Character Creation Guide

## Character Creation

First and foremost when making a character you should come up with a good story. Be sure to explore the setting and lore of our world to ensure your character fits in.

Keep in mind that GMs will be running sessions in which you will be acting as the heroes in this story. You'll be fighting evil cults or fiendish forces. You'll be saving the town, neighborhood, or even a single family from the influence of eldritch horrors and the minions of violent zealots. Make sure you build a character that will be motivated to participate in these sorts of stories.

### Character Building Rules

Paizo published materials are the default options to build your character with. Some of these things have been added to, banned, modified, or restricted, so be sure to check out Variant Campaign Rules, Banned Content, and any relevant first party changes. It's your job to double check that your choices are legal for play here!

**Generate your ability scores!** We use the high fantasy 25 point buy. You may not take more than one ability score below 10 prior to applying racial modifiers. Put your pre-racial ability scores in the Player Name section of your character sheet (see our example sheet to see what we mean).

**Choose your classes!** Yes, that's plural. We use the gestalt system, which basically means you level two classes simultaneously. You'll need to brush up on the system which is detailed further down this page. Any balance changes can be found on the First Party Class Changes page. We also have a robust list of Homebrew Classes and Class Options as well as Third Party Classes and Class Options to choose from.

**Determine your race!** Unlike real life, not all races in Pathfinder are created equal. The First Party Race Changes page includes a full listing of Paizo races available for play at our table. Along with that list, you can check out our approved Homebrew and Third Party Races.

**Select your feats!** When selecting feats, please check to see if there are any First Party Feat Changes that affect how they'll work with your build. There are additional feats made available on our Homebrew and Third Party Feats page. **We do *not* use the Feat Tax Fixes.**

**Pick your traits!** Characters start with two traits and may select a drawback to gain an additional trait. You may also select a major drawback to gain an additional starting feat. A small selection of Homebrew and Third Party Traits are open to players.

**Distribute your skill ranks!** We use the Background Skill system, so make sure you're familiar with how that works. ~~Because of our inclusion of some Path of War material, Knowledge (martial) is added to the skill list.~~

**Assign your occupation!** All characters have a starting occupation. This system is custom to our setting, so do not use any occupation or background system found elsewhere!

**Calculate your hp!** Characters always take maximum hit points per level (including animal companions, constructs, cohorts, and anything else with hit dice).

**Learn your spells!** Unless you're not a caster, of course. There are several spells that have changes listed on the First Party Spell Changes page. As always, don't forget to browse through the Homebrew and Third Party Spells.

**Buy your equipment!** All characters start at level 3 with the appropriate wealth by level for such. Characters starting with a higher effective character level, or ECL, start with their appropriate wealth by level based on ECL rather than their their actual class level. The First Party Equipment and Magic Items Changes page notes any gear that functions a little differently here. A wide array of equipment, both mundane and magical, is listed on the Homebrew and Third Party Items page.

**Finishing Touches!** Here's what you need to know to wrap up the character creation process.

We use the hero point system. All characters, regardless of starting level, begin with 1 hero point. Pleas be mindful that the antihero option of this system will under perform in almost all situations.

Characters start out as at least adults for their race but can be from older age categories. Assume human aging for races that age but do not list age categories unless another race is clearly more appropriate (such as elf aging for the houri).

Characters level up on the slow experience progression track.

Each player begins with five open character slots. Additional character slots may be gained with staff approval.

### Character Sheet Guide

While you don't need to strictly adhere to this format, we do reserve the right to force you to follow if you yours is difficult for GMs to follow.

### Getting Approval

Once your character is complete, link your Mythweavers sheet in the #character-approval channel in Discord. Labelling where you're getting your feats and other features makes for easier, and usually quicker, character approval. You will find that there are Pathfinder character sheets in Roll20, but these are for your convenience, not record keeping. GMs will **not** be reviewing roll20 sheets.

### Character Sheet Upkeep

***If you do not keep your Mythweavers sheet up to date, you will be reverted to whatever is on your Mythweavers sheet and expected to continue from that point (this includes loss of XP, levels, GP, downtime, etc).*** Of course, there is a grace period after you've done something to apply changes (we aren't monsters). If you don't apply your session rewards or level ups instantly after getting them, that's okay. A general rule of thumb is you ***must*** finish your sheet updates before you try to use your abilities and features (either in a session or in Discord).

## Gestalt

The above link takes you to an excellent explanation of the original appearance of the Gestalt system from the 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons book Unearthed Arcana. Gestalting is an option that allows you to create ‘hybrid’ classes that are the best of both worlds (better hp, saves, bab, and skills of two classes, as well as class features of both). When determining what benefits you receive from gestalt, compare the base attack bonus, base saves, number of skill ranks, and hit dice of the two classes. Your 'hybrid' class grants you the better of the two. You gain both classes class features unless said class features appear on both classes, in which case you take the better of the two progressions (e.g. a Slayer/Rogue gestalt character gains +1d6 sneak attack every odd level instead of every three levels). For purposes of gestalting, the Bonus Feat class feature and Spell Casting are always considered different class features (meaning that gestalting two spell casters, or two classes that grant bonus feats, grant the full amount for both classes). Any ability that states "Your classes in [X] count as [Y] for determining [Z]" overlap with class [Y] if the two are gestalted side by side (i.e. you don't count the two classes separately and gain double the progression).

Note, a prestige class that grants "+1 spellcasting of an existing class" *does* count as the same class feature as the class it's advancing. If you're confused, feel free to ask about it in #questions-and-answers channel on Discord.

Generally when gestalting, you have one track that's referred to as your main track and another referred to as your gestalt (or sometimes secondary) track. Your gestalt track is limited to a maximum of two classes, neither of which can be a PrC. Typically, you may only qualify for PrCs using the class(es) on your main track, however there is an RP shop option that allows you to circumvent this limitation, though you are still prohibited from applying the PrC levels to your gestalt track.

#### Gestalt Summary

When gestalting you level two class tracks simultaneously, gaining all class features from both tracks and taking the better of both tracks' base bonuses.

The same class feature doesn't stack, but takes the better progression.

You can only ever have a maximum of two classes applied to your gestalt track.

You cannot apply any levels of a prestige class to your gestalt track.

Only the class(es) on your main track can be used to qualify for a prestige class (unless you purchase an RP shop option from the Enjin website).