Character Template: Amateur Sleuth

My original set of pre-gens for convention games included a couple of characters that did not prove popular. One was a nurse, intended to fill the "support" role that's exemplified by the Stalwart in Doctors & Daleks and that maps to characters on the show such as Rory or (to a lesser extent) Rose, Polly and so on. If I was running Doctors & Daleks rather than DWAITAS that would could well be more popular, but I'm not, and it isn't. The second was a barbarian warrior in the Leela mould, which I think proved unpopular because of the low tech, especially in a game that normally isn't heavy on combat. 

So I ditched both of those from the selection and added two new characters to replace them. I've no idea how popular they will prove, but the first of them fills the niche of the investigator now that I've made the private eye more physical since that was the way he usually got played. This time, we have an amateur sleuth, intentionally low on physicality but with observational and problem-solving skills that should (I hope) have an obvious function in any RPG scenario that isn't a straight dungeon crawl. Sarah Jane, as an investigative journalist, is perhaps the closest analogy from the show, at least conceptually (although it's arguable how often that comes into play) although the background details here are very different.

Background

You were, perhaps unwisely, snooping around at a fancy ball where you suspected Nazi spies were operating when you stumbled into a temporal rift and found yourself flung decades into the future to a hotel in Kent. Discovering that the rift had been picking up random people from across history, you teamed up with them to close it and defeat an invasion by aliens called the Gelth. Unfortunately, that still left you trapped in the year 2022! Using a TARDIS drawn to the hotel, you and the others are now travelling through time and space (note: how effectively depends on whether one of the other players is playing a Time Lord…) either to get back home, or simply to explore.

DWAITAS stats

Concept: Amateur Sleuth

Awareness  5	Coordination  2	Ingenuity  3
Presence  3	Resolve  3	Strength  2

Skills: Convince-4, Craft-1, Intuition-4, Knowledge-2, Science-2, Subterfuge-3 (spec: Stealth), Technology-1, Transport-2

Focus: The Truth            Story Points: 12

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In 5E, the character is clearly a Detective, even though it's not literally their profession. The decision naturally shapes some of their abilities, since 5E is a class-based system and therefore doesn't always map to more freeform ones. It's hard to avoid them ending up rather underpowered physically but this is offset by a broad spread of mental attributes and a good number of Quips.

Savage Worlds, while producing a similarly underpowered character physically gives us some more freedom in the choice of abilities and All Thumbs seems appropriate for someone who, while intelligent, isn't technologically based. Decent levels in Notice and Stealth are appropriate for the concept, and the former can be boosted with the Alertness edge. Mild Mannered is a suitable hindrance, given they genuinely aren't all that threatening - of course, we are expecting this to be a game low on physical combat, so that may not be such a big disadvantage as it might be otherwise.

Many of the skills that would apply to a character from this background in BRP aren't useful in this particular setting. Languages aren't required, and wealth and status are pretty much meaningless. This does allow us to concentrate on the sleuthing skills, however, getting unusually high levels i Insight and Spot for a starting character, and a good level of Stealth as well. Although Etiquette isn't useful in alien or many historical settings, we'll assume it's generally applicable across the 20th century, and put a few points into that since it does come from the assumed background.

GURPS allows a wider range of skills, as usual, filling out both the social background and specific knowledge of things such as poisons and escaping from bonds. Some of these skills do require a high DX, however, so, as we did with Savage Worlds, we won't keep that low as it's possible to do in the other systems.

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5E - Amateur Sleuth

3rd level Detective

STR 10 (+0)	DEX 8 (-1)	CON 12 (+1)
INT 13 (+1)	WIS 16 (+3)	CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws: Con +3, Int +3

Armour Class: 9          Plot Points: 22

Speed: 30 ft.         Tech Level: 4

Quip Bonus: +4 Motivation: Tourist

Skills: Investigation +6, Perception +7, Performance +4, Persuasion +5

Tools: Disguise Kit, Investigator's Tools

Features: Consider This, Inspiring Failure, Technological Instincts, You Cannot Win, Interviewer

Quips: Emotional Argument, Evasive Argument, Logical Argument, Observe Microexpressions, Parley, Slowing Statement, Thoughtful Argument

Savage Worlds - Amateur Sleuth

Agility: d8	Smarts: d8	Spirit: d6
Strength: d4	Vigour: d4

Skills: Academics d6, Athletics d4, Common Knowledge (1940s Earth) d6, Driving d4, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Research d8, Stealth d8

Hindrances: All Thumbs, Curious, Mild Mannered

Edges: Alertness, Investigator

Pace: 6                  Parry: 2                Toughness: 5

BRP - Amateur Sleuth

STR 10	CON 12	SIZ 10
INT 14	POW 13	EDU 14
DEX 8	CHA 13
Hit Points: 13	Move: 10	Fatigue: 22
Base SR: 6	Damage Bonus: 0

Skills: Appraise 45%, Bargain 75%, Disguise 21%, Drive Car 55%, Etiquette (20th century Earth) 55%, Fast Talk 65%, Grapple 45%, History 55%, Insight 75%, Listen 65%, Research 75%, Sense 30%, Spot 75%, Stealth 75%

GURPS - Amateur Sleuth

ST 10	DX 11	IQ 13	HT 10
Speed: 5.25	Move: 5	Thrust: 1d-2	Swing: 1d

Advantages: Alertness +3, Attractive, Charisma-1, Fashion Sense

Disadvantages: Curious

Skills: Connoisseur (Music)-12, Criminology/TL6-13, Dancing-10, Detect Lies-14, Escape-12, Fast Talk-13, Lip Reading-14, Lockpicking/TL6-13, Makeup/TL6-13, Observation-16, Poisons/TL6-11, Psychology-12, Research/TL6-13, Savoir-Faire (High Society)-14, Search-15, Sex Appeal-12, Sleight of Hand-12, Stealth-14