- The world of 13th Age is organized around the 13 Icons: NPCs of imaginable but significant power whose relationships and actions affect the world. Each PC relates to up to 3 Icons in some way, giving ample narrative cues as well as inter-PC flavor. More on that later.
- Quite similar to how Monte Cook's Cypher System, each 13th Age PC has Something Special™ (or what 13th Age calls one unique thing) about them. Unlike Cypher, which offers a list of varyingly interesting things, each with pre-baked mechanics, 13th Age lets players be totally freeform with their unique quality. Lots of great examples and GMing notes in that part of the character creation section. It may be kind of subtle, but I think these guys have the right of it in that even when playing more traditional games, players still often have ambitions for their characters that go beyond playing the game itself.
Choose Race
Pretty standard selection of races here – mostly the 3rd Edition list, but including a whopping 3 elven races: high, wood, and dark. Yep, you can be a drow right out of the box! There's also a paragraph about reskinning a default race to accommodate an otherwise unique concept.
It's pretty neat that races don't affect classes at all; no favored or disallowed classes. I believe 5th Edition does that as well.
Yeah, let's do a drow – if there's any setting-specific guidance about them, I'd like to investigate it.
Choose Class
Moving right along! I've always liked the spontaneity of sorcerers, particularly in Pathfinder, so let's go with that.
Generate Ability Scores
At last, fate finally gets a chance to intervene! My affection for lifepath systems (or at least character creation systems that mix fate with choice) is near-limitless, so I'm looking forward to this bit. 13th Age offers stock-standard 4d6 drop lowest, although point buy is also allowed.
As always, randomness is provided by Random.org's integer generator.
4, 2, 2, 1 = 8 Strength
4, 3, 1, 1 = 8 Constitution
6, 4, 3, 1 = 13 Dexterity
5, 4, 4, 2 = 13 Intelligence
6, 6, 5, 2 =17 Wisdom
5, 5, 4, 3 =14 Charisma
The book encourages shuffling stats to make a character more optimal, so I'm going to shift things around a bit.
8 Strength
13 Constitution
8 Dexterity
13 Intelligence
14 Wisdom
17 Charisma (the key stat for sorcerers)
And now I have class and racial bonuses to apply. 13th Age is pretty generous with these bonuses, offering 4 points to choices of 2 for each race and class (except human, of course, which lets you take the +2 wherever you like), provided you don't double-dip. This is part and parcel of the game's approach to power – Level 1 characters in 13th Age are definitely more powerful, and (as we'll learn later) more important, than freshly rolled heroes in most other D&D-style games.
Now then! As a drow, I can take +2 to Dexterity or Charisma, and being a sorcerer lets me take +2 to Charisma or Constitution. I'll shore up Dexterity and Charisma, then.
Now then! As a drow, I can take +2 to Dexterity or Charisma, and being a sorcerer lets me take +2 to Charisma or Constitution. I'll shore up Dexterity and Charisma, then.
Final main stat block:
8 Strength (-1 modifier)
13 Constitution (+1 modifier)
10 Dexterity (0 modifier)
13 Intelligence (+1 modifier)
14 Wisdom (+2 modifier)
19 Charisma (+4 modifier)
Not bad at all. It's a bit abstract, each step of the process so far being necessary but not meaningfully sequential. Still, even if the generation process has been generous (if uninspiring), there's a character starting to take shape there.
A bit of reading has revealed that all 3 "shards" of the elves nominally follow the Elf Queen, one of the 13 Icons, and can be found in different areas of the vast Elven Woods – the High Elves in towers, the Wood in the trees, and the Dark in caverns and temples beneath. Long ago, they lived in some kind of harmony, but that peace has been shattered for some time. Unsurprisingly, drow are characterized by cruelty, if not outright evil. Many live deep underground in the ancestral dwarven homeland, claimed long ago after a bloody war with the dwarves.
This stat block seems to describe a survivor, one who has faced the Darwinian pressures of drow society and emerged with power to spare, though at what cost? I definitely like the idea that 13th Age drow aren't native to the Underdark-equivalent (called Underhome here), so let's make him (sure, why not a him) an expatriate of the erstwhile dwarven empire – perhaps even one whose resentment at his upbringing has evolved into a belief that the Dwarf King might be better off taking his people's territory back.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. It's time for derived stats!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. It's time for derived stats!
1st Level Hit Points
Base HP Value from Class (6) plus Con modifier (+1) = 7 base HP value * 3 = 21 HP
Armor Class
Base AC from Class (10) + middle of Con, Dex, and Wis modifiers (+1, +0, and +2, so +1) = Base AC 11
11 + 1 (per level, and every level after that) = AC 12
11 + 1 (per level, and every level after that) = AC 12
Physical Defense
Base PD from Class (11) + middle of Str, Con, and Dex modifiers (-1, +1, 0, so 0) = Base PD 11
11 +1 (per level, and every level after that) = PD 11
Mental Defense
These formulas are interesting, and definitely promote well-rounded characters. Looking at them from a simulationist perspective, it suggests that there is more than one way to resist physical and mental stress, which is neat!
Base MD from Class (10) + middle of Int, Wis, and Cha modifiers (+1, +2, and +4, so +2) = Base MD 12
12 +1 (per level, and every level after that = MD 12
Initiative Modifier
Dex mod (+0) +1 (per level, and every level after that = +1 initiative bonus
Recoveries and Recovery Dice
These haven't been covered in the character creation chapter yet, but I'm sure they're interesting.
8 recoveries per day to heal for level x d6 + Con modifier (+1) HP
Your One Unique Thing
Alright! Now, as I've mentioned, 13th Age offers a lot of advice about these, and it's presented in a cool way – the lead designers, Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet, will occasionally comment on the text and offer examples, alternative rules, and the like. Reading input from two personalities that generally look for different things in a game is a really nice way of stretching the brain. One Unique Things can do a lot, and I'll reproduce the headings here because I think they can apply to any number of games:
- No combat bonuses, no combat powers
- Story effects are great
- Hints of power
- Campaign pivots
- Characters' uniques can grow
- Suggested backgrounds and icon relationships
- Art, not science
I think the Hints of power and Characters' uniques can grow speak particularly well to some characters I've played in the past. I think for our drow, his arcane awakening wasn't just a matter of the inventive brutality of his forebears, nor his indomitable spirit:
The heart that burns in his chest and fuels his sorcery isn't elven, and it's getting harder and harder to hide.
What does that mean? How did he end up with it – was he born with it, was it implanted, or was it absorbed somehow? Perhaps most importantly, is it something one or more Icons might be interested in? No idea! But I have to assume he'd be curious about it, which brings us to...
Icon Relationships
Every character starts with 3 relationship points. The more points invested in a relationship, the more dice can be rolled when trying to lean on those connections. They can be Positive, Conflicted, or Negative. We've already discussed the Elf Queen and the Dwarf King, both of whom are classified by default as so-called Ambiguous Icons, so let's put some points there.
Elf Queen: 1 die in Positive Relationship – Our hero believes in the unity of the elven people, and that they have wandered too far from their ancient home. He has made the pilgrimage to the Queen's Wood on more than one occasion, and for an untested drow sorcerer, he's decently well-regarded at court. (Most drow aren't, and the book suggests that the fragile peace among the elves would shatter if the drow gained influence at court and were allowed free reign to pursue ancient grudges, of which there are presumably many. Seems like an entertaining line of fire to be in.)
Dwarf King: 1 die in Conflicted Relationship – Although the drow mastery of Underhome is undeniable, and the age-old truce between the dwarves and drow has held for centuries, I have to imagine that dwarven mercenaries are occasionally tasked with retrieving artifacts from the old kingdom – and that can bring them into conflict, albeit unofficial, with the drow. Our hero has skirmished with the Dwarf King's irregulars in the past, and his own conduct has been honorable... for a drow, at least; he has given scars and received them in return. Where others might capture and torture dwarves that venture too close to drow territory, our hero believes that a fair fight might be in order. The Dwarf King (and your average dwarf from Forge in the know) doesn't consider him trustworthy, exactly, but there is grudging respect there. Does our hero suspect increasing desperation from the dwarves? What exactly are they looking for?
The Three: 1 die in Negative Relationship – Sorcerers in 13th Age have a special affinity for breath weapons, which were naturally sourced/stolen long ago from the dragons of the world. The White, Black, and Green Dragon's breath weapons are available as sorcerer spells, and the Blue is a 7th-level wizard spell – but in recorded history, the Red has never shared his power. Yet our hero has had dreams of red dragonflame, and it's reasonable to imagine that the burning heart that shines in moments of stress or power might be connected... so he has made some inroads into the Three's organization, asking after the nature of the Red Dragon's magic. Now he's a person of interest, and he's no closer to understanding the nature of his heart than he was before.
Backgrounds & Skill Checks
Another narrative bone that 13th Age throws players is the background system. I'll confess that I've never enjoyed putting points into skills in 3rd Edition and Pathfinder – it kind of feels like wagering against the kinds of challenges the GM likes to create, and I never feel like I have enough points.
13th Age throws that whole blasted chart out the door, giving players 8 points to distribute as they like into roles they have and can play. Examples from the book include Acrobat, alchemist, animal trainer, architect, aristocratic noble, assassin, Cathedral servitor, and chef. (I read a forum post that suggests Batman... and if that works for your game, more power to you.)
Backgrounds are specifically not linked to a specific stat, so it's just as valid to use aristocratic noble with a Dexterity roll to impress an NPC with a complex, fashionable courtly dance as it might be to use it with Constitution to stomach a bowl of extraordinarily expensive but poorly-cooked bulette-fin soup.
So we've already established that our still-unnamed hero is a product of some sort of cruel arcane pressure-cooker, that he has used his skills in border skirmishes with dwarven mercenary artifact hunters, and that he's a known quantity at the Elf Queen's court.
drow arcaneum survivor +4 – There's a lot in here. Our hero's understanding of sorcery is probably rooted in pain, self-defense, and hatred. He's probably seen other "students" suffer similarly, and has at least some familiarity with drow arcane technology, unholy invocations, and Underhome fauna. If I were running this game and a player chose a background like this, I'd definitely want to go into greater detail about the character's experiences.
journeyman cavernstalker +2 – As discussed above. Some insight into tactics, stealth, the areas around Underhome, and dwarven culture.
diplomatic vanguard +2 – Although he has never been all that privy to the affairs of state, he's familiar enough with the workings of and personalities surrounding the Elf Queen's court to not embarrass himself when heads of state or other officials are about.
Another neat thing I should note here is that the core book strongly recommends that skill checks "fail forward" – that you generally get what you want when you fail a check, but things simply get flavorfully complicated. Powered by the Apocalypse games like Dungeon World and Urban Shadows are largely founded on that concept, so it's nice to see it in a more traditional system.
13th Age throws that whole blasted chart out the door, giving players 8 points to distribute as they like into roles they have and can play. Examples from the book include Acrobat, alchemist, animal trainer, architect, aristocratic noble, assassin, Cathedral servitor, and chef. (I read a forum post that suggests Batman... and if that works for your game, more power to you.)
Backgrounds are specifically not linked to a specific stat, so it's just as valid to use aristocratic noble with a Dexterity roll to impress an NPC with a complex, fashionable courtly dance as it might be to use it with Constitution to stomach a bowl of extraordinarily expensive but poorly-cooked bulette-fin soup.
So we've already established that our still-unnamed hero is a product of some sort of cruel arcane pressure-cooker, that he has used his skills in border skirmishes with dwarven mercenary artifact hunters, and that he's a known quantity at the Elf Queen's court.
drow arcaneum survivor +4 – There's a lot in here. Our hero's understanding of sorcery is probably rooted in pain, self-defense, and hatred. He's probably seen other "students" suffer similarly, and has at least some familiarity with drow arcane technology, unholy invocations, and Underhome fauna. If I were running this game and a player chose a background like this, I'd definitely want to go into greater detail about the character's experiences.
journeyman cavernstalker +2 – As discussed above. Some insight into tactics, stealth, the areas around Underhome, and dwarven culture.
diplomatic vanguard +2 – Although he has never been all that privy to the affairs of state, he's familiar enough with the workings of and personalities surrounding the Elf Queen's court to not embarrass himself when heads of state or other officials are about.
Another neat thing I should note here is that the core book strongly recommends that skill checks "fail forward" – that you generally get what you want when you fail a check, but things simply get flavorfully complicated. Powered by the Apocalypse games like Dungeon World and Urban Shadows are largely founded on that concept, so it's nice to see it in a more traditional system.
Feats
Just one, and it's easy, as it improves the flavorful core ability Gather Power, and the further tiers of the feat are also pretty cool. Basically, Gather Power lets you spend a standard action to deal double damage with a spell next turn. It's loud and bright, making the sorcerer a target, and it also brings a Chaotic Benefit into play – at Adventurer tier (levels 1-4), it does the following:
1–2: You gain a +1 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
3–4: Deal damage equal to your level to all nearby staggered enemies.
5–6: Deal damage equal to your level to one nearby enemy.
The feat lets our hero choose this benefit once per battle, rather than roll for it:
Gather Power
Adventurer tier feat: Once per battle, you choose a chaotic benefit.
Easy-peasy.
Gear (and gold)
13th Age doesn't seem very interested in nickel-and-diming characters at this point – in fact, the character sheets assume you wear appropriate armor for your class. It's really costume design as much as anything. I can only assume our hero wears what amounts to a uniform for an arcaneum graduate that's permitted to travel abroad, and thus to represent his clan – but perhaps during his investigations into the Red Dragon's magic, he's begun to dress a little less ostentatiously. He carries a dagger, though his battles tend to escalate into arcane theatrics fairly quickly. Such is the sorcerer's life.
Gold for healthy sorcerers is 1d6 * 10 gp, so... 40g.
Let's button this all up and finally name him!
Reading through the character sheet, I see the character creation chapter hasn't prompted me to choose 3 class talents. Neato!
Actually, the sorcerer class talents are kind of limiting. I'll give him Chromatic Destroyer Heritage to further suggest a link with the Three (notably the Red), but the Blood Link talent is useless for adding that flavor since you can't boost a negative relationship with a villainous Icon higher than 1. I guess I'll take the easy way out and use Fey Heritage (Elf Queen) talent, which lets you roll for a random elven racial power once per day in addition to the one you already have, and a Blood Link with the Queen. That will boost his relationship with the Elf Queen to 2 Positive.
And there are only 6 Level 1 sorcerer spells, so choosing this should be easy.
Stuff I Forgot Because the Character Creation Chapter Wasn't Very Vocal About It
Reading through the character sheet, I see the character creation chapter hasn't prompted me to choose 3 class talents. Neato!
Class Talents
Actually, the sorcerer class talents are kind of limiting. I'll give him Chromatic Destroyer Heritage to further suggest a link with the Three (notably the Red), but the Blood Link talent is useless for adding that flavor since you can't boost a negative relationship with a villainous Icon higher than 1. I guess I'll take the easy way out and use Fey Heritage (Elf Queen) talent, which lets you roll for a random elven racial power once per day in addition to the one you already have, and a Blood Link with the Queen. That will boost his relationship with the Elf Queen to 2 Positive.
Spells
I also get to choose 4 Level 1 sorcerer spells. Since I didn't take the Arcane Heritage (Archmage) talent, as I don't have much interest in the Archmage yet, I won't be able to take wizard spells until I have a Level 3 sorcerer spell slot to sacrifice for a Level 1 wizard spell. This doesn't bother me – he's not a utility caster yet!And there are only 6 Level 1 sorcerer spells, so choosing this should be easy.
Conclusion
So that's it – itinerant sorcerer and burgeoning malcontent Zala vo Toran. I'm really curious about 13th Age, which seems to feature some pretty novel battle mechanics on top of good narrative nudges and sanded-down edges from the d20 template. Not my favorite character generation system in terms of the process itself, but I can say that I appreciate the results. More to come in the future!
(Download this sheet here if you're into that kind of thing)
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