School Daze: BtVS (Characters)

You may think that we GMs pour over rule books to get a complete understanding of game mechanics, then turn to our computer screens and effortlessly produce a compelling interactive story line. What actually happens, at least for me, is that I discover a gaming system that sounds intriguing, check out the rules and some of the sample flavor text, then hit the internet to see if someone has done the hard work for me. It's usually only when I've seen a game in action that I commit the necessary resources to creating a game "from scratch."

That being said, this post is for all my fellow lazy GMs who want to run the BtVS School Daze game I posted previously, and just need the characters. I will say, though, that character creation in School Daze is incredibly easy - you just pick each student's Favorite Subject (+2 to related rolls) and three Ranks (+/-1 to related rolls). Then you add Relationships to NPCs - which is super easy when you're working off an established cannon like BtVS - and a Motivation. I actually left the Motivations blank, so my players could tell me what was on the forefront of their character's mind that week. These characters are set in the early seasons of BtVS, when they were actually in high school, but you can easily adapt them for later seasons as desired. 

One more note... because of my OCD desire for a balanced party, I made sure there were not repeats in Ranks. This is obviously not necessary and may actually not be completely true to the original characters. If verisimilitude is your thing, modify these as needed. Or let your players customize their characters by swapping out a Rank or two, if they can explain to you why a different Rank would be a better fit for their character. And no, "this would be more useful" is not a good explanation.

Ready-to-steal School Daze characters after the jump!

1. Buffy Summers - vampire slayer, the muscle
Favorite Subject: Phys Ed
Ranks:

• Dank - You’re comfortable in small, cold, and dark spaces and situations. You creep people out with strange obsessions.
• Rank - You excel in competitions. You are overly competitive. 
• Tank - You’re big, either physically imposing or strong. You’re clumsy and break things easily.

Motivation:

Relationships:
- Rupert Giles - librarian, Watcher, father figure
- Joyce Summers - over-protective mother
- Angel - over-protective boyfriend

2. Willow Rosenberg - witch, brains of the operation
Favorite Subject: Technology
Ranks:

• Blank - When you don’t want to be noticed, you’re invisible. When you want to be noticed, nobody cares.
• Flank - You’re an excellent wingman/friend. You know too much, and tell embarrassing stories about others. 
• Thanks - You’re one of the nicest people anyone has ever met. You’re a kiss-ass. 

Motivation:

Relationships:
- Jenny Calendar - computer teacher, techno-pagan, mentor
- Xander - childhood friend, former crush
- Oz - boyfriend, Werewolf

3. Xander Harris - comic relief, the heart
Favorite Subject: English
Ranks:

• Lank - You’re tall, slender, can reach high, and run fast. You’re clumsy and awkward, with a tendency to trip while going up the stairs. 
• Pranks - You always come up with a distraction. You can’t resist an opportunity to humiliate someone. 
• Spank - You’re great at embarrassing others. You’re useless when actually confronted. 

Motivation:

Relationships:
- Willow - childhood friend
- Cordelia - former girlfriend
- Anya - current girlfriend, former vengeance demon

4. Cordelia Chase - queen bee
Favorite Subject: Art
Ranks:

• Bank - You can afford anything you desire. You’re spoiled and demand instant gratification. 
• Frank - You always tell it straight and you never beat around the bush. Your honesty comes without tact. 
• Gank - Your quick fingers can get ahold of what others don’t want you to have. You’re a compulsive shoplifter. 

Motivation:

Relationships:
- Buffy - rival for high school popularity
- Xander - former boyfriend
- Rupert Giles - librarian

5. Daniel "Oz" Osbourne - guitar player, werewolf
Favorite Subject: Industrial Arts
Ranks:

• Clank - You excel with electronic and mechanical devices. You over-focus on minutiae. 
• Shank - You are the king of unexpected attacks. You telegraph your blows like Samuel Morse. 
• Yank - You can diffuse any situation with humor. You crack jokes at the most inappropriate times. 

Motivation:

Relationships:
- Willow - girlfriend
- Dingoes Ate My Baby - bandmates
- Jenny Calendar - computer teacher

6. Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins - former vengeance demon
Favorite Subject: History
Ranks:

• Jank - You can be stylish with a few bucks, and some time. You come off as cheap. 
• Plank - You’re always up on the latest memes. You’ve got limited real-world knowledge. 
• Swank - You’re excellent in your interactions with members of the opposite sex. You can’t resist flirting, even when it’s detrimental to you. 

Motivation:

Relationships:
- Halfrek (aka Cecelia) - former best friend and rival demon
- Spike - fellow “reformed” villain, vampire
- Xander - current boyfriend