Step Three: Upbringing
Choose the character’s Upbringing; this is the kind of education the character had during their formative years and the kind of influence their parents and mentors had. Each Upbringing grants:
+2 to one attribute and +1 to a second attribute
+1 to a single department
One focus
One talent
The nature of a person’s family and their surroundings as they grew up can have a massive impact upon them, and whether they accept this influence, or rebel against it, will shape the rest of their lives.
A character’s Upbringing provides them with three points spread across two attributes. Which attributes can be increased, and by how much, is determined not only by the Upbringing chosen, but also by whether the character accepted their Upbringing or rebelled against it.
Each Upbringing also gives the character a single point to add to one of their departments, with each Upbringing having a choice of which departments can be increased. Finally, the character receives a single focus, which should relate in some way to the Upbringing chosen (a few examples are provided in each case). Finally, each Upbringing gives the character a single talent.
When selecting talents, you may choose that talent immediately or you may wait until the end of character creation to make your choice.
A player may choose their character’s Upbringing, or randomly determine it from the Random Upbringing table below by rolling a d20.
Random Upbringing
D20 UPBRINGING
1-3 Agriculture or Rural
4-6 Artistic and Creative
7-9 Business or Trade
10-12 Diplomacy and Politics
13-15 Science and Technology
16-18 Starfleet or Military
19-20 Roll Again or Choose
Agriculture or Rural
The character grew up surrounded more by nature than by people, in rural communities, on the frontier, or somewhere else distanced from the bustle of cities. They might be heavily involved in agriculture, growing real food to supplement synthesized or replicated meals.
ATTRIBUTES
If the character accepted this Upbringing, the tough, practical life on the land breeds a strong work ethic and a healthy body, increasing their Control by 1 and their Fitness by 2.
If the character rebelled against this Upbringing, they are likely to have embraced science, technology, and the fruits of civilization, increasing their Presence by 1 and their Reason by 2.
DEPARTMENTS, FOCUS, AND TALENT
The character’s living off the land and growing up on the edge of civilization allows them to increase one of Conn, Security, or Medicine.
The character’s focus should relate to the character’s rural lifestyle, and the skills they learned there. Examples include: Animal Handling, Athletics, Emergency Medicine, Endurance, Ground Vehicles, Infectious Diseases, Navigation, Toxicology, Survival Training.
The character also gains a single talent.
Artistic and Creative
The character’s life was filled with arts and creativity of all kinds, and no matter what pursuits the character favors, they are exposed to the great works of many cultures, and given every opportunity to express themselves.
ATTRIBUTES
If the character accepted this Upbringing, they develop a greater understanding of emotion and communication, increasing their Insight by 1 and their Presence by 2.
If the character rebelled against this Upbringing, the character is more inclined to action than to expression, increasing their Daring by 1 and their Fitness by 2.
DEPARTMENTS, FOCUS, AND TALENT
The character’s ease with creativity and self-expression lend themselves to many pursuits, allowing the character to increase one of Command, Engineering, or Science.
The character’s focus should relate to the character’s preferred way of applying their skills. Examples include: Botany, Cultural Studies, Holoprogramming, Linguistics, Music, Observation, Persuasion, Psychology.
The character also gains a single talent.
Business or Trade
The character’s family may have connections on countless worlds, overseeing and directing some grand business endeavor. They might have been traders or involved in interplanetary freight. Either way, the character has grown up encountering people from all walks of life, including those from outside their civilization, and their outlook on life has been shaped accordingly.
ATTRIBUTES
If the character accepted this Upbringing, a cosmopolitan, ambitious lifestyle increases their Daring by 1 and their Presence by 2.
If the character rebelled against this Upbringing, stepping away from the family business to find their own identity increases their Insight by 2 and their Reason by 1.
DEPARTMENTS, FOCUS, AND TALENT
The character’s experiences with their family business allows them to increase any one of Command, Engineering, or Science.
The character’s focus should relate to the nature of their family’s business, covering skills that are valuable during trade, or which were useful to the family business in other ways. Examples include: Finances, Geology, Linguistics, Manufacturing, Metallurgy, Negotiation, Survey.
The character also gains a single talent.
Diplomacy and Politics
The character has been exposed to the complexities of political thought and the nuances of diplomacy since they were young, perhaps because a family member was involved in those fields.
ATTRIBUTES
If the character accepted this Upbringing, they’re disciplined and well-versed in the arts of debate, increasing their Control by 1 and their Presence by 2.
If the character rebelled against this Upbringing, then they’ve instead sought more tangible things to focus on, increasing their Fitness by 1 and their Reason by 2.
DEPARTMENTS, FOCUS, AND TALENT
The character’s familiarity with the practices and perils of diplomacy, politics, and the law allow them to increase any one of Command, Conn, or Security by 1.
The character’s focus should relate to the character’s preferred way of applying their skills. Examples include: Composure, Debate, Diplomacy, Espionage, Interrogation, Law, Philosophy, Starfleet Protocol.
The character also gains a single talent.
Science and Technology
The character’s home was one filled with the potential of science, and cutting-edge developments were familiar ground. Perhaps the character was raised by scientists, engineers, or had mentors and teachers who encouraged a talent for the technical.
ATTRIBUTES
If the character accepted this Upbringing, they are rational, methodical, and precise, increasing their Control by 2 and their Reason by 1.
If the character rebelled against this Upbringing, they don’t lack technical talent, but they haven’t developed that talent and instead rely more on instinct, increasing their Daring by 1 and their Insight by 2.
DEPARTMENTS, FOCUS, AND TALENT
The character’s familiarity with cutting-edge science and the latest research allows them to increase one of Conn, Engineering, Science, or Medicine by 1.
The character’s focus should relate to the character’s favored fields of study and inquiry. Examples include: Astrophysics, Astronavigation, Computers, Cybernetics, Power Systems, Genetics, Physics, Subspace Communications, Surgery, Quantum Mechanics, Warp Field Dynamics, Xenobiology.
The character also gains a single talent.
Starfleet or Military
The character’s family may have a strong tradition of naval service, with at least one member of the family in every generation serving their people in this way. Perhaps both the character’s parents served in the military, who met in service. Either way, the character’s formative years were influenced by a military life. In the Federation, this will normally refer to Starfleet, but it may just as easily apply to groups like the Bajoran Militia, the Andorian Imperial Guard, the Klingon Defense Fleet, Imperial Romulan Navy, or any of a number of other military forces.
ATTRIBUTES
If the character accepted this Upbringing, the orderly, purposeful life increases their Control by 2 and their Fitness by 1.
If the character rebelled against this Upbringing, their bold and self-determined living increases their Daring by 2 and their Insight by 1.
DEPARTMENTS, FOCUS, AND TALENT
The character’s exposure to the ways and traditions of Starfleet allows them to increase any one department rating by 1.
The character’s focus should relate to their connection to Starfleet, covering skills learned during the character’s formative years. Examples include: Astronavigation, Composure, Extra-Vehicular Activity, Hand-to-Hand Combat (may be renamed to a specific martial art), Hand Phasers, Small Craft, Starfleet Protocol, Starship Recognition, or History.
The character also gains a single talent.