Character Creation
Character creation has always been my favorite part of the TTRPG experience. Players can imagine the many possibilities, compare those to the choices at hand, and let the interplay of those choices (and constraints) create new life! It is an engaging experience to say the least.
Creating a character creation system, on the other hand, has proven to be something of an undertaking.
Designing Tribulation’s character creation system was a constant give-and-take of competing considerations. Here are a few.
A character should be competent, but not too competent. The focal characters of any story should have merit, but not so much that there is no room to grow.
Give the player plenty of fun choices, but don’t leave them overwhelmed. While I might enjoy spending hours theorycrafting a unique and interesting character in my favorite video game, this can be quite cumbersome in a TTRPG format, where much of our characters can develop and emerge over the course of the adventure.
Make sure it is brief, but well explained. You cannot expect many of the players to know the rules at the point of character creation. This will probably be their introduction. While exciting, it character creation can overwhelming unfamiliar players with an avalanche of new rules.
Make sure the order makes sense. This is much more an art than science. I might have fiddled with this more than any other aspect. Thankfully, feedback from playtesters was a great help in finding that perfect order.
An Overview
At the very start of the Origins chapter, you will be presented with a handy overview of the steps to come, complete with an example of a completed character sheet. On the following pages, each of these choices will be explained in enough detail for you to create a compelling with as little page flipping as possible.
The Focus
Characters in Tribulation are all about, well, character. You will find very few numbers or charts to worry over. Nor will you have sheets upon sheets of minutia to identify the less meaningful capabilities of your character. Instead, each of the ten steps will define your character in a narratively significant way, and with a simplified conceptual depth not often found in tabletop gaming. With the narrative features of your character, you’ll also choose impactful gear and talents of a kind that will change the way you approach the game.
Your Gift
"If it cannot be recalled at the spiteful end of a blade, it is of no use to you here."
First you will determine what you are made of by choosing your attribute ranks. You will have several points to divide among Fitness, Acuity, and Resolve. Your rank in each will determine the threshold you must not exceed when you try that attribute. For example, if you are hoping to leap over a chasm, you will roll an eight-sided die. If you roll equal to or beneath your attribute rank, you succeed! Each attribute starts at 4. At creation, you can choose one of these attributes to be increased to 6. That is your gift. These can be adjusted later for a more nuanced attribute spread.
Prowess
Prowess represents your reactivity, athleticism, deftness, and spatial awareness. It will come into play when interacting quickly and effectively with simple tools and treacherous obstacles. A character with a high prowess rank will be at top form when taking action. They will have the presence needed to excel when seconds count and the agility needed to navigate environments with grace.
Acuity
Acuity represents your wit, intelligence, skill, and breadth of knowledge. It plays a role when navigating complex systems, connecting disparate details, and manipulating fine objects. A character with a high acuity rank will excel when the situation favors quick recollection or careful study. They may lack the determination or athleticism of their peers, but learn to outplay them with smarts and guile.
Resolve
Resolve represents your endurance, heartiness, determination, and force of will. It speaks of an ability to endure prolonged difficulties, sustain injuries with poise, inspire others, and resist urges and influences that might deter you from your course. Those with a high resolve rank will often find themselves both first and last among many.
Your Discipline
Your discipline will reflect your training and your role within your community. Choose a discipline from the disciplines chapter. After choosing your discipline, gain its cornerstone feature. As you overcome challenges, you will begin to gain masteries specific to your discipline. These abilities will most influence your role and style of play in your group.
Combining Disciplines - Most dedicate themselves to a single discipline, gaining masteries from that discipline as they advance. Some combine disciplines into a more specialized calling. If you plan to gain the capabilities of multiple disciplines, you should choose the one you believe to be most pronounced for now. You will be able to select and gain new discipline as you advance. You will have an opportunity before finishing character creation to gain an additional discipline immediately, but at some cost.
Your Afflictions
If your character has a history of hardship behind them, and the scars to prove it, you may choose to begin play with one or more afflictions. Afflictions are debilitating, permanent conditions that impede your capabilities in some distinct way. Yet, sustaining and adapting to these hardships will earn notches (the experience points of Tribulation). If you choose, gain one or more afflictions at this time.
Your Starting Gear
In Tribulation, gear choice is particularly meaningful. Weapons, kits, and attire choices have functional distinctions beyond mere damage. Further, you must choose carefully what you carry with you, as there are easy-to-track limits, and your choices will further define you. To expedite your gear choices, you can choose from background sets that are ready made for assorted lifestyles.
Your Heritage
Your heritage represents the society in which you were raised. This choice will provide you with a language. More than that, you will belong to that culture and be treated as such. This choice will depend entirely upon the setting of the your story. The Ash & Ruin setting comes ready to play in this guide with distinct heritages for you to adopt.
Your Nature, Virtue, and Sin
Your nature will define the undercurrent of urges and instincts that steer you. Your virtue will define your moral compass and drive. Your sin will define your greatest weakness of character. With these three aspects combined, you will be able to understand your character more deeply. You will also have a set of keywords that you can quickly reference to better roleplay your character at the table.
Finishing Up
With those choices, and as many final considerations as you would like to detail, your character is ready for play! The character creation process can be quick and engaging, deep and contemplative, or some comfortable balance in between. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
