Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Mar 3, 2009 5:05:54 GMT -5
Steps (revisit in order if necessary):
1. Concept Creation / Selection of Archetype
2. Traits
3. Dots
4. Finishing
Concept Creation / Selection of Archetype
See the Concept thread for a list of Archetypes. This is also where you should come up with an initial idea of your character, including history, disposition, hobbies, appearance, etc.
[Concept thread is still coming, but for now think of classic, low fantasy Archetypes. Soldier. Barbarian / Berserker. Apprentice wizard. Village shaman or priest.]
Traits
I am taking this from Grand Cosmos, but with a modification. You may use Negatives or Positive Traits not only to change your dot spread but to gain or lose dots. There is some crossover: Some special equipment is purchased through dots. In general, you can enumerate Traits in the same way as dots, with negative or positive dots. They are, however, separate.
Basically, a Positive Trait is some bit of history, a special power, etc. that gives one an advantage, while a Negative Trait is something else that makes one weaken, such as a disability or insanity or particular traumatic events.
Dots
To enumerate all the various attributes someone could have to minutiae would create a character sheet pages and pages long. Different rule systems decide to aggregate some qualities and then assume that others are produced by core attributes.
Beginning characters get 8 dots, plus a bonus 3 for Tradish. Different Concepts may alter the number. Each dot can be put into reasonable skill that the character is allowed to have by their Concept.
A zero-dot skill is one that is assumed one has the average level of skill in. This varies across skills: Even an average person might be able to finger-paint and accidentally produce something somewhat okay (so zero points in Art allows a common level of art skill), but it is not average for someone to be able to speak anything above five words of a language (so aside from any native languages, which come free, a zero-dot allocation into a language means that the character practically cannot speak it), and it is certainly not average for someone to unleash a demon blade (so powers are DEFINITELY required to expend dots upon).
In addition, within reason, a character may add a minus or negative and purchase an additional dot. For example: If a character had rather poor hearing but simply phenomenal eyesight, they could spend a - into Hearing and put a third dot into their Sight. This is NOT designed for min/maxing but to enumerate weaknesses of the character.
Unlike Janus Vertice, character creation will almost DEFINITELY require judicious negatives. Scorched Sky takes place in a dark, troubled world. Wounds, personal loss, illness, etc. are not only common but ubiquitous: It is the rare, lucky few who have not seen a family member die from plague or overwork, let alone war and bandit raids.
The more specialized an attribute is (i.e. Sight rather than Senses), the more each dot matters. However, the more specialized the attribute is, the less it bleeds over to related situations or can be used to augment general understanding.
A dot is represented on a character sheet by a * or bullet, while a negative is represented by a -.
Examples of types of things one can enumerate with dots are:
Attributes:
Strength ***
Hearing * (if someone wants to have slightly keener hearing than normal)
Traits or Quirks
Luck --- (fitting for someone like Vash)
Equipment (used to purchase special items at start; some items can be boosted over time with dots, these are marked with a D)
Ancestral Mythril Cleaver *
Skills
Painting *
Powers
Cleaving Sword **
Characters automatically begin with:
Tradish *** (fluent)
Additional languages MUST be purchased or traded for dots of Tradish.
At character creation, the highest a character can put any individual attribute is is 3, barring special permission. Dots will be exponentially harder to get after 3: 2 points to get 4, 4 to get 5, 8 for 6, etc.
Special Notes:
Magic begins with a default, assumed --. For a character to EVER be eligible to cast a single spell, they must spend 2 in Magic to bring it up to a 0 [which should be noted on the sheet]. After this, they must spend into colleges, disciplines, or other areas to indicate what type of magic. Magic is NOT an eligible attribute to put dots into at character creation.
Psionics are incredibly rare. If available at creation, they'd be the equivalent of a ----, or -4. This'd mean that a player would only without negatives be able to have one dot in ONE psychic school. No documented, non-mythological incident of a psychic have existed. Most fortunetellers, augurs, seers and others are clearly using magic.
Ki is unheard of. This is not to say it does not exist, but that the area of character creation has simply never documented the concept. The incredibly rare people throughout history who have traveled through with such powers were believed to be using either martial might or magic.
Characters are NOT supposed to be high-flying, over-the-top archetypes! Faerunian Sorcerers, Red Mages, Dragoons... all are examples of classes characters will NOT be! We will allow other races besides human, but they must be PURCHASED with dots and must be easily integratable into a feudal society with widespread ignorance and fear! Outsiders will not be allowed for character creation: You MUST come from the Near Wild or the cities and villages themselves. Monstrous races will be a no-no for initial characters. Basic humanoids like humans, elves, dwarves, half-demons, etc. are permissible WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION.
Unlike in other games, being 14 to 24 is not a disadvantage. Indeed, this is the population mean. Age in and of itself IS a penalty: Anyone older than 30 will take a - for each 10 years after.
Literacy is NOT automatic. The *** in Tradish allow one to SPEAK, not read or write, the language. Literacy must be purchased for an additional dot.
An example of a dot spread [far stronger than the average character in this game]:
Spiritual Manifestation ***
Sword **
Ice Manipulation **
English **
Japanese ***
Acrobatics ***
Champuru Kendo **
Endurance **
Willpower **
Speed *
Formal Intelligence -
Strategy *
1. Concept Creation / Selection of Archetype
2. Traits
3. Dots
4. Finishing
Concept Creation / Selection of Archetype
See the Concept thread for a list of Archetypes. This is also where you should come up with an initial idea of your character, including history, disposition, hobbies, appearance, etc.
[Concept thread is still coming, but for now think of classic, low fantasy Archetypes. Soldier. Barbarian / Berserker. Apprentice wizard. Village shaman or priest.]
Traits
I am taking this from Grand Cosmos, but with a modification. You may use Negatives or Positive Traits not only to change your dot spread but to gain or lose dots. There is some crossover: Some special equipment is purchased through dots. In general, you can enumerate Traits in the same way as dots, with negative or positive dots. They are, however, separate.
Basically, a Positive Trait is some bit of history, a special power, etc. that gives one an advantage, while a Negative Trait is something else that makes one weaken, such as a disability or insanity or particular traumatic events.
Dots
To enumerate all the various attributes someone could have to minutiae would create a character sheet pages and pages long. Different rule systems decide to aggregate some qualities and then assume that others are produced by core attributes.
Beginning characters get 8 dots, plus a bonus 3 for Tradish. Different Concepts may alter the number. Each dot can be put into reasonable skill that the character is allowed to have by their Concept.
A zero-dot skill is one that is assumed one has the average level of skill in. This varies across skills: Even an average person might be able to finger-paint and accidentally produce something somewhat okay (so zero points in Art allows a common level of art skill), but it is not average for someone to be able to speak anything above five words of a language (so aside from any native languages, which come free, a zero-dot allocation into a language means that the character practically cannot speak it), and it is certainly not average for someone to unleash a demon blade (so powers are DEFINITELY required to expend dots upon).
In addition, within reason, a character may add a minus or negative and purchase an additional dot. For example: If a character had rather poor hearing but simply phenomenal eyesight, they could spend a - into Hearing and put a third dot into their Sight. This is NOT designed for min/maxing but to enumerate weaknesses of the character.
Unlike Janus Vertice, character creation will almost DEFINITELY require judicious negatives. Scorched Sky takes place in a dark, troubled world. Wounds, personal loss, illness, etc. are not only common but ubiquitous: It is the rare, lucky few who have not seen a family member die from plague or overwork, let alone war and bandit raids.
The more specialized an attribute is (i.e. Sight rather than Senses), the more each dot matters. However, the more specialized the attribute is, the less it bleeds over to related situations or can be used to augment general understanding.
A dot is represented on a character sheet by a * or bullet, while a negative is represented by a -.
Examples of types of things one can enumerate with dots are:
Attributes:
Strength ***
Hearing * (if someone wants to have slightly keener hearing than normal)
Traits or Quirks
Luck --- (fitting for someone like Vash)
Equipment (used to purchase special items at start; some items can be boosted over time with dots, these are marked with a D)
Ancestral Mythril Cleaver *
Skills
Painting *
Powers
Cleaving Sword **
Characters automatically begin with:
Tradish *** (fluent)
Additional languages MUST be purchased or traded for dots of Tradish.
At character creation, the highest a character can put any individual attribute is is 3, barring special permission. Dots will be exponentially harder to get after 3: 2 points to get 4, 4 to get 5, 8 for 6, etc.
Special Notes:
Magic begins with a default, assumed --. For a character to EVER be eligible to cast a single spell, they must spend 2 in Magic to bring it up to a 0 [which should be noted on the sheet]. After this, they must spend into colleges, disciplines, or other areas to indicate what type of magic. Magic is NOT an eligible attribute to put dots into at character creation.
Psionics are incredibly rare. If available at creation, they'd be the equivalent of a ----, or -4. This'd mean that a player would only without negatives be able to have one dot in ONE psychic school. No documented, non-mythological incident of a psychic have existed. Most fortunetellers, augurs, seers and others are clearly using magic.
Ki is unheard of. This is not to say it does not exist, but that the area of character creation has simply never documented the concept. The incredibly rare people throughout history who have traveled through with such powers were believed to be using either martial might or magic.
Characters are NOT supposed to be high-flying, over-the-top archetypes! Faerunian Sorcerers, Red Mages, Dragoons... all are examples of classes characters will NOT be! We will allow other races besides human, but they must be PURCHASED with dots and must be easily integratable into a feudal society with widespread ignorance and fear! Outsiders will not be allowed for character creation: You MUST come from the Near Wild or the cities and villages themselves. Monstrous races will be a no-no for initial characters. Basic humanoids like humans, elves, dwarves, half-demons, etc. are permissible WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION.
Unlike in other games, being 14 to 24 is not a disadvantage. Indeed, this is the population mean. Age in and of itself IS a penalty: Anyone older than 30 will take a - for each 10 years after.
Literacy is NOT automatic. The *** in Tradish allow one to SPEAK, not read or write, the language. Literacy must be purchased for an additional dot.
An example of a dot spread [far stronger than the average character in this game]:
Spiritual Manifestation ***
Sword **
Ice Manipulation **
English **
Japanese ***
Acrobatics ***
Champuru Kendo **
Endurance **
Willpower **
Speed *
Formal Intelligence -
Strategy *