Jumping into making a character in LANCER can be hard, where do you start with so much customizability? While it can be difficult to pick somewhere to start with a character, finding an engaging and easy to play game is far simpler – just check out Startplaying Games. Once you have your game lined up however, it’s time to get down to business, and this guide aims to help with those first faltering steps. Feel free to check out Comp/Con as well, the free Lancer companion app for character creation, and follow along making your character.
Backstory
Like any good foundation of a character, nailing down a character’s origins or purpose in their story can help inspire the rest of the process. Lancer includes a number of options known as Backgrounds which serve as jumping off points for a new pilot. From the illustrious Nobles from the Karrakin Trade Barrionies to Far-Field Scientist deployed by Union or a Criminal on the run from their past in the Long Rim.
Backgrounds are a great sampling of what types of characters to expect to see in the canon Lancer Universe, so I highly recommend looking over the options if you’re new to the lore to help zero in on tropes you might find. Of course, pay attention to the game you’re set to play in case there is a common thread for backgrounds the PCs may have in common or need to fit into; A story about the calvary being sent in by Union is much harder for a roguish criminal to fit in!
Of course backstory, name, gender, call sign, et al. are all details that can be returned to along the course of creating a pilot. Although backgrounds do provide suggestions for Skill Triggers your pilot might have. Backgrounds though ultimately are all cosmetic and can be crafted to fit a concept or visa versa.
The Trinity of Mechanics
Lancer is a game of massive customization. If you’re brand new to the game, it can be overwhelming, although fortunately games starting at License Level 0, or LL0 for short, allow for a decent amount of customization and help ease your journey to learning your character as you build them up. Once you’ve mastered your chosen build, exploring new options and rules interactions can be a great source of fun in the system!
The core of every pilot is made of three major mechanical parts: your narrative abilities, or Skill Triggers; Talents, which grant unique combat perks; and Licenses which open up new gear for your mech. Of course there is the mech itself, which alongside the choices you make for your pilot come together to form a single cohesive build for engaging combat.
Narrative
Skill Triggers are a simple expression of your characters most relevant training and expertise while outside of their mech. These triggers grant a flat bonus from +2 to +6 to your narrative actions, and can be basically anything. Lancer includes numerous triggers covering nearly every basic you could come up with in play, however Skill Triggers may also be custom, just so long as you and your GM agree on when their bonus should apply. Backgrounds have lists of suggestions for starting Skill Triggers based on the occupation or skills your pilot may have from training.
Additionally, your GM may have permitted access to Bonds (Checking Recruiting Notes and Character Creation on Game listings can help identify games with or without if you prefer). Bonds play out similar to super powers your pilot possesses and grant an extra layer to the game’s somewhat slim narrative framework. Check the “XP Triggers” for each bond for a good idea if they fit your character’s story.
Talents
Talents are unique traits that your pilot grants to any mech they pilot. While it’s uncommon for a pilot to swap their mech in the middle of a mission, critical malfunctions or unexpected story bonuses may see you pilot in a different cockpit. The benefits granted from Talents range from weapon perks to new resources you can spend to hinder foes and aid allies. When selecting weapon based Talents be sure to pay attention to which weapons gain the benefit, there are two main categories – Size and Type. Sizes include Auxiliary, Main, Heavy and Super Heavy, which reflect general damage output of a weapon and requirement for mounts. Be sure your chosen frame can utilize the weapon sizes you’ve chosen. Types include QCB, Rifle, Cannon, Launcher, Nexus, and Melee and have a broader scope of similarities between types. All pilots have access to all types of weapons, but as you gain License Levels each Frame may have different weapons available to expand your arsenal. Many Talents also grant unique bonuses that can increase your ability to help defend allies, provide mobility, or damage foes. Try to keep a plan in mind as you pick Talents and watch out for sets that compliment each other.
Licenses
Licenses are the crux of assembling a mech unique to your pilot. Each unique Mech Frame has 3 License Levels and pilots are allowed to pick and choose different sets of gear with the stipulation that you must level each up independently. This means that LL3 for a specific Frame often has its most powerful piece of gear or weapon, and each Frame itself is unlocked at LL2. How many LLs you invest in a given Frame depends on if it is central to your plans or simply has a system or weapon that compliments your playstyle.
One thing is true though, if any of the Frames appeal to you, whether the art impresses or the mechanical effects sound fun, that should be the first 2 LLs you invest. Every Frame’s set of gear is crafted to compliment the style of the frame, and is often an easy choice to include, though not necessary. As you advance from LL0 to LL2 and beyond, you’ll get a chance to play with new gear and determine if you’re enjoying the mechanics present. This also helps prepare you for the many combinations of new gear with specific Talents you may have that overlap granting battlefield supremacy. Watch out though, while each Frame excels at certain aspects of combat, most Frames have specific weaknesses. You can outright try to avoid getting into tough situations by playing safe during combat, or dedicate your Mech Stats to shoring up such deficiencies.
Finishing touches
Each pilot also has a set of Mech Stats: Hull, Agility, Systems, and Engineering. These four stats grant bonuses to the specific mechs your pilot builds, from increased defenses to the agility to hold more gear per mission. Invest them to shore up a specific Frame’s weakness such as low Heat Cap, or double-down on your chosen strategy. Additionally every 3 LLs your pilot gains you get a Core Bonus which applies additional traits to any mech your pilot builds, from the ability to fly to additional armor to extra weapon slots on your mech.
As you advance in License Levels, you also get a chance to redistribute any choices previously made. So if you find yourself underwhelmed by a new option that sounded better on paper, you’re always free to swap things around to find the playstyle that is right for you. And hey, if you find yourself with multiple different builds you wish you could try, there’s always another game one quick search away.
