Updates to this page are always listed in the Changelog.

Available Material

  Unless otherwise mentioned in parentheses, players are free to generate characters using classes, prestige classes, alternative class features or character options, skills, skill tricks, feats, and any mundane equipment from the following source books:

• Cityscape
• Complete Adventurer
• Complete Arcane
• Complete Champion
• Complete Divine
• Complete Mage
• Complete Psionic
• Complete Scoundrel
• Complete Warrior
• Drow of the Underdark
• Dungeon Master's Guide
• Dungeonscape (class options, mundane equipment, feats, and prestige classes only)
• Eberron Campaign Setting (Warforged prerequisite feats and Warforged prerequisite prestige classes only )
• Expanded Psionics Handbook
• Heroes of Battle
• Heroes of Horror
• Miniatures Handbook
• Player's Handbook (All material is available)
• Player's Handbook II
• Races of Destiny
• Races of Eberron (Warforged prerequisite feats and Warforged prerequisite prestige classes only )
• Races of Stone
• Races of the Wild
• Sandstorm
• Tome of Battle
• Tome of Magic (Shadow Magic section only)

Ability Scores

  All characters generate ability scores by using the Standard Point Buy method (25 points available). Players can verify their ability scores with the Point Buy System Calculator in the Online Tools page.

Choosing a Race

  Players may select a race from any presented in the Population page of this wiki. Although it may be possible to play as a non-standard race or template, it is generally discouraged as exotic or monstrous races may have a severe detrimental impact to the group's diplomatic effectiveness or freedoms within civilized lands.

Selecting Languages

  Languages marked with an asterisk on the table to the right are considered restricted. Characters can only learn these languages if they are an Automatic or Bonus Language for that character. Otherwise, restricted languages can only be learned by being exposed to the language or by finding a mentor willing to teach the language. Some languages are guarded with extreme secrecy, such as Druidic, and it may be impossible to find someone willing to teach it.
  Goblin and Orc languages do not have an alphabet because they have no written form. Thieves' Cant utilizes urban pidgin or slang to communicate hidden intentions or messages, and so it can be written in almost any language that has an alphabet.
  Bards, clerics, druids, rogues, and wizards can choose certain languages as Bonus Languages even if they’re not on the lists found in the race descriptions. These class-related languages are as follows:
  Bard or Rogue: Thieves' Cant.
  Cleric: Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal.
  Druid: Druidic.
  Wizard: Draconic.

Multiclass Characters

  Characters are restricted to a maximum of two standard classes when multiclassing, however racial favored classes do not count against a character's maximum number of standard classes. For example, a gray elf knight/fighter/wizard is a legal multiclass character because wizard is a gray elf's favored class, however a gray elf fighter/ninja/ranger is not a legal multiclass character because it has more than two standard classes. Races with a favored class of "any" are effectively restricted to a maximum of any three standard classes. Characters are also limited to a maximum of two prestige classes. All other rules for multiclass characters still apply.
  If players desire to change their character's class makeup, they can use the Class Level Rebuilding rules on page 197 of the Player's Handbook II. Rather than having to complete a Rebuild Quest, a character who has acquired a new level can simply swap out a number of standard class or prestige class levels up to 1/5 of their character level. During this transition period it is acceptable that the character may have more than the maximum number of classes.

Starting Level

  New characters begin two levels below the current party average (rounded down) or at 2nd-level, whichever is highest. This rule ensures that veteran characters stay ahead of the party level average, and that new players can join the game at a similar power level.
  The current party average is 4th-level, so new characters start at the beginning of 2nd-level.

Hit Points

  All creatures and characters gain hit points using the Gaining Fixed Hit Points variant from the Dungeon Master's Guide. This rule is in effect to prevent potentially disastrous hit point rolls. For example a 3rd-level fighter with 18 Constitution has 33 hit points (10 + 6 + 5 + 12).
  Players may instead roll to resolve all of their character's hit point values. As per the House Rules, all rolls must be made on the table using real dice and in plain view of the other players. The decision to roll hit points is a permanent one, and it is a decision that can only be made before the character is played.

Animals

  Players may select animal companions, familiars, or special mounts from any of the Monster Manuals or the Sandstorm source book. Dinosaurs or animals from the aquatic or marsh environments are not allowed.

Supernatural Abilities

  Spellcasting or psionic classes are restricted to the spells or powers presented in their base lists. For example a wizard can learn fireball (PHB) but not fireburst (Complete Arcane), or a wu jen can learn elemental burst (Complete Arcane) but not jet of steam (Complete Mage).
  Characters with a domain can cast any spell in that domain spell list, provided it is not a spell which is restricted by the House Rules. The level adjustments for spells presented in the House Rules also affect domain spells.
  Spells or powers presented in new lists are considered lost knowledge from a time before the Planeshift, they must be researched or taught by a mentor. Research follows the Researching Original Spells rules on page 198 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Learning from a mentor requires one day per spell or power, and research materials equal to 10gp per spell or power level X the lowest character level that spell or power can be cast or manifested. For example a wizard learning fireburst from a mentor would need one day and research components worth 60gp.

Skills

  Characters may not begin play with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) or ranks in Swim. These skills may be learned during play if players encounter opportunities to do so, such as reading tomes of knowledge about the planes, or find a large enough body of water to train in swimming.

Campaign Bonus Feats

  Levels in Archivist, Cleric, Druid, Erudite, Favored Soul, Psion, Sorcerer, Wilder, or Wizard do not count toward a character's total character level for the purposes of calculating eligable Campaign Bonus Feats. For example, a 6th-level fighter who is also a 4th-level wizard would only gain Campaign Bonus Feats as a 6th-level fighter. Characters no longer gain additional Campaign Bonus Feats upon reaching 21st-level, regardless of their class makeup.

Alignment

  Player characters may not be an evil alignment (Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, or Chaotic Evil). Player characters who regularly commit evil acts without exploring alternative solutions risk having their character shift to an evil alignment, resulting in that character becoming an NPC and being taken over by the DM.

Religion

Equipping a Character

  Reference the PC Wealth column of Table A–4: PC and NPC Wealth by Level on page 215 of the Player's Handbook II to determine your character's starting gold. For example, if your new character is 3rd-level he or she will start with 2,700 gold pieces. Players may use these gold pieces to purchase items from source books listed in the Available Materials section of this page. Any gold pieces left over can be converted to gems of equal value for easier storage.

Description

  Some players choose to write entire chapters of backstory for their characters, while other players may write only a few sentences. Although creating a character background is not mandatory, even the smallest amount of information can seed the growth of a character's involvement in the game. Take a look at the Organizations and Population pages of this wiki to find inspiration about where your character has come from and where potential contacts from your past might be found.

Retraining Window

  Sometimes a character build just doesn't work out the way you intended. Maybe you thought a feat worked differently, or you find that you aren't using some of the spells you chose. New characters can retrain any feature for free until the beginning of that character's third play session. Retraining is not restricted in any way, players can change their character from a heavily armored fighter to a spell slinging wizard. Once a character begins their third play session its build is considered official, meaning any further changes must follow the Rebuilding Your Character rules on page 191 of the Player's Handbook II.