Races
There are 7 humanoid races in the world of Shattered Wilds, all belonging to the same humanoid species. These are all the rational material Beings known to exist, and they seen to share a common ancestry, though the details have been lost to time.
| Race | Stats | Size | Typical Upbringings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human | Neutral | M | Urban, Nomadic |
| Elf | +DEX, -CON | M | Urban, Sylvan |
| Dwarf | +CON, -DEX | S | Tribal, Telluric |
| Orc | +STR, -DEX | L | Nomadic, Telluric |
| Fey | +DEX, -STR | S | Tribal, Sylvan |
| Goliath | +STR, -CON | L | Tribal, Telluric |
| Goblin | +CON, -STR | S | Nomadic, Sylvan |
A character's race grants them some physical stat changes (these changes will bypass level cap) and a size category. Races have typical upbringings, but players are absolutely free to choose any background that fits their character.
The Size category determines the Size Modifier which is used in a few derived attributes and checks on the character sheet:
| Size | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Fine | -8 |
| Diminutive | -4 |
| Tiny | -2 |
| Small | -1 |
| Medium | 0 |
| Large | 1 |
| Huge | 2 |
| Gargantuan | 4 |
| Colossal | 8 |
Characters can also be half-breed. While typically peoples breed within their own, all races are compatible so you can have a double ancestry (you could theoretically be a convoluted mix, but there are no specific rules for that - eventually races even out to Human). If a character picks two races, they will be considered a Half-X Half-Y, where X is their primary race.
A character gets the size of their primary race and they can decide to get the combined physical stat modifiers or just the primary race ones. So for example if they want to be a Half-Goliath Half-Dwarf, they will be Large and can decide either to get +1 STR / -1 CON or combined +1 STR / - 1 DEX. DM allowing you might make different choices (e.g. get your size category to be the "average" between races or get the stats strictly from your secondary race). Half Breeds are not completely uncommon but can be seen as outsiders for members of either races, specially if they are sufficiently physically different to be easily noticeable.
Upbringings
Your upbringing grants you three things:
- Upbringing Modifier: A pair of Mind/Soul Realms modifiers (+1 in one Attribute, -1 in another)
- Your Level 0 Major Feat
- Your Level 0 Minor Feat: Specialized Knowledge ([Upbringing]): You have +3 to Knowledge or Intuition Checks about aspects related to your upbringing environment.
Players are welcome to craft their own Cultural Background with their DM, but there are five pre-defined backgrounds to choose from. You can still choose any attributes for the modifiers, but you should choose a pair of modifiers that make sense with your backstory. If your class is a Caster or Mystic, choosing your the +1 to your Main Attribute is always inherently justifiable.
Urban
This character lived their childhood in a medium-sized village or town (much larger cities are extremely rare and hard to find). Human and Elven communities are often Urban.
- Major Feat: Specialized Training: Choose any two Minor Feats from the General list.
- Typical Upbringing Modifier: + INT/CHA/LCK, - WIS/DIV/FOW
- Typical Minor Feat Application: recall urban lore, politics, commerce, something specific about the city, etc.
Nomadic
This character grew up as a nomad, traveling in a small party, family or group venturing through the Wilds (either you'd need to have had strong members to protect you, or somehow have a reason you managed to survive on your own). They are somewhat familiar with the ways of the Wilds. Humans (often by choice to fulfill their dreams of exploration), Orcs and Goblins (often neglected by their peers or other races) can often be found living this way.
A typical scenario is a small group of low-level adventurers, that eventually have (or encounter) a child, and now must find a way to raise them until they can find the next safe village to drop them off (which can be rare to find depending on where they are).
- Major Feat: Nomadic Alertness: Can make Awareness Checks to spot danger while sleeping in the Wilds with no CM penalty.
- Typical Upbringing Modifier: + WIS/FOW/LCK, - INT/CHA/DIV
- Typical Minor Feat Application: intuit about surviving in the Wilds, foraging, tracking, etc.
Tribal
This character grew up in a settlement with a strong tribal structure, with hierarchies and clans. Dwarven, Fey and Goliath communities are often Tribal.
- Major Feat: Tribal Endurance: Pay 1 Heroism Point to reduce your Exhaustion level by 1 if you can directly tie a current task to your personal sense of duty to your tribe (not doable in Combat).
- Typical Upbringing Modifier: + CHA/DIV/FOW, - INT/WIS/LCK
- Typical Minor Feat Application: recall specific tribal knowledge and lore (depends on the tribe), intuit hierarchical structures between people, etc.
Sylvan
This character grew up in very small settlement embedded deep within the woods. Elven, Fey, and Goblin communities are often Sylvan.
- Major Feat: Light Feet: Ignore difficult terrain due to natural vegetation, forest growth, etc.
- Typical Upbringing Modifier: + WIS/DIV/FOW, - INT/CHA/LCK
- Typical Minor Feat Application: recall fauna and flora lore, intuit animal handling, etc.
Telluric
This character grew up in a cave-dwelling settlement, deep within cave systems. Dwarven, Orc and Goliath communities are often Telluric.