Starting Motivations
Motivations provide additional story elements for both the player and GM to draw from.
Unlike Backgrounds, Motivations are generally required.
Motivation Choice
During character creation, a player may either roll to determine their character's primary Motivation, or they may choose their own. Once the character's primary Motivation has been determined, the player then rolls or chooses on the appropriate table to determine a specific Motivation.
At Character Creation, players can have either one or two motivations.
Players may also select motivations from Career Specific tables below.
Core Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-3 | Ambition |
| 4-6 | Cause |
| 7-9 | Relationship |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
A character with this Motivation is driven by a specific goal. This Motivation is internal and often abstract, and possibly selfish in nature.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Friendship: The character seeks to be liked by others and goes out of their way to make a good impression. They may or may not be gregarious, relying on their actions and deeds to foster friendship. |
| 11-20 | Love: The character is driven by love or intimacy. The character already has a true love or strives to find the one they are meant to be with. |
| 21-30 | Freedom: The character desires the freedom to do what they want. This could be a passion to overcome one or more of their current Obligations or to see others freed from the shackles of bondage and servitude in all its forms. |
| 31-40 | Fame: The character seeks the limelight and wants to be famous. They want their deeds and actions to make the HoloNet for all to see and revels in the attention given by fans and supporters. |
| 41-50 | Greed: Money is the prime motivator for this character. The character may be active in business, investing, or the tried-and-true method of theft to increase their credit bank. |
| 51-60 | Status: The character wants to elevate their social standing—gaining titles, commendations, and accolades. The character may come from humble beginnings or otherwise strive for a higher position than where they began. |
| 61-70 | Expertise: The character wants to excel in their chosen profession and constantly practices to achieve perfection. Alternatively, this character picks a skill or two in which to excel. |
| 71-80 | Wanderlust / Novelty: The character is driven to explore the galaxy and rarely stays in one place for long. They're motivated to uncover remote or unexplored regions and seeing everything that can be seen. Alternatively, this character is driven to experience new sensations and activities, perhaps rather hedonistically. |
| 81-90 | Power: The character craves power and authority over others. Their rule may not be despotic, but they wants to control their situation and those around them, often bettering themself in the process. |
| 91-00 | Religion/Spirituality: The character is both drawn and follows the sway of a particular religious or spiritual calling. This could be the tenets of the Jedi or the Sith or some other belief. |
This Motivation is typically an external group or concept on which the character focuses. The Motivation is something so important that the character is willing to takes risks or operate outside their comfort zone.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Religion/Spirituality: The character actively supports some religious or spiritual organization or belief. This could include the tenets of the Jedi or Sith codes or some other belief. |
| 11-20 | The Weak / Charity: The character fights for the underdog, disliking bullies and totalitarianism. They'll put the interests of those in need before their own and may donate time or money to aid the less fortunate. |
| 21-30 | Non-Human Rights: The character fights for the rights of non-humans in the very xenophobic rule of the Empire. |
| 31-40 | Local Politics: The character supports some particular political cause, typically within a single planet or system. The character actively gets involved in campaigns and candidates, and may even fight on the behalf of a political organization. |
| 41-50 | Overthrow the Empire: The character despises the Empire and everything that it stands for. They may or may not be an active member of the Rebellion, but they support its goals and give aid and comfort to those against Imperial tyranny. |
| 51-60 | Crime: The character supports the idea of black markets, mercenaries, and other groups that fall outside of the law. The character need not be a criminal themself, but may give aid to other criminals, especially if they are family members, childhood friends, or if corruption is deeply embedded in the character's originating culture. |
| 61-70 | Emancipation: The character sees slavery and indentured servitude as an abomination that must be undone. They'll go out of their way to aid or attempt to free anyone kept in slavery. |
| 71-80 | Droid Rights: The character believes that droids should be accepted as full members of galactic society, not merely tools or servants. |
| 81-90 | Capitalism: The character is an unabashed capitalist and fights for the rights of merchants, trading organizations, and business, sometimes running counter to the wishes of both the Empire and some criminal groups. |
| 91-00 | Support the Empire: The character actually supports the goals and methods of the Empire and does their best to advance its cause. They'll defend the Empire in conversation and may actively take up arms in its defense. |
Relationships
This Motivation focuses on a character's relationship with a specific person, creature, or even place. The relationship could be loving, respectful, and nurturing or antagonistic, competitive, or one-sided.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Place of Origin: The character is deeply prideful of where they grew up. This could be a specific planet, town, space station, or ship. The character strives to better the place of origin and its people and will defend it with their life. |
| 11-20 | Pet: The character is close with a pet or animal companion of some sort, a relatively small non-combatant. |
| 21-30 | Childhood Friend: The character maintains ties with a friend from their childhood. Although the two may be a galaxy apart, the character desires only the best for their companion |
| 31-40 | Comrades: The character shows loyalty to those they serve alongside. This could be either the current group of PCs, former military buddies, or business associates. |
| 41-50 | Sibling/Siblings: The character has one or more siblings with whom they maintain close contact. The sibling or siblings are unlikely to be combatants and this Motivation may or may not fall in line with a character's Relationship Obligation. |
| 51-60 | Mentor: The character is particularly close to a mentor, professor, teacher or other figure that provided support, knowledge, and wisdom to them in their early years. |
| 61-70 | Parents: The character has close ties with their parents (or a single parent) and seeks their constant approval. This may or may not be a healthy or supportive situation. |
| 71-80 | Extended Family/Clan: The character has a large extended family, clan, or tribe that they deeply love. They seek both their comfort and approval despite the many voices clamoring in their ear for attention. |
| 81-90 | Droid Companion: The character possesses a fondness for a particular droid. This could be a former family servant, their ship's astromech droid, or their trusty protocol droid. This may include a PC droid. |
| 91-00 | Former Nemesis: The character formed a close bond with a former nemesis or rival. Although things are patched between them, the two could still be extremely competitive. |
Bounty Hunter Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-2 | Ambition |
| 3-4 | Cause |
| 5-6 | Relationship |
| 7-9 | Code |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
Most bounty hunters follow their own particular credo or ethos in their work, and some guilds have rules, bylaws, or regulations that restrict the conduct of their members further.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Rule of Law: There is nothing more important than the rule of law, and the character is sworn to protect it As a bounty hunter, the character is an extension of galactic law, and works strictly to uphold it. |
| 11-20 | The Only Score that Matters: Only one thing matters to the character: having the highest body count. The PC only takes a bounty alive if it doesn't pay for the target dead, and is in constant competition with other like-minded individuals to rack up the most kills. |
| 21-30 | Survival: A code is hardly relevant if the bounty hunter is too dead to uphold it. and while this character might have other principles or oaths, the first and foremost is to survive at all costs. While the character is still likely to takes risks — no bounty hunter can avoid them, after all — this PC works to minimize them. and strives to be on the winning side in any engagement. |
| 31-40 | Always Get Paid: A bounty hunter who doesn't get paid doesn't eat, and starving while maintaining a terrifying reputation is still starving. This character's principles are primarily economic, and consist of tenets such as always working for the highest bidder, never taking on jobs out of sentiment. and accepting no payment besides cold, hard credits. |
| 41-50 | Never Again: The character has suffered some disgrace or loss and vowed never to repeat it. Perhaps the character broke an oath to protect and serve the people, or was somehow framed for doing so after trusting the wrong person. Though the shame of failure cannot be erased fully, the character has vowed that it will never occur again. |
| 51-60 | Quiet Professionalism: There is an old saying in the bounty hunting trade that good work makes little noise, and the character is the embodiment of that. Like a master artisan, the character pursues bounties with far greater care and attention to detail than most. The PC sees little need for flashy accouterments or ostentatious shows of prowess |
| 61-70 | Reputation is Everything: To a bounty hunter, maintaining the appearance of being an unrelenting, unstoppable force is often as important as actually having the skills and strength of will to succeed in the chase. While false bravado usually falls apart in the face of the challenges a bounty hunter faces, many bounty hunters work hard to uphold their reputations, repaying slights and provocation with disproportionate violence. |
| 71-80 | Live Capture: Some bounty hunters vow to never kill their targets [though when dealing with a crime lord who requests a target be brought in alive, this can be a cruel mercy indeed). Whether the PC does not kill out of pride, pity, squeamishness. or desire for the maximum payout. this character steadfastly refuses to take the life of a target. |
| 81-90 | No Collateral Damage: Though some particularly pernicious bounty hunters are willing to toss around thermal detonators on populated worlds, most try to minimize the civilian harm they cause, if only because it can be inconvenient to clean up. A few. however. are scrupulous about avoiding civilian casualties. to the point of letting a target escape to avoid hurting civilians. |
| 91-100 | Finish the Job: It is a rare bounty hunter who keeps pursuing prey even when it becomes clear that the hunt is not economically viable. This bounty hunter is one of the rare exceptions: their word is irrevocable, and once they have taken a contract, the character pursues it at all costs. While a job might be put on hiatus, once the hunt begins, they can never abandon or forget it — perhaps even if the client rescinds the bounty! |
Colonist Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-2 | Ambition |
| 3-4 | Cause |
| 5-6 | Relationship |
| 7-9 | Creation |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
Some Colonists are motivated by greed, others want to forge a legacy on the new world, and some seek an escape from their meaningless lives.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-12 | Society: Many Colonists don't just seek a new life for themselves, they seek to help create an entirely new form of civilization. These characters are always looking for that moment when they can influence the way a government interacts with its citizens, be it at a town hall or parliamentary building. What kind of society they want to create varies from one being to the next. |
| 13-24 | Homestead: Independence and self-sustainability are the quiet goals of those who seek to create their own homestead. These Colonists aren't interested in making a fortune. For the homesteader, it is enough to know that their success or failure is dependent on nothing but their own hard work. They desires to build their own home, and run it as they see fit. |
| 25-36 | Legacy: Most species in the galaxy are acutely aware of their own mortality. Some come to grips with this by creating a lasting legacy that lives on long after their passing. On a new world, where there are new challenges to rise up against and the planet's early history is in the process of being written, there is a much greater chance of creating or doing something that will live on. Characters with the Legacy motivation jump at any chance to do something that helps their name and deeds outlive them. |
| 37-48 | Family: Many Colonists come to a new world as eligible single people, eager to learn a trade and attract a mate so they can settle down and have children. This is a humble motivation when compared to most, but fitting for many characters who find it hard to care about events beyond their life on a simple backwater world. |
| 49-60 | Art: Artists are inspired and influenced by their surroundings, and what inspiration could be better than a newly discovered planet? The open horizons, clear skies, and undiscovered species of flora and fauna can spark the creative impulse in anyone. Some of those on the frontier may seek to bring some art and culture into the new world. Others might seek to support the creation of art by acting as a patron. |
| 61-72 | Cure: Far from the cutting edge medicine of the Core, the fringe can seem an unhealthy place to live. But many seemingly worthless worlds may hold the key to wiping out deadly diseases. This might be the entire reason a character has chosen to be a Colonist; to save a colony, a planet, or simply a friend or loved one from disease. |
| 73-84 | Understanding: Many Colonists take an interest in their adopted world, seeking to gain a greater knowledge of their new home Characters who seek to create a better understanding of the world have an insatiable curiosity about anything pertaining to the planet. This motivation can also refer to creating a peace between settlers, or between settlers and indigenes. |
| 85-100 | Business: Creating a new business to serve an untapped market is a dream shared by many Colonists. Most of those traveling to a new world hope only to open up a shop where they can ply their trade, but some think bigger. A business started on a small colony may eventually grow to be an enterprise that rivals Kuat Drive Yards or Corellian Engineering Corporation. |
Explorer Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-2 | Ambition |
| 3-4 | Cause |
| 5-6 | Relationship |
| 7-9 | Discovery |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
Discoveries
Driven by profit, knowledge, and the thrill of the hunt, Explorers seek the new, discover the lost, and blaze such trails as never were known before.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Self: The Explorer may be pursuing any number of goals or simply wandering the galaxy until something catches their interest. Their main purpose, however, is to discover who they truly are and what they are meant to do with their life. Each new path offers them a chance to learn something new about themself, and each challenge they face gives them insight into what they are really capable of. For many Explorers, this is a journey that will only end with their deaths. and possibly not even then. |
| 11-20 | Civilizations: As vast as the galaxy is, there are untold cultures and societies that remain utterly unknown to the greater population. Many of these civilizations lived and died in total obscurity, while many others remain vital and ready to be encountered by someone dedicated and enterprising enough to search them out. The Archaeologist career is especially suited for searching out and understanding the former, while the Trader will often find great joy in discovering the latter. |
| 21-30 | Planets: As vast as planets are, the Empire is exponentially larger. Stars can go for long stretches of time being listed on astrogation charts without anyone knowing what planets may orbit them and what those planets may have in the way of resources and utility as livable places. Finding a planet of worth can make an Explorer's mark in the galaxy, as well as their fortune if they sell the information to the right buyer. Scouts, in particular, are specialists in such Discoveries. |
| 31-40 | Treasures: Some hunt it for the glory. Some hunt it for the challenge. Most treasure hunters do so, however, for the opportunity to fill their accounts with more credits than they can imagine spending in one lifetime. Whether it's a cache of precious gems stashed away long ago by decades-dead pirates or the incalculable worth of art and crafts from an eons-dead civilization, treasure hunters know there are immense riches out there in the galaxy just waiting for them to find where X marks the spot. |
| 41-50 | Secrets: For some, secrets are another kind of treasure, albeit one that provides access to power as well as wealth. Some seek out secrets at the behest of others, preferring to stay out of the direct conflicts caused by the possession of them, while others happily wield the secrets they've uncovered as weapons for their own pursuits. As powerful and wealth inducing as secrets can be. however, they can also be incredibly dangerous; many beings will kill to maintain important secrets, and many others will kill to obtain them from those who discover them in the first place. |
| 51-60 | Knowledge: Akin to secrets, but not always quite as dangerous, lost and hidden knowledge can be a powerful asset. Eons of conflict caused vast storehouses of knowledge to be lost amid the rubble of destroyed cities, derelict ships, and abandoned space stations. Intrepid Explorers are the miners of that knowledge, bringing it back into the light of day for all to benefit from. Archaeologists are naturally inclined to search for knowledge, as are Fringers and Traders. |
| 61-70 | Resources: Credits are credits, but resources drive the economies of every system, as well as the Empire itself. Raw materials power the Imperial war machine, which is ever expanding. So, too, does the burgeoning Rebellion crave important resources as it struggles to build up some semblance of an organized resistance. Of course, there are also the millions of businesses, factions, and entrepreneurs who seek one source or another of some special kind of resource in order to enhance their trade position and power. Those who can uncover such sources — Scouts are particularly sought after for such work — can make very good money. |
| 71-80 | Technology: Billions of scientists, engineers, and inventors throughout the galaxy have been creating wonders of technology for thousands of years. Much of it has been lost due to war or merely the fall of a civilization. Other scientific marvels manifest on a daily basis, unknown to the galaxy at large. Clever Explorers seek out these technological Discoveries to bring to the general population, though usually through either corporate or Imperial channels. Fringers and Traders are most likely to have such a focus, though Drivers will obviously be interested in any vehicular technology they can uncover. |
| 81-90 | The Lost: Explorers know their way around the galaxy better than anyone. They know where the hidden places are, as well as the pathways and interstellar routes that go unknown to all others. As such, Explorers are often called upon (either by others or by their own code) to seek out those who have become lost. Some seek to be lost, while many find they would no longer know the way home even if they wished to return. Many are unable to escape their current circumstances, needing to be found and liberated. Anyone with this specific Discovery result might wish to roll on the Relationship Motivation chart as well, determining who they are specifically seeking. |
| 91-100 | "Anywhere but here!": Instead of pursuing any one specific Discovery, the Explorer is driven by the thrill of exploration in and of itself. They are never content with the accomplishments of their previous expeditions, and as soon as they have finished one such trek, they are already planning the next, sometimes even before they have found their present quarry. |
Hired Gun Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-2 | Ambition |
| 3-4 | Cause |
| 5-6 | Relationship |
| 7-9 | Conflict |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
Might often makes right, and the capacity for violence is often a law unto itself. In this place, the Hired Gun comes into their own.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Mayhem: The character derives pleasure through destruction. They seldom pass up a chance to cause conflict and confusion in their work, even to the possible detriment of their own well-being. Extreme examples of this may even be forms of mental illness. |
| 11-20 | Violent Conquest: The character is driven to conquer whatever and whomever they come across. If the opposition does not submit, the PC is more than willing to employ force against them. |
| 21-30 | Squadmates: One can never truly know their colleagues until they serve with them in battle. While the character may be a bit distant from non-veterans, they are a true and loyal friend to anyone with whom they have fought. |
| 31-40 | Blood Money: Simply put, violence is this character's business, and that business is never in short supply. The character knows no other way to make their way in the galaxy, and thus treats their bloody work as any other job. |
| 41-50 | Honor in Battle: The character holds true to a code of honor in warfare. This code could be an ancient tradition of one of the myriad civilizations in the galaxy or it could be their own personal beliefs. Whatever the case, their honor depends on following these tenets, even when it may be inconvenient. |
| 51-60 | Best in the Field: Be the best; that's the creed by which this character lives. In this case, they strive to be the best combatant. They want to be the last one standing on the field of battle, the consummate warrior. They are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this. |
| 61-70 | Revenge: The character is driven by one of the oldest and most primal causes in the Galaxy — the desire to avenge some real or perceived wrong the character has suffered. The character's hunger for vengeance may be justified or not, but it is a cold, heartless master that can drive the character to obsession. |
| 71-80 | Out of the Game: The character works as a mercenary not because they love the violence, but because they need to earn enough to buy their way out. This could be trying to accumulate enough money to retire, pay off their debts, or even perform some action to repay a friend before the PC gives up their life of violence. |
| 81-90 | Adrenaline Junky: Excitement, adventure: the character loves every bit of it. They don't fight for money, revenge, or a thirst for blood. They fight because they can't get enough of the incredible thrill of risking their life and coming out on top. |
| 91-100 | Life Debt: The character owes someone else, and owes them big. The PC's life is in someone else's hands, and this debt requires them to fight. They may or may not enjoy this, but this motivation is so strong that it overrides their other desires. |
Smuggler Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-2 | Ambition |
| 3-4 | Cause |
| 5-6 | Relationship |
| 7-9 | Reward |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
Smuggling is a career of risks with the potential for great rewards, a life full of danger with many opportunities for adventure.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Credits: The Smuggler just wants to get paid. Smuggling is a career after all, and no one works for free. They may be a very successful Smuggler, but are always greedy for more credits. Or maybe they're just scraping by and reliant on payment for each job before they can repair their ship, feed their crew, and move on to the next contract. Perhaps they want what they're owed, fair and square, or maybe dreams of winning big in a sabacc game. In any case, they are in it for the money. Smuggling can be very lucrative if they go about it the right way and have luck on their side. There is always the chance, particularly in illegal dealings, that the employer won’t want to pay out. In such cases, the Smuggler with the Credits Motivation does everything they can to claim their due. |
| 11-20 | Power: For this Smuggler, success means having the skills, knowledge, credits, prestige, or contacts to wield some real power in the galaxy. Power comes in many forms. They might want to head their own smuggling ring one day, or maybe they hope to work their way up the ranks of a larger organization like the Black Sun. If a they're a Charmer, they may feel powerful when manipulating others. If they're a Thief, it might be when they're taking their prized possessions. For any Smuggler with this Motivation, the thrill of being important, of having power over others as well as their own life, is what drives them. |
| 21-30 | Victory: This Smuggler enjoys triumphing over others. They challenge themself to fly faster than anyone else, to deceive them, to shoot more accurately than they can, or to steal things out from under their nasal appendages. Their need to be better than everyone else incites them to be the best Smuggler they can be, but since they might take on particularly dangerous jobs to prove that they can smuggle better than anyone else, this Motivation could also be their undoing |
| 31-40 | Beating the Odds: Smuggling is not an easy or safe career, but some Smugglers like the challenge of a difficult job, game, or situation In this case it is true that the higher the risk the higher the reward, but the Smuggler still has some tricks up their sleeve to tip the odds more in their favor. When trying to beat the house during a high-stakes game, a Gambler can use skill or even cheat to appear lucky. The Gunslinger facing multiple opponents can use their particular talents to escape unscathed. This Smuggler makes their own luck, and their perilous career allows them to do so. The desired outcome is the satisfaction of succeeding despite the odds. |
| 41-50 | Fame: This Smuggler wants to make a name for themself. They may take the most dangerous, difficult jobs or seemingly make the impossible happen. However, this means nothing to them unless someone witnesses their success and spreads the word afterwards. The jobs they take must at least conclude in known space and, ideally, they have an audience when they present the Hutt with the priceless cargo or reunites the wealthy merchant with their long-lost daughter. They want the adventures that people will talk about from Coruscant to the Outer Rim and beyond. |
| 51-60 | Esteem: Sometimes a Smuggler just wants to be good at what they do and impress those around them. Similar to Fame, but on a more personal scale, an Esteem Motivation makes a Smuggler crave the good opinion of their peers or the desire of the others. The Smuggler with this Motivation displays bravado in the face of danger, but they also work hard to ensure that their ship and crew are up to the challenging jobs they want to take. |
| 61-70 | Experience: The galaxy is a vast and varied place, with a myriad of species and landscapes to encounter. The career of a Smuggler offers a chance to explore, make new contacts, and turn a profit at the same time. It is a great choice of career for anyone who wants to see the galaxy but lacks the funding to do so at their leisure. Any Smuggler who values experience will look for jobs that allow them to learn new skills, try new technology, visit new places, or meet new people. They also likely possess an eclectic mix of skills and knowledge. |
| 71-80 | Morals: Sometimes helping others is a reward in itself. Altruism may be a rare virtue, but smuggling attracts all sorts, and being a criminal does not mean the Smuggler has no moral code. A Smuggler might get a kick out of helping others, or they hope to change the galaxy one good deed at a time. Either way, they want to feel good about themself based on their own criteria. Whether they gain recognition as a hero or not does not matter. |
| 81-90 | Excitement: Anyone craving adventure and excitement could easily end up as a Smuggler. For some, the jobs are not work but opportunities for adventure. The career is not dangerous but exciting and challenging. Risking everything in a game of chance delights this character, facing off against an armed opponent thrills them, and pushing their ship to its limits fleeing Imperial forces leaves them laughing like a maniac. Anyone traveling with this Smuggler is in for a wild ride. |
| 91-100 | Independence: Not everyone thrives under Imperial rule. For some, the ability to make their own decisions, and their own mistakes, means everything. This Smuggler wants to choose which jobs to take and which to pass on. They pay off debts as quickly as they can, so they are beholden to no one. Ultimately, they want to be their own boss, which probably means owning their own ship and developing the skills to function independently. |
Technician Motivations
Random Motivation
| d10 | Primary Motivation |
|---|
| 1-2 | Ambition |
| 3-4 | Cause |
| 5-6 | Relationship |
| 7-9 | Innovation |
| 10 | Roll once on each of any two categories |
Innovations
As creators, enablers, and maintainers of a multitude of technical disciplines and devices, Technicians are the beings who are quietly responsible for sustaining the wonders that allow modern galactic civilization to thrive and advance.
| d100 | Specific Motivation |
|---|
| 01-10 | Fabrication: The character likes building useful things. Some creations could be helpful to society, but many are projects of a purely personal nature. The character introduces novel twists to known designs, but does not like to spend time inventing wholly new concepts just for the sake of it. The character might occasionally try to invent a new technology if nothing can solve a particular problem, but generally follows the principle that the best creations come about from study and refinement rather than attempts to make totally unprecedented things. |
| 11-20 | Invention: The character constantly desires to create new devices, vehicles, or programs. Sometimes, the character invents something new to overcome a specific problem, but more often than not, the act of inventing something new is its own reward. Of course, the character's desire for novelty can sometimes get in the way of finding an expedient solution. After all, sometimes a simple tool is the best one for a given job. Still, a character driven by this Motivation is likely to at least try reinventing the wheel from time to time, even if the results aren't particularly useful. |
| 21-30 | Modification: The character loves to extend the usefulness of a device or program by boosting its abilities or giving it new functions. A character with this Motivation often adds new parts or code to the original item, ceaselessly fiddling with it even after its function is what most would consider optimal. Some individuals turn modifications into an art form — whether literally artistic, or metaphorically so — through clever use of technology. |
| 31-40 | Personal Improvement: The character does anything and everything to acquire enhanced abilities, whether to make up for a devastating injury or merely to exceed the limitations of nature. This character likely already has cybernetics, and will seek to expand their effectiveness. Other characters might regard the character as dangerously willing to give any new cybernetic program or device a try, no matter its source, even if the potential downside could alter the character's life for the worse. |
| 41-50 | Waste Not, Want Not: The character hates to let anything go to waste and tries to devise ways of recycling or refurbishing discarded parts, scrap metal, old technology, and worn-out droids. Perhaps the character comes from a remote world where technology and materials are scarce, and anything remotely technological is expensive. Perhaps the character simply hates the thought of later realizing that something thrown away was useful. While this character's workshop and living area are often cluttered, the character likely claims to know where everything is. |
| 51-60 | Technological Fascination: The character loves to work with a specific type of machine, sometimes to the point of excluding all others, be it firearms, starships, droids, or some other, more esoteric branch of technology. The character seeks out new information and the latest news pertaining to this area of fascination, and knows the intricacies of various models and minute differences between them. The character might have favorite models, but this singular obsession is not usually limited to one specific object or design. |
| 61-70 | Technical Business Interests: The character strives to own and operate a successful legal or outlaw business in a particular area of expertise. The business might consume all of the character's time when not out adventuring with the other PCs. The business might run itself in the character's absence by way of employees or automation, or it might go on hiatus whenever the character has to go gallivanting across the galaxy. However, it is always on the character's mind, and the character is likely looking for ways to expand or improve it even when away. |
| 71-80 | Technological Historian: The character is very interested in historic or ancient technology and strives to learn more about it, meticulously cataloging any findings for future publication. The character might amass an extensive collection that others regard as useless junk, going out of the way to acquire seemingly meaningless and often expensive archaic devices. Occasionally, the character finds a useful or amazing item that might bring a high price from a collector or other interested party, or draw unwanted attention from treasure seekers and the authorities. |
| 81-90 | Technological Necessity: The character has a great need to complete or acquire a specific device or program. The goal might be to save a world, a town, or a life, or to provide a workable solution to an important diplomatic or military situation. Whatever the spec1fics of this need, the character likely sees its completion as a magnum opus, and stakes a considerable amount of hope upon the promise of salvation the unfinished device represents. |
| 91-100 | Technical Rival: The character cultivates a rivalry with another Technician who works in the same field of technology. The character tries to one-up the rival whenever possible, and is driven to gee up each morning by a desire to surpass tl1is rival as a creator. The rival might be just as invested in the rivalry as the character, or perhaps the rival is completely unaware of the PC's efforts. The rival can be an NPC or even another PC in the party. |
