4. Choose Talents
When creating a character, after generating your attribute scores (e.g. for 30 character points), you typically begin play with an additional 120 character points to spend on talents. These points are spent as described in the table below:
| Benefit | Character Points |
|---|---|
| Armour Expertise | 5 |
| Defence Training | 5 |
| Spell School Training | 5 |
| Weapon Training | 2 |
| Skill Training | 2 |
| Tool Expertise | 2 |
| Language (Accented) | 2 |
| Armour Training | 1 |
| Subskill | 1 |
| Tool Training | 1 |
| Language (Broken) | 1 |
- Feature costs are listed in the entry for that specific talent.
- You cannot purchase expertise in a tool, unless you are already trained with that tool. Thus, the total cost to go from untrained to expert is 3 points.
- You cannot purchase a language at accented level, unless you already speak that language at broken level. Thus, the total cost to go from untrained to accented is 3 points.
- You may purchase only one subskill in an untrained skill. If you would purchase a second subskill, then the two points combine to grant training in that skill and you lose both subskills.
- When you permanently increase your Intelligence modifier, you may spend additional points as normal. Proficiencies learned by spending points cannot be lost once gained.
Record all of your talents on your character sheet.
Proficiency
Many talents grant proficiency in armour, weapons, skills, defences and sometimes tools. Your proficiencies define many of the things that your character can do particularly well, from using certain weapons to telling a convincing lie.
A proficiency bonus can be either a bonus d20 that is applied to a d20 roll as an instance of +1d, or a numerical bonus that is applied to a defence or other static score, such as your passive skill.
The first level of proficiency is called training. When a roll is made with trained proficiency, then roll with +1d. This applies to:
- Attack rolls using weapons that you’re trained with
- Attack rolls with spells from a spell school that you’re trained in
- Checks using defences, skills, or tools that you’re trained with
Your training bonus to defences and other static scores is +4.
You can purchase training with your character points and some cultures also grant training. Be sure to note all of these proficiencies on your character sheet.
Proficiency cannot apply to a single die roll or other number more than once. If a circumstance suggests that your proficiency applies more than once to the same roll, you nevertheless benefit only once.
Starting With Additional Character Points
Typically, a character starts with a total of 150 character points (30+120) for attributes (30) and talents (120) and advances by adventuring and gaining experience. A starting character is inexperienced in the adventuring world, although they might have been a soldier or a pirate and done dangerous things before.
Starting off with 150 character points marks your character’s entry into the adventuring life. If you’re already familiar with the game, or if you are joining an existing campaign, your GM might decide to have you begin with more character points, on the assumption that your character has already survived a few harrowing adventures.