Apprentice Wizards                 Martial Artists                 Phantoms                 Rogues                 Soldiers                 Scouts                 Syndics

Character Class Creation

Character Classes

Character classes are descriptions of career, occupation, lifestyle, orientation, or other forms of broadly encompassing life choices. They are more than mere job choices; they are ways of living. There is a great deal of difference between someone who joins the army for a couple of years, and a career soldier who lives and breathes "gung ho," who devotes his life to making himself a better warrior.

Character classes in Midian are optional for your character. This both is and is not a class-based game. First off, by character class, we mean occupational skills, rather than social stature or a measure of refinement (as in "having no-class"). The game is class-based in that: where would a fantasy game be without knights, wizards, or rogues? Character development relies heavily on increasing levels in a character class. It is also non-class-based in that you are not obligated to take a class; you can just buy whatever skills you desire with your skill points (based on your knowledge attribute). Choosing a class, however gives a list of skills that is somewhat cheaper than those same skills would be if chosen separately. Classes also may grant bonuses to attributes, saving throws, or hit points, and may grant titles or status as well as bonus starting equipment. Basing the purchase of a character class on skill points from the knowledge attribute enables only more intelligent characters to gain more education-intensive classes as well as grants all characters the option of being jacks-of-all-trades that defy class stereotypes and restrictions.

You can choose more than one class during character creation if you have enough skill points (as well as meet the other qualifications). You can also gain an additional class (or your first one if you were previously using the jack-of-all option) during play if you can find someone who can—and is willing to—teach you. Skill points do not apply to classes gained after character generation—training time however still does. Treat this as though you are learning a giant skill package—in essence, you are. Multi-classed characters can only gain experience levels in only one class at a time. For example, let's say Brainzilla has enough skill points to purchase three classes during creation (i.e. Brainzilla's player is cheating). When she achieves second level, she must choose which class gains a level; the other 2 remain at first level. When she achieves third level, she must decide which one to increase again.

Note that Brainzilla's total character level is now 3rd level; thus she is entitled to anything that means—such as gaining an extra attribute point, or being able to petition the Game Master for an increase in apprentice-type skills. Increases to skills gained from increasing level in a class are done after the increase for total level. For example: a soldier in the Formorian military gains +1 to all melee weapon skills for gaining 2nd level. This is in addition to the possible increase to those skills for gaining 2nd level that all characters can gain. Experience point progression is based on total character level rather than per-class; i.e. Brainzilla requires the same number of points to gain 4th (total) level as Ug, who has no class (in every sense of the word), even though she may be alternating between her classes with each new level.

There are no penalties for multi-classed characters (slow growth is its own punishment). A cat burglar (rogue class) could discover (steal) a nethermancer's workbook & use that item to begin her study of magic. She could then change her class to apprentice wizard & never take another level of rogue again, whether she was a 1st level rogue or 12th level.

Character classes may have additional requirements other than the skill point cost such as specialized training, minimum attributes, traits, backgrounds, literacy or other skills, status, social rank, special equipment, total character rank, or even a certain level of another class.

Virtual Classes: If you possess all of the necessary requirements, all included skills, and all other requirements for a class, then you may virtually have that class. This means that you may receive any possible bonuses for that virtual class, and may advance in that class (gaining all normal improvements) when you increase in level. For example, Sheila is a third level scout, but she also knows all of the class skills of the syndic. In addition, Sheila knows mathematics, possesses the minimum attribute requirements for that class, and has 300 guilder in savings. Sheila wishes to become a syndic--so she'll have a "respectable" job--when she leaves the military. The Game Master allows her to be virtually a syndic, without the five months of training. Sheila is now a third level scout and first level syndic. When she goes up in level, she may choose either class to advance.

The character classes listed below are by no means exhaustive. Additional classes can easily be created by the Game Masters and players, and more classes will be detailed in future books.

Somewhat lesser devotion in occupational paths is to choose one or more skill suites. These are detailed in the Skills chapter.

The initial selection of classes listed in this work is as follows: the learned Apprentice Wizards, the deadly Martial Artists, the mysterious Darkling Phantoms, artfully-dodging Rogues, Soldiers and Scouts of the Kingdom of Formour, and the power-brokering Syndics.

Apprentice wizards have the potential to become some of the most powerful figures amongst all the kingdoms. It is fortunate for most folk that the long hours of study required tend to make for poor people skills; many mages prefer to seclude themselves away and guard their secrets jealously. Years of discipline hone the young apprentice's mind into a powerful Archmage. Many wizards also belong to a magical tradition that grants them additional abilities—these will be detailed in later supplements.

These are the masters of hand-to-hand combat. They train their bodies to become living weapons.

Phantoms are a unique mix of mystic, thief, and warrior. They are members of an organization known as the "Darklings." The organization has its claws in major crime syndicates, noble families, thieves' guilds, and the military.

Powerful Phantoms are specialized in their respective fields. They are either feared slayers of men or unequalled in the subtle social environment.

Leaving or betraying the organization is whispered to bring a fate far worse than death…

None of the Phantom classes receive the normal +1 to reputation per level that other characters get. Those looking for fame are in the wrong line of work.

Game Master note: yes, I know we boned this class hard. The point is that the Phantoms in training are being watched by their superiors to find those that have the potential to become either Phantom—Agent/Liaison or Phantom—Assassins. The weak are weeded out early.

The masters of deception, diplomacy, and stealth, Phantom—Agents are the liaisons between all levels of their organization and are the eyes and mouths of the Darkling Lord. They control the influences of the organization and manipulate the pawns on the chessboard: Younglings, nobles, criminal masterminds, and player characters alike.

The strong hands of the Darkling Lord are the Phantom—Assassins. These mystical warriors of the night are created through a ritual known only to a few within the Darkling hierarchy. This ritual involves drowning the prospective assassin in a sensory-deprivation chamber; only those who are strong of mind and body emerge alive—you must roll for system shock to survive. These are the true masters of the shadows.

Rogues are those who live by their wits & skills rather than sword or spell. They are often from the lower classes of society, having neither the education to be a mage or professional craftsman nor the fortitude necessary for working the fields or in the military. Rogues are the street urchins, pickpockets, & smugglers. They range the gambit from near-feral street rats to safecrackers with at least as much pride & skill in their profession as the person who actually made the safe.

Scouts are the eyes and ears of the Formourian military. They form largely self-sufficient units that patrol ahead of the regular army to find the enemy. They also act as guides and escorts. While they are not used as front-line troops, scouts do go on a number of missions that use their specialized training. Scouts are able to go into an enemy's territory with little more than their bow and a big grin and emerge 3 months later with the battle plans; leaving their opponents with missing supplies and a few bridges. Scout lore mentions a few anonymous half-Formourian royals being spawned a few months after they leave an area.

Soldiers in the Formorian military receive a high degree of training. Each soldier receives basic combat training in addition to specialized training in a branch such as infantry or cavalry. For former soldiers, you may multi-class with this class at 1st level and take another class for further advancement (if you have enough skill points). See the section on the military in the Formorian country information.

Syndics are financiers, agents, liaisons, councillors, brokers, prefects, chancellors, major-domos, and seneschals of the affairs of others. They are valuable additions to a group (either as a player or non-player character) that loans money, finds employment, gets the best deals, arranges lodging and transportation, provides banking and insurance, and knows the right people to make things happen. The relationship between the syndic and the rest of the group depends on perspective—from the point of view of the soldiers, wizards, and rogues, the syndic works for them managing money and minute details so that they can focus on the important tasks: killing, robbing, and mayhem. From the syndic's perspective, the group is hired hands that pay her rather than demand a paycheck.

Syndics live and die by gold rather than the sword. Syndics need operating currency. This is to loan (with interest) to other players, hire experts, and set up an office. To learn this class after character generation (as a multi-class), you must have 300 silver florins (or other equivalent hard currency). For a starting character, you have taken out a loan for the 300 silver coins. This is payable back at 5% monthly (return 315—after the first month pay 330.75 florins, then 347.2875 florins, etc. This money may not be used to purchase extra equipment before play begins. All expenditures with this money must be spent during game play.

For those desiring to create their own character classes. This need not be a difficult task. A new class can be created to define a role—such as a courier or barbarian class—or a player may wish for her character to create a new niche in the world of Midian.

To create a new class, first determine what skills are needed to perform the class's duties. The skill cost of this class is generally slightly lower than the number of skill points needed to learn these skills separately. Next decide on any necessary requirements or bonuses of the new class.

Finally a rough estimate of how long it should take for someone to learn this class and some ideas for level advancement bonuses. These bonuses need not be decided now, but knowing that you will be gaining a new choice ability at a given level is something to look forward to as a player.