The Oracle - Character Creation

Here you will select how your character will appear; tall or short, fat or thin, bald or bushy and just about anything in between. Take you time here and explore your options. While one is tempted to mainly use the close-up of the face in making one's choices, it is highly important to pay close attention to the full body view.

The full body view is the one which you, and all the other players, will see most often. It is the view on display 99.99% of the time. A look that is quite appealing to you on the face screen may well prove disappointing on the full body view. Make your choices based on the full body view as much as possible.

Gender:

Simple choice: Male or Female. It is not particularly uncommon for a player to choose a character of the opposite gender but same gender is the norm. Nonetheless, choose the gender that best suits you. Your choice here does have impact on how other players interact with you.

Having played my wife's characters on several occasions I have found that female characters are generally treated more kindly by both sexes than are males. The downside is that, as a female, one has to put up with - or enjoy, as the case may be - less than platonic friendliness from many of the males in the game. Gender has no affect on the amount or distribution of your attribute points.

After making this selection it is wise to jump down to the Race button and make that choice next as it defines the choices available in several of the following options.

Complexion:
From dark to pale, with several shades in between. Complexion has no effect in the game and is purely a matter of personal preference, as are all the following selections with the exception of Race.

Head:
This determines the shape of your character's face, from round and rotund to long and thin. The options available here are determined by the gender and race (see below) you have selected for you character.

Hair:
This option allows you to choose a hair style. Pick one you can live with because there are no hairdressers in the Realm. Again, the options available here are dependant upon race and gender.

Hair Color:
Options vary through 3 shades for most of the 5 base colors (red, blonde, gray, black, brown).

Beard:
Only available for non-elf male characters, this option allows you to choose between a wide variety of mustaches and beards. If you select a full beard you may find it useful to return to the Head option and check for faces that add some character but whose previously undesirable features are now hidden.

Girth:
Broad or thin, with many choices in between.

Eyes:
Shape of the eyes. Watch your full body view carefully during this choice, it is one of the areas where a choice made while looking at the face view can easily result in something less than desirable on the more important full body view. Choices vary according to gender and race.

Eye Color:
Lots of color choices are available. Note that for some Eyes the color doesn't show very well.

Eyebrows:
Here you choose the shape of your character's eyebrows. It is more important than you might initially think as this little option can have the ability to change a face from fierce to gentle, from determined to dreamy. Watch that full body view!

Nose:
From pert to a perch, no plastic surgeon ever offered such a wide selection of noses. Choices vary according to gender and race.

Mouth:
Again, watch that full body view when making your choice here. Mouths may be largely hidden by some of the beards and mustaches.

Ears:
There are only a few choices here and the effect of most of the various ears is minimal on the full body view.

Height:
From short to tall, when combined with the Girth selection you have a large degree of control over your character's general dimensions.

Race:
This is a big one. This one matters. You choice of race affects the maximum and minimum values of your Attributes. In general, Giants make the best warriors and Elves the best wizards. However, if you envision your warrior making use of some of the potent protection spells you may wish to go with a Human due the greater intelligence of that race over Giants. To get a wizard with the absolute greatest spell casting power you must choose an Elf but be aware that these mages are highly vulnerable due to their low endurance scores.

The initial distribution of attribute points, based on profession and race, are given on the tables below. For further information on attributes see the Attribute Screen section immediately below.

Adventurer Human Elf Giant

Strength 10 7 14

Dexterity 10 14 6

Intelligence 10 13 6

Endurance 10 6 14

Warrior Human Elf Giant

Strength 12 9 16

Dexterity 11 15 7

Intelligence 6 9 2

Endurance 11 7 15

Wizard Human Elf Giant

Strength 6 3 10

Dexterity 11 15 7

Intelligence 14 17 10

Endurance 9 5 13

Thief Human Elf Giant

Strength 9 6 13

Dexterity 13 17 9

Intelligence 8 11 4

Endurance 10 6 14

Note that in all cases the total attribute points equal 40.

Attributes Screen

Attribute Points:

You are given eight (8) additional points to distribute as you see fit among the 4 attributes; Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence and Endurance. This allows you to customize your character and begin to develop him/her in the direction you wish to pursue. The initial values listed under each of the Attributes, prior to making your additions, are based on the profession and race of your character.

Once assigned, the attribute points comprise your character's Base Attribute scores. Attributes are used to determine many of the results of events in the game, such as how hard you strike an opponent with your weapon (Strength, Dexterity), the damage or duration of a spell cast (Intelligence), the success or failure of a pick pocket attempt (Dexterity), how many health points you have (Endurance) and the number of Build Points required to obtain a given level in any skill.

Your base attributes cannot be changed once you have saved your character during the creation process but they can be modified by magical means, either by spell or magical items, during game play. However, it is your Base Attributes that determine the all-important build point costs for acquiring skills, later modifications do not count in this determination. See the Skills Chart to determine what Attributes are checked for a given skill.

Bonuses and penalties are given for Attributes above or below the median score of 10.

Melee Damage Modifier:
+10% every point above 10
-5% every point below 10

Spell Damage Modifier:
+5% every point above 10
-5% every point below 10

To create a specialist character, such as an ultimate wizard or warrior, it is necessary to apply all 8 of the attribute points to the character's primary attribute. For example, to create a character capable of obtaining the status of a "189 sdm Enchanter", a highly sought after person who has the greatest chance of success in creating special enchanted equipment, you must not only be an elven wizard with all 8 attribute points added to Intelligence but you must also wear 3 intelligence enhancing magic items (rings and amulet).

Strength:

Strength is a measure of your character's physical power and determines how hard he is able to hit in combat, how much weight he can carry and the cost in build points to learn strength related skills. Strength can be enhanced by both spells and by magic items.
Strength is the primary attribute for warriors.

Dexterity:
Dexterity is a measure of your character's coordination and nimbleness. It determines your initiative in combat (who gets to move first), the number of times you can dodge an attack, your ability to pick pockets and the cost in build points to learn dexterity related skills. Dexterity can be enhanced by both spells and by magic items.
Dexterity is the primary attribute for thieves.

Intelligence:
Intelligence is a measure of your character's mental prowess. It determines the strength and duration of the spells you cast as well as the cost in build points to learn intelligence related skills. There are no spells which can enhance this attribute but there are magical items that can raise your intelligence score.
Intelligence is the primary attribute for wizards.

Endurance:
Endurance is a measure of your character's overall health. It determines the number of hit points you gain for each increase in level you earn. Endurance is crucial to surviving hand-to-hand combat. There are no spells which can enhance this attribute but there are magical items that can raise your endurance score.

Player Combat:
To some the greatest thrill of a massive multi-player online game such as The Realm is the hunting and defeat of other players. To others challenging the game itself and making friends provides the enjoyment. This option allows you to choose your initial status regarding Player vs. Player (PvP) combat. You may change your PvP status at any time during the game (unless you have recently initiated combat against another player or attempted to steal, in which case you must refrain from these actions for 30 days before you are allowed to resume a "peaceful" status).

Alignment:
What you choose here has no impact on how you actually conduct yourself within The Realm. Characters of Good alignment can behave as the epitome of evil and those of Evil alignment could well prove to be the best friend you ever had in the game. There are, however, some factors in the game which your alignment does affect.

Characters of Good alignment can receive aid in the form of healing and the curing of poison by Non-Player Characters (NPCs). Evil characters are immune to some of the more devastating spells that often result in a quick demise. Alignment also affects the spells with which wizards begin the game (see the Wizards - Initial Skills chart above ).

Your alignment will shift as a result of the types of monsters you defeat. The more evil monsters you rid the world of, the more your alignment shifts toward Good. Conversely the more good creatures you destroy, the more your alignment will move toward Evil.

For all characters other than wizards the benefits of receiving aid from NPCs at the start of your career far outweigh the risk of being killed by one of the spells that being Evil would save you from and it is therefore advised that you select Good as you starting alignment.

Good:
Characters of Good alignment can receive healing and have poisonings cured by certain NPCs that inhabit the wild areas of The Realm. An alignment of Good is a good choice for a beginning character.

Neutral:
Characters of Neutral alignment receive no benefits from NPCs. An alignment of Neutral is a good choice for a beginning character.

Evil:
Characters of Evil alignment are immune to certain death spells cast by some high level evil creatures, such as Daemons and Liches. They are also immune to the annoying curses the evil Dark Faeries cast upon non-evil players as they wander about the wilderness. An alignment of Evil is difficult to play as a beginning character since the good creatures of the world will not come to your aid.

Biography Screen

Here you can let your personality really shine through. You can write anything you wish about yourself or your character here, as long as it is not profane. You can alter your biography at any time. Many people leave this section blank, either intending to fill it in later or preferring to remain as anonymous as possible.

Others develop elaborate stories about their character to aid in the role-playing aspects of the game that many people enjoy. Still others give information such as the guild they have joined, or the person they are most fond of in the Realm, or the address of their web page. Some people are very creative in their use of this space and find that the time they have spent is well rewarded when a stranger becomes a friend through a conversation initiated by a "Nice bio" comment.

Save:
This is it. You've done it. Now you can save your character and actually enter The Realm for the first time. Remember, don't be too surprised if you receive a window saying that the name you have chosen is already taken, simply type in the alternative you have in mind and try again. You may have to go through a number of alternatives before finding one that is available. Try to not get discouraged, whatever name you end up with it is you and your personality that will give the name its flavor and its character. See you in The Realm!

- HyJinks

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Profession Screen

Appearance Screen

Attributes Screen

Biography Screen