When you have decided on what kind of character you would like to create. You can record all your character stats and information to the character sheet provided: Metaforce Character Sheet (Template)
This Google-Sheets version of the Character Sheet can auto-calculate various stats based on the Attributes, Level and starting parameters given.
Default Values
As a Game Master, you can set up characters however you like for your game setting. This is a list of defaults if you are unsure:
| Parameter |
Recommended Value |
Description
|
| Base HP |
10 |
Starting amount of Health Point.
|
| HPLV |
4 |
Extra health given for each Level and Body point.
|
| Base MP |
12 |
Starting amount of Meta-Points.
|
| MPLV |
3 |
Extra Meta-points given for each level.
|
| Base Body |
5 |
Starting amount of Body Core value, may be affected by character creation options.
|
| Base Reflex |
5 |
Starting amount of Reflex Core value, may be affected by character creation options.
|
| Base Mind |
5 |
Starting amount of Mind Core value, may be affected by character creation options.
|
Attribute Setup
To create a character foundation you start with their Attribute Points and Tiers. Depending on your game settings, some of these steps may be changed or skipped. This is a breakdown of the typical Attribute setup.
Step 1: Racial-Adjustments
A character's species and/or genetic base can serve physiological and cultural adjustments to Attribute scores. Because each species can vary, this step is very dependant on what is written on the Racial information of each species.
Generally, a character's race will outline how many Attribute points they get for any relevant Attributes. And additional bonuses and benefits to certain Attribute checks. Some may be able to use Attribute dice without Exerting, some may let them add their character level to such checks, or be treated as being Proficient or Expertise in all relevant checks involving an attribute. Others may have special drawbacks and downsides instead.
If the game or character doesn’t support/use racial adjustments, this step can be skipped.
Step 2: Pick a Core Value
Ask the player: "Which of the Core Values do you want your character to specialise in? Body, Reflex, or Mind?"
The player's choice will determine their starting Attribute point allocations, this stacks with points gained from the character's race/species. The primary attributes of a Core gain a +2 Attribute bonus and the secondary attributes gain a +1 each.
| By default, these are the choices and their effect on this question:
|
| Core Value |
+2s |
+1s
|
| Body |
Strength and Endurance |
Agility and Charisma
|
| Reflex |
Agility and Perception |
Strength and Intellect
|
| Mind |
Intellect and Charisma |
Endurance and Perception
|
If the character or scenario doesn't use or support racial adjustments, then the player can choose two key attributes to gain Proficiency in. Allowing them to either Add their level to key attribute checks, Exert freely with key attribute checks, or be treated as having Proficiency in all key attribute checks.
Step 3: First Level
Just like with any level up, the character gains an Attribute point they can assign to any Attribute, even if it raises it higher than their level. Then to finish, the character gains benefits as if they had increased their Level to 1. They gain a Training point and stats are updated to the new level. If the character acquires anything at 1st level, they gain it now.
Arcs & Progressions
Characters may have multiple progression tracks known as an Arc. These can be compared to mechanics such as Classes, or unlocks for one's species and/or role. Arcs are often Level dependant and grant benefits after reaching each new level. If an Arc grants a Metaphor, it's rank and components may be restricted to that which is described in the Arc, although if it does, it means it will often scale as the character levels.
A character will get one or two Arcs if present, examples being:
♦ Species Arc: An Arc that revolves around the species/race of the character.
♦ Archetype Arc: A character of a particular Archetype will gain new abilities/powers based on their role/class.
Metaphors granted by an Arc may not count towards the character's Starting Metaphor Arrays, depending on the game settings. If they do, they'll generally determine the Primary Metaphors granted. If they don't, they are given freely in combination with other Metaphors.
Starting Metaphor Arrays
Primary Metaphors
Normally, each character starts with a Primary +4 and +3 Metaphor, meaning one can create a Metaphor with a +4 Ability score, and then they receive a +3 Metaphor for another ability/power/skill. These Metaphors gain special exceptions to the Metaphor softcap rule. The +4 Metaphor has a softcap of 10 and the +3 has a softcap of 8. In addition, these Metaphors also start with a number of Metaphor components equal to their rank, or combine ranks to singular components.
"A character decides they want their +4 Metaphor to have two Components at +2 instead of having four at +1. This is allowed because they combined Component ranks together to enhance one of their remaining choices."
Secondary Metaphors
An additional (+2, +2, +2, +1) array is given to players to fill out their other skills and abilities. This array is created to offer the greatest number of skills and abilities at the start.
Like with any starting Metaphors, each of these secondary Metaphors start with a number of Metaphor components equal to its rank, and any Metaphor of +2 or higher can combine components to enhance a remaining one. Secondary Metaphors also gain an exception to the softcap rule, they can be enhanced to a softcap of 6. All other Metaphors gained after creation are subject to the |Attribute Tier softcaps.
Players may choose a different array with more potent Metaphor values in exchange for variety. Other arrays they can choose include:
• (+3, +2, +1) for a more rounded distribution of Metaphors, or
• (+4) for 'master of one' style of gameplay.
Post-Creation
After a character has been created at level one and their Metaphors written up, they should now be playable in game. Below are ways to continue progressing a character's build after creation.
Character Levels
Character levels can be used by some mechanics for scaling powers and abilities, and serve as requirements for others. Levels can only be gained incrementally, so a level 1 character must ascend to level 2 before they can ascend to level 3, and so on.
The default amount of experience required to level up varies by game, but it should be equal to the character’s starting attribute amount. This increases after every level, based on the XP per Level-up parameter set by the Game-Master.
Raising a character's level will increase their Maximum HP and MP (Half of HPLV and all of MPLV), a number of Attribute points they can add to their Attributes, more Attribute-Training Opportunities (ATOs) and may unlock features on any of their Progressions.
Rules on applying Attribute points
When adding multiple Attribute points granted by a level, you can't add two points to the same attribute, you can, however, raise attributes higher than the character's level this way.
Training Points
A character gains a Training Point (TP) at creation and another one for every Level-up, these can be used in conjunction with Experience points improve characters further. Spending experience on these improvements does count towards a character's next level.
♦ Increase Attribute: By spending Experience and a Training Point, a character can improve one Attribute by +1, up to their level. Experience cost is treated as if they were improving a Metaphor rank.
♦ Learn Metaphor: Same as above, a character can gain a new Metaphor for any skill, power or ability they could realistically obtain. The cost is one Training Point, plus the number of Metaphors the character owns plus one in Experience. The created Metaphor starts at +1 with a +1 Metaphor component installed for free.
"A character wants to learn a new Metaphor, they already have six Metaphors learned. They need to spend a Training Point plus 7 experience if they want to learn a seventh Metaphor. This Metaphor manifests at +1 and comes with one component at +1.
♦ Raise Attribute Tier: A character can permanently increase one Attribute's tier to the next highest one. Tier increases are treated the same as Attributes in that you can't raise the Tier to be higher than the character's own level. The experience cost is equal to the Target Attribute Tier number, and the Training Point cost is equal to the Target Attribute Tier number.
"A character wants to improve their Tier 1 Strength Attribute to Tier 2. But to do this, they must have at least +1 in their Strength bonus (as a Tier 2 should), then they need to spend 2 Training Points and Experience to complete the transaction."
Alternate Progression
Metaphors can be created and improved in the ways described above Although Metaphors can be granted and improved more naturally by doing various tasks and roleplay. Examples like practising and training during their downtime, being trained by someone who knows the skill/ability, or reading training materials like books. When making Training checks, the maximum number of attempts is equal to the user's level. If they fail to achieve the TN within the attempt limit, the user must start over again.
When it comes to learning a new Metaphor, the character must succeed a Progress check of TN 10 each day, if they succeed they learn the Metaphor at +1 with no components. If they fail, half the result is saved and the character can try again the next day.
When it comes to improving a Metaphor to the next rank, the TN is 10 times the rank the character is training for (+2 = TN20). Failed attempts save half the result for future attempts.
Training Save
If a character is on their final attempt and fails to meet the necessary TN to learn/improve the Metaphor. They can spend a number of experience points equal to the difference to 'Save' the training attempt to learn/improve the Metaphor. This Save can only be performed on the final attempt when the result would fail.
Improving Attributes and Tiers
When permitted by the GM, characters can also naturally train to raise their Attributes to new heights. Unlike Metaphors, training for Attributes or their Tiers has no time or attempt limit, instead the requires TN to trigger the change is drastically higher than a Metaphor. Furthermore, a character can't train an Attribute or Tier to be higher than their level, so this should be only undertaken once a character has achieved enough levels.
Training to improve an Attribute point requires a Progress check of 25 times the target Attribute value. So if one wishes to improve Strength to 2, it will require completing a Progress check of TN50.
If Training involves raising an Attribute tier, this requires a Progress check of 50 times the target Attribute tier. Raising a Charisma tier to 6 will require beating a TN of 300.