Character Motivation/Goals Help needed

[MadBear]

So I'll be playing a psychic who prefers to fight in melee in an upcoming game that features a dystopian future/sci fi setting. Now the one thing I've always been terrible at is coming up with character motivation/goals that would interest my character. I have no problem coming up with backstory, but for some reason when asked what drives my character I'm always stumped.

Quick Backstory:

He was raised as peasant on a militaristic planet controlled by the powerful elite who treated their peasants cruelly. After being pressed into service, he spent his teen years as a grunt, until one day a brush with death brought out his psychic powers. The military took him and put him through special classes, and basically raised him above the normal "lowlife's" in an attempt at brainwashing him to become one of the elite himself (basically they wanted his power, and figured making him part of the 1% would work in corrupting him). Not buying it, he ditched the military at the first battle he could. An opposing soldier and he commandeered a transport off planet, effectively becoming deserters.

RPG focus: The group is essentially playing "Firefly" the game, except with added in bounty contracts.

So what would motivate my character, and what would you would make good goals for him?

Thanks a ton GITP community!!!

[Geddy2112]

Well, your character is a deserter, and not just a Joe Blow, he has weird psychic powers the military likes. It would not be wrong to think people would go looking for this guy.

So there is your first motivation-never go back to the military/get captured. Doubly so since you were raised in oppression.

Money is always a good motivation in a ttRPG, as adventuring/fighting/stuff only PC's can do is a very lucrative career. Loot is everywhere, and most quests have a financial backer somewhere. Being on the run and having military skills make you a fine merc, doubly so since there are bounty contracts available. Add in growing up poor, and money becomes a powerful carrot.

His goals could end there, but perhaps he wants to tear down the military government and free the people of his homeland. Maybe he wants to use his powers for good to help others, maybe in a small land far away. But it could just be a free life of fast cash, that is a plenty fine goal.

[Vinyadan]

Yup, the whole "stay free" or "don't get court martialled" deal is probably the most immediate and strongest driving force right now.

The question is: should he fight back? Maybe he will live like an outlaw, and try to quietly sneak away. Maybe he will have some sort of beef to make right, or fall in love with the right/wrong person, or meet a charismatic leader. Maybe someone who is helping him will get killed.

Maybe he really likes the transport he stole and will run around with it until he can.

[Rusvul]

Perhaps just before he was taken and forcibly enlisted, his parents/siblings/significant other were/was killed by one specific officer.

"Tear down the evil government" is all well and good, but a short-term backstory driven goal can be a neat thing to have, too.

[MadBear]

Ok so for potential motivations/goals I have:

- Wants to be wealthy

My biggest frustration with this one, is that money is usually a means to an end, and I have no idea what that end should be.

- Not get caught

As obvious as this is, I hadn't thought about it, and now that i see it, it's fairly obvious. Definitely using

- Revenge on Military/Individual

This is fairly generic, but barring any other good motivators it definitely gives my character a purpose.

Thanks for the ideas/inspiration so far!

[LokiRagnarok]

Classically, people who have been poor all their life and acquire a lot of wealth suddenly have one of two typical reactions:

* hoard it all
* spend it all

For a PC, I'd suggest the latter, since that does more interesting roleplay make. So the character would probably spend money on all the things he never had. It might be anything, from fancy weapons to extravagant food to visiting a brothel. From this, further motivations may arise. Maybe he wants to acquire the best weapon (best doesn't necessarily need to be "most effective". It can also mean "most ancient", "most valuable", "the one with the richest history" and so on).
Or after he has had his first feast, he might want to taste the tastiest food in existence, or to assemble the best team of kitchen chefs to cook for him 24/7, or to get the Magical Cornucopia of Endless Feasts, an artifact only rumored to exist in legends.