You may be familiar with the idea of choosing a Character’s “class” or “role” from other Roleplaying Games or Video Games, and that this describes a set of abilities your Character will have. In many ways a Class is synonymous with a Character’s job or career.
In Freedom Fantasies we instead describe the Character’s “class” in terms of their role within the story: their “Narrative Archetype” (or Archetype for short).
An Archetype is a set of game mechanics which allow a Player to experience the tropes and fantasies typically associated with Characters associated with that narrative Archetype, and are not necessarily associated with a specific job or career.
Archetypes are intended to be very open in terms of the types of Characters they may represent.
For example, in a Traditional Fantasy the “Hero” Archetype may represent an unlikely hero who rises from their job as a pig farmer to a legendary knight of the realm who helps end an intercontinental war, while in a Future Fantasy it might represent an unlikely hero who rises from their job as a moisture farmer to a legendary star ship pilot who helps end an interstellar war.
Go to the Archetypes Page to see a breakdown of the different Archetypes available in Freedom Fantasies.
Initial Archetype Features
Once you have chosen your Archetype, it is time to add your Archetype features.
Each Archetype includes a brief description of the fantasy the Archetype aims to deliver; the recommended Ability Bonuses for the Archetype; and a table and list of Features the Character will gain as they Level Up that Archetype
At this point however, you need only concern yourself with the “Level 0 Features”.
Expand for “Level 0 Features”
The features awarded at “Level 0” represent your Character’s capabilities gained from before their adventures began, usually by circumstances of their upbringing which directly relate to their Archetype. For example, a martially inclined Archetype may have a higher Damage Limit and Training in Advanced and Complex Weapons, while a Spellcasting Archetype may have the ability to Cast Cantrips.
Below is a summary of what features your Character may gain from Level 0.
Damage Limit
When you choose your Archetype, your Character will have a Starting Damage Limit.
This represents how much Damage a Character can take before they become “Unstable” and begin taking “Wounds”, which ultimately may lead to their death or removal from the story.
- Add your Starting Damage Limit to the Damage Limit Section of your Character Sheet
Damage is discussed further on the Damage, Wounds and Healing Page.
Skills
They will also gain a Skill, sometimes being able to choose one of multiple choices.
In most Fantasies, the Skills you may choose from include Athletics, Creativity, Lore, Medicine, Social, Survival, Technology and Trickery
Having a Skill allows you to add your Character’s Skill Bonus to Skill Checks when you are attempting a course of action relating to that Skill.
- Add this Skill to the Skills, Tool Skills, Training and Languages Section of your Character Sheet
Skills and the typical courses of action they may be used for are discussed further on the Skills Page
Weapons and Armor Training
Your Character will also gain Training in certain Weapons and Armor. Training represents your ability to use certain Weapons and Armor well.
All Archetypes are Trained in Light Armor and Simple Weapons, but some will also grant Training in other forms of Weapons, Armor and Shields.
Being Trained in a Weapon allows you to add your Skill Bonus to your Attack Bonus when using that Weapon
Being Trained in Armor and/or Shields meanwhile is required to gain the benefits of wearing certain Armors or Shields.
- Note the Weapons and Armor you are Trained in within the Skills, Tool Skills, Training and Languages Section of your Character Sheet
For more information on how Training effects your ability to use Weapons and Armor, see the Weapon Properties and Armor and Shield Properties Pages.
Saving Throw Skills
Your Character will also become Skilled in two Saving Throws, each of which are associated with one of your Abilities.
These represent your Character’s ability to resist certain harmful effects relating to those abilities.
When you make a Saving Throw for an Ability which you have a Saving Throw Skill in, you may add both your Skill Bonus and the relevant Ability Bonus to the Result of that Check.
- Add your Saving Throw Skills to the Skills, Tool Skills, Training and Languages Section of your Character Sheet
Cantrips
Some Archetypes will grant you one or more Cantrips at Level 0.
These are Spells which your Character may Cast without expending any Resources.
The Cantrips granted to your Character may be selected from one of four lists of Spells, also known as “Traditions of Magic”.
These Traditions are Arcane, Creation, Natural and Supernatural. To see which Cantrips you may choose, see the Page for the relevant Spell List.
The rules for Spellcasting are described on the Spellcasting Page, and rules unique to how your Archetype Casts Spells are found in the Level 1 Features.
- Make a note of each Cantrip you choose in the Spells Section of your Character Sheet.
On Levelling Up
As a Character progresses though their story they may “Level Up” their Archetype, granting them more abilities consistent with them becoming a more competent and fantastical example of that Archetype.
Players may wish to look at the features granted by an Archetype at higher levels, but be mindful that the story you take part in may only see your Character progress through certain Levels. For example, features available to a Level 17 Hero would not see play within a Light Fantasy Story where Characters will only experience Levels 1-5.
After you have Chosen your Archetype, Ability Bonuses, Ancestry and, potentially, your Background, you will need to Level Up your Character’s Archetype to the appropriate Level for the Story.
See Levelling Up for more on this.
On Diversifying
When your Character Levels Up, you may feel that your Character would be better represented by a combination of multiple Archetypes. Instead of increasing the Level of their current Archetype, you may wish to acquire other features by taking Levels in other Archetypes.
See Diversifying for more on this.
On Choosing a Theme
When your Character reaches Level 3 in a given Archetype you will be able to Choose your Theme, which will allow you to pick a set of mechanics that will better lend an Archetype to fulfilling a specific idea. In many ways, a Character’s “Class” as described in other games is defined by this Theme.
You may wish to plan ahead what Theme your are interested in choosing by viewing the Themes Page available to a given Archetype when choosing their Archetype and Writing a Backstory.
See Choosing your Theme for more on this, and the Themes Page for available options.
Next Steps
By this point you should have incorporated all of the Level 0 features of your Archetype into your Character Sheet.
The next step of our three A’s is Choosing your Ability Bonuses, so let’s proceed onto that step!