characTer creaTiOn Summary

1) RACE

Choose your character’s race. All characters except androids are human.

2) TRAITS

Create normally using the Savage Worlds rules (5 points for attributes, 15 points for skills, and determine Charisma, Pace, Parry, and Toughness. All characters begin play with a D4 in Hacking unless you choose the Unplugged Hindrance.

3) OCCUPATION

Choose your character’s occupation. Occupation deter-mines starting cash.

4) EDGES AND HINDRANCES

Pick your edges and hindrances normally using the Savage Worlds rules.

5) GEAR

Pick gear and cyberware if you wish to have it. Characters begin play with a number of credits determined by the Occupation they chose.

6) PLAY 20 QUESTIONS

Round out your character’s background by playing 20 questions.

and suffer from cybertrauma rolls. Androids may not purchase bioware systems.

racial aBiliTieS

• Construct: Androids gain the construct monstrous ability detailed in the SWEX rules on page 141.

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2.0

Nicknames: Coded, Elitist, Eugenic, Gen-Xy’er, Savant You were born with the best genes money can buy. Your parents went to a design house early in your mother’s first trimester and began a series of genetic treatments designed to give you every chance at living a life they never had. Your DNA cocktail might include mental traits from some of the greatest minds of the past 60 years. Alternately, you might have some kind of artistic or athletic ability. In any case, you’re better than most people around you in some ways, and you know it. It’s not your fault, though. You were just built that way.

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• Free Edge: Human 2.0 characters gain a free edge, just as normal humans do.

• Advanced ability: You begin play with one Attribute at D6.

• Savant: Choose one skill linked to your Advanced abil-ity. You begin play with that skill at a D6 rather than D4.

• Superior Immune System: +4 bonus to resist the effects of disease.

• Arrogant: You gain the Arrogant Hindrance (See the Savage Worlds Explorers Edition, page 14, for more information).

• Genetic Abnormality: Choose one trait that is not your Advanced ability trait. You must spend 2 points to increase that attribute by 1 step to raise during character generation.

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Nicknames: Cut and Pasted, Dye Job, Fashion Victim, Frankenstein, Freak, Gene Junkie, Monkey Boy, Moreau, Transgenic

At some point, you underwent radical postnatal gene therapy.

Whether it was for fashion reasons or military ones, you now carry select traces of animal DNA. You might have fur, scales, or even gills. Hybridizing is a shadowy profession though, and in some

cases, a hybrid hack instills too much of the donor’s instincts into the host. Think about that the next time you get an overwhelming urge to chase your tail.

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All hybrids, their genes spliced with animal DNA, exhibit the abilities (and occasionally looks and demeanors) of the creatures they have been crossed with. You have the freedom to choose the cross-species for your hybrid and build a racial template following the steps below. Then, modify and complete the character normally with attribute points (5), skill points (15), acquisition of gear, and purchasing Edges and Hindrances.

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Decide what terrestrial creature you wish to gene-cross for the hybrid. It can be a fierce predator like lion or tiger, swift like a hawk, even exotic like a komodo dragon. Next, think about the animal’s strengths and weaknesses. This will help you determine which traits are appropriate to emulate its qualities. For example, a superior starting Agility, improved speed, and perhaps canines as a racial enemy would all befit a feline hybrid. Spending a moment pondering these concepts makes the next step much easier. Once you have a good idea of what you want to play, you can proceed to create a suitable hybrid template.

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Once you have a basic idea of what the hybrid is like, begin choosing the hybrid Abilities. These should fit into the bestial characteristics and your vision of the hybrid, not simply provide game mechanic bonuses or penalties.

All hybrids begin with the choice of one free +2 Ability or two +1 Abilities from the list below. Hybrid characters also gain a free edge, just as normal humans do.

Additional Abilities must be balanced with an equal value of negative Abilities. A +2 Ability, for example, may be balanced by a single −2 Ability, or two −1 Abilities. Individual Game Masters should decide on the maximum number of hybrid Ability points permissible in their game. Normally, 4 to 6 points is reasonable enough to provide sufficient scope to make an interesting hybrid without unduly tilting the game.

The lists below are guidelines. A player wanting something special or unlisted should discuss it with the Game Master.

The GM is the final arbitrator.

+3 aBiliTy

• Improved Hybrid Racial Edge: The hybrid gains a free Seasoned Edge regardless of requirements, except for those requiring other Edges. (For example, you cannot take Improved Level Headed without having Level Headed first.)

• Superior Attribute: The hybrid begins with a D8 in one attribute and may raise it to a D12+2 during character creation. Through the Expert and Master Edges it may reach a D12+4.

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• Aquatic: Cannot drown in water, move at full Swimming skill, D6 Swimming.

• Armor: +2 Armor.

• Big: +1 Size.

• Extra Limb: The hybrid has one extra functional limb to provide one extra non-movement action. This Edge may be taken multiple times, one for each additional limb.

• Fast: Base Pace 10, D8 running die.

• Flight: Flying Pace equals normal Pace and the hybrid may “run”.

• Hybrid Racial Edge: The hybrid gains a free Novice Edge regardless of requirements, except for those requiring other Edges.

• Improved Attribute: This hybrid starts with a D6 in one attribute.

• Improved Natural Resistance: +4 to resist the effects of heat or cold (choose one).

• Improved Reflex: +1 Parry.

• Poison: Victims suffering at least a Shaken result from this hybrid’s natural weapons must make a Vigor roll or be paralyzed for 2D6 rounds.

• Presence: +2 Charisma

• Resilient: +1 Toughness, not negated by AP weapons.

• Special Ability: Use of a single power from the Savage Worlds book. The hybrid has 5 Power Points usable solely for this power. Power Points recharge at the rate of 1 per hour and are unaffected by Rapid Recharge.

Power Points from other sources cannot be used with this power. This power represents a natural ability, such as generating a “smoke screen” (obscure), temporary illumination (light), or a highly developed adrenal gland (quickness). Use Vigor as the arcane skill.

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• Burrowing: The hybrid can burrow and move through earth at normal Pace.

• Heightened Vision: Low-light or thermal vision.

• Keen Sense: +2 to Notice with one sense of choice.

• Lengthy: +1 Reach.

• Natural Aptitude: A free D6 in any skill.

• Natural Resistance: +2 to resist the effects of heat or cold (choose one).

• Natural Weapons: Str+D6 in any one weapon or Str+D4 with any two.

• Semi-Aquatic: The hybrid gains Fatigue level every 15 minutes while holding breath. Upon reaching Incapacitated, must make a Vigor roll every minute or drown. Fatigue recovers one level per 15 minutes back in air.

• Wall Walker: The hybrid can walk on vertical or inverted surfaces at normal Pace.

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• Limited Attribute: One attribute can never advance beyond a D6, even during play.

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• Docile: −1 Parry.

• Dehydration: The hybrid must immerse in water for minimum one hour out of every 24 or becomes Fatigued each day until Incapacitated, then perishes the next day.

• Fragile: −1 Toughness.

• Major Flaw: Select a Major Hindrance or an equivalent effect.

• Natural Susceptibility: −4 to resist the effects of heat or cold (choose one).

• Sluggish: Pace 3 or less and D4 running die.

–1 aBiliTy

• Glass Jaw: −2 to Vigor rolls when rolling on the damage table (see Wounds on page 33).

• Minor Flaw: Select a Minor Hindrance or an equivalent effect.

• Natural Vulnerability: −2 to resist the effects of heat or cold (choose one).

• Racial Enemy: −4 Charisma when dealing with a hybrid of a chosen racial stock.

• Repulsive: −2 Charisma.

• Slow: Pace 5.

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The last step of hybrid race generation is to name your creation and provide a basis and purpose for the hybrid’s existence. Most breeds have generic names by which they are known, such as lionoid or ravenoid, whereas a rare few may be an amalgam of different animals and thus require a creative name.

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Once you have finished, present your hybrid to the GM for approval. Creating a hybrid requires liaison between the player and the GM. Hybrids that specialize too heavily in one aspect, such as combat, may well unbalance the party and the game campaign. The GM should watch Hybrid Hindrances closely to ensure that they play a frequent part in the game. Even the most powerful hybrid can be brought low through careful application of Hindrances.

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Choose one of the following abilities. This is your character’s primary DNA cocktail. You can choose to undergo more genetic treatments by purchasing them. These Hybrid abilities are only a small sampling of the possibilities available to characters in Interface Zero. You are encouraged to work with your GM to come up with your own wild designs.