Active NPC Characters

[hive_angel]

If you need to create an active NPC character which is used quite often in a campaign is it better to create the character using the normal paths or point buy system?

[Acolyte]

That's really up to you. I tend to go through the paths and where I can I bounce ideas off of others to get a more firm grasp of their history. More difficult to do if it's a reoccurring villain, of course, but those I make on my own.

It depends on the detail you need and whether the paths give you that.

   - Shane

[hive_angel]

I do like the path ideas, but for some reason I feel every NPC character I need to make which requires mechwarrior skills for example has to choose military school and or academy in order to get those vital combat skills. Am I thinking wrong or just fearing the prerequisites which must be made?

Thoughts

[Acolyte]

Nope, you can get those skill through the Solaris training and Family training as well as just buying them with your left over points - just have some sort of reasonable explanation. This is why I like the paths - they really aren't a straight jacket, they just give flavor.

All in all, Piloting 3, Gunnery 4 (to give a typical 4/5 regular pilot) costs you 200 pts. Fields are cheaper but not the only way, they just round out the character. O0

   - Shane

[Orion]

Neither.  Just assign them the skills and characteristics you want them to have.  They aren't player characters, they are story elements, and follow a different set of rules.  Compare them to characters created the normal way so that they will be as competent or incompetent as needed for the story, but don't bother using the PC design process.