flight-journal/the-source/character_creation.gmi

# Character Creation

Character creation is done in a few phases:

1. Help everyone choose a class and have them choose a class advancement for level one
2. Tell them how to buy their attributes
3. Tell them how to roll their hitpoints
4. Help them figure out how many inventory slots they have and explain how weight works
5. Get some equipment

## Choosing A Class

Show the players the list of classes in the book. If they want to run something else, give them the blank sheet and help them work through creating their own class. Make sure everyone has the base character sheet for their character. If running a game with people who haven't played tabletop games before, stick to the 4 core classes of Cleric, Fighter, Thief and Wizard.

Have them fill out their name and pick an advancement on the second page of
their character sheet. Encourage them to pick an advanacement that sounds
amusing to them, or something that could become useful. Players will get another advancement every level they gain.

## Buying Attributes

Instead of rolling for attributes like other games, The Source allows players to buy their attributes from a pool of points. This allows players to craft a character to the kind of style they want to play instead of relying on luck to build one.

Every player starts with a 0 in every attribute (this doesn't mean they have no skill in it, these attributes are more like bonuses). Players also get a bank of 27 points to invest in their attributes. Players can buy the following attributes for their character:

```
| Value | Cost |
|-------|------|
| +2    | 9    |
| +1    | 7    |
| -1    | 1    |
| -2    | 0    |
```

By default, every attribute will be set to zero. The minimum value for an attribute is -2, the maximum value for an attribute is +2. Any points left over will be added to your hitpoint value.

However, if a player wants to leave their attributes up to the roll of the dice, have them roll two six-sided dice for each attribute and translate them into stats according to the following table:

```
| Roll | Attribute |
|------|-----------|
| 11+  | 2         |
| 9-10 | 1         |
| 6-8  | 0         |
| 4-5  | -1        |
| 3-   | -2        |
```

These attributes will function as bonuses to player moves.

## Rolling for Hitpoints

Have each player add up their toughness attribute with their level (in most cases, this will be one). Then roll that many six-sided dice and have the player keep one of them. This plus any points they had left over from the point buying session becomes their hitpoints. Any player that rolls for their attributes gets a hitpoint bonus of 5. As an example:

> Faeor is at level 1 with a toughness attribute of 2. Faeor rolls three six-sided dice and gets a 5, 4 and a 6. Faeor picks the 6 and had 4 points left over from attribute buying, so they have 10 hitpoints total.

Players may re-roll their HP if they are stuck with only one hitpoint. If a player consistently gets one for their HP roll, the Dungeon Master should give them a HP stat that they feel makes sense for the player.

## Inventory Slots

By default, every player gets 12 inventory slots. This number is then modified by their toughness attribute. If the player's toughness is +2, then they get two more inventory slots for a total of 14. If their toughness is -2, then they lose two inventory slots for a total of 10. Cross off the numbers for any unusable inventory slots.

If a player ever carries more stuff then they have inventory slots, they get 2 subtracted from all of their rolls.

## Getting Equipment

Everyone starts out with one or two remarkable items, or items that give players a small advantage in extremely specific circumstances. There are some examples below. Don't worry about basic adventuring gear like weapons, armor and torches. They can be obtained with gear points.

* Dueling Sword - +1 when you’re defending your honor with threats of (or actual) violence.
* Quick Pick - +1 when you need to open a lock quick or quiet, so no one notices.
* Lucky Helmet - +1 when you need to avoid a freak accident.
* Trusty Waterskin - You (only) may drink from it when you rest to roll one additional die for your HP — keep the normal amount though.
* Component Pouch - If you would forget a spell, you may spend the contents to prevent forgetting it. One use, refills when you refresh your Gear bubbles.
* Fancy Hat - +1 when you’re making a deal with a merchant or statesman.
* Mercurial Wand - Once/day you can use this to cast a random spell from the Wizard Spell List — better roll for it!
* Loaded Dice - +1 when you gamble with them.

### Gear Points

Gear points can be spent to acquire "basic" adventuring gear like torches, light weapons, staffs, bows, shields, armor and miscellaneous things. When you need a standard piece of mundane adventuring gear that’s not currently in your inventory, you may fill in an empty bubble to declare that you had the item all along. If you do so, write the item in your inventory.

When you’re in town, you may spend 25g to empty all of your gear points. You get to keep the items if you want.

### Making Things Up

If players want to have more spells or things they can do, help them work out something new. You can use descriptions from other fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons or Dungeon World. Just read the names and descriptions, the stats aren't as important (the exact stats in those games are likely to be balanced for that game and that may disrupt the balance in 6E).

Don't be afraid to make things up though, that's how things become fun!