Character Creation

..Continued from Core Rules

This page is an online copy of the Character Creation section of the Shadow Accord Player Rulebook.

Character Guides All new characters must be approved by a character guide (CG) before being played at an event or on the forums. Character guides help provide new characters with proper guidance to fit into the world of Shadow Accord. They often ask a number of questions intended to help players gain a clearer picture of who their character is and what they believe. Character concepts should be discussed with the CGs before game if possible. Faction Shadow Accord consists of four basic types of creatures from which players can create a character. Each group has a significant effect on the basic attributes that your character possesses and how they will interact with the world. Information about the individual factions is found in their respective sections. You must choose a faction from the following: Human, Vampire, Shifter, or Wraith. Sub-Faction Within each faction you must choose one or more sub-factions. These indicate what, if any, supernatural powers you have and what their source is. This choice will have a significant effect on your role within your faction. Sub-factions are available according to the following chart: Faction Sub-Faction Human Commoner Formori Ghoul Gifted Kinfolk (choose a Tribe) Sorcerer Shifter Shifter Choose a Tribe, Breed, and Auspice (p. 33) Vampire Vampire Choose a Clan (p. 27) Wraith Wraith Choose a Legion (p. 39) Humans may choose a single merit at no cost. To become a Fomori, Ghoul, Kinfolk, Gifted Kinfolk, or Sorcerer you must purchase the appropriate merit. Restrictions Some sub-factions have restrictions that must be followed. Check the relevant faction section to see the restrictions on a particular sub-faction. Some sub-factions may also have an experience cost that must be paid in order to create a character in that sub-faction. The experience cost is determined by the tier of the restricted sub-faction. You may not pay this cost with freebies. Level Cost Tier 1 6 XP Tier 2 12 XP Tier 3 18 XP Passions (Wraith Only) A wraith must select two passions that represent the forms of emotion he is capable of feeding from. A wraith may only regain pathos from haunts that match one of his passions. Choose from the following: Love - friendship, romance, affection, etc. Hate - spite, jealousy, loathing, disgust, etc. Pleasure - joy, excitement, comfort, etc. Pain - suffering, depression, sorrow, guilt, etc. Anger - fury, revenge, animosity, etc. Fear - terror, panic, cowardice, anxiety, etc. Patron Patron indicates a powerful connection that your character has to a specific deity. The patron is aware of your character and may come to give advice, strike deals, or make demands, depending on the quality of your relationship. Shifters all have the option of beginning with a Gaian or Wyrm totem as a patron. Other characters may gain access through merit or lore choices. You may start with one of the following (CGs may approve others): Gaian Totems Rat Unicorn Stag Fenris Griffon Grandfather Thunder Owl Falcon Cockroach Raven Bastet Only: King of Cats Mistress of Cat Kind Ananasi Only: Queen Ananasa Wyrm Totems Black Fungus Green Dragon Hakaken Whippoorwill Demon Totems Requires Demon Lore (Speak to your CG). Advantages List any advantages as per your faction. Weakness List any weaknesses as per your sub-faction. Energy Type All characters begin with an energy pool of 10. Type is determined by faction and possibly sub-faction according to the following table: Faction Energy Type Commoner Vitality Sorcerer Essence Ghoul/Vampire Vitae Gifted Kinfolk/Shifter Gnosis Wraith Pathos Ananasi Blood Willpower All characters begin with one willpower. Willpower is your character’s mental resolve. No character may ever have more than 10 willpower. A character’s current willpower will refresh back to full at sunrise. Virtue Virtue type is determined by your faction. Virtue represents your moral character. Faction Begins with… Human 7 Humanity Shifters 7 Rage Vampires 6 Road Wraiths 4 Angst A wraith who has 10 virtue becomes a specter. He is permanently in catharsis and is permanently tainted. A vampire or shifter who has 0 virtue enters permanent frenzy and is permanently tainted. A human with 0 virtue must shed the trappings of civilization and behave as a beast. A character with 0 virtue has run wild and may not be checked in again. Skills Skills represent mundane or crafting skills that your character may possess. You begin with three points to spend on skills. Each level of a skill costs one point. Power Trees Powers are magical abilities that your character possesses due to his faction and subfaction. Powers are organized into trees with three levels. Your Innate Trees are determined by your faction and subfaction choices. Sorcery Trees Sorcerers possess powers in the form of Sorcery. You only need to learn a Sorcery tree one time but each level of the tree must be purchased in order. You must purchase level one before you may purchase level two, and you must purchase level two before you can purchase level three. Fomori Trees Fomori possess powers in the form of Fomori trees. You only need to learn a Fomori tree one time but each level of the tree must be purchased in order. You must purchase level one before you may purchase level two, and you must purchase level two before you can purchase level three. Purchasing the first level of a power from a learned fomori tree automatically gives you a mutation. Discipline Trees Vampires and ghouls possess powers in the form of disciplines. You only need to learn a discipline one time but each level of the tree must be purchased in order. You must purchase level one before you may purchase level two, and you must purchase level two before you can purchase level three. Gift Trees Shifters and gifted kinfolk possess powers in the form of gifts. You are not required to learn the first gift in a tree before you learn the second, or third. However, you must have no more level two gifts than you have level one, and no more level three gifts than you have level two. Arcanoi Trees Wraiths possess powers in the form of arcanoi. You only need to learn an arcanoi one time but each level of the tree must be purchased in order. You must purchase level one before you may purchase level two, and you must purchase level two before you can purchase level three. Innate Trees and Starting Powers Fomori Fomori pick one fomori tree as their innate tree. They begin with the first power in this tree. Ghouls Ghouls have the following disciplines as innate trees: Celerity, Fortitude, and Potence. They begin with level one Potence. Gifted Kinfolk Gifted Kinfolk have the Homid breed and their chosen tribe tree as innate powers. They start with one level-one gift from either of these two trees. Sorcerers Sorcerers pick two sorcery trees as their innate powers. They receive one free level-one power from one of their innate trees. Fellowship trees always count as learned, and a sorcerer cannot have more than one fellowship tree. Vampire Vampire’s innate trees are determined by their clan. They receive three innate powers at character creation. Shifter Shifter’s innate trees are determined by their breed, auspice, and tribe. They receive three innate powers at character creation. Wraith Wraiths choose three arcanoi as innate trees. They receive three innate powers at character creation. Finishing Touches Derangement Derangements represent a serious mental flaw in your character’s thought patterns. Characters with a derangement may have difficulty performing ordinary tasks, but when compelled to do so by a power, they will perform as best they can. Derangements do not allow a character to lose or misplace character knowledge. While your character may not normally be able to recall a memory of an event, a power or other ability could compel such a memory from them. You may select derangements from the list below or have character guides approve something additional: Derangement Description Amnesia You have trouble remembering past events. Aphasia Unable to speak coherently. Melancholia You are extremely depressed and difficult to motivate. Delusional You believe in a reality that simply doesn’t exist. Masochism You drive others to cause you pain. Megalomania You must seek to control all things. Multiple Personality Disorder You have several distinct personalities, only one of which manifests at any given time. Obsessive Compulsion You have a specific order that things must be kept in. If it is out of place you will replace it. Paranoia You consider everything a threat. Regression Your mind has reverted to a childlike state to protect itself from the world. Schizophrenia You hear voices and follow their instructions. Synesthesia You are in a permanently hallucinatory state. Deformity Metis shifters begin the game with a deformity. Deformities that add physical disfigurements are considered makeup requirements. Character guides may approve additional deformities or select from the list below if your character begins with a deformity. Deranged Select a derangement from the list above. Deformity Description Fragile All damage is considered aggravated. Hemophilia Your regeneration rate is always 0. Horns You must wear horns. Lame You may not run. Mute You cannot speak. No Claws You may not use claws or purchase the mixed morph merit. Puny Your base maximum health is 8 instead of 10. Restricted Form You must always wear your crinos mask as a makeup requirement. Tail You must wear a tail. Withered Arm You may not use one arm to hold any items during game (including packets). Weak Musculature (Shifter only) You do not get the Augment 1 bonus from the powerful form power. Mutations Humans who become Fomori will gain mutations if they gain certain powers or if they have powers from more than one tree. All mutations are considered makeup requirements. Mutation Description Hideous You have some very visible and obvious deformity (e.g. a horse head growing next to your own head). Horns You must wear horns. Restricted Form You must always wear a mask. Scaly Skin You must wear makeup that depicts scales on your entire face as a minimum. Tail You must wear a tail. Tentacles You cannot retract your tentacles (requires tentacles power). Freebie Points Once the above steps have been completed a character has a total of 27 freebie points to spend on this character. They may spend points on the following: Trait Cost 4 Pence 1 1 Shilling 3 Energy Point 3 Virtue Point 2 Skill Point 2 Willpower 6 Merit 3 +3 per merit Level 1 Innate Power 3 Level 2 Innate Power 6 Level 3 Innate Power 9 Unrestricted Sub-Faction Lore 3 Tier 1 Restricted Sub-Faction Lore 6 Faction Lore 6 Demon Lore 6 Tier 2 Restricted Sub-Faction Lore 12 Tier 3 Restricted Sub-Faction Lore 18 Lore Any new character may begin play with knowledge obtained from the core WoD Rulebook for his or her faction, as well as any Dark Ages books for his faction and any other books associated with his sub-faction, provided nothing modern is included. All characters may also begin with basic medieval human knowledge, including common folklore and superstition. Purchasing lore allows you to begin play with knowledge outside of the norm. Characters may spend freebie points to start with character knowledge that is outside of their standard faction and sub-faction IG knowledge. Faction Lore grants access to core starting knowledge for an entire faction other than your own (Vampire, Shifter, Wraith, Mage, or Fae). Sub-faction lore allows a character to have starting knowledge available to a specific sub-faction for which she already has the prerequisite faction lore. Additionally, with sub-faction lore, experience points may be spent to purchase that sub-faction’s specific power trees as learned powers during character creation (provided there are no other restrictions). Faction or sub-faction lore allows you to begin with any appropriate Dark Ages knowledge found in source books. Demon Lore grants knowledge found in “The Devil’s Due” source book. You may also begin game with a demon for a patron, and, if a vampire, may start with Dark Thaumaturgy trees. Starting Coin Addendum There are 12 pence to 1 shilling A new character begins the game with 5 shillings plus any coin purchased with freebie points. Any starting weapons, shields, or armor purchased by Umbrabound characters may be Relic items. Umbrabound characters may also purchase a generic Relic item for 6 pence. Starting coin may be spent on the following: Mundane Items Cost Weapon 1 shilling Bow or Crossbow 1 shilling Shield 1 shilling, 6 pence Leather Armor 8 pence Chain/Brig Armor 1 shilling Plate Armor 1 shilling, 9 pence Lock 12 pence Key 2 pence Silver Dagger 15 shillings Supernatural Items Cost Healing Potion 5 pence Antidote 4 pence Common Ritual 1 shilling Obolus (Wraith only) 1 shilling, 6 pence Common Rituals Common Mystical Rites Requirements Binding Circle Rituals 2 and Protection 3 Bulwark Against the Spiritlands Rituals 2 and either Spirit 3 or any fellowship tree at 3 Cat’s Got Your Tongue Rituals 1 and Curse 1 Hone the Blade Rituals 1 and Warrior 1 Know Mind Rituals 1 and Mind 1 Pass Ward Rituals 1 Return to the Flock Rituals 1, Holy Water 2, and either Healer 3, Patterns 3, or Spirit 2 Séance Rituals 1 and either Spirit 1 or Fortune Telling 3 Summon Forest Spirit Rituals 2 and either Spirit 2 or any fellowship tree at 2 Common Blood Rites Requirements Bind the Essence of the Soul Rituals 1 and Necromancy 1 Call Down the Hunter’s Moon Rituals 1 and Quietus 1 Deflection of the Wooden Doom Rituals 1 Eyes of Despondent Revelation Rituals 1 and either Mortis 1 or Rego Vitae 3 Eyes of the Translator Rituals 1 and Quietus 1 Gentle Repose Rituals 1 and Mortis 1 Heart of Darkness Rituals 1 and Serpentis 1 Innocence of a Child’s Heart Rituals 1 and Serpentis 1 Potency of the Blood Rituals 1 and either Rego Vitae 1 or Serpentis 3 Raise the Lelek Rituals 2 and Viscissitude 2 Recur of the Homeland Rituals 1 and Viscissitude 1 Sanguinus Phial Rituals 1 Seth’s Bane Rituals 2 and Rego Vitae 2 Shatter Psyche Rituals 2 and either Necromancy 2 or Mortis 3 Transubstantiation of the Essence Rituals 2 and Obtenebration 2 Common Glyph Rites Requirements Cleansing Rituals 1 Honor the Scar Rituals 1 and Ahroun 1 Rite of Accomplishment Rituals 1 and Galliard 1 Rite of Attunement Rituals 1 Rite of Spirit Brew Rituals 2 and Theurge 2 Rite of the Cup Rituals 1 Stone of Scorn Rituals 1 and Philidox 1 Summon Spirit Rituals 1 and Theurge 1 Voice of the Jackal Rituals 1 and Ragabash 1 Ward Against Spirits Rituals 2 and Theurge 2 Common Arcanos Rites Requirements Ask Me No Questions, I’ll Tell You No Lies Rituals 1 and Embody 1 Break Oath Rituals 2 and either Mnemosynis 2 or Castigate 3 Corpus Armor Rituals 2, Moliate 2, and Armorsmith 1 Dream Walk Rituals 2 and Phantasm 2 Fettered Realm Rituals 1 and Lifeweb 1 Forest Meld Rituals 1 and Puppetry 2 Forge Weapon Rituals 1, Inhabit 1, and Blacksmith 1 Hollowing Rituals 1 and Flux 2 Liquid Assets Rituals 1 and Usury 2 Mint Obolus Rituals 1 and Blacksmith 1 Pass Ward Rituals 1 and Argos 1 Poltergeist Rituals 2 and Outrage 2 Purify Psyche Rituals 1 and Castigate 1 Reflections Rituals 1 and Fatalism 1 Song of Better Days Rituals 1 and Keening 2 The Gleaming Rituals 2 and Intimation 3 Ward Against the Living Rituals 3 and Pandemonium 3 Common Other Requirements Holy Ward Rituals 2 and Holy Water 3 Experience Points Players who have earned experience points may spend them at character creation as freebie points. Additionally, they may purchase learned power trees from sub-factions for which they have the corresponding sub-faction lore. They may also purchase other learned power trees as indicated below: Sorcerers – Without purchasing sub-faction knowledge, may purchase: Any non-fellowship spell trees. Wraith – Without purchasing sub-faction knowledge, may purchase: Any Arcanoi trees or any Dark Arcanoi trees. Ghouls and Vampires – Without purchasing sub-faction knowledge, may purchase: Animalism, Auspex, Celerity, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Potence, Presence, and Dominate. Shifters – Without purchasing sub-faction knowledge, may purchase: Breed and Auspice trees. Generation A Vampire’s lowest starting generation is limited by the size of their Vitae pool. Note that this does not indicate age of the vampire, simply generation. Older vampires should also spend XP in areas other than energy pool. Energy Pool Vampire Generation 50 Vitae 5th Generation 30 Vitae 6th Generation 20 Vitae 7th Generation 15 Vitae 8th Generation 12 Vitae 9th Generation 10 Vitae 10th Generation Rank Rank represents how far a Shifter has proven themselves in their society. Higher rank characters are expected to be able to prove their worth IG to maintain their rank. A Shifter’s maximum starting rank is equal to the number of level three gifts he possesses. Characters with less than two level-three gifts may start as either Cliath or Cub equivalent. Check-In At your first check-in, you will be given tags for each of your starting items. The following tags are free: Faction/Sub-Faction Tags Wraith 2 fetter tags Tzimisce 2 dirt tags Sorcerer 2 foci tags At subsequent check-ins, you will also be able to spend experience to advance your character (see below). Some powers, merits, abilities, and rituals allow you to receive tags, money, or special knowledge during check in. You may only receive these boons for one character, and that must be the character you use to begin play at event. Advancement Experience Points Experience Points (XP) are points you spend on your character to add new abilities, powers or merits, and to raise energy, willpower or virtue. Experience points are earned by the player and may be applied to any of their characters at check in. There is no limit to the amount of XP you can save. Each event you may advance each of your characters a single step in a skill, gain a single new power, purchase one new merit, gain an additional point in willpower, energy, and/or virtue. You do not need to play a character to advance them. Earning Experience XP is earned for the following: Action XP Earned Attending an event 3xp Winning an award 1xp Preparing for an event as staff 5xp NPCing at an event 1xp per NPC (maximum of 3 per event) Donations by donation (See Donations Forum) Learned Powers In order to gain a new power you must first be taught the first level of the power tree. Once the first level of a tree has been purchased a teacher is not required to advance. This includes abilities, arcanoi, spells, and disciplines. Shifters and kinfolk must be taught the specific level of a gift tree. (They may learn Ahroun 2 without learning Ahroun 1 but they must still have one level-one gift for each level-two gift and one level-two gift for each level-three gift.) Teaching Each game, your character may only teach one skill and one power per event. Shifters and gifted kinfolk may teach one skill and one innate gift. All other characters may teach any power tree they have mastered by obtaining all three levels of power. You may only have one taught power and one taught skill for each character at any time. If you are taught a new power or skill before spending XP to purchase the first one, the teaching will be lost. Spending Experience Cost Trait 1 Changing Road 2 Skill Point 2 Virtue Point 3 Energy Point 6 Willpower 3 +3 per merit Merit 3 Level 1 Innate or Corrupt Power 6 Level 2 Innate or Corrupt Power 6 Tier 1 Restricted Sub-Faction Lore (creation only) 9 Level 3 Innate or Corrupt Power 6 Level 1 Learned Power 9 Level 2 Learned Power 12 Level 3 Learned Power 12 Tier 2 Restricted Sub-Faction Lore (creation only) 18 Tier 3 Restricted Sub-Faction Lore (creation only) Redundant Powers If you already possess all powers granted by a new level in a given power tree, you may take that dot for free, provided you meet all other prerequisites. Taking a dot in this manner still counts toward your one-power-dot limit when advancing at Check-In. Corrupted or dark arcanoi versions of powers do not allow you to take non-corrupt versions for free, but non-corrupt versions will allow you to take corrupt or dark arcanoi versions for free. Self Nerfing At Check-In you may choose to remove or decrease character card stats. Nothing is gained by removing any of the following from your character, but you are allowed to do so if you wish: Permanent willpower Virtue (may increase instead if a wraith) Energy pool Non-corrupt powers Skills Merits Additionally you may add any of the following to your character: Devour count Derangement Mutation (fomori only) Disfigurement You may also choose to enter game with any number of the following stats decreased: Maximum health (as if struck by agg) Current health Energy Willpower And you may choose to begin game tainted if you were untainted at the end of the previous game.