Character Generation

2.2 Characteristics Seventeen characteristics are determined for each Character. Together, they delineate his abilities and set the potentials that he will have.

For each Characteristic, the Character’s Native Ability is first created. Next, a number of Multipliers is determined that allow the Player to set development priorities for his Character and increase characteristic values in play. Native Ability represents the phenotypic potential of the Character. The multipliers, as applied to the Native Ability, represent the effect of his interests and goals on the development of his potential. Together, Native Characteristics and multipliers determine the Character’s Maximum Ability.

2.2.1 Native Ability
Native Ability, for each characteristic, is determined by Table 2.4 in the race's entry.

EXAMPLE -- A Character is a Human Male. He rolls a 13 for Strength. His Native Strength is 16. He rolls a 15 for Dexterity. Native Dexterity is 14. With a roll of 9 for Eloquence, Native Eloquence is 9.

IMPORTANT -- The minimum Native Ability that a characteristic can be lowered by a modifier is one. If the value that results is less, increase it to one.

2.2.2 Maximum Ability
Maximum Ability is determined by multiplying an assigned number of multipliers times the Native Ability of a characteristic. The Total Multipliers that the Player may assign to his Character’s modifiable characteristics, i.e. all characteristics except Constitution and The Appearances, are determined with the die roll below:

2D6+24.5

The method of applying the multipliers that are gained via the roll above is specified below:
 * A) The maximum multiplier that can be assigned to a modifiable characteristic is 4.
 * B) The minimum multiplier that must be assigned to each modifiable characteristic is 1.5.
 * C) Multipliers are only assigned in increments of 0.5.
 * D) No multiplier may be assigned to Constitution or The Appearances.
 * E) Maximum Ability equals the multiplier assigned to a characteristic times your Native Ability in that characteristic.
 * F) All multiplication in this section is rounded up,
 * G) Beyond the restrictions above, Players may assign their multipliers in any way that they desire. The total number assigned may not exceed the Total Multipliers that are available for that Character.

OPTIONAL — The preceding system reflects the interests of the Character and allows the Player to have a greater feeling of progress as his Character matures. If you do not feel that this is worth the effort that it entails, use all characteristics at their Maximum Ability levels and ignore all mention of Characteristic Increases in the sections that follow, excluding those that are derived from some form of magic. Also use any Native Ability increases that occur in the Special Event section and ignore Current Ability increases that are found there.

Constitution and The Appearances
The Current and Maximum Abilities in Constitution and Appearance are determined by rolling 1D10 on Table 2.5: Constitution and Appearance Multipliers to determine a multiplier for each characteristic. A separate multiplier should be determined for each characteristic based on the Character’s Race and Sex. Roll twice.

IMPORTANT — Always round up in multiplying when determining maximum abilities.

2.2.3 Current Ability
Native Ability is only the foundation of your Character. All attributes, except Constitution and Appearance, can be improved in the normal course of play. The amount of improvement possible is limited by the Maximum Ability. The starting Current Ability is equal to the Native Ability, unless the optional to start at Maximum Ability is used.

As part of the Initial Increases in §2.3.5, from gaining experience and by training, the Character can gain Characteristic Points (CP). Characteristic Points are added to Native Ability scores as you choose to increase the Current Ability in each modifiable attribute. Each point raises a modifiable characteristic that is not at its Maximum Ability by one. The cost to raise a Characteristic over it's Maximum Ability is (Current Ability*0.01)+Current Ability. They may never be assigned to Constitution or Appearance.

EXAMPLE — Osc has 40 initial characteristic points. He may raise his eight modifiable characteristics by a total of 40 points. If his Current Strength is 20, and he assigns 12 points to Strength, it is raised to 32.

2.2.4 Characteristic Bonuses
Strength, Stamina, Agility, Dexterity and Constitution yield bonuses. These bonuses are used in play in different ways. The primary uses are detailed in §2.4. Bonuses for other characteristics are used to a limited extent also. If the Referee wishes, an Appearance bonus can be applied to Influence chances also. The table shows the bonus that applies. It is based on the Current Ability in the applicable characteristic.

2.3.1 Age
Age is the physical age of the Character in years. A Character’s age is determined by rolling D100 on the Age Table.

Table 2.7: Age Table
NOTE — Age is used in §2.3.5 to determine the initial points that are available to the Character. It should be recorded on the Character Record Sheet.

2.3.2 Station Station is the Character’s standing in his native society. To determine it, roll D100 on the Station Table

2.3.3 Size
A Humanoid Character’s size is its Height, it usually equals:

Native Strength+Native Stamina+Height factor

For some races, such as Dwarfs and Faerries, the total of Native Strength and Native Stamina is divided by two and rounded up before adding it to the factor for their race. The factors that apply, depending on the Character’s Race and Sex, are listed on Table 2.9: Height Factor in the race entry.

2.3.4 Weight
Humanoid characters first calculate their BMI on by rolling 3D6 on Table 2.10a: BMI A characters Mass in Kilograms, can be calculate with the formula:

HiM * HiM * BMI

Where HiM is the character's Height in Meters and BMI is the character's Body Mass Index

Non humanoid character roll on Table 2.10b: Mass Factors and multiplying by character size.

2.3.5 Initial Increases
It is rational to assume that every Character was active in his world before the game began. Therefore, all Characters have initial characteristic, experience and expertise points and an initial number of coins as wealth. A Character’s Initial Increase Factor is equal to the result of the formula below:

(Age×2)+Station+2D10

NOTE — If the option listed in §2.2.2 is being used, reduce this factor by 25%, rounded up. No points are assigned to characteristic points in this case.

Restrictions
The formula yields a total number of points to assign. The following rules apply:
 * A) At least five points must be assigned to each area.
 * B) No more than thirty points may be assigned to any one area.
 * C) The total number of points that the Player assigns may not exceed the Initial Increase Factor that he determined for his Character.

EXAMPLE — A Station 3 Character has 56 initial points. He allocates 14 initial points to wealth. The number yielded is 90. The Character starts the game with, 90×3 SC, 270 silver coins. He allocates 12 points to Characteristic points and has 48 CP to assign to his characteristics. The 23 points allocated to Experience yield him 800 CEP, resulting in CEL 5. The remaining 7 points are spent on Expertise. He has 140 Expertise points to spend when selecting skills.

Table 1.5: Initial Increase
that was determined in §2.3.2. The result is the number of coins of that type that the Character has.
 * The number listed in Wealth is multiplied by the Coin Type

Characteristic Points Each point raises a modifiable characteristic that is not at its Maximum Ability by one. They may never be assigned to Constitution or Appearance. There is no limit to the number that may be assigned to one characteristic. The total assigned may not exceed the number gained.

Experience Points The points gained are Combat Experience Points. They are only used in determining a Character’s CEL.

NOTE — Where a CEL is listed, that line and every line above it will yield that CEL, until the next CEL reference is reached.

Expertise Points Expertise points are spent to gain any skill listed in §3 or to meet the expertise requirement to learn a Magic Path. Once a skill has been learned, expertise points may be used to improve its EL. They may not be used to learn or improve spells, if the Character is a magic-user. Any points that are not allocated to learn or improve skills are taken as Partial Expertise in any skill the Character has.

IMPORTANT — Magic-using Characters receive their initial magic experience and expertise based on their natural ability. See §11 for the rules that apply for trained Magic Users. If the Character is an untrained natural magician, or has some type of innate power, see §10.12 for these starting points. No experience or expertise that is gained in §2.3.5 may be applied towards magic in any way, other than to pay for the required apprenticeship.

Wealth The number times the Character’s Coin Type yields the number of coins the Player has to spend in outfitting his Character. Any money that is not spent is used once the game begins.

IMPORTANT — Before the game begins, item availability rolls are ignored unless the rules specify that they are used.

2.3.6 Special Events
Special events reflect influences that may have affected a Character in his pre-game life. One roll is taken per 10 years the Character has lived, rounded up. If the Player opts to take these rolls, he must take every roll his age allows. He must add his Age-25 or zero, whichever is higher, to his roll. He is not required to risk rolling on Table 2.13: Special Events.

2.3.7 Special Attributes
Special Attributes vary from Physical excellence to Supernatural powers. Roll D100 on Table 2.15 when directed to by Special Events.

2.3.8 Natural Talents
(Optional) The existing rules place a ceiling on how far a person can improve a given skill. It is based on the characteristics that apply for its use. A factor that is not considered is whether the character has a natural talent for a given skill or set of skills.

A player who chooses to risk this option rolls 1D3 and rolls that many times on the talented table and the liability table for each, i.e. if the result is a 2 he rolls twice for talent and twice for liability. If the player chooses to use the talent option, he must take both 2D10 rolls below.

Combat Skill Talent
The player rolls 1D3+2 to determine his Talent in a combat skill. Roll 1D100 on the Combat Talent table to determine his exact Talent or Liability. His EL in that combat skill is his Talent higher than he has training for using that weapon.

Unless the player rolls a result that grants him an exceptional talent, his gift grants him full talent with one member of the weapon group he has talent for and half that increase, rounded down, for the other members. He may select the one he is talented with where more than one possibility exists.

EXAMPLE — A Character is a Rating 5 Talent with Heavy Swords. He chooses Bastard Sword. His EL is +5 with Bastard Sword and +2 with Broadsword and Great Sword.

Bladed Weapons
The Talent applies as normal for all bladed weapons, i.e. sword, heavy sword, scimitar and dagger. He has full ability with one weapon and an increase at half his talent level with all others.

All Members
The character has his full talent with any member of the group he chooses. If untrained, he may use that talent at half his talent level.

EXAMPLE — The Character is Talent 4 with Swords. If he picks one up, never having seen one before, he can use it at EL2.

Martial Artist
The talent applies at full ability with the martial artist skill and half ability (round down) with any weapon the character is trained to use. At the Referee’s option, it may yield benefits in acrobatics and other such skills.

Weapon Master
The Character has a born affinity for weapons. He uses his full talent with any weapon he handles whether he is trained or not.

EXAMPLE — If the person is Talent 3, anything he picks up to use as a weapon is used at a minimum of EL3 whether he has seen it before or not.

Other Skills Talent
Roll 1D3 to determine the column to roll on and 1D100 on that column of the Other Talents table to determine his exact Talent or Liability. The player then rolls 2D10 to determine his talent in an “or 80” skill and 1D3+2 in all other skills.

EXAMPLE — The player determines that his character is talented with a Mace and has a liability as a Jeweler. He rolls 1D3+2 and gets a rating of 4 for the Mace. He then rolls 2D10 and gets 13 for Jeweler. His EL is four better than he has training for using a Mace. It is 13 worse as a Jeweler. (If he is EL5 with a Mace, he uses EL9. If he is EL30 as a Jeweler, he uses EL17).

When talent is applied to other skills the Character’s use of the skill is better than normal, regardless of actual EL. Tangible items he creates with the skill, i.e. things with economic value, determine their worth by adding Actual EL+Talent. There is no limit to this.

EXAMPLE — An EL50 Blacksmith with Talent 15 produces EL65 goods though his success rolls and all other factors are taken at EL50.

IMPORTANT — Unless specified otherwise in a de- scription the Character must be trained in a skill in order to use his talent.

Table 2.18: Other Skills Talents
EXAMPLE — The Character has a talent and a liability. He rolls 2 and 51 for the talent. He is a born Forester. Rolling 2D10 he gets a rating of 16. He then rolls 1 and 77 for the liability. He has negative ability as an artist. With 2D10 he determines his negative rating is 11.

Animals
The Character has a born affinity for animals. He may learn any husbandry skill at 50% cost and apply his rating to it at full value. He also increases his EL in such skills at half the normal cost. The Character’s Starting EL is that normal for his attributes + his talent rating or Maximum, whichever is lower.

EXAMPLE — Husbandry — Horse costs 30 Expt. Points to learn and 8 Expt. Points per level to increase. The cost for this character is 15 and 4.

Additionally, when seeking to calm, gentle or otherwise make peace with an animal, wild or domestic, he may use his IC+Talent to influence them.

'''IMPORTANT — This gift only applies at full value for normal, non-aligned mammals. It is used at 1/4 value, rounded up, with other lifeforms the Referee classes as animals.'''

Artisan
The Character is a born artisan. This grants his full talent in Carpenter, Tanner, Brewer, Mason and Blacksmith. He can learn all five at half cost. His cost to increase is 2 Expt. Points per level for all five skills. His Talent applies at full value for all five skills.

If the Character chooses to learn Armorer or Architect — Civilian, his talent applies at 1/2 value, rounded down, for both. He gains no benefit for increasing his EL.

Charisma
The Character’s talent is applied fully to Rhetoric and Actor. He may use both skills at his talent level without learning them. In addition, Talent×2 is added to his base IC at all times. When trying to influence some whois attracted to his gender, he adds triple his talent level. A person with this trait has a certain glow about them. Increase App by Talent×3.

Criminal
This skill applies to all three criminal professions (Assassin, Thief and Smuggler). He also gains an advantage in Deftness equal to:

(1D3+2)/2, rounded up.

For Assassin his Talent equals 1D3+2. For Thief and Smugger it is 2D10. Roll separately for all three. The talent increase does not apply for associated skills learned with those skills. It does apply for special attributes that those skills grant.

NOTE — In the case of the Thief skill, if the resulting maximum rating is 100 or higher, the Character has an eidetic memory. He never forgets anything.

Entertainer
The talent applies at full value for all Entertainer skills. It also applies at 1/2 value, roundedn up, for Eroticist. The increase is 1D3+2. Roll for each skill this talent affects.

Healer
The Character is a born healer. Untrained he can use his talent rating (1D3+2) as his EL for healing his own species. He can use it at 50% value, rounded up, for a related species and at 25% value, rounded up, for any living creature. Once he is trained, it applies at full value for any humanoid and half value for anything else.

EXAMPLE — The child Marian is a Talent 5 Healer. Untrained she is an EL5 healer for humans, EL3 for any humanoid and EL1 for anything animate and alive.

NOTE — To use healing kits, herbs, bandages, etc., effectively the healer needs to be trained.

Language — All
The Character’s talent applies to any language. The cost to learn them is 50% of normal as is the cost to increase a level. His maximum EL for a language equals the EL stated for it plus his Talent rating.

EXAMPLE — Horace has Talent 15. His Maximum EL with a human tongue is 95. Language of another race is 75 and any Supernatural Language is 55.

Physique
The Character naturally masters physical skills, other than combat skills and artisan skills. The talent applies for Miner, Hillman, Tracking, Mountaineer, Badlander, Watercraft, Boatman, Climbing, Forester, Swimming and Seaman. Roll a talent level for each with the appropriate dice. It may only be used at 1/2 value, rounded down, until the Character learns the skill.

Scholastic
The Character is a born Scholar. His talent applies for all Scholar skills and the scribe skill. He may learn any of these skills for 50% of the normal cost, rounded down, and increases his EL at 25% of the normal cost, rounded up. His full talent applies to Scribe and any scholastic discipline he learns.

Survival — All
The Character is a born survivor. His talent applies toward survival in any terrain. If he has learned the skill for that terrain it has full value. If not it is 1/2 value, rounded up. One roll is taken. It applies to all forms of Survival.

Unlike other talents of this type, the rating is determined by rolling 1D6+2. If the result of that roll is eight, the Character may add his rating times two to his chance of detecting an ambush before it strikes him. In addition, the talent this Character wields helps him deal with adversity. 50% of the rating level, rounded down is added to his DCV and MDV.

Liabilities
The previous skills and special talents show the benefits of a Talent. Liabilities apply in equal measure to the Character’s detriment.

EXAMPLE — If a Character has a rating 10 Liability in Blacksmith, his chance of success and the quality of his work is ten ELs less than the EL he has. If his Rating is 2 with a Sword, and his EL is 3, he uses EL1 in battle.

For the special skills, reverse the affect to the Character’s detriment. His maximum EL is Rating lower than what his characteristics would normally allow, or 80 whichever is less.

EXAMPLE — For example, Scholastic Liability at rating 9 means the Character pays double for Scribe or any scholastic skill and quadruple to increase his EL.

Maximum EL
The Character’s Maximum EL in the skill equals Maximum EL+Talent whether Maximum EL is greater than 80 or not. The “or 80” cap does not exist for talented characters. He has full use of his characteristics plus his talent rating. There is no limit as to what level that might be. The “or 80” cap does apply to character’s with a liability. They subtract their liability rating from the EL determined by their characteristics or 80, whichever is lower.

EXAMPLE — The talent’s maximum EL with heavy sword is 13. His Talent Rating is 4 for the Bastard Sword. He can use up to EL17 with the Bastard Sword and EL15 with other heavy swords.

A Character has Talent 9 as an Armorer. If his stats show a maximum EL of 84 he can be an EL93 Armorer. If he has a liability in it instead, his maximum EL is 80−9=71 as 80 is less than 84.

2.4.1 Offensive Combat Value
The OCV of a Character equals:

CEL+StrB+StaB.

2.4.2 Defensive Combat Value
The DCV of a Character equals:

CEL+AglB+DexB.

2.4.3 Dodge Value
The DV of a Character equals:

AglB+DexB

2.4.4 Body Point Ability
BPA of a Character equals:

((Str+Sta+Con)*12/53)-1+(kg*2/19)

2.4.5 Life Point Ability
The LPA of a Character equals:

(Con/20+StaB)*4+4

2.4.6 Fatigue Point Ability
The FPA of a Character equals:

(Sta+ConB)*1.75

2.4.7 Movement Rate
MR of a Character equals: his race's BMR + AglB.

Move
A character's Move equals: Height * 0.0462.

2.4.8 Portage Ability
A Character's PA equals:

(Str×2)+(StaB×20) or (Str×2) whichever is greater

2.4.9 Lifting Ability
The Lifting Ability of a Character equals:

PA*5

2.4.8.1 One-Handed Lift
The One-Handed Lift of a Character equals:

PA*(3/5)

2.4.8.1 Two-Handed Lift
The Two-Handed Lift of a Character equals:

PA*(15/6)

2.4.9 Energy Level
The EnL of a Character is equal to:

Con+Wil

2.4.10 Mana Level
The ML of a Character is equal to:

((Int+Wil+Emp)/10)+1

2.4.11 Magic Defense Ability

 * The MDA of a non-magic user is Mana Level.
 * A trained magic-user has an MDA equal to his Mana Level plus (MEL)/2, round up.
 * A natural magic-user’s MDA equals Mana Level plus MEL.

2.4.12 Casting Ability
In starting a magic-user, multiply starting MEL times current ML, after initial increases have been applied. If the starting MEL times current ML, after initial increases have is zero, Casting Ability equals ML/2

2.4.13 Mana Regeneration Ability
The Mana Regeneration Ability of a magic-user is:

(Wil/10)+(MEL/5)

The Mana Regeneration Ability of a Natural Magician equals:

(Wil+Emp)/5+MEL/3

2.4.14 Poison Resistance
A Character’s PR is:

(ConB+StaB)×2

2.4.15 Food Requirement
The Character's daily requirements of Food Points is listed under section 2.4.15 of the race's entry.

2.4.16 Influence Chance
The Influence Chance Ability of a Character is equal to:

Elq+Emp

The Minimum Influence Chance that a Character will have to successfully Influence a non-enemy is equal to 25% of his Influence Chance Ability plus the EL of his Rhetoric skill.

2.5 Common Knowledge
Every Character has certain skills and abilities, based on his Race and culture, before he allocates any starting expertise points. The section 2.5 of the character's race entry detail this common knowledge.