Creating a new character
- Choose the File - New menu item to create a new character, or File - Open
button to load a previously created character. You may also use the "New"
and "Open"
toolbar
buttons just below the menu bar.

- PCGen will then open a new character tab (eg. "New1") and display
the Summary character creation tab. [Tabs for character creation
process default to the top of the screen.]

This tab contains several useful basic fields such as Name,
Alignment, and Race. This tab also includes
fields for your character's ability scores.
Enter your ability scores in the Score [Editable] field.
You should also enter a character name and player name at this time, and you
must select an alignment for your character in order to select a class later.
You can enter a Tab Label if you wish the tab for your character to be designated
with something other than your character's name.
If you click on the Generate Random Name button, the Random
Name Generator will appear. Select the ruleset (Name
Type) from the left pane and then click the Generate Name
button. A random name will appear in the right hand pane. Keep clicking the
Generate Name button until you are happy with the name and
then click the Accept button to return it to the Summary
character creation tab.

- Select the Race character creation tab.

This screen is broken into 2 sections. The top two panes display the available
Races the character can belong to. The bottom panes display
the available templates that can be added to the character.
When you select a race by clicking a race in the upper left frame, information
about the race is displayed in the upper right frame.
Once you have chosen the race for your character, click the Select
button or double-click the desired race name. [You could also have selected
a race on the Summary tab]
On the bottom of this tab are Templates. If you have a template that you need
to apply to your character, you can do it now, or you can come back later.
Note: You must select an alignment on the summary tab before
choosing a race.
- Select the Class character creation tab.

In the upper left frame you will see a list of classes available for use.
[Some of these may be red, indicating that you do not qualify for them.]
Now click a class. You will again notice that information about the class
is displayed, this time in the lower left frame. [If you do not qualify for
a class, the reason your character doesn't qualify for a class is indicated
in red on the class description.]
Either click the Add (">") button or double-click
a class to add a level of it.
The level appears in the upper right frame.
With your first class level, you will be asked to select a set of clothing
(which you get for free), and may be asked to make other selections.
Note: When making a choice (or choices) from a pop-up dialog,
you will see how many choices you have remaining at the bottom of the popup.
Click an item of interest from the upper frame, and click the "Add"
button to add it to the lower frame of the dialog and decrement your number
of choices by one. (You may also double-click an item in the upper dialog
to add it to the lower frame.) You may then continue to make choices if you
have some left (such as for feats that can be taken multiple times), or you
can Close the dialog saving some choices for later.

Once you have added your first class level you will notice that the information
in the lower right frame has changed. It now tells you how many Hit Points
your character has, how many skill and feat selections it has remaining, what
your base attack bonus is, and what your saving throw values are.
You can adjust your Hit Point total by clicking the HP button
as per the summary page. All characters gain maximum hit points at first level,
but thereafter you will need to tell PCGen how many hit points you gained
with each level increase.

You can also add your Experience total and Next Level
amount so it can print on the character sheet. This is done by clicking on
the Adj XP button.

- Select the Skills character creation tab.

This is where you can add ranks in skills.
The skill names appear in the upper left frame, their descriptions appear
in the lower left frame, the skills you have added appear in the upper right
frame, and you add skills by selecting them and clicking Add
(">") or by double-clicking the skill.
If you change your mind about a skill, you can remove a rank in the skill
by clicking the skill in the upper right frame and clicking the Remove
("<") button or double clicking the skill in the right hand frame.
You may also right-click a skill in the upper-right frame to add or remove
ranks from that skill.
The number of skill points you have left to spend is shown in the lower right
frame
If your character has more than one class, you will need to select which class
you are purchase your skills as, then purchase them as listed above
There are a few other useful options for adding skill points that are accessed
by right-clicking a skill and using the popup menu. One of these is to assign
the skill the maximum possible ranks.
- Select the Feats character creation tab.

Feats appear and are selected just as classes and skills are.
Feats you do not qualify for are listed in red.
- Select the Domains character creation tab.

Here you can enter a deity for your character to worship if desired and choose
clerical domains if your character is a priest.
To create a deity, select the "None" deity and right-click on it,
you can then select Create New Deity. You should enter a
name, favored weapon, domains, and allowed worshipper alignments for your
deity at a bare minimum. Other information is useful but not absolutely essential
to creating your character. Once you have entered all the desired information,
click the Save button on the deity editor.
Note: More detailed information on deity creation is available
in the Deity List Editor section of this Guide.
If your character is a Priest, you will be able to select domains after choosing
the deity. Select your domains from the upper right frame by highlighting
them and clicking Select, or by double-clicking.
Note: The deity "None" allows the selection of
any two domains.
- If your character is a spellcaster, select the Spells
character creation tab.

The left frame contains a complete list of spells for each spell casting class
you possess. The right frame displays spells you "know" (the ones
your deity grants, the ones you know due to class, or the ones in your spell
book, as applicable) and are able to cast.
If your spellcasting class has a list from which the character can prepare
without a spell book, all spells on the class list will be included in the
Known Spells "spellbook" if the check box - "add auto known
spells on level/load" is checked.
If your spellcasting class has a number of spells the character knows and
can cast without preparation, you may choose these from the upper left frame
(info on each spell is displayed in the lower left frame when it is selected)
and use Add (">") or double-click them to add
them to the upper right frame into the Known Spells "spellbook".
Information on the selected spell casting class from the upper left frame
is displayed in the lower right frame.
If your spellcasting class uses a spell book to store spells which you prepare
daily, you can add spells to it in the same fashion, but PCGen will not limit
you in the number of times you can do this, you will need to store these in
a different "spellbook" than Known Spells.
To indicate which spells you have prepared (for those classes which prepare
spells), (i.e. different sets depending on if you're in the city or in a dungeon)
you can create additional "spellbooks" by typing a name in the "Spellbook:"
text box and clicking on the Add button. Next, select it
in the Right Hand Frame. When you do this, the left hand frame will change
to the listing of your Known Spells "spellbook" and you will now
be drawing from that list to populate the list of prepared spells. Additionally,
if you are a divine spellcaster with domains, you will be allowed to prepare
one of your domain spells specifically.
- Select the Inventory character creation tab and then the
Gear sub-tab.

Here you can purchase items, set up different equipment sets and add resources
(familiars and the like).
You can purchase items in the same way you purchase skills, as you purchase
items you will see the amount of money you have available in the lower right
frame diminish.
You can modify this total by editing the "Gold:" field.
- Once you have selected the items your character owns on the Gear
sub-tab, select the Equipping sub-tab.

Here you will allocate what items are equipped or stored.
Select locations for the items your character owns on the upper right frame.
Some items are containers and can hold other items.
Every item your character is carrying should be marked "Carried"
so your encumbrance will be figured correctly.
Armors, weapons, shields, and magical items need to be marked as "Equipped"
so that PCGen gives you the appropriate benefit for using them. Weapons that
are carried will appear on the character sheet in the weapons section.
You can add additional equipment sets by typing in the name of an equipment
set and clicking on the Add button (in the Upper right hand frame).
You can then select equipment from the left hand frame (this contains what
you bought in the gear tab) into the equipment sets you chose (e.g. Dungeon,
City etc). You can do this by selecting an item and double clicking on it
or clicking on the Add (">") button.
- Once you have equipped the items your character owns on the Equipping
sub-tab, select the Resources sub-tab.

You must save your character before proceeding.
You can then select the type of resource you'd like to add to your character
on the Right hand frame (Animal Companion, Familiar, Follower or Special Mount).
You can then double click on the resource in the left hand frame to add that
resource as a particular type or click on the Add (">")
button.
If you already have an existing character saved that you wish to use as a
resource for another you can double click the resource type in the right pane
and a dialoge window will open allowing you to select a .pcg file to use as
that resource.
Note: For familiars, animal companions and special mounts
to show up, your character has to be of a class that allows those resources
(e.g. Wizard for a familiar, Druid or Ranger for animal companions and a Paladin
for a special Mount).
You will be asked to enter the name of the resource and then the resource
will be saved a as a separate character.

You will then be asked for the save location of the followers PCGen file.

PCGen will then prompt you for hit points for its monster levels (if applicable).

It will then swap you to that new character and you can flesh them out as
required.

You can then save that new resource and go back the resource tab on the original
character. You should then see the new resource added under the resource type
in the right hand frame.

- Now go back to the Summary character creation tab and
click the "Abilities" button.

If you click the Abilities button, the Abilities
dialog box appears. This is where you can select the starting languages,
special abilities and weapon proficiencies
that your PC has. It is also where the languages from skills can be selected.

Languages - You can select the additional languages your
character knows due to spent skill ranks ("Skill") or high ability
scores ("Other") now, by clicking the relevant button and selecting
them.

Special Abilities - This currently shows any special abilities
granted by your character's race. As you gain levels in classes, the names
of special abilities granted by the classes will show up here. You can also
add and remove your own Special abilities at will.

Weapon Profs - This shows all the weapon proficiencies you
have. If your race or class grants you weapon proficiency, click "Optional
Profs" to select it here.

- Select the Description character creation tab.

Here you can type in lots of role-playing info on your character.
Use the Check All button to tick all the options and then
press the Random button to have PCGen generate random attributes.
Take the ticks off the results you like and keep clicking on Random
until all fields are filled to your satisfaction.
Advanced: You can use HTML tags to modify the appearance
of the text on a character sheet.
Note: Please do not use the colon (":")
character in any fields on this page since it can cause problems with opening
your character. (this will be addressed in a future release)
The Notes frame has pre-defined sections for your character's biography, description,
companions, other assets, and magical items. PCGen can't apply bonuses to
your character or figure wealth using the items here, but they will be noted
on your character sheet.
You can also make any sort of notes you like in this frame. You can use this
as a record of your adventures, notes on particular NPCs or locations, or
anything else you wish.
Right-click a folder and select Add to add an item beneath
that folder. Right-click an item and click Add to add a new
folder above that item. With an item selected, you make any notes you like
in the giant text field to the right. To add a Picture to your character simply
click on the browse button in the bottom right hand corner and select a jpg
file, this will add that image to the list of images you can select from.
Click on the refresh button next to the name of the image to have it display
in that pane.
- Save your character!
Use File>Save, File>Save As..., use the Save icon in the button bar,
or right click on the character tab and then choose Save or Save As.

