76 Patrons: Mostly crimes?

Supplement 76 Patrons has jobs for player groups but I think most of the are crimes. Outside of the single player and mercenary tickets, the breakdown is thus (and this is ignoring the various permutations - these are just the setup):

Definitely crimes (31): major theft x6, kidnapping, coercion to commit crimes/extreme danger x2, mercenary demolitions (possible warcrime), trespassing and theft of protected species, industrial espionage x3 (and possible warcrimes), planet-napping (terrorism), political assassination x2, abetting desertion, political blackmail and hacking, terrorism, counterfeiting, political revolution x2, sophont smuggling x2, murder x2, smuggling x2, espionage, bribery.

Not crimes (probably) (28): escort/bodyguard/transport x12, find missing person x3, kidnap/cult rescue x2, ship transport, recover stolen goods, identify saboteurs, military reconnaissance, personal mail delivery x3, recover blackmail material, serve as ship crew x2, investigate theft.

But at least most of them offer crap for pay.

Crazy Opinions: Bloo

2d6SF - Crazy Opinions started it.

Then Ross Winn Crazy Opinions: A Response

I'll throw mine in:

• Classic Traveller, chargen skill accumulation is too unbalanced. Talking average skills per term. Especially true if you include Supplement 4: Mercenary and Supplement 5: High Guard (and why wouldn't you? They're neat). An example I just came across looking at Leviathan, the pre-generated characters range from an average of just over 1 skill per term to 3 skills per term. For me, that's lame. I like 2/term as a minimum.
• Zero level skills are a lame crutch. Over-relied upon in Mongoose Travellers, creeped into CT by at least Leviathan. I understand how and why they came about, but I think it's an inelegant fix.
• GURPS Traveller has a lot of great setting material. I like GT: Behind The Claw a lot.
• Many canonical deck plans are horrible inefficient and impractical. Great, there's an air raft dock - sure hope you don't have to move an injured person out of the raft and into the ship proper! Look at most any deck plan and imagine trying to move a large human-sized patient through corridors, even with a contra-grav gurney, around corners, through doors and locks - with an attending EMT or two? Good luck. 
• While I'm at it: most ships should be designed along their thrust vectors.
• And also while I'm at it, most ships should be capable of 2-3G Thrust minimum.
• Iris Valve doors don't work. I'm not a physicist but I've had engineers explain to me these would never be an acceptable choice: wouldn't seal well, take up too much internal space, strength, etc.
• Air Rafts are dumb. Is it a convertible flying car? Cool. Say that. It can achieve orbit?! That's a flipping min-shuttle (and flight traffic control nightmare). 
• The effects cheap contra-grav would have at most levels of an interstellar society are largely ignored. It seems mostlyto exist to hand-wave getting into space.
• Low Passage is bad. If you want them so dangerous only the most desperate would use them, you're saying a great deal about your setting that I don't think much, if any, of the rest of OTU material actually supports. You're playing Dumarest of Terra. Are they suspended animation tubes or not? I think as presented they basically are. The implications of that are also not dealt with in setting, though there is probably room for a wealthy class of people who skip forward in time with these.
• The distributions of Tech Levels in the OTU works better if the UWP is treated at the average and not the max TL. Later versions of Traveller might say that and I missed,
• Every A and B starport should have high ports as the primary entry and exit point for most travellers.

In response to Bob at 2d6sf (who've I've had the pleasure of playing with once): 

• Unifed task system not that important. Agree.
• Read more Sci-Fi: Agree.
• Small motivated group best. Agree.
• CT can be used as is: .... eh, mostly. (See my gripe above).
• Mongoose versions are really good. Sure. Not a crazy opinion IMO.
• GURPS Space as an alternative to those who want to change CT a lot, Ehh, GURPS can be a lot. I can appreciate it, I even beta tested GURPS at a con many years ago (and co-authored GURPS Traveller: Far Trader).

In response to Ross Winn (where he raises ones not mentioned by Bob)

• MT1 preferable, more cohesive, easier to read style. Agree, though, there are a lot of classes and specialties once you get into Mercenary, High Guard, and so on. Probably too many.
• MT2 Setting Creep: Agree. I kinda glad they have made a lot, but I've only bought one and don't use it, I'm sad to say.
• All travellers should know how to use a vacuum suit. Hard agree. I don't think CT or any subsequent version has ever explained the meaningful distinction between incremental improvements in Vacc Suit skill. A Cargo Handling skill would be more useful. "Are you grav fork lift certified?"

NPC Pair: Dash and Seveej

Count Darizsh "Dash" Zemkayan

Imagine Jeeves & Wooster in space and they are also a detective team sort of in the vein of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.

UPP: 75A58E. Age 42. College-educated noble (dilettante: rank 3 Ingrate, 5 terms).

• Cr: 72,500
• Enhanced vision eye. Puts a patch over it when gambling to avoid accusations of cheating.
• 2 Powerful and Charismatic Noble Allies
• Pension: Cr 10,000/year
• Yacht ("The Baby Grand"): 50% owned. + 3 Ship Shares (Monthly payment: Cr114,130: MCr 27.3912 remaining)
• Luxurious: +1 Steward checks
• Damage: -10% Hull ("It has a lived in, travelled-a-bit charm.")
• Sensor Upgrade
• Double Maintenance Costs (Cr, 10,130)

Dash is a bon vivant, musician and a failed racegrav driver.  As a musician, he is a casual lounge piano player but is also known in some circles for a his quickly sketched caricatures. He lost his eye in an unfortunate gambling accident, the accident being his failure to recognize the gravity of his words and the strictness with which the terms of the bet would be enforced. (Resemblances to Hugh Laurie's Bertie Wooster are not altogether misplaced).

Skills

Carouse-3, Art (Piano)-2, Art (sketch, caricature)-1, Flyer (Grav)-2, Animals (Handling)-1, Deception-1, Gambler-1, Gun Combat (Slug)-1, Investigate-1, Leadership-1, Streetwise-1, Admin-0, Advocate-0, Diplomat-0, Electronics-0, Persuade-0

Seveej

UPP: 98ADA5. Age 42. Citizen (Worker: rank 4). Valet, Butler, etc.

• Cr 100,000
• Pension: Cr 12,000/year
• 2 Ship Shares
• TAS Membership
• Gun

Seveej is Dash's manservant. Born in lower class circumstances he escaped a long career in construction to work indoors and live amongst fine things. In many ways, serving Dash is both the least demanding and most interesting job he's had. 

Skills

Steward 2, Deception 2, Jack of All Trades 2, Melee (unarmed)-2, Investigate-2, Gun Combat (Slug)-1, Drive (wheel)-1, Gambler-1, Persuade-1, Medic-1, Profession (construction)-1, Science (history)-1, Streetwise-2, Admin-1, Electronics-0, Engineering-0, Vacc Suit-0

Referee note: I made two tweaks to Seveej for the sake of the bit - Seveej is better than Dash at Investigate, though he would never upstage Dash such that Dash would notice - a bit of those versions of Holmes's Watson where the doctor is smarter than the detective. He is also better at Streetwise.

Ship Benefits Thoughts

 You rolled a ship but so did another party member . . .

"If two or more Travellers have gained ships, you should debate who actually gets a ship. The other players will receive an additional pension of Cr25000 every year for every time they rolled a ship as a benefit. This represents part ownership in a commercial vessel and the dividends received on the investment." - Traveller Core Rulebook, Mongoose 2e.

That kind of sucks, IMO. You get 25% of a ship as a career benefit, a value of KC3 11,333 or more and you get 0.2% (or less) annual return on that. (Scout ships are different because you only get the use of it, you don't get to own it). I'd rather keep my 25% and lease the ship out to an NPC group.

The design goal is that each party should have only one ship. Understandable. But maybe there's a better way to get to that goal where cool career benefits can still contribute in significant ways. Maybe a matrix?

I note that it is entirely possible, and actually probably, that a Traveller party can be generated with no ships shares or ship benefits at all. How do they start with a ship? 

To buy an older ship, the maximum discount is 50% for a ship over 100 years old with 10 rolls on the Spacecraft Quirks table - this is likely to be very damaged sensors, more difficult repairs and much higher maintenance costs (there are only 11 results on that table, only 3 of which are positive - and if those quirks stack (the rules are unclear), that's going to be horrible.

But a decommissioned Scout/Courier that age woudl cost only MCr 18.384. Without ship shares, I don't think that's achievable to a party unless they have MCr 2+, i.e., ~10% down.

Player Ship Matrix (first scratch draft)

This assumes removing ship and ship share benefits from career benefits tables, those items could be replaced with various things such as ship's boats and personal vehicles.

The party must have a veteran of one of the careers in a column to choose ship. The number of shares is a function of the number of terms in a career and sometimes rank in that career.

Initially, I tried to base the above on the Free Trader - 25% is approximately MCr 11, and with one generic ship share being equivalent to MCr 1 towards the purchase of a ship, that would mean 11 ship shares (which I set down to MCr 10 for round numbers and the impacat of negative quirks). However, with the randomness of the benefit table and the fact that several careers have no ship shares as benefits, I reduced the share cost and added incremental steps to allow players to purchase down negative quirks or add positive quirks to preserve the value of ship shares. (The best possible benefit result for Rogue can skew things as it is 2D ship shares, an average of 7, meaning an experienced and lucky Rogue with a one term Merchant colleague could start with a Free Trader. I don't think that's a problem I'm bothered to solve, in fact, it sounds like it could a Rogue using a naive Merchant as a front/fall person).

Ship shares become a function of number of terms in a career with a bonus if the character has reached rank 5 or greater. I did my best to approximate the chances of a share from how often they appear in the published benefit tables. 

What if no qualifying career or enough shares?

Older ships is probably the answer. I did some math (with a little tweak or two for simplicity) and you're still going to want some ship shares, but even just one can get you started. I think any assortment of Agent, Army, Citizen, Drifter, Entertainer, Navy, Rogue, and Scout ought to end up with at least one ship share. (I'm assuming that the most available ship will be Free/Far Traders).

Expanding Ship Benefits for Merchants, Nobles, and Scholars

While we're here . . . what if Subsidized Merchants, Subsidized Liners, and Safari Ships were added? In this case, I would strongly consider being more generous with ship shares.

Another NPC: Mad Jump Scientist and Bodyguard

Professor Juliux Rask

"The power to control Spacetime is the greatest power in the universe!" 

8889E8: Age 46, Scholar.

Zealously dedicated to researching the secrets of greater Jump technology and connections to the Ancients and related academic fields. As a villain, he is more of the driving force of activities, i.e., going to place X to investigate Y for scientific breakthroughs to gain power. His skill set is not very antagonistic towards possible player groups, only his goals. He would surround himself with useful people, possibly employing characters, probably in cahoots with other very antagonist other parties - he could be partnered with criminals, greedy megacorps, powerhungry governments, and the like - any of which might be Zhodani fronts.

Science (Physics - Jump Science)-3, Science (Cosmology-1), Science (Archaeology)-1, Science (History)-1, Engineer (Jump Drives)-2, Engineer (Maneuver Drives)-1, Language (Vilani)-2, Language (Oynprith)-2, Electronics (Computers)-2, Electronics (Sensors)-1, Investigate-1, Medic-1, Jack-of-All-Trades-1, Deception-1, Streetwise-1, Gun Combat (Energy)-1, Art-0, Carouse-0, Diplomat-0, Drive-0, Flyer-0

Relevant Event: Stole research from an Enemy. I imagine this might be Jahn Rax . (If you read this, Bob, I named this character before getting the event and thinking about connecting it to your character, but now I think this guy abused similar initials and names as part of the event).

Azalee Alanen

"Painu vittuun, perkele."

ADA872: Age 38, Rogue (Enforcer)

Rask's Sword Worlder* bodyguard with a thick accent (those familiar with that culture would recognize her accent is very low class). The nature of her relationship with Rask is not clear, it doesn't appear to be romantic. Perhaps she appreciates his lack of concern for her somewhat aggressive demeanor. Or perhaps something in their past explains her dedication to him. I imagine a Social Standing this low (lowered by the School of Hard Knocks) to be suggestive of a significant lack of empathy.

Melee (Unarmed)-3, Melee (Blade)-2, Gun Combat (Slugs)-2, Stealth-2, Streetwise-2, Deception-1, Drive (Wheel)-1, Mechanic-1, Language (Galangic)-1

( * I've taken the last name and the profane expression from Finnish, not Icelandic, which is much more associated with Sword Worlder culture, at least on Gram.)

Best Stats Ever?

The pair of double-six dice on the desk called to me, so I answered by rolling:

BA89AC-B

Probably the highest set I've ever rolled.

How can I not make that a Zhodani Noble Psionic Villain?!  "Dr. Zho"!

Doctor Lir Iirkum 

True name: Dr. Tiad Biartlasche'. The good doctor likes to mingle in all levels of society, probably using access to various drugs (probably including anagathics) as a licensed medical professional as a cover for meeting with contacts high and low (some of which are probably Zhodani allies). An expert at managing different euphorics and managing the reactions to them. Some sedatives and similar probably assist planting suggestions and conducting mind probes.

Doctor Lir would try to insinuate themself amongst players investigating relevant happenings or travelling to locations of interest, probably offering to serve as a ships doctor who can also mix a mean martini.

The cover name is Vilani. In the cover identity, I would probably treat the Social Standing of E (14) as an A (10), or at least non-noble, though I would give the character full modifier.

Version 1: using this character generator as much as possible.

BA89AE-B Age 42, 3 Terms as Psion (Psi-Warrior), 3 as Agent (Intelligence)

(The automated online system kicked character from Psion career after Mishap)

Medic-2, Telepathy-2, Deception-2, Clairvoyance-1, Drive-1, Gun CBT-1, Investigate-1, Leadership-1, Melee (unarmed)-1, Persuade-1, Science (Biology)-1, Stealth-1, Teleportation-1, Recon-0, Survival-0, Vacc Suit-0

Improved Cybernetic Implant, Gun (Cr 3k limit), Weapon (Cr 30k limit), Allies: 1, Cr 60k

Version 2: using Mongoose 1st edition Zhodani Agent (Intellgence).

BA8ACE-B Age 42: 6 terms as Tozjabr Agent 

Medic-2, Telepathy-2, Melee (Unarmed)-2, Gun Combat (Energy)-2, Investigate-1, Clairvoyance-1, Deception-1, Recon-1, Science (Biology)-1, Streetwise-1, Comms-1, Persuade-1, Teleportation-0, Drive-0, Flyer-0, Computers-0, Carouse-0, Athletics-0, Art-0, Vacc Suit-0, Survival-0

Weapon, Ship Share, Cr 50k (Cr 12k/year retirement pay)

One "Unusual Event" (Life Events result 12) TBD.

Referee Version: If I was just choosing. Each of the above versions has 16 levels of skill (not counting zero-level skills). The assumption is that this character is an antagonist and undercover.

• Psionic: Telepathy-2, Clairvoyance-1, Teleportation-0
• Cover: Deception-2, Medic-2, Science (Biology)-1 
• Social: Persuade-1, Carouse-1, Streetwise-1, Steward-0
• Agent: Melee (Unarmed)-2, Gun Combat-1, Recon-1, Investigate-1

Teleportation is cool, but I think for this character it is the absolute last resort and relies on the high Psi score. Arguably, wise use of Telepathy will help making friends and assess threats.

Traveller Skill Specialty Idea

 Traveller character skills are recorded in integer increments: Engineer-1, Mechanics-2, and so on.

In Mongoose Traveller 2e, some skills have specialties. You have to choose one of those when you reach level 1 in a skill that has them. In the case of Engineer, the player must choose one of Jump Drives, Maneuver Drives, Power Plant, or Life Support to receive the benefit of the "1", the other specialties being treated as skill "0", which removes the Untrained penalty of -3.

Disclaimer - Hot Sports Opinion: I hate level-0 skills. And I think all the above is overly complex and isn't worth the effort. Sure, they aren't complex mechanics and players can quickly learn them, but it would be better not to have to learn them at all. I think this approach is a crutch to support other inelegancies.

Let's say in character generation you end up with two levels of Engineer. That could be:

• Engineering (Jump Drives)-2, Engineering (all others)-0; or
• Engineering (Jump Drives)-1, Engineering (Maneuver Drives)-1, Engineering (all others)-0
• (substitute other specialties as you like).

What is the point of this? To reward you for being specialized but also also less useful in generic play. You could be the chief engineer of a ship with Engineering (Jump Drives)-3. But if the life support system is crapped out, you're just Engineering-0.

The more specialties as skill has, the worse this dynamic gets.

So to be most useful in the widest variety of circumstances (because Traveller play is usually very unpredictable), for skills that have specialties, the prudent character would put one level of skill in every specialty before moving to a second level of specialty. In other words: Engineering (Jump Drives)-1, Engineering (Maneuver Drives)-1, Engineering (Power)-1, Engineering (Life Support)-1 is wiser than Engineering (Jump Drives)-4.

An Alternative: For each level of skill, choose a specialty to add to.

Remove the specialization requirement and make it additive. Engineering-2? Great. You're good at all the engineering stuff. But you can choose two things to be even better at. And maybe a list that's longer than the current list of specialties. For engineering that might be Damage Control, Hull Structures. For Mechanics, which has no specialties, maybe Grav Bikes, or Firearms, or Ship Salvage. History-2 (Specialties: The Fifth Frontier War, The Ziru Sirka).

This could be extended to specific abilities such as Gun Combat-1 and take the feature Quick Draw, or Sniper. Melee-1 could be Grappling. 

Specialties can be added, optionally, for additional flavor and detail, rather than mechanically constricting a character's ability.