Character Creation Guidelines

VERSION 1.1 – AUGUST 2000

These guidelines give you the basic information you need to create a Str 15: 8 points Int 10: 2 points
starting LIVING GREYHAWK™ character, and to advance your Dex 13: 5 points Wis 11: 3 points
character. Please be aware that these guidelines, like the LIVING Con 14: 6 points Cha 12: 4 points
GREYHAWK campaign, will change. Our commitment to you is that
any changes will add options to characters (as more D&D® or Apply racial modifiers to ability points after the base scores are
GREYHAWK® material is published), not take away options, but very determined. Thus, ability points range from 8–18 for humans, and
infrequently we may have to restrict options that were previously 6–20 for nonhumans. Ability points gained as your character
available. We will only do so after careful consideration. These advances in level do not use this chart; they are full points and may
guidelines have a version number and date. All LIVING GREYHAWK be added as explained in the Player's Handbook.
characters must comply with the most current version of the D&D
Player’s Handbook and these guidelines. Step 2: Race and Class
When new options become available, you may take advantage
of them by adding them to your character at the next normal You may choose any race and class option described in the Player's
opportunity (usually level advancement). You may not retroactively Handbook. The LIVING GREYHAWK campaign also uses the following
change your character to take advantage of new options. special rules for character creation. These override or limit the
Some aspects of character creation might require information character options in the Player's Handbook.
from your Regional Triad. To find your Triad’s contact information, Human characters should choose one of the subraces of
consult the LIVING GREYHAWK homepage at humanity, as explained in Chapter 2 of the Living Greyhawk
http://www.livinggreyhawk.com. Gazetteer. Elf characters must be of the gray, high, or wood
To create your LIVING GREYHAWK character, follow these steps: subraces. Dwarves may be hill or mountain dwarves. Gnomes must
be rock gnomes. Halflings must be of the lightfoot variety. All half-
orcs are considered human/orc crossbreeds.
Step 1: Ability Scores You must choose a non-evil alignment that also meets all
To put all players on an even footing, the LIVING GREYHAWK requirements for your character’s class.
campaign uses the Nonstandard Point Buy method of ability score A cleric must serve a specific non-evil deity from the Player's
generation, found in Chapter 2 of the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide. Handbook or the LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer. A paladin need not (but
The LIVING GREYHAWK setting is considered a “Tougher Campaign”; may) serve a patron deity.
hence, each character uses 28 points distributed among all six A character may begin play at any age from Adulthood to Old
statistics. Age, as defined in the Age section of Chapter 6: Description, in the
Player's Handbook. Age modifiers to ability scores are not used in the
Table 6: Ability Costs LIVING GREYHAWK campaign. The character may be of any height
Cost Score Modifier and weight allowed by the height and weight tables for the
— 6 –2 character’s race.
— 7 –2 Prestige Classes
Classes: The following Prestige Classes are allowed for
0 8 –1 PCs: arcane archer, dwarven defender, loremaster, shadowdancer.
1 9 –1 PCs must qualify for these classes as described in the Dungeon
2 10 +0 Master’s Guide.
3 11 +0 A starting character receives the maximum amount of gold
4 12 +1 pieces for its class.
5 13 +1
6 14 +2 Step 3: Hit Points
8 15 +2
10 16 +3 Assign your starting character the maximum hit points possible for
13 17 +3 its class. For each additional character level, assign hit points
16 18 +4 according to the new class by taking half the maximum value for the
— 19 +4 class, then adding 1 point. For example, a character adds 3 hit points
— 20 +5 upon gaining a new level in the Sorcerer class.

For example, using the full 28 points, a character's attributes might

be purchased as follows:

LIVING GREYHAWK Character Creation Instructions August 2000, Page 1

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Step 4: Skills and Feats home region moves with you. If you move but choose not to change
your character’s home region, your character again suffers penalties
A few skills need brief additional rulings: for out-of-region play when you play in the new area to which you
• Alchemy Skill and Craft Skill
Skill: These skills do not allow you to moved.
craft items other than the ones that PCs can purchase normally A player may not chose as a character’s home region the Free
(see Step 5). In other words, no acid or masterwork equipment. City of Greyhawk or any campaign nation not moderated by a
• Knowledge skill:
skill Knowledge skills cannot be anacronistic. Regional Triad.
Remember that the more specific a field of knowledge, the Consult the table below at left to determine your LIVING
lower the difficulty class for information related to that GREYHAWK character's default home region. American states and
knowledge – it is better to be specific in what you know. Canadian provinces are given in abbreviated form. Additional
• Profession Skill:
Skill At this time, profession skills can only be regions will be assigned as the campaign grows. Visit
chosen from those listed in the Profession skill description in http://www.livinggreyhawk.com for the latest regions list, and for
the Player's Handbook. information on how to contact your Regional Triad.

Step 5: Equipment Time Units

Purchase equipment for your character from the Weapons, Armor, Time units are used to record how PCs spend their time. By using
and Goods and Services sections of Chapter 7: Equipment in the time units, you do not need to worry exactly in what order
Player’s Handbook. The only exception is that you may not purchase adventures took place, or exactly when you researched a spell or
Masterwork items (manacles, tool kits, etc.) from these sections. You created an item. Time units save you from taking your character out
may purchase holy water from the Special, Superior, or Masterwork of play to perform non-adventuring activities.
section of Chapter 7, but nothing else. You may not purchase Every year, a PC receives 52 time units (of 1 week each) to
magical items for your character except through play opportunities. spend on their activities—adventuring, spell research, creating
Special, Superior, and Masterwork items will be available in play. magic items, belonging to a knighthood, or managing a business can
The Carrying Capacity rule is used in the LIVING GREYHAWK all potentially take part of a character’s time. Adventures take either
campaign, so keep track of what your character is carrying and how one or two time units, and the cost will be indicated in the
much it weighs. adventure text. Other activities take varying amounts of time, as
indicated in the rules for the activity in question.
Step 6: Home Region
Learning New Arcane Spells
All LIVING GREYHAWK characters are based in one of the nations of
the Flanaess, as detailed in the LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer. (There is Learning a new spell normally takes a wizard one Time Unit.
no such thing as a “regionless” character.) The default home region However, the two spells a wizard receives for advancing a level do
where your starting character operates is determined by where you not cost Time Units.
actually live. You may choose a different home region for your Sorcerers and bards must choose their spells from the
starting character, but your character then suffers out-of-region appropriate spell lists, unless they have a special certificate that
penalties when you use it in the game region assigned to where you allows them to do otherwise. Sorcerers and bards do not normally
live. If you change your address in real life, your character's default pay Time Units to learn their spells.

Banned Spells
LIVING GREYHAWK Regions There are several spells that are not suitable for use in a LIVING
Campaign environment. The following spells are not available to
Ahlissa (Innspa/Adri): Austria, Germany PCs: polymorph other, polymorph self, permanency.
Ahlissa (Naerie): Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
Bandit Kingdoms: OK, TX
Bissel: CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT Fame Points
Bone March (Knurl): Greece Fame points are used to track how well known your PC is, and if
Dyvers: IA, KS, MO, NE your PC is recognized by those he meets. Fame points are always
Ekbir: France with an organization, never with individuals. Fame normally cannot
Furyondy: MI be used up the way influence is—once someone knows who you
Geoff: DC, DE, MD, VA, WV are, they tend not to forget.
Gran March: NC, SC, GA
Highfolk: WI
Keoland: NJ, NY, PA Influence Points
Ket: MB, NB, NS, ON, PEI Influence points are a way of keeping track of who in the World of
Nyrond: AZ, Southern CA, UT Greyhawk owes your PC a favor. Influence points can be earned
Onnwal: United Kingdom with individuals or organizations, and there is no limit to how many
Pale: Northern CA, NV a PC can eventually acquire. Influence points are used (spent) to
Perrenland: Australia, New Zealand convince NPCs to do favors for you—enough influence with the
Ratik: HI right people, and you can convince them to work miracles on your
Sea Barons: Italy behalf.
Shield Lands: MN, ND, SD
Sunndi: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
Tusmit: PQ
Lifestyle
Ulek, Principality of: FL, PR PCs in the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign must pay a lifestyle cost at
Urnst, County of: CO, MT, NM, WY the beginning of each adventure, associated with the economic level
Urnst, Duchy of: AK, AB, BC, SK, ID, OR, WA of the place where the adventure takes place. Lifestyle costs include
Veluna: OH expenses incurred during the time between this adventure and the
Verbobonc: IL, IN last one, and all training costs associated with advancing in levels. It
Yeomanry: AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, TN does not cover cost of adventuring equipment. PCs must pay for
things bought during the adventure (from equipment to drinks and
LIVING GREYHAWK Character Creation Instructions August 2000, Page 2
® and ™ designate trademarks of Wizards of the Coast. © 2000 Wizards of the Coast. May be reproduced for personal reasons.
meals and lodging) at the prices stated in the scenario, or the Player’s progress of the certificate from the original owner (on the front) to
Handbook if the scenario does not specify. the current owner.
The lifestyle costs are divided according to the economic level Certificates in the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign are the
that the PC wants to maintain, and there are Charisma-related property of Wizards of the Coast, and must be returned to the
penalties and bonuses for maintaining certain lifestyles. campaign staff upon request. They have $0 cash value and cannot be
• Destitute: You have no living space, and must carry all your gear sold for cash or other real world considerations.
everywhere. You stink and are undernourished. You suffer a –3
on Charisma-related skill checks. Making Things
• Poor: You sleep in the common room of an inn, or perhaps the
Non-magical crafted items, as well as crafted potions and scrolls, do
loft of a stable. Your clothing is generally worn and patched.
not require certificates. Make a logbook entry for the time spent,
You suffer -2 on Charisma-related skill checks.
and have your game master sign it. Indicate when you use your
• Low: You rent a small room at a tavern, perhaps shared with crafted potion or scroll in the logbook entry where it is used,
one or two other individuals. If you own a home it is a one- referencing the log entry for when it was created.
room shack. It wouldn’t be wise to leave anything of value Craft Items:
Items Crafted items cannot be sold to NPCs; they can
laying around. You suffer –1 on Charisma-related skill checks. only be saved for use by the maker, or sold to other PCs. Crafting an
• Medium: You are moderately successful, and your equipment is item takes time, as calculated using the formula in the Player’s
plain but sturdy. You have your own room in an inn or Handbook, with a minimum of 1 Time Unit. PCs may not craft items
boarding house, where you can leave items of moderate value that are restricted from purchase in Step 5 of these guidelines.
without worrying about them disappearing. Brew Potion:
Potion Creating a potion takes material resources (gold)
• High: You rent a roomy house or apartment, or own a nice and XP as indicated in the Player’s Handbook. Creating a potion costs
home. You own clothes for many occasions, and can entertain 1 Time Unit, and only one potion may be created per adventure
anyone without feeling overly ashamed. You receive a +1 played.
bonus Charisma-related skill checks. Scribe Scroll:
Scroll Creating a scroll takes material resources (gold)
• Luxury: You have the best of everything—spacious living and XP as indicated in the Player’s Handbook. Creating a scroll costs 1
quarters, exotic food, expensive clothes. Your success is the Time Unit per level of the spell being scribed, and only one scroll
envy of many. You have a +2 bonus on Charisma-related skill can be scribed per adventure played.
checks. Equipment left at home is generally quite secure. Other magic creation feats
feats: Costs (in gold, XP, and Time Units)
for creating other magic items are covered on a case-by-case basis.
Contact your Triad for more details. These items require certificates,
Certificates so though you may have the pre-requisites for making something
You will be issued certificates for things and favors that your (according to the rules in the Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s
character acquires during adventure play, during interactives, and Guide) you must use a campaign procedure for doing so.
through other means. These certificates include information on the
item or favor that you will need in order to use it in play. Some Guidelines for Ethical Play in
specific sections of the certificate to note are:
Validation:
Validation Certificates must be signed in ink by the DUNGEON LIVING GREYHAWK
MASTER® who issues them, and the DUNGEON MASTER’S RPGA In the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign, we expect that you will
number must be completely legible. The name of the character the conduct yourself in a manner suitable to group cooperation and
certificate is assigned to must be written in ink on the line provided group enjoyment. Specifically,
at the top of the certificate.
Use Restriction
Restriction: Use restriction is a category that describes PLAYERS
how many of a certain certificate from a certain scenario a given 1. Contribute to the fun of the whole group when playing. Don’t
character can be assigned. The categories are: play in a style that detracts from the fun of the game.
• Common—A character can possess as many duplicates of 2. Play fairly and honestly.
this certificate as desired, provided they were all earned in 3. Be considerate of others, and their right to enjoy the game as
play by some character. much as you do.
• Unusual—A character can possess only one of these items. 4. Follow the spirit of the rules, as well as the letter of the rules.
• Rare—Only one of these rare items may be used at a given
table of players. If multiple characters bring this item, then DUNGEON MASTERS
only one “exists” for the adventure. Which of the 1. You are the dungeon master. It is your job to run the game.
duplicates exists must be determined at the start of the You are not playing against the players. Their fun is your top
adventure, and may not be changed during the course of priority.
the adventure. Further, all rare items are also bound by the 2. All players should be treated equally and equitably, by you and
restrictions on unusual items. by other players.
• Unique—Only one of these exists. 3. Run games in a professional manner. Remember that you
The categories apply by item and scenario name. For example, if you represent the RPGA and the campaign to your players.
happen to get item X from scenario A, and it is considered 4. Abide by the expectations that apply to the players.
“unusual,” then you can one of item X from scenario A. If item X
comes out in scenario B later, you can collect one or more of those ADMINISTRATION
as well (depending on its restriction in scenario B), since the 1. Respond and communicate in an articulate and timely manner.
scenario name is different. 2. Uphold the authority of our game masters, and do not overrule
Trade Policy
Policy: Certificates indicate whether they can be traded them without careful investigation.
between characters. If a certificate can be traded, as is traded, then a 3. Abide by the expectations that apply to the players and the
complete trade history must appear on the back of the certificate. dungeon masters.
The information for each trade must include the player name and
RPGA number and character name of the person trading the item
away and the person accepting the item, and the date of the trade.
This all must be completely legible, and the history must show the

LIVING GREYHAWK Character Creation Instructions August 2000, Page 3

® and ™ designate trademarks of Wizards of the Coast. © 2000 Wizards of the Coast. May be reproduced for personal reasons.