Character Creation

Shadowbane has one of the most uniquely customizable character creations systems of any multiplayer online game. There are so many options available that the whole character creation process seem overwhelming to new players. Fear not! This article will guide you through the process of making your first character and provide the best resources for your future ones.

This subject deserves its on article because most decisions you make during the character creation process cannot be undone once you are finished. Later, if you decide that you want to change one of these decisions, you will have to make a brand new character and start over (this is called "re-rolling"). When a character is at a permanent disadvantage to their peers, they are referred to as "gimp". An example would be choosing a starting trait that grants a bonus to your sword-wielding ability on a character that uses a bow. This is why it is important to plan out your character as much as possible, or at least avoid making choices that lock you into a specific path.

First Steps

If this is your first time logging in, your character selection screen should look something like the image to the below. just click an open character slot to begin the character creation process.

Empty Character Selection Screen

Server Selection

The very first decision you must make is your server. Shadowbane Emulator currently has one server for Open Beta, but there are two choices: "DalgothBeta" and "DalgothBetaLore". If you are playing with a group of friends, chances are you've already decided if you want to play as a lore character or not. Your race choice is very important if you chose to play under lore rules. Each of the different factions in Shadowbane has a list of races (and classes) that are allowed under their banner. For instance, if you want to join a High Court, you must make an Elf character.

Will you chose ARAC or Loreplay?

We can cover Loreplay rules later on. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will be selecting the non-lore option. Select "DalgothBeta" to continue.

Identity

Name

Shadowbane characters must have a first name and may choose a last name. There is a 15-character limit for each. Once you choose it, you cannot change it. Other than recognition, a name will have little impact on your ability to play.

Pro Tip: If you choose a first name that is difficult to type, (such as one with unique characters) you may make it more difficult or impossible for other players to send you direct messages, add you to their group or guild from afar, or summon you to their location.

Gender

As you may expect, your gender choice makes little impact on your ability to play. However, there are three prestige classes which are gender-restricted (See Fury, Huntress, and Warlock), and one Discipline which is female-only (Valkyr). Those planning on joining a strict Amazon Temple guild must also be female.

Race

Your character's race is a major factor and will determine everything from whether monsters will attack you on sight to which class you may choose. Spend some time reading about each race to see which you identify with, or just look through them in the character creation screen.

• Aelfborn are half Elf, half Human. They are wild, unpredictable, and prone to madness. All Aelfborn characters have the innate ability to free themselves from movement-hindering spells and abilities.
• Aracoix are an otherworldly race of bird-like humanoids. They are intelligent, elitist, and strictly secular. They are keen warriors, but are suspicious of traditional magic. All Aracoix may use their wings to fly through the air.
• Centaurs are half man, half horse just like the mythological creature of the same name. They are loyal, honorable, and noble. All Centaurs receive increased movement speed.
• Dwarves are a race of stone men who come from deep beneath the ground. They are crafty, private, and suspicious. All Dwarves are especially resistant to physical damage
• Elves are a long-lived race of lithe humanoids with pointed ears. They are intelligent, adept with magic, and often cruel. Elves are resistant to magic damage and receive additional benefit from healing.
• Half-Giants are the burly descendants of ancient titans. They are savage, boisterous, and traditional. All half-giants may enter a state of rage that provides immunity to being stunned or having their abilities blocked.
• Humans are creatures very much like you. They are of average height and ability. They are diverse and adaptable, but they can also be pious or greedy. Humans can become skilled more spells and abilities at once than any other race. Humans are also the only race who can become Confessors.
• Irekei are a race of Elves who have adapted to the arid deserts of Aerynth. They are hateful, cunning, and disciplined. Irekei are resistant to fire and are quick on their feet. Irekei also specialize in hand-to-hand combat.
• Minotaurs are horrid human/bull hybrids just like the mythological creature of the same name. They are brutish, rash, and reckless. Minotaurs cannot be stopped with stuns, and are resistant to physical attacks.
• Nephilim are impish humanoids with bat-like wings who can disguise as humans. They are deceitful, anarchic, and dangerously intelligent. All Nephilim may use their wings to fly and are resistant to fire or electricity.
• Shades are pale, bald humanoids with all-black eyes and speak only in whispers. They are secretive, dark, and mysterious. Shades are immune to being blind and can enter stealth even when such abilities are not normally given to their class. They are also immune to the "death shroud" effect when they die and will cause their victims to suffer an advanced version of it.
• Vampires are formally living beings who accepted the dark gift of vamprism. They are facetious, snide, and apathetic - especially to the living. Vampires may drain health from their enemies and they receive damage-reduction powers. However, all of their powers and abilities cost health instead of mana or stamina. Vampires also receive a reduced benefit from healing.

Creation Costs

Another factor in your decision of race can be its "creation cost". Every playing character is given 55 "Attribute Points" to start with (they just labeled "Points" on the character creation screen). Each race has an associated cost value which will subtract from those points. This is relevant because the number of points you have leftover will limit your attribute point allocation and trait selection a little later.

The creations costs per race are as follows:

Race	Creation Cost
Human	0 points
Aelfborn	5 points
Centaur, Half-Giant, and Shade	10 points
Aracoix, Dwarf, Elf, Irekei and Nephilim	15 points
Vampire	25 points

Class

In Shadowbane, your character begins its life as one of four "base classes", and then selects a prestige class at level 10. Its recommended that you decide on your prestige class during the character creation process so you can make better decisions about your trait and attribute layouts.

Image: Base Classes

If you click on the red "Class" button, you can see which base classes your chosen race is eligible for (pictured above). Clicking on one of the four base classes will give you another list of which prestige class you will be able to promote to at level 10.

This decision will make the largest impact on your playing experience of any other single choice during character creation. Most veteran players enter the character creation screen with a prestige class. Once you promote, the decision is permanent.

Here is a list of classes to get you started. Most are pretty self-explanatory, such a Thief. Some need a little explaining, such as Doomsayer. Don't worry about each and every detail right now, though. As an RPG, Shadowbane is often more fun when you just dive on in and let the world be your teacher.

Fighter

The fighters are the brawn of the battlefield, and are valued for both their ferocity and durability.

• Barbarian: A savage brute that becomes more unstoppable the angrier it gets.
• Crusader: The militant arm of the Church of the All-Father, and among the hardest classes to kill.
• Huntress: The ruthless defender of the Amazons who can wield the primal forces of nature to defend her sisters.
• Ranger: A warden of nature who uses the old ways to shrug off conventional weapons and fatigue.
• Sentinel: A renewed order of ancient holy guardians, and the ultimate defense against the forces of chaos.
• Templar: The muscle of the Church of the Cleansing flame who seeks evil where it festers and burns is to cinders.
• Warlock: A man who has gained extreme mental discipline to shape his body and mind into the ultimate weapon.
• Warrior: No frills, just raw butt-kicking. Warriors are the purest form of the fighter and one of the most diverse classes in Shadowbane.

Rogue

The rogues are clandestine opportunists that exploit every vulnerability they can find in their enemies by whatever means necessary.

• Assassin: A killer by trade, the assassin specializes in silently eliminating a target.
• Barbarian: A savage brute that becomes more unstoppable the angrier it gets.
• Bard: An unpredictable entertainer, who uses a musical power to confound and his enemies and inspire his friends.
• Huntress: The ruthless defender of the Amazons who can wield the primal forces of nature to defend her sisters.
• Nightstalker: A hunter unlike any other who preys on vampires and other unholy aberrations.
• Ranger: A warden of nature who uses the old ways to shrug off conventional weapons and fatigue.
• Scout: A rogue who specializes in detecting and revealing those who lurk in the shadows.
• Thief: Excellent infiltrators who specialize in the pursuit of treasure through theft or murder.

Healer

The healers are devout zealots that exact the will of the gods to heal their allies or destroy their foes.

• Channeler: Students of the world's ley lines who pull the strings of creation to call down lightning, spin fire, and freeze the very air.
• Confessor: Confessors cure disease and burning from their allies and unleash it on the foes of the Church of the Cleansing flame.
• Crusader: The militant arm of the Church of the All-Father, and among the hardest classes to kill.
• Doomsayer: A chaotic zealot who preaches of the coming doom, but also has a hand in causing it by absorbing their enemies life and spellcasting power.
• Druid: Defenders of nature who are granted dominion over the elements themselves to preserve the balance.
• Prelate: The heralds of saints and angels who use their faith to heal the sick and smite the wicked.
• Priest: The highest form of healer who can boast very little if any offensive ability, but vital in any competent adventuring party.

Mage

The mages use secrets of the universe to twist reality to their will. They can be a great force, but whether it is for good or evil is often ambivalent.

• Bard: An unpredictable entertainer, who uses a musical power to confound and his enemies and inspire his friends.
• Channeler: Students of the world's ley lines who pull the strings of creation to call down lightning, spin fire, and freeze the very air.
• Doomsayer: A chaotic zealot who preaches of the coming doom, but also has a hand in causing it by absorbing their enemies life and spellcasting power.
• Fury: A witch who exploits the raw forces of chaos to call down storms, lift her allies into the air, or subtly manipulate the battlefield from the clouds.
• Necromancer: A gaunt mage who raises the dead as unwitting thralls to do his bidding. Necromancers may also tap into the forces of the great void to cause massive spell damage.
• Warlock: A man who has gained extreme mental discipline to shape his body and mind into the ultimate weapon.
• Wizard: The purest form of mage. A wizard is a master of both Law and Chaos who can teleport at will, summon terrible beasts, and tear their enemies apart with magic.

Traits and Attributes

After you have selected your race and your class, you may further specialize and refine your character.

Attribute Points

There are five attributes. Those who have played tabletop RPG's will be familiar with these.

• Strength: Big muscles! Strength allows you to hit harder with most weapons and makes your character physically larger.
• Dexterity: The rogue's specialty. Dexterity allows you to hit harder with bows, daggers, and sometimes swords. It also affects your defenses.
• Constitution: Determines your total health and stamina pools.
• Intelligence: Determines your spell damage and the the limit to which you can train your character's weapon or spell school skills.
• Spirit: Affects your mana pool and plays a role in the minimum damage of your spells.

Five-From-All Rule

When you first begin, 25 of your attribute points have already been placed: five in each of the ability scores above. Since all of these scores are not prized by all characters, most will reccomend you remove these points before selecting your traits.

It is also important to note that the last five points are irreversible once you have finished the character.

Appearance

Starting Kit

• • Avoiding "gimped" characters

• • Player Templates

New players may find player-created character builds helpful until they learn enough to begin making their own. If you have a class in mind, check out some of these builds in the Templates article.