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New Era: Sol 366 Edition

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Appendix

Ver. 1.3.1

Step 1

Basic Character Choices

This first step covers the initial choices you make when starting a new character build.

Character Level

Before you begin, you should know your character's starting level. When starting a new campaign, all player characters start at the same level, determined by the GM. If you're creating a new character or joining a campaign already in progress, the new character should start at the same or similar level to the rest of the party.

A character who's never been adventuring before is level 0. You'll gain levels throught the adventure, either by earning character points or at specific milestones set by the GM. There is no hard limit to how high a character's level can go, but human adventurers rarely surpass level 30.

To create a level 0 character, simply follow this guide. For higher-leveled characters, start by creating the level 0 version of the character and level them up in the final steps.

Set Your Age

Your age defines how old your character is at the start of the campaign. Older characters are slightly weaker, but have more life experience. There is no direct link between your age and your character level.

Your age determines your starting Character Points Available (CPA) and the number of points you'll have to spend on ability scores in the next step.

Table: Human Age

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Age Range Starting CPA Ability Score Points
19 years or less ✪ 10 32
20 to 29 years ✪ 15 31
30 to 39 years ✪ 20 30
40 to 49 years ✪ 25 29
50 to 59 years ✪ 30 28
60+ years ✪ 35 27

Alignment

Your Alignment is a summary of your character's moral and ethical worldview. It has no mechanical effect on your character, but it may be a factor in how NPCs relate to you and how likely they are to be friendly with you. Talk to your GM before choosing an Evil alignment.

Mark your alignment in the 5x5 chart on the back of your character sheet.

Character Bio and Story

Page 4 of your character sheet includes some descriptive traits about your character's appearance. All of these fields are optional, but it helps to fill out as much of this as you can to help your fellow players visualize and relate to you in-character.

Character-Building Questionnaire
Want to flesh out your back story? Try answering the following questions about your new character. You don't have to give detailed answers to every single one - remember to be realistic. You can also check out the New Era Wiki for lore information.

  1. Describe your character's basic appearance in a few sentences - height, build, nationality, voice, accent, hair color and style, etc.
  2. What is the first thing about their appearance that most people would notice? Are they unusually tall, have an unusual hair or eye color, or perhaps a scar from an injury?
  3. Who were their parents? Are they still alive? If not, how did they die?
  4. Who are their chosen family? Do they have any siblings or relatives they're close with?
  5. What is their sexual/romantic preference? Do they have a spouse or partner?
  6. Do they have any children?
  7. What country and/or town were they raised in? How far from home are they now? How has their upbringing affected them?
  8. What social class do they come from? Were they raised poor, rich, or working-class?
  9. What level of education do they have?
  10. Do they believe in a god or an afterlife? Are they religious?
  11. What are their opinions on authority and/or nobility? Do they have any strong political opinions? (Avoid referencing any out-of-character political issues or parties.)
  12. Do they know any other languages?
  13. What do they like to do during downtime? Any special talents or hobbies?
  14. Do they have any prized possessions or objects with sentimental value that they carry with them?
  15. What was their occupation before becoming an adventurer?
  16. What made them decide to become an adventurer? Were they dissatisfied with their past life?
  17. Have they ever served in the military? Were they involved in any active conflict?
  18. Have they ever been arrested or served time in prison? What for?
  19. Do they have any enemies? Have they ever betrayed someone, or perhaps owe someone money?
  20. (If magic has not been revealed in-game:) What are their views on the Torchlight Society and the rumors of the paranormal surrounding it?
    (If magic has been revealed:) What are their views on magic and Torchlight's handling of it?
  21. What is the biggest mistake they have ever made? Have they realized it?
  22. What is their highest ability score, and how did they become so strong in that area?
  23. What is their highest basic skill? Where and how did they train in that skill?
  24. What do they plan to do after the adventure is over? What are their long-term life goals?
  25. If they died today, what would they mostly be remembered for?

Can't think of a backstory yet? No problem! Some players prefer to build their character first for inspiration and come up with a backstory later on, while others prefer to start with a story and build the character to fit their narrative. Both are valid options, and you can always ask your GM or partymates for help as well.

Next: Ability Scores ►