Character Sheets - Moralinth Cypher Edition
- Adam Donovan
- Oct 2, 2018
- 7 min read
Today we'll be taking a look at the 4-page character sheet used in the Cypher Edition of Moralinth.
The original Cypher System character sheet from Monte Cook Games, while it contains all of the vital information needed for most Cypher System games, simply does not allow for the additional features that exist in Moralinth.
While it is perfectly acceptable to use these character sheets at a pinch, the Moralinth: Cypher Edition comes bundled with a few printable accessories: a new Moralinth-specific character sheet being one of them. Here is a snap-shot of the two-page character sheet used in The Cypher System:
The above character sheet contains all the information required to play most Cypher System games, but for Moralinth with all its expanded information that needs to be available and on hand, it was decided that a 4-page character sheet would be more desirable:
Moralinth Cypher Edition character sheet (page 1)
Each of the pages is further broken down into three parts, the intention being that certain information is grouped together as well as making it easier to navigate at a glance. Lets have a look at each of these sections on page 1:
Starting at the top of the page is space to write in the "phrase" that describes and makes up your character: [Name] is a [Descriptor] [Type] who [Focus]
(For example: Sir Charles is an Extroverted Dilettante who Wards against the Dark)
Below that is where one records their Effort, Tier and XP.
Effort is a mechanic that allows you to add Statistic Pool points into any roll. This normally starts at 1.
Tier is the nearest thing the Cypher System has to a traditional 'level'. Ranging from 1 to 6, it normally starts at 1.
XP is short for Experience Points and is a place to record how much XP the character has during play. This always starts at zero.
Moving down, "Insanity" is where a character's Insanity Points are recorded, ranging from 1-10.
Recovery Rolls is a mechanic employed in the Cypher System to take short breaks. You get x4 a day, and one rolls 1d6 +[Tier] (which is written in the blank box after "1d6+") on each roll.
Beneath that is a simple check-box to show which of your 4 recovery rolls you have made that day, and beneath that are the 2 "damage track" boxes for ticking when a player has taken enough damage to move down the health track.
On the right of these boxes is where a character's Corruption Points are recorded, again between 1-10.
Continuing down the section is a checklist of character Advancements: when a player gains 4 XP they can trade it in for one of these four Advances. Once all 4 have been unlocked a further 4 XP can be spent moving up to the next Tier.
Finally at the bottom of this section is where a character's main in-game attack options are recorded, as well as any Armour they may have.
This middle of the first page focuses on statistics and skills.
Starting at the top, a character's three statistics of Might, Speed and Intellect are recorded. The large box for each is where a character's current score in this statistic is recorded, whereas the smaller "Pool" box to the left shows the character's maximum in that statistic.
On the right of each of these statistic is another small box, this time reading "Edge".
Edge is a bit like natural talent in a certain area and indicates a reduced Effort cost in checks associated with its associated statistic.
Moving down the sheet a bit, the largest box is for recording a character's skills with a line for each skill. On the right the column headed "T" indicates a Trained Skill. The column headed "S" indicates a Specialised skill.
Further down an Inability is something the character struggles with such as complex social situations.
The final section of the first page is mostly for material possessions:
The fist large box is for a character's personal equipment to be recorded. This is usually items they carry with them rather than everything they own.
At the bottom of this box is a section to record Weekly Earnings and also to record current Shillings (the main currency of the game).
The bottom large box is a player to record their character's Cyphers - magical items or supernatural buffs that are one-use advantages.
At the bottom of the page is a box called "Cypher Use" which is a place to record how many Cyphers the character can have activated at once. They can carry more than the number recorded in this box, but can only have a set amount activated at any one time.
Moralinth Cypher Edition character sheet (page 2)
The second of the four pages in the character sheet contains information that is almost as important as those found on the front page and may need to referenced frequently:
The far-left part of the second page is for a character's Special Abilities; being any training, advantages, powers or assets they gain in character creation. Initially to those found at Tier 1, this section is filled with abilities granted to the character through their choice of Type, Descriptor and Focus.
The middle section of the second page is dedicated to a part about the character that will probably not be active at character creation or even during Tier 1, but will become a very important part of the character: Dark Passengers.
A Dark Passenger is a manifestation of the character's darker side. It has a Name and a specific Form, both of which have been allocated space to describe.
Beneath that the specifics of the form, regardless of whether it is a form of
Attraction or Revulsion, can be recorded.
Beneath this are "Dark Boons" the character gains as their Dark Passenger gains Tiers parallel to the character.
The Tier 1 Dark Boon "Trait" is determined at character creation, and is an evolution of the character's "Quirk" (see page 3).
The Tier 2 through 6 Dark Boons are recorded afterwards for reference.
A Dark Passenger can only manifest in a character who is "Shadowed" and the box at the bottom of this section indicates if a character is Shadowed or not.
The final section of the second page is for recording what happens to the characters as they progress through insanity and corruption damage.
Mental Disorders are mental effects that alter the character in various ways. A character gains a Mental Disorder when they reach 3, 6, and 9 Insanity Points. They can only ever have a maximum of three Mental Disorders.
Corrupt Boons are special effects that alter the character in a beneficial and negative manner. A character gains a Corrupt Boon when they reach 4, 6 and 8 Corruption Points.
When a character gains their first 2 Corruption Points rather than gaining a Corrupt Boon, they are permanently marked as "Shadowed" (see above), which opens the door to a potential Dark Passenger.
Moralinth Cypher Edition character sheet (page 3)
The third page concentrates primarily on background material; information that fleshes out your character and adds some behind-the-scenes weight to their personality. Likely to come up at various points in the game, it is separated out again for easy reference:
Though a lot of the time much of this section will remain blank, the left section of the third page is dedicated to Social Status, including a list of the 31 main factions in the capital Enclave of Elysium. Players start with Favour among a single group (this is the same as an Asset in the Cypher System), and Disdain with one of their rival groups (amounting to an Inability in the Cypher System)
** the exception to this is the Dilettante Type who start with Favour / Disdain with 3 different Social Groups instead of 1 **
Favour and Disdain with these groups go up and down throughout the game, emphasising the fluid nature of social interactions.
The middle section of this page focuses on the player's Residence.
Unlike many other games, characters in Moralinth are very much part of the community, going about their daily, professional or social lives in-between investigations into The Dark.
Though the initial choice of Residence can be as simple as any other equipment selected for a character, this section is designed to give the player space to fill out appropriate information on their characters' home (if they have one)
A residence varies in rental or ownership price depending on where it is build in an Enclave.
The far right part of the 3rd page of the character sheet is dedicated to the character's Background.
Though the Cypher System has it laid out in a slightly different order, your character's background is build up out of choices made when they select their Type, Descriptor and Focus as well as a fourth unconnected choice called Background Option which shows how you were exposed to The Dark and how it changed your character.
In Moralinth an extra section is added to your character called "Quirk". Chosen by the player at character creation, a character's Quirk is an unusual part of their personality that sometimes rises to the surface, usually opposite to their normal demeanour.
The choice in Quirk goes toward building the first steps of a Dark Passenger (see above).
Moralinth Cypher Edition character sheet (page 4)
The fourth and final page of the Moralinth: Cypher Edition character sheet contains extra information that probably won't be needed quite as much as the information on the pages that proceed it, but are still important enough the keep to hand during gameplay:
All character sheets inevitably need a section to put notes and Moralinth: Cypher Edition is no exception.
In fact, considering the fact the game leans heavier on the investigation and social aspects of role-playing, having a large notes section to record various notes, people's names, locations, clues and the like are considerably important.
To that end a large Notes & Clues section sits on the left-hand side of the fourth page ready to be filled.
Depending on whether you are a player of artistic enthusiasm or not, the Portrait section is a great place to design and doodle your character or any symbols or iconography you find.
If you are not interested in art, the Portrait section doubles up as an extended Notes & Clues section for when you run out of space!
At the very end of the last page of the character sheet sits the Moralinth-Specific Rules section: a reference area that summarises 5 of the major new features in Moralinth:
Shock & Fear describes how such rules are used in the game, including changes to the standard Cypher System rules.
Insanity has all the information needed to know how to handle situations regarding attacks on the mind.
Corruption & The Blight gives information on how corruption works and how it effects the characters, as well as how The Blight works.
Social Status is a summary of the rules around Social Status found on page 3.
Finally The Sight is a brief explanation of how The Sight works; a universal ability afforded to all players (see the blog entitled "The Sight' (Moralinth: 5e & Cypher Edition)' for more information).
And so ends our look at the 4-Page Moralinth Cypher Edition character sheet. It has gone through a few iterations since first play-test based on player feedback. Bar one change that still needs to be made before the final version (the more eagle-eyed among you may have noticed the last section reads "Corruption & The Taint" rather than "Corruption & The Blight"), this is the concluded design for the game going into launch. Hopefully you've all enjoyed this in-depth look at the character sheet, which also goes some way to preview other features coming in the future!
Happy Gaming,
- Adam
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