Postby Mike » Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:32 am
Step 0: Totally optional, but come up with a basic history/background your character. Name it, determine gender, and think of maybe a paragraph worth of background to say where he/she came from, and what they want. You don't have to write it all down, and you don't have to set it in stone, because things will change, but have a good idea.
Step 1: Look at the halfling entry, and write down all the abilities you get just for being a halfling, listed under Standard Racial Traits. So Small size (which includes AC bonus, attack bonus, Stealth bonus), Sure Footed (+2 on acrobatics and climb), Keen Senses (+2 Perception), etc.
Step 2: Now go to the bard entry and start applying everything listed in the 1st level row of the Bard Table... modifiers for attack and saving throws, Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Performance, Countersong, etc. Make sure you look at the entries for each of those abilities below the table, some may have more specific info you need to know.
Step 3: Feats. As a 1st level halfling bard, you get ONE feat. Look at the feats section and choose carefully. Depends on what sort of bard you want to be. You want to be able to attack (maybe a bow or sling or sling-staff)? Then probably some sort of ranged combat feat is where you start, something like Point Blank Shot (which is the basis from which to build a lot of ranged weapon stuff later on). If combat ain't your thing, then maybe you take a feat that boosts your magic. Or if you're like me, you take a feat that boosts one or two skills (my own bard is all about the singing).
Step 3a: Traits. These are like feats but less powerful. And I don't think they're in the core rulebook, so you may not be using them at all. If you are using them, you get two traits. They're usually small (just a +1 bonus on something or whatever), but they add a lot of flavor and personality.
Step 4: Skills. As a bard, you get 6 skill points per level, and your intelligence gives you another +2. So you have 8 skill points to work with. Since you are 1st level, you can't put more than 1 point into any one skill. So pick 8 skills you want to put points in. Also if they are Class Skills for bards (see the Class Skills list on the bard page), that means that IF you have any points put into the skill, then you get an additional +3 to using it. Don't forget that you need at least one Perform skill, and possibly more than one. I highly recommend that you pick a perform skill that doesn't require your hands (singing, oratory, comedy), so that you can Perform in combat while doing other things. Remember that your Perform skill will help define the kind of personality you are. I'm constantly singing in combat. If you pick comedy, that means you're constantly cracking jokes during combat to give your team a morale boost. Etc.
Step 4a: Crap, this is where you need to learn about ability score bonuses. You have a great set of scores for your character. Check the ability score table to find out what the bonus is for each of those. Charisma 19: +4 bonus. Intelligence 15: +2 bonus. Strength 7: -2. Etc. What this means is that anything you do that is based on Charisma (performing, casting spells, diplomacy, etc), you get a +4. Anything you do with Strength (hitting someone with a sword, swimming, climbing, wrestling, etc) you get -2. You need to know these, because these bonuses/penalties will be applied to ALL of your skills and saving throws and attacks and armor class and all sorts of other stuff. Get to know them. Now start filling in all those totals for skills and saving throws, etc.
Step 5: Pick out your spells. The bard table tells you that you know 4 zero-level spells (which you can cast whenever you want) and 2 first-level spells, of which you can cast 2 spells per day. Go to the bard spell list and make your choices here.
Step 6: Equipment. You're going to start with about 100gp worth of stuff. Go to the equipment lists and do some shopping. You probably won't have much armor (leather armor most likely), and you need to buy a weapon or three (your ranged weapon, which will be your primary, and then maybe a rapier or daggers or something to keep on your person). Don't forget to buy an instrument or two, if you are that type of performer.
Step 7: Whatever miscellaneous crap I've missed. If you get through all of these, you've learned an awful lot about what goes into a character and into the game. You'll find more as you go.
All I know is my food tastes better when I take my food-tastes-better pill.
