Character Creation

Characters in Dark Star are based around four primary statistics (Muscle, Agility, Intellect, and Spirit) and derivative percentile-based statistics. In addition to these core stats, each character has Morale, which determines the response of the character to various extreme circumstances based on four categories (brutality, morality, anxiety, insanity).

There is a great deal of flexibility in Dark Star characters, since any kind of character can cultivate any skill through practice, and players are encouraged to customize skills to suit their unique playing style. Since checks are performed entirely on percentile dice, the system is adaptable to any unique character and leaves a great deal of room for immersive role playing.

Health
Health is a character's hit points. It begins equal to character's Muscle, and increases by 10% (rounded down) with each level increase.

Armor
Armor determines how much damage a character can resist. It can be affected by worn armor or defensive spells. All characters begin with a base Armor rating of 0, and adjust it based upon modifiers granted them by the armor they wear. In combat, a character's Armor rating serves as a damage penalty, i.e. if a warrior is wearing plate mail armor, he gains a +5 bonus to his armor rating and may subtract 5 damage from any attacks against him.

Statistics, Skills, & Morale
A starting-level character is given 200 points at the beginning of the game, to be divided amongst the four major Statistics, with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 70. The player should also pick a Master Statistic based on the kind of character being played, i.e., a Warrior would select Body as a Master Stat, a Rogue would select Agility. A master statistic will determine your Morale check, as well as granting experience bonuses.

Stats

 * Muscle - The Muscle Stat is related to physical strength. Any skill requiring force or endurance would be relegated to the Muscle Stat. With Muscle as the Master Stat, the player may perform Brutality checks at a +15% bonus.
 * Agility - The Agility Stat represents the character's dexterity, speed, and sure-footedness. Acrobatics or dodging of any sort would be relegated to the Agility Stat. Agility also determines combat order. With Agility as the Master Stat, the character may perform Anxiety checks at a +15% bonus.
 * Intellect - The Intellect Stat concerns the character's education and intelligence. Skills requiring thinking or puzzling would be derived from the Intellect Stat, and any Arcane magic skills would likewise be relegated to the Intellect Stat. With Intellect as the Master Stat, the character may perform Insanity checks at a +15% bonus.
 * Spirit - The Spirit Stat connotes the character's subtler characteristics, such as religion, poetry, or art. Speechcraft and Divine magic would be skills derived from the Spirit Stat. With Spirit as the Master Stat, the character may perform Morality checks at a +15% bonus.

Skills
Skills are determined by the player. Each character has two default skills in each Stat, which start with a free 15%. From these, the character may designate 5 Major Skills, or develop up to 5 Major Skills of their own, each with a base of 15%. Major skills will determine a character's overall arc, for it is only through 10 Major Skill increases that a level is gained. The default skills are as follows: To roll a check, roll 1d100. If you roll beneath your skill percentage, you've passed. Damage is determined according to the specification of the weapon. The attacked character may subtract her Armor rating from the damage received. She also gets a chance to dodge according to her dodge skill, but her roll is limited to a minimum of the attacker's roll.
 * Self-Defense (Muscle) - A catch-all defense stat. Allows the character to defend himself fundamentally.
 * Fitness (Muscle) - General physical fitness. If something needs to be picked up, pushed, pulled, hoisted, etc., this is the stat. Like all stats, it to may be modified to suit a particular character.
 * Drive (Agility) - This skill allows the character to operate any vehicle and ride horses. Check for this would only apply if the driving character is in extenuating circumstances.
 * Dodge (Agility) - Allows the character to evade damage if it wins out over a combat roll. This is addressed further in the article on Combat.
 * Observation (Intellect) - The skill necessary to find hard to see things and spot things in your peripheral.
 * Education (Intellect) - Basic general knowledge.
 * Lie (Spirit) - The ability of the character to bluff convincingly.
 * Persuade (Spirit) - The overall charisma and persuasiveness of a character.

Increasing Skills
When a character rolls within 10% on either side of a matched success, the skill may be increased by one point. When 10 Major Skill increases have taken place, the character gains a level.

Learning New Skills
To learn a new skill, a player must practice. This consists of selecting the relevant statistic and rolling for 15% at a -15% penalty. A natural zero allows the character to immediately gain 15% in the skill and continue leveling it as normal. A failure that is still below the relevant stat must be repeated four times, after which the stat will begin at 15% and level normally. If the relevant stat is the character's Master Stat, they will start at 15% after only 2 attempts. New skills may not be made into Major Skills.

Morale
Morale is a system by which a character may react to extenuating circumstances. Morale is divided into four categories, each corresponding to a statistic. The roll is made against the character's Master Stat.
 * Brutality (Muscle) - Pertains to violent or gory trauma. A character with Muscle as a Master Stat may roll a Brutality check at a +15% bonus.
 * Anxiety (Agility) - Concerns nervous tension and clumsiness, A character with Agility as the Master Stat may roll an Anxiety check at a +15% bonus.
 * Insanity (Intellect) - Concerns traumas dealing with the collapse of reason and rationality. A character with Intellect as a Master Stat may roll an Insanity check at a +15% bonus.
 * Morality (Spirit) - ​Pertains to spiritual or moral trauma. A character with Spirit as a Master Stat may roll a Morality check at a +15 bonus.

Ethnicity
The planet of Eridu hosts four major continents and two sentient species divided between seven nations. The player may choose from any of the following:

Humans

 * Adenian - Adenians are native to the continent of Adenheim and are descended from mountain on the continent. The people of Adenheim are masters of technology, and are thus especially adept at the use of firearms and mechanical weapons. Historically, the Adenians built a powerful nation based around industrialization, but they now operate as a dubious protectorate colony of the Mittelseean empire. Adenians are found in many capacities all across Eridu, with natives being especially coveted for their technological education. Adenians gain an extra 5% in a mechanical or firearms based skill of their choice.
 * Akkavian - The Akkavians were once the people of an empire of legendary wealth. Though the empire inexplicably vanished only a few years after first contact was made by Mittelseean explorers and Adenian slavers. The remaining Akkavians consist of a corrupt aristocracy focused on the northeastern shore of the continent, who actively engage in slave trade with Adenheim. Thoughts on slave ownership vary widely across the world, but a heritage of human trafficking means that one may find Akkavians as a minority in both Adenheim and Mittelsee, though they are more likely to be freemen if encountered in Mittelsee. Several formidable Akkavian insurgent groups exist in the jungles of Akkavia, but in spite of repeated attacks on Imperial outposts, little can be gleaned of these groups. Akkavian culture is steeped in religious tradition. Akkavians begin may advance their Spirit stat at a ratio of 2:1.
 * Mittelseean - Mittlesee is the imperial motherland, and her people are descended from pre-Adenian who crossed over the Nor Cluster in in ancient history. The Mittelseeans are heavily educated in Eldari magic, thanks to a long standing allegiance with the Green Elves. Mittelseeans are found the world over, though those overseas are typically affiliated with the military or various merchant organizations. In their native land, Mittelseean men and women operate in all sorts of occupations. Mittelseeans may grant themselves a free 15% in any Arcane magic skill (Intellect-based).
 * Nor - The Nor are a seafaring nation of merchants and craftsmen. They exist in a symbiosis with the Empire, left to their own devices in exchange for use of their massive magically powered city-ships for troop and civilian transport. The Nor were originally East Adenian tribes who setteld on the Nor Cluster during the pilgrimage to Mitelsee in ancient history. Nor may assign any firearm or mechanics-related skill to their master statistic, regardless of what it is.
 * Farawayan - The people of Faraway are rumored to be the last descendents of the New Gods, and are famous for their storytelling. They are valued as a source of truth and legend, for an alleged ancient curse renders them incapable of lying. Around the world, they operate as bards and clerics of the New Gods, but very little is know of their native land, as volcanic activity in the surrounding waters makes approaching the tiny island nearly impossible. Farawayans may not advance their Lie skill, but their Charm skill will start at 30% to compensate, and they may advance their Intellect Skill at a ratio of 2:1.

Elves

 * Green Elves - Green Elves are a tree-dwelling race of Elves, now extinct on their Native Eldar due to overthrow by their troglodytic cousins the Grey Elves immediately following the Passing. A small population still survives in Mittelsee, frequently in teaching and advising positions. The Green Elves have little patience for physical altercation, culturally tending toward intellectual pursuits over expansionism. The Green Elves are so named because of their photosynthetic blood, which gives a green tinge to their skin. To survive in the absence of a sun, Green Elves must take Lumenite, a supplement that provides them with necessary nutrients. Green Elves may begin with a +5 bonus to intellect, and may flip-flop any roll under the Intellect Stat. Their body stat, however, must begin at 30 and may advance no further than 50, a result of the lack of a sun.
 * Grey Elves - The Grey Elves are a provincial, tribe-based cave-dwelling society of Elves who have engaged the Mittelsee-backed Green Elves for control of Eldar for centuries. Dark Elves are found almost exclusively on Eldar, as the immigration process is incredibly selective and the waters are tightly patrolled. On Eldar, the Grey Elves farm Nightflorae and hunt. Grey Elves are considered an insurgent culture by the Empire. Grey Elves get a free 15% in a combat-related skill of their choice.

Templates
At the GM's discretion, there are certain special templates which can be applied to characters. Templates are a blessing and a curse, though they should never make a character unplayable. Each should present unique advantages and challenges for the players. Players and GMs are encouraged to develop their own templates as well.
 * Vampire - Since the coming of Vessel, vampirism has become increasingly common on Eridu. The disease is transmitted via the blood, and so any fluid exchange is sufficient to contract it, although obviously the most common is being bitten. Vampires have an insatiable thirst for blood, though they are not entirely immobile. Though they become impervious to senescence and can maintain infinite youth with regular feeding, they are still vulnerable to weapons and violently allergic to sunlight (though Vessel's rays do not affect them). Those stricken with vampirism gain an impressive 25 point bonus to their Agility and Muscle, but they lose their Spirit statistic. If a vampire feeds, he gains the Spirit score of his victim for 24 hours, after which he returns to his soulless form. Vampires also take increased damage from silver weapons and Divine magic, which each deal a whopping +20. Once per day, Vampires may summon either 1d6 bats or 1d4 wolves per level, to fight on his behalf.