Mano a Mano:Templates
Templates
Templates are used to generate characters. Each template represents a certain type of character. The character could be a person, animal, alien, monster or even a machine depending on their template. A template can be a race, species, model, stereotype or archetype. Age categories and sexes can have seperate templates if the differences are significant.
To create a template, fill in certain parts of a blank character sheet:
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- Template
- This is the name of the template, which can include details such as age group or sex if each sex or age group has a separate template.
- Abilities
- Templates can give characters natural abilities or disabilities and ability or disability modifiers (Mod). (See Game Design/Abilities.)
- Template Mass
- This is the average mass of characters based on this template.
- Template Length
- This is the average length of characters based on this template.
- (Length) Type
- This explains how length measured for this template: length, height or wingspan for example.
- Variance (Var.)
- Variance determines how much characters with this template vary from the average size.
| Variance | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| none | Characters with no variance always have the average length, reach, mass, agility, health and power for their template. For example, a specific model of robot might have no variance because they are all built the same. | |
| low | Characters with low variance are always within 10% of the average length of their template. Bird species often have low variance. | |
| medium | Characters with medium variance can be up to 20% longer or shorter than the average length of their template. Humans and most mammals have medium variance. | |
| high | Characters with high variance can be up to 30% longer or shorter than the average length of their template. Many reptiles grow slowly throughout their lives and have high variance. Species whose growth adjusts to the space or food available also have high variance. |
- Agility
- Agility is roughly based on size, but some templates are awkward or slow moving for their size, and others are surprisingly agile for their size. Agility is on a 0-8 scale with humans in the middle (4 Agi)
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Speed | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | extremely fast (shrew, tasmanian devil) | ||
| 3 | very fast (cat, fighting cock, ninja) | ||
| 2 | fast (dog, maximum human speed) | ||
| 1 | medium (horse, average human speed) | ||
| 1/2 | very slow (python, elephant, turtle) | ||
| 1/4 | very slow (sloth, tortoise) | ||
| 0 | sluggish (snail, plant, imperceptible movement) |
- Power (and half power)
- Power is the maximum damage an average character based on the template can cause in a single attack with natural weapons. Creatures of roughly human size and power have 4 power. Creatures with 0 power cannot do any damage with their natural weapons. Half power is the maximum damage a character of the template can cause cause in a quick attack with natural weapons. Half power is power divided by two, rounded down. Half power and power are listed together on the template as a range. If a template has 5 power, then it's half power is 2, and they are both listed under Power on the template as "2 - 5".
- Health
- The average health modifier for a given size is two times the average power modifier for that size minus eight, but the health modifier is almost never less than -4.
Toughness, agility and strength are all related to a template's size. The following examples should help guide template creation, but some creatures will be stronger or weaker, quicker or clumsier than their mass would suggest.
| Example | mouse | rat | cat | human | horse | elephant | whale | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mass (kg) | 0.02 | 0.3 | 5 | 80 | 500 | 8000 | 50,000 | |
| Agility | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | -2 | -4 | -5 | |
| agility CP | 75 | 45 | 30 | 0 | -30 | -60 | -75 | |
| Speed | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | |
| speed CP | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | |
| Toughness | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 40 | 100 | |
| toughness CP | 0 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 60 | 200 | 500 | |
| Strength | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 50 | |
| strength CP | 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 80 | 250 | 500 | |
| Cover | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | |
| Absorption | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| armor CP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 100 | |
| Total CP | 105 | 90 | 90 | 85 | 140 | 440 | 1025 |
Natural Armor
|
Abs | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | thick hide, scales or guard hairs, light exoskeleton | |
| 2 | big scales, small bones in skin, modest exoskeleton | |
| 3 | large bony scutes, strong exoskeleton, light shell | |
| 4-5 | carapace, bony sheild, heavy exoskeleton, hard shell | |
| 6-9 | unbreakable shell, probably quite heavy | |
| 10+ | harder than armor found in nature |
|
Cvr | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | limited armor - protects a specific area of the body like a shield | |
| 2 | partial armor - more area(s) covered but les than 50% | |
| 3 | extensive armor - at least 50% cover like a shell or carapace | |
| 4 | fully armored - covers the whole body but has weak points | |
| 5 | tough hide - full cover without weak points |
Each area might represent 20% of the body's surface, or the areas may represent five levels of priority: vital targets, main targets, secondary targets, minor targets, and weak points. The total cover of a character's natural armor types cannot be more than 5. If the total cover is 5 then all 5 areas are protected and the weakest part of the armor has unlimited cover. See Action/Armor and Weapons.)
Natural Weapons
|
Dex | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | fully developed manipulator (right hand for most humans) | |
| -1 | improved tool-manipulator (left hand for the average human) | |
| -2 | basic tool-using manipulator (ape hand) | |
| -3 | dextrous grasping limb (raccoon paw) | |
| -4 | basic grasping limb |
- Rch (Reach)
- The natural weapon's reach is the maximum range of attacks with the weapon. If the natural weapon is a hand, it's reach is also added to the reach of weapons held in that hand.
- Shp (Sharpness)
- Sharpness determines whether the weapon's attack power becomes damage or stun. (See Action/Armor and Weapons.) If the natural weapon is a hand, this sharpness does not affect the damage and stun of weapons held in that hand.
- Qty (Quantity)
- Having more than one natural weapon allows a creature with at least 1 speed to attack more often. (This is different from having more speed because it does not allow a creature with only 1 speed to do powerful actions.) If a creature cannot use it's natural weapons quickly, they may count as a single natural weapon. For example, an Elephant has both tusks and a trunk that can be used as weapons, but the elephant cannot use them as separate weapons in a combo attack. A character with at least two hands can do a secondary attack with a hand weapon - as long as the character has a weapon in each hand.
Template CP
Template CP is the sum of the template's ability, disability, variability, toughness, power, speed, agility, natural weapon and armor CP.
- Template Ability CP
- The CP of a template ability is the ability modifier times 15: 15 CP for a modifier of 1 or 30 CP for a modifier of 2.
- Template Variability CP
- No variability is worth -10 CP. Low variability is worth -5 CP. Medium variability is worth 0 CP. High variability is worth 5 CP.
- Template Toughness CP
- Each point of template toughness is worth 5 CP.
- Template Power CP
- Each point of template power is worth 10 CP. A natural weapon point of additional power is worth 5 CP, but natural weapon power does not increase the character's carrying capacity or make it easier to wield hefty weapons in any way.
- Template Speed CP
- 1/4 speed is worth -30 CP. 1/2 speed is worth 0 CP. 1 speed is worth 30 CP. 2 speed is worth 60 CP. 3 speed is worth 90 CP.
- Template Agility CP
- 0 agility is worth 0 CP. 1 agility is worth 30 CP. 2 agility is worth 60 CP. 3 agility is worth 90 CP. 4 agiilty is worth 120 CP. 5 agility is worth 150 CP. 6 agility is worth 180 CP.
- Natural Armor CP
- The CP of natural armor is 5 multiplied by the cover and absorption. For example, natural armor with 3 cover and 2 absorption is worth 30 CP.
The CP of template's natural weapons is based on their quantity, sharpness and number of hands:
- Quantity CP
- Quantity CP is based on the total quantity of all of the template's natural weapons. No natural weapons (0 total quantity) is worth -50 CP. A single natural weapon (1 total quantity) is worth -20 CP. Two or more natural weapons is worth 0 CP.
- Template Range CP
- The range of a natural weapon is worth 1 CP per meter.
- Sharpness CP
- Blunt sharpness is worth 0 CP. One sharp natural weapon is worth 20 CP, two or more sharp natural weapons is worth 30 CP. One padded natural weapon is worth 5 CP. Two or more padded natural weapons is worth 8 CP. For example, the sharpness of 10 razor blades (sharp) and 10 electro-shock tentacles (padded) would be worth a total of 38 CP (8 + 30.)
- Hand CP
- Each natural weapon that is a "hand" capable of wielding tools or weapons is worth an additional 10 CP.
Templates can also have various "qualities":
- Flight
- "Powered Flight" is worth 15 CP. "Gliding" is worth 10 CP. "Soaring" requires Powered Flight or Gliding, and is worth 5 CP. "Parachuting" is worth 5 CP.
- Mechanical
- Being Mechanical (rather than organic) is worth 3 CP. (Being organic is worth 0 CP and does not need to be specified if the character is not mechanical.)
- Sensory Impairment
- Blind is worth -70 CP. Deaf is worth -30 CP.
- Communication Impairment
- Dumb is worth -10 CP. Mute is worth -15 CP.
- Physical Impairment
- Lame is worth-30 CP. Immobile is worth -70 CP.
- Mental Impairment
- Inept is worth -20 CP. Unintelligent is worth -40 CP.
Make a Template - Template Generation Example
To demonstrate the creation of a character template, this tutorial will show how to create a human template which can be used for many RPG settings. This template can be used to create most adult human characters, including both men and women.
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1. Build - A quick Internet search suggests that average humans are around 75 kg and 1.7 meters tall. Most humans are within 20% of average height but many are more than 10% taller or shorter, so humans have medium variability (worth 0 CP.) Humans have 1 speed (worth 30 CP), 3 strength (worth 30 CP), 5 toughness (worth 25 CP), 0 agility (worth 0 CP), 5 running (worth 50 CP). Humans have no swimming, although individuals can learn to swim, and no airspeed because they cannot fly. 2. Abilities and Qualities - Humans have no special abilities or disabilities. 3. Natural Defenses - Humans have two or more natural weapons, which is worth 0 CP. They have two hands, which together are worth 20 CP. Humans have no natural armor. 4. Template CP - The total CP value of our new human template is 105 CP. |
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human, 75 kg, 1.7 m height, medium variability, 155 CP
1 speed, 0 agility, 3 strength, 5 toughness, 5 running
2 hands (hand)
2 feet
Compact Templates
This compact form of a template leaves out all unnecessary details. To create a character from a compact template, copy each piece of information from the template to a blank character sheet. If you need to recalculate the template CP for a character, you will have to look up all of the CP values which have been left out the compact template.
TEMPLATE ___________________ ______ CP
ABILITIES ______________________________
______________________________
____ kg ___ Agi ___ Spd ___ Hlth ___ Pwr
____ m _____________ var. ____________
Qty Natural Weapons Reach Shp Dex
___ _____________________ ____ m ___ ___
___ _____________________ ____ m ___ ___
___ _____________________ ____ m ___ ___
Natural Armor Abs Cvr
________________________________ ___ ___
________________________________ ___ ___
A compact template for the Sabretooth Penguin example would look like this:
TEMPLATE Sabretooth Penguin 1800 CP ABILITIES 3 swimming 60 kg 4 Agi 2 Spd 0 Hlth 4 Pwr 1.0 m height var. low Qty NATURAL WEAPONS Reach Shp Dex 3 claws and teeth 0.5 m S 0 ___ _____________________ ____ m ___ ___ ___ _____________________ ____ m ___ ___ NATURAL ARMOR Abs Cvr ________________________________ ___ ___ ________________________________ ___ ___
An even more compact form is a list of information on one line, separated by commas, with unnecessary blank space and labels removed:
| Sabretooth Penguin, 1800 CP, 3 swimming, 40 - 90 kg, 0.75 - 1.5 m height, low var., 4 Agi, 2 Spd, 0 Health, 4 Pwr, 3 claws and teeth (0.5 m, S Shp, 0 Dex) |