R201 Characters

Each character in the game has three ratings: Marksmanship (“M”), Hand-to-Hand fighting (“H”), and Endurance (“E”). Each is rated numerically, with higher numbers superior. Characters may also have skills, such as pilot/navigator, gunner, medic, driver, etc. Characters may possess certain items of equipment, whose quality depends on the “Tech Code” (technology level), or other items of worth, whose value depends on where they are bought and sold.

The characters include yourself, the Star Smuggler Duke Springer (see R201B), any followers in your crew or party, and any other characters, creatures, or robots encountered during the game. Characters can be friendly or hostile, intelligent or unintelligent.

When a character joins your party, note his (or her) vital statistics as needed. You can voluntarily dismiss or abandon members of your party if you wish (sometimes expedient when making an escape, or if money or equipment runs short). Dismissal or abandonment may have penalties to you (R220B). Characters encountered who don’t join your party can be ignored after the event, they simply go on their way, and “disappear” from the game.

To determine your own personal characteristics at the start of the game, see R201B.