Characteristics

Universal Physical Characteristics

Strength (STR)

  • Description: A Traveller’s physical strength, fitness and forcefulness.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 8; Core Rulebook (2022), page 9.

Dexterity (DEX)

  • Description: Physical co-ordination and agility, reflexes.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 8; Core Rulebook (2022), page 9.

Endurance (END)

  • Description: A Traveller’s stamina, determination and ability to sustain damage.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 8; Core Rulebook (2022), page 9.

Universal Mental Characteristics

Intellect (INT)

  • Description: A Traveller’s intelligence and quickness of mind.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 8; Core Rulebook (2022), page 9.

Education (EDU)

  • Description: A measure of a Traveller’s learning and experience.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 8; Core Rulebook (2022), page 9.

Universal Societal Characteristic

Social Standing (SOC)

  • Description: A Traveller’s place in society.

  • Note: More detailed description and application options are available in Traveller Companion.

  • Availability: Imperial and generic polity humanoid characters.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 8, 9; Core Rulebook (2022), page 9, 11; Traveller Companion, pages 8-10.

Universal Psionic Characteristic

Psionic Strength (PSI)

  • Description: Powers psionic Talents of the character.

  • Availability: Imperial and generic polity characters get access to this characteristic through a life event or with Referee permission. Some polities, like Zhodani and Droyne, allow everyone to start with this characteristic.

  • Default score: 2D minus 1 for every Term served (at the time of the roll).

  • Reference: Core Rulebook (2020), page 196; Core Rulebook (2022), page 228; Aliens of Charted Space 1, page 253; Aliens of Charted Space 2, page 165.

Generic Extra Characteristics

Wealth (WLT)

  • Description: If the referee does not want to track every Credit and cost of item, they can use the abstract wealth.

  • Default score: equal to SOC at the beginning of the game.

  • Reference: Traveller Companion, pages 3-4.

Luck (LCK)

  • Description: Luck represents a Traveller’s general good and bad fortunes, and governs situations that are essentially beyond a Traveller’s control.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Traveller Companion, pages 4-5.

Morale (MRL)

  • Description: Morale represents a mix of courage, motivation, determination and sense of purpose. It functions in a similar manner to END, though in a psychological manner rather than physical.

  • Default score: 2D, increased by 1 for each successful Term.

  • Reference: Traveller Companion, pages 5-6.

Sanity (STY)

  • Description: Sanity is a useful characteristic to have in games with a supernatural element or those that involve a lot of cybernetics.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Traveller Companion, pages 7-8.

Species/Culture-specific Characteristics

Territory (TER)

  • Description: Territory is unique to the Aslan culture. It measures the amount of land owned by male (usually Aslan, but other species assimilated into Aslan society can own land).

  • Availability: This characteristic is an extra for any character, regardless of their species, assimilated within Aslan society.

  • Default score: 0

  • Reference: Aliens of the Charted Space Volume 1, page 15.

Charisma (CHA)

  • Description: At the heart of Vargr psychology is the concept of charisma, which Vargr define as an individual’s prestige and force of personality that attracts other Vargr.

  • Availability: Vargr from the Extents (Vargr culture) do not have a SOC characteristic – instead, they use Charisma (CHA).

  • Default score: 1D+2

  • Reference: Aliens of the Charted Space Volume 1, page 179.

Resolve (RES)

  • Description: The Resolve (RES) characteristic is a measure of the Hiver’s will, intellect and desire to get its own way.

  • Availability: Replaces SOC for Hiver characters.

  • Default score: 1D+6

  • Reference: Aliens of the Charted Space Volume 2, page 255.

Alternative Characteristics

Alternative characteristics are intended to replace universal characteristics to adapt the game to a particular style or environment. It is covered in detail on page 10 of the Traveller Companion. Below are just two official examples of applying alternative characteristics.

Charm (CHA)

  • Description: Social Standing is less important than a Traveller’s innate ability to charm and influence people. In this case, SOC can be replaced by a Charm that applies almost anywhere the Traveller goes.

  • Availability: Replaces or supplements SOC as a core characteristic.

  • Note: Availability to characters that normally don't start with SOC up to the Referee.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Traveller Companion, page 10.

Grace (GRA)

  • Description: A creature that evolved in an aquatic or extremely low gravity environment might be assigned a characteristic named Grace rather than Dexterity.

  • Availability: Replaces DEX as a core characteristic.

  • Note: Traveller from a more conventional environment uses half his relevant characteristic as its equivalent.

  • Default score: 2D

  • Reference: Traveller Companion, page 10.

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