2025 Character Creation Challenge, entry 21: Block Castlestone and Chonk, for MechTek

source: DriveThruRPG.com

Today's game is another light mech-themed 'zine game: Michael Putlack's MechTek. Its premise is that mech pilots, who heretofore have been gladiators entertaining the masses, have now been drafted into a war against an alien threat and now pit their giant fightin' robots against these invaders. Its mechanics are simpler than Mecholite's, and its basic mechanic is stat die roll + bonuses vs a baseline target number of 5, with stats expressed as dice ranging from d4 upward.

You begin with a factory-standard mech chassis that has 10 hit points and customize it. The three basic stats for task resoution are Battle (for combat and physical feats), Tactics (for perception and related abilities) and Science (for knowledge and engineering). Two of these abilities will start at d4, the third at d6. Two more stats are represented by numbers instead of die sizes: Speed (with a baseline of 30 feet/turn) and Armor Bonus (which apparently starts at 0). I feel like making a bruiser, so I'll assign my d6 to Battle and leave Tactics and Science at d4 each.

Pilots play a small role in MechTek's mechanics. There are six types of pilot available; five of these provide a bonus to a basic Stat, and the sixth reduces repair times. After your pilot reaches third level they'll gain a second specialty from this list. Continuing on the bruiser theme, I choose a Fighter, who will boost my Battle die by one level from d6 to d8.

The next step is to pick a Special ability, which is basically a power the mech can use once per day. The most brawly of these is Takedown, which knocks my opponent prone with a successful Battle roll.

Now it's time to pick out some upgraded Parts. MechTek provides five different types of Part for mechs: heads, torsos, legs, and right and left arm. Each arm will have a built-in weapon of some sort, either melee or ranged, in addition to the qualities of the partcular part you select. I'm going all-in on melee, so both arms will have melee attacks and I'd better hope I can hold out long enough to close the distance.

Custom parts provide bonuses to basic stats, either in the form of a +1 or +2 to a Stat roll, increased Speed, or an addition to Armor Defense. You get to choose five custom Parts, four of level 1 (which generally provides a single +1 bonus or its equivalent) and one of level 2 (which generally grants either a single +2 bonus or two +1 bonuses).

So for my head I'll take a level 1 model, which grants a +1 bonus to Science rolls (and I'll need that with my low baseline). Torso's level 1 model grants a +1 to Armor Bonus. Level 1 Legs come in two models, neither of which grant any kind of bonus. Which brings us to Arms. Level 1 Arms can grant a +1 bonus to either Battle, Tactics, or Armor; level 2 arms offer either +2 to Battle, +1 to Battle and +1 to Armor, or +1 to Battle and +1 to Tactics. I'm going to shoot for the One Punch Man thing and buy a level 2 right arm with a +2 to Battle, with a left arm that grants a +1 armor bonus.

I'll also start with 100 credits, which can be used to purchase further upgrades, but it looks like I'll have to earn more of them to afford anything better than what I'm starting with, so let's name this bad boy and move on to the statblock. 

I shall call him Chonk. Piloted by Block Castlestone.

Chonk (pilot: Block Castlestone)

Battle: d8+2
Tactics: d4+0
Science: d4+1
Speed: 30
Armor Bonus: 2
HP: 10
Special: Takedown (Battle)
Parts:
Head HE-10 (basic, L1, +1 Science)
Torso BO-10 (basic, L1, +1 armor)
Legs LL-10a (basic, L1)

Left Arm EA-12s (basic, L1, melee, +1 armor, d2 damage)

Right Arm EA-20x (basic, L2, melee, +2 Battle, d6 damage)

and a character sheet: