I think you should simplify the character stats a bit. My idea is to keep attributes as they are and drop abilities altogether. Having customizable characters is interesting and fun, but it occurs to me that that level of detail is more trouble than it's worth.
I think you may be right about some of it. I'll drop some things off, and expand the Attributes.
The (
X,
X,
X) still stands for given competence level for the faction at hand.
Attributes are broken into Physical, Social, and Mental.
PHYSICAL: The core movement abilities of your character
Strength: Brute physical power (
2,
2,
1)
Dexterity: Accute precision with your limbs (
1,
2,
1)
Endurance: Physical fortitude (
2,
2,
1)
Acrobatics: Leaping from car to car, Climbing, Evasive manuvers (
1,
3,
3)
SOCIAL: How well you character interacts and is perceived by others
Charisma: How well you present yourself to others (
2,
1,
1)
Manipulation: How well you can garner response through deceipt and trickery (
2,
3,
1)
Appearance: How attractive you are to others (
1,
1,
4)
Intimidation: How scary you are and can be to others (
1,
3,
1)
MENTAL: Your mental capabilities
Perception: Conscious and intuitive capabilities to notice details (
1,
2,
2)
Intelligence: How smart you are (duh) (
2,
1,
2)
Instinct: Mental reaction to given situations (
1,
2,
2)
Renovation: Your ability to repair, or recalibrate (
2,
1,
3)
Maintenence: Your ability to keep things from having to be repaired (
2,
1,
4)
TRAITS: What you specialize in.
Alertness: Recognizing specific details (
1,
2,
2)
Dodge: Not getting hit by stuff (
1,
2,
1)
Leadership: The ability to motivate through force of personality (
2,
1,
1)
Crafts: The ability to construct or repair (
2,
2,
3)
Drive: Operation of vehicles (
1,
2,
4)
Accuracy: Your ability to hit stuff (
2,
3,
1)
Stealth: Sneaking and hiding (
1,
3,
3)
Survival: The knowledge required to adapt enough to continue breathing (
1,
2,
3)
Brawling: Hand to hand fighting (
2,
2,
1)
Firearms: Using Guns to fight (
2,
2,
1)
Melee: Fighting with stuff in your hands (
2,
3,
2)
Archery: Using Bows and Crossbows to fight (
1,
3,
2)
Disarm: The ability to Disarm an opponent (
1,
1,
1)
SPECIALTIES: The things that you can do, if you have the stats to meet them. [X Stat/Attribute] is the required points in order to do a certain Specialty. Sometimes, there are more than one Attribute to be required. If you are a Drifter or Vanguard, you may only choose THREE. If you are a Patriot, you may choose FOUR.
Patriot class, I don't care if you love your country or not. {
P,
V,
D} is a limitation system. Whichever letter is missing from the brackets is a faction that has no access to a certain specialty.
[5 Instinct] {
P,
V,
D}Danger Mind: The ability to sense danger, or when someone around you is suspicious
[4 Leadership] {
P,
V}Soldiering: The ability to recruit men from your faction for FREE to join you on your journey. Maximum of whatever your car can carry in it's seats
[4 Crafts] {
D}Vehicle Modification: The ability to modify your vehicle in the field after you've began your journey
[4 Crafts] {
P}Ammunition Production: The ability to turn a spent shell into a fresh bullet
[4 Crafts] {
V,
D} Creationism: The ability to create a complex gadget, be it a wrist-Crossbow, or armor
[5 Survival,
or Renovation,
or Maintenence] {
V,
D} Exceptional Scavenging: The ability to pick up a piece of junk by the side of the road, and get some decent use out of it
[5 Instinct, 5 Accuracy] {
P,
V,
D} Marksmanship: Instinctively being able to hit a target without looking down the sights
[4 Manipulation, 3 Intimidation] {
V} Enslavement: The ability to take someone's humanity from them
[5 Appearance
or Intimidation, 5 Manipulation] {
P,
V,
D} Seduction: The ability to temporarilly seduce an opponent, and have them do your bidding, using either your brutal word, or your beauty
[5 Appearance] {
P,
V,
D} Pretty Face: Stunning your opponent with beauty
[5 Instinct] {
P,
V,
D}
(MORE TO COME, WORK WILL BE DONE)
Just a side-note, I've decided to rename the "Belle Vagrants" to "Belle Drifters" since Vagrant and Vanguard both start with a V.