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Chapter2:CharacterCreation
Step1:GMDiscussion
YouandtheotherplayersshoulddiscussthenatureoftheupcominggamewiththeGM.
Beforeanycharactersarecreated,theGMshouldoutlinesuchdetailsasgenre,setting,campaign
duration,storyboundaries,andexpectedtimecommitment.Asaplayer,youshouldlisten
closelytotheGMsdescriptionssinceitwillimpactdirectlyonthecharacteryouwishtocreate.
AskforclarificationofanyrulemodificationstheGMplanstouseaswellasany
backgroundrestrictionsonyourcharacter.Ifyouhaveanygamepreferencesinvolvingissues
suchascombatintensity,maturitylevel,ordramaversuscomedyratio,lettheGMknowabout
them.HelptheGMcreatethegamethatyouallwanttoplay.
StartingCharacterLevel
OneofthemostimportantthingsthattheGameMastershoulddiscusswithhisorherplayers
isthestartingcharacterLevel.Whilecharacterstraditionallystartat1stLevelinmostd20
Systemgames,theGMandplayersmaywanttoadventurewithmoreexperiencedandthus
morepowerfulandcapablecharacters.Table21showstherelationshipbetweenstarting
characterLevelandpowerlevel.
Charactersthatbeginhigherthan1stLevelgainallthebenefitsandspecialabilitiesgranted
from1stLeveltotheircurrentLevelandbeginthegamewithanappropriatenumberof
ExperiencePoints(seethePHBformoreinformationonExperiencePoints).Thisincludesthe
additionalFeatsandAbilityScoreincreasespresentedinTable53:LevelDependentBenefits.
Table21:StartingCharacterLevel
Starting

Discretionary

PowerLevel

CharacterLevel

CharacterPoints

Lowpoweredgame

1stto4th

40(or34+1d10)

Averagepoweredgame

5thto8th

42(or36+1d10)

Highpoweredgame

9thto12th

44(or38+1d10)

Veryhighpoweredgame

13thto16th

46(or40+1d10)

Extremelyhighpoweredgame

17thto20th

48(or42+1d10)

Epicpoweredgame

Above20th

50(or44+1d10)

DiscretionaryCharacterPoints
ThecharactersstartingLevelalsodeterminesthenumberofdiscretionaryCharacterPoints
assigned.ThesediscretionaryCharacterPointsareusedtopayforhisorherAbilityScore
Values,Race,Attributes,Skills,andFeats.TheGMcaneitherassignallplayersanequalnumber
ofCharacterPoints,oraskeachplayertorolldicetogeneratearandomnumber(seeTable21:
StartingCharacterLevel)
CharacterPointsDuringLevelProgression
Ifthecharactersstarthigherthan1stLevel,theymayalsostartwithextraCharacterPoints
gainedfromtheSpecialAbilityLevelprogressionoftheirClass(orClasses).Intheseinstances,
theadditionalCharacterPointsareaddedtothediscretionaryCharacterPointtotal.SeetheClass
Progressionchartsformoreinformation.
Step2:CharacterOutline
Acharacteroutlineisabroadconceptthatprovidesyouwithaframeonwhichtobuildyour
character.Itisnotfullydetailed;thereisnoneedforyoutoconcernyourselfwiththecharacters
specificskills,powers,orbackgrounddetailsatthisstage.Usethegameboundariesestablished
inyourdiscussionwiththeGMasthestartingpointforyourcharacterandbuildyouroutlineon
thatfoundation.DiscussyourcharacterideaswiththeGMtoensureyourcharacterwillwork
withthoseoftheotherplayersandwiththeoverallthemesandfocusofthecampaign.