4 | Hero Creation
25 min read
The child squirmed on her mother’s lap, staring wide-eyed at the thrice-tattooed wizard. “Can you make flowers bloom pretty?” the child asked, cheeks blushing.
The wizard puffed on his pipe and gave a long, languid nod. A spark of delight immediately lit the child’s eyes. “I want to be like you,” she blurted. “I want to be magic.” The mother laughed but the wizard just shook his head. He could not ask the child to share the same, shadowed fate as him.
Player, you move the story and explore the collective world through heroes.
You can play any hero you want as long as it makes sense in the setting. You can be a human, an elf, a lesser tiger demon or a prince disguised as a pauper if it fits in the shared world.
Your hero’s capabilities are expressed through several aspects. Hero Creation fills in these details to build a well-rounded and adept personality.
To create your hero, you will:
- Determine Approach Scores.
- Assign Blood & Guts Modifiers.
- Assign Skill Ranks.
- Determine Inventory.
- Answer Character-Building Questions.
- Determine Bonds.
Every step you have the option of randomly rolling instead of assigning a value. Rolling randomly can result in powerful heroes but you have less control over how they turn out.
You may roll 1d6 on every list below to quickly create a random hero.
Your hero is a/an…
1 amphibious… 2 rebellious… 3 nervous… 4 bureaucratic… 5 blue… 6 incandescent…
1 …lion 2 …noblin 3 …engineer 4 …folk hero 5 …ball of fire 6 …witch doctor
…who…
1 believes in a vast conspiracy
2 claims to be royalty from the Fallen Kingdom of Majapahit
3 looks like they’ve seen better days
4 is notorious among the transcendental lovers of Pasig
5 feuded with all four corners of the wind
6 perfected the recipe for capybara curry
…and…
1 speaks very softly.
2 is an amateur poet.
3 walks on tiptoes.
4 has an innocuous fourth eye.
5 has six fingers on both hands.
6 has white pupils.
The “How to Play ARC” section in the Introduction already gave an overview of how your hero’s aspects can interact with the rules, but each step in the Hero Creation process also mentions how it’ll be relevant in the game.
To check out Hero Creation in action see Appendix 1: Sample Hero Creation. More sample heroes are available in Appendix 5.
It’s natural to feel anxious about being “good enough,” especially if this is your first time playing a tabletop role-playing game. Focus on having fun—that’s how you win. Defeating the Doom is just one part of it; your enjoyment matters too. It’s easy to worry about whether your hero is strong, cool or interesting enough but what matters is that you look forward to playing as them. So long as they fit in the setting and want to save the world, there are no wrong decisions.
Step 0: Inspect the Character Sheet #
Before anything else, take a look at the character sheet which tracks essential details about your hero. The print version provides a summary of rules at the back, while the digital version displays these tips when hovering over certain words or phrases. The character sheet is your dear friend throughout the game; download copies at https://arc-rpg.com/#resources
Step 1: Determine Approach Scores #
Approach Scores represent the hero’s aptitude for solving problems and using skills in particular ways. Do they tend towards creative solutions? Are they careful and detail-oriented? Or do they gravitate towards resolving challenges through sheer, concerted effort?
These are the three Approaches: Creative, Careful and Concerted.
- Skills using a Creative Approach are performed in interesting, unusual and surprising ways. Cleverness also applies to Creative Skills.
- Skills using a Careful Approach utilize close attention to detail, analyzing variables and ensuring the action does not trigger any unwanted consequences.
- Skills using a Concerted Approach exemplify effort, grit and willpower. Any obstacle is surmountable when you have the drive to succeed.
Each has a score ranging from +0 to + 3. +0 means no aptitude, +1 is average, +2 is gifted and +3 is expert.
Approach Scores determine how well your hero performs an action. Your hero’s Approach Score plus their ranks in a relevant Skill set a Threshold Number (TN) for a given task. You roll 1d6, hoping for a result under the threshold.
This means the higher the TN the easier it is to succeed. Consequently, higher Approach Scores are better; if you have a +3 in an approach, that means you’ll still succeed at a task half the time even if you have no aptitude in the skill.
Approach Scores can also mean life or death for your hero. If all Approach Scores become zero your hero falls. See Life, Death and Naps for what happens next. Approach Scores can also be increased during play; see Evolving Your Hero.
To determine your hero’s Approach Scores #
Assign each of the following scores to an Approach: +0, +1 and +2.
To randomly determine your hero’s Approach Scores #
Roll 1d6, distributing that many points to your Approach Scores. For example, rolling a 6 you can assign +3 to Creativity, +2 to Careful and +1 to Concerted.
If you want to completely randomize which Approach Scores get a point, roll 1d6 and assign one point to the corresponding score.
- 1, 2—Creative; 3, 4—Careful; 5, 6—Concerted.
If the maximum number of points you have to distribute is only 1 don’t worry—you’ll receive extra inventory items as consolation.
Step 2: Assign Blood & Guts Modifiers #
Blood is the hero’s ability to withstand physical harm. If Blood is reduced to zero or less, the next damage it receives reduces Approach Scores instead.
Guts measures the hero’s ability to withstand mental or social harm. Similarly if Guts is reduced to zero or less, the next damage reduces Approach Scores.
Blood & Guts can vary from day to day. When your hero wakes up from a long rest—a break taking 5 real-time minutes and up to 10 in-story hours—you have the option of rolling for their new Blood & Guts for the rest of the day: 2d6 plus a modifier determined during Hero Creation. If you choose not to roll, they simply gain a small amount of health back.
Say your hero has 15 Blood and 6 Guts from the previous day. If you choose to reroll, you roll 2d6 each for Blood & Guts then add their modifiers to the individual results. If you get a total of 12 and 10 for Blood & Guts for example, it overwrites the current health and becomes your hero’s new health stats.
Modifiers for Blood & Guts do not have to be the same. They can be increased during play (see Evolving Your Hero) but you’ll set its starting value now.
To determine your hero’s base Blood & Guts modifier #
Allocate modifiers to Blood & Guts so their sum is 6 (minimum: +0).
To randomly determine your hero’s base Blood & Guts modifier #
Roll 1d6 and record the result for Blood; roll again for Guts. If the sum of both modifiers is ≤ 3 you’ll receive extra inventory items to make up for it.
Step 3: Assign Skill Ranks #
Heroes use their Skills to solve a wide array of challenges such as defeating tavern rats, talking to immense dragons and haggling the price of wares. There are a total of 18 Skills divided across 5 categories.
List of Skills #
- Academic The pursuit of formal knowledge, primarily scientific or historical in nature.
- Sample applications:
- —Recalling precolonial orcish history.
- —Theorizing a scientific principle.
- —Understanding formal chemistry.
- Culture Ability to attune with a community’s beliefs, customs and stories.
- Sample Applications
- —Bowing perfectly in front of the witch-warriors of legend.
- —Noticing the elder’s coded folksong.
- —Realizing the truth behind a creature’s folklore.
- Academic Aptitude in observing the world and detecting the smallest details across all senses.
- Sample Applications
- —Detecting a strange whiff, a faint sound or a strange taste.
- —Searching a murder scene for physical clues.
- —Recalling a scene’s details hours later.
- Tactics Knowledge of battle and conflict.
- Sample Applications
- —Leading the Rook Prince’s troops with sophisticated strategy.
- —Knowing how to position oneself in a heated battle.
- —Instructing other characters how to field an oncoming attack.
- Charisma Appealing or approachable charm, with a penchant for smooth talk, humor and wit.
- Sample Applications
- —Convincing the witch to join your cause through eloquent argument.
- —Flattering the errant knight’s sense of justice.
- —Mediating between warring kings with a winning smile.
- Guile Deception and manipulation through lies, bluffs or other chicanery and trickery.
- Sample Applications
- —Lying to the tindero.
- —Bluffing about possessing a weapon that vaporizes enemies.
- —Tricking misguided youth to plant false evidence on the blacksmith.
- Impose Radiating a sense of authority and confidence that can enforce opinion, cut down others, or tower over everyone.
- Sample Applications
- —Intimidating the devil with a swagger.
- —Gaining the attention of the elitist bard.
- —Distracting the guard captain with a devastating remark
- Insight Attunement to others’ emotional states; inner grace and maturity in interactions.
- Sample Applications
- —Realizing the mambabarang is lying.
- —Knowing how to comfort a grieving widow.
- —Appearing calm and composed.
- Acrobatics Dynamic balance, gymnastics, or other incredible and immediate feats of agility.
- Sample Applications
- —Performing a somersault through the air.
- —Jumping from one tree to another.
- —Balancing on a precarious ledge.
- Coordination Delicate positioning and control of body, hand and instincts for smooth or purposeful movements.
- Sample Applications
- —Moving quietly and efficiently to avoid detection.
- —Playing sleight of hand tricks.
- —Winning a sport requiring accurate hand-eye coordination.
- Physique Exertion of physical strength, stamina and constitution.
- Sample Applications
- —Striking an enemy with a hard punch.
- —Smashing a door with a battering ram.
- —Holding breath deep underwater.
- Weaponry Proficiency in the use and maintenance of weaponry.
- Sample Applications
- —Applying sword care and maintenance.
- —Mastering an unwieldy warhammer.
- —Knowing a weapon’s weak points.
- Artistry Crafting, design, painting or other creative expressions.
- Sample Applications
- —Painting the moon duke’s portrait.
- —Writing an evocative love poem.
- —Identifying intentional designs in someone’s cryptic artwork.
- Survival Aptitude for rugged living off the land; self-reliant outdoorsmanship and survival across the harshest seasons.
- Sample Applications
- —Scavenging safe food and water in the perilous forest.
- —Skinning a deer.
- —Navigating wilderness.
- Tinker Engineering expertise over mechanical or clockwork devices, schema and structures.
- Sample Applications
- —Troubleshooting problems with a jury-rigged setup.
- —Understanding complex mechanical diagrams.
- —Creating a contraption, such as a trap, on the spot from common materials.
- Trade Experience in commerce, animal handling and other industrial or market pursuits.
- Sample Applications
- —Intuitively knowing whether something is overpriced.
- —Recalling processes for leather- and metalworking.
- —Performing a quality check on mundane items.
- Arcana Recall lore, sense spirits, channel magic; required to perform enhanced Spells.
- Sample Applications
- —Reading magical runes.
- —Detecting if magic was recently cast.
- —Gathering ingredients for a ritual.
- Focus Hone attention, concentrate mental spirit; required to perform enhanced Techniques.
- Sample Applications
- —Enduring intense mental duress.
- —Resisting distraction and committing to the present objective.
- —Pushing the body past its limits.
Skills have a rank from +0 to +3 similar to Approaches. +0 means no skill, +1 is average, +2 is gifted and +3 is expert. Skill Ranks directly correlate to how easy it is to succeed in an action; a hero with +3 skill will succeed half the time in a relevant task even they have zero in the relevant approach.
Skill ranks can be increased during play; see Evolving Your Hero.
To determine your hero’s Skills #
Allocate +2 to two Skills and +1 to three Skills.
To randomly determine your hero’s Skills #
Roll 2d6. Distribute that many Skill Ranks to any Skills of your choice. You can also use the list below to randomly assign Skill ranks by rolling 1d6 twice in order. If you roll a +2 Skill when you only have one Skill point remaining that Skill becomes a +1 instead.
If the sum of your Skill Ranks is ≤4 you’ll get some extra inventory items to make up for it.
| First die roll | Second die roll | Skill |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | +2 Academic |
| 1 | 2 | +2 Culture |
| 1 | 3 | +2 Observe |
| 1 | 4 | +2 Tactics |
| 1 | 5 | +2 Charisma |
| 1 | 6 | +2 Guile |
| 2 | 1 | +2 Impose |
| 2 | 2 | +2 Insight |
| 2 | 3 | +2 Acrobatics |
| 2 | 4 | +2 Coordination |
| 2 | 5 | +2 Physique |
| 2 | 6 | +2 Weaponry |
| 3 | 1 | +2 Artistry |
| 3 | 2 | +2 Survival |
| 3 | 3 | +2 Tinker |
| 3 | 4 | +2 Trade |
| 3 | 5 | +2 Arcana |
| 3 | 6 | +2 Focus |
| 4 | 1 | +1 Arcademic |
| 4 | 2 | +1 Culture |
| 4 | 3 | +1 Observe |
| 4 | 4 | +1 Tactics |
| 4 | 5 | +1 Charisma |
| 4 | 6 | +1 Guile |
| 5 | 1 | +1 Impose |
| 5 | 2 | +1 Insight |
| 5 | 3 | +1 Acrobatics |
| 5 | 4 | +1 Coordination |
| 5 | 5 | +1 Physique |
| 5 | 6 | +1 Weaponry |
| 6 | 1 | +1 Artistry |
| 6 | 2 | +1 Survival |
| 6 | 3 | +1 Tinker |
| 6 | 4 | +1 Trade |
| 6 | 5 | +1 Arcana |
| 6 | 6 | +1 Focus |
Step 4: Determine Inventory #
Your inventory contains useful items for creating opportunities and capabilities for your hero. Surviving a cold night in the wilderness, for example, is much easier with a tent and a flint & tinder to make fire. You may also have powerful abilities such as Spells & Techniques in your inventory.
There are 5 categories from which you may obtain starting items.
- Damage & Defense
- Supplies & Sundries
- Oddities & Valuables
- Spells
- Techniques
Each category is represented by a numbered list of items—the number being that item’s point value.
To determine your hero’s inventory #
Choose items from any of the lists totaling no more than 30 points.
To randomly determine your hero’s inventory #
Pick a list and choose whether you roll 1d6, 2d6 or 3d6 on it. Add the resulting item to your inventory. Do this multiple times—you may roll on multiple lists—until you’ve rolled a total of 12d6.
You may roll more than once on a particular list. For example, you can roll 3d6 twice on the Techniques list and 2d6 thrice on the Oddities list as long as the total number of dice rolled is 12.
Other valid combinations:
- —3d6 thrice on the Spells list, 2d6 once on the Techniques list and 1d6 once on the Damage and Defense list for 5 total items.
- —3d6 once on the Supplies and Sundries list, 2d6 twice on the Oddities and Valuables list and 1d6 five times on the Techniques list for 8 total items.
- —2d6 six times on the Oddities and Valuables list for 6 total items.
※ You may have more than one instance of the same item with the exception of Guts damage and Guts defense items (see List 1, Damage and Defense).
Extra Items #
Each time any of the following is true, add 9 points to your pool if you’re using point values or 3d6 to your dice pool if you’re rolling:
- —The sum of your Approach Scores is 1.
- —The sum of your modifier for Blood & Guts is ≤ 3.
- —The sum of your Skill Ranks is ≤ 4.
For example, if the sum of your hero’s Approach Scores is 1 and the sum of their Skill Ranks is 3 they have 18 additional points or 6d6 additional dice.
“A chicken?” the rogue asked incredulously. “What use do I have for a chicken?” “Let’s just say it’s very handy for dealing with a certain fowl-phobic baron,” the stranger smiled.
List of Inventory Items #
List 1: Damage and Defense #
Damage items provide bonuses to damage whenever you attack a creature. Meanwhile, Defense items reduce damage and also make it harder for you to be hit.
A +0 item is next to useless, a +1 is average, +2 is quite good and +3 is tremendously helpful.
You may only have one instance of any particular Guts Damage or Guts Defense items—you can’t have two instances of Critical Thinking, for example. If you roll a repeat, reroll.
- A scowling face [+0 Guts Damage]
- Pitchfork [+0 Blood Damage]
- Memories of hardship [+1 Guts Defense]
- Iron briefs [+1 Blood Defense]
- Booming voice [+1 Blood Damage]
- Well-rounded education [+1 Guts Damage]
- 8 darts [+1 Blood Damage each]
- Dagger [+1 Blood Damage] and a toga [+1 Blood Defense]
- Confidence [+1 Guts Damage] and personal growth [+1 Guts Defense]
- Studded leather armor [+1 Blood Defense] and stoicism [+1 Guts Defense]
- Devastating vocabulary [+2 Guts Damage]
- Critical thinking [+2 Guts Defense]
- Sturdy sword [+2 Blood Damage]
- Crossbow [+2 Blood Damage]
- Plate armor [+2 Blood Defense]
- Heartwarming letter from dearly beloved friend [+3 Guts Defense]
- Superior standards [+3 Guts Damage]
- Flaming sword [+3 Blood Damage]
List 2: Supplies and Sundries #
Supplies and Sundries help you explore and last longer in the adventure.
- 3 days’ rations
- Artisan’s tools and playing cards
- Crowbar and lantern
- 10-height rope, a rolled-up carpet and a bucket
- Bedroll and local map
- Large backpack and a blank book
- Thieves’ tools, disguise kit and manacles
- Mirror and fine clothes
- Traps and animal bait
- Board games and a gallon of beer
- Fishing pole, kindling and beeswax
- Two-person tent and a shovel
- Live hen; lays one egg every day
- Alchemist’s tools and one dose of a rare drug
- Complete encyclopedia set
- Spyglass and magic reagents
- Stack of coded letters, a signet ring and a wardrobe of noble clothes
- Never-tiring horse and riding gear
List 3: Oddities and Valuables #
Oddities and Valuables are exactly what it says on the tin: strange, fantastical yet oftentimes high-value items. Some may be magical in nature.
- A seashell horn good luck charm
- The bottom half of a dead donkey
- Shrunken monkey heads
- A songbird in a cage
- A pouch of human teeth
- A hat that always keeps your head dry
- An unidentifiable and unbreakable ring
- A heavy crown with oppressive aura
- Worn skin and scales of a giant serpent
- A constantly-glowing silk dress
- The pet turtle of a local tyrant
- A mirror with shadowy beings in every reflection’s background
- A pair of glasses granting darkvision
- A vial of a divine being’s blood
- A fistful of seeds that when planted instantly become 6-height tall stalks
- A Potion of Brawn that adds +2 to Blood Damage and +2 to Blood Defense for the next real-time hour
- A handful of constantly-regenerating troll flesh. It’s edible but the flavor is atrocious.
- A telepathic yak
Lists 4 and 5
Spells & Techniques are rare and priceless special powers beyond normal hero skill.
Spells are directly linked to the Arcana and represent the manipulation of unreality beyond mortals’ comprehension. Techniques are directly linked to Focus representing the hero’s personal willpower and spirit. Arcana manipulates the external world, Focus channels the internal. The book contains the full description of each Spell & Technique, but you can already pick ones you like from the summary list below.
Multiple instances of a Spell or Technique indicate how many times it may be cast. For example, with 2 instances of a Spell you can cast it twice before needing replenishment.
Replenishing requires a ritual and restores all instances of a Spell or Technique. For example, if at any point you’ve held a maximum of 3 instances of a Technique and you perform its ritual, all 3 instances are restored. Rituals can be as mundane as sleeping all day or as strange as burying fingernails.
List 4: Spells #
- Trinket – Minor magical effects certain to delight anyone.
- Trick of the light – You mold light like water, creating auras and illusions.
- Soundshift – Sound is your plaything. You decide its shape.
- Lifebringer – Wounds can be healed through your hands’ warm touch.
- Whisper – A message, spoken to the ear, like a siren’s song.
- Bind Weapon – Suddenly you feel it on your palm: the heft of a magical weapon.
- Unmask the Self – Know the name and hidden desire of any one being you see.
- Secret Door – A portal appears behind the next door. Where does it lead?
- Burn the Past – Remove the past hour’s events from someone’s memory.
- Master of Elements – Air, earth, water and fire manipulated by your will.
- Little Escapologist – Disappear from sight.
- Pierce the Veil – See any place, any time.
- Manic Hands – Arms and hands burst forth from your face, allowing more actions.
- Shadowbind – Restrain a target with their own shadow.
- Compel – Compel someone to act in strange or chaotic manner.
- Windstep – Step out and appear elsewhere at will to chase or flee danger.
- Blackout – Make others fall asleep.
- Spirit Pact – You summon a spirit as your ethereal servant.
Point-buy only:
21 From Dust to Dust – Craft anything you’ve seen from a handful of dust.
24 True Miracle – Bring your wish to reality.
List 5: Techniques #
- Only Ones Who Know – Either everybody knows about your action or nobody does.
- Uncanny Alarm – Ask the fates about an action’s consequences.
- Weave through Water – Walk or breathe through water.
- Memory Seed – Implant a false memory in someone.
- Flowmotion – Move fast—very fast.
- Saving Grace – Protect your allies by redirecting all damage to you.
- Inspiration – Improve someone’s next action by buoying them with inspiration.
- Bind magic – Prevent someone from using Spells & Techniques.
- Stonewall – Reduce all damage. Grow a thick skin—figuratively or literally.
- Heartpiercer – Your damage ignores armor and defense.
- Deadly focus – Double your damage.
- Redo – Reroll the last Skill Check—whether yours or someone else’s.
- Turn the Tide – Every action you take brings opportunity.
- Dispel – Nullify the effects of a Spell or Technique.
- Interdiction – Bar an opponent from using one or multiple Approaches.
- Fluorescent Transcendence – Enhance all Spells & Techniques for a brief moment.
- Netherwave – A pulse of energy so strong it knocks everyone off their feet.
- Become One – Uncover and obtain the Spells & Techniques of another being.
Point-buy only:
21 Defy the Fates – Rewind time.
24 Doompause – Hold off the Doom.
Step 5: Answer Character-Building Questions #
To flesh out your hero’s personality and backstory, answer:
- What makes them different from others?
- There are three rumors about them. What are they and who believes it?
- What was the most painful lesson your hero had to learn?
Share your answers with other players.
Step 6: Determine Bonds #
Doom forges bonds of steel for those who have suffered its fire and fury.
Bonds represent two heroes’ relationship, visualized through quadrants and boxes. Accruing Bond fills a quadrant—also called a minor level. Every box that gets filled represents a major level of Bond.
Image caption: All possible levels of Bond.
Having deeper levels of Bond is helpful. However, they can be asymmetric: your hero might be willing to die for a character not so keen on reciprocity.
When you assist someone in their Skill Check you make their roll easier by a number equal to your major levels of Bond with them. You may also sacrifice one or more minor levels to allow Skill Check rerolls.
Bonds can be increased during play whenever your hero does any of the following:
…Accept inconvenience for an ally #
+1 minor level in the 1st box only.
For example, carrying out helpful favors; offering a useful resource to an ally; standing ground to protect them in Conflict; or taking on some bother on their behalf.
Image caption: Bond gain by accepting an inconvenience.
…Accept harm or serious risk #
+2 minor levels in the 1st or 2nd box.
For example, jumping in front of a warlock’s eldritch blow; personally taking on a perilous risk for others; or giving up a crucial opportunity or resource to prioritize an ally.
Image caption: Bond gain by accepting harm or serious risk.
…Make a permanently life-changing, greatly difficult personal choice, or likely fatal sacrifice for others #
Adds +4 minor levels of Bond. This is the only way to fill up the 3rd box.
To determine your hero’s Bonds #
Choose one hero with whom you have 6 minor levels of Bond. Choose a second hero with whom you have 3 minor levels of Bond.
To randomly determine your hero’s Bonds #
Roll 3d6. Distribute that many levels of Bond between your hero and all their allies.
Regardless of method, explain your bonds. Does your hero…
- Greatly admire the other?
- Find the other hero intriguing?
- Become reminded of someone else from their past?
- Know them from before?
- Find themselves compelled to protect the other?
- Feel or know something else?
And done!
That’s it—you’ve created a hero. Your last step is writing it all down on your character sheet. Now your hero is ready for adventure.
By default, Hero Creation results in ordinary, beginning adventurers, not world-bending warriors. In other tabletop games this is called “low-level.” However, the Guide may choose to award heroes bonus experience points (XP) so they may have additional distinctions and capabilities. If the Guide wishes the heroes to be experienced at adventuring they may award 15 XP to each of them; for a game with veterans, 30 XP. See Evolving Your Hero to learn about spending XP.