Character Creation
This is a step by step guide to creating a new character for Nexus 5e: A New World.
You can generate your "base" ability scores using two methods:
The essence of the change is to change automatic success to increased skill (Advantage).
1. Character Concept
The first step to creating a new character is to decide on the character concept. This is the core idea or concept of your character, a way of briefly describing what makes the character interesting and what they can do, or what they wish to do. The Character Concept is a phrase that sums up what your character is about - who they are and what they do. It may be your job, your role in life, or your calling - it's what you are good at, but it's also a duty you have to deal with. In other words, given this phrase, someone should have a good idea of what your character is like or what they are trying to achieve. Examples:- "An angry old Human farmer who finally found peace just to have it disturbed who has turned to dark magic after losing everything."
- "A Tabaxi Druid who has traveled far and wide to relentlessly seek out all the secrets of arcane knowledge."
2. Choose A Race
Every character belongs to a race, one of the many intelligent Humanoid species in the world. The most common race in the world is humans, though many others are also reasonably common. A few are extremely rare and have "party limits" to enforce that (maximum number of players in the party of that race). Some races also have Subraces, such as Mountain Dwarf or Wood Elf. The race you choose contributes to your character’s identity in an important way, by establishing a general appearance and the natural talents gained from culture and ancestry. Your character’s race grants particular Racial Traits, such as special Senses, proficiency with certain Weapons or tools, proficiency in one or more Skills, or the ability to use minor Spells. These Traits sometimes dovetail with the capabilities of certain Classes (see step 3). For example, the Racial Traits of Lightfoot Halflings make them exceptional rogues, and high elves tend to be powerful wizards. Sometimes playing against type can be fun, too. Half-Orc paladins and Mountain Dwarf wizards, for example, can be unusual but memorable characters.Instructions
- Record your race and sub-race on the character sheet by clicking on the gear icon in the upper-right corner to the right of Background. Then enter your race and subrace in the designated areas and then click on the checkmark to finalize.
- Fill in SPEED based on your race.
- Add starting racial languages under PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES near the bottom of the sheet. You can drag and drop from the compendium (i).
- Each race, except for humans, has a Variation entry in the Traits section. This tells you which racial features can be replaced by a custom Feats. When going through the step below, make sure to add the desired feat in place of the original feature. Reference the Feats article to see the list of feats available in this campaign.
- Next, go to the Features tab add the racial traits granted by your race and sub-race under FEATURES & TRAITS. To add a new feature, drag and drop from the compendium if it exists. Otherwise, click the +Add button at the bottom of the FEATURES & TRAITS box. Then type in the name of the trait and copy and paste the text into the provided box. Once finished click on the checkmark in the upper right area of the read box to close.
- Finally, go to the Options tab. In the ATTRIBUTE OPTIONS area, near the middle of the page, add your racial attribute bonuses. For example, for a Hill Dwarf set the Constitution modifier to 2 and Wisdom modifier to 1. Leave the other modifiers as-is. Note that the attributes that are increased by your race are now green. You can hover over the number to see the unmodified value.
Races
3. Choose A Class
Every adventurer is a member of a class. Class broadly describes a character’s vocation, what special talents he or she possesses, and the tactics he or she is most likely to employ when exploring a dungeon, fighting Monsters, or engaging in a tense negotiation. Note that you should also decide on your sub-class or specialization at this point - this is what you are working towards during your Novice levels. Once you have chosen a class, make sure to update your character sheet. At the top of your sheet, once again open the gear icon in the upper-right corner. Once open (you will see a red box appear), choose your class from the drop-down list. Also, list your sub-class in the SUBCLASS area. Make sure the LEVEL is 1 and then close the box by clicking on the checkmark in the upper-right corner. At this point, your Saving throw proficiencies should be set up automatically (you will see two marked in the SAVING THROWS area). Your HIT DICE value will also be set up automatically. Your character receives a number of benefits from your choice of class. Many of these benefits are Class Features - capabilities (including spellcasting) that set your character apart from members of other Classes. You also gain a number of Proficiencies: armor, Weapons, Skills, Saving Throws, and sometimes tools. Your Proficiencies define many of the things your character can do particularly well, from using certain Weapons to telling a convincing lie. On your character sheet, record all the features that your class gives you at 1st level. You can look up the class instructions using the Compendium in Roll20 (i). Choose a class from below and reference the compendium for more information:- Artificer
- Barbarian
- Bard
- Cleric
- Druid
- Fighter
- Monk
- Paladin
- Ranger
- Rogue
- Sorcerer
- Warlock
- Wizard
Instructions
- On the Core tab of the character sheet, click on the gear icon in the upper right corner near BACKGROUND. You should now see a red box.
- Use the drop-down list to choose your CLASS.
- Enter your desired subclass/specialization under SUBCLASS - this is what you are working towards as a Novice.
- Click on the checkmark in the upper right corner of the box to finalize your choices.
- Make sure to record Class Features that you receive at level 1 under the Features tab in FEATURES & TRAITS. Similar to racial features, add these by clicking on the +Add button at the bottom of the FEATURES & TRAITS box. Type in the name in the provided area and copy and paste the text into the box. Finally, change the Source to Class.
- On the Core tab, mark any skills you gain proficiency in.
- Saving throws are marked automatically.
- Drag and Drop any proficiencies you gain from the compendium onto the PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES area of the character sheet (bottom-left corner).
- On the Equipment tab, drag and drop any starting gear from the Compendium to the EQUIPMENT & HOLDINGS area.
- If you gain equipment from a "pack" look up the pack in the compendium and then add the contained items individually.
- Any equipment not in the compendium can be added manually by clicking the +Add button in the bottom left corner.
- A new red box will open, EDIT ITEM.
- Fill out the NAME field.
- Mark the appropriate checkboxes to the right. Is it equipped? Is it carried? Is it a container?
- Set the QUANTITY (default is 1).
- Enter the WEIGHT.
- Ignore SIZE, NOTCHES, QUALITY.
- Copy and Paste the DESCRIPTION.
- Click on the checkmark in the upper-right corner to finalize the item.
- Once your equipment is set, click the Modify button to move it into your backpack or onto your person (Equipped). Modify can also be used to delete items added by accident.
- Note: instead of starting with the basic equipment you can instead start with the starting gold found at the end of the class description. You can either take the average or roll it. If you do this, you do not get any equipment from your background.
- Drag and drop any starting spells from the Compendium to the Spells tab of your character sheet.
- Your spell save and spell attack bonus are calculated automatically based on your class and attributes.
4. Determine Ability Scores
Much of what your character does in the game depends on his or her six abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Each ability has a score, which is a number you record on your character sheet. The Ability Score Summary table provides a quick reference for what qualities are measured by each ability, what races increases which abilities, and what classes consider each ability particularly important.Ability Score Summary
| Strength
Measures: Natural athleticism, bodily power Important for: Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin |
| Dexterity
Measures: Physical agility, reflexes, balance, poise Important for: Monk, Ranger, rogue |
| Constitution
Measures: Physical agility, reflexes, balance, poise Important for: Everyone |
| Intelligence
Measures: Mental acuity, information recall, analytical skill Important for: Wizard |
| Wisdom
Measures: Awareness, intuition, Insight Important for: Cleric, druid |
| Charisma
Measures: Confidence, eloquence, leadership Important for: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock |
Standard Array
Start with an array of values: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. Assign each number to a single attribute. To do so double-click on the small number under each attribute and type in a number from the array. Your racial bonus, set up in step 2 will be applied automatically.Point Buy
You have 27 points to spend on your Ability Scores. The cost of each score is shown on the Ability Score Point Cost table. For example, a score of 14 costs 7 points. Using this method, 15 is the highest ability score you can end up with, before applying racial increases. You can’t have a score lower than 8.Ability Score Point Cost
| Score | Cost |
|---|---|
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | 1 |
| 10 | 2 |
| 11 | 3 |
| 12 | 4 |
| 13 | 5 |
| 14 | 6 |
| 15 | 9 |
5. Background
It is time to create your character background. To see example backgrounds, search for Backgrounds By Name in the compendium (i) in Roll20. Your background should tie into your backstory and give you a way to express that backstory mechanically and narratively in-game. Note if you are using an existing background feature, Outlander background Wanderer feature is changed as follows:| You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can easily recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you giving you Advantage to Navigation checks for areas that you have already visted. In addition, you are skilled at finding food and fresh water giving you Advantage on foraging checks. |
Instructions
- Name & Narrative. In the Notes tab of your character sheet, in the ADDITIONAL FEATURES & TRAITS area, write down the name of your background - which you can choose from the list or create, followed by a narrative description. Note this narrative has no tangible mechanical effects but should affect the way you roleplay your character (the Background Feature below gives the game effects).
- Write down the name of your background at the top of your character sheet, in the same area as your race and class under BACKGROUND.
- Choose two (2) skill proficiencies that you do not already have that make sense for your background narrative. Make sure to mark these proficiencies on the Core tab and list them under your narrative with the Skills: heading.
- Choose a total of two (2) languages and tools proficiencies. This can be two languages, one language and one tool or two tools. Write those down under Proficiencies: in your background description and then drag and drop them from the Compendium to the Core tab (TOOLS & CUSTOM SKILLS for tools and PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES for languages).
- Choose or create a Background Feature. You can choose a background feature from any of the backgrounds listed in Roll20, assuming it makes sense. Or you can create your own. If you create your own you will need to do the following:
- Make sure the effect is similar in power and effect to other background features listed.
- Make sure the background effect gives no mechanical advantage in combat.
- Get approval from the GM.
- Once you have created your background feature, make sure to add it to FEATURES & TRAITS in the Features tab, in order to keep all of your features in one place.
- Finally, select background equipment. The easiest way to do this is to look through the PHB backgrounds and picking the equipment set that matches closest.
Example
Background Name: Acolyte Narrative: You have spent your life in the service of a Temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric—performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power. Skills: Insight, Religion Proficiencies: Dwarven, Draconic Feature: As an acolyte, you command the respect of those who share your faith, and you can perform the religious ceremonies of your deity. You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any material Components needed for Spells. Those who share your religion will support you (but only you) at a modest lifestyle.6. Final Details
Now it is time to fill in your final details.- Choose three (3) skill specializations form the Skills list. These specializations must be under skills that you have proficiency in.
- Click the +Add button in the TOOLS & CUSTOM SKILLS area of the sheet (Core tab).
- Copy the name from the Skill list.
- Change PROFICIENCY BONUS to EXPERTISE.
- Change the Attribute to match the base skill.
- Click the checkmark in the upper-right corner of the red box to finalize.
- You can click on these specializations to roll them just like normal skills.
- Add 1 Fate point. You gain Fate points when you level up and you can have up to 3. Fate points can be used to roll an ability or attack with advantage, re-roll a d20 roll, or if an attack will reduce you to 0 or less, you can use a Fate point to stay on your feet at 1 HP (this is a great way to avoid permanent death when falling from a great height or suffering a massive blow).
- Calculate your HP: Hit Dice size + CON bonus. For example, if your class has a d8 as its HD and you have a CON bonus of +2, you start with 10 HP. Make sure to fill in the HIT POINTS field on the character sheet and set the CURRENT hit points.
- Set remaining HIT DICE to 1.
- Fill in the CHARACTER DETAILS on the Features tab of the character sheet.
- Add one or two quirks that you can roleplay to the QUIRKS area of the Features tab. These should be quirks specific to your character and should be different than your own. This is an aid to help you get into character. To this end, keep it simple so you can remember and play up the quirks.
- Add any important bonds (optional).
- In the TROUBLE area of the tab, add a sentence describing what the character does to find trouble or how trouble finds them. "Desire to steal anything shiny", "I'm being hunted down by bounty hunters because I accidentally killed a member of a noble family in home town."
- Under the Notes tab, add a couple of sentences describing your character's past or backstory under CHARACTER BACKSTORY. A few sentences are fine, this should be kept fairly simple and vague so it can be developed through play. Excessively long backstories are rarely relevant to the game, so by keeping this short it is easier to roleplay and you can add to the background throughout the campaign so that it fits the character you are playing and is relevant to the game.
- Sell any equipment you don't want or need for its standard value in gold or silver. Simply delete the equipment from your EQUIPMENT & HOLDINGS on the Equipment tab and add the money on that same tab.
- You can purchase additional starting equipment, excluding magic or rare items, using whatever money have at the base PHB prices.
7. Contacts & Organizations
The last thing to do is setting up your organizations and contacts.- Every gifted must belong to one of the Pattern Guilds in order to be licensed to use their abilities in public, get training, and work with the Nexus Guild.
- Choose which organization you fit in the best and that trains members of your base class. Add this to your ALLIES & ORGANIZATIONS list on the Notes tab of your character sheet at Novice rank. Example: Arcane Tower - Novice. You will be given requests and tasks from this organization but they will train you when you level up, grant a choice of a magic item (from a limited list) when advancing to the next rank and of course keep your license to use magic and magic-like or superhuman abilities in public.
- Add "Nexus Guild - Novice" to ALLIES & ORGANIZATIONS on the Notes page of the character sheet.
- Add your Pattern Guild(Pattern Guilds) contact, listed with each organization.
- Add your Nexus Guild contact - "Karl Stadran." This is your main contact with the Nexus Guild, he usually speaks to the group about missions, rewards, and similar topics.
- If you are a part of a secret faction within your organization - as is the case with someone using or studying illegal magic such as Necromancy - you will need to handle this with the GM.
- You have been in Mavin for about 6 months. In that time, you have gained a useful contact. This contact can be a shop keeper you frequently buy from, a bartender at a local Tavern, or a criminal contact in a nearby Red-light district who specializes in black-market magic item sales. Try to come up with your connection with them, where they are in the city (such as 27.2 - one of the red-light districts), and possibly the name of the contact. Additional details, such as the specific name of the area, details of the meetup place, etc. will be determined between sessions.
- Contacts should make sense for the character, your concept, their skills, and class. That said, players are encouraged to work together to find complementary contacts. These contacts can be used to improve prices, get the party special deals, as a way of interacting with criminal elements in order to deal with the black market, as a way of gaining inside information, and so on.
- Note, however, that these must be "low power" contacts, you have only known them for a few months and have just recently become novices. Of course, your contacts will grow over time and so will you.
