Exalted High School Rules

May 24, 2004 owen

Character creation rules for the Exalted High School email game.

Character Creation

1. Choose Styles
2. Rate Styles
3. Choose Skills
4. Choose Backgrounds
5. Magic

Styles describe how your character typically meets and solves problems.  A Crafty character uses his brains, a Daring character does action-hero stunts, a Brawny character bulls his way through by sheer muscle, and so on.

When performing actions in-game, a character will apply one of the seven character styles to each attempted action.  Depending on the situation, different styles may be more or less effective.  For example, a party of characters encounters a locked door.  The Brawny character might be more successful in plowing his way through the door than the Crafty character, who would do better picking the lock.  A Glib character might try convincing someone on the other side to let them through, and a Lucky character might stumble upon the keypad entry number at random.  Strange characters might use their double-jointedness to slip through bars, and Wise characters know that there is always a way in through the sewer.

Of course, in certain circumstances, character may not have the requisite style to affect the challenge.  The Daring character might not have as clear of an option as the aforementioned character styles.  But in other scenarios, this style of character might be more fitting than some others.

When creating a character, choose four of the seven styles.  The created character will not possess three of the styles, rating them an effective 0 for that style of action.  While not impossible for a character to succeed at an action for which he does not have the style, it will be more difficult.

Style Descriptions

Below are descriptions of each of the Styles, and a sample character whose primary Style that is. 

Brawny
A Brawny character is extremely well-developed physically, with strength and toughness much greater than normal (but still within human bounds).   His typical approach to a problem is to tackle it head on and try to overwhelm it with sheer brute force.

Character Archetype:  Hercules

Crafty
A Crafty character uses his wits, ingenuity, and sometimes some good old-fashioned underhanded cunning to achieve his goals.   He can sneak, he can tinker with things, and most of all he can devise stratagems for defeating his enemies.

Character Archetype: Odysseus, MacGyver

Daring
A Daring character is an old-fashioned, all-round action hero.   He's not the strongest of all, but in all physical endeavors he stands above the crowd, and he has courage to match.   He is capable of pulling off all sorts of action stunts, from trick driving to fisticuffs to climbing sheer cliffs.   When he's in trouble, he never thinks twice, but just leaps into action.

Character Archetype:  Achilles, d'Artagnan, Conan the Barbarian

Glib
A Glib character's best asset is his tongue.   He can talk his way into and out of almost anything, and  makes friends and wins lovers with ease.   A Glib character will be equally at home on the mean streets or in a king's court, where his abilities keep him on top of things because he has learned what he needs to know and has the right friends all the time.

Character Archetype:  James Bond

Lucky
A character may not be much of anything, may even be a bumbling incompetent, but somehow he always escapes the trouble he gets into because he's just so plain Lucky.   A Lucky character is almost always in the right place at the right time, or has a required gimcrack forgotten in his pockets, or stumbles onto the one possible way to escape that rampaging T-Rex.

Character Archetype:  nearly any kid in an action movie

Strange
A Strange character is one who relies on something not possessed by the ordinary person for his success; this may be magic, paranormal mind powers, or weird science.   You must define what form your character's Strangeness takes, and what he can and can't do with it.  

Character Archetype:  Merlin, Gandalf, Doctor Strange

Wise
A Wise character is one who is knowledgeable and savvy within his own field, and uses that ability to make his way through life.   He knows his environment, and he knows human nature, especially the customs of the land where he has found his calling.   For example, an old sea captain is Wise with respect to nautical matters - navigation, seamanship, coastal landmarks and area knowledge, tactics to avoid pirates, etc etc.;  while a veteran hunter in Africa will know the land, at least one native lingua franca, the customs of the tribes, and so on.

Character Archetype:  Allan Quatermain

Rating Styles

Rating each style allows a player to quantify which styles are dominant in their character's nature.

Allocate 12 points among the four styles chosen from step 1.  No style may have a rating higher than 5, no style may have a rating of 0.

Difficulty Ratings

Challenges in the game will be resolved by comparing charcter stats to a difficulty rating set by the game master.  Difficulty ratings usually range from 0 to 10, with higher number difficulties being more difficult.

The game master will compare different character attributes to the difficulty rating depending on the circumstance.  Typically, the rating of the style that was used by the player to overcome the problem will be compared to the difficulty.  If the style rating meets or exceeds the difficulty, then the player succeeds at the action.  Depending on the action performed and its description, the style rating may first be doubled to make this comparison.

If the character has a relevant skill, that skill rating will be combined with the style used to overcome the problem and compared to the difficulty.  Likewise, if this total meets or exceeds the difficulty specified by the game master, then the player succeeds.

In cases where multiple players attempt to overcome the same challenge, the game master may provide several different outcomes.  If appropriate, the players may conspire to work together to solve a problem.  In this instance, the style rating of the the character with the highest style rating will be used for the challenge.  An additional 1 will be added to the total for each additional player helping the action.

If multiple players decide to solve the same problem in different styles, the game master may decide to allow the player with the highest applicable style rating succeed before the other player.  Otherwise, the game master may choose to allow the most creative suggestion or the one that best furthers the plot to succeed.

3. Choosing Skills

Choosing skills allows a player to diversify his character and specialize in aptitudes.

Choose 12 ranks of skills from the skill list.  These may be as 12 separte skills, or a single skill may be taken more than once.  No skill may have a rank higher than 3.

Keeping in mind the styles selected for the character, it might be a good idea to choose skills that match the character's personality and style.  A short description of how the character acquired this skill might be useful in constructing a more complete character history.

Skills not listed here may be selected with the game master's approval.

3.1 Skill Descriptions

Skills allow a character to specialize in certain actions.

Acrobatics
The skill of balance and grace, Acrobatics is used whenever a character needs to keep balanced (as on a tightrope) or keep from stumbling (as a character who swings from a chandelier to the floor below).

Archery
The ability to use bow weapons, from shortbows to crossbows.

Astrology
Knowledge of the movement of the planets, stars and moons, plus an understanding of the portents they may bring.  A warning: Just because a character knows what they mean doesn't mean his portents are undeniably correct.

Awareness
The knack of knowing one's surroundings, the Awareness skill comes in handy when trying to find hidden items, discover clues, note whether someone is carrying concealed items, keep from being ambushed, and similar situations. This skill does not allow one character to follow another by spoor; the Tracking skill covers this below.

Brawling
The skill of hand-to-hand combat, using fists, small blunt weapons, and, occasionally, teeth and knees to knock an opponent out.

Charm
The skill of ingratiating yourself with others in a way that earns their acceptance or trust. This skill may be used differently according to the situation; for instance, proper use of Charm at a fancy dinner party would be rather different from proper use of Charm at a rough tavern. People usually accept those characters with high Charm almost anywhere, despite appearance or background, simply due to their winning ways (q.v. Will Rogers).

Chemistry
As much a body of knowledge as a skill, Chemistry allows a character to perform experiments or mix up chemical concoctions, with a difficulty based on the complexity of the reagent and the equipment available to the character.

Climbing
A character's ability to climb items (like trees) or surfaces (like mountainsides). A character with Climbing skill also knows how to use and maintain mountaineering gear.

Concentration
The mental equivalent of the Endurance skill, Concentration skill helps keep a character from becoming mentally fatigued or distracted by an incidental event. Concentration skill can come in handy for anyone who is set on a single short-term purpose and doesn't want to be distracted.

Dodge
The general combat-resistance skill, this skill isn't necessarily limited to dodging individual blows, but also extends to avoiding a mob scene altogether.

Driving
This is the ability to drive a land (or close to land) vehicle, from cars to hovercraft. The character should pick one "type" of vehicle (for example, Car, Cycle, Truck) as his or her preference.

Endurance
A measure of a character's hardiness and ability to ignore pain. Using this skill a character may resist exhaustion, heat, poisoning, freezing temperatures, and similar hardships.

Interrogation
The art of questioning. Characters may use their Interrogation skill when trying to extract information from someone, with the difficulty set higher or lower according to how much the interrogatee has to lose and/or successful use of Charm skill beforehand.

Jumping
The character has developed his or her leg muscles, increasing the ability to make prodigious leaps.

Lockpicking
The skill to unlock mechanical locks, using the proper tools. A character trying to pick a lock without the proper tools will suffer a penalty. Trying to pick a lock with a twig is not recommended.

Mechanics
Knowledge of how machines work and how to construct, maintain and repair them, from water clocks to mechanical locks. Note that characters may design and construct locks with this skill, but opening them without benefit of keys requires use of the Lockpicking skill instead.

Medicine
The art of healing. A character with Medicine skill can speed another character's healing and/or keep someone from dying when otherwise all hope is lost.

Navigation
The ability to find one's way, using landmarks, maps, and/or stars. The difficulty depends upon existing conditions and the equipment available to the character.

Riding
The ability to keep a large animal under control. The riding skill can also be used to "break" a riding animal, acclimatizing it to being ridden.

Running
This skill is used specifically when the character is running in a race or chasing someone to see if he or she can catch or flee from an opponent.

Sleight-of-Hand
A skill for the nimble of fingers, Sleight-of-Hand allows a character to perform small parlor tricks, play the "shell game" effectively, or, more darkly, steal small personal items like wallets and money pouches from unsuspecting victims.   Good for pick-pockets.

Stealth
Basic "sneaking-around" skill, as used by thieves and spies.  This skill can also be used to move silently, with a Difficulty dependent on the situation.

Throwing
A measure of a character's eye-hand coordination as it applies to flinging items like darts, balls, throwing knives, spears, rocks, horseshoes and the like.

Magic
Magic is a force which can be shaped through the minds and actions of living beings, and so this skill is used to determine a character's ability to use or detect magic. Only characters with the Magical Aptitude background can weild magic.  Otherwise, this skill is for detection only.

Tracking
The ability to read the trail left by an animal or human and follow it to its end. Tracking skill also allows a character to keep track of a target as it moves; for example, keeping up with a single person walking through a crowded square, or knowing roughly where an animal is in thick underbrush. (Following such a target so it is unaware of the character's presence requires the Stealth skill.)

Weaponfighting
The ability to fight effectively with spears, swords, or knives. This skill does not include using these (properly balanced) weapons at a distance; that's covered by the Throwing skill below.  This skill may be specialized for a specific weapon.  When that weapon is used, the game master may apply a discretionary bonus.

Choosing Backgrounds

Pick one.

Background List

Direction Sense
The character has a "bump" of direction, an instinctive knowledge of current orientation and distance traveled. If lost the character knows where he or she is (and how to get back to the point of origin) with reasonable accuracy.

Charismatic
The character exudes charisma and is naturally adept at dealing with others.  This charisma takes a specific form.  The character may be considered attractive to other members of his or her species. The character may have a pleasant speaking voice and/or an exceptional talent at singing.  This specifically described background will incur a bonus when the character is in an applicable situation.

Higher Purpose
This character is destined to do great things and the powers that be will see to it that he succeeds.  By taking a moment to "pray" in the character's described milieu, the character receives a bonus to any action attempted.  The exact bonus received depends on the request itself, its relevance to the character's stated Higher Purpose, and how closely the powers that be are listening.

Magical Aptitude
The character may use magical skill to invoke magic powers.  Magical powers come at a price.  See the section on Magic for more details.  Note that the character must also "buy" the Magic skill with Skill Points as usual.

Mastery
The character has been trained since birth in a specific skill set or was born with a natural aptitude for those skills.  Normally, when a character is created, he or she is limited to a maximum rank of 3 in any one skill.  By taking the Mastery background, the player can set any two skills to 5 ranks, allotting the full 12 points to other skills.  Alternatively, the player can set any one skill to 5 ranks, allotting the full 12 points to other skills, but with a starting cap of 5 instead of 3.

Resources
The character has a virtually unlimited pool of monetary resources.  Obtaining supplies is usually not an issue, however nothing simply materializes without first buying it.  This background does not imply that the character has a personal servant, however it may be appropriate for a character if their description of the origins of their fortunes is adequate.  A description of the origins of his resources is a requirement for any character that starts with this background.  It is possible during the course of the game that events may cause these resources to be restriced.

Trained Combatant
A Trained Combatent has studied martial skills for a significant portion of his life.  He is adept at one or more styles of fighting, and gains the benefit of that style in combat.  See the section on Fighting Styles for more details.  Note that the character must buy Brawling, Weaponfighting, or any other related skill as usual.

Uncanny Luck
A character with a Lucky style has a decent chance of success when playing games of chance.  A character with Uncanny Luck can control his luck so that he knows when he will win and lose.  For every significant action (one that might affect the story) that the player bids for failure, he may call in that bid as an automatic success.

Magic

Magic Aptitude allows players to invoke magical abilities by harvesting ambient magical power.  These abilities can be either enhancements to character skills or overt magical actions.

Enhancement Magic
Magic will allow a temporary bonus to any skill action up to the character's magic score.  The character must fully describe the invocation of the magic effect to receive all of the points awarded to him by his skill.  Usually, the magic effect is accompanied by flashing lights and whistles, influenced by the character's description of the magic effect.

Magic used in this way will be more effective against magical counter-actions.  For example, if an object in a room is magically hidden, using magic to enhance the Awareness skill will have an additional bonus applied.

Overt Magic
Overt magical actions allow characters to perform traditional fantasy magic such as throwing fireballs, creating illusions, illuminating objects, etc.  A character's magic rating limits the types of effects that are possible.

Magical Drawbacks

The use of magic also has its drawbacks.

Magic power is drawn from its karmic surroundings such that a detrimental effect may be felt by those invoking the effect.  This effect may be limited to the caster himself, or to those near the caster when the magic is used, usually not to the caster's benefit.  Because magic works on a different plane of thought than the real world, it is possible that these effects might not be limited to the immediate surroundings.  For example, using magic to heal a person might cause all of the grass in the magic user's front yard to wither.  Unlike withering grass, these drawbacks will usually affect the player characters directly during the course of play.

In addition, the power necessary for the same effect might not be available to the magic user if the effect is reproduced repeatedly.  It might be possible to throw only 2 fireballs before the character runs out of karmic currency to purchase more.  Nonetheless, the energy for a different effect of similar power may yet be available.

The effect of magic energy drain applies to both Enhancement Magic and to Overt Magic.

Calculating Magic

Magic Schools

Fighting Styles