Character Creation

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Marullus
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Character Creation

#1 Post by Marullus »

Make sure you're read the How This Works: House Rules and Clarifications for the full breadth of topics. This thread highlights the details for character creation to help you get started more quickly.

We will use the Labyrinth Lord Original rules as the core rulebook for this setting. Character Creation begins on page 6.

Making a New Character
  • Create your character in the Unseen Servant die roller: http://www.unseenservant.com/
  • On the Characters tab, choose Create a New Character. Name your PC, and put in Campaign ID number 417.
  • Next to your character's name, click the big gold die under the "Roll Stats" button. Roll using the 3d6 method. Assign the stats in the order of your choice. There is no point-buy option. Click "Aye." (Players are encouraged to use the initial roll, and rewarded if they accept a low result (see below). Players are permitted to re-roll by clicking "Nay" if there is a specific concept desired. Remember, no roll is perfect and flaws are fun to play, too. Pick a set and move forward.)
  • Choose a class: Cleric, Dwarf, Elf, Fighter, Halfling, Magic-User, Thief
  • Use the Die Roller to roll your hit points. (You may re-roll 1's for hit points at all levels.)
  • Make notes on your character sheets about any other class abilities.
  • Use the Die Roller to roll and record your starting coin: 3d8x10 gold pieces (gp) for all PCs.
  • Record your character's Savings Throws (found on page 55)
  • Magic Users and Elves choose two first-level spells and one second level spell for their starting spellbook (list on page 42). Read magic is given to all Magic Users for free; record it as a third first-level spell.
  • Purchase all starting equipment from the lists on pages 15 and 16. (Additional materials beyond this list for purchase will be listed in the store locations in-town on the IC threads.)
  • Write a character description and character background and record it on your sheet. You are invited to view the Backgrounds: Places of the Southern Lands thread for inspiration and to link your background to what other players have used for their characters previously.
House rules impacting character creation:
  • All characters begin at the minimum XP for second level (effective Sept 2019).
  • Once the Stats roll is accepted, add up all six attributes. It the total is higher than 70, proceed as is. If the total is 63 to 70, one of your starting equipment items is a family heirloom with 2001xp. If the total is 62 or below, you have 4002xp on one heirloom or 2001xp each on two heirloom items. See the Family Heirloom rules for details. Alternately, Magic users or Elves may also use this to begin with a larger spell book, spending 2001xp for another initial first level spell or 4001xp for a second level spell.
  • Choose from the expanded list of nine alignments rather than the three in the LL book. This means choosing on the Law-Chaos axis as well as the Good-Evil axis separately. See below for the list of nine alignments.
  • Clerics must choose a deity who they serve from the Deities list. If a new deity is desired, it should be submitted to the GM for review and mirror the format for existing deities.
  • Clerics, Elves, and Magic Users receive bonus spells-per-day for high attribute scores, wisdom and intelligence respectively. This table can be found below. Bonus spells only apply once the spellcaster reaches a character level where that spell-level can be cast.
  • Fighters receive extra attacks at 5th level, not at 15th. With this modification the book text should read, "Beginning at 5th level, a fighter gains one additional attack per round. One further attack is gained every 5 levels to a maximum of 4 attacks per round."
  • Thieves receive a bonus to their skills for high dexterity. +5% for 16 or 17. +10% for 18. (Does not apply to Hear Noise.)
  • Thieves can wear both leather or studded leather armor.
  • There is no cost for helmets - they are assumed to be part of whatever armor you buy and don't impact armor class in LL Basic.
  • Dwarves can wield battleaxes, picks, and warhammers, and can do so one-handed due to racial familiarity. Dwarves also gain a racial advantage when performing excavation and construction tasks.
  • Halflings can use long swords and bastard swords per the book, but these count as two-handed for them.
  • Hammers are adjusted to match the other bludgeoning weapons. Light Hammers do 1d6 damage. Warhammers do 1d8 damage.
  • A normal staff is effectively free (it is a cut sapling or a wizard's walking stick). It does 1d6 damage and is two-handed. An iron-banded quarterstaff is an intentional weapon and costs 2gp per the book. It is two-handed, does 1d8 damage, and weighs 8lbs for encumbrance.
  • As the wizard weapon allowance is ambiguous, it is clarified as: Club, Dagger, Dart, Short Sword, and Staff (1d6 version).
  • All humans and halflings get one free language. So, Humans get Common, Alignment, and one of choice. All races still get additional intelligence languages normally. Clarification of languages can be found here.

Once complete:
  • Embed the "sheet" code from the top of your character sheet into a Private Message and send it to the GM (i.e. Marullus). I'll review your sheet, die rolls, background, and heirloom items and then reply back with edits or approval.
  • You must introduce your new PC in the Rogues' Gallery thread, but don't need to share any information about the character that wouldn't be clear from a visual inspection or brief personal interaction.
  • Go to the Census of Faith thread and record your relationships with the divine entities of the gameworld.
  • Go to the IC threads in (IC) Settlement - Gaul and make your first post to roleplay your character's arrival in the game world. Interact with other PCs until you find an expedition to embark upon.

    All character sheets will be private in general, except that I will share out the character sheets of individuals you embark on an expedition with. You learn a lot day in and day out from traveling with someone.

    Importing a West Marches Character

    As this game is a follow-on due to the cancellation of Keehnelf's Lab Lord West Marches Sandbox, we will allow the import of characters from that chronicle using the following rules.
    • You have the option of making new PCs.
    • You have the option of making a "reskinned" PC with the same class, level, stats, HP, and XP.
    • You choose a new alignment, roll new starting coin, and choose new equipment. You can apply all house rules for this game appropriately, including beginning with an heirloom item if permitted by the imported stat roll.
    • All PCs are unique creations of this world. Any similarity between the experiences of their background write-up and the previous campaign's play is at your (the player's) discretion.
    • Relationships between PCs based on previous experience elsewhere just needs to be discussed and agreed between players.
    • Characters must be brought in one at a time, following the same rules as those beginning new characters: One character is imported and when that character returns from his first expedition a new character can be imported.
The following characters were listed as active at the time that chronicle was archived. I have obtained screenshots of the relevant attributes of their character sheets.
AleBelly - Varas Valkain - male human
dogma - Martin - male human
Dram - Baxtaw Greayburst - male elf
hedgeknight - Krista Kane - female human
KingofCowards - Bertram - male human
kingofcowards - Kennit Buckthorn - male halfling
mister-kent - Constance Wyrdweather - female human
mister-kent - Ruwyn Hollowheart - female halfling
monkeywrench - Remus - male human
monkeywrench - Valorei - male elf
Scott308 - Dorvar Thduum - male dwarf
spartakos - Galen - male human
spartakos - Rhodri - male elf
starbeard - Seadu - male human
Starbeard - Odium Contemptus - male human
YamItheonly1 - Mokatah Flynn - male human
zhym - Harold Willoughby - male human
zhym - Lug - male human
zhym - Ulf Stronghammer - male dwarf
Zhym - Melvin Bradenhurst - male human
zorroroaster - Marge - female human
Zorroroaster - Orrin Lighthammer - male dwarf

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Marullus
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Re: Character Creation

#2 Post by Marullus »

The Nine Alignments:
Nine distinct alignments defi ne all the possible combinations
of the law–chaos axis with the good–evil axis. Remember that
individuals vary from this norm, and that a given character may
act more or less in accord with his or her alignment from day to
day. Use these descriptions as guidelines, not as scripts.

Lawful Good, “crusader”: A lawful good character acts as a
good person is expected or required to act. He or she combines
a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight
relentlessly. He or she normally tells the truth, keeps his or her
word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A
lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished.
Generally, lawful good characters seek to combine the values
of both honour and compassion.

Neutral Good, “Benefactor”: A neutral good character does
the best that a good person can do. He or she is devoted to
helping others. He or she might work with or on behalf of kings
and magistrates, but does not feel beholden to them if he or
she feels that they are not serving the cause of good. Neutral
good characters value doing what is good without a particular
bias for or against order (or laws).

Chaotic Good, “Rebel”: A chaotic good character acts as his or
her conscience directs, with little regard for what others might
expect. He or she makes his or her own way, but is generally
kind and benevolent. He or she believes in goodness and personal
honour, but has little use for laws and regulations.
Such a character disdains those who seek to intimidate others
and tell them what to do. He or she follows his or her own
moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that
of society. Chaotic good characters value the combination of
a good heart with a free spirit.

Lawful neutral, “Judge”: A lawful neutral character acts as
law, tradition, or a personal code directs him. Order and organisation
are paramount. He or she may believe in personal
order and live by a code or standard, or might believe in order
for all, favouring a strong, organised government. Lawful
neutral characters value reliability and honour, and some can
be quite zealous about forcing these attributes onto society
or other individuals.

Neutral: A neutral character has no allegiance to either good
vs evil or law vs chaos. Most neutral characters exhibit a lack
of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality.
These normally think of good as preferable to evil—after all,
they would rather have good neighbours and rulers than evil
ones.
Still, such characters are not personally committed to upholding
good in any abstract or universal way, especially when there
is treasure to be had. Some neutral characters, on the other
hand, are morally committed to neutrality. They see good, evil,
law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes, advocating
and supporting neutrality as the best, most balanced
road in the long run.

Chaotic Neutral, “Free Spirit”: A chaotic neutral character
follows his or her whims. He or she is an individualist first and
last. He or she values his or her own liberty but does not strive
to protect others’ freedom. He or she avoids authority, resents
restrictions, and challenges traditions.
A chaotic neutral character does not normally intentionally
disrupt organisations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do
so, he or she would have to be motivated either by good (and
a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those
different from him- or herself suffer). A chaotic neutral character
may be unpredictable, but his or her behaviour is not
normally totally random.

Lawful Evil, “dominator”: A lawful evil villain methodically
takes what he or she wants within the limits of his or her code
of conduct without regard for whom it hurts. He or she cares
about tradition, loyalty, and order but not about freedom, dignity,
or life. He or she plays by the rules but without mercy
or compassion. He or she is comfortable in a hierarchy and
would like to rule, but is willing to serve. He or she condemns
others not according to their actions but according to race,
religion, homeland, or social rank. He or she is loath to break
laws or promises.
This reluctance comes partly from his or her nature and partly
because he or she depends on order to protect him- or herself
from those who oppose him or her on moral grounds. Some
lawful evil characters have particular taboos, such as not killing
in cold blood (but having underlings do it) or not letting
children come to harm (if it can be helped). They imagine that
these compunctions put them above unprincipled villains.
Some lawful evil people and creatures commit themselves to
evil with a zeal like that of a crusader committed to good.
Beyond being willing to hurt others for their own ends, they
take pleasure in spreading evil as an end unto itself. They may
also see doing evil as part of a duty to an evil deity or master.
Lawful evil is sometimes called “diabolical,” because devils are
the epitome of lawful evil.

Neutral Evil, “malefactor”: A neutral evil villain does whatever
he or she can get away with. He or she is out for him- or
herself, pure and simple. He or she sheds no tears for those
he or she kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. He
or she has no love of order and holds no illusion that following
laws, traditions, or codes would make him or her any better
or more noble. On the other hand, he or she doesn’t have the
restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has.
Some neutral evil villains hold up evil as an ideal, committing
evil for its own sake. Most often, such villains are devoted to
evil deities or secret societies.

Chaotic Evil, “destroyer”: A chaotic evil character does whatever
his or her greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him
to do. He or she is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent,
and unpredictable. If he or she is simply out for whatever he
or she can get, he or she is ruthless and brutal. If he or she is
committed to the spread of evil and chaos, he or she is even
worse. His or her plans may be worked out well in advance, but
their implementation will often be haphazard, and any group
he or she forms is likely to be poorly organised.
Typically, chaotic evil creatures can be made to work together
only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he or
she can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate him or her.
Chaotic evil is sometimes called “demonic” because demons
are the epitome of chaotic evil. Chaotic evil represents the
destruction not only of beauty and life but also of the order
on which beauty and life depend.

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Marullus
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Re: Character Creation

#3 Post by Marullus »

Cleric and Magic User bonus spells:

Code: Select all

             Bonus Spells per spell Level
   INT/WIS     1st     2nd     3rd     4th
     13         1       -       -       -
     14         2       -       -       -
     15         2       1       -       -
     16         2       2       -       -
     17         2       2       1       -
     18         2       2       1       1

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Marullus
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Re: Character Creation

#4 Post by Marullus »

Family Heirloom rules:
These rules are governed by the Heroic Items house rules and apply to regularly-purchased starting equipment items for certain new characters.

Someone in your family or hometown was once known for heroic deeds, and/or experienced a horrible and traumatic demise. These experiences leave a lasting, semi-magical impression on the physical objects involved and sometimes are strong enough to manifest as tangible magical abilities. For each heirloom item, follow the Heroic Items rules to determine an appropriate effect. Then write up a brief description of the person who's actions manifested this effect, the circumstances of those actions, and how the item came into your character's possession.

Examples:
  • Bullroarer's lucky wooden cane. Great grandfather Bullroarer Took led the defense of Hobbiton from goblins, smiting the head of the goblin chieftain clean-off with a blow from his favorite walking stick. He told the tale religiously, continuing to carry the cane for the rest of his life. The cane was passed down and entrusted to me when I ventured forth to find my fortune. Effects: For 2001xp, the cane acts as a normal club and gives a +1 versus goblins only. For 4002xp, the lucky cane cannot be lost, always finding its way back to its owner and it acts as a full club +1.
  • Mother's lamp. Growing up in the ruins of a drafty castle, we dared too far. My brother was taken in his sleep by the touch of a ghost, driving my mother to grief and despair. Every night she placed the lamp by my bed and prayed over it, not daring to leave until the morning light lest she lose another child. Eventually, her grief overcame her and she died, lamp still in-hand, leaving me an orphan forced to go out into the world. The lamp is all I have to remember her by. Effects: For 2001xp, the lamp lasts the night, never running out of oil until extinguished. (It must be refilled before being relit again normally.) For 4001xp, it also can provide a Protection from Evil spell-like ability, with ten charges.

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Marullus
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Re: Character Creation

#5 Post by Marullus »

Initial Spells:

Magic Users and Elves choose two first-level spells and one second level spell for their starting spellbook (list on page 42). Read magic is given to all Magic Users for free; record it as a third first-level spell.

Magic Users and elves choose from the twelve spells in the Labyrinth Lord Basic rules, on page 42. These represent the common spells known and taught in the Southern Kingdoms. They are:
First level:
  • Charm Person
  • Detect Magic
  • Floating Disc
  • Hold Portal
  • Light
  • Magic Missile
  • Protection from Evil
  • Read Languages
  • Read Magic*
  • Shield
  • Sleep
  • Ventriloquism
Second Level:
  • Arcane Lock
  • Continual Light
  • Detect Evil
  • Detect Invisible
  • ESP
  • Invisibility
  • Knock
  • Levitate
  • Locate Object
  • Mirror Image
  • Phantasmal Force
  • Web
Clerics receive access to all spells offered by their deity. The base eight spells are described in Lab Lord Basic as well. Each deity grants nine spells and any modifications from the base spell list are explicitly described under each Deity on the Deities list.

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Marullus
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Re: Character Creation

#6 Post by Marullus »

Modified Spells:
I'm changing the Read Languages spell from Lab Lord Basic to be a modified version of Comprehend Languages from the advanced rules instead. If you have this on your character sheet, please swap out the name and use this new language for the spell instead.

The old spell:
Read Languages
Level: 1
Duration: 2 turns
Range: 0
For the duration of this spell, the caster may read any language, coded message, map, or other set of written instructions. This spell does not grant any ability to speak unknown languages.
The new spell:
Comprehend Languages (reversible)
Level: 1
Duration: 5 rounds per level
Range: 0
The caster can understand the spoken words of creatures or read otherwise incomprehensible written messages. The ability to read does not necessarily impart insight into the material, merely its literal meaning. The spell enables the caster to understand or read an unknown language, not speak or write it.

Obscure languages, the opposite of comprehend languages, dispels the effects of comprehend languages, or can be used to make spoken or written language incomprehensible.

Also, the Detect Evil spell for Magic Users will be modified to match the spell for Clerics. Clerics have it as a level 1 spell and magic users as a level 2 spell, but both will have a range of 120 and duration of 6 turns.

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Re: Character Creation

#7 Post by Marullus »

Non-Class Skills

Your character has spent much of his life preparing for and developing the skills associated with your class. However, characters can choose to start with some exposure to other fields of work, whether from family business, previous occupation, or hobby. If a character chooses to skip this for more training in their class, they can take 1,000 bonus XP.

Starting Picks:
  • Humans pick two.
  • Halflings get Baker/Cook and then one choice.
  • Elves get Huntsman, Gardener, and one choice.
  • Dwarves get Blacksmith, Mason, and one choice.
The house rules around this, and the current list of professions to chose from, are HERE.

Add your non-class skills to your sheet when you submit to the GM for approval (or note that you are taking the XP bonus).

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