Difference between revisions of "Character Creation"

Revision as of 16:42, 6 June 2016

How to Become a Real Person in Twelve Easy Steps

Step 1: Template Selection

Changeling - Supernatural. Follow the CtL book.

Ensorcelled - Human. You need to line up a changeling to pledge with, NPC or not.

Fae-touched - Human+. No special requirements.

Mortal - Human. No special requirements.

Psychic - Human+. Must have at least one Psychic merit using CG merit dots. You gain access to special merits.

Thaumaturge - Human+. You must have at least 1 dot in Occult, must choose a tradition (SS pp.80-102), and gain a free Defining Merit from said tradition, as well as strengths/weaknesses, and have access to special merits.

If you want to be ensorcelled by a Changeling in game, but want to be Psychic or Thaumaturge, choose the Psy/Thaum template and set up the ensorcelment pledge in a separate +req/pledge at the end of CG.

Step 2: Initial Setup

This step sets your character's basic information, including sex, +finger, +glance and description data.

If you are a Changeling, or Fae-Touched with the Seeming merit, you will need to write a &faedesc and &short-mien as well as the regular @desc and &short-desc.

Step 3: Sheet Basics

Character concept. From WoD p.34: "...come up with a short, two- or three-word description of your character. This usually, but not always, includes some idea of a career: 'nightstalking journalist,' 'stoic mechanic,' 'lost waif,' 'petulant yuppie,' 'angry young man.'"

Virtues and Vices currently accepted by CG code.

Step 4: Integrity and Breaking Points

Breaking points are explained in detail on GMC p.155.

Every character is asked 5 Questions (+help +fiveq) in CG to help them get a handle on their character and their limits.

For example:

Jenny's player answers #1, 'What is the worst thing you have ever done?' with 'I killed a man last year in a car accident, and still feel the stain of my guilt in my nightmares.'

Her player wants something a bit more personal than 'killing people' as a breaking point, and decides to take it a step further and focus on the guilt, reflecting that it was the unintentional shock of it that really bothered Jenny most. Jenny is otherwise a very moral person, very kind. Her player decides that a good Breaking Point for Jenny would be 'Being the cause of trauma to another person,' since her character is such a soft touch.

John, on the other hand, is made of tougher stuff. He is a soldier, has fought real battles on earth and under his Keeper's ungentle rule, and has come home from war to try and make a life for himself in our corner of the world.

His player already has some other Breaking Points lined up in his head, and decides to go with his answer to #5 ('What is the most traumatic thing ever to have happened to your character?') for his last. For him, it's an easy choice. In the backstory he has in mind, John was forced to leave Arcadia without someone very important to him. He decides that 'Leaving a man behind.' would bring back the trauma and the fear too strongly for his character, violating his ideals.

Step 5: Families

More information about the (optional) seven local Families can be found via the links below.

• Alexander Family
• Desrochers Family
• Fry Family
• Garreau Family
• Lefevre Family
• Miller Family
• Utridge Family

Step 6-8: Attributes, Skills, Specialties

Attribute details can be found on WoD p.42 (Chapter 2).

Skill details can be found on WoD p.54 (Chapter 3)

Specialties can be found on WoD p.54 as well.

Note: Changelings, you get an extra specialty in Athletics, Brawl or Stealth to represent the physical changes made to you during your Durance.

Use +ref/attribute <attribute> and +ref/skill <skill> commands for descriptions of these in game.

Step 9: Merits

Merits are listed here. Full descriptions are not included; you need the books.

Use +ref/merit <full merit name> to see a brief description of merit mechanics in game.

Intermission: Advantages

No player action needed. This is an FYI, showing automatically calculated stats based on what you entered earlier in CG.

Defense: Lower of your Dexterity or Wits + Athletics.

Initiative: Dexterity + Composure.

Size: 5 for humans (6 for Giant, 4 for Small-Framed)

Speed: Strength + Dexterity + 5.

Willpower: Resolve + Composure.

Step 10: Background
Sphere-specific questions may be found on the pages below:

• Changeling/Applications#Backgrounds
• Psychic/Applications#Backgrounds
• Thaumaturge/Applications#Backgrounds
• Mortal/Applications#Backgrounds

Step 11: XP Tier

XP Tiers are explained here. You will get a set number of XP points.

Our Alt Policy limits how many of each Tier you may play.

Step 12: XP Spending

Spend your XP. Note: if you want a stat which is only purchasable during CG, buy it with points in the appropriate section above.

The XP here is NOT CG experience. This is your life's supposed sum total of experience points up until this point in your character's existence.