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:

Name   Age   Sex   Template   Occupation(s)
Abilities & Qualities   Modifier     /       /       /       /       /       /       /       /       /       /       /       /	Mass   /   kg Length   /   m Length Type   Variability     Speed   /   Agility   /   Strength   /   Toughness   /     CP Value   /
Equipment & Natural Defenses   Features   Mass   Heft   Power   Attack   Defense       kg               kg               kg               kg               kg               kg               kg               kg               kg               kg
Carrying Capacity   kg Equipment Mass   kg Encumbrance   Ground Movement   m Water Movement   m Air Movement   m Best Absorption   Total Cover   Grapple Attack   Melee Defense   Missile Defense   Grapple Defense
Stun Stamina   Damage

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 have natural abilities with 0, 1 or 2 levels of template ability modifier (Tmp Mod). (See Game Design/Abilities.)

Disabilities

Templates can have disabilities with -1, -2, -3 or -4 template disability modifier (Tmp Mod). (See Game Design/Abilities/Disabilities.)

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.

Variability (Var.)

Variability determines how much characters with this template can differ from the average size and proportions.

• Characters with no variability (none) always have the average length, reach, mass, agility, toughness and power for their template. For example, a specific model of robot might have no variability because they are all built the same.
• Characters with low variability (low) are always within 10% of the average length of their template. Bird species often have low variability.
• Characters with medium variability (med) can be up to 20% longer or shorter than the average length of their template. Humans and most mammals have medium variability.
• Characters with high variability (high) 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 variability. Species whose growth adjusts to the space or food available also have high variability.

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 0-6 scale with humans in the middle (3 Agi.)

Speed

Speed is maximum number of times a character based on this template can attack per round with a single weapon. Very large creatures typically have less speed. Speed emphasizes strength and energy while agility emphasizes coordination and reflexes, but the main difference is that agility affects the success of actions while speed affects how fast actions can be performed.

	1/4	very slow (sloth, tortoise)
	1/2	slow (python, elephant, turtle)
	1	medium (horse, average human speed)
	2	fast (dog, maximum human speed)
	3	fast (cat, shrew, tasmanian devil)

Power

Power is the maximum damage an average character based on the template can cause in a single attack with natural weapons. Template power is usually less than or equal to template toughness and never less than 0. Creatures of roughly human size and power have 4 power. Creatures with 0 power cannot do any damage with their natural weapons.

Toughness

Toughness is the amount of damage an average character based on the template can take without being incapacitated. Template toughness is usually greater than or equal to template power and never less than 0. Creatures of roughly human size and toughness have 6 toughness.

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
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 (Absorption)

A template can have one or more types of natural armor. Each type of armor can have a different absorption modifier. Absorption is the amount of attack power the armor can block from a single attack.

	1	tough skin, scales or guard hairs
	2	big scales, small bones in skin, thick padding
	3-5	large bony plates, flattened ribs
	5-9	carapace, bony sheild, hard shell
	10+	extremely thick and tough armor

Cvr (Cover)

The cover of each type of natural armor is the number of areas it protects. A template's natural armor can protect up to 6 areas. Only one type of armor can protect a given area.

	1	limited armor - protects a specific area of the body like a shield
	2	partial armor - more area(s) covered but less than 50%
	3	extensive armor - at least 50% cover like a shell or carapace
	4	mostly armored - covers most of the body but exposes large ares
	5	fully armored - covers the whole body but has weak points
	6	tough hide - full cover without weak points

Natural Weapons

Dex (Manual Dexterity)

A natural weapon may be a hand or manipulator which is used to wield weapons. (The terms hand and manipulator can be used interchangeably.) A hand's manual dexterity is added to the character's combat modifier with weapons held in that hand.

	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 (Template Reach)

The natural weapon's template 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.

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.

0 variability CP 25 toughness CP 30 strength CP 30 speed CP 0 agility CP 50 running CP 0 ability and quality CP 20 natural weapons CP + 0 natural armor CP 105 template CP

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 ___ Tgh ___ 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   1 Spd   4 Tgh   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, 1 Spd, 4 Toughness, 4 Pwr, 3 claws and teeth (0.5 m, S Shp, 0 Dex)