Character Creation (Wrath of the Righteous)

Characters in Wrath of the Righteous are supposed to be heroes, and will be allowed advance in mythic tiers along with regular levels. The basic character is also suitably heroic.

Basics

• Player character ability scores are made from 25 build points.

• Player characters receive an additional two skill points per level and one bonus feat at first level. NPCs receive 2 extra skill points per level (mostly to fill out their background) but no extra feat.

• All player characters begin with one campaign-specific trait of their choice, as well as two regular (magical, racial, regional, religious) traits from my Greyhawk campaign.

Race

Humans are the favored race for the campaign, but the regular elves, dwarfs, gnomes, half-elves, and half-orcs are all available.

• Humans of several cultures are possible.
  • Common humans either come from the mercantile lands of the south, from previous generations of crusaders in the Shield Lands, or from the distant Keoland area. They are here by choice, but always looking for opportunities.
  • Oerdians mostly come from nearby Furyondy, a powerful is somewhat archaic feudal kingdom. They consider this their war and accept outside help with some reluctance. A few come from the far west, their self-important attitudes can grate on the locals.
  • Flan come from the Bandit Kingdoms or even further away to the north and east; mostly they are refugees from Iuz wars that simply want a place to settle. They are more likely to be in support roles, such as scouts.
  • Rhenne do not join join the crusade as a group. A few might join individually, most likely as hangers-on or camp followers.
  • Baklunish from the far west are few in the crusade, but some exist and see the crusade as a path to righteousness.
• Dwarfs come from Highfolk or Lormil Mountains - they have so far been little involved with Iuz.
• Elves come either from the courts of Celene, from Highfolk, or from the elven enclaves in the Vesve forest. Some elves from the feywild have also joined the crusade. Almost any kind of elven clan or tribe makes a reasonable origin. High elves from the feywild have been fighting Iuz for generations.
• Gnomes come from the Kron Hills, Highfolk, or from the borders of the Vesve, but many also live among humans in other lands. Individual gnomes join the crusade for their own purposes.
• Halflings sometimes join the crusade, often as hangers-on or servants to others but sometimes in their own units. Such units generally focus on scouting and skirmishing roles.
• Half-Elves usually are the children of traveling elven adventurers or merchants. It is common for elves to settle in human lands for a longer or shorter period, and this sometimes leaves progeny. Very few half-elves grew up in the strictly elven nation of Celene, but Highfolk with its mixed population has many half-elves, some even the children of half-elves in turn.
• Half-Orcs are common in all the lands affected by the invasion, as orcs are the mainstay of Ius' armies. Often raised in military orders or by raid survivors who taught them to be enemies of Iuz.

Exotic Races

If someone wants to play an unusual race not listed above, I might allow it on an individual basis, subtracting starting traits or feats or even the extra skill points for balance. Basically, any racial point cost of 12 or more has to be compensated back down to 11 or less. Characters can only sell of their extras; traits, bonus feats, and bonus skill points. The campaign trait cannot be traded out.

Giving up a starting trait is worth 1 points, giving up a starting feat is worth 4 points, giving up the bonus skill points per level is worth 2 points each.

Alignment and Faith

This crusade is a lawful good endeavor, lawful good is the recommended alignment. Chaotic Good, Neutral Good and Lawful Neutral can certainly work, tough they might have to play second fiddle in some instances. Chaotic Neutral, True Neutral, and Lawful Evil are possible but not really recommended.

The Golarion dieties most closely affiliated with the crusade are Abadar, Iomedae, Sarenrae, Shelyn, and Torag. Greyhawk gods are divided by culture, so which Greyhawk god which corresponds to each Golarion god depends on where you come from.

Golarion	Domain	Common	Flan	Oerdian	Other
Abadar	Civilization	St Cuthbert	Alitur	Pholtus	Baklunish: Al-Akbar
Iomedae	Chivalry	Bahamut	Zoldal	Hieroneous	Baklunish: Zuoken
Sarenrae	Sun	Mayaheine	Pelor	Rao	Elf: Corellon
Shelyn	Beauty	Honey	Myrhiss	Lirr	Baklunish: Xan Yae
Torag	Fortification	Daern	Moradin	Blered	Dwarf: Moradin

Note that this does not match the general table of divine correspondences between Golarion and Greyhawk precisely.

Class

Like in all adventure paths, characters begin at first level, but in Wrath of the Righteous you can expect to advance fast and also gain mythic tiers. This is a campaign with the direct support of mythic forces.

Paladin is the recommended class, and the adventures are written with paladins in mind. The more similar to a paladin a class is, the better it will do. Cavaliers and fighters will do very well, as will clerics, inquisitors, and oracles. Alchemists, barbarians, bards, druids, gunslingers, monks, rangers, rogues, and summoners will find little content specific to them and might sometimes play second fiddle becasue of that, but all their class abilities will be relevant. Direct spellcasters like wizards, sorcerers, witches and magi will find that many opponents have spell resistance to one degree or another, but that their divination and support abilities are useful. Rangers and rogues have had modifications done to the class, changes to other classes are all optional or just rulings.

Most Paizo archetypes will work out, but check in each case. Of my archetypes, those marked as martial arts or force armor generally don't fit well. Elves are known to produce force armor warriors, while common humans produce fencers and baklunish martial artists.