Character Creation in DARK SOULS™: The Roleplaying Game

Character creation is the crucial first step in any roleplaying game.

Whose life will you inhabit in your next campaign? What will they look like? How will they respond to the myriad hardships Lothric will throw their way?

Take a seat by the bonfire while DARK SOULS™: The Roleplaying Game’s Co-designer and Lead Writer, Rich August, explains how character creation works in our upcoming tabletop RPG.

Exploring the world of DARK SOULS™ is never an easy task. Every step takes you deeper into danger, and closer to losing yourself entirely. But who are you?

Origin

DARK SOULS™: The Roleplaying Game first helps you choose, or create, a series of fragments from your past, as well as the motivation to keep you going as you are torn from restful death time and time again. These, along with your ideas about who your character is and was, form your character concept.
Rather than rolling for attributes in DARK SOULS™: The Roleplaying Game, you select one of four Origins: the Brute, the Fencer, the Jack of all Trades, and the Caster. These provide your base statistics, as well as some other surprises which we’ll save for another time!

Class

Once you’ve established your origin, you select one of ten iconic Dark Souls character classes.... 

The Knight

Likely the first class you tried when playing the game, and still (at least in my head) the quintessential DARK SOULS™ character option, the knight is a capable and resilient warrior. They have access to a wide range of powerful abilities–and they’ll need every one of them.

The Mercenary

Who doesn’t like dual-wielding? Yes, yes, there’s lots of claims on YouTube videos about how impractical it is and so on. But dual-wielding looks awesome, and the mercenary is all about making what looks awesome be brutally effective at the same time. 

The Assassin

Strike first, strike fast, and vanish into the shadows. That’s what the assassin does, and they’re very good at it. It’s also not a bad way of staying alive, especially if you’ve got a party of fellow adventurers around you to distract the terrifying creatures lunging out of the darkness!

The Warrior 

If the assassin is all about subtlety, the warrior is pretty much the opposite. Charging in, laying about you with a zweihander, or another large sword or axe… you’re an engine of destruction. But be careful you don’t leave yourself too open to a sudden and brutal counter attack!

The Thief 

You’re as sneaky as the assassin, maybe even more so. After all, you prefer to make your way past the dangers of Lothric cautiously, while enriching yourself as you do so. It’s a tactic to be respected–but you’re more than just a burglar; you can take care of yourself. Brutally, on occasion. 

The Herald 

A protector, a defender, and the ideal class for any player who likes to keep a party together. No matter the odds, the herald doesn’t back down. Capable of using magic–as well as the martial weapons of the knight, the mercenary, or the warrior–the herald is a great unifier. And a perfect companion, in even the darkest of circumstances.

The Cleric 

Using the power of miracles, the cleric is a powerful spellcaster, useful for ensuring your party can still keep on fighting and blasting the various blasphemies you encounter with baleful magic. Basically, don’t be deceived by the religious connotations of the name; faith doesn’t equal weakness!

The Sorcerer

Magic is dangerous. Especially to those who anger you. The sorcerer utilises the ferocious energy of magic to inflict massive damage on any who make the mistake of taking someone wearing elegant robes as an easy mark. 

The Pyromancer

Fire, fire, and a bit more fire. That’s the preserve of the pyromancer. With a click of the fingers, and a word, you can send fireballs raining down on the enemy. You might want to ensure none of your friends are too close to your target at the time, but, well, sometimes needs must…

The Deprived

For those who fancy taking on the most dangerous creatures in all of Lothric with almost no hope of survival, there’s always this option!

Each class comes with its own set of abilities, and its own unique challenges. Creating an effective character, and forming a resilient party is likely to take a little bit of practice. Especially as the monsters coming for you are so much more dangerous than gnolls, and orcs. If you’re (un)lucky, we might get a sneak peek of them soon.

Thanks Richard!

So, which class will you guys choose for your first campaign? Let us know on Twitter.

DARK SOULS™: The Roleplaying Game will be available for pre-order from February 8. Sign up to the mailing list to be first to hear when it launches.

And, as always, keep on praising that sun!