Texas: Character Generation

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Overview

1) Prioritise your Aptitudes

2) Choose your Shtick

3) Select your Finesse

4) Create the character!

Prioritise your Aptitudes

This bit is simple enough - you need to decide where your character's natural aptitudes lie.

There are three sorts of Aptitudes: Physical, Mental and Social. A higher rating indicates a higher level of aptitude. In game terms, your Aptitude sets how many poker chips you start each conflict with.

Select which Aptitude you want to be best at: this has a rating of 12. Then select which Aptitude you want to be second best at: this has a rating of 10. The remaining Aptitude is the one you want to be weakest at: this has a rating of 8.

For example if you want to play someone who is very physically adept, fairly social but not too bright, you'd go Physical 12, Social 10, Mental 8.

Choose your Shtick

Your Shtick is the one thing which you're very good at. Generally a Shtick is a career description or a one-word summary of what your character is.

In game terms, you draw 1 extra card during conflicts if you are working within your Shtick.

There's no way of listing every shtick available - you're limited only be your imagination and the GM's say-so. The list below should give you some ideas though:

• Gunslinger - You're a pistol-toting gunfighter, deadly accurate and cool under pressure. You gain 1 extra card in gunfights, high noon showdowns, and just plain murdering people with your gun. At the GM's discretion you might also gain the 1 extra card in other circumstances, such as keeping your cool when being intimidated, recognising types of firearms, and other gunslinger-like activities.

• Huckster - You're a smooth-talking hustler with fast hands and fast words. You can cheat your way to winning almost every gambling match, and talk your way out of trouble if you get caught. Failing all else, you can sell a little snake-oil, filch from pockets or pick the locks of the jail cells you get thrown in.

• Saloon Gal - You've worked as a "lady of negotiable affection" for a little while, and you've learnt the tricks of your trade. You're purtier than most, for sure, and you can get people to open up in all sorts of ways. You gain 1 extra card in tests of seduction, sweet-talking, calming angry clients and influencing the johns. at the GM's discretion you might also gain the bonus card when you drinking someone under the table, performing homebrew abortions, or carrying out other saloon-gal type activities.

• Barefist brawler - Most people can swing their fists, but you are in a different league. You're almost always the last one standing in a barfight. You've beaten professional boxers at their own game. You gain 1 extra card in tests of unarmed fighting of any sort. At the GM's discretion you might also gain the bonus card with tests of physical prowess or of courage or intimidation.

• Cowboy - You've driven cattle across the breadth of America. You're a natural outdoorsman, you're good with a rope or lariat and you have a natural empathy for horses. Few can ride as well as you, or as hardy in the wild as you. Note that while you're probably physically quite fit (taking Physical as your top aptitude makes sense) you're not a professional fighter or shooter.

• Ex-infantryman - You've stood in rifle-lines and faced down the enemy across corpse-strewn battlefields. You have the combined qualities self-discipline, ability to command and tactical wisdom that make a good soldier. While you're no pistolero fighting noon showdowns, you're deadly if you have a rifle, adequate cover, and ideally a squad of buddies backing you up.

• Preacher - Fire and brimstone are the tools of your trade, and when you're in the pulpit few can deny your charisma. As a man of the cloth you've become an expert at reading people and (guiltily) using your force of presence to get your own way.

Whatever you pick, bear in mind that this will determine a great deal about the role your character will play in the story, as well as telling the GM what sort of game you want to play. Characters will tend to win most contests that relate to their shtick, even if they are at a disadvantage aptitude-wise.

For a good story, it makes sense for players to cover a good range of shticks. A group that consists of five gunslingers might be great for shooting the hell out of mainstreet, but not much else.

Part of the implied social contract of this game is that the GM will allow you to shine in at least a few scenes - after all it'd make a poor movie if a writer and director cast someone to be their "barefist brawler" then shot nothing but gunfight scenes.