Earthdawn Character Creation

[Hotfoot]

While I'm hardly wild on the concept of spending XP on Karma Points myself, in the grand scheme of things, the costs are pretty absurdly low, and it's hard to get lower than free for the first set.

Besides, the Swordmaster Karma ritual is hilarious and awesome. You should put a point into it just for that alone.

[Lys]

You guys make compelling arguments; it's hard to argue with "you actually pay less this way". And yes Hotfoot is right that Swordmaster - and Sword Dancer by implication - Karma Ritual is best Karma Ritual. I like the Sword Dancer variation slightly more because it has a build-up element to it, starting quiet and slow and then building up to a climax.

Speaking of Sword Dancers, there has to be one somewhere in Barsaive, so that he can teach Storm how to Sword Dance. I imagine you can always find one or two Cathayan merchants in Urupa on business, there's fair odds they brought a Sword Dancer for protection. The other power I want is Air Dance, because seriously what Swordmaster doesn't want to show off by walking on air? It's frankly a wonder they don't have it to begin with. A Sword Dancer would also have it, but so does any Windmaster and many Warriors in Barsaive; much easier to get. Actually, thematically the ideal is to learn it from a Windmaster, because it's their thing, and there's nothing quite like learning a Talent from the discipline that owns it, as oppose to merely having it.

Also speaking of books that we didn't need for this adventure. The Gamemaster's Companion is misleading named, as it has tons of things useful for players. There's astral space and blood magic rules, healing aids, artefacts, the guidelines for creating uncommon magical items, airship & riverboat rules, and the rules to create your own disciplines. Incidentally, the ship-to-ship combat rules are pretty straightforward, which means we totally have to get an airship eventually. I don't care if none of us are Air Sailors or Sky Raiders, we'll hire some!

[Karrick]

Karghuul, Ork Cavalryman

A former cavalryork in Cara Fahd, Karghuul now travels to find fame, fortune, and adventure. He hopes to travel far and wide, eperiencing as much of the world as possible.

Attributes and derived stats
Dex 16 [7]
Str 13 [6]
Tou 13 [6]
Per 10 [5]
Wil 10 [5]
Cha 16 [7]

move rate 6
karma mod 5

Initiative: 7
Defense
[tab=30]Physical: 9
[tab=30]Spell: 6
[tab=30]Social: 9

Carrying Capacity: 140 lbs

Death Rating: 35
Unconsciousness Rating: 27
Wound Threshold: 9
Recovery Tests/Day: 2

Racial abilities
[tab=30]Gahad (Insults towards his mount, slavery)
[tab=30]low-light vision

Discipline talents
[tab=30]Animal Bond 1
[tab=30]Avoid Blow* 1
[tab=30]Charge 1
[tab=30]Karma Ritual 1
[tab=30]Melee Weapons 2
[tab=30]Trick Riding 2

Free skills
[tab=30]Knowledge
[tab=30][tab=30]Legends And Heroes 1
[tab=30][tab=30]Wild Animals
[tab=30]Lanugage
[tab=30][tab=30]speak Or'zet 1
[tab=30][tab=30]read/write Or'zet 1
[tab=30][tab=30]speak Throalic 1
[tab=30]Artisan
[tab=30][tab=30]braiding 1
Skills
[tab=30]Navigation 1
[tab=30]Mount Attack 1
[tab=30]missile weapons 2
[tab=30]momentum attack 1
[tab=30]down strike 1
[tab=30]throwing weapons 1
[tab=30]Second Shot 1

Half Magic
[tab=30]Upkeep of riding gear
[tab=30]Animal breeding
[tab=30]Animal first aid
[tab=30]Knowledge of:
[tab=30][tab=30]Different mounts used by namegivers
[tab=30][tab=30]Significant cavalry units of Barsaive


Gear
[tab=30]Adventurer's kit (backpack, bedroll, flint & steel, torch, waterskin, large sack)
[tab=30]Artisan tools (braiding... various colored threads?)
[tab=30]Dagger
[tab=30]Travelers' Garb (boots, shirt, belt, breeches, traveler's cloak)
[tab=30]Trail rations (1 week)
[tab=30]shortbow 15
[tab=30]20 arrows 5
[tab=30]spear 9
[tab=30]Broadsword 25
[tab=30]rider's shield 20
[tab=30]padded leather 20
[tab=30]6 sp

Earthshaker, Stajian:

Dex: 7
Str: 10
Tou: 10
Per: 5
Wil: 6
Cha: 4

Initiative: 7
Actions: 1
Attack (3): 10
Damages: Charge (8): 18; Gore (4): 14
Death: 60
Unconsciousness: 52
Wound Threshold: 15
Physical Defense: 9
Spell Defenses: 7
Social Defenses: 8
Physical Armor: 5
Mystical Armor: 1
Recovery Test: 5
Knockdown: 11
Movement: 11

Powers: Charge (4), Durability (1), Enhanced Senses [Listen, Sight] (2): 7, Sprint (2)

Total Legend Points: 1400
Spent Legend Points: 200
Unspent Legend Points: 1200
Expenditures: 200 to raise Avoid Blow to rank 2 (10/28/2013)

[Cynical Cat]

I can't recommend the 15s and your defence numbers are wrong.

[Lys]

Whoooo, bison-mounted ork cavalry! Because if your mount isn't going to fit in the dungeon, you might as well make it as big as possible so it can haul all your loot away from the dungeon. Did you know that Ashur wars on a nearby Ork Kingdom just like Landis and Cara Fahd used to? This is going to be fun!

Just so you know if start at Cha 15, after upgrading it the max three times, it is Step 7 and Defence 10. If you start at Cha 14 it maxes at St 7 and Def 9. If you start at Cha 13 it also maxes out at also St 7 and Def 9. You may get more bang for your buck here in the long run by giving up on that one point of social defence and putting the 4 attribute points elsewhere. Here is a suggestion that may cover what you're going for: Dex 16, Str 16, Tou 13, Per 13, Wil 11, Cha 13.

That one dot of Strength together with the Dexterity ensures you have a solid foothold in the bashing faces in department, which is a good place for a Cavalryman to be. Toughness, Perception, and Charisma are all decent enough, so you're durable, don't get caught by surprise, and are likeable. The Per also gives you decent spell defence. It makes you a pretty damn good all rounder if you like that. The main disadvantage is that you'll have to upgrade Cha twice before it goes up a step. You could make Cha 16 but it's expensive, and you'd have to accept shortcomings in other places. Something like Dex 16, Str 13, Tou 13, Per 10, Wil 10, Cha 16? Maybe, Dex 16, Str 13, Tou 11, Per 11, Wil 11, Cha 16?

All those hit optimal points, but they're just suggestions though. Do what you like best! ^_^

[Cynical Cat]

Remember you can convince your mount to go anywhere it can physically go. Super giant steeds are awesomely powerful but smaller steeds that are still awesome can go into dungeons with you. A griffin can go anywhere a troll can go and can fly. Either way you're golden.

[Lys]

He can't afford a Griffin right now. By the time we can afford to buy, crew, and operate a small drakkar, though? He could totally afford a Griffin and then come crashing down on our enemies!

[Cynical Cat]

He can't afford a Griffin right now. By the time we can afford to buy, crew, and operate a small drakkar, though? He could totally afford a Griffin and then come crashing down on our enemies!

I know. Awesome isn't it?

[Hotfoot]

Name: Nethan Monteri
Aliases: <TBD>

Human Thief (Spy)

Dex 16 (Step 7)
Strength 13 (Step 6)
Toughness 10 (Step 5)
Perception 16 (Step 7)
Willpower 11 (Step 5)
Charisma 13 (Step 6)

Defenses:
Physical Armor: 5
Mystic Armor: 1

Physical Defense: 9
Magic Defense: 9
Social Defense: 7

Initiative Step: 7 (d12)

Unconsciousness: 22
Death: 31
Wound Threshold: 8
Recovery Tests/Day: 2
Movement Rate: 6

Discipline Talents:
Karma Ritual: 1
Lock Picking: 1
Search: 2
Silent Walk: 2
Trap Initiative: 1

Talent Options:
Melee: 1

Versatility: 0

Skills:

Half-Magic:
Search
Detect Trap
Disarm Trap

Knowledge: 2
Barsaive History: 1
Trade Routes: 1
Military Organizations: 1

Artisan: 1
Acting: 2

Language: 2/1
Speak: 2
Throalic
Human

Read/Write: 2
Throalic
Human

General Skills:
Forgery: 1
Lip Reading: 1
Physician: 1
Rhetoric: 1
Streetwise: 1

Equipment:

Adventurer’s Kit (backpack, bedroll, flint & steel, torch,
waterskin, large sack)
Artisan Tools (Acting Kit)
Dagger
Traveler’s Garb (soft boots, shirt, belt, breeches,
traveler’s cloak)
Trail Rations (1 week)

Padded Leather: 20 silver
Buckler: 5 silver
Broadsword: 25 silver
Forgery Kit: 30 silver
Firefly Chalk: 12 silver

Money: 8 Silver

[Karrick]

Thanks for the input guys. Lys, I think the second to last of those stat breakdowns is closest to what I'm going for. The book lists charisma as important for Cavalrymen, probably because it affects most of the mount talents/skills. That's why I had the charisma bumped up (social defense was kind of an ancillary concern compared with being able to utilize my mount). Speaking of those skills, I may want to swap one of my present ones for a mounted combat one that the cavalryman doesn't get through discipline talent options.

Cat, my defenses aren't taking armor into account. Is that what you meant or did I just completely fail at reading the table?

(At work right now, can't check the book)

[Cynical Cat]

Complete table checking fail. Armour doesn't tie into spell, physical, and social defense. The good news is that all the numbers should be higher.

[Lys]

So, four guys and one gal. Clearly there's only one thing to do. *starts rummaging around, looking for her gender-bender ray*

[Hotfoot]

Don't worry, before long I'll have Disguise Self and Mimic Voice anyway.

[White Haven]

Y'know Lys, that's something my Pathfinder GM has threatened to use on more than one occasion.

[Soontir948]

So, four guys and one gal. Clearly there's only one thing to do. *starts rummaging around, looking for her gender-bender ray*

Are female dwarves indistinguishable from males in this world?
____
Hm, seems I may be late to this. Would it be possible for me to pop a character into your world after you guys started? When is the first session taking place anyhow?

[frigidmagi]

Just to let Lys know, I'm expecting characters from Marcoa and Comrade Tortoise soon. They both have very demanding jobs however that can jump up and distract them.

[rhoenix]

FYI - As CynCat pointed out, my Social Defense for Fehl was incorrect. It has been corrected to 6 from 9.

[Lys]

Admittedly I'm biased, I once played in an Exalted game that started out with the reverse: four girls and one guy, and I found it amusing. For bonus points, the one guy was a Lunar - named Marruk - meaning that had access to a power that would allowed him to switch sex at will. Notably he didn't buy or use it until waaaay later in the game when he wanted to seduce a lesbian NPC. Turned out he was all shy and adorable as hell in his girl form, a total contrast to his confident and swaggering guy form. Anyway, we were all joking about how the group was "Marruk's harem", despite two of the female characters - including mine - being lesbians in a relationship.

The gender imbalance would continue for most the rest of the game, though we had two guys for a few months. It also extended to the NPCs, albeit more subtly, the females did somewhat exceed the males in number and importance... also insanity (power and madness kind of go together). Best part though? My Solar Eclipse was the one who wound up with the harem, consisting of most female PCs, and several female NPCs. She could have also talked gender-bent Marruk into joining it too if she'd wanted - she could talk anyone into anything! - but the Lunar was her best friend (not Mate, though, her Mate was the PC she started the game in a relationship with).

At least it was different, though. Were that not the case I probably wouldn't have reacted the same way. Still, the bias is there. ^_^;

[Hotfoot]

The one time I was in a group with a majority of women was back in high school when I ran an adventure during summer break for a friend of mine, his younger sister, and a group of her friends. My favorite memory was one of the girls who made an elf fighter who rolled up 18 strength, used a greatsword, and was a combat monster. When I asked her what she wanted to name her character, her response was gleeful and quick, "Pixiedust!"

That was probably my favorite session of D&D 3rd Ed ever. Pixiedust was the terror of the orcish tribes, and her legend almost surely only grew from there.

[Karrick]

I updated my stats to one of the statlines Lys provided and I think I got the defenses sorted out. Thanks guys. I also picked my two freebie knowledge skill points.

I replaced Sure Mount with Down Strike because I get that as a discipline talent later. I also want something useful for non-mounted combat, like maybe Acrobatic Strike. I might do the same for tracking, but I don't know what I would do with that point. Any thoughts?

[Lys]

Man, suddenly I feel all responsible for things and stuff. Just... reminder that I haven't actually played ED and didn't know it existed until two weeks ago. CyniCat's the one with actual experience (or so frigidmagi said). I can tell you the patterns and incentives I've noticed in the system rules, but somethings require practical experience for them to emerge.

Also, isn't the term for a Cavalryork a Scorcher? Or is that just a specific kind of Cavalryork?

[Hotfoot]

We're all pretty new to the system, save CynCat. I was planning on running a campaign years ago, but I haven't really delved into the books too deeply until now. Still, it will be nice playing a stealth character again.

[Cynical Cat]

Also, isn't the term for a Cavalryork a Scorcher? Or is that just a specific kind of Cavalryork?

Specific kind. Scorchers are raider/mercenary tribal warbands. They're the ones more likely to burn your village, steal everything, and rape your livestock.

[Lys]

Better our livestock than our men, we need the survivors in a walking condition.

[Hotfoot]

I'm sorry, but they rode off on the men.