Character Creation - Point Based

There are two different ways to create a character: a point-based system, and a card-based system. In the point-based system, players spend a given number of character points to buy attributes, skills and distinctions. In the card system, a group of players are dealt cards which they may trade among themselves to build a character.

In the point-based character creation system, each player spends a number of character points (CP) on attributes, and skills. Low attribute values cost a negative number of points. A player may gain additional points in this manner.

Points not spent during character creation are lost. Follow these steps to create a character:
1. Determine point value
2. Create a character concept
3. Buy attributes
4. Buy skills
5. Gain distinctions
6. Determine Hit Points
7. Equip the character
8. Figure pre-calculated modifiers

DETERMINE POINT VALUE
Based on the type and style of game the group decides to play, the GM must choose how many points the players should spent to create their characters. Additionally, if the group agrees, not all players need to spend the same number of points on their character. Use the following chart as a guide:

Type of Character Number of CP Starting Money
Youth 10 $50
Average Adult 15 $150
Young Hero 25 $250
Hero 30 $400
Veteran Hero 40 $600
Legendary Hero 50 $1000

The GM also determines how karma can be gained or lost through distinctions. It’s reasonable to prohibit a character from taking more than –X in distinctions.

CREATE A CHARACTER CONCEPT
Talk to the GM and the other players to get a good idea about the mood and goals of the campaign. Then take some time to decide what sort of character you would like to play. It is very useful to have a good idea of what you want the character to be like before you start assigning points to skills and attributes.

During this period of consultation, you should get a good idea from the GM if the character concept will fit the campaign he is constructing, as well as an idea of what skill would be available to the character based on his background. For instance, it is unreasonable for someone who has been raised in the desert to be a master sailor. Unless, of course, he was kidnapped by raiders and sold as a slave on the galley where he participated in a revolt that started his piracy career…

Be aware that it is unlikely that you will have quite as many character points as you would like, and so the actual character you create could fall short of the one you envision.

BUYING ATTRIBUTES
Attributes begin at +0. It costs 5CP to increase an attribute by 1 and –5CP to decrease it by one. Thus a Force of +3 would cost 15CP, and a Will of –2 would cost –10CP. Remember, attributes above +4 range in the superhuman level, so be sure to get GM approval before buying them that high.

BUYING SKILLS
Skills are bought according to the accompanying chart. Advanced skills are bought at a different rate than normal skills.

Cost in CP
Level Normal Advanced Description
1 0 1 Beginner
2 1 2
3 3 4 Professional
4 6 7
5 10 11 Master
6 15 16
7 21 22 Expert
8 28 29
9 36 37 Legendary

Specializing: A character with F.O.E. skills must select sub-fields for the character to have studied. The character learns one sub-field per level of the skill. If the player wishes, he may “double-up” a certain field giving a +1 bonus to the skill for each time that field was taken. A maximum of +4 can be gained in this manner.

BUYING DISTINCTIONS
Distinctions are gained through a character’s karma, not his character points. Each distinction has a value, either positive or negative. A player taking a distinction with a negative value either loses a number of cards from his deck to his sideboard that add up to that value or gains a number of negative cards to his deck that add up to that value. Likewise, a player taking a distinction with a positive value either gains a number of negative cards that add up to that value or loses one or more positive card from his deck that add up to that value. (Since starting decks only have +6 and up in their sideboard, it is unlikely that the cards will be able to come from it.)

For example, Blahblah has a value of –4. So a player taking that distinction could remove either a +4 from his deck, a +1 and a +3, or two +2 cards.

DETERMINE HIT POINTS
Each character has a grid of hit points that represent how much physical damage they can suffer and how it affects them. A character begins with five rows of six hit points. The number of points in a row is modified by a character’s vigor. For example, a character with +2 vigor will have five rows of eight hit points, while –1 vigor will leave a character with five rows of five hit points.

EQUIP THE CHARACTER
Characters begin with money to purchase beginning adventuring gear based on their starting level. Chapter X lists equipment and prices, but the GM has final say over what equipment is available or not.

Wizards (any character with more than 3 levels total in magic art skills) also begin the game with a spell book. The player may choose the size and organization of the book:
· 40 spells in notes
· 30 spells in unindexed book
· 20 spells in an indexed book

FIGURE PRE-CALCULATED MODIFIERS
Every time a character takes an action, the card he draws is modified by attributes and conditional situations. Some of these are known and can be prepared before hand, especially during battles. By taking a moment and working out the base modifiers for a character’s to-hit and damage, he can speed play during fight scenes.

Finesse: some armor has a negative effect on a character’s finesse. Record the character’s finesse while wearing armor next to his base finesse on the character sheet.
Might: likewise, some armor can reduce the strength of a character. Record this on the character sheet as well.
Combat modifier: A combat modifier has to be computed for each weapon the character will use. It is the total modifier to a character’s attack and parry totals.
Combat Modifier= Character’s Finesse + Weapon’s Force – Armor’s Dexterity Modifier
Damage modifier: The damage modifier should be recorded for each weapon as well. It is the total number that modifies the amount of damage done in an attack.
Damage Modifier = Character’s Vigor + Weapon’s Edge – Armor’s Strength Modifier