Character Creation

Here is a guide on how you create your character in Atlas.

## How to Roll Up Your Stats

In Atlas, there are six main statistics that make up your characters abilities.

Strength (STR), being the measure of how physically strong your character is.

Dexterity (DEX), is the measure of how quick to react your character is.

Constitution (CON), measures how much punishment your character can take before they yield.

Wisdom (WIS), is how much common sense your character has.

Intelligence (INT), similar to an IQ number, showing how smart your character is.

Charisma (CHA), is a representation of how good your character is at interacting with others.

To roll up your stats, roll four 6-side dice, taking the highest three of the rolls, for each of the above statistics. You should end up with a set of six numbers between 3 to 18. It is advised that you pick your class before assigning these numbers to statistics, as each class use different combinations of them.

For once you have picked your class, you attach one number to each of the statistics. These numbers gives you your modifiers, to be used on dice rolls, as shown below:

3 -> - 4

4-5 -> - 3

6-7 -> - 2

8-9 -> - 1

10-11 -> + 0

12-13 -> + 1

14-15 -> + 2

16-17 -> + 3

18-19 -> + 4

20 -> + 5

Do talk to your DM if you feel your stats are too low or too high, as both may make the character less fun to play.

## Stat Layout Recommendations

Depending on which class you end up choosing, there are a few Ability Scores that should take priority over others.

* For an **Agent**, you'd want to prioritise **Dexterity** and your choice of either **Wisdom** or **Charisma**. After that, you'd most likely want to prioritise **Constitution** for Hit Points and then **Strength** for weapon handling. After that, the choice is up to you.
* For a **Defender****, Strength** is your number one stat as it affects your Attack DC and to-hit chance. **Constitution** and **Dexterity** come second, and after that the mental stats are up to you.
* For an **Engineer**, it depends on Subclass whether **Intelligence** or **Strength** is your most important Ability Score. Asides from that, **Constitution** or **Dexterity** should be your next priority depending on whether you want to have higher HP or AC. Last priority is **Charisma** and **Wisdom**, as Engineers usually do not tend to be the most socially conscious type.
* For a **Juggernaut**, you would probably want to prioritise **Strength** and **Constitution** before anything else. After that, **Dexterity** is a good pick for the Save. After these three, you're free to pick from the Mental Stats.
* For a **Medic**, **Intelligence** is your most important stat. After that, you should choose an attack stat from either **Strength** or **Dexterity** and then move on to **Constitution**. As with an Engineer, you don't really need a bedside manner so you could probably dump stat **Wisdom** or **Charisma**.
* For a **Metahuman** of either **Stable** or **Unstable** variety, **Constitution** and **Strength** are your main stats usually. When you choose different abilities however, the priority *will change*.
* For a **Neohuman**, you'll need to focus on **Strength/Dexterity** and **Constitution**. However, some of your abilities will favour mental stats, so it is wise to choose a mental stat as your third stat.
* For an **Officer**, you'll need to mainstat **Charisma** and **Dexterity** and then **Constitution** third. **Strength** comes fourth as you do not have the greatest weapon proficiencies. **Intelligence** and **Wisdom** come last, especially as you have *Immunity* to *Fear* at later levels.
* For a **Ranger**, you'd want to choose between **Strength** or **Dexterity** first, then make your second stat **Wisdom**. Follow that with **Constitution** or whichever of **Strength/Dexterity** that you didn't choose. **Intelligence** and **Charisma** come last for you.
* For a **Soldier**, you'll want to mainstat **Strength/Dexterity** and **Constitution**. After that you'll want to get the other choice of **Strength/Dexterity**, followed by **Wisdom**, **Charisma** and finally **Intelligence**.
* For a **Vanguard**, you'll want to choose your mainstat based on the armour set you're using. Universally however, you'll want to either mainstat **Intelligence**. Next you'll want **Dexterity** if you're a Joule or Ohmic Class. Other than that, you'll want to keep your **Wisdom** and **Charisma** high since for Ohmic and Zeus Class the armour will handle your physical Stats. At the end of the day, *dump stat* **Constitution**. The suit can handle it for you.

## Stat Bonuses

You get the following benefits:

* +2 to a single ability score and +1 to another ability score.
* One Feat from the list.

## What Class To Pick?

Atlas has different classes to the standard 5e D&D, they can be found off the main page or on the classes page.

Picking your character's class is often fundamental to their personality traits and how they act. A Medic may choose to save a team-mate over getting the final blow on a powerful enemy, and a Professional would take a great deal of pride in how they work.

It is important to pick a class which suits your character's play style. For example, an Investigator wouldn't run through a building blindly looking for enemies, rather taking the slow approach of stopping and looking for clues of recent activity.

**Agent** - Everyone has a weak spot, and you know where it hurts. This class is all about getting the drop on your opponents and dealing with them.

**Defender** - They are up against the wall, and you are the wall. Defender is designed to keep your allies safe and keep the bad guys away with serious Meta powers.

**Demolitions** - A bullet is a personal message, but a grenade is addressed 'to whom it may concern.' As a Demolitions, you can help control crowds and support your team with a variety of different grenades.

**Engineer** - If it didn't exist beforehand, they won't expect it coming. Engineer keeps their team on the bleeding edge with their technological inventions.

**Juggernaut** - The meanest, toughest human in the Party. With strikes that hit like a freight train moving at high speeds and the power to shrug off attacks, the Juggernaut is a true tank.

**Medic** - This wont hurt a bit... Medic keeps their team alive as they try to get themselves killed with another brilliant strategy.

**Metahuman** - I don't think I feel too hot. Metahumans are humans with genetic mutations and enhancements with interesting side effects.

**Neohuman** - All systems go. Neohumans are highly advanced cyborg soldiers built to destroy.

**Officer** - Listen here you @#&%#@& $#$&#($&^%! Officer gives the orders, and they *will* be carried out!

**Ranger** - Now I gotta make a necklace outta your teeth, bushman's rules. Ranger is the outdoors-man gone rogue and insane.

**Soldier** - Guess what I do? Soldier is all about guns and bullets, if you just wanna shoot things, look no further.

**Vanguard** - Sorry, whats that? Can't hear you over my mech suit! Vanguard has their own customizable mechanical exosuit.

## Hit Points

Hit points are the overall measure of how much damage your character can take before they collapse. Depending on the class you picked, you may have vastly differing pools of health than the rest of the party. At first level, you take the maximum roll of your hit dice and add your constitution modifier. For consecutive levels, you roll your hit dice twice and take the highest roll and add your constitution modifier.

For example, a Defender would have 12 + CON maximum hit points at level one. But at level two, they may have anywhere from 13 + 2\*CON to 24 +2\*CON.

## What Are Skills?

Each character has their own skills, and may know more than one language. Skills are categories that your DM may ask you to roll for as a skill check. Each skill has a corresponding stat. in which you add your modifier for that stat to your dice roll. If you are proficient in a skill, you also add your proficiency modifier as well. It is worth factoring in how your character may would acquire these skills/languages proficiencies into your backstory.

Any languages you know may be useful if you need to speak 'privately' or need to listen in on people speaking 'privately'.

In Atlas, you must choose **four** Skill Proficiencies, **two** Languages and **one** additional Vehicle Proficiency. The skill and language proficiencies you can take can be found on the skills and languages page.

## Starting Equipment

The Starting Equipment for Atlas is currently under construction, meaning players are currently free to sculpt their backstories to their fullest extent. The DM will most likely provide an opportunity in the first few sessions to get or steal equipment.

Your character's personal backstory could leave them with a trusty hunting knife, or a medallion made of precious metal. Work with your DM to figure out what makes the most sense for the character and setting.

## Convincing Character

This is the hardest part of making a character. Put genuine thought into your backstory, give it your flair, be it drug addict or politician. Anyone could be an edgy man in a cloak with knives, or a grizzled mercenary with a deep voice and a tragic backstory. If you're going to be edgy, show that they are not *just* edgy.

That being said, make sure your character is someone who can/will interact with the rest of the party, you need only look at Plate to know how those who can't end up. Party dynamics are the make or break for a great deal of campaigns, so making sure the party can work together, at a bare minimum, is very important

No character is perfect, yes that means yours as well. Let them make mistakes, let them do things wrong. It adds to how your character will act and respond. No one likes playing a 'Mary Sue', being perfect at everything isn't very fun. That's the reason characters like Anton Kord aren't very fun or interesting to be around.

Above all else, have fun with your character. It doesn't have to be clever, it doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, but it does have to be fun.

#### **Serious Rules**

* Inspiration is fine, but mimicking is not.
* Edgy is fine, but if you want to play the dark horse that sits in a corner and stays on their own despite how stupid it is- go play a different game.
* Play a character that works in well with the Party. Don't build a greedy asshole and try and join the heroic squad unless you plan on developing as a character and becoming a hero also.
* Try to keep mental stats above 6. It's just painful otherwise.
* Build a character around the setting, and give them personality and motivations that stay relevant.
* Try to avoid Min/Maxing, especially in longer campaigns.