Character Creation
The Moon of Kenshi is home to four primary races.
Humans, Hivers, Shek, and Skeletons.
Each with their own culture, strengths, and scars. Over the ages, these peoples have splintered into defining subraces, shaped by their lands, their gods, and their wars. From the ash-scarred Ashlanders and the stoic Northern Shek to the tireless Hiver drones and ageless Skeletons, every race bears the mark of survival.
Every Race and Profession have a unique Key Attribute. Every Sub-Race has unique Traits and Talents.
Players begin with 12 Attribute points to spread across the four attributes, Strength, Agility, Empathy and Will.
Starting Attribute scores may not exceed 4, with the exception of the Key Attribute, which may start at 5.
If the Race and Profession have the same Key Attribute it may start at 6.
Traits are the passive skills of every race and can not be ranked up.
Talents are the active skills of Forbidden Lands. Every Race has a unique Talent while every Profession has 4 Talent trees with 3 levels each. Two of which are mutually exclusive.
Players may choose one Profession Talent to begin with.
As well as one General Talent.
The Race Talent is given by default.
Characters do not level up in the world of Kenshi and instead spend XP points to rank up Skills, Talents and Magic. XP will be handed out based on general deeds as well as a player leaning into their pride or secret. They will not be handed out evenly and at times it may not be clear why someone received more or less than someone else. Ranking up will be a slow process and may only be done after a long rest.
Experience Points may be spent on Skills, Talents or Magic Talents.
A players starting Skill points are determined by their Profession.
You can assign up to a maximum of level 3 in your profession skills and level 1 in non-profession skills.
Learning a new skill costs a base 10xp and you must have succeeded in the use of this skill relatively recently or be instructed by a teacher. Ranking up a skill costs the skill's (rank x 5). For example ranking a skill from level 2 to 3, would cost 15 points.
Learning a new Talent costs a base 10xp and requires a successful wits role, and a quarter days training. If a teacher is present the wits role is negated. Ranking up a talent costs the talent's (rank x 5).
Learning new Magic Talents or ranking up existing ones can only be done with a teacher or an ancient text to teach the caster.
Without a teacher or text the XP cost is tripled. Learning a new Magic Talent costs a base of 10 xp, requires a successful wits role and a quarter days time. If a teacher is present the wits roll is negated. Ranking up a magic talent costs the talent's (rank x 5).
The realities of Kenshi are harsh, your party must rise from nothing, or return to the dust. You may choose one item from the table below to begin with. A reminder that this is a world of survival, not heroics.
You begin with rags and no money to your name.
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