Creating a Character

Creating characters can be a fun and enjoyable experience, and we hope to keep that true for this chat. Our rules for character creation may seem strict, but please reserve judgment until you see how your character emerges. Please stick with the rules listed below if at all possible, and contact a DM before submission if you have any questions.

Note: If you already have an approved character, you should already know the below, but be sure to review the Secondary Character rules before making another.

Character Submission: To submit a character, click on the link towards the upper-left corver of your screen marked SCORES, which links you to the SCORES Character Registry.

• Additional Note: It usually goes without saying, but people forget this often enough that it will be explicitly noted here: You must have your character approved before it can be played! Any scene involving an unapproved character will be ret-conned (treated as if it didn't happen), and your character's approval will be delayed. Don't do this!

Note that all you truly need to make a character here is the Player's Handbook (PHB) and possibly the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. See this page for details if you want to use other sources.

From here I'll give a step-by-step account of how to use the character registry to submit, along with some pointers along the way...

Page 1: Character Basics

Having begun the character submission process, the very first thing you are presented with is a screen asking for your character's name. You must be very sure you know what that is and spell it correctly before you continue, as you cannot change it later.

From there, you come to the character sheet proper. You will notice that the program is laid out similarly to a pen-and-paper character sheet, and is filled out in roughly the same order. (This is intentional.) On this page, pick your race, region, birthdate, age, and alignment. Put your starting money in here as well, but be prepared to come back once you've made your purchases from that starting tally. Also note at this point that you can skip ahead and come back however you please. Changes made to a given page are saved immediately upon switching pages.

• Age/Birthdate: Once chosen and saved, your age cannot be changed. See this page for help of selecting an appropriate age for your race/class. Note that no matter what birthdate you list, SCORES will use the date of character creation for determining future age advancement.
• Alignment: You may choose any alignment for your PC. Regardless of your choice, successful players ensure their characters can co-exist with characters and societies that do not necessarily share their views. For more information, see this page.
• Race: All of your options are on this list. Races with a Level Adjustment (as well as several others that don't) are only allowed to those who win the right to do so via this process. If you have a question about a certain race, ask, but prepare to be disappointed if you had your heart set on something not in the list. (Note: If you're making a half-orc or half-elf, see here for house-rules we've made to these races.)
• Character Regions: This game takes place in Waterdeep, and characters should originate as much as possible from within the local area, as characters with local roots and history are far easier to involve with the setting. SCORES gives new characters a list of available regions to choose from; see Picking a Region for more details on mechanical benefits to certain regions.
• Deity: Pick a deity to worship appropriate for your race and background.
• Starting Gold: All characters start with average starting gold for their class (see PHB p.111 or these tables). All purchases at creation are made from this initial amount of gold.

Page 2: Ability Scores

Like starting gold, we do not roll character abilities. Instead, we use the Point Buy system (see DMG p.169). PCs receive 32 points to spend via this system. Put your purchased points in the first column, and your racial modifiers (if any) in the second column.

If you are starting at an Age Category higher than Adult, consult a DM before submission. Ensure that your listed age is appropriate (see above), and include Age modifiers with racial modifiers in the second column.

Page 3: Character Class

All brand-new characters will begin play at level 1. Pick your class, check the ticky-box to its left if it's your race's favored class, put a 1 in the Level field, and move on.

Note: Players making sorcerers should read here for some house-rules we've made to the class before continuing.

Page 4: Statistics

Insert your hit points, BAB, and base saves from your class. If you have a non-standard bonus to AC, Initiative, or saving throw (such as from feats, racial abilities, or class levels), drop them into the appropriate boxes. If you're Small, enter 1 as your Size modifier, otherwise leave it blank.

SCORES will automatically figure things like your armor and shield bonuses to AC, your ability-based adjustments to saving throws, etc.

Casters! Notice the "Spell Save DC" boxes. Insert your spellcasting ability (Int, Wis, or Cha), and your base save DCs (usually 10 + the ability mod, unless you have certain feats).

Page 5: Skills and Languages

Use the drop-down to enter any skills in which you're taking ranks, or in which you have a modifier or penalty other than the linked ability score (for instance, feats or race bonuses). Enter your ranks taken in the next column, and all non-standard mods in the column after that. If you do have non-standard mods, note briefly where they're from in the last column. (Example: For an elf, you'd put 2 in the Misc column of Listen, and put "Race" in the last column).

If you're taking a skill cross-class, check the box next to it on the far left, and remember to charge yourself double for it. The sheet doesn't verify your math, but DMs will.

Remember to add Armor Check Penalties if your character is wearing armor. Include those skills in which you do not have ranks. (Don't bother with Sleight of Hand or Tumble unless you are trained in those skills.) Put "ACP" in the description.

At the very bottom, pick your languages. Everyone starts with Common, 1-2 other languages based on your race or region, and a number of free extras based on your Int modifier. Each Language beyond these freebies requires 2 skill points unless you are a Bard or Factotum. If you're a Barbarian spending skill points for Literacy, list it here.

Page 6: Feats and Special Qualities

No validation here; put special qualities in the top set of boxes, feats in the bottom set. Mark bonus feats (such as from race or class) with a (B) if you like, which makes them easier to keep track of for various things. Special qualities include things like racial and class abilities (things like low-light/darkvision, save bonuses, etc.). Redundant items, like racial skill boosts, can be left off if they're indicated elsewhere on the sheet.

Page 7: Weapons and Armor

You get three weapon slots, which usually allow you to include one ranged weapon, one primary melee weapon, and a backup or off-hand weapon (or some combination thereof). Bonus means your total modifier to hit with the weapon (include BAB, Ability Mod, and MW or feats). Damage should include your Strength mod as appropriate, and type is usually Piercing, Slashing or Bludgeoning.

Armor is similar. Enter your armor and shield, its various properties, and be sure to tell SCORES whether it's an armor or shield (so it can add it to your AC appropriately).

Page 8: Inventory

You get two columns--Item and Description--to list everything that's not a weapon or armor. Put the item name on the left and the description (usually mechanics, things like "Start a fire as a standard action" for a tindertwig) on the right. (You'd be surprised how many people mess this up by thinking both columns are for item names.) Sections are separated for Potions (can also include alchemicals), Scrolls (include charged items like wands and staves), Magic Items (you won't start with any of these), and Other Stuff (adventuring gear, ammo, etc).

Page 9: Flavor Stuffs - Character Description, History/Background, and Other Info

It's only one page of nine, but this is the most important page on the sheet, and the one that causes the most problems and approval delays. We can fix numbers in a couple of minutes, so math skill is low on the list of requirements for play here, but an incomplete or totally spastic background is something I can't fix. (Alas, my helm of telepathy is still on layaway.)

Note Before You Begin: Please spare us the "dark loner type." This is generally a social roleplay site, so to be successful, your character must have some way and reason to interact with others. If your whole schtick is to brood silently in the corner, no one is going to give enough of a crap to wheedle your tormented backstory out of you. You won't have fun, we won't have fun, and everyone's time will have been wasted. So pretty please, give that some thought before you type here. Thanks!

• Character Description: Characters should have descriptions that fit with the setting. This includes such things as hair colors that are appropriate for their race, and clothing that is appropriate for their jobs. Beyond that, so long as you keep it within the realm of the real, go nuts. (Ideally, you'll try to incorporate character traits, such as low Strength or Charisma, into your description. We like that.) Feel free to differentiate between how your character looks everyday and how s/he looks when traveling or adventuring; most people don't bristle with pointy metal bits and wear full plate to go to the bar.
  • Extra Note: Characters with descriptions containing things such as "tight leather catsuit with a tail, along with ears mounted on a headband" will be rejected outright and summarily deleted. If you wish to play an Anthromorph character, please find another chat to do so. There are many games online that cater to this specific type of character, but this is not one, and there are no such races approved for play here.
• Character Backgrounds/Histories: All characters submitted for play should include at least a brief background describing where the character is from, what kind of family he was brought up in, and other details. We don't need a book, but a couple of paragraphs would be nice; if you include some City of Splendors specific information, you may find it used in adventures involving your character at a later date. However, we prefer more believable backgrounds over outlandish works of fiction--a 1st-level character can only have accomplished so much to this point, after all--and overused cliches such as amnesia, orphanage, star-crossed loves, divine destiny, burned/slaughtered villages, melodrama, etc. should be avoided. Also, please try to proofread your histories, or at least run it through a spellcheck, as this will aid greatly in approval.
• Other Info: Includes anything that doesn't go in either of the two boxes above--animal companion or (if you somehow afford it) familiar stats, commonly prepared spells, where you live in the city, etc. Whatever you think we need to know, put it in; this question is your sandbox.
• Spellcasting: Put the spells or invocations you know (or that are in your spellbook) in the appropriate boxes. If you're a cleric, "All 1st-level cleric spells" is sufficient, so long as you also call out your specific Domain spells. If you're not a Spellcaster, you can leave all of these blank; the completion page will gripe, but you can ignore it.

Page 10: Complete!

You're almost done! If you're not a spellcaster (or even if you are), SCORES may bug you here about unanswered questions. These don't actually prevent you from marking the character "Ready to Submit"--so if you've filled everything out that you need to, ignore the warnings and send that puppy.

You must, however, mark "Submit Character" before it can be approved--if you don't, it'll sit in our "Incomplete Characters" queue, and we never even touch that one, so you'll be waiting for approval forever. So hit that button, and welcome to the site!

As quickly as possible, usually within 48 hours, one or more of the DMs will review your submitted character. If it is complete and no errors are found, it will be approved. Otherwise, the character will be "rejected" and placed back into the "Incomplete Characters" section. The DM will send a note to your forum Inbox and/or place a note within your character's sheet regarding a requested change or correction.