help flesh out the character. Team dynamics are also briefly discussed. But it is the rest of this chapter that is going to be of interest to any experience role-player. I am breaking the chapter into sections, to provide more complete information.Stargate Character Options (Differences from D&D)A one page section is provided, outlining the major changes to standard d20 character creation. The descriptions are well written, and each is followed by the page # for the rule(s). Stargate presents the following rule changes:Action Dice: X/per session dice that are used to add to a roll or activate a special ability.Inspiration: Used to request hints from the DM.Education: Used to acquire information that the character might know, but you don’t.Vitality/Wound: The Vitality and Wound system from Spycraft and Starwars d20.Base Defense: Base Defense (armor class) goes up determined by character class & level.Initiative: Initiative goes up determined by character class & level.Resource pts: Used to gain experimental/alien devices, intelligence data, and other resources.Gear: Streamlined sypcraft gear system.Specialty/Species (Race)First off, none of the human racial characteristics from D&D are applicable in Stargate. Humans in Stargate instead choose a specialty. Furthermore, many specialties have what are known as macro-specialties, which provide further specialization. The specialties all seem well balanced, and add some background flavor to the character. Here is a list of the specialties along with macro-specialties.Air-Force: AF Officer, AF Technician, Enlisted AF Recruit, PararescueArmy: Army Officer, Army Ranger, Army Technician, Enlisted Army RecruitMarines: Enlisted Marine Recruit, Force Reconnaissance, Marine Officer, Marine TechnicianNavy: Enlisted Navy Recruit, Naval Officer, Naval Technician, SEALNID: Area 51 Infiltrator, NID Officer, Rogue Stargate Team MemberSpecialties w/o macro-specialties: Civilian Specialist, Diplomatic Corps, Engineering Corps, Russian UnitThe outlined species are intended for non-humans. Like specialties, the races have macro-species that provide further specialization. Here is a list of the species along with macro-species:Asgard: Asgard Fleet Officer, Asgard Geneticist, Protected Planets EnforcerJaffa: Horus Guard, Serpent Guard, Setesh Guard, Shol’va RebelNear-human: Primitive Society, Modern Society, Advanced SocietyReol: Alien Observer, Fugitive Reol, Reol MoleTok’ra: Tok’ra High Commander, Tok’ra Undercover Operative, Tok’ra WarriorThe race I found most interesting was the Near-Human race. Upon creation, a member of the race is allowed to choose one Evolutionary Advantage and Disadvantage that has appeared over the ten thousand years since they were removed from earth. It is mentioned that future Stargate expansions will have Evolutionary Advantages/Disadvantages.ClassThe class section of the chapter is well organized. I liked that the class skills for each class were outlined within the class description in an easy to read table format. Page #’s are referenced for most rules and feats that are mentioned. I wish all d20 products had such a clean and easy to read look for there class descriptions. There are six standard classes outlined in this section; the explorer, guardian, pointman, scientist, scout, and soldier.Explorer: This class is good at research and exploration. Good class for an archeologist.Guardian: Jaffa only class. Standard Jaffa warrior is normally a Guardian.Pointman: This class is intended as the leader archetype. Very versatile.Scientist: Well…. the brains of most teams. The master of skill checks.Scout: This class makes for a perfect sniper, as well as filling the ranger archetype.Soldier: This class specializes in all out warfare. This class is all about the fighting.Prestige ClassA total of six prestige classes are presented. It is noted at the very beginning of the section that prestige classes are always optional. The six prestige classes that are presented are the bodyguard, field analyst, field medic, officer, prime, and sniper.Bodyguard: The perfect prestige class for a Secret Service Agent or Jaffa Palace Guard.Field Analyst: This prestige class is perfect for making an investigator or intelligence officer.Field Medic: If your character is on death’s door, better hope one of your friends took this prestige class.Officer: This class is the quintessential military leader. An officer improves the group as a whole in combat situations, and elsewhere.Prime: A Jaffa master warrior and leader. High lacky of a Goa’uld system lord.Sniper: Shooting from a distance while hiding is this classes strength.The only problem I had with this section was the Guardian & Prime classes, as they are limited to the Jaffa race. Base classes that are essentially limited to one race are bad game design in my opinion and with only six prestige classes in the book, one devoted to a single race is also vexing. The classes do provide the DM with Jaffa specific classes for building encounters however.Good: Describes new character creation options that are different from standard D&D in a two page section near the beginning of the chapter. Clean presentation with class skill tables and page references.Bad: One base and one prestige class are limited to the Jaffa race, limiting their use.</blockquote>

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