Character Creation: Forging Your Hero
⚠️ The Session Zero Disclaimer
Character creation in the Six Sided Adventures system is a collaborative process. While you might have a spark of an idea early on, finalization must happen at Session Zero. Your character exists within a world defined by the DM; their stats, abilities, and items should be built to complement the campaign setting and, more importantly, the other players.
Note: Stats are calculated during Session Zero unless you are using a Premade Character provided by the DM.
Starting Out: The XP Pool
Before you pick up a single die, you need to know your party's Starting XP.
The Minimum:
The Baseline: At , every character starts with the following "Natural" stats:
Might: 1
Wits: 1
Vigor: 1
Guile: 0
Unspent: (to be used on further stat increases, skills, or abilities).
The Four Core Stats
Your stats dictate how you interact with the world. In Six Sided Adventures, these aren't just numbers; they are the engine of your dice pool.
Might (The Effort)
Might represents your raw physical or mental force used to overcome a challenge.
Effect: Dictates the total number of dice rolled (Max: 8).
Cost: per level increase.
Example: Raising Might to Level 2 costs a total of ().
Wits (The Success)
Wits represents your precision, training, and ability to ensure a positive outcome.
Effect: Dictates the number of dice kept.
Cost: per level increase.
Example: Level 2 costs total.
Vigor (The Resilience)
Vigor is your defensive capability and physical toughness.
Effect: Affects Empty Hits and DTN (Defensive Target Number).
Scaling: Every 2 levels of Vigor increases your Hit capacity and DTN.
Cost: per level increase.
Guile (The Edge)
Guile is your ability to find shortcuts, exploit weaknesses, or manipulate the odds.
Effect: Lets you add to either the might or wits of a roll. You must declare before making the roll. Resets daily.
Example: If you are about to make a 2k3 roll you can use a guile to add to the might and make it a 3k3.
Cost: per level increase.
Example: Level 2 costs total.
Health & Defense
In Six Sided Adventures, your life isn't measured in hundreds of points, but in Empty Hits.
| Vigor Level | Empty Hits | Base DTN | Status / Archetype |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2 | 4 | Standard Starting Character |
| Level 2 | 3 | 4 | Tougher / Resilient |
| Level 4 | 4 | 5 | Battle-Hardened |
Marking Damage: When you take damage, you mark an "Empty Hit."
Weakened State: When you are down to your last empty hit, you enter a Weakened State. The specific narrative effect (e.g., a limp, blurred vision, or panic) is determined by the DM.
DTN (Defensive Target Number): This is the number an enemy must roll to hit you. While Vigor raises this slowly, Equipment (like plate armor or enchanted cloaks) is the fastest way to boost your defense.
Skills & Talents: Refining the Roll
Skills and Talents allow you to specialize. They are "tags" you add to your character that provide situational bonuses.
Skills (Generic): Broad descriptions like "Perceptive" or "Athletic."
Cost: per level.
Bonus: Adds to your Might (Roll more dice).
Result: Instead of a 2k1 roll, a Perceptive character rolls 3k1 when scanning a room.
Talents (Specific): Focused expertise like "Using a Spyglass" or "Lockpicking."
Cost: 5 per level.
Bonus: Adds to your Wits (Keep more dice).
Result: Using a spyglass might turn a 3k1 roll into a 3k2, significantly increasing your chances of a high result.
Sample Character Concepts
Here is how the starting pool can be spent across our three core themes:
⚔️ The Bastion (High Fantasy)
A stout defender of the crumbling citadel.
Stats: Might 2 (), Wits 1 (), Vigor 1 (), Guile 0 ().
Talent: "Shield-Wall Discipline" ().
Ability: "Hold the Line" (): Once per encounter, you can force an enemy to target you instead of an ally.
Playstyle: You roll high dice counts to ensure you can parry and protect the group.
🛰️ The Ghost (Cyberpunk Space Odyssey)
A lunar vault infiltrator and tech specialist.
Stats: Might 1 (), Wits 2 (), Vigor 1 (), Guile 0 ().
Talent: "Neural Hacking" (0).
Ability: "Silent Ping" (Built with DM): Detect electronic signatures through walls.
Playstyle: You don't roll many dice, but you keep almost everything you roll, making you incredibly reliable.
☢️ The Scavenger (Post-Apocalyptic)
A survivor who knows how to find water in a wasteland.
Stats: Might 1 (), Wits 1 (), Vigor 1 (), Guile 1 ().
Skill: "Scrap-Hunter" ().
Ability: "Makeshift Patch" (): You can repair a broken item using only junk, lasting for one scene.
Playstyle: Between your Guile lowering TNs and your Scrap-Hunter skill, you find success in places others see only trash.