Character

Character Creation:

Before you can start playing you must create a character to play with. Before you are the steps required to create your character; it is generally a good idea to create a few characters before you first start playing, and beginner players should take additional care to make sure their sheets are properly filled out. Finally, as an additional note, it should be stated that generally a group of adventurers should consist of characters of varying roles; this is not an exclusive rule, but most adventures and monsters are balanced around having a party of balanced compositions (A Warrior, Rogue, and Cleric, for example,) and being of a standard size (3-5 members.)

Step 1: Character Concept

Each individual should start with a Character Concept, or an idea of the personality, and lore of the character, and the basic mechanics that allow that character to function, more advanced mechanics will be chosen later during character creation. The hulking barbarian with a greataxe, stalwart knight, escaped prisoner, exiled mage - these are all great concepts to start off a character, and will help you to create your starting character, and as you and the Gamemaster develop in skill and the lore of the world more complex character concepts become readily available.

Step 2: Attributes

Every character has a strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, acuity, and will score that varies between 0 and 30. Each character starts with a randomized set of these attributes, all of which should average around 10, and each can be increased based on Race, Level, and Mastery selection.  

Roll Attributes:

Each player rolls 3d6, and adds the total together. Each player will do this 6 times in total. Do not worry if a character's attributes seem lackluster, as there are multiple ways to increase these rolls later, and the attribute cap ensures that such a character is not perpetually behind in attributes they may find important. It is important to note, however, that some rolls are beyond redemption, but Gamemasters should not allow characters to excessively reroll to maximize their game statistics.

Allocate Rolls and Points:

Once the player has his or her 6 starting rolls, that player chooses which attributes to allocate them to. Warriors tend to favor Strength and Endurance, Rogues tend to Favor Dexterity and Intellect, and Mages Intellect and Acuity. Regardless of the selections made, it is important to note that it is equally important to note any deficiencies a character may have as well as their strengths, particularly at lower levels. A rogue with a sufficiently low strength might lose access to his or her sneak attack and abilities with all but the lightest weapons, a low-level warrior with insufficient intellect may only have a single point of mana to use for abilities (A character may never have less than 1 maximum mana.) Once these 6 rolls have been allocated to their respective attributes, the player adds 2 points split between any attributes as the player chooses (meaning 2 points can go into any one attribute, or 1 point split between 2 separate attributes,) not exceeding the maximum score allowed for the character.

Attribute Capacity

Each of the character has a maximum score allowed for each attribute, this is called the Attribute Capacity. The attribute capacity of a character equals 14 +1 for each level he or she has, up to 20. Racial modifiers, as well as bonuses from Masteries may further increase this amount up to 30 in their respective attribute. Monsters and NPCs have modifiers much like players, except that their Race / Species may offer wildly different attributes and attribute capacities. Any player, NPC, or Monster that rolls above the character's allowed capacity may keep the result, but may not increase that attribute until they have reached a level in which the capacity is increased.(Eg. A Player that rolls an 18 for their Constitution decides to play a Thaelron, increasing the player's Constitution to 20. The Character's Constitution Capacity is currently 16, but functions as though it is 20, and the player must wait until the character has levelled 5 times before he or she may increase it to 19[21].)

Step 3: Choose Class:

The most important step to creating any character is selecting the character's class. The class of a character determines most of the actions that a character may perform, particularly in combat. The class of the character dictates the character's passive abilities as well as the character abilities a player may select from. Character abilities follow a general formula of adding class dice (d6s) to attacks under certain circumstances, or enhancing spellcasting, many other abilities exist, but they generally consume a standard action, and create additional, circumstantial actions a character may take.

Allocate Class Ability:

Once a player selects a class, he or she selects from a list of abilities available to the class that was selected for that level. Each ability is listed by a level ranging from Novice to Master, this level dictates the mana required to activate the said ability. A novice ability requires 1 mana, journeyman 4, expert 9, expert 16, and master 25. Many abilities also have passive effects listed under their entries that are always active, so they may be suppressed, but never require activation by action or cost.

Step 4: Choose Race:

Next, the player chooses the character's race. Races in Eldara provide bonuses to attributes associated with the race, as long as an increase to the maximum score that that attribute may hold. A Human may have the strength of a Thaelron, but not the strength of the strongest Thaelron, the strongest Will of a Dwarf, or so on. Additionally, each race has a small list of benefits that it offers the player when making his or her character. Finally each race offers a small list of feats that they may uniquely take, which may compound a few of their unique aspects.

Modify Attributes:

The race of the character modifies the character's attributes, as previously stated, but by increasing the maximum size of the attribute, this increase also helps to direct the long-term potential of all characters.

Choose Subrace:

Each race has its own unique list of subraces, which offer some smaller amount of customization when creating a character. Subraces never offer feats, or as great of bonuses as the base race itself, but offer different experiences when a player plays a race they've previously played before, while also explaining a small amount the variance that members of the same race provide.

Modify Attributes:

Much as listed for the race itself, each subrace provides a small bonus to each character's attributes and its maximum size.

Allocate Racial Features:

Races and subraces provide a list of bonuses, which are each added to the character sheet once the selection has been made.

Step 5: Choose Background:

The background of the character is the backbone of his or her story before starting a grand adventure, or joining one. Backgrounds explain how a character got to the point where they are, and offer small bonuses, and help to provide a few options when embarking on their adventures. The background of a character is chosen when a character is first made, and provides its bonuses immediately and irrevocably.

Step 6: Choose Alignment:

The player chooses the alignment of his or her character. A character may shift from his or her starting alignment, but this is always a slow process which is taken upon by the Gamemaster. More limited in scope, the alignment of a character matters the least to most players, and is usually determined as the final part of establishing the character's background, and sometimes even after mannerisms and personality. Alignment usually only comes into play when spells, such as wards, and divinations can determine them.

Step 7: Select Skills:

The Player selects the character's skills; chosen skills gain the character's proficiency bonus. Traits, races, and a few other select features may increase skills beyond the previously stated proficiency bonus. Each skill also uses an attribute of the gamemaster's choosing when a skill is called for, additionally the Gamemaster may call upon multiple checks when using a skill, which may even require a different attribute completely. Most skills fall under a non-combat category, but some such as acrobatics, perception, and athletics may be used in combat often. The player chooses any two skills from the skills available to the class, additionally, the player chooses any other two skills of his or her choice.

Step 8: Choose Traits:

The Player chooses a trait from a list of overall traits. These traits can each be chosen only once, but any trait may be selected when given the option, as they are not generally restricted by race or class as much as abilities. Traits generally offer small, passive bonuses which help to define your character, and help to allow characters to excel at particular tasks. Perhaps a character is a grandmaster locksmith, there are multiple traits that a player may select in order to provide a bonus to show this.

Step 9: Choose Extras:

Extras are not dissimilar to traits, except that they are never barred from any race or class, and are generally more defensive, and more powerful than traits. Multiple extras exist to provide alternate playstyles to characters of different race / class combinations, ranging from being able to dodge better while unarmored, to gaining the ability to parry attacks.

Step 10: Choose Masteries:

Specific characters of note are Spellcasters, who must select a Spellcasting feature as one of their Masteries.

Masteries are powerful abilities that characters rarely earn. These abilities can foundationally change any class, and create entire playstyles, themselves. From casting spells, to teleporting in shadows, to changing how basic mechanics such as charging work. These abilities generally provide entire mechanics, strategies, and are one of the few ways that characters can increase the maximum attribute scores they may have.

Step 11: Determine Proficiency Bonus:

The proficiency bonus of a character is equal to 1+1/4 his or her level, with a minimum bonus of 1, this bonus applies to all skills in which the character is proficient, and is applied alongside any skill bonus and attribute bonus that the character may have.

Step 12: Final Modifications:

A character has a total number of Wounds equal to his or her Level, and Constitution Modifer +5. A character has a total number of Mana Points equal to his or her level x 4, + Intellect Modifier x4. The character gains his or her gained wounds and mana at the point at which that character levelled.