OSE House Rules - Characters

Changes and extensions to the OSE characters
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Step 1: Roll Starting Ability Scores

• Roll 3d6 four times and arrange to suit. See below for what these scores mean
• You may want to look over the Classes section below before finalizing your scores since some classes rquire certain ability scores to be above some minimum value
• You can raise a score by 1 point by sacrificing 2 points elsewhere. You cannot lower a score below 9 if you choose to do this.

Ability Score Details
Ability scores represent your character's natural or innate capabilities. They have the chance to slowly increase when a character gains a level. Ability Scores are important because they have a wide range of affects on the game, but not as many and not in the same way as later additions of the game.

Ability Scores and Core Character Capabilities
The affects of each Ability Score on key charactre capabilities like how much they can carry, their Armor Class, their Hit Points and other important aspects of the character are defined in the tables below

Ability Scores and Skill Test
Ability Scores play a primary role in making Skill tests. Typically to perform a test, a character must roll at or under their attribute on a D20 roll in order to succeed, so having a high Ability Score makes skill tests easier.

Ability Scores and Saving Throws
The Charisma (CHA) score captures the character's sense of self and so impacts the chance that hostile forces can affect the character. High CHA can help ward off ill effects that might otherwise affect the character while a low sense of self makes one more susceptible to the forces of magic or to outcomes that might destroy or forever alter the character.

Ability Scores and Experience Points
The Comprehension (COMP) score captures the character's ability to learn from training and life's lessons. Characters with a high COMP will apply these lessons more swiftly and get more out of each opportunity and therefor will gain Experience Points at an accelerated rate. Characters with low COMP are difficult to train or fail to draw conclusions from their experiences and will suffer a penalty to their Experience Points earned. Non-humans are slow to grow and change, and those hampered by low COMP are at a greater disadvantage. Even the truly gifted among the non-humans adapt and change more slowly than humans with the same COMP.

Ability Scores Can Increase
Each time your character gains a new level, roll 1d6 for each Ability Score. If you roll a 6, that Ability Score increases by 1 point. Should this occur, your character immediately gains the benefit of the higher ability score. Should the character increase in Physique (PHYS) in such a way that there is a change in the way Hit Points are calculated, their Hit Points are re-calculated as if they had always had the new score. Should the Character increase in COMP such that there is a change in the way Experience Points are earned, they do NOT get to claim bonus experience for any experience earned in the past. They might, however, come to realize how much opportunity they had been missing! Should a change in COMP allow the character to speak a new language, the character can immediately select any language they have encountered in the course of play.

Physique (PHYS)
Physique affects your character's ability to hit and deal damage in melee or thrown weapon combat and it defines the amount of gear you can carry. It also affects skill rolls that involve raw muscle power, hardiness or endurance.

Dexterity (DEX)
Dexterity affects your character's ability to hit and deal damage in ranged or thrown weapon combat and affects your armor class. It also affects skill rolls that involve coordination, balance and reflexes.

Comprehension (COMP)
Comprehension affects your character's ability to read, write, speak languages and learn from training and experience. It also affects skill rolls that involve memory, mental acuity and knowledge.

Importantly, it does not affect spells known or other related topics. It DOES affect the rate at which you gain Experience Points (see note above)

* See the Finalize the Character section below for choices

Charisma (CHA)
Charisma affects your character's ability to attract others to your cause or inspire them onward as well as represents one's individuality, sense of self and tenacity. It also affects skill rolls that involve personality and verbal interactions.

Importantly, it does not reflect your appearance. It DOES affect saving throws (see note above)

Step 2: Choose a Class
A character's class is their chosen adventuring profession. Once a selection is made, it is permanent for the character, so consider the choice carefully. The Class determines the basic character concept, the starting hit points and other key aspects of a character. See the individual class descriptions for more detail.

Core Classes

Dwarf: Requires a minimum Physique of 9. A short, tough demihuman with a natural affinity for all things underground
Elf: Requires a minimum Comprehension and Dexterity of 10. A lithe demihuman skilled with weapons of war as well as possessing innate magical abilities
Halfling: Requires a minimum Dexterity of 9. A small demihuman accustomed to a life outdoors
Fighter: A trained soldier with expertise in combat
Warpriest: A zealot and enforcer of a god's will that uses weapons and magic to reward the faithful and punish blasphemers
Wizard: A scholar in tune with the swirling Chaos that uses magic spells to shape the world as they desire

Alternate Classes

Bard: Requires a minimum Dexterity and Comprehension of 9. A warrior-poet with an affinity for the natural world
Beast Master: Requires a minimum Physique and Charisma of 9. A warrior with a strong affinity for animals
Druid: A spellcaster attuned to nature and focused on protecting the natural world
Illusionist: Requires a minimum Dexterity of 9. A magic user that focuses on illusion and deception
Paladin: Requires a minimum Physique and Charisma of 11. A holy warrior sworn to uphold the tenants of his chosen faith

No Thief or Rogue

Note that there is no thief or rogue class or any other old-school class that derives most of its benefit from use of specialized skills like picking locks, climbing shear surfaces or hiding in shadows. This is because these actions are available to all characters or are rendered useless by virtue of other rule changes (e.g. traps are usually detectable by anyone and are unable to be disarmed with a simple roll).

Step 3: Record Alignment
These alignments are based on the awesome Lamentations of the Flame Princess OSR rules. Keep in mind that an Alignment is not your view of morality nor does it reflect your belief system in how the world works or how you want it to work. Your Alignment is an intrinsic part of your character's very being, determined at birth or before, and almost always can never be changed.

Lawful
The universe has an ultimate, irrefutable truth, and a flawless, unchanging plan towards which all events inevitably march. As time moves on, all distraction and resistance to this plan falters until everything is in its perfect state forevermore, without alteration or the possibility of possibilities. Those who are Lawful in alignment are part of an inevitable destiny, but have no knowledge of what that destiny is nor what their role will be in fulfilling it. These few cleave to their gods for strength and search the world for signs and portents to glean insight into their role in the great plan.

Chaotic
The howling maelstrom beyond the veil of shadows and existence is the source of all magic. It bends and tears the fabric of the universe; it destroys all that seeks to be permanent. Everything that is made will be unmade. Nothing exists, and nothing can ever exist, not in a way that the cosmos can ever recognize. Those who are Chaotic in alignment are touched by magic, and consider the world in terms of ebbing and flowing energy, of eternal tides washing away the sand castles that great kings and mighty gods build for themselves. These few wield eldritch forces they do not understand for their own inscrutable ends or fall prey to enuui and despair, knowing all things are impermanent.

Neutrality
To be Neutral is merely to exist between the forces of Law and Chaos. Almost all mortal beings exist as Neutral creatures, and remain so throughout their existence. Even most who would claim allegiance to Law or Chaos are not actually Lawful or Chaotic.

Alignment is Determined by Class

The following classes must be Lawful: Paladins, Warpriests
The following classes must be Chaotic: Elves, Illusionists, Wizards
All classes others are Neutral*

* The Bard and Druid have special alignment restrictions. See their classes to determine alignment

Regarding Good and Evil
See the discussion here if this is of interest to you

Step 4: Express the Character's Background By Choosing A Secondary Skill
Secondary Skills represent either the character's background or their hobby. By no means are they skilled as a dedicated craftsman in the background, but their background may help them in various ways, especially with Ability Checks. Note that non-humans usually have a bonus secondary skill that represents their cultural training, some aspect that is common to virtually all members of the race.

What About a Backstory?
Resist the temptation to write a backstory for your character. Capture the essential nature of your backstory via a Secondary Skill and leave it at that. The purpose of this is twofold. The first reason is that we really only care about what happens after your character joins the party; what has happened before should be of little relevance compared to the challenges laid before the character. Secondly, character death comes swift and often and it is important not to overthink your character; he or she may not be around long enough to justify the work.

Step 5: Finalize the Character

• Refer to your class-specific information to obtain the bulk of information about your character: hit points, starting gear and gold, and the like
• Spend your starting funds to purchase Equipment. Be sure to leave some spare coins to cover unforeseen expenses at the outset of the game
• If your character knows any additional Languages as a result of a high COMP score, choose these now. Each class defines the bonus languages available to it from the list of all languages
• Select a name for your character. The name should be appropriate for the kind of game the Referee is running. When in doubt, ask for suggestions from other players or the Referee
• Work with the other players or Referee to define how they meet your new character and why your character is willing to take on the dangerous life of an adventurer