The book A Time of War provides the core rules for character creation, while the ATOW: Companion offers additional content and more detailed rules. The standard method for creating a character follows a "life path module" system, where you begin by selecting your character's faction of origin and then choose life paths based on their childhood, education (or lack thereof), and life experiences. Each module gives you XP to distribute among predefined attributes, traits, and skills, resulting in a grounded, backstory-focused character that fits into the BattleTech universe.
However, this method can feel like "death by spreadsheet," as it requires you to meticulously add and subtract small amounts of XP over hours or even days as you go through each life module. Additionally, later life modules add years to your character, granting bonus XP that encourages creating older characters to unlock higher-level attributes, skills, powerful traits, and "Special Pilot Abilities" (SPAs) similar to D&D feats. To make things easier and faster, I've simplified the process by using the "point buy" method with other adjustments to streamline character creation.
The GM’s notes and suggestions will be placed in yellow text like this, for more emphasis on key details. However, these are mostly just recommendations and not hard restrictions.
Certain crucial things may be noted in red text like this, and may represent critical GM notes or things that may be a severe detriment to characters.
Since we play via discord, all character sheets are posted to individual char-sheet channels. We use a .txt document formatted specifically for readability when copy/pasted. Sheets are provided via the google drive in the Game Resources section.
The example character sheet, with the .txt to the right for visibility.
Creating your MechWarrior is more than just picking stats—it’s about forging a pilot with a history, motivations, and a place in the unfolding war. Whether you’re a grizzled veteran or a fresh recruit, your background will shape how others perceive you and what advantages you bring to the battlefield. As the campaign unfolds, your choices, alliances, and reputation will matter just as much as your piloting skills. Prepare to step into the cockpit and leave your mark on history.
As the campaign progresses, new characters will have certain limitations to ensure they fit within the evolving storyline. These limitations will be listed in the callout below and will be adjusted over time as the game develops.
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For the sake of campaign balance and the "Zero to Hero" narrative, new characters have a few mild restrictions to fit within the GM’s story framework. These guidelines help maintain consistency and ensure a smooth experience for all players.
All new characters start with 5000xp, with the option to take up to 1000xp in negative traits for a possible total of 6000xp spent on a mix of Attributes, Traits (+SPAs), and Skills. A solid mix of Attribute scores, Traits, and skills are essential for making a well rounded and functional character.
The below chart details the cost of attributes and skills on a per point/level basis, including the cost for skills with the Fast/Slow-Learner traits. The one exception for this chart is that it doesn’t cover the cost of Special Pilot Abilities, due to each SPA having their own cost associated to their relative strength.
A character without negative traits will be weaker overall than one with the maximum negative traits, however some discretion is important when choosing negative traits to not hamstring yourself.
