Character Creation

[Zax]

Just some tips to help you work through the character creation process:

1) When you first connect, you'll be asked to provide a character name. Please try to choose a name that fits well within a medieval fantasy environment. Avoid choosing a name that is a descriptor like BlondeGirl or ElfKiller. When you achieve enough levels you will be able to set your title and add such desciptors there. You can also add a personal description to your character once you are in the game.

Also please don't use joke names like SillyPutty and such. It just detracts from the overall game environment for everyone else.

2) Next you will roll your stats. There are six stats in all: STR(ength), DEX(terity), INT(elligence), WIS(dom), CON(stitution), and Charisma(CHR). As in standard 2nd Edition AD&D, each class has stats that are more important to that class than other stats. For example, warrior types want high STR and CON, thieves want high DEX, and mages want high INT.

Stats are based on the standard 3d6 die roll (roll of 3 6-sided dice). So they range from 3-18. Your choice if race may adjust those somewhat (see below for more on races).

As you might it expect, the better a stat description sounds for a given stat, the higher your stat will be. For example, someone who is "born of giants" is sure to be stronger than someone who is "weak as a kitten". There are seven descriptors for each stat, each descriptor representing a specific range for that stat. You might just want to roll several times to get feel for how the descriptors rank order for each stat.

3) Once you've settled on your stat rolls, you will be asked to select a race. This is a significant choice because all races have different pros and cons, and all have some limitations in the classes or class combinations they can become. There are separates posts in this forum that provide general info on the races (see Races), and their class restrictions (see Racial Class Limitations).

4) Next you will choose your sex. It might be obvious to most but let's just be clear. This is NOT your sex in RL (real life). This is the sex of the character you want to play. Other than certain items that are anti-men or anti-women, there's no advantage to being male or female. Female warriors are just as strong and hearty as their male counterparts.

5) Next you will choose your class(es). There is a separate post in this forum that provides general info on the various classes. Single class characters advance faster and are more skilled in their arts than multi-classed characters but multi-classed characters get more skills to play with.

6) Finally you will be asked to choose your alignment. (Some classes such as Paladin, Ranger, and Druid have their alignment automatically set to the appropriate alignment). This is mostly a personal choice. Quite a bit of equipment in the game is flagged for evil, good, or neutral alignment only, but on the whole the equipment is well balanced for all alignments. Other than that, there is no advantage of being one alignment over another. You can also change you alignment in game by choosing which mobs (monsters) to kill. Killing good mobs drives your alignment towards evil, and killing evil mobs drives your alignment towards good.

7) After all the above you will asked to confirm your name and provide a password. Pretty straightforward.

8) Finally you will be asked to choose a starting location. Your choice will be the natural hometown for your chosen race or Shadowdale. New players are STRONGLY encouraged to choose to start in Shadowdale. That is where most players are, so it's easier for you to find players to help you and answer your questions. If you start in your home town, you may be all alone where no one can hear you (scream).

That's it for character creation. Good luck and have fun!