Editing Storytelling System (section)

== Character creation ==

''Storytelling System'' characters are built with [[character point]]s that represent a Dot on their character sheets. Each Dot represents a ten-sided die ([[Ten-sided die|d10]]). The more Dots in an Attribute or Skill, the better the character is at those abilities. A set of dice representing the Dots in an Attribute or Skill forms a Dice Pool that the character uses to see if they succeed or fail at specific tasks.

Characters have nine [[Attribute (role-playing games)|Attribute]]s in three groups: Mental, Physical, and Social. In the ''Storytelling System'', Attributes are also divided into three use-based categories: Power (the ability to alter one's environment), Finesse (the ability to use power efficiently), and Resilience (the ability to cope with power being exercised upon one's self).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 600px; height: 150px;"
|+ Storytelling System Attributes
|-
! scope="col" | 
! scope="col" | Mental
! scope="col" | Physical
! scope="col" | Social
|-
! scope="row" | Power
| Intelligence || Strength || Presence
|-
! scope="row" | Finesse
| Wits || Dexterity || Manipulation
|-
! scope="row" | Resilience
| Resolve || Stamina || Composure
|}

All Attributes are rated on a scale from one to five dots.  Two dots represents an average capacity in that attribute, while five displays the peak of human ability. Attributes generally cannot have a rank of zero within the Storytelling System.

Characters have a wide array of Skills to choose from that represent specialized areas of knowledge. Like Attributes, each Ability / Skill has up to five dots to represent a character's abilities. Unlike attributes, however, abilities can have no dots filled in to represent a complete lack of training and experience.

Advantages in the game are such things as the character's Defense score, Health, Initiative, Morality, Size, Speed, and Willpower. Most of these either exist as pre-assigned values as part of [[character creation]], or are derived from one or more of the character's Attributes or Skills.

In the ''Storytelling System'', each character has one Virtue and one Vice. A Virtue is some defining quality of a character's personality and an ideal which they struggle to aspire.  A Vice is a basic weakness in the character's personality, and a flaw or guilty pleasure they may indulge even while knowing that there may be consequences to suffer. Characters can regain willpower by fulfilling their Virtue or Vice.

In the ''Storytelling System'', playable supernatural characters are created by applying a template to the character during character creation, before Merits or Experience. For instance, with a Vampire character, a template describing certain vampiric attributes (Disciplines, Blood points, etc.) is added.  To keep the game balanced, only one supernatural template can be applied per character.

Merits are special beneficial abilities and strengths a character may possess. They are similar in a way to Feats in [[d20 System]] games, allowing characters to do something the main rules usually don't allow. They are organized in the Mental, Physical, and Social categories like Attributes and Skills. In the ''Storytelling System'', starting characters get 7 Dots to purchase Merits. Some Merits apply to certain Attributes and provide a bonus when using them. Some also require a certain number of Dots in some other Attribute in order to purchase them. Each Trait has a certain number of Dots associated which indicate its Dot cost. A Trait with 4 Dots, for example, "Common Sense", costs 4 Dots to purchase. Others have a range of Dots; "Language" for instance, is one Dot, and a character can buy a certain level of it as they choose.