Using Third Ed To Generate Characters

[SCC]

OK ever since we first got a look at Campaign Operations with it's Force Creation rules and the bit on Player Character influences I've had the idea to use 3rd Ed to generate a character to take advantage of that to create a unit for an Against the Bot campaign.

So the rules are a bit unclear on certain points, most importantly on how many Paths you can take. The rules say you can take up to six Stage Three and Four paths, but things become uncertain once you start dealing with Subpaths, the rules sate that mandatory Subpaths don't count towards the limit, but things get really murky for Subpaths that are marked 'part of this pass'. Take the Generic Military Academy path, the AIT is mandatory and thus is no problem, but Special Training and OCS aren't, so do they count?

My understanding is that the Field Manual introduced material is viewed as being over-powered, should I use it? Or just scavenge bits from it like SOC 6+ characters automatically get to take OCS like the Lyran Academies do?

Is it possible to purchase Traits before starting the Life Path? I ask because Military Family adds a bonus to certain Life Paths if you have it, and the only way for that to make sense is if you can buy it before starting the Life Paths. The entry requirements for the Nagelring also make more sense if this is the case.

[Daryk]

The Campaign Operations rules are really a better fit for AToW characters... Any particular reason you're using 3rd Edition instead?

[victor_shaw]

To answer the original path question.
It's been awhile so take this with a grain of salt.
If the sub-path states that it is "part of this pass" it doesn't count against the limits.
If it does not state this it counts.
Mandatory sub-paths only mean that you must take them.

As for the traits.
You buy traits after the path system.
When it give you a trait or requires on for a effect it is expected that you will buy the trait during the finalizing step.
Or if using the option, optimizing of the character.

[SCC]

The Campaign Operations rules are really a better fit for AToW characters... Any particular reason you're using 3rd Edition instead?

I was planning on converting the character after creation

[Daryk]

Ouch... talk about doing it the hard way... but to each their own...

[SCC]

To answer the original path question.
It's been awhile so take this with a grain of salt.
If the sub-path states that it is "part of this pass" it doesn't count against the limits.
If it does not state this it counts.
Mandatory sub-paths only mean that you must take them.

As for the traits.
You buy traits after the path system.
When it give you a trait or requires on for a effect it is expected that you will buy the trait during the finalizing step.
Or if using the option, optimizing of the character.

Just remembered this, but you can push the path system to, or even beyond it's breaking point with the Steiner military academy events, if you roll a 17 your character gets sent to university during their academy days, which means two complete Stage 3 paths, with multiple sub-paths, for the price of one.