Character Creation: Mecha vs. Kaiju

Well, we didn't wind up gaming tonight due to migraines, so I shall make a character instead. Last Fate game I made was back in early June, so.

The Game: Mecha vs. Kaiju
The Publisher: WrightWerx
Degree of Familiarity: None with this particular game, but I've run and played plenty of Fate and I've seen Pacific Rim
Books Required: Fate Core and Mecha vs. Kaiju

 

 
MvK has a secret history involving Oni, Kaiju, the secret underwater civilization of Mu, and lots of other in-genre stuff. For our purposes, I'm a mecha pilot (can't play as a kaiju, which is probably just as well). I'm a member of the MAF (Mecha Assault Force).

Unfortunately, this game doesn't include an example of character creation (am I seriously the only person that both finds them useful and enjoys reading them?), nor is there an actual step-by-step for chargen. I assume, then, that I'm basically following Fate Core except for the stuff that's called out as different. The chapter on character creation begins with Archetype - everyone has an archetype from anime as one of their starting Aspects, but I initially assumed that it replaced or was folded into High Concept (which is what most Core games seem to do). Looking at the character sheet, though (which is fillable, which is nice), Archetype is separate from High Concept and Trouble, so I guess it's a different thing. I'm still gonna pick it first, though, because it'll inform my other choices.

Well, I'm listening to Lights at the moment, and this song came on just as I was starting this process, and I like it. It's sad and contemplative and evocative. It kinda lends itself to Dasaiko, the creepy/quiet one, but listening to the lyrics it could also easily apply to Shinyu, the best friend. Reading that description, though, I'm not crazy about it. It's not bad, it just doesn't hit the notes I want. I'll stick with my first impulse.

OK, so I'm the Dasaiko, the quiet/creepy boy. This gives me access to a stunt tree, which I don't have to take, but are in-theme and are pretty cool.

In any case, I need a High Concept and Trouble Aspect. I want my character to be stealthy and to have a mecha designed for recon, research, and surgical strike. I'm picturing the boy from The Grudge if he were older (and, y'know, not some weird cat-ghost). So I think my High Concept is Silent Observer, and my Trouble is If I Told You, You'd Know (that is, I know shit I shouldn't know).

Next step is a Name. A quick Google tells me that "Yoru" is Japanese for "night," and "Hinata" means "facing the sun" (I have no particular faith in the accuracy of Google translate, but I also don't speak Japanese and I don't know anyone who does, I don't think).

And now the Phase Trio. This would, of course, require me to detail my adventures and how they brought me into contact with the other players, although since one of the Aspects is already covered by Archetype, it would seem that some revision of this step should happen. It's not mentioned, however. Well, that's fine. We'll say that Yoru has always has close brushes with the supernatural, and it terrifies him. That's why he's run away from it and taken refuge in technology, which, in turn, is what led him to MAF. First Aspect: Circuits Make Sense. 

For the next one, I'd love an Aspect that ties in to an encounter with a kaiju. I think that Yoru witnessed, or maybe dreamed, a kaiju coming up out of the sea, but then being turned away by a man in a horrible, ugly mask. Yoru can't say how he knows, but he knows that Even the Kaiju Fear the Oni.

Skills! I get the standard Skill pyramid, but I need to review how the Mecha Skills work real quick. OK, so there are two methods - you can either have special Mecha Skills, or a kind of more Pacific Rim approach that puts you in mental control of your mech, so you attack using Fight, and so forth. I think that either is appropriate, here. Hmm. I think I'll go with the former, because I see a disparity in how Yoru functions when in and out of his mech.

Well, given what we've established about Yoru, I think Computer as his Great Skill makes sense. I'll put Mecha Engineering and Mecha Piloting as his Goods. Fairs are Mecha Weapons, Will, and Empathy. For the Averages, I'll take Lore (I need some), Athletics, Notice, and Stealth. Actually, I'll move Will to Average and bump up Stealth.

Stunts! I get three free, as you know. Let's look at the Archetype ones. Hmm. I think It's Always the Quiet Ones is OK; I get a +2 to the first Empathy check of the scene. It's in-concept, actually. I'll take that. Oh, shit, totally take Sensor Supremacy (I can replace Notice with Computer when piloting a mech).

I kinda want a Stealth-related stunt for when I'm piloting a mech, which is a little silly, but I like this idea of him hiding in plain sight. I'll call it Where Did THAT Come From? and say I get a +2 to Stealth when piloting a Mech until I take an attack action.

Do I wish to have any more? I think I do. I want Precognition; I can spend a Fate Point at the beginning of a scene to create a story detail or an advantage.

That'll do, so I get 2 Refresh. And now it's MECH-TIME!

There are a couple of systems for creating mechs; I can do it purely by Aspects, or I can bust out Construction Points. I think I'll do the former, since the real point of Construction Points is that they give the GM a budget for creating kaiju, which is cool, but doesn't really apply here.

So, Yoru's mech is a prototype, a stealth-mech. MAF determined that making more than a few of these was silly, because really ambushing a kaiju isn't difficult or effective most of the time, but anything other than a kaiju isn't fooled by the cloak-tech. The Nighthawk Mech isn't one-of-a-kind, but there aren't many out there.

Its Design Philosophy (kinda like a High Concept) is Hide, Observe, Strike. Its Glitch Aspect is Still Experimental; the Nighthawks haven't seen much field use yet. Its Defensive System is Disruptive Coloration, and its Offensive one is Hornet Missiles. I get one more with a special system, so I'll say that the Nighthawk has Perception Countermeasures; it can fire off decoys and chaff to distract enemies.

And that's pretty much it!