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 may 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 own 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.
Contents
First Steps
If this is your first time logging in, your character selection screen should look something like the image below. Click an open character slot to begin the character creation process.
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.
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
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"If you pick a first name that is hard to type, others may have a hard time chatting with you!" |
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Gender
As you may expect, your gender choice is mostly a preference. However, there are three prestige classes which are gender-restricted (see Fury, Huntress, or Warlock), and one Discipline which is female-only (Valkyr). Those planning on joining a strict Amazon Temple guild must also be female.
Race
- 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 lofty, elitist, and strictly secular. They are keen warriors, but shun most 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, skilled in magic, and often cruel. Elves are resistant to magic damage and receive additional benefit from healing effects.
- 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 short-sighted and selfish. Humans can become skilled at 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, stoic, and ominous. They cannot be blinded and may 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. Touched by the void, Shades are resistant to poison and unholy damage, but vulnerable to holy spells.
- Vampires are formerly 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 use damage-reduction powers. However, all of their powers and abilities cost health instead of mana or stamina, and healing spells are less effective on them. As undead, Vampires are especially vulnerable to fire and holy damage.
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 |
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| Human | 0 points |
| Aelfborn | 5 points |
| Centaur, Half-Giant, and Shade | 10 points |
| Aracoix, Dwarf, Elf, Irekei, Minotaur and Nephilim | 15 points |
| Vampire | 25 points |
Class
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.
To help you along, each class has been marked with it's recommended roles:
| Physical Damage | Spell Damage | Group Support | Healing |
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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: An human in service of Saint Malorn that judges the wicked with fire and disease.
- 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
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. Most veteran players will recommend that you remove these points before you select your traits.
It is also important to note that the last five points before the "minimum" value are irreversible once you have finished the character. If you add points back to a stat from which you had "removed five" at creation, you will not be able to undo or refine that decision after you click "finish".
Trait Guide
With its staggering 85 Starting Traits available, there are literally thousands of ways to build a character. Unfortunately, this level of customization makes this the least intuitive and most complex part of character creation. Fear not, for this handy tutorial will make it as painless as possible for you!
The first thing to do is decide what kind of character you want. We read above about how stats affect your character, and now is the time to apply that knowledge. Will it be a "glass cannon" with high intelligence and low constitution? Will it be a "meat shield" that is nearly unkillable at the cost of respectable damage, or perhaps a combination of both? Maybe you'd rather spend your points in a more specialized way, to run faster or be extra resistant to fire. The choice is yours.
You may hover your mouse over items in the list to see their benefits and their requirements. If you do not meet its requirement, a rune will have a red border. Examine the prerequisites closely, as you may be able to meet them by changing your stat points on the right.
Most of the runes fall into three categories: Stats, Skills, and Resistances.
Stat Traits
Stat traits will affect your current stats, but more importantly, the maximum points you will be able to place in specific stat as you level up. For instance, the "Agile" trait costs 6 points and gives you 5 dexterity, but it also increases your maximum dexterity by 5.
This is important for your character's future because, once you are in the game world, you may find even better runes to use, and they will have prerequisites as well. If you do not have a maximum stat value of 85 (75 for Humans and Elves) or more, you will not be able to take advantage of those in-game runes.
Skill Traits
Certain traits will grant you points in specific skills at the cost of attribute points, something that cannot be done once your character is created.
As useful as these seem, there are only a handful of situations were these will be useful to you:
- If your character is spread very thin on training points, and you need to conserve all you can.
- If you plan on raising a skill to its absolute maximum value (very inefficient).
- If you plan on minimizing your intelligence investment, but still want to get the skill high enough to use top-tier equipment.
Resistance Traits
Several traits will increase your resistance to damage by a flat percentage. These can be useful in specific situations when you know what enemies you will be fighting, but these resistances can also come from enchanted items in the game.
The only damage type you are sure to encounter on every character is physical damage, specifically crushing, piercing, and slashing. This makes runes like "Tough Hide" very nice on any character than can afford to apply it.
Other Traits
It is worth your while to spend some time reading the mouse-over tips for each of the trait runes. Seemingly meager traits, such as "Lucky" actually have quite a large impact as your character reaches its full potential.
Appearance
Your hair, beard, horns, beak, what-have-you will have no impact on your ability to play. Choose what you think looks good!
Hair will be rendered invisible while wearing a helmet, which you will be doing most of the time.
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"You can lock and unlock the zoom-in option during character creation by right clicking on the zoom arrow!" |
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Starting Kit
Your starting kit is what your character will own once you log in. This does not lock you into using that specific type of weapon. Most choose a weapon that will make the starting levels a bit easier, such as a short bow, even if they do not intend to use a bow in later levels.
Ready-Made Builds
New players may find player-created character builds (or "templates") 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.
Next Steps
By now, you should have a great foundation for for a kick ass new character. It's finally time to take it for a test drive, go ahead and click "finish", then click "Log in" to get started. If you feel some extra pointers will help, proceed to the next article in the Getting Started series: Leveling Characters 1-20.
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