I have player who wants to play a child (10 year old) this is the child from a previous character of theirs how would you suggest handling this mechanically lowered brawn, ST, WT. etc.

I wouldn't mess with it too much, to be honest. If it were in my game, I'd suggest the player just choose their stats and race as they would normally and roleplay the character as a child.

For a human, I'd suggest leaving Brawn at 2 rather than putting any points in it.

Because they're supposed to be pulp-adventure characters, a child could be as capable as anyone. For example Tintin or even Anakin in Episode I, he's a great pilot, he's perceptive, he's got cunning because of his life on the streets.

I use to lower Wounds to half and maybe substract a quarter from Strain.

With main Stats I use to pu them at 1 (instead 2) but I always consider species special bonuses and stats. Also I stat their starting XP below 50 and even 25. Max skills ranks can be up to 1 and max talent ranks (in general) max up to 2.

In some cases I let mental stats overthrow that rules (genius kid).

For teenagers I use to let stats similar to adults depending on case.

And as a personal thing, I don't let them pick up "combat" classes/specializations. Only rogue or genius kids, not soldier or assassin kids.

Hope I helped

I use to lower Wounds to half and maybe substract a quarter from Strain.

I don't think you really have to mess with WT or ST. These are meant to be broad, abstract measures anyway, so the GM & player could describe the results of Wounds and Strain differently. For example, if the child takes a few Wounds, the GM could describe it as the child scrambling frantically out of the way of the vibro-axe as it repeatedly slams down where she just was. She's not hit (which would kill a kid) but she's running out of places to hide. Strain could be represented as the kinds of worries or stress that a kid gets, or just being really, really tired. If she hits her Strain threshold, maybe she just sits down and won't move any further until she recovers (nap-time!), rather than being knocked-out.

I'd prefer this approach to handicapping the player mechanically.

I use to lower Wounds to half and maybe substract a quarter from Strain.

With main Stats I use to pu them at 1 (instead 2) but I always consider species special bonuses and stats. Also I stat their starting XP below 50 and even 25. Max skills ranks can be up to 1 and max talent ranks (in general) max up to 2.

.....you want me dead, and you don't even know me!

Childs in movies use to have the "Hollywood/Disney protection" Talent at max ranks XD

I use to lower Wounds to half and maybe substract a quarter from Strain.

With main Stats I use to pu them at 1 (instead 2) but I always consider species special bonuses and stats. Also I stat their starting XP below 50 and even 25. Max skills ranks can be up to 1 and max talent ranks (in general) max up to 2.

In some cases I let mental stats overthrow that rules (genius kid).

For teenagers I use to let stats similar to adults depending on case.

And as a personal thing, I don't let them pick up "combat" classes/specializations. Only rogue or genius kids, not soldier or assassin kids.

Hope I helped

That's such a severe penalty effectively the same as saying "No child PCs".

Back in the dark times of my gaming, I gamed with another player who made a child PC. Let's just say he was not mature enough to play a kid. Yes, I realize how contradictory that statement was.

It depends on the sort of character they're playing. Assuming the PC is a child prodigy, you could justify having higher intellect and cunning, but perhaps lower brawn (if he's not accustomed to lifting anything heavier than a datapad), lower willpower (if he's a bit of a brat who hates not having his own way), or lower presence (if he has a hard time getting people to take him seriously).

If the child had a rough life living on the streets, he might have strength and agility equal to an adult, but might not have the intellect that would go with proper education or the presence to stand up to the thugs and lowlifes around him.

Actually, I'd probably deduct some presence from him unless he had a good way of justifying it. Oh, and the player must portray the character using a Jake Lloyd "Now this is podracing!" impression. Even if said player and/or character are female.

In my games I let play unbalanced things, over and under powered species/classes or else.

If anyone just pick up something its for a roleplay thing not to "destroy everything!" XD

I consider that childs have the contrary effect off Jedi/Force and aliens in some cases:

- Child: Weak; Social Protection: No one use to attack or try to kill a child.

- Alien: Medium; Social Racism: In general therms they are desprestigiated and even attacked on Imperial worlds.

- Jedi/Force: Strong; Social Disavantage: Empire will auto-attack this character if recongnies him/her.

Without considering Episode III temple scene... Hollywood/Disney Ranks use to protect childs, its a super social Adversary talent XD The same way, I don't let child chars become killers or assassins.

Playing a Padawan would require a child PC, so this is of interest to me Assuming the idea is to eventually play the character into adulthood, I don't think I'd reduce starting XP, because it's too hard to get back to the stats you'd need as an adult. Instead I'd have the player go through the normal chargen reflecting the stats they want as an adult, then reduce Brawn by 1*, and let the character decide which other stat to reduce by 1. This would reduce WT temporarily, and possibly ST depending on the stat they choose. They will get their chosen stat back at, say, 16, and their Brawn back at, say, 18, along with whatever threshold bump is required.

*(if Brawn already starts at 1 for the species, then they choose 2 other stats to reduce, and get them back at 16 and 18.)

I don't think messing with the other stats or limits is necessary.

Playing a Padawan would require a child PC, so this is of interest to me Assuming the idea is to eventually play the character into adulthood, I don't think I'd reduce starting XP, because it's too hard to get back to the stats you'd need as an adult. Instead I'd have the player go through the normal chargen reflecting the stats they want as an adult, then reduce Brawn by 1*, and let the character decide which other stat to reduce by 1. This would reduce WT temporarily, and possibly ST depending on the stat they choose. They will get their chosen stat back at, say, 16, and their Brawn back at, say, 18, along with whatever threshold bump is required.

*(if Brawn already starts at 1 for the species, then they choose 2 other stats to reduce, and get them back at 16 and 18.)

I don't think messing with the other stats or limits is necessary.

I was thinking something similar.

For characters expected to grow up after an adventure or two (Anakin) they can commit the XP for a higher brawn at character creation and get the boost "free" when the time comes.

For characters expected to stay young for a while (Ahsoka) just use normal rules and stat appropriately.

Make the character as normal. GM adds setback dice liberally. Done.

I had the idea to just reduce starting XP by perhaps 30 or 40, and then at the appropriate age/growing-up montage, give them back that XP to be spent as "starting XP," pretty much on a single characteristic.

Functionally, this could be equivalent to whafrog's suggestion, but also allows for some skill ranks, should the player desire.

I recommend:

• Younglings have the same base attributes as other members of their species, except that they suffer -1 reductions to Brawn, Intellect and Presence.
• They do not have a career or specialization, and therefor possess no talents.
• Younglings start with one third of their species' normal XP, rounded down.

I recommend:

Rules for Younglings

GM's wanting to use younglings in an adventure or campaign can do so with the following modifications.

• Younglings have the same base attributes as other members of their species, except that they suffer -1 reductions to Brawn, Intellect and Presence.
• They do not have a career or specialization, and therefor possess no talents.
• Younglings start with one third of their species' normal XP, rounded down.

This is definitely the system to go with, especially if you find the typical starting character to be far too competent at tasks. Did you consider maybe requiring the player to self-flagellate at different points during the game?

I recommend:

Rules for Younglings

GM's wanting to use younglings in an adventure or campaign can do so with the following modifications.

• Younglings have the same base attributes as other members of their species, except that they suffer -1 reductions to Brawn, Intellect and Presence.
• They do not have a career or specialization, and therefor possess no talents.
• Younglings start with one third of their species' normal XP, rounded down.

Not on my watch.

The source material (you know, the movies) has 9 year old Anakin as really no different then any other PC. Nerfing a character simply because of its concept is silly, and discourages interesting play ideas.

In my opinion, the fact that you don't have the same amount of "level/power" than another ones doesn't make you a lesser character.

In my game lesser XP and Stats characters are sometimes the main focus of the story. That chapter and the attention of that "episode" are on them.

The main focus, at least from my point of view, in roleplaying is roleplay, not achieve level 20, kill the dragon and have a Flaming Sword of Fire +3.

I understand your point of view, no need to "nerf" chracter stats, but players must be aware that a 0,90 cm tall child with brawn 2 (for example) doesn't have the same amount of Encumbrance or even strenght that an adult, for example.

Again, is a personal choice

These are meant to be pulp adventure characters, not realistic representations.

Brawn 2 doesn't really make someone the Hulk compared to somebody with Brawn 1, so I don't see the point in lowering stats to make them a child.

Just roll up a char like normal and roleplay it.

You can always lower Encumbrance value based on Silhouette. For Example a child can have Brawn 2 but his/her Encumbrance can be 2 + 3 or +2 to "fix that".

I recommend:

Rules for Younglings

GM's wanting to use younglings in an adventure or campaign can do so with the following modifications.

• Younglings have the same base attributes as other members of their species, except that they suffer -1 reductions to Brawn, Intellect and Presence.
• They do not have a career or specialization, and therefor possess no talents.
• Younglings start with one third of their species' normal XP, rounded down.

This is definitely the system to go with, especially if you find the typical starting character to be far too competent at tasks. Did you consider maybe requiring the player to self-flagellate at different points during the game?

I regularly require self-flagellation from my players. If they refuse, I call them "immature roleplayers," shun them, send them away, and blacklist them from all other roleplay groups in the area.*

* denotes sarcasm

Ok ok XD

Golden rule! Fun first, rules second. The main essence of common sense I supose

In my opinion, the fact that you don't have the same amount of "level/power" than another ones doesn't make you a lesser character.

In my game lesser XP and Stats characters are sometimes the main focus of the story. That chapter and the attention of that "episode" are on them.

This true as a general statement, but doesn't work in the context of these mechanics. For example, Intellect 1 encompasses everything from worms to Weequay. If the GM doesn't scale everything down (what would have been Average is now Easy), then it's just an exercise in frustration. You can role-play all you want, but at some point you have to roll the dice, and these have to be balanced.

IOW, there is a limited range on the lower end, and it makes no sense to be skipping along the bottom of that range for the duration of the game when the mechanics aren't really geared for it.

If you wanted to play an all-child game where they don't get to be adults someday, then it might be more useful to scale everything else UP. Do chargen per the normal rules, but any adult NPCs they meet have +1 to all their characteristics*, with maxes adjusted accordingly. I think it's easier to scale upwards in this game than downwards.

*( ...or Brawn and 2 others if you want to limit it)

I would say Ezra looks quite competent to me. As long as the player can roleplay it, then no need to bring in special rules,

If I had to make special rules to gimp a character, then I probably should not allow that character in the first place.

I recommend:

Rules for Younglings

GM's wanting to use younglings in an adventure or campaign can do so with the following modifications.

• Younglings have the same base attributes as other members of their species, except that they suffer -1 reductions to Brawn, Intellect and Presence.
• They do not have a career or specialization, and therefor possess no talents.
• Younglings start with one third of their species' normal XP, rounded down.

What page/book is this please.