Notes from the Dark Eye Video: 15 Steps in Total

Step 1: Thinking of a character. (This is an easy step, no need to go in depth)

Step 2: “Experience Levels” (E.L)

This determines the individual “skill/spell/tradition cap/ceiling” of a player character depending
on the experience level. You can only learn a certain amount of spells, a certain amount of skills,
etc.

Because we’re all going to be Average Joes, (equality ftw), we’ll all start off with, say, 1000 AP
to allocate to a bunch of stats except for a couple which are unable to be edited.
But here’s where the E.L comes in and caps some of these stats. Which can force players to
allocate these stat points more evenly, but it’s still possible to min-max capabilities.

Step 3: Choosing a Race. First time to spend points.

Each race has a cost to play, taking away from your AP (Adventure Points) first thing.

So Humans cost 0 points, because generic.

Elves cost 18 points.
Dwarves? 61 points.
(This is only an example, we can figure out individual race costs)

Once spent, the individual races start with different life points which can be increased. With
these extra modifiers, it’s possible to go over the stat cap in either direction.

Races also give advantages.

Step 4: Culture (Languages, Starting Skills)

Cultures cost Points that vary depending on the culture. The cultures can add to skills as well
through bonuses (+1 and whatnot)

Step 5: “Increase your Abilities”

Now this is where the actual stat allocating happens, to the attributes.

“All of your die rolls are based on your abilities, NOT the skill values. Raising ability scores
raises the CHANCE of success. Raising your skill value, raises your chance of SUCCEEDING
BETTER.” (Remember this)
Every character begins with a flat 8. . .but each of these starting points costs 64 AP. increasing
the stats costs ~15 AP. But remember your race and Experience Level? Those determine how
high you can raise a stat level. So the max you can raise it is around 14 as an example. Or
more like how high initially you can put it to.

AGAIN!? REMEMBER YOUR EXPERIENCE LEVEL???

THAT GIVES YOU A CAP OF HOW MANY TOTAL POINTS YOU CAN HAVE. There is a stat
array that the Dark Eye rulebook gives to make allocating stats easier by providing a “pre-built”
stat allocation that doesn’t break any rules. But who’d want to copy that down?

Step 6: “Profession”

Remember your experience level? That limits what professions you can take. But even if you
have the necessary experience level, there are requirements before you can spend AP to get
that profession. These give skills of both kinds (combat and out of combat), and give
suggestions for building a character around their chosen profession.

Step 7: Advantages and Disadvantages

You buy advantages with AP points, but you can also get points back by selecting
disadvantages even without getting advantages. Meaning, literally you can get more AP to
spend in other places by only getting disadvantages and not buying advantages. There are
limits of course. (You can’t be Handsome and Ugly at the same time basically). Sorcerers
require the Advantage “Spell Caster”, Clerics would need advantages that give Karma Points,
stuff like that.

Step 8: SKILLS “IMPROVE YOUR ATTRIBUTES”

Improving skills costs AP points(?). (He said it’s not exactly how it works??)

Skills are rated on an A-E rating. A ,B, C, D, E.

Each rating has a DIFFERENT AP Cost to increase skills more. Some skills only go from A-D
ratings, or B-D.
To go off of the different AP Cost of each rating, in the rulebook, there are tables to reference
that dictate the different costs. For example, an A-Rated skill would cost 1 point to get it and
then upgrade it later. And a D-Rated skill would cost 4 points.

There is ALSO a cap for the skill levels depending on your EXPERIENCE LEVEL.
Experience Level = Max Skill Value Cap.

This is where referencing the different tables comes into play, because each cost later on will
increase by some stupid amount so you’ll need to go back there and do... math.

Step 9: “Combat Skills”

“Combat Techniques”

These are also rated, meaning some weapon skills are easier to gain and level than others.
Same with the weapons skills if compared to others (???).

...This should be in Step 8 right?

ANYWAYS

Step 10: Special Abilities

These generally improve our skills and allow us to do things. These also have AP costs to buy
just like Advantages and Disadvantages.

Step 11: Check Your Work! (...?)

Review all the things you’ve done, make sure all the math is done right.

Review your life choices because you chose to make a character with this damned system.

Step 12: Calculate Derived Stats

These include Life Points, Arcane Energy, Karma Points, all that stuff.

Step 13: Buy Equipment.

EZ.

Step 14: Character Age

The more experienced a character, the older they will be and vice versa. The guy says that
there are tables to help determine the age of the character based on your skill level and stuff.

Step 15: WHAT IS YOUR NAME

Huge Advice: Look through professions and cultures first before all else.

Conclusion: This system of character creation allows for very diverse characters. Like a sorcerer
who can use a sword well. But it can also create the standard, One Class type thing.

This could very much allow for those NPCs that we’ve seen Daed run before that are good at
literally everything but they still keep their main strength.