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Character Creation

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Zach Hannum edited this page Jun 13, 2022 · 8 revisions

Character Creation

https://tamas-rabel.github.io/cortex/sheet.html Trait Sets:

  • Distinctions
  • Attributes
  • Skills + Specialties
  • Abilities
  • Signature Assets

Concept

Before creating any traits or assigning dice, the most important step in character creation is your Concept. Consider the type of character you want to play, what sort of role your character would like to have in the story. Think about what their upringing was like, their personality, and the sorts of abilities you want your character to have.

Do you want to play a powerful Farseeker who manipulates the threads of space and gravity? Or perhaps a Deep Dweller working for the Holden Corporation maintaining underground pipelines. Use The Dark Between campaign setting to help generate ideas. Once you have a solid concept in mind, you can move on to creating your character’s Trait Sets.

Distinctions

Distinctions are a Character’s most important trait set. Characters have three distinction traits that give establish their background, personality, role in the story, ancestory, vocation, or heritage. It is up to you to decide what these distinctions are—for some characters, their ancestory might be important to them. For others, their profession. Work with the DM to come up with the best distinctions that fit with your character’s Concept.

SFX

Traits, including Disctinctions, sometimes have SFX attached to them, which are kinds of “bonuses” or “benefits” that occur when certain stipulations are met.

All Distinctions get the Hinder distinction: “Gain a PP when you switch out this distinction’s 8 for a 4”

In addition, The Dark Between characters will get 3 more SFX to distribute across their distinctions as they see fit. Work with the DM to determine exactly what these SFX are—certain ancestories, backgrounds, or vocations may come with specific SFX. More SFX can be added to distinctions through Character Growth.

Attributes

Attributes start at 8. An attribute may be stepped down to step another attribute up. No attribute may start higher than 10.

  • Strength
  • Dexterity
  • Intellect
  • Awareness
  • Conviction

Skills

Skills start at 4. At creation, Players have 9 step-up points.

  • Athletics
  • Acrobatics
  • Combat
  • Deception
  • Engineering
  • Intimidation
  • Knowledge
  • Medicine
  • Perception
  • Performance
  • Persuasion
  • Sleight of Hand
  • Stealth

Skill Specialties

Start at a rating of 6 and can be upgraded, no specific list. Characters start out with 0 specialties, but can be adding through Character Growth.

Abilities

Characters start with 3 Abilities, traits that represent powers or aptitudes that go above and beyond the average person in the world. For Acronists, these abilities represent the 3 aspects of their chosen Primal Spirit. For other characters, their abilities can represent a number of different things depending on their concept—special equipment, weapons, gear, or specific powers/traits inherited from their ancestory or background. Each character starts with two 6 rated abilities, one 8 rated ability, and a single SFX attached to each ability. Higher ratings and more SFX can be added through Character Growth.

Signature Assets

Characters start with a single Signature Asset, rated 6, which represents a particularly iconic weapon, item, pet, or something else entirely that is tied to the Character. Signature assets can also represent more nebulous things, such as relationships with important organizations or characters within the world.

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