Criminal is really tempting. It would open up things like contacts and access to black market gear and adventure leads. Then again, I don’t want to step on the toes of any possible Rogue in the party. Playing the odds that's most likely what a they'd take as Criminal does seem custom designed to be the background for that class. Also, if we end up having two criminals in a group that could really sway a campaign too.

“Humm.” Craftsman could be good and seems like it’s one of those choices that will open up a whole sub-menu again. However, it’s probably better to be specific. Like I did with Gunslinger.

I can’t see myself playing a Leatherworker. Don’t they have to use ammonia or urine when tanning hide? I don’t want to be the guy who smells like piss all the time.

Stonemason? Maybe leave that cliché to a dwarf party member, if we have one.

Locksmith? Nah, that’s dancing around on the Rogues turf again.

A Gemcutter or Jeweler could be good. He would probably have appraisal skills which would be useful to a group when treasure is involved.

Blacksmith has been done to death so scratch that out.

I’ll most likely get some kind of tinkering ability with the Gunslinger too. At least enough to take care of my weapons anyway. Maybe I should double down on that? Something with a touch of tech to it. Watchmaker? Or maybe Steam tech?

Then it hits me. Richard went off to college to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering. When he came home for summer he told me about all the fields he could branch off into.That is a huge range of possibilities.

If we are in a dungeon it could be useful for making sure the tunnels are stable. Or finding weakness in structures or traps.

Yeah, as long as I Role Play it and not try to be abusive I think that it’d make for a pretty great supplement to whatever Gunslinger tinkering I may get. And, maybe even more importantly, it might allow me to assist the group and grant bonuses toward whatever professions they may choose.

I look over selection to make sure my choice of Craftsman: Mechanical Engineer doesn’t fit in anywhere else then I begin to type.

My eyes water as a coughing fit takes me, followed by a trio of back to back sneezes. The baseball in my sinuses now feels like a watermelon. After blowing my nose and wiping away the tears I turn back to finish the entry.

“Oh what the hell?” The Background is gone replaced with a new set of choices.

“Choose a Perk”

Ambidexterity Animal Friendship Blindfighting Direction Sense

Distance Sense Durable Danger Sense Double Jointed

Eidetic Memory Linguist Quick Calculator Lightning Reflexes

Lightsleep Lucky Off hand Defense Simulate Death

Perfect Pitch Poison Resistance Speed Reading None

Stupid cold. I must have hit return while I spasmed through my sneezes. Did I type it all in? I think I only got half way.

Well, ‘Mechanic’ might not be too bad I guess. At the very least it should still allow me to be somewhat technically inclined.

I force myself not to lament on the mistake for too long and read over the next entry again. The names seem pretty self-explanatory. Lightning Reflexes and Lightsleep have a strike through? Ah, perhaps I have them already? Makes sense for Gunslinger and it could simulate a kind of alertness for an Elf.

I sit for a good ten minutes mulling them over until I finally go with Danger Sense. If I’ve learned one thing in all my years reading Spidey comics, that power can be a literal lifesaver.

I’m rewarded with a new screen pop up.

******************

Name: Brian Brantly Race: Dark Elf

Class: Gunslinger Background: Craftsman, Mecha/WarGear

REMAINING CHARACTER POINTS: 61

Strength: 11 (+1 Craftsman) cost 1pt Dexterity: 15

(+2 Dark Elf) (+2 Gunslinger) (+1 Craftsman) cost 2pt Vitality: 10 cost 1pt Intelligence: 12 (+1 Dark Elf) (+1 Craftsman) cost 1pt Wits: 12 (+1 Dark Elf) (+1 Craftsman) cost 1pt Presence: 12 (+2 Gunslinger) cost 1pt Allure: 13 (+2 Dark Elf) (+1 Gunslinger) cost 1pt Attack Value: 5 (+1 Dark Elf) (+1 Gunslinger) cost 5pt Defense Value: 4 (+1 Dark Elf) cost 5pt Physical Resilience 2 cost 2pt Energy Resilience 2 cost 2pt Recovery: 5 cost 1pt Stun: 20 cost 0.5pt Hit Points: 12 (+2 Gunslinger) cost 2pt Manapool: 10 cost NA

Heroic Ability

Danger Sense: 14 - – lvl 1– (Passive) A character with this Ability has a sixth sense about danger. A successful Danger Sense check prevents him from being surprised in combat.

Dark Elf Racials:

Darkvision (Dark Elf): You can see in (non-magical) darkness as though it were normal daylight.

Elven Eyes (Dark Elf): Enhancement to Sight based Perception.

Expanded Breathing: Thin Air (Dark Elf): You require less air than normal.

Elven Meditation (Dark Elf): You enter a trance lasting 4 hours in which you gain the benefit of 8 hours of sleep.

Lightsleep (Dark Elf): You sleep lightly and therefore are rarely surprised while resting.

Longevity (Dark Elf): You have a possible lifespan of 2000+ years

Magical Resistance- Charm (Dark Elf): Attempts to magically charm you are less effective.

Swiftness (Dark Elf): - You are fleet of foot, doubling normal movement speed.

Dark Elf- Special Abilities

Elven Lightstep – (Passive) This ability allows an Elf to walk on any surface and not leave signs of their passing. -7pts Purchase? Y/N

Shadow Meld – lvl 1– (Passive) Due to both magical infusion and your own skin coloration you blend to near invisibility in areas of darkness or shadow. This ability disappears if you move quickly or attack. – 10pts Purchase? Y/N

Darkness – lvl 1 – (Action) You can summon a globe of darkness to envelop an area, blinding all those caught within.– (Mana cost- 6) 10pts Purchase? Y/N

Gunslinger:

+1 Attack Value – Weapon Group

(CHOOSE ONE - Pistols, Rifles, Scatterguns)

cost to raise 3pt Explosives 11- > cost to raise 2pt Gunsmith 11- > cost to raise 2pt Weaponsmith 11- > cost to raise 2pt

Chose 5 additional Skills from the following List:

Acting Charm Climbing Concealment Conversation

Gambling Handle Animal High Society Insight Inventor

Navigation Persuasion Riding Stealth Streetwise

Sleight of Hand Survival Tracking Trading

Gunslinger Abilities

Lightning Reflexes (Gunslinger): Character has increased DEX only for the purpose of acting first.

GunFu (Gunslinger): You have trained to fight effectively with ranged weapons in close combat situations without penalty. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

Quick Draw: lvl 1 – (Fast Action) Draw a weapon a fast action. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

FlashBang Shot – lvl 1 – (Action) Gunslinger may fire their weapon close to an opponent’s head imposing the blinded and defended condition for a short time. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

Pistol Whip – lvl 1 – (Re-Action) Gunslinger may use the butt of their weapon to make a melee attack. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

Drop it! – lvl 1 (Action) Gunslinger may target an item on or held by another character. On a success target is forced to drop item. -5pts Purchase? Y/N

Craftsman, Mecha/WarGear:

Inventor 11- > cost to raise 2pt Metal Fabrication 11-> cost to raise 2pt Streetwise 11- > cost to raise 2pt WarGearsmith 11- > cost to raise 2pt

Chose 4 additional Skills from the following List:

Armorsmith Airship tech Bribery Concealment Conversation

Forgery Oratory Golem tech High Society Lockpicking

Magitech Riding Trading Weaponsmith WarGear Rider

Craftsman, Specials:

Market Song: (Action) Through minor arcane manipulation the skills of Conversation, Persuasion and Trading are increased for a short time. (costs Mana) -5pts Purchase? Y/N

Mending : (Action) Repairs damage to simple objects. All of the pieces of an object must be present for this spell to function. (Mana cost- 2) -7pts Purchase? Y/N

Ice Maker: (Slow Action) Grants the ability to chill liquids down to freezing temperatures. Useful on hot days. (Mana cost 1) -4pts Purchase? Y/N

Clean Shop: (Slow Action) A spell often used at the end of the day to tidy up a workshop or place of business. (Mana cost 2) -4pts Purchase ? Y/N

******************

I try and take it all in but I’m pretty lost in the complexity. 

"Okay, Huh?" I guess I didn’t type mechanic and only got as far as Mecha before. But the WorldShaper Bot accepted it anyway. That’s pretty cool.

 After all, chicks dig giant robots.

I don’t know how well they fit into a fantasy setting. Though I suppose there are lots of genres that have Golem and Steampunk type tech mixed in. And it’s automatically renamed it to WarGear so I guess it fits.

The stats seem pretty standard compared to most game systems. Probably an 8 stat as average with a maximium of 20. Player Characters are usually always just a bit above the average NPC stat baseline. I’m guessing Presence is how charismatic or intimidating you are. But then what is Allure? Perhaps that is your actual attractiveness? A sort of interaction stat? I mouse over and click the arrow for Allure up to 23 before it won’t go any further and I see Character Points have decreased to 51.

Racial and Class bonuses may increase maximum stat levels as well, I guess.

“Whoa.” I mouse over the Allure again but the increase and decrease arrows have disappeared.

It doesn’t let you go back and change the stats? Pretty hardcore, but, in a good way. Decisions have consequences just like a proper RPG should. Alright, sure. I can roll with the punches. Besides I still have plenty of points to spend.

After a bit of study I think I recognize the basics of a 3d6 system going on here. Usually 3d6 are rolled and you must roll below a target number, and like with most systems, adjustment modifiers based on things like environmental factors affect the outcome. I'm not positive how the combat system works, but It seems to lean toward the higher the better.

I really take my time now.

Scrolling down I choose my skills first as they won’t cost me any points. I see a few are in both the Gunslinger and Craftsman choices so I’m careful not to pick the same one twice.

First Gunslinger. I pick Pistols as my favored weapon, then Riding, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival and finally Charm. If I have an Allure of 23. I’m sure that will give a good boost. And looks like I was right because my Charm Skill is now listed at 14-.

Next is Craftsman and I go for the tech skills. Airship Tech, Magi Tech, Golem Tech and WarGear Rider. Cause who wants to just build a Mech--er a WarGear when you can run around in one.

I increase Intelligence next. Slowly inching it up I notice that the > arrow stays but the < disappears. When I hit 13 I see that all of the technical skills jump to 12-. I keep going and take it to 18 and am rewarded with 13- in most skills. Now, I’m feeling super pleased with myself as I’m pretty sure I’m getting the hang of the cost-effective numbers. I bump up Wits and Presence to get them to 13’s as well.

Strength gets bought to 15 as I don’t want to be a weakling. And that seems a good level for me to be able to throw a pretty solid melee attack if I need to.

“Damn!” My remaining character points have dropped down to 40 already and I haven’t even purchased Dexterity, touched combats stats or considered any of the cool special abilities yet.

I want to max out Dex but stop at 18. My crappy Vitality of 10 reminds me of my sickly real-life state, and out of spite I end up taking it up to a 15 as well. Somehow, I manage to refrain from clicking any further. Perhaps because seeing my remaining points tick down to 29 snaps me back to reality.

Mending is too good a Special Ability not to take. I’ve seen it used hundreds of times in games and there are always things like misfire rules with guns. Being able to do quick repairs of tech along with my complementary backgrounds skills? I’ve clicked on it before I even realize and my points drop to 22.

“UGH!” Buying Shadow Meld and seeing the points reach 12 feels like a literal punch in the stomach and I have to look away from the screen. Invisibility in dim light and shadows, without a mana cost? Usable at will? Yes, please.

My blood is pumping now and decide to go with some of the Gunslinger Special abilities to wrap up my points.

GunFu (Gunslinger): You have trained to fight effectively with ranged weapons in close combat situations without penalty. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

Quick Draw: lvl 1 – (Fast Action) Draw a weapon as fast action. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

FlashBang Shot – lvl 1 – (Action) Gunslinger may fire their weapon close to an opponent’s head imposing the blinded and deafened condition for a short time. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

Pistol Whip – lvl 1 – (Re-Action) Gunslinger may use the butt of their weapon to make a melee attack. – 5pts Purchase? Y/N

Drop it! – lvl 1 (Action) Gunslinger may target an item on or held by another character. On a success target is forced to drop item. -5pts Purchase? Y/N

I can buy two and still have a couple of points left over.

Decisions, decisions...