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TheFalloutuniverse is a setting designed with tabletop in mind, even before the 2d20 adaptation of the ruleset by Modiphius. From its history as a CRPG, it comes with a predefined set of core attributes, skills, and an action point system.
Making a character in the system is a simple process but has a few differences from other tabletop games players might be familiar with. Limb-specific armor and HP values might be rather intimidating for people who are used to a combined pool of hitpoints. Here are all the fundamentals you need to know to fill out your character sheet.
Checklist For Character Creation
The system recommends yougo through the character creation in linear order as follows.Still, it can definitely be worth looking ahead to understand what attributes and skills build into specific perks and character concepts:
Choosing Your Origins
You need to pick your origin before filling out any other character detail.Mutant and robot origins change the rulesfor how other parts of character creation work.
Brotherhood Initiate
Easy
Initiates get an extra tag skillin science, repair, or energy weapons. You start the game as a Brotherhood member and must follow the military hierarchy.
Vault Dweller
Vault Dwellers get an extra tag skill. Yourvault backstory lets you generate luck pointswhenever it creates complications.
Survivor
Medium
The most customizable background. You canchoose a custom traitthat gives both a benefit and complication. New Vegas fans will recognize many of them.
Ghoul
Ghouls heal from radiation damagebut will suffer charisma penalties with many non-ghouls.
Supermutant
Hard
Super Mutants have higher strength and endurance, but their intelligence and charisma cap at six.
Mister Handy
Robots outright ignore lots of mechanics, both positive and negative. They won’t starve or be poisoned, but they alsocan’t heal from food or chems.
For first-time players,the easiest options are the three human backgroundswithout mutant or robot features. These have the fewest changes to the core rules.
SPECIAL Attributes And Skills
This section will largely be familiar to players of other Fallout games, but the specific mechanics of this adaptation will require some quick skimming of the relevant rules.
SPECIAL Attributes
You have twelve points to raise your SPECIAL attributes above four. Unless you have a very specific concept in mind, it’s normallyeasiest to use either the balanced or focused array.
Skills And Tag Skills
Tag skills are a lot more important than in most Fallout games. Instead of just giving a flat increase,tag skills will always be better than other skills at the same level. A successful roll with a tag skill is counted twice as if it were a critical success.You have three tag skillsunless your origin says otherwise.
After this, you’ll need to crunch out your other skill increases. You have nine plus your intelligence in skill points. Each skill point canraise a skill by one level, to a maximum of three.
Yourtag skills begin at level two,and all other skills begin at zero.
Skills have a default SPECIAL attributebut can be used in alternate ways with the GM’s permission. For example, barter uses charisma for negotiations but can use intelligence to appraise the value of an item.
Perks
You haveone perk at first level.Under most circumstances, you’ll want a perk that builds off your highest SPECIAL attribute and skill combination or that unlocks a new type of crafting. If you don’t meet the requirements for a perk you can go back and change your SPECIAL attributes accordingly.
If youchange your intelligence to unlock a perk, you’ll need to adjust the number of skill points you spent accordingly.
Calculate Your Derived Statistics
This section sounds intimidating but is a simple enough checklist to run through.
HP measures your ability to keep fighting.
Defense
If your agility is nine or more, you have two defense. Otherwise, you have one.
Non-robots can carry 150lbs plus ten times their strength.
Robots can carry 150lbs.
Carry weight isn’t tracked meticulously by most groups butshould be calculated unless told not to.
These are zero unless you have a perk saying otherwise.
Don’t worry. Most of yourdamage resistance will come from equipment.
We recommend youleave the Damage Resistances until after your equipment,so you don’t need to backtrack as often.
Equipment
You’ll get a preset bundle ofstarting gear from your originsand a few specificitems based on your tag skills. These should cover a simple ranged and melee weapon, some armor, and the equipment needed to use your skills. Here are the key things you’ll want to write down on your character sheet:
Weapons you’ll record on the first page, with a few extra details. You’ll need to cross-reference the starting equipment list with the chapter on weapons to see what traits your gear has:
The three types of apparel can take a moment to understand. Most of the time, you’ll be wearing aset of clothing with armor over it. For some skill encounters, you might change into an outfit, which cannot be used with armour.
