Casting
While a DN may wish to create characters and then cast the various parts in the story, players have been known to want to create their own character. Doxies & Demons character creation system allows the player to personalize their character’s focus. No classes. This can either be done by assignment of capability points or by die roll.
The cast member may pick and choose values to tailor the protagonist to their own desires. The player chooses their own player arc and everything else that helps define character capabilities. The system can also be used to make a favorite character from fiction. Fictional character’s seldom fit into an RPG class. Because there are no classes there are no multi-class cast members.
A cast member finds expression through their Core and Derived Capabilities.
As a rule of thumb, a capability governs what actions might succeed in a special situation. The DN doesn’t have to require a capability check dice roll. Merely knowing the core capability should be enough to decide if a given action will succeed. The need to require a dice check for success is used only as it serves the story, action, and dramatic impact. Reliance on Dice Checks for action is discouraged.
Optional Fantasy Lineages (Elves, Dwarfs and Orcs oh my)
Some Fantasy Lineages are provided as a guide. Lineage attributes for non-standard characters are determined by logic, reason, and collaboration with the DN. Use Fantasy Linage with caution. The linage table is merely a guide.
Dramatis Personae
A cast member (player character) is the total of all Capabilities (core, derived, learned) from which can be derived various skills or abilities.
While it is fine and perhaps encouraged for the Director of Narrative to generate player cards and deal them out the individual play may wish to generate their own.
Player Card Creation
Each Capability starts at 8 although linage choice might raise or lower that base line nor be above 18.
No capability may be below 8 unless the DN allows the creation of a player that is quite below average in some specific CC for dramatic purposes.
The Linage is chosen and then values are increased or decreased as per that linage.
Finally, the player assigns a total number of points (36) to various Core Capabilities until all points are distributed across selected Capabilities.
The total CC points should total exactly 100.
One does not have to improve a Core Capability but may not raise it above 18.
Linage choice may lower score below 8 but not raise above 18.
Important Note: Core Capability maximum at creation is 18 in any one Capability.
As an aid to casting think of it this way:
- 8 = Below Average
- 9 = Average
- 10 = Above Average
- 12 = Heroic
- 14 = Legendary
- 16 = Epic
- 18 = Mythic
- 20 = Demigod
Summary
Creating a cast member as a player or as a DN should be open to a well rounded creation and not worry about maximizing the capabilities. Giving the cast member greater range of action might be more fun and useful. Being a one trick pony will get old in one session and certainly boring over several. A Melee specialist who also has Leadership might be more valuable than one who does massive damage to one target per phase but has no other capabilities.
Derived Capabilities
Derived Capabilities are arrived at by an average of certain Core Capabilities and determines actions and attributes of the Cast Member in very specific ways. Derived Capabilities form a more structured control on certain actions and measure action potential. DC also offers an outlet for player who love rolling dice.
Derived Capabilities List (May be modified by increase in Level, magical items, or spell effects)
- Life Force = Vitality + Durability (Damage taken before “hors de combat”)
- Magic Quanta Pool = Magic + Vitality (Number of magic quanta available to use)
- Detect Danger = Perception + Intelligence (Chance to foil ambush or surprise)
- Missile Strike = Perception + Agility/2 (Chance to strike distant target)
- Melee Strike = Might + Agility/2 (Chance to strike adjacent target)
- Magic Strike = Magic + Intellect/2 (Chance at successful incantation)
Learned Capabilities
Certain actions and stage business may require more specialized and specific Capabilities. The life lessons and applied learning can focus a cast member to make them better at certain specialty tasks. This is in lieu of classes but adds specialty stage business. A cast member might be able to attempt most actions, but certain learned capabilities are only open to those who have learned the basics.
It is most useful for those who wish to create campaigns where character growth is paramount and used as a lure to keep the party together.
The concept is that if a player has a Learned Capability then they are successful with the proposed stage business that falls within that LC. Skullduggery allows the opening of a locked door and should succeed in all but the most specific cases. The DN will decide what is beyond normal limit of expected skill and may then require a skill check. This should only happen on rare occasions to enhance dramatic effect.
The check is made with the LC value or lower on a 20 die and that will normally be minimum of 12 but may go up with levels.
Conversely stage business can not be done if it requires knowledge in a LC. Some LC are more about special abilities and attacks while others are focused on player interaction with the environment or cast.
There is a minimum requirement for any learned capability (those listed here or invented by DN).
The LC value of the averaged CC requirements must be at least 12. Thus a prception of 9 and an agility of 15 would qualify for Skullduggery LC (9+15 /2) = 12. No more than two Learned Capabilities may be added to a player card.
Learned Capabilities List
- Skullduggery = Perception + Agility/2 (jimmy door, pick lock, stealth etc.)
- Huntsman = Durability + Perception/2 (Track, snare, survival, scout etc.)
- Weapons Master = Might + Durability /2 (Special Attacks, Strike Bonus, etc.)
- Duelist = Might + Agility /2 (Special Attacks, Strike Bonuses, etc.)
- Scholarship = Intellect + Perception/2 (Decipher, Deduce, Discover etc.)
- Healer = Intellect + Agility/2 (Field Dressing, Non-magical healing etc.)
- Craftsmanship = Intellect + Agility/2 (Invent, build, repair, non-magic items)
- Leadership = Might + Persuasion/2 (Number, morale, and loyalty of hired help)
- Showmanship = Persuasion + Agility /2 (Duration and value of performance arts)
Fantasy Linage
Linage Bonuses Taken before player allocates starting points. The table is only suggestions to the DN.
| Vitality | Durability | Agility | Might | Perception | Intellect | Magic | Persuasion | |
| Human | ||||||||
| High Elf | -2 | +1 | +1 | |||||
| Dark Elf | -1 | -1 | +1 | +1 | ||||
| Dwarf | +2 | -2 | ||||||
| Halfling | -1 | +2 | -1 | |||||
| Elf Kin | -1 | +1 | ||||||
| Orc Kin | +2 | +1 | -1 | -2 | ||||
| Fey Kin
Or Fey Very Optional |
Since Humans will shag just about anything, at DN discretion, Fey lineages might provide a kinship: Fairy, Satyr, Demon, Djinn, Efreet, etc. This can be fun but also hard to manage. Rule of thumb: for any positive, create equal or greater negative. Special powers may be intrinsic, but if so then Magic trajectories are closed off to that character. | |||||||
*Fey are generally mythical humanoid creatures i.e. Satyr, Dryad, Nymph, Trooping Fairy, etc. Mostly associated with wilderness and wilderness powers or affinity. Playing a Fey Kin is very much a collaboration with the Director of Narrative.