Character Creation

Character creation is the process by which a player rolls up a new player character (PC) for Alexis' Game World, following a structured method from start to finish. As a matter of policy, all player characters begin play at 1st level, regardless of the party they will join or the background of the campaign. No exceptions are made to this rule, ensuring that every character enters the world on equal footing.

To determine a character's ability stats, the player rolls four 6-sided dice (4d6) in succession a total of six times. For each roll, the lowest die (or one of the lowest dice, in the case of ties) is discarded, and the remaining three dice are summed to create a final total. These six totals become the character's ability scores, distributed among the six core attributes: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma. This method ensures a degree of randomness while improving the odds of above-average attributes compared to rolling strictly 3d6.

Once these scores are determined, the player proceeds with the next steps, according to the rules of the game world. This structured approach provides a balance of chance and player agency, ensuring that each new adventurer begins their journey with potential but without guarantees.

Minimum Ability Stats

When rolling a player's first character in the campaign (known as the "prime character"), the six ability score rolls must meet one of two minimum standards:

• a) At least one of the six results must be 17 or higher; or
• b) At least one result must be 16 or higher, provided that a second result is at least 15 or higher.

If neither standard is met, all six results are discarded, and the process begins again from the start. This continues until a set of six scores is rolled that meets the minimum requirement.

This policy is in place to ensure that a player's first character in the world is not subpar, given the long-term commitment involved in running a single character for years of continuous play. While some players may initially be comfortable running weaker characters, experience has shown that this can become a frustration over time, particularly after eighteen months or more of play. Because most players in the campaign must inevitably invest heavily in their characters, as opportunities become available, it's required that a prime character have at least some potential for greatness from the outset.

Overview of Ability Stats

Once the six ability stats have been finalised, the player may assign them freely to the six core attributes, allowing for customisation based on the desired strengths of the character. Each ability represents a fundamental aspect of the character's physical and mental capabilities:

• Strength – Represents physical musculature and power, determining raw physical force and the ability to perform feats of strength.
• Intelligence – Measures problem-solving ability and alertness, reflecting a character's capacity for reasoning, memory and analytical thinking.
• Wisdom – Represents education and willingness to learn from mistakes, covering intuition, perception and overall judgement.
• Constitution – Reflects sturdiness and overall health, influencing endurance, resistance to illness and physical resilience.
• Dexterity – Measures agility and reflexes, governing precision, coordination and balance.
• Charisma – Represents physical attractiveness, persuasiveness and personal magnetism, affecting leadership, social influence and charm.

Choosing a Character Class

Based on the minimum requirements for each character class, the player selects their character class and character race. It is a good idea at this stage to consider the role they wish to play within the present campaign. Players are encouraged to think strategically about how their character's strengths and weaknesses will influence their survivability, usefulness in a party and long-term progression.

For new players, fighters and thieves tend to be more forgiving, as they rely on straightforward mechanics — fighters excel in combat and can take more damage, while thieves provide stealth, agility and utility without requiring extensive spellcasting knowledge. Clerics require a commitment to divine service, offering a blend of combat resilience and healing abilities, but with restrictions on weaponry and religious obligations. Mages, while offering immense potential at higher levels, are exceptionally fragile at 1st level, requiring careful play, tactical thinking and patience to develop into a true force in the campaign.

Players should also consider how their character fits into a party. Combatants such as fighters, paladins and rangers are needed to sustain long combats; capabilities that counter undead, disease or hit points lost are always beneficial for everyone. Odd classes like assassins, druids, illusionists or monks, on the other hand, provide unexpected benefits that can work very well in special circumstances.

Since characters begin at 1st level and the game world is intended for long-term play, players should anticipate how their chosen class will evolve. Some classes, such as fighters and thieves, have a strong early game, while others, like magic-users and clerics, gain immense power at higher levels. Multi-classing may offer additional flexibility but come with their own limitations and considerations. The choice of class is not just about immediate effectiveness but about committing to a long-term character arc that will develop over time through play.

Gender

At this point, the player should choose their character's gender. With the exception of childbearing, which may be relevant in a character's generation and the height and weight variations between biological sexes, no mechanical distinction is made within the system between male and female characters. What one person can do, another person can do.

Despite the cultural attitudes of the Medieval-Renaissance period, the game world does not impose restrictions on what roles, status or achievements a character may attain based on gender. Any character can be just as strong, just as weak, just as powerful, or just as insignificant as any other, without limitations tied to biological sex or societal expectations. Within the system, ability, ambition and fate — not gender — determine a character's path.

Character Background

This is determined through the character background generator, a system incorporating more than a hundred random rolls to establish a new player character's defining traits, personal history and idiosyncrasies. These rolls take into account cultural heritage, race, height & weight, age, ability stats, starting wealth, physical description, family relations, knowledge and secondary skills and chance events that have shaped the character's life before their introduction to the game. Rather than focusing on personal ambitions or player-defined choices, the generation system accentuates social relationships and skills that emerge organically from the game world itself — aspects of a character's past that exist outside of the player's control.

A character's background serves as a foundation for identity, offering insight into who they are and where they come from. This includes their upbringing, early influences and the cultural framework that shaped them. However, it is essential to recognise that no one chooses the culture into which they are born. For this reason, the generator determines background details randomly, ensuring that each character enters the world with a unique and authentic past that must be adapted to, rather than shaped by, the player's personal preferences.

Skill Sets

The player should then record their character's class skills, spells and sage abilities, ensuring a clear understanding of the abilities and knowledge their character possesses. These elements define the character's capabilities, proficiencies and expertise, shaping how they interact with the world and approach challenges.

Following this, the player selects weapon proficiencies, determining which weapons their character has been formally trained to wield. This choice is influenced by class restrictions and background and directly affects the character's combat effectiveness. Weapons outside these proficiencies may still be used, but at a severe disadvantage, reinforcing the importance of selecting them carefully based on the character's role and intended playstyle.

Equipment

Using their starting capital, characters then use it to purchase necessary equipment. This includes clothing, footwear, weapons and general supplies, as well as animals, servants or other hirelings, if the character has the means to afford them. A spellbook or holy symbol may be required, depending on the character's class. Every purchase should reflect the character's background, practical needs and aspirations, ensuring they are well-prepared to enter the game world.

Completion

There is no need to choose alignment, as the system does not impose predefined moral or ethical categories on player characters. Instead, character actions and decisions shape their reputation and standing within the game world organically.

Once all necessary selections have been made — ability stats assigned, class and race chosen, background determined, skills and proficiencies recorded, and equipment purchased — the character is fully prepared to enter play. From this point forward, their story will unfold through interaction, experience and the choices they make in the world.

See also,
Death
Individual Role-play
Knowledge
Primary Attributes