Reference Pages
Character Creation
Unless their table chooses to use pre-generated characters, each player creates their own PC by making a series of guided choices. Some of these decisions are purely narrative, meaning they only appear in or affect the game through roleplaying, but others are mechanical choices that affect the things their PC is able to do and which actions they're more (or less) likely to succeed at when making moves and taking action.
Note: You can fill in your character's name, pronouns, and Character Description details at any point of the character creation process.
1 Choose a Class and Subclass
Classes are role-based archetypes that determine which class features and domain cards a PC gains access to throughout the campaign. There are nine classes in this SRD: Bard, Druid, Guardian, Ranger, Rogue, Seraph, Sorcerer, Warrior, Wizard.
- • Select a class and take its corresponding character sheet and character guide printouts. These sheets are for recording your PC's details; you'll update and reference them throughout the campaign.
- • Every class begins with one or more unique class feature(s), described in the front of each class's character sheet. If your class feature prompts you to make a selection, do so now.
Subclasses further refine a class archetype and reinforce its expression by granting access to unique subclass features. Each class comprises two subclasses. Select one of your class's subclasses and take its Foundation card.
2 Choose Your Heritage
Your character's heritage combines two elements: ancestry and community.
Ancestry
A character's ancestry reflects their lineage, impacting their physicality and granting them two unique ancestry features.
Available ancestries: Clank, Drakona, Dwarf, Elf, Faerie, Faun, Firbolg, Fungirl, Galapa, Giant, Goblin, Halfling, Human, Infernis, Katari, Orc, Ribbet, Simian.
Community
Your character's community represents their culture or environment of origin and grants them a community feature.
Available communities: Highborne, Loreborne, Orderborne, Ridgeborne, Seaborne, Skyborne, Underborne, Wanderborne, Wildborne.
Mixed Ancestry: To create a Mixed Ancestry, take the top (first-listed) ancestry feature from one ancestry and the bottom (second-listed) ancestry feature from another.
3 Assign Character Traits
Your character has six traits that represent their physical, mental, and social aptitude:
Agility
Use it to Sprint, Leap, Maneuver, etc.
A high Agility means you're fast on your feet, nimble on difficult terrain, and quick to react to danger.
Strength
Use it to Lift, Smash, Grapple, etc.
A high Strength means you're better at feats that test your physical prowess and stamina.
Finesse
Use it to Control, Hide, Tinker, etc.
A high Finesse means you're skilled at tasks that require accuracy, stealth, or the utmost control.
Instinct
Use it to Perceive, Sense, Navigate, etc.
A high Instinct means you have a keen sense of your surroundings and a natural intuition.
Presence
Use it to Charm, Perform, Deceive, etc.
A high Presence means you have a strong force of personality and a facility for social situations.
Knowledge
Use it to Recall, Analyze, Comprehend, etc.
A high Knowledge means you know information others don't and understand how to apply your mind through deduction.
Trait Assignment: When you "roll with a trait," that trait's modifier is added to the roll's total. Assign the modifiers +2, +1, +1, +0, +0, -1 to your character's traits in any order you wish.
4 Record Additional Character Information
Level
Characters start a new campaign at Level 1.
Evasion
Represents your character's ability to avoid damage. Determined by your class.
Hit Points (HP)
An abstract measure of your physical health. Determined by your class.
Stress
Reflects your ability to withstand mental and emotional strain. Every PC starts with 6 Stress slots.
Hope
A metacurrency that fuels special moves and certain abilities. All PCs start with 2 Hope.
5 Choose Your Starting Equipment
Weapons
Choose your weapon(s):
- • Select from the Tier 1 Weapon Tables. Either a two-handed primary weapon or a one-handed primary weapon and a one-handed secondary weapon.
- • At Level 1, your Proficiency is 1. Calculate your damage roll by combining your Proficiency with your weapon's damage dice.
Armor
Choose and equip one set of armor from the Tier 1 Armor Table.
- • Add your character's level to your equipped armor's Base Score (at creation, your level is 1).
- • Your Armor Score equals your equipped armor's Base Score plus any permanent bonuses.
Starting Items
Add the following items to your Inventory:
- • A torch, 50 feet of rope, basic supplies, and a handful of gold
- • EITHER a Minor Health Potion (clear 1d4 Hit Points) OR a Minor Stamina Potion (clear 1d4 Stress)
- • One of the class-specific items listed on your character guide
- • If applicable, whichever class-specific item you selected to carry your spells
- • Any other GM-approved items you'd like to have at the start of the game
6 Create Your Background
Develop your character's background by answering the background questions in your character guide, modifying or replacing them if they don't fit the character you want to play.
Note: Your background has no explicit mechanical effect, but it greatly affects the character you'll play and the prep the GM will do.
7 Create Your Experiences
An Experience is a word or phrase used to encapsulate a specific set of skills, personality traits, or aptitudes your character has acquired over the course of their life.
- • Your PC gets two Experiences at character creation, each with a +2 modifier.
- • Can't be too broadly applicable or grant specific mechanical benefits.
8 Choose Domain Cards
Your class has access to two of the nine Domains included in the core set.
Choose two cards from your class's domains. You can take one card from each domain or two from a single domain, whichever you prefer.
9 Create Your Connections
Connections are the relationships between the PCs. To create connections:
- • Have each player describe their characters to one another
- • Discuss potential connections using your character guide questions
- • Suggest at least one connection between your character and each other PC
Example Experiences
Backgrounds
Assassin, Blacksmith, Bodyguard, Bounty Hunter, Chef to the Royal Family, Circus Performer, Con Artist, Fallen Monarch, Field Medic, High Priestess, Merchant, Noble, Pirate, Politician, Runaway, Scholar, Sellsword, Soldier, Storyteller, Thief, World Traveler
Characteristics
Affable, Battle-Hardened, Bookworm, Charming, Cowardly, Friend to All, Helpful, Intimidating Presence, Leader, Lone Wolf, Loyal, Observant, Prankster, Silver Tongue, Sticky Fingers, Stubborn to a Fault, Survivor, Young and Naive
Specialties
Acrobat, Gambler, Healer, Inventor, Magical Historian, Mapmaker, Master of Disguise, Navigator, Sharpshooter, Survivalist, Swashbuckler, Tactician
Skills
Animal Whisperer, Barter, Deadly Aim, Fast Learner, Incredible Strength, Liar, Light Feet, Negotiator, Photographic Memory, Quick Hands, Repair, Scavenger, Tracker
Phrases
Catch Me If You Can, Fake It Till You Make It, First Time's the Charm, Hold the Line, I Won't Let You Down, I'll Catch You, I've Got Your Back, Knowledge Is Power, Nature's Friend, Never Again, No One Left Behind, Pick on Someone Your Own Size, The Show Must Go On, This Is Not a Negotiation, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing