Character+creation

Darklands' character creation system is widely acknowledged to be one of the most original features in the game. It's so elaborate and immersing that it's a kind of pre-game experience. Despite it's success with DL players, it was never adopted in other games, probably due to it's apparent complexity and the difficulty to predict the outcome. Character creation can be skipped by playing the default party.

For suggestions on how to make a party, check the character creation hints and party builds. 

Stages
The creation process encompasses 3 stages: 
 * 1) Initial options
 * 2) Childhood
 * 3) Occupations

Initial options
The name has no other effect on your character whatsoever. 
 * Auto-select or enter name and nickname
 * Select gender: this impacts starting attributes. (Males get +3 Strength, Females get +2 Endurance, +1 Charisma)

Childhood
This is the only part in the game where you can fully control your attributes. It's good practice to anticipate for any attribute modifiers that occur in later stages.
 * 1) Choose a Family background - this determines:
 * attribute modifiers
 * starting skills
 * amount of childhood experience points
 * your age to be 15
 * 1) Change attributes: select any attribute (except DF) and press +/- to increase/decrease it:
 * each point increase in attribute will cost 1 EP up to 29, then 2 EP up to 39, then 3 EP to 40
 * you cannot spend more than your childhood EP's this way
 * any unused EP's will be lost after this phase
 * you cannot increase above 40 (during this stage)
 * you cannot decrease below the initial attribute value

Attribute Modifiers per Family Backgrounds

 * **Stat** || **Nobility** || **Wealthy Urbanites** || **Town Traders** || **Country Craftsmen** || **Urban Commoners** || **Rural Commoners** ||
 * Endurance || -- || -1 || -1 || -- || -- || +1 ||
 * Strength || -- || -1 || -1 || -- || +1 || +1 ||
 * Agility || -- || -- || -- || +1 || +1 || +1 ||
 * Perception || -- || +1 || +1 || -- || -- || -- ||
 * Intelligence || -- || +1 || +2 || +1 || +1 || -- ||
 * Charisma || -- || -- || -- || -- || -1 || -1 ||
 * Experience Points || -- || +1 || +4 || +5 || +7 || +8 ||

Skill Modifiers per Family Backgrounds

 * Background || wEdg || wImp || wFll || wPol || wThr || wBow || wMsD || Alch || Relg || Virt || SpkC || SpkL || R&W || Heal || Artf || Stlh || StrW || Ride || WdWs ||
 * Nobility || 5 || 4 || 1 || 4 || - || 4 || - || 2 || 5 || 2 || 4 || 2 || 2 || - || - || 1 || - || 3 || 1 ||
 * Wealthy Urban || 4 || 3 || - || 3 || - || - || 3 || 2 || 5 || 1 || 5 || 1 || 5 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || - ||
 * Town Trades || 4 || 5 || - || 3 || - || - || 4 || 1 || 4 || 1 || 4 || - || 1 || 1 || 5 || 1 || 3 || - || - ||
 * Country Crafts || 4 || 3 || - || 4 || 1 || 4 || 1 || - || 2 || 1 || 3 || - || 1 || 1 || 4 || 1 || - || - || 3 ||
 * Urban Commoner || 4 || 4 || - || 3 || 4 || - || 2 || - || 2 || 1 || 2 || - || - || 1 || 1 || 4 || 4 || - || - ||
 * Rural Commoner || 3 || 3 || 4 || 3 || 3 || 1 || - || - || 1 || 1 || 1 || - || - || 1 || 1 || 3 || - || 1 || 4 ||



Occupations
The list of occupations available for selections depends on all previous selections, and the character's current attributes and skills.
 * 1) Choose an occupation - this determines:
 * attribute modifiers
 * automatic skill modifiers
 * possible skill increases
 * amount of experience points
 * your age to be advanced by 5 years
 * 1) Change skills: select any skill and press +/- to increase/decrease it:
 * each point increase in skill will cost 1 EP up to 49, then 2 EP up to 79, then 3 EP up to 89
 * you cannot spend more than your occupation's EP's this way
 * any unused EP's will be lost after this phase
 * you cannot increase by more than the possible skill increase
 * you cannot increase above 89 (during this stage)
 * you cannot decrease below the initial skill value

You can repeat the occupation selection to improve skills further:
 * you have to select an occupation at least once (min. age 20)
 * your first occupation will:
 * grant an additional increase of 2 to all skills
 * grant 20 additional EP's
 * your second occupation will grant 5 additional EP's
 * age modifiers will adversely affect attributes from the age of 35 on
 * you cannot exceed the age of 70

Skill Improvements for each Occupation
The first number (before the colon) is the automatic skill point gain for that particular skill, which is granted purely by virtue of having chosen that occupation; the latter number (after the colon) is the number of skill points that the player may spend EP on.

Example: 8:04 for Recruit with wImp means that, upon selecting Recruit, the character immediately gains 8 skill points with wImp, and may optional purchase up to 4 additional points in that skill. (the EP cost is a function of that skill's value)


 * Class || wEdg || wImp || wFll || wPol || wThr || wbow || wMsD ||  || Alch || Relg || Virt || SpkC || SpkL || R&W ||   || Heal || Artf || Stlh || StrW || Ride || WdWs ||
 * Recruit || 8:04 || 8:04 || 3:07 || 8:04 || 3:06 || 3:07 || 8:04 ||  || 2:00 || 2:02 || 2:02 || 3:02 || 2:00 || 2:00 ||   || 3:02 || 2:02 || 3:05 || 3:05 || 3:04 || 3:04 ||
 * Soldier || 4:05 || 2:06 || 1:07 || 3:05 || 1:06 || 1:08 || 3:05 ||  || 0:02 || 1:03 || 1:03 || 1:03 || 0:00 || 0:02 ||   || 3:02 || 2:02 || 3:05 || 3:05 || 3:04 || 3:04 ||
 * Veteran || 3:06 || 2:07 || 1:06 || 2:06 || 1:05 || 1:07 || 2:06 ||  || 0:02 || 1:04 || 1:04 || 2:05 || 0:02 || 1:04 ||   || 2:04 || 1:04 || 2:06 || 2:05 || 2:06 || 2:06 ||
 * Courtier || 3:04 || 2:04 || 2:03 || 2:05 || 2:04 || 3:05 || 2:05 ||  || 3:04 || 4:08 || 4:06 || 4:09 || 2:09 || 6:09 ||   || 2:06 || 2:02 || 6:04 || 2:08 || 4:08 || 2:02 ||
 * Noble Heir || 6:04 || 2:05 || 2:04 || 2:05 || 2:04 || 4:06 || 4:06 ||  || 3:04 || 3:08 || 4:07 || 4:09 || 2:04 || 2:09 ||   || 2:08 || 2:03 || 2:06 || 2:06 || 4:09 || 2:06 ||
 * Knight || 4:06 || 3:06 || 2:08 || 4:06 || 1:05 || 2:08 || 1:06 ||  || 0:01 || 2:06 || 2:06 || 2:09 || 0:03 || 0:04 ||   || 2:08 || 2:03 || 2:06 || 2:06 || 4:09 || 2:06 ||
 * Manorial Lord || 2:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 2:04 || 0:04 ||  || 1:05 || 4:03 || 3:08 || 4:09 || 0:08 || 1:09 ||   || 0:04 || 0:02 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 2:09 || 2:08 ||
 * Oblate || 3:04 || 3:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 2:02 ||  || 3:06 || 5:06 || 4:05 || 3:06 || 6:08 || 6:09 ||   || 2:06 || 3:04 || 2:04 || 2:03 || 2:04 || 2:04 ||
 * Novice Monk/Nun || 2:03 || 3:03 || 4:03 || 2:03 || 3:03 || 2:03 || 2:03 ||  || 2:02 || 6:06 || 7:06 || 3:03 || 5:06 || 5:09 ||   || 2:07 || 2:04 || 2:02 || 2:02 || 2:02 || 2:04 ||
 * Monk/Nun || 0:04 || 1:04 || 2:06 || 0:06 || 1:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 ||  || 1:04 || 4:05 || 5:05 || 1:04 || 3:09 || 3:09 ||   || 2:07 || 2:04 || 2:02 || 2:02 || 2:02 || 2:04 ||
 * Friar || 0:05 || 2:05 || 0:05 || 0:05 || 0:05 || 1:05 || 0:03 ||  || 1:02 || 2:06 || 4:06 || 4:09 || 0:08 || 4:08 ||   || 2:07 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 3:08 || 0:04 || 2:06 ||
 * Priest || 0:03 || 1:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 ||  || 1:03 || 4:07 || 4:06 || 2:09 || 2:09 || 2:08 ||   || 2:08 || 0:02 || 0:02 || 0:04 || 0:02 || 0:04 ||
 * Hermit || 1:04 || 1:06 || 0:04 || 1:06 || 0:06 || 1:04 || 0:02 ||  || 1:04 || 2:06 || 6:09 || 0:00 || 0:02 || 0:04 ||   || 2:07 || 2:04 || 0:06 || 0:00 || 0:02 || 4:09 ||
 * Abbot / Abbess || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 ||  || 1:04 || 4:08 || 3:09 || 0:09 || 2:09 || 4:09 ||   || 2:08 || 0:04 || 0:02 || 0:04 || 0:03 || 0:04 ||
 * Student || 3:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 3:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 ||  || 3:04 || 4:04 || 3:02 || 5:05 || 4:07 || 7:08 ||   || 3:05 || 4:04 || 2:04 || 4:04 || 2:03 || 2:02 ||
 * Alchemist || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 ||  || 3:07 || 1:05 || 2:04 || 4:07 || 2:09 || 4:09 ||   || 1:04 || 1:04 || 0:03 || 2:05 || 0:03 || 0:04 ||
 * Master Alchemist || 0:02 || 0:02 || 0:02 || 0:02 || 0:02 || 0:02 || 0:02 ||  || 4:08 || 0:05 || 1:04 || 5:09 || 2:09 || 5:09 ||   || 1:05 || 1:05 || 0:03 || 1:05 || 0:04 || 1:06 ||
 * Physician || 2:08 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 ||  || 2:06 || 1:05 || 2:06 || 4:08 || 1:08 || 2:08 ||   || 5:09 || 1:04 || 0:02 || 1:05 || 0:07 || 0:02 ||
 * Clerk || 0:05 || 1:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 1:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 ||  || 1:02 || 2:04 || 1:03 || 2:08 || 2:09 || 4:09 ||   || 0:02 || 1:02 || 0:03 || 1:05 || 0:03 || 0:01 ||
 * Peddler || 2:04 || 6:03 || 2:03 || 2:04 || 3:04 || 2:03 || 3:05 ||  || 3:03 || 3:01 || 2:02 || 6:08 || 2:02 || 3:06 ||   || 2:04 || 3:06 || 2:06 || 6:08 || 2:04 || 6:07 ||
 * Swindler || 4:08 || 2:06 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 3:08 || 2:04 || 2:06 ||  || 3:02 || 2:01 || 1:01 || 6:09 || 3:01 || 3:05 ||   || 3:02 || 3:02 || 3:07 || 6:08 || 2:01 || 2:02 ||
 * Local Trader || 6:06 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 3:04 || 2:04 || 3:04 ||  || 3:02 || 2:02 || 2:03 || 6:09 || 2:02 || 4:08 ||   || 2:04 || 3:04 || 2:04 || 6:08 || 2:06 || 4:06 ||
 * Travelling Merchant || 1:03 || 1:03 || 1:03 || 1:04 || 1:04 || 1:03 || 1:04 ||  || 1:05 || 1:04 || 0:04 || 4:09 || 1:04 || 2:09 ||   || 1:04 || 1:03 || 1:03 || 3:08 || 2:08 || 3:06 ||
 * Merchant-Proprietor || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 || 0:04 ||  || 1:06 || 1:04 || 0:05 || 6:09 || 1:05 || 4:09 ||   || 1:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 4:09 || 0:04 || 0:01 ||
 * Apprentice Craftsman || 4:04 || 4:05 || 2:03 || 2:03 || 2:03 || 4:04 || 4:05 ||  || 2:04 || 3:03 || 3:03 || 3:05 || 2:02 || 3:05 ||   || 2:04 || 7:06 || 2:04 || 4:06 || 2:02 || 2:02 ||
 * Journeyman Craftsman || 3:06 || 3:07 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 2:04 || 3:04 || 3:04 ||  || 3:03 || 3:02 || 3:03 || 4:06 || 3:03 || 4:06 ||   || 2:04 || 7:08 || 2:02 || 4:06 || 2:04 || 2:02 ||
 * Master Craftsman || 1:04 || 0:05 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 0:03 || 1:03 ||  || 2:04 || 1:03 || 2:05 || 4:08 || 0:00 || 2:09 ||   || 1:04 || 5:09 || 0:02 || 3:08 || 0:06 || 0:01 ||
 * Laborer || 3:04 || 4:08 || 2:00 || 2:06 || 2:05 || 2:02 || 2:00 ||  || 2:01 || 2:02 || 3:04 || 2:05 || 2:01 || 2:04 ||   || 3:05 || 3:04 || 3:06 || 4:07 || 3:03 || 3:06 ||
 * Vagabond || 3:03 || 3:04 || 2:03 || 2:05 || 3:05 || 2:02 || 2:00 ||  || 2:01 || 3:01 || 2:02 || 3:03 || 2:00 || 2:01 ||   || 3:04 || 2:02 || 4:08 || 5:08 || 2:02 || 3:07 ||
 * Thief || 5:05 || 5:05 || 2:03 || 2:05 || 4:05 || 2:04 || 2:06 ||  || 3:01 || 2:01 || 1:01 || 3:04 || 2:00 || 2:02 ||   || 2:02 || 4:07 || 8:09 || 5:08 || 3:01 || 3:03 ||
 * Bandit || 6:05 || 6:05 || 2:05 || 2:05 || 4:05 || 3:05 || 3:05 ||  || 2:01 || 2:00 || 1:01 || 3:04 || 2:00 || 2:02 ||   || 2:05 || 2:02 || 5:09 || 2:02 || 4:07 || 5:09 ||
 * Hunter || 4:05 || 2:05 || 2:04 || 5:05 || 3:05 || 6:05 || 3:05 ||  || 2:01 || 3:02 || 3:02 || 3:02 || 2:00 || 2:00 ||   || 4:04 || 2:02 || 6:09 || 2:00 || 3:04 || 6:09 ||
 * Peasant || 2:04 || 4:05 || 5:04 || 4:04 || 3:03 || 2:04 || 2:03 ||  || 2:01 || 3:01 || 3:03 || 3:03 || 2:01 || 2:00 ||   || 2:05 || 3:02 || 2:06 || 2:02 || 3:04 || 4:06 ||