Race
Before selecting a class, a player must choose a race.
A race represents the character's people or ancestry within the world. Each race provides a defined set of features.
When you choose a race, you gain:
- •A Size and Speed (movement)
- •Languages you can speak
- •All listed racial features and damage mitigations
- •Any listed detriments or limitations, if applicable
- •A starting Attribute Spread
Racial features are gained at character creation and are permanent unless otherwise stated.
Attributes
Attributes represent the physical and psychological capacities of your character. They are as follows:
Strength
Your physical might and power
Agility
Your fine motor control, precision and balance
Fortitude
Your physical hardiness, durability and resistance to harm
Intellect
The acuity and creativity of your mind as well as the volume of knowledge it holds
Will
The strength of your convictions, confidence and force of will, as well as your faith in all things... including a good hunch
Your starting attributes are determined by your race, but grow and change with your character as you level up.
First Attribute Increase
After selecting a character you gain your first Attribute Increase. This allows you to increase two stats of your choosing by 1 point.
Attribute Increases are subject to level restrictions. A character can never increase an attribute to greater than 10 with this feature.
Attribute increases are offered again at every even character level (Levels 2, 4, 6 etc...)
Starting Class
After choosing a race and gaining an attribute increase, select a Starting Class.
There are nine Starting Classes. A Starting Class defines the character's early abilities, mastery access, and progression.
Each Starting Class has five class levels, and leads to multiple available Path Classes. A starting class represents the beginning of your character's journey. It informs your starting competencies and loosely guides your progression. A Path class represents the continuation of your character's progressions into new, specialised and more competent avenues.
Starting Features
Starting Classes also provide important features:
- •A selection of Weapons and Skills added to your mastery pool
- •The Armor types your character can wear
- •The Talent Types added to your pool
- •Your starting Equipment
These are gained upon selecting the class, and are considered Starting Features, meaning that at no point other than when you start with this class can you gain them.
When you add a weapon or skill to your mastery pool you also gain Mastery Level one with that skill or weapon.
Levels and Advancement
Characters gain Character Levels thoughout the course of the campaign. Gaining experience through interaction, exploration and combat. That experience being denoted by character level increases.
Each Character Level increase allows you to increase the Class Level of a specific class.
Character level is your overall level, while class level is the level you posses with a particular class.
When a character gains a level:
- •Their Player Level increases by 1
- •Their Class Level increases by 1 (only the class they are currently in)
- •They gain all features associated with the class level they have increased to
- •They gain Hit Points (HP) as specified by their current class + Half of your Fortitude (rounded down)
- •They may select one talent (subject to tier restrictions and talent pool restrictions)
- •Attribute increases are received at each even level increment (level 2, 4, 6 etc…)
- •Mastery increases occur at each odd level increment (level 1, 3, 5 etc…)
Talents
Talents are unique features you may select that are not directly associated with classes.
Talent Tiers
Talents are divided into tiers, and talents of each tier require a certain player level in order to be selected:
A player may select one talent of an appropriate tier each level.
A level 7 player who may select a tier 2 talent, may also opt to select a tier 1 talent instead.
GM Note (optional rule): A player may forgo the selection of a tier 2 or 3 talent to instead select 2 tier 1 talents.
Talent Pool
A player may select Talents only of a type that was added to their Talent Pool. These include: Basic, Martial, Religeous, Occult & Alchemical.
A players class selection will add to their Talent pool, allowing talents from those types to be selected.
Mastery System
Mastery Pools
A Mastery Pool is the list of skills & weapons a character is capable of mastering.
- •A character's class selection will add to their mastery pool.
- •Certain features (such as talents, items or events) may also add to that players mastery pool.
- •A GM may at any point add to a players mastery pool.
- •When something is added to your mastery pool it remains in the pool permenantly.
- •When something is added to your mastery pool, you also gain mastery level one with it.
At each odd player level a player receives a weapon and skill Mastery Increase. This feature allows a player to increase their mastery level with a particular skill and weapon respectively.
Only weapons and skills in your mastery pool may be selected for increase.
Mastery Levels
Skills, weapons, and tools each have five mastery levels, with increasing benefits at each level.
When a mastery level is reached, the listed benefits of that mastery level are permanently gained. Only items in your mastery pool may have their mastery level increased by your selection (features which directly increase mastery are exempt from this restriction, example a feature which states: "You gain a mastery level with X").
Nothing may have a mastery level greater than 3 before character level 6. Features which would increase a mastery level above level 3 when at player level 5 or lower have no effect.
Path Classes
After a character reaches Class Level 5 in a Starting Class, they advance into a Path Class.
A Path Class represents a continuation or specialization of the Starting Class and expands upon its themes and mechanics. A player will always have at least one available Path Class to select upon reaching Class Level 5 in their Starting Class.
Some path classes may have prerequisites that must be met before they can be selected, such as certain attribute levels, skills, or in-game achievements. These classes represent more specialized roles that require specific qualifications.
Some path classes represent synthesises of multiple starting classes. For instance, a character who began as a Novitiate or a character who begun as an Agent may both select the same path class of Inquisitor.
Many options may be presented to a player for their path. For instance, a Novitiate who has reached level 5 may opt to take up the sword, swear their oath and become a Paladin. Alternatively they may choose to continue their religeous service and study, choosing to become a Cleric. Or even take to the streets in search of corruption and herecy, choosing to become an Inquisitor.
Step-by-Step Character Creation
Follow these steps in order when creating a new character.
Choose a Race
Choose a character race and gain all racial features, bonuses, and detriments. Also gain your starting Attribute spread.
Gain an Attribute Increase
Gain your first attribute increase. Increase two Attributes by 1.
Choose a Starting Class
Select a starting class to begin your progression.
Select Starting Masteries
- •Choose starting skill masteries allowed by your race and class
- •Choose starting weapon masteries allowed by your class
- •Choose any starting tool masteries, if applicable
- •Add all selected items to your mastery pool
Perform your First Level Up
Your character level becomes 1, allowing you to gain:
- •Your first HP increase (providing you a starting HP) - Class HP + Fort/2 (rounded down)
- •Your first Talent selection
- •Weapon Mastery Increase
- •Skill Mastery Increase
- •All features from the first level of your starting class
Create Your Character Sheet
- •Record your starting Hit Points (HP) as provided by your first level up
- •Record your Attributes and Base statistics such as size and movement
- •Record your Mastery Pool contents
- •Record all mastery levels with your various Items, weapons, tools, etc…
- •Record all racial and class features
- •Record your selected Talent features
- •Record your starting equipment
Final Table Confirmation
Confer with your fellow players and GM to make any final adjustments and alterations. (remember, your GM always has 'right of way')
Play Your Character
Have fun!