In the cold, claustrophobic corridors of a derelict freighter, fear is the primary currency. But for one member of the crew, fear is a variable that has been effectively patched out. Welcome to our first deep dive into character creation for Mothership RPG, starting with the most unsettling member of any boarding party: The Android.
The Cold Inhumanity
Playing an Android isn’t just about having high stats; it’s about roleplaying the “Uncanny Valley.” As the rules state, Androids unnerve their organic crewmates with their cold inhumanity. This is mechanically represented by a terrifying aura: Fear Saves made in the presence of Androids are always at Disadvantage. While your crewmates are sweating, hyperventilating, and rolling for their lives, you are a pillar of logical stability. With a starting Fear Save of 85, you are nearly immune to the emotional surges that break lesser men.
Technical Superiority
Androids are built for precision. When you roll your 6d10 for stats, you’ll immediately apply a +20 to Intellect and a +10 to Speed, though your organic components (or lack thereof) result in a -10 to Combat. You aren’t a frontline grunt; you are the ship’s brain.
Your preloaded skills reflect this:
- Linguistics: For deciphering ancient logs.
- Computers: For wrestling control of a dying ship’s Life Support.
- Mathematics: Because space travel is just one long, lethal equation.
Strategic Asset or Liability?
In Mothership, survival often depends on the Android’s Logic Core. Because you don’t breathe oxygen, you are the last line of defense when the Life Support modules fail. You are the one who stays awake during the unsettling Jump-3 voyages through hyperspace while the humans hide in cryosleep.
However, remember the EMP rule: if your ship takes a Critical Hit in the 65-69 range, all systems shut down—and you shut off with them. You’ll need a reboot while the horrors outside the airlock are still moving.
Starting Loadout: The Examination
For an Android, we highly recommend the Examination Loadout. It provides a Cybernetic Diagnostic Scanner, which is essential for diagnosing your own physical or mental glitches (though your crew will likely distrust it). Combined with a Medscanner and Pain Pills, you become the ultimate, dispassionate combat medic.
👉 Secure your copy of the Mothership Player’s Survival Guide on DriveThruRPG
Disclosure: If you pick up this survival guide through my link, I’ll earn a few gold pieces to keep the lights on in the dungeon at no extra cost to you.