Character Creation

All starting characters begin with 86 Experience Points (or XP) which they can spend on skills to create their unique character.

If you need advice or assistance beyond what is covered in this guide, feel free to reach out to Citadel Staff or join our Discord.

Step 1 - Soul Bond.

Every character in Citadel begins play with a Soul Bond to one (1) Aspect of Essence. This does not cost any XP. You just need to choose which Aspect of Essence to which your character has a Soul Bond. A Soul Bond sometimes gives bonuses when using that Aspect or when using certain items. It is also the prerequisite for purchasing Heritage Tiers.

The Soul Bond does not have to be the same Aspect as the one associated with the character’s nation, but most often is. The choices are: Air (Kyr), Earth (Vonor), Fire (Razir), Light (Ora), or Water (Ishui). If you choose a Soul Bond that is different from your nation, then we encourage you to come up with a reason for that in your backstory. The reason doesn’t have to be any more complicated than you have an ancestor from a different nation, or you have traveled and lived in the nation associated with the Soul Bond you chose

A character may purchase a Second Soul Bond and a Third Soul Bond. Orani, because of their unique culture, are allowed to purchase a Second Soul Bond without spending XP. You may never have more than three (3) Soul Bonds. See the Soul Bond section for more information.

Step 2 - Heritages.

Choose whether or not to purchase any Heritages. When a character chooses to more closely bind themselves to an Aspect of Essence, they express new magical abilities and physical or behavioral traits. You may purchase up to three (3) Tiers of a Heritage, and it is not limited to one type. For example, a character could have Vonor Heritage 1, Kyr Heritage 1, and Razir Heritage 1; or a character could have Ishui Heritage 1 and 2, and Ora Heritage 1. See the Heritage section for more information.

Step 3 - General Skills.

Choose whether or not to purchase any General Skills. General skills include all of the non-combat skills that a character might want, including some innate traits (such as Light Sleeper), and practical skills such as Tracking or Cartography.

Step 4 - Combat Skills.

Choose whether or not to purchase any Combat Skills. Even if you plan to focus on other skills, you may want to pick up a few Combat Skills to better defend yourself. The world of Tokavah can be a dangerous place!

Any character may wear Light Armor without spending XP. Any character can wield a one-handed melee weapon and use its Passive Benefit without purchasing a Weapon Proficiency; however, you must be proficient with a weapon in order to use the weapon’s Utility Function or Weapon Maneuvers. You also must be proficient in order to use the Passive Benefit of two-handed weapons or unique melee weapons (i.e claws, staff, and spear).

Purchasing a Weapon Proficiency, the ability to wear heavier armor, the ability to carry a shield, or Toughness are things we advise every player to consider. If you are certain you won’t ever purchase Weapon Maneuvers, then you may want to purchase a Dodge.

Step 5 - Choose the Main Focus

Step 5a - Combat Skills

If you plan for your main focus to be Combat Skills, then your first decision is what Weapon Proficiency to purchase. Each weapon has unique Passive Benefits, Utility Functions, and Weapon Maneuvers. Proficiency in ranged weapons (such as a crossbow or sparktech gun), hand-and-a-half weapons, and the ability to wield a weapon in both hands may be purchased as well. You’ll need to decide if you want to wear armor that is heavier than Light Armor and if you want to carry a shield. We advise every combat focused character to purchase at least one (1) point of Toughness.

Once you have decided on your Weapon Proficiency then you can begin purchasing Weapon Maneuvers. You’ll start with Basic Maneuvers (up to three). Once you have three (3) Basic Maneuvers, you can purchase Advanced Maneuvers and Weapon Defense Maneuvers. You must have all three (3) Defensive Maneuvers before you can purchase Warrior Dodges for 10 XP. After you have your Advanced and Defensive Maneuvers, you can purchase Master Maneuvers. You must have three (3) Basic, three (3) Advanced, and three (3) Weapon Defense Maneuvers before you are eligible to purchase Master Maneuvers.

Next, you’ll want to check out the General Combat Skills, the Combat Skills per Short Rest, and the Combat Skills per Reset in order to create a well-rounded combat character.

Step 5b - Trade Skills

If you plan for your main focus to be a Trade Skill, then you have three options: Artificer, Inscription, or Physicker Studies. The Trade Skills are skills that allow a character to create tagged items (items that are In-Play and can be used or sold within the game). Each Tier of a Trade Skill provides a character with five (5) Production Points per Production Period, and makes the character eligible to purchase other associated skills.

An Artificer is trained in the art of taking raw metals and other materials and crafting them into useful items, such as Weapons, Armor, or other Tinkered creations. Skilled Artificers may learn Arcanatech, which is the art of imbuing an Artificer's creations with Essence.

Inscription is the art of infusing Essence into paper and ink, such as to copy magical formulations or create spellscrolls. Practitioners of this art, called Scribes, may also train in the art of Sigilcraft, which allows them to more quickly activate magical effects.

Physickers heal through bandaging, stitching, or placing salves on Wounds, and by administering healing potions. Advanced practitioners study the art of Alchemy, where they precisely balance the extracted properties of ingredients in order to create even more potent elixirs, chemicals, and poisons.

Step 5c - Magic Skills

If you plan for your main focus to be a Magic Skill, then you have two options: Wizardry or Channeling.

Practitioners of Wizardry bend the forces of magic to their will by shaping runes of power. As a form of magic, Wizardry offers a wider range of effects, particularly unusual utility effects, than any other magic. However, they must spend time each Reset casting their rituals and storing them within their focus.

Channelers are living vessels of magical power focused on one to three Aspects of Essence. They don’t require a focus or spell preparation as wizards do, and their power returns with a Short Rest rather than the setting of the sun.

You may also want to consider the General Magic Skills in order to create a well-rounded magically focused character.

Step 6 - Fill in the Gaps

If you have any XP left to spend at this point, you can go back and pick up other skills outside of your main focus. See above to guide you and provide the links to the relevant sections.

Although this guide refers to your “main focus”, there is no “right” way to build a character. You could specialize in one category, mix and match a few different categories, or purchase a little bit of everything. If you ever have regrets about your XP expenditures, please reach out to Citadel staff. We want everyone to play the character that is most fun for them.