Characters in Deadlands: Hell on Earth Reloaded begin at Novice level, but will quickly advance to Seasoned rank.

We will mostly be using the SWADE ruleset, but edges from Hell on Earth Reloaded. This means we'll have to do some footwork to make certain things work, but that's alright!

The first step is concept, which you should already have. In case you're not sure about your options, here are some example character archetypes given in the book and the Companion:

• Adventurer: You have no profession, but simply wander. Maybe you were a waitress or a lawyer before the war, but now you're just getting by. And soon, you're gonna have to answer when Fate comes ringing.
• Bookworm: Bookworms tap into the power of book spirits, which reside in the physical artifacts. Arcane Background edge.
• Cyborg: A military-grade combination of man and machine created for the sole purpose of inflicting greater violence in war, possessed by a fell spirit during death. There's a whole new process for building one of these suckers.
• Doomsayer: Most Doomsayers are evil right down to their irradiated hearts, but your hero is one of those who rebelled against the "Cult of Doom." All Doomsayers believe norms are doomed in this new world, but the Cult of Doom slaughters them by the hundreds to hurry things along. Heroic Doomsayers are members of a splinter faction led by a heretic, who don't believe norms need to be sped along to their doom. Arcane Background edge.
• Gunslinger: You sell your guns to the highest bidder, or those in need, depending on your personal code. Duels are still fairly common in the lawless lands of the Wasted est, so you're either quick or dead. The way things are these days, you just might be both.
• Indian Brave: Yeah, I'm edgy about this one too. The basic idea is that there was a movement of Indigenous Americans who predicted the oncoming end of the world, and you can be one.
• Junker: You wander the wastelands collecting junk with which to build your incredible gadgets. Some claim the inspiration for your infernal gizmos comes from the evil spirits responsible for bringing about the Apocalypse. You're basically a mad scientist. Arcane Background edge.
• Law Dog: You've taken a solemn oath to restore law and order to the Wasted West. You have no real authority other than that exerted by your six-gun and your own will. Someone's gotta bring justice to the Wasted West.
• Librarian: While some folks burn books just to keep warm, you dedicate your life to preserving knowledge. You're convinced that the secrets you find will be needed in the future.
• Postman: Some folks would give anything to get a letter down to Texas, but you only charge a fistful of bullets. There's not much left, but thanks to you, the mail still gets through.
• Ravenite: You helped bring about the Apocalypse. Maybe you don't admit it, even to yourself. Maybe you seek retribution against Raven and others who led you astray. [Technically, Ravenites are a group of indigenous people who aggressively rejected indigenous tradition and wholeheartedly embraced the plans of Raven, who initiated the Reckoning. I decided otherwise.]
• Road Warrior: You're always chasing the next tank of spook juice and one more sunrise. You're Mad Max, basically.
• Savage: Don't like that term. This just means you don't remember before the bombs--this messed-up world is all you knew, for one reason or another.
• Scavenger: You are one of the few brave enough to enter the blasted cities to search for salvage. You brave ghost rock storms, irradiated battlefields, and the creatures of the Deadlands in your quest for pre-war treasure. Most meet violent ends, but you hope to be one of the lucky few to become a trader.
• Soldier: Not everyone who wore a uniform was killed during the Last war. You survived because you were a deserter or coward, or perhaps because fate made you the sole survivor of a unit annihilated in the final days before the bombs. Now you wander the wastes, offering your grim services.
• Syker: You're a former soldier with incredible mental powers. You learned your trade in government academies where you were made into a commando, spy, and assassin. In the years before the Apocalypse, you may have been deployed to the alien world of Banshee, or into the meat grinder of the Last War. At first, your specialized skills were used as intended, but you were later thrown into the front lines as the war  expanded and generals became desperate. Now you're a wanderer, distrusted thanks to your powers, and easily recognizable due to your complete lack of hair. Arcane Background edge.
• Tale Teller: Humanity can't survive without hope. You join with other heroes to defeat the evils of the Wasted West, and then make sure the locals hear tell of the victory. Some are not so noble, instead only performing for a meal and a bed.
• Toxic Shaman: Called a spook because of the spook juice you drink, you draw power from the warped nature spirits that arose from the toxins and pollution that blight the land. You travel the Wastes, fighting evil and healing (or harming) the land. Arcane Background edge.
• Trader: You discovered, earned, or stole great treasures to barter with others. You now travel the Wasted West seeking new markets for your goods, and a lead on your next score.
• Witch: You're a witch, you sling dope spells. There is some lore, but the main thing is just being cool as hell. Arcane Background edge.

Then, follow the guidelines below.

1.) Race: You can only be a human, sorry.

2.) Attributes: Start with a d4 in all of your attributes. You have 5 points to distribute between your attributes, with each point raising an attribute by a die type. You can also spend 2 Hindrance points to raise an attribute by a die type.

3.) Skills: You have a set of core skills (Athletics, Common Knowledge, Notice, Persuasion, and Stealth) which all characters start with an automatic d4 in.

You'll buy skills (starting at a d4) with 12 points. Buying above the linked attribute will cost two points, and you cannot raise above a d12. You may also spend Hindrance Points in like fashion.

Note that Psionics and Weird Science are skills in Hell on Earth Reloaded.

Note, also, that some skills from the previous edition of Savage Worlds have been folded into other skills. Therefore, the full skill list for the game is this:

• Academics (Smarts)
• Athletics (Agility) [This is a Core Skill, meaning you start with a d4]
• Battle (Smarts)
• Boating (Agility)
• Common Knowledge (Smarts) [This is a Core Skill, meaning you start with a d4]
• Driving (Agility)
• Fighting (Agility)
• Gambling (Smarts)
• Healing (Smarts)
• Intimidation (Spirit)
• Notice (Smarts) [This is a Core Skill, meaning you start with a d4]
• Occult (Smarts)
• Performance (Spirit)
• Persuasion (Spirit) [This is a Core Skill, meaning you start with a d4]
• Repair (Smarts)
• Research (Smarts)
• Riding (Agility)
• Shooting (Agility)
• Stealth (Agility) [This is a Core Skill, meaning you start with a d4]
• Survival (Smarts)
• Taunt (Smarts)
• Thievery (Agility)

And these additional skills:

• Psionics (Smarts)
• Weird Science (Smarts)
• Faith (Spirit)

4.) Hindrances: You can take up to four points of hindrances. A Major Hindrance is worth 2 points, a Minor Hindrance is worth 1 point. (You can take additional hindrances, but the maximum benefit is four points.)

For one Hindrance Point, you may:

• Purchase an additional die in any Skill, up to the linked Attribute.

For two Hindrance Points, you may:

• Purchase an additional die in any Skill to raise it above its linked Attribute.
• Purchase an additional Edge.

5.) Edges: Humans get a free Novice Edge at character creation. For 2 Hindrance points, pick up an additional Edge at character creation.

6.) Derived Statistics: Unless your Edges or Hindrances change these numbers, your derived statistics will be:

Pace: 6
Parry: 2 plus half your fighting die, rounded down. (If you don't have Fighting, it's 2.)
Toughness: 2 plus half your Vigor die, rounded down.

7.) Gear: Each hero starts with the clothes on his back and $250 to purchase some initial gear. The rest of your starting cash will be converted to trade goods for purposes of barter, so do keep track of your spending.

8.) When it comes time to advance and gain new ranks, you'll be able to do any one of these things:

• Gain a new Edge
• Increase a skill equal to or greater than its linked attribute by one die type.
• Increase two skills lower than their linked attributes by one die type each (including new skills at d4).
• Increase one attribute by a die type. This may be taken only once per Rank (so you may take this once at Novice Rank, then again at Seasoned Rank).
• Permanently remove a Minor Hindrane, or reduce a Major Hindrance to a Minor. I may allow you to save up two Advances to remove a Major Hindrance at once--this will likely involve a significant deal of play to achieve, and you won't be able to do it without putting in the work.

This message was last edited by the GM at 11:27, Thu 15 Sept 2022.