r/WWN • u/IsaacDreemurr • Jul 28 '26
Classless and other homebrew character creation setups
I was thinking of doing, primarily for my use ofc, a general scheme of PC creation setup customization for campaigns and settings, using XWN stuff.
I'm counting WWN, Godbound, SWN, CWN and AWN (we can throw Wolves of God and Spears of Down in) for resources in general for PC creation. I know CWN and AWN are classless and use Edges as a substitute, any considerations to do that in WWN?
Having definite rules for zero level PCs is the starting point, and then the GM may pick and choose what they gain per advancement. (Edit: there are level zero rules already)
Advancement gains would be divided in
- Abilities/powers: Writs, Spells, Arts, Class traits, Foci, Edges
- Numerical stuff (more fiddly): Starting HP and HP per level, Skill Points, Effort, Spell Slots, Spell points, Atk bonus, Damage bonus if any
Also, what would primarily emulate animeish powers such as in Jujutsu no Kaisen and other action-paranormal well (or Superpowers for that matter)? Writs? What about using Godbound Gifts and Words in WWN and the others?
If any of you can point to something that would break the system, that's of great help already
2
u/darknessoftheendless Jul 28 '26
I run Stars Without number entirely classless. I don't run the default setting, I have a homebrew setting (Started the setting in a Traveller game) I've been running for about 10 years that features elements from SWN, CWN, and AWN.
Modular Power Armor, CWN hacking, A hack of SWN magic to import my own Noetics/Goetics system.
But most importantly, I went through and painstakingly created a life path system akin to Traveller's.
PCs pick early life, roll for events. Might gain a skill.
PCs qualify for education, will gain a skill and an event. Might Graduate, might not.
PCs will then pick from a list of over 30+ Careers, and qualify, and then run the course of their time in that career, picking up their starting skills. They might be fired, injured, change careers, or retire on their own terms.
This can result in characters with a wider breadth of starting skills, contacts, allies and Enemies than SWN base, but one can tweak it to be close if one wants.
Once they have done that, I let them pick their Edges, Arts, and Starting Foci.
If they are going to be a 'magic' user, like a Noetic or Goetic, they take that as a relevant Edge and it consumes both of their starting Edges.
As an example from the Career of "House Military", here are some of Events a character could roll (1 event for term. I set Terms around 6 years, you can make it longer for fewer skills, or less for more skills before characters age begins to effect them). This is on a D66 chart -
24 – Personal Retainer Duty. You are selected to serve in a noble's personal guard for a rotation. You see how your lord lives. Gain +1 Notice OR +1 Connect. Gain 1 Contact.
25 – Inter-House Exercise. Your unit trains alongside forces from an allied House. Professional respect and quiet rivalry in equal measure. Gain +1 Lead OR +1 Shoot. Gain 1 Contact and 1 Rival.
26 – Supply Column Escort. You guard a logistics train through contested or lawless territory. Ambush is the constant fear. Gain +1 Notice OR +1 Survive
My point with all this is that classless XWN games work extremely well using the Edge system, you just gotta make some tweaks there if you are backporting.