User:Guy/Splat/Character Creation

Step 0: Consult your narrator and the group you’re playing with. Some tables have different rules or expectations. One group might be more comical and silly, while another could be keen on team tactics or immersive intrigue.

Throughout the character creation process, consider what your character will look like, where they come from, what kind of friends or family they’ve had, and what got them into the adventuring lifestyle. Some players want to portray a unique personality and backstory, while others want more of a self-insert, and others still want to portray a personal version of a well-known fictional character—and all of these are valid. Try to keep in mind the other players and their characters, and how your characters might come together in a party.

Step 1: Ability Scores

Your character's raw potential is defined in their numerical ability scores: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. You can choose one of the three methods below to determine your ability scores. These methods are designed to be interchangeable; if one player wants to roll ability scores and another wants to use point-buy, the scores could be a little better or a little worse, but almost never to the extent either player will feel useless by comparison. However you generate your ability scores, be sure to record them.

Method A: Standard Array

You have six numerical scores: 14, 13, 12, 11, 9, and 7. You can assign these scores to your six abilities in whichever order you like.

This method creates a very balanced character. These scores can be easily optimized with your improvement and class to create an effective individual who still has room to grow, and doesn't have any glaring weaknesses.

Score	Cost
7	0
8	1
9	2
10	3
11	4
12	5
13	7
14	9

Method B: Point-Buy

This method gives you nuanced control over the exact numbers your ability scores can be, which may be a preferred result if you enjoy optimizing your character's capabilities.

You have 27 points to spend on your ability scores. The cost of each score is shown in the adjacent table. For example, a score of 13 costs 7 points. This method cannot be used to decrease a score below 7 or increase a score above 14.

Method C: Rolled Array

Roll 2d8+1, and record the number you rolled. Do this five more times, until you have six numbers. These six numbers are then assigned to your six ability scores in whatever order you like.

This method's average result is precisely 10, with a small chance of being as low as 3 or as high as 17. There's only about a 9% chance of rolling even a single 17 across all six scores, and equally low odds of rolling even a single 3. There's about a one-in-three chance you won't roll a 14 or higher at all. The most probable scores will be comparable to the Standard Array. This is a good option if you want something a bit different, or want to take a chance at being above-average. With a method like this, it's important to have the narrator or another player watch and verify your rolls.

If you would be disinterested in committing to a character that has below-average abilities, it is best if you choose a method other than this one.

Step 2: Lineage

See Lineages for all options.

Your lineage, or “race,” is the type of creature you hail from. In real-life your lineage is human, and you can be a human in this world too if you like. There are a myriad of other options though; monstrous pig-like porcs, enigmatic and slimy sluids, the ever-renowned elf, or even just... a dog.

Whichever lineage you choose can have a significant effect on your heritage, your capabilities, your appearance, the family you come from, and how the world treats you.

Lineages sometimes have ability requirements. For example you can’t be a thullid unless your Intelligence score is at least 13, while you can’t be a dog if your Intelligence score starts off higher than 10. These requirements must be met before any improvement to ability scores.

Step 3: Heritage

See Heritages.

If your lineage is the type of creature you are, your heritage is typically more like the kind of culture you were raised in. Someone raised from a young age for guild work would probably be a guild artisan, while someone who chose to live alone in the wilderness is likely to be a hermit. Some lineages have heritage options unique to them.

If you’re from an odd lineage, you might be unable to have a heritage—or only be able to choose from a smaller selection of heritages.

Step 4: Gear

You start with the following items:

• A bag to hold all gear you aren’t carrying or wearing. Your bag can normally carry a number of items equal to your Strength score. Up to 10 “petty” items count as one item. See simple inventory.
• Common clothes, featuring any reasonable design you like.
• 3 rations.
• (a) leather armor, (b) a breastplate, (c) scale armor, or (d) 20 gold pieces.
• Two from the following: (a) a dagger, (b) a sledgehammer, (c) a spear, (d) a staff, or (e) a shield.
• (a) A shovel, (b) 50 feet of hemp rope attached to a grappling hook, (c), a tinderbox with 10 petty torches, or (d) a glass bottle with a cork.
• (a) 5 pieces of petty chalk, (b) a petty whistle, (c) a towel and a petty bar of soap, or (d) 10 feet of fishing line, which is petty.
• (a) One gold coin or (b) 10 silver coins, either which have equal value. Up to 100 coins count as a single petty item.

Your class, lineage, and heritage may add more starting gear.

Step 5: Improve

Choose one of the following options:

• Increase one of your ability scores by 2.
• Increase two of your ability scores by 1 each.
• Gain a perk for which you qualify. More perks can be gained later.
• Gain another heritage of your choice, from the same options as before. This is your only chance to take on an extra heritage.

None of these options can increase any of your starting ability scores to be higher than 17.

Step 6: Class

Some campaigns start before you’ve found your class. If this is the case for your campaign, skip this step.

If your lineage is what you are, and your heritage is where you’re from, then your class is what you do. Fighters fight, spellcasters cast spells, and rogues stab you in the back. See classes for all available class options.

Initially you only have the first level in your class. As your adventure progresses you can gain more levels in the same class, or gain levels in different classes. While specializing in one class is usually more effective, “multiclassing” can offer greater versatility.

Final Step: Assemble

Few characters work alone. Don’t forget you’re probably playing in a group of other players. While it is the narrator’s job to weave together a story to pull in the players, as a player you can help by establishing game-world bonds between characters. Maybe your character is already the friend or relative of another character; perhaps you share the same hometown; or you might share a similar value, cause, or faith... even if that shared cause is just a fondness for killing monsters and taking their stuff. Coming up with shared goals or ideals is often a great start.