Hello adventurers!
For this Dev Update we wanted to share some work in progress on our character creation process.
Defining your character is what puts the RP in cRPG, and is a crucial first step to any adventure. The imagination you bring to your character is what turns a bunch of stats and numbers into a living, dynamic person that can change the world.
When you launch into your journey with Witchstone, you will immediately be able to define who your character is, not just the class you want to play.
“What could this mysterious “Endurer” ancestry be?”
Once you’ve determined your ancestry and appearance, you’ll get the opportunity to share your origin story with a key NPC. Of course, if you’re playing the classic cloak-and-dagger, brooding-in-the-dark-corner-type, you’ll be able to decline sharing such personal details, and go straight to the finer details of character creation.
Creating Your Origin Story
In Witchstone, your words are just as powerful as your weapons and spells. You’ll be able to feel that power right at the jump as you define your background.
“Build your background through dialogue”
Through dialogue, you’ll have to answer the following questions about your character:
- What happened to your family?
- What kind of environment did you grow up in? Were you raised by politicians? Did you fight for survival in the wilds? Or did you enlist at a young age, knowing only the battlefield?
- What skills did you use to get by?
- Why are you traveling to Kalsundia?
Once you’ve finished, your character will be granted an archetype, specialty, as well as skills, attributes, and abilities that best match your origin story. Of course, you can always go back and change things to your liking! However, every origin combination features a balanced build that is well suited to tackle the challenges of Kalsundia.
“There are a large variety of archetypes and specialties to choose from”
The Right Tools for the Job
With so many ways to accomplish your goals in Witchstone, it can be hard to wrap your head around all the options at the start.
With the origin system, you get the opportunity to describe in an action-oriented way how you want to play your character. Will you turn to violence only to a last resort, relying on mediating conflict between the warring factions? Will you lie and manipulate others to do your bidding? Or will you rely on your power to subjugate the island to your will?
Of course, regardless of where your character has been up until their fateful journey to Kalsundia, nothing is set in stone. The charlatan can always commit to honesty, and the scholar can always eschew the pen in favor of the sword.
That’s all we have to share for now, but we want to know, what kind of character do you usually like to play? Do you think you’ll go for your tried and true archetype, or will you see where the origin system takes you?