Character creation in Steam & Sorcery second edition can be started by anyone, but to be considered a game approved character, the sheet needs to be validated by an Arbiter or Fixer for the gaming session.
The Character Sheet
The Steam & Sorcery character sheet is designed to be folded into a small booklet that can easily be carried by the player. The first fold is down the vertical center. The second is across the horizontal center, with the Steam & Sorcery big cog being on the outside (this will be the cover to the booklet). The third fold is a vertical one that should make the Stamina side the back of the booklet.
Click on the image above for a full sized downloadable printable character sheet.
The character sheet is used in conjunction with a series of e-cards (designed to be the size of playing cards) that you can save to your phone or device. We recommend making a new folder or album for these cards in order to make them more accessible during game play.
1. Choose an Ancestry
Is your character something other than a human? The world of Smog & Sorcery is home to wide array of sentient beings such as elves, fairies, goblins, Martians, Venusians, and more. Ancestries each come with specific bonuses that well help shape your character, so it is better to know these before continuing to build the character. CLICK HERE to see the different Ancestries.
2. Determine Attributes
There just three core attributes:
- BODY ~ the character’s strength, agility, health, and other physical facets
- MIND ~ the character’s intelligence, wisdom, charisma, and other mental aspects.
- SPIRIT ~ the character’s connection to the metaphysical world of magic.
To build a character, you start with NINE Silver Coins (aka Attribute Points) which you divide between the three core attributes. Note that some Ancestries add bonus Silver Coins to certain Attributes. Record your Attribute scores in the three large cogs.
Characters must have at least FOUR Silver Coins in Spirit in order to pick a Magical Archetype and cast spells.
3. Stamina
Stamina measures your character’s ongoing endurance in the game. Injuries, physical, mental, or spiritual, are recorded on the Stamina page. These three stats correspond with the same numbers on the Attribute page and are represented by different types of silver coins:
- BODY – Quarters
- MIND – Dimes
- SPIRIT – Nickels
All coins on the character sheet that exceed the starting stamina score should be blacked out with ink (or crossed out). Wounds and injuries from a scene are recorded by filling in remaining stamina coins with ink (or crossed out with ink). When a character runs out of stamina in any (or more) of the three categories they are unable to attempt game challenges. Characters without stamina are still alive but are either too physically weakened, too mentally unstable, or too soulless to function with the game until healing attention is given by an Arbiter or Fixer.
4. Choose Archetypes
Archetypes are a combination of skills associated with an occupation or area of expertise. Characters start with two Archetype Points which allow them to pick two archetypes at Level 1 each, or one archetype at Level 2. Each level of an appropriate archetype provides the player with a Copper Coin to add their Coin Pool when attempting a challenge.
Some Ancestries provide a bonus level in an Archetype, so it is possible for a new character to start with three Level 1 archetypes, one at Level 2 and one at Level 1, or just one Archetype at Level 3.
Characters must have at least four silver coins in Spirit in order to pick a Magical Archetype and cast spells.
CLICK HERE to see the different Archetypes.
Save Archetype Cards to your phone (for reference) and write them on your character sheet as well; archetypes (and levels) must be validated with a stamp on your character sheet.
5. Weapons, Items, & Spells
Equipment such as weapons and tools need to be purchased; spells also need to be bought. Brass is the in-game currency (printed on business cards – see below) which is earned from successful missions, certain challenges, and by other means. Characters start with a credit of 50 Brass to buy their starting equipment (no change given).
CLICK HERE to see Weapons & Equipment
Save Weapon, Item, and Spell Cards to your phone (for reference) and write them on your character sheet as well; items must be validated with a stamp on your character sheet.
6. Experience Points & Leveling Up
Characters are awarded Experience Points (XP) for completing missions and certain challenges. Arbiters and Fixers record XP by stamping one of the Cogs on the Experience page. When a character has ten XP (a complete page of stamped cogs) they “level up.” Players can choose to increase one of their archetypes by one level, or (if there is still room on the sheet) can add a new archetype to their list.
When characters level up, full Body Stamina, Mind Stamina, and Spirit Stamina are restored; a new character sheet may be required for this.
Some XP is earned in the form of an XP Card (printed on a business card – see below) which can be given to an Arbiter or Fixer in exchange for a stamp on the Experience page.
7. Using the Character Sheet
The booklet format of the sheet is designed to be easily carried on the person; it will fit inside the convention lanyard. When attempting a challenge, or some other activity that requires the character’s stats, produce your sheet for Arbiters, Fixers, NPCs, and other players to see. The sheet records and validates your health, skills, and items in the game.
PLEASE NOTE: Lost character sheets cannot be replaced with the same stats; a new beginning character sheet will be needed for valid play.
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