Consolidated Character Creation Thread

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Supporting Documents

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An Excel sheet has been provided as for above, so you do not need to remember it nor manually create it pen & paper style.

Most likely your GM has access to the above, but this topic is for the following is Pen and Paper style, assuming you have no Excel to assist with it, hence might be more nitty-gritty.

Expertise is a level-based modifier, which applies to attack rolls, damage rolls, AC and Fortitude Reflex Will. Note that Fortitude Reflex and Will are defenses, and attacks made against them (typically known as spells in other games) are penalised by cover, concealment etc based on their nature. The values are as follows
Levels 01-03 : Expertise 1
Levels 04-07 : Expertise 2
Levels 08-10 : Expertise 3
Levels 11-13 : Expertise 4
Levels 14-17 : Expertise 5
Levels 18-20 : Expertise 6
Levels 21-23 : Expertise 7
Levels 24-27 : Expertise 8
Levels 28-30 : Expertise 9

Saving Throws are simply a d20 roll, with 10+ being a success. They are usually modified by feats and items, but some abilities may also apply a penalty to saving throws.

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UB CHARACTER CREATION STEPS

A) CHOOSE AN ARRAY
5, 3, 0 / HP 25, WP 5
5, 2, 1 / HP 30, WP 6
4, 4, 1 / HP 25, WP 5
4, 3, 2 / HP 30, WP 6
3, 3, 3 / HP 35, WP 7
Assign the 3 numbers on the left to the following 3 Traits : Physique (Str+Con), Finesse (Dex+Int), Influence (Wis+Cha)

This can be communicated as assign 9 points to 3 Traits, max 5 and with the 5th point costing double (or max 4 for simplicity/speed)

A character's Fortitude defense is his 10+Expertise+Physique, Reflex is 10+Expertise+Finesse, Will is 10+Expertise+Influence.

Notes
- HP is Hitpoints, WP is Willpower. WP is typically used to either take an extra standard action (2WP) in bad situations, or reroll d20 / regain an expended ability / regain a Reserve (1WP). It usually refreshes either only during Level up (if Level up is once every 4-6 sessions or longer), or regain 1 WP per session (for campaigns where Level up is more frequent)
- Physique is required for Grab, Shove, Trip
- Physique 5+ or Constitution 3+ grants an extra Reserve (default is 2). Reserves are used for healing, when you are out of Reserves and unconscious you are typically out for the count no matter how much Healing your party has.
- Your attack rolls with your abilities almost always uses your Pri Trait (ie highest Trait), and your initiative and most feats use your Sec Trait (ie 2nd highest Trait). Slayers are more Sec Trait oriented, while Tanks are more Pri Trait oriented, with Healers about split.
- Yes this does mean if you so choose you can play a Charisma-based Druid or a Strength-based Wizard etc etc

B) STATS
Assign your points in each Trait among the following pairs, with no negative numbers.
Str-Con, Dex-Int, Wis-Cha
Eg. Finesse 4 can be Dex1 Int3, Dex4 Int0, etc
Due to most combat effects being based off Traits and not Stats, you have slightly more flexibility in being well-rounded.

C) SKILLS
Get 25 skill points (sp) to distribute among the Skills.
You can have up to +7 in a skill, and the last point costs one extra sp. So +6 costs 6 sp, +7 costs 8 sp.
For simplicity, you can just assign +5 to 5 skills.
Note each Skill Rating = Base Stat + Skill Points put in

The regular skills for a campaign varies based on the GM's preferences, the following is usually typical for a fantasy campaign. A different campaign set in a modern setting might have different skills.
Str : Athletics
Con : Endurance
Dex : Acrobatics, Stealth, Thievery
Int : Arcana, History, Religion
Wis : Heal, Nature, Perception, Sense Motive
Cha : Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Streetwise

D) ARMOR PROFICIENCY
Choose from heavy armor plus shield (speed reduced to 5 but AC not dependent on Sec Trait) or light armor/unarmored (AC dependent on Sec Trait).

Light/Unarmored Armor AC is 10 + Expertise + 2 + Sec Trait.
Heavy Armor AC is 10 + Expertise + 7. If the character equips a shield, he gets a +1 shield bonus to AC and Reflex, but also -1 armor check penalty to Str/Con/Dex skills

Notes
- Improved Armor Proficiency improves AC by 1, but also applies an armor check penalty of 1
- Heavy Shield proficiency improves the shield to a +2 shield bonus to AC and Reflex. The armor check penalty for using a shield is not increased.
- The only mechanical distinction between Unarmored and Light is that Unarmored cannot be improved.
- The names given for armor are vague and not 'leather', 'scale', 'plate' etc. They can be used for various types of armor as befitting the setting, and likewise for Shields.
- Armor and Shields are visible and perceptible.

E) WPN/IMP PROFICIENCY
All chars can use Basic weapons. Choose one of below
Implement: Choose +1 vs Fort Reflex or Will. You cannot choose this if you chose Heavy Armor in the previous step.
Weapon: All Military weapons or One Non-Precise Exotic weapon (or Unarmed Combat, if monk etc).

Quick Weapon List for Starting Groups

Basic 1H melee : Prof2, Wpn 1d6
Basic 2H melee : Prof2, Wpn 1d8
Basic 1H throwing : Prof2, Wpn 1d4, ranged 5/10
Basic 2H ranged : Prof2, Wpn 1d6, ranged 5/10

Military 1H melee : Prof3, Wpn 1d8 (this is also the profile for unarmed strike)
Military 2H melee : Prof3, Wpn 1d10
Military 2H melee, reach : Prof3, Wpn 1d8
Military 1H throwing : Prof3, Wpn 1d6, ranged 5/10
Military 2H ranged: Prof2 Wpn

Exotic 2H melee : Prof2, Wpn 2d6 brutal1

No basic weapons can be precise.
A character cannot use Precise Exotic Weapons unless they have Military Weapon Proficiency.
Only Exotic Ranged Weapons can be Precise.

There is a point buy system with various weapon properties to further customise weapons with a variety of options.

The key thing about customised weapons is that they are always perceived/recognisable as weapons by NPCs. Thievery checks can be used to conceal 1H weapons, if it makes sense.

Implement proficiency involves wielding an implement, and NPCs familiar with implements can also recognise them as 'weapons', so to speak. An implement can also be a non-ranged weapon, but would of course also be recognised as a weapon.

Physique & Finesse with Melee / Ranged Basic Attacks
- UB was intended to provide flexibility for players to have effective characters with stats that reflect their strengths and which can also be used for effective RP
- That said, the GM might want to limit the effectiveness of various characters, especially implement users, when using melee/ranged basic attacks. If they wish to do so, those that do not start with weapon proficiency would use Physique for melee basic attacks, and Finesse for ranged basic attacks
- With the above rule, an exotic weapon user would only use his Pri Trait when using the exotic weapon.

F) FEATS : CHOOSE TWO STARTING
At least One must be a Role Feat

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SPENDING UPGRADE POINTS (UP)

Starting Level : Y
You have 6 UP per level, +1. So the UP you start with is 6 x Y + 1.

2 UP: Gain 5 HP to max and current HP. It is recommended to to purchase *Min* 5 HP per two levels (this minimises the chance of being instantly killed by high damage rolls, ie going from conscious with single digit HP straight to dead due to hitting negative half of your max HP)

2 UP: Gain 5 skill points to assign into skills (max +7 in a skill)
2 UP: Gain Prowess (ie +3) in a skill (stacks with the +7 for an absolute max of +10, before magic items etc)

2 UP: Gain a feat (max 7 feats gained this way). At L11 and L21, gain a free feat and the cap on purchased increases by 7 each (to a total max of 4 free feats and 21 feats purchased)

4 UP: Gain +1 to a Trait. Caps at 4+1 per 5 levels (round up), ie Cap is 5 at L1, 6 at L6, 7 at L11, etc
The UP Cost gradually increases, Trait7-8 costs 6 UP each, then 8 UP for Trait9 and 10 UP for Trait10

3 UP: Gain a Rank1 or Rank2 Signature Attack (SA) / Signature Move (SM) ability.
6 UP: learn a Rank3 or Rank4 Signature Attack (SA) / Signature Move (SM) ability.
Note to gain a Rank2 you need a corresponding Rank1 of the same type and source (ie from same class/ discipline/ profession). Same for Rank3 and Rank4.

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Flexible Character Creation - Decoupling a Stats from Traits
- Based on regular character creation, it is not possible to create a starting character with say, Dex4 Int4. This is an optional rule that allows that, but at some risk of creating a character that might be slightly disadvantaged compared to other characters, while being 'closer' to a regular fantasy RPG character.
- The player can opt to dispense with Traits, and simply use Stats in place of Traits. This applies to all abilities and feats, effectively replacing the word 'Trait' with 'Stat'
- The 9 points can be distributed among 6 stats for such a character, max 5 and with the 5th point in any stats costing double (or max 4, for simplicity). At least two of the Stats being a minimum of 3 (the minimum need not be strictly enforced, but is advisable to avoid dysfunctional characters)
- The character's Fortitude Reflex and Will are based off the higher of the two component stats, rather than the sum of it. This will usually result in a character with 2 low FRW (most regular UB characters will have only 1)
- The character may pay a feat to use his Sec Stat for his second highest FRW defense
- His two highest Stats will be paired to the matching Array, and used to obtain his starting HP and WP.

[Zyraen]

Racial Abilities

Racial Abilities are once per encounter, and are regained upon resting.
Note that they are not Signatures for the purpose of interacting with Willpower nor Feats or anything else that refers to Signatures.
Example Racial Abilities are included below.


Racial Bonuses
The following serves as an effective guideline for creating Races.
There are more options available to monstrous races, such as large characters, those that can be prone without penalties, etc, which can be made known on request.

Note that all characters and also trained NPCs (soldiers, constables, thieves etc) are assumed to have low light vision

- choose +1 Fort, Reflex or Will

- choose one from below, that should make sense for your race, eg general mismatches are things like Nimble for Dwarves, or Ample Reserves/Oversized for Halflings. The GM can allow for a choice of two, with options to replace each one with a flat +1 to Fort Reflex or Will

Ample Reserves : You gain +4 HP to your Reserve value. This bonus does not stack with Feats.

Bloody Resilience : You gain 5 THP when Bloodied. This increases by 5 at Levels 11,21,31.

Combat Readiness: You gain +2 bonus to Initiative.

Darkvision: You have Darkvision 10.

Nimble: You gain +2 Racial bonus against Opportunity Attacks

Oversized : You can use Weapons that are one Dice-size larger. For avoidance of doubt, your Fist (as with Unarmed Combatant) counts as a weapon, but improvised weapons are not affected.

Resistance : Choose from Acid, Lightning, Fire, Cold, Psychic, Radiant, Necrotic, Poison. You gain Resist 5 to that type of damage. This increases by 5 at Levels 11, 21. You cannot choose a Resistance of the same type as your Vulnerability.

Saving Throws
Note these are against SE effects
a) +5 Save against Charm
b) +5 Save against Fear
c) +5 Save against Illusion
d) +5 Save against Poison
e) +2 Save when making Stabilise Saves
f) +2 Save when saving against Ongoing Damage
g) +2 Save against effects that Daze, Stun or Dominate
h) +2 Save against effects that Immobilise, Restrain, or Slow
i) +1 to All Saving Throws

Situational Checks : You gain one of following
a) +5 to Athletics Checks to Climb or Jump
b) +5 to Performance Checks to appear as (a different Race of same size as you)
c) +2 to all Escape Checks (ie Acrobatics and Athletics)
d) You are always treated as having a Running Start when Jumping.

Stand Fast : You ignore 1 square of forced Movement (pull, push, slide). When an Attack would knock you prone, you can make a Saving Throw to avoid falling prone.

Surefooted Shift : You ignore Difficult Terrain when Shifting.

Terrainwalk : You ignore Difficult Terrain that is due to
a) Forestwalk : forest, trees, underbrush, natural growth
b) Icewalk : ice, snow, tundra, slippery surfaces
c) Earthwalk : rubble, uneven stone, ruins, earth
d) Swampwalk : bog, mud, shallow water, wading