[OOC] Character Creation

Step 1: Determine Background

This is the brainstorming phase. What kind of character do you want to play? Remember that you are a street brawler of some sort. But how did your character become such a person? Are you poor? Are you a rich kid slumming it? Are you a devotee of the martial arts trying to prove your mettle? Are you a street kid who has learned to fight to survive? Also remember that this game assumes you are a "good guy" at some level. No psychopaths or edgelords, please.

Step 2: Select a Character Archetype

You may choose from the following Archetypes. All of them are viable. You may decide to choose an Archetype based on the special abilities it offers, or you may pick one that gives you enough experience to realize your character concept.

The Aristocrat

Brawn 1, Agility 2, Intellect 2, Cunning 2, Willpower 2, Presence 3

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 100

Starting Skills: An aristocrat starts with one rank in Cool during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Cool above rank 2 during character creation.

Forceful Personality: Once per session, your character may spend a Story Point as an incidental. If they do so, during the next skill check they make during that turn, your character doubles the strain they inflict or the strain they heal (you choose before making the check).


The Athlete

Brawn 2, Agility 3, Intellect 2, Cunning 1, Willpower 2, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 80

Starting Skills: An athlete starts with one rank in Athletics during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Athletics above rank 2 during character creation.

Clutch Performer: Once per session, when spending a Story Point to upgrade the ability of a check, instead upgrade the ability of the check twice.


Average Human

Brawn 2, Agility 2, Intellect 2, Cunning 2, Willpower 2, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 110

Starting Skills: An average human starts with one rank in each of two different non-career skills at character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and these skills may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation.

Ready for Anything: Once per session as an out-of-turn incidental, you may move one Story Point from the Game Master’s pool to the players’ pool.


The Boxer

Brawn 3, Agility 2, Intellect 2, Cunning 2, Willpower 2, Presence 1

Starting Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 90

Starting Skills: A boxer starts with one rank in Resilience during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Resilience above rank 2 during character creation.

Shake It Off: Once per session, when making a check to heal strain, may spend a Story Point to also heal half as many wounds (round up).


The Intellectual

Brawn 2, Agility 1, Intellect 3, Cunning 2, Willpower 2, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 100

Starting Skills: An intellectual starts with one rank in the Knowledge skill of their choosing during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase this Knowledge skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Brilliant!: Once per session, your character may spend a Story Point as an incidental. If they do so, during the next check they make during that turn, you count their ranks in the skill being used as equal to their Intellect.


The Laborer

Brawn 3, Agility 2, Intellect 2, Cunning 2, Willpower 1, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 8 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 100

Starting Skills: A laborer starts with one rank in Athletics during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Athletics above rank 2 during character creation.

Tough as Nails: Once per session, your character may spend a Story Point as an out-of-turn incidental immediately after suffering a Critical Injury and determining the result. If they do so, they count the result rolled as "01."


The Martial Artist

Brawn 2, Agility 2, Intellect 2, Cunning 2, Willpower 2, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 100

Starting Skills: A martial artist starts with one rank in Discipline during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Discipline above rank 2 during character creation.

Renewed Focus: Once per session, may spend an action to make an Average (PP) Discipline check to focus. If successful, add automatic Advantage to all Brawl and Melee checks for the remainder of the encounter.


The Monk

Brawn 3, Agility 2, Intellect 2, Cunning 2, Willpower 2, Presence 1

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 85

Starting Skills: A monk starts with one rank in either Athletics, Coordination, or Resilience during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase that skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Focused Qi: Once per session, a monk may spend a Story Point to add Trimph to the results of a check made by the character.


The Student

Brawn 2, Agility 2, Intellect 3, Cunning 2, Willpower 1, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 100

Starting Skills: A student starts with one rank in Knowledge (Lore) during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Knowledge (Lore) above rank 2 during character creation.

Lessons of the Master: Once per session, a student may spend a Story Point to add a number of Boosts equal to ranks in Knowledge (Lore) to any one check.


The Wrestler

Brawn 2, Agility 2, Intellect 1, Cunning 2, Willpower 3, Presence 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 90

Starting Skills: A wrestler starts with one rank in Resilience during character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and may not increase Resilience above rank 2 during character creation.

Renewed Focus: Once per session, your character may spend a Story Point to re-roll any two dice from a single check.

Step 3: Choose a Career

Your Career basically gives you access to the skills listed, meaning you can improve them for less XP than you would otherwise pay. Beyond that, they don't do much. Don't get hung up on the names of the Careers; just because you are a Cop, it doesn't mean you have to be a police officer of any sort. For advanced players, I am also open to custom Careers.

Once you select a Career, you get to put 1 free rank in 4 of your 8 Career Skills.

Academic: Brawl (Striking), Discipline, Knowledge (Education), Knowledge (Lore), Knowledge (Society), Mechanics, Medicine, and Negotiation.

Competitor: Athletics, Brawl (Grappling), Brawl (Striking), Coercion, Discipline, Resilience, Survival, and Vigilance.

Cop: Brawl (Grappling), Coercion, Discipline, Melee, Ranged, Resilience, Streetwise, and Vehicles.

Courier: Athletics, Brawl (Grappling), Charm, Coordination, Knowledge (Society), Stealth, Survival, and Vehicles.

Entertainer: Brawl (Striking), Charm, Coordination, Deception, Discipline, Leadership, Melee, and Skulduggery.

Explorer: Athletics, Brawl (Striking), Coordination, Deception, Perception, Ranged, Stealth, and Survival.

Healer: Brawl (Grappling), Cool, Discipline, Knowledge (Education), Medicine, Resilience, Survival, Vigilance.

Investigator: Brawl (Striking), Coercion, Knowledge (Education), Knowledge (Society), Leadership, Perception, Streetwise, and Vigilance.

Leader: Brawl (Grappling), Charm, Coercion, Cool, Discipline, Leadership, Negotiation, and Perception.

Mystic: Brawl (Grappling), Brawl (Striking), Coordination, Discipline, Knowledge (Lore), Perception, Resilience, and Vigilance.

Professional: Athletics, Brawl (Grappling), Brawl (Striking), Cool, Medicine, Negotiation, Perception, and Stealth.

Promoter: Brawl (Grappling), Brawl (Striking), Charm, Coercion, Cool, Coordination, Deception, and Vigilance.

Socialite: Brawl (Striking), Charm, Cool, Deception, Knowledge (Society), Negotiation, Perception, and Vigilance.

Soldier: Athletics, Brawl (Grappling), Brawl (Striking), Coercion, Melee, Ranged, Resilience, and Survival.

Tradesperson: Athletics, Brawl (Grappling), Discipline, Mechanics, Negotiation, Perception, Resilience, and Streetwise.

Warrior: Brawl (Grappling), Brawl (Striking), Coercion, Cool, Leadership, Melee, Resilience, and Vigilance.

Step 4: Invest Experience Points

Your Archetype gives you a set amount of XP to spend on your beginning character. You may spend this XP according to the table below. I strongly suggest you spend as much XP as possible on your characteristics, as you cannot raise these after character creation except via a talent you will not be able to access for a long, long time.



For a list of skills in this setting, see the Player Resource Thread.

For ideas on Talents you may want, see the Player Resource Thread or DrainSmith's Talent Tome, which includes all officially published Genesys talents. Please ask permission before selecting talents from Realms of Terrinoth or Shadows of the Beanstalk.

In addition, this setting is unique in that you can spend XP to get new unarmed attacks. See the Player Resource Thread for a list of the attacks that are available.

After you invest all of your starting XP, I am granting you 15 additional XP. This may not be spend on characteristics, but it can be spent on skills, talents, and unarmed attacks.

Step 5: Determine Derived Attributes

These are also determined by your Archetype.

Wound Threshold

This is listed under your Archetype as Brawn + [some number]. Do the math and list this on your character sheet. Note that if you buy a rank or two of the Toughened talent at character creation, this value will be even higher.

Strain Threshold

This is listed under your Archetype as Willpower + [some number]. Do the math and list this on your character sheet. Note that if you buy a rank or two of the Grit talent at character creation, this value will be even higher.

Defense

Defense is split based on how hard you are to hit in melee and by a ranged attack. Unless you buy some armor with your starting cash, your Defense will probably be 0 at the start of play.

Soak

Soak represents your innate toughness and ability to withstand damage. Your starting Soak value is equal to your Brawn characteristic. If you purchase some types of armor with starting money, your Soak value may go up.

Encumbrance Threshold

You start play with an Encumbrance Threshold of 5 + your Brawn. This setting assumes that characters travel light, so keep that in mind as you select your starting gear.

Step 6: Determine Motivations

Motivations are what make your character tick. You need to select four basic Motivations; these come into play in social encounters, making you easier to influence if others can appeal to your inner drives.

Desire

What, more than anything else, does your character want or want to achieve?

Fear

What, more than anything else, does your character hope to avoid?

Strength

What makes your character a cut above the rest? What is their defining asset?

Flaw

What is your character's Achilles heel? What is their soft spot or skeleton in the closet?

Step 7: Choose Gear, Appearance, and Personality

Appearance and personality are up to you. As for gear, you start with $500 that you can spend on stuff. However, keep in mind that this setting is about bare-knuckles brawlers, so if your character is equipped like Seal Team 6, you're not keeping with the theme!

See the Player Resource Thread for lists of equipment appropriate to the setting.

Once you have selected all of your gear, use the Basic Dice Roller to make a d100 roll in the Session Zero thread. You start play with that much money in dollars. This money cannot be spent before play begins.

Step 8: Choose Group Headquarters

The Group Headquarters answers the question of how you all know one another and why you are willing to go on adventures together. This resource also gives you access to two additional Career Skills, meaning you can invest XP in these skills at a discount of 5 XP per rank. The ideas below are not exhaustive. Feel free to propose some other headquarters!

Dojo

Career Skills: Knowledge (Lore) and Discipline

You all train under the same master. You probably feel a strong bond to your master and view one another almost as siblings. Despite the name "dojo," this choice does not necessarily mean you train in an Asian martial art. Maybe your teacher is an expert in savate, for instance.

Gym

Career Skills: Knowledge (Lore) and Perception

You all train at the same gym, perhaps under different trainers and perhaps as competitors and rivals. However, you feel a strong sense of duty to the gym and its owner, and any rivalry you have for one another is friendly.

Lodge

Career Skills: Perception and Survival

You all belong to an outdoorsy group that promotes living off the land, primitive hunting, or some other brand of survival skills.

School

Career Skills: Knowledge (Education) and Discipline

You are all members of a school sports team. Possibilities might be a high school wrestling team, a community college boxing club, or a university aikido team. Your love for your school and your coach bonds you as a group.

Storefront

Career Skills: Knowledge (Education) and Negotiation

You run a martial-arts or sports shop of some kind—selling sporting goods, vitamins and supplements, gym equipment, or something else.

Theater

Career Skills: Charm and Coordination

You are members of a demonstration team, a theater troupe, or some other group that does martial arts performances. Maybe you visit schools to tell kids to say no to drugs, or maybe you reenact ancient battles. Whatever it is, you are bonded based on your love for performing.

Vigilante Hideout

Career Skills: Knowledge (Society) and Streetwise

You've banded together to take back the streets from the gangs. You have a hideout somewhere, which may even double as an underground fight club, but your ultimate goal is to do the job the cops aren't willing to do: keep the streets safe.