MPNP Character Creation
Notes: Race is being dropped and we are doing away with favored stats and proficiencies. Instead we will pass out a few more stat/proficiency points to distribute.
You will begin by choosing your class, followed by your race.
Character creation in Mage Wars RPG will be somewhat simpler than the Mage Wars PnP version. Race only impacts stats and skills, and you do not get to choose your grandparents.
Contents
Character Creation Steps
Obviously, a lot needs to be filled in here.
Step 1: Race
Each race has a collection of passive bonuses and penalties associated with it. These can be applied to stats, skills, or proficiencies. Some races get bonuses that apply by rank, others are applied only at character creation.
Races:
- Generic
- Drack
- Druid
- Tainted
- Strawman
The race system is currently undergoing revisions, so feel free to ignore it for now.
Step 2: Class
You cannot carry out any proficiency swaps just yet, so choose your base class from the list:
- MRPG Warrior
- MRPG Ranger
- MRPG Rogue
- MRPG Endo-Mage
- MRPG Exo-Mage
- MRPG Auramancer
- MRPG Paladin
- MRPG Battling Sorcerer
Trading Proficiencies
If your characters do not like the basic set of proficiencies that come with their class, they can trade at this time.
Step 3: Stats, Proficiencies, Facets, Pillars
Now, you calculate all of your numbers.
Stats
Characters begin with 3 points in each stat, plus and racial bonuses. Players then have 8 points to spend on increasing stats.
Stats are:
- Strength
- Speed
- Intelligence
- Stamina
- Dexterity
Stats govern proficiencies. Specifically, each proficiency is capped at a related stat. See Proficiency List for details, but the basic gist of it is: a given proficiency cannot be higher than the stat. You pay put more points into a proficiency, but you will not receive the appropriate abilities until the stat is raised.
Proficiencies
Each proficiency begins at 0. Characters get 10 points to distribute as they see fit. Proficiencies cannot be raised above 10.
See Core Proficiencies List for proficiencies by class.
Facets
The player gets to take 8 facets at character creation.
Note: Some facets raise proficiencies. The Stat cap on proficincies still applies. So if a player has 5 strength and put 5 into a Weapon proficiency, taking a facet that raises the proficiency will not actually raise it.
Pillars
You only get 1 point for pillars at Character creation, use it well.
Step 4: Attack Value and Defense Value
Throughout the previous step, you took proficiencies and various things that mention "attack" or "defend. This is where that all comes together.
Attack Value
Attack Value(AV) is based on the applicable proficiency, plus bonuses. Lets say your character has a sword, they will use the Weapon Proficiency, Bladed, to start. There may be bonuses to it, any bonus that refers to increasing the Proficiency is still subject to the stat cap. If they have a total of 10 in the proficiency, but only 8 strength, the proficiency is still capped at strength. So, when calculating AV, determine the capped proficiency.
Special Proficincies also apply. If a character has Special Proficiency, Melee, they get to add in whatever they have in that proficiency. This is a way around the stat cap, allowing characters to get a few extra points. Special proficiency are still capped, usually by a different stat, but the character gets to use both the regular and the special.
Some things, like Pillars, also provide bonuses directly to AV. Anything that says "+X Attack" or something similar is a direct bonus to AV, with no cap.
Add it all up, and you get Attack Value. Each point of AV provides one Attack Dice. Note that certain things also provide bonuses directly to the attack dice pool. This is not a bonus to AV.
Defense Value
Defense Value(DV) works basically like AV but draws on different proficiencies. If a character has an Armor proficiency and is wearing that type of armor, they get that on DV. Shield is a generic proficiency and provides its bonus whenever the character is wearing a shield(regardless of type) they get that bonus to DV is well.
Add it all up, account for any caps, and you have the Defense Value.
Magic Attack and Defense
This is probably going to come up as things do work a little differently for wizards. Every spell is clasified by a type(Physical, Effect, etc) and has a corresponding Proficiency. If the spell calls to roll attack, the player will have to calculate their AV again based on the appropriate proficiency. Not all spells roll for attack, however. In particular, Effect spells typically do not roll.
See combat and magic for more details.
Step 5: Hit Points
Each character begins with a base 100HP reguardless of race or class. You then get 10x STA on top of that. Be sure to calculate your final base HP whenever your STA score changes. See MRPG Hit Points for more information.
Step 6: Skills
You have 8 points to distribute between your skills as you see fit.
Skills:
- Charisma
- Medicine
- Tinkering
- Comprehension
- Deception
Please note that having 0 Comprehension Skill as well as 0 Lore Proficiency means your character is unable to read or write, and cannot perform these functions in an RP-setting. Players may chose to use either in a Comprehension Check, but having both 0 means no reading or writing.
Similarly: a 0 to Charisma will make your character wholly unlikable, and NPCs will seldom listen to you and will never follow your directions.
(MRPG Note: in the videogame version, you will instead start with 1 point in every skill and get 3 points to distribute)
Step 7: Harmonies
At this stage you choose your harmony, or your personal theme-music.
Character Sheet
Fill out your character sheets. Now that all of your numbers are calculated, you can work out buffed and unbuffed stats, the modifiers can be written down but they should be easy to calculate. You will also need to calculate your HP.
Starting Equipment
See the Item Shop page for more details.
Players get X starting gold. This is to buy items only, and none is retained after character creation.
In addition, all characters begin the game with the following items:
- A set of suitable travel attire
- A lantern
- 50 feet of hemp rope
- A 10' spear
Backstory
A character's backstory is an important part of who the character is, what they do, and what motivates them. This is heavily tied in to The Pact. Players are encouraged to write down a backstory. This does not have to be an elaborate narrative, nor does it need to contain place names or dates.
For players who are less inventive when it comes to writing, the WorldShaper is encouraged to sit down with them and just ask them to describe their character's life up to this point. What was their childhood like, were they rich, poor? Things like that. Take notes.
Backgrounds can be applied based on what's in the backstory.
The Pact
All characters should have a back story, and that back story includes the Pact. This is what binds the party together, a shared experience that leaves the characters indebted to each other. This could be childhood friendships, the mutual saving of a life, or decades spent together in prison. The list goes on. The point is, an indelible bond between the party members is part of character creation.
The pact is a vital element of the story we will weave. It's not enough for three adventurers to merely meet in a tavern and agree to begin an epic quest together. Compare to Frodo and Samwise in The Lord of the Rings; would Samwise have carried Frodo to his last ounce of strength, if Frodo were simply "some guy" he'd met while drinking?
The Pact refers to the part of your different character's backstories that bind them together. This is tied to your Intent. Note that playing evil characters is neither discouraged nor impossible.
The Pact allows characters with opposing intents to party together as allies. Each individual must remain true to his or her own intent, but whatever binds them to the other characters will keep them together. Just remember that they must fulfill the pact in accordance with their own intent.
For a ruthless evil character partied with a lawful good character, this may mean constantly trying to save their friend by turning him to evil. A Lawful Good character might be forced to recognize the past transgressions of an evil party member, while forcing them to atone for their misdeeds.
