Characters
1. CHOOSE A CONCEPT
Who is your character? What do they do and how do they fit into the City? Your concept can be anything, but should hint at the kind of actions, adventures and incidents they might get involved in. Concepts that fit well with Verge include:
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2. SET STATS
Every character is defined by their stats - Strength, Wits, Grace, Attitude, Prowess.
Each stat has a numerical value from 1 (terrible) to 5 (super-human). You have 15 points to share among your character’s stats. No stat may be less than 1 or higher than 5.
- STRENGTH: a character’s physical fitness, power, constitution and well-being. It is a measure of their athleticism and is used for most physical actions.
- WITS: a character’s cunning, perception and wisdom. It is a measure of their mental faculties and is used for actions that require fast thinking or careful planning.
- GRACE: a character’s manual dexterity, coordination and fine motor skills. It is a measure of their finesse and is used for actions that require delicate movement or precision.
- ATTITUDE: a character’s bearing, self-confidence and willpower. It is a measure of a character’s presence and charisma and is used in social interactions.
- PROWESS: a character’s skill at arms and overall ferocity in battle. It is a measure of a their martial training and is used in all combat situations.
Each stat has a numerical value from 1 (terrible) to 5 (super-human). You have 15 points to share among your character’s stats. No stat may be less than 1 or higher than 5.
3. CHOOSE eDGES
Every good troubleshooter comes to the streets with at least a few advantages. In Verge we call these edges. An edge can be anything that a character can derive some benefit or advantage from. It might be an object (like a weapon or tool) but does not have to be. An edge could be a person who taught the character something, a background that provides a tangible benefit, a belief system, or a contact that can provide information or gear. SAMPLE edges include, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
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You get to pick several edges for your character. Each edge you choose will either be a reputation or a secret. Reputations are things your character is known for, while secrets are advantages you try not to tell the world about. This might affect the way you use your edges during play and the way other characters react to yours.
Write down one or more edges. You have five points to share amongst these. You must have at least one reputation edge. THE NUMBER OF POINTS YOU PUT INTO AN EDGE DETERMINES HOW MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE IT CAN GRANT YOU DURING PLAY. A 1-point magic sword will provide a much smaller advantage than a 3-point magic sword, for example.
Write down one or more edges. You have five points to share amongst these. You must have at least one reputation edge. THE NUMBER OF POINTS YOU PUT INTO AN EDGE DETERMINES HOW MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE IT CAN GRANT YOU DURING PLAY. A 1-point magic sword will provide a much smaller advantage than a 3-point magic sword, for example.
4. TRAITS
Your character’s state of health and reputation are both traits. These are values derived from a character’s stats. They are likely to change throughout the course of a story.
- HEALTH: this indicates how many injuries your character has taken, how much damage he has sustained. Your character’s health is equal to their Strength stat +1.
- REP: this is how well known your character is - their popularity or notoriety. It is spent during games to provide a character with special advantages. Your character’s Rep is equal to their (highest stat - lowest stat).
5. AGENDA
Everyone in the city has an agenda - a goal or purpose that they strive to achieve. What is your character’s driving goal? It can be anything, from a desire for revenge, to finding your lost love, buying somewhere better to live or proving your honour to your father.
Pick something interesting and dramatic. This is another opportunity to build your character’s background, add some depth, and introduce ideas for play.
Pick something interesting and dramatic. This is another opportunity to build your character’s background, add some depth, and introduce ideas for play.
6. PERSONAL DETAILS
All that is left to do at this point is decide on a name for your character and write a brief description.