Character Creation and Progression - eskerthebreton/thrum GitHub Wiki

Previous: Conditions	Next: Archetype Traits

A dynamic character sheet is available here for

• Libre Office Calc
• Google Sheets
• Excel (at least on Windows) messes up some formatting (Windows uses a different line break convention, so ability descriptions don't display properly), but with some judicious Find and Replace it can probably be addressed.

Creating a new character at Level 1 involves the following mechanically impactful steps (in addition to purely narrative choices like name, background, etc.)

1. Select 1 Archetype Trait each from the Combat and Utility lists
2. Allocate 2 Attribute Points
3. Allocate 3 Utility Training Points
4. Allocate 3 Combat Training Points
5. Allocate 4 Utility Ability Points to select Utility Abilities
6. Allocate 4 Combat Ability Points to select and/or upgrade Combat Abilities

If the table is new to TTRPGs and/or wants a simplified start, they can start with characters at Level 0, leveling up to Level 1 after the first session or two, independent of Arc objectives. To start at Level 0, reduce the number of Combat Abilities and Utility Abilities selected by 1 each. Characters then gain their fourth Ability for each of these types when they become Level 1.

For a one shot or campaign beginning with more powerful characters, consult the table under Leveling Up for the number of points of each type.

Archetype Traits are broad-based passive benefits that grant +1 to an Attribute as well as another benefit.

Attribute Points are used to raise the modifiers for Power (POW), Endurance (END), Finesse (FIN), Reflex (REF), Reasoning (REA) and Focus (FOC).

Derived attributes are not raised directly, but inherit their modifiers from three "Reactive" Specific Attribute modifiers:

• Initiative and Evasion are both equal to REF
• Resilience is equal to END
• Resolve is equal to FOC
• Maximum Fatigue Tolerance is 3 plus END
• Maximum Stress Tolerance is 2 plus FOC

In addition, Speed and Maximum Effort start at 4 regardless of Attribute modifiers.

Each Training point is used to raise the Training Level for a Utility or Combat Art. Level 1 characters start with 3 Utility Training points and 3 Combat Training points. See Arts and Archetypes for a table listing the Arts and the Attributes they depend on.

The actual modifer for each Utility Art is a mix of attributes and training. To calculate it add three things: the Proactive Attribute, the Reactive Attribute and the Training Level in the Art and then divide by 2 (rounding down).

The modifier for a Combat Art is half the sum of the Primary Attribute and Training Level for that Art rounded down, plus 1/4 of the characters Level rounded up (in other words, the Level bonus starts at 1 and goes up at levels 5, 9 and 13).

It is likely a good idea to try to start with a modifier of at least +3 in at least one Combat Art in which you plan to select an Attack. This can be accomplished in a few ways:

• +1 or more in the Primary Attribute, +2 or more in the Secondary Attribute and 2 or more Training
• +2 more more in the Primary Attribute, and 2 or more Training
• +3 in the Primary Attribute and 1 Training

This target allows for some investment in a second Art, "unlocking" Stance or Passive options there, and for having reasonably solid defenses.

Finally, abilities associated with Utility Arts and Combat Arts are selected and/or upgraded by spending Ability Points.

In both cases, the number of Ability Points available starts at 4 at Level 1 and character gain an Ability Point whenever they gain a Training point. Characters can only select Abilities in Arts where their Training Level is at least 1, but the number of different abilities they can have in an Art is not otherwise restricted by Training Level.

Some Combat Abilities list Upgrades in the ability definition, some of which provide a fixed benefit, and some of which cause a specific aspect of the ability to scale based on one of the character's Attributes (not always the Primary Attribute for the Art). When an upgrade references half of an Attribute, round down unless otherwise specific.

It costs 1 Ability Point to Upgrade an ability that has previously been selected, and the maximum number of Upgrades a character can apply to any single ability is equal to half their Training Level in the corresponding Art.

At specified higher levels (see Leveling Up), charaters gain access to two special types of Combat Abilities: Nova Abilities and Combat Masteries. These do not use normal Combat Ability Points to select, but are each granted or upgraded using points dedicated to that type of Ability.

Nova Abilities are particularly strong Actions that can be used only occasionally. Each Combat Art has one associated Nova Ability, and each one has its own requirements for use: some can be used at any time during a fight but only once per Combat, others "charge up" passively each round, and others charge up when a specific trigger occurs during combat. Of those that charge up, some require a certain charge level to be used, and others can be used with any charge level but become stronger the greater the charge. When a character gains a Nova Ability Point, it can be spent either to select a new Nova Ability or to upgrade an existing one.

Combat Masteries are powerful and broad-based Passive abilities that allow a character to enhance their abilities in a particular Combat Art, either by doubling down on the core characteristics of that Art or by spicing them up with characteristics from another Art.

Suppose Sid is creating a Level 1 character, and the concept they have in mind is a rakish Swashbuckler type that has a little bit of magic.

Sid's character concept is rakish, so they go with The Rake for their Utility Archetype. For their Combat Archetype Trait they take The Skirmisher to help them get to targets and away from threats. These Traits grant them +1 to FIN and REF, respectively.

Sid figures they will need to be able to take some hits when they can't avoid getting hit, so they put +1 in END. They also want to get their FIN to 2 for their combat offense, so they put their other +1 there.

Their specific attributes between Archetype Traits and Attribute Point allocation are then:

• +0 for POW
• +1 for END
• +2 for FIN
• +1 for REF
• +0 for REA
• +0 for FOC

Their Derived Attributes are as follows:

• Initiative is +1 (inherited from REF)
• Resilience is +1 (inherited from END)
• Evasion is +1 (inherited from REF)
• Resolve is +0 (inherited from FOC)
• Fatigue Tolerance is 4 (3 + END)
• Stress Tolerance is 2 (2 + FOC)

Sid figures a magical swashbuckler will probably carry a light sword and weave through the battlefield, so they decide to allocate 2 Training points to Dueling and 1 to Kineticism.

Their Dueling modifier is equal half the sum of their FIN modifier (its primary attribute) and Dueling Training Level, plus 1/4 of their Level rounded up.

For now, this is equal to (2+2)/2 + 1 = 3 (at Level 1, the level bonus is 1).

Their Kineticism modifier has REA as its Primary Attribute. Sid has not raised REA and their Kineticism Training Level is only 1, so this modifier is (0+1)/2 + 1 = 1, because the sum of the Primary and Training Level is only 1, which rounds down to 0 after halving.

Despite a relatively low modifier in Kineticism, Sid still gets to choose from the full list of its abilities, though they cannot add any Upgrades yet.

They also have +2 in Ninjutsu and Mesmerism (both of which have FIN as their primary attribute), however they cannot yet select abilities from these disciplines unless and until they invest at least one Training point there (see Ability Selection).

Sid decides they want their character to be quick witted, good with their hands, and versatile, so they allocate their Utility Arts points to three different Arts: Influence, representing their capacity to deftly navigate social interactions, Craft, representing their manual dexterity, and Problem Solving, because they will use their wits to get into and out of trouble.

They already had +1 to their Training Levels for Influence and Craft (as well as Stealth) from The Rake Utility Archetype, so these now have total Training Level of 2 while Stealth and Problem-Solving have a Training Level of 1.

• Influence is governed by FIN and FOC, so they have a +2 there (half of 4: 2 from FIN, 0 from FOC, 2 from Training)
• Craft is governed by FIN and END, so they have a +2 there (half of 5 rounded down: 2 from FIN 1 from END, and 2 from Training)
• Problem Solving is governed by REA and REF. They have +1 there (half of 2: 0 from REA, 1 from REF and 1 from Training)
• Stealth is governed by FIN and REF. They have +1 there (half of 4: 2 from FIN, 1 from REF and 1 from Training)

Sid can choose any three Combat Abilities divided in any way they like between Dueling and Kineticism. Alternatively they could choose only two abilities and an Upgrade in a Dueling ability (they cannot upgrade a Kineticism ability as their training level is only 1 there).

Characters can raise modifiers and gain and upgrade abilities as they level up. The table below indicates the cumulative number of Attribute Points and Training Points a character should have by any given level. The number of Attribute Points does not include the bonuses granted as part of the Archetype Traits.

Except at Level 0, the number Combat Ability Points (APs) is always equal to one more than the total Combat Training Points (TPs), and likewise for Utility APs and TPs.

At levels 3, 9 and 12, characters gain a Nova Ability Point.

At level 5, characters choose a second set of Archetype Trait or upgrade their existing ones (they can make this choice separately for Combat and Utility Archetypes).

At levels 6 and 12 characters gain a Combat Mastery.

Level	Archetype Traits	Attribute Pts	Utility TPs	Combat TPs	Utility APs	Combat APs	Combat MPs	Nova APs
0	1	2	3	3	3	3	-	-
1	1	2	3	3	4	4	-	-
2	1	3	3	4	4	5	-	-
3	1	4	4	4	5	5	-	1
4	1	4	4	5	5	6	-	1
5	2	4	5	5	6	6	-	1
6	2	4	5	6	6	7	1	1
7	2	5	6	6	7	7	1	1
8	2	5	6	7	7	8	1	1
9	2	7	7	7	8	8	1	2
10	2	7	7	8	8	9	1	2
11	2	8	8	8	9	9	1	2
12	2	9	9	9	9	9	2	3

Previous: Conditions	Next: Archetype-Traits