D&D 5e Character Creation Guidelines

### *Remarks on Characters and Backgrounds*

Before getting into the mechanics of character creation, I just want to make sure everyone is aware of the setting we play in and the kinds of characters you should be building. The DMs of the guild are typically role-play heavy, so your character’s background and personality is important.

First, understand that your character will, by default, be a part of a prestigious, internationally recognized mercenary guild. That comes with tremendous benefits, but it also means that the guild is selective in who it allows to represent it on missions.

Please create a character that is competent in some specific skills that would make them a competitive applicant to the guild. You start at level 8, so it shouldn’t be that hard, but if your character is totally inept or otherwise unfit for mercenary work, the guild probably wouldn’t have let them in to begin with! The guild’s selection process also involves interviews under a zone of truth in order to prevent people that are plainly evil or malicious from gaining entry.

Please also consider the fact that your character will be part of a guild composed of many different heroes from many different backgrounds. YOU ARE NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER. Some storylines may center on a specific character of the guild, especially if a DM takes an interest in progressing their backstory, but that doesn’t mean that the character should take special priority over others. The story is not about you - it’s about us.

That also means your character understands from the get-go that working in the guild means being a part of a group and being professional, so make a character that has a reason to work with others and build them to be a good party member rather than a lone wolf. D&D is not fun when you have a room full of characters that don’t want to be around each other!

Finally, your character should have some level of originality. Do not create characters that are plagiarized copies of existing people or characters from other works, fictional or nonfictional. Instead, take inspiration from existing fiction to create something personal and unique!

Thank you for your consideration! On to the good stuff.

## Character Creation Guidelines

### Starting Stat Arrays

We allow for two methods of character creation: the 4d6 drop lowest method, and a few different arrays:

* (16, 15, 14, 13, 11, 9)
* (16, 16, 14, 13, 11, 8)
* (18, 15, 14, 13, 9, 7)

When using the 4d6 method, in the majority of situations, you should use your first roll, unless it is significantly overpowered or underpowered, as described below. If that is the case, talk to a DM and we will work with you to adjust your rolls so your character is still fun to play and doesn’t overshadow others.

If a character’s base stats add up to a sum total greater than 80 (the average is approx. 73), has three stats or more higher than 15, or has no negative stats before ability score increases, you should consider nerfing the character. For context, this website has oodles, canoodles, and toaster strudels of information on the probabilities involved in rolling a character. The DM can also offer the player to keep his/her current stat block but choose a stat to be a “dump stat”, choose to subtract a specific number of points and let them assign where they are removed from, or something else, so long as it is fair to both the player and the balance of the game.

Likewise, a player that rolls a crappy character can be allowed to re-roll with DM permission. Nobody wants to play as someone that’s bad at everything!

### Background and Race

We allow for players to create custom backgrounds to better fit their characters’ past experiences and knowledge. Use the guidelines from the PHB for customizing a background if you choose to do so.

A list of playable races (as well as races that are specifically not allowed) can be found here!

### Classes and Subclasses

You can play any class from the PHB, with addition of the artificer from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Some subclasses are not allowed, for flavor and power reasons. Please check here for a list of approved subclasses!

Additionally, we've made homebrew rulings on some class abilities. You can find those here!

### Additional Expertise

All Guild characters are allowed to select one skill they have proficiency in and gain expertise in that skill. This allows every character to specialize in at least one thing they are talented at, and, we hope, build up your character’s ability to have a place in the world.

### Starting Equipment and Gold

When creating your character, you may both select a pack of starting equipment and roll for starting gold. You are level 8, which means you are already established in some way and this is justified. Feel free to work with a DM if you feel like your character should have more or less starting gear.

### Leveling Up

We use the XP system. Experience points are determined based on a combination of the quality of the roleplay and the difficulty of the combat involved in the session. This is largely up to the DM’s discretion and will be announced via synopsys after every session over Discord.  XP is usually split evenly amongst all party members at the end of a session.

### Multiclassing

You must meet the ability score prerequisites for your current class and your new class to multiclass. If I make a dumb wizard with an int of 6, I cannot multiclass into any other class.

You do not get new skills, saving throws, or tool proficiencies from your second/third/fourth classes beyond what is shown in the Multiclassing Proficiency table. Notably, you will not get Heavy Armor proficiency unless your first level is in Fighter or Paladin. (Some class features, such as some Cleric subclasses, can give you heavy armor proficiency.)

When multiclassing, your spell slots are determined based on the Multiclass Caster table, and can be used to cast any of your spells known from any of your classes. The exception is Warlocks. You track your Warlock slots separately from your normal casting slots, though you may use them to cast spells from other classes and you may cast your Warlock spells with standard slots, as described below.

Your spell save DC and Spellcasting Attack Modifier are based on the class that gave you the spell - for example, if I use Compelled Duel which I know as a paladin, I can’t use my Intelligence for my spell save DC even if I have wizard levels, because it is not a wizard spell for me. You learn/prepare your spells as if you were a single-class caster. So, if I were a Paladin-4 Sorcerer-4, while I would have 3rd level spell slots, I could only learn Sorcerer spells up to 2nd level and prepare Paladin spells up to 1st level. My 3rd level slots could only be used to upcast a spell (or smite, cause Paladin).

### ASIs & Feats

You get an ASI based on character level at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level. This can be substituted with a feat. If you take an ASI, you cannot take a feat. If you take a feat, you cannot take an ASI. You do not receive ASIs from class levels, only from character level.  For example, if I am a fifth level fighter and third level wizard, when I reach 9th level I cannot get an ASI by taking a fourth level in wizard. This means every Guild character receives at least two ASIs when you start at character level 8, regardless of multiclassing.

The exception to this rule is when a class gets an unusual ASI, such as fighters who get a bonus ASI at 6th level. My Fighter-5 Wizard-3 can get an ASI at 9th level by taking a 6th level in Fighter. Thus, an 8th level character will always have 2 ASIs from their Character Level. If their class grants them a bonus ASI, they may have more.

Some feats have had homebrew rulings on them. View them here.