Based on Alpha Arkana by J. Keith Wykowski & Trey Coonrod

Character Creation

By J. Keith Wykowski

Character Creation

Step 1. Character & Chronicle Concepts

Step 2. Hero Type & Option Points

Step 3. Select a Personality

Step 4. Determine Attributes

Step 5. Select a Race

Step 6. Options & Powers

Step 7. Purchase Resources

Step 8. Purchase Skills

Step 9. Purchase Equipment

Step 10. Final Calculations

Step 1. Character & Chronicle Concepts

The first step of creating any character is understanding the world in which the character will live and interact. Ask your Game Master about the chronicle’s setting. Is it a dark mirror world of our own? Is it a Four-Color Golden Age city in which the heroes will do battle with villainous scum? Is it a bleak near future world with little hope for mankind other than to make a few quick bucks and eat another day? Alpha Chronicles has been designed to be very setting neutral, and is very easily modified to a multitude of settings.

However, the setting the GM has selected is extremely important to every other step of creation. Does the world have true super powers? Do supernatural terrors stalk darkened streets? These limits will help shape the player characters and the world they live in. Nothing is worse than having a great concept for a Magister supreme, and turn out to be playing in a non-magical world of the future. Many GMs may wish to allow a “kitchen-sink” setting that incorporates the entire game system. If combined with a simulacrum of our real world, it will eliminate many unnecessary misconceptions between players and the Game Master. Even in our real world the number of settings are endless. A chronicle set in Washington D.C. will have an entirely different feeling from one in Atlanta GA. These smaller location questions should affect the development of the character as well. Would a Hollywood producer come to Seattle Washington? Not likely, unless they had a good reason.

Now is time for the individual character concept. This is more important that you may think. Even a bare-bones idea of the powers, strengths, weaknesses, skills, history, or personality will assist you in later steps. A concept of a dilettante goth club-bunny may develop into a memorable character. Any ideas that may give you a handle on later decisions are important. The concept may change slightly or even become radically different during creation, but at least you have an initial impetus.

Certain professions and occupations may also greatly define a character. The inquisitive journalist, the charismatic public relations official, or the drugged out school janitor will predefine many facets of the developing character. Physical age may also play a part. A teenage skater hooligan will have a drastically different set of characteristics than the aging mafia hit-man. Or will they? Do they have the same skills and options? If so, how did each develop them?

When creating a concept for the character always remember the journalistic 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Try to apply these questions as often as possible during the creation process. Don’t simply select High-Tech Electronics because it’s cool. Why does your character possess a level of genius and technology well beyond that of normal society? Who taught him such impressive skills? When did he learn them? Where does he practice and improve them? What does he hope to accomplish with them? The answer to each of these questions will most likely lead to more questions, and a greater understanding of who your creation really is.

Once the bare-bones concept is decided stop for a moment and think about the possible personalities that your character could have. Certain occupations, vocations, and hobbies will lend themselves to very differing personalities. The shy kid in school probably learns more knowledge than the all-star football quarterback, but he would have a great set of physical attributes and sports skills. Not to mention some social skills, contacts, and fame. Or you could reverse the situation. The shy kid who forces herself into the limelight and becomes everybody’s confidant is just as likely to share those skills. The football star may lapse into despair after school is over and hide away doing nothing but reading and plotting for a return to fame. Does the character have any religious beliefs or ideals that shape his life? Is the character an atheist or just plain uncommitted? Does he switch from one religion to the next with surprising frequency trying to find a kernel of truth in each? Is there any other strong, non-religious, philosophies that the character aspires to?

Don’t just half step. Secret and mysterious backgrounds can be fun, but try to give the GM at least a minimum of back-story to weave the campaign into. The GM has enough work creating the campaign and the villains you are about to tromp over. On the flip side, the GM needs help creating your cast of supporting non-player characters. The friends, family, co-workers, and associates of your vibrant life-like character. Sometimes nothing says more about a person than the friends she keeps, or the enemies she acquires. Parents and siblings are great for explaining why the character chose a specific life-path or feels a certain way about a topic. Even the most peaceful person could become enraged by a sore subject that has been plucked just one time too many. Does the character belong to any organizations, clubs, groups, unions, or fan-doms? Does she believe in the effort or simply trying to please someone in her life? Does she work part time or volunteer her time to assist the cause? Is it a hobby that occupies her attention and time? Who does she know because of her associations? Does the organization pertain to her adventuring life? Is it a religious based organization? Is it medical or psychological in nature? Does the character occasionally from insomnia or migraines? What benefits; social, financial, spiritual; does she receive from it?

The last and most important element in any concept: Why is this character working with the other player characters? This crucial piece of information will easily assist the GM in sliding the character into the group and make your life easier when the other players want to atomize, molest, imprison, or harass your character. Do they share a common enemy? Are they drawn together by common need? Do they share a specific event that binds them in some way? Why are they together and why will they stay together? What are the group dynamics going to be like? How will your character fit into these relationships with very diverse and strong willed individuals? Some GMs may prefer to link the player characters after the chronicle has already begun, but some will appreciate the assistance. Ask her.

Step 2. Hero Type & Option Points

After you have your character’s concept, it is time to begin fleshing her out with statistics, rules, and game mechanics. Try to keep your nascent character true to concept as you select your options, attributes, and skills. You may choose to alter or modify your initial concept, but try to make it a more interesting character and concept rather than simply min-maxing out some aspect of the rules. Some of the best characters have serious weaknesses, some subtle and some rather obvious. Try not to gimp your character as you make him, not everyone is as interested in playing in the same group as the blind and deaf gunslinger with multiple personalities as you are. Disruptive characters will lessen the fun for everyone involved, and make cause inter-player conflicts.

Your Game Master will tell the players the chronicle’s level of realism and Option Points (OP). Option Points are the extra little freebies that help you to tweak your character and make him that much more special. They also are required for certain occupations, innate powers, and non-human races. If you run out of Option Points during the creation process you may gain more by selecting weaknesses and flaws. Each weakness or flaw will give you more Option Points, but will give your character enemies, a raging temper, poor skills or attributes, or other significant problems. While a character may choose any number of weaknesses, they will only receive credit for up to the value allowed by the campaign maximum.

The more Option Points given during creation will have a dramatic impact upon the feel of a campaign. The greater the number of Option Points, the more superhuman and powerful the chronicle will be. For a more gritty setting with mostly human characters, limit them appropriately. Characters will be able to expand their starting level of power with additional experience later on during the chronicle.

Level of Realism Old System New System Max/Single Option Max Spent

Gritty (50) 100 50 125

Low Powered (80) 200 100 250

Average (130) 300 150 400

High Powered (165) 500 200 600

Titans & Champions (210) 700 250 800

During character creation it is important to remember that Option Points can be spent at any time from here on out. Therefore it is important to keep an accurate account of how these points are spent. Do not calculate anything based on attributes until the very end of the purchasing segment. There is nothing more aggravating than having to re-calculate all of a character’s skills and modifiers because of an increased attribute or some other trait.

The first step of spending points is to determine what Hero Type the character will be. Hero Types are broad categories that limit and steer the player into a more consistent spending pattern. Each Hero Type will have a differing cost for the specific options that can be purchased. Some options will not be allowed for that Hero Type. If the GM wishes, he might limit the Hero Types available to the players or even ignore the concept entirely. The latter option is generally only recommended for beginning players, very mature role-players, or anyone who wishes a truly unique chronicle.

The best way to structure a campaign is by using the Hero Type and limiting what the GM doesn’t desire in her campaign world. Experienced GMs should create additional Hero Types to tailor their campaign worlds. Additional Hero Types will be created as we create additional campaign universes and genres. Hero types should not be confused with occupations or classes or anything similar. They are extremely broad and should be used to give structure to a chronicle not cookie-cutter one.

Another excellent way for a Game Master to fine tune a campaign is to force each player to select a specific race or set of powers. Additional options can be used to specialize and diversify each character from the others. In this way the Game Master could have a group of vampires, monster hunters, aliens, or demons. It helps provide structure and easy links between characters. It also allows the players to be balanced between themselves and still have a nice set of abilities and powers.

Cybernetics & Robotics

Created by the most state of the art scientific knowledge and tools, this Hero Type is a marvel of modern or post modern technology. Seamlessly, or not so in some cases, combining the physical body with high technology. Examples include 50 Billion dollar people, alien cyborgs from other worlds, or even heroes from a possible future. Most of their options include powers and abilities that can be duplicated by technology. Characters that select this should be able to assume that if they want to be robots, cyborgs, or have high-tech power armor that is absolutely allowed. Any powers that they select should be built into the appropriate device. These powers generally operate identically to the standard powers, and anything selected with option points should be generally safely presumed not to be stolen, destroyed, or otherwise altered without some recourse in the story to restore the device. Stuff bought with cash however should always be assumed to be fair game.

Magical

Magic has been an integral part in almost every human culture throughout history. It has often been shrouded in mystery, superstition and spurned as the devil’s work. Those who study its intricacies are said to know more than they should, see past the barriers of the mortal world, and conjure beings from beyond. It is sometimes mingled with the various faiths and religions of the Earth, becoming stronger or weaker as the flow of history eroded our knowledge of the specifics. What if it was real? What if some in our world stumbled upon the truth and have the will to manipulate reality? These characters are some of the few with the drive, knowledge, and talent to spin spells and cast enchantments. They have spent most of their lives searching for the true magic in dusty tomes, arcane trances, and distant locales. Many have items of wonder and power that they bring to their incantations while others rely upon their own wits and indomitable wills. Their options include Spellcraft, magical weapons and items, unnatural skills, knowledge of other worlds and supernatural creatures.

Psychic

They are the masters of the mind. They have opened their minds to the truth of reality and now can perceive the deeper level of truth that binds the universe together. They are often self taught, developing their powers in secret, fearful of the repercussions of those less gifted. Those scared that they see too much and know too many buried secrets. These gifted people are a varied breed. While many share common powers of ESP, telepathy, and other mind opening disciplines others have gained mastery over the elements or the physical body. Most of their options include mental mastery, physical mastery, and a smattering of other more unusual powers.

Natural & Skill Based

They are “normal people” with an edge. Whether that edge is a great devotion to a cause, a great talent for certain skills, gimmick weapons or equipment, or even an almost unnatural mastery of their own body they are still not unearthly powers. Most anthropomorphic animals, martial artists, monster hunters, vigilantes, pulp action heroes, and secret agents fall into this category. Many action movie characters fall into this category as well as most characters from any modern novels. Chronicles that desire a greater level of realism may wish to select this hero type.