RPG Archives ad20 - Character Workshop

Character Workshop

Okay, while brainstorming is still underway, let's kick off with a little character creation workshop. Anyone unfamiliar with the d20 rules may not be able to make heads or tails out of the linked documents. So this topic is intended to help walk potential players through the character process. Feel free to interject with any questions, or even begin to build your character at the same time as the example that will be done here.

In this Anime d20 game, we will be starting play with 1st level characters with 48 discretinary character points.

So let's get started!

 

Step # 1 - Character Outline

This can be the slowest point of the entrie process - the character concept.

Think of what sort of character type you'd like to play, and for now forget any rules or other steps in the creation process - don't worry about having to stick to your concept. You can change it later in the process if you get a different feel for our character.

What is my character going to be like? A complete clutz? A cocky bounty hunter who always makes his capture? A bubbly school girl out for love?

For our example, let's decide that our character is going to be a robot that has received human-like qualities - thoughts, feelings, emotions - human in seemingly every way, but machine in the end.

What has occured in their life to make them this way? Was the clutz cursed by a powerful magician? Did the loved one of the bounty hunted get murdered by a notorius criminal who has yet to be found? Did the school girl just hit puberty?

For our example, we'll say that the machine was manufactured by the local military to be the ultimate assassination bot. However, something went horribly wrong, it lost control, and it killed all the researchers before making its escape. Since then, it has felt remorse for that incident, for it was some berserk function that she had no control over. The robot has remained in hiding until she has altered her outward appearance to look like a normal woman.

If you're drawing blanks, don't worry. You can come back to this step after building a character and it should fit into place easier then.

SRD Link: Chapter 2 - Character Creation

 

Step # 2 - Race

This will either be fairly quick, or longer.

It all comes down to your character vision. For this game, I am recommending the choice of Artificial Construct or Human from what is presented in the Anime d20 SRD. The remaining examples were all pulled from D&D, and I'd like more of an anime feel to the game, and all those D&D races take away from it. If you absolutely must be an elf, dwarf, etc. it will be allowed, but I discourage it.

On the other hand, if you had something else in mind that isn't listed, post that race's features and description in full detail, and we'll work out how to incorporate it together. Perhaps you want to be an alien race, a half-demon, or a species of cat-people. As long as we work it out, there shouldn't be any problems.

For our example, it's easy. Our robot is an Artificial Construct. The document says it costs 4 points, so we spend that and drop our remaining construction points to (48-4) 44. In return, we have the following attributes:

• Normal Movement
• No Constitution
• Immunity to Sleep, Poison, Paralysis, and Stun
• Immunity to Disease, Death, and Necromantic Effects
• Cannot heal (must be repaired)
• Immune to Critical Hits and Subdual Damage
• Immune to Ability Damage, Ability Drain, or Energy Drain
• Automatic Fortitude Save, unless effect can target objects

SRD Link: Chapter 4 - Races

 

Step #3 - Ability Scores

Now, define your characters main abilities. These are the main stats that affect your skills and saves among other things - the document, chapter 3, describes them in detail. The document also instructs you to roll as per the PHB (D&D Player's Handbook), and then pay points for the rolled skills, but I'll instead allow the freedom to just buy abilities directly, skipping the extra dice rolling.

Ability scores cost 1 Character Point, for every 2 points in one ability (round up). So, a 14 Strength would cost (14/2=7) 7 CP. A 13 Strength would cost the same.

Keep in mind that 24 is the natural human maximum for any trait (but supernatural humans can go higher!)

The six scores are: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

Here's the quick table that applies to all Abilities, when you need to calculate an "Ability Modifier".

Code:

[b]Ability Score[/b]    [b]Modifier[/b]         [b]Description[/b]
    1	            -5	          Inept
    2-3	            -4	          Infant
    4-5	            -3	          Child
    6-7	            -2	          Significantly below adult human average; youth
    8-9	            -1	          Below adult human average; teenager
    10-11	     0	          Adult human average
    12-13	    +1	          Above human average
    14-15	    +2	          Significantly above human average
    16-17	    +3	          Highly capable	
    18-19	    +4	          Extremely capable
    20-21	    +5	          Best in the region
    22-23	    +6	          Best in the country
    24-25 	    +7	          World-class ability; maximum human potential
    26-27 	    +8	          Above human achievement
    28-29	    +9	          Significantly above human achievement
    30+	            +10 (and up)  Legendary ability

Let's walk through with our example. I decide that half of the robot's engineering was focused on making it outclass humans in many abilities. I'll plan to keep some points left over - so I still have a number of points to play with when it comes to the Attributes section of creation. Overall, Strength and Dexterity, will likely be the most focused abilities - as Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma tend to be less needed for her particular assassination model.

Let's start with Strength. I'd say that's "Above Human Achievement". She is stronger than the best standard human could ever hope to be. So, we'll put a 26 in that score, and subtract 13 Character Points (44-13) leaving me with 29. Ouch. That was a bit expensive.

Dexterity is a biggie. Suffice it to say, our robot could win the Olympic racing titles with no trouble at all. That's world-class, with 24 points put in there. (29-12)=17.

Consititution is a zero, since constructs don't possess this ability. (17-0).

Intelligence. Our robot's learning circuits are just above the normal human average - she collects data on what she experiences, but it was never a focus of her design. 12 points, 6 off, (17-6) 9 remaining.

Wisdom. Our robot is new to the world. She has common sense and life experience on the level of a child. 4 for Wisdom, which costs 2 points, (9-2), trailing us down to 7.

Finally, Charisma. I'd say she's average here, having been modeled to look and act like a human. 10 points in Charisma, costing 5, and leaving me with (7-5) 2.

I spent far more than I expected to, which means I may have to take a few Defects to pay for my Attributes later on. Ah, well.

Final Statistics:
STR 26, DEX 24, CON 0, INT 12, WIS 4, CHA 10

SRD Link: Chapter 3 - Abilities

 

Step #4 - Choose a Class

This is covered in Chapter 5 of the documentation. In summary, choose one of the 15 possible class types, then keep track of what values are found on their chart under level 1: Base Attack bonus (BAB), Reflex Save, Willpower Save, Fortitude Save, and the "Special" column. Also read their description to calculate their Hit Points (Hit Dice) and Skill Points.

• Adventurer
• Dynamic Sorcerer
• Giant Robot
• Gun Bunny
• Hot Rod
• Magical Girl
• Martial Artist
• Mecha Pilot
• Ninja
• Pet Monster Trainer
• Samurai
• Sentai Member
• Shapechanger
• Student
• Tech Genius

Our example character is definately a Giant Robot class, so we'll choose that. A giant robot uses a 10-sided die for hit points (d10 hit die). Its Skill Points at 1st Level = (2 + Int Modifier) x 4, so we end up with (2+1) x 4 = 12 skill points to spend on various skills. The base attack bonus for a 1st level giant robot is 0, but we get a +2 Fortitude Save as well as +1 rank for the "Features" attribute.

SRD Link: Chapter 5 - Classes

 

There is no maximum to an Ability score (I assume you mean that, correct me if I'm wrong and you truly meant attributes). As long as you have the Character Points to pay for all six of your attributes, go ahead and pick a 40 Intelligence or a 53 Strength. The guideline was that humans have a maximum potential of 24 - if you want to go higher, that's possible, but be prepared to explain this oddity.

As for classes, it is suggested to stick with the anime archetypes listed, but you are openly allowed to use a class from another system or your own devising, though it will require working out the details. Create a new post in this game's forum titled along the lines of "Character Class Suggestion - Cardcaptor" detailing the class in similar respect to how classes are already arranged in Anime d20. We need to agree together how to balance it with existing classes. The end of Chapter 5 goes into a detailed process. The bottom line is this:

In other words, its a real balancing act. ^^;

Fortunately, the document includes all of the standard D&D player classes, and Rogue was one of them (Ch 5, pg. 43), so you could skip that step, if it were your desired class.

 

Step #5 - Buy Skills

This is covered in Chapter 7 of the documentation. Skills are exactly as they sound - trained or instinctual capabilities in specific areas. Doctors have healing skills and knowledge of medicines and illnesses, Architechs have Design skills and some techinical abilities. Skills are yet another defining character factor and show how well your character can adapt or succeed in certain situations.

We calculated skill points back at step 4 - it's listed under our character class. Your class also listed what are its "class skills". Class skills cost 1 skill point per rank. If you want a skill not listed as a "class skill", you're allowed to invest in other skills, but they're known as "cross-class" and cost twice as much. Cross-class skills are 2 skill points per rank.

Obviously, the higher the rank, the better you are at the skill. A Decipher Script of 3 may be enough to make out someone's poor handwriting, but it may take a rank of 5 or more to start breaking down basic egyptian heiroglyphics.

As Gamemaster, I am limiting to maximum rank of characters in any one particular skill. This limit is your character's level +3 (halved for cross class). This means, as a starting character, you can only invest up to 4 ranks of a class skill, or 2 ranks of a cross-class.

Combat skills are stats used solely for fighting, and are more costly than standard skills. 3 skill points per rank, and 6 skill points per cross-class rank.

One more thing. Skill Specialization is in use: You automatically get one specialization when you buy your first rank in a skill. You can buy 2 additional specializations at the cost of 1 rank. These specializations are listed within each skill's description.

Continuing our Character Example, we'll buy some skills with the 12 points we calculated earlier (step 4).

First off, knowledge is power, so let's use that to develop our robot some more. Her built-in tracking routines for hunting before assassination are very methodical, like police investigation. Therefore, we'll buy 4 ranks of "Knowlegde, Police Sciences" to cover that detective-like nature. We get a specialization here, and evidence gathering is a big hunter/killer boon, so we'll choose to specialize in Forensics.

It's also assumed our robot would possibly take field damage, so she would be equipped with data on how to go about mechanically repairing herself. We'll take 3 ranks in Repair skill to reflect that, with a Specialization in Mechanics.

What self-respecting robot can't interface with a computer? We'll drop 2 ranks in Computer Use, and Intrusion/Security sounds like a nice specialization touch.

We've got 3 points left and nothing to reflect her killer nature yet. Better drop a rank in something for that nature. We'll choose Unarmed Defence and gain a rank as well as the Strikes specialization. That will allow her to attempt a block with her arm even against something big like an axe. Or at least, that's the intent.

Let's see how well we did:

Code:

Skill[/b]                                     [b]Rank[/b]     [b]Modifier (Ability)[/b]     [b]Total Score[/b]
Computer Use (Intrusion Security)           2           1 (Int)                3
Knowledge, Police Sciences (Forensics)      4           1 (Int)                5       
Repair (Mechanics)                          3           1 (Int)                4

[b]Combat Skills[/b]                             [b]Rank[/b]
Unarmed Defence (Strikes)                   1

SRD Link: Chapter 7 - Skills

 

Precisely. Humans are the "norm", which is why they cost zero character points.

 

Constitution is Health/Fitness. Think of it as how hardy your body is. Those with weak constitutions (i.e. young and elderly) are those more likely to get struck hard by a cold or flu type sickness.
Someone with a high constitution is the type that can stand straight without flinching while someone pummels their fists against his stomach, or someone who can drink a ton without feeling the effects of alcohol. The Constitution Ability Modifier is also added to your Hit Points for each level.

Charisma is Leadership/Personality/Appearance. Think of it as how attractive you are not only by how you look, but how well you can inspire troops, or make friends. A high Charisma example would be a natural born leader of a knight council or a vile seducting demoness. A low charisma would be the grotesque hag on the street corner, or the beautiful prince who is spoiled and gets on everyone's nerves.

 

Re: Re: Step #5 - Buy Skills

Skill Points are based on class and intelligence, which can be found under each class' description in the SRD. Here's the breakdown, so more hunting isn't required:

Giant Robot, Magical Girl, Martial Artist, Shapechanger: 2+Int Modifier

Adventurer, Dynamic Sorcerer, Gun Bunny, Hot Rod, Mecha Pilot, Ninja, Pet Monster Trainer, Samurai, Sentai Member: 4 + Int Modifier

Student, Tech Genius: 8 + Int Modifier

At level 1, you get 4 times as many points as you do for any other level you gain. Just take the resulting number and multiply it by 4 to find how many skill points you have to spend.


Our Giant Robot class was 2+Int Modifier. Our Intelligence of 12 is a +1 (check the chart at step 3). So 2+1 = 3, meaning we will be getting 3 skill points per level. At level 1 we get 4 times this many, so 3x4=12.

 

You have (8 + whatever you Intelligence modifier is) x 4 skill points.

If you had an 18 Int, for instance, you have (8+4)x4=48.
And if you had 5 Int, you'd have (8-3)x4=20.

Should have clarified the shortened names for the six ability scores... they are STR (Strength), DEX (Dexterity), CON (Consitution), INT (Intelligence), WIS (Wisdom), CHA (Charisma).

 

Re: Step #5 - Buy Skills

Normal, class skills - 1 point/rank (max. 4 ranks at lvl 1)
Normal, cross-class skills - 2 points/rank (max. 2 ranks at lvl 1)
Combat, class skills - 3 points/rank (max. 4 ranks at lvl 1)
Combat, cross-class skills - 6 points/rank (max. 2 ranks at lvl 1)

-----

The code listing I made is part of our example character's sheet after we purchased all her skills. Every skill has an associated ability that modifies how well you use it, and that's what you see being reflected on the chart besides the rank.

Example: Knowledge, Arcana (Int)

The listed bracketed ability is Intelligence, meaning, when you will use this skill, you add your intelligence modifier to the roll on top of any ranks you have purchased.

If I buy 4 ranks in it, and have 20 intelligence, my total skill in Knowledge, Arcana is 4+5=9.

 

I'm assuming all the skills you have chosen are "class skills" (that is, listed under your chosen class as class skills in Chapter 5)

Correct. A total of 9 is added to any rolls you make for Computer Use.

Additionally, the first rank you bought also gave you one "specialization". This is a specific use of the skill that you get an extra +1 to when you apply it. For instance, my robot chose Security. When using security computers, she gets an extra +1 to her roll, because of her specialization in that field. I could just as easily have chosen Programming, Database, or Networking as her specialization.

Correct again, although with something as broad as Knowledge, the skill is split into specific fields. "Knowledge, Technology" or "Knowledge, Folklore" are examples...

You don't need to put any points into any skill. You can remain "untrained", which often means you can't do many of the things that stem from the skill.

Wrong here. Unarmed Defence is listed as a "Combat Skill", which costs 3 points for a single rank.

Combat have no skill modifier, so they're always just the plain rank number.

So you'd have a skill of 1 in Unarmed Defence.

Not entirely, but I get the feeling you're thinking of being limited to my example skills given. You really ought to consult the full Skills Chapter to see the entire list and descriptions.

(On the first chart, which lists all classes, the • mark means that skill is a "class skill", and an x mark means it is "cross-class")

Coincidentally, it looks like every skill example I've given has Intelligence as its modifier. Just letting you know now that this isn't always the case. Be sure to consult the documentation to see what the "Relevant Ability" is for each skill. A few examples:

Gather Information (Cha)
Jump (Str)
Listen (Wis)
Open Lock (Dex)