Special thanks to Spartan/Tom for the original idea for this sheet, which I then dismembered and stitched back together for this game.
Tom says:
ah, feel free
just credit me
Tom says:
just make a quick mention you ripped me off
Happy?
This guide contains:
1. Character Sheet Template
2. Character Sheet In Depth Descriptions
3. How To Submit Your Sheet
4. Secondary Character Info
Remember that if an administrator or moderator tells you to change some aspect of your character because it's unbalanced, you must comply. If you don't, your character will be deleted. Failure to comply after that will result in a ban.
1. Character Sheet Template
While this may seem like a lot of stuff to think about, be aware that you are not required to fill out most of it, and you're not forced to write pages and pages and pages of backstory and a deep psychological analysis. One succinct paragraph will work, but use that only as a worst-case scenario. More detail is always welcome.
YOU MUST UPDATE YOUR SHEET WITH NEW ITEMS, ALLIANCES, ETC. You can use the edit button at the bottom of the post. Since no one really starts with alliances or enemies, and people tend to gain new items/etc as they go, record them on your sheet.
EXAMPLE FINISHED CHARACTER: https://thegaminghighway.rpg-board.net/character-database-f15/example-asher-blackthorne-t42.htm#52
2. Character Sheet In Depth Descriptions
Age: This may seem trivial, but in the wasteland, life is different. Humans on average live to around 50-70 years. Life expectancy has dropped because of harsh conditions and a permeating mindset of negativity and futility that sets in as people begin to realize truly how bleak the future is for the human race. Humans also tend to reach maturity sooner in life, where age 16 is considered an adult, and is the drinking age in cities (if there even is a legal drinking age). Mutated humans who have been exposed to radiation or are born with irradiated genes from irradiated parents have a chance of living longer or shorter, with 70-110 years of age for most long-lived and 40-65 for most short-lived, if they don't die sooner to sickness or other forms of natural death. Some people have even been recorded to live up to 140 years, but these people lived through the nuclear war, so there's no telling what their bodies went through.
Weight: Due to malnourishment and frequent exercise/hard labor, people tend to run shorter and more emaciated.
Eyes: New eye colors, such as golden yellow, have entered human genotypes as a result of exposure to radiation. However, humans still haven't managed to naturally mutate shades like red and purple without being excessively irradiated or mutated.
Birthplace: Where the character was born or grew up, if they are different. Your choice, you could even list both if you want.
Origins: This refers to what kind of environment your character grew up in, which sometimes grants them special traits. Keep in mind that these are just rough outlines, and your character doesn't have to follow them exactly, or at all. However, they provide a solid basis for most character types. Some examples can be found here. Feel free to come up with your own origins, but keep them balanced.
Ability Scores:
-Strength - Fairly obvious. How strong you are. Strength also applies to heavy weapons like machineguns, cannons, rocket launchers, heavy rifles, etc. Characters with high strength are physically unstoppable.
-Dexterity - How quick you are. Dexterity also applies to one's reflexes and being able to manipulate small objects and make precise movements, like lockpicks. Dexterity also applies to how well you can aim small-arms (firearms weighing at 10 pounds or under). Characters with high dexterity are quick on their feet and good with their hands.
-Endurance - Endurance is your physical toughness, stamina, and ability to deal with conditions like sickness and irradiation. Characters with high endurance are tough as hell to kill, by any means.
-Intelligence - Self explanatory. Intelligence refers to how well you can think. The higher your intelligence, the more difficult problems you can solve as well as use a variety of tools and objects. Characters with high intelligence have a plan for every situation.
-Charisma - Your people skills. Characters with high charisma have no trouble convincing others to like them. Having charisma doesn't always mean that one is good-looking, but having good people skills is often supplemented by good looks. Characters with high charisma are very social and can influence even the most stoic of people.
The way ability scores work is that they are entirely for show. A player is given a certain amount of points, which they can then distribute throughout the different attributes. These show what a character is good or bad at, for the purpose of good RPing. Each player will be given 27 stat points, which they can then distribute among the 5 stats on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, the average being straight 5's. Remember, "a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none."
Specialties: These are your character's areas of expertise. You can have 5 of these. Your character does not need to start with 5, and can add them as he or she wishes throughout the game, but once 5 are reached, your character cannot learn any more unless you attend an educational event or file a request for more. Requests for extra specialties are generally not given, unless there is a really, really good reason for it. Specialties are not created on any given list, they're just skills. Examples include knitting/sewing, running, a martial art, lockpicking, mechanics, computer hacking, all kinds of things.
Mutations/Powers (if any): If your character possesses a mutation or special power, list it here. An incomplete list can be found here.
Occupation/Trade(s): If your character is currently employed or knows a trade (sewing, farming, engineering, interpreting, etc), list it here.
Alliances: Is your character a part of a faction, gang, business company, or some other kind of organization? Your character isn't required to be affiliated with anyone, but if he/she does join a group, list it here.
Enemies: Has your character made any enemies? Has he/she earned the wrath of the law, an individual, or a power group? List your arch nemeses here.
Possessions: What does your character have on him/her? Remember that everything is scarce in the wasteland, and that finding something in perfect condition will probably never happen. Firearms are incredibly rare, but lots of weapons have surfaced after the apocalypse. Spiked bats, axes made from sawblades, even junk swords (metal blades forged from melted scrap metal) and debris launchers (powered by springs, CO2 canisters, etc) are common. There's a list of sample belongings here.
Character Appearance: Describe yourself physically. One paragraph will suffice, but more is always welcome. What does your character look like?
Other Physical Characteristics: Any misc. characteristics go here, such as blindness, skin patterns, etc, basically anything that's special and separate from normal looks.
Character Personality: What's your character like? You don't have to provide a full psychological report, but drop the basics here.
Character Story: What was your character's life like up until now? Once again, no need for a novel, but more detail is always better.
Misc. Notes: Anything that I haven't specifically mentioned above goes here.
Secondary Characters: List all Secondary Characters affiliated with this Primary Character in this space.
3. How to Submit Your Sheet
How to post a character application: Go to the Character Database Just specify in the thread title the name of your character. Secondary Characters do not require their own separate character sheet, but they should be listed at the bottom of their respective Primary Character's sheet.
Also, this is required: you must post a link to all character sheet threads that you own on your user profile page, with the name of each character above their respective links.
4. Secondary Character Info
Secondary Characters are much like primary characters, just more brief. You can use the same character sheet and everything, but don't feel nearly as obligated to fill out the entire thing.
Secondary characters can be everything from best friends to lovers to pets (Any pet that can be used in combat counts, other pets (like small birds) don't need to be listed as Secondary Characters). They can even be enemies of your Primary Character, whatever you want. However, your Secondary Characters cannot exceed your Primary Character in ability, they're either equal or weaker. This is to prevent people from creating invincible minions.
Tom says:
ah, feel free
just credit me
Tom says:
just make a quick mention you ripped me off
Happy?
This guide contains:
1. Character Sheet Template
2. Character Sheet In Depth Descriptions
3. How To Submit Your Sheet
4. Secondary Character Info
Remember that if an administrator or moderator tells you to change some aspect of your character because it's unbalanced, you must comply. If you don't, your character will be deleted. Failure to comply after that will result in a ban.
1. Character Sheet Template
- Spoiler:
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Hair:
Eyes:
Ethnicity:
Birthplace:
Origins:
Ability Scores:
-Strength -
-Dexterity -
-Endurance -
-Intelligence -
-Charisma -
Specialties:
Mutations/Powers (if any):
Occupation/Trade(s):
Alliances:
Enemies:
Possessions:
Character Appearance:
Other Physical Characteristics:
Character Personality:
Character Story:
Misc. Notes:
Secondary Characters:
While this may seem like a lot of stuff to think about, be aware that you are not required to fill out most of it, and you're not forced to write pages and pages and pages of backstory and a deep psychological analysis. One succinct paragraph will work, but use that only as a worst-case scenario. More detail is always welcome.
YOU MUST UPDATE YOUR SHEET WITH NEW ITEMS, ALLIANCES, ETC. You can use the edit button at the bottom of the post. Since no one really starts with alliances or enemies, and people tend to gain new items/etc as they go, record them on your sheet.
EXAMPLE FINISHED CHARACTER: https://thegaminghighway.rpg-board.net/character-database-f15/example-asher-blackthorne-t42.htm#52
2. Character Sheet In Depth Descriptions
Age: This may seem trivial, but in the wasteland, life is different. Humans on average live to around 50-70 years. Life expectancy has dropped because of harsh conditions and a permeating mindset of negativity and futility that sets in as people begin to realize truly how bleak the future is for the human race. Humans also tend to reach maturity sooner in life, where age 16 is considered an adult, and is the drinking age in cities (if there even is a legal drinking age). Mutated humans who have been exposed to radiation or are born with irradiated genes from irradiated parents have a chance of living longer or shorter, with 70-110 years of age for most long-lived and 40-65 for most short-lived, if they don't die sooner to sickness or other forms of natural death. Some people have even been recorded to live up to 140 years, but these people lived through the nuclear war, so there's no telling what their bodies went through.
Weight: Due to malnourishment and frequent exercise/hard labor, people tend to run shorter and more emaciated.
Eyes: New eye colors, such as golden yellow, have entered human genotypes as a result of exposure to radiation. However, humans still haven't managed to naturally mutate shades like red and purple without being excessively irradiated or mutated.
Birthplace: Where the character was born or grew up, if they are different. Your choice, you could even list both if you want.
Origins: This refers to what kind of environment your character grew up in, which sometimes grants them special traits. Keep in mind that these are just rough outlines, and your character doesn't have to follow them exactly, or at all. However, they provide a solid basis for most character types. Some examples can be found here. Feel free to come up with your own origins, but keep them balanced.
Ability Scores:
-Strength - Fairly obvious. How strong you are. Strength also applies to heavy weapons like machineguns, cannons, rocket launchers, heavy rifles, etc. Characters with high strength are physically unstoppable.
-Dexterity - How quick you are. Dexterity also applies to one's reflexes and being able to manipulate small objects and make precise movements, like lockpicks. Dexterity also applies to how well you can aim small-arms (firearms weighing at 10 pounds or under). Characters with high dexterity are quick on their feet and good with their hands.
-Endurance - Endurance is your physical toughness, stamina, and ability to deal with conditions like sickness and irradiation. Characters with high endurance are tough as hell to kill, by any means.
-Intelligence - Self explanatory. Intelligence refers to how well you can think. The higher your intelligence, the more difficult problems you can solve as well as use a variety of tools and objects. Characters with high intelligence have a plan for every situation.
-Charisma - Your people skills. Characters with high charisma have no trouble convincing others to like them. Having charisma doesn't always mean that one is good-looking, but having good people skills is often supplemented by good looks. Characters with high charisma are very social and can influence even the most stoic of people.
The way ability scores work is that they are entirely for show. A player is given a certain amount of points, which they can then distribute throughout the different attributes. These show what a character is good or bad at, for the purpose of good RPing. Each player will be given 27 stat points, which they can then distribute among the 5 stats on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, the average being straight 5's. Remember, "a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none."
Specialties: These are your character's areas of expertise. You can have 5 of these. Your character does not need to start with 5, and can add them as he or she wishes throughout the game, but once 5 are reached, your character cannot learn any more unless you attend an educational event or file a request for more. Requests for extra specialties are generally not given, unless there is a really, really good reason for it. Specialties are not created on any given list, they're just skills. Examples include knitting/sewing, running, a martial art, lockpicking, mechanics, computer hacking, all kinds of things.
Mutations/Powers (if any): If your character possesses a mutation or special power, list it here. An incomplete list can be found here.
Occupation/Trade(s): If your character is currently employed or knows a trade (sewing, farming, engineering, interpreting, etc), list it here.
Alliances: Is your character a part of a faction, gang, business company, or some other kind of organization? Your character isn't required to be affiliated with anyone, but if he/she does join a group, list it here.
Enemies: Has your character made any enemies? Has he/she earned the wrath of the law, an individual, or a power group? List your arch nemeses here.
Possessions: What does your character have on him/her? Remember that everything is scarce in the wasteland, and that finding something in perfect condition will probably never happen. Firearms are incredibly rare, but lots of weapons have surfaced after the apocalypse. Spiked bats, axes made from sawblades, even junk swords (metal blades forged from melted scrap metal) and debris launchers (powered by springs, CO2 canisters, etc) are common. There's a list of sample belongings here.
Character Appearance: Describe yourself physically. One paragraph will suffice, but more is always welcome. What does your character look like?
Other Physical Characteristics: Any misc. characteristics go here, such as blindness, skin patterns, etc, basically anything that's special and separate from normal looks.
Character Personality: What's your character like? You don't have to provide a full psychological report, but drop the basics here.
Character Story: What was your character's life like up until now? Once again, no need for a novel, but more detail is always better.
Misc. Notes: Anything that I haven't specifically mentioned above goes here.
Secondary Characters: List all Secondary Characters affiliated with this Primary Character in this space.
3. How to Submit Your Sheet
How to post a character application: Go to the Character Database Just specify in the thread title the name of your character. Secondary Characters do not require their own separate character sheet, but they should be listed at the bottom of their respective Primary Character's sheet.
Also, this is required: you must post a link to all character sheet threads that you own on your user profile page, with the name of each character above their respective links.
4. Secondary Character Info
Secondary Characters are much like primary characters, just more brief. You can use the same character sheet and everything, but don't feel nearly as obligated to fill out the entire thing.
Secondary characters can be everything from best friends to lovers to pets (Any pet that can be used in combat counts, other pets (like small birds) don't need to be listed as Secondary Characters). They can even be enemies of your Primary Character, whatever you want. However, your Secondary Characters cannot exceed your Primary Character in ability, they're either equal or weaker. This is to prevent people from creating invincible minions.
