Character Creation
Procedure
A Character in Story Mode is a collection of tags that can ease or hinder game play.
Follow the following simple steps to create a character.
- Create a concept of what you want your character to be and do.
- Design the character sentence around this concept.
- Choose 1 background trait that has defined your character form their past
- Choose 1 occupation trait that defines what your character does to earn a living
- Chose up to 5 additional tags
- At character creation you may chose up to 2 skills at tier 1, or 1 skill at tier 2 (this counts as two tags)
- You may only have a maximum of 2 umbrella tags, any skills under the umbrella tags count against your skill count
- Chose a flaw. This flaw is not the same as the species weakness.
- (optional) You may chose a second flaw and gain an additional positive tag that is not a skill.
- Create a character arc for your character -- their purpose for adventuring.
- Decide upon what gear your character will start out with
- Choose what lore a character knows at the start of the game (locations, factions and personal relationships).
- (optional) If in a party, decide upon the relationships between all party members and how you met.
Character Sentence
We lay out your character sentence in the following format, and all tags are in bold.
[!info] Character Sentence [Name] is a [descriptor] [species] [type] who [specialty].
All tags except descriptor in your character sentence are [[998-Glossary#^6ca8a3|Umbrella Tags]].
[!example]
- Eldrin is a cunning elven rogue who weaves shadows into deadly blades
- Lena is a resourceful private investigator who uncovers secrets.
- Vex-7 is a rogue AI bounty hunter who tracks fugitives.
- Dr. Alistair Cogsworth is an eccentric clockwork engineer who builds automatons.
This sentence defines the characters at a high level detail.
Each of the words in the brackets are tags that describe your character. They can be used to ease or hinder an action check.
Descriptors should define a key personality trait or something about the character that is a basic essence of the character. This can be good or bad, it is your character.
Species is just what it is. In an all human world or for a human character choose a second descriptor to fill in the sentence. The species of a character can tell a lot about what society perceives the character as. In some cases it could also be used in tasks that a species might be good at.
Include all species tags in your character sheet for easy reference under the species name.
[!example] If you have a Psionic species. These characters are going to be really good with mental tasks, since that's what they're born to do. Mental tasks can be eased. But it also might make them vulnerable to psionics because they have a much more open mind. It's all about how your world works.
Types are what most other TTRPGs call classes or archetypes. They can range anywhere from Warrior as a most basic type to something as specific as Professional MMA Fighter.
You may choose two tier 1 skills or 1 tier 2 skill that are associated with your type to add under your type tag on your character sheet.
The Specialty tag is one of the most important bits. This is a major defining action for your character. It can go hand in hand with the type, or it can be something completely off the wall and go against the types typical associations. This is what your character is know for or uses to their advantage.
You may choose two tier 1 skills or 1 tier 2 skill that are associated with your specialty to add under your type tag on your character sheet.
[!example]
- Uses Magic
- Wields Two Weapons
- Made a Deal with a Devil
- Entertains the Masses
The phrase should always start with a verb. While is, can or has are perfectly acceptable ways to start the sentence, try looking for action verbs instead.
Background Tags
Chose one tag that represents your background. This can be a specific part of your type, or it can be something else on another spectrum, but it should be something meaningful that plays a big part in who you are.
Choose up to 5 additional tags that describe your character's abilities and additional background. You may choose up to 2 skill tags at tier 1 or 1 skill tag at tier 2. The remainder should not be skill tags.
[!note] You may leave some blank and add them on the fly in game play up to 5 tags. Quests or other in-game actions award additional tags.
Occupation Tag
Chose one tag that represents your occupation, what you do to make a living. This can be a specific part of your type or it can be something else on another spectrum. This occupation is how you maintain your current standard of living.
Flaw Tags
All characters have flaws. A flaw can also have benefits, but it should also hinder a character in some situations.
Choose 1 flaw.
[!note] It may be beneficial to the player to link the flaw to one of the seven deadly sins -- pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. For example, we can link perfectionism to pride, hedonism to gluttony, anger management issues to wrath, fear of missing out to envy, and kleptomania to greed.
A flaw does not have to only apply negative effects. Perfectionism can be a flaw if it can harm the outcome of a task trying to make it perfect and never knowing when to stop and call it done. However, perfectionism can also ease a task when you need attention to detail and you lack other stressors.
[!tip] Optional You may choose 1 additional flaw and add 1 additional positive tag to add to your character sheet.
Character Arcs
Characters should start with a Character Arc -- something they are trying to achieve.
Character Arcs should reward a new tag at the completion of its arc relative to what the arc was trying to achieve. It may offer other rewards as well depending on what the arc was meant to achieve.
Gear & Wealth
Characters can carry up to ten items and have a starting Wealth of 3.
Characters start with a weapon of choice, armor of choice, and should select a specialized piece of gear. Some settings may require additional items at character creation. Starting gear is all Level 1.
Known World Lore
Assume all player characters know two locations.
- Their residence
- Their place of employ or similar location
A character's background, or place of employment (such as city government or a bounty hunter association), may determine their starting faction. The character should have a starting relationship with their faction that is up to two steps from indifferent.
A character may have up to three known NPCs (family, employers, contacts, etc.). Assign each known NPC a relationship status up to three steps away from indifferent.
Group Play
If playing with a group either as individual players or as a solo player, the group should figure out how they know each other. It can be helpful to think about how they met, and why they are all together. You can also assign each character a relationship status to remind you how your characters interact with one another.