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In Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones, players can either create a custom character or select from several pre-made characters to serve as their avatar in the game.
Character Values[ | ]
There are a number of numeric values that define various capabilities of the player character.
Attributes[ | ]
Player characters have six attributes, which define the character's most general capabilities:
- Physique determines your character's general physical prowess and is frequently used with Melee and Survival skills.
- Agility determines the extent of your character's overall dexterousness and is frequently used with Athletics, Firearms, Melee, Subterfuge, and Stealth skills.
- Senses determines your character's overall perceptiveness of the outside world and is frequently used with Firearms, Investigation, and Survival skills.
- Mind determines your character's intellectual accumulation as well as cognitive faculties and is frequently used with Medicine, Occult, Psychology, and Science skills.
- Will is the attribute of exercising self-control as well as utilizing spiritual power and is frequently used with Occult and Survival skills.
- Presence determines your character's attractiveness, charisma as well as personal charm and is frequently used with Speechcraft skill.
Skills[ | ]
There are eleven skills available to player characters, defining more specific capabilities:
- Athletics is the skill that enables characters to move gracefully, dodge attacks and perform athletic manoeuvres. Affects Throwing and Physical Defense.
- Firearms is the skill of operating all kinds of firearms from pistols to machine guns and everything in between. Affects Ranged Attack.
- Investigation is the skill of observance, deduction, clue hunting, locating hidden objects and finding subtle connections. Affects Sense Threat and Spot / Detect.
- Medicine is the skill of preparing remedies, performing medical operations and the general study of plants and pharmaceuticals. Affects Medical Research.
- As this skill increases more blueprints will become available through Medical Research, see Medical Research Blueprint Chart.
- Melee is the skill of hand-to-hand fighting and handling melee weapons. Affects Melee Attack.
- Occult is the skill of comprehending the unknown and grasping the knowledge of the mythos. Affects Spellcraft and Occult Research.
- Psychology is the skill of sensing the motives of others, conducting mental therapies and studying neurotic phenomena. Affects Mental Resistance.
- Science is the skill of understanding the material world, making inventions and grasping the principles of scientific facts, in this world and the next. Affects Scientific Research.
- As this skill increases more blueprints will become available through Scientific Research, see Scientific Research Blueprint Chart.
- Speechcraft is the skill of influencing others with words, navigating wisely through a heated debate and mastering the art of the demagogue.
- Stealth is the skill of dispersing into the shadows, fading from the eyes and ears of would be detectors. Affects Stealth Value.
- Subterfuge is the skill of dirty tricks, lock-picking, and muggery.
- Survival is the skill of self-reliance, endurance, and the knowledge of making ends meet with minimal resources. Affects Damage Resistance.
- As this skill increases more blueprints will become available, see Survival Blueprint Chart.
A character's archetype defines the three skills he or she can raise to the full maximum value, with the effective maximum for the remaining skills being lower.
Secondary Stats[ | ]
Secondary stats are character values derived largely from attributes and skills, and include the following:
- Health is the pool from which every physical damage received by the characters are subtracted from. Exhaustion of current Health Pool points below the critical levels result in various morale conditions and combat penalties. Affected by Physique and to a lesser degree Will attributes.
- Sanity is the pool from which every mental damage received by the characters are subtracted from. Exhaustion of current Sanity Pool points below the critical levels result in various mental conditions and neurotic diseases. Affected by Mind and Will attributes.
- Action Points determines the limit by which the cost of each combat action is subtracted from. Every character can commit to a number of combat actions limited by the amount of total action points. Affected by Agility, and to a lesser degree Senses attributes.
- Reaction is the determinant of a character's swiftness for taking action in a combat turn. Affected by Senses attribute, and to a lesser degree Agility and Mind attributes.
- Stealth Value is a character's ability of hiding, sneaking, and avoiding detection. Affected by Stealth skill, and to a lesser degree Agility and Senses attributes.
- Melee Attack: Determines a character's level of competence for utilizing melee weaponry. Affected by Melee skill, and to a lesser degree Physique and Agility attributes.
- Melee Dmg Bonus: Determines the number of points by which inflicted Melee Damage is added to for each time a successful melee attack is made by the character. Affected by Physique attribute.
- Ranged Attack: Determines a character's competence for operating projectile and ranged arsenal. Affected by Firearms skill, and to a lesser degree Agility and Senses attributes.
- Throwing: Determines a character's level of competence for throwing objects over a distance within Throwing Range. Affected by Agility attribute and Athletics skill.
- Throwing Range: Determines the distance by which thrown objects can be hurled at by the characters. It is equal to your Physique attribute value.
- Spellcraft: Determines the level of spells which the characters can attempt at casting and the potency of a character's magickal output. Affected by Will attribute and Occult skill.
- Critical Success: Determines the chance of a critical combat success after a successful action.
- Critical Failure: Determines the chance of a critical combat failure after an unsuccessful action.
- Physical Defense: Determines a character's level of competence for withstanding attacks and effects of physical nature. Affected by Athletics skill and to a lesser degree Agility and Senses attributes.
- Supernatural Def: Determines the level of competence for withstanding attacks and effects of supernatural nature. Affected by Occult skill, and to a lesser degree Will and Senses attributes.
- Damage Resistance: Determines the number of points by which the amount of sustained Health Damage will be subtracted by each time the characters receives such damage. Affected by Physique attribute and to a lesser degree Survival skill.
- Mental Resistance: Determines the number of points by which the amount of sustained Mental Damage will be subtracted by each time the characters receives such damage. Affected by Mind attribute and to a lesser degree Psychology skill.
- Occult Research: Determines the limit of points that could be spent per rest for research activities that utilize the knowledge of Occult skill. Affected by Mind attribute.
- Scientific Research: Determines the limit of points that could be spent per rest for research activities that utilize the knowledge of Science skill. Affected by Mind attribute.
- Medical Research: Determines the limit of points that could be spent per rest for research activities that utilize the knowledge of Medicine skill. Affected by Mind attribute.
Perks & Abilities[ | ]
As the player character levels, perks and abilities will be made available. A full list of perks and abilities can be found here: Perks & Abilities
- Defects, which function as negative perks, will also be accrued by the player character as they gain ANGST levels.
Pre-Made Characters[ | ]
Pre-made character selection screen
Players have the following pre-made characters to choose from if they do not wish to create a custom character:
| Name | Archetype | Background | Age | Gender | Belief system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Powell | Soldier | Private | Young | Male | Divine |
| Harold Fairbanks | Performer | Actor | Old | Male | Materialistic |
| Sedrick Karelias | Aristocrat | Cursed Bloodline | Adult | Male | Materialistic |
| Ramirez Sanchez | Criminal | Gangster | Adult | Male | Nihilistic |
| Issac Copernicus | Academic | Psychiatrist | Adult | Male | Rational |
| Edwin Atherton | Investigator | Ex-cop | Adult | Male | Rational |
| Marco Amundsen | Explorer | Adventurer | Adult | Male | Humanistic |
| Kenneth Gardner | Occultist | Secret Society | Adult | Male | Esoteric |
| Helen Powell | Soldier | Captain | Adult | Female | Divine |
| Betty Fairbanks | Performer | Actor | Young | Female | Nihilistic |
| Elizabeth Karelias | Aristocrat | Cursed Bloodline | Adult | Female | Nihilistic |
| Maria Sanchez | Criminal | Gangster | Adult | Female | Materialistic |
| Margaret Copernicus | Academic | Scientist | Old | Female | Rational |
| Ruth Atherton | Investigator | Detective | Adult | Female | Rational |
| Dorothy Amundsen | Explorer | Big Game Hunter | Adult | Female | Humanistic |
| Mildred Gardner | Occultist | Secret Society | Old | Female | Esoteric |
Custom Character Creation[ | ]
Creating a custom character consists of seven steps.
Gender Selection[ | ]
Gender selection screen
| “ |
The horrors of Stygian do not discriminate based on your character's gender. However, gender does play a role in some events and dialogues, opening up different role-playing opportunities. |
„ |
| ~ Gender selection screen |
Player characters may be either male or female.
In the game demo, the female player character model is not available, so they use male character models.
Age[ | ]
Age selection screen
| “ |
This is the age that your character begins the game with. Age determines the starting numbers in Attribute and Skill pools. |
„ |
| ~ Age selection screen |
A player character may be young, adult, or old:
- "Young characters are in their physical prime but lack the experience of older characters."
- "Starts the game with a bonus point in either Physique, Agility, or Senses but is penalized with 2 less skill points."
- "Adult characters have a balance in physical aptitude and life experience."
- "Starts the game with the default values in attributes and skill pools."
- "Old characters are in physical decline but have acquired more life experience than younger characters."
- "Starts the game with a penalty in either Physique, Agility, or Senses but is awarded with 2 more skill points."
When selecting either young or old, players must also choose the attribute to increase or decrease, respectively, before moving on to the next step.
Archetype[ | ]
Archetype selection screen
| “ |
This is your character's profession and overall theme. The Archetype determines the set of skills at which your character will excel at during the game, as well as some of your role-playing options. |
„ |
| ~ Archetype selection screen |
There are eight archetypes from which to choose for a player character, with each archetype having a variety of options for their background.
Belief System[ | ]
Belief System selection screen
| “ |
Belief Systems determine how your character deals with the warped reality of the new Arkham. Properly role-playing your chosen belief system will grant valuable sanity points. |
„ |
| ~ Belief System selection screen |
The six available Belief Systems are:
- Humanistic: Throughout history, mankind has survived countless threats. If we stop wringing our hands and start cooperating, we will live to see the human spirit prevail once again.
- Extra sanity can be gained by selecting humanistic dialogue choices and committing acts of altruism.
- Materialistic: If we're all doomed, let's make our final days worthwhile. Wealth, lust, power... pursue whatever eases your pain.
- Extra sanity can be gained by selecting materialistic dialogue choices, through material gain and acts of self-indulgence.
- Nihilistic: At last! There is no doubt that human beings are of no significance in the cold machinations of the cosmos. Thus, every action is of equal importance and worthlessness. Just as it has always been.
- Extra sanity can be gained by nihilistic dialogue choices. A nihilist cannot gain sanity through her actions but begins the game with higher mental resistance.
- Divine: The Black Day is God's final test of humanity. We failed him once, but he has given us this last chance of redemption. Those who are alive survived this for a reason: To prove that mankind is not without hope.
- Extra sanity can be gained by selecting faithful dialogue choices and through acts of divine worship.
- Rational: No matter how unusual or baffling, no phenomenon is beyond the boundaries of science and rational thought. There has to be an explanation. What must be done is to search and find it.
- Extra sanity can be gained by selecting rational dialogue choices and through scientific and medical research. (Science or Medicine Skills Recommended)
- Esoteric: When supernatural becomes natural, the only path is to embrace the knowledge of the ancient forces behind the veil. We must tap into the hidden arts and realize our potential in order to survive, and eventually dominate!
- Extra sanity can be gained by selecting esoteric dialogue choices and through occult research. (Occult Skill Recommended)
Character Identity[ | ]
Character Identity screen
| “ |
Choose how your character will be visually portrayed in the game and name your character. |
„ |
| ~ Character Identity selection screen |
In this step, players must select a portrait and a name for their character.
Stat Distribution[ | ]
Stat Distribution screen
| “ |
Distribute the available number of points to character's Attributes and Skills. |
„ |
| ~ Stat Distribution selection screen |
The player can now modify their starting attributes and skills. Normally, players will have seven or nine attribute points and (depending on age) three, five, or seven skill points.
Confirmation[ | ]
| “ | You can examine and finalize your character in this stage. Click Confirm to start the game or return to a previous step by clicking the arrow. | „ |
| ~ Character Summary screen |
The final screen allows the player to review their choices before confirming them and starting the game.