Planned Character Creation

The preferred method of creating characters for Versailles, is to have a good idea as to personality and background and the kind of character you wish to play. Then with that foreknowledge, to plan the construction of your character to fit within the game rules.

In general most of a group of players should be playing courtiers. Versailles is all about palace intrigue and the use of vast amounts of money for bribing, gambling or providing entertainment. Only with the GM's permission should a player think of taking a character of a lesser social class. Because characters of lesser class will need to have a plot built around them to either incorporate why the other players would interact with them, or how the character is going to obtain nobility. Also be aware that a noble can belong to the military or the clergy, while still maintaining their nobility.

The default character is a lord or lady (seigneur or dame)- a noble of a noble house who is in the immediate family of a peer (ie, the second son of a Count). Points to Distribute: 70

• Body — Maximum of 20 points amongst the three characteristics (Strength, Agility, Endurance)
• Memory
  • Beliefs — At least 2 Beliefs of at least 2 points each. There is no limit to the amount you may start with.
  • Reputation — Maximum of 2 Reputations in major classes, or 4 in minor classes.
  • Favours — Maximum of 1 favour.
• Background
  • Contacts — Maximum of 4 contacts.
  • Currency — multiply the amount of points you assign by ten to determine how many livres you have on you.
• Repartee — Maximum of 30 points amongst the four characteristics (Wits, Flattery, Spite and Conviction).
• Skills — Maximum of 40 points amongst Empathy and Social, Intellectual, Physical and Professional and Miscellaneous skills groups.

As a peer you enjoy the rights and responsibilities of a peer (See Peerages). Choose you peerage - there were great variations in the amount of money earned by each title, it is quite possible to be a rich Chevalier that earns more than a poor Comte.

• Title
  • A duke (Latin dux, literally “leader”) was the governor of a province, usually a military leader.
  • A count (Latin comes, literally “companion”) was an appointee of the king governing a city and its immediate surroundings, or else a high-ranking official in the king's immediate entourage (the latter called “palace counts” or “counts Palatine”).
  • A marquis was a count who was also the governor of a “march”, a region at the boundaries of the kingdom that needed particular protection against foreign incursions (margrave in German).
  • A viscount was the lieutenant of a count, either when the count was too busy to stay at home, or when the county was held by the king himself
  • A baron (a later title) was originally a direct vassal of the king, or of a major feudal lord like a duke or a count
  • A castellan (chatelain) was the commander in charge of a castle. A few castellanies survived with the title of sire“.”
• +10 Contacts (amongst up to 3 NPCs)
• +10 for Memory
• You owe two other characters (PC or NPC) Significant Favours, or three characters Minor Favours.