===== Simplified D&D 4E Character Creation Chart =====

Here's a simple walkthrough for creating a character for 4<sup>th</sup> edition D&D (assuming only use of the first //Player's Handbook//):

  - Think about your character's **background and personality**.
  - Print out [[http://www.dragonavenue.com/downloads/Shados_4e_DnD_Character_Sheet.pdf|a character sheet]].
  - Choose your character's class.  See page 60 of the Player's Handbook for more detail, but briefly:
    - **Cleric** - A warrior and healer
    - **Fighter** - A classic barbarian type
    - **Paladin** - A holy, righteous warrior.  Always fights for good.
    - **Ranger** - At home in nature
    - **Warlock** - Does lots of damage to individual foes
    - **Wizard** - Focuses on area spells, affecting many individuals at once
    - **Warlord** - A natural leader who can direct and assist comrades
  - Choose your **powers** (2 at-will, 1 encounter, 1 daily) from the appropriate place in the book.  Add another at-will power if you're human.
  - Choose your character's race.  See p. 34 for more detail, but briefly:
    - **Dragonborn** - A humanoid dragon, fierce and powerful
    - **Dwarf** - Solid, absorbs lots of damage, difficult to move
    - **Eladrin** - Faerie-type creature; magical, graceful, and intelligent
    - **Elf** - Tied close to nature
    - **Half-Elf** - Flexible, combining the benefits of humans and elves
    - **Halfling** - Dexterous, lucky, and very handy
    - **Human** - Very flexible (you get several extras of your choice with this race)
    - **Tiefling** - From ancestors who made a demonic pact; vicious, intimidating, and often deceptive
  - Generate your **ability scores**.  You have six numerical scores: 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, and 10.  Assign them in any order to Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.  Modifiers are +0 for 10-11, +1 for 12-13, +2 for 14, and +3 for 16.
  - Look at your class to determine what **skills** you can choose.  See page 176.
  - Select a **feat** from the list on page 196.  Add another feat if you're human.
  - Choose a **weapon and armor** on page 212.  Your weapon can cost at most 25 gold, and you may only choose armor that has no "special" cost.  You begin with a 50-foot rope, flint and tinder, and 2 sunrods (which are basically 4-hour flares).
  - Fill in the remaining numbers:
    - Initiative:  Dexterity modifier plus 1/2 level (0)
    - Max HP:  See your class.
    - Surges per day:  See your class.
    - Armor Class:  10 + armor + class + feat?
    - Fort, Ref, and Will:  10 + abil? + class? + feat?
    - Speed:  See your race.
    - Senses:  See your chosen skills.
  - Flesh out your character's background, personality, and physical characteristics.  Brent provides extra XP for each word of character background (500 words = 500 extra XP).
  - Choose a **Burning Question** that your character wants to have answered.  Were his parents killed by an unknown force?  Does she have no memories before the age of 12?  Was he given a mysterious amulet by his mother?  Was she trained by a mysterious group?  Is he trying to understand why people kill?
  - You may also create **one special item** to carry with you, that you acquired before starting this adventure.  It may be magical.  It should have more than just a combat effect, so a shield that adds an extra +1 defense isn't allowed, but I would allow a ring that glows when goblins (a pack of whom killed your beloved older brother) are within 50 feet.