1. Determine Group/Cabal/Campaign type.
2. Write the summary of the character you want to play. Decide whether or not you want to play a Mundane (human with no magic powers, save for the occasional Thaumaturgy), an Adept (Chaos Magicians who get their powers by adhering to an obsessive, contradictory worldview), or an Avatar (devotees of an Archetypical lifestyle that grants them a milder form of magic power compared to Adepts).
3. write your Trigger Event, the story of how you first came into contact with the supernatural/occult. This could be subtle, or it could be obvious and traumatic.
4. Determine personality, Obsession, and Noble, Rage and Fear Passions. An Adept’s obsession is always magick. Record school/Archetype taboos if Adept or Avatar.
5. Distribute points among your attributes. 40-70 is the average range of adult ability.
- Street level points: 220.
- Global level points: 240.
- Cosmic level points: 260.
6. Attribute summary:
- Body: Strength and Stamina (Close range combat and Health).
- Speed: Dexterity and Finesse (Firearms and Dodge).
- Mind: Knowledge, Intuition and Resolve (You’d roll this for sanity checks).
- Soul: Charisma and attunement with the supernatural, Magick and Avatars (basically anything not addressed by the other four attributes).
7. Distribute points among skills equal to their corresponding attribute. Adepts must invest at least 10 points into Magick. Avatars must invest at least 1 point into their archetype. Pick a Obsession skill (for Adepts, this is always magick). Note that if hand to hand combat (struggle, martial arts, etc) is your obsession skill, Match successes give you access to cherries. Add bonus skill points in accordince with the campaign level. Each attribute has a set of free skills that start at a free 15 points (with the exception of initiative, which starts at speed divided by 2). Some skills are completely custom, but start at zero. Max skill level is dependent on type of campaign:
- Street level max: 55.
- Global level max: 70.
- Cosmic level max: 85.
- Free skills:
- Body: general athletics, struggle.
- Speed: dodge, driving (can be replaced with sprinting or horse riding), initiative.
- Mind: general education, notice, conceal.
- Soul: charm, lying.
- Bonus skill points per campaign type:
- Street level bonus points: 15.
- Global level bonus points: 70.
- Cosmic level bonus points: 125.
8. Note that obsession skills can be flip flopped (the tens and ones place can be swapped). Avatar archetypes and your Adept school are a soul skill.
9. Adepts characters have access to all the minor formula spells in their school. Significant spells must be bought with 10 xp.
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Unknown Armies 1e and 2e on Atlas Game's website.
Unknown Armies 3e on Atlas Game's website.