Character creation is an important and detailed process in playing the Unbound system. This section will walk you through the various steps taken as you create you you want. These steps may be done in any order, this is just a guideline.
Character Creation Breakdown
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- Character Concept
- Choose a Lineage
- Magic
- Point Buy
- Choosing Background Traits
- Starting Skills
- Starting Experience
- Martial Traditions
- Starting Equipment
- (Optional)-Backstory Benefits
Step 1 – Character Concept
Deciding on a base concept for you are by far the most important step. The Unbound system is built around anything being possible, so you should focus on creating a concept and personality over a mechanical build. These thematic decisions will shape the rest of character creation, and help guide your next choices. The Unbound system also has multiple optional rules that further enhance the uniqueness of a character during creation.
Step 2 – Choose a Lineage
The next step is choosing your character’s Lineage. A Lineage provides statistical bonuses and Lineage abilities. Each core Lineage provides a set of base statistics (Attributes, Type, Size, Speed, Languages) in addition to four Lineage abilities. These abilities are broken up into Basic Lineage Features, and Heritage Features, with you getting two of each.
- For example, a Longbeard Dwarf gains the Eternal Grudge and Wisdom of the Mountain, and a Duergar have the Darkvision and Deep Magic abilities, while both have the Robust and Hardy Lineage traits.
For more information on Lineages and the benefits therein, see Lineages.
Monstrous Lineages: In addition to the Core Lineages there are various Monstrous Lineages available for play. These Lineages are more powerful and are considered somewhat rare. They receive a stronger attribute line and an additional basic Lineage ability, for a total of five Lineages. Their Lineage abilities are also more powerful or unique in what they do. Playing such a Lineage costs 70 XP drawn from your starting Experience (XP). In addition, monstrous characters have to spend more experience to reach their spent thresholds for the next rank. This starts at 100 additional Experience for Journeyman, 200 for Professional, 300 for Master, and 400 for Grandmaster. You should discuss with your GM and group before playing one of these Lineages as in addition to being slightly stronger, there may be various roleplay repercussions.
Mixed Lineages: With GM approval, you may choose to mix two Lineages together to create a half breed. When creating a half breed choose the base stat line of one parent, this is the base stat line of the Lineage. You then choose any combination of four Basic and Heritage Lineage abilities that both parents possess, with the only limitation being that you must have at least one Lineage ability from each parent. Mixing monstrous Lineages works the same way, except that if you choose the base stat line of a monstrous Lineage you get five Lineage abilities instead of four, and must spend the 70 XP out of your starting experience and have the increased experience threshold. If you choose a core Lineage as the base and mix it with a monstrous Lineage, you only get 4 Lineage abilities, must spend 35 XP from your starting experience and you half the experience threshold increase.
Step 3 – Magic
At this point you should choose whether or not your character has magic. Magic can be very powerful if properly built into, but also is complex at first glance. For in depth details of magic and Spellcasting see Magic. If you do so, you gain a Magic Tradition and all the benefits and drawbacks therein. For premade Magic Traditions, see Magic Traditions.
Step 4 – Point Buy
Next, you will purchase your Attributes, using a category point buy with points to spend on each category of Attributes. The categories are as follows: Body (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution), Mind (Intellect, Fellowship, Thaumaturgy), and Soul (Magic, Spirit, Luck).
There are four basic different point buy sets available at base; however, feel free to alter these for your own game.
- Low Fantasy: one 15 points category, one 10 points category, one 5 points category.
- Standard Fantasy: one 15 points category, one 10 points category, one 5 points category, and a floating 5 points.
- High Fantasy: one 20 points category, one 15 points category, one 10 points category, and a floating 5 points.
- Heroic Fantasy: one 25 points category, one 20 points category, one 15 points category, and a floating 5 points.
Once a point buy has been chosen, you assign each group of points to a single category. You then spend the points to increase the Attributes of that category, and then spend the floating 5 points anywhere you see fit. The cost of Attribute scores is listed on the table below. If your GM allows it, you can even take a negative in an attribute to gain extra points in that category.
Attribute Score Caps
Each individual Attribute has a maximum cap that normally cannot be exceeded. This cap is equal to 18 + Lineage Attribute Bonuses + Permanent Size Modifiers + Highest Rank Bonus + Misc. Bonuses. If a creature has an Attribute that would exceed the cap it is limited to the cap until such time that they can benefit from the excess Attributes. These excess attributes are treated as not existing. Some very rare items and effects, such as certain Elixirs, can increase a characters cap.
Table: Point Buy – Ability Score Costs
| Score | Point Cost | Score | Point Cost |
| 7 | -4 | 13 | 3 |
| 8 | -2 | 14 | 5 |
| 9 | -1 | 15 | 7 |
| 10 | 0 | 16 | 10 |
| 11 | 1 | 17 | 13 |
| 12 | 2 | 18 | 17 |
Optional – Rolled Attributes: If preferred, an example alternative Attribute generation is to roll 4d6, and drop the lowest die, for each attribute. Alternatively, roll up three sets of attributes this way and choose the one you want.
Regardless of what attribute system is used, it is recommended that all players use the same one. More information on Attributes can be found Attributes and Statistics under Chapter 08 – Rules, given below.
Step 5 – Choosing Background Traits
You now choose from various traits and flaws available to help flesh out your character. You receive 2 traits for free that match your theme and backstory, you may also take a flaw to gain an additional trait. Any mechanical bonus from a trait is a trait bonus, and unless listed otherwise doesn’t stack with other trait bonuses.
A list of character traits and flaws can be found under Chapter 03 – Traits and Traditions, given below.
Step 6 – Starting Skills
You start with a set amount of apprentice rank skills for free, based on your Attributes. These free skills are broken up into the following three categories.
- Adventure and Utility: You start with a number of free Apprentice rank Adventure and Utility skills equal to double your Intellect modifier, plus your highest Body Attribute modifier.
- Martial: You start with a number of free Apprentice rank Martial skills equal to your Strength or Dexterity Modifier.
- Magic: If you possess a positive Magic modifier, you start with a number of free Apprentice rank Magic skills equal to your Thaumaturgy modifier.
Additionally, all characters start with Lore, a special feature that indicates core concepts or themes that you would innately know from your backstory and upbringing as well as languages that you would know, beyond your Lineages starting languages.
- Lore: You start with a number of free Lore categories as follows. Any Lineage Lore, 2 appropriate Lore based on where you grew up, 2 Lore’s based on your backstory, and a number of free Lore’s equal to your highest Mind modifier that is appropriate for you. For more information on Lore, see Skills.
- Languages: You start with your Lineage languages, if any, and a number of additional languages equal to your Intellect modifier. For more information on skills and skill categories, Skills.
Step 7 – Starting Experience
At this point you are able to spend any starting experience to purchase Talents, Skills, and Bonuses via the Experience Shop, found in the Unbound Experience book. Standard Starting XP is 100, this XP must be spent and doesn’t count towards your total XP, which matters for Attribute score increases, check with your GM for changes you’re your specific campaign.
Step 8 – Martial Traditions
You start with a Martial Tradition for free if you start the game with 50 percent more martial skills than Spellcasting magic skills. If you do so you gain 2 benefits of a Martial Tradition. If you start with no Spellcasting magic skills and no Magic Tradition, you instead gain 4 benefits of a Martial Tradition. For premade Martial Traditions, see Martial Traditions.
Step 9 – Starting Equipment
At this point most details of your character have been chosen and you may now purchase any starting equipment your character would have. At base you have 100 silver pieces or (100sp) to spend on as much equipment of your choice that you can afford. Additionally, you gain an outfit worth no more than 5sp.
Alternatively, you can spend your starting wealth to purchase one of the Starting Packages found under the Adventuring Gear section of Chapter 06 – Equipment. This is a quick and easy way to equip your character without delving too deep into all of the options found within this chapter.
In addition, you may receive some free equipment depending on skills and talents. If you start with the Trapfinder talent, you start with a set of thieves’ tools for free. If you are trained in a Craft or Harvest skill, you start with a basic tool for that skill. Finally, if you start the game with a Martial Tradition, you start with 1 Fine quality weapon for free.
For a full list of available equipment see Equipment and the Crafting section found in the Gamemaster’s Handbook.
Step 10 (Optional) – Backstory Benefits
The backstory of your character is incredibly important and as such the abilities you start the game with should reflect where you came from and reflect what you did beforehand. This is an optional rule that will differ slightly depending on what your GM decides to do, if implemented at all. However, the following is a base example of what you may receive based on your backstory. It is recommended that your character be finalized before any backstory benefits are applied.
- Basic Boon: The basic boon you receive for your backstory averages on a minor set of skills or even a basic talent that represents some basic training or perhaps something your character learned during their upbringing. A recommended basic boon would be around the value of 20-30 XP worth of skills or basic talents.
- Breakthrough Boon: The breakthrough boon is more aligned with the focus of your character, and what role they will fill; making them more efficient or specialized. These boons can be anything from a martial tradition from the region you are from, a higher-grade talent that you don’t normally meet the prerequisites for, or some other unique ability based on backstory.
- Mastery Boon: The mastery boon is the strongest boon you earn during your backstory, and represents major plot points represented in your backstory. As such these are usually unique mechanics based on a main focus of your character, though this can also include XP cost reductions or the ability to gain talents earlier than normal. A mastery boon also commonly has multiple pieces instead of just one benefit. An entire build or concept can be designed around this type of boon.
- Innate Drawback: An innate drawback represents an aspect of your characters backstory that negatively affects them in some way, be it emotional or physical trauma, some regret they carry, or even some outside force affecting them negatively such as a curse or magical wound. These drawbacks may change slightly over the course of the game; however, it is almost impossible to remove them completely, requiring sincere and drastic change on the character’s part to do so. The effects of these drawbacks can never be negated.
- Trial Drawback: A trial drawback is a trial that your character must overcome through the course of the game. The negatives applied by the trial are usually fairly severe, but usually have specific circumstances that must be met to trigger. As you advance through the game you will make progress towards removing this drawback, and may grow stronger or weaker depending on your actions. Ultimately being removed by completing the trial. Depending on your character and your backstory it is possible to earn additional trials or replace the trial on completion depending on which the situation calls for. Completing your trial typically comes with some form of reward.