Beginner
Player’s Handbook
Melestra's
core rulebook for new players
Introduction To Character Creation
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In Melestra,
a character is defined by five different variables that together shape
the character. Each of these receives a priority rating ranging from A
(highest importance) to E (no importance). These variables become the
character’s strengths and weaknesses, determining how exceptional—or
how limited—the character is in each of them. Because
characters in Melestra are not created as “superheroes,” it is
impossible to excel or be truly exceptional in every area. Players must
therefore decide which areas to invest in in order to make their character
relatively strong or distinctive, and which areas to leave less developed. The five variables, or “priority categories,” that every
character must rank are: Attributes, Race, Class, Talents,
and Wealth and Social Status. 1.1: Choosing and Ranking a Character’s Priority Categories Each
player receives 10 points, which may be distributed among the
different categories according to the following table:
The most
common distribution is A, B, C, D, E, but this is by no means the only
possible option. Other
possible distributions include:
Tip: Plan
ahead and consult with the Dungeon Master about the character you wish
to create and what is required to achieve it. This will help you obtain the
best possible result and determine where you must invest your priorities—and
where you do not. 1.2: Explanation
of the Different Priority Categories Attributes Attributes—ranging
from Strength and Dexterity to Wisdom and Charisma—are
what distinguish an ordinary person from characters capable of surviving
difficult challenges of many kinds. The more you invest in the Attributes
category, the more points you will receive to distribute among your
attributes. Alternatively, if you prefer to rely on luck and roll your
attributes, a higher priority in this category grants you more—and
higher—dice rolls to determine them. The
attributes, their effects, and the methods used to determine a character’s
attribute scores are explained in detail in Chapter 2. Race Most
inhabitants—and most adventurers—of Melestra are ordinary humans.
Characters who do not invest in the Race category may choose only human
races considered native to the starting region of Melestra. The
more you invest in Race, the more options become available, allowing
you to play demi-human characters from rarer and more distinctive
races. A brief
description of the different races can be found in Chapter 3. Class Warriors are the
most common class in Melestra, and most adventurers possess no magical
abilities. Therefore, if you wish to play a Warrior, you will not need
to invest points in the Class category. To play a Rogue, a small investment is required. Spellcasters,
and especially Priests, are rare and require a greater investment. The different classes, including their
basic statistics and starting abilities, are described in detail in Chapter
4. Combat Maneuvers, special abilities, and spells for levels 1–5
are described in Chapter 15 (Combat Maneuvers) and Chapter 16
(Spells). Talents In
addition to the combat abilities granted by the various character classes,
the world of Melestra contains many talents that characters may
learn. These range from simple abilities—such as improved Athletics
for dodging falling rocks and traps or running faster—to talents for finding,
disarming, and even constructing traps; deciphering ancient codes;
mining ore from rock or skinning slain animals or monsters; and
all the way to powerful crafting talents that allow the creation of magical
items. Characters
who do not invest in the Talents category will begin play with only a handful
of basic talents. Those who assign it a higher priority may start with a
larger number of talents, including the option to select rare and special
talents. The different talents—and the rules for choosing them during character
creation—are explained in detail in Chapter 5. Wealth and Social Status An
adventurer may be the son of an important noble, just as easily as the
son of a beggar or a penniless wanderer. The former might begin
the game with all the equipment appropriate to his class, of excellent
quality, and perhaps even a minor magical item, while the latter may
start with little more than worn leather armor and a rusted short
sword, or a staff in poor condition. Players
who invest in Wealth and Social Status will not only begin the game
with better equipment and a respectable sum of money, but will
also be able to create a background and family belonging to a higher and
more influential social standing. The
effects and options that stem from Wealth and Social Status are
explained in detail in Chapter 6.
Examples of Priority Rankings Player A wishes
to play a Warrior from an ancient En'mirian noble house. Since
the En'miri are one of the human races, and the desired class
is Warrior, the player may completely neglect the Race and Class
categories and assign both of them a rating of E. However,
the player wants the character to come from an important noble family,
and must therefore assign a rating of A to Wealth and Social Status.
This leaves the player with the Attributes and Talents
categories to assign. Since only 4 points have been spent so far, the
player may assign B (3 points) to each of them. Player B wishes
to play a Mistweaver Paladin. Since Mistweavers are a
relatively rare and unusual race, she must assign a rating of B to Race.
To choose the Paladin class, she must also invest B in Class. The
player decides that her character fled the fall of the Mistweaver Kingdom
with almost nothing, and therefore assigns D to Wealth and Social
Status. As a result, the character will begin play with partial
equipment of poor quality, and no more than a handful of coins. The
player has now spent 7 of her 10 points. If she wishes her character
to know how to forge swords (a crafting talent that requires at
least B in Talents), she will have no points remaining, and her
Attributes will be particularly low (E). |
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Created and edited by Gideon Orbach (2017) © All rights reserved.
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