Character creation

Notes on character creation, in approximate order you make the decisions:

Character Class

Choose one character class. The class gives you three things:

1. A default list of Stunts to choose from. You can also choose Stunts from your Ancestry and Archetype
2. One or more free Stunts
3. Spells, if the class is Cleric or Magician

Ancestry and Gender

Your Ancestry gives you options and suggestions. A few ancestries unlock specific stunts; most ancestries suggest certain Aspects.

Archetype

An Archetype is a specialized style within a class. Character classes are very broad and open-ended. An archetype is like a recipe for building a more specific type of character, by choosing from a pre-selected list of options. Archetypes are optional: you don't have to choose one, and if you do, they expand the options of your class.

Archetypes may be oriented toward a particular culture.

Example archetypes by character class:

• Cleric: Druid, Diviner, Warlock, cleric of a specific deity
• Magician: Illusionist, Bard, Alchemist
• Scout: Burglar, Ranger
• Warrior: Berserker, Knight

In addition, there are some multiclass archetypes. You can start with these but you have to pick one class as primary.

• Paladin is mix of Cleric and Warrior
• Trickster is a mix of Scout and Magician

Background

Background is optional. It's the culture and/or occupation your character was raised in. If you want to be a human who was raised by elves, choose human as your ancestry and the particular culture ("wood elves of the North", for example) as your Background.

A background includes suggested Skills and Stunts. Some, but not all, backgrounds unlock stunts.

Key Aspects

• Define your High Concept
• Define your Trouble.

Skills

• One at Great (+4)
• Two at Good (+3)
• Three at Fair (+2)
• Four at Average (+1)

You may get additional skills if you took the Extra Skill power.

Stunts

Beginning characters get:

• Two Stunts
• Possibly, additional Stunts from your character class (if your class is Warrior or Scout)

Finalize Aspects

• Add one Aspect reflecting a relationship to another PC
• Add two additional Aspects, which may come from your ancestry, background, or a free choice

Make sure you have 5 character Aspects total (High Concept, Trouble, relationship, and 2 others)

Equipment

Equipment has a cost. You can start with one Good (+3) piece of equipment, plus whatever may be provided by your stunts. Everything else must be Fair or lower.