Ramblings on Character: Toby Kinkade

Go-Go five weeks in a row. With Toby, I wanted to make someone kindhearted. He serves as a sort of “heart” of his group, the one who will stand up for what’s right and champion his companions to do so. He’s also an ardent animal lover and wants to become a veterinarian when his life as a superhero is over. 

I see him as belonging to a Power Ranger group of three. The other two are an alien Red Ranger brought to Earth to help defend it…before getting tangled up with her two companions. Her Zord is a Phoenix. And a Blue Ranger with a Kraken Zord completes the triangle. 

Thematics are super important to me and that’s a big part of why I like Power Rangers. You get to build a team that looks good and does dog together. I went with a lot of layers here: the three primary colors, a sort of land/sea/sky vibe, and mythical creatures for their Zords. I am lovingly calling the “season” Power Rangers: Mythos.

Okay, Okay I admit it, I am stoked about the Power Rangers game. I just wish it were a little clearer presentation. Even to a “seasoned” gamer, it isn’t the easiest character creation system I’ve seen, at least at first. Once you know what you’re doing though it is very straightforward. It makes a lot of assumptions and implications about its process. But I think this is a feature and not a bug (though I don’t think it was done intentionally).

It got me thinking: in this project to build characters and stream the process, do I make assumptions about things? 

I am sure I do. 

I try not to, but some things become so rote that you don’t even think to consider them. 

So I am thankful to Power Rangers for continuing to teach valuable lessons. This is what the show is about if you consider it.

I believe that building a character really should reflect what the game is about. It is a mark of good design. The Power Rangers RPG does that well. It isn’t perfect, but, I think I like it, despite its flaws.

Here is Toby’s sheet. He was a joy to make honestly, he’s uncomplicated in a pure way. If you ever get a chance to use him drop by the discord and let me know your thoughts! I want to see what, and who he becomes.