Player Options

There are many diffrent ways to play a character.

Species
There are thousands of races that populate the starlight.

Species List

 * Eki-ot
 * Human
 * Kirik'Taser
 * Nota
 * Obar
 * Shlista

No Monoculture
No society lives in true isolation, but even then, distances, familial bonds, and contact with other cultures create blends and diversity among a people. So even though a species share the same origin and genetic material, across the galaxies each species can have wildly different values and traditions.

Species Traits
The description of each species includes traits that are common to its members. The following entries appear among the traits of most species.

Ability Score Increase
Every race increases one or more of a character’s ability scores.

Age
The age entry note the age when a member of the species is considered an adult, as well as the race’s expected lifespan. This information can help you decide how old your character is at the start of the game. You can choose any age for your character, which could provide an explanation for some of your ability scores. For example, if you play a young or very old character, your age could explain a particularly low Strength or Constitution score, while advanced age could account for a high Intelligence or Wisdom.

Size
Characters of most species are Medium, a size category including creatures that are roughly 121 to 243 centimeters tall. Members of few species are Small (between 60 and 120 centimeters tall), which means that certain rules of the game affect them differently. The most important of these rules is that Small characters have trouble wielding heavy weapons, as explained in “Equipment”.

Speed
Your speed determines how far you can move when traveling and fighting.

Languages
By virtue of your species, your character can speak, read, and write certain languages.

Subspecies
Some species have subspecies. Members of a species have the traits of the parent species in addition to the traits specified for their subspecies. Relationships among subspecies very significantly from group to group.

Class Options
The character’s class determines the role they will fulfill and grants them special abilities according to their level.

Class List

 * Scoundrel
 * Techie
 * Warrior
 * Wyrd

Level
This is the level they are in that class. You have all of the abilities of that class from that level and below, unless stated otherwise.

Proficiency Bonus
Based on your total level, your proficiency bonus is a representation of your character’s skill at completing certain tasks.

Defense Bonus
Depending on what the class of the adventurer is determines their skills in combat, or at the very least, their ability to prevent injury. As the adventurer levels, they gain a bonus to their defense. This is added to their armor bonus and the like to determine their defense:

Defense = Defense bonus + Armor bonus

Ability Die
This die has different names according to your class. This die is added to different effects and abilities of that class.

Renown
As an adventurer grows, they gain renown from all of the exploits they perform. Renown is a bonus to any Charisma checks used when interacting with other sentient creatures, as well as a bonus to any checks to recognize you.

Features
You will gain some features immediately, and others you gain as you increase your level in the class of your choice.

Backgrounds
Every story has a beginning. Your character's background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your fighter might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your wizard could have been a sage or an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester.

Choosing a background provides you with important story cues about your character's identity. The most important question to ask about your background is what changed? Why did you stop doing whatever your background describes and start adventuring? Where did you get the money to purchase your starting gear, or, if you come from a wealthy background, why don't you have more money? How did you learn the skills of your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people who share your background?

The sample backgrounds in this section provide both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and languages) and roleplaying suggestions.

Background List

 * Disciple
 * Criminal
 * Explorer
 * Freelancer
 * Military

Proficiencies
Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills. In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools.

If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.

Languages
Some backgrounds also allow characters to learn additional languages beyond those given by race.

Equipment
Each background provides a package of starting equipment. If you use the optional rule to spend coin on gear, you do not receive the starting equipment from your background.

Features
These features are in addition to other features you would gain from your class or species. Normally these features function to expand role play options more than combat mechanics.