Character Creation

[TheTick]

Let's use this thread to help work on character concepts.  The D20 SRD that's been linked before has a description of each of the standard classes, and should give you a good idea what stats you need.  We are using the 'point buy' method, with 32 points allocated, to create the stats.  You can go here to see what that is, you adjust each stat (Strength, Intelligence, etc.) up or down until the points at the bottom equals 32.  Let's use a Fighter build as an example.  Stats:

Code Select Expand

STR:     16  (+3)
DEX:     13  (+1)
CON:     14  (+2)
INT:     13  (+1)
WIS:     12  (+1)
CHA:     10  (+0)

This assumes a Human as the race - Dwarves are popular for Fighters as well, as they get a bonus to Constitution, with a penalty to Charisma (not a big stat for a Fighter).  The numbers after the stat show you the bonus or penalty provided.  Each time you do something in the game, there is a check (typically a roll of a D20 die) that determines whether you succeed or not, and those bonuses help those rolls.  That gives you a starting point, and if anyone has more questions or needs more help, you can put the questions here.

[Nighthawk]

I use PCGen for character creation... It pretty much covers all the bases and then some, and it's free!

http://pcgen.sourceforge.net/

I believe it comes with the DnD 3.5e data set.

Hero Lab is also good, but there will come a point at which you'll reach the "you have to pay now" barrier.

[TheTick]

Excellent.  Gotta remember to get that when I get home...half the fun for me is creating new characters.  I spent an hour or two doing just that the other night within NWN2, and didn't even play then.

[pooka]

Cool!

[Nighthawk]

So who wants to be what then? :)

[Lotofsnow]

Good question, Nighthawk. I might play a wizard, unless someone else really wants to play one.

Out of curiosity, are we taking max hit points at first level and rolled from then on? So, a fighter, who roles d10 for hit points, would start with 10 + Con modifier at 1st level and then roll 1d10 + Con mod each subsequent level. Your fighter example would start with 12 hit points and roll 1d10 + 2 at level 2.

[pooka]

I installed pcGen and created an elf.  But it indicates -30.  is that bad?  should I reconsider?  here's a screenshot http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu308/vpooka/pcgen.jpg

[Lotofsnow]

Sadly, I'm not expert with PCGen. I always just build with paper.

And, actually, scratch the wizard idea for me. On second though, I think I might do something different. I'll wait and see what others start picking and go from there.

[TheTick]

You have to fill in the stats - Strength, Constitution and the like - and then it will look better.

[Nighthawk]

Since the PHB1 doesn't have point buys (they suggest "roll 4d6, drop lowest"), PCGen doesn't do it; you have to enter the numbers by hand.

In your screenshot all your attributes are "0". Click on the 2nd column of each attribute and manually enter the values, using the calculator linked at the top of this post.

[pooka]

I had a really busy day yesterday.  Do I roll for values or divide up my points?  What is the significance of the numbers that are already in there?

[TheTick]

No worries. :)  Each stat starts at 8 for a base, and it costs you a certain number of the points to go up from there.  On the linked point buy calculator, that's what the numbers are showing on the right - how much it 'costs' to go from 8 to 9, or 8 to 16, and so on.  The main thing you want to look at is the total Points at the bottom.  That should be 32 when you are done.  Which stats you raise up depends on what type of character you want.  Most Fighters go for Strength as the main stat (similar to the numbers I posted above) whereas a Wizard would want the highest number in Intelligence.

What kind of character were you thinking of?

[pooka]

Well, that's why I wanted to know if an elf would be a bad way to go.  Is there any way that skill with weapons could compensate for lack of size?

[TheTick]

Elves can work just fine for that, regular Elves get +2 to Dexterity (good for bows, or for characters fighting with lighter weapons such as the classic two-weapon fighting rogue) but a penalty to Constitution, which means they don't get quite so many hit points at each level.  It's not a huge difference, though, and an Elf Fighter can work, especially if you have a story you want to tell.

Pretty much everybody agrees that Half-Elves are terrible.  ;)

[pooka]

I've got a really bad headcold with sinus headache tonight.  I am interested, just really under the weather.