While exceptions do exist, Males are generally larger than females. With greater body mass, Males on average tend to possess higher maximum strength than females. Selecting to play a male character grants you a bonus <blue>+1 Strength</> point.
Females tend to be of smaller build than males. With less body mass and a slighter frame, females are often more nimble and graceful than males, resulting in a bonus <blue>+1 Dexterity</> point.
Nor'landers hail from the Northland Expanse, an arctic region of snow and ice. Nor'landers are of hearty build and are infamous for their ability to survive in conditions where most people would quickly succumb to death. As such, Nor'landers receive <blue>+2 Endurance</> and <blue>+1 Concentration points.
Barreans hail from the vast Desolation of Barrea, far to the West. It is a region of desert and wasteland where even a simple living requires a great deal of work. Barreans tend to be lean and swift, and can travel immense distances in a short amount of time. Barreans receive <blue>+2 Speed </>and <blue>+1 Strength points.
Emayu are a long forgotten people of the province of Wylderan, their lineage traced back to the earliest known civilizations of Eschalon. With the arrival of miners and profiteers from the mainland to Wylderan, much of the old-world Emayu culture has been lost, though people of Emayu heritage remain very mystical and connected to nature. As such they receive <blue>+2 Perception</> and <blue>+1 Wisdom points.
The Therish hail from rolling woodlands and plains of Thaermore. Although war has scattered most Therish to other regions of Eschalon, they remain an artistic and resourceful people. The Therish were well known for their Cavalry and elite Commonwealth Guard which protected the land until its fall in 728. Due to their resourceful attributes, Therish gain <blue>+2 Concentration</> and <blue>+1 Dexterity points.
Kessians hail from the coastal province of Mistfell. The term Kessian originates from the Kessian Basin in southeast Mistfell, but it has come to represent anyone from the greater northeast region. Since Mistfell is nearly surrounded by coastal waters, Kessians are highly regarded as sailors and navigators, and known to be expert tacticians in battle. They receive <blue>+2 Wisdom</> and <blue>+1 Intelligence points.
The Atheist has their mind grounded in observable truths. They simply do not believe in any higher spiritual power or superstitions. Because of this, they are immune to effects of Curses. However, this also makes them immune to the effects of Blessings and altruistic healing from a cleric.
A person of Druidic faith believes in the divinity of the living world itself; plants and animals, sun and rain, day and night. While outdoors, followers of the Druidic faith regenerate lost <orange>Hit Points</> and <orange>Mana Points</> much faster than normally possible. However, while in dungeons or underground they regenerate these points much more slowly than normal.
A person of Virtuous faith lives a life of altruism and strives to promote goodwill with others. Their faith often revolves around the worship of one or more deities whom they believe hold dominion over all living things. Virtuous persons automatically receive the spell "Bless" and can cast it at level one without the need for the <green>Divination</> skill. However, Virtuous persons are much more susceptible to being Cursed when in the presence of what they perceive as great evil.
A person of Nefarious faith lives a life of self-indulgence and corruption. By promoting wickedness in this life, they are ensured continued debauchery in the afterlife. Nefarious people have a 5% chance on any attack to deliver 'Malice Damage', an increase in damage gained by the use of savage and cruel combat techniques. However, they are immune to the altruistic act of healing from an cleric or priest.
The Agnostic person generally believes in some sort of higher power on a personal level, but balances this belief with observable truths and grounded ideals. Being generally balanced, they receive neither bonuses nor penalties.
Fighters are experts at hand-to-hand combat, preferring the feel of a solid weapon in their hand over anything else. Fighters may adventure for the simple thrill of battle, or to sell their services as a Mercenary to the wealthiest armies. <cr>Press <violet>F1</> to quick-start the game with a premade Fighter character.
Rogues are loners who prefers to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. Rogues often develop skills in lock picking and trap disarming, and they may dabble in unscrupulous activities, from petty thievery all the way up to assassinations. Certainly not all Rogues are criminals, and some have even become folk heroes while using their skills to help others. <cr>Press <violet>F2</> to quick-start the game with a premade Rogue character.
Magick Users are proficient in the Magickal Arts, as either a hobby or profession. Many people claim to possess some kind of Magick talent, but true Magick Users choose to make it part of their everyday life, practicing their art every chance they get. The adept Magick User is both feared and respected by even the mightiest warrior. <cr>Press <violet>F3</> to quick-start the game with a premade Magick User character.
Healers are persons who promote the restoration of life. This doesn't imply that a Healer is opposed to taking life when necessary; sometimes a few must die to save the lives of many. Some Healers work through the use of Divination and spiritual faith, while others live by the sword, insisting that healing cannot begin until the decay has first been cut out. <cr>Press <violet>F4</> to quick-start the game with a premade Healer character.
Rangers are scouts and protectors of their homeland. They are unequaled hunters and survivalists. They fight hand-to-hand combat only when needed, preferring guerrilla tactics and ranged weapons to win battles. <cr>Press <violet>F5</> to quick-start the game with a premade Ranger character.
Select your character's <orange>Gender</>.
Your character's <orange>Origin</> grants him certain Attribute bonuses based on which region he hails from.
Your character's <orange>Axiom</> describes his basic belief system, which imposes certain advantages and disadvantages to your character. <cr>Selecting your character's <orange>Class</> and <orange>Axiom</> generates his <orange>Title</>, which grants him one free skill to start out with.
Your character's <orange>Class</> identifies his base proficiencies, interests and way of life. It does not limit his development; regardless of your choice of Class, your character can still evolve in any way you choose and master any combination of Skills. <cr>Selecting your character's <orange>Class</> and <orange>Axiom</> generates his <orange>Title</>, which grants him one free skill to start out with.
<violet>Click the portrait</> to select a different image to represent your character. Note: you must choose your <orange>Gender</> first before portraits are available. <cr>If you wish to use a custom portrait, you must place a <violet>64 x 64 pixel</> PNG file named <violet>mypic.png</> in the root folder where Eschalon: Book III is installed, then click the <violet>Custom button</> to load it into the editor. Refer to the User's Manual for more instructions on how to do this.
<blue>Strength</> is a measure of your character's physical power; his ability to lift and carry weight as well as the maximum force he can deliver when attacking. Nearly all of your Character's physical abilities are augmented by Strength in some way, including <orange>Toxin Resistance. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
<blue>Dexterity</> is a measure of steadiness, accuracy, hand-eye coordination, balance, and grace in physical activity. Dexterity is critical in your Character's <orange>ToHit Rating</> and his base <orange>Armor Rating</>, as well as skills such as using <green>Bows, Thrown Weapons,</> and <green>Picking Locks. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
<blue>Endurance</> is a measure of how well your character can endure physical trauma, poisons, diseases and fatigue. It is the critical foundation of your Character's <orange>Maximum Hit Points</>, <orange>Toxin</> and <orange>Disease Resistances</>, and his or her <orange>Hit Point regeneration</> rate. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
<blue>Speed</> is a measure of how quickly your character is able to perform actions. The higher your Character's Speed is, the faster he can swing a melee weapon (thus increasing maximum deliverable damage) and the greater his base <orange>Armor Rating</> is because he is more able to quickly evade an oncoming attack. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
<blue>Intelligence</> is a measure of your character's ability to understand and retain new information, as well as his logistic skills. Intelligence also augments <orange>Element <orange>Resistance</> and for Magick Users, it contributes to the number of <orange>Mana Points</> gained every level. Finally, Intelligence helps you identify unknown items you may find on your journeys. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session. 
<blue>Wisdom</> is a measure of your character's insight, common sense and quality of judgment, as well as general cognitive abilities. Wisdom augments the magickal Skill of <green>Divination</>, as well as <orange>Disease Resistance</> and some defensive stats. Wisdom is also the only attribute that can protect your character against Cursings. For Healers, Wisdom contributes to the number of <orange>Mana Points</> gained every level. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
<blue>Perception</> is the ability to sense, channel and use the arcane energy that exists below the surface of observable reality. In its slightest form, Perception also affects awareness and intuition. Perception represents your character's ability to perform acts of magick and divine channeling and is the basis for your starting <orange>Mana Points, Magick Resistance</>, <orange>Mana regeneration</> rate, and <orange>Mana gains</> each level, as well as your natural ability to spot hidden items. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
<blue>Concentration</> is a measure of your character's ability to maintain attention and mental focus, especially while distressed. It is often considered the mental version of Endurance. It augments many different Skills and Stats that require strong mental focus such as your character's <orange>ToHit Rating</>, <green>Trap Disarming</>, <green>Spell Casting</> and much more. It is a critical Attribute to develop for every Character, regardless of specialization. <cr><violet>Left-click</> to add available points to this Attribute, <violet>Right-click</> to remove any points that you have added this session.
If you wish to use a custom portrait, you must place a <violet>64 x 64 pixel</> PNG file named <violet>mypic.png</> in the root folder where Eschalon: Book III is installed, then click the <violet>Custom button</> to load it into the editor. Refer to the User's Manual for more instructions on how to do this.
<red>You cannot change your Gender, Origin, Axiom, or Class after your character has been created.</>
<red>You cannot select a new portrait after your character has been created.</> However, you can click the Custom button to load a custom portrait.
<red>You cannot re-roll your Attributes after your character is created. If you are leveling your character, you can place any additional Attribute points that you may have received into the Attribute of your choice.</>
This shows the number of remaining <orange>Attribute Points</> that can be distributed in the Attribute boxes below. Click the Left and Right mouse buttons on a selected Attribute to add or removed points from it. You cannot lower any Attribute score below the base score which you rolled.
This shows the number of remaining <orange>Skill Points</> that can be used to upgrade your Known Skills. New Skills can be "purchased" for <red>3 points</> each from the Available Skills list, or any of your existing Known Skills can be upgraded to the next level for <red>1 point</> each.
Your character's <orange>Title</> is automatically generated based on your <orange>Axiom</> and <orange>Class</> choices. This title determines what <green>Granted Skill</>  your character is given.
<violet>Click the dice</> to re-roll your base attributes. Each roll randomly distributes <green>7 to 14 points (6 + 1d8)</> into the eight Attribute categories. <cr><red>Note: re-rolling your based Attribute scores will reset your character and undo any changes you may have made so far.
Click here to continue the game when you are finished with the Character Editor. <cr>If you are creating a character for the first time and wish to cancel the process, you may press <violet>ESC</> to back out to the Main Menu.
<red>You cannot raise any skill more than 5 points per character level.</>
The Arcane Skill of <green>Alchemy</> deals with the production of Potions and Elixirs through the mixing of Reagents and other ingredients. The higher your skill is in Alchemy, the more potent a mixture you can create. Master Alchemists may also learn the process of applying these mixtures to weapons and armor, imbuing them with extra abilities.
The Arcane Skill of <green>Divination</> deals with Magicks of the Spiritual and Organic realms, used most frequently by Healers and persons of Druidic faith. The higher this skill is, the more powerful of Divination spells you can cast and the lower your chance of spell failure during combat will be. <blue>Wisdom</> complements this skill.
The Arcane Skill of <green>Elemental</> deals with Magicks of the elemental realms; fire, earth, air and water. The higher this skill is, the more powerful of Elemental spells you can cast and the lower your chance of spell failure during combat will be. <blue>Intelligence</> complements this skill.
<green>Light Armor</> encompasses the use of lightweight protection such as soft, hard and studded leathers. To wear any piece of Light Armor without penalty, <red>you must be sufficiently skilled for the type of armor you wish to wear</>. Simple armors made out of Hemp or Hide require less skill to properly use than other armors made from Studded Leather, for example. The more skilled you are with any armor, the less injury you will receive from a physical attack.
<green>Heavy Armor</> encompasses the use of heavyweight protection such as any armor fabricated from metal alloys. To wear any piece of Heavy Armor without penalty, <red>you must be sufficiently skilled for the type of armor you wish to wear</>. Simple armors made out of Copper or Bronze require less skill to properly use than other armors made from Dwarven Steel, for example. The more skilled you are with any armor, the less injury you will receive from a physical attack.
The <green>Shield</> Skill deals with the effective use of hand-held shields in combative situations. Beginning at skill level 10, using a shield will increase your chances of completely deflecting a successful attack on you.
<green>Cartography</> is the ability to accurately map your surroundings as you explore. The on-screen automap <red>does not work</> unless you have at least one point in the Cartography Skill. The automap becomes more accurate and informative as your Cartography skill increases.
<green>Dodge</> allows you to avoid being attacked through evasive actions, such as a carefully timed sidestep or twist of your body. When you perform a successful dodge, your opponent is thrown off balance granting you a <orange>+10% ToHit</> probability on your follow-up attack. Dodge is a passive skill and will be checked automatically each combat round. Your chance of successfully dodging any attack is <orange>1% per point</> that you have in the Dodge skill.
<green>Foraging</> is a skill that is valuable to players who live off the land. A skilled Forager can scavenge for food and water as they travel across the world. At higher skill levels, your character will find valuable reagents which can be used for Alchemy or sold for extra coins. Foraging only works <red>while traveling</>, and generally in wilderness only.
<green>Hide in Shadows</> is the ability to utilize shadow and darkness to cover your movement. It is an automatic Skill that is always active and it grants the effect 'Hidden in Shadow' if your character is in a darkened area. The higher the skill, the less darkness your character needs to utilize this Skill. Also, standing next to a wall or large object increases the effect.
<green>Lore</> is the ability to identify the strange items you discover on your journeys. <blue>Intelligence</> complements this skill.
<green>Medicine</> is the ability to dress wounds and utilize common herbs for faster recovery of <orange>Hit Points</>, as well as an increase in resistance to <orange>Toxins</> and <orange>Disease</>.
<green>Meditation</> is the ability to focus your mind to better resist the effects of magickal attacks and extreme elements such as heat and cold. It also allows you to restore your spent <orange>Mana Points</> at a faster rate.
<green>Mercantile</> is the ability to negotiate better prices when buying and selling items from merchants. The higher this Skill is, the cheaper items become when purchasing and the more money you can get when selling items.
<green>Move Silently</> is a stealth skill that allows you to move without producing sound to avoid detection. The higher this skill is, the more it offsets the <red>penalty imposed by wearing armor</> and the closer you can approach an enemy before they notice you. When no enemy can hear you moving, the effect "Silent" is displayed in the Effects Window. <blue>Dexterity</> complements this skill.
The <green>Pick Locks</> Skill is the ability to utilize lock picks to release locks on doors and chests. <blue>Dexterity</> complements this skill.
The <green>Repair</> Skill is the ability to repair weapons and armor in your inventory while you are camping. Initially, you will only be able to make small improvements to your currently equipped weapons and armor, but as this skill increases your repairs will become more thorough and efficient, allowing you to repair more items in your inventory during the time you spend camping. 
<green>Skullduggery</> is the mechanical understanding of traps and trickery, and the ability to effectively disarm them. <blue>Concentration</> complements this skill.
The <green>Spot Hidden</> skill is the ability to passively spot hidden items, doors, traps and abnormalities. This skill is complemented by the <blue>Perception</> attribute.
<green>Unarmed Combat</> is the ability to attack a target using only your hands or feet and inflict as much damage as you would if you were holding a blunt weapon. <blue>Strength</> and <blue>Speed</> are the attributes that complement this skill. Beginning at skill level 10, the character has a chance of performing a "Fury Strike", hitting a target (creature or object) with 4x normal damage.
<green>Bludgeoning Weapons</> include Staves, Maces, Hammers, Clubs and similar blunt-force weapons. They work equally well at bashing in doors as well as skulls, and they are the most durable of all weapons. Bludgeoning weapons are considered melee devices and as such <blue>Strength</> and <blue>Speed</> complement this skill. Beginning at skill level 10, the character has a chance of performing a "Devastating Blow", striking a target (creature or object) with 2x normal damage and permanently reducing the enemy Armor Rating by 50%.
<green>Bow Weapons</> include any variation of archery devices which utilizes arrows. <blue>Concentration</> and <blue>Dexterity</> are the attributes that complement the Bow skill. Beginning at skill level 10, the character gains the ability of "Intense Focus", allowing for precision strikes causing 3x normal damage.
<green>Cleaving Weapons</> include Axes, Machetes, and similar chopping weapons. They are very durable and dependable. Cleaving Weapons are considered melee devices and as such <blue>Strength</> and <blue>Speed</> complement this skill. Beginning at skill level 10, the character has a chance of performing a "Great Cleave", striking not only the primary target but adjacent targets as well.
<green>Piercing Weapons</> include Knives, Daggers, and Spears. Generally, piercing weapons do not produce as much damage as other types weapons, however they are lighter and allow the character the opportunity to strike multiple times. The Piercing Weapons skill is complemented by <blue>Dexterity</> and <blue>Speed</>. Beginning at skill level 10, the character has a chance of performing a "Double Strike", hitting a target two separate times per attack round.
<green>Swords</> include all forms of medium to long-bladed, single or double-handed weapons. Note that Short Swords are considered true Swords, not Short Bladed or Piercing weapons. While swords can be very effective weapons, they require more maintenance than a simple hammer or axe to remain useful. Swords are considered melee weapons and as such <blue>Strength</> and <blue>Speed</> complement this skill. Beginning at skill level 10, the character has a chance of performing a "Masterful Riposte". This is a guaranteed strike, and then perfect parrying of all enemy attacks in the following round. Parried enemies suffer riposte damage equivalent to Sword's base damage.
<green>Thrown Weapons</> include special knives, hatchets and spears designed to be hurled at targets. Thrown weapons will generally cause more damage to a target than other ranged weapons (such as arrows) due to heavier weight and additional inertia, and unlike bows, thrown weapons can be used while holding a torch or shield. The down side is that thrown weapons are heavier in your inventory and more costly per unit than arrows. <blue>Strength</> and <blue>Dexterity</> are the attributes that complement the Thrown Weapon skill. Beginning at skill level 10, the character gains the ability of "Overwhelming Volley", allowing for up to 8 weapons to be thrown at once, showering the target and adjacent tiles.