KING

Character Creation

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Race, stat array, path, thrones, talent points, pools, gear. Eight steps, and the numbers you end with are small enough to hold in your head.

Core Philosophy

Level Range: Characters advance from level 1 to level 10. Level 10 is the maximum.

KING is a classless RPG system based on Shadowdark RPG, where character identity comes from three modular pillars:

  • PATH = Your background and the titles you earn (a background gives gear and a token; every title gives a benefit and a Legacy)
  • THRONE = Your chief virtue (provides stat bonuses and interpretive abilities)
  • TALENTS = Your training (grants combat/non-combat capabilities)

The Six Stats

Characters have six core stats that represent fundamental essences:

  • Body

    Physical prowess, strength, endurance, athleticism

  • Mind

    Intellect, knowledge, perception, arcane magic

  • Sense

    Divine connection, faith, natural attunement, divine/druidic magic

  • Heart

    Willpower, conviction, social presence, leadership

  • Cunning

    Instinct, street smarts, quick thinking, improvisation

  • Fate

    Destiny, fortune, cosmic connection (also a spendable pool)

Stats range from 1-22 with modifiers from -5 to +6

Creating a Character (Step-by-Step)

Follow these steps to create a new character:

Step 1: Choose Your Race

Pick Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, or Gnome.

  • Roll 2d6 on your race's ability chart for your first racial ability

Step 2: Choose Your Stat Array

Pick one of the 4 stat arrays below and assign stats to Body, Mind, Sense, Heart, Cunning, Fate:

  • Array 1 - Specialist: 14, 14, 12, 10, 8, 8
  • Array 2 - Warrior: 14, 12, 12, 12, 8, 8
  • Array 3 - Balanced: 12, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10
  • Array 4 - Dual-Focus: 14, 14, 10, 10, 10, 8

Step 3: Choose Your Background

Pick a role (King, Ranger, Mage, Inquisitor or Chancellor), then one of its four full paths. That path's Tier 0 title is your background (see Paths and Titles).

  • Gain your background's Gear and one Token
  • Gain your background's Legacy (usable once, ready again after downtime)
  • Write one concrete Obligation: a debt, an oath, or a person your character owes. It carries no mechanics; it is a hook for the GM.

Step 4: Choose Your Thrones

Pick 1 or 2 Thrones from the Conviction & Hope system (your choice).

  • You can have a maximum of 1 Conviction Throne and 1 Hope Throne
  • Each Throne ability you take grants +2 to its associated stat
  • Each Throne gives one weakness ("Desired By" an evil Throne)
  • Each Throne is "Virtuous Against" one evil Throne (you have advantage on saves against that evil Throne's effects)
  • A Base Throne ability costs 1 Fate point to use. An Improved one costs 3

Step 5: Spend Talent Points

At level 1, you have:

  • 1 martial point → Spend on rank 1 of one martial tree
  • 2 skill points → Spend on skill trees OR contribute to spellcasting

THE TWO POINT TYPES:

Characters earn two types of points: Martial Points and Skill Points.

  • Martial Trees and Mystic Trees are mutually exclusive: you cannot take both
  • Skill Trees are available to everyone

MARTIAL CHARACTERS:

  • Spend martial points on Martial Trees (1 point per rank)
  • Spend all 2 skill points per level on Skill Trees

MYSTIC CHARACTERS:

  • Each Mystic ability costs 1 martial point + 1 skill point
  • This leaves only 1 skill point per level for Skill Trees
  • Mystics sacrifice skill versatility for magical power

Step 6: Vigor & Vitality

Your Vigor shield equals your Tier plus your Heart modifier (minimum 0). At the start of each of your turns in combat you regain Vigor equal to your Heart modifier: nothing at Heart 10 or 11, and you lose 1 if the modifier is negative. Your Vitality pool equals 3 + Tier (4 at level 1). Hits strip Vigor first, and whatever is left past the shield costs Vitality point for point. A Major's hit rolls its Tier die (d4 at Tier 1 up to d12 at Tier 5) and a critical hit rolls two; a Minor's hit is flat points equal to its Tier. A hit that takes you to 0 Vitality or past it costs you a WOUND: you roll a lasting injury (d20, plus how far past 0 the hit drove you; 31 or more kills you) and catch a SECOND WIND, coming back up with both your Vitality and your Vigor restored to full. You can carry wounds equal to your Tier + 1; with no wound left to spend, you die. Vitality returns in full on a Rest. Wounds do not: a light wound closes over a Rest under a healer, by Seal Wounds, or in a month of downtime; a middle wound takes a month of downtime; the worst close only by a litany (Part 6, Lasting Injuries).

Step 7: Fate Points

You start every session with 3 Fate points: your session Fate. What is left of it when the session ends is gone. Each 1 you roll on a check hands one back. Fate buys four things:

  • Dice on a check: 1 Fate adds 1 die to your pool. Spend it before you roll, as many as you like.
  • Throne abilities: 1 Fate for a Base ability, 3 for an Improved one.
  • Stamina: In a Recovery, 1 Fate buys 1 Stamina.
  • A reroll: 1 Fate rerolls any d20 you roll, and the new roll stands.

Fate you gain in play is earned Fate, and at a Rest the earned Fate you have not spent becomes Destiny, which you spend in downtime to gain a level (Part 8). Fate you have not spent when you die or retire becomes Testament Points and reshapes the world (see Part 6).

Step 8: Equipment

You start with only your background's Gear. No extra starting gold.

Step 9: Final Details

  • Name your character
  • Describe appearance and personality

How to Use This Book

This handbook is organized by your player journey:

  • Part 2: Character Creation - Races, Paths, Thrones
  • Part 3: Martial Trees - 21 martial trees (spellcasters + martial)
  • Part 4: Mystic Trees - Spellcasting systems (Prophet, Wizard, Invoker)
  • Part 5: Skill Trees - 24 skill trees
  • Part 6: Core Rules - Game mechanics reference, and travel
  • Part 7: Equipment - Weapons, armor, gear
  • Part 8: Advancement - Leveling, examples, quick reference

Where to go next