Character Inception
You’ll need a character sheet or piece of lined notebook paper. As you determine each detail about your character, record it on your sheet.
Character Generation Step by Step
Phase 1 (Gamble of Circumstance)
- Roll 5d4!4 six times, Exploding on 4’s
- Assign the numbers generated to the desired Statistical Abilities
- Choose Species & apply modifiers
- Give your character a name and optional colorful details
Phase 2 (Design & Build)
- Choose Field Role
- Resolve 4 Year Training Period representing your character’s training period between adolescence and novice in her or his field role
- Train ability scores to the minimum required to begin your career in your Field Role
You will find suggested training programs under both Species and Field Roles
- Equip Character with starting gear
Once this procedure is complete, your character will be ready to begin their career afield.
Your Character’s Statistical Abilities
Character Statistics: Each Syserian character will have six basic statistics: Physical Fitness (PF), Mental Acuity (MA), Endurance (EN), Perception (PR), Spirit (SP), and Empathy (EM). These stats measure your character’s raw abilities, and provide a pool of resources for which to draw power for spells and skills. These abilities determine your character’s strengths and weaknesses. They also determine what kinds of skills the character is trained in, how well they function in their Field Role, and how well or poorly they can save themselves against harmful effects, such as spells, poison, disease, et. al. Most characters are exceptional at one or a few things, and bad at one or a few things—this should be considered the norm. Some characters may excel highly at just a narrow category of things, and others may perform relatively acceptably at a wider range of different actions. These Statistical Scores have a bearing on everything your character may do, from fighting, to talking, to shopping, to espionage, and more.
Your character will be Proficient in two Ability Scores. Which score she or he is Proficient in is determined by Field Role and Species. Proficiency means a few things.
To begin with, all Statistics have a Modifier that goes along with them (sometimes more than one). This Modifier is used to resolve dice rolls related to that Ability, how well you can cast spells, and more. A Proficient character, however, ignores the Modifier and uses the actual number instead.
Next, your skill in this particular area confers any number of boilerplate skills that anybody can try to perform regardless of talent or training. It will further confer onto proficient users only a faster training period to learn Subskills. There will further be trainable Subskills (see Skills chapter) available only to Proficient characters. There are many subskills. For example, Physical Fitness has within it Acrobatic Withdrawal, Wildfighting, and Power Attack available as trained subskills. Climbing, Rope Use, Jumping, and Throwing are boilerplate GM skills that anyone can try regardless of talent or training. Proficient characters will be much better at these skills, but anyone can attempt them with or without training, and anyone can train in them.
Character Inception, Phase One
To create your character’s statistics, we roll 5d4for each of the 6 stats. Dice explode on a 4. While you’re rolling, when any die comes up either 4, roll another d4 to add to it. Just keep this cycle going until you haven’t got any more 4’s to explode, then assign the six results to your stats as desired. Keep in mind the cap is 30 points on any stat (for now).
So for example, I’m rolling up my character and the first thing I get is 3 1 3 4 3. So I’m going to assign 14 to one of the 6 statistics─I decide on Physical Fitness. But that 4 generates an exploding die. So I take another die and roll it for Physical Fitness. I get a 4, roll again. I get a 3. This increases the PF score by 11 more to a total of 25.
Choose your species and field role at the conclusion of this process of generating statistics with exploding d4’s─any ability requirements stipulated by Species must be met before training, and you may apply your species’ modifiers at this time─scores still have a maximum possible of 30 unless noted otherwise.
In phase two, you will embark upon a 4 year training period taking place in your character’s adolescence, e.g. 14-18 years old or your species’ equivalent. This second phase will not be a gamble as is the first phase, it will be a design and build phase directly controlled by the player. Phase One does not affect your choice of Field Role [in terms of requirements], but you must train up to the minimum required for your choice of Field Role in the next phase. More on phase two later.
Statistical Modifiers
Your Statistical Abilities will come with a Modifier that will be added to the results of rolls related to said ability. If you are not Proficient in an Ability, the Modifier column shows the number you will add to such rolls. If you are Proficient, you will usually add the Ability itself.
| Score | Modifier |
|---|---|
| 0-16 | +0 |
| 17-19 | +1 |
| 20-23 | +2 |
| 24-27 | +3 |
| 28-30 | +4 |
| 31-33 | +5 |
| 34-36 | +6 |
| 37-39 | +7 |
| 40-42 | +8 |
| 43-45 | +9 |
| 46-48 | +10 |
| 49-51 | +11 |
| 52-54 | +12 |
| 55-57 | +13 |
| 58-60 | +14 |
| 61-63 | +15 |
| 64-66 | +16 |
| 67-70 | +17 |
| 71-80 | +18 |
| 81-90 | +19 |
| 91+ | +20 |
The Six Statistical Ability Scores
Physical Fitness
Physical Fitness (PF) is of course a measure of your character’s physical abilities and overall health. Broadly, fitness is a state of well being and healthy bodily functions. The character can go about her or his day without concerns regarding day to day physical activities. In combat, a character with a high physical fitness is likely to be the damage dealer or the ambusher. Good physical fitness is typically achieved through training, proper nutrition, exercise, and occupational duties.
This stat encompasses physical strength, agility, speed, the ability to resist disease or poison, the ability to recover damage through resting, and constitution. Warriors begin their career proficient in physical fitness.
Your PF modifier is added to any PF related proficiency, your attack and damage rolls, as well as your rate of movement.
Physical Fitness Ability
| PF Stat | Carry, lbs. | Lift, lbs. | Move, lbs. | Throw, lbs. | Resist Disease* | Resist Immobilization & Incapacitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | ×2 | ×5 | ×10 | ×0.5 | 0 | None |
| 5-10 | ×3 | ×7 | ×10 | ×1 | 0 | None |
| 11-15 | ×5 | ×10 | ×15 | ×1.25 | 0 | 1st |
| 16-25 | ×10 | ×15 | ×20 | ×1.5 | +1 | 2nd |
| 26-40 | ×15 | ×20 | ×30 | ×1.75 | +2 | 2nd |
| 41-60 | ×20 | ×30 | ×40 | ×2 | +3 | 3rd |
| 61-80 | ×25 | ×40 | ×50 | ×2.5 | +4 | 3rd |
| 81-99 | ×30 | ×50 | ×100 | ×3 | +5 | 4th |
*Proficient users only.
Here are some examples of Actions requiring Physical Fitness:
- Athletics (such as climbing, jumping, etc.)
- Physical combat
- Moving faster
- Forcing something open
- Breaking things
- Pushing, pulling, or dragging heavy objects
- Shifting tactics in mid-melee
- Competing in sports
- Riding an animal
Mental Acuity
Mental Acuity is the sharpness of the mind. Facets of a person’s Mental Acuity include memory, focus, concentration, knowledge, intelligence, understanding, and wisdom. Beyond the basic Stat Mod for M.A., this Statistical Ability Score has influence over: Mental Attack resistance [proficient only], Bonus Spells for Wizards, and bonus languages [everyone].
Mental Acuity Ability
| MA Stat | Bonus Languages | Bonus Spells† | TBD | TBD | Resist Mental Attacks* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 5-10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 11-15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 16-25 | 2 | 1 | +1 | ||
| 26-40 | 3 | 2 | +2 | ||
| 41-60 | 3 | 3 | +3 | ||
| 61-80 | 4 | 4 | +4 | ||
| 81-99 | 5 | 5 | +5 |
† Wizards only.
*Proficient users only.
*The maximum number of spells a non-divine being can learn is 10 spells per spell level. Divine beings have no limit to the number of spells they may know.
Here are some examples of Actions requiring Mental Acuity:
- Having fluency in language(s)
- Reading & writing
- Recalling general knowledge
- A wizard using an arcane spell
- Having the ability to research effectively
- Having the ability to remember and recall minute details about a person or object
- Solving riddles and puzzles*
- Detecting hidden magical energies or arcane objects
- Analysis and comprehension of complex magical spells or technologies
- Improvisation and adaptation to new situations quickly and effectively*
- Resisting illusions and mental attacks, such as charms or psychic powers
*This is also a roleplay action, and your character will do what you say they do. If the actions and verbiage you’ve described solve the GM’s riddle or puzzle, then it is solved.
Endurance
Endurance (EN) is the ability to sustain physical, emotional, or mental exertion/damage for prolonged periods. This can refer to a character's ability to withstand physical hardship, such as running long distances or carrying heavy loads, or mental hardship, such as staying focused and alert during long periods of study or concentration. Characters with high Endurance could potentially have a higher threshold for pain or discomfort, allowing them to push through injuries or adverse conditions.
In terms of game mechanics, Endurance determines a character's overall ability to persevere through fatigue, pain, and stress. In addition to the standard modifier, your Endurance score also affects other aspects of gameplay, such as the amount of damage you can take before becoming incapacitated, the duration of your spells or abilities, or the time it takes to recover from negative status effects. A high Endurance score can allow a character to push through difficult physical challenges, resist mental manipulation or coercion, and shrug off superficial damage before things start getting serious in battle. All Dwarves have an inborn Proficiency in Endurance.
If you have resistance (fire/acid/slashing/whatever), you subtract your Standard Endurance Modifier from any damage inflicted.
Your EN gives you a one time bonus to your hit points per the table below. Apply this bonus at character inception. If EN increases later in your character’s adventuring career, add the remainder to your hit point pool. If you have resistance to a damage type (fire/acid/slashing/etc.), you subtract your base endurance modifier from any damage inflicted (minimum 1). The EN modifier counts as damage reduction if in any environment that would cause damage due to cold, air quality, etc. For every cycle said environment deals damage, the EN modifier is subtracted from the amount as if the character were resistant to that environment.
| EN Stat | Body Shock | Exhaustion* | Standard March Hours | Strain* | Resist Toxins* | Recovery Bonus* | Additional HP† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | 64% | ×1 | 8 | ×1` | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5-8 | 66% | ×1 | 8 | ×1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9-12 | 68% | ×1 | 8.5 | ×1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 13-18 | 70% | ×1 | 9 | ×0.75 | +1 | +1 | 4 |
| 19-22 | 71% | ×1 | 10 | ×0.75 | +2 | +2 | 6 |
| 23-26 | 72% | ×1 | 11 | ×0.75 | +3 | +2 | 8 |
| 27-30 | 73% | ×1 | 11.5 | ×0.75 | +4 | +3 | 10 |
| 31-33 | 74% | ×1 | 12 | ×0.75 | +5 | +3 | 12 |
| 34-35 | 75% | ×0.9 | 12 | ×0.75 | +6 | +4 | 14 |
| 36-38 | 76% | ×0.8 | 12 | ×0.75 | +7 | +4 | 17 |
| 39-40 | 77% | ×0.75 | 12.5 | ×0.5 | +8 | +5 | 20 |
| 41-42 | 82% | ×0.7 | 13 | ×0.5 | +9 | +5 | 23 |
| 43-44 | 86% | ×0.6 | 13 | ×0.5 | +10 | +6 | 26 |
| 45-46 | 90% | ×0.5 | 13 | ×0.5 | +11 | +6 | 28 |
| 47-50 | 94% | ×0.5 | 13 | ×0.5 | +12 | +7 | 30 |
| 51-75 | 96% | ×0.5 | 13 | ×0.5 | +13 | +7 | 35 |
| 76-88 | 98% | ×0.5 | 13.5 | ×0.5 | +14 | +8 | 40 |
| 89-99 | 100% | ×0.25 | 14 | ×0.25 | +15 | +9 | 50 |
*Proficient users only.
†Non proficient users only. Proficient users get +EN (full stat) HP.
Here are some examples of Actions requiring Endurance:
- Shrugging off the damage from superficial strikes
- Long marching (12+ hours)
- Forced marching [Strain]
- Functioning while encumbered
- Running [Strain]
- Persevering in suboptimal environments
- Holding your breath [Strain]
- Avoiding exhaustion
- Resisting poison
- Surviving extraordinary bodily stress, such as exposure to the vacuum of space, possibly crushed by a boulder, etc.
Perception
Perception (PE) represents your character’s ability to become aware of something through her or his senses. Characters filling the Rogue Field Role are proficient in Perception (PE), which is the most important ability for rogues.
Your ability to discern signal from noise in your environment. To condense a kernel of fact from a vapor of nuance. Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the light, sound, smell, and tactile objects around you. A high Perception score will make it easier to detect traps, spot hidden objects or enemies, and identify threats before they become dangerous. Perception can also have an impact on the ability to track creatures, locate hidden passages, or find secret items.
Perception is linked to Initiative, as well as, theft, espionage, some wilderness skills, casing (surreptitiously identifying promising establishments to target for burglary, and mentally compiling and inventory without appearing suspicious), marking (choosing a lucrative looking victim to mug), targeting an enemy combatant to ambush, sneak attack, or backstab, identifying the correct target of assassination, and attacking an enemy using finesse weapons and techniques.
Perception Ability
| PE Stat | Initiative* | Stealth, Theft, Sneak Attack, ID traps, Espionage† | Ranged Action Bonus* | Detect Ambush† | Detect Concealed or Invisible* | Detect Illusion* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 | 0 |
| 5-10 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +1 |
| 11-15 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +4 | +3 | +2 |
| 16-25 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +6 | +4 | +3 |
| 26-40 | +3 | +2 | +4 | +8 | +5 | +4 |
| 41-60 | +4 | +3 | +5 | +10 | +6 | +5 |
| 61-80 | +5 | +4 | +6 | +12 | +7 | +6 |
| 81-99 | +6 | +5 | +7 | +14 | +8 | +7 |
*Proficient users only.
†Rogues only.
Actions Requiring Perception
Here are some examples of Actions requiring Perception:
- Theft
- Espionage
- Ambush
- Sneak Attack
- Backstab
- Assassinate
- Spot hidden traps or secret doors
- Eavesdropping on conversations, detecting hidden or encoded messages, reading lips
- Identifying weaknesses or vulnerabilities in opponents during combat
- Detecting hidden or even invisible creatures or objects
- Tracking targets or following a trail through the wilderness or urban areas
- Detecting disguised or shapeshifted creatures
- Recognizing and identifying different types of poisons or toxins
Empathy
Empathy (EM) is broadly defined as the ability to understand the feelings of another. It can be used to read emotions and intentions, negotiate with people, and gain insight into the motivations of others. Characters with high empathy may have an easier time convincing others to help them or gaining the trust of others. This ability could also allow characters to discern whether an NPC is lying or not, making it useful for gathering information or detecting deception.
Leadership is the ability to inspire and guide others. When leading their party, their henchmen, and perhaps one day an army, your character’s Empathy determines your ability to do so and effectiveness. Characters with high leadership are able to command the respect and loyalty of others, and may have an easier time persuading NPCs to do what they want. This ability could be used to rally allies in battle, inspire a village to join the fight against a common enemy, or convince a group of merchants to lower their prices.
Diplomacy, bluffing, and fast talking are important skills for characters who need to negotiate with others or persuade them to do something. Diplomacy is the ability to negotiate effectively and find common ground with others, while bluffing is the ability to deceive others by convincing them of something that is not true. Fast talking is the ability to use persuasion and rhetoric to quickly convince others to do what you want. These skills can be useful in a variety of situations, such as negotiating with a merchant for a better price, convincing a guard to let you pass, or deceiving an enemy to gain the upper hand.
There is also a darker side to this coin called “empathy,” in which, for example, an empathic character reads another person and uses their emotions against them. Chishiya’s handling of both the Jack of Hearts and the King of Diamonds games comes to mind.
Piety is also linked to Empathy.
Elite Warriors and Priests begin with Proficiency in Empathy, which is their most important Ability.
Empathy Ability
| EM Stat | Max Henchmen | Haggle%* | Bonus Spells† | Max Spell Level† | Illusion Immunity by Spell Level* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | None |
| 5-10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | None |
| 11-15 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 3rd | 1st |
| 16-25 | +2 | +5% | 1 | 3rd | 2nd |
| 26-40 | +3 | +10% | 2 | 4th | 2nd |
| 41-60 | +4 | +15% | 3 | 4th | 3rd |
| 61-80 | +5 | +25% | 4 | 5th | 3rd |
| 81-99 | +6 | +45% | 5 | 5th | 4th |
*Proficient users only.
†Priests only.
Actions Requiring Empathy
Here are some examples of Actions requiring Empathy:
- Bluffing or deceiving
- Making a good impression
- Inspiring your unit or army to fight
- Intimidating others
- Engaging in diplomacy and etiquette
- Retaining henchmen
- Using powers bestowed by a deity
- Haggling
Spirit
Spirit (SP) is a life infusing principal that draws in and forms all living beings. Spirit includes force of will and "chutzpah" if you please. Spirit gives a person their charisma and self-will. It also relates closely to intuition.
Spirit also plays a role in each character’s (spontaneous casters or otherwise) link to the power of the Bloodstones. Spirit is what allows non-spontaneous casters to use magic, but unlike spontaneous casters, it does limit their use or power.
A strong enough spirit can enable a character to avoid, ignore, or control fate.
Mages and Psions begin with Proficiency in Spirit, which is their most important Ability.
Spirit Ability
| SP Stat | Bonus Spells† | Max Spell Level† | Spell Chutzpah† | Resist Mind Control and Enchantment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 0 | N/A | +0 | +0 |
| 5-10 | 0 | N/A | +0 | +0 |
| 11-15 | 0 | 3rd | +1 | +1 |
| 16-25 | 1 | 3rd | +1 | +2 |
| 26-40 | 2 | 4th | +2 | +3 |
| 41-60 | 3 | 4th | +2 | +4 |
| 61-80 | 4 | 5th | +2 | +5 |
| 81-99 | 5 | 5th | +3 | +6 |
*Proficient users only.
†Mages and Psions only.
Actions Requiring Spirit
Here are some examples of Actions requiring Spirit:
- Bravely engaging in heroic deeds
- Resisting mind control and charm effects
- Casting spontaneously, like a Mage or Psion
- Changing one’s own fate (such as with rerolls)
Other Important Statistical Scores
Armor Rating
Armor Rating (AR) is a measure of your character’s ability to withstand, avoid, or absorb damage. This number represents the required minimum for most basic physical attacks to penetrate the character’s defenses and do damage to hit points (or sometimes other pools). The amount by which this is exceeded indicates the amount of damage inflicted.
This number will be a 15 at its baseline. It increases with the use of armor and other forms of protection.
Armor Rating Modifiers
| Size | Modifier |
|---|---|
| D | +3 |
| S | +1 |
| M | 0 |
| L | -1 |
| H | -3 |
| G | -5 |
| T | -10 |
Colorful Details
You can use these tables & rolls to generate details, pick anything (excluding social class; you can only choose merchant trader class), or make something up. Some of the details can change over the course of game play. Some of these details may or may not be the same for multiple characters or even the entire party at the beginning of the campaign, according to what the GM tells you about the campaign’s goals or storyline.
Skin Color
Roll d% or choose.
| d% | Color |
|---|---|
| 01-09 | Pale |
| 10-18 | Fair |
| 19-27 | Peach |
| 28-36 | Tan |
| 37-45 | Tropical Tan |
| 46-54 | Brown Islander |
| 55-63 | Light Eastern |
| 64-72 | Tan Eastern |
| 73-81 | Tropical Eastern |
| 82-90 | Brown Plainsman |
| 91-100 | Dark |
Exotic Skin Color
For a more unusual/alien appearance. Roll d% or choose.
| d% | Exotic Skin Color |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Albino (Very pale with little or no pigment) |
| 06-10 | Vitiligo (Patchy loss of skin pigment) |
| 11-15 | Porcelain (Very pale with a slight bluish tint) |
| 16-20 | Pink (Pale with a pinkish hue) |
| 21-25 | Bronze (Shiny, metallic bronze tone) |
| 26-30 | Copper (Shiny, metallic copper tone) |
| 31-35 | Silver (Shiny, metallic silver tone) |
| 36-40 | Gold (Shiny, metallic gold tone) |
| 41-45 | Blue |
| 46-50 | Purple |
| 51-55 | Green |
| 56-60 | Cyan |
| 61-65 | Red |
| 66-70 | Orange |
| 71-75 | Yellow |
| 76-80 | Mottled (Patterned with spots or stripes) |
| 81-85 | Furry (Covered in fur or hair) |
| 86-90 | Iridescent (shimmering colors that change in the light) |
| 91-95 | Translucent (skin that is partially see-through) |
| 96-00 | Gemstone-inspired (emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, etc.) |
Eye Color
Roll d% or choose.
| d% | Color |
|---|---|
| 01-09 | Orange |
| 10-18 | Amber |
| 19-27 | Peach |
| 28-36 | Brown |
| 37-45 | Hazel |
| 46-54 | Gray |
| 55-63 | Blue |
| 64-72 | Black |
| 73-81 | Green |
| 82-90 | Cyan |
| 91-100 | Dark |
Exotic Eye Color
For a more unusual/alien appearance. Roll d% or choose.
| d% | Exotic Eye Color |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Heterochromic: Amber and Brown |
| 06-10 | Heterochromic: Brown and Blue |
| 11-15 | Heterochromic: Gray and Blue |
| 16-20 | Heterochromic: Green and Brown |
| 21-25 | Bronze (Shiny, metallic bronze tone) |
| 26-30 | Copper (Shiny, metallic copper tone) |
| 31-35 | Silver (Shiny, metallic silver tone) |
| 36-40 | Gold (Shiny, metallic gold tone) |
| 41-45 | Heterochromic: Purple and Green |
| 46-50 | Purple |
| 51-55 | Heterochromic: Red and Yellow |
| 56-60 | Heterochromic: Blue and Gold |
| 61-65 | Red |
| 66-70 | Heterochromic: Green and Blue |
| 71-75 | Yellow |
| 76-80 | Heterochromic: Cyan and Green |
| 81-85 | Heterochromic: Brown and Black |
| 86-90 | Iridescent (shimmering colors that change in the light) |
| 91-95 | Heterochromic: Gray and Black |
| 96-00 | Gemstone-inspired (emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, etc.) |
Hair Color
Roll d% or choose.
| d% | Hair Color |
|---|---|
| 01-09 | Orange |
| 10-18 | Auburn |
| 19-27 | White |
| 28-36 | Brown |
| 37-45 | Light Blonde |
| 46-54 | Gray |
| 55-63 | Silver |
| 64-72 | Black |
| 73-81 | Platinum Blonde |
| 82-90 | Sandy Blonde |
| 91-100 | Bald |
Exotic Hair Color
For a more unusual/alien appearance. Roll d% or choose.
| d% | Exotic Hair Color |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Pink |
| 06-10 | Blue |
| 11-15 | Green |
| 16-20 | Cyan |
| 21-25 | Bronze (Shiny, metallic bronze tone) |
| 26-30 | Copper (Shiny, metallic copper tone) |
| 31-35 | Silver (Shiny, metallic silver tone) |
| 36-40 | Gold (Shiny, metallic gold tone) |
| 41-45 | Platinum (Shiny, metallic white tone) |
| 46-50 | Purple |
| 51-55 | Amber |
| 56-60 | Obsidian (Deep, reflective black) |
| 61-65 | Red |
| 66-70 | White (Pure, glowing white) |
| 71-75 | Yellow |
| 76-80 | Rust (Deep, dark reddish-brown, like aged metal) |
| 81-85 | Pearl (Opalescent, shimmering white) |
| 86-90 | Iridescent (shimmering colors that change in the light) |
| 91-95 | Nebula (Shimmering mix of dark blues, purples, and blacks) |
| 96-00 | Gemstone-inspired (emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, etc.) |
D.O.B.
Roll 1d10 (month) plus 1d30 (day) or choose. Your year of birth is the current campaign year minus your age.
Age Categories
| Category | Maximum Age × | Statistical Abilities | Other Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infancy | ×0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adolescence | ×0.2 | Normal | 0 |
| Adulthood | ×0.25 | Normal | 0 |
| Middle Age | ×0.5 | EM +2 | |
| Advanced | ×0.75 | EM +4, SP +3, MA -2, EN -2 | Move -2 |
| Venerable | ×0.85 | EM +8, SP +6, MA -4, EN -4, PE -4 | Move -4 |
Gender Identity and/or Birth Sex
If your character identifies under different pronouns than those assigned at birth, please feel free to state as such under Gender. Remember of course that this is a magical world. Your character can be fully male, fully female, anything in-between, or switch [more or less] at will.
Social Class
This is the one and only character color table that has a mechanical effect. A single roll on this table is a mandate. If you do not want this, choose “Merchant Trader Class.”
Social Class: This is the one and only table of colorful character details that has an actual mechanical effect on the game. Roll on this table or choose “Merchant Trader Class.” (In other words a normally wealthy character that is of a completely average social class). Only one roll is allowed on this table.
| d% | Socio-Economic Class | Typically... | Starting Solaurei | Education | Field Role Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-04 | Servant Class | Slave | Becomes Wc | -100 Weeks | Rogue or Warrior Only |
| 05-10 | Servant Class | Serf | Becomes Wc×2 | -50 Weeks | No Priests or Elite Warriors |
| 11-20 | Servant Class | Indentured | ×0.5 | -25 Weeks | No Elite Warriors |
| 21-35 | Merchant Class | Peasant | ×0.75 | -10 Weeks | None |
| 36-65 | Merchant Class | Trader | Normal | Normal | None |
| 66-87 | Merchant Class | Baron | ×1.5 | +10 Weeks | None |
| 88-96 | Noble Class | Nobility | ×2 | +25 Weeks | No Rogues |
| 97-99 | Noble Class | Archduke | ×4 | +50 Weeks | No Rogues, Mages, or Psions |
| 00 | Noble Class | Royalty | 3d4×100 | +100 Weeks | Elite Warrior, Priest, Wizard Only |
Servant Class Achievements
| Milestones | Feats |
|---|---|
| Earn your first solarium | Demonstrate exceptional loyalty in a critical situation |
| Complete character inception phase 2 | Speak truth to power |
| Expose significant conspiracy or corruption within a superior's ranks | |
| Navigate a socially or politically dangerous gathering or soiree unmolested and undetected. | |
| Successfully impersonate a superior or Noble Class individual |
Servant Class XP Buy-ins
| Buy-in | Cost | Effect | Special | Prerequisite(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Network of Contacts | 4 | Treat related checks as proficient FRD when navigating or negotiating hidden underground societies | User can communicate with and navigate throughout gray markets and various criminal underworlds | None |
| Subservient Demeanor | 4 | Treat stealth, spying, deception, and social checks as proficient FRD when interacting with targeted superior(s) or Noble Class individuals | User has an appearance, personality, and demeanor that is generally demure, innocuous, and does not attract suspicious attention. | None |
| Blend In | 4 | Attempts to locate, identify, track, apprehend, or otherwise interact with PC are treated as non-proficient AD rolls. | Appear as unsuspecting or even nearly invisible in urban settings posing as an urchin, beggar, homeless, et. al. | None |
Noble Class Achievements
| Milestones | Feats |
|---|---|
| Lose your first Solarium. | Acquire a valuable title or estate. |
| Successfully negotiate a treaty or agreement. | |
| Mentor a younger noble or protege. | |
| Expand your influence and/or wealth through shrewd social or political actions. | |
| Successfully mediate a conflict between two political factions. | |
| Successfully impersonate a Servant Class individual. | |
| Establish a profitable trade route or business venture. | |
| Host a successful social event that enhances their status. |
Noble Class XP Buy-ins
| Buy-in | Cost | Effect | Special | Prerequisite(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change Species Proficient Ability | 8 | Reallocate Species proficiency in one ability to another of your choosing | One Time Only | None |
| Heightened Social Grace & Influence | 4 | Treat Empathy Social Skills as Proficient FRD rolls | None | None |
| Political Maneuvering | 4 | Treat rolls related to navigating political situations as Proficient FRD rolls. | Situation dependent. | None |
| Patronage | 4 | Hand select important, powerful political appointees | None | Political Maneuvering |
Social Status
Roll d%, or choose. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Social Status |
|---|---|
| 01-04 | Wanted for a Crime, Perhaps Unjustly |
| 05-07 | Outlaw |
| 08-11 | Exiled |
| 12-15 | Diplomatic Immunity |
| 16-19 | Pariah |
| 20-22 | Fleeing Disaster |
| 23-26 | Fleeing Kidnappers/Captors |
| 27-30 | Homeless |
| 31-50 | Normal, Average Citizen |
| 51-53 | Has Powerful Enemy or Nemesis Clone/Twin |
| 53-56 | Last of Your Race, Clan, or Tribe |
| 57-60 | Questing or Crusading |
| 61-63 | On Pilgrimage |
| 64-66 | Witness to a Crime |
| 67-69 | Recovering from Drug or Alcohol Addiction |
| 70-72 | Impostor or Phony of Some Sort |
| 73-75 | Reincarnated |
| 76-78 | Touched by Divine Influence |
| 79-81 | Law Enforcer |
| 82-84 | Seeking Work/Has Trade Skill |
| 85-87 | Involved in Forbidden/Taboo Romance |
| 88-90 | Wants to Open a Tavern or Inn |
| 91-93 | Has Taken a Vow of Silence |
| 94-96 | Silk & Spice Trader |
| 97-99 | Being Watched by Spy(ies) |
| 00 | Pick 2 or Roll Twice |
Circumstances of Birth
Make something up, choose anything or roll d% unless GM says otherwise. Typically children have married parents. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Rank | Siblings | Birth Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | First | 0 | Bastard, Mother Unknown |
| 02 | First | 0 | Bastard, Father Unknown |
| 03 | First | 0 | Typical |
| 04-07 | First | 1d4-1 | Typical |
| 08-09 | Second | 1d3 | Orphaned, Father Unknown |
| 10-11 | Second | 1d3 | Orphaned, Both Parents Known |
| 12-15 | —Unknown— | —Unknown— | Orphaned, Neither Parent Known |
| 16-20 | Second | 1d4 | Typical |
| 21-23 | Last | 1d4 | Bastard, Both Parents Known |
| 24-30 | Last | 1d6 | Typical |
| 31-45 | 1d2 | 2d2 | Typical |
| 46-60 | 1d3 | 3d2 | Typical |
| 61-85 | 1d4 | 3d2+1 | Typical |
| 86-89 | 1d4+1 | 3d2+3 | Typical |
| 90-95 | 1d4+2 | 3d3+3 | Typical |
| 96-99 | 1d6 | 6d2 | Typical |
| 00 | —Unknown— | —Unknown— | Abandoned |
Liege/Patron
Roll d% unless determined through other means agreed upon with your GM. Ninjas and assassins, write “(Varies)” in this field. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Liege/Patron |
|---|---|
| 01-04 | Wizard |
| 05-08 | Sorcerer |
| 09-12 | Priest or Shaman |
| 13-16 | Templar |
| 17-20 | Lord |
| 21-24 | King or Queen |
| 25-28 | Prince or Princess |
| 29-32 | Army General |
| 33-36 | Champion Adeptus |
| 37-55 | None |
| 56-59 | Merchant |
| 60-63 | Noble |
| 64-66 | Hack Wizard |
| 67-69 | Phony Priest |
| 70-72 | Usurper |
| 73-75 | Criminal Boss |
| 76-78 | Guildmaster |
| 79-81 | Power Hungry War Mongering General |
| 82-84 | Thief or Catburglar |
| 85-86 | Spy |
| 87-88 | Alchemist |
| 89 | Engineer or Scientist (Possibly Mad) |
| 90 | Greedy Dwarven Miner |
| 91 | Slavemaster |
| 92 | Fiend or Evil Outsider |
| 93 | Succubus |
| 94 | Glabrezu |
| 95 | Angel or Good Outsider |
| 96 | Aasimar |
| 97 | Solar |
| 98 | Intelligent Monster |
| 99 | Extraplanar Wizards Guild Member |
| 00 | Evil Triad Member |
Quirks
Roll d% to determine a character quirk, make one up, choose one, or choose to have no quirk at all. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 01 | Allergic |
| 02 | Alluring |
| 03 | Always has the Shakes or is Jumpy |
| 04 | Bleeder |
| 05 | Bruises Easily |
| 06 | Capricious |
| 07 | Clean or OCD |
| 08 | Colorblind |
| 09 | Compulsive Liar |
| 10 | Compulsive Honesty |
| 11 | Corrects Others’ Speech |
| 12 | Deep Sleeper |
| 13 | Disillusioned |
| 14 | Doesn’t Bathe/Strong Body Odor |
| 15 | Double-Jointed |
| 16 | Eloquent/Poetic |
| 17 | Eschews Cursing |
| 18 | Eschews [Insert Color] Foods |
| 19 | Eschews [Insert Color] Clothes |
| 20 | Eschews Alcohol |
| 21 | Eschews Eating Utensils |
| 22 | Eschews Flying |
| 23 | Eschews Footwear |
| 24 | Eschews Humor |
| 25 | Eschews Romance |
| 26 | Eschews Social Norms |
| 27 | Screams Only in Wilhelms |
| 28 | Fanatic/Zealot or at least Pious & Reverent |
| 29 | Gamer (Gambler, Possibly) |
| 30 | Greedy |
| 31 | Habitual Smoker |
| 32 | Habitual Kill Trophy Collector |
| 33 | Habitually Answers Questions with Questions |
| 34 | Hacking Cough or Hollow, Breathy Voice |
| 35 | Handsome or Beautiful |
| 36 | Has Anger Problems |
| 37 | Has Imaginary Friend |
| 38 | Has Imaginary Enemy |
| 39 | Has Imaginary Pet |
| 40 | Has Minor Birth Defect Such as Cleft Palate |
| 41 | Has Night Terrors |
| 42 | Has Extra-Regional Accent |
| 43 | Has Obscure Piece of Knowledge |
| 44 | Has Six Fingers on One or Both Hands |
| 45 | Has Obscure Useless Knowledge |
| 46 | Has Pet |
| 47 | Does Impersonations |
| 48 | Keen Sense of Smell |
| 49 | Keen Sense of Taste |
| 50 | Keen Sense of Time |
| 51 | Lazy |
| 52 | Light Sleeper |
| 53 | Likes to Learn for Learning’s Sake |
| 54 | Makes Decisions by Flipping a Coin |
| 55 | Missing Finger(s) (NOT Thumbs) |
| 56 | Missing Tooth/Teeth |
| 57 | Often Paints Face with Warpaint |
| 58 | Often Does Victory Dance After Winning Battle |
| 59 | Often Sings Victory Song After Winning Battle |
| 60 | Obnoxious or Irritating Personality |
| 61 | Optimist |
| 62 | Pathologically Early |
| 63 | Pathologically Late |
| 64 | Pessimist |
| 65 | Poor Sense of Smell |
| 66 | Poor Sense of Taste |
| 67 | Poor Sense of Time |
| 68 | Photographic Memory |
| 69 | Phobia: Crowds/Touching or Royalty |
| 70 | Phobia: Darkness/Open Spaces or Peasantry |
| 71 | Phobia: Enclosed Spaces or Water |
| 72 | Phobia: Fire or Rats |
| 73 | Phobia: Quicklings or Faeries |
| 74 | Phobia: Goblins or Kobolds |
| 75 | Phobia: Heights or Some Random Substance |
| 76 | Phobia: Mirrors or Dirt |
| 77 | Phobia: Snakes or Reptiles |
| 78 | Phobia: Spiders or Insects |
| 79 | Prefers Sleeping Outside |
| 80 | Prefers Raw Meat Instead of Cooked |
| 81 | Quick to Take Credit or Blame |
| 82 | Refers to Self in Third Person |
| 83 | Refuses to Let Anyone Touch Favorite Personal Possession |
| 84 | Reverence Toward Extraplanar Beings |
| 85 | Reverence Toward Favorite Weapon |
| 86 | Reverence Toward Random Monster |
| 87 | Reverence Toward Random Food |
| 88 | Sarcastic |
| 89 | Sexist/Racist/Prejudiced in Some Way |
| 90 | Sings or Whistles a Lot (Regardless of Ability) |
| 91 | Speaks a Made Up Language |
| 92 | Speaks in Cliches or Proverbs |
| 93 | Speaks in Mixed-Up Cliches or Proverbs |
| 94 | Speaks to Inanimate Objects |
| 95 | Stutters/Tongue-Tied |
| 96 | Taunts Enemies |
| 97 | Uses the Same Phrases Repeatedly |
| 98 | Ugly |
| 99 | Voice Tone Doesn’t Fit Appearance |
| 00 | Won’t Leave Tavern Without Buying a Drink |
Something Your Character Loves/Hates
Roll d% to determine a thing that your character loves and hates (same table for both—obviously do not accept the same result for both), make one up, choose one, or choose to have none. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Something Your Character Loves/Hates |
|---|---|
| 01-07 | Pick a Color |
| 08-14 | Pick an Odor |
| 15-21 | Pick an Animal |
| 22-28 | Pick a Person |
| 29-35 | Pick a Species or Race |
| 36-42 | Pick a Religion/Deity |
| 43-49 | Pick a Sex |
| 50-56 | Music |
| 57-63 | Meat |
| 64-70 | Art |
| 71-77 | Vegetables |
| 78-84 | Fruit |
| 85-91 | Ale |
| 92-98 | Whiskey |
| 99-00 | Choose any of the above or make up something new |
Something Your Character Lives For
Roll d% to determine a thing that your character lives for, make one up, choose one, or choose to have none. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Something Your Character Lives For |
|---|---|
| 01-06 | Family |
| 07-12 | Adventure |
| 13-18 | Treasure |
| 19-24 | Drink |
| 25-30 | Destroying Enemies |
| 31-36 | Knowledge |
| 37-42 | Art/Creation |
| 43-48 | Justice/Order |
| 49-54 | Freedom |
| 55-60 | Spirituality/Faith |
| 61-66 | Community/Society |
| 67-72 | Technology/Innovation |
| 73-78 | Nature |
| 79-84 | Love |
| 85-90 | Power |
| 91-96 | Legacy |
| 97-00 | Choose any of the above or make up something new. |
Something Your Character Would Die For
Roll d% to determine a thing that your character would die for, make one up, choose one, or choose to have none. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Something Your Character Would Die For |
|---|---|
| 01-07 | Deity |
| 08-14 | Self Defense |
| 15-21 | Nation |
| 22-28 | Clan/Tribe |
| 29-35 | Personal Honor |
| 36-42 | Family |
| 43-49 | Significant Other |
| 50-56 | A Prophecy |
| 57-63 | A Sacred Oath |
| 64-70 | An Ideal |
| 71-77 | The Preservation of Knowledge |
| 78-84 | The Balance of Nature |
| 85-91 | The Truth |
| 92-98 | The Innocent |
| 99-00 | Choose any of the above or make up something new. |
Something Your Character Wants
Roll d% to determine a thing that your character wants, make one up, choose one, or choose to have none. None of these are intended to affect any mechanical change to your character or the game. Rather, they are role playing springboards.
| d% | Something Your Character Wants |
|---|---|
| 01-06 | Money |
| 07-12 | Sex |
| 13-18 | Fame |
| 19-24 | Power |
| 25-30 | Peace/War |
| 31-36 | Acceptance |
| 37-42 | Knowledge |
| 43-48 | Mastery |
| 49-54 | Revenge |
| 55-60 | Redemption |
| 61-66 | Legacy |
| 67-72 | Control |
| 73-78 | Stability |
| 79-84 | Connection |
| 85-90 | Enlightenment |
| 91-96 | Challenge |
| 97-00 | Choose any of the above or make up something new. |
Character Inception─Phase Two: Training
Phase two is to resolve four years of training time—that’s 208 weeks or 1,456 days. This is both the second phase of character creation, as well as your character’s first adventure. It should be treated as a roleplaying opportunity.
In this in-universe training period, your character will improve her or his Statistical Ability scores and learn new skills. They also train in the basic features of their chosen Field Role─this part of phase 2 is implied and does not require any direct action or decisions from the player, other than choosing the Field Role. You have to use this time to work your character up to her or his minimums according to their chosen Field Role. After those minimums are hit, the training time can be used for whatever you wish. If your Field Role minimums include an ability requisite other than your most important ability, you must switch to the 1st trained column per normal. Note that this training time does not cost the character any money; it is baked in to the character inception process.
This is also an excellent opportunity to develop quirks, gather allies, and work out a solid basic backstory for your PC. In these ways, the generation of the ability score and initial character attributes are indeed roleplaying in and of themselves.
Training Ability Scores
PC’s gain ability bumps and new skills via training. There is an initial four year period your baked into character inception—you will receive 208 weeks of free training time at character inception to spend how see fit on training Ability Scores and Skills. After this initial four year adolescent training period, it costs money.
A character can train at any time they wish while they are on downtime. Any ability can be trained, but the process of training ability scores has a bell curve of diminishing returns over time (this does not apply to proficiencies/skills). The higher you go, the longer you have to train the particular ability to reach your maximum, and the more abilities you want to train after the first, the longer it takes to increase them.
Character Inception─Phase Two: Training
Phase two is to resolve four years of training time—that’s 208 weeks or 1,456 days. This is both the second phase of character creation, as well as your character’s first adventure. It should be treated as a roleplaying opportunity.
In this in-universe training period, your character will improve her or his Statistical Ability scores and learn new skills. They also train in the basic features of their chosen Field Role─this part of phase 2 is implied and does not require any direct action or decisions from the player, other than choosing the Field Role. You have to use this time to work your character up to her or his minimums according to their chosen Field Role. After those minimums are hit, the training time can be used for whatever you wish. If your Field Role minimums include an ability requisite other than your most important ability, you must switch to the 1st trained column per normal. Note that this training time does not cost the character any money; it is baked in to the character inception process.
This is also an excellent opportunity to develop quirks, gather allies, and work out a solid basic backstory for your PC. In these ways, the generation of the ability score and initial character attributes are indeed roleplaying in and of themselves.
Training Ability Scores
PC’s gain ability bumps and new skills via training. There is an initial four year period your baked into character inception—you will receive 208 weeks of free training time at character inception to spend how see fit on training Ability Scores and Skills. After this initial four year adolescent training period, it costs money.
A character can train at any time they wish while they are on downtime. Any ability can be trained, but the process of training ability scores has a bell curve of diminishing returns over time (this does not apply to proficiencies/skills). The higher you go, the longer you have to train the particular ability to reach your maximum, and the more abilities you want to train after the first, the longer it takes to increase them.
Ability Training Do’s and Don’ts
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Train your most important ability first if you’re going to | Change to a different ability while training is in progress or before you have your current ability trained up as far as you want it to go |
| Be strategic about which ability scores to train and how to sequence them | Interrupt the training process once begun |
| Stick to one ability at a time until you’re completely done training that ability | Try to train during an adventure in progress |
| Be proactive about increasing your scores | Let your PC’s downtime go to waste |
For purposes of training, the most important ability to your field role is listed below.
| Field Role | Most Important Ability |
|---|---|
| Elite Warrior | Empathy |
| Mage | Spirit |
| Engineer | Mental Acuity |
| Priest | Empathy |
| Psion | Spirit |
| Rogue | Perception |
| Warrior | Physical Fitness |
| Wizard | Mental Acuity |
Training Schedule
The table below gives an ability range coupled with a time span. The time spans given are how long it takes to gain the indicated number of points while your ability is within the stated range. Hence, to train the ability most important to your Field Role from 9 to 13 would take 3 weeks. The jump to 15 would require an additional 2 weeks of training beyond this. Then, it would take 9 weeks to jump to 17.
| Ability Score is: | Up to 12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-31† | 31-33 | 34+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Trained if Most Important | 1 week = 2 points | 1 weeks = 1 point | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point |
| 1st Trained if Proficient, but not Most Important | 1 week = 1 points | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point |
| 1st Trained if Not Proficient | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point |
| 2nd Trained if Proficient | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point |
| 2nd Trained if Not Proficient | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A |
| 3rd Trained | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A |
| 4th Trained | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5th Trained | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 6th Trained | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Proficiency (sub) | Typically 5-10 weeks, can vary | |||||||
†Reminder: 30 is the maximum on any ability until you buy into Uncanny, Super, or Godly abilities.
The “ability score is” column on the left indicates that the character’s ability currently in training is her or his “nth” ability in the overall sequence of all abilities trained. If a character chooses not to train her or his most important ability first, they move down one row on the table and begin with the 1st trained row. If they chose to train their most important ability afterwards, it would fall under the character's next slot down, not under the first row. This is why if you want to train your most important ability, you should do it first. If the player decides not to train their character's most important ability first, they can never train a 6th ability score.
Table: Cost to Hire Trainer per Trainee Level
| Trainee Ability Score* — or — Trainee Achievements* |
Trainer Cost Per Week in so... | Trainer Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1-12 1-15 |
5 | Common |
| 13-16 16-23 |
10 | Common |
| 17-20 24-35 |
20 | Uncommon |
| 21-24 36-47 |
30 | Uncommon |
| 25-28 48-59 |
40 | Rare |
| 29-31 60-71 |
50 | Very Rare |
| 31-33 72-83 |
75 | Legendary |
| 34+ 84+ |
150+ | Unobtainium |
*Always the highest cost of the two choices
Character Inception─Phase Two: Training
Phase two is to resolve four years of training time—that’s 208 weeks or 1,456 days. This is both the second phase of character creation, as well as your character’s first adventure. It should be treated as a roleplaying opportunity.
In this in-universe training period, your character will improve her or his Statistical Ability scores and learn new skills. They also train in the basic features of their chosen Field Role─this part of phase 2 is implied and does not require any direct action or decisions from the player, other than choosing the Field Role. You have to use this time to work your character up to her or his minimums according to their chosen Field Role. After those minimums are hit, the training time can be used for whatever you wish. If your Field Role minimums include an ability requisite other than your most important ability, you must switch to the 1st trained column per normal. Note that this training time does not cost the character any money; it is baked in to the character inception process.
This is also an excellent opportunity to develop quirks, gather allies, and work out a solid basic backstory for your PC. In these ways, the generation of the ability score and initial character attributes are indeed roleplaying in and of themselves.
Training Ability Scores
PC’s gain ability bumps and new skills via training. There is an initial four year period your baked into character inception—you will receive 208 weeks of free training time at character inception to spend how see fit on training Ability Scores and Skills. After this initial four year adolescent training period, it costs money.
A character can train at any time they wish while they are on downtime. Any ability can be trained, but the process of training ability scores has a bell curve of diminishing returns over time (this does not apply to proficiencies/skills). The higher you go, the longer you have to train the particular ability to reach your maximum, and the more abilities you want to train after the first, the longer it takes to increase them.
Ability Training Do’s and Don’ts
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Train your most important ability first if you’re going to | Change to a different ability while training is in progress or before you have your current ability trained up as far as you want it to go |
| Be strategic about which ability scores to train and how to sequence them | Interrupt the training process once begun |
| Stick to one ability at a time until you’re completely done training that ability | Try to train during an adventure in progress |
| Be proactive about increasing your scores | Let your PC’s downtime go to waste |
For purposes of training, the most important ability to your field role is listed below.
| Field Role | Most Important Ability |
|---|---|
| Elite Warrior | Empathy |
| Mage | Spirit |
| Engineer | Mental Acuity |
| Priest | Empathy |
| Psion | Spirit |
| Rogue | Perception |
| Warrior | Physical Fitness |
| Wizard | Mental Acuity |
Training Schedule
The table below gives an ability range coupled with a time span. The time spans given are how long it takes to gain the indicated number of points while your ability is within the stated range. Hence, to train the ability most important to your Field Role from 9 to 13 would take 3 weeks. The jump to 15 would require an additional 2 weeks of training beyond this. Then, it would take 9 weeks to jump to 17.
| Ability Score is: | Up to 12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-31† | 31-33 | 34+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Trained if Most Important | 1 week = 2 points | 1 weeks = 1 point | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point |
| 1st Trained if Proficient, but not Most Important | 1 week = 1 points | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point |
| 1st Trained if Not Proficient | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point |
| 2nd Trained if Proficient | 2 weeks = 1 point | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point |
| 2nd Trained if Not Proficient | 4 weeks = 1 point | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A |
| 3rd Trained | 8 weeks = 1 point | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A |
| 4th Trained | 16 weeks = 1 point | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5th Trained | 32 weeks = 1 point | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 6th Trained | 40 weeks = 1 point | 52 weeks = 1 point | 78 weeks = 1 point | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Proficiency (sub) | Typically 5-10 weeks, can vary | |||||||
†Reminder: 30 is the maximum on any ability until you buy into Uncanny, Super, or Godly abilities.
The “ability score is” column on the left indicates that the character’s ability currently in training is her or his “nth” ability in the overall sequence of all abilities trained. If a character chooses not to train her or his most important ability first, they move down one row on the table and begin with the 1st trained row. If they chose to train their most important ability afterwards, it would fall under the character's next slot down, not under the first row. This is why if you want to train your most important ability, you should do it first. If the player decides not to train their character's most important ability first, they can never train a 6th ability score.
Table: Cost to Hire Trainer per Trainee Level
| Trainee Ability Score* — or — Trainee Achievements* |
Trainer Cost Per Week in so... | Trainer Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1-12 1-15 |
5 | Common |
| 13-16 16-23 |
10 | Common |
| 17-20 24-35 |
20 | Uncommon |
| 21-24 36-47 |
30 | Uncommon |
| 25-28 48-59 |
40 | Rare |
| 29-31 60-71 |
50 | Very Rare |
| 31-33 72-83 |
75 | Legendary |
| 34+ 84+ |
150+ | Unobtainium |
*Always the highest cost of the two choices
Rules for Training Under a Trainer
When training under the tutelage of any given trainer, the ability score you’re training must be exceeded by your trainer’s same ability score plus level. The trainer will charge whichever of the two (trainee’s ability score or level) is higher. When using this table as phase two of character creation, the PC’s adolescent training incurs no cost. Once the adventuring career has begun, the character must hire a trainer at the costs shown above, maintaining a healthy diet throughout the training process. You must maintain a “comfortable” or better lifestyle. This costs a minimum of 14 so per week for healthy food as well as comfortable room and board. He or she must spend at least 8 hours a day training his or her ability, and the trainee must take at least a 1 hour rest period in the middle. Also, the character must be getting a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a day. Attempting to find shortcuts around these will result in the training being a waste.
Should the character stop her or his training prematurely, or be interrupted for a period of one week or more, for any reason, any benefits from training since the ability last went up would be lost. Training time and cost is never regained, even if s/he continues training the same ability later. Also, a character cannot train one score, switch to another, and then switch back to the original without continuing down the table.
What a character can do, however, is train one ability score one or more whole points, and postpone any continued training for as long as he or she sees fit, for whatever reason, and continue training that same ability later with no penalties.
If all above conditions are met, the character’s ability score increases by the indicated number of points.
Training Ability Scores─Ability Maximums
Abilities trained generally have the same cap as normal, unless otherwise noted (again, 30 at character inception). You cannot train an ability with a magical enhancement bonus that you cannot choose to remove, i.e. you can never train your Physical Fitness after using permanent magic to increase it, but if you have a magical enhancement that can be removed, you could train if you remove it (assuming of course the natural ability was below your normal maximum and had no other permanent magical enhancements). The magic could not be equipped at any point during training.
As your character progresses, she or he may Buy Into higher Statistical Score Maximums. This of course raises the ceiling of what your character can train up to, but nothing resets the chart progression to “Most Important,” (or any other tier), ever.
Starting Gear
The following list of equipment is in all characters’ hands regardless of Species or Field Role, at inception, at no cost. This equipment is always accessible, requires no slots in your inventory, and imposes zero encumbrance. In the event that it is damaged or destroyed, you will have to fix or replace it if you want to continue its use, but it still takes up no bulk or weight on your person.
- 1 set of Clothes
- Backpack
- Bedroll
- Candles
- Fishing gear
- Mess kit
- Waterskin
- Paper
- Writing utensil
- Flint and tinder
- Sack
Free Mount
Each character gets an ordinary (for their region or species), basic steed which they can choose to use or not use. This steed comes at no cost. It is equipped as necessary to be mounted and ridden, e.g. with saddles, bit and bridle, 7 days worth of feed, and a saddlebag or two.
The steed is loyal and faithful but not supernaturally so.
The steed and its equipment is valued at 0so. It can be donated or set free if the PC does not want it.
Free Kyanite Cilicate Crystal to Most
Most characters will start with a free Kyanite Cilicate (common white) crystal for communication. The only exceptions would be characters that have no ties with civilization, such as hermits, and some barbarians and druids. (See Equipment chapter for details on communication crystals).
Free Rations at the Beginning
You start with 14 days worth of rations and water. If the GM wants to track rations and water, it can be done as a group resource. Your GM may make exceptions especially for resource sensitive campaigns.
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