Character Creation Outline

Here is a quick outline of the character creation process:

0) Get some Dice!



We’ve got dice in the Open Gaming Store! Check these out!

1) Get a Character Sheet

You can either use an online sheet, a downloaded PDF, or for a true old-school feel, a standard piece of lined paper, whichever is most convenient for you and agreeable with your GM. Many GM’s like to be able to refer to a player’s character sheet between sessions so it is more common now to use some sort of online resource but use whatever works for you and your GM. There are even nice character generator programs available, many for FREE!

Here are a few excellent options!

2) Determine Ability Scores

Start by generating your character’s ability scores. These six scores determine your character’s most basic attributes and are used to decide a wide variety of details and statistics. Some class selections require you to have better than average scores for some of your abilities. There are several methods to choose from for generating these scores so consult your GM to determine which method he is using.

If your GM is using a point buy method, the point amounts and costs of attributes are included at right for your convenience.

Note: Your choice of race will offer one or more bonuses to apply to your Ability Scores.

Point Buy: If you will be using a “point-buy” method, the two following tables include the costs of purchasing ability scores.

Table: Ability Score Costs
Score Points
7 –4
8 –2
9 –1
10 0
11 1
12 2
13 3
14 5
15 7
16 10
17 13
18 17
Table: Ability Score Points
Campaign Type Points
Low Fantasy 10
Standard Fantasy 15
High Fantasy 20
Epic Fantasy 25

If you’d like to roll your scores randomly using the Standard (4d6) methodclick here!

3) Choose a Race

Pick a race, applying any modifiers to your ability scores and any other racial traits. Each race lists the languages a character of that race automatically knows, as well as a number of bonus languages it may learn. A character knows a number of additional bonus languages equal to his or her Intelligence modifier.

Note: See the Linguistics skill for more information pertaining to Languages.

Table: Race and Ability Score Bonuses
Race Ability Bonus
Dwarf +2 Con, +2 Wis, –2 Cha
Elf +2 Dex, +2 Int, –2 Con
Gnome +2 Con, +2 Cha, –2 Str
Half Elf +2 to one ability score (your choice)
Halfling +2 Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Str
Half Orc +2 to one ability score (your choice)
Human +2 to one ability score (your choice)

4) Choose a Class

A character’s class represents a profession, such as fighter or wizard. If this is a new character, he or she starts at 1st level in this chosen class. As the character gains experience points (XP) for defeating monsters, he goes up in level, granting him new powers and abilities.

If your character is a spell caster that prepares spells (such as a wizard) you will need to determine the spells your character starts with. Consult your GM to determine this list.

Favored Class: Each character begins play with a single favored class of his choosing—typically, this is the same class as the one he chooses at 1st level. Whenever a character gains a level in his favored class, he receives either + 1 hit point or + 1 skill rank. The choice of favored class cannot be changed once the character is created, and the choice of gaining a hit point or a skill rank each time a character gains a level (including his first level) cannot be changed once made for a particular level. Prestige classes (see Prestige Classes) can never be a favored class.

5) Allocate Skill Ranks

Discussion of Skills via Youtube

Determine the number of skill ranks your character gets based on his class and Intelligence modifier (and any other bonuses, such as the bonus received by humans).

Class Skills Each class has a number of favored skills, called class skills. Refer to Table: Skills Summary and look for your chosen class across the top row (abbreviated name.) Look down the column for your chosen class. Any skill with a “C” in it is a Class Skill for your class. It is easier for your character to become more proficient in these skills, as they represent part of his professional training and constant practice. You gain a +3 bonus on all class skills that you put ranks into.

Then allocate these ranks to desired skills, but remember that you cannot have more ranks than your level in any one skill (for a starting character, this is usually one).

Each level thereafter, your character gains a number of skill ranks dependent upon your class plus your Intelligence modifier. Investing a rank in a skill represents a measure of training in that skill.

You can refer to Table: Skill Ranks (below) to determine your starting Skill ranks.

Note: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.

Table: Skill Ranks
Class Skill Ranks per Level
(+Int modifier)
Alchemist 4
Barbarian 4
Bard 6
Cavalier 4
Cleric 2
Druid 4
Fighter 2
Gunslinger 4
Inquisitor 6
Magus 2
Monk 4
Ninja 8
Oracle 4
Paladin 2
Ranger 6
Rogue 8
Samurai 4
Sorcerer 2
Summoner 2
Witch 2
Wizard 2

6) Choose Feats

Determine how many feats your character receives, based on his class and level, and select them from those presented in Feats.

  • All characters begin with 1 feat.
  • If your characters race is human you get 1 additional feat (for a total of 2).
  • If your characters class is fighter you get another feat (total 3).

Examples:

  • Character is 1st level but is not a human and is not a fighter: Character gets 1 feat.
  • Character is 1st level and is a human or a fighter (but not both): Character gets 2 feats.
  • Character is a 1st level human fighter: Character gets 3 feats.

7) Determine Starting Hit Points (HP)

A character starts with maximum hit points at 1st level (the maximum number on its Hit Die + it’s Constitution modifier (additional hp if a positive modifier or less hp if a negative modifier) or if its first Hit Die roll is for a character class level.

To determine a hit points for levels beyond 1st, roll the dice indicated by its Hit Dice and adjust the result by adding or subtracting it’s Constitution modifier. Creatures whose first Hit Die comes from an NPC class or from his race roll their first Hit Die normally.

Table: Hit Die by Class
Class HD
Alchemist d8
Barbarian d12
Bard d8
Cavalier d10
Cleric d8
Druid d8
Fighter d10
Gunslinger d10
Inquisitor d8
Magus d8
Monk d8
Ninja d8
Oracle d8
Paladin d10
Ranger d10
Rogue d8
Samurai d10
Sorcerer d6
Summoner d8
Witch d6
Wizard d6

8) Get Equipped

Each new character begins the game with an amount of gold, based on his class, that can be spent on a wide range of equipment and gear, from chainmail armor to leather backpacks. This gear helps your character survive while adventuring. Usually you cannot use this starting money to buy magic items without the consent of your GM.

The armor or other protective devices you purchase may affect his starting Armor Class (AC), so once you have purchased armor or other protective devices you can determine your Armor Class (AC).

Table: Starting Character Wealth
Class Starting Wealth Average
Alchemist 3d6 × 10 gp 105 gp
Barbarian 3d6 × 10 gp 105 gp
Bard 3d6 × 10 gp 105 gp
Cavalier 5d6 × 10 gp 175 gp
Cleric 4d6 × 10 gp 140 gp
Druid 2d6 × 10 gp 70 gp
Fighter 5d6 x 10 gp 175 gp
Gunslinger 5d6 x 10 gp 175 gp
Inquisitor 4d6 × 10 gp 140 gp
Magus 4d6 × 10 gp 140 gp
Monk 1d6 × 10 gp 35 gp
Ninja 4d6 × 10 gp 140 gp
Oracle 3d6 × 10 gp 105 gp
Paladin 5d6 × 10 gp 175 gp
Ranger 5d6 × 10 gp 175 gp
Rogue 4d6 × 10 gp 140 gp
Samurai 3d6 × 10 gp 105 gp
Sorcerer 2d6 × 10 gp 70 gp
Summoner 2d6 × 10 gp 70 gp
Witch 3d6 × 10 gp 105 gp
Wizard 2d6 × 10 gp 70 gp

Making a Character Above 1st level

If you are creating a character or creature at a level other than 1st you should consult your GM and the Wealth for Higher Level PC’s table to determine your starting gold. See Table: Character Wealth by Level for details.

Table: Character Wealth by Level
PC Level* Wealth
2 1,000 gp
3 3,000 gp
4 6,000 gp
5 10,500 gp
6 16,000 gp
7 23,500 gp
8 33,000 gp
9 46,000 gp
10 62,000 gp
11 82,000 gp
12 108,000 gp
13 140,000 gp
14 185,000 gp
15 240,000 gp
16 315,000 gp
17 410,000 gp
18 530,000 gp
19 685,000 gp
20 880,000 gp
* For 1st-level PCs, see Equipment.

9) Determine Saving Throws, Initiative, and Attack Values.

Determine all of the character’s other mechanical details, such as his or her saving throws, initiative modifier, and attack values. All of these numbers are determined by the decisions made in previous steps, usually determined by your class choice.

10) Description & Personality

Choose or make up a name for your character (or generate one randomly!), determine his or her age, alignment, and physical appearance (such as height, weight, eye and hair color etc). It is helpful to think of a few unique personality traits as well, to help you play the character during the game.

11) Other (Starting Spells)

If your character is a wizard (or any class that uses spellbooks) then you need to pick spells. A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells (except those from his prohibited schools, if any; see Arcane Schools) plus three 1st-level wizard spells of his choice. The wizard also selects a number of additional 1st-level wizard spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new wizard level, he gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new wizard level) for his spellbook. At any time, a wizard can also add spells found in other wizards’ spellbooks to his own (see Magic).

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