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        Character Generation for Plymslayer online.

Players often claim their characters can do incredible feats or have high abilities in certain skills. However many players tend to take it upon themselves to decided this and often complain when a GM slaps them down for it. Several of the online GM’s use simple numbers to decide upon what THEY think each character is capable of. This is a simple guide to produce a character points system, in an aim to create a uniform system to provide ease in determining character abilities in the name of fairness across the board.

Then general system is simple, points are awarded to attributes and skills from base point totals, which are under a GM’s discretion, so can be tailored to suit pretty much any and every character.

Attribute Points.

Attributes are natural ability, there are 6 (see below), they are natural skills that every character has with out question, it is just to what level these attributes are that differs from character to character. Fighting characters tend to have high physical attributes, (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina) where as less fighting characters will have higher mental attributes (intelligence).

Base attribute points:

Slayer’s and other supernatural creatures, often down to the GM’s discression start with 25 base points. Slayers receive a +2 points for every year they have held the position. Other base point increases are down to the GM’s discretion.

Ordinary humans start with 20 base points. This is negotiable with the GM to provide +/- points, but these alterations are down to situation/skill/age etc. Though on the whole the majority of humans start with 20 Base points.

These Base points are to be spread across 5 attributes.

•   Strength – how strong a character is (see further on)
•   Dexterity – how agile a character is
•   Stamina – characters endurance
•   Reaction – how quick off the mark a character is
•   Intelligence / psyche – how smart, and how lucky a character is.

The average human will have a 3 or 4 in these attributes, average humans cannot exceed 8 in more than one attribute, the human maximum is 9 in any attribute. Slayers and other supernatural creatures can exceed 8 in more than one attribute and have no real cap on their levels.

All characters have Psyche, though to what ability depends on if the character is Fae or not. Fae being in touch with the psychic world, i.e. dabbles in magick, has prophetic dreams, can feel aura’s etc. The psyche is related to a characters intelligence, if a character is Fae then there psyche is equal to their intelligence, if they are not Fae then there psyche is half their intelligence. For example a non-Fae character with an intelligence of 4 has a Psyche of 2, however a Fae character with an intelligence of 4 has a Psyche of 4. Psyche is also used for luck rolls.

The attribute points are coupled with skill points to determine success/failure and ability during rolls for fights/ magick/ research/ etc anything that often requires a roll to see how successful someone is.

Skills.

Skills are abilities that characters learn of their own choosing. They are abilities that can be picked and chosen by a player depending on what they say there character can do in their original bio. Skills can be easily discussed with a player and they can be allowed to choose whatever skills they want for their character so long as it fits the character, i.e. fighting characters generally have fighting skills such as brawling and martial arts and may well be proficient in a weapon. More bookwormish characters are unlikely to be experts in fighting and will have higher skills in other areas more appropriate to their character.

Here is a brief list of skills, but in general you can have pretty much any skill you can think of, this is just a sample list.

•   Brawling
•   Guns/firearms
•   Advanced fighting/ various martial arts
•   Athletics/ any other sport
•   Acrobatics.
•   Research
•   Computers
•   Magick
•   Occult knowledge
•   Occult practices
•   Watcher knowledge
•   Cross bow
•   Stake
•   Psi skills
•   First aid
•   Sword
•   Science
•   Various languages
•   Driving
•   Any educational subject of speciality
•   Wicca

And pretty much any other skill you can think of.

Skill base points:

Skill base points are dependent on a number of factors. These range from age, gender, and pervious experience, all of which are once again at the discretion of the player and the GM. However as a general rule skill base points are distributed due to the age of the character.

Base points:

•   16 and under = 10 base points
•   17 – 20 = 15 base points
•   21 – 25 = 20 base points
•   26 – 35 = 25 base points
•   36 – 45 = 30 base points
•   46 – 55 = 35 base points
•   56 – 70 = 40 base points
•   71+ = Add 5 base points for every 20 years of age.

Age determines base points, as you tend to learn more skills as you get older. However when a character reaches over 100 years they tend to lose certain skills, for example characters, which are several 100 years, may have to say they actually have literacy and computers as skills.

Modifiers:

•   Slayers – They automatically receive a +3 in advanced fighting as well as +4 to be spent on any other skill so long as it’s within context of their character. If trained in waiting for at least 5 years they receive a +1 skill point for every 2 years there after.
•   Watchers – They automatically receive a +3 in watcher knowledge as well as +4 to be spent on any other skill so long as it’s within the context of their character. They receive +1 skill point for every 2 years they spend as a watcher after an initial 4 years training as a watcher.
•   Anything else is negotiable with the GM.

Each character should have at least 3 or 4 skills, they can have as many skills as they want but this means they have to spread the points out over a greater number of skills so will generally have lower skill levels. However all watcher characters will have Watcher knowledge as one of their skills, this is the knowledge they gained training as a Watcher, knowledge of the mythology of the Slayer, and basic demonology as well as knowledge of the watcher diaries.

Advantages and Disadvantages.

This is the most complicated section of the character generation and will almost be impossible to be able to do until you as a GM have a basic understanding of your characters or your players have given you more insight into their characters. Advantages and disadvantages are character dependent, they help to make a character more three-dimensional. Advantages are an aspect of a character that gives them an edge on top of their already existing skills something that makes this character unique. Disadvantages are characters weak points things that inhibit their judgement during certain times of stress or crisis.

Advantages and Disadvantages are set by how the player plays their character, things the GM sees, and co-operation with the player. A GM can ask a player to give their character an advantage and a disadvantage and later add or remove these as the GM sees fit.

Advantages.

There are wide ranges of things that can be considered an advantage, (something’s can even be considered as both advantages and disadvantages) these can be physical things, mental abilities, experiences or objects. Characters shouldn’t have too many advantages to start with one or two is usually plenty and they may increase or decrease in these as the game(s) progress.

There are an infinite number of possible advantages and they will always add a positive modifier to certain attributes or skills at certain times, though these depend on the advantage and on the GM.

This is a basic list of advantages and their modifiers to give you an idea of what is possible it is no means a comprehensive list, and you can basically have any advantage you want.

Possible advantages and their modifiers:

•  Courage (of some type) – Usually +1 on intel during for example combat.
•  Job or qualification - +1 or more for certain attributes in certain situations for example: Law enforcement - +1 to intel attribute on all investigation rolls.
•  Calming influence - +1 on any roll to calm anyone down in any situation, negates the chance of him or her getting punched or attacked for it.
•  Obligation - +1 or more on any will/intel roll where that obligation is present. For example: Obligation to group - +1 to intel or stamina in defence of the group.
•  Emotional modifier - +1 or more on skills or attributes for certain emotions in certain situations. For example: Rage - +5 to stamina when character is enraged.
•  Mixed heritage – a character that is not 100% human will gain advantages in the physical attributes due to a mixed heritage or they may gain other skills dependent on the character. For example: Half demon - +3 to all dex and stamina rolls in combat situations.
•  Certain pieces of equipment – Personal belongs can act as an advantage by increasing certain attributes and or skills dependent on the object. For Example: Good occult library - +3 for all spell and monster research.
•  Age – some characters are very old indeed; age sometimes can be an advantage on intel rolls for knowledge, myths, and languages. An advantage of +1 or more depending on the age of the character.
•  Luck – some characters are blessed with good luck this can be an advantage on pretty much any attribute or skill but this is entirely up to the GM.
•  Contacts – an advantage for getting out of trouble and research purposes. The contacts can be human, demon, etc. they could be the Watchers council, or another organisation like the military or a secret society. The advantage depends on how well the character is connected which is dependent on both player and GM. For example: Military contacts - +3 on all related rolls for research or other purposes.

Disadvantages.

There are wide ranges of things that can be considered a disadvantage; things that may even be considered as an advantage to some characters are disadvantages to another. Disadvantages can be physical things, mental abilities, experiences or objects. Characters shouldn’t have too many disadvantages to start with one or two is usually plenty and they may increase or decrease in these as the game(s) progress. Too many disadvantages are likely to make a character very difficult to GM.

There are an infinite number of possible disadvantages and they will always add a negative modifier to certain attributes or skills at certain times, though these depend on the disadvantage and on the GM.

This is a basic list of disadvantages and their modifiers to give you an idea of what is possible it is no means a comprehensive list, and you can basically have any disadvantage you want.

Disadvantages:

•   Obligation – obligation is just as much a disadvantage as it is an advantage, if a character has this as an advantage then they will also have it as a disadvantage. As a disadvantage obligation means that a character will have to put the thing they are obliged to first in certain situation. The level of obligation is equal to that for the advantage. For example: Obligation to the group - -1 on any intel roll for when the group is in danger.
•   Loss – the death of a close friend or family member can act as a disadvantage for some characters making them freeze in similar situations or react to certain stimuli. For example: Loss of a Slayer - -2 to any stressful situation involving a Slayer.
•   Mixed heritage – a mixed heritage is often as much of a disadvantage as it is an advantage, at times it can be a problem as a mixed heritage means certain bad aspects will surface and that the character doesn’t really fit into either heritage. The level of this disadvantage is equal to that of the advantage. For example: Half Vampire - -3 at controlling temper with the risk of vamping out.
•   Bad luck – some characters are just unlucky, no matter what happens they are followed by bad luck. Depending on how unlucky you feel they are give them a negative modifier on any luck (luck = psyche) roll.
•   Permanent injury – Some characters give themselves or pick up during a game a permanent injury. This injury will hamper certain physical stats, but to what degree depends on the injury and the GM. For example: Weak leg - -1 on all dex rolls for hand to hand combat and dodge.
•   Mental problems – like injuries some characters have mental problems either to begin with or as a result of something in game. These will affect them at certain points, quite often at times of stress or during combat. But this depends on the problem. For example: Mental problems (under medication)- -2 on all intel and reaction rolls during times of stress.
•   Phobias – Everyone has them, and so do some characters. The extent of the phobia depends on the character and you as the GM. For example: Fear of magic- -2 on all intel and reaction rolls during any use of magick.
•   Criminal record – Some characters have them, and this will play as a huge disadvantage when the police are involved. The record depends on what the character has done, a thing to be discussed between player and GM. For example: Criminal record (caught fighting) - -2 on all luck or intel rolls involving the police.

Experience

Over time characters gain experience. How much or how often is up to you as the GM. Experience can be used to increase certain attributes and skills, lose disadvantages or gain advantages. You as a GM decide which they can do depending on what that character has done during the game. If they have been fighting a lot up their fighting skill by one point, or if they have learnt a new skill give them the experience in the form of a new skill. This way over time characters become stronger and better. Though characters may also acquire disadvantages or things that will lessen skills and though generally not attributes. But this all depends on your respective cast and game.

How to use the system.

Once you have given stats to all your characters you need to know how to use the system. There are two ways to use this system effectively, though if you find another feel free to use it.

System 1 – The multiple dice system.

This system uses multiple D10’s (ten sided dice) or even D6’s (6 sided dice), though there is a slight variation for use of the D6 system.

In this system you need to roll a number of dice equal to the attribute or skill you are testing. You set a target level usually a 6; can be more or less depending on the task and the situation, on a D10, (a 4 on a D6). The more dice they have over this number the more successful it is. However if they roll a 1 on a D10 (or two consecutive 1’s on a D6) this is a botch and negates one of the successful rolls. If there are more botches than successes the roll does just not fail it goes very wrong and something bad happens to the player. If a roll isn’t a success but has no botches then it is a failed roll and what ever the player is doing just doesn’t work.

For example:

A successful roll: A slayer is going to stake a Vampire, there stake ability is 8, the GM rolls 8 D10’s with a target of 6, they get 7,8,3,4,9,6,5,8. On this roll they got 5 successes so they stake the Vampire.

A failed roll: The same is tried again but the roll is 7,5,1,1,8,2,3,4. On this roll they got 2 successes but also 2 botches which means over all they got no successes so the roll fails and the Slayer fails to stake the vamp.

A botched roll: The same is tried again but the roll is 7,5,1,1,1, 2,3,4. On this roll there is more ones than successes so they botch the roll and the Slayer not only fails to stake the vamp but for example the stake splinters and the slayer slices their own hand.

System 2 – the one dice method.

This method uses one D10, either a D10 from the IRC or a single 10-sided dice. In this method you set a target usually 6+ the number of that attribute or skill, then roll the D10 and add it to this skill, if it is greater than the target the roll is successful, if it is less than the target the roll is a failure. However if you get a 1 it is an automatic botch.

For example:

Successful roll: A character attempts to leap a fence; their dex is 4 so you add 6 to this getting 10 getting a target of 10. The GM rolls 8 on the dice and adds it to the dex getting a score of 12, this is higher than the target and therefore the roll is successful and the character jumps the fence with ease.

Failed roll: The same roll is attempted the target is 10. The GM rolls 4 on the dice and adds it to the dex to give a total of 8, this is below the target roll and the player fails to jump the fence.

Botched roll: The same roll is attempted the target is 10. The GM rolls a 1, this is an automatic botch, the character fails the roll and something bad happens like the jump the hedge catch their foot fail and sprain their wrist.

Questions.

If you have any questions on any of the above feel free to email me at evilandrea@plymslayer.com

Or u2u me on the forums.

Further on you will find 3 example character sheets to hopefully make things easier to understand.

This system is copyright to Evilandrea and the Plymslayer GM department. If you want to replicate or use this system, please ask.

-Andrea McKenzie 16^th January 2003