Character Archetypes

Dawn of the Merciless is set up for players to come and go as they please. Part of that flexibility is because of character archetypes. The first step to making a character is picking one of the following archetypes, or working with the GM to create your own unique character.

Mage

  • Distinction 1: It runs in the family

    • Magic is in my blood – spend a CP to double an ability die that involves truecasting

    • Don’t you know who you’re dealing with? – spend a CP to step up your willpower or intelligence die when using your family connections to intimidate an opponent.

    • Haughty – gain a CP when your pride and arrogance leads to failure.

    Distinction 2: Graduated with honors

    • A little flourish – spend a CP to step up your effect die and add some extra flair to casting a spell.

    • Top of my class – spend a CP to step up an ability die.

    • Not how I was taught – gain a CP to step down an ability die when trying to improvise.

    Distinction 3: A keen mind

    • Bookwyrm – spend a CP to step up an attribute die if you read a relevant book about it within the past 3 scenes.

    • This reminds me of… - spend a CP to gain an asset 8 for the rest of the scene when you recall useful info from a previous scene.

    • Know-it-all – gain a CP and a complication 6 when you won’t back down from an argument.

  • Physical

    • Agility 8

    • Strength 6

    • Vitality 8

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 10

    • Willpower 8

    • Blazecasting

    • Comprehension

    • Frostcasting

    • Invisibility

    • Lightcasting

    • Orecasting

    • Stormcasting

Runewarden

  • Distinction 1: Ambitious

    • Sheer willpower – use a CP to double an ability die that uses your runewarding

    • Your doubt pushes my need to win – use a CP to step up an attribute die when an opponent tries to intimidate, taunt, or ridicule you

    • If only one of us can succeed, it better be me: gain a CP when you throw a teammate under the bus or backstab them for personal gain

    Distinction 2: Daring

    • No fear – spend a CP to double your die for a melee weapon when you push to be the first to attack an opponent

    • Nothing ventured, nothing gained – spend a CP to get an asset 8 for the rest of the scene when you are the first person into the room

    • In over my head – gain a CP when you jump in unprepared to a fight with an obviously overpowered opponent

    Distinction 3: Succeed at all costs

    • Backup plans - spend a CP to reroll the dice

    • Let’s try a different angle – spend a CP to swap out an attribute for willpower when you lost the previous challenge/test

    • This isn’t what I wanted – gain a CP when winning a challenge/test/task leads to unintended consequences

  • Physical

    • Agility 6

    • Strength 8

    • Vitality 8

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 8

    • Willpower 10

    • Combustion

    • Comprehension

    • Elemental Armory

    • Invulnerability

    • Iron Claws

    • Transmute

    • Tunneling

Warcaster

  • Distinction 1: Elements unleashed

    • Overpowering might – spend a CP to step up the effect die when you get a heroic success

    • This is what I’ve trained for – spend a CP to double an ability die when there are 2 or more opponents

    • Not the time or place – gain a CP and a complication 6 when you use a spell in a crowd or small, enclosed space

    Distinction 2: Soldier

    • Battle hardened – spend a CP to turn an opponent’s heroic success into a normal one

    • Tactical advantage – spend a CP to add or double your Intelligence die when you give orders to your team

    • PTSD – gain a CP when a scene makes you flash back to your time on the battlefield, taking you out of the rest of the scene

    Distinction 3: Brooding

    • My past is my own – spend a CP to step up your willpower or alertness after refusing to open up to your teammates

    • Aura of intimidation – spend a CP to add a complication 6 Intimidated to your opponent when you glare but don’t say anything after being taunted

    • Closed off – gain a CP when you or a teammate fails because you didn’t share information

  • Physical

    • Agility 10

    • Strength 8

    • Vitality 8

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 8

    • Willpower 6

    • Blast

    • Blazecasting

    • Force Constructs

    • Invisibility

    • Orecasting

    • Stormcasting

    • Transmute

    • Water Control

Hand of the Night Guardian

  • Distinction 1: Protector of the innocent

    • I am the shield – spend a CP to step up your vitality or strength when you jump in front of someone who is being attacked

    • Fight me instead - spend a CP to double an attack-focused (mastery of the body, immense strength, shield of the moon, animal summoning) ability die when you taunt an opponent away from attacking someone else

    • Get those villagers to safety! - gain a CP when you take yourself out of a scene to save bystanders

    Distinction 2: Empathetic healer

    • Field medic – spend a CP to step down a wound-related complication on a teammate while engaged in battle

    • My strength is yours – give a CP to a teammate or GMC when you are moved by the troubles of others

    • The weight of the world – gain a CP and complication 6 when you spend your 2nd, 4th, or 6th PP in a scene on healing challenges/tasks/tests

    Distinction 3: Big softy

    • My friends are like family – spend a CP to add your vitality to another person’s roll

    • Love is my shield in a cruel world – spend a CP step down a complication on yourself when you express your feelings surrounding kinship, romance, loyalty, etc. to at least one teammate

    • Why can’t we all get along? – gain a CP when you are too trusting

  • Physical

    • Agility 8

    • Strength 10

    • Vitality 8

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 6

    • Willpower 8

    • Animal Summoning

    • Healing

    • Immense Strength

    • Invulnerability

    • Mastery of the Body

    • Regeneration

    • Shield of the Moon

Spadebearer of Hildor

  • Distinction 1: Virtuous

    • Centered – spend a CP to step up vitality, alertness, or willpower after taking a moment to meditate.

    • Diplomatic – spend a CP to add an asset 8 Silver Tongue for the rest of the scene when trying to negotiate with a GMC

    • Cautious with magic – gain a CP when you decline to use one a magic-based ability even though it was almost certainly necessary / warranted.

    Distinction 2: Puller of wicked weeds

    • Blood oath – spend a CP to step up willpower or alertness for the remainder of the session when you make an oath of vengeance

    • A certain set of skills – spend a CP to step up the effect die when using Paralysis, Poison, Blast, or Force Construct when in contest against an enemy you have sworn an oath with.

    • What goes around comes around – gain a CP when your actions come back to harm you

    Distinction 3: Tiller of man

    • Land’s law– spend a CP to step up intelligence or willpower when enforcing the law (king’s law, local law, law of nature, or your personal code –seen through the aspect of Hildor’s teachings)

    • Investigator – spend a CP to gain an asset 8 while searching for clues

    • Into my own hands - gain a CP when you cause trouble for the party by carrying out your own brand of justice

  • Physical

    • Agility 8

    • Strength 8

    • Vitality 8

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 8

    • Willpower 8

    • Blast

    • Combustion

    • Elemental Armory

    • Force Constructs

    • Mastery of the Body

    • Paralysis

    • Poison

    • Water Control

Bounty Hunter

  • Distinction 1: I get the job done

    • Skilled tracker – spend a CP to gain an asset 8 while looking for clues

    • Any means necessary – spend a CP to double an ability roll

    • Single-minded focus – gain a CP when you miss an opportunity or clue because you were focused on something else

    Distinction 2: personal code

    • Noble goal – spend a CP to step up your vitality or willpower when you talk about your personal goals

    • Efficient and effective – spend a CP to turn a success into a heroic success

    • Drawing the line – gain a CP when you take yourself out of a scene by declaring the suggested action as a line you refuse to cross

    Distinction 3: The dead don’t get paid

    • Risk assessment – spend a CP to step up your alertness or intelligence when attempting to judge the danger of a situation

    • Time to move on – spend a CP to get yourself and up to two others away from danger that would otherwise cause someone to be removed from the scene

    • I’ve made enemies – gain a CP when you think you’re being followed and must check that the area is secure

  • Physical

    • Agility 8

    • Strength 8

    • Vitality 10

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 8

    • Willpower 6

    • Comprehension

    • Invulnerability

    • Iron Claws

    • Luck

    • Mastery of the Body

    • Paralysis

    • Poison

    • Regeneration

Traveling Merchant

  • Distinction 1: Dealmaker

    • Shall we make a trade? – spend a CP to gain an asset 8 for the rest of the scene by making a deal with a friendly GMC

    • Shrewd – spend a CP to step up your willpower or intelligence die when making a deal.

    • Abrasive – gain a CP when a deal gone wrong leads to a complication.

    Distinction 2: World Traveler

    • The stories I could tell – spend a CP to step up your effect die when you relate the current problem or solution to something from your past

    • Souvenirs – spend a CP to gain an asset 8 for the rest of the scene, revealing that you took a souvenir from a previous scene

    • Known the world over – gain a CP to step up a complication if an unfriendly GMC recognizes you

    Distinction 3: Craftsmaster

    • Maker – spend a CP to gain an asset 10 for a single test/challenge/task.

    • Problem solver – Spend a CP to step down a complication when you try a new solution to the current problem

    • Experimental - Gain a CP when an Ability fails spectacularly or when using an object you made leads to a complication

  • Physical

    • Agility 8

    • Strength 6

    • Vitality 8

    Mental

    • Alertness 8

    • Intelligence 8

    • Willpower 10

    • Animal Summoning

    • Comprehension

    • Elemental Armory

    • Healing

    • Iron Claws

    • Luck

    • Transmute