Creating a character

Each persona or character is defined by a number of physical and mental attributes called statistics. These define the body to which is added training in skills and inherent foibles or abilities.

All adventurers are better than the average bod as it is more fun to play a character who is strong, fast or super brainy than any average bod.

The statistics are

An average human has an attribute value of 0 (zero), each additional 3 points represents a doubling in prowess (strength, intelligence...). Humans generally have an attribute range of -2 to +3, any attribute outside this range is considered exceptional.

When creating a new character there are many points that have to be considered. Some of these will depend upon the campaign and some upon the local circumstances. As characters can be created at any level it is necessary to have a system that reflects the growing up of a character rather than one which tries to produce a fully experienced 30 year old master swordsman in one go.

By starting with a youngster and applying skills gradually this approach enables a character at any stage in their career to be produced.

Creating the youngster

After the initial attributes for the character have been generated the character has to progress through life to gain the additional skills.

Players design their own character by distributing a number of points across the attributes and skills.

Generation

Design

  1. Use 6 attribute points to buy attributes.
  2. Choose a race and add racial modifiers.
  3. Add traits, at least one asset and one complication. A Major = 2 Minors, A Minor = 2 Free. (Maximum of 5 points of assets or complications).
  4. If you have taken more points in complications than assets each additional Major complication (or 2 Minors) will grant you two additional training points to spend.
  5. Add one more free asset.
  6. Select a gender.
  7. Choose skills (10 points / equal to the lowest current member of the party modified by race).

Attributes

Initial Generation

All races have the same spread of attributes (-2 to +3) around their racial mean, that racial mean however will differ for each rach. After creating the initial values the racial adjustments are added.

Each character has 6 attribute points to play with, the cost for buying an attribute increase rises the futher you are away from the norm.

Attribute
Cost
+3
6
+2
3
+1
1
0
0
-1
-1
-2
-3

For example a character could buy one attribute at +3 or two attributes at +2 or all 6 attributes at +1.

Racial Modifiers

Select a race and add on the racial adjustments.

Racial Attributes
Race
Barbarian
Dwarf
Elf - Grey
  - High
  - Sylvan
Gnome
Hobbit
Human
Racial Attribute Modifier
Str Int Will Con Dex Alt
+1 -1 -1 0 -1 +1
+1 -1 0 +1 -2 0
-1 +1 0 -2 0 +1
-1 0 0 -2 +1 +1
-1 -1 +1 -1 0 +1
-2 +1 -1 +1 +1 -1
-3 -1 +1 0 +1 +1
0 0 0 0 0 0

Adding a life

Starting experience

A character gets an initial number of Hero Points to put into skills, stamina, spell/prayer points

Characters start with 10 hero points to use in initial training. These may be distributed amongst the skills as if training with the proviso that no skill may be greater than +2.

A benefit of initial skills is that the normal double cost penalty of training up in the first level of a skill is waived. This favours well rounded characters and reflects the variety of training most characters will have received.

If characters are entering a running campaign use the total training points of the lowest character. They do not gain the benefit of cheaper initial training.

Health

All characters start with stamina (excluding Breather Points) = 1/2 wounds (round up) and 5 breather points. All additional stamina points must be purchased. Characters should have between 5 and 10 stamina and hero points depending upon whether they are frontline troops or not.

Magic / Prayers

Characters start with zero spell/prayer points. Any points required must be bought from the initial allocation of Hero Points.

Mages

A wizard will have 3 free categories of spell at first level. Additional categories may be trained in as normal with Hero Points as long as the Master knows those catagories.

Starting mages will know one spell in each category. The actual spells available will depend upon the individual mage training the apprentice wizard.

Priests

Starting priests will know 5 prayers plus for one for each willpower point.

Back to rpg