Character Creation in Beyond the Veil: Build-A-Believer (or Sceptic)

When developing Beyond the Veil, we wanted to ensure that characters (known as Investigators in BtV) were as non-restrictive as possible. As the setting is modern and the aim is that first time Investigators are coming from a world where the mysteries of the unknown are hidden from the general populace, it was an important factor that each one would have a mundane ‘day job’ that forms the basis of the build. However, this is only the beginning and as they experience more of the true reality of the universe, players can take their Investigator in any direction they want. From technical wizards to monster hunters, there is no end to the skills needed to be part of an effective team of SPS Investigators.

Most Investigators begin with a concept, whether from popular culture or just an idea of the direction the player wants to go with them. This provides the baseline idea for some of the initial build requirements:

Abilities - Each of the core six abilities is assigned one of the standard set of polyhedral dice used in many tabletop roleplaying games (d4-d20). This initial distribution provides an inherent strength and weakness for each Investigator, encouraging team work and supportive gameplay.

Favoured Ability - Each Investigator has one ability that is their preferred focus. This doesn’t have to be the one with the d20 assigned to it, even someone with a d4 in Physical may favour it as an option, aspirational rather than actual! Mechanically, the favoured ability enhances skills and provides a reroll opportunity once each investigation.

Belief - Not all Investigators of the unknown are inherent believers. Players can choose where their Investigator sits on the scale, or roll a d10 to randomise it.

Profession, Hobbies and Interests, and Phobia - Ostensibly to provide the building blocks of a backstory and basis for skillsets, these options are freeform. Choose anything you like to give your Investigator flavour. Be careful what you choose as a phobia, however, as the Overseer may choose to use it as a narrative tool…

Skill Ranks - Every Investigator starts with six ranks to distribute however they want. These could be spread out across a number of skills or grouped into a singular point of excellence, it is the player’s choice. In addition to this, an additional rank in each skill assigned to the Investigator’s favoured ability is awarded to highlight their preference to specific courses of action.

Talents - Investigators start with a single talent, something that sets them apart from the general populace under specified circumstances. Some of these may have requirements that need to be met first but are otherwise generally available regardless of your desired build.

Expertise - While a talent highlights something an Investigator excels at, their expertise is what truly sets them apart. It showcases specialised proficiencies and could even be the gateway to highly specialised options as their progress in their career.

Reflexive Actions - In a game built around teamwork, providing the ability for Investigators to lend additional support, act out of the traditional sequence of events, or otherwise intervene during extreme situations was a key requirement. We wanted to support narrative drama rather than action economy-driven restrictions. These reflexive actions are additional ways in which an Investigator can influence the world around them.

We’ve got no class…

Beyond the Veil is built on a truly classless and levelless system. Using reputation points, players are able to purchase upgrades to their Investigator. Whether new talents, expertises, or actions to skill ranks and even ability dice pool increases, each Investigator can hyper-focus into becoming a world leading expert in any given field, or they can choose to round out their weaknesses in order to become a true jack of all trades.

What’s your story?

Every Investigator has an origin story, whether they’ve always heard and seen things that others could not or had a recent, and shocking awakening to the worth of the unknown. Knowing what makes your Investigator tick is key to immersing yourself in the stories put in front of you by your Overseer. These backstories can be as detailed as you like but simply having a reason for being involved is enough to make some key character choices early on in their career.

We actively promote inclusion but very deliberately do not attempt to codify any elements of this. We want everyone to see themselves in our game. If a player wishes to create a differently abled Investigator, it’s not just allowed - it’s encouraged, as long as it’s handled with care. Work with your Overseer to make sure things feel balanced and fair. Check with your group that everyone’s comfortable. This isn’t about tokenism, it’s about authenticity and representation with the relevant levels of respect. The character creation rules presented in Beyond the Veil are guidelines and each table may choose to employ a level of flexibility to encourage diversity in their group.

A problem shared…

Want help building an Investigator or quantifying a concept? Or are you just proud of your creation and want to share it with us?

We love to hear stories from the table and are happy to help in any way we can. Drop us a message to contact@wrenegadestudios.com, we respond to every message we get and, if your concept is awesome enough, we may even ask to use it in future modules or publications!

Happy building 😁

Uncover the Truth, Survive the Unknown.