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Character Creation

Welcome to the Perilous Adventures Warbands Guide (PAWG)! Here’s where you’ll craft a character to brave a rugged, medieval fantasy world—a hero, a survivor, or maybe a scoundrel with a spark of hope. Whether you’re new to tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) or a dice-rolling pro, this guide will take you step-by-step to build someone unique. You’ll shape their talents, skills, and quirks, all while weaving a story of who they are. Don’t worry if it feels big at first—your character will grow with you as you play!

In PAWG, you use a d100 (two ten-sided dice: one for tens, one for units) to test your abilities. Roll equal to or under a target—like a skill or attribute—and you succeed. Lower is better, and we’ll explain as we go. Grab a pencil, some paper, and let’s create your warband member!

Step 1: Imagine Your Character

Start with an idea. Who are you in this gritty world? A battle-hardened fighter? A sneaky trickster? A spell-wielding wanderer? In PAWG, you can build whatever you dream up. To help, here are five archetypes—suggestions, not rules:

  • Warrior: Made for combat—strong, tough, weapon-skilled.
  • Rogue: Quick and crafty—nimble, charming, stealthy.
  • Scholar: A thinker—smart, observant, lore-rich.
  • Mystic: Magic runs deep—wise, intuitive, spell-savvy.
  • Leader: Born to inspire—charismatic, bold, commanding.

These are just starting points. Mix them, tweak them, or toss them aside—your character’s yours. Think about what fires you up, then use the steps ahead to make it happen.

Example: Sara, a new player, pictures a rugged wanderer who uses magic to survive—leaning Mystic but with a tough streak. She names him Kael.

Step 2: Choose Your Species

Your species gives your character a distinct flavor and a special perk. Are you a scrappy human or something more unusual? Pick one from this list (or see the full species section later). Each adjusts your starting attributes and grants a species trait—a unique talent. Here are some options:

  • Human: Tough and adaptable.
  • Adjustments: None.
  • Trait: Adaptable Spirit (+10 to one skill, reroll it once per session).
  • Duskborn: Shadow-dwelling, keen-sensed folk.
  • Adjustments: +20 DEX, +10 WIS, -10 STR, -20 CON.
  • Trait: Night’s Embrace (+20 Perception/Stealth in dim light/darkness, no penalties).
  • Stonekin: Rock-tough mountain kin.
  • Adjustments: +20 CON, +10 STR, -10 DEX, -20 CHA.
  • Trait: Rocksteady (+10 DR, -10 ft Movement).
  • Windrunner: Swift plains runners.
  • Adjustments: +20 DEX, +10 CHA, -10 CON, -20 INT.
  • Trait: Fleet of Foot (+10 ft Movement, +20 Athletics for running/jumping).
  • Embermarked: Fire-touched mystics.
  • Adjustments: +20 INT, +10 WIS, -10 DEX, -20 CHA.
  • Trait: Flameheart (+10 Mana, resist 10 fire damage once/day, free Fire Bolt spell).

Details: Adjustments apply in Step 3. The trait is one of your two starting distinctions (more on that soon). More species—like Tideborn or Ironvein—await if you’re curious!

Example: Sara picks Human for Kael—flexibility suits his wandering life. He gets Adaptable Spirit.

Step 3: Assign Attributes

Attributes are your character’s natural strengths—six core stats that show what they’re capable of. You have 340 points to divide between them, with each between 10 (barely functional) and 80 (human peak) before species adjustments. Here’s what they do:

  1. Strength (STR): Power—lifting, hitting, enduring hard work.
  2. Dexterity (DEX): Agility—dodging, aiming, moving fast.
  3. Constitution (CON): Resilience—health, stamina, taking hits.
  4. Intelligence (INT): Smarts—solving problems, recalling facts, magic depth.
  5. Wisdom (WIS): Instinct—spotting threats, staying strong-willed, spell control.
  6. Charisma (CHA): Charm—persuading, leading, bluffing.

How to Spend: Split your 340 points any way you like. A balanced character might average 56-57 per attribute, but focus on what fits—high WIS for a mystic, high STR for a fighter. After, add your species adjustments (they can push over 80 or drop below 10).

Tip for Newbies: Start with 50-60 in what you’re good at, 30-40 in the rest, then tweak to hit 340.

Example: Sara builds Kael:

  • STR 40 (decent strength)
  • DEX 50 (nimble survivor)
  • CON 50 (tough enough)
  • INT 60 (sharp mind)
  • WIS 80 (magic intuition)
  • CHA 60 (quietly compelling)
  • Total: 40 + 50 + 50 + 60 + 80 + 60 = 340. Human = no adjustments.

Step 4: Pick a Background

Your background is your past—what you did before joining the warband. It gives a +10 bonus to one skill and lets you pick an item tied to your story. Choose one (or make your own with the Game Master, or GM):

  • Soldier: +10 to a combat skill (e.g., Melee Weapons).
  • Street Urchin: +10 to Stealth or Sleight of Hand.
  • Sage’s Apprentice: +10 to a Knowledge skill (e.g., Arcana).
  • Outcast: +10 to Survival.
  • Noble: +10 to Persuasion.
  • Herbalist: +10 to Medicine or Survival.
  • Tinker: +10 to Craft.

Personal Item: Pick a small item that reflects your background story—a keepsake, tool, or symbol. It’s not a magic bonus, just a piece of your history (e.g., a soldier’s dented helm, a noble’s faded ribbon).

Example: Sara chooses Outcast for Kael (+10 Survival). His item: a worn map fragment—his only clue to a lost home.

Step 5: Build Your Skills

Skills are what you’ve learned—your training in action. Each starts at its linked attribute, then you spend 90 points to boost them. No skill can go over 100 at creation, even with bonuses.

How It Works:

  • Base Value: Equals the linked attribute (e.g., Spellcasting = WIS).
  • Spending Points:
  • 1 point = +1 up to 50.
  • 2 points = +1 from 51 to 75.
  • 3 points = +1 from 76 to 100.
  • Add Bonuses: Apply background or trait bonuses after spending.

Skill List (GM can add more):

  • STR: Athletics (climb, jump), Intimidation.
  • DEX: Stealth, Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Ranged Weapons, Melee Weapons.
  • CON: Endurance (resist fatigue), Resilience (resist poison).
  • INT: Knowledge (e.g., Arcana), Craft (e.g., blacksmithing), Investigation.
  • WIS: Perception, Survival, Medicine, Spellcasting.
  • CHA: Persuasion, Deception, Performance, Leadership.

Example: Kael’s skills:

  • Spellcasting: 80 (WIS) + 20 = 100 (20 points).
  • Survival: 80 (WIS) + 10 (Outcast) = 90 (capped from 100, 10 points).
  • Perception: 80 (WIS) + 0 = 80.
  • Stealth: 50 (DEX) + 20 = 70 (20 points).
  • Persuasion: 60 (CHA) + 10 = 70 (10 points).
  • Total: 20 + 10 + 20 + 10 = 60 (30 points unspent for now).

Step 6: Choose Distinctions

Distinctions are your special edges—talents that make you shine. You get two: one is your species trait, the other you pick from a list (or create with GM approval). They might boost a skill, add a bonus, or give a rare trick.

Examples:

  • Weapon Master: +20 to one combat skill with a specific weapon.
  • Mana Reserves: +10 Mana Pool.
  • Quick Draw: +20 initiative with Ranged Weapons.
  • Healer’s Hands: +20 Medicine, +20 HP healed (10 minutes).

Details: Tie each to your past—how’d you earn it? See the full list later!

Example: Kael’s distinctions:

  • Adaptable Spirit (Human, +10 Spellcasting, reroll).
  • Mana Reserves (+10 Mana, from desperate spell practice).

Step 7: Calculate Mana and Hit Points

  • Mana Pool: WIS + INT. Fuels spells (0 if you don’t cast). Distinctions can increase it.
  • Kael: 80 WIS + 60 INT = 140 + 10 (Mana Reserves) = 150 Mana.
  • Hit Points (HP): (CON + STR) x 2. Your health—how much you can endure.
  • Kael: (50 CON + 40 STR = 90) x 2 = 180 HP.
  • Thresholds: 0 HP = unconscious, -90 HP (half total) = dying (lose 10 HP/round), -180 HP = dead.
  • Fatigue: Starts at 0. Each level = -10 to rolls (from pushing limits).

Healing:

  • Short Rest (1 Hour): Heal CON/2 HP (e.g., 25 for Kael) with Medicine (difficulty 30) or safe rest.
  • Long Rest (8 Hours): Heal CON + STR HP (e.g., 90 for Kael), remove 1 Fatigue.

Step 8: Pick Gear and Spells

  • Starting Gear: Choose 2-3 basic items that fit your character (GM approves). Examples:
  • Sword (15 damage), leather armor (5 DR).
  • Staff (8 damage, +10 Spellcasting), cloth armor (2 DR).
  • Kael: Staff, leather armor, worn map fragment (Outcast item).
  • Spells: If Spellcasting > 0, pick 3 starting spells (see spell list):
  • Kael: Fire Bolt (10 Mana, 20 damage), Healing Touch (15 Mana, 40 HP), Light Orb (5 Mana, illuminates).

Step 9: Add Personal Details

  • Name: What’s your name? (Kael).
  • Appearance: How do you look? (Weathered, dark hair, sharp eyes).
  • Story: A goal or flaw? (Seeks his lost past, distrusts crowds).
  • Derived Stats:
  • Carry Capacity: STR x 2 lbs (Kael: 80 lbs).
  • Movement: 30 ft + 5 per 20 DEX above 50 (Kael: 35 ft).

Kael’s Finished Character

  • Concept: Human mystic wanderer.
  • Species: Human (Adaptable Spirit).
  • Attributes: STR 40, DEX 50, CON 50, INT 60, WIS 80, CHA 60.
  • Background: Outcast (+10 Survival, worn map fragment).
  • Skills: Spellcasting 100, Survival 90, Perception 80, Stealth 70, Persuasion 70.
  • Distinctions: Adaptable Spirit, Mana Reserves.
  • Mana/HP: 150 Mana, 180 HP.
  • Gear: Staff, leather armor, worn map fragment (Fire Bolt, Healing Touch, Light Orb).

For Experienced Players

  • Flexibility: 340 attribute points and 90 skill points let you fine-tune—max out key stats or spread evenly. Pair species traits with distinctions for combos (e.g., Windrunner with Fleet of Foot and Swift Reflexes).
  • Advancement: Earn XP to raise skills (1-3 XP per +1), attributes (5 XP per +1), distinctions (20 XP), or HP/Mana (10 XP per +10).
  • Tactics: High HP (e.g., 180) and healing (e.g., 40 HP spells) mean longer fights—plan around Fatigue and Mana to outlast foes.

You’re set! Show your character to your GM, tweak if needed, and roll that d100 to join the warband’s tale!