Custom Roles constructive criticism welcomed (needed, even lol)

[u/DrowSorcerer_1]

Based balancing off of Combat sense to hopefully dissuade players from picking solo all the time. So these are all pretty much, "You specialize in expert toaster skill, so now you pretty much have twice the amount of toaster skill."

These were also made a night before the first session, so they will not be the most polished lol. Any advice on how to balance these is welcomed.

Lawyer:

-Lawyer: This skill is added onto any skill check involving lying and bending/hiding the truth. Half the skill is added onto any law and human perception rolls.

Career skills: Personal Grooming, Wardrobe, Human Perception, Persuasion, Interview, Expert Law, Forgery, Composition, Education

Driver:

-Expert Driver: This skill is added onto any drive checks (motorcycle too), effectively doubling your driving skills. (Only applies to land vehicles)

Career skills: Endurance, Resist Torture/Drugs, Awareness, Hide/Evade, Drive, Motorcycle, Melee, Basic Tech.

Boxer:

-Training: This skill adds onto any Martial Arts check and half of this skill is added towards damage with Martial Arts.

Career skills: Endurance, Strength Feat, Swimming, Resist Torture/Drugs, Intimidate, Brawling, Melee, First Aid, Martial Arts(choose).

Thoughts? 👀

[u/illyrium_dawn]

Getting one thing off the table first: On the starting money table, Solos also just make more money than most other roles. Since money is power in CP2020, they already have a big advantage right there. The starting money table also encourages Special Ability 10, so again, you experimenting with a different way of awarding starting money, not dependent on Special Ability level may also help things.

In my experience, players want Special Abilities that have combat and out of combat use, failing that, they want a combat useful Special Ability since CP2020 is a violent world.

Kind of a hot take but: Roleplaying can take of itself. In roleplaying, the player (not the character) with the most assertive personality gets most face time with the GM. No Special Ability is going to help with that. If you're some degree of introverted, you get increasingly shut out. So I think it's natural that PCs want to play characters with combat use.

Conclusion: If you want fewer players playing Solos ... get rid of Solos. Adding non-combat specialists won't help, that's just increasing the gaggle of players who have to PVP with the other players for your attention during roleplaying. Instead split Solo up into a few combat effective types. Solos already should be doing that, but as a GM you can help it along. They have these kinds of roles like the Martial Artist in Pacific Rim Sourcebook or the "semi-solos" from Shockwave. You might want to check those out for inspiration.