CHARACTER GENERATION GUIDE
BASIC GUIDE
Several major features define characters in Cold Iron:
· Primary Attributes· Race
· Character Classes / · Secondary Attributes
· Languages
· Skills
The following sections will outline how a character is generated. This guide is not oriented towards a specific campaign world. The campaign specific Campaign Guide should be consulted for the actual races and cultures available. The Campaign Guide may also specify some exceptions to the rules here.
PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES
Characters in Cold Iron have several primary attributes. Most attributes may be improved as the character gains experience. Almost all attributes that have a maximum value, or potential, that may be reached.
Strength (STR)
Strength is the most important attribute for combat. It affects to hit with melee weapons, limits the size weapons that a character may use. It affects shield parry, and with moderate skill levels, weapon parries.
Dexterity (DEX)
Dexterity is the second most important attribute for combat. It affects all defenses, and all attacks.
Constitution (CON)
Constitution is the third most important attribute for combat. It is used to calculate hit points, which also affect saving throws against poisons, spells that affect the body, and other physical type things.
Intelligence (INT)
Intelligence is the most important attribute for spell casters. It affects the caster's ability to cast spells. It is also used for some non-combat skills.
Wisdom (WIS)
Wisdom is similar to Intelligence, but used by Clerics. It may be used for some non-combat skills.
Willpower (WIL)
Will power is the second most important attribute for spell casters. It is used to overcome a target's save. Willpower also affects mental hit points. It also affects the saving throw against spells that affect the mind.
Alertness (ALT)
Alertness is used whenever a character must notice something. It is important in avoiding surprise, and is important for non-combat skills that are based on observation.
Charisma (CHA)
Charisma represents the character's personality and ease of functioning in social and interpersonal situations.
Size (SIZ)
Size represents how massive a character is. Character weight is SIZ*10 pounds.
Magic Points (MP)
Magic Points are also sometimes known as Manna Points. They are especially important for spell casters, but are important to all characters since most magic items require the user to supply the power. An MP score below 16 is extremely limiting.
Attribute Chart
The following table shows the various modifiers that apply to the attributes. These modifiers will be called out for various secondary attributes and skills.
Attribute /Adj. /
WAdj. /
Pt/L /
Damage /
SzD /
SzHtH /
StD / 1-H
STR / 2-H
STR / Nat
SIZ / Magic
SIZ /
SchX
1 / -8 / 0 / 1 / 0 / +5 / -3 / 0 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / -6
2 / -6 / 0 / 1 / 1d2-1 / +4 / -2 / -1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 2 / -5
3 / -4 / 0 / 1 / 1d2-1 / +3 / -1 / -2 / 3 / 7 / 3 / 3 / -4
4-5 / -3 / 0 / 2 / 1d4-1 / +2 / -1 / -3 / 7 / 11 / 4 / 4 / -3
6-7 / -2 / 0 / 3 / 1d4-1 / +2 / -1 / -3 / 7 / 11 / 6 / 6 / -2
8-9 / -1 / 0 / 4 / 1d4-1 / +1 / 0 / -4 / 11 / 19 / 8 / 8 / -2
10-11 / 0 / 0 / 5 / 1d3 / +1 / 0 / -4 / 11 / 19 / 10 / 10 / -1
12-13 / +1 / +1 / 6 / 1d4 / 0 / 0 / -5 / 19 / 25 / 12 / 12 / 0
14-15 / +2 / +2 / 7 / 1d5 / 0 / 0 / -5 / 19 / 25 / 14 / 14 / 0
16-17 / +3 / +3 / 8 / 1d6 / 0 / 0 / -5 / 19 / 25 / 16 / 16 / +1
18-19 / +4 / +4 / 9 / 2d4-1 / 0 / 0 / -5 / 19 / 25 / 18 / 18 / +1
20-22 / +5 / +5 / 10 / 1d8 / -1 / 0 / -6 / 25 / 34 / 20 / 20 / +2
23-25 / +6 / +6 / 11 / 2d4 / -1 / 0 / -6 / 25 / 34 / 24 / 23 / +2
26-29 / +7 / +6 / 12 / 1d10 / -2 / +1 / -7 / 34 / 47 / 29 / 26 / +2
30-34 / +8 / +6 / 13 / 1d12 / -2 / +1 / -7 / 34 / 47 / 36 / 30 / +2
35-40 / +9 / +6 / 14 / 2d6 / -3 / +1 / -8 / 47 / 64 / 46 / 35 / +2
Key:
Attribute Attribute value
Adj. Base modifier or adjustment (secondary attributes may call out things like DEXadj, this is the adjustment from Dexterity
WAdj. Weak Adjustment, used in weak defenses instead of the primary adjustment
Pt/L Points per level (this is used with CON for hit points for example)
Damage Usually used with STR for punching damage
SzD Modifier to Defense for size
SzHtH Modifier to Hand to Hand for size
StD Stationary defense for characters of this size (how hard is it to hit you if you're standing still)
1-H STR Maximum weapon strength useable in one hand for characters of this size
2-H STR Maximum weapon strength useable in two hands for characters of this size
Nat SIZ Typical SIZ of a natural creature with this STR (and CON)
Mag SIZ Typical SIZ of a magical creature with this STR (and CON)
SchX Bonus or penalty to Scholarly Skill Multiplier based on the higher of INT or WIS
RACE
Human
In the basic guide, the only race available is Human. Humans are generated using the following table:
Attribute /Base Value / Base Value
(short form) /
Potential / Potential
(short form)
STR / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
DEX / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
CON / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
INT / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
WIS / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
WIL / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
ALT / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
CHA / 4d6 keep 3 / 4d6k3 / 1d6, 1d4 keep 1 / d6,d4
SIZ / 4d4 keep 4 / 4d4 / NONE
MP / 6d6 keep 6 / 6d6 / SPECIAL
The notation "4d6 keep 3" indicates that the player should roll four six sided dice, and chose three (presumably the highest, though in the case of SIZ, a player may chose to keep the lowest or some other combination) to add together for a value. Usually two different types of dice are used to generate potential, with the player choosing one of the two dice. This results in a curve where four has the highest probability of occurring (almost 1 in 3), then three (about 1 in 5), then five and six tie (1 in 6), followed by two (1 in 8), with a one being the rarest (1 in 24). Sometimes, the Campaign Guides will specify that the lowest dice will be retained. The campaign guides will only use the abbreviated forms. Sometimes, an adder will be specified for the roll, and in the case of potential, each of the two dice may have different adders (so a potential might be specified as d6+2,d4+1). Note the example of size, where all dice are kept, the short form is simplified to 4d4 not 4d4k4. SIZ and MP don't have potential. SIZ may not be altered. MP may be increase and has no maximum potential.
Size is also somewhat special. The actual value for size is determined using the following formula (round fractions up or down as desired):
SIZ roll 10 + (STR potential + CON potential) / 2
Point Based Attribute Generation
An optional, points based system of generation is available. In this system, the player receives a number of points that are used to "buy" the attributes and their potentials. In this system, each of the first seven attributes starts at 12 with a potential of +3 or 15. MP starts at 22. SIZ is calculated as (STR potential + CON potential) / 2, rounding fractions up or down as desired. The player has 4 additional points to spend on potential. Points may be traded off between the attributes and potentials on a one for one basis (except MP, which is traded 2 MP for 1 point). Attributes may not be reduced below 8, or increased above 18. Potential must range from +1 to +6 for each attribute. MP may range from 6 to 36 and has no potential. If the character desires, SIZ may be adjusted slightly. The player may chose to increase or decrease SIZ one or two points for no cost. Note that the character will get to apply 6 points to increase attributes towards potential before play (this simplification is used since any character can arrange to have one +6 potential which they would max out).
CHARACTER CLASSES
Cold Iron uses character classes to group broad areas of skill into a single progression for experience. Most characters will have several character classes. Every character has Fighter and Humor. The Fighter class represents the character's combat abilities. The Humor class (a historic, though unusual, name) represents the character's interpersonal abilities (the Charisma skills). Just about all characters will also have some experience with magic, even if only on the receiving side. Magic experience only on the receiving side is called Passive Magic. Other magical areas of aptitude are divided into several classes, Active Magic (mages), Cleric, Alchemy, and Spirit Combat. Scholars are also very closely related to magic.
Experience
Experience is awarded separately for each class. Experience in some classes is combined to find a single level for determining certain attributes (this mostly applies to the various forms of magical expertise, but might apply in other cases). An 8th level mage may or may not be a good fighter, his fighter level determines that. Here is the Experience Chart:
Level / 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / +1Experience / 2,000 / 0 / 2,000 / 4,000 / 8,000 / 16,000 / 32,000 / 64,000 / 128,000 / X2
Fighter
Almost every Cold Iron character (player or NPC) is at least a first level fighter. Only children and adults with no fighting experience will be at fighter level zero. Fighter level determines combat ability, allows a selection of combat skills, and determines hit points.
A sixth level fighter is considered enchanted. Enchanted fighters do not need magic weapons to hit creatures that can only be hurt by 'magic weapons'. This ability applies only to melee or HtH weapons not missile weapons. Enchanted fighters may also save for their weapons, using one fourth their save at sixth, one half their save at seventh and full save at eighth.
An eighth level fighter is called a champion. Champions may determine the approximate power of magic weapons and the exact power of normal ones. They detect invisible without using the spell. Treat invisible as blurred to a champion and blurred as no effect. Champions also get a subjective advantage in many things according to the mood of the GM.
Humor
Every Cold Iron character has a humor level. Humor level combined with Charisma indicates how good the character is with social interaction.
Magic Classes
Magical ability in Cold Iron is somewhat complex. There are two basic types of spell casters, mages and clerics. Alchemy is another area of magical study. Some characters also will develop skill in Spirit Combat, which allows them to enter the spirit world and interact with all sorts of spirits (demons, elementals, the lost souls of the dead, and whatnot). Even characters without any magical training have some magical ability governed by Passive Magic level. Scholars in Cold Iron are also part of the magical family. The following tree shows how these classes interrelate:
Experience from classes higher in the table is added together with the classes lower in the table. Thus, for example, Scholar level is determined from the total of Active Magic, Cleric, Alchemy, and Scholar experience. Passive Magic level is determined using all the experience. The following table identifies what is earned with levels in each class, and how experience is earned in that class:
Class / How Experience is Earned / BenefitsActive Magic (AML) / Casting spells, creating magic items, etc. / May learn mage spells, add AML to MP
Cleric (CL) / Casting spells, creating magic items, and performing rituals and other devotions to your deity. / May learn appropriate clerical spells
Alchemy (ACL) / Creation of alchemical products, experimentation / May learn alchemical processes
Scholar (SL) / Research and exposure to knowledge / Learn scholarly skills
Spirit Combat (SCL) / Traveling the spirit plane, combat with spirits, etc. / Learn spirit combat skills and spells
Passive Magic (PML) / Experiencing magic / Improve magic saves, used to calculate mental hit points (Mpt), augment attributes, add PML to MP
Note that in addition to the possibility of augmenting MP, magic experience improves MP. If a character has only Active Magic experience, AML*2 may be added to MP (since PML will equal AML).
Side Skill
Depending on the campaign, a variety of side skill classes will be available. The most common of interest to players are Thief, Scout, Sailor, and Adventurer. Adventurer provides the fewest special skills, but also tends to be the easiest to gain experience in. Characters, who are hunters, either from a more primitive culture or the King's Hunter should use the Scout class. Generally, a character may only have a single Side Skill class. Various trades and crafts may be taken as a Side Skill class, however, they most are not too useful to characters, and will be almost impossible to gain experience in (unless the campaign is set in a city, or the characters have significant down time between adventures).
Augments
When an experience level is gained, an attribute may be augmented. Note that the various magical classes combine to form a single level that is used to determine when augments may be taken. In addition, every character is allowed some augments as part of the creation process. The player may chose to raise one attribute to its potential, or chose five augments. The following table identifies which attributes each class may augment:
Class / May AugmentFighter (FL) / STR, DEX, CON, ALT, Pt
Humor (HL) / CHA
Side Skill (SSL) / ALT, sometimes others
Passive Magic (PML) / INT, WIS, WIL, MP, Mpt
(remember the bonus to MP also)
If a player desires to augment an attribute beyond its maximum potential, the player must roll 1d6. If the die comes up a six, the attribute is increased one (without increasing potential), and the player may roll the die a second time. Each subsequent six adds one to the attribute. The player stops rolling when the die comes up any value other than a six.