Step 1: Concept
This game is all about playing a role. The best way to start a new character is to think of what type of character you want to be and then try to design around that. You can be a corn-ball pilot, a happy-go-lucky mechanic, an anal-retentive medic, a backwoods tough guy, etc. Once you have the type of person in mind, character creation goes much easier.

Step 2: Traits
Choosing your traits is the first step in making your character who he or she is. These are those things that make you unique and fit into your backstory. Being the Big Damn Hero that you are, you have 54 points to distribute to your Traits and Attributes. Traits are broken down into Assets (good stuff) and Complications (makes life interestin’). You have to choose at least 1 Asset and at least 1 Complication and you can have no more than 5 of each. Assets take away from your points and Complications add back points. A Minor trait is worth 2 points and a Major is worth 4.

Step 3: Attributes (p. 32)
You have 6 attributes: Agility, Strength, Vitality, Alertness, Intelligence and Willpower. You can apply a die type to each attribute from d4 to d12. Like your traits, your attributes apply against your 54 points with the value equal to the die type. Since you are a Big Damn Hero you can also have attributes higher than d12. A d12+d2 costs 14 points and a d12+d4 costs 16, and is the maximum attribute score.

Step 4: Derived Attributes
Record your Life Points (Vitality + Willpower) and your initiative (Agility + Alertness)

Step 5: Skills (p.55)
Since you are a Big Damn Hero, you get 74 points to apply to skills. General skills can only be set as high as a d6. After that you have to specialize. Specialized skills go from d8 to d12+d4, but you don’t have to pay for the first 6 points since you already did with the associated general skill.

Step 6: Finish
As a Big Damn Hero you get a base of 3,000 starting credits (can vary depending on Traits). Equip your gear (p. 73); record personal details like height, name and back-story; and get ready to play!