Character Creation

Character creation within DS D&D is a little bit different than your standard 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Because of the mechanics adjustments, some things are significantly more simplified, while others are more in-depth.

Below you will find a step-by-step guide to creating a character that will work within your DS D&D universe. As always, your DM may find adjustments to their liking, and the DM's decisions always supercede any other rule -- whether it's from DS D&D, or from the standard D&D 5E Player's Handbook (PHB).

Step 1:
- Choose a character name and ethnicity.

In DS D&D, Ethnicity replaces both Race and Background from your PHB. While your character name, likeness and background are largely aesthetic and non-functional in standard 5th Edition, Ethnicity is very important in DS D&D because it directly affects your ability scores.

Step 2:
- Choose a character Class.

You'll notice the Classes outlined in DS D&D are different than your standard PHB classes. These are classes pulled from Dark Souls, Dark Souls II or Dark Souls III. The ability scores and statistics outlined on the Classes page are your starting ability scores at level 1. These classes are designed to present you with a variety of archetype choices with which to build your character. As you progress, you will continue to add ability score improvements to your character. In standard D&D, there were a number of limitations that do not exist in DS D&D -- part of the appeal of the Dark Souls games is the ability to continue to grow your character and mechanically this was not allowed in standard D&D. You will find more customization options with DS D&D, and you will have the ability to change archetypes far more easily as part of this ruleset.

Step 3:
- Choose your initial weapon and item loadouts.

In most Dark Souls games, the player is given a standard set of starting equipment. This is the case in DS D&D as well, unless you DM deems otherwise. All character classes in DS D&D start with the following (detailed lists are found on the Class page):
 * One or more primary weapons.
 * Either a shield or a secondary weapon.
 * A basic armor set (excluding Deprived class).
 * One healing item: Lifegem (+5 HP), Amber Herb (replenishes spell casts) or Moss Clump (removes Poison).
 * Some additional items, depending on class.