1. Create Base Character Concept
2. Recieve Discretionary Character Points
3. Pick a Race
4. Assign Ability Scores
5. Pick a Class
6. Compute Energy and Hit Points
7. Calculate Saving Throws
8. Spend Starting Skill Points
9. Choose Starting Feats
10. Spend Unspent Character Points
11. Purchase Equipment

Create Base Character Concept

Before you can do anything else, you will need to decide what and who you are, at least in general terms, to guide you through the rest of this.
 

Recieve Discretionary Character Points
 
 

Power Level	Character Level	Discretionary Character Points
Low-powered game	1-4	40
Average-powered game	5-8	42
High-powered game	9-12	44
Very high-powered game	13-16	46
Extremely high-powered game	17-20	48
Epic-powered game	Epic-Level	50

Pick a Race

Every character belongs to one of the races of the world; some races cost points to belong to, others give you points, and many are free.  See the Fantasy Races page.

Assign Ability Scores

The bulk of your starting discretionary points will probably need to go into your Ability Scores:  Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.  You gain 2 points of Ability Scores for every DCP you spend on them.  Further details on this topic are found on the Attribute Page.  

Pick a Class

Every character belongs to one or more Classes, which are a cross between a profession and an archetype, defining the character's major aptitudes and powers.  Class membership does not cost you any DCPs.

Each Class you belong to, you have a 'Level' in that class, which shows how good you are at that classes' traits.  This ranges from 1 to 20.  It is possible to belong to more than one class; this is called Multi-classing.  The sum of all your levels in all your classes is your Character Level.

Starting characters are normally first level, but the DM may choose to start characters out at higher levels.

The Class Page, which describes all classes from 1st to 20th level, can be found here.

Compute Energy and Hit Points

Your starting Energy and Hit Points depend on your Level:

• Energy:  Roll 1d2 a number of times equal to your Level and add (your lowest Ability Score Bonus out of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma ) * your Level.
• Hit Points:  Roll the appropriate Hit Dice for your class for each level you have in it.  If you have multiple levels in multiple classes, you roll the appropriate classes' hit die for that classes' levels.

Calculate Saving Throws

Every character has three Saving Throws:

• Fortitude (Con):  This is your ability to resist things which try to warp or pollute your body, from being poisoned to being turned to stone.
• Reflex (Dex):  This is your ability to dodge traps, spells, etc.
• Will (Wis):  This is a measure of your strength of will, used to protect your mind.

Spend Starting Skill Points

This is one of the trickiest stages in the process.  Each level in a class gives you some number of Skill Points to spend.  You can buy Ranks in any Class Skill with that Class' skill points on a one for one basis.  You can buy other skills (called 'Cross-Class' skills), unless they are Restricted, but it costs 2 Skill Points to buy one Rank in the skill.  No Class Skill can be more than 3 ranks higher than your Class Level.  No Cross-Class Skill can be more than your (Character Level +3 ) / 2, rounded down.

For example, Bob is making a 4th level Dwarven Fighter named Bofur with a 14 Intelligence (Intelligence Modifier is 2, therefore).

The Fighter’s class Skills (and the key Ability for each) are:

• Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Powerlifting (Str), Ride (Dex),  Swim (Str)
• All Combat Skills are Class Skills

• Fighter Skill Points at 1st Level = (4 + Int Modifier) x 4
• Fighter Skill Points at Each Additional Level = 4 + Int modifier

Bofur decides to spend them on:

• Climb:  4 ranks.  4 skill points spent.
• Craft (Stone Mason):  7 ranks.  7 skill points spent.  Bofur could not start with a higher level of skill than this as 7 = Class Level +3.
• Powerlifting: 2 ranks.  2 skill points spent
• Ride: 3 ranks.  3 skill points spent.
• Search:  3 ranks.  6 skill points spent, as this is not a class skill.  Bofur could not buy more Search yet, as (4 +3) / 2 = 3.5, which rounds down to 3.
• Melee Combat: 7.    7 skill points spent.
• Melee Defense: 7.   7 skill points spent.
• Thrown Weapons: 3.  3 skill points spent.
• Ranged Defense: 3.  3 skill points spent.

Skills are described in more detail on the Skill Page. 

Choose Starting Feats

Everyone starts with one Feat, or two if they are Human.  They may recieve additional feats due to any Classes they belong to.

Every character gets another Feat for every 3 Character Levels they have.

Feats are described on the Feat Page.
 

Spend Unspent Character Points

You may possess unspent Discretionary Character Points at this point to buy Character Features.  The Character Feature page is here.

Purchase Equipment

Where would heroic adventurers be without their gear?  Butt-naked, that's where.

Starting Characters receive some amount of money, depending on their starting class and level.  This can then be spent on starting gear.
 

• First Level:
• Most Classes:  300 GP
• Knights:  600 GP
• Rogues: 700 GP
• Wizards and Scholars:  100 GP, but they also start with a spellbook.
• 2nd:  900 GP
• 3rd: 2700 GP
• 4th:  5400 GP
• 5th:  9000 GP

Equipment is on this page.