Character Creation

Making Dragon Age characters is quick and easy. You should all create your first characters together at
the beginning of your first session. Character creation is, just like play, a kind of conversation—everyone
should be there for it.

You may need to make another character during play, if yours gets killed for example. If so, no worries,
the character creation process helps you make a new character that fits into the group in just a few
minutes. All characters, even replacement characters, start at first level. These steps will walk you
through filling out a character sheet.
1. Choose a Class
Look over the character classes and choose one that interests you. Look at specializations for an idea of
what will eventually be possible with your class. Think also about the type of person you want to play.
What’s their background? Where do they come from? What motivates them? An apostate mage on the
run from the Circle will probably have very different reasons for adventuring than a mercenary warrior –
or they might have more in common than they think!

2. Choose a Race
Choose from one of the following races: human, dwarf, elf, or qunari. While it’s possible for any race to
hail from almost anywhere, consider how likely it is. If you want to play a tal-vashoth (a qunari not
associated with the qun) who grew up on a farm in Ferelden, you’re going to have to work very hard to
convince the GM, and the other players, to permit such an idea.

Likewise, while it’s generally impossible for dwarves to be mages (dwarves don’t dream and are
therefore not connected to the Fade; combined with a genetic resistance to lyrium, this makes them great
enchanters but terrible mages), this is a game about playing who you want to play. This is your table’s
iteration of the Dragon Age world, and if you want to be one of the first dwarf mages, that’s an
opportunity to roleplay a really interesting story. But don’t be surprised when your out-there choices
have unexpected consequences!

Each race takes a racial bonus. This is a very tiny bonus meant to differentiate the races based on their
physical build and their roles in the various societies of Thedas. It’s not meant to win the day or
guarantee a roll so much as to help you play to the strengths of your character’s race.

 Dwarves are a hardy people. Take one extra point in Constitution. As good for drinking as
shrugging off blows.
 Elves are small and thin and slight. Nimbleness is their forte. Take one extra point in Dexterity.
Good for acrobatics or other acts of finesse.
 Even the smallest qunari towers over the largest Avvar hillsman. Take one extra point in
Strength. Good for feats of might or performing devastating attacks.
 Humans don’t face nearly the same stigmas as the other races. Take one extra point in
Communication. Good for haggling or putting others at ease.

3. Choose a Name
Choose a name that is appropriate for your character based on their race and background.

4. Choose Look
Describe what your character looks like. This helps the other players visualize who you are, but it might
also come into play mechanically. If your strength is your highest stat, you’re not going to be a rail-thin
waif, even if you’re an elf. If your communication, which represents charisma and manipulation as well,
is high, being covered in disfiguring scars might not make sense – though just the right scars in just the
right places can certainly enhance your allure. As always, work with the fiction, and let the mechanics
come into play when they need to.
 5. Choose Stats
Assign these scores to your stats: 16, 15, 13, 12, 9, 8. Start by looking over the basic moves and the starting
moves for your class. Pick out the move that interests you the most: something you’ll be doing a lot, or
something that you excel at. Put a 16 in the stat for that move. Look over the list again and pick out the
next most important move to your character, maybe something that supports your first choice. Put your
15 in the stat for that move. Repeat this process for your remaining scores: 13, 12, 9, 8.

It looks like I need Intelligence to cast spells, which are my thing, so my 16 goes there. The Defy Danger
option for Dexterity looks like something I might be doing to dive out of the way of a spell, so that gets my
15. A 13 Intelligence will help me notice important details (and maybe keep my sanity, based on the Defy
Danger move). Communication might be useful in dealing with summoned creatures so I’ll put my 12 there.
Living is always nice, so I put my 9 in Constitution for some extra HP. Strength gets the 8.

6. Figure Out Modifiers

Next you need to figure out the modifiers for your stats. The modifiers are what you use when a move
says +DEX or +COM. If you’re using the standard character sheets the modifiers are already listed with
each score.

Score Modifier
1–3 -3
4–5 -2
6–8 -1
9–12 0
13–15 +1
16–17 +2
18 +3

7. Set Maximum HP and MP

Your maximum HP is equal to your class’s base HP+Constitution score. You start with your maximum
HP. If you are a mage, your maximum mana points are equal to 10+Willpower score.

8. Choose Starting Moves

Some classes, like the warrior, have choices to make as part of one of their moves. Make these choices
now. The mage will need to choose spells. Write down your starting moves on your sheet.

9. Choose Alignment
Your alignment is a few words that describe your character’s moral outlook. Choose your alignment—in
play, it’ll give your character certain actions that can earn you additional XP. The alignments are: Good,
Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic, and Evil

10. Choose Gear

Each class has choices to make for starting gear. Keep your load in mind—it limits how much you can
easily carry. Make sure to total up your armor and note it on your character sheet.
 11. Introduce Your Character
Now that you know who your character is, it’s time to introduce them to everyone else. Wait until
everyone’s finished choosing their name. Then go around the table; when it’s your turn, share your look,
class, and anything else pertinent about your character. You can share your alignment now or keep it a
secret if you prefer.

This is also the time for the GM to ask questions. The GM’s questions should help establish the
relationships between characters (“What do you think about that?”) and draw the group into the
adventure (“Does that mean you’ve met Grundloch before?”). The GM should listen to everything in the
description and ask about anything that stands out. Establish where they’re from, who they are, how they
came together, or anything else that seems relevant or interesting.

The GM may give you starting parameters for where you need to be to begin play, but this should also be
a conversation. If you don’t like where the GM wants to start your character, come up with an alternative
solution together than still gets the game moving forward. Remember, the point of the game is party up
and go on adventures. You can play an antisocial loner, but if you’re just fighting the party all the time,
why would they team up with you? If you’re fighting the players and the GM, why would they play with
you?

12. Choose Goals and Ties

This is where you’ll mark your goals. You may have long term goals and short term goals. It’s important
to keep them in mind as you play. You probably wouldn’t do something that flew in the face of one of
your goals, unless there was a good reason.

As you adventure, your goals, like your alignment, might shift. They’re touchstones and guidelines for
who you are and how you want to play. The GM will want to introduce opportunities for you to fulfill
your goals, but it’s not a one-way street: you’ll want to introduce your goals in play, and convince your
party to help you pursue them.

If you have significant ties, list them. Remaining family, loved ones, old friends, enemies. Try to come up
with a handful, even if you can’t think of anything interesting to start with. Not all your ties will be the
stuff of epic stories – some adventurers are just normal folk, after all – but nobody grows up in a vacuum.
Your character had to have influenced the world in some way, even if they were a Dalish hermit living in
the woods.

13. Get Ready to Play

Take a little break: grab a drink, stretch your legs and let the GM brainstorm for a little bit about what
they’ve learned about your characters. Once you’re all ready, grab your dice and your sheet and get
ready to take on the dungeon.

Once you’re ready the GM will get things started as described in the First Session chapter.