Freelance Traveller
As it stands, unless you use an extended character generation system (like my own GECGS), your Classic Traveller characters (especially those in Supplement 4) are going to have very few skills, and even fewer with level 2+. And not everyone like rolling for each year. Or relying solely on J-o-T to have a broad skill palette.
Also, why do characters have to rely on funds from their previous career? Shouldn't they have some life savings? And shouldn't nobles have more wealth?
Here's the answer. It uses only Book 1 and Supplement 4, and generates more powerful characters without year-by-year detail.
How it Works
First, roll up the characters UPP. This system provides an alternate UPP, however. The changes are:
- Education: When rolling this, roll 2D-7+Int. It is assumed that those who are better able to learn will have a better education.
- Charisma: A measure of personal magnetism. Roll 2D-7+Soc. Those who have a higher place in society will have more training in social matters. When rolling for reactions, roll 2D-7+Cha+other bonuses.
- Wealth: A measure of personal funds. Roll 2D-7+Soc. This prevents riff-raff from having billions of credits. Starting wealth (other than that gained from a career) is 10^(Wealth/2). If a character's wealth is an odd number, round down; multiply by 1D+2 afterward.
The new UPP should look like this:
(Str)(Dex)(End)(Int)(Edu)(Soc)-(Cha)(Wea)-(Psi)
After you've done this, enlist in a career as per usual. Each term is resolved as usual, except that skills are handled differently. Roll an additional number of times equal to Int/5, rounding down. So a first term marine with an Int of 11 who gets commissioned but not promoted rolls 5 times for skills.
When a skill roll indicates an increase or decrease in a characteristic, interpret it as follows:
- STR (Strength), DEX (Dexterity), and END (Endurance) become Physical, which allows you to choose to increase or decrease (as indicated) any one of them.
- INT (Intelligence) and EDU (Education) become Mental, which allows you to choose to increase or decrease (as indicated) any one of them.
- SOC (Social Standing) becomes Social, which allows you to choose to increase or decrease (as indicated) any one of Social Standing, Charisma, or Wealth.
When the character musters out, select a number of 0-level skills for your character equal to Edu/3, rounding down. You're finished!