How to Design a Character

When you are ready to design a Character to play in Anarea, you need to proceed as follows.  The DM may have specified rules for a particular Character design required, which will override what is stated here.  What follows relates to designing a Player Character for running in Mainstream Anarea (the story of "The Champions of Anarea"), and is the default if nothing specific has been ruled.  You don't necessarily have to follow the strict order below.

  1. Download the latest version of the Character Specification Spreadsheet (Excel format).  You do not have to use this, but it makes the calculations a lot easier.  (The spreadsheet automates the dice rolling for you.  You need to update the relevant cells of this by Selecting All, pressing F9 a random number of times, and then using Paste Special to fix the data in the cells.)
  2. Select your Character's Race and Species (from the Beings - People section of the website) and decide his or her sex.  (The DM may have specified that Species Equalisation applies, in which case you will have to adjust your Character's total Level as stated under Species Equalisation on the relevant People page.)  Complete the Race and Sex fields on the Characteristics & Experience tab of the spreadsheet.  Note that Race should be selected from the drop-down list in the spreadsheet, so the Species Modifiers calculate automatically.
  3. Roll Characteristics on 4d6 RUD, except Sz & Hd, with 3d6 in common for DxPh/M, modifying them for Species & sex as stated on the relevant People page, and complete the Characteristics section of the Characteristics & Experience tab of the spreadsheet (to do this automatically ensure "No" is selected in the "Normal?" field in the spreadsheet in  order to roll Chars on 4d6).  Note that ordinary People are rolled using 3d6 throughout (selecting "Yes" in the "Normal?" field in the spreadsheet rolls them on 3d6).  4d6 are used with the DM's permission to generate exceptional Characters for adventuring.
  4. Give your Character a name.  Define Personality & Past History / Memories in a separate Word document, to include justification of why he or she is on any particular mission for which he or she has been designed.  This will involve deciding Alignment, God in which Faith is placed, and some background.  Roleplaying starts here.
  5. Roll total Level as 8 + d100 RUD for the next 2 decimal places.  E.g. you roll 47 on d100, so you have a Character of total Level 8.47.  (The base 8 may vary, depending on what Level Character the DM has specified you should design, and whether Species Equalisation applies.  The d100 is unaffected.)  Allocate Experience between the different disciplines listed on the Characteristics & Experience tab of the spreadsheet in a realistic manner.  The Total for SL (ignoring Save +s, e.g for Paladinhood) should correspond to the total Level you rolled.  Experience may be allocated in fractions of levels, down to 4 decimal places.  Note that it is generally assumed that 8th level is the minimum to begin serious adventuring.  Think carefully before you take FtL < 1.
  6. Roll "Luck" on d100 (high is good).  This is used by the DM for unspecified purposes in approving your Character design, and possibly in other cases.
  7. Roll up cash to equip your Character as 4d4 * 1000GP RUD (3d4 * 1000GP RUD for orcs, goblins and other impoverished People) and use it to purchase Possessions to be completed on the Possessions tab of the Spreadsheet (see Shops section of website for costs, availability and encumbrance).  Any balance may be kept as cash.  This may need some adjustment dependent on your Character's background and Social Class.  Remember when purchasing Armour that each 300 wt pts of encumbrance from Armour gives Dx(Ph) -1, and each 500 wt pts of encumbrance from Armour gives triangled Thievish Difficulty Levels.  Also watch that total encumbrance does not exceed Carrying Capacity, or movement penalties will be incurred.
  8. Complete detail on Abilities tabs in spreadsheet (see Systems section of website).  Delete inapplicable tabs.  Decide upon and enter Weapons and Spells learnt (no restriction on learning time for Spells, but learning too many can give minuses).  Edit the SLLs Learnt field on the Characteristics & Experience tab so it only SUMs SLLs from undeleted MU tabs.  Note that Weapons should be selected from the drop-down list in the spreadsheet, so that they match exactly one of those listed in the linked Chmod-vn.xlsx spreadsheet, or the various modifiers will not calculate automatically.
  9. For Fighter Weapon Specialisation assume sufficient training has been completed so all FtLs of Experience earned may be allocated to WS.  E.g a L4 Fighter may be WS4 in one Weapon Class or WS2 in two Weapon Classes.  In addition WS1 may be allocated in Dagger, Unarmed Combat and two other Weapon Classes (Throwing Knives and a Ranged Weapon Class are commonly chosen).  If FtLs have not been allocated (e.g. FtL is 3, and you wish to wait until FtL 4 is reached to get WS4), no extra training may be claimed (Fighters always do their training at the last minute on earning the necessary Experience!).
  10. For Thievish Level of Mastery roll d4 weeks' training per ThL, pro-rata'ing a final d4 for any part ThL, and allocate the training to LoM as you wish.  Odd weeks of training not giving whole LoMs may be noted against Activity Classes.
  11. Thief Abilities and Elementalist Abilities require pluses to be computed if Level is greater than 1.  These can be worked out from the Experience System, assuming whole levels were earned per claim, and average danger throughout, with no starred casts.  E,g a L2 Thief has 37.5 total pluses, a L3 Thief has 112.5 total pluses, a Ln Thief has 37.5 * n(n-1)/2 total pluses, a Ln El'ist has 18.75 * n(n-1)/2 total pluses.  Allocate the pluses realistically (not evenly).  Delete any rows with Restricted Activities not applicable to your Character (see the Thievish Activity List).
  12. Clerics may claim total credit as the sum of ClL number of rolls on d100 RUD.
  13. Druids may claim realistic unused media (it is advisable to have purchased a Golden Sickle and Bowl for this in your Possessions).
  14. Languages may be claimed as stated in the Languages System, but must be appropriate for the Character's background.  He or she will usually be FR in the native tongue for his Species and in Valdrean (for Overworlders) or Orcish (for Underworlders).  Languages or dialects of other places he or she has visited may usually only be claimed as K.  Elves of the Overworld will normally be FR in both Quenya and Sindarin.  Clerics will be FR in their Alignment tongue.  Binders may claim KR in Old Speech.  Other MUs will not usually know any Old Speech.
  15. Insert the current Date (see main index page) in the "Experience as at" field on the Characteristics and Experience tab.  The Date may affect available Clerical Gods and current Systems.  No backdated running is allowed - it has all been assumed in the above process.
  16. Email the completed spreadsheet and document to the DM for approval.  You may include suggestions for possible Cultism, Powers, Magic Items (purchase from Nima with cash rolled, if sufficient, as for other Possessions above), disadvantages, etc., but the DM will have the final say.  The DM always reserves the right to change or replace your Character in any way he sees fit.  There may or may not be in-character reasons for this.

If you have any queries, ask the DM or (subject to confidentiality of your Character) other Players.

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