Character Creation
There are many possible ways of translating Traveller's character creation system into Savage Worlds, with the concept of prior service providing the baseline for the character before they start adventuring. In the spirit of Savage Worlds, however, I'm going to recommend the simplest possible creation rules.
When a character is created, the player should first create a 0-experience, Novice character according to the Savage Worlds core rules and choose a career. Once finished, the referee and the player should consult to determine the length of the character's prior experience. The referee will then determine a number of experience points to assign to the character, and the player will advance the character to that point. As a guideline, 2 points per year of prior service may be granted, with characters typically having 8 - 12 years of experience.
It is quite consistent with the Traveller universe to have characters of widely different experience traveling together, so both players and referees are encouraged to consider that when determining the initial experience level of any given character.
Alternatively, have the players make Novice characters, then have each draw one card from a fresh deck. Consult the following table to determine how much experience to give that character.
| Card | EP's |
|---|---|
| 2 | 0 |
| 3 - 4 | 5 |
| 5 - 6 | 10 |
| 7 | 15 |
| 8 | 20 |
| 9 | 25 |
| 10 | 30 |
| Jack | 40 |
| Queen | 50 |
| King | 60 |
| Ace | 70 |
| Joker | 80 |
Races
My take on the Traveller races uses some source material from both Classic Traveller and MegaTraveller, but I do not have exhaustive racial information from any of the Traveller versions, so this section is somewhat patchwork.
Solomani and Vilani
Solomani and Vilani are standard humans, as explained in the Savage Worlds rules.
Vargr
Vargr have the following abilities:
Aslan
Aslan have the following abilities:
Skills
In Savage Traveller, there are a few new skills and a few small changes to the skills from the core Savage Worlds book. Here's the highlights:
| Skill | Attribute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Robotics | Smarts | Governs the construction, maintenance and repair of robots (Repair can also fix them, but not build them) |
| Pilot | Smarts | Operation of spacecraft and starships |
| Navigation | Smarts | Plotting Jump courses and coordinates |
| Engineering | Smarts | Maintaining and operating starship drives |
| Flying | Agility | Operating low orbit and airborn craft |
| Trading | Smarts | Finding and obtaining good prices for goods and navigating local laws and customs |
| Intrusion | Smarts | Replaces Lockpicking and works to defeat any number of security systems. |
In addition, here are some Knowledge foci critical to the Traveller world:
Physical sciences
"What, no computer skill?" This was a fine debate, and we determined that computers are simply the means to using various skills such as Investigation, Intrusion, and the like. Characters are free to take Knowledge (Computers) if they want to be experts in creating or maintaining those systems, but it is an understood part of the high tech world that computers will be used as a matter of course. As always, characters from low-tech worlds should have a penalty when working with high-tech systems, but that does not require a specific computer skill to implement, either. So, believe it or not, we have a high tech world with no computer skill!
Edges
Combat Edges
Forward Observer
Requirements: Novice, Shooting d6, Smarts d6
A character experienced at calling in artillery fire is granted a +1 to Smarts rolls to determine the accuracy of the attacks if in direct communication with the firing unit.
Zero-G Combat
Requirements: Novice, Agility d6
The character has been trained in zero-G combat. The unstable platform
penalty is reduced to -1 and melee attacks only suffer -1 to damage. The
character may move at 3/4 pace.
Improved Zero-G Combat
Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8, Zero-G Combat
The character is highly trained in zero-g combat. She has no penalties to
fire or for melee damage.
Space Walker
Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8, Zero-G Combat
The character has practiced moving in zero-G, including tumbling, and is a
relative expert at moving under these conditions. She gains +2 to recover
from tumbling and may move at her full Pace. The Running penalty is
reduced to the normal -2.
Hindrances
Jump Sick
Minor/Major
As a minor hindrance, this gives 1 fatigue level whenever jump space is entered. As a major hindrance, it gives 2 fatigue levels. These levels disappear after departure from jump on a successful Vigor roll. These rolls are made once per day.
Psionics
The only AB in Traveller is AB: Psionics.
A character is not required to take the AB at character creation. In fact, with the exception of Zhodani characters, this should almost never be permitted. Any character may take the following edge once they have found and been trained by a branch of the Psionics Institute:
AB: Psionics
Requirements: Smarts d6, Spirit d6
The character has been trained in psionics and is given the Psionics skill at d4. The character is given a maximum Psionic skill die type according to her current rank per the following chart:
Novice d12
Seasoned d10
Veteran d8
Heroic d6
Legendary d4
This cannot be increased, though edges which permit bonuses to individual skills may be applied to the Psionics skill according to the rules for those edges. The character starts with one Power, chosen at the time of her training.
Savage Traveller makes no distinction between the various classes of psionic activity. The power choices determine the character's psionic abilities.
Equipment
| Weapon | Range | Damage | RoF | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGMP | 24/48/96 | 2d12 | 1 | 20 | Early versions of this weapon did 2d10 damage, but could only be fired while wearing Battle Dress. |
| FGMP | 24/48/96 | 2d12+1 | 1 | 6 | Weapon weight given with grav assist. It weighs 40 lbs. when switched off. |
| Laser Pistol | 15/30/60 | 2d6 | 1 | 5 | |
| Laser Carbine | 50/100/200 | 2d6 | 1 | 15 | |
| Laser Rifle | 50/100/200 | 2d6+1 | 1 | 20 | |
| Advanced Combat Rifle Standard Discarding Sabot High Explosive Tranq |
24/48/96 | 2d6 2d6 AP 2 2d6+1 Special |
3 | 10 | |
| Gauss Rifle Standard Tranq |
24/48/96 | 2d6+1 Special |
3 | 9 |
Cutlass
Str+3, Weight: 3
Combat Armor
+8, Weight: 20
Battle Dress
+10, Weight: 35, 10 with grav assist, Strength tests at +2, Notice rolls at +2
Zero-G effects
I originally wrote a set of rules that included Agility tests whenever any character attempted anything and lots of penalties and then edges to balance the penalties. It worked, but was complicated and didn't feel like it was in the proper "less is more" spirit of SW. So I threw it all out and instead present a SW-style set of Zero-G rules.
Movement
Movement in zero-G is at 1/2 Pace. Running earns an additional 1d6" of movement, as normal, but the penalty to other actions is increased to -4. In addition, the character must make an Agility roll (at no penalty) or begin tumbling (see below).
Combat
All attacks in zero-g take the unstable platform penalty. Specially-designed low-recoil weapons (lasers, body pistols, accelerator rifles) do not have this penalty. Melee damage rolls are at -2.
Tumbling
Whenever a character is hit in combat, regardless of the amount of damage, they must make an Agility roll or begin tumbling. A tumbling character cannot move and is at -4 to all rolls. A tumbling character may attempt to stop tumbling by spending an action and making an Agility roll at -2. If successful, the character has stopped tumbling. If a raise is achieved on this roll, the character may act on that same card. (At the referee's discretion, the character may "drift" 1" per turn while tumbling.)
Conversion
If a true conversion is needed for NPC's or the like, consider the following:
| Attributes | |
| Traveller | Savage Worlds |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | d4 |
| 5-8 | d6 |
| 9-11 | d8 |
| 12-13 | d10 |
| 14-15 | d12 |
This will convert Agility (Dex), Smarts (Int), Strength (Str) and Vigor (End). It does not cover spirit, nor is education covered directly in Savage Worlds. Social Standing is covered through edges and hindrances. Education is covered largely through a character's skills. A character with an education of 10+ should be permitted an additional Smarts-based skill level, beyond what is indicated through the strict conversion.
For Spirit, take the average of the character's intelligence and endurance scores and refer to the chart above.
| Skills | |
| Traveller | Savage Worlds |
|---|---|
| 0 | d4 |
| 1 | d6 |
| 2 | d8 |
| 3 | d10 |
| 4 | d12 |
| 5 | d12+1 |
| 6 | d12+2 |
I have played Traveller a long, long time and have only seen a skill over 6 once, so this should serve. Many skills will consolidate. When this occurs, take only the highest skill level.